Early season success for the 2025 draft class as a whole has certainly caught our attention. Even with several injuries, which are unfortunately a part of the draft cycle, this year’s college draft class is off to an excellent start. What began as a potential 3-star group, has quickly upgraded due to the emergence of a depth of quality prospects and some potential high-end developments in the making. Originally I was going to highlight a half dozen pitchers of both dexterities who are rising, but it's evident that it is mostly lefthanders who have the needle pointing up.

RISING SOUTHPAWS

Starting with the biggest lefty riser, Liam Doyle (Tennessee) is the talk of the industry. Possessing top of the scale fastball life to go along with mid-to-upper-90s velocity that has peaked at 98.6 this spring, he’s jumped from an early day two prospect to a likely top ten overall pick. Statistically, his numbers are from a video game – 0.44 ERA and 47 strikeouts vs five walks in 20.1 innings. He fills the zone at a 67.5% strike rate (69.4% with his fastball) and has held opponents to a .095 batting average. His heater is nearly unhittable with a 100th percentile Whiff rate of 58.6%, while his slider also checks-in at the 100th percentile with a 60% Z-Whiff (Total S/M inside the zone / Total swings inside the zone). I will be in Knoxville this weekend for another first-hand look at the lefthander when the Vols open the SEC against Florida.

Zach Root (Arkansas) is also one of the top risers so far this spring. He hasn’t missed a beat with his transfer from East Carolina to Hog Country where he’s struck out 36 in 21.1 innings this spring. His mystifying five-pitch arsenal is led by a 99th percentile Whiff slider and 95th Whiff curve, to go along with a fastball that has averaged 92.5 mph. A preseason early day two prospect, Root is laying the foundation to become a top 30 overall pick.

It’s difficult to rise too much when you enter the season as top three-ranked prospect, but moving up just one spot is a 33% increase, so I’m including Jamie Arnold (Florida State). Off to a phenomenal start with a 1.12 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 16 innings, the Josh Hader-like lefthander missed his Friday start due to an illness, but he’s expected back for the ACC opener this weekend against Boston College. He too, has an elite fastball that has averaged 93 mph this spring and it’s paired with another 100th percentile swing/miss slider.

The same helium limit due to an already high ranking, Ryan Prager (Texas A&M) continues his dominance in 2025. The fourth-year junior has shown the same stuff – 88-91 fastball, plus changeup – and the same results – 0.38 ERA in 23.1 innings with 27 strikeouts vs eight walks. Passing on a pro opportunity as a third rounder (81st overall) last summer, it will be difficult for Prager to exceed that range this time around, but his continued high-level performance speaks loud. He’s also the lead fiddle on an all southpaw Aggie rotation that includes two day two draft prospects, Myles Patton and Justin Lamkin. The 6-foot-4 Lamkin floods the zone with funky arm action and a fastball that sat 92-94 opening weekend, but was more 90-92 this past weekend against New Mexico State. Regardless, it’s a pitch that just plays differently with nearly seven feet of extension. A 99th percentile strike-thrower who has thrown 74.7% of all pitches for strikes, Lamkin has produced a 2.28 ERA in 23.2 innings with 33 strikeouts. Patton also suffocates the strike zone with a 70.1% strike rate. He’s struck out 27 in 23.2 innings with a repertoire that’s led by a 90 mph fastball and gets swing/miss from a low-80s slider and a plus 78-80 mph changeup.

Kade Anderson (LSU) and JD Thompson (Vanderbilt) continue to hold serve on their preseason rankings with strong starts. The Tigers’ ace, Anderson has posted a 3-0 record with a 2.08 ERA in 21.2 innings and 37 strikeouts, most recently punching out 11 in six innings against North Alabama this past Friday. Although his fastball velo is a tick below what he showed last spring, Thompson leads Vandy on Fridays with a 2-0 record and 29 strikeouts in just 19.2 innings. He also fine-tuned with 10 strikeouts in six innings against Xavier this past Friday.

Joe Dzierwa (Michigan State) has already exceeded the lofty expectations of his preseason ranking. To date, he has turned in one of the most dominant performances in the country and is nearly on par statistically with Doyle, touting a 4-0 record and a 0.70 ERA. In 25.2 innings, Dzierwa has struck out 41 against six walks. His fastball tops at 95 and will sit 92-93 with high spin rates in the 2500-2650+ rpm range. Long-levered at 6-foot-8, 200-pounds, he creates angle and some deception with a closed setup, an across the body landing and stays on top of the ball for good down-plane. It’s more fastball control than command, but he fills it up with a 69.1% strike rate. His 80-82 mph changeup is his best off speed weapon, currently in the 98th percentile with a 58.1% Whiff rate.

Another with silly numbers to date is Florida State’s Joe Volini. A fourth-year junior transfer from South Florida, he’s currently 4-0 with a 1.16 ERA. The southpaw relies on a sneaky 91-92 mph fastball and three near equal use secondaries that include a big-breaking curve, a low-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup. Both his curve and slider are 95th percentile swing/miss offerings.

Several seniors are also making some noise, beginning with Texas’ ace Jared Spencer who hit the ground running for the Longhorns with an opening day eye-opener at Globe Life Field. Spencer has jumped into early day two chatter. He held his stuff and control for the greater part of 5.2 innings and 67 pitches in his season-opening start. Most eye-catching was his fastball pumping to the plate at 95-97 and touching 98. In addition to the big heater, he showed a feel for an 87-89 mph cutter with spin rates around 2500, an above average 85 mph sweeper slider and an occasional show-me, mid-80s changeup. For the season Spencer has made four starts, pitching 21 innings into a 2-0 record with a 0.86 ERA. He’s struck out 29 against nine walks. He is currently the top college senior on my draft board.

Mississippi State’s ace Pico Kohn is dominating with a two-pitch arsenal. The fourth-year junior has struck out 37 against just four walks in 23.2 innings. Produced with a 99th percentile Z-Whiff fastball that is averaging 92.7 mph and a 100th percentile Z-Whiff, low-80s slider, it’s a deadly mix that has boosted his draft value into early day two.

Pierce Coppola (Florida) was off to an outstanding start in 2025 after flashing what was to come late in the 2024 season when he returned after missing all of the 2023 season and making just one appearance his freshman season in 2022. Currently out with an undisclosed injury, the 6-foot-8 lefty has allowed only four hits (.098 opponent’s average) in 12.2 innings with 23 strikeouts and four walks. Both his low-90s fastball and 80 mph slider are 100th percentile Whiff rate pitches.

Fifth-year senior Hunter Elliott (Ole Miss) was outstanding to start the season against Arizona at Globe Life, his first appearance since 2023, and he has continued to roll. Eliott enters the opening weekend of SEC play having pitched 19.1 innings over four starts, a 1.86 ERA and 25 strikeouts. Against Arizona the lefthander sat 90-92 mph with his fastball, and reached back to get a 93-94 on occasion. The pitch had good angle and some ride from a three-quarters release. He also attacked with a low-80s slider and his signature changeup was effective with plenty of cut and tumble in the 76-80 mph range. It currently has a 96th percentile Z-Whiff rate this spring.

Jacob Frost had plenty of success at the juco level, and he had his moments last year, highlighted by seven no-hit innings against Cincinnati, but his command was inconsistent over the course of the season and he finished with a 7.48 ERA. During week two this spring he looked the part of a bona fide Friday night ace against Arkansas, holding them scoreless through the first five innings while striking out six and allowing just two hits. Thick and strong at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Frost held his 92-94 mph fastball velocity throughout his start and bumped 95 a number of times, and his fastball jumped on hitters with good ride and extension. He used a 76-79 curveball, a mid-80s slider and a useful 87-89 changeup to set hitters up and induce some soft contact, but his fastball served as the putaway pitch on all six of his Ks. The pitch clearly plays above its velocity. For the season Frost has struck out 17 in 16.2 innings to go along with a 3.78 ERA.

Other draft-eligible southpaws to keep a close eye on include Mason Peters (Dallas Baptist), Nelson Keljo (Oregon State), Brandon Arvidson (Tennessee) and Dom Fritton (NC State). Peters averages 93 mph his heater, but his curve is a game-changer at 77-79 mph with big depth and a 39.1% Whiff rate. The 6-foot-4 Keljo has limited opponents to a .107 batting average with a hot fastball that has averaged 92.4 mph and produced a 97th percentile Z-Whiff rate. Arvidson wasn’t especially special during his second outing as a Volunteer on February 18, but has since adjusted and has now struck out 15 in 8.2 innings. Fritton has seen many ups and downs during his two-plus seasons in Raleigh, but may have finally turned the corner for good with a 2-1, 1.25 ERA in 21.2 innings with 31 strikeouts to begin his 2025 season. His four-seam fastball has averaged 92.7 mph, which is a tick higher (91.5) than 2024, but the development of a consistent breaking ball for strikes and an average sinker have been the keys to his early season success. Last season the strike% on his curve was in the 1st percentile and his slider the 0 percentile. This season, the 26th and 17th, respectively. Still not where they need to be, but certainly headed in the right direction.