Prep Baseball Report

Draft Board Update: Helium ALERT!


Shooter Hunt
Vice President, Scouting

RHP Bryce Meccage (May 2024)

***CLICK FOR DRAFT BOARD UPDATE***

PREP:

#15 RHP Ryan Sloan (York HS, IL)
The Prep Baseball All-American has cemented his status as the top prep pitching prospect in the class with a fastball that pummels the strike zone at a heavy 98 mph (and climbing with the temperature in Illinois). Perhaps most intriguing is that the fastball might be his THIRD best offering being a wipeout slider and devastating changeup in providing the potential for three plus-pitches in the makings. Add to that a workhorse, 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and exceptional makeup, and Sloan should provide plenty of comfort to scouting directors when sending in his name in the first round.

#56 OF Griffin Burkholder (Freedom HS, VA)
Another Prep Baseball All-American who sky-rocketed up boards last summer, Burkholder has continued propelling himself forward with a strong spring. The pristinely-built, 6-foot-1, 199-pound outfielder holds an ever-craved combination of speed and power as a 6.2-runner who blasts triple-digit exit velocities from the right side. The immense success of recent mid-Atlantic draft picks might ultimately elevate the comfort level of an early selection on Burkholder, and should his power production show up more consistently this spring, the helium might carry him to even greater heights.

#57 RHP Chris Levonas (Christian Brothers HS, NJ)
After exploding into the new year with a monster showing at the Super 60, Levonas has hardly slowed down in a full collection of stellar spring outings. The wiry-athletic, 6-foot-2, 175-pound right-hander who was up to 98 mph in Chicago, has settled in at 93-96 in the early New Jersey spring while flashing a full collection of plus-offerings including a wipeout slider and demon-changeup. His steady electricity has pushed the question for many teams of “will he get to our pick in the 2nd round?”

#59 RHP Braylon Doughty (Chaparral HS, CA)
Unassumingly, Doughty stepped into the limelight of southern California prospects with a strong finish to the summer, and a nearly equally as impressive spring has lifted his floor. A near presumptive Day 1, or at the latest, early Day 2 pick, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound right-hander possesses mid-90s heat with a vicious slider that routinely rips off at nearly 3000 rpm in the mid-80s.

#61 OF/IF Luke Dickerson (Morris Knolls HS, NJ)
A standout, state champion hockey player, Dickerson’s dual-sport dominance provides for some of the best athleticism in the class, and his limited baseball experience has the ceiling moving higher than many of his peers. The speed and power combine with an accurate barrel that delivers plenty of length through the zone in hammering balls to all fields. While some will question his positional value and right-handedness, he has shown strong signs of a smooth transition to center field while also playing a solid shortstop for his high school team. The bat and athleticism will carry the value with the makeup pushing it even higher.

#62 Bryce Meccage (Pennington School, NJ)
The Meccage vs. Levonas debate is hotly debated in the northeast as both right-handers have demonstrated explosive arsenals with premium upside. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Meccage holds the bigger frame with a more traditional delivery that is both smooth and polished while showing future upside. The massive advancements that his two breaking balls have shown this spring, each demonstrating plus-potential, only serve to amplify the impressive 93-96 fastball and quality changeup that was apparent all summer circuit. Between his athletic, workhorse frame, the big arm talent with velocity still on the rise, and a true starter’s profile, Meccage has climbed into real top 50 pick consideration, and his ascension to being a top 5 prep right-hander still might be seen before July.

Premium Content Area

This article is only available to PBRPlus Subscribers. If you wish to continue reading this article:

Login to the Subscriptions Website.
To purchase a NEW SUBSCRIPTION, please click here to go to our subscription products page.