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Draft  | Story | 12/18/2025

PG Draft: Gut Feel Guys

Tyler Henninger
Isaiah Burrows
Tyler Kotila
Photo: Joseph Contreras (Perfect Game)
While we are nearing the turn of the calendar to the 2026 year, that means we are just inching closer to the beginning of the season for many high school players and college baseball is on the horizon. We are prepping for a reshuffle of the 2026 MLB Draft Board as well here amongst the PG Draft staff. But before we get to that, we sat down and have each picked a couple of players who are in the mix to get selected in a couple of different buckets. 

We have prospects who could go into the Top 30 picks or so, prospects who could be selected in the Top 5 rounds, and prospects who could go inside of the Top 10 rounds. With the draft quite far down the road and a lot of re-shuffling to be done as these players play themselves into certain spots on the draft board, our scouts picked some players who fit into these “buckets” who are gut-feel guys.



These are the guys that our PG Draft group think are sure-bets to go within these ranges as the season plays out. That said, let’s get into our PG Draft staff’s selections. 

Gut-Feel Guys Who Could Go in the Top 30 Picks
 

Coleman Borthwick | 3B/RHP | South Walton HS | Freeport, Fla. | Auburn Commit
Borthwick has some of the most intriguing upside in the entire class, with traits to like on both sides of the ball. He’s a massively physical 6-foot-6, 255-pound frame and build, with immense strength throughout the build. He swings it from the right side with a big time ability to lift the baseball and do damage in the air. There’s premium power upside with his profile, showing a ton of ability to impact the ball and he has the ability to hit at the next level. Perhaps just as exciting as the tools at the plate, Borthwick has a fastball up to 95-97 mph and has flashed upper-90s before, with a wipeout slider in the mix. He’s got the arm talent that could see him throwing triple digits one day. It’s easily one of the most intriguing profiles in the draft with such upside and prowess on both sides of the ball. It sure feels like with this amount of tools on both sides of the ball, Borthwick will wind up hearing his name called inside the Top 30 picks.  - Tyler Kotila

Kaden Waechter | RHP | Tampa Jesuit | St. Petersburg, Fla. | Florida State commit
Waechter is one of the frontline arms from this class and has the opportunity to be selected quite early in next year’s draft with another loud spring. Waechter was phenomenal on the circuit in 2025 and pitched his way to PG All-American honors. Waechter is an athletic 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame and build, with an explosive delivery and a feel for the actions moving downhill, repeating the delivery well. He’s been up to 95 mph on the fastball, and operates in the low- to mid-90s. The pitch misses bats and has good angle & life to it. He has a full four-pitch mix, showing a quality slider and cutter that keep hitters guessing in the mid- to upper-80s. The slider/cutter will blend, but show upside for him rounding out the entire arsenal. He has a fading changeup in the mid-80s that gives him different options to employ as he attacks hitters. Waechter could easily pitch his way into the Top 30 picks by draft day in 2026. - TK
 

Ryder Helfrick | C | Arkansas | Discovery Bay, Calif.
Helfrick has the makings of a guy that can skyrocket up boards this spring and ending up in the first round is not out of the question. The Arkansas backstop possesses an intriguing mix of offensive upside and strong defensive tools behind the plate. Quick bat speed can generate impact, resulting in 15 homers a year ago. The walk rates are solid and the swing and miss continues to trend in the right direction. Defensively, Helfrick should stick behind the plate. There is arm strength there to go with clean, controlled actions. In a class that is fairly light at catcher, Helfrick could quickly become the guy teams covet back there. -TH

Maddox Molony | SS | Oregon | Springfield, Ore.
Molony checks off a lot of boxes and has all the tools needed to be a first rounded. The Duck’s shortstop came in at a physical 6-foot-3, 220-pounds this fall. He moves well on the dirt despite the bigger frame, showing quality feet with quickness and agility. It is an above-average arm across and has a strong chance to stick at shortstop long term. Offensively, he is coming off a year where he slashed .309/.403/.565 with 15 bombs and minimal 13% K-rate. He does not miss balls in the zone and there is some intriguing power potential to the profile. It has the makings of a first round guy going into the spring. -TH

Caden Bogenpohl | OF | Missouri State | Jackson, Mo.
Few have the raw tools that Bogepohl possesses. He’s a physical and gifted athlete with top-of-scale raw power potential. The swing path itself has some looseness and extension out front, and he has ability in all three outfield spots this spring with a shot in center. He flashes good run times for his size and the speed/power combo can really pop this spring, but the bat-to-ball and discipline needs to make massive strides. If the chase and whiff improves, don’t be surprised to see him tear it up once again at Missouri State and prove to be a high selection from a non Power 4 program. -IB

Joseph Contreras | RHP | Blessed Trinity Catholic HS | Alpharetta, Ga. | Vanderbilt Commit
It’s hard to find the overall polish and front-end starter look of the wiry 6-foot-4, 200-pound framed Contreras in this prep right-handed class. He has three pitches that can all project for above-average or better. The fastball has been up to 98 mph and lived mid-90s with command. The fork/split projects as plus and simply falls off, and he can land his short mid-80s slider to both sides of the plate. He was simply dominant all spring and summer of 2025. The body, bloodlines and repeatability in the arm action can all point to a potential Round 1 grade for orgs when it’s all said. -IB


Gut-Feel Guys Who Could Go in the Top 5 Rounds
Trey Beard | LHP | Florida State | Dunedin, Fla.
Beard transferred into Florida State after two really productive years at Florida Atlantic. He was named to the All-AAC Freshman team and was named First-Team All-AAC in his sophomore campaign. He tallied 30 starts and logged 151.1 innings of work for the Owls over his first two collegiate seasons. He pitched to a 4.16 ERA in that span, with a 1.23 WHIP. He allowed 119 hits, walked 67, and punched out 186 opposing hitters along the way. He was also nearly unhittable over 2 starts on the Cape this year before heading home to prepare for his first season with FSU. Beard has an athletic 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame with good length in a slender build. His fastball operates in the low-90s with bat-missing traits and a high-IVB profile. He pairs that with a low-80s breaker, and one of the best changeups in the class. The changeup has some of the best bat-missing traits among the class. Beard has a chance to really pitch his way up draft boards in 2026 and feels like a sure-bet to go inside of the Top 5 rounds in my book. - TK
 

Jace Mataczynski | SS | Hudson HS | Hudson, Wisc. | Auburn commit
Mataczynski did an incredible job this year on the circuit, making a name for himself and really shining on the circuit. Especially in the fall, coming out and making waves on the draft circuit. He’s an uber-athletic 6-foot-3, 189-pound frame and build, with a heavy blend of twitch and agility that makes him a weapon defensively at shortstop, with range to both sides, and a sure-handed glove. He’s able to get it done at the plate as well, with a smooth right-handed swing. He shows elite bat-to-ball skills. It was evidenced this fall at the Heartland Champions Cup and WWBA Jupiter. He finished off 2025 hitting .523 with a 1.541 OPS, managing 23 hits over 44 at-bats, including 5 doubles, 3 triples, and 2 home runs. He plated 19 runs and walked 13 times, with just 12 strikeouts. He’s on the barrel often and boasted a .700 BABIP this year on the circuit. He has the tools and the traits to make real noise in 2026 during his high school campaign, and feels like a name to know inside the Top 5 rounds in next summer’s draft. - TK

Alain Gomez-Gudiño | C | Saguaro HS | Scottsdale, Ariz. | South Carolina commit
Gomez-Gudiño burst onto the scene when he came over to the United States and caught Cam Caminiti with ease as a sophomore. He immediately showed advanced defensive ability behind the dish that is up there with the best in the class. The catch-and-throw stands out, to go along with advanced receiving. At the plate, Gomez-Gudiño is a switch hitter that has performed against top competition well. He handles velocity with ease and has some thump from both sides of the dish. It is going to be hard for teams not to be interested in the skill set that the young backstop possesses. -TH

Robert Omidi | INF | St. Martin HS | Mississauga, ON (CAN) | Kentucky commit
The talent north of the border continues to get better and produces a handful of draft names each year. This year Omidi may be the guy. The talented infielder has shown an advanced feel to hit from the left side of the dish with consistent performances against top competition. There is some juice there to go with strong bat to ball skills. Where he winds up defensively long term is yet to be seen, but even if it is second base, there will be considerable interest in his bat.  -TH

Alex Philpott | RHP | South Carolina | Tampa, Fla.
Philpott has a lot to prove, but has a chance to do it as a potential weekend starter for the Gamecocks this year transferring from Florida. Philpott’s stuff really showed out on the Cape, a fastball that flashed into the mid-to-upper-90s with good IVB and above-average extension from a bigger bodied 6-foot-6 frame. He’s a quality mover with feel for both a slider and changeup that garnered whiff on the circuit this year. If the engine and strikes improve to polish up his role, he has the makings of a big time Top 5 round pick. -IB
 

Jet Berry | SS/OF | Queen Creek HS | Queen Creek Ariz. | Arizona State commit
Another up-the-middle talent with switch hitting bat-to-ball skill and the makings of a true table setter, Berry does a good bit of everything. He raked a good bit on the circuit and has for years now. The hit tool backed up with live looks and data to show for it. His speed and contact combined with crisp hands and some innate defensive feel at both middle infield spots makes this a talented profile. He clocked plus run times from the left side and tapped into some in-game juice this summer.  The overall tools and player checks a ton of boxes for a prep talent who could sneak his way onto boards. -IB


Gut-Feel Guys Who Could Go in the Top 10 Rounds

Jake Bean | RHP | Louisville | Middlefield, Ohio
Bean transfers into Louisville from Kent State where he spent his first two collegiate seasons and found success with the Golden Flashes’ program. Bean logged 84.0 innings over 15 starts, making nine relief appearances over that span. He made noise this summer in the Cape with the Orleans Firebirds, and showed up at Louisville in the fall looking to lock down a spot in their rotation. He was up to 95 mph on the fastball this summer, but usually operates in the more 90-94 mph range. Proving he can hold that velocity longer into outings will only up his stock. The heater flashes both sink and ride, with varying shapes he will use to advantage. He has a quality slider in the arsenal as well giving him ways to attack opposing hitters. If he comes out and is able to settle into an ACC rotation, which he has the stuff to do so, he could find himself working up draft boards as the spring progresses. -TK

Keegan Johnson | LHP | Ball State | Frederick, Md.
Johnson got to campus, and the Ball State staff was immediately excited about what they might have in terms of future talent. While it took some time for Johnson to settle in, it would appear that their lefty has a real chance to pitch his way up draft boards. Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound southpaw, with strength in the frame. He works into the low-90s on his fastball. He has a quality low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup in the mix as well, giving him three pitches to attack the opposition with. Johnson was one of the best pitchers in the MAC last year, and has tallied 29 starts over two seasons, with 136.0 innings pitched. He posted a 4.70 ERA, with 80 walks, and 158 punchouts. If he can come out and be dominant in the MAC once again, Johnson has a chance to move his way up draft boards. -TK

LJ Mercurius | RHP | Oklahoma | Las Vegas, Nev.
Mercurius transferred into Oklahoma after two strong years at UNLV. The Nevada native will likely fill a rotation spot for the Sooners this spring and should get a chance to show how his stuff will play against top SEC talent. The stuff has the ability to be nasty. The fastball has been up to 97 mph with life. Both a gyro slider and changeup get whiffs at a high rate, 36% and 41% respectively. There is athleticism to the delivery as well. If Mercurius can throw more strikes, there is no reason why he should not go in the first ten rounds. -TH
 

Mulivai Levu | 1B | UCLA | Huntington Beach, Calif.
Levu was a key piece in the middle of the UCLA lineup last year that made a run to Omaha. The Bruin first baseman put together an impressive campaign where he drove in 85 runs, hit 12 homers, and recorded a .320 average. Levu showcases a fluid left-handed swing geared to pull balls in the air. The approach has improved this fall and he has added strength to the frame. Defensively, Levu is just a guy that hits that you throw over at first base He moves athletically and can make difficult plays. If Levu can build off last year and show additional steps in development, he will hear his name called in the first ten rounds. -TH

Ryne Farber | MIF | Auburn | San Antonio, Texas
Simply put, Farber is a quality baseball player who has a shot to really prove it in the SEC. He can run, hit from both sides and defend at a solid-average level and does a good bit of everything you need. Farber fits the mold of a super utility role as a versatile defender with solid tools and feel for contact to all fields. He’s a solid player who plays with a high motor and can defend at a multitude of spots. If it translates as it did at Texas State, Farber can be a quality pick. -IB
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