Scouting the 2024 College World Series
The eyes of the amateur baseball world have descended upon Omaha this week for the 2024 College World Series, or, as it should probably be named this year, the ACC vs. SEC Invitational. Regardless of your conference affiliation - over the next ten days, eight teams will compete for the chance to be crowned national champs. This year’s field is chock-full of draft talent, so let’s take a look at the top five 2024-eligible players on each roster - including my ranked “Preference List” of the top 25-graded players from the group at the end of this piece.
North Carolina
1. Vance Honeycutt, OF
Honeycutt had as impressive of a Super Regional performance as any player in the field, leading the Tar Heels to this spot in Omaha. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Honeycutt is an outstanding athlete with a pro-ready frame. He’s a double-plus defender in center with plus speed and above average in-game power. Truly, the only wart of his profile is the swing-and-miss (career 26.3% K rate) but he does walk enough to make me buy in on the rest of the tools. Honeycutt has cemented himself as a top-20 pick come July.
2. Casey Cook, OF
Simply put, Cook can rake. The redshirt sophomore has been a force for the Tar Heels’ offense this season, slashing .339/.433/.608 to go along with 18 home runs. The homers have been a pleasant surprise but Cook’s swing is ultimately more suited for line drives and gap-to-gap power. Overall, he employs a mature approach with a good understanding of the strike zone. Cook is somewhat limited athletically and likely destined for a home in left field or second base at the next level, but he presently looks the part of a solid Day 2 prospect.
3. Anthony Donofrio, OF
Donofrio came to Chapel Hill as a grad transfer from Quinnipiac and handled right field duties this season for UNC, though he’s a good enough athlete and defender to handle center in the pros. At the plate, Donofrio sets up with a wide base and high handset and does a good job generating power from his lower half. The swing can get a bit loopy so there are swing-and-miss concerns but there’s still bat speed and above average raw power. Already 24 years old, Donofrio is strictly a Day 3 prospect or Day 2 money-saver.
4. Dalton Pence, LHP
After starting five games as a sophomore in 2023, Pence has excelled at the back end of the Heels’ bullpen this season. The southpaw has a strong build and attacks hitters from a low-launch three-quarter arm slot. He’s been up to 95 with a fastball-heavy approach that features good ride at the top of the zone. He’ll have to refine a true secondary offering in the pros and the command limits his ceiling to a pure relief role.
5. Matt Poston, RHP
Another valuable bullpen piece for UNC has been that of right hander Matt Poston. The 6-foot-4, 235 pound senior has posted a 29.1 K% over the course of his career in Chapel Hill, including 50 strikeouts in just 33 IP this season. Despite a 5.25 ERA in 2024, underlying metrics suggest he may have suffered some bad luck on batted balls. A four-seamer with excellent ride will give Poston a chance to stick as a middle reliever in the pros.
Virginia
1. Griff O’Ferrall, SS
If you close your eyes and picture a baseball player named “Griff O’Ferrall,” he probably is exactly the same type of player as real-life Virginia shortstop, Griff O’Ferrall. A jack-of-all-trades, O’Ferrall has been one of the Hoos’ most reliable players since he stepped onto campus in Charlottesville. He’s a reliable, versatile defender with above average athleticism and arm strength. At the plate, there’s a solid approach and feel for the barrel, but not much impact overall, which limits his future potential to a super utility type in the pros.
2. Harrison Didawick, OF
An impressive frame at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Didawick exploded for 23 home runs for the Cavaliers this season, tying the school record for a single season previously set by Zack Gelof. There’s plenty of hand speed and juice in the bat but also legitimate questions about the hit tool. Didawick is a good athlete but likely profiles in left field at the next level.
3. Ethan Anderson, 1B/C
A switch-hitter, Anderson’s draft value will be predicated mostly on whether teams view him as a catcher at the next level. Anderson has been a remarkably consistent player during his career with the Cavs, walking more (103) than he struck out (101) over nearly 800 plate appearances. There’s a good feel for the barrel but the power will have to play up more than it has to really wants to make a mark as a prospect. Anderson is likely to hear his name called somewhere between rounds 3-5.
4. Casey Saucke II, OF
Saucke II was a highly-touted recruit before heading to campus and has an ideal build (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) for a corner outfielder. There’s above average raw power with a swing from that right side that is designed to lift the ball. It can get long at times but I think part of that may be due to Saucke’s exaggerated, crouched stance and barrel positioning during his load. He’s got enough arm strength and athleticism to stick in right field in the pros. Entering into the right player development system could help to unlock the obvious tools here. Expect Sacuke II to land towards the middle of day two.
5. Jay Woolfolk, RHP
Woolfolk is one of the best athletes in college baseball, having previously spent time as a quarterback on the Virginia football team. The righty has a chiseled 6-foot, 200 pound frame and despite a poor track record with control (12.8 career BB%), the fastball is up to 97 and could present for a fun pitching development opportunity in the right organization (think Guardians or Dodgers) on Day 3.
Tennessee
1. Billy Amick, 3B
Following a transfer from Clemson, Amick has manned the hot corner for the Volunteers with remarkable success en route to a career-high 23 home runs. There’s plus raw power in the bat from the right side and very simple mechanics that allows him to get the barrel into the hitting zone with regularity. He’s shown enough defensive chops at third to warrant a look there in the pros, but regardless if he ends up there or at first base, the bat will be the carrying tool. Amick is likely to hear his name called towards the back half of round one.
2. Christian Moore, 2B
Moore has proven to be a complicated evaluation in my eyes. While it’s impossible to ignore the remarkable season he’s had in 2024 - .375/.453/.796 with 32 (!) home runs - his aggressiveness at the plate and future defensive value leaves some unanswered questions. Moore is built like a wide receiver with a high-cut, muscular 6-foot-1, 210 pound frame, but isn’t as fluid of an athlete as one might expect. He can impact the ball when making contact but it’s hard to know if 2024 is a reflection of his true prospect value. Regardless of my own hesitation with Moore’s profile, he’s highly unlikely to slide out of the first round on draft day.
3. Drew Beam, RHP
A workhorse in the Vols rotation since his freshman season, Beam’s extensive arsenal and ability to throw strikes make him one of the safer college pitching prospects in the class. He doesn’t miss a ton of bats but generates enough groundballs to find his footing as a back-of-the-rotation starter in the pros.
4. Kavares Tears, OF
Tears is one of several in the Vols lineup capable of launching moonshots at a moment’s notice. He’s got a big frame at 6-foot, 200 pounds and maintains a level swing path, unlike the typical uphill plane of other players with similar raw power. He can take a while to get going in the box with a high handset and leg lift, but Tears is an athletic mover who manages to find barrels and impressive EVs with regularity. He’s likely a Day 2 selection, depending on how teams feel about the hit tool.
5. AJ Causey, RHP
A transfer from Jacksonville State, Causey exploded onto the scene in Knoxville this season to become one of Tennessee’s most electric arms. Pitching in relief while paired with an opener, the righty racked up 120 strikeouts to just 21 walks in 87.2 innings of work. Causey can run a heavy sinker up to 93 from a true sidearm, low launch slot, creating real problems for opposing hitters. There’s likely an organization that are intrigued enough to put Causey in a starting role at the pro level with his bevy of unique traits. In a worst case scenario, you’re looking at an elite bullpen arm against RHH.
Florida State
1. Cam Smith, 3B
Smith was a highly-touted prospect coming out of the 2022 high school class, but ultimately ended up in Tallahassee. He’s now a draft-eligible sophomore heading into the draft after posting a .401/.500/.677 line with 16 home runs. Ground balls are a concern with his profile but the third baseman is one of the more well-rounded bats in the class, and his likelihood to stick at third base gives him the slight nod over the next Seminole on this list.
2. James Tibbs III
Outside of West Virginia’s JJ Wetherholt, Tibbs may be the best bet to hit in the entire class. From the left side, he makes sound swing decisions and can crush fastballs that allow him to tap into above average raw power. There’s not any projection left in the stocky frame and his below average athleticism means he’ll be destined for a home in left field in the pros.
3. Marco Dinges, C/OF
A transfer from nearby Tallahassee CC, Dinges’ calling card at the next level will be dingers. He’s got a chiseled frame and huge hand strength, but Dinges’ draft value will come down to how teams view his defensive value in a corner outfield spot at the next level. More than likely, Dinges hears his name called early on day three.
4. Jaime Ferrer, OF
Ferrer has been a consistent performer for the ‘Noles since his freshman season, manning left field for the club in 2024. The right-hander can get to power on his pull side but hardly walks and hits the ball on the ground enough to warrant caution with his future professional profile.
5. Yoel Tejeda Jr., RHP
Tejeda was a 19th-round selection by the Pirates back in 2022 and enters this year’s class as a draft-eligible sophomore. The righty’s frame is massive (6-foot-8, 215 pounds), and he gets downhill quickly with short arm action and an explosive fastball that can run up to 97 with good spin rates. Finding the strike zone has been an adventure but he did have a strong summer on the Cape in ‘23, so there’s plenty of clay here for a team to take a flyer on day three.
Kentucky
1. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF
Waldschmidt has enjoyed a steady climb up draft boards this spring, finishing the season with a .340/.468/.622 line with 14 home runs and 24 stolen bases. The Wildcats star has been unlucky with the injury bug over the course of his career, but there are intriguing tools and metrics that make Waldschmidt worthy of a look in the first round should his medicals check out. The outfielder has a sturdy build and makes tons of hard contact to all fields, getting into plus raw power through his lower half a la Tyler O’Neill.
2. Travis Smith, RHP
Formerly a highly-touted recruit out of high school, local Kentucky product Travis Smith has had an uneven career with the ‘Cats - including reconstructive elbow surgery in 2022. The big-bodied righty is an athletic, fluid mover down the mound throwing out of a high three-quarter arm slot. He can run his sinker up to the mid-90’s, which helped him generate a groundball rate north of 50 percent this season. The command dictates a pure reliever profile, but a team coming in with a strong development plan could find a spot for Smith somewhere on the draft’s second day.
3. Émilien Pitre, 2B
Pitre has been a sparkplug over the past two seasons in Lexington, holding a career .306/.430/.459 and collecting twenty more walks than strikeouts. It’s a mature, contact-oriented approach that allows Pitre to succeed but, overall, there’s not much juice in the bat. The Canada native also stole 20+ bags in his two years as a starter and is likely limited to second base or left field in the pros.
4. Trey Pooser, RHP
A transfer from College of Charleston, right-hander Trey Pooser had amassed over 200 career IP before entering the Kentucky program and becoming their most reliable arm over the course of the season. Pooser has a sturdy 6-foot-4 frame, and gets a ton of extension down the mound from a low 3/4 arm slot. The stuff is fringy and he doesn’t miss many bats, but it’s hard to ignore what is now five years of college production, including the best of his career in his first year in the the SEC.
5. Devin Burkes, C
Backstop Devin Burkes has served as an emotional sparkplug this season for Kentucky, adding a wealth of leadership behind the dish for an otherwise inexperienced Wildcat pitching staff. He’s athletic and shows plenty of ability to stick behind the plate in the pros. It’s a below average hit tool and fringy power, but the depth of this catching class means you can expect to hear Burkes’ name called somewhere early on day three.
NC State
1. Jacob Cozart, C
One of the draft’s most well-rounded catching prospects, Jacob Cozart has been a reliable presence for the Wolfpack and figures to be picked somewhere in the first few rounds on draft day. It’s a smooth, rhythmic swing from the left side that is capable of tapping into average power to his pullside. As a defender, Cozart is athletic despite a taller, leaner frame than most at the position - and the NC State star has plus arm strength to cut down opposing base stealers.
2. Eli Serrano III, OF
Serrano III manned center field for the ‘Pack this season and oozes projection with a long, lean 6-foot-5 build. He generates a ton of bat speed from the left side and does an excellent job of staying inside the ball to utilize his above average juice to all fields. If he can tap further into his plus raw power, Serrano could find a home at a corner outfield spot or first base, the position he played for NC State in 2023. I’m a big fan of the North Carolina native’s game.
3. Alec Makarewicz, IF
A transfer from East Carolina, Makarewicz has been a switch-hitting force driving the ‘Pack offense to Omaha. It’s a sturdy 6-foot-2, 230 pound that generates a ton of loft from both sides of the plate with a good feel for the barrel. There are strikeout concerns but I can see a team taking a flyer on the bat sometime on day three.
4. Logan Whitaker, RHP
Right-hander Logan Whitaker looks the part of an old school, prototypical innings eater. The numbers weren’t great on the surface but Whitaker can throw strikes and miss enough bats to get by. I wonder if a move to the bullpen in pro ball could help the stuff and velo tick up in order to achieve future success.
5. Dom Fritton, LHP
Doubling your career walk rate in your draft year is certainly not a recipe for success but such is the situation for southpaw Dom Fritton. Fritton possesses enough unique traits from the left site that, despite the crooked numbers in 2024, a team could see enough to warrant a selection in rounds 15-20.
Texas A&M
1. Braden Montgomery, OF
It’s tough to see any player go down with injury, but it was especially difficult to see Aggies star right fielder Braden Montgomery suffer a broken ankle that will keep him from playing any games in Omaha. With that being said, don’t expect Montgomery to fall very fall down boards in July. The switch-hitter is perhaps the toolsiest hitter outside of Konnor Griffin - with plus power and double-plus arm strength in right. If all goes according to plan, Montgomery could wind up as a top five player in the entire class.
2. Ryan Prager, LHP
I’ve been singing the praises of A&M’s Ryan Prager, who has proven to be one of the best pitchers in all of college baseball this season, for quite some time now. In Prager’s first season back from elbow surgery, he’s posted a remarkable 32.3 K% to just 5.4 BB%. The stuff isn’t particularly flashy, but he can land all three of his primary offerings for strikes to both sides of the plate from a unique arm slot - including a four-seamer with elite carry. If more velocity comes down the road as he continues to recover, you could be looking at a Cliff Lee-type arm.
3. Chris Cortez, RHP
Good luck getting a barrel on anybody out of the Texas A&M bullpen, namely flamethrowing righty Chris Cortez. Cortez has utilized a nasty sinker-sweeper combination this season en route to an absurd 37.3 K%. With the sinker sitting at 97-99 and a sweeper that has generated a Whiff% north of 57 percent, Cortez profiles as a shutdown backend bullpen arm in relatively short order so long as he continues to improve his strike-throwing.
4. Ali Camarillo, SS
Up-the-middle commodities are always valuable come draft day, especially those that can stick at second base and shortstop long term. Such is the case of A&M shortstop Ali Camarillo, who enjoyed a strong 2024 campaign following a transfer from Cal State Northridge. At present, the hit tool is fringy but his ability on the dirt and above average athleticism will give him a shot to compete at the next level.
5. Jackson Appel, C/OF
A two-year starter at Penn, the switch-hitting Appel is another member of the Aggies’ phenomenal 2024 transfer class. Appel is undersized and has some clunky actions behind the plate which may facilitate a future move to the outfield, so the bat will need to be his carrying tool.
Florida
1. Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF
Any time you start throwing Shohei Ohtani comps on an amateur player and they’re not immediately scoffed at, you know you might have a special talent on your hands. While Florida slugger Jac Caglianone has put up great numbers both on the mound and at the plate, most feel his future lies in the batter’s box. 8’s are hard to come by in the scouting world but it just may apply to Caglianone’s raw power, which is generated by tons of loft from his 6-foot-5, 245 pound frame. The aggressiveness and swing-and-miss concerns are valid but if all goes right, you’re looking at a perennial All Star first baseman routinely putting up 35-40 home run seasons in his prime.
2. Brandon Neely, RHP
Neely has amassed nearly 200 innings over the course of his Gators career and while some of those have come in a starting role, he’s likely best suited for a bullpen role at the next level. Neely possesses a sturdy 6-foot-3 frame with long, whippy arm action and the ability to generate power from his lower half. He’s run the fastball up to 97 that has good ASR and could find success in the pros with more consistent shape on his secondaries.
3. Pierce Coppola, LHP
Standing at 6-foot-8, Coppola is an immediately imposing presence for those standing in the batter’s box. Having missed the previous two seasons to injury, Coppola returned for the Gators this season to mixed results. That being said, the stuff from the left side and tricky arm slot could mean that he could find a suitor, albeit a patient one, on day three of the draft.
4. Colby Shelton, IF
A transfer from Alabama, Shelton launched 20 home runs for the Gators this season - five less than he did for the Tide in 2023. Shelton played shortstop in 2024, however his fringy athleticism and arm strength likely dictate a move to second base in the pros. Shelton displays good hand speed and crushes pitches low and inside, but he struggles quite a bit against elevated velocity. The pressure will be on the bat once Shelton enters the pro ranks.
5. Fisher Jameson, RHP
Jameson became a valuable swingman out of the Florida bullpen this season and offers teams in this draft an intriguing late-round flyer. It’s an athletic, repeatable delivery with short arm action and good extension down the mound. The stuff isn’t flashy but he held his own on the Cape last summer and part of me wonders what he’d look like as a starter in the right player development system.
2024 College World Series Preference List
Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Florida
Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
James Tibbs III, OF, Florida State
Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky
Ryan Prager, LHP, Texas A&M
Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee
Christian Moore, IF, Tennessee
Jacob Cozart, C, NC State
Chris Cortez, RHP, Texas A&M
Eli Serrano III, OF, NC State
Drew Beam, RHP, Tennessee
Casey Cook, OF, North Carolina
Griff O’Ferrall, IF, Virginia
Kavares Tears, OF, Tennessee
Ethan Anderson, C/1B, Virginia
Travis Smith, RHP, Kentucky
Casey Saucke II, OF, Virginia
Ali Camarillo, SS, Texas A&M
Anthony Donofrio, OF, North Carolina
Émilien Pitre, 2B, North Carolina
AJ Causey, RHP, Tennessee
Brandon Neely, RHP, Florida
Dalton Pence, LHP, North Carolina
