Michael Chavis

Position: 3B
Level: Double-A
Affiliate: Portland Sea Dogs
League: Eastern League
Born: 08/11/1995 (Age: 28)
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 215
B/T: Right / Right
Acquired: 1st Rd., (#26 overall), 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft (BOS)

Prospect Spotlight

Chavis rocketed up prospect lists after a breakout 2017 saw the former first-rounder mash 31 bombs en route to reaching Double-A at the age of 21, followed up by a strong Fall League performance. A shocking PED suspension cost him the first 80 games of 2018, though Chavis denied any knowledge of knowingly taking a banned substance. He returned to game action this July, and I caught the hard-hitting infielder across a three-game set in Trenton before the Trade Deadline.

Stocky and compact at 5’10’’ and 215 pounds, Chavis is a bat-first prospect who will need to hit to reach his ceiling. He has the strength for power, but a thick and muscled-up frame throughout limits the defensive and baserunning contributions. He hits from a wide base, closing off with a moderate leg kick trigger to start the swing. Chavis’ strong forearms whistle the barrel through the zone with plus batspeed, taking a slight uppercut path that lifts the ball well. He can be long to velocity both up in the zone and on the inner-third, but I see the approach and offensive tools to potentially produce both average and power. Like many homerun hitters in this era, there’s a good chance Chavis comes with his share of strikeouts, though he shows the signs of a hitter who can walk enough to buoy the swing-and-miss to some degree. He’s a below-average defender at third who has shown improvement with the glove, making me think he can work himself into a playable 45-grade defender at the hot corner despite iffy athleticism. Chavis’ arm and hands are average, but he gets exposed on bunts and charge plays that require mobility and a first step.

Chavis struggled in my look and hasn’t found his rhythm at the plate since he returned from the Restricted List. I attribute a lot of that to what has been somewhat of a lost 2018, and Chavis’ placement on our Midseason Top 125 Prospects (#92) reflects a toolset that’s potentially impactful enough with the bat to be an everyday big leaguer on a corner.