It’s never too early to start thinking about the MLB Draft, no less ones that are set to take place years from now.
Baseball America certainly agrees, and just released their list of their top high school prospects for the 2024 MLB Draft. Of course, New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series participants were prominently featured.
Theo Gillen, a currently uncommitted shortstop, comes in at No. 5 on the list, while David Hogg, who recently made his commitment to LSU, was ranked at No. 26.
One of the youngest players at the 2020 Underclass Combine, Gillen shined as a two-way threat at the time, recording several strikeouts on the mound as a pitcher, but also shining at the plate, reaching base in two of three plate appearances.
Hogg has some more recent experience at FSS events, coming through the Dallas regional combine to earn an invite to the Underclass Combine, which he then parlayed into a successful showing at the inaugural Underclass Elite event in Orlando.
In a recent interview with FutureStarsSeries.com, Hogg praised the events, and is eager to get back to one of the upcoming jewel event.
“Getting (to play with) guys from all over the country — there were even a few guys from Canada — that was crazy to get to talk to all of those guys,” he said. “The coaches; it was a great environment to play in and get better. It was way different than those showcases where it’s crow hop and throw into a net. It was really the instruction part of it, getting us better. All the coaches overall were getting us better for outside the event, they wanted to invest in us and get us better for our future. It was really fun, and I look forward to doing it again.”
Gillen is described as having a “lean, athletic build with plenty of space to layer strength on to his 6-foot-2 frame” by Baseball America, touting, among other things, his “strong offensive track record with a line-drive swing and a knack for using the opposite field.”
Baseball America listed Hogg as a “smart, steady player who consistently puts together quality at-bats” and projects that his current gap power will “increase given his bat speed and the strength projection left in his 6-foot-2 frame.”
