Every MLB club needs pitching all the time, which makes college aces some of the most sought after prospects in the draft. Predicting the throwers who will thrive at the Big Show isn’t certain. Instead, organizations focus on pitchers who have elite talent that could be molded into greatness.
MLB Teams with the best World Series odds tend to feature an ace who shuts down opposition batters. One could argue that Madison Bumgarner has been one of the most influential players during the 2010s because of his lights-out performances during a trio of championships with the Giants.
Some of the top ten college pitchers in the 2018 MLB draft possess outsized talent, with the potential to dominate the Big Show after the turn of the decade.
Casey Mize – RHP
College – Auburn
Draft – Detroit Tigers (#1)
Prior to the draft, some pundits lowered Casey in the rankings based on health concerns. Arm fatigue and soreness have dogged him over the past couple of years, potentially scaring away MLB suitors. Detroit decided to take a smart risk, focusing on his considerable talent.
Few college hurlers boast the control that Mize employs on the mound, using a ridiculous split-finger fastball to pull the string on hitters attempting to catch up with his regular fastball. If he manages to stay healthy, his upside as a potential three-pitch starter could anchor the Tigers rotation at the turn of the decade. Wisely, Detroit shut him down this year after a successful stint in the minors, focusing on conditioning and strength.
Logan Gilbert – RHP
College – Stetson
Draft – Seattle Mariners (#14)
Logan wasn’t ranked as high as other college pitchers, but his stock ended up rising to become the second collegiate thrower selected in the 2018 draft. Perhaps the Mariners bank on the Hatters successful talent development system, which includes Jacob DeGrom, the National League rookie of the year in 2014.
Gilbert leverages a 6’6” frame into a 95 mph+ fastball with good movement, along with a decent breaking ball and a deceptively smooth delivery. Logan could turn into a strikeout machine that reminds Seattle baseball fans of a less angry version of Randy Johnson.
Brady Singer – RHP
College – Florida
Draft – Kansas City Royals (#18)
The Kansas City Royals went all-in on college pitchers during the draft, and it looks like they lucked into Brady Singer dropping all the way to 18 in the draft. Considered the top prospect for much of 2018, Singer combines an MLB-worthy fastball with a sturdy slider to mystify hitters.
The Toronto Blue Jays drafted Singer in 2015, but the two sides were unable to arrive at a contract agreement, an attitude which might have turned off some teams. Brady responded by raising his game to elite status, winning the 2018 Dick Howser Trophy as best player in college baseball. Similar to Mize, he could be a three-pitch starter.
Ryan Rolison – LHP
College – Ole Miss
Draft – Colorado Rockies (#22)
Major League Baseball tends to have an endless thirst for left-handed pitchers, part of the reason Ryan Rolison was considered a top college prospect. As the fourth college pitcher selected in the draft, the Rockies expect Ryan Rolison to develop into a significant contributor over the upcoming seasons.
Ryan doesn’t have the same fastball velocity as other top throwers, but his constantly improving control and a tricky curveball combine to flummox most hitters. Rolison’s late-August work with the Grand Junction Rockies included a three-inning, no-hit effort against the rival Missoula Osprey.
Shane McClanahan – LHP
College – South Florida
Draft – Tampa Bay Rays (#31)
Another superb left-hander, Shane fought through Tommy John surgery to regain the promise which spurred the Mets cattempt to draft him out of high school. McClanahan stuck with South Florida instead of jumping from high school to the pros, becoming one of the best pitchers in college baseball.
In terms of raw power and talent, some consider Shane the top pitcher of the 2018 draft. He challenges radar guns with a 100 MPH fastball, pairing beastly velocity with an improving changeup. Mastering control of the strike zone could create a scenario where he strikes out MLB batters as often as college players.
Jackson Kowar – RHP
College – Florida
Draft – Kansas City Royals (#33)
Pitching in the shadow of Brady Singer at Florida somewhat obscured the abilities of Jackson Kowar, who fell to 33 in the draft. He’ll join Singer in Kansas, potentially forming a superb one-two punch in the starting rotation over the next half-decade. Brady enjoyed the limelight, but Kowar might possess a great upside long term due to greater velocity.
Kowar served as a number two starter, but flashed ace-like abilities before a brief swoon to finish his collegiate season. A fastball that tops out at 98 MPH, his changeup and developing slider could be the type of stuff which causes Jackson to eventually exceed Singer.
Daniel Lynch – LHP
College – Virginia
Draft – Kansas City Royals (#34)
Lynch wasn’t a popular choice among many talent evaluators, causing some observers to believe that picking Daniel at 34t h overall was a reach. Regardless of whether Kansas could’ve selected him later, Lynch has proven himself during his brief time in the minors.
Daniel responded to a quick promotion to the Lexington Legends by raising the quality of his pitching, allowing only five earned runs over his first 34 innings with the Legends. He doesn’t have the same flashy velocity of other early round draft picks, but his off-speed stuff has proven worthy as a youthful but crafty lefty.
Kris Bubic – LHP
College – Stanford
Draft – Kansas City Royals (#40)
The fourth college pitcher drafted by the Royals was Kris Bubic, a left-handed starter who leveraged solid command during his stint with Stanford. He doesn’t yet feature the type of velocity which blows batters away. Instead, his changeup fools batter frequently because of an identical delivery used for all his pitches.
Bubic continues to pitch well in the minors, striking out 37 hitters in 25 innings over his first three starts with Idaho Falls. Even better, Kris addressed his main criticism over the past year by improving the velocity on his fastball, occasionally hitting the 95 MPH mark. If he maintains a higher velocity and command over his offspeed repertoire, Bubic might join his fellow Royals draftees as a top thrower from the class of 2018.
Griffin Roberts – RHP
College – Wake Forest
Draft – St. Louis Cardinals (#43)
Some prospects bank on superior velocity, others combine solid fastballs with a decent breaking ball. Roberts knows that his bread is buttered by his absurd slider, believed to be the best breaking ball of the entire draft.
Griffin used to pair his slider with a 97 MPH fastball, although he dropped his velocity to a solid low-90s with decent movement after leaving the bullpen. Since he already features an elite
pitch, Griffin will almost certainly have a bullpen job ready. Some believe he’ll need to overcome an unorthodox delivery if he wants to become a starter at the Big Show.
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Sean Hjelle – RHP
College – Kentucky
Draft – San Francisco Giants (#45)
Appropriately drafted by the Giants, Sean Hjelle stands at 6’11”, towering over the competition on the mound. Typically, men of his height deal with coordination issues, but Sean’s fine motor skills and efficient delivery make him one of the best control pitchers in the 2018 draft.
Hjelle spent time in the weight room, adding muscle to his lengthy frame and a bit of extra juice on his fastball/curveball combo. The angle of delivery created by his height causes his pitches to dive bomb the zone. For some batters, Hjelle’s release point will be about a foot and a half above their helmet, making him one of the most intriguing pitchers in the draft.
