Taking a current look at the players with 1st Bowman cards from 2021 Bowman Chrome which include Ezequiel Tovar, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Jeferson Quero, Bryan Ramos, Miguel Bleis, and many others.
Live Looks: First Half of March
It’s been a hectic start to the season and while I racked up the flyer miles in February, March marked the start of conference play in North Carolina. Having some prior obligations taking center stage in life, this means that this Live Looks edition will be longer than most. I made stops at East Carolina, NC State, and Wake Forest/Duke to start off the month and there will be more ACC content as the month progresses.
As a disclaimer, I will see Duke two weeks in a row, so the players I selected for this piece will likely not be written up on the next piece. Players like Jonathan Santucci, who had a rough outing against Wake Forest, will be written up after the series against Clemson, but that will include notes from the Wake Forest series as a comparison to what I saw between the two outings.
East Carolina Pirates
RHP trey yesavage
DRAFT GRADE: Mid-First round (Picks 10-20)
NC State Wolfpack
c jacob cozart
draft grade: Back-end first round
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
ss/of sEAVER kING
DRAFT GRADE: Top ten
1B NICK KURTZ
DRAFT GRADE: Top ten
LHP JOSH HARTLE
DRAFT GRADE: second round
RHP CHASE BURNS
DRAFT GRADE: top five/ten
RHP MICHAEL MASSEY
DRAFT GRADE: Late second/early third
LHP HAIDEN LEFFEW
DRAFT GRADE: high follow (2026)
Duke Blue Devils
LHP Kyle Johnson
DRAFT GRADE: High follow (2026)
OF DEVIN OBEE
DRAFT GRADE: Mid day two
RHP CHARLIE BEILENSON
DRAFT GRADE: day 3 moneysaver
OF AJ GRACIA
DRAFT GRADE: high follow (2026)
College Baseball Roundup - Week 5
This Week in Baseball Cards - 3/18 - 3/24
Covering the major product releases and news in the baseball card hobby for the week of March 18th through March 22nd, 2024. There are four releases this week - 2024 Topps Now Road to Opening Day, 2024 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Player Edition, 2023 Topps Dynasty, and 2023 Bowman Inception.
Overcoming the Odds: How Zach Joyce Found His Way Back to Baseball
As fans, we often forget that some things are bigger than baseball for players. They play a sport we all know and love, and there is an expectation that nothing else should matter as much as the game. But players go through many of the day-to-day struggles we find ourselves facing. After all, they are human beings just like us.
We often highlight successful journeys of players who overcome the odds of being a late-round draft, finding something that made their game click late in their career, or bouncing back from injuries. Zach Joyce’s journey back to baseball has less to do with finding newfound levels to his game or bouncing back from an injury but more with finding a place in his community and meaning in himself and his life.
Joyce had a successful baseball career in high school and at Walters State Community College, which led him to transfer to the University of Tennessee to play baseball alongside his twin brother Ben. Adversity greeted Joyce as soon as he stepped through the door. In 2020, he underwent Tommy John surgery and ended up stepping away from baseball before he even had a chance to put on a uniform.
The surgery wasn’t the main reason he stepped away, but it was an even bigger reason. Zach was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. A decision that put himself and his well-being over the game he has known and loved for his entire life.
“It was almost out of necessity, to be honest,” Joyce said. “I knew at that point I was dealing with pretty severe anxiety and depression. I was having panic attacks basically every day that would cause me to be at the point of passing out and I was still having trouble opening up about it.”
Unable to figure out what was leading to the anxiety and depression, he felt that baseball was part of the reason for his feelings.
“I kind of just wanted something to blame it on, and at that point, I chose baseball, but I slowly realized that it happens to a lot of people,” Joyce said. The coaches at Tennessee were super supportive the entire time and were only focused on me getting better and getting help. My girlfriend also dealt with anxiety, and she was extremely supportive and helpful, as were my brother and my parents.”
Having that support system and those around him who let him know it was okay not to be okay gave him the freedom to focus on himself. As it is for most people, it wasn’t an easy journey to overcome, and battles continue to this day. It took Joyce seeking out resources to help him get through what he was going through.
“As an athlete at UT we actually had a few resources we could use for mental health. I got connected with a psychiatrist as well as a therapist and began taking medicine to start helping alongside that,” Joyce said. “The biggest resource I found was just opening up to people close to me. Obviously not all at once and not right away, but over time I was able to be transparent about it. It is an extremely vulnerable and uncomfortable feeling but it does help so much. Finding things that helped me such as working out and even going hiking on my own.”
Joyce touches on a huge aspect of overcoming mental health battles... Vulnerability. Not just the vulnerability to seek out the resources he needed to help him but the vulnerability to talk to others about what he was going through. We’ve made significant progress as a society, but unfortunately, stigma still exists around getting treatment for mental health issues. Because of that stigma, many people often don’t seek out care or talk to others about how they are feeling because of the fear of being judged.
Zach was able to overcome something that was uncomfortable and it became one of the biggest resources he had. Finding that comfort to be able to confide in others and continuing to utilize the tools and resources he had led to Zach eventually working his way back to baseball. He eventually enrolled back at the University of Tennessee. When Zach stepped away, it wasn’t a priority to get back to baseball, but he kept itching to get back on the mound
“The first year and a half after I stepped away, I didn’t watch a single baseball game. I was basically just a regular college student, even working jobs and doing internships,” Joyce said. “Then when Ben came back from TJ and started throwing again the second year, I went to games to support him. I remember having to get up and walk around the first game I went to because I was itching so badly to get back out there.”
Missing the feeling of 1-on-1 competitions, seeing his twin brother Ben out there throwing again after TJ and watching the team atmosphere on the field fired Zach up to play baseball again. And on February 19, 2023, Joyce debuted on the mound against UC San Diego again. He came out of the bullpen for the Volunteers and went two-thirds of an inning, striking out the only two batters he faced. The fastball reached 95 mph, and he had his slider in the mid-80s. Joyce was back.
“I can still remember the entire outing even though I felt like I blacked out. It had been over 4 years since my last time in a game and we were out in Arizona for the MLB 4 tournament. I know they were trying to get me a clean inning, but I ended up coming in with 1 out and bases loaded,” Joyce said. “Once I got out there I just remember how good it felt and how excited I was. I ended up striking out the 2 guys I faced and the reactions from my teammates was the best feeling. They were all so supportive the entire time and helped me so much.”
Joyce finished the season with 10.1 innings pitched while striking out 17 batters. It was a small sample size of success, but all that mattered was that he was back on the mound throwing. That small sample size still had scouts taking notice. And as the draft rolled around in 2023, Joyce heard his name called in the 14th Round by the Los Angeles Angels, the same team his twin brother Ben played for.
Ben and Zach have played everywhere together, and that close-knit relationship has been beneficial to the both of them, even it can get overly competitive at times. Still, Zach wouldn’t trade his relationship with his brother for anything.
“It’s been incredible, and I’m definitely blessed to have a twin brother playing the same sport,” Joyce said. “Obviously, it gets extremely competitive, and we have our rough times, but you always have someone to work with and someone to help you out when you need it. Watching his success has been incredible and how hard he works pushed me even more.”
Zach debuted in 2023 and found success again, pitching 10.2 innings while striking out nine and giving up only three earned runs in A ball. Regardless of his success and making it to the next level in his baseball career, Zach knows that his battles with mental health don’t just end there. He knows it will always take consistent work on his end going into 2024 and beyond.
“There are still hard days but getting to the point where I am consistent through all of the highs and lows and continue to grow as a person and teammate on and off the field,” Joyce said. “I pride myself in being a great teammate and a person that people can confide and trust in. I want to continue to build that and have a healthy season on the field. Enjoy the moments I am in whatever and wherever they might be.”
Zach’s journey in baseball and life is just beginning. He’s found his way to seeking out community with others around him. Having overcome so much in baseball and life, Zach hopes that sharing his story helps others and lets them know that they aren’t alone on their own personal journey.
“It is an extremely vulnerable feeling but it will change your life if you open up and seek help. It is more tough to be able to do that than to keep it all in,” Joyce said.
“I know I felt like a burden for doing it, but the people that love and care about you notice when things are wrong and that is even more of a burden if they feel like they can’t help. Take it one day at a time. ‘The pain you have been feeling can’t compare to the joy that is coming’ Romans 8:18”
Arizona Diamondbacks 2024 Top 30 Prospect List
College Baseball Roundup - Week 4
Colorado Rockies 2024 Top 30 Prospect List
Minnesota Twins 2024 Top 30 Prospect List
Live Looks: St. Joseph's vs Bucknell 3/3/2024
This past Sunday, I was able to travel to Merion Station, PA to watch Saint Joseph’s University take on Bucknell University in a doubleheader. I was able to get good looks at both Sean Keys from Bucknell and Matt McShane from Saint Joseph’s, both likely to be selected during the 2024 MLB Draft.
Sean Keys - 3B, Bucknell
3-4, 2 2B, BB, 2 IBB, HBP
Keys is number 86 on our 2024 Preseason Top 100 College Draft Prospects list. He had a nice showing against St. Joseph’s last weekend only recording one out in 8 plate appearances. He faced two talented St. Joseph’s starting pitchers Ryan Desanto and Domenic Picone. In the first inning of game one, he turned on a Desanto fastball and drove it off the right-center field wall for a double. He drew a walk in his second AB and an intentional walk in his third. In game 2, he showed off his pull-side power once again, driving a ground-rule double to right-center. He also recorded another intentional walk as well as a HBP.
Keys has proven during his time at Bucknell that he is a very patient hitter and knows the strike zone well. Not only that, but he is also aggressive when he gets the pitch he wants. He has quick hands, good bat speed, and is violent at the point of attack with a swing path capable of covering much of the strike zone.
Keys, 6’2” 220 lbs, has a strong, powerful build that not only boosts his power at the plate but conversely causes limitations to his mobility at third base. He isn’t a smooth mover on the basepaths or in the field. While I do believe he has the arm to play third base and potentially the glove as well, I don’t feel that he has the lateral quickness to play the position at the next level. Unless he vastly improves his athleticism come draft time, I feel that a move to first base would be what best suits both him as well as the team that picks him.
If all goes perfectly for Keys this spring, he could potentially hear his name called in the 3rd round, but I would currently project him being drafted in the 4-6 round range.
Matt McShane - RHP, Saint Joseph’s
0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 SO
McShane has shown an uptick in his velocity from a year ago. His fastball so far this year has been 93-95 mph, topping out at 96. The only thing that worries me is that he put out a lot of effort to get it to the mid-90s. His slider has been very effective coming in at 82-83 mph with a tight, gyro movement. It stays in the zone for a long time and is extremely deceptive to hitters. He also has an 86-87 mph changeup that he has struggled to control at times but is effective when he hits his location.
He entered the game Sunday with one out in the ninth inning, two runners on, and a five-run cushion. He walked the first batter he faced, then came back with a strikeout on a 95 mph fastball. He then hit the next batter, allowing a run to score. Finally, he induced a flyout to right field to end the game.
I would like to see if he can clean up some of his control issues as the year goes on before placing a proper grade on him, but when he’s at his best, he has the stuff to be a potential day two pick.
X: @JakeBarg
Ohio Valley: Pre-Season Deep Dive of Prep Baseball Left-Handed Pitchers
Continuing on our series of analyzing pre-season 2024 prep prospects throughout the Ohio Valley to keep an eye on this spring. We now jump into the left-handed pitchers (LHP) in the region this week. As outlined in the first article last week, the State of Indiana has some of the most stout arms in the country, and it resumes with the southpaws. The State of Michigan may have the most polarizing lefty in the draft class in Joey Broughton and also features some solid future college arms to keep an eye on garnering Power 5 attention. Lastly, the Buckeye State, after producing three intriguing left-handed pitchers last season out of the 2023 class (Colton Hartman - Louisville, Titus Lotz - Bowling Green, and Blaine Albright - Indiana), is shutout in this week's article as their 2024 class currently lacks the projectable velocity for the MLB Draft and many of their arms are more college projects than day one contributors at the Power 5 level.
Next week, we will dive into the infield dudes making noise heading into the spring. With that said, what LHP prospects should we pay attention to this spring that can create momentum heading into July? Let's dive into the lefties making noise leading into the varsity baseball season.
| Brayton Thomas, Bishop Dwenger HS (IN) |
| 6-foot-4 | 236 - pounds | Commit: Indiana | Draft Day Age: 19 yr. |
One of the most polished arms out of the Ohio Valley and arguably one of the top southpaws you will see from the nation's 2024 class. Thomas is an uber-physical southpaw who displays projectable front-of-the-rotation stuff on the mound and has punched out over 150 batters in less than 86 innings at Bishop Dewinger HS.
On the mound, Thomas has a tall, durable XL frame with a barrel chest and mature features for his age. When operating on the bump, Thomas works with a prototypical drop-and-drive delivery that is repeatable from a low ¾ arm slot, quick arm action, natural deception, and a high leg kick. There is some effort in the arm, but nothing too alarming. Overall, he has clean mechanics. At Prep Baseball's All-American Games, Thomas recorded up to 7 feet of extension working downhill towards the plate (for perspective, Spencer Strider and Shane McClanahan both create 7 feet of extension working towards the plate. Across the board, it's excellent that makes their stuff play up and gives hitters less time to react). Thomas displays good calm composure, presence, and tempo on the mound and has looked unfazed against all high school hitters who have stepped into the box against him so far.
Diving into the arsenal, Thomas brings a 4-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), a curveball (CB), and a changeup (CH). The fastball is a true rising four-seamer with backspin, which operates in the low 90s, topping out at 93, exhibiting life through the zone, and is frequently thrown for strikes. The fastball shows solid rise and run action with some natural cut and above-average spin rates (over 2400). Also, the FB tunnels well with the off-speed (SL) that he usually locates well in the lower half or inside on both LHHs & RHHs. Next, the SL will be Thomas's bread and butter pitch that will make him some money. The SL works in the upper 70s with good tilt and adequate spin (around 2300 – 2400) that displays tight and downward action into the zone towards batters with advanced feel; It's a real-deal weapon that Thomas often uses as a put-away pitch. Scouts continue to see consistent S/M out of the SL, leading to plus pitch potential going into the draft. Thomas also works with a CH that operates in the low 80s with good fade and some feel. Lastly, Thomas has been operating with a CB as a fourth option to build more into his starter profile. CB works in the low 70s with good movement and sufficient spin (around 2200 - 2350).
Overall, there is lots to like about Thomas moving forward, with room still in the tank for further advancements on the mound. Between his advanced feel on the bump, pro ball size/athleticism, and good pitchability; there is a chance for his name to get called this summer. The real question lies in his commitment to the in-state school of Indiana and whether going to school will benefit him more in the long run. Presently, I see day two upside in Thomas, but if he goes to school, there is easy Friday night starting stuff here (sooner rather than later) with the upside of his name getting called in the first or second round in the 2027 draft. My gut is leaning toward that if we see a velocity jump this spring with him sitting in his mid-90s and topping out around 95-96, he will not be heading to Bloomington in the fall. Just like Kosterman last week, the stuff is the real deal, and only time will tell, but, at the moment, he is an entertaining arm to watch at the prep level out of the Hoosier State.
Preseason Draft Grade: Top 100 HS player; Day 2 grade with intriguing chance of going to school.
| Joey Broughton, Northville HS (MI) |
| 6-foot-2 | 200 - pounds | Commit: Pittsburgh | Draft Day Age: 18 yr 7 mo |
Probably the most compelling LHP coming out of the Ohio Valley and an arm with the most helium metrics going into the prep baseball season in the nation. Lately, he came off of Prep Baseball's Super 60 event in February and impressed scouts at the event by heating up the fastball to nearly 95 mph and setting a new bar for the rest of the class by capturing the highest average fastball spin rate ever produced in the history of the Super 60 event (2646 avg and 2746 max spin) and further positioning his name on MLB draft boards as a must-watch prep arm this spring.
On the bump, he works with a repeatable athletic delivery, a high leg kick, and a closed finish. The arm works out of a high ¾ arm slot with a quick arm action and solid tempo. Mechanically, some fine-tuning needs to be done, but everything moves clean and effortlessly on the mound. Physically, Broughton displays a great projectable frame with a durable lower half. He oozes subtle confidence on the mound with good pose and has a competitive mentality to dominate the zone and throw strikes.
Now, diving into the fun stuff of Broughton, he operates with a 3-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a curveball (CB), and a changeup (CH) that all have outstanding metrics. The FB has seen a jump over the last calendar year as it now sits in the low 90s and tops at 95 with ludicrous spin sitting around 2550 - 2650 with it topping out north of 2700. Further, the FB shows outstanding movement, and he can develop extraordinary spin on the ball, getting 24 + inches of Horizontal Movement (HB), 6 + inches of Induced Vertical Break (IVB), 18 + inches of separation, and a spin efficiency of 89% (IVB and avg. HB were number 1 at the Super 60 event). The FB displays rising and jumping traits into the zone with arm-side running action. Broughton has an outstanding feel for the heater as it is a strike-throwing pitch in his arsenal, landing in the zone roughly ¾s of the time. The fastball alone will make player development departments around MLB salivate and pound the table for their team to draft Broughton this July, as it's a plus pitch. During their evaluation process, scouts will need to see if the bullpen session control and command from the winter translates to in-game well and grades out as the plus pitch we believe it can be.
Diving into the offspeed pitches, Broughton also brings a hammer curveball into the mix as it operates in the upper 70s with high spins touching nearly 3000 RPMs (averages around 2800). The CB displays excellent depth and bite, working with an average of 16 inches of HM that can top out over 20 inches. In addition, the CB works with a 2/7 shape out of the hand. Also, he has shown the ability to land the breaker into the zone consistently for strikes as well. Overall, the CB is a good pitch that supplements the FB, keeping hitters off-balance. Lastly, Broughton brings in a CH that works in the mid-upper 80s and works well within the other pitches of his arsenal. It shows firmness and fading downward movement, with arm-side run. Further, he has shown confidence and feel in the CH and has demonstrated the ability to add/subtract spin, which causes bedlam for hitters in the box.
All-around, Broughton will be one of the most seen arms in the Ohio Valley this spring as the plus metrics show the workhorse ability he projects to become with a chance of breaking out with a "Jackson Jobe" like senior year due to the plus data metric arsenals. He has a good feel and confidence to use any of the three pitches in his arsenal. His arm has some real front-of-the-rotation starting profile and projection with elite spin rates, superior movement, an advanced three-pitch package, and projectable size that could make Broughton into a big helium riser going into the summer. I do not see any limitations in his game where he couldn't add another pitch in the arsenal during his development time in the minors, further pushing his projection as a top-of-the-rotation arm (I would love to see him develop a cutter or splitter in the arsenal; Game Over!). His draft status highly depends on his control, command, and ability to work in longer outings this spring. If everything looks good this spring without any hiccups for him, I see it as unlikely that he will end up in college baseball next season. The upside is too enticing for a club to pass up on, and I believe the metrics will lure a team into paying the man.
Draft Grade: Top 200 selection (current ceiling of a late second-round draft pick while sitting as a third - eighth round grade).
| Caden McCoy, Bloomington North HS (IN) |
| 6-foot-2 | 226 - pounds | Commit: Texas A&M | Draft Day Age: 18 yr 5 mo |
A helium prep arm out of the Hoosier 2024 class, McCoy has become one of the top arms in the region after displaying his stuff when he hopped onto the mound at the National Program Invitational (NPI) and PBR Future Games in the summer of 2022 that led to a near-instantaneous offer from the Aggies. Since then, he has been on everyone's radar out of the Hoosier State and is another arm out of Indiana that has the chance to hear their name get called during All-Star Week.
On the mound, McCoy is a physical pitcher who displays a thicker, stronger frame with durability. When working on the bump, he displays smooth clean operations from an athletic delivery that is repeatable from a high ¾ arm slot, a high leg kick, and a closed finish. His arm is quick with minimal effort; when watching him pitch, the ball darts out of his hand quickly and into the zone. Scouts are bullish on his competitiveness and high-energy demeanor on the bump.
McCoy works with an advanced four-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), a curveball (CB), and a changeup (CH). The FB is firm that works in the upper 80s and low 90s, topping out at 92, with good arm-side run and plus control. So far, the FB has been the primary pitch in his arsenal that works away on RHHs, inside on LHHs, and, on occasion, living up in the zone. Further, the FB is a data-darling pitch in his arsenal that has produced over 19 inches of IVB, and 12 inches of HB and produces ridiculous spin rates (sits north of 2500 and touches over 2620) that creates frequent S/M against the opposition. The FB on the mound hasn't shown any traits of tapping out, and scouts/coaches genuinely believe there will be another velocity bump in the tank shortly. Overall, the FB is an enticing pitch for any pitching coach to work with that displays promising metrics; however, McCoy this spring would be better off in front of MLB scouts displaying better command with the heater as he periodically will miss his spots driving up his pitch count and show that he can pitch in long outings (holding velo) as a rotation guy so he doesn't get clumped into a reliever category on draft boards due to his burly size.
Next, McCoy works with a pair of breaking balls of a CB and a SL. The CB is a sharp 1/7 - action breaking ball in the upper 70s with average spin rates (2400). The CB displays big breaking motion downward into RHHs that freezes hitters in their shoes and cause them to get rung up on occasion. Next, the SL is the pitch he often uses as the knock-out blow on batters, bringing out the ugly stick as batters record hideous swings and misses. His SL, is a tight slurvy two-plane breaking ball that works in the low 80s with spin that sits between 2200 - 2400 and has touched over 2500 in previous bullpen sessions. He has a great feel for his SL, and it works with the FB as a typical duo that tunnels well together, a legitimate one-two combo. Lastly, he operates with an upper-70s changeup that has flashed quality stuff that, with future development, can become a plus pitch. The CH exhibits fading downward movement with arm-side action and a good feel, creating over 12 inches of HM and 14 inches of IVB that flashes upside. Like the SL, the CH tunnels well with the FB, causing issues for hitters in the box.
Overall, McCoy has the strength, durability, and size to be a starter at the next level, but due to his burly size, he could be pushed into a bullpen role. I envision pro scouts seeing McCoy in a similar light to Sal Romano coming out of HS, who also had a similar size and arsenal (when coming out of HS, Romano's FB sat at the same velo as McCoy and darted up to 93-98 mph T100 in the Reds farm system). Depending on the organization, McCoy may be stretched out to be the starting arm or may look to build him to be a prospective lock-down closer. Ultimately, it goes down to if scouts want to take the chance early on McCoy and they feel they can develop him into something they can imagine. If not drafted this summer, then he will become an enticing project in College Station and a potential electric arm for the Aggies to play with.
Preseason Draft Grade: Dart-throw day three grade with outstanding upside for the college level.
| Honorable Mentions |
| Ethan Lund, Hamilton Southeastern HS (IN) |
| 6-foot-5 | 212 - pounds | Commit: Oklahoma State | Draft Age: 18 yr 10 mo |
| Leighton Harris, Frederick Douglass HS (KY) |
| 6-foot-3 | 210 - pounds | Commit: Kentucky | Draft Age: 18 yr 11 mo |
| Brendon Bennett, Novi HS (MI) |
| 6-foot-2 | 210 - pounds | Commit: Clemson | Draft Age: 18 yr 4 mo |
| Kael Gahan, Lake Orion HS (MI) |
| 6-foot-2 | 180 - pounds | Commit: Duke | Draft Age: 17 yr 9 mo |
Live Looks: UMass vs. Virginia (3/3/2024)
This Week in Baseball Cards - 3/4 - 3/10
Live Looks: Kubota College Baseball Series
Editor’s Note: This is a collaborative effort from Tyler Jennings and Patrick Bauer, both of whom attended the event in person.
Michigan Wolverines
OF Jonathan Kim
draft grade: Day 2 (2025)
Arkansas Razorbacks
LHP Hagen Smith
draft grade: Top Ten or better
RHP Brady Tygart
draft grade: Rounds 4-5
LHP Mason Molina
draft grade: Late Day 2 (Rounds 6-10)
OF/DH Kendall diggs
draft grade: Round 5
Oregon State Beavers
2B travis bazzana
DRAFT GRADE: Top three (legitimate 1.1 upside)
RHP jacob kmatz
draft grade: Late Day 2
RHP Aiden May
draft grade: third round (maybe second)
OF Gavin Turley
draft grade: First round (2025)
Oklahoma State Cowboys
OF Carson Benge
draft grade: Mid to late first
OF Zach Ehrhard
draft grade: late Day 2
RHP Gabe Davis
draft grade: day 1 (2025)
College Baseball Roundup - Week 3
2021 Bowman Retrospective
2024 Preseason Top 100 Prospects List
Ohio Valley: Pre-Season Deep Dive of Prep Baseball Right-Handed Pitchers this Spring
As of writing this piece, tryouts for the 2024 high school baseball season have begun, and players are starting to get ramped up for the upcoming Prep Baseball Season in the Ohio Valley. For our readers in the Ohio Valley and Midwest who are battling through the up-and-down weather and weekly snow squalls, I have decided each week until the varsity season begins to provide a pre-season deep dive of some 2024 prep prospects throughout the Ohio Valley to keep an eye on that are either guys I can envision getting their name called this July or potential impact college players in the near future. At the end of the prep season, I will re-evaluate and include dudes who have jumped this spring.
For the avid readers of my upcoming content, nearly all of my content will be focused on either the prep or collegiate baseball within the Ohio Valley (the Ohio Valley in my content will pertain to the states of OH, MI, IN, KY, and sometimes WV) with some content focused on the higher level dudes outside of this region projected to go really high. Additionally, when we get into the summer months, I'll transition into breaking down some outstanding impact guys within the MLB Draft League, Prospects League, and Great Lakes League.
After straying from the subject matter, we are starting this week with the RHP prep baseball players to watch for this spring. When diving into the pitching prospects of the Ohio Valley, the state of Indiana is loaded (no, seriously, Indiana may lead the scorecard in July for most high schoolers getting their name called in the Ohio Valley region). High school pitching in this region has seen a meteoric rise this winter and will start to get more attention when the playing season begins. Let's get down to business!
| Brayden Krenzel, Dublin Jerome HS (OH) |
#54 - Prospect Live 2024 MLB DRAFT: TOP 100 PREP PROSPECTS 01/11/24
| 6-foot-3 | 195 - pounds | Commit: Tennessee | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 6 mo. |
Probably the most well-known and premier arm out of the Ohio Valley. A coined term that has been used a lot around Krenzel in the previous calendar year has been the word “intriguing” by many scouts. On the mound presents a smooth operation, a super clean arm, and displays natural deception within his delivery. A low-three-quarter arm slot that shows a lower release and exhibits a more extended whippy arm action. Further, he pitches with a “Hunter Greene-like” calming composure and confidence when on the mound.
On the bump, he brings a 3-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), and a changeup (CH). The FB usually sits low-90s, touching 94 MPH, showing arm-side run and occasional heavy sink. Regarding future projections, he still has enough in the tank to fill out and add to the FB velo with the expectation that it can sit in the mid-90s due to his projectable and physical frame/size. Subsequently, his slider is arguably one of the best in this prep class overall and is a typical go-to pitch that wipes out hitters in the box and locates very well down in the zone (a regular nightmare for RHHs). SL usually operates in the low-80s and has a sweeping shape that tunnels out of the hand very well with his CH. Works well on either side of the dish, and in recent outings and showcase appearances, the SL has made a recent jump in metrics. Lastly, the CH sits in the low-80s and is a little more fringy than you look for with higher projected pitching prospects and probably will be average at best moving forward, but with how it tunnels with the SL and how Krenzel mixes his arsenal, it will play.
Overall, Krenzel has a good feel for all of his pitches, isn’t afraid to pitch any of them, and frequently throws strikes. In previous live looks, he has been a usual tough at-bat that creates S/M for even the best hitters in Ohio and within the summer circuit to face. If the velo takes a jump this spring and holds well, we can see an arm in the Buckeye State that could get his name called early during All-Star Week.
Preseason Draft Grade: Top 100 selection (third - sixth round)
| Cameron Sullivan, Mount Vernon HS (IN) |
| 6-foot-2 | 200 - pounds | Commit: Notre Dame | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 3 mo. |
Probably the most electrifying arm in the Ohio Valley and an arm with the most helium going into the prep baseball season in the region. Recently, came off of Prep Baseball’s Super 60 event and impressed scouts in a showcase setting by dialing up the FB nearly to 97 mph and over 2600 RPMs of spin. Putting his name on draft boards and making it tough to find a seat at Mount Vernon games this spring.
Sullivan, on the mound, operates with a 3-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), and a changeup (CH). The FB is a plus pitch that sits mid-90s that carries with life through the zone, and is frequently thrown for strikes. The off-speed/breaking-ball pitches are what I feel are going to separate him from the rest of this prep baseball class in the nation. The SL is an upper-80s breaking ball that touches 90 MPH that has sharp tilt and looks firm with high spin rates (upper 2800). Further, in the box, the slider displays a late lateral break that is disgusting to even go against, creating S/M. From a metrics standpoint, the pitch is enticing, but if he can show better command and hit his spots this spring against live ABs with the SL, he could jump further in the draft. Lastly, he delivers a low-90s CH that is firm and has shown occasional sink, which from a metric standpoint is a really good pitch (over 15 inches of separate and HM hitting over 20 inches) but does seem fringy at times in-game.
Overall, Cameron has a good feel for his pitches and pitches with a mission on the mound. Operates with a good tempo and a repeatable delivery. Further, he performs with a high leg kick, a high three-quarters arm slot, a short, quick arm action, and pitches with deception. The ball jumps out of his hand well. An obvious athlete on the mound and is a superb pitching talent. I easily envision him being a top 100 draft prospect and top 30 prep arm for this draft class in our next rankings update, and it is not an unrealistic projection that he jumps Krenzel by the end of the spring as the best RHP in the Ohio Valley. His draft status highly depends on his control and command this spring.
Preseason Draft Grade: Top 100 selection (current ceiling of Compensation A round draft pick while sitting as a second - fifth round grade).
| Jack Brown, Fishers HS (IN) |
| 6-foot-1 | 205 - pounds | Commit: Louisville | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 9 mo. |
A dude who has been a prominent arm out of Indiana for a little while. Brown is a productive and efficient arm out of Noblesville, IN, who has accumulated over 190 Ks to 57 BB and under a 2.00 ERA during his Fishers HS career so far. An arm that reminds me of a current Louisville Cardinal, Colton Hartman, who is a premier talent on the bump and accumulates many praises for being a workhorse, but their athleticism isn’t limited to just the mound as there is two-way potential in them, as both in their HS career have displayed the ability to do damage in the box (for the sake of this article we are going to focus on the arm).
When on the bump, Brown operates with a smooth delivery with some up-tempo, a high leg kick, and when pitching does show some effort at release. Additionally, relies heavily on creating energy from the lower half that works until heel strike. The arm works out of a three-quarters slot that has quick action. Uber-athlete on the mound with physical and projectable traits. Overall, I would like to see the mechanics cleaned up to become more efficient and repeatable.
Brown, on the mound, operates with a 4-pitch mix of a fastball (4-SM and a 2-SM Sinker), a slider (SL), and a changeup (CH). Both FBs work in the low-90s, topping out around 95 MPH with arm-side run. Both FBs have been the primary pitches in his arsenal early on in counts he relies on the most, pitching low in the zone and inducing a high rate of groundballs. Next, he has a tight slider that displays some late slurvy action. The SL has become a solid and reliable put-away pitch for Brown, generating whiffs on both righties and lefties that step into the box. His SL is interesting as it bounces from different actions (sometimes 11/5 and other times 10/4) with improving metrics (roughly up to 2500 spin). In recent winter bullpen sessions, he has bumped the velocity up into the mid-80s T87. It's an offering within his arsenal that scouts will want to see this spring, as he's added roughly 6-8 MPH over the offseason. Lastly, Brown has a contentious CH from outing to outing, creating S/M. The CH operates in the mid-80s and works well with the FB. It shows some fade and downward movement, with an arm-side run. Brown has shown confidence in the CH and has demonstrated the ability to add/subtract velo with it, which can create issues for hitters. Across the board, Brown has a good feel for his arsenal, throws strikes, and has shown solid pitch ability against RHHs and LHHs. Additionally, he has the stuff and dedication to be developed into a high-level starting pitcher. Like Hartman last year, we can envision him being drafted, but he is probably a hard sign to get him out of his Cards commitment.
Preseason Draft Grade: Day 2 grade but probably going to school.
| Jake Hanley, William Mason HS (OH) |
| 6-foot-6 | 230 - pounds | Commit: Indiana | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 11 mo. |
The most polarizing, intriguing, and tooled-up athlete in the Midwest of this class goes to the Cincinnati native. Once seen as only a projectable 1B prospect who has been more physical and stronger than most in his class for some time, is now unknown whether he will be a hitter, a pitcher, or both in the future. Being known for blasting baseballs into orbit and grabbing eye-popping metrics in showcase settings in the box, Hanley has made some serious strides as an RHP since the beginning of his junior year. Earlier this winter, just like Sullivan, Hanley came off of Prep Baseball's Super 60 event and impressed scouts in a showcase setting by dialing up the FB to nearly 95 MPH, appearing effortless and having room to further develop into an RHP. I will talk about his offensive abilities another day, but his pitching potential has skyrocketed within the last 16-18 months and lands him as one of the arms to see for the spring.
On the bump, Hanley operates with a three-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), and a changeup (CH). The FB works with life in the low to mid-90s and carries into the zone. Hanely has displayed the ability to work inside on hitters and through any quadrant he pleases for strikes. The FB has shown plus signs of high spin but needs to be more consistent. Overall, scouts would like to see more movement, rise, or hop with his FB as, at times, it gets a little flat or dead zone, a troubling issue for pitching at the next level. Next, he works with an upper-70s and low-80s SL with average spin and some late 11/5 tilt towards the plate, creating S/M. Lastly, he has an average CH, which works in the low to mid-80s.
Hanley operates with a smooth, effortless delivery and excellent athleticism. Exhibits a short loose arm action out of a three-quarter slot with some deception. Hanley towards the plate doesn't get much extension and works heavily on the upper body with "Brody Brecht-like mechanics." All the pieces are there for a program or team to work with him as a premium pitching project. As an underclassman, he has been given opportunities to pitch. Yet, many were short outings, leaving a potential stigma of him being an RP at the next level (total of 44 innings pitched in HS varsity). Cincinnati's Alpha Baseball has done another great job developing a premium athlete and a potential star pitcher for the next level. Ultimately, it goes down to Hanley being able to impress scouts this spring with his advances on the bump against quality ABs and for longer outings. If his name isn't called in July, the Hoosiers may get another steal from Cincinnati as they did with Devin Taylor.
Preseason Draft Grade: Top 100 HS player; Day 2 grade but probably going to school.
| Kellan Klosterman, Archbishop Moeller HS (OH) |
| 6-foot-1 | 175 - pounds | Commit: Notre Dame | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 10 mo. |
A helium prep arm from the summer of 2022 for the Ohio 2024 class, Klosterman has become one of the top arms in the region after displaying his stuff at Prep Baseball’s Top Prospect Games in Ohio, dominating in PG's WWBA and, being a member of the highly touted Moeller Crusaders rotation that won a state title in 2023, who's looking to repeat. Kellan is an arm that may not get the serious MLB looks like the other four above will, but is an arm that, if he ends up in ND, will be a workhorse for their pitching staff with possible weekend upside and could further develop into being a dude getting their name called in 2027. If I'm an ND baseball fan, I'm ecstatic over this signing.
Klosterman works with an advanced four-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), a curveball (CB), and a changeup (CH). The FB works in the upper-80s and low-90s, displaying heavy sink and lower spin (1800). FB comes out of the hand with ease, and velocity is very effortless with more in the tank for future higher velocity. Kellan works the FB as a typical duo with his SL that tunnels well together. The SL is an upper-70s breaking ball (11/5 shape) with wipe-out abilities that have shown traits of being heavy with tight spin and tilt (roughly 2400 - 2500 spin), a true put-away pitch against hitters; with further development, this pitch can become a plus offering. Next, he brings an upper-70s CB, a pitch he doesn't display much, but it creates over 11 inches of HB and spins it very well (roughly 2300 - 2400 spin). Lastly, he delivers a CH that sits in the mid-80s with intriguing traits. CH has fading/depth action, creating over 17 inches of HM and bringing powerful features to the plate. Overall, he is consistent when on the mound. He has a good feel for most of his pitches, lands strikes, and has solid control.
On the mound, he works with an easy repeatable operation of a smooth & controlled delivery at a good tempo, with no effort in a calm/cool presence. Operates with a high leg kick, a snapping explosive quick arm, and a large extension towards the plate—pitches out of a ¾ arm slot that is loose with longer action. Everything mechanically on Klosterman is polished, fluid, and efficient and is probably one of the best in this category behind Krenzel. Physically, I like what ND is working with here, as there's room for him to grow out and add muscle with further stuff in the arsenal. Overall, the stuff is the real deal for Kellan to be an impactful starter at the college level that potentially will garner him looks for the professional level; only time will tell for Klosterman, but, at the moment, he is a fun arm to watch at the prep level.
Preseason Draft Grade: N/A - future college arm
| Honorable Mentions |
| Brendin Oliver, Mooresville HS (IN) |
| 6-foot-4 | 195 - pounds | Commit: Cincinnati | Draft Age: 18 yr. 10 mo. |
| Bryce Brannon, William Mason HS (OH) |
| 6-foot-3 | 205 - pounds | Commit: Duke | Draft Age: 18 yr. 8 mo. |
| Carson Rhodes, Salem HS (OH) |
| 6-foot-2 | 190 - pounds | Commit: Virginia Tech | Draft Age: 18 yr. 2 mo. |
| Carson Van Haaren, Tates Creek HS (KY) |
| 6-foot-1 | 200 - pounds | Commit: Eastern Kentucky | Draft Age: 18 yr. 10 mo. |
| Griffin Tobias, Lake Central HS (IN) |
| 5-foot-11 | 190 - pounds | Commit: Indiana | Draft Age: approximately 19 yr. 0 mo. |
| Maximus McCellan , St. Edwards HS (OH) |
| 6-foot-7 | 215 - pounds | Commit: South Carolina | Draft Age: 18 yr. 3 mo. |
| Nash Wagner, Zionsville HS (IN) |
| 6-foot-5 | 215 - pounds | Commit: Alabama | Draft Age: 18 yr. 9 mo. |
| Nick Heitman, Mount Vernon (IN) |
| 6-foot-3 | 190 - pounds | Commit: Iowa | Draft Age: 18 yr. 10 mo. |
| Noah LaFine, Archbishop Hoban HS (OH) |
| 5-foot-11 | 175 - pounds | Commit: Vanderbilt | Draft Age: 18 yr. 11 mo. |
| Zakery Spurrier, Central Hardin (KY) |
| 6-foot-2 | 230 - pounds | Commit: Kentucky | Draft Age: 18 yr. 4 mo. |
College Baseball Roundup - Week 2
Live Looks: Shriners College Showdown
To kick off the season, I attended the Shriners College Showdown. For the first time in the event’s history, it took place at Globe Life Field. A great venue for February baseball, fans of Tennessee, Oklahoma, Oregon, Baylor, Texas Tech, and Nebraska flocked to Arlington to watch some indoor baseball to kick off the season. Below are some players that stood out to me, along with a future value grade if they’re draft-eligible this season. I also included some notes on teams that I think can contend for a spot in the College World Series.
Tennessee volunteers
AJ Russell, RHP (2025)
At 6’6”, 195 lbs, Russell is a physical presence on the bump. To go along with this, Russell possesses some of the best stuff in the country. Coming from a ¾ arm slot and a crossbody delivery, it’s a tough AB, especially for right-handed hitters. To begin his start against Texas Tech, and just his second start of his collegiate career, Russell was 97-98 MPH with some crazy run and sink. After his first inning, he fell down to 94-96 MPH, and the velocity continued to fall after that, getting all the way down to 91 MPH. Through the velocity drop, Russell still punched out ten hitters, and eight of the first nine he faced. Russell’s go-to secondary was a 79-82 MPH sweeping slider. He threw this to both right-handed hitters and left-handed hitters and got whiffs from both. He turned over two changeups, one at 87 MPH and one at 83 MPH. They both had nice fade and minimal depth, and it’s a pitch I’d like to see him throw more in the future. He even flipped in a 75 MPH 10-4 curveball, however he did slow his arm a ton on this, something hitters will pick up on.
This was a nice start to build off for Russell. He may have only gone four and a third, but he was likely on a pitch count anyway. He showed he can dominate a lineup even with his diminished fastball velocity. Holding that velocity will be a huge step for him. His breaking ball will play in the SEC, though in the future I’d like to see what it looks like if he threw it a bit harder, maybe around 81-83. It may flatten out the shape a bit and worsen the results against left-handed hitters, but it’d make it an easy plus pitch, and he was borderline unhittable against right-handed hitters. This would also force him to lean on his changeup more as well, a pitch that potential to be a plus offering. Russell still has another year before he’s draft-eligible, but I’d put a first-round grade on him now. There’s a bit of Tanner Houck in here, who went 24th overall back in 2017. While there may be reliever risk, there’s plenty to like as far as starter traits, and Russell will continue to get stronger and better over the next year.
Drew Beam, RHP, 2024, 45 FV
The workhorse of this Vols rotation, Beam is another physical beast on the mound. Coming in at 6’4 and from a high ¾ arm slot, Beam creates a tough vertical angle on hitters. Beam commands his steep 92-95 MPH heater well to both sides of the plate and held his velocity throughout the start. At 79-81 MPH, his above average curveball generated swings in and below the zone. It’s 11-5 shape allowed it to play to both right-handed and left handed hitters. It appeared he mixed in some that had more slider sweeping shape, but he did this to both handiness and at the same velocity, so it was unclear if it was intentional. Third time through the lineup, Beam mixed in more changeups. Thrown in the mid-80s with good fade, it had the shape of an average offering, flashing above. He didn’t have great feel for it however, leaving up in the zone and getting hit around a few times. He even threw some to right handers, and these had a little more depth and even generated a whiff. He mixed in a cutter at 90 MPH, but it got barreled and didn’t have great shape.
Beam didn’t miss a ton of bats in this start, but Oklahoma has traditionally been a team that does a good job of putting the ball in play. For me Beam profiles as a contact oriented high floor back-end starter, with feel for two above average offerings. I do think there’s more risk here than other guys who project as back-end starters. There’s some fastball shape concerns, similar to what Ty Madden faced in 2021. I don’t love Beam’s arm action, as there’s some twist as he pulls the pull out of his glove, which may create some stress on his elbow, thus adding injury risk. Regardless, Beam has a starter frame and commands 92-95 MPH well, as well as two other average or better offerings. I like him to go in the comp round.
Christian Moore, SS, 40 FV
Moore is another physical specimen (a common trend among the Vols) with easy plus bat speed created by an explosive rotational swing. This swing allows him to hammer just about anything on the middle or inner third of the plate. This swing had some downside however, as he was susceptible on the outer third, specifically with spin. There are plenty of big-league hitters who struggle with this as well, and Moore did protect the plate with two strikes a few times against these, but it leaves much less margin for error on the middle to inner third of the plate. Moore is a pull side specialist, consistently looking to catch balls out in front and Moore has a fairly steep swing, which while it allows him to pull fly balls, a trait that often leads to players overperforming their raw power. He showed the ability to work counts and draw walks. Defensively, Moore has above average hands and actions to go along with an average arm. It’s not crazy range, which may move him off short as he continues to fill out.
Moore’s combination of bat speed and power, as well as the chance of him playing shortstop give him the makings of a day one pick. If Moore can show more range this season and that he can stick at SS in pro ball, Moore could be a first rounder. As of now, I have a third round grade on him.
Billy Amick, 3B, 45 FV
A transfer from Clemson, Amick is already proving to be one of the best portal adds in the country. Amick is a monster in the box, showing power to all fields and good feel for the barrel. He produced some consistently crazy exit velocities over the weekend, with his best bolt being an 112 MPH moonshot that landed in the second deck, an spot you don’t see many college players reach at Globe Life Field. It’s easy double plus raw power. Amick can cover fastballs on both sides of the plate. There’s even a little bit of a scissor in his lower half at times, something you see from hitters who rotate aggressively. However, he did put up some bad ABs against spin, usually due to his aggressiveness. Oklahoma exploited this, spinning him more than any team over the weekend, a game where he struck out three times. Amick has had chase and swing and miss problems in the past, and Oklahoma exploited his aggressiveness. There’s still real hit tool concerns here as he’s been prone to chase a ton to go along with below average contact rates. While mostly playing 1B at Clemson, it looks like Amick will man down the hot corner for the Vols in 2024. There were some question marks about his ability coming into the season, but he’s off to a nice start thus far, making a real nice play on his backhand and throwing on the run to catch a speedy runner. Amick has the makings of a third basemen, with above average arm strength and average hands.
With a great season this year, proving himself as a third basemen and improving his patience or contact ability at the plate, Amick could see his stock skyrocket in 2024. For now, I’ve got Amick as a day one pick, around the second to third round with a good chance to shoot into the comp round.
Dylan Dreiling, LF, 2024, 40 FV
At 5’11”, Dreiling’s power outplays his size by a good bit. Dreiling features an explosive swing, where he cuts across the zone and often will end up shifting his feet on impact. It’s plus bat speed, and likely plus raw power as well. Clobbering a 112 mph, 430-foot blast over the bullpen in left center field, Dreiling already beat his max exit velocity from 2023. Because of how Dreiling’s swing cuts across the zone, he has had some trouble covering the outer third of the zone. This has led to some big-time struggles’ vs left-handed pitching, something that kept him out of the lineup at times in 2023. He does feature a nice approach however, as a very patient hitter who walked more than he struck out in 2023. A below average runner, Dreiling isn’t great in the outfield, but does feature average arm strength. He looks like a pretty run of the mill left fielder.
If Dreiling is able to shore up his troubles vs lefties and on the outer third of the plate, you’re looking at a hitter who could sneak into the back end of the first round, similar to how Chase Davis did in 2023, however Davis had better raw power. For now, Dreiling looks like a second or third rounder, with the role of a platoon power hitting outfielder.
Aaron Combs, RHRP 2024 (senior), 35 FV
Combs was one of my favorite arms of the weekend. A Junior College transfer, Combs features a short arm action to pair with a repeatable rotational delivery, creating a ¾ arm slot. This arm slot allows him to throw some nice two seamers, which he threw off the front hip of left handed hitters, and ran into righties. At 91-94 MPH, Combs even was able to get whiffs at the top of the zone with his heater. Combs’ best pitch however, was his 78-81 MPH 11-5 above average curveball, which he showed great feel for. This pitch generated whiffs out of the zone and as well as in the zone, and was a great weapon for Combs. He flashed a changeup with nice fade at 85 MPH as well, a pitch that he should have good feel for from his arm slot. The Vols had him pitch into a third inning however, where his stuff and command fell off a good bit.
Combs is likely to be a big weapon for this Vols bullpen in 2024, and will likely get some save opportunities. With a good season where he generates strikeouts like he did in 2023, he could be a nice day three senior sign for a team.
AJ Causey, RHRP, 2024, 35 FV
Causey followed Russell on Friday night against Texas Tech, and filled up the zone. A funky sidearm delivery, Causey was 89-92 MPH, topping at 93 MPH with his heavy sinking, top spinning fastball. Causey did a good job limiting hard contact, with the exception of a triple on a slider he left up in the zone. Causey’s slider is 77-78 MPH with plus sweep and minimal depth. Because of it’s velo and lack of two-plane shape, it’s unlikely to miss bats in the zone, but because of his slot and how it pairs with his fastball, it will definitely get plenty of chases. Causey also turned over some nice 77-79 MPH changeups, with plenty of depth while still maintaining arm side run. This pitch gave left handed hitters fits, getting whiffs in the zone and chases.
Causey threw five innings for the Vols on Friday, and maintained his velocity and stuff well. He’ll be a nice weapon for the Vols out of the pen as a long man, and could be the answer for as their Sunday starter. Since he went five innings, I’m curious what Causey’s velocity would be in a one inning stint, which is likely the role he’d be given in pro ball. Causey will be a solid day three bullpen pick for a team, and if he adds velocity to his secondaries, he could move quickly through the minors and see himself in a big league bullpen soon.
Blake Burke, 1B, 2024
Perhaps the most notable name in this Vols lineup, Burke possesses easy 70 grade raw power. A swing where he completely throws his hands at the ball, it’s easy plus bat speed. Burke had a rough weekend, where teams pounded him inside and up most the weekend, getting jammed quite a bit. He fouled off some fastballs that he’d normally punish, but I expect him to be fine as the season progresses. Burke has avoided strikeouts more than you’d expect for someone with his type of profile, thanks to a two strike approach where he shortens his stance up and throws his hands at pitches, repeatedly fouling them off. When he’s able to extend his arms, it usually results in hard contact. I didn’t get a great look at Burke, so I don’t feel comfortable putting a grade on him just yet, but players like him have typically gone in the third to fifth round of the draft
Young Volunteer Flamethrowers
Two different right handers came out of the pen lighting up the radar guns for the Vols this weekend, Marcus Phillips and Nate Snead. The freshman Phillips is a physical specimen at 6’4 245, and started at 97-98 MPH, trickling down to 93 MPH with a poorly shaped fastball. Control over command and not much feel for his upper-80s slider, this should be an effective weapon against college hitters, and control will improve over time. The sophomore, Snead, a Witcha St transfer, came out with an easy 98-100 MPH two seamer, that dripped down to 94 MPH. A hard slutter at 85-87 MPH, Snead struggled with control over his five innings, walking five, but his stuff was so good that it really didn’t matter. Both should be nice weapons out of the pen for the Vols, in 2024 and beyond.
Final Notes
This Vols team looks primed to do some damage in 2024. While they may be missing a true table setting, on base guy at the top, it’s still a deep lineup 1-9, and every player has the capability to put the ball in the seats. The only real weakness I see is they may have some trouble against pitchers with good breaking balls, but there aren’t many college lineups that don’t. The two headed monster of Russell and Beam is sure to give opposing hitters fits, and there’s a lot of velocity and stuff to overpower college hitters in the pen. One common theme I noticed here was a lot of pitchers had similar breaking ball shapes. Russell, Causey, Snead, even Beam. It was this sweepy slider, usually around 79-81 MPH. The stadium radar typically identified them as curveballs, likely because they’re around -5 IVB with 10+ inches of sweep, but I’d imagine the Vols call them sliders. Part of this, if I had to guess, is that this shape plays vs both lefties and righties more than a traditional sweeper would and allows a pitcher to just have to focus on one secondary pitch. This is purely speculation, and just something I noticed.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Kyle Robinson, RHP, 2024, 40 FV
Robinson had a tough task to make his sixth career start against a loaded Tennessee lineup but managed to limit damage. At 6’6” and an over-the-top delivery, Robinson’s steep downhill fastball creates a tough angle on hitters. Starting at 93-94 MPH and settling in at 91-93 MPH, Robinson struggled commanding this pitch. There were many times throughout the outing if he could have placed it glove side or at the letters he could have gotten out of trouble. Robinson’s best pitch is his 84-86 MPH tumbling changeup. Thrown with the same arm speed as his fastball, it’s a deceptive pitch that really falls off the table. Its depth allows it to play to both right handers and left handers, and he used it that way, and got whiffs from both. He also leaned on a 76-77 MPH 12-6 curveball, using it when behind in counts and to generate whiffs. Robinson mixed in some 87-90 MPH slutters. This had some nice lift, and average glove side movement. It’s not going to generate swings and misses, but rather is a good weapon to get off the barrel of specifically left-handed hitters, something he did to Blake Burke.
There’s a lot to project on here for Robinson. Sold velo, not much experience starting, a plus changeup, an average curveball he has feel for. While there are some questions regarding how his fastball will play, and not having a true weapon to get right-handed hitters out, there’s still mid rotation upside here. I’ve got a sixth round grade on Robinson, with some nice potential to shoot up the board with improved fastball command and a solid season.
Kevin Bazzell, C/3B, 2024, 45 FV
A stocky right-handed hitter who played third base most of last season, Bazzell looks like he’ll be the Red Raiders’ primary catcher in 2024 with the addition of third basemen Cade McGee and the departure of Hudson White. At the plate, Bazzell is very steady. A level swing, Bazzell makes contact at a high clip, and can cover most parts of the plate. Bazzell doesn’t chase much, though his passiveness got him in a bit of trouble over the weekend, as he got caught watching strike three on the outer third a few times. While they weren’t all strikes (though they were called strikes), you’d like to see him protect the plate on a 50/50 call with two strikes. Bazzell has average bat speed and raw power, but his level swing probably won’t allow him to fully tap into his raw power, so it’s likely below average power. Defensively, Bazzell was fairly raw behind the plate, as this is his first time playing catcher full time since high school. Bazzell was a solid receiver on the corners of the plate, stealing some strikes, but didn’t get many calls at the bottom of the zone. Bazzell hasn’t had many times to show off his arm behind the plate, but when he did they were around 1.95 second pop times with average arm strength. It’ll be interesting to see how this progresses as the season goes on, and how Bazzell can limit the run game in the Big 12.
At the plate another nice season will keep Bazzell’s draft floor pretty high. Bazzell is a sound hitter and looks like he might be average or even better. While catchers can be incredibly tough to evaluate and project, Bazzell is going to keep getting better, and already has the looks of an average catcher. At the plate, Bazzell reminds me a lot of Max Anderson, who went in the second round. Bazzell is a better defender and plays a more premium position than Anderson. I’m going to assume Bazzell is going to keep getting better at catcher and keep raking, and I see him as a first rounder.
Zane Petty, RHP, 2025
Petty got the ball on Saturday for the Red Raiders after a strong end to his 2023 campaign. Petty has good stuff, but struggled with control for a large part of his outing. Petty has a very high leg lift, something he often struggled to repeat. Combine this with his high effort delivery and head whack, and inconstant arm path, and his delivery was often out of sync. Petty started out 94-95 MPH with good shape from his high three quarters arm slot, before sitting 90-93 MPH. Petty has two distinct breaking ball shapes, a two-plane slider and an 11-5 curveball. The slider’s two plane shape and average sweep at 82-83 MPH. Petty was able to land these for strikes, but they were up in the zone so they were hit around a bit. At 78-80 MPH, Petty struggled to land this pitch, with it popping out of his hand a few times allowing hitters to lay off.
Despite the loud stuff, Petty hasn’t missed bats at a high clip in his career, likely due to the his struggles with command and control. If Petty can find another level of control this season and next, he has the potential of a day one pick, but finding this will be a critical part of his development, or else he’s just a high stuff reliver that doesn’t miss bats and struggles to find the zone.
Cade McGee. 3B, 2024, 35 FV
McGee was off to a hot start at Gonzaga in 2023 before sustaining an injury that sidelined him for a large bit of the season. In his limited time, he’s shown a great feel for the zone and high contact rates. That was on display this weekend, drawing four walks and working counts in his favor. McGee has below average bat speed and raw power, something you wouldn’t expect to see from a third basemen typically. Defensively however, McGee is sharp. With good athleticism for his size, McGee made a nice play coming in and a good throw on the run. Solid hands, good footwork, and an above average arm, McGee looks like he’ll stick at third moving forward. With a good season in the Big 12, McGee has the makings of an early day two pick and is a player to keep an eye on this season.
TJ Pompey, SS, 2026
A well-rounded freshman, Pompey had a nice weekend to kick off his collegiate career. In his second at bat of his career, Pompey shot a 101 MPH fly ball into the right center gap for a triple to put the Red Raiders back in the game. This was one of four hits Pompey had on the weekend at the bottom of the Tech lineup. Pompey has a fairly steep bat angle, which allowed him to fair well against secondaries, putting some good swings on sliders and changeups, but got some fastballs blown by him. Pompey has nice actions at short, but below average hands, to go along with average arm strength, but good arm utility, making a nice throw off his right foot on the run to nab a speedy runner. He did make an error on a backhand, but he got a nice first step and it would have been a tough play anyways. Pompey is a name to watch this season as he gets his feet wet at shortstop and college baseball.
Gavin Kash, 1B, 35 FV
Kash had a rough weekend at the plate, striking out seven times in fourteen plate appearances. Kash had a tough time picking up offspeed and struggled to see the ball against lefties it seemed. I’ve seen Kash a few times in the past few years (and watched an impressive BP while he was a freshman at Texas), and he had an arm bar in his swing that I didn’t remember him having in the past. Kash has nice bat speed that pairs with a steep swing geared for power, though this makes him prone to swing and miss at breaking balls and fastballs up in the zone. In the past, he showed a good approach and the ability to work counts, but that was lacking this weekend. I won’t panic on Kash yet based on the first weekend of the year where he saw plenty of quality arms and left handed pitchers, as I still like the power and patience he’s shown in the past. Similar to Burke, I don’t feel comfortable to put a grade on Kash after his struggles this weekend, but this profile generally goes in the third to fifth round of the draft.
Final Notes
This Tech team may not have the star power of the Jung brother teams of years past, but it’s deeper than most teams I can remember. I didn’t even mention Damian Bravo or Austin Green, who will both likely slug over .500 and be big parts of the team. This lineup is capable of doing a lot of different things (and will always hit homers in the launch pad that is Dan Law Field), and if Graham Harrellson can get going, it’s an incredibly well-rounded lineup. While they may lack top end talent, it’s a deeper pitching staff than most years. Robinson, Petty, and a pitchability righty in Washburn is a solid rotation, and the bullpen is experienced and deeper. Parker Huytra is 93-94 MPH with a nice slider, Josh Sanders is 90-92 MPH with heavy sink, it seemed like every arm they were throwing out was 90-92 MPH and landing a solid slider. Depth is critical for winning in the postseason, and Tech looks like they have it this year.
Oklahoma SOONERS
Brendan Girton, RHP, 2024 Senior, 35+ FV
I liked Girton when he was at Texas Tech last year as big bodied, stocky righty with good pitch shapes but command issues. He’s since transferred to OU for his senior season, and it looks like he’s going to get a chance to start. In his first start against Tennessee, he had a strong showing. While he struggled with his command to start, he settled in with his fastball slider combination. Starting at 94-95 MPH and settling in at 92-94 MPH, Girton’s fastball has great carry to go with some deception and a relatively low release height. Getting sixteen (!) whiffs, the Vols were consistently swinging under this deceptive fastball. Girton’s go to secondary is a mid-80s sweeping slider. This pitch is sharp, and even flashed plus sweep, and has great separation from his fastball. Girton doesn’t have great feel for this pitch, but it improved as his start progressed. This combination was good enough on their own, so Girton only threw one changeup at 84 MPH, and it may be tough for him to consistently get to the side of the ball given his high three-quarter release point. Girton didn’t strike many people out during his time in Lubbock, so for him to begin the season with an outing like this is a great sign.
Professionally, Girton profiles as a reliever. His delivery is a bit inconsistent and has some tweaks to be made, for example he doesn’t stack his torso well, leading to him to be somewhat slouched over, making it tough to rotate at times. Should Girton show he can consistently throw enough strikes with his fastball slider combination over the course of a season, he has the looks of a day three senior signing, with a chance to move quickly.
James Hitt, LHP, 2024 (Senior), 35 FV
A young senior, Hitt is another Texas Tech transfer. In 2023, he appeared in seventeen games, starting twelve, but struggled to miss bats. In his first outing of the year against Nebraska, Hitt struck out ten on 88 pitches. Hitt’s fastball is likely his worst pitch. While it is 91-93 MPH and up to 94 MPH from the left side, the shape is incredibly inconsistent, and it’s control over command, leaving many over the middle of the plate to get barreled. Hitt heavily relied on his 78-81 MPH curveball that flashed plus. Hitt was able to bury this to right-handed hitters and got plenty of chases in the dirt from lefties. He also throws a 80-81 MPH slider that has mostly bullet spin, but his three-quarters slot creates some deception, thus adding some sweep. Later in the outing, he started throwing a filthy 84-85 MPH changeup. This pitch flashed plus as well, falling off the table and showing some nice fade as well. These secondaries carried Hitt through his start and made up for his hittable fastball.
A great start to the season, Hitt should continue to throw his secondaries more and more, and only rely on his fastball when he needs to. Should he continue to show he can miss bats with his curveball changeup combination, he has a nice floor as middle reliever and could see himself taken on day 2 of the draft around the 10th round.
Malachi Witherspoon, RHP
Malachi Witherspoon was the first arm out of the pen for the Sooners on Friday. A JUCO Transfer, Witherspoon has a nice body at 6’3” and 190 pounds, he still has room to fill out. This is a little scary, considering Witherspoon was 94-97 MPH, and up to 98 MPH with his fastball. Witherspoon gets to the side of this, and it’s a relatively over the top arm slot so it’s not great shape, but the velocity plays. Malachi’s go-to secondary is a top down, 78-80 MPH high-spin curveball. He showed nice feel for this pitch, landing it for strikes, but struggled to bury it below the zone when needed. Not concerned here though, as this is usually something that comes with time. There’s some herk and jerk in Witherspoon’s delivery, and he lost feel at a few points, but he’s young and will get better with time. Witherspoon looks like he’ll be an electric arm out of the Sooner pen for years to come.
Kyson Witherspoon, RHP
The brother of Malachi, Kyson is another electric arm for the Sooners. He’s a little more filled out than his brother and has more refined, repeatable delivery. A short, over the top arm action, Kyson was 95-96 MPH to start before settling in at 93-94 MPH. With nice carry and cut, Witherspoon had nice touch on this pitch, throwing it for strikes. His best weapon however was a 83-85 MPH slider with two plane break that he commanded very well. It’s hard to find this level of feel for this nice of a breaking ball in a 19-year-old, and Witherspoon has it. Witherspoon didn’t need to throw any changeups, and it may be tough to throw from his arm slot, so if he really needed to add a third offering for left-handed hitters, I’d like to see it be a 12-6 curveball. It’s worth keeping an eye on if Kyson pitches his way into the Sooner rotation, as he certainly throws enough strikes to do so.
Final Notes
It looks like another textbook Sooners team in Norman. The lineup is going to make a ton of contact and steal plenty of bags to go along with it. The rotation is solid, with some nice upside, but they have better weapons in the pen than they have in the past with the Witherspoon brothers. OU will certainly contend for the Big 12, and they’re the type of pesky team that can make noise in the postseason.
Oregon ducks
Drew Smith, 3B, 2024, 35 FV
An agile 3B, Smith had a nice weekend at Globe Life. Smith features a level swing with nice ability to manipulate the barrel. He showed the ability to cover the outer third of the plate well against secondaries, shooting them back up the middle and to right field on a line, often hit hard. Smith didn’t showcase any crazy power (max EV of 105), but rather consistent hard contact. Combine this with a smart approach, and not much chase at the plate, and you’ve got the looks of a fringe hitter. Defensively, Smith possesses nice footwork and hands, making a nice sliding play to his left. His arm strength could definitely improve, but if this is the biggest weakness defensively, I’m confident he can get stronger and stick there. Smith is the leadoff hitter for Oregon and will be an important piece for them this season. A solid season and he could sneak into the early rounds of day two of the draft.
RJ Gordon, RHP, 2024 Senior, 30+ FV
Gordon started on Friday for the Ducks against Oklahoma and put together a solid outing on a pitch count, pitching into the fifth and limiting hard contact. Gordon was 90-93 MPH and up to 94 MPH with a fastball that had good carry and cutting shape, a tough AB to left-handed hitters. Coming from a high three-quarters slot and a drop and drive delivery from a strong lower half, Gordon commanded this pitch well and filled up the zone with it. He also featured a 73-77 MPH 11-5 breaking ball, thrown mostly to left-handed hitters. It didn’t miss bats but was a nice strike stealer that put in the zone often. Gordon only threw what I thought his best pitch was seven times, his 81-83 MPH changeup. It had really nice separation off his fastball and above average glove side run. Getting two whiffs in the zone on it, I was impressed that a pitcher like Gordon, who naturally cuts and gets to the ball, was able to turn over a changeup like this. What surprised me most about Gordan was he didn’t throw a big slider, instead he threw an 84-87 MPH slutter. This pitch didn’t do much for me, not having much depth or glove side movement. A pitch to get off the barrel of a left-handed hitter? Sure, but not a weapon against righties, like he was using. Gordon has the arm path and supination bias that a lot of teams correlate to throwing a good breaking ball, specifically a sweeper.
You don’t normally see senior signs as dev projects, but I think teaching Gordon a sweeper would be a relatively easy process. Gordon also missed all of 2023 with an injury, so that’s even more development time he missed on. There’s potential of a fringe fastball with above average command, an above average changeup, fringe curveball that can steal strikes, and a potential plus slider. That’s the making of a back-end starter, and if a team can get that at a senior sign bargain, that brings a ton of value to an organization.