Josh Hammond

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #38 prospect in 2025 draft
  School: Wesleyan Christian Academy, High Point, N.C. Drafted/Committed: Wake Forest
  Age At Draft: 18.8
  BA Grade: 55/Extreme
  
  Hammond entered the 2025 spring as one of the most talented pitching prospects in the class, and by the end of the spring he was viewed almost unanimously as a top-two-rounds talent as a position player. Hammond is a powerfully built athlete with a 6-foot-2, 215-pound frame. On the mound he has great arm speed, a fastball up to 99 mph and the makings of a plus slider. If he wanted to pitch, he would likely fit in the first three rounds of the draft. But he prefers hitting and this spring showed why teams needed to take him seriously as an infielder and power-oriented righthanded bat. Hammond has a relaxed setup with his weight stacked over his back leg, a soft hand press in his load and a standard leg kick before firing his hands through the zone with great bat speed. He can drive the ball with authority to both gaps and has plus raw power, though he has a tendency to leak out early on his front side versus secondaries. Hammond should have a power-over-hit offensive profile, but he has the contact ability to get to an average hit tool with more reps and development. He’s an average runner who should get a chance to stick at shortstop, though his actions and range lead most evaluators to think he’ll wind up at third base, where he could be an above-average defender with a plus arm. Hammond is an intense competitor on the field and is committed to Wake Forest but has been scouted heavily as a top-two-rounds talent.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 55. Run:50. Field: 55. Arm: 60. Fastball: 60. Slider: 60. Curveball: 45. Changeup: 40. Control: 45.
• Ranked #17 prospect in 2025 draft
  School: Wesleyan Christian Academy, High Point, N.C. Committed: Wake Forest
  Age At Draft: 18.8
  Hammond is an athletic pitcher with a strong lower half who generates one of the better fastballs in the class. He has fast arm speed, gets deep into his legs in his delivery and reaches 95 mph with impressive life. The pitch has good carry up in the zone, helping him miss bats when he elevates. His low-80s slider is a potential plus pitch that has tight spin and flashes sharp break—already a consistent bat misser. Hammond has power stuff, but he’s also flashed feel for a changeup with good fading action. Hammond’s three-pitch mix is one of the best in the high school class, but there are outings where he’s struggled with strikes, so the development of his control will be important.