MLB Draft Preview: Left-handed Pitchers

Video: 6-foot-10 Mitchell Stone
Watch the Deer Creek lefthander throw 94 mph during his junior season.

MaxPreps continues it preview of the Major League Baseball draft, which begins on June 12, with a look at the top 5 left-handed high school pitchers.


MacKenzie Gore, Whiteville (N.C.)
Perhaps no high school pitcher has risen up the ranks as much as Gore, who has gone from being one of the top 50 players in the country to one of the top five. Gore's fastball runs in the low 90s, and he also has three other pitches, a rarity for a high school pitcher. He went 11-0 with 158 strikeouts in 76.1 innings while leading Whiteville to a Class 1A state championship.
Potential selection: Top 5 pick

D.L. Hall, Valdosta (Ga.)
Possessing possibly the best curve in the draft, Hall ranks as the No. 2 left-handed prospect. He also has a fastball that tops out around 96 mph but usually sits around 90. After playing at Houston County the past two seasons, Hall transferred back to his original school, Valdosta, for his senior season.
Potential selection: Top half of the first round
Trevor Rogers, Carlsbad (N.M.)
At 6-foot-6, Rogers has the height scouts like to see in starting pitchers. His fastball hits 94-95 mph and has a slider as second pitch that appears to be viable at the next level. Rogers comes from a state not traditionally known for producing first-round picks, but he could become the highest pick ever from New Mexico. Projected as the top left-hander in the draft earlier this year, Rogers has dipped a little and could be the second or third lefty taken. Rogers went 11-0 as a senior with 134 strikeouts and 13 walks and a 0.33 ERA.
Potential selection: Middle of first round

Jacob Heatherly, Cullman (Ala.)
Heatherly might have the best command of his pitches out of the top five listed here. He also has a smooth delivery and is able to hit as high as 96 mph with his fastball. He went 10-1 with 116 strikeouts and a 1.11 ERA for Cullman, which reached the Alabama Class 6A state finals.
Potential selection: Second round

Mitchell Stone, Deer Creek (Edmond, Okla.)
At 6-10, Stone is one of the tallest players in the high school ranks. He throws in the low 90s and has a sweeping curve. He is harder to project than others due to his size (240 pounds), but is seen as having good athletic ability.
Potential selection: Third round