The Top 20 New York Yankees prospects headlined by Jasson Dominguez
This Week in Baseball Cards - 10/7 - 10/13
Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of October 7th through October 13th, 2024. There are two releases covered this week - 2024 Bowman Sterling and 2024 Topps Cosmic Chrome, In addition, Topps will be selling the already released 2024 Topps Chrome Logofractor Edition on their website.
2025 MLB Draft Top 75 Collegiate Prospects: Conference Breakdowns (Mid-Majors/Independents)
Tyler Jennings has been crushing it with the 2025 MLB Draft boards and recently released his top 75 college prospects. Over the next few weeks, we will bring you some top prospects within each conference. For this edition, we will dive into some of the top mid-major prospects across the NCAA.
You can dive into our full Top 75 Collegiate Prospects for the 2025 MLB Draft list here: https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2024/9/21/2025-mlb-draft-top-75-collegiate-prospects
HITTERS
SS Aiva Arquette - Oregon State
Prospects Live Ranking: #7
Arquette, a standout from Saint Louis High School and a rising star in college baseball, has captured the attention of scouts for his performance at the University of Washington and in the Cape Cod League. He’s been a massive get for Oregon State in this years transfer portal. He has been one of the biggest risers in the college ranks. Arquette is a huge physical presence at shortstop at 6’4, 220lbs adding another name to the “tall shortstops” category. Given his size and stature, he could move to third base in the future as he gains more physicality. His offensive game saw major strides in his sophomore season, showcasing a balanced approach, impressive exit velocities, and the ability to hit to all fields. He’s got imense raw power, especially to the opposite field, but his patience at the plate needs some more development as he can get a tad aggressive. Regardless, there are a ton of tools to dream on and a solid season at Oregon State will likely have his name being called super early in the 2025 MLB Draft.
C Caden Bodine - Coastal Carolina
Prospects Live Ranking: #12
Bodine is one of the most impressive bats at the plate due to his ability to get barrels easily, and he does it at an excellent level from both sides. He ran up some absurd contact rates and had a good feel for the strikezone. He can get overly aggressive sometimes, but he does a good job keeping that mostly in check. Bodine has started to tap into more power but has maxed out at 11 home runs in his freshman year. He struggled in a small sample size in the Cape Cod League this summer, but he was limited to six games, given he also spent some time with the USA Collegiate National Teams. Defensively, Bodine has all the tools to stick behind the plate. He’s a force behind the plate as he does a good job keeping the ball in front of him and has a decent arm to throw guys out. There is a lot to like here for teams looking at him in the 2025 MLB Draft, and another strong season should keep him high on draft boards.
3B Trent Caraway - Oregon State
Prospects Live Ranking: #18
As you can see, Oregon State is chock-full of offensive studs in their lineup in 2025, just like they were in 2024. Trent Caraway is an athletic and versatile infielder who stands out for his strong defensive instincts and reliable glove work, particularly at shortstop and third base. He has solid arm stroength and thinks he should be able to handle the hot corner long-term in the future. Offensively, power is the name of the game for Caraway. He hits the ball HARD! He’s already maxed out at 113.1 mph with his exit velos. He has shown developing power potential but can be quite aggressive at times and is working on making more consistent contact. He’s shown some swing-and-miss and hits the ground on the ball too much, but he has improved his approach some recently. He has a decent amount of speed on the base paths and is far from a clog out there. His maturity and baseball IQ set him apart as a player with high upside and a promising future.
OF Nick Dumesnil - Cal Baptist
Prospects Live Ranking: #20
Dumesnil really popped off as one of the best mid-major bat prospects in the entire nations after his sophomore season at Cal Baptist. The outfielder slashed an absurd .362/.440/.702 with a 1.142 OPS, including 19 2B, 19 HR, and 45 RBI. While he had some solid production he can be pretty aggressive at the plate. Dumesnil excels at punishing fastballs but can struggle with spin, leading to higher ground ball rates on breaking pitches. His speed and strong defensive instincts make him a versatile outfielder, with center field being his most likely position. After impressing in the WAC and continuing his success on the Cape, he’s now a legitimate Day 1 prospect with first-round potential. His power, speed, and defensive ability give him a robust toolset, though cutting down on his aggressiveness at the plate will be key as he faces tougher pitching.
OF Gavin Turley - Oregon State
Prospects Live Ranking: #22
ATHLETE! That sums up the skillset Turley brings to the table. There is a lot to like with his toolset across the board. He’s got a ton of bat speed that generates a massive amount of raw power. Turley’s weakness has always been his ability to make contact, but he showed a new approach in the Cape Cod League over the summer that led to much success. He cut down on his whiff and did a good job of laying off struff out of the zone. It was pretty impressive to see how quickly the new approach worked, and I’ll be curious to know if he can carry that success into the 2025 season. Defensively, Turley’s athleticism plays well in the outfield. Thanks to his speed, he gets good jumps and reads and can track almost anything down. He has a plus arm, and his throws have a ton of carry and accuracy. The key for Turley is going to be to continue refining his approach and cutting back on the swing-and-miss. If he can do that, there is a good chance he could see his name called early on day one.
3B Triston “Murf” Gray - Fresno State
Prospects Live Ranking: #34
Coming in at 6’4, 220lbs, Murf Gray is a DUDE physically as he is built like a horse. The 2023 Mountain West Player of the Year earned this accolade because of his performance at the plate where he slashed .296/.358/.504 with 12 2B, 10 HR, and 52 RBI. He continued to produce at the plate this summer in the Cape Cod League against some of the better competition in the US. The power and contact skills combine make him an absolute threat at the plate. He couples excellent contact rates with solid exit velos thanks to his above-average bat speed, strength, and feel for the strike zone. Gray will eat up any fastball that comes his way, but can struggle with spin from time-to-time. He handles the hot corner pretty well and has a strong arm that helps him stick there. As of now, he will likely stick at third base, but there could be a possibility that he moves to the outfield in the future. Gray has day-one draft potential with his offensive upside if he refines his hit tool and maintains his value in other areas of the game.
C Brooks Bryan - Troy
Prospects Live Ranking: #47
Bryan is an absolute force at the plate. Bryan broke the RBI record at Troy with 85, which ranked fifth in the entire NCAA. He is one of the most powerful bats in the 2025 class as he combines explosive bat speed with plus raw power, especially from the left side. He posted significantly good exit velos his entire sophomore season as well. Bryan has some swing-and-miss to his game, but he does offset with a solid, disciplined approach at the plate. Behind the plate, he's a strong athlete with solid blocking skills and average arm strength, though he still needs to refine his framing and throwing out baserunners. Despite these areas for improvement, Bryan’s mix of power and athleticism make him a solid long-term catcher prospect.
OF Dallas Macias - Oregon State
Prospects Live Ranking: #55
Macias has transformed his profile since arriving at Oregon State, adding significant strength and bat speed to go along with his already impressive hit tool. Initially seen as more of a table-setter, he now boasts solid average raw power, especially from the left side, though his swing is more adjustable from the right. While Macias excels at making contact, his quality of contact against off-speed pitches, particularly from the left side, remains inconsistent, though he handles fastballs with ease. As a switch-hitter, he showcases versatility at the plate with an 86% contact rate and a chase rate below 25% during his time on the Cape. Defensively, Macias has experience across all outfield spots and has even played second and third base in spurts, but his average speed and arm strength suggest a future in left field. With his improved power and consistent contact ability, Macias is shaping up as a potential day-one pick in the 2025 draft.
1B/3B Michael Dattalo - Dallas Baptist
Prospects Live Ranking: #67
After a standout freshman season at Northwestern State, Dattalo transferred to Dallas Baptist and continued to showcase his offensive prowess, slashing .345/.395/.517 with eight home runs. His power and bat speed are undeniable, with aggressive swings producing high exit velocities, sometimes reaching 110 MPH. Though Dattalo occasionally expands the zone on breaking balls, his mature approach and ability to consistently make contact—evident in his 84% contact rate on the Cape—set him apart as one of the more promising hitters in his class. While primarily a third baseman, his defense can be inconsistent at times, and he’s also seen time at first base, where his athleticism and footwork face less of a challenge. Despite the defensive polish needed at the hot corner, Dattalo’s bat-first profile, with a mix of raw power and excellent barrel control, has firmly placed him on the radar as a prospect with considerable upside.
PITCHERS
RHP Tyler Bremner - UC Santa Barbara
Prospects Live Ranking: #3
After a solid sophomore year and an impressive showing at USA Collegiate National Taem, Bremner has skyrocketed to the top of list for pitching prospects in the 2025 MLB Draft. It’s been a contest between him and Jamie Arnold, but Bremner has set himself apart thus far. The stuff is electric. He’s got a mid-90s fastball that has topped 98 mph, which our Tyler Jennings caught at USA Collegiate this summer. The pitch has a ton of carry up in the zone and gets on batters quick. The changeup is his best pitch. It is a double-plus pitch with high spin rates and plays exceptionally well off his fastball. He’s also got a slider that has made many improvements since his freshman year and now has become a filthy third offering. Bremner has the makings of a solid three-pitch mix that are all above-average to plus offerings. It’s clear to most everyone why he might be the first arm off the board in the 2025 MLB Draft, especially if he has a solid junior season.
RHP Justin Ellwanger - Dallas Baptist
Prospects Live Ranking: #29
Dallas Baptist always seems to be loaded with talent on the mound. Ellwanger was draft-eligible in 2023 and was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 19th round. He didn’t sign and made his way back to Dallas Baptist. Ellwanger followed his draft selection by absolutely dominating hitters in the box in the Cape Cod League where he struck out 22 batters in 13 innings to the tune of a 2.77 ERA. He’s got some electric stuff on the mound, led by his fastball, which touched 99 mph and sits in the mid-90s. He’s constantly missing bats with it. He pairs it with a mid-80s slider and low-80s curveball. He does better at throwing his slider for a strike than his fastball. He lacks chase with his curveball, but the pitch has some good depth to it.
LHP Grant Richardson - Grand Canyon
Prospects Live Ranking: #73
As a fellow Arizonan, I always love seeing Grand Canyon guys on this last. GCU has been a sneaky good baseball program for years now. Richardson provides them with another intriguing prospect for the MLB Draft to continue the guys they’ve been able to produce in the past. Richardson underwent elbow surgery in July after transitioning into the rotation for the Lopes. The lefty is a physical presence on the mound coming in at 6’3, 220lbs. He’s got a solid fastball that sits in the mid-90s (92-95), but has been up to 97 mph. He isn’t afraid to work the pitch up in the zone on batters. He’s got a sharp slider with plenty of bite that he pairs with his fastball as it averages 85-87 mph and has been up to 89 mph. He’s flashed a changeup from time-to-time but the pitch is very inconsistent and still a work in progress. Command has always been a struggle for Richardson, but there is enough there for him to become a potential reliever. If he can polish his secondaries and hone some of his command issues, there could be a potential starter.
Who's Hot and Who's Not? Digging Into Initial Data for 2024 First Round Hitters, Part 3
With the MiLB season in the books, we’re concluding our look at initial data from 2024 first rounds bats. While prospects are at the end of what is likely their most grueling season of baseball to date, their first handful of games give us an idea of what kind of hitters these prospects may be as professionals.
All of these reports and write ups continue to draw on relatively small sample sizes, many of them for prospects playing by far their most grueling year of baseball to date, so temper any significant conclusions drawn.
Kaelen Culpepper, 21st Overall, Twins, A+
Slash Line: .242/.330/.394 (.724)
13.4 K%, 9.8 BB%
82.1% Contact%
0% InZoneWhiff% (A only)
33% Chase% (A only)
102.6 mph 90thExitVel (A only)
34.3% Hit95+% (A only)
.312 xWOBA
While Culpepper’s end-of-season slash line is middling, he got off to a scorching start to his professional career. After making swing changes that led to a big college postseason (punctuated by hitting for the cycle and nuking a three-run home run off Hagen Smith), Culpepper made short work of Low A Fort Myers. Culpepper hit the ball hard with consistency and moved up quickly to Cedar Rapids after not swinging and missing in the zone once in the FSL. He wore down significantly at the end of the season, despite his defense at shortstop receiving glowing reviews from Twins personnel. Despite a high chase rate, encouragement can be found in Culpepper’s bat-to-ball skills during a strong pro debut. He’ll start at A+ 2025.
Vance Honeycutt, 23rd Overall, Orioles, A+
Slash Line: .176/.250/.196 (.446)
42.9 K%, 7.1 BB%
57.3% Contact%
.211 xWOBA
Honeycutt was the catalyst behind some incredible adrenaline producing moments in the 2024 college baseball postseason. Entering the draft, his hit tool was the biggest question weighing down his offensive profile. He’s done little to diminish them in a brief debut at A and A+, striking out 42.9% of the time and sporting a contact rate that starts with a five. Honeycutt’s incredible defense and athleticism will buoy his value, but he’ll need to make strides offensively in 2025.
Dante Nori, 27th Overall, Phillies, A
Slash Line: .240/.424/.280 (.704)
21.2 K%, 22 BB%
73.6% Contact%
22.5% Chase%
94.5 mph 90thExitVel
5.6% Hit95+%
.324 xWOBA
Nori, the son of the Minnesota Timberwolves Assistant Coach Micah Nori, was one of the few prep bats to get meaningful playing time after the 2024 draft, starting his pro career in A ball. Nori’s robust approach jumps out from his debut, racking up an impressive .424 OBP in no small part due to a fantastic 22% walk rate. There are also solid bat-to-ball skills, and Nori doesn’t chase too much, either. If you want to raise an orange flag, it’s how little he impacted the ball. Just 5.6% of Nori’s batted ball events were hit 95 mph or greater (the average for the level is 34.3%). Still, there’s a solid platform to build for 2025 and beyond.
Walker Janek, 28th Overall, Astros, A+
Slash Line: .175/.214/.289 (.502)
29.1 K%, 3.1 BB%
66.7% Contact%
.218 xWOBA
Janek steadily rose throughout the pre-draft process and was dubbed the best defensive catcher in the class, with solid hit and power tools to boot. The Astros threw him straight into A+, and it’s been a slow start in a 25 game debut. What has been notable is how much Janek has struggled against right-handed pitching. He’s sported just a .440 OPS against righties versus a healthy .896 versus lefties, something to keep an eye on in 2025.
Malcolm Moore, 30th Overall, Rangers, A
Slash Line: .209/.298/.374 (.672)
27.9 K%, 7.7 BB%
70.3% Contact%
.296 xWOBA
There’s not much to note about Moore’s pro debut. It’s all just sort of fine. Nothing spectacular, nothing too alarming either. Much was made of Moore’s poor batted-ball luck in his final season at Stanford before turning pro. We’ll need a more significant sample of playing time to mine some of the trends for Moore as a prospect.
On The Clock: Interview with 2025 MLB Draft Prospect Devin Taylor
Photo Credit: Indiana Athletics
In this episode of the On the Clock podcast, Devin Taylor, an outfielder from Indiana and one of the top 2025 MLB Draft picks, shares his journey in baseball and the steps he's taken to become a standout player. From a young age, Devin and his brother practiced hitting daily with their father, instilling a work ethic that shaped his career. Devin also played basketball in high school but eventually focused on baseball. Off the field, he enjoys spending time with his teammates, playing video games, and exploring the beautiful Indiana campus, emphasizing the importance of balance between work and relaxation.
Devin discusses his experience playing for Team USA and his performance in summer leagues like the Cape Cod League. He highlights how playing with top-tier athletes helped him improve his game, especially as he focused on refining his outfield skills and maintaining consistency at the plate. Devin also mentions how his mentors, particularly his father and hitting coach Lance Durham, have been crucial in his development. Even during rough patches, such as struggling at the Cape Cod playoffs, he credits Durham for helping him regain his confidence and swing.
Looking ahead, Devin is excited for the upcoming college baseball season with Indiana University. With back-to-back regional appearances, the team is focused on advancing further, with hopes of reaching the Super Regionals or even Omaha. Devin also shares some personal insights through rapid-fire questions, from his favorite home run memory to his dream of facing MLB pitcher Zack Wheeler. The episode wraps up with Devin expressing his gratitude for his mentors and teammates, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and continual growth.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7alpOxYzAyu12RhXPKsISq?si=861605ea18634b53
On The Clock: Top 75 College Board and 2025 MLB Draft Prospect Miguel Sime, Jr. Joins the Show
In this episode of On the Clock, the hosts, Jared Perkins and Tyler Jennings, dive into college and MLB draft news, starting with Georgia Bulldogs' recent transfer acquisition, Devin Obee. Obee, a standout outfielder from Duke, turned down a significant offer during the MLB Draft to complete his education and transferred to Georgia. His defensive skills, power, and ability to fill a key center field position make him a crucial addition to Georgia's lineup. The hosts also discuss how Obee’s arrival, along with returning talent, positions the Bulldogs for a strong run in the upcoming season. They then discuss Shane Sdao of Texas A&M, who will miss the season due to Tommy John surgery, and how the Aggies' strong bullpen will need to compensate for the loss.
Lastly, they dive into a discussion of Florida State's top draft prospect, Cam Leiter, whose status remains unclear due to injury. They wrap up with a sneak peek of their top 75 college prospects for the 2025 MLB draft, showcasing standout players from across the country and offering insight into how fall ball will shape the spring season.
Finally, the Jared and Tyler are joined by Miguel Sime Jr., a highly touted right-handed pitcher from Queens Village, New York. Miguel shares his journey, starting from tee-ball at age three to becoming a top MLB draft prospect. He highlights a turning point in his career at 14 when he hit 92 mph at a tournament, which opened doors for him in college and professional baseball. Now throwing up to 100 mph, Miguel talks about his training regimen and goals, including refining his pitch arsenal and improving his command to go deeper into games. Committed to LSU, Miguel expresses his excitement about the coaching staff and the welcoming environment at the school, as well as the influence of his father and trainer in shaping his work ethic. The interview provides a personal glimpse into the life of an elite pitching prospect as he prepares for the next stage of his career.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1F1bXI4uPM0pfUD4AvMW8r?si=b88db01297804675
This Week in Baseball Cards - 9/30 - 10/6
2025 MLB Draft Risers: Top prep hitters whose stock keeps rising
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.
On The Clock: Interview with 2025 MLB Draft Prospect Ike Irish
In this episode of On the Clock, Jared and Tyler interview Ike Irish, a standout player from Auburn Tigers baseball and a top 2025 MLB Draft prospect. Ike shares his journey from middle school to playing for Auburn, starting with his days on the Motor City Hit Dogs, a travel team full of talent. His amateur career saw him visiting colleges early on, but it wasn’t until he found his way to Auburn that he truly felt at home. He speaks fondly of his time at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, a Michigan prep school where he honed his skills alongside future Division I players, which he believes set him up for success at the collegiate level.
Ike talks about the ups and downs of his freshman year at Auburn, from battling mono to finding his stride at the plate. His summer playing in the Cape Cod League helped refine his game, particularly focusing on hitting the ball to the pull side and adjusting his stance. Ike also opens up about overcoming injuries, including a wrist issue that plagued him during his sophomore season, and how he worked through those challenges with the support of his coaches and teammates.
In the end, we shift to his outlook on the future; Ike emphasizes his desire to improve defensively, particularly in receiving low pitches as a catcher, and his goal to steal more bases. Reflecting on his development, he expresses gratitude for the Auburn coaching staff, noting how much they’ve contributed to his growth. We conclude with fun rapid-fire questions, where Ike talks about his favorite home run, his walk-up song choices, and his love for bowling and golfing as ways to decompress from the intensity of baseball.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/68tlVfrC7yIr1x0IW43H2d?si=qfMiuNLfR_y1xI4em0lYDQ
2024 DSL Top 50 Prospects Age 17 and Under
Juicy back here with my yearly top 50 DSL performers age 17 and under. Easily my favorite piece I do each year and the one where I learn the most from start to finish. Very interesting crop this year and the far less obvious rankings at the top than usual. Much more open-ended performances. Important to note, this list Is ranked by subjective performance metrics, not in order of prospect status. I hope you enjoy.
Below are the first 5 of Juicy Jensen’s DSL Top 50 Prospects Age 18 and Under. The rest of the top 50 is on our Patreon under the $5 /mo tier called “The 55”. We know you’ll enjoy it more than a $5 cup of coffee. Thank you for supporting the site and our writers who are compensated for their work.
1. Rainiel Rodriguez, C, Cardinals
5’10 200 R/R DR
I don’t think there’s any real question who the top performer amongst sub 18-year-olds in the DSL was this year. Rodriguez was an absolute monster with underlying stats even more impressive. Signed for $300,000 out of the DR (but spending a big chunk of his life in Pennsylvania) Rodriguez looks like an absolute steal. It’s a plus approach with good feel for the zone, but he is more of a fastball hunter right now and he will need to prove himself against quality spin still. As such, what looks like a plus hit tool from a metrics standpoint grades out closer to average for me with some risk. Power is no risk. Rodriguez reportedly hit a ball 475 feet in a game this year and consistently produced monster Ev numbers. It’s easy plus power potential and he gets the ball in the air at a truly elite rate, results in 10 HR and 25 XBH in just 142 AB. Bonkers. It’s just overwhelmingly consistent hard contact. Rodriguez is not fast and won’t be getting faster. The body is a bit husky and he will have to work hard to maintain a healthy weight and composition. It’s a C or 1B profile. Defensively, Rodriguez is a bit raw but with a very strong arm. While I have my concerns about the Cardinals current hitting dev, their defensive catcher development is up there with the best and I’m bullish on his ability to stick behind the plate. There’s a chance for an average hit, plus power that perhaps even plays up in game catcher who can hit 25-30 HR a year. That’ll play. I view Rodriguez very similar to how I viewed Phillies prospect Eduardo Tait last year and there’s a case to be made that Rodriguez is further along. High risk profile, but IMO this was the best player in the DSL and a prospect who should very much be on fantasy and real life radars, albeit not the top pure prospect of this list.
2. Luis Pena, SS, Brewers
5’11 185 R/R DR
Signed for $800,000 Pena has a case for the best prospect on the best team in the DSL this year. When watching Pena, the twitch and explosion immediately stand out. Pena has big time bat speed, big time foot speed, natural instincts and a cannon for an arm. Pena has a solid 5’11 frame that looks capable of holding 200-205 pounds of good weight at maturity. At the plate, it’s more of an old-school, contact/LD oriented bat path with major hip and wrist explosion that leads to plus bat speed. In terms of pure bat-to-ball skills, Pena is up there with anyone in the class. He catches up to velo in all quadrants and picks up spin well, and the swing has barrel adjustability and he uses his slightly smaller frame to limit the length while swinging hard. It’s 70 grade contact potential safely, but the approach is more raw. Pena comes up looking to hit and looking to swing. He gets away with it due to the pure contact skills and had a miniscule K rate, but there were glimpses of soft contact due to swinging and connecting with pitches out of the zone and he will have to learn more discipline to reach his ceiling. There’s plus raw power here in the frame and bat speed and despite the bat path, Pena has managed to get the ball airborne with consistency, albeit with more pop up type contact than I’d like. As a runner, Pena has the more functional to baseball short stride movements like an NFL RB that let’s his speed play up on the bases and on the infield. This is a player who could genuinely steal 30+ bases a year. Defensively, Pena is a bit raw but shows plus actions at SS and a high defensive ceiling. He has a plus or better arm and with his speed, a fallback of CF feels safe. Overall Pena has drawn comps to a young Javier Baez, which is fair but right now, he looks more like the prime, Cubs era Javy and I think there is super star upside here that rivals any player on this list. It is worth noting that Pena dealt with injuries that sapped his stats to end the year and players as twitched up as this often deal with a heavier dose of injury risk. This could be the case with Pena. There’s also risk that Pena’s natural abilities will allow him to get away with and develop bad habits that don’t show up until the upper levels, which could slow development and lead to some hiccups at times. All of that said, Pena has the potential to become a true 5 tool player if his approach ticks up and 60 hit, 60 power, 70 run and a 70 arm at SS or CF is within the realm of realistic possibility. That would be a genuine super star, but it’s worth noting he comes with a hefty dose of risk. For now, Pena projects most as a higher ceiling version of recents Nats first round pick Seaver King. I really like this player and am in on him, despite him being a profile I generally avoid. Immense ceiling.
3. Santiago Camacho, C, Giants
5’11 175 S/R VZ
It’s hard to have much of a better season than this. Camacho may not have the raw tools of some of the other players at the top of this list, but he is as polished as they come. Camacho, who signed for $277,500 out of Venezuela has clean swing mechanics from both sides and a nice blend of contact and damage. It’s a gap shooting approach at the plate, but Camacho has flashed average raw power with the ability to lift and square up the ball with consistency, leading to 14 XBH in just 102 AB. More than just pop, Camacho’s swing mechanics stand out. It’s a clean, wrist and hips geared swing with a clean path and feel for the barrel with a high adjustability ceiling. Pair that with plus swing decisions and an extreme lack of soft contact and you have the ingredients for a plus hit tool. Behind the plate, Camacho is a polished receiver but has fringey arm strength. Camacho is a pretty good athlete by teen catcher standards and while he won’t be a speed demon, won’t clog the bases either. Overall, Camacho is probably the second best catching prospect in the class for me right now, with a chance for a plus hit tool, average game power and a chance to stick behind the plate. That’s a recipe for a top 100 prospect and valuable player down the line, but as always, I’d exercise caution with teen catchers, especially ones that lack standout power.
4. Jesus Made, SS, Brewers
6’2 200 S/R DR
Sans Leo De Vries, Made is likely the consensus number one prospect in this INT class at the moment, with a potential genuine five tool skillset, some pedigree and exceptional performance. Made has a big and athletic 6’2 frame with twitchy actions. A switch-hitter, Made has easy plus bat speed from both sides and a slightly upper-cut bat path from both sides of the plate. Made has a bit of a noisy set up with some moving parts and I do worry a bit about how well he will handle better pitching. I do expect the soft contact and swing and miss to tick up a bit, but luckily Made makes very good swing decisions and has thus far mitigated swing and miss, so he can afford that slight uptick. There’s plus raw power potential and while he does make some soft contact, he evens it out with a high rate of hard contact in game. A plus runner now, Made will likely slow down just a tick as he fills out his big 6’2 frame but should stay above average in his early to mid 20’s. There’s an outside chance Made sticks at SS, although 3B or OF feels a bit more likely given the frame and somewhat raw actions at SS. 3B in particular makes sense as Made’s best tool is likely his arm. Overall, I could see Made winding up a 40 hit, 60 pop, 55 run bat with an above average approach and plus defensive at 3B with a genuine 70 arm. It’s star upside, but I tend to be a bit more wait-and-see with the hit tool than many. Made might be a top 100 prospect now, but if he can continue to perform like this, he could skyrocket up that list.
5. Emil Morales, SS, Dodgers
6’4 195 R/R DR
While technically born in Spain, Morales trained in the DR and signed for $1,897,500 as the Dodgers top signing in the 2024 class. Coming into the year, Morales received easily the most rave reviews of any prospect outside of De Vries in the class. He started the season slowly, but when he started to acclimate…he went OFF! Morales has some swing and miss in his 6’4 long-levered frame, but the power here is absurd. It’s easily a 70-grade power projection and could be plus raw now. He pairs that with the ability to put everything in the air and he makes for a very scary at bat. I think he will wind up closer to a 40-45 hitter than initially expected, but that’s more than fine when paired with 70 grade in-game power. Defensively, Morales isn’t a SS and is more likely a 3B/RF projection. At the end of the day, I realistically expect Morales to become the next Coby Mayo…and I love Coby Mayo. Very good prospect and perhaps the Dodgers best INT signing in recent memory.
Who's Hot and Who's Not? Digging into Initial Data for 2024 First Round Hitters. Part 2
2025 MLB Draft: Top 75 Collegiate Prospects
This Week in Baseball Cards - 9/23 - 9/29
This Week in Baseball Cards - 9/16 - 9/22
Switz Report: Recap 2024 Cape Cod "Top Performers" Heading into the 2025 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%)
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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%)
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.
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.
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%)
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).
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.
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.
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.
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%)
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.).
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.
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.
Deep Drives: Devin Obee Commits to Georgia
While the summer transfer portal has closed, that doesn’t mean that the movement within the college landscape stops. On Tuesday, ex-Duke outfielder Devin Obee, who received significant draft interest this past summer, made his commitment to Wes Johnson’s Georgia squad, beefing up an already impressive transfer class for the second-year skipper.
With the news of the transfer now public, I felt it was a good time to try something a bit different. Since Obee was a guy that I saw on plenty of occasions this past spring, it only feels right to write about the player and how the profile will translate to the SEC. It may be a tough transition, but Obee is the kind of bat that can be a middle-of-the-order thumper for a team that just lost Charlie Condon and his BBCOR HR record to Colorado. So, what is the toolset like? What are the expectations in Athens, and what does Duke do to replace such a power threat in their lineup? Let’s dive in.
Devin Obee’s Profile
As mentioned in the introduction, Obee had substantial draft interest and turned down a significant sum of money to complete his degree and enter the portal in August. Obee was ranked 229th on our final Top 300 board that dropped just before the draft. He’s still eligible to play in the 2025 campaign as a result of this late entry, unlike situations like Wake Forest RHP Luke Schmolke, who couldn’t pitch in 2024 after a late transfer from Georgia Tech.
Overall, Obee is one of the more gifted athletes in the country. He’s a physical brute at 6’2, 215 pounds and features a ton of strength throughout his frame. Despite his size, Obee is an incredible athlete and figures to handle center field for the Bulldogs in 2025. Obee made plenty of highlight reel plays at the “eight” for the Blue Devils and features above-average speed and average or better defense. It’s not Vance Honeycutt good, but it’s enough for me to believe that he’ll be tough to push off the position if he enters a professional organization. His route-running is very solid and he’ll cover plenty of ground with that speed. Obee only committed one error and posted a .991 fielding percentage in 2024, giving him a track record of consistency at the position.
With that said, 2024 was his only full season in a starting role at Duke. Obee saw some meaningful playing time in his first two years on campus, playing in 87 total games, but he only recorded a total of 184 plate appearances. That changed in 2024, as he secured a starting role and began the year on an impressive hot streak, posting a .476 batting average in non-conference play. As the ACC slate began, Obee began to be exploited a bit by more impressive pitching, though he’d finish the year with a .309/.399/.599 slash line and sixteen home runs. During Duke’s run to the ACC title in Charlotte, Obee recorded three multi-hit games and three home runs, earning Tournament MVP honors in the process.
Obee’s swing is a bit grooved and stiff, which has led to contact concerns. Obee posted a contact rate of 68% in 2024, which is well below-average in comparison to the rest of college baseball (the average is 77.3%). Obee struggled a ton with both velocity and spin, recording a whiff rate of 27% on heaters and a rate of 40% on sliders alone. This led to his inflated strikeout numbers, as he recorded sixty punchouts this spring, though Obee kept his chase rate near the average clip for college baseball, posting a 22.5% chase rate in 2024 (the average is 23.4%). This kept his walk rate to a respectable clip on the season and while his speed wasn’t utilized a ton on the bases, scouts raved about the power in the swing.
In the clip above, you can see what helps Obee generate a ton of his power. He’s a violent rotator with tons of bat speed and there’s natural loft to his swing, allowing him to lift the ball with ease. It’s legitimate all-fields power with Obee, grading out as above-average to plus with hefty exit velocities. Obee jumped the 110 MPH echelon on numerous occasions, maxing out at 111.3 MPH with one of his ACC Tournament home runs. It’s the calling card of his offensive profile and will be a valuable asset in the age of the long ball in college baseball.
While Obee is a college graduate, he will still be on the younger side of the upperclass bats in this year’s class. He was only 20 years and 9 months old on July 14th and won’t turn 22 years old until September 20, 2025, which bodes well for model-friendly teams. If there’s a solid performance against tougher competition in 2025, there’s a good chance that teams will view him somewhere in the latter half of Day Two, similar to the case this past summer.
Outcomes for Georgia and Duke
For Georgia, the outcome of this commitment is pretty cut and dry. Obee fills a hole not only in the outfield, but also in the power department offensively. Of the 151 home runs hit as a team in 2024, 66 of them were hit by players taken in the draft (Condon, Corey Collins, and Fernando Gonzalez). Georgia’s portal additions help ease the pain of these losses, as Robbie Burnett, Ryland Zaborowski, and Daniel Jackson all recorded double-digit home run totals in 2024, plus Kolby Branch, Slate Alford, and Tre Phelps all return to Athens, too. There’s a chance that the 2025 team could outslug the 2024 squad, especially with the way the ball continues to fly out of the ballpark at an infinite clip. The pitching looks to be on the stronger side, as well. This is a team with Omaha aspirations after a campaign that fell one game short of that goal in 2024.
As for Duke, replacing Obee’s leadership and power will be a tough task. Duke was poached on the pitching side of the draft and while Alex Stone signed with Toronto, there’s a hefty amount of bats returning to campus in Durham. There won’t be any Zac Morris, but Ben Miller went undrafted and the likes of Macon Winslow, AJ Gracia, and Kyle Johnson will step foot in Jack Coombs in 2025. Two outfielders from the Northeast will travel south to Durham, as well, as Jake Hyde and Ben Rounds will test their tools in the ACC this spring. In the power department, Duke will be eager to get Sam Harris valuable playing time. Coaches have raved about Harris’ raw power and there’s a good chance that a healthy spring will equate to hefty power numbers from the sophomore from Iowa. This won’t be a team to sleep on and much like Georgia, the lofty expectations of Omaha may well and truly become reality.
This Week in Baseball Cards 9/9 - 9/15
Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of September 9th through September 15th, 2024. There is one release covered this week - 2024 Bowman Chrome and three Pre-Orders - 2024 Topps Five Star Baseball, 2024 Topps Chrome Logofractor Edition, and 2024 Bowman Sterling. In addition, there is one retail product, 2023 Leaf Trinity Baseball Mega boxes potentially on the calendar as well.
Live Looks: High-A Spokane Indians at Everett AquaSox
This week marked the final week in the 2024 regular season for Advanced A-ball. As such, it was my last chance to catch a couple of high-profile prospects in Everett. With the Indians in town, that gave me a chance to see the 2024 third-overall pick, Charlie Condon. Also in the mix were Colt Emerson, Cole Carrigg, and Michael Arroyo. The AquaSox got out to an early 3-0 lead by the top of the fifth inning, but Spokane stormed back. A foul-tip non-call plated a run in what turned into a three-run inning for the Indians. From there, they never looked back. Spokane scored again in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings en route to an 8-4 victory over Everett. Notable prospects playing for the Indians included Charlie Condon (Rockies no. 1), Cole Carrigg (Rockies no. 7), Dyan Jorge (Rockies no. 15), and Kyle Karros (Rockies no. 18). LHP Welinton Herrera also made an appearance. He’s unranked but was featured in our underrated National League prospects earlier this month.
For the AquaSox, top prospects in this one included Colt Emerson (Mariners no. 1), Lazaro Montes (Mariners no. 3), Michael Arroyo (Mariners no. 12), and Jared Sundstrom (Mariners no. 30). It was a prospect-heavy matchup with plenty of takeaways to be found.
OF Charlie Condon (Rockies no. 1): 0/4, BB
It’s been far from smooth sailing for this year’s third-overall pick. None of that changed in the season’s final week, or in the game I attended on Wednesday. Condon failed to make any real hard contact on the night. Even the contact he made was stock full of pop-ups and weak foul balls. At one point, he entered the game with the bases loaded and one out. It was a key, clutch situation that saw Condon ground into an inning ending double play. Condon was visually frustrated most of the night, and it’s clear that he’s beginning to press a bit too much at the plate. An offseason will do him well. After the double-play groundout, Condon slammed his helmet to the dirt just past first base. Following a pop out to the catcher in another at-bat, Condon stood at the plate for an extra moment in clear frustration.
Much of Condon’s struggles at the plate looked to stem from a lack of confidence. On numerous occasions early, Condon would check his swing on hittable pitches. It seemed as if he was having a hard time with pitch recognition. More often, he’s simply swinging for elevation too much. Condon’s swing path could be straighter to the baseball. Instead, on his groundouts, Condon would swing upward and ahead of the pitch. It’s a poor swing plane that simply isn’t working right now. An offseason adjustment and some time off would suit the Rockies’ top prospect well. The talent is still clear for next season and beyond.
SS Colt Emerson (Mariners no. 1): 1/4, BB
Emerson has had a slow start since moving up to High-A earlier this season. Despite those struggles, he looks the part. Emerson has posted an excellent 83.8% zone contact rate with the AquaSox. His 19.4% whiff rate is among the best in the league and he rarely chases at just 17.4%. All of those things point to much better things to come from Emerson. In his lone hit on the night, Emerson got around quickly on a hittable pitch, lining a grounder into the outfield for a hit. His swing path is excellent and great bat speed really shines. Emerson passes the eye test on the diamond as well. His movement at shortstop is fluid with great footwork and a strong arm. The arm is accurate as well. He very well might grow into a third base profile, but he has the makings of an All-Star shortstop if he sticks there.
OF Cole Carrigg (Rockies no. 7): 1/4, HR, BB, 2 RBI
Carrigg had one of the best swings of the night. In the top of the eighth, Carrigg connected on a breaking ball, lifting it deep to right-center for a home run. His swing looks long at times, but his bat speed more than makes up for that. He put together a quality plate appearance every time he went to the plate in this one. Defensively, there weren’t many opportunities for Carrigg’s elite arm to factor in. He looked good in the field when given the chance to make a play and has the makings of a good big league center fielder. Despite the home run, Carrigg’s hit tool remains ahead of his power at this stage and should be good enough to carry the offensive profile. He also stole two bags on the night to help keep the runs coming for the Indians. That speed and defense provide an excellent floor for Carrigg as he continues to develop.
OF Lazaro Montes (Mariners no. 3): 0/5, SO
It was a difficult night at the plate for Montes. Beyond just the results, he simply didn’t put together many solid plate appearances. He worked the count in his first at-bat, eventually grounding out. His next two at-bats were balls in play for an out, swinging at the first pitch. He followed those two up with a three-pitch strikeout swinging. Montes was the final out of the game in his fifth plate appearance of the night, grounding out on — you guessed it — the very first pitch he saw. That makes five plate appearances for Montes and a grand total of 12 pitches seen. Six of those came in his first at-bat of the game. The outstanding raw power is evident at times, but the current focus on Montes has to be better pitch recognition and plate discipline. His whiff rate has ballooned to 35.3% with the AquaSox and he’s struggling to make contact. Until those things change, Montes may potentially offer a 30-grade hit tool that’ll make it difficult to get to his immense raw power.
2b Michael Arroyo (Mariners no. 12): 0/4, K
Michael Arroyo was uber-aggressive at the plate as well, much like Montes. He swung at the first pitch he saw to open the game with a quick groundout. Arroyo was able to get on base by hit-by-pitch in his next appearance but was picked off on the basepaths between second and third. His next plate appearance was a groundout on the second pitch. Arroyo’s final two at-bats of the evening featured a flyout on the first pitch, followed by a four-pitch strikeout. The season stat line for Arroyo has been great so far and he makes a lot of contact at the plate. Unfortunately, on nights like this one, that doesn’t always result in good contact. There’s a solid hit tool with Arroyo, but it’s unlikely he’ll add much power, and both fundamentally and defensively it can be rough. Arroyo committed one error and accompanied that with a handful of errant throws. He did make one excellent diving stop at one point, but the arm is difficult to trust at this point in his development.
3B Kyle Karros (Rockies no. 18): 2/4, RBI, BB
Cole Carrigg had the most standout performance of the game, but Kyle Karros wasn’t terribly far behind. He manned the hot corner and notched two hits. He got on base three times with sound swing mechanics. Karros put together quite a few gritty plate appearances. He has a great approach at the plate and regularly works a count well. He saw an average of seven pitches per plate appearance in this one. In the field, Karros also made an excellent diving stop with a strong throw to first to beat the runner. Long-term, it doesn’t appear that Karros offers the power profile needed to stick at third base. His hit tool should be at least average, and he has a strong enough arm to move to a corner outfield spot where his lack of power may be more suitable.
2025 MLB Draft: Top Draft Prospect Transfers
The transfer portal and NIL have created the notion that we expect lots of change each college baseball offseason. It has also significantly changed the recruiting process and how teams approach the MLB Draft. Regardless of your opinion on the matter, this is where the current landscape stands.
The 2025 college baseball transfer portal saw a lot of high-end talent on the move, with many expected to be potential top draft picks for the 2025 MLB Draft. Here are a few names you should be watching. Rankings of the transfer portal players are thanks to our friends over at 64 Analytics: www.64analytics.com
HITTERS
3B/OF ANDREW FISCHER (OLE MISS TO TENNESSEE)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #2
The Tennessee Volunteers were quiet on the transfer portal, and then, all of a sudden, they landed two of the top bats in the entire transfer class in Fischer and Kilen. We will start with Fischer, who provided some serious pop for Ole Miss. Fischer began his collegiate career at Duke in 2023 before transferring to Ole Miss for his sophomore year. Fischer is a bat-first prospect who generates a ton of power, as he’s seen max EVs up to 113 mph. Fischer generates most of his power to the pull side. He couples that with decent barrel-to-ball skills and the ability to get on base, as he sports a near 14% BB rate. Defensively, Fischer’s home is a bit unknown because he’s a bit clunky at third base, but has the arm strength to handle the position if he can improve there. He should fill in nicely in the heart of the Volunteers lineup.
SS GAVIN KILEN (LOUISVILLE TO TENNESSEE)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #4
The Volunteers lost a ton of bats in the MLB Draft, but hit the transfer portal hard and should be able to stave off some of those missing pieces. Kilen will play a major role in that. He produced some of the best contact rates in the NCAA last year, posting some insane contact and in-zone contact rates. He’s a bit aggressive, which led to a high chase rate, but that didn’t lead to significant Whiff or an increase in strikeouts, he has put up pretty good numbers in both categories. The big thing about Kilen’s offensive game is he saw a rise in pull-side power, with his max exit velocity getting up to 111 mph. Defensively, Killen has solid range at shortstop and enough arm strength to stick at the position. His quick reaction time helps him get to the ball with ease. He should be a solid contributor to the Volunteers looking to be repeat National Champions.
OF KANE KEPLEY (LIBERTY TO NORTH CAROLINA)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #8
The Tar Heels are getting one of the best contact hitters in the transfer portal. At Liberty, Kepley made some insane numbers contact wise. It doesn’t matter where you throw it, there is a good chance that Kepley will hit it. He utilizes the opposite field quite a bit as well. The 5’8, 170lb outfielder doesn’t possess much raw power but still puts up decent overall exit velos. He’s a plus runner who can track a ball down decently in the outfield. That speed has also led to 20+ steals in one season at Liberty and two summer ball seasons. The lack of power, as mentioned, limits his ceiling, but he has a very safe floor due to his speed, defensive ability, and ability to make contact.
INF AIVA ARQUETTE (WASHINGTON TO OREGON STATE)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #10
The Washington Huskies saw many players enter the portal, with Head Coach Jason Kelly leaving for Texas A&M. Arquette was definitely one of the top players to leave the Huskies and a massive get for Oregon State. Arquette put on a show in his second year with the Huskies, showcasing a solid combination of power and bat-to-ball skills at the plate. He continued that this summer in the Cape Cod League, where he slashed .291/.357/.437 with a .793 OPS. Most of his power came pull side, but he did showcase the ability to drive the ball the other way as he hit about five home runs to centerfield or right. Arquette also has incredible plate coverage and does a fantastic job getting balls down and away. He can sometimes be aggressive, which leads to increased chase rates. Defensively, he plays a good second base, but given his 6’4, 220lb frame, there is a good chance he will make his way to the hot corner in the long term. In the Cape, he played most of his games at shortstop, with a few at third base. He’s definitely one to watch in 2025, as his already solid toolset and projection could have him skyrocketing.
C BRADY NEAL (LSU TO ALABAMA)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #13
A significant loss for LSU, Neal was a force behind the dish for the Tigers, slashing .276/.409/.578 with a .986 OPS. Neal heads to Alabama, where he will give Head Coach Rob Vaughn a solid contributor and consistent leader behind the dish and in the lineup. Neal possesses extreme raw power from the left side and hits the ball very hard to the right side of the field, and has pretty good exit velo numbers to the poolside. Neal needs to improve his ability to make consistent contact so he can tap more into that raw power. He strikes out at a higher clip than you’d like to see. He offsets some of those issues with a fairly decent walk rate. Regardless, the 5’10, 193lb Neal can stick behind the plate thanks to his strong arm and athleticism. The upside with the bat is what you want to say for a potential catcher in the draft, regardless of some of the swing-and-miss concerns.
INF RYAN BLACK (UT ARLINGTON TO GEORGIA)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #15
Hits the ball hard. That about sums it up. Line drives are the name of the game for Black. He had some decent exit velocities and put his name on the map as a mid-major hitter. Black can generate hard contact with all parts of the field and has most of his hits to the right side. He couples that with very low Chase and Whiff rates. It’s an excellent approach at the plate, and he will be tough out for pitchers. Black should easily stick at second base because he is quick and makes plays. He lacks some range and has average arm strength, which likely limits him to second. He’s not the fastest runner and it’s average at best so his ceiling on the basepaths is limited. He’ll have the opportunity to face some much tougher pitching as he joins Georgia and the SEC.
INF DANIEL DICKINSON (UTAH VALLEY TO LSU)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #16
LSU, as always, had a time with the transfer portal. Daniel Dickinson may have been one of their best grabs this portal season. Like Ryan Black, Dickinson has some of the most insane contact rates in the country. His Whiff rates are off the charts well, and he struck out less than 10% of the time at Utah Valley. He’s been tapping into his power more, thanks to his quick hands and ability to get barrel-to-ball. It still taps out about fringe-average, but he could improve on that. He couples that with the ability to hit the ball hard. He did run into some struggles this summer in the Cape, but he maintained his elite approach at the plate, boasting excellent walk and strikeout rates, leaving me less concerned. However, he will be tested by some of the best arms in the nation in the SEC. Dickinson seems slated to be a second baseman due to his solid range and quick feet, but his arm will hold him back from playing on the left side of the diamond.
OF ETHAN CONRAD (MARIST TO WAKE FOREST)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #169
.388/.433/.486/.920. That’s one hell of a Cape Cod League slash line. Yes, I know it is fairly hitter-heavy in college summer leagues, but that’s still impressive for a guy who was at Marist last year. Conrad has been a force for the Red Foxes for the last two years and will take his talents to a Wake Forest team that needs some offensive pop. It’s a really fun and beautiful left-handed swing that has a good amount of raw pop. He chases quite a bit due to his aggressiveness on the plate, but he takes advantage of mistaken pitches when he connects. Despite his aggressiveness, he tends to have a very good feel for the strike zone. He’ll be tested in the SEC, but as mentioned earlier he has shown in a small sample size he can keep up with better arms. He pairs that solid ability at the plate with plus speed and had double-digit steals over the last two seasons at Marist. He’s a fringe-average defender with a strong arm who could be a very solid right fielder at the next level.
PITCHERS
LHP CADE FISHER (FLORIDA TO AUBURN)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #1
Cade Fisher was easily one of the most exciting names to enter the transfer portal this offseason and is a massive get for the Auburn Tigers. Pitching Coach Everett Teaford must be stoked to add him to that rotation. The former Florida Gator has a solid three-pitch mix that includes a fastball in the low-90s but has seen a max velo of 95 mph. He has some really good carry to that pitch. He pairs that with a slider and changeup. His slider has a ton of horizontal movement and absolutely fools hitters when he’s on with his command and control. The changeup plays well off his fastball and is a pretty good second secondary for him. Fisher comes at hitters with a low slot arm angle, creating some deception on his pitches. After a strong 2023, some command issues hurt Fisher in 2024, and his overall numbers took a step back. Fisher’s release point would vary, and the combination of walks and giving up hard contact led to him giving up quite a bit of runs. Fisher had a small sample size of three games in the Cape Cod League and flashed more success there in a hitter-friendly league. He opens up as a favorite to be in the rotation for the Auburn Tigers.
LHP ZACH ROOT (ECU TO ARKANSAS)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #3
A massive loss for ECU is a huge gain for the Arkansas Razorbacks who will have some stacked pitching going into 2025. Root found a ton of success during his tenure at ECU, pitching to the tune of a 3.82 ERA with 69 strikeouts in 63.2 innings for the Pirates. Root has a pretty well-filled out lower half that’s paired with quick arm actions. It’s a somewhat funky delivery that helps him get some deception. His fastball sits in the in the low-90s, but has been up to 97 mph. His secondaries are really what make him a threat on the mound. He goes to his change-up the most often as he’s willing to utilize it in any account tude to his good feel and command of the pitch. He hides the ball well with his funky delivery and the pitch drops away and out of the zone on hitters. His other secondary he goes to often is a slider, which has some cutter action to it at times, has some serious bite to it and he’s generated a ton of Whiff and Chase on this pitch as well. He rounds out the arsenal with a sweepy curveball. It’s a fun arm on it’s way to Fayetteville and a very successful season will boe well for the rising junior.
LHP LANDON BEIDELSCHIES (OHIO STATE TO ARKANSAS)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #5
Another big arm heading to Arkansas. You’ll see that’s a common theme in this article on the pitching side. The Razorbacks snag one of the best starters in the BIG10. The 6’3, 225lb Beidelschies is a physical presence on the mound, and he isn’t afraid to attack hitters with his fastball/slider combo. Beidelschies fastball has been in the 90-94 MPH range and has even topped at 98 mph. It’s his go-to pitch, as he utilized it nearly 60% of the time and missed bats with it a ton. As mentioned earlier, he pairs that fastball with a very nasty slider, which he goes to just over 30% of the time. Its sharp bite helps him get some decent Chase and Whiff on the pitch. He also has a change-up and curveball, which he’s utilized much less frequently, but both have the makings of rounding out a solid four-pitch arsenal. There is some relief risk if he doesn’t polish up those other secondaries, but the projection is there and he will look to find success against some of the toughest bats in the SEC.
RHP EVAN CHREST (JACKSONVILLE TO FLORIDA STATE)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #9
Chrest isn’t as highly ranked as the other arms, but there is plenty of intrigue. The numbers in the stat sheet aren’t the prettiest, but the data behind them will interest most teams. His slider clocks in well above 2800 RPMs and induces a ton of chase. He’s got a developing fastball that sits in the low-90s and has topped out at 95 MPH. The two-pitch combo has helped him generate decent strikeout numbers, as he’s punched out 74 batters over 68.2 innings. He commands the slider decently as well. His changeup rounds out his three-pitch mix nicely, generating some decent Whiff on the pitch. He’s a bit undersized, coming in at 6’0, 180lbs and heading into his junior year, there might not be as much projectability left. But the already decent three-pitch mix and decent command for all of them will have teams interested on draft day.
LHP LIAM DOYLE (OLE MISS TO TENNESSEE)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #11
Doyle joins his Ole Miss teammate Andrew Fischer in making his way to Tennesee, giving the Volunteers a high strikeout rate arm to add to their rotation. Doyle has put up some insane strikeout numbers between Coastal Carolina and Ole Miss the past two seasons, striking out 153 batters in 111.1 innings. Doyle’s fastball ranges from 90 to 94 and has topped at 96 MPH. The metrics behind it make it an electric fastball that gets by hitters. The pitch averages over 20 inches of vertical carry, and he has decent extension on the pitch. His secondaries are a bit behind his fastball, but he has two secondaries in slider/sweeper and cutter. The slider is in the low-80s, and he’s still working on commanding the pitch better, as he is with most of his secondaries. He also has a splitter he’s flashed but hasn’t thrown nearly as much as the pitch still needs quite a bit of development. The 6’2, 220lb lefty is a presence on the mound and while there might not be a ton of room for growth, there is still lots of projection left in his arsenal that he will look to continue to build on at Tennessee.
RHP JACOB MAYERS (NICHOLLS TO LSU)
64 Analytics Portal Rank: #12
Prospects Live Draft Rank:
LSU lost a few arms to the MLB Draft as expected, but they still have plenty of incoming talent, including Jakob Mayers, who makes his way to campus from Nicholls. His fastball is explosive as it has a ton of spin, giving it lots of carry in the zone. It’s averaged 91-95 MPH, but has topped out at 97 MPH. He utilized his fastball at extremely high rates last year, but still generated a decent amount of Whiff with it and put in insane strikeout numbers as he punched out 106 batters in 70.2 innings. He did the same thing in his freshman year, striking out 105 batters in 75.2 innings. The next step for Mayers is going to be really developing his secondary pitches to give him more weapons. He’s flashed a decent slider that with some polish could be a very good second pitch for Mayers.
Who's Hot and Who's Not? Digging into Initial Data for 2024 First Round Hitters
It’s hard to believe, but we’re two months out from the 2024 MLB Draft. The class was bouyed by a strong college hitting demographic, with many picks having made their debuts, giving us a glimpse into the type of hitters they may be as professionals, their assets, and limitations. In the next few weeks at Prospects Live, we’ll be checking in on some of the data tied to first round bats. All of these reports and write ups draw on relatively small sample sizes, many of them for prospects playing by far their most grueling year of baseball to date, so temper any significant conclusions drawn.
NOTE: All data for prospects was pulled prior to games on 09.05.24
Travis Bazzana, 1st Overall, Guardians, A+
Slash Line: .231/.364/.407 (.770)
25.5 K%, 13.6 BB%
78.5% Contact%
.343 xWOBA
.170/.276/.280 (.556) versus LHP
The Guardians were the biggest beneficiary of the draft lottery this cycle, moving up to number one to pick Travis Bazzana, fresh off an outstanding college season with Oregon State. After quickly assigning him to A+ Lake County, Bazzana is off to a solid, if unspectacular, start. Bazzana’s disciplined approach is on display. He’s seeing a whopping 4.36 P/PA (that’s near top of the scale for A ball), and walking at a healthy 13.6% clip. The bat-to-ball skills have shown up, too, as Bazzana is running a 78.5% Contact% through 25 games. Bazzana hasn’t clicked into high gear yet, and he’s been susceptible to left-handed pitching, managing just a .556 OPS against southpaws.
Charlie Condon, 3rd Overall, Rockies, A+
Slash Line: .184/.253/.276 (.528)
31.6 K%, 3.2 BB%
63.9% Contact%
.239 xWOBA
The Rockies assigned Charlie Condon to A+ Spokane after giving him a record-tying bonus, selecting him third overall. It’s been an extremely slow start for the prospect coming off a historic season at Georgia. Condon has shown some bat-to-ball concerns in his first 22 games, managing a 63.9 Contact% (~7% below average for the level). The approach has been rough, too, with a 10.00 K/BB thus far. It’s still very early for Condon as a professional, but it’s been a slow start.
Nick Kurtz, 5th Overall, Athletics, AA
Slash Line: .368/.520/.763 (1.283)
20 K%, 24 BB%
77.5% Contact%
.526 xWOBA
It’s extremely early for Kurtz, who the Athletics signed to an underslot deal to sign at number five overall. He’s played just 12 professional games but laid waste to Low A Stockton. Kurtz managed a 1.531 OPS in his first seven games and slugged four home runs and three doubles. The Athletics moved him to AA, where he’s off to a solid start (.785 OPS in five games). Kurtz displays patience and selectivity at the plate, seeing 4.24 P/PA and swinging just 37.7% of the time. While he’s shown some vulnerability striking out at a high clip against left-handed pitching, crucially, he’s maintaining his excellent approach against them, keeping a consistent platoon-neutral on base percentage. Kurtz is off to one of the best starts of any first-round hitter.
Jac Caglianone, 6th Overall, Royals, A+
Slash Line: .250/.318/.420 (.738)
21.8 K%, 6.4 BB%
74.1% Contact%
56.3% Swing%
.317 xWOBA
Caglianone was one of the most intriguing bats in the first round. Significant improvements in his strikeout rate and out of zone contact rate in his final year at Florida were offset by extreme chase rates, all coupled with monster raw power. How would this translate to professional baseball? Solidly, thus far. Caglianone is an aggressive hitter, with a swing rate close to 10% above MLB average. His improved bat-to-ball skills have carried over into professional baseball. He’s producing at a solid rate for the level despite running an 81.8% ground ball rate against left-handed pitchers.
JJ Wetherholt, 7th Overall, Cardinals, A
Slash Line: .235/.365/.306 (.671)
10.6 K%, 14.4 BB%
80.7% Contact%
13.6% Chase%
.340 xWOBA
104.1 mph 90thExitVel
53.3% Hit95+%
In the conversation for the number one overall pick coming into the 2024 cycle, Wetherholt missed significant time due to soft tissue injuries at West Virginia, eventually being selected at number seven overall by the Cardinals. While Wetherholt’s slash line is unspectacular, I’d argue that some of his under the hood numbers should have Cardinals fans encouraged. The bat to ball skills are as advertised, as Wetherholt is maintaining a Contact% ~10% above average for the level. He doesn’t chase much, and is walking more than he is striking out through his first 25 games as a professional. Wetherholt is crushing his batted balls, with 53.3% hit 95 mph or harder. That’s third best in A ball among prospects who have played at least 20 games. He’s been a victim of some bad batted ball luck thus far.
Christian Moore, 8th Overall, Angels, AA
Slash Line: .330/.381/.567 (.948)
26.7 K%, 7.6 BB%
65.2% Contact%
.403 xWOBA
The Angels continued their predictable tendency of drafting prospects they believe can make short work of the minor leagues and make an immediate impact with the big league roster. This year it was Tennessee slugger Christian Moore, who they signed underslot at 8th overall. Moore passed the test of stepping into the batter's box at A ball before being moved up to AA, where he went on an immediate heater. After slugging five home runs in his first six games for Rocket City, he was sidelined by a meniscus injury. Moore was maximizing his batted ball events before his injury (high line drive and pull percentages). Long term, the potential obstacles may be his bat to ball skills against higher caliber pitching, as he was managing a 65.2% Contact% prior to his injury. Undeniably though, Moore was off to the hot start the Angels hoped for. There’s no current timeline for his return to on-field action.