The Braves added another interesting young outfielder to the farm system when Canadian prospect Will Henderson announced that he had officially signed with the organization.
Henderson is an 18 year old outfielder from Mississauga, Ontario. He played with the Fieldhouse Pirates while attending St. Martin Catholic Secondary School and had previously committed to play college baseball at Utah.
There isn’t a lot of attention surrounding this signing right now. But the more you look into Henderson, the more interesting the signing becomes.
The Tools Stand Out
Henderson has been listed at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds. His available measurements include a 101.4 mph maximum exit velocity, 92.1 mph average exit velocity, and a 78 mph maximum bat speed.
He also recorded a 6.45-second 60-yard dash, a 3.65-second 30-yard split and a 1.61-second 10-yard split. His best recorded outfield throw touched 91 mph.
That is a pretty exciting combination of power, speed and arm strength for an 18-year-old outfielder.
The offensive tools have also shown up during games. At the Canadian Futures Showcase earlier this month, Henderson went 2-2 with a home run, triple and three stolen bases in a win at Rogers Centre.
That game was part of a strong overall performance during the five-game showcase. Henderson finished the event hitting .333/.625/.889 with a 1.514 OPS, six runs, six walks, three strikeouts and nine stolen bases without being caught.
His six runs and nine stolen bases both led all 86 hitters at the showcase, while his six walks tied for the lead. Among the 39 players who received at least 10 plate appearances, Henderson finished third in OPS and tied for second in slugging percentage. That is a pretty strong showing against some of the top young players in Canada.
Henderson also put together a strong season with the Fieldhouse Pirates. Across 18 games, he hit .404/.532/.532 with a 1.064 OPS, 21 runs and 19 stolen bases in 21 attempts. He also walked 14 times while striking out only five times in 63 plate appearances.
The Eric Hartman Comparison
This signing immediately reminded me of another young Canadian outfielder currently in the Braves system: Eric Hartman.
Hartman wasn’t completely unknown coming out of high school. He played for Canada’s Junior National Team and was committed to Michigan. But he wasn’t viewed as a highly ranked national draft prospect.
Perfect Game had Hartman ranked around No. 500 nationally, and the Braves waited until the 20th and final round of the 2024 draft to select him with the 611th overall pick.
Hartman was talented, but he played in an area where players don’t always receive the same amount of scouting coverage as top prospects in the United States. The Braves reportedly had the only scout in attendance at one of his smaller tournaments in British Columbia.
Atlanta eventually signed him for $337,500, nearly $190,000 above the value assigned to his draft position.
Two years later, that decision is looking like one of the best moves the Braves have made in the later rounds of the draft. He went from the 611th pick in the 2024 draft class to one of the biggest breakout prospects in the entire organization.
The comparison is in the type of player the Braves are betting on. Both are athletic Canadian outfielders with speed, power potential and limited exposure in their young careers. Neither entered the Braves system with the attention normally given to an early-round draft pick or a highly ranked international signing.
Another Development Bet For Atlanta
The Braves have shown that they take chances on young players with physical tools and trust their development staff to work with them.
Hartman arrived as a fast and athletic outfielder who still needed to add strength and improve different parts of his game. Since joining the organization, he has added more power while continuing to use his speed and developing into a top prospect.
That doesn’t mean Henderson will automatically follow the same path. Every young player develops differently, and Henderson hasn’t played a professional game yet. But the raw talent he has is a good look for what the future could be for him.
As of right now Henderson is an interesting development prospect, rather Henderson has plenty of raw talent and tools to work with and the organization will have time to help him develop those tools as he begins his professional career.
Eric Hartman has already shown what can happen when Atlanta finds an under-the-radar Canadian outfielder and gives its development staff time to work with him. I have a feeling Will Henderson becomes another example.
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