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 just a few to start setting themselves aside from their friends. As we head into convention play, I wished to spotlight just a few guys who weren’t listed on The Board once 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 method there earlier than Day One rolls round.
Liam Doyle, LHP, TennesseeWeekend Line: 5.2 IP, 13 Ok, 2 BB, 0.00 ERA vs. St. Bonaventure
Liam Doyle stormed onto the scene to begin the 12 months and is trying like one of many prime pitching prospects in the whole 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 evening man at Tennessee, he’s made 4 begins, posting a 0.44 ERA with a 61.8% Ok-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 novel 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 quite a lot of causes, school pitch metrics are likely to overstate the quantity of motion a pitch may have as soon as a participant will get into affiliated ball, however it’s top-of-the-line fastballs in school 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 onerous 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 primary 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 supplies a powerful basis, and I’d count on that the staff that drafts him will tinker along with his offspeed choices to see if they will coax out a greater breaking ball form. Doyle has backend starter potential with a good quantity of aid threat because of his fringe common command. He has been added to The Board.
Korbyn Dickerson, CF, Indiana CollegeWeekend Line: 12 AB, .333 BA, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 SO, 4 BB at Penn State
I used to be capable of see Korbyn Dickerson a pair occasions this fall, and at occasions I got here away pondering that he may find yourself being the most effective draft prospect on the staff, even contemplating the presence of Devin Taylor. Taylor has an ideal begin to the season, so I’m not fairly able to say one is best than the opposite, however Dickerson has had a formidable begin as effectively. A twentieth spherical choose 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/Ok 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 just like what he confirmed in his restricted time at Louisville, so I’m shopping for the development. The toolsiness that he confirmed as a excessive schooler can be nonetheless current. He runs effectively, has an above-average arm in middle, and boasts above-average energy. It’s uncommon for somebody who can truly hit to have this sort of talent set, and thus far, Dickerson has proven that he can hit. If he continues to carry out effectively, he’s a possible first spherical choose.
Brody Donay, C, FloridaWeekend 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 analogous story on the Cape this previous summer time, with a 37% strikeout charge, and whiff and chase charges that have 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 large league velocity, however it’s a step in the correct route. The facility continues to be there, too. He has seven homers, a 1.038 SLG, and is within the prime 10 within the SEC by wRC+.
Defensively, Donay has cut 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 discipline, however for this profile to work, catcher must be his main place. At 6-foot-5, it’s a tricky ask for him to crouch down the best way a catcher must, and he’s gradual to get out of his stance when throwing. Nonetheless, he has above-average arm power, 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 observe. 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 software.
Mason Neville, CF, OregonWeekend 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 Large 10. An 18th spherical choose 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 begin the 12 months, with a 166 wRC+ and a 1.332 OPS in 62 PA. Just like Donay, Neville hasn’t gone up in opposition to sturdy competitors, going through Toledo, Rhode Island, Columbia and Utah Tech, however he’s performing effectively 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 greater than your conventional middle fielder and can probably transfer to a nook. He has the facility 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 count on him to fall down into the seventh to tenth spherical vary.
Emilio Barreras, SS, Grand Canyon CollegeWeekend 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 observe, 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 bought drafted, and he crammed his sneakers 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, nevertheless. Barreras is a mean school shortstop, however I don’t assume he’s a lock to stay there in professional ball and certain wants to maneuver to second. Most likely a Day Three choose, Barreras tasks as a bench bat kind who supplies worth along with his plus contact expertise as a lefty and his skill to play up the center.
