We close our data sleepers series with a final group of 10 players, splitting the focus between five pitchers and five hitters who fit more squarely in the “deep sleepers” category. 

These are players with limited track records, inconsistent production or more limited exposure, yet whose Trackman data points to traits that could support a meaningful breakout in 2026. By isolating swing decisions, contact quality and pitch characteristics captured in front of Trackman, we identify the indicators that make this group worth monitoring as the spring unfolds.

Players are listed alphabetically.

Grayson Fitzwater, 1B, VMI

Fitzwater returned to VMI for his senior year as one of the most accomplished hitters in program history. He already ranks first all-time in RBIs with 159, third in home runs with 41 and fourth in slugging at .595 while also sitting in the top 10 in walks. His 2025 season earned him first-team all-SoCon honors after he hit .315/.425/.640 with 17 home runs, 65 RBIs, 39 walks to just 34 strikeouts. He also recorded an on-base streak that reached a program-record 43 games.

The underlying data matches the production. Fitzwater’s 90.8 mph average exit velocity and 107.1 mph 90th percentile mark both sit comfortably in the above-average range for Division I hitters, while his 51% hard-hit rate and 22.8% barrel rate show how often he finds authoritative contact. 

He pairs that with an efficient and mature approach. His 23.9% chase rate is better than many power bats, and his 87.1% in-zone contact rate and 80.4% overall contact rate reflect a hitter who consistently gets the bat on the ball. All three of the aforementioned marks sit well above average in general, but especially so for a power-hitting first baseman.

Fitzwater’s swing is geared for lift with a 16.3 degree hard-hit launch angle and a 36.4% air-pull rate, both of which support how readily he accesses his raw power. 

Fitzwater’s profile is that of a steady, experienced lefthanded bat with impactful contact quality, mature decisions and a long track record of run production. Even as a senior, his data is strong enough to keep him firmly on the radar as a viable bat in the 2026 class.

Josh Gunther, RHP, South Carolina

South Carolina’s addition of Gunther gave the program one of the most data-forward relief arms in the country. Gunther emerged at Wake Forest last spring with a 3.41 ERA, 47 strikeouts and six saves in 29 innings, showing the kind of bat-missing arsenal that fits comfortably in high-leverage SEC innings. The raw components already place him among the most electric bullpen profiles in the 2026 class, and if he performs in Columbia, his draft stock could move quickly.

Gunther’s fastball drove the breakout. The pitch lived in the mid-to-high 90s with an unusual blend of carry and armside run, 19 inches of induced vertical break and 12 inches of horizontal movement. He paired that shape with nearly 6.5 feet of extension, a low release height and a -4.54 degree vertical approach angle that ranked among the flattest in the country. Those traits produced a 30% whiff rate in Trackman settings and allowed the fastball to play well above its already above-average velocity band. He also flashed a harder two-seam variant with less ride and significant run, giving him a second fastball look when needed.

Gunther’s feel for spin carried through his secondaries. He offers a sweepier slider, which projects as an above-average offering when he lands it. His changeup showed balanced tumble and fade with about two degrees of separation from the four-seam fastball, giving him a legitimate third pitch that works against hitters on both sides of the plate.

The limiting factor has been command. Gunther cut his walk rate to 14% in 2025, which was an improvement but still a number that constrains how often he accesses his stuff in-zone. If he sharpens his strike-throwing enough to better leverage his elite fastball traits, he has data consistent with early-round outcomes.

Tate Hess, RHP, Dallas Baptist

Dallas Baptist added an interesting developmental piece this summer in Hess, a former Louisiana righthander who transferred after posting a 5.68 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 24 walks across 58.2 innings in 2025. He worked primarily out of the bullpen with six starts mixed into 20 appearances. And while the surface line remained uneven, the underlying Trackman traits pointed to a pitcher who could take a meaningful step forward in a DBU system known for sharpening pitch shapes and delivery efficiency.

Hess’ fastball did not show standout velocity last season. It averaged 90 mph and topped out at 93 in Trackman settings, but the pitch carried better than the radar gun suggested. It generated 18.6 inches of induced vertical break on average, with some rides climbing past 20 inches. He paired that carry with 6.3 feet of extension and a fairly flat approach angle. 

He also filled the zone with it at a 71% strike rate, an unusually high clip that likely contributed to how often hitters were able to sit on the pitch despite chasing it out of the zone at a 24.5% rate. With refinement, the shapes and angle give the fastball room to play above its velocity band.

Hess’ slider was the true separator. The pitch averaged nearly 10 inches of sweep in a 133-pitch Trackman sample, sat in the low 80s and spun north of 2500 rpm. That combination produced 40% whiff and chase rates and gave him a legitimate bat-missing secondary. His changeup offered another promising look, flashing premium fade with 16.2 inches of horizontal movement and returning a 35% whiff rate with a 37.6% chase rate.

If DBU can tighten his fastball characteristics and guide him toward a more effective usage pattern, Hess has the two secondary pitches needed to surface as a legitimate draft sleeper.

Tyler Minick, OF/3B, Connecticut

Minick put together one of the most complete offensive seasons in the country last spring, batting .350/.433/.729 with 22 home runs, 11 doubles and 15 stolen bases while emerging as the centerpiece of UConn’s lineup. His operation is built around strength and bat speed. He stands tall with a slightly-open front side, a high handset and a leg lift that transitions into a short, direct stride. The swing works uphill with intent, and the data backs up how consistently he found high-quality impact.

In Trackman environments last season, Minick averaged 90.8 mph in exit velocity with a 90th percentile mark of 106.7 and a max of 110.7, all of which are well above average. His 51% hard-hit rate and 25.5% barrel rate were both standouts for a hitter with his level of aggression. He swung 46% of the time but showed enough zone control to post a 25.4% chase rate, showing he does not need to sell out for damage to create it. He does leave something to be desired in the way of overall contact frequency, however, as he produced an 82.6% in-zone contact rate and a 77.8% overall contact rate.

Minick creates the kind of steep, productive contact profile that supports real power production. He posted a 16.6 degree average launch angle on his hard contact and pulled nearly 46% of his airborne balls—ideal for a righthanded hitter who wants to access the big part of his raw power in games. The underlying swing decisions were strong, as well, with a 74.3% zone-swing rate and an 83.3% swing rate on hittable pitches.

Minick’s combination of bat speed, selectivity and ability to drive the ball in the air with authority gives him an offensive foundation that fits comfortably in early-round conversations if he can repeat the production in 2026. He’s also expected to start 2026 in center field for the Huskies.

Michael O’Shaughnessy, INF, Georgia

O’Shaughnessy produced at a blistering pace last season when he hit .369/.482/.691 with 17 home runs and earned second-team all-conference honors at Davidson. He then carried his approach-heavy offensive profile to the Cape Cod League, where he walked at one of the highest rates on the circuit and continued to show the strike-zone control that defines his game. 

His decision to honor his transfer commitment to Georgia surprised some evaluators because seniors can lose leverage, but a big season in the SEC could keep his stock firmly on the rise.

O’Shaughnessy’s data paints the picture of a polished hitter with advanced swing decisions and real impact. He posted a 92.1 mph average exit velocity with a 105.1 mph 90th percentile mark, giving him above-average raw power for a corner profile. His 54% hard-hit rate and 28.6% barrel rate reflect how consistently he gets to that impact. He does it without chasing, too, with a 23.4% chase rate and a 77.9% heart-swing rate that show he’s aggressive in the right parts of the zone.

The contact quality is supported by a strong batted-ball shape. His average launch angle on hard contact was 18.7 degrees, and he pulled his airborne balls at a 41% clip—both indicators he can lift the ball with intent and access his power in games. His 68% zone swing rate and 88.3% in-zone contact rate speak to a hitter who picks his spots but doesn’t miss often when he commits.

O’Shaughnessy will now test that skill set against SEC pitching. If the combination of power, approach and bat-to-ball holds, he has a chance to emerge as one of the more productive senior bats in the class.

Alex Philpott, RHP, South Carolina

South Carolina added another high-upside transfer this summer with Philpott, a former Florida righthander whose results never aligned with the quality of his raw stuff in Gainesville. He logged a 7.12 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 34 walks across 67 innings in two years with the Gators, but the underlying markers consistently suggested a different caliber of arm. Now in Columbia, he enters the spring with a real chance to take on weekend innings and rewrite the trajectory of his draft value.

Philpott is a lanky 6-foot-6, 200-pound righty with a loose and whippy delivery. He added a rocker step late in his Florida tenure that appeared to help with his tempo, though the control remained uneven. 

The fastball has always been the foundation of Philpott’s profile. It reached 98 mph last season and averaged 19 inches of induced vertical break with outlier spin at more than 2,500 rpm. He paired that with a reasonably flat approach angle and more than six feet of extension, both of which graded above average in Trackman settings. The pitch produced a 24.5% whiff rate and a 28.1% chase rate, strong indicators of how often hitters struggled to match the shape.

While his slider showed real two-plane action, it did not produce the bat-missing numbers its movement should have supported, which is a shortcoming tied back to erratic strike throwing. Evaluators who saw him this fall reported a sharper and more consistent version of the pitch. 

Philpott’s changeup, thrown in the mid-to-upper 80s, was the better bat-misser in 2025 with both fade and tumble. Florida’s pitch-calling skewed heavily toward the slider, though the underlying data showed the changeup was the more effective secondary with miss and chase rates in the low 30s. A recalibrated usage pattern could unlock another level for him.

Philpott threw well throughout the fall in Columbia and enters the spring with a legitimate path to a weekend role. If the strike-throwing stabilizes and the pitch mix is optimized, the physicality and raw traits give him clear breakout potential.

Calvin Proskey, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Our first installment of data standouts on the pitching side included UCSB ace Jackson Flora, who is a candidate to emerge as the top arm in the 2026 class. The second examined why UCSB’s likely No. 2 starter Cole Tryba profiles as a strong candidate to pitch his way into the Top 100. 

This final entry completes the look at UCSB’s projected rotation by turning to Proskey, a 6-foot-3 righthander who stabilized the Gauchos’ staff in 2025 with a 3.78 ERA and a 71-to-17 strikeout-to-walk line across 66.2 innings in 14 appearances.

Proskey’s appeal comes from how well his movement profiles and approach angle compensate for more modest velocity and below-average extension. His low-90s four-seam fastball averaged 21.6 inches of induced vertical break last season, placing him among only 41 Division I pitchers who registered at least 250 four-seamers in a Trackman environment while averaging 21 inches of IVB or better. Within that group, he ranked second in fastball chase rate at 32%, trailing only former UC Irvine righty Riley Kelly, who became a fourth-round pick of the Rockies this summer.

He supported the fastball with a mid-80s slider that worked primarily off vertical tilt. The pitch drew a 33.3% chase rate, though its 18.9% whiff rate showed it did not miss bats at the rate its shape might suggest. 

His changeup was the more reliable secondary, showing solid fade and intermittent tumble while generating a 40.8% whiff rate overall and a 30.8% in-zone whiff rate, the latter an unusually strong number for a college changeup.

Proskey’s differentiator is his ability to pair those shapes with advanced strike-throwing and precise pitch placement. He posted a minuscule 5.9% walk rate in 2025.

Proskey focused this fall on strengthening his lower half with the goal of holding his stuff deeper into outings after finishing six innings in only five of his 14 appearances in 2025. If the velocity, which touched 94 mph this fall, trends upward even marginally and the fastball retains its ride and angle, Proskey has the underlying markers of a quietly valuable rotation piece on a national stage.

Ethan Thomas, RHP, TCU

Thomas entered 2025 with limited track record due to an injury-delayed start to his college career at Hawaii. Yet, his first season on the mound quickly established him as a name to follow. 

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound righthander delivered a 3.60 ERA with 37 strikeouts and six walks in 25 innings for the Rainbow Warriors last spring. He then carried that momentum into a dominant West Coast League stretch in which he logged a 1.42 ERA with 16 strikeouts and three walks across 12.2 innings. His move to TCU positions him to impact a potential preseason top 10 program, and his underlying data gives him a chance to accelerate into draft relevance if the performance scales in the Big 12.

Thomas’ fastball was the defining metric takeaway from his Trackman sample. The pitch sat in the low 90s and reached 94 mph in 2025, but the velocity alone understates how it played. He regularly produced more than 20 inches of induced vertical break with consistent running life and leveraged elite release traits to amplify the shape. 

His average extension exceeded seven feet, and his vertical approach angle sat at -4.7 degrees, placing him among only seven Division I pitchers with at least 65 Trackman-measured fastballs to pair seven-plus feet of extension with a -4.8 or flatter VAA. Those dimensions give the heater unusual carry for the velocity band and make it a true top-of-zone bat-misser. Reports from the fall indicated a velo jump into the upper 90s, giving the profile an even more compelling trajectory.

Thomas complements the fastball with a mid-80s slider and mid-70s curveball that showed distinct shapes this fall, though neither appeared in large Trackman volumes last year. If the velocity gains hold and the breaking balls tighten with more usage at TCU, Thomas has the raw ingredients of a fast-moving relief prospect and the data foundation to support a meaningful draft rise. That would only be amplified if he can find his way into a starting role.

Andrew Williamson, OF, UCF

We’re breaking our own “deep sleeper only” rule here because Williamson simply warrants the exception. Ranked No. 90 on the BA Top 100, he already fits comfortably inside the first three rounds and is the lone ranked player included in this group. The lefthanded hitter was outstanding in 2025, slashing .352/.448/.662 with 13 home runs, 19 doubles, 13 stolen bases and nearly even walk-to-strikeout totals.

Williamson’s underlying data backs up everything the production suggested. His 90.1 mph average exit velocity and 105.5 mph 90th percentile mark both land well above the Division I average, and his 48% hard-hit rate and 26.3% barrel rate show how often he finds authoritative contact. He pairs that impact with a controlled, intent-driven swing that produced an 82.9% heart-swing rate and a 24.3% chase rate, giving him an enviable blend of aggression in damage zones and discipline off the plate.

The contact rates leave a bit of room to grow, with an 84.7% zone-contact clip and 77.9% overall mark that are solid but not quite standout. However, neither cause any real concern given the strength of his batted-ball profile. Williamson’s ability to elevate with intent also stands out. His hard-hit launch angle sits at 16.8 degrees, and he pulled the ball in the air at a 44.1% rate, a combination that helps explain his consistent game power.

With a lefthanded swing built for impact, above-average athleticism and data that supports his production across the board, Williamson enters the spring as one of the more polished and dangerous hitters in the country. He may not be a sleeper, but he’s too strong a data performer to leave out.

Sean Yamaguchi, 3B, Nevada

Yamaguchi was one of the Mountain West’s most impactful newcomers in 2025, hitting .315/.368/.559 with 13 home runs and 13 doubles on his way to freshman of the year honors. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound righthanded hitter may be undersized for the position, but his contact quality already stacks up with far larger peers, which makes him an especially compelling draft-eligible sophomore given his leverage and age.

His Trackman data paints the picture of a hitter with real impact when he connects. Yamaguchi’s 89.9 mph average exit velocity and 104.6 mph 90th percentile mark both sit in the above-average bucket, and his 47% hard-hit rate and 25% barrel rate underscore how frequently he finds loud contact. The swing itself is geared for intent, reflected in an 82.5% heart-swing rate and a 44.9% air-pull rate that suggest he already knows where his damage comes from. A 13.8-degree hard-hit launch angle also signals a hitter who elevates his best contact with consistency.

Where Yamaguchi needs refinement is in swing decisions and contact rates. His 32.8% chase rate and 73.8% overall contact rate both leave room for growth, as does an 83% in-zone contact clip that lags behind most early-round bats. Even so, the fact that his quality of contact is this strong at his age makes the profile especially enticing. If Yamaguchi tightens the approach without losing his intent, he has a chance to emerge as one of the sneakier draft risers in the sophomore-eligible class.