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2018 Vanderbilt baseball commitments

Coach Tim Corbin's has assembled an incredibly talented class for 2018.
Coach Tim Corbin's has assembled an incredibly talented class for 2018.
Vanderbilt baseball commitments for 2018
Player PG/BA Description and draft risk

Will Banfield, C

6-1, 208

R/R

Brookwood HS

Team Elite Prime

Lawrenceville, Ga.

10/10

Outstanding defensive catcher with athleticism, agility and a quick release, and one who can really hit. He throws up to 94 on the mound but will be a catcher on the next level (whether at Vanderbilt or, more likely, the minors). Only signability or major injury will prevent him from being one of the first high schoolers of the board in 2018, so it would be a major surprise to see him at Vanderbilt. However, Banfield fell from the No. 20 prospect at MLB Pipeline.com to 37th as of early May. That site grades Banfield as follows: hit (45), power (50), run (35), arm (70), field (55) and overall (50). Infield and pitcher are his secondary listings. BA lists Banfield as the No. 49 prospect for the draft as of May 4 (subscription required to view the full list).


Drafted No. 69 overall (CBB) by Miami

Agreed to terms with Miami for $1.8 million

Austin Becker, RHP

6-6, 185

R/R

Big Walnut HS

Evoshield Canes 16-U

Sunbury, Ohio

31/18

Projectable right-handed pitcher who registered up to 89 at WWBA Underclassman event, and touched 91 later in the summer. He has added a few MPH this spring, sitting 92-94 in front of scouts and has touched 96. Has a low-effort delivery, and adds a good curve and a change-up. A potential first-rounder, it will be an uphill battle to get him to college. MLBPipeline.com ranks him the No.68 overall prospect for the 2018 draft (down from the mid-40s in January) and assigns the following scouting grades: fastball (60), curveball (55), changeup (50), control (50) and overall (50). Was originally listed as pitcher-shortstop, but his home is on the mound. BA lists Becker as the No. 67 prospect for the draft.


Drafted No. 1,109 overall (Round 37) by the Rangers, but there's a story behind that, and he's expected to attend college.

Xavier Edwards, IF

5-10, 165

S/R

Trinity Christian Academy

Palm Beach Select Und.

Wellington, Fla.

19/15

An excellent defender with a projectable bat, Edwards was already an elite talent by the time he committed as a sophomore. He has soft hands and an accurate arm, which will allow him to play middle infield. A fast-twitch athlete along the lines of Tony Kemp and Dansby Swanson, he's working to add weight that will give more pop to a line-drive swing. MLB Pipeline ranks him 38th overall among members of the 2018 draft class, and assigns these scouting grades: hit (50) power (40), run (70), arm (50) and overall (50). Perfect Game now lists him as a shortstop. BA lists Edwards as the No. 43 prospect for the draft as of May 4.


Drafted No. 38 overall (CBA) by San Diego.

Signed for $2.6 million on June 13.

Ryder Green, OF

6-2, 195

R/R

Knoxville Christian

Team Elite Prime 17-U

Knoxville, Tenn.

53/42

One of the later commitments in a class that committed early, Green made his mark initially as a pitcher regularly touching 90 with his fastball. At the next level, Green projects as an outfielder, largely due to great raw power and a swing that puts serious leverage on the ball and has no clear mechanical faults. He was originally committed to Kentucky. MLB Pipeline ranks him the 86th-best prospect for the draft, and assigns these scouting grades: hit (45), power (55), run (50), arm (60), field (50) and overall (45). Ranked the 94th-best prospect for the draft by BA on May 4.


Drafted 97th overall (Round 3) by the Yankees.

Signed with the Yankees for $1 million.

Ethan Hankins, RHP

6-6, 200

R/R

Forsyth Central HS

Team Elite Prime 16-U

Cumming, Ga.

1/1

Has an easy motion and was throwing his fastball at 98 with incredible movement; it effectively sinks it and runs it away from hitters. He also adds a breaking pitch that some call a curve, but sometimes breaks more like a slider. Another potential first-rounder who may be tough to get to campus. MLBPipeline.com ranked him the No. 2 overall prospect for the 2018 draft (behind the University of Florida's Brady Singer) before the season, but he's tumbled to 19th as of May, due to shoulder discomfort, which has caused his fastball velocity to drop to 89-92 and seen his breaking ball suffer, too. The health and sign-ability issues that come with being a Vanderbilt could combine to get him to campus, which was un-thinkable entering the spring. MLB Pipeline's scouting grades: fastball (80), curveball (50), slider (50), changeup (55), control (55) and overall (55). BA lists Hankins as the No. 16 prospect in the draft as of May 4.


Drafted No 35 overall (Round 1C) by Cleveland.

Brett Hansen, LHP

6-4, 190

L/L

Foothill HS

NorCal Baseball

Pleasanton, Calif.

98/NR

A late addition to the class after flipping from Stanford, Hansen is seen as a top-three-round talent with some sign ability concerns. His fastball, which he will cut at times, sits 88-92, and it's believed there's more velocity coming. He adds a change and two breaking balls. Hansen, who's Mormon, could opt for a mission at some point, which could affect his draft position. MLB Pipeline ranks him 66th overall, and offers the following scouting grades: fastball (60), curve (50), change-up (55) and control (50), with an overall grade of "50."

NOTE: Hansen did, indeed, opt for a mission, and will report to VU in a future class.


Drafted No. 1,126 overall (Round 38) by the Giants.

Sterling Hayes, IF

6-2, 195

R/R

Francis W. Parker HS

CBA

La Jolla, Calif.

T-500/NR

Strong, athletic player whom Perfect Game timed at 6.89 in the 60. He's billed as a line-drive hitter with soft hands and an accurate arm. Perfect Game now lists him as a shortstop.


Undrafted.

Matt Hogan, OF

6-0, 190

L/R

Half Hollow Hills HS

Long Island Titans

Melville, N.Y.

313/NR

Committed to VU in 2015. There's not much publicly-available data on Hogan, though here's a brief look at him swinging the bat and this late-2016 interview with Hogan.


Undrafted.

Chance Huff, RHP

6-4, 205

R/R

Niceville Senior HS

East Cobb Astros

Niceville, Fla.

268/NR

Committed to Vanderbilt in early 2016, after throwing in the high-80s as a freshman. Struck out 74 hitters with a 1.90 ERA as a junior. Best pitch is a 94-mph fastball, which he compliments with a curve (80) and a cutter (83), according to this. Secondary position is outfield. Ranked the No. 271 prospect for the draft by BA as of May 4.


Undrafted.

Dominic Keegan, C

6-0, 210

R/R

Central Catholic HS

Show Baseball

Methuen, Mass.

145/NR

Former Virginia Tech commitment whose stock has risen significantly since he flipped to VU. Perfect Game describes him as an "offensive-oriented catcher" who generates good bat speed, and notes a pop time of 1.95.


Undrafted.

Tate Kolwyck, MIF

6-0, 190

R/R

Arlington HS

Dirtbags All Blacks

Bartlett, Tenn.

477/NR

Kolwyck was a four-year starting quarterback in high school who threw for over 11,000 yards in high school. Earned all-state honors in baseball in 2017, and expected to play infield at VU. Can really swing the bat.


Undrafted.

John Malcom, 1B

6-4, 217

L/L

Detroit County Day Upper

Team Elite Prime

West Bloomfield, Mich.

51/NR

Big, athletic-looking kid with huge power potential and great bat speed; it's fun to watch him hit. PG clocked him at 6.87 in the 60 in the summer of 2017, and he was selected for the 2017 Perfect Game Classic. Described as "having a high baseball I.Q.," Malcolm seems to be rising up draft boards and according to this, could be the first high school first baseman taken in the 2018 draft. Ranked the No. 312 prospect for the draft by BA as of May 4.


Undrafted.

Justin-Henry Malloy, IF
6-2, 200
R/R
St. Joseph Regional HS
Team Citrus 17-U
Bergenfield, N.J.

135/NR

He's strong and athletic, hits to all fields, and flat-out hit for power, though running (7.26 in the 60, in the summer of 2017 according to PG) may need improvement. He gets solid reviews across the board for defense. Originally listed as an infielder-pitcher, he's now considered a third baseman.


Undrafted.

Cam McMillan, MIF
6-5, 200
R/R
St. Thomas Aquinas HS
Building Championships/Evoshield Canes
Kansas City, Mo.

NR/NR

Bat projects very well, and PG clocked him at 6.77 in the 60 in the summer of 2017. This piece, which also has some video, assigns the following current scouting grades: run (55), arm (60), hit (30), power (30) and field (35), though it projects his future as significantly higher than that. PG lists his primary position as "shortstop."


Undrafted.

Luke Murphy, RHP

6-4, 170

R/R

East Robertson HS

Knights Baseball 16-U Platinum

Springfield, Tenn.

193/NR

The co-District 10-A MVP in 2017, Murphy struck out 111 men in 50 1/3 innings, with a 1.53 ERA. Tops out in the low-90s with his fastball, and adds a slider and a change-up.


Undrafted.

Nicholas Northcut, 3B-RHP

6-0, 198

R/R

William Mason HS

Houston Banditos

Mason, Ohio

41/35

A finalist in the 2017 Perfect Game Home Run Derby, Northcut has hit 91 on the mound. Ranked as the 85th-best draft prospect by MLB Pipeline, which describes him as "one of the best two-way prospects available in the draft," and assigns the following grades: hit (50), power (50), run (20), arm (60), fielding (60) and overall (45). MLB Pipeline considers him more of a hitting prospect as of May 2017, describing him as a natural power hitter who uses the whole field, and one who has potential to hit for average. BA rates Northcut 71st overall in the upcoming draft as of May 4.


Drafted No. 340 overall (Round 11) by the Red Sox.

Signed with the Red Sox for $565,000.

Kumar Rocker, RHP

6-5, 250

R/R

North Oconee HS

Team Elite Prime

Watkinsville, Ga.

8/7


The son of former Auburn/NFL defensive lineman Tracy Rocker, Kumar also has been a standout defensive end in high school, but his future lies in baseball, as he is the top-rated baseball player in America according to Perfect Game. Was already throwing 90-94 before his junior season, and now sits 92-96 with the ability to touch 98. He adds a power breaking pitch (some call it a curve, but it moves more like a slider) and a change-up. MLBPipeline.com ranks him the No. 14th overall prospect for the 2018 draft (up three spots from where he entered the season) and grades his pitches as follows: fastball (70), slider (60) and curve (50), with an overall grade of "55." Rocker's father is making $505,000 as a football assistant at Tennessee now, and given that he's made a living as a college assistant since 1994 (since 2003, he's either been in the SEC or the NFL), money wouldn't seem to be as large a need. BA lists Rocker as the 12th-best overall prospect for the 2018 draft as of May 4.


Drafted No. 1,146 overall (Round 38) by the Rockies.

Ethan Smith, RHP

6-3, 195

R/R

Mt. Juliet HS

Evoshield Canes National

Mt. Juliet, Tenn.

55/79

Shot up from 348 to 50 in Perfect Game's rankings within the past six months. Ran his fastball up to 89 in Jupiter, then to 93 in the summer of 2017, which has caused his stock to rise. According to The Tennessean, struck out 40 in 29 innings in 2017 with a 2.20 ERA. May project out of the bullpen. Ranked as the 206th-best prospect in the 2018 draft according to BA on May 4.


Undrafted.

Jacob Smith, LHP

6-7, 220

L/L

Calera HS

East Cobb Astros 16-U

Calera, Ala.

369/NR

Dipped from 266 to 369 in PG over the last few months. Secondary position listed as first base, according to PG. Came one walk away from firing a five-inning perfect game as a senior, which included 12 strikeouts. PG says he's touched 90 with his fastball, and he also throws a curve.


Undrafted.

Mackenzie Stills, RHP-MIF

5-11, 180

S/R

Fayette County HS

Home Plate Chilidogs

Fayetteville, Ga.

219/NR

Shows a fastball that he throws between 90-94, and shows good arm-side run at times. Sharp-breaking power slider showed good improvement as a junior, and adds a change-up. Athletic and projectable, and PG believes he's potentially a two-way player.


Undrafted.

Isaiah Thomas, OF

6-3, 190

R/R

The Benjamin School

FTB Rockets 17-U

Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

142/NR

PG clocked him at 6.38 in the 60 in 2017. Athletic with big power potential. As a pitcher, he's been a low-90s righty with an extremely quick arm. Ranked the No. 373 prospect for the draft, according to BA on May 4.


Drafted No. 1,176 overall (Round 39) by the Rockies.

Ryan Weathers, RHP

6-2, 225

R/R

Loretto HS

Dulin's Dodgers

Loretto, Tenn.

7/8

He's the son of former Major League pitcher David Weathers. The former Alabama commitment skyrocketed up draft boards during the summer and fall of 2017. MLBPipeline.com ranks Weathers as the No. 16 overall prospect for the 2018 draft, and assigns these scouting grades: fastball (55), curve (55), change-up (55), control (55) and overall (55). PG timed his fastball between 93 and 95, consistently, in 2017. A good athlete, MLB Pipeline says he may be a two-way prospect (first base would probably be the other option). Weathers' father earned over $10 million during his baseball career, so it remains to be seen how much finances do or do not affect his draft decision. Weathers told The Tennessean in April 2018 that it would be a "hard decision," and his father's comments in the same article seemed to hint that college was a strong possibility. BA lists Weathers as the No. 19 prospect for the 2018 draft as of May 4.


Drafted seventh overall (Round 1) by San Diego.

Signed with the Padres on July 1.

Notes

Baseball America's rankings are from its Top 100 high school prospects, which were released in mid-December 2017.

Perfect Game ranks 500 players. These rankings reflect what PG had as of May 2, 2018; for more information on each, we highly recommend a subscription there.

MLBPipeline.com rankings are as of May 2, 2018.

A special thanks to New York Dore for extensive help with this list.

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