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/ -
#14 Max Belyeu
OF Texas
21/years old
6' 2" 210
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 |
Field: 50 | Overall: 55
Belyeu and Jared Thomas were the two best hit-over-power prep
outfielders in the Lone Star State three years ago, intriguing scouts but not
making enough present impact to get lured away from their commitments to Texas.
Both blossomed in Austin. The Rockies grabbed Thomas in the second round of the
2024 Draft, and Belyeu is now bidding to become the Longhorns' first
first-round hitter since Drew Stubbs in 2006. He went from not playing much as
a freshman in 2023 to earning Big 12 Conference player of the year accolades
last spring.
One of the best all-around offensive players in the college
crop, Belyeu hits for average and power while controlling the strike zone and
making consistent hard contact. He has a quick left-handed swing geared for
line drives, showing the ability to pull pitches for home runs or backspin them
out of the park to the opposite field. His ability to put the bat on the ball
cuts into his walk totals a bit and he struggled against non-fastballs last
summer with the U.S. collegiate national team and in the Cape Cod League after
crushing them during the spring.
Belyeu is a good athlete with average-to-solid speed but
doesn't stand out with his instincts on the bases or in the outfield. He's
inconsistent with his reads and routes, which precludes him from playing center
field. His arm is both strong and accurate, so he fits nicely in right.
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/
20. Milwaukee Brewers: Max Belyeu, OF, Texas
Max Belyeu broke out onto the scene with Texas in 2024,
winning the Big 12 Player of the Year award after hitting 18 home runs with a
1.090 OPS in 59 games. Despite the impressive collegiate season, his production
took a dip in the Cape Cod League, where he posted a paltry .658 OPS and struck
out 21 times in 63 plate appearances, with just two home runs. Belyeu is still
a first-round talent but needs to have a good showing in 2025. He could be a
steal for the Milwaukee Brewers at 20.
2-26-25 -
https://www.justbaseball.com/mlb-draft/2025-mlb-draft-deep-dive-max-belyeu/
Belyeu is a fairly aggressive swinger (44% swing percentage
in 2024). He also tends to swing out of the zone a ton. In 2024, his chase rate
was north of 30% (23rd percentile), a tendency that’s particularly prevalent
against spin.
While this is offset by a strong ability to make contact out
of the strike zone, his propensity to chase is a consideration for drafting
teams. There are plenty of MLB organizations that have shown an ability to
improve swing decisions; there’s work to be done there for Belyeu.
There are also some questions around bat-to-ball skills, for
me. Belyeu’s overall contact rate in 2024 was ~77%, which is good, not great.
His 15% whiff rate in-zone was pretty high, too.
Belyeu certainly has a chance for an average hit tool. His
2025 season may well answer some of these small questions about his offensive
skill set. I’m simply contending that there are a few more nuances to monitor
with his hit tool than have been raised around his draft profile thus far.
Defensively, it is a more average set of tools. The glove is
solid in the outfield, although his route running could use honing. The arm is
around average. It’s likely a corner profile long-term (left field).
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. 15 Boston Red Sox: Max Belyeu, OF, Texas Baseball
MLB Pipeline is higher on the reigning Big 12 Player of the
Year, listing him as the No. 14 prospect in the draft. Baseball America, not so
much, having him at No. 41 to start off 2025.
It’s why he’s at No. 24 in the FloBaseball composite
rankings.
MLB has him going 12th overall in mock drafts, while BA has
him outside the first round (somewhere).
But Belyeu has the potential to be this year’s Charlie Condon
in terms of eye-popping numbers and climbing into the top pick discussion.
He hit .329/.423..667 with 15 doubles and 18 home runs last
season. He projects to be a corner outfielder in the majors. He was the 2024
Big 12 Player of the Year.
1-22-25 –
Just Baseball: 2025 MLB Draft – Top 80 College Prospects
https://www.justbaseball.com/college/mlb-draft-top-college-prospects/?s=03
24. Max Belyeu – OF
HT/WT: 6’2/210 | Bat/Throw: L/R | School: Texas | Age: 21.6
The Big 12 Player of the Year as a sophomore, Belyeu broke
out in a big way in 2024, slashing .329/.423/.667 with 18 home runs and 15
doubles.
A bat-first prospect, Belyeu is a bit aggressive at the dish,
recording a chase rate near the 30% mark, but he has excellent barrel feel and
lifts the baseball at a frequent clip, recording a solid 32.5% fly ball rate in
2024.
He likes to use the whole field to his advantage and there’s
no glaring weakness in his pure contact, though he did show some struggles
against spin with wood bats on the Cape and with Team USA.
Belyeu’s power grades out as above-average to plus to his
pull-side, registering exit velocities north of 112 MPH in the spring, plus
he’s shown an ability to hammer the ball to the opposite field.
There’s a lot to like offensively. In the field, Belyeu’s
defensive home is likely left field. He’s gotten time in center field with
Cotuit, though his route-running needs polish, and his arm strength is
fringe-average at best.
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
14. Max Belyeu, OF, Texas
An elite hitter with some power in the bat. The type of
player whose stock can jump into the top 10 with another productive year and
flashes of more power.
Top 50 college baseball prospects for 2025 MLB draft, per
D1Baseball
15 Max Belyeu OF
Texas
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 –
13. Giants: Max Belyeu, OF, Texas (No. 14)
Don't be surprised if Belyeu climbs higher than this in the
spring because he could be the best all-around hitter in the college class.
9/3/24 - 2025 Draft - Prep Baseball - Top 50 College Hitters
in 2025 Draft
8 Max Belyeu
OF Texas
https://texaslonghorns.com/sports/baseball/roster/max-belyeu/13922 -
AS A FRESHMAN (2023)
Played in 15 games with four starts as designated
hitter…batted .300 with one double, two RBI and three runs scored…went 1-for-1
off the bench against San Jose State (5/12)…went 1-for-2 with a two-run double
against Abilene Christian (4/19)…first career hit came as a pinch hitter
against Mercer (3/8)...made first career start as DH against LSU (2/28).
HIGH SCHOOL
First Team All-State outfielder and four-year
letterwinner…No. 2 ranked outfielder in the state of Texas and No. 12 ranked
player overall in Texas…as a junior at Aledo in 2021, hit .356 with nine
doubles, seven triples and five homers…finished with 33 RBI, 44 runs scored and
10 stolen bases…named the District 5-5A Offensive MVP…named to Texas 5A
All-State first team…played freshman and sophomore seasons at Conroe High
School.
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