2025 MLB Draft Unfolds: Key Prospects Beyond the Top 100 Making Their Mark

2025-07-11 CoolPal

2025 MLB Draft Unfolds: Key Prospects Beyond the Top 100 Making Their Mark

As the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft continues to unfold this July, teams are diligently sifting through a deep pool of talent to find the next generation of stars. While much attention focuses on the highly-touted top 100 prospects, the draft’s true depth lies in the more than 600 players who will hear their names called. Our comprehensive scouting report delves into those impactful players who, despite not being in the top-100 rankings, possess the potential to make a significant impact at the professional level.

Below are detailed scouting notes on these standout prospects, presented alphabetically, offering insights into their skills, potential, and areas for development as they embark on their professional baseball journeys. (Note: Scouting grades are on a traditional 20-80 scale.)

Chris Arroyo, 1B, Virginia

H: 6-2 | W: 225 | B/T: L/L | DOB: 9/17/2004

Arroyo started out at Florida in 2023 as a reliever, then went to a JUCO for a year, landing at Virginia this spring and becoming their everyday first baseman while throwing 12 innings out of the bullpen. He hit .291/.361/.519, but there’s probably more power in there than the line indicates; his hard-hit rate was over 50 percent and he peaked at 112 mph, with less in-game power because his swing flattens out. The bigger concern is the overall feel to hit, as he’ll expand the zone too much and he tries to pull the ball too often, the latter of which might work better if he got the ball in the air more. He’s limited to first base.

RJ Austin, OF, Vanderbilt

H: 5-11 | W: 199 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 12/18/2003

Austin is a 70 defender in center and plus runner who doesn’t whiff much, especially on strikes, but has no power or projection and doesn’t show enough plate discipline to project as a high OBP/low power guy. He’s a good enough defender to be drafted, but I don’t think he’s going to hit enough to be a Day 1 pick, lacking not just power but the ability to hit hard line drives.

Ethin Bingaman, OF/RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS

H: 6-1 | W: 201 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 9/30/2006

Bingaman gets a lot of attention because of his more famous teammates at Corona. I’m not sure how much he would have been scouted by cross-checkers or execs if he were the best player on another team. He’s got some power, maybe 50/55, with huge holes in his approach against offspeed stuff, and he’s a 40 runner who is going to have to work to play anywhere other than third base. He’s up to 95 mph off the mound with good spin on a curveball, but it’s a reliever look and he doesn’t have much projection. He’s committed to Auburn and could end up making more money if he goes there and show he can adjust to SEC pitching.

Frank Cairone, LHP, Delsea Regional HS (Franklinville, NJ)

H: 6-3 | W: 215 | B/T: R/L | DOB: 9/14/2007

Cairone is a projectable lefty who’s touched 94, mostly sitting 89-92, with what will probably be a plus curveball when he fills out and adds some velocity. His arm works well, and he’s around the plate enough to see future-average or better command. The industry doesn’t take these types of pitchers very high any more, chasing pitchers with more current velocity, so the Cairones of the world often end up at college — he’s committed to Coastal Carolina — and then are drafted in three years if they’ve survived that gauntlet.

Trent Caraway, 3B, Oregon State

H: 6-2 | W: 203 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 3/29/2004

Caraway was on my top 100 in the 2023 draft when he was a high school senior, as it really looked like he was going to hit, although he was 19 at the draft and was going to have to move off shortstop. He hit .339/.431/.516 in 18 games as a freshman around a broken finger, although he struck out 23 times and walked just six times in his 72 PA. This year, however, he cratered, hitting .267/.350/.470 against Oregon State’s independent schedule, and going just 6-for-26 against the best competition he faced all year between the Super Regionals and Omaha. He also looked very uncomfortable at third base, where he’s played since arriving on campus and in his brief stint in the Cape Cod League last summer. He’s probably a better hitter than this, but he should have raked against the pitching he saw this year, and that softer schedule makes his whiff and chase rates — both higher than the D1 median — even harder to accept.

Jake Cook, OF, Southern Miss

H: 6-3 | W: 185 | B/T: L/L | DOB: 7/13/2003

Cook might be the fastest guy in the draft, but he was actually a pitcher until this year — he didn’t take a single at-bat for the Golden Eagles until 2025 — and hit .350/.436/.468 with just 19 strikeouts in 284 PA. It’s not a good swing, slappy and handsy, geared towards contact no matter what, and he had a measly 24 percent hard-hit rate this spring. He also hasn’t turned the speed into basestealing success; he was 3-for-8 on the bases this year, which, I don’t know, it’s the Sun Belt, maybe they could have sent him a little more often than that? It’s extremely impressive that he could go from never taking an at-bat in college to a 6.7 percent strikeout rate, and he’s a fantastic athlete who should be able to impact the ball a little. This is the type of guy the Dodgers take in the fourth round and a year from now he’s on the top 100 list.

Brett Crossland, RHP, Corona del Sol HS (Phoenix)

H: 6-5 | W: 240 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 7/13/2006

Crossland has been up to 97-98, pitching more 92-94, with a mid-80s changeup as his best pitch. He has a big, slow curveball that’s below-average and a slider that’s better than the curve and should probably be his primary breaker. The fastball is flat and plays down from its velocity. He’s not a great athlete and doesn’t repeat the delivery well enough for more than 40 command. He’s committed to Texas and may be better off going there and coming back out as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2027.

Oklahoma State right-hander Gabe Davis. (Nathan J. Fish / The Oklahoman / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Gabe Davis, RHP, Oklahoma State

H: 6-9 | W: 234 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 10/21/2003

Davis was 93-97 with an average slider that you could project to at least a 55, as well as a 45 curveball, with two- and four-seamers in the fastball mix. Unfortunately, his college career has been limited by numerous injuries, with a shoulder issue keeping him to 24 ineffective innings this year (16 walks, 5.92 ERA), as well as a knee injury and a broken collarbone last winter. He’s got huge legs and a strong pitcher’s build, and he has some cross-body action to the delivery. He returned from the shoulder injury in late April and worked out of the bullpen the rest of the way, with similar results. Someone might bet on his size and arm strength to see if he’s better after a winter of rest and strengthening the shoulder.

Korbyn Dickerson, OF, Indiana

H: 6-1 | W: 205 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 10/30/2003

Dickerson got a little internet fame early in the season with some big exit velocities and a bunch of homers off the likes of Mount Saint Mary’s and Harvard, but it didn’t last into Big Ten play. The transfer from Louisville continued to have real trouble picking up anything but fastballs without showing any real adjustments over the course of the season; within the conference, he walked just six times against 32 strikeouts and posted a .319 OBP. He makes very hard contact, with a 90th percentile EV that ranked in the top two percent of all D1 qualifiers and a hard-hit rate of 58 percent, and he’s a plus runner who can handle center field for now. He could go in Rounds 3- 5 to a team that values the data over the hit tool.

Justice de Jong, RHP, Poly Prep Academy (Brooklyn, NY)

H: 6-3 | W: 210 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 7/21/2007

De Jong has some of the best command and control of any high school pitcher in the class, and if he doesn’t sign this year — which the word all spring has been that he’s unlikely to do so — he’ll be a name to track for 2028. He has mostly average stuff now, 89-91 with a promising cutter and a curveball he doesn’t finish that well, and a very good delivery that doesn’t show much effort that he repeats very well. He’s a classic projection right-hander, showing real athleticism as a two-way player, where you’re waiting for him to fill out so the velocity comes over time. He was committed to Duke but de-committed after the Blue Devils’ head coach departed for Virginia.

Dylan Dubovik, OF, American Heritage HS (Plantation, Fla.)

H: 6-4 | W: 210 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 5/12/2007

Dubovik is tall and lanky with a very rotational swing that’s geared for power, but he’s looking fastball and doesn’t recognize secondary pitches well enough for pro ball right now. He’s got a plus arm and should be an above-average defender in right field. He’s committed to Miami.

Hunter Elliott, LHP, Mississippi

H: 6-3 | W: 215 | B/T: L/L | DOB: 8/27/2002

Elliott blew out his elbow in 2023 after just two outings, missed all of 2024, and then returned for a full season of work as a redshirt junior this spring. He’s got a plus changeup that helps him get by with fringe-average fastball velocity, and he spins enough of a slider to keep lefties in check. He has below-average control, however, with an 11 percent walk rate this year and 10.2 percent in his only other full season in Oxford, and gives up a lot of contact in the air, which is usually a bad combination, especially for pitchers whose fastball is light. He could be a back-end starter if he keeps the ball in the park and/or cuts the walks.

Lucas Franco, SS, Cinco Ranch HS (Katy, Texas)

H: 6-3 | W: 180 | B/T: L/R | DOB: 4/24/2007

Franco’s a slender shortstop who showed below-average speed and poor exit velocities at showcases last summer. He’s also had trouble adjusting when pitchers change speeds on him. He’s committed to TCU and would probably benefit from going there to play with the aluminum bat while he starts to fill out physically.

Triston “Murf” Gray, 3B, Fresno State

H: 6-4 | W: 230 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 12/30/2003

Gray starred in the Cape Cod League last summer and showed some plus power this spring, but he chases stuff out of the zone way too often for a mid-major player and doesn’t have great bat speed, with good velocity eating him alive in the wood-bat league. He’ll be a bigger target for teams that highly value batted-ball data — with his 90th percentile EV ranking in the top five percent of all D1 qualifiers at 108 mph — than teams that take a more holistic approach. He’s not likely at all to stick at third and may end up at first base.

Talon Haley, LHP, Lewisburg (Miss.) HS

H: 6-2 | W: 200 | B/T: R/L | DOB: 1/22/2006

Haley will be 19-and-a-half at the draft, but there’s a story here — he had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and even continued pitching through chemotherapy. He’s also had two elbow surgeries, a full Tommy John surgery and the internal brace, so there’s some clear arm-health risk here, although to his credit he started pitching right-handed so he could still compete while rehabbing. His fastball is 91-94 with a solid breaking ball that he throws for strikes and he has enough feel for a changeup to see a potential starter. He’s committed to Vanderbilt and would be draft-eligible again in 2027.

Sam Horn, RHP, Missouri

H: 6-4 | W: 222 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 8/21/2003

No relation to the former big leaguer and Red Sox legend, Horn has thrown just 15 innings over the past three years as a Tiger, missing 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery that February. He has big, big stuff, up to 98 on his four-seamer with good extension, good life on the sinker, and a tight slider with some sharp downward break. He has a changeup that’s promising but barely uses it. He’s also in the running to be Mizzou’s starting quarterback this fall, which may make him a tougher sign. He did attend the MLB Draft Combine, however, so he’s indicated some interest in playing pro baseball. With so little experience, he’s whatever you want him to be — you can dream on this package and see a mid-rotation starter, and who’s to argue?

Brent Iredale, 3B, Arkansas

H: 6-3 | W: 200 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 7/12/2003

Iredale grew up in Sydney, Australia, and he spent two years at New Mexico Junior College before transferring to Arkansas for 2025. He makes extremely hard contact, and often, with a hard-hit rate of 56 percent, but pitchers can beat him in or just outside the zone and he struggled in SEC play, with a .257/.409/.438 line — and even that’s misleading as he was hit by pitches 10 times in 137 PA. He’s definitely a third baseman and there’s plenty of power potential here, but the hit tool is probably closer to 40 than 45. He turns 22 the day of the draft.

Isaiah Jackson, OF, Arizona State

H: 6-3 | W: 220 | B/T: L/R | DOB: 5/16/2004

Jackson has second-round tools but swings and misses way too often on anything with a wiggle, and it turns out in the minors they throw more than just fastballs. He has 55 power and at least 55 speed, with quick wrists and a good bat path to drive the ball, resulting in 18 homers this year and a .310/.402/.630 line. He did cut his strikeout rate to 17.1 percent this year, so there’s at least some signs of an adjustment as he tried to cut down on his swing for contact with two strikes. He should go in the first couple of rounds on Day 2 given the 20/20 upside in a center fielder, even with the longshot hit tool.

Oklahoma State’s Jayson Jones. (Sarah Phipps / The Oklahoma / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Coy James, SS, Davie County HS (Mocksville, N.C.)

H: 6-0 | W: 185 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 2/16/2007

James was a big name as a high school underclassman in the summer of 2023, but tapered off this spring and may be more likely to go to college. He has quick hands at the plate, with a no-load swing that has some loft in its finish, but he had trouble hitting decent breaking stuff at showcases last year. He’s a fringy runner who probably moves to second or third base in time. He’s committed to Mississippi and could see his stock rise if he produces in the SEC.

Jayson Jones, 3B/OF, Oklahoma State

H: 6-2 | W: 204 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 8/5/2003

Jones transferred to OSU from Arkansas and hit .217/.306/.354 for the Cowboys, but there’s power in there — he topped out at 116.5 exit velocity, I saw him hit one at 116.1, and his 90th percentile EV was in the top three percent of D1 hitters. The power and hard contact might entice someone to take him on Day 3.

Nelson Keljo, LHP, Oregon State

H: 6-4 | W: 228 | B/T: L/L | DOB: 9/26/2003

Keljo works very heavily off his four- and two-seamers, hitting 99 with the former but sitting more 92-95, although he has a plus changeup with hard tumbling action that’s allowed him to avoid a platoon split. He has a slider as well, and can flip in a curveball, and he might be a more effective pitcher if he mixed in more of his offspeed stuff. His arm action is fine although it’s not a great delivery beyond that. He was much better the first time through the order, which can often be an indicator that a pitcher needs to go to the bullpen, but in his case, it might be that he just leaned too much on fastballs. He should be a high Day 2 pick and at least get to go out as a starter.

Boston Kellner from Hamilton High School in Arizona. (Patrick Breen / The Republic / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Boston Kellner, SS, Hamilton HS (Chandler, AZ)

H: 6-0 | W: 195 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 6/17/2006

Kellner’s a short, stocky hitter who takes some big hacks but has shown good feel for the strike zone and some power both to the pull side and the other way. He’s not going to stick at shortstop, with a 55 arm that might help him stay on the dirt at third. He’s committed to Texas A&M and would be age-eligible for the draft as a sophomore in 2027.

Jake Krieg, 1B, Oregon State

H: 6-5 | W: 241 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 5/8/2004

Krieg is a power-over-hit first baseman who batted .245/.360/.500 this year with 79 strikeouts (32.6 percent), even though the Beavers played a lighter schedule as an independent. He can hit a fastball, any fastball, but his recognition of offspeed stuff is a massive hindrance — he whiffed on sliders and changeups, the two secondary pitch types he saw most often this year, half the time he swung. If he’ll sign in the Rounds 6-10 range, I’d consider signing him to see if player development could help him pick up non-fastballs better.

Justin Lamkin, LHP, Texas A&M

H: 6-4 | W: 210 | B/T: R/L | DOB: 6/1/2004

Lamkin comes way across his body to help his average slider play up a little bit; his fastball is fringy and there’s a lot of effort to the delivery, with a hard stop in back before he accelerates his arm towards the plate. He throws a ton of strikes, though, with a 5.4 percent walk rate on the season and 70 percent of his pitches going for strikes (called, fouls, swinging, so not just pitches in the zone). He’ll go out as a starter, but the delivery and fastball point to the bullpen.

Cam Leiter, RHP, Florida State

H: 6-5 | W: 234 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 1/28/2004

The nephew of Al and Mark Leiter, Cam missed part of 2024 and all of 2025 due to a shoulder injury that required surgery last fall. His fastball had been 95-96 and he had a plus curveball and 55 changeup before he went down, although he never had close to average control, walking 15.2 percent of batters he faced between his half-year at Florida State and his freshman year at Central Florida.

Mason Ligenza, OF, Tamaqua (Penn.) Area HS

H: 6-5 | W: 197 | B/T: L/L | DOB: 1/15/2007

Ligenza’s a projectable, athletic center fielder with a long swing that produces power when he gets the bat to the ball, but with the sort of contact issues you’d expect from his build and swing. He runs well and should stick in center field for the long term. He’s committed to Pittsburgh.

Mathis Meurant, 3B, Arizona

H: 6-3 | W: 185 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 1/30/2004

Meurant was born and raised in France, yet grew up playing baseball, then came to Cochise College, a JUCO in Arizona that has a pipeline of sorts from the Hexagon. He has a surprisingly good swing and makes hard contact, but the problem with growing up in a country without a strong baseball culture is that you might never see a decent slider until you come to the U.S.

Meurant whiffed on 62 percent of sliders he saw this year, and 48 percent of changeups, and it’s going to take a lot of reps for him to catch up to his peers. He’s pretty athletic and played well at third until he lost his job mid-spring as his production plummeted. He’s probably a better bet to go pro in 2026 as a senior sign if another year of playing — he’s in the Appy League this summer — helps him start to pick up spin.

Jase Mitchell, C, Cape Henlopen HS (Lewes, DE)

H: 6-3 | W: 205 | B/T: L/R | DOB: 9/30/2006

Mitchell is the best prospect in my state since Zack Gelof in 2018, although Gelof, who went to the same high school as Mitchell, didn’t sign and went to Virginia instead. Mitchell is strong, with a swing that’s geared to pull the ball on a line, and he still has some projection left. He moves around well enough behind the plate to see him possibly staying there, but his hit tool lags behind his power and he hasn’t faced very good competition here in Delaware. He’s committed to Kentucky.

Dean Moss, OF, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

H: 6-0 | W: 180 | B/T: L/R | DOB: 4/17/2006

Moss can run a little and might be able to handle center, but he has a tiny, slappy swing that’s all hands, making no use of his lower half, and gets way out over his front side at the point of contact. He turned 19 in April and is committed to LSU. I think he’d be better off going to school given where his swing is right now.

Michael Oliveto, C, Hauppague (NY) HS

H: 6-3 | W: 185 | B/T: L/R | DOB: 2/3/2007

Oliveto is a tall, strong catcher with at least average power now, maybe more if he could stay on that front foot rather than rolling it over. He showed solid contact rates in limited time at showcases last year. He’s on the taller side for a catcher but could still end up sticking back there, with solid hands but limited experience catching better quality stuff. He’s committed to Yale, which of course calls his judgment into question.

Josh Owens, SS, Providence Academy (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)

H: 6-3 | W: 185 | B/T: L/R | DOB: 1/8/2007

Owens earns praise for his instincts and feel for the game, which sometimes means a player just isn’t very talented, but he’s also a plus runner and has a solid enough swing to project some power down the line. He’s playing in the wood-bat Appalachian League this summer, hitting exceptionally well against mostly older pitching, with a .271/.419/.492 line and a 31 percent strikeout rate. He’s committed to Georgia Southern but could go as high as the second round. He’s the best prospect among those who missed my top 100 (so, yes, he’s No. 101).

Kelvin Paulino, Jr., 3B, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

H: 6-1 | W: 195 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 5/23/2006

Paulino is already 19 and doesn’t have a clear position, but he’s got a strong swing with good balance and the potential for at least above-average power given how well he uses his legs. He’s committed to Florida State, and with the age and positional questions — he’s probably a corner outfielder, and first base is always there as a worst-case scenario — he may end up at school.

James Quinn-Irons, OF, George Mason

H: 6-5 | W: 230 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 6/28/2003

Quinn-Irons has earned some notice after hitting .419/.523/.734 for the Patriots this year, with really high exit velocities at the top end — although I have some questions about the reliability of that data, as one of his teammates supposedly hit a ball 123 mph. He’s a plus runner with power, certainly, but it’s a 40 hit tool. He spent the spring facing awful pitching in the Atlantic 10, and had one hit all year off a fastball tracked at 93 mph or better. He’s also already 22, and was undrafted last year as an age-eligible sophomore. He’s worth a flier somewhere on Day 2, but Low A pitching is going to be a big challenge for him.

Reagan Ricken, RHP, Great Oak HS (Temecula, Calif.)

H: 6-5 | W: 220 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 10/5/2006

Ricken is a teammate of potential first-rounder Gavin Fien, so he was seen a ton this spring. He’s 92-94 with a slider and curve that can show above-average when he finishes them out front, something he doesn’t do often enough because his arm starts moving forward a little late. He has a high-effort delivery that has some head-whack at release. He’s committed to LSU.

LSU RHP Chase Shores. (Steven Branscombe / Imagn Images)

Chase Shores, RHP, LSU

H: 6-8 | W: 245 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 5/21/2004

Shores lost his rotation spot in mid-April after giving up 22 runs in his nine starts for a 5.12 ERA, and his results weren’t necessarily better when he moved to relief — but his stuff was, as he hit 100 mph 47 times in the NCAA tournament. His main fastball is a two-seamer with huge tailing action to it, and his slider is at least a 55, up to 91 with solid tilt. He really can’t start as is, as lefties had a .412 OBP against him this spring, but several of his postseason outings — including the one that closed out LSU’s national championship — showed his upside in relief as a sinker/slider guy.

Miguel Sime, Jr., RHP, Poly Prep Academy (Brooklyn, NY)

H: 6-4 | W: 235 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 5/8/2007

Sime’s been up to 100 and sat 93-97 in the outing I saw this spring, with a big slurvy slider in the low 80s, more arm strength than pitcher right now. He lands stiffly on his front leg and cuts himself off, leading to below-average command, and he’s not a very good athlete and struggles to field his position. He’s committed to LSU.

Nate Snead, RHP, Tennessee

H: 6-2 | W: 212 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 3/16/2004

Snead was much better as a sophomore, posting a 3.11 ERA across 75 1/3 innings, almost all in relief, in his first year with the Vols after transferring from Wichita State. His junior year was a big step back, as his ERA jumped to 4.53 and he gave up more contact on his fastball. He was up to 100 in the postseason, although he was 92-95 when I saw him in early April, and his out-pitch is a power curveball in the 82-85 mph range that has some two-plane break to it, but in 2025 he struggled to stay down in the zone with either pitch. He really has nothing for lefties, either, limiting him to short relief. I’d love to see if he could throw a decent sinker, since the four-seamer doesn’t miss bats in the zone at all (13 percent whiff rate this year).

Zach Strickland, RHP, Maranatha HS (Pasadena, Calif.)

H: 6-2 | W: 180 | B/T: S/R | DOB: 6/25/2006

Strickland has a fast arm and has been up to 96, but the fastball quality is low, and he doesn’t look like he has a projectable or durable build to stick as a starter. His best pitch is a downward-breaking slider, and he has a little feel for a changeup. He’s committed to UCLA and would be age-eligible for the draft as a sophomore in 2027.

Jayden Stroman, RHP, Patchogue-Medford HS (Medford, NY)

H: 6-0 | W: 197 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 5/07/2007

Marcus Stroman’s little brother is actually a little bit taller, and also a baller (sorry), with a fastball/curveball combination that’s reminiscent of Marcus’ when he was a draft prospect out of Duke. Jayden has been up to 97 with an athletic delivery, coming from a high three-quarters arm slot that gets some more depth on his above-average 12-6 curveball. He hasn’t pitched that much prior to this year, playing more as an outfielder whose arm strength pointed to potential on the mound. He was originally committed to Duke but switched to Virginia during the June NCAA coaching carousel.

Cooper Underwood, LHP, Allatoona HS (Acworth, Ga.)

H: 6-2 | W: 185 | B/T: R/L | DOB: 1/8/2007

Underwood’s fastball is 92-94 and he has one of the better curveballs in the class, coming from a high three-quarters slot that gives it a little more depth and makes it the stronger option between that and his low-80s slider. His arm action is kind of short in the back, which may be why he’s had some issues with fastball command. He’s committed to Georgia Tech.

Mason White, SS, Arizona

H: 5-11 | W: 178 | B/T: L/R | DOB: 9/21/2003

White isn’t that big but he hits the ball extremely hard, with a 90th percentile EV of 107.5 that ranks in the top fie percent of Division 1 hitters and a 50 percent hard-hit rate on the season. He swings really hard, really often, with elite bat speed, and ended up with 20 homers and 65 strikeouts this spring. He’ll chase fastballs up at his neck and breaking stuff down below the zone or in the dirt; if he cuts that down even a little he has a clear path to the big leagues as at least a utility infielder with power. I think he could stick at shortstop; it’s a 60 arm and he has the pure range for shortstop, but he plays defense like he swings — a little out of control. There’s a better player buried here below the fourth-gear all the time mentality.

Ryan Wideman, OF, Western Kentucky

H: 6-5 | W: 204 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 11/4/2003

Wideman is a 70 runner who hit .398/.466/.652 this spring for the Hilltoppers, his first year there after spending two seasons in junior college. He didn’t face much quality pitching this spring, and his chase rate of 40 percent (and 32 percent on pitches well out of the zone) is going to scare off some draft model-heavy teams, although he did make hard contact on half of the balls he put into play. He entered the portal and will transfer to Clemson, where his father played basketball, if he doesn’t sign. He has a big swing where he gets his front foot down very late, so he’s not getting his hands started on time consistently enough for contact against better pitching.

Max Williams, OF, Florida State

H: 6-2 | W: 207 | B/T: L/L | DOB: 8/18/2004

Williams posted some elite exit velocities this spring, with a max of 115.1 mph and a 90th percentile EV that ranked in the top 40 of all qualifying hitters (top two percent), but he swings at everything, and it’s a huge ask to send this guy out to even High A with this approach. He chased 36 percent of pitches out of the zone this spring and 27 percent of pitches well out of the zone, and generally doesn’t pick up changeups. If he were clearly a center fielder, there might be more of a path for him to get to everyday status, but I think he’s a corner guy and he has to cut way down on the swings to be a regular in a corner. He may go on Day 1 because of the data but I don’t see him in that realm.

Kaleb Wing, RHP, Scotts Valley (Calif.) HS

H: 6-2 | W: 180 | B/T: R/R | DOB: 1/12/2007

Wing was somewhat of a pop-up guy this spring, as his velocity went up about a grade. Pitching in the wood-bat West Coast League this summer, he was still working 92-94 with a 55 curveball. He has a compact delivery, a little short in back, that he repeats well. His frame is slight, so he may not have as much projection as the typical 18-year-old with his height. He’s committed to Loyola Marymount.

(Top photo of RJ Austin: Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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