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/ -
#13 Luke Stevenson
C North Carolina
20/years old
6' 1" 200
Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 30 | Arm: 60 |
Field: 55 | Overall: 55
Stevenson could have signed for top-five-rounds money as a
North Carolina high schooler in 2023. He opted instead to stay local and play
for the Tar Heels, and now he enters 2025 as the best all-around catcher and
top college sophomore in the Draft. He claimed North Carolina's starting job as
a freshman, slammed 14 homers last spring and played with the U.S. collegiate
national team during the summer.
A physical left-handed hitter, Stevenson has a propensity for
hitting balls hard and launching them in the air. His power plays from
left-center to the right-field foul pole and could translate into 25 homers per
season. He has a reasonably disciplined approach but struggles to make contact
against breaking balls and changeups.
While Stevenson is a well-below-average runner, he has
significantly improved his conditioning since high school. He has really
cleaned up his receiving and become a solid defender behind the plate. His arm
stands out both for pure strength and the accuracy of his throws.
2-26-25 –
MLB mock draft 2025: Projecting first round for 2025 MLB
Draft
https://sportsnaut.com/mlb/mlb-analysis/lists/mlb-mock-draft-2025/
17. Chicago Cubs: Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
The best overall catcher in the draft, Luke Stevenson from
the University of North Carolina, had 14 home runs and a .955 OPS in 64 games
as a freshman in 2024. Now a sophomore, Stevenson is expected to be the first
backstop taken and would be a perfect fit for the Chicago Cubs at 17.
2-10-25
FLO Baseball - 2025 MLB Mock Draft 1.0-
https://www.flobaseball.tv/articles/13555752-2025-mlb-mock-draft-10-nats-stunner-with-the-no-1-pick
No. 26 Philadelphia Phillies: Luke Stevenson, C, North
Carolina Baseball
Stevenson hit .284/.420/.535 for the Tar Heels in 2024, and
he could grow at the plate with a terrific swing. But he’s also one of the best
defensive catchers in the draft. He could vault into the top 10 if he has a big
offensive year.
Stevenson also is soaring up the prospect lists since the
start of the year. Baseball America has him at No. 11.
1-28-25 –
MLB 2025 Mock Draft 2.0: Predictions for Every 1st-Round Pick
17. Chicago Cubs: C Luke Stevenson, North Carolina
One of the best draft-eligible sophomores in the 2025 class,
Stevenson hit .284/.420/.535 with 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 64 games as a true
freshman. With a strong arm and solid receiving skills, he is the most complete
prospect of the three college catchers who could go in the first round, ahead
of Ike Irish (Auburn) and Caden Bodine (Coastal Carolina).
1-22-25 –
Just Baseball: 2025 MLB Draft – Top 80 College Prospects
https://www.justbaseball.com/college/mlb-draft-top-college-prospects/?s=03
8. Luke Stevenson – C
HT/WT: 6’1/200 | Bat/Throw: L/R | School: North Carolina |
Age: 20.11
Stevenson was highly touted out of high school last summer,
but he chose to uphold his commitment to North Carolina and it has paid
dividends for the freshman. He’s eligible as a sophomore due to his age in 2025
and he’s in line to be one of the first backstops off the board.
He’s built like a stereotypical catcher with a stout lower
half and present strength throughout his body. He’s got explosive motions out
of the crouch and handles the run game well, showcasing a strong arm and pop
times to second have been clocked at 1.9-1.95 seconds.
He’s a standout receiver, as well. Offensively, scouts have
raved about the bat. Stevenson can get a bit overwhelmed by spin, but he
possesses excellent barrel feel with quick hands and legitimate power to both
sides of the field.
Stevenson’s already posted multiple exit velocities above the
110 MPH echelon in Chapel Hill and there’s feel to lift the ball consistently.
It’s hard to find a catcher with these kinds of tools on both
sides of the ball, but Stevenson certainly has them. There’s a solid chance he
ends up being the best catcher in this draft class.
1-16-25 -
An Early Look at the Top 30 Prospects for the 2025 MLB Draft
https://lastwordonsports.com/baseball/2025/01/15/top-30-prospects-2025-mlb-draft/#google_vignette
6. Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
This is a little about position, as catchers always climb up
the board, but Luke offers a similar power tool as LaViolette with the ability
to stay behind the dish. A draft-eligible sophomore, he hit in the middle of
one of the best offenses in the country as a freshman.
1-8-25 –
2025 MLB Draft: Preseason Top 75 Collegiate Prospects —
Prospects Live
10. C Luke Stevenson, North Carolina
Height: 6’1
Weight: 200
b/t: L/R
Draft Day Age: 20 YR 11 MO
Hometown: Wake Forest, NC
Stevenson was highly touted out of high school last summer,
but he chose to uphold his commitment to North Carolina and it has paid
dividends for the freshman. He's eligible as a sophomore due to his age in 2025
and he's in line to be one of the first backstops off the board. He's built
like a stereotypical catcher with a stout lower half and present strength
throughout his body. He's got explosive motions out of the crouch and handles
the run game well, showcasing a strong arm and pop times to second have been
clocked at 1.9-1.95 seconds. He's a standout receiver, as well. Offensively,
scouts have raved about the bat. Stevenson can get a bit overwhelmed by spin,
but he possesses excellent barrel feel with quick hands and legitimate power to
both sides of the field. He's already posted multiple exit velocities above the
110 MPH echelon in Chapel Hill and there's feel to lift the ball consistently.
It's hard to find a catcher with these kind of tools on both sides of the ball,
but Stevenson certainly has them.
December 23, 2024
Top 50 college baseball prospects for 2025 MLB draft, per
D1Baseball
5 Luke Stevenson C
North Carolina
12-10-24 –
Here's Pipeline's first full 2025 mock draft
https://www.mlb.com/news/first-full-2025-mlb-mock-draft?partnerID=web_article-share –
16. Twins: Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina (No. 13)
The best all-around catcher and top college sophomore in the
Draft, Stevenson stands out most with his power and arm strength.
12-10-24 - FSS PLUS:
2025 MLB Mock Draft: So it begins…
https://futurestarsseries.com/2025-mlb-mock-draft/
7. Miami Marlins
Luke Stevenson, C — North Carolina
HOMETOWN: Wake Forest, North Carolina
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 200
BAT/THROW: L-R
A draft-eligible sophomore, Stevenson walked away from a good
paycheck during the 2023 Draft in order to enroll at Chapel Hill. Lauded for
his polished hit tool and raw power, Stevenson gets high marks from scouts on
his ability to slow down the game at the plate. He takes his walks and puts a
jolt into the baseball when mistakes are left over the heart of the plate. He’s
proven capable of handling any pitch anywhere in the strike zone, though when
he expands the zone he’s had some trouble making contact with the breaking
ball. That can sometimes lead to the fear he’ll struggle to hit more advanced
spin in professional baseball, though he’s so young at this point and his
sample is just one year coming into 2025. Stevenson looked like the total
package at times in 2024 as a true freshman with the occasional streaky bouts
of getting fooled by the accelerated college game. He has a short, simple,
cut-off swing from the left side with a tight, compact turn. He’s got extremely
fast hands with considerable raw power that will effortlessly translate to the
pro game. There’s some Kyle Schwarber in the operation. Stevenson swings a
heavy barrel with loud exit velocities. It’s legitimate impact upside.
Defensively, Stevenson gets green checks for his ability to
receive the baseball and has flashed easy ‘plus’ arm strength consistently
putting the baseball right on the bag. Already a thick profile, Stevenson
figures to stay behind the plate so long as he doesn’t outgrow the flexibility
required to catch. As presently constructed, scouts believe he’s comfortably
the best defensive catcher in the 2025 Draft with a chance to be one of the
more complete catching prospects to come out of the college game in the last
handful of years. This is what they look like. Tons of strength in the
lower-half and core. He’s pro-ready.
Absolutely gutting that Miami didn’t land a top-three pick in
the draft, but Stevenson is a tremendous consolation prize.
9/29/24 - 20 college prospects for the '25 Draft
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.
LUKE STEVENSON, C -
north carolina
Prospects Live Ranking - #10
A draft eligible sophomore, Stevenson has been a force to be
reckoned with since joining the Tar Heels.
From an offensive standpoint, it's a physical presence, premier bat
speed, and all sorts of advanced batted ball data. Across all of Division I, Stevenson finished
in or above the 90th percentile in hard hit rate, barrel rate, average exit
velocity, and slugging percentage in 2024.
Furthermore, Luke was very efficient against fastballs as he hit .303
with a .969 OPS this past spring.
Although having 55 strikeouts, Stevenson led North Carolina with 48
walks, demonstrating his plate discipline and feel for the strike zone. Behind the dish, Luke is an excellent
receiver with proficient framing skills while being an established blocker,
especially as the season progresses.
Though he threw out 20% of baserunners, he is not afraid to back-pick
baserunners to keep them honest.
Stevenson holds one of the highest baseball IQs in this incoming class,
understanding situations and not allowing critical moments in a game overwhelm
him. He checks just about all the boxes
for teams considering him in the 2025 MLB Draft, and another successful season
will establish him as a sure first-round pick.
https://goheels.com/sports/baseball/roster/luke-stevenson/25471 -
High School
Ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect in North Carolina by
Perfect Game • Four-year letterwinner for coach Carlos Varela at Wake Forest
High School • 2023 Prep Baseball Report North Carolina Player of the Year •
2023 Max Preps and Perfect Game First Team All-America • 2023 North Carolina
Baseball Coaches Association 4A Player of the Year • Selected as the 2023 4A
Northern Athletic Conference Player of the Year • Led WFHS to the NCHSAA 4A
East Region title and runner-up finish at the state championship finals series
• Posted a slash line of .529/.646/1.313 with 17 home runs, 11 doubles and 58
RBIs, leading the state in home runs and RBIs.
Recruiting Luke Stevenson out of Wake Forest High School,
assistant coaches Jesse Wierzbicki and Bryant Gaines knew how special he could
be.
“We have to have this guy,” they said to head coach Scott
Forbes.
Forbes listened, and the first-year catcher has quickly
become one of UNC’s most prolific hitters. Ranking fifth on the team in batting
average and RBIs, Stevenson is one of six players to have started every game
for UNC so far this season.
Stevenson broke out in a big way this week — totaling 12 RBIs
through five games, including three in UNC’s series-clinching game against
Princeton on Saturday. In just his third week of collegiate baseball, the
former No. 9 overall prospect in North Carolina according to Perfect Game
showcased the speed, power and arm talent that the coaching staff knew they
were getting when he came to Chapel Hill.
No comments:
Post a Comment