Randy Rhodes said:

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I thought we got the #1 rated pitcher this year (Cozart)?

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harrierdoc said:

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You really think a team will draft BM that high, and with that slot money, without knowing how he will heal from surgery? I find that hard to fathom.

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 50 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 60

Teams were split on whether Montgomery had a brighter future as a hitter or pitcher when he was a Mississippi high schooler in 2021, but that decision was put on hold when he went undrafted because of his Stanford commitment. After he hit 35 homers and battled the strike zone in two years with the Cardinal, it's now obvious that he'll be an outfielder when he turns pro. He's challenging for the NCAA Division I home run lead after transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season and will become the highest-drafted position player in Aggies history, surpassing Tyler Naquin (No. 15 overall in 2012).

Montgomery had more of a hit-over-power profile in high school but that has reversed in college. A switch-hitter with strength and a quick, aggressive stroke from both sides of the plate, he does more damage as a lefty hitter and his plus power plays to all parts of the ballpark. He has improved his plate discipline and his ability to handle breaking balls during the last two seasons, but he still swings and misses at pitches in the zone a bit too often and will chase non-fastballs.

With average speed and plus-plus arm strength, Montgomery fits best in right field. As a pitcher, he can reach 96 mph with his fastball and miss some bats with his low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup. His lack of control and command limit his effectiveness, however, and he has a much higher ceiling and floor as an outfielder.

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50

Two Texas high school shortstops have shot up Draft boards this spring, with Theo Gillen ranking ahead of Sanford because he has more offensive upside but the latter providing more speed and defense. Sanford comes with big league bloodlines, as his father, Chance, was also an infielder who played 19 games with the Pirates and Dodgers in the late 1990s. He performed well at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in October and helped his cause by adding strength during the offseason.

One of the best defensive shortstops in the 2024 high school class, Sanford has range to both sides and solid-to-plus arm strength. There's no doubt he can stay at the position, but his athleticism and tools would enable him to play almost anywhere on the diamond in a utility role. He produces consistent plus run times and is an asset on the bases.

Though he has increased his bat speed from the left side of the plate as he has gotten stronger, there are some mixed reviews on Sanford's bat. The Texas A&M recruit has a mature gap-to-gap approach and makes good swing decisions, but he has spread out more with his legs this spring in search of contact. He'll probably need to rework his setup in pro ball and may top out at 15 homers per season.

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 60 | Overall: 50

Prager was one of the more projectable left-handers in the 2021 Texas high school crop, but he was also the valedictorian of his high school class and set on attending Texas A&M, so he went undrafted. He cracked the Aggies' weekend rotation as a freshman but blew out his elbow, had Tommy John surgery in October 2022 and redshirted last year. He has emerged as the ace of the No. 1 team in college baseball this spring and should factor into the second or third round.

While Prager hasn't added any velocity since high school, working at 90 mph and peaking at 93 with his fastball, it has been unhittable because it comes out of a high release height with a ton of carry and he commands it so well. His low-80s slider plays well off his up-in-the-zone heater, darting under bats with two-plane depth. His low-80s changeup has similar action and elicits more empty swings and chases than his other offerings.

Prager doesn't light up radar guns but he keeps hitters off balance as well as any pitcher in the college ranks. His near-over-the-top delivery provides plenty of deception, and his ability to mix and command all three of his pitches also helps them play up. He's a high-floor mid-rotation starter and some scouts think he has more upside and velocity left in his tank.

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Scouts flocked to Silverado HS (Las Vegas) in 2021 to see Tanner McDougal, who signed with the White Sox as a fifth-rounder, and Cortez, who had a better senior season and opted to attend Texas A&M. He has served in a variety of roles for the Aggies, opening this year as a starter before finding more success as a multi-inning reliever. Few pitchers in this Draft generate as much velocity as easily as he does.

With little effort, Cortez produces fastballs that park at 96-98 mph and peak at 100 with power sink that makes them almost impossible to lift. Hitters can't try to sit on his heater because he also has a power slider that ranges from 86-92 mph with plenty of horizontal and vertical action. He doesn't have much feel for an upper-80s changeup with modest fade and rarely uses it.

Cortez's control has fluctuated wildly in college, as he pounded the strike zone as a freshman before walking nearly a batter per inning as a sophomore. He has thrown more strikes in 2024, though he's doing it by getting chases rather than consistently landing his pitches in the zone. Some clubs may consider trying him as a starter but a more realistic ceiling would be as a high-leverage reliever.

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Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45

It has been a good year for Texas high school shortstops as Theo Gillen, Wyatt Sanford and Farr all have improved their Draft stock and likely will go in the top three rounds. Farr can't match Gillen's pure hitting ability or Sanford's plus defense, but his proponents believe he could have the most well-rounded game of the trio. He creates mixed opinions, however, because some scouts worry about his ability to hit quality pitching.

A switch-hitter, Farr has a combination of bat speed, leverage and projectable strength in his wiry 6-foot-5 frame that could translate into 20-homer power. He has begun to add muscle and is hitting the ball harder this spring. He has struggled to catch up to good velocity and chases too many pitches, leading to some Braden Shewmake comparisons.

Farr moves well for his size and has solid speed, though he could slow down as he matures physically. He has good shortstop actions and instincts, as well as a strong arm that also served him well as a quarterback before he gave up football as a senior. He'll be 19 on Draft Day and eligible again as a sophomore in 2026 if he attends Texas A&M.

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Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 45

The son of the former NFL safety of the same name, Kiel is a three-star football prospect as a wide receiver/defensive back. He has more upside on the diamond and has committed to Texas A&M, his father's alma mater, to play baseball. He has emerged as perhaps the best high school prospect and athlete in Georgia this spring and could go in the top three rounds to a team that believes in his bat.

Kiel's standout tool is his plus-plus speed, which translates into 6.3-second times in the 60-yard dash. He has the quickness to wreak havoc on the bases and covers plenty of ground in center field. His fringy-to-average arm strength is easily playable in center.

A natural right-handed hitter, Kiel will bat from the left side in batting practice but rarely in games. He's still raw at the plate because he has divided his time between two sports, though his biggest proponents believe he can become an average hitter. Though he exhibits promising bat speed, there are more questions about whether he'll have more than 12-15 homer pop. He drives the ball in the air better as a lefty and scouts would like to see him become a full-time switch-hitter.

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LET’S GO👍 @AggieBaseball pic.twitter.com/2XeWPw0tTt

— Wyatt Sanford (@WSanford24) June 23, 2024

Cashmoney said:

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What happened to Issac Morton?

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Killzone3abc said:

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He'd be like a 3rd or 4th gen legacy right?

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