Hit
Contact quality, barrel control, pitch recognition and the ability to adjust. Batting average alone cannot answer it.
BASEBALL UNIVERSITY · THE SCOUTING DEPARTMENT
See the player
before the stat line.
Scouting turns observation, data and context into a decision. Learn who scouts watch, what each tool means and why a grade is a projection—not a promise.
Open the scout’s notebook ↓START HERE
Three pipelines. One roster.
Choose a department to see its players, calendar, evidence and decisions.
THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
The 20–80 scouting scale.
Scouts translate observations into a common language. A 50 is Major League average—not a failing grade. “Present” describes today; “future” is the projection.
20–30Well below average
40Below average
50Major League average
60Above average
70–80Well above average
WHAT GETS GRADED
A player is a collection of tools.
Power
Raw power is what the body can produce; game power is how often it appears against live pitching.
Run
Home-to-first times, acceleration, top speed, instincts and how speed plays on the bases and in the field.
Field
Hands, range, first step, routes, footwork, actions and the difficulty of the position a player can handle.
Arm
Strength, accuracy, carry and release. The same arm grade can play differently at shortstop, catcher or right field.
Pitch arsenal
Velocity, movement, shape, command and how pitches work together. Every pitch gets its own present and future grade.
Control vs. command
Control means throwing strikes. Command means locating a pitch where intended—inside or outside the zone.
Role & risk
Starter or reliever? Everyday player or bench piece? Physical projection, health, age and distance from MLB shape the confidence level.
BUILD THE REPORT
From look to recommendation.
A credible report separates evidence from projection. Select a sample grade for each tool and see how the language changes.
SAMPLE POSITION-PLAYER REPORTFV 55
What the numbers suggest
An above-average physical tools package with impact arm strength and power upside.
HOW A DECISION GETS MADE
No scout makes the pick alone.
- 01
Identify
Coverage lists, referrals, video, data and prior reports determine who needs to be seen.
- 02
Get multiple looks
Scouts watch different opponents, conditions and moments. One great game is evidence, not a conclusion.
- 03
Add context
Age, league quality, role, ballpark, injury history, makeup information and technology affect what the raw result means.
- 04
Crosscheck
A supervisor or crosschecker offers another independent evaluation, especially for higher-cost decisions.
- 05
Integrate
Reports meet performance analysis, biomechanics, medical review, roster rules, acquisition cost and organizational need.
- 06
Recommend
The department presents a role, grade, risk band and value recommendation—not certainty.
CASUAL-FAN MYTHS
What scouting is—and is not.
“The stats tell you everything.”
Stats describe performance in context. Scouting helps explain whether the underlying skills will translate to a different level, role or environment.
“A 60-grade player will definitely be good.”
A grade is a forecast. Development, health, competition and uncertainty can move the outcome in either direction.
“Analytics replaced scouts.”
Modern clubs combine information streams. Tracking data can measure movement and speed; experienced observation can identify adjustments, body control and context the number may miss.
“International scouting is just another draft.”
The international amateur market uses signing periods and bonus pools, not the domestic Rule 4 Draft. Relationships and years of early evaluation matter enormously.
THE ANGELS LENS
How it connects to Anaheim.
The Angels’ 2024 MLB Pipeline report highlighted two distinct acquisition engines: a domestic amateur staff that moved recent draftees quickly and an international group that supplied 16 of the organization’s Top 30 prospects. That is the practical point of separate departments: different markets, calendars and risk profiles feeding one development system.
Apply the lesson in the Prospect Lab →- Amateur
- Draft eligible players in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico
- International
- Eligible amateurs outside the domestic Draft system
- Professional
- Players already competing in affiliated, independent or foreign pro baseball
SCOUT’S POCKET GLOSSARY
Talk like the room.
- Area scout
- Primary evaluator responsible for a geographic territory.
- Crosschecker
- Senior evaluator who provides additional looks across areas or regions.
- Present value (PV)
- What a tool grades today.
- Future value (FV)
- What a tool or player is projected to become at maturity.
- Floor
- A lower-end realistic outcome, not a guarantee.
- Ceiling
- A high-end realistic outcome if development breaks well.
- Makeup
- Information about preparation, competitiveness, learning, response to failure and other behavioral traits—best gathered carefully from multiple sources.
- Projection
- Expected physical or skill growth based on age, body, movement and development history.
- Track record
- The depth and quality of a player’s performance history.
- Bonus pool
- The spending framework governing domestic Draft bonuses or international amateur bonuses; the systems are separate.
OFFICIAL READING ROOM
Keep learning from the source.
This guide explains industry concepts for fans. Individual clubs’ proprietary models, reports and internal grades are not public and should not be treated as known.