Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50

Malvern Prep outside of Philadelphia has had eight players drafted from its baseball program, most notably a pair of first-rounders in the 1990s in Josh McKinley, an infielder who was taken No. 11 overall by the Expos in 1998 and never played in the big leagues, and catcher Ben Davis, taken No. 2 overall by the Padres in 1995, who spent parts of seven seasons in the big leagues. White has the upside to outperform all the drafted alumni, if he can be signed away from his intent to play both football and baseball at Penn State.

White has actually been a three-sport star in high school, but has a future on the gridiron as a wide receiver and on the diamond as a center fielder. He was able to focus on baseball only for the first time on the showcase circuit last summer and showed off some very impressive tools. He has some leverage in his swing that points to plenty of future power, but it did come with a lack of consistent contact against premium velocity. That said, scouts see a shorter swing that’s on time for the most part and believe that more reps would allow him to swing and miss less.

Strong and physical, White is easily a plus runner with speed that allows him to play an outstanding center field, with an average arm, and should make him a threat on the basepaths. The biggest question will be if scouts can see enough of him playing baseball to take his huge ceiling early enough to sign him away from his two-sport commitment to college.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 40

When the Pirates went over slot to sign White away from playing football and baseball at Penn State in 2021, they knew they’d have to be patient with an athlete from a cold-weather state who had been splitting his focus among multiple sports. What they didn’t know is how hard it would be to keep him on the field. A number of injuries limited White to 11 total games in 2021 and 2022 but even though he didn’t get started until June of 2023, he saw his first extended action, mostly with full-season Bradenton, allowing him to finally to show a little bit of what the fuss was all about.

White has teased with his physicality and athleticism since signing; in 2023, he got to put all of it to use for 61 games. Considering how much development time he missed, it was encouraging he shook off the rust and kept his strikeout rate under 30 percent while also drawing a lot of walks. He can be quick to the ball and find the barrel with pretty good power, with more to come. 

The former wide receiver is an easily plus runner, so his ability to get on base should help him be a threat to steal. It also helps him cover a lot of ground in center field, where he has a chance to be an excellent defender for a long time. He still has a ways to go, but last year was the first positive steps forward he’s been able to take. If he can put the injuries behind him and continue to stay on the field, he could really start sharpening all of those tools.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45

Teams interested in White’s baseball ability knew he would be a tougher sign because he had the chance to go to Penn State to play football and baseball. Because the Pirates saved on signing Henry Davis atop the 2021 Draft, they were able to get not only two high-ceiling arms in Bubba Chandler and Anthony Solometo, but also White, giving him $1.5 million after selecting him in Competitive Balance Round B. Since then, it’s been tough for him to stay on the field, with injuries allowing him to play just 11 games since signing.

Athletic and physical, White still has the raw tools that made him such an intriguing prospect in the first place. The former wide receiver can really run, which should allow him to steal bases and cover a lot of ground in center field. He’s shown glimpses of an approach at the plate, with a short swing from the right side and an ability to barrel up the baseball. Playing multiple sports meant he was a little more raw at the plate, but there’s power to tap into, and there’s been confidence things would smooth out with a baseball-only focus.

What White has needed more than anything else as a multi-sport athlete from a cold-weather state is reps, and he’s missed a lot of development time because of what’s largely been soft-tissue kind of injuries. The Pirates don’t feel it’s a long-term concern and if he adjusts to the full-time baseball calendar, his body will respond, with the hope he can truly start showing what he’s capable of with a healthy season.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45

White was a three-sport standout at his high school outside of Philadelphia, one who had the chance to go to Penn State to play football and baseball. The Pirates had other ideas, using their bonus pool wisely and taking the savings from signing No. 1 overall pick Henry Davis below slot and applying it to a number of high-ceilinged prep players. It took $1.5 million to sign White away from the Nittany Lions, and he went and had a brief pro debut in the Florida Complex League.

As a former Division I football recruit as a wide receiver, White obviously brings athleticism and physicality to the Pirates system. And while some baseball tools are understandably raw given his previously split focus, he does have a shorter right-handed swing and tends to be on time at the plate. There are some swing-and-miss issues to iron out, but that might come with professional reps, and he has shown he can leverage the baseball and get to some solid power.

White’s speed plays on both sides of the ball. He should be a basestealing threat and he can cover a ton of ground in center field with a combination of those wheels and excellent instincts. He might have a long way to go, but the Pirates are excited to see how his athleticism plays as a full-time baseball player.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50

Malvern Prep outside of Philadelphia has had eight players drafted from its baseball program, most notably a pair of first-rounders in the 1990s in Josh McKinley, an infielder who was taken No. 11 overall by the Expos in 1998 and never played in the big leagues, and catcher Ben Davis, taken No. 2 overall by the Padres in 1995, who spent parts of seven seasons in the big leagues. White has the upside to outperform all the drafted alumni now that he has been signed away from his commitment to play both baseball and football at Penn State.

White, who actually was a three-sport star in high school, received an over-slot bonus of $1.5 million to focus on baseball as the Pirates’ selection in Competitive Balance Round B. but has a future on the gridiron as a wide receiver and on the diamond as a center fielder. When he focused on baseball only on the showcase circuit last summer, he showed off some very impressive tools. He has some leverage in his swing that points to plenty of future power, but it did come with a lack of consistent contact against premium velocity. That said, scouts see a shorter swing that’s on time for the most part and believe that more reps will allow him to swing and miss less.

Strong and physical, White is easily a plus runner with speed that allows him to play an outstanding center field, with an average arm, and should make him a threat on the basepaths. 

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	07/19/2024	Greensboro Grasshoppers activated OF Lonnie White Jr. from the 7-day injured list.
	07/02/2024	Greensboro Grasshoppers placed OF Lonnie White Jr. on the 7-day injured list retroactive to June 30, 2024.
	04/30/2024	Greensboro Grasshoppers activated OF Lonnie White Jr. from the 7-day injured list.
	04/23/2024	Greensboro Grasshoppers placed OF Lonnie White Jr. on the 7-day injured list retroactive to April 20, 2024.
	04/04/2024	OF Lonnie White Jr. assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers from Bradenton Marauders.
	04/04/2024	Greensboro Grasshoppers activated OF Lonnie White Jr..
	03/07/2024	Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects activated OF Lonnie White Jr..
	02/27/2024	OF Lonnie White Jr. assigned to Pittsburgh Pirates.
	08/19/2023	Bradenton Marauders activated OF Lonnie White Jr. from the 7-day injured list.
	08/12/2023	Bradenton Marauders placed OF Lonnie White Jr. on the 7-day injured list.
	07/04/2023	OF Lonnie White Jr. assigned to Bradenton Marauders from FCL Pirates.
	06/26/2023	Indianapolis Indians sent OF Lonnie White Jr. on a rehab assignment to FCL Pirates.
	06/26/2023	FCL Pirates activated OF Lonnie White Jr..
	06/05/2023	Indianapolis Indians sent OF Lonnie White Jr. on a rehab assignment to FCL Pirates.
	06/05/2023	Indianapolis Indians sent OF Lonnie White Jr. on a rehab assignment to FCL Pirates.
	04/27/2023	Pirates Organization activated OF Lonnie White Jr. from the 60-day injured list.
	03/31/2023	OF Lonnie White Jr. assigned to Indianapolis Indians from Bradenton Marauders.
	03/31/2023	Indianapolis Indians placed OF Lonnie White Jr. on the 60-day injured list.
	11/08/2022	Bradenton Marauders activated OF Lonnie White Jr. from the 60-day injured list.
	07/23/2022	Bradenton Marauders sent OF Lonnie White Jr. on a rehab assignment to FCL Pirates.
	07/23/2022	Bradenton Marauders sent OF Lonnie White Jr. on a rehab assignment to FCL Pirates.
	05/31/2022	Bradenton Marauders transferred OF Lonnie White Jr. from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
	05/14/2022	OF Lonnie White Jr. assigned to Bradenton Marauders from FCL Pirates.
	08/19/2021	OF Lonnie White Jr. assigned to FCL Pirates Black from Pirates Organization.
	08/17/2021	OF Lonnie White Jr. assigned to Pirates Organization.
	07/26/2021	Pittsburgh Pirates signed OF Lonnie White Jr..
	06/09/2021	OF Lonnie White Jr. and assigned to College Workout.