Introduction to the 2025 MLB Draft: Top prep pitchers
A look at some of the top prep pitchers available in the 2025 draft
Today, we wrap up our ‘Introduction to the 2025 MLB Draft’ series by looking at some of the top prep pitchers available.
Perhaps the riskiest demographic to select early in the draft, you don’t see many prep pitchers go in the top 10 lately. In the last 10 drafts, 11 prep pitchers were taken in the first 10 selections.
Things have trended away from it recently, as eight of those picks came in the first five drafts. There has only been one top-10 prep pitcher in the last three drafts, Noble Meyer, and 2021 was the last time we had two taken (Jackson Jobe and Frank Mozzicato).
Some of the other notable prep pitchers to be selected in the top-10 over the last 10 years—Ryan Weathers, Hunter Greene, and Mackenzie Gore.
That being said, at least one name should be an easy Top-10 pick in the 2025 draft. Another could creep in there, but he is also a two-way player with almost as much interest in the bat as in his presence on the mound.
Here’s a look at some of the top prep pitchers in the upcoming 2025 MLB Draft:
Seth Hernandez
Hernandez, the consensus top prep arm in the draft, has a solid frame and already produces a fastball that can reach the upper 90s, along with a high-spin curveball (Pipeline mentions he is throwing a slider now, too).
His best pitch, however, is his change-up, one of the best-offspeed offerings in the draft.
There are a lot of risks when it comes to taking a prep pitcher, but Hernandez is as well-rounded a prospect as you will find coming out of that demographic.
Video Breakdown: Hernandez didn’t throw the change-up against batters in this clip, but that’s fine, as it was a better opportunity to see the rest of his arsenal. He got up to 98 mph and as much as 19” of induced vertical break with the fastball.
The last batter he faced, I thought he did a good job sequencing, getting three of his pitches included. He focused mainly on the slider low early, then climbed the ladder with a fastball at 96 mph (with 18” of iVB) before finally hammering in a curveball that froze the hitter for a strikeout.
Kruz Schoolcraft
If that name looks familiar, it’s because we talked about him last week as one of the top prep hitters available. Due to his size and two-way ability, he's gotten comparisons to Bryce Eldridge, but Pipeline believes his future is on the mound.
Standing at 6’8”, Schoolcraft has a fastball that has reached the upper 90s, along with a slider and change-up. Pipeline highlights the arm speed on his change-up and thinks he repeats the delivery well for someone his size.
Video Breakdown: Schoolcraft got up to 97 mph with the fastball in this video. The change-up really tunneled well with it and had a lot of fade to it. There’s some potential to that pitch.
The slider was hard for the lefties to pick up, and didn’t throw to it righties. It’s more sweepy than anything. Despite the velocity, the secondaries seem ahead of the fastball at this point.
Landon Harmon
Standing at 6’5”, there is still some projection left in the frame of Harmon, who is reportedly already getting up to 98 mph with his fastball. BA mentions that with his arm speed and slot, he may eventually need to switch to a slider, but he currently throws a curveball as his breaking pitch.
He’s your prototypical, highly ranked prep pitcher, with an electric arm and projection to still grow.
Video Breakdown: Harmon showed a feel for a change-up but didn’t land it, with a few in the dirt. The fastball and curveball worked well off each other. The curve is sharp and tight, and he was able to throw it for strikes. He got up to 97 mph with the fastball while getting 17” of iVB. There were a few with almost no horizontal break to it, giving it some cutting action.
Angel Cervantes
One of the youngest pitchers in the draft, Cervantes won’t turn 18 until after he gets selected. The fastball has good life, and he is still projectable enough to add some velocity as he fills out.
Pipeline mentions a slider and curveball, with two distinct shapes, but they trail behind his other two pitches.
If there is one player in this prep class that could push Seth Hernandez for best change-up, it’d be Cervantes, as Pipeline also grades it a ‘60.’
Video Breakdown: Cervantes threw a couple of change-ups in this video, and he really pulls the strings on them well. He threw two back-to-back to the last hitter, getting a whiff and a called strike. He gets plenty of arm-side run on the fastball, getting as much as 17” of horizontal break while sitting in the lower 90s.
Brett Crossland
With the perfect frame already to be a workhorse at the next level, Crossland stands at 6’6” and 245 pounds. He has a legitimate four-pitch mix now that the change-up has taken a step forward.
His fastball has gotten up to 97, but sits 94/95 currently. He throws a little more over the top and gets plenty of carry with the fastball. The curve is better than the slider, but both stand out as distinct pitches.
He’ll have the ‘older’ stigma attached to his name, as Crossland will be 19 at the time of the draft.
Video Breakdown: We saw all four pitches at work in this short clip. The curveball and slider worked well off the fastball. He was able to fade a couple of changes away from the lefty he faced, including one that had 16” of HB to get a whiff and end the inning.
Some other names to watch
Cameron Appenzeller, LHP
MLB Pipeline: 22
Baseball America: 37
Josh Hammond, RHP
MLB Pipeline: 77
Baseball America: 40
River Hamilton, RHP
MLB Pipeline: 73
Baseball America: 53
Justice De Jong, RHP
MLB Pipeline: 96
Baseball America: 78
Miguel Sime, RHP
MLB Pipeline: 100
Baseball America: 98
Perhaps the most explosive fastball in the prep ranks for the draft, but someone who comes with some control issues.
Baseball America Top 100 Draft Prospects
MLB Pipeline Top 100 Draft Prospects
This site is 100% reader-supported, with no revenue coming from ads. If you enjoy our work, consider becoming a paid member today.
You will not only help the site grow but also get access to our fantastic premium content, which includes our Top 25 rankings and full-player write-ups, video breakdowns, and any features that come from my on-site trips.
Bucs On Deck is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Stop taunting us with Kruz Schoolcraft!!
On the subject of risk, the Pirates lately, so far, have mostly avoided the usual two risks with prep pitchers: injuries and inability to develop command. I've wondered whether that's just been good selections (like drafting highly athletic guys such as Jones and Chandler), or whether maybe generally the outlook is improving across the sport. I don't follow prospects generally, as opposed to Pirate prospects, enough to have an idea of the latter. Maybe better coaching, all these pitching labs/clinics, other developments? Injuries are gonna happen, of course, but I've seen years where the Pirates signed a bunch of prep pitchers and they all got hurt right off the bat.