Draft Impact: Northeast Prospects

Each year, the draft talent of the country ebbs and flows as players drop off or make advancements throughout the spring with the scouting community paying keen attention. The easiest and most comforting scouting opportunities come in warm weather states. Simply put: these players have easier access to game play, high level competition, and a longer track record to provide more confidence in their true future value. However, this hardly disqualifies those cold weather prospects whose preseason is spent in gymnasiums and whose April’s can, many times, be interrupted by rain, snow, and cold. Instead, it intensifies the area scouting roles as the narrow window to obtain multiple looks makes time (and scheduling) a vital factor.

A year ago, top prep prospect, and cold weather bat, OF Max Clark (Tigers, 3rd overall), received the highest prep signing bonus of the 2023 draft. Beyond the polarizing Indiana native, 9 of the next highest 15 signing bonuses (it jumps to 11 of 15 depending on where you stand on the state of Virginia which is, many times, covered by northeast area scouts), came from cold weather prep prospects. Even shifting to the 2022 Draft, a group dominated early by warm weather position players, 8 of the top 13 prep pitching bonuses came from cold weather prospects.

So, while the opportunities appear to be limited throughout the spring, the exceptional value of a cold weather prospect is hardly something to be ignored. Rather, it is one that clubs have been (and should be) giving time and priority to.

Thus, as Prep Baseball’s Draft HQ mapped out spring coverage, a trip to the northeast, which features 9 top 50 prep prospects, appeared paramount. Below, a look at some of the notes from the east coast swing of Vice President of Scouting, Shooter Hunt.