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/ -
#3 Jamie Arnold
LHP Florida State
20/years old
6' 1" 188
Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 |
Control: 55 | Overall: 60
Arnold made it clear he’d be a high-end Draft prospect in
2025 after turning in an outstanding sophomore season with Florida State last
spring, finishing third among all Division I pitchers in strikeouts, trailing
only 2024 first-round picks Chase Burns and Hagen Smith. The Golden Spikes
Award semifinalist also finished with a sub-3.00 ERA and an impressive 159/26
K/BB ratio while helping the Seminoles reach the national semifinals of the
College World Series. He capped things off with four hitless innings and seven
K’s for Team USA in an International Friendship Series against Chinese Taipei
over the summer.
A left-hander with a rangy body and a loose, whippy arm,
Arnold has seen his stuff tick up since leaving Jesuit High School for
Tallahassee. Coming from a lower arm slot and flat approach angle, his
fastball, which was 88-92 mph in high school, now sits in the 94-95 mph range
and touches 97 mph, with a ton of life to miss bats. While his slider can be a
little wide at times, the 82-85 mph sweeping breaking ball is a second plus
offering that elicited a 41-percent miss rate in 2024. His changeup is his third
pitch, and he doesn’t need it much, but there’s some feel for it.
Arnold has shown the ability to fill up the strike zone and
limit damage while maintaining his stuff deep into outings. With the funky arm
slot, his stuff has drawn some comparisons to Chris Sale’s, a reason why his
name will be mentioned in conversations at the top of the first round.
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/
2. Los Angeles Angels: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
If the Los Angeles Angels wanted to make the long-term play,
Ethan Holiday is absolutely worth the second overall pick. However, the
franchise continues to be emphasizing moves that could help the club win as
soon as possible with Mike Trout still on the team. Florida State’s ace Jamie
Arnold already offers two premium pitches (fastball and slider) with a changeup
that could add a third above-average pitch to his repertoire. The 6-foot-1
southpaw posted a 13.5 K/9 this past season with a 6.12 K/BB ratio, with just a
.200 batting average allowed. The 21-year-old offers an accelerated timeline to
the majors and could develop into a No. 1 starter in the Angels rotation when
he enters his prime years.
Jamie Arnold stats (2024): 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 90 hits
allowed, 159-26 K-BB in 105.2 innings
2-15-25 –
CBS Sports - 2025 MLB Draft prospect rankings
1. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
The quick hook: Lefty with good stuff and command
If you haven't watched Arnold, then the best way to visualize
his delivery is to stitch together parts from other great southpaws. He
combines Clayton Kershaw's leg kick, complete with hands puppeteering the knee
ever higher, with Chris Sale's longer arm stroke and lower release slot. Forget
the anxiety of influence; Arnold has the potential to become someone others
model their games after in due time. His arsenal contains three high-quality
offerings, including a pair of distinct fastballs: a four-seamer that elicits
whiffs and a sinker that induces ground balls, both at elite rates. He also
possesses a plus or better slider that he's shown the capacity for backfooting
against right-handed batters and a changeup (though it makes fewer public appearances
than Thomas Pynchon). Arnold has a better strike-throwing track record than
Hagen Smith, the No. 5 pick and the top left-hander in last year's draft, and
one veteran talent evaluator estimated he's ahead of where Paul Skenes was at
this point in his platform year. That doesn't mean Arnold will reach Skenes'
heights (remember that Skenes discovered an elite pitch, a sinker, shortly
after turning pro), but it makes him the current most compelling candidate to
go No. 1.
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
1. Washington Nationals: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Baseball
Wait, what?
Yes. In a draft where there are seemingly two consensus top
prospects, one being a college slugger who gives Aaron Judge vibes (Jace
LaViolette), and another who looks like a bigger, stronger version of his
older, phenom brother (Ethan Holliday, brother of Jackson) who debuted at 19 in
2024, I think neither really fit what the Nationals want and could be more
affordable.
They want pitching to go with the young hitters - James Wood,
Dylan Crews and CJ Abrams.
MacKenzie Gore looked good, while Travis Sykora is the No. 2
prospect in the organization and is ranked No. 59 overall in Baseball America's
2025 prospect rankings.
Arnold could be the best pitcher in the draft after what he
did in 2024. He certainly can pitch himself to the No. 1 spot like Paul Skenes
did in 2023. He doesn’t have the fastball Skenes has, but he has thrown as high
as 97 mph. He also has solid off-speed pitches with a slider, curveball and
changeup. Arnold's slider could be the best pitch of any prospect in the class.
He’s the No. 3 prospect at FloBaseball and was moved to No. 3
by Baseball America in January, moving past Tyler Bremner of UC Santa Barbara.
Carrying a 2.98 ERA in 105 2/3 innings, Arnold was terrific
in 2024 and clearly just behind Chase Burns as the best pitcher in the ACC. At
6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Arnold isn’t the towering figure, but he does get
compared to Chris Sale, which is funny, because Sale is 6-foot-6.
1-28-25 –
MLB 2025 Mock Draft 2.0: Predictions for Every 1st-Round Pick
3. Seattle Mariners: LHP Jamie Arnold, Florida State
With an elite fastball-slider combination and plus command,
Arnold went 11-3 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 159 strikeouts in 105.2 innings
last season to finish as a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award. His stuff
plays up thanks to a deceptive arm slot, and he has shown the ability to carry
his stuff deep into games even with a 6'1", 188-pound frame. The
development of his changeup will be important at the next level.
1-22-25 –
Just Baseball: 2025 MLB Draft – Top 80 College Prospects
https://www.justbaseball.com/college/mlb-draft-top-college-prospects/?s=03
2. Jamie Arnold – LHP
HT/WT: 6’1/192 | Bat/Throw: L/L | School: Florida State |
Age: 21.3
After a rough freshman campaign in Tallahassee, Arnold
exploded onto the draft scene in 2024, striking out 159 batters in 105.2
innings to the tune of a 2.98 ERA.
Arnold generates a ton of scap retraction in his delivery,
but he’s on time with his arm and he creates a tough angle to the plate with a
slingy release. His fastball rarely cracked 90 MPH in 2023, but in 2024,
Arnold’s average velocity jumped to ~94 MPH and topped out at 97 MPH.
His release point averages 54 inches in total and his heater
has solid carry and run with flatness, allowing the pitch to jump on hitters
quickly and miss bats aplenty. His mid-80s sweeper is his best secondary,
landing the pitch for strikes consistently and averaging over ten inches of
horizontal movement. He commands the pitch well and there’s some backfoot
capabilities to righties.
It’s as dynamic of a one-two punch as you can find in the
amateur landscape. Arnold has feel for a mid-80s cambio that has some depth and
fade to righties, though he’s shown struggles commanding the offering.
With that said, he’s flashed an improved cambio this winter
with added depth. Given the arsenal, command, and starting traits, Arnold’s
chances of being the first arm off the board are high.
1-17-25 –
College Baseball Player Of The Year Award Predictions For
2025
Pitcher of the Year: Jamie Arnold (Florida State)
Florida State’s run to the College World Series in 2024 was
accomplished in large part due to its offensive firepower, with back-to-back
first-round picks James Tibbs and Cam Smith in the heart of the batting order.
This year, however, the Seminoles are expected to lean more
heavily on their mound presence to return Omaha, something they feel
well-positioned to do with Arnold at the forefront of the effort.
The lefthanded Arnold was dominant as a sophomore, pitching
his way to a 2.98 ERA with 159 strikeouts against just 26 walks in 105.2
innings. He returns this season with an improved changeup, according to head
coach Link Jarrett, who said his ace is a rare luxury.
“He gives your team a chance to settle and calibrate what’s
going on as the weekend starts, and that’s big,” Jarrett said. “If you’re not
in that position, it starts to stress your bullpen. When you have to pick up
that walkie talkie in the fourth inning on a Friday night, it’s not a great
feeling. You can do it, but it’s much more productive if you can ease in. We
know we’re going to have someone who gives us a competitive crack at it every
Friday.”
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 –
2. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Starter potential with a solid track record of success in
college, was third in strikeouts last year in the country behind two 1st
rounders in 2024 (Chase Burns/Hagen Smith). Works with a fastball in the
mid-90s and can occasionally reach back for more, mixes with a slider that
flashes above average at times and a workable changeup. Has the mentality on
the mound to move quickly and the strike-throwing ability to have success
quickly in pro ball.
1-9-25 –
Perfect Game USA
@PerfectGameUSA
2025 PG College Preseason Pitcher of the Year
@_JamieArnold13
1-8-25 –
2025 MLB Draft: Preseason Top 75 Collegiate Prospects —
Prospects Live
5. LHP Jamie Arnold, Florida State
Height: 6’1
Weight: 192
B/T: L/L
Draft Day Age: 21 YR 3 MO
Hometown: Tampa, FL
After a rough freshman campaign in Tallahassee, Arnold
exploded onto the draft scene in 2024, striking out 159 batters in 105.2
innings to the tune of a 2.98 ERA. Arnold generates a ton of scap retraction in
his delivery, but he's on time with his arm and he creates a tough angle to the
plate with a slingy release. His fastball rarely cracked 90 MPH in 2023, but in
2024, Arnold's average velocity jumped to ~94 MPH and topped out at 97 MPH. His
release point averages 54 inches in total and his heater has solid carry and
run with flatness, allowing the pitch to jump on hitters quickly and miss bats
aplenty. His mid-80s sweeper is his best secondary, landing the pitch for
strikes consistently and averaging over ten inches of horizontal movement. He
commands the pitch well and there's some backfoot capabilities to righties.
It's as dynamic of a one-two punch as you can find in the amateur landscape.
Arnold has feel for a mid-80s cambio that has some depth and fade to righties,
though he's shown struggles commanding the offering. Given the arsenal,
command, and starting traits, Arnold's chances of being the first arm off the
board are high.
December 23, 2024
Top 50 college baseball prospects for 2025 MLB draft, per D1Baseball
3 Jamie Arnold LHP
Florida State
12-23-24
White Sox 2025 MLB Draft Notebook 1.0
https://www.futuresox.net/2024/12/23/white-sox-2025-mlb-draft-notebook-1-0/
3. Seattle Mariners: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Seattle has taken all different demographics in recent drafts
but Arnold looks to be the top arm in the class at this point. The 6-1, 180
pound southpaw struck out 159 hitters and walked just 26 as a sophomore for the
Seminoles and he runs his fastball up to 97 mph with a plus slider.
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 –
4. Rockies: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State (No. 3)
As a lefty with more track record of starting success and a
better breaking ball, Arnold could edge out Bremner to become the first pitcher
selected.
12-10-24 - FSS PLUS:
2025 MLB Mock Draft: So it begins…
https://futurestarsseries.com/2025-mlb-mock-draft/
3. Seattle Mariners
Jamie Arnold, LHP — Florida State
HOMETOWN: Tampa, Florida
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 195
BAT/THROW: L-L
Arnold would be a tremendous get. He’s a metric darling with
outlandish release traits and three pitches that project to ‘plus’ right now.
Arnold has a chance to pitch in the big leagues in 2026.
In 105.2 innings in 2024, Arnold pitched to a 2.98 ERA with
159 strikeouts and just 26 walks. He was by many accounts the best starting
pitcher in college baseball a full year before he’s draft eligible.
Seattle has done remarkably well developing pitching and
Arnold could end up atop the organization’s rotation as early as 2027. He’s a
unicorn.
9/29/24 - Prospect Live: 2025 MLB Draft: Top 75 Collegiate
Prospects
5. LHP Jamie Arnold, Florida State
Height: 6’1
Weight: 192
B/T: L/L
Draft Day Age: 21 YR 3 MO
Hometown: Tampa, FL
After a rough freshman campaign in Tallahassee, Arnold
exploded onto the draft scene in 2024, striking out 159 batters in 105.2
innings to the tune of a 2.98 ERA. Arnold generates a ton of scap retraction in
his delivery, but he's on time with his arm and he creates a tough angle to the
plate with a slingy release.
His fastball rarely cracked 90 MPH in 2023, but in 2024,
Arnold's average velocity jumped to ~94 MPH and topped out at 97 MPH. His
release point averages 54 inches in total and his heater has solid carry and
run with flatness, allowing the pitch to jump on hitters quickly and miss bats
aplenty.
His mid-80s sweeper is his best secondary, landing the pitch
for strikes consistently and averaging over ten inches of horizontal movement.
He commands the pitch well and there's some backfoot capabilities to righties.
It's as dynamic of a one-two punch as you can find in the amateur landscape.
Arnold has feel for a mid-80s cambio that has some depth and
fade to righties, though he's shown struggles commanding the offering. Given
the arsenal, command, and starting traits, Arnold's chances of being the first
arm off the board are high.
9/8/24 - 2025 Draft - B/R's Way-Too-Early 2025 MLB Mock Draft
9. Cincinnati Reds: LHP Jamie Arnold, Florida State
After scuffling to a 6.34 ERA with a 13.0 percent walk rate
as a freshman, Arnold took a significant step forward in the 2023 Cape Cod
League before turning in a breakout sophomore campaign.
The 6'1" southpaw went 11-3 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP
and a 159-to-26 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 105.2 innings this spring, slashing
his walk rate to 5.8 percent while showcasing swing-and-miss stuff.
The development of his changeup alongside a solid
fastball/slider combination could take Arnold's game to another level.
8/11/24 - Sports Gambling Podcast - 2025 Mock Draft
1.1
Jamie Arnold provides two plus pitches: his mid-to-high 90s
fastball and sweeper from a low left-handed arm slot. Arnold attacks the top of
the zone viciously with his fastball, and his sweeper/changeup offspeed duo can
make hitters look foolish. In his Sophomore season, Arnold racked up 159
strikeouts, an 11-3 record, a 2.98 ERA, and only 26 walks in 105.2 innings
pitched.
3. Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
The first college arm to crack the top 100, Arnold is an
intriguing southpaw that is very likely be taken highly in July. He was limited
to just 44 innings as a freshman in 2023 with some less than stellar numbers,
but took an enormous leap as the anchor of Florida State’s 2024 rotation.
In 105.2 innings across 19 appearances last year, Arnold was
11-3 with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.098 WHIP. He struck out 159 with just 26 walks,
showing just how good he is. If he follows up last season with another strong
campaign in 2025, he would have a case for the top pick and would surely be a
contender to be the first pitcher off the board.
