Prospects Live Articles — Prospects Live

Perry Nadreau

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2025 MLB Draft Risers: Top prep hitters whose stock keeps rising

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This past summer was the most significant summer so far for the 2025 prep class. It served as one of their last chances to play against elite competition, get in front of scouts, and raise their draft stock as the focus shifts to the 2025 draft that’ll take place next summer. Some late risers always rush on the scene during the spring high school seasons, but at this point, we do generally have a solid understanding of this prep class as a whole. Here, we’ll be looking at some prep hitters that caught my attention and cemented themselves as top-of-the-class players this past summer.

Carson Brumbaugh, MIF/RHP, Uncommitted

Brumbaugh played in minimal events this summer due to an injury, but he took full advantage of his time on the diamond. He has a strong 6’2” 190lb frame with noticeable strength already present in the lower half. There’s a lot going on with the swing with a medium leg kick and active hands, but this doesn’t stop him from consistently getting the barrel to the ball. He shows an excellent feel at the plate with impressive barrel dexterity that allows him to cover all parts of the zone and impact the baseball with authority to all parts of the field. He comfortably possesses an above-average hit tool with present average raw power that could blossom into an above-average tool. In the field, he showed rhythmic feet and soft hands, indicating that he could handle the six spot at the highest level. In the one event that he did play, he was recovering from an arm injury and only played second base, but there is very real arm strength present here as well, as he was running it up into the mid-90s on the mound prior to this injury. Brumbaugh is an absolute toolshed with present, innate feel for the barrel who should continue to rise up boards as the 2025 draft creeps closer.

Eric Hines, OF/3B, Alabama recruit

Hines burst onto the scene this summer, most notably when he hit a ball 114mph during batting practice (!!) at the Perfect Game National Showcase. Standing at a physically imposing 6’3” 210lbs, Hines possesses top-of-the-scale raw power that can go toe to toe with anyone in this 2025 prep class. In the box, he sets up with a fairly neutral stance and a minimal, repeatable load. He presents his back foot to be slightly open and keeps most of his weight over his backside throughout the swing. This shifts the spine angle as he rotates through to ball strike and allows for a bat path geared to loft the baseball consistently. On top of this, he has impressive hand strength that he uses to create some electric bat speed. He can run into a bit of trouble in the box when he stays on his back leg too long, as this causes the barrel and bat path to come through the hitting zone at an approach angle that is too steep. This can cause pop-ups, rollovers, and swing and miss which Hines showed issues with at times throughout the summer. But, the physical tools are simply too much to ignore here, and when his swing is on and “balanced”, very few players can impact the baseball in the fashion that Hines can. In the field, Hines profiles as a corner outfielder as he’s shown average speed and a decent arm that should continue to progress. There’s certainly a chance that he ends up at first base due to the frame, but if he can stick in the outfield, his value will only be that much higher for organizations next summer.

Omar Serna, C/CIF, LSU recruit

Next up in a long line of high-level catching prospects to commit to Jay Johnson’s Tigers, Serna offers an elite set of tools on both sides of the ball. He put on an excellent performance at the Area Code games towards the end of the summer, going 4-9 with two home runs, a double, and a triple in gameplay. Serna utilizes his lower half well in the box, sinking into it as he begins his forward move. He uses a medium leg kick as a timing mechanism, and when everything is synched up, the swing is a thing of beauty. However, he can occasionally run into timing issues, especially against spin, when he gets his front foot down too early. This impacts the fluidity of the swing at times, but he has strong enough hands and enough bat speed to get off a competitive swing still when he is not on time. The bat path is geared for loft, and he has no issue getting the ball in the air with authority and consistency. Behind the plate, Serna has outlier athleticism and arm strength which give him, potentially, the best catch and throw skills in the 25 class of catchers. He’s shown the ability to handle high-level arms with solid receiving and blocking throughout the summer circuit. For me, this is a power over hit catcher that will provide plenty of value behind the plate defensively.

Ty Peeples, OF, UGA Recruit

In my opinion, Peeples is the best left-handed swing in the class. It’s a similar swing to that of Xavier Neyens, but much more controlled throughout. This summer, he showed an excellent ability to control the strike zone and not expand. Couple that with his propensity for getting his best swing off, and you have an extremely dangerous hitter with a high ceiling. He sets up in a reasonably neutral, taller stance before going into a medium leg kick as he begins his load. Peeples does a great job of controlling his forward move throughout the swing, which allows him to consistently get his best swing off and put the ball in play in the air. He showed above-average bat speed on the summer circuit with advanced hit and power tools to boot. It’s a enticing offensive skillset that should continue to get scouts’ attention as we work through the fall and spring. In the outfield, Peeples has solid speed and average arm strength. It’s a prototypical corner outfield profile, and as he continues to fill out his slim 6’2” 185lb frame, the arm strength and power outputs should keep improving.

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Nine Standouts from 17U WWBA

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This past week, Perfect Game hosted its annual 17U WWBA championships in Atlanta, where I was able to go check out some of the top 2025 prospects in the country. Here’s a recap of the top nine players that I saw throughout the week.

Joey Senstock, MIF, NE, Nebraska Recruit

Joey Senstock is one of the more underrated names in the 2025 class who may have put himself firmly on the map during the WWBA. Hailing from Nebraska, he stands at 6’2”, 200 pounds with present strength and an athletic build. Senstock is kind of a jack of all trades defensively, but he really made his mark at SS during his week down in GA. He showed the ability to handle the position with ease, showing off his rangy athleticism, smooth hands, and strong arm to make even some difficult plays look routine. At the plate, Senstock was perpetually on the barrel throughout the tournament, putting together some really quality at-bats. While the stat line may not fully reflect his success, he hit numerous balls hard that were simply right at opposing fielders. It’s a simple swing with hand speed and strength present. He primarily worked up the middle and to the opposite field, showing the ability to stay inside the ball. However, he’ll need to pull the baseball a bit more frequently to tap into the present above-average raw power, but there are very hitterish traits present here that should continue to shine through. 

Billy Carlson, MIF, CA, Vanderbilt Recruit

Carlson was one of the guys I was most excited to see at the WWBA, and he did not disappoint during my two looks at him. A 6’1”, 175 pound MIF from California, Carlson is one of the more highly touted prospects in the 2025 class. In the field, he certainly looked the part at SS, showcasing incredibly smooth actions and a rocket of an arm. While no prep player is ever a lock to stay at short, I certainly like the odds with Carlson. At the plate, he showed off the loads of twitch and athleticism that he possesses. Throughout the week, he notched an absurd OPS north of 1.500, with three HRs, two doubles, and a triple to boot. It’s a fairly quiet load in the box, and he does a good job of leveraging the ball to the pull side. The only knock on him is that he did not pull the ball much at all this week, limiting some of the power he has, but the defense, hitterish traits, and pure athleticism were more than enough to make up for this.

Cash Williams, C/OF, OK, Tennessee Recruit

It can be easy to be overlooked when you’re playing on the same team as Ethan Holliday, but Cash Williams has had no trouble with that this summer. Standing at a sturdy and athletic 6’1”, 200 pounds, Williams has gotten off to a torrid start on the summer circuit. I’ve been fortunate enough to see him play quite a few times this summer, and he’s been one of the more impressive players in the entire country. In the field, he’s listed as a C/OF, though his future is almost certainly in the OF. He’s shown solid range and profiles as a corner outfielder. The real calling card here is the bat. Williams is absolutely appointment-viewing every time he steps into the box. It’s violent hack after violent hack in the box, with some of the most dangerous intent I’ve seen from a prep bat. Sure, there’s a bit of swing and miss and chase in the profile, but he offers a good bit more than your typical three-true outcomes type hitter in the box. He utilizes a large leg kick as he coils around the back hip, but it’s a controlled move that is still able to time up elite velocity and adjust to spin effectively. The bat speed immediately stands out when he does swing and the sound off the bat is a different type of noise. The swing is geared for loft, and he gets it to the pull-side frequently. Williams possesses one of the more intriguing power profiles in this prep class, and his stock will only continue to rise.

Seth Hernandez, RHP, CA, Vanderbilt Recruit

Hernandez is another highly touted prospect from California that I was excited to see in person this week that lived up to the hype. Hernandez has a lean, wiry build at 6’4”, 195 pounds, and the athleticism shows up on the mound. He utilizes a methodical, slow-building delivery on the mound that is consistent and repeatable. In his start, the fastball opened at 92-93 MPH before settling in at 90-92 MPH. He was able to grab a few 94s in the early innings, and he has touched 95 MPH in previous outings. The pitch features some life to the armside, with some sink at times to the bottom of the zone. The slider was his main secondary offering, spinning a tight one at 82-85 MPH. Flashed late break, and it’s comfortably a plus pitch for me at present. Also utilized a solid changeup in the low-80s that he showed feel to land. Finally, he dropped in a couple of curveballs in the 79-80 MPH range that showed solid depth. Hernandez has three pitches that are comfortably above-average, and the combination of athleticism, present command, and advanced arsenal should keep him pitching as a starter for a long time.

Marshall Louque, MIF, LA, LSU Recruit

Louque is another under-the-radar name that really impressed during the WWBA. Standing at a physical 6’3”, 195 pounds, Louque oozes projection with some impressive tools at present. In the field, Louque is a smooth defender who certainly has a shot to stick at short moving forward, though the offensive production is the calling card here. He utilizes a minimal leg kick for timing, staying balanced and collected throughout, and finds the barrel often. There’s some burgeoning power here that’s shown up a bit throughout the summer so far. It’s hit over power at present, but the raw power is certainly in there, as he’s shown some loud flashes. Finished the week down in Atlanta hitting .500 with a 1.283 OPS. Will be a good follow for the rest of the summer and throughout the spring as the 2025 draft begins to approach.



Sean Gamble, MIF/OF, IA, Vanderbilt Recruit

Gamble is one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2025 class, and for good reason. With a wiry 6’2”, 185 pound frame, Gamble brings elite defense, unreal defense, and impressive raw power to the table. In the field, his future seems to lie in center field, where he does an incredible job covering space. He gets good reads, and his plus speed allows him to get to just about any ball hit in his general vicinity. He’s made some plays out there this summer that have legitimately made my jaw drop. At the plate, he’s uber-aggressive with violent intent. This is a blessing and a curse, as he can get caught with some swing and miss and chase, but when he puts it all together at the plate, it’s really impressive. He makes a lot of hard contact, and hits a lot of balls to the pull-side, though he could stand to get the ball in the air a bit more consistently to allow the plus raw power to really flourish. He makes his presence known on the basepaths as well, with an aggressive approach to advance ninety feet. All in all, it’s a premier athlete with an advanced defensive toolset and an offensive approach that, though it may have some wrinkles still needing to be ironed out, catches your attention. Gamble possesses all of the tools to be a really elite player at the highest level.

Tanner Beliveau, C/RHP, MS, Miss. State Recruit

Beliveau possesses some very intriguing raw tools and impressive athleticism. He stands at a strong and athletic 6’3”, 210 pounds, with some more room to fill out. Listed as a C/RHP, Beliveau’s future most likely lies in a corner outfield spot, where he can allow his athleticism to play up. He’s a serviceable catcher, and if the receiving gets cleaned up a bit, his future could be behind the plate. His carrying tool will be the hit tool. He looks extremely hitterish in the box, with a simple rhythm and bat path geared for loft. The raw power is above average and should continue to increase as he gains more strength in the frame. He’s been extremely underrated so far in his HS career, but the tools here are certainly intriguing. 


Landon Harmon, RHP, MS, Miss. State Recruit

Every time Harmon steps on the mound, it’s appointment viewing. Hailing from Mississippi, Harmon stands at a lean and lanky 6’5”, 188 pounds with still plenty of room to fill out. On the mound, Harmon’s elite arm talent immediately catches your attention. During his start in Atlanta, Harmon went four innings, struck out six, and gave up no hits. He sat comfortably in the 90-95 MPH range, but was able to ramp one up at 98 MPH on the fastball. Off of the fastball, Harmon offers a slider in the 77-80 MPH range with gradual, sweeping break that can be landed for strikes or used as a putaway pitch. It’s two comfortable plus pitches, and if he can lock in a tertiary pitch to his impressive repertoire, he’ll be a lock to be a starter moving forward. The arm talent is certainly special, and with that much room to still fill out, his future is certainly enticing. He is a big time name to know for 2025.

Cooper Rummel, RHP, TX, Texas Recruit

Rummel was absolutely lights out in his start this week in Atlanta. He stands at a stocky 6’3”, 220 pound frame. During his start, Rummel went five innings pitched with ten strikeouts and only allowed 1 hit and 2 walks. He utilizes a smooth, methodical delivery with the lack of effort that you like to see in a starting pitcher. He works from an over-the-top slot and showed some impressive arm speed. The fastball worked in the 91-93 MPH range, topping out at 94 MPH, flashing good carry through the zone. He showed advanced command of it throughout. The primary secondary offering was the curveball which he threw at 75 MPH with 11/5 shape and sharp action downward. He also mixed in a slider at 78 MPH which flashed a good bit of sweep. Looked comfortable on the mound and had an advanced feel for the entire arsenal. It’s a starter profile and a good name to know in the class.

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Top 11 Standouts from USA Baseball 17u National Team Championships

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Top 11 Standouts from USA Baseball 17u National Team Championships

This past week, Perry Nadreau made the trek to Cary, NC, and the USA Baseball National Training Complex for their 17u National Team Championships. Throughout the week, he got live looks at some of the nation’s top 2025 recruits. He dives into some of the standouts from the week.

Remember Carter Stewart Jr.?

Who is he?

Remember Carter Stewart Jr., former 8th overall pick back in 2018? The Braves drafted him, but after some issues with his physical, he decided to sign with the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. The decision came as a surprise to pretty much everyone at the time, and there was a lot of buzz around the idea that this might become a trend with players who don’t receive the signing bonus that they were asking for in the draft. However, it hasn’t really caught on, and there hasn’t been much buzz around Stewart since he decided to forgo the draft and begin playing professional baseball in Japan. This might not be the case for much longer. Before the season, Stewart signed a two-year, $10 million extension with Fukuoka. By doing so, he’ll be classified as a foreign professional once the contract is finished, and he will be exempt from the international bonus pool as defined by the most recent CBA. This will allow Stewart to return to the States and play in the MLB if he desires to do so after his contract expires. In the next couple years, Stewart is sure to generate a good bit of interest from organizations due to his power stuff, and experience in professional baseball.

The Stuff

Coming out of high school, Stewart was a highly touted prospect. His fastball sat in the low-90s, and his curveball featured some unreal spin metrics, consistently throwing it over 3,000 RPMs. There was no question of the upside that was present, and it was no surprise to see him taken in the top ten picks in 2018. Over in the NPB, Stewart has shown serious flashes of that potential that got him drafted so high. Across his three seasons, he holds a 3.91 ERA and a 9.0 k/9. So far this year, he’s seen an increase in fastball velocity, going from 94.7 to 96.7, touching 99 MPH.

The fastball features some big riding life, and he really tries to attack with it up in the zone. The curveball carries the same characteristics that had scouts drooling in 2018. It’s a power, high-spin pitch with really sharp break. Creates a lot of depth with it, allowing him to work up and down with the fastball. Curveball has 60-grade traits for me, and the fastball certainly has a chance to be a plus pitch if he can maintain the increased velocity. In addition to this lethal 1-2 punch, Stewart has been rumored to be incorporating a splitter and a gyro slider this year. The slider should allow for a more consistent offering to be landed for strikes. It’ll pose a challenge to hitters who now have to protect against the big up-and-down curveball as well as the sharper east-to-west slider. I’m very interested to see if the splitter can be developed more over the next two years. If it can be just an average pitch, it would give him four pitches and a solid chance to be a starter in the MLB once his contract expires.

Going Forward

I think Carter Stewart has a legitimate chance to be a solid starting pitcher in the MLB. The fastball and curveball combination that he was so highly touted for are still present and have been developed and improved during his time in the NPB so far. If the slider turns into a legitimate weapon and the splitter can be effective, he could easily slide to a starting rotation in the big leagues immediately after signing. He’ll be 26 with six years of professional experience under his belt. Certainly, a name to keep in the back of my mind over the next couple of years. It might just be time to restart the Carter Stewart hype train.

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Three HS Pitchers to Know Going Into the Spring

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With the spring season beginning, organizations are getting started on getting their last looks on some of the prep talent that is available in the 2024 draft. Today, I’ll be looking at three prep pitchers to keep an eye on as their senior season kicks off. Let’s dive in.

RHP Aidan Hayse - Joliet Catholic Academy (#74 on Top 100)

There might not be more of a data darling in this year’s prep class of pitchers than Hayse. It’s a pretty ridiculous three-pitch mix that shows some solid upside. Standing at 6’3, Hayse is uber-athletic. It’s a smooth delivery with some electric arm speed. Sequencing-wise, he could stand to get into the front leg a little more consistently, as he can get a bit pushy with the back side, causing him to miss up and arm-side on occasion. However, when he does have it all synced up, it’s clear that there’s something special there. Hailing from Illinois, Hayse hasn’t seen as much time in game as some of his warmer-weather companions in the class have. As he makes the switch from high school to either Tennessee or pro ball, expect him to settle in fairly quickly and put up some more consistent results.


Let’s get into this ridiculous three-pitch mix. His worst pitch is probably his fastball. That said, he consistently throws it in the 91-93 mph range and touched 95 mph this summer. It gets around 16 inches of IVB with about 10 inches of horizontal break to the arm side. When it’s at its best, it shows late life to the arm side. With the arm speed at present, I wouldn’t put it past him to consistently run it up in the mid-high 90s in the coming years. The slider is a real weapon. He comfortably throws it in the 80-82 mph range, and there is some real feel for spin here. The slider typically gets around 14 inches of horizontal break, and he can locate it to either side of the plate. Profiles as a future above-average pitch, and will only continue to improve as the velocity ticks up. The changeup is borderline ridiculous. It’s a hard one as he throws it in the 83-86 mph range, but he’s still able to get upwards of 20 (!!) inches of horizontal break to the arm side. This creates some really uncomfortable looks for both right and left-handed hitters. He throws it at a lower release height, allowing it to produce a pretty steep vertical approach angle as it enters into the zone. It shows the promise of a future double-plus pitch. All in all, Hayse possesses all of the raw tools to succeed at the next level, and the pitchability is only going to continue to improve.

LHP Ethan Schiefelbein - Corona HS (#13)

Standing at 6”1 175lbs, Schiefelbein isn’t necessarily physically imposing, but the arm talent here is very real and has a chance to be very special. It’s a loose and effortless delivery that is extremely well-sequenced. He can simply cruise through games, oftentimes looking as if he has yet to even break a sweat. But, when he really needs to ramp it up, he’ll add a little extra juice to blow a pitch by the hitter. It’s an incredibly mature approach to the game, and he has all the tools to stick as a starter for a long time to come. He handles his business on the mound like a professional, and the mental game is advanced beyond his years. When you combine this advanced approach with impressive arm talent, Schiefelbein shows outstanding promise and has a chance to be one of the first prep southpaws taken off the board this summer.


Getting into the actual pitch miz, Schiefelbein has a really impressive arsenal. He typically throws the fastball in the 89-92 mph range, occasionally running it up to 94 mph. He gets an incredible amount of carry on the pitch, allowing it to really play up in the zone. It frequently pushes 20 inches IVB, and is a real weapon. His curveball is one of my favorite pitches in this prep class. Aesthetically, it brings back memories of Barry Zito’s big 12/6 breaker that gave hitters fits for years. It’s a true 12/6 that pairs extremely well with the riding fastball he features. He has the ability to manipulate the spin and shape, sometimes opting to flip it in the middle of the zone with a bigger break, and sometimes throwing it a bit firmer and burying it when ahead in the count. This ability to provide different looks with the breaking ball keeps hitters off-balance and second-guessing, and it produces some really ugly swings from some of the best hitters in the class. The changeup shows a good bit of arm-side run, pushing 15 inches of HZB frequently. This allows him to work both up and down and in and out. He throws a slider on occasion, but it oftentimes ends up fairly similar to the curveball as he gets fatigued. As he moves into pro ball or UCLA, the slider should continue to clean up and develop. This will provide him with a pretty devastating 4-pitch mix that can be deployed to any quadrant of the zone. Either way, the current arsenal shows plenty of promise. The two-pitch sequence of the riding fastball and depthy curveball will continue to be his bread and butter and allow him to avoid platoon splits against righties. He’s a mature, calm, and collected pitcher who will most certainly have plenty of eyes on him this spring as teams prepare for the draft.

RHP Tommy Bridges - Harvard-Westlake HS (NR)

Bridges has a smaller frame than Hayse and Schiefelbein, standing at 5”11, but he uses it incredibly well. It’s an incredibly smooth and incredibly efficient delivery. He stays closed for a really long time, effectively hiding the ball from hitters as he goes through the delivery, which leads to some really uncomfortable at-bats. Bridges goes about his business on the mound with an aura of confidence and poise. Like Schiefelbein, he seems to be collected beyond his years, and the entire operation when he has the ball in his hands is incredibly relaxed and confident. As he finishes up his senior year and moves on to TCU or the draft, he should see some really nice physical development which will only improve the already polished arsenal that he has. Bridges probably falls into the high-floor, lower-ceiling category, but there’s some real projection here to be a middle-of-the-order rotation arm for a long time to come.

Bridges features a really solid three-pitch mix. The fastball will consistently be 88-90 mph, occasionally topping out at 92 mph. From the lower release height that he creates from his stature and his delivery down the mound, he’s able to create some tough angles to both the top and bottom of the zone. He’ll manipulate the shape and throw it with sink down and some ride up, keeping hitters guessing even with the heater. Off of the fastball, Bridges will deploy a slider with some real teeth to it frequently. He shows really advanced feel to land both the slider and the fastball in any count and to any zone. It’s a sharp slider at 80-82 mph that misses a good bit of bats and hardly ever generates good contact. He tunnels it extremely well with the fastball with sink at the bottom, and his ability to add some deception into his motion allows it to play up even more than one might think. He also uses a fading changeup that he throws at 80-82 mph. This creates a good change of speed as well as a change of direction off of the slider. All in all, it’s about as polished of a repertoire as you could ask for as a prep arm. The physical gains will only allow the stuff to improve even more.

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Trending Upward: Three HS Hitters Trending In the Right Direction

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With the 2024 draft approaching this summer, high school players have a couple more months to catch some helium and rise up draft boards. Today, we’ll be focusing on the offensive side of the ball and looking at three hitters that I believe should be receiving more attention than they currently are. Let’s dive in.

3B Kale Fountain - Norris (NE) HS (#81 on Top 100)

Fountain is very physically imposing, standing at 6’5” and 230 pounds. He’s an incredibly gifted athlete, especially for his size, evident by the 6.65 60 time he ran at PG National over the summer. Fountain plays a solid third base in the field, showing off his range and fast-twitch on balls in the hole and down the line. He has a shot to stick on the dirt moving forward, but I would imagine he’ll end up in the outfield once he enters professional ball. The real upside here is at the plate, however, as Fountain has some of the best raw power in the class.


At the plate, Fountain gets on plane early and provides some real leverage when he gets the arms extended toward the front of the plate. He holds the single-season HR record for Nebraska high school baseball, and a few looks at the swing and size can explain why. He gets into rotation incredibly efficiently and quickly. This allows him to be on plane for a long time and still do some damage on balls that he may have “mishit”. At the PBR Super 60 event, he posted a top exit velocity of 108, really showcasing the top-of-the-line power potential that he holds. In game, he could benefit from getting the ball a little more out front on occasion, but the hit tool is still really impressive for a guy with this much power. He possesses the ability to hit the ball to all fields, and this combination of raw power and solid bat-to-ball skills should be intriguing for some organizations this summer.

INF Ty Southisene - Basic Academy (NV) (#36)

Despite winning the PG All-American Game MVP, it still seems like the industry is rather low on Southisene. Quite the opposite of Fountain, Southisene stands at 5’9” and 160 pounds. However, he plays with the confidence and swagger of the biggest guy on the field every time he laces them up. He is extremely athletic and an absolute sparkplug on both sides of the ball. In the field, Southisene might be the smoothest infielder I’ve seen at the high school level. While his arm may not be top of the line, he more than makes up for it with quick hands and feet that can make any play on the dirt. He will most certainly stick at second base for a long time, and he profiles as a plus to double-plus defender due to his incredible instincts and smooth actions. A 6.45 runner, Southisene gets great jumps on the basepaths, and his high baseball IQ leads to excellent reads on balls in play.


At the plate, Southisene hits literally anything and everything. Velo, spin, doesn’t matter. He utilizes a decent sized leg kick, but he has great control and rhythm throughout the swing that allows him to be on time to do damage even at his size. The hand speed is really impressive, and part of the reason why he always seems to be on the barrel in games. Regardless of his physical stature, the bat speed, fluidity, and explosiveness allow his game to play up. One of the more consistent hitters in this 2024 class, and there’s no doubt in my mind he will keep these plus bat-to-ball skills as he moves to the next level. 

SS Arnold “AJ” abernathy - North Cobb (GA) HS (#37)

Abernathy is another high-level athlete with a really nice feel for the game. His quick twitch and movements in the infield are extremely fluid and natural, and his arm talent stands out, as he was clocked at 98mph from the outfield at PG National. Moving forward, he will more than likely stick in the outfield, most likely in center where he’ll have more of an opportunity to show off his plus first step and 6.38 speed. He has the speed to impact the game in a variety of ways. On the basepaths, his twitch and pure speed can wreak havoc and will be a major advantage with the new rules that encourage stolen bases. From a pure athleticism standpoint, these tools are not easy to come by, and will certainly be a point of appeal for organizations this summer.

At the plate, Abernathy uses a taller setup and a leg kick as he moves forward into launch. Shows solid bat-to-ball skills and adjustability, allowing him to hit to all fields. His quick twitch allows him to see the ball deep and make mid-swing adjustments, which will be big for him to hopefully avoid drastic platoon splits against left-handed pitchers as he progresses. He is hit over power right now, but there is promise for more power as he learns how to tap into some more of the natural athleticism in his swing. Regardless, even if the hit tool ends up being average, his tools will still be able to shine on the basepaths and in the field. He has a really promising future.