A Look At the College Prospects For the 2017 MLB Draft

Top Guys

The biggest performer on the mound in the college season outside of Brendan McKay has been one of the smallest guys to take a collegiate mound in North Carolina’s JB Bukauskas, who has dominated the ACC this season. Bukauskas has posted a 1.40 ERA and 0.81 WHIP this season while putting up a 15/81 BB/K line over 58 innings.

Florida’s Alex Faedo and LSU’s Alex Lange have more than their conference and first name in common as both are excellent pitchers that have a chance of hearing their names called in the first fifteen selections of the MLB draft. Faedo has posted a 2.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 20/77 BB/K over 65 2/3 innings while Lange’s had a blow up start alter his ERA a bit to 3.27 with a 1.26 WHIP and a 17/69 BB/K over 52 1/3 innings.

There are a host of other starters that could put up a big finish to their 2017 seasons and move into the top of the first round, but we’ll cover them more as we look at more pitchers in depth.

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Right Handers

Coming into the season, Vanderbilt ace Kyle Wright was considered a possible 1-1 selection, but he’s had some struggles this season. Wright is a guy who doesn’t have elite raw stuff, but his pitchability is nearly unmatched in the college game, and he’s performed better recently, which could lead to him being considered in the top 10-15 picks again.

Missouri’s Tanner Houck has been really the same guy he’s been for his first two years of college, which is not a terrible thing, but for those scouts hoping to see a step forward this season, he’s really not offered that.

South Carolina’s pair of Wil Crowe and Clarke Schmidt are both guys that could end up pushing their way into the top 10-15 picks. They both have elite stuff, but they’ve had struggle starts this season that have led their numbers to not look as elite as they should be.

Griffin Canning follows a long line of UCLA pitchers who slow-cook their way to draft stardom. He’s got a very nice four-pitch mix, all that can flash above-average and three that flash plus. He’s posted 78 strikeouts over 61 2/3 innings this season.

Tristan Beck of Stanford had shown excellent stuff in 2016, but he will very possibly miss the entire season due to a stress fracture in his back. How much time Beck misses could determine if he returns to Stanford for one more season to improve his draft stock, akin to Wil Crowe last year.

Oregon State’s Jake Thompson missed much of his 2015 due to a back injury, and many worry about his future health due to this, but posting a 1.03 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in the Pac-12 with a 21/64 BB/K over 61 innings will definitely dissuade some of those concerns.

Central Florida Junior College’s Nate Pearson has the 6’6″ big frame that would make you think he’s going to come at you with high-90s stuff, but instead his fastball has hard sink and sits around 90.

Corbin Martin has worked out of the bullpen for Texas A&M, using his mid-90s fastball with excellent late movement, a very good change, and a breaking ball that can flash double-plus but is inconsistent. While not a triple digit guy, Martin is the type that could be a candidate to move from the bullpen to a starter as a pro with three good pitches, but he could move quickly as a reliever. Stanford’s Colton Hock follows suit as far as relievers go, showing similar stuff and excellent results.

Left Handers

The talent with Seth Romero of Houston is undeniable, but his issues off the field have over-shadowed his immense talent. He’s currently suspended indefinitely, and it’s up in the air how this will affect his draft stock. He would be a top 10-15 guy without the off-field issues.

Junior college guys often are tough to project just because it’s hard to measure their competition, but Brendon Little has been impressive with State Junior College of Florida this season a year after leaving North Carolina. Little used a dominating Cape Cod League to launch himself into consideration along with upper-90s stuff with mid-80s breaking stuff.

Ricky Tyler Thomas is a slight lefty from Fresno State that really turned a lot of heads last summer in Team USA work. He’s on a poor Fresno State team that has not helped his case as seemingly every hit has fallen in with mediocre defense behind him, hurting his ERA this season, in spite of near dominant statistics otherwise.

In contrast to Thomas, David Peterson of Oregon is about as prototypical of a pitcher as you could ask for at 6’6 and 240ish pounds. Peterson’s long limbs give his fastball and change unique movement, but also hinder his command as is a common issue with taller pitchers.

Peterson’s in state rival, Luke Heimlich of Oregon State has really taken a step forward this season, and he seems to be getting stronger as the season progresses, the type of guy who could make a big name by the time the draft comes. He’s posted a 0.83 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 14/70 BB/K over 65 innings on the season.

Daniel Tillo of Iowa Western Community College transferred from Kentucky to IWCC, and many thought it was in order to play basketball as well as baseball as he was a very high-level basketball player in high school. He has an excellent 3-pitch mix with a fastball that runs into the mid-90s. His 6’5″ frame does appear able to add well to his frame as well, so teams could dream a bit as well.

Xavier’s Zac Lowther has been putting up video game numbers this season, striking out 71 hitters over 46 innings, and he’s flashed two plus pitches in his short time.

Next: First Look at 2017 MLB Draft

We will have a look at the top high school players in the draft next week!