TEAM TO BEAT: TEXAS TECH
Texas Tech is the Big 12’s master of reloading each season in the face of roster turnover, and while there is less of that to do this year, it’s most concentrated on the mound, where it will replace Clayton Beeter and Bryce Bonnin in the rotation. Look for junior college transfer righthander Brandon Birdsell, who can run his fastball up to 98 mph, third-year sophomore righthander Micah Dallas (1-0, 0.57) and third-year sophomore lefthander Mason Montgomery (3-1, 3.00) to get the first crack at weekend starts. In the lineup, second-year freshman Jace Jung (.264/.438/.604) is a solid bet to be the Red Raiders’ breakout star after he enjoyed a standout summer with the Santa Barbara Foresters. He’ll support third-year freshman shortstop Cal Conley (.371/.444/.643), fourth-year junior center field Dylan Neuse (.355/.438/.487) and second-year freshman catcher Nate Rombach (.308/.440/.677), who led the team in homers last season with six.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: PEYTON GRAHAM, 3B, OKLAHOMA
Graham arrived as a freshman at Oklahoma last season at a time when the Sooners were looking for a jolt on offense, and he wasted no time in giving it to them.
Denne historien er fra February 2021-utgaven av Baseball America.
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Denne historien er fra February 2021-utgaven av Baseball America.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Wood Has Towering Upside- Nationals rookie James Wood also stands 6-foot-7 and also has game-changing power.
Aaron Judge and Oneil Cruz are 6-foot7 sluggers who stand out for their power in this year’s MLB Best Tools voting. Wood spent half of this season with Triple-A Rochester before making his MLB debut on July 1. While he was in the International League, he captured managers’ attention. Wood unanimously won Best Power Prospect and also claimed Most Exciting Player in a survey of league skippers. Wood hit .353/.463/.595 with 10 home runs in 52 games for Rochester. His .242 isolated slugging was the best for a player 21 or younger at Triple-A this season.
ROAD BLOCK?
Scholarship expansion puts mid-majors at a major disadvantage on the road to Omaha
ROYALS REVIVAL
A revamped and rejuvenated farm system has Kansas City ready to rebound
SUMMER STANDOUTS
The top prospects in summer college leagues are poised to impact the 2025 draft
FLORIDA COMPLEX LEAGUE TOP 10
Last year’s Florida Complex League prospect crop has been beset by lengthy injuries to many of its top players, including Yankees pitchers Henry Lalane and Carlos Lagrange, Mets infielder Marco Vargas and Red Sox catcher Johanfran Garcia.
IN WITH THE NEW
The 2024 draft is in the books. The trade deadline is history.
WALCOTT BLASTS OFF
It took some time for Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott to find his footing at High-A Hickory.
A RECORD NIGHT FOR COLLEGIANS
Four key takeaways from the 2024 draft
K.C.MASTERPIECE
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. wins games for the Royals with his bat, glove, speed and baseball IQ. He might be the most tooled-up player in the game.
HOW THE MAJORS HAVE CHANGED FOR YOUNG PLAYERS
When negotiating the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the MLB Players Association prioritized the earning power of young major league players, especially young stars.
