These 10 players have different routes to a 2027 breakout, but the common thread is room for a meaningful jump. Some have already shown a pitch or a bat that can play at a high level; others are still trying to turn raw ability into dependable results. That gap between tools and production is what makes this group worth tracking.
Breakout Watch: Freshmen | Sophomores | Juniors | Seniors
This is a watch list, not a ranking or a catalog of the sport’s top draft prospects. The cases range from transfers seeking a reset to players whose statistical records barely reflect what their stuff can do.
Arms with a fresh start or a new gear
Brandt Corley, LHP, Liberty
Liberty’s rebuild of Brandt Corley’s arsenal offers a good example of why a pitcher’s past results don’t always settle the question. Across three seasons at Louisiana-Monroe, Corley moved from limited relief work into the rotation, but his ERAs remained high: 6.75, 11.85 and 7.82. In his 2026 junior season, he struck out 61 and walked 31 over 58.2 innings.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound lefthander had traits worth developing. He generated more than 6.5 feet of extension while throwing an 89-91 mph four-seam fastball that touched 93, along with a low-to-mid-80s cutter, a low-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup. The four-seamer often sat in an unhelpful part of the velocity range, though, limiting its impact.
At Liberty, Corley has replaced it with a power sinker sitting 92-94 mph and reaching 95. He is now regularly getting beyond seven feet of extension, and the changeup has more fade and better arm speed despite similar velocity. Those adjustments give him a more coherent foundation. Even moderate improvement in run prevention would mark progress, and the new combination could make him an intriguing senior sign for a club interested in refining a still-raw lefthander.
Finn Edwards, RHP, Georgia
Finn Edwards has the sort of raw stuff that makes his uneven results easier to put in context. The 6-foot-7 righthander began at Iowa Western JC, turned down the Dodgers after they selected him in the 18th round in 2025, and spent 2026 at Arizona State. His Sun Devils workload was just 13.2 innings: a 7.24 ERA, 25 strikeouts and 11 walks. On the Cape, he recorded 17 strikeouts and 10 walks in 14.2 innings.
Georgia gets a fastball that sits 94-95 mph and reaches 97, with cut and ride from a high three-quarters slot. A flat approach angle and plus extension add to its appeal. His mid-to-upper-80s slider is the more refined weapon right now, with tight horizontal break and plus potential. The fastball was less dominant on the Cape, but its velocity, shape and angle were still there. The change of scenery gives Georgia plenty to work with.
The question is whether Edwards can make his long, effortful delivery more repeatable. He drops deeply into a drive and has a lot of moving parts, which can scatter his release and put pressure on his command. If Georgia can help him throw more consistent strikes, the pitch quality could quickly outweigh the modest college track record.
Holden Pantier, INF, Georgia Tech
Holden Pantier’s bat has traveled through several levels; his defensive position is still an open question. After not appearing in a game at Wichita State in 2024, he transferred to Walters State in Tennessee and put together a remarkable sophomore season: .476/.546/.992, 30 home runs, 32 doubles and more walks than strikeouts. He then hit .292/.373/.400 with a homer, four doubles and six steals in 21 Cape Cod League games.
The right-handed hitter starts with a narrow, slightly open stance and high hands, then uses a small leg lift and a pronounced barrel tip to get into a compact, quick swing. Strong wrists, above-average bat speed and physical strength create impact, while his barrel control helps him cover enough of the zone to do damage without relying only on mistakes. Georgia Tech’s hitter-friendly home setting could suit that approach.
Pantier has played shortstop and has the hands and arm for third, but neither spot currently looks like a clear fit. Second base may be the most natural destination. He runs adequately and has some athletic flexibility, so the defensive picture may take time to settle. The hitting case is clearer: his strength, bat speed and feel for the barrel give the Yellow Jackets an opportunity for immediate offensive production.
Hitters who could turn contact into more damage
Ty Mainolfi, 2B, Boston College
Ty Mainolfi has carried a consistent approach from Dayton to Boston College, and the next step is making more of his contact airborne. He hit .304/.409/.473 with seven home runs, 10 doubles and 14 steals as Dayton’s starting second baseman in 2025. After transferring, he batted .323/.411/.444 in the ACC, with two homers, 16 doubles, three triples and 19 steals. His walk and strikeout totals were nearly even in both seasons.
The 6-foot-2 lefthanded hitter combines an aggressive approach with good control of the strike zone. He rarely misses pitches in the zone; his 2026 contact rate there exceeded 90%. That gives his hit tool a strong base. He already has average strength, and his average exit velocity was 89 mph, with a 106 mph mark at the 90th percentile. The harder contact is present, but his batted-ball angles often turn it into grounders. A better path through the zone could unlock more power without requiring a wholesale change to his approach.
Second base remains the likely home, though Mainolfi has also played third and can move around the infield. If he lifts the ball more often while preserving his contact and selectivity, the offensive profile could become much more impactful.
Jamie Palmese, OF, Kansas
Jamie Palmese’s three seasons at East Tennessee State showed both a productive hitter and a hitter with another power gear. As a freshman, he batted .301/.398/.441 with three homers, seven doubles and 15 steals. He jumped to 17 home runs and a .594 slugging percentage as a sophomore, then hit .335/.388/.493 as a junior, with four homers, 20 doubles and 13 steals in 18 tries.
Kansas is looking for the sophomore version of Palmese’s power to reappear more consistently. His raw power is average to a little better, and he can do damage when he stays in the zone. In 2026, however, too much chasing and poor contact angles reduced his impact. The strength is still there, so a more efficient approach could help him recover some of the power output he showed a season earlier.
Early work in Lawrence has offered encouraging signs: Palmese has hit the ball with authority while chasing less. His center-field defense may be just as important. He brings range, instincts and a strong arm, and Kansas coach Dan Fitzgerald has said he could become the best center fielder he has coached. If the bat catches up to that defensive value, Palmese could build meaningful senior-sign interest in 2027.
Evan Wilson, OF, Richmond
Evan Wilson already pairs a disciplined approach with a strong first-season line. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound lefthanded hitter posted a .329/.462/.611 slash line with nine home runs and 15 doubles as a Richmond freshman in 2026, while finishing with nearly as many walks as strikeouts. He made six pitching appearances too, but his future is clearly in the outfield and at the plate.
Wilson’s swing is compact for his size, with good barrel awareness and frequent contact. He can be aggressive without chasing much, handles velocity and has shown he can punish spin. The next question is how much of that contact skill can turn into steady power. His 104 mph exit velocity at the 90th percentile hints at more impact than his below-average game power showed last spring.
There’s enough strength in his frame for that power to emerge, and even a moderate gain would matter because the swing decisions and bat-to-ball ability are already in place. Wilson is a fringy runner who can reach average or slightly better times once underway, but he projects to a corner outfield spot as he adds strength. He’s an intriguing 2028 follow at the mid-major level.
Pitchers whose stuff is ahead of their track record
Casey Euper, LHP, Pepperdine
Casey Euper’s move from UC Santa Barbara to Pepperdine changed the direction of his college career. He recorded only two outs as a UCSB freshman in 2025, then joined the Waves’ rotation and posted a 3.11 ERA with 67 strikeouts and 29 walks in 75.1 innings. He followed that with a 1.19 ERA, 32 strikeouts and six walks over 22.2 innings for Orleans in the Cape Cod League.
The Cape performance came with clear improvement in the arsenal. Euper’s fastball sat 88-90 mph and touched 95 in the spring, then averaged 92 over the summer. It kept its cut-ride action, flat approach angle and elite extension. He repeats a three-quarters release and commands the pitch well, so the fastball was already effective before the velocity increase.
His curveball gained roughly four miles per hour, moving from about 73 mph in the spring to 77 on the Cape while keeping its depth. The sharper version drew more swings. Euper also used his changeup more often; added fade made it a more convincing chase pitch, and it produced ground balls when batters made contact. A short slider with horizontal finish saw less use but remained useful.
At 21 until June, Euper has the size and control to lead Pepperdine’s rotation, with a pitch mix that’s still gaining strength and definition. Another advance could put the draft-eligible lefthander in the first two rounds next July.
Collin Ewaldsen, RHP, Mercer
Collin Ewaldsen has worked mostly as a reliever at Mercer, making 47 appearances over two seasons. In 49.2 innings, he posted a 4.35 ERA with 58 strikeouts, 25 walks and five saves. At 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, he’s undersized, and his current arsenal is narrow. But the fastball gives evaluators a reason to keep watching.
It sits at 91-92 mph and reaches 96, with cut and ride, strong carry at the top of the zone and plus extension. Though he relies on it almost exclusively, it generated a 20% miss rate. A low-to-mid-80s slider offers another possible weapon, showing sweeping depth and a high miss rate in limited use. His changeup is below average and rarely used.
Ewaldsen’s next step is to give hitters another pitch to consider without taking away from the fastball’s strengths. A broader mix or a larger bullpen role could help clarify the fit. He also has room to add strength, and the fastball’s shape gives a professional development group something specific to build around.
Jackson Kircher, RHP, Arkansas
Jackson Kircher’s pitching résumé is short because he came to college with more outfield experience than mound time. He pitched at Oklahoma in 2025 and Arkansas in 2026, with results that reflected how new the role was: a 5.68 ERA, 17 strikeouts and five walks in 12.2 innings as a freshman, followed by a 9.28 ERA, 17 strikeouts and 11 walks in 10.2 innings last spring.
His Cape Cod League summer was a more promising snapshot. Used exclusively in relief, Kircher put up a 2.57 ERA with 28 strikeouts and seven walks across 21 innings. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he has the frame and arm strength to overpower hitters. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and has touched 100, with above-average ride and plus extension. A mid-to-upper-80s power slider gives him another bat-missing pitch, while a low-80s curveball offers a deeper breaking shape.
Kircher improved his control on the Cape, but he’ll need to sustain that progress to make a starting role realistic. The bullpen could still be his best destination: a big righthander with upper-90s velocity, two swing-and-miss pitches and favorable release traits has plenty of appeal. His challenge is to make a brief pitching history more repeatable.
Luke Wiltrakis, RHP, Arizona State
Luke Wiltrakis has barely had a chance to establish a college record. He threw only 7.2 innings across three seasons at Georgia, including no innings in 2025 and just three as a redshirt sophomore last spring. After 6.2 innings on the Cape, he transferred to Arizona State, where his stuff continued to advance during the fall.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound righthander is physically mature and works with effort. He uses a high leg lift and deep arm stroke, then delivers from a low three-quarters slot with noticeable head movement. In Baseball America’s summer look, his fastball sat 93-94 mph and reached 96, with lively run and ride, well-above-average spin and enough carry to miss bats up in the zone.
That outing showed one secondary pitch: a promising mid-80s slider with substantial horizontal sweep and strong spin. It gives him a second plausible swing-and-miss offering, though the pitch mix remains limited and the delivery needs to become more consistent if he is to handle a larger workload. For a pitcher with so little college experience, 2027 should offer the first substantial read on how far the fastball and slider can take him.
A center fielder with room to grow
Jamie Palmese, OF, Kansas
Palmese’s case rests on a useful combination: a record of college production, a chance to regain the home-run power he flashed as a sophomore and defensive value in center. His early Kansas progress suggests the approach may be improving, but the season will show whether those pieces can hold together against regular competition. For this group, that’s the clearest kind of breakout signal: a specific strength already in place, paired with a change that could raise the whole profile.
The 2027 watch list is defined less by one shared path than by timing. Corley and Edwards have new programs working on their delivery and pitch shapes; Euper and Kircher have shown stronger summer versions of their arsenals; Mainolfi and Wilson can turn contact quality into more damage. Their next seasons should reveal which adjustments hold when the innings and at-bats add up.
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