USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team annually puts together a roster of the best players in the country, making it a must-see for scouts as they preview the upcoming draft class.
The 2022 team was one of the most talented scouts had seen in years. It featured Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews, Wyatt Langford, Jacob Wilson, Rhett Lowder, Kyle Teel, Jacob Gonzalez, Enrique Bradfield Jr. and Brayden Taylor-nine of the top 20 players drafted in 2023.
The same was not true of Team USA in 2023. That's because the 2024 draft class looks like a down group compared to the historic 2023 group.
There are still plenty of intriguing players on this year's top 10 ranking, though each player comes with a few more question marks that will need to be addressed during the fall and next spring season.
1 JJ WETHERHOLT
2B-WEST VIRGINIA
Age: 20. HT: 5-10. WT: 190. B-T: L-R.
Wetherholt is one of the best pure hitters in the country. That was on full display this spring with West Virginia when he led the country in hitting while slashing 449/.517/.787 with 16 home runs and 36 stolen bases. He was named Big 12 Conference player of the year. Wetherholt went 8-for-24 between Team USA scrimmages and games against Taiwan and Japan, with three home runs, six walks and six strikeouts.
Wetherholt's speed wasn't on display as much with Team USA this summer. He nursed a hamstring injury and didn't run much in scrimmages-but his feel for the barrel and impactful hands were quite obvious. At 5-foot-10, 190 pounds, Wetherholt might not seem large, but he's well built and strong and puts a charge into the ball with strong wrists and forearms. His clean lefty swing features a slightly uphill path.
2 BRADEN MONTGOMERY
OF/RHP TEXAS A&M
Age: 20. HT: 6-3. WT: 215. B-T: B-R.
This story is from the September 2023 edition of Baseball America.
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This story is from the September 2023 edition of Baseball America.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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