Yesterday, I lined among the Midwest prep gamers from this current draft class who I used to be capable of see in individual a number of occasions over the previous couple of years. This set of notes will cowl some current school draftees (from each four-year packages and junior faculties) who I caught this yr in Kansas and Oklahoma.
Hunter Cranton, RHP, Kansas
Workforce: Mariners Spherical: 3 General Decide: 91
Cranton will flip 24 years outdated in October and is an almost completed product who might be anticipated to maneuver by means of the minor leagues rapidly. He has a rangy 6-foot-3 body and throws from a excessive arm slot, and there’s violent effort in each pitch. His fastball sat 95-98 mph in most of my seems and touched triple digits a few occasions all year long. Cranton doesn’t create a lot extension, however he nonetheless creates plus using motion on his four-seamer due to how properly he backspins it, and he’s absolutely able to bullying hitters within the zone. At its finest, his upper-80s slider is a tough, two-plane breaker with late sufficient motion to generate above-average chase charges, however Cranton additionally tends to lose the onerous vertical end that’s most answerable for it producing whiffs. Cranton is a power-over-precision single-inning aid sort who signed a below-slot $50,000 deal. He’ll probably be assigned to one among Seattle’s A-ball associates, and it wouldn’t shock me in any respect if he have been to complete the common season at Double-A or increased.
Braden Davis, LHP, Oklahoma
Workforce: Cardinals Spherical: 5 General Decide: 142
The headliner of Davis’ three-pitch combine is a changeup that I’d argue warrants a 70 future grade. It ran a 51% in-zone whiff fee this yr and has late diving motion within the low-80s that he sells particularly properly along with his arm pace. Davis was within the Sooners’ rotation this season, sitting 90-93 mph along with his fastball and touching 95 when he emptied the tank. He throws from a excessive slot and hides the ball properly along with his on-line arm path, which permits his fastball to sneak by hitters, particularly when it’s positioned up within the zone. His breaking ball is a low-80s slider that can present conventional two-plane motion and at occasions incorporate extra depth. It’s an providing that profiles to play significantly better towards same-sided hitters; Davis will probably must lean rather more closely on his changeup towards right-handed batters. Davis trimmed his stroll fee to 10.5% in 2024 after operating a 15% stroll fee in Sam Houston State’s bullpen the yr prior. His command might want to take one other giant developmental step ahead for him to be viable as a starter on the huge league stage, however we might be taking a look at a stable multi-inning aid sort whose stuff ticks up in shorter bursts, enabling him to maneuver rapidly by means of the minors. Davis and the Cardinals agreed to a deal for the slot quantity of $485,700. He’ll be an arm to look at within the Cardinals system, particularly with that changeup.
Tyson Neighbors, RHP, Kansas State
Workforce: Padres Spherical: 4 General Decide: 118
Neighbors has a medium body with restricted bodily projection. He throws from a excessive slot and has a vertically oriented arsenal in his four-seam fastball and curveball. His heater sat 93-96 mph and touched 98 every time I noticed him this spring. Neighbors’ fastball shows plus using life when it’s within the higher half of the zone, however he labored on the knees seemingly as usually as he tried to raise, and the life on the pitch isn’t as explosive down there. Neighbors’ curveball is a 81-85 mph 12-to-6 downer with sharp break that performs properly towards left-handed hitters due to the vertical nature of its form. He’ll additionally combine in a brief cutter at 88-91 mph to offer hitters one other look. In 2023, Neighbors struck out an absurd 46.7% of the batters he confronted, whereas this yr he struck out 36.5%. Neighbors’ stroll fee ticked as much as 11.4% this yr after he restricted free passes (8.7% stroll fee) in 2023. Neighbors’ management has at all times considerably outpaced his command, and if he’s capable of hold the walks in examine, he may transfer rapidly by means of the minors. He has the potential to be a high-leverage sort. He agreed to a $600,000 deal, barely beneath slot.
Kodey Shojinaga, Catcher, Kansas
Workforce: Phillies Spherical: 6 General Decide: 192
Shojinaga was a draft-eligible sophomore who I’ve had a entrance seat to for the previous couple of years as he’s performed at Kansas. Shojinaga has superior bat-to-ball skill, which is mirrored in his sub-10% in-zone whiff fee this season, and he posted a .335/.402/.485 slash on the yr. He tasks for well-below-average recreation energy, however his line drive and gap-to-gap method will produce a big variety of doubles.
The query with Shojinaga is and has at all times been the place he’s going to play on the defensive aspect of the ball. The Phillies introduced him as a catcher, which is the place he performed in highschool and in fall scrimmages annually that he was on campus, nevertheless it’s at all times been fairly shaky again there and he solely appeared at catcher in a single recreation in his two years of faculty ball. He has common arm energy, and each his receiving and blocking skill presently grade out as properly beneath common. He’s primarily alternated between second and third base, however the fingers and footwork goes to should take a giant step ahead in professional ball for him to be a satisfactory defender at both spot.
Shojinaga’s hit software offers him a shot, however he’ll must discover a strategy to develop into a satisfactory defender at a place that may assist his below-average energy profile. I don’t assume that will probably be at his introduced place of catcher. Shojinaga just lately signed with the Phillies for $257,500.
Caden Powell, SS/CF, Seminole State (OK)
Workforce: Astros Spherical: 6 General Decide: 193
Powell gained the 2024 Nationwide Junior Faculty Participant of the Yr award at Seminole State, a longtime Oklahoma junior school powerhouse. In his 253 plate appearances this spring, Powell had 56 whole extra-base hits (1.088 SLG), together with 32 homers, and hit .502 on the season whereas taking part in shortstop for the Trojans. Powell is a premium athlete who nonetheless has important frame-based projection and he’s going to a membership that has arguably had probably the most success in plucking under-the-radar Midwest junior school gamers who later discover their strategy to the large leagues.
Powell was drafted as a shortstop, however in my in-person seems at him this yr, I assumed he profiled higher in middle area as a result of his actions at brief can often get inflexible and his fingers aren’t plus. Powell has an aggressive method on the plate and there will probably be some swing-and-miss in his recreation, however the pure athleticism and bat pace he brings to the desk are a superb basis to construct on. No matter the place he finally ends up on the defensive spectrum, you’re shopping for the bat and total athleticism with Powell. The comp I’ve on him as he enters professional ball entails one other former prospect from the state of Oklahoma: Lane Adams. The Astros and Powell agreed on an over-slot bonus of $422,500. He’s a high-variance place participant to look at in Houston’s system
Brendan Jones, CF, Kansas State
Workforce: Yankees Spherical: 12 General Decide: 361
Jones walked (55) greater than he struck out (51) for Kansas State in 2024 on his strategy to posting a .303/.442/.500 line because the Wildcats’ on a regular basis middle fielder. Jones has a really flat bat path by means of the zone, but in addition whips the bat by means of the zone with above-average bat pace. Barring a serious swing change, Jones’ path and method aren’t going to yield a lot dwelling run worth, however his present minimize may be very conducive to spraying onerous line drives to all fields.
Jones shouldn’t have any downside staying in middle area long-term, as his plus pace permits him to cowl each gaps regardless that he tends to arrange very deep in middle. Regardless of not being a extremely projectable prospect, Jones’ skill to each stick at a premium place and make himself a pesky out within the batter’s field offers him a viable path to being a job participant. The Yankees inked Jones to a $150,000 signing bonus and he’ll probably be part of an affiliate quickly.
Iziah Salinas, LHP, Cowley Faculty (KS)
Workforce: Orioles Spherical: 17 General Decide: 519
Salinas is a left-handed pitcher with plus athleticism out of Cowley Faculty, a JUCO in Kansas that has produced the likes of Travis Hafner, Junior Spivey, and Trevor Rosenthal. Salinas is an excellent athlete with a lean body. Notable hip-shoulder separation in his supply actually permits you to mission on his fastball velocity. His fastball sat 88-91 mph, and relying on which begin you caught this spring, you possibly can see him touching 93 or 87 mph on both aspect of that vary. Salinas’ curveball is the largest eye-catcher within the combine. It ranges between 70-77 mph, has a rare quantity of depth, and varies between a 12-to-6 and 1-to-7 form. He additionally threw a not often used changeup at 77-81 that tended to lack notable motion.
Salinas’ command was normally properly beneath common and except one thing drastically improves with that, he’s virtually definitely destined for a aid function. There’s extra meat on the bone with regards to Salinas’ body and the speed on his fastball. He’s a enjoyable arm for the O’s growth crew, however they’ve a tall process in entrance of them when it comes to enhancing Salinas’ strike throwing skill. Salinas and the Orioles reached settlement on a $150,000 bonus previous to the signing deadline.