Tanner Schobel

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #8 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: After a solid but unremarkable freshman season at Virginia Tech, Schobel impressed in the Cape Cod League, hitting .302 with an .843 OPS in 29 games in 2021. He then rose further up draft boards with a standout sophomore season in 2022 in which he hit .362/.445/.689 with 19 home runs while playing shortstop. The Twins drafted Schobel in the supplemental second round in 2022, signing him for $1 million as the 68th pick as a draft-eligible sophomore.
  
  Scouting Report: Schobel is the type of well-rounded baseball rat who often figures out a path to a big league role. He’s undersized at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, but he has pull-side power and could run into 10-15 home runs in the big leagues. Schobel’s short, simple swing generates plenty of contact. Pitchers don’t enjoy facing him, because he strings together focused, consistent at-bats with above-average contact abilities. There’s no plus tool on Schobel’s scouting report, but he does everything relatively well. Drafted as a shortstop, he is fringy defensively there but playable in a pinch because he is consistent and reliable at handling balls hit his way. Schobel has a quick release that helps his average arm play. He’s more comfortable at second base, where he’s above-average, and he can play an average third base. He runs well enough that he should be able to add the corner outfield spots as well if the need arises.
  
  The Future: Schobel shares some similarities with Spencer Steer, the former Twins prospect who was traded to the Reds in 2022 and had an excellent rookie season in 2023. Like Steer, Schobel is a versatile, undersized college infielder who will have to keep proving himself. Schobel’s versatility and reliability give him a chance to be an everyday second baseman or a utilityman who can make an offensive impact.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 50
• 
  Ranked Minnesota Twins #26 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Schobel was an immediate contributor as a freshman at Virginia Tech, but in his draft-eligible sophomore year he raised his game another notch. He moved from second base to shortstop while developing newfound power, going from seven to 18 home runs.
  
  Scouting Report: Schobel's 18 home runs as a sophomore at Virginia Tech are unlikely to be replicated with a wood bat, but he does have the power to hit plenty of doubles while sneaking a ball over the fence to his pull side on occasion. He's best off as a top or bottom-of-the lineup hitter who makes plenty of contact and is tough to strike out. The Twins had Schobel focus on second and third base in his pro debut, and those are the spots he projects best at moving forward. Most likely, he's a multi-positional infielder who can play shortstop in an emergency, while providing average defense at second and third. He has reliable hands and an average arm. He's an average runner as well.
  
  The Future: Schobel does a lot of things well, which makes him the kind of productive college middle infielder who finds a path to the majors. It's hard to see him as a regular, but he has enough hitting ability and defensive value to potentially fit as a versatile backup.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 30. Field: 50. Run: 50. Arm: 50.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #78 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: Virginia Tech Committed/Drafted: Never Drafted
  Age At Draft: 21.1
  BA Grade: 45/High
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50
  A draft-eligible sophomore, Schobel started every game for Virginia Tech as a true freshman, splitting his time between second and third base and hitting .279/.359/.441 with seven home runs and 10 doubles. After that, Schobel went to the Cape and played well with Bourne over 29 games, hitting .302/.378/.465 with three home runs and five doubles. He stepped into the everyday shortstop role for the Hokies this spring and has been an impressive performer thanks to a simple and quiet offensive setup at the plate, a sound batting eye and some pull-side pop. Schobel has elevated the ball more consistently this spring and jumped from seven home runs in 52 games in 2021 to 18 home runs in 56 games in 2022. He’s a smaller hitter listed at just 5-foot-10, 170 pounds and his power production has mostly gone to the pull side, so scouts don’t expect this sort of slugging to continue at the next level with a wood bat. Schobel is a sound defender who keeps things simple and makes all the routine plays. He has a chance to stick at shortstop but might be more valuable as a super utility player who can move around the infield with plus instincts.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Schobel was an immediate contributor as a freshman at Virginia Tech, but in his draft-eligible sophomore year he raised his game another notch. He moved from second base to shortstop while developing newfound power, going from seven to 18 home runs.
  
  Scouting Report: Schobel's 18 home runs as a sophomore at Virginia Tech are unlikely to be replicated with a wood bat, but he does have the power to hit plenty of doubles while sneaking a ball over the fence to his pull side on occasion. He's best off as a top or bottom-of-the lineup hitter who makes plenty of contact and is tough to strike out. The Twins had Schobel focus on second and third base in his pro debut, and those are the spots he projects best at moving forward. Most likely, he's a multi-positional infielder who can play shortstop in an emergency, while providing average defense at second and third. He has reliable hands and an average arm. He's an average runner as well.
  
  The Future: Schobel does a lot of things well, which makes him the kind of productive college middle infielder who finds a path to the majors. It's hard to see him as a regular, but he has enough hitting ability and defensive value to potentially fit as a versatile backup.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 30. Field: 50. Run: 50. Arm: 50.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Schobel was an immediate contributor as a freshman at Virginia Tech, but in his draft-eligible sophomore year he raised his game another notch. He moved from second base to shortstop while developing newfound power, going from seven to 18 home runs.
  
  Scouting Report: Schobel's 18 home runs as a sophomore at Virginia Tech are unlikely to be replicated with a wood bat, but he does have the power to hit plenty of doubles while sneaking a ball over the fence to his pull side on occasion. He's best off as a top or bottom-of-the lineup hitter who makes plenty of contact and is tough to strike out. The Twins had Schobel focus on second and third base in his pro debut, and those are the spots he projects best at moving forward. Most likely, he's a multi-positional infielder who can play shortstop in an emergency, while providing average defense at second and third. He has reliable hands and an average arm. He's an average runner as well.
  
  The Future: Schobel does a lot of things well, which makes him the kind of productive college middle infielder who finds a path to the majors. It's hard to see him as a regular, but he has enough hitting ability and defensive value to potentially fit as a versatile backup.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 30. Field: 50. Run: 50. Arm: 50.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/High
  
  August Update: A draft-eligible sophomore, Schobel started every game for Virginia Tech as a true freshman, splitting his time between second and third base and hitting .279/.359/.441 with seven home runs and 10 doubles. After that, Schobel went to the Cape and played well with Bourne over 29 games, hitting .302/.378/.465 with three home runs and five doubles. He stepped into the everyday shortstop role for the Hokies this spring and has been an impressive performer thanks to a simple and quiet offensive setup at the plate, a sound batting eye and some pull-side pop. Schobel has elevated the ball more consistently this spring and jumped from seven home runs in 52 games in 2021 to 18 home runs in 56 games in 2022. He&#39s a smaller hitter listed at just 5-foot-10, 170 pounds and his power production has mostly gone to the pull side, so scouts don&#39t expect this sort of slugging to continue at the next level with a wood bat. Schobel is a sound defender who keeps things simple and makes all the routine plays. He has a chance to stick at shortstop but might be more valuable as a super utility player who can move around the infield with plus instincts.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 40. Run: 50. Field: 50. Arm: 50.