The Wolfpack have 21 draft-eligible players from the 2024 squad
The 2024 MLB Draft is scheduled to take place July 14-16 in Fort Worth, Texas, at the Cowtown Coliseum. Nothing says baseball like Cowtown, baby!
Let’s take a look at what to expect from the draft as it impacts NC State.
Eligible players from 2024 roster: 21
- RHP Sam Highfill (SR) – 7-2, 4.97 ERA, 87.0 IP, 11.5 BB%, 21.9 K%
- RHP Logan Whitaker (SR) – 3-1, 5.49 ERA, 59.0 IP, 8.2 BB%, 25.8 K%
- RHP Matt Willadsen (SR) – DNP in 2024 (5-5, 3.78 ERA, 81.0 IP, 8.8 BB%, 24.5 K% in 2023)
- RHP Hollis Fanning (SR) – 2-1, 7.41 ERA, 17.0 IP, 4.8 BB%, 16.7 K%
- RHP Garrett Payne* (rJR) – 0-0, 21.60 ERA, 1.2 IP, 10.0 BB%, 10.0 K%
- RHP Carson Kelly (JR) – 1-0, 1 SV, 9.64 ERA, 4.2 IP, 26.1 BB%, 26.1 K%
- RHP Jacob Halford (JR) – 0-0, 15.43 ERA, 2.1 IP, 31.3 BB%, 25.0 K%
- LHP P.J. Labriola (SR) – 1-0, 17.61 ERA, 7.2 IP, 16.7 BB%, 25.0 K%
- LHP John Miralia (SR) – 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.1 IP, 9.1 BB%, 27.3 K%
- LHP Win Scott* (JR) – 0-1, 9.00 ERA, 10.0 IP, 16.7 BB%, 20.8 K%
- LHP Jacob Dienes (rSO) – 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.0 IP, 50.0 BB%, 0.0 K%
- LHP Dominic Fritton (SO) – 3-7, 7.64 ERA, 73.0 IP, 13.5 BB%, 20.7 K%
- RHP/OF Andrew Shaffner (SO) – 0-0, 1 SV, 5.56 ERA, 11.1 IP, 10.0 BB%, 16.0 K% / .167/.286/.167, 14.3 BB%, 18.6 K%, 0-0 SB
- C Jacob Cozart (JR) – .305/.437/.601, 18.6 BB%, 17.2 K%, 0-0 SB
- 1B Garrett Pennington (SR) – .350/.435/.665, 10.3 BB%, 14.9 K%, 1-2 SB
- SS Brandon Butterworth (JR) – .250/.369/.420, 14.7 BB%, 14.0 K%, 13-14 SB
- 3B Alec Makarewicz (SR) – .378/.438/.753, 9.0 BB%, 17.2 K%, 1-2 SB
- OF Noah Soles (SR) – .224/.388/.385, 17.2 BB%, 10.2 K%, 5-6 SB
- OF/1B Eli Serrano (SO) – .286/.383/.433, 11.4 BB%, 12.4 K%, 7-8 SB
- OF Chase Nixon* (JR) – .255/.402/.284, 18.2 BB%, 10.6 K%, 0-1 SB
- INF/OF Carson Falsken (rJR) – .200/.333/.200, 16.7 BB%, 16.7 K%, 0-0 SB
* in the transfer portal
Of the above players, Cozart is most likely to hear his name called first. After entering the year as a projected first rounder, he’s dipped into the late 2nd round as his ceiling now with the 4th round being his floor. Obviously, the 3rd round seems to be his sweet spot with him coming in ranked #42 overall among draft prospects by MLB and #83 by ESPN. The reason for Cozart’s fall from his preseason buzz is due to a couple key factors: struggles against lefty pitching and a strong class of college catchers. Cozy’s going to be great value to whatever team picks him because the defense will play at the next level and the issues with the bat are to do with pitch selection, not pitch identification, which is fixable.
Serrano is the next highest regarded Wolfpack player in the draft, coming in at #126 by ESPN and #224 by MLB. Serrano didn’t quite take the leap in production that many expected in 2024, but he did show that his defense and arm will play in the outfield (even if not in CF at the next level) while he still has the projectable frame and left-handed swing that clubs covet. If Serrano slides past the 4th round, I believe he’d be best suited to return to NC State for another year, but that largely depends on the offer from the club that drafts him. His ceiling is the 3rd round, with a floor (assuming he doesn’t let teams know ahead of time that he’s going back to State) of the 6th.
Fritton entered the year with a lot of expectations after a fantastic freshman season in 2023, but control issues that weren’t present a year ago popped up and caused a big regression in 2024. While there might still be teams that like him and believe this was a fluke year, he’d be best served to return to Raleigh and build his resume back up for the 2025 draft. D1 Baseball ranks Fritton as the 135th best college prospect in the draft. There may be teams that are bullish on him and could grab him as high as the 5th round, but without a true MLB starter build, he could drop into the mid-teen rounds if MLB clubs are giving him a reliever profile. If he returns for 2025 and puts together another season like his freshman campaign, he could easily go in the first three rounds next year.
Also on D1’s list is Butterworth, checking in at #179. The Western Carolina transfer had a bit of a rough adjustment to the ACC, but started all 61 of the Wolfpack’s games at shortstop and came on strong in the postseason, notching multi-hit efforts in five of ten postseason games. He’s a second baseman at the next level with good wheels and strong contact skills. He’ll be in play after the 10th round.
I’m surprised Makarewicz isn’t getting more love considering he completely showed out this year. Maybe teams are viewing him as a finished product, but 6’2, 234 lbs switch-hitting power-hitting third baseman don’t grow on trees. The question coming to Raleigh was the defense, but he answered those questions emphatically as he progressed through the year, committing just a single error over his final 26 games of the season. He’s on the older end, but there’s no way A-Mak falls past the 10th round as a senior sign.
If Pennington were a few inches taller he’d be getting a lot more love. In my view (hot take time), he’s a cheaper Tommy White (6’0, 236 lbs, .330/.401/.638, 8.6 BB%, 12.1 K%, 2-2 SB) with a little less power and without the glimmer of hope of sticking at 3B. Yeah, he’s two years older than Tommy Tanks, but if I’m an MLB club I’m grabbing him in the 10th round and hoping to squeeze some more juice out of him as a 1B/DH project. Penny hit .395 (17-for-43) in the postseason, so it’s not like he feasted on weak pitching. The dude can hit. Unless a team has a similar view to me, he’s a late round pick or UDFA guy.
After the 2021 run to the College World Series, Highfill was being viewed as potential 2nd round or higher pick when the 2022 Draft came around, but injuries significantly derailed his career, specifically a back injury that forced rework of his mechanics. While The Mayor never quite regained that 2021 form, he was a bulldog over his career who gutted out some amazing performances across his 276.0 career innings in the Red and White. He may be a late round flier a la 2021 Reid Johnston, who hit another level in pro ball.
Whitaker I’m higher on that probably most anyone else. Yes, he’s 24, but you can pretty much drop him straight into A+ ball and let him roll from there. The injury history is concerning after he missed the first three full seasons of his college career, but he turned in 205.1 innings over the last three years with the only significant missed time due to an illness and not an injury. Even with that illness that forced him out of action for over a month this year and caused him to lose 30 lbs, he came back as strong as ever once he got back into pitching form, tossing 17.1 innings of 2.60 ERA ball with 5 BB and 23 K over three postseason outings, including games against Georgia’s and Florida’s potent lineups. A 6’6, 221 lbs pitcher who pounds the zone with a three-pitch mix including a mid-90’s fastball… I just don’t see him falling past the 10th round as a senior sign. But again, maybe I’m just bullish on him.
Out of all the guys on this list, only one was drafted out of high school: Noah Soles. Unfortunately, like Highfill, injuries kept us from ever seeing Soles reach his full potential. The arm strength is going to be a negative, and the foot speed seemed to drop over his years in Raleigh. Soles isn’t a candidate to move to 1B (although, hey, maybe that’s an experiment worth trying if you can throw some more muscle on the frame), but he has a tremendous eye at the dish. I’d be shocked if he was drafted, but wouldn’t be surprised to see him sign a UDFA deal if teams are looking at his 2023 production and hoping for better injury luck going forward.
Willadsen is the last guy on the list with a draftable grade, but given that he missed all of 2024 with Tommy John Surgery, he’ll likely be passed up. NIL money will also likely be able to beat a UDFA deal for the 23 year old, although maybe he wants to get his pro career started. It’s tough to come back from TJS at the same level as you were at the season before, but there’s also a chance that the recovery has given Willadsen time to get past some of the other nagging injuries that have held him back during his time in Raleigh – a compliment when you look at what he did from 2021-2023. A bounceback season could put him on a Top 10 round trajectory as a senior sign for 2025.
Nobody else on the list is going to be drafted, although Fanning has the frame that may entice a team to give him a look as a UDFA. I also hope that Miralia gets a shot and shoves in the minors just to validate my constant screaming about his under-utilization over the last few years (seriously, 10.1 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 16 K over the last two years).
Eligible incoming transfers: 1
- OF Dalen Thompson (JR, Campbell) – .313/.396/.554, 12.9 BB%, 18.0 K%, 20-22 SB
Thompson finally broke into the starting lineup in 2024 for the Camels, likely the reason he isn’t higher on draft boards. With a 6’1, 190 pound frame, plenty of speed, and an intriguing power potential, he’ll definitely be on the radar of MLB clubs. Thompson also finished the season strong with a 16-for-35 (.457) effort over his last 8 games, including a 4-hit game against North Carolina (attaboy). He primarily played left field for Campbell and would seemingly slide into that role with the Wolfpack if Serrano and Hogue return, but his speed could push him into CF even if Serrano is on the roster.
Current high school commits: 10
- OF Tyler Head (Windermere HS, FL)
- INF Devin Fitz-Gerald (Stoneman-Douglas HS, FL)
- RHP Anderson Nance (Morehead HS, NC)
- RHP Kaden Morris (Pro5 Baseball Academy, NC)
- INF Brandon Novy (Pro5 Baseball Academy, NC)
- RHP Truitt Manuel (West Henderson HS, NC)
- OF Trey Bentley (Lakeland Christian HS, FL)
- RHP Aden Knowles (Tampa Jesuit HS, FL)
- LHP Tristan Potts (Cuthbertson HS, NC)
- INF Ryder Woodson (St. John Neumann HS, FL)
The two most likely incoming high school recruits to not make it to Raleigh are Head and Fitz-Gerald. Head is a 6’3, 198 pound lefty with excellent speed and a beautiful swing. He’s ranked as the #151 overall prospect in the draft by ESPN and #217 by MLB. Fitz-Gerald is 5’10, 185 switch-hitter who can play 2B, 3B, or SS. He’s ranked #98 by ESPN and #218 by MLB.
Nance is the next highest rated recruit. A 5’11, 185 pound righty with a low-90’s fastball that jumps out of the hand and a nice slider with real bite to it. Morris is a 6’8, 225 pounder who has been ranked as high as 2nd best prep player in the state for this class. He has a low-90’s fastball among his three-pitch mix and could entice teams given the projectability of his frame.
That’s nothing to say that others on this list aren’t on draft radars, but those four seem like the most likely to hear their names called.
Summary
Cozart’s going to go in the first few rounds. The best case scenario for the 2025 Wolfpack is that Serrano, Fritton, and Butterworth return and that Thompson, Head, and Fitz-Gerald all make it through the draft and to Raleigh. Worst case scenario is, well, the opposite of that.