The Big 12 has been pumping quality talent into Major League Baseball on a consistent basis over the past few years. 2021 saw Kansas State lefty Jordan Wicks go in the first round, with Texas flamethrower Ty Madden not far behind. Our own Brian Recca dives into some of his favorites for the 2022 class.
Hitters
Silas Ardoin, Texas, Catcher
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 6’0/215
‘21 Stats: .239/.389/.315; 238 PA, 1 HR, 43 BB, 50 K, 1 SB, 11 XBH
Ardoin has some prospect pedigree as he was an unsigned 36th rounder by the Rockies in 2019. The third year sophomore didn’t do much with the bat last year but was a rock behind the plate for the Longhorns. Ardoin is one of the better catch-and-throw guys at the college level and is polished in the other areas of catcher defense. He’s one of the top defensive catchers for the 2022 draft class and has gained a reputation for his baseball savvy and leadership qualities. His ability to handle the catching position at a high level will make him a draftable college bat regardless of how he develops offensively this spring.
Ardoin’s profile with the stick is light but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a noticeable uptick in his offensive production this spring. Ardoin’s wisdom as a ballplayer comes into play at the plate with advanced plate discipline (18% walk rate) and quality situational hitting. His power production is likely to remain at the bottom of the scale but Ardoin has enough strength and feel for the barrel to provide more extra base pop in 2022. He’ll need to cut down on the strikeouts but that’s another area that I think we could see marked improvement moving forward. It’s going to be a defense first profile as a pro with the likely ceiling of a backup catcher. That might not sound too exciting but capable catchers don’t grow on trees and players like Ardoin tend to have lengthy pro careers. There are some profile similarities between Ardoin and former Vanderbilt catcher C.J. Rodriguez who was selected by the A’s in the 5th round last July. Ardoin slots in at #288 on the most recent Prospects Live draft board.
Chase Adkison, Oklahoma State, Catcher; San Jacinto College (JUCO) transfer
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 6’0/195
‘21 Stats: .309/.445/.500; 233 PA, 7 HR, 39 BB, 14 K, 12 SB, 22 XBH
Chase Adkison has had a unique path to Stillwater, Oklahoma to say the least. He started out at Boise State but was forced to find a new home after the school disbanded it’s baseball program during the pandemic. Adkison moved on to San Jacinto College, one of the top junior colleges in the nation, and took over the reins as the team’s everyday catcher. He was a sought after player on the transfer market after a fantastic 2021 season and ended up deciding to continue his career at Oklahoma State. Adkison finished his lone season at San Jac with a .945 OPS and was named to the JUCO World Series All-Tournament Team.
Making the transition from the junior college level to a power five conference isn’t an easy task and that’s especially true for catchers. The fact that Oklahoma State is entrusting the starting catching job to a completely fresh face speaks volumes. Adkison’s ability to jump into the fray from day one is a feather in his cap and makes him an intriguing follow for this spring. What’s really interesting about Adkison is how well rounded his game appears on the surface. He takes excellent at bats which allows him to draw walks and limit the swing and miss. There’s also extra base power to all fields and he’ll even flash some pull side power at times. On top of that, between his spring at San Jac and his time in the Appy League this summer, Adkison stole a combined 19 bases in 23 tries.
We’ll have to wait and see how some of these on paper results translate to the D1 level but the blend of skills is enticing at the very least. Adkison also receives a ton of praise from coaches for his skills behind the plate, his work ethic, and his leadership abilities. The staff at Oklahoma State have raved about his intangibles and his former coach at San Jacinto, Kory Koehler, had this to say about Adkison:
“Chase Adkison demonstrated daily what a leader behind the plate looks like. He will sacrifice his body to sell out on balls in the dirt. He steals borderline strikes with a naturally quiet setup and receiving tool. Chase has a very quick release with an average arm which eliminates most running games. With all that being said, Chase is most well known for his extremely high tempo work ethic and drive to be the best player on the field at all times. His passion is infectious and players naturally gravitate towards him.” -San Jacinto Assistant Coach, Kory Koehler
Skyler Messinger, Texas, Third Base; Kansas transfer
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 6’3/220
‘21 Stats: .324/.398/.460; 241 PA, 2 HR, 21 BB, 40 K, 4 SB, 23 XBH
Messinger had a nice bounceback season in 2021 after struggling through his first three campaigns at Kansas. The former 22nd round pick (Cubs, 2017) has moved on to the University of Texas and is projected to be the everyday third baseman for the Longhorns this spring. He’s developed into a solid defender at the position after looking closer to fringe-average in my previous viewings. He has the glove and arm strength for the position but his hands and actions can stiffen up at times. Messinger looked looser at third base as well as at the plate in 2021 which could explain his significant uptick in production.
Messinger has impressive strength and physicality as he absolutely looks the part of a professional level prospect. He uses that strength well at the plate as he incorporates his lower half well in his swing and gets good leverage with a big leg kick. The swing leans more towards strength than bat speed but the bat speed may have taken a step forward with the improved looseness and athleticism he showed last year. The home run power was limited last spring as Messinger hit only a pair of homers. He’s able to record a good amount of high exit velos with that hard contact playing well to the left-center gap. There could be more in-game power production on the horizon given the physicality, better than average raw power, and his ability to record high EVs. Messinger is quite old for the college class (he’s already 23) but with continued production and some improvement in the power department, Messinger could turn himself into a solid ‘senior discount’ player that we often see chosen late on day 2 of the draft.
Tre Richardson, Baylor, Second Base/Shortstop
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 5’10/160
‘21 Stats: .308/.389/.463; 237 PA, 3 HR, 18 BB, 38 K, 6 SB, 22 XBH
Tre Richardson is one of the better kept secrets in the Big 12 conference as we inch closer towards opening day. Richardson is one of the younger 3rd year college players because he chose to enroll early at Baylor. He has over 60 games of D1 experience under his belt but won’t turn 21 until December of this year. Richardson is on the smaller side and was listed at 5-foot-10 and 160 lbs last year. Reports from the fall suggest that Richardson may have added some good strength to his frame which could result in increased offensive production this spring. He’s a phenomenal athlete with a lot of experience at both second base and shortstop at Baylor. Richardson is the kind of plus-plus athlete that could likely slot in at several positions at the pro level and provide some added value through his versatility. He’ll likely split time in the middle infield for Baylor as he did in 2021. It remains to be seen if shortstop will be a viable long term option for Richardson so getting a read on his defense there will be an integral part of his valuation.
Richardson held his own with the bat during his first full year of college ball as he finished with a .852 OPS. The offensive game and approach was raw but the growth he’s shown in a short window of time is very encouraging. Richardson was a standout performer this fall and could be on the verge of a serious breakout. Baylor played an exhibition game in October against the Texas Rangers Instructional Team which was a nice test for the Bears. Richardson batted second and drove home a pair of runs on a triple. There's been a lot of that kind of production for Richardson this fall. A lot of his extra base pop is to the opposite field and it remains to be seen just how much pull side power Richardson can get into games. He seems adept at handling pitches down in the zone so don’t be surprised if he starts to get tested more often up in the strike zone. Electric and dynamic athletes that produce in power conferences tend to get snatched up early on draft day so a big year from Tre Richardson could mean an early day 2 selection.
Mitchell Daly, Texas, Second Base
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 6’1/185
‘21 Stats: .316/.413/.416; 256 PA, 2 HR, 31 BB, 41 K, 8 SB, 17 XBH
The Longhorns had a fantastic 2021 season as they went 50-17 and reached the College World Series. The immediate production that Texas received from their group of newcomers was a huge factor in that success. Tanner Witt, Aaron Nixon, Ivan Melendez, and Mike Antico all played huge roles last spring. But make sure you don’t overlook Mitchell Daly who had a sneaky good freshman year in Austin. Daly was a second team Freshman All-American while also being named first team All-Big 12. He was an OBP machine for the Longhorns as he reached base safely in 54 of his 59 starts with a 23 game on base streak to boot. Daly filled a table setter role perfectly for the Longhorns and he formed one of the top defensive duos up the middle with teammate Trey Faltine. He puts his above average speed and quick twitch athleticism to good use on defense where he displays quick feet and plenty of range to either side. The arm is right around average, plenty for second base, and the overall package results in an above average defensive profile long term.
The hit tool projects well at the next level for Daly. The swing is short with impressive hand and bat speed that allows Daly to make quick adjustments and handle velocity. There wasn’t much power production last spring, but I think Daly has some untapped game power. Daly has a bit of physical projection remaining and he flashes the ability to get extended out front which allows him to spray balls to the left-center gap pretty well. He’s unlikely to hit for average power but the bat-to-ball skills, on base ability, and defensive savvy gives him a solid foundation of skills. He’s young for the draft class as a draft-eligible sophomore which makes him a model-friendly prospect with 4-6 round potential. Daly currently ranks #177 on the Prospects Live top 300.
Caleb Upshaw, Kansas, Outfield; Eastern Kentucky transfer
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 6’2/220
‘21 Stats: .325/.401/.560; 227 PA, 11 HR, 22 BB, 34 K, 2 SB, 24 XBH
Despite excellent production everywhere he’s played, Caleb Upshaw hasn’t received much attention. Upshaw dominated at the JUCO level before putting up a .333/.410/.564 line during his two years at Eastern Kentucky. Now at Kansas, Upshaw will look to prove himself against a higher level of competition in the Big 12. At 6-foot-2 and 220 lbs, Upshaw is a physical and intimidating presence in the box with the ability to hit the ball a long way when he squares things up. He has the strength and power to hit the ball out to all fields and he does a good covering the top and bottom of the strike zone.
Upshaw is likely limited to left field or first base at the pro level so the bat will need to do a lot of work to carry the profile. His mature approach should give him a chance to get his power into games against quality arms. The age (22 years old) and defensive profile limits his draft stock but with a strong season in the Big 12, Upshaw could work his way into that 7-10 round range where we see a run on older college performers. Upshaw’s brother Armond is a member of the Washington Nationals organization and was an 11th round pick in 2016. Caleb could certainly follow his brother to the pros with a strong 2022 season.
Dominic Johnson, Kansas State, Outfield; Oklahoma State transfer
Bats/Throws: R/R
Height/Weight: 5’9/185
‘21 Stats: .154/.389/.154; 21 PA, 0 HR, 3 BB, 8 K, 1 SB, 0 XBH
Dominic Johnson isn’t currently ranked on the Prospects Live top 300 board but he could certainly work himself into that range with a productive spring. We didn’t get much of an opportunity to see him in action last season as Johnson was buried on the Oklahoma State depth chart. The now draft-eligible sophomore decided to give it a go on the Cape this past summer before transferring to Kansas State for the 2022 season. Johnson had some mixed reviews over the summer but ended up showcasing some solid tools while holding his own with a .741 OPS over 137 plate appearances.
Johnson’s loudest tool by a significant margin is his speed and the ability to use that speed on the basepaths. Johnson is capable of showing 70 grade run times on the bases and he’s not afraid of using his speed aggressively whether that means racking up steals or grabbing an extra base on balls in play. He didn’t get much playing time in centerfield over the summer as he primarily found himself flanking teammate Clark Elliott in right field. Johnson is slated to start in center for the Wildcats but we’ll need to see how his speed translates defensively and whether or not the arm plays in center.
Despite his smaller size, Johnson does pack a punch and he’ll flash plenty of raw power in BP. The question, which dates back to his prep days, is how much that power will show up in games. A significant portion of his hard contact goes to the opposite field. It's hard to say whether that is an approach issue, a bat speed issue, a mechanical issue, or some combination of all or some of those things. Getting a read on what's going on at the plate with Johnson will be on my to-do list this spring. There's clear upside with the power, speed, and potential centerfield defense but there's also a lot of questions that remain unanswered. Johnson is a high variance prospect that will benefit from receiving plenty of necessary reps in a quality conference.
Dylan Phillips, Kansas State, Outfield
Bats/Throws: L/L
Height/Weight: 6’0/220
‘21 Stats: .333/.422/.643; 251 PA, 16 HR, 29 BB, 47 K, 6 SB, 33 XBH
Kansas State had one of the top corner outfield duos in college baseball last spring in Zach Kokoska (Rockies, 10th round) and Dylan Phillips, The pair didn’t get enough attention in my opinion, although both Phillips and Kokoska received All-Big 12 Second Team honors. They combined for 31 homers, a near 1.100 OPS, and a 45% extra base hit percentage (XBH%). Phillips will return to Kansas State for a final campaign and was recently named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team. He followed up his excellent spring with an impressive performance on the Cape where he had a .983 OPS, .276 isolated power (ISO), 4 homers, and a 12:15 BB/K ratio in 70 plate appearances. Phillips has set himself up nicely as a day 2 pick for the upcoming draft if he continues to hit at a high level.
Phillips doesn’t offer much in the way of physical projection but he’s extremely strong already. He has a thicker, compact build at 6’0/220 with significant upper body strength. Phillips isn’t a burner by any means, but he moves pretty well considering his build and he shows good body control. The strength in the swing allows him to make a lot of hard contact and he had some 110+ exit velos in 2021. The raw power is clearly a plus tool for Phillips. He shows the ability to get lift in the swing and the ball absolutely flies off the bat when he squares up for pull side juice. Phillips’s power and the carry he gets on his fly balls allows him to go big fly the opposite way and to centerfield with regularity. He does a good job going with what pitchers give him and letting the power and strength play. Eight of his sixteen homers last season went to either left or centerfield. Some examples:
Phillips makes a good deal of contact and his strikeout rate at K-State and over the summer on the Cape was elevated but manageable. With that said, there are still some swing and miss concerns for Phillips at the next level. I’d like to see him do more with low pitches on the outer half. He also gets off balance against breaking stuff but he’s been able to use his natural strength on contact to make up for it to date. That may not continue in the pros against better velocity and higher quality stuff. Phillips is limited to a corner defensively. He spent most of his time in left field last year while also getting over 20 games worth of action at first. Getting a read on the defensive home for Phillips is a priority for me this spring. He’s not going to fill a position towards the top of the defensive spectrum but there’s a big difference between a corner outfield guy and a first base only bat. I liked what I saw from Phillips at first base. He moves pretty smoothly and shows a knack for picking the ball on throws in the dirt and on contact off the bat. Phillips has a ton of arm strength which would fit in right field but his foot speed and range may limit him to left. Phillips has pitched in relief a bit for the Wildcats. He’s definitely raw as an arm but he’s touched 94 MPH and sits right around 90-91. His slider has some potential with mid 80s velocity and spin rates north of 2,500 RPM. His future is as a bat for me but the arm talent is clearly a legitimate tool for Phillips as a prospect. Phillips will be older for the college class as he turns 23 in June which combined with his potential defensive questions, puts a dent in the overall draft stock. Still, he looks like one of the top older, college bats that a team could potentially sign for lower than slot in the top 10 rounds this draft cycle.
Pitchers
Christian Ruebeck, Kansas State, Right-Handed Pitcher; Oklahoma transfer
Height/Weight: 6’0/185
‘21 Stats: 13 IP, 10.38 ERA, 12 H, 2 HR, 10 BB, 14 K, 1.40 K/BB
Christian Ruebeck is yet another talented transfer headed to K-State by way of Oklahoma. Ruebeck didn’t exactly light the Big 12 on fire in his previous two seasons but he showed enough on the Cape to turn himself into an arm of interest. He’s a smaller righty with plus arm speed and athletic actions on the bump. He went through some mechanical changes over the summer and also during the fall with Kansas State that should help him become a more efficient pitcher moving forward. Ruebeck has a shorter arm action from a low ¾ slot with noticeable effort. I really like the arm talent and looseness to his movements but the mechanics are still a work in progress. The overall package looks like a reliever but there may be some late inning potential if things start to click. Ruebeck’s 5.29 ERA on the Cape with Wareham doesn’t scream “success” per say (he also walked 10 in 17 innings and allowed over 1.5 batters to reach per inning) but he flashes solid raw talent and enough of a repertoire to make him a player of interest.
Ruebeck has touched 97 MPH with the fastball and was typically 91-95 over multiple innings this summer. The fastball is of the heavy variety with sinker shape, occasionally flashing some solid tailing movement. He does a good job commanding the fastball to the lower half of the strike zone but not necessarily to either side of the plate. Ruebeck’s fastball can play above average when commanded effectively and it could have plus potential with added velocity. Ruebeck primarily works off his fastball and slider but he’ll also break out a curveball and a changeup. Ruebeck’s slider has some late downward movement on it and it can be a sharp pitch at times. I think the slider would play better off his fastball if he worked to change the shape of the pitch. Some heavier horizontal movement might make it a better pairing for his sinking fastball. I could see the slider improving and looking quite different with pro development. It’s probably a close to average pitch presently but without much bat-missing ability. His curveball works north-south but has a looser shape, giving it minimal whiff potential. There’s some nascent feel for landing it in the zone which might give it some strike-stealing utility, a skill that I believe is often overlooked in young pitchers. The changeup could be the make or break pitch for Ruebeck as a pro. The quality of the changeup can vary wildly and the overall feel for throwing it seems raw. That could improve significantly with further usage this spring. Ruebeck’s changeup gets good late movement and arm side fade, making it a potential weapon against lefty bats. There’s decent potential for three above average pitches with at least some chance for a plus pitch in the fastball or changeup. His command is well below average overall but it looks like that is trending upward. I’m not confident that we’ll ever see average command but it could get to a level where he could work as an effective multi-inning relief option. I see him as a 5th-7th rounder currently but with some chance that he goes a couple of rounds higher than that with spring development.
David Sandlin, Oklahoma, Right-Handed Pitcher; Eastern Oklahoma State (Juco) transfer
Height/Weight: 6’4/215
‘21 Stats: 65 IP, 3.18 ERA, 50 H, 7 HR, 29 BB, 100 K, 3.45 K/BB
Sandlin was a member of perhaps the most electric JUCO rotation in the county last year at Eastern Oklahoma State College. Besides David Sandlin, EOSC also trotted out Christian McGowan (7th round, Phillies) and southpaw Andrew Walling (now with Mississippi State). The trio combined for over 300 strikeouts in 208.2 innings last spring with Sandlin reaching the century mark. He’ll have a much larger challenge ahead of him pitching in the BIG 12 but there are reasons to believe that Sandlin could become a real prize for the Sooners this spring.
Sandlin has some serious projection in his build, standing in at a lean 6-foot-4. There’s both huge arm speed and arm strength which, combined with the body, gives Sandlin a wide variance of potential outcomes as a prospect. Sandlin shows off a loose arm and releases from a near over-the-top arm slot. The ball comes out of the hand clean but the delivery itself needs some work. It’s very quick and it’s athletic enough with his big leg kick, but Sandlin’s ability to repeat it can come and go. The strike-throwing is scattered and there’s way more control than command, especially with the fastball. Sandlin was hitting 97-98 MPH last spring with no problem getting to 95-96 MPH deep into outings. He sits comfortably in the 92-96 range early and will drop down to 90-95 later into starts. Sandlin’s fastball shows good life and it plays to an above average level when he has his best velocity. There can be some variation in the quality of his fastball because of the command and a tendency to cut the pitch. Sandlin isn’t all velo though, his secondaries show real potential. Sandlin’s best pitch might be his changeup. The pitch has splitter type movement and is thrown hard in the mid-to-upper 80s. He can sell it well and there’s good late, downward action. Sandlin has two breaking balls in a slider and curveball with the slider looking like the better pitch long term. It’s a mid 80s offering that features tight spin and it can flirt with upper 80s velocity. The curveball doesn’t flash the power that the slider does with the velocity sitting in the 75-79 MPH range. There’s some good 12-6 shape at times but it doesn’t look like a true bat-misser long term. The quality of both of his breaking balls isn’t always consistent and there may be some questions regarding Sandlin’s feel for manipulating spin. But Sandlin might only be a few mechanical alterations away from a bonafide breakout given his overall potential and his current base of skills. He should command a sizable role of some sort this spring with Oklahoma and I wouldn’t be surprised if he pitched his way into third round territory. As it stands, I see Sandlin fitting in the 5-7 round area which is similar to where his teammate Christian McGowan was projected to go in 2022.
Kale Davis, Oklahoma State, Right-Handed Pitcher
Height/Weight: 6’4/225
‘21 Stats: 50.2 IP, 4.26 ERA, 49 H, 4 HR, 32 BB, 68 K, 2.13 K/BB
Kale Davis hasn’t had an overwhelming amount of success over his two years of action at Oklahoma State (4.50 ERA, 1.98 K/BB) but there are some good reasons to believe that could change quickly. Davis became a trusted weapon down the stretch for the Cowboys, highlighted by four shutout innings of relief against Texas during the BIG 12 tournament semifinals. Davis is a classic OK State reliever with a big, strong body and a powerful right arm that unleashes absolute gas on the mound. Davis’ stuff is starting to tick up with a lively fastball that reaches the 95-96 MPH range. The heater has significant bat-missing potential with huge rising action up in the strike zone which causes hitters to swing underneath the ball. With improved command, Davis’s fastball could eventually develop into a plus pitch at the next level. Davis will likely continue to pitch mostly off the strength of his fastball as his various secondary pitches are still works in progress. He’s flashed a curveball with late depth that, theoretically, could play well off his fastball. Davis also had a tight little cutter that offers a different look against opposing hitters. His changeup has good velocity separation between his fastball and there’s occasional feel for utilizing it effectively. The lack of a dependable secondary pitch has been an issue for a couple of years now but I think there are development opportunities remaining for Davis. It would not be surprising to me if the curve or changeup showed major improvement this spring. The profile isn’t fully formed overall but Davis has shown steady growth at Oklahoma State and he’s reached the point where he has the chance to distinguish himself as a legitimate pro prospect.
Trevor Martin, Oklahoma State, Right-Handed Pitcher
Height/Weight: 6’4/245
‘21 Stats: 31.1 IP, 4.60 ERA, 32 H, 4 HR, 21 BB, 44 K, 2.10 K/BB
Trevor Martin was really fun to watch the couple of times I saw him pitch out of the bullpen last spring. He’s a physical, large framed righty that looks built for the late innings. What I love about Martin is the way he’s always on the attack. He challenges hitters with big time velocity, daring opponents to catch up to his premium stuff. Martin had an up and down spring in 2021 but the elite arm strength he showed as a true freshman was special. Throwing with low effort, a clean arm action, and from a high ¾ arm slot, Martin unleashes power fastball after power fastball with consistent 92-95 MPH velocity in short outings. He’s capable of getting the fastball up to 98 MPH and I’d bet on Martin sitting closer to 95 once he gets settled into the pros. Martin is fearless with his heater as he trusts his ability to blow it by hitters. He has the late inning mentality needed to succeed in a pro bullpen but he’ll need to clean some things up moving forward. The command took some steps forward on the Cape this summer, but it’s still well below average presently. He has a tendency to cut his fastball which doesn’t always allow it to play up to its full velocity. Martin also hasn’t developed a consistent secondary pitch, though his newly developed low 80s slider may be an average or better offering with continued usage. Martin will flash a curve and changeup as well but he may not need either pitch if he works out of the pen for Oklahoma State this season. Whatever role Martin fills, the physicality and arm talent is impressive enough for the draft-eligible sophomore to garner mid-day 2 draft interest.
Riley Cornelio, TCU, Right-Handed Pitcher
Height/Weight: 6’3/195
‘21 Stats: 7.1 IP, 4.91 ERA, 6 H, 0 HR, 3 BB, 7 K, 2.33 K/BB
Draftniks have been waiting quite some time for Riley Cornelio to finally break out. Cornelio has tantalized with his long and athletic build, live arm, and easy velocity dating back to his time as a Colorado prep. Unfortunately, things haven’t come together for Cornelio just yet as he was passed over in last year’s draft as an eligible sophomore. Cornelio has accrued only 17.2 innings for TCU but could end up being an integral arm for the Horned Frogs this spring. Cornelio showed enough progression over the summer in the Northwoods League and during the fall to secure a weekend rotation spot for the 2022 season. Our very own Sam Hale caught a peek of Cornelio back in November as the TCU righty faced off against the Rangers Instructional Team. The stuff looked good, with a fastball topping out at 96 and two solid secondaries in his breaking ball and changeup. Sam had this to say following Cornelio’s outing:
“There were two candidates for best pitcher in this game, and Cornelio makes a strong case for it. The floor for a guy like Cornelio is high, and with the possibility of improvement there’s plenty on which to dream. This is a name to monitor with priority come early spring, because there’s a good chance we’ll be hearing it many more times associated with high picks.”
I agree with the floor statement made by Sam. Cornelio will have a ton of draft interest with this level of stuff even if the other aspects of his game aren’t fully fleshed out. However, remaining consistent over long stretches has eluded Cornelio in the past so it would not surprise me if we see fluctuations over the course of the spring. Cornelio put a lot of work into rebuilding his mechanics during the offseason. The operation is much simpler and things look much smoother as a result. Cornelio’s arm action was long and violent with inconsistent timing and a big stab in the back. He utilizes a shorter arm circle now which removes a lot of that violence and should aid him in repeating his delivery. That should allow Cornelio to throw more strikes and be more consistent with the quality of his arsenal. The fact that his mechanics and stuff quality looked similar in the fall compared to the summer is an encouraging sign. You can compare Cornelio’s mechanics in the GIFs below. The first GIF is from a video taken by The Prospect Pipeline back in 2019. The second GIF is courtesy of Patrick Ebert’s youtube channel The Grind Baseball and was recorded this past summer. You can clearly see major changes to Cornelio’s mechanics.
Cornelio still has a lot to prove given his limited track record of in game success. But it looks like there have been legitimate gains over the past several months that could lead to a 2022 breakout.
Chazz Martinez, Oklahoma, Left-Handed Pitcher; Orange Coast College (Juco) transfer
Height/Weight: 6’3/210
‘21 Stats: 38 IP, 4.50 ERA, 25 H, 3 HR, 21 BB, 44 K, 2.09 K/BB
Chazz Martinez will be a popular pick for newcomer of the year in the Big 12 as he transfers in from Orange Coast College. Martinez shows potential on both sides of the ball with his two-way ability but his long term future seems to be on the mound. He was drafted in the 12th round last year by the Pirates but chose not to sign. That is starting to look like a very good decision as Martinez is looking like a potential 3-5 round pick and that may be selling him short. Martinez has a ton of power at the plate and he should serve as a quality left-handed bat in the Sooner lineup. That power transfers over to the mound where he’s reportedly been up to 99 MPH with his fastball. He’s been 91-96 for the most part with a trio of secondary pitches at his disposal. Martinez shows a strong feel for spin and both his slider and curveball have the chance to be swing and miss pitches at the next level. His overall command is raw but he should fill the zone enough to be highly competitive with the level of pure stuff that he’s been showing. It goes without saying that Martinez is a tremendous athlete and he also has the strength and frame to project well as a pro. He’ll be older for a college player at 22 years old but pro teams were clearly interested in him last spring and there’s going to be plenty of opportunity for Martinez to boost his stock in 2022. Martinez is currently ranked #179 on the Prospects Live draft board.
Connor Oliver, TCU, Left-Handed Pitcher; Wabash Valley College (Juco) transfer
Height/Weight: 6’2/185
‘21 Stats: 57.2 IP, 1.87 ERA, 31 H, 2 HR, 23 BB, 92 K, 4.00 K/BB
Oliver transfers in from JUCO powerhouse Wabash Valley and provides TCU another lefty with starting traits behind ace Austin Krob. Oliver isn’t overpowering by any means but he’s physical, has an ideal pitcher’s build, and the frame looks projectable for the future. The 6-foot-2 lefty has a smooth and repeatable delivery while displaying above average arm speed and a high arm slot. He attacks hitters from a good downward angle which makes his heavy fastball tough for hitters to square up. Oliver is capable of getting up to around 94 MPH and generally sits around 90-93 with his fastball, holding that velocity deep into outings. The fastball is roughly an average pitch that grades out lower than his two breaking balls. Oliver has feel for spinning the ball and his curveball will show near plus level quality at its best. The bender has good downer shape with mid-to-upper 70s velocity but can lack hard finish at times. Oliver’s slider also shows above average potential and he’s able to rack up whiffs on the pitch when he gets good tilt and can command it. Oliver also flashes a usable changeup that has good fading movement but isn’t always sold well enough to be a dependable pitch from start to start. He’s had some strike-throwing hiccups in the past that will need to be corrected moving forward. There’s a solid foundation for a four pitch mix with enough pitchability to keep hitters off balance. Oliver doesn’t have a singular offering that looks like a bat-misser at the next level at this stage, but he’s shown the ability to attain empty swings on a variety of pitch types. Oliver’s size, athleticism, loose arm, and feel for two breakers should make him an attractive draft target on day 2 if he performs this spring. TCU has a fairly deep pitching staff so consistent starts may be hard to come by. I expect he’ll receive a sizable helping of innings regardless of his role and he may work his way into the weekend rotation sooner than later.
Other Players To Watch
Will Rigney, RHP, Baylor- 6-foot-6 power armed righty out of Waco, Texas with just 6 innings of college experience in two years. Recovering from thoracic outlet surgery but has been up 95 MPH while flashing a plus slider. Long injury history but considerable upside.
Blake Adams, RHP, Kansas State; Arkansas transfer- Expected to be in the weekend rotation at KSU. Up to 96 MPH and sitting 92-94 with max spin rates north of 2,400 RPM. Has a good slider that he can throw for strikes. Minimal track record with only 11.2 IP the past two years.
Cole Johnson, OF, Kansas State- Projected starter in right field. Only 66 plate appearances last year after transferring in from TCU. Good athlete and showed an intriguing power/speed combo this summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League where he was named an all star.
Griffin Doersching, 1B/DH, Oklahoma State; Northern Kentucky transfer- Has some of the best raw power in college baseball. Hit twenty homers for Northern Kentucky last year and then nine more during the summer. Huge physicality at 6’4/250. Doersching gives off some Wes Clarke vibes.
Roman Phansalkar, RHP, Oklahoma State- Stuff took off this offseason. Has dealt with injuries and control issues in the past. Mid 90s fastball has elite movement and pairs well with a potential plus slider. Reliever-only but could become a data darling this spring.
Solomon Washington, RHP, Oklahoma State; Calhoun CC (Juco) transfer- Has recorded 99-100 MPHvelocity readings with his fastball on a couple of occasions. Very raw and inconsistent stuff but immense upside.
Zane Morehouse, RHP, Texas; Dyersburg State (Juco) transfer- Plus arm talent with a long, projectable build. Was up to 97 MPH last spring with a nasty swing-and-miss slider. Older for the class but should be a late inning relief arm for the Longhorns as long as he throws quality strikes.
Andrew Morris, RHP, Texas Tech; Colorado Mesa (DII) transfer- Interesting DII transfer who has three years of college experience under his belt but is still only 20 years old. Was arguably the best pitcher at the DII level last year with a 2.19 ERA and a 115:19 K/BB ratio in 78 innings. Armed with a fastball up to 96 and a devastating curveball that he lands for strikes at will. Morris will be a weekend starter for Tech.
Trey Braithwaite, RHP, West Virginia; Navy transfer- Big, strong body from this grad transfer out of Navy. Already 24 years old. Braithwaite has shown steady 92-95 MPH fastball velocity in the past and he maxes out at around 98 MPH. Has a putaway slider that gets whiffs which gives Braithwaite an intriguing two-pitch combo out of the pen. He won’t go high in the draft but he makes for a solid ‘senior discount’ play in rounds 8-10.
Kevin Dowdell, LHP/OF, West Virginia; Calhoun CC (Juco) transfer- Plus athlete who shows flashes with the bat and on the bump. Has hit 96 MPH as a pitcher and pairs the heater with a changeup that flashes above average. He’s raw on both sides of the ball but should get chances to perform as both a hitter and pitcher this spring.
Jacob Watters, RHP, West Virginia- Powerful and physical reliever with immense arm talent. Up to 98 MPH on the Cape this summer with rumors of 100 MPH readings this offseason. Sits comfortably in the mid-to-high 90s with his overpowering fastball. Potential power curve that could be a whiff generating pitch this spring. The control is poor (10.7 BB/9 last spring) and he’ll need to show some level of improvement to garner more than day 3 draft interest.