Dakota Hudson

Tall and raw-boned out of high school, Hudson has added 25 pounds over three seasons at Mississippi State. The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder found the range last summer in the Cape Cod League and has continued the momentum, for the most part, as a junior after pitching just 34 innings in his first two seasons for the Bulldogs. Hudson was contending to be the No. 2 college pitcher in the class, after Florida's A.J. Puk, thanks to a four-pitch mix that starts with a fastball that at its best sits 94 mph and ranges from 92-96 mph. His velocity and command have wavered a bit as he blew past his career high for innings. Hudson's hard curveball is plus on its best days in the 78-82 mph range, and he complements it with a an upper-80s cutter and solid-average changeup that help him combat lefthanded hitters better than in the past (.267 opponents average vs. .229 for righthanded hitters). Hudson's fastball command is below-par for the typical top-10 pick but his electric stuff could push him up into that range.