Jake Thompson

After missing most of 2015 with a back injury, Thompson returned as a redshirt sophomore in 2016 with a solid if unspectacular season, like much of Oregon State had. Like the Beavers, he's returned with a vengeance for 2017 and ranked second in the Pac-12 in ERA behind teammate Luke Heimlich. The hard-throwing righthander has improved his fastball and slider this year, with both earning plus grades at times. His fastball has peaked at 98 mph according to scouts, though that's usually in shorter stints. It still can sit in the 93-94 mph range as a starter, and has enough life that Thompson has at times had a hard time corraling it. However, he's trimmed his walk rate (2.7 through early May, down from 4.1 in 2016) thanks in part to a simplified delivery, minimizing extraneous movement with a simple leg lift a la David Price. His hard slider gives him a go-to breaking ball that can get swings and misses, and Thompson was showing more confidence in his fringy changeup, which plays up when he's throwing more fastball strikes. A fourth-year junior, Thompson will be 23 by September, and his age, excellent season and strong stuff could move him up draft boards as a college performer who also could cut a deal.