A new year, a new board and new ranks. With college ball right around the corner and more industry insight at our fingertips, it’s time to dive into the top college prospects for the 2023 class. As always, our boards are based on three pillars:
Top 20 Draft Picks In Best Situations to Succeed - Player Development
It’s no secret that some teams are better at developing talent than others. Some teams flourish developing pitching, while others really do well in developing bats. There’s a track record to prove it with some of these teams. With that said, with over 300 picks in thee books, these players, in my opinion, are best-suited to really flourish with their new ball clubs.
2022 MLB Draft: Day 1 Winners
MLB Draft: Fringe Five! The Final Edition
The third edition of the Fringe (College) Five is here with five more inconspicuous players from the college ranks. If you missed the initial Fringe (College) Five post, you could learn more about this series by following this link HERE. My methodology and criteria are below:
2022 MLB Draft - FINAL Mock Draft 5.0
The Scenario that could send the 2022 MLB Draft Into Pandemonium
Live Looks: PDP Edition
We’ve finally reached draft week for the 2022 class, which means we will finally be able to dive deep into the 2023 class in short order. But, with the overlap between the classes, we’ve gotten a head-start, as the PDP League ran through the holiday weekend.
100 of the top prep players in the country flocked to Cary, North Carolina for a week-long four team series in front of a plethora of scouts to display their skillsets and tools as their summer circuit is in full gear. In this piece, I’ll cover twelve players who performed well throughout the week, including some lower ranked players who could see a bump in their stock as the summer continues.
INF Kevin McGonigle, Monsignor Bonner (PA) HS
You are more than likely looking at the best hit tool in this prep class in McGonigle. He’s got a smaller frame with some strength to it at 5’11”, 185 pounds and has plenty of athleticism and twitch, as well.
He attacks early in the count and often, recording multiple first pitch singles throughout the week, including three in his first game of the week. He stays short to the ball and has incredible bat speed and does not miss the barrel often. He’s also got some pop to his bat, showcasing good power in batting practice, as well. He has the makings of a potential plus hitter moving forward. In the field, he’s as smooth as they come. A fluid defender up the middle, McGonigle has good range and a solid arm and likely profiles at shortstop as he gets older. All in all, it’s an enticing package of tools that should allow the Auburn commit to hear his name called early next summer.
RHP Noble Meyer, Jesuit (OR) HS
I had a hard time debating about who had the best pitching performances throughout the week, but ultimately, I settled for Oregon’s Noble Meyer. Hailing from the same school as 2020 first rounder Mick Abel, Meyer displayed excellent stuff throughout the week.
Meyer has the stereotypical projectable body type, long limbs attached to a slender frame at 6’5”, 195 pounds. He throws from a near side-arm slot and has a quick right arm from a relatively effortless delivery. In his first outing, Meyer sat in the 90-94 MPH range with the fastball, showcasing good life up in the zone, pairing it with a sweepy, high-spin slider in the low-mid 80’s and a change-up with depth. However, the second outing of the week proved to be the head-turner. Meyer topped out at 98 MPH, sitting 95-97 MPH with the same life on the fastball, excellent late biting sweep on the slider in the 84-88 MPH, and the change-up was in the mid-80’s, as well. Meyer’s control and command were solid, too. All in all, the week Meyer had brought a glimpse as to what he is capable of in the future, and if there’s more outings like that, expect the Oregon recruit to rise quickly in this draft class.
RHP Travis Sykora, Round Rock (TX) HS
Sykora likely will slot in as the best right-handed prep pitcher in this class once all is said and done. At 6’6”, 220 pounds, he has quite a bit of projection remaining to his strong frame and utilizes a rock-and-fire delivery with good hip/shoulder separation. Oh, and the stuff is pretty loud, as well.
He’s touched 99 MPH in the past with his heater, though on this day, Sykora was primarily 93-96 MPH and topped out at 97 MPH with late life that is tough to pick up out of the hand. Sykora does a great job of hiding the ball throughout his delivery, with it only becoming visible as his arm stroke comes around with the shoulders. He utilizes a tight-spinning slider with bite in the mid-80’s that has good depth to it and a split-change with tumbling action and sits in the mid-80’s. He’s able to tunnel those pitches well from a three-quarters arm slot and has good feel/command of all three. There’s a lot of upside to tap into here and the Texas recruit has a bright future ahead of him.
OF Kendall George, Atascocita (TX) HS
“Speed….I am speed. - Lightning McQueen” - Kendall George…..probably.
George follows the same type of mold as Georgia Tech infielder Chandler Simpson. There’s not that much power to George’s game, he’s mainly a slap hitter that produces line drives to all fields and will use his speed to his advantage with bunts on a regular basis. Defenses will be rushed when he is running down the line, as he clocked numerous sub-4.00 times on his home-to-first runs throughout the week. His speed allows him to track balls in centerfield with ease, as well. He’s the kind of top-of-the-order threat that teams have nightmares about. George is committed to play at Arkansas.
RHP Charlee Soto, Reborn Christian Academy (FL)
Charlee Soto has really implemented himself as a standout arm in this prep pitching class, as he’s got an insane amount of upside to tap into. Being young for the class (Soto will be 17 on draft day in 2023), Soto brings about a very projectable frame, plenty of athleticism, and an electric arm to the table for scouts to enjoy.
Soto has an easy delivery, utilizing a three-quarters arm slot with a short arm stroke and hides the ball well. While there’s some violence at release, Soto has electric arm speed and does an excellent job of separating his hips/shoulders on the mound. There’s some times where he can be erratic with throwing strikes, but he’s gotten up to 98 MPH with the fastball, usually sitting in the 92-96 MPH range with serious late life and run. He primarily used a tumbling change-up that he commanded away from lefties well in the mid-80’s, as well as using a short-biting slider in the 86-88 MPH range mainly against righties. It would not shock me to see Soto go relatively early next summer in the draft. He is committed to UCF.
LHP Thomas White, Phillips Academy (MA)
White has been long heralded as the top prep arm in the 2023 class and it’s not hard to see why he’s had that title attached to his name. The stuff itself plays very well, even if there’s some questions marks that I have after viewing him twice at PDP.
White’s fastball got upwards of 96 MPH, sitting in the 90-94 MPH range in both outings with good life up in the zone and almost exclusively pitched off of it. He did have a tendency to miss arm-side and up in the zone, likely due to his delivery not being in-sync. His delivery is relatively easy, but it’s a long arm stroke and there’s times where he struggles to get on time. He did begin to throw his mid-70’s curveball more often as the outings progressed, a high-spin breaker with nasty sweep and bite that lefties had trouble touching. He flashed a change-up with good separation to the fastball and had hard diving action to it, which was saved primarily for righties. The package and arsenal are there for White to be a top name, now it’s just a matter of ironing out his delivery issues and improving the control and command.
OF Walker Jenkins, South Brunswick (NC) HS
While I have an extremely large urge to make a “Walker, Texas Ranger” pun here, I’ll just dive right in about how much I enjoyed Jenkins at PDP this week.
Jenkins has a strong, physical frame with plenty of athleticism and room to add muscle, as well. He’s every part of a top tier prep outfielder, as well. There’s plenty of bat speed and power in the stick, showcasing all fields power and utilizing the gaps often. He did have five strikeouts to zero walks, but he’s shown good patience and strike zone awareness in the past. The speed certainly stands out, as well. He can turn on the burners when the ball hits the gap, gliding around the bases with ease and solid home-to-first times. This helps him in center field with his range, though he likely profiles more in a corner outfield spot with a strong arm and very solid defense. The UNC commit will be a very fun profile to cover as we inch closer to his draft day.
INF Colt Emerson, John Glenn (OH) HS
Emerson was one of the best bats at the entire event, hitting a pair of triples amongst the six hits that he tallied throughout the week. The Ohio native is, like Soto, one of the youngest players in this class, as he won’t be turning 17 until just after this year’s draft.
Emerson is long and lean with projection to the frame to add weight and long levers. He’s a tough out at the plate, as he stays short to the ball with some bat speed and covers the plate well against fastballs and breaking balls. He’ll utilize gap-to-gap power and has average speed on the basepaths. In the field, he’s a smooth defender at shortstop currently, with good range and a decent arm. However, he likely profiles better at second base moving forward. He has the profile of a hit-over-power player that can play a respectable second base for a team in the future. Emerson is committed to Auburn.
RHP Cameron Tilly, Castle (IN) HS
We are covering the Auburn recruiting class very well in this piece.
Tilly is another Tiger commit that raised his stock at the event. He only had one outing throughout the week, where he sat 88-91 MPH on the fastball and topped out at 92 MPH. He was pumping strikes early, getting some whiffs up in the zone with some decent ride to the pitch. However, the star of the show was his slider. It’s a high-70’s/low-80’s offering with two-plane break that has the potential of a legit out pitch. It has serious late bite that hitters struggled against and had high spin rates, getting upwards of 3,000 RPM’s on occasion. He flashed a splitter, but it lags behind the fastball/slider combo. The lone mistake he made throughout the outing was leaving a hanging slider to Riley Jackson, who promptly launched it over the left field fence for a home run. He’s one to keep an eye on throughout this cycle, especially if he can add some velocity.
RHP/DH Bryce Eldridge, James Madison (VA) HS
Eldridge enters the cycle as one of the best two-way prospects in the class. He’s a long, lanky specimen with plenty of projection, coming in at 6’7”, 220 pounds.
On the mound, Eldridge got up to 95 MPH, ranging from 91-94 MPH with the heater with some late life to it. His breaking ball has two different forms, a high-70’s curveball with big depth and a more lateral slider in the low-80’s with average spin rates. They can morph at times, but he’ll predominantly throw the curveball as it flashes better than the slider. He has feel for a solid change-up, as well. He’s got plenty of power potential at the dish, using all fields and even recorded an opposite field double in a pinch-hitting appearance. There’s a solid chance he goes high in this class with the stuff and the frame. He’s committed to Alabama.
LHP Hunter Dietz, Calvary Christian Academy (FL)
The brother of 2021 prep pitcher Tyler Dietz, Hunter Dietz had one of the best pitching lines of the week, striking out seven and walking none across two outings.
He’s got a large, imposing frame at 6’6”, 230 pounds with great pitch-ability. The fastball sat in the low-90’s with heavy bore inside, reaching back for 95 MPH multiple times. He’d pitch backwards off a hard breaking slider in the low-80’s to set up the heater, as well as getting some ugly swings from both sides of the plate. He’d flash a firm change-up at times, but he really found success with the fastball/slider combo throughout. He pumped plenty of strikes, as well. He’s currently committed to play at South Florida and likely could be a potential sleeper in this class.
INF Camden Kozeal, Millard South (NE) HS
It’s not too often that you find a prep hitter that has a stan account, but alas here we are.
The Nebraska native showed out at PDP, batting .500 across the event with a home run. He put together plenty of competitive at-bats, utilizing all fields at the plate with good zone coverage. There’s some projection remaining to his frame, with present strength and has solid pop to all fields, taking Zander Mueth deep to the opposite field on a hanging slider that caught too much of the plate. He also had exit velocities that got up to 103 MPH, as well. He ranged well at shortstop, showcasing a good arm and soft hands, though he likely moves to second base in the future. A Vanderbilt commit, Kozeal will definitely reap the rewards of a solid week in Cary as the summer continues.
Honorable Mentions: Max Clark (IN), Eric Bitonti (CA), Jonny Farmelo (VA), Justin LeGuernic (NY), Brandon Winokur (CA), Cameron Johnson (MD), Blake Mitchell (TX), Jake Brown (LA), Andrew Wiggins (IN), Blake Dickerson (VA)
5 Under-The-Radar Arms Set to Explode in 2023
Every year a handful of college starters are overlooked for several reasons. Potential mid-rotation horses fall into the third round and beyond after being disqualified from their future ceiling. With that said, here are five names who have impressed me in 2022 with how they move on the bump, the stuff they’re currently working with, and what it could all look like in a couple years.
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 - Mock Draft 4.0
MLB Draft Fringy Five: 2nd Edition
Criteria:
Must be eligible for the 2022 MLB Draft
Must play at the Division 1 College Level
Can’t be included on the current Prospects Live Draft Board.
2022 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Preview
Sources: Over 100 players reject draft combine physical; void draft bonus guarantee
According to sources close to the event, only 70 percent of players who attended the 2022 MLB Draft Combine opted to take Major League Baseball’s pre-draft physical. Those who didn’t take the physical have currently voided their guarantee of receiving 75 percent of their future draft slot bonus. 255 players attended the event. Roughly 180 of those players took the physical.
Chandler Simpson is the best player (and person) you've never heard of
ACC Tournament Live Looks: Hitting Edition
Examining Kumar Rocker's 2nd Try-City Start
Live Looks: UNC v. VCU Regional
2022 MLB Draft - Mock Draft 3.0
ACC Tournament Live Looks: Pitching Edition
What a way to end the spring season.
It’s always nice to end good things out with a bang, and as we start to transition from 2022’s class to 2023, I figured it’d be best to make my way down to Charlotte for the ACC Tournament to get an opportunity to see guys I wasn’t able to in the regular season. It turned into one of the best events I have been a part of, so in return, you will get a lot of live look notes in this one. This will be part one of a two-part mini-series, with pitchers only in this edition before a hitters edition after this. Let’s dive in.
LHP Nate Savino, Virginia
Nate Savino’s been a frustrating pitcher to gauge throughout his college career. He enrolled early at Virginia before the COVID-shortened 2020 season and seemingly lost the velocity he had in his prep days. But over the past month or so, Savino has seen a return of the velocity and he’s risen up multiple draft boards as a result. Friday continued that trend against a strong Notre Dame lineup.
For starters, Savino’s velocity peaked at 96 MPH, comfortably sitting 93-95 MPH and doing a good job of holding it throughout his outing. It still has its signature sinking action, though he did have some trouble landing the pitch arm-side. The slider has also risen in velocity, now sitting in the mid-80’s with some sweeping action, getting some chases on pitches low and away to lefties. The change-up can be a little firm at times, and much like the fastball, struggled to land arm-side, but it’s now into the mid-80’s with some fading life when it’s not firm. Everything comes from a lower three-quarters arm slot with some deception, as well.
When it comes to figuring out Savino’s mechanics, I did a little deep dive into his history. Back in his prep days, he was more athletic in his motions. Once 2021 hit, Savino closed himself off at foot strike and became more stiff and upright, which helps explain the velocity issues he experienced. From last year to this year, Savino has begun adding more force to the ground, thanks to using his entire foot to land instead of landing on his foot laterally. He’s also able to rotate quicker with his hips, which has helped him gain the velocity back (shoutout goes to Cam Lanzilli for the help with this). With this said, there’s still projection remaining to Savino’s frame and if he keeps these new mechanics going, there’s likely more in the tank from a velocity standpoint. He’s gone from a rather pedestrian arm to having some serious intrigue to him now, and it would not shock me to see Savino get popped on Day 1 in July.
LHP Brandon Schaeffer, UNC
Brandon Schaeffer’s journey this spring has been an up-and-down affair, but if there’s ever a time to be hot, now is the perfect time for it. Much like Cardinals’ farmhand Austin Love a year ago, Schaeffer has come into his own in the month of May, extending himself in-game and giving stability to the UNC pitching staff. But what he did on Friday, against the kind of offensive juggernaut he faced and the ballpark it was hosted, was one of the most dominant performances I have seen in person.
Schaeffer and head coach Scott Forbes mentioned the ups and downs in the post-game presser. With Max Carlson holding down the Friday night title after his return from the bullpen, Schaeffer really embraced his role as the Saturday guy, a solid starting option behind an emerging and budding ace. But Schaeffer took it to another level against Virginia Tech, holding 88-91 the entire outing with a fastball that was seemingly untouchable. No matter where he threw it, no one could touch it. He’d throw in a high-spin, sweepy slider and a change-up with running action, but the main star of the show was that sinker of his. He threw tons of first pitch strikes and only once allowed a runner to second base. With help from his defense, as well, Schaeffer threw 72% strikes and nearly finished a “Maddux”, ultimately settling for 102 pitches. As a draft prospect, he’s more of a Day 2-Day 3 name, but he’s left quite the impression with a strong finish to the ACC slate.
LHP Bryce Hubbart, Florida State
After seeing the pitching woes that hampered Florida State against UNC, I was hoping for a big turnaround coming into Charlotte this week. What we got was a complete 180 from Hubbart against a very good Virginia lineup. Head coach Mike Martin mentioned how “twitchy” of a guy Hubbart is and how settling him down mentally helped in the turnaround and help him find some of his Cape Cod velocity.
Against UNC, Hubbart only sat 88-91 MPH with his heater and struggled to throw strikes. Against Virginia? He found a groove early, throwing strikes and getting whiffs up in the zone thanks to excellent riding action, sitting 90-93 MPH and topping out at 94 MPH, which matches his maximum from the Cape. It was primarily fastball early, with Virginia hitters not being able to catch up to it. The slider wasn’t thrown for strikes early, but got better as the outing went along. It sat in the 77-81 MPH range with serious sweeping action and some bite to it, with high spin rates, as well. He even dropped in a couple of change-ups, which certainly got the attention of Martin in the dugout. It was a nice bounceback outing for Hubbart and he more than likely finds himself somewhere on Day 1, though likely in the second round.
LHP Carson Palmquist, Miami
This was the first time I had seen Palmquist as a starter. Last year as a reliever, it was a fun viewing. Sitting low-to-mid 90’s with his heater, tunneling the change-up, and having a slurvy breaking ball made life difficult in the box, especially with how low of a release he has. Fast forward a year later and in his new role, the velocity has not come to fruition for Palmquist. He's primarily been 89-92 MPH throughout the year, occasionally popping a 93, though he’s had bright spots as a starter.
The heater plays up from its velocity thanks to the characteristics of the pitch. It’ll run away from righties and he’s able to command it east/west nicely. He mainly started off 90-92 MPH, before settling in at 89-91 MPH. However, Tommy White managed to take two fastballs away and unload on them to the opposite field. The change-up is solid with fading action and mimics the fastball, tunneling nicely with the low, sidearm slot that Palmquist has. He introduced a breaking ball with more of a slider shape to it in the low-80’s, but it was mainly used against lefties and was seldom used. Ultimately, I think Palmquist becomes a reliever at the next level. With that said, Palmquist likely fits somewhere in the second to third round range.
RHP Liam Simon, Notre Dame
Liam Simon has had some ups and downs this year. Primarily a reliever coming into this year, Link Jarrett opted to start using Simon in more of a hybrid role, getting in some starts, though prior to Charlotte, the longest he had gone was four innings. Luckily for Notre Dame, Simon had his best outing of the season, keeping Virginia’s potent offense off the board across five stellar innings with eight strikeouts and just two walks.
Simon is a known flame-thrower and even in the starting role, the velocity didn’t waver. Simon was consistently 95-98 MPH and reared back for 99 MPH at times, especially later in the outing, with good tilt and carry to it, while also throwing a good amount of strikes from a funky, high three-quarters slot. The slider has wipeout potential, a tight spinning breaker with nasty late bite that essentially gives away from righties. It’s tough to pick up out of the hand at times and will, more often than not, get ugly swings while being in the opposing batters box. He’ll flash a change-up, but it lags behind the dynamic FB/SL duo. The main knock on Simon is the command, he can be rather streaky with the fastball and the slider usually ends up in the opposing box. That said, there’s plenty to like about Simon in a relief role moving forward with how dynamic he can be.
LHP Chris Villaman, NC State
Before the year started, Elliott Avent made one thing clear about Villaman; he would be utilized like Evan Justice was last year. Throughout the week for NC State, Villaman was used a total of four times, throwing a total of 9.2 innings while walking just two and striking out seventeen batters, including eight in five perfect innings in the title game against UNC on Sunday.
Villaman made a change to his fastball over the off-season and has become a legitimate weapon. Last year, Villaman threw more of a cutter that got into the mid-90’s, which was attributed to his cross-body motion on the mound. This year, Villaman added more riding life to the pitch with above-average spin rates and was untouchable up in the zone and Villaman could paint the corners with it. His change-up is still his best off-speed offering, a low-spin pitch that fades away from righties late and has excellent separation from the fastball. He still lacks an ability to spin a breaking ball, a fringey mid-70’s pitch that has more of a “get-me-over” feel to it, which will need to be addressed at the next level. He’s shown in the past he could start, and an organization may let him in pro ball, but he’s proven to be a potent bullpen arm and likely ends up in that role moving forward.
LHP John Michael Bertrand, Notre Dame
Bertrand is the oldest player in this piece, having turned 24 years old back in February. That said, he brings plenty of veteran presence, poise, and a great understanding of his craft to a Notre Dame squad poised to make their way to Omaha for the first time since 2002.
While he’s primarily been in the high-80’s in most of his starts, Bertrand came out sitting 90-93 MPH with the fastball, touching 94 MPH a couple of times. He’s the pure definition of a pitchability pitcher, showcasing a solid change-up, slider, and flashing the curveball throughout the outing and keeping Florida State in check throughout. In the third and fourth innings, Bertrand ran into trouble, but used a mental reset and began pitching backwards to help get him out of the innings, which proved big for Notre Dame as they secured their spot in the semifinals. Bertrand’s command was locked in after that, allowing him to go eight innings of one-run ball.
RHP Alex McFarlane, Miami
McFarlane has been one of my favorites arms in college thanks to how stupidly good his stuff is. I remember first seeing him against UNC last year and being blown away by how quick his arm is and how potent his arsenal can be. Miami’s bullpen has a good amount of stellar arms in the back-end and he’s become a very fun set-up guy to Andrew Walters (more on him shortly).
McFarlane has an insanely quick arm and a very good three-pitch mix. He reached up to 97 MPH with the heater showcasing tons of running action and sitting 94-96 MPH throughout. The slider is freakish, a dynamic two-plane breaker with tight spin and short bite in the mid-80’s that garners whiffs aplenty. The change-up has some fading action in the same velocity band as the slider, but it’s not used often. His command comes and goes and that’s ultimately what limits him from being in a larger role for Miami. More consistency will be the focal point moving forward with the kind of stuff he possesses. It would not at all shock me if McFarlane happens to move on a faster track than some once selected.
RHP Andrew Walters, Miami
If you are looking for more dominant relievers in college, Walters might be at the top of the list for you. Formerly a JUCO transfer from Eastern Florida State, Walters has been a dynamic force as Miami’s closer. He did not allow a run until late April and has limited the opposition to ten hits in thirty innings, while walking just five and running a strikeout-rate of 53%. Sources do say that this is #good.
With Walters, he could be classified as more of a “one-pitch” guy. Everything really lives and dies by the fastball. He matches plane at the bottom of the zone well and is still able to get good carry up in the zone. He sat 97-98 MPH with good command, pitching inside often and doing a good job of limiting hard contact. While he throws the curveball hard, sitting in the low-80’s, it’s seldom used. That said, Walters is able to limit righties with the breaker, which has some depth and bite to it. He’s got deception in his delivery, hiding the ball well, as well as having excellent extension and spin on the heater to make it difficult to hit. He likely will be selected in the top five rounds come July and would rise up the ranks relatively quickly given the stuff and command he possesses.
Other noteworthy arms: max carlson (UNC), zach maxwell (GT), mack anglin (clemson), wyatt crowell (FSU), alex rao (ND), rhett lowder (WF)
MLB Draft League Preview
Last year Major League Baseball began a significant overhaul of the MLB draft. MLB’s plan to “celebrate baseball” during the mid-summer classic by pushing back the date of the draft was a welcome addition to many, as was the creation of a comprehensive and fully televised draft combine. The league also took steps to centralize and control a more significant share of the draft process by introducing the draft combine, as mentioned earlier, and forming an ambitious summer baseball league for draft-eligible players. Major League Baseball partnered with Prep Baseball Report to produce a six-team league dubbed the MLB Draft League. The six teams are fashioned from former minor league affiliates with rosters filled by a mix of college, high school, and junior college players. Opening day for the Draft League is June 2nd, with the season concluding in early September. MLB streams each game for free on the MLB Draft League website.
While the league lacked “star power” and participation from early-round talents, the MLB Draft League (MLBDL) successfully identified and attracted draft grade talent for its inaugural season. 39 MLBDL players were drafted in 2022 (another 23 players signed as undrafted free agents) with selections as early as the 4th and 5th rounds. Many unknown and lightly scouted players received an opportunity to compete against higher-level competition. Teams were able to see players up close and in a controlled environment while also getting their hands on recent and accurate player data. Year two of the Draft League will look to build on that success and further cement the league as a quality option for draft-eligible players. The initial rosters look more robust than those from last year. Still, they lack early-round talent. Draft League rosters will feature a heavy dose of junior college talent, with many of the top juco prospects in the country set to compete this summer. There seems to be a more extensive division one college presence this year, with players coming over from schools like Tennessee, Mississippi State, and Oklahoma, to name a few. Let’s look at some of the top talents for each team, many of whom could significantly boost their draft stock with a strong performance.
Frederick was most recently affiliated with the Baltimore Orioles. Now part of the MLBDL, the Keys saw seven former players selected during last year’s draft. Alex Ulloa was their highest draft pick (Astros, 4th rd; did not sign), while other notables include Mason Auer (Rays, 5th rd) and Ronan Kopp (Dodgers, 12th rd).
Position: Outfield
School: Eastern Kentucky
Ewell is a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award after a monster season for the Colonels. His 2022 season includes a .361/.482/.607 batting line, with double-digit homers (14) and stolen bases (11). Ewell is a plus athlete with significant raw power and better-than-average speed. This spring, Ewell has spent most of his time in left field but could get some looks in center for the Keys this summer. The big knock on Ewell is his penchant for empty swings. His K rate is around 27%, which is too high at the college level, especially for a hitter in a non-power conference. Ewell will have a good opportunity in the MLBDL to show that he can cut down on the whiffs against quality stuff. If he performs and can deliver some flashes defensively in center, Ewell could hear his name called on day two of the draft.
Position: Second Base
School: Tennessee
Last summer, Ortega played briefly for the Keys and had an impressive campaign (52 PA; .326/.442/.791). He carried that over to the spring, where he’s been one of the bigger surprises for a star-studded Tennessee squad. Ortega missed all of 2020 and played sparingly during 2021, but he made the most of his early opportunities this season and has carved out an everyday role as the Vol’s starting second baseman. Ortega has significant compact strength, allowing him to slug fifteen long balls this spring. His OPS is currently north of 1.000, and over half of his hits have gone for extra bases. Most of his tools grade out around average, but the season-long success in the SEC is undoubtedly working in Ortega’s favor. Ortega is one of the top college bats in the MLBDL this year, so you can expect his summer performance to be put under a microscope by pro teams. Ortega could play his way into a day two selection.
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: Walters State CC/Oregon
During his two seasons at Old Dominion, Rivera received little mound time, which prompted a move to juco powerhouse Walters State. Rivera’s stuff has been loud this spring, with a lively fastball up to 97 MPH and a power-breaking ball in the mid-80s. Rivera has split time between starting, relieving, and closing for Walters State this spring, averaging two to three innings per appearance, and has been dominant in each role. His season ERA is a minuscule 1.03, and he’s struck out over 70 batters in 52.1 innings while only walking 13. This past February, Rivera was at his best when he held his stuff during a seven-inning no-hitter that included sixteen strikeouts. Rivera has a large and mature build that casts an intimidating presence on the mound. Even though he’s done well as a starter at times, he profiles as a power-armed reliever as a pro. He’s committed to Oregon for the 2023 season, but a strong summer could be enough for a pro team to take a chance on Rivera in the draft.
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: Florence-Darlington Tech/Mississippi State
The Mississippi State commit has starter traits and ideal size at 6’4 and 230 lbs. Williams came into the spring ranked as the #19 juco prospect in the nation by Perfect Game. Williams has a fastball that can be explosive at times, touching 96 MPH and sitting comfortably in the 91-94 MPH range. Both of his secondaries are quality pitches, with his curveball flashing above average potential or better. His delivery features a sizable hip turn that adds a layer of deception and a slightly lower than average release height from a high ¾ arm slot. Williams struggled to limit free passes this spring, but his athleticism and repeatable delivery give him an encouraging chance to improve in that area. If Williams can throw quality strikes and hold his stuff this summer, we could see a team pry him away from Mississippi State.
Keep an eye on:
Harold Coll, ss, San Jacinto College/Arkansas
Jesus Pena, ss Miami Springs Senior (FL)
Cannon Pickell, rhp, Pitt CC
Zak Szabo, rhp, P27 Academy (SC)
Situated in northeast Ohio, the Scrappers were a short-season team for the Cleveland Guardians from 1999 to 2020. Six Scrappers were drafted in 2021, with another four signed as undrafted free agents. Righty Andrew Hoffman pitched for the Scrappers last summer and is looking like a nice find for the Braves as a 12th round pick.
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
School: Walters State CC
Walters State has been the top junior college team in the country thanks to their pitching staff and an incredible season from their lefty ace Kohl Drake. Drake has made sixteen starts for the Senators, compiling a team-high 89.2 innings and five complete games. This spring, Drake has allowed only 54 hits and 16 walks with an unbelievable 156 strikeouts, good for a 9.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He’s not overpowering, but Drake’s stuff has ticked up just enough to profile at the next level. Drake will sit around 90-91 MPH with his fastball and can bump things up to 92-93 MPH when needed. The fastball has excellent hop, giving it swing-and-miss potential even without solid-average present velocity. He has advanced command of the fastball and can spot it to both sides of the plate. Drake also has a couple of breaking balls that can flash average. The changeup is Drake’s most consistent secondary pitch and projects to be better than average as a pro. Drake is uncommitted and has already spent four years at the juco level. He’s close to 22 years old, which may damper his draft stock, but he’s likely to be selected sometime during day three of the draft. If Drake’s fastball velocity takes another jump this summer, he could make a late rise up draft boards.
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: New Orleans
Paplham came out this spring throwing absolute GAS! At times, the JUCO transfer was flirting with triple digits, showing fastball velocity in the 97-99 MPH range. Paplham compliments his overpowering heater with a slider that can play to an above-average level at its best. It’s colossal arm talent for Paplham, who is currently #348 on the Prospects Live draft board, and profiles as a two-pitch reliever. Paplham has struggled to remain healthy this spring with multiple lengthy absences during his first year at New Orleans. His command is well below average, but the stuff is so impressive that he could probably make his stuff work with only marginal strike-throwing improvements. If Paplham flashes his power stuff and remains healthy, you can bet on several pro teams being interested in scooping him up during the draft.
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: Ivy Tech CC/Miami (OH)
The Scrappers will have two absolute flamethrowers on their pitching staff between Cole Paplham and Mathew Peters. This spring, Peters came out of nowhere with premium velocity at little-known Ivy Tech CC. The body and frame are a plus for Peters as he’s both strong and projectable. Peters has been up to 100 MPH with his ferocious fastball, and he’ll sit in the 93-96 MPH range during starts. The mechanics and effort level in the delivery limit Peters to the bullpen, but there’s late inning potential with further development as a pitcher. Peters has a feel for spinning a slider, but it's inconsistent, and it will need to be refined and shaped in the pros. Like with Paplham, teams will line up to get Peters into their organization if the stuff shows up on the mound for the Scrappers.
Keep an eye on:
Hayden Minton, RHP, Johnson County CC/Missouri State
Benny Thompson, RHP, John A Logan College
The State College Spikes were a short-season league affiliate of the Cardinals from 2013 to 2020. Four members of the 2021 State College Spikes heard their names called during the draft, with 14th rounder Andrew Moore looking like a day three steal for the Mariners.
Brock Blatter
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: Billings Central Catholic (MT)/Alabama
There’s an air of mystery surrounding Brock Blatter. That tends to happen when you are a high school prospect from Montana. Blatter is a two-sport athlete (he also plays basketball) that is committed to Alabama for 2023 and beyond. We don’t have much information to go off because of how difficult it can be for evaluators to get out and see Blatter. The MLBDL is the perfect environment for someone like Blatter to gain late exposure and show the baseball world what he’s got. Blatter’s been up to 95 MPH, has a solid and physical build and has the makings of a starter’s arsenal. Slotting in at #402 on our draft board, Blatter is undoubtedly on our radar, and his performance this summer could vault him up the ranks in short order.
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: San Francisco
Last summer, something clicked for Mollerus when he pitched for the Portland Pickles of the West Coast League. He never had much success as a Don but then tossed 23 innings of 0.39 ERA ball. Mollerus had his best season for San Francisco in 2022, finishing with a 3.96 in 36.1 innings, with a sparkling 52:9 strikeout-to-walk ratio. I took note of Mollerus in mid-March thanks to his looseness on the mound, quick arm, and the flat plane he gets on his fastball. Mollerus sits 91-95 MPH with the heater, and it plays exceptionally well at the top of the zone, with hitters constantly swinging underneath the pitch. Mollerus also mixes in a solid slider that can play up when he tunnels it effectively off the fastball. Mollerus is a reliever at the next level but could handle multi-inning stints in the pros. Like we saw with many relief arms in last year’s draft league action, Mollerus could garner pro interest after teams get their mitts on his pitch data.
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: Wichita State
Stevens was a member of the Frederick Keys last summer, and while he took his lumps (12.46 ERA) during his time there, he also flashed phenomenal arm talent. Stevens was third in max fastball velocity (98.1 MPH) with high spin rates and riding life on his heater. He’ll also show good spin and shape on his slider, but he struggles commanding it. Stevens transferred to Wichita State for the 2022 season and continued to have issues throwing strikes. He’ll need to improve his strike-throwing to hear his name called this July, but Stevens has obvious upside.
Keep an eye on:
Kiernan Higgins, rhp, Virginia Tech
Mason Olson, lhp, College of Southern Idaho/BYU
Andrew Petrowski, rhp, San Jacinto College
Troy Taylor, rhp, UC Irvine
The Trenton Thunder were part of the Yankees organization for more than fifteen years at the AA level. Trenton went 30-18 last year and narrowly claimed the Draft League crown. Seven Thunder players were drafted in 2021, with Canadian native Garrett Hawkins performing well for the Padres as a 9th-round selection.
Position: Outfield
School: Walters State
Colby Backus might be the best junior college hitter in the nation, not named Cam Collier. The 6-foot-5, 220 lb corner outfielder is batting over .400 on the spring with nineteen homers and an OPS straddling the 1.100-1.200 line. As you’d expect, Backus has elite physicality with the strength and bat speed to put a charge into the ball on contact. I like the way the hands work in the swing, which allows him to cover the inner and outer portions of the plate. There’s a good amount of swing and miss, and he struck out over 40 times (~19%) this spring which is high for a junior college prospect, so we’ll have to see how he fares day-to-day against the league’s top arms. Backus isn’t just a power goon; he shows off a solid run and arm tool, which gives him some five-tool potential at the next level. Backus is committed to Tennessee, which could make him tough to sign. Teams are typically hesitant to go all in on junior college hitters, but a strong summer could provide teams with enough confidence to take a chance on Backus, possibly in the first half of day two (rounds 4-6).
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: Indiana
I wrote about Biagio-Modugno earlier this spring after seeing him pitch against Rutgers. There are a lot of attractive elements to Biagio-Modugno’s game, but he had trouble putting everything together for Indiana. His 10.00 ERA is not indicative of the talent that Biagio-Modugno possesses. The frame is eminently projectable, and his fastball-slider combo could take off in a bullpen role. Biagio-Modugno will get a final shot before the draft to work on some things and get his game back on track.
Nate Ochoa
Position: Shortstop/Third Base
School: Notre Dame Catholic (ON)/ Alabama
Ochoa is the top hitter coming out of Canada in the 2022 high school class. He’s gotten bigger, stronger, and faster over the past year and looks the part of a professional prospect. Ochoa has above average raw power and speed with the actions and arm necessary to stay on the left side of the infield. He had a solid performance at WWBA in October and followed that up with a quality showing at PBR’s Super 60 showcase. There’s impact potential with the bat, which means Ochoa has a chance to boost his stock if he can hit against much older and mature arms during the Draft League.
Position: First Base
School: Oklahoma
In our latest update, Blake Robertson got his name on our 2022 draft board, ranking #351 overall for us. He’s bounced around since high school with stays at Oklahoma State and Cowley CC before arriving at Oklahoma. An unsigned Twins draft pick in 2019, Robertson has a unique stat line for a first baseman with not much in-game power (4 HR in 273 PA) but a boatload of walks. Robertson is second in the nation with 61 walks, and his .483 OBP ranks second in the BIG 12. Roberts has plenty of size and strength at 6-5 and 200 lbs but hasn’t been able to lift the ball for over-the-fence power. A lot of his pull-side contact is of the line drive variety, and he also likes to let balls travel deep and work the opposite field. His future defensive home isn’t set in stone since Robertson moves pretty well for his size. Robertson might get some reps in the outfield (he also has experience at third base), and if he can handle that defensive transition, it would be a major boon for his draft value. We could see Robertson get popped on day two of the draft with some added power or a change in his defensive outlook with the Thunder.
Keep an eye on:
Jorge Bojorquez, ss, Sacramento State
Malcolm Gilchrist, lhp, Bergen CCJ
David Glancy, of, St John’s
KC Hunt, rhp, Mississippi State
West Virginia finished a game behind Trenton during last year’s inaugural season. The former Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate saw seven Black Bears get taken in the draft. Lefty Mitch Bratt was a 5th-round pick by the Rangers and received a whopping $850,000 signing bonus. Last year, Kobe Robinson, Tucker Mitchell, and Madison Jeffrey were other notable selections.
Position: Shortstop
School: Missouri
Josh Day was a highly regarded juco transfer that immediately stepped into the starting shortstop role for Missouri last season. Last spring, he dealt with a hand injury that may be partially to blame for his lackluster batting line(.250/.374/.316) in 2021. His second go of it with the Tigers has been much more fruitful as Day's OPS has jumped 254 points (.689 to .943) while playing a solid shortstop. Day doesn’t possess a true plus tool, but he’s a middle infielder with good twitchy athleticism and some punch at the dish. Day also has more strength than bat speed, making it hard for him to perform against premium velocity. There are some questions about whether Day plays shortstop or not at the pro level, and he might be a better fit at second or in a utility-type role. Day will look to continue his positive momentum in the Draft League and answer some of those questions for the Black Bears.
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: Chipola College / Arizona State
De Grandpre established himself as an ace pitcher for Chipola College, one of the best juco programs, yearly. De Grandpre made his way down to Chipola by way of Quebec and is committed to pitch at Arizona State in 2023. De Grandpre’s best trait might be his dependability and consistency. He’s 90-94 MPH in every outing with two quality secondary pitches and advanced command. De Grandpre is your classic sinker-slider righty who thrives on his ability to alter speeds and change eye levels to keep hitters off balance. He currently lacks a pitch that projects to miss bats in the pros; however, De Grandpre is lean and athletic, so physical growth could be on the horizon. De Grandpre projects well as a starter at either the D1 or professional level, and it will be interesting to see if there’s an uptick in his stuff during shorter appearances in the Draft League. He might be tough to sign away from his ASU commitment, but the starter traits and present stuff will entice scouts this summer.
Position: First Base
School: Wabash Valley/Louisville
McCoy returns to the Black Bears after a highly promising summer (.892 OPS) in 2021, and he earned himself a reputation as one of the most patient hitters on the circuit. McCoy walked 41 times in 172 plate appearances, and his chase rate of 13.8% was third best in the league. McCoy didn’t show much power last summer as he was limited to three homers resulting in an isolated power of only .183. There were some signs that perhaps more power was in store for McCoy. He made plenty of hard contact with a max exit velocity of 109 MPH, and the top 10% of his batted balls traveled 104.5 MPH off the bat, the fifth highest in the league. McCoy returned to Wabash Valley for a second season and increased his home run total from thirteen as a freshman to sixteen as a sophomore. McCoy’s size (6’4/220), strength, and bat speed give him a chance to hit for power at the next level, something he will absolutely need to do as a first base only prospect. His swing is low maintenance and geared for line drive contact making it hard to project more in-game power without a swing or approach change. McCoy has a good shot at regular playing for Louisville next year, making his signability a question mark. Look for McCoy to have his power stroke on display this time through the Draft League.
Keep an eye on:
Trey Braithwaite, rhp, West Virginia
Tommy Gross, rhp, North Iowa Area CC/Creighton
Josh Timmerman, rhp, Wabash Valley/Ohio State
Wyatt Wendell, rhp, Purdue
The Crosscutters were short-season affiliates for the Pirates (1999-2006) and, most recently, the Phillies (2007-2020). The team led the way, with eight players selected in the 2021 draft. UC Irvine righty Troy Taylor (now with the Spikes) was named MLBDL pitcher of the year, though the most memorable player from last year was probably Eduardo Rivera (Athletics, 11th round).
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
School: John A Logan College
Busse has thrived in a late-inning relief role at John A. Logan College this spring, showing power stuff that profiles well at the pro level. He’s consistently in the 93-96 MPH range with a tailing fastball that flashes some ride, and there’s some feel for commanding the pitch effectively in the zone. Busse pairs the fastball with a slider that features heavy downer movement in the low 80s. He’s toyed with a split-change that could be an effective weapon against lefties, but he might not need it if he sticks in the bullpen. Busse has the build and delivery to give starting a try, so don’t be surprised to see a couple of lengthy appearances for Busse this summer. He’s young for the class (20.08 years old on draft day) and is currently uncommitted for next year, making him a premium target for professional clubs.
Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
School: Mississippi State
Walling was expected to significantly contribute to Mississippi State’s pitching staff as a junior college transfer from Eastern Oklahoma State. Surprisingly, he took the mound just three times, with one appearance in February, one in April, and one in May. He walked seven batters in three innings, and his inability to find the strike zone likely contributed to his limited usage. Walling has always had some control and command concerns, but premium stuff from the left side came with that. He touched 100 MPH last spring and sat in the mid-90s during starts. Both his slider and changeup flashed swing-and-miss potential giving Walling three pitches that he could use to rack up whiffs. Walling has since entered the transfer portal, which means he’ll be looking to either catch on with a pro team or find a new home at the college level. We haven’t seen Walling pitch regularly in almost a year, so it’s hard to predict how he’ll look. If he can pitch to the high level we saw in 2021, teams and schools will be lining up to get him into their organization. There are some profile similarities between Walling and Ronan Kopp, who was a huge breakout performer in the Draft League last year. Kopp went on to sign with the Dodgers as a 12th round pick.
Beck Milner
Position: Catcher
School: Taft School (CT)/Yale
This past summer, Milner made his presence known during showcase season with eye-popping measurables and in-game production to go with it. Originally from Utah, Milner moved to Connecticut and is committed to playing ball at nearby Yale University. That muddies his signability, as we rarely see high schoolers turn pro with an Ivy League commitment in hand. Milner showed off his physicality, athleticism, and batting chops for an extended period on the showcase circuit. If he’s able to hit at a high level against the quality arms that he’ll see in the Draft League, it could reignite and solidify interest from pro teams. Milner is a catcher by trade and has also stepped on the bump at times this spring, showing off a fastball that can get into the low 90s. Scouts considered his defense to be raw behind the dish during the summer, but the arm was a legitimate tool, and his athletic actions in the crouch gave plenty of hope that he could stick there long term. At one point, we had Milner in the top 200 on our draft board, and he’s still ranked reasonably high for a high school catcher at #350 overall. Milner will be heavily scouted this summer and has the chance to move back up into that top 200 range with a strong showing.
Keep an eye on:
Sabin Ceballos, 3b, San Jacinto College / Oregon
Tayden Hall, c, State College of Florida
Anson McGorman, rhp, Vauxhall Academy (AB)
Aaron Roberts, rhp, Cal