2024 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #39 INF Nate Furman

Furman is a contact, on-base and speed dynamo that could be more aggressive, but also would benefit from adding strength

Nate Furman Bio

• Age (2024 season): 22

• Acquired: 2022 Draft (Round 4)

• 2023 Level: Low-A/High-A

• Height: 5’8

• Weight: 180

• Bats: Left

• Throws: Right

Nate Furman 2023 Stats

• PA: 441

• AVG/OBP/SLG: .264/.397/.306

• 2B: 11

• HR: 0

• SB: 37/42

• K%/BB%: 12.2%/14.7%

Nate Furman 2024 Scouting Grades

• Hit: 45

• Power: 30

• Speed: 70

• Defense: 55

• Arm: 50

• Overall: 40

• Risk: Moderate

• ETA: 2026

Build & Background

Furman, like Hawke at 41, has an undersized, but somewhat stockier build. He’s another gritty, high-motor gamer type from UNC-Charlotte in the 2022 draft, where he was also a two-year starter as a draft-eligible sophomore. His type of play also makes him popular with teammates.  Furman doesn’t have a big frame, but he’s pretty rotational in his swing which allows him to get on plane with pitches, not with a lot of juice, but at least put the bat on the ball. He uses his hands very well, which is good because he tends to have a handsy swing.

What Furman Does Well

Speed is likely Furman’s best tool at the moment and OBP is his greatest skill. He makes a lot of contact and has a very patient, sometimes passive approach. He takes deep into counts, has the bat-to-ball skills and can spoil tough pitches. He’s got the skills to be an above-average defender at second bases. Fuman is at least a plus runner on the bases, getting down the line fast and has great speed out of the box and underway. 

Where Furman Needs to Improve

Adding strength, bat speed and subsequent strength to increase any pop he could have. Right now it’s well below average power. Power has never really been part of Furman’s game, but his contact quality will make a difference in the kind of impact he will ave and his role. Furman’s am plays well at second and is maybe average at third at best, maybe fringe average. He could be a little more aggressive at the plate as well. 

Key Stats

Furman had a 3.2 SwStr% last year, the lowest in Cleveland’s system full of high-contact hitters that qualified. That’s not really a shock, but dosn’t quite match his 12.2 K%. The general rule of thumb for K% is doubling the SwStr%. It’s not always perfect, but it can be close. So that would suggest he should be in the 6%-10% K% range. He’s not far off at 12.2%, but I think it suggests he might be a bit passive. Some of that could be skewed from his time in Low-A, where his walk rate was higher. Patience, knowledge of the strike zone and general on-base skills are things Furman is good at, and needs to be for a speed, lower power player, but perhaps he could be a bit more aggressive in his second year.

Intangibles

Furman is a gritty, hard-nosed player. He runs hard and plays the game with high energy. He can be a spark plug type guy when he’s making contact and getting on base regularly. That kind of play gives him plenty of fans on the coaching staff and with teammates. High marks for character and makeup, knowing the level of effort and work ethic he puts in, and is a well liked teammate in general.

Future

The low-EV’s all but guarantee something of a backup type for for Furman. There’s a possibility for some Steven Kwan type growth here with his ability to make contact and eye. If he can do some weighted bat training, pick his spots a bit more, he could increase his offensive ceiling. There is some limit to what he can do as backup because second base is his best spot and doesnt’ look likely to handle short. But he could row into a bench role as a pinch hitter at the next level.

Role 

40 - Reserve infielder, pinch runner