Cole Messina

2024 MLB Draft: Top 100 College 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 High School board can be found here. 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. 2B/SS JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia

Height: 5’10

Weight: 190

B/T: L/R

Draft Day Age: 21 yr 10 mo

Wetherholt's bat has a chance to be very special, as the mix of pure hit and power tools profile as one of the best in the entire country. Wetherholt posts elite contact rates and seldom whiffs with impressive feel for the barrel. It's a compact and powerful swing from the left side of the plate, showcasing very quick hands and loud bat speed. Wetherholt utilizes the whole field to his advantage and will punish the gaps with legitimate above-average to plus power, which also plays well to his pull side. It's a truly special bat. He's played at third base and second base the past two years, though he's been given a chance at shortstop this fall and the reports are promising. The range is there to handle the position, though the arm strength needs some improvement. He's a solid runner and knows how to be a menace on the basepaths, as well, recording 36 stolen bases in 2023.


2. 1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest

Height: 6’5

Weight: 235

B/T: L/L

Draft Day Age: 21 yr 4 mo


Coming in at 6'5, 235lbs, Nick Kurtz is a monster of a human being at the plate. The size, strength, and power Kurtz possesses is a scout's dream. The Wake Forest first baseman has a scary good offensive profile. He is going to draw his fair share of walks due to his patience at the plate while also hitting for massive power thanks to his near 70-grade pop. On top of that, he's got a well advanced approach at the plate and is able to use the entire field. Shockingly for his size, he is fairly athletic and can more than hold his own at first base. He's one of the best defenders at first base and easily grades as a plus defender. Kurtz is a likely frontrunner to be the 2024 ACC Player of the Year and should be providing plenty of offense as the anchor for the Demon Deacons lineup. He has the makings of becoming a force in a big league lineup and will likely be a fast riser through the minors.


3. 2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State

Height: 6’0

Weight: 199

B/T: L/R

Draft Day Age: 21 yr 10 mo

An import from Australia, Bazzana's overall toolset is ridiculously impressive. He's put up incredible numbers in his two years at Oregon State, slashing .340/.463/.549 across two seasons in Corvallis with elite bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline. He's a really tough out at the plate, rarely expanding the zone and he's got an incredible eye, racking up walks aplenty. His spray chart is a thing of beauty, utilizing the entire field with a compact, line drive swing with a ton of bat speed that is meant to do serious damage. It's above-average juice at the present and most of it plays to his pull side, but he's shown an ability to hammer the ball to the opposite field gap. Bazzana is also an incredible runner, posting plus run times on a consistent basis. He's primarily been a second baseman up to this point, though there's a chance we see him at shortstop in 2024. He's got enough athleticism and twitch to have solid range there, though his arm is nothing more than average. Either way you draw it up, this is a potentially elite bat with suitable defense up the middle.


4. RHP Chase Burns, Wake Forest

Height: 6’4

Weight: 195

B/T: R/R

Draft Day Age: 21 yr 5 mo

Burns is an electric factory on the bump. The Wake Forest transfer is a bulldog type on the mound and he exudes all the confidence you want to see in a pitcher on the mound. He isn't afraid to go right after batters with his electric fastball. What is an elite two-pitch mix, he sits in the upper-90s with significant life to the fastball and pairs it with a diabolical upper-80s/low-90s slider that he can manipulate the shape of. He also isn't afraid to reach back on his fastball for a little extra and can get it up to 101-102 mph. He's been working on a curveball and a splitter, flashing potential, though he doesn't rely on either heavily. His command can waiver at times, but when he is locked in, he can paint a masterpiece. Even with the slight command woes, the stuff is elite and it will be interesting to see what the Wake Forest pitching lab can do to elevate his already incredible arsenal to the next level. He is the best arm in this class.


5. 1B/of Charlie Condon, Georgia

Height: 6’6

Weight: 211

B/T: R/R

Draft Day Age: 21 yr 3 mo


The reigning SEC Freshman of the Year, Condon's unexpected emergence was a welcome sight. After redshirting his first year on campus, Condon exploded onto the scene with a .386/.484/.800 slash line and 25 home runs in 56 games. Condon has a towering, physical frame at 6'6, 211 pounds with plenty of strength throughout his body and there's quite a bit of projection to it still. Condon has plus-plus raw power to all fields and got to it often in 2023, posting healthy exit velocities and even getting into the 110-115 MPH range. It's a ton of bat speed and very quick hands with the barrel exploding through the zone with little effort. There's some hitterish traits with Condon, as he has solid bat-to-ball skills, though he does have his struggles with spin. Defensively, Condon has enough speed and athleticism to handle a corner outfield spot, though if he outgrows the position, he can handle first base. The bat would have to continue to perform in that case and that's the selling point right now.


6. OF Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina

Height: 6’3

Weight: 205

B/T: R/R

Draft Day Age: 21 yr 1 mo


Finding guys with five tool potential is a tough task, but Honeycutt has the potential to be that type of player. Honeycutt showed plenty of improvements in the strikeout department in 2023, dropping the strikeout rate significantly, though that came with the price of production. Nonetheless, Honeycutt has game-changing tools. There's plenty of bat speed from the right side of the plate and there's potentially plus power that plays to his pull side and he'll hit the gaps to show off his blazing speed. The swing-and-miss has toned down and he rarely chases, which is promising for the hit tool. If everything comes together in 2024, there's potential for an above-average hit tool here. He's a lock to stick in center field long term, as his plus speed gives him exceptional range and he'll make highlight reel plays on a consistent basis. There's a strong arm here, as well. If everything clicks, there's serious 1-1 potential.


7. SS/OF Seaver King, Wake Forest

Height: 6’0

Weight: 190

B/T: R/R

Draft Day Age: 21 yr 2 mo

One of the funnest development stories to follow, Seaver King has made his way to Wake Forest after playing last year at Division II Wingate. He was quite undersized coming out of high school which only earned him the Wingate offer, but he's grown a bit since then and found his way into a gig with what might be one of the best college teams going into the 2024 season. King has a robust line-drive approach at the plate with tons of bat speed and has the ability to use the entire field to go along with very good exit velocities, getting up to 111 MPH this fall. King doesn't strikeout often and gets a lot of barrel to ball, but he also doesn't walk a ton either and the chase rates are a bit too high. If he can improve the discipline in 2024 and continue to blast the baseball, he'll be a certified top fifteen pick. He's rather twitchy in the field and can play a myriad of positions for Wake Forest this spring, including center field.


8. RHP Brody Brecht, Iowa

Height: 6’4

Weight: 225

B/T: R/R

Draft Day Age: 21 yr 9 mo


Brecht may have the highest upside of any arm in this loaded college class and he's lit up Stuff+ models with some of the loudest stuff in the college landscape. Brecht has undergone some mechanical tweaks since his high school days, most notably being a shortened arm action that has given him more deception. It's a very quick arm with excellent athleticism, as well. He's gotten up to 101 MPH during starts in 2023, holding upper-90s velocity well throughout his starts, accuring whiffs at a high rate despite suboptimal vertical carry. The slider is the real deal, showing true double-plus potential with hellacious bite. It'll display shorter break with late lateral movement and he's shown an ability to land it for strikes when the fastball command is out of whack. He's tinkered with a low-90s change-up and a low-80s curveball, but he's primarily just had to use the FB-SL combination thus far. The high walk rate and command woes have been the big thing holding Brecht back, though he did show improved fastball command down the stretch for the Hawkeyes. He's stepped away from football and will be focusing solely on pitching moving forward.


9. 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone, Florida

Height: 6’5

Weight: 245

B/T: L/L

Draft Day Age: 21 yr 5 mo

Dubbed the "Ohtani" of college baseball, Caglianone is one of the most well-known players at the amateur level with legitimate two-way potential. There's a bit of rawness to his game, but the power on both sides of the ball are rather impressive. We'll start with the bat, which might have the best power in this entire class. It's easy double-plus right now with extremely quick hand speed and torque, generating a ton of bat speed and all fields power. He's producing some of the loudest exit velocities in the country as a result. The hit tool could use some refinement, as he's rather aggressive and expands the zone frequently. On the defensive side, it's a first-base profile. As an arm, Caglianone has loud stuff, but the command holds him back. The fastball has flirted with triple digits with some life, paired with a bullet-esque slider with solid potential and a bigger bender. The change-up has excellent velocity separation and fading life, boasting a high whiff rate. He's tinkered with his mechanics, becoming more compact this fall, but time will tell how much this helps his command. The jury is still out on if he has to choose one or the other, but the upside on both sides is enticing.


10. OF Mike sirota, Northeastern

Height: 6’3

Weight: 188

B/T: R/R

Draft Day Age: 21 yr

Sirota is about as well-rounded of a hitter as you'll find in college baseball. The Northeastern outfielder possesses a rare combination of discipline, power, and hit ability that is hard to come by at the amateur level. Offensively, he lets the ball get deep in the zone, allowing him to stay back and drive the ball to all fields with authority. He rarely chases pitches out of the zone, drawing plenty of walks in the process. Though he occasionally gets knocked for playing at a mid-major, his performance against high-quality pitching over the last two summers in the Cape Cod League show he can excel with a competition jump and wood bat. His speed allows him to cover a ton of ground in center field, which is where he projects as plus long-term. Sirota's advanced bat combined with his athleticism are what make him a potential first-round pick.


Deep Drives: South Carolina Road Trip

1B/LHP Jac Caglianone, FloridA

Hitting: 3-11, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 BB, 5 K

Pitching: 3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 4 K


Jac Caglianone has taken over the college baseball landscape this season, becoming an amateur Shohei Ohtani clone. The two-way prowess has been rather impressive to watch, though there are some things I wanted to hone in on with him over the weekend. Could these be hot takes? I don’t know, but here’s my honest opinion on Caglianone: he’s electric, but there’s work to be done.


As a bat, you’re looking at some of the biggest raw power in the country. The bat and hand speed that Caglianone possesses is otherworldly and presently, he leads the country in home runs with twenty-three. His latest home run wasn’t a cheap one, murdering an 81 MPH breaking ball on the outer halfway over the right field fence, coming very close to leaving the stadium. Leaving the bat at 108 MPH, it would ultimately land 412 feet away. He’d add on a single and a double, and while it’s legitimate double plus power, I do have some reservations about the hit tool. He can get rather aggressive at the plate and shows trouble with off-speed. Will Sanders welcomed Caglianone to Columbia with three sliders, all of which Caglianone whiffed on. He’s in no rush to walk either, as he only has nine on the year. Defensively, he’s limited to first base and while he could see some time in the outfield to test his versatility, there’s gonna be pressure on the bat to perform.

On the mound, it can get rather rough to watch. He labored through a lengthy first inning, allowing a home run to Braylen Wimmer and walking two more batters before the inning ended. He’d ultimately walk six batters in the span of three innings. It’s a reliever-ish look for him, as he can struggle to repeat his mechanics and his fastball command is rather pedestrian at best. He did hold consistent 93-96 MPH velocity, as well as a solid low-mid 80's slider with tight spin and a quality change-up with great separation and diving action, but the strike-throwing, or lack thereof, is slightly concerning.

He’s going to be a polarizing prospect in next year's cycle, not because of the two-way ability, but because of the rawness he has and whether or not he can find the polish that Vance Honeycutt and others have. If he manages to do that and performs admirably in the SEC in 2024, you’re likely looking at the 1.1 pick. If not, you might be looking at someone who’s defensively limited and aggressive at the plate, as well as a potential reliever down the line. Would you take that over a legitimate center fielder with a revamped approach in Honeycutt? That’s the real question and we can dive into that further later on. For now, though, we can sit back and enjoy the season he’s having and hope the polish comes around.

RHP Hurston Waldrep, Florida

Final Line: 6 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 10 K

Hurston Waldrep’s stuff is rather loud. The former Southern Mississippi arm has always had a robust arsenal, though the results just have not been there this year. Maybe I’m overthinking it because it’s the SEC, but he’s really struggled to open ballgames and last Friday was no different.

Over the first two innings, Waldrep would primarily lead off at-bats with the fastball. The result? Five earned runs, including a three-run home run to Ethan Petry on a hanging 88 MPH splitter in the second inning. After that? Waldrep would retire the next ten batters straight before a leadoff walk in the sixth inning, primarily pitching backwards with his off-speed arsenal. The fastball features cutting action with some ride in the mid-90’s, touching 97 MPH early, though the command was scattered at times and it felt very hittable. The curveball was utilized often to steal strikes early in counts, sitting in the low-80’s consistently with big downer shape and he’d primarily pitch off his high-80’s slider that featured sweep and high spin. His splitter, which is one of the best pitches in this year’s class, lacked some feel and he didn’t utilize it much, though when snapped off properly, it featured very low spin and dropped off a cliff.



The main question with Waldrep is whether or not scouts see him as a starter long-term. He’s highly athletic with an over-the-top arm slot, but the delivery has a good amount of effort and the command, particularly with the fastball, draws some concern. He’ll need to utilize a more consistent fastball shape, too, as the pitch is subject to being lit up when down in the zone and he showed some struggles elevating the pitch early in his outing. He’s still a projected first-round pick, though he’s going to be a bit of a project for a big-league team.



RHP Brandon Sproat, Florida

Final Line: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K


Brandon Sproat is a bit of an interesting case to dive into. He was selected in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the New York Mets, but opted not to sign and returned to campus to be Florida’s new Friday starter. He’s shown glimpses of brilliance on the mound this year, including a complete game shutout against Alabama last month, though while he has seen an uptick in velocity across the board with his stuff, I wonder if he’ll ultimately end up in the bullpen.

His start on Thursday was a mixed bag of sorts. He primarily lived off a lively fastball/change-up combo, sprinkling in a slider at the start before resorting to a curveball in the third and fourth innings. The fastball touched 100 MPH on the first pitch and he primarily lived in the 94-98 MPH range throughout the night, but the pitch’s shape and inconsistent command hamper it. It’s more of a running two-seamer than a riding four-seamer and won’t miss a ton of bats, plus the lack of strikes with the pitch is concerning. His best off-speed is the aforementioned change-up, which features great separation and he’s confident enough to throw it in any count. It lives in the 88-91 MPH range and dives hard to the dirt, garnering plenty of empty swings. The slider is more of a gyro pitch, showcasing decent depth with a little horizontal movement in the high-80’s, though at times, he did hang the pitch, which led to a home run in the first inning by Ethan Petry (he’s really good at this baseball thing, by the way). The curveball was primarily used to steal strikes to open at-bats later on in the low-80’s with solid depth and some sweep.


There’s athleticism in the delivery, which features a very long arm swing into a three-quarters arm slot, though there’s some effort in the operation. That, mixed with inconsistent command, does hint at a potential relief role down the line. However, he’s likely going to start off as a starter in the minor leagues until he’s forced into a bullpen role. It’ll be interesting to see if he manages to go higher than his 2022 selection and sneak his way into Day 1 conversations.

OF Wyatt Langford, Florida

Final Line: 2-11, 2 BB, 3 K

Langford has long been one of my favorite players in this class. While his CNT trials didn’t result in a ton of hits, he impressed me enough in that week to solidify himself in my personal top five, so it was paramount to see him again this spring. While it wasn’t the weekend he wanted, he still showed off why he has legitimate five-tool potential.

His BP was rather fun to sit down and watch, spraying line drives across the field. There’s legitimate bat speed in his swing and his power plays to all fields, even though he hasn’t replicated his 2022 power performance. He’s showing off more patience at the plate, as well. On the year, he’s garnered 37 walks and just 21 strikeouts, though there is an issue of being too selective and letting opposing arms get to their weapons deeper into counts. He’s a physical freak, as well. It’s a muscular build at 6’1, 220 pounds, but don’t let the size fool you, this is a player that can absolutely fly. He’s recorded plus run times in the past and books it down the line on ground balls, and if it weren’t for a fringe-average arm in the outfield, he’d likely be manning center field over Michael Robertson thanks to his speed. The arm will need to improve at the next level.


He did miss a little over two weeks from a pretty brutal lower-half injury, though he returned much earlier than expected and is still performing at a phenomenal clip. This is a profile that will find itself inside the top five, there’s very little doubt about that. Logistics will figure itself out as we get closer to draft day, but the upside is immense and he could be on a fast track to the majors if all goes well.


LHP Matthew Becker, South Carolina

Final Line: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

We’ve written about Will Sanders and Jack Mahoney plenty this month, so why not talk about South Carolina’s new Sunday starter, Matthew Becker. The southpaw is destined to be one of the top lefties in next year’s class.

Becker made a loud impression as a freshman, throwing six innings of one-hit ball against the top team in the country, the Texas Longhorns, striking out eleven in the process. While Sunday was not a replication of that Texas start, Becker only allowed two hits across five innings of work, striking out six and walking just one. The lone blemishes in his outing were two opposite field jacks to Cade Kurland, both of which coming off fastballs. Becker throws two different heaters, a sinker in the lower half of the zone and a four-seam with significant carry up in the zone. He’s added a bit more velocity, sitting more in the 90-92 MPH range with the four-seam and 89-91 MPH with the sinker. He has two excellent breaking balls with distinct shapes, a high-70’s curveball and a low-80’s slider, both of which have high spin numbers and big break. He began utilizing a low-80’s change-up with fade later on in the outing, primarily against righties.

Command was the biggest issue with Becker as a freshman and he’s improved a bit as a sophomore, but his fastball command can be fringy at times. He’ll need to add more velocity and improve the command a bit more to solidify himself as a potential Day 1 arm in next year’s draft, but the mold is definitely there and he’s in a great place to work on it with pitching coach Justin Parker. He and Eli Jerzembeck have the potential to be a very nasty 1-2 punch in the SEC in 2024.

RHP Teddy Sharkey, Coastal Carolina

Final Line: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 2 K

The combination of loud stuff and personality is something that doesn’t show up all that often in college baseball. Enter Teddy Sharkey, Coastal Carolina’s psycho closer.

Sharkey has a stockier build on the mound with some physicality present, coming in at 5’11, 200 pounds. It’s a high effort delivery with a higher arm slot, but man, the stuff is loud. The fastball has plenty of carry and got up to 97 MPH, sitting 93-96 MPH later on in his outing with command that began to waver a bit. He has two distinct breaking balls that are both potential plus pitches. The slider sits in the 85-88 MPH range with sharp two-plane break that, when commanded away from righties, can be lethal. The curveball has the potential to be a legitimate hammer, a low-80’s offering with significant depth and some sweep. He looked the part of a high-leverage reliever in his first inning, snaking his way out of a bases-loaded jam with two strikeouts. However, after getting two quick outs in his second inning, it became clear that he was tired and he had a meltdown with two outs, though his defense did not help him much. All five runs he allowed were unearned as a result.

While Coastal Carolina has stretched him out in recent outings, Sharkey is suited more for shorter outings and he projects as a potential high-leverage reliever at the next level. There are some things that will need to be shored up in the minor leagues, mainly his command, but this is an arm that could fly to the majors if everything comes together. He’s expected to be one of the first true relievers off the board in July.

OF Matthew Etzel, Southern Mississippi

Final Line: 3-5, 1 HR, 2 R


Etzel was a highly touted JUCO bat coming into the year and while Southern Mississippi has had its fair share of trouble, Etzel has been a big bright spot out of the leadoff spot.

Everything works easily for Etzel at the plate. He has solid plate discipline and it’s more of a line-drive approach at the plate. He does have decent power, but did not get his first home run of the season until his first at-bat on Sunday. The swing is more suited for spraying line drives across the field, but he has a knack for putting plenty of backspin on balls in play. He does have a bit of trouble with fastballs up in the zone, though that wasn’t very apparent in this series. He’d tally seven hits total in the three-game set, including back-to-back three-hit performances. He’s likely a lock to stay in at the eight moving forward, too. He glides on the basepaths and in center field, though his route running can waver from time to time. The arm may put him in a left field position should he move to a corner position, but ultimately, his speed should be the difference maker there.


He’s a bit of a weird one to rank on our board, but there’s a chance that Etzel could play his way into the top 100 picks. He’ll need to add more power to his profile, but he’s a potential center fielder with great speed and a knack for hitting. He’d fit anywhere at the beginning of Day 2 in July.


Honorable Mentions: INF Cade Kurland, Florida; OF Ethan Petry, South Carolina; INF Cole Messina, South Carolina; RHP Will Sanders, South Carolina; LHP Cade Fisher, Florida

Deep Drives: ECU + Vandy/South Carolina

Another week, another Deep Drives edition.

It was a quieter week on all fronts, so it’s only natural to get some extra help and combine live looks with another writer. One of our newest writers, Jonathan Martin, makes his Deep Drives debut as he got a chance to get out and see a heavyweight matchup in the SEC between Vanderbilt and South Carolina in Nashville. Meanwhile, Tyler ventured out to East Carolina to get a chance to look at one of the best arms in the 2024 class, Trey Yesavage.

RHP Trey Yesavage, east Carolina

Line: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 10 K (86 Pitches)

When we revamp our 2024 draft board, fully expect Yesavage to be in first-round consideration. The stuff is that good. He’s a big, physical specimen on the mound for ECU, who has gone from a high-leverage reliever in 2022 to a bonafide ace in 2023.

It’s hard to see the fastball not being a plus pitch at the next level. He’s been up to 98 MPH this year, though the velocity against Cincinnati was 92-95 MPH early, before settling in at 91-94 MPH as the outing went on. He’s able to generate a ton of backspin at release, which comes from an over-the-top arm slot, and the pitch has ridiculous riding life at the top of the zone. It gives him a big margin for error at the present level, especially with his feel for throwing his off-speed arsenal lacking in this start. The fastball alone had sixteen whiffs on the night, which is ridiculous. His command of the pitch is much improved, as well, giving him plenty of success living on the edges before going upstairs for whiffs.

The aforementioned off-speed arsenal is rather robust, though it was not utilized much on this day. The primary breaking ball is a slider/cutter hybrid that he’s recently added, giving him an additional weapon with late horizontal break and tight spin against righties. When he kept the pitch down in the zone, it was nasty and got three whiffs, though there were times where he bounced it off the dirt or missed glove-side. He has a splitter in the low-80’s that can drop off the table when it’s on, though in this outing, he only threw one for a strike and struggled to find feel throughout the outing, missing arm-side constantly. There’s also a 12-6 curveball in his repertoire, and while it has sharp downward break, he struggled to find the strike zone with it.

Overall, the evolution that Yesavage has had gives him plenty of potential and upside for teams. If there’s any nitpicking to be made here, it comes from the off-speed command plus the long ball. He’ll be eligible as a junior in next year’s draft, but if he keeps this up, it’s tough to envision him lasting past the first round.

1B josh Moylan, east Carolina

The pride of Stoney Beach, Maryland, Josh Moylan made a name for himself in his freshman campaign before entering the “sophomore slump” last spring. As a junior, Moylan has begun to find his old form and has been one of the hottest bats in the country in recent weeks.

Moylan is a tall, physical human with plenty of present strength. He’s struggled with strikeouts throughout his career, but he shows patience at the plate and draws a fair share of walks. With that said, the burgeoning power that Moylan possesses will intrigue teams. His swing has plenty of loft to it and his power plays to all fields. His lone hit against Cincinnati was a back-side homer, carrying over the fence in the opposite field gap. He’d go on to have a home run in the remaining two games of the series, propelling ECU’s win streak to eight straight games and one step closer to gaining a hosting spot in tournament play. The bat will need to continue to perform, as he’s a first base profile with consistent defense.

He likely profiles more toward the back half of the draft at this point in time, providing a team with a money-saving option at this point in time. Things can change, however, and if Moylan continues to crush the baseball, he could find himself sneaking his way up boards.

OF Ethan Petry, South Carolina

To say Ethan Petry is putting together a spectacular freshman season would be modest. The freshman is facing elite SEC arms and doing damage against high velocities while handling off-speed pitches fairly well. Friday night, Vanderbilt gave their workhorse a rest in Carter Holton and started Bryce Cunningham against South Carolina. Cunningham was offering 94-95 MPH fastballs to the upper portion of the zone, while also mixing in a slider and right-on-right change-ups. Cunningham managed to strike out Petry twice, but during those two at-bats, the freshman showed the ability to recognize spin and not be overpowered by a solid fastball that carried into the top of the zone. In his last AB against Cunningham, Petry took a first pitch, belt-high fastball opposite field for his seventeenth home run of the year, tying South Carolina’s freshman home run record.

As stated in the above tweet, I am almost certain Petry did not fully get ahold of this baseball, which is scary. The ball still managed to get out into the right field seats 3 rows deep, but you could hear it was slightly missed. This just shows what kind of bat speed Petry possesses, and this could be an intimidating hitter for opposing pitchers for the next two years. The spray charts and this particular swing shows Petry’s is not selling out for home runs either. He maintains good front hip direction and gets a ton of unforced extension on the baseball. This shows he trusts himself to let the baseball travel and lets his insane bat speed work from there. He works with a slow early toe tap that allows him to not be overpowered by hard fastballs and he controls his forward move well. As with any power hitter, there were a couple of questionable swing decisions with him being a little too aggressive on chases out of the zone on spinners, but that will clean up nicely as he continues to see more college-caliber arms. Very excited to see this young hitter continue to make noise in college baseball.

Catcher Cole Messina, South Carolina

Cole Messina is a 2024 draft-eligible catcher from South Carolina that has put together a pretty solid season thus far. He does a good job managing his strikeouts compared to walks, he barrels the ball often and is aggressive early. Friday, he went deep twice, both home runs being on 94 MPH fastballs that were middle-in portion of the plate in 0-0 counts. Both home runs were hit virtually in the same spot and were hammered. Messina also collected two walks on the day while flying out to right field on a slider that he was a tad out front on. Besides the slider he gave into, he ignored all off-speed offers and hunted the fastball.

Defensively, Messina worked well behind the plate against a Vanderbilt team that likes to steal bases. He handled some tough blocks limiting the opportunity for runners to take extra bases as well as stealing some strikes on the corners. With only one look it is hard to tell, but the defense behind the plate is at least serviceable at the next level. The body movement on some pitches could calm down a tad to create a more consistent look for the umpire, but Messina will be behind the plate or at 1B in the future. Overall, his ability to stick to his plan and approach at the plate is impressive as well as his ability to do damage on early fastballs. As his career continues and he begins to get different pitch mixes, it will be interesting to see how his approach changes.

RHP Will Sanders, South Carolina

During Sanders’ Friday night start against Vanderbilt, the righty showed obvious glimpses of big-league intangibles. He works with a very fluid delivery that he shows he can repeat. The ball comes out of his hand well and shows the ability to create ride that could be successful in the top of the zone. The arm action also shows the ability to create deception, although sometimes not enough. The body type is there with long lanky limbs that can handle the addition of mass. Sanders has the prototypical build for what most teams look for in a big-league pitcher.

Friday night there were some signs of his fastball not getting calls in on batters or missing enough bats at times. His fastball sat 91-95 while flashing above-average vertical life and when working down, some late run. The curveball was his go-to off-speed pitch, and it showed the most success against the Vandy hitters. Sanders' curveball worked with sharp 12-6 action that floated around 84-86 MPH. There was some inconsistency with the depth on the pitch, but it created 7 whiffs on the day and produces some awkward swings. Sanders is known for great feel of his changeup, but Friday he did not have it. The changeup missed down and arm side mainly and was not competitive enough to induce much weak contact.

Sanders ended the day with only giving up five hits while striking out four and walking four. He did not give up much hard contact on the day besides two doubles and a hard line out from Jack Bulger. The command was a little shaky, but Sanders had a decent start. There are some things that can be cleaned up but, you cannot argue the projectability and future of Sanders is very exciting.