Mack - Draft Thoughts: Connor Weigman, Drew Gilbert, Cam Collier, Andrew Dutkanych, Caden Dana

 

 

8-15-21 - Ryan Brauninger  @R_Brauninger 

Breaking: Texas A&M QB commit SS/3B Conner Weigman will graduate early and enroll in January. This move means he will forgo the MLB Draft and also allows him to potentially compete for the Aggie baseball team this spring. Big news for Jimbo Fisher and Jim Schlossnagle

Kendall Rogers @KendallRogers 

Interesting. The No. 37 Prospect in the 2022 HS Class by prep baseball, Conner Weigman, is enrolling at Texas A&M in January and will play for TAMU in the spring. He’s also a five-star QB

 Mack's spin - 

Don't get excited about this baseball fans. He also is 5* QB and they always turn to the pigskin.

8-13-21 - ProspectsLive - Sleeper Breakout Candidate - 

DREW GILBERT, OUTFIELD, TENNESSEE 

Like the other players on this list, Gilbert can really, really control the strike zone. Over 68 games last season, Gilbert slashed .274/.341/.437 with ten homers, running a 13 percent K-rate. He also stole ten bases. His 79 percent contact rate is a tick above average as well. While Gilbert doesn’t draw as many walks as you’d prefer to see from a player with his skillset, he was hit by 14 pitches last season, so he still found a way to get on base. 

Gilbert has a pretty swing but there’s bottled violence in there and he can unload on a pitch when he’s hunting. It’s an open setup displaying good balance and some rhythmic waggle. Gilbert does a really nice job keeping his head on-plane and uses the whole field. It’s a simple swing with a consistent toe-tap trigger and explosive hips. He extends well, most of his power currently to the pull-side. Gilbert strikes me as the type of mature, disciplined hitter that goes from a very good hitter in 2021 to one of college baseball’s best in 2022 as he gets more comfortable. …………………..

Mack's spin - 

Too early to make my board.

We will keep one eye on him.

  

8-12-21 - Talking Chop - Georgia Prospects -

 Cam Collier, 3B, Mt. Paran HS -

 Originally one of the two premier high school bats in the Class of 2023 along with Indiana’s Max Clark, Cam Collier reclassified into the 2022 draft this summer and stands as a candidate to become the top overall pick. I wrote about Collier here back in September of 2020 when I saw him at the Future Stars Series International Week games, and he stood out even playing against a group of kids who were drafted high in the 2021 Class. The son of former big leaguer Lou Collier, Cam is a special hitter with great fundamentals and real power. If he wasn’t such a good hitter, he’d be a first round candidate as a pitcher as well and the arm shows up for him playing third base. He is the complete package and much more advanced than you’d think considering he will be one of the youngest players available in next year’s draft.

 Mack's spin - 

You need to get to know this kid.

He is easily the first 3Bman on the board and is potentially a top 10 pick in the draft.

 

8-8-21 - BA  - 

Andrew Dutkanych, RHP (Indiana) 

Dutkanych is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound righthander who dominated in his outing at Perfect Game National, striking out six straight batters in two innings. He wasn’t quite as overpowering at East Coast Pro a few weeks later, with more scattered strikes and a few hard hit balls against him, but he showed impressive stuff nonetheless and struck out five batters over three frames. 

Dutkanych touched 95 mph at PG National and then touched 96 a few weeks later at East Coast Pro and sat in the 92-94 mph range in both events. He shows two distinct breaking balls, one a mid-80s slider and the other an upper-70s curveball. The slider seemed to be the better swing-and-miss offering for Dutkanych in both outings, though he throws both pitches with high spin rates in the 2400-2600 rpm range.

 Mack's spin - 

Early on, I have him on my RHP board at #19. 

 

8-5-21 - Prospects Live 

 Caden Dana 

 New Jersey HS powerhouse Don Bosco prep is set to produce another high end pitching talent after seeing Caden Dana in St.Pete. A physical 6’5”, 225 lb frame with a bunch in the lower half and able to repeat an easy over-the-top delivery. Showed a quality three pitch mix in his two inning outing, and was able to get swing and miss on all three. Picked up all 6 outs via strikeout. Fastball sat 91-94 with above average command and good run at the top of the zone. Curveball maintained 11/5 shape with big time depth at 76-79 and mixed in a change of pace changeup at 87. It’s an old school prototype profile with budding plus stuff that gives the Kentucky commit a big arrow up. 

Mack's spin - 

Starting him off as my 32nd RHP.