With the college season upon us officially the draft and college baseball teams here at Prospects Live combined to highlight some of the more underappreciated talents throughout the collegiate landscape. These are players we feel are being ignored by the masses or players with a real opportunity to burst onto the national stage in the coming months. There’s a heavy bias toward pitchers showing improved stuff over the summer and fall, with several names showing increased velocity and movement. Others are long heralded talents in situations we feel will lead to success. Happy College Baseball New Year!
RHP Bryce McGowan - Tyler
UNC Charlotte
6-1 / 202 - R/R
McGowan, he’s gone from 90-92 MPH to 94-97 MPH this past fall, with loud data to boot. It’s a high spin offering with plenty of ride, topping out at 98 MPH, per reports. McGowan has a slider in the high-80’s that’s firm and has late bite to it, becoming a potential putaway pitch in his arsenal, as well as a new curveball and an improved change-up with promise. He’ll need to throw strikes, which has been an issue for McGowan in the past, but if he does, he’ll climb up draft boards.
LHP Christian Lothes
UNC Charlotte
6-2 / 220 - R/L
A second year freshmen, Christian Lothes has also shown improved stuff, with an electric heater reportedly touching 95 MPH at times this fall, primarily sitting 90-93 MPH. He possesses a slider that has gotten into the mid-80’s with serious sweep and a mid-80’s change-up with good sink. Lothes has only thrown 2.2 innings with the 49ers, but he will be a big contributor in their starting rotation this season.
RHP Peyton Pallette - Anthony
University of Arkansas
6-1 / 165 - R/R
Arkansas head coach Dave Van Horn recently suggested (via the Log Cabin Democrat) Pallette will be a part of the Hogs’ weekend rotation, at least to start the season. As a weekend starter in the SEC, maybe he’s not a “sleeper” then, but I expect a big sophomore season that’ll put him among the top college arms in the 2022 class. Pallette worked a few innings out of the bullpen as a freshman and checks most of the boxes for a developmental pitching prospect. He’s physically projectable, loose and athletic, and already working 93-95 MPH. He has feel for spinning a curveball with good shape and bite. Now he’s seemingly in line for the opportunity to work multiple times in a game against the top lineups in the country.
RHP Gabe Shepard - Anthony
Southern Mississippi
5-10 / 210 - R/R
Shepard impressed as a freshman at Southern Miss in 2019 and got the ball for the first game of the Golden Eagles’ regional opener that season. There, he held a loaded Arizona State lineup to two runs over 5.2 innings (albeit with four strikeouts and three walks). More impressive than the box score numbers was the arm strength he showed. Shepard was consistently 93-96, touching 97 MPH, on the stadium gum. He’s on the shorter side but well-built and already throws sufficiently hard. Shepard’s the best prospect in what should be a very good Southern Miss rotation and will be a priority follow in the C-USA this spring.
RHP Cameron Weston - Ralph
University of Michigan
6-1 / 200 - R/R - Sophomore
After COVID shortened a stellar early showing out of the pen for the Freshman righthander there’s much anticipation around the draft eligible COVID Freshman in 2021. Weston’s arsenal is heavily dependent on his fastball+splitter combo that works primarily in the upper quadrants with the fastball, then burying the splitter low. He also mixes in a slider but he’s still learning to command the pitch. His fastball was reportedly up to 95 this off-season, and he’s shown an innate ability to drive groundballs with a 60% rate in 2020. Improving velocity, flyball suppression skills, and a go to secondary, Weston has the makings of a breakout.
RHP Jonathan Brand - Ralph
Miami University (OH)
5-9 / 197 - R/R - Junior
The stigma around shorter pitchers is going away, as more and more analysts in the public and private space seek lower release points and flat vertical approach angle fastballs. Brand fits this mold with a very low release point, and efficient shape that creates ride on his fastball. He lacks premium velocity at 89-92, but he’s was up to 95-96 in workouts this fall his pitch shape is desirable. Despite near 3000 rpm spin rates, Brand’s curveball is a heavy groundball driver and not a swing and miss offering. In fact last summer during 2020 Northwoods League play Brand’s curveball boasted a 75% groundball rate. Another intriguing arm from the Midwest with improving stuff and the ability to suppress hard contact.
LHP Brooks Gosswein - Ralph
Bradley University
6-2 / 205 - L/L - COVID Junior
A lefty arm with a big jump in velocity this fall. Gosswein averaged 87.5 mph with his fastball in 2020 before the shutdown. But emerged this fall throwing 93-95 mph with increased velocity on his fastball. The Bradley Junior struggled mightily in 2020 but looks poised to potentially make a big jump in 2021 with improved stuff. He mixes in a low 80s curveball with slurvy break. Across multiple sessions Gosswein has continued to flash improved stuff.
RHP Chase Silseth - Ralph
University of Arizona
6-0 / 200 - R/R - Junior
Silseth is in his third school in three years after transferring from the University of Southern Nevada after spending his Freshman season at Tennessee. The righthander has put up loud strikeout numbers. His fastball is nasty, sitting 92-94 mph, bumping 95 with ride and life at the top of the zone. The pitch generated a 45% whiff rate in 2020, and a 22% swinging strike. He mixes in a upper-70s curveball, a low-80s changeup, and a slider variant with more horizontal break than his curveball. With good shape on his fastball, and a changeup with a track record of missing bats Silseth looks poised to burst in 2021.
RHP Conor Angel - Ralph
University of Louisiana Lafayette
6-5 / 190 - R/R - COVID Freshman
The Freshman righthander out of Quebec performed admirably in the 2020 short season producing a 1-2 record, 3.74 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 10.8 K/9 across 21.2 IP. He’s extremely fastball heavy averaging an 85% usage number in 2020. There’s good reasoning behind this as well, the pitch drives an above-average amount of swings and misses, while boasting a 67% groundball rate. The pitch doesn’t boast huge velocity sitting 90-93 mph, but he does release from a deceptive low slot and generates some solid run and heavy sink. His curveball drops off a table and shows wild late break that almost seems to buckle before it dumps. An unheralded name with really good pitch movement.
RHP Zach Fruit - Ralph
Eastern Michigan
6-4 / 203 - R/R - Junior
Spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Lansing Community College before transferring to Eastern Michigan. Fruit has loud stuff with a fastball up to 96 mph in game. He’s tall, long limbed and gets excellent extension using his longer arms and arm action to effectively hide the ball. The fastball eats up in the zone. He pairs that with a slurvy slider that shows late sharp dump. He’s exclusively two pitches and there’s a lot of reliever risk at the next level, but he’s a very intriguing arm with velocity from a mid-major.
RHP Spencer Miles - Ralph
Missouri
6-2 / 185 - R/R - Sophomore
The righthander made quite the impression in 2020 Freshman campaign. Tossing a total of 15 innings and allowing just 17 men to reach base. He had some high points including a four inning start versus Texas where he punched out three. His slider is the jewel of his arsenal a slurvy pitch with two plane break he can manipulate the shape depending on where he wants to locate it. With sub-far fastball velocity, an uptick in fastball velocity could push Miles prospect status heading into the draft in 2021.
2B Dayton Dooney - Ian
Central Arizona College (JUCO)
6-0 / 190lb. • S/R • COVID Sophomore
Dooney is a University of Arizona transfer who does nothing but hit the baseball. From being a freshman All-American in 2019 where he hit .323/.427/.596 with 10 HR to finishing top 5 in nearly every offensive category in the San Diego summer league this past Summer, Dooney just puts numbers up. A compact swing from both sides of the plate, Dooney shows advanced barrel control throughout the zone and will handle velocity well. Shows the ability to reach all of his above average raw power consistently, and could find more pop as he continues to get stronger. A versatile defender who’s seen innings all over the diamond, Dooney gets a chance to start everyday at 2B at CAC, and should project as the long term landing spot for him. A University of Tennessee commit in the fall who is currently slugging .900 in his 8 games of the year is showing all of the signs of never making in Knoxville.
LHP Mo Hanley - Tom
Adrian College (D-III)
6-2 / 165 - L/L - COVID Junior
Hanley, a 6-2 lefty from Adrian College (Michigan). In the past division three hasn’t necessarily been a strong breeding ground of talent for the professional ranks. Although through recent draft picks like Nick Garcia last year from Chapman University (79th Overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates) and the success story of Tommy Parsons (who also went to Adrian), it seems that things might be starting to turn around. In the sense of both talent and scouting notoriety. Hanley was on my sightlines initially based on a strong 2020 but a recent bump of velo has him as a much more intriguing prospect. From sitting lower 90s with his fastball to reaching up to 96 while sitting 93-95 that moves well. Hanley features a sharp slider that breaks hard across the plate and can be a strong outpitch when needed. A bit more work needs to be done on his control as times it can get effectively wild. However, Hanley is the type of interesting arm that you can’t help but root for and keep on your shortest of shortlists.
OF Luis Vargas - Tom
Wayland Baptist (NAIA)
6-5 / 235 - R/R - COVID Junior
Another player to feature on this list from the lower ranks is the massive Luis Vargas. Currently, in the running for NAIA player of the year and Golden Spikes award watchlist, Vargas is absolutely raking. The COVID Junior is a strong 6’5” 235, with a build that reminds me of Washington slugger Joe Wainhouse but a bit more filled out. Vargas has been taking NAIA baseball by storm ever since finding his way to Wayland Baptist from Ranger College. Originally from the Dominican Republic by way of Boston, Vargas has had an insane past year of baseball, in his total 38 games at the NAIA level including the short 2020 and the already started NAIA season, Vargas slashed .500/.558/.1.221 with a massive 28 HRs. With a currently ongoing 8 HRs in 8 G, Vargas is a name that needs to be followed throughout the rest of the year. Although he has tons of power at the plate and such a large build, he isn’t a liability in the field as he can be a bit faster than expected and is solid in CF, giving him a better chance of a professional opportunity.
C Hayden Jones - Tom
Illinois State
6-0 / 215 - L/R - Redshirt Sophomore
Hayden Jones was a name that we in the midwest have been waiting on for well over a year. The former top prospect had a cup of coffee at Mississippi State in 2019, Jones had to sit out the shortened 2020 due to transferring to Illinois State following his single year in Starkville. Jones comes into the year following an intriguing fall and a full year of training ready to do damage on an experienced and ready-to-contend Redbirds team. Jones is solid behind the plate with a big powerful arm that will be able to gun down the best that the Missouri Valley has to offer. In addition to a beautiful left-handed swing that has a bit more pop than what he has previously shown. If Jones can make his debut in Bloomington as a one to remember, we could see yet another top prospect come out of the Redbirds system.
CF Luke Brown - Joe
Louisville
5-10 / 185 - L/R - Junior
Louisville top-of-the-order spark plug doesn’t get a ton of press because, well, he hits in front of a ton of All-Americans. That said, Brown worked all off-season on pumping up his exit velos in an effort to impact the ball for the Cardinals. Brown comfortably has double-plus speed, and he’s got a good hit tool. If the power pops in 2021 and he finds a way to leave the yard 7 or 8 times, brown could find his name in the 2nd or 3rd round of MLB Draft chatter. He’s a true centerfielder, so that up-the-middle trait will do wonders for his value.
SS Trey Sweeney - Joe
Eastern Illinois
6-3 / 210 - L/R - Junior
Eastern Illinois certainly isn’t known for producing big league talent, but Sweeney may buck that trand. A 6-foot,4-inch third basemen, Sweeney is a lefty slugger with plus raw juice and at least above average athleticism. He’s so talented, in fact, he’ll be the starting shortstop this spring for the Panthers. Sweeney is a good runner too who can steal a few bags for you. He’s a fringe Top 100 talent for me.
