The best part of every draft season is identifying players who have made significant adjustments that cause their stock to soar. These developments could include getting stronger and boosting power numbers, refining swing mechanics, or showcasing their tools against tougher competition. While each of these adjustments may seem small, they can make a huge difference come draft day.
This college season has seen multiple hitters change the narrative around their potential. All came into the season featuring impressive tools but with holes in their game. Through the halfway point of the season, all have seemingly cleaned up those flaws to solidify themselves as potential 1st round picks.
2025 Hitters on the Rise
Gavin Kilen- MIF, Tennessee
Gavin Kilen made the decision this offseason to transfer from Louisville to Tennessee. That might go down as one of his best decisions in his career. Developmentally, Louisville and Tennessee could not be more different. Louisville is an older school program, whereas Tennessee wants to hit home runs, and lots of them. That was the culture Kilen needed.
Kilen’s ability to consistently make contact has never been a question. During the 2024 season, he made contact with 84.5% of pitches he swung at with an impressive 6.4% in-zone whiff rate. He had a major chase problem, with a 36.9% rate, but as I always say, “you can whiff, if you don’t chase. And you can chase, if you don’t whiff. you just can’t do both.” Kilen definitely chased, but he hardly whiffed.
The bigger concern surrounding Kilen was his ability to hit for power. Heading into the 2025 season, he had hit just nine home runs in 100 games. However, through 22 games this season, he has already surpassed that total, with 10 home runs. The developmental changes have been evident.
You might assume that Kilen is simply hitting the ball harder, right? Not exactly. His average exit velocity has only increased slightly, from 89.9 mph last season to 91.9 mph this year. What has really changed is his approach. He’s now swinging at more pitches he can do damage with. His chase rate has dropped significantly, from 36.9% to just 18.2%. When he does swing at pitches in the zone, he’s putting more intent behind his swings. While his in-zone whiff rate has risen to 12.5% from 6.4%, his contact rate has remained consistent at 84.2%. This shows that when Kilen swings, he wants A) the pitch to be in the strike zone and B) to hit it a long way. This new mentality has helped boost his hard-hit rate to 61.1%, up from 43.8%.
Kilen has refined his ability to swing at the right pitches. Recently, many MLB hitters have adopted the mentality, ‘Just because I can make contact doesn’t mean I should swing at it.’ The goal is to do damage with the pitches you choose to swing at. Kilen has always possessed elite bat-to-ball skills and used to swing at everything simply because he could. Now, he’s learning what he should swing at, and this shift in approach has made him a serious contender for a top 10 draft pick.
Ethan Conrad- OF, Wake Forest
Another transfer who has seen their stock rise in 2025, Conrad’s rise is due more to opportunity than development. As a Sophomore at Marist College, he slashed .389/.467/.709 with 9 home runs and 18 doubles, and only struck out 32 times in 55 games. There was a lot of intrigue over Conrad as a prospect, but many wanted to see him do it in the ACC. So far, so good.
In 21 games with Wake Forest, he has replicated his production at Marist. He is hitting .372 with 7 home runs, while only striking out 14 times. He is quickly solidifying himself in the 1st round with his power/contact combination that many MLB organizations will covet.
Conrad’s combination of contact skills and above-average power has translated well to the ACC. He has made contact with 82.4% of the pitches he swings at, while his chase rate is down to 23.6%, an improvement from 30.8% in 2024. Conrad’s power has also developed this season. Last year, he averaged an 89.3 mph exit velocity with a 5.9° average launch angle. This season, he’s averaging 91.9 mph and has raised his launch angle to 13.0°. There’s more intent behind his swings to hit the ball hard and in the air, which has led to a noticeable improvement in his production during his time in the ACC.
Ethan Petry- 1B/OF, South Carolina
Petry is a fascinating case study. As a true Freshman, he came out and dominated on his way to Freshman All-American status. He then followed that season with a disappointing Sophomore slump. The power showed up, but contact and overall hit tool concerns crept into the picture. So far in 2025, it seems he is closer to the Freshman version he showcased in 2023.
Petry’s production was on my radar, but then he did something this weekend that told me the advancements were for real. He got on top of a high heater, and not just any high heater, a Liam Doyle high heater with 22.7 IVB, and a -3.5 VAA. He got on top of a rocket ship, for a home run.
The ability to make contact with that pitch is impressive, but making enough contact to hit it for a home run requires an elite bat path. Even luck and sitting on the right pitch can’t get you there. Once Petry did that, I had to dig deeper into his development.
During the 2024 season, Petry posted a contact rate of 66.2%, a number that would be uncompetitive at the professional level. However, he’s since improved that rate to 77.9%. This jump reflects significant strides in his bat path and overall contact ability, which will translate well at the next level.
There’s never been any concern about Petry’s ability to hit for power, and that’s evident this season. He’s averaging a 94.6 mph exit velocity with a 55.7% hard-hit rate. With that power and the improvements in his contact skills, Petry is firmly back in the conversation for a top-15 pick, just as many expected him to be coming out of the 2023 season.
Jared Jones- 1B, LSU
Similar to Petry, Jared Jones has been one of the most productive power hitters in the SEC over his time at LSU. As a Sophomore last year, he finished with 28 home runs in 66 games. But with that production, he had some three true outcome tendencies in his game. He struck out 76 times, featuring a 62.3% contact rate, while only hitting .301.
During the 2025 season, Jones has seen a major increase in his productivity. He is currently hitting .404 with 10 home runs. His power numbers are not on pace to match his totals of last year, but he is becoming a more well-rounded power hitter. Many evaluators do not question Jones’ power or strength, just his ability to make enough contact to be competitive in pro ball. The hitter who showed up in 2025 makes more than enough contact to succeed.
Jones has raised his contact rate to 78.9% this season, reflecting significant improvements in the quality of his swing. However, this improvement has come at the cost of his impact, as his average exit velocity has dropped to 93.8 mph, down from 98.5 mph last season. Despite this, he remains an above-average power hitter.
In professional baseball, success isn’t always about how hard you can hit the ball. It’s about the ability to ‘club down’ and make consistent contact to give yourself a chance. One look at Jones, and it’s clear how strong he is, but that strength has to be harnessed effectively. What Jones has developed is a unique power/contact combination that rivals many in this draft class.
Korbyn Dickerson- OF, Indiana
It’s never a good sign when multiple players transfer from your program and immediately become better players. That’s exactly what happened with Louisville. Not only have Dickerson and Kilen improved significantly, but there’s a strong chance both will be first-round picks.
Unlike Kilen, Dickerson didn’t get much playing time at Louisville. In 21 games during the 2024 season, he only had 17 at-bats and hit .235. This came after a freshman season where he didn’t play a single game. Then opportunity struck, and Dickerson seized it.
In the 2025 season, Dickerson is hitting .355 with 13 home runs and just 25 strikeouts in 28 games. He’s made an immediate impact as a full-time starter, showcasing impressive tools, particularly his power, with an average exit velocity of 93.6 mph. When you combine that power with a respectable 75.9% contact rate and a 25.6% chase rate, it’s easy to see why the buzz around him has started to build. While his approach and contact skills still need refinement, Dickerson has made the most of his limited opportunity and is quickly making a name for himself in the draft conversation.
