Ike Irish

Analysis
A lefty-hitting catcher/right fielder from Auburn, Irish arguably has the best combination of hit and power from the college ranks in this year's class. The same could have been said of Henry Davis back in 2021, so it doesn't guarantee anything for Irish, and like in 2021, this is a down year for college hitters. Irish had an .871 OPS with a wood bat on the Cape in 2024 and slashed .364/.469/.710 with 19 home runs, 11 steals and a 37:33 K:BB in 55 games as a junior. His 108.1 mph 90th percentile exit velocity, 80.3 percent contact rate and 22.5 percent chase rate were all very strong marks relative to his peers. Defensively, Irish could potentially stick behind the plate, but he played 45 games in the outfield corners and just 12 games at catcher this year after fracturing his scapula when hit by a pitch in March. At his best, Irish has a plus arm, and he could potentially be fast-tracked as a right fielder.