2024 looks like a pretty promising year on the high school front. Having taken in 8 showcases and 3 tournaments, as well as countless regional high school games, our team is ready to roll out our initial Top 50 for 2024. As always, our board is built on three pillars:
Our team’s Live Looks.
Trackman, Rapsodo and data/metric evaluation.
Conversations within the industry. What are scouting executives, cross-checkers and area scouts seeing at the ballfields?
This Top 50 really establishes a couple things:
There’s an exciting crop of prep bats in 2024 with upside.
High school pitching has upside and some exciting velocity this early in the cycle.
Latest Update: 1/1/2023
1. Konnor Griffin
Outfield, Jackson Prep
Griffin reclassified out of the 2025 draft class after overmatching his peers. Griffin has the frame scouts dream on, a long, levered body with projectable strength and present athleticism. The upside here is tremendous. Griffin plays shortstop and centerfield now, but we think he projects best in the grass where his plus speed and rangy routes will play best. He's got a strong throwing arm and the twitch necessary to make a good first step. He has every chance to stick on the dirt, but the hands are probably solid average and there's a high likelihood he'll grow off the position. He could probably be an above average defender at either spot. Already an accomplished slugger, Griffin has huge bat speed with over-the-fence juice and should grow into 60-grade, potentially even 70-grade game power. A true 5-tool prospect.
2. Derek Curiel
Outfield, Orange Lutheran
The immediate thing that stands out with Curiel is the calm, balanced rhythm about his game. He's got a sweet left-handed swing and never looks anxious or tense at the plate. He's advanced beyond his years with the bat and the body only projects more and more impact on the way. He oozes athleticism in every aspect of the game, a plus runner with long strides and above average bat speed. Scouts think he's mostly hit-over-power for the time being, but the power potential and trajectory here suggests a future plus hitter with above average power or more. He's likely to shift to a corner as he matures, but the bat plays anywhere. The profile isn't too dissimilar from Riley Greene at this same stage, though I think most scouts would agree Curiel is more physical and more polished at this age than the latter.
3. Michael Mullinax
Outfield, North Cobb Christian
Mullinax is a tool shed with a power/speed combination that is certainly tough to come by. The bat speed here is impressive with notable pull-side power as a left-handed hitter, but more hitterish from the right. Mullinax has plus, maybe even plus-plus speed and projects to stay in centerfield. He features a plus throwing arm that can play in any spot and be a huge weapon as well. A patient hitter that lacks much swing-and-miss in his game, scouts like the approach and his willingness to get on-base and use his wheels to create chaos. Mullinax had a quieter summer by his standards in 2022, but most believe the lack of slug was more of an enigma instead of any sort of indicator of what his eventual profile will be. Another five-tool potential guy.
4. PJ Morlando
Outfield, Summerville
Morlando might be the most physically imposing high school bat in the 2024 class with exceptional bat speed and high contact rates to boot. Morlando has long had the bat speed to out-slug his peers, but it's his mature approach and willingness to take the walk that has scouts raising eyebrows. Defensively, Morlando projects an average corner outfielder where his average speed and solid average throwing arm fit nicely. So long as he doesn't outgrow his athleticism and force his profile to first base, this is a high, high-level bat that teams will covet in the first round.
5. Owen Paino
Shortstop, Roy C Ketham
Paino is a lean, strong, left-handed hitter with present juice and a smooth stroke with an up-the-middle approach. He tends to work to the pull-side a bit more in game, but it's a mature batting practice session, unwilling to sellout for power. Paino has long arms and legs, but he glides on the dirt and the arm strength and hands will work well at either shortstop or third base. How he puts on weight in the coming years will dictate where he ends up. It's not totally dissimilar from Colson Montgomery from 2021, though for our money, Paino is a better glove at this same stage. He's also a strong enough runner and athlete to handle the outfield should the role come calling.
6. Noah Franco
Left-Handed Pitcher, IMG Academy
Franco re-classified from the 2025 class into the 2024 class. He'll be young for the class, but his stuff is already as imposing as most of his peers. Franco is an explosive lefty with tons of athleticism on the mound. He'll work up to 92, though most expect he'll be sitting in the mid-90s by the time July rolls around. He's got real feel for a fading changeup, but it's his deep, two-plane slider that has been a nightmare on both lefty and righty bats. Franco is committed to Mississippi State, though he'll be a popular name in draft war rooms.
7. JD Dix
Shortstop, Whitefish Bay
Wisconsin has produced some truly impressive infielders over the past half-decade, but Dix may be the best of the bunch. A switch-hitter with real ability from both sides, Dix features more loft and bat speed from the left side. From the right, it's a bit more hitterish with an opposite field gap approach with ringing doubles bat-speed. He has a real chance to switch-hit moving forward. On the dirt, he uses his wirey frame well with a whippy arm and solid range to his left and enough arm to make most plays into the hole. Dix may end up at second base or third base as a pro. This is a high-level athlete with a ton of twitch and torque in how he plays with plenty of projection on the tools ahead of him.
8. Chase Mobley
Right-Handed Pitcher, Plant City
Mobley is a really athletic righty with long, lean limbs, plenty of projection and *now* stuff. The fastball has been clocked up to 93, his athleticism easily holding 90 mph over outings of at least 60 pitches. The heat has late hop and Mobley has shown feel for keeping his stuff in the zone, pounding the top of the zone with his fastball. He's got a curveball that flashes above average characteristics, as well as a changeup with solid separation off the fastball. Mobley has the arm speed, frame and athleticism to suggest he could throw really hard one day, and his present strike-throwing ability and pedigree in tournaments bode well for his future.
9. Theodore Gillen
Shortstop, Westlake
Gillen is a fascinating player. Early in counts he features a loose, upright stance with a ton of bat speed and present loft. Gillen can do a lot of damage out of this setup and he's shown juice with it to all-fields. There's some swing-and-miss present, but that gets him to a 2-strike set. Gillen then gets into an exaggerated squat with a super wide setup. He still works to all fields, but his shrinking of the strike zone does allow him to fend off strikeouts against high velocity and spin. Gillen has smooth actions on the dirt and can make every throw, though it is a longer arm action and scouts have seen varying outcomes throwing across the diamond when having to make a play to his right. Regardless, it figures to clean itself up over time and Gillen has all the makings of a kid who figures to stick on the dirt as a pro.
10. Trey Snyder
Shortstop, Liberty North
Snyder is a well-rounded player with offensive tools and the potential to stick up the middle on defense. At the plate, Snyder employs a rounded leg-kick that can get him in trouble with timing, but when he's locked in Snyder absolutely pummels the ball to all-fields, producing some truly impressive shots to his pull-side. He's a fantastic athlete and it shows in his load, swing and follow-through at the plate. On the dirt, Snyder again showcases big athleticism, getting low to the ground and receiving ground balls out in front. He's got exceptional hands with a quick transfer and an above average arm as well. Depending on where his physical development goes, Snyder could end up at second base or third base, but for now, the athlete and actions suggest a shortstop long-term.