Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The College World Series final features several top MLB Draft prospects despite missing some big names.
- North Carolina and Oklahoma bring athletic versatility and solid contact skills that could translate well to pro levels.
- The draft debate centers on which players can develop enough power or defensive consistency to move beyond utility roles.
As far as MLB Draft talent goes, the College World Series final matchup between No. 5 North Carolina and unseeded Oklahoma isn't particularly star-studded. UCLA's Roch Cholowsky and Georgia Tech's Vahn Lackey didn't even make it to Omaha, while other big names like Alabama's Justin Lebron and Georgia's Daniel Jackson have already headed home.
But there's no end to the narrative intrigue when it comes to two storied but starving programs, and there will still be plenty of future pros dotting Charles Schwab Field for Game 1 on Saturday night. Who should you have your eye on as you look ahead to the draft next month? Here are seven names to know.
SS Jake Schaffner, North Carolina
Schaffner transferred in from North Dakota State this past offseason and has immediately become a fixture atop the Tar Heel lineup, with a 1.018 OPS so far this year. There's very, very little power in the profile, but it's not hard to squint and see a poor man's Nico Hoerner here thanks to his slick middle-infield defense, knack for making contact and great wheels on the bases. Of course, that profile leaves little margin for error as you start to face the best pitching in the world, but the next time Schaffner fails to hit will be the first.
C/OF Brendan Brock, Oklahoma
Brock has been one of the primary engines behind Oklahoma's Cinderella run to the CWS final, with a whopping six multi-hit games since the NCAA Tournament began (and three hits in the Sooners' big win over Georgia to eliminate the Dawgs earlier this week). He's also one of the more unique players in the country, athletic enough to play all over the outfield but also a rapidly improving defender behind the plate. It's not often you get a guy who can play both catcher and center field, and Brock will likely have to choose one or the other as a pro, but it speaks to his skill set — and if he can make enough contact, he's got serious pop in his bat too.
RHP Ryan Lynch, North Carolina
Lynch and Jason DeCaro (more on him in just a moment) have been the twin pillars atop the UNC rotation all year long. Scouts seem to slightly prefer the former as a prospect, largely thanks to his bowling-ball sinker that sits in the mid-90s and a slider that could become plus if he can develop a bit more consistency with it. Whether he pans out as a starter will ultimately come down to improving his command and developing a better third pitch, but at worst the sinker/slider combo should work like gangbusters coming out of the bullpen.
3B Camden Johnson, Oklahoma
The nature of OU's depth chart has forced Johnson to play third base, but he's a tremendous athlete who could well transition to shortstop in the Minor Leagues. The real question is whether he'll hit enough to ever become something more than a handy utility man: He's shown hardly any power as a college hitter, meaning he'll need to run Luis Arraez-like batting averages or really stand out as a defender in order to become a starting-caliber big leaguer.
RHP Jason DeCaro, North Carolina
DeCaro has been a mainstay in the Carolina rotation since he was a 17-year-old freshman three years ago, and he'll make one more start for the Heels in Game 1 on Saturday night. The stuff hasn't really taken off the way scouts were hoping it would when he first burst onto the scene: The fastball is more 92-93 than 95, and his trio of breaking balls have all stayed around average. When you have the command and pitchability DeCaro does, you can make that work, but as things stand it's a back of the rotation profile unless he can take a leap in a pro organization.
SS Jaxon Willits, Oklahoma
If that name sounds familiar: Yes, Jaxon is the older brother of Eli Willits, who went No. 1 overall last year to the Washington Nationals. Jaxon doesn't have as loud of a skill set as Eli does, but he's solid across the board, a solid shortstop with good plate discipline and contact skills even if he'll never hit for a ton of power. As good as he's been for the Sooners this season, that lack of a carrying tool probably means he'll be more of a utility player or fifth infielder at the MLB level.
OF Owen Hull, North Carolina
Hull shifted over to center field upon transferring to UNC, where he's posted a blistering 1.121 OPS in his first season for the Heels. He has an awfully funky swing that produces too many ground balls and prevents him from tapping fully into his power, but the results speak for themselves. If he can defend well enough to stick in center as a pro, he could carve out a role for himself as a fourth outfielder even if he doesn't hit like a starter.
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