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| 2,496 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,496 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Draft  | Story | 2/7/2025

PG Draft Spotlight: JD Thompson

JD Thompson

Position:
LHP
Height: 6-0
Weight: 205
Bats/Throws: L/L
Age: 21.4
College: Vanderbilt
Hometown: Rusk, Texas



Frame/Delivery

Physically, Thompson does not jump off the page. He’s a slender build with some good defined mass in what can be described as a “shorter” or “compact” frame but in the grand scheme it doesn’t impede his movement down the slope. He’s an innate athlete with bend. His delivery is unique with a flatter approach from a low launch and release with a high arm angle that contributes to already present deception. It’s a low three-quarter slot that just jumps out of hand with a fuller arm swing that is up at foot strike. Thompson is sound and repeats, that bodes well for his starter ceiling and his unique approach angle will be a major factor for orgs this spring. He’s a good athlete with an easy and repeatable delivery. 

Tools/Arsenal

Thompson has arguably one of the most gaudy fastballs in the class. It’s a 91-93 mph offering and gets up to 95 mph. That velocity doesn’t jump until you see the metrics and movement profile he’s equipped with. Last year, the Vertical Approach Angle averaged -4.7 degrees from a low 5-foot-6 release point with an average of 18 inches of IVB and 12 inches of horizontal. That is plus in near every metric from his release, and the numbers go to show. His fastball posted an absurd 37 percent whiff rate and 32 percent chase rate. It plays true and flat up in the zone with carry and can play steep down and away. It’s versatile and a killer 70-grade type offering. He gets misses both in zone and out of zone with it and pounds it arm side, simply hard to find as a pitch to not only get ahead but putting away batters as well. His curveball can project as an average offering at the next level with significant drop in velocity (76-79 mph) with an average of 9 inches of break and 12 inches of run. It’s a bit slurvy but posted a 37 percent whiff rate and plays it short and down in the zone. His changeup is a softer ground ball third pitch that mimics well from release in the low-to-mid-80s but produces more average run in horizontal and spin rate (1420). His 79-82 mph slider also induced a 34 percent chase rate and 35 percent whiff rate, though was used as more backend offering last year. The spin rates are fringe across the board, but his distinct movement profile makes him an enticing starter. He made huge strides amongst a good rotation last year with a gaudy 12.81 strikeout-per-nine ration and he simply misses bats. Thompson can fill it a good bit too and induces chase out of the zone with his spin, while his fastball is simply a deadly weapon. The bat-missing ability makes him a higher end option on boards if he continues his strides. 

“The Buzz”

Thompson may just creep his way into Round 1 category and figures to be an early Day 1 to Top 50 selection at this point in time. The ingredients are all very present, and the command made a huge jump in 2024 limiting his walk rate per nine to just 3.12 from 5 in 2023. That’s a huge testament to the gaudy bat-missing stuff he can possess. He may lack a plus secondary at present, but the whiff rates on both his curve and slider can make evaluators quite bullish on if one becomes a true put away offering this spring. The changeup is well in the mix too with its production to induce soft contact. With a heater that plays this well in the zone, Thompson does become subject to hard contact and got hit hard at points last year. He can be susceptible to barrel rates, but that can also be a testament to him simply challenging batters in the zone with his stuff, and coming out with a successful rate 34-plus percent of the time in the swing-and-miss department. If the spin takes a step up, watch out. His ability to limit damage and sustain innings with his frame will be a true calling card to how high he goes this spring. He is a bit slender and may not pack on to a “dream type” starter’s build, but his heat and unique approach angle makes him a name to definitely get familiar with. 

Summation

Whenever you can find a “unique” arm slot and release with “power” in the velocity department, orgs generally wrap their arms around them. Thompson fits that mold to a tee with an ability to be a starter near the front of a rotation at the next level. Simply put, that is hard to find. His fastball can project every bit as a 70-grade heater even with its velocity thanks to its distinct approaches and flat carrying ability with command. He can spin it and miss bats while also inducing soft contact with runners on. He can mix and match and compete. He has the makings to be an early selection when it’s all said in July. 

Draft | Mock Draft | 7/6/2026

MLB Mock Draft: 4.0

Tyler Henninger
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MLB Draft: Top 500 Update Pick Team Name Pos. School 1 Chicago White Sox Roch Cholowsky SS UCLA 2 Tampa Bay Rays Grady Emerson SS Fort Worth Christian 3 Minnesota Twins Vahn Lackey C Georgia Tech 4 San Francisco Giants Jacob Lombard SS Gulliver Schools 5 Pittsburgh Pirates Jackson Flora RHP UC Santa Barbara 6 Kansas City Royals Drew Burress OF Georgia Tech 7 Baltimore Orioles Eric Booth Jr. OF Oak Grove 8 Athletics Chris Hacopian SS Texas A&M 9 Atlanta Braves Ryder Helfrick C Arkansas 10 Colorado Rockies Tyler Bell* SS Kentucky 11 Washington Nationals Jared Grindlinger LHP/OF Huntington Beach 12 Los Angeles Angels Cameron Flukey RHP Coastal Carolina 13 St. Louis Cardinals AJ Gracia OF Virginia 14 Miami Marlins Derek Curiel OF LSU 15 Arizona Diamondbacks Gio Rojas LHP Marjory Stoneman Douglas 16 Texas Rangers Liam Peterson RHP Florida 17 Houston Astros Justin Lebron SS Alabama 18...
College | Story | 7/7/2026

USA Collegiate National Team: Stripes

Craig Cozart
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Collegiate National Team: Stars Notes Quick Hits  Each year at the end of June and beginning of July, top collegiate baseball talent from around the nation arrives in Cary, NC at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.  Typically, the rosters are filled with top underclass, non-draft-eligible talent but this year, we will see a sprinkling of upper-classmen as the coaches evaluate just under 60 players to get to their final 28 roster spots.  For a total of two weeks, the Stars Squad and the Stripes Squad will compete against outside competition in North Carolina as well as Virginia before finishing their slate with 5-games against each other at the NTC Complex.  Once the final roster has been announced the team will depart for Taiwan to compete in the 2026 World Baseball Championships, July 11-15.    CNT Stripes Position Players  Nico Partida ...
Tournaments | Story | 7/8/2026

13u World Series Notes: Days 3-5

Perfect Game Staff
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13u World Series Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Chaysten Fuentes (2030, Ewa Beach, HI) worked really well from the right side of the plate ending up with five hits and a double in the last two days. The right handed hitting Hawaiian has a ton of strength to the body. The hands work directly to the ball and can hit to all fields in the approach. Has done an incredible job getting the barrel to almost everything and gets on plane in the turn.  Triston Valdez (2031, Castaic, CA) was electric on day four batting .500 with a double, triple, and five rbis. The barrel is really quick to the ball and works with a level path. Against NY Gotham 13u Ghost, Valdez would not be denied demolishing the bases clearing triple way back into the RCF gap. Stays inside the baseball consistently with the hands and torques it hard.  Christopher Julian Leija (2031, Weslaco, TX) really showed out the last two...
Tournaments | Story | 7/7/2026

Two Day Rewind at 15u National Elite

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Two days into the 2026 Perfect Game 15U National Elite Championship, the storylines are already beginning to take shape. As one of the summer’s premier invite-only events, the tournament annually brings together many of the nation’s top 15U clubs, with 100 elite teams traveling to Hoover in pursuit of a championship. While there is still plenty of baseball left to play, the opening rounds have already produced breakout performances, dominant team victories, and plenty of excitement heading into bracket play. Several nationally recognized organizations entered the week as favorites, including MTBA Dawgs, ranked No. 3 nationally, Wildcatters Baseball at No. 10, and 5 Star Mafia, ranked No. 12. Meanwhile, newer programs like Jason Kidd Select Team have quickly shown they are capable of making noise against the nation’s best. One of the biggest storylines through the first...
Tournaments | Story | 7/7/2026

15u Elite Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Troy Sutherland
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Tristan Barton (‘29, TX) has struck out three over three scoreless innings of work, getting a lively FB up to 89. Mixed in a sharp vt CB w/ late bite. Operates from a projectable RH frame w/ length + room to fill. #NatElite @Texas_PG pic.twitter.com/LXfkLOtxdo — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 5, 2026 Tristan Barton (’29, Gunter, TX) turned in a strong start on Sunday, lasting four innings of one run ball, striking out four. Barton operates from a bigger lengthy right-handed frame with considerable room to fill. He starts with a mid-body handset before working to the belt and into a high compact leg lift. Barton fires down via a compact arm action and high three quarters slot. The Texas native got a run/ride fastball up to 89, living in the mid-80s throughout the outing. He mixed in a sharp 12-6 curveball with vertical depth and late bite. Jack Graviss...
Tournaments | Story | 7/7/2026

16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1

Jason Phillips
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Nolan Ash (2028, Ashland, Mo.) showed off the power upside for Natty State 2028. The right-handed hitter starts from a spread stance with in-line feet and a high handset with a high back elbow, utilizes a leg lift stride. Creates separation and uses a direct hand path with a slightly uphill bat plane and some feel to generate lift from the lower half. Quick hands and stays in-sync with a rotational lower half and solid bat speed. Showed the power belting a solo bomb over the left field fence. Long and lean 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame with wiry strength present and more room to fill. The shortstop has a high ceiling and feel for the barrel. Colton Dodds (2028, Columbia, Mo.) showed off the barrel feel and power upside for Natty State 2028. The right-handed hitter starts from a wide base with in-line feet and a high handset with a high back elbow, utilizes a no stride trigger. Direct hands...
College | Story | 7/7/2026

Coppy's Corner: July 7 Summer Edition

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It’s an exciting time for College Baseball. Not only do potential and proposed changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) elevate the game, but we are coming off a thrilling College World Series and less than a week away from Major League Baseball’s 2026 Amateur Draft. In the middle of it all is the Cape Cod Baseball League.  The amateur players on the Cape are the future stars of the 2027 MLB Draft. The league runs from June 13th  through August 2nd. Games are played at historic stadiums in Old New England towns. It’s beautiful and charming. Hollywood even made a movie about the Cape Cod League ~25 years ago called Summer Catch. It scored an 8% (!) on Rotten Tomatoes, but, on the plus side, it featured 2001 Jessica Biel in a starring role.  It was so much fun writing Coppy’s Column this spring. My hope is to highlight a pitcher and...
Tournaments | Story | 7/6/2026

16u WWBA Rolls Into Marietta

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More than 300 of the nation’s top 16u teams will meet in East Cobb, Georgia this week as the 16u WWBA Championship gets underway. Over 50 ranked teams from across the country will compete for one of the most prestigious titles in travel baseball, drawing scouts and fans from all over. Pool play will commence on Monday, July 6th with the championship game set for July 13th at the storied East Cobb Baseball Complex. Canes National 16u will hold honors of being the top ranked team entering the event as they have earned a No. 2 national ranking following a dominant 17-2-1 start to their season. The highly touted program is home to many of the top ranked prospects from the 2028 class including talented two-way athlete, Grant Arnold (No. 12 overall) who lives in the 90’s from the mound as well as middle infielder, Bryan Mesa (No. 14 overall) who will draw lots of attention this...
College | Story | 7/6/2026

USA Collegiate National Team: Stars

Craig Cozart
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Quick Hits  Each year at the end of June and beginning of July, top collegiate baseball talent from around the nation arrives in Cary, NC at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.  Typically, the rosters are filled with top underclass, non-draft-eligible talent but this year, we will see a sprinkling of upper-classmen as the coaches evaluate just under 60 players to get to their final 28 roster spots.  For a total of two weeks, the Stars Squad and the Stripes Squad will compete against outside competition in North Carolina as well as Virginia before finishing their slate with 5-games against each other at the NTC Complex.  Once the final roster has been announced the team will depart for Taiwan to compete in the 2026 World Baseball Championships, July 11-15.    CNT Stars Position Players  Anthony Pack Jr.  FR / OF / University of Texas ...
Tournaments | Story | 7/5/2026

13u World Series Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
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Michael Wedgeworth (2030, Flomaton, AL) had put the two way ability on full display so far this week, dominating from both sides. On the mound Wedgeworth ran the fastball up to 84 (81-83) with ease to the delivery. Broke off a couple nasty curveballs that induced swing and miss, as well as freezing hitters for punch outs. Collected six in his four inning complete game. He also would not be denied at the plate going 3-5 in the first two days with two doubles. Very intriguing young player as the body continues to grow.  Tyler Bellush (2031, Summerville, SC) is a sure handed shortstop for the Canes Nation squad. Swings it from the left side of the plate and the barrel accuracy has really stuck out thus far. 3-4 through the first couple days with a double and two triples, Bellush has also walked twice and collected 3 RBI along the way. Yesterday against USA Prime with the bases loaded,...
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