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Baseball America

 

Predictions –

                            Player of the Year

Jacob Rudner: Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M

LaViolette earned first-team All-America status as a sophomore last year. He enters 2025 as the POY favorite and a strong contender to be drafted first overall.

 

Peter Flaherty: Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M

LaViolette returns to College Station after a career year in which he walloped 29 home runs. He will again be the cornerstone of the Aggies’ lineup.

 

Pitcher of the Year

Jacob Rudner: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State

Arnold dominated as a sophomore with a 2.98 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 105.2 innings. He returns this season with an improved changeup.

 

Peter Flaherty: Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Bremner was outstanding last season and worked to a 2.54 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 88.2 innings. He is armed with a thunderous three-pitch mix. 

 

Seth Hernandez is an elite prep pitching prospect who does nearly everything at an exceptional level. There is no doubt that he is a First Team High School All-American 

 

Here’s how the 2025 class stacks up when we put all the grades together and round each category to the nearest half-grade:

Overall: 50 (average)

Impact: 45 (fringe-average)

Depth: 55 (above-average)

College Pitching: 50 (average)

College Hitting: 50 (average)

High School Pitching: 50 (average)

High School Hitting: 50 (average)

While the 2024 class doesn’t yet have the sort of top-of-the-class talent to get the industry fired up, it is a well-rounded and deep group of players with no clear weakness.

At the same time as a year ago, the 2025 group is definitely ahead of a 2024 class that was viewed as fringe-average with overall and impact talent and just average in depth. That class also featured both high school demographics with below-average grades.

The 2025 draft joins the 2023 class as only the second in our five years of this exercise to not have a single demographic below a 50—though directors gave both the college and high school hitters 55s, while the 2025 class is straight 50s across the board.

While the 2025 class seems to have enough talent to keep teams busy on all three two days of the draft, scouts will be looking for a handful of players to take a step forward and cement themselves as no-doubt top-of-the-class headliners on draft day.

 

Joe Doyle        @JoeDoyleMiLB 

It’s pretty remarkable just how much deeper the 2025 Draft appears to be on the high school side than last year. 

There is a belief within some scouting departments that Temecula (Ca.) 3B Gavin Fien could end up the first high school player off the board in July. He comes in at No. 12 on this week's Top 300 Draft Prospects for 2025. 

OF Angel Laya has been a talking point from scouts and evaluators at the event the last two days. Might have the best OF arm in California. Can run and takes mature ABs. Frame filling out. A name on the rise. 

 

Ian Smith            @IanSmittyGA 

2025 RHP Charlie Wilcox has stacked quality performances throughout the past year, and that continued at Super 60

Durable 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame. Effortless operation for the GT commit.

FB: 91-94 T95; Max RPM 2513

CB: 80-82; 2700+

CH: 87

Split: 80-82; 681 RPM

 

2025 SS/CF John Stuetzer showing the all-fields approach this afternoon.

Hands really work well through the zone with present above-average bat speed. Aptitude to drive balls backside w/ intent. Max EV 100.5

6.50 60 as well for the FSU Baseball commit.

  

On The Clock | College Baseball and MLB Draft Pod       @OnTheClock_1 

Clemson’s Cam Cannarella showed off his elite tools in 2024 even while playing through an injury.

Could a healthy Cannarella go No. 1 overall in the 2025 MLB Draft?!

 

                    No. 2 - LHP Jamie Arnold, Florida State

Arnold exploded onto the draft scene in 2024, striking out 159 batters in 105.2 innings to the tune of a 2.98 ERA.

 

                    No. 1 - OF Jace LaViolette, Texas A&M

LaViolette has already cranked 50 home runs in his collegiate career and he may end up amongst the likes of Eddy Furniss and Frank Fazzini on the all-time list in the NCAA ranks

 

Peter Flaherty III        @PeterGFlaherty

 

RHP Derrick Smith (NC State) ) has a chance to be one of the top relievers in the country this spring. After throwing just 3 innings as a Freshman, Smith last season pitched his way to a 4.55 ERA with 41 Ks to 11 BB across 29.2 IP. Allowed just 3 ER over his final 15 appearances. Earned an invitation to Team USA's Collegiate National Team.

At 6'2" and 221-lbs, Smith has a high-waisted build with present strength and physicality in his lower-half. Noticeable side step leads into a high leg kick and a drop-and-drive delivery. Smith has a loose, whippy arm stroke and attacks from a low-3/4 slot. Noticeable wrist coil.

Smith's FB sits in the 92-94 range, but has been up to 97. Throws both a 4 and a 2-seam. The former has some carry in the top-1/3 of the zone, while the latter flashes both arm-side run and a bit of sink. Low release height of around 5'8". Not a bat-misser right now and had a miss rate of just 12% in '24. Smith will need to hone in on and iron out the pitch's shape.

The money-maker with Smith is his low-80s SL. Smith's feel for the pitch is highly advanced and he does a nice job of manipulating its shape. High-spin offering that consistently flashes sharp two-plane tilt. Will use it—and is effective—against both LHH and RHH. More of a gyro-y look against lefties with more depth than sweep, and against righties it will flash that more signature two-plane look. Generated an eye-popping 61% miss rate (including a 34% IZ miss rate) and 34% chase rate in '24 and held opposing hitters to a minuscule .051 average. Easy 60.

Smith's command can be scattered at times, which can partially be attributed to him falling off a bit towards the 1B side. A reliever all the way, Smith profiles as a 4th-7th rounder this July.

 

While he'll unfortunately be out this season with an injury, LHP Grant Richardson (Grand Canyon) ) is a name to know in this year's Draft. Collected 29 Ks across 22 innings as a Freshman, but took a sizable step forward last season and worked a 3.73 ERA with 70 Ks to 30 BB in 50.2 IP.

At 6'3" and 220-lbs, Richardson has a strong and durable build with physicality throughout. Fairly simple operation with a degree of explosiveness. Creates a positive angle with his shoulder tilt. Deep arm stroke in which there's a pronounced wrist coil, Richardson attacks from a near over-the-top slot with plenty of arm speed. Will sometimes fly open and pull off. Powerful look.

Richardson's FB sits in the 92-95 range, but has been up to 97 with ample life through the zone. Jumps out of his hand from a ~5'11" release height, averaged almost 17" of ride and slightly over 10" of run last season. Unsurprisingly, the pitch generates the vast majority of its whiffs in the top-2/3 of the zone and on the arm side of the plate. Consistently gets over the barrels of opposing hitters. Generated a 29% miss rate, 30% chase rate and 25% IZ miss rate last season. Mentioned it above, but most of Richardson's "misses" will come up and/or out due to him pulling off at times. FB is comfortably a 55.

Richardson pairs his heater with a mid-to-upper-80s gyro SL. Two-plane look with more depth than sweep as well as present sharpness. Will use it against both righties and lefties, and it's effective against both but it's a particular tough look for LHH. Flashed above-average last spring and generated a 41% whiff rate and 34% chase rate. At its best when in the bottom-1/3 and down or out of the zone.

Richardson lacks a 3rd pitch right now, which will be key for him develop in order for him to start professionally. Threw a handful of changeups in the mid-80s last spring, and a couple flashed some fade to the arm side. Distant third offering right now. His command and control is fringe-average. 6th-9th round type for me this July. 

 

RHP Justin Mitrovich    - @ElonBaseball

is one mid-major arm to follow this season. Was excellent as a true Freshman and pitched his way to a 3.68 ERA with 66 Ks to 21 BB across 63.2 IP. Last spring he worked a 5.06 ERA and collected 96 Ks against 30 BB in 80 IP. Mitrovich also showed positive flashes on the Cape this summer and notched 17 Ks in as many IP. 

Mitrovich has an athletic frame at 6'3" and 200-lbs. Room to fill out physically. Worked exclusively out of the stretch during the spring, but went back to the windup this summer. Works on the 1B side of the rubber, starts his motion with a small side step then gathers himself. Leads into a high lift, and the rest of his operation is up-tempo. Plenty of depth on his long arm stroke, attacks from a three-quarters slot with present arm speed. Some effort.

Mitrovich's FB sits in the 91-94 range, but has been up to 96 with some life in the top-1/2 of the zone. Figuring his heater out is going to be the key for him going forward. Threw mostly 4-seamers during the spring, but went 2-seam heavy during the summer and still generated a whiff rate < 20%. A handful of the latter flashed late arm side life, particularly against LHH. Both play well in the top-1/2 of the zone. Needs to iron out the shape and maximize it.

Mitrovich's bread-and-butter offerings are his secondaries. His low-80s CH is one of the best of its kind in the college ranks. Averaged over 12 MPH off his FB last spring and is a legit swing-and-miss pitch against both LHH and RHH. Throws it with conviction and will use it in any count. Consistently flashes fade to the arm side as well as ample late tumbling life. True "falling off the table" look. Mitrovich's feel for the pitch is highly advanced, and last spring it generated a 52% whiff rate, 47% chase rate and held opposing hitters to a .198 average. Comfortably a 60.

Rounds out his arsenal with a low-to-mid-80s SL that is a particular weapon against righthanded hitters. Gyro look that's not big in shape, but will flash some lateral glove-side life with late bite. Flashed above-average at times last spring and garnered a 45% miss rate. Gets whiffs both in and out of the zone.

Mitrovich is a strike-thrower who looks the part of a starter at the next level. As mentioned, the key with him is developing the FB. Fits as a 5th-7th rounder for me right now.

  

Just Means Less ACC           @FQACC

FSU Baseball Hitter to Watch:

C Jaxson West

West is coming off a sophomore season that saw him hit .274 with 12 XBH while walking more times than he struck out. The lefty has bulked up offseason, adding over 30  lbs of muscle and adjusting his swing to tap into more power 

 

Baseball America 

Alberto Osuna, a 6-foot-1, 240-pound first baseman and designated hitter who was expected to play for Division II Tampa as a graduate student this year, is instead set to join Tennessee and will almost certainly contend for a starting role.

Osuna transferred to Tampa over the offseason after three years at North Carolina, where he used up his D-I eligibility. He is expected to receive a waiver to play in 2025, as he began his collegiate career at Walters State Community College in 2020.

Osuna enjoyed a great deal of success throughout his stint in Chapel Hill, where he ranks fifth all-time in career home runs (45). Last year, the slugger hit .281/.376/.537 with 14 home runs, 56 RBIs and 17 doubles, a new career high. He also set career-best marks in runs scored (43), total hits (65), walks (33) and strikeout percentage (20.6%). Osuna appeared in all 62 of the Tar Heels’ games, including in the College World Series where he faced the Volunteers.

 

Player To Know – Mississippi State

There’s no doubt that first baseman Hunter Hines is a player to know on this Mississippi State roster. But Hines is entering his fourth season with the program with 54 career home runs and should be a familiar face at this point. Enter two-way newcomer Noah Sullivan, a senior transfer from USC Upstate. As a junior last season, Sullivan hit .324/.453/.613 with 27 extra-base hits, including 17 home runs, and pitched his way to a 4.88 ERA with a career-high 51 strikeouts in 75.2 innings. The expectation is that Sullivan will continue to contribute in a two-way capacity with his new school.

 

Player To Know – UC Santa Barbara

Tyler Bremner enters his junior season as arguably the top righthander in college baseball after posting an 2.54 ERA and 104 strikeouts against just 21 walks in 88.2 innings as a sophomore last year. The Collegiate National Team alum sat in the 93-96 mph range and topped out at 98 out of a high three-quarters delivery and backed up his heater with a plus slider and changeup that drew an impressive 46% miss rate last season.

 

Player To Know – UC Irving

An all-Big West first-team selection after he started all 59 games at first base for Irvine in 2024, Anthony Martinez returns to the Anteaters’ roster as one of the top offensive players in his conference, a projection he’ll need to turn into a reality for Irvine to achieve its goals this season. The lefthanded hitter hit .316/.422/.492 with nine home runs, 18 doubles, more walks (36) than strikeouts (29) and a conference-leading 74 RBIs in the heart of Irvine’s order and parlayed that success into a stint with the US collegiate national team. Martinez enters his junior season as a top-five round talent.

 

Player To Know – Indiana

Devin Taylor thrust himself deep into the 2025 first round conversation last year when he hit .357/.449/.660 with a conference-leading 20 home runs and 67 runs while also adding 11 doubles, one triple, 54 RBIs and 38 strikeouts to 37 walks. After predominantly playing left field for the Hoosiers in 2024, Taylor will receive more opportunities in center as a junior, completing an upperclassmen trio up the middle with Stadler behind the plate and Cerny at short.

  

Just Baseball –

 17. Brayden Jaksa – C

HT/WT: 6’6/210 | Bat/Throw: R/R | School: Irvington (CA) | Commitment: Oregon | Age: 18.5

At 6’6″, 210 pounds, Jaksa is not your typical catching prospect. Jaksa has an extra large frame with proportionate strength and long levers to his body, giving him ample projection to his figure.

While he’s gangly, he does a great job of controlling his limbs and body on both sides of the ball. At the plate, his plate discipline has very little warts and there’s a ton of power projection in the stick. He stays within the strike zone and maintains a high contact rate thanks to a consistent bat path through the zone.

He has a heavy barrel through the zone with natural loft and leverage, allowing him to tap into legitimate all-field power that should grade out as above-average or plus when all is said and done.

Behind the dish, Jaksa is rather mobile for his size thanks to quality athleticism. He’s a good receiver with a strong arm, as well. He’s got a good shot to stick back there, but if he has to move positions, he fits best in a corner outfield spot with his arm strength. Jaksa’s college commitment belongs to the Oregon Ducks.

 

19. Anthony Pack Jr. – OF

HT/WT: 5’11/175 | Bat/Throw: L/L | School: Millikan (CA) | Commitment: Texas | Age: 18.6

If you’re looking for a Dillon Head/Braylon Payne clone in this class, look no further than Anthony Pack Jr. Pack is an exceptional athlete with a ton of twitch on both sides of the ball.

At the plate, Pack is a bit more of a slasher profile, though he’s got extremely quick hands, tight rotation, and bat speed that separates him a bit from his peers.

He’s employed more of a line-drive approach in recent viewings and while there’s some swing-and-miss, Pack is patient and racks up his walks. He’ll attack the gaps and utilize his plus speed to his advantage, plus there’s some pull side juice, too.

He’s a fit in center field long term thanks to the aforementioned plus speed, which enables him to get excellent reads off the bat and chase down fly balls with ease. He has the chance to be an exceptional defender when all is said and done. Overall, there’s a lot to like with the profile and there’s a good chance he’s a Day 1 prospect. Pack is committed to the University of Texas.

 

22. Matthew Fisher – RHP

HT/WT: 6’3/200 | Bat/Throw: R/R | School: Evansville Memorial (IN) | Commitment: Indiana | Age: 19.3

A massive riser this past summer, Fisher has established himself as one of the top arms in the Midwest with a loud arsenal. He’s a physical presence on the mound with minimal effort and a quick right arm, releasing the baseball from a high three-quarters slot.

The fastball is explosive out of his hand with impressive spin rates, running up to 94 MPH with a ton of carry and slight cutting action. Hitters struggled to square up the heater up in the zone and Fisher should miss a healthy amount of bats with the pitch.

His upper-70s/low-80s breaking ball has more of a sweeper shape, though he’ll add more depth at times. There’s a firmer mid-80s cutter that gives him a bridge offering and he’ll flash a firm mid-80s change-up that has tailing action.

While he’s on the older side of the class, Fisher’s mix of stuff, strikes, and ease of operation will make him a favorite amongst scouting circles. He will be eligible in 2027 as a sophomore if he makes it to Indiana.

 

26. Jacob Parker – OF

HT/WT: 6’4/210 | Bat/Throw: L/R | School: Purvis (MS) | Commitment: Mississippi State | Age: 18.11

The more physical Parker twin, Jacob’s physicality and power help him stand out amongst his peers. Scouts are enamored with the ever-sought-after left-handed power in his bat, which grades out as double-plus raw juice to the pull side.

His swing plane can get steep and will result in grounders, but Parker’s huge strength, mammoth bat speed, and quick hands allow him to tattoo baseballs with a heavy barrel. He’s already reached 108 MPH on exit velocities and there’s more in the tank. Parker’s approach is sublime, too.

He rarely expands the zone and limits swing-and-miss, plus he’s shown very little warts against higher-end velocity. It’s a dynamic offensive profile that will produce a ton of damage.

In the field, he’s a classic right-field profile with loud arm strength. The footwork can be choppy on routes to the ball, though he’s progressing on that front. Both he and his twin brother, Joseph, are committed to Mississippi State.