PHOENIX -- The MLB Draft Combine gives high school and college players alike opportunities to impress all 30 teams in a variety of ways. Some just come to get their medicals done and have face-to-face meetings with front-office decision-makers. Many take advantage of the chance to provide glimpses of what they can do on the field, albeit in a controlled environment.
Day 1 of the 2025 Combine was full of batting practice rounds, on-field bullpen sessions and infield/outfield work with a ton of eyes on the participants’ every move. Here’s a list of standouts from the first day of action, listed in order of ranking on MLB Pipeline’s Draft Top 200 list.
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Quentin Young, 3B/OF, Oaks Christian HS, Calif. (No. 33): Sure, there are questions to answer about swing-and-miss in his game and what position he plays long term, but Young looked like a man among boys in many ways, even though he just turned 18 in March. His size (6-foot-6) and strength stood out at the plate and he recorded the three hardest exit velocities (max EV was 115.4 mph) in the early BP sessions. Committed to LSU, Young hit 11 balls over 100 mph and looked athletic with smooth and fluid actions during infield drills.
Tate Southisene, SS/OF, Basic HS, Nev. (No. 41): Southisene’s brother, Ty, was a fourth-round pick of the Cubs in last year’s Draft. Tate, a Southern Cal recruit, is billed as a stronger, more physical Southisene and he lived up to that. He had 12 balls 100 mph or harder off the bat during his BP session and hit three over 400 feet, with two of the three farthest blasts in the early session.
Brandon Compton, OF, Arizona State (No. 46): Compton had a huge 2024 at ASU and hit well on the Cape last summer, raising the expectation bar for him this season. He didn’t surpass it, batting .271 with just nine homers and a 21 percent strikeout rate. But his raw power is tremendous and it was on display in the afternoon hitting session. He had the 12 highest exit velos in that second session, three of them north of 116 mph. He had five of the top seven recorded EVs in Combine history. He also hit four balls over 400 feet, maxing out with a 441-foot blast.
Jordan Yost, SS, Sickles HS, Fla. (No. 59): The Florida recruit was a bit of a popup prospect this spring after not doing much on the summer showcase circuit, and he showed off his professional approach from the left side of the plate during BP. He might have been even more impressive with how good he looked at shortstop during infield work.
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Dean Livingston, RHP, Hebron Christian HS, Ga. (No. 86): Committed to Georgia, Livingston’s fast arm delivered the six hardest fastballs in the early pitching session. The 6-foot-4 projectable right-hander topped out at 97.6 mph and threw 11 heaters (some two-seamers, some four) 95 mph or harder.
Taitn Gray, C/OF, Dallas Center-Grimes HS, Iowa (No. 92): A switch-hitter with a chance to catch who has easy plus raw power? Yes, please. While Quentin Young had four of the top seven exit velocities in the early session, Gray had the other three, between 110.8 to 112.4 mph. Committed to Oreon, he also had the longest blast of the morning at 416 feet, one of four he hit over 400 feet during his BP session.
Gustavo Melendez, SS, La Merced HS, PR (No. 134): The top player in this year’s class from Puerto Rico, Melendez came in as one of the youngest in the class -- he doesn’t turn 18 until October -- and as one who had a reputation for a feel for hitting. He showed that off from the left side of the plate, routinely hitting the ball hard. But the Wake Forest recruit really shined when taking infield, showing excellent actions at shortstop, important for a player some felt was destined to move to second base eventually.
CJ Gray, RHP, Brown HS, NC (No. 171): A premium athlete who could have chosen to play quarterback in college, Gray has a super-fast arm, albeit with some inconsistencies. During his bullpen session, however, the North Carolina State recruit showed off his dynamic athleticism on the mound with a power sinker that was up over 96 mph.
Reid Worley, RHP, Cherokee HS, Ga. (NR): While the radar gun was buzzing for many, Worley made the spin rate reader work overtime. The Kennesaw State recruit showed off his killer breaking ball, with the top four spin rates in the early pitching session, topping out at 3201 rpm. His 3,008 average rpm during his session compares very favorably to the MLB average of 2,578 rpm for all curveballs in 2025.