Analysts project Tibbs, Smith will be selected early in MLB Draft
The three-day MLB amateur draft will be active for Florida State players. Outfielder James Tibbs and third baseman Cam Smith are projected as first-round picks by national draft analysts, and they could come off the board early on Sunday (7 p.m. on ESPN and MLB Network).
Tibbs is projected to be taken as high as No. 9 to Pittsburgh by CBSSports.com. The junior hit .363 and led the Seminoles with 28 home runs and 95 RBI.
"Tibbs offers Grade A power potential and could help whichever team selects him in short order," CBSSports.com's Mike Axisa wrote.
ESPN.com analyst Kiley McDaniel, who worked in the front office for four MLB teams, has Tibbs slotted to Washington at No. 10.
Yahoo Sports senior writer Jordan Shusterman has Tibbs as the 11th-best player available in the draft.
"As with (Wake Forest's Nick) Kurtz, Tibbs’ defensive value is limited as he’s tethered to first base or a corner outfield spot," Shusterman said. "But for a guy projected as more of a second- or third-round talent coming into his junior year, the fact that Tibbs could go just a few picks after Kurtz — or even ahead of him — is an astounding achievement."
The Athletic's Keith Law, who also worked in MLB front offices, has Tibbs slotted at No. 13 to San Francisco.
McDaniel also has Smith, a draft-eligible sophomore, going at No. 14 to the Chicago Cubs. Smith led FSU in batting average (.387) with 16 home runs, 22 doubles and 57 RBI.
"The Cubs appear to be hunting for upside here and Smith fits the description," McDaniel said. "He has big tools and solid performance in the ACC, but needs a swing rework in pro ball. I think he'll go between Nos. 11-16 and, like (Trey) Yesavage (of East Carolina), is in the mix for most teams in that span."
Smith's ascension in two years has MLB teams intrigued.
"It was quickly apparent once Smith arrived in Tallahassee that the buzz he built among scouts during his senior year of high school, ahead of the 2022 MLB Draft, was entirely warranted," Shusterman wrote. "After a strong freshman year with the Seminoles, Smith was one of the most productive hitters in the prestigious Cape Cod summer league, and he carried that momentum into a monster second year with the Seminoles, cutting his strikeout rate in half and hitting .387 with 38 extra-base hits. His muscular, 6-foot-3 frame already resembles that of a big leaguer, and the rate at which he has improved the past two seasons has teams very excited about his potential."
Law of the Athletic has Smith projected at No. 16 to Miami.
Sunday's draft includes picks 1-74. Day 2 begins on Monday afternoon.
A number of FSU players are eligible to be selected, including Jaime Ferrer, Daniel Cantu, Marco Dinges, Brennen Oxford, Carson Dorsey and Conner Whittaker.
FSU's high school, JUCO signees who could be selected
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(Editor's note: Curt Weiler previously took a look at FSU's returning roster in June, while also evaluating incoming freshmen and junior college signees. These are not all of the Seminoles' commitments but a select group that could be drafted.)
Hunter Carns of Jacksonville First Coast High is viewed as the No. 1 catcher in the 2024 class according to Perfect Game. Carns has been praised for a combination of speed and power that is unique for a catcher.
Junior-college commit Blaydon Plain just finished a two-year stint at Pensacola State College where the first baseman hit .375 over 96 games with a .509 on-base percentage, 26 home runs and 17 doubles.
FSU has local product Myles Bailey from Lincoln High committed in its 2024 class. Bailey hit .325 his senior season and hit .357 over his high-school career with 23 home runs in 94 games. At 6-foot-4, he also has the size to play first base.
FSU is adding a junior-college infielder from Pensacola State in Carter McCauley, who will provide depth at a number of infield spots. Additionally, FSU is bringing in a number freshman infielders in Noah Sheffield (son of Gary), Adonys Velez, Jack Lines and Jace Estes.
In the high-school ranks, RHP Chase Mobley is actually FSU's highest ranked commit in the MLB Pipeline rankings at No. 79. The Plant City (Fla.) Durant High product has touched 99 mph with his fastball and is a real threat to get drafted out of high school, never making it to FSU. If he does make it to campus, he could be quite an impact arm for FSU the next three seasons.
RHP Dylan Jordan isn't in the Pipeline Top 200, but may also not make it to FSU as a draftable high-school arm. This past season at Melbourne (Fla.) Viera High, he put up a 1.32 ERA with 103 strikeouts to 17 walks over 58.1 innings.
In the junior-college ranks, Mack Estrada is an FSU commit coming off a breakout freshman season at Northwest Florida State College, where he posted a 9-1 record, 4.20 ERA and 94 strikeouts over 79.1 innings of work as a 6-foot-4 RHP.
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