Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 75 | Arm: 45 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40 

Boyd is the latest speedy Mississippi high school outfielder in the tradition of Billy Hamilton and 2019 White Sox fourth-rounder James Beard. The track record of Magnolia State prep position players is scary -- Austin Riley is a rare and recent exception -- and he didn’t help his cause by trying to do too much at the plate this spring. Yet his quickness and signability as a Northwest Mississippi CC commit still could land him in the first five rounds.  

Boyd can flash top-of-the-scale speed and get from the right side of the plate to first base in less than four seconds at times. He has the wheels to become a dynamic basestealer and to cover plenty of ground in center field, though he needs to refine his defensive instincts. He compensates for fringy arm strength by getting to balls quickly.  

On the showcase circuit last summer, Boyd impressed scouts with his quick, compact right-handed swing and his pitch recognition, displaying the ability to make quality contact against high velocity with wood bats. He got too power-conscious at times as a senior, and that’s definitely not his game though he does have bat speed and some projectable strength. He needs to get back to concentrating on hitting line drives and getting on base to take advantage of his speed. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 70 | Arm: 45 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40      

The Phillies got one of the fastest players in the 2022 Draft class in the first round when they took Justin Crawford, but they weren’t done adding premium speed that July. In Round 11, they plucked Boyd from the Mississippi high school ranks and signed him for an above-slot $647,500. After a brief summer debut following his signing, Boyd played most of the 2023 season alongside Crawford with Single-A Clearwater, finishing second in the Florida State League with 56 steals.

From a pure speed standpoint, Boyd is elite, and it helps him on both sides of the ball. He’s an obvious threat to steal, and he racked up those totals without really knowing what he was doing on the basepaths. He often just took off on the first pitch every time he was on, one of the reasons he got caught 18 times, so there’s some ceiling to reach as he hones his craft. At the plate, the right-handed hitter makes a ton of contact, striking out in fewer than 15 percent of his plate appearances in 2023. How much impact he’s going to have is still a question. He keeps adding good weight, and there’s an expectation his ability to drive the ball will improve with time, though power will never be a huge part of his game.

While he played more left field than anything in 2023, the plan for Boyd moving forward is to get a lot more reps in center field, where his speed should enable him to be an excellent defender. How his strength gains translate into more impact will help determine whether he can be more than a different type of big leaguer than fellow Mississippian Billy Hamilton.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 70 | Arm: 45 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45

The history of drafted high school hitters coming out of Mississippi has been a bit spotty, with exceptions like Austin Riley. Boyd fits in the Billy Hamilton mold as a speedster, with the same questions about offensive impact. He played well enough on last summer’s showcase circuit and in his senior season to attract the attention of the Phillies, who took him in the 11th round of the 2022 Draft and went way over the $125,000 slot value for Day 3 picks to sign him for $647,500.

Boyd is known for his speed and his ability to make a lot of contact, with both skills on display during his brief pro debut last summer. He has a short and quick right-handed swing geared to put the ball in play, rarely striking out while also showing a feel for the strike zone, understanding his game is to get on base and use his elite-level speed on the basepaths. He’s never going to be a huge power guy, but the Phillies were encouraged that he gained 20 pounds in good weight over the offseason and feel with his bat-to-ball skills, he’ll start driving the ball more as he continues to add strength.

That plus plus speed also helps him track down balls in center field. He has a long-term future in center field thanks to those wheels and improved instincts in tracking fly balls. His ceiling is that of a speedy table-setter, one he can reach if he can translate the strength gains to impact at the plate.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 75 | Arm: 45 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40 

Boyd is the latest speedy Mississippi high school outfielder in the tradition of Billy Hamilton and 2019 White Sox fourth-rounder James Beard. The track record of Magnolia State prep position players is scary -- Austin Riley is a rare and recent exception -- and he didn’t help his cause by trying to do too much at the plate this past spring. But his raw tools led to the Phillies taking him in the 11th round and going well over slot to sign him for $647,500.

Boyd can flash top-of-the-scale speed and get from the right side of the plate to first base in less than four seconds at times. He has the wheels to become a dynamic basestealer and to cover plenty of ground in center field, though he needs to refine his defensive instincts. He compensates for fringy arm strength by getting to balls quickly.  

On the showcase circuit last summer, Boyd impressed scouts with his quick, compact right-handed swing and his pitch recognition, displaying the ability to make quality contact against high velocity with wood bats. He got too power-conscious at times as a senior, and that’s definitely not his game, though he does have bat speed and some projectable strength. He needs to get back to concentrating on hitting line drives and getting on base to take advantage of his speed.

Awards

MiLB.com Organization All-Star

Year	Team
2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	08/02/2024	Jersey Shore BlueClaws activated OF Emaarion Boyd from the 7-day injured list.
	07/26/2024	Jersey Shore BlueClaws placed OF Emaarion Boyd on the 7-day injured list.
	04/01/2024	Emaarion Boyd assigned to Jersey Shore BlueClaws from Clearwater Threshers.
	03/18/2024	OF Emaarion Boyd assigned to Philadelphia Phillies.
	03/07/2024	Philadelphia Phillies Prospects activated OF Emaarion Boyd.
	03/17/2023	OF Emaarion Boyd and assigned to Philadelphia Phillies.
	09/28/2022	Clearwater Threshers activated OF Emaarion Boyd.
	09/14/2022	OF Emaarion Boyd and assigned to Phillies Organization.
	08/29/2022	Clearwater Threshers transferred OF Emaarion Boyd to the Development List.
	08/27/2022	OF Emaarion Boyd assigned to Clearwater Threshers from FCL Phillies.
	08/09/2022	OF Emaarion Boyd assigned to FCL Phillies.
	08/01/2022	Philadelphia Phillies signed OF Emaarion Boyd.
	06/10/2022	College Workout activated OF Emaarion Boyd.
	06/10/2022	OF Emaarion Boyd assigned to College Workout.
	08/18/2021	OF Emaarion Boyd and assigned to PG West.
	07/13/2021	PG National 2 - Gold activated OF Emaarion Boyd.