COLLEGE RECRUITING RANKINGS
#1 MIAMI
RECRUITING COORDINATOR: Norberto Lopez
TOP RECRUIT: Victor Mederos, RHP (No. 59)
OVERVIEW: Miami landed three top 100 recruits and five top 200, leading the nation in both categories. As a result, the Hurricanes have the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, their first ever top-ranked class. Miami has strong depth among its incoming position players, but just as importantly brings in high-impact talent on the mound, which will help it rebuild its pitching staff after losing all three members of the weekend rotation to pro ball.
HITTERS: Yohandy Morales (No. 77) offers big upside thanks to a loose righthanded swing and big 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame that gives him plenty of power projection. He’s already big for a shortstop, but his hands and footwork are good enough to keep him on the infield. Catcher Carlos Perez (137) stands out for his catch-and-throw ability and reminds some of former Hurricanes star Yasmani Grandal. He has big offensive potential as well but needs to improve his feel for hitting to get the most out of his bat speed. CJ Kayfus (344) is a standout hitter with a smooth lefthanded swing. He is an excellent defender at first base with enough athleticism to play left field as well. Outfielder Chad Born has a good feel for the barrel and produces good bat speed but is still developing his power. Infielders Luis Espinal and Dominic Pitelli are the sleepers of the class because they didn’t play much on the showcase circuit. Espinal is a corner bat with big power potential, while Pitelli stands out for his defense at shortstop, with plus speed and athleticism.
PITCHERS: Victor Mederos has a physical 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame and a powerful mix on the mound. His fastball consistently gets up to 95-96 mph and he pairs it with a sharp, biting slider, while also mixing in a changeup and a hammer curveball. Righthander Alejandro Rosario (60) doesn’t match Mederos’ physicality but has a big arm. His fastball gets into the upper 90s and he mixes in a changeup and slider which each have above-average potential. Righthander Jake Smith (146), a junior college transfer, is listed at 6-foot-5, 180 pounds and combines projection with present stuff. He throws his fastball in the mid-90s and pairs it with a promising breaking ball that could play in the Hurricanes’ rotation right away. Righthander Jamar Fairweather has a strong frame and has been up to 95 mph but didn’t show quite that much velocity last summer.
#2 LOUISIANA STATE
RECRUITING COORDINATOR: Nolan Cain
TOP RECRUIT: Dylan Crews, OF (No. 54 before opting out of the 2020 draft)
In and righthander , the Tigers have cornerstones for this class
