The College Hot Sheet has returned for the 2024 season. Like our pro Hot Sheet that runs during the minor league season, we’re recognizing some of the top performers from around the country in college baseball after each weekend of play. Carlos Collazo and Peter Flaherty contributed to the College Hot Sheet this week. Players are listed in alphabetical order.
You can find our updated 2024 draft rankings here. All of our college coverage each week during the season can be found here.
Baker has been a solid starter for Fairfield throughout the 2024 season but he turned in his best start of the year last Friday against Iona. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound lefty struck out a season- and career-best nine batters over eight shutout innings and allowed just a pair of walks and a pair of hits. Baker doesn’t have big time stuff—he sits in the upper 80s and will touch 90 mph with his fastball, but he has solid feel to throw the pitch for strikes and mixes in a low-80s changeup that he lands consistently and also throws an upper-70s slider that could use a bit more refinement. On the season Baker has a 4.22 ERA in seven starts and 32 innings with a 24.8% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate. –CC
Nick Brink, RHP, Portland
Class: 2024
What He Did: 9 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 12 K
Brink has had a tremendous 2024 season through seven starts and 45 innings of work and he turned in his best outing of the season last week against Mount St. Mary’s. Brink threw a complete game shutout and allowed just two hits while striking out 12 and walking none. He lowered his season ERA to 2.80 and now has a 33.7% strikeout rate and 5.1% walk rate—both career-best marks. Brink throws a fastball in the low 90s that has touched 96 and complements the pitch with a low-to-mid-80s slider, a mid-80s changeup and a slower curveball in the upper 70s. Brink missed the 2022 season with injury and is old for the class but there’s a chance he’s doing enough to warrant a day two draft pick. –CC
Austin Bunn, OF, Northern Colorado
Class: 2024
What He Did: 10-for-15 (.667), 8 R, 13 RBI, 3 HR, 3 2B, 2 BB, 4 K
It was a monster week for the entire Northern Colorado offense as it scored a whopping 64 runs across three games against South Dakota State. However, nobody in the lineup had a better weekend than Austin Bunn. Bunn collected at least three RBIs in all three games, headlined by a six RBI, two home run performance in Thursday’s series opener. After crushing his third…