We pick our top 100 countdown back up with Florida third baseman Jonathan India.
To be honest, India is one of my favorite players in college baseball. I just love the way he plays the game, both defensively and at the plate he does the little things that win you ball games.
Coming out of high school he was ranked as the 82nd best prospect in the country by Baseball America, and he was taken in the 26th round of the MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Obviously he chose to go to Florida where he had a stellar freshman season in 2016 hitting .303 with 43 runs scored, 16 doubles, 4 home runs, 40 RBI, 13 stolen bases, 22 walks and 43 strikeouts.
That following summer he played in the Cape Cod League where he continue to impress by hitting .290 in 62 at-bats with 11 runs scored, 7 doubles, 4 RBI, 5 stolen bases, 10 walks and 9 strikeouts.
This past spring he battled through injuries and saw his average drop to .274. He scored 38 runs, had 15 doubles, 6 home runs, 34 RBI, 13 stolen bases, 23 walks and 42 strikeouts, while helping Florida win the College World Series.
India made a return trip to the Cape Cod League this past summer where he hit .273 in 66 at-bats with 9 runs scored, 5 doubles, 1 home run, 3 RBI, 5 stolen bases, 13 walks and 16 strikeouts.
At 6-foot, 195 pounds he doesn’t profile as your typical third baseman. But he has the arm and range to play the position.
India will adjust his swing based on the count. Early in the at-bat he has a medium leg kick to try and generate some power. I think he’s more of a pull hitter with this swing, and isn’t able to cover the outer half of the plate as well.
With two strikes he’ll use a subtle toe-tap for his load and throws his hands at the baseball to make contact.
Because of his size and lack of power, he profiles more as a second baseman at the next level. Wherever he plays, he’s going to give you everything he has anytime he takes the field.
