On the whole, the 2025 college outfielder class has been oft-injured as a group and is short of year’s past. Four of the top five suffered injuries this spring which limited their season to less than a full slate. However, a handful of others have risen to give this class quality depth throughout the top three rounds and more than 20 college outfielders could be selected during day one of the draft (rounds 1-3).

The top two of the class – Devin Taylor and Brendan Summerhill – don’t rival the star power of the 2024 quartet that included Charlie Condon, Braden Montgomery, James Tibbs and the now converted-to-outfield Jac Caglianone, but the 2025 class has some depth with high ceiling prospects like Jace LaViolette, Ethan Conrad and Max Belyeu. Long-term it may also include Ike Irish who was previously featured in Tale of the Tape- College Catchers, but for now we’re keeping him behind the dish.

The college outfielder’s draft class of 2025 – Tale of the Tape:

Devin Taylor (Indiana)

Ht/Wt: 6-foot-1, 215 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/R

Scout Talk: High performing, polished college hitter who combines the ability to hit for average with power.

Analytics:

 Max Exit Velo: 111.9 mph (55-grade raw power)
 90th Exit Velo: 106.6 mph
 Avg Launch Angle: 7.3 degrees
 In-Zone Contact Rate: 84.8% (54th percentile)
 Chase Rate: 13.7% (82nd)
 BB Rate: 19.3% (97th)
 SO Rate: 11.2% (90th)

Top Tool(s): Controls the strike zone. Hits for average. Hits for power.

Comparison: Michael Conforto

Summary: High floor draft talent who has shown remarkable consistency throughout his three seasons at Indiana with his abilities to hit for both power and average. Possessing top notch metrics, he also tops a short list of the most consistent hitters in all of college baseball that also includes Ike Irish, Ethan Petry, Cadine Bodine and Daniel Dickinson. Overall, Taylor’s production throughout the course of his college career, including summer leagues, is very similar to James Tibbs (Florida State) who was selected 13th overall last summer by the Giants and Conforto who was chosen 10th overall in 2014. Every year is a different draft and what the industry values most does change, but nonetheless, expect Taylor to go around this same area this July.

Brendan Summerhill (Arizona)

Ht/Wt: 6-foot-3, 190 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/R

Scout Talk: Potential five-tool impact type of player with physical maturity and the development of his power tool.

Analytics:

 Max Exit Velo: 109.6 mph (50-grade raw power)
 90th Exit Velo: 103.1 mph
 Avg Launch Angle: 11.1 degrees
 In-Zone Contact Rate: 90.5% (75th percentile)
 Chase Rate: 15.1% (77th)
 BB Rate: 19.1% (98th)
 SO Rate: 10.4% (93rd)

Top Tool(s): Hit ability. Plus runner. Above average arm strength.

Comparison: Bradley Zimmer

Summary: Possesses more upside than Taylor and reminds of Zimmer who was the 21st overall pick in 2014. It was a different time in the college game with limited offense, new BBCOR bats and dead high-seam balls, but statistically the two are nearly identical. Both hit for a high average with below average power and a similar number of walks and strikeouts. Even more remarkable is their inefficiency stealing bases as both have been thrown out at a clip around 35% of their attempts. Like Zimmer at the time, Summerhill has the potential to become a five-tool threat at the major league level. He’s a long, lanky athlete who’s a plus runner on the bases and a long strider in the outfield. His speed is also a tick above average down the line – consistently in the 4.20s. He also throws average and despite playing right field for Arizona, he’ll be sent out as a centerfielder in professional baseball where he’ll have the most value.

Ethan Conrad (Wake Forest)

Ht/Wt: 6-foot-3, 220 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L

Scout Talk: Projectable athlete who can play multiple positions, hits for average and has the potential for above average power production.

Analytics:

 Max Exit Velo: 109.7 mph (50-grade raw power)
 90th Exit Velo: 106.7 mph
 Avg Launch Angle: 13.0 degrees
 In-Zone Contact Rate: 88.1% (67th percentile)
 Chase Rate: 22.5% (45th)
 BB Rate: 18.4% (81st)
 SO Rate: 14.3% (96th)

Top Tool(s): Bag of 50/55-grade tools with projection for improvment.

Comparison: Tyler Colvin

Summary: Despite his limited 2025 spring season due to a shoulder injury, scouts saw enough of his tools/abilities in the Cape to convince he’s a first round talent. He does chase, but counters with exceptional hand/eye and good strength and bat speed. Colvin was selected 13th overall in the 2007 draft out of Clemson and Conrad likely won’t go that tall, but he’ll begin to be considered around pick twenty.

Jace LaViolette (Texas A&M)

Ht/Wt: 6-foot-6, 230 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L

Scout Talk: Athlete with size, strength and power. Perennial all-star upside, but swing must be addressed.

Analytics:

 Max Exit Velo: 112.1 mph (70-grade raw power)
 90th Exit Velo: 107.9 mph
 Avg Launch Angle: 19 degrees
 In-Zone Contact Rate: 79.8% (35th percentile)
 Chase Rate: 15.2% (77th)
 BB Rate: 21.8% (99th)
 SO Rate: 25.2% (14th)

Top Tool: Raw power

Comparison: Hunter Bishop

Summary: High risk, high reward prospect with red flag strikeout rates and a 35th percentile in-zone contact rate. Hunter Bishop (Arizona State), the 10th overall pick by the Giants in 2019 is a fair prospect profile comparison. A more recent statistical comparison is Vance Honeycutt, the No. 22 overall pick in 2024 who totaled a 78.2% Z-Contact (29th percentile) and a 6th percentile strikeout rate (27.4%) during his draft year. LaViolette’s rates are a bit more favorable, but there is concern in the industry. Regardless of what the metrics show, there’s just too much to dream on with LaViolette and he’s likely to be selected around pick No. 20 overall.

Max Belyeu (Texas)

Ht/Wt: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/R

Scout Talk: Strong-bodied athlete with potential five-tool impact.

Analytics:

 Max Exit Velo: 112.6 mph (60-grade raw power)
 90th Exit Velo: 106.7 mph
 Avg Launch Angle: 7.5 degrees
 In-Zone Contact Rate: 84.4% (53rd percentile)
 Chase Rate: 24.2% (37th)
 BB Rate: 13.5% (58th)
 SO Rate: 25.0% (19th)

Top Tool: Raw power

Comparison: Gavin Cross

Summary: Belyeu, the 2024 Big 12 Player of the Year, was never quite right for most of the 2025 season, recovering from mono early in the season then undergoing surgery for a thumb fracture in March that impacted his swing and limited his power upon his return in mid-May. Profiling perfectly to right field, he’ll receive strong consideration to be selected within the top 30-35 overall picks.

Ethan Petry (South Carolina)

Ht/Wt: 6-foot-4, 235 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R

Scout Talk: Corner slugger whose leveraged power carries his profile.

Analytics:

 Max Exit Velo: 113.4 mph (70-grade raw power)
 90th Exit Velo: 110.1 mph
 Avg Launch Angle: 15.1 degrees
 In-Zone Contact Rate: 83.7% (50th percentile)
 Chase Rate: 28.2% (21st)
 BB Rate: 13.7% (46th)
 SO Rate: 17.4% (61st)

Top Tool: Raw power

Comparison: Pete Alonso with less control of the strike zone.

Summary: The 2024 Cape Cod MVP has hit wherever he has played, saving his best for last summer with 11 home runs in 100 at-bats to go along with a .360 average. Due to a shoulder injury this spring, he was limited to just 44 games and ten home runs, but cumulatively homered 54 times over his 168-game college career at South Carolina. Like Belyeu, Petry has a couple of orange flags with a high chase rate and just a 50th percentile in-zone contact rate. He will also most likely need to move to first base over the long term. These issues have raised concern to his profile, but everyone has something and Petry has much more good than bad. He will likely be selected within the top 40 overall selections.

Cam Cannarella (Clemson)

Ht/Wt: 6-foot, 180 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/R

Scout Talk: High makeup college performer and high level defender who otherwise has fringey tools.

Analytics:

 Max Exit Velo: 107.7 mph (40-grade raw power)
 90th Exit Velo: 102.4 mph
 Avg Launch Angle: 6.4 degrees
 In-Zone Contact Rate: 83.9% (51st percentile)
 Chase Rate: 14.7% (78th)
 BB Rate: 17.8% (94th)
 SO Rate: 14.4% (81st)

Top Tool(s): Makeup. Defense.

Comparison: Brian Miller

Summary: A gamer who consistently rises to the occasion and plays above his tools, Cannarella has a similar game to Miller who starred for North Carolina and was selected 36th overall in 2017.

Aaron Walton (Arizona)

Ht/Wt: 6-foot-3, 215 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R

Scout Talk: Strong-bodied, tooled-up prospect with speed/power combo who can play centerfield.

Analytics:

 Max Exit Velo: 111.8 mph (55-grade raw power)
 90th Exit Velo: 105.1 mph
 Avg Launch Angle: 15.7 degrees
 In-Zone Contact Rate: 84.7% (54th percentile)
 Chase Rate: 21.5% (50th)
 BB Rate: 10.0% (41st)
 SO Rate: 13.2% (83rd)

Top Tool(s): Raw Power. Speed. Defense.

Comparison: Physically resembles Mike Trout

Summary: There will likely be a couple who are listed below that are drafted higher than Walton, but when you physically resemble Trout, have strong tools and perform, it all adds up to becoming a day one draft pick. And that’s exactly what Walton has turned himself into during his one season blossoming in the Tucson desert. A bit under the radar early in the season as a transfer from Samford, Walton started slowly at Globe Life during opening weekend before turning and burning the following weekend against San Diego. And he hasn’t slowed since. Hitting for average (.320), power (14 home runs) and stealing bases (18), Walton has emerged as a second round talent while helping lead the Wildcats to the CWS.

Mason Neville (Oregon)

Ht/Wt: 6-foot-3, 210 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L

Scout Talk: Strong-bodied, tooled-up prospect with power who plays in the middle of the diamond.

Analytics:

 Max Exit Velo: 113.6 mph (60-grade raw power)
 90th Exit Velo: 109.6 mph
 Avg Launch Angle: 13.6 degrees
 In-Zone Contact Rate: 81.6% (42nd percentile)
 Chase Rate: 15.9% (74th)
 BB Rate: 18.9% (97tht)
 SO Rate: 23.6% (23rd)

Top Tool(s): Raw Power. Arm Strength

Summary: We aren’t as bullish as the industry on Neville due to his swing/miss of in the strike zone pitches, but there is a lot to like otherwise. He has physical size/strength, runs well, throws above average and hits for power. A late season slump crushed his season numbers but the industry also saw the tremendous first two-thirds of the season and will carry those looks into their draft rooms.

Other potential top three round outfielders include Korbyn Dickerson (Indiana), Henry Ford (Virginia), Charles Davalon (Arkansas), Gavin Turley (Oregon State), Nick Dumesnil (Cal Baptist), Max Williams (Florida State), Kane Kepley (North Carolina), Brandon Compton (Arizona State), Tre Phelps (Georgia), Ryan Wideman (Western Kentucky), Skylar King (West Virginia), RJ Austin (Vanderbilt), Cam Maldonado (Northeastern), Nathan Humphreys (Dallas Baptist), Nolan Schubart (Oklahoma State).