2022 MLB Draft Review: Seattle Mariners

Full list of draftees

Continuing last year's trend that saw them select Harry Ford, Edwin Arroyo, and Michael Morales with their first three picks, the Mariners went heavy on high schoolers again this year with three more in their first four picks. They targeted premium athleticism with those prep picks, especially with the two pitchers in Walter Ford and Ashton Izzi that have strikingly similar profiles, then had to spend virtually the rest of the draft saving money. After selecting Izzi in the fourth round, four of their next six picks signed for $50,000 or less despite six figure slot values.
Full index of team reviews here. Full rankings here.

1-21: SS Cole Young, North Allegheny HS [PA]. My rank: #20.
Slot value: $3.29 million. Signing bonus: $3.3 million ($7,100 above slot value).
Part of the reason Jerry Dipoto felt comfortable dealing star shortstop prospects Noelvi Marte and Edwin Arroyo to the Reds in the Luis Castillo trade was because of this pick right here. Cole Young was one of the more intriguing prep bats available throughout the draft cycle, showing extremely well over the summer and again this spring to earn chatter throughout the first round. The Mariners were thrilled to see him fall out of the top twenty picks, and didn't let him get any further. Young is a very polished young hitter that makes extremely consistent, hard, line drive contact from the left side. He rarely swings and misses, showing some of the better barrel adjustability in the class to spoil tough pitches and get on base just as pitchers thought they had him beat. Give him one in his wheelhouse, though, and he can really turn on the ball with impressive exit velocities and sneaky power. For now though, power isn't a big part of his game and he's much better when he's focused on all-fields line drive contact, which he knows and executes. Defensively, he glides around the dirt at shortstop with above average instincts and a strong arm, giving him every opportunity to stick there in the long run. Interestingly enough, if you met the Pittsburgh-area native on the street, you might never know he's a professional athlete. He's strong and lean at six feet tall, but carries himself with great humility and strikes you more as a typical high school kid in interviews. He's a smart kid that was strongly committed to Duke, and he'll put his head down and get to work in the Seattle system. Look forward to a potential 15 homer bat with high on-base percentages and good defense at shortstop if you're a Mariners fan.

2-58: 3B Tyler Locklear, Virginia Commonwealth. My rank: #50.
Slot value: $1.28 million. Signing bonus: $1.28 million.
Tyler Locklear is one of the more polarizing prospects in this year's class, but the Mariners are all in. He has been nothing short of a one man wrecking crew at VCU, and in 2022 put up some of the best numbers in the entire country by slashing .402/.542/.799 with 20 home runs and a 25/47 strikeout to walk ratio over 62 games. He got hotter and hotter throughout the season, including an eleven game run leading up to regionals in which he slashed .700/.786/1.475 with nine home runs and zero strikeouts to lead VCU to an A-10 championship. Locklear brings tremendous raw power from the right side, a product of just good old fashioned brute strength and a calm, quiet setup that gives way to an explosive swing. He hits the ball as hard as anybody in college baseball, to the point where he can still do damage even when he doesn't quite square it up. The Baltimore-area native is also extremely disciplined at the plate and looked laughably overqualified to face A-10 pitching this spring, but he also hit .256/.333/.504 with nine home runs and a 32/6 strikeout to walk ratio in the Cape Cod League last summer and has shown he's perfectly comfortable against high end pitching as well. Now there are reasons some teams didn't like him nearly this early, and the trio of MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, and Prospects Live had him ranked #98, #99, and #82, respectively. He's a well below average athlete that will most likely end up at first base or in left field, putting all of the pressure on his bat to make that transition from the A-10 to pro pitching. While he did slug nine home runs on the Cape, he did expand the zone much more often than he did at VCU and some still think pro pitchers may adjust to him fairly quickly. The Mariners are clearly not of that line of thought and neither am I, and we'll get to sit back and watch to see what route he goes. The upside here is that of a 30+ home run bat that gets on base at a high clip, anchoring Seattle lineups with Julio Rodriguez, Cole Young, Harry Ford, Kyle Lewis, and Jarred Kelenic for the long run.

CBB-74: RHP Walter Ford, Pace HS [FL]. My rank: #53.
Slot value: $887,400. Signing bonus: $1.25 million ($362,600 above slot value).
Signing for nearly as much money as Tyler Locklear sixteen picks later is Walter Ford, one of the most interesting players in the class who had been committed to Alabama. Ford originally attended McAdory High School on the outskirts of Birmingham before transferring south to Pace High School in the Pensacola area and reclassifying, making him one of the youngest players in the entire draft. He was a bit uneven this spring, which quieted some first round chatter, but the reality is that the Mariners are getting an incredible ball of clay with as much upside as anybody in the class. Ford sits in the low 90's with his fastball, touching 97 when he reaches back, with high spin rates and steep downhill plane. He shows good feel for spin with a slider that flashes above average at its best, while his firm changeup is a distant third pitch. The command has been less consistent, especially with his offspeed stuff, as he's still growing into his body and learning himself as a pitcher. The 6'3" righty is a premium athlete with a ton of projection, a quick arm, and impressive ability to get down the mound and channel his strength, all well before his 18th birthday that won't roll around until the offseason. The Mariners have a lot of work to do, including ironing out his delivery and getting him more consistent with his mechanics, as well as refining his offspeed stuff, but there aren't many young kids that can move on the mound like Ford can. If they get this right, they could have a true ace on the mound and a fun Walter Ford-Harry Ford battery that will be tough on Chevy drivers.

4-126: RHP Ashton Izzi, Oswego East HS [IL]. My rank: #211.
Slot value: $474,900. Signing bonus: $1.10 million ($625,100 above slot value).
The Mariners continued their spending spree with a fourth consecutive seven figure bonus to Wichita State commit Ashton Izzi, who teamed with White Sox first round pick Noah Schultz in the Oswego East High School rotation. Izzi turned a lot of heads this spring and made his way up draft boards with his combination of stuff and athleticism. His fastball typically sits in the low 90's, but reaches 97 at its best and there should be more velocity coming. He has feel to spin a breaking ball, with a slider that flashes above average but still needs to find its identity with inconsistent shape, while he does have some feel for a changeup. The 6'3" righty stands out most for his projection, with an extremely athletic frame that has plenty of room to add weight. He moves well on the mound, utilizing a shorter arm stroke with a relatively steep approach angle on his pitches, though his command has been inconsistent to this point. It's honestly a very similar profile to Walter Ford one pick ahead, albeit with a bit less athleticism and more than a year older. The Mariners will work with the Chicago-area product to put on weight, get stronger, and get more consistent with his offspeed stuff and command. There is a lot of work to do, but the ceiling of a mid-rotation starter is within reach.

6-186: SS Josh Hood, North Carolina State. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $272,800. Signing bonus: $250,000 ($22,800 below slot value).
Josh Hood has been on scouts' radars for some time now, but finally gave them what they needed to see to pull the trigger in 2022. Originally a member of the Penn baseball team, he hit .331/.411/.580 as a freshman in 2019 but only played in eight games before the 2020 shutdown and then missed the entire 2021 season when the Ivy League inexplicably barred all its young healthy athletes from competing outside. He transferred to North Carolina State in 2022 and got regular playing time for the first time in nearly three years, slashing .268/.350/.498 with 13 home runs and a 57/31 strikeout to walk ratio over 57 games. The South Jersey native has a clean right handed swing and the ball jumps off his bat, giving him potentially 15+ home run power from a lean 6'2" frame. Despite interruptions, he's hit everywhere he's gone and has kept his strikeout rates to a reasonable level, and there should be no reason that should change in pro ball. While it's not an offensive profile that jumps off the page, it's very well rounded and it profiles well at shortstop, where he projects to stick long term. It's probably a utility infield profile with some upside if uninterrupted playing time allows his offensive game to take another step forward.

8-246: C Tatem Levins, Pittsburgh. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $175,600. Signing bonus: $50,000 ($125,600 below slot value).
Tatem Levins was an accomplished hitter at La Salle, where he slashed .318/.402/.524 with 17 home runs and more walks than strikeouts over a three year career. La Salle ended up disbanding their baseball program in 2022, so he transferred to Pitt and continued to hit with a .321/.435/.613 slash line, 16 home runs, and a 31/33 strikeout to walk ratio over 56 games. Levins stands out most for his extremely advanced plate discipline, which has enabled him to get on base a ton throughout his college career and will help him make a quick transition to pro ball. He crushes mistakes and elevates the ball with authority, which is why he knocked 33 home runs over his four year college career, but doesn't necessarily have have the raw exit velocities to project for significant power in pro ball. An average defender, he projects as a backup catcher at best and if not, a decent bench bat. If his defense does take, he could move quickly through the minors due to a bat that's probably already ready for High A. 

9-276: RHP Tyler Gough, JSerra Catholic HS [CA]. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $159,400. Signing bonus: $275,000 ($115,600 above slot value).
The Mariners went back to the high school pitching ranks one more time here in the ninth round, grabbing Tyler Gough out of the powerhouse JSerra program in Southern California. Gough crept up boards late in the process, and wound up command sixth round money in the ninth round to sign away from an Oregon State commitment. His fastball sits in the low 90's but can touch the mid 90's in short stints, playing up with great riding life and a flatter approach angle. His go-to offspeed pitch is a curveball that gets deep break at times but needs to add significant power, while he's also flashed a harder cutter/slider and a changeup, the latter of which he slows his arm down to throw. The 6'2" righty throws strikes and generally stays around the zone, though he does have a little bit of trouble repeating his delivery and his command will need refinement in pro ball. There are numerous tweaks to be made to this profile, but the arm strength is there and he showed well at the MLB Draft Combine, giving the Mariners a lot to work with.

17-516: RHP Stefan Raeth, Washington. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $50,000.
The Mariners did make one hometown pick in University of Washington grad Stefan Raeth. Raeth is not originally from the Pacific Northwest, having grown up in Northern California and bouncing around the Bay Area from Acalanes High School to Napa Valley College to Los Medanos College before landing in Seattle. He spent two years with the Huskies and was at his best in 2022, when he posted a 3.39 ERA and an 89/19 strikeout to walk ratio over 66.1 innings as a long reliever. He sits around 90 with his fastball, but it plays up because he hides it well from a shorter arm action. His slider has some sweep and should miss bats in pro ball, while he also adds an average curve and changeup. The 6'1" righty throws a lot of strikes and has an efficient delivery, so the main focus will just be adding power to his stuff to help it play up a little better against pro bats. He already controls the zone well and missed a lot of bats in college despite a lack of velocity, so any gains should immediately impact his numbers in a positive way.

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 mid-majors (east)

2021 draftees: 94. Top school: Central Florida (4).
2021 preseason writeup (published 1/1/2021)

Top draftees:
1-9, Angels: RHP Sam Bachman (Miami OH)
1-20, Yankees: SS Trey Sweeney (Eastern Illinois)
1-23, Indians: RHP Gavin Williams (East Carolina)
CBA-33, Brewers: 2B Tyler Black (Wright State)
2-41, Orioles: 2B Connor Norby (East Carolina)
2-49, Phillies: OF Ethan Wilson (South Alabama)
2-50, Giants: LHP Matt Mikulski (Fordham)

Playing in a mid-major conference is a bit different than a power conference like the SEC or ACC, as players don't always see the same level of competition and have to rely on more than just in-season performance to get noticed. Especially before the season begins, many rely on standout performances in places like the Cape Cod League or the Northwoods League to get noticed, silencing doubters who believe their big in-season performances were a product of a weaker schedule. This year's group features as much star power as any mid major class, and we'll start by taking a look at the top ten prospects from schools east of the Mississippi River.

1. OF Chase DeLauter, James Madison.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'4", 235 lbs. Born 10/8/2001. Hometown: Martinsburg, WV.
2021: 6 HR, .386/.508/.723, 7 SB, 14/25 K/BB in 26 games.
James Madison University in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley isn't your traditional baseball powerhouse, as they didn't have any players drafted in 2020 or 2021 and haven't seen a player go in the top six rounds since Jake Lowery was a fourth rounder back in 2011. Chase DeLauter will look to change that in 2022, heading into the season as one of the most hyped prospects in the entire country regardless of level. Though he's only played 42 games in his JMU career so far, he's made the most of his time on the field with a .385/.488/.657 line, and he boosted his stock even further with an excellent run through the Cape Cod League in which he hit .298/.397/.589 with nine home runs and more walks (21) than strikeouts (18). DeLauter stands out for his plus raw power from the left side, getting to that power very consistently in games with an effortless left handed swing that can almost appear nonchalant at times. He's built like a power hitter with a big 6'4" frame, and his loose hack generates plenty of natural loft. He never has to sell out to get to his power so he's always under control, and that power plays very well with wood. Not just a slugger, the West Virginia product is a disciplined hitter that has been in complete control of his at bats in CAA play and continued to manage the strike zone with precision against elite Cape arms despite the big step up in competition. He chooses good pitches to hit while letting the bad ones go, has been unfazed by velocity and breaking stuff, and makes loud contact as soon as pitchers come into his ample hitting zone. As an added bonus, he's extremely young for a college junior and won't turn 21 until October, making him even younger for this class than Jud Fabian was for last year's class. Heading into 2022, he has nothing left to prove with the bat. He's already obliterated CAA pitching, so perhaps the best thing he can do for himself is improving his defense. DeLauter is a solid runner with a good arm that has earned him 22 innings for JMU on the mound, giving him the ability to play a fringe-average center field for now, but given his size he'll likely slow down and move to right field. If he can convince some scouts that there might be a long term future in center, he could be in play at the very top of the draft and regardless figures to go early in the first round. The ultimate projection here is a true middle of the order hitter that will hit for power while getting on base at a high clip, perhaps like a more consistent Cody Bellinger with a bit less speed.

2. SS Zach Neto, Campbell.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6', 185 lbs. Born 1/31/2001. Hometown: Miami, FL.
2021: 12 HR, .405/.488/.746, 12 SB, 30/17 K/BB in 44 games.
In a region typically dominated by East Carolina and Coastal Carolina at the mid-major level, Campbell has done a nice job lately carving out a spot for itself as one of the better talent pipelines in the area. Zach Neto might be their best prospect yet, coming off a massive sophomore season in which he earned Big South Player of the Year honors before boosting his stock further with a .295/.427/.574 run through the Cape Cod League. Neto will never be the biggest or most physical guy on the field, but he makes the most of his smaller frame and then some. He has a noisy setup at the plate, rocking back and forth with significant bat waggle before employing an exaggerated load, balancing on his back foot prior to exploding forward at the ball. Oftentimes all that noise can lead to swing and miss for other players, but he quiets his hands down very well during his leg kick so that he's always in a good position to hit. From there, he produces above average power and gets to it in games with strong bat to ball skills and good pitch selection, looking the part of a complete hitter. The Miami product also provides value on defense with above average range at shortstop and perhaps just enough arm for the position, and he could be a plus defender at second base if forced off shortstop by a better defender. Neto's well-rounded bat combined with the ability to stick up the middle will have teams interested in the first round if he can even come close to matching the obscene .405/.488/.746 line he put up in 2021, with the chance to produce 20+ home runs annually with high on-base percentages if he reaches his ceiling.

3. LHP/1B Reggie Crawford, Connecticut.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'4", 235 lbs. Born 12/4/2000. Hometown: Frackville, PA.
2021: 13 HR, .295/.349/.543, 2 SB, 58/17 K/BB in 51 games.
2021: 1-1, 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 17/3 K/BB in 7.2 IP.
Reggie Crawford possesses one of the most exciting profiles in college baseball right now, which makes it all the more painful that we won't actually get to see him play in 2022 after he went down with Tommy John surgery. Still, he has legitimate first round upside as either a hitter or a pitcher, though it's hard to see him going that early in the draft without a junior year to answer the questions that naturally pop up when discussing giving multiple million dollars in signing bonus money. To date, Crawford is more established with the bat after cracking 13 home runs for UConn this spring and hitting .293/.341/.488 with a pair of home runs in twelve games evenly split between the US Collegiate National Team and the Cape Cod League. He produces plus raw power from the left side with a lightning quick bat and a ton of strength in his 6'4" frame, reminding me a bit of Alex Binelas as a hitter. He's aggressive like Binelas as well, walking just 19 times in 63 games between UConn, the CNT, and the Cape, but he does a good job of doing damage on pitches in the zone with strong bat to ball skills. Given that he's likely limited to first base in pro ball, putting pressure on his bat, scouts would have liked to see him be a bit more patient with balls out of the zone in 2022 but unfortunately won't get that opportunity. If he can tighten up the strike zone a little bit, he could flirt with 30 home runs annually in the majors. Meanwhile, there might be more untapped potential on the mound. The 6'4" lefty threw just 13.2 innings between UConn, the CNT, and the Cape in 2021, but the results were about as good as you can possible ask for as he struck out 29 of the 53 batters he faced (54.7%) and walked just four. He consistently brings upper 90's heat in short stints and touched as high as 101 with the CNT, also adding a plus slider that plays well off his fastball. Unlike most fireballing college relievers, Crawford actually fills up the strike zone well and could have above average command in time, which would be deadly given his stuff. There's some late jerk in his delivery but the overall operation is clean. A team looking for the central Pennsylvania native to develop as a starter will be doing so without having seen him complete three innings in any collegiate or summer outing, and will also have to work with him on developing a changeup. The risk is very high, but the upside is astronomical. He's a very different pitcher than Shohei Ohtani but his upside with the bat is similar.

4. LHP Carson Whisenhunt, East Carolina.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'3", 205 lbs. Born 10/20/2000. Hometown: Mocksville, NC.
2021: 6-2, 3.77 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 79/22 K/BB in 62 IP.
East Carolina has established itself as perhaps the premier destination for talent outside the Power Five conferences, so it's no surprise to see one of the top mid major pitchers in the country coming from Greenville. A year after Gavin Williams went 23rd overall to the Indians, Carson Whisenhunt finds himself in the first round conversation, if perhaps a touch behind where Williams ended up. He followed a strong sophomore season with an impressive run with the US Collegiate National Team, striking out ten over six innings while allowing just four baserunners. Whisenhunt has a very balanced arsenal beginning with a low 90's fastball that can get up to around 95 at his best, not overwhelming velocity but certainly enough to stand out from the left side and it's velocity he holds throughout his starts. The 6'3" lefty adds an above average slider that dives across the plate and can elicit some ugly swings, while his plus changeup is perhaps his best pitch as it just dies on its way to the plate. With a simple, low effort delivery, he makes all three pitches play up by hitting his spots and tunneling them off of each other reasonably well, checking all the boxes you look for in a big league starting pitcher. As it stands, he projects as a low risk mid-rotation starter that can effectively work past both lefties and righties, and in 2022 he'll look for either a slight velocity bump or perhaps try to flash plus more often with his slider if he wants to safely work his way into the first round. Another point of emphasis will be command, which is now solid average but trending towards above average if he keeps on his current trajectory.

5. OF Tyler Locklear, Virginia Commonwealth.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6'3", 210 lbs. Born 11/24/2000. Hometown: Abingdon, MD.
2021: 16 HR, .345/.515/.686, 8 SB, 40/46 K/BB in 54 games.
Tyler Locklear brings us yet another big masher, this time out of VCU in Richmond. After a breakout year at the plate that saw him blast 16 home runs with an on-base percentage above .500, he continued to impress in the Cape Cod League by slashing .256/.333/.504 in 34 games and tying with Chase DeLauter for the league lead with nine home runs. A quiet setup at the plate gives way to an explosive swing that produces plus power and some impressive home runs, power he's clearly gotten to in games against good competition and with wood bats. A very patient, disciplined hitter at VCU, he expanded the zone a bit more against quality arms on the Cape but still limited his strikeout rate to a reasonable 22.7% as he didn't go too crazy with the chases. For the most part, Locklear picks good pitches to attack and therefore regularly puts himself in a good position to do damage, and it's also interesting to note that he finished eighth in Division I last year with 22 hit by pitches (plus nine more on the Cape). The northeastern Maryland native won't provide much value on defense and will therefore have to hit his way up, but he can hit the ball as hard as anybody and is a disciplined enough hitter to make it work in pro ball. It's probably a second round profile for now, but if he can show up in 2022 with better plate discipline and prove he can pair that plus power with an above average hit tool, he could easily swing his way into the first round.

6. LHP Trey Dombroski, Monmouth.
Bat: R. Throw: L. 6'5", 235 lbs. Born 3/13/2001. Hometown: Manasquan, NJ.
2021: 5-1, 2.73 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 64/8 K/BB in 52.2 IP.
If you're old school and you miss the crafty lefties of days gone by, then Trey Dombroski is the prospect for you. Despite not lighting up the radar gun, he walked less than three percent of his opponents between his sophomore season at Monmouth and the Cape Cod League, combining for an incredible 115/11 strikeout to walk ratio in 90.1 innings. With a 2.73 ERA at Monmouth and a 1.19 mark on the Cape, he proved extremely effective at preventing runs, too, which is always important. Dombroski only sits around 90 with his fastball, occasionally creeping into the low 90's in games and topping out around 94 in side bullpens. Instead of blowing that pitch by hitters, he relies on mixing and matching his full four pitch arsenal with precise location. Behind his fastball, the 6'5" lefty adds a sweepy slider, a bigger curveball, and a diving changeup, all of which work well off each other. He comes from a relatively wide, high release point that might not fit new-age models looking for pitchers to get out in front and release the ball low to the ground, but you can't deny his results and sometimes old school can still be cool. His exceptional run through the Cape boosted his stock significantly as he proved he could miss some of the most talented bats in the country, whereas it might have been harder to get behind an 88-91 arm pitching in the MAAC as teams search for velocity. He has the look of a safe bet #4 starter and probably fits in the second or third round, but any increase in velocity in 2022 will have scouts sitting up in their seats for sure. Monmouth hasn't had a player drafted since 24th rounder Anthony Ciavarella in 2016 and hasn't seen a player go any earlier than that since Pat Light went 37th overall in 2012, so regardless this will be an exciting spring in West Long Branch.

7. RHP Sebastian Keane, Northeastern.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6'3", 185 lbs. Born 11/2/2000. Hometown: North Andover, MA.
2021: 6-1, 4.09 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 73/20 K/BB in 70.1 IP.
Sebastian Keane has been a well known commodity to scouts since his high school days, coming into Northeastern with as much hype as any recruit they've had in recent memory. This year, he'll look to be the first Husky drafted in a single digit round since Aaron Civale was a third rounder in 2016. Keane has not quite put it all together yet, looking more good than great throughout most of his career at Northeastern, but scouts have always loved the immense talent in his right arm and think 2022 could be a breakout year. The fact that he performed well on the Cape (3.85 ERA, 25/7 K/BB in 21 IP) helps his cause as well given that Northeastern doesn't play the toughest schedule. For now, the 6'3" righty works mainly off a deadly fastball/slider combination, sitting in the low 90's and topping out around 96 at his best with the former while missing plenty of bats with the latter, a plus pitch. He also works in a curveball and changeup, though those two are certainly behind the fastball and slider and he doesn't use them as much. Keane is fairly closed off in his delivery and has a long way to go to get back on line, which occasionally affects his command when he doesn't get on time. For that reason, there is some relief risk here, where he could fall back on the fastball and slider and potentially see them both tick up, but evaluators are hoping he can make the minor tweaks necessary to become an impact starting pitching prospect this spring. That would require him featuring his curve and/or changeup more prominently in his arsenal and proving he can locate and miss bats with them, while getting a bit more consistent in the command department would be a big boon as well. There's a ton of arm strength, athleticism, and projection to build off here, so there are certain to be at least a few teams that are very bought into his upside.

8. SS Eric Brown, Coastal Carolina.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 5'10", 190 lbs. Born 12/19/2000. Hometown: Bossier City, LA.
2021: 9 HR, .294/.413/.513, 11 SB, 37/33 K/BB in 50 games.
Eric Brown doesn't pop off the page looking like a top prospect, but the more you watch him play, the more he'll convince you he can be an everyday big leaguer. After a strong sophomore season for Coastal Carolina, he showed well in the Cape Cod League by slashing .269/.356/.408 with five home runs and 13 stolen bases in 36 games. Undersized at 5'10", he employs a unique setup at the plate in which he begins with his hands next to his forehead, rocking back into a big leg kick while pointing the bat head almost straight back towards the pitcher. From there, he pulls his hands back while still balanced on that back leg before ripping off a linear, leveraged swing. Despite everything going on in his load, he's very balanced throughout and repeats it consistently, making plenty of hard contact from the right side with a disciplined approach and the willingness to spray line drives around the park rather than do to much. Come into his wheelhouse, though, and he'll punish you, with the ability to produce some screaming line drives and more over the fence power than you'd expect from his 5'10" stature. He's also a strong defender whose athleticism translates well to the shortstop position, where he's balanced and steady enough to continue to play there in pro ball. That makes his bat all the more interesting, with the chance to hit near the top of a big league lineup with 15-20 home runs annually and high on-base percentages if he reaches his ceiling.

9. RHP Andrew Taylor, Central Michigan.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6'5", 190 lbs. Born 9/23/2001. Hometown: Alto, MI.
2021: 11-4, 1.81 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 125/24 K/BB in 94.1 IP.
You might not find a more consistent performer at this level than Andrew Taylor, who carried a 1.21 ERA through his first fourteen starts before ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time against a white-hot Notre Dame offense that tagged him for seven runs in his final start of the season. At that point, I don't think anybody was slowing the Irish down anyways. After the season, Taylor got two starts in the Cape Cod League and showed well, striking out eleven in seven innings while allowing just one run on three hits and three walks. He's a lanky 6'5" righthander that can run his fastball up to around 94, but he's comfortable sitting around 90 for now. He adds an above average curveball and changeup, with the latter the more consistent pitch and the former tending to pop out of his hand at times when he doesn't fully snap it. Everything works together from an extremely smooth delivery that, when combined with the massive projection in his frame, screams more velocity, and he commands all his pitches very well. Throw in the fact that he's very young for the class and won't turn 21 until September, and you have a prospect who could take some serious leaps forward in the right development system. For now, teams will be looking for even a slight velocity bump so they don't have to report too many 88's and 89's back to the higher ups, and he has a chance to move up boards quickly if he can provide that. There's a back-end starter projection here with a very good chance for more.

10. OF Colby Thomas, Mercer.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6', 190 lbs. Born 1/26/2001. Hometown: Valdosta, GA.
2021: 10 HR, .247/.356/.479, 9 SB, 53/24 K/BB in 53 games.
Mercer will probably never have another prospect like Kyle Lewis, who went eleventh overall to the Mariners in 2016 when many thought he could be in play at the very top of the draft, but Colby Thomas provides an interesting sleeper and hopes to be the highest Bear drafted since then (he'll have to beat 2018 fifth rounder Austin Cox). Thomas exploded onto the scene with a huge freshman debut in the shortened 2020 season, slashing .333/.403/.681 with five home runs in 16 games, but was more solid than spectacular in his full sophomore season. A trip to the Cape Cod League raised his profile, where he hit a respectable .229/.309/.459 with four home runs in 34 games. He's another potential breakout pick for 2022, with the underlying tools necessary to surprise some people. A bit on the smaller side at six foot even, he shows above average raw power from the right side that he can get to in games and which showed up with wood bats. He does a nice job leaving his hands back and getting his barrel long through the zone, both creating the leverage necessary to produce power from his smaller frame as well as giving him more opportunity to read pitches and limit his swing and miss. The South Georgia native is a bit of a free swinger, though interestingly enough he cut his strikeout rate from 22.8% at Mercer this past spring to a very respectable 19.5% on the Cape. Beyond his bat, Thomas is an above average runner with an above average arm that has a chance to stick in center field, further boosting his value. At his peak, Thomas has a chance to hit 15-20 home runs annually with decent on-base percentages and a few stolen bases, a profile that could fit in any lineup.