Hayden Mullins

There were instances last summer when Mullins appeared to be following in the footsteps of 2018 first-round pick Ryan Weathers, potentially giving the Tennessee high school ranks back-to-back prep lefthanders selected in the first round. Instead, Mullins has battled injuries throughout the spring and scouts have seen him infrequently. He didn’t pitch at USA Baseball’s National High School Invitational in early April, and when he has taken the mound his stuff has not been at the level that it was last summer. Mullins has pitched mostly in the 86-90 mph range this spring, occasionally touching 92 mph with below-average control. That is a stark contrast to what he showed when fully healthy last summer, when he had a low-90s fastball that touched 94 mph and a plus curveball in the 72-79 mph range with great depth. Mullins put on a clinic at last summer’s East Coast Pro showcase, where he looked like one of the better pitching prospects in the class and certainly one of the top prep lefthanders. Mullins has a high leg kick in his delivery that’s reminiscent of MacKenzie Gore, and he’s previously shown the stuff and strike-throwing ability to be a Day 1 draft pick. However, the questions about his size—Mullins is listed at 6 feet, 190 pounds—and durability have grown louder this spring, to the point where he fits more in the third or fourth round. Mullins in an Auburn commit and could re-establish himself as a no-doubt first-round pick with a strong career in the Southeastern Conference.