Jamie Arnold

Analysis
Arnold may have the best combination of track record and recent performance among this draft's crop of pitching prospects. A 6-foot-1, 188-pound southpaw who spent his entire college career at Florida State with a strong 2023 Cape Cod League showing mixed in, Arnold has been a top two ACC pitcher in back-to-back seasons. His stuff keeps getting better, with his fastball now sitting in the mid-90s (touches 97 mph). Arnold's slider is one of the best pitches in the land, working as a finishing pitch to both righties and lefties. The biggest knock when comparing Arnold to fellow southpaw Kade Anderson is that Arnold's arsenal isn't as deep, with his third-pitch changeup lagging behind as an average offering. His low three-quarters arm slot elicits comparisons to Chris Sale. He threw 190.1 innings and logged a 6.6 percent walk rate over the last two seasons, so the quality of his changeup is the only question mark as he enters pro ball.