MLB Draft Day 1 Standouts/Winners

The first day of the MLB Draft has come and gone and man, what a night it was.

We saw plenty of history, including the first-ever teammates to go 1-2 in the draft, as well as the fewest amount of prep arms in the first round in quite some time. It was a relatively tame night, as well, as little chaos occurred, which is a change from what previous years have given us. But which classes and picks stand out the most from Day 1? That’s what I’m here to break down.

We’ll dive into six hauls and six individual picks that stood out and garnered my attention throughout the night, as well as give a bit of insight into what we could say on Day 2.

Best Team Hauls

San Francisco Giants

Picks: 1B/RHP Bryce Eldridge (16), SS Walker Martin (52), LHP Joe Whitman (69)

The Giants currently have the cream of the crop in terms of a haul this draft. Eldridge being selected as a two-way isn’t a shock, as that is likely the reason as to why he’s a first rounder to begin with. Unlike Crawford, I think Eldridge has a better chance to be a starter with the nature of his stuff, plus the bat is pretty underrated with plenty of power. He’ll be one interesting follow.

The Martin pick came as a bit of a shock admittedly, especially given the fact that he played with a back injury throughout the spring. However, I like the aggressiveness from the front office here. Martin’s bat is legit, as he’s got one of the better hit tools in the prep ranks, plus the power got better this spring. You can question where he fits defensively, he’s got the athleticism to start in the dirt with a move to a corner spot not out of the question. But the bat is the calling card here.

Lastly, Whitman is a phenomenal pick at 69. We thought he could find his way into the backend of the first and given the success the Giants pitching development team has seen the past few years, there’s plenty to like with Whitman’s profile. The fastball has potential, the slider is already a plus pitch, and the change-up is effective. The pick seems eerily similar to Carson Whisenhunt from a year ago.

Overall, it’s a pretty high risk, high reward class. I’m interested to see what the Giants do on Day 2, especially with under $10 million at their disposal in pool money. Maybe it’s a bit more of the college underslot demographic they go after, but I’d imagine Whitman may command a bit less and provide some savings.

Boston Red Sox

Picks: C Kyle Teel (14), SS Nazzan Zanetello (50)

If I were Boston, I’d of been incredibly giddy to have Kyle Teel fall into my lap like that. Teel was a consensus top-ten guy, even being the third-best collegiate bat on our board. It’s as legit of a bat as you can find in the country, winning the ACC Player of the Year and having a potentially plus hit tool with pretty robust power. He’s likely someone that will end up peppering the Green Monster in due time. While he isn’t your stereotypical catcher, he’s very athletic back there and deserves every chance to stick there. This could be an early candidate for the steal of the first round.

With Zanetello, you’re getting a freak athlete. He’s got legitimate five-tool potential in his profile. He’s hit everywhere he has gone and the mix of very quick hands/bat speed will give him a rather robust power profile once he’s physically mature. Let’s not forget the speed he has, which grades out as plus to potentially double-plus, and a very strong arm that has hit 98 MPH, and you’ve got a very solid prep player. He was drafted as a shortstop and he should be given every chance there, though I do believe he’s either a third baseman or a right fielder.

It might only be two picks, but I don’t think Boston could have done much better here.

Miami Marlins

Picks: RHP Noble Meyer (10), LHP Thomas White (35), OF Kemp Alderman (47)

Man, what the Marlins did with their first two picks was perfect.

We’ll start with Meyer, who was the lone prep arm to be selected in the first round. We’ll jump into this later on, but I absolutely love the fit here. He’s already got a robust pitch mix, but with the way the Marlins develop change-ups, it’s just such a fun idea to think about the potential here. With White, they double down on the prep demographic and they have the pool money to get him signed. White has long been a famous name and has excellent stuff, getting into the mid-90s with a lively heater and a robust secondary arsenal, though getting that delivery in sync and scattered command gave him some fits. The Marlins know their strengths here and I’m excited about it. There’s a ton of upside here.

Alderman is also a fun profile to dive into. He has some of the best power in the entire class, consistently having exit velocities get above the 110 MPH threshold. If Miami can get him to tone down the aggressive approach and improve the contact rates, there’s a ton to like with the bat. Defensively, he’s destined for a right field spot thanks to an absolute bazooka of a right arm.

Time will ultimately tell on how these guys develop, especially Meyer and White, but if I’m a Marlins fan, I couldn’t be any more excited about their picks.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Picks: INF Tommy Troy (12), INF LuJames “Gino” Groover III (48), LHP Caden Grice (64)

The Diamondbacks’ Day 1 class is insanely fun and screams upside, especially on the offensive front.

The selection of Troy was celebrated amongst the draft team here at the site. We think he’s one of the best bats in the class with a sound approach, robust power, as well as being able to handle velocity. He had zero whiffs against pitches above 95+ MPH in 2023, which while it is a smaller sample size, it’s quite impressive. Defensively, he might end up at second base, but I like the idea of starting him out on the left side of the infield. It’s a very fun profile.

Groover does provide a bit more questions regarding the defense, but there’s no questioning the offensive ability. Groover’s MO is hitting, utilizing the whole field with a short, compact swing and having excellent plate discipline. He managed to get more into his power in 2023 as well, which was very encouraging to see. He’s likely destined for either second base, first base, or even left field, but I’d imagine Arizona will let him man the hot corner for a bit.

Lastly, Grice being a P.O. is a fun pick. Arizona is quite progressive with their arms and while Grice does have 70-grade power, the hit tool was likely never going to materialize. He was very good down the stretch for Erik Bakich with a low-90s heater that has sink, as well as a solid breaking ball and change-up. He’s relatively fresh too, as he didn’t really pitch heavily until this season. I like the fit here.

Kansas city royals

Picks: C Blake Mitchell (8), RHP Blake Wolters (44), OF Carson Roccaforte (66)

Yes, you can scream at me all you want about the prep catching demographic and how risky it is, but at the end of the day, Mitchell felt like the one to buck that trend. It’s not often that you get someone of his caliber at the position and he’s viewed as reasonably safe offensively, as he has a robust hit/power combination. He won’t get a chance to pitch like he did in high school, but rather he’s going to stick behind the dish long-term. He’s athletic and agile back there, plus the cannon of an arm that he has garnered double-plus grades. There’s a ton to like with the profile he has and I’d be very interested to see the monetary figure he gets.

With Wolters, the Royals get a very solid arm. He came into his own this spring, turning into a legitimate power pitcher with a loud fastball that gets into the upper-90s with very solid life to it. The slider will need to be more consistent, but it flashes. At its best, it’ll be a power slider in the mid-80s with nasty bite and tilt, though it becomes a slurvy breaker with gradual break when he doesn’t execute. The change-up needs refinement, too. I do trust the Royals development team enough to work their magic here.

Lastly, Roccaforte is a fun pick in the second round. While the home run power wasn’t the same as what it was in 2022, Roccaforte’s batted ball profile is incredibly fun to dive into. It’s very easy power and while there’s some things to iron out with the swing, there’s a lot to like there. He’s an above-average runner that has a chance to stick at the eight with solid route running and great defense. He’s got high grades on models, too.

Detroit Tigers

Picks: OF Max Clark (3), INF Kevin McGonigle (37), INF Max Anderson (45)

Could this be a bit of a hot take? Maybe. It’s hard to pass up on a talented college bat in Wyatt Langford, but Max Clark is the kind of bat you feel comfortable passing on Langford for.

Clark’s offensive profile is a bit power limited when compared to the other names in the top five, he’s likely going to max out at average to above-average power when all is said and done. However, he’s a potentially plus hitter with a smooth left-handed swing that’s short to the ball and he can shoot the ball to all fields with ease, as well as having a pretty sound approach at the dish. What does give him the edge over someone like Walker Jenkins is the defensive upside here. He’s got a solid chance to stick in centerfield with very solid speed, route-running, and defense at the next level. Detroit did very well here.

McGonigle can be seen as a bit of a steal in the compensation round given the offensive upside and the first round grade we gave him. It’s pretty similar to what Clark’s bat is, a plus hitter with potentially above-average power when all is said and done. He has a lengthy track record of hitting everywhere he has gone and doesn’t strike out a ton against solid competition. If there’s anything to knock McGonigle on, it’s the fact that he’s likely limited to second base. He was drafted as a shortstop, but given the muscle he added and limited arm strength, a move seems likely down the line. But you can’t argue with an offensive-minded second baseman.

Lastly, Anderson had some helium in the last couple of weeks and felt destined to go higher than the ranking we gave him. Surely enough, here we are, as Anderson went 16 spots higher than our ranking. Anderson just flat-out hits, slashing .414/.461/.771 in the spring with Nebraska with very solid power output, particularly to the gaps. He does chase quite a bit and the walks aren’t where you’d want them to be, but he does a very good job of limiting the strikeouts. His defense is a question mark, though, given the lack of arm strength and range at second base. He’s likely a first baseman at the next level.

Honorable Mentions: Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays

favorite picks

Andrew Walters (no. 62/Cleveland)

I’ve seen a bit of scuttlebutt about Walters being a relief-only guy during his time at Miami, so I raise you this: he was one of the best closers in ACC history. Plus, given the electric nature of the fastball and the potential to move quickly as a bullpen ace in Cleveland’s system, I absolutely love the fit here. Walters has a unique fastball with a low release, flatter VAA, and excellent command. It was an incredibly dynamic pitch in college, and while you could say he’s a one-pitch pony, Walters has seen improvement in the breaking ball department, ditching the loopier curveball for a harder slider with solid bite. Cleveland’s pitching development is amazing, too. It’s hard not to love this pick.

Hurston Waldrep (No. 24/Braves)

Atlanta’s farm system is littered with a ton of arms, so why not add Waldrep to the fold? This feels like a steal given the nature of his stuff, particularly the off-speed, but I believe the Braves can be a development team that can fix his fastball. We already know how good the off-speed arsenal is, as the splitter is a legitimate 70-grade pitch and the curveball/slider are both above-average, but if Atlanta can fix his fastball command, this has the makings of another quick riser in that system. It’ll also help him live out his potential as a starter. If I’m Atlanta, I’m very happy that Waldrep fell this far.

Noble Meyer (No. 10/Marlins)

I know I’ve already touched on how much I like this pick and the upside, but it’s one of my favorite fits in the draft thus far. Miami knows how to develop pitching, there’s no question about that, and Meyer has one of the best pitch mixes in the class that’s led by his plus slider. But if there’s anything I’m excited about here, it’s the development of his change-up. We’ve covered it in Deep(er) Drives, but the one thing industry folks wanted to see was more change-up usage. Miami knows how to develop the pitch and given the fact that Meyer has already made some tweaks to the pitch over the past year, I like the potential here.

Colin Houck (NO. 32/Mets)

Houck sliding this far was not on my bingo card, especially given we had him mocked to the Diamondbacks at 12. Houck’s upside is tremendous and he’s incredibly athletic. It’s a very solid swing from the right side and with the projectable nature of his frame, the power potential is quite high. There’s also enough to suggest that he sticks at shortstop long term with his twitch, range, and arm strength. The Mets may have gotten a legitimate steal with their first pick here.

Chase Davis (no. 21/Cardinals)

Yeah, this was a match made in heaven. The Cardinals needed this kind of bat in their system and Davis fell right into their laps. He’s really evolved as a hitter in the past year, dropping the whiff and chase rates and shortening up the swing, all while keeping the robust power he’s always had. It’s likely that he gets a chance to start in center field, but in all likelihood, a move to a corner spot seems likely. I really, really like this fit.

Walker Jenkins (no. 5/Twins)

The Twins were big winners in the draft lottery back in December and they get someone who fits their M.O. perfectly. While the medical history pushed some teams away, the upside here is amazing. It’s a potential 60-hit/60-power bat with Jenkins, as he has robust bat speed and impressive bat-to-ball skills that you don’t find often in a prep bat. He’s likely a fit for right field instead of center moving forward, where his strong arm should play very well. He’s got the speed to handle center, but he likely outgrows the position. All in all, Minnesota likes their high-OBP and power guys and Jenkins fits that bill.

We Simulated The MLB Draft Over Two Dozen Times - Here’s Who Your Team Selected Most Often

With this weekend's MLB Draft quickly approaching every fanbase wants to know who their favorite team is going to select. I can’t in good conscience speak in absolutes regarding who each singular player might be. What I can do is build an MLB Draft Simulator and use the probabilities to find out what players land at specific spots most often. So, that’s what I did. 

I ran the simulator a total of 25 times. For picks 1-39, I’ll name the 3 players who were selected at that pick most often. This should illuminate exactly who fans should look for their team to select during Round 1. This doesn’t mean these will be the exact three guys they pick from. Chaos is the only certainty in the MLB Draft. Simply keep an eye on these players in these ranges.

Round 1:

1. Pittsburgh Pirates

• Dylan Crews, LSU, OF

• Paul Skenes, LSU, P

• Max Clark, Franklin Community, OF

Chalk. All signs point to these three players being the pool being picked in this spot. Barring a Wyatt Langford surprise, these are your guys.

2. Washington Nationals 

• Paul Skenes, LSU, P

• Wyatt Langford, Florida, OF

• Dylan Crews, LSU, OF

More chalk. Nothing groundbreaking here. Nats’ find themselves with the player that doesn’t get selected 1st.

3. Detroit Tigers

• Wyatt Langford, Florida, OF

• Paul Skenes, LSU, P

• Dylan Crews, LSU, OF

More of the same. Although they are at the mercy of the other two teams, the Tigers likely walk away with one of the top three players in the class.

4. Texas Rangers

• Walker Jenkins, South Brunswick, OF

• Max Clark, Franklin Community, OF

• Wyatt Langford, Wyatt Langford, OF

Which prep - Clark vs. Jenkins? Does a premier college player fall?

5. Minnesota Twins

• Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest, P

• Walker Jenkins, South Brunswick, OF

• Hurston Waldrep, Florida, P

The first true wild card. Our sim likes the Twins taking a pitcher or a prep. 

6. Oakland Athletics

• Max Clark, Franklin Community, OF

• Kyle Teel, Virginia, C 

• Noble Meyer, Jesuit, P

Middle-of-the-diamond premier players. Athletes and high-upside arms. 

7. Cincinnati Reds

• Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss, SS

• Chase Dollander, Tennessee, P 

• Jacob Wilson, Grand Canyon, SS

More middle-of-the-diamond Reds’ prospects? More up-and-coming arms to the stable? 

8. Kansas City Royals

• Arjun Nimmala, Strawberry Crest, SS

• Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest, P

• Blake Mitchell, Sinton, C

The rebuild continues. High upside and toolsy preps.

9. Colorado Rockies

• Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss, SS

• Blake Mitchell, Sinton, C

• Noble Meyer, Jesuit, P

A healthy mix. Plenty of places to supplement within the organization. College bat, prep bat, prep pitcher. 

10. Miami Marlins

• Max Clark, Franklin Community, OF

• Walker Jenkins, South Brunswick, OF

• Chase Dollander, Tennessee, P

The prep stopgap. Unlikely either high ends prep gets to this spot but even more unlikely they bypass Miami. 

11. Los Angeles Angels

• Noble Meyer, Jesuit, P

• Kyle Teel, Virginia, C 

• Arjun Nimmala, Strawberry Crest, SS

Feels like a team that catches the premier talent that falls to them. Meyer, Teel, and Nimmala all figure to go earlier but Angels would love any of them.

12. Arizona Diamondbacks

• Enrique Bradfield Jr., Vanderbilt, OF

• Brayden Taylor, TCU, 3B

• Tommy Troy, Stanford, SS/3B

Impact college players to supplement a rising core of young stars. 

13. Chicago Cubs

• Tommy Troy, Stanford, SS/3B

• Arjun Nimmala, Strawberry Crest, SS

• Jacob Wilson, Grand Canyon, SS

Premier athletes in the middle of the diamond. Don’t be surprised if a college arm pops up either. 

14.  Boston Red Sox

• Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss, SS

• Hurston Waldrep, Florida, P

• Chase Dollander, Tennessee, P

A classic Red Sox move. The California high school shortstop. Only this time he went to Ole Miss for three years. Or more high-octane arms to a system that could use some. 

15. Chicago White Sox

• Chase Davis, Arizona, OF

• Aiden Miller, JW Mitchell, 3B

• Walker Martin, Eaton, SS

Another wild card. Tons of ways they could go. 

16. San Francisco Giants

• Colin Houck, Parkview, SS

• Bryce Eldridge, James Madison HS, 1B/P

• Walker Martin, Eaton, SS

High upside prep players. While sticking with the theme of potential two-way players. 

17. Baltimore Orioles

• Jacob Wilson, Grand Canyon, SS

• George Lombrad Jr., Gulliver Prep, SS

• Charlee Soto, Reborn Christian, P

A multitude of routes the Orioles can go here. The simulator likes up-the-middle types plus prep arms.

18. Milwaukee Brewers

• Walker Martin, Eaton, SS

• Brayden Taylor, TCU, 3B

• George Lombard Jr., Gulliver Prep, SS

Impact infielders and athletes. 

19. Tampa Bay Rays

• Hurston Waldrep, Florida, P

• Arjun Nimmala, Strawberry Crest, SS

• Walker Martin, Eaton, SS

One of the teams who truly loves the chaos of the draft. Could see them go a ton of directions.

20. Toronto Blue Jays

• Brice Matthews, Nebraska, 3B/2B

• Thomas White, Phillips Academy, P

• Nolan Schanuel, FAU, IF

Some new names that we haven’t seen yet. While potentially continuing a tradition of Florida amateurs. 

21. St. Louis Cardinals

• Blake Mitchell, Sinton, C

• Tommy Troy, Stanford, 3B/SS

• Colin Houck, Parkview, SS

The high makeup player. Bucks the trend of first round arms in this case. 

22. Seattle Mariners

• Brayden Taylor, TCU, 3B

• Aiden Miller, JW Mitchell, 3B

• Bryce Eldridge, James Madison HS, 1B/P

The beginning of the Mariners’ draft of chaos. 3 picks in the top 30. They can mold this in any way they want. 

23. Cleveland Guardians

• Chase Davis, Arizona, OF

• Bryce Eldridge, James Madison HS, 1B/P

• Kevin McGonigle, Monsignor Bonner, 2B

Premier athletes and moldable arms. It’s what the Guardians do. 

24. Atlanta Braves

• Noble Meyer, Jesuit, P

• Enrique Bradfield Jr., Vanderbilt, OF

• Nolan Schanuel, FAU, IF

Prep arm or some guys who could fly through a system to aid one of the best cores in baseball.

25. San Diego Padres

• Colin Houck, Parkview, SS

• Walker Martin, Eaton, SS

• Kevin McGonigle, Monsignor Bonner, 2B

Preller doing Preller things. Prep, Prep, Prep. 

26. New York Yankees

• Matt Shaw, Maryland, 2B/3B

• Ross Cholowsky, Hamilton, SS

• Brock Wilken, Wake Forest, 3B

College hitters who have had massive success. And even a couple from the east coast. 

27. Philadelphia Phillies

• Charlee Soto, Reborn Christian, P

• Cam Johnson, IMG Academy, P

• Cade Kuehler, Campbell, P

They love their prep arms. They’ve been successful before, that doesn’t change here. 

28. Houston Astros

• Colton Ledbetter, Mississippi State, OF

• Yohandy Morales, Miami, 3B

• Adrian Santana, Doral Academy Charter, SS

High-impact college bats who aren’t far away. Or another Astros middle infielder adding power as we speak.

PPP & Competitive Balance & Comp Rounds

29. Seattle Mariners

• Alex Clemmey, Bishop Hendricken, P

• Yohandy Morales, Miami, 3B

• Colton Ledbetter, Mississippi State, OF

30. Seattle Mariners

• Bryce Eldridge, James Madison HS, 1B/P

• Aiden Miller, JW Mitchell, 3B

• Ross Cholowsky, Hamilton, SS

31. Tampa Bay Rays

• Yohandy Morales, Miami, 3B

• Brock Wilken, Wake Forest, 3B

• Colt Emerson, John Glenn, SS

32. New York Mets

• Thomas White, Phillips Academy, P

• Brock Wilken, Wake Forest, 3B

• Adrian Santana, Doral Academy Charter, SS

33. Milwaukee Brewers

• Brock Wilken, Wake Forest, 3B

• Yohandy Morales, Miami, 3B

• Nolan Schanuel, FAU, IF

34. Minnesota Twins

• Colt Emerson, John Glenn, SS

• George Lombard Jr., Gulliver Prep, SS

• Dillon Head, Homewood Flossmoor, OF

35. Miami Marlins

• Jackson Baumeister, FSU, P

• Colt Emerson, John Glenn, SS

• LuJames Groover III, NC State, IF

36. Los Angeles Dodgers

• Eric Bitonti, Aquinas, SS

• Dillon Head, Homewood Flossmoor, OF

• Colton Ledbetter, Mississippi State, OF

37. Detroit Tigers

• Brice Matthews, Nebraska, 2B/3B

• Brock Wilken, Wake Forest, 3B

• Travis Honeyman, Boston College, OF

38. Cincinnati Reds

• Cade Kuehler, Campbell, P

• Kendall George, Atascocita, OF

• Tanner Witt, Texas, P

39. Oakland Athletics

• Adrian Santana, Doral Academy Charter, SS

• Jack Hurley, Virginia Tech, OF

• LuJames Groover III, NC State, IF

This was simply a fun exercise to put our simulator to use and give it a little more time in the sun before Sunday rolls around and the real thing takes off. Fans want to know who they should be eyeing up for their team to grab and this piece aids in that process. And that isn’t an excuse to hit up Prospects Live on socials if the player your team selects isn’t found within the three players for that pick. As I mentioned, the only sure thing on Sunday is that chaos will ensue. 

If you want to try the simulator for yourself, you can click right here. 

If you want to learn more about any of the potential players, right here. 

Make sure to follow all of Prospects Live’s coverage over the next week as we cover all 20 rounds and beyond!

2023 MLB Draft Mock 4.0: The Final One

It’s been a minute, but we are proud to release our fourth and final mock draft in the hours leading up to Sunday night. This mock draft will feature 39 picks—the first round through competitive balance round A—and will take blurbs from our board to highlight the player and compliment them with the rationale for why they are being taken at their respective pick. We really hope you enjoy it! Special thanks to MLB Draft Director Tyler Jennings and Senior Draft Team members Will Hoefer and Brian Recca, as well as all the members of our Prospects Live Draft Team.

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#1 Pittsburgh Pirates select RHP Paul Skenes, Louisiana State University

The Player: What Skenes has done in 2023 has been something that college baseball has not seen since the Stephen Strasburg era. Through ten starts, he has struck out batters at a 51.3% clip. Pure domination. What once was a fastball sitting 92-95 MPH has become an upper-90s sinker that has broken the triple-digit barrier on numerous occasions with big running life, paired with a high-80s sweepy slider and a solid change-up in the same velocity band that plays well off the heater. He's showcased excellent command so far and will be the first arm off the board unless something happens.

The Rationale: Crews or Skenes? That's been the question for much of the spring. Even though we have Crews ranked #1 on our board, the chatter we're hearing suggests Skenes is a better fit for Pittsburgh at 1-1. Crews is rumored to have a much larger bonus demand than Skenes, which could cause Pittsburgh to pivot away from Crews if they feel the two LSU stars are somewhat comparable from a talent perspective. Saving bonus money early would allow Pittsburgh to spread those pool dollars elsewhere in the draft. Pittsburgh has applied this strategy in recent years with the 2020 draft (taking Henry Davis 1-1) providing us a decent blueprint for what it could be like. Max Clark could also work here and you can't rule out a dark horse candidate or two popping up over the weekend. But we'll stick with Skenes here. One of the most dominant arms in college baseball history, Skenes' polish and explosive arsenal gives him a chance to provide value in the Pirates rotation as early as next spring. Pittsburgh appears to be turning a corner as an organization and a potential ace with six years of control could jumpstart that turnaround.

#2 Washington Nationals select OF Dylan Crews, Louisiana State University

The Player: Crews was a highly-regarded prospect as a Florida prep in 2020, but decided to remove his name from draft consideration to attend LSU. That move paid off in a big way, and he was an All-American as a freshman in 2021 and just as good as a sophomore in 2022. His bat doesn’t have many flaws; he produces elite exit velocities and walk rates with limited strikeouts. There’s a ton of controlled violence in his swing that allows him to get the most out of his 6’1” frame. Likely a corner outfielder at the next level, Crews possesses the arm and range to easily handle left or right field. He is the consensus favorite to go first overall and could move quickly through a system given his track record of success against competitive competition.

The Rationale: While Crews' bonus demands remain a factor here, the likelihood of Crews dropping past #2 seems unlikely, especially with Skenes off the board. The selections of Brady House and Elijah Green in the last two years indicate they are comfortable forking out large bonuses to get their guy. There's been a general feeling that Washington believes Skenes and Crews are in a tier of their own and it would take something extreme happening for them to end up with someone other than those two. You can never rule out chaos, but the Nationals’ connections to Crews and Skenes appear to be real, and passing up on a college bat with Crews' track record and skillset here seems unlikely. With the addition of Crews, a relatively quick rebuild might not be out of the question for the Nationals less than a year after trading franchise cornerstone Juan Soto.

#3 Detroit Tigers select OF Wyatt Langford, University of Florida

The Player: Langford may have missed time with an injury halfway through the year, but what he did in 2023 was nothing short of spectacular. There's plenty of bat speed and power in this profile and there's plenty of confidence that Langford will hit for average moving forward, which is paired with mature plate discipline. Walking more than you strike out in the SEC is a tough task. He's already pretty physical, but don't let the size fool you. Some scouts believe he could man center field at the next level with his speed and defense, though his arm has limited him to left field for now.

The Rationale: The level of certainty at this spot drops a tick, but Langford is firmly entrenched as a top 5 pick and new president of baseball ops. Scott Harris has a proclivity for going the college route. That could separate Langford from the prep outfielders, and it would be hard to blame Detroit for valuing Langford a bit higher after his performance the past two years in the SEC. With Skenes and Crews off the board, Langford to Detroit makes a lot of sense from a skill, organizational tendency, and value perspective. The Tigers desperately need to reinvigorate a shallow system and Langford provides them with a supremely talented bat to build around.

#4 Texas Rangers select OF Maxwell Clark, Franklin HS (IN), committed to Vanderbilt

The Player: Clark is a legitimate five-tool talent. He is an advanced hitter who doesn’t try to do too much at the plate, allowing him to spray the ball all over the field with ease. He has steadily added more game power over the years, leading many scouts to believe he will have plus juice at the big league level. He takes great routes in center field and has registered 60-yard dash times in the low 6.0s, leaving little concern as to whether he will stick at the position long-term. It’s a Pete Crow-Armstrong-type profile with potentially more power and better discipline. Not to mention, he was up to 99 MPH on the mound earlier this spring if something were to go wrong as a position player. He is a high-floor, high-ceiling prospect with great makeup and the potential to go as early as first overall.

The Rationale: The Rangers forfeited their 2nd and 3rd round draft picks for the 2nd consecutive year following the free agent signings of Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. This puts Texas in a tricky position because over 75% of their bonus pool is tied to the slot amount for the 4th overall pick. Last year, the Rangers made a shocking yet calculated move taking Kumar Rocker #3 and then using the savings to land Brock Porter in the 4th round. That's certainly a possibility this year, but both Clark and Jenkins are harder to pass up than the players who were available for Texas a year ago. Rumors of Texas going with a prep bat at this spot have been circulating for quite some time. Prep hitters with Clark's polish at the plate are a rarity and the Chris Young-led Rangers have valued those types of hitters in the draft. Jenkins fits that archetype as well, but Clark is a better bet to stick up the middle which gives him the edge here.

#5 Minnesota Twins select OF Walker Jenkins, South Brunswick HS (NC), committed to North Carolina

The Player: Jenkins has long been a famous name within scouting circles with legitimate five-tool potential. The UNC commit shows patience at the plate and uses the whole field to hit, as well as having excellent bat speed and hip/shoulder separation, allowing him to tap into his burgeoning power. He's got the speed to play in center field, though as he continues to fill out his frame, it's likely that he moves to right field, where his solid arm and defense will play well. It's hard to envision him falling out of the top five at this point.

The Rationale: With the 4th largest bonus pool and 3 of the top 49 picks, the Twins could decide to get creative with this pick. However, the Twins have a history of selecting hitters with big power and a track record of hitting in games early. The Twins' desire to explore other opportunities with Walker Jenkins sitting in their laps at #5 may abate given that history. There are some health concerns related to Jenkins's hips, but the Twins took Brook Lee last year who also had health-related questions. Jenkins has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order force and receives universal praise for his makeup and work ethic. Jacob Gonzalez and Kyle Teel are possible selections should the Twins go the college route.

#6 Oakland Athletics select SS Jacob Gonzalez, University of Mississippi

The Player: Gonzalez has long been a big name in this draft cycle after lighting the SEC on fire during his freshman year. It's impressive bat-to-ball skills from the left side of the plate and incredible plate discipline, walking more than striking out throughout his entire collegiate career. The swing can get a bit disconnected/handsy at times, but the track record has spoken for itself so far. It's solid average power long-term, too. He'll likely grow out of the shortstop position moving forward, potentially moving to third base, though there's enough here to suggest he could stay long-term.

The Rationale: The A's are typically a hard team to read, but the last pitcher they drafted in the 1st round was AJ Puk back in 2016. At pick 6 the landscape in this mock is filled with college hitters who make sense. You can make a good case for Bradfield, Taylor, Teel, and a few others but we think Oakland is eager to get their hands on a legitimate shortstop. Gonzalez's quirky swing may be a hard 'no' for certain teams, but the fact is he's always performed in the SEC as a lefty-hitting shortstop. Because of how difficult it is to predict what the A's may do, it shouldn't be too much of a shock if they finally went with an arm like Rhett Lowder or a high upside prep like Arjun Nimmala

#7 Cincinnati Reds select RHP Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest University

The Player: The pride of Albemarle, NC, Lowder is one of the best pitchability arms in recent memory and has performed admirably in the ACC the past two years. It's a true three-pitch mix led by a fastball in the low-90s with running life, touching 97 MPH at times. The change-up is his best pitch, a potentially plus pitch with tons of fading action that he sells well in the mid-80s. The slider has shown improvement with two-plane break in the low-80s, as well. He's got great command of his entire arsenal and there's enough there to suggest that he can add more consistent velocity post-draft.

The Rationale: The Lowder to the Reds buzz is gaining some momentum and it doesn't look like he'll be getting past pick #10. The Reds are overflowing with offensive firepower from a young and robust group of hitters. Teams don't draft for need in baseball as they do in football and basketball, but it's also not a completely irrelevant factor. Lowder fits here on talent level alone, so if the Reds feel Lowder and player X are of equal value, the pitching component might tip the scales in Lowder's favor. A starting pitcher who could potentially help the big league roster in a short amount of time is exactly what the Reds need. They've also done a good job developing a diverse contingent of arms in recent years which makes them capable of getting even more out of Lowder than expected. They may be tempted to float one of Clark and Jenkins down to this spot given their history of overslot picks. Kyle Teel is a good fit here, too.

#8 Kansas City Royals select C Kyle Teel, University of Virginia

The Player: Teel has been an impact hitter since he stepped foot on campus at Virginia, slashing .335/.416/.526 during his true freshman season. He has only built on that success this year and will likely be a first-team All-American at season’s end. His skillset is just about everything you want in a catcher. He has high contact rates and rarely strikes out, so he projects him as a plus hitter at the highest level. He’s very athletic behind the plate as well and should have no issue sticking at the position long-term. He has mixed evaluations defensively, but he should be serviceable at the minimum with some giving him average grades. The hit tool as a college catcher is rare in itself, which is the main reason why he will likely go in the top 20 picks of the draft.

The Rationale: The Royals have been pretty diverse in their draft selections, but have had notable trouble developing the high-priced college pitching that they have taken in the late 2010s. It’s hard to see Teel getting past the Royals here, and there’s been plenty of brass to see Teel down the stretch. He follows Nick Loftin and Gavin Cross as the third first-round college bat taken by KC in the last four years.

#9 Colorado Rockies select 3B Brayden Taylor, Texas Christian University

The Player: Taylor has made a name for himself with his hit tool throughout his college career. In his draft year, the contact rates have dropped but he has improved his game in every other way. His quick hands have improved his defense at the hot corner and he is lifting the ball more and hitting for power. It’s a smooth swing from the left side and the frame and athleticism leave room to project more power while the bat-to-ball ability is going nowhere in the long run.

The Rationale: The Rockies have been attached to college pitching, and it wouldn't be a total surprise if they took Tennessee RHP Chase Dollander here. But in lieu of their usual sinker baller type, we think the Rockies take Taylor, a well-rounded offensive player that has enough bat to carry the profile at 3B.

#10 Miami Marlins select 2B Tommy Troy, Stanford University

The Player: Tommy Troy has only improved with every campaign at Stanford, turning in his best campaign in 2023. The Pac-12 batting title winner this spring, Troy has a beautiful right-handed swing at the dish with very good power potential at the next level, grading out as plus. He covers the zone very well and his plate discipline improved drastically. He's a very quick runner on the basepaths and in the dirt, though the arm likely limits him to a second base profile at the professional level. Either which way you chop it up, there's no complaints about a bat-first second baseman with the offensive abilities Troy is capable of having.

The Rationale: The Marlins have targeted bats, particularly from college, in their recent first-round drafting history. Troy is probably the quickest mover of the impact bats at this point, but we wouldn't be surprised to see Chase Davis, Matt Shaw, or Nolan Schanuel get snagged here.

#11 Los Angeles Angels select OF Enrique Bradfield, Vanderbilt University

The Player: Enrique Bradfield's game is reminiscent of Billy Hamilton, but with a bit more thump to the toolset. Bradfield is more built for spraying liners to all fields and laying down bunts to terrorize infielders with his speed, but there's some power in the profile that could get better with added muscle. Much like Jacob Gonzalez, he walked more than he struck out in his collegiate career, a testament to his elite eye. A true 80 grade runner, Bradfield knows when to utilize that speed and is an absolute terror on the basepaths. This speed also allows him to cover an insane amount of ground in center field with incredible defensive abilities. It wouldn't be a shock to see Bradfield fly through the minors.

The Rationale: The Angels have targeted players who can reach the big leagues as quickly as possible in the last few years. With two elite tools in his speed and defense coupled with three years of SEC experience, Bradfield Jr. can move quickly and possibly take over the reins in CF for the Halos. Dollander and Waldrep could be options should the Angels target a pitcher. Several of the college bats work at this spot including Troy should he last this long.

#12 Arizona Diamondbacks select SS Colin Houck, Parkview HS (GA), committed to Mississippi State

The Player: Parkview has long been a juggernaut in the Georgia prep ranks and Houck looks to be the next name out of the school. A super athletic infielder, Houck has a quiet load in his swing and explodes through the zone with solid bat speed and super quick hands. He's begun to grow into his power potential, which likely grades out as above-average to plus that play gap-to-gap for now. If anything, Houck profiles as a shortstop long term with excellent range, hands, and a solid arm. There's a ton to dream on here and there's enough to suggest that Houck doesn't make it out of the top 25.

The Rationale: There's been heat to Houck in the 10-16 range throughout May and into the workout phases of the evaluation cycle, with Arizona being one of the teams particularly interested in the Parkview SS. We see them dipping back into the GA prep hitter demographic, a year after selecting Druw Jones 2nd overall.

#13 Chicago Cubs select RHP Chase Dollander, University of Tennessee

The Player: Dollander came into the year as the consensus top pitching prospect in the class, with some going as far as saying he’s the best since Stephen Strasburg. It’s a legit four-plus-pitch mix with all of his offerings grading out as either plus or double plus. The fastball lives in the mid-90s and tops out at 99 MPH. The slider is arguably a 70-grade pitch, inducing tons of sweeping action and missed bats. His curveball and changeup are plus pitches as well. While this evaluation has not changed much, he has mildly regressed compared to his 2022 season. He is slightly more upright in his delivery and throwing his breaking balls and changeup less than he did in 2022, leading to small differences in pitch movements and frequencies causing him to get hit more than he did during his sophomore season. Nonetheless, these are small adjustments that can be fixed by a professional player development staff and the ceiling is still that of an ace for Dollander.

The Rationale: The Cubs have been targeting college pitching early in recent drafts, and Dollander is a strong fit for an organization that has been exemplary in pitching development. We think Chicago believes they can shore up Dollander's mechanics and get the guy that had 1-1 hype heading into 2023.

#14 Boston Red Sox select SS Arjun Nimmala, Strawberry Crest HS (FL), committed to Florida State

The Player: Nimmala is a certified freak of nature. Not only is he extremely young for the class (he won't turn 18 until December), he's already proven to be the best prep shortstop in this class with a well-rounded profile. It's premium bat speed with an excellent bat path from the right-side, hitting for both average and power, though breaking balls can be an issue. It's all fields juice, too, and projects as plus/double-plus moving forward. With the uber-projectable nature of his frame, he may wind up getting into all of it. He's expected to stick at the six, as well, given his soft hands, great range, and present arm strength on throws across the diamond. Players like this don't grow on trees.

The Rationale: It's a common gag to insist that the Red Sox are targeting SoCal shortstops given their recent draft history, but it underscores their interest in grabbing prep shortstops in general. Nimmala is one of the tooliest players available in this class, and Boston has shown an aptitude for developing barrel feel in their system.

#15 Chicago White Sox select RHP Noble Meyer, Jesuit HS (OR), committed to Oregon

The Player: Meyer's summer was one of the louder ones on the circuit, vaulting his way into first round status and he may be the first prep arm off the board. His fastball has touched triple digits in bullpens, but he usually sits in the 92-96 MPH range in starts with big armside run. The star of the show is his slider, a pure sweeper in the low-mid 80s with hellacious spin numbers. He's introduced a curveball into the mix now, another spin monster with added depth to give him another weapon. The change-up needs more use, though it's now a mid-80s offering with a ton of fading life. He's very projectable and the upside here is immense.

The Rationale: Prep pitching, due to its inherent riskiness, tends to go lighter than we expect on draft day. The White Sox have a hit on their hands with their first-round prep pitcher from last year, Noah Schultz, and tend to spend around slot. Meyer, the top prep pitcher on our board, makes sense on a slot or slightly overslot deal here.

#16 San Francisco Giants select SS Matt Shaw, University of Maryland

The Player: Maryland has not had a bat go in the first round since John McCurdy went 26th overall in 2002, but Shaw looks to end that in 2023. He checks a lot of boxes at the plate, with a smooth right-handed swing with bat-to-ball skills and very good power, all while improving his chase rate. His average exit velocity grades out very high and he's exceeded triple digits multiple times with impressive plate discipline. He's athletic and twitchy in the dirt, though his frame suggests that he's more of a second baseman than a shortstop long term.

The Rationale: The Giants pick at 16, and have a few options in the college bat demographic. We see them taking the guy with the best track record and offensive floor in Matt Shaw, who possesses great barrel feel and has the power and contact skills to carry the offensive profile at 2B. Given the recent 2022 first-round selection of college two-way Reggie Crawford, Virginia prep 1B/RHP Bryce Eldridge is also a possibility here.

#17 Baltimore Orioles select RHP Hurston Waldrep, University of Florida

The Player: While Waldrep's transition to the SEC hasn't quite been what he had hoped for, there's no denying how strong his arsenal is. The fastball consistently sits in the mid-90s, getting up to 98 MPH this year, with natural cut and ride. The off-speed stuff is some of the best in the country, led by two sharp breaking balls in a high-80s slider and a low-80s downer curveball. His best pitch is his splitter in the high-80s, which drops off a cliff when he's on. Command is fringy at best and there's plenty of effort in the delivery, leaving relief risk, but there's big upside if a team manages to unlock it.

The Rationale: In recent history, Baltimore has targeted college bats with their first-round picks, so it wouldn't shock us to see FAU 1B Nolan Schanuel or Arizona OF Chase Davis taken here at 17. But the word is that Orioles brass is really in on Hurston Waldrep and his immense arm talent, so we think they get their guy here.

#18 Milwaukee Brewers select 1B Nolan Schanuel, Florida Atlantic University

The Player: Simply put, Schanuel can flat-out hit. He’s been one of the best hitters in all of college baseball this year, currently sporting an OPS of nearly 1.600 and a K% under 7%. He has a great mix of hit ability and power, making him one of the most heralded bats in the draft. He’s an average runner and defender as well, making him more than well suited for the first base position long-term. The bat is what you are buying here, though, and it won’t be long before a team scoops him up in July.

The Rationale: Schanuel is a popular underslot candidate for several teams in the middle of the first round. There are model-friendly elements here including elite batted ball and plate discipline metrics that should be appealing to a bunch of teams in this range. The Brewers are a model-heavy team and their selection of Eric Brown last year shows that they aren't afraid to take a hitter with an unorthodox swing. Jacob Wilson is another quality option for the Brewers in this scenario.

#19 Tampa Bay Rays select OF Chase Davis, University of Arizona

The Player: Davis probably would have been picked in the top two rounds of the 2020 draft out of high school if it weren’t for his strong commitment to Arizona. He’s been known for his tremendous raw power since his prep days, generating elite bat speed with his whippy swing that reminds anyone who watches him of former Rockies’ star Carlos Gonzalez. His plus arm and average defense fit nicely in right field, where he will likely stick long-term. After some strikeout issues in his first two college seasons, he has cut them down significantly in his junior campaign and is currently making a legitimate case to go on Day 1 of the draft.

The Rationale: Tampa has some pool money to play with, so this pick is more about getting the guy that they think won't make it to 31. They do not shy away from bats that don't play up the middle if they offer big offensive upside, and Chase Davis fits that to a T here.

#20 Toronto Blue Jays select SS Jacob Wilson, Grand Canyon University

The Player: Wilson has been a difference maker at Grand Canyon since he stepped foot on campus as a freshman. He truly broke out as a sophomore, where he was one of the best pure hitters in the nation while only striking out an unfathomable seven times in 275 plate appearances. He carried that success into an impressive bout in the Cape Cod league and run with Team USA over the summer as well. Defensively, he has good instincts and range at shortstop with most evaluators believing he will be able to stick there long-term. His exit velocities aren't spectacular, but he has shown enough in-game power potential that should keep that concern to a minimum. He has the upside of an everyday major league leadoff hitter if all goes right.

The Rationale: At #20, the Blue Jays stop the fall for Jacob Wilson. Thomas White could also be a fit here, but Toronto has shown a preference for hit-first college shortstops in the first round recently. Wilson also has MLB bloodlines from 10+ MLB veteran SS father Jack, and the Jays are a team built around young 2nd generation stars like Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

#21 St. Louis Cardinals select C Blake Mitchell, Sinton HS (TX), committed to LSU

The Player: High school catchers can be a tough demographic, but Mitchell has all the tools to buck the trend this year. All he's done in 2023 is rake, hitting .474/.701/.842 with an insane 51:8 BB:K ratio. It's great bat-to-ball skills from the left side with present power potential to all fields and solid bat speed. There are some things to iron out with the swing, but you're likely looking at a 55 hit/55 power bat moving forward. He'll likely stick behind the dish with solid defensive abilities and a robust arm, which has been clocked up to 97 MPH on the bump when he pitches.

The Rationale: The Cardinals normally dip into the college pitching demo in this range of the draft, but the options are fairly limited this year. Instead, we have them taking Mitchell who possesses the arm strength and raw power that matches some of their more recent seven-figure prep signings.

#22 Seattle Mariners select 1B/RHP Bryce Eldridge, James Madison HS (VA), committed to Alabama

The Player: Eldridge has one of the highest ceilings in the draft, period. The 6’7” two-way player is good enough to play professionally on both sides and it is still not clear which way he will focus on long-term. He generally sits in the low-90s with his fastball, ramping it up to the mid-to-upper 90s at his best. He pairs that with a tight, above average slider and average changeup that has the potential to be plus with some refining. He has consistently hit well enough to go in the first couple of rounds, where he possesses plus raw power that could get better as he fills out. It’s a Spencer Jones-type profile at the same stage with potential to be two-way at the highest level if all goes well.

The Rationale: Seattle has a lot of pool money to play with and has demonstrated a desire for prep bats in this class. Eldridge certainly has the talent to be drafted and developed as a two-way, but the bat is what will get him paid by the Mariners here.

#23 Cleveland Guardians select SS Colt Emerson, John Glenn HS (OH), committed to Auburn

The Player: There's a lot to love with Emerson's profile. He has a sweet swing from the left side with bat speed and solid contact, though he's added quite a bit of muscle to his frame and has leaned out considerably. This bodes well for his power potential, which was already sneaky to begin with. It's a larger body for a shortstop, similar to what Colson Montgomery was in 2021, so a move to third base could be in the cards defensively. He's got solid range with a good arm in the dirt. In all likelihood, it's tough to envision seeing Emerson in an Auburn uniform.

The Rationale: Cleveland has a history of cutting deals in the first round, and while we think Colt Emerson isn't going to come cheap, we think Cleveland gets this very talented hitter on a bit of a hometown discount.

#24 Atlanta Braves select LHP Joe Whitman, Kent State University

The Player: Joe Whitman is one of the breakout pitchers this year in college baseball. Not bad for a guy who pitched a combined 5.2 innings over his first two years at Purdue before he transferred to Kent State. Now the 6’5” lefty is hitting 97 with a legit plus slider with good spin data. His changeup is behind his fastball and slider but has the look of a passable third pitch. There is some violence in his delivery though based on early reports and what I saw late it has improved. The reliever risk is there but he seems like a potential high-end reliever if he does not work as a starter. For me, he is the top left-handed college pitcher in this class. The growth potential stands out as Whitman. He basically pitched one year of college baseball.

The Rationale: Atlanta has two types in recent first-round history; vertical pitching, Wake Forest, both. Whitman fits the first category and comes to Atlanta on an underslot deal to give them their desired Day 2 flexibility.

#25 San Diego Padres select RHP Blake Wolters, Mahomet-Seymour HS (IL), committed to Arizona

The Player: Wolters has rocketed up draft boards this spring with a loud performance at Super 60 and has proceeded to improve further during the season. A large, imposing figure on the bump, the fastball has been up to 99 MPH and he's routinely held mid-90s deep into starts with carry and life. The slider has some promise in the low-80s with high spin, though he does lack feel at times. There's a change-up, too, though it's sparsely utilized. An Arizona commit, Wolters likely gets some attention in the the back-end of the first round, though second round is the most likely scenario.

The Rationale: The Padres love first rounds preps, but have very little money to play with. We think they solve this conundrum by nabbing Wolters earlier than expected, who has the stuff and size of past San Diego prep pitching selections.

#26 New York Yankees select SS Sammy Stafura, Walter Panas HS (NY), committed to Clemson

The Player: A breakout performance at Area Codes, coupled with long hours in the gym over the winter, put Stafura at the very top of priority lists for area scouts. His spring debut was highly anticipated by area scouts, and Stafura didn’t disappoint. Stafura looked toned with increased strength, and he was able to do so without sacrificing twitch or speed. With above average bat speed and a compact stroke, Stafura covers the entire zone and is hard to beat with velocity. His strong lower half stays grounded throughout the swing, which enables him to drive the ball with power to all fields. Stafura can occasionally expand the zone against quality secondaries leading to some swing-and-miss, though there was growth in that area this spring. The defensive acumen at SS has always been Stafura’s calling card. He’s a rangy defender who glides on the dirt and makes playing the position look easy. Stafura has an innate ability to be in the right place at the right time, thanks to an excellent internal clock. The glove, hands, and footwork are refined and work smoothly. Stafura’s arm slot can get slingy at times, especially on deeper throws, which causes his plus raw arm strength to play down. Nevertheless, Stafura projects to stick at shortstop long term. Stafura also receives plus marks for his work ethic and intangible qualities, which are reminiscent of a certain AL east shortstop with northeast prep ties. With plus speed, a rapidly developing offensive game, and advanced defensive ability at SS, Stafura’s draft stock has skyrocketed. He’s a lock to be taken on Day 1 of the draft, with the possibility of a late 1st round selection

The Rationale: Stafura has impressed at workouts all across the country in the month of June, but word is that the Yankees are particularly smitten. The Hudson Valley product stays close to home at pick 26.

#27 Philadelphia Phillies select 3B Brock Wilken, Wake Forest University

The Player: Wilken is a physically imposing hitter with arguably the most raw power in the class– he produces massive exit velocities and leads the nation in home runs over the last three seasons. He also has a very patient approach, having amassed more than 100 walks in that time span. He may be too passive, however, as his fringe-average contact skills don’t afford him the luxury of consistently falling behind early. Plus, he regularly does damage when swinging at the first pitch, and would be wise to do so more often. He isn’t the most mobile defender at third, but he does have soft hands and a plus arm, which should allow him to remain at the hot corner for the time being.

The Rationale: Philadelphia has had a lot of Florida prep pitching flavor in past years, so it was tempting to go with RHP Charlee Soto here. But we think former FL prep bat Wilken is the best player available at 27 and could move quickly through the Phillies system if his prodigious raw power gets into pro games off the bat.

#28 Houston Astros select SS Kevin McGonigle, Monsignor Bonner HS (PA), committed to Auburn

The Player: McGonigle possesses some of the best pure hit ability in the class. He’s a proven hitter, consistently playing well against high-level competition in nationally ranked tournaments. Though not incredibly tall, he’s still twitchy and is able to turn on the ball with ease. It’s a hit-over-power profile with the potential for average power at the highest level. He’s a good athlete with good instincts in the field, making second base his likely long-term home defensively. The bat is what you are buying here, though, and he is as safe of a bet to hit going forward as any player in the draft.

The Rationale: On hitting talent alone it's hard to see McGonigle making it to the comp round, even if his long-term home is 2B. He shares a lot of offensive similarities to the similarly diminutive Drew Gilbert, the Astros' 1st rounder from 2022.

#29 Seattle Mariners select 3B Aidan Miller, JW Mitchell HS (FL). committed to Arkansas

#30 Seattle Mariners select RHP Brandon Sproat, University of Florida

The Player: Physicality? Check. Stupidly good power? Check. Track record? Final check. Miller is one of the most explosive profiles in this year's prep class with robust power potential from the right side. It's impressive bat speed and a good bat path with an average or better hit tool with plus raw juice, maybe more. The body screams third baseman and that's where most are comfortable with him for now, though a corner outfield spot or even first base aren't out of the cards. If there's anything that's hampered Miller in 2023, it was an early season hamate injury, though he's returned to play. In all likelihood, he'll go higher than his brother Jackson, who was a second round pick in 2020

The Player: A third round pick by the Mets in 2022, Sproat returned to Florida to be their Friday night arm in 2023 and has seen an uptick in his stuff. The fastball has topped triple digits a couple of times this year, routinely sitting in the mid-90's with heavy running life and misses a few bats. His best secondary is his change-up, which features hard diving action in the high-80's that hitters struggle to hit. There's a gyro slider in a similar velocity band as the change-up and a low-80's curveball that he'll use to steal strikes, as well. In all likelihood, the effort in the delivery and inconsistent command relegate him to a relief role moving forward, but it could be a fun relief option.

The Rationale(s): It's hard to see Miller getting past Seattle at 30, who have the money to get him and want high-level prep hitting in this class. Sproat fits in as an underslot companion pick, a college pitcher from the Southeastern US (the last three Mariners pitching selections fit this bill) that has elevated his stock during the Gators’ trip to Omaha.

#31 Tampa Bay Rays select SS Tai Peete, Trinity Christian HS (GA), committed to Georgia Tech

The Player: Peete is an incredible physical specimen with first round athletic ability, and has all the tools of a future MLB shortstop if the forearm that shut down his 2022 summer is healthy. However, there are lots of questions about the quality of the hit tool, and he fared poorly at the plate against high level competition. With that said, the shortstop from Sharpsburg has impressed teams during workouts, and could be off the board as early as the comp round.

The Rationale: There's been heat to Peete with the Rays for quite some time now, and he checks the physical and athlete boxes that few other available prep shortstops can check. We don't see him getting past Neander and Co., though toolsy prep outfielder Dillon Head is another player who could fit at this pick.

#32 New York Mets select SS George Lombard, Gulliver Prep (FL), committed to Vanderbilt

The Player: Lombard has been one of the biggest risers in this prep class, establishing himself as one of the best infield prospects in this cycle. It's a sweet swing from the right side with burgeoning power and an already impressive hit tool. There's present bat speed with loft to his swing and he'll utilize the whole field to hit. Not to mention, he's an above-average runner. While he has the frame that suggests he'd move to third base, his arm leaves a bit to be desired, so a move to second base seems more in the cards at this moment in time. With the way he's climbed up boards, it's hard to see this profile making it to Nashville.

The Rationale: The Mets are in an interesting position--they don't have their first-round pick but still have a decent amount of pool money thanks to a handful of 3rd and 4th round compensatory picks. Their proclivity for 1st round prep bats still makes sense at #32, and the highly projectable and sweet-swinging Lombard is the best of that bunch.

#33 Milwaukee Brewers select SS Brice Matthews, University of Nebraska

The Player: Matthews is the type of player that data-driven evaluators love. He has some of the best batted ball data in college baseball and has hit the cover off the ball this season. The former quarterback is a twitchy athlete with elite athleticism who has no problem handling high-level pitching. There is some significant swing and miss in his game, but that has improved significantly since last season and is truly the only factor preventing him from being a first round pick.

The Rationale: Milwaukee has shown a willingness to take college bats, regardless of size or competition level, if they hit the ball hard and hit the ball often. Nebraska SS Brice Matthews fits that bill, and the model-friendly Cornhusker slots in at 33.

#34 Minnesota Twins select LHP Thomas White, Phillips Academy (MA), committed to Vanderbilt

The Player: White is one of top prep arms in the nation as well as the top left-handed pitcher in the entire draft. A cold weather arm, his lack of presence on the travel circuits and strength of schedule has caused evaluators to use more projection than usual. He leads with a mid 90’s fastball that touches 96-97 at times and follows with a curveball and a change-up. The curve is his go-to secondary with two plane movement but the changeup flashes better potential.

The Rationale: One thing we noticed as this mock unfolded was the fall of Thomas White after Noble Meyer and two-way player Bryce Eldridge were taken at 16 and 19 respectively. We think that the Twins have the capital to get White on an overslot here and add a 2nd headline player for their 2023 draft class.

#35 Miami Marlins select RHP Charlee Soto, Reborn Christian Academy (FL), committed to UCF

The Player: Soto's meteoric rise to the first round is impressive. A former shortstop that grew off the position, Soto has gained plenty of velocity on the bump, now sitting in the mid-90's and has gotten up to 98 MPH with the heater, though reports have suggested that the shape needs improvement. The slider has improved from what it was in 2022, adding more depth and some sweep in the mid-80's, though it's his change-up that is his bread and butter. He can mix between a splitter and circle-change grip in the high-80's with devastating tumble to both lefties and righties alike. He's extremely young for the class and has the potential for average or better command.

The Rationale: Similar to White, Charlee Soto had a fall into the comp round in this mock. While there is additional pitch design development needed for Soto in pro ball, we think the local Miami Marlins are equipped to unlock improved fastball shape and help him reach his #2-3 starter ceiling.

#36 Los Angeles Dodgers select OF Jonny Farmelo, Westfield HS (VA), committed to Virginia

The Player: The power and speed combination that Farmelo possesses gives him plenty of promise at the next level. It's an explosive profile in the outfield, with big power potential and loud exit velocities throughout his prep career. There's a track record of hitting, too. What separates Farmelo from his peers is his elite speed, terrorizing the basepaths and giving him ample opportunities to succeed in center field long term. There's plenty of athleticism in his profile, as well. In all likelihood, this is a profile that will get drafted in the second round.

The Rationale: At 36, we see the Dodgers snagging a prep hitter with some swing concerns but also very loud physical tools. A true center fielder, Farmelo has plus raw power, speed, and arm strength, and could blossom into an impact bat with the Dodgers' superb hitting development. Another prep bat who meets a lot of these criteria (and could unlock defensive value with a move to the outfield) is Missouri prep INF/OF Nazzan Zanetello.

#37 Detroit Tigers select 3B Yohandy Morales, University of Miami

The Player: Morales is an athletic, big-bodied third baseman with an impressive power profile both at the plate and in the field. He has a long swing – which used to be even longer – but exceptional hand speed, and while he doesn’t come with major swing-and-miss concerns, he does miss barrels too often. When he does make hard contact, he tends to pound the ball into the ground or hit it on a line. There is double-plus raw power there, but he will need to lift the ball more in order to tap into that potential. Morales is surprisingly agile at the hot corner, with the ability to track down ground balls and showcase his plus arm strength while throwing on the run.

The Rationale: We see #37 as the floor for Morales, who provides strong defense at 3B with tantalizing raw power. Detroit has some long-term fits around the infield dirt, but 3B is definitely a spot where the Tigers could move Morales quickly through their system.

#38 Cincinnati Reds select 1B/C Raffaele Velasquez, Huntington Beach (CA), committed to Arizona State

The Player: Velazquez has dominated the California prep ranks and while the class has been a bit weaker this year there is no denying his place. He projects more of a 1B long term but the bat is legit 60 game power and even higher raw. He has a simple swing that generates strength from his lower half and allows him to hit for contact and power to all fields. He rarely expands the zone making him a tough out. The body is pretty physically mature for his age which limits projection.

The Rationale: There's been heat to the Reds not allowing Velasquez to get past pick 38, and the talented left-handed SoCal slugger projects to have enough offensive value to move off catching in pro ball. 2022 1st rounder Sal Stewart is somewhat of an analog here--a powerful offensive force that the Reds valued highly for his offense, despite having concerns about a long-term defensive home.

#39 Oakland Athletics select SS Walker Martin, Eaton HS (CO), committed to Arkansas

The Player: A super athletic, tooled up infielder with burgeoning power and excellent bat-to-ball skills? Yup, that's Walker Martin. Martin burst onto the scene with a robust summer circuit last year and continued to excel this spring, boasting a .639/.707/1.666 slash line with nineteen bombs. It's excellent feel for the barrel from the left side of the plate with impressive bat speed and he's already starting to get into his above-average power potential, with his projectable frame suggesting there's more coming. There's enough to suggest that he stays in the dirt moving forward with his athleticism, range, arm, and average speed. While he's older for the class, it's tough to envision this bat making it to Fayetteville.

The Rationale: With the A's going the high-floor college bat route at #6, we expect some money to be available to grab one of the comp round high school bats. Martin fits the bill here, and we think Oakland makes a good enough offer to keep him from making it to Fayetteville.

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Deep(er) Drives: Chase Davis

Continuing the Deep(er) Drives series, we’re going to focus on one player who saw a meteoric rise this season.

Arizona star outfielder Chase Davis entered the 2023 season as a notable draft prospect. A top-50 pick was not out of the question due to a rounded toolbox, however, his offensive game was feast or famine. While Davis’s swing has always drawn favorable looks due to Carlos Gonzalez's parallels, his pre-2023 performance created uncertainty as to whether he could produce at a high level in the pros.

Exorbitant swing and miss rates against secondary pitches were the cause for concern. Davis’s approach has always been above average, working counts, selectively tailoring his attack against fastballs, and working a huge share of walks. Fast forward through 2023 and those strengths remain. Amazingly, the issues with secondary pitches have seemingly dissipated without any real adjustment to his approach rather mostly mechanical alterations to his setup and swing.

With that preface in mind, let’s give a full overview of Davis as a prospect and show comparisons from his 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

Swing mechanics

Davis has always excelled at elevating the baseball because of his bat path and ability to strike the lower half of the baseball. However, that is the main carryover from last year to this one.

In 2022, Davis’s setup and swing actually look pretty unrecognizable from where it stands now. Last year, he deployed a closed stance with his hands set just above his head compared to now where he sets up extremely wide and lowered his hands to roughly head level.

Davis’s 2022 stance and swing

In action, this has allowed Davis’s stride to create most of the potential energy and torque when he brings his front foot from the wide position to his swing launch, focusing most of the movement in his core and lower body. In the past, with his closed stance, Davis’s load involved upper body movement to try and create impact which caused his hands to move more wildly as he initiated his swing.

Davis’s 2023 stance and swing

Quiet hands typically allow for more precise swings and consistency in controlling the barrel. Which is exactly what we saw this year. Not only can that precision reduce swings and misses but increase contact quality. As with every player, there are still some lingering imperfections and there is still some hand waggle at times but the improvement has allowed Davis’s patience and premium raw power to play at elite levels.

The Results

Last year, Davis ran a 31% whiff rate—on the much higher end of the spectrum before overall production becomes hard to sustain. His zone whiff rate was 22%, also much higher than average for quality draft prospects.

This year his overall whiff rate dropped to 20% and his zone whiff rate was halved to 11%. Subsequently, his strikeout rate dropped from 22.8% to 14%. These contact rate improvements are shocking on a year-to-year basis and much of it has to deal with quieting the hands and creating a springier core-based load. Those contact rates are also in very positive territory where Davis can enter the pros without swing-and-miss concerns.

Digging deeper, Davis saw his breaking ball whiff rate drop from 50% down to just 25% and his offspeed whiff rate from 38% to 19%. As a prodigious fastball hitter coming into the year, Davis narrowly improved his whiff rate against heaters from 20% to 18%.

In terms of OPS, his overall OPS ballooned from .997 to 1.231. His OPS against fastballs jumped from 1.116 to 1.324, against offspeed from .958 to 1.510, and against breaking balls from .767 to .917.

Coming into the year, Davis deserved a below-average 40-grade hit tool. His approach was very sound with just a 19% chase rate but the swing-and-miss issues would have been prohibitive of even average on-base production. After remarkable improvements, I’d make the case that Davis’s hit tool grades out above average, if not even plus. He’s patient and now handles all pitch types well with above-average contact rates. Mix in the typical quality of his contact and proclivity to elevate the baseball and there will be walks and extra-base hits galore in Davis’s pro future.

Davis has always had double-plus raw power and these refinements to his bat will allow the mid-110s max EVs to play more frequently. This creates an extremely rare blend of power and contact that few players in college baseball can boast.

In the field

Obviously, Davis is a premier offensive talent in this year’s draft but his potential as a 5-tool player drives the hype of being taken in the top half of round one.

First, Davis can notch times slightly below 4.2 up the line, not burner speed but it’s at least average speed and Davis covers ground a little faster than that once accelerated. Davis has plenty of center field experience from his time on the Cape but has almost exclusively slotted in left field with Arizona.

Davis doesn’t look the part of a plus center fielder but he makes sound reads, gets quick jumps, and takes efficient routes, allowing him to maximize average speed and be a quality outfielder. The athletic profile isn’t a lot different from Tennessee’s Jordan Beck last year. Beck mostly played right field for the Vols but was fundamentally strong and a tick above average speed-wise. Now in the pros, Beck has played roughly a quarter of his games in center and I expect a similar path for Davis.

Unquestionably, Davis possesses plus arm strength and consistent accuracy. As a result, whoever drafts Davis will end up with a plus corner outfielder but they’ll likely juice out his potential to hang in center field where Davis could end up average.

Final thoughts

Frankly, Davis is a special talent and a now refined skillset to back it. The tangible improvements Davis made year-to-year should be viewed in their own light as evidence he can adapt and make adjustments as necessary, a capability that can make or break careers. Davis won’t hang on the board very long and it would not shock me if he turned into a top-10 underslot selection.

2023 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Preview

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s that time of year again.

The summer circuit is alive and well, and as the 2023 draft cycle is entering its final weeks, we’ve begun to turn our attention to next year’s class. One of the more pivotal events of the summer is USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, which is set to kick off on June 25th with a four-game training camp series to determine the final 26-man roster for international series’ against Chinese Taipei and Japan.

Before we dive into the full 58-man roster for training camp, let’s break down some key notes. Wake Forest leads the way with four players invited to camp, followed by TCU, Stanford, and Florida with three apiece. Schools like North Carolina A&T and Alabama State will have their first invitees in program history, a momentous occasion for those schools. Like last year, there will be some draft-eligible prospects involved, though it’s a smaller number this year, as Xavier Meachem and Nicholas Wilson are the lone 2023 prospects to be invited. There are a handful of 2025 prospects included, as well. Last, but certainly not least, Cal Poly head coach Larry Lee will manage the team this summer, succeeding Ole Miss skipper Mike Bianco.

LHP Ben abeldt, texas Christian (2025)

2023 Pitching Line: 32 Games (1 Start), 55 IP, 3.60 ERA, 24:71 BB:K ratio, 2 Saves

Summary: A true freshman that has become one of TCU’s most used bullpen pieces, Abeldt brings serious funk to the mound. He’s added velocity since getting to campus, now sitting in the low-90s consistently with more of a two-seam shape, but he creates a seriously tough angle thanks to the amount of crossfire in his delivery. It’s similar to what Chris Sale is able to do, if not more severe. The slider is his primary off-speed offering, a tight spinning breaking ball with some two-plane break, but it plays up thanks to his angle. He’ll need to add a third weapon, but this is an arm to watch in the 2025 class as a potential starter.

RHP Matt Ager, UC Santa Barbara (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 15 Games (All Starts), 92.1 IP, 3.12 ERA, 26:115 K:BB ratio

Summary: A freshman All-American in 2022, Ager transitioned into a starting role with UCSB and was one of their top arms in 2023. He’s got a long, projectable frame with an easy and loose delivery on the bump. He can run the fastball up into the mid-90s, but will generally sit in the low-90s with solid extension and some life through the zone. His best pitch is his slider, a low-80s offering with big sweeping movement and some depth, profiling as his primary strikeout pitch. He’ll toy with a curveball and change-up, but they’re sparsely utilized.

RHP Eldridge Armstrong III, Transfer portal (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 30 Games (0 Starts), 41.2 IP, 3.24 ERA, 15:46 BB:K ratio, 1 Save

Summary: Formerly an infield prospect, Armstrong has transitioned fully to the mound and has seen plenty of usage in San Diego State’s bullpen. A low-90s fastball leads his arsenal with solid carry and a flat approach angle, though his best pitch is his slider. It sits in the 81-85 MPH range with tight spin and gyro movement, sometimes acting like a cutter. With that said, he could use some refinement with the pitch. He’ll mix in a curveball and a change-up, but not very often. Armstrong has entered the transfer portal as of June 14th.

RHP Drew Beam, Tennessee (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 17 Games (All Starts), 84.1 IP, 3.63 ERA, 23:88 BB:K ratio

Summary: One half of Tennessee’s highly touted pair of arms in next year’s class, Beam is a sturdy workhorse on the bump who has seen an uptick in stuff in 2023. What was more of a low-90s arm in 2022 has bumped up into the mid-90s in 2023, touching 98 MPH, with a mix of carry and run up in the zone and sink at the knees. His curveball has 10-4 shape and can get slurvy, but it’s thrown hard in the low-80s with big sweep and depth. He’ll mix in a cutter-esque slider in the mid-80s and a hard, firm change-up in the high-80s, as well. Having taken the Sunday role the last two years in Knoxville, Beam likely moves higher up in the rotation ranks next spring.

C Karson Bowen, Texas Christian (2025)

2023 Slash Line: .350/.420/.502, .922 OPS, 6 HR, 46 RBI, 9 SB, 25:49 BB:K ratio

Summary: A highly touted prepster in 2022, Bowen made it to TCU and provided an immediate impact. A bulkier catcher, Bowen does a great job of generating contact and spraying the ball to all fields. There’s not a ton of power presently, though as he matures physically, that’ll likely change. He’s got a solid eye at the dish, though he has shown struggles with swing-and-miss against off-speed pitches. He’s got solid actions behind the dish with a strong arm and he’ll be given every chance to stay back there moving forward.

RHP Brody Brecht, Iowa (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 17 Games (16 Starts), 77 IP, 3.74 ERA, 61:109 BB:K ratio

Summary: The 2024 class has plenty of potentially high-end arms and Brecht might just have the most upside of them all. This was his first year in the weekend rotation, posting solid numbers and putting together a few noteworthy outings. The fastball has steep downhill plane in the upper-90s, breaking the triple-digit barrier on numerous occasions, with bat-missing traits, but his slider might be the best pitch in college baseball. Thrown in the upper-80s, Brecht’s slider is a legitimate plus-plus offering, showcasing serious two-plane tilt and a whiff rate over 50% in 2023. He’ll mix in a hard change-up, though it’s a work in progress. His mechanics are rather effortless, though his command and strike-throwing need improvements.

RHP Aiven Cabral, Northeastern (2025)

2023 Pitching Line: 19 Games (16 Starts), 83.2 IP, 2.58 ERA, 14:69 BB:K ratio

Summary: A Freshman All-American, Cabral was one of the best pitchers in the Colonial Athletic Association in 2023. There’s some funk to his delivery with a deep arm stroke behind his back leg, creating some deception for hitters. He doesn't throw hard, usually sitting in the high-80s and topping out at 92 MPH, with running life, though he doesn’t miss a ton of bats with it. His primary secondary is a slider in the high-70s with two-plane break and solid bite that has a whiff rate over 40%. He’ll mix in a mid-80s change-up with sink that will blend in with the fastball at times.

LHP/1B Jac Caglianone, Florida (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .325/.391/.735, 1.126 OPS, 31 HR, 84 RBI, 4 SB, 17:53 BB:K ratio

2023 Pitching Line: 17 Games (All Starts), 73.1 IP, 3.68 ERA, 52:85 BB:K

Summary: A two-way star who took the country by storm in 2023, Caglianone is the collegiate version of Shohei Ohtani. A physical presence on the field, Caglianone has thunderous power at the plate with explosively quick hands and bat speed. It plays to all fields and when he gets a hold of one, you know it. He can get aggressive and run into strikeout issues, though he generates a good amount of contact. When he’s not pitching, he’s manning first base. On the bump, he’s been up to 99 MPH from the left side, routinely sitting in the mid-90s with carry and run. The change-up has plenty of velocity separation from the fastball and dives away from righties in the low-80s, and he’ll flash a cutter-esque slider in the high-80s. He’ll need to refine his command, but he’s pretty raw in that aspect presently.

LHP Kayden Campbell, Louisville (2025)

2023 Pitching Line: 23 Games (0 Starts), 19.1 IP, 5.12 ERA, 8:25 BB:K ratio, 2 Saves

Summary: Another 2025 eligible arm, Campbell is a unique reliever. There’s serious funk to his delivery, starting with an arm swing and low release that provides deception and allows the fastball to jump on hitters quickly. He’ll primarily sit in the 88-92 MPH range with sink and run, though he’ll throw in a four-seamer with some utility up in the zone at 92-94 MPH. His slider provides plenty of sweep in the high-70s/low-80s with solid spin rates, though it can blend in with a slower curveball. He’ll also throw in a change-up with run.

OF Cam Cannarella, Clemson (2025)

2023 Slash Line: .388/.462/.560, 1.022 OPS, 7 HR, 47 RBI, 24 SB, 33:39 BB:K ratio

Summary: The ACC Freshman of the Year, Cannarella was originally a shortstop prospect, though he has taken over the centerfield position and become one of the best in the country. He’s got a quick bat and smooth swing from the left side, abusing the opposite field with solid pop, though he’s shown an ability to turn on pitches to pull-side with excellent results and power. He’s got a great eye at the plate and will limit the strikeouts while taking his walks. He’s got excellent speed and range at the eight, not to forget that his defense is very good. He looks like he’ll be the next top ACC centerfielder after Vance Honeycutt gets drafted.

RHP Evan Chrest, Jacksonville (2025)

2023 Pitching Line: 15 Games (All Starts), 90.2 IP, 2.68 ERA, 36:98 BB:K ratio

Summary: The ASUN Freshman of the Year, Chrest was a late riser in the prep ranks last spring, but ultimately took over the Friday night role out of the gate for Jacksonville. He’s on the smaller side of the spectrum, but it’s a legit three-pitch mix. The fastball has a solid mix of ride and run, routinely sitting in the low-90s and there’s enough projectability remaining to see him get into the mid-90s. The slider has extremely high spin and two-plane break in the 80-85 MPH range, profiling as his best offering. His change-up is a runner in the low-80s and projects rather well, already showcasing a hefty whiff rate and gets quite a bit of usage late in outings.

1B/OF Charlie Condon, Georgia (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .386/.484/.800, 1.284 OPS, 25 HR, 67 RBI, 0 SB, 33:45 BB:K ratio

Summary: After redshirting his first year on campus, Condon had a breakout spring, taking home SEC Freshman of the Year honors and setting the new SEC freshman home run record. He’s got a lankier frame with a good bit of physicality present, coming in at 6’6”, 211 pounds. There’s a ton of easy power in his profile, grading out as plus at the next level with a couple of exit velocities topping 110 MPH. The hit tool itself is promising, limiting swing-and-miss and primarily spraying the gaps with great feel for the barrel. Defensively, he’s split time between first base and the outfield, playing solid defense at both positions with a good arm. He’s the third-ever Bulldog position player to receive an invite and the first since Kyle Farmer in 2012.

RHP Christian Coppola, Rutgers (2025)

2023 Pitching Line: 13 Games (All Starts), 66 IP, 3.68 ERA, 27:71 BB:K ratio

Summary: A true freshman, Coppola pitched his way into Rutgers’ Friday night role after starting the year as the Saturday starter. He doesn’t throw hard just yet, primarily sitting in the high-80s/low-90s with plenty of armside run. His breaking ball is his best pitch, a high-70s pitch with a high whiff rate that he can manipulate the shape of. He’ll throw more of a true slider with two-plane shape closer to 80 MPH, whereas the slower breaking ball looks more like a curveball with tons of depth. He’ll throw in a hard change-up that’s a work in progress. Expect Coppola to be one of the best arms in the Big Ten for at least the next two years.

C Jacob Cozart, NC State (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .301/.392/.546, .938 OPS, 10 HR, 42 RBI, 0 SB, 24:38 BB:K ratio

Summary: Cozart’s rough freshman campaign ended on a bright spot in May, translating into a breakout campaign in 2023 for the sophomore backstop. There’s been added loft to his swing and the contact has drastically improved from the left side, including better plate discipline. His power mainly plays to the pull side, though he can utilize the opposite field gap. Behind the plate, he’s got an excellent arm with solid defense, plus he’s one of the best framers in the country. He’ll need to shore up his chase rate, but overall, it’s a solid package of tools.

INF Kaelen Culpepper, Kansas State (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .325/.423/.576, .999 OPS, 10 HR, 41 RBI, 9 SB, 16:27 BB:K ratio

Summary: Despite missing a month of the season due to a hand injury, Culpepper was a catalyst in Kansas State’s lineup when he returned. He’s got solid plate discipline, limiting the strikeouts, though he’s in no rush to rack up the walks just yet. He’s got solid pull-side juice in his bat and does not get phased by fastballs, though he can be vulnerable to breaking balls away from him. He plays a solid third base presently, showcasing solid range and a strong arm, though there’s a chance that he could move off the position. If he stays healthy and irons out some warts in 2024, he has a chance to be a Day 1 pick.

LHP Alton Davis II, Alabama (2025)

2023 Pitching Line: 25 Games (0 Starts), 33.2 IP, 5.35 ERA, 12:32 BB:K ratio

Summary: Davis is the true definition of a string bean figure. At 6’5”, 185 pounds, he’s as wiry as they come, but don’t let the frame fool you, he’s benefitted greatly from a collegiate weight room. Davis sits comfortably in the 92-95 MPH range, touching upwards of 97-98 MPH, with downhill plane and some life through the zone. He has two distinct breaking balls, a mid-80s slider that has plenty of sweeping action and a two-plane curveball in the high-70s, both of which have solid spin numbers. He was just a pure relief arm in 2023, but Davis has the makings of being a weekend starter for Alabama.

LHP Cade Fisher, Florida (2025)

2023 Pitching Line: 25 Games (2 Starts), 44.2 IP, 3.22 ERA, 12:42 BB:K ratio, 2 Saves

Summary: Don’t look now, but looks like Florida was able to clone Hunter Barco. Fisher has been impressive in his first year on campus, nailing down a key role in the bullpen and accumulating a couple of starts. He primarily sits in the low-90s with a ton of running life, mainly due to the nature of his low release that hovers around the five-foot mark. The slider profiles as his best pitch, a low-80s sweeper from a tough angle that he can backfoot to righties and locate away from lefties for chases. He’ll throw a change-up that mimics the fastball shape with plenty of running life, as well. He’s looking to be one of the better 2025 eligible arms down the line.

LHP Dominic Fritton, NC State (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 17 Games (9 Starts), 62.2 IP, 3.59 ERA, 24:75 BB:K ratio, 3 Saves

Summary: A draft-eligible sophomore, Fritton burst onto the scene as the Wolfpack’s Sunday starter before being moved into an Evan Justice-esque role in late April. It’s a three-pitch mix for Fritton, though it’s a fastball-heavy attack, and for good reason. It’s a low launch heater with a flat approach angle and great riding life in the zone that plays up from the low-90s velocity he sits at. There’s a mid-70s curveball and a low-to-mid-80s change-up, though he lacks feel for both and doesn’t throw a ton of strikes with either.

LHP Devin Futrell, Vanderbilt (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 16 Games (15 Starts), 83.2 IP, 3.44 ERA, 20:72 BB:K ratio

Summary: Futrell has evolved into one of Vanderbilt’s better arms, moving into the weekend rotation and becoming a bit of a workhorse. He’s the classic projectable lefty with a loose arm, slight crossfire, and solid athleticism. He’ll top out at 93 MPH on the heater, routinely sitting in the 88-92 MPH range with good ride and run, commanding it very well and having solid extension. His change-up is the best secondary, an upper-70s offering with big tumbling life away from righties. He’ll mix in a slider in the same velocity band with depth and a slower curveball.

RHP Austin Gordon, Clemson (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 16 Games (All Starts), 84 IP, 4.61 ERA, 22:76 BB:K ratio

Summary: A primary reliever in 2022, Gordon has become a legitimate workhorse for Erik Bakich. It’s a fastball-heavy diet, with the pitch sitting in the low-90s with solid shape, though he doesn’t miss many bats with it. He’ll throw a low-80s slider and a knuckle curve in the high-70s, though he tends to spike them and will need some refinement. He’ll throw in a low-80s change-up to lefties and at times, he’ll dabble with an upper-80s cutter. There’s enough projection to suggest that he can get into the mid-90s, though he’ll need to add some deception to his delivery.

INF Ethan “Duce” Gourson, UCLA (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .319/.438/.515, .953 OPS, 10 HR, 48 RBI, 8 SB, 36:51 BB:K ratio

Summary: Primarily a middle infielder for UCLA this year, Gourson built upon a solid freshman year by showcasing why he’s one of the best west coast bats in the 2024 class. It’s a sweet swing from the left side with solid contact and has some decent power that plays gap-to-gap well. He profiles as a potential average or better hitter, though if there’s any knock against him at the plate, it's that he expands the zone a bit and will need to cut down the strikeout rate. He’s likely to profile best at second base defensively, as he doesn’t quite have the arm strength required for a shortstop.

OF Rodney Green Jr., California (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .293/.388/.558, .946 OPS, 14 HR, 38 RBI, 29 SB, 32:77 BB:K ratio

Summary: Physicality is the name of the game with Green. He has a physical presence in the box with a solid left-handed swing built for lofting balls over the fence. It’s above-average to plus raw power in his bat that plays primarily to his pull side with ease. He does have contact issues, namely swing-and-miss. He’ll need to refine his plate discipline in order to reach his ceiling. He’s got excellent speed and plays a very solid center field, showcasing a lot of range and very good instincts.

lhp jOSH hARTLE, wAKE fOREST (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 18 Games (17 Starts), 102.1 IP, 2.81 ERA, 24:140 BB:K ratio

Summary: The transformation that Hartle has had between his freshman and sophomore years is on par with what Rhett Lowder experienced. The body is rather projectable and he creates a tough angle to the plate, utilizing a wider release point while standing on the first base side of the rubber. The sinker mainly sits in the 87-92 MPH range, tickling 93-94 MPH, but the addition of a cutter has given him new life. The cutter flashes plus with tighter spin, pairing well with a sweepy slider and a more vertical curveball that he locates down in the zone. The change-up has little to no velocity separation from the fastball and mimics its shape. It’s likely that he’ll add more velocity and if he does, it’s a profile that screams Day 1.

RHP Luke Holman, Transfer Portal (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 16 Games (15 Starts), 81 IP, 3.67 ERA, 31:87 BB:K ratio

Summary: Holman stepped up as a big contributor for Alabama’s staff when Grayson Hitt and Ben Hess went down with injuries, leading them to a hosting spot. He’s got a long and lanky frame with everything coming out of an over-the-top arm slot. The fastball has good carry and a steeper plane, sitting in the low-90’s consistently and getting up to 96 MPH. The slider and curveball both stand out, with the slider showcasing tighter spin in the 81-85 MPH range and the curveball having big depth and bite in the high-70s. He can kill spin with his change-up, though he doesn’t use it often. His command does come and go at times, though there’s enough athleticism to suggest he’ll improve there. Holman entered the transfer portal on June 22nd.

LHP Carter Holton, Vanderbilt (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 11 Games (All Starts), 50.1 IP, 4.11 ERA, 24:56 BB:K ratio

Summary: While Holton did miss the end of the season with an injury, it looks like he’ll make his return to Cary and attempt to make the national team for the second year in a row. He creates a tough angle with some crossfire and deception, plus he’s seen a velocity uptick on the fastball. He was consistently in the mid-90s when healthy and got up to 98 MPH with serious life in the zone. The slider profiled as his best secondary, a pure sweeper with tilt and serious bite in the low-80s that was tough on lefties and had a whiff rate near 50%. He’ll throw an upper-70s curveball with solid depth to steal strikes and tinkers with a change-up, though it needs refinement. If he can stay fully healthy in 2024, expect Holton to go pretty high.

RHP Ryan Johnson, Dallas Baptist (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 16 Games (15 Starts), 87.1 IP, 4.43 ERA, 22:116 BB:K ratio

Summary: Johnson is not your orthodox starting pitcher. It all starts with a rather unique delivery, which has an abbreviated turn on the rubber before he pushes toward home plate. His arsenal is not led by his fastball, but rather his slider. It’s a high-70s/low-80s pitch that he can manipulate the shape of, mostly showcasing sweeping life but he’ll add some depth when needed. The fastball has tickled triple digits and primarily sits in the mid-90s with sink and run, working best horizontally. The change-up tumbles away from lefties in the mid-80s, though it takes a backseat to the rest of the arsenal.

OF Dakota Jordan, Mississippi State (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .307/.397/.575, .972 OPS, 10 HR, 40 RBI, 4 SB, 25:46 BB:K ratio

Summary: An extremely physical player, Jordan is one of the most potent bats in the country. There is some concern with swing-and-miss and contact, but there’s a ton of bat speed, loft, and insane power from the right side of the dish. He’s also an excellent runner despite his physicality, posting plus run times. There’s legitimate centerfield potential with his speed, plus he’s got a solid arm in the outfield. He’s the fourteenth player in program history to receive an invite and the first since Logan Tanner went to Cary in 2021.

INF Seaver King, Wake Forest (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .411/.457/.699, 1.156 OPS, 11 HR, 53 RBI, 13 SB, 18:26 BB:K ratio

Summary: King posted loud numbers at Wingate, a DII school, before hitting the transfer portal and making his way to Winston-Salem. He’s a twitchy infielder with a polished hit tool from the right side of the plate and produced quality exit velocities this spring. He’s not in a big rush to take his walks, but he doesn’t strike out a ton, either. He’s handled shortstop in the past, though his throwing arm likely limits him to second base at Wake Forest, where he’ll likely replace impact transfer Justin Johnson. I’d circle this name as a breakout candidate in 2024.

1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .349/.525/.758, 1.283 OPS, 22 HR, 64 RBI, 5 SB, 62:49 BB:K ratio

Summary: A mountain of a human being, Kurtz’s profile is both unique and stupidly good. You can just tell by the gaudy numbers above this summary that the offensive potential with Kurtz is sky high. He can run into issues with being too passive and letting arms get to the weapons deep in counts, but he has an extremely strong eye and loves his walks dearly. Not to forget, he uses the whole field to spray line drives and the power potential is robust with him. Despite being limited to first base, he provides plenty of defensive value at the position with great lateral movement and quick feet. This profile screams first round in 2024.

OF Jace Laviolette, Texas A&M (2025)

2023 Slash Line: .287/.414/.632, 1.047 OPS, 21 HR, 63 RBI, 18 SB, 48:75 BB:K ratio

Summary: It’s not too often that a freshman is mentioned as having some of the best power in the country, but that’s exactly what Laviolette has. A seriously imposing figure, Laviolette’s power has plus-plus potential and it plays to all fields. There’s significant loft to his swing and the power comes very easily, plus he’s shown flashes with the hit tool. He’ll need to tone down the swing-and-miss, but he’s got a respectable chase rate. He’s got the speed to stick in the outfield, likely profiling as a corner outfield bat with solid defensive chops. This profile has 1-1 potential in 2025.

c/1B Anthony Martinez, UC Irvine (2025)

2023 Slash Line: .394/.471/.619, 1.090 OPS, 11 HR, 60 RBI, 0 SB, 25:27 BB:K ratio

Summary: One of a few 2025 eligible players that received invites, Martinez has been a force in the Big West, leading the conference in multiple offensive categories. He produces a solid amount of contact from the left side with a balanced swing, utilizing the whole field. There’s solid raw juice in the bat and it primarily plays to the pull side for Martinez. He split time between catcher and first base in 2023, though he’s likely to be a first baseman long-term. He’s the first Anteater to receive an invite since Trenton Denholm did in 2019.

RHP Michael Massey, Wake Forest (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 27 Games (1 Start), 41.2 IP, 2.59 ERA, 16:76 BB:K ratio, 1 Save

Summary: A transfer for Tulane, Massey made himself right at home in Wake Forest’s bullpen, becoming a late-inning monster for opposing teams. He’s a physical presence on the mound and utilizes a higher release with a very short arm circle. Massey’s heater is diabolical, utilizing a cut/ride shape in the mid-90s and a flat approach angle, missing bats over 40% of the time. The slider is just as good, sitting in the mid-80s with some sweep and high spin, missing bats over 50% of the time. That’s as dynamic of a one-two punch as you can get. He’s tinkered with a change-up, though the results are very inconsistent.

RHP Xavier Meachem, North Carolina A&T (2023)

2023 Pitching Line: 16 Games (7 Starts), 48.1 IP, 5.59 ERA, 26:47 BB:K ratio, 5 Saves

Summary: USA Baseball dips into the HBCU demographic here, which I must say is an excellent development. Draft eligible this year, Meachem will be the first NC A&T athlete to receive an invite to Cary. He got some starts down the stretch after being the closer to start the year, showcasing a solid fastball/slider combination. He’s gotten up to 97 MPH, maintaining 91-94 MPH with solid carry and high spin rates. The slider is a pure sweeper with spin rates approaching 2,900 RPMs in the 82-85 MPH range. He’ll throw in a curveball and change-up, as well. Strike-throwing will need refinement, but if he can’t make it as a starter, there’s serious potential in the bullpen.

LHP Omar Melendez, Alabama State (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 16 Games (15 Starts), 93 IP, 2.52 ERA, 27:96 BB:K ratio

Summary: Another HBCU athlete invited to Cary, Melendez is the first Alabama State athlete to get this honor. He does not throw very hard at all, averaging in the mid-80s with the fastball, but there’s some deception and life that lets it play up. The change-up is his best secondary which fades hard away from righties in the mid/upper-70s that has a whiff rate over 40%. He’ll sprinkle in some breaking balls, but it’s primarily a fastball/change-up heavy game plan. He’s able to repeat his delivery rather well for a guy of his stature (6’6”, 210 lbs.) and throws plenty of strikes, as well as eating plenty of innings.

LHP Mason Molina, Texas Tech (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 16 Games (All Starts), 83.1 IP, 3.67 ERA, 35:108 BB:K ratio

Summary: A legitimate workhorse, Molina quietly turned in a very solid campaign in 2023 for the Red Raiders. There’s solid athleticism and he’s got a physical figure on the bump with some bulkiness. He usually sits in the 87-91 MPH range, touching 92-93 MPH, though the pitch plays up from the fringy velocity thanks to excellent carry with some cut. The slider is in the upper-70s with tight spin and gets plenty of whiffs, as well as averaging close to 2,700 RPMs. There’s a big bending curveball in the mid-70s and he’ll sprinkle in a change-up with some tumble, though he can use some refinement there.

OF/RHP Braden Montgomery, Stanford (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .336/.461/.611, 1.072 OPS, 17 HR, 61 RBI, 6 SB, 51:64 BB:K ratio.311

2023 Pitching Line: 10 Games (2 Starts), 14 IP, 12.21 ERA, 11:19 BB:K ratio.304/

Summary: Making a return to Cary, Montgomery has shown progress with the bat in 2023. He’s a switch-hitting outfielder with robust power from both sides of the plate and a knack for spraying the ball to all fields. He’s been able to cut down the whiffs a bit, but what’s more impressive is the large jump in walks, going from 18 in 2022 to 51 in 2023. There’s progress to be made still, but it’s been encouraging thus far. He profiles best in right field, where his bazooka for a right arm will be let loose with excellent arm strength and accuracy. He’s also had time on the bump, getting into the upper-90s, though he’s had plenty of struggles and likely won’t pitch at the next level.

C Malcolm Moore, Stanford (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .311/.386/.564, .950 OPS, 15 HR, 63 RBI, 3 SB, 21:50 BB:K ratio

Summary: One of Stanford’s biggest recruits out of high school, Moore has burst onto the scene in the Pac-12. It’s an admittedly wacky stance at the plate, though the load is very condensed and he explodes through the zone. Think Anthony Rizzo, except maybe a bit more open and a love for toe taps. There’s plenty of power, primarily from center field to the right field foul pole, though he’s going to have to tone down the aggressiveness at the plate. He’s likely to stick behind the dish long term with solid athleticism and a strong arm, as well. He’ll be draft-eligible in 2024 due to his age, though he’ll be one of the youngest players on the college side.

INF Christian Moore, Tennessee (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .304/.444/.603, 1.047 OPS, 17 HR, 50 RBI, 16 SB, 50:67 BB:K ratio

Summary: A highly touted recruit out of high school, Moore is a rather physical specimen for the Volunteers. He has plenty of bat speed and power, which plays to all fields rather easily, and he’ll utilize the gaps for doubles. He runs into plenty of issues with whiffs and strikeouts, but he’s able to generate a high walk rate despite the rather aggressive nature at the dish. If he’s able to get the hit tool closer to average, Moore likely sees his name called relatively early. Defensively, he’s primarily manned second base in his collegiate career and that’s likely where he’d profile moving forward due to his arm strength.

RHP Brandon Neely, Florida (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 33 Games (0 Starts), 51.2 IP, 3.66 ERA, 19:68 BB:K ratio, 13 Saves

Summary: Florida’s closer throughout the year, Neely has been a bright spot out of the bullpen, tied for the sixth most saves in the country. There’s some deception to his delivery thanks to some crossfire and that helps his fastball play up. It’s an electric heater, sitting in the low-to-mid-90s with serious life in the zone, missing a ton of bats in the process. He has a bullet/gyro slider in the low-t0-mid-80s with some life, though it lacks sufficient bite. The change-up has some potential with fading life to lefties, though Neely doesn’t utilize it often. It would not be a surprise to see Neely thrusted into a rotation spot in 2024, though the off-speed arsenal will need to improve.

RHP Tyson Neighbors, Kansas State (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 25 Games (0 Starts), 48.2 IP, 1.85 ERA, 16:86 BB:K ratio, 11 Saves

Summary: There may be no better reliever in the country than Neighbors. A physical figure on the bump, Neighbors has been otherworldly dominant for Kansas State in 2023, striking out 70 batters in just 38.1 innings. The fastball has been up to 99 MPH, routinely living in the mid-90s with massive riding life in the zone, though his slider may be one of the best pitches in next year’s class. A legitimate plus pitch, his mid-80s slider is diabolical, showcasing tight spin and devastating late bite with a whiff rate over 65% (!) in 2023. There’s a low-80s curveball with more depth, too. He’ll be the second Wildcat in school history to adorn the stars and stripes, the first since Craig Wilson in 1992.

RHP Mason Nichols, Ole Miss (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 23 Games (0 Starts), 38 IP, 5.45 ERA, 16:45 BB:K ratio, 4 Saves

Summary: A returning invitee from 2022, Nichols served as a key arm in Ole Miss’ bullpen. He’s a two-pitch guy at the present with a long, lanky frame that suggests he’ll throw harder once he fills out physically. The fastball sits in the low-90s, but the pitch has insane carry at the top of the zone and misses a ton of bats as a result. His slider has some two-plane break and plays best when down in the zone, though he can get inconsistent with the pitch. He’ll need to add a third pitch if he is to have a chance to start next year, though there’s solid potential here if he can refine the slider.

INF Griff O’Ferrall, Virginia (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .396/.453/.495, .948 OPS, 1 HR, 42 RBI, 16 SB, 29:38 BB:K ratio

Summary: O’Ferrall was a big part of Virginia’s top-of-the-order gauntlet in 2023. He’s a shorter, scrappy infielder with solid defense at shortstop, though he likely profiles more as a second baseman at the next level, maybe even a utility guy. His power is rather limited, but he makes up for that in pure hitting ability. He can lace line drives to all fields and can really run, creating mayhem on the basepaths. His 108 hits in 2023 are the most ever in a single season in program history, topping Phil Gosselin’s mark of 100 in 2010.

RHP Fran Oschell III, Duke (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 22 Games (0 Starts), 39.1 IP, 0.69 ERA, 18:66 BB:K ratio

Summary: Nice.

Oschell broke out in a big way out of the Blue Devils’ bullpen in 2023. The violence in his delivery has toned down a bit and it’s a funky operation with deceptive motions. The fastball is a metric monster, sitting in the 92-97 MPH range with seriously good ride and extension, as well as a flatter approach angle. It profiles as one of the best fastballs in the 2024 class and boasts a whiff rate of around 40% this year. He throws a breaking ball in the low-80s with two-plane break, though he’ll need to refine it.

OF Austin Overn, Southern California (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .314/.402/.530, .932 OPS, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 16 SB, 29:46 BB:K ratio

Summary: A draft-eligible sophomore, Overn is one of the fastest players in the entire country. He’s got a short, compact swing from the left side with very quick hands, spraying the ball to all fields with some power to his pull side. He recognizes spin well, though his chase rate is high and he does have some issues with higher-end velocity. He had more triples than doubles in 2023, recording fourteen triples (!) and eleven doubles. His excellent speed will allow him to cover plenty of ground in center field with solid defense. He’ll be a polarizing prospect to watch in 2024.

OF Ethan Petry, South Carolina (2025)

2023 Slash Line: .376/.471/.733, 1.204 OPS, 23 HR, 75 RBI, 4 SB, 33:59 BB:K ratio

Summary: It’s not too often that you see a true freshman torch the SEC, but that’s exactly what Petry did in 2023. He has insane bat speed and loft to his swing, which helps him generate his power, which grades out as plus presently and likely becomes double-plus as he fills out his frame. He’ll utilize the whole field with the hit tool, too, though he does have some issues with breaking balls and can get streaky with the strikeouts. He got to campus as a third baseman, but he’s seen time in the outfield, where he has a solid arm. In all likelihood, I would not be surprised if he moved back to the infield when all is said and done.

RHP Kyle Robinson, Texas Tech (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 18 Games (5 Starts), 45.1 IP, 5.36 ERA, 19:45 BB: K ratio, 2 Saves

Summary: Another Red Raider to receive an invite, Robinson split time between the rotation and bullpen in 2023. He’s a tall, lanky pitcher with an easy delivery on the mound, though he’s not overly athletic. He usually sits in the low-90s with some armside run, getting up into the 95-96 MPH range when he rears back. He sells his mid-80s change-up very well and has confidence throwing to any batter. He’ll throw it with plenty of conviction and it falls off the table. He’s got a tight slider in the low-80s that has promise, though he does not use it much. He’ll likely find his way into Texas Tech’s rotation in 2024.

RHP Matt Scott, Stanford (2025)

2023 Pitching Line: 24 Games (12 Starts), 67 IP, 5.10 ERA, 37:62 BB:K ratio, 1 Save.

Summary: Don’t let the stats fool you, Scott profiles as one of the best 2025 eligible arms in the country. He’s a mountain of a human being at 6’7”, 231 pounds and despite the size, he repeats his delivery relatively well. He usually sits in the low-90s, though he’s run it up to 96 MPH with a mix of carry/run and a steeper downhill plane. His best secondary might be his change-up, which features diving action away from lefties with solid velocity separation in the low-80s. The slider can be inconsistent, though when on, it’s got gyro movement in the mid-80s and flashes above-average or better.

INF Kodey Shojinaga, Kansas (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .378/.421/.526, .947 OPS, 6 HR, 32 RBI, 0 SB, 16:25 BB:K ratio

Summary: Shojinaga, a native of Hawaii, will be Kansas’ first invitee since Ryan Zeferjahn competed for a spot back in 2018. There’s some physicality to his frame, including a sturdy lower half, and has the look of a catcher, though he’s been converted into an infielder. He runs high contact rates from the right side and will utilize the gaps often, with most of his over-the-fence power playing to his pull side. He does need to lower the chase rate a bit, but he does a great job limiting the swing-and-miss. He has some versatility to his profile, though he primarily played second base in 2023 between his time at Kansas and a brief stint with the Bourne Braves.

INF Anthony Silva, Texas Christian (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .330/.416/.471, .887 OPS, 7 HR, 50 RBI, 17 SB, 23:33 BB:K ratio

Summary: A draft-eligible sophomore, Silva turned in an excellent season at TCU and has lined himself up as one of the better collegiate bats available next summer. He’s a wiry-framed shortstop with solid contact abilities from the right side, as well as solid gap-to-gap power. As he fills out his frame, expect a jump in power production. He’s got a very good eye at the plate and doesn’t strike out often, though he’s in no big rush to take his walks either. Defensively, he’ll stick at the six moving forward. He’s a premium defender with solid range and athleticism, as well as a really strong arm.

LHP Hagen Smith, Arkansas (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 18 Games (11 Starts), 71.2 IP, 3.64 ERA, 42:109 BB:K ratio, 2 Saves

Summary: One of the most consistent arms in the SEC, Smith was given a hybrid role, coming out of the bullpen for longer outings while still getting a fair share of starts. He creates a tough angle with his delivery and there’s plenty of deception. He’s run the heater into the upper-90s, though it usually sits in the 92-95 MPH range with solid extension and late life, varying shapes. The slider continues to be a demon, especially against lefties, with sweeping life in the mid-80s, getting close to 90 MPH. He’ll throw in a splitter at times, though there needs to be continued development there. Strike-throwing will need refinement, too, but it’s a fun package.

RHP Parker Smith, Rice (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 15 Games (All Starts), 88 IP, 3.58 ERA, 23:82 BB:K ratio

Summary: A legitimate workhorse in every sense of the word, Smith is the first Owl to be invited to Cary since Matt Canterino in 2019. It’s a really low release and he hides the ball well in his delivery with a whippy arm action. He’s been up to 96 MPH, though he’ll live in the low-90s with solid command and heavy life. His change-up doesn’t have a ton of velocity separation in the mid-80s, but it runs a ton and Smith has confidence in the pitch. It currently profiles as his best offering. He’ll also show off a sweepy slider in the low-80s.

C/OF Ryan Stafford, Cal Poly (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .313/.393/.500, .893 OPS, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 4 SB, 22:38 BB:K ratio

Summary: Stafford has done nothing but hit while under the tutelage of Larry Lee. There’s excellent bat-to-ball skills, utilizing the whole field, and possessing decent pull side juice from the right side. He’s primarily been the catcher for Cal Poly, with a good throwing arm and a solid blocker, and has manned left field a bit, too. He has a slender build for a catcher, though physicality is already present. He’s the eleventh Mustang in program history to receive an invite to Cary.

RHP Pablo Torres, bethune-Cookman (2025)

2023 Pitching Line: 15 Games (4 Starts), 40 IP, 6.30 ERA, 26:52 BB:K ratio

Summary: Torres is on the smaller side of the spectrum for a pitcher, but it’s a fun two-pitch mix for the Bethune-Cookman righty. Utilizing drop and drive mechanics, Torres has a really low release that helps his fastball play up from the high-80s velocity that he has. He’s gotten up to 92 MPH and utilizes a cut/ride fastball shape to get whiffs. He’ll pair it with a low-80s slider that has some sweeping life to it, though it can get soft and uncompetitive at times. There’s some projectability here and the easy nature of his mechanics suggest he could start down the line.

INF/RHP Mitch Voit, Michigan (2025)

2023 Slash Line: .267/.338/.439, .777 OPS, 7 HR, 32 RBI, 0 SB, 18:50 BB:K ratio

2023 Pitching Line: 19 Games (1 Start), 36 IP, 3.25 ERA, 12:25 BB:K ratio, 5 Saves

Summary: Voit is an intriguing two-way prospect who shined in his first year in the Big Ten. On the mound, he’s primarily been a reliever with an arsenal dominated by his fastball, which sits in the 89-93 MPH range with a mix of carry and run. He’ll mix in a change-up and breaking ball, but sparsely uses them. As a hitter, he’s got a solid swing from the right side and likes to utilize the opposite field. There’s good power potential here to all fields, too. He’ll need to shore up his approach and plate discipline, as he struggles against breaking balls and runs a high strikeout rate, but the clay is there to improve for Voit on both sides of the ball.

INF J.J. Wetherholt, West Virginia (2024)

2023 Slash Line: .449/.517/.787, 1.304 OPS, 16 HR, 60 RBI, 36 SB, 26:22 BB:K ratio

Summary: Simply put, Wetherholt was one of the best, if not the best, bats in the country in 2023. Wetherholt utilizes an open stance at the plate and has very mature plate discipline, rarely striking out and producing a ton of quality contact. His bat lives in the zone for a long time and he doesn’t get pull-happy, utilizing the whole field to his advantage. He’s a menace on the basepaths, tallying thirty-six stolen bases on the year. He’s primarily played second base throughout 2023, and that’s likely where he’ll stay long-term, though third base could be an option. Should Wetherholt make the final 26-man roster, he’d be the first-ever Mountaineer to do so.

RHP Nicholas Wilson, Southern (2023)

2023 Pitching Line: 15 Games (13 Starts), 86.2 IP, 3.22 ERA, 23:101 BB:K ratio

Summary: A JUCO transfer from Texas, Wilson has excelled with Southern out of the SWAC league. An easy operation on the bump, Wilson struck out 101 batters in 2023, including a four-game stretch of double-digit strikeouts in late April and early May. He will sit in the high-80s, touching 90+ MPH at times, with plenty of cut to the pitch that plays up thanks to a flat approach angle. His slider is a solid offering, showcasing plenty of sweeping life and bite in the high-70s and garners plenty of whiffs in the process. He is set to turn 22 in a couple of weeks, so he is eligible for the 2023 draft.

RHP Jay Woolfolk, Virginia (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 30 Games (0 Starts), 34 IP, 2.91 ERA, 20:38 BB:K ratio, 9 Saves

Summary: Woolfolk will be the latest in a long line of recent invitees from Virginia. One of the more reliable relievers in their stable, Woolfolk is sturdily built and showcases solid athleticism on the bump. He’s been up to 97 MPH with the fastball, primarily sitting in the low-to-mid 90’s with a two-seam/sinker movement profile. The slider has two shapes, a true slider with more depth in the low-to-mid 80’s and more of a cutter in the high-80’s with solid spin rates. The change-up could wind up being his best offering, a mid-80’s offering that really tumbles away from lefties.

RHP Trey Yesavage, East Carolina (2024)

2023 Pitching Line: 16 Games (14 Starts), 76 IP, 2.61 ERA, 23:105 BB:K ratio, 1 Save

Summary: A full-time reliever in 2022, Yesavage became ECU’s ace in 2023, putting together a very solid season before arm fatigue caught up to him for a bit. The stuff is electric, led by a fastball with excellent riding life that sits anywhere from 91-96 MPH, topping out at 98 MPH. He mixes in a mid-80s slider, a low-80s curveball, and a low-80s splitter, all of which have high whiff rates. His strike-throwing has improved quite a bit, too. He’s currently one of the top pitching prospects in the 2024 class.

Draft Day Scenarios - Cincinnati Reds

As part of a new series accompanying the launch of the Prospects Live Mock Draft Machine, I’ll be highlighting draft day scenarios for a number of teams. What better way to use or new tool then put it to work before July 9th rolls around. To see where to start, I took to Twitter to see what team(s) the readers wanted to see me dive into.

The readers spoke and it felt apropos that the first team I saw mentioned was the much-discussed Cincinnati Reds. Thanks to a strong, young core of players like Jonathan India, Matt McLain, Spencer Steer, Hunter Greene, and of course Elly De La Cruz; it appears the buzz around the Redlegs is only intensifying. If you sensed a theme in the names I mentioned regarding the core of the team, you were right. The middle of the infield looks to be crowded for a long, long time. Cruz, India, McLain, Steer, Arroyo, Collier, and Marte are all names who should take the majority of playing time in the middle of the diamond for the foreseeable future.

Could those influence draft day decisions this coming July? We know teams don’t typically draft for Major League positional needs, but in a draft with strong frontline college pitching and stout prep outfielders; you have to wonder if the Cincy decision-makers sense a window creaking open and look to seize the opportunity. No matter what avenue they choose, the picks at hand offer plenty of intrigue.

Let’s set the scene on what the Reds have in this draft, specifically the first five rounds:

Picks:

• 7th overall ($6,275,200)

• 38th overall ($2,255,100)

• 43rd overall ($1,998,200)

• 74th overall ($975,100)

• 105th overall ($640,300)

• 141st overall ($451,100)

Overall, the Reds have the sixth-highest available bonus pool in the league, totaling $13,785,200. So what would likely scenarios be?

Scenario #1

In this simulation, things end up working out on the chalky side. The top five players on the Prospects Live Draft Board get selected in succession to each other, while the Oakland Athletics serve as a bit of a wildcard. Being in a situation where it looks as if they are a few years from playing competitive baseball, they aim for a high-upside, middle-of-the-diamond player in Arjun Nimmala. This allows the Reds to have their choice of the litter in regard to players like Dollander, Lowder, Teel, Meyer, Gonzalez, and Wilson. 

As you can see, acting as the decision maker here, I chose Kyle Teel and paid him the full slot value. Teel is one of the premier college bats in this class, a pure athlete who gets high marks behind the plate. Some even say he plays catcher like a shortstop, which points towards a profile that stays behind the dish. Beyond that, you’re simply buying a high-level bat.  A .418/.484/.673 slash line should tell you all you need to know. 

Later in the draft, we are able to catch one of the prep shortstops as Adrian Santana finds his way down to pick No. 38. Feels as if with the amount of high-level prep SS in this class that one is bound to slip just a touch. We’re able to reign in Santana Jr. at just over slot value. 

With our third selection, we are able to snag a potential frontline starter in Brandon Sproat. The stuff certainly suggests frontline, however, tweaks to the overall profile are needed. The organizational pitching infrastructure in place offers us to trust that the staff can make adjustments with Sproat and turn this into a great pick. The same can be said for Nick Maldonado who we snagged at pick No. 105 after selecting an extra high-upside prep middle infielder in Trent Caraway at 73 because you can never have enough of those. Jake Cunningham rounds out our five picks to offer just a touch of slot relief, but it’s certainly no throwaway. Cunningham possesses tools that are off the charts, putting it all together will be the test. If it clicks, we’re talking big leaguer.

Scenario #2

In this simulation, we catch a falling Max Clark. This is certainly not an outlandish happening. There's a real chance with the chaos of the MLB Draft that one of Jenkins or Clark finds their way to pick No. 7. For as long as this draft class has been talked about, Clark has been tabbed as one of, if not the best talent in the whole class. It’s an otherworldly high school stat line that includes a batting average in the .600s. Clark is more than a basher, it’s tools across the board. Speed, defense, plate discipline - Clark does it all well. Getting this type of upside at a position of need, at this type of value feels like a no-brainer for the Reds. We do have to pay a touch over-slot to make it happen but Clark feels worth it. 

We find a similar profile with Colton Ledbetter at Pick No. 38. However, Ledbetter comes from the college ranks and may not have the sky-high ceiling of Clark -  the profile is semi-reminiscent. Tanner Witt at pick No. 43 follows a similar path to that of Sproat and Maldonado from Scenario 1. Witt lacks the typical track record thanks to missing a large portion of 2023 due to injury but it’s a bet on the traits and pitching development infrastructure. 

Wolters is a prep arm who has a major helium attached to his name right now. Up to 98 MPH, the big-bodied righty is gaining serious steam. If we’re lucky enough to see Wolters fall this far, we likely have to pay up to keep him from honoring his commitment to Arizona. We make it happen and go over-slot for Wolters but bring it back down to earth with the succeeding picks in Carson Roccaforte and Marcus Brown. A couple of guys who have seen major success at high-level college programs. Roccaforte falls in line with the Ledbetter profile and Brown is reminiscent of Trey Faltine, a fellow shortstop and Reds’ selection from 2022.

Conclusion

With the excitement level rising at the major league level, the opportunity within the 2023 Draft should offer just as much excitement for Cincinnati fans. Largely because this draft class is abnormally stout in its’ top fifty prospects. Just so happens the Reds hold three picks in the top 43. It’s an advantageous situation for a team looking to supplement an already young core. Flexibility is paramount in the chaos-filled MLB Draft. Reds’ brass will have plenty of that. 

Who do you think the Reds should target at No. 7?

ACC Tournament Live Looks: Pool A

The ACC Tournament has come and gone, and while we are in the midst of the always fun regional play in the NCAA Tournament, it’s time for Tyler and Harris to share their thoughts on an eventful week in Durham.

The rain did hamper the final two days of the tournament for us, so all of these blurbs will be from games during pool play. We’ll start with Pool A, which featured Wake Forest, Notre Dame, and Pittsburgh. Wake Forest will dominate this piece, mainly because they’re the most talented team in the ACC, but Notre Dame and Pittsburgh will get some recognition, especially in the honorable mentions. Pools B, C, and D will follow in the coming days.

RHP Rhett Lowder, wake forest (No. 12 on Top 400, 164 DIGS+)

Line: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K (105 Pitches)

The two-time ACC Pitcher of the Year continues to prove again and again why he’s a first-rounder in this cycle.

The start got off to a bit of a rough beginning, as Lowder allowed three doubles in the first two innings of his outing. He hung a change-up to Sky Duff in the first, which was followed by Noah Martinez jumping on an inside fastball. The third double would come off a middle-middle fastball to Justin Acal, but after that, Lowder would not allow another baserunner past second base. He did open the fourth with two walks and hit a batter in the sixth, but outside of those mistakes, Lowder mowed down the Pitt lineup.

Rhett Lowder is fun to watch.

Holding 92-95 MPH, topped at 96 in the first, w/ two different shapes (4S and 2S). SL looks much improved, 84-87 MPH with legit two-plane break and spin near 2600-2700 RPMs. CH with serious fade and dive at 84-87 MPH. Very easy and loose delivery. pic.twitter.com/GmkNwisV7W

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) May 25, 2023

He’s very much still the same arm that he’s been all year, even with a ton of innings on the arm. He topped out at 96 MPH in the first inning and would hold 92-95 MPH throughout the whole outing, still touching 94 MPH in the seventh. He had two fastball variants, a four-seam and a two-seam, though he primarily used the two-seam to generate groundballs. The slider is much improved from 2022, now sitting comfortably in the mid-80s with impressive spin and consistent two-plane break, becoming his primary strikeout pitch. The change-up still has the patented abrupt fade in the mid-to-upper 80s, comfortably pitching inside to righties with it. At this point, it’s not otherworldly to say that he has two plus off-speed pitches. In all likelihood, Lowder has cemented himself as the second-best collegiate arm in this class, only behind LSU’s Paul Skenes. He’ll be a hot commodity in the back half of the top ten.

1b nick kurtz, wake forest (No. 9 on 2024 Top 100, 173 bags+)

Line: 3-7, 2 HR, 3 BB, 0 K

We’ve talked about Kurtz in the past and how potent of a bat he is, and guess what, that’s not changed one bit in 2023.

The mountain of a human being that he is, Kurtz possesses some of the best juice in the entire country. He showed that off with two absolute rockets against Notre Dame, one a 117 MPH line drive to his pull-side and another that hit the berm in right-center field later on in the game. It comes very easy for Kurtz, with excellent bat speed from the left side, as well as an ability to hit for average, too. Not to forget, Kurtz has a very good approach at the plate and racks up walks aplenty. He’s relatively patient but knows when to attack. It’s pretty darn fun to watch and we still have another year to go.

Nick Kurtz is just incredible.

The scoring in the nightcap is opened with a screaming line drive HR by Kurtz, leaving the bat at 117 (!) MPH. Really explosive front side and displays pretty special hip/shoulder separation. Enjoy the swing. pic.twitter.com/vtq2YzPsWe

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) May 26, 2023

While he is limited to first base, that doesn’t mean his defense is something to be ignored. It’s pretty similar to Evan White back in 2017, who was highly regarded for his defense. Kurtz has the athleticism to move well at the position and almost everyone that I’ve spoken to has said it’s some of the best first base defense they’ve ever seen. Fairly high praise, if you ask me. He backs that talk up in-game, saving errant pickoff throws and snagging everything thrown his way. He’s got a .997 fielding percentage for a reason.

What you’re looking at here is likely the best first base prospect since Andrew Vaughn, and honestly, he might be better than what Vaughn was. Of course, time will be the ultimate test as the bat must perform at that position, but given Kurtz’s entire profile, you’d be hard-pressed to bet against him excelling in the minor leagues.

3b brock Wilken, wake forest (No. 26 on top 400, 176 bags+)

Line: 4-7, 2 HR, 2 BB, 0 K

Wilken reached base 10 times through three ACC Tournament games – including two homers to add to his ACC-leading mark – but more notably, he avoided striking out throughout the week.

The six-foot-four right-hander stands with his shoulders slightly slouched and his legs straight to start, bending his knees as he gets into his load and finishing with a fairly simple uppercut swing. Wilken has spent so much of the season being overly passive, putting himself in unfavorable situations. While there isn’t a quick fix, it was encouraging to see him jump on first and second pitches on Thursday against Pitt– both of which went for extra bases. If he can jump on good pitches early while still maintaining his extremely low chase rate, he’ll be really dangerous at any level given his staggering exit velocities and ability to leave the yard at any moment.

Defensively, Wilken will never be an asset at the hot corner. The effort is typically there and he has decent hands and a strong arm, but his range is subpar and could warrant a move across the diamond. He is far from a plus runner, but he does run hard and displays the ability to take the occasional extra base. In a class that is fairly deep with college bats, Wilken stands out in the second tier and should wind up being a first rounder.

of tommy hawke, wake forest (No. 243 on top 400, 149 bags+)

Line: 4-9, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 K

Hawke might be on the smaller side of the spectrum for a ballplayer, but he makes up for it with his play on the diamond.

He’s a sparkplug in that Wake Forest lineup, manning the top of the order with patience and solid contact rates. It’s more of a slasher mentality at the dish, spraying the ball to all fields. There’s a bit of power in his profile, but it’s nothing more than below average at best, and that’s okay. He’s never going to be a power hitter and that’s something people can live with. He can be a threat on the basepaths with quality speed, which also allows him to have solid range in center field with some impressive defense, as well. In all likelihood, Hawke can man center field until a better defender up the ranks forces him off the position, where he’d likely profile best in left field.

He’s a polarizing prospect and one that should hear his name called relatively early next month. He fits perfectly in the middle part of Day 2 at this point, and maybe there’s a chance he can go in the top five rounds when all is said and done. He is also a draft-eligible sophomore, so that’s something to consider in his profile, but nonetheless, Hawke is a gamer and has the quality tools to succeed.

of pierce bennett, wake forest (no. 361 on top 400, 127 bags+)

Line: 4-9, 1 BB, 0 K

Often the forgotten man in Wake Forest’s potent lineup, Bennett was a reliable contributor to the Demon Deacons’ pool play success– as he has been all season. The six-foot-one right-hander has a slightly open stance, employing a significant leg kick and a pretty big stride toward the pitcher. His swing is compact and geared for a gap-to-gap approach.

Bennett makes a ton of contact – he’s especially adept against offspeed – and though he sometimes gets out ahead of breaking balls, he does a good job of staying balanced and fouling them off. He doesn’t do as much damage as expected, with middling exit velocities and average over-the-fence power. Additionally, he rarely ever walks and adds little value on the bases.

Bennett moved to the outfield after spending most of his redshirt sophomore season at second base but has not stood out as a great defender in right. He is not the most fluid runner, and his routes are subpar. Plus, his fringy arm strength means second base and left field are his best options. His upside is limited due to his age, quiet toolset, and profile as a utility guy, but Bennett’s bat may be enticing enough for a late Day 2 draft selection.

RHP Seth Keener, wake forest (no. 104 on top 400, 139 digs+)

Line: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 0 BB, 5 K (85 Pitches)

Flip-flopping between the rotation and the bullpen this season, Keener made a name for himself as part of Wake Forest’s dominant pitching staff. He drew the start against Notre Dame in the final game of pool play after spending most of the season in the bullpen.

At six-foot-two, Keener has just an average build and unexceptional athleticism, but he explodes off the mound with a powerful delivery, making hitters’ lives difficult with good extension out of a low-three quarters arm slot. Keener has an appealing three-pitch mix, headlined by two offspeeds. His best offering is a low-80s slider with plenty of spin and good two-plane movement that generates a ton of chases. He also flashes a plus changeup, which sits in the upper-80s and disappears away from lefties. His fastball comes with solid mid-90s velocity, but it’s fairly flat and isn’t much of an out pitch. With solid command of all three offerings and significantly improved control of the zone, Keener is an intriguing draft day option for some teams willing to give him a chance as a starter.

1B noah Martinez, pitt (130 bags+)

Line: 2-7, 1 HR, 2 BB, 0 K

There’s admittedly not a ton of draft talent on Pittsburgh’s roster, but if there’s anyone to keep an eye on as a senior sign or an undrafted free agent, it’s Martinez.

A Central Connecticut State transfer, he’s a big bopper that profiles best as a first base at the next level, if he’s given the chance. He doesn’t chase a ton, though there’s a clear issue with off-speed pitches in his profile. With that said, he loves the fastball and will do damage when it’s left in the zone. Most of his power will play to his pull side, though there’s some love to the opposite field gap, too. At first base, he only made one error all year and had a .998 fielding percentage, so there’s enough there defensively. While he’s well on the older side, as he turns 24 in August, he can help a team save money if they’re aggressive early in the draft, profiling as a senior sign on Day 3.

Honorable Mentions: Zack Prajzner, Notre Dame; Justin Johnson, Wake Forest; Bennett Lee, Wake Forest; Dylan Simmons, Pitt; Sky Duff, Pitt

Deep Drives: Charlotte Bats and MTSU Arms

Deep Drives is back after a well-deserved break!

We’re playing a little bit of catch-up after a quick turnaround to the ACC Tournament, but I managed to take a quick trip down to Charlotte to get a look at some mid-major draft talent. Charlotte has an intriguing pair of bats, as well as a Friday night arm that is a lock to be a Day 2 selection in July, while Middle Tennessee State has a duo on the mound that could both go in the top five rounds. We’ll keep this one shorter than most, mainly because we’ve got plenty of ACC Tournament content on the way!

RHP Wyatt Hudepohl, Charlotte

Line: 7 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K (100 Pitches)

A former Kentucky bullpen piece, Hudepohl sought an extended role in the transfer portal, landing in a place that’s been known for pitching development the past few years under coach Robert Woodard. Well, I’d say it’s been a beneficial relationship for both sides thus far, as Hudepohl has cemented himself as one of the best mid-major arms in this class.

What stood out pretty quickly was the level of pitchability that Hudepohl possesses. He came out of the gate very strong with two perfect innings, pitching backwards off his curveball and change-up constantly. However, once the rain began to fall harder, his command began to slip away in the third inning and he wound up giving up a home run on a hanging curve. After that? He wouldn’t allow another hit until the seventh inning. The fastball does have some carrying life, though the velocity isn’t quite there, routinely sitting in the 90-93 MPH range throughout the start. While there isn’t much separation velocity-wise to the change-up, there’s deception in Hudepohl’s delivery that makes it tough for hitters to pick up. It’s pretty firm in the high-80s, but he’s able to keep the pitch down in the zone. The curveball is his best pitch, throwing it hard in the low-to-mid 80s with serious intent and downward bite, racking up plenty of empty swings throughout Middle Tennessee’s order.

.@CharlotteBSB's Wyatt Hudepohl came out of the gate strong tonight. FB 91-93 with carry, but really showing off the CB and CH thus far. CB in low-80's with a ton of depth and CH fades very late in high-80's with command. 5 K's thru 3 so far. pic.twitter.com/nPPDPHdzMK

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) May 18, 2023

If I had to be a guessing man, Hudepohl’s future is likely in relief, which would allow his stuff to excel, though there are enough starting traits here to trot him out in a rotation at the next level. He’s able to hold his velocity rather well, though the frame suggests that there is not much projection remaining as he’s already quite bulky. That said, there are not too many warts in his delivery, as there’s not a ton of effort on the bump with an over-the-top slot. He’ll find himself a home somewhere on Day 2 and whichever team takes him will get a solid mold of clay to work with.

OF Cam Fisher, Charlotte

Line: 3-7, 1 HR, 2 BB, 0 K

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think there’s a hotter bat in the country than Cam Fisher, a former Ole Miss product that’s become a mainstay in Charlotte’s outfield.

The first thing that stands out to you when seeing Fisher is his physicality. He’s listed at 6’2”, 210 pounds, and has plenty of muscle in that frame. His stance is rather upright, similar to what Brock Wilken employs, which does make me wonder how well he’ll handle better off-speed pitches at the next level. But if there’s one thing you can’t underestimate in his profile, it’s his plus power. There’s a ton of bat speed and he generates a ton of power from the ground thanks to his bulky lower half, and he showed just that in the nightcap on Thursday. He got a fastball middle-middle and proceeded to unleash violence on the baseball, hammering it over the scoreboard in RCF and hitting the farthest ball that ballpark has seen. It would land 478 feet away and left the bat at 112 MPH, and it also gave Charlotte the lead for good. It’s a sweet swing, see it for yourself:

Leaving a pitch middle-middle to Cam Fisher isn't a good idea.

Fisher gives @CharlotteBSB the lead with a monster shot way over the scoreboard in RF, landing 478 feet away. Just sit back and enjoy this swing. pic.twitter.com/XiFbDWEdZG

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) May 19, 2023

He’s turned in a solid defensive year in the outfield, as well. He’s not the greatest runner and his route-running could use some work, but he projects to be in left field, maybe right field if there are stark improvements. This is a profile that can ultimately crack the top 100 when all is said and done, though. It’s an offensive threat with serious power, as well as a seriously good eye, though the aforementioned contact issues are prevalent. He’s a big reason why Charlotte won the conference tournament and as a result, he’ll get to play the Tennessee Volunteers in Clemson, a team that Fisher grew up with in Knoxville.

OF Jake Cunningham, Charlotte

Line: 1-6, 3 BB, 4 K

A three-year star at Charlotte, Cunningham excelled in a breakout 2022 campaign. While his 2023 numbers aren’t as great as they were last year, there’s a ton to like about his profile.

For starters, he’s one of the youngest college prospects in this class, as he won’t turn 21 until a week before the draft. He’s a tall, lanky athlete with room to add muscle to his frame at 6’4”, 205 pounds, though he moves rather well for a guy his size. At the plate, he did struggle in the two games I managed to see, only tallying one hit before hitting a home run in the final game of the series. He’s got a solid eye, but it felt as if he was being passive at times, allowing Middle Tennessee pitchers to attack deeper into counts. He also does have some trouble with breaking balls, though I do think a team can work out that kink. While his speed hasn’t shown on the basepaths like last year, he’s still an excellent runner, consistently having plus or better run times out of the box. His speed will allow him to stay in center field long term, where he’s got solid range and defense already. The power potential is intriguing, given the projectability of his frame and the already present juice, which plays mostly to his pull side, but he has shown an ability to go the other way with his power.

If anything, Cunningham feels like a guy who can go in the top 150 picks in July. The mix of projection, offensive potential, and center field defense will give teams solid clay to work with as he continues to develop. If a team believes they can shore up the discipline and improve contact, he may move through the minors relatively quickly.

RHP Eriq swan, Middle Tennessee State

Line: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 4 K (83 Pitches)

It’s pretty tough to come across an effortless delivery, but when you’re able to throw triple digits without breaking a sweat, scouts take notice. Eriq Swan is that prospect.

I overheard a scout during his start say, “That’s a 7 body with a 7 fastball.” I could not have said it better myself. Swan is built like a string bean, showcasing classic projection and easy motions on the bump. If there’s any sort of complaint to be made about his delivery, it’s mainly because he doesn’t utilize his lower half much, but even then, it’s loud stuff coming out of his hand. The fastball got up to 101 MPH, consistently sitting in the 97-100 MPH range throughout his start with plenty of life, though command and strike-throwing are a concern. His slider is his best secondary, showcasing sharp bite and sweep in the 82-85 MPH range that he can backfoot to lefties when he’s on. There’s a change-up in the low-90s that’s relatively firm, but he sells it well with solid arm speed. He did lose feel of the pitch at times, however. He’d end up walking six total batters, including three in a lengthy first inning. It feels like his arm plays catch up with his shoulder during his arm swing, which creates his inconsistent command.

Eriq Swan's night is done after four innings. Very loose arm with easy delivery, FB jumps out of the hand at 97-100 T101 with heavy life. Flashed CH in low-90's with late diving action and SL at 82-85 with late sweep. However, command was not great. pic.twitter.com/O70qrHpox8

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) May 18, 2023

If there’s a team who believes that they can fix the inconsistencies in his delivery and command, Swan projects as a fast-moving reliever with the capability to close in some capacity down the line. It’s a mix of loud stuff and projectability that scouts love, and I do believe Swan fits somewhere in the top five rounds in July. It’s a work in progress, but the right organizational fit will do wonders for him.

RHP Jaden Hamm, Middle Tennessee State

Line: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 8 ER, 2 BB, 6 K (86 Pitches)

Yes, that final line is not great. That’ll be the first thing that catches your eye in this segment. However, despite the lackluster start, Hamm is a very solid pitcher from a draft standpoint and there are some intriguing qualities to build on for scouts.

Back at Charlotte tonight for @MT_Baseball's Jaden Hamm. Worked around a single in the first, FB 91-95 with plenty of carry from OTT slot. CB 80-81 with a ton of depth and late sweep, flashing mid-80's CH w/ some tumble. Hides ball really well in delivery. #129 on our Top 400. pic.twitter.com/BJ9gBwcSgI

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) May 19, 2023

The delivery is unique and unorthodox, as he holds a big hip hinge down the mound and has solid arm speed from an over-the-top slot with some deception. He started off rather well, working around a single in the first with a couple of strikeouts, though as the outing went on, his command and stuff began to back up and Charlotte took advantage as a result. The fastball got up to 95 MPH early, routinely sitting 91-94 MPH with carrying life at the top of the zone and some cut. His signature pitch is his curveball, a potential hammer of a breaking ball in the high-70s/low-80s featuring a ton of depth. It’s similar to what Justin Campbell had with Oklahoma State in terms of a FB/CB combination with close to 35 inches of vertical separation, which is rather insane. He rounded out his arsenal with a decent change-up, though he did not have the greatest feel for the pitch during his outing.

Much like Swan, there’s stuff to iron out here, but I’d imagine someone like the Dodgers or Rays would love to have him in their development program. He’ll stick as a starter presently, though should the change-up not progress moving forward, I can see a pretty explosive FB/CB pairing playing very well in the bullpen. He should be someone who gives in either rounds four or five.

LIVE LOOKS: CAMPBELL AT NORTH CAROLINA, 5/2

When Campbell came to Chapel Hill for a mid-week showdown early in May, a handful of draft-eligible players made their mark. For the Camels, it was an offensive display from their shortstop and a strong relief appearance, while a pair of Carolina infielders made an impact on the defensive end.

3B Mac Horvath, North Carolina

It was an evening to forget at the plate for Horvath, but he was busy in the field– back at third base after a stretch of games in right field.

Horvath has excellent instincts and a quick first step at the hot corner, reading the ball well off the bat. He gets low on every pitch, staying balanced and swallowing up ground balls with soft, steady hands. He has a smooth transfer and gets the ball out quickly-- he nearly started a triple play in the seventh inning. With plus arm strength and what is typically very good accuracy, Horvath has the ability to throw on the run and from all different angles.

He made a mental error in the ninth inning –  hesitating charging in on a bunt pop-up and double-clutching before throwing – but made up for it with a snag and a rocket home to prevent a run.

Horvath isn’t the fluid runner that teammate Vance Honeycutt is, but he has fantastic instincts on the bases – – and has been among the ACC’s stolen base leaders all season.

With a potent bat, strong baserunning prowess, and the ability to successfully handle multiple corner positions, Horvath has a chance at hearing his name called on Day 1.

2B Jackson Van De Brake, North Carolina

Van De Brake has arguably been Carolina’s most consistent hitter this season, but it was his glove that stood out against Campbell. He provided a pair of highlight-reel catches, including a full-extension grab ranging back into right field.

Van De Brake offers sound defensive actions with decisive instincts and solid range, although he can be a little stiff going up the middle. He’s shown some leaping ability and tracks the ball well in the air. His arm strength is solid-but-unspectacular, and while he is capable of handling either spot on the left side, second base is his most likely full-time home. Despite being homerless since April 2, Van De Brake is a bat-first prospect who should be drafted on Day 2 come July. The strong showing in the field against Campbell is a bonus.

SS Bryce Arnold, Campbell

Arnold was an exit velo machine against Carolina, with a hard-hit lineout to third base in the first inning before later collecting two extra-base hits– including his then-Big South-leading 15th home run.

Arnold has a smaller frame and average build, with solid strength and athleticism. His compact swing comes with a fairly big load and a small leg kick, and it lends itself to lots of fly balls.

The junior infielder boasts solid plate discipline and contact skills, and his power has shown up this year – specifically to the pull side – after he managed just 11 homers over his first two seasons. He has become a more patient hitter, providing himself with the opportunity to do more damage on pitches in the zone. Arnold took over as Campbell’s shortstop this year, and he’s shown solid range, good hands, and an ability to throw on the run. Still, his size and lack of elite speed may push him back over to second base, where he primarily played in his injury-shortened sophomore season.

RHP Ty Cummings, Campbell

Cummings was dominant against Carolina in relief, allowing just one ball to leave in infield over 2.2 hitless innings. He has a fairly large, projectable frame, with a lean build and very long levers. He boasts electric arm speed out of a near-sidearm slot, repeating his delivery well.

Cummings offers a two-pitch mix, including a mid-90s fastball with good run and sink, and a slider that sits in the mid-80s and darts away from righties at its best. His command could use some work – he has a tendency to yank his fastball glove-side trying to land it backdoor to righties, and his slider backs up pretty often –  but his control of the strike zone has improved throughout his time at Campbell, and he yields ground balls at nearly a 60 percent clip. Cummings is likely a full-time reliever at the next level given his limited repertoire and fringy command, and should be a Day 2 pick.