The MLB Draft Combine is one of the final stops on the draft calendar, and for prospect fans and collectors, it’s a rare chance to start putting names to faces before July’s selections. It’s also one of the few events where high school and college talent share the same field, giving a side-by-side look at the next wave of MLB players in one setting.
Day 1 of the MLB Scouting Combine is where things start to feel real. It’s the first controlled environment where tools can be measured head-to-head, the first opportunity for players to separate themselves from the pack, and often the earliest signal of who might be starting to trend upward, both on draft boards and in the hobby.
From high exit velocities to defensive versatility to prospects simply reinforcing what scouts already believed, Day 1 delivered plenty worth tracking. Below are 10 prospects who stood out on Day 1, and more importantly, why their performances matter from a collecting standpoint.
Here are some of the top performers with cards available prior to the draft.
Rocco Maniscalco, SS, Alabama High School
The youngest player at the Combine, Maniscalco may have made the biggest jump of anyone on Day 1.
Coming into the event, I knew very little about his game. I walked away extremely impressed with his performance, especially with his work at shortstop. He was outstanding defensively and, in my opinion, outshined the much more heralded Aiden Ruiz in the field. His actions were smooth, his footwork was clean, and he showed the type of instincts that give him a legitimate chance to stick at shortstop long-term. His arm was also extremely strong, getting some of the top throw speeds (including at least one at 97 mph) at the position.
At the plate, Maniscalco also turned heads. He made hard, consistent contact from both sides as a switch-hitter and showed enough bat speed to project for average or slightly above-average power as he continues to mature physically.
There is still plenty of development ahead but this is exactly the type of player that can see his stock soar over the next year. Between his defensive ability and the emerging offensive upside, Maniscalco is a really intriguing name for prospectors to start stocking up on before the rest of the hobby catches on. He is featured in Panini Stars & Stripes as a member of Team USA.
Caden Bogenpohl, OF, Missouri State
The best batting practice session of the day belonged to Bogenpohl.
The Missouri State outfielder put on an absolute power display, producing the best exit velocities of any hitter in attendance, including a jaw-dropping 119 mph missile. Every round of BP seemed to feature loud contact, and he consistently drove the ball with authority to all fields.
According to scouts who had seen during the season, Bogenpohl made adjustments to his stance and setup at the combine that have allowed him to tap into his raw power more effectively than he did during the season. Based on what he showed at the Combine, those changes appear to be paying immediate dividends.
Defensively he played center field at Missouri State, but his long-term home in professional baseball is likely a corner outfield spot. Fortunately, his bat has the potential to carry the profile. His plus-plus raw power is among the best in this draft class and gives him the upside to become an impact middle-of-the-order hitter.
For collectors, Bogenpohl feels like one of the more intriguing names in the class. The power upside is real, and if he continues to build momentum leading up to the draft, his card market could heat up quickly. It may be wise to scoop up deals on his Leaf cards now before more mainstream products and draft buzz push prices higher.
Mulivai Levu, 1B/3B/OF, UCLA
The teammate of projected No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky, Levu has been on the radar all season and continued to build buzz with his performance. His more well-known teammate has even called him the best hitter in the country, and he backed that up with a loud batting practice showing that matched the hype.
Even more interesting was what he showed defensively. Primarily a first baseman this season at UCLA, Levu also got looks at third base and in the outfield during the defensive portion of the day and handled himself well enough to suggest there may be more positional versatility in his future than previously thought.
A former Team USA member, Levu already has hobby familiarity as well. He is featured in both Panini Stars & Stripes as a member of Team USA and in Onit for UCLA.
He’s the type of player who can take off quickly once he gets into pro ball, and getting in early before draft-day hype fully kicks in, could end up being a sneaky win for collectors looking for upside or even a potential profit flip down the line.
Blake Bowen, OF, California High School
While he may not carry the same name recognition as some of the high school outfielders projected in the upper first-round range, his skill set and production still make him a very intriguing name for collectors. The tools are real across the board, headlined by legitimate power and loud physical traits (70 Power, 60 Run, 60 Arm).
He’s already found his way into Panini Stars & Stripes, and even if he doesn’t come off the board on Day 1, he’s the type of player who should still sign and make the jump into pro ball quickly. That combination of tools, projection, and accessibility in the hobby makes him a classic “get in early” type before the market fully catches up.
Luke Williams, SS/OF, Pennsylvania High School
If not for Rocco Maniscalco, Williams might have been the prospect I was most intrigued by. I knew very little about his game heading into the day, but he quickly stood out as a player with all the tools needed to translate to pro ball.
He’s a strong athlete with real defensive versatility, having played both shortstop and outfield, and the organization that drafts him should have no problem slotting him at either spot early in his career. That kind of flexibility only adds to the appeal.
The one wrinkle here is his commitment to Vanderbilt University, which could make him a tougher sign depending on where he’s selected. Still, from a hobby standpoint, he’s already accessible as he is featured in Onyx products that can be picked up relatively cheaply. That makes him an easy “buy and stash” type of play, where the downside risk is limited if he doesn’t end up signing, but the upside could be very real if he does.
Aiden Ruiz, SS, New York High School
Known primarily for his defense, Ruiz actually made a real impact at the plate as well. He consistently squared the ball up and showed he can be a legitimate hitter at the next level, recording 10 exit velocities over 100 mph during his session.
Defensively, while I thought Maniscalco’s session had a slight edge, Ruiz was solid and showed why the glove has been his calling card during the evaluation process. Ruiz’s all-around showing may have been enough to firmly plant him in the first-round conversation.
From a hobby angle, he’s featured in this year’s Panini Stars & Stripes, and his autographs are still relatively affordable in the $10–15 range. That makes him an interesting early target for collectors, especially if his draft stock continues to climb.
Rintaro Sasaki, 1B, Stanford
Long a favorite of mine, Sasaki finally showed off the power that made him a high school legend in Japan. The all-time high school home run king, he launched the second-longest ball of the day and recorded one of the top five exit velocities at 115.4 mph.
He also experimented with some defensive versatility by taking reps at third base, though his long-term defensive home still looks to be first base. Depending on where he’s ultimately drafted, there’s still some possibility he could play professionally in Japan’s NPB, but given that he came to the U.S. for college, it feels more likely he’ll give pro ball in the States a real shot.
From a hobby standpoint, he’s already well represented in both Panini and Onyx products. While his autographs are priced a bit higher than many prospects, the upside is obvious. If he hits in pro ball, these cards have the kind of profile that could take off quickly in the market.
Here are some of the top performers without cards:
Ethan Wachsmann, RHP, Colorado High School
Wow. I was nearly left speechless watching Ethan Wachsmann throw.
The Wake Forest commit was easily the most impressive arm I saw all day, showing off premium stuff from start to finish. He recorded the event’s fastest pitch at 100 mph and accounted for four of the Top 10 fastest pitches overall.
The velocity wasn’t the only thing turning heads. Wachsmann also produced the three highest spin rates of the day, registering eye-popping marks of 2,916 rpm, 2,870 rpm, and 2,863 rpm. The combination of elite velocity and elite spin gives him some of the best raw pitching traits in the entire prep class.
At the moment, Wachsmann isn’t widely projected as a first-round selection, but performances like this could quickly change that narrative. Even if he remains outside the first round, he feels like the type of high-upside arm that could come off the board in the second or third round and command a significantly overslot bonus.
Simply put, this is a name that draft and prospect fans need to start following closely.
Tyler Putnam, RHP, Missouri High School
While Ethan Wachsmann was the star of the day on the mound, Putnam wasn’t far behind.
The Tennessee commit touched 99 mph and consistently sat in the upper 90s, showing some of the biggest pure arm talent in attendance. He’s an extremely athletic pitcher with plenty of room for further development, making him one of the more projectable arms in the class.
His best secondary offering is a slider that flashes plus potential, though he’ll need to improve its consistency and command to reach his ceiling. The ingredients are all there for him to become a high-end pitching prospect.
If Putnam doesn’t sign an overslept deal this summer and instead heads to Tennessee, he has the kind of upside that could make him a legitimate first-round candidate in three years. Given the track record of pitching development in Knoxville, it wouldn’t be surprising to see his stock soar in college.
This is another arm that draft fans and prospect collectors should keep a very close eye on moving forward.
Dominic Santarelli, 1B/OF, Wisconsin High School
The talented LSU commit put on a show with the bat, recording a 115.1 mph exit velocity, good for one of the Top 5 marks of the event. His batting practice session was arguably the second-best of the entire showcase—trailing only Caden Bogenpohl—and was the best among the high school hitters in attendance.
What stands out most is how effortless the swing looks. It’s compact and direct to the baseball, yet he still generates plenty of loft and carry. The combination of bat speed, strength, and natural leverage gives him a chance to develop into a legitimate middle-of-the-order power threat.
His long-term value is almost certainly going to come from his bat. Defensively, he projects best at first base, though he did participate in drills in right field. While the athleticism is there, his arm strength and defensive instincts in the outfield would need considerable development. Given how advanced the bat already is, it’s hard to envision a major league organization taking him away from first base long enough to fully develop him as an outfielder.
The profile is fairly straightforward: if the hit and power tools continue to progress, he has the offensive upside to become an above-average regular at first base, a position where impact bats are always in demand.
Day 1 set the tone in a big way, with tools, athleticism, and raw upside all on full display. As always, the Combine doesn’t just give scouts more data, it gives collectors their first real glimpse at who might be rising into the spotlight before draft night even arrives. There’s already a strong mix of impact bats, athletic defenders, and high-ceiling names starting to separate themselves from the pack.
The upcoming draft is shaping up to feature plenty of talent worth knowing, and collectors are going to want to stay ahead of it as momentum builds. We’ll be back with coverage from Day 2, breaking down more standouts and sharing our top takeaways on the players who should be climbing onto your radar and into your collection.