2022 MLB Draft Review: Cincinnati Reds

Full list of draftees

I really like what the Reds did here. They had a ton of draft capital with five of the first 94 picks, and they used it. They didn't expect top ten talent Cam Collier to fall into their lap at pick #18, so they changed their entire draft strategy to make it work. After signing Collier for well over a million dollars above slot value, they went below slot value for each of the next eleven picks to make up for it, and also counted each many picks' $2,500 signing contingency bonus (which comes in addition to the draft bonus and does not count against the pool) as part of the bonus, saving a few extra pennies here and there. They drafted some very interesting bats early on (though I thought Justin Boyd was the one questionable pick here), then went for stuff above all else with picks like Bryce Hubbart, Kenya Huggins, Zach Maxwell, and Ben Brutti. They actually spent much of the latter portion of the draft on arms, drafting twelve pitchers with their final thirteen picks, with the lone position player in that range, Mason Neville, not even signing.
Full index of team reviews here. Full rankings here.

1-18: 3B Cam Collier, Chipola JC. My rank: #6.
Slot value: $3.66 million. Signing bonus: $5 million ($1.34 million above slot value).
If you told Reds general manager Nick Krall in April that he would be getting Cam Collier in the first round, he would likely have been happy to hear that. If you told him the day before the draft that he would be getting Collier, he would have probably laughed in your face, as multiple teams throughout the top ten picks were rumored to be very in on the young hitter. As it went, those clubs went different directions, and soon signability pushed him to the Reds with the 18th pick. They gave him roughly the slot value for the tenth overall pick, more than a million above their own slot value, to sign him away from a Louisville commitment. So who is this kid that Cincinnati was happy to upend its draft strategy over? Cam Collier was actually supposed to be a junior in high school, but he earned his GED and graduated not one, but two years early from Mount Paran Christian Academy in the Atlanta area to attend Chipola Junior College, much like Bryce Harper more than a decade earlier. Despite being just 17 years old and facing kids who were mostly 19-21 years old, Collier more than held his own by slashing .333/.419/.537 with eight home runs and a 33/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 52 games. He then went to the Cape Cod League and further impressed evaluators by looking right at home against the best 19-21 year olds in the country. This is all because, year of age for year of age, he is probably the most advanced amateur hitter in the country. He takes extremely professional at bats, controlling the strike zone with ease against much older pitching with excellent pitch recognition and feel for the barrel. Collier shows off above average raw power from the left side of the plate, a product of a sturdy, mature 6'2" frame and a sweet, loose, simple swing. He finds the barrel very consistently and sprays deep line drives to all fields, and in pro ball could profile for 20-25 home runs a year with on-base percentages approaching .400. While he probably won't win any Gold Gloves, he is a very capable defender at third base with solid actions around the bag and enough arm strength to stick there. The Reds of course are buying the bat, and if anybody in this class could reach the majors as a teenager, it will probably be Collier. Teenager in this case gives him until the end of the 2024 season, so he would have 2023-2024 to rise through the ranks and make it happen.

1C-32: 3B Sal Stewart, Westminster Christian HS [FL]. My rank: #65.
Slot value: $2.37 million. Signing bonus: $2.1 million ($275,500 below slot value).
Sal Stewart was rumored to be one of the toughest signs in the draft with an extremely firm commitment to Vanderbilt in his pocket, and it took the Reds drafting him about a full round ahead of where he was projected to stop that from happening. If you want a comp, then you'll really like this one if you follow college baseball: Tommy White. Last year, it seems like evaluators (myself included) slept on White a little bit out at IMG Academy because he was a right handed hitting likely first baseman with body concerns, and he made us all regret it by blasting 27 home runs as a true freshman this year. The Reds front office likely saw what White was doing in Raleigh, looked at Stewart, and said "nah, we're not letting that happen again." Also a bigger bodied right handed hitting high school first baseman, Stewart has a similarly impressive track record of hitting and could give the Reds a true middle of the order bat. He's a very disciplined hitter that has been seen a lot on the showcase circuit and has performed well throughout, but he stands out for his plus raw power from a compact uppercut. He's big and strong at a listed 6'3", 215 pounds, and he should only get stronger as he matures. At this point, he's such a natural hitter that he can get away with letting his mechanics get out of whack, and he's strong enough to still do damage even when he's lunging forward or losing the connection between his upper and lower body. That should be a relatively easy fix for the player development program, and Stewart ultimately has a chance to club 30+ home runs a year with good on-base percentages if everything breaks right. Drafted as a third baseman, the Miami native will likely move to first base in pro ball with clunky actions around the bag and below average speed. If you want another comp, Pete Alonso makes sense as well.

2-55: C Logan Tanner, Mississippi State. My rank: #73.
Slot value: $1.37 million. Signing bonus: $1.03 million ($346,500 below slot value).
The Reds draft catchers like clockwork, and Logan Tanner makes it eight drafts in a row where they took one in the first seven rounds going back to Tyler Stephenson in 2015. Tanner was right up there with Kevin Parada and Daniel Susac at the top of a deep college catching class heading into the spring, and even though a disappointing season (.285/.387/.425, 7 HR, 45/32 K/BB in 55 games) dropped him out of the first round, there is still a lot to like. The southern Mississippi native is one of the best defensive catchers in the country, showing great agility back there that helps him block baseballs well, but he stands out most for his arm. It's a plus-plus cannon that not only nabs base stealers on the routine throws, but also works from multiple angles a lot like Patrick Mahomes. Check out this throw from Mississippi State's 2021 National Championship run. Usually, you're going to have to settle for a light hitter if you want defense like that, but Tanner can swing it. He takes very good at bats, with a simple right handed swing that produces high exit velocities and potentially above average power. However, his bat to ball skills are a bit behind his pitch recognition and he doesn't have great feel for the barrel just yet, which led to an overall lack of impact in 2022, but because he understands the strike zone well he should recover quickly with some pro coaching. Overall, he probably projects for 15-20 home runs a year with solid on-base percentages and great defense at best, a starter's profile if he gets back to his 2021 form.

CBB-73: OF Justin Boyd, Oregon State. My rank: #210.
Slot value: $901,300. Signing bonus: $847,500 ($53,800 below slot value).
The Reds saved a little more money on Justin Boyd, a pick somewhat reminiscent of Justice Thompson a year ago. Boyd did not play in the shortened 2020 season then showed well in a part time role in 2021 before breaking out in 2022, slashing .373/.490/.577 with nine home runs, 24 stolen bases, and a 58/52 strikeout to walk ratio over 62 games. An on-base machine, he is one of the more patient hitters in this class and draws a ton of walks. Those deep counts do lead to some strikeout concerns, as he has just average bat to ball skills, but it's nothing egregious. He's mostly a gap to gap hitter, drilling balls to all fields and letting his plus speed do the work, and while he can turn on one for a home run here and there, I don't expect more than 10-15 home runs per season here at peak. The Denver-area product can play all three outfield positions well with his speed and a good arm, to me giving this a very solid fourth outfield profile with a chance for more if he can tap some power while keeping his strikeouts down.

3-94: LHP Bryce Hubbart, Florida State. My rank: #64.
Slot value: $649,900. Signing bonus: $522,500 ($127,400 below slot value).
I really like this pick for the Reds, and I think it could turn out to provide the best value of their whole draft. Bryce Hubbart threw well as a sophomore at Florida State in 2021 but broke out in the Cape Cod League last summer, where he posted a 0.87 ERA and a 45/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 31 innings. Those Cape numbers become even more impressive when you find out that all three earned runs that Hubbart allowed came one one swing, a three run Braylen Wimmer (Phillies, 18th round) home run in the third inning of his very first start – from there, he closed out the season with 28.2 consecutive shutout innings (aside from one unearned run). His 2022 was a bit more up and down, beginning with dominant outings against James Madison, Samford, and California and ultimately ending up with a 3.32 ERA and a 96/21 strikeout to walk ratio over 76 innings. Hubbart really interests me as a pitcher. His fastball velocity fluctuates, getting as high as the mid 90's on the Cape but also dipping into the upper 80's at times with Florida State, typically settling in the 90-92 range. The pitch plays like an invisiball, though, with sneaky riding action that misses bats and confounds hitters. That means even when he's 89-91, he can get consistent outs against advanced hitters, and when he's more 92-94, he dominates the elite like we saw on the Cape. He throws both a curveball and a newer slider, both of which flashed plus on the Cape, but they're both inconsistent and he prefers to pitch off his fastball. Hubbart rounds out his arsenal with an average changeup. He has a very skinny 6'1" frame and an uptempo delivery, but to this point he has shown that he can hold up just fine in the rotation. In order to take the mound every fifth day in the big leagues, he'll have to get more consistent with both his velocity and his offspeed stuff, and while his command has steadily improved, it's still fringe-average and will need some fine tuning in pro ball. The Orlando-area native really understands the analytical side of pitching and will take well to the Reds' player development program, and with a June birthday, he's on the younger side for a college junior. I think the ceiling is huge here if the Reds can get him back to where he was on the Cape, when he looked like an easy first round pick.

4-123: RHP Kenya Huggins, Chipola JC. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $488,300. Signing bonus: $407,500 ($80,800 below slot value).
The Reds picked up a power arm in the fourth round, getting Cam Collier's Chipola teammate Kenya Huggins. Huggins earned some draft interest a year ago out of high school in New Orleans, but went the JuCo route and showed well as a freshman in Marianna, posting a 2.96 ERA and a 97/32 strikeout to walk ratio over 73 innings. He sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball, getting up to around 96, but the pitch can play a bit straight and stands out more for its velocity than its movement. His best pitch is a mid to upper 80's power slider with late bite ,getting ugly swings and misses especially when he locates it down and away to right handed hitters. There's also a changeup here, and while it needs more refinement, he gets some fade on it and he's just 19. The 6'3" righty is big and physical and will only get stronger, though he carries some relief risk because he doesn't always stay on line in his delivery and has fringy command for now. Huggins will want to iron that out in pro ball while also refining his changeup if he wants to start, and if he can find a way to increase the life on his fastball, he could be a very good one. Otherwise, the fastball/slider combination should play out of the bullpen.

5-153: C Cade Hunter, Virginia Tech. My rank: #79.
Slot value: $364,600. Signing bonus: $362,100 ($2,500 below slot value).
Like I said, the Reds love college catchers who perform in power conferences, so Cade Hunter will join Logan Tanner, Matheu Nelson (Florida State), and Chris Okey (Clemson) as early round picks in the system. Hunter played just 29 games combined in 2020 and 2021 and had just 17 career hits coming into the season, but he was one of the country's better breakout bats in 2022 with a .330/.440/.637 slash line, 17 home runs, and a 59/32 strikeout to walk ratio over 58 games for the surprising Hokies. While Tanner is probably glove-first at this point, Hunter is definitely bat-first, with massive raw power from the left side that produces huge exit velocities. He gets great separation in his swing, throwing the hips while leaving his hands back and creating a rubber band effect to consistently drive the ball with force. The hit tool is a bit behind at this point, as he struggles with breaking stuff to a somewhat concerning level, but he does hammer fastballs at any velocity. He also looked just a little bit lost later on in the season and struck out four times in Virginia Tech's season-ending loss to Oklahoma in the Blacksburg Super Regional (though to be fair, that was a major step in Cade Horton's coming out party, which you'll read about in the Cubs review). Behind the plate, the Philadelphia-area native is extremely athletic and can pop out of the crouch and run with the best of backstops, but his glovework and arm strength are more average and will need some refinement in pro ball. The potential onset of robo umps does help that profile a bit. Overall, I see a potential everyday catcher that can hammer 25+ home runs a year, but he will have to figure something out against quality breaking balls in order to reach that ceiling.

6-183: RHP Zach Maxwell, Georgia Tech. My rank: #103.
Slot value: $279,700. Signing bonus: $222,500 ($77,200 below slot value).
If you like Joe Boyle, who is looking unhittable at High A Dayton right now, then you're going to love Zach Maxwell. Maxwell is a huge, 6'6", 275 pound beast of a man, and he's slowly pulling it together on the mound. After walking 23.9% of his opponents as a freshman in 2020 and 25.6% in 2021, he cut that walk rate to 17.3% in 2022 and that helped him post a 5.26 ERA and an 84/41 strikeout to walk ratio over 51.1 innings this year in a swingman role. The Atlanta-area product sits in the mid to upper 90's with his fastball, touching triple digits with serious life. The pitch has extreme vertical axis and rides a ton, making it jump on hitters even quicker than the already impressive radar gun readings would tell you. His slider is downright ghoulish, with massive spin rates and devastating late bite that makes it one of the best breaking balls in the class. Those two pitches are kind of it for now, as Maxwell doesn't have much of a changeup and he doesn't really need it. Command is obviously the big question, as even though it improved in 2022, it's still well below average as the big guy doesn't always repeat his delivery well and struggles to harness his explosive stuff. He made a few starts this year and actually showed very well in a few of them, but unless he can take massive steps forward with his command and changeup, it's a pure relief profile and I think the Reds will be okay with that. With all of Joe Boyle's success so far, they have a pretty good blueprint for development.

7-213: SS Trey Faltine, Texas. My rank: #202.
Slot value: $219,000. Signing bonus: $200,000 ($19,000 below slot value).
Trey Faltine earned some top 100 draft interest as a two-way player in high school, but made it to campus at Texas and has been exclusively a position player. He had a breakout year in 2022, slashing .282/.393/.552 with 15 home runs and a 104/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 69 games, but those 104 strikeouts were second in college baseball only to Oklahoma State's Nolan McLean at 107. Faltine has an explosive swing from the right side that is capable of producing high exit velocities and above average raw power, but he may have gotten too power conscious in 2022 and that led to an ugly 35.6% strikeout rate. He's a bit passive at the plate and struggled in Big 12 play, so the hit tool is very much in question as he enters pro ball and he'll likely need to trade some power to make enough contact. The Houston-area product is a very good defender at shortstop, with slick actions, good range, and a plus arm that sat around 90 when he pitched in high school. That alone should buy the bat plenty of slack, and given his ability to pummel the baseball, there is some upside. But the swing and miss is very alarming.

11-333: RHP Ben Brutti, South Kingstown HS [RI]. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $405,000 ($280,000 against bonus pool).
The Reds only went above slot value once after Cam Collier, but they just could not resist the live armed Ben Brutti. He had very limited track record entering 2022, but exploded onto the scene with a loud spring that sent scouts flocking to southern Rhode Island to see him pitch. Brutti's fastball sits in the low to mid 90's, getting up to 96 with hard running and sinking action from a very low three quarters slot. His slider is equally devastating when it's on, showing sharp, late sweeping action in the opposite direction of his fastball, though it's not as consistent. He also throws a solid changeup that plays well off his fastball, but he hasn't needed it so far. The profile is a bit relievery, as Brutti throws with considerable effort, emphasized by sharp stabbing action in the back of his arm stroke and an explosive stride down the mound. The 6'3" righty has to get a little more consistent with his command in addition to his offspeed stuff if he wants to start long term, and he's also extremely old for a high school senior having turned 19 in May. Still, I see a potential impact reliever that could close games if it all breaks right. He had been committed to South Florida.

12-363: RHP Mason Pelio, Boston College. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $125,000.
Mason Pelio is unfortunately an example of a pitcher who has developed in the wrong direction. He was a standout as part of Boston College's rotation as a freshman in 2019, when he posted a 3.62 ERA over thirteen starts, and heading into the 2021 draft cycle he was considered second to third round pick (though I was never that high on him). Unfortunately, his command disappeared that year and he finished with a 6.65 ERA over fourteen starts, so he returned to Chestnut Hill to give it one more go. That did not work out, and he lost innings throughout the year as he finished with a 9.16 ERA and a 21/20 strikeout to walk ratio over 18.2 innings. Pelio has been into the upper 90's at times, but typically sits in the low 90's with cutting action while flipping over a fringy slider and an above average changeup. He's a big guy at a listed 6'3", 230 pounds, but he's seen his command move backwards from average to fringy to well below average now, causing all of his stuff to play down. Even when he had close to average command, I wanted to see him sharpen up his slider before I fully bought in, which he hasn't done. The San Diego-area native represents a reclamation project for Cincinnati, but the building blocks are there. He has that big strong frame, a ton of arm strength, and an advanced changeup, and he just needs to be put back together. If a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered, I wouldn't close the book just yet on him becoming a back-end starter.

18-543: OF Mason Neville, Basic HS [NV]. My rank: #133.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: did not sign.
The Reds took a shot at Mason Neville in the 18th round but ultimately could not keep him away from an Arkansas commitment. Neville is a great athlete that shows off a variety of tools, albeit in need of some refinement that he'll get in Fayetteville. His loose left handed swing produces power to all fields when he connects, and at a projectable 6'3", he should grow into even more power in time. He makes good contact but it often comes at the expense of his power, as Neville will often throw the bat head at the ball in order to make contact if he doesn't recognize the pitch right away. The Las Vegas native has big upside at the plate if he can learn himself a bit more as a hitter, and I'll be interested to see how the Arkansas coaching staff goes about that. He's also a plus runner that can play center field, adding to his value.

2022 MLB Draft: One potential hometown pick for every AL/NL East Team

For the third and final installment of the hometown pick series, we'll take a look at the AL and NL East divisions to see which local kids they have a chance of keeping home. You can find the West and Central already on the site.

Atlanta Braves: 3B Cam Collier, Chipola JC
Hometown: Austell, GA. My rank: #14.
The Atlanta area is absolutely loaded with premium talent this year, but because the Braves don't pick until #20, they have virtually no shot to select Druw Jones (Wesleyan HS via Suwanee), Termarr Johnson (Mays HS, Atlanta), or Dylan Lesko (Buford HS). Even so, I think they would be elated to take a shot at Cam Collier if he falls that far. Collier grew up in the western suburb of Austell on the Cobb/Douglas county line, originally playing at Mount Paran Christian HS up in Kennesaw. Following in the footsteps of one Bryce Harper twelve years earlier, he graduated early and skipped both his junior and senior seasons to head to Chipola JC in the Florida Panhandle. Despite being just 17 years old playing against mostly 19-20 year olds, he hit .333/.419/.537 across 52 games to solidify himself as one of the best pure hitters in the class. Collier is a pro hitter through and through. He has a thick, strong, mature 6'2" frame that should only continue to add strength as he finishes out his teens, and he combines that strength with a professional approach in the box to make repeated hard contact to all fields. He works counts like a veteran and makes contact with all kinds of pitches, with a smooth swing that helps him produce above average game power. It's not the most explosive offensive profile, but if anybody in this class could reach the big leagues before they can legally buy alcohol, it's probably Collier. He's also an average defender at third base with a strong arm, so he should stick there. He's committed to Louisville next year and will be draft-eligible again at 20 years old, so he will not be a cheap sign if he makes past the halfway point in the first round. Given the way he's trending, it's not necessarily a likelihood he'll still be around.
Other options: RHP Landon Sims (Mississippi State via Cumming, GA), LHP Tristan Smith (Boiling Springs HS, SC), 3B Tucker Toman (Hammond HS, Columbia, SC), RHP Kumar Rocker (Tri-City ValleyCats via Athens, GA), 2B Chandler Simpson (Georgia Tech via Atlanta, GA)

Baltimore Orioles: 1B Tyler Locklear, Virginia Commonwealth.
Hometown: Abingdon, MD. My rank: #66.
The Orioles like to draft position players and they like college bats in particular, and Tyler Locklear provides them as potent a bat as you can find. Locklear grew up in Abingdon in southern Harford County, just down the road from Cal Ripken Jr.'s hometown of Havre De Grace. He knows Baltimore well, though, having commuted every day down I-95 to Archbishop Curley High School just a couple miles northeast of the Inner Harbor. Since reaching campus at Virginia Commonwealth down in Richmond, he has been a one man wrecking crew, slashing .345/.515/.686 as a sophomore and now on pace to beat all three slash numbers as his junior season winds down. Locklear hits the ball as hard as anybody in the game, showing plus-plus raw power that he taps in games combined with a patient approach that helps him deploy it strategically. His crazy numbers have come against so-so competition in the A-10 Conference, but he also hit .256/.333/.504 in the Cape Cod League and his plate discipline has been so strong that the Orioles should be plenty comfortable projecting him as an impact bat. That bat has a pretty clear first round value on its own, but his lack of defensive value may drop him out of the first round, despite that he closed his season on an absolutely torrid run. He's a divisive prospect but the fact that he hit absolutely everything in sight once the calendar turned to May is probably turning even his detractors into fans, which means he would fit best to the Orioles at pick #33 if he's still around, or #42 at worst.
Other options: 3B Trey Lipscomb (Tennessee via Urbana, MD), OF Chase DeLauter (James Madison via Martinsburg, WV), C Jack Bulger (Vanderbilt via Bowie, MD), RHP Matt Wyatt (Virginia via Towson, MD), 1B Maxwell Costes (Maryland via Baltimore, MD)

Boston Red Sox: C Dominic Keegan, Vanderbilt
Hometown: Methuen, MA. My rank: unranked.
2021 was a banner year for talent hailing from New England, and more broadly the Northeast as a whole, but this year is a bit of the opposite. The region's top native prospect coming into the spring, Northeastern right hander Sebastian Keane, has been inconsistent to say the least, but another man has risen to take his place and that's Vanderbilt catcher Dominic Keegan. Keegan was actually a part of that special class last year but elected to return to school rather than accept a 19th round selection by the Yankees (a slide induced by signability), and he would fit in very well with the Red Sox if they want to make the Yankees pay this year. Boston loves established, well-rounded hitters with track records of performance and the ability to hit for power, which makes this reunion all the more possible. Keegan grew up in Methuen, about 26 miles almost straight north from downtown Boston, and attended Central Catholic HS in nearby Lawrence. He hit .345/.427/.638 against a tough SEC schedule as a junior and like Tyler Locklear has a shot to beat all three slash numbers this year. Also like Locklear, he shows off plus-plus raw power, coming from a ridiculously strong six foot frame that gives him the ability to just flick the barrel through the zone with tremendous force. He struggled with strikeouts last spring and punched out at nearly a 28% rate, but he has cut that down this year and now has a chance to project as an average hitter if things click in pro ball. Keegan moved behind the plate this spring and has been adequate, but like last year's fifth round pick Nathan Hickey, he'll have to work to remain a catcher up to the majors. He's a senior this year but is very young for his class, so he still won't turn 21 until after the draft. He'll likely be one of the hottest senior sings this spring and may not take a huge discount, and he would make sense for Boston starting in the Comp B round (pick #79) and on to the third and possibly fourth rounds.
Other options: RHP Sebastian Keane (Northeastern via North Andover, MA), 2B Luke Gold (Boston College via Ballston, NY), LHP/1B Reggie Crawford (Connecticut via Frackville, PA), RHP Cam Schlitter (Northeastern via Walpole, MA), C/OF Brendan Tinsman (Wake Forest via Cape Elizabeth, ME)

Miami Marlins: OF Roman Anthony, Stoneman Douglas HS, Parkland, FL
Hometown: North Palm Beach, FL. My rank: #51.
The Marlins pick at #6 this year, which is probably a bit too early to take first round prospects Brandon Barriera (American Heritage HS) and Zach Neto (Campbell via Miami), but their second round pick at #46 brings a great opportunity to keep fast rising outfielder Roman Anthony home. Anthony grew up in North Palm Beach but played his high school ball a bit farther south at the power Stoneman Douglas program in Parkland, where he has set the world on fire as a senior. Anthony possesses huge raw power from an intimidating 6'3" frame, unleashing a beautiful left handed stroke that can really send the ball impressive distances. He swung and missed a lot over the summer, but he's been much more consistent this spring against tough South Florida competition and has firmly calmed scouts' worries about his hit tool, looking the part of a well rounded hitter in addition to a slugger. He may not stick in center field but has plenty of arm strength to be an asset in right field, giving the Marlins a lot of incentive to keep him from heading to Ole Miss for college. In the second round, they should be able to make it work without having to go too crazy far above slot.
Other options: LHP Brandon Barriera (American Heritage HS via Hollywood, FL), SS Cameron Smith (Palm Beach Central HS, FL), 3B Sal Stewart (Westminster Christian HS via Miami, FL), LHP Carson Palmquist (Miami via Fort Myers, FL), SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje (Champagnat Catholic HS, FL via Curacao)

New York Mets: RHP/SS Nazier Mule, Passaic County Tech HS, Wayne, NJ
Hometown: Paterson, NJ. My rank: #77.
The Mets have five of the first ninety picks, so they have some leeway to take risks as well as spread some money around. Across the river in New Jersey, they have an opportunity to roll the dice in a big way and hope for a huge outcome. Nazier Mule is a Paterson native playing for Passaic County Tech northwest of Manhattan, and there might not be a player in the country outside the first round range with more raw talent. Mule can pop triple digits with his fastball and comfortably sits in the mid to upper 90's, with a ton of run that makes it even harder to square up. He also snaps off some above average sliders but isn't as consistent with the pitch, while his changeup is more advanced than you might expect for a flame throwing 17 year old considered raw by most evaluators. Presently, he's much more thrower than pitcher, with a high effort delivery featuring a ton of head whack as he hurls the ball towards the plate, negatively impacting his command. That would typically make you think of the 6'2" righty as a relief prospect, but he's extremely young for the class and won't turn 18 until October, making him nearly a year and a half younger than some of the older prospects in the class. Because of his extreme youth that would make him belong age-wise in the 2023 class, in addition to being a cold weather arm that doesn't get to throw as often, I'm willing to cut him some slack and give him a shot at becoming an impact starting pitcher down the line. There's a lot to do, notably cleaning up his delivery and getting more consistent with his offspeed stuff, but the arm strength and raw talent are absolutely tremendous. He's also a shortstop with a ton of bat speed from the right side of the plate, but his swing isn't the smoothest and his approach is very raw at the plate, as you'd expect given his youth and focus on pitching. Mule is committed to Miami and will be draft eligible again at 20 years old in 2025, but the Mets will have plenty of bonus pool money and could pop him as early as the second round or in the second compensation/third round range.
Other options: LHP Trey Dombroski (Monmouth via Manasquan, NJ), LHP Michael Kennedy (Troy HS, NY), 2B Luke Gold (Boston College via Ballston, NY), RHP Connor Staine (Central Florida via Branchburg, NJ), RHP Henry Williams (Duke via Darien, CT)

New York Yankees: RHP Connor Staine, Central Florida.
Hometown: Branchburg, NJ. My rank: #74.
From Clarke Schmidt to Richard Fitts, the Yankees don't shy away from banged up college arms, and they could be in the market again at pick #61 if they want to bet on a local product. Connor Staine has his hometown variously listed as Branchburg, a far western suburb in Somerset County, New Jersey, or Clinton, which is two towns further west in Hunterdon County. Regardless, he attended West Morris Central High School in neither of those counties, a bit to the north in far western Morris County, and grew up not a Yankees or Mets fan but a Rays fan. From there, he began his college career at Maryland before transferring to UCF this year, getting off to a red hot start by not allowing an earned run over his first 33.2 innings into mid April. Things have been a bit more up and down since then as he's battled back and blister issues, but it's easy to envision an impact MLB starter. The 6'4" righty sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and has touched as high as 97, while his slider is an above average pitch and he rounds out his arsenal with a curve and changeup. His command has gotten better as he's grown into his big frame, allowing him to finally get the most out of his loud stuff, and the whole package has a lot to like. He may fall to the Yankees there in the second round because of the nagging injuries that have allowed him to complete four innings just once since early March, but if they can get him healthy, he can be a #3 starter.
Other options: 2B Luke Gold (Boston College via Ballston, NY), C Adonys Guzman (Brunswick HS, Greenwich, CT via Valley Cottage, NY), RHP Henry Williams (Duke via Darien, CT), RHP Caden Dana (Don Bosco HS, Ramsey, NJ via Montgomery, NY), 1B Jayden Hylton (Palm Beach Gardens HS, FL via Basking Ridge, NJ)

Philadelphia Phillies: C Cade Hunter, Virginia Tech
Hometown: Mount Laurel, NJ. My rank: #67.
The last time Virginia Tech had a position player go in the top three rounds, it was a South Jersey product in Mark Zagunis (Riverton native, Holy Cross HS). Tech could have as many as three go in that range this year, with one being another South Jersey native in Mount Laurel's Cade Hunter (Lenape HS). Hunter played just 31 games over his first two seasons in Blacksburg, but just like the Hokies team as a whole, he broke out in a big way in 2022 to push himself way up draft boards. He possesses plus raw power from the left side that manifests into huge exit velocities, something that's very hard to find in a true catching prospect. The hit tool is a bit behind the power and he'll need to continue to learn to handle high octane pitching as he moves up, but he's making a ton more contact than 2021 (when he struck out 32% of the time) and given that he hasn't seen the field much until this year, it's not terribly surprising. Behind the plate, Hunter is a great athlete who can pop out of the crouch in a hurry and turn in average run times. For now, that athleticism doesn't always manifest into consistent agility back there, but he's improving. As he continues to get more feel for the position, he should be able to stick back there with a strong arm, especially if we get robot umpires in the near future. This is a potential middle of the order bat at a premium position if the Phillies can help him clean up a couple of things, and while they don't pick between #17 and #93, there's a chance he's still around at the latter selection.
Other options: SS Max Martin (Moorestown HS, NJ), LHP/1B Reggie Crawford (Connecticut via Frackville, PA), LHP Noah Dean (Old Dominion via Little Egg Harbor, NJ), RHP Jake Madden (Northwest Florida State via Enola, PA), OF Chris Newell (Virginia via Newtown Square, PA)

Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Bryce Hubbart, Florida State
Hometown: Windermere, FL. My rank: #35.
Bryce Hubbart has fallen a little bit since I had him at #35 on my rankings and he'll appear a bit lower the next go around. The Rays currently pick at #29, #65, #70, and #71, with the former representing his ceiling if he pitches well in the NCAA Tournament and the latter three looking closer to his most likely range if he does not throw well. Regardless, this is a Rays profile through and through. Hubbart grew up in the western Orlando suburb of Windermere and attended Windermere HS, then headed north to Tallahassee to pitch at Florida State. There, he forms one of the best one-two punches in the country with Plant City native Parker Messick, another lefty. Hubbart has the kind of fastball the Rays covet, an invisiball that sneaks past hitters with riding action, though its velocity has been inconsistent. He touched as high as 97 on the Cape, where he was one of the league's most dominant pitchers, but more often this spring he's been down in the 89-91 range, where it is still effective due to its movement. On the Cape, Hubbart flashed a pair of plus breaking balls in a curveball and a slider, but he hasn't used them as often this spring as he has more consistent feel for his fastball. He also rounds out his arsenal with an average changeup. A bit undersized at a skinny 6'1", he comes from an uptempo delivery that might have some evaluators pointing to the bullpen, but his command has steadily improved to average and I still see a starter for now. He's also young for the class and will only turn 21 shortly before the draft, giving him extra time to sort things out, and he impressed me in this interview with Prospects Live as a student of the game who understands the art of pitching. We're not quite sure who the real Bryce Hubbart is yet, but if he ends up in this system, you can bank on the Rays turning him into the absolute best version of himself. Given how he threw on the Cape (0.87 ERA, 45/8 K/BB in 31 IP), that's a scary thought.
Other options: LHP Parker Messick (Florida State via Plant City, FL), RHP Walter Ford (Pace HS, FL), OF Jud Fabian (Florida via Ocala, FL), LHP Carson Palmquist (Miami via Fort Myers, FL), RHP Brandon Sproat (Florida via Pace, FL)

Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Jacob Zibin, TNXL Academy, FL
Hometown: Langley, BC. My rank: unranked.
Jacob Zibin's hometown of Langley, British Columbia may be more than two thousand miles from Toronto, but that doesn't mean it's not firm Blue Jays territory. Between him and Oregon's Adam Maier (a North Vancouver native), the Vancouver area has given us two very good arms in this cycle. Zibin grew up in Langley, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of downtown Vancouver near the US border, but headed more than 2,500 miles across the continent to TNXL Academy in the Orlando area for high school. He then reclassified from the 2023 class to the 2022 class, making him the only player on my radar born in 2005. That's even younger than my dog. Despite his youth, the Canadian righty has plenty of present stuff. He sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and can scrape the upper 90's at best, with some run to boot. His sweepy slider provides a reliable out pitch for now while his changeup is very advanced for a 17 year old, giving him a well rounded arsenal to work with. Zibin throws plenty of strikes from a simple delivery, with plenty of present strength but more room to grow into his 6'3" frame. The combination of arm strength, pitchability, and size is very hard to find at that age, and while he will need some refinement, the Blue Jays can get a nice and early start if they draft him in the second to third round range. Committed to Kentucky where he would be draft eligible again shortly after his 20th birthday, he might get expensive quickly if they let him get much farther than those compensation picks between the second and third rounds.
Other options: RHP Adam Maier (Oregon via North Vancouver, BC), OF Owen Diodati (Alabama via Niagara Falls, ON), 1B David McCabe (Charlotte via Oshawa, ON), LHP Antoine Jean (Alabama via Montreal, QC), RHP Eli Saul (Sacramento State via Vancouver, BC)

Washington Nationals: SS Nick Morabito, Gonzaga HS, DC
Hometown: McLean, VA. My rank: unranked.
The Nationals' farm system hit rock bottom prior to the 2021 draft and subsequent major league selloff, but they've begun to restock the system with a focus on young bats. From the international side, we have Jeremy De La Rosa and Viandel Peña starting to make some noise, while Brady House, Sammy Infante, TJ White, and Daylen Lile have come in through the draft. They'll likely add more prep bats in this draft, and one of them could come from right in their backyard. Nick Morabito is a product of McLean, Virginia, an inner DC suburb home to many congressmen and other high ranking officials, and he commutes across the Potomac River to attend Gonzaga HS on H Street in Washington's NoMa neighborhood. Like fellow Northern Virginia infielder James Triantos a year ago, Morabito has really come on strong this spring and is rising quickly up boards. He's a bat-first prospect with a lightning quick swing from the right side, driving pretty much everything in site lately. It's a compact operation that especially helps him do damage up in the zone, in contrast with many of today's low ball hitters, and he has a chance for above average power down the line despite a smaller 5'11" frame. The glove will need more work, as he isn't quite explosive enough to stick at shortstop and may be forced to second base or left field in the long run. That puts some pressure on the bat, but he has a lot of believers. Another slight ding on his profile is age, as he already turned 19 more than two months before the draft and is more in line with the age of a college freshman. Committed to a Virginia Tech program fresh off an ACC regular season title, he'll be eligible again in 2024 as a sophomore if he goes that route and will be expensive. He makes sense for the Nationals in the second or third round.
Other options: RHP Jacob Watters (West Virginia via Rocky Gap, VA), LHP Levi Huesman (Hanover HS, VA), SS Tanner Schobel (Virginia Tech via Williamsburg, VA), RHP Jack O'Connor (Bishop O'Connell HS, Arlington, VA), LHP Nate Savino (Virginia via Sterling, VA)

2022 MLB Draft: An early look at the ACC

2021 draftees: 63. Top school: North Carolina State (8)
2021 preseason writeup (published 10/27/2020)

Top draftees:
1-1, Pirates: C Henry Davis (Louisville)
1-15, Brewers: OF Sal Frelick (Boston College)
1-24, Braves: RHP Ryan Cusick (Wake Forest)
CBA-35, Reds: C Matheu Nelson (Florida State)
2-52, Marlins: SS Cody Morissette (Boston College)
2-53, Reds: LHP Andrew Abbott (Virginia)
2-60, A's: 3B Zack Gelof (Virginia)

It was another banner year for the ACC, which saw three players drafted in the first round including first overall pick Henry Davis, and eight drafted by the end of the second competitive balance round. Every school had at least one player drafted, while five different schools (NC State, Louisville, Florida State, Clemson, and Virginia) had at least six draftees. This year already has another trio with firm first round aspirations ready to go, with quite a few more knocking on the door. While this year is more balanced than last year's hitter-heavy class, in which nine of the first eleven draftees were position players, it's hard not to notice an especially exciting group of power bats. On the mound, we'll get to watch a competition between Florida State lefties Bryce Hubbart and Parker Messick every weekend, as both have first round aspirations with Hubbart having jumped ahead on the heels of a strong summer. Below are the top ten prospects in the ACC heading into the 2022 season.

1. C Kevin Parada, Georgia Tech.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6'1", 195 lbs. Born 8/3/2001. Hometown: Pasadena, CA.
2021: 9 HR, .318/.379/.550, 1 SB, 41/17 K/BB in 52 games.
Kevin Parada was the best position player prospect to reach campus a year ago, having ranked 47th on my 2020 draft board out of Loyola High School in Los Angeles. It's hard to reach those sky-high expectations at times, especially early on, but Parada hit the ground running in Atlanta and has only built on his stock with a massive freshman campaign. Just 52 games into his college career, he has a tough luck third team all-ACC nod (stuck behind first overall pick Henry Davis and fellow Golden Spikes candidate Matheu Nelson) as well as a Baseball America second team freshman all American nod. It's a really, really complete profile that fits right near the top of the draft, and because he's eligible as an older sophomore, he won't turn 21 until shortly after the draft and is the second youngest player on this list. Starting with the bat, Parada takes extremely professional at bats at a young age, especially shining in his ability to make adjustments and grind out at bats. Maybe you can get a pitch or two by him, but you're going to have to be perfect to finish him off. The LA product puts that approach to good use with above average power from his sturdy frame, getting to it easily and consistently with a simple but strong right handed swing that even popped a home run off second overall pick Jack Leiter in the Nashville regional. If there is one critique for Parada's offensive profile, it's that he could use to be a bit more selective at the plate and draw a few more walks, though that's really nitpicking for a 20 year old catcher who just slugged .550 in the ACC with a pretty strong 17.2% strikeout rate. Behind the plate, he faced questions as a high schooler about his ability to stick, but he's gotten much smoother back there after just one year in Atlanta and now should be at least average defensively. He's a smart player who will be able to handle the soft skills of catching in addition to the hard skills, and his strong arm helps keep the running game in check. If the draft were today, this would be a top ten profile that would come into play pretty quickly after the first couple of picks, projecting for 20+ home runs annually with good on-base percentages from a premium position. Similar production in 2022 with perhaps a few more walks could make him the first college bat off the board.

2. OF Gavin Cross, Virginia Tech.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'3", 210 lbs. Born 2/13/2001. Hometown: Bristol, TN.
2021: 11 HR, .345/.415/.621, 9 SB, 48/17 K/BB in 51 games.
Between Ian Seymour, Carson Taylor, Packy Naughton, and Mark Zagunis, Virginia Tech has had some moderate early round talent in recent years, but it's certainly not on par with most other ACC programs. In 2022, however, the Hokies have a chance to produce not just a first rounder, but a potential top of the draft talent in Gavin Cross. At this point, he may have the most potent bat in the country, period. Ideally built for a power hitter at 6'3", he actually reminds me of Juan Soto in a few ways, including in his frame, swing, feel for the barrel, and raw power. Coming from the base, Cross gets his barrel into the zone early and keeps it there for a long time, enabling him to make consistent contact even if his timing isn't perfect. Once he does make contact, he can and will absolutely obliterate the baseball, crushing screaming line drives with regularity. Watching him a lot in 2021, I felt like I never saw him hit a ball softly, even hitting into the most consistently loud outs of any player I saw. It's plus-plus raw power that he gets to in games, though his approach could use some work. He again reminds me of Soto in the way he locks in on pitches from the hand to the plate, but at this point, he lacks the generational discipline of his Nationals counterpart. Rather, Cross is a very aggressive hitter who tracks pitches well then unleashes on anything he likes, still making consistent contact but limiting his walks perhaps a bit more than you'd like and not always getting the pitch to drive. In the field, it's a corner outfield profile with a chance to be a solid defender in right field because of his strong left arm, but everyone knows they're drafting the bat here. I see Cross having more offensive upside than Kevin Parada, with the potential for 30+ home runs annually with high on-base percentages, though he does need to hone in that approach a bit and he won't provide nearly as much defensive value. As a Virginia Tech alum, I'm very excited to watch him go to work again this spring.

3. LHP Bryce Hubbart, Florida State.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 5'11", 190 lbs. Born 6/28/2001. Hometown: Windermere, FL.
2021: 6-5, 3.80 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 94/29 K/BB in 71 innings.
The 2022 Florida State weekend rotation will be as fun as it gets in college baseball, with lefties Bryce Hubbart and Parker Messick set to duke it out for the title of best pitching prospect in the ACC while highly regarded underclassmen Carson Montgomery and Jackson Baumeister will be among those vying for the third spot. While Messick was the team's best pitcher in 2021, it's Hubbart that has now pulled ahead as the frontrunner to be drafted first. He was strong albeit unspectacular as a sophomore this past spring, but absolutely took off in the Cape Cod League with a 0.87 ERA and a 45/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 31 innings. In fact, after allowing three runs in his first start, he locked in and allowed just one unearned run over his final five starts (spanning 27 innings) against elite competition. Hubbart sits in the low 90's with his fastball, but it's steadily creeped up and he's been showing more and more 93's, 94's, and higher as of late and has a chance to sit comfortably in the mid 90's when all is said and done. He rips off a wicked curveball that shows true plus, while his newer slider had the look of a plus pitch at its best on the Cape as well. Add in a solid changeup, and you have one of the best four pitch mixes in the country. He's variously listed between 5'11" and 6'1" depending on where you look, but regardless, he's not the most imposing presence on the mound physically. However, with long arms and legs for his size, the Orlando-area native still offers projection, while his lightning fast right arm adds to the upside. He shows solid average command most of the time, though he does a better job hitting spots with his fastball than with his offspeed stuff, the latter of which still misses plenty of bats simply due to its movement. In pro ball, hanging breaking balls get hammered even when they break like Hubbart's, so that's on the to-do list. To top it all off, he's young for the class with a June birthday, a big positive for some teams. There is serious top of the rotation upside here, and he's currently firmly in the first round picture with the chance to be the first college arm drafted if he pitches this spring like he did over the summer.

4. LHP Parker Messick, Florida State.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6', 225 lbs. Born 10/26/2000. Hometown: Plant City, FL.
2021: 8-2, 3.10 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 126/23 K/BB in 90 innings.
Bryce Hubbart's exceptional Cape run may have vaulted him ahead for now, it's Parker Messick who has the longest track record of success in the Florida State rotation. Messick was lights out in six relief appearances as a freshman (11.2 IP, 1 ER, 19/2 K/BB) and followed that up with a great sophomore season, sandwiched around a very strong run through the Florida Collegiate Summer League in 2020. While Hubbart is projectable and looks to continue trending up, Messick is much more about the now-product and figures to stay more or less the same. That's fine, because he's already a very good pitcher. The Tampa-area product sits in the low 90's with his fastball, topping out around 93-94, but it plays up because he hides the ball well and pitches with plenty of deception. He brings a full set of secondaries led by an above average changeup, though both the curveball and slider are consistently average and flash above as well. They lack power, but they show good shape and he consistently locates them to freeze hitters or send them flailing. Messick repeats his delivery well and has the look of a durable starting pitcher, with the ceiling of a #3 guy but a very high likelihood of becoming at least a #4 or a #5. It's probably an early second round projection right now, with the chance to pitch himself into the back of the first round if he can sharpen one of his breaking balls just a little bit. Though he and Hubbart are both Florida State lefties of similar height, that's where the similarities end and opposing lineups will have to be ready for two very different, equally difficult matchups every weekend.

5. LHP Carson Palmquist, Miami.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'3", 175 lbs. Born 10/17/2000. Hometown: Fort Myers, FL.
2021: 1-1, 2.22 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 75/8 K/BB in 44.2 innings.
Carson Palmquist is bound to split scouts as to his upside, because the results are undeniable but there just aren't many big league starting pitchers similar to him. He's coming off an exceptional spring out of the Miami bullpen in which he allowed just 34 baserunners in 44.2 innings (that's a .202 opponents on-base percentage if you're keeping track) and continued to shine with the US Collegiate National Team over the summer, and in 2022 he seems to be a frontrunner for ACC Pitcher of the Year. A true lefty sidearmer, his fastball has been steadily ticking up, from the upper 80's when he first got to Miami to the low 90's this spring and touching as high as 96. He adds a short, plus slider that's really difficult to pick up, as well as a solid changeup. The 6'3" lefty commands everything well and dominates the strike zone, controlling at bats from start to finish and leaving hitters more than a little frustrated when they just can't track his stuff. Palmquist probably comes with the highest floor in this conference, as a lefty sidearm reliever that touches 96 with a plus slider and command is already valuable as it is, but there are questions as to his upside. He averaged roughly five outs per appearance in 2021 and never went more than three innings, and there just aren't many sidearm starting pitchers in the big league as it is. His operation is comparable to Chris Sale, but Sale is an exception, not the rule. Now, if anybody can make that uphill climb to becoming a full time MLB starter from this starting point, it's him. It will be really interesting to see how Miami handles him in 2022, and if he does pick up 60-70 innings in the Hurricanes rotation without a drop off in effectiveness, it will be a first round profile.

6. RHP Henry Williams, Duke.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6'5", 200 lbs. Born 9/18/2001. Hometown: Darien, CT.
2021: 3-3, 3.65 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 45/10 K/BB in 37 innings.
Unlike the five names above him on this list, Henry Williams does not have a big track record either in the ACC or in summer ball. Instead, he's more of a projection play than anything else, but someone who many in the industry think is heading for a breakout in 2022. Williams only made one unsuccessful relief appearance in 2020, then was a steady member of the Duke rotation for the first month and a half of the 2021 season before going down with arm soreness in April, after which he only made one more appearance in the Knoxville regional. For now, his fastball sits in the low 90's, only topping out around 93, while his slider and changeup are solid to above average pitches but not true bat-missers yet. Projection is the name of the game, as the 6'5" righty has a ton of room to fill out his ideal pitcher's frame and figures to add significant power to his stuff. He has an extremely loose, athletic delivery that he repeats consistently, giving him above average command at a young age while simultaneously portending plenty of opportunity to add velocity as he gets stronger. The Connecticut product also gets high spin rates on all of his pitches, giving extra life to his fastball and sharpening the bite on his slider. To top it off, he's extremely young for the class and won't turn 21 until September, making him the youngest player on this list despite being a grade ahead of #1 ranked Kevin Parada. Everything in this profile, from the size and frame to the athleticism, present stuff, command, and youth, points to an ace in the making. His ceiling is as high as anybody on this list and he could be the first one drafted come next July, but projection is just projection until you actually make good on it so the to-do list is also longer than most other names here. It would be nice to see his fastball creep into that 94-95 range more often rather than sitting closer to 90, as it would be to see him get a few more whiffs on that slider, and teams will also want to see him last a full season in the Blue Devil rotation given he only has 37.2 career innings to his name. Check off those boxes and he could go in the top ten.

7. OF Dylan Brewer, Clemson.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'2", 180 lbs. Born 9/29/2000. Hometown: Latta, SC.
2021: 10 HR, .207/.332/.420, 6 SB, 65/29 K/BB in 49 games.
Dylan Brewer is one of the bigger boom or bust candidates in the conference. He has been very inconsistent at Clemson and struck out in 30% of his plate appearances this spring, but had a loud summer in the Coastal Plain League and slashed .350/.444/.608 while cutting his strikeout rate in half. Brewer is as tooled up as anyone in the conference, with plus raw power functioning as his carrying tool. He generates high exit velocities with long limbs and a strong frame, showing a smooth left handed hack. That swing can get long at times and he struggles with offspeed stuff, so for now the hit tool is well below average, but a patient approach and good pitch selection ability bode well for his ability to improve on it. An above average runner, he has a chance to be above average in right field and provide value on both sides of the ball. Going into 2022, scouts will be watching the swing and miss in Brewer's game closely, and if he can get his strikeout rate under 25% or so, he could go in the top two rounds. While the Coastal Plain League isn't quite the Cape, it still provides strong competition and his exceptional performance there bodes well for his ability to continue to improve as a hitter. He has power, speed, a professional approach, and is trending upward, so it's just time for those pure bat to ball skills to come around and tie the whole profile together.

8. OF Dalton Rushing, Louisville.
Bat: L. Throw: R. 5'11, 230 lbs. Born 2/21/2001. Hometown: Brighton, TN.
2021: 4 HR, .254/.342/.463, 1 SB, 21/8 K/BB in 28 games.
Louisville consistently has one of the deepest lineups in the ACC and therefore the country, so to this point, Dalton Rushing has not seen the field much. He's played just 38 games over two seasons and showed well (.269/.364/.495), but it was his time on the Cape that really boosted his stock. This summer, he hit .319/.406/.543 with seven home runs against the best competition in college baseball, and he'll hope to carry that momentum into a season where he figures to get more consistent playing time. He shows above average raw power from the left side, a product of big time strength in his compact 5'11" frame as well as a simple swing that helps him find the barrel consistently in games. As a bat-first prospect without supplemental tools, pressure will fall on his hit tool, which has been inconsistent so far. While he's never had trouble producing against any level of competition, there has always been some lingering swing and miss in his game and scouts will want to see him drop his strikeout rate preferably below 20% in 2022. Rushing is a below average athlete who will be limited to first base or left field in pro ball, so continued strikeout concerns would make some teams very wary of betting on his bat. The good news is he actually showed less swing and miss on the Cape than he did in the ACC, so he has every chance to carry that progress over to his junior season and show a bat everyone can fall in love with. There is some Zach DeLoach in this profile as a left handed hitting, bat-first prospect that didn't produce much as an underclassman before breaking out on the Cape. At best, Rushing could hit 20+ home runs per season with solid on-base percentages, so he could hit his way into the second round very easily.

9. OF Chris Newell, Virginia.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'3", 200 lbs. Born 4/23/2001. Hometown: Newtown Square, PA.
2021: 5 HR, .258/.336/.397, 13 SB, 75/17 K/BB in 58 games.
This profile reminds me a bit of Jeren Kendall from his Vanderbilt days, except that Chris Newell is five inches taller. Newell was an ultra talented prep coming out of the suburban Philadelphia high school ranks in 2019, where he could have cracked the top couple of rounds, but made it to campus at Virginia and promptly hit .407/.545/.729 in his abbreviated 18 game freshman season. However, after setting that extremely high bar for himself, his sophomore season was a bit more uneven and it took eight hits (including two home runs) in his final fourteen at bats to bump his final line up to .258/.336/.397. After riding that little hot stretch to salvage the season, he took that momentum into the Cape Cod League where he slashed a very respectable .256/.307/.488 with five home runs in 21 games. Newell, like Dylan Brewer above him on this list, is one of the toolsiest players in the conference, if with perhaps a bit more athleticism and a bit less power. He does show above average power from the left side, a product of the twitchy strength in his 6'3" frame and a healthy uppercut hack, and he tapped that power with wood bats on the Cape. He's a very aggressive hitter, leading to a below average hit tool and an extremely streaky bat, so that will be very important to monitor in 2022. Newell's steep swing compounds those hit tool questions as well, and he struck out in a third of his plate appearances last spring and 28% on the Cape. When he's seeing the ball well, he looks like he could fit very close to the top of the draft and at his best ranks within the top tier of prospects in this conference, but he goes through prolonged stretches where he really struggles to make an impact at the plate. He offsets those slumps a bit by providing value on defense, with plus speed and a strong arm making him an asset in center field and far and away the best defender on this list. There's more variation in this profile than most, with an easy shot at hitting himself into the first round but perhaps an equal chance he finds himself in the third or fourth round after another spring with 25%+ strikeout rates.

10. LHP Michael Prosecky, Louisville.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'3", 200 lbs. Born 2/28/2001. Hometown: Westchester, IL.
2021: 0-0, 8.31 ERA, 2.65 WHIP, 10/7 K/BB in 8.2 innings.
Like Chris Newell, Michael Prosecky came to campus as one of the highest rated recruits in the country. However, he's managed just 26.2 innings so far in two years at Louisville and has been wholly unremarkable, especially this spring when he allowed nearly two hits and a walk per inning. However, it looks like he found something on the Cape, where he posted a 1.61 ERA and a 30/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 22.1 innings in a long relief role, and he's carried that momentum into fall practice with reports that he's looking much better than his first two seasons. His fastball sits in the low 90's but reportedly touched 97 this fall, and he backs that up with a full arsenal. Prosecky's curveball stands out as his best secondary, an above average pitch that has gotten much more consistent, while he adds a slider and changeup that both flash above average as well. Throughout his time at Louisville, the 6'3" lefty has fluctuated between struggling to find the strike zone and getting hit hard when his pitches catch to much plate, but he has an easy, repeatable delivery that has his command trending in the right direction. It's still probably fringe average until we see him prove it more in ACC play, but it's at least a half grade better than it was a year ago and he has a chance for above average command down the line. The Chicago-area product has a lot to prove in 2022, having never completed four innings either at Louisville or on the Cape in 2021, which is why he ranks so low on this list, but that could change quickly.

Honorable mentions (with 2021 stats):
3B Luke Gold (Boston College): 9 HR, .316/.364/.576, 2 SB, 31/13 K/BB in 44 games.
LHP Nate Savino (Virginia): 3-3, 3.79 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 34/16 K/BB in 54.2 innings.
RHP Zach Maxwell (Georgia Tech): 2-2, 3.09 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 56/41 K/BB in 32 innings.
This list is only supposed to be ten, but three players are really close in my opinion and find themselves in the same tier as Dalton Rushing, Chris Newell, and Michael Prosecky. Luke Gold flew under the radar a bit behind big 2021 bats Sal Frelick and Cody Morissette at Boston College last year, but it's his turn to continue what's shaping up to be a surprising draft dynasty in Chestnut Hill. He lacks big tools, but is simply a professional hitter that gets the job done at the plate and showed some interesting power with six home runs on the Cape (while slashing .267/.363/.523). Gold has a simple, direct right handed swing which combines with that strength to provide consistent, usual game power even if he's not battering the parking lot in batting practice, and strong feel for the barrel gets him on base very consistently. He doesn't walk much because he makes consistent contact early in the count. Defensively, he looks like a fringy second or third baseman, with first base a possibility. Nate Savino is one of the more well-known names in the conference after reclassifying out of the 2020 draft to enroll early at Virginia, though like many other Virginia pitchers lately, his progress has stalled in Charlottesville. While he's been very effective for a teenager and his fastball has hit 95, it can also sit around 90 at times. He throws an above average slider and a fringe average changeup, but together, he just hasn't missed many bats. Savino has average command, but given his extreme youth (he won't even turn 20 until January), there's a very good chance he ends up above average in that regard. The 6'3" lefty might have been a first round pick in 2020 if he hadn't reclassified, so he'll look to recapture that pedigree this spring as one of the youngest four year college players available. Lastly, Zach Maxwell has the best pure stuff in the conference, but he has also walked 57 batters in 46.1 innings at Georgia Tech so far. Maxwell is a huge 6'6", 280 pound righty with a mid 90's fastball that has touched triple digits, adding a vicious slider with spin rates near 3000 that looks like a plus-plus pitch when he locates it. At this point, he has very poor command with a jerky delivery and a lack of coordination in his massive frame, so at bats can be very uncomfortable. Barring a transformation in 2022 and having never thrown more than three innings in an appearance at Georgia Tech, it's unlikely the Atlanta-area product ever becomes a starter in pro ball, but if he can improve his command to even a 40 grade, he has closer upside. There are some shades of pre-2020 Bobby Miller here, but Maxwell has an even more extreme profile with more size and less command.