As the fall winds down and players prep for the upcoming Spring, we've continued to evolve the 2025 AL Rankings and update it for the final time in 2024 with a few small changes inside the top-235. As the build-up for the high school season is in full swing, we shine the light on a few of the prospects who have elevated their status as candidates for the upcoming MLB Draft as well as the top uncommitted prospects by position. 

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As always, the evaluation process is a fluid and ongoing process with multiple viewings in order to get the best feel for players abilities. It’s important to note that as players continue their development some show marked improvement at a much more rapid pace. That doesn’t indicate that other players got worse or went backwards, it’s just how player development works. As the year unfolds, players make improvements and new prospects pop up on the radar expanding the Prep Baseball rankings universe. In addition to the evaluations of players, our scouts, both those in Alabama and nationally, have also had multiple discussions with each other to review our individual lists and then make adjustments based on what we've each seen. 

To view the Class of 2025 Rankings, CLICK HERE.

 

The Top of the Class

When continuing to comb through these rankings and discussing with our staff, it's become clear to us that the four prospects mentioned below have cemented themselves as legitamite MLB Draft candidates in the class. Since post-spring, the order of the top-3 with Caleb Barnett, Eric Hines, and Ma'Kale Holden has stayed the same throughout the past few updates. Now enter Steele Hall, the long-time top-ranked prospect in the 2026 class in Alabama who is committed to Tennessee who recently announced he will re-classify to the 2025 class. The gap within all four of these prospects is fairly thin with all prospects bringing different tools and intangibles to the table, and will be worth monitoring over the next few months as the high school season continues to creep closer. All four of these prospects are going to get considerable buzz for the next summer's MLB Draft. Here's how we have them pegged heading into the off-season:

Caleb Barnett 3B / RHP / Mountain Brook, AL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 "Barnett immediately stands out on the diamond with one of the more impressive and projectable frames in the class. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound right-handed hitter features some lean, natural strength on an athletic frame that he routinely got to in batting practice with considerable power potential. There was some swing and miss throughout the week, though he got limited at-bats as a two-way, but a professional vibe permeated from his actions in the box and there is some thunder in the barrel. Hunching into a deeper hands load with a knee-knock leg kick, Barnett showcased big bat speed with length in the zone as the ball stayed on the barrel throughout batting practice while driving it from gap to gap. The exit velocities are likely to shine all summer as Barnett appears to have a path for rising into the top end of the class given the physical attributes. Competitive on the mound with a quick arm, there was less polish and upside than as a position player, but it helped to amplify his willingness to compete. In the end, the workouts will always open eyes for the Alabama native via Pennsylvania, but the in-game production will ultimately dictate just how high the ceiling is."

Eric Hines OF / American Christian, AL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 2 / POS: 1 "Hines showed why he is the top available uncommitted prospect in the 2025 class in Alabama, as he impressed in every facet of his game. The three-sport star already looks the part at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds while also looking like a high-level center fielder as he continually got great reads off the bat and truly covered gap-to-gap. The advanced read off of the bat, partnered with the ability to run balls down make it look easy for him defensively. The current arm strength is adequate and will continue to develop over the years. Offensively, Hines shows electric bat speed with an uphill bat path and simply makes it look easy in the box. The operation is simple as he is simple on the front side with a short, controlled load of the hands. Hines possesses plenty of explosiveness and quick twitch to his offensive profile, and is a threat to leave the yard each time he steps in the box. He can get to pitches on the inner-half, but is also disciplined enough to hammer balls to the back-side on pitches on the outer-half. The home run he hit in Game 2 was a no-doubter over the RCF fence on a pitch on the outside part of the plate. He averaged a double-double in basketball this season, and is also a standout WR/FS recruit on the gridiron. While he is not a finished product at all on the diamond, the advanced athleticism and ease at which he does things make him a high-level follow in the 2025 class in Alabama."

Ma'Kale Holden 3B / RHP / Thompson, AL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 3 / POS: 2 "Holden has produced all year for the Warriors, including a walk-off Grand Slam that propelled them to the 7A Elite 8 and he continued those ways last weekend in a two-way role The Alabama recruit has easy juice in the barrel as the ball comes off the barrel differently than the normal high school player. The front side is simple as he simply gets the foot down early and the barrel follows through the hitting zone on a slightly uphill plane. The 6-1, 203-pounder works the hands directly to contact with carry and backspin to the pull side. Holden doubles as a premium arm that was up to 93 mph in his Game 2 start in which the Warriors were able to win. Working from a higher 3/4 slot and a lightning quick arm, Holden showed a solid 2-pitch mix. The fastball was 88-91 mph (T93) with late sink that he was able to locate well to the gloveside. The breaking ball (73-76 mph) is a major weapon with late depth showing more 12/6 shape. The delivery was clean and efficient as he used his powerful lower half well working down the mound."

Steele Hall SS / OF / Hewitt Trussville, AL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 4 / POS: 1 "Tennessee recruit. 5-foot-10, 152-pounds. Lean, wiry frame with game-changing athleticism. Just another weekend at the park for the state's No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class, as he near the top of most leaderboards and continued to do what we've seen him do for the last four years. Consistent line drives gap-to-gap generating low-90 EVs and a top EV of 97.7 mph in what appeared to be a low-effort, low-pulse round of BP during the workout. Has such a knack for finding the sweet spot on the barrel while meeting the ball with a mostly level path at contact. While he will put on a show during BP, gameplay is where he consistently shows up and makes an impact, as our staff has seen it time and time again. Just a superior athlete clocking a 6.43 60-yard dash and touching 92 mph across the infield. Clean defender with crisp footwork and tons of lateral range. An elite talent who has been doing it and performing at a high-level for quite some time now, and still hard to believe he has two years of high school baseball left."

Uncommitted By Position:

Pitchers: RHP Tanner Hermesch | LHP Payton Hunsaker | RHP Braden McCrary | RHP Holden Dean | LHP Skylar Tucker

C: C Fuller Musgrove | C James Lucas | C Drew Ollis | C Myles Davis | C Blake Westry

CINF: 3B Sam Brown | 1B Newton Gardner | 3B Noah Latham | 3B Levi Pinder | 1B Glavine Lamberth

MINF: SS Casen Fields | INF Drew Puccio | SS Ellis Hamiter | SS Kaden Parrish | INF Nehemiah Hixon

OF: OF Carson Mann | OF Briggs Cameron | OF Santae McWilliams, Jr. | OF Owen Edwards | OF Rock Gearhart

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Upcoming Preseason Events

SHOWCASE	DATE	LOCATION
Birmingham Preseason ID	January 5th, 2025	StrongBox Indoor (Birmingham, AL)
Huntsville Preseason ID	January 8th, 2025	Talley Performance (Huntsville, AL)
North AL Preseason All-State (Invite-Only)	January 11th, 2025	Hartselle HS Indoor (Hartselle, AL)
South AL Preseason All-State (Invite-Only)	January 12th, 2025	Orange Beach Sportsplex (Orange Beach, AL)

 

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