James Ellwanger

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #94 prospect in 2025 draft
  School: Dallas Baptist Drafted/Committed: Nationals ’23 (19)
  Age At Draft: 21.2
  
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Ellwanger rebounded from a shoulder injury that limited him to just 17.2 innings as a freshman in 2024 and emerged as one of the more intriguing arms in the 2025 class. The 6-foot-5, 195-pound righthander posted a 3.98 ERA with 95 strikeouts in 63.1 innings as a draft-eligible sophomore for Dallas Baptist, flashing big stuff and athleticism. A former multi-sport athlete who also played basketball and tennis in high school, Ellwanger is an elite mover on the mound with a clean, explosive delivery and electric arm speed. He works from a high three-quarters, nearly over-the-top slot and operates with a four-pitch mix. His arsenal starts with a plus or better fastball that sits in the mid 90s and has touched 100 mph. Ellwanger gets solid extension on his fastball, but the shape is just modest and his fastball command needs to improve significantly for him to make the most of the pitch. He throws two distinct breaking balls. The first is a downer low-80s curveball and the second is a harder mid-80s slider. Both pitches flash plus and have high spin rates. Ellwanger will also mix in an infrequent and firm changeup around 90 mph. Ellwanger’s control is below-average and will need to improve for him to profile as a starter in pro ball. He’s got huge upside, raw tools and plenty of athleticism and arm speed, but some things to refine to make the most of his talent.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40.
• Ranked #53 prospect in 2025 draft
  School: Dallas Baptist Committed/Drafted: Nationals ’23 (19)
  Age At Draft: 21.2
  
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Ellwanger struck out 141 over 83 innings as a high school senior and thrived on the biggest stage, notching 17 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout in his final career outing in the state semifinals. His 2024 freshman season at Dallas Baptist was shortened due to an injury, but he bounced back with a strong stint in the Cape Cod League where he worked a 2.77 ERA with 22 strikeouts to five walks in 13 innings. At 6-foot-5, 195 pounds, he’s an elite athlete on the mound and former multi-sport athlete who played basketball and tennis. Ellwanger boasts a four-pitch mix featuring a fastball, two distinct breaking balls in a slider and curveball, and a changeup. He attacks from a high three-quarters, nearly over-the-top, slot with electric arm speed. Ellwanger’s double-plus heater has outstanding shape, sitting 92-95 mph and topping out at 100 with ample ride through the strike zone. He holds his velocity throughout his starts. His best secondary offering is his mid-80s slider. It has plenty of sharp, horizontal movement, as well as some vertical depth, making it a plus pitch, as well. Ellwanger maintains his thunderous arm speed, which makes his offspeed offerings all the more effective. In addition to his slider, Ellwanger throws a high-70s curveball. While not as lethal a pitch as his slider, it’s still an effective offering with big shape and generates its fair share of swings and misses. Lastly, Ellwanger flashes a mid-80s changeup with late tumbling action.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Slider: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40
• Ranked #173 prospect in 2023 draft
  School: Magnolia (Texas) West HS Source: HS
  
  Commit/Drafted: Dallas Baptist
  Age At Draft: 19.2
  BA Grade:45/Extreme
  Tools:Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Curveball: 45. Changeup: 45. Control: 45.
  
  Ellwanger showed a solid three-pitch mix at the 2022 Area Code Games, where he sat 90-92 with his fastball, but flashed an above-average breaking ball in the 78-82 mph range and also showed a decent, mid-80s splitter. At that event the 6-foot-5, 190-pound righthander struggled with control and also saw his fastball get hit around. He came out of the gate strong during the spring, with a more under-control delivery and a fastball that has consistently been up into the mid 90s and touching as high as 97-98 mph. He developed a harder slider in the mid 80s that has better separation from an upper-70s curveball, and he still mixes in a mid-80s splitter that gives him a four-pitch mix. Ellwanger moves well on the mound, but does feature a bit of head whack and slight recoil in his finish. While there’s room to improve his delivery a bit, Ellwanger does have a workhorse pitching frame and looks like the sort of player who will throw even harder in the near future. He’ll be 19 on draft day and if he makes it to campus at Dallas Baptist he’ll be a draft-eligible sophomore in the 2025 class.