Ryan Falla
The 2022 draft saw the Dodgers take a flier on the sleeper potential of the endlessly valuable Nick Biddison after the 22-year-old right-handed hitter flashed impressive ability with Virginia Tech. Biddison comes into the organization as a power-potential bat who carries a versatile glove that can provide value all across the diamond.
Versatility
One of Biddison’s biggest pluses comes from the flexibility he brings with lineup construction given his ability to plug into almost every position defensively. This type of presence allows a manager to balance rest days for the more positionally embedded starters, providing a necessary quality for a perennial playoff organization. Ultimately the future star projects as a high-upside Chris Taylor with less propensity for the strikeout.
Nick Biddison shows advanced capability across the entirety of the diamond with shortstop being the only position he didn’t play at Virginia Tech. Working primarily out of the leadoff spot throughout college, Biddison stole 21 bases while being caught just five times. His speed rates on the plus side both offensively and defensively, presenting a viable threat on both sides of the board. His short time at Rancho has seen him spend the majority of his work manning the outfield, though he did log 152 innings at third base last year. The Dodgers will likely keep his glove spread out in order to maximize value while presenting a versatile path toward the Majors. He will likely settle into the outfield and corner infield positions as he progresses forward.
The Hit Tool
The young sleeper pick rates as an XBH (Extra-base Hit) producer who commands a tight feel for the zone, namely the deep inner half of the plate which he covers with devious tenacity. His ability to turn on pitches and defend the inside of the zone consistently extends his at-bats, both putting and keeping pitchers in hot water. He rates valuably at the top of a lineup where he can stretch out pitch counts as an XBH/stolen base threat.
Biddison’s senior year at Virginia Tech saw the young power bat slug an OPS over 1.000 across 296 plate appearances, no doubt a performance that encouraged the Dodgers to pick him up in the 4th round of the 2022 draft. His final college season saw him rake 14 HRs alongside 14 doubles thanks to his aforementioned toolset. You’re likely wondering why someone so obviously talented wasn’t picked up in an earlier round, bringing to point his 2021 year at Virginia Tech which saw a noticeable dip in output. Injury held Biddison back from continuing a streak that saw a 900+ OPS across his freshman and sophomore year, his injury-stricken junior season seeing his OPS dip down to .718.
The Future
That being said his return to form for his senior season was strong enough to assuage any doubts regarding his ability. The Dodgers have always shown a liking for sneaky power bats that can plug into multiple spots through the lineup, a role Nick Biddison aims to cover at the big league level. While he won’t be hitting 30 HRs a year you can pencil him in as a doubles producer with the ability to find seats. Given his young age at 22 it is expected he would need some time to develop, though a high performance in 2023 could put him in a position to see Major League looks as early as late 2024.
