Dante
Bichette
3B
/ Orangewood Christian High School
Bats-Throws: R-R
Height/Weight: 6-1/205
Hometown: Orlando,
Fla.
College
Commitment: Georgia
Birthdate: Sept.
26, 1992
SCOUTING
PROFILE: Bichette is, of course, the
son of the former big-league outfielder of the same name.
Dad played 14 years in the majors,
slamming 274 home runs. He also was second in the 1995 National
League MVP race (.340-40-128 in the friendly confines of Coors Field)
and joined the rare 30/30 club the following year (31 HR/31 SB).
Dante Jr. is cut from the same mould in many respects. A notable
difference between the two is that the younger Bichette comes with a
lot more hype than his dad had. Dante Sr. went undrafted out of high
school, and was a mere 17th-rounder
in 1984 out of Palm Beach CC. His son has been heavily exposed in
showcases and travel-league competition, and should be drafted much
higher in June, likely in the top 2-3 rounds. Bichette is a
righthanded hitter, like his dad, and has the same very aggressive
swing that creates outstanding raw bat speed. He hits from an
exaggerated open, spread stance that concerns some scouts because he
often doesn’t come close to closing his hips at contact, or
becoming directional to the pitcher. Few pitchers at the high-school
level can spot the ball consistently to the outside corner,
especially with off-speed stuff, to exploit Bichette’s apparent
vulnerability to pitches on the outer half. But it could prove to be
a challenge for Bichette at the next level that may demand
adjustments in his approach. On the other hand, throw something
middle-in on Bichette, especially with some velocity on it, and he’ll
destroy it. Balls typically explode off his barrel and he can easily
reach the fences to all parts of the field. Bichette hit a resounding
.597-9-37 as a junior at Orangewood Christian High, and .640-10-40
this spring. Admittedly, the level of competition he has faced in
high school is inferior to the pitching he normally sees in the
summer and fall, but he typically hit in the middle of the lineup
last year for powerful FTB Mizuno, and was surrounded in the order by
fellow top Florida prep prospects like Francisco Lindor, Dan
Vogelbach and Tyler Marlette—all elite prospects for this year’s
draft. Defense is another area where Son strongly resembles Father.
The elder Bichette was never known as a defensive standout in right
field, though had a powerful throwing arm. His son has played plenty
of shortstop as a teenager, and though he has acceptable 7.0 speed in
the 60, he lacks the ideal lateral foot quickness to play shortstop
at a higher level. Likewise, he has enough arm strength to touch 90
mph off the mound, but a slow release handicaps that tool. Scouts
envision Bichette adapting nicely to third base as a professional
(his dad played 64 games of third base in the minor leagues), before
an outfield corner position or first base comes into play. Moving
away from all the obvious comparisons to his father, the player in
the current high-school draft class that Bichette most closely
resembles is probably California slugger Travis Harrison, another
prodigious righthanded slugger whose eventual defensive position is a
secondary concern to his big bat.
Projected
Draft Position: Second / Third
Round.
Perfect
Game Events Attended
2008 WWBA 2008 Grads or 18u National Championship
2008 18u BCS Finals
2008 WWBA Underclass World Championship
2009 18U WWBA Florida Memorial Day Classic
2009 WWBA 2010 Grads or 17u National Championship
2009 WWBA 2011 Grads or 16u National Championship
2009 PG Showcase at AFLAC All American Game
2009 WWBA Underclass World Championship
2009 WWBA World Championship
2010 18U WWBA Memorial Day Classic
2010 WWBA 2011 Grads or 17u National Championship
2010 17U BCS Finals
2010 WWBA Florida Qualifier
2010 WWBA World Championship