Top 2021 High School MLB Draft Prospects
By Carlos Collazo
Baseball America’s 2021 high school rankings are compiled in consultation with major league scouts.
There is plenty of movement in today’s update of the 2021 high school top 100.
While the coronavirus pandemic has limited the number of scouts who can attend showcase events and tournaments, the summer circuit has largely continued to happen in the South. Many premium events like Perfect Game’s National Showcase, East Coast Pro, Area Code Games and the Perfect Game All-American Classic still took place, with a few alterations here and there.
Because of that the industry has been able to get a much better feel for the prep class. While Baseball America unfortunately hasn’t been on the ground at these events this summer, we’ve spent the past few months talking with area scouts, crosscheckers, scouting directors and college coaches about the class and the players within it, and watching lots of video where we can.
With that reporting, we’re excited to roll out full scouting reports for each of the players, which will give you an in-depth view of all 100 prospects sooner than we’ve ever managed before.
The 2021 high school class stands out for the exceptional athleticism of the group. There are more high-level, multi-sport athletes than any prep class in recent years and many of those athletes play up-the-middle, premium positions like shortstop and center field. Those up-the-middle preps are the currency of each high school class and 11 of the top 30 prospects are either shortstops or outfielders with a chance to play center field.
There’s also plenty of pure stuff in the 2021 class, but the most distinguishable feature of the pitching is in the number of lefthanded arms. Lefthanders are always a rare commodity in the draft and the 2021 group looks particularly strong in comparison the 2020 class. Last year the top prep lefties (Nate Savino and Daxton Fulton) either enrolled in campus early or got injured. There were only 10 prep lefties ranked among the top 200 players in the class and the highest-ranked healthy lefthander was Kyle Harrison, who checked in at No. 71.
This year there is both quality and quantity among the high school lefties, with 13 southpaws ranked among the top 100—and four players ranking among the top 25.
Georgia shortstop Brady House remains the top-ranked prospect, but Texas shortstop Jordan Lawlar is giving him some competition at the top, while Florida righthander Andrew Painter is now solidly in a tier of his own as the best of a deep crop of arms.
One potential blind spot of the class at the moment is the West Coast. Many of the premier prospects from California either haven’t played as much this summer or haven’t been seen as frequently as players from the Midwest and the East Coast.
Please note our companion College Top 100 rankings will be updated and published Wednesday morning.
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Updated on: 9/14/2020
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1 –Last: 1Notes:
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 215 | B-T: R-R
House entered the summer as the top-ranked high school prospect and did nothing to lose that status. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound shortstop has an exciting combination of high-level track record and a gaudy toolset to go along with it. The offensive tools are the loudest with House. He has terrific bat speed and natural strength, to go along with an advanced approach that allows him to track velocity and offspeed stuff with consistency. Scouts with history on House believe he has the ability to develop into a plus hitter, and his raw power should develop into 70-grade juice as he continues to develop. He’s already a physical and imposing hitter now, with plenty of impact to all fields and plus raw power, but there’s more to be had in the future. Defensively, House has easy plus arm strength—he can reach 96 mph on the mound—that could be an asset on the infield, where he has a good chance to stick. He doesn’t look like a typical pro shortstop, but evaluators have been impressed with his hands, reactions, internal clock and body control. Some believe he would be a better fit at third base, where he has all the tools to turn into an above-average defender. House is committed to Tennessee but is a top-of-the-first round talent and is unlikely to get to campus.
Commit/Drafted: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 18.1Less -
2Last: 7
Jordan Lawlar
Dallas Jesuit HS SSNotes:Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R
The top-ranked Texan in the 2021 class, Lawlar is looking to follow in the footsteps of Bobby Witt Jr. as a five-tool prep shortstop out of the Lone Star State. Some scouts have compared Lawlar to the Royals’s 2019 first-round pick, though his tools aren’t quite as loud despite a chance for above-average grades across the board. Lawlar showed one of the best hit tools at the Perfect Game All-American Classic, has a chance for above-average future power and is also an easy plus runner who has clocked a 6.45 60-yard dash—a 70-grade time. Defensively, Lawlar has a chance to stick at shortstop at the next level. Evaluators like his actions and think he has 55-grade arm strength, though at times he struggles to get in sync with ground balls leading some to question his internal clock. Skeptics believe he’s an athlete-first defender now who will need to refine the details of his defensive game to stick there long term, but considering his hit, power and run tools—there’s plenty to like from the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Vanderbilt commit who likely won’t make it to campus.
Commit/Drafted: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 19.0Less -
3Last: 11
Andrew Painter
Calvary Christian HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. RHPNotes:Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 230 | B-T: R-R
Painter established himself as the top all-around arm in a deep and dynamic 2021 high school pitching class this summer. While there may be pitchers who reach more impressive high-end velocities, it’s hard to find a high school pitcher who checks as many boxes as Painter—leading many evaluators to compare him to 2020 first-rounder Mick Abel. Abel has a large, still-projectable frame and is listed at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds and he throws with a tremendously loose and easy three-quarter arm action with little to no effort in the finish. Painter has a complete four-pitch mix, led by a fastball that’s routinely in the mid 90s initially, before settling into the 90-94 mph range. He spins the ball well and throws two distinct breaking balls, including a low-80s slider and a mid-to-upper-70s curveball. He also has shown feel for a low-80s changeup. On top of his four-pitch mix, frame and delivery, Painter also has a long track record of standout strike throwing, projecting for at least above-average control. While the industry has generally steered away from prep righthanders in the first round, a handful still go high and Painter is as close to the ideal version of a prep arm as you could design in 2020. It’s difficult to envision a scenario where he makes it to Florida, as the industry sees him as a no-doubt top of the first round talent.
Commit/Drafted: Florida
Age At Draft: 18.3Less -
4 –Last: 4
Tyree Reed
American Canyon (Calif.) HS OFNotes:Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 180 | B-T: L-L
One of the top outfielders in the 2021 class, Reed has plenty of tools and lots of upside, but hasn’t been seen as much this summer as he would in a typical, non-coronavirus year. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Oregon State commit has loads of athleticism and a lean, projectable body. He already has at least three plus tools in his defensive ability, speed and arm strength. Those supplemental plusses should make him an impact defender in center field and a dangerous baserunner, but it’s his offensive upside that makes him one of the top players in the class. Reed has great bat speed and scouts believe he will grow into power very quickly in the future. He starts with an open stance in the box but evens up during his load and fires his hands quickly, with natural loft in the swing. There’s a bit of a hitch in the load and he has a high back elbow, but evaluators don’t seem too concerned about those mechanical quirks and believe he can grow into a true five-tool player.
Commit/Drafted: Oregon State
Age At Draft: 18.5Less -
5Last: 82
James Wood
IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. OFNotes:Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 230 | B-T: L-R
One of the biggest risers over the summer, Wood is a 6-foot-6, 230-pound center fielder with massive lefthanded power potential. Wood has athletic bloodlines—his father Kenny played basketball at Richmond and at the pro level and his sister currently plays for Northeastern—and was also a talented basketball player, but he began focusing on baseball exclusively after transferring to IMG Academy. He gained around 20 pounds of muscle prior to the summer and has shown that strength in games, with tantalizing home runs against some of the top pitching in the class. Scouts entered the summer wondering about the swing and miss in his swing but have been impressed with the ease of his operation, his bat speed and his ability to put the barrel on the ball in games for impact. Despite his size, scouts have been impressed with his defense in center field. Wood moves well—he ran a 6.7 60-yard dash at PG National—and shows good instincts reading the ball off the bat, and moves well on the base paths. Given his projectable frame, athleticism, current toolset and summer performance, the Mississippi State commit has put himself solidly into the elite tier of the prep class.
Commit/Drafted: Mississippi State
Age At Draft: 18.8Less -
6Last: 5Notes:
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 185 | B-T: L-R
Mayer is the next big prospect to come out of a powerhouse Eastlake (Calif.) High program that has produced Adrian Gonzalez, 2020 second-rounder Casey Schmitt (by way of San Diego State) and more recently, first-rounder Keoni Cavaco in 2019. Mayer started getting attention from scouts at Eastlake as a freshman, where he showed a smooth lefthanded stick at the plate and advanced defensive actions up the middle. Mayer is arguably the top defensive shortstop in a class that is deep at the position. He glides around the infield dirt with silky smooth actions and has the hands, footwork and arm strength to stick at the position long term. He always seems to slow the game down, and has no problem throwing from multiple angles with an accurate arm. A 6-foot-3, 185-pound Southern California commit, Mayer also has upside offensively. He has fringe-average power now, but evaluators believe he could tap into above-average power down the line and he controls the zone well with a swing that’s leveraged for fly balls.
Commit/Drafted: Southern California
Age At Draft: 18.6Less -
7
Kahlil Watson
Wake Forest (N.C.) HS SSNotes:Ht: 5-9 | Wt: 178 | B-T: L-R
Watson steadily increased his stock by performing consistently during the summer—including standout performances at USA Baseball’s National Team Championships and East Coast Pro—and is now among the top high school players in a strong North Carolina class. A 5-foot-9, 178-pound shortstop, Watson shows solid raw power for his size with impressive bat speed and aggressive swings to go with an advanced hit tool and approach. Against one of the most electric lefthanders in the class—Alabama’s Maddux Bruns—Watson worked an impressive walk in one at-bat and then followed it up with a hard-hit triple to right-center field in the next. Defensively, Watson has a good shot to stick at shortstop moving forward with good actions, solid arm strength and slick footwork at the position. Speed should be another asset for the North Carolina State commit, as he clocked a 65-grade run time (6.5-6.6 seconds) in the 60-yard dash at East Coast Pro, which will give him enough range up the middle and make him a threat on the base paths. The industry currently sees Watson as a top-two round talent, and he’s one of the reasons the 2021 prep shortstop class is already looking stronger than it did in 2020.
Commit/Drafted: North Carolina State
Age At Draft: 18.2Less -
8 –Last: 8Notes:
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 210 | B-T: L-R
If picturesque swings and muscular, projectable bodies are your thing, Pacheco might be your guy in the 2021 prep class. A 6-foot-3, 210-pound shortstop committed to Texas A&M, Pacheco is a power-oriented lefthanded hitter with a fluid swing and quick hands in the box. Pacheco has a fluid and quick lefthanded swing that is geared for power now, and he projects for at least plus juice in the future with present strength and bat speed, and more room to fill out. While scouts have praised an advanced approach at the plate, Pacheco does come with some swing-and-miss concerns and he has had trouble tapping into his power in game situations throughout the summer. Like many of the top shortstops in the 2021 class, Pacheco is fine at the position now, but most scouts believe he will shift over to third in the future. He has solid hands and more than enough arm strength for either position, but scouts believe as he fills out he won’t have the range and quickness for shortstop, making him a solid fit at the hot corner.
Commit/Drafted: Texas A&M
Age At Draft: 18.7Less -
9Last: 10Notes:
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 225 | B-T: R-R
A physical righthander committed to Tennessee, Burns has some of the loudest pure stuff in the 2021 class, headlined by a fastball that routinely gets into the 99-100 mph range. Burns’ fastball is simply overpowering at the moment, with exceptional velocity and riding life that comes out a difficult plane for hitters thanks to a high, three-quarter arm slot. Burns attacks downhill with scattered control, though scouts have seen progress in his pitchability throughout the summer and his margin for error in location at the current level is wide considering his velocity. Burns also throws two breaking balls, one a sharp, top-to-bottom curve that looks like an average pitch and a more promising upper-80s slider with more sweeping action that shows real tilt and bite at its best. Some evaluators have graded the slider out as a future plus offering while his changeup has garnered mixed feedback and remains inconsistent. Burns will have to battle the poor track record of hard-throwing preps, and he also throws with a longer arm action that many clubs don’t love. There are also some minor mechanical cues and repeatability questions that teams will want answered, but none are massive red flags at the moment.
Commit/Drafted: Tennessee
Age At Draft: 18.5Less -
10Last: 2Notes:
Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 210 | B-T: L-L
There’s plenty of stuff in the 2021 pitching class, but Bruns looks to be the cream of the crop in that department among lefthanders. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Mississippi State commit wowed the scouting industry by showing three potential plus offerings. He ran his fastball up into the 96-97 mph range at its best, and also showed two sharp breaking balls. One is a 12-to-6 curveball in the mid 70s with plenty of depth. The other is a harder slider in the low 80s with power and late life. Bruns’ stuff plays well out of the hand, as he pitches with a high slot that creates plane and a crossfire delivery that adds deception. However, Bruns has consistently struggled to throw strikes regularly and scouts have significant concerns about his control and command moving forward. His control has been scattered in longer outings, and when runners reach evaluators have noted that Bruns doesn’t look as comfortable working from the stretch, which leads to questions about his athleticism. Those questions add to reliever risk, but if Bruns can improve his strikes, it’s hard to not like a prep lefty with his raw stuff and feel for spinning a breaking ball.
Commit/Drafted: Mississippi State
Age At Draft: 19.1Less -
11Last: 13Notes:
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 205 | B-T: L-L
Hartle appears to be the next impact lefthander to come out of the North Carolina prep ranks, following recent draftees like Liam Norris, Blake Walston and MacKenzie Gore. A projection pitcher with a clean arm action, delivery and a lean, 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame with plenty of room to fill out, scouts love the way Hartle throws. It’s an incredibly easy operation and the quality of his strikes are among the best in the class. His stuff isn’t overpowering, with a fastball that sits in the 89-92 mph range and ticks up to 93-94 at his best, with two solid secondaries. There are some questions about his natural ability to spin a breaking ball out of a lower, three-quarter slot, as the movement of his 78-84 mph sweeping breaking ball isn’t great, but he has good feel for the pitch and lands it consistently. He also has a mid-80s changeup that could give him a third average offering with developing feel. With plenty of starter traits thanks to his loose arm action and strike-throwing ability, many teams are just waiting for the Wake Forest commit to fill out a bit and see his fastball tick up next spring.
Commit/Drafted: Wake Forest
Age At Draft: 18.3Less -
12 –Last: 12Notes:
Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 210 | B-T: R-R
A 6-foot-4, 210-pound righthander committed to Miami, Carter helps form one of the loudest 1-2 punches of any high school pitching staff in the country alongside RHP Andrew Painter at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Carter has a solid three-pitch mix that he shows feel for that includes a fastball, slider and changeup. His fastball sits in the low 90s and has touched 94-95 at his best, with some sinking life and his slider has solid power and two-plane biting action in the 84-87 mph range. Carter previously threw a curveball, but started going towards a slider instead, which has given him a much more advanced breaking ball and elevated his draft stock. He has shown good feel to throw a mid-80s changeup. While scouts and coaches alike praise Carter’s bulldog-like demeanor on the mound, the question is whether he’s a starter or reliever at the next level. He’s athletic with a starter’s frame, but his delivery has plenty of effort and his arm stroke is long with some stabbing action in the back that could be concerning.
Commit/Drafted: Miami
Age At Draft: 18.8Less -
13Last: 9Notes:
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R
Ian Moller — The top catching prospect in the high school class and the top overall prospect out of Iowa, Moller impressed scouts with his hitting ability at premium showcase events over the summer, in particular at Perfect Game’s National showcase. A Louisiana State commit, Moller entered the summer with a strong defensive reputation as a catcher—similar to Rockies 2020 draftee Drew Romo, though perhaps not quite to that level. After showing terrific timing and some opposite field and gap-to-gap pop, Moller is seen as an all-around backstop with upside on both sides of the ball. He has a simple setup in the box and doesn’t have the fastest hands, but Moller’s bat path is direct to the ball with a loose stroke and very few moving parts allow him to get to consistent launch positions. He doesn’t have plus raw power now but could get closer to that as he adds more strength and matures. Defensively, Moller has above-average arm strength that plays up with a quick transfer. He also has solid athleticism that helps his blocking ability, and strong reliable hands that should allow him to receive at a high level. The 6 foot, 195-pound backstop is a well below-average runner, but as a catcher that shouldn’t impact his profile much.
Commit/Drafted: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.7Less -
14Last: 27Notes:
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 203 | B-T: L-R
One of the top hitters in a loaded Northeast region, Mack is a 6 feet, 203-pound catcher with exciting tools on both sides of the ball. After not playing any during the spring because of the coronavirus pandemic, Mack seamlessly transitioned to facing the elite arms on the showcase circuit this summer and was a consistent performer at the plate. A lefthanded hitter with good bat speed and a slight open stance, Mack has a chance for plus power potential and is similar to recent Northeast bats like Bo Naylor and Grant Lavigne—though Naylor’s pure hit tool is a bit more advanced. A strong, physical catcher, Mack’s best defensive attribute at the moment is a plus throwing arm. He’s gunned runners with sub-2.0 second throws to the bag in games and has the soft hands necessary to develop into a strong receiver. His actions can get long, but he has better lower half flexibility than you would expect when looking at his frame and evaluators have liked his progress behind the dish throughout the summer. High school catchers are risky, but Mack has the offensive chops to profile at first or a corner outfield spot, which raises his floor as a prospect.
Commit/Drafted: Clemson
Age At Draft: 18.6Less -
15 –Last: 15Notes:
Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 205 | B-T: R-L
Selvidge is the top-ranked prep out of the Four Corners in the 2021 class, and hails from a powerhouse Hamilton (Ariz.) High program that produced Cody Bellinger. A 6-foot-3, 205-pound lefthander, Selvidge has a solid three-pitch mix headlined by a fastball that typically sits in the 90-92 mph range and has been up to 94-95 at his best. He also has a low-80s slider with hard and tight movement that flashes late break at times, and an 80-84 mph changeup that has some tumbling action and is thrown with good arm speed. Selvidge has a lean frame at the moment with wide shoulders that suggest plenty of additional strength in the future. He works with a half windup and throws out of a higher, three-quarter slot. Selvidge’s delivery is simple—there are a few stops and starts in the process that could create hiccups and he also has early hand-glove separation. While there’s not one obvious plus offering, Selvidge has a solid package of tools and starter traits that should be exciting for MLB clubs, particularly considering his handedness. He’s committed to Louisiana State but is older for the class, turning 19 a month after the draft.
Commit/Drafted: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.9Less -
16Last: 42
Jay Allen
Carroll Catholic, Fort Pierce, Fla. OFNotes:Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
A dynamic athlete who’s also a three-star football prospect, Allen has an exciting package of tools that pair nicely with standout bat-to-ball skills. Listed at 6 feet, 190 pounds, Allen has plenty of quick-twitch athleticism with plus running ability. He turned in a 6.77 60-yard dash time at East Coast Pro but has also clocked 70-grade run times from home to first out of the righthanded batter’s box. When he gets on base, Allen is a threat to steal consistently and is fast enough to take bags on mediocre batteries even when he gets a bad jump. As a hitter, Allen showed excellent ability to put the bat on the ball against both velocity and breaking stuff and was consistently one of the better performers at the plate this summer. Scouts believe he has the speed, athleticism and route-running ability to be an above-average center fielder as well, giving him the ability to impact the game in a variety of ways. Power is the one question mark at the moment, as scouts can’t currently project him to have average in-game pop, though enough think he could become an everyday big leaguer that he fits solidly among the top two rounds.
Commit/Drafted: Florida
Age At Draft: 18.6Less -
17 –Last: 17
Chase Petty
Mainland Regional HS, Linwood, N.J. RHPNotes:Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R
An athletic righthander with explosive arm speed, Petty is solidly in the elite tier of 2021 prep arms in terms of pure stuff. The 6 feet, 185-pound Florida commit is a power sinker/slider arm with a turbo fastball that has gotten to 100 mph with exceptional running life, though he typically sits in the 91-95 mph range. Petty’s slider is more of an above-average projection than a plus pitch now. It sits in the low-to-mid 80s but the spin is inconsistent and some scouts prefer a firm, upper-80s changeup that flashes above average when he hits on it. Petty throws from a lower, three-quarter arm slot with noticeable effort, which adds some reliever risk to his profile when combined with scattered control. Because of his size and reliever questions, Petty has been compared to pitchers like Lance McCullers and JT Ginn, though both had better feel for spin at the same time, and Ginn’s pitchability was more advanced. The stigma against shorter righthanders seems to be fading and high school arms out of the Northeast have a strong track record. Add in Petty’s age (he doesn’t turn 18 until April) and there are plenty of positive indicators in his profile.
Commit/Drafted: Florida
Age At Draft: 18.3Less -
18Last: 6Notes:
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 176 | B-T: L-L
Bishop is one of the more well-known players in the 2021 class, after impressing on the national scene for multiple years as an underclassman. There aren’t many players in this prep class who can challenge Bishop in terms of natural tools and athleticism. The 6 feet, 176-pound outfielder has wiry athleticism with twitchy quick bat speed, to go along with plus running ability and solid arm strength in the outfield. As a lefthanded hitter with a chance to develop into a solid defender in center field, that’s a lot to like. However, scouts have concern with Bishop’s pure hit tool and the playability of his tools in games. While his hands get through the zone quickly, the Arkansas commit has shown a tendency to pull out in his swing and whiff on the inner half of the plate. Because of his toolset, athleticism and the questions about his natural hitting ability, some have likened him to Brewers 2018 second-round pick Joe Gray, though Gray was a touch more physical while Bishop has the advantage of batting from the left side. Bishop has the toolset to become a first-round pick, but he’ll need to show a more consistent offensive approach.
Commit/Drafted: Arkansas
Age At Draft: 18.2Less -
19Last: 16
Alonzo Tredwell
Mater Dei HS, Santa Anna, Calif. RHPNotes:Ht: 6-7 | Wt: 225 | B-T: L-R
Tredwell made a bit of a name for himself as an underclassman, thanks to a tall and projectable frame along with solid stuff that scouts have expected to progress as he continues to fill out. Currently listed at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds, Tredwell works out of a clean delivery with a fastball that sits in the 89-90 mph range and touches 91-92. He has also thrown a slider and changeup that both look like average secondaries. Teams haven’t seen Tredwell much this summer—like many West Coast prospects—and so their error bars are likely wider on him than many prospects close to Tredwell at the top of the high school draft list. His size, delivery and current set of pitches should still have the UCLA commit getting plenty of attention.
Commit/Drafted: UCLA
Age At Draft: 19.2Less -
20Last: 19
Jackson Jobe
Heritage Hall HS, Oklahoma City, Okla. SS/RHPNotes:Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R
One of the top two-way prospects in the 2021 class, Jobe may have been thought of as a primary shortstop entering the summer, but teams are enthralled with his athleticism, arm strength and feel for spin after seeing him pitch over the last few months. A 6-foot-2, 185-pound righthander committed to Mississippi, Jobe has shown a solid four-pitch mix with a fastball up to 95, but his slider is the main event. The pitch is among the higher spin rate breaking balls in the class and has gotten into the elite, Carter Stewart 3,000-plus rpm range. The pitch is an easy future plus offering in the 80-84 mph range and has two-plane break with plenty of depth and power when he hits on it. After that, Jobe has a curveball in the upper 70s that’s solidly behind his slider and a low-to-mid-80s changeup that has good fading life down and in to righthanded hitters. Jobe has shown solid control with most of his pitches and works with a simple delivery. He has plenty of arm speed and throws from a three-quarter slot and scouts have praised the crispness of his actions on the mound. MLB clubs love the idea of putting an athlete like Jobe on the mound, so most likely have his pitching upside in front of his position player upside for now, but he’s a real pro prospect as a hitter as well.
Commit/Drafted: Mississippi
Age At Draft: 19.0Less -
21Last: 28
Braden Montgomery
Madison (Miss.) Central HS OF/RHPNotes:Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 196 | B-T: B-R
Among the higher-level two-way prospects in the class, Montgomery brings an effortless, smooth approach to the game in the field and as a hitter. A 6-foot-1, 196-pound outfielder and righthanded pitcher, Montgomery isn’t the toolsiest prospect you’ll see, but he does nearly everything well on the diamond. As a hitter, he has feel for the barrel from both sides of the plate with a gap-to-gap approach. His righthanded swing is more fluid presently and his left is a bit more rigid, but he has solid power potential from both sides with a projectable build that should fill out nicely. His loudest tool might be his arm, with some scouts putting a 65 or better grade on it from the outfield. That hasn’t translated to a plus fastball on the mound, but Montgomery does sit with a 90-93 mph fastball and has above-average ability to land his mid-70s curveball, with some feel for a low-80s changeup as well. His operation and arm action is free and easy on the mound and he’s shown enough on both sides of the ball that many scouts aren’t still sure which position offers more upside or is more likely to be his long-term home. As a Stanford commit, it wouldn’t be surprising if Montgomery got to campus and continued to do both.
Commit/Drafted: Stanford
Age At Draft: 18.2Less -
22Last: 21Notes:
Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 230 | B-T: L-L
One of a handful of talented prep lefthanders in the 2021 class, Abner is a physically mature, 6 feet, 230-pound lefthander with a fastball that can dominate hitters presently. He sits in the 90-93 mph range for the most part, but regularly gets to 94-95 with solid fastball command and the ability to consistently use the pitch on his glove side. Abner has thrown both a slider and a curveball this summer, but scouts have said the spin of his breaking balls are inconsistent, presently. He’s shown enough to project for an average breaking ball in the low 80s with late bite at its best. Abner also throws a changeup in the mid 80s, which has tumbling action and—along with his fastball—helps him generate a lot of ground balls. Scouts aren’t sure how much more they can project for on Abner, as he has a stocky build and an operation that’s more strength-based than twitchy. Still, he has a solid three-pitch mix presently and that toolset from a prep lefty could be enough for teams to try and sign him out of a Florida commitment next spring.
Commit/Drafted: Florida
Age At Draft: 19.2Less -
23Last: 22
Harry Ford
North Cobb HS, Kennesaw, Ga. CNotes:Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 187 | B-T: R-R
Ford is one of the top players in the 2021 class, and he’s also among the better athletes of the group. Scouts praise his explosive athleticism and believe that will allow him to stick behind the plate long term, though he has impressive infield actions as well and some think he could also handle center field. Ford has more than enough arm for the position, with at least above-average throwing ability, and is mobile and light on his feet with all the mental and leadership traits that scouts want to see from a catcher. As a hitter, Ford has a solid history of showing feel for the barrel, with above-average bat speed and strength that comes from a well-developed frame and twitchy actions. Some evaluators believe he is more power over hit with a low handset that could help him leverage his swing for long fly balls. Unlike most catchers, Ford is an easy plus runner—he clocked the second-fastest 60-yard time at East Coast Pro at 6.42 seconds—and could move to a number of positions if necessary in the future. The 5-foot-10, 187-pound backstop is committed to catching pipeline Georgia Tech.
Commit/Drafted: Georgia Tech
Age At Draft: 18.4Less -
24Last: 23
Camden Hayslip
Friendship Christian HS, Lenanon, Tenn. OFNotes:Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 200 | B-T: L-L
A powerful lefthanded hitter with solid running ability and arm strength, Hayslip has an intriguing package of tools out of Tennessee. Listed at 6-foot-2, 197 pounds, the Alabama commit has terrific bat speed—reportedly among the best in the class in terms of rotational acceleration—and plenty of power to the pull side. Hayslip has some arm barring action as he drives to the ball, and some scouts question his pure hitting ability—particularly against same-side offspeed offerings—and his ability to use the opposite field. Given his lefthanded power, bat speed, frame and secondary tools, some scouts liken him to the Rays 2018 first-rounder Nick Schnell. Like Schnell, Hayslip is probably best suited for a corner outfield position in the long run. He’s turned in plus run times in workouts over the summer, but scouts see his speed as more solid-average. With his arm, running ability and instincts in the outfield, Hayslip could develop into a solid defender in a corner with enough power potential to profile nicely there. Scouts will need to get a better feel for Hayslip’s pure hitting ability, but his raw toolset alone makes him one of the more interesting prep outfielders in the class.
Commit/Drafted: Alabama
Age At Draft: 19.1Less -
25Last: 86
Joshua Baez
Dexter Southfield HS, Brookline, Mass. OFNotes:Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 220 | B-T: R-R
One of a handful of toolsy Northeast hitters in the 2021 class, Baez has some of the best power projection in the high school class thanks to a powerful swing and a well-developed, muscular 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame. There are scouts who believe Baez has a chance to grow into 70-grade raw power, but at the moment there are some swing-and-miss concerns, though scouts have noted he never truly looks out of control or lost at the plate. There’s a hand drop in his swing that could lead to inconsistencies against velocity up in the zone, but when the Vanderbilt commit does connect the ball explodes off his bat and carries a long way. Baez clocked a solid-average 60-yard time at East Coast Pro, but most scouts believe he will become a fringe-average runner in the future and is best suited to a corner outfield position. His power and arm strength—he’s been up to 97 mph on the mound—would be a major asset in center field if he could stick there, but he’s built more like a corner guy and has the toolset and power to profile nicely as a right fielder.
Commit/Drafted: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 18.0Less
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