SE Atlanta News

Jim Callis reports that Arkansas' Hagen Smith and Wake Forest's Chase Burns headline the 2024 college pitching crop after breaking the NCAA Division I record for strikeout rate. Both project as top-10 picks and potential frontline starters. However, the college pitching class is not as deep as once hoped. East Carolina's Trey Yesavage is considered the third-best college arm, while Iowa's Brody Brecht and Mississippi State's Jurrangelo Cijntje are the only other likely first-rounders.

Wake Forest's Josh Hartle and Michael Massey, Louisiana State's Thatcher Hurd, Tennessee's Drew Beam, and Alabama's Ben Hess began the year with first-round aspirations but did not meet expectations.

The rankings below do not entirely reflect MLB Pipeline's Draft Top 200 order. The pitchers are listed based on their features in the upcoming Draft Top 250, which will be unveiled Wednesday night. Florida two-way star Jac Caglianone is included as a pitcher, though his professional future almost certainly lies as a slugger.

1. Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas (No. 6 on Top 200)

Smith broke Ryan Wagner’s 21-year-old D-I record by averaging 17.3 strikeouts per nine innings and led the nation in average-against (.144). He features a deceptive 94-97 mph fastball that reaches 100 mph and a mid-80s slider with sweep and depth.

2. Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest (No. 5)

Burns finished just behind Smith with 17.2 strikeouts per nine innings while leading D-I with 191 whiffs. The Atlantic Coast Conference pitcher of the year throws harder than Smith (97-99 mph fastball topping out at 102) but his fastball gets hit more than it should. He also has an upper-80s slider that batters struggle to touch and flashes a plus curveball and changeup.

3. Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina (No. 11)

Yesavage overcame a partially collapsed lung to outduel Burns in the NCAA regionals, winning American Athletic Conference pitcher of the year accolades with an ERA of 2.02 (fourth nationally), striking out 145 batters (fifth), and holding opponents to a .154 average-against (second). He uses three plus pitches: a fastball at 93-95 mph reaching up to 98 mph with carry, a mid-80s slider/cutter, and a low-80s splitter.

4. Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa (No. 21)

Brecht gave up football to focus on baseball and should become Iowa’s first baseball first-rounder since Tim Costo in 1990. His explosive fastball ranges from 96-99 mph peaking at 101 mph; his slider at 87-91 mph is equally unhittable but he still lacks polish.

5. Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississippi State (No.31)

Cijntje began throwing right-handed as a child despite being naturally left-handed; he gained fame for switch-pitching during Curacao’s appearance at the Little League World Series in 2016.

6 Jonathan Santucci LHP Duke No34

Santucci battled control issues all spring missing three late-season starts due to rib injury Still athletic left-hander struck out ninety fifty-eight innings can miss bats three pitches works ninety-two-ninety-six miles per hour fastball carry armside run low-eighties slider two-plane break best fading mid-eighties changeup

7 Ben Hess RHP Alabama No45

Built like Lance Lynn six-foot-five two hundred fifty pounds rebounded flexor strain set Alabama career record thirteen point three strikeouts nine innings best weapons ninety-two-ninety-six miles per hour fastball maxes ninety-nine run carry mid-eighties slider two-plane depth

8 Luke Holman RHP Louisiana State No48

Holman doesn’t have wow stuff other pitchers list advanced feel craft replaced Paul Skenes LSU number one starter serving Alabama ace twenty-twenty-three best pitch low-eighties slider depth locates well low-nineties fastball plays better velocity thanks command induced vertical break

9 Jac Caglianone First Base Left-Handed Pitcher Florida No3

John Olerud Award winner college baseball best two-way player set Florida records single-season thirty-five career seventy-five home runs tying NCAA mark going deep nine straight games power ticket pro ball physical left-hander mid-nineties fastball climbs ninety-nine miles per hour mid-eighties slider sinking upper-seventies changeup

10 Ryan Johnson Right-Handed Pitcher Dallas Baptist No43

Johnson quirky self-taught delivery works evidenced Conference USA pitcher year award earned run average eighth division one hundred fifty-one strikeouts fourth ten-point eight K/BB ratio third creates deception pounding strike zone lively low-eighties slider mid-nineties fastball highlighting five-pitch arsenal