The Guardians grabbed Tre Broussard with the 95th overall pick Saturday, betting on a speedy outfielder who’s taken the long way to becoming a top-100 draft selection.
The 6-foot University of Houston junior isn’t related to former Cleveland first baseman Ben Broussard, but he brings the kind of tools that could make him just as memorable on the shores of Lake Erie.
Broussard can flat-out fly.
He swiped 56 bags in 64 attempts over two seasons with the Cougars – that’s an 88 percent success rate that’ll get any front office’s attention. The speed translates to center field too, where he covers ground with quality defense and enough arm strength to handle any outfield spot.
What makes Broussard’s story different is the route he took to get here. Most third-round picks don’t go undrafted out of high school, then undrafted again after hitting .409 with 17 steals in 36 games at San Jacinto Junior College.
But that’s exactly what happened.
“The toolsy Broussard has flown under the radar more than he should,” MLB.com notes in their draft coverage. He’s been “overshadowed a bit in a deep crop of Texas college outfielders but is beginning to shed his anonymity.”
He has stood out with his athleticism since transferring to Houston and won co-MVP honors in the Cape Cod League All-Star game last summer.
That Cape Cod performance was a breakthrough moment. Broussard showed he belongs with the nation’s top college talent, using his plus-plus speed and consistent contact from the left side to make an impression.
The scouting report reads like Cleveland’s ideal project: disciplined approach, gap-to-gap line drives, surprising exit velocities despite his wiry frame. He added muscle before his junior season and won’t turn 21 until two months after the draft, giving him more projection than most college players.
Cleveland’s had mixed results developing hitters over the years, but they’ve shown they can work with speedy, left-handed outfielders who make consistent contact.
All things considered, Broussard seems like he’s got the tools and makeup to continue that tradition. Sometimes the best picks are the ones who had to fight for everything they got.
