2027 High School Draft

Dylan Seward is one of the most exciting, explosive players in the 2027 Draft. His tools are seemingly limitless.

A switch-hitter, Seward has traits to fall in love with from both sides of the plate. As a righty, it's tighter turns with a flatter path, a keen ability to backspin the baseball with strength behind the ball. He's short into the zone and long through it; a picturesque swing. From the left side there's a bit more trunk tilt and emphasis for loft. Seward loses very little bat speed batting left handed, however his contact quality is a bit better as a right-handed hitter at this stage. Seward is going to grow into more and more power with his athletic frame and wiry levers. It's already plus power projection.

The intrigue is just as tantalizing on the bases and in the field. A plus defender at the shortstop position, Seward has above-average arm strength befitting of a player expected to handle the left side of the dirt. Seward is always under control with the glove. His hands, footwork and actions all work in collaboration with decisive, efficient movement patterns when fielding the ball. His direction and internal clock stand out. To top off the profile, Seward is a 70-grade runner who can change the game with his speed. He's flashed 80-grade times of late and may be getting faster as more strength has come onto his frame.

This is a reasonably complete profile with star upside. Seward has the tools to hit at the top of a lineup or right in the middle of it. He's an impact defender with the chance to go to all-star games as a professional.

Westphal has one of the highest ceilings in the 2027 class with all five tools in his belt. He's also a distinguished wide receiver and kick returner for the Blue Valley football program.

Westphal is a menace with a bat in his hands. He's got a short, compact, quick stroke, pulling his hands through the zone hard generating plus bat speed. He's shown a willingness to go back-side with his raw power and will punish mistakes to the pull-side. There's very little swing-and-miss in Westphal's game either. The offensive upside is pretty substantial here, and it's only elevated by supreme athletic tools.

Westphal is already flashing double-plus run times from home to first. He turns singles into double and doubles into triples. He routinely scores from first base on balls in the gaps and runs with his hair on fire, always looking to take the extra base. Westphal is still developing the nuance of stealing bases, but most scouts forecast he'll be a weapon on the in that regard.

Westphal plays centerfield for Blue Valley and has a chance to stay there as a pro. The speed and instincts play beautifully up the middle of the field, though it's fringe-average to potentially average arm strength.

The sky's the limit for Westphal considering his offensive gifts. He's got size, explosive athleticism and has the left-handed stick teams covet.

Grindlinger is one of the more impressive two-way talents the draft has seen in the last handful of years. He has the chops to become a first round pick as both a pitcher and an outfielder.

Grindlinger's ceiling may be highest on the mound where his size, length and handedness all have scouts intrigued. He's already touching 93 with his fastball that sizzles and tails late late to the plate. His left arm has looseness to it and the ball jumps out of the hand free and easy. Grindlinger has shown the ability to manipulate shapes with his heater and consistently lives in and around the zone providing evidence future plus command. Grindlinger may ultimately live in the mid-to-upper 90s with life.

The slider is his best pitch and he's shown a comfort and confidence throwing it. He's run it up there at 81 but more consistently lives 77-79 with considerable downward action. Grindlinger will sweep and bury that pitch away from left-handed hitters and shows an elite willingness to throw it at the back foot of a righty. It's every bit plus breaking ball projection and could end up one of the better breakers in the class. There's also a low-80s cambio that he's shown an ability to kill spin on. That pitch hits the brakes and dives late, primarily with a right-handed hitter at the dish.

The strikes, athlete, arm action and looseness of it all is awfully tantalizing.

As mentioned, it's first round tools at the plate too. He's got long levers and a keen understanding for how to catch the ball out front to create loft. Grindlinger is already flashing plus power projection and punishing the baseball. He uses the middle of the field beautifully. Grindlinger does a nice job anchoring his back hip into a positive forward move, rotating hard against a firm front side and creating significant bat speed. He lags the hands deep in his load creating huge torque, delivering a heavy load through the zone a la Matt Olson. It's a longer stride and a toe tap, both of which seem to consistently be on time. Grindlinger has very good hands and shows the ability to get the barrel to all four quadrants with adjustability that can be rare for a player with his length and levers. His whiffs, while rare, have generally come on elevated velocity. He has shown no issues dealing with spin and is generally unwilling to expand the zone.

Grindliner has some bounce in his step and is a long-strider underway. He's a solid-average runner now, but has the look of a player who could slow down half-a -tick with added size and muscle as he matures.

Grindlinger checks just about every box in the book. He's a premium prospect with a substantial ceiling.

A physical, well-built southpaw hailing from North Carolina, Salerno checks plenty of boxes when scouting a high school pitcher for the draft. It's a durable frame and a fast-moving athlete on the bump. He generates well-above average extension down the mound and his stuff sneaks up on hitters thanks to a tough low three-quarter slot. Salerno has a longer arm action, but pounds the strike zone.

Salerno's fastball has been up to 97 mph with a flatter approach angle and some late cutting action. It's especially effective at the top of the zone and he's been known to blow it by hitters elevated. He'll generally settle in 92-94 after the second inning of work.

Salerno has shown two breaking balls over the course of the last twelve months but seems to be leaning more on a mid-80s bullet slider of late. His capacity for spin is strong, occasionally grabbing 2600+ rpm. A low-80s sweeping slider has been most popular on his menu as a high school junior. There's a low-80s changeup as well. Both pitches flash plus projection featuring conviction, command and consistent execution.

Given the frame, the strikes, the arsenal and the feel for pitching, Salerno checks just about every box a scout is looking for from a high school lefty. So long as the stuff continues to tick up as his draft approaches, he's got first round traits.

Castillo doesn't have the prototypical build of a shortstop, but always tends to leave scouts impressed with his work on the middle infield. It's soft hands with some rangy athleticism and enough arm strength to potentially stick on the left side of the infield. Castillo may ultimately outgrow the shortstop position, but his actions, ability to make throws from multiple angles and footwork could land him at third base at the next level. Castillo is still flashing above-average run times home-to-first, however he's likely to slow down into the average range as he matures.

There's a ton to like offensively here. Castillo has hit at every single stop with a pull-side emphasis and the adjustability necessary to shoot the ball the other way when he's beat. He uses the ground well to create leverage and torque in his swing. It's above-average raw power projection and the innate feel for finding the barrel stands out in a big way. Castillo is going to hit wherever he's playing in 2028.

The athleticism seeps out onto the mound as well. He's been up to 93 mph with a heater that carries through the zone. He's also proven capable of tumbling a nasty splitter through the zone with less than 1000 rpm of spin. It's a good one-two punch, even if it's ultimately a reliever look going forward.

Castillo is an exceptional ballplayer capable of impacting the game on both sides of the ball. The athlete, glove, runner, and especially the bat, have all proven capable providing immediate impact to any lineup he's thrust into.