2022 MLB Draft Review: Oakland Athletics

Full list of draftees

The A's drafted four consecutive position players to start off the draft, including three outfielders that all have a broad enough skill set to develop into true five tool players. They kind of spent the rest of the draft playing bonus catchup after going more than $650,000 above slot value to sign second rounder Henry Bolte and six figures over slot again to sign third rounder Colby Thomas, but they have to feel great about getting a whole new outfield and a potential starting catcher all early in the draft. There are no slam dunk starting pitchers in this class, with the first two arms they selected showing considerable stuff but difficulty harnessing it and perhaps their best bet, eleventh rounder Christian Oppor, turning them down so he could attend JuCo in Florida.
Full index of team reviews here. Full rankings here.

1-19: C Daniel Susac, Arizona. My rank: #15.
Slot value: $3.53 million. Signing bonus: $3.53 million.
The A's got great value here in the back of the teens, landing a catcher that many thought was talented enough to go in the top ten picks. The younger brother of former Giants catcher Andrew Susac, Daniel is also a hometown kid that grew up in the northeastern Sacramento suburb of Roseville, meanwhile commuting to Carmichael to attend Jesuit High School. He earned a lot of draft attention there in the five round 2020 draft, but opted to head to Arizona for college and that move paid off. Susac made an immediate impact in Tucson, slashing .335/.392/.591 with twelve home runs as a freshman, then stepped it up a notch in 2022 by slashing .366/.429/.582 with twelve more home runs and a 52/23 strikeout to walk ratio over 64 games. Working with a strong, long limbed, 6'4" frame, he produces high exit velocities from the right side that give him plus raw power when he lifts the ball. He's an aggressive hitter whose 7.4% walk rate was actually the lowest on my entire draft board this spring, but his above average bat to ball skills help him make a ton of hard contact regardless and strikeouts have never been an issue. In pro ball, he'll probably want to refine that approach a little bit as pitchers start to take advantage of the chases, but it's not terribly concerning given the rest of the profile. Behind the plate, he stands out as one of the better pitch framers in the class, so he'll provide immense value in that regard until MLB one day implements robo umps. His defense is otherwise average, enough to help him stick back there but he probably won't be winning many Gold Gloves. Together, it's an everyday catcher's profile that could produce 25+ home runs annually with solid on-base percentages. Two of the Athletics' past three first round picks have been catchers from the Central Valley, with Susac joining Turlock's Tyler Soderstrom, though Soderstrom is playing less and less catcher. Susac debuted in the Arizona Complex League and picked up three hits in his first two games.

2-56: OF Henry Bolte, Palo Alto HS [CA]. My rank: #41.
Slot value: $1.34 million. Signing bonus: $2 million ($658,100 above slot value).
After going local to the east with the Sacramento area's Daniel Susac, the A's went local again to the west by grabbing Henry Bolte out of Palo Alto High School. Bolte didn't come cheap, costing more than $650,000 above slot value to sign away from a Texas commitment, but he has a chance to be a special hitter in Oakland. He's a great athlete with a big, physical 6'3" frame oozing with tools. His right handed swing produces a ton of torque and high exit velocities, so the next step there will be helping him loft the ball more effectively and turn that plus raw power into more home runs in games. He also has a ways to go with his approach at the plate, but he does show the ability to impact the ball to all fields and should take well to pro pitching with a little refinement. Bolte has plus speed that could keep him in center field, where his plus arm could make him a Gold Glover if it all comes together. There is huge upside here as a potential five tool player, and he's not terribly far off from that ceiling for a high schooler. Oakland may opt to take it slow with their potential future star, but this will be a fun one to track and he has two hits in his first six at bats in the ACL.

CBB-69: OF Clark Elliott, Michigan. My rank: #81.
Slot value: $977,500. Signing bonus: $900,000 ($77,500 below slot value).
Clark Elliott has a lot of fans out in the Midwest, and it looks like the A's were among them. He didn't put up big numbers in his first two years at Michigan, but turned a lot of heads when he hit .344/.464/.478 with a strong 20/17 strikeout to walk ratio in the elite Cape Cod League last summer. He continued that success in Ann Arbor this spring, where he hit .337/.460/.630 with 16 home runs and a 56/49 strikeout to walk ratio over 61 games. Elliott has plenty of wiry strength in his lean 6' frame and has always shown strong feel for the barrel, previously employing a line drive, all-fields approach. In 2022, he began turning on and elevating the ball more effectively, tapping some pull side power that should play in pro ball. There are some concerns over his ability to handle quality breaking stuff, but overall it's a very well-rounded offensive profile augmented by plus speed that will help him stay in center field. There's no one plus tool here aside from that speed, but the Chicago-area native projects to be a well-rounded profile that can impact the game in a number of ways. He walked and scored in his first game in the ACL.

3-95: OF Colby Thomas, Mercer. My rank: #71.
Slot value: $642,100. Signing bonus: $750,000 ($107,900 above slot value).
The A's rounded out their outfield by selecting Colby Thomas out of Mercer, and he has a chance to be the best player in the group. He was up and down as an underclassman then showed well in the Cape Cod League last summer before breaking out in 2022 with a .325/.451/.734 slash line, 17 home runs, and a 32/34 strikeout to walk ratio over 42 games. Thomas is not huge at a listed 6', 190 pounds, but he can really put a charge into a baseball with a very leveraged right handed swing, great bat speed, and strong feel for the barrel. Those 17 home runs in 42 games this year were no fluke, and he should continue to hit for power in pro ball. Previously an aggressive hitter with some swing and miss in his game, the South Georgia native smoothed that out considerably this year and walked more than he struck out. It remains to be seen how Thomas handles the jump to professional pitching from the Southern Conference, but if it goes smoothly, this could end up being a steal of a pick. Meanwhile, he's not quite as fast as Henry Bolte or Clark Elliott, but he is a good runner that has a shot at center field if he hits and those guys don't or if Bolte slows down as he fills out. He has a good arm to top it off, giving him a chance to be a five tool player just like the other two outfielders here.

4-124: RHP Jacob Watters, West Virginia. My rank: #146.
Slot value: $483,500. Signing bonus: $491,750 ($8,250 above slot value).
The first pitcher of the draft for Oakland is an interesting one. Jacob Watters didn't get much exposure growing up in one of the most remote corners of Virginia, so he ended up on campus at West Virginia and has shown off some of the more impressive arm strength in the class. The numbers weren't pretty this year, with a 6.22 ERA and a 75/41 strikeout to walk ratio over 59.1 innings as a swingman, but he did strike out fifteen Longhorns during a start against Texas in May and there is a lot to work with. Watters sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and can touch triple digits in relief, just overpowering hitters when they're not explicitly sitting on the pitch. His curveball is his best pitch, coming in with huge spin and tight break, and together it's one of the better fastball/curveball combinations out there. He also throws a changeup, but it's well behind the fastball and curveball. Watters has shown well in relief but has really struggled as a starter, where his below average command really hurts him and he struggles to maintain his stuff. The 6'4", 230 pound righty is country strong and does have a chance to start if he can get that command ironed out and work on his changeup, but his most likely destination is the bullpen where he'll rely on the fastball and curveball. It's a fun profile with some upside here in the fourth round.

5-154: RHP Jack Perkins, Indiana. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $361,000. Signing bonus: $270,750 ($90,250 below slot value).
The A's spent big on their first five picks and now in the fifth round find themselves nearly $700,000 over their bonus pool pick for pick, so the money savings start in earnest here. Jack Perkins had serious draft interest out of Louisville last year, but walked 22 batters 16 innings and decided to stay in school. He transferred from Louisville to Indiana, which was closer to home, and got the opportunity to start that he wouldn't have gotten at Louisville. This year, he put up a 5.10 ERA and a 91/47 strikeout to walk ratio over 83 innings for the Hoosiers, unremarkable numbers on the surface but a big step forward from where he was. Perkins can sit in the low to mid 90's with his fastball, getting up to 97 in relief and coming in with big spin rates, but there were times in 2022 where he hung closer to 90. He works in vicious, plus slider that looks like one of the better breaking balls in the draft at its best, while also showing a cutter and a changeup. The Kokomo native's command improved from non-playable in 2021 to below average in 2022 as he smoothed out his delivery considerably, and if he moves back to the bullpen in pro ball, it should be good enough. Given how he couldn't quite maintain his stuff in a starting role, in addition to the command questions, I think the bullpen is where he belongs, and he could be a nasty reliever if the transition goes how it should. Aside from being a year older and a few inches shorter, there are some similarities here to Jacob Watters.

6-184: 3B Brennan Milone, Oregon. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $277,300. Signing bonus: $200,00 ($77,300 below slot value).
Brennan Milone was a big name for the 2019 draft out of high school in the Atlanta area, but made it to campus at South Carolina where he played sparingly and struggled to make an impact for two years. Looking for a change of scenery, he transferred across the country to Oregon this year and broke out with a .337/.405/.545 slash line, 12 home runs, and a 36/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 60 games for the Ducks. He makes a ton of contact from the right side, with a strong approach at the plate and good pitch recognition ability. Though there isn't huge power in his 6'1" frame, he finds the barrel frequently enough to tap what he has, and should continue to hit for impact at the next level. It's not the most exciting offensive profile, but he should get on base and could hit around 15 home runs per season at his peak if things break right. He's an average defender with enough arm for third base, adding to the well rounded profile here. To top it off, he's young for a college junior and only turned 21 in May, adding a little extra development time, not that he really needs it. He picked up two hits, including a double, in his first four at bats in the ACL while adding a walk.

8-244: RHP Micah Dallas, Texas A&M. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $177,100. Signing bonus: $125,000 ($52,100 below slot value).
Micah Dallas earned some draft attention after a successful three year career at Texas Tech, but decided to transfer to Texas A&M for his senior season rather than turning pro. The results were more good than great with a 5.18 ERA and an 86/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 81.2 innings, so all in all his stock is roughly in the same place it was last year. He sits around 90 with his fastball usually a tick above and tops out around 93, coming in with steep angle. His best pitch is a downer slider, while he also works in a solid changeup. It's not the loudest stuff in the draft, but he's a bulldog on the mound that throws everything with conviction, daring hitters to hit it, and as a result walks have not been an issue for him. The 6'2" righty throws with some effort and given the average stuff, he's probably better suited for bullpen work where it can hopefully take a step forward, and his demeanor would work very well in that role. He never quite took the step forward I was hoping to see, but I still like this pick as an eighth round money saver.

13-394: RHP Jake Pfennigs, Oregon State. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $125,000.
The A's picked up an interesting senior sign in Jake Pfennigs, though it will take some work to make him a major league option. He did a good job keeping runs off the board in 2022 with a 3.96 ERA for Oregon State, but was otherwise mediocre with a 1.79 WHIP and a 30/27 strikeout to walk ratio over 36.1 innings. He stands 6'7" with a high release point, giving his low 90's fastball some of the most extreme downhill plane in college baseball. Despite that, its generic movement makes it extremely straight and easy to square up, so the A's will want to play with his release and find a way to help the pitch play better to its slot. He works with a slider, curve, and changeup to round out his arsenal, with decent feel for spin that can keep hitters off his fastball but nothing to this point that misses a ton of bats. Oakland's main focus will be that fastball, but helping him sharpen up at least one offspeed pitch will help too. The northern Idaho native throws enough strikes to make it work, and it's hard to find another prospect with his release characteristics so they have themselves a unicorn. He's probably middle inning reliever but he could crack it as a #5 starter if everything breaks right and the A's unlock something with his fastball.

Ole Miss, Texas Tech, and Gunnar Hoglund’s coming out party

Originally published in Prospects Worldwide on February 25th.

It was a gorgeous, 73 degree day at Globe Life Field on Sunday, something that wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary in Arlington, Texas, even in February. However, it stood in stark contrast to the previous week, when temperatures plummeted near zero in the very same parking lot and millions of Texans were left in the dark. I spent the week huddled in my dark apartment with ice creeping through the window frames, alternating between eating canned tuna and braving the snowy, hour-long drive through line at the Whataburger, which served as a metaphorical soup kitchen for a desperate Metroplex. By Friday, when the State Farm College Baseball Showdown was set to start, temperatures had finally peaked just above freezing, but the tournament was delayed by a day as the Lone Star State continued to grapple with busted pipes, unsafe drinking water, and continued power outages.

On the way into the ballpark on Sunday, there was an extra light-heartedness in the air, as thawed-out fans made their way past the last melting piles of snow and laughed. “I thought it was supposed to be colder today, but it’s beautiful out,” a man decked out in Red Raider red exclaimed. We were on our way to see Texas Tech match up with Ole Miss in a top ten matchup – well, technically every game that weekend was a top ten matchup. Once the TCU Horned Frogs downed the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the morning tilt, the Rebels and Red Raiders took the field.

Gunnar Hoglund

The Rebel ace could have easily started Friday, but I was lucky enough to catch him on a Sunday. Gunnar Hoglund has long been a household name for scouts, ever since he was the 36th overall pick by the Pirates out of Fivay High School in the Tampa suburbs in 2018. At the time, he showed good command of a low to mid 90’s fastball that had touched 96, but his secondary pitches needed refinement and the Pirates couldn’t meet his asking price. The big righty headed north to Oxford, Mississippi, where he held his own as a freshman in the SEC: 5.29 ERA, 53/14 K/BB in 68 IP. He came out much stronger in 2020, posting a 1.16 ERA and a 37/4 K/BB over 23.1 innings.

Coming into the season, scouts had a lot of questions for Hoglund to answer. After flashing a fastball up to 96 in high school, he regularly pitched in the upper 80’s and scraped 91-92 at his fastest for the Rebels. That 90-ish fastball came with impeccable command, arguably the best in the class, a product of a simple, clean, very easy delivery. It was clear Hoglund could throw harder if he wanted to. He had set a loopy curveball from his high school days off to the side in favor of a tighter slider, while his changeup remained his third pitch. So, we all knew he had both the arm strength and command, but would we ever see it at the same time?

Gunnar answered that in the first inning on Sunday. Right out of the gate, he sat 94-95 in the first inning and touched 96 multiple times. The slider looked sharper, too, coming in at 85-87, a few ticks higher than it had been in the past. Dru Baker, Cal Conley, and Dylan Neuse went down in order in the first, and off we went. He didn’t hold that velocity all game, instead ticking down to the 92-94 range for the bulk of his start before coming out 90-92 in his sixth and final inning, but even at the end he was throwing as hard as he ever had in Rebel blue.

While his command wasn’t pinpoint, Hoglund used his riding fastball to induce plenty of whiffs up in the zone, while his tight slider missed a number of bats in its own right. There were blemishes, such as a two run home run from Nate Rombach and an opposite field bomb from Dylan Neuse, both off fastballs, and he did walk three. However, two of the three walks were full count battles that took hard battles (Neuse) and tough takes (Kurt Wilson) to get there. In all, I was not concerned with Hoglund’s strike throwing despite his own high standards.

The final stat line wasn’t the shiniest: 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 11 K.

But I choose to look at those eleven strikeouts (of twenty two batters faced), a factor of his newfound stuff. Outside of those few isolated incidents of hard contact from Rombach and Neuse, two extremely talented hitters in their own right, the majority of the Texas Tech lineup was overwhelmed by the stuff and struggled to touch him. Hoglund showed the same effortless delivery he’s always had, and as he gets more comfortable throwing in this higher velocity band, I think his command will remain plus. He was also flipping in that slider much more often than he has in the past, something else he’ll need to get comfortable with as opposed to pitching mostly off the fastball. Going forward, he’ll need to show that command, and he’ll also need to work in a changeup more often if he wants to go in the first round. But Sunday was a big step towards that.

Micah Dallas

Toeing the rubber against Hoglund was Texas Tech’s Micah Dallas, himself one of the top prospects in the Big 12. However, the North Texas native was not as sharp pitching forty miles from his hometown of Aubrey. Homeschooled in high school, he was unfazed by the Lonely Lubbock Lights (big props if you can tell me which West Texan sings that song) and was strong as a freshman (4.03 ERA, 84/28 K/BB). Then, like Hoglund, he was lights out as a sophomore in 2020 (0.57 ERA, 23/1 K/BB in 15.2 IP).

Dallas sat 90-91 for most of his outing, throwing up a few more 89’s later in the start. He leaned heavily on his low 80’s curveball, a pitch which flashes plus at its best. His delivery is not nearly as smooth as Hoglund’s, but he throws with conviction and pounds the zone nonetheless. From the start, it was clear that he did not have his best stuff, which is extremely dangerous against a lineup like Ole Miss, but he worked through it and held the Rebels off the board for the first two innings. However, they gradually began to figure him out, putting together more and more hard contact and broke through in the third. He never made it out of that inning, finishing with five runs (two earned) on three hits, two walks, and two strikeouts in 2.2 innings.

The Rebels’ five run third didn’t come out of nowhere. Jacob Gonzalez blasted a ball into the right field seats in the first inning, but it landed just to the right of the foul pole and he struck out later in the at bat. Ben Van Cleve roped a hot shot to third in the second inning, only to see it snared by Cal Conley. Trey LaFleur scorched one right at left fielder Max Marusak in the third. A few batters later, Gonzalez finally got him with a home run to the left of the foul pole, while Hayden Dunhurst and Hayden Leatherwood joined the party with singles of their own.

Micah Dallas has some work to do to prove he can start. The 89-91 velocity won’t quite be enough, and he already throws with some effort and lacks projection in his 6’2″ frame. But the building blocks are there. The curveball is an above average pitch that looks plus at its best, and it just flattened out as he leaned on it more and more heavily on Sunday. The Rebel hitters were able to sit back and wait for it. It also didn’t help that he fell behind in the count at times. The stuff played great out of the bullpen last year, and if he is forced into that role in pro ball, he could thrive with his competitiveness and ability to throw his stuff with convicion.

Brendan Girton

Once Leatherwood’s single knocked Dallas from the game, Texas Tech brought in true freshman Brendan Girton for his collegiate debut. Hailing from the tiny town of Gage in northwestern Oklahoma, Girton was a notable draft prospect at nearby Shattuck High School but headed across the South Plains to campus in Lubbock. Immediately, the 6’1″, 230 pound righty put his power arm on display. In 3.1 innings, he would strike out four batters while allowing two hits and one walk, and none crossed the plate.

Girton ended the third inning on a pair of fastballs at 94, then touched 96 a few times in the fourth before dipping to more 92-93 in the fifth. He must have known the sixth would be his final inning, because he ratcheted it back up to 96 a few times to close it out. He also flashed a low 80’s slider, but really struggled to get it down. Out of the dozen or so that he threw, no more than a couple were located below the belt. Still, the fastball was effective enough to keep Rebel hitters off the slider, and overall he was the most effective Red Raider pitcher of the day. Going forward, Girton will have to work on locating that slider better, and he has a reliever outlook for now.

Hayden Dunhurst, Jacob Gonzalez

Hayden Dunhurst and Jacob Gonzalez may have grown up in very different places, but they’re two of the most talented recruits to make it to campus in Oxford over the last couple of seasons and they both had loud days at the dish. Dunhurst was a nationally-known name at Pearl River Central High School in the small southern Mississippi town of Carriere, then stayed in state for school. Gonzalez, meanwhile, was a talented draft prospect in his own right, coming all the way across the country from the Los Angeles suburb of Glendora. They were both in Arlington this weekend, and both showed why they are the future of Ole Miss baseball.

Dunhurst had already elevated his stock with five home runs in seventeen games as a freshman last year, placing himself near the top of the 2022 draft. He had himself a nice game, starting off by working a four pitch walk off Micah Dallas. In his next at bat, he lined a single into right field to give the Rebels a lead they wouldn’t give back, and he showed off his all-fields approach by lining a 93 MPH Brendan Girton fastball the other way in the sixth inning, though it was right at left fielder Max Marusak. He finished his night by knocking a ball straight into the dirt in front of home plate, only to be tagged out by catcher Nate Rombach before he left the batters box.

Gonzalez, meanwhile, had the louder night with the bat. In his first at bat of his second career game, he nearly took Dallas deep but hooked it just to the right of the foul pole. The ball had enough distance to get out, but it will show up as a strikeout in the box score. He righted the ship in the next at bat, blasting a hanging Dallas curveball to the correct side of the foul pole to tie the game at two apiece. And the next time up, he turned around 94 from Girton for a single to right. He finished his night with a strikeout at the hands of veteran lefty Eli Riechmann, but I came away extremely impressed with his bat. Gonzalez is just 18 years old, so keep an eye on him for the 2023 draft.

Nate Rombach, Dylan Neuse

Texas Tech had some interesting bats as well. Nate Rombach and Dylan Neuse both showed off for their hometown fans as sons of the Metroplex. Rombach attended the same Mansfield Legacy High School as Noah Syndergaard, then took Lubbock by storm by blasting six home runs in nineteen games as a freshman. In his first start of 2021, Rombach announced his presence loudly by blasting a 93 MPH Gunnar Hoglund fastball over the left center field fence, the first home run Hoglund had allowed in over 32 innings. In his next at bat, he got Hoglund again, this time squaring up an 87 MPH slider for a single to left field. Redshirt senior Austin Miller gave him a different look in his third at bat, and he ripped a mid 70’s curveball foul. Miller ended up catching him looking for the strikeout, so you won’t see it in the box score, but Rombach absolutely scorched three different pitches during the day – a fastball at 93, a hard slider, and a slow curveball. Max Cioffi got him swinging on a low 90’s fastball in the ninth, but Romach had already made his point for the day.

Dylan Neuse has been around a bit longer, as he has already been eligible for three different drafts before this one. The younger brother of Dodgers infielder and Oklahoma alum Sheldon Neuse, Dylan began his career at McLennan JC in Waco before transferring to Texas Tech. He hit .298/.408/.494 as a sophomore in 2019 then .355/.438/.487 as a junior in 2020, but went undrafted in the shortened event. Gunnar Hoglund struck out the Fort Worth native in that first-inning-heard-round-the-country mentioned earlier, but Neuse made adjustments and got his payback. He worked a really tough full count walk off the command master in the third inning, showing off his exceptional plate discipline. Then in the sixth inning, he really got Hoglund, taking 92 the other way for an opposite field home run. Anybody concerned about the power output from the 5’9″ right handed hitter likely came away less so after seeing that. Neuse did drop a fly ball near the warning track in center field, which wasn’t a great look but he might not have much experience playing in indoor stadiums. In all, he profiles as an all-around player who doesn’t stand out with any particular tool, but can beat you with strong feel for the barrel and the ability to make his tools play up.

Peyton Pallette

We’ll finish off with Peyton Pallette, who started on the mound for Arkansas against Texas. I needed to get home for something and couldn’t stay the whole time, but I caught the first two innings and I’m glad I did. Benton High School outside of Little Rock has been good to Arkansas before, sending them Cliff Lee, and they might have struck gold again. Pallette got into four games as a true freshman last year, allowing three runs (one earned) over 5.2 innings in relief. He wasn’t the most likely candidate to start a top ten matchup on a loaded pitching staff that includes Patrick Wicklander, Connor Noland, Zebulon Vermillion, and even freshman Nick Griffin, so I was slightly disappointed to I didn’t get to see a bigger name.

It took precisely one pitch, a 95 mile per hour fastball, to realize I was in for a treat. Before I could blink, Pallette had set down Austin Todd, Eric Kennedy, and Mike Antico in order, and this wasn’t just any trio; the three had 373 games and 342 hits combined under their belts, making for one of the most experienced, disciplined, and consistent top three’s of any lineup in the country. They didn’t look like it Sunday. Pallette never threw a fastball under 95 as he blew pitch after pitch by them, snapping off a sharp breaking ball as well that nobody could touch.

It only took Texas starter Tristan Stevens ten pitches to work through the bottom of the first inning, so I barely had a chance to even process what I just saw before he was back on the mound again. As brilliant as the first inning was, the second was better. Pallette set down Zach Zubia, Trey Faltine, and Ivan Melendez on strikes, the latter two on six straight fastballs at 95. Unreal. Unfortunately I had to leave after that sixth straight strike, but he went on to toss 4.1 shutout innings and strike out eight of the seventeen batters he faced. He wasn’t a priority follow coming into the season, but with just one start he’s rocketed himself into 2022 draft conversation with that wicked fastball/curveball combination.

2021 MLB Draft: an early look at the Big 12

Originally published on Prospects Worldwide on September 16th.

It’s always about projection this early in the draft process, but in 2021 that’s even more the case because we don’t have a full sophomore season to lean back on. That means for most players, aside from four brief weeks of action and whatever summer ball they played, we really just have their freshman seasons to look back on. Naturally, there are more arms that stand out at this point because it’s easier to spot upticks in stuff than improved plate discipline or power. That’s certainly the case in the Big 12, where nine out of the ten names on this list are pitchers. Overall, though, it’s a weak year for the conference at least for now, with only one first round prospect at this point (Ty Madden) and only four or five that fit into the top five rounds for now.

1. RHP Ty Madden, Texas

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’3″, 215 lbs. Born 2/21/2000. Hometown: Cypress, TX
2019-2020: 7-1, 2.81 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 63/28 K/BB in 67.1 IP.

Easily the top prospect in the Big 12 for now, Ty Madden will take over for Bryce Elder (5th round, Braves) in leading a very talented Texas staff. The Houston-area native was strong as a freshman in 2019 (3.40 ERA, 37/24 K/BB) but took it to another level in the shortened 2020 season, putting up a 1.80 ERA and a 26/4 strikeout to walk ratio over 25 innings against a pretty strong non-conference schedule that included a gutsy quality start against a loaded Arkansas lineup. That was sandwiched around a strong run through the Cape Cod League as an underclassman in 2019 (3.33 ERA, 28/14 K/BB in 27 IP), and he’s looking to 2020 to put it all together.

Madden has a great pitcher’s frame at 6’3″ and with a low to mid 90’s fastball that can reach 96, he has the velocity to match. His best pitch might be his slider, though, bringing mid 80’s velocity and showing late, sharp bite that misses bats in bunches. He has great feel for the pitch and can manipulate its angle, which will serve him very well as his game continues to mature. Furthermore, he can morph it into a solid average curveball, though the breaking ball is at its best when it’s a true slider. Lastly, he brings an above average changeup that can flash plus at times, giving him multiple weapons.

All of that points to a career as a starter for Madden, but he will likely need a strong, full season in the Longhorns rotation in 2021 in order to prove it. His arm action is a bit funky, with a short stabbing motion in the back before he turns and fires to the plate. His strike throwing improved considerably from 2019 (13% BB rate) to 2020 (4.1%), to the point where scouts peg him with at least average command, which partially assuages those arm action concerns. The other side, of course, is injury risk, though he’s proven durable for Texas so far. Still, he’ll need to prove he can hold his velocity and command over a full season in the rotation to truly make scouts comfortable, as he won’t get the benefit of the doubt that guys with cleaner, more traditional arm actions receive.

2. LHP Jordan Wicks, Kansas State

Bat: L. Throw: L. 6’3″, 220 lbs. Born 9/1/1999. Hometown: Conway, AR
2019-2020: 9-3, 2.85 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 112/30 K/BB in 110.2 IP.

While Ty Madden remains the top prospect in the Big 12, Jordan Wicks is easily the fastest riser. The Conway, Arkansas native announced his presence with a very effective freshman season for Kansas State with a 3.61 ERA and an 86/26 strikeout to walk ratio over 84.2 innings, but it’s what he’s done since then that has made scouts sit up and pay attention. Combining his shortened 2020 season with Kansas State with an exceptional run through the Northwoods League, Wicks is 5-0 with a 0.39 ERA, a 0.74 WHIP, and a 55/9 strikeout to walk ratio across 46 innings this calendar year – that’ll play.

There’s really not much to dislike with Wicks at all. Coming from a durable 6’3″ frame, he throws with clean arm action and gets a little bit of crossfire from a closed off delivery, hiding the ball well along the way. His fastball sits in the low 90’s and peaks around 93, nothing crazy but enough given the rest of his profile. His changeup is a plus pitch that has fooled hitters throughout his college career, coming in with great fading action to the arm side that plays especially well off his delivery. There’s a pair of breaking balls as well, though at this point, they play better off his other stuff than on their own.

The changeup is certainly his weapon, but his above average command combined with his deception makes everything play up significantly. Wicks’ name is gaining steam fast and he could be challenging Madden by the spring, with a pretty high floor already as a back-end starter. An uptick in either his velocity or his breaking stuff could push him into the back of the first round conversation, and an uptick in both (which is very plausible given his clean delivery and high spin rates) will put him right smack in the middle of it.

3. RHP Brandon Birdsell, Texas Tech

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’2″, 210 lbs. Born 3/23/2000. Hometown: Willis, TX
2019-2020 (@ TX A&M/San Jac. CC): 6-0, 3.09 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 51/13 K/BB in 35 IP.

Brandon Birdsell was part of the best rotation in junior college baseball in 2019, with his San Jacinto rotation-mates Luke Little (Cubs, 4th round) and Mitchell Parker (Nationals, 5th round) both getting drafted. Birdsell was talented enough to warrant a draft selection as well and some saw him as the best prospect in that rotation, but he instead set his sights on building his stock across the state at Texas Tech. Having lost Clayton Beeter (Dodgers, comp round), Bryce Bonnin (Reds, third round), and John McMillon (Royals, undrafted), the Red Raiders rotation is wide open, and Birdsell is one of the frontrunners to stand out on yet another talented pitching staff in Lubbock.

If anything, the 6’2″ right hander has a power arm. His fastball sits in the low 90’s and has been trending upwards, hitting 97 in his final start of the abbreviated 2020 season. He backs that up with a rapidly improving slider that has tightened into an above average pitch, and it was a true weapon for him at San Jac. He’s also steadily refining his changeup, and with a durable frame, smooth delivery, and solid strike throwing ability, he is looking more and more like a mid-rotation starter.

Having thrown just 35 innings in his college career so far, there isn’t much of a track record here, but what he has shown in a small sample is as good as any arm in the Big 12. Going out and maintaining his positive trajectory in Lubbock in 2021 could send him flying up draft boards. Like Madden, he’s also from the Houston area, albeit a bit farther out.

4. RHP Micah Dallas, Texas Tech

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’2″, 205 lbs. Born 4/14/2000. Hometown: Aubrey, TX
2019-2020: 8-2, 3.44 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 107/29 K/BB in 91.2 IP.

Brandon Birdsell won’t be the only one looking to jump into that wide-open Texas Tech rotation. Micah Dallas was strong as a freshman in 2019 (7-2, 4.03 ERA, 84/28 K/BB) but was bumped back to the bullpen in 2020, where he was absolutely untouchable. In five relief appearances averaging more than three innings apiece, he struck out 23 batters over 15.2 innings while allowing just nine baserunners, including four shutout innings against Stanford. With Beeter and Bonnin gone, it’s hard not to see him reclaiming that weekend rotation spot alongside the newcomer Birdsell.

The North Texas native is fun to watch. His fastball sits in the low 90’s, topping out around 93, but you’re more likely to see him work off his offspeed pitches. His power slider is an above average pitch and he’ll throw it in any count, inducing some ugly swings and misses as hitters struggle to pick it up out of his hand. He’ll also use a solid average changeup that keeps lefties at bay, again with the conviction to use it whenever he sees fit. Dallas pounds the strike zone with an aggressive bulldog mentality that makes all of his pitches play up, which also helps is average command play up into above average control.

There are some reliever questions with Dallas, who has a stockier build at 6’2″ and throws with some effort. His delivery might need to be cleaned up a bit, but even at present he fills the strike zone very effectively. That bulldog mentality will fit really well in the bullpen should he be forced into that role, where he could more sustainably rely on that slider/changeup combination, but he won’t turn 21 until April and has plenty of time to refine his game. With his demeanor, power slider, and feel for pitching, he has every chance to do so. I’m probably one of the higher guys on Dallas at this point.

5. RHP Kolby Kubichek, Texas

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6′, 180 lbs. Born 11/28/1999. Hometown: Bryan, TX
2019-2020: 2-2, 5.21 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 23/17 K/BB in 27.2 IP.

Kolby Kubichek may have grown up in the heart of Aggieland, but he gives us our second Longhorn arm in the top four. While his college track record leaves something to be desired at this point, he piqued scouts interests with an exceptional run through the Cape Cod League as an underclassman in 2019, putting up a 1.77 ERA, a 0.95 WHIP, and a 41/12 strikeout to walk ratio over 35.2 innings against elite, older competition. Like his rotation-mate, the top ranked Ty Madden, he has a bit of an unconventional profile, and that’s exactly why scouts will be watching his starts in Austin very closely this year.

This is a very interesting pitcher to break down. Kubichek’s best pitch is his fastball, but it only sits around 90 and tops out around 92. He’s an old school pitcher that comes straight over top with his release point, which puts excellent sinking action on the pitch while running inside to right handed batters. When located, it’s extremely difficult to square up and do damage on, and it played especially well against wood bats on the Cape. His next best pitch is a rapidly improving changeup that he really gained feel for that summer, bringing great sinking and fading action that is extremely difficult to differentiate from his sinker. Lastly, he brings in a slider and a curveball that are more ordinary at this point.

There is really a lot to like with Kubichek, the overall package remains just a little bit light if you want to project him as a bona fide starting pitcher, at least for now. He’s tacked some strength onto his smaller six foot frame, but he still remains just little bit undersized. His command has improved, but it still remains average at this point and when you only throw 90, you’re going to need to hit your spots very consistently to survive in pro ball, even if your sinker has great movement. Lastly, the lack of a plus breaking ball limits his ceiling a little bit. He’s not going to get any bigger, so if scouts are going to be confident in projecting him as a starter on draft day, he’ll probably want to see either an uptick in his stuff or his command this spring. Still, there are no glaring holes in the profile, and he remains a very well-rounded pitcher who does a lot of things well on the mound.

6. RHP Riley Cornelio, Texas Christian

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’3″, 195 lbs. Born 6/6/2000. Hometown: Monument, CO
2020: 1-0, 0.87 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 6/7 K/BB in 10.1 IP.

Big 12 fans know that this list wouldn’t be complete without a TCU arm to follow in the footsteps of Nick Lodolo, Durbin Feltman, Brandon Finnegan, and the countless other arms I don’t need to name, and those who follow the draft will recognize Riley Cornelio’s name. Cornelio was a top draft prospect coming out of the Colorado Springs high school ranks in 2019, and thanks to a June birthday that made him very old for his class, he’s draft eligible again as a sophomore in 2021. That means he’ll have to put in a lot of work proving himself this year, because with the shortened 2020 season, he only has 10.1 college innings to his name with some very interesting numbers. Facing 40 batters, he allowed just three hits (.094 opponents AVG) but walked seven while striking out six and allowed three runs, only one of which was earned. In this case, the scouting profile fits in perfectly with the numbers.

Cornelio is a lanky 6’3″ righty with wicked stuff, but he’s still learning how to harness it. The fastball sits in the low to mid 90’s and tops out around 95, getting nice riding action along the way that routinely misses barrels. His curveball is a true plus pitch at its best, bringing wipeout action that played up immediately against college hitters last year. However, it can flatten out at times when he leaves it up, which is fairly often. There’s a changeup, though for now it’s his third pitch.

Cornelio creates a lot of deception with a crossfire delivery that hides the ball well, but a byproduct of starting so closed off and unfurling his body is that he regularly loses his arm slot and release point. That severely impacts his command, which probably grades out at a 40 at this point. As a two pitch pitcher with poor command, he carries tremendous relief risk, though as a draft eligible sophomore that has thrown 10.1 college innings, he hasn’t had much of a chance to prove himself anyways. That’s the downside of being old for your class. Given his lack of experience, it would not be surprising for him to come out in 2021 with a cleaner operation, in which case he could shoot up draft boards. For now though, we’ll have to wait and see, but that fastball/curveball combination is wicked.

7. CF Eric Kennedy, Texas

Bat: L. Throw: R. 5’11”, 200 lbs. Born 9/15/1999. Hometown: Tampa, FL
2019-2020: 3 HR, .305/.381/.403, 17 SB, 35/30 K/BB in 66 games.

The top position player prospect in the Big 12, Kennedy is also our third Longhorn on the list. There really isn’t much going on in terms of impact bats in this conference, especially if you’re looking for power, so the contact-oriented Kennedy rises to the top just based on his consistency. After hitting .310/.382/.418 with a very strong 23/21 strikeout to walk ratio as a true freshman in 2019, he followed it up with a solid, albeit unspectacular, start to the 2020 season with a .288/.380/.356 line and eight stolen bases through 17 games.

Kennedy isn’t a power hitter, but he does a lot of everything else well. The Tampa native is a plus runner, and he deploys that speed very well on the bases, swiping nine bags in eleven attempts as a freshman before going a perfect eight for eight as a sophomore. That speed will enable him to stick in center field as well, where his strong arm makes him a valuable overall defender. At the plate, he’s hit over power, employing a quick left handed swing to drive the ball around the yard and to the gaps. His patient approach combined with strong bat to ball skills means there is very little swing and miss in his game, and it gives him a high floor as someone who will for sure hit in pro ball. Whether you see Kennedy as anything more than a fourth outfielder, though, likely depends on how you project his power.

At 5’11”, he’s not the biggest guy in the world, and he hasn’t shown much even in the way of simple extra base power so far at Texas. Given his very strong feel for hitting, some swing changes to give him more extension could help him profile for 5-10 home runs per year or more, and he’ll have a chance to show more pure offensive impact in 2021.

8. RHP Ryan Bergert, West Virginia

Bat: R. Throw: R. 6’2″, 200 lbs. Born 3/8/2000. Hometown: Canton, OH
2019-2020: 4-1, 2.30 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 68/19 K/BB in 58.2 IP.

Here is a guy who has just dominated everywhere he’s gone. As a true freshman at WVU in 2019, Ryan Bergert came out and posted a 1.80 ERA and a sharp 38/8 strikeout to walk ratio across 34 innings, and he followed that up with a 2.92 mark and a 30/11 K/BB in 24.2 innings in 2020. This summer, he was one of the best pitchers in the Northwoods League, too, with a 2.33 ERA and a 31/10 strikeout to walk ratio across 27 innings. Names like Madden, Kubichek, and Dallas are more recognizable in this Lone Star-centered conference but Bergert is quietly positioning himself as one of the best pitchers available.

Bergert’s numbers stand out, but he has the stuff to match. The 6’2″ righty usually works around 90, but he can reach back for 94-95 at times and his high spin rates help it play faster. He also adds in a really sharp curveball that doesn’t always have the finish he would like, but which flashes plus at his best. The Canton, Ohio native primarily works off those two pitches, but there is still some projection remaining in his frame and his above average command helps him profile as a starting pitcher. He’s going to want to refine that changeup a bit and an uptick in velocity would be nice as well, but you can’t argue with his track record against strong competition and he’s a sleeper to watch for the 2021 draft.

9. LHP Dalton Fowler, Oklahoma

Bat: L. Throw: L. 6’5″, 190 lbs. Born 1/7/2000. Hometown: Arlington, TN
2019-2020 (@ NW Miss. CC): 10-2, 3.33 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 127/53 K/BB in 83.2 IP.

Despite losing all three weekend starters to the draft last year in Cade Cavalli (Nationals, first round), Levi Prater (Cardinals, third round), and Dane Acker (A’s, fourth round), plus its top pitching recruit in Dax Fulton (Marlins, second round), Oklahoma is bringing in a really talented pitching staff this year. A big reason for that is Northwest Mississippi CC transfer Dalton Fowler, who actually is actually a fairly similar pitcher to Fulton. Fowler was very inconsistent as a freshman in Senatobia, but was off to a hot start in 2020 with 39 strikeouts to just 20 baserunners allowed in 19 innings, and he could have been a sixth to tenth round draft pick in a normal draft. Instead, the Memphis-area native will head west to Norman and look to put it all together.

Like top recruit turned Miami Marlin Dax Fulton, Dalton Fowler is a lanky fastball-curveball lefty. He’s variously listed at 6’5″ or 6’6″ and at less than 200 pounds, he’s a true stringbean. Fowler’s fastball sits in the low 90’s and he’s gotten better at maintaining that velocity, so scouts are looking to see if he can push the upper end as well as he continues to fill out that big frame.

In the past, his curveball has fluctuated between below average and above average, but he’s gotten more consistent with the pitch and is flashing more above average breakers. There’s a changeup as well that’s coming along, and his command has improved from 40 grade to 45 grade. There is still considerable work to be done, but Fowler is extremely projectable and slowly but steadily trending in the right direction, and if Oklahoma’s coaching staff can help him put it all together, he has real impact starter potential. Consider him the high ceiling, low floor name in this group.

10. SS Hueston Morrill, Oklahoma State

Bat: R. Throw: R. 5’11”, 165 lbs. Born 11/27/1999. Hometown: Live Oak, FL
2019-2020: 4 HR, .276/.388/.406, 18 SB, 78/47 K/BB in 76 games.

Eight of the top nine prospects in the Big 12 are pitchers, but here at ten we’ll get to one more hitter, Oklahoma State’s jack-of-all-trades Hueston Morrill. Morrill, who like the other hitter on this list, Eric Kennedy, is a native Floridian, made an immediate impact in Stillwater with a .282/.390/.386 line and 12 stolen bases over 58 games as a true freshman in 2019. After a so-so run through the Cape Cod League that summer (.238/.299/.300, 26/6 K/BB), he started to show some pop as a sophomore with a slightly less balanced .258/.383/.470 line and a couple home runs in 18 games. Now, a very shallow crop of Big 12 position players gives him a chance to stand out in front of area scouts.

Morrill doesn’t have a standout tool, rather he does a lot of things very well, and steps forward in any area could send him flying up draft boards. Though his hit tool probably grades out as fringe-average at this point, he’s a patient hitter that works counts and draws walks, making evaluators comfortable with a 50 grade in that area. While he’s a bit undersized at 5’11” and 165 pounds, he has shown nice gap power throughout his career and was starting to tap into more impact as a sophomore in 2020. The swing can get a bit long at times, but he leaves the barrel in the zone for a long time and that enables him to make consistent hard contact.

Additionally, Morrill is a good runner with 18 stolen bases in 21 tries so far with the Cowboys. On the other side of the ball, he played second base as a freshman then moved over to shortstop as a sophomore, and he has the quickness and arm strength to stick there. In fact, he actually showed a low 90’s fastball in high school and drew some interest as a right handed pitcher, which illustrates his upside at shortstop. Right now, because both his hit and power tools are fringy, he profiles more as a utility infielder than anything else, but continuing to tap that power like he’s capable of and tightening up his bat to ball skills a little bit could make a big difference.

Other Big 12 Interesting Options

Kansas State:

The Wildcats bring two interesting arms to the table this year in Carson Seymour and Connor McCullough. Seymour was draft-eligible last season, but he had just 28 collegiate innings under his belt and team’s weren’t comfortable with his track record in a five round draft. The 6’6″, 260 pound righty had seen a dramatic improvement in his stuff and hit 99 with his fastball while flashing two plus breaking balls in a slider and a curveball. However, the quality of his stuff was inconsistent and his command remained unrefined, and he’ll go into 2021 looking to prove he’s for real. McCullough, who like Seymour (Dartmouth) transferred from another four year school (Arkansas), dominated the Cape Cod League as an underclassman in 2019 with a 1.72 ERA and a 42/14 strikeout to walk ratio over 36.2 innings. He doesn’t have the same size or overpowering stuff as Seymour, tossing a fastball around 90 to go with a high spin curveball and a solid changeup. McCullough does beat Seymour when it comes to consistency and command, though, giving him less risk than his high upside counterpart.

Oklahoma:

The Sooners have three more names I’m interested in right now. Right hander Wyatt Olds shook off a mediocre freshman season to post a 1.89 ERA and a 29/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 19 innings as a sophomore, and that was against as tough of a non-conference slate as you’re going to get. He has a really funky delivery in which he reaches as far back as he can, bends his torso forward as if he’s going to come submarine, then comes back up to sling the ball from a high sidearm slot. The result is excellent extension that makes the ball extremely difficult to pick up, and that makes his low 90’s fastball and frisbee slider play up. His command has improved at Oklahoma, but it’s still fringy and he likely profiles as a reliever. Ben Abram is absolutely massive at 6’7″ and 255 pounds, coming in with average stuff but great pitchability. He commands his 90-ish fastball, above average 12-6 curveball, and decent slider and changeup very well, and with that durable frame, he profiles well as a #5 starter. Any small uptick in his velocity could send him moving up boards. On the other side of the ball, we have draft-eligible sophomore Connor Beichler, an undersized 5’9″, 155 pound second baseman with an extremely disciplined approach at the plate. He uses a line drive swing to spray the ball around the field, though he understandably doesn’t profile for a ton of power. He’s also reported to have a very strong work ethic.

Oklahoma State:

The Cowboys have an interesting sleeper that I’ll be watching this spring in Clemson/junior college transfer Justin Wrobleski. He’s a 6’1″ lefty with a low 90’s fastball that tops out around 95, and his loose arm puts plenty of run on the ball to make it tough to square up. Wrobleski adds in an above average slider that pairs well with his fastball in addition to a decent changeup, but he doesn’t have much of a track record and needs to tighten up his command. Lefties with the potential for two plus pitches will always garner attention though. There’s also righthander Kale Davis, who sits around 90 with his fastball and adds an above average curveball. At 6’4″, he has a great pitcher’s frame, and he has better command than Wrobleski. Scouts will be looking for an uptick in velocity in 2021.

Texas:

The Longhorns had three of the top five players on this list, and they still have more to watch even after promising righty Kamron Fields transferred to Texas Southern. Right hander Mason Bryant has as high of a ceiling as anybody on this list, standing 6’5″ and coming in with a mid 90’s fastball. He also adds an above average slider, but for now, the Austin native has very little track record in the Big 12, having thrown 12 total innings with a 9.75 ERA. His command is well below average at this point and he has a lot of work to do if he wants to get drafted as a starter. Right hander Dawson Merryman, unlike Bryant, has no chance to start in pro ball as a two pitch sidearmer. He tosses his fastball in the low 90’s, which is faster than many sidearmers, and can sling a frisbee slider across the plate as well. Hailing from the small town of Greenwood, Texas, which is just outside Midland, he’s a solid strike thrower and could move quickly through the minors. We also have right hander Andre Duplantier, the cousin of Diamondbacks pitcher and Rice alum Jon Duplantier, is around 90 with his fastball, adds a solid curveball, and was strong as a freshman last year with a 2.00 ERA and a 13/3 strikeout to walk ratio in nine innings. He lacks a plus carrying tool, but he does a lot of things well and could sneak up on some people.

Texas Christian:

Behind Cornelio, the Horned Frogs have a nice crop of players to watch. Right hander Johnny Ray could have gone in the sixth to tenth round last year had it been a normal draft, putting up a 2.53 ERA and a 21/8 strikeout to walk ratio over 21.1 innings. Nothing here is plus, but he’s solid average across the board with a low 90’s fastball, a good slider, and an average curveball and changeup to go with average command. Getting more innings under his belt and proving his strike throwing ability could put him in a similar range in 2021. Righty Marcelo Perez has my attention, though he’s a bit undersized at 5’10”. The Laredo, Texas native brings a low 90’s fastball, an above average slider with really nice, late bite, and a solid changeup, and he pumps it all out with relative ease. However, his lack of height and extension lead to a lot of relief questions. Outfielder Porter Brown hit just .237/.351/.316 over his first two seasons in Fort Worth, but in a conference without a ton of big bats, he stands out for his speed and plate discipline. Though he’s just 5’11”, his line drive bat profiles to add some impact as he gets more at bats under his belt.

Texas Tech:

Perhaps the deepest team in this conference when it comes to draft prospects, the Red Raiders had two of the top three names on this list and bring plenty more. Austin Becker was a big name on the 2017 summer showcase circuit leading up to the 2018 draft, but his command regressed in the spring, and his stay at Vanderbilt lasted just four innings in 2019. Transferring to Texas Tech, he struggled mightily with his command in 2020 and will now miss the 2021 season with Tommy John surgery. At his best, though, the 6’5″ righty shows a mid to upper 90’s fastball and an above average curveball and changeup, but he’ll have a lot of ground to make up once he comes back healthy. Mason Montgomery is a 6’2″ lefty that has caught some eyes, showing a low 90’s fastball with more in the tank. With a clean delivery and improving strike throwing ability, he’s trending in the right direction and of course, he’s left handed. We have Dylan Neuse, younger brother of A’s infielder Sheldon Neuse, who was draft eligible in 2020 but was not selected in the five round event despite a .355/.438/.487 slash line in 19 games. Just 5’9″, he has an explosive right handed swing that produces a lot of hard contact, but he can lose some of that leverage when he gets power conscious and likely profiles more as a contact hitter in pro ball. With plus speed to go with strong plate discipline, he could make a nice super-utility man. Max Marusak is even faster than Neuse, but the Amarillo native has hit just .244/.304/.341 in 55 games in Lubbock. His blazing speed will always keep him on the radar, but he makes a lot of weak contact and does not draw many walks. Scouts hope the skinny six footer can build on his strong bat to ball skills and innate athleticism in 2021.

West Virginia:

I just have one name for you here to follow up Ryan Bergert, and that’s Jackson Wolf. An Ohio native like his rotation-mate, Wolf exploded with a 1.05 ERA, a 0.74 WHIP, and a 27/5 strikeout to walk ratio over 25.2 innings in 2020, but went undrafted despite being eligible. He’s a 6’7″ lefty (immediate underline for scouts) that only sits in the upper 80’s with his fastball, occasionally creeping above 90, but he gets such great extension that it looks like he’s throwing 95. He has a fringy breaking ball and average command, so it’s unlikely he’ll remain a starter in pro ball, but I’m interested to see how much that fastball can tick up in relief.