Profiled below is not everyone in this ‘25 class, but rather the ones who find themselves in at least two of the following three categories: 1) the MLB.com Top 250 Prospects list, 2) Kylie McDaniel’s ESPN+ Top 250 Prospects list, and 3) are in the Top 500 according to Perfect Game. Generally speaking, if a prospect is none of those things, it’s extremely unlikely they will be signed away from a Vanderbilt commitment, so go ahead and put them in the “100% likely to get to campus” pile.
*For the bulk
of our ‘25 commit list, click here for the Perfect Game list.
Overall: This is a relatively small, though potentially strong class—provided we don’t get absolutely decimated in the draft like in ‘22, when we not only lost the expected three first rounders going into the draft in Jones, Lesko, and Barriera, but were also pretty shocked when Noah Shultz (now one of the top overall prospects in baseball, so the ChiSox were proven correct to do so) was picked in the first by the White Sox, and completely flabbergasted when Sal Stewart was also taken in the first by the Reds. Then, to add insult to injury, Ryan Clifford was given one of those “we’ve managed to save bottom of the first round money for you” 11th round bonuses from the Astros, and one of the strongest classes ever pretty much went up in smoke. I know this tangent is over-long at this point, but really all we got of out that class was Andrew Dutkanych IV (world of potential; rash of injuries; left after two years so an MLB team could pay for his rehab) and the pleasant surprise of JD “Terror Lake” Thompson. Everyone have your Italian/Greek/Mediterranean/Whatever superstitious grandmas spit on the ground and babble on about the “malocchio” today to keep that from ever happening to us again.
...tangent over. This class has only 12 commits, with 3 being at high risk (i.e. no one expects them to get to campus) of being drafted in the first round (and one of those with first overall pick type stuff on the mound). There’s a few more we’ll have to watch out for, so let’s set the “Andrew VU ‘04 I’ll be Happy if We Only Lose Over/Under Commit Number” to Three. This Vanderbilt commit class is—stop me if you’ve heard this before—a bit pitcher-heavy, with 6 RHPs and 2 LHPs in all, with the remaining 4 being two OFs, a SS, and a C. Again, I’m pretty nervous about the class size, especially the lack of position players, but that’s why we brought in those two Johnstone brothers et al in the portal (is what I will keep telling myself to keep from blowing through my offseason screaming pillow budget). By all accounts, this is a top 3 ranked class, so provided we don’t get decimated, it has some potential.
In short, this is a “bite your fingernails and hope you get a few studs through the draft” type class, as opposed to last year’s class, where only one commit—RHP Owen Hall; 2nd Round; Detroit—was drafted and signed.
Vanderbilt Commits Who Might Hear Their Name Called on Day One (Rounds 1-3):
RHP Seth Hernandez
MLB.com scouting report:
Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55 | Overall: 60
On the radar for quite some time, Hernandez started making it clear as a junior, when he won National High School Invitational MVP honors after tossing a complete-game shutout to help his Corona High School team win the tournament, that he’d be the top high school arm in the Class of 2025. He cemented it by showing elite stuff at summer showcase events like USA Baseball’s 18U National Training Camp and the Area Code Games, then positioned himself as the best overall arm in the class with a strong spring that included another masterpiece at the NHSI.
Hernandez has an ideal projectable 6-foot-4 pitcher’s frame with the athleticism teams love to see from young power arms. Always on time with an online and loose delivery, Hernandez has big stuff and a feel for all four of his pitches. While he touched triple digits at the Area Code Games, he typically sits in the mid-90s, touching 97-98 mph. His best secondary offering is his changeup, and it’s plus right now, thrown with a lot of confidence and missing bats with it thanks to its good action and how it plays off of his fastball plane well. His curve, a true 12-to-6 spike curveball, has the chance to be plus with hard, tight and late action to it, sometimes registering RPMs in the 3,000 range. He started featuring a harder slider more on the showcase circuit.
In addition to his pure stuff, Hernandez does a solid job finding the zone, especially considering his age and power stuff. Committed to Vanderbilt, he gets very high marks for his work ethic, showing the ability to make adjustments and corrections to put himself in position to be one of the first pitchers taken in the 2025 Draft.
...and here’s his Perfect Game report:
Seth Hernandez is a 2025 RHP/1B/3B with a 6-4 195 lb. frame from Chino, CA who attends Corona. Extra-large, athletic frame with broad shoulders and long limbs, lots of twitch and physical projection remaining. Ran a 6.75 60-yard dash. Primary right-handed pitcher, didn’t throw in this look but consistently into the mid-90s with top of the class arsenal. Smooth actions on the approach to the ball in the outfield, clean medium length arm stroke in back with quickness to release, lots of arm strength and carry to the intended base with low effort, works through the ball well. Right-handed hitter, begins with a wide base and shows rhythm throughout, easy hand speed through the zone and able to impact the ball with authority to the pull side. Consistently on the barrel with a solid launch and plenty of leverage through the point of contact. Highest level tools across the board. Excellent student. Verbal commitment to Vanderbilt. Selected to play in the Perfect Game All-American Classic.
Range: Top 10 picks in the First Round.
Perfect Game Rating: 10. National Ranking: #2 overall; 1 RHP.
Prediction: Come on. He’s got a 1-1 type arm, and short of pulling a Kumar or Jack “take me off your list” move, Hernandez will be drafted near the top of the draft and will sign for more money then most of us will make in our lifetimes.
Chance He Signs With an MLB Team: 100%.
OF Slater de Brun
MLB.com scouting report:
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 65 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50
Does size no longer matter, at least not as much, in evaluating Draft talent? Last year, 5-foot-9 Slade Caldwell went at the end of the first round to the D-backs. And in 2019, Arizona also took the 5-foot-10 Corbin Carroll, who went on to win the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year Award. Like Carroll, de Brun is an undersized outfielder from the Pacific Northwest who has the chance to go early in the Draft after performing very well at Perfect Game National and World Series and was on USA Baseball’s 18U team before breaking his thumb in World Cup Qualifying play.
First jumping on the radar as an underclassman at the WWBA in Jupiter in 2023, de Brun’s profile took a step forward with his performances on the summer showcase circuit. He has very impressive bat-to-ball skills with an advanced eye at the plate, understanding that his job is to put the ball in play and get on base, then using his well-above-average speed on the basepaths. Power may never be a huge part of his game, but while some evaluators worried about impact, de Brun showed up this spring with added strength and more ability to drive the ball from the left side of the plate, displaying more physicality than Carroll at this stage.
De Brun’s speed is also a huge asset in the outfield. He has plus range and is an excellent defender who can play center field for a long time. Teams will want to be convinced the Vanderbilt recruit can impact the ball enough in the spring, but those who believe in him as a future table-setter will consider de Brun in the same area as Caldwell and Carroll.
...and here’s his Perfect Game report:
Slater de Brun is a 2025 OF/LHP with a 5-9 180 lb. frame from Bend, OR who attends Summit. Compact athletic build with good present strength. 6.39 runner in the sixty. Primary outfielder on defense, quick and lift on his feet to the ball with athletic actions, has nice carry on his throws when on top of the ball, tends to rush his throws at time. Left handed hitter, has a tight turn from a medium base, quick bat with loud impact, pull to mid field contact, lives on the barrel, multiple game 100+ mph game exit velocities, consistency stands out with the bat. Plays with full energy. Fits into the Corbin Carroll/Slade Caldwell mold as an athlete and player. Excellent student, verbal commitment to Vanderbilt. Selected to play in the Perfect Game All-American Classic.
Range: Rounds 1-2.
Perfect Game Rating: 10. National Ranking: #14 overall; 3 OF.
Prediction: With the success of players like Corbin Carroll, the size concern that might drop a talented player like this a bit is likely gone. The Mock Drafters pretty universally have him at the bottom of round one (or the comp round picks right after round one). I really don’t expect him to don the Gangster Pajamas, but if he does, be thrilled. This is like getting an Enrique Bradfield with a better hit tool to campus.
Chance He Signs With an MLB Team: 95%.
OF Sean Gamble
MLB.com scouting report:
Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 55 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50
A native of Iowa, Gamble used to go to Florida in the summer with his family so he and his brother Beau could attend tennis — and then baseball — camps at IMG Academy. IMG’s director of baseball recognized his talent and invited him to come year-round for high school, where he’s been for all four years. Over that time, Gamble has gotten stronger and his game has advanced as well, showing off very good skills against premium competition at various summer showcase events like the Area Code Games and USA Baseball’s 18U National Team Camp.
Gamble is a left-handed hitter who has a smooth and repeatable swing with a knack for finding the barrel, controlling the zone and doing damage to all fields. As he’s gaining strength, he’s showing more raw power and should continue to leverage the ball and get to more extra-base authority as he moves along. He had quality at-bats all summer to raise his profile.
An above-average runner, Gamble saw a lot of time in center field over the summer and looked good there, with some evaluators leaning towards favoring him in the outfield, where his athleticism and arm strength play well. Some don’t want to give up on him on the dirt, though, thinking he could be an above-average defender at second base and/or be given a shot at shortstop. The Vanderbilt recruit plays with a little edge to his game and reminds some of the Phillies’ Bryson Stott.
...and here’s his Perfect Game report:
Sean Gamble is a 2025 OF/SS with a 6-2 185 lb. frame from Des Moines, IA who attends IMG Academy. An athletic frame and build with plenty of projection remaining. Ran a 6.42 60-yard dash. Primary outfielder who worked out with plenty of athleticism on display. He worked to it with choppy steps and a real clean gather as he got into it. He pulls down real hard through release and creates good carry on his throws. He was accurate during his round, throwing 92 mph from the outfield with good intent to his actions shown throughout the round. A left-handed hitter who has a wider base with higher-set hands and a high back elbow. He has a quieter leg lift, working from a slightly open stance inward. It’s a lightning-quick stroke with tons of hand speed and barrel whip to impact. He stays down on it well and squared up pretty much everything during his round of BP. Really athletic stroke where he showed the ability to make adjustments as needed. Produced EVs up above 101 mph during BP. Showed some lift during BP and was consistently on the barrel. Translated in-game with good swings on display on a 108 mph triple and a 93 mph single with two strikes. Gamble also worked out at shortstop with a clean and short arm action, being quick to release. He had softer hands with clean glovework and a feel for the actions. He threw 86 mph across, moving well and keeping throws on the money. Good student. Committed to Vanderbilt. Selected to play in the Perfect Game All-American Classic.
Range: Rounds 1-2.
Perfect Game Rating: 10. National Ranking: #7 overall; 1 OF.
Prediction: Gamble is another top prep OF type who never seems to make it to Vanderbilt’s campus. I would love it if he does, but I am not banking on it. Like Slater de Brun, the Mock Drafters pretty universally have him at the bottom of round one (or the comp round picks right after round one). With both Gamble and de Brun, something unexpected would have to happen for them to end up playing for Tim Corbin, but it’s at least something you can dream on, though perhaps not rationally.
Chance He Signs With an MLB Team: 95%.
SS Cooper Flemming
MLB.com scouting report:
Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45
Aliso Niguel High School in California has produced one big leaguer, catcher Blake Sabol, who went on to Southern Cal for college before starting his pro career, and hasn’t had a player drafted since 2019. Flemming, who came to the school from Genesha High in time for his senior year, has the chance to break that dry spell as he’s been rushing up Draft boards with a strong spring.
Tall and thin, Flemming is a 6-foot-3 projectable shortstop with a chance to hit from the left side of the plate. He employs a simple setup at the dish with good mechanics and a solid approach and could be an above-average hitter at the next level. There’s raw power in there for him to tap into as he learns to add some loft, with some thinking it could be average pop in the future if he can add strength to his lean frame.
Flemming has plenty of arm to stick at shortstop, having shown the ability to fire fastballs in the low 90s off the mound. An average runner who might be a tick better when underway, Flemming has good hands and instincts, though not everyone is convinced he can stick at short long term. A move to third might put more pressure on his bat, but the first obstacle might be his commitment to Vanderbilt when considering him on Day 2 of the Draft.
...and here’s his Perfect Game report:
Cooper Flemming is a 2025 SS/RHP with a 6-3 190 lb. frame from Aliso Viejo, CA who attends Laguna Beach HS. Recorded a 6.77 second 60-yard dash time. Long, lean frame with lots of room for physical projection and room to fill. Primary shortstop with solid footwork and has very good carry on throws up to 94 mph across the diamond. Quick arm and creates good momentum toward the target, clean glove work. Secondary right-handed pitcher who worked up to 91 mph with the fastball. Good vertical carry on the heater and showed four pitches. Can land the curveball with healthy shape. Showed a firmer slider and can turn over the changeup to left-handed hitters. Left-handed hitter with a high hand set, high back elbow, and a balanced base. Good lift and launch to the swing with excellent barrel control. Can work on a line to both fields with intent and ease. Power will continue to develop with added strength. Great student. Verbal commitment to Vanderbilt.
Range: Rounds 2-3.
Perfect Game Rating: 10. National Ranking: #49 overall; 20 SS.
Prediction: Flemming really should come to Vanderbilt and start at SS immediately. Vastine is gone, so there is an opportunity for immediate playing time, not to mention NIL money. However, I’m hearing he might be a late riser with scouts, and there might be a team willing to nab him in the 2nd round (or even some teams trying to go with underslot deals for their 1st round pick to throw late 1st round money at Flemming in the 2nd). If that happens, we’re screwed, I’m pissed, and it’s time to start drinking. If you don’t hear his name called tonight, he’s likely ours.
Chance He Signs With an MLB Team: 75%.
LHP Aiden Stillman
MLB.com scouting report:
Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
Two players have been drafted out of Trinity Prep in Florida over the years, and both made it to the big leagues. Right-hander Slade Cecconi was an 11th-rounder in 2018 who went on to Miami before going No. 33 overall in 2020 and infielder Max Moroff signed as a 16th-round pick in 2012. A big left-hander who was arguably the most effective pitcher on USA Baseball’s 18U National Team that won gold at the World Cup Qualifier in Panama over the summer, Stillman has the chance to easily supplant that pair to become the earliest-drafted product from Trinity Prep.
At 6-foot-3, Stillman has the kind of projectable frame teams look for in high school arms, and when combined with his feel for pitching, it’s easy to see why scouts are excited to see what’s to come from this southpaw. While his fastball is mostly average, up to 94-95 mph, he gets a fair amount of swings-and-misses on the pitch. He combines it with a low-80s slider that he can manipulate into more of a pure curve and he has feel for a low-80s changeup as well.
Stillman’s stuff generally plays up because he tunnels his stuff very well, making it difficult for hitters to pick up his arsenal. He’s always around the zone and has a very good understanding at a young age of how to set up hitters. There is a commitment to Virginia to contend with, but his combination of upside and pitchability will certainly get talked about in Draft rooms.
Range: Rounds 3-Undrafted.
Perfect Game Rating: 10. National Ranking: #46 overall; 4 LHP.
Prediction: Stillman was a late-flip from UVA to the Diamond Dores (after the Hoos coach flipped to Starkville, as apparently, he’s not a fan of quality of life), and that’s not usually something a kid will do if he’s expecting to sign with a MLB team. While I cannot put him in the “definitely coming to campus” pile, this is a kid you can realistically dream on—perhaps even of cracking the starting rotation as a freshman. If he gets picked tonight, he’s gone, but I suspect if he doesn’t, it’s not because of lack of talent, but because they’re not willing to throw first round money at him.
Chance He Signs With an MLB Team: 50%.
LHP Talon Haley
MLB.com scouting report:
Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
Haley is both one of the most talented prep left-handers and one of the best human-interest stories in the 2025 Draft. He had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow before his high school career began, though he learned to throw right-handed so he could play while rehabbing. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma after recovering from his elbow reconstruction and continued to play while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He was pronounced cancer-free in December 2022 but suffered another tear in the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow last spring, requiring internal brace surgery that truncated his junior season and kept him off the showcase circuit.
Largely unknown before he attended the Super 60 Showcase in February, Haley opened eyes by working with a 91-94 mph fastball with carry and armside run, and he has maintained that velocity while topping out at 97 as a senior. He has a hammer low-80s curveball, as well as a solid slider with a bit more power, though it sometimes blends into and detracts from his curve. He also shows the ability to kill spin on a low-80s changeup but hasn’t needed to utilize it much.
Haley comes from an athletic family that includes a father (Jimmy) who played in the Canadian Football League, a mother (Shelley) who played college basketball at West Virginia Wesleyan and a brother (Gage) who pitches at Arkansas-Little Rock. Talon moves down the mound well, creating plenty of extension and provides strikes with a clean delivery that has a bit of a head dunk. Teams aren’t sure how they should treat his medical history and lack of track record, so he could wind up at Vanderbilt, where he’d be a Draft-eligible sophomore in 2027.
Range: Rounds 3-Undrafted.
Perfect Game Rating: 10. National Ranking: #84 overall; 9 LHP.
Prediction: With the medical concerns, I’m pretty confident Haley will be a Diamond Dore. He could be a really good one for Scott Brown, and a kid we’re going to like rooting for.
Chance He Signs With an MLB Team: 25%.
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