Conrad Cason has caught the attention of talent evaluators due to his surge in fastball velocity this spring. Scouts have visited Atlanta to see the talented Georgia prep right-handed pitcher’s evolution on the mound. From a modest low 90s fastball as a junior, Cason now commands the mounds with a consistent 95-96 mph, occasionally touching 98-99 mph.
The increase in velocity has brought an influx of scouts in anticipation of July’s MLB draft.
“There’s been a lot more attention,” Cason said. “Coming into this year, there was a good chance of me going either direction. As the season has gone on, there’s been a lot more pro attention. It’s been awesome and cool to see.”
Cason embodies talent and potential, showcasing his prowess as a gifted pitcher and a versatile shortstop with promising upside. While most MLB teams perceive him primarily as a pitcher, a select few are open to exploring his abilities as a two-way player at the pro level. A few teams view him as a primary position player, but Cason believes his destiny lies on the mound.
Scouts are captivated by Cason’s comprehensive skill set and untapped potential, further heightened by his youth. He’ll be 17 years old on draft day, which makes him one of the youngest prospects in the class. With such a compelling profile, scouts widely anticipate Cason as an early-round draft selection.
“It’s been super stressful,” said Cason on the draft attention. “You try not to think about it as much as possible. Knowing that I have a big opportunity ahead has been super fun to look forward to. For me, it’s been super awesome that I could change my life just as a high school senior. It’s been a super fun year that I wouldn’t want to change for the world.”
Cason is a 6-foot-1, 194-pound right-handed pitcher who throws a fastball, slider and changeup from an over-the-top arm slot and athletic delivery.
Cason relies heavily on his fastball. It’s his best pitch, and he has confidence in throwing the above-average offering in any count and to any quadrant in the strike zone. His slider is his second-best pitch. It’s a low-80s pitch that touches 85 mph and features tight-breaking action. His changeup is also a quality pitch. He uses a splitter grip for his changeup, which has some late movement.
Scouts rave about Cason’s fastball velocity and athleticism on the mound. Cason credits his athleticism to being a multisport athlete growing up. He became a black belt in martial arts at 12 or 13 years old. In addition to martial arts, he participated in baseball, football, basketball and track in middle school before focusing on football and baseball as a freshman in high school. He then became a baseball-only athlete starting as a sophomore.
“My athleticism has allowed me to get into the spot I am now,” Cason said. “It also has helped me throughout this whole summer circuit and school season with staying healthy. My body is conditioned to the wear and tear of the game. It also helps me to perform my best and do whatever I can to help the team.”
This spring, Cason has grown in his control and command of his pitch mix. Moving forward, Cason hopes to tighten up his pitch mix so he can continue to attack the strike zone and have even more success against high-level hitters.
“One of my goals coming into the season was to be more consistent, and I’ve done that to the max,” Cason said. “The next step is to be even more consistent. Be consistent in my performance and what I eat. If I can keep doing that and grow in the game, that will take it to the next level and ceiling that I can break through.”
Cason is an intriguing draft prospect. Besides his pro prospect status, Cason is also a Mississippi State commit. If he makes it to campus, he will join the program as a two-way player.
He verbally committed to the Bulldogs during the summer after his freshman year in July 2021. The Bulldogs initially recruited him as a pitcher before realizing Cason’s potential in the field and informing him of their willingness to let him try doing both in college.
During the recruiting process, Cason’s relationship with the coaching staff, the program’s track record, and the fan support played a role in his commitment.
“The biggest thing and the outlier are the fans there in Starkville and the facilities we have,” Cason said. “For me, the biggest selling point was how the coaches make everything feel like a family. That was big. The coaches really care about their players, and that was a big selling point.”
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.
