Draft Profile: West Allegheny's Austin Hendrick Could Follow in Neil Walker's Footsteps
Entering PNC Park as a fan can be a feeling like no other if you grew up around the Pittsburgh area. The smell of the fresh-cut grass, the crack of the bat, and the notion that baseball is right around the corner are enough to get anyone excited. What would be even more exciting is getting to enter that PNC park clubhouse as a player. You grew up rooting for a team your whole life, dreaming you could make a difference, and now it's your time to shine. For West Allegheny High School prospect Austin Hendrick, that dream could be a reality as he is projected as one of the top high school players in the 2020 MLB Draft class.
Despite not getting to play his senior season due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Hendrick traveled the world last summer appearing in showcases and making a name for himself. His last full season that he did play in saw him hit an impressive .327, with a .519 on-base percentage, while driving in 12 RBI and hitting two home runs. He helped lead the Indians to an undefeated season in section 3-5A baseball and helped them earn the number one overall seed in the 5A playoff tournament. He verbally committed to Mississippi State in the fall of 2017, but his stock has been on the rise ever since and it is looking more likely that he will go right to the MLB Draft.
Hendrick started getting attention as soon as he started his high school career and was named the #1 player in the 2020 graduating class by perfectgame.com. The left-handed-hitting outfielder already had six college offers including from West Virginia, Louisville, and Vanderbilt. He has always shown natural baseball ability, with good arm strength and one of the top exit velocities in the entire draft, Hendrick is a guy who you love to watch hit. West Allegheny head baseball coach Bryan Cornell says that Hendrix is one of the best players he has ever seen. "He has a swing I wouldn't teach," said Cornell in an interview with the Trib. "He coils back, it's really crazy and it works. He has incredible ability, and the bat speed is ridiculous. His potential is through the roof."
As Hendrix continued to improve his game, he got attention from baseball organizations and players across the country. In the summer of 2020, he was invited to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida for the inaugural PDP baseball league, featuring some of the top high school prospects from around the country. Hendrick showed off his raw power throughout his run in the league and hit a 109 mile per hour home run that was the fastest in the league's history. His strong bat has drawn comparisons to another local baseball legend, Pine Richland Alumni Neil Walker.
Hendrix got the chance to meet Walker and hit some baseballs with him following his Junior season. The two talked about baseball and Walker provided Hendrick with tips as he moves toward the MLB Draft. Walker was the last WPIAL prospect that the Pirates selected in the first round of the 2004 MLB Draft from Pine Richland High School. The pick ended up working well for the Pirates, as Walker went on to be a leader for the Pirates during their playoff runs from 2013 to 2015. Hendrick has said it would be cool to follow in Walker's footsteps but is focused on continuing to climb the draft ladder.
The WPIAL has produced some strong MLB Draft talent over the last couple of seasons and Hendrick is looking to add to that class. Plum's Alex Kiriloff and Blackhawk's Brendan McKay were the last two WPIAL prospects taken in 2016 and 2017. Both players are still with their teams as Kiriloff is in Double-A while McKay made his MLB Debut last season. Hendrick is looking to be the next WPIAL success story and could possibly do it for his hometown team. Hendrick has already hit in Major League ballparks, appearing in showcases at Wrigley Field in Chicago and Chase Field in Arizona, and showed an average exit velocity of 105 miles per hour.
Hendrick would for well in the Pirates minor league system and would be a much-needed outfield prospect for the Pirates. Aside from Jared Oliva and Travis Swaggerty, there is no real top outfield prospects to help give the Pirates security in the outfield. Drafting Hendrick would give the Pirates someone who could be ready for the MLB in three or four years and could possibly play alongside Swaggerty in a Pirates outfield of the future. However, it is yet to be seen if the Pirates focus is more on the offensive side of the ball or the pitching side and that will play a big factor as to whether or not Hendrick gets to play for his hometown team.
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