Emerson Hancock

Some Georgia area scouts see Hancock as the No. 2 pitching prospect in the state behind lefthander D.L. Hall. The ace of the Syrupmakers has a highly projectable 6-foot-4 frame with room to pack on more muscle, and his plus arm speed has scouts dreaming on his upside. Hancock has been a two-way player in high school, playing shortstop when he doesn't pitch, and scouts believe he'll truly take off when he becomes a pitcher-only. He pitches in the low 90s and some scouts have seen him reach as high as 96 this spring. His best offspeed pitch is his changeup, a low 80s offering with late dive and fading action; it projects as a plus pitch. His curveball is flashy but very inconsistent. Thrown in the mid-70s, the pitch sometimes shows long, loopy break and Hancock will occasionally slow his arm down and telegraph the pitch so that he can land it with depth in the strike zone. Sometimes, the pitch shows hard, 12-to-6 snap and looks like an above-average pitch, though Hancock has a long way to go with the pitch. His projection and three-pitch mix could entice a club to take a shot on him now. He is committed to Georgia, and could boost his draft stock by becoming a dominant weekend starter in the Southeastern Conference.