3/16/25

2025 Draft Prospect - #69 - RHP - Nate Snead - Tennessee

 


On 12-5-24, MLB.com posted their top 100 prospects in the upcoming draft. Beginning 2-2-25, we will post it in backward order, ending with the pick for 1.1

https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2025/draft/    - 

#69        Nate Snead      RHP, Tennessee

20/years old      6' 2"      212

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Cutter: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Snead pushed his fastball to 97 mph as a Wisconsin high schooler but battled the strike zone, so he went undrafted in 2022 and headed to Wichita State. He transferred to Tennessee in 2024 and led the national champions with six saves, earning one in the penultimate game of the College World Series finals and a hold in the clincher. The Volunteers may use him as a starter in 2025, which could boost his prospect status.

Snead owns one of the hottest fastballs in college baseball, usually dealing at 95-97 mph with the capability of reaching 101. His heater is more powerful than lively, featuring more sink than carry, so it can get whacked when he doesn't locate it well. He also can overmatch hitters with an upper-80s slider and low-90s cutter.

Unusual for a pitcher who has worked primarily in relief, Snead has five offerings in his arsenal, though he struggles to throw his low-80s curveball for strikes and doesn't have much trust in his upper-80s changeup with mild fade. He uses a slingy delivery with a low three-quarters slot that doesn't prevent him from providing strikes but may limit him to no better than average command. If he can't develop the finesse to make it as a starter, he could be a high-leverage reliever, especially if he can improve the movement profile on his fastball.


1-22-25 –

Just Baseball: 2025 MLB Draft – Top 80 College Prospects

https://www.justbaseball.com/college/mlb-draft-top-college-prospects/?s=03

50. Nate Snead – RHP

HT/WT: 6’2/212 | Bat/Throw: R/R | School: Tennessee | Age: 21.3

A projectable flamethrower from the Midwest, Snead has been one of the best relievers in college baseball for the past two years. Snead’s arsenal isn’t tailored for whiffs, but it’s fantastic arm talent with more on the way given the wiry frame.

Snead’s sinker has jumped the 100 MPH barrier on multiple occasions in shorter stints, sitting in the mid-90s across lengthier outings with dynamic sink and run. He’s worked on a low-90s cutter to get hitters off the heater and it’s fared nicely, missing bats over 35% of the time.

Snead has changed out his bigger breaking ball with an inconsistent shape for a sharp sweeper in the mid-80s that flashes more upside. He’s rarely used a change-up, too.

If Snead can improve the fringy command and find consistency with the breaking ball, he’ll jump up boards. He will start for Tony Vitello’s group this spring, though in pro ball, he may be suited more for a late-inning relief role with what he’s shown in the past.

 

https://utsports.com/sports/baseball/roster/nate--snead/21082 -

CAREER HONORS

2024 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Participant

2024 ABCA All-Southeast Region -- 1st Team (RP)

2023-24 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll

2023 AAC All-Academic Team

2024

Appeared in five of Tennessee's six games at the 2024 Men's College World Series, including 1.2 innings of relief in Game 3 of the MCWS Finals vs. #3 Texas A&M (6/24) to help lead the Vols to their first National Championship in program history.

Picked up the save during Tennessee's win over #3 Texas A&M (6/23) in Game 2 of the CWS finals.

Pitched 2.0 hitless innings during the Vols' win over #4 North Carolina (6/16).

Didn't allow a run in 2.1 innings of work against #8 Florida State (6/14) to pick up the win.

Kept #22 Southern Miss (6/2) scoreless in 4.1 innings to pick up the win in the NCAA regional final victory.

Picked up the save during Tennessee's victory over #13 Mississippi State (5/24).

Held Vanderbilt (5/12) scoreless in 4.1 innings of work, striking out four batters in the process.

Didn't allow an earned run in five innings of work along with a career-high seven strikeouts to pick up the win over Florida (5/4).

Picked up the win after not allowing a run in 1.2 innings of work against Missouri (4/27).

Didn't allow a run and struck out three batters in two innings of work to pick up the save during the victory over LSU (4/13).

Notched three scoreless innings to earn the save during the series-clinching victory over Georgia (3/31).

Pitched six scoreless innings to pick up the win over Illinois (3/10) to complete the series sweep.

Earned his first save as a Vol as he he closed out the win over High Point (2/27), going 2.1 innings and striking out five batters.

Threw 2.2 innings of no-hit baseball against UAlbany (2/25), striking out three batters in the process and picking up his second win of the year.

Registered a win in his Tennessee debut against Baylor (2/18), pitching a career-high five innings and giving up two runs.

2023 (Wichita State)

Made 24 appearances, including one start, going 1-2 with a 3.16 ERA and three saves

Struck out 53 over 42.2 innings, allowing 37 hits for an opponent batting average of .230

Struck out a season-high five batters over 2.0 scoreless innings in a road win at Utah Tech on February 25, securing his first career save

Held Oklahoma hitless through three innings in his first collegiate start on April 11

Nailed down a road victory at Kansas State on April 18 with 1.2 scoreless innings, striking out four

Polished off a shutout win over Kansas State on May 2 with 2.0 shutout frames, earning the save

Fanned five over 3.0 innings in a road win at UCF on May 19...named to AD Honor Roll in Spring 2023

Named to the AAC All-Academic Team

HIGH SCHOOL

Two-year letterwinner at South Milwaukee High School in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Threw the first perfect game in school history, striking out 14 of 15 hitters

Named conference Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference as a senior in 2022

Named Honorable Mention All-Southeast District

Invited to the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Classic

Struck out 64 batters in 35.1 innings, while also hitting .397 with four home runs

Was a First Team All-Conference infielder as a junior in 2021

Ranked as the No. 3 recruit in the state of Wisconsin by Perfect Game and the No. 2 right-handed pitcher

Ranked as the No. 6 prospect in Wisconsin by Prep Baseball Report and the No. 2 right-handed pitcher

Also played volleyball, earning First Team All-Conference honors as an outside hitter

Threw the first perfect game in school history

Played travel baseball for Prospect Training Academy

 

https://www.baseballprospectjournal.com/nate-snead-emerges-as-a-standout-pitcher-at-tennessee/ -

                                                                     Nate Snead can light up a radar gun. The Tennessee right-handed pitcher’s fastball sits in the high 90s and touches triple digits.

It’s not uncommon for Snead to throw his fastball past a hitter. Talent evaluators rave about his fastball and overall pure arm talent.

Snead’s development and rise as a baseball prospect over the last two years are noteworthy. The South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native has evolved from a lightly recruited high school prospect to a standout pitcher as a sophomore for the Volunteers, one of the premier teams in the Southeastern Conference, this spring.

“I’m really thankful for it, and I’m really happy to still be able to play this game,” Snead said. “I just feel like, especially from Wisconsin where not a lot of people get the atmosphere of this, it’s just so much different. I’m really thankful for it. I’m glad I took those steps.”

Snead’s journey into an impactful pitcher in college baseball’s premier conference wasn’t necessarily a realistic expectation just four years ago.

Snead was a talented high school pitcher in Wisconsin but didn’t draw significant recruiting interest. He showed quality arm talent and raw skills on the mound. He dreamed of playing at the next level and committed himself to achieving that goal.

1 comment:

TexasGusCC said...

Hmmmmm, sounds good.