Opening Weekend was an absolute blast. College baseball, as usual, didn’t disappoint.
As far as the 2021 MLB Draft goes, this weekend was the first slate of many important weekends for draft-eligible talent. 2020 was essentially a wash. Schedules were largely dominated by out-of-conference matchups and players didn’t have the opportunity to show their development as they would most years. Sure, guys like Nick Gonzales and Zach DeLoach were able to shoot up boards after impressive Cape Cod performances and hot starts, but guys that perform in Omaha never got that chance.
The five-round draft from a year ago is also responsible for far more talent coming back to school than in history. Florida hurlers Tommy Mace and Jack Leftwich are back. Coastal Carolina’s Parker Chavers is back. There’s deeper talent in this class than their ordinarily would be.
This week, like every week moving forward, we will highlight the players that did the most for their draft stock. Criteria for this can be loud performances, loud tools, or anything in-between. If a guy went out and made his name louder to scouts, he’s eligible. We’ll also point out a couple guys might have a question mark or two on their profile after their performance.
It should be noted, this edition of the Stock Watch will not include Vanderbilt’s opening series against Wright State which was postponed through Monday.
Let’s dive in:
Stock Rising…
Pitchers
Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State
7 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BBs, 10 K
Wicks was absolutely sterling in his 2021 debut for the Wildcats, and that should come as no surprise to those who follow him. He was the best player in the Northwoods League last summer and that has clearly translated into 2021. Wicks is a fiery competitor who went toe-to-toe with one of the better arms in the country in Oregon State’s Kevin Abel. The fastball was very good, up to 94, better than what we’ve seen in the past. His easy-plus changeup was spotted consistently low-and-away to righty bats and played beautifully off the fastball all night. The Beavers’ timing at the plate was uncomfortable throughout. It’s not normal for starters to go 7 innings and throw 102 pitches this early on in the season, but Wicks made it happen. He earned his first round grade and then some, cementing the notion he’s arguably the best lefty in the class.
Tommy Mace, RHP, Florida
5 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 8 K
Mace’s line probably doesn’t equate to the performance he put on. The stuff was absolutely electric and he was untouchable in his final two innings of work. Really got better and better as the night progressed. Curveball was sharp, flashing plus late into his appearance. His fastball was awfully loud, though command was inconsistent early on resulting in a couple walks and balls hit hard for singles. He worked primarily 92-96. Mace’s ability to throw his cutter, 2-seam fastball, as well a changeup gave scouts a look at the full arsenal, all this in an opening night game against an impressive University of Miami lineup. As the arm warms up and the season moves forward, Mace figures to be appointment viewing this spring.
Andrew Abbott, LHP, Virginia
5.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 9 K
Abbott just continued to staple-down the narrative that he’s the consummate professional on the mound and will always put the Cavaliers in a position to win a ballgame. It was high-level stuff led by a low-90s fastball, complimented by his low-80s power breaking ball and a mid-80s cambio. The breaking ball was effectively commanded all night and the changeup was hell on righty hitters. Abbott may not have the biggest fastball in the class, but he spotted it on the black at the top of the zone all night, a death sentence for hitters giving any thought of an impending off-speed pitch.
Cooper Benson, LHP, Arizona State
6 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 8 K
Benson will be incredibly young for the 2021 MLB Draft. In fact, he qualifies as eligible by just 19 days. That’s a good thing in scouts’ eyes. Benson was fantastic for the Sun Devils, at one point retiring 17 batters in a row. It’s an unorthodox delivery to the plate with a longer arm action in the back and wonky timing to the plate, but he hides the ball marvelously and the ball really sneaks up on hitters. The fastball generally sits in the low-90s and he compliments it with a very good changeup and a breaking ball he likes to employ specifically to left-handed hitters. Deception is the name of the game here, and he may not be how you’d traditionally “draw it up”, but he’s an out-getter and that’s got evaluators’ attention.
Davis Sharpe, RHP, Clemson
5 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 9 K
Sharpe has been rock solid his entire career at Clemson, but hopes to take things to another level in 2021. He’s off to a hot start, completely shutting down Cincinnati on Friday. Sharpe was 91-93 with natural cut and he stayed off barrels all night because of it. He worked all fall and winter on hip mobility and that has unlocked some strength and more athleticism on the mound than we’ve previously seen. His breaking ball was a high-spin offering on Friday, but the real prize was a changeup that some scouts had a 60-grade on at times that night. Sharpe has a pro-body and has been a steady performer for 2+ years now and could find himself taken in the first couple rounds in July with more performances like this one.
Other Notables: Jaden Hill (LSU), Mason Pelio (Boston College), Sam Bachman (Miami of Ohio), Richard Fitts (Auburn), Austin Love (North Carolina), Braden Olthoff (Tulane), Jesse Bergin (UCLA), Chase Silseth (Arizona), Rod Boone (UC-SB), Gunnar Hoglund (Ole Miss), Brandon White (Washington State)
Hitters
Wes Clarke, 1B, South Carolina
7 for 10, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 BB, 0 K (.700/.800/1.800)
For those familiar with Clarke, booming weekends should come as no surprise. A 40th round pick by the Brewers in 2018, Clarke decided to head to campus instead where he’s pulverized the ball from the get-go. In 2020, over 16 games, Clarke had eight homers and a slugging percentage of .714. There’s some swing and miss in his game, but he’s a productive first baseman anchoring a stout South Carolina lineup. The pure raw power in this kid is substantial. What he did to Dayton this weekend was pretty wicked. If this immense power surge is real, Clarke could find himself selected sooner rather than later in the 2021 draft.
Henry Davis, C, Louisville
4 for 10, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 0 k (.400/.500/.700)
Davis, a Preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List member, started his season off with a bang, finding plenty of barrels in a chilly series against Bellarmine. Davis displayed his usual impressive plate approach and ambushed a few pitches up in the zone for big exit velocities. The highlight of his weekend was an absolute tank hit over the left field fence and into the parking lot. Bellarmine didn’t bother testing his arm either. Davis was the first man out of the dugout each and every time a teammate made a productive out or scored. His leadership on and off the field is palpable.
Nathan Hickey, C, Florida
7 for 13, 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K (.538/.628/1.077)
The jury is still out on whether or not Hickey will stay behind the plate as a big leaguer, but any doubts surrounding the bat are dissipating with every at-bat he gets. Hickey has a controlled, lofty cut from the left side the produces ringing liners to his pull-side, as well as some light-tower homers. Some scouts believe he has 60-grade raw power in the tank. With more development emphasis placed on his glove work and blocking, Hickey might have the arm to stay behind the plate, but whoever selects him in the 2021 draft will be doing so for the bat, and it appears to be a pretty darn good one.
Cam Masterman, OF, Louisville
6 for 11, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB (.545/.571/1.363)
Masterman doesn’t have a ton of at-bats in his time at Louisville, but if this opening series is any indication, he’ll be stapled into the middle of it for the foreseeable future. The broad-bodied righty showed off an impressive, balanced, lofty swing that connected for huge power all weekend. Masterman wasn’t a household draft name heading into the season, but after his loud season debut, the curtain is up and he’s got all on him. Masterman came onto campus a third baseman. There’s some athleticism in that body that’s shown plenty capable in the grass.
Other Notables: Ryan Bliss (Auburn), Ethan Murray (Duke), Matt McLain (UCLA), Peyton Wilson (Alabama), Luke Waddell (Georgia Tech), Zack Gelof (Virginia), Cody Morissette (Boston College), Sal Frelick (Boston College), Kyle Manzardo (Washington State), Luke Brown (Louisville), Caleb Roberts (North Carolina), Blayne Jones (Dallas Baptist), Ryan Holgate (Arizona),