In this piece, I highlight some early offensive performers at the D1 level. All of the players included were in my database to start the season but did not receive a grade. A player in my database doesn't receive a grade when I either haven't seen them play enough/at all or if I didn't feel they warranted a 35 FV grade which is the lowest grade I give. You can learn a little more about how I grade HERE.
This list is a fairly diverse group and includes notes for players that I've seen, clips for a few hitters, and their current stats for the 2021 season (stats should be accurate as of 3/23). Many of these players will not be drafted, but others will garner enough attention to hear their name called at some point during the draft. Every once in awhile an unheralded college performer gets drafted early to everyone's surprise. The first example that comes to mind is Logan Driscoll. Driscoll was a catcher out of George Mason who was taken in the 2nd round by the San Diego Padres. Driscoll was a legitimate prospect but wasn't seen as a potential 2nd rounder before the 2019 season started. It's not out of the question for another Logan Driscoll to emerge from this group. Finding and identifying that player is a big reason why I do this. Anyway, here are 50+ hitters who have gotten off to a hot start this season:
Catchers:
Brock Mathis, Oklahoma State, 4th-year junior
60 PA, .300/.400/.700, 1.100 OPS, .400 ISO
5 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 7 BB, 12 K, 0 SB
Mathis spent some time at the juco level and played a bit at LSU before finding a home at Oklahoma State. He has experience handling quality arms and gets points for his leadership and work ethic, but his long-term viability behind the plate is a question. Mathis is a bat first catching prospect who shows above-average raw power. His swing is a bit violent as he swings with authority which allows him to punish mistakes but also causes significant swing and miss issues. He smoked a doubled to the left-center gap against a Kumar Rocker fastball earlier this season. Mathis should garner some draft interest as an experienced catcher with a power bat.
Andy Thomas, Baylor, 5th-year senior
84 PA, .370/.420/. 630, 1.050 OPS, .260 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 7 BB, 7 K, 0 SB
Thomas spent a lot of his Baylor career at first base because he was blocked by 2019 first-rounder Shea Langeliers. Thomas's bat was good enough to keep him in the lineup and though he's a bit raw behind the plate compared to the typical college senior, he should stick there as a pro. He's showing more power this season but I think he is likely to profile as a bat-to-ball/on-base type at the next level. His lefty bat and long-term viability behind the plate give him an outside chance to carve out a backup role as a pro. Thomas could end up being selected towards the end of day 2 (rounds 7-10) as a senior sign.
Luke Robinson, Western Carolina, 5th-year senior
73 PA, .397/.493/.724, 1.217 OPS, .327 ISO
7 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 6 BB, 9 K, 0 SB
Stephen Lund, Gonzaga. 3rd-year sophomore
83 PA, .328/.432/.552, .984 OPS, .224 ISO
0 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 9 BB, 14 K, 1 SB
First Base:
Will Frizzell, Texas &M. 4th-year junior
99 PA, .363/.465/.738, 1.202, .375 ISO
6 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 15 BB, 18 K, 1 SB
I was intrigued by Frizzell when I saw him a couple of years ago as a sophomore. It's hard not to notice him at 6'5/210. As you'd expect, Frizzell is a big-time power bat and his raw power is likely plus. He's recorded some loud exit velos over the course of his Texas A&M career and has also improved overall as a hitter. To my eye, it looks like Frizzell has slimmed down a bit from when I last focused in on him and he looks looser and more fluid in the box as a result. He played some right field in the past but will likely be limited to first base as a pro. Frizzell homered off Jack Leftwich earlier this season and is off to a fantastic start to the 2021 season. He'll move up to a 35 FV in the April database update and could be an option for teams in the 6-10 round area this July.
Tanner Craig, Evansville, 4th year junior
86 PA, .292/.384/.514, .898 OPS, .222 ISO
7 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 11 BB, 23 K, 0 SB
My notes on Craig prior to the season:
"Craig stands out for his plus strength and physicality. At the plate, he shows a nice bat speed/bat strength combo and has shown some over-the-fence pop during his college career. He struggles to identify spin and had serious swing and miss issues with wood bats during two stints in the Northwoods League.
Craig was off to an insane start during the shortened 2020 season and racked up 7 homers with an OPS over 1.200. Unfortunately, that was off suspect competition. He'll need to perform well against some higher profile arms this spring to get on the 20 round draft radar."
Chris Crabtree, Duke, 4th-year junior
52 PA, .295/.385/.523, .907 OPS, .228 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 BB, 17 K, 0 SB
I watched Crabtree hit a mammoth homer to straightaway center on opening weekend against Coastal Carolina. He then proceeded to strike out in 4 straight plate appearances, getting beat inside against fringe velocity and chasing breakers out of the zone.
Pete Derkay, Tennessee, 5th-year senior
74 PA, .316/.458/.421, .879 OPS, .105 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 13 BB, 9 K, 2 SB
Ryan Walstad, Sacramento State, 5th-year senior
79 PA, .365/.481/.540, 1.021 OPS, .175 ISO
8 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 11 BB, 9 K, 0 SB
Justin Lutes, Pepperdine, 5th-year senior
79 PA, .246/.418/.508, .926 OPS, .262 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 16 BB, 21 K, 1 SB
Second Base:
Alsander Womack, Norfolk State, 4th-year junior
73 PA, .295/.397/.393, .791 OPS, .098 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 11 BB, 12 K, 5 SB
Womack is the son of 13-year veteran and former all-star Tony Womack. Like Tony, Alsander is a shorter guy at 5'9 and his game is built around making contact. Alsander doesn't have that twitchy, lean build like his father as he has more of a solid, squatty build with a thick lower half. He's a quality second baseman for Norfolk State and is a career .329/.404/.463 hitter with 61 walks and just 51 strikeouts in 547 plate appearances. You can learn a little more about Womack from this 2019 article HERE.
Jack Pineda, Baylor, 3rd-year sophomore
89 PA, .384/.494/.493, .988 OPS, .109 ISO
6 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 14 BB, 12 K, 2 SB
Pineda has transitioned nicely to the D1 level after two great years for Southern Nevada at the juco level. He was immediately inserted towards the top of Baylor's lineup. He's done a fantastic job filling his role as a table-setter and is a spark plug for Baylor's offense. He's already showed an ability to handle quality pitching. Some examples:
Richard Fitts, Auburn, 40 FV: single, single
Dustin Saenz, Texas A&M, 35 FV: double, single
Ty Madden, Texas, 45+ FV: triple
Pineda loves to go the opposite way and will pepper the left-center gap with line drives. He is adept at taking what pitchers give him and has the barrel control and approach necessary to spray line drives to any field. I haven't seen him turn on the ball or get extended for pull power which might be something he can develop more as a pro. He's a solid defender at second base and might be worth a look in center. He'll have a chance to continue proving himself over the next couple of months in conference play. Baylor has weekend series' lined up with TCU, West Virginia, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma. All of those teams feature multiple day 1 or day 2 arms. Pineda might get late day 2 consideration if he keeps hitting.
Will Vogelgesang, Miami (OH), 5th-year senior
78 PA, .333/.385/.551, .935 OPS, .218 ISO
7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 18 K, 2 SB
Third Base:
Skyler Messinger, Kansas, 4th-year junior
72 PA, .361/.458/.557, 1.016 OPS, .196 ISO
6 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 BB, 5 K, 2 SB
Messinger was a 22nd round draft pick back in 2017 by the Cubs. He hasn't hit much during his Jayhawk career but he's off to a great start in 2021. He has excellent physicality and is strongly built at 6'3/220, He shows above-average raw power and he's posted some solid exit velos. He sets up with an upright stance, low hands, and employs a high leg kick. It's not the quietest swing but he can generate serious power when he gets everything timed up and in sync. The swing was more strength-based in the past as I had his bat speed graded as fringe-average. I haven't caught any Kansas games this year but his stat line suggests he deserves another look. He was just OK defensively in the past as his actions were a bit stiff, though that may have changed. I had Messinger pegged as a corner outfield previously which would obviously hurt his draft value. Kansas hasn't faced too many high-quality arms up to this point. That will certainly change as Kansas enters Big 12 conference play this weekend. I'll look to get another look at Messinger in the near future as his size and pedigree are legitimate draws.
*video courtesy of Blaine Peterson
Kirby McMullen, Florida, 5th-year senior
67 PA, .328/.403/.655, 1.058 OPS, .327 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 6 BB, 17 K, 0 SB
Here is what I had jotted down for McMullen heading into the 2021 season:
"McMullen has played sparingly at Florida while spending time as both a hitter and a reliever. He finally saw regular at-bats last year before the COVID shutdown. McMullen focused on hitting full time and also transitioned to third base after playing the outfield exclusively.
It's a shorter, compact build but McMullen is very strong. His swing is quick and efficient, geared for line drives. There is pull side power when he gets extended but that hasn't materialized consistently. McMullen is slated to receive regular at-bats again in 2021 and could get drafted in the top 10 rounds as a versatile senior from a power conference."
Rankin Woley, Auburn, graduate student
80 PA, .348/.425/.536, .961 OPS, .188 ISO
7 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 BB, 14 K, 1 SB
I'm not entirely sure what to make of Woley. He has a physical build with a strong lower half and some raw power. He's hit just about everything thrown at him the last two years but doesn't hit many homers. He broke out a bit last season and his stat line in 2021 is very similar to the one that he finished with in 2020. His swing is geared more for line drives and he makes a lot of hard contact. I haven't gotten a read on his defense at third, but I remember him being a fantastic first baseman during his first year at Auburn. He could be a top 10 round senior sign.
Conner Shepherd, TCU, 6th-year senior
66 PA, .340/.500/.620, 1.120 OPS, .280 ISO
3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 14 BB, 5 K, 2 SB
Ian Walters, Southern Illinois, 5th-year senior
90 PA, .282/.411/.493, .904 OPS, .211 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 9 BB, 9 K, 8 SB
Casey Dana, Seton Hall, 4th-year junior
50 PA, .381/.460/.595, 1.055 OPS, .214 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 10 K, 2 SB
Joe Butler, Illinois State- graduate student
57 PA, .319/.439/.426, .864 OPS, .107 ISO
2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 9 BB, 9 K, 2 SB
Jackson Raper, Illinois, 5th-year senior
51 PA, .300/.451/.475, .926 OPS, .175 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 10 BB, 12 K, 0 SB
Shortstop:
Gary Mattis Jr., Tennessee Wesleyan (NAIA), 5th year JR
90 PA, .444/.530/.1.086, 1.616 OPS, .642 ISO
5 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 9 BB, 11 K, 11 SB
I didn't intend on including any non-D1 players but I made an exception for Mattis. He was a legitimate prep recruit and performed well in his one season at Florida Atlantic, finishing with an OPS over 1.000. He played at the juco level (he stole over 60 bases one year) before ending up at Tennessee Wesleyan which is one of the powerhouse squads in the NAIA. His numbers this year speak for themselves.
It's not easy to get info about players from this level so I'm not sure what kind of draft prospect Mattis is. He's already 23 and hasn't received much draft buzz despite consistent performance from the shortstop position.
*video courtesy of LakePoint Sports
Kole Kaler, Hawaii, 4th-year junior
67 PA, .350/.403/.483, .886 OPS, .133 ISO
3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 BB, 11 K, 7 SB
Kaler transferred to Hawaii last year from South Mountain Community College. He was expected to be a steadying presence up the middle at shortstop and was a pleasant surprise offensively finishing with a /.407/.486/.661 line. He's hit the ground running again in 2021 and is a great fit atop of Hawaii's lineup. Kaler is a pesky switch hitter with some wiry strength and an all fields approach at the plate. He makes a lot of contact, works counts, and is a stolen base threat thanks to his speed and baseball IQ. Defensively, he looks the part at shortstop with good footwork and well above average hands. I don't have a grade on his arm yet which will ultimately be the deciding factor for whether he can stick at shortstop long term. If a move to second base is necessary he'd likely be a plus defender there. Kaler profiles as an up-the-middle utility man at the next level and will be a 35 FV in the next grade update.
Richie Garcia, Florida Gulf Coast, 5th-year senior
84 PA, .338/.470/.492, .962 OPS, .154 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 11 BB, 5 K, 4 SB
Garcia looks mostly like an organizational depth piece at the next level. He's of some interest though because he can handle several positions on the dirt and has some strength, especially in his lower half. Garcia has a good feel for the strike zone and can impact the ball when he squares up. He could be a top 10 round senior sign or a non-drafted free agent (NDFA) signing.
Drew Frederic, Troy, 6th-year senior
88 PA, .377/.443/.597, 1.041 OPS, .220 ISO
6 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 6 BB, 18 K, 8 SB
Casey Harford, Tennesse-Martin, 4th-year junior
68 PA, .328/.382/.557, .940 OPS, .229 ISO
6 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 8 K, 0 SB
Nick Neville, Southern Illinois, 5th-year senior
86 PA, .299/.349/.545, 894 OPS, .246 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 7 BB, 18 K, 3 SB
Tyler Wilber, Southeast Missouri State, 4th-year junior
81 PA, .358/.438/.478, .915 OPS, .120 ISO
2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 9 BB, 14 K, 2 SB
Andy Armstrong, Oregon State, 5th-year senior
69 PA, .338/.377/.508, 885 OPS, .170 ISO
5 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 15 K, 1 SB
Lorenzo Elion, Oakland, graduate transfer
72 PA, .300/.403/.400, .803 OPS, .100 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 11 BB, 15 K, 5 SB
Corner Outfield:
Porter Brown, TCU, 3rd-year freshman
30 PA, .333/.467/.417, 883 OPS, .084 ISO
2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 5 BB, 4 K, 4 SB
Porter Brown's start to the 2021 season is very encouraging. He was a prized recruit for TCU and showed a lot of raw talent and potential his freshman year before getting injured. He's been injured a lot and staying on the field has been a struggle for him to date. He'll show plus speed at times that he combines with above-average raw power. His approach at the plate and his ability to identify spin are underdeveloped and have likely been hindered by a lack of reps. Brown's swing doesn't utilize his strength or lower half enough and he seems to be satisfied settling for line drives. It's worked for him so far, but he'll need to work on incorporating his lower half more in his swing to avoid a tweener label.
He has the athleticism and speed to give centerfield a chance but is raw defensively and is currently blocked by star freshman Elijah Nunez. The lack of centerfield reps at the D1 level makes it difficult to envision Brown fitting there as a pro. Brown has played in less than half of TCU's 20 games this year but has played in 7 straight games. Even though he's in his third year at the D1 level, Brown is still technically a freshman and has a lot of time to continue building his draft stock. That could make Brown a tough sign but could also represent a buy-low opportunity to a team that does their due diligence and scouts him well. He'll likely get a 35 FV in the April update.
Nick DiPonzio, Stetson, 5th-year junior
55 PA, .255/.364/.489, .853 OPS, .234 ISO
2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 7 BB, 15 K, 3 SB
I've caught a couple of DiPonzio games and he's looked solid in each one. He did some left-on-left damage going the opposite way for a double against Florida's prized recruit Timmy Manning. Here's what I wrote down after that game:
"Plus athlete with usable speed. Formerly at Wake Forest but didn't perform there in two years. DiPonzio is showing better bat-to-ball ability to go with his premium athleticism. Someone to watch as the spring progresses."
Christian Robinson, Stanford, 4th-year junior
63 PA, .321/.397/.482, .879 OPS, .161 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 7 BB, 10 K, 5 SB
Robinson was ranked 80th overall in the 2017 high school class by PerfectGame.com. He was drafted in the 27th round by the Padres but followed through on his commitment to Stanford. Robinson hasn't been the impact performer that Stanford was banking on with just 326 plate appearances to date and a .722 OPS. He's physically gifted and shows both above-average strength and athleticism. I don't love his swing which was very loopy when I saw him in 2020. He also doesn't do a great job at identifying spin and laying off chase pitches, leading to K issues. He was overmatched on the Cape and finished with a sub-.500 OPS. Robinson is off to a much better start in 2021 so perhaps he's cleaned some things up and progressed as a hitter. He is a solid defender in the outfield but his arm was below average when I saw him. I'll give Robinson another look to see where he is at this stage of his career. Despite being in his 4th year at the college level he is still only 21 years old.
Jaden Fein, San Diego State, 3rd-year sophomore
75 PA, .500/.533/.647, 1.180 OPS, .147 ISO
7 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 BB, 12 K, 5 SB
Here's a short blurb I had on Fein heading into the year:
"Just an OK athlete that is mostly maxed out physically. Has plus raw strength that has yet to translate to in-game power consistently. There might be some untapped offensive potential as he has a knack for finding the barrel. Fein is likely limited to 1B/LF at the next level.
Angel Zarate, North Carolina, 4th-year sophomore
84 PA, .333/.434/.435, 869 OPS, .102 ISO
2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 11 BB, 14 K, 3 SB
Zarate currently has a 39 game on base streak dating back to last year which is the 2nd longest in UNC history behind Blue Jays 2017 1st round pick Logan Warmoth. I wrote this about Zarate heading into the year:
"Advanced approach with an excellent feel and understanding of the strike zone. Employs a compact swing and has quick hands. Swing is geared to maximize contact and he lacks the extra-base pop you look for in a corner outfield bat. Tweener profile that is likely limited to left field. Major breakout during shortened 2020 season.
Christian Del Castillo, Miami, grad transfer
67 PA, .322/.403/.407, .810 OPS, .085 ISO
3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 7 BB, 9 K, 2 SB
Christian is actually the older brother of top draft prospect Adrian Del Castillo. Adrian's older brother signed on to Miami as a grad transfer after 3 years at Seton Hall. He received some praise during fall reports and it has carried over to the 2021 season.
Terence Norman, Kennesaw State, 5th-year senior
86 PA, .315/.419/.521, 939 OPS, .206 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 9 BB, 17 K, 2 SB
Norman looks the part at 6'2/200 and has a career .333/.407/.448 batting line at Kennesaw State. He has big-time strength with fringy bat speed and doesn't get extended often enough to project for significant game power at this time. He's shown above-average raw power with roughly average speed. His arm will likely limit him to left field as a pro which gives him a difficult profile to work with.
Mason McWhorter, Georgia Southern, 5th-year senior
87 PA, .453/.517/.800, 1.317 OPS, .347 ISO
6 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 10 BB, 15 K, 3 SB
McWhorter has been one of the best hitters at the D1 level through the early goings of the 2021 season. He has had a storied career at Georgia Southern with a career .318/.396/.538 line over nearly 900 plate appearances. He has a great approach and above-average power but lacks the athleticism and physical tools to profile in pro ball. He's primarily been a corner outfielder but hasn't looked great in either corner in my looks. He's probably limited to first base at the next level. McWhorter is someone that might benefit from participating in the MLB draft league and getting some more reps against better competition. He struggled during his Cape Cod League appearance in 2019. In my opinion, McWhorter deserves a chance in pro ball (if he chooses to pursue a pro career of course) based on his long track record of performance.
*video courtesy of Josh Aubrey
Juan Teixeira, Florida International, 5th-year senior
53 PA, .383/.434/.511, .945 OPS, .128 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 BB, 8 K, 1 SB
My notes on Teixeira from last year:
Teixeira can do a little bit of everything at the plate and he's a natural hitter who makes a lot of hard contact. There's some pop in the bat but not of the over-the-fence variety. He's limited to first base and corner outfield and lacks physical projection or the athleticism typical for the next level. Teixeira could be a top ten-round senior sign type.
Collin Montez, Washington State, 4th-year junior
70 PA, .386/.500/.667, 1.167 OPS, .281 OPS
4 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 8 BB, 17 K, 0 SB
Will Hollis, Texas State, 6th-year senior
91 PA, .288/.418/.493, .911 OPS, .205 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 16 BB, 20 K, 1 SB
Caleb Balgaard, South Alabama, 4th-year junior
80 PA, .265/.363/.529, 892 OPS, .264 ISO
6 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 9 BB, 24 K, 0 SB
Matt Smith, Sacramento State, 6th-year senior
46 PA, .474/.543/.895, 1.438 OPS, .421 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 4 BB, 5 K, 0 SB
Tanner Smith, Oregon, 3rd-year sophomore
65 PA, .291/.369/.600, 969 OPS, .309 ISO
5 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 7 BB, 11 K, 1 SB
Jared Dupere, Northeastern, 3rd-year sophomore
55 PA, .298/.382/.553, .935 OPS, .255 ISO
2 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 6 BB, 11 K, 4 SB
Steele Netterville, Louisiana Tech, 4th-year junior
80 PA, .274/.413/.548, .961 OPS, .274 ISO
6 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 12 BB, 16 K, 0 SB
Zach Kokoska, Kansas State, 4th-year junior
85 PA, .309/.435/.721, 1.156 OPS, .412 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 13 BB, 17 K, 3 SB
Tyler Bielamowicz, Houston, 5th-year senior
74 PA, .391/.459/.672, 1.131 OPS, .281 ISO
3 2B, O 3B, 5 HR, 6 BB, 10 K, 2 SB
Caleb Upshaw, Eastern Kentucky, 4th-year junior
78 PA, .294/.372/.500, ,872 OPS, .206 ISO
5 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 7 BB, 14 K, 0 SB
Cole Cabrera, Cal Poly, 4th-year junior
88 PA, .281/.471/.469, .940 OPS, .188 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 17 BB, 7 K, 2 SB
I haven't seen Cabrera play but he is someone of interest moving forward. The native Hawaiian was a 37th round pick by the Rays in 2017. Here is what D1baseball.com had to say about him during his time in the Northwoods League back in the summer of 2019:
"At a lean and athletic build of 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, Cabrera is an intriguing prospect. With actions and speed to stick in center field, he showed the ability to run down a ball to each gap with gliding strides. At the plate, he features a straight-up stance with a little bend in the hips and good rhythm with his hands. There’s strength in the developing frame, pounding a ball over the left-center wall for a HR. He struggled in terms of offensive production at Cal Poly this spring, but seems to have found his stroke and has been a consistent bat in the lineup for the Express. His triple slash through 134 ABs is an impressive .291/.515/.448, featuring eight doubles, two triples, and three HRs. Overall, there is a lot of upside for Cabrera with his athleticism and raw tools."
Dan Bolt, Bradley, 5th-year senior
60 PA, .319/.467/.596, 1.062 OPS, .277 ISO
1 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 10 BB, 13 K, 0 SB
Matt Higgins, Bellarmine, 4th-year junior
56 PA, .377/.411/.660. 1.071 OPS, .283 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 SB
Centerfield:
Ray Alejo, Texas A&M, grad transfer
66 PA, .345/.424/.431, .855 OPS, .086 ISO
2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 7 BB, 10 K, 5 SB
Alejo is a grad transfer who spent time at Mississippi and Central Florida. He has at least 60 grade speed and is a plus defender in centerfield. Alejo also isn't punchless and can drive mistakes for extra bases. He strikes out too much to profile as much more than org. depth and he's also already 24 years old. Like several of the other 5th year seniors on this list, Alejo's best bet for a pro career is likely as a senior sign or NDFA signing.
Taylor Jackson, Illinois, 4th-year junior
58 PA, .314/.397/.392, .789 OPS, .078 ISO
4 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 6 BB, 9 K, 4 SB
A quick blurb on Jackson after watching him against Michigan
"Excellent athlete that is a quality table setter at the college level. Lacks raw power to profile as a regular but has MLB level tools in his speed and defense"
Bryce Teodosio, Clemson, 4th-year junior
52 PA, .302/.423/.558, .981 OPS, .256 ISO
2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 6 BB, 17 K, 3 SB
Teodosio has some loud MLB ready tools at his disposal. He's a gifted centerfielder with a good arm and has plus raw power and speed. He wasn't in the starting lineup early in the year but has forced the issue with his best offensive season to date. Teodosio is held back by a poor approach, extreme swing and miss issues, and general inconsistency at the plate.
Jacen Roberson, Cal State Bakersfield, 3rd-year freshman
51 PA, .317/.431/.463, .895 OPS, .146 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 6 BB, 6 K, 1 SB
Connor Kokx, Long Beach State, 3rd-year freshman
18 PA, .462/.611/.538, 1.150 OPS, .076 ISO
1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 BB, 4 K, 4 SB
Roberson/Kokx:
Both Jacen Roberson and Connor Kokx are third-year freshmen and have just under 200 plate appearances at the college level between them. Both are off to encouraging starts and received significant buzz around them this fall. Roberson was drafted in the 24th round by the Dodgers in 2018. Kokx was slated to play in the Cape Cod League last summer before it was ultimately canceled. I haven't seen either so I'm not sure how to rank or grade them. They will probably be added to the 35 FV group based on the information I've read. They are both talented defensive centerfielders with barrel control and bat-to-ball ability. I'll try to get a look at both of them sometime this spring.
Quincy Hamilton, Wright State, 5th-year junior
77 PA, .281/.468/.684, 1.152, .403 ISO
3 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 18 BB, 18 K, 4 SB
Andrew MacNeil, Stetson, graduate student
92 PA, .286/.457/.486, .942 OPS, .200 ISO
6 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 13 BB, 12 K, 3 SB
Kyle Battle, Old Dominion, 5th-year senior
75 PA, .259/.405/.517, .923 OPS, .258 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 15 BB, 8 K, 0 SB
Jordan Lala, Miami, 3rd-year sophomore
73 PA, .250/.458/.365, .824 OPS, .115 ISO
3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 15 BB, 19 K, 5 SB
Scotty Scott, Hawaii, 3rd-year sophomore
52 PA, .265/.480/.382, .862 OPS, .117 ISO
2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 7 BB, 5 K, 1 SB
Jason Coules, Fordham, 3rd-year sophomore
61 PA, .298/.433/.426, .859 OPS, .128 ISO
4 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 9 BB, 13 K, 9 SB