Josh Kasevich didn’t draw significant MLB draft interest during his senior year of high school in 2019. The California native only talked to one scout, who had more interest in him as a pitcher than a position player.
Kasevich wasn’t worried about the lack of professional interest, however. He honored his commitment to the University of Oregon, despite the program experiencing a coaching change in June 2019.
Now a junior at Oregon, Kasevich has developed into an impact player at the collegiate level in his first 2 1/2 years. The highly-touted shortstop is one of the top college players and a likely early-round pick in July’s draft.
“Right now, I am focused on playing baseball for Oregon,” Kasevich said. “I want to help us win and get to (the College World Series). It is not too difficult. I just focus on my time here and enjoy it.”
After playing in 14 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Kasevich posted a .324 batting average with 10 doubles, two triples and four home runs in 55 games as a sophomore last year.
This spring, he has built on last year’s offensive success. He is hitting .333 with five doubles and four home runs in 32 games.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound shortstop has a well-balanced skillset and makes an impact in all aspects of the game. The right-handed hitter has a contact-oriented approach with outstanding plate discipline and an ability to drive the ball to all fields.
In the offseason, Kasevich made mechanical adjustments to his swing. He also added strength to his frame. Kasevich is more of a line-drive hitter, but scouts believe he will hit for more power in the future.
Defensively, Kasevich has the toolset to stick at shortstop in pro ball. He has above-average arm strength and consistently makes accurate throws. He also moves well from side to side and can make all the necessary plays.
“I take a lot of pride in helping our team win in various ways, whether that’s on the defensive side of the ball or offensively,” Kasevich said. “For me, I don’t put weight into one attribute in my game. My ability to impact the game in a variety of ways makes me a versatile player.”
Last season, Oregon qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2015. This year, Oregon hopes to reach the tournament for the ninth time in its history.
Oregon is off to a strong start, boasting a 21-11 record in the first two months this season.
“I think we have a really special team, and a lot of people are going to want to watch us the rest of the year,” Kasevich said.
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Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for seven years. He has interviewed 356 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com and The Arizona Republic, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
