NPI: Impact '24 Draft Prospects
June 19, 2023
The 2024 class’ “draft summer” kicked into gear at the prestigious National Program Invitational (NPI) at the pristine Lakepoint facility in Georgia. MLB scouts from a multitude of clubs trekked around from field to field following some of the top rising seniors in the country in hopes of getting a head start on what will be an action packed summer for this aspiring group of draft hopefuls. Below, a look at 15 prospects that made the biggest impact at the event.
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Cole Gibler LHP / Blue Springs, MO / 2024Ranked 52nd overall in the class, Gibler’s electric look at the NPI warrants strong consideration for rising at the end of the summer. Across four innings of work, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound southpaw struck out seven against two walks without yielding a hit. Long lauded for his “invisible fastball”, the pitch worked 88-92 (mostly 1900s rpm) with ride and run present to the bottom of the zone as he collected a plethora of in-zone misses. More uptempo than in prior years, his dynamic athleticism presented some exceptional movement down the mound as he stepped crossfire adding to the deception of the fastball. Flashing a changeup (83-84) and slider (77-79), he hardly needed the two secondary pitches as he bullied the opposing lineup by applying the pressure with the fastball. This look saw some inconsistency with both secondary offerings, but was hardly of concern, and subsequent looks are likely to better uncover the level to which they play. Overall, it was a stellar start to the summer for one of the class’ premier left-handers.
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