Arnold Abernathy provides a spark atop a lineup. The North Cobb Christian (Ga.) High School shortstop boasts well-above-average speed and an aggressive mindset that allows him to create havoc on the bases.
“Speed never slumps,” Abernathy said. “I take a lot of pride in my ability to create havoc on the bases and stretch a single into a double or a triple.”
Scouts rave about Abernathy’s speed and base-running ability. Abernathy also has a history of excelling against quality pitching, showing a well-rounded toolset. Scouts project Abernathy as a potential early-round pick in July’s MLB draft due to his skill set and intriguing potential.
Abernathy has made tremendous strides throughout high school to become a top player in the 2024 prep class.
“Freshman and sophomore year, I was practically unknown,” Abernathy said. “No one really knew me, but that didn’t stop me from putting in the work. My dad and I put work in every day by going to the field, hitting, or going to the gym. I’m just excited to progress this much over these last four years. I’m really proud of myself.”
Abernathy is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound left-handed hitting shortstop who is an exciting top-of-the-order hitter. He uses a quick swing to make consistent, hard contact to drive the ball to all parts of the field. He has emerging power and believes he will tap into more power as he matures physically.
Abernathy’s speed is a big part of his game. He uses it to beat throws down the first base line, stretch base hits into extra bases, take an extra base on a baseball hit into the gap and steal bases at a high mark. He is a fun player to watch with an intriguing overall toolset.
“The power is something I’ve worked on the most,” Abernathy said. “Obviously, that is going to come later on just with growing and getting into my man strength, but just starting that process right now in getting stronger and faster.”
Defensively, Abernathy has the skill set to remain at shortstop in pro ball. He is super athletic with quality instincts, a quick first step and the ability to cover plenty of ground at shortstop. He also boasts an accurate arm and improving arm strength.
Abernathy has experience playing second base and center field, giving teams plenty of defensive options for the speedy Abernathy.
“My ability to progress with my arm strength will allow me to stick on the left side of the field, I believe,” Abernathy said. I can get to any ball – up the middle, backhand, or anything, really. With my range, I feel like that speed part of it adds to it as well and helps me be better defensively.”
Besides his draft prospect status, Abernathy is also a Tennessee commit. The prep shortstop committed to the Volunteers over Oklahoma, TCU and Miami, citing his relationship with the coaching staff, especially coach Tony Vitello.
“Tennessee was a no-brainer for me, to be honest,” Abernathy said. “When I went on my visit, Tony was the first person to greet us when we first stepped foot on campus. He talked to us about the field and new plans for the stadium.
“We started talking about his plans for me and the plan for all the shortstops we have. He was 100% honest with us. I find that to be the biggest thing. Honesty is huge, especially in college baseball, because you don’t know if you will play freshman year. It was an easy decision.”
Read more in-depth stories on top 2024 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for nine years. He has interviewed 518 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
