MLB Draft Prospects from the Carolinas

The season has begun when the major American sports leagues begin to get serious about their upcoming respective drafts. The NFL Combine is gearing up in Indianapolis. Conference tournaments that set the field for March Madness are just around the corner. The NHL, NCAA, and Canadian Junior leagues are all entering the grind to make the playoffs. All the crucible-like events provide a test of talent and mental make-up. Prospects can flourish or wither and their status can be adjusted accordingly.

For baseball, like society, it is beginning its reemergence from the winter slumber. The endless batting cage sessions, the fielding drills in indoor facilities, the video scouting gives way to live game action. During the next few months, there will be major shifts in prospect rankings. History has demonstrated that players selected at the top of this July’s draft might not be familiar names at this point in the process. See Skenes, Paul.

Draft prospects for the NBA and to a lesser extent the NFL, are synonymous with the Carolinas. That does a grave disservice to the rich talent pool of high-end baseball prospects. Between college and high school ranks, there will be dozens of players drafted, signed, and assigned to minor league affiliates, who will have honed their skills in the Carolinas. Currently, 11 players with Carolina ties are included in the Top 50 draft prospects according to Baseball America.

Draft Carolina presents a brief overview of these players. A heavy representation comes from Wake Forest, currently the top ranked team in NCAA baseball. The list offers up a variety of schools, positions, and competition levels. They are presented according to their current Baseball America rankings.

#2 Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest, 7 G, 33 PA, .280 AVG, .455/.440/.895, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 7BB/5K

Kurtz is a prime example of someone working his way to the top of prospect lists. Undrafted out of high school, he made an immediate impact with the Demon Deacons with 15 home runs in his freshman season. He added 24 more as a sophomore. His power is without question. Unlike most power hitters, Kurtz has a solid command of the strike zone. He has a higher career walk rate (21.2%) than his strike out rate (16.8%). His eye for the zone allows him to work counts and force opposing pitchers to bring the ball into his hit zone. His strength makes him a power threat to all fields. Often, a slugger in the college ranks is placed at first base out of necessity. Kurtz is athletic enough to be a plus defender at that spot. He will not have to wait long on draft night to hear his name.

#6 Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina.7 G, 34 PA, .296 AVG, .441/.852/.1.293, 5 HR, 12 RBI, 3BB/10 K

Raw and athletic, Honeycutt’s status rests heavily on the “what could be as opposed to what is there now.” His best tools are his speed and defensive instincts. He has shown flashes of combining power and speed. His hit tool is still lagging with a 25.7% strike out rate, but it has improved in his time at Chapel Hill. His 51 steals are appealing but he needs to cut down on being unsuccessful, having been caught 10 times. His defense is MLB ready, but his other tools will require a little patience. If he is developed properly, he can provide an MLB team with at least four skills and be an everyday player.

#7 Seaver King, SS, Wake Forest, 7G, 33 PA, .276 BA, .333/.621/.954, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 2BB/4K

King transferred from Division II Wingate to the juggernaut Wake Forest team and was not out of place. King has played in the Cape Cod League and for Team USA. He has produced plenty of material for scouts to peruse. The first thing scouts will notice is consistent hard contact. He has never batted below .345 in a season and his OPS is consistently around 1.000. He is a plus defender who has shown the ability to handle the premium positions of SS and CF. He is an effective base stealer posting 35 steals while only being caught 5 times. His eventual position will depend on the organization that selects him.

#12 PJ Morlando, 1B, Summerville HS (SC), (2023 Team USA U-18) 9G, .409 AVG, .500/.591/1.091, 3 HR, 9 RBI

Morlando is committed to South Carolina but the only time he will spend on campus will be visiting friends. He will be drafted in the top half of round one because he is an advanced hitter for his age. He generates easy power while not chasing out of the zone. He leaves few holes for advanced pitchers to exploit. He possesses middle of the line up, game changing, power. He is not a flyer by any stretch of the imagination but could be serviceable in the corner outfield spots. However, he is likely to remain a 1B/DH. How quickly he adapts to advanced professional pitching will dictate how quickly he moves through the minors.

#14 Josh Hartle, LHP, Wake Forest, 2G/2GS, 11.2 IP, 2-0, 1.54 ERA, 0.771 WHIP, 10K/2BB, 2 HBP

Hartle is currently the highest rated pitcher on the board, although he could be soon passed by the prospect behind him. He does not overpower hitters. Instead, he relies on precision and deception to keep batters off balance. His four seam fastball sits around 90 MPH and can hit the mid-90s and relies on heavy sink for swings and misses. He compliments that fastball with a trio of deceptive off-speed pitches, a cutter, curveball, and change up. He has struck out 204 batters while walking 50. He can be aggressive inside as evidenced by his 12 hit batters.

#15 Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest, 2G/2GS, 11.1 IP, 2-0, 2.38 ERA, 1.147 WHIP, 18K/5BB

Burns has been the early talk of the early NCAA season. The Tennessee transfer has been dealing straight gas, routinely hitting 100 MPH on the radar gun. Collegiately, he has fanned 235 batters in 163.2 inning pitched, 12.9 K/9IP rate. He rings up those gaudy numbers without being wild. He has walked 52, hit seven, and thrown only 12 wild pitches in that period. If he maintains that control, he has front of the rotation capabilities. At worst, he figures to be a back end, high leverage, bullpen arm. He will need to develop and implement secondary pitches to get out advanced hitters that will sit on his fastball. He was born in Napoli, Italy.

#22 Jacob Cozart, C, NC State, 6 G. 29 PA, .364 AVG, .517/.636/.1.154, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 6BB/6K

Cozart is grouped with several catchers at or near the top 20. This season with the Wolfpack offers him the chance to move to the front of the catching prospect field. He has been the starting catcher at NC State since his freshman year. He is a solid to above average defender. At 6’3” and 220 pounds, he is a larger prospect but moves very well in blocking pitches in the dirt. He displays a strong and accurate arm with a quick release. He manages all aspects of catching efficiently. He should be able to remain behind the plate, which will enhance his draft stock. His hit tool is evolving. He has improved his plate discipline each year. With his improved sense of the strike zone, he is barreling balls more consistently, producing more power.

#28 Jonathan Santucci, LHP, Duke, 2G/2GS, 11.0 IP, 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.273 WHIP, 17K/5BB

Santucci is a three pitch lefty with power potential. He has reached 96 MPH with his fastball that sits in the mid-90s. It has riding action that makes it difficult to track. Its deception is enhanced by a slider that has sufficient speed separation to fool hitters. The final piece of his arsenal is a low 80s change up with late fade creating awkward swings and misses. He strikes out batters at a 13.8/9IP rate but needs to clean up his walks that currently sit at 4.5/9IP. Health has also been a concern as he missed a good portion of the Blue Devils’ 2023 campaign. He has middle of the rotation projection but could move quickly and be one of the first 2024 draftees to reach MLB as a reliever.

#34 Michael Massey, RHP, Wake Forest, 2G/2GS 7.0 IP, 2-0, 1.29 ERA, 0.571 WHIP, 13K/2BB, 3 HBP

If Wake Forest does not capture the national championship, it should not be because of pitching. Massey is another elite level arm. Massey transferred from Tulane for the 2023 season and became Wake Forest’s closer. He was shutting down opposing batters with a mid-90s heater that he was able to pump up to 98 MPH. If the velocity was enough to challenge hitters, he can throw it with heavy downward movement. He keeps batters off balance with a late breaking, high 80s slider. He produced plenty of swings and misses with his high release point. The Demon Deacons are having him begin 2024 in the rotation. The wisdom of that decision will be determined as Massey faces stiffer competition. If he can display consistency and stamina throughout the season, he could enhance his draft profile. As it stands now, he will be an early selection to be a fast-track reliever.

#47 Brendan Lawson, SS, P27 Academy (SC), no current stats available

The Canadian born Lawson is a Florida commit. He is a lean and powerful 6’3” shortstop who will outgrow the position. He has benefitted from his move to South Carolina to face a higher level of competition. It has produced intriguing power bolstered by a good feel for the strike zone. He is mechanically sound, and his swing creates drive to all fields. His power tool and strong arm will play well in RF. As he gets into professional baseball, he will add muscle and strength. He could become a prodigious power producer if everything clicks. An organization should be patient with Lawson’s development curve.

#48 Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina, 2G/2GS, 10.0 IP, 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 0.800 WHIP, 19K/3BB, 2 HBP

Yesavage is the highest rated prospect from the All-American Conference and a 2023 First Team All-Conference selection. He has improved his control from his days as a freshman reliever for the Pirates. His mid-90s fastball can touch 98 MPH and supplements it with a tight slider. He throws a low-80s power curve to set batters up for the hot stuff. He keeps lefthanders in check with a mid-80s change up. He strikes out batters at 13.6K/9IP. He has dropped his walk rate from 6.6 per nine innings down to 2.7. If he maintains those ratios, he could be a back end starter in MLB.

Notes: The following Carolina based players are in the Baseball America Top 100 prospects; #53 Will Taylor OF Clemson, #61 Cole Mathis 1B College of Charleston, #62 Fran Oschell RHP Duke, #73 Derek Bender 1B Coastal Carolina, #90 Jacob Jenkins-Cowart OF East Carolina, #98 Carson Messina RHP Summerville HS (SC). The first night of the MLB Draft will be held on Sunday July 14th in Fort Worth, TX. The first two rounds and compensation picks will be selected that night. The Draft concludes with the 20th round on Tuesday, July 16th.