MLB DRAFT: Connie Mack Scouting Notes, Day 2

The notes below are directly from the scouting notebook of Pat Murphy, supplemented by Jeremy Booth and curated by Jason A. Churchill

FARMINGTON, N.M. — Another productive day on the field with several players separating themselves through performance, athleticism, and projection.
A few standouts:

Dylan Croall, RHP (2026) — NW509 | 6-3/210 | R/R | Chandler-Gilbert CC

Long, lanky frame with plenty of projection remaining. Quick arm worked 89–91 mph with an aggressive attacking mentality. Athletic delivery and the type of body that could continue adding velocity as he matures.

Dylan Cheek, SS (2026) — Midland Redskins | 5-11/180 | R/R | Arkansas

Impressed on both sides of the ball. Played solid defense with a handful of athletic plays and consistently found the barrel offensively. A well-rounded performance from one of the day’s top infielders.

Talon Pate, RF (2028) — DBAT | 5-10/165 | L/R | Uncommitted

Left-handed hitter with a medium frame and above-average athleticism. True 60-grade runner who strung together six consecutive hits during the day. Contact skills are advanced for his age, while the power remains a longer-term projection.

Jack Vasquez, LHP (2027) — Test Baseball | 5-11/170 | R/L | Uncommitted

Medium-to-smaller frame with intriguing stuff. Worked 88–92 mph with a high leg kick and flashed the arm talent that continues to attract attention. Threw two strong innings before command unraveled in the third, where it dropped significantly, and hitters capitalized. Secondary pitches still need refinement, but the raw ingredients are clearly present.

Trey Giametta, RHP (2027) — Midland Redbirds | 6-3/235 | R/R | Alabama

Big arm strength, touching 91–96 mph with a solid slider. Loose arm and plenty of velocity, though command came and went throughout the outing. At times appeared to overthrow, creating additional effort in the delivery.

Drake Hawpe, CF/RHP (2027) — Midland Redbirds | 6-4/205 | L/R | Uncommitted

One of the more intriguing two-way looks of the day. Athletic center fielder with a very good left-handed swing and noticeable bat speed. Pitch recognition remains an area for development. Also worked two innings in relief, showing a lively 91–95 mph fastball and a developing slider. Hasn’t logged many innings on the mound, but the arm strength is undeniable.

Landon Barnes, UTL/DH (2026) — Marlins | 6-0/175 | R/R | Weatherford JC

Served as the designated hitter today and turned in several quality at-bats, including a long home run. Offensive tools showed well. Looking forward to seeing him defensively tomorrow to get a more complete evaluation.

Overall, Day 2 continued to provide quality looks across multiple classes, with several players reinforcing their draft and college profiles while others showed developmental upside worth continued follow-up.

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Pat Murphy

Pat Murphy has built a distinguished career in professional baseball scouting and operations. From 2005 to 2022, he served as an Area Scout for the Tampa Bay Rays, covering Texas and handling assignments from Rookie League to the Majors. He was elected to the Texas Scouts Hall of Fame in 2015. Previously, he spent 15 years with the Houston Astros in roles including Assistant Director of Scouting and Area Scout, building scouting systems and gaining extensive international experience across Latin America. Murphy has recommended 16 players who reached the majors. Since 2022, he's shared his scouting expertise with New Balance Future Stars Series.

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