Marek Houston

Switz Report: Recap Cape Cod "Best of the Best" Prospects

Summer baseball is in our rearview mirror, and we are a few weeks away from the start of fall ball for college baseball, with athletes returning to school and ramping back up for the next season. It’s been a while since I have contributed to the site. A large portion of that is due to my commitment over the summer to the Cape Cod Baseball League, as I was given the privilege and honor of helping the league this summer (an opportunity that I was unaware of when I first started Prospects Live and a change in course I had to make regarding previous promises I had made with readers earlier in my articles). Due to this, the inevitable occurred, and I had the time to watch a lot of college baseball over the 10-week Cape season. During my time up in the Cape, I had the ability to keep a close eye and get some early live looks for the upcoming 2025 draft class and top dudes eligible for the 2026 and 2027 classes.

For the next few weeks, I look forward to treating many of you to my views and evaluation process of some of the buzzing names in college baseball who participated in the Cape this summer. In doing so, I will provide full baseball scouting reports from dudes who grabbed my eye during the season and detailed prospect analysis with 20-80 scale grading, projected round selection, and brief overall summaries of the prospects. 


Further, these grades are based on my evaluation and rumblings that I heard while on the Cape and are not full or final summaries from the Prospects Live draft team or myself, as the next draft is (*checks watch), not for another ten months. Everyone sees prospects differently, even at the MLB level during draft day or for incoming prospects (Ex. There were people in baseball who thought Ohtani's bat wouldn't translate to MLB. Now, he's easy money to hit 30+ HR's each season). So, things can change regarding these prospects from the Cape season to next spring or draft.

Back to the topic at hand; early looks for next July are panning towards the 2025 class to be front-loaded with college-hitting prospects, and it seems to be anyone’s game to be selected inside the top 10 or even first round within a pool of 15-20 college hitters (with some teams getting the premium luck of possibly grabbing two or more of these guys next summer when adding in college arms and prep talent to the field). I do not see any Dylan Crews or Adley Rutschman-like prospects in this draft. However, there are desirable quality tools that project well for the next level, premium athleticism up the middle that we haven’t seen in a while for draft day, and future MLB starters that will become household names down the road.

Additionally, like back in the spring and carried into the Cape this summer, the general opinion and analysis in scouting circles regarding college pitching is that the talent is still down compared to years past. There are some outliers, but the overall crop of pitching talent is down. 

Now, to stop digressing from the article material at hand, below are five dudes that I believe were the top guys who grabbed scouts' eyes, balled out, and truly made themselves money over the summer.

| OF Brendan Summerhill | Arizona | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .286/.358/.441 (.798), 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 19 R, 12 SB, 9 BB (9.47 BB%), 15 K (15.78 K%)

Switz’s Notes: Summerhill was among the first dudes that grabbed my attention in the west division over the summer. He has easy-to-see athletic traits, a desirable hit tool still maturing, and straight-up ballplayer talent to be selected early next summer. If you are a person who likes dudes who know the strike zone well with great poise, then Summerhill may be one of the best in this draft cycle from his advanced approach and batter eye. From his first game in the Cape till his final game, Summerhill played the game hard, running out infield base hits and making spectacular catches in CF. I’m a big fan of his and hope the best for him moving forward, as he is just a fun player to watch. If the in-game power develops and he still maintains that plus speed tool in his game, he could pan out to be a video game-like player at the MLB level.



| OF Ethan Conrad | Wake Forest | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .385/.433 /.486 (.919), 5 2B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 27 R, 19 SB, 8 BB 6.7 BB%), 18 K (15.0 K%)

Switz’s Notes: I have to admit, regarding Ethan Conrad, which was no secret for anyone who talked to me during the summer, I have a massive admiration and man crush on Conrad’s game. This is the type of dude; if I were a Crosschecker for a team, I would fight to draft this guy until the last second is on the clock on draft night if available. This dude is a very special ballplayer that’s easy to root for in this draft cycle. I will acknowledge that he has some stuff he needs to iron out (especially contact vs offspeed/movement), but he’s got a tremendous ceiling if he can grab the brass rings at the next level of his development. Conrad is a superb athlete, and I’m willing to lay it out with the hot take that Conrad may have been the best athlete any scout saw during the summer wood-bat circuit in college baseball and even in the 2025 draft cycle. If he balls out next spring for Wake, he has the profile to be a potential lottery or top 10 selection in the draft to the already helium Conrad has on his draft stock. 

Our own Brian Recca had the ability to get a live look on Conrad at Marist over the spring Here.

| OF Devin Taylor | Indiana | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .296/.397/.510 (.907), 4 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 16 RBI, 18 R, 2 SB, 17 BB (14.7 BB%), 29 K (25.0 K%)

Switz’s Notes: Between being a standout ballplayer at LaSalle High School and becoming a blow-away Freshman Player of the Year in the Big Ten two springs ago for Indiana, Devin Taylor has become one of the most talked about prospects in the Ohio Valley for some time at the college level and rightfully so. When looking at Taylor’s summer, he started six games for Cotuit before leaving for Cary, NC. During that time, Taylor showed off his bread-and-butter of getting on base by any means necessary by hitting over .300 and accumulating a handful of walks. On the downside, within his first six games, he struck out more than any scout in attendance wanted to see, with 8 Ks through 16 ABs. However, when he arrived for Team USA in Cary, NC, Taylor found a different gear where he exploded during the primetime events for the red, white, and blue. Taylor came back and took that success from USA Baseball to carve out a successful season for the Cotuit Kettleers by producing a near .300 batting average, .907 OPS, and 5 HRs in 29 games with a wood bat. 


Taylor showed he belongs within the top 10 conversations going into the spring of 2025 over the summer. However, the 25% K rate in the Cape isn’t very appealing for major league scouts, with murkiness around the pitching talent and quality within the Big Ten going into next spring. Taylor, in 2025, will need to bounce back in this department and continue his declining K rate that he was showing at Indiana (roughly 19% in 2023 and 13% in 2024) before his time on the Cape. 


Going into the spring, I would like to see him take that next step into locking down that top 5 (maybe even top 10) status that early evaluations and industry talking heads are labeling him. In doing so, I would love to see him improve his defense and display more athleticism in the field while showing that I’m dead wrong on his 45 FV as a defender with current signs showing he may be playing CF next spring for the Hoosiers. When he added the 25 lbs of mass over the last calendar year to tap into more power, he lost some of the defensiveness and athleticism that made him look so appealing in his freshman year. 

Also, he can improve his stock on his hit tool by cleaning up his issues with + velo and offspeed while boosting his batting average into the .400s, and continuing a contact rate over 80%. Lastly, he can even do the fun route and just club everything he sees for HRs next college season like Condon and Cags did last spring that got them selected into the top 10 in July (granted, both these dudes also hit .400 while crushing everything to the moon). Overall, as outlined in the scouting report, Taylor is a future premium hit tool player and should be one of the quickest dudes to the MLB. However, it seems he is already losing some steam early in the 2025 draft cycle and will need to find a way to stay afloat at the top if he wants to be taken within the top 10 with the rise of so many helium dudes coming off of the summer season as right now it seems he is starting to meddle into the middle of the first round territory as a 10 - 15 overall selection. 


Lastly: Tyler Jennings caught him at USA Baseball during the summer with some video if you want to see more on Taylor Here

If you want to see Taylor from last Spring, you can check out Perkins' live look of Taylor at Maryland Here


| OF/1B Ethan Petry | South Carolina | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .360/.480/.760 (1.240), 7 2B, 11 HR, 25 RBI, 26 R, 16 BB (12.8 BB%), 26 K (20.8 K%)

Switz’s Notes: Petry is one of the biggest imposing dudes on the Cape this summer and is possibly one of the most extensively debated bat profile’s when trying to project him. He’s done and accomplished a lot within his short college career so far between being a career .300 hitter, having a career OPS over 1.100, hitting 20+ bombs in each of his first two college years, taking home the Cape Cod Baseball League MVP, the Robert A. McNeese Most Outstanding Pro Prospect Award, and Cape Cod Baseball League Home Run Derby title in the process. The dude hits the ball hard, and it is easy to see the offensive potential in his game. Nevertheless, even with his offensive upside, some limitations in his game are easy to see, such as his defense, athleticism, and eye at the plate. I strongly feel that teams will overlook his limitations and focus on the terms of the power and RBI-producing upside he has. Offensively, I see it being black and white: either he fixes these issues and becomes a freak for the next level, or they continue to haunt him, and it is a blemish that teams will have to work around in his game at the plate. As stated in the scouting report, with the universal DH being in play, I think he’s in a better boat as a prospect than he would be 5 - 10 years ago when scouts in the NL would have to project and find a defensive role for him. 


In giving him an Adam Dunn comparison, if the National League had the DH as they do now, I strongly feel that you would never have seen Dunn in the OF, and he would've been a straight DH with him playing 1B when Griffey Jr. was healthy and in the lineup. Like Dunn, I see Petry being that type of middle-of-the-order bat that teams are betting for HRs and RBI-producing abilities with the sacrifice of strikeouts coming within it. I do not see it being Joey Gallo-like bad where it is a career .195 hitter, and it's either K or HR with every swing. But, I think Dunn is a realistic comp with a ceiling batting average being a .255 - .265 hitter, crushing north of 35 + bombs a season with some triple-digit RBI abilities, and taking on the burden of having north of 25% strikeouts to go with it. However, with pitching movement and velo being the best baseball has ever seen (two things Petry does struggle with, unfortunately), I think the batting average and offensive production can easily fall into Kyle Schwarber-like territory as a floor or a readjusted comp later down the road if Petry does not fix these issues at the plate. 

| SS Marek Houston | Wake Forest | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .306/.465/.329 (.794), 2 2B, 8 RBIs, 17 Rs, 7 SB, 26 BB (22.8 BB%), 21 K

(18.4 K%)

Switz’s Notes: From the first time I watched Bourne over the summer, my eyes were glued to watching Houston in the field. He is a natural athlete on the diamond and is one of the guys who has a higher ceiling than most in the 2025 draft. This year, he was a key contributor for the Bourne franchise to make another appearance in the Cape Cod Championship game with his run-producing abilities at leadoff and stellar defense. Nightly, over the summer, Houston produced web gem-after-web gem defensive plays that showed that he can stay on the left side of the diamond for the next level. Many other talking heads will criticize his bat for the next level due to it not producing the batted ball metrics that the new-age fans and gurus want to see.  However, it isn’t as bad as this crowd wants to voice as he displayed a good feel for the zone and protects anything inside his hands (a skill many hitters over the summer seemed to lack that is desired by scouts). Further, he showed good abilities to hit to all fields and not let the Cape’s BABIP inflation dictate his hitting abilities while taking walks and not forcing a play to be made when nothing was there. To quote Aaron Rodgers, the new age fans and gurus need to “relax” regarding Houston’s bat profile because Houston has advanced intangibles that metrics cannot measure and should be alright. 


When drawing up a projection on Houston, it is tough to forecast what he will become. At first, I thought he might be a glove-first dude with below-average pop that he currently shows and could build into being a Dansby Swanson-like SS. However, when watching him play and looking at his build, there is more growth left in him as he has an unorthodox build of a large upper body frame and a smaller lower half. Between working on his mechanics in rookie development to add bat speed and going to the weight room for him to add muscle, I think there's a chance he could surpass the average 15 - 20 HRs (which is upside 45 FV and fringy 50 FV grades that vary based on organization grading and modeling) that Swanson averages each year (I know that Swanson crushed over that between 2021 - 2024 but, I see that as a too small of a sample size to call Swanson a genuine 55-60 grade power guy). 

Next, I took the approach of thinking he may be a Trea Turner-like athlete whose arm is strong, where there is 25 HR + pop if he can tap into it, and he oozes athleticism all over the diamond. However, Turner plays at a lower weight than Houston, and he fills out nicely for the 185 lbs he is. Thus, it left me to think and draw up the athletic comparison that Houston has a similar athletic body type to young Manny Machado coming out of high school (I’m not drawing the idea he is the next Machado, so don’t go down that rabbit hole of conclusion). Granted, you shouldn’t compare a 17-18-year-old player to a 20-year-old prospect in college athletically. However, when looking at the current state of college athletics, where there is limited time given for development from the Power 5 level, and it’s a state of just “get up and go” mentality within their constructed rosters, Houston’s athleticism has carried him into a starting spot with his defense being an essential tool. 


Nonetheless, there is still time for Houston, where he is still a projectable and moldable athlete, and a franchise can build him into what they want him to become, as I outlined in my report. Returning to Machado, when coming out of Brito Miami, he displayed a tall, slim, lean, athletic large frame that appeared boxy with large square shoulders (similar characteristics of Houston). At a young age, Machado easily displayed his fluid movements and defense on the dirt with a good feel for the barrel (same Houston has done with Bourne and at Wake). In the development of Machado in the Orioles system, Manny went from the skinny 180 lb size that he was drafted and grew into a 210- 215 lb size when he appeared in the major leagues roughly two years later, displaying his bat speed and strength to generate pop for the pros. 


If a team wants Houston to stay light on his feet and is not concerned about tapping into the power, they can take the approach of him being that 1980s and 1990s style SS where it's less than 15 HR pop with contact and defense being the essential tools. If this route is taken, he should be a quick-to-the-show type draft pick. Yet, suppose Houston gets drafted by a strong development organization, and they work with him on improving his internal strength and bat speed, which are his clear blemishes. In that case, there is upside four to five-tool potential (he has the speed for SB’s but, hasn’t displayed the production for it to be a real tool at his disposal) at the end of the road where we can see that pop come into play on a nightly basis like many of the premium SS display in today's baseball style.  


Overall, Houston's defense and superb athleticism will overshadow his complete toolset. However, Houston has a solid bat and advanced approach at the plate that shouldn't turn scouts and franchises away when turning in his name next summer. As I harped in the paragraphs before, I still believe and see lots of projection within Houston's game, and he is a late bloomer within the power department than most in college. Houston has a solid chance to hear his name early in next year's draft, and he could be the first SS off the board. A lot of this ease in decision-making for teams regarding Houston comes from his limitless ceiling and the high athletic floor that he possesses. Houston should be a fun follow this upcoming spring and moving forward in his pro career; he is a non-stop defensive highlight reel and potential offensive threat in the making. 

Earlier in the spring, Jared Perkins had the opportunity to catch Wake Forest for some live looks and saw Marek Houston Here.


Next time I’ll have full reports and notes on some of the top performers that popped over the summer on the Cape.



2025 MLB Draft: Top 30 Collegiate Prospects

With the overlapping of draft class occurring this summer, it’s only right that we begin to introduce our 2025 lists as the summer circuit is ramping up. Today, we’ll release our initial Top 30 College list and for the readers, it’s open to the public! As the summer progresses and we get more looks, we’ll expand this list (and our Top 30 Prep list) to 50 players in a system similar to how we navigated the 2024 cycle.

We’ve gotten some eyes on the 2025 class already and it’s mostly comparable to the 2024 class as a whole. Jace LaViolette, a huge thumper out of Texas A&M, leads the way, followed closely by a couple of other notable outfield prospects. There’s a few players on this list in the transfer portal and they are denoted properly in their reports. As we get a better grip on understanding this class, expect plenty of changes in due time.


1. of jace laviolette, texas A&M

height: 6’6

Weight: 230

b/t: L/L

Draft Day age: 21 yr 7 mo

hometown: Katy, TX

At 6'6, 230 pounds, LaViolette is an extremely physical left-handed bat with some of the most robust power in the entire country. LaViolette has already cranked 50 home runs in his collegiate career and he may end up amongst the likes of Eddy Furniss and Frank Fazzini on the all-time list in the NCAA ranks. It's a controlled, yet violent, left-handed swing with a ton of bat speed and an optimal bat path for doing damage, as he's a legitimate all-fields power threat and has cleared the 115 MPH exit velocity threshold in 2024. His hips clear out quickly, allowing him to get leverage in his swing and do significant damage. The plate discipline is also solid, as he rarely expands the zone and has a knack for racking up the walks. Yes, strikeouts are part of his game, but he's got time to polish up the bat-to-ball skills. Despite his size, he moves quickly on the basepaths and in the field. He's manned center field for the Aggies in 2024, though a move to a corner outfield position is likely in the near future.


2. OF Cam Cannarella, Clemson

height: 6’0

weight: 180

b/t: L/r

draft day age: 21 yr 10 mo

hometown: Hartsville, sc

Cannarella stepped onto campus as an infielder, but a road block in the Clemson infield gave him an opportunity in center field that he has not relinquished. A gamer in every sense of the word, Cannarella is a dangerous hitter with some of the best contact skills in the entire country. It's a lovely left-handed swing built more for line drives right now, but he's shown flashes of raw power to the gaps and to his pull-side. He did become a bit more aggressive in 2024 compared to 2023, but he has quality barrel control and shows patience, drawing walks aplenty. He's got above-average speed, though he didn't flash it a ton on the bases due to an injury this year. However, that speed translates to center field, where he has excellent route-running and quality defensive chops. Expect Cannarella to go high in this draft.


3. OF Devin Taylor, Indiana

height: 6’1

weight: 215

b/t: L/R

draft day age: 21 yr 6 mo

hometown: Cincinnati, OH

A physical left-handed bat, Taylor is a legitimate power threat with burgeoning raw juice and he lets his quality athleticism play on the field. He built upon a stellar freshman campaign at Indiana with a .357/.449/.660 slash line and blasting twenty home runs, the first Hoosier to do so since Alex Dickerson smacked twenty-four in 2010. His swing features substantial bat speed and he'll deposit the baseball to both sides of the field, utilizing the opposite field more in 2024. He's already displayed exit velocities touching the 110 MPH barrier, as well. He does expand the zone a bit, but there's little warts to his contact skills and he draws a copious amount of walks. He'll likely get a chance to man center in a bigger capacity in 2025, though given his average speed and route-running, he may be a better fit in left long term. It's hard not to like this profile.


4. C Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina

height: 5’10

weight: 197

b/t: s/R

draft day age: 21 yr 7 mo

hometown: Haddon Heights, NJ

A switch-hitting catcher out of New Jersey, Bodine has been one of the best pure hitters in college baseball. Bodine's barrel awareness and bat-to-ball skills are top of the charts from both sides of the plate, as he ran a contact rate of 89% in 2024, including a 94% (!) in-zone contact rate. He has quick hands from both sides and will prioritize an all-fields approach, rarely selling out for power. His power likely grades out more as fringe-average to average, though he'll run into a home run every once in a while. He has the prototypical size for a backstop and has impressed in his time on campus. It's a solid throwing arm with improving blocking skills and he has athletic movements behind the plate. Most believe he'll stick back there long term as a result.


5. RHP Tyler Bremner, UC Santa Barbara

height: 6’2

weight: 180

b/t: r/R

draft day age: 21 yr 2 mo

hometown: san diego, CA

Highly projectable, super athletic, burgeoning stuff. That's the menu for Bremner, who turned in a stellar sophomore campaign in the Big West, striking out 104 batters and walking just 21 in 88.2 innings. His stuff took a big jump during the pre-season, with his fastball sitting in the mid-90s with significant carry up in the zone. He should be throwing in the upper-90s more consistently in due time, as he’s already touched 98 MPH this summer. His slider took a huge step forward after struggling his freshman year, jumping into the mid-80s consistently with late bite and sweep. The change-up is unique with high spin traits, though he shows a ton of confidence in the pitch and it dives hard to the dirt in the low-80s, acting almost like a screwball. It projects as a double-plus offering. Let’s not forget that Bremner commands the zone really well. There’s potential for three above-average or better pitches with above-average command. He’s our SP1 right now for that reason.


6. LHP Jamie Arnold, Florida State

height: 6’1

weight: 191

b/t: l/l

draft day age: 21 yr 3 mo

hometown: Tampa, fl

After a rough freshman campaign in Tallahassee, Arnold exploded onto the draft scene in 2024, striking out 159 batters in 105.2 innings to the tune of a 2.98 ERA. Arnold generates a ton of scap retraction in his delivery, but he's on time with his arm and he creates a tough angle to the plate with a slingy release. His fastball rarely cracked 90 MPH in 2023, but he's now into the mid-90s with a very low release height and a flat approach angle that has allowed the heater to miss bats aplenty. His mid-80s slider can be downright diabolical, flashing late bite and sweep. It tunnels well off the heater and he's shown an ability to backfoot it to righties consistently. His change-up lags behind the one-two punch, thrown roughly 4% of the time in 2024 with slight fading life and will need more development in 2025. He'll need more of a tertiary offering to keep hitters off the FB/SL, but the whole package screams starter. He’ll be wildly popular in 2025.


7. c Ike Irish, Auburn

height: 6’2

weight: 203

b/t: l/R

draft day age: 21 yr 7 mo

hometown: Hudsonville, MI

One of the most decorated recruits to make it to campus after the 2022 draft, Irish has cemented himself as one of the best SEC hitters in two years since. Irish has a beautiful left-handed swing that's direct to the baseball with quick hands and loud bat speed. He's begun to pull the baseball more in 2024 after displaying more of a gap-to-gap approach in 2023, tapping more into robust raw power. He does swing at a high rate, meaning his walk rate isn't too high, but he doesn't strike out a ton, either. Defensively, he's shown a loud arm behind the plate and has improved on his blocking skills. He'll see more time back there in the future and he could man first base or a corner outfield spot, too. It's a bat-first profile with a ton like offensively.


8. OF Gavin Turley, oregon State

height: 6’1

weight: 185

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 21 yr 8 mo

hometown: Chandler, AZ

One of the toolsiest players in the entire class, Turley is an impressive athlete with a ton of power at his disposal. It's extremely loud bat speed and pull-side juice with leverage and loft, tapping into it easily in-game already. His hips open explosively thanks to his twitchy nature, which allows him to possess these kind of tools at the plate. With that said, he's struggled with contact in Corvallis and while the contact improved slightly in 2024, strikeouts are a huge concern in his game and he'll need to polish up the bat-to-ball skills. Turley is a very strong runner and displays a cannon right arm in the outfield, which will allow him to handle right field at the next level. If Turley hits in 2025, he'll be one of the first names off the board.


9. RHP Matt Scott, Stanford

height: 6’7

weight: 247

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 21 yr 6 mo

hometown: Redding, CT

A walking mountain of a human being, Scott is an uber-physical right-hander that traveled across the country to attend Stanford. There's not a ton of warts in his mechanics. They're loose and easy, showcasing quality body control for his size, and there's little effort overall. The fastball jumped in velocity over the off-season, topping out at 98 MPH and sitting consistently in the mid-90s. The pitch possesses insane carry on the top rail, averaging above 20 inches of vertical movement. He does have a steeper angle to the plate due to his high release, but the pitch still misses bats at a high rate. His primary secondary is a cutter-esque slider in the upper-80s with two-plane break and late bite. He'll tinker with a splitter, as well, which has graded out well. His command comes and goes, but one would expect him to grow into more of it given the mechanics.


10. 1b/3b henry ford, virginia

height: 6’5

weight: 220

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 20 yr 11 mo

hometown: Charlottesville, va

A draft-eligible sophomore, Ford is built much like an automobile mechanic. He's extremely physical with plenty of strength throughout his frame and he's a solid athlete despite his size. Ford has quality barrel control and has a ton of bat speed and loft, allowing him to tap into legitimate plus power in-game. He stays short and direct to the baseball and doesn't have a ton of swing-and-miss to his game, either. He's a first baseman right now given how deep Virginia is offensively, but his athleticism is good enough to get a shot to work at third base in the future. He's got the range and footwork necessary to make it happen, as well as a strong arm. He'll be an exciting prospect to watch next spring.


11. OF Brendan Summerhill, arizona

height: 6’3

weight: 195

b/t: L/R

draft day age: 21 yr 8 mo

hometown: Chicago, il

Summerhill is a long, lanky specimen that saw one of the biggest jumps in production in this class. As a freshman, Summerhill struggled to make consistent contact and had a whiff rate of 30%. He slashed that number by over half in 2024, finding a more consistent bat path and whiffing at just a 14% rate in 2024. Summerhill's bat speed and loft are noticeable at first glance, pulling the ball in the air consistently and flashing above-average exit velocities. He's held his own against heat upstairs and spin, too. There's a lot to like with his offensive profile and he is in line for a monster 2025 campaign. In the field, he profiles as a future average runner with added muscle and with his strong arm, he's likely destined for right field.


12. 1b/of Nolan Schubart, oklahoma State

height: 6’5

weight: 233

b/t: L/R

draft day age: 21 yr 2 mo

hometown: Durand, mi

A lanky, physical specimen from Michigan, Schubart has blasted the cover off the baseball in his two years in Stillwater. He has prodigious power from the left-hand side of the plate with a beautiful swing with great leverage and natural loft. He stays inside the baseball and will pummel it to all fields, eclipsing the 110 MPH exit velocity barrier regularly. He doesn't expand the zone often, chasing at a minute rate of 21%, but there's contact questions to be answered due to a hefty whiff rate. He'll need to polish up the pure contact skills this summer, but the power is the pure selling point. On the defensive side, Schubart has spent time in left field, though given the body and speed, he's likely destined for first base.


13. ss marek houston, wake forest

height: 6’3

weight: 185

b/t: r/R

draft day age: 21 yr 2 mo

hometown: Nokomis, fl

Houston turned a corner in 2024, becoming one of the most improved bats in the entire class. After enduring some struggles as a freshman, Houston became a leadoff sparkplug for Wake Forest, slashing .326/.434/.516 and recording more walks than strikeouts. His plate discipline is pristine and features little warts. He has some of the best contact rates in the class and he stays inside the zone, slapping the ball to the all fields. He'll utilize his fantastic speed on the basepaths, as well, as he's recorded times to first base around 4.15 seconds. He's a surefire shortstop at the next level, as well. He has a great internal clock with excellent range and motions, as well as a strong arm. If there's one complaint, it's his 30-grade power, though with added weight, he may be able to get to 40-grade juice.


14. LHP Shane Sdao, Texas A&M

height: 6’2

weight: 170

b/t: L/L

draft day age: 21 yr 9 mo

hometown: Montgomery, TX

An uber-projectable southpaw, Sdao turned heads in a loud sophomore campaign that has seen him split time between the bullpen and the rotation. Sdao's arm speed really stands out at first glance, maintaining it with all three of his pitches and working quickly down the bump with some deception. The fastball has solid carry up in the zone with some slight cut, working primarily in the low-90s, though Sdao has reared back for 96 MPH on occasion. The low-80s sweepy slider is the best secondary and got whiffs at a 44% clip in 2024. There's some lift in the pitch shape and he's shown an ability to backfoot the pitch to righties. He turns over a quality mid-80s cambio, as well. The expectation is that Sdao will be a starter in 2025 and he's due for an uptick in stuff with added mass to his frame.


15. RHP Gabe Davis, Oklahoma State

height: 6’9

weight: 225

b/t: R/r

draft day age: 21 yr 8 mo

hometown: Choctaw, ok

At 6'9, 225 pounds, Davis is a behemoth of a human being and provides an interesting look on the mound. He's uber-projectable and controls his body rather well for his size, though there's still some kinks to work out with his delivery. He’s a bit stiff moving down the mound, but his wide angle to the plate generates difficult at-bats for hitters. After having a release height under six feet in 2023, Davis raised his release by half a foot, which hampered the fastball whiff rates a bit. With that said, he gets a ton of extension and sits in the mid-90s consistently, bumping 99 MPH at his peak. It's his cutter-esque slider that takes the headlines, though. It sits in the upper-80s and flashes tight shape and depth, becoming more of a cutter once it approaches 90 MPH. He's tinkered with a change-up and a bigger curveball, both sitting in the low-80s. Should the command turn the corner, Davis is in contention for being the best arm on the board.


16. OF Max Belyeu, Texas

height: 6’2

weight: 210

b/t: l/R

draft day age: 21 yr 6 mo

hometown: Aledo, tx

After having just twenty at-bats in 2023, Belyeu cemented himself as one of the better collegiate players in the 2025 class, slashing .329/.423/.667 in 59 games and earning Big 12 Player of the Year honors. He's got a physical frame with projection remaining and his barrel feel is amongst the best in the Big 12. He does chase a bit too much, but there's not a ton of swing-and-miss to his game and handles velocity and spin rather well. There's a bit of Kyle Tucker in his swing, as well. The power itself has stood out, too, as his 90th percentile EVs are in the upper echelon of college bats and he'll smash the ball to all fields. In the field, he's likely relegated to left field due to a subpar throwing arm and average speed.


17. INF Henry Godbout, Virginia

height: 6’2

weight: 190

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 21 yr 8 mo

hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Godbout has one of the most polished hit tools in the entire ACC. Godbout has little issues at the plate and hammers fastballs, only whiffing on them 5% of the time in 2024. He doesn't chase a ton and he'll grind out walks, though his power is nothing more than fringe-average at best. He's an excellent rotator and should grow into more power as he matures physically, though he does have a stiff lower half and will need to utilize it more in 2025. Defensively, Godbout has manned second base for Virginia, where he's been a sound defender with solid range and instincts. Given Griff O'Ferrall's departure this summer, Godbout will more than likely get reps at shortstop in 2025 for the Cavaliers.


18. RHP Cam Leiter, Florida State

height: 6’5

weight: 218

b/t: R/R

draft day age: 21 yr 5 mo

hometown: Bayville, NJ

The latest Leiter to work his way through the ranks, Cam transferred from UCF to Florida State and found immediate success in the rotation. While an injury cut his season short to just seven appearances, Leiter's stuff took a big jump forward under new coaching. Leiter's fastball has gotten up to 99 MPH and he'll hold mid-90s velocity deep into starts, missing bats thanks to a low release and elite extension despite modest shape. The upper-80's/low-90s slider is dynamic, flashing tight spin and late bite, while the low-80s curveball has a ton of depth and high spin. He'll tinker with a change-up to lefties, as well. Command is a work-in-progress, but given the easy operation and athleticism, he should grow into more strikes in due time. If healthy in 2025, Leiter has the chance to be the first arm off the board.


19. c luke stevenson, north carolina

height: 6’1

weight: 200

b/t: l/r

draft day age: 20 yr 11 mo

hometown: wake forest, NC

Stevenson was highly touted out of high school last summer, but he chose to uphold his commitment to North Carolina and it has paid dividends for the freshman. He's eligible as a sophomore due to his age in 2025 and he's in line to be one of the first backstops off the board. He's built like a stereotypical catcher with a stout lower half and present strength throughout his body. He's got explosive motions out of the crouch and handles the run game well, showcasing a strong arm and pop times to second have been clocked at 1.9-1.95 seconds. He's a standout receiver, as well. At the plate, Stevenson has shown off legitimate pull-side juice and has a keen eye at the plate, racking up walks aplenty. He has a heavy barrel through the zone and stays direct to the baseball, and while he's shown some struggles with off-speed pitches, finding a catcher with the feel to hit like Stevenson is hard.


20. 3b/of andrew fischer, Tennessee

height: 6’1

weight: 205

b/t: l/r

draft day age: 21 yr 1 mo

hometown: Manasquan, nj

After a fantastic freshman campaign at Duke, Fischer transferred to Ole Miss where he didn't skip a beat against better competition. He's a physical left-handed bat with a ton of juice in the bat, most notably to his pull-side. It's a violent swing with natural loft and bat speed, allowing Fischer to pull the ball in the air with dangerous intent. He does have a bit of bat-to-ball woes, namely struggling a bit with spin, but Fischer draws a copious amount of walks and gets the most out of the barrel. In the field, Fischer isn't the fleetest of foot, displaying some choppy footwork and limited range at third base, but he has a strong enough arm across the diamond to at least start his professional career there. Fischer will play for Tony Vitello in 2025 as either a third baseman or an outfielder.


21. UTL RJ Austin, Vanderbilt

height: 5’11

weight: 193

b/t: r/r

draft day age: 21 yr 6 mo

hometown: Atlanta, ga

One of the more decorated athletes to make it to campus after the 2022 draft, Austin is a gritty prospect that has become a bit more physical during his tenure in Nashville. He's been a bit positionless in 2024, playing a myriad of positions given the depth in Vanderbilt's lineup. With that said, he fits best in the dirt, though he can get some play in the outfield, too. At the plate, he's grown into his power and has average or better pop in the bat. All of the power plays to the pull-side, though he'll utilize the opposite field gap when able to. He's a high contact, moderate chase bat with a good eye at the plate, keeping strikeouts to a minimum. His twitch on both sides of the ball should continue to stand out as long as he doesn't outgrow the athleticism he has.


22. 3b tre phelps, georgia

height: 6’2

weight: 204

b/t: r/r

draft day age: 21 yr

hometown: Kennesaw, ga

A draft-eligible sophomore, Phelps pushed his way into the Georgia lineup with an impressive performance in a limited sample size, slashing .355/.442/.686 with ten home runs. Phelps has impressive bat speed and very quick hands, as well as generating leverage and loft in his swing. This allows him to tap into his raw power, which grades out as above-average to plus. He does have some issues with spin and will expand the zone often, but he kept the strikeouts to a minimum in 2024. As a defender, Phelps has the tools to stick at third base, as he possesses solid hands, range, and a strong arm across the diamond. If he moves off the hot corner, he'll pick up work in a corner outfield position.


23. INF Daniel Dickinson, Louisiana State

height: 6’0

weight: 180

b/t: R/r

draft day age: 21 yr 7 mo

hometown: Richland, WA

Hailing from Utah Valley, Dickinson has quietly been one of the best hitters in college baseball the past two years. Dickinson has grown into his body more on campus and has *elite* contact skills from the right side of the plate. There's some twitch in his profile and very quick hands, staying direct to the baseball and lacing the ball to all fields. He likes to hammer the gaps and utilize his speed on the bases, though he's tapped more into his power and projects as fringe-average to his pull-side. While he does chase a bit more than you'd like, Dickinson's plate coverage is otherworldly and he handles everything well, including higher-end velocity when he comes across it. As an infielder, Dickinson projects more as a second baseman. He has good range and footwork, though the arm strength isn't the greatest and likely hampers his ability to stick at shortstop. Dickinson will be taking his talents to Baton Rouge and play in LSU’s infield in 2025.


24. INF Gavin Kilen, Tennessee

height: 5’11

weight: 185

b/t: l/r

draft day age: 21 yr 3 mo

hometown: Milton, WI

A highly decorated recruit out of high school, Kilen enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign where he slashed .330/.361/.591 with nine home runs in 54 games. His pure contact skills are exceptional, producing a contact rate around 85% in 2024, including an astonishing 93% in-zone contact rate. He has a consistent barrel path through the zone and has grown into some thump, primarily displaying over-the-fence power to the pull-side and he'll hammer the gaps for doubles. It's an extremely polished bat. In the field, Kilen profiles up the middle. He's shown a good arm across the diamond at shortstop and moves well laterally, though he could move to second base later on. After two years at Louisville, Kilen will transfer to Tennessee and join Tony Vitello’s infield for 2025.


25. RHP Kolten Smith, Georgia

height: 6’3

weight: 210

b/t: r/r

draft day age: 21 yr 6 mo

hometown: Ocala, FL

A projectable and athletic specimen, Smith has enjoyed a breakout campaign under new head coach Wes Johnson. Smith more than doubled his strikeout rate in 2024, jumping to a 33.9% clip in 69.2 innings of work for the Bulldogs. Smith sequences his arsenal nicely, as both breaking balls in his arsenal saw usage over 20% of the time in 2024. Smith's firm slider in the mid-80s has sharp bite and stays short to the plate, flashing some late sweep, too. His low-80s curveball has little hump out of the hand and drops to the dirt from a high release, catching hitters out front. Both project as above-average pitches. His heater has gotten into the mid-90s more consistently, flashing some carry up in the zone and holding velocity deep in starts. He'll flash a firm change-up, too. He's still a bit raw overall, though his arm speed stands out and he's commanded the ball much better than in 2023.


26. INF Mason White, Arizona

height: 5’11

weight: 176

b/t: L/r

draft day age: 21 yr 9 mo

hometown: Tucson, AZ

Despite White's shorter stature, he is one of the more powerful bats in this draft class. There's quite a bit ongoing during his load, but White's hands are explosively quick and he launches the barrel through the zone at insane speed, allowing him to tap into legitimate plus raw power to all fields. There are questions about the pure contact skills, though. He added more aggression to his approach in 2024 and began chasing more frequently, plus his whiff rate did jump up slightly. He'll need to improve upon this for there to be legitimate first round buzz. In the field, he's a fringy runner and has limited range, making him a projected second baseman at the next level.


27. 3B Trent Caraway, Oregon State

height: 6’2

weight: 202

b/t: r/r

draft day age: 21 yr 3 mo

hometown: Dana Point, CA

One of the most prized prospects to make it to campus after the 2023 draft, Caraway would've been in contention for being the best freshman in the country had a broken finger not sidelined him for two months. He's a masher in every sense of the word. Uber-physical, loud bat speed, and robust power to his pull-side. He's already cleared the 110 MPH exit velocity threshold on numerous occasions and his barrel feel should continue to improve as he gets more at-bats under his belt. He does have contact issues and he's aggressive, which is something to keep an eye on in 2025 as a draft-eligible sophomore. He has the arm and range to stick at third base long term, though as he matures physically, he may be destined for a corner outfield position.


28. INF Cade Kurland, Florida

height: 5’11

weight: 190

b/t: r/r

draft day age: 21 yr 4 mo

hometown: Tampa, FL

An early enrollee at Florida, Kurland had a fantastic freshman campaign for the Gators. A middle-infield thumper, Kurland's power stands out at first glance. He'll utilize both sides of the field with impressive bat speed and he's shown great barrel feel thus far, though his swing gets long and he'll need to polish up the hit tool in 2025. He's aggressive and will chase often, leading to strikeouts piling up and a walk rate that scouts want to see raised. Defensively, he's built for second base at the next level, but given his physicality, there's a chance he may outgrow the position and get a tryout at the hot corner.


29. RHP Kyson Witherspoon, Oklahoma

height: 6’0

weight: 205

b/t: r/r

draft day age: 20 yr 11 mo

hometown: Jacksonville, fl

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Witherspoon attended Northwest Florida State College before transferring to Oklahoma with his twin brother, Malachi. While Malachi boasts the louder pitch mix, Kyson excelled in a starter's role for the Sooners in 2024, striking out 90 batters in 80 innings to the tune of a 3.71 ERA. His arm action can get stabby and inconsistent, causing some command woes, but his FB/SL duo is dynamic. He's run the heater up to 98 MPH with hop at the top of the zone and the slider features solid bite and two-plane break in the upper-80s. He's also flashed a fading cambio to lefties in the upper-80s, missing a good amount of bats. A jump in command with a cleaner arm action bodes well for his potential.


30. 1B/OF Ethan Petry, South Carolina

height: 6’4

weight: 235

b/t: r/r

draft day age: 21 yr

hometown: Land O’ Lakes, fl

Petry burst onto the scene as a freshman at South Carolina, smashing 23 home runs and slashing .376/.471/.733 in 63 games. 2024 was much the same in the power department, as he hit 21 home runs in 61 games, but opposing pitching exploited some holes in Petry's swing, causing a drop in pure contact and a rise in strikeouts. He did walk at a higher clip, but he was susceptible to velocity up in the zone and spin. With that said, it's all-fields juice when he's on and if he can polish up the hit tool in 2025, the ceiling is sky-high offensively. Defensively, he's improved a bit in right field for the Gamecocks, but given his large frame and middling speed, he's bound to move back to the infield at first base. A return to his 2023 form will help his draft stock immensely in 2025.

Live Looks: Wake Forest vs. Virginia (3/16/24 - 3/17/24)

Live Looks: Wake Forest vs. Virginia (3/16/24 - 3/17/24)

Jared Perkins breaks down his live looks from the Wake Forest vs. Virginia series, which was highlighted by Chase Burns’ 13-strikeout performance.

College Baseball Preseason Top 25 Rankings

College Baseball Preseason Top 25 Rankings

The 2024 College Baseball Season is here! The Prospects Live Top 25 Preseason Rankings are out. Wake Forest takes the top seed, but LSU is a close number two and will be making just as much noise as they were last year.

2022 MLB Draft - Top 600 Prospects

2022 MLB Draft - Top 600 Prospects

This Top 600 really reinforces a few things we’ve always believed… Druw Jones, for us, is a cut above the rest. College hitters are good. Really good. And deep. The high school pitching in this class has the potential to be one of the stronger groups in recent memory. Where do we currently have Termarr Johnson, Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday, and Elijah Green currently ranked? What about Chase DeLauter, Brooks Lee, Kumar Rocker, Jace Jung and others?

2022 MLB Draft - Top 500 Prospects

2022 MLB Draft - Top 500 Prospects

This Top 500 really reinforces a few things we’ve always believed… Druw Jones, for us, is a cut above the rest. College hitters are good. Really good. And deep. The high school pitching in this class has the potential to be one of the stronger groups in recent memory. Where do we currently have Termarr Johnson, Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday, and Elijah Green currently ranked? What about Chase DeLauter, Brooks Lee, Kumar Rocker, Jace Jung and others?

2022 MLB Draft - Top 400 Prospects

2022 MLB Draft - Top 400 Prospects

This Top 400 really reinforces a few things we’ve always believed… The Top 3 guys in this class are a cut above the rest. College hitters are good. Really good. And deep. The high school pitching in this class has the potential to be one of the stronger groups in recent memory. Where do we currently have Termarr Johnson, Druw Jones and Elijah Green currently ranked? What about Chase DeLauter, Brooks Lee, Kumar Rocker, Jace Jung and others?

2022 MLB Draft Top Prospects - Florida Bats

2022 MLB Draft Top Prospects - Florida Bats

Francisco Lindor. Kyle Tucker. Triston Casas. Riley Greene. Zac Veen… There’s one thing that all of that elite talent has in common. That is being a Florida high school draft pick, and all being first round draft picks as well. 2022 is stacked too.

2022 MLB Draft - Top 300 Prospects

2022 MLB Draft - Top 300 Prospects

This Top 300 really reinforces a few things we’ve always believed… This college crop of hitters is good. Really good. And deep. The high school pitching in this class has the potential to be one of the stronger groups in recent memory. Where do we currently have Termarr Johnson, Druw Jones and Elijah Green currently ranked? What about Chase DeLauter, Brooks Lee, Kumar Rocker, Jace Jung and others?