Tyler O’Neill

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #2 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The son of a Canadian bodybuilder, O'Neill established himself as a premier power prospect with 75 home runs in two and a half seasons before the Mariners traded him to the Cardinals for Marco Gonzales at the 2017 trade deadline. O'Neill kept crushing with 38 home runs in 101 career games at Triple-A Memphis. He made his major league debut with the Cardinals in 2018 and added nine more home runs in 61 games.
  
  Scouting Report: A walking ball of muscle, O'Neill swings hard and often. With lightning bat speed and tremendous strength, he sends jaw-dropping home runs out to all fields, and he has leveled out his swing to make more contact and get to his power more. O'Neill does serious damage when he connects, but his uphill swing results in an alarming amount of swings and misses in the strike zone, particularly against breaking balls. Though he improved his strikeout and walk rates in Triple-A, his strikeout rate spiked to 40 percent in the majors. O'Neill is a superb athlete who is nearly a plus-plus runner despite his bulk, as well as a plus defender in right field with an above-average arm.
  
  The Future: O'Neill has the power to lead the league in home runs someday, but he needs to get his strikeouts under control. He's successfully adjusted before and will try to again in the majors in 2019.
• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #4 prospect in 2018
  O'Neill has has made a mockery of minor league pitchers with his titanic home runs the last three seasons. The son of a former Mr. Canada bodybuilder launched 56 homers in 2015-16 and, after a slow start that facilitated a July trade from the Mariners for Marco Gonzales, finished with 31 homers at Triple-A in 2017. He hit four more homers in the playoffs to lift Memphis to the Pacific Coast League title. O'Neill is short in stature but jacked like a bodybuilder with bulging muscles in his arms, legs and backside. He leverages that massive strength with lightning-quick bat speed, producing massive home runs observers recount with disbelief. He packs double-plus power and knows it, which sometimes gets him in trouble when he gets too steep uphill in his swing plane. O'Neill swings and misses enough to not project as more than a fringe-average average hitter, but when right he identifies pitches and draws a reasonable amount of walks. He tends to chase sliders and changeups out front in the dirt as opposed to ones too far inside or outside. Despite his bulk, O'Neill is a solid athlete who posts average run times, adequately plays all three outfield positions and packs an above-average arm. He is best in right field. O'Neill's swing and approach are geared for power, so his strikeout totals will likely always be high and his average low, but he gets to his power enough to projects as en everyday, middle-of-the-order hitter. He should be big league ready at some point in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #2 prospect in 2017
  The Mariners drafted O'Neill 85th overall in 2013 and signed him for $650,000 because of his powerful build and power projection. The son of former Mr. Canada bodybuilder Terry O'Neill was so square and bulky that he played catcher in high school, but his underrated athleticism has allowed him to transition to the outfield. O'Neill has grown even stronger since his prep days, with muscles that bulge out of his arms, thighs and backside so much he is nicknamed "Wreck-It-Ralph" after the cartoonishly muscular animated character. Combining that muscle-driven power with exceptional bat speed, O'Neill creates double-plus power to all fields and draws raves for hitting jaw-dropping home runs. His power plays in all parks, with tales of his longballs retold in awe. O'Neill adapted to the new Mariners' dedication to reducing strikeouts and cut his rate from 31 percent in 2015 to 26 percent in 2016. His adjustment propelled him to triple-crown contention in the Double-A Southern League and the league's MVP award, as well as upgraded him to an average to above-average hitter in scouts' eyes. He is at times succeptible to fastballs inside and changeups out front, but anything in the strike zone he crushes. O'Neill's bulky build doesn't prevent him from tapping into his athleticism and showing average speed, which he uses efficiently on the basepaths to make him double-digit stolen-base threat. His above-average arm and improving reads have evaluators projecting him as an average defensive right fielder. O'Neill has held his own among the game's top prospects as one the better performers in the Arizona Fall League two years in a row now, and will begin 2017 at Triple-A Tacoma with a chance to make his major league debut by the end of the season.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #4 prospect in 2016
  Over the first three months of the 2015 season, O'Neill did little to live down his reputation as a free swinger with premium bat speed who never met a breaking pitch out of the zone that he wouldn't take a hack at. He left to play for host Canada in the Pan Am Games in early July after hitting .238 with 87 strikeouts in 256 at-bats with high Class A Bakersfield. O'Neill hit three homers in the tournament, including a decisive three-run blast in a win over Cuba, to help the Canadians take home gold, then took off upon returning to Bakersfield in late July. He hit 16 homers over the final six weeks of the season to finish with 32--tied for second-most in the minors. O'Neill has lightning-quick bat speed and plus raw power, so balls disappear over the outfield fence when he makes contact. That qualifier, however, has been his downfall. O'Neill recognizes breaking pitches but has struggled to lay off them for most of his career. He did a better job later in the season after tweaking his stance to better incorporate his lower half and get a better understanding of how pitchers were working him off the plate. He's equally aggressive in the field, where his above-average arm strength plays in right field. He's raw but has improved his routes and instincts. He runs well enough to fill in in center field, and has become a threat on the bases. He'll be tested next season with Double-A Jackson.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #11 prospect in 2015
  11 TYLER O'NEILL, OF Much as they did with Alex Jackson, the Mariners liked O'Neill's bat enough that they simplified his defensive responsibilities. A high school catcher, O'Neill moved to left field upon signing. Frustrated with a May 10 strikeout while with low Class A Clinton in 2014, O'Neill punched a dugout wall and broke his hand. He didn't return to action until the final day of July. In just 57 games, he led Clinton with 13 home runs. A thickly-muscled son of a body builder, O'Neill has started to reshape his body as a pro, losing some bulk in his chest while developing stronger arms, wrists and legs. He has premium bat speed and can turn on any fastball. That has partly been his downfall, because he also ends up trying to yank offspeed offerings on the outer half. He's hasn't shown the ability to adjust his approach, but he will punish a loopy breaking ball. Because of O'Neill's bat speed and a straightforward, simple swing path, a number of scouts project him to be at least an average hitter with above-average power. He's an average runner with a solid-average arm. That athleticism hasn't translated to results in left field so far, for his poor routes and reads make him a below-average defender. He will have to improve his approach at high Class A Bakersfield in 2015.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #18 prospect in 2014
  The son of former Mr. Canada bodybuilder Terry O'Neill, Tyler carries the nickname "Tank" for his sturdy physique. The Mariners liked him enough to give him a $600,000 bonus as their third-round pick in 2013. Though he hit only one home run in his first 100 at-bats in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2013, O'Neill has the strong hands and arms to become a power hitter as he matures and learns to put a little more loft into what is currently a pretty--but level--righthanded swing. While he has plenty of muscle, O'Neill is not a one-dimensional player. He is anaverage runner and a good enough athlete to have played shortstop in high school in British Columbia. Short of range and with an average arm, O'Neill's long-term position figures to be left field or perhaps first base. Though he grew up in Maple Ridge, the same town as all-star outfielder Larry Walker, he reminds many scouts of another B.C. native, Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie. He will begin 2014 at low Class A Clinton.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #63 prospect in 2013 draft
  While O'Neill draws comparisons to Brett Lawrie, it's mostly because he's a muscular Canadian who recently converted to catcher and has some similar mannerisms. Calling O'Neill muscular is an understatement. With a father who was a Canadian bodybuilding champion, O'Neill has a bulky, square build at 6 feet and 215 pounds and likely has a position change in his future. He doesn't like catching, and his build makes him too stiff to stay behind the plate. He has above-average arm strength but missed time this spring with a sore elbow. If he doesn't get more flexible, he might not even be able to remain in the infield. O'Neill's bat will profile wherever he winds up. There's no fastball he can't turn around. He has premium bat speed and projects to be an average hitter with above-average power. O'Neill is committed to Oregon State, but was getting some first-round buzz, so it's unlikely he winds up in Corvallis.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #12 prospect in 2019
  O’Neill battled injuries and strikeouts for the second straight year, but he still showed impact tools and spent most of the season in the majors. O’Neill continues to have plus-plus power to all fields and has leveled out his swing to make more contact. His plus-plus speed helps make him an above-average defensive corner outfielder. O’Neill’s strikeout and walk rates have improved in the majors, but he still swings and misses alarmingly often both inside and outside of the strike zone. His contact skills are going to have to continue to improve for him to make the most of his tools, which few others can match.
• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #5 prospect in 2018
  O’Neill always had big power and he got to it more than ever this season. He hit 26 home runs in just 64 games at Triple-A, slugged .693 and was hitting in the middle of the Cardinals order by summer. O’Neill matured in his approach and began adjusting to the situation and pitcher within an at-bat, rather than just swinging to one spot. As a result he began striking out less, walking more and picking out better offerings to swing at, sending hittable pitches a mile with his huge bat speed and power. “He’s from another planet,” Fresno manager Rodney Linares said. “I’ve seen him hit balls normal human beings can’t hit it to. That’s pretty special power. His balls go further than anybody else I’ve seen.” O’Neill also showed himself to be a borderline plus-plus runner and improved defender in right field, rounding him out. He remains extremely aggressive in his approach and prone to strikeouts, limiting his ability to ever hit for average, but he now gets to his power enough to play every day.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #4 prospect in 2016
  Perhaps no Mariners prospect benefited more from the organization's front-office changeover last winter than O'Neill, who went from dangerous-but-flawed slugger in 2015 to the MVP of the SL this season. New Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto and farm director Andy McKay stressed plate discipline and accountability for prospects, and O'Neill responded with markedly improved strikeout and walk rates. O'Neill challenged for the SL triple crown before finishing fifth in average (.293), second in home runs (24) and first in RBIs (102). He also led the league with a .508 slugging percentage and 54 extra-base hits. Managers marveled at his ability to make the ball disappear in a hurry to any part of the park with incredible raw power. He hits all pitch types in the zone and punishes mistakes, but like many young sluggers he can be neutralized by pitchers who locate hard in and soft away. With continued improvement he can be an average hitter with plus power. A hard worker who always gives full effort, O'Neill drew attention for his improved defensive play in right field--he has at least average range--and above-average arm.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #15 prospect in 2016
  O'Neill performed one of the more impressive feats of strength this Fall, when during the Bowman Hitting Challenge he hit a ball out of the yard at Salt River Fields from a batting tee. The rest of his Fall League season wasn't too bad, either, with the 21-year-old outfielder hitting .292/.395/.486 with three home runs. With an upper torso like an Olympic weightlifter, the native of Canada has good bat speed and flashes "no doubt" power. O'Neill should continue to hit despite some swing-and-miss to his game. He's a "bat first" guy, but his outfield defense grades as at least average and he has an above-average arm.
• 
  Ranked California League #19 prospect in 2015
  O'Neill, a Maple Ridge, B.C., native, took three weeks out in July to play for Canada's gold medal-winning team at the Pan American Games. In retrospect, his coaches in Bakersfield felt the time he got to spend with the older, more veteran players on the Canadian National Team was beneficial. After hitting just .238 before the tournament, he hit .298/.381/.702 after returning to the Blaze lineup on July 23 and surged to the Cal League home run title (32) despite the missed time. O'Neill's struck out at a concerning rate (31 percent), but his pitch recognition and awareness improved after layoff. Likewise, his bat path to the ball became more direct. No-doubt power may end up being O'Neill's only plus tool, but he can access it to all parts of the yard. Several Cal League managers spoke of how O'Neill is more effective in left or right fielder than he looks, though he's not graceful and tends toward recklessness at times. His throwing arm is at least average, and he runs well enough to be a threat on the bases. "He's a big leaguer," Stockton manager Rick Magnante said. "He's got tools . . . It's not fluid, not pretty, but he's pretty good. I don't think he gets the recognition that he should."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #36 prospect in 2019
• Ranked Baseball America's #86 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #38 prospect in 2017

• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  O’Neill battled injuries and strikeouts for the second straight year, but he still showed impact tools and spent most of the season in the majors. O’Neill continues to have plus-plus power to all fields and has leveled out his swing to make more contact. His plus-plus speed helps make him an above-average defensive corner outfielder. O’Neill’s strikeout and walk rates have improved in the majors, but he still swings and misses alarmingly often both inside and outside of the strike zone. His contact skills are going to have to continue to improve for him to make the most of his tools, which few others can match.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  O’Neill was on pace to set full-season career-highs in all three slash line categories at Triple-A Memphis while cutting his strikeout rate to a career-low 24.5 percent. He was rewarded with was his first callups to the majors, where he showed his power plays. Evaluators remain concerned O’Neill’s steep uphill swing path will get exposed against quality pitching, and he did strike out 20 times in 47 plate appearances over three big league callups. Still, O’Neill’s performance keeps trending in the right direction, and he’s getting to his power more than ever with 22 home runs in 58 games.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Mariners drafted O'Neill 85th overall in 2013 and signed him for $650,000 because of his powerful build and power projection. The son of former Mr. Canada bodybuilder Terry O'Neill was so square and bulky that he played catcher in high school, but his underrated athleticism has allowed him to transition to the outfield. Scouting Report: O'Neill has grown even stronger since his prep days, with muscles that bulge out of his arms, thighs and backside so much he is nicknamed "Wreck-It-Ralph" after the cartoonishly muscular animated character. Combining that muscle-driven power with exceptional bat speed, O'Neill creates double-plus power to all fields and draws raves for hitting jaw-dropping home runs. His power plays in all parks, with tales of his longballs retold in awe. O'Neill adapted to the new Mariners' dedication to reducing strikeouts and cut his rate from 31 percent in 2015 to 26 percent in 2016. His adjustment propelled him to triple-crown contention in the Double-A Southern League and the league's MVP award, as well as upgraded him to an average to above-average hitter in scouts' eyes. His above-average arm and improving reads have evaluators projecting him as an average defensive right fielder.
  
  The Future: O'Neill will begin 2017 at Triple-A Tacoma with a chance to make his major league debut by the end of the season.
• August, 2016 Scouting Report
  O'Neill performed one of the more impressive feats of strength this Fall, when during the Bowman Hitting Challenge he hit a ball out of the yard at Salt River Fields from a batting tee. The rest of his Fall League season wasn't too bad, either, with the 21-year-old outfielder hitting .292/.395/.486 with three home runs. With an upper torso like an Olympic weightlifter, the native of Canada has good bat speed and flashes "no doubt" power. O'Neill should continue to hit despite some swing-and-miss to his game. He's a "bat first" guy, but his outfield defense grades as at least average and he has an above-average arm.