Every summer, the Midwest Scouts Association, which is made up of scouting personnel from all 30 major league organizations, invites 50 high school players from throughout the region to participate in a two-day event in Kansas City. The event features a showcase portion at the Kansas City Royals’ Urban Youth Academy, as well as a seven-inning doubleheader the following day at Kauffman Stadium. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get a snapshot of how many of the top high school prospects in next year’s draft class look going into their senior year, with a handful of incoming juniors in the mix as well. The players are listed here in order of my preference based solely on my look from this particular event. With that, let’s take a look at some 2025 draft-eligible Midwest prep prospects.

Position Players

Landon Schaefer, SS, Fayetteville, AR
College Commitment: Arkansas

Schaefer is committed to his hometown Razorbacks, but he’s going to get a lot of attention from amateur scouts leading up to the 2025 draft. He has a lean, athletic frame that leaves plenty of room to project on both his body and his tools. He hits out of an upright, square setup, and uses an abbreviated leg kick to trigger his long stride. Schaefer has a deep hand load that produces a 45-degree bat angle, which generates loft as he whips it through the hitting zone with above-average bat speed. He flashed above-average raw power to the pull side during batting practice and consistently did a nice job of incorporating his lower half in his hacks.

Defensively, Schaefer shows soft hands that look more than capable of staying up the middle on the dirt. He controls his 6-foot-3 frame well when ranging laterally, and while he isn’t overly twitchy, there’s a hint of quick-twitch in his movements, which are smooth and fluid overall. Right now, Schaefer has fringe-average arm strength at best, but given how projectable his frame is and how good of an athlete he is, it’s safe to anticipate that he’ll have at least average arm strength in the future. While there are some concerns to point to regarding whether he stays at shortstop long-term, the actions, body control, and hands he displayed give me confidence that he’ll be at least an above-average defender at second base if he ultimately moves off shortstop. Overall, it’s a well-rounded profile that brings value on both sides of the ball, and I think there will be quite a bit of buzz around Schaefer prior to next year’s draft.

Jackson Akin, SS, Lee’s Summit, MO
College Commitment: Oklahoma

Akin has a very projectable, lean, long-levered physique, and it’s apparent his frame still has significant long-term strength potential. He hits out of a slightly open, semi-crouched stance and uses a simple stride to get to a square position at launch. Akin has an easy, rhythmic hand load, and a bat path that stays in the zone for an extended period while also creating loft. His solid bat speed and path showed above-average raw power during batting practice, both to the pull side and to the center of the diamond.

During Akin’s live at-bats, he was at times prone to expanding out of the zone against spin, but the projectability of his hit and power tools is appealing. Defensively, Akin showed average hands, with his compact arm path currently producing fringe-average carry on his throws. He’ll likely come off shortstop in the future, but the projection in his offensive profile is the main attraction.

Cole Pladson, OF, Clay Center, KS
College Commitment: Oklahoma State

Pladson hits out of a square, balanced stance with a high-hands setup. It’s a repeatable operation in the box, with a leg lift stride and a rhythmic, medium hand load, and his high back elbow during his load creates loft in his path through the zone. Pladson does a nice job maintaining a still head throughout his swing and also shows feel for manipulating the barrel in the zone. He showcased solid-average bat speed and raw power, which showed up in game action for a pull side homer.

Pladson showed fringe-average arm strength during the defensive portion of the workout and ran a 6.64 second 60-yard dash. It’s an intriguing profile that looks to offer a projectable, well-rounded offensive skill set. Pladson is a prospect I think has notable helium potential. He’s a name to keep tabs on throughout this fall and next spring.

Cash Williams, C, Choctaw, OK
College Commitment: Tennessee

Williams has an athletic, medium build with room to add strength in the future, but he doesn’t have an overly projectable frame. Williams gets his money’s worth with every swing he takes, whether it’s in batting practice or against live pitching, and even though he takes big hacks, his swing isn’t out of control and he isn’t completely lacking in barrel awareness. Williams uses a big leg kick and lengthy stride to generate leverage, with the amount of loft in his path geared for putting the ball in the air. It’s 50-grade bat speed through the zone, and Williams already shows average raw power that projects to above average in the near future.

Williams had agile movements behind the plate, but his receiving can get rigid at times and he has trouble sticking borderline pitches. Between how well he moves and the caliber of athlete he is, there’s plenty of reason to think his defensive profile will trend upward. Williams also showed above-average arm strength, and I had a 1.96 second pop time on him during game action despite the throw being a bit off the bag. He’s old for his class, and models will ding him heavily for that, but he had a good overall showing at this event.

Pitchers

Cam Appenzeller, LHP, Springfield, IL
College Commitment: Uncommitted

FB: 89-93 / SL: 77-80 / CH: 82-84

A rangy, lean, and projectable left-hander, Appenzeller showed a three-pitch mix from a low three-quarters arm slot. In addition to his projectable frame, his overall delivery is fluid, repeatable and very starter-like. Appenzeller also has above-average hip/shoulder separation, providing further reason to dream on how much velocity there could be in the tank for a fastball that currently sits 89-93 mph with solid tail and sinking movement. His breaking ball often took the shape of a hybrid curveball/slider offering, with late tilting action and flashes of above-average teeth. He was also able to maintain proper arm speed on a few changeups he threw, with his best ones showing average fade and depth.

Given how much body and stuff projection there is in his profile, Appenzeller will undoubtedly draw a lot of looks from teams leading up to next year’s draft. Despite only getting a one-inning look, Appenzeller’s feel for command was apparent, as he landed both of his secondary pitches in the zone and flashed feel for locating his heater on both corners.

Grady Westphal, RHP, Leawood, KS
College Commitment: Texas A&M

FB: 90-93 / SL: 80-83 / CH: 85-87

Westphal is a high-waisted, lean, projectable right-hander who still has a significant amount of room on his frame for future strength gains. Westphal throws from a three-quarters slot. His medium arm circle has a slight stab in its path, but his slightly open stride direction is a bigger red flag to me than anything about his arm path. His fastball sat in the low 90s, with carry through the zone that allows it to play above the velocity, and it’s likely to see further gains as the frame adds strength.

His breaking ball has three-quarters shape with two-plane action, and he broke off a couple with spin rates north of 3,000 rpm. He did show a tendency to throw the offering from a lower slot than his fastball, which is something he’ll need to clean up and get more consistent with. Westphal also threw a couple of changeups that mirrored his fastball arm speed, which produced fade and sinking action. Westphal’s projectable fastball and existing ability to spin a breaking ball make him an intriguing arm to follow this fall and next spring.

Tyler Wood, RHP, Lee’s Summit, MO
College Commitment: Tennessee

FB: 92-95 / SL: 77-80

Wood is an athletic, lean two-way player who shined the most on the mound during this particular event. He showed above-average arm speed and throws from a high three-quarters slot. His 92-95 mph four-seam fastball showed solid carry through the zone (18-20 induced vertical break), and he did a nice job of filling up the zone with his heater. His best sliders were two-plane breakers that flashed above-average bite; they shorten up a bit when he gets on the side of them. Wood also showed a changeup during his warmups, but I didn’t have him throwing one during game action.

The already present athleticism and stuff make Wood an intriguing pitching prospect, and his ceiling on the mound looks to be significantly higher than it is in the outfield. He’ll be a fun one to watch throughout his senior year.

Brody Irlbeck, LHP, Kansas City, MO
College Commitment: Iowa

FB: 90-92 / CB: 74-76 / CH: 79

Irlbeck has a skinny, underdeveloped build that could lead to significant velocity/stuff gains once it matures. He throws from a low three-quarters slot with a lengthy, fluid arm circle that’s loose and quick, which contributes to his fastball sneaking up on hitters despite sitting 90-92 mph. His heater also flashed notable late tailing action that generated some whiffs in the zone. Multiple area scouts who have more history with Irlbeck and have seen him more times in person told me that his command has been shaky in years past but has been trending up more recently. In this particular one-inning outing, he consistently commanded the ball to both sides of the plate and effectively elevated as well. His curveball had 1-to-7 shape with varying degrees of depth, but it regularly showed average tightness. He only threw two changeups, both of which showed late fading action and were thrown with quality arm speed.

Irlbeck had a sharp inning of work but the most appealing aspect of his profile is the degree to which you can project on him. Not only is his frame incredibly projectable, but his plus hip/shoulder separation and the fluidity in his arm action make it a good bet there’s more than just a little velocity on the horizon for him. If Irlbeck’s command continues to trend upwards and is consistent while doing so, this very well might be a name with helium prior to next year’s draft.

Yesterday, I covered some of the Midwest prep players from this recent draft class who I was able to see in person several times over the past couple of years. This set of notes will cover some recent college draftees (from both four-year programs and junior colleges) who I caught this year in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Hunter Cranton, RHP, Kansas
Team: Mariners Round: 3 Overall Pick: 91

Cranton will turn 24 years old in October and is a nearly finished product who can be expected to move through the minor leagues quickly. He has a rangy 6-foot-3 frame and throws from a high arm slot, and there’s violent effort in every pitch. His fastball sat 95-98 mph in most of my looks and touched triple digits a couple of times throughout the year. Cranton doesn’t create much extension, but he still creates plus riding action on his four-seamer because of how well he backspins it, and he’s fully capable of bullying hitters in the zone. At its best, his upper-80s slider is a hard, two-plane breaker with late enough action to generate above-average chase rates, but Cranton also has a tendency to lose the hard vertical finish that is most responsible for it generating whiffs. Cranton is a power-over-precision single-inning relief type who signed a below-slot $50,000 deal. He will likely be assigned to one of Seattle’s A-ball affiliates, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he were to finish the regular season at Double-A or higher.

Braden Davis, LHP, Oklahoma
Team: Cardinals Round: 5 Overall Pick: 142

The headliner of Davis’ three-pitch mix is a changeup that I’d argue warrants a 70 future grade. It ran a 51% in-zone whiff rate this year and has late diving action in the low-80s that he sells especially well with his arm speed. Davis was in the Sooners’ rotation this season, sitting 90-93 mph with his fastball and touching 95 when he emptied the tank. He throws from a high slot and hides the ball well with his online arm path, which allows his fastball to sneak by hitters, especially when it’s located up in the zone. His breaking ball is a low-80s slider that will show traditional two-plane action and at times incorporate more depth. It’s an offering that profiles to play much better against same-sided hitters; Davis will likely need to lean much more heavily on his changeup against right-handed batters. Davis trimmed his walk rate to 10.5% in 2024 after running a 15% walk rate in Sam Houston State’s bullpen the year prior. His command will need to take another large developmental step forward for him to be viable as a starter at the big league level, but we could be looking at a solid multi-inning relief type whose stuff ticks up in shorter bursts, enabling him to move quickly through the minors. Davis and the Cardinals agreed to a deal for the slot amount of $485,700. He’ll be an arm to watch in the Cardinals system, especially with that changeup.

Tyson Neighbors, RHP, Kansas State
Team: Padres Round: 4 Overall Pick: 118

Neighbors has a medium frame with limited physical projection. He throws from a high slot and has a vertically oriented arsenal in his four-seam fastball and curveball. His heater sat 93-96 mph and touched 98 each time I saw him this spring. Neighbors’ fastball displays plus riding life when it’s in the upper half of the zone, but he worked at the knees seemingly as often as he attempted to elevate, and the life on the pitch isn’t as explosive down there. Neighbors’ curveball is a 81-85 mph 12-to-6 downer with sharp break that plays well against left-handed hitters because of the vertical nature of its shape. He’ll also mix in a short cutter at 88-91 mph to give hitters another look. In 2023, Neighbors struck out an absurd 46.7% of the batters he faced, while this year he struck out 36.5%. Neighbors’ walk rate ticked up to 11.4% this year after he limited free passes (8.7% walk rate) in 2023. Neighbors’ control has always significantly outpaced his command, and if he’s able to keep the walks in check, he could move quickly through the minors. He has the potential to be a high-leverage type. He agreed to a $600,000 deal, slightly below slot.

Kodey Shojinaga, Catcher, Kansas
Team: Phillies Round: 6 Overall Pick: 192

Shojinaga was a draft-eligible sophomore who I’ve had a front seat to for the past couple of years as he’s played at Kansas. Shojinaga has advanced bat-to-ball ability, which is reflected in his sub-10% in-zone whiff rate this season, and he posted a .335/.402/.485 slash on the year. He projects for well-below-average game power, but his line drive and gap-to-gap approach will produce a significant number of doubles.

The question with Shojinaga is and has always been where he’s going to play on the defensive side of the ball. The Phillies announced him as a catcher, which is the position he played in high school and in fall scrimmages each year that he was on campus, but it’s always been pretty shaky back there and he only appeared at catcher in one game in his two years of college ball. He has average arm strength, and both his receiving and blocking ability currently grade out as well below average. He’s primarily alternated between second and third base, but the hands and footwork is going to have to take a big step forward in pro ball for him to be a passable defender at either spot.

Shojinaga’s hit tool gives him a shot, but he’ll need to find a way to become a passable defender at a position that can support his below-average power profile. I don’t think that will be at his announced position of catcher. Shojinaga recently signed with the Phillies for $257,500.

Caden Powell, SS/CF, Seminole State (OK)
Team: Astros Round: 6 Overall Pick: 193

Powell won the 2024 National Junior College Player of the Year award at Seminole State, a longtime Oklahoma junior college powerhouse. In his 253 plate appearances this spring, Powell had 56 total extra-base hits (1.088 SLG), including 32 homers, and hit .502 on the season while playing shortstop for the Trojans. Powell is a premium athlete who still has significant frame-based projection and he’s going to a club that has arguably had the most success in plucking under-the-radar Midwest junior college players who later find their way to the big leagues.

Powell was drafted as a shortstop, but in my in-person looks at him this year, I thought he profiled better in center field because his actions at short can occasionally get rigid and his hands aren’t plus. Powell has an aggressive approach at the plate and there will be some swing-and-miss in his game, but the pure athleticism and bat speed he brings to the table are a good foundation to build on. Regardless of where he ends up on the defensive spectrum, you’re buying the bat and overall athleticism with Powell. The comp I have on him as he enters pro ball involves another former prospect from the state of Oklahoma: Lane Adams. The Astros and Powell agreed on an over-slot bonus of $422,500. He’s a high-variance position player to watch in Houston’s system

Brendan Jones, CF, Kansas State
Team: Yankees Round: 12 Overall Pick: 361

Jones walked (55) more than he struck out (51) for Kansas State in 2024 on his way to posting a .303/.442/.500 line as the Wildcats’ everyday center fielder. Jones has a very flat bat path through the zone, but also whips the bat through the zone with above-average bat speed. Barring a major swing change, Jones’ path and approach aren’t going to yield much home run value, but his current cut is very conducive to spraying hard line drives to all fields.

Jones shouldn’t have any problem staying in center field long-term, as his plus speed allows him to cover both gaps even though he has a tendency to set up very deep in center. Despite not being a highly projectable prospect, Jones’ ability to both stick at a premium position and make himself a pesky out in the batter’s box gives him a viable path to being a role player. The Yankees inked Jones to a $150,000 signing bonus and he’ll likely join an affiliate soon.

Iziah Salinas, LHP, Cowley College (KS)
Team: Orioles Round: 17 Overall Pick: 519

Salinas is a left-handed pitcher with plus athleticism out of Cowley College, a JUCO in Kansas that has produced the likes of Travis Hafner, Junior Spivey, and Trevor Rosenthal. Salinas is a very good athlete with a lean frame. Notable hip-shoulder separation in his delivery really allows you to project on his fastball velocity. His fastball sat 88-91 mph, and depending on which start you caught this spring, you could see him touching 93 or 87 mph on either side of that range. Salinas’ curveball is the biggest eye-catcher in the mix. It ranges between 70-77 mph, has an extraordinary amount of depth, and varies between a 12-to-6 and 1-to-7 shape. He also threw a rarely used changeup at 77-81 that tended to lack notable action.

Salinas’ command was usually well below average and unless something drastically improves with that, he’s almost certainly destined for a relief role. There’s more meat on the bone when it comes to Salinas’ frame and the velocity on his fastball. He’s a fun arm for the O’s development team, but they have a tall task in front of them in terms of improving Salinas’ strike throwing ability. Salinas and the Orioles reached agreement on a $150,000 bonus prior to the signing deadline.

Now that the draft is over and organizations are finishing the process of signing their picks, I wanted to share notes on some recent draftees here in the Midwest who I’ve been able to scout in-person multiple times over the past couple of years. I’m going to focus primarily on players who aren’t yet household names, but who have a skill set or tool that caught my eye. This bunch of notes will cover some recently drafted high schoolers, while the next batch will cover players from the college ranks.

Tyson Lewis, SS, Millard West HS (NE)
Team: Reds Round: 2 Overall Pick: 51

Lewis was my favorite high school position player in the Midwest this year despite believing that he’ll slide over to second base long-term. Lewis swings it from the left side and has a well-rounded offensive skill set that gives you reason to project on both his hit tool and game power. Lewis’ swings are aggressive but under control, and his path keeps his bat in the zone for an extended period of time while also having enough loft to elevate; he shows solid-average raw power during batting practice presently and it projects to be plus in the future. There are times when Lewis’ swing will get longer and more prone to swing-and-miss, especially against plus velocity up in the zone. When Lewis is going well, he whips the bat through the zone with above-average bat speed and shows the ability to manipulate the barrel to cover multiple quadrants, though pitches down in the zone are the ones he does the most damage against. Read the rest of this entry »

FanGraphs was at the Futures Game in Arlington on Saturday. In total, 16 pitchers appeared in the seven-inning game. The following are some quick notes on every pitcher who toed the rubber during All-Star weekend’s premier prospect event. Obviously one game isn’t enough on its own to move the needle significantly for any of these guys — they all have a large body of work that can better inform our evaluations — but it’s useful to see whose stuff ticks up when they’re in an environment like the Futures Game and get to let it eat in a shorter burst than they’re accustomed to. Read the rest of this entry »

Below is an analysis of the prospects in the farm system of the Kansas City Royals. Scouting reports were compiled with information provided by industry sources as well as my own observations. This is the fourth year we’re delineating between two anticipated relief roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see in the “position” column below: MIRP for multi-inning relief pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning relief pitchers. The ETAs listed generally correspond to the year a player has to be added to the 40-man roster to avoid being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Manual adjustments are made where they seem appropriate, but we use that as a rule of thumb.

A quick overview of what FV (Future Value) means can be found here. A much deeper overview can be found here.

All of the ranked prospects below also appear on The Board, a resource the site offers featuring sortable scouting information for every organization. It has more details (and updated TrackMan data from various sources) than this article and integrates every team’s list so readers can compare prospects across farm systems. It can be found here. Read the rest of this entry »