With the 2024 draft approaching this summer, high school players have a couple more months to catch some helium and rise up draft boards. Today, we’ll be focusing on the offensive side of the ball and looking at three hitters that I believe should be receiving more attention than they currently are. Let’s dive in.
3B Kale Fountain - Norris (NE) HS (#81 on Top 100)
Fountain is very physically imposing, standing at 6’5” and 230 pounds. He’s an incredibly gifted athlete, especially for his size, evident by the 6.65 60 time he ran at PG National over the summer. Fountain plays a solid third base in the field, showing off his range and fast-twitch on balls in the hole and down the line. He has a shot to stick on the dirt moving forward, but I would imagine he’ll end up in the outfield once he enters professional ball. The real upside here is at the plate, however, as Fountain has some of the best raw power in the class.
At the plate, Fountain gets on plane early and provides some real leverage when he gets the arms extended toward the front of the plate. He holds the single-season HR record for Nebraska high school baseball, and a few looks at the swing and size can explain why. He gets into rotation incredibly efficiently and quickly. This allows him to be on plane for a long time and still do some damage on balls that he may have “mishit”. At the PBR Super 60 event, he posted a top exit velocity of 108, really showcasing the top-of-the-line power potential that he holds. In game, he could benefit from getting the ball a little more out front on occasion, but the hit tool is still really impressive for a guy with this much power. He possesses the ability to hit the ball to all fields, and this combination of raw power and solid bat-to-ball skills should be intriguing for some organizations this summer.
INF Ty Southisene - Basic Academy (NV) (#36)
Despite winning the PG All-American Game MVP, it still seems like the industry is rather low on Southisene. Quite the opposite of Fountain, Southisene stands at 5’9” and 160 pounds. However, he plays with the confidence and swagger of the biggest guy on the field every time he laces them up. He is extremely athletic and an absolute sparkplug on both sides of the ball. In the field, Southisene might be the smoothest infielder I’ve seen at the high school level. While his arm may not be top of the line, he more than makes up for it with quick hands and feet that can make any play on the dirt. He will most certainly stick at second base for a long time, and he profiles as a plus to double-plus defender due to his incredible instincts and smooth actions. A 6.45 runner, Southisene gets great jumps on the basepaths, and his high baseball IQ leads to excellent reads on balls in play.
At the plate, Southisene hits literally anything and everything. Velo, spin, doesn’t matter. He utilizes a decent sized leg kick, but he has great control and rhythm throughout the swing that allows him to be on time to do damage even at his size. The hand speed is really impressive, and part of the reason why he always seems to be on the barrel in games. Regardless of his physical stature, the bat speed, fluidity, and explosiveness allow his game to play up. One of the more consistent hitters in this 2024 class, and there’s no doubt in my mind he will keep these plus bat-to-ball skills as he moves to the next level.
SS Arnold “AJ” abernathy - North Cobb (GA) HS (#37)
Abernathy is another high-level athlete with a really nice feel for the game. His quick twitch and movements in the infield are extremely fluid and natural, and his arm talent stands out, as he was clocked at 98mph from the outfield at PG National. Moving forward, he will more than likely stick in the outfield, most likely in center where he’ll have more of an opportunity to show off his plus first step and 6.38 speed. He has the speed to impact the game in a variety of ways. On the basepaths, his twitch and pure speed can wreak havoc and will be a major advantage with the new rules that encourage stolen bases. From a pure athleticism standpoint, these tools are not easy to come by, and will certainly be a point of appeal for organizations this summer.
At the plate, Abernathy uses a taller setup and a leg kick as he moves forward into launch. Shows solid bat-to-ball skills and adjustability, allowing him to hit to all fields. His quick twitch allows him to see the ball deep and make mid-swing adjustments, which will be big for him to hopefully avoid drastic platoon splits against left-handed pitchers as he progresses. He is hit over power right now, but there is promise for more power as he learns how to tap into some more of the natural athleticism in his swing. Regardless, even if the hit tool ends up being average, his tools will still be able to shine on the basepaths and in the field. He has a really promising future.