Chicago Cubs Draft Prospect Target: Sean Gamble

Photo courtesy: Perfect Game

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 7 hours ago

Although it's early in both the NCAA and MLB baseball seasons, things will get busy in the coming months. Not only will the regular season be underway for the MLB, but you will also be in the middle of the NCAA season, leading to the conference tournaments and MLB Draft.

The draft will be our focus for this column as a new Mock draft has hit the public eye, and it's the first time the Cubs are being linked to a new player. With the 17th pick in the first round, the Cubs are going to be in an interesting position of not only looking to address an area of need, but also looking at the best player available.

That is something Jed Hoyer has done very well with since taking over this team, and should Sean Gamble be available when the Cubs pick at No. 17, he would be considered the best player available. When you look at past drafts, the Cubs have a rich history of finding talent from IMG Academy in Florida, as former Cubs prospect Jackson Ferris and current Cubs prospect Drew Gray have hailed from the Florida Prep school.

Gamble would be another player from IMG, as the Cubs seem to value the talent that comes out of that program. The 6-1 185-pound Iowa native is listed as an SS but has seen plenty of time as an outfielder since moving to IMG. That alone makes him more of a utility player, which the Cubs love to have on their roster.

Despite his relatively small frame, the left-handed hitting Gamble is much stronger than you would expect, with plenty of room for growth ahead of him. He has continued to get stronger since arriving at IMG, and you have seen his overall skillset continue to improve to the point where he is now a first-round prospect.

For an organization that has lacked not only power-hitting left-handers but left-handed hitters in general, Gamble is a left-handed bat who not only has a smooth swing but also a simple swing that makes it easy to repeat. That alone helps him make consistent contact, and he has one of the highest barrel rates in this entire draft class.

Despite his young age, Gamble does a phenomenal job controlling the strike zone and is no stranger to using all fields. The more strength he adds, the more power that will come as he will become more of an extra-base threat with a line-to-line power. His senior season is just getting underway, but when you look at his work this summer and the quality of at-bats he put up, you can see why so many are high on him as a player.

To go with an overall strong offensive game, Gamble continues to improve on the defensive end as he looks to find his true calling as a field. Despite coming to IMG as a shortstop, Gamble has shown above-average speed, which is why he saw significant time in center field last season. Not only did he look good in center, but some scouts are starting to think that may be where he fits the best, which is another thing for the Cubs to consider should they draft him.

Given his athletic ability, moving him to the outfield may not be the best choice for his professional career, as he would fit in well as either a second baseman or shortstop. That is where his versatility comes into play as the Cubs need to look at the long-term picture. With Pete Crow-Armstrong expected to be their long-term center fielder and Dansby Swanson anchoring down short, Gamble could be seen as a future second baseman for this team.

As of now, Gamble has committed to playing college baseball for Vanderbilt University, but as you all know, all it takes is for some team to make him an offer he can't refuse. With a player comparison similar to Bryson Stott of the Philadelphia Phillies, letting him reach college would be a poor decision, no matter who drafts him. Listed as the 17th-best prospect in this year's draft class, Gamble should be around when the Cubs pick and is a name to pay attention to this Spring.