In a typical year, a list of popup draft prospects and players trending up would be filled more with high school standouts who have taken a big step forward or who came out of nowhere after not playing on the summer showcase circuit.
However, given the shortened 2020 amateur season and a blown-up evaluation period for the college class last summer, it makes sense that there are plenty of players from the college ranks who are turning heads and moving quickly up draft boards.
Perhaps without the pandemic, many of these players would have been able to establish themselves as top players in the class a year ago—but that isn’t the case.
Here are 10 players—along with their ranking on the BA board—who have popped up this spring and taken a step forward. The list includes nine collegians and one of the top high school performers who could land in the first round on July 11.
PEYTON STOVALL, SS
HAUGHTON (LA.) HIGH NO. 37
Stovall was one of the first names left off of our preseason top 200 and he quickly showed the industry he needed to be quite a bit higher than the sixth-or seventh-round range implied. Stovall has been one of the most impressive offensive performers in the high school class, and some scouts believe he’s the best pure hitter in the South on the prep side. His ability to access power now should overcome any concerns about his defensive profile fitting best at second base at the next level. He is an Arkansas commit.
MICHAEL MCGREEVY, RHP
UC SANTA BARBARA NO. 34
As of May 18, McGreevy’s 12.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio was good for the second-best among Division I arms, and that outstanding command and control is part of the reason he could wind up fitting in the first round. On top of his strike-throwing, McGreevy has a fastball in the 91-95 mph range, a curveball that scouts put plus grades on and a slider and changeup that round out his repertoire. He has physical projection remaining and a relatively low-mileage arm. He has all the traits and the performance teams want to see this spring, including a 10-strikeout, one-walk outing over 6.1 innings against UCLA.
MATT MIKULSKI, LHP
FORDHAM NO. 40
Mikulski ranked as the No. 203 prospect in the 2020 class but returned this spring and scouts quickly saw an entirely different pitcher thanks to a key mechanical adjustment. Mikulski shortened his arm action—similar to what unlocked White Sox righthander Lucas Giolito—and after topping out around 93-94 mph a year ago has consistently been up to 97-98 from the left side. Through 10 starts and 61.1 innings, Mikulski had posted a 1.47 ERA while striking out 112 batters to just 25 walks—good for far and away the best strikeout rate of his career (16.4 per nine innings).
MATHEU NELSON, C
FLORIDA STATE NO. 43
Nelson was a draft-eligible sophomore in the 2020 class and a solid but unspectacular all-around toolset had him ranked at No. 250. He’s been a different player this spring, showing much-improved power production. As of May 18, he was tied with Florida outfielder Jud Fabian for the most homers in the country with 20. Now, scouts are putting plus power grades on the card, and when that’s combined with solid defensive tools—it might be surprising for Nelson to last beyond the first day of the draft.
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/6245/665483/60bf16a309432/1623135859094.jpg]
ROBERT GASSER, LHP
HOUSTON NO. 59
Gasser has a fitting name for a hard-throwing pitcher, but velocity up to 96 mph at his best is a new component of his game. Previously, Gasser sat in the 89-90 mph range, but that has ticked up this spring after an offseason when he lived in the weight room and threw plenty of long toss across the outfield by himself, running from one foul pole to the other and back again. He has a four-pitch mix with a slider, curveball and changeup. Through 12 starts he had posted a 2.48 ERA with 93 strikeouts and 24 walks.
PEYTON WILSON, 2B
ALABAMA NO. 66
Wilson was entirely off the radar entering the season, but his performance has put him squarely on the map. A second-year eligible second baseman, Wil...
However, given the shortened 2020 amateur season and a blown-up evaluation period for the college class last summer, it makes sense that there are plenty of players from the college ranks who are turning heads and moving quickly up draft boards.
Perhaps without the pandemic, many of these players would have been able to establish themselves as top players in the class a year ago—but that isn’t the case.
Here are 10 players—along with their ranking on the BA board—who have popped up this spring and taken a step forward. The list includes nine collegians and one of the top high school performers who could land in the first round on July 11.
PEYTON STOVALL, SS
HAUGHTON (LA.) HIGH NO. 37
Stovall was one of the first names left off of our preseason top 200 and he quickly showed the industry he needed to be quite a bit higher than the sixth-or seventh-round range implied. Stovall has been one of the most impressive offensive performers in the high school class, and some scouts believe he’s the best pure hitter in the South on the prep side. His ability to access power now should overcome any concerns about his defensive profile fitting best at second base at the next level. He is an Arkansas commit.
MICHAEL MCGREEVY, RHP
UC SANTA BARBARA NO. 34
As of May 18, McGreevy’s 12.5 strikeout-to-walk ratio was good for the second-best among Division I arms, and that outstanding command and control is part of the reason he could wind up fitting in the first round. On top of his strike-throwing, McGreevy has a fastball in the 91-95 mph range, a curveball that scouts put plus grades on and a slider and changeup that round out his repertoire. He has physical projection remaining and a relatively low-mileage arm. He has all the traits and the performance teams want to see this spring, including a 10-strikeout, one-walk outing over 6.1 innings against UCLA.
MATT MIKULSKI, LHP
FORDHAM NO. 40
Mikulski ranked as the No. 203 prospect in the 2020 class but returned this spring and scouts quickly saw an entirely different pitcher thanks to a key mechanical adjustment. Mikulski shortened his arm action—similar to what unlocked White Sox righthander Lucas Giolito—and after topping out around 93-94 mph a year ago has consistently been up to 97-98 from the left side. Through 10 starts and 61.1 innings, Mikulski had posted a 1.47 ERA while striking out 112 batters to just 25 walks—good for far and away the best strikeout rate of his career (16.4 per nine innings).
MATHEU NELSON, C
FLORIDA STATE NO. 43
Nelson was a draft-eligible sophomore in the 2020 class and a solid but unspectacular all-around toolset had him ranked at No. 250. He’s been a different player this spring, showing much-improved power production. As of May 18, he was tied with Florida outfielder Jud Fabian for the most homers in the country with 20. Now, scouts are putting plus power grades on the card, and when that’s combined with solid defensive tools—it might be surprising for Nelson to last beyond the first day of the draft.
[https://magarticles.magzter.com/articles/6245/665483/60bf16a309432/1623135859094.jpg]
ROBERT GASSER, LHP
HOUSTON NO. 59
Gasser has a fitting name for a hard-throwing pitcher, but velocity up to 96 mph at his best is a new component of his game. Previously, Gasser sat in the 89-90 mph range, but that has ticked up this spring after an offseason when he lived in the weight room and threw plenty of long toss across the outfield by himself, running from one foul pole to the other and back again. He has a four-pitch mix with a slider, curveball and changeup. Through 12 starts he had posted a 2.48 ERA with 93 strikeouts and 24 walks.
PEYTON WILSON, 2B
ALABAMA NO. 66
Wilson was entirely off the radar entering the season, but his performance has put him squarely on the map. A second-year eligible second baseman, Wil...
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Baseball America (Digital) - 1 Issue, June 2021