Downer’s Grove North High School boasts sultry starlet Denise Richards and wrestling royalty “Macho Man” Randy Savage as former students, but it has never produced an MLB player. That didn’t prevent the Tigers from giving Warwick $250K ($100 from their bonus pool) in 2024 to sign a pro contract and forgo his commitment to Michigan State.
A late riser from a northern high school with scant showcase experience, Warwick played well in the Florida Complex League during his pro debut in 2025, but saw his whiff rate explode during a 21-game stint in the Florida State League. Warwick is lean and athletic, with plus speed and feel for spraying the ball from line to line, but he shows below-average present power, and he was befuddled by the improved secondary stuff in the FSL.
Warwick trained in dance for much of his youth, and he plays defense with a balletic grace. There’s utility here as well, with the chance to be an above-average glove at second base and solid at short. And he’s a plus runner, so it’s not hard to imagine him adding center field to his résumé in the future. Warwick figures to be a bit of a slow burn as he learns to handle better pitching, and he’ll have to thread the needle a bit by adding strength to his frame while maintaining his speed and athleticism, but there’s the foundation for a potentially useful utility man down the road.
Hit: 40
The plate discipline Warwick showed in the Complex League was genuinely impressive for a 19-year-old in his first professional summer. A 13.5 percent walk rate and 15.6 percent strikeout rate speaks to a hitter who understands the zone and controls the count, which is not a given for prep players at that stage. He sprays the ball to all fields with solid barrel feel and peppered the gaps with line drives. The concern is bat speed — he is a longer-levered hitter right now, and the Single-A look at the end of the year showed that consistent velocity exposed that length. If he can add strength and shorten up without losing the approach, the hit tool has real upside. If the frame doesn’t develop, he profiles as a contact-first utility piece.
Power: 30
There is not much here yet, and that is fine for where he is in his development. The three home runs in the FCL were encouraging signs that the power is not entirely absent, and exit velocities at his high school showcases were touching 90-93 mph, which is a foundation to build on. The projection is tied almost entirely to physical development. A 170-pound teenager who fills out naturally could grow into 10-12 home run pop at the upper levels. A player who stays where he is physically profiles as a slap hitter with limited impact at the corners.
Run: 55
This is Warwick’s best present tool and the one that makes him interesting even at this early stage. Twenty-two stolen bases in 47 Complex League games is not a small sample coincidence — he reads pitchers well, gets good jumps and is a smart baserunner who takes the extra base without gambling carelessly. The speed plays on both sides of the ball and gives him a floor even if the bat develops slowly.
Defense: 45
Warwick showed enough range in the Complex League at both second base and shortstop to suggest he has the athleticism to play either position, which matters for long-term utility value. His arm is fringy for shortstop but plays fine at second, and his hands and footwork are clean enough that the Tigers have been comfortable leaving him at the six. The most likely outcome is a second base/utility profile at the upper levels, with the shortstop handle giving him flexibility that a pure second baseman doesn’t carry.
Arm: 40
Functional at second base, fringe at shortstop. Warwick’s arm is not going to be the reason he makes or doesn’t make a roster, but it is the realistic limiting factor on whether he sticks at short or slides over permanently. For now the Tigers are developing both options.
https://youtu.be/uTxvlqZrAU8?si=l8p1HWdSGP1GOowY
Note: This scouting report was originally part of a submission to FanGraphs, so it is done in their style.
Rogelio Castillo