2021 MLB Draft: Ten preseason picks for first overall

Some years, you have a clear first overall pick. Going back, that was the case in the past three drafts, when we saw Auburn's Casey Mize, Oregon State's Adley Rutschman, and Arizona State's Spencer Torkelson cruise to the 1-1 slot. As we head into the 2021 season, we have a frontrunner in Vanderbilt's Kumar Rocker, but he's far from a slam dunk and there are numerous players that could catch him. A lot can and will change between now and July 11th, but for now, here are ten names with a chance to land in Pittsburgh at first overall.

The Frontrunner: RHP Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt
One of the top recruits to make it to campus in 2018, Kumar Rocker has only elevated his profile in the time since. Through 27 appearances (19 starts), he has 14-6 with a 3.06 ERA and a 142/29 strikeout to walk ratio over 114.2 innings against Vanderbilt's tough schedule, including a nineteen strikeout no-hitter of Duke in the 2019 Nashville Super Regional. The Georgian is an imposing figure at a listed 6'4", 255 pounds, and he brings the stuff to match. Rocker's fastball sits in the mid 90's and touches 99, and he adds in a plus-plus slider with devastating late bite and a well above average changeup with great sink. His command isn't pinpoint, but he fills up the strike zone consistently. His delivery has a few extra moving parts, but it's fluid and he repeats it extremely well. At this point, Rocker emphatically checks all the boxes you want to see at the top of the draft: high-end velocity, a true putaway pitch, a third potential plus pitch, durability, and track record. If we want to nitpick, which you have to at the top of the draft, he doesn't get a ton of swings and misses on his fastball and could be susceptible to the long ball in the majors.
What he needs to do to go first overall: Rocker is in the driver's seat, so he mostly needs to just maintain. That means staying healthy (obviously), continuing to fill up the strike zone, and continuing to miss bats at the ridiculous pace he has in the past. If he wants to truly separate from the pack, getting more whiffs on that fastball would be nice, as would advancing his command (ability to hit spots) to above average to match that above average control (ability to throw strikes).

Quietly Dominant: RHP Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt
Though Kumar Rocker is currently the favorite to go first overall, there are some who think he's the second best pitcher on his own team. Jack Leiter, like Rocker, arrived on campus as one of the top recruits in the country, and he turned heads by firing five innings of one hit ball against Evansville in his first college game. However, because he was a full year older than his graduating class, he's eligible as a sophomore and will turn 21 in April. While Rocker stands out for his stuff while showing strong pitchability, Leiter is the opposite in that he stands out for his pitchability while also showing strong stuff. On the shorter side at six feet tall, his fastball sits in the low 90's but plays up due to his elite ability to release the ball out front, giving him a combination of great extension and a very low (i.e. good) release height. He flips in a curveball in the 70's that already has the depth, and it could be a plus pitch if he continues to put more power behind it. There's a relatively new slider that flashes above average and could be plus in time, while his changeup plays average. Combine that with above average command and plus overall feel for pitching, and you have the building blocks of a big league starter who will stick around for a long time.
What he needs to do to go first overall: Leiter does have some work. Since he didn't graduate high school until he was well past his 19th birthday, he's only gotten to throw 15.2 innings in college so far. While nobody doubts his ability, he has to go out and prove it against Vanderbilt's SEC schedule. Leiter's lack of elite velocity (both on his fastball and his secondaries) might also turn off some evaluators, but he reportedly hit 97 with his fastball in fall practice and getting more consistently into the mid 90's this spring (he was more 90-94 as a freshman) could give him the final bump.

Leading the High School Class: SS Jordan Lawlar, Jesuit HS [TX]
Two years ago, a high school shortstop from the Dallas-Fort Worth Mid-Cities went second overall to the Kansas City Royals, and now Irving native Jordan Lawlar finds his stock at a similar level to Southlake native Bobby Witt Jr. Hailing from the same Jesuit High School program that produced Josh Bell, Kyle Muller, and golfer Jordan Spieth, Lawlar stands at the top of a strong class of high school bats. He stands out first and foremost for his strong feel for the game, making heads up plays consistently on both sides of the ball. He shows a clean swing from the right side, producing plenty of hard, line drive contact against the top arms in the class with ease. Much more than just a slap hitter, the 6'2" teenager has been growing into some legitimate power and now projects for 15-20 home runs per season, perhaps even more, to go along with those high on-base percentages. He's also one of the better defenders in the class and will stick at shortstop, making his bat look even better, and his plus speed means that you'd be hard pressed to find a hole in his game. The only knock on Lawlar at this point is his age, as a July birthday means he'll already be 19 on draft day. The rest of his profile is so strong, though, that it's hard to hold that against him.
What he needs to do to go first overall: He's so close, so the answer is not much other than maintain. Tapping his power more consistently while continuing to get on base at a high clip would certainly help, as it's the only place he doesn't grade out as true plus. Otherwise, if the Vanderbilt commit continues to steal the show this spring like he did over the summer, he's right there.

Right Behind Lawlar: SS Marcelo Mayer, Eastlake HS [CA]
While Jordan Lawlar has but some narrow daylight between himself and the rest of the high school class, Marcelo Mayer is right on his heels. Mayer, like Lawlar, comes from a powerhouse program, with suburban San Diego's Eastlake High School having produced Adrian Gonzalez, Casey Schmitt, and Keoni Cavaco. Also like Lawlar, he has great feel for the game and an easy plus hit tool, but comes with perhaps even more power projection due to an explosive, but clean, left handed swing and a projectable 6'3" frame. He's also an even better shortstop than Lawlar, but lacks his counterpart's plus speed on the bases. Personally, I like Mayer's ceiling even better than I do Lawlar's, with a real possibility of 25 home runs per season with high on-base percentages and potential Gold Glove defense at a premium position.
What he needs to do to go first overall: Mayer needs to tap his power in games. He's done so occasionally, but while he has the lead over Lawlar in terms of power projection, Lawlar has tapped his more consistently to this point. By closing the gap between his present and projected power, Mayer can help scouts feel more confident he'll tap his massive ceiling. Given that the Southern California commit already possesses exceptional feel for the barrel, nobody's all that concerned anyways.

Tools and Track Record: OF Jud Fabian, Florida
Jud Fabian graduated high school a year early and got to campus at Florida just before his 18th birthday, and now he won't turn 21 until multiple months after the draft. After a respectable freshman campaign (.232/.353/.411), Fabian broke out as a sophomore (.294/.407/.603, 5 HR in 17 games) and now has a pair of strong summers in the Cape Cod League and Florida Collegiate League under his belt. Listed at 6'2", he packs above average raw power into his athletic frame and taps it consistently in games due to his strong plate discipline. He's also an above average runner with the chance to stick in center field, meaning he can impact the game in as many ways as anybody in this class. If there's one concern for the Ocala native, it's the pure bat to ball skills, as he has some minor swing and miss concerns in the zone despite good pitch recognition and selection.
What he needs to do to go first overall: For me personally, cutting down on swing and miss in the zone would be a big plus. It's not something I'm particularly concerned about, but it brings what could be a 55 or 60 hit tool based on his plate discipline down to more of a 50. That could help him really showcase his power, and with all the walks he draws and his ability to steal bases and play up the middle, we could have a pretty complete ballplayer in that case that would be hard to turn down.

Loud Stuff, Quiet Track Record: RHP Jaden Hill, Louisiana State
Pitch for pitch, Kumar Rocker might not have the best stuff in this class – that may very well be LSU's Jaden Hill. Hailing from a small town outside Texarkana, Hill was another big recruit who has seen his stuff improve considerably in Baton Rouge. Originally a fastball/changeup pitcher, he touched the upper 90's in his few short stints in game action and still shows plus potential with his changeup. The difference between now and three years ago, however, is his slider, which has improved from a fringy offering to a true plus pitch that flashes plus-plus. The Arkansas native is also working on a cutter that flashes above average, rounding out his arsenal. Hill has never had trouble throwing strikes and now that his quarterback career is through, the 6'4", 235 pounder looks the part of a durable starter as well.
What he needs to do to go first overall: In one sentence, he needs his stuff to be just as loud at the end of the season as it is at the start. Injuries as a freshman plus the coronavirus shutdown have limited him to 21.2 innings, mostly as a reliever, so he simply has not proven that his stuff can hold up over long stretches. To this point, Hill has done nothing to prove he can't be a front of the rotation type, so he just needs to prove he can.

The Pure Bat: C Adrian Del Castillo, Miami
The title says it all here – there isn't a more professional hitter in this class than Adrian Del Castillo. The Miami native is a career .336/.430/.571 hitter for the Hurricanes with 14 home runs and significantly more walks (43) than strikeouts (32), showing the calm, confident, mature hitting ability that few can rival. Though he's just 5'11" and stockily built at that, he possesses above average raw power that he taps consistently in games to go along with his plus hit tool. Del Castillo's short-to-it, long-through-it swing is perfectly geared for putting barrel to baseball, combining with his plus plate discipline to help him execute as consistently as anyone. On defense, there are more question marks. He carries over his feel for the game behind the plate, showing good fundamentals and an accurate arm, but he lacks the athleticism and explosiveness you'd like to see in a catching prospect. He's working hard to improve back there, but it's far from a guarantee at this point.
What he needs to do to go first overall: As far as the bat goes, he just has to maintain. However, there needs to be improvement in the glove. If Del Castillo has to move off catcher, 5'11" is a little short for first base and his below average speed and unspectacular arm would limit him to a mediocre left field. If he can get a little smoother behind the plate, showing better ability to get down and block balls in the dirt/put a little more power on his throws, scouts can be more confident they won't have to accept a defensive liability at 1B/LF. Honestly, if he proves he can stick behind the plate this spring, consider Adrian Del Castillo a top-three candidate to go first overall.

The Former First Rounder: SS Matt McLain, UCLA
While Vanderbilt's Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter had first round pedigree coming out of high school, Matt McLain was actually drafted 25th overall in 2018, but did not sign with the Diamondbacks. His freshman season was disappointing (.203/.276/.355), but since the calendar flipped to 2020, McLain has seen his stock explode. He hit .397/.422/.621 in thirteen games as a sophomore, then a ridiculous .436/.536/.773 with seven home runs over the summer in the California Collegiate League. The Los Angeles-area native appears slight in stature at 5'11", but he's an explosive athlete that churns out plus run times and hits for more power than you'd expect. His quick right handed swing enables him to make plenty of hard contact, also helping that power play up to average so far, with the chance to get to above average. He can be a bit choppy at shortstop but overall projects to stick there with a strong arm and plenty of speed. McLain's main drawback is a susceptibility to offspeed stuff, part of an overall aggressive approach that can limit his on-base percentages.
What he needs to do to go first overall: McLain will always be projected as a hit-over-power guy, so in order to make his way to the very top of the class, he'll naturally need to prove that hit tool is rock-solid. To do that, he'll need to lay off breaking balls out of the zone in 2021, and overall bring his walk rate up considerably. That walk rate is 6.7% for his career, so we'd really like to see something in the double digits in 2021 with a reduction in the strikeout rate.

The Next Texas Horse: RHP Ty Madden, Texas
Ty Madden has been trending up ever since his high school days in the Houston suburbs, where he was teammates with JJ Goss (Rays, comp round 2019), Matthew Thompson (White Sox, second round 2019), and Colton Cowser (Sam Houston State, likely first round 2021). Madden had a 3.40 ERA and a 37/24 strikeout to walk ratio in 42.1 innings as a freshman, then ramped that up to a 1.80 ERA and a 26/4 strikeout to walk ratio in 25 innings as a sophomore. He sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball, topping out around 96-97 in games and as high as 99 in fall practice, and the pitch plays up further due to the tough angle and run he puts on it. His slider has been relatively inconsistent, shortening up at times but showing true plus at others. Madden also possesses one of the better changeups in the class, an above average pitch that is more consistent than his slider. His command has steadily improved and he has no trouble filling up the strike zone nowadays, and while some stabbing motion in the back of his delivery and a funky arm path worry some scouts, he has been durable to this point.
What he needs to do to go first overall: There aren't any giant leaps that need to be made. Rather, incremental improvements in various parts of his game could do the trick for the 6'3" right hander. Maintaining his low to mid 90's fastball over a full season, getting a little more consistent with that slider, and refining his command just a touch would all help. There's really not much to dislike in Madden's game, so he just needs to continue to prove it.

The Sleeper: RHP Ryan Cusick, Wake Forest
I don't think Ryan Cusick is one of the ten most likely players to go first overall, but it's not impossible and it's really fun to think about. Hailing from the same Connecticut boarding school, the Avon Old Farms School, that produced George Springer and 2020 Orioles second rounder Hudson Haskin, Cusick's 5.63 ERA and 98/47 strikeout to walk ratio over 88 innings highlight the up and down nature of his career in Winston-Salem. The Boston-area native has a wicked fastball that can touch 97-98 in games with great ride that makes it tough to square up, though he can dip into the low 90's fairly frequently. His slider flashes true plus, perhaps even plus-plus, but frequently flattens out into a below average pitch. He also throws an average changeup and can flip in a slurvy curveball. His command has been wildly inconsistent, from fringe average as a freshman to well below average as a sophomore (18 walks in 22.1 innings) and back to fringe average in summer ball. Cusick reaches his velocity pretty easily, and he's gotten more coordinated with his lanky 6'6" frame and explosive stuff.
What he needs to do to go first overall: A lot. Cusick took a big step forward with an exceptional summer in the Coastal Plain League (1.14 ERA, 40/9 K/BB), but he needs to continue to prove himself in the spring. The Pirates won't consider him unless he gets close to average command on a consistent basis, and his slider needs to take that last step forward and stop flattening out. That's all easier said than done, but if the draft were held to day, I don't think Cusick would be a factor in the top half of the first round.

Honorable Mentions

3B Alex Binelas, Louisville: Binelas had as loud of a freshman season as you can have (14 HR, .291/.383/.612), showing as explosive of a bat as any in the class. His lightning quick swing gives him massive raw power and elite exit velocities, while his strong feel for the barrel enables him to tap that power consistently in games. His swing can be a bit rigid, as can his actions at third base, so he lacks the up the middle projection you usually see with the first overall pick. The Milwaukee-area native also lacks the plus hit tool that Spencer Torkelson had, so for that reason, it's hard to envision a path to the very top of the draft.

SS Brady House, Winder-Barrow HS [GA]: The most famous name in the high school class coming into the summer, House hasn't faltered so much as players like Jordan Lawlar and Marcelo Mayer have simply outperformed him. Coming from just outside the Atlanta suburbs, he shows plus raw power that he has consistently tapped in games against top competition. His hit tool has been more inconsistent, as he goes through stretches where he is completely unfazed by velocity and high-end breaking stuff, but at others he shows a bit more swing and miss than you'd like. The 6'3" shortstop's right handed swing could use a little fine tuning, as it's simple and explosive when he stays within himself but can get out of whack at times, and he'll need to learn to add loft regardless. House has a chance to stick at shortstop, but he might outgrow the position and move to third base.

OF James Wood, IMG Academy [FL]: Wood has been one of the fastest risers in the class as he's proven his hit tool more and more. Growing up on the Maryland side of the DC suburbs, he transferred to the famous IMG Academy outside Tampa and it's paying off. The 6'6" giant has a very laid back playing style, showing up in a calm demeanor and a patient approach at the plate. When he swings, though, he unleashes huge raw power that comes from a combination of loft, strength, and extension in his left handed swing. He possesses a keen eye at the plate and won't chase bad pitches, though he can get himself into deep counts and swing and miss from there occasionally. An above average runner for now, he has a chance to stick in center field and could be a plus defender in right.

RHP Andrew Painter, Calvary Christian HS [FL]
No high school right handed pitcher has ever gone first overall, and while that's unlikely to change in 2021, it's hard to find anything wrong with Andrew Painter. He's a towering 6'6" righty with a low to mid 90's fastball that tops out around 95-96, with that projectable frame promising more velocity. He adds a pair of good breaking balls in a downer curveball and a more lateral slider, neither of which is a true plus pitch but both of which are consistently at least average and flash above average. His changeup is the same story, playing at least average consistently and flashing above. Unlike most high school pitchers with his build, he's a polished strike thrower with an easy, simple delivery, making him the complete package at a young age. The next step, aside from staying healthy, will be refining at least one of his breaking balls into a plus pitch.

RHP Richard Fitts, Auburn
Fitts was one of the fall's biggest risers, pushing himself from a fringe-day one arm to a true first round talent. Mostly a swingman over his first two years at Auburn, the Birmingham-area native sat around 90 with his fastball and showed promise with his secondaries and command as a reliever. He earned a starting role over the summer and in the fall, where his fastball actually ticked up into the low to mid 90's, playing up due to the tough angle he puts on his pitches. His downer slider and nice splitter both flash above average, and as he did as a reliever, he throws strikes with all three pitches. With a durable 6'3" frame, he has all the starter traits necessary to project in the rotation long term, and he just needs to go out and prove it this spring.

2021 MLB Draft: an early look at the low-mid major conferences (east)

 Originally published in Prospects Worldwide on January 1st.

We’ve completed the Power Five conferences, so now it’s time to move into some low-mid major schools. There are plenty of powerhouse programs in the east that don’t fall into the ACC, SEC, or Big Ten, including a Coastal Carolina team that won the College World Series in 2016. Some of MLB’s brightest stars came from these smaller eastern conferences, including Justin Verlander (Old Dominion), Jacob deGrom (Stetson), Corey Kluber (Stetson), Kyle Hendricks (Dartmouth), George Springer (Connecticut), and Kyle Lewis (Mercer), among many many others. Here we find a ton of interesting arms, including quite a few with first round aspirations, as well as a group of bats driven by big raw power.

1. OF Ethan Wilson, South Alabama

Bat: L. Throw: L. 6’2″, 210 lbs. Born 11/7/1999. Hometown: Andalusia, AL
2019-2020: 20 HR, .330/.425/.632, 12 SB, 65/40 K/BB in 74 games.

In 2018, South Alabama outfielder Travis Swaggerty closed out an exceptional Jaguars career with a tenth overall selection to the Pirates. Three years later, Ethan Wilson has a chance to match him. The Andalusia native burst onto the scene with a massive freshman season in 2019, slashing .345/.453/.686 with 17 home runs and a 45/36 strikeout to walk ratio in 56 games, but dropped to a more pedestrian .282/.329/.465 with three home runs and a 20/4 K/BB in the shortened 2020 season. In a class that’s shallow on college bats, Wilson is a proven commodity with some of the best in-season track record around.

Wilson is a hitter, no question about it. He produces plus raw and game power with an explosive, leveraged, and controlled left handed swing that has no problem catching up to velocity. He shows great feel for the barrel and has never actually struggled at any point in his career. To this point, he has shown some swing and miss against offspeed stuff, but scouts aren’t all that worried. As a mediocre defender who will likely end up in left field, his bat will have to carry him and few doubt that it will.

Given Wilson’s lack of defensive value, scouts need to see him continue to produce in 2021. The Sun Belt has plenty of talent, but it’s not the SEC or ACC and without ever having appeared in a major summer wood bat league, he’s fairly unproven against great pitching. Given his high swing and miss rates against offspeed stuff, that’s slightly concerning, but he can answer all those questions against South Alabama’s non-conference slate in 2021 or against schools like Coastal Carolina and Louisiana in conference play. Given that he won’t require much swing change in pro ball, he can also focus on that aspect of his game heavily once in there. Overall, it’s easy to envision a true impact hitter with 25+ home run potential and good on-base percentages, one that fits firmly in the first round.

2. RHP Sam Bachman, Miami (OH)

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’1″, 235 lbs. Born 9/30/1999. Hometown: Fishers, IN

2019-2020: 8-3, 3.81 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 106/45 K/BB in 99.1 IP.

Southern Ohio is filled with interesting mid-major arms, but none is more interesting nor a better prospect at this point than Sam Bachman. He was solid as a freshman (3.93 ERA, 75/39 K/BB), then after getting shelled by Texas A&M to open 2020, he had a 1.71 ERA and a 28/2 K/BB across the next 21 innings to close out the season. Bachman was a solid Day One prospect at that point, but he’s had one of the loudest falls in the country and has rocketed into the first round conversation.

Bachman is unique if nothing else. His fastball sits in the low 90’s and tops out around 96 in games, but he’s been up to 99 in fall practice and his pitch data is astounding. After some stabbing motion in the back, he crouches down in his delivery and releases the ball from sidearm height despite throwing from a three quarters slot, putting absolutely tremendous ride and carry on the pitch. It’s one of the most unique fastballs in the class and is extremely difficult to square up. After that, he adds a short slider that almost functions more like a cutter, a pitch that’s above average now but could get to plus with more refinement. His changeup looks like an above average pitch as well with nice running action to the arm side.

So far, the Indianapolis-area native hasn’t gotten much in terms of big results, but as he continues to optimize his stuff, he could get there in 2021. Bachman’s command has improved from 45 in 2019 to 50 in 2020 to 55 in fall practice, and if he can stay in that above average range over a full season, he could push way up boards. His fastball, slider, and changeup all play off each other extremely well, with the unique arm slot making them very difficult to tell apart. As he refines his command, that will only get tougher. Otherwise, continued refinement of his slider is on the docket for 2021, as he could get even more effective by learning to add and subtract depth to what’s currently a pretty short breaker.

3. RHP Mason Black, Lehigh

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’3″, 210 lbs. Born 12/10/1999. Hometown: Archbald, PA

2019-2020: 4-2, 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 57/20 K/BB in 55 IP.

The best college arm in the Northeast is not at a traditional power like Maryland, Boston College, UConn, or Bryant. Rather, Lehigh’s Mason Black has used two exceptional summers to rocket himself into the first round conversation. His numbers against Lehigh’s weaker schedule have been decent (4.09 ERA, 57/20 K/BB), but he really broke out in the Cape Cod League in 2019 with a 1.43 ERA and a 39/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 37.2 innings as a rising sophomore. He backed that up with another fantastic run through the South Florida Collegiate League in 2020, with a 0.64 ERA, just a 0.71 WHIP, and a 42/10 strikeout to walk ratio over 28 innings.

Black hasn’t quite gotten it done in the Patriot League, but there’s every reason to believe he will in 2021. His three pitch arsenal is highlighted by a low to mid 90’s fastball that has peaked at 97-99 in short stints, playing up further because he gets good extension and downward plane on it. His breaking ball can fluctuate between a slider and a curveball, but it’s best when it’s more of a true slider and flashes plus potential. Lastly, his changeup is advanced as well, showing nice vertical drop and giving him a third swing and miss offering. Together with solid-average command, Black can dominate anybody at his best.

In 2021, Black will have to put up better numbers in the Patriot League. His loud summers have him firmly in the first round, but to stay there, he can’t have a third consecutive “solid” college season against mediocre competition. He needs to mow his opponents down. His inconsistency does create some reliever risk, but with a long 6’3″ frame, three potential plus pitches, and good-enough command, he has every chance to not only start, but pitch near the top of a rotation. A smart kid as well, the Scranton-area native is majoring in bioengineering and has floated the idea of medical school if baseball doesn’t work out.

4. C Hunter Goodman, Memphis

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’1″, 210 lbs. Born 10/8/1999. Hometown: Arlington, TN

2019-2020: 21 HR, .333/.378/.612, 13 SB, 71/14 K/BB in 72 games.

Hunter Goodman gets a tough draw coming in fourth on this list, getting stuck behind an offensive stud and a couple of electric arms. Still, we’re talking about a very exciting profile here. Goodman has absolutely raked at Memphis, slashing .333/.378/.612 with 21 home runs in 72 games, including eight in sixteen games in 2020. He also showed well in the Cape Cod League in 2019, where he hit .272/.287/.487 with eight home runs in 44 games. From a catcher, that’s a track record of in-game power that you’ll take eleven times out of ten, but we do have some questions.

Any conversation around Goodman begins with his power. He shows plus to even plus-plus raw power in his 6’1″ frame, and to this point, that has played up to true plus power in games as well. He has a smooth, leveraged right handed swing that makes the ball jump off his bat, though in games he can stray away from it time to time and get choppy. The hit tool is more of a question. He has struck out in north of 20% of his plate appearances in college, and on the Cape, it was up to 27.5%. The Memphis-area native is also a very aggressive hitter that rarely walks, just 4.2% at Memphis and 1.8% (!) on the Cape. It says a lot about Goodman’s feel for the barrel that he’s produced like he’s had with such a hyper-aggressive approach, even on the Cape, but it still has to worry you a bit for pro ball.

Defensively, there are more questions. Nobody questions his cannon arm that can shut down the running game when he’s accurate, and that alone gives him every chance to stick back there. The glove is still a work in progress, as he’s not the most athletic back there and lacks overall feel for the position. If Goodman can stick behind the plate, his bat is very, very attractive in the first round, but if he’s forced to first base or the outfield, the offensive bar rises. An optimist might look at Goodman’s power and see Joey Bart, who made strides with his plate discipline and defense as a junior and went second overall out of Georgia Tech in 2018. Meanwhile, a pessimist might worry about his defense and ability to get to his power and see more of Bart’s teammate, Kyle McCann, who was a much more patient (and left handed) hitter than Goodman and went in the fourth round a year later.

5. RHP Gavin Williams, East Carolina

Bat: L. Throw: R. 6’6″, 255 lbs. Born 7/26/1999. Hometown: Fayetteville, NC

2018-2020: 1-4, 3.57 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 70/32 K/BB in 68 IP.

I’ve written a lot of words about Gavin Williams over the years. He was one of the most projectable high school arms in the country coming out of Fayetteville, North Carolina back in 2017, but headed just up the road to East Carolina instead. There, he’s added a few ticks to his fastball as promised, but has never quite put it together with a 3.57 ERA and a 70/32 strikeout to walk ratio across 68 innings, missing time with various injuries including a finger issue that limited him to three innings in 2020. He went undrafted that year, instead choosing to price himself out and bet on his natural ability.

Williams a skinny 6’5″ string bean coming out of high school, and four years later he’s listed at 6’6″, 255 pounds. He’s a big man with a big fastball to match, sitting in the low to mid 90’s with minimal effort and consistently hitting the upper 90’s. When he does reach back, he’s hit 101 in the past. That fastball comes with an above average changeup with great sink and fade, coming in with mid 80’s velocity. His curveball brings great depth, but with mid 70’s velocity that could stand to add a tick or two. His control is actually solid average, but has been inconsistent throughout his career.

Some evaluators, myself included, look at the big 6’6″ right hander and think he just needs more consistent innings. If he can stay on the mound for longer stretches at a time, I could see more consistent command and perhaps some added power on his breaking ball, but he threw just 15.2, 49.1, and 3 innings, respectively, in his three years in Greenville. At this point, it’s probably safer to project him as a reliever and let his stuff tick up from there, but I haven’t given up on him as a starter. I wouldn’t bank on it if I drafted him, but it could happen with three big league pitches and the building blocks for solid command. With a July birthday, he was young for his class last year and isn’t much older than many first-time eligible players.

6. LHP Evan Shawver, Cincinnati

Bat: R. Throw: L. 6′, 175 lbs. Born 9/11/1999. Hometown: Amherst, OH

2019-2020: 5-8, 5.66 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 104/57 K/BB in 84.1 IP.

Sam Bachman isn’t the only fast-rising mid major arm in Southwest Ohio. Cincinnati’s Evan Shawver’s stock isn’t rocketing at warp speed like Bachman’s, but the more evaluators see of him, the more they like. He was very inconsistent as a freshman, putting up a 7.15 ERA and a 69/48 strikeout to walk ratio in 61.2 innings, but looked much sharper in the shortened 2020 season: 1.59 ERA, 35/9 K/BB in 22.2 IP. Between his freshman season/short Cape run and his sophomore season/junior fall, the Cleveland-area native has dramatically reduced the baserunners around him both by limiting walks and avoiding barrels. In 2021, he’ll have a full season to show that he’s for real and here to stay.

Shawver starts with a low 90’s fastball that tops out around 97. He throws two secondaries in a slider and a changeup, both of which could be above average to plus pitches. His slider is extremely difficult to pick up out of his hand with late diving action, routinely running under right handed hitters’ hands or disappearing away from lefties. The changeup itself brings late fade, and it too is tough to pick up. Shawver had problems finding the strike zone at times as a freshman, but he dropped his walk rate from 16.6% in 2019 to 10.2% in 2020 while simultaneously cutting his opponents’ batting average nearly in half from .234 to .128.

In 2021, scouts want to see that his transition from fringy to solid average command can hold up over a full season. He’s not the biggest guy in the world, listed at a skinny six feet tall, and needs to continue to prove his durability as well, though it hasn’t been an issue yet. With three pitches that can grade out as 55 or better in addition to improving command, he has a chance to overtake Kansas State’s Jordan Wicks as the top lefty college arm in the class.

7. LHP Drake Batcho, Cincinnati

Bat: L. Throw: L. 6’4″, 215 lbs. Born 4/17/2000. Hometown: Warren, OH

2019-2020: 3-5, 6.89 ERA, 2.09 WHIP, 53/55 K/BB in 49.2 IP.

It’s not just Sam Bachman and Evan Shawver ready to break out in Southwest Ohio. Shawver’s teammate, Drake Batcho, is a very different prospect but comes with perhaps more upside. He arrived on campus a very raw product, and it showed; as a freshman, he ran up a 9.27 ERA and an ugly 29/39 strikeout to walk ratio in 33 innings, looking like a complete liability on the mound. He refined his stuff and command somewhat as a sophomore, and the results were considerably better: 2.16 ERA, 24/16 K/BB in 16.2 innings. Heading into 2021, if he keeps trending in this direction, he could find himself a Day One selection.

At this point, evaluators are honed in on Batcho for one big reason, and that’s his fastball. It’s a true plus pitch that sits in the low 90’s from the left side, playing up due to elite extension from a 6’4″ frame that makes it look like he’s releasing the ball right in front of your face. He also throws a slider, curveball, and changeup, though none is a finished product. Further refinement there will be critical for his ability to stick as a starter, as is the case with his command. Batcho’s command is presently a 40 at best, with a 21.7% walk rate for his career, another big problem.

Any team drafting Batcho needs to understand they might be getting a reliever. Presently, he has the fastball, frame, and durability to start, but he’ll need significant improvement in at least one if not two of his offspeed pitches to stick, as well as in his command. The good news is he’s young, as he was still just 19 years old when the season shut down in March. Given the true plus fastball, if he can refine even one of his offspeed pitches and get to 45 command this year, he’s a Day One prospect with a real shot at the rotation. If he doesn’t, his fastball will play extremely well out of the bullpen and he can pick one secondary pitch to work on.

8. OF Parker Chavers, Coastal Carolina

Bat: L. Throw: R. 5’11”, 190 lbs. Born 7/25/1998. Hometown: Montgomery, AL

2018-2019: 22 HR, .319/.435/.554, 19 SB, 101/78 K/BB in 119 games.

The top undrafted college position player in 2020, Parker Chavers already has plenty of track record. He raked to the tune of a .319/.435/.554 line with 22 home runs and 19 stolen bases over his first two seasons at Coastal Carolina, then showed well in the Cape Cod League with a .274/.354/.478 line and seven home runs in 44 games in 2019. Shoulder problems kept him out of the shortened 2020 season, so evaluators were not willing to meet his asking price and he went undrafted. Already relatively old for the 2020 class, he’ll turn 23 shortly after the 2021 draft.

Chavers is a proverbial toolbox with an exciting combination of power, speed, and track record. Despite only standing 5’11”, he produces above average raw power that he gets to consistently in games, a product of raw strength and athleticism in addition to feel for the barrel. He also brings plus speed to the table, enabling him to stick in center field even without plus instincts. A relatively patient hitter, the Montgomery native has also walked in 14.9% of his plate appearances in Conway.

The main concern with Chavers is the consistency of his hit tool. He’s gotten to his power consistently at Coastal and on the Cape, but he also swings and misses, with a 19.3% strikeout rate at Coastal and 24.3% on the Cape. Now that he’ll be over 22 and a half for the whole 2021 season, evaluators will want to see that come down considerably. If he can get that strikeout rate down and maintain his big production, he can push himself back into the top 100 picks, but continued strikeout concerns could push him farther down in the draft given his age.

9. SS Josh Hood, Pennsylvania

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’1″, 185 lbs. Born 7/21/2000. Hometown: Vineland, NJ

2019-2020: 8 HR, .320/.386/.539, 1 SB, 30/20 K/BB in 49 games.

No Ivy Leaguer has gone in the top eight rounds since the Diamondbacks picked Brent Jones out of Cornell in the fourth round in 2014, but Penn’s Josh Hood has a good chance to do just that. After homering off Jack Leiter at the end of his senior year of high school, he burst onto the scene in Philadelphia with a .331/.411/.580 line, eight home runs, and a sharp 21/20 strikeout to walk ratio as a freshman in 2019. He dropped to a quiet .263/.256/.342 with nine strikeouts and no walks in eight games as a sophomore, then rebounded in the Coastal Plain League this summer to hit .280/.343/.495 with five home runs in 26 games.

Hood’s huge freshman season was driven by his feel to hit. The South Jersey native has great bat to ball skills that helped him strike out in just 10.1% of his plate appearances that year, but he’s not just a slap hitter, showing the ability to consistently barrel the ball into the gaps and even over fences. He’s not the most physical hitter in the world at 6’1″, but his power has played up with wood bats and he looks to have room to grow into some more. Hood has gotten more aggressive as his career has progressed, but he has shown more than enough plate discipline in the past to help him tap average or better power.

As a college shortstop who will stick in the dirt, there isn’t much to dislike in Hood’s game. Between his feel to hit and burgeoning power, he has more than enough bat to start if he reaches his ceiling. If the power stalls and he winds up closer to a 45 in that regard, he still has the pure hitting ability to project as a utility man. Hood, who grew up one town over from Mike Trout’s hometown, offers an intriguing combination of floor and ceiling once you get into Day Two. Throw in the fact that he won’t turn 21 until after the draft, and you’ll have a lot of teams interested.

10. LHP Matt Mikulski, Fordham

Bat: L. Throw: L. 6’2″, 200 lbs. Born 5/8/1999. Hometown: Mohegan Lake, NY

2018-2020: 12-12, 3.98 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 148/65 K/BB in 144.2 IP.

Matt Mikulski, like Parker Chavers, went undrafted as a junior in 2020, but he’s more than nine months younger than his Coastal Carolina counterpart and will only turn 22 two months before the 2021 draft. Mikulski has been used in a starting role at Fordham, where he has been solid (3.98 ERA, 148/65 K/BB in 144.2 IP), and he showed really well in a swingman role in the Cape Cod League in 2019 (1.77 ERA, 28/13 K/BB in 20.1 IP). Returning to the Bronx for his senior year, he has a chance to go early on Day Two with just a little more consistency.

Mikulski has a lot going for him, especially considering he’s a 6’2″ lefty. His fastball currently sits in the low 90’s and can bump the mid 90’s even in a starting role, topping out around 96. There are two good breaking balls in a curveball and slider, both of which are usually average and can flash above average regularly. He also throws a changeup, but it’s his fourth pitch. The New Yorker can fill the strike zone, but his strikes are often scattered and he can go through bouts of well below average command when he isn’t feeling it.

Mikulski’s delivery was pretty choppy early in his Fordham career, and though he’s smoothed it out some, it still features some head whack and jerky arm action. For that reason, combined with the inconsistency in his strikes, he might profile better as a reliever. There, he could sit more consistently in the mid 90’s with his fastball, sharpen his breaking balls a bit, and ditch the changeup, and his 45 command won’t be as much of an issue. He still has a chance to be a back-end starter if he refines the changeup and command to about a 50.

Other Interesting Small/Mid Major Options in the East

Northeast Bats

The last man out from the above list was UConn’s Pat Winkel, who actually ranked #10 until Evan Shawver’s rise up the board. Winkel had a huge freshman season for the Huskies (.318/.361/.486, 7 HR), but struggled on the Cape (.194/.243/.337, 4 HR) and missed 2020 with Tommy John surgery. He’s a solid all-around defender behind the plate, which takes significant pressure off his bat and makes that freshman season look much better. The New Haven-area native maximizes his power with raw strength and an optimal, smooth swing from the left side, though his bat speed is ordinary and the power was non-existent on the Cape until he homered three times in his last four games. He’s also very aggressive at the plate with strikeout rates well north of 20% and walk rates around 6%, and will need to tighten that up considerably in 2020. If he can, he has a chance to be a power hitting starting catcher.

Another 2019 freshman star was Manhattan’s Nick Cimillo, who hit .350/.417/.498 with seven home runs in 59 games that year. He wasn’t quite as loud in 2020 (.259/.365/.370), but there is still a lot to like. The New Yorker has above average bat to ball skills that enable him to make a lot of line drive contact, and there is some power in his 6’3″ frame as well. However, as a likely corner outfielder, he’ll need to tap that power more to move up, and his likely ceiling is as a right handed platoon bat.

Northeast Arm

On the mound, I’m most interested in Bryant’s Tyler Mattison, who was eligible as a junior in 2020. He went 14-3 with a 3.44 ERA from 2018-2019, but regressed to an 8.53 ERA in 2020 as his velocity dipped. At his best, the righty from far Upstate New York can get into the mid 90’s with run and show solid average command. At other times, though, his fastball can dip into the upper 80’s and his command can elude him, while his fringy secondary stuff isn’t enough to make up for it. For that reason, despite a 6’4″, 235 pound frame, he probably fits better in the bullpen, where his fastball could play up.

Midwest Bats

Two additional Midwest bats stand out to me. One is Wright State’s Tyler Black, who ripped .348/.465/.614 with seven home runs and a ridiculous 15/35 strikeout to walk ratio as a freshman in 2019. That dropped to .239/.340/.370 as a sophomore, but we still have an interesting one here. The Toronto native has a gerat approach at the plate, attacking hittable pitches with very little swing and miss while still drawing his walks. He also has some power in his 6’2″ frame and has tapped it in games, though the bat can be a bit streaky. He projects as a bat-first second baseman that could play full time if he taps his power more consistently.

Blake Dunn was eligible in 2020, but despite a very successful career at Western Michigan (.338/.423/.460, 7 HR, 47 SB), he went undrafted. He flashes above average raw power with a compact right handed swing, though he hasn’t tapped it much in games and didn’t hit for much impact on the Cape in 2019 (.227/.335/.287, 2 HR, 16 SB). The western Michigan native also shows plus speed and a cannon arm, making him a plus defender in center field even if his instincts play closer to average. There is upside if he can learn to tap his power more often in games, but he’ll be nearly 23 on draft day and there are plenty of younger players with upside.

Midwest Arms

Miami of Ohio’s Sam Bachman and Cincinnati’s Evan Shawver and Drake Batcho all ranked in the top seven, but Ohio has still more to give. Ohio University’s Joe Rock is another fast-rising name, bringing mid 90’s heat and quickly improving secondaries from the left side. That will capture anyone’s attention, especially given he’s 6’6″. Rock was uneven as a freshman (5.19 ERA, 41/37 K/BB in 59 IP) but struck out five of the fourteen hitters he faced on the Cape that summer while allowing just one baserunner, then missed the 2020 season. He has more to prove than most in 2021, but he’ll still be 20 on draft day and has enormous upside.

Kent State’s Max Rippl hasn’t had eye popping numbers yet (5.59 ERA, 25/20 K/BB in 29 IP), but he does have the stuff. His fastball can touch the mid 90’s in short stints and he flashes an above average downer slider, though with fringy command he probably fits best in the bullpen. His June birthday also makes him young for the class.

South Bats

South Alabama’s Ethan Wilson, Memphis’ Hunter Goodman, and Coastal’s Parker Chavers are probably the consensus one, two, and three in this category, but I have an interesting sleeper behind them. James Madison’s Kyle Novak was a freshman on my high school baseball team when I was a senior, and the exceptional feel to hit he showed at the time has carried over to his college career. In two years in Harrisonburg, he owns a .307/.382/.398 line with three home runs and a nice 28/26 strikeout to walk ratio. Novak rarely ever swings and misses and finds the barrel consistently, though at a stocky 5’8″, he’s unlikely to grow into more than 45 power. He’s a man without a position for now, having spent time at DH, first base, and second base, the latter of which is probably his only route to pro ball, so he’ll need to improve his fringy defense there. With great feel for the barrel, though, he has the most important tool.

I’ll spend one more paragraph promoting my former high school teammates. Catcher Kyle Hayes is a grad transfer at George Mason after spending four years at James Madison, and the COVID shutdown and shortened draft likely kept him from being a Day Three selection. Hayes is a defense-first catcher who blocks everything thrown in his vicinity while working well with pitchers to bring the best out of them. He always showed strong plate discipline and feel for the barrel, but a lack of power meant he slashed just .186/.314/.202 over his first three years in Harrisonburg. 2020 was looking like a different story, returning from injury to slash .385/.467/.846 with a pair of home runs in five games. If the power surge had been for real, it likely would have combined with his plus defense to make for a depth piece later in the draft. Though he turned 23 in October, he has a chance to prove his bat in 2021.

South Arms

A number of arms from the South just missed this list. Gabe Shepard was eligible as a sophomore last year as he was a full year older than much of his class, bringing a career 2.79 ERA and a 62/21 K/BB in 42 innings at Southern Miss. He’s just 5’10” but can hit the mid 90’s with his fastball, getting nice run on the pitch with long arm action. The Mobile native also shows great feel to manipulate his breaking ball, working between a shorter cutter and a slurvier slider. His control has been inconsistent but he still has a chance to start. The Campbell Camels’ Cam Cowan (say that five times fast) was also eligible in 2020, but went undrafted despite a hot start to the season (3.00 ERA, 36/4 K/BB in 24 IP). The 6’5″, 245 pound Iowa native can hit the mid 90’s with his fastball and gets great ride on the pitch, while his average changeup and slurvy slider are less exciting. With a plus fastball, big frame, and good command, he could be a back-end starter with some refinement of his offspeed stuff.

Next we have two arms who saw an uptick in velocity. Bryce McGowan hasn’t gotten results at Charlotte yet (5.75 ERA, 63/49 K/BB in 76.2 IP), but his low 90’s fastball has crept into the mid 90’s more often this fall and has climbed as high as 97-98. McGowan’s slider also flashes above average and his changeup is coming along. The command has been fringy so far, but he has a loose, athletic delivery that could be refined enough to get him to average. Jacksonville State’s Christian Edwards is yet another arm returning from eligibility in 2020, having recently touched 99 with his fastball. He adds a good slider and projects as a power reliever.

Samford’s Samuel Strickland was also eligible in 2020, bringing and exceptional career at 18-5 with a 2.85 ERA and a sharp 174/36 strikeout to walk ratio in 173.2 innings. The 6’2″ lefty lacks big stuff, sitting around 90 and topping out around 92-93 with his fastball, adding a set of fringy secondaries. He has been enormously effective in Birmingham due to above average command as well as an innate ability to change speeds and keep hitters off balance, so any step forward with his velocity or secondary stuff could make him a hot commodity very quickly.

Lastly, Austin Vernon might be the biggest draft prospect I’ve ever written about. The NC Central righty is listed at 6’8″ (!) and 295 pounds (!!), but went undrafted in 2020 after missing the season recovering from arm surgery. He shows a vicious mid 90’s fastball coming from a violent delivery with head whack and long hair flying everywhere, adding in both a slider and a curveball that flash above average with late bite. The Raleigh native is almost certainly a reliever with inconsistent command that ranges from well below average to fringe average, but if he can stay healthy, he has late inning potential.

Florida Arms

Down in the Sunshine State, we have two more arms to watch, though they’re very different. I am very, very intrigued by Jermaine Vanheyningen, who was draft eligible last year. The New Jersey native began his career at Campbell, but redshirted his only season and transferred to Florence-Darlington Tech for 2019-2020. Now, he’s at FIU and could break out in 2021. Vanheyningen stands 6’7″ and has steadily added velocity, now sitting in the low to mid 90’s as a starter and topping out at 102 (!) in bullpens. Throw in plus extension, and you have a plus-plus pitch. The secondary stuff is fringier, with an average splitter and fringy breaking balls. He struggles with command as well, and for that reason he’s almost definitely a reliever in pro ball, where he could sit in the upper 90’s and work in his splitter. If Vanheyningen gets to even 45 command, he has closer upside.

Stetson brings us Daniel Paret, who has a 3.36 ERA and a 113/49 strikeout to walk ratio over 101.2 innings in DeLand. The stuff is average overall, with a fastball around 90 and an average slider and changeup. His advanced instincts and solid average command make it play up from the left side, and he projects as a back-end starter.

2021 MLB Draft: an early look at the Pac-12

 Article originally published in Prospects Worldwide on December 17th.

We round out our Power Five conferences with a look at the Pac-12, but don’t worry, two low and mid major overviews are coming out next. The Pac-12 is an interesting conference that lacks much firepower at the top behind UCLA’s Matt McLain, but the deeper you look into the back of Day One/early Day Two, the more the conference’s depth is apparent. UCLA, as always, is absolutely loaded, and five Bruins are among the conference’s top ten prospects. Behind them, Arizona is loaded up with bats and Arizona State has a fantastic assortment of arms.

Looking back, we saw themes apparent in other conferences – the Big Ten was filled with projectable arms, the ACC was loaded with bats, and the Big 12 was devoid of them. The Pac-12, meanwhile, finds itself balanced not only between bats and arms, but with a variety of skill sets as well. Geographically speaking, though, eight of our ten players are from Southern California, including five from the Los Angeles area and three from the San Diego area. Only Ryan Holgate (Davis, CA near Sacramento) and Chase Silseth (Farmington, NM) hail from elsewhere.

1. SS Matt McLain, UCLA

Bat: R. Throw: R. 5’11”, 170 lbs. Born 8/6/1999. Hometown: Tustin, CA
2019-2020: 7 HR, .244/.306/.411, 7 SB, 77/21 K/BB in 74 games.

This is perhaps the clearest number one prospect in any of the Power Five conferences. Matt McLain was a first round pick out of the Los Angeles-area high school ranks in 2018, but didn’t sign with the Diamondbacks and instead headed to UCLA. Three years later, he has a chance to go even higher. McLain struggled to just a .203/.276/.355 line as a freshman, doing a good job of putting the ball in the gaps but not making enough contact overall. After a solid run through the Cape Cod League after the season (.270/.392/.410), he exploded to a .397/.422/.621 line with three home runs in 13 games in his shortened sophomore season. That spilled over into summer ball in the California Collegiate League, where he hit a ridiculous .436/.536/.773 with seven home runs, 17 stolen bases, and a 22/22 strikeout to walk ratio in 30 games. That’ll play.

McLain is interesting because he does a lot of things well, but also has a few holes in his game. First and foremost, he’s an exceptional athlete who packs a lot of strength and speed into his skinny, 5’11” frame. That athleticism helps him tremendously on both sides of the ball, and he has every chance to stick at shortstop because of it. Though he looks slight in stature, he makes a ton of hard contact all over the field, flashing average power with the chance to get above average if he keeps trending in this direction. His quick right handed swing also gives him the chance for a plus hit tool, though it plays closer to 55 at this point because he can be susceptible to offspeed stuff.

Tightening up his plate discipline will be the most important item on the to-do list in 2021, as he can get aggressive. He’s a great fastball hitter and makes such easy contact with velocity that he rarely walks, but because he can swing through offspeed stuff, pro pitchers will have a very clear plan to get him out. He’s trending in the right direction there, and an increased walk rate and lower offspeed whiff rate in 2021 will make a huge difference. Projecting at shortstop automatically makes his offensive profile more attractive, right now projecting for perhaps 15-25 home runs per season and middling on-base percentages to go with a handful of stolen bases.

2. RHP Kevin Abel, Oregon State

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’2″, 195 lbs. Born 2/19/1999. Hometown: San Diego, CA

2018-2019: 10-1, 3.04 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 133/55 K/BB in 97.2 IP.

The story of Kevin Abel is well documented at this point, to say the least. An absolute superstar as a true freshman for the Oregon State Beavers, he had a 0.62 ERA across 29 innings in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, including a complete game, two hit shutout in the championship clincher against Arkansas (video above). However, we haven’t seen much of him since. Abel lasted just 16.1 innings in 2019 before going down with back problems and eventually Tommy John surgery, then the 2020 season shut down before he was able to work his way back onto the mound. A potential second to third round pick anyways, he priced himself out of the draft and was the fourth best college prospect to return to school.

Way back in 2018, when “social distancing” was what I did at parties in my fraternity’s basement and minor leaguer Pete Alonso still went by “Peter,” Abel impressed scouts in a lot of ways. His fastball sat in the low 90’s, and it played up because he could fill the strike zone with it. His curveball graded as average but showed above average to plus potential with great depth, just needing to add a little power. Lastly, his changeup was easily his best pitch, a plus fader that functioned as his putaway pitch and made much older batters look silly. Everything played up for a multitude of reasons, including his solid average command, above average control, sturdy frame, and big game mentality.

Two and a half years later, we’re left wondering what Abel will look like now. Average command as a freshman is impressive in its own right and usually bodes well for above average or even plus command a few years later. That would really tie his three pitch arsenal together nicely, especially given all of his other starter traits. He has the true plus pitch, he has the frame, and he has the intangibles. What scouts now need to see is proof that it’s still there after all this time. If he comes back strong, look for him to come off the board in the top two rounds even though he’ll be nearly 22 and a half on draft day.

3. RHP Nick Nastrini, UCLA

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’3″, 205 lbs. Born 2/18/2000. Hometown: San Diego, CA

2019-2020: 3-1, 2.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 47/17 K/BB in 35.1 IP.

Matt McLain is the clear #1 prospect in the Pac-12, and it was pretty easy for me to slot Kevin Abel at #2. Now that we’re past those two, the competition will get much stiffer, and it’s really a testament to the depth of te Pac-12. Nick Nastrini doesn’t have much of a track record with 2019 thoracic outlet syndrome and the 2020 shutdown keeping him off the mound, but still he’s shown enough in the Cape Cod League and in 35.1 innings in LA to make a legitimate Day One draft case. He has a 2.80 ERA and a strong 47/17 strikeout to walk ratio for the Bruins, and on the Cape in 2019, he was lights out as a teenager with a 2.18 ERA and a 38/11 strikeout to walk ratio across 33 innings. Now, he finds himself in an interesting spot somewhere between projectable, polished, and unproven.

The San Diego native throws three pitches, but none stand out as plus. His fastball sits in the low 90’s, while he mixes in an average (but high spin) curveball and an above average changeup. The three pitches play up because he can effectively work them around the plate and play them off each other, and hopes are that his walk rates will come down even further as he gets more consistent innings. Standing 6’3″ and well built, he also has a durable frame that should help him remain in the rotation, and his delivery is pretty easy and simple.

The end result is not a flashy profile, but a pitcher who simply knows how to get the job done. His stuff won’t jump off the page in a scouting report, but perhaps more consistent innings could help it take a small jump. Even as is, three at least average pitches and above average command, combined with a good frame and feel for pitching, give him a nice floor as a back-end starter. Nastrini has a chance to pitch himself into the top fifty or so picks with a consistent spring, or he could pitch himself out of Day One entirely with any missed time, as it would be hard to sell a “high floor” arm with a track record of injuries.

4. 1B/OF JT Schwartz, UCLA

Bat: L. Throw: R. 6’4″, 210 lbs. Born 12/17/1999. Hometown: Newport Beach, CA

2020: 0 HR, .328/.380/.391, 2 SB, 13/4 K/BB in 15 games.

Here’s our third UCLA Bruin in four names, just to give you an idea of the talent in that program. JT Schwartz is one of the Pac-12 more polarizing prospects, bringing a short, mixed bag of a track record to go with a high ceiling. He redshirted his freshman season but showed extremely well in the Northwoods League that summer, slashing .378/.464/.480 with more walks (25) than strikeouts (23), then was off to a hot .328/.380/.391 start for UCLA in 2020 before the season shut down. In 2021, he’ll look to build on that while fielding Matt McLain throws at first base.

The first thing that stands out for the Los Angeles-area native is his power…potential. He’s a lanky kid at 6’4″, with long arms and legs that are just begging to drive the ball out of the park. However, to this point, his power has mostly played to the gaps with just one home run combined in 67 games between UCLA and the Northwoods League. Schwartz can find the barrel no problem and is universally praised for his hitting ability, but scouts are just waiting for him to deploy his power in games. While he’s worked to get a better base and that has led to plenty of doubles power, he still has a line drive approach that doesn’t put the ball over the fence. Going forward, he should be willing to accept more swing and miss in order to drive the ball in the air – something he should be capable of.

Defensively, Schwartz has gradually moved down the defensive spectrum and mans first base for UCLA. A decent athlete, he should be able to handle left field and could be adequate in right or even at third base with some work, but no matter where he ends up, his bat will have to carry him. He’s a 55 hitter that has no trouble handling advanced pitching, but his current power output won’t cut it at first base or in left field. If he uses his lanky frame to generate more leverage and drive the ball in the air more, Schwartz has a chance to fly up boards in 2021.

5. OF Ryan Holgate, Arizona

Bat: L. Throw: L. 6’1″, 205 lbs. Born 6/8/2000. Hometown: Davis, CA

2019-2020: 8 HR, .273/.396/.464, 1 SB, 67/42 K/BB in 68 games.

Ryan Holgate actually has a pretty similar outlook to JT Schwartz, but for now, he’s a very different player. He had an up and down freshman season in 2019 (.240/.378/.437, 7 HR), then showed very well in the Northwoods League with 13 home runs and a .297/.392/.554 line in 58 games. In 2020, he beat up on a weak schedule for an exceptional .377/.459/.547 line across 15 games, setting himself up as one of the more established power bats in the 2021 class.

Unlike Schwartz, you don’t have to project on Holgate’s power. It’s here, and it’s very real. The Central Valley native has a beautiful swing from the left side that brings tremendous leverage and enables him to drive the baseball impressive distances. By hammering 13 home runs in the Northwoods League in 2019, he also proved that his power plays up with wood bats. However, scouts are less confident in Holgate’s hit tool. He struck out at a 26.3% rate as a freshman, 18.5% in the Northwoods League, and even 19.7% against weaker competition in his short but loud 2020 campaign. A patient hitter, he regularly finds himself in deep counts, which enables him to draw walks but which also often sends him back to the bench empty handed.

As a below average runner without a great arm, he projects best in left field. That means the 6’1″ slugger will have to hit his way to the majors, so tightening up his two strike approach will be a must. All eyes will be on Holgate during Arizona’s weekend series against the Pac-12 powers, where he will have a chance to prove he can hammer advanced pitching. If he continues to post high strikeout rates north of 15-20%, it will be hard to justify drafting him on Day One, but any improvement in plate discipline could lock him in. The fact that he won’t need any kind of swing changes in pro ball bodes well for the continued development of his hit tool after that.

6. RHP Jesse Bergin, UCLA

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’4″, 200 lbs. Born 10/8/1999. Hometown: Studio City, CA

2019-2020: 9-0, 3.67 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 103/32 K/BB in 88.1 IP.

Back in sunny Los Angeles, UCLA has yet another name to watch. Jesse Bergin is a product of the Harvard-Westlake School, the elite Hollywood Hills program that has churned out big leaguers Lucas Giolito, Max Fried, and Jack Flaherty, plus 2020 Mets first rounder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Stanford freshman Drew Bowser, himself a potential first round pick in 2023. Bergin held his own as a freshman in the Bruins rotation in 2019, putting up a 4.43 ERA and a 76/25 K/BB in 67 innings, then started off red hot with a 1.27 ERA and 27/7 K/BB in in 21.1 innings in 2020. Heading into 2021, he’ll look to build on his strong track record with fellow draft prospects Nick Nastrini and Zach Pettway in one of the best weekend rotations in the country.

Bergin is mostly a two pitch pitcher for now, relying on his above average fastball and slider. The fastball sits in the low 90’s and gets good carry up in the zone, and he shows the feel to work it to all four quadrants. The slider fluctuates between 45 and 55, but it’s usually towards the upper end with good three quarters shape and finish. At times it can pop out of his hand a little, but overall it could be a plus pitch in time. Bergin doesn’t show much of a changeup. He’s an above average strike thrower and repeats his delivery well, and with a sturdy but projectable 6’4″ frame, he has plenty of starter traits.

Bergin is a bit of a sleeper to pitch his way into Day One consideration. With two above average pitches, good command, and a starter’s frame, there is a lot to like. In 2021, the best thing he can do for his stock would be to work in his changeup more often, which would make evaluators much more comfortable projecting him as a starter. Considering all the talent around him, he certainly won’t have a shortage of people there to watch.

7. RHP Sean Sullivan, California

Bat: S. Throw: R. 6’1″, 170 lbs. Born 10/2/2000. Hometown: Woodland Hills, CA

2019-2020: 2-2, 5.12 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 32/20 K/BB in 31.2 IP.

If you look at his stats in Berkeley, Sean Sullivan doesn’t have much to go off of. He had a 5.88 ERA as a freshman, then walked more batters (4) than he struck out (3) in 5.2 innings in 2020. However, scouts love Cape performers, and Sullivan is a Cape sensation. While most players in the Cape Cod League are at least 19-20 years old, Sullivan showed up at 18 in 2019 and flat out shoved; over 43.1 innings, the LA native had a 2.08 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP, and a 48/7 strikeout to walk ratio, absolutely dominating his older and already elite competition.

Sullivan is yet to replicate that success at Cal. On the Cape, he sat consistently in the low 90’s with his fastball and rattled off a sharp lateral slider, an average curveball, and an average changeup. However, at Cal, the fastball sits closer to 90 or perhaps a tick below, while his slider plays closer to average and his curveball earns 40-45 grades. Sullivan also has a slight build and an uptempo delivery, giving some Carson Fulmer vibes. Having missed time with back problems in high school and with an unspecified injury at the start of his sophomore year, he is far from proven durable.

There is considerable upside to tap into here if he can harness his Cape form more consistently. That right arm can be electric at times, at his best showing the ability to command four pitches. But given that he has otherwise been very inconsistent, has missed time with injury, and doesn’t have a starter’s build, there is very significant relief risk. He absolutely has to have better results in 2021 if he wants to be drafted on Day One, but the good news is we know he has that in him. Also going for Sullivan is his age, as he won’t turn 21 until October, making him one of the youngest college arms available.

8. RHP Tyler Thornton, Arizona State

Bat: L. Throw: R. 6’3″, 180 lbs. Born 7/2000. Hometown: Solana Beach, CA

2019 (SMC)-2020: 12-2, 2.87 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 119/34 K/BB in 100.1 IP.

If we’re talking track record, then Tyler Thornton has by far the best one on this list. He was sensational as a freshman at St. Mary’s College, where he put up a 2.71 ERA and a 94/27 strikeout to walk ratio across 76.1 innings en route to earning numerous Freshman of the Year accolades around the industry. He transferred to Arizona State in 2020 and continued to show well with a 3.38 ERA and 25/7 K/BB across 24 innings. While his stuff is perhaps the quietest on this list, you simply can’t argue with the results he’s gotten at a time when many of his contemporaries are unproven.

Thornton comes from a low three quarters release point that could almost be called sidearm, putting a tough diagonal angle on the baseball. His fastball usually sits in the upper 80’s, but he’s slowly been tacking on velocity and has been peaking into the low 90’s more and more regularly. That low arm slot not only puts angle on his fastball, but also some run, and he does a very nice job of commanding it to both sides of the plate. He adds a solid average changeup that fades to his arm side, while his curveball is presently below average. Going forward, I’d be interested to see what happened if he tinkered with a slider.

Standing 6’3″ with a great pitcher’s frame, many scouts are unsurprised that his velocity is trending up. However, despite his track record and command, the San Diego native does have a to-do list for 2021. It would really help his stock to maintain that low 90’s velocity throughout the season, and finding a reliable breaking ball is a must if he wants to start in pro ball. For that reason, he presently projects as a long reliever, but he’s young for the class and has every chance to change that projection this spring.

9. RHP Chase Silseth, Arizona

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6′, 205 lbs. Born 5/18/2000. Hometown: Farmington, NM

2019 (Tenn.)-2020 (CSN): 4-4, 3.00 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 79/16 K/BB in 51 IP.

I am very, very interested in this sleeper. Chase Silseth is the only player on this list not from California, and he’s easily the most travelled. Originally from Farmington, New Mexico, he began his college career at Tennessee and held his own with a 4.35 ERA and a sharp 24/6 K/BB in 20.2 innings out of the bullpen. Transferring to the College of Southern Nevada in 2020, he got more innings than most Division I arms and dominated the western JUCO ranks to the tune of a 2.08 ERA and a 55/10 K/BB in 30.1 innings. Now transferring once more to Arizona, he’s looking to really make a name for himself. I’m a believer that he’ll do just that.

Silseth has quite a few things going for him. With a power arm, he sits in the low 90’s without a ton of effort, but when he does reach back in short stints, he can touch 96-97. His slider can be inconsistent, but when it’s on, it’s an above average pitch with late vertical bite. He also shows an average changeup. When he stays within himself, he shows above average command and can really control the strike zone, though his arm slot can occasionally wander when he overthrows. Is a stocky six footer, so he doesn’t have a classic starter’s build, but has proven durable thus far.

The well-travelled new Wildcat will have some things to work on in Tucson, but he’s not far from a Day One product. Getting a little more consistent with his offspeed stuff while also learning to trust himself and not rush his delivery would put him in a great spot: commanding three big league pitches. I think he could sneak up on some people, and if starting doesn’t work out, his power fastball/slider combination will play up in the bullpen. With a May birthday, he’s also relatively young for the class.

10. C Noah Cardenas, UCLA

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’1″, 190 lbs. Born 9/10/1999. Hometown: Saugus, CA
2019-2020: 3 HR, .345/.451/.454, 0 SB, 23/23 K/BB in 69 games.

The tenth and final name on the list is Noah Cardenas, our sixth UCLA Bruin. He might rank higher on some other lists, but I’m wary of light hitting catchers and that drops him for me. Cardenas was always known for his glove, but he surprised many in the industry by taking immediately to Pac-12 pitching as a freshman and slashing .375/.476/.500 with three home runs and more walks (17) than strikeouts (14). That summer on the Cape, he continued to perform, slashing .297/.423/.344 with seven strikeouts to eight walks. However, that lopsided line highlights some concerns with Cardenas’ power, and he was off to a slow start in 2020 at .237/.367/.289.

Cardenas is universally praised for his work behind the plate. He combines soft hands and reliable arm with great agility to block balls in the dirt, with the overall feel for the craft that will make him an asset back there. Despite his strong freshman season, though, I’m not sold on his bat. The Southern California native is an adept contact hitter who struck out in just 8.4% of his plate appearances as a freshman and just 9% on the Cape (though that number was up to 18% as a sophomore), regularly putting the bat on the ball against advanced pitching. He makes such easy contact that he doesn’t draw a ton of walks, but he stands in at the plate and is more than willing to get hit. The flaw is with his power. While Cardenas catches the ball out front and sprays it around the field, but he lacks the loft and the strength to get the ball deep into the gaps, let alone over the fence. Over 94 games between UCLA and the Cape, he has 64 singles but just 15 extra base hits.

The glove gives Cardenas an extremely high floor, which is only bolstered by his natural feel to make contact. At the very least, he has a great shot at being a big league backup. In 2021, I would like to see him not only continue hitting .300+, but start to add more extra base and over the fence power as well. If he doesn’t, I find it difficult to project him as a full time starter. I’m sure some team that values catcher defense and is bought into his pure hit tool will grab him on Day One though.

Other Pac-12 Interesting Options

Arizona

Ryan Holgate is the headliner, but this Arizona lineup is loaded around him. Branden Boissiere is a career .333/.406/.461 hitter in Tucson, so he certainly has the track record. His left handed swing is loose and athletic and sprays singles around the field, but he’s limited defensively so he’ll want to add power to his game in 2021. I believe he could get to average in that regard. Tony Bullard hit .301/.412/.482 as a freshman, but slumped to .133/.372/.133 as a sophomore. There is innate power in his lank 6’4″ frame, and he can put nice loft on the ball at times, but his swing can get grooved at others. A likely first baseman, adding strength and consistency will be his key in 2021. We also have Mac Bingham, a draft-eligible sophomore who hit .361/.478/.500 last year. A compact 5’10”, he’s an ex-high school football player with some upside. His compact swing and strong plate discipline make his bat even more attractive. Dayton Dooney has followed a similar trajectory to Bullard, hitting .323/.417/.596 as a freshman but slumping to .146/.260/.317 as a sophomore. He’s not a big guy at 5’11” but the switch hitter generates at least average power from both sides of the plate with a loose but powerful swing. There is some swing and miss and he has spells where he struggles to make contact, so there will be a lot of eyes on him in 2021. Dooney has played all over the infield in Tucson.

Outfielder Donta’ Williams brings more experience than the above group, having consistently improved over three years in Tucson. He popped for a .348/.527/.500 line in the shortened 2020 season, adding to his reputation as an on-base machine who draws walks, takes his HBP’s, and rarely strikes out. A polished hitter, he cut down his swing at Arizona to achieve that low strikeout rate. He went undrafted in 2020, due in large part to a very weak Cape Cod run (.205/.287/.289) that left evaluators wondering just how much impact he’ll hit for. He plays a plus center field. While the focus will be on the offense, Chase Silseth is joined in the rotation by Dawson Netz, a draft-eligible sophomore that is a popular sleeper in the region. The 6’1″ righty put up a 2.45 ERA and a 12/3 K/BB in 11 innings last year, flashing a low 90’s fastball and a curveball with great depth. However, he doesn’t always hold that velocity and the curve can lack power at times. A dogged competitor, he has a chance to leap forward in 2021.

Arizona State

While Arizona brings the firepower on offense, Arizona State is loaded with interesting arms. Behind Tyler Thornton, my favorite is 6’6″, 240 pound lefty Justin Fall. A New Jersey native, Fall transferred from Brookdale CC but went undrafted after posting a 5.68 ERA and a 17/13 K/BB in 19 innings in 2020. At this point, he’s kind of a one tool player, but that one tool is a good one. His plus fastball sits in the low 90’s with minimal effort, and if he reaches back, he can hit the mid 90’s whenever he wants. With that big frame, he gets extension and puts run and sink on the ball that makes it really tough to square up. However, with mediocre offspeed stuff and spotty command, he probably fits in the bullpen. Lefty Erik Tolman was also eligible in 2020, and although he’s smaller, he’s more complete than Fall. Tolman has been strong in Tempe (3.14 ERA, 79/48 K/BB in 66 IP), working with a quality three pitch mix from the left side. His fastball usually sits in the upper 80’s and bumps 90-92 at best, thrown without much effort. He manipulates the shape on his slider from a frisbee pitch to a more vertical breaker, and shows a solid changeup. The 6’2″ lefty can lose the zone at times, but any bump in velocity could move him up boards in a hurry.

Righty Seth Tomczak has thrown just 3.2 innings so far, but I’m interested. He’s a string bean at 6’4″, and he has a lot of work to do. His fastball sits anywhere from the upper 80’s to the mid 90’s and the slider flashes above average, but his mechanics need an overhaul. There is considerable upside to be unlocked here as he gets stronger and more polished. Boyd Vander Kooi has one of the most unique names in college baseball, and he’s been a mainstay in Tempe with 156.2 innings under his belt since 2018. He was at his best in 2020 with a 0.70 ERA and a 20/2 K/BB across 25.2 innings, but went undrafted. The fastball occasionally creeps into the low 90’s but usually sits in the upper 80’s, and he adds an average curveball and below average changeup. It’s not the most exciting profile, but he fills the strike zone and has proven durable with a big 6’5″ frame.

Oregon

Oregon might not have quite the collection of arms that Arizona State possesses, but there are some interesting ones here nonetheless. Two of their top righties are actually very similar. Cullen Kafka was eligible in 2020, but his track record was too inconsistent to warrant a selection in the five round draft. Mostly used as a starter in Eugene, his riding fastball sits in the low 90’s when he’s stretched out, but he’s shown the ability to hover around 94-95 in shorter stints. His slider flashes above average at times, but can also lose its bite at times and look well below average. With below average command, the 6’4″ Bay Area native probably fits in the bullpen, where his stuff could tick up considerably. Hunter Breault was also draft-eligible in 2020, but he too was passed over due to his inconsistent track record. Used mostly in relief for the Ducks, his fastball sits in the low to mid 90’s and tops out around 97. We also have a slider and a splitter that flash above average, usually settling around average. With similar command questions to Kafka, the 6’2″ Hawaiian probably does not have a chance to start in pro ball, and his velocity can dip when he’s used in longer stints.

Oregon State

Behind the experienced Kevin Abel, Oregon State has a couple of young guns that could break out this year. Will Frisch is draft-eligible as a sophomore, having put up a 2.61 ERA and a 12/6 K/BB in 10.1 innings as a freshman. I’ve seen him listed everywhere from 5’10” to 6’1″, but however tall he actually is, he’s not the biggest guy in the world. Still, he can run his fastball into the mid 90’s and brings an above average changeup, giving him two pitches right there to work with. He would drop his arm at times on his slider in high school, but in limited looks in 2020, it seems like he did a better job holding the slot. Steps forward with his command or slider, which are not uncommon for underclassmen, would really help his stock. Jake Pfennigs, meanwhile, is very different. The 6’7″ Idahoan showed up to campus with long hair and a sloppy delivery, and since then he’s cleaned up both his hair and his delivery. A full time member of the Beaver rotation in 2020, he performed well against a tough schedule (3.57 ERA, 14/10 K/BB in 17.2 IP), but never got a chance to really get rolling. His low 90’s fastball has touched 95 and his curveball has steadily improved from fringy to average, though the command is still inconsistent. As he continues to polish his game, he could be a riser in 2021.

Stanford

Stanford doesn’t boast any elite talent for this year’s draft, with most of their draft talent coming from their veteran core and seasoned rotation. The top prospect in that group is Jacob Palisch, a 6’4″ lefty who went to high school just a few miles from where I currently live in the Dallas area. He was eligible in 2020, but minor lat problems delayed the start of his season and he didn’t get into a game. Palisch absolutely dominated the Cape Cod League in 2019 (1.29 ERA, 44/7 K/BB in 42 IP) but has been more good than great at Stanford (3.40 ERA, 84/33 K/BB in 103.1 IP). His fastball sits in the upper 80’s and his breaking ball is below average, but he can carve up lineups with an above average to plus changeup, above average command, and great overall feel for pitching. He’ll turn 23 shortly after the draft, so there’s not much projection remaining and he figures to be a #5 starter or long reliever. Brandon Beck, younger brother of Giants farmhand Tristan, is another polished veteran. He’s been a mainstay in the Cardinal rotation since 2018, putting up a 3.09 ERA and a 146/43 K/BB over 180.2 innings in three seasons. He mixes in four below average pitches in an upper 80’s fastball, a pair of breaking balls that lack power finish, and a changeup, but like Palisch, he has tremendous feel for pitching. He profiles as a back-end starter or long reliever, like Palisch. Alex Williams is a little younger than Palisch and Beck, and he’s off to a hot start to his Stanford career with a 2.11 ERA and a 61/12 K/BB in 81 innings from 2019-2020. As with Palisch and Beck, his fastball sits in the upper 80’s and scrapes 90-91, and like Palisch, he shows an above average changeup. He manipulates the shape on his breaking ball and flashes a few above average benders, but for now it’s usually slurvy. His above average command works well in his favor.

Southern California

The Trojans’ top prospect this year is Jamal O’Guinn, who might have gone in the sixth round last year had there been one. The Fresno native has improved in all three slash categories every year at USC, averaging out to a .282/.420/.411 line with five home runs over 94 games. He’s a big dude at a listed 6’4″ and 220 pounds, and he can really drive the ball with authority. However, a choppy right handed swing has kept him from turning that above average raw power into game power this far, despite good feel for the strike zone and the barrel. He’s a swing change candidate in pro ball, which isn’t ideal for a 22 year old, but that feel for the barrel should help him not miss a beat. He plays third base in Los Angeles but he’s a little stiff over there and would be stretched in the shifting era. If he moves over to first base, that power will have to come.

UCLA

The Bruins put six players into our top ten list, and there’s still more to talk about. Zach Pettway was eligible in 2020 but went undrafted despite a ridiculous shortened junior season (1.05 ERA, 29/1 K/BB in 25.2 IP). He’s a fascinating prospect that only sits in the upper 80’s with his fastball, topping out at 91, but he messes with hitters’ timing and then releases the ball right in front of your face with excellent extension despite a 6’1″ frame. His above average changeup tunnels extremely well off his fastball. The Long Beach native works his slider and curveball on a spectrum rather than a binary, but both earn 45 grades. It’s hard to project him as a starter with subpar velocity and breaking balls, but that’s true plus command and I wouldn’t count him out. He would have been #11 had this list gone that far.

Righty Jack Filby is really talented and may be able to start, but he’s been buried on that UCLA pitching staff and has been a reliever so far. His fastball sits 93-94 in relief, and it plays up because he puts great carry and run on the ball. His curveball is inconsistent but flashes above average, and it should become a more consistent putaway pitch in time. To this point, he’s been around the zone, but it’s hard to project him as a starter without seeing him in that role. Sean Mullen, to me, is a really interesting one. The Bakersfield native has been lights out in a small sample, putting up a 0.56 ERA and a 16/11 K/BB over 16 innings. He’s springy and athletic on the mound, driving hard off his back leg to deliver low 90’s fastballs. His slider is presently below average, but flashes well above average at its best with nasty, late bite. His game is raw overall, and for that reason he looks like a reliever, but I think he could be a sleeper to start.

Washington

We’ll talk about Braiden Ward here, a speedy outfielder with a career .309/.403/.403 line and 55 stolen bases over 124 games in Seattle. He was eligible in 2020 but lacked the impact hitting ability to earn a selection. Ward has a loose left handed swing and steadily improving plate discipline that enables him to make line drive contact to all fields, though he’s hit just one home run in three years and his power is exclusively to the gaps. A plus-plus runner, he is an asset in center field and adds an unremarkable but accurate arm. With a little bit of added strength, he could be comped to Jarren Duran.

Washington State

We’ll finish this long article off with a sleeper pick. Kyle Manzardo is the second northern Idaho native to crack this article, joining Oregon State’s Jake Pfennigs, and the kid can hit. After a respectable .272/.335/.364 freshman season, he exploded in his shortened sophomore season for a .435/.500/.694 line and three home runs in 16 games, albeit against a weak schedule. Manzardo backed up that hot 2020 with a strong run through the Northwoods League (.297/.408/.534, 7 HR, 23/21 K/BB), and could build on his breakout in 2021. He is a disciplined hitter who generates plenty of leverage in his left handed swing, bringing above average raw power. The swing can get long at times, so he’ll need to continue to prove his hit tool, especially since he’s confined to first base. If you squint, you can kind of see a poor man’s Triston Casas.