Prior to the start of the 2025 season, a comprehensive list of the 2025 Top 100 MLB Draft Prospects was revealed. The list, as outlined by Major League Baseball’s home of draft and prospect coverage, MLB Pipeline, projects the top players eligible for the 2025 MLB Draft. Among the prospects–a mix of both college and high school talent–are a myriad of athletes who have competed in USA Baseball and MLB development camps and training programs that work with the Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) Performance Assessment, USA Baseball and MLB’s joint initiative to establish a player development pipeline leading to the MLB Draft. This comprehensive assessment features athletic-based tests including the 30-yard sprint and broad jump, combined with on-field data such as exit velocity and pitch speed.
Not only does the PDP Performance Assessment provide information and data crucial to a player’s development, but it can be a key indicator of their future performance on the diamond as well. After evaluations are completed, data collected from the assessments is disseminated to the 30 MLB Clubs in preparation for the MLB Draft and to USA Baseball for national team identification. In addition, all participants receive a personalized player report containing data and metrics from the evaluation, as well as training tools for improvement and sustained development.
Highlighted in this article are elite, amateur-level players whose PDP numbers stand out above the rest. As intended by USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline, this feature offers a unique glimpse into the data associated with a player’s specialized PDP report. Stay tuned to learn more about five select players who have found value in the Prospect Development Pipeline and seek to achieve the initiative's goal of funneling grassroot talent onto the national stage and into an ever-elusive big-league opportunity.
Ranked No. 79 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Draft Prospects list is one of Vanderbilt’s standout players, RJ Austin. The junior offers a unique combination of power and speed, not to mention his versatility in the field. Originally assigned as a middle infielder for the Commodores during his first two years in Nashville, Austin has found a new home as a utility man and now sees time in both the outfield and infield, thriving in his current role as a shutdown defender with a big arm. In addition, Austin is a force to be reckoned with at the plate, showing his balance as a top prospect by consistently hitting in the leadoff spot for a tough Vanderbilt squad.
In 2024, Austin earned a spot on USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, competing on the squad’s International Friendly Series roster in a five-game set against Chinese Taipei. Austin excelled in the summer circuit, batting .316 for the stars and stripes with a homer and four stolen bags. Prior to fulfilling his commitment to Vanderbilt, the Georgia native earned a roster spot on the 2021 18U National Team and also participated in USA Baseball’s development-based PDP League in 2021.
Austin rounds the bases after belting a solo shot for the Collegiate National Team in a contest against Chinese Taipei on July 1, 2024
During his time in these events, Austin not only thrived on the field, but showed out on assessment day as well. He showcased his speed by running a 3.60-second 30-yard sprint while flashing his athleticism and jumping 10-foot-6 in the broad jump; the former would have landed him in the top 10 of all participants in the 2024 MLB Draft Combine with the latter placing him first among all players. Despite his more compact frame and size, Austin’s bat speed caught attention as well, turning in a max in-game exit velocity of 107.2 mph at the plate.
“RJ is a multi-tool player. First of all, his 30-yard sprint was incredibly fast, allowing him to be an excellent defender in the field with his speed,” said USA Baseball’s Assistant Director of Systems and Analytics, Manny Portugal. “Even though he’s naturally more of a contact guy with an ability to get on base, his peak power metrics shows his power potential and that he can hit the ball exceptionally hard. When you merge those attributes, it’s going to result in a lot of extra-base hits, which he did during his time with the Collegiate National Team. Combining his versatility in the field with his ability to get on base and hit the ball hard results in a unique composition of a guy that you can rely on in whatever position you put them in.”
Austin continues to up his draft stock, as he is currently posting a career-best year at Vanderbilt and batting above the .350 mark while leading the Commodores in hits (26) and triples (3) through the first 19 games of the season. His potential to improve and maintain his high level of play has landed him on the 2025 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List, USA Baseball’s prestigious honor awarded annually to the top amateur baseball player in the nation.
Coming in at No. 77 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Draft Prospects list is another young talent who recently donned the stars and stripes, Josh Hammond. A North Carolina native, Hammond is in his senior season at Wesleyan Christian Academy where he thrives as a two-way player. His physical prowess and raw power combine for an intriguing profile of a player who can dominate on both sides of the ball.
Hammond’s 2025 season was preceded by an invitation from the highly-touted USA Baseball 18U National Team this past summer, where he garnered the role as one of the team’s marquee starters on the bump. The hurler’s arsenal consists of a fastball that sits in the mid-90s while he complements his heater with solid secondary stuff. His versatile toolset helped propel the stars and stripes to a gold-medal finish in the 2024 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier in Panama. There, he tallied two starts for the stars and stripes-including a start in the championship game-chalked a 1-0 record with a 3.00 ERA on the mound and fanned six batters in 7.0 innings of work.
Hammond hurls a pitch in the 2024 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier championship versus Panama
Looking at the data, it is easy to see why Hammond secured a spot in USA Baseball’s national team programming. The high schooler showed off his athleticism by sprinting a 3.78-second 30-yard dash while jumping 10-foot-5 in the broad jump. Hammond also registered a height of 17.3 inches in the countermovement jump test and produced a peak power of 5,385 watts. His athletic-based metrics translated to the diamond during in-game play as well, smoking a ball with a 106.4 mph exit velocity at the plate while topping out at 95.3 mph on the bump.
Hammond’s final year at Wesleyan Christian Academy is off to a hot start, as he currently leads his team in various statistical categories including batting average (.560), hits (14), RBIs (8), runs scored (10), and home runs (3). Come June, Hammond will surely be a name circulating major league front offices, but Wake Forest baseball fans hope to see the Demon Deacon commit in Winston-Salem next spring.
Moving down the list, two-time USA Baseball alum Nolan Schubart finds himself at No. 30 on MLB Pipeline’s draft prospect rankings. Already possessing big-league physicality with his 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame, Schubart is a versatile player and key piece for a competitive Oklahoma State team. The junior consistently bats third in the Cowboy lineup and has the stats to show for it, hitting at a .333 clip against collegiate competition as of March 27th. In addition, Schubart was named to the 2025 Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List, the lone Poke to earn the honor.
If he was not already, Schubart currently finds himself in the national spotlight after an impressive summer circuit with the 2024 Collegiate National Team. In a five-game set against Chinese Taipei and one intrasquad contest, Schubart batted .429, notched six hits including four extra-base knocks, and barreled a team-best two home runs. He also led the squad of collegiate stars in RBIs (7) and runs scored (6). Prior to his time with the Collegiate National Team, Schubart first represented the U.S. after he earned a spot on the 2019 15U National Team. Just six years ago, Schubart hit .250 with six hits and five RBIs to help lead the stars and stripes to a gold-medal finish at the 2019 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier.
Schubart slides into home during a 9-0 win against Chinese Taipei at First National Bank Field in Greensboro, N.C. on July 2, 2024
Schubart’s physical dexterity is evident in his PDP metrics, registering an enormous 6,721 watts of peak power while posting a max in-game exit velocity of 109.7 mph. Additionally, he surpassed the 10-foot mark on the broad jump and ran a sub-four second 30-yard dash with a time of 3.85 seconds.
Primarily playing right field, Schubart has started all 22 games for Oklahoma State and has consistently been a force to be dealt with at the plate, notching eight multi-game games. Ranking among the best on the team, Schubart owns over 25 hits and 25 RBIs apiece while leading the team in free passes with 19 walks. The Michigan native is slashing .333/.460/.630 and is only getting better as the season progresses.
Next, is one of the top high school prospects in the nation, Billy Carlson, who lands at No. 12 among draft-eligible players according to MLB Pipeline. Among a deep field of talent hailing from Southern California, Carlson stands out with his two-way potential and ability to play consistently at an elite level. He presents upside both at the plate and in the field, possessing a solid frame with room to grow. Not only can he pitch in the mid to upper 90’s, but the shortstop fields an impressive glove and has pop at the plate to supplement.
Carlson has participated in a pair of USA Baseball events in Cary, North Carolina, including the 16U/17U National Team Development Program (NTDP) in 2023 and 18U National Team Training Camp in 2024. Additionally, Carlson competed at the 2024 National High School Invitational (NHSI), where he helped Corona (CA) hoist the trophy and will look to do so again this April at the premiere high school baseball tournament held at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
Carlson bats at the 2023 16U/17U NTDP held in Cary, N.C.
Carlson’s athletic-based numbers and on-field data have caught the attention of fellow players and scouts over the years, striving towards stardom and the opportunity to play baseball at the next level. His ability to sling the ball across the diamond is seen in his 96.9 mph max in-game fastball velocity while his max in-game exit velocity of 103.4 reveals his physicality at the plate. Carlson’s dexterity led him to producing a phenomenal 21 inches of height in the countermovement jump and a 10-foot-5 broad jump, in addition to generating a peak power production of 5,544 watts.
His high school season is off to a blazing hot start for the Corona Panthers, the top-ranked high school in the nation according to MaxPreps. On a deep roster that features several DI commits, the Tennessee commit consistently proves his ability to stand out among the field. Through 13 games, the senior shortstop is among the best on the team in batting average (.364), RBIs (16), and OPS (1.269). In 11.2 innings pitched last year, Carlson yielded a 0.60 ERA and allowed only four hits. Despite having made only two appearances on the bump this season, Carlson has made two appearances on the bump this season, tossing a total of 3.0 frames with six strikeouts as he remains a viable arm for Corona when needed.
It is hard to imagine anyone is having a more impactful year of development than MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 ranked draft prospect and 18U National Team alum, Kayson Cunningham. The Texas commit owns a more compact frame but uses it all to his advantage to place him among the top three highest rated high school prospects behind Ethan Holliday (No. 1) and Seth Hernandez (No. 5). Cunningham’s knack of routinely barreling the baseball combined with his strong arm makes him a top prospect at the infield position come June.
Cunningham made all the stops in the Tar Heel State over the past six years, participating in USA Baseball’s 13U/14U Athlete Development Program in 2019 and 16U/17U NTDP in 2022 and 2023. The hard work paid off, as Cunningham earned a roster spot on the 2024 18U National Team – one year after missing the cut for the same opportunity as a 17-year-old. He not only made the team this past summer, but proved to be one of the best athletes to take the diamond for the squad in international competition. The Texas native batted .417, picked up at least one base knock in each of the team’s eight games, and led the team in RBIs (12). In two instances, Cunningham produced the go-ahead run for the United States as he powered the team’s undefeated, gold-medal run in the 2024 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier. His heroics not only earned him Tournament MVP honors, but he was also tabbed as the 2024 USA Baseball Richard W. “Dick” Case Player of the Year.
Cunningham fields a ball during the 2024 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier in Panama City, Panama
Looking at the numbers Cunningham registered during PDP testing, his ability to assemble MVP-caliber numbers and a ranking within MLB Pipeline’s top 10 draft prospects comes as no surprise. The high school senior launched himself an impressive 10-foot-8 in the broad jump while sprinting a 3.61-second 30-yard dash. He also recorded a 100.9 mph in-game exit velocity due to his impressive 5,750-watt peak power production. Cunningham’s countermovement jump was among the best as well, gaining 19.9 inches of vertical lift.
Cunningham is currently in his senior season at Johnson High School in San Antonio, Texas. The hard-swinging left-handed hitter thrives in his natural position at short while finding time on the bump for the Jaguars as well. He looks to lead Johnson to another deep playoff run, as the Jaguars reached the Texas 6A Baseball State Semifinals in 2024.
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