Top South Carolina 2019 MLB Draft Prospects

To see our BA 500 draft rankings, click here. To see other states, click here.

State List Talent Ranking: ????
(Stars are listed on a 1 to 5 scale relative to what the state typically produces, with 1 being the weakest)

1. Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson (BA RANK: 19)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-3 • Wt: 195 • B-T: B-R • Commitment/Drafted: Phillies ’16 (30)

A defensively gifted shortstop with physical projection and potential as a switch-hitter, Davidson ranked No. 131 on BA’s Top 500 Draft Prospects list in 2016. Since then, the son of six-year big leaguer Mark Davidson has continued to fill out physically and has built a dichotomous track record during his time in college. While playing for Clemson in the ACC, Davidson has looked like a legitimate first-round pick, having hit double-digit home runs and stolen at least 10 bases in each of his three seasons. Defensively, Davidson has a chance to stick at shortstop with plus arm strength and enough athleticism in his 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame. Yet, while Davidson has posted impressive power and speed numbers, his hit tool has always been a question mark. He’s never hit above .300 at Clemson, and his numbers with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League were poor. In two summers in the Cape, Davidson had an adjusted OPS+ of 58 (where 100 is average), which would be the third-lowest OPS+ for a player with at least 100 at-bats in the Cape Cod League the summer before his draft year since 2000. Current Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford is one of the few major league success stories to occur after struggling mightily in the Cape, and there are some similarities to be drawn with Davidson, though Crawford was seen as a much better defender at the time, while Davidson is a switch-hitter with more raw power. There is some length to Davidson’s swing, which leads to high strikeout rates. He’s whiffed between 18 and 22 percent of the time during each of his three seasons at Clemson and around 25 percent in the Cape Cod League, but his above-average speed and power allow him to provide offensive value despite a questionable hit tool. In the end, Davidson’s eventual landing spot will depend on how a team weighs his successful Clemson career with his Cape Cod track record. With a fair chance to remain at shortstop and a solid, all-around toolset, Davidson profiles as a safe first-round pick.

2. Zach Peek, RHP, Winthrop (BA RANK: 193)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-3 • Wt: 185 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

A 6-foot-3, 185-pound righthander, Peek has a clean delivery and loose, projectable frame as well as a solid track record of performance in the Big South. Peek’s best season was as a sophomore in 2018, when he posted a 3.74 ERA over 14 starts and 89 innings with an impressive 4.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. This spring, Peek has been hit more than his 2018 season—8.7 hits per nine through 13 starts compared to 7.9 a year ago—but scouts still like his ease of operation and his stuff. Peek’s fastball has been up into the mid-90s at its best, though he normally pitches more in the 90-93 mph range with two solid secondary offerings in a big, 11-to-5 curveball and a solid changeup. Peek has shown ability to manipulate his breaking ball and change the shape depending on the situation, so some scouts are willing to project a half-grade and give him an above-average breaker in the future. While his stuff isn’t overwhelming, there’s a solid three-pitch mix, future physical projection and good strike-throwing history. All of that adds up to an intriguing arm who could go in the middle of Day 2.

3. T.J. Hopkins, OF, South Carolina (BA RANK: 349)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-0 • Wt: 195 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

A four-year starter at South Carolina, Hopkins would have likely been drafted last year after a strong offensive campaign if he hadn’t missed 26 games thanks to injuries. He’s had back issues in the past, but this spring has played in 56 games and hit .285/.363/.519 with a career-high 11 home runs. Hopkins has average raw power and a double-plus runner, with 18 stolen bases in 22 attempts this spring—an 82 percent success rate. While his medical history might worry teams, he should be a priority senior sign this year who could provide more tools than a typical money-saving pick would.

4. Dylan Brewer, OF, Latta (S.C.) HS (BA RANK: 453)
Source: HS • Ht: 6-1 • Wt: 160 • B-T: L-L • Commitment/Drafted: Clemson

Something of a split-camp player among scouts, Brewer is a Brewer is a 6-foot-1, 160-pound outfielder with a projection profile. He’s athletic and a solid runner with a mechanically sound swing who could tap into more power in the future, but his tools aren’t loud currently and many teams lack much history with his bat. Teams who like him see a centerfield profile with more power to come down the line, while others might prefer to let him go to Clemson and prove it. Brewer is also a talented football player and played quarterback in high school.

5. Zach Biermann, 1B, Coastal Carolina (BA RANK: 422)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-3 • Wt: 225 • B-T: L-L • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

A 6-foot-3, 225-pound corner outfielder with big-time raw power, Biermann got to double-digit home runs in both of his seasons with Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Conference after transferring out of Polk State (Fla.) JC after his 2017 season. Biermann has hit over .300 in both seasons in Conway and also hit .291/.359/.496 with a wood bat last summer in the Cape Cod League, with six home runs. This spring at Coastal, Biermann hit 12 home runs and posted a .303/.383/.511 line while striking out around 21 percent of the time. Biermann is likely to move to first base in the future, but his plus-plus power and solid wood bat history could intrigue some teams as a powerful senior sign.

6. Griffin McLarty, RHP, College of Charleston
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-3 • Wt: 185 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

 

7. Scott McKeon, INF, Coastal Carolina
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-0 • Wt: 180 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

 

8. Luke Berryhill, C, South Carolina
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-1 • Wt: 227 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

 

9. Jacob Olson, UTIL, South Carolina
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-0 • Wt: 200 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

 

10. Geoffrey Gilbert, LHP, Bishop England HS, Charleston, S.C.
Source: HS • Ht: 6-2 • Wt: 200 • B-T: L-L • Commitment/Drafted: Clemson

 

11. Anthony Veneziano, LHP, Coastal Carolina
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-5 • Wt: 205 • B-T: L-L • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

 

12. Ian Foggo, RHP, The Citadel
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-1 • Wt: 190 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

 

13. Cory Wood, 2B, Coastal Carolina
Source: 4YR • Ht: 5-9 • Wt: 180 • B-T: L-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

 

14. Brooks Crawford, RHP, Clemson
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-4 • Wt: 215 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

 

15. Dylan Rogers, OF, Dorman HS, Roebuck, S.C.
Source: HS • Ht: 6-2 • Wt: 195 • B-T: L-L • Commitment/Drafted: Kentucky

 

16. Austin Kitchen, LHP, Coastal Carolina
Source: 4YR • Ht: 5-10 • Wt: 190 • B-T: L-L • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

 

17. Hayden Lehman, RHP, South Carolina
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-0 • Wt: 208 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted