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As we have been for the last few months, today we pump out 50 more prospects in our lead up to the 2021 MLB Draft. Along with the addition of 50 new names, the new Top 400 includes our stock watch feature highlighting the current trajectory of players with helium.
With three weeks of college baseball in the books, we’re beginning to get a feel for who’s taken steps forward and who’s star has faded a bit in 2021. This list takes into account personal evaluations done by our draft team, as well as industry conversations had during this cycle.
Some notable storylines from the past eight weeks:
Some college arms seem to be buoying there way at the top of the class. Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter remain the cream of the crop, though Texas RHP Ty Madden and Ole Miss RHP Gunnar Hoglund appear poised to go early as well.
A few arms who we had projected would take significant leaps forward have sputtered a bit out of the gates. While the pitch data for guys like Evan Shawver and Eric Cerantola is impressive, neither has shown a consistent feel for commanding the baseball early on.
Of the bats, North Carolina centerfielder Justice Thompson and South Carolina first baseman Wes Clarke have been quite the revelations. They debut on our board at no. 73 and no. 126 respectively.
Sam Bachman’s meteoric rise has really cemented himself in the conversation of the best arms of the class. He popped 100.8mph on a Stalker gun last week and has scouts flocking to Miami, Ohio to see him.
Middle infield preps remain a strength of the class. Jordan Lawlar and Marcelo Mayer appear likely top ten picks as it stands today, while Kahlil Watson is pushing that tier as well. Others like Peyton Stovall, Alex Mooney and others continue to push their way up boards.
Oregon State righty Kevin Abel has really made his presence known early this season. He’s punching out a ton of batters and the stuff is really electric. Command still wavers in his starts, but he’s being turned in as a first round talent by some teams.
Boston College OF Sal Frelick has made an enormous statement early on and is staking his claim as a potential top 15 pick in July. It’s a dynamic blend of athleticism, speed and versatility that you don’t find in most players. There are teams that have scouted him as a second baseman as well.
NC State catcher Luca Tresh has seen a mammoth rise over the past two months after cementing himself as the starting catcher for the Wolfpack. Tresh replaces Patrick Bailey, but might be every bit the bat of his predecessor. Some scouts have thrown 60 grades on the power tool. Tresh is pushing Memphis thumper Hunter Goodman as the second-best college catcher in the class, though for our money, Louisville backstop Henry Davis is in a league of his own thanks to top-of-the-scale athleticism behind the plate and 98th percentile exit velos, as well as outlandishly good walk and strikeout rates. Adrian Del Castillo has shown improvement behind the plate, but questions still remain on his final defensive home.