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College Baseball Names To Watch From Week 2

By Richard Haake
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The second week of College Baseball is in the books as the Week 3 weekend set approaches. In this article, we will highlight some of this season’s draft-eligible players from the college ranks who stood out this past week. By diving into these players now, you will have an expansive knowledge of these players leading up to not only the MLB draft but your FYPD in 2025. Let’s dive into this week’s top performers.

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Top College Prospects From Week 2

Vance Honeycutt- OF UNC

(8 GP, .310/.487/.828, 5 HR, 14 R, 12 RBI, 3 SB)

The University of North Carolina is rolling and so too is junior, Vance Honeycutt. In the second week of the College Baseball season, we saw Honeycutt’s bat come back to life after a so-so-opening weekend. To this point, we have now seen the power and speed that made Honeycutt stand out. Over the weekend in a three-game set with rival and nationally ranked ECU Honeycutt homered in back-to-back days.

On the season so far Honeycutt has eight games played in which he is slashing .310/.487/.828 with five home runs, 14 runs scored, 12 RBIs, and three stolen bases. The Tar Heels will play Princeton over the weekend this could be a prime opportunity for Vance Honeycutt to build upon a solid second week.

Ryan Johnson- RHP DBU

(2 GS, 12.1 IP, 20 K, 14.6 K/9, 3.65 ERA, 0.892)

Dallas Baptist University has produced some solid pitching prospects over the past few seasons and Ryan Johnson is proving to be one to watch. Standing at 6’6” and 212 pounds Ryan Johnson has a starter build and has two pitches that already flash plus. The fastball sits between 94-95 mph but Johnson has been seen reaching back and getting up to 100 mph with the four-seam. What proves to be his best offering is an 82 mph slider that has sweeping movement and has been a pitch he threw 52% of the time back in 2023. Johnson has a change-up that is a work in progress and will pepper it in sparingly.

In his most recent start, Ryan Johnson put up a gem against Central Michigan allowing only two hits with no walks while striking out 13 batters over seven scoreless innings. On the season so far Johnson has two starts with 20 strikeouts over 12.1 innings pitched, which is good for a 14.6 K/9 so far this season. Paired with a 0.892 WHIP and 3.65 ERA it’s no surprise to see Ryan Johnson’s name start to climb draft boards with his strong second outing.

Hagen Smith- LHP Arkansas

(2 GS, 7 IP, 19 K, 24.4 K/9, 3.86 ERA, 1.000 WHIP)

The Razorbacks are rolling in no small part due to the excellent starting pitching that has been on display so far. Hagen Smith was poised to go high in the 2024 MLB draft and his performance so far is only raising his draft stock. Standing at 6’3” and 225 there is a starter build here throwing from the left side. Smith features a mid-90s fastball that touches 98 mph and has riding action up in the zone helped by the slightly different release point. The slider might be the best pitch Smith throws coming in at 85 mph this is a true “sweeper” with excellent depth. The split-finger change-up is a work in progress though it has seen some flashes of potential above-average offering coming in the upper 80s.

Against number seven Oregon State this weekend Hagen Smith tied the Arkansas single-game strikeout record with 17 across six innings. This outing comes on the heels of a rough game against James Madison in which Smith was pulled after throwing just 42 pitches and giving up a three-run home run. On the season as a whole Smith has two games pitched with 19 strikeouts across seven innings pitched with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.000 WHIP. The strikeouts should continue to mount for Smith as the MLB Draft starts to close in.

Mason Molina- LHP Arkansas

(2 GS, 8.2 IP, 19 K, 19.7 K/9, 2.08 ERA, 0.808 WHIP)

Transferring from Texas Tech where Mason Molina was the number one starter to Arkansas came a bit of a shock to Red Raiders fans. Now with the Razorbacks Mason Molina has been extremely dominant. Molina has a fastball that sits in the low 90s and touches 97 mph at times with a solid upper 80s change-up that has a solid fade and tumble. The slider and curveball have already proven to be solid out pitches early on in the College Baseball season. In his last start Molina struck out 10 batters in five innings pitched allowing no hits against Michigan.

On the season so far Molina has two starts in which he has 19 strikeouts over 8.2 innings pitched. That is good for an outstanding 19.7 K/9 so far in this young season. Pair the strikeouts with a 0.808 WHIP and solid 2.08 ERA and it’s not hard to see what all the fuss is about in Arkansas rotation.

Jac Caglianone- RHP/1B Florida

(7 GP, .482/.600/.630, 1 HR, 9 R, 8 RBI)

(1 GS, 3 IP, 7 K, 21 K/9, 9.00 ERA, 1.333 WHIP)

One of the most exciting power hitters coming into the 2024 college baseball season is Jac Caglianone. The Junior from the University of Florida has gotten off to a slow start with the power but has been a key contributor with his bat in other ways. In his first seven games of the season, Caglianone is slashing .482/.600/.630 with one home run, nine runs scored, and eight RBIs in 35 plate appearances. In 2023 Caglianone displayed the plus power he possesses leading the NCAA in home runs with 33 so it’s only a matter of time before the homeruns start to stack up.

What is so impressive about Caglianone is that he is a two-way player. In 18 starts in 2023, Caglianone had 87 strikeouts across 74.2 innings pitched good for a 10.5 K/9 while finishing the season with a 4.34 ERA. To this point, Caglianone only made one start for the Gators going three innings while striking out seven (Good for a 21 K/9), and currently has a 9.00 ERA. Some refining is definitely needed for Jac Caglianone but make no mistake he will be highlighted a lot in 2024 leading up to the MLB Draft.

For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.

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