Our second mock draft of the year starts college heavy and includes Charlie Condon, Travis Bazzana and others at the top.
2024 Pre-Season Top 100 Prospects Led by SS Jackson Holliday
Introducing the pSTFERA Suite - a new set of predictive ERA-estimators based on the Stuff of a given pitch, put on an ERA scale.
When Campbell came to Chapel Hill for a mid-week showdown early in May, a handful of draft-eligible players made their mark. For the Camels, it was an offensive display from their shortstop and a strong relief appearance, while a pair of Carolina infielders made an impact on the defensive end.
It was an evening to forget at the plate for Horvath, but he was busy in the field– back at third base after a stretch of games in right field.
Horvath has excellent instincts and a quick first step at the hot corner, reading the ball well off the bat. He gets low on every pitch, staying balanced and swallowing up ground balls with soft, steady hands. He has a smooth transfer and gets the ball out quickly-- he nearly started a triple play in the seventh inning. With plus arm strength and what is typically very good accuracy, Horvath has the ability to throw on the run and from all different angles.
He made a mental error in the ninth inning – hesitating charging in on a bunt pop-up and double-clutching before throwing – but made up for it with a snag and a rocket home to prevent a run.
Horvath isn’t the fluid runner that teammate Vance Honeycutt is, but he has fantastic instincts on the bases – – and has been among the ACC’s stolen base leaders all season.
With a potent bat, strong baserunning prowess, and the ability to successfully handle multiple corner positions, Horvath has a chance at hearing his name called on Day 1.
Van De Brake has arguably been Carolina’s most consistent hitter this season, but it was his glove that stood out against Campbell. He provided a pair of highlight-reel catches, including a full-extension grab ranging back into right field.
Van De Brake offers sound defensive actions with decisive instincts and solid range, although he can be a little stiff going up the middle. He’s shown some leaping ability and tracks the ball well in the air. His arm strength is solid-but-unspectacular, and while he is capable of handling either spot on the left side, second base is his most likely full-time home. Despite being homerless since April 2, Van De Brake is a bat-first prospect who should be drafted on Day 2 come July. The strong showing in the field against Campbell is a bonus.
Arnold was an exit velo machine against Carolina, with a hard-hit lineout to third base in the first inning before later collecting two extra-base hits– including his then-Big South-leading 15th home run.
Arnold has a smaller frame and average build, with solid strength and athleticism. His compact swing comes with a fairly big load and a small leg kick, and it lends itself to lots of fly balls.
The junior infielder boasts solid plate discipline and contact skills, and his power has shown up this year – specifically to the pull side – after he managed just 11 homers over his first two seasons. He has become a more patient hitter, providing himself with the opportunity to do more damage on pitches in the zone. Arnold took over as Campbell’s shortstop this year, and he’s shown solid range, good hands, and an ability to throw on the run. Still, his size and lack of elite speed may push him back over to second base, where he primarily played in his injury-shortened sophomore season.
Cummings was dominant against Carolina in relief, allowing just one ball to leave in infield over 2.2 hitless innings. He has a fairly large, projectable frame, with a lean build and very long levers. He boasts electric arm speed out of a near-sidearm slot, repeating his delivery well.
Cummings offers a two-pitch mix, including a mid-90s fastball with good run and sink, and a slider that sits in the mid-80s and darts away from righties at its best. His command could use some work – he has a tendency to yank his fastball glove-side trying to land it backdoor to righties, and his slider backs up pretty often – but his control of the strike zone has improved throughout his time at Campbell, and he yields ground balls at nearly a 60 percent clip. Cummings is likely a full-time reliever at the next level given his limited repertoire and fringy command, and should be a Day 2 pick.
Boston College came to Chapel Hill and edged out the Tar Heels in an extra-innings slugfest. This series featured a handful of intriguing draft prospects — including Boston College’s Travis Honeyman — all of whom were on display in Friday’s opener.
Honeycutt left six runners on base Friday night against Boston College, but he had several hard-hit outs, and his only hit was a big one– he sent a Henry Leake fastball onto the roof in left field to give the Heels an early lead. It was his first homer since April 2, and his slugging percentage is down nearly 200 points from last season, but he is reaching base at a higher clip– he’s been walked more than any other player in the ACC.
Honeycutt has the size, athleticism, and five-tool skillset to become a superstar. There is some pre-swing movement, but he quiets everything down as his hands fly through the zone with excellent bat speed and barrel control. He is incredibly patient at the plate, and although he has swung through his share of fastballs this season, he has good pitch recognition and makes more than enough contact. His swing is geared for extra bases, and he has the strength and raw power to rack up homers to all fields.
Honeycutt hasn’t run as much this season, but he still possesses double-plus speed that makes him an asset on the bases and in center field. He’s an excellent defender who seemingly cannot find an inch of Bryson Park he can’t cover. Though far from a sure thing, Honeycutt remains firmly in the 1.1 conversation for next summer.
North Carolina OF Vance Honeycutt (@ProspectsLive’s No. 1 draft prospect for 2024) hits the roof in LF to give the Heels a 4-2 lead in the first. It’s his 10th of the season
— Harris Yudin (@hayudi18) April 21, 2023
Carolina has started the game with four straight hits pic.twitter.com/Ymy7W9YUJ2
Horvath is quietly on another tear for the Tar Heels, with 12 hits in a seven-game span through Friday’s contest against Boston College.
He has a maxed-out medium frame, with a strong build and an efficient, compact swing that lend themselves to quality contact to all parts of the field. With a simple approach – he employs a small leg kick and keeps his hands very quiet – he is able to recognize pitches and draw plenty of walks.
Horvath has turned his raw power into plenty of homers and extra-base hits, and he has managed a conference-high seventeen stolen bases despite just solid-average speed as a result of excellent instincts. Originally a third baseman, he has shown some promise in right field, with good range and a strong arm. However, his throwing accuracy from the outfield needs work– he sailed a ball way up the first base line following a single in the third inning.
Regardless of where a team envisions him playing defensively, Horvath is likely a third-rounder, with a chance to sneak into the back end of Day 1.
Van De Brake came through time and again for the Heels in Friday’s loss to Boston College, driving in runs on three separate occasions. He only has one homer since March 10, but his fifth three-hit game of the season helped keep his OPS well above 1.000.
The JUCO transfer has a medium frame with a lean build, wiry strength, and fluid athleticism. He maintains a balanced approach throughout his swing, with quick hands and excellent barrel control.
Van De Brake is a high-contact gap hitter who uses the entire field, but there is definitely the potential for above-average over-the-fence power. He doesn’t run much, but he does possess good speed that allows him to take extra bases and cover ground in the infield. He’s sure-handed with solid-average arm strength and should be able to handle multiple positions.
With a very strong first season in Division 1, Van De Brake has put himself firmly in the Day 2 category as a likely utility infielder.
Honeyman showcased a bit of everything in the series opener against Carolina, making an impact on both sides of the ball– he reached base four times for just the second time this season.
Honeyman has a fairly large frame and a lean build, with plenty of room for added strength. He isn’t the most physical player, but he has tremendous athleticism. He starts off crouched in an open stance with a wide base, utilizing a big leg kick before exploding toward the pitcher with quick hands and a smooth, uppercut swing.
The six-foot-two junior may not have a carrying tool, but he doesn’t have any major holes in his game, either. He’s production-over-tools, with impressive numbers both at BC and in each of his two summer league seasons. A fairly aggressive hitter, he doesn’t walk a ton but also limits strikeouts really well with quality pitch recognition and above-average contact skills. The power is more raw than in-game at the moment, but that should change as he bulks up in pro ball.
With above-average speed and excellent instincts, he is a consistent threat on the basepaths, and while he may not be an elite defender, he is capable of covering lots of ground – he made a full-extension diving catch in foul territory on a fly ball off the bat of Mac Horvath. He has played all three outfield positions since arriving at Boston College, but is likely a corner outfielder at the next level– he was in right on Friday but wasn’t presented with an opportunity to show off his arm strength.
Best angle I could get, but… damn. Travis Honeyman covers a ton of ground, goes full extension to make a spectacular play on a Mac Horvath pop up. #BostonCollege pic.twitter.com/kArsJJC1zM
— Harris Yudin (@hayudi18) April 22, 2023
Honeyman has done more than enough over the last two years to solidify himself as a Day 1 selection, and there’s a real chance he hears his name called in the first round.
Vetrano’s only time on base on Friday against the Tar Heels was an intentional walk in the 10th inning. Despite the fact that he went 0-for-5 on the night, that one moment illustrated how dangerous he can be with the bat at any given moment.
Vetrano is a physical player with a maxed-out, extra-large frame and a strong build. He starts in a wide stance, stepping towards the pitcher before unloading his aggressive, uppercut swing that is geared for power and leads to plenty of swing-and-miss. The former two-way player is a very streaky hitter whose home runs come in bunches, and while he has improved upon his plate discipline since last season, he still chases out of the zone far too often. When he makes contact, it’s loud– he has effortless power to all parts of the park.
Vetrano is a decent athlete for his size, and he moves well around the first base bag, with good enough hands to stave off becoming a full-time DH. There is enough to like to make Vetrano a late Day 2 pick, but he doesn’t make enough contact to maximize his offensive upside.
This Top 600 really reinforces a few things we’ve always believed… Druw Jones, for us, is a cut above the rest. College hitters are good. Really good. And deep. The high school pitching in this class has the potential to be one of the stronger groups in recent memory. Where do we currently have Termarr Johnson, Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday, and Elijah Green currently ranked? What about Chase DeLauter, Brooks Lee, Kumar Rocker, Jace Jung and others?
This Top 500 really reinforces a few things we’ve always believed… Druw Jones, for us, is a cut above the rest. College hitters are good. Really good. And deep. The high school pitching in this class has the potential to be one of the stronger groups in recent memory. Where do we currently have Termarr Johnson, Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday, and Elijah Green currently ranked? What about Chase DeLauter, Brooks Lee, Kumar Rocker, Jace Jung and others?
This Top 400 really reinforces a few things we’ve always believed… The Top 3 guys in this class are a cut above the rest. College hitters are good. Really good. And deep. The high school pitching in this class has the potential to be one of the stronger groups in recent memory. Where do we currently have Termarr Johnson, Druw Jones and Elijah Green currently ranked? What about Chase DeLauter, Brooks Lee, Kumar Rocker, Jace Jung and others?
This Top 300 really reinforces a few things we’ve always believed… This college crop of hitters is good. Really good. And deep. The high school pitching in this class has the potential to be one of the stronger groups in recent memory. Where do we currently have Termarr Johnson, Druw Jones and Elijah Green currently ranked? What about Chase DeLauter, Brooks Lee, Kumar Rocker, Jace Jung and others?
We haven’t seen four college third basemen drafted on day one (first round and competitive balance A) since 2008. That year, Pedro Alvarez, Lonnie Chisenhall, Conor Gillaspie and Ryan Flaherty received such a distinction. 2022 looks to be top-heavy, but there are also some significant sleepers to be found in the later rounds as well. Let’s dive in.
