Aidan Hayse

Three HS Pitchers to Know Going Into the Spring

With the spring season beginning, organizations are getting started on getting their last looks on some of the prep talent that is available in the 2024 draft. Today, I’ll be looking at three prep pitchers to keep an eye on as their senior season kicks off. Let’s dive in.


RHP Aidan Hayse - Joliet Catholic Academy (#74 on Top 100)

There might not be more of a data darling in this year’s prep class of pitchers than Hayse. It’s a pretty ridiculous three-pitch mix that shows some solid upside. Standing at 6’3, Hayse is uber-athletic. It’s a smooth delivery with some electric arm speed. Sequencing-wise, he could stand to get into the front leg a little more consistently, as he can get a bit pushy with the back side, causing him to miss up and arm-side on occasion. However, when he does have it all synced up, it’s clear that there’s something special there. Hailing from Illinois, Hayse hasn’t seen as much time in game as some of his warmer-weather companions in the class have. As he makes the switch from high school to either Tennessee or pro ball, expect him to settle in fairly quickly and put up some more consistent results.


Let’s get into this ridiculous three-pitch mix. His worst pitch is probably his fastball. That said, he consistently throws it in the 91-93 mph range and touched 95 mph this summer. It gets around 16 inches of IVB with about 10 inches of horizontal break to the arm side. When it’s at its best, it shows late life to the arm side. With the arm speed at present, I wouldn’t put it past him to consistently run it up in the mid-high 90s in the coming years. The slider is a real weapon. He comfortably throws it in the 80-82 mph range, and there is some real feel for spin here. The slider typically gets around 14 inches of horizontal break, and he can locate it to either side of the plate. Profiles as a future above-average pitch, and will only continue to improve as the velocity ticks up. The changeup is borderline ridiculous. It’s a hard one as he throws it in the 83-86 mph range, but he’s still able to get upwards of 20 (!!) inches of horizontal break to the arm side. This creates some really uncomfortable looks for both right and left-handed hitters. He throws it at a lower release height, allowing it to produce a pretty steep vertical approach angle as it enters into the zone. It shows the promise of a future double-plus pitch. All in all, Hayse possesses all of the raw tools to succeed at the next level, and the pitchability is only going to continue to improve.


LHP Ethan Schiefelbein - Corona HS (#13)

Standing at 6”1 175lbs, Schiefelbein isn’t necessarily physically imposing, but the arm talent here is very real and has a chance to be very special. It’s a loose and effortless delivery that is extremely well-sequenced. He can simply cruise through games, oftentimes looking as if he has yet to even break a sweat. But, when he really needs to ramp it up, he’ll add a little extra juice to blow a pitch by the hitter. It’s an incredibly mature approach to the game, and he has all the tools to stick as a starter for a long time to come. He handles his business on the mound like a professional, and the mental game is advanced beyond his years. When you combine this advanced approach with impressive arm talent, Schiefelbein shows outstanding promise and has a chance to be one of the first prep southpaws taken off the board this summer.


Getting into the actual pitch miz, Schiefelbein has a really impressive arsenal. He typically throws the fastball in the 89-92 mph range, occasionally running it up to 94 mph. He gets an incredible amount of carry on the pitch, allowing it to really play up in the zone. It frequently pushes 20 inches IVB, and is a real weapon. His curveball is one of my favorite pitches in this prep class. Aesthetically, it brings back memories of Barry Zito’s big 12/6 breaker that gave hitters fits for years. It’s a true 12/6 that pairs extremely well with the riding fastball he features. He has the ability to manipulate the spin and shape, sometimes opting to flip it in the middle of the zone with a bigger break, and sometimes throwing it a bit firmer and burying it when ahead in the count. This ability to provide different looks with the breaking ball keeps hitters off-balance and second-guessing, and it produces some really ugly swings from some of the best hitters in the class. The changeup shows a good bit of arm-side run, pushing 15 inches of HZB frequently. This allows him to work both up and down and in and out. He throws a slider on occasion, but it oftentimes ends up fairly similar to the curveball as he gets fatigued. As he moves into pro ball or UCLA, the slider should continue to clean up and develop. This will provide him with a pretty devastating 4-pitch mix that can be deployed to any quadrant of the zone. Either way, the current arsenal shows plenty of promise. The two-pitch sequence of the riding fastball and depthy curveball will continue to be his bread and butter and allow him to avoid platoon splits against righties. He’s a mature, calm, and collected pitcher who will most certainly have plenty of eyes on him this spring as teams prepare for the draft.


RHP Tommy Bridges - Harvard-Westlake HS (NR)

Bridges has a smaller frame than Hayse and Schiefelbein, standing at 5”11, but he uses it incredibly well. It’s an incredibly smooth and incredibly efficient delivery. He stays closed for a really long time, effectively hiding the ball from hitters as he goes through the delivery, which leads to some really uncomfortable at-bats. Bridges goes about his business on the mound with an aura of confidence and poise. Like Schiefelbein, he seems to be collected beyond his years, and the entire operation when he has the ball in his hands is incredibly relaxed and confident. As he finishes up his senior year and moves on to TCU or the draft, he should see some really nice physical development which will only improve the already polished arsenal that he has. Bridges probably falls into the high-floor, lower-ceiling category, but there’s some real projection here to be a middle-of-the-order rotation arm for a long time to come.

Bridges features a really solid three-pitch mix. The fastball will consistently be 88-90 mph, occasionally topping out at 92 mph. From the lower release height that he creates from his stature and his delivery down the mound, he’s able to create some tough angles to both the top and bottom of the zone. He’ll manipulate the shape and throw it with sink down and some ride up, keeping hitters guessing even with the heater. Off of the fastball, Bridges will deploy a slider with some real teeth to it frequently. He shows really advanced feel to land both the slider and the fastball in any count and to any zone. It’s a sharp slider at 80-82 mph that misses a good bit of bats and hardly ever generates good contact. He tunnels it extremely well with the fastball with sink at the bottom, and his ability to add some deception into his motion allows it to play up even more than one might think. He also uses a fading changeup that he throws at 80-82 mph. This creates a good change of speed as well as a change of direction off of the slider. All in all, it’s about as polished of a repertoire as you could ask for as a prep arm. The physical gains will only allow the stuff to improve even more.

2024 MLB Draft: Top 100 Prep Prospects

Director’s Note: All Draft Day Ages for players are pinned to July 14, 2024, our guess as to when the MLB Draft will start. The league has not announced the dates for the 2024 MLB Draft and once revealed, we will adjust approximate ages to that date.

The 2024 Top 100 College board will be released tomorrow. Once the season is in full bloom, we will begin to integrate a single list, starting off with 200 prospects. As always, our 2024 Prospect Footage can be found here.


1. OF/RHP Konnor Griffin, jackson Prep (MS)

Height: 6’4

Weight: 210

B/T: R/R

Commitment: Louisiana state

Draft Day age: 18 yr 2 mo

There may not be a more famous name in this class than Konnor Griffin, who reclassified from the 2025 ranks and has a chance to be the first prep player off the board next July. Given the reclassification, he projects to be one of the younger guys in this class, though you wouldn't know that with mix of physicality and projection. He's got two-way abilities, though most project him as a center fielder, where his athleticism, plus speed, and excellent range are on full display. He's got a very good arm and plenty of twitchiness, too. At the dish, it's a polished approach with a ton of bat speed and over-the-fence power, which projects as plus once he's fully developed. His overall contact has shown some inconsistencies this summer, though it's gotten better as the summer has progressed. All in all, Griffin has the potential to be rather special offensively. There's upside on the bump, as well, as he's already gotten into the mid-90s with his fastball and shows a promising breaking ball with swing-and-miss traits, too.


2. 1B/OF PJ Morlando, Summerville HS (SC)

Height: 6’3

Weight: 200

b/t: L/R

commitment: South Carolina

draft day age: 19 yr 1 mo

There's no mincing words here, Morlando projects as the biggest offensive threat in this year's prep class thanks to a loud combination of high contact rates, robust power, and mature plate discipline. Morlando has a quiet setup with a wide lower half, but he really explodes through the zone with quick hands and high-end bat speed. He's a patient hitter who knows the strike zone and isn't afraid to rack up the free passes, plus he'll utilize the whole field and keeps the whiffs to a minimum. The power potential with Morlando is sky high with the bat speed and leverage/loft he generates and he's already put on shows during batting practices in big league stadiums. It's easily plus right now. Defensively, he projects as a potential corner outfielder thanks to his athleticism and average speed/arm, which have improved over the years. There's still a chance that he moves to a first base role as he grows, though that's not set in stone just yet. The South Carolina commit will be a fun one to follow for years.


3. 3B Caleb Bonemer, Okemos HS (MI)

height: 6’1

weight: 195

B/T: R/R

COMMITMENT: Virginia

DRAFT DAY AGE: 18 yr 9 mo

Bonemer profiles as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, riser from the summer circuit, propelling himself to the top of the class with a loud toolset. It's a legitimate power/speed threat with a chance to be a solid defender on the left side of the dirt. There's not a ton of wasted energy with Bonemer's swing, as he stays very quiet through his load and short to the ball, displaying explosive bat speed from the right side and punishing baseballs in the process. Most of his power plays up the middle and to his pullside and he's already produced multiple exit velocities over 105 MPH. If there's anything to work on with Bonemer, it's polishing up his plate discipline, as he does run into some issues with whiffs and the chase rate is a bit higher than you'd want to see. Despite the physical nature of his frame, he's very athletic and produces plus or better run times. He's got a very good glove and could stay at shortstop, though given his size, a move to third base seems likely, where he'd be a potentially above-average or better defender.


4. RHP Levi Sterling, Notre Dame HS (CA)

Height: 6’4

Weight: 190

B/T: R/R

Commitment: Texas

Draft Day Age: 17 yr 10 mo

Sterling turned in a loud summer and has vaulted himself to the top of the class with a mix of loud stuff, pitchability, and projection. For starters, Sterling will be one of the youngest players in the entire class, as he won't turn 18 until September, which certainly helps him in team model runs. He projects as a starter with a buttery-smooth delivery on the mound and a legitimate four-pitch mix that is led by a fastball that's already in the low-90s with life and can easily get into the mid-90s with added strength to his long and lanky frame. His best secondary comes in the form of a low-mid 80s change-up, which has splitter-esque movement and dives hard away from lefties. He mixes in an upper-70s curveball that classifies more as a sweeper and a mid-80s cutter with tight spin to righties. He's got plenty of athleticism and he throws a large quantity of strikes as a result, showcasing potentially above-average command at best.


5. SS Carter Johnson, oxford HS (AL)

Height: 6’2

Weight: 180

B/T: L/R

Commitment: Alabama

Draft Day Age: 18 yr 4 mo


As a hitter, Johnson possesses almost everything you want to see in a swing from a prep prospect. His hands work quick, his hips fire, and there's plenty of bat speed. He has performed at every summer event that he has attended, and shows an ability to barrel up stuff, as well as taking what the pitcher gives him. Defensively, Johnson has the instincts and hands to stick on the dirt, but there are concerns about his foot speed at shortstop. A move to 2nd base or 3rd base could be made down the line, but Johnson has the prototypical long shortstop body to add strength and should be given every opportunity to prove that he can handle the speed and physicality of the position. Even if there is a future move to 2nd or 3rd base, Johnson has enough power and hitting ability to stick at those positions. He's a high follow for the Deep South region, and is the top prep prospect in the state of Alabama.


6. 1B/LHP Noah Franco, IMG Academy (FL)

Height: 6’3

Weight: 205

B/T: L/L

Commitment: TCU

Draft Day Age: 18 yr 2 mo

Another reclassified player from the 2025 class, Franco has some of the best two-way upside in this class. He's got a physical frame with very broad shoulders and plenty of athleticism that plays well on both sides of the ball, though there's a bit more upside with the bat. There is some swing-and-miss to his game, but he's not afraid to rack up walks and doesn't chase a ton, plus he's been able to hold his own in left-on-left matchups. There's plenty of bat speed present and he swings with serious intent, spraying the ball to all fields and showcasing solid power up the middle and to his pull-side. That'll get better as he becomes physically mature. He's likely limited to first base with his size, though don't let that fool you. He's rather mobile and shows quick twitch at the position, letting his athleticism shine. On the bump, he's been into the low-90s with easy, athletic mechanics and it's easy to project him into the mid-90s by next summer. He's got a high spin slider that has some teeth in the low-80s with late sweep, as well as feel for a change-up.


7. RHP Joey oakie, Ankeny centennial HS (IA)

Height: 6’3

Weight: 207

B/T: R/R

Commitment: iowa

Draft Day Age: 18 yr 2 mo

Another loud arm coming out of Ankeny, Iowa, Oakie has some of the loudest stuff in the entire class. Oakie generates a ton of scap load in his delivery with a big arm swing before driving down the mound with a whippy, near sidearm slot. He's already gotten into the mid-90s with the fastball, getting up to 97 MPH, with a ton of life and spin through the zone and plays up thanks to the low launch nature of his release. It wouldn't be a shock to see Oakie's velocity jump into the upper-90s when all is said and done, either. Oakie's sweeper might be the best pitch in the prep ranks, a diabolical pitch with a ton of sweep and hard biting action in the mid-80s and projects as plus. He's gotten up to 25 inches of horizontal break this summer and the pitch has insanely high spin rates, touching the 3,000 RPM barrier. He's got feel for a fading change-up that he throws hard in the mid-upper 80s that projects well, too. He'll need to iron out some command inconsistencies, but this is an enticing package overall.


8. RHP Owen Hall, Edmond north HS (OK)

Height: 6’3

Weight: 185

B/T: R/R

Commitment: Vanderbilt

Draft Day Age: 18 yr 8 mo

Hall is another big riser from the summer circuit, vaulting himself into the top ten with a mix of present stuff and starter traits. It's a fluid and athletic delivery on the bump with a lean frame that has plenty of projection remaining at 6'3, 185 pounds. Hall's fastball is rather explosive with a ton of late life, especially at the top of the zone, and he'll show a bit of a two-seam/sinker variant at the bottom of the zone. He throws plenty of strikes with the heater and he'll hold 92-95 MPH throughout outings, plus he's already been up to 98 MPH in shorter stints. It's a future plus pitch. He's got two breaking balls, a slider/cutter hybrid in the mid-80s that has good two-plane tilt and a curveball in the mid-to-upper-70s that has good depth, but lacks bite/conviction at times. He's developing a mid-80s splitter, as well. He'll need to develop consistency with his off-speed arsenal, but there's a ton to like with the Vanderbilt commit.


9. OF Slade Caldwell, valley view HS (AR)

Height: 5’9

Weight: 182

B/T: L/L

Commitment: Mississippi

Draft Day Age: 18 yr


The best way to describe Caldwell would be to call him a "menace." While he lacks premium physicality due to his shorter stature, Caldwell makes up for it with explosive athleticism and polish. It's a sweet swing from the left side of the plate and he's shown excellent plate discipline, rarely chasing and showcasing plenty of patience, drawing walks aplenty. There's solid barrel consistency in his swing and he utilizes the gaps often, prioritizing his plus-plus speed on the basepaths as a result. He's rather strong for his size and has been able to put the ball in the air more, though it's always going to be hit-over-power with Caldwell. His speed allows him to cover ground very well in center field, where he's a solid defender with great instincts. If there's anything to knock him on, it's the lack of a strong arm, which may push him to left field. With that said, he's got the tools to stick at the "eight" long term. He'll have plenty of fans come draft day.


10. RHP William Schmidt, Catholic HS (LA)

Height: 6’4

Weight: 180

b/t: R/R

COMMITMENT: Louisiana State

DRAFT DAY AGE: 18 yr 9 mo

In terms of raw stuff, Schmidt's one-two punch might be the best in this class. An above-average, if not better, athlete on the mound, Schmidt is a quick mover on the mound where his athleticism is explosive and there's a ton of projection with his long, lean frame. The fastball has seen a solid velocity uptick over the past year, now touching 95 MPH and holding 90-94 MPH consistently. There's plenty of riding life with the heater, as well as some cut, and given the projection, it's likely that he could get into the upper-90s soon. The true separator with Schmidt is an upper-70s curveball with a ton of upside. It's a true 12-6 hammer with tons of depth and extremely high spin rates, exceeding the 3,000 RPM threshold on occasion. There's plenty of bat-missing traits between those two pitches and he's developing an upper-70s change-up with plenty of fading life. Command comes and goes, but given the projection and pure stuff, this is a profile that can sneak into the first round with further development.