Scouting Report

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

Moore was one of the best high school hitters in the 2022 Draft class, a left-handed-hitting catcher who drew some comparisons to 2020 first-round pick Tyler Soderstrom. He became the highest-ranked hitter on MLB Pipeline’s Draft Top 250 not to sign, instead heading to Stanford. He had a tremendous first half of his freshman year before fading a bit in conference play and a solid fall had scouts excited to see what he can do in his Draft-eligible sophomore season. He got off to a slow start production-wise, but the underlying metrics were still good enough to keep him from sliding too much.

There is still confidence that Moore will hit at the next level. He makes a lot of hard contact to all fields and has easily plus raw power he showed he can tap into with 15 home runs as a freshman. He’s shown he can have an advanced approach at the plate, including doing damage with two strikes, though he wore out catching every day in his first year of college. While his surface numbers were down for much of his sophomore season, he still had elite chase rates and swing-and-miss rates in the zone.

If teams think he can be an average catcher, he could easily be considered a top 10 pick, but scouts aren’t quite as convinced on his glove as they are on his bat. He’s not a bad receiver and moves decently enough, with some scouts seeing improvement behind the dish this spring. He’ll flash an average arm, but it’s often more fringy, though some of that can be cleaned up with improved footwork. Even if a team thinks he’ll need to move to first base, his offensive potential could make him a first-rounder.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50

No. 57 on MLB Pipeline's 2022 Draft Top 250, Moore was the highest-ranked position player to go undrafted that July, in large part because of his commitment to Stanford. He slugged 31 homers in two seasons with the Cardinal while also improving defensively behind the plate. The second catcher drafted in 2024, he went 30th overall and signed for $3 million.

An offensive-minded catcher, Moore makes consistent contact to all fields and rarely misses fastballs. He offers 20-homer power from the left side of the plate, mostly to his pull side, though it's the product of strength more than bat speed. He significantly upgraded his plate discipline in his second college season, though he can get too passive at times.

Questions about Moore's ability to remain behind the plate have dogged him since high school, and first base and DH would be his only other options. He's slow footed and not especially agile, but he has worked to get better and could develop into an average receiver and blocker if he continues to make progress. He has average arm strength and makes accurate throws.

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Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 45 | Field: 45 | Overall: 50

In 2020, the northern California high school ranks produced a left-handed-hitting, offensive-minded catcher in Tyler Soderstrom, who the local Oakland A's landed in the first round of the Draft. This year’s version might be Moore, who has been getting some Soderstrom comps in terms of what he can do at the plate. 

Few doubt Moore, also a lefty-swinging backstop, can and will hit. He has a really good feel for the barrel and can impact the baseball, something on display at times this past summer on the showcase circuit, particularly at the Area Code Games. With a solid overall approach, he should be able to get to his pop and produce above-average power in the future.

There are more questions about Moore’s ability to stick behind the plate. He has a fringy, though accurate arm, and while he moves decently enough to block balls well, he’s not a great receiver and he’s likely to slow down. His commitment to Stanford and the fact he’ll be 19 shortly after the Draft will deter some teams, though he does have the bat and power combination to profile well at first if catching doesn’t work out and he could re-emerge in a couple of years as a power-hitting college performer if the Draft doesn’t go his way.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	08/06/2024	C Malcolm Moore assigned to Hickory Crawdads from ACL Rangers.
	08/05/2024	C Malcolm Moore assigned to ACL Rangers.
	07/24/2024	Texas Rangers signed C Malcolm Moore.
	06/16/2024	College Workout activated C Malcolm Moore.
	03/01/2024	C Malcolm Moore assigned to Stanford Cardinal.
	06/26/2023	C Malcolm Moore assigned to USAB Stars Team.
	06/26/2023	C Malcolm Moore roster status changed by USAB Stars Team.
	06/08/2023	C Malcolm Moore assigned to College Workout.
	06/11/2022	C Malcolm Moore and assigned to College Workout.
	02/03/2022	C Malcolm Moore and assigned to Visiting Team.
	08/18/2021	C Malcolm Moore and assigned to PG West.
	07/13/2021	PG National 6 - Navy activated C Malcolm Moore.
	07/08/2021	National activated C Malcolm Moore.
	07/08/2021	National activated C Malcolm Moore.