October 28, 2024

2025 MLB Draft, College Baseball, MLB Draft

2025 MLB Draft Top 75 Collegiate Prospects: Conference Breakdowns (SEC - Part 1)

October 28, 2024

2025 MLB Draft, College Baseball, MLB Draft

We recently released our top 75 college prospects and throughout the fall we have been bringing you some top prospects within each conference. For this edition, we will dive into some of the top prospects across the SEC.

35 players from 11 different schools hail from the nation’s premier college baseball conference with our Top 75 prospects list. Defending national champions Tennessee lead the way with six players while Arkansas is just behind the Vols with five. LSU and Texas A&M each have four. Below are the eighteen SEC players who ranked in the Top 40 of our Top 75.

Full Top 75 List: https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2024/9/21/2025-mlb-draft-top-75-collegiate-prospects

HITTERS

OF Jace Laviolette - Texas A&M

Prospects Live Ranking: #1

Jace Laviolette is the prototypical left-handed power bat that MLB organizations love. He’s athletic enough to play centerfield, which is likely where he’ll remain for the Aggies as he anchors perhaps the nation’s best lineup. Strikeouts remain a small concern, but he’s improved since his freshman season in drawing walks and getting on base. The Texas slugger took the summer off following Texas A&M’s loss in the National Championship to Tennessee despite an invite to participate in Team USA for the second time. That rest will be critical as he looks to solidify his #1 overall pick potential. With his ability on the basepaths and in the field, Laviolette is a legitimate five-tool player at the college level. If the organization that drafts him can figure out a way to cut down on the strikeouts while maintaining his hit and power tool, the big lefty could be a future five-tool prospect at the pro level.

C/OF Ike Irish - Auburn

Prospects Live Ranking: #9

Ike Irish is the top-rated college catcher ahead of the 2025 draft. Unlike North Carolina’s Luke Stevenson, however, there are some questions as to Irish’s future at the position. The Michigan native is another left-handed hitter with a very good hit tool. As a freshman in the ACC, Irish hit .361 with 31 extra base hits. He struggled with a nagging injury at times during his sophomore campaign, but still managed to hit .319 and more than double his home run total from the previous season. Despite the plus hit tool and extra base hit numbers, there are concerns about his ability to hit for power given his tendency to hit ground balls at a high rate. Defensively, Irish has a strong arm and has improved his receiving skills, but it’s likely his future lies as a corner outfielder. Regardless of his future position, he’ll be the most feared bat in the Auburn lineup during the 2025 season.

Ike, Ike, baby‼️

Just some Sunday yardwork for our guy.

B6 | Auburn 6, UConn 2 pic.twitter.com/4LK7rWT8xA
— Auburn Baseball (@AuburnBaseball) March 3, 2024

3B/OF Andrew Fischer - Tennessee

Prospects Live Ranking: #17

After a year at Duke and a year at Ole Miss, Andrew Fischer is in Knoxville to play for Tennessee in his draft eligible year. Fischer joins fellow top draft prospects Dean Curley and Gavin Kilen in a loaded infield. It remains to be seen exactly where Fischer will play as Curley and Kilen are better defenders due to Fischer’s limited range. He could see time at third and first for the Vols, but perhaps his future lies in a corner outfield position at the next level. The New Jersey native enjoyed a breakout season at the plate for the Rebs last season, slugging 17 home runs in 49 games while hitting .282. Fischer, who mashes fastballs and likes to pull the ball, will likely eclipse 20 home runs for Tennessee in 2025. He’s yet to hit .300 as a college player, but playing in a loaded lineup should help boost his offensive numbers next season.

3B Dean Curley - Tennessee

Prospects Live Ranking: #16

Dean Curley is a draft eligible sophomore who played shortstop for Tennessee on the way to winning their first National Championship in school history last season. The California native hit .285 with 23 extra base hits as a true freshman while stealing 9 bases. He became the first freshman in school history to hit three home runs in a game on March 6th against Kansas State. Curley is projected to play the hot corner at the next level but will likely stay at shortstop for the Vols in 2025 unless Ariel Antigua forces Curley to shift to 3rd base. After his fantastic first year, the former freshman All American is poised to have an even bigger sophomore campaign. His pull-side power and impressive bat speed should see him improve on his home run total and I expect to see his average rise well above .300 in this loaded Tennessee lineup.

Dean Curley tonight:

Grand Slam ✅
3 Run HR ✅
2 Run HR ✅

True freshman. Rumor has it that his roommate is Tungsten Arm O’Doyle pic.twitter.com/sU9DoU9bw9
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) March 6, 2024

2B/SS Gavin Kilen - Tennessee

Prospects Live Ranking: #17

Gavin Kilen enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign for Louisville in 2024 as he hit .330 with 23 doubles and 9 home runs. He showed flashes of decent power last year, but is more of a gap-to-gap doubles hitter than a slugger. Five of his nine home runs last season came in a 10-day stretch between March 6th and March 16th. Kilen only hit three home runs in conference play but could improve on those numbers in a new environment. The Wisconsin native has the range, arm, and quickness to play shortstop at the next level, but it’s probable that Tennessee employs Kilen at second base with either Dean Curley or even Ariel Antigua manning shortstop. Don’t be surprised if Tony Vitello utilizes his high contact rate at the top of the order to serve as a table setter for the Vols’ big boppers. Wherever he hits in the lineup, he should produce solid offensive numbers while playing stellar defense at second.

UT RJ Austin - Vanderbilt

Prospects Live Ranking: #19

RJ Austin has been a mainstay in the Vanderbilt lineup since arriving on campus ahead of the 2023 season. In 122 career collegiate games Austin is a career .296 hitter with 39 extra base hits and 32 stolen bases. He has steadily improved since arriving on campus and has been showing signs of more power. The biggest mystery surrounding RJ Austin is determining what position he’s going to play. While representing Team USA and playing on the Cape this summer, he saw time at both third base and center field. He’s been dealing with a shoulder injury this fall, so Vanderbilt has been DHing him in scrimmages. Despite that lingering issue, he’s produced well at the plate with multiple hits. He’s athletic enough to play almost anywhere on the diamond for the Commodores but I really like the skill set he has for the outfield. Regardless of where he plays the field, his bat and baserunning capabilities will be essential to Vanderbilt’s success in 2025.

RJ Austin gets every stitch of this center-cut FB and hammers it over the Monster in LF for a 3-run HR. Easy bat speed, extends beautifully though the baseball, and does a nice job of really rotating and finishing his swing. pic.twitter.com/Ky45TYqmny
— Peter Flaherty III (@PeterGFlaherty) February 16, 2024

SS/3B Jalin Flores - Texas

Prospects Live Ranking: #25

Jalin Flores opted to come back to school instead of entering last year’s draft as an eligible sophomore. After struggling over 45 games as a freshman in which he hit .175 with just 6 extra base hits, Flores broke out in a big way in 2024. The San Antonio native started 60 games for the Longhorns and hit .340 while slugging 22 doubles and 18 home runs as Texas once again reached an NCAA Regional. He’s become a more aggressive and pull-happy hitter, but it’s led to major success. Flores will continue to play shortstop for the Longhorns and has the ability to play there at the next level, though he could shift to third base as a pro as well. New Texas head coach Jim Schlossnagle must be ecstatic to have Flores and the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year Max Belyeu back on the team ahead of 2025.

OF Max Belyeu - Texas

Prospects Live Ranking: #26

Much like teammate Jalin Flores, Max Belyeu enjoyed a breakout campaign as a sophomore in 2024. He only played in 15 games as a freshman, amassing just 20 at-bats, but won a starting job heading into his second year and flourished. The slugging outfielder hit .329 with 34 extra base hits and captured the Big 12 Player of the Year Award for his efforts. He’s an aggressive hitter that tends to lift the ball at a high rate, resulting in quite a few fly balls. Belyeu had a decent summer playing for Team USA and up in the Cape Cod League. He played center field for the Cotuit Kettleers while hitting a double and two home runs in 18 games. He’s likely a corner outfielder at the next level, but needs to continue to improve his defense heading into 2025. I expect to see even better offensive numbers from him in 2025 as he headlines a talented Texas lineup joining the SEC.

SS Wehiwa Aloy - Arkansas

Prospects Live Ranking: #28

Wehiwa Aloy transferred to Arkansas after an incredible freshman year at Sacramento State where he slashed .376/.427/.662 with 34 extra base hits enroute to winning the WAC Freshman of the Year Award. He took a bit of a step back as a sophomore in his debut season for the Razorbacks, slashing .270/.355/.485 with just 23 extra base hits. Aloy is a very aggressive hitter with great bat speed and above-average power that could lead to better numbers in 2025. The Hawai’i native flashed that power this summer in the Cape Cod League for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox as he clubbed eight home runs in just 81 at-bats. His performance on July 4th against the Hyannis Harbor Hawks was the first three-homer game in the Cape since 2021 and the first YD three-homer game since 1982. It’s possible that Aloy has the tools and physicality to play shortstop at the next level, but it’s more likely he’ll shift to third or second base in the future. Given the adjustments to his stance ahead of the Cape season and the results that ensued, it’s reasonable to expect improvements on Aloy’s numbers in 2025.

3B Tre Phelps - Georgia

Prospects Live Ranking: #30

Tre Phelps is a draft eligible sophomore who had a fantastic debut season in Athens for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2024. In 42 games, he slashed .355/.442/.686 with 23 extra base hits. While his incredible bat speed and power potential is impressive, what stands out is his ability to put the ball in play. He’s a little over aggressive in his approach and yet rarely strikes out– K-ing just 15 times in 136 at-bats in 2024. Phelps has the physique and tools to play at a number of positions, including third base where he’s spent most of his time with Georgia. There’s a good chance he could be a corner outfielder at the next level. The Bulldogs have an impressive roster heading into next season, but with Charlie Condon moving on to the next level, it’ll be Tre Phelps who becomes the most feared bat in the Georgia lineup.

TRE PHELPS HOME RUN!!!!

📺 https://t.co/QaF81Klywx (ESPN+)#GoDawgs | @TrePhelps1 pic.twitter.com/8CmpHVOfw6
— Georgia Baseball (@BaseballUGA) June 3, 2024

2B Daniel Dickinson - LSU

Prospects Live Ranking: #32

Daniel Dickinson is one of the latest blockbuster transfers that have made their way to Baton Rouge to play for Jay Johnson and LSU. In two years at Utah Valley, the middle infielder slashed .369/.458/.627 with 63 extra base hits and 42 stolen bases in 113 games. Dickinson will be making a jump in competition from the WAC to the SEC, but don’t be surprised to see him be a spark plug atop the LSU lineup. The Washington state product has elite contact ability and lines the ball to all fields with gap-to-gap power. When he gets on, his speed enables him to wreak havoc on the bases though I’d expect to see his stolen base numbers dip as the SEC has some elite defensive catchers. Michael Braswell will likely remain at shortstop for the Tigers while Dickinson– who projects as a second baseman at the next level anyways– will be his double play partner on the right side.

1B/OF Ethan Petry - South Carolina

Prospects Live Ranking: #37

Ethan Petry has been known for his gaudy home run numbers since arriving in Columbia as a freshman in 2023 and he’s continued to produce for the Gamecocks throughout his career slashing .341/.471/.686 with 44 home runs in 124 games. It should be noted that some of Petry’s numbers dipped as a sophomore and his strikeouts rose. This regression could be attributed to some holes in his swing as pitchers adjusted to his weaknesses. The power will always be there, but the hit tool looks to be average at best. If his Cape Cod performance is any indication, however, he could play himself into a higher ranking with a big 2025. Over the summer Petry led the Cape in homers, on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS enroute to winning both the MVP and Best Prospect Awards. In 31 games up north he slashed .360/.480/.760 with 7 doubles and 11 home runs. Defensively, he’s probably not a corner outfielder at the next level but could transition to a role at first base.

Folks, Ethan Petry has done it again.

Gets a breaking ball down in the zone and absolutely does not miss it for a grand slam to blow this game wide open. Easy swing, easy juice.

Dare I say it....1.1 2025? pic.twitter.com/x5JbrcyPPK
— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) April 7, 2023

2B Ryan Black - UGA

Prospects Live Ranking: #40

Ryan Black is another big name transfer heading from the WAC to the SEC for his draft eligible season. In two years at UT-Arlington, Black slashed .308/.413/.476 with 51 extra base hits in 113 games. He’s a line drive hitter with decent bat speed that puts the ball in play. He has decent pop for a college bat but provides value as more of a gap-to-gap doubles hitter. The Texas native’s tools make him an ideal tablesetter in a really good Georgia lineup. It’s worth noting that his numbers dipped significantly over his sophomore season as he hit and walked less. The jump in competition from the WAC to the SEC will be something to keep an eye on. Black doesn’t have the arm strength or the range to play shortstop at the next level, but he should be able to provide adequate defense at second base.

PITCHERS

RHP Kyson Witherspoon - Oklahoma

Prospects Live Ranking: #27

Kyson Witherspoon had a good debut season for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2024 as a sophomore, going 8-3 with a 3.71 ERA over 11 starts. The Jacksonville native amassed 90 strikeouts in 80 innings while allowing 40 walks. In a short stint over the summer in the Cape Cod League, Witherspoon pitched 9 innings and gave up just one earned run while featuring the fastball/slider combo that’s been so successful. The righty ace’s fastball sits at 95 and reaches upper 90s, while the mid-80s slider features a tight break. When he misses with the fastball, it tends to sail up, which could get him in trouble. Witherspoon also has a solid changeup that sits in the high 80s. The arm action is a bit clunky and there are some command issues, but overall, Witherspoon is currently the top pitching prospect in the SEC ahead of 2025. He’ll need to continue to improve his command as Oklahoma joins the tougher SEC gauntlet.

RHP Kolten Smith - Georgia

Prospects Live Ranking: #33

Kolten Smith enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign under pitching guru and first year head coach Wes Johnson. While he had opportunities as a freshman in 2023 and threw 25.2 innings over 12 appearances, Smith was a bonafide key member of the staff in 2024. The Florida native went 9-3 while striking out 105 batters in 69.2 innings pitched last year. He walked just 20 hitters. Smith utilizes both a mid-80s slider and a low-80s curveball to complement a fastball that’s risen into the mid-90s. He also mixes in a decent changeup when necessary. The improvement of Smith’s command between his freshman and sophomore seasons might indicate the potential for another jump in production in 2025. Smith is the best pitching prospect in a loaded Georgia staff and has the mentorship of one of the best pitching minds in the country in Wes Johnson. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Smith emerge as a dark horse candidate for SEC Pitcher of the Year before the season is said and done.

RHP AJ Russell - Tennessee

Prospects Live Ranking: #35

AJ Russell had a disappointing 2024, as an elbow hampered him throughout the year. After an incredible freshman campaign that saw him go 2-0 with a 0.89 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 24 appearances, Russell was supposed to be a key member of the weekend rotation. He dazzled with 10 strikeouts in 4.1 innings against Texas Tech on opening weekend, and went three shutout innings against Albany a week later. But after just two SEC appearances, Russell didn’t pitch again until the SEC tournament when he pitched against Vanderbilt and LSU. He did not take the mound during the CWS run. The big righty has an impressive fastball with armside life and a low 80s sweeping slider that complements the fastball well. Russell has a changeup as well, but needs to improve command and the pitch itself to make it more effective. If he can get healthy and take the mound in 2025, it’ll be a big boost both for the defending National Champions and his personal draft stock.

AJ Russell. 29 pitches. 25 heaters.

6 Ks to start the game 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/dyTDlNe2nZ
— 11Point7 College Baseball (@11point7) February 17, 2024

LHP Kade Anderson - LSU

Prospects Live Ranking: #38

Kade Anderson is a draft eligible sophomore that became a key piece on LSU’s pitching staff as a freshman when he went 4-2 with a 3.99 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 18 appearances. He was at his most impressive on March 6th, his third outing for the Tigers. Against Southeastern Louisiana, Anderson went five innings and gave up zero earned runs while striking out 13 hitters. His low 90s fastball can touch 96 and I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts sitting closer to mid-90s as he continues to improve his craft. Anderson also features a high-70s curveball that could turn extremely lethal as he improves command. If you’re looking for a potential breakout sophomore pitcher that could vie for postseason awards, here is the guy as he looks to be part of LSU’s weekend rotation. A big sophomore season as a starting pitcher could propel Anderson into the first round of the 2025 MLB draft.

LHP JD Thompson - Vanderbilt

Prospects Live Ranking: #39

JD Thompson was a key member of Vanderbilt’s rotation as a sophomore last year, going 5-2 with 74 strikeouts versus just 18 walks in 52 innings pitched. His arsenal features a low-90s fastball from the left side that batters have trouble picking up on due to his ability to hide the ball. If he adds a little more consistent velocity to that pitch, it’s going to be one of the best fastballs from the left side in the country. The native Texan pairs the fastball with low-80s cambio and two breaking balls- a low 80s sweeping slider and a mid-70s curveball. It’s a legitimate four pitch mix that he can throw for strikes and all four pitches generate whiffs at a high rate. If he maintains his production for 2024 or improves on it, there’s no doubt Thompson will be a day one pick in the 2025 MLB draft.

Prospects Live Staff

September 24, 2024

MLB Draft, 2025 MLB Draft, Draft Ranking

2025 MLB Draft: Top 75 Collegiate Prospects

Prospects Live Staff

September 24, 2024

MLB Draft, 2025 MLB Draft, Draft Ranking

2025 MLB Draft: Top 75 Collegiate Prospects

As fall ball ramps up across the country, we’ve been working very hard on our rankings on both sides of the amateur landscape. The college class is dominated by outfield bats at the top, followed by a couple of tantalizing arms.

Brian Switzer

September 17, 2024

2025 MLB Draft, MLB Draft

Switz Report: Recap 2024 Cape Cod "Top Performers" Heading into the 2025 Draft

Brian Switzer

September 17, 2024

2025 MLB Draft, MLB Draft

As promised in my last article, I come back this week to deliver some of the top performers that were seen on the Cape this year. To clear any confusion that may develop, some of the guys that you see below I would even classify as dudes that could’ve been in the last article of the best dudes and talent overall in the league like Aiva Arquette and vice versa as many of guys in the last article were the headliners and statistical leaders of the summer.

Nonetheless, the dudes last time around are guys that I feel very confident that they will end up getting their name called on the first day and have little risk of falling out of the first round and CB-A unless drastic measures occur. This week, there are guys that caught fire this year in some capacity and really turned it on where they could develop the rumblings of being drafted early.

As mentioned in last week’s article, the pitching on the Cape this year was underwhelming, and thus again, this week we are shut out with arms that really grabbed attention. I will highlight some of the pitchers who did well and have some early draft upside on a later day. However, the position players again take the prize of being recognized this week and I’m excited to highlight a backstop that has garnered attention during the 2024 baseball calendar (When given the opportunity to highlight catcher’s I love to give that attention as many get overlooked for the flashy web-gem play’s and flamethrowing arms in the sport.).

Below are five dudes that I saw on the Cape that developed some breakout performances and numbers over the summer where they proved they belong to be mentioned with the top college dudes eligible in next year's draft. Many of these guys showed some struggles or absences sometime during their first two seasons of college baseball but developed helium strides with a good 2024 college season and Cape this summer.

| INF Aiva Arquette | Oregon St. | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .291/.357/.437 (.794), 4 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 21 RBI, 15 R, 2 SB, 8 BB, 28 K (23.9%)

In his first at-bat since being named a CCBL All-Star, Aiva Arquette crushes a ball deep to right center field, skipping over the wall for a ground rule double.

🎙️@AndrewSelover pic.twitter.com/3lk0emNDe6
— Chatham Anglers (@ChathamAnglers) July 20, 2024

Switz’s Notes: Last time before publishing the first Cape article, I went back and forth if I wanted to add Arquette. However, I wanted to keep a five-prospect structure to my article series and omitted him. Nevertheless, he easily could've been added to the "Best of the Best" as he grabbed the eyes of anyone who attended Chatham games over the summer, from his 6 '4 size at short to his ability to make an impact on nearly every play, which led to an easy All-Star selection in the middle of July that was rightfully deserved.

When evaluating draft prospects and heading into each July, I love it when the industry has the ability to highlight an individual coming out of the island(s) of Hawaii as they rightly deserve more recognition and a spotlight that doesn't come their way. This is the same case for a guy like Arquette, who came off the island as a toolsy prospect and now is making a name for himself on the West Coast after a robust performance this summer that grabbed the attention of all college baseball and headlined many transfer portal big boards. This ushers him with the ability and potential argument to be the best college position player in next year's draft and even the highest Hawaiian ever drafted during the annual Rule 4 Draft in MLB history.

Arquette manned the middle of the order during his tenure with Washington before jumping to Oregon State and played second base for the Huskies. While he excelled up the middle at second, over the summer, he proved that moving forward he should be on the left side of the dirt as he was one of the best defensive shortstops seen by scouts over the summer on the Cape. Many scouts, evaluators, and talking baseball heads on the internet go back and forth with where Arquette’s long-term position is at the pro level: whether he stays at short or moves over to third base to match his lengthy size and arm strength. Which I do agree that either third base or even right field would match his profile better. However, he showed me enough over the summer that he could play shortstop and would take an elite SS defender to move him off the position for me to relocate him on the diamond.

When seeing these talks about Arquette moving to the corner or even the outfield, it gives me flashback vibes when they told Carlos Correa coming out of high school and even Troy Tulowitzki coming out of Long Beach that due to the length at the six-hole, they would not be able to play shortstop at the next level. However, even as tall players for the position, they showed their athleticism and defensive prowess to stay up the middle at shortstop and evolve into a cornerstone franchise player at the premium position, a pattern Arquette could follow.

Aiva Arquette backhands a sizzling ground ball and delivers a jump throw from the outfield grass to end the top of the third inning.

🎙️@AndrewSelover pic.twitter.com/5VmiPhtyfI
— Chatham Anglers (@ChathamAnglers) July 27, 2024

Outside of displaying his abilities on the dirt, Arquette also balled out with the bat and showed that he can impact the game in many ways regardless of how the coach constructs their lineup by exhibiting RBI producer traits and XBHs at the dish (In 22 games generated 45 total bases and 21 RBIs which was T12 in the league). Further, a standout tool that sells me on Arquette for the next level is a data drop highlighted and outlined by former Prospects Live Analyst Joe Doyle below of Aiva's ability to hit the ball hard in the zone consistently within the same past precedence as many top draft selections and prospects have. This trait of Arquette's was very apparent on the Cape, and he further displayed a unique skill from over the spring: hardly chasing and whiffing in the zone. In my opinion, these traits are substantial reasons for the helium that you will see out of Arquette in the next calendar year going into the 2025 draft. If he has a monster 2025 where he can consistently lift the ball more and see further development within his raw pop, he can become a top 10 selection in July.

As we look forward toward the 2025 Draft, here are three hitters who excel at hitting the ball a lot and hitting the ball hard a LOT. Usually a very good predictor of Draft value.@AivaArquette @_henryford_9 @TrePhelps1 pic.twitter.com/6S6MfY8CjM
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) August 26, 2024

Additionally, Arquette has a true gift on the diamond and plays the game uniquely, so it is hard to give him a true MLB comp. He plays very lanky and athletic, which makes me want to compare him to the Cruz's in the NL Central; however, they are true unicorns of the game with far better tools and athleticism than Arquette. At times, he gives Brandon Crawford-like vibes at SS, with his defense standing out, but I believe Arquette's power potential and offensive production will surpass Crawford when he truly develops on his raw power. So, for the readers, the best MLB comp I can give Arquette that I have thought of is him developing into a Troy Tulowizki-like dude, as I mentioned multiple times in my report. Two dudes that coming out of the draft, have an MLB-ready body and have all the tools that will be close to big league-ready when drafted (Tulo came up 14 months after he was drafted, and I can see Arquette following the same path if he has a monster spring as everything seems to come to him quickly within the game of baseball). Both are good defenders with a sound internal clock and the game doesn't get too fast for them. However, despite their good athleticism on the dirt and strong arm, they will likely be labeled offensive SS at the next level due to their RBI production and HR potential.

Aiva Arquette with a leadoff single to start the second for the Chatham Anglers. Aggressive approach at the plate, jumped on the first FB he saw and good extension through the swing @ChathamAnglers @UW_Baseball #PGCape pic.twitter.com/QRK0soedrr
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) June 25, 2024

Overall, the Hawaiian sold me on the product he is selling, which has upside bat-to-ball skills with all field contact, emerging robust pop, and defense/athleticism to stay at the premium six on the diamond. Not to sound like a true homer on the guy, but he is currently number one on my preferred list and 2025 draft big board going into fall ball and displays to me potential five-tool and annual All-Star upside. The sky's the limit for this dude and going into a draft where there seems to be lots of swing-and-miss in many draft profiles, I would bet on his in-zone contact, bat-to-ball skills, and athleticism over anyone else if I were an amateur scouting director. He should be an exciting draft prospect for the 2025 draft for us to watch next spring and follow moving forward.

| OF/INF RJ Austin | Vanderbilt | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .321/.361/.536 (.896), 6 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 10 R, 6 SB, 3 BB, 12 K (19.3%)

*Played in only 15 contests

Sneak Peek👀 @RjAustin14 HR! pic.twitter.com/l0xD6P0xcV
— Summerball: Cape Cod (@summerballtv) July 16, 2024

RJ Austin (@VandyBoys) ROBS a home run ❌❌

🎙️: @lukewestpoley pic.twitter.com/PcGT1sk23v
— Y-D Red Sox (@YD_RedSox) July 20, 2024

Switz’s Notes: Austin was a late arrival on the Cape this summer after starting his summer campaign with Team USA in Cary. However, the former big-time prep star who passed on the opportunity of getting his name called in 2022 to go to Vandy made some noise over the summer by showing his athleticism more than the first base landlock that he was given over the spring and further displaying more soundness in his bat by hitting over .300, spraying hard contact everywhere. Anyone who watches Austin play sees the tools and high baseball IQ upside that he brings to the table for a pro team if selected. During the summer, Austin even showed some of his developing pop in his game with triple-digit EVs for XBHs. He even exhibited pull-side power to touch all the bases periodically in the summer without needing the turbo footspeed he provides. After back-to-back years on the Cape, exhibiting quality results with the wood, further indicates that outside of getting one of the best athletes in the draft, he has a quality hit tool that appears to get discounted at times. Austin further proved outside chatter wrong on the substantial question mark he had coming out of high school regarding his hitting/contact abilities.

RJ Austin is such a dynamic player, has carried a strong spring at @VandyBoys over to the summer for @YD_RedSox, standout athlete, 5-tool upside, obvious bat + foot speed, premium 2025 #MLBDraft prospect

Watch him turn on the jets after ripping this ball down the LF line ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/wiqA2YJ0At
— Patrick Ebert (@PatrickEbert44) July 16, 2024

In the box, since coming to Vandy, he has changed his approach and has consistently tinkered with many things during ABs. The first thing that usually stands out within Austin is that he added more uphillness in his swing to tap into more XBH and HR pop. He’s also shuffled around, incorporating bigger leg kicks for better timing, lowering his hands, being a little more open, taking bigger strides, etc. He has shown the desire to improve his game and become the best version of himself at the plate possible and uses his time on the Cape to practice these in live AB settings. Seeing these things come together matched with his player profile and work ethic; this clicked the idea in my head of his player comp being similar to Ketel Marte (I know he is a switch-hitter; however, he didn’t hit double-digit HRs until he made changes to his swings) as he was a dude that went down the same path of a toolsy athlete, always looking to hit, and flashes the leather on occasion that makes being on the field for defense look easy. However, to be a more desirable and well-rounded ballplayer, they needed to tap more into their pop and produce HRs, which Marte did and has become a cornerstone player for Arizona.

“THIS IS DRILLED” 🧨🧨

RJ Austin (@VandyBoys) with a HOME RUN

Score after the first inning:
Y-D: 1
Cotuit: 1

🎙️: @lukewestpoley pic.twitter.com/E4wwlTBJFB
— Y-D Red Sox (@YD_RedSox) July 15, 2024

Many of you may be asking and reading all this word salad, "ok why are you bringing this up?". I bring this to the limelight because after watching RJ's game over the summer and getting an eye on his metrics, it seems like Austin is getting towards the end of the road with his tinkering needed to be able to produce the necessary pop that Marte needed to break out at a young age as Austin is learning to simplify it down more at the plate, trust his core rotation, and getting more out of his energy from his back hip to drive the baseball deeper than before. With everything that Austin has worked on over the last two years with the Red Sox on the Cape and back in Nashville, and to quote that annoying Costco guy from TikTok, I think we are going to see either a big "boom or doom" season for Austin in a similar light as Mike Sirtoa in the 2023-2024 calendar where it is a strong contact numbers hitter with toolsy traits and athleticism that is trying to maximize themselves as a ballplayer for the next level by tinkering at the plate to see if they can summon more pop and HR production into their game. For Sirota, it didn't work out during the spring before the draft, and he fell from a potential top-15 player in the draft to the third round. I like Austin's chances a lot more than Sirota's due to his metrics and mechanics at the plate, which align more for the long ball than Sirota's, as he displayed more line drive pop than uphill-ness for the long ball.

THE RJ AUSTIN SHOW 🧨

Austin (@VandyBoys) with a HOME RUN to tie up the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Y-D: 7
Falmouth: 7

🎙️: @benstrobermedia pic.twitter.com/ht6sTrl5Y6
— Y-D Red Sox (@YD_RedSox) July 20, 2024

Overall, going into this spring and next year's draft, Austin is going to be a violent, high-risk, and high-reward prospect that is hard for anyone to project for July. Since he was an HS prospect, Austin has always had the speed, athleticism, competitive instinct, and makeup for the next level. However, it was always about projecting what the hit tool and future value of the bat can provide. For Austin, after two years in college and on the Cape, it can be shown that he has the contact tool for the next level and the ingredients to be an everyday start for the pro level. However, the ability to tap into his HR pop within his elevation approach will be a deciding factor for his longevity in professional baseball. A strong spring that shows the pop that I expect should place him somewhere within that first round with college arms, last-minute helium guys, and the HS crop possibly passing him up. If he produces a season where the pop isn't made and doesn't align with the hard contact displayed over the 2024 calendar year, then a fall into early day two is possible like it did for Mike Sirota. Regardless of how the pop plays out, Austin has substantial contact tools for the next level and should hold his own even during this launch angle era baseball is currently in.

| 3B Trent Caraway | Oregon St. | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .276/.362/.449 (.811), 5 2B, 4 HR, 21 RBI, 17 R, 5 SB, 13 BB, 21 K (18.1%)

CARAWAY CRUISER🔥 for a solo HR🙌

T3 | FAL 5 - WAR 3 #rolldores @TrentCaraway @BeaverBaseball pic.twitter.com/OwwUndEgKr
— Falmouth Commodores (@FalCommodores) August 4, 2024

Switz’s Notes: Another Beaver from Oregon St makes this list of top performers from the summer on the Cape. Rewinding to the 2023 season, Caraway was one of the big surprises from that prep class who decided to take his talents to college over being selected in the draft (even with his mature athletic traits and advances in the box). He was a prospect and incoming freshman that many in the Pac-12 were excited to see play over the spring; however, his season was shortened to 18 games due to an injury with a broken finger. During his time over the spring and summer, he showed flashes with the bat by consistently producing hard contact and video game-like exit velocities. However, the ability to deliver these hard contact hits into HRs and XBHs is where he needs to pick up his game with little results so far and show more production versus movement outside of having the ability to bang FBs all over the park when pitched middle-middle. A consistent issue seen over his time on the Cape was him falling into being a victim of GDP (ground into double plays) due to his undesirable knack of hitting ground balls and not getting enough loft on the ball when hitting spin (an issue that carried over from the spring into his time with Falmouth).

Due to these tendencies, many teams picked this up in their advanced scouting reports in the league and started to pitch more spin and movement when he was at the dish down the stretch this summer. Even returning to his short stint in the spring, he produced a nasty 53% groundball rate. Over the summer, I believe he toiled on this issue and emphasized ironing out these issues seen in spring 2024 and minimizing them going into spring 2025 by displaying more line drive contact later on the Cape season. The issue I would like to see more from him in the spring is the ability to hit spin and give the Beaver fans what they want and for him to be productive.

Trent Caraway with an RBI single to open scoring!😎

T1 | FAL 1 - WAR 0 #rolldores @TrentCaraway @BeaverBaseball pic.twitter.com/AzMlMmIIG0
— Falmouth Commodores (@FalCommodores) August 4, 2024

Regardless, I believe he has the tools and ability to turn all this around and take his rough 2024 baseball campaign and flip it 180 degrees in 2025, as before the injury struck him, he was a force to be reckoned with at the plate and was a front runner to be Freshman of the Year in his conference. Further, I see him getting some minor stuff worked out in the box where he can tap into the power for production more often and become a powerful home run hitter. He has smooth and fluid operation in the box, which I love in his game, and he has very polished movements and mechanics.

Liftoff for Trent Caraway with this two run 💣. Shows effortless pop off the barrel to send this HR deep to left and continues to flash some of the biggest power on the Cape @FalCommodores @BeaverBaseball #PGCape pic.twitter.com/cBx42q3YA2
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) July 17, 2024

On the defensive side of the ball, he did show some struggles with Falmouth on the left side of the dirt, which even led to the point that he got benched for a game for his mistakes. At the pro level and the end of the road for Caraway, I think teams will have him match the power profile he delivers and move to 1st base with him putting more emphasis and energy into his offensive side of the ball. With him being a former high school prospect who was highly desired coming out of school, I think the floor is high for him going into the draft. A good season at the dish could skyrocket him into the first half of Day 1. However, I do not see him falling out of the top 50 - 60 unless some significant red flags or college influence motivates him to stay (cough….cough…NIL). A healthy Caraway next spring should be an exciting show to watch, and I believe that with the potent lineup that the Beavers will have, he should be able to carve a significant role at the plate with many RBI-producing opportunities and be a highly talked-about name in scouting circles.

| OF Brandon Compton | Arizona St. | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .331/.414/.489 (.903), 3 2B, 6 HR, 30 RBI, 26 R, 2 SB, 21 BB, 26K (16.6%)

Sweetness pic.twitter.com/APjYwZNprr
— Cotuit Kettleers (@CotuitKettleers) July 23, 2024

Switz’s Notes: If you ask who took the opportunity to grab the "brass rings" during the 2023 - 2024 college baseball calendar, many would answer Charlie Condon, Hagen Smith; some might answer Braden Montgomery or even Christian Moore. However, I would answer with Brandon Compton!

Compton was an under-the-radar two-way prospect who worked his way to Tempe over the summer of 2022 with the Sun Devils coaching staff with big expectations for him even with being ranked outside of the top 300 on PBR and not even given a grade on Perfect game as the coaching staff saw something in his game. Compton missed his true freshman season in 2023 after undergoing Tommy John Surgery, which regulated him to being a bat-only profile. Thus, he came back into the fold for the Sun Devils in the last year of the traditional Pac-12 conference and blew the doors off the competition at the dish, leading him to take the Pac-12 Conference Freshman of the Year award as a redshirt. After a strong spring for ASU, he continued his monster 2024 campaign by being a consistent offensive key for the Kettleers this summer, producing an impressive slash line of .331/.414/.489 and creating his own spotlight within the Cotuit lineup with eventual first-round talent Devin Taylor. Compton did have the opportunity last summer to get some reps within the Northwoods League. There, he first displayed that his bat isn't a joke with the wood by hammering .320/.423/.563 with 21 long balls and 71 RBIs (maybe one of the best productive seasons you may ever find from a college summer ball player).

Brandon Compton sends one STRAIGHT OUTTA HERE

The @ASU_Baseball star gets us back in the game

EV: 102 mph
📏 415 ft

Bot 8
Y-D 9
Cotuit 6#HeyCotuit pic.twitter.com/jDdcXQNdC0
— Cotuit Kettleers (@CotuitKettleers) June 18, 2024

However, even with the impressive resume in the last calendar year, during his time on the Cape, and even going into next spring, Compton has some stuff to clean up offensively to remain a coveted prospect and continue the hype he has created in his 2024 breakout. First, he strikes out way too much (near a 25% clip) and needs to get that down (as most of his K's come from whiffs and chase on movement/offspeed). On the Cape, he helped himself by only striking out 16.5% in a small summer sample size, but he still has that chip on his shoulder from scouts that he needs to prove more versus movement. Which I get from a scout's perspective that with Compton only really providing an offensive profile with him being an underwhelming defender; they really need to make sure (some would add the pun and say "hit it out of the park") that the offensive profile will play for the next level. Next, having the ability to draw walks is a key ability that Compton needs to improve on after producing a BB rate of 10.8% last spring and roughly 13.3% on the Cape. When you go back and look at some of the best hitters coming out of college and getting selected early on Day 1 of the draft, most, if not all, have the ability to draw walks; a surge in this department next spring will boost his stock and value for next July.

Brandon Compton launches a 2R HR to right field. Strong and smooth swing and showing tons of easy power in his game. @CotuitKettleers @ASU_Baseball #PGCape pic.twitter.com/p5YQ2EjIeg
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) August 10, 2024

Over on Baseball America, former Prospects Live analyst and founder Geoff Pontes made a great comparison between Brandon Compton and recent first-round draft pick James Tibbs III, which is a great comp to have on the Sun Devil prospect currently. Many evaluators and scouts projected Tibbs mainly as an offensive profile player in college. Similarly, he had below-average defense, some swing-and-miss within his younger years (needed to lower his K%), and needed to display a boost in his walk rates to get his respectable draft stock up.

You can put it on the boooooooard… Yes!

Brandon Compton (@ASU_Baseball) absolutely turns on a breaking ball to put us in the run column.

EV: 95 mph
📏 409 ft

Bot 3
Bourne 7
Cotuit 1 pic.twitter.com/2roiF6xdvi
— Cotuit Kettleers (@CotuitKettleers) August 4, 2024

Thus, going into his draft-eligible season, Tibbs went to work. During his junior year at FSU and during his time within the Cape for Brewster the summer prior, he continued to impress with his contact tools and loud power potential, and it showed statistically. Coming off his freshman season into his upperclass years, he steadily climbed in home runs, WRC+, OPS, and batting average to finish his three-year college career. Tibbs ended college, lowering his K% to roughly 10% and boosting a respectable 18% BB rate to be selected in the first round.

Brandon Compton continues to show great speed through the swing here, lines another one up for a single and stays inside it well @CotuitKettleers @ASU_Baseball #PGCape pic.twitter.com/ebGNSJDvPl
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) August 4, 2024

Granted, Tibbs did this in three years at FSU, and Compton just came off his first year of college ball healthy. However, for Compton to garner that first-round status that Tibbs achieved going into his first draft-eligible college season, he will need to build off his freshman year and grow/develop further as a hitter Tibbs did. The helium is there for Compton, who is no longer in the shadows as an unknown hitter. The attention is now on him, and if he wants to get his name called on Day 1 next July, he will need to iron out his weakness and provide a substantial offensive performance next spring. As of right now, I like him within the latter half of the top 100 prospects when you factor in the HS dudes and I presently see him as an early day two prospect within the second or third round (picks if selected, may be too tempting for him to pass regarding the offered pool even with another two years of eligibility remaining).

| C Easton Carmichael | Oklahoma | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .299/.372/.496 (.868), 10 2B, 5 HR, 23 RBI, 22 R, 6 SB,13 BB, 26K (17.8%)

Starting off strong 🔥🔥

Easton Carmichael (@OU_Baseball) with a 3-run home run to start off tonight’s game at Veteran’s Field.

Y-D: 3
Chatham: 0

🎥: @ChathamAnglers pic.twitter.com/AmxzG0oyY1
— Y-D Red Sox (@YD_RedSox) July 26, 2024

Switz’s Notes: An emerging offensive star out of Oklahoma who bears a keen eye and impressive ability to make contact to all fields at the plate. Carmichael carried that success from back-to-back springs in the Big-12 onto the Cape this summer and continued to display his bat-to-ball skills in front of MLB scouts. I believe the bat can play for the next level, and it is the best tool at his disposal. It should translate to solid contact and batting average production in the pros. He’s improved as a hitter every spring by lowering his K% and gradually improving the free passes. The Cape gave him a different feel and level of competition this summer, yet he held his own. However, there really isn’t any future value regarding the power and home run department in his profile, which hurts him in many phases of the game (especially with him making a possible move to 1st base) and looks to be more of a hard contact doubles hitter that could sneak some pop over the wall in smaller ballparks. Advanced metrics and analytical teams that value ballpark factors in their amateur evaluation and roster construction process may roll the dice of putting him in the lineup and trusting he can muster the pop needed for run production (similar to how the Reds implemented Kyle Farmer in their infielder with his hard contact abilities and RBI producing upside. An example I used in my report of giving him a Kyle Farmer power comp.).

Easton Carmichael with the first of his two doubles this evening. The sophomore, playing DH for the Y-D Red Sox tonight, keeps his hands inside this down and in pitch and shows off his powerful swing to send this ball deep to CF for two bases @YD_RedSox @OU_Baseball #PGCape pic.twitter.com/oD2KAIzb74
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) June 21, 2024

5. Easton Carmichael@3aston_11 @OU_Baseball @YD_RedSox pic.twitter.com/FyV7koS7Q2
— Quinn Booth (@QuinnmBooth) August 26, 2024

That said, Carmichael needs to make further strides behind the dish to become a better catcher for the next level and match his bat profile. When watching Carmichael, he is proficient at the advanced traits and skills behind the dish teams desire (framing and blocking) and shows some strain in the fundamental level tasks (arm strength and receiving). I do believe there's time for him to be able to fix these issues, as we have seen other household college catchers who have gone pro having the same issues (Ex. Zach Collins, 1st round White Sox 2016). Thus, it gives me the feeling that if he goes to a team that has a strong player development and catching development program, he can develop into being a catcher at the major league level that had athletic traits but some warts in their game behind the dish like the example from my report of Lucroy, coming out of the draft and through development.

EASTON CARMICHAEL (@OU_Baseball) WITH THE GAME-TYING HOME RUN IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH ⚾️

🎙️: @benstrobermedia pic.twitter.com/Zs01jvWwDU
— Y-D Red Sox (@YD_RedSox) July 11, 2024

The only red flag in Carmichael's game going into the spring that worries me that he cannot control is where he is played when the lineup card is turned in and is a point of emphasis during fall ball that will control his destiny for the spring. Over the summer for YD, in most of the games I saw with Carmichael, he was either chicken scratched in at DH or first base for the Red Sox. Last spring, Oklahoma used him primarily as a DH in their lineup down the stretch (roughly 64% of contests in the 2024 spring) due to his inability to control the running game and weaker arm strength. If college and summer ball coaches are already emphasizing moving him off catcher for the next level, it doesn't give a good sign of confidence that scouts and minor league staff will give him a chance behind the dish. Nonetheless, suppose Carmichael takes the reins in fall ball to establish himself as "the catcher" for the Sooners in 2025. In that case, he has a decent shot at staying behind the dish for the early beginnings of his pro-level career (especially with this next year's catching class looking more top-heavy than depth). If Carmichael creates mystery, loses the battle, or creates platoon work behind the dish for 2025 and gets regulated back to DH/1B duties. Then, it wouldn't give strong signs for him going into next year's draft without some further power established in his game.

Next time I’ll have full reports and notes on some of the guys that grabbed my eye over the summer on the Cape that little are talking about.

Prospects Live Staff

June 29, 2024

2025 MLB Draft, MLB Draft

2025 MLB Draft: Top 30 Collegiate Prospects

Prospects Live Staff

June 29, 2024

2025 MLB Draft, MLB Draft

With the overlapping of draft class occurring this summer, it’s only right that we begin to introduce our 2025 lists as the summer circuit is ramping up. Today, we’ll release our initial Top 30 College list and for the readers, it’s open to the public! As the summer progresses and we get more looks, we’ll expand this list (and our Top 30 Prep list) to 50 players in a system similar to how we navigated the 2024 cycle.

We’ve gotten some eyes on the 2025 class already and it’s mostly comparable to the 2024 class as a whole. Jace LaViolette, a huge thumper out of Texas A&M, leads the way, followed closely by a couple of other notable outfield prospects. There’s a few players on this list in the transfer portal and they are denoted properly in their reports. As we get a better grip on understanding this class, expect plenty of changes in due time.

1. of jace laviolette, texas A&M

height: 6’6

Weight: 230

b/t: L/L

Draft Day age: 21 yr 7 mo

hometown: Katy, TX

At 6'6, 230 pounds, LaViolette is an extremely physical left-handed bat with some of the most robust power in the entire country. LaViolette has already cranked 50 home runs in his collegiate career and he may end up amongst the likes of Eddy Furniss and Frank Fazzini on the all-time list in the NCAA ranks. It's a controlled, yet violent, left-handed swing with a ton of bat speed and an optimal bat path for doing damage, as he's a legitimate all-fields power threat and has cleared the 115 MPH exit velocity threshold in 2024. His hips clear out quickly, allowing him to get leverage in his swing and do significant damage. The plate discipline is also solid, as he rarely expands the zone and has a knack for racking up the walks. Yes, strikeouts are part of his game, but he's got time to polish up the bat-to-ball skills. Despite his size, he moves quickly on the basepaths and in the field. He's manned center field for the Aggies in 2024, though a move to a corner outfield position is likely in the near future.

2. OF Cam Cannarella, Clemson

height: 6’0

weight: 180

b/t: L/r

draft day age: 21 yr 10 mo

hometown: Hartsville, sc

Cannarella stepped onto campus as an infielder, but a road block in the Clemson infield gave him an opportunity in center field that he has not relinquished. A gamer in every sense of the word, Cannarella is a dangerous hitter with some of the best contact skills in the entire country. It's a lovely left-handed swing built more for line drives right now, but he's shown flashes of raw power to the gaps and to his pull-side. He did become a bit more aggressive in 2024 compared to 2023, but he has quality barrel control and shows patience, drawing walks aplenty. He's got above-average speed, though he didn't flash it a ton on the bases due to an injury this year. However, that speed translates to center field, where he has excellent route-running and quality defensive chops. Expect Cannarella to go high in this draft.

3. OF Devin Taylor, Indiana

height: 6’1

weight: 215

b/t: L/R

draft day age: 21 yr 6 mo

hometown: Cincinnati, OH

A physical left-handed bat, Taylor is a legitimate power threat with burgeoning raw juice and he lets his quality athleticism play on the field. He built upon a stellar freshman campaign at Indiana with a .357/.449/.660 slash line and blasting twenty home runs, the first Hoosier to do so since Alex Dickerson smacked twenty-four in 2010. His swing features substantial bat speed and he'll deposit the baseball to both sides of the field, utilizing the opposite field more in 2024. He's already displayed exit velocities touching the 110 MPH barrier, as well. He does expand the zone a bit, but there's little warts to his contact skills and he draws a copious amount of walks. He'll likely get a chance to man center in a bigger capacity in 2025, though given his average speed and route-running, he may be a better fit in left long term. It's hard not to like this profile.

4. C Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina

height: 5’10

weight: 197

b/t: s/R

draft day age: 21 yr 7 mo

hometown: Haddon Heights, NJ

A switch-hitting catcher out of New Jersey, Bodine has been one of the best pure hitters in college baseball. Bodine's barrel awareness and bat-to-ball skills are top of the charts from both sides of the plate, as he ran a contact rate of 89% in 2024, including a 94% (!) in-zone contact rate. He has quick hands from both sides and will prioritize an all-fields approach, rarely selling out for power. His power likely grades out more as fringe-average to average, though he'll run into a home run every once in a while. He has the prototypical size for a backstop and has impressed in his time on campus. It's a solid throwing arm with improving blocking skills and he has athletic movements behind the plate. Most believe he'll stick back there long term as a result.

5. RHP Tyler Bremner, UC Santa Barbara

height: 6’2

weight: 180

b/t: r/R

draft day age: 21 yr 2 mo

hometown: san diego, CA

Highly projectable, super athletic, burgeoning stuff. That's the menu for Bremner, who turned in a stellar sophomore campaign in the Big West, striking out 104 batters and walking just 21 in 88.2 innings. His stuff took a big jump during the pre-season, with his fastball sitting in the mid-90s with significant carry up in the zone. He should be throwing in the upper-90s more consistently in due time, as he’s already touched 98 MPH this summer. His slider took a huge step forward after struggling his freshman year, jumping into the mid-80s consistently with late bite and sweep. The change-up is unique with high spin traits, though he shows a ton of confidence in the pitch and it dives hard to the dirt in the low-80s, acting almost like a screwball. It projects as a double-plus offering. Let’s not forget that Bremner commands the zone really well. There’s potential for three above-average or better pitches with above-average command. He’s our SP1 right now for that reason.

6. LHP Jamie Arnold, Florida State

height: 6’1

weight: 191

b/t: l/l

draft day age: 21 yr 3 mo

hometown: Tampa, fl

After a rough freshman campaign in Tallahassee, Arnold exploded onto the draft scene in 2024, striking out 159 batters in 105.2 innings to the tune of a 2.98 ERA. Arnold generates a ton of scap retraction in his delivery, but he's on time with his arm and he creates a tough angle to the plate with a slingy release. His fastball rarely cracked 90 MPH in 2023, but he's now into the mid-90s with a very low release height and a flat approach angle that has allowed the heater to miss bats aplenty. His mid-80s slider can be downright diabolical, flashing late bite and sweep. It tunnels well off the heater and he's shown an ability to backfoot it to righties consistently. His change-up lags behind the one-two punch, thrown roughly 4% of the time in 2024 with slight fading life and will need more development in 2025. He'll need more of a tertiary offering to keep hitters off the FB/SL, but the whole package screams starter. He’ll be wildly popular in 2025.

7. c Ike Irish, Auburn

height: 6’2

weight: 203

b/t: l/R

draft day age: 21 yr 7 mo

hometown: Hudsonville, MI

One of the most decorated recruits to make it to campus after the 2022 draft, Irish has cemented himself as one of the best SEC hitters in two years since. Irish has a beautiful left-handed swing that's direct to the baseball with quick hands and loud bat speed. He's begun to pull the baseball more in 2024 after displaying more of a gap-to-gap approach in 2023, tapping more into robust raw power. He does swing at a high rate, meaning his walk rate isn't too high, but he doesn't strike out a ton, either. Defensively, he's shown a loud arm behind the plate and has improved on his blocking skills. He'll see more time back there in the future and he could man first base or a corner outfield spot, too. It's a bat-first profile with a ton like offensively.

8. OF Gavin Turley, oregon State

height: 6’1

weight: 185

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 21 yr 8 mo

hometown: Chandler, AZ

One of the toolsiest players in the entire class, Turley is an impressive athlete with a ton of power at his disposal. It's extremely loud bat speed and pull-side juice with leverage and loft, tapping into it easily in-game already. His hips open explosively thanks to his twitchy nature, which allows him to possess these kind of tools at the plate. With that said, he's struggled with contact in Corvallis and while the contact improved slightly in 2024, strikeouts are a huge concern in his game and he'll need to polish up the bat-to-ball skills. Turley is a very strong runner and displays a cannon right arm in the outfield, which will allow him to handle right field at the next level. If Turley hits in 2025, he'll be one of the first names off the board.

9. RHP Matt Scott, Stanford

height: 6’7

weight: 247

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 21 yr 6 mo

hometown: Redding, CT

A walking mountain of a human being, Scott is an uber-physical right-hander that traveled across the country to attend Stanford. There's not a ton of warts in his mechanics. They're loose and easy, showcasing quality body control for his size, and there's little effort overall. The fastball jumped in velocity over the off-season, topping out at 98 MPH and sitting consistently in the mid-90s. The pitch possesses insane carry on the top rail, averaging above 20 inches of vertical movement. He does have a steeper angle to the plate due to his high release, but the pitch still misses bats at a high rate. His primary secondary is a cutter-esque slider in the upper-80s with two-plane break and late bite. He'll tinker with a splitter, as well, which has graded out well. His command comes and goes, but one would expect him to grow into more of it given the mechanics.

10. 1b/3b henry ford, virginia

height: 6’5

weight: 220

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 20 yr 11 mo

hometown: Charlottesville, va

A draft-eligible sophomore, Ford is built much like an automobile mechanic. He's extremely physical with plenty of strength throughout his frame and he's a solid athlete despite his size. Ford has quality barrel control and has a ton of bat speed and loft, allowing him to tap into legitimate plus power in-game. He stays short and direct to the baseball and doesn't have a ton of swing-and-miss to his game, either. He's a first baseman right now given how deep Virginia is offensively, but his athleticism is good enough to get a shot to work at third base in the future. He's got the range and footwork necessary to make it happen, as well as a strong arm. He'll be an exciting prospect to watch next spring.

11. OF Brendan Summerhill, arizona

height: 6’3

weight: 195

b/t: L/R

draft day age: 21 yr 8 mo

hometown: Chicago, il

Summerhill is a long, lanky specimen that saw one of the biggest jumps in production in this class. As a freshman, Summerhill struggled to make consistent contact and had a whiff rate of 30%. He slashed that number by over half in 2024, finding a more consistent bat path and whiffing at just a 14% rate in 2024. Summerhill's bat speed and loft are noticeable at first glance, pulling the ball in the air consistently and flashing above-average exit velocities. He's held his own against heat upstairs and spin, too. There's a lot to like with his offensive profile and he is in line for a monster 2025 campaign. In the field, he profiles as a future average runner with added muscle and with his strong arm, he's likely destined for right field.

12. 1b/of Nolan Schubart, oklahoma State

height: 6’5

weight: 233

b/t: L/R

draft day age: 21 yr 2 mo

hometown: Durand, mi

A lanky, physical specimen from Michigan, Schubart has blasted the cover off the baseball in his two years in Stillwater. He has prodigious power from the left-hand side of the plate with a beautiful swing with great leverage and natural loft. He stays inside the baseball and will pummel it to all fields, eclipsing the 110 MPH exit velocity barrier regularly. He doesn't expand the zone often, chasing at a minute rate of 21%, but there's contact questions to be answered due to a hefty whiff rate. He'll need to polish up the pure contact skills this summer, but the power is the pure selling point. On the defensive side, Schubart has spent time in left field, though given the body and speed, he's likely destined for first base.

13. ss marek houston, wake forest

height: 6’3

weight: 185

b/t: r/R

draft day age: 21 yr 2 mo

hometown: Nokomis, fl

Houston turned a corner in 2024, becoming one of the most improved bats in the entire class. After enduring some struggles as a freshman, Houston became a leadoff sparkplug for Wake Forest, slashing .326/.434/.516 and recording more walks than strikeouts. His plate discipline is pristine and features little warts. He has some of the best contact rates in the class and he stays inside the zone, slapping the ball to the all fields. He'll utilize his fantastic speed on the basepaths, as well, as he's recorded times to first base around 4.15 seconds. He's a surefire shortstop at the next level, as well. He has a great internal clock with excellent range and motions, as well as a strong arm. If there's one complaint, it's his 30-grade power, though with added weight, he may be able to get to 40-grade juice.

14. LHP Shane Sdao, Texas A&M

height: 6’2

weight: 170

b/t: L/L

draft day age: 21 yr 9 mo

hometown: Montgomery, TX

An uber-projectable southpaw, Sdao turned heads in a loud sophomore campaign that has seen him split time between the bullpen and the rotation. Sdao's arm speed really stands out at first glance, maintaining it with all three of his pitches and working quickly down the bump with some deception. The fastball has solid carry up in the zone with some slight cut, working primarily in the low-90s, though Sdao has reared back for 96 MPH on occasion. The low-80s sweepy slider is the best secondary and got whiffs at a 44% clip in 2024. There's some lift in the pitch shape and he's shown an ability to backfoot the pitch to righties. He turns over a quality mid-80s cambio, as well. The expectation is that Sdao will be a starter in 2025 and he's due for an uptick in stuff with added mass to his frame.

15. RHP Gabe Davis, Oklahoma State

height: 6’9

weight: 225

b/t: R/r

draft day age: 21 yr 8 mo

hometown: Choctaw, ok

At 6'9, 225 pounds, Davis is a behemoth of a human being and provides an interesting look on the mound. He's uber-projectable and controls his body rather well for his size, though there's still some kinks to work out with his delivery. He’s a bit stiff moving down the mound, but his wide angle to the plate generates difficult at-bats for hitters. After having a release height under six feet in 2023, Davis raised his release by half a foot, which hampered the fastball whiff rates a bit. With that said, he gets a ton of extension and sits in the mid-90s consistently, bumping 99 MPH at his peak. It's his cutter-esque slider that takes the headlines, though. It sits in the upper-80s and flashes tight shape and depth, becoming more of a cutter once it approaches 90 MPH. He's tinkered with a change-up and a bigger curveball, both sitting in the low-80s. Should the command turn the corner, Davis is in contention for being the best arm on the board.

16. OF Max Belyeu, Texas

height: 6’2

weight: 210

b/t: l/R

draft day age: 21 yr 6 mo

hometown: Aledo, tx

After having just twenty at-bats in 2023, Belyeu cemented himself as one of the better collegiate players in the 2025 class, slashing .329/.423/.667 in 59 games and earning Big 12 Player of the Year honors. He's got a physical frame with projection remaining and his barrel feel is amongst the best in the Big 12. He does chase a bit too much, but there's not a ton of swing-and-miss to his game and handles velocity and spin rather well. There's a bit of Kyle Tucker in his swing, as well. The power itself has stood out, too, as his 90th percentile EVs are in the upper echelon of college bats and he'll smash the ball to all fields. In the field, he's likely relegated to left field due to a subpar throwing arm and average speed.

17. INF Henry Godbout, Virginia

height: 6’2

weight: 190

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 21 yr 8 mo

hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Godbout has one of the most polished hit tools in the entire ACC. Godbout has little issues at the plate and hammers fastballs, only whiffing on them 5% of the time in 2024. He doesn't chase a ton and he'll grind out walks, though his power is nothing more than fringe-average at best. He's an excellent rotator and should grow into more power as he matures physically, though he does have a stiff lower half and will need to utilize it more in 2025. Defensively, Godbout has manned second base for Virginia, where he's been a sound defender with solid range and instincts. Given Griff O'Ferrall's departure this summer, Godbout will more than likely get reps at shortstop in 2025 for the Cavaliers.

18. RHP Cam Leiter, Florida State

height: 6’5

weight: 218

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 21 yr 5 mo

hometown: Bayville, NJ

The latest Leiter to work his way through the ranks, Cam transferred from UCF to Florida State and found immediate success in the rotation. While an injury cut his season short to just seven appearances, Leiter's stuff took a big jump forward under new coaching. Leiter's fastball has gotten up to 99 MPH and he'll hold mid-90s velocity deep into starts, missing bats thanks to a low release and elite extension despite modest shape. The upper-80's/low-90s slider is dynamic, flashing tight spin and late bite, while the low-80s curveball has a ton of depth and high spin. He'll tinker with a change-up to lefties, as well. Command is a work-in-progress, but given the easy operation and athleticism, he should grow into more strikes in due time. If healthy in 2025, Leiter has the chance to be the first arm off the board.

19. c luke stevenson, north carolina

height: 6’1

weight: 200

b/t: l/r

draft day age: 20 yr 11 mo

hometown: wake forest, NC

Stevenson was highly touted out of high school last summer, but he chose to uphold his commitment to North Carolina and it has paid dividends for the freshman. He's eligible as a sophomore due to his age in 2025 and he's in line to be one of the first backstops off the board. He's built like a stereotypical catcher with a stout lower half and present strength throughout his body. He's got explosive motions out of the crouch and handles the run game well, showcasing a strong arm and pop times to second have been clocked at 1.9-1.95 seconds. He's a standout receiver, as well. At the plate, Stevenson has shown off legitimate pull-side juice and has a keen eye at the plate, racking up walks aplenty. He has a heavy barrel through the zone and stays direct to the baseball, and while he's shown some struggles with off-speed pitches, finding a catcher with the feel to hit like Stevenson is hard.

20. 3b/of andrew fischer, Tennessee

height: 6’1

weight: 205

b/t: l/r

draft day age: 21 yr 1 mo

hometown: Manasquan, nj

After a fantastic freshman campaign at Duke, Fischer transferred to Ole Miss where he didn't skip a beat against better competition. He's a physical left-handed bat with a ton of juice in the bat, most notably to his pull-side. It's a violent swing with natural loft and bat speed, allowing Fischer to pull the ball in the air with dangerous intent. He does have a bit of bat-to-ball woes, namely struggling a bit with spin, but Fischer draws a copious amount of walks and gets the most out of the barrel. In the field, Fischer isn't the fleetest of foot, displaying some choppy footwork and limited range at third base, but he has a strong enough arm across the diamond to at least start his professional career there. Fischer will play for Tony Vitello in 2025 as either a third baseman or an outfielder.

21. UTL RJ Austin, Vanderbilt

height: 5’11

weight: 193

b/t: r/r

draft day age: 21 yr 6 mo

hometown: Atlanta, ga

One of the more decorated athletes to make it to campus after the 2022 draft, Austin is a gritty prospect that has become a bit more physical during his tenure in Nashville. He's been a bit positionless in 2024, playing a myriad of positions given the depth in Vanderbilt's lineup. With that said, he fits best in the dirt, though he can get some play in the outfield, too. At the plate, he's grown into his power and has average or better pop in the bat. All of the power plays to the pull-side, though he'll utilize the opposite field gap when able to. He's a high contact, moderate chase bat with a good eye at the plate, keeping strikeouts to a minimum. His twitch on both sides of the ball should continue to stand out as long as he doesn't outgrow the athleticism he has.

22. 3b tre phelps, georgia

height: 6’2

weight: 204

b/t: r/r

draft day age: 21 yr

hometown: Kennesaw, ga

A draft-eligible sophomore, Phelps pushed his way into the Georgia lineup with an impressive performance in a limited sample size, slashing .355/.442/.686 with ten home runs. Phelps has impressive bat speed and very quick hands, as well as generating leverage and loft in his swing. This allows him to tap into his raw power, which grades out as above-average to plus. He does have some issues with spin and will expand the zone often, but he kept the strikeouts to a minimum in 2024. As a defender, Phelps has the tools to stick at third base, as he possesses solid hands, range, and a strong arm across the diamond. If he moves off the hot corner, he'll pick up work in a corner outfield position.