Few people in college baseball have had as strong a start to their career as Clemson outfielder Cam Cannarella.
As a freshman from Hartsville, S.C., Cannarella exploded onto the scene in 2023. As the Tigers’ leadoff hitter that season, he hit .388 with a .462 on-base percentage to go with seven home runs and 16 doubles. He also stole 24 bases in 29 attempts.
In his sophomore season, Cannarella added some power to his game, upping his home run total to 11 in 58 games and being moved down to the middle part of the order. His game-saving play against Florida in the Clemson Super Regional earned comparisons to Willie Mays’ famous catch in the 1954 World Series.
All that to say, Cannarella has a lot going for him and his ceiling is high. So high, in fact, that Cannarella was ranked the No. 2 overall college player eligible for next year’s Major League Baseball draft by the staff at Prospects Live, the popular independent baseball site that covers all levels of the sport from college to the professional ranks.
In their initial (way-too-early) list of the Top 30 collegiate players heading into 2025, the staff at Prospects Live writes:
“Cannarella stepped onto campus as an infielder, but a road block in the Clemson infield gave him an opportunity in center field that he has not relinquished. A gamer in every sense of the word, Cannarella is a dangerous hitter with some of the best contact skills in the entire country. It’s a lovely left-handed swing built more for line drives right now, but he’s shown flashes of raw power to the gaps and to his pull-side.
He did become a bit more aggressive in 2024 compared to 2023, but he has quality barrel control and shows patience, drawing walks aplenty. He’s got above-average speed, though he didn’t flash it a ton on the bases due to an injury this year. However, that speed translates to center field, where he has excellent route-running and quality defensive chops. Expect Cannarella to go high in this draft.”
Jace LaViolette, the Golden Spikes Award semifinalist who smashed 29 home runs in 2024, was rated the No. 1 overall college player entering 2025.
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