9/29/24

20 college prospects for the '25 Draft

 


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Here are the top 20 college prospects for the '25 Draft -

 

1. Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M

Similar to 2024 Aggies teammate/Red Sox first-rounder Braden Montgomery, LaViolette is a physical (6-foot-6, 230 pounds) player who stands out most with his power and is destined for right field as a pro. 

He possesses solid speed and arm strength, comes with impressive walk rates (19 percent as a sophomore) but concerning strikeout rates (24 percent) and hit .305/.449/.726 with 29 homers (tops among returning NCAA Division I players) while leading Texas A&M to the Men's College World Series Finals in the spring. 

If he goes No. 1 overall, he'd be the first four-year college outfielder to do so since Darin Erstad in 1995.

 

2. Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson

One of the best hitters and center-field defenders in the Draft, Cannarella slashed .337/.417/.561 with 11 homers as a sophomore while playing with a torn labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder that required surgery in July. A top-of-the-order catalyst, he has a quick left-handed swing and plus speed but will need to add strength and learn to lift more balls to get to average power.

 

3. Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

For the second time in a decade, the Gauchos could produce the first college pitcher drafted, with Bremner following Dillon Tate (No. 4 overall in 2015). He might have the best changeup in the Draft, a well-above-average low-80s weapon with fade and sink that works against both lefties and righties, and both his mid-90s fastball and mid-80s slider are at least solid offerings. 

He ranked fifth in D-I with a 0.88 last year while posting a 2.54 ERA with a 104/21 K/BB ratio in 88 2/3 innings.

 

4. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State

Arnold misses a ton of bats with his fastball, which sits at 93-95 mph and touches 97 with plenty of carry from a low arm slot and flat approach angle, and his sweeping 82-85 mph slider. He hasn't employed his changeup much but didn't need it while logging a 2.98 ERA with a 159/26 K/BB ratio in 105 2/3 innings as a sophomore.

 

5. Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana

One of the best all-around offensive performers in the college crop, Taylor is a potential plus hitter in terms of both average and power and controls the strike zone. While he fits best in left field, he does enough damage to profile as a regular there and batted .357/.449/.660 with 20 homers last spring.

 

6. Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina

Stevenson is both the highest-rated sophomore-eligible prospect and the top all-around college catcher. He hit .284/.420/.535 with 14 homers as a freshman starter on a Men's College World Series team, and he grades as solid in terms of power potential, receiving ability and arm strength.

 

7. Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona

Summerhill has one of the sweetest lefty swings in the Draft, not to mention advanced bat-to-ball skills that translated into a .324/.399/.550 line with eight homers in the spring and an all-star summer in the Cape Cod League. If he can add some strength and maintain his solid-to-plus speed, he could be a 20/20 center fielder.

 

 

 

8. Aiva Arquette, 2B, Oregon State

The highest-ranked transfer on this list, Arquette batted .325/.384/.574 with 12 homers as a second baseman last season at Washington and earns DJ LeMahieu comps for his 6-foot-4 build and hitting ability. A Cape All-Star as a shortstop, he laces line drives to all fields, could hit 20 or more homers per season and may fit best at third base with his average speed and solid arm.

 

9. Ike Irish, C, Auburn

The best offensive prospect among the college backstops, Irish slashed .319/.403/.627 with 14 homers during the spring before thriving with wood bats and earning all-star recognition in the Cape Cod League during the summer. His mature approach enables his left-handed power to play to all fields and he has a strong arm, though his receiving draws mixed reviews.

 

10. Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas

Aloy earned Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year accolades at Sacramento State in 2022 before transferring to Arkansas and hitting .270/.355/.485 last season. His combination of bat speed and strength produces high exit velocities and power to all fields, though he needs to cut down on his tendency to chase pitches out of the strike zone. He's a capable shortstop but could outgrow the position.

 

11. Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina

A switch-hitter, Bodine is proficient from both sides of the plate and has some of the best contact skills in the Draft, recording an 8 percent strikeout rate while batting .328/.411/.523 with nine homers as a sophomore. His below-average power is a question, but he's a quality receiver with solid arm strength.

 

12. Daniel Dickinson, 2B, Louisiana State

Dickinson possesses one of the higher floors in the college class and transferred from Utah Valley State after batting .363/.468/.653 with 18 homers and 32 steals last spring. He makes consistent contact to all fields, has some pull power to go with average speed and shows fine instincts on the bases and at second base.

 

13. Nick Dumesnil, OF, Cal Baptist

The best position prospect in Cal Baptist history, Dumesnil broke out with a .362/.440/.702 sophomore season that included 19 homers, then earned Cape Cod All-Star honors after leading the summer circuit in doubles (12) and steals (26 in 27 tries). He chases too many pitches but still makes plenty of hard contact and his plus speed may allow him to remain in center field at the next level.

 

14. Ethan Conrad, OF/1B, Wake Forest

Seaver King climbed into 2024's first round after transferring to Wake Forest and Conrad could do the same as a right fielder with the chance for solid tools across the board. He slashed .389/.467/.704 with nine homers and a D-I leading 13 triples (including a record four in one game) at Marist during the spring, then finished second on the Cape in batting (.385) and OPS (.919).

 

15. Tre Phelps, OF/3B, Georgia

Few college hitters can match the sophomore-eligible Phelps' combination of contact and exit velocities, and he batted .353/.441/.699 with 12 homers while starting games at all four infield and outfield corners in his college debut. He moves well for a 6-foot-2, 204-pounder and sports average-to-solid arm strength, giving him a chance to stick at third base.

 

16. Trent Caraway, 3B, Oregon State

Caraway missed most of his 2024 freshman season after breaking his right middle finger on a bunt attempt, but he returned to showcase some of the best raw power in the Cape Cod League while earning all-star recognition. He combines bat speed, strength and an aggressive approach to crush balls to his pull side, though he'll need to prove he can make consistent contact and remain at the hot corner.

 

17. Gavin Kilen, SS, Tennessee

Kilen spent his first two college seasons at Louisville, batting .330/.361/.591 with nine homers last spring before becoming the most prominent member of a deep Tennessee transfer class. He always has shown a knack for putting the bat on the ball, though his raw power and speed are average at best and he may move to second base with the Volunteers because of the presence of the next guy on this list...

 

18. Dean Curley, SS, Tennessee

Curley earned Freshman All-America honors on Tennessee's 2024 national championship team, slashing .285/.386/.502 with 12 homers while showing off one of the stronger infield arms in the nation. He has a patient approach, plus raw power and the high baseball IQ to play quicker than his average speed at shortstop.

 

19. Ethan Petry, OF, South Carolina

Petry set a South Carolina freshman record with 23 homers in 2023, then launched 21 more last spring before earning MVP and top prospect accolades in the Cape Cod League, which he led in homers (11), on-base percentage (.360), slugging (.760) and OPS (1.240). Strikeouts are a concern, however, and though he has right-field arm strength, a lack of speed may push him to first base.

 

20. Nolan Schubart, OF, Oklahoma State

Schubart is more of a one-tool guy, but that one tool is prodigious left-handed power that has resulted in 40 homers and elite exit velocities in his two college seasons. His swing can get long and uphill, leading to contact issues, and below-average speed and arm strength limit him to left field or first base.

3 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

I want no "strikeouts are a concern" drafted hitters. WIth the exception of Aaron Judge, all such guys end up mediocre at best, and many fail to make it. Were strikeouts a concern with Kevin Parada? If not, it shows even guys without that concern pre-draft will find high minors and majors pitching a strikeout-increasing issue.

D J said...

MLB.com in 2022 profiled Parada as a 280-300 hitter with 20-25 homerun ability and 60 grade hitting and 60 grade power potential. Their concern was his dense as a catcher. Unfortunately strike outs are now a major concern.

Tom Brennan said...

D J, good reminder on Parada. Maybe 2025 will be a breakthrough for him.