Future Watch: Lawrence Butler Rookie Baseball Cards, Athletics – Lawrence Butler was drafted by the Oakland A’s in the sixth round of the 2018 MLB Amateur Draft. This 6-4, 185-pound outfielder was only 18 when he was drafted. He didn’t go to a big college. He came straight out of high school.
In 42 games for Westlake High School in Atlanta Georgia, he batted an impressive .326. His on-base percentage was even better at .433. He had 86 at-bats in the two combined seasons. Butler had 10 doubles, one triple and two home runs with 15 RBI. He was super productive with 29 runs scored as well. His final season there is when he hit two home runs and that probably was the start of an upward trend for this young player.
After the draft, he played for the Arizona League A’s. In 106 at-bats he had one homer, 15 RBI with a .226 average. His four doubles and two triples and 20 runs scored made him productive. His .339 on-base percentage was once again above average. He did have three steals getting thrown out once. When this prospect puts it all together, he will be a hard player to keep off the base paths and from scoring.
Here’s a look at his sweet swing:
Butler was the only high school player taken by the A’s in the first 10 rounds of the draft. He seems to be gaining confidence after every game. He was once the kind of outfielder who would make the occasional error but that’s starting to improve as well. Fans shouldn’t expect to see him up with the big club for a few more years at the earliest. But for now, collectors should put him on their lists ASAP.
For more from Russ Cohen, follow him on Twitter @sportsology.
Future Watch: Lawrence Butler Rookie Baseball Cards, Athletics – Stats
| Year | Age | AgeDif | Tm | Lg | Lev | Aff | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | TB | GDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 17 | -2.6 | Athletics | ARIZ | Rk | OAK | 46 | 124 | 106 | 20 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 43 | .226 | .339 | .330 | .669 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Russ Cohen
is the author of several top-selling sports related books.
Baseball’s Best Rookies
Numbers Don’t Lie: Mets: The Biggest Numbers in Mets History
100 Ranger Greats: Superstars, Unsung Heroes and Colorful Characters
100 Things Rangers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
“Strike Three!” – A Player’s Journey through the Infamous Baseball Strike of 1994
The Winter Classic: The NHL’s Savior
The Philadelphia Flyers: Images of Sports
Pioneers of Baseball
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