Nick Loftin added muscle after the 2022 season and it paid off for him last season. The power output was up for Loftin, who posted a .175 ISO on the season for the Omaha Storm Chasers. If not for a mid-season injury that sidelined him for two months, Loftin could have gotten a much larger sample in the Major Leagues last season. As it turned out, he appeared in 19 games of MLB action, posting a .803 OPS in the process.
season stats:
2021 (High-A): .289/.373/.463, 10.2% BB%, 14.6% K%, 130 wrc+
2022 (AA): .270/.354/.421, 10.6% BB%, 13.4% K%, 100 wrc+
2022 (AAA): .216/.280/.359, 6.0% BB%, 24.4% K%, 69 wrc+
2023 (AAA): .270/.344/.444, 9.5% BB%, 13.1% K%, 96 wrc+
2023 (MLB): .323/.368/.435, 5.9% BB%, 17.6% K%, 118 wrc+
Nick Loftin has made a name for himself as a contact hitter, dating back to his days at Baylor. He has limited strikeouts throughout his minor league career thus far while hitting for a high average. The biggest limitation has always been Loftin’s power output. That changed some in 2023, as he posted a career-high in home runs despite missing a good chunk of the season.
Loftin provides a lot of defensive versatility to go with his ability at the plate. He’s played all over the infield in the minors (1B, 2B, SS, 3B) as well as all three outfield positions. He reminds me a bit of Wilmer Flores. Flores built a career as a Swiss Army knife with above-average production at the plate for nearly a decade.
scouting grades:
hit: 55/55
game power: 45/45
raw power: 50/50
speed: 50/50
Glove: 50/55
arm: 50/50
best case scenario:
The best-case scenario for Loftin is a good, everyday MLB player who can post the occasional All-Star performance. The ceiling doesn’t seem extremely high, but the floor is rather high to make up for it. If the power surge we saw from Loftin in 2023 can be maintained, there could be more of a ceiling to be unlocked. Right now he looks like a safe bet to hit 10-15 home runs each year while hitting .270-.280.
worst case scenario:
At worst, Nick Loftin is probably still a serviceable Utilityman to provide offensive impact off the bench. He was more valuable as a hitter than a defender in 2023 but has shown good defensive ability throughout his time in the minor leagues. If the strikeout rate stays low, it’s difficult to see a scenario where Nick Loftin isn’t a big leaguer to some extent.
