2024 High School MLB Draft Prospects
With summer events underway, it’s time to update our rankings of the top 100 players in the 2024 class looking ahead to the 2024 MLB Draft.
The top high school player in the country remains Mississippi shortstop Konnor Griffin, who reclassified from the 2025 class and stands out for his physicality, athleticism, tools and game performance.
The 2024 class, however, doesn’t have one or two players who have pulled ahead of the field, with a range of players in the top 10 who all have a case to rank No. 1.
What is clear is that LSU’s 2024 recruiting class is loaded. Griffin is an LSU commit, as are outfielder Derek Curiel and catcher Cade Arrambide, giving the Tigers three of the top 10 players in the class. They have seven players in the top 50 and 11 players in the top 100. It’s a class that got even richer this summer when lefthander/outfielder Cam Caminiti, an LSU commit who had ranked as the No. 3 player for 2025, announced he was reclassifying to the 2024 class.
Those 11 commits in the top 100 are tied for the most with Tennessee. Pitching leads the way for Tennessee’s class with a pair of premium arms in righthanders Anson Seibert and Tegan Kuhns, while catcher Levi Clark continues to rise up the rankings with an outstanding start to his summer. Florida State has six players ranked in the top 100 in its recruiting class and it’s another group headlined by pitching, featuring Florida prep righthanders Chase Mobley and Dylan Jordan, with Jordan elevating his status with a jump in stuff this year.
Among the top 100 players, 95 have a college commitment, with outfielder/lefthander Noah Franco and shortstop Bryce Clavon the most prominent uncommitted players in the class.
Expect a lot to change over the next year between now and the first day of the 2024 MLB Draft, but the top of the list even a year out is generally a good guide to the potential first-round picks, with players deeper down the list having the upside to jump into that mix, be early-round picks or potentially get to campus and become impact players for some of the top college programs in the country.
Here are the rankings, scouting reports and college commitments for the top 100 players in the 2024 class.
- Konnor Griffin
Jackson Prep, Flowood, Miss., SS/OF/RHP
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 210 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.2.
As a freshman in 2022, Griffin led his high school team to a state title. After the season ended, Griffin announced that he was reclassifying from the 2025 to the 2024 class, making him the No. 1 high school player for 2024. This spring, he led Jackson Prep to another state championship, hitting .537/.636/.951 in 107 plate appearances with nearly more home runs (8) than he had strikeouts (9). Griffin excels both as a position player (at shortstop and center field) as well as on the mound, with an electric package of athleticism, physical upside, tools and ability to hit in games. He has a long, high-waist, rangy frame that’s strong and lean with lots of space to continue to add strength. Even as one of the younger 2024 players, his tools already stack up among the best in the class. He’s a bouncy athlete with at least plus speed and a plus arm that could tick up to become a 70 tool. Griffin has extremely quick hands at the plate, generating some of the best bat speed in the country. He already makes hard contact that shows up as home run power in games, with raw power that should be at least plus once he fills out. Griffin’s offensive approach is advanced for his age as well, leading to high contact rates and consistently strong game performance, both in terms of getting on base and hitting for power. He’s able to make athletic plays at shortstop with good body control for his size. With a chance for several tools that could be 60s or 70s down the road, Griffin would rank No. 1 on this list for his ability as a position player alone, but he also has significant upside on the mound. He is already into the low 90s and has the physical projection to be throwing in the mid-to-upper 90s by draft time.
2. Owen Paino
Roy C. Ketcham HS, Wappingers Falls, N.Y., SS
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 205 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Mississippi
Age At Draft: 18.6.
Paino stands out immediately for his size as a 6-foot-3, 205-pound shortstop. Yet it’s Paino’s polish, instincts and smooth, easy operation that stand out more than just his physicality. Paino has a calm, balanced swing from the left side, starting with a simple lower half load before turning the barrel with a smooth, compact swing. He tracks pitches well, controls the strike zone and stays behind the ball well with a good bath path, leading to frequent contact and a true all-fields approach. There are times where Paino will show some swing-and-miss on fastballs up in the zone, but he has a knack for being on time and barreling balls in games. Paino doesn’t have the elite bat speed of some of the other premium players in the 2024 class, but with his size, there’s obvious strength projection to grow into more power, though his strength as a hitter now leans more toward his on-base skills. Paino’s maturity and high baseball IQ are evident at the plate and in the field. He’s a below-average runner underway, but he has a quick first step and reads the ball well off the bat. If Paino does physically outgrow shortstop, he could be a plus defender at third base with the offensive game to fit well there, but right now he has the actions, instincts and body control for shortstop, where his hands and feet work well and his internal clock helps him slow the game down. For a bigger-bodied shortstop, he ranges well to all angles and finishes plays with a strong arm.
3. Bryce Rainer
Harvard-Westlake HS, Los Angeles, SS/RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 195 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Texas
Age At Draft: 19.0.
With a long, rangy frame, Rainer has a good mix of hitting ability and big lefthanded power that plays in games and should tick up even more as he fills out, with the potential to be a 25-plus home run threat. Rainer is an advanced hitter for his age with a fast, fluid swing, usually staying within the strike zone and using the whole field with a knack for hanging in well against lefties. Rainer has spent time at shortstop and third base, with his size and range fitting best at third. He’s a good athlete with a plus arm that could climb to a 70 tool as he gets stronger. Rainer didn’t pitch in 2022, but he has been back on the mound in 2023, showing a fastball up to 94 mph with feel for both a breaking ball and lively changeup, so he would be a legitimate pitching prospect as well.
4. Derek Curiel
Orange (Calif.) Lutheran HS, OF
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 180 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 19.2.
Curiel has an ease of operation to his game that stands out at the plate and in the field. He has a calm, balanced swing that’s quick, fluid and direct to the ball with good bat control and strike-zone discipline. His contact rate stacks up among the best in the 2024 class with good plate coverage and a knack for going with where the ball is pitched to use the whole field. Curiel has a slender frame that he has started to add strength to, which has helped him generate more bat speed and extra-base damage at times, though it’s his on-base skills that stand out more than his power. There’s more room to fill out, and once he gets stronger and learns which pitches to try to drive for pull-side damage in the air, there could be another uptick in power. He’s a plus runner with an easy stride, gliding around in center field with good instincts and an average, accurate arm.
5. PJ Morlando
Summerville (S.C.) HS, OF/1B
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 200 | B-T: L-R
Committed: South Carolina
Age At Draft: 19.2.
Morlando is arguably the most dangerous offensive threat in the 2024 class thanks to an excellent combination of contact skills, plate discipline and power. A gold medalist on the USA 18U National Team that won the U-18 World Cup Americas Qualifier in Mexico in November 2022, Morlando has elite bat speed, which along with his strength and leverage in his swing generates the best lefthanded power for any 2024 hitter. It’s plus raw power with the bat speed and physical projection for more to come, giving him a chance to be a 30-plus home run threat. The way Morlando is able to generate that power is especially impressive and allows it to translate in games. He doesn’t have many moving parts to his swing, setting up with a wide base and a simple lower half load, keeping his head locked in to help him track pitches well. He has quiet hands before unleashing a tight, compact and pretty swing with clean, fluid path through the hitting zone, enabling him to punish the ball for extra-base damage to all fields with easy, explosive pop. Morlando has shown the ability to barrel mid-90s velocity with the plate coverage to hammer fastballs in any part of the zone and is especially effective on fastballs up. The best chance for pitchers against Morlando is to try to get him to swing through soft stuff down and away, but he’s a patient hitter who will take his walks. Morlando has a catching background, but he is better in the outfield corners and first base. His arm is below-average but he showed much improved athleticsm over the past year to be able to handle an outfield corner. He the glove skills at first base to turn into a quality defender there, too, but it’s Morlando’s offensive game that will drive his value.
6.
Michael Mullinax
North Cobb Christian HS, Kennesaw, Ga., OF
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 195 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Georgia
Age At Draft: 19.0.
Mullinax has an exciting combination of athleticism, tools and a strong offensive track record, especially for a player who projects to play in the middle of the field. He’s a lean, bursty athlete who accelerates quickly with plus-plus speed and a strong arm in center field. Mullinax is a power/speed threat who makes some of the hardest contact in the 2024 class. He will bar his arm, but he’s able to keep his hands inside the ball with a quick, explosive swing and plus raw power that shows up now in games. He takes consistent quality at-bats too, typically staying within the strike zone with good bat-to-ball skills from both sides of the plate.
7. Cade Arrambide
Tomball (Texas) HSC
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 210 | B-T: R-R
Committed: LSU
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Arrambide has established himself as the clear No. 1 catcher in the 2024 class. On the defensive side, Arrambide has just about everything scouts want to see for a catcher his age. He’s strong but a loose, flexible and an athletic, agile mover behind the plate. He receives well, does an outstanding job of blocking balls and is elite at controlling the running game as well. He has a plus-plus arm with clean, efficient throwing mechanics, getting rid of the ball with exchange times on par with the top catchers in the big leagues and often producing pop times under 1.9 seconds in games. The attributes are all there for Arrambide to develop into a plus to plus-plus defender in the big leagues, and while it’s his work behind the plate that stands out the most, Arrambide can also do damage in the batter’s box. He has performed at a high level in games with a power-over-hit profile. He has quick hands, a pull approach and a swing geared to lift the ball with solid-average raw power and a chance to be a 20-25 home run hitter. There is some swing-and-miss, but he’s able to keep it to a manageable rate and does have a two-strike approach, spreading out his stance and cutting down his stride.
8. Brendan Lawson
Lawrence Park (Ont.) HS, SS
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 200 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Age At Draft: 18.6.
Lawson has been one of the biggest up-arrow players in the 2024 class over the past year. He is one of the most dangerous hitters in the class, with a promising blend of hitting ability and power that translates in games. Lawson has a sweet lefthanded swing, generating good torque and weight transfer as he whips the barrel through the zone with good bat speed, sequence and timing. He has performed at a high level in games with extra-base power to all fields. Lawson still has lots of space left to fill out his lean 6-foot-3 frame and could grow into plus power. A fringe-average runner, Lawson has the actions to stick in the infield, whether that ends up being at shortstop or at third base if he outgrows the position.
9. JD Dix
Whitefish Bay (Wisc.) HS, SS
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 170 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Alabama
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Dix is a talented switch-hitter with significant physical projection remaining. He has a lean, athletic build with broad shoulders and a compact swing from both sides of the plate. He has a mature approach at the plate, stays back well on breaking stuff and has a knack for barreling balls to all fields in games. The power has trended up for Dix over the past year and should become an even bigger part of his game the next few years given how much space he has to add strength to his frame. Dix stands out the most on the offensive side of the ball, but he has a chance to stick at shortstop, though second or third base could be other landing spots for him in pro ball.
10.
Bryce Clavon
Kell HS, Marietta, Ga., SS
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Uncommitted
Age At Draft: 18.7.
Clavon is one of the top uncommitted 2024 players in the country, generating buzz for his talent in two sports. He’s a dynamic quarterback generating Division 1 interest with explosive athleticism that makes him one of the most exciting baseball players in the 2024 class. Clavon’s quick-twitch actions are evident in multiple ways on the diamond, starting at the plate where he has outstanding hand speed. It’s some of the best bat speed in the country for a player in any class. It allows Clavon more time to sit back on pitches, but he has an aggressive approach and has performed well in games, firing his hands through the zone quickly with a short, down-and-through swing geared for line drives, with more power upside because of his bat speed. Clavon is also an explosive runner with a quick first step and plus-plus speed to go with a strong arm.
11. Tegan Kuhns
Chambersburg Area (Pa.) HS, RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 175 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 19.2.
The projection arrows are pointing in the right direction for Kuhns, who has some of the best stuff in the 2024 class and should have a lot more in the tank. He’s a lanky, elastic righthander with lots of room on his slender 6-foot-3 frame to add weight and grow a fastball that has been up to 94 mph with riding life up in the zone and solid control for his age. With his arm speed, Kuhns should be throwing even harder once he gets stronger. The separator for Kuhns, though, is his curveball, a pitch he throws with power at 78-81 mph and tight rotation with spin rates approaching 3,000 rpm. It’s a sharp breaking ball that projects to be plus and should continue to be a big swing-and-miss pitch in pro ball. He’s added a slider as well, showing the same innate feel to spin that pitch with tight rotation. Kuhns has shown feel for a splitter as well, which has good fading action away from lefties and should become a bigger factor for him with more repetitions.
12. Cam Caminiti
Saguaro HS, Scottsdale, Ariz., LHP/OF
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 205 | B-T: L-L
Committed: LSU
Age At Draft: 17.9.
Caminiti ranked as the No. 3 player in the 2025 class, then in June 2023 he announced he was reclassifying into the 2024 class. Caminiti has two-way talent, but what he does on the mound separates himself from the pack. He already has touched 96 mph, rare velocity from a 16-year-old lefty. Caminiti has shown feel for two breaking balls, including a hard slider that has good tilt and can be a weapon against lefties or when he throws it to the back foot of a righthanded hitter, as well as a curveball. His changeup has good separation from his fastball, though he hasn’t needed to use that pitch much yet. There are times when Caminiti will need to tighten his control, but his delivery, repertoire and feel for pitching all point to a high-upside starter.
13. Casan Evans
St. Pius X HS, Houston, RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 180 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Evans has been on an upward trajectory over the past two years. He took another jump this spring, with a fastball that sits in the low 90s and has touched 95 mph. With his arm speed and physical projection remaining, there should be another uptick in velocity coming. Evans has a power arm for his age with a starter profile. His delivery is sound, he’s athletic and repeats his mechanics to throw consistent strikes. Evans can miss lots of bats with a sharp curveball that has tight rotation, while his changeup is a lively pitch he shows feel for as well.
14. Noah Franco
IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla., LHP/OF
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Uncommitted
Age At Draft: 18.2.
Franco was one of the premium players in the 2025 class before he announced his decision to reclassify as a 2024 on Jan. 1, 2023. He’s a Downey, Calif. native who plays at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. and won a gold medal at the U-18 World Cup Americas Qualifier in Mexico in November 2022 as one of just two 2025 players (along with righthander Vaughn Neckar) on USA Baseball’s 18U National Team. What’s not clear yet is whether Franco’s future is brighter on the mound or as an outfielder. Some like him more as a pitcher, where he has tremendous physical projection on his athletic 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame with wide shoulders, long arms, a high waist, good flexibility and arm speed. There’s lots of space to add more weight and strength and grow a low-90s fastball that touches 94 mph and could eventually reach the mid-to-upper 90s. His slider has three-quarter action across the zone with the ability to get swing-and-miss against both lefties and righties, and he has shown advanced feel for a changeup with good tumble as well. He will need to tighten his control, but his athleticism bodes well for his ability to make adjustments. Franco’s offensive track record is just as impressive. He has a fluid lefthanded swing that’s geared to drive the ball in the air, with the ability to flatten out and punish mistakes up in the zone. He already uses left-center and the middle of the field for extra-base damage with over-the-fence juice to his pull side and above-average power potential once he fills out. He’s an average runner with a strong arm for right field.
15. Charlie Bates
Palo Alto (Calif.) HS, SS
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 175 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Stanford
Age At Draft: 18.8.
A great showing at the Area Code Underclass Games in August 2022 put a bigger spotlight on Bates, who homered there and showed a good mix of skills at the plate and in the field. Bates has a compact lefthanded swing with good hand-eye coordination and excellent bat control, making him one of the more difficult hitters in the class to induce swing-and-miss against. His ability to manipulate the barrel is evident whether he’s facing righties or lefties, fastballs or breaking balls, with big hits at Area Codes against several of the best pitchers in the country. It’s mostly gap power right now, but Bates has more strength projection left in his 6-foot-1 frame for that to tick up. An instinctive defender with smooth actions at shortstop, Bates has good rhythm and footwork, moving around gracefully with good body control and soft hands to stay in the middle infield.
16.
Joey Oakie
Ankeny Centennial HS, Iowa, RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Iowa
Age At Draft: 18.2.
Oakie has elevated himself into the group of elite pitchers in the 2024 high school class. One of the younger 2024 players, Oakie has made another jump in velocity, now sitting in the low 90s and touching 96 mph, with the strength projection left in his 6-foot-3 frame for more in the tank. Oakie pitches from a low three-quarter arm slot that borders on sidearm at times, creating above-average arm-side movement on his fastball. With that low slot, he will have to work to stay on top of his slider, but he shows feel for spin on that pitch as well to give him a secondary offering that can miss bats. He’s a solid strike-thrower for his age as well.
17. Mason Brassfield
Bakersfield (Calif.) Christian HS, LHP/OF
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 185 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Texas Christian
Age At Draft: 18.9.
Brassfield is a two-way player who also plays the outfield, but his ability on the mound makes him one of the premium pitchers for 2024. He’s tall, lean and athletic with significant physical projection to add to a fastball that already touches 94 mph and has good carry up in the zone from his high, near over-the-top arm slot. Brassfield could be throwing in the mid-to-upper 90s, and as good as his fastball is already, his best pitch is his slider. It’s a dominant pitch that projects to be plus with power and late tilt at 82-84 mph, enabling Brassfield to pile up whiffs whether he’s throwing it to lefties or righties.
18.
Carson Wiggins
Roland (Okla.) HS, RHP
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 210 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Arkansas
Age At Draft: 19.1.
An Arkansas commit, Wiggins is the brother of Arkansas righthander Jaxon Wiggins and another pitcher with a power arm. After touching 94 mph in 2022 and throwing a tick harder this spring, Wiggins came out firing upper-90s fastballs that reached 99 mph in June. Wiggins shows feel to spin a slider as well that comes out of his hand with power at 81-85 mph. He operates from a low-effort delivery but will need to improve his control.
19. Anson Seibert
Blue Valley Southwest HS, Overland Park, Kan., RHP
Ht: 6-8 | Wt: 220 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 19.0.
An enormous 6-foot-8, 220 pounds, Seibert attacks hitters downhill with a power fastball for his age, sitting at 89-93 mph and touching 96 from his three-quarters slot. Seibert is already physically advanced for his age, but there’s arm speed and more physical upside for him to potentially throw in the upper 90s. While teenage pitchers with extra-long frames often struggle to sync up their mechanics to throw strikes, Seibert has a loose, low-effort delivery that he repeats well, and he throws his fastball for strikes at a high clip. Seibert’s fastball is his predominant pitch and one he leans on heavily. He throws a hard, short-breaking slider at 78-82 mph that’s more notable for its power than its action and is ahead of his changeup.
20.
Theodore Gillen
Westlake HS, Austin, Texas, SS
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 195 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Texas
Age At Draft: 18.9.
Gillen stood out from an early age as one of the most talented players in the 2024 class, though he had right shoulder surgery in April 2022, so he missed much of the year. Gillen has long been an impressive athlete, but he has added more size and strength to his 6-foot-3 frame, with his tools taking another jump, too. He has a strong offensive track record, using a line drive stroke with a knack for going the opposite way. He’s still learning to fully tap into his power, but he has fast bat speed and is driving the ball with more extra-base damage now than he was before. Still working his way back from his shoulder injury, Gillen previously has shown good agility, body control and actions at shortstop. Depending on what happens with his arm, his athleticism and plus-plus speed would translate well in center field, too.
21. Erik Parker
North Gwinnett HS, Suwanee, Ga., SS
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R
Committed: South Carolina
Age At Draft: 18.2.
Parker is one of the younger players in the 2024 class and sticks out right away for his tall, athletic and highly projectable build. He’s long, lean with broad shoulders on a high-waisted frame and a quick-twitch athlete with a ton of space left for significant strength gains to come. There’s a lot of physical upside with Parker, who’s already a plus runner with good body control and a strong arm at shortstop. There’s some length to his actions at shortstop, but he’s better in games than in workouts and throws well on the run. At the plate, Parker is one of the more patient hitters in the class. He has a good eye for the strike zone, takes borderline pitches and works deep counts to take his walks. For a young, long-limbed hitter, Parker doesn’t have too much swing and miss, but he is still learning to sync up his swing and transfer his weight more efficiently. There’s occasional over-the-fence power now with Parker, and if he’s able to make those adjustments, there’s a chance for a significant jump in power once he layers on more strength.
22. Chase Mobley
Plant City (Fla.) HS, RHP
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Florida State
Age At Draft: 18.1.
Mobley was one of the early standouts in the 2024 class, even more so after he went to the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter in October 2021 before his sophomore season and ran his fastball up to 93 mph as a 15-year-old while striking out five with no walks in five scoreless innings. At 16 this spring, Mobley took another step forward, reaching 96 mph. Now 17 and one of the younger players in the 2024 class, Mobley has the arm speed and strength projection left in his 6-foot-5 frame to eventually reach the upper 90s and possibly higher. Like a lot of young, long-limbed pitchers, Mobley is still learning to consistently sync up his delivery to throw strikes, but he generally shows good feel for pitching for his age. Mobley’s fastball is his best pitch, with a short curveball that he uses as his main secondary pitch, but his changeup has good fade, tumble and separation off his fastball when it’s on, giving him a potential out pitch.
23.
Cade Townsend
Santa Margarita (Calif.) Catholic HS, RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 180 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Mississippi
Age At Draft: 19.2.
Townsend has been on an upward trend with a strong fastball and innate feel for manipulating his secondary pitches. While he doesn’t play for his high school team, Townsend has made a name for himself on the summer circuit and won a gold medal for the USA Baseball 18U National Team in Mexico in November 2022. He has been up to 93 mph with a lively fastball that has good riding action up in the zone. Townsend has the arm speed and physical projection on his lean 6-foot-2 frame for another velocity spike ahead. His fastball is already a good pitch, but the separator for Townsend is his knack for spinning a breaking ball. His 75-78 mph curveball spins in the 2,800-2,900 rpm range to create sharp bite and good depth when it’s at its best, though he will need to get better landing it in the zone. Townsend has introduced a slider into his mix, too, that shows promise with his ability to spin the ball, giving him a second breaking pitch that could become a bigger weapon. Towsend’s changeup can come in fairly firm off his fastball, but the action on it is good, sinking and running away from lefties to give him another bat-missing pitch. Townsend has had outings where his control comes and goes, then others where he’s throwing more frequent strikes, so corralling that consistently will be key, but he has a delivery that works well and the repertoire to be a starter with multiple bat-missing secondaries.
24.
Slade Caldwell
Valley View HS, Jonesboro, Ark., OF
Ht: 5-9 | Wt: 170 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Mississippi
Age At Draft: 18.1.
One of the younger players in the class, Caldwell has a small frame but is strong for his size with some of the more polished game skills in the country. He has a smaller strike zone that he’s able to use to his advantage with arguably the best plate discipline of any player on this list. He’s a patient hitter, but when he does swing, he has short levers to the ball, accelerates his hands quickly with an accurate barrel that leads to a high contact rate and strong on-base skills. In 2022, Caldwell’s swing was more conducive to low line drives and balls on the ground rather than hitting for power, but he has shown the ability to drive the ball in the air with more frequency during a big spring season. He’s a plus runner whose high-level instincts for the game also show up in center field.
25. William Schmidt
Catholic HS, Baton Rouge, La., RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 180 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Mississippi State
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Few pitchers in the country have the ability to spin the ball like Schmidt. At 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Schmidt has a starter look and projectable pitcher’s build with long limbs and significant room to pack on weight. That projection has already started to come through. After touching 91 mph in 2022, Schmidt this year has been sitting in the low 90s and reached 95 mph, with more still in the tank as he continues to get stronger. What separates Schmidt is his mid-to-upper-70s curveball, which has elite spin rates that have ticked above 3,000 rpm. The pitch has such sharp break that Schmidt has trouble landing it for strikes at times, but the raw attributes are there for it to be a hammer, swing-and-miss pitch with good shape and depth. It’s mostly a fastball/curveball attack, but Schmidt has shown feel at times for an upper-70s changeup.
26.
Zach Swanson
Toutle Lake (Wash.) HS, RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Oregon State
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Swanson has one of the most powerful arsenals in the 2024 class. He pitches at 89-93 mph and has touched 95 with good carry up in the zone and the physical projection in his 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame to be throwing even harder in the coming years. He pairs his fastball with a power curveball that’s among the best in the class. It’s a 78-81 mph breaking ball that looks like a fastball out of his hand, then snaps off with sharp break, good shape and depth to rack up whiffs. Swanson mainly relies on his fastball and curveball, sprinkling in an occasional changeup at 81-85 mph. He will need to tighten his fastball command, but he has made positive mechanical progress to tone down some of the effort in his delivery.
27. Landon Victorian
Barbe HS, Lake Charles, La., RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.7.
Victorian is a well-coordinated pitcher who fills the strike zone with a simple, repeatable delivery that finishes with some recoil, showing advanced control of his fastball. After touching 93 mph in 2022, Victorian in 2023 has touched 95 mph and has the projection left in his frame for another velocity jump to come. It’s a starter look for Victorian, who has improved his breaking stuff over the past year. He throws a slider that doesn’t have elite spin rates but has late bite when it’s at its best to help him miss bats. He’s still learning to corral his changeup, but it has good components to it with a lot of separation off his fastball at 78-81 mph.
28. Dylan Jordan
Viera HS, Melbourne, Fla., RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Florida State
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Jordan impressed as an underclassman at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla. in October 2022, when he touched 91 mph. Since then, he has taken off to put himself into the group of the elite pitchers in the country for 2024. Jordan has long, whippy arm action in a full arm swing into a low three-quarter slot and sinks deep into his legs in his delivery. It creates difficult angle for hitters and lively arm-side run on a fastball that parks in the low 90s, reaches 95 mph and should have more velocity to come. Jordan’s slider was a high swing-and-miss pitch before and is even more so now that he’s throwing everything with more power. It’s a low-80s slider with plus potential that he leans on heavily. It starts on the outer third to righties and sweeps away with sharp lateral break to rack up whiffs. Jordan has a changeup as well but hasn’t used or needed it much yet.
29. Owen Hall
Edmond North (Okla.) HS, RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 18.7.
Hall has a good mix of present stuff and physical projection. He fires a fastball that was up to 92 mph in 2022 and this year has reached 95 mph with good carry up in the zone. With his lean 6-foot-3 build, there could be more velocity coming once he fills out. Hall’s feel for spin makes his breaking ball his most effective pitch, generating swing-and-miss on his 73-77 mph curveball. His hard cutter/slider hybrid helps him avoid barrels, and he has a changeup, too, but hasn’t used or needed it much yet.
30.
Johnny King
Naples (Fla.) HS, LHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 185 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Miami
Age At Draft: 18.0.
When King pitched in Jupiter in the WWBA World Championship in October 2022, he threw 85-87 mph, consistent with the mid-to-upper-80s velocity he had shown that summer. This spring, King took a significant leap forward, pitching in the low 90s and touching 93 mph. He did that at 16 and he will still be 17 next year on draft day, so he’s one of the youngest players in the 2024 class, with a ton of space left to fill out his 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame and continue throwing harder. He will vary his arm slot at times from three-quarter to low three-quarter shape, snapping off swing-and-miss breaking stuff with a hard curveball and sharp slider to rack up strikeouts.
31. Levi Clark
Walton HS, Marietta, Ga.C
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 18.1.
Clark has been trending up with his play on both sides of the ball. He compiled an impressive offensive track record over the past year, showing the adjustability and hand-eye coordination to barrel breaking stuff with good plate coverage and not many moving parts to his swing. Behind the plate, Clark has a strong arm with a good exchange, getting his best pop times into the range of 1.95 to 2.0 seconds in games. He turns 18 the month before the 2024 draft, so he’s one of the younger players in his class.
32.
Brayton Thomas
Bishop Dwenger HS, Fort Wayne, Ind., LHP
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 225 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Indiana
Age At Draft: 19.0.
Thomas has trended up, evolving from one of the more intriguing Indiana prep arms for 2024 into becoming one of the top lefties on the national stage for his class. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Thomas has a strong build, a solid delivery and a fastball that touches 93 mph from his three-quarter slot, with mid-90s or better velocity likely in his future. Thomas is more than just a big lefty with arm strength. His 78-81 mph slider has hard sweep away from lefthanded hitters and two-plane depth when it’s at its best, giving him a swing-and-miss secondary pitch and one of the better sliders in the 2024 class. He also throws a curveball that he has feel for and it comes in a touch slower than his slider, though it can blend into that pitch with three-quarter action. Thomas leans more on his breaking stuff but he has shown feel for a changeup at times as well.
33. Andre Modugno
IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla., 3B
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 215 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Duke
Age At Draft: 18.9.
A New Jersey native, Modugno has the physical upside that’s as high as any player in the 2024 class. He’s tall, strong and an explosive athlete at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds with some of the best tools in the class and with more room to fill out that should help those tools get even better as he gets stronger. With excellent bat speed and strength, Modugno generates some of the best power in the class. It’s plus raw power and not hard to project it to a 70 on the 20-80 scale with a chance to be a 30-plus home run hitter. While the ceiling with Modugno is high, he’s also a higher risk than some of the other premium 2024 players because of his high swinging strike rate, so he doesn’t fully tap into that power in games. Modugno has plenty of other tools at his disposal. He moves extremely well for his size with plus speed and he has a a plus-plus arm, the type of arm strength that makes pitching a potential fallback option. Modugno moves around well when he takes ground balls at shortstop, though at his size, third base is more likely. He also plays outfield and his speed gives him a chance to play center field, though if he goes to right field he has the ingredients to be a plus defender there.
34.
Fabio Peralta
Miami Christian HS, OF
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 175 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Miami
Age At Draft: 18.4.
It doesn’t take long for Peralta to stick out thanks to his ultra-projectable frame and springy athleticism. Peralta has a long, wiry build with a high waist, long arms and lots of room to still add good weight in the coming years. He’s a quick-twitch athlete and one of the best defensive center fielders in the 2024 class, gliding around the outfield with long strides and plus speed. He’s an instinctive defender who gets quick reads off the bat with good routes and range to all angles. The ingredients are there for Peralta to be a plus defender in center field with a strong arm that should continue to tick up as he fills out. At the plate, Peralta has shown promising flashes at times, though he had an up-and-down summer in 2022 with some length to his swing that led to a higher swing-and-miss rate he will have to keep in check. Peralta isn’t a big power threat right now, but he has obvious strength projection in his frame for more extra-base damage to come.
35. Levi Sterling
Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, Calif., RHP
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Texas
Age At Draft: 17.9.
Sterling has starter traits and an array of projection indicators in his favor. He’s one of the youngest players in the class, on par with a 2025 prospect as he won’t turn 18 until September 2024 after his draft year. At 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, he has a tall, lean frame with ample room to fill out and add to a fastball has touched 92. There should be significantly more velocity to come. He pairs his fastball with a curveball that he has impressive feel to spin with sharp bite and good depth to miss bats. Sterling’s potential plus curveball is his best secondary pitch, but he also shows feel for a 78-80 mph changeup as well. He’s one of the better strike-throwers in the class too, with athleticism that helps him repeat his sound, fluid mechanics.
36.
Athan Kroll
Valor Christian HS, Highlands Ranch, Col., RHP
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Dallas Baptist
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Kroll has been a helium player over the past year. He committed to Dallas Baptist at the end of 2021 when he was mostly throwing in the mid 80s, but last year he reached 92 mph and then this spring he touched 94 mph. With the physical projection in his 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame, there should be bigger velocity coming. His upper-70s curveball is a potential out pitch that he throws with power, good shape and late action to produce whiffs. Kroll is mostly fastball/curveball, mixing in a low-80s changeup as well.
37. Austin Nye
Woodcreek HS, Roseville, Calif., RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 18.2.
Nye already pitches in the low 90s and has touched 95 mph with projection for more. While his velocity has fluctuated, it’s his touch and feel that helps Nye stand out. Throwing from a high three-quarter slot with some effort and a slight head jerk, Nye’s pitchability is advanced for his age and helps everything play up as he attacks hitters and throws strikes at a high clip. While he tends to go to his breaking stuff more often, his changeup is outstanding for his age. When it’s at its best, his changeup flashes plus or better potential with more than 10 mph of separation off his fastball in the upper 70s as he maintains his arm speed, with lively fading action and late tumble to generate empty swings. The secondary pitch Nye goes to most is his big-breaking curveball, a low-70s pitch with good depth that he has good feel for landing in the zone. He mixes in a mid-to-upper-70s slider as well that can blend into his curveball at times.
38.
Ethan Puig
Westminster Christian HS, Palmetto Bay, Fla., 3B
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 180 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Miami
Age At Draft: 18.5.
At a showcase, Puig might not immediately jump out because he doesn’t have high-end tools, but his pure hitting ability stacks up among the best in the country. Puig starts with a simple lower half load and quiet hands before turning the barrel into the hitting zone with a compact, efficient and adjustable swing. He has good rhythm, balance and sequence, helping him track the ball well with the barrel accuracy that makes him one of the most difficult hitters in the class to induce swing-and-miss against. He has impressive plate coverage, squaring up fastballs and breaking stuff in all quadrants of the strike zone with the ability to go with where the ball is pitched and barrel hard line drives to all fields. It’s a hit-over-power game with consistent quality at-bats and gap power. Puig is a below-average runner and an offensive-minded player who will need to bring along his defense, with a chance to handle third or possibly second base.
39. Sawyer Farr
Boswell HS, Fort Worth, Texas, SS
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 170 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Texas A&M
Age At Draft: 19.1.
Farr has commanded more attention over the past year with his mix of athleticism, physical upside and potential to stick at shortstop. Farr has a long, wiry 6-foot-4 frame with a ton of space left to fill out. The quarterback for his high school football team, Farr is a fluid mover at shortstop, where he has a good internal clock and impressive body control for his size. He’s light on his feet, has the hands for shortstop and a strong arm that should grade out higher once he fills out his lanky build. At the plate, Farr tracks the ball well and has a hit-over-power profile, though with obvious power upside given his remaining physical projection.
40.
Hayden Federico
West Monroe (La.) HS, SS/3B
Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 180 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Mississippi
Age At Draft: 18.7.
Federico is a switch-hitter who has some of the best contact skills in the nation. He tracks pitches well and takes a sweet, easy swing that’s compact and direct to the ball with an extremely accurate barrel. That leads to good plate coverage from both sides with a line-drive approach and doubles power, with an offensive game that will probably always center on his on-base skills rather than extra-base damage. Federico’s bat is his calling card, but he’s a good athlete who’s also the quarterback of his high school football team and reacts well off the bat in the infield, with experience at shortstop, second and third base.
41. Manny Marin
Elite Squad Baseball Academy, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., SS
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 175 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 19.2.
One of the most talented defensive shortstops in the 2024 class, Marin combines sweet actions with good instincts at the position. He’s not a burner runner, but he gets quick reads off the bat, moves around well at shortstop with nimble footwork, good body control and a nose for the ball. Marin fields the ball with soft hands, has a strong arm and the defensive IQ that helps everything play up in the field. At the plate, Marin has held his own often playing up against older competition. He has a smooth swing with good rhythm geared for line drives and doubles power.
42. Daniel Arambula
Yucaipa (Calif.) HS, 2B/3B
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 19.1.
Arambula was one of the big risers throughout 2022, becoming one of three underclassmen to make USA Baseball’s 18U National Team training camp prior to the U-18 World Cup in September, then winning a gold medal with the 18U National Team at the U-18 World Cup Americas Qualifier in Mexico in November. Arambula has a compact build with a good mix of hitting ability and power. It’s an aggressive approach with a quick, simple swing, using his hands well and staying behind the ball to use the whole field and drive the ball with ease to both gaps. He’s a Louisiana State commit whose game is along the lines of Cade Doughty, the LSU infielder the Blue Jays drafted in the second round in 2022. Arambula is an offensive-oriented player with experience at shortstop, second and third base, with second and third likely his best fit in pro ball.
43. Trey Snyder
Liberty North (Mo.) HS, SS
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 18.8.
A plus runner with a quick first step, Snyder is one of the most athletic players in the 2024 class. At the plate, Snyder has fast hands and a quick swing with a line-drive approach and gap power that should tick up as he fills out his lean 6-foot-2 frame. When Snyder swings at pitches in the strike zone, he has little swing-and-miss, though he is an aggressive hitter who will need to tighten his plate discipline. In the field, Snyder has quick reactions off the bat, takes good angles to the ball and has the arm strength for shortstop with comfort throwing on the run.
44. Cooper Williams
Alvin (Texas) HS, LHP
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 175 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Texas A&M
Age At Draft: 18.8.
At 6-foot-4, 175 pounds, Williams has a tall, extremely lanky build that screams projection with a high waist, long limbs and room to add another 50-plus pounds. Even with his still slender build, Williams has already touched 92 mph and there should be plenty more in the tank with natural strength progression. For a long-levered teenage pitcher, Williams has done a good job of keeping his delivery in sync and throwing his fastball for strikes. When Williams throws an offspeed pitch, he usually goes to his 74-79 mph slider, a pitch he shows some feel for, though his changeup might ultimately have more upside. It’s a pitch he’s still learning to corral, but at 75-79 mph his changeup has good separation from his fastball with late sink when it’s on to catch hitters out front.
45. Ethan Schiefelbein
Corona (Calif.) HS, LHP
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 175 | B-T: L-L
Committed: UCLA
Age At Draft: 18.3.
Schiefelbein operates with a low-effort delivery, easy arm action and has advanced pitchability for his age. He generally parks around 88-91 mph and has been up to 93 mph, attacking hitters up in the zone with his fastball from his three-quarters slot. Schiefelbein shows feel to spin his breaking stuff, primarily a mid-70s curveball as well as a slider that comes in a little harder with more lateral tilt, with an occasional changeup mixed in, too.
46. Duncan Marsten
Harvard-Westlake HS, Los Angeles, Calif., RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Stanford
Age At Draft: 19.1.
Marsten was generating attention as one of the top pitchers in the country for 2024 heading into his sophomore year, but he missed the 2022 season due to Tommy John surgery. Back on the mound for his junior year in 2023, Marsten is again showing some of the best stuff in the nation. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Marsten has a great pitcher’s build and a fastball up to 95 mph. Marsten has shown feel for all of his secondary pitches—a slider, curveball and changeup—with pitchability that stands out as well despite the time he has missed due to injury.
47. Henry Allen
Auburn (Ala.) HS, 3B
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 205 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Mississippi State
Age At Draft: 18.3.
Allen’s raw power grades out among the best in the country for a 2024 player. He has excellent strength and bat speed for his age, which allows him to drive the ball for extra-base impact to all fields. Allen should have at least plus raw power and can crush balls in his swing plane, but it does come at the expense of a higher swing-and-miss rate, especially against offspeed stuff. An average runner, Allen is a third baseman with experience in the outfield and at first base, with the power to handle a move off third if needed.
48. Rustan Rigdon
Metter (Ga.) HS, SS
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 185 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 18.6.
Rigdon consistently grinds out quality at-bats. He’s a disciplined hitter who will work deep counts, spoiling tough pitches and showing the patience to take his walks. A switch-hitter more advanced from the left side, Rigdon has good hand-eye coordination, too, so he doesn’t swing-and-miss much. It’s mostly doubles power and he doesn’t project to be a big home run threat, with his value coming more from his OBP skills. Rigdon’s bat has been his calling card, and while some scouts viewed him as an offensive-oriented second baseman in pro ball, he has shown cleaner actions with more fluidity and body control at shortstop this year.
49. Boston Bateman
Adolfo Camarillo (Calif.) HS, LHP
Ht: 6-7 | Wt: 250 | B-T: R-L
Committed: Uncommitted
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Nicknamed “Sasquatch,” Bateman is an enormous 6-foot-7, 250 pounds, an intimidating sight for hitters with a fastball that sits 88-92 mph and touches 94 mph. With his power frame and arm speed, he should be throwing even harder soon. Bateman throws a hard curveball with good rotation in the upper 70s. It’s a pitch he’s still learning to corral in the zone more consistently but flashes above-average potential when it’s on, allowing him to pile up swings and misses. Like a lot of extra-tall pitchers his age, Bateman is still learning to sync up his delivery to throw more strikes. A two-way player, Bateman is the rare lefthanded thrower who hits exclusively righthanded. Some scouts like his swing and offensive potential, with lots of strength, leverage and power in his stroke. He’s probably limited to first base in pro ball, so his upside looks higher on the mound.
50. Dante Nori
Northville (Mich.) HS, OF
Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Mississippi State
Age At Draft: 19.8.
Nori will be 19 on draft day and turn 20 in October after his draft year, so he’s one of the oldest players in the 2024 class. He’s also one of the best athletes and fastest runners in the country. He packs explosive athleticism into a compact build with a strong lower half, accelerating quickly with plus-plus speed. He has good range to both gaps that should allow him to stay at a premium position in center field. Nori hit well throughout the summer circuit in 2022. There is some swing-and-miss, but the swing itself generally works well with a simple lower half that helps him stay balanced with a compact, fluid swing and the ability to catch up to good fastballs. He has the strength to make hard contact, though his swing is geared more toward line drives and balls on the ground rather than loft.
51. Ty Southisene
Basic HS, Nev., SS
Ht: 5-9 | Wt: 160 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 19.0.
Southisene has elite hand-eye coordination that’s evident both at the plate and in the field. At shortstop, Southisene is a flashy but fundamentally sound defender, floating around gracefully with quick, fluid footwork and securing the ball with soft hands and some of the best defensive actions in the class. He’s an instinctive defender who reads hops well and has good body control, coming in well on the slow roller and looking smooth on both ends of the double play turn with comfort throwing from different angles. Some scouts think Southisene’s arm will play better at second base, where he could be a plus defender. A hard-nosed player with well above-average speed, Southisene has an aggressive swing that he starts with a big leg kick, but he seldom swings and misses. He has a small strike zone that he doesn’t expand too often, with the bat control to put the ball in play against fastballs or breaking stuff. It’s a swing geared for low line drives without much power, and given his size, Southisene’s game will probably always center around his contact and on-base skills rather than extra-base damage.
52. Conrad Cason
Greater Atlanta Christian HS, Norcross, Ga., SS/RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Mississippi State
Age At Draft: 18.0.
Whether his future is at shortstop or on the mound, Cason is bursting with exciting projection indicators and just scratching the surface of his potential. He turns 18 in August after his draft year, so he’s one of the youngest players in the 2024 class. He’s also one of the best athletes and hardest throwers in the country for 2024. He has outstanding arm speed on a fastball that touched 95 mph and looks like he could eventually throw 100 mph. His athleticism is an asset on the mound, but he’s still raw as a pitcher, so he will need to tighten his control and refine his breaking stuff. Cason has promising traits as a position player too, with up-and-down game performance but a loose, fluid swing, above-average speed and an outstanding arm from shortstop.
53. Connor Gatwood
Baker HS, Mobile, Ala., RHP
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: South Alabama
Age At Draft: 18.8.
One of the big risers in the first half of 2023, Gatwood was mostly pitching in the upper 80s and tickling 90 mph in 2022, but his tall, projectable frame and arm speed suggested there was more in the tank. That projection has started to materialize, with Gatwood now pitching in the low-to-mid 90s, reaching 96 mph. There’s good arm-side life to his fastball and he’s able to generate that velocity without much effort to his operation. He mixes in a hard, mid-80s slider with short, late break and an upper-80s changeup.
54. Carson Messina
Summerville (S.C.) HS, RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 215 | B-T: R-R
Committed: South Carolina
Age At Draft: 18.3.
Messina was already a prominent player in the 2024 class coming into the WWBA World Championship in October 2022, but he took another leap forward at the tournament in Jupiter, Fla., when he touched 96 mph multiple times and sat at 91-94 mph with lively arm-side run. A high school teammate of outfielder/first baseman P.J. Morlando, another one of the top 2024 players in the country, Messina has a strong, physically mature frame for his age at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds and velocity that ranks among the top of the class, but he stands out for more than just raw arm strength. Messina pairs his fastball with a sharp curveball that he throws with power in the low 80s. He does a good job of keeping his curveball down, generating lots of empty, awkward swings. Messina has a changeup as well but hasn’t needed to throw it much yet. He does fly open early in his delivery, with times where he’s throwing strikes and others where he will need to tighten his control. He has the upside to start but the potential to become a power-arm reliever as well.
55. Jeff Lougee
Mechanicsburg Area (Pa.) HS, SS/OF
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 175 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Duke
Age At Draft: 18.4.
Lougee has the attributes to be a high OBP threat. It’s a smooth, balanced lefty swing with good path and Lougee typically puts together quality at-bats with good swing decisions. His swing is geared toward line drives and mostly doubles power, which should tick up with more strength, though it will probably always be a hit-over-power profile. He’s a solid-average runner and a good athlete who’s also the quarterback for his high school football team. Lougee is an offensive-oriented player with experience all over the infield and outfield, with second or third base potential fits in pro ball.
56. Garrett Shull
Enid (Okla.) HS, OF
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 205 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Age At Draft: 19.0.
Shull has intriguing offensive upside. He has a strong frame and the ability to drive the ball for extra-base damage with a direct swing from both sides of the plate, with some swing-and-miss that accompanies that power. Shull is an offensive-oriented player with experience both in the infield and outfield, with his average speed likely fitting best in a corner outfield role in pro ball.
57. Bryce Meccage
The Pennington (N.J.) HS, RHP
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 190 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Virginia
Age At Draft: 18.3.
Meccage had a breakout 2023 spring season as a junior, dominating his competition in New Jersey while piling up strikeouts. At 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Meccage has a great pitcher’s frame, a fastball that has touched 93 mph and plenty of space to add good weight that should lead to anther velocity bump. His has the ability to spin a pair of breaking pitches with tight rotation between his low-80s slider and his curveball to get whiffs. He throws a changeup as well but primarily relies on his fastball and breaking stuff.
58. Joshua Whritenour
A3 Academy, Tampa, Fla., RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Age At Draft: 18.6.
Whritenour has been trending up on the mound over the past year. He’s an athletic righthander whose velocity has grown to pitch at 88-92 mph and touch 94 with impressive carry up in the zone. There’s physical projection for more velocity to come, and he has shown feel to spin a sharp slider that could develop into an out pitch for him.
59. Jack Frankel
John Paul II HS, Plano, Texas, RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Uncommitted
Age At Draft: 19.2.
Frankel is one of the most talented pitching prospects in the 2024 class. He didn’t get a chance to show it during the 2022 summer, though, because while he was hitting during his high school season in the spring, he got hit by a pitch that fractured his left wrist and ended his season, keeping him off the mound in the summer as well. What Frankel has shown on the mound is a mix of power and feel with a starter projection. He has good mechanics, a strong build and repeats his delivery to fill the strike zone with a fastball that has been up to 94 mph and should spike higher. Frankel has some of the best breaking stuff in the class with his high-spin curveball and slider, while his changeup has impressive sink and fade. It’s a diverse array of pitches that can miss bats, with the pitchability that helps everything play up.
60. Stunner Gonzales
La Costa HS, Carlsbad, Calif., RHP
Ht: 6-7 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.0.
Gonzales is the textbook version of projectable. He will be 17 on draft day, making him one of the youngest players in his class, and at 6-foot-7, 190 pounds, he could pack on another 40-plus pounds. Once he fills out, Gonzales should be able to add to a fastball that already sits 88-91 mph and touches 92. His low-to-mid-70s curveball has sharp break at times, though his fastball is his predominant pitch. Like a lot of pitchers his age with long arms and legs, he’s still learning to sync everything up in his mechanics to throw more consistent strikes, but it’s a generally sound delivery with obvious upside to develop into a power arm.
61. Jackson Sanders
Valley (Ala.) HS, LHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Auburn
Age At Draft: 18.5.
An athletic pitcher with fast arm speed, Sanders has mechanics that evoke Madison Bumgarner, with a long arm swing in the back into a lower three-quarters slot out front with a lively fastball up to 93 mph. He’s a good strike-thrower for his age who attacks with his fastball to all quadrants of the zone and should have more velocity in the tank given his physical projection and arm speed. Sanders’ fastball is his best pitch, but he shows some feel for an upper-70s slider with short break that’s inconsistent but can miss bats against lefties or when he throws it to the back foot of a righthanded hitter. It’s a heavy fastball/slider approach for Sanders, though he will mix in an occasional early-count curveball and changeup as well.
62. Aidan King
Bishop Snyder HS, Jacksonville, Fla., RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Age At Draft: 18.1.
King has been one of the bigger up-arrow pitchers in the 2024 class. He’s young for a 2024, pitched all spring at 16 and dominated with a 90-12 K-BB mark in 47 innings. After pitching mostly in the mid-to-upper 80s in 2022 before scraping 90 mph at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter in October 2022, King this year has reached 93 mph with good extension out front. Between his age, arm speed and projection left in his 6-foot-2 frame, mid-90s or better velocity should be in his future. It’s a starter look with a sound delivery, control that’s advanced for his age and feel for his offspeed pitches. There’s no knockout secondary pitch yet, but he shows feel to spin a slider and turns over a changeup with good fading action.
63. Aidan Hayse
Joliet (Ill.) Catholic Academy HS, RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 175 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 18.6.
As an underclassman, Hayse shows good ability to manipulate his secondary pitches. This summer, his fastball has started to tick up as well, sitting at 88-93 mph and reaching 94 with good arm-side run. Given the room he still has to fill out his lanky frame, there should be another jump in velocity coming once he adds more weight. Hayse throws a changeup that he sells well off his fastball with excellent fade, a pitch he’s confident using against both lefties and righties. He shows feel to spin an upper-70s-to-low-80s slider as well.
64. Truitt Manuel
West Henderson HS, Hendersonville, N.C., RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: North Carolina State
Age At Draft: 19.1.
An athletic righthander, Manuel has a good mix of power and feel. He’s one of the better strike-throwers in the class, with a heavy glove-side approach against both righties and lefties. Manuel does it with some of the better velocity in the class, pitching at 88-92 mph and touching 94, and he shows feel for a solid curveball that ranges from the low-to-upper 70s as well.
65. David Hogg II
Mansfield (Texas) HS, SS
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 19.0.
Hogg has stood out from a young age for his high baseball IQ, with his tools having ticked up to make him even more intriguing. There are some unconventional parts to his swing, as he sets up with a wide base and gets into a slight crouch with a small stride. He tracks pitches well for his age and his swing comes through the zone with a flat path and finish geared for low line drives. Hogg has quick hands, good bat speed and can sting the ball with authority in BP with more physical projection remaining, so there’s more untapped power both as he gets stronger and evolves his swing. Hogg is a plus runner and a fundamentally sound defender with a chance to stick at shortstop.
66. Schuyler Sandford
Bartram Trail HS, St. John’s, Fla., RHP
Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 210 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Age At Draft: 19.2.
Sandford is a lanky, long-armed pitcher with a lively, riding fastball that sits in the low 90s and can reach 95. He pitches from a crossfire delivery that he’s still learning to dial in to throw more strikes, but he generates good extension out front. That helps his fastball play up, as does the lively wiggle and carry on the pitch, leading to a lot of swing-and-miss on his fastball with the physical projection for more velocity to come. His slider is inconsistent but he shows solid feel to spin that pitch with an occasional low-80s changeup sprinkled in as well.
67. Kash Mayfield
Elk City (Okla.) HS, LHP
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Age At Draft: 19.4.
Mayfield has a projectable build and some of the best pitchability in the 2024 class. It’s a simple, fluid and low-effort delivery, and while he does throw across his body, he repeats his mechanics well to throw consistent strikes with both his fastball and curveball. Mayfield has scraped 91 mph and mostly operates in the upper 80s. He’s one of the older pitchers in the class, turning 19 in February of his draft year, but there’s also ample space on his lanky 6-foot-4 frame to add more weight and eventually sit in the low 90s. He shows feel to spin a low-70s curveball that has good shape and depth. He can use it to miss bats or land it for strikes, and it should tick up once he adds more power behind that pitch. Mayfield mostly leans on his fastball and curveball, but he’s shown feel for a changeup with late tumble at times, too.
68. Dalton Wentz
Amherst County (Va.) HS, SS/RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 210 | B-T: B-R
Committed: South Carolina
Age At Draft: 19.0.
Wentz intrigues as a physical two-way player with a chance to stay in that role if he gets to college. Some scouts prefer him as a position player. A switch-hitter who is more advanced from the left side, Wentz has been a consistent offensive performer on the summer circuit. He has a short swing with some steepness to it from the left side and the strength to drive the ball deep into the alleys. Wentz is a shortstop now whose range and arm strength would fit at third base in pro ball. That arm strength is obvious on the mound as well, as he’s already up to 93 mph with an aggressive delivery and has shown some feel for a slurvy slider as well.
69. Terrence Kiel II
Pace HS, Atlanta, OF
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 180 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Texas A&M
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Kiel is the son of former San Diego Chargers safety Terrence Kiel and his athleticism is evident on the baseball field and as a playmaking wide receiver for his high school football team. There are unconventional moving parts with some length to his swing, but he’s been able to make it work against live pitching with consistently strong game performance, including a home run at the Area Code Games underclass event. He has a fast bat and power/speed potential as a switch-hitter who’s more advanced from the right side.
70. Kolt Myers
Bartram Trail HS, St. John’s, Fla., 3B/RHP
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Age At Draft: 19.2.
Righthander Brett Myers made his major league debut at 21 and pitched in 12 big league seasons from 2002-2013, mostly with the Phillies and Astros. Now his son, Kolt, is getting attention from scouts as a two-way player. He’s primarily a position player and a good athlete for a third baseman who defends his position well with smooth actions and a strong arm. There is some swing-and-miss in his aggressive approach, but scouts highest on Myers like his hitting and power potential. He has been up to 94 mph on the mound and shown some feel to spin a curveball he throws with power up to 80 mph.
71. Bradley Ferrell
Union Mills HS, Indianapolis, RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 175 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Kentucky
Age At Draft: 19.0.
Long and lanky at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, Ferrell already has two high-end pitches for his age with a frame that screams projection. He has an aggressive, up-tempo delivery with some effort to it, getting down the mound with a riding fastball that parks in the low 90s, has touched 94 mph and should be in the mid-to-upper 90s once he packs on more weight. Ferrell backs up his fastball with a 74-78 mph curveball that has good action and shape to miss bats with above-average potential. He has worked on a slider and throws an occasional changeup. Like many long-limbed pitchers his age, Ferrell is still learning to synchronize his delivery to throw more consistent strikes, but the upside is there to develop into a power arm with a swing-and-miss breaking ball.
72. Burke Mabeus
Bishop Gorman HS, Las VegasC
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 210 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Oregon
Age At Draft: 19.1.
Mabeus has some of the best tools of any 2024 catcher. He has a big frame for a catcher but is athletic for the position, moving well behind the plate with good blocking skills. His plus arm and efficient transfer help him produce pop times in the range of 1.9 to 2.0 seconds in games. A switch-hitter, Mabeus’ game performance has been up-and-down but better from the left side of the plate, with scouts highest on him bullish on his power potential. His father, Chris, made one relief appearance in the majors for the Brewers in 2006.
73. Arnold “Jay” Abernathy
North Cobb HS, Kennesaw, Ga., SS
Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 160 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Abernathy immediately draws attention for his quick-twitch athleticism. He’s a plus-plus runner who can make acrobatic highlight plays at shortstop. At the plate, Abernathy is still scratching the surface of his potential, but he has shown good bat-to-ball skills from the left side with typically a flat path geared for line drives and using his wheels when he puts the ball on the ground.
74. Mateo Gray
Cypress Bay HS, Weston, Fla., 3B
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 205 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Central Age At Draft: 18.8.
Gray has consistently excelled offensively in games with a track record of hammering the ball for extra-base damage against live pitching. He’s an aggressive hitter with a simple lower half load and stays behind the pitch well to drive balls in the air to the middle of the field. Gray has spent a lot of time at shortstop but should outgrow the position in pro ball, with third base a potential fit.
75. Lee Sowers
Freeman HS, Richmond, Va., SS
Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 180 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Virginia Tech
Age At Draft: 18.9.
Sowers elevated his profile with high-level offensive performance over the past year. He produces quality at-bats with good swing decisions, taking a compact swing from the left side with good balance, separation and timing to get on base at a high clip with gap power. He’s an infielder with a chance to fit at second or third base in pro ball.
76. Hunter Carns
First Coast HS, Jacksonville, Fla., C/OF
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Florida State
Age At Draft: 19.3.
Carns is a quick-twitch athlete who has spent time at catcher and in the outfield. He has explosive hands at the plate, setting up with an open stance with a lot of moving parts to an unorthodox swing, but it flows well when he’s on time. The way he hits allows him to handle the inner third of the plate well, and while he will have to get better adjusting to soft stuff away, he has generally performed at a high level in games. Carns is an offensive-oriented catcher and a legitimate plus runner with a quick first step, so his future could be in the outfield with a chance to play center.
77. Tyler Bell
Lincoln-Way East HS, Frankfort, Ill., SS
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 180 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Kentucky
Age At Draft: 19.1.
Bell is a steady all-around player who helped his status at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter in October 2022. He has a compact swing from both sides of the plate and an accurate barrel that leads to a high contact rate. Bell has shown the ability to turn around good velocity with an approach geared to spread line drives around the field. He has the defensive actions that should play in the middle infield with a good internal clock.
78. Wyatt Sanford
Independence HS, Frisco, Texas, SS
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 175 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Texas A&M
Age At Draft: 18.7.
Sanford is the son of Chance Sanford, an infielder who played briefly in the major leagues with the Pirates and Dodgers from 1998-99. Wyatt has a lean, athletic frame and a well-sequenced swing, keeping his hands short and direct to the ball from the left side. It’s a hit-over-power profile now, with signs of his power ticking up and the strength projection for more of his doubles to turn into home runs. He’s an above-average runner who moves well at shortstop with a good internal clock.
79. Carter Johnson
Oxford (Ala.) HS, SS
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 180 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Alabama
Age At Draft: 18.4.
With a loose, relaxed swing from the left side, Johnson has a short swing and can maneuver the barrel well, leading to good plate coverage and the ability to use the whole field. He has a solid sense of the strike zone for his age and mostly gap power with occasional over-the-fence juice to his pull side that should continue to grow given the room he still has to fill out his 6-foot-2 frame.
80. Matt Hoag
Ponte Vedra (Fla.) HS, LHP
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Florida State
Age At Draft: 18.9.
Hoag has a balanced, repeatable delivery and is one of the better strike-throwers in the 2024 class. He mostly operates in the upper 80s, occasionally scraping 90-91 mph from his three-quarters slot, but he has the physical projection in his lanky 6-foot-4 frame to pitch in the low 90s eventually and doesn’t make many mistakes with his fastball location. Hoag’s main offspeed pitch is a slider that he leans on more than his changeup, but more than his raw stuff it’s his pitchability and physical projection that stands out.
81. Connor Shouse
Pickens HS, Jasper, Ga., RHP
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 175 | B-T: B-R
Committed: Georgia Tech
Age At Draft: 19.1.
Shouse has a fast arm that helps him generate some of the best velocity in the class. At his best, he sits in the low 90s and has touched 95 mph. Shouse’s fastball is his best pitch, with some feel for an upper-70s slider when he goes for a change of speed.
82. Tate Strickland
Harrison HS, Kennesaw, Ga., RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 180 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 18.7.
Strickland is an athletic righthander with significant space to pack strength on to his 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame to add to a high-spin fastball that has already been up to 94 mph from his three-quarter slot. Strickland throws a sharp slider in the low 80s with tight rotation and late break. It’s a pitch Strickland leans on heavily, with the ability to start it on the outer third to righthanded hitters and get them to chase it for whiffs. Strickland’s slider is his main offspeed pitch, but he has shown feel for a changeup as well. Strickland’s strike-throwing was up and down this year, but his athleticism bodes well for his ability to make adjustments.
83. Talan Bell
Hagerty HS, Oviedo, Fla., LHP/OF
Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 175 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Uncommitted
Age At Draft: 19.0.
Bell stood out from an early age for his two-way talent and athleticism. At 5-foot-11, Bell isn’t the biggest or hardest throwing pitcher, but he consistently excels on the mound in games with excellent control, feel for pitching and ability to get loads of swing-and-miss on his fastball. Bell pitches in the upper 80s and can touch 91 but his fastball plays above the radar gun to pile up empty swings. It’s a lively fastball with good arm-side run from his low release height and he challenges hitters with strikes to both sides of the plate. Bell has one of the better changeups in the class, too, a low-80s pitch that he uses liberally against righties to freeze them. His changeup is his most advanced secondary pitch but he shows some feel for a low-to-mid-70s curveball with three-quarter action. His bouncy athleticism is evident in the way he fields his position as a pitcher with good body control. There are some scouts who prefer Bell as a position player. He’s a tick below-average runner who’s probably a corner outfielder in pro ball, with a patient approach, a line drive swing and gap power.
84. Brayden Krenzel
Dublin Jerome (Ohio) HS, RHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 18.5.
Krenzel kept getting better throughout 2022, stamped with a strong showing at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla. in October when he struck out four of the seven batters he faced in two quick, scoreless innings. Krenzel pitches with a deep, full arm swing in the back into a low three-quarters slot to sling an 87-92 mph fastball, with solid strike-throwing for his age. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Krenzel has lots of room to fill out, which should help him throw harder in the next few years. His 78-81 mph slider has late lateral movement and at its best shows two-plane depth, giving him a pitch that induces whiffs. Krenzel’s changeup needs the most development, but he does throw it often in games and it will flash good sink at times and separation off his fastball at 78-82 mph.
85. Matt Conte
Dexter Southfield HS, Brookline, Mass., C
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Wake Forest
Age At Draft: 19.5.
Conte drew a rare invite to the Area Code Games upperclass event as a rising junior in 2022. On a field with the top 2023 prospects in the country, Conte flourished, making the all-tournament team and homering to center field. Conte projects to stay behind the plate, where he has good catch-and-throw skills and blocks balls well. He has a strong arm and can produce pop times a tick under 2.0 seconds on his best throws. At the plate, his swing has good rhythm and sequence and he drives the ball well to the middle of the field.
86. Anthony Tralongo
American Heritage HS, Plantation, Fla., 3B/2B
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Auburn
Age At Draft: 19.2.
An early standout at the plate in the 2024 class, Tralongo has built an impressive offensive track record. His swing is short to the ball with little movement to get it started. He usually manages the strike zone well and has a knack for putting the ball in play and occasional power, though his approach is geared toward hit-over-power. Tralongo is an offensive-oriented player whose performance stands out more than his raw tools. A below-average runner, he has time at second and third base, with third base more likely in pro ball, though an outfield corner could be a landing spot as well.
87. Jordan Stribling
Highland Park HS, Dallas, LHP
Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 220 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Texas
Age At Draft: 19.1.
Stribling is a high-upside, high-risk pitcher along the lines of 2023 lefthander Alex Clemmey, another big lefty with an electric arm but erratic control. Scouts highest on Stribling love his 6-foot-5 frame and fastball, which has been up to 94 mph from his three-quarters arm slot and could be into the upper 90s eventually. He pitches predominantly off his fastball, but he has shown feel for a breaking ball that darts across the zone with three-quarters action. After going through a growth spurt, if Stribling is able to iron out his delivery to throw more consistent strikes as the 2024 draft approaches, he’s a candidate to make a big jump up the list.
88. Josh Springer
Corona (Calif.) HS, C
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Oregon
Age At Draft: 18.1.
Springer is one of the more difficult hitters in the class to strike out with his short, quick swing and accurate barrel. He has the ability to change planes and adjust his swing to square up breaking pitches and cover the plate well with little swing-and-miss to go with gap power. He’s an agile mover behind the plate, blocks balls well and should have at least an average arm, especially as one of the younger players in the class with more strength projection remaining.
89. Nolan Traeger
Concordia Lutheran HS, Tomball, Texas, C
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 185 | B-T: L-R
Committed: Texas Christian
Age At Draft: 18.0.
Despite being one of the younger players in the 2024 class (he turns 18 the month of the 2024 draft), Traeger was an early standout who earned a spot on USA Baseball’s 15U National Team. His fringe-average arm strength could still tick up higher, but it plays up because of the efficiency of his throwing mechanics. Traeger has a quick transfer and release to produce in-game pop times in the range of 1.90 to 1.95 seconds, occasionally cutting below that mark. Offensively, Traeger is a patient hitter who doesn’t chase much outside the zone, using a simple lefthanded swing with a line-drive approach and gap power. His defense has stood out the most, but his offensive game could take a step forward as he gets stronger.
90. Aukai Kea
Kamehameha Kapalama HS, Honolulu, Hawaii, C
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 210 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 18.9.
Kea has the most raw power of any 2024 catcher and is in the conversation for the best among any player in the country. He showed off that power at the Area Code Games underclass event when he homered two times on two-strike pitches, including one off a 91 mph fastball. His power upside is massive, though it comes from an aggressive swing with length that he will have to tone down to stay under control and make enough contact. He has an average arm that plays up because of a quick exchange to generate pop times under 2.0 seconds on his best throws in games.
91. Jaxon Walker
Loudon (Tenn.) HS, OF
Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 180 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 19.2.
An excellent athlete, Walker stands out in center field. He accelerates quickly, takes efficient routes and runs balls down well with good closing speed as a plus-plus runner. Walker has a short, quick swing, and while there is some swing-and-miss to his game, he has a good sense of the strike zone for his age, with a line-drive approach and gap power that could tick up.
92. Tague Davis
Malvern (Pa.) Prep HS, 1B/LHP
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 195 | B-T: L-L
Committed: Louisville
Age At Draft: 18.8.
The Padres drafted catcher Ben Davis with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1995 draft and Davis went on to a seven-year big league career. His son, Tague, is now drawing the attention of scouts both as a hitter and a pitcher. As a first baseman, he will have to mash, but he has the power for the position with some of the best lefthanded juice in the class in a power-over-hit profile. On the mound, Davis has been up to 91 mph and has flashed an advanced changeup for his age with good sink and separation off his fastball in the upper 70s with some feel to spin an inconsistent breaking ball.
93. Ryan Sloan
York HS, Elmhurst, Ill., RHP
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 220 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Wake Forest
Age At Draft: 18.5.
At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Sloan has a strong frame that he has filled out over the past year, leading to a bump in velocity. His fastball sits 88-92 mph and has ticked up to 94 from his low three-quarter slot, with signs pointing to his velocity continuing to rise in the next few years and potentially throwing more strikes as he streamlines his delivery. His fastball is his best pitch, with a short slider at 75-80 mph and an occasional changeup that could become a bigger part of his arsenal with more reps.
94. Samuel Richardson
Senatobia (Miss.) HS, 3B
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Missouri
Age At Draft: 19.0.
Richardson has startling raw power that stacks up among the best in the country. He showcased that power at MLB’s States Play event in September 2022 when he hit an opposite-field home run to right-center with a wood bat in a big league spring training stadium. It’s a big, aggressive swing with a lot of moving parts, which helps him generate a lot of torque and bat speed, though it can also create timing issues. When everything is synced up, he can obliterate a fastball with all-fields power. Richardson’s power is his carrying tool, and while he will need more work to stay at third base and avoid a move to the outfield, he’s surprisingly athletic for his size and an above-average runner underway.
95. Chris Levonas
Christian Brothers Academy HS, Lincroft, N.J., RHP
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 170 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Wake Forest
Age At Draft: 18.4.
Levonas has been an up-arrow pitcher in the Northeast this year. He has a high-energy delivery and a fastball that has been up to 93 mph with the arm speed and strength projection remaining to be throwing in the mid-90s or better. He throws a hard curveball with good shape, depth and sharp bite to miss bats, while his changeup has good action and separation off his fastball to round out a quality three-pitch mix.
96. Matthew Champion
JSerra Catholic HS, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., RHP/3B
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 175 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 19.0.
Champion was an early standout as a two-way player, though as the draft gets closer, his future looks most promising on the mound in the mold of pitchers like Marco Estrada and Jeremy Hellickson. He has sound, repeatable mechanics and the athleticism that helps him throw strikes at a high clip. Champion has good control of a fastball that’s typically around 88-91 mph and has touched 93. While Champion doesn’t have the size or physical projection of some of the other top pitchers in the class, he has advanced pitchability for his age and one of the most devastating changeups in the country. It’s a 79-82 mph changeup that he goes to frequently with the confidence to throw it in any count against lefties or righties. He does a good job of keeping it down or below the zone and it falls off the table with steep tumble, getting tons of whiffs and projecting as a plus pitch. Champion also has feel for a curveball that he throws with power at 77-81 mph and it has good depth at its best.
97. Mavrick Rizy
Worcester (Mass.) Academy, RHP
Ht: 6-8 | Wt: 235 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Connecticut
Age At Draft: 19.6.
Rizy is a giant 6-foot-8, 235 pounds with impressive body control for a pitcher his age. He’s on the older end of the class having turned 18 in December and delivers the ball with a fairly low-effort delivery and solid control for his age. At his best, he pitches at 88-92 mph, can reach 94 and should have more in the tank. His fastball is his best pitch, but he shows some feel for a 74-78 mph curveball that has three-quarter action and could eventually morph into a slider. He has a cutter and a split-changeup that shows some promise but hasn’t used it too much yet.
98. BJ Gibson
Wilcox County HS, Rochelle, Ga., OF
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Florida State
Age At Draft: 18.2.
Gibson is a premium athlete committed to play both baseball and football as a wide receiver at Florida State. He has scouts excited about his potential if he were to focus on baseball full time with a chance to develop into a power/speed threat. Gibson a plus runner who should be able to stick in center field and has fast hands to help him generate whippy bat speed in center field. He has cut down on some of the length in his swing over the past year, coming off a big spring season with athleticism that should help him continue to make adjustments.
99. Kale Fountain
Norris HS, Firth, Neb., 3B
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 230 | B-T: R-R
Committed: LSU
Age At Draft: 18.9.
Fountain set the Nebraska high school career home run record as a junior in 2023. He has a massive 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame with what should be at least plus raw power once he’s in his prime. It’s a power-over-hit profile with a chance to stay at third base, though at his size there’s a good chance he ends up in either an outfield corner or at first base.
100. Brayden Bergman
Plano East HS, Texas, RHP
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Committed: Baylor
Age At Draft: 18.8.
Bergman has some of the better raw arm strength in the country. He has touched 96 mph, with the arm speed to where he could be an upper-90s arm. There’s some effort to his crossfire delivery, so some scouts think he could end up a power reliever, with his fastball his predominant pitch ahead of his breaking ball and changeup.
