2024 MLB Draft Profile: Vance Honeycutt

[Hector Rodriguez]

Vance Honeycutt was one of the best players in college baseball this season. His power, glove, and speed are at an elite level, but his hit tool and plate approach worries some scouts. Could the Marlins take a chance and draft Honeycutt with the 16th overall pick? 

Overview

Position: OF

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 205 pounds

School: North Carolina

Vance Honeycutt is a 6’3”, 205-pound outfielder who plays for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Honeycutt has one of the highest ceilings in the 2024 MLB Draft class, but he has some things he needs to work on in order to realize his full potential.

Coming out of high school, Honeycutt was one of the best high school prospects in North Carolina. On Perfect Game, Honeycutt was the 17th-ranked prospect and the fifth-ranked infielder in North Carolina. Honeycutt was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 20th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. However, he didn’t sign and honored his commitment to UNC.

During his freshman season, Honeycutt made a huge splash and was one of the best players in the ACC. Honeycutt slashed .296/.409/.672 with 73 hits, ten doubles, four triples, 25 home runs, 57 RBIs, 29 stolen bases, and a 1.082 OPS. He was a Third Team All-American and consensus Freshman All-American.

As a sophomore, Honeycutt took a step back in production and also missed the last couple of games due to an injury. He slashed .257/.418/.492 with 49 hits, seven doubles, twelve home runs, 43 RBIs, 19 stolen bases, 49 walks, and a .910 OPS. Honeycutt was also named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.

In his junior season, Honeycutt returned to form and led the Tar Heels to the College World Series. Honeycutt slashed .318/.410/.714 with 81 hits, 13 doubles, two triples, 28 home runs, 70 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, 36 walks, and 1.124 OPS. He was named a Second Team All-American by Baseball America.

Honeycutt is one of the best athletes in this draft class. He has some exciting tools that compare favorably to established big leaguers. However, his plate approach leaves a lot to be desired.

 

Strengths

• Plus power
• Excellent speed and baserunner
• Gold Glove potential
• Plus arm strength
• High ceiling

 

Weaknesses

• 27.5% strikeout percentage
• Chases at pitches out of the zone
• Pull-happy hitter

 

Pro Comparison: Byron Buxton

Projection: Top 20 pick (19th on the 2024 MLB Mock Draft Consensus Board as of June 29)

 

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Bottom Line

While Vance Honeycutt was one of the best hitters in college baseball in 2024, some scouts are worried about his plate approach. His strikeout rate is a concern and he needs to use the whole field more often at the dish.

The Marlins desperately need to add more hitters to their farm system. Honeycutt is a high-risk, high-reward prospect with a wide range of possible outcomes—he could develop into one of the best outfielders in the game, or fail to make the transition to pro ball.

 

Check out the rest of our 2024 MLB Draft Profile series.

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[THOMAS JOSEPH]

The Bendix regime will succeed in not only turning around the Marlins farm system but also moving it into the top third of the systems in baseball within a few years. Patience and discipline.