Here are the standouts from Day 1 of the 2024 Draft Combine
PHOENIX -- The first day of the 2024 MLB Draft Combine was all about on-field workouts as close to 40 players were put through their paces at Chase Field with batting practice, infield/outfield work and throwing bullpens from the Major League mound.
A number of players stood out across the board Tuesday, with evaluators from all 30 teams on hand to take in all the action. Here¡¯s a list of Day 1 standouts, in alphabetical order (with their Draft Top 200 ranking where applicable):
More on the Draft Combine:
Myles Bailey, 1B/3B, Lincoln HS (Fla.) (No. 167): Though just a teenager, Bailey looked like man among boys with his chiseled 6-foot-4 frame, and the muscle wasn¡¯t just for show. The left-handed-hitting Florida State recruit put on a batting practice show, hitting three balls 110 mph or harder, and 10 over 105 mph total, denting quite a few seats in right field. His biggest blast topped out at 440 feet.
Conrad Cason, RHP/SS, Greater Atlanta HS (Ga.) (No. 99): While most see his future on the mound, Cason sure did impress as a position player on Day 1. Still just 17, he turned in an impressive batting practice with nine balls over 100 mph off the bat, and also looked very smooth with an obviously strong arm at shortstop. The Mississippi State recruit did not pitch.
Trey Gregory-Alford, RHP, Coronado HS (Col.) (No. 125): Gregory-Alford¡¯s size and arm strength stood out on the summer showcase circuit, throwing very well in relief for Team USA, and it was all on display here on the mound. Gregory-Alford threw the seven hardest fastballs of the afternoon, popping the lone 100-mph reading on the radar gun. Committed to Virginia, Gregory-Alford didn¡¯t throw a fastball under 95 mph and showed a low-80s slider with solid break.
Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee HS (Fla.) (No. 30): After missing the summer showcase circuit, Lindsey rushed up Draft boards by showing off his plus athleticism on both sides of the ball this spring. The former quarterback has close to top-of-the-scale speed -- we¡¯ll get to see how well he runs the 30-yard dash later in the week -- and the Florida recruit looked very smooth with enough arm at shortstop while swinging the bat well with his short right-handed swing during BP.
Jared Jones, 1B, Louisiana State (No. 119): Equipped with as much raw power and bat speed as perhaps anyone in the class, the 6-foot-4 slugger had both on display here on Tuesday. He tied for the lead with four balls of 110-plus mph and had two of the top three farthest balls hit, with two blasts of 450 feet or more.
PJ Morlando, OF, Summerville HS (S.C.) (No. 57): Morlando may have been the only one to match Jones in terms of BP displays. The winner of the High School Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game last July, the South Carolina recruit also had four balls of 110-mph plus and reached the distance leaderboard with a 445 foot mammoth home run to right field.
Cade Obermueller, LHP, Iowa (NR): The Draft-eligible sophomore reliever will be added to our prospect rankings when we expand to 250. Throwing from a lower slot, the lefty¡¯s slider was particularly sharp, throwing two with more than 3,000 rpm and one north of 2,900 while also showing off a 93-95 mph fastball with good spin as well. Obermueller's the son of former Major Leaguer Wes Obermueller, who was drafted by the Royals in the second round in 1999. His father pitched in The Show for five seasons with Kansas City, Milwaukee and Florida.
Sawyer Strosnider, OF, Brock HS (Texas) (No. 153): Strosnider showed off his considerable arm strength from the outfield, uncorking one 99 mph throw during drills. The left-handed hitter, who is committed to Texas Christian, also showed the source of his raw power with seven swings leading to exit velocities over 100 mph.
Here's the Day 1 leaderboard in a variety of advanced metrics:
Distance:
Harlan -- 453.4
Jones -- 452.3
Jones -- 450.2
Morlando -- 445.2
Morlando -- 444.6
Bailey -- 439.5
Jones -- 437.9
Harlan -- 436.8
Carter Mathison (NR) -- 436.3
Morlando -- 428.6
Spin rate:
Cade Obermueller (NR) -- 3032
Obermueller -- 3014
Obermueller -- 2947
Luke Sinnard (No. 184) -- 2867
Janzen Keisel (NR) -- 2796
Keisel -- 2764
Sinnard -- 2754
Sinnard -- 2752
Sinnard -- 2748
Sinnard -- 2747