Draft https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/competition/draft/ Baseball America is the authority on the MLB Draft, MLB prospects, college baseball, high school baseball, international free agents. Baseball America finds the future of the game of baseball. Wed, 21 Aug 2024 12:18:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.baseballamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/bba-favicon-32x32-1.bmp Draft https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/competition/draft/ 32 32 How Are 2024 MLB Draft First-Round Picks Faring So Far? https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/how-are-2024-mlb-draft-first-round-picks-faring-so-far/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/how-are-2024-mlb-draft-first-round-picks-faring-so-far/#respond Tue, 20 Aug 2024 16:30:34 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1487519 Notable assignments for 2024 first-rounders, plus five debuts beyond the first round worth keeping an eye on.

The post How Are 2024 MLB Draft First-Round Picks Faring So Far? appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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Below we take a look at the early assignments for each of the first-rounders from the 2024 draft class. Many players have not yet been activated to start their pro careers—high schoolers and pitchers in general—so this piece mainly focuses on college hitters.

It’s worth noting that all players below are still working with extremely small sample sizes. Still, it’s worthwhile to check on how the top-ranked names are doing early on.

We also mention five notable debut performances beyond the first round.


1. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Guardians

Assignment: Lake County (High-A, Midwest League)

Performance: .256/.418/.442, 10 BB, 17 K, 1 HR, 5 2B, 152 wRC+

The first overall pick was assigned to Lake County where he tallied hits in six of his first 13 games. He managed a three-hit effort a few nights ago that featured three of his five total doubles and has played each game at second base. Bazzana has been one of the more passive first-round hitters in the minors so far with a 37.6% swing rate, though that’s right in line with his college numbers.

2. Chase Burns, RHP, Reds

Assignment: ACL Reds (rookie ball, Arizona Complex League)

Performance: No games 

3. Charlie Condon, OF, Rockies

Assignment: Spokane (High-A, Northwest League)

Performance: .205/.279/.333, 2 BB, 15 K, 1 HR, 2 2B, 75 wRC+

Condon turned in a four-hit effort in just his second game with Spokane, but since then he’s gone just 4-for-30 (.133) with a single extra-base hit. His 15 strikeouts and 34.9% strikeout rate are the highest of any first-round hitter, as is his 41.8% miss rate. Condon has played five games in left field, three at designated hitter and two at third base.

4. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics

Assignment: Stockton (Low-A, California League), Midland (Double-A, Texas League)

Performance: .400/.571/.960, 10 BB, 7 K, 4 HR, 2 2B, 273 wRC+

Kurtz torched California League pitching through seven games and quickly earned a promotion to Double-A Midland—making him the third* player from the 2024 class to reach that level after Christian Moore and David Mershon. He walked more than he struck out in seven games, homered four times and added two doubles with a 90th-percentile exit velocity of 109.4 mph and max exit velocity of 113.4 mph.

*Editor’s note: We originally stated Kurtz was the second player from the class to reach Double-A. That has been corrected.

5. Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox

Assignment: ACL White Sox (rookie ball, Arizona Complex League)

Performance: No games

Smith has been ramping up in Arizona and will join High-A Winston-Salem’s roster this week ahead of a potential debut on Saturday, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin.

6. Jac Caglianone, TWP, Royals

Assignment: Quad Cities (High-A, Midwest League)

Performance: .211/.348/.395, 6 BB, 12 K, 2 HR, 1 2B, 113 wRC+

Caglianone has exclusively played first base and designated hitter so far in his 11-game pro career. That’s expected, and we’ll probably need to wait for the 2025 season to see how the Royals plan to use Caglianone on the mound. He has continued to chase out of the zone at a high clip (40.9% chase) but hit the ball extremely hard when he connects (110.3 mph 90th, 114 mph max) and has made a ton of contact inside the zone (14.6% in-zone miss). 

7. JJ Wetherholt, SS, Cardinals

Assignment: Palm Beach (Low-A, Florida State League)

Performance: .255/.418/.353, 12 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 2 2B, 134 wRC+

Wetherholt has shown the best pure batting eye of first-round hitters with any reasonable sample of games at this rate. His 12 walks are second to only Yankees outfielder Brendan Jones among 2024 draftees, and his 10.3% chase rate is the best mark among first round 2024 drafted hitters. His overall miss and in-zone miss rates have also been strong. Wetherholt has played three games as a designated hitter but all of his playing time in the field has come at shortstop.

8. Christian Moore, 2B, Angels

Assignment: Inland Empire (Low-A, California League), Rocket City (Double-A, Southern League)

Performance: .414/.469/.776, 6 BB, 15 K, 6 HR, 3 2B, (307 wRC+ Low-A, 238 wRC+ Double-A)

Moore has been the most impressive 2024 prospect to debut in the minors to this point. He spent just two games in Low-A with Inland Empire before the Angels pushed him to Double-A Rocket City, where he’s slashed .383/.442/.723 with five home runs in 12 games. Moore’s six homers leads 2024 draftees so far and he’s shown an impressive combination of swing decisions and impact.

9. Konnor Griffin, SS, Pirates

Assignment: FCL Pirates (rookie ball, Florida Complex League)

Performance: No games

10. Seaver King, SS, Nationals

Assignment: Fredericksburg (Low-A, Carolina League)

Performance: .238/.273/.333, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR, 0 2B, 78 wRC+

King has only played five games with Fredericksburgh but he started off strong with back-to-back two-hit games. King has been one of the most free-swinging hitters among first round 2024 draftees in this admittedly tiny sample with a 56.1% overall swing rate and 42.9% chase rate that is one of the most aggressive of this group of players.

11. Bryce Rainer, SS, Tigers

Assignment: FCL Tigers (rookie ball, Florida Complex League)

Performance: No games

12. Braden Montgomery, OF, Red Sox

Assignment: FCL Red Sox (rookie ball, Florida Complex League)

Performance: No games

13. James Tibbs, OF, Giants

Assignment: San Jose (Low-A, California League)

Performance: .415/.429/.512, 1 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 4 2B, 154 wRC+

Tibbs was drafted as a bat-first position player with a corner profile and has played each game in the field in right while tallying hits in eight of his first nine games. He’s stacked seven consecutive multi-hit games at San Jose and might have a hit tool that’s simply too advanced for the level, though his modest impact numbers will be something to monitor moving forward considering the offensive bar he’ll need to clear.

14. Cam Smith, 3B, Cubs

Assignment: Myrtle Beach (Low-A, Carolina League)

Performance: .154/.267/.269, 4 BB, 10 K, 0 HR, 1 2B, 65 wRC+

Smith was one of the 2024 draft’s most improved hitters from the 2023 spring to 2024, but he has struggled in his first eight games in the Carolina League. He’s managed hits in just three games and has struck out at a 33.3% clip. His in-zone miss rate has been one of the highest among first-round draftees with a 33.3% mark so far.

15. Jurrangelo Cijntje, SHP, Mariners

Assignment: ACL Mariners (rookie ball, Arizona Complex League)

Performance: No games

16. PJ Morlando, OF, Marlins

Assignment: Jupiter (Low-A, Florida State League)

Performance: .000/.000/.000, 0 BB, 0 K, 0 HR, 0 2B, -100 wRC+

Morlando was one of the few high school players selected in the first round this year to actually get into pro games, but he tallied just one at-bat before a lumbar stress reaction ended his season. He’ll get back to work in 2025.

17. Braylon Payne, OF, Brewers

Assignment: ACL Brewers (rookie ball, Arizona Complex League)

Performance: No games

18. Theo Gillen, OF, Rays

Assignment: FCL Rays (rookie ball, Florida Complex League)

Performance: No games

19. Carson Benge, OF, Mets

Assignment: St. Lucie (Low-A, Florida State League)

Performance: .400/.700/.400, 4 BB, 3 K, 0 HR, 0 2B, 248 wRC+

Benge has only played in two games so far in the Florida State League but he managed hits in both and added four walks for good measure. In both games he played as the team’s designated hitter.

20. Trey Yesavage, RHP, Blue Jays

Assignment: FCL Blue Jays (rookie ball, Florida Complex League)

Performance: No games

21. Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Twins

Assignment: Fort Myers (Low-A, Florida State League)

Performance: .297/.366/.541, 3 BB, 2 K, 2 HR, 3 2B, 156 wRC+

Culpepper has shown excellent bat-to-ball skills through his first nine pro games with some of the best contact numbers of the first-round 2024 hitters. Culpepper has spent most of his time at shortstop when he’s played the field but he does have a single game at third base, which could be a real defensive home for him as well. 

22. Vance Honeycutt, OF, Orioles

Assignment: FCL Orioles (rookie ball, Florida Complex League)

Performance: No games

23. Kellon Lindsey, SS, Dodgers

Assignment: ACL Dodgers (rookie ball, Arizona Complex League)

Performance: No games

24. Cam Caminiti, LHP, Braves

Assignment: FCL Braves (rookie ball, Florida Complex League)

Performance: No games

25. Kash Mayfield, LHP, Padres

Assignment: ACL Padres (rookie ball, Arizona Complex League)

Performance: No games

26. Ben Hess, RHP, Yankees

Assignment: FCL Yankees (rookie ball, Florida Complex League)

Performance: No games

27. Dante Nori, OF, Phillies

Assignment: Clearwater (Low-A, Florida State League)

Performance: .200/.368/.333, 4 BB, 6 K, 0 HR, 0 2B, 112 wRC+

With Morlando dealing with an injury, Nori is the sole representative of the high school class among first-rounders in the minors so far. Perhaps the Phillies are being more aggressive with Nori than their peers given his age, as Nori will turn 20 in early October. He’s played in just four games with Low-A Clearwater but has shown a solid approach with some swing-and-miss while playing both center and left field. 

28. Walker Janek, C, Astros

Assignment: Asheville (High-A, South Atlantic League)

Performance: .211/.250/.342, 2 BB, 10 K, 1 HR, 2 2B, 68 wRC+

Through 10 games with High-A Asheville, Janek has been the most aggressive first-round hitter with a 47.5% chase rate that tops other free swingers like Seaver King and Jac Caglianone. With 10 strikeouts and just two walks, Janek will need to hone in the offensive approach, but he’s wasted no time showing off his arm behind the dish, with eight runners caught stealing in 15 total attempts against him—a 53% caught stealing rate.

29. Slade Caldwell, OF, D-backs

Assignment: ACL D-backs (rookie ball, Arizona Complex League)

Performance: No games

30. Malcolm Moore, C, Rangers

Assignment: Hickory (High-A, South Atlantic League)

Performance: .138/.265/.207, 2 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 2 2B, 50 wRC+

Moore has played in nine games with High-A Hickory this summer and started his first six games slowly when he went just 1-for-19 (.053). His most recent three-game stretch has been a bit better, as he’s hit in each game and gone 3-for-10 (.300) overall with a triple. Moore has stayed within the zone on his swing decisions but his 35.9% overall miss rate is a bit high and he’s also caught just 1-of-11 base stealers (9% caught stealing) in five games behind the plate. 


Five Notables Beyond The First Round

Derek Clark, LHP, Angels (9th round)

Assignment: Inland Empire (Low-A, California League)

Performance: 8 IP, 4 GS, 1.13 ERA, 10 K, 0 BB

A later draft date means most teams have become pretty conservative in how they activate and use their recently drafted pitchers. The Angels are built differently though. Clark leads all draftees with eight innings pitched and with 10 strikeouts. He’s started four games and gone just two innings in each and has yet to allow a walk while sitting around 90 mph with his fastball. 

Cole Tolbert, RHP, Red Sox (18th round)

Assignment: Salem (Low-A, Carolina League)

Performance: 4 IP, 2 GS, 2.25 ERA, 9 K, 0 BB

Tolbert was an 18th round selection out of Ole Miss who struggled during the spring out of the bullpen but pitched well in a starting role in the Northwoods League before the draft. In two starts with Low-A Salem, Tolbert has struck out nine without walking a batter while sitting in the 90-93 mph range with his fastball that has played up so far and mixing in a low-80s curveball and sweeper slider.

Jack Costello, 1B/3B/OF, Padres (10th round)

Assignment: Lake Elsinore (Low-A, California League)

Performance: .326/.407/.674, 4 BB, 3 K, 4 HR, 4 2B, 175 wRC+

Costello trails only Christian Moore with 31 total bases among 2024 draftees through his first 11 games with Low-A Lake Elsinore. He signed for just $10,000 in the 10th round as a senior sign but has shown excellent contact skills and surprisingly impressive top-end exit velocity marks so far. He has mostly split time between third base and first base so far but also has a game under his belt in right field. Costello is a 23-year-old in Low-A, but it’s a strong start.

Ian Petrutz, OF, Cardinals (10th round)

Assignment: Palm Beach (Low-A, Florida State League)

Performance: .396/.532/.521, 9 BB, 4 K, 0 HR, 4 2B, 207 wRC+

Petrutz signed for $250,000 in the 12th round out of Alabama and throughout his college career stood out for his plate discipline—a trait the Cardinals prioritize. He has continued to walk more than he has struck out in pro ball through 15 games with a 21.5% chase rate and excellent 9.3% in-zone miss rate. 

Brendan Jones, OF, Yankees (12th round)

Assignment: Tampa (Low-A, Florida State League)

Performance: .321/.537/.536, 13 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 3 2B, 209 wRC+

If walks are your thing, look no further than Yankees 12th-rounder Brendan Jones, an outfielder who signed for $150,000 and leads all 2024 draftees with 13 free passes. His 4.2% chase rate tops even the impressive mark mentioned above for JJ Wetherholt and his 31.7% walk rate is the best mark of any 2024 hitter with at least 25 plate appearances so far. All nine of his games with Tampa so far have come in center field. 

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Top 50 Class Of 2026, 2027 Standouts From The Area Code Games https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-50-class-of-2026-2027-standouts-from-the-area-code-games/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-50-class-of-2026-2027-standouts-from-the-area-code-games/#respond Mon, 19 Aug 2024 13:26:51 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1484965 Ben Badler shares 50 scouting reports breaking down the top performing underclassmen at the 2024 Area Code Games.

The post Top 50 Class Of 2026, 2027 Standouts From The Area Code Games appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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The Area Code Games underclass event offers major league scouts and college coaches a look at some of the top high school players in the 2026 and 2027 classes.

The eight teams are picked by major league scouts and split up by region. Each played four games from August 6-9: the first three days at Long Beach State and the third at the MLB Youth Academy in Compton, Calif. The event was filled with players ranked in the top 100 for the 2026 class, others who will be moving on to that list in our next update and players who were more under the radar but made bigger names for themselves for big league scouts and college coaches on hand.

Below are 50 of the top players from the event. We’ll start with the five players who stood out the most, both in terms of their prospect status and performance at the event. Then we break down the position players and the pitchers from the 2026 class who stood out, followed by 2027 names to know and before wrapping things up with a look at some sleepers with helium potential.

2026 Top High School Draft Prospects

Where did the standouts from the Area Code Games make our Class of 2026 high school prospect rankings?

Biggest Winners

Savion Sims, RHP, Oklahoma

Sims was the most electric player at Area Codes.

The first 10 fastballs out of his hand?

96, 96, 97, 96, 97, 96, 95, 96, 96 and 94 mph.

That’s from a 6-foot-7, 200-pound righthander with outstanding arm speed on a long, still-lanky frame who delivers the ball with steep downhill plane from a delivery without much effort. Sims already has an incredible fastball for a pitcher who just turned 17. With how much room he still has on his frame to add weight, the projection arrows point toward a pitcher who should not only end up with 80-grade velocity, but someone who could become the hardest thrower in baseball one day. Teenage pitchers with long limbs like Sims typically struggle repeating their mechanics to throw strikes, but Sims threw 28 of his 39 pitches for strikes (a 72% clip), with a lot of his misses coming below the strike zone. An Oklahoma commit, Sims threw a solid slider, as well, at 82-85 mph. At its best, it had two-plane depth from his high slot, spinning at 2,300-2,600 rpm. He used that slider to get a pair of swinging strikeouts, the best of which came on a 2-2 pitch to a lefty that broke down and in underneath his barrel.

Rookie Shepard, SS, Nevada

Shepard is already the No. 8 player in the 2026 class, and he finished Area Codes with one of the strongest offensive performances of the event. The Miami commit is a polished lefthanded hitter for his age with excellent bat control from a short swing and the ability to hit hard line drives to all parts of the field. One of the biggest differences with Shepard between now and a year ago is the muscle he has added to his 6-foot, 185-pound frame, which has helped him drive the ball with more extra-base impact. At a field where home runs were rare, Shepard got a 1-0 fastball up on the inner third of the plate, kept his head locked in and snapped the barrel through the zone to catch it out front and drive it over the right field fence for a home run with a 106 mph exit velocity. Shepard’s approach is typically more line-drive oriented, but he showed the power is in there when he wants to let it loose. He also hit a fastball for a low line drive that traveled into the left-center field gap for a triple while showing the adjustability of his swing when he went down to hit a 3-2 fastball that was probably below the strike zone for a double to left-center. Shepard has the hands, footwork and instincts to play somewhere in the middle infield, whether it’s at shortstop or second base, but it’s his offensive game that has stood out the most.

Gary Morse, RHP, California

Morse delivered the most dominant pitching performance of anyone at Area Codes. He pitched three flawless innings, striking out seven of the nine batters he faced without allowing a hit or a walk. At 6-foot-8, 190 pounds, Morse is an extra long, lanky pitcher who was able to miss bats with three pitches. The No. 77 player in the 2026 class, Morse pitched at 88-92 mph, mostly attacking up with his riding fastball from his high three-quarters slot. Morse’s curveball isn’t a high-spin pitch—it was mostly in the 2,000 to 2,200 rpm range here—but it was hard, sharp and had good depth at 78-81 mph, with hitters waving through his curve all five times they swung at the pitch. Morse only faced one lefty, but he still made effective use of his 84-85 mph changeup. He got three swinging strikes on the seven changeups he threw, showing plenty of fade to run away from barrels with the potential for the offering to be his biggest swing-and-miss pitch long term. Morse is uncommitted for college.

Trey Rangel, RHP, Texas

Rangel is the top ranked pitcher in the 2026 class (No. 9 overall) and looked as advertised, striking out five of the 12 batters he faced in three scoreless innings. At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Rangel is an athletic righthander with a low-effort delivery and a fastball that was up to 94 mph and got a lot of swing-and-miss when he pitched with it up in the zone. Given Rangel’s arm speed and room to add strength to a still wiry frame, there should be more velocity in the tank. Rangel already has a big fastball for his age, but the separator for him as long been his innate feel to snap off a curveball with elite spin. Rangel regularly spun his 76-80 mph curve above 3,000 rpm up to 3,133 rpm, using it once for a particularly nasty swinging strikeout to a lefty, with two more that he used to get third strikes looking. He threw a few changeups at 84-86 mph that he holds with a spike grip and has good depth at times—one of them was a spin-killer at 984 rpm—but it was primarily the fastball/curveball mix that Rangel used to quiet hitters. Everything continues to track for Rangel being one of the top high school pitchers for the 2026 draft.

Anthony Del Angel, OF/3B, New Mexico

There are a few things that jump out about Del Angel immediately. One is his size, which at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, gives him a strong, well-proportioned frame with room to pack on more good weight. The second is his swing. It may be unorthodox, but Del Angel seems to hit everywhere he goes and has the bat speed to drive the ball with impact. In batting practice, he produced as much hard, consistent contact on the barrel as anyone, getting regular 95+ mph exit velocities with several eclipsing 100 mph and registering up to 103. Del Angel has a strong offensive track record in games, and he padded that resume at Area Codes with five hits, one of which being a double that he pulled off a 96 mph fastball from Savion Sims. His best hit came on on 0-2 curveball that he lifted over the left fielder’s head to the warning track at 358 feet. It was a ball that’s gone at most parks on the showcase circuit, with Del Angel hustling around the bases for a triple. He singled three more times on fastballs ranging from 88 to 91 mph, all on hard line drives in the air. An Oklahoma commit, Del Angel is the No. 69 player in the 2026 class and made a strong case to move up the list in the next update.

Hitting Standouts

Keon Johnson, SS, Georgia

The No. 7 player in the 2026 class, Johnson is a quick-twitch athlete with a projectable frame (6-foot-2, 190 pounds). He has a good balance of skills on both sides of the ball that was on display here. Johnson loads his righthanded swing with a leg kick and unleashes big bat speed, producing consistent hard contact in batting practice and carrying that over into the games. Typically a pull-oriented hitter, Johnson lined a single to right-center field and smoked a fastball for a double in the air into the right field corner. Johnson, who is uncommitted, also stood out defensively on multiple plays. At third base on a sharp ground ball, he made a diving play to his left to field the ball, got up quickly and threw to first base for the out. He made another nice play at third base on a foul ball hit behind him where Johnson made a running catch over his head near the wall while also making a quick, clean double play turn at second base on a 4-6-3 double play.

Archer Horn, SS/RHP, California

Horn is 6-foot-2, 190 pounds and showed an accurate barrel from the left side, staying within the strike zone throughout the event and hitting a fastball for a double down the right field line. A Stanford commit ranked No. 82 in the 2026 class, Horn also showed some of the best raw power at the event during BP, when he hit balls up to 104 mph off the bat. On the mound, Horn pitched heavily off a fastball that was up to 92 mph and thrown for strikes at a high clip. He sprinkled in both a slider and a curveball, with his 76-77 mph changeup his most effective secondary pitch, featuring heavy sink at its best.

Landon Thome, SS, Illinois

Thome, the son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, was named the player of the week for the underclass event after he went 5-for-8, showing significant steps forward with his all-around skill set from where he was last year when he played in the same event. While Jim was a 6-foot-4, slugging first baseman, Landon is a 5-foot-11, 170-pound middle infielder with a sound, compact lefthanded stroke with good balance. He showed that on his best swing of the games when he got a 3-2 fastball on the inner third and pulled his hands inside the pitch to pull it over the right fielder’s head for a triple. Thome also chipped in a defensive highlight at shortstop on a ground ball in the hole toward third base where he read the ball well off the bat, fielded it cleanly on a backhand and made a deep throw from the back of the dirt to get the out at first base. Thome, who is uncommitted, also made a smooth, quick turn on the back end of a 4-6-3 double play at shortstop.

Jorvorskie Lane Jr., OF/C, Texas

Blair Field is a spacious park where home runs aren’t common, especially for high school underclassmen, whether it’s in-game or in BP. Lane—who is one of the youngest players in the 2026 class, having just turned 16 last month—still managed to hit a ball into the trees in left field, showing an outstanding ability to fire his hips and rotate powerfully to generate explosive bat speed. At 6 feet, 195 pounds, Lane is not as big as some of the other top high school power threats, but he can whip the barrel through the zone with ferocity from the right side to get exit velocities up to 103 mph in BP. The No. 10 player in the 2026 class and a Texas A&M commit, Lane did show some swing-and-miss tendencies here, but he lined a 3-2 fastball for a hit to the opposite field, walked three times and smashed a fastball 348 feet to right field at 98 mph off the bat for a deep fly out. Lane has experience behind the plate and the outfield. Where he ends up defensively is up in the air, but he turned in a highlight catch in center field. With nobody out and a runner on first stealing on the pitch, Lane broke back and toward left-center field on a deep fly ball over his head. The runner paused right before second base, but the ball was hit so deep that he rounded the bag. Lane was able to take a clean route and reach up to make a backhand catch over his head just in front of the warning track. He then alertly turned around, hit the cutoff man and got the double play at first base.

Dylan Minnatee, 1B, California

Minnatee has a knack for finding the barrel, which was something he did consistently all week, whether it was picking up three hits or driving the ball for hard contact outs to the outfield. He’s a 6-foot, 190-pound lefty who sets up with an open stance then strides closed and has impressive bat control, swinging and missing only once during the event. While the offensive bar is high for a team to draft a high school first baseman, Minnatee is uncommitted for college and could develop into a middle-of-the-order hitter for whatever school ultimately lands him.

James Tronstein, OF/SS, California

Tronstein was still working his way back from a hamstring injury, so he didn’t get as much playing time and wasn’t at full strength here. But even at less than 100 percent, Tronstein showed why he’s the No. 30 player in the 2026 class. He’s a 5-foot-11, 170-pound righthanded hitter with strong hands, fast bat speed and some of the best barrel accuracy in the country. He demonstrated that bat speed when he smoked a fastball for a line-drive single to center field with a 103 mph exit velocity. A Stanford commit, Tronstein didn’t get a chance to show it here, but he’s also a plus runner and a good athlete who defends his position well in center field.

J.C. Pacheco, SS, New Jersey

Pacheco is one of the top hitters in the northeast. He’s 5-foot-10, 175 pounds and takes a tight turn of the barrel with his short, quick lefthanded swing. It’s an operation with minimal wasted movement and it comes through the hitting zone with good bat path. He showed his hitting ability when he singled on fastball for a line drive to left field and again on a first-pitch fastball that he pulled for a line-drive single to right field. The bat is Pacheco’s calling card, but he made a pair of nice defensive plays at third base, once charging in on a slow roller and making a jump throw to first base for the out and another running back on a pop up in foul territory to make an over-the-shoulder catch. He’s uncommitted.

Dillon Moss, C, California

A California native at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Moss is the No. 3 catcher in the 2026 class and a Stanford commit. There’s an impressive track record of hitting with Moss, who added another strong event to his history here. A 6-foot-1, 170-pound righthanded hitter, Moss chipped in a few hits at Area Codes, using a short, efficient swing for hits against both fastballs and breaking stuff. Arguably his best hit came on a 1-1, 91 mph fastball that he smacked in the air to center field with a 94 mph exit velocity. Moss has a strong arm, too, and has the attributes to be able to stick behind the plate.

Brody Schumaker, SS, California

Schumaker is the son of Skip Schumaker, an 11-year big leaguer and current manager of the Marlins. Brody plays just like what you you would expect as the son of a former major leaguer and manager. He’s 5-foot-10, 165 pounds and an instinctive player with a mature plan at the plate. He gets on base at a high clip with a high-contact bat, spreading line drives all around the field with a hit-over-power game from a simple, level stroke. A TCU commit, Schumaker ran well, too, beating out a groundball for an infield single going home to first in 4.10 seconds, which is a plus time for a lefthanded hitter.

Spencer Browning, SS, Texas

Ranked No. 85 in the 2026 class, Browning has a strong build (6-foot-1, 200 pounds), good wheels and showed the ability to drive the ball for extra-base damage on multiple occasions at Area Codes. On one occasion, he slammed a double over the left fielder’s head on a 91 mph fastball. In another at-bat, Browning took a short swing on a 90 mph fastball up and in on his hands, turning it around for a double to left field. An Arkansas commit, Browning is a good athlete with an aggressive approach with what will likely be a power-over-hit offensive game.

Anthony Murphy, OF, California

The No. 48 player for 2026, Murphy has a mix of power and defensive tools that he showed here. The uncommitted center fielder doubled off a 92 mph fastball, driving the ball to deep center field with a 98 mph exit velocity. Murphy also unleashed an above-average arm on a throw home with a runner on second trying to score on a groundball single to center field. Murphy’s throw beat him to the plate, though the catcher couldn’t get the tag on him fast enough and he slid underneath for the run.

Jeffrey Todd-Darden, OF, Texas

Todd-Darden, who is uncommitted, is one of the most exciting athletes in the 2026 class. The athleticism and tool set stood out more than his performance at Area Codes, with Todd-Darden showing some rawness at the plate but plenty of tools to dream on. He’s 6 feet, 175 pounds with plus-plus speed and the quick-burst athleticism needed to handle center field. He also showed his power potential by hitting a 91 mph fastball 324 feet to right field for a hard out with a 101 mph exit velocity and another hard contact out with a 98 mph EV.

Jacob Lombard, SS, Florida

In terms of performance, this wasn’t the best showing for Lombard, who flew across the country in the middle of the event after being one of the few underclassmen also in East Coast Pro, which overlapped with the Area Code underclass games. Yet, it’s hard for Lombard not to stand out with his athleticism, tools and smooth, efficient actions both at the plate and in the field. The No. 2 player in the 2026 class, Lombard is an instinctive defender at shortstop, where he has clean footwork, soft hands and reads hops well. At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Lombard is a righthanded hitter with a compact, efficient swing that has good balance, sequence and path through the zone.

Alain Gomez, C, Arizona

Gomez was the high school catcher in the spring for lefthander Cam Caminiti, the Braves first-round pick this year, so scouts have already had several looks at him. Originally from Venezuela, Gomez is an uncommitted switch-hitter who collected multiple hits at Area Codes. What stood out the most here was his defense. He’s 5-foot-11, 201 pounds with an above-average arm and a quick exchange, both of which were on display when he ended an inning throwing out a would-be base stealer on a 1.88-second pop time. He showed that arm strength, quickness and alertness again when he back picked a runner off first base, throwing from his knees behind the lefthanded hitter for the out.

Devin Diaz, C, New York

Like Gomez, Diaz is another catcher who stands out for his defensive skills, particularly with arm strength that helps him control the running game. At 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, Diaz is an athletic mover behind the plate, blocked well and showed an above-average arm. A Miami commit, Diaz also flashed promising signs at the plate. The best at-bat for the righthanded-hitting Diaz came when he condensed his swing, went with no stride and hit a changeup into the left field corner for a triple. Another hit came off a curveball that he drilled in the air to center field for a single.

Will Adams, 1B, Alabama

Adams consistently strung together quality at-bats. He’s a lefty who gets on plane well, helping him drive the ball to all fields from his 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame. There was a mix of hitting ability and power with Adams, with his best swing coming on a fastball that he hit for a double to right-center field at 104 mph off the bat. Adams hit another double with a 96 mph exit velocity that traveled 341 feet to the right field warning track, with several other well-struck balls that resulted in hard contact outs for the Alabama commit.

Erik Zdunek, OF, California

Zdunek just turned 16 in June, so the TCU commit is one of the younger players in the 2026 class. He’s 6-foot-2, 190 pounds and showed a knack for putting the bat to the ball, often with hard contact from the right side of the plate. He showed that when he got a fastball up on the outer third and barreled it for a triple to right field. Zdunek, who projects as a corner outfielder at the next level, was able to turn on an inner-third fastball as well, pulling it for a line-drive single to left field with a 99 mph exit velocity. He also drove in a pair of runs with a groundball single to center field off a fastball.

Troy Southisene, SS/OF, Las Vegas

The Cubs drafted shortstop Ty Southisene out of Basic HS in Nevada this year with their fourth-round pick while Tate Southisene is an infielder and outfielder who ranks as the No. 21 player in the 2025 class. Their younger brother, Troy, is another prospect to watch in the 2026 class. He’s 5-foot-10, 160 pounds with good hand-eye coordination and instincts for the game. Southisene split time between the infield and outfield and stood out defensively at both spots. He showed crisp actions, quick feet and good body control at shortstop, where he made a nice play charging in on a slow roller. In center field, on a drive in the right-center field gap, Southisene read the ball well off the bat and took an efficient route to make a difficult play look routine. Southisene, who is uncommitted, is a righthanded hitter with a line-drive approach and gap power.

Alex Harrington, SS, California

On offensive performance alone, there wasn’t one big moment here for Harrington, but he always sticks out because of his quick-twitch athleticism and the strength projection in his still-wiry 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame. Harrington showed his quickness and body control during infield at shortstop, with his range and reactions evident during the game. Playing third base, Harrington covered a lot of ground to his left on a ground ball in the hole where he had to spin, turn and make an accurate throw to get the out with a plus runner at the plate. He’s a Stanford commit.

Andruw Giles, OF, Nevada

Giles made multiple highlight catches in the outfield, including one in left field where he charged into foul territory to make a sliding grab. At 6 feet, 180 pounds, Giles isn’t a burner runner, but his defensive instincts are strong and he’s shown good bat-to-ball skills from the left side of the plate throughout the summer. Giles’ offensive production has generally been hit-over-power, but when he let it loose in BP, he showed the ability to drive the ball well with exit velocities up to 103 mph. He’s uncommitted.

Pitching Standouts

Landon Schutte, RHP, California

Schutte was one of the most impressive pitchers at the event, both in terms of performance and projecting him as a prospect. The No. 29 player in the 2026 class is 6-foot-5, 220 pounds with a strong lower half, and he threw strikes at a 71% clip with his fastball, which touched 93 mph from his three-quarters slot. There should be mid-90s velocity coming soon for Schutte, but the most exciting pitch for him here was his curveball. It’s a 76-80 mph curve with tight rotation—spinning mostly in the 2,700-,2900 rpm range—and sharp bite that should help him rack up a lot of swing-and-miss at the next level. He didn’t use his changeup much here but he didn’t need to either as he struck out three with no walks over three scoreless innings.

Hudson Alpert, RHP, Colorado

Alpert has an up arrow next to his name after what he showed at Area Codes. He’s 6-foot-2, 190 pounds with a sound, efficient delivery and good arm action into a three-quarters slot, attacking hitters up in the zone with a fastball that ticked up in this outing to reach 93 mph. It’s a good fastball for his age, but the most impressive pitch here was his upper-70s to low-80s slider. Alpert threw an incredible 18 of 19 sliders for strikes, including five whiffs. Some of those strikes came on chases, with Alpert consistently executing his sharp slider down and to his glove side against both righties and lefties, spinning mostly in the 2,400-2,700 rpm range with tight break and two-plane depth. Alpert threw a handful of low-80s changeups, as well, but it was mostly his fastball/slider combination that allowed him to strike out three with no walks across three scoreless innings.

Bryce Hill, RHP, Connecticut

Through his first three innings, Hill struck out five of the 12 batters he faced with one walk. With his team short on pitchers, Hill went out for a fourth inning and wasn’t as sharp, but the way Hall pitched his first few innings showed why the Stanford commit is the No. 59 player in the 2026 class. He has a tall, strong frame (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) and touched 95 mph multiple times from his three-quarters slot with the look of a pitcher who should still have a couple extra ticks of velocity to come. Hill pitched heavily off his fastball, mixing in a short slider at 78-84 mph with spin in the 2,000-2,300 rpm range and a 73-78 mph changeup that flashed heavy life at times.

Jack Smejkal, RHP, Texas

The No. 83 player in the 2026 class, Smejkal is 6-foot-1, 175 pounds with a fast arm. His fastball ranged from 90-94 mph from a long arm action and an open stride. The uncommitted righthander consistently threw his fastball for strikes to both sides of the plate, striking out three with one hit, one walk and a hit batsman against the 12 batters he faced. Smejkal’s changeup has been a bigger weapon in other looks, and while he rarely threw it here, it flashed good fade. More often, he went to an 82-86 mph slider, which he had trouble landing for strikes but showed feel to spin in the 2,400-2,600 rpm range.

Easton Webb, RHP, Oklahoma

An Oklahoma State commit, Webb is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and an athletic pitcher who is also the quarterback for his high school football team. He pitched up in the zone with a fastball that touched 92 mph from his three-quarters slot. Webb went with a near 50/50 mix of fastballs and offspeed stuff, using a 75-79 mph curveball that he showed feel to spin in the 2,400-2,700 rpm range to get four swings and misses. His low-80s changeup didn’t miss any bats, but he kept it down and used it to get a pair of groundouts.

Shawn Sullivan, RHP, Ohio

Sullivan made a loud entrance at Area Codes. The 6-foot, 185-pound righthander stepped into the game with one out in the sixth inning and needed just eight pitches (six strikes) to strike out the only two batters he faced. Most of his fastballs were 95-96 mph, and he touched 97 once while throwing one big-breaking curveball at 78 mph (2,253 rpm) for a called strikeout. He throws from an extremely aggressive, high-effort delivery, and when he came back for another outing, Sullivan showed the risk that comes with his upside, as he had more trouble throwing strikes. Some scouts see Sullivan, who’s committed to Alabama, as a potential power reliever, but he has the chance to move up 2026 draft boards if he can show more touch and feel to go with his high-octane fastball.

Lawson McLeod, RHP, Virginia

McLeod, who is uncommitted, had his best outing of the summer at Area Codes, where he needed just 19 pitches to retire all six batters he faced with three strikeouts. McLeod is 6-foot-6, 215 pounds and drove his fastball down in the strike zone at 90-93 mph. He threw 11 of his 13 fastballs for strikes and mixed in an effective 79-82 mph breaking ball for all three strikeouts (one swinging) with spin into the 2600s. It was a significantly improved breaking ball from what McLeod had shown in previous outings, which is an encouraging sign for a pitcher who already stands out for his size and fastball.

Jenker Romero, RHP, Georgia

Romero has high-end stuff, though he’s still figuring out how to corral it for strikes. He has a great, projectable pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, good arm action and ran his fastball up to 94 mph with room to fill out and add more velocity to what’s already a big fastball for his age. Romero showed feel to spin a pair of sharp breaking balls, an upper-70s slider and a curveball with more depth, both in the 2,500-2,800 rpm range. He missed bats with all three pitches and struck out three of the 10 batters he faced. He also walked three hitters and threw just 46% strikes, with too many fastballs sailing on him, so he will have to figure out how to repeat his release point more consistently to improve his control. Still, the stuff and physical projection stacked up favorably with some of the better pitchers here. He’s uncommitted for college.

Dax Hardcastle, RHP/1B, California

An uncommitted righthander/first baseman, Hardcastle breezed through two clean innings, striking out three of the six batters he faced without issuing a walk or a hit. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he’s a physically mature pitcher for his age with a fastball that touched 92 mph and consistently got swing-and-miss up in the zone, with hitters whiffing through it on seven of their 11 swings. The No. 60 player in the 2026 class, Hardcastle flashed feel to spin an upper-70s curveball, though he wasn’t able to throw it for strikes here. His low-80s changeup had deception and induced a swing-and-miss underneath a barrel on one of the three of them that he threw. Hardcastle’s future in pro ball leans more toward the mound, but during batting practice he also showed some of the best raw power of any hitter at the event.

Brock MacDonald, RHP, Arizona

At 6 feet, 190 pounds, MacDonald doesn’t have the long, lean frame of the more prominent pitching prospects at the top of the 2026 class, but the uncommitted righthander emerged as an intriguing sleeper at Area Codes. MacDonald struck out three with one walk and one hit allowed over his two innings, pitching to both sides of the plate with a fastball that touched 92 mph (though his velocity did dip in his second inning). MacDonald had some of the better breaking stuff at the event, too, getting four swings and misses on a 76-81 mph slider that spun above 2,700 rpm at times.

Alex Hoffman, RHP, North Carolina

Hoffman is 6-foot-2, 200 pounds with a good fastball/slider mix that he showed at Area Codes. The Virginia Tech commit threw his high-spin fastball (2,500-2,700 rpm) up to 93 mph and used it to get swing-and-miss in the zone. He showed feel to to spin a slider in the 2,400-2,700 range that froze hitters for a two of four strikeouts in his two-inning outing, with an occasional mid-70s curveball sprinkled in, as well.

David Hinojosa, RHP, New York

An uncommitted righthander, Hinojosa hasn’t done a ton of national events, but he made a bigger name for himself at this one. He has a starter look with a lean 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame, a loose arm and good flexibility on the mound. He threw strikes with a fastball that was up to 91 mph and has the arm speed for more velocity to come. Hinojosa showed feel for two secondary pitches, as well, including a mid-to-upper 70s curveball that he spun between 2,300-2,600 rpm and a mid-80s changeup.

Cooper Sides, RHP, California

At 6-foot-5, 190 pounds, Sides is a tall, lean pitcher with long arms that suggest mid-90s velocity coming in the near future. The uncommitted righthander touched 92 mph here, pitching heavily off his fastball with a slider above 2,500 rpm on his best ones. The No. 39 player in the 2026 class, Sides had little trouble through his outing, throwing three shutout innings with two strikeouts.

Tyler Putnam, RHP, Missouri

Putnam didn’t allow a hit over his three innings, striking out five of the 10 batters he faced with one walk. He pitched off a fastball that touched 92 mph and should be throwing in the mid-90s or better once he packs more weight onto his 6-foot-5, 175-pound build. Putnam’s fastball was his best pitch, and it already generates a lot of empty swings, especially when he elevates. He also showed a lower spin slider at 74-77 mph that he leaned on more than his low-80s changeup.

Julian Garcia, RHP, California

Garcia flashed promising traits to be able to mold over the next couple of years leading into the 2026 draft. He has a lean, projectable pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds with long arms and a fastball that touched 92 mph in the first inning and was still touching 90 mph in his second inning, though his velocity did drop more in his third inning. He throws a slow curveball in the low-70s that was effective here to get swing-and-miss and could be a bigger weapon for him once he’s able to throw it with more power, as it already can spin above 2,800 rpm. The uncommitted righthander finished with four strikeouts and two walks.

Dylan Blomker, RHP, New Mexico

Blomker showed good size (6-foot-4, 195 pounds) and stuff during his outing. He pitched in the low-90s, touched 93 mph and got several swings and misses with his lively fastball. The uncommitted righthander also showed feel to spin a low-80s slider that had sharp turns and the potential to develop into a bigger swing-and-miss pitch for him with more reps.

McCoy Silicz, RHP, California

Silicz has a classic projectable frame for a young righthander at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds. He touched 92 mph in this look, where he struck out three and didn’t allow a run over three innings. There’s a good chance he’s reaching the mid-90s before the 2026 draft. Silicz also flashed feel to spin a curveball (2,200-2,500 rpm) that has sharp bite and good depth when it was at its best and played well off his fastball from his high slot. He’s uncommitted.

Spencer Krasner, LHP, Florida

Krasner breezed through his first inning before running into a little more trouble in the second, but overall, he showed starter traits with a good mix of pitchability, projection and feel to manipulate his offspeed stuff. He can scrape 90 mph, pitching more in the upper-80s, with a 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame that should lend itself to adding more velocity once he gets stronger. Krasner had one of the better lefthanded breaking balls at Area Codes, using it to freeze hitters for strikeouts and to get swings and misses. Previously a Virginia commit, Kranser is now one of the top uncommitted lefties in the 2026 class.

2027 Names To Know

Drake Hawpe, OF, Texas

Few players—2026 or 2027—had a better week than Hawpe. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Hawpe has a lot of strength projection left in his frame and rarely swung and missed, delivering five hits with two doubles with an exit velocity up to 100 mph in batting practice. Against a 94 mph fastball up on the inner third, he kept his hands inside the ball and shot it the other way for a single. He pulled a 2-2 fastball into right-center field for a double and hit another first-pitch fastball for a double the other way. As a corner outfielder, Hawpe’s offensive game is what drives most of his value, but he delivered a pair of diving catches, as well: one running in on a shallow fly ball in left field, the other robbing a hit in right-center.

Carter Hadnot, SS, California

Hadnot looked like one of the premier players in the 2027 class. A 6-foot-2, 165-pound switch-hitter, Hadnot is a lean, athletic shortstop with a lot of space to fill out and impressive ability to maneuver the barrel. His swing takes a tight turn and he was consistently on the sweet spot, pulling a first-pitch fastball for a double down the right field line, then lining a double into the right field corner (though he was out trying to stretch it into a triple). Hadnot also showcased his quick-twitch athleticism at shortstop. He made an excellent defensive attempt by diving to field a ground ball up the middle, getting up quickly and firing to first base, though with a speedy runner at the plate he was safe by half a step.

Max Hemenway, SS, Washington

Hemenway is one of the elite 2027 players in the country. He has a mature, polished look in the batter’s box for his age, taking a clean, compact cut from the left side. He keeps his head locked in, recognizes pitches and has the feel to maneuver the barrel to find the sweet spot on pitches throughout the strike zone. Hemenway consistently drove the ball well to the middle of the field—though often right at an outfielder with nothing to show for it in the box score—but he did hang in against a left-on-left curveball in a 1-2 count that he hammered to center field for a single. At 6 feet, 165 pounds, Hemenway has a hit-over-power profile and should start to drive the ball with more impact once he fills out his wiry frame. At shortstop, the Tennessee commit is an athletic mover with crisp, quick actions. He showed good instincts and range diving up the middle to field a groundball, getting to his feet and making an accurate throw to first, though not in time to get the out on a plus runner. He checks a lot of boxes between his hitting and ability to play shortstop that will push him high up boards as the 2027 draft gets closer.

Lash Henderson, OF, Texas

Even as a 2027 at an event of mostly 2026 players, no player showed more raw power than Henderson, who is a righthanded hitter who drove the ball up to 105 mph in BP. At 6-foot-4, 202 pounds, Henderson physically sticks out like a man among boys. He has a strong but lean athletic frame with room to fill out and grow into plus-plus raw power in the future. In games, Henderson showed some rawness that’s still there, but the mix of athleticism, power potential and plus speed makes for a high-end prospect with exciting upside to follow.

Leo Nockley, SS, Pennsylvania

At 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, Nockley was one of the smallest players on the field, but he still stood out for his ability to hit from the left side. He took a tight turn of the barrel on an elevated fastball and drove it for a double to left field, part of a two-hit game in which he smacked a single the opposite way, as well. Nockley’s best at-bat of Area Codes came when he smoked a fastball at 95 mph off the bat to deep center field that traveled 353 feet only for Jorvorskie Lane to run it down with an excellent catch just in front of the warning track. He has the actions that should allow him to stick in the infield, whether it’s at shortstop or second base.

Sleeper Watch

Shawn Mack, RHP, Nevada

Looking for a sleeper pick from Area Codes? Mack is one to watch. He pitched in the mid-to-upper 80s, topping at 88 mph. So, while the velocity right now isn’t as high as the top pitchers in the 2026 class, there are good projection indicators in place. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, he has a frame with room to fill out, hold more weight and help him grow his fastball with strength gains. The uncommitted righthander also snapped off a low-to-mid 70s breaking ball that had extremely sharp bite at times, eclipsing 3,000 rpm. He’s going to be a pitcher for area scouts to follow and could make himself a bigger name nationally if his fastball ticks up as the 2026 draft nears.

Ryan Walls, RHP, Florida

Like Mack, there wasn’t big velocity from Walls, but he showed traits to project on between his size and ability to manipulate his secondary stuff. He’s 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with a frame with room to add strength that should lead him to more velocity from the mid-80s fastball he featured here. What mostly stood out with Walls was his off-speed stuff, the best of which was an extremely sharp curveball in the mid-to-upper 70s with top-of-the-scale spin at 2,900-3,300 rpm. Walls flashed a quality changeup in the upper-70s, as well, so if he’s pitching more in the low-90s by the time the 2026 draft nears, he could climb up the rankings.

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Ethan Holliday Carves Path To 2025 MLB Draft Amid Great Expectations https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ethan-holliday-carves-path-to-2025-mlb-draft-amid-great-expectations/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ethan-holliday-carves-path-to-2025-mlb-draft-amid-great-expectations/#respond Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1469589 The top 2025 prep prospect, Ethan Holliday leans on his family and skill set to navigate the heightened expectations.

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All his life, Ethan Holliday has had a firsthand view of how to handle expectations.

He grew up the son of seven-time MLB all-star Matt Holliday. He practiced, prepared and played with his older brother Jackson, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Orioles in 2022, the summer after Ethan’s freshman year of high school.

Now, as he heads into his senior season at Stillwater (Okla.) High, the 17-year-old shortstop has to manage expectations of his own as the top prep prospect for the 2025 draft.

2025 Prep Rankings

See the top 100 high school prospects in the 2025 MLB Draft class.

“He’s obviously had the opportunity to watch Jackson and how Jackson’s handled everything.” Matt Holliday said. “So he has a good template and a good role model to look up to with Jackson, and how he’s handled it all has made it easier for him.”

But with the expectations, and the family lineage, also come the comparisons.

It’s hard to find a story about Ethan’s professional prospects that doesn’t in turn compare him and his older brother—for better or worse.

For Ethan and his family, it has nothing to do with one being better than the other. It’s simply about baseball, and Ethan now getting to chase a dream that his brother has gotten a taste of already.

“I saw some of that stuff with my dad, just some of the noise and the hype, but I’ve kind of gotten used to it over the last couple of years—all the noise and the spotlight on you during games and events,” Ethan said. “So nothing’s really shocking. I think I’m prepared for it. And I’m really just looking forward to what’s next.”

In Boston, he got a glimpse of what might be next.

Being on the field at Fenway Park as Jackson took batting practice prior to his April 10 MLB debut, Ethan was excited for both his brother and for his own dreams.

“Any baseball player who sits in the stands of a professional baseball game will say, ‘Well, I want to be here one day,’ but it’s a little different when it’s your brother, your best friend, on the field,” Ethan said.

“Seeing him make his big league debut at Fenway Park . . . it really hit me like, ‘Wow, he made his dream come true.’ And I believe that I have the ability to be there one day. It was a really cool moment for me and my family.”

In order to join his brother playing professional baseball, Ethan understands he has to continue to work on the one glaring difference between him and the 6-foot Jackson.

Ethan has to “bend down a little further,” as he joked, when it comes to playing shortstop at 6-foot-4. Being taller than the average big league shortstop, Ethan is continually honing his craft on defense.

“He’s a big kid for shortstop, so he’s constantly working on mobility and getting comfortable playing at short, but I think, generally, he’s just trying to get better,” Matt said. “You’re constantly trying to work on the craft of playing defense, of baserunning, of hitting and approach.

“There’s plenty to always get better at in baseball.”

Holliday’s willingness to improve stands out to Marty Lees, his head coach at Stillwater High. Lees is a 25-year coaching veteran who returned to prep baseball in 2023 after 20 years coaching in the college ranks, including a stint as head coach at Washington State.

“He is something special in the way that he prepares,” Lees said. “I mean, his skill set is good. I think that’s obvious to any scout, any team or any other coach, but I’m not sure if people really know the time and effort that he puts into being a really, really good baseball player.”

For Lees, it’s not just that Ethan is highly coachable, it’s also his ability to quickly pick up new skills or fundamentals, or how he truly embraces when something he’s been taught works in a game—the “ah ha moment,” as Lees put it.

“There’s things that Ethan Holliday’s doing that had taken me up to a couple of years to get (college) kids who went on to be pro baseball players to do,” Lees said. “. . . He’s always picking the brain of different ways to do things.”

Lees has deep ties with the Holliday family. He previously worked as an assistant coach for Ethan’s uncle Josh Holliday at Oklahoma State. He also worked as an assistant for Ethan’s grandfather Tom Holliday in the Cape Cod League.

Now, he’s enjoying working with a uniquely special talent in the family.

“I feel comfortable in saying—because I’ve been doing it for almost 30 years and coached a lot of college players, a lot of kids who went to Major League Baseball—I really do believe that Ethan will be the best player I ever coach,” Lees said.

Despite the high praise and the constant attention that he’s had over the past few years, Ethan is taking the mental approach of blocking out the noise, just as he saw his brother do a few years prior.

Jackson was BA High School Player of the Year in 2022, the year the Orioles drafted him No. 1 overall. If Ethan joins his brother as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, then the Hollidays will become the first brother tandem to both go 1-1.

The Uptons currently hold that distinction of highest-drafted brothers. The Rays drafted B.J. Upton No. 2 overall in 2002. The D-backs chose Justin Upton first overall in a loaded 2005 draft.   

Ethan knows that the moment he lets the outside distractions become a part of his everyday routine of being a top baseball prospect is precisely when things can start to go sideways.

“I’d say you think about it a little more when you’re going through a funk, but you try not to think about it,” Ethan said. “It really helps you to just keep your mind on the game, keep your mind on your teammates and just enjoying the game and being out there with your boys. If you get caught up in it, it can hurt you.” 

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Could The Holliday Brothers Soon Join These First-Round Duos? https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/could-the-holliday-brothers-soon-join-these-first-round-duos/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/could-the-holliday-brothers-soon-join-these-first-round-duos/#respond Fri, 16 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1469594 Here are the five best sets of brothers to get selected in the first round of the MLB Draft, plus three other tandems to know.

The post Could The Holliday Brothers Soon Join These First-Round Duos? appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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Jackson and Ethan Holliday will become the 14th pair of brothers to be drafted in the first round. Here are the highest-drafted brother tandems, listed with overall selection number:

Drew • 61 WAR

1997: J.D. Drew, OF, No. 2
2004: Stephen Drew, SS, No. 15

Both Drews starred at Florida State and had lengthy MLB careers, making them the most productive first-round brothers. While J.D. infamously did not sign with the Phillies in 1997, he was the fifth overall pick the following year. His .384 OBP is one of the highest marks of the past 25 years, and he contributed steady power and defense as a corner outfielder. Stephen was a standout defender who had a few good years with the bat. Their brother Tim also was a first-rounder, drafted 28th overall in 1997 as a high school righthander.

Upton • 49 WAR

2002: B.J. Upton, SS, No. 2
2005: Justin Upton, SS, No. 1

Both Uptons signed out of high school in Chesapeake, Va. B.J. was a graceful center fielder who stole 300 bases with good power. Four-time all-star Justin was a slugging corner outfielder who hit 325 home runs. They were teammates for three seasons with the Padres and Braves.

Benes • 33 WAR

1988: Andy Benes, RHP, No. 1
1993: Alan Benes, RHP, No. 16

Former Evansville standout Andy was the preeminent 1-1 college ace before David Price, Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole came along. He won 155 games in 14 seasons, made an all-star team and finished top five for a Cy Young Award twice. Younger brother Alan had an injury-marred, eight-year MLB career. The Benes brothers were teammates for three seasons with the Cardinals.

Young • 15 WAR

1991: Dmitri Young, 3B, No. 4
2003: Delmon Young, OF, No. 1

Dmitri made a couple of all-star teams in 13 MLB seasons. Delmon shined brighter as a prospect—No. 1 overall in 2006—but was done as a regular by his mid 20s and out of MLB before turning 30. Note that Dmitri and Delmon’s nephew, Quentin, is also one of the top prospects in the 2025 draft.

Weeks • 13 WAR

2003: Rickie Weeks, 2B, No. 2
2008: Jemile Weeks, 2B, No. 12

Rickie set the Division I standard with a .473 career average at Southern. With the Brewers, he contributed power, speed and walks to three playoff teams. Hard hands held him back defensively at second base. Jemile was a stronger defender but didn’t hit enough to hold a regular job.

Other Prominent First-Round Brother tandems

2019: Josh Jung, 3B, No. 8
2022: Jace Jung, 2B, No. 12

1998: Jeff Weaver, RHP, No. 14
2004: Jered Weaver, RHP, No. 12

2012: Josh Naylor, 1B, No. 12
2015: Bo Naylor, C, No. 29

The post Could The Holliday Brothers Soon Join These First-Round Duos? appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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Junior Caminero, Zebby Matthews Are Major Leaguers; Charlie Condon Joins The Show | Hot Sheet Show Ep. 20 https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/junior-caminero-zebby-matthews-are-major-leaguers-charlie-condon-joins-the-show-hot-sheet-show-ep-20/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/junior-caminero-zebby-matthews-are-major-leaguers-charlie-condon-joins-the-show-hot-sheet-show-ep-20/#respond Wed, 14 Aug 2024 21:23:58 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1483022 Star slugger and No. 3 overall draft pick Charlie Condon joins this week's Hot Sheet Show to discuss his swing, his path to the bigs & more!

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Scott Braun, J.J. Cooper, and Ben Badler discuss reasonable expectations for Junior Caminero and Zebby Matthews now that they are big leaguers before speaking with Rockies’ first rounder and No. 1 prospect Charlie Condon about his arrival in pro ball and what to expect from the talented slugger.

  • What To Look For In The New Baseball America Magazine (1:30)
  • What To Expect From Junior Caminero (2:30)
  • Can Zebby Matthews Fit In Minnesota? (4:45)
  • How Charlie Condon’s Development Path Was Different From Most (8:45)
  • Was Condon Surprised To Not Go 1-1? (12:00)
  • Where Is Condon Most Comfortable Defensively? (14:00)
  • Condon Explains His Swing And What He Looks To Do (15:30)
  • How Jackson Holliday Is Rolling, What’s Next On The Top 100? (23:00)

We stream the Hot Sheet Show every Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET on YouTube. You can also listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts!

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The post Junior Caminero, Zebby Matthews Are Major Leaguers; Charlie Condon Joins The Show | Hot Sheet Show Ep. 20 appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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35 Players Who Stood Out At USA Baseball’s 16U/17U NTDP https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/35-players-who-stood-out-at-usa-baseballs-16u-17u-ntdp/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/35-players-who-stood-out-at-usa-baseballs-16u-17u-ntdp/#respond Mon, 12 Aug 2024 15:26:21 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1480846 Ben Badler looks at nearly three dozen players from the 2025, 2026 and 2027 draft classes who stood out at the USA Baseball 16U/17U National Team Development Program.

The post 35 Players Who Stood Out At USA Baseball’s 16U/17U NTDP appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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As part of USA Baseball’s 16U/17U National Team Development Program, several of the top ranked players in the 2026 class—along with some younger 2025s and a handful of 2027s—trained and played three days of games from July 25-28 in Cary, North Carolina.

The USA players split into three teams and also played against Canada’s junior national team, which was training in preparation for the U-18 World Cup Americas Qualifier that just wrapped up yesterday.

These were 35 players from the United States and Canada who stood out at the NTDP, with reports and videos below.

2026 Class

C.J. Weinstein, SS, California

Weinstein entered the summer ranked among the top 50 prospects in the class and elevated his stock even more after great showing both offensively and defensively the last two months. The No. 13 player in the country, Weinstein had an outstanding game against Canada, going 2-for-5 with a home run on a first-pitch slider on the inner third that the lefthanded hitter pulled over the right field fence. Later in the game he doubled off a lefty, driving a fastball the other way over the left fielder’s head. Those extra-base hits were encouraging to see, but Weinstein’s calling card is his stellar bat control. He didn’t swing and miss during the entire event, using a compact, balanced swing that’s consistently on plane and on time. Weinstein also played well defensively, robbing a hit at second base while ranging into the 4-3 hole on a groundball that he slid to field, popped up quickly and threw from his knees to get the out at first base. He’s uncommitted for college.

Gio Rojas, LHP, Florida

Rojas showed why he’s the No. 1 ranked lefthander and No. 2 pitcher overall in the 2026 class during his NTDP outing, when he struck out three of the eight batters he faced with no walks. A Miami commit, Rojas has a prototype build for a projectable young pitcher at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with a high waist and significant strength gains still ahead of him. It’s already impressive stuff, pitching here in the low-90s and touching 93 mph from his low three-quarters slot with a willingness to pitch inside to hitters that’s uncommon for this age. He complemented his fastball with a 77-82 mph slider that projects to be a plus pitch, showing deep sweep across the zone and two-plane depth to miss bats against lefties or righties. He threw one changeup but mostly leaned on his fastball/slider mix. Throwing slightly across his body, Rojas pitches from an easy, low-effort delivery with pitchability that’s advanced for his age, giving him a starter look.

Steele Hall, SS, Alabama

Hall impressed with his bouncy, quick-twitch athleticism and defensive ability at shortstop. He’s a wiry 5-foot-11, 160 pounds with explosive first-step quickness, plus-plus speed and great body control at shortstop with the ability to make acrobatic, highlight-reel plays. He made a couple of them here in just a few games, twice making diving stops on grounders up the middle where he was able to get up quickly and fire a strong throw to get the out at first base. A Tennessee commit with an aggressive offensive approach, Hall hit well here too, using a quick righthanded swing to pull a 1-0 fastballdown the third base line for a double and again on an 0-1 slider that he pulled over the shortstop’s head for a single. Hall was a riser in the latest 2026 rankings update to No. 36 in the class, and if he continues to hit well, he could make another jump off the list.

Carson Bolemon, LHP, South Carolina

Bolemon has a case as the most polished pitcher in the 2026 class. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Wake Forest commit (ranked No. 26 in 2026) throws a lot of strikes and keeps hitters off balance by mixing in multiple offspeed pitches that he has feel to manipulate. Bolemon showed that at the NTDP—two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no hits allowed—but he also showed another gear to his fastball from what he had previously. Bolemon typically topped out at 91 mph most of the summer, but in Cary he reached 93. He hit a batter and walked one when he was overthrowing, but otherwise he attacked hitters, consistently got ahead in the count and then used multiple secondary pitches that he either landed for strikes or used to get empty swings. Bolemon threw a slider and sharp biting curveball with good depth and changeup. with his curve a sharp biting pitch with good shape and depth. He only threw one changeup but it had good action and he executed it well down and away to a righty for a swinging strike way out front in a 1-1 count.

Coleman Borthwick, RHP, Florida

At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds, Borthwick is a huge presence on the mound with a power fastball. The Auburn commit pitched at 92-94 mph and touched 95 mph three times en route to striking out four of the 10 batters he faced, giving up a couple of singles without issuing any walks. The No. 19 player in the 2026 class, Borthwick isn’t just a physically mature pitcher for his age, he also has good body control of a repeatable delivery with good arm action that helped him locate his fastball to both sides of the plate. He operated off a fastball-heavy attack—33 of his 38 pitches were fastballs—mixing in a sharp slider in the low-80s with one changeup that caught a lefthanded hitter out front for a groundout.

Wilson Andersen, RHP, Florida

Andersen has stood out from an early age for his projectable 6-foot-3 frame, good delivery and advanced stuff for his age. At the NTDP, he showed a high-octane fastball that saw a velocity bump from where he was previously by running it up to 96 mph, which makes him one of the hardest throwing pitchers in the 2026 class. The fastball did get barreled a couple times, but Andersen finished with four strikeouts and no walks to the 10 batters he faced. Andersen threw his fastball for strikes at a high clip, attacking hitters down in the zone. Facing a lefty-heavy Canadian lineup, Andersen only threw one breaking ball, instead relying more on his low-80s changeup. It’s a pitch that showed heavy life and tailing action at its best, with hitters swinging at it four times and coming up empty on every occasion. Andersen is uncommitted and the No. 32 player in the 2026 class.

Brody Bumila, LHP, Massachusetts

Bumila is 6-foot-8, 220 pounds with a mid-90s fastball and gives hitters an uncomfortable at-bat, striking out five of the eight batters he faced with one walk. Bumila pitched mostly at 91-94 mph and touched 95 mph from his low three-quarters slot, producing lively tailing action on his fastball. He sells his changeup well off his fastball and used it get three swinging strikes, with one in a 2-2 count to strike out a lefty, another in a 3-2 count, with his changeup ahead of his breaking stuff in this look. The only downside was that he left his start due to injury, but Bumila showed why he’s the No. 14 player for 2026. He’s uncommitted for college.

Kevin Roberts Jr., OF/RHP, Mississippi

The No. 3 player for 2026, Roberts is 6-foot-5, 210 pounds and showed an array of tools to impact the game in different ways. Young for the class—he turned 16 during the NTDP—Roberts showed some of the best raw power of any hitter at the event during batting practice. In the outfield, he made a diving catch charging in on a shallow fly ball from center field and later showed a plus arm. Primarily a position player, Roberts pitched a scoreless inning as well with a strikeout and a walk. He pitched at 90-92 mph and showed a nasty changeup at 76-80 mph with plus potential. He’s uncommitted for college.

Tyler Spangler, SS, California

A Stanford commit ranked No. 5 in the 2026 class, Spangler is 6-foot-4, 190 pounds with good actions both from the left side of the plate and at shortstop. He showed a patient offensive approach, rarely expanding the strike zone with little swing-and-miss, consistent with what he has shown throughout the summer. He registered a pair of hits on offspeed stuff behind in the count, pulling an 0-1 changeup for a double and singling to right field on an 0-2 changeup.

Rookie Shepard, SS, Nevada

Shepard, a Miami commit and No. 8 player for 2026, has long been one of the most advanced hitters in the class. He’s a 5-foot-11, 185-pound lefthanded hitter who was on base in five of his nine trips to the plate with three walks and a pair of singles, both coming on fastballs where he pulled his hands inside with a short, quick swing to snap the barrel through and hit line drives to right field. Shepard has good hands and footwork at shortstop and should be able to stick in the middle infield.

Alex Harrington, SS, California

There’s a bouncy athleticism that sticks out quickly with Harrington, a Stanford commit and the No. 6 player in the 2026 class. He has a wiry, lively frame at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds with plus speed and defends his position well. His best defensive play came at third base, when he broke well off the bat on a slow roller, fielded it cleanly and showed good body control to make an accurate throw on the run to get the out at first base. A high-energy, aggressive player, Harrington did show swing and miss when he was out front on offspeed stuff, but he consistently squared up fastballs for all of his hits. Most of Harrington’s came attacking fastballs early in the count, including a pair of singles on first-pitch heaters, along with a double on a 91 mph fastball in a 2-1 count.

Hunter Harrington, OF, California

Hunter and Alex Harrington are twin brother, both wiry 6-foot-2, 175 pound, athletic players with plus speed committed to Stanford. Hunter, the No. 86 player for 2026, has defended his position well in center field throughout the summer and continued to do so at the NTDP. On a fly ball to right-center field, Harrington showed good range to get to the ball and make a sliding catch, a play that involved an extra degree of difficulty because Harrington had to maneuver his body out of the way of the charging right fielder to avoid a collision. With the runner at first base moving on the play, Harrington was able to alertly get up quickly and double him off with an accurate throw to first. At the plate, Harrington drew a walk and doubled on a first-pitch fastball that he lined to left-center field.

Nathaneal Davis, OF, Florida

Davis is an uncommitted center fielder with a good mix of athleticism and hitting ability. The No. 49 player in the 2026 class, Davis is a 6-foot, 160-pound lefty with a quick, compact stroke who shoots line drives all around the field. He led the event in hits, going 5-for-9 even with a higher swing-and-miss rate here, including a pair of opposite-field line drives for singles. Davis is a plus runner who should have a chance to stick in center field.

Sean Duncan, LHP, Canada

Duncan is the top player in Canada for 2026, a lefty with a smooth, free-and-easy delivery on the younger end of the class with a good mix of pitchability and projection in his 6-foot-2, 175-pound build. Throwing exclusively from the stretch, Duncan filled the strike zone with his fastball over his three innings and got a lot of swing-and-miss with that pitch in the zone, touching 92 mph from his three-quarters slot with the look of a pitcher who should be into the mid-90s in the next few years. He showed feel for an 81-85 mph changeup that he used to get a couple of swings and misses and a 77-81 mph slider that he landed for strikes. He’s uncommitted for college and the No. 33 player in the 2026 class.

Tucker Long, RHP, Iowa

Long had a quick, efficient outing, needing just 16 pitches to breeze through two scoreless innings with two strikeouts, no walks and one hit allowed. Long threw 13 of those 16 pitches for strikes, including 11 of 12 fastballs for strikes. He’s 6 feet, 170 pounds and young for the class—he just turned 16 at the beginning of July—and touched 92 mph from a good delivery with good arm action into his low three-quarters slot. Long, who is uncommitted for college, mixed in a lively, fading changeup at 82 mph that got a swinging strikeout in a right-on-right matchup and mixed in a slider at 77-78 mph.

Gary Gibson II, RHP, Kentucky

Gibson ran into little trouble over his two scoreless, hitless innings, striking out three of the seven batters he faced with a walk. A Kentucky commit with a compact frame at 6 feet, 185 pounds, Gibson carved through hitters and showed another level of stuff from where he was earlier this summer, pitching at 92-93 mph and hitting 94 mph multiple times from his low three-quarters slot. The No. 91 player for 2026, Gibson showed feel to spin a hard slider at 80-84 mph that got a couple of swings and misses as well.

Jorvorskie Lane Jr., OF/C, Texas

Lane is young (he just turned 16 at the start of July) and explosive, something that’s immediately evident in the righthanded bat speed that he’s able to generate from his 6-foot, 190-pound frame. There was some swing-and-miss at the NTDP, but he also had three hits, including two doubles. One of those doubles came against a 91 mph fastball that he hit to right field, another on a 79 mph breaking ball from righthander Ethan Wheeler—who has one of the better breaking balls in the 2026 class—that he pulled into the left-center field gap. A Texas A&M commit ranked No. 10 for 2026, Lane is a catcher and outfielder, though he didn’t spent any time behind the plate here. While playing left field, Lane caught a fly ball and threw out the runner at home with an accurate, one-hop throw to end the inning.

Ethan Wheeler, RHP, Florida

A Florida commit and the No. 18 player for 2026, Wheeler mowed through hitters over his two scoreless innings, striking out four of the six batters he faced with no walks and one hit allowed. Wheeler threw strikes at a high clip with a fastball that was 89-92 mph here from a sound delivery and has the physical projection at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds for more velocity in the tank. Wheeler throws a pair of high spin breaking balls with his curveball and slider, with his slider finishing hitters for two of his four strikeouts.

Denton Lord, RHP, Florida

Lord is 6-foot-8, 200 pounds, a lean, extremely long-levered pitcher who looks like he could throw 100 mph one day. It’s already good fastball for his age, up to 94 mph at the NTDP from his fast, whippy arm into a three-quarters slot. Lord mainly pitched with his fastball here—31 of his 37 pitches were fastballs—mixing in a mid-70s curveball that he flashes feel to spin, along with a firm changeup. Lord struck out three of the 11 batters he faced over two innings, walking another and hitting a batter. He did throw strikes here, though like nearly any 17-year-old pitcher with his long limbs, he’s still learning to repeat his delivery to dial in his control. Lord is uncommitted and the No. 74 player in the 2026 class.

Brayden Harris, RHP, Florida

A Florida State commit with a strong 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame ranked No. 28 in the 2026 class, Harris operated with a near 50/50 mix of fastballs and sliders. He threw a lot of strikes with his fastball, which sat 91-93 mph and touched 94. His 80-84 mph slider has tight spin and was an effective chase pitch that he would throw in any count, getting three swinging strikes with that pitch over two innings.

Yodelkis Quevedo, 3B, Florida

Quevedo is one of the strongest players in the 2026 class. He’s 6-foot-2, 210 pounds with the strength and bat speed to hammer baseballs for loud damage when he connects. He’s an aggressive hitter whose big righthanded power comes with a higher swing-and-miss rate, which was evident at the NTDP, but he also showed how he can drive the ball for damage. After getting ahead 2-0, Quevedo got a 93 mph fastball on the outside corner—maybe even off the plate—that he smoked into the right-center field gap for a triple. He finished 2-for-7 with two walks and four strikeouts, hitting a first-pitch slider for a line-drive single to left field for his other hit. Quevedo, who is uncommitted for college, is the No. 73 player for 2026.

Beau Peterson, 3B/RHP, Kansas

Peterson, No. 17 for 2026 and uncommitted for college, has been one of the premier offensive performers on the travel circuit this summer. He added to that strong track record with another impressive showing at the NTDP. He’s 6-foot-3, 215 pounds with a compact swing for his size from the left side of the plate and big power. In one at-bat facing a righthander who was up to 94 mph, Peterson got a first pitch changeup down in the zone that he stayed on and slammed for a triple into the right-center field gap. He went 2-for-6 with a walk and no strikeouts during the event, hitting a 93 mph fastball at the top of the zone for an opposite-field single for his other hit. Peterson has an above-average arm at third base and showed it on the mound as well. He threw just eight pitches in a quick 1-2-3 inning, pitching at 91-93 mph and showing feel to spin a low-80s slider.

John Stowers, C, Alabama

Stowers stood out for his catch-and-throw skills. An Auburn commit and No. 90 in the 2026 class, Stowers threw well to second between innings and in the game, erasing a runner attempting to steal second base with a 1.94-second pop time, using quick feet and a swift exchange with an on-the-money throw. Stowers got just five plate appearances here but he registered a pair of hits and narrowly missed a home run that he pulled over the fence but went just to the right of the right field foul pole. He consistently drove the ball well to both gaps during BP.

Jaxon Matthews, OF, North Carolina

Matthews went 2-for-10 with a walk at the NTDP but could have easily had four hits if it weren’t for two stellar defensive plays. He hit a sharp ground ball up the middle that shortstop Steele Hall made an outstanding diving play on for the out. His travel ball teammate Hunter Harrington made another robbery when Matthews lifted a ball into the right-center field gap that Harrington tracked down with a sliding catch. Matthews, No. 44 in the 2026 class and a Clemson commit, is 6-foot-4, 190 pounds with above-average bat speed and makes some of the hardest contact in the class. He moves well underway for his size and projects as a corner outfielder in pro ball.

Cooper Sides, RHP, California

Sides needed just 30 pitches to face nine hitters over three scoreless innings, striking out two with no walks, no hits and one hit batsman. He’s 6-foot-5, 185 pounds, a frame that screams projection for the No. 39 player in the 2026 class to add to a fastball that ranged from 89-92 mph here. Sides threw his fastball for strikes consistently, attacking hitters down in the zone. His most effective offspeed pitch here was his 83-85 mph changeup, which had heavy action at times, more fade at others. Sides threw his changeup four times, getting two whiffs and a groundout. The changeup showed more upside in this look that his 77-80 mph slider, but he used his slider effectively to get one swinging strike and freeze another hitter for a strikeout.

Dylan Minnatee, 1B, California

Good hitters have a knack for being on time and on plane; Minnatee did both at the NTDP. A 6-foot, 195-pound lefty, Minnatee has a simple, compact swing with quiet hands, starting with a slightly open setup before striding into a closed off stance. He was consistently pitched away and did a good job of driving balls on the outer third the opposite way and to the middle of the field, with well-struck barrels on some of his outs. He went 3-for-10 and hit a double in a left-on-left matchup, letting a 90 mph fastball on the outer third travel before hammering it into the left-center field gap. He’s uncommitted for college.

Devin Diaz, C, New York

Diaz showed well offensively, but it was on defense where the Miami commit stood out the most. An athletic catcher with an above-average arm, Diaz caught two of four runners stealing, with a 1.89-second pop time on his best throw. His other caught stealing came with a 2.0-second pop time on a difficult pitch to throw on that he had to backhand just above the dirt, but he was able to make a quick, clean transfer and a strong, accurate throw to erase the runner. At 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, Diaz is a righthanded hitter who sets up with a wide base, toe taps, then takes a short stroke without much swing-and-miss in this look. He recorded two hits, one off a fastball down in the zone on the outer third that he drove for a single into the right-center field gap, the other on a slider on the inner third that he kept his hands inside of to slice it for a single to center.

Julian Cazares, RHP, California

Cazares is 6-foot-2, 170 pounds with a lean, athletic build and a whippy arm, firing his fastball up to 93 mph at the NTDP with the look of a pitcher who should be throwing significantly harder by the time of the 2026 draft. An uncommitted pitcher ranked No. 44 in the 2026 class, Cazares’ fastball was his best pitch here, mixing in a mid-to-upper 70s curveball as well.

Sammy Swank, RHP, Indiana

Swank struck out two and didn’t issue a walk over his two scoreless innings. The No. 92 player in the 2026 class, Swank is 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and slings the ball from a long arm stroke to produce a fastball that ranged from 88-92 mph here. The Kentucky commit showed feel to spin a mid-70s slider generally in the 2,300-2,500 rpm range and flashed a couple of changeups to lefties at 79-80 mph.

Anthony Murphy, OF, California

The last two springs, Murphy has been one of the top offensive performers in southern California at Corona High and now ranks as the No. 48 player in the 2026 class. There weren’t any hits that fell during these three games for Murphy, who expanded the strike zone more than usual here, but he still showed other tools. He drove the ball well to center and left-center field during BP, then in games showed his above-average arm on three occasions. One of those plays resulted in Murphy throwing out a speedy runner from second base attempting to score on a single to right field, with Murphy make a strong, one-hop throw on target at home. After that, Murphy made two strong, accurate throws in the air and on line to home plate, with both runners wisely holding up at third on those plays.

2025 CLASS

Joshua Janicelli, RHP, California

Janicelli is a promising sleeper who deserves more attention. He sticks out quickly for his tall, slender frame (6-foot-6, 185 pounds) and just turned 17 in May, so he’s young for the 2025 class. He hit the first batter he faced, then settled in to pound the zone with his fastball, which ranged from 91-94 mph with the look of a pitcher who could be reaching the upper-90s once he’s physically mature. He showed a lot of deserved confidence in his changeup, mixing it in liberally to both lefties and righties. It came in with 10 mph of separation off his fastball and had heavy, splitter-like tumble at times to miss bats, flashing feel for an upper-70s curveball as well. Janicelli is a UC Santa Barbara commit and an up-arrow name to follow in the spring.

Jackson Hoyt, LHP, Florida

A Florida commit, Hoyt didn’t allow a hit, a walk or any hard contact in two scoreless innings. A 6-foot-3, 205-pound lefty, Hoyt threw strikes with a 91-93 mph fastball and leaned heavily on a low-80s slider. His slider had good sweep at its best, including the one he threw in a 2-2 count for a swinging strikeout against a lefthanded hitter.

2027 CLASS

Kyler Meccage, OF, Florida

Meccage is one of the top young hitters at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. and one of the most promising hitters in the 2027 class. Only one hit fell in this event for Meccage, but it was still an encouraging look for a player with a lot of hitterish traits. He’s 6-foot-2, 170 pounds and just turned 16 after the NTDP, where he showed a smooth, polished swing with good rhythm and balance. He drove multiple balls well to the middle of the field, including a fastball for a single and a curveball that he hit for a sacrifice fly. Meccage, who is uncommitted, is the younger brother of righthander Bryce Meccage, the Brewers’ second-round pick this year.

Will Brick, C, Tennessee

One of the top players in the 2027 class, Brick didn’t swing and miss once in his seven plate appearances. He singled up the middle on a fastball and generally showed a patient approach as he drew three walks. At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Brick is a righthanded hitter with some of the better raw power in the 2027 class as well. Behind the plate, Brick helped steal strikes for his pitchers with his receiving and showed off his arm strength on multiple throws, one a caught stealing with a pop time of 1.91 seconds, another with a 1.90-second pop time that should have been a second caught stealing but the umpire called him safe.

Samir Foster, RHP, Florida

Foster has an extra-large frame for his age, already 6-foot-4, 230 pounds at 15 with a big fastball to match. He’s one of the hardest throwers in the 2027 class, pitching here at 91-94 mph. Foster, who is uncommitted, threw just a few breaking balls here, instead relying more on a diving, low-80s changeup against both lefties and righties that got a couple of swings and misses.

The post 35 Players Who Stood Out At USA Baseball’s 16U/17U NTDP appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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42 Standout Prospects From The 2024 East Coast Pro Showcase https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/42-standout-prospects-from-the-2024-east-coast-pro-showcase/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/42-standout-prospects-from-the-2024-east-coast-pro-showcase/#respond Fri, 09 Aug 2024 12:19:22 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1471398 New scouting reports on more than 40 high school baseball prospects in the 2025 and 2026 MLB Draft classes.

The post 42 Standout Prospects From The 2024 East Coast Pro Showcase appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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Since 1995, the East Coast Pro has been an annual scout-run showcase highlighting the top prep players from the Eastern half of the country.

Scouts put together six teams of players they believe are the best in their respective regions of the country. The showcase runs for four days of games and workouts at the Hoover Met Complex in Hoover, Ala. 

Below are 42 standout players from this year’s event, headlined by the top five standouts. The remaining players are listed in alphabetical order: 

Top Five Standouts

1. Landon Harmon, RHP, East Union HS, New Albany, Miss.

Commit: Mississippi State

Harmon was one of the most impressive prospects at this year’s ECP. He has an excellent pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-5, 185 pounds with plenty of room for more strength. The righthander throws with a loose and easy delivery from the third base side of the rubber with a three-quarters slot and slight crossfire landing. One of the few pitchers to throw multiple times at the event, Harmon touched 98 mph in both outings and mostly pitched in the 93-96 mph range.

He gets to his velocity with shocking ease and given his lean physique it won’t at all be surprising to see him touching triple digits soon with little effort. He threw a 79-82 mph breaking ball with sweeping action that wasn’t super sharp, but which had solid shape and above-average potential with a bit more power and bite. Harmon also mixed in an 84 mph changeup, threw one 87 mph cutter/slide that backed up to his arm side and was a bit scattered overall with his control. In terms of stuff, projection and upside, Harmon’s was as high as anyone’s at the event. 

2. Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek HS, Hoschton, Ga.

Commit: Georgia

Pierce was one of the most impressive and well-rounded position players at this year’s ECP. A 6-foot, 175-pound shortstop and righthanded hitter, Pierce employs an open and wide setup in the box with quick hands. He showed average raw power in batting practice and a solid batting eye in games where he went 2-for-10 with a double, single, three strikeouts and a walk. Pierce’s most impressive contact of the week came on a first-pitch 89-mph fastball that he hammered to the left-center warning track for a double. The ball came off his bat at 100 mph and traveled an estimated 368 feet. Pierce also turned in the eighth-quickest 60-yard dash time with a 6.58 second time that equates to 70-grade speed, showed slick actions defensively with reliable hands, athleticism and above-average arm strength at shortstop.

3. Noah Yoder, RHP, Atlee HS, Mechanicsville, Va.

Commit: Duke

Yoder is a big and physical righthander with a 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame who had one of the loudest ECP outings this year. He works from the middle of the rubber and throws with a lower arm slot but features an unusual landing with a crossfire finish and an extreme open toe landing position that creates an odd look. His stuff was loud and he struck out three batters in three innings while touching 98 mph and sitting in the 92-97 range for the most part. Yoder showed solid fastball command early before fading in that department in the second inning, and he likewise showed good feel to land an 81-83 mph downer curveball that featured depth, power and biting finish. Yoder’s misses throughout the outing were close to the zone and he showed impressive ability to mix and match with his fastball/curveball combo, though his 83-86 mph changeup needs a bit more refinement. 

4. Ethan Grim, RHP,  Governor Mifflin HS, Shillington, Pa.

Commit: Virginia Tech

You could make a fairly simple case that Grim had the most dominant outing of any pitcher at this year’s ECP. A 6-foot-1, 190-pound righthander, Grim worked three 1-2-3 innings, struck out the side in his first and got six of his nine outs via the strikeout. He has a four-pitch mix that includes an 89-94 mph fastball with hoppy riding life, a 78-82 mph slider with 10-to-4 shape, a 76-79 mph curveball with more top-down movement and depth and a mid-80s changeup. Both of Grim’s breaking balls were just fringy pitches in this outing and his arm slowed a bit at times on his secondaries, but his ability to attack the zone with above-average fastball command was impressive and allowed him to work quickly and get outs. 

5. Aaron Watson, RHP, Trinity Christian Academy, Jacksonville

Commit: Virginia

Watson is a rare Virginia commit out of the state of Florida and was one of the most impressive arms at ECP. A 6-foot-4, 205-pound righty with a clean and fluid delivery, Watson touched 96, flashed an above-average breaking ball and also showed some of the best fastball command of the event. He pitched in the 94-96 mph range in the first inning before dropping down to 90-94 in the second and third. He has lots of sink and run on the pitch that makes it a groundball-inducing offering. I was impressed with his ability to command the fastball to either side of the plate and thought he showed advanced feel to land the pitch. Watson backed it with an 82-85 mph slider that features hard and tight spin with solid tilt and was a swing-and-miss offering vs. both lefties and righties. He threw a pair of changeups in the 86-87 mph range but spiked them both.


Best of the Rest

Noah Allen, RHP, North Oconee HS, Bogart, Ga.

Commit: Ole Miss

Allen is a tall righthander with a 6-foot-7, 195-pound frame and long levers who works from the middle of the rubber, throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and features a slight crossfire landing in his finish. He showed solid control of his 90-93 mph fastball and mixed in two different breaking balls. Allen’s slider is a low-80s pitch with a 10-to-4 shape, spin rates in the 2,400-2,500 rpm range and short biting action that could allow it to become a solid secondary. His 76-78 mph curveball was better in this look, however, and featured spin rates in the 2,700-2,800 rpm range and big depth, with 11-to-5 downer action and solid bite that generated one particularly ugly swing-and-miss below the strike zone. 

Ethan Ball, SS, McLean (Va.) HS

Commit: Virginia Tech

Ball is a 6-foot, 185-pound shortstop and lefthanded hitter who put on what was perhaps the most impressive batting practice display of any hitter at ECP. He showed above-average raw power and homered to straight center field multiple times by way of a simple setup with quick snappy hands and a slightly uphill path. That performance didn’t translate to games, though, as Ball showed much more swing-and-miss than expected and went hitless in 10 plate appearances with six strikeouts and one walk. He showed solid middle infield actions and also turned in a double-plus 60-yard dash time of 6.62 seconds. 

Caleb Barnett, 3B, Mountain Brook HS, Birmingham, Ala.

Commit: Alabama

The Hoover Met complex is a deep ballpark that’s tough for high school players to homer out of in games, but Barnett was one of two players who left the yard at this year’s ECP. A big and physical 6-foot-5, 210-pound third baseman, Barnett turned around a no-doubt homer to left field against an 81-mph slider that he rocketed down the line at 99 mph for an estimated 353 feet. While the power was impressive, Barnett also showed some clear swing-and-miss questions, striking out six times in 11 plate appearances. He has a strong arm for third base and made a few impressive plays at the hot corner in games, but he is a well below-average runner who might be limited with his footwork and range.

Nick Becker, SS, Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J.

Commit: Virginia

Becker is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound shortstop and righthanded hitter who showed a well-rounded game and one of the cleaner swings of the event. He has solid feel for the barrel and gets on plane consistently, with lots of line drives in batting practice and in games tallied two hits in 13 plate appearances with three walks and three strikeouts. Becker’s loudest hit was a ground rule double to left field against an 86-mph fastball that came off his bat at 97 mph, but he made plenty of solid contact on balls in play that were converted to outs as well, and was also called out on strikes on one pitch that was clearly off the plate. Becker showed solid footwork and actions at shortstop with average arm strength and also turned in a plus run time in the 60-yard dash at 6.65 seconds.

Coleman Borthwick, RHP, South Walton HS, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.

Commit: Auburn

Borthwick is an extra-large (6-foot-6, 245 pounds) righthander with a high-waisted, filled-out frame. He showed a power fastball and solid control of a three-pitch mix while working three innings at ECP. Borthwick pitched in the 91-95 mph range and generated six whiffs with his fastball while mixing in a pair of solid secondaries including an 80-81 mph three-quarter breaking curveball and an 82-84 mph changeup that he threw with fastball arm speed. With solid stuff across the board, solid control of all three pitches and a massive frame, Borthwick checks a lot of boxes. 

Logan Dawson, SS, Eastern HS, Voorhees, N.J.

Commit: Boston College

Dawson is a highly projectable lefthanded hitter with a lean, 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame that has plenty of room for more strength gains. He has a smooth, fluid swing with a slight uphill finish, and he paired solid mechanics with an advanced offensive approach in games. Dawson only tallied one hit in 13 plate appearances—a barreled line drive to right field that came off the bat at 94 mph—but consistently put together competitive at-bats and competitive swings. He walked four times and struck out six times and might need to do a better job making contact on elevated fastballs but should have strong on-base skills thanks to a keen eye. Defensively, Dawson has a strong arm with solid carry, a quick exchange, soft hands, good balance and the ability to throw accurately on the run. His foot speed is a bit light in a straight line, and his 7.11 60-yard dash time equates to 40-grade speed.

Chandler Day, LHP, Houston HS, Germantown, Tenn. 

Commit: Uncommitted

Day is a 6-foot-3, 211-pound lefthander who throws from an over-the-top arm slot and features some moving parts in his delivery. That includes a significant tilt in his leg lift, defined by a drop-and-drive action as he strides to the plate and downer head whack through his finish. Despite those moving parts, Day filled up the zone with his fastball in a quick three-inning stint, striking out five of the nine batters he faced—including the first four he saw—and not allowing a walk or hit. He threw his fastball in the 89-91 mph range and touched 92, but did a nice job establishing the pitch on the hands of righthanded hitters to his glove side to help generate six whiffs with the pitch. Day has a 75-76 mph curveball with solid depth/finish, and he also mixed in an 80-81 mph changeup with typical fading life. 

Colton Denton, C, Hardin Valley Academy, Knoxville, Tenn.

Commit: Tennessee

Denton is a physical catcher and righthanded hitter with a 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame who made a lot of hard contact at ECP. He showed solid raw power in batting practice with the ball jumping off his bat when he was on time and got the bat head out. He also hit three balls 99 mph or harder in games while tallying four hits in 11 plate appearances. Denton used the middle of the field and the opposite field with authority. His most impressive batted ball was a line drive to the right-center gap against an 87-mph fastball that came off his bat at 101 mph. He’s a well-below-average runner who ran the slowest 60-yard dash time of the event (7.65 seconds), but if he sticks at catcher that won’t be an issue. He has solid arm strength but could improve his exchange on his throws to second. 

Uli Fernsler, LHP, Novi (Mich.) HS

Commit: TCU

Fernsler is a big and physical lefthander with a 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame and wide shoulders. He works from the middle of the rubber and creates an uncomfortable at bat for hitters thanks to a sidearm slot and crossfire landing. Fernsler showed three swing-and-miss offerings in his two-inning outing, including a fastball at 88-92 mph with tons of running life and sink, an 80-83 mph short slider and an 80-81 mph changeup with heavy fading life. Fernsler’s deception allows his entire mix to play up, particularly his secondary offerings, and he also mixed in one slower curveball at 76 mph that showed more depth than his slider (though, he used the pitch less frequently).

Matthew Fisher, RHP, Evansville Memorial HS

Commit: Indiana

Fisher is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound righthander who works from the first base side of the rubber and throws with a solid delivery and three-quarters slot. He sat in the 90-92 mph range and touched 93 a couple times in his two-inning outing; the shape of the pitch allowed it to play up. It’s a high-spin fastball in the 2,500-2,600 rpm range with above-average carry that helped him generate six whiffs and dominate the top of the zone. He also has a solid breaking ball in the 79-81 mph range with solid sweeping action and high spin rates. He got around the pitch at times but also showed an ability to use it as a chase offering against righties. Fisher also flashed a mid-80s cutter and upper-80s changeup. 

Josh Flores, RHP, Lake Central HS, St. John, Ind.

Commit: Indiana

Flores is a filled-out righthander with a 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame who works from the first base side of the rubber, throws from a three-quarters slot and features fast arm speed. He only pitched out of the stretch at ECP, showing some moving parts in his delivery, including a deep arm action with a wrist wrap in the back and a downer head whack through his finish. Flores touched 94 mph with his fastball several times but mostly sat 91-92. He paired it with a power breaking ball in the 82-85 mph range featuring tight downer action that flashed plus. The pitch blended in shape between a slider and curveball at times but looks like a real swing-and-miss offering no matter the classification. He also mixed in a handful of mid-80s changeups that were solid-average pitches, but he will need to tighten up his control and avoid missing with his fastball to the arm side. 

Nicholas Frusco, LHP, Miller Place (N.Y.) HS

Commit: Clemson

Frusco is a tall lefthander with a lean 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame that allows for plenty of room for strength gains and intriguing fastball qualities. He was an extremely fastball-heavy pitcher in this brief three-inning look at ECP but generated tons of whiffs with the pitch despite throwing it mostly in the 88-91 mph range (while touching 93 a few times). Frusco showed plenty of confidence with the fastball and used it to fill up the zone and get ahead in counts frequently with arm-side life that adds to its quality. He threw a few breaking balls in the 76-81 mph range that lacked bite while also mixing in an 82-mph changeup. He struck out four of the 12 batters he faced and allowed just one single. 

Jason Fultz, 3B, Cathedral Prep, Erie, Pa.

Commit: Clemson

Fultz is a 6-foot-2, 220-pound corner infielder who showed a compact, direct swing in games. He had a pair of hits with exit velocity north of 100 mph in his 14 plate appearances. Fultz turned around a 92 mph fastball for a hard-hit ground ball single up the middle at 104 mph, then a few trips to the plate later he yanked an 85-mph slider down the third base line for a double at 100 mph. Fultz looked good against fastballs throughout the event but did struggle more with some ugly chases and whiffs against breaking balls. He was also up-and-down defensively. He made a diving catch on a 94-mph line drive at third base, then made another nice play on a slow rolling ground ball that required a quick exchange and off-balance through. There were also times where he looked unathletic, including while tracking down a popup in foul territory and while making an error with a wild throw from third base. Fultz has above-average arm strength but might be limited in range as a below-average runner. 

Linkin Garcia, SS/RHP, A3 Academy, Tampa

Commit: Texas Tech

Garcia is a shortstop and righthanded pitcher who showed exciting upside on the mound in a two-inning look. Listed at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, he is a lean righty with growth potential who throws from a three-quarters slot with a bit of coil in his delivery and some effort and head whack through his finish. He threw his fastball in the 89-94 mph range, and the offering showed swing-and-miss qualities with plenty of cutting action. He also showed the ability to manipulate an 80-82 mph slider that looked like a solid-average pitch with a sweeping look and a bit more depth and two-plane bite, as well. Garcia also showed an 81-85 mph changeup with heavy arm-side fading life, but he buried the pitch and will need to add more command. In general, his control was below-average in this outing and his second inning fell apart a bit, but there were lots of elements to like here from a two-way player. 

Ma’Kale Holden, RHP, Thompson HS, Alabaster, Ala. 

Commit: Alabama

Holden is a big, strong righthander with a 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame who showed solid stuff and struck out five of the nine batters he faced in a two-inning outing. Holden threw a fastball in the 89-94 mph range that featured solid cutting action, though his command of the pitch needs plenty of work and he was scattered throughout the outing with an inconsistent release point. He showed two breaking ball variations: the first an 83-85 mph slider with sharp, tight spin that looked like an above-average pitch and the second a 77-80 mph downer with more depth and spin rates in the 2,500-3,000 rpm range. Though the slider was more consistent in this look, his curve also looked like a potential above-average offering. Holden also threw an 81-83 mph changeup that he turned over nicely a few times to complete a solid four-pitch mix. 

Hayes Holton, RHP, Loranger (La.) HS

Commit: Uncommitted (2026)

Holton is an uncommitted pitcher from the 2026 class who showed an intriguing pitch mix and plenty of arm speed. He stands 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with a lean, high-waisted frame that has room for more strength, and he employs a high-effort delivery that includes a heavy fall off to the first base side in his finish. Holton opened up with a fastball in the 94-96 mph range that had tremendous riding life, but his velocity fell off quickly in later outings. There was also a stark drop when he pitched out of the stretch. He threw a slider in the 75-80 mph range, as well as a curveball in the 71-75 mph range; the two pitches blended together at times. He also threw an 80-83 mph changeup but will need to sharpen each of his secondaries and avoid slowing his arm speed down while throwing them. Holton’s control was extremely scattered in this outing, but there are pieces to like and obvious arm talent that needs some refinement.

Coy James, SS, Davie County HS, Mocksville, N.C.

Commit: Ole Miss

Like Ball, James was another Twins hitter who had an excellent batting practice round but wasn’t able to fully translate that to in-game performance this week. The highest-ranked player at the event, James is a 6-foot,188-pound righthanded hitter who has developed an elite track record of performance as an underclassman. He showed off a swing with solid rhythm and balance and drove plenty of hard-hit balls up the middle while flashing above-average raw power in batting practice. In games, he tallied one hit in 13 plate appearances to go with six strikeouts and a walk, though that lone hit was a sharp line drive to center field against a 90-mph fastball that came off his bat at 103 mph. James seemed to be just under the baseball frequently this week with timing that was slightly off. He showed an above-average arm from third base and clocked an above-average 60-yard dash time of 6.84 seconds. 

Jackson Kornylo, RHP, TNXL Academy, Altamonte Springs, Fla.

Commit: Uncommitted

Kornylo is a lean, high-waisted righthander with a 6-foot-6, 200-pound frame that has plenty of room for strength gains. He works from the first base side of the rubber, throws with a three-quarters arm slot and has a crossfire landing with a lengthy hooking action in the back of his arm stroke. Kornylo struck out five of the nine batters he faced in a three-inning outing while showing a swing-and-miss fastball at 91-94 mph. He also flashed a fringe-average short slider in the 82-86 mph range that looked more like a cutter at the top of the velocity band to go with an 82-84 mph split-change that has tumbling action but needs a bit more touch and feel. Kornylo has a low-spin profile across all three of his pitches and showed solid fastball and slider feel.

Luke LaCourse, RHP, Bay City Western HS, Auburn, Mich.

Commit: Michigan State

LaCourse is a big and physical righthander with a maxed-out, 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame. He employs a three-quarters slot and short arm action on the mound and showed a quality three-pitch mix, including one of the better breaking balls at the event while pitching in the 91-94 mph range with his fastball. LaCourse’s 79-81 mph slider looked like a real plus offering with tons of depth and movement, including two-plane break and biting actions at times and sweepier movement at others. He spun the pitch in the 2,900-3,200 rpm range. While the slider was the bread-and-butter of LaCourse’s pitch mix, he also flashed a solid straight change at 85 mph. LaCourse struck out the side in his first inning and generally showed solid control.

Dean Livingston, RHP, Hebron Christian Academy, Dacula, Ga.

Commit: Georgia

Livingston is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound righthander who throws with an easy, fluid delivery from the first base side and a three-quarters slot with a direct stride to the plate. He showed some of the easiest mid-90s velocity of the event and was touching 96 mph with his fastball while looking like he was playing an easy game of catch. Livingston started in the 94-96 mph range but ticked down out of the stretch and in the second inning, though he could still reach back for 95-96 later in the outing while working out of a windup. Livingston threw an 80-83 mph slider as his primary breaking ball, but he also mixed in a slower curveball in the mid 70s with more downer shape. He got hit around a bit in the third inning, but the ease with which he generated velocity and his starter-esque delivery and projectable build make him a fascinating pitcher to watch. 

Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep, Miami

Commit: Uncommitted (2026)

There are always a handful of underclass prospects at the ECP, but perhaps none entered the event with more expectation than Lombard, who is both the top-ranked uncommitted prospect in the 2026 class and the younger brother of Yankees’ 2023 first rounder George Lombard Jr. Currently the No. 2 ranked high school player in the 2026 class, Lombard is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound shortstop and righthanded hitter who showed an advanced offensive approach. He tallied a pair of hits in 10 plate appearances, with one walk, one hit by pitch and two strikeouts. Lombard’s final two at-bats were his best. First, he drove a hard ground ball up the middle for a single that came off the bat at 94 mph, and later he doubled to the deep left field against an 87-mph fastball that came off his bat at 104 mph. Lombard’s double-plus 60-yard dash time of 6.59 seconds was tied for the 11th best of the event, and he showed solid middle infield actions, though might need to improve his arm strength. 

Christian Lucarelli, RHP, Riverside HS, Ellwood City, Pa.

Commit: Duke

Lucarelli struck out four of the seven batters he faced in his two innings of work at the East Coast Pro while showing a lively fastball in the 92-94 mph range that touched 95. He has a strong frame at 6-foot-3, 208 pounds and throws from a high three-quarters slot with solid arm speed and a bit of effort. Lucarelli’s fastball features excellent cut-ride life that made it a swing-and-miss pitch at the top of the zone. He also flashed three secondaries: a short and tight slider at 83-85, a slower curveball with more depth in the 75-78 mph range and an 81 mph changeup. 

Max Luzarraga, RHP, Weddington HS, Matthews, N.C.

Commit: Dallas Baptist

A North Carolina righty committed to DBU, Luzarraga showed one of the more intriguing fastball shapes of the ECP in his two-inning outing for the Twins. A 6-foot-1, 210-pound righthander, Luzarraga throws from a high three-quarters slot and pitched mostly in the 88-91 mph range with his fastball. Still, the pitch featured excellent cut-ride action that allowed him to dominate the top of the zone and generate 10 whiffs in just two innings. As he adds more velocity, it should become an easy plus pitch thanks to that movement profile, though he’ll need to improve his secondaries, which include a 77-79 mph curveball and mid-80s changeup.

Briggs McKenzie, LHP, Corinth Holders HS, Wendell, N.C.

Commit: LSU

McKenzie threw three hitless innings in his ECP outing with three strikeouts and a walk. A 6-foot-2, 185-pound lefthander, McKenzie is a lean lefty with a projectable frame who works from the third base side of the rubber, throws from a three-quarters slot with some depth in the back of his arm stroke and features a bit of a crossfire landing in his finish. He pitched in the 90-92 mph range and touched 93 while mixing in a 77-79 mph breaking ball and an average, 85-86 mph changeup. McKenzie’s breaking ball has solid shape and spin—in the 2,500-2,700 rpm range—but the pitch showed early, lazy break and will need to add a bit more bite and power to become an average pitch. His feel to land the breaking ball in the zone was solid, and he was around the zone with all three pitches throughout this outing. 

Maddox Miller, LHP, Oak Grove HS, Hattiesburg, Miss.

Commit: Mississippi State

Miller is a lean and lanky lefthander with a 6-foot-4, 165-pound frame that screams projection and has significant room for added strength and mass gains in the future. He works from the third base side of the rubber and throws with whippy arm speed from a low three-quarters slot and has a slight crossfire landing. He pitched in the 90-91 mph range in the first inning before dropping into the 88-89 mph range in the second, but his fastball features lots of arm side run. His 74-77 mph curveball is a loose pitch that wasn’t consistent in this outing and needs more snap and bite, but his 80-83 mph changeup was one of the most consistent changes of the event and featured huge tumbling action with fastball arm speed. He did a nice job landing the pitch at the bottom of the zone and used it to generate five whiffs and finish four of his five strikeouts. 

Dean Moss, OF, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. 

Commit: LSU

Moss entered ECP as the No. 8 player in the high school class and was the second-highest ranked player of the event after SS Coy James. The first thing that stands out for the 6-foot, 185-pound outfielder is his tremendous bat speed. There are some moving parts to his swing, which features a high handset and a bit of a hitch and barrel tip in his load, but he fires his hands through the zone with great quickness and generates lots of hard contact because of that. Moss showed a strong approach and had impressive results in games as well, with three hits in nine plate appearances, as well as three walks and just one strikeout. More impressive than the results were the quality of his at-bats against solid stuff. His best plate appearance was likely against Reid Worley, when he drove an 84-mph slider on the outer third the other way for an opposite field line drive single over third base at 90 mph. Moss might have to profile in an outfield corner, and he turned in a below-average 60-yard dash time of 7.04 seconds.

Joe Nottingham, RHP, Loyola Blakefield HS, Towson, Md.

Commit: Georgia

Nottingham is a lean righthander with long levers and a 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame that still has plenty of room for added strength. He works from the first base side of the rubber, throws with a three-quarters slot and strides directly to the plate with a simple, easy and balanced delivery. He was more of a control-over-command pitcher in this look. Generally, Nottingham was around the zone with a four-pitch mix that included a 90-94 mph fastball that touched 95, a short and tight slider in the 82-85 mph range, a slower curveball in the upper 70s and an 83-mph changeup that he spiked. Nottingham struck out four of the eight batters he faced in two innings and missed plenty of bats with his fastball. 

John Paone, RHP, Lawrence Academy, Groton, Mass.

Commit: Duke

Paone is a big and physical righthander with a 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame. He works from the first base side of the rubber and throws with a low three-quarters arm slot. Paone creates a ton of run and sink on his fastball from that slot and pitched in the 93-96 mph range in the first inning before dropping down to 90-92 in subsequent frames. His turbo-sink fastball is a groundball-inducing weapon. He pairs it with an 81-83 mph slider with frisbee-like movement and tons of sweeping action. Paone will need to reign in his control to make the most of two promising pitches, but he looks tough to barrel up thanks to the movement on both of his primary pitches. 

JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis (Miss.) HS

Commit: Mississippi State

The Mariners team had a monopoly on in-game homers at this year’s ECP. Parker and teammate Caleb Barnett were the only two hitters to leave the yard at the Hoover Met. Parker is a 6-foot-2, 192-pound shortstop and lefthanded hitter who did a nice job getting extended on an 85-mph fastball that he pulled to right field at 102 mph and an estimated 378 feet. He also doubled and singled earlier in the event, walked twice and struck out twice in nine total plate appearances for a successful offensive showing overall. Parker employs a relatively simple operation at the plate with an open setup and uphill bat path. He showed decent middle infield actions, average arm strength and clocked a 6.95-second 60-yard dash time—an average to fringy speed grade. Parker’s brother, Jake, is also a member of the 2025 class and was at the ECP on the Mariners and is a fellow Mississippi State commit.

William Patrick, OF, St. Frederick HS, Monroe, La.

Commit: LSU

Patrick is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound outfielder and righthanded hitter who flashed an exciting combination of tools, physicality and athleticism. He has explosive hands in the righthanded batter’s box with a simple swing that features a slightly uphill bat path, and in games he had two hits in 11 plate appearances with two walks and three strikeouts. Patrick flashed the leather in center field when he made a quick first step in on a shallow fly ball before making a full extension diving catch to rob a hit, and his 70-grade 60-yard dash time of 6.59 seconds was tied for 11th-quickest of the event.

Luke Roupe, RHP, North Myrtle Beach HS, Little River, S.C.

Commit: South Carolina

Roupe is a strong and physical 6-foot-5, 210-pound righthander who works from the first base side of the rubber, throws from a three-quarter slot and has a fast and short arm action. He pitched in the 91-94 mph range with his fastball and showed a pair of solid secondaries including a 78-83 mph slider that was inconsistent but showed solid sweeping action at times as well as an 85-86 mph changeup he threw with great arm speed and deception. 

Landon Schaefer, SS, Fayetteville (Ark.) HS

Commit: Arkansas

Schaefer is a tall and lanky 6-foot-3, 188-pound shortstop and righthanded hitter who stood out for his swing and consistent quality contact in games. He showed solid raw power in batting practice. While he only tallied two hits in 12 plate appearances, he found the barrel consistently and hit four balls 90-mph or harder in games. He was a bit overly aggressive in his swing decisions at times, but looks like a burgeoning slugger who will have enough power to profile at a corner position if and when he outgrows shortstop. 

Miguel Sime Jr., RHP, Poly Prep Country Day, New York

Commit: LSU

Sime Jr. is an extra-large righthander with a thick and strong 6-foot-4, 237-pound frame and power stuff to match. He struck out four of the eight batters he faced in a two-inning look with a fastball that was mostly in the 94-96 mph range and touched 97. He overthrows the fastball at times and was generally scattered with his command of it, but the velocity and riding life should make it a real bat-misser at the next level. Likewise, his 79-82 mph breaking ball had swing-and-miss traits with two-plane bite and great glove-side movement that makes it a chase pitch away from righties, but he needs to add a bit more feel to maximize its potential. Sime Jr. also flashed an 82-84 mph changeup with significant velocity separation from the fastball and arm-side fading life that made it a solid offering to lefties. 

Jace Stancil, RHP, P27 Academy, Lexington, S.C.

Commit: College of Charleston

Stancil is a strong, physical righthander with a 6-foot-2, 212-pound frame who throws with a three-quarters arm slot and works from both sides of the rubber depending on his matchup. He works with a deliberate tempo and showed solid poise on the bump, with strong feel for three pitches including a consistent ability to land his slider on the outer rail to the glove side. Stancil struck out four of the eight batters he faced in two innings, sitting in the 90-93 mph range with his fastball and generating seven whiffs with his breaking ball. His usability of the breaking ball was better than the pitch’s pure movement/velocity characteristics, though he spun it well in the 2,500-2,600 rpm range and flashed solid tilt and late bite at times. While the fastball and slider were his go-to options, Stancil did flash one 82-mph changeup that he missed with to the arm side. 

JD Stein, SS, Carmel (Ind.) HS

Commit: Uncommitted

Stein is a smaller shortstop with a 5-foot-8, 170-pound frame who stood out for his defensive actions and batting eye. He tallied just two hits in 16 plate appearances—a double to the warning track in left field that came off the bat at 97 mph and an infield single up the middle—but he worked the count consistently and drew five walks to seven strikeouts. Stein has limited raw power and features a compact, direct swing that’s better suited for hard hit line drives. He also turned in a plus 60-yard dash time of 6.75 seconds and showed solid actions, a quick exchange and body control as a defender in the middle of the infield.

Kaden Waechter, RHP, Jesuit HS, Tampa

Commit: Uncommitted (2026)

Waechter is one of the top-ranked uncommitted prospects in the 2026 class and showed why at the ECP. Listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Waechter is a lean righthander with plenty of physical projection remaining and a loose, clean delivery that looks like a future starter. He pitched in the 88-91 mph range with a bit of sink and run on the pitch, but showed an excellent ability to establish the zone with his fastball and attack in on righthanded hitters’ hands to set up the rest of his arsenal. His 80-83 mph slider is a short breaking ball with solid spin that needs a bit more power, but it was a consistent offering he could throw for strikes and backdoor to lefties. While he was more control over command in this look, Weachter stood out for his ability to change speeds, mix and match and come off the mound to field his position with athleticism. A third pitch and more power will be questions moving forward, but he has plenty of time to address them.

Reid Worley, RHP, Cherokee HS, Canton, Ga.

Commit: Kennesaw State

Worley is a lean righthander with a 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame who showed advanced feel to sequence pitches and keep hitters off-balance with quality secondaries at ECP. He threw his fastball in the 90-93 mph range for three innings, but his best pitch was without question an 82-86 mph slider with tremendous movement, two-plane break and big spin rates in the 3,000-3,300 rpm range. It was a plus pitch that he showed great feel to land in the zone, often pitching off the slider more than his fastball. Worley also mixed in a solid 84-85 mph changeup that looked like an average and effective pitch against lefthanders. If he can sharpen up his fastball command, he’ll have a quality three-pitch mix to go with great physical projection.

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2024 Team USA Collegiate National Team Top 10 Prospects https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2024-team-usa-collegiate-national-team-top-10-prospects/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2024-team-usa-collegiate-national-team-top-10-prospects/#respond Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1469598 Ranking the 10 best prospects on the 2024 Team USA Collegiate National Team with an eye on the 2025 and 2026 drafts.

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USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team annually puts together a roster of some of the top players in the country, giving scouts and draft fans an early preview of the best-in-class talent for next year’s class. 

This year USA Baseball fielded two college rosters: an international friendship series roster composed mostly of rising juniors who will be eligible for the 2025 draft and a summer league tour roster composed mostly of rising sophomores who won’t be eligible until 2026.

Here we rank the top 10 players from the “senior” team, which isn’t quite as hitter-heavy as last year’s CNT—which featured 2024 first-rounders JJ Wehterholt, Braden Montgomery, Seaver King, Jac Caglianone and Charlie Condon—and is instead led by a pair of high-profile, high-probability starters in righthander Tyler Bremner and lefthander Jamie Arnold.

Team USA went 5-0 in their friendship series against Taiwan and then won a July 4 game against the summer league tour roster, 4-3. Team USA stats referenced include trials roster and Taiwan series games and are pulled from SynergySports. 

1. Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Bremner is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound righthander who this spring with UC Santa Barbara posted a 2.54 ERA over 88.2 innings and nine starts, with a 30.2% strikeout rate and 6.1% walk rate. He’s one of the best pitchers in the 2025 class. With Team USA in two outings this summer he struck out six, walked two and allowed only a single hit while showing three pitches that might be plus.

Bremner works with a fluid and easy delivery that features a quick arm out of a high three-quarters slot. He averages 94-96 mph with his fastball and runs the pitch up to 98 with excellent riding life and armside run that should make it a plus offering. He has great feel to land a diving mid-80s changeup that averages more than 10 mph in separation from his fastball and has an 85-87 mph slider with hard biting action. 

2. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State

Arnold trailed only Chase Burns for the top pitcher in the Atlantic Coast Conference this spring and posted a 2.98 ERA over 105.2 innings and 18 starts, with a 29.6 K-BB% that was good for fifth-best in the country. A 6-foot-1, 191-pound lefthander, Arnold added plenty of power to his arsenal this spring which pairs nicely with a deceptive slot and advanced command and makes him one of the most complete arms in the class.

With Team USA in two outings Arnold struck out eight, walked three and allowed only one single. He works with a drop-and-drive action in his delivery and throws from a sidearm slot that creates an extremely low release height that amplifies his pitch mix. Arnold sits 93-95 mph with a fastball that touches 97 and features tons of run, and also mixes in a sweepy mid-80s slider, a low-80s curveball with more depth and a mid-80s changeup. 

3. Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana

Taylor is a strong and physical outfielder with a powerful 6-foot-1, 215-pound frame who’s had a pair of tremendous offensive seasons with Indiana. He’s a career .338/.440/.660 hitter with 36 home runs for the Hoosiers and played left field and DH for Team USA this summer. While Taylor went just 7-for-27 (.259) in six games, it’s easy to see why his offensive profile is so appealing. 

He employs a crouched stance in the lefthanded batter’s box with a tight bat wiggle before taking a fairly typical leg kick and hand press in his load stage. Taylor has above-average bat speed and a level plane with his swing but enough strength for home run power to all fields. He has fair contact skills but can be overly aggressive with his swing decisions—he struck out six times to no walks with a 30% chase rate with Team USA. He profiles as a corner outfielder and has mostly played left with Indiana. 

4. Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech

Burress earned top-three-rounds consideration out of high school in the 2023 class, but ultimately made it to campus at Georgia Tech where had a Freshman of the Year campaign in 2024, when he led all freshmen with 25 home runs and slashed .381/.512/.821. He became Team USA’s leadoff hitter and primary center fielder this summer and went 9-for-24 (.375) in seven games with a pair of homers.

A 5-foot-9, 182-pound righthanded hitter, Burress uses his size to his advantage and rarely expands an already small strike zone. He chased just 15% of the time this spring—the best mark of any Team USA hitter—walked more than he struck out and has a strong combination of bat-to-ball skills and raw power that mostly plays to his pull side. An above-average runner with a strong arm, Burress has the tools to be a strong defender and stick in center field.

5. Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina

Bodine is the top-ranked catcher in the class and followed up a 2023 Sun Belt Conference freshman of the year season with another strong campaign as a hitter and receiver this spring. He’s a career .347/.432/.564 hitter with Coastal Carolina and shared catching duties with Troy backstop Brooks Bryan for Team USA this summer.

A 5-foot-10, 197-pound switch-hitter, Bodine stands out mostly for his bat-to-ball skills. He rarely swings and misses, has walked more than he’s struck out in his college career and with Team USA walked four times to two strikeouts with a 91% overall contact rate. 

Bodine has unusual movements from both sides of the plate, specifically with a late hand raise, high back elbow and barrel tip in his load, but has made the operation work for the most part. He has a hit-over-power offensive profile and also has the above-average arm strength and solid receiving chops to stick behind the dish. 

6. Nolan Schubart, OF, Oklahoma State

Schubart was a high-profile high school hitter who showed some of the best power upside in the 2022 prep class and has become one of college baseball’s most fearsome sluggers in two seasons with Oklahoma State. Now a 6-foot-5, 227-pound outfielder, Schubart is a career .352/.480/.743 hitter with the Cowboys who homered 23 times this spring and then led Team USA with a 1.571 OPS and five extra-base hits this summer. 

Schubart has tremendous raw power and posts eye-opening exit velocities—including a 111.6 mph 90th-percentile mark this spring—but has plenty of contact questions in his game. He looks to do damage on all of his swings with fierce hacks from the left side and phenomenal bat speed but will need to improve the 63.3% contact rate he managed this spring. 

While Schubart will swing and miss versus all pitch types, to his credit he has done a nice job staying within the zone on his swing decisions and walking at a high clip. He’s a definite corner outfield profile with more than enough power to profile there. 

7. Matt Scott, RHP, Stanford

Scott is a big and broad righthander with a 6-foot-7, 247-pound frame and background as a high-profile prep prospect who ranked as a top 200 player in the 2022 class. While his career 5.57 ERA with Stanford over two seasons is unexceptional, he has solid peripherals and pure stuff to dream on. With Team USA he struck out four, walked three and allowed just two singles in two outings.

Scott throws from a high three-quarters slot and boasts a four-pitch mix, though his fastball and slider are his go-to offerings. He sits 92-94 mph with his fastball but has been up to 98 with tremendous riding life and he filled up the zone with a mid-80s two-plane breaking slider this summer. Scott also mixes in a low-80s split-changeup and 87-91 mph cutter, though both pitches need more polish. 

8. Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest

Houston is a 6-foot-3, 185-pound shortstop who earned an early reputation as one of college baseball’s most impressive defensive infielders. After a light-hitting 2023 season with Wake Forest, Houston posted a .949 OPS this spring with Wake Forest and served as Team USA’s primary shortstop this summer. The righthanded hitter went just 3-for-19 (.158) in seven games but drew eight walks to manage a .429 on-base percentage in that time.

High-level defensive ability is the name of the game for Houston. He’s a reliable defender who has all the tools necessary to stick at shortstop and play the position at an above-average level. While he’s not a burner, he shows a quick first step with good range to both sides and pairs above-average arm strength with an advanced internal clock, no-doubt middle infield actions and footwork and impressive body control. His upside as a prospect will depend on his progress as a hitter next spring. 

9. Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma

Witherspoon began his college career with Northwest Florida State JC but transferred to Oklahoma this spring where he posted a 3.71 ERA over 80 innings and 11 starts. He continued to perform with Team USA. In two outings he struck out eight, walked two and allowed just one single. 

A 6-foot, 205-pound righthander, Witherspoon is solidly filled out now with broad shoulders and a well-developed frame. His arm action features an odd, hitch-and-hook movement in the back of his stroke but he fires to the plate with tons of arm speed from a three-quarters slot. He sits 95-96 mph with his fastball and has touched 99 with solid ride and cut. He uses a mid-to-upper-80s slider as his go-to secondary. 

Witherspoon also has a firm, upper-80s changeup that he uses infrequently as well as a cutter around 90 mph. There’s some inherent reliever risk given Witherspoon’s delivery and control.

10. Gabe Davis, RHP, Oklahoma State

Davis has primarily pitched out of the bullpen in college but did make five starts for Oklahoma State this spring before pitching in a relief capacity for Team USA this summer. Davis appeared in three games and struck out seven of the 12 batters he faced without allowing a hit or walk. A monstrous presence on the mound, Davis is listed at 6-foot-9, 225 pounds and throws from a relatively easy delivery and three-quarters slot. 

Scouts loved what they saw from Davis this summer. He averaged 95 mph and touched 100 this spring at OSU and was a tick higher on average with Team USA. His fastball might play up because his extension is above-average and his perceived velocity is likely greater than the TrackMan readings. He generated eight whiffs on 15 swings with the pitch with Team USA. He paired it with a hard mid-80s slider that was also a swing-and-miss offering. 

Davis showed impressive command in his brief summer stint. He’ll need to replicate that next spring and improve on his career 13.3% walk rate.

2024 Team USA CNT Best Tools

Best Hitter: Caden Bodine
Best Power: Nolan Schubart
Best Plate Discipline: Drew Burress
Fastest Runner: RJ Austin
Most Exciting Player: Tyler Bremner
Best Pitcher: Tyler Bremner
Best Fastball: Tyler Bremner
Best Breaking Pitch: Gabe Gaeckle 
Best Changeup: Tyler Bremner
Best Control: Jamie Arnold
Best Defensive C: Caden Bodine
Best Defensive INF: Marek Houston
Best Defensive OF: Drew Burress

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NL West Draft Picks With The Most Intriguing Statcast Pitch Data https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/nl-west-draft-picks-with-the-most-intriguing-statcast-pitch-data/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/nl-west-draft-picks-with-the-most-intriguing-statcast-pitch-data/#respond Mon, 05 Aug 2024 12:22:02 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1466936 Our Statcast draft deep dive concludes with intriguing arms beyond the first round in the NL West.

The post NL West Draft Picks With The Most Intriguing Statcast Pitch Data appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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Each week, I dip into public Statcast data to provide insight on up-and-coming minor league talent. Now that the draft is complete, I will shift gears and dig into some data on recent draftees.

It is important to note that the dataset is incomplete. Pitchers may or may not translate their pitch shapes directly from college baseball to the majors due to differences in the baseballs, as well as potential differences in data quality and measurement. If a pitcher isn’t included here, it’s because there wasn’t any Statcast data.

We’ll also be looking at things primarily through a “stuff” lens. Namely, those pitch shapes that have the potential to work in the major leagues. This is inspired by the countless examples of unheralded college pitchers who take huge leaps once they hit a major league development system.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Mason Marriott, RHP, 6th Round

Marriott possesses a solid fastball, sitting 93 and topping out at 95, with slightly below-average ride, which will likely be worse with the minor league ball. He pairs that with with a two-plane curveball at 80 mph, with promising feel for spin (2800 rpm), which might be a nice secondary for him. He mixes in a changeup that will need some development. It’s a shallow arsenal, and his performance in college wasn’t great either, so he’ll need to develop a slider and/or gain a few ticks of velo to be a viable prospect.

Luke Craig, LHP, 7th Round

Craig’s got the natural arm slot for a plus sweeper. While it only gets about 8 inches of sweep at the moment, he’s not getting the spin efficiency he needs to generate the plus sweep that his 2600 rpms should be able to generate. He’s able to get the almost perfectly horizontal spin axis required, he’ll just need to learn how to avoid gyro spin on the pitch. This is likely something that can be tweaked with professional training. His hard pitch looks like a sinker with great run, and a lot of movement on both planes. I have it as an above-average pitch even at its 92 mph velocity. This is an arsenal that will work very well against lefties, and completely fall apart against righties.

John West, RHP, 12th Round

West is a massive human, standing 6-foot-8, 265 pounds, giving him the potential to throw a lot harder than his sinker’s current 91-92 mph average velocity. One of the ways to generate velocity, both as a hitter and a pitcher, is to leverage ground forces, which having more mass helps with. His sinker will be a fantastic weapon against righthanded batters, as it’s a SSW sinker, with huge run and massive vertical movement deviation (movement that differs from what the spin axis would predict). He has a nice gyro slider that he uses as his primary secondary, and should be a platoon-neutral weapon, but he’ll need to push his sinker velocity up to help it play up.

West also has a fascinating changeup, with negative vert and decent fade. It’s quite rare for a changeup to have negative vert, which could give it potential to really fool batters. This gives us a very different movement plot:

It’s almost entirely an east-west movement profile. I think he’ll need to add a four-seam fastball, and should have an easy time learning the sweeper given the arm slot and ability to sweep the sinker. I’m very intrigued by this profile, and look forward to seeing what he can accomplish with pro development at his disposal.

Kyle Ayers, RHP, 13th Round

Ayers represents a tale of two sets of numbers. On the one hand, he’s a proverbial “stuff monster;” on the other hand he’s a college reliever with a terrible track record of performance. He also underwent Tommy John surgery and is likely out for the season. Despite all that, I think Ayers has a chance to be a high-leverage arm that could move very quickly.

Ayers has an easy plus fastball from a shape and velocity standpoint, with nearly 3 inches of ride over expected (19 inches IVB/flight), and great velocity at 96 mph, with very good spin at 2500 rpm. The ride is easy to see, as almost all of his fastballs are above the expected IVB line. He pairs it with a gyro slider/cutter with negative vert that should be an absolute weapon for him, with elite feel for spin at 2950 rpms.

He has the rare ability to throw it with curveball spin, which helps him get “death ball” movement. This pitch looks like it has plus-plus potential from a stuff perspective. He throws a huge two-plane curveball at 80-81 that he probably won’t need. I probably shouldn’t be this excited about a relief pitcher prospect, but his pitch data is just so compelling, I can’t help myself. I’ll be keeping on eye on Ayers as he makes his way through Arizona’s system.

Rocco Reid, LHP, 15th Round

Reid is a low-slot sinkerballing lefty, with a nice changeup that shows huge depth, and his data look a lot like John West’s, albeit from the left side, and with about 8 inches less height. The low-slot sinker plus depthy changeup might be a profile that Arizona was targeting in the later rounds.

Dawson Brown, RHP, 16th Round

Brown has an interesting gyro cutter at 88 mph, and decent velo on his sinker at 93 mph (from a low slot like the other guys listed here), along with a changeup with negative vert. He’ll need some work to fix the sinker shape, but his slider and changeup could be decent.

Colorado Rockies

Brody Brecht, RHP, CB-B

Brecht’s fastball is likely not going to be his calling card. It’s a low-spin pitch with well below-average ride. While he has good velocity at 96, he’ll need to rush it up at around 100 to offset what will be poor shape. His slider, on the other hand, is a fantastic pitch, with “death ball” movement at -4 inches of vertical break. He could likely get major league hitters out with that pitch. As a low-spin guy, he might need to develop a splitter to give him a weapon against lefties. I was expecting to be blown away by Brecht’s data, given the scouting superlatives, but to my eyes, it looks like a plus-plus slider, with the athleticism to dream on the other stuff being good enough that it will all come together for him. I do think the low-spin arsenal is a theoretically better fit for Coors field.

Lebarron Johnson, RHP, 5th Round

Lebarron’s movement chart is just begging for a two-plane curveball to fill out the movement profile. However, he already shows a very promising three-pitch mix. The fastball looks almost average in every respect, sitting 94 mph, with average ride given the slot, average spin rates and average extension. That may sound like a bad thing, but sometimes the important thing with a fastball is that it shouldn’t be terrible. He throws both a hard riding cutter at 87 and a gyro slider at 84. He’ll need both those pitches to become plus to succeed.

Fidel Ulloa, RHP, 7th Round

Ulloa is a reliever with a subpar fastball at 93-94 and a gyro slider/cutter that got a lot of whiffs at 84-87 mph. He pales in comparison to Brock Moore who was taken later in the 7th round, without any clear reason to me as to why a team would select Ulloa over Brock Moore if they were choosing just between the two. It’s somewhat easier for me to do a post-facto analysis, rather than picking from a giant pool of players, however, I believe teams should be taking as many arms as they can that have a realistic shot at being a major leaguer. I’m guessing the Rockies really like the slider here, and I will be very happy to be proven wrong by Ulloa.

Luke Jewett, RHP, 8th Round

Jewett started 14 games this season for UCLA, with a solid 4.35 ERA and decent command, averaging almost six innings a start. He has a starter’s frame, standing 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. More importantly, he has a four- or five-pitch arsenal that, while not exciting, could make him a back0of-the-rotation starter if everything breaks right.

The fastball gets only 16 inches of ride, with about 2 inches of ride below expected, and he’ll need to throw harder than the 92 he currently does. You can see above that he gets his whiffs on the few pitches that get above-average ride. He also throws a sinker, with some decent vertical movement deviation, giving him a couple of fastballs he can use against righties. The throws either a gyro slider/curve that is a tweener pitch, neither a sweeper, nor a gyro. I think those could be refined into two pitches (gyro and sweeper). He flashed a changeup with poor shape at 86. He’ll need to develop a lot to be successful, but there’s a hope for a No. 5 or No. 6 starter type if you really squint.

Justin Loer, LHP, 13th Round

Loer is a huge dude who throws from a low lefty slot that gets by throwing mostly sliders and changeups. The changeup is interesting as it gets 16 inches of fade, giving him at least one weapon against righties, though his 91 mph sinker will likely only be viable against lefties. Could be a lefty-one inning guy, but he’ll need to throw just the gyro slider and changeup to righties. If you can get a situational lefty in the 13th round, that’s a pretty good outcome.

Hunter Omlid, RHP, 20th Round

Omlid exceeds his expected IVB by 3-4 inches, allowing his 92-93 mph velocity to play up. It also has great spin at 2500 rpms, so there might be room for more with gains in spin efficiency. He has a 2850 rpm sweeper, that currently doesn’t get the 16 inches or more of sweep that makes them play up, but he’s not far off. If they can teach him to be more spin efficient with that pitch as well, he could have two plus pitches. That’s great value for a 20th round pick.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Jakob Wright, LHP, 4th Round

I must confess that when a pitcher is selected by the Dodgers, I expect to see sizzling data. So when I first glanced at Wright’s data, it didn’t immediately pop, mostly because he throws a hard cutter, rather than a traditional riding four-seam fastball. My data is from 2023, but he showed a low spin-efficiency four-seam fastball at 90-91 that I’d grade out as slightly below average. He showed the potential for a plus sweeper if he can be more spin efficient with the 2700 rpms he generates on the pitch.

Evan Shaw, LHP, 16th Round

Evan Shaw has two very distinct pitches, a huge sweeper with negative vert and a low-efficiency cut fastball at 90 mph. The sweeper is unusual as most sweepers get positive vert due to movement deviation, and I can see the Dodgers teaching him how to trade some bite for sweep (generally a good thing with sweepers) that will help it play up. The fastball is all over the place, and he’ll either need to go all-in on the low spin efficiency four-seam look, or throw a traditional high-efficiency four-seam fastball, or a true sinker. I think the sweeper is the calling card here, and the Dodgers will teach him two fastballs, giving him a chance to be a lefty specialist down the road.

San Diego Padres

Tyson Neighbors, RHP, 4th Round

Neighbors’ fastball ranks as one of the best in the draft class from a pure stuff perspective, right up there with Brock Moore (easily my favourite pick of the draft), Thatcher Hurd, Hagen Smith and Chase Burns. It’s easy to see why when we chart his pitches:

Every single fastball he throws is at least 2-3 inches above the expected line given his release characteristics and height, with the average pitch being closer to 4 inches of extra IVB. It’s good velocity at 95-96, with room for optimization if he learns to extend more than the 5.7 feet he currently gets. He pairs that with a 2900 rpm curveball with huge depth and great velocity at 84 mph, which looks like it will be a really good pitch, and a 2800 rpm gyro slider/cutter at a blistering 89 mph, which gives him a profile that looks a lot like Chase Burns from a pure stuff perspective, minus a few ticks of velocity, with less refined secondaries, and out of the bullpen where he can go max effort. He also has a track record of college dominance, striking out 160 batters over 95 innings.

I think Neighbors should absolutely be given a chance to start, as he has the makings of three plus pitches, and the more reps he can get, the better his command will get. I’m a big believer in not type-casting guys as “reliever only”, and that the potential difference-makers like Neighbors should be afforded the opportunity to falsify the relief-only premise. I absolutely love this pick for the Padres.

Clark Candiotti, RHP, 4C

Candiotti put together a decent final season in college as a starter, and has a big frame, listed at 6-foot-4, 237 pounds. It’s a solid arsenal with an average fastball in shape and velo, a gyro slider with plus potential and a hammer curve at 78 mph. He’ll likely need to develop a changeup, but the north-south arsenal should play well against both righties and lefties even if he doesn’t. As an older guy with little leverage, the Padres got a nice scoop here, saving about $440K of bonus pool room, which helped them land the mammoth Boston Bateman in the second round for an overslot deal. Candiotti has a shot to be a back-end starter, making this a nice win-win.

San Francisco Giants

Greg Farone, LHP, 7th Round

Data is from 2023. Farone is a 6-foot-6 lefty that throws from a very vertical slot, which makes his otherwise excellent 21 inches of IVB/flight play down somewhat, though it’s still a roughly average pitch despite the 89 mph velocity. He throws a hammer curve at 78 and a changeup without depth or fade. The velo will need to jump quite a bit for Farone to be be a viable prospect.

Tyler Switalski, 16th Round

Switalski has a below-average fastball with fringe-average shape, but subpar velo, a changeup with promising depth at 81-82 and a gyro slider that he’ll need to throw much harder than his current 78 mph. The gyro slider could give him three viable pitches if he can push the velo to 85 mph, which is asking a lot, but the fastball velo would indicate it’s possible.

Hunter Dryden, RHP, 17th Round

Dryden’s data are from the MLB Draft League, so we can be more confident that his stuff will translate to the minor leagues more directly, as they use the same ball there. His fastball is very inconsistent shape-wise, mostly due to not getting some more east-west spin rather than pure vertical backspin. The Giants will be looking to clean that up, which might help it get close to an average pitch shape wise. He combines that with a gyro slider at 81, with decent potential, and a changeup which he’ll need to refine. Dryden has the look of a guy who will benefit from pro development, however, he’ll need to make a big leap to become a major league pitcher.

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NL Central Draft Picks With The Most Intriguing Statcast Pitch Data https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/nl-central-draft-picks-with-the-most-intriguing-statcast-pitch-data/ https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/nl-central-draft-picks-with-the-most-intriguing-statcast-pitch-data/#respond Fri, 02 Aug 2024 12:09:41 +0000 https://www.baseballamerica.com/?p=1462256 Diving into intriguing 2024 NL Central draft picks beyond the first round who have interesting Statcast data.

The post NL Central Draft Picks With The Most Intriguing Statcast Pitch Data appeared first on College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America.

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Each week, I dip into public Statcast data to provide insight on up-and-coming minor league talent. Now that the draft is complete, I will shift gears and dig into some data on recent draftees.

It is important to note that the dataset is incomplete. Pitchers may or may not translate their pitch shapes directly from college baseball to the majors due to differences in the baseballs, as well as potential differences in data quality and measurement. If a pitcher isn’t included here, it’s because there wasn’t any Statcast data.

We’ll also be looking at things primarily through a “stuff” lens. Namely, those pitch shapes that have the potential to work in the major leagues. This is inspired by the countless examples of unheralded college pitchers who take huge leaps once they hit a major league development system.

Chicago Cubs

Evan Aschenbeck, LHP, 13th Round

Aschenbeck is the only Cubs pitcher we have public Statcast data on other than Eli Lovich, who projects as a batter. Aschenbeck throws both a sinker and a four-seam fastball, with the four-seam being a much better pitch, getting 19 inches of ride from a low slot, making his 91 mph play up. He manages to get 6.8 feet of extension on the pitch, adding up to a average fastball grade from a stuff perspective. Aschenbeck pairs it with a bullet slider with extremely low spin efficiency, but it will struggle to be an effective pitch at its current 80-81 mph velocity. He rounds out the arsenal with a changeup with drop and fade. This is the vertical fastball, gyro slider, changeup package which works very well as an arsenal, but he’ll need to add 3-4 mph of velocity to make it work at the major league level.

Cincinnati Reds

Chase Burns, RHP, 1st Round

I dove into detail on Burns’ glorious Statcast data, which you can read here, but I’m such a huge fan of his, I’m going to write about him some more.

Burns’ data are electric, with elite velocity that he holds deep into starts, elite feel for spin (his 2700 rpm fastball would be the highest in MLB, this year and last year, including relief pitchers), good extension and tremendous vertical ride. While there are concerns that his fastball is too hittable, and that he gave up too many home runs in college, I’m here to tell you that this package of elite fastball traits, in an elite athletic frame, just doesn’t come along very often. He pairs it with a double-plus gyro slider, a hammer curveball with elite spin, and a changeup with huge armside run. This is two present plus-plus pitches (fastball and gyro slider), with the potential for a third, and at least an average changeup that he can sprinkle in to lefties.

I love his fire and passion on the mound. In my opinion, it’s as good evidence as anything that he wants to compete each and every pitch. There are aspects to pitching that you can teach and train, and there are some you just can’t. It’s extremely hard to train elite velocity if you don’t have it, and next to impossible to learn how to spin the ball the way Burns already does. If I was designing a pitcher in a lab, he would look something like Chase Burns.

Luke Holman, RHP, CB-B

Holman, doesn’t have anywhere near the spin rates that Burns does, but he makes the most of it, with an extremely efficient four-seam fastball that gets about 2-3 inches of ride above expected given his arm slot, with nearly 20 inches of IVB/flight. There’s some projectability in his frame, lending hope that he can build on his present 92 mph velocity.

He has a true gyro cutter with an almost 0/0 movement profile, but he’ll need to throw it about 3 mph harder to hit that crucial 85/86 mph threshold that gyro sliders need to be effective. Holman throws an interesting gyro curve (for lack of a better term) a low spin efficiency pitch that gets -5 inches of vert, at the same velo band as the gyro slider. He also has a rising sinker with a ton of movement that grades out really well. This profile usually needs a good changeup to round it all out. Given the lack of spin on his pitches, I really like the gyro slider and gyro curve combination. It’s a nice blend of present stuff, track record of performance in college, and some projectability to dream on.

Jordan Little, RHP, 15th Round

Little throws a 94 mph fastball with good ride, which plays up from his low arm slot, it should be good enough shape-wise to not stand in his way. I have a limited sample set for his secondaries, but his two-plane curveball at 81 mph looks promising, as does his changeup that he got good depth on. He also had a couple of mini-sweepers that don’t sweep enough to be viable. This is a nice blend of velocity and decent secondaries, and a tremendous value in the 15th round.

Jimmy Romano, RHP, 16th Round

Romano added 2-3 inches of ride to his fastball from 2023 to 2024, but it still has below-average ride, even with the MiLB baseball used in the MLB Draft League. He gets solid velocity on the pitch, averaging 92-93 mph (topping out at 95), but he’ll need to either improve his velo a lot, or have standout secondaries to be viable.

We see what looks like a gyro curveball in the bottom left. A gyro curveball is a pitch that generally has curveball topspin, but also very low efficiency. It’s labelled a slider in the chart. We see a changeup without fade or depth, and perhaps a cut-fastball at 90 mph.

Trent Hodgdon, RHP, 17th Round

Hodgdon is the classic Stuff vs Performance guy, with a career 6.59 ERA across three NCAA seasons, with 87 strikeouts in 56 innings, albeit with an alarming 48 walks. That explains why his solid 93 mph fastball with about 19 inches of ride slipped all the way to the 17th round. He’ll need a massive leap in command and probably a couple ticks of velocity to be a viable big-league prospect.

Milwaukee Brewers

Chandler Welch, RHP, 6th Round

Welch started 17 games this season, averaging just over five innings a start, with 24 walks in his 89 innings, to 88 strikeouts. Let’s break down his arsenal, which has some promise.

Every discussion about a starter begins with the fastball, and in Chandler Welch’s case, he has two very distinct fastballs. His sinker is clearly the better pitch, with 15 inches of armside run, and while it’s currently a below-average pitch, he already gets great vertical movement deviation (more drop than the spin axis would indicate), and should make it a very effective pitch against the lefties. The challenge will be finding a primary fastball against lefties, as four-seam fastball, which operates in the 93 mph range, about 2 mph harder than the sinker, has poor shape despite his lower arm slot.

The pitch labeled a curveball is probably a sweeper, as it gets positive vertical movement deviation, and many of the pitches hit the critical baseline of 16 inches of gloveside sweep, with plenty in the 20s. It’s easily his best pitch, and he averaged almost 2700 rpms on it, a key ingredient for an effective sweeper. He’s also able to throw a true gyro slider with low spin efficiency, giving him two distinct slider shapes. There are tweaks to be made with both pitches to throw them harder, and be more consistent shape-wise. He’ll need to develop a changeup, which he’s flashed good depth on, as he currently doesn’t have any true weapons against lefties. This is looks like a solid arm that might never grace a Top 100 list, but end up having a productive major league career.

Mason Molina, LHP, 7th Round

Molina makes the most of his 89 mph fastball, getting 21 inches of ride on the pitch, which is well above-average for his slot. Given the exceptional ride the pitch gets, it’s no surprise he’s struck out 260 batters in 200 collegiate innings. If he can maintain that kind of ride transitioning to the MiLB ball, it will be an average pitch even at that velocity. He pairs it with a changeup that gets good depth, a huge curveball at 75 mph that’s probably too big and slow for the majors, and a low spin efficiency gyro slider that should pair extremely well with the vertical fastball. The upside is obviously limited due to the velocity, but there’s a very good chance he outperforms many pitchers who throw much harder than him.

Sam Garcia, LHP, 8th Round

Garcia is another soft-tossing lefty that was a starter in college and performed rather well, striking out 115 batters in 89 innings this season. He has an extremely low arm angle, but still manages to get excellent ride on his four-seam fastball, allowing it to play up well above its velocity. He pairs it with a gyro slider that probably needs more velocity, but will benefit from the vertical break differential to the fastball.

Caedmon Parker, RHP, 11th Round

Parker has a 92 mph fastball with suboptimal shape. We see the majority of his four-seamers falling below the expected ride given his release point. He throws his cutter really hard, almost as hard as the fastball. The cutter might be the pitch the Brewers really liked and are hoping to build around. His curveball has huge two-plane movement and good feel for spin around 2600 rpms. We also see a few changeups, with tremendous fade, and excellent depth.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Josh Hartle, LHP, 3rd Round

Hartle’s fastball appears to be a hard cutter. It’s essentially a low spin efficiency four-seam fastball, which won’t rely on vertical break to be effective. His sweeper is fascinating, with incredible drop and sweep, and tremendous spin at 2900 rpms. He has the natural arm angle to make this pitch work. It could be a deadly weapon against lefties, even with just a 91 mph fastball (faster fastballs help offspeed pitches play up). The gyro slider should be a useful platoon-neutral weapon as well. Hartle’s stock is way down after a poor season. We’ll see if the Pirates pitching dev can right the ship.

St. Louis Cardinals

Brian Holiday, RHP, 3rd Round

Holiday features a riding fastball at 92 mph, with roughly 1 inch of ride above expected, though it remains to be seen if the ride will fully translate to the minor league ball. His gyro slider was a whiff machine, despite not having any standout traits. He mixes in a huge curveball at 77, and a changeup with poor shape at 82 mph. Holiday’s stuff could play up in a bullpen role, especially if it helps him find a few extra ticks on the fastball. He was a successful starter in college, so he’ll likely begin his career as a starter, which would mean he’ll need to drastically improve the curveball and changeup.

Braden Davis, LHP, 5th Round

Davis’ fastball gets slightly above-average ride. He combines it with a weird changeup that has almost the same movement profile, but with a 10 mph gap. It was a whiff machine, so it’s possible the weird shape will make it work. He rounds out the arsenal with a gyro slider that also generated a lot of whiffs. The lack of fastball quality limits the arsenal, but he might have two quality secondaries already.

Andrew Dutkanych IV, RHP, 7th Round

Dutkanych IV has the type of fastball I love to see, with every single pitch getting more ride than expected given his release point. It’s an easy plus fastball with good velo at 94, up to 96, and over 19 inches of ride. He has a bullet cutter/slider at 85 with extremely low spin efficiency, a big curveball at 80 mph with tremendous spin (2750 rpm) and a splitter/changeup that he can kill spin with and get good depth. This is a very exciting arm that I think he’ll be a top-200 prospect if he can throw strikes.

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