| Player: Levi Nickoli | |||||||||||
| School: Auburn | Position(s): SS | ||||||||||
| Height: 6’1″ | Weight: 185 lbs. | Bats: Switch | Throws: Right | ||||||||
| Summary: The speed is the carrying tool and it’s genuinely elite. Home-to-first times among the best in the class with a peak run tool that projects toward the top of the grading scale — the kind of quickness that creates problems everywhere it shows up, from the bases where the threat is constant to the dirt where outstanding first-step explosiveness and lateral range give the profile legitimate middle infield ability. A dynamic athlete who can hold shortstop when asked and gives the overall evaluation defensive versatility regardless of where the long-term home ultimately settles. The switch-hitting profile gives the offensive evaluation two distinct looks. The left-handed swing is the more refined of the two — quick hands with a short path that generates consistent hard contact — while the right-handed stroke is rather busy in the load and introduces more timing vulnerability without shutting the door on useful production from that side. Physical gains have begun unlocking more raw power potential, and the trajectory of the offensive profile is pointed toward above-average impact as the strength development continues. The strikeout rate and groundball-heavy contact pattern have been the obstacles keeping the offense below the ceiling — the speed makes groundball contact more productive than it would be for most hitters, but making contact more consistently is the key to fully maximizing what the athleticism brings to the overall game. Second base is the most likely long-term defensive home where the athleticism and range give the profile a natural fit without the arm demands of shortstop becoming an obstacle. The overall floor is built on elite speed and defensive versatility that holds up regardless of where the offensive development lands — and the upside grows considerably if the contact rate takes a meaningful step forward. | |||||||||||
Shaun Kernahan is the founder and lead writer of Three Quarter Slot, where he blends scouting precision with a storyteller’s eye for the human side of the game. Based in Parker, Colorado, he has covered baseball prospects at every level since 2013, delivering in-depth evaluations, draft analysis, and developmental insight. Over the years, he has built Three Quarter Slot into a trusted home for thoughtful prospect coverage, detailed scouting reports, and a grounded look at how talent evolves
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