Top North Carolina 2020 MLB Draft Prospects

Image credit: Patrick Bailey (Photo by Brian Westerholt/Four Seam Images)

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(Stars are listed on a 1 to 5 scale relative to what the state typically produces, with 1 being the weakest)

Nat Rank	Player	Pos	School	Ht	Wt	B-T	Commit/Drafted
14	Patrick Bailey	C	North Carolina State	6-2	192	B-R	Twins ’17 (37)
Bailey was heralded as one of the better defensive catchers in the country coming out of high school in 2017, but scouts were concerned about the amount of offensive impact he would be able to provide and let him get to campus in Raleigh. He wasted no time showing that he did have impact ability in his bat, leading all ACC freshmen in hitting (.321), total bases (113) and slugging (.604) while also setting a new NC State freshman home run record (13). And while Bailey hit over .288 in each of his three seasons with the Wolfpack, his strengths are still on the defensive side of the ball. He earns plus grades for his catching and his throwing arm, giving pitchers tremendous confidence that they can rip off their best breaking ball without having to worry about it trickling to the backstop. Bailey is also one of the rare college catchers who calls his own game, which will give him better grades for some scouting departments, and he draws plenty of praise for his leadership ability behind the plate. Offensively, Bailey certainly has more impact than scouts expected back in his high school days and has shown above-average raw power from both sides of the plate. His swing is more fluid with better contact ability from the left side, and most scouts think he’s more of a power bat than a true hitter, with grades ranging from below-average to average on his future hit tool. Bailey has a solid eye at the plate, as evidenced by a 12.8-percent career walk rate, but there are concerns about the swing-and-miss tendencies that he showed last summer with USA’s Collegiate National Team (he led the team with 12 strikeouts) and early in the 2020 season. Still, catcher offense is a low bar to clear and as the best defender in the class with average or better power potential, he will be a coveted asset in the first round.
35	Aaron Sabato	1B	North Carolina	6-2	230	R-R	Never Drafted
Sabato has some of the biggest raw power in the entire 2020 draft class, rivaling even Arizona State first baseman Spencer Torkelson. A 6-foot-2, 230-pound first baseman, Sabato has a strong, bulky frame with massive forearms that allow him to consistently drive the ball hard to all fields. After going undrafted out of high school in 2018, Sabato loudly announced his presence in Chapel Hill in 2019, hitting .343/.453/.696 with a UNC freshman record 18 home runs. He led a team that included first-round pick Michael Busch in each triple-slash category and home runs and was positioned to further elevate his stock with another loud draft-eligible sophomore campaign. Sabato played in 19 games before the season was cut short, and in that time he hit seven home runs and six doubles with a .292/.478/.708 slash line. While Sabato has a patient eye at the plate and isn’t afraid to take his walks, teams are concerned with the number of strikeouts he’s racked up in his time with the Tar Heels. With almost all of his value tied to his powerful bat, teams will want to be convinced he is able to regularly tap into that power, but scouts typically put an average or solid-average hit tool on Sabato. Defensively, he’s limited to first base, where he’s a below-average defender and a well below-average runner. Considering his sophomore-eligible status, teams likely would have wanted a longer resume to feel confident in the bat but he did as well statistically as teams could ask for in the time allotted, though playing in the summer might have helped. Sabato and his 70-grade power should go off the board at the end of the first or early in the second round if he is inclined to sign.
37	Bryce Jarvis	RHP	Duke	6-2	195	L-R	Indians ’19 (37)
Jarvis is one of several big-time pitching risers in North Carolina, along with Wake Forest’s Jared Shuster and North Carolina State’s Nick Swiney. Jarvis didn’t pitch in the Cape Cod League over the summer, instead working to improve his game by working with Driveline and Cressey Sports Performance to improve his pitch mix and fastball velocity. The work paid off, as Jarvis increased his fastball from a pitch that topped out in the low 90s to a plus offering that sat 93-96 deep into outings early in the spring. That new fastball—combined with his already impressive secondary offerings—has taken his draft stock to a new level. Jarvis already had an impressive track record with Duke as a starter and reliever, racking up impressive strikeout totals no matter the role. After striking out 12.7 per nine during his freshman season primarily as a reliever, Jarvis whiffed 11.2 per nine in a split role as a sophomore. He was one of the most dominant arms in the country through four starts this spring, including a 15-strikeout perfect game against Cornell during the second week of the season. Jarvis has three potential plus pitches now, with a mid-80s slider and a changeup a tick below that range. The 6-foot-2 righthander throws all of those pitches effectively and showed above-average or better command in 2020 after walking more than four batters per nine innings as a freshman and sophomore. He works with a quick tempo and throws with a bit of effort and some recoil at times. It’s not the most fluid delivery, but it shouldn’t prevent him from starting at the next level either. Teams surely would have liked to see if Jarvis was capable of holding his newfound fastball velocity over a full season in a starting role. Now that that’s not possible, Jarvis is probably looking at a second- or third-round selection.
43	Jared Shuster	LHP	Wake Forest	6-3	210	L-L	Never Drafted
Shuster is one of the bigger rising pitchers in the 2020 class, and his ascension started with a strong summer in the Cape Cod League. The first thing to improve was his control. After walking more than five batters per nine innings over his first two seasons, Shuster showed dramatically better strike-throwing ability with Orleans, walking just five batters in 32 innings—a 1.41 per nine rate. Next came the fastball velocity. After mostly sitting in the 88-92 mph range, Shuster came out this spring with a fastball that got up to the 96-97 mph range from the left side. The dramatic improvement in both those areas vaulted him up into the second-to-third-round range and it wouldn’t be shocking for some scouts to have first-round grades on him. Lefties who throw 96-97 mph are rare enough, but Shuster has impressive starter traits to go along with that velocity, especially with his improved control. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Wake Forest product has a plus changeup and a developing slider that could become an average pitch as well. The shortened season hurt Shuster’s ascension up draft boards, but after striking out 43 batters in 26.1 innings with just four walks and a 3.76 ERA, he likely already showed enough teams that his improvement was legit.
81	Gavin Williams	RHP	East Carolina	6-6	240	L-R	Rays ’17 (30)
Williams had some of the easiest velocity in the high school class back in 2017, when he was touching the mid-90s with a projectable frame. At the time, scouts expected he would throw 100 mph one day. They were right, as Williams has been up into the 100-101 mph range at his best when healthy with East Carolina. There’s a bit of injury history on Williams’ resume. He missed time during his freshman season and only threw three innings this spring after a finger injury delayed his start to the season. While most of his time at ECU has been out of the bullpen, scouts think he might have a chance to start at the next level thanks to a large, 6-foot-6, 240-pound frame, some of the easiest upper-90s fastball velocity you’ll see, natural feel to spin a breaking ball and flashes of an above-average changeup. He’ll need to develop his secondaries a bit more, as he has shown a tendency to baby his curveball instead of ripping it off with intent, but the natural ability to spin it is there. Scouts have also seen his control and command waver when out of the stretch with runners on base, so he’ll need to take steps forward improving those little aspects of the game as well. With a potential 80-grade fastball and two secondaries with above-average potential, the stuff is all there. With a solid junior season, teams thought he could go as high as the supplemental first round. Now, after just 68 career innings, Williams could be a late day one or early day two pick.
85	Nick Swiney	LHP	North Carolina State	6-3	187	R-L	Never Drafted
A reliever for North Carolina State during his first two seasons in Raleigh, Swiney has always racked up plenty of strikeouts (career 13.6 per nine rate) with the Wolfpack but struggled to consistently throw strikes as a freshman and sophomore. Swiney walked more than five batters per nine innings in his first two seasons but took a big step forward in the control department in 2020, when he transitioned to the team’s Friday night starting role. Swiney was dominant in his first four outings, posting a 1.29 ERA in 28 innings while striking out 42 batters and walking just six. His 15 strikeouts against Purdue on Feb. 29 were the most by an NC State pitcher in a single game since Carlos Rodon in 2014. Swiney doesn’t have overpowering stuff, but his three-pitch mix is solid, and it plays up with a bit of funk in his delivery. His fastball gets up to 93-94 mph at its best, but early this season it was anywhere from 87-92 consistently. After his fastball, Swiney has two solid secondaries including a curveball that could be an above-average pitch and a changeup that he’s increasingly become more comfortable throwing. Swiney was trending in the right direction and showing he could handle a starting role, but teams would have liked to see a full season to have more conviction that his stuff held up in that role and that his newfound strike-throwing improvement was legit. He has likely done enough to be drafted anywhere in the 2-4 round range.
128	Koen Moreno	RHP	Panther Creek HS, Cary, N.C.	6-2	170	R-R	East Carolina
Moreno is one of the more athletic pitchers in the prep class and he also participated in basketball and track at Panther Creek High in Cary, N.C. A 6-foot-2, 170-pound righthander committed to East Carolina, Moreno doesn’t have a ton of innings on his arm and scouts were impressed with the consistent steps forward he made last summer. At East Coast Pro, Moreno threw a fastball in the 87-93 mph range and ticked up to 94 at the Future Stars Series during the fall. He has exceptional feel to naturally spin a breaking ball, but the pitch needs continued refinement to become a plus offering. It shows solid depth and three-quarter shape in the 73-78 mph range, but it’s hittable when he leaves it up and only flashes sharp biting action. Moreno also showed feel for an 81-85 mph changeup that he throws with good arm speed and had swing-and-miss qualities with average or better potential in the future. Moreno is a projection arm in the true sense of the definition, with plenty of room remaining on a lean frame, athleticism that should allow him to make big strides in the future and an innate feel for spinning a baseball. Scouts didn’t see him pitch much at all this spring with a shortened 2020 season, but he was a candidate to take a step forward stuff-wise. It wouldn’t be surprising for a team to bet on his upside now in the 3-5 round range—if he makes it to East Carolina he could easily become a top-three round talent.
143	Liam Norris	LHP	Green Hope HS, Cary, N.C.	6-4	215	L-L	North Carolina
Norris gained notoriety on the national stage as an underclassman when he out-pitched Luke Bartnicki in the 2018 National High School Invitational with Green Hope High in Cary, N.C. Norris and teammate Jordyn Adams helped make Green Hope the first North Carolina team to reach the championship game of the tournament. By touching 94 mph from the left side as a sophomore, Norris solidified himself as a name to know moving forward. However, Norris battled inconsistencies and prospect fatigue during the ensuing years. Last summer, Norris showed a fastball more in the 87-91 mph range with wildly erratic control. On top of his fastball, Norris has a 12-6 curveball in the mid-70s and a sharp slider in the low 80s. He has also thrown a changeup in the 82-86 mph range but lacks feel for the pitch. It was a disappointing summer for Norris thanks in part to the lofty expectations he put on himself, but he had a chance to improve his stock this spring. Scouts raved about his stuff in an early outing when he threw in the 92-96 mph range and flashed a 60-grade curveball. Teams were looking forward to running in and getting more looks at Norris, but the novel coronavirus ruined those plans. Now teams will have to wonder if he has taken the jump for good, or if Norris will still battle inconsistencies with his pure stuff. Either way, he’ll need to radically improve his bottom-of-the-scale control to have success and also maintain a large, 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame moving forward. Norris is committed to North Carolina.
182	Alec Burleson	1B/LHP	East Carolina	6-2	212	L-L	Never Drafted
One of the better two-way players in college baseball, Burleson has been a reliable hitter and pitcher for East Carolina and also served in both roles for Team USA’s Collegiate National Team last summer. With the national team, Burleson hit .267/.353/.467 in eight games and also posted a 2.53 ERA in 10.2 innings coming out of the bullpen. While he has pitched and hit at the amateur level, almost all pro teams prefer him as a hitter. On the mound he throws with well below-average fastball velocity and doesn’t have any one pitch that grades out as an above-average offering. As a hitter, many teams are intrigued with Burleson’s natural feel to hit. A career .341/.387/.496 hitter with the Pirates, Burleson’s above-average hit tool is his best attribute. While he is listed at 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, Burleson doesn’t have the typical power that a corner outfielder or first baseman needs to profile. He’s a hit-over-power bat, who’s shown an ability to get his knocks at whatever level he’s played at. He’s shown solid raw power in batting practice, but that has translated more to doubles in games, with a career-high nine home runs during his sophomore season. Defensively, Burleson can handle a corner outfield spot, but he’s a below-average runner who will be just serviceable at best there and is a better fit for first base, where coaches have praised his footwork and hands. While Burleson is a bit of a one-dimensional position player, he picked the right tool to excel at and many teams should be interested in his bat in the top five rounds.
206	Bobby Seymour	1B	Wake Forest	6-4	250	L-R	Never Drafted
Seymour was named the 2019 ACC Player of the Year after an exceptional offensive campaign that included a .377/.439/.576 line with nine home runs and 20 doubles. He led the ACC in hitting by 16 points and tallied an NCAA-best 92 RBI, just two shy of the Wake Forest program record. A big, 6-foot-4, 250-pound first baseman, Seymour’s bat-to-ball skills are his most impressive attribute, though he does bring above-average power to the table as well. Seymour hits the ball hard and puts up big exit velocity numbers, but scouts have wondered why he hasn’t hit for more power at David F. Couch Ballpark. His nine home runs are the most he tallied in a full season after hitting seven as a freshman. Seymour also struggled in the wood bat Cape Cod League, hitting .250/.294/.281 with a strikeout rate north of 30 percent. As a well below-average runner, Seymour will be limited to first base only, putting all the pressure on his bat, and he will need to improve his in-game power.
232	Nolan McLean	RHP	Garner (N.C.) Magnet HS	6-3	220	R-R	Oklahoma State
McLean has a power-oriented game on both sides of the ball. A 6-foot-3, 220-pound two-way player who’s also a talented football player—a three-star quarterback according to 247Sports—McLean runs his fastball into the mid-90s and has raw power at the plate. Scouts believe he’ll be tough to sign out of Oklahoma State because of his desire to play football and baseball, but there are teams interested in him as both a hitter and a pitcher. On the mound McLean has a fastball that sits in the 89-93 mph range but ticks higher, as well as a mid-70s breaking ball that needs more refinement. He’s flashed a low-80s changeup as well, but, like his curveball, the pitch needs work. At the plate, McLean has impressive raw power, though he showed a hitch over the summer that limited his contact and rhythm. However, scouts were impressed with the progress he showed with the bat early this spring and more now think he has a chance to hit at the next level. He also looked solid at shortstop when previously scouts would have said he would have to play a corner infield or outfield position. McLean was a member of USA Baseball’s 18U National Team, where he hit and pitched and posted a .263/.391/.474 slash line with the bat. He threw four innings of relief, though he struggled to a 9.00 ERA. With many options in front of him depending on the sport and position, McLean is an intriguing prospect who was trending in the right direction.
255	Austin Love	RHP	North Carolina	6-3	232	R-R	Never Drafted
A filled out, 6-foot-3, 232-pound righthander, Love was UNC’s relief ace in 2019, when he appeared in a team-high 36 games and posted a 3.22 ERA over 67 innings. Scouts were intrigued enough with him to wonder how he would look in a starting role, especially after seeing success in that capacity over the summer in the Cape Cod League, where he posted a 2.70 ERA in four starts and three relief appearances. However, Love was again used strictly in relief in 2020, though his best outing was an extended, 5.2-inning appearance against Dallas Baptist where he struck out nine batters. Love throws a straight fastball in the 90-94 mph range and pairs it with a no-doubt plus changeup. The change sits in the 86-88 mph range with devastating tumbling action, and he locates it consistently—his clear go-to offering. Love also throws a slider in the low 80s but the pitch lacks bite or sharp movement and backs up on him at times. Love has struggled with walks at times—he walked 5.0 per nine in the Cape and 4.9 per nine this spring—and those issues with control could limit him to a relief role at the next level as well.
261	Joey Loperfido	INF	Duke	6-4	195	L-R	Never Drafted
A solid athlete and versatile defender, Loperfido had a standout offensive season at Duke in 2018, when he hit .315/.408/.475 with 11 doubles and six home runs. After leading the team in hitting, Loperfido was named to the All-ACC Freshman team. But he hasn’t reached those offensive heights since his freshman year, hitting .261/.361/.389 as a sophomore and hitting .264/.418/.358 through 15 games in the shortened 2020 season. Scouts like Loperfido’s natural athleticism and makeup, but don’t believe he has any plus tools to carry him and also wonder about his true defensive home. He’s played plenty of positions in college, including second base, first base, left field and center field, but evaluators don’t think he excels at any of them. The outfield is likely his best defensive spot in the future, and while he’s an above-average runner, he isn’t a burner so a corner spot could be a better fit, where he would have solid range. While Loperfido has average raw power with a smooth lefthanded swing, it hasn’t consistently translated, and he does have some swing-and-miss concerns with a 23 percent career whiff rate with Duke. Loperfido profiles as a utility player in some capacity, but scouts believe he could be a tough sign and could return to Durham for his senior season.
262	Noah Bridges	OF	UNC Wilmington	6-2	170	L-R	Never Drafted
A multi-sport athlete coming out of high school, Bridges ran track, played soccer and was on the swim team at South Johnston High in Four Oaks, N.C. before establishing himself as a regular with UNC-Wilmington. Bridges started 57 games as a freshman and has been a reliable outfielder for the Seahawks for three years. His carrying tool is his speed. Scouts see a 70-grade runner who has the ability to play center field well and could also handle every outfield position if necessary. While Bridges has a light bat—he’s a career .260/.323/.359 hitter in the Colonial Athletic Association—his speed should get him drafted. He’s stolen 39 bases in 49 attempts (79.6 percent) in college and could carve out a role as a reserve outfielder with game-changing running ability, but scouts aren’t sure he’ll hit enough or have enough pop to profile as a regular. Bridges played 10 games in the Cape Cod League last summer, where he hit .200/.286/.240 with 11 strikeouts to two walks.
274	Michael Rothenberg	C	Duke	6-3	210	B-R	Never Drafted
A big, physical switch-hitting catcher with power from both sides of the plate and a strong arm to match, Rothenberg has the toolset that could entice some teams among the top five rounds. However, while he does have tools, scouts have been skeptical about the playability of those tools, and the inconsistency of his defensive work behind the dish. Rothenberg has plus raw power and hits impressive home runs in batting practice, but while he did get to 11 home runs in 2019 as a sophomore with Duke, scouts question the length to his swing and wonder about his ability to pick up spin and avoid chasing out of the zone. Behind the plate, scouts wonder if he has the ability to receive at a high level, and while he has shown off easy plus arm strength at times, it’s not consistently at that level. He’s tall for a catcher, so some evaluators are skeptical he can stick behind the dish, but others have liked the way he caught Duke ace Bryce Jarvis early this spring and are more optimistic. A career .273/.406/.468 hitter with 15 home runs in his Duke career, Rothenberg struggled with the bat in a 17-game stint in the Cape Cod League last summer, hitting .200/.241/.218 with 17 strikeouts and three walks. Where Rothenberg is selected in 2020 will come down to whether a team thinks he can hit and catch at the next level, but his toolset and physicality are clear to everyone.
277	Will Fleming	RHP	Wake Forest	6-6	215	R-R	Never Drafted
A 6-foot-6, 220-pound righthander with a fastball that gets up to 97, Fleming moved into Wake Forest’s weekend rotation this spring after spending his first two years in the bullpen. Fleming has two different breaking balls and a changeup that scouts see as an average pitch. They are more skeptical about his ability to spin the breaking ball and think his future role is as a reliever. Fleming posted a 4.37 ERA over four starts and 22.2 innings of work this spring, with 22 strikeouts and six walks, but scouts point to a bad arm action and just decent control as reasons he might be more effective out of the pen in the future. He also has never missed as many bats as scouts expected considering his velocity. Some compare him to righthander Morgan McSweeney, who was drafted out of Wake Forest in the 17th round by the Orioles in 2019. Both are hard-throwing righthanders with reliever concerns—albeit for different reasons—and stuff that plays down from what scouts would expect. Fleming has a 4.80 career ERA at Wake Forest over 80.2 innings and last summer in the Cape Cod League he posted a 5.33 ERA over 25.1 innings with Wareham, while striking out 24 batters and walking six.
282	Tyler McDonough	INF/OF	North Carolina State	5-10	170	R-R	Never Drafted
An undersized infielder and outfielder with impressive bat-to-ball skills from both sides of the plate, McDonough made the 2019 Freshman All-American team after leading NC State and the ACC with 80 hits and posting a .320/.392/.452 line. Now a draft-eligible sophomore, scouts admire McDonough’s skillset despite the fact that he doesn’t have a plus tool in the box. Listed at 5-foot-10, 184-pounds, McDonough doesn’t have much power, but he consistently puts the fat part of the bat on the baseball and posts louder exit velocities that you might guess on the surface. Because of those numbers, scouts think he will be able to drive the ball into the gaps enough to get to 11-15 homers per season in pro ball, with plenty of extra base hits. He can play a number of positions defensively, including second and center field, with some scouts thinking third base or even catcher—where he played in high school—could be possible in the future. With Patrick Bailey entrenched behind the plate in Raleigh it could be tougher to sign McDonough as a conversion backstop as a draft-eligible sophomore, but if he could stick behind the plate that would significantly enhance his value. McDonough is an average or tick better runner who has gone 17-for-19 (89.5 percent) in stolen base attempts in 78 games with State.
285	Austin Vernon	RHP	North Carolina Central	6-8	295	R-R	Never Drafted
A big-bodied righthander listed at 6-foot-8, 298 pounds, Vernon showed impressive pure stuff last summer in the Cape Cod League and showed potential to be a top 200 sort of prospect with a strong spring. Vernon didn’t pitch in 2020, however, after a non-Tommy John arm surgery to clean some things up. He was planning on returning to the mound at some point late in the season. With Chatham in the Cape Cod League last summer, Vernon showed a fastball in the 93-97 mph range with above-average feel for spinning a curveball and a slider. Scouts all admired the way the ball comes out of Vernon’s hand and think he has three potential 55-grade offerings. He’s likely a reliever at the next level without much track record as a starter at North Carolina Central. In 41 games, he started just nine times, posting a 4.64 ERA and striking out 10.3 batters per nine while walking 5.6 per nine. Teams will be concerned with how well Vernon maintains his extra-large frame moving forward and will need to feel comfortable with his medical, but the stuff is solid.
286	Jack Hartman	RHP	Appalachian State	6-3	212	R-R	Never Drafted
Hartman began his college career in 2017 at Tallahassee (Fla.) JC where he was a position player and hit .267 with three home runs. In 2018, he went to JC of Central Florida where he pitched out of the bullpen and continued to swing the bat. In 2019, Hartman began pitching full-time, and scouts got interested recently when Hartman had a fairly significant jump in velocity. He’s now up to 97 mph on his fastball with a slider that flashes easy plus at times, though the breaking ball is inconsistent. In fact, inconsistency has been one of the concerns scouts have noted of Hartman this spring. When he’s on, Hartman has a heater in the 94-97 mph range, with a banger of a breaking ball while throwing solid strikes. When he’s not on, the fastball still comes out well, but his slider looks more like a well below-average pitch and his control is a much bigger concern. Hartman has posted a 4.28 ERA in 33.2 innings of relief with Appalachian State over the last two years, with 12.8 strikeouts per nine and 7.0 walks per nine. He’s a no-doubt reliever at the next level, but because of his limited time focusing on pitching, teams might believe they can figure out how to improve his command at the next level, where his pure stuff could be good enough for a seventh- or eighth-inning role. There’s a lot of refinement that will need to happen before he gets to that level, but he should be a no-doubt senior sign candidate for teams.
334	Chris Lanzilli	OF	Wake Forest	6-2	220	R-R	Never Drafted
A draft-eligible sophomore in 2019, the Giants took a flyer on Lanzilli in the 39th round after he hit .347/.409/.620 with 16 home runs. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound outfielder didn’t sign and returned for his junior season. Last summer Lanzilli played for Harwich in the Cape Cod League, where he managed a .293/.365/.457 line with four home runs. Lanzilli’s production at Wake Forest is the calling card for him at the next level. Scouts don’t see tools that have matched his performance in the ACC, but it’s tough to argue with a career line of .314/.394/.594 and 31 home runs. Lanzilli has plenty of natural strength, but scouts don’t think he has much bat speed. They also wonder if his approach will transition to pro ball, as some have seen him as a hitter who could be more exposed at the next level. Defensively, Lanzilli has spent most of his time in left field, though he also played right and some third base during his junior season. He’ll be an outfielder at the next level, and scouts see him as a below-average defender. He’ll need to continue hitting for power to profile, but an analytically inclined club interested in his collegiate performance could take a chance on him.
337	Michael Ludowig	OF	Wake Forest	6-1	215	L-L	Never Drafted
A three-year starter at Wake Forest who has played all three outfield positions, Ludowig led the team in hitting during ACC play as a freshman (.326) but his career numbers have never been that lofty. A solid runner with solid arm strength, Ludowig might fit best in a corner outfield spot at the next level, where there will be more pressure on his bat. Scouts like his swing and think he has solid bat-to-ball skills, but they’re skeptical of his power production despite obvious natural strength. He’s only hit four career home runs at Wake Forest, which is seen by evaluators as a hitter-friendly school, and for that reason some teams might not be interested during the five-round draft. Ludowig also had a middling summer in the Cape Cod League in 2019, when he hit .256/.299/.278 in 28 games with Harwich. He has been a solid base runner at Wake, stealing 16 bags in 19 attempts (84.2 percent) for his career.
338	Landen Roupp	RHP	UNC-Wilmington	6-3	205	R-R	Never Drafted
Roupp entered the year as a late day two or early day three prospect after his first two years with UNC-Wilmington. A 6-foot-3, 205-pound righthander, Roupp established himself as a reliable piece in the starting rotation and bullpen in 2018 and 2019. A full-time starter as a freshman, Roupp posted a 3.58 ERA over 50.1 innings and 15 starts—which tied an Eagles freshman record for starts. In 2019 as a sophomore Roupp split time between the pen and the rotation, again posting a solid 3.47 ERA but this time with 80.1 innings of work. Roupp was off to his best season yet in 2020, posting a 2.67 ERA through four starts and 27 innings, with a league-leading 30 strikeouts and a career-low walk rate (2.3 per nine). Roupp’s stuff is ordinary. He pitches in the 89-93 mph range with his fastball and shows a solid low-to-mid-70s curveball and a low-80s changeup. He profiles as a swingman starter type at the next level.
340	Max Alba	RHP	North Carolina	6-5	215	R-R	Angels ’18 (39)
An exciting projection arm out of high school in Wisconsin, the Angels took a flyer on Alba in the 39th round of the 2018 draft, but Alba opted to honor his commitment to North Carolina. He blew out his elbow and redshirted for the 2019 season to recover from Tommy John surgery, and entered the 2020 season as a redshirt, draft-eligible freshman. Alba had shown a fastball in the 93-94 mph range at his best when healthy, with good feel to spin a breaking ball, but there were concerns about the quality of his strikes. The early results in 2020 weren’t great, as Alba posted a 6.97 ERA over 10.1 innings with stuff that wasn’t coming out like he had shown in the past. With more time he might have gotten back to his former self, but it is difficult to see the 6-foot-5, 215-pound righthander being much of a factor in the 2020 draft. He’ll be a name to keep an eye on in the future as he gets further away from surgery.
351	Devonte Brown	3B/OF	North Carolina State	5-11	200	R-R	Never Drafted
Brown was quietly raising his draft profile with North Carolina State this season after hitting .338/.429/.692 with five home runs through the first 17 games of the season. Plenty of scouts and crosscheckers got looks at Brown, thanks to teammate Patrick Bailey being a likely first-round prospect. A third baseman and corner outfielder, Brown’s biggest tool is his raw power. It’s strength over bat speed with Brown, but he has a compact, comfortable swing and the ability to drive the ball to all fields and is one of the strongest players on the team. Listed at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds, some scouts believe Brown has a chance to stick at third base, but he has enough power to profile in a corner if he continues to hit. Brown has never produced at the sort of level he was showing in 2020, so teams will have to try and decide if this was a breakout season in the works, or just a strong start to the season. Still, five home runs and six doubles are both career-bests for Brown, so there was clearly some shift in his game this season.
363	Alex Hoppe	RHP	UNC-Greensboro	6-1	175	R-R	Never Drafted
This spring would have been important for Hoppe, since the 6-foot-1, 175-pound righthander had less than 20 innings under his belt after his first two seasons with UNC-Greensboro. After throwing just 18.2 this spring, teams might have a tough time signing him in a five-round draft, but scouts do like the pure stuff he has in the tank. He throws a fastball in the 92-94 mph range and has shown the makings of a plus breaking ball as well. He has a poor track record of throwing strikes, however, and will be a full reliever profile at the next level because of that, but in the small sample he was offered this spring, Hoppe took strides forward with his control. After walking 21 batters in 15.2 innings in 2018 and 2019 combined, Hoppe walked just seven in his 18.2 innings this spring, while striking out 24 batters.
375	Blake Brown	RHP	UNC-Asheville	6-1	195	R-R	Never Drafted
A senior righthander, Brown had a chance to be a quality senior sign in a typical draft year, but the five-round 2020 draft could complicate where he winds up. A 6-foot-1, 195-pound righthander, Brown has a fastball in the 91-95 mph range and has flashed two solid-average secondaries in a curveball and changeup. In bullpen sessions late this spring, Brown got his fastball up into the upper-90s. Brown is athletic, but his control is well below-average thanks to a delivery that he struggles to get in sync. Because of that, some scouts are skeptical that he reaches his ceiling, and with a career walk rate at UNC-Asheville of 7.1 per nine, it’s clear to see why. At the same time, Brown has swing-and-miss stuff and was having a career-year during the shortened 2020 season, posting a 2.37 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 19 innings. But Brown showed no improvement in the strike throwing department with 18 walks and will be a reliever at the next level, with the hope that a team can figure out how to get him in the zone more frequently.
448	Cannon Pickell	RHP	Currituck County HS, Barco, N.C.	6-2	215	R-R	North Carolina
An undersized righthander committed to North Carolina, Pickell has massive arm strength and was throwing as hard as 97 mph in bullpens this spring. A closer with his travel team—Canes National—Pickell projects as a reliever at the next level thanks to his arm strength and the erratic present nature of his strikes. In addition to his pure velocity, teams like the spin qualities of Pickell’s fastball and also praise his makeup and work ethic. There are questions of how much more is in the tank with Pickell, as he’s close to fully maxed out, and he’ll need to develop his control and secondary offerings to be thought of as a starter at the next level. Either way, his pure arm talent will keep teams interested beyond this year’s five-round draft.
463	Austin Murr	1B	North Carolina State	6-2	207	L-L	Never Drafted
A transfer from Des Moines (Iowa) Area JC, Murr has an impressive hit tool that he showed off in the juco ranks and in his brief stint with North Carolina State this spring. A career .440 hitter with De Moines, Murr was hitting .306/.470/.629 through 17 games in the shortened 2020 season, with three home runs. He walked 16 times compared to eight strikeouts, and scouts believe he has excellent zone recognition. However, he will be limited to first base, where he’s just a fringe-average defender, and doesn’t have the typical power to profile there. While he has some natural strength in his 6-foot-2, 207-pound frame, Murr has a flat swing that is more conducive to hitting the ball into the gaps than over the fence. Perhaps he could be a swing-change candidate at the next level to try and get more power production, but Murr might have to wait another year given the five-round draft in 2020.
484	Chase Walter	RHP	Western Carolina	6-7	260	R-R	Angels ’19 (32)
A big, 6-foot-7, 260-pound righthander with big stuff to match, scouts were excited to see Walter this spring after he flashed two plus offerings. He has thrown a fastball in the 93-95 mph range and touched 96, while also showing a slider that has plus potential as well. Walter pitched in the Cape Cod League last summer and struck out 13 batters in 10 innings of relief work, but also walked nine. Walter’s performance throughout his college career has never quite lived up to his pure stuff. He has a career 5.34 ERA and 5.3 per nine walk rate over 195.1 innings—mostly in a starting role—and was off to a poor start in 2020 with 21 walks in just 16.2 innings. A redshirt junior who will turn 22 shortly after the draft, Walter is also old for the class, but could be an interesting relief project thanks to his size and stuff.
487	Cam Cowan	RHP	Campbell	6-5	245	R-R	Never Drafted
A big, physical 6-foot-5, 245-pound righthander, Cowan got to Campbell by way of Kirkwood (Iowa) JC, where he overwhelmed hitters. Cowan started just four games this spring for the Camels before the 2020 season ended due to the coronavirus pandemic, but he excelled in his 24 innings. He posted a 3.00 ERA and struck out 36 batters (13.5 per nine) while walking four (1.5 per nine). Cowan throws a fastball that gets up to 95 mph and pairs that with an average changeup. Cowan also has above-average control, which gives him a few boxes to check, but in a five-round draft environment, he’s more likely to head back to Campbell for another season than sign. He definitely made a name for himself for area scouts, and will be a pitcher to watch in the future.
491	Joey Lancellotti	RHP	North Carolina	5-11	205	R-R	Yankees ’19 (34)
A heralded pitching prospect dating back to his high school days in 2017, Lancellotti jumped right into the action with North Carolina’s bullpen as a freshman, throwing 38.2 innings and posting a 3.96 ERA. He was relied on even more in 2019 during a draft-eligible sophomore season, where he logged 52 innings and managed a 3.12 ERA. He transitioned into a starting role this spring for the Tar Heels, and made four starts with good results, managing a 2.22 ERA, but his strikeout rate and stuff played down in the role. Out of the bullpen, Lancellotti was regularly in the 95 mph range and touched 97 at times, with a hard, biting slider, but his fastball was more in the upper 80s and low 90s in a starting role. Because of that, his size—5-foot-11, 205 pounds—and the effort in his delivery, scouts see him as a straight reliever at the next level.