2025 MLB Draft Conference Preview: Patriot League

Next up on our road through the 29 conferences leading up to draft day, we have a conference that is near and dear to my heart, the Patriot League. I have watched a lot of Patriot League baseball and was very excited to get this one put together. Full disclosure, I couldn’t find a clear explanation for the exact rules for the service academies on if they are allowed to leave school early for the MLB Draft. If I am incorrect about someone’s eligibility, I do apologize. This list features a lot of experienced arms, the first potential two-way, and lots of good athletes.

Top Ten

William Parker - Army OF

William Parker is an outfielder from Massachusetts who just finished his junior year at Army. He stands tall at the plate with his 6’2”, physical frame and high hands. He doesn’t have a high step, but is explosive at the contact point. Parker has one of the biggest if not the biggest power tools in the conference. His hit tool is pretty good, but he sometimes sells out for power and loses a bit of his contact ability. His timing is mostly good, but he is a pull hitter with the ability to occasionally go the other way. There is some strikeout risk in his game with his approach being pretty aggressive. It works out for him most of the time at the collegiate level in this conference, but at the next level, he will need to find ways to consistently find the barrel and be a bit more patient.

Statistically, Parker didn't repeat the same amount of success he had last year in the 2025 season. Over the last two years, he has had 19 homers, 26 doubles, and 98 RBI for the Black Knights. While his on base percentage stayed pretty much the same, his slugging dropped about 70 points this year from a season ago. Defensively, his future lies in the corner outfield. He has a pretty good first step and a good enough arm to not be immediately moved to DH. I wouldn’t say he is a plus athlete, but he is athletic enough to stay in the outfield long term. He was named a team captain for Army this year and made the first-team All-Patriot League team. Last summer, he got a cup of coffee on the cape and performed pretty well in his very limited time there. I’d expect Parker to be potentially taken in the mid to late day two range this year.

Cole Leaman - Lehigh RHP

Cole Leaman is a junior right-hander from Pennsylvania and the Lehigh ace. Leaman throws from a 6’0” frame that is strong but could probably bulk a little bit more. He throws from a pretty true three-quarters slot with a really fast, whippy arm. He throws with some intent and has a bit of deception and his fastball has been up to as high as 97 mph this year. It is a big power pitch with good riding action and he elevates it well. He also features a low 80s slider that moves more like a true sweeper, a mid 80s cutter that serves as a nice bridge/hybrid pitch between the fastball and slider, and an upper 80s power changeup that can hit 90 at times.

Leaman was consistent as the season went on this year, there were just a lot more walks than you’d have hoped. He only threw 27 innings this year on 7 starts. He recorded 34 strikeouts, had 25 walks, and allowed a .243 batting average against. His role at the next level is likely to end up as a reliever, but he should get a chance to start before going straight to the ‘pen. He threw 20 innings on the cape last summer, got knocked around a little bit but still struck out his fair share of hitters. I would guess he will likely go somewhere in the mid-to-end of day two this year if he opts to sign and not stick around for another college season.

Ethan Swidler - Lafayette C

Ethan Swidler is a junior catcher from California for Lafayette. He has played all three years for the Leopards and has recently committed to transfer to Washington next season. He has a strong, mature build with a simple setup, high hands, and a high leg kick. Swidler features a solid amount of raw power with the ability to drive the ball deep into gaps, though the home run power hasn’t necessarily been there as much. His bat to ball ability is pretty good, and he has shown the ability to make adjustments at the plate and drive the ball to all fields with good timing. He also features an overall patient approach and does damage to mistakes when he gets the pitch he’s looking for.

This year, Swidler’s power numbers dipped a little bit, but the approach stayed the same, he is a run producer and a doubles machine. He has posted back to back seasons with an OPS above .950. His role at the next level is going to be at catcher, where he shows a good defensive profile behind the plate, keeping dirt balls within reach and receiving well. His arm is also good enough to stick back there, but if he begins to struggle with professional velocity, he should be able to smoothly transition to first base, where he does have experience. He is a good athlete, so if he has some professional training at a corner outfield position, that could be another potential option for him. Between him transferring to Washington next season and him playing on the cape this summer, he has a chance to really boost his stock going into next year, but if he does go this year, he could be drafted somewhere in day two, as a potential easier sign for a team looking for a developing catcher.

Danny Macchiarola - Holy Cross RHP

Danny Macchiarola is a junior right-hander from New York City who played all three years at Holy Cross. He features a stretch-only delivery where he gets into his lower body well and uses a low three-quarters arm slot. He has a 6’2” frame that has a lot of projectability and room to grow. His delivery is very low effort, which also makes it seem like he has a bit more in the tank to tap into. The arm angle gives him a bit of deception, allowing his velocities to play up some.

His fastball comes in at 90-92 and can get up to 94 mph when he needs it to, with a good amount of natural arm side run and sink to it. He uses it well up and down in the zone to get ground balls and weak contact. He also has a spinny slider at around 80-82 mph with good sweeping action to it. Next, he throws a mid-to-upper 80s cutter that he uses as a sort of hybrid between the fastball and slider to keep hitters more off balance. His best pitch is a mid 80s changeup which is devastating to lefties and he will throw it versus right handed hitters as well.

As the season went on, Macchiarola began going deeper into games, routinely throwing 100+ pitches and 6-8 innings, with a complete game against Army in the conference tournament. This year, he threw 93 innings for the Crusaders with 92 (23.2%) strikeouts and only 28 (7.1%) walks. At the next level, he has earned the opportunity to start until proven otherwise, and if it doesn’t work out there, he should be a solid reliever and effective versus both sides, especially once his body develops more and he gains a bit of velo. The second team all conference award winner threw 12 innings on the cape last year and has a chance to increase his stock again there this summer as well.

CJ Egrie - Holy Cross OF

Next up we have another Holy Cross Crusader, CJ Egrie. Egrie is a junior outfielder from New Jersey, who has played all three of his college seasons at Holy Cross. His setup features even feet with a slight bat wrap. He has quick hands and a high ability to find the barrel. He did find a little bit of power this year, but his size and overall strength still has some developing to do before he turns into a professional power hitter. He has good timing but is mostly a pull hitter, able to get to inside pitches with ease. This year, his approach became a lot more patient and the numbers spoke for themselves in that regard.

Egrie drew 41 walks this season and recorded 33 stolen bases. His goal this year was to get on base by any means necessary and cause mayhem on the base paths, turning singles into doubles with ease. Since his freshman year, he has shown statistical jumps in pretty much every category from power, contact, on base, and speed. His role at the next level is in a corner outfield spot, but his plus athleticism could give him an opportunity to play center in a pinch. The Patriot League conference player of the year has a chance to go this year no doubt, and it probably wouldn’t take too much for a team to get him to sign late in the draft.

Tyler O’Neill - Bucknell RHP

Tyler O’Neill, the Bucknell right handed pitcher, was one of the most impressive arms in the conference this season. He throws with a fast arm from a three-quarters slot. There is a little bit of intent behind his delivery, but as his frame develops, I’d expect some of that will go away. His arsenal features a four-pitch mix with a low-to-mid 90s fastball that he runs inside well and can elevate to get weak contact and a good amount of whiff. Next, he throws a low-to-mid 80s slider that has tight spin and a good amount of horizontal movement. His second breaking ball is an upper 70s curveball with a lot of depth and it plays well off of the slider. Finally, he uses a low-to-mid 80s changeup that keeps hitters off balance well.

In O’Neill’s last five starts, he went 7 innings or more while allowing 4 runs or less. This year, he only allowed a 6.6% walk rate and a .210 batting average against, both career bests for the senior. He also stepped up in the conference tournament, throwing 149 pitches and 9.2 innings against Army in a losing effort. O’Neill has definitely earned the opportunity to start at the next level and the first team all conference member could have easily impressed a team this year and has a chance to go in the 2025 draft without a doubt.

Chris Baillargeon - Holy Cross 1B

Chris Baillargeon is a senior first baseman who has played all four years of his collegiate career at Holy Cross and is set to transfer to Creighton for his fifth year next season. He has a strong build and sets up at the plate tall with high hands and a low step. He hasn’t tapped into a whole lot of his raw power yet, but he can put the bat on the ball with ease. He shows a solid ability to make adjustments and his timing at the plate isn’t super polished, but he can hit to all fields pretty well. He has a patient approach at the plate and does a good job at finding the barrel on pitches where the pitcher leaves the ball over the plate.

Statistically, he hit for an impressive .998 OPS this year with 18 doubles. He does have some strikeout risk at the plate but has also walked a ton, making his profile that much more interesting. His role at the next level is likely to be a first baseman, but if the power doesn’t all come together, he may be forced to move to left field, where he does have some experience. Baillargeon could benefit a lot from some professional development where he might be able to cut down on some of the swing and miss, and the first team all conference member could also benefit from playing next year at Creighton and improving his stock for next year.

Landon Kruer - Navy RHP

Next up, we have Landon Kruer, a senour right handed pitcher for Navy. Kruer pitches with a 6’0” frame and has some room to grow and get a little bit stronger. He gets into his lower half well, taking some stress off of his arm and taking some of the intent out of his delivery. He uses a three-quarters slot with a little bit of short arm action as well. It is an interesting delivery that offers some deception to keep hitters off balance against him.

He throws a low-to-mid 90s fastball that moves somewhat like a sinker with a good amount of arm side run to it. He also throws a low 80s slider with good depth that he gets hitters to chase a lot on. Finally, he throws a nasty low-to-mid 80s splitter with a hard tumbling shape, also getting a lot of chase. He was more effective in shorter outings for the midshipmen this year and his unusual delivery and arsenal was an absolute weapon for their bullpen throughout his time there.

He threw 32 innings for Navy this year and posted a 1.97 ERA with a 24.8% strikeout rane and a 11.6% walk rate, both improving since last season. In each of his last three years, he appeared in 19 games and recorded 9 saves. Kruer holds the Patriot League career record for saves with 34. His role at the next level is going to be out of the pen, with a chance to be a high leverage arm. I’d expect him to be an easier sign in the later rounds of day two.

Jake Whitlinger - Lehigh OF

Next up, we have Jake Whitlinger, a senior outfielder for the Lehigh Mountain Hawks. He features a 5’9” with a strong base. He has an open setup at the plate with his hands resting on his shoulder. He is very much a hit over power profile hitter with plus bat to ball skills and very high contact rates throughout his career. He has good barrel manipulation skills and can adjust to put the bat on the ball in every situation. His timing at the plate is mostly good and he is able to hit the gaps to both sides. His pitch recognition has also been good throughout his career, but how he adjusts to professional pitching is yet to be seen.

His approach is a patient one where he walks almost as much as he strikes out. He found a little bit more power with a career high 6 home runs this year, but his future is going to be a high contact hitter who can occasionally leave the yard. Defensively, he has played centerfield at a high level for Lehigh for four years and shouldn’t have any problems translating that play to the next level. He would also be a plus defender in left if a team chose to move him out of center. He is also dangerous on the basepaths, having 72 career stolen bases and at least 15 each year he played. The second team all conference member will likely go later in day two with a chance to make an immediate impact on a team who’s looking to improve on it’s outfield depth in the minors.

Liam O’Hearen - Lehigh RHP

Lastly in the top ten of the Patriot League conference, Liam O’Hearen is a draft eligible sophomore right handed pitcher for Lehigh. He has a simple delivery with a pure three-quarters slot. He has a short, whippy arm swing with some intent, but not too much. He has a tall, 6’3” frame with plenty of projectability and room to grow and develop some strength. He hides the ball well in his windup and his quick arm on top of it provides a good amount of deception as well.

O’Hearen’s arsenal features a fastball that sits 90-91 mph and can run it up to about 93 when it needs to in late counts. It has a good amount of run that he uses to front door against lefties too. He also throws an 81-83 tight slider that sometimes kinda pops out of his hand and doesn’t have as much break, but when he stays on top of it and throws it right, it’s a really good breaking ball. Finally, he has an 83-85 mph changeup that has a good amount of depth and is also good versus lefties. He can land all three offerings for strikes, but he does lose the consistency of that at times and can be cleaned up.

Statistically, O’Hearen threw 45 innings for the Mountain Hawks this year with 52 strikeouts, 26 walks, and a .240 batting average against. His best game came against Army, where he went the complete game with 11 strikeouts and shut them out. I feel like he earned the chance to start at the next level, but his future is likely going to be out of the bullpen. He could be an easier sign in later rounds this year, but has the chance to return to school and boost his stock a bit more for next year as well.

Honorable Mentions

Justin Lehman - Army TWP

Justin Lehman is a junior from Army who has played as a two-way for three years, but his future seems to lie on the mound. He has a 6’2” frame with a strong body, but he could use some extra bulk whether he pitches or hits in the future. He throws a five pitch mix already and can land them all for strikes. He uses an upper 80s to low 90s fastball and an upper 80s cutter to keep hitters off balance. He also uses a pair of breaking balls: first an upper 70s to low 80s slider and a more vertical upper 70s curveball. Finally, he throws a low to mid 80s changeup as his final offering.

Lehman threw over 150 innings for the Black Knights in the last two seasons, all with high strikeout numbers and low walks. This year he went 5 innings or more each time he pitched. His role at the next level will likely be beginning out as a starter with the option to be moved to the pen. He could have the chance to hit as well and there’s a chance he could try out both and let his team decide where they want him to stick.

Chris Barr - Army OF

Next, we have Chris Barr, the junior outfielder for Army. He has a 5’11” smaller build and could thicken up a little bit more. He has a simple setup and load at the plate with some power, but his profile is dominated by contact hitting. He has an advanced bat to ball tool with good contact rates through his last two years. He can hit to all fields and he is a grinder at the plate, able to battle on tough pitches. He has a relatively patient approach and will swing at mistakes when pitchers miss in the zone to him.

Barr hit for a .313 average this year for Army and he walked and struck out basically the same amount of times. He showcased the speed to leg out plenty of singles into doubles this year as well. At the next level, he will most likely be a second baseman with the versatility to move out to left field if he can’t stick on the dirt (he also played left field on the cape last summer). He stole 33 bags this year for Army and earned first team all conference honors.

Andrew Berg - Army RHP

Lastly, we have Andrew Berg, a junior right hander for Army and brother of Pittsburgh Pirates 10th round pick from a year ago, Derek Berg. Andrew throws from a low three quarters arm slot with a low intent delivery. He is 6’0” and strong, but could potentially bulk up a little bit more to gain a couple ticks of velocity on his fastball. His funky arm angle proves a bit of deception, allowing his fastball velo to play up a bit more than it actually is.

Berg’s arsenal features a low 90s fastball with a lot of sinkerish traits from his lower slot and he uses it both up and down in the zone to get weak contact. He also throws an upper 80s cutter most of the time that he can start out of the zone and let it work in and also start on the outer half and get hitters to chase out of the zone. Finally, he has an upper 70s slider that moves similar to the cutter but much slower, playing off of it well. He could potentially develop a changeup that would really round out his arsenal well. Berg joined the rotation this year after being primarily a pen arm the last two seasons. He got his walks under control this year while maintaining the strikeout numbers he has had in years past. He has a reliever profile and that is likely what he will do at the next level.