TEMPE, Ariz. -- Chances are that multiple future top prospects will be part of the cadre of hitters taking cuts or pitchers working bullpen sessions during this weekend’s DREAM Series event at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
The seventh annual proceedings -- hosted in collaboration between MLB and USA Baseball -- will provide an immersive experience for almost 80 predominantly Black and Latino high school players during Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. It’s part baseball development camp, part an opportunity to have valuable life lessons imparted from those who have been around the game at the highest level. Kitchen Taps
All-Star pitcher CC Sabathia headlines a cohort of those expected to make an appearance, with Reds right-handed pitcher Hunter Greene (a DREAM Series alumnus) and Nationals righty Josiah Gray also slated for the event. Former big league managers, coaches, players and front-office members dot the list of instructors and guest speakers.
Last season, Jonathan Mayo put together an impressive starting lineup built entirely from former DREAM Series participants. Since last year’s event, three alumni (Chase Davis, Dillon Head and Kendall George) were selected within the first 36 picks of the 2023 MLB Draft. Five players (Greene, Michael Harris II, Jordan Walker, Taj Bradley and Simeon Woods Richardson) who have participated since the event’s inception in 2017 have already gone on to make their big league debut, with the Series having produced 12 first-round picks and five current members of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 overall prospects list.
Many of the players in attendance have already committed to some of the nation’s premier collegiate baseball programs. Their proximity to the next level varies, with a handful of attendees from each Draft class spanning 2024-27.
Arnold Abernathy, SS/2B, North Cobb Christian School (Kennesaw, Ga.) The highest-ranked player (No. 82) on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Draft Prospects list in attendance, Abernathy’s carrying tool is his well-above-average speed, which benefits him on both sides of the ball. Committed to the University of Tennessee, the 18-year-old is a potential plus defender at multiple spots when combining those wheels with an accurate throwing arm. The left-handed-hitting infielder is a standout at the same high school that produced second-ranked Mariners prospect Harry Ford (another DREAM Series alumnus).
Aiden Harris, 3B, PDG Academy (Fredericksburg, Va.) One of the younger members of the 2024 class (he'll still be 17 at Draft time), Harris boasts a lengthy MLB Develops résumé. Just 12 members of the 2024 Top 100 Draft Prospects list have an above-average power grade, with Harris regarded as having as much raw pop as anyone in his class -- collegians included. Committed to the University of Virginia, MLB’s No. 86 Draft prospect already owns a roundtripper in a big league park, having sizzled a 110 mph shot during the Perfect Game National Showcase at Chase Field last year.
Samuel Richardson, INF, Lewisburg HS (Olive Branch, Miss.) Talk about having yourself an 18-month span within the MLB Develops program. Richardson took home States Play MVP honors in 2022, before going on to participate in both the Hank Aaron Invitational and the High School Home Run Derby in 2023, the latter of which he finished as the runner-up at T-Mobile Park during All-Star Weekend. The Texas commit (one of six on hand at the event) is returning for his second year at the DREAM Series.
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Quentin Young, INF/OF, Oaks Christian School (Westlake Village, Calif.) The nephew of former MLB All-Star Dmitri boasts enormous power potential in his 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame. One of the more heralded members of the 2025 Draft class, Young, a longtime MLB Develops participant, has already committed to LSU. His future defensive home remains up in the air as he develops physically, but the bat will be his carrying tool.
Anthony Pack, OF, Millikan HS (Long Beach, Calif.) Former DREAM Series participants Head and George made their mark on the high school scene with their defensive acumen and top-of-the-line speed; Pack, a member of the 2025 class, will be looking to make his inroads in similar fashion. Built with a similar stature at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, the Texas commit is coming off having won States Play 2023 co-MVP honors after he stole five bases in three games. Scouts have been impressed with the left-handed-hitting Pack’s approach at the dish and his ability to impact the game in multiple facets.
Lavatory Faucets Others of note: Kayson Cunningham, 2B/SS, East Johnson HS (Texas); RJ Cope, LHP, Georgia Premier Academy; Rookie Shepard, C, Faith Lutheran Academy (Nev.); Carter Hadnot, INF, Aquinas HS (Calif.); David Hogg II, SS/2B, Mansfield HS (Texas); Donavan Jeffrey, OF, PDG Academy (Va.); Sir Jamison Jones, C, St. Rita of Cascia HS (Ill.); Kevin Roberts Jr., OF/RHP, Jackson Prep (Miss.); Bryce Clavon, SS/2B, Kell HS (Ga.)