We’re a month into the faculty season, and whereas it’s too early to make definitive statements about gamers, sufficient time has handed for a couple of to start setting themselves aside from their friends. As we head into convention play, I wished to focus on a couple of guys who weren’t listed on The Board after we launched our preliminary rankings throughout Prospect Week, however who’ve stood out within the early going. One has been added to The Board, whereas the others may discover their manner there earlier than Day One rolls round.
Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
Weekend Line: 5.2 IP, 13 Okay, 2 BB, 0.00 ERA vs. St. Bonaventure
Liam Doyle stormed onto the scene to start out the 12 months and is trying like one of many high pitching prospects in your complete class. He’s had a nomadic profession thus far, spending his freshman 12 months at Coastal Carolina earlier than transferring Ole Miss as a sophomore. Now the Friday night time man at Tennessee, he’s made 4 begins, posting a 0.44 ERA with a 61.8% Okay-BB%, highest amongst certified D-I pitchers.
What makes Doyle particular is his fastball, which sits within the mid-90s, tops out at 99 mph, and boasts a singular motion profile. He routinely will get over 20 inches of vertical break on it to go along with 13 inches of horizontal break, and he generates a shallow strategy angle that helps it play up much more. For a wide range of causes, faculty pitch metrics are inclined to overstate the quantity of motion a pitch can have as soon as a participant will get into affiliated ball, however it’s the most effective fastballs in faculty baseball.
Doyle makes use of his heater round 70% of the time, however he does have a slider and a changeup. The slider has extra lateral break with laborious chunk, and he rips off a pleasant changeup with late fade. Each pitches are fascinating however inconsistent, with the changeup the marginally higher pitch regardless of Doyle throwing it much less typically.
The principle factor I’ll be watching the remainder of the 12 months is how Doyle’s velocity holds up over the course of the season. His fastball gives a powerful basis, and I’d anticipate that the crew that drafts him will tinker along with his offspeed choices to see if they’ll coax out a greater breaking ball form. Doyle has backend starter potential with a good quantity of aid threat on account of his fringe common command. He has been added to The Board.
Korbyn Dickerson, CF, Indiana College
Weekend Line: 12 AB, .333 BA, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 SO, 4 BB at Penn State
I used to be in a position to see Korbyn Dickerson a pair occasions this fall, and at occasions I got here away considering that he may find yourself being the very best draft prospect on the crew, even contemplating the presence of Devin Taylor. Taylor has an amazing begin to the season, so I’m not fairly able to say one is healthier than the opposite, however Dickerson has had a powerful begin as nicely. A twentieth spherical decide by the Twins in 2022, Dickerson went unsigned and arrived at Louisville, the place he barely performed. He transferred to Indiana after the 2024 season and has burst onto the scene, hitting .380/.482/.761 with eight homers and a 14-to-11 BB/Okay ratio.
As a excessive schooler, Dickerson was a tooled-up athlete with an extended swing, which led to main whiff points that harm his draft inventory. Since then, he has remade his swing and there have been noticeable enhancements. He ran a 38% whiff charge throughout the highschool showcase circuit, however is all the way down to an 18% whiff charge thus far this 12 months. That is much like what he confirmed in his restricted time at Louisville, so I’m shopping for the advance. The toolsiness that he confirmed as a excessive schooler can be nonetheless current. He runs nicely, has an above-average arm in middle, and boasts above-average energy. It’s uncommon for somebody who can truly hit to have this type of talent set, and thus far, Dickerson has proven that he can hit. If he continues to carry out nicely, he’s a possible first spherical decide.
Brody Donay, C, Florida
Weekend Line: 8 AB, .625 BA, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 BB vs. Florida
Brody Donay has titanic uncooked energy, however his profile has been undermined by main bat-to-ball and chase points. Final season at Florida, he ran a 40% strikeout charge, with whiff charges above 40% and a chase charge within the mid-30s. It was an identical story on the Cape this previous summer season, with a 37% strikeout charge, and whiff and chase charges that had been about what he confirmed at Florida.
This 12 months, Donay’s strikeout charge is a extra palatable 19%, with whiff and chase charges which have come all the way down to round 30%. A part of that’s the weaker competitors Florida has confronted thus far, and he’s nonetheless struggling in opposition to massive league velocity, however it’s a step in the best path. The ability continues to be there, too. He has seven homers, a 1.038 SLG, and is within the high 10 within the SEC by wRC+.
Defensively, Donay has break up time behind the plate with Luke Heyman, largely serving as a DH when not catching. He has additionally performed some first base and proper area, however for this profile to work, catcher must be his major place. At 6-foot-5, it’s a troublesome ask for him to crouch down the way in which a catcher must, and he’s gradual to get out of his stance when throwing. Nonetheless, he has above-average arm energy, and is an honest blocker and receiver.
Florida’s first convention collection is in opposition to Tennessee this coming weekend, and a Donay/Liam Doyle matchup goes to be enjoyable to look at. I’m not completely satisfied that he’s figured it out on the plate, however along with his plus energy and serviceable defensive expertise, there’s a place for him as a part-time catcher within the majors if Donay can maintain a 30-grade hit device.
Mason Neville, CF, Oregon
Weekend Line: 12 AB, .333 BA, 2 HR, 4 SO, 2 BB, 1 SB at USC
Mason Neville entered the season as one in every of this class’ extra well-known prospects within the Massive 10. An 18th spherical decide in 2022 by the Cincinnati Reds, Neville spent a 12 months at Arkansas earlier than transferring to Oregon. His floor stats regarded good final 12 months (127 wRC+, 1.033 OPS), however there was a regarding quantity of whiff in his profile that wasn’t precisely squashed throughout his time on the Cape (13 video games, 54% whiff). He’s all the way down to a 23% whiff charge to start out the 12 months, with a 166 wRC+ and a 1.332 OPS in 62 PA. Much like Donay, Neville hasn’t gone up in opposition to sturdy competitors, dealing with Toledo, Rhode Island, Columbia and Utah Tech, however he’s performing nicely when he must.
Neville’s core competencies are nonetheless there. He’s hitting for energy and lifting the ball, with 9 homers on the 12 months thus far. Neville is a mean runner, although at 6-foot-3 and 200 kilos, he’s larger than your conventional middle fielder and can possible transfer to a nook. He has the ability essential to profile there, however it all comes all the way down to the whiff charge. If he retains it within the 20-25% vary, he’s a third-round kind, but when it stays round 30%, I’d anticipate him to fall down into the seventh to tenth spherical vary.
Emilio Barreras, SS, Grand Canyon College
Weekend Line: 13 AB, .308 BA, 2 2B, 1 SO, 1 BB, 1 SB vs. Texas Tech
Emilio Barreras’s profession trajectory has been enjoyable to look at, as he has gotten higher yearly. He performed 45 video games as a freshman, largely at third base, the place he had a 59 wRC+. The next 12 months, he was promoted to be the beginning shortstop after Jacob Wilson acquired drafted, and he stuffed his footwear admirably, posting a 99 wRC+ with plus bat-to-ball expertise and serviceable protection. This 12 months, Barreras is hitting above .400 with a 187 wRC+ and a 7% whiff charge. There isn’t a ton of energy right here — he hit only one dwelling run in his first two years at GCU and has one homer thus far this season — however his really feel for making contact stands out. The defensive piece is difficult, nonetheless. Barreras is a mean faculty shortstop, however I don’t assume he’s a lock to stay there in professional ball and sure wants to maneuver to second. Most likely a Day Three decide, Barreras tasks as a bench bat kind who gives worth along with his plus contact expertise as a lefty and his capability to play up the center.