With the College World Series in full swing and the MLB draft approaching, we have 10 prospects worth scouting at this week’s games. Stay tuned to see how many of these guys will fit into the RotoProspects Top 300 after the draft.
- Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt: Al’s son has been the best college pitcher this season, using a wide array of pitches with multiple fastballs, a changeup, a curve and a slider. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound flamethrower dazzled on Monday, striking out 15 but losing 1-0 to N.C. State. Leiter has 171 strikeouts in 104 innings this season with a 2.08 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. Fantasy owners have to be hoping Leiter can go in the top three to pitching parks in Pittsburgh, Texas or Detroit, otherwise it’s Boston and Baltimore waiting in the wings.
- Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt: The 6-5, 250-pound stud was the best college pitcher as a freshman and is neck-and-neck with Leiter now, featuring a devastating slider that he recorded all 19 strikeouts with in a no-hitter back in 2019. Rocker’s stock has dipped a bit despite a 2.58 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 111 2/3 innings this season, due mostly to inconsistent radar-gun results on his fastball that have sometimes struggled to break 90. Rocker could slip down to Kansas City at No. 7, but fantasy owners just hope he doesn’t end up in Colorado at No. 8.
- Ty Madden, RHP, Texas: Armed with a mid-90s fastball and a plus slider, the Big 12 pitcher of the year is expected to be the third college pitcher drafted after the Vandy duo. Madden will have to develop a better third pitch than his current subpar change if he wants to avoid a future in the bullpen. Coming off a season with a 2.42 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 107 2/3 innings (including 10 strikeouts in 7 innings against Mississippi State on Sunday), Madden should go in the top 10 and become the first Longhorns pitcher since Roger Clemens to star in the majors.
- Will Bednar, RHP, Mississippi State: The younger brother of Pirates set-up man David, Will dazzled on Sunday by out-dueling Madden with 15 strikeouts in 6 scoreless innings of a 2-1 win over Texas. Will Bednar also out-pitched Leiter on April 24, so the 6-2, 230-pound right-hander is making a late push for the first round. Armed with a mid-90s fastball and a plus slider, Bednar is another pitcher needing to hone his change to avoid a future bullpen role like his brother. Bednar had 128 strikeouts in just 80 innings with a 3.26 ERA this season and could be a bargain for dynasty owners compared to the going rate on Leiter and Rocker.
- Isaiah Thomas, OF, Vanderbilt: The 6-foot-3, 210-pound outfielder has a nice power-speed mix, having hit 13 homers with 12 steals this season with a .321/.378/.612 triple-slash. Thomas added bulk, and with it power, this season, which bodes well for his prospect status, so we’re hoping he winds up going to a hitter’s park like Colorado or Cincinnati in the third round.
- Zack Gelof, 3B, Virginia: The 6-3, 205 All-American third baseman tailed off a bit from his 1.215 OPS in 18 games in 2020, posting an .868 OPS in 61 games this season. Gelof has good plate discipline to go with a power-speed mix (9 homers, 12 steals in 2021), so there’s solid fantasy upside here for the projected third-rounder.
- Andrew Abbott, LHP, Virginia: The 6-0, 180-pound southpaw made a statement on Sunday with 6 scoreless innings in a 6-0 win over Tennessee that included 10 strikeouts. Abbott posted a 2.87 ERA and 162 strikeouts in 106 2/3 innings this season. His 50-grade fastball sits in the low-90s to go with a solid curve and a decent change, so Abbott’s lack of pure stuff will likely land him in the late-second or early-third round.
- Jose Torres, SS, N.C. State: The 6-0, 170-pound shortstop is more of a glove-first prospect, so his bat will have to make some progress before showing up on the radar for fantasy owners. He is batting .289 with 10 homers this season, carrying mediocre scouting grades of 50 hit, 45 power and 45 speed tools. Torres could wind up playing his way into the late-second round, but think of a future along the lines of Miguel Rojas.
- Christian MacLeod, LHP, Mississippi State: The Bulldogs’ co-ace is getting the start Tuesday against Virginia, so he’s hoping to improve his draft stock that currently has the 6-4, 225-pound southpaw looking like a third-rounder. Like Abbott, MacLeod has a low-90s fastball and depends on control and poise. MacLeod struggled a bit at times this season with a 4.24 ERA after posting a 4-0 mark with a 0.86 ERA in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
- Luca Tresh, C, N.C. State: The 6-0, 193-pound catcher has one carrying tool, power, which he used to hit 15 homers this season for the Wolfpack. The hit tool has a long ways to go, as evidenced by the .236 average this season. Tresh could land in the third round and make his way into fantasy relevance as a double-digit homer catcher.