One of the youngest college juniors in this year’s draft, Mahoning Valley’s Chris Billingsley, a returning arm to the league, will not turn 21 years old until mid-August. After two successful seasons at East Central JC (Miss.), the 6-foot-4 right-hander saw limited action out of the Mississippi State bullpen this spring. He’s quickly made up for lost time with 16 strikeouts in his first seven innings of Draft League action. Led by a high-whiff fastball that has touched 97 and averages 95, his arsenal also includes a mid-80s breaker with good depth and an occasional 90-91 mph cutter. He’s also shown proficiency elevating his heater to his armside for repeated swing/miss. Billingsley is also an above average athlete who was a two-way talent in the junior college ranks. Continuing to refine his command with a pair of high whiff pitches and youth on his side, he has all the ingredients to be considered in the top 10 rounds.
Jackson Nash, Williamsport - Another talented arm who is also young for his class, Nash also does not turn 21 years old until August. Lacking exposure some prospects from P4 schools may have gotten after two years in junior college and another this past spring at Longwood, the 6-foot-6 right-hander has made the most of his time in front of league evaluators. He mixes two high-whiff fastballs in a 93-96 mph sinker and a same speed riding heater. Both have been extremely effective with 38.1% and 42.1% respective whiff rates. He has limited opposing hitters to a .172 batting average and a .242 slugging with these two pitches. Nash also has good feel for three equal use secondaries in 77-80 mph curve, 81-83 mph slider and 83-85 mph changeup. Of the three, his upper-70s curveball has been the most effective. No longer unknown to most of the scouting community, Nash has everything pro evaluators look for with physical size, a repeatable delivery and strong control that is bolstered by an overall 66.7% strike rate.
Alex Kranzler, Trenton - Used mostly as a reliever for Vanderbilt this past spring, Kranzler piled up 54 strikeouts in 44 innings of work. To date this summer for Trenton, the 6-foot-3 right-hander has made three appearances, all starts, and struck out 11 in 14 innings. He has accumulated a 1.29 ERA and limited opposing hitters to just a .130 batting average. With some funk and effort to his delivery, Kranzler pounds the zone at a 73.3% clip with a heavy 93-96 mph sinker. It has averaged 17” of horizontal life to date this summer. An 82-84 mph short-actioned slider is his putaway pitch. It’s a swing/miss weapon that has accumulated a 100th percentile whiff rate of 69.2% so far this summer. And if that weren’t enough, Kranzler can pump a 88-90 mph cutter into the zone as well. It’s a work-in-progress offering that shows good promise as another above average pitch.
A trio of junior college prospects have also shined after three weeks in the league. West Virginia right-hander Trenton Lape (Bossier Parish CC, La.) has made five appearances totaling 11 2/3 innings with 20 strikeouts. While the walk total might not be ideal, he’s managed to pitch through the traffic to post a team-leading 0.77 ERA. The velocity on his mid-90s fastball has been steady. It’s an overpowering offering that has produced a whiff rate over 50% this summer. The 6-foot-1, quick-armed Lape also mixes a 2,600 rpm slider in the mid-80s, an 89-92 mph cutter and an 80-mph curve. All three breakers show signs of becoming better than average pitches in the future.
Aberdeen’s Elijah Coston (Florida SouthWestern CC) has totaled 12 strikeouts with just two walks in 8 1/3 innings. The 20-year-old has allowed just four hits and posted a 1.08 ERA out of the bullpen. A 6-foot-3 left-hander, Coston mixes a low-90s fastball, mid-80s slider, mid-70s curve and an 86-87 mph split-change. Another talented arm from Florida SouthWestern is Parker Burgess. Returning to the Draft League after first appearing in 2023 after his senior year of secondary school in Ontario, the 6-foot-4 right-hander has allowed just two hits and posted a 1.86 ERA out of the State College bullpen. With 13 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings his repertoire consists of a four-seam riding fastball in the 92-94 mph range, a 2,900+ rpm curveball and 84-86 mph changeup. All have been effective with above average whiff rates, but his late-diving changeup leads at this point with a rate of 57.1%. With a projectable frame, loose arm and a very good feel to spin, Burgess could be a late round steal for a club on Day 2 of this year’s Draft.
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