Getting to know: Cubs 12th Rounder Carter Trice |
Anytime you get to day three of the MLB draft, teams are actively scouring the scouting market to see if they can find a diamond in the rough. The Cubs feel like they got a diamond in the rough in round 11 with Zyhir Hope, but they were far from done and still had more work to do.
With their 12th-round selection, the Cubs returned to the college circuit and drafted a rare three-year from North Carolina State in Carter Trice. Primarily an OF this season, Trice was drafted as a second baseman which goes to show you his versatility on the diamond. That is something the Cubs have always loved on their roster and in their organization, for that matter, as versatility allows them to move players around to maximize their talents. Trice may not be the biggest name on the draft board, but he is a very well-known name in college baseball, especially in the ACC. Initially, an Old Dominion recruits, Trice tore the cover off the baseball as a freshman and earned second-team all Freshman honors in 2021 when he hit 355/.426/.632 with 14 home runs and 17 doubles. That performance would have been solid for a senior, but to do that as a freshman put the country on notice as Trice earned a spot on the 2021 collegiate National Team. Following his dominating freshman season for the Monarchs, Trice was at it again in 2022, where he connected for 17 more homers and 49 RBIs. His average took a bit of a hit and fell to .288, but he still had 17 multi-hit games that season to lead the team while also adding 11 multi-RBI games. It was his sophomore season when he started to show that versatility as he played in 53 games with 51 starts coming at four different spots. After feeling like he accomplished all he could with Old Dominion, Trice hit the transfer market before his Junior season and committed to NC State for the 2023 season. Expected to struggle a little bit considering the competition, Trice struggled much more than people expected, which is a concern. In 41 appearances this season, Trice batted .248 with nine doubles, six homers, and 19 RBI in his first season in a Wolfpack uniform. He did swipe seven bases on eight attempts, as the Cubs are hoping his first two seasons are the real Trice and not last season. Another part of his game that was exposed a little bit this season was his walk-to-strikeout rate, as he had a 25% strikeout rate and a 10% walk rate. Compare that to Old Dominion, where he was at 19% and 12%, and you will see he did struggle with better competition. Even at that, Trice is an explosive athlete, as his 6-0 and 200-pound frame would tell you. That frame helps him make extremely hard contact, where he averages 90 MPH for exit velocity with the high-velocity mark at 112. However, that power comes with some contact concerns, evident this past season. Yes, Trice hits the ball extremely hard when he connects, but he didn't make enough contact this season which is not a good sign. He made contact at just a 71% clip this spring and has always struck out at a rate north of 23% in college, and he struggled significantly against 92-plus mph velocity in a 72-pitch sample this spring. He will have to work on that once he arrives in the Cubs organization, so don't expect him to see the field until late this season, if at all. While there are still questions with the bat, Trice may not be a gold glove player in the field, but he is very good at several positions. Initially, a second baseman when he came to school, Trice has emerged as a corner OF in recent seasons despite his overall lack of pop this year. Not expected to be a significant power threat, Trice needs to hit for more power at the professional level if he has any chance of making it to the majors. However, he has above-average speed, which will not only help him make the plays necessary in the OF but will also help him become a good base stealer at the next level.
