Omar Serna, C, Lutheran South Academy, Houston

HS Rank: 50
Commit: LSU

There’s something about Texas high school catchers. Serna follows in the footsteps of both Blake Mitchell and Cade Arrambide as a Texas-based LSU commit who, at this point in the calendar, stands among the best backstops in the class. Serna blew up the Area Code Games this summer by going 4-for-9 (.444) with two home runs, a triple and a double at Blair Field ballpark that has typically been difficult for high school hitters to show power. That’s not the case for Serna, who has tons of strength in his hulking, 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame and a power-over-hit offensive profile. In addition to his huge power potential, Serna has double-plus arm strength that will be an asset for him at catcher if he can maintain his actions and develop his blocking and receiving. 

Gavin Fien, CIF, Great Oak HS, Temecula, Calif.

HS Rank: Not ranked
Commit: Texas

Fien helped power USA Baseball’s 18U national team to a gold medal in this year’s WBSC America’s qualifier in Panama, leading the team in total bases (17) and OPS (1.109) as the starting first baseman and three-hole hitter. Fien has a tall, strong frame at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and has experience at third base, the outfield and first base. In 13 logged games this summer, Fien hit .471/.537/.882 with two homers, eight doubles and more walks (six) than strikeouts (four). He showed an advanced approach and power to the pull side with a righthanded swing that is simple and explosive. Though he played first base for Team USA, his huge arm strength would fit nicely at third or right field. 

Brady Ebel, CIF, Corona (Calif.) HS

HS Rank: 4
Commit: LSU

If you’re not familiar with Corona (Calif.) High, you will be after scanning through the rest of this list. Ebel is one of three prospects from the school who makes this summer all-star team, and the trio will make the program one of the most prospect-heavy high school teams in recent memory this spring. A 6-foot-3, 190-pound infielder and lefthanded hitter, Ebel is one of the most well-rounded offensive players in the class, hitting .417/.533/.500 with more walks (three) than strikeouts (two) at this year’s Area Code Games. He has a keen eye and rarely expands the zone with a clean lefthanded swing that should allow him to hit for both average and power. Ebel is a below-average runner and might fit best at third base, where he has the actions and arm strength to profile nicely. He’s the son of Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel and will be 17 years old on draft day. 

Kayson Cunningham, MIF, Johnson HS, San Antonio

HS Rank: 10
Commit: Texas

Cunningham is a 5-foot-10, 178-pound lefthanded hitting shortstop with some of the best pure bat-to-ball skills in the class. He earned the starting shortstop job for Team USA this summer, then was named the MVP of the WBSC America’s Qualifier while leading the club to a gold medal with 10 hits and 12 RBIs and slashing .417/.483/.542. Cunningham has less physicality than other players in the class, but his hands in the box are snappy and direct to the ball with a level, functional swing that allows him to spray line drives over the entire field and minimize strikeouts. He’s also a plus runner and strong athlete who should have the actions to stick in the middle of the infield and be a good defender at either shortstop or second base.

Billy Carlson, MIF, Corona (Calif.) HS

HS Rank: 5
Commit: Vanderbilt

Another member of the Corona High trio, Carlson stands out as one of the most impressive two-way players in this year’s class. He’s an advanced defensive shortstop who boasts clean actions and one of the strongest infield throwing arms of the class. On the mound this summer, he has sat around 94 mph and touched 97. In 31 logged games from 2024, Carlson has hit .309/.473/.529 with as many walks (17) as strikeouts (17), and scouts were just as excited about his pure stuff on the mound at the Area Code Games this summer when he pitched 93-96 mph and showed a tight-spinning curveball in the upper 70s.

Dean Moss, OF, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.

HS Rank: 8
Commit: LSU

Moss has an exciting combination of bat speed and strike zone discipline. A 6-foot, 182-pound outfielder and lefthanded hitter, Moss posted a .333/.520/.639 slash line with 13 walks and just six strikeouts in 17 Synergy-logged games between PG National, USA Baseball’s 18U training camp, East Coast Pro, Area Code Games and PG’s All-America game. His batting eye appears to be one of the best in the class, and while he’s not the most physical hitter of the group, his hand speed should allow him to generate impact and hit for more power as he develops. He is an offensive-oriented hitter who can play center field now but could profile better in a corner at the next level. 

Slater de Brun, OF, Summit HS, Bend, Ore.

HS Rank: 47
Commit: Vanderbilt

De Brun played an occasional left field and hit at the bottom of USA Baseball’s lineup this summer, but he made the most of his limited playing time to be one of just three hitters (along with Gavin Fien and Kayson Cunningham) to finish the tournament with an OPS north of 1.000. A 5-foot-9, 180-pound outfielder and lefthanded hitter, de Brun slashed .408/.597/.776 in 23 Synergy-logged games this summer with 15 walks, 11 hit by pitches and just eight strikeouts. A small but strong hitter, de Brun stays within the zone on his swing decisions and makes tons of contact with a level, direct swing that should lead to more singles and doubles than over-the-fence power. He is a plus runner and should be able to stick in center field thanks to above-average arm strength. 

Brock Sell, OF, Tokay HS, Lodi, Calif.

HS Rank: 16
Commit: Stanford

Sell is a lean, 6-foot-1, 185-pound outfielder and lefthanded hitter who some scouts believed was the best hitter at this year’s Area Code Games. He went 5-for-14 (.357) at the event with a double, walk and four strikeouts, showing a simple, quiet offensive setup and the bat speed that could allow him to become an above-average pure hitter. His most impressive at-bat of the event came against Seth Hernandez, the top prep arm in the class, when he got into a 2-2 count and then flicked a 98-mph fastball on the outer third on a line to the opposite field for a sharp single. It’s a contact-over-power offensive profile at the moment, but Sell has a projectable frame that should allow him to add more strength and pop in the future. He’s a plus runner who accelerates quickly and should have the speed and defensive instincts to stick in center field and be an asset there, though some background as an infielder could add some defensive versatility to his game.

Seth Hernandez, TWP, Corona (Calif.) HS

HS Rank: 2
Commit: Vanderbilt

Hernandez has been the established top pitcher in the 2025 class for a long time now, but scouts were genuinely excited about his talents as a hitter this summer, as well. He has legitimate bat speed and raw power as a righthanded hitter—at PGN he managed a 101-mph exit velocity and had the ninth-best max barrel speed recorded among 181 players—but his upside is still greater on the mound, where he is already drawing Dylan Lesko comparisons. As a pitcher, Hernandez sits in the mid 90s and has been up to 100 mph with an outlier changeup that features 12 mph+ separation from his fastball and features tremendous movement and deception. While the change is his best secondary and a driver of the Lesko comps, he can also spin the baseball well, throwing both a two-plane curveball and harder slider that give him more pure stuff. He struck out five of the eight batters he faced at the Area Code Games this summer and generated five whiffs with the cambio. 

Landon Harmon, P, East Union HS, Blue Springs, Miss.

HS Rank: 18
Commit: Mississippi State

Harmon has an elite pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-5, 185 pounds and was arguably the single most impressive prospect at this year’s East Coast Pro. He pitched in multiple outings, touched 98 mph both times, sat in the 93-96 mph range and flashed two breaking ball variants to go with a solid mid-80s changeup. The ease with which Harmon generates his velocity is a separator—it looks like his playing catch while touching 97-98 mph—and his delivery, balance, athleticism and clean arm action portend above-average control in the future. At the moment, he’s a fastball-dominant pitcher and will need to sharpen each of his secondaries. He has a chance to grow into plenty more strength and power with his highly projectable frame. 

Kruz Schoolcraft, P, Sunset HS, Portland, Ore.

HS Rank: 7
Commit: Uncommitted

Schoolcraft is the top-ranked uncommitted player in the class. A standout on the mound at the Area Code Games, he is a legitimate two-way player. His 6-foot-8, 220-pound frame and lefthanded throwing ability is an excellent starting point, but Schoolcraft also averaged 94-mph in his brief outing, touched 96 and struck out four of the seven batters he faced. Maintaining his delivery and release point will be keys for him moving forward given his colossal frame, but he filled up the zone with the fastball nicely at the Area Code Games and also showed solid feel to land a low-80s changeup. He also throws a low-80s slider. As a hitter, Schoolcraft has massive power potential at first base, but his upside potential as a lefty on the mound might be too much for teams to pass up. 

Ethan Grim, P, Governor Mifflin HS, Shillington, Pa.

HS Rank: Not ranked
Commit: Virginia Tech

Grim doesn’t have the sort of top-end pure stuff of other pitchers on this list, but it’ll be hard to match his summer performance given how dominant he was at both the East Coast Pro and Area Code Games. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound righthander struck out 11 of the 19 batters he faced across two games and six innings of work, while allowing just one hit (a single) and not walking a batter. He pitches in the 90-94 mph range with his fastball but attacks the zone effectively with the pitch and threw it for strikes more than 70% of the time in this sample. Grim also has a slider, curveball and changeup that need to be sharpened up, but his competitiveness and command on the mound were impressive against the best hitters in the class. 

Brett Crossland, P, Mountain Pointe HS, Phoenix

HS Rank: 29
Commit: Texas

Crossland is a big, physical righthander with power stuff to go along with his extra-large, 6-foot-5, 241-pound frame. This summer, he has sat 93-94 mph with a fastball that has been up to 97 and is used to dominate the top of the zone and generate whiffs. His go-to breaking ball is a hard, tight slider in the mid 80s that looks like a plus pitch now with late action and two-plane biting shape. Crossland will also mix in a downer curveball in the mid-70s and changeup in the mid-80s. He struck out three of the four batters he faced at Perfect Game’s All-America game, but his inconsistent command showed up at the Area Code Games, where he walked four of the 10 batters he faced.

Coleman Borthwick, P, South Walton HS, Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.

HS Rank: 19 (2006)
Commit: Auburn

Borthwick looks the part as one of the top pitchers in the 2025 class thanks to an extra-large, 6-foot-6, 245-pound frame and a loud three-pitch mix. Scouts will have to wait a year to bear down on him fully, however, as he’s a member of the 2026 class. He filled up the zone at this year’s East Coast Pro, where he struck out six of the 12 batters he faced, walked one and averaged 92-93 mph with a fastball that touched 95. His low-80s slider, a three-quarter break with solid movement, looked like his best secondary at the ECP, but he also flashed a nice changeup that he throws with fastball arm speed to round out the repertoire. He’s already ranked highly in next year’s class but should have an up arrow next to his name given his performance this summer. 

Honorable Mentions

• MIF: JoJo Parker, Daniel Pierce, Eli Willits, Sean Gamble, Tate Southisene
• CIF: Xavier Neyens, Jason Fultz, Sebastian Norman, Evan Hankins
• OF: Jordan Serrano, William Patrick
• P: Noah Yoder, Nico Partida, Justice De Jong, Aaron Watson

Team	$ Towards Pool	Bonus Pool	Overage %	Overage $
PIT	$14,700,525	$14,000,500	105.0%	+700,025
HOU	$6,210,412	$5,914,700	105.0%	+295,712
BAL	$11,466,800	$10,920,900	105.0%	+545,900
ATL	$8,153,100	$7,765,000	105.0%	+388,100
CHI	$10,291,900	$9,802,300	105.0%	+489,600
LAA	$12,640,500	$12,041,800	105.0%	+598,700
SF	$7,942,350	$7,566,200	105.0%	+376,150
NYY	$8,538,190	$8,134,500	105.0%	+403,690
DET	$12,512,500	$11,921,800	105.0%	+590,700
BOS	$11,040,000	$10,521,600	104.9%	+518,400
OAK	$16,103,900	$15,347,900	104.9%	+756,000
CLE	$19,236,100	$18,334,000	104.9%	+902,100
PHI	$7,744,900	$7,381,800	104.9%	+363,100
WSH	$14,575,200	$13,895,100	104.9%	+680,100
CIN	$16,615,800	$15,842,100	104.9%	+773,700
SD	$9,814,600	$9,360,500	104.9%	+454,100
LAD	$6,411,300	$6,114,700	104.9%	+296,600
TEX	$7,327,600	$6,997,900	104.7%	+329,700
CWS	$15,267,500	$14,593,300	104.6%	+674,200
TOR	$9,376,050	$8,987,000	104.3%	+389,050
NYM	$9,768,000	$9,375,500	104.2%	+392,500
STL	$10,599,100	$10,213,000	103.8%	+386,100
KC	$13,394,600	$13,023,300	102.9%	+371,300
ARI	$12,662,000	$12,662,000	100.0%	–
MIL	$11,757,400	$11,757,600	100.0%	-200
MIN	$12,201,650	$12,209,600	99.9%	-7,950
MIA	$10,425,000	$10,438,500	99.9%	-13,500
COL	$17,156,100	$17,243,400	99.5%	-87,300
SEA	$9,494,900	$9,543,300	99.5%	-48,400
TB	$8,582,600	$8,832,900	97.2%	-250,300

When rounding to the nearest tenth there were nine teams who went to the full 5% overage, which is the max you can go over your bonus pool before incurring future draft pick penalties. In the 13 years of the bonus pool era, no team has been willing to go beyond that 5% overage. 

Twenty-three teams went over their bonus pool allotment in some capacity, while one team (the D-backs) spent their exact bonus pool. Six teams did not go over, including the Rockies and Twins, who remain the only teams in the league who have never spent more than their available bonus pool.

These numbers are extremely similar to a year ago, and five of the six teams who didn’t spend their entire bonus pool still spent at least 99.5% of their pool. In the 2023 draft, three teams spent less than 99.5% of their total bonus pool. This year only the Rays fell below that mark and left $250,000 on the table of their final bonus pool after not signing, though that doesn’t include the bonus pool value they lost for not signing 66th overall pick Tyler Bell.

There were four teams who failed to sign players selected among the first ten rounds this year, which was the the most since the 2018 draft featured three first rounders who didn’t sign. Those teams include the Rays (Bell, 66th), Brewers (Chris Levonas, 67th), Angels (Ryan Prager, 81st) and Mets (Jaxon Jelkin, 263rd).

When a team fails to sign a player inside the top 10 rounds, they also lose the bonus pool money associated with that pick. Below you can see how each team’s bonus pool was impacted:

team	original pool	final pool	money lost
TB	$10,093,100	$8,832,900	$1,260,200
MIL	$12,984,400	$11,757,600	$1,226,800
LAA	$12,990,400	$12,041,800	$948,600
NYM	$9,572,200	$9,375,500	$196,700

For each of these teams, a lost pick is unfortunate, though not nearly to the degree of the Kumar Rocker non-signing for the Mets from the 2021 draft. That year, the Mets went significantly under slot in order to sign Rocker with their first pick, and after he didn’t sign, there was no backup player for the team to push their created “savings” towards. That led them to not using nearly $1.3 million in bonus pool space.

The Brewers pushed significant money to a handful players on the third day of the draft (Joey Broughton, Travis Smith, Jayden Dubanewicz and Tyler Renz) to essentially match the $1.9 million the team saved inside the first 10 rounds. Jelkin was simply a lower-profile miss for the Mets in the ninth round, while the Angels still managed to sign 11th rounder Trey Gregory-Alford for nearly $2 million because the Prager pick was never intended to create savings for it in the first place.

The Rays certainly come away as the biggest “losers” here because they created more than $500,000 in savings inside the first 10 rounds but then only spent just over half of that with deals towards the bonus pool in rounds 11-20. That meant they left about $250,000 on the table, which is the slot value for a mid-to-late seventh round selection. 

The Rays, Brewers and Angels will each receive compensation picks in the 2025 draft for not signing players inside the first three rounds.

The First Round

The expectation for this year’s first round was that there would be plenty of underslot deals. That was, indeed, the case, as 16 of the first 30 picks signed for less than slot value. Four players signed for exactly slot value and just a third of the first rounders (10 players) signed for overslot deals.

Pick	Team	Player	Level	Slot value	Bonus	Over/Under
1	CLE	Travis Bazzana	4YR	$10,570,600	$8,950,000	-1,620,600
2	CIN	Chase Burns	4YR	$9,785,000	$9,250,000	-535,000
3	COL	Charlie Condon	4YR	$9,070,800	$9,250,000	179,200
4	OAK	Nick Kurtz	4YR	$8,370,800	$7,000,000	-1,370,800
5	CWS	Hagen Smith	4YR	$7,763,700	$8,000,000	236,300
6	KC	Jac Caglianone	4YR	$7,213,800	$7,497,500	283,700
7	STL	JJ Wetherholt	4YR	$6,823,700	$6,900,000	76,300
8	LAA	Christian Moore	4YR	$6,502,800	$4,997,500	-1,505,300
9	PIT	Konnor Griffin	HS	$6,216,600	$6,532,025	315,425
10	WSH	Seaver King	4YR	$5,953,800	$5,150,000	-803,800
11	DET	Bryce Rainer	HS	$5,712,100	$5,797,500	85,400
12	BOS	Braden Montgomery	4YR	$5,484,600	$5,000,000	-484,600
13	SF	James Tibbs	4YR	$5,272,300	$4,747,500	-524,800
14	CHI	Cam Smith	4YR	$5,070,700	$5,070,700	0
15	SEA	Jurrangelo Cijntje	4YR	$4,880,900	$4,880,900	0
16	MIA	PJ Morlando	HS	$4,704,700	$3,400,000	-1,304,700
17	MIL	Braylon Payne	HS	$4,534,100	$3,440,000	-1,094,100
18	TB	Theo Gillen	HS	$4,372,900	$4,370,400	-2,500
19	NYM	Carson Benge	4YR	$4,219,200	$3,997,500	-221,700
20	TOR	Trey Yesavage	4YR	$4,073,400	$4,175,000	101,600
21	MIN	Kaelen Culpepper	4YR	$3,934,400	$3,934,400	0
22	BAL	Vance Honeycutt	4YR	$3,802,200	$4,000,000	197,800
23	LAD	Kellon Lindsey	HS	$3,676,400	$3,297,500	-378,900
24	ATL	Cam Caminiti	HS	$3,556,300	$3,553,800	-2,500
25	SD	Kash Mayfield	HS	$3,442,100	$3,442,100	0
26	NYY	Ben Hess	4YR	$3,332,900	$2,747,500	-585,400
27	PHI	Dante Nori	HS	$3,228,300	$2,497,500	-730,800
28	HOU	Walker Janek	4YR	3,132,500	$3,130,000	-2,500
29	ARI	Slade Caldwell	HS	$3,045,500	$3,087,000	41,500
30	TEX	Malcolm Moore	4YR	$2,971,300	$3,000,000	28,700

Teams spent $151,096,325 on first round picks this year, which accounts for 40.4% of the total signing bonus dollars ($374,345,077) teams handed out to drafted players this year. 

Five players signed for more than $1 million below slot value: 

• (1.1) Travis Bazzana, $1.6 million
• (1.8) Christian Moore, $1.5 million
• (1.4) Nick Kurtz, $1.4 million
• (1.16) PJ Morlando, $1.3 million
• (1.17) Braylon Payne, $1.1 million

Shortstop and ninth overall pick Konnor Griffin secured the most over-slot money among first rounders this year, adding $315,425 to his $6.2 million slot value at the back of the top 10. Collegians Jac Caglianone and Hagen Smith each added more than $200,000 to their slot values.

In total, teams secured $9.6 million in savings towards the bonus pool with their first overall picks, which is neck-in-neck with the $9.7 million savings total from first rounders in the 2023 draft.

Draft Strategies

Save Early, Spend Later

• Angels: The Angels seemed to use a similar strategy to a year ago with an emphasis on fast-moving collegians up top. They saved big on Christian Moore with a $1.5 million underslot deal with their first pick, then added nearly half a million more in savings with second-rounder Christopher Cortez. The Angels pushed that money towards Ryan Johnson ($687K over) in the second supplemental round and used a bit more than $1.8 million towards the pool to sign 11th rounder Trey Gregory-Alford.
• A’s: Oakland had one of the most aggressive “save early, spend later” drafts this year, putting most of their $1.3 million savings with No. 4 overall pick Nick Kurtz towards their next four picks, including second-rounder Tommy White ($668K over), supplemental second-rounder Gage Jump ($923K over), third-rounder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (slot) and fourth-rounder Rodney Green ($297K over).
• Braves: The Braves saved only marginally with each of their first four selections for a combined $121,100, but they still went under slot early and handed out big bonuses to their fifth and sixth rounders, Nicholas Montgomery ($594K over) and Ethan Bagwell ($510K over), respectively. To afford those bonuses, the Braves were one of the most aggressive teams at signing huge underslot deals with college seniors in rounds 7-10.
• D-backs: The D-backs actually went slightly overslot for Slade Caldwell ($42K over) in the first round, but signed Ryan Waldschmidt for slot value with their second pick and then created big savings with JD Dix ($483K under), Ivan Luciano ($329K under) and Daniel Eagen ($68K under) with their 3rd-5th picks. In total, they saved about $840K with their first five picks and pushed that money towards fourth-rounder Tytus Cissell ($264K over) and fifth-rounder Connor Foley ($608K over).
• Mets: The Mets didn’t create massive savings with their first few picks, but still saved on first-rounder Carson Benge ($222K under) and third-rounder Nate Dohm ($137K under) before handing out a significant over-slot deal for fifth-rounder Trey Snyder ($846K over).
• Nationals: The Nationals had the opposite strategy a year ago, but saved big this time around with first-rounder Seaver King ($804K under) and then marginally with supplemental first-rounder Caleb Lomavita ($70K under). Most of the savings created there went on a huge overslot deal for second-rounder Luke Dickerson ($1.68M over). His deal was the second-largest overslot deal handed out in the 2024 draft class, behind only Angels 11th rounder Trey Gregory-Alford.
• Guardians: We took a shot at breaking down Cleveland’s expected draft strategy ahead of time, and it largely panned out as expected for the Guardians. They signed the No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana to the largest under-slot deal of the entire draft ($1.62M under), then aggressively targeted prep arms for big overslot deals, including third-rounder Joey Oakie ($1.1M over), seventh-rounder Cameron Sullivan ($246K over) and 10th rounder Chase Mobley ($1.62M over) while also going close to the full 5% overage.
• Red Sox: The Red Sox had a consensus top-10 player slip to them in Braden Montgomery with the 12th overall pick but still managed to sign him to a $485K under slot deal. The team went $154K over slot for Payton Tolle in the second but then saved with each of their next five picks ($443K in total) and pushed a significant over slot deal to eighth-rounder Conrad Cason ($1.03M)

Relatively Straight Up

• Astros: The Astros had the smallest bonus pool to work with in this year’s draft and opted to play things relatively straight. Their largest deals on either side of slot value were overslot deals for third-rounder Ryan Forcucci ($273K over) and sixth-rounder Caden Powell (($115K over). Everything else was within $100K of slot value up and down the board. 
• Cardinals: The Cardinals had to go slightly over slot ($76K) to sign No. 7 overall pick JJ Wetherholt, but we still viewed that as one of the steals of the draft. St. Louis created some savings with third-rounder Brian Holiday ($165K under) but then signed their fourth, fifth and sixth rounders for exactly slot value.
• Cubs: The Cubs went exactly slot value for both first-rounder Cam Smith and second-rounder Cole Mathis, then saved slightly with third-rounder Ronny Cruz ($206K under) and with sub-$100K savings with each of their picks from rounds 5-10 in order to give out overslot deals for fourth-rounder Ty Southisene ($399K over) and 11th rounder Eli Lovich ($500K towards the pool).
• Orioles: The Orioles didn’t have a massive overslot or underslot deal until they gave sixth-rounder DJ Layton nearly $400K above slot value in the middle of the second day of the draft. The team pushed to the full 5% overage and handed out two sizable prep deals on day three with 12th-rounder Brandon Downer ($197.5K towards the pool) and 16th-rounder Nate George ($305K towards the pool).
• Rangers: The Rangers are a bit tougher to clearly identify, I think. They were within $30K of slot value for each of their first four picks, which feels like a “straight up” draft strategy, but then in the fifth round spent $511K over slot to sign Devin Fitz-Gerald. The team subsequently saved $435K with their round 6-10 picks to help pay for that signing and also spent $250K towards the bonus pool with their first two picks on day three. This is on the boundary of “straight up” and “spend early, save later.” I opted for this bucket because a fifth-round overpay doesn’t scream “early” to me. 
• Rays: The Rays signed each of their players in the first 10 rounds to underslot deals, though, aside from fourth-rounder Nate Knowles ($180K under) and 10th rounder Trey Pooser ($108K), they were all within $100K from slot value. The team essentially signed first-rounder Theo Gillen, second-rounder Emilien Pitre, third-rounder Nathan Flewelling and seventh-rounder Ryan Andrade for slot value (though they used the $2,500 signing bonus contingency on each), so bucketing them here seems fair.
• Rockies: The Rockies did go overslot for each of their first two picks, though they weren’t massive overslot deals considering the slot values at picks 3 and 48. The team then handed out six slot value deals from rounds 3-10, which puts them squarely in this strategy bucket for me (though, if you wanted to claim “spend early, save later” I wouldn’t fight you too much on it). The team created savings with second-rounder Jared Thomas ($225K under) and fourth-rounder Blake Wright ($440K under).

Spend Early, Save Later

• White Sox: The White Sox inked first-round pick Hagen Smith to a deal that cost them more than $236K over slot, then went with back-to-back preps with second-rounder Caleb Bonemer ($825K over) and supplemental second-rounder Blake Larson ($200K over). Combined, the White Sox were more than $1.2 million in the hole with their first three picks and made up the savings with third-rounder Nick McLain ($196K under), sixth-rounder Jackson Appel ($253K under), seventh-rounder Phil Fox ($95K under), ninth-rounder Jack Young ($192K under) and 10th-rounder Coel McConnell ($178K under), while also going 4.7% over the bonus pool. 
• Twins: The Twins are a bit of a janky fit here, since they handed out two slot deals (first-rounder Kaelen Culpepper and second-rounder Billy Amick) and an underslot deal (supplemental first-rounder Kyle Debarge) with their first three picks. But they did sign supplemental second-rounder Dasan Hill to a huge overslot deal ($830K over) that they needed to save with each of their next eight picks in order to make work. 
• Padres: Three of the Padres’ first five picks signed for slot deals, but the team had to go heavily over slot for second-rounder Boston Bateman ($738K over) and fifth-rounder Kale Fountain ($1.26M over). In order to pay for those deals, the Padres aggressively targeted college seniors and added more than $1.5 million towards the bonus pool with that demographic across six selections, mostly in rounds 6-10.
• Mariners: The Mariners find themselves back in this “spend” early, save later” bucket once again in 2024. They signed first-rounder Jurrangelo Cijntje for slot value at pick 15 but then gave second-rounder Ryan Sloan the fifth-largest over-slot deal ($1.36M over) in the class. To pay for that, Seattle was one of the most aggressive teams targeting college seniors, including significant underslot deals for third-rounder Hunter Cranton ($763K under) and fifth-rounder Charlie Beilenson ($406K under).
• Pirates: If a team goes heavy on high school players with their first few picks, it’s likely they fall into the “spend early, save later” bucket. The Pirates handed out the largest first-round overslot deal to Konnor Griffin with the ninth overall pick ($315K over), essentially grabbed supplemental first-rounder Levi Sterling for slot and then gave out their largest overslot deal to third-rounder Wyatt Sanford ($513K over). To make room for those picks, the Pirates saved a combined $155K in rounds 3-10 and also pushed to the full 5% overage. You could make a case that Pittsburgh belongs in the “relatively straight up bucket” because none of their picks are clear money-saving options, and they simply opted to spend all they could without incurring pick penalties.
• Royals: This draft is close to being “relatively straight up” given the signing bonus values handed out to each player throughout the class, but it’s also true that the team went over slot for each of their first three picks and under slot for the next seven to get through the first 10 rounds. It was a combined $375.5K over slot for Jac Caglianone, David Shields and Drew Beam and a combined savings of $399.2K for the rest of the top-10 rounders. 
• Tigers: The Tigers went a combined $643K over slot with each of their first three picks with preps Bryce Rainer, Owen Hall and Ethan Schiefelbein (though, Rainer and Schiefelbein signed overslot deals and Hall signed under). The team then saved about $679K towards the pool with their next six picks—all college players—and handed out a big overslot deal to ninth-rounder Zach Swanson ($527K over).

Balance Up Top

• Reds: The Reds saved more than half a million dollars towards the pool with No. 2 overall pick Chase Burns despite the fact that he tied Charlie Condon for the largest bonus ever. The team then went overslot for second-rounder Tyson Lewis ($1.24M) and helped pay for that deal by saving throughout the rest of the first 10 rounds and going nearly to the full 5% overage of the pool.
• Dodgers: The Dodgers packaged a pair of high school players at the top of their draft class, signing first-rounder Kellon Lindsey at pick No. 23 ($379K under) and then following up with third-rounder Chase Harlan at pick No. 98 ($1M over). The team saved a cumulative $327K towards the pool with their six picks from rounds 4-10 and then tapped the pool to a 4.9% overage.
• Marlins: The Marlins replicated their spending strategy from a year ago with a pair of preps, though this time they went for pure hitters instead of upside arms. First-rounder PJ Morlando signed for $1.3 million under slot and then the team doubled back in the second round for Carter Johnson, who signed for $1.2 million over slot. 
• Brewers: The Brewers approximated the savings of the Marlins in the first round by taking Braylon Payne just after PJ Morlando and saving $1.1 million towards the pool on the speedy outfielder. The team then saved nearly $600K in the supplemental first round on Blake Burke and put most of that savings towards an overslot deal for second-rounder Bryce Meccage ($938K over). Presumably, that was also the idea for supplemental second-rounder Chris Levonas, who was one of four players to not sign among the top 10 rounds. 
• Yankees: The Yankees grabbed a pitcher with their first overall pick for the first time since 2017 and balanced their board by signing first-rounder Ben Hess to an underslot deal ($585K under) and second-rounder Bryce Cunningham to an underslot deal ($576K over). The team then used a few senior signings to help save for overslot deals for sixth-rounder Griffin Herring ($458K over) and 11th-rounder Mack Estrada ($490K towards the bonus pool).
• Phillies: The Phillies packaged a pair of toolsy prep outfielders with their first two selections, going with Dante Nori in the first round ($731K under) and Griffin Burkholder in the second ($1.15M over). Burkholder’s deal was such that the Phillies needed to continue creating a bit of savings with most of their subsequent top-10 round picks. Philadelphia was one of the few teams who didn’t exceed $150K for any players in rounds 11-20, though the team maxed out its bonus pool at nearly the full 5% overage. 
• Giants: The Giants had a small bonus pool this year and only one pick inside the first 115 selections, but they created plenty of savings with first-rounder James Tibbs ($525K under). They managed to land a top-40 talent in the class with their 116th overall pick in Dakota Jordan, who required a sizable overslot deal ($1.37M over) that was the fourth-largest such deal in the draft. The team had to continue creating savings with each of their next six picks, but Tibbs’ deal did most of the work in this top-heavy draft class.
• Blue Jays: The Blue Jays signed first-rounder Trey Yesavage for a slightly overslot deal at pick No. 20 ($102K over) and then balanced their next two picks with second-rounder Khal Stephen ($372K under) and third-rounder Johnny King ($480K over). They created around $320K in savings towards the pool with their next eight picks to help make some flexibility for day three and help sign 12th-rounder Carson Messina ($400K towards the pool). 

Most Aggressive With Senior Signs (4+)

The Padres and the Mariners tied for the most senior signs among the first 10 rounds with six apiece, though the tie-breaker that puts the Padres squarely on the pedestal for this category is their $1.55 million in combined underslot savings from those picks. The Mariners checked in at $1.51 million in combined savings.

The Braves and White Sox both selected four senior signs in the first 10 rounds, tied for third among all orgs, and saved $794K and $608K towards the pool, respectively, with those picks. The Brewers can be an honorable mention for this category. They selected just two seniors among the first 10 rounds but combined for $919K in savings towards the pool with those picks. 

Most Aggressive On Day Three ($500K to pool or more)

The Angels spent $2,062,500 towards the pool on day three, which narrowly beat the Brewers for the most in this category, though both teams are in a tier of their own here. The Angels primarily spent that money on 11th-rounder Trey Gregory-Alford, the No. 98 player in the class, but 18th-rounder David Mershon signed for $405,000 and is one of just three players from this draft class already in Double-A. 

The Brewers spent $1,912,500 towards the pool on day three, which is seemingly a function of not signing Chris Levonas and then pushing the savings created for that pick to a number of players who signed on deadline day: 13th-rounder Joey Broughton ($385K towards the pool), 15th-rounder Travis Smith ($312K towards the pool), 16th-rounder Jayden Dubanewicz ($515K towards the pool) and 18th-rounder Tyler Renz ($700K towards the pool).

The Cubs spent $570K towards the pool on day three, while the Orioles spent $502,500, and the Blue Jays spent $500K.

Facts & Figures

As mentioned previously, there were four players who did not sign among the first 10 rounds this year. That means, the signing rate for players among the first 10 rounds in the bonus pool era now stands at 98.7% (3,963 players picked, 50 unsigned).

There were 615 players were selected in this year’s draft. Below is the breakdown of selected players based on school source:

• Four-Year Colleges: 77.07% (474)
• High Schools: 18.70% (115)
• Junior Colleges: 4.26% (26)

Below is the breakdown of players based on sub-categories of school source:

• JR: 44.72% (275) 
• SR: 21.63% (133) 
• HS: 18.37% (113) 
• 5S: 4.39% (27) 
• SO: 4.23% (26) 
• J2: 2.44% (15) 
• GR: 2.11% (13) 
• J1: 1.14% (7) 
• J3: 0.65% (4) 
• NS: 0.33% (2) 

Of the 615 drafted players, 570 signed (92.68%). Of players who signed, here is the breakdown based on school source, with the total numbers of players signed from each source and signing rate of each source in parentheses:

• 4YR: 80.52% (459, 96.84%)
• HS: 15.26% (87, 75.65%)
• JC: 4.21% (24, 92.31%)

Below are the total signing bonus dollars broken down by source:

• 4YR: $250,049,512
• HS: $118,729,225
• JC: $5,566,340

Below are the average signing bonus dollars broken down by source:

• HS: $1,364,704
• 4YR: $544,770
• JC: $231,931

Below are the median signing bonus dollars broken down by source:

• HS: $822,500
• 4YR: $150,000
• JC: $150,000

Below are the total signing bonus dollars broken down into sub-categories of source:

• JR: $209,311,050
• HS: $118,729,225
• SO: $24,615,200
• SR: $14,289,262
• J2: $3,063,500
• J1: $1,587,840
• 5S: $1,456,000
• J3: $915,000
• GR: $378,000

Below are the average signing bonus dollars broken down into sub-categories of source:

• HS: $1,364,704
• SO: $1,118,873
• JR: $786,884
• J1: $264,640
• J3: $228,750
• J2: $218,821
• SR: $108,252
• 5S: $56,000
• GR: $29,077

Below are the median signing bonus dollars broken down into sub-categories of source:

• HS: $822,500
• SO: $502,500
• JR: $240,450
• J3: $183,750
• J1: $173,750
• J2: $150,000
• SR: $100,000
• 5S: $50,000
• GR: $25,000

Biggest Winners

Savion Sims, RHP, Oklahoma

Sims was the most electric player at Area Codes.

The first 10 fastballs out of his hand?

96, 96, 97, 96, 97, 96, 95, 96, 96 and 94 mph.

That’s from a 6-foot-7, 200-pound righthander with outstanding arm speed on a long, still-lanky frame who delivers the ball with steep downhill plane from a delivery without much effort. Sims already has an incredible fastball for a pitcher who just turned 17. With how much room he still has on his frame to add weight, the projection arrows point toward a pitcher who should not only end up with 80-grade velocity, but someone who could become the hardest thrower in baseball one day. Teenage pitchers with long limbs like Sims typically struggle repeating their mechanics to throw strikes, but Sims threw 28 of his 39 pitches for strikes (a 72% clip), with a lot of his misses coming below the strike zone. An Oklahoma commit, Sims threw a solid slider, as well, at 82-85 mph. At its best, it had two-plane depth from his high slot, spinning at 2,300-2,600 rpm. He used that slider to get a pair of swinging strikeouts, the best of which came on a 2-2 pitch to a lefty that broke down and in underneath his barrel.

Rookie Shepard, SS, Nevada

Shepard is already the No. 8 player in the 2026 class, and he finished Area Codes with one of the strongest offensive performances of the event. The Miami commit is a polished lefthanded hitter for his age with excellent bat control from a short swing and the ability to hit hard line drives to all parts of the field. One of the biggest differences with Shepard between now and a year ago is the muscle he has added to his 6-foot, 185-pound frame, which has helped him drive the ball with more extra-base impact. At a field where home runs were rare, Shepard got a 1-0 fastball up on the inner third of the plate, kept his head locked in and snapped the barrel through the zone to catch it out front and drive it over the right field fence for a home run with a 106 mph exit velocity. Shepard’s approach is typically more line-drive oriented, but he showed the power is in there when he wants to let it loose. He also hit a fastball for a low line drive that traveled into the left-center field gap for a triple while showing the adjustability of his swing when he went down to hit a 3-2 fastball that was probably below the strike zone for a double to left-center. Shepard has the hands, footwork and instincts to play somewhere in the middle infield, whether it’s at shortstop or second base, but it’s his offensive game that has stood out the most.

Gary Morse, RHP, California

Morse delivered the most dominant pitching performance of anyone at Area Codes. He pitched three flawless innings, striking out seven of the nine batters he faced without allowing a hit or a walk. At 6-foot-8, 190 pounds, Morse is an extra long, lanky pitcher who was able to miss bats with three pitches. The No. 77 player in the 2026 class, Morse pitched at 88-92 mph, mostly attacking up with his riding fastball from his high three-quarters slot. Morse’s curveball isn’t a high-spin pitch—it was mostly in the 2,000 to 2,200 rpm range here—but it was hard, sharp and had good depth at 78-81 mph, with hitters waving through his curve all five times they swung at the pitch. Morse only faced one lefty, but he still made effective use of his 84-85 mph changeup. He got three swinging strikes on the seven changeups he threw, showing plenty of fade to run away from barrels with the potential for the offering to be his biggest swing-and-miss pitch long term. Morse is uncommitted for college.

Trey Rangel, RHP, Texas

Rangel is the top ranked pitcher in the 2026 class (No. 9 overall) and looked as advertised, striking out five of the 12 batters he faced in three scoreless innings. At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Rangel is an athletic righthander with a low-effort delivery and a fastball that was up to 94 mph and got a lot of swing-and-miss when he pitched with it up in the zone. Given Rangel’s arm speed and room to add strength to a still wiry frame, there should be more velocity in the tank. Rangel already has a big fastball for his age, but the separator for him as long been his innate feel to snap off a curveball with elite spin. Rangel regularly spun his 76-80 mph curve above 3,000 rpm up to 3,133 rpm, using it once for a particularly nasty swinging strikeout to a lefty, with two more that he used to get third strikes looking. He threw a few changeups at 84-86 mph that he holds with a spike grip and has good depth at times—one of them was a spin-killer at 984 rpm—but it was primarily the fastball/curveball mix that Rangel used to quiet hitters. Everything continues to track for Rangel being one of the top high school pitchers for the 2026 draft.

Anthony Del Angel, OF/3B, New Mexico

There are a few things that jump out about Del Angel immediately. One is his size, which at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, gives him a strong, well-proportioned frame with room to pack on more good weight. The second is his swing. It may be unorthodox, but Del Angel seems to hit everywhere he goes and has the bat speed to drive the ball with impact. In batting practice, he produced as much hard, consistent contact on the barrel as anyone, getting regular 95+ mph exit velocities with several eclipsing 100 mph and registering up to 103. Del Angel has a strong offensive track record in games, and he padded that resume at Area Codes with five hits, one of which being a double that he pulled off a 96 mph fastball from Savion Sims. His best hit came on on 0-2 curveball that he lifted over the left fielder’s head to the warning track at 358 feet. It was a ball that’s gone at most parks on the showcase circuit, with Del Angel hustling around the bases for a triple. He singled three more times on fastballs ranging from 88 to 91 mph, all on hard line drives in the air. An Oklahoma commit, Del Angel is the No. 69 player in the 2026 class and made a strong case to move up the list in the next update.

Hitting Standouts

Keon Johnson, SS, Georgia

The No. 7 player in the 2026 class, Johnson is a quick-twitch athlete with a projectable frame (6-foot-2, 190 pounds). He has a good balance of skills on both sides of the ball that was on display here. Johnson loads his righthanded swing with a leg kick and unleashes big bat speed, producing consistent hard contact in batting practice and carrying that over into the games. Typically a pull-oriented hitter, Johnson lined a single to right-center field and smoked a fastball for a double in the air into the right field corner. Johnson, who is uncommitted, also stood out defensively on multiple plays. At third base on a sharp ground ball, he made a diving play to his left to field the ball, got up quickly and threw to first base for the out. He made another nice play at third base on a foul ball hit behind him where Johnson made a running catch over his head near the wall while also making a quick, clean double play turn at second base on a 4-6-3 double play.

Archer Horn, SS/RHP, California

Horn is 6-foot-2, 190 pounds and showed an accurate barrel from the left side, staying within the strike zone throughout the event and hitting a fastball for a double down the right field line. A Stanford commit ranked No. 82 in the 2026 class, Horn also showed some of the best raw power at the event during BP, when he hit balls up to 104 mph off the bat. On the mound, Horn pitched heavily off a fastball that was up to 92 mph and thrown for strikes at a high clip. He sprinkled in both a slider and a curveball, with his 76-77 mph changeup his most effective secondary pitch, featuring heavy sink at its best.

Landon Thome, SS, Illinois

Thome, the son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, was named the player of the week for the underclass event after he went 5-for-8, showing significant steps forward with his all-around skill set from where he was last year when he played in the same event. While Jim was a 6-foot-4, slugging first baseman, Landon is a 5-foot-11, 170-pound middle infielder with a sound, compact lefthanded stroke with good balance. He showed that on his best swing of the games when he got a 3-2 fastball on the inner third and pulled his hands inside the pitch to pull it over the right fielder’s head for a triple. Thome also chipped in a defensive highlight at shortstop on a ground ball in the hole toward third base where he read the ball well off the bat, fielded it cleanly on a backhand and made a deep throw from the back of the dirt to get the out at first base. Thome, who is uncommitted, also made a smooth, quick turn on the back end of a 4-6-3 double play at shortstop.

Jorvorskie Lane Jr., OF/C, Texas

Blair Field is a spacious park where home runs aren’t common, especially for high school underclassmen, whether it’s in-game or in BP. Lane—who is one of the youngest players in the 2026 class, having just turned 16 last month—still managed to hit a ball into the trees in left field, showing an outstanding ability to fire his hips and rotate powerfully to generate explosive bat speed. At 6 feet, 195 pounds, Lane is not as big as some of the other top high school power threats, but he can whip the barrel through the zone with ferocity from the right side to get exit velocities up to 103 mph in BP. The No. 10 player in the 2026 class and a Texas A&M commit, Lane did show some swing-and-miss tendencies here, but he lined a 3-2 fastball for a hit to the opposite field, walked three times and smashed a fastball 348 feet to right field at 98 mph off the bat for a deep fly out. Lane has experience behind the plate and the outfield. Where he ends up defensively is up in the air, but he turned in a highlight catch in center field. With nobody out and a runner on first stealing on the pitch, Lane broke back and toward left-center field on a deep fly ball over his head. The runner paused right before second base, but the ball was hit so deep that he rounded the bag. Lane was able to take a clean route and reach up to make a backhand catch over his head just in front of the warning track. He then alertly turned around, hit the cutoff man and got the double play at first base.

Dylan Minnatee, 1B, California

Minnatee has a knack for finding the barrel, which was something he did consistently all week, whether it was picking up three hits or driving the ball for hard contact outs to the outfield. He’s a 6-foot, 190-pound lefty who sets up with an open stance then strides closed and has impressive bat control, swinging and missing only once during the event. While the offensive bar is high for a team to draft a high school first baseman, Minnatee is uncommitted for college and could develop into a middle-of-the-order hitter for whatever school ultimately lands him.

James Tronstein, OF/SS, California

Tronstein was still working his way back from a hamstring injury, so he didn’t get as much playing time and wasn’t at full strength here. But even at less than 100 percent, Tronstein showed why he’s the No. 30 player in the 2026 class. He’s a 5-foot-11, 170-pound righthanded hitter with strong hands, fast bat speed and some of the best barrel accuracy in the country. He demonstrated that bat speed when he smoked a fastball for a line-drive single to center field with a 103 mph exit velocity. A Stanford commit, Tronstein didn’t get a chance to show it here, but he’s also a plus runner and a good athlete who defends his position well in center field.

J.C. Pacheco, SS, New Jersey

Pacheco is one of the top hitters in the northeast. He’s 5-foot-10, 175 pounds and takes a tight turn of the barrel with his short, quick lefthanded swing. It’s an operation with minimal wasted movement and it comes through the hitting zone with good bat path. He showed his hitting ability when he singled on fastball for a line drive to left field and again on a first-pitch fastball that he pulled for a line-drive single to right field. The bat is Pacheco’s calling card, but he made a pair of nice defensive plays at third base, once charging in on a slow roller and making a jump throw to first base for the out and another running back on a pop up in foul territory to make an over-the-shoulder catch. He’s uncommitted.

Dillon Moss, C, California

A California native at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Moss is the No. 3 catcher in the 2026 class and a Stanford commit. There’s an impressive track record of hitting with Moss, who added another strong event to his history here. A 6-foot-1, 170-pound righthanded hitter, Moss chipped in a few hits at Area Codes, using a short, efficient swing for hits against both fastballs and breaking stuff. Arguably his best hit came on a 1-1, 91 mph fastball that he smacked in the air to center field with a 94 mph exit velocity. Moss has a strong arm, too, and has the attributes to be able to stick behind the plate.

Brody Schumaker, SS, California

Schumaker is the son of Skip Schumaker, an 11-year big leaguer and current manager of the Marlins. Brody plays just like what you you would expect as the son of a former major leaguer and manager. He’s 5-foot-10, 165 pounds and an instinctive player with a mature plan at the plate. He gets on base at a high clip with a high-contact bat, spreading line drives all around the field with a hit-over-power game from a simple, level stroke. A TCU commit, Schumaker ran well, too, beating out a groundball for an infield single going home to first in 4.10 seconds, which is a plus time for a lefthanded hitter.

Spencer Browning, SS, Texas

Ranked No. 85 in the 2026 class, Browning has a strong build (6-foot-1, 200 pounds), good wheels and showed the ability to drive the ball for extra-base damage on multiple occasions at Area Codes. On one occasion, he slammed a double over the left fielder’s head on a 91 mph fastball. In another at-bat, Browning took a short swing on a 90 mph fastball up and in on his hands, turning it around for a double to left field. An Arkansas commit, Browning is a good athlete with an aggressive approach with what will likely be a power-over-hit offensive game.

Anthony Murphy, OF, California

The No. 48 player for 2026, Murphy has a mix of power and defensive tools that he showed here. The uncommitted center fielder doubled off a 92 mph fastball, driving the ball to deep center field with a 98 mph exit velocity. Murphy also unleashed an above-average arm on a throw home with a runner on second trying to score on a groundball single to center field. Murphy’s throw beat him to the plate, though the catcher couldn’t get the tag on him fast enough and he slid underneath for the run.

Jeffrey Todd-Darden, OF, Texas

Todd-Darden, who is uncommitted, is one of the most exciting athletes in the 2026 class. The athleticism and tool set stood out more than his performance at Area Codes, with Todd-Darden showing some rawness at the plate but plenty of tools to dream on. He’s 6 feet, 175 pounds with plus-plus speed and the quick-burst athleticism needed to handle center field. He also showed his power potential by hitting a 91 mph fastball 324 feet to right field for a hard out with a 101 mph exit velocity and another hard contact out with a 98 mph EV.

Jacob Lombard, SS, Florida

In terms of performance, this wasn’t the best showing for Lombard, who flew across the country in the middle of the event after being one of the few underclassmen also in East Coast Pro, which overlapped with the Area Code underclass games. Yet, it’s hard for Lombard not to stand out with his athleticism, tools and smooth, efficient actions both at the plate and in the field. The No. 2 player in the 2026 class, Lombard is an instinctive defender at shortstop, where he has clean footwork, soft hands and reads hops well. At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Lombard is a righthanded hitter with a compact, efficient swing that has good balance, sequence and path through the zone.

Alain Gomez, C, Arizona

Gomez was the high school catcher in the spring for lefthander Cam Caminiti, the Braves first-round pick this year, so scouts have already had several looks at him. Originally from Venezuela, Gomez is an uncommitted switch-hitter who collected multiple hits at Area Codes. What stood out the most here was his defense. He’s 5-foot-11, 201 pounds with an above-average arm and a quick exchange, both of which were on display when he ended an inning throwing out a would-be base stealer on a 1.88-second pop time. He showed that arm strength, quickness and alertness again when he back picked a runner off first base, throwing from his knees behind the lefthanded hitter for the out.

Devin Diaz, C, New York

Like Gomez, Diaz is another catcher who stands out for his defensive skills, particularly with arm strength that helps him control the running game. At 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, Diaz is an athletic mover behind the plate, blocked well and showed an above-average arm. A Miami commit, Diaz also flashed promising signs at the plate. The best at-bat for the righthanded-hitting Diaz came when he condensed his swing, went with no stride and hit a changeup into the left field corner for a triple. Another hit came off a curveball that he drilled in the air to center field for a single.

Will Adams, 1B, Alabama

Adams consistently strung together quality at-bats. He’s a lefty who gets on plane well, helping him drive the ball to all fields from his 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame. There was a mix of hitting ability and power with Adams, with his best swing coming on a fastball that he hit for a double to right-center field at 104 mph off the bat. Adams hit another double with a 96 mph exit velocity that traveled 341 feet to the right field warning track, with several other well-struck balls that resulted in hard contact outs for the Alabama commit.

Erik Zdunek, OF, California

Zdunek just turned 16 in June, so the TCU commit is one of the younger players in the 2026 class. He’s 6-foot-2, 190 pounds and showed a knack for putting the bat to the ball, often with hard contact from the right side of the plate. He showed that when he got a fastball up on the outer third and barreled it for a triple to right field. Zdunek, who projects as a corner outfielder at the next level, was able to turn on an inner-third fastball as well, pulling it for a line-drive single to left field with a 99 mph exit velocity. He also drove in a pair of runs with a groundball single to center field off a fastball.

Troy Southisene, SS/OF, Las Vegas

The Cubs drafted shortstop Ty Southisene out of Basic HS in Nevada this year with their fourth-round pick while Tate Southisene is an infielder and outfielder who ranks as the No. 21 player in the 2025 class. Their younger brother, Troy, is another prospect to watch in the 2026 class. He’s 5-foot-10, 160 pounds with good hand-eye coordination and instincts for the game. Southisene split time between the infield and outfield and stood out defensively at both spots. He showed crisp actions, quick feet and good body control at shortstop, where he made a nice play charging in on a slow roller. In center field, on a drive in the right-center field gap, Southisene read the ball well off the bat and took an efficient route to make a difficult play look routine. Southisene, who is uncommitted, is a righthanded hitter with a line-drive approach and gap power.

Alex Harrington, SS, California

On offensive performance alone, there wasn’t one big moment here for Harrington, but he always sticks out because of his quick-twitch athleticism and the strength projection in his still-wiry 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame. Harrington showed his quickness and body control during infield at shortstop, with his range and reactions evident during the game. Playing third base, Harrington covered a lot of ground to his left on a ground ball in the hole where he had to spin, turn and make an accurate throw to get the out with a plus runner at the plate. He’s a Stanford commit.

Andruw Giles, OF, Nevada

Giles made multiple highlight catches in the outfield, including one in left field where he charged into foul territory to make a sliding grab. At 6 feet, 180 pounds, Giles isn’t a burner runner, but his defensive instincts are strong and he’s shown good bat-to-ball skills from the left side of the plate throughout the summer. Giles’ offensive production has generally been hit-over-power, but when he let it loose in BP, he showed the ability to drive the ball well with exit velocities up to 103 mph. He’s uncommitted.

Pitching Standouts

Landon Schutte, RHP, California

Schutte was one of the most impressive pitchers at the event, both in terms of performance and projecting him as a prospect. The No. 29 player in the 2026 class is 6-foot-5, 220 pounds with a strong lower half, and he threw strikes at a 71% clip with his fastball, which touched 93 mph from his three-quarters slot. There should be mid-90s velocity coming soon for Schutte, but the most exciting pitch for him here was his curveball. It’s a 76-80 mph curve with tight rotation—spinning mostly in the 2,700-,2900 rpm range—and sharp bite that should help him rack up a lot of swing-and-miss at the next level. He didn’t use his changeup much here but he didn’t need to either as he struck out three with no walks over three scoreless innings.

Hudson Alpert, RHP, Colorado

Alpert has an up arrow next to his name after what he showed at Area Codes. He’s 6-foot-2, 190 pounds with a sound, efficient delivery and good arm action into a three-quarters slot, attacking hitters up in the zone with a fastball that ticked up in this outing to reach 93 mph. It’s a good fastball for his age, but the most impressive pitch here was his upper-70s to low-80s slider. Alpert threw an incredible 18 of 19 sliders for strikes, including five whiffs. Some of those strikes came on chases, with Alpert consistently executing his sharp slider down and to his glove side against both righties and lefties, spinning mostly in the 2,400-2,700 rpm range with tight break and two-plane depth. Alpert threw a handful of low-80s changeups, as well, but it was mostly his fastball/slider combination that allowed him to strike out three with no walks across three scoreless innings.

Bryce Hill, RHP, Connecticut

Through his first three innings, Hill struck out five of the 12 batters he faced with one walk. With his team short on pitchers, Hill went out for a fourth inning and wasn’t as sharp, but the way Hall pitched his first few innings showed why the Stanford commit is the No. 59 player in the 2026 class. He has a tall, strong frame (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) and touched 95 mph multiple times from his three-quarters slot with the look of a pitcher who should still have a couple extra ticks of velocity to come. Hill pitched heavily off his fastball, mixing in a short slider at 78-84 mph with spin in the 2,000-2,300 rpm range and a 73-78 mph changeup that flashed heavy life at times.

Jack Smejkal, RHP, Texas

The No. 83 player in the 2026 class, Smejkal is 6-foot-1, 175 pounds with a fast arm. His fastball ranged from 90-94 mph from a long arm action and an open stride. The uncommitted righthander consistently threw his fastball for strikes to both sides of the plate, striking out three with one hit, one walk and a hit batsman against the 12 batters he faced. Smejkal’s changeup has been a bigger weapon in other looks, and while he rarely threw it here, it flashed good fade. More often, he went to an 82-86 mph slider, which he had trouble landing for strikes but showed feel to spin in the 2,400-2,600 rpm range.

Easton Webb, RHP, Oklahoma

An Oklahoma State commit, Webb is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and an athletic pitcher who is also the quarterback for his high school football team. He pitched up in the zone with a fastball that touched 92 mph from his three-quarters slot. Webb went with a near 50/50 mix of fastballs and offspeed stuff, using a 75-79 mph curveball that he showed feel to spin in the 2,400-2,700 rpm range to get four swings and misses. His low-80s changeup didn’t miss any bats, but he kept it down and used it to get a pair of groundouts.

Shawn Sullivan, RHP, Ohio

Sullivan made a loud entrance at Area Codes. The 6-foot, 185-pound righthander stepped into the game with one out in the sixth inning and needed just eight pitches (six strikes) to strike out the only two batters he faced. Most of his fastballs were 95-96 mph, and he touched 97 once while throwing one big-breaking curveball at 78 mph (2,253 rpm) for a called strikeout. He throws from an extremely aggressive, high-effort delivery, and when he came back for another outing, Sullivan showed the risk that comes with his upside, as he had more trouble throwing strikes. Some scouts see Sullivan, who’s committed to Alabama, as a potential power reliever, but he has the chance to move up 2026 draft boards if he can show more touch and feel to go with his high-octane fastball.

Lawson McLeod, RHP, Virginia

McLeod, who is uncommitted, had his best outing of the summer at Area Codes, where he needed just 19 pitches to retire all six batters he faced with three strikeouts. McLeod is 6-foot-6, 215 pounds and drove his fastball down in the strike zone at 90-93 mph. He threw 11 of his 13 fastballs for strikes and mixed in an effective 79-82 mph breaking ball for all three strikeouts (one swinging) with spin into the 2600s. It was a significantly improved breaking ball from what McLeod had shown in previous outings, which is an encouraging sign for a pitcher who already stands out for his size and fastball.

Jenker Romero, RHP, Georgia

Romero has high-end stuff, though he’s still figuring out how to corral it for strikes. He has a great, projectable pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, good arm action and ran his fastball up to 94 mph with room to fill out and add more velocity to what’s already a big fastball for his age. Romero showed feel to spin a pair of sharp breaking balls, an upper-70s slider and a curveball with more depth, both in the 2,500-2,800 rpm range. He missed bats with all three pitches and struck out three of the 10 batters he faced. He also walked three hitters and threw just 46% strikes, with too many fastballs sailing on him, so he will have to figure out how to repeat his release point more consistently to improve his control. Still, the stuff and physical projection stacked up favorably with some of the better pitchers here. He’s uncommitted for college.

Dax Hardcastle, RHP/1B, California

An uncommitted righthander/first baseman, Hardcastle breezed through two clean innings, striking out three of the six batters he faced without issuing a walk or a hit. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he’s a physically mature pitcher for his age with a fastball that touched 92 mph and consistently got swing-and-miss up in the zone, with hitters whiffing through it on seven of their 11 swings. The No. 60 player in the 2026 class, Hardcastle flashed feel to spin an upper-70s curveball, though he wasn’t able to throw it for strikes here. His low-80s changeup had deception and induced a swing-and-miss underneath a barrel on one of the three of them that he threw. Hardcastle’s future in pro ball leans more toward the mound, but during batting practice he also showed some of the best raw power of any hitter at the event.

Brock MacDonald, RHP, Arizona

At 6 feet, 190 pounds, MacDonald doesn’t have the long, lean frame of the more prominent pitching prospects at the top of the 2026 class, but the uncommitted righthander emerged as an intriguing sleeper at Area Codes. MacDonald struck out three with one walk and one hit allowed over his two innings, pitching to both sides of the plate with a fastball that touched 92 mph (though his velocity did dip in his second inning). MacDonald had some of the better breaking stuff at the event, too, getting four swings and misses on a 76-81 mph slider that spun above 2,700 rpm at times.

Alex Hoffman, RHP, North Carolina

Hoffman is 6-foot-2, 200 pounds with a good fastball/slider mix that he showed at Area Codes. The Virginia Tech commit threw his high-spin fastball (2,500-2,700 rpm) up to 93 mph and used it to get swing-and-miss in the zone. He showed feel to to spin a slider in the 2,400-2,700 range that froze hitters for a two of four strikeouts in his two-inning outing, with an occasional mid-70s curveball sprinkled in, as well.

David Hinojosa, RHP, New York

An uncommitted righthander, Hinojosa hasn’t done a ton of national events, but he made a bigger name for himself at this one. He has a starter look with a lean 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame, a loose arm and good flexibility on the mound. He threw strikes with a fastball that was up to 91 mph and has the arm speed for more velocity to come. Hinojosa showed feel for two secondary pitches, as well, including a mid-to-upper 70s curveball that he spun between 2,300-2,600 rpm and a mid-80s changeup.

Cooper Sides, RHP, California

At 6-foot-5, 190 pounds, Sides is a tall, lean pitcher with long arms that suggest mid-90s velocity coming in the near future. The uncommitted righthander touched 92 mph here, pitching heavily off his fastball with a slider above 2,500 rpm on his best ones. The No. 39 player in the 2026 class, Sides had little trouble through his outing, throwing three shutout innings with two strikeouts.

Tyler Putnam, RHP, Missouri

Putnam didn’t allow a hit over his three innings, striking out five of the 10 batters he faced with one walk. He pitched off a fastball that touched 92 mph and should be throwing in the mid-90s or better once he packs more weight onto his 6-foot-5, 175-pound build. Putnam’s fastball was his best pitch, and it already generates a lot of empty swings, especially when he elevates. He also showed a lower spin slider at 74-77 mph that he leaned on more than his low-80s changeup.

Julian Garcia, RHP, California

Garcia flashed promising traits to be able to mold over the next couple of years leading into the 2026 draft. He has a lean, projectable pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds with long arms and a fastball that touched 92 mph in the first inning and was still touching 90 mph in his second inning, though his velocity did drop more in his third inning. He throws a slow curveball in the low-70s that was effective here to get swing-and-miss and could be a bigger weapon for him once he’s able to throw it with more power, as it already can spin above 2,800 rpm. The uncommitted righthander finished with four strikeouts and two walks.

Dylan Blomker, RHP, New Mexico

Blomker showed good size (6-foot-4, 195 pounds) and stuff during his outing. He pitched in the low-90s, touched 93 mph and got several swings and misses with his lively fastball. The uncommitted righthander also showed feel to spin a low-80s slider that had sharp turns and the potential to develop into a bigger swing-and-miss pitch for him with more reps.

McCoy Silicz, RHP, California

Silicz has a classic projectable frame for a young righthander at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds. He touched 92 mph in this look, where he struck out three and didn’t allow a run over three innings. There’s a good chance he’s reaching the mid-90s before the 2026 draft. Silicz also flashed feel to spin a curveball (2,200-2,500 rpm) that has sharp bite and good depth when it was at its best and played well off his fastball from his high slot. He’s uncommitted.

Spencer Krasner, LHP, Florida

Krasner breezed through his first inning before running into a little more trouble in the second, but overall, he showed starter traits with a good mix of pitchability, projection and feel to manipulate his offspeed stuff. He can scrape 90 mph, pitching more in the upper-80s, with a 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame that should lend itself to adding more velocity once he gets stronger. Krasner had one of the better lefthanded breaking balls at Area Codes, using it to freeze hitters for strikeouts and to get swings and misses. Previously a Virginia commit, Kranser is now one of the top uncommitted lefties in the 2026 class.

2027 Names To Know

Drake Hawpe, OF, Texas

Few players—2026 or 2027—had a better week than Hawpe. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Hawpe has a lot of strength projection left in his frame and rarely swung and missed, delivering five hits with two doubles with an exit velocity up to 100 mph in batting practice. Against a 94 mph fastball up on the inner third, he kept his hands inside the ball and shot it the other way for a single. He pulled a 2-2 fastball into right-center field for a double and hit another first-pitch fastball for a double the other way. As a corner outfielder, Hawpe’s offensive game is what drives most of his value, but he delivered a pair of diving catches, as well: one running in on a shallow fly ball in left field, the other robbing a hit in right-center.

Carter Hadnot, SS, California

Hadnot looked like one of the premier players in the 2027 class. A 6-foot-2, 165-pound switch-hitter, Hadnot is a lean, athletic shortstop with a lot of space to fill out and impressive ability to maneuver the barrel. His swing takes a tight turn and he was consistently on the sweet spot, pulling a first-pitch fastball for a double down the right field line, then lining a double into the right field corner (though he was out trying to stretch it into a triple). Hadnot also showcased his quick-twitch athleticism at shortstop. He made an excellent defensive attempt by diving to field a ground ball up the middle, getting up quickly and firing to first base, though with a speedy runner at the plate he was safe by half a step.

Max Hemenway, SS, Washington

Hemenway is one of the elite 2027 players in the country. He has a mature, polished look in the batter’s box for his age, taking a clean, compact cut from the left side. He keeps his head locked in, recognizes pitches and has the feel to maneuver the barrel to find the sweet spot on pitches throughout the strike zone. Hemenway consistently drove the ball well to the middle of the field—though often right at an outfielder with nothing to show for it in the box score—but he did hang in against a left-on-left curveball in a 1-2 count that he hammered to center field for a single. At 6 feet, 165 pounds, Hemenway has a hit-over-power profile and should start to drive the ball with more impact once he fills out his wiry frame. At shortstop, the Tennessee commit is an athletic mover with crisp, quick actions. He showed good instincts and range diving up the middle to field a groundball, getting to his feet and making an accurate throw to first, though not in time to get the out on a plus runner. He checks a lot of boxes between his hitting and ability to play shortstop that will push him high up boards as the 2027 draft gets closer.

Lash Henderson, OF, Texas

Even as a 2027 at an event of mostly 2026 players, no player showed more raw power than Henderson, who is a righthanded hitter who drove the ball up to 105 mph in BP. At 6-foot-4, 202 pounds, Henderson physically sticks out like a man among boys. He has a strong but lean athletic frame with room to fill out and grow into plus-plus raw power in the future. In games, Henderson showed some rawness that’s still there, but the mix of athleticism, power potential and plus speed makes for a high-end prospect with exciting upside to follow.

Leo Nockley, SS, Pennsylvania

At 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, Nockley was one of the smallest players on the field, but he still stood out for his ability to hit from the left side. He took a tight turn of the barrel on an elevated fastball and drove it for a double to left field, part of a two-hit game in which he smacked a single the opposite way, as well. Nockley’s best at-bat of Area Codes came when he smoked a fastball at 95 mph off the bat to deep center field that traveled 353 feet only for Jorvorskie Lane to run it down with an excellent catch just in front of the warning track. He has the actions that should allow him to stick in the infield, whether it’s at shortstop or second base.

Sleeper Watch

Shawn Mack, RHP, Nevada

Looking for a sleeper pick from Area Codes? Mack is one to watch. He pitched in the mid-to-upper 80s, topping at 88 mph. So, while the velocity right now isn’t as high as the top pitchers in the 2026 class, there are good projection indicators in place. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, he has a frame with room to fill out, hold more weight and help him grow his fastball with strength gains. The uncommitted righthander also snapped off a low-to-mid 70s breaking ball that had extremely sharp bite at times, eclipsing 3,000 rpm. He’s going to be a pitcher for area scouts to follow and could make himself a bigger name nationally if his fastball ticks up as the 2026 draft nears.

Ryan Walls, RHP, Florida

Like Mack, there wasn’t big velocity from Walls, but he showed traits to project on between his size and ability to manipulate his secondary stuff. He’s 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with a frame with room to add strength that should lead him to more velocity from the mid-80s fastball he featured here. What mostly stood out with Walls was his off-speed stuff, the best of which was an extremely sharp curveball in the mid-to-upper 70s with top-of-the-scale spin at 2,900-3,300 rpm. Walls flashed a quality changeup in the upper-70s, as well, so if he’s pitching more in the low-90s by the time the 2026 draft nears, he could climb up the rankings.