2024 MLB Draft Profile: Dylan Dreiling
Draft Profile: Dylan Dreiling (Tennessee)
Height: 5'11
Weight: 195
Bats/Throws: Left/Left
Dylan Dreiling, a potent difference maker in the heart of the Tennessee Volunteer lineup attempting to win their first National Championship in school history, is poised to be a top selection in the MLB draft.
Dreiling’s evolution should start with his recognizable improvement to hit LHP. Much like Christian Moore, he did a great job of working to eliminate elements of platoon in his game.
Against Jamie Arnold here, Dreiling does a good job of displaying progression in his approach relative to previous seasons and is able to adjust his hand movement on Arnold’s locational prowess to drive in a run for Tennessee.
His overall contact quality is impressive this year, showing improvements in Barrel, Hard-hit, and Sweetspot rates against both LHP and RHP.
Dreiling’s impressive display on offense is particularly evident against arm-side movement, especially against RHP, boasting a 51% hard-hit rate and 41% sweetspot rate to pair with his .660 SLG% against Fastballs. Dreiling’s tangible ability to make hard contact is what makes his profile as a hitter enticing. While his approach is not strictly rooted in power, he does possess above-average in-game power for a LHH.
His contact quality against velocity is also evident. Whiff rates under 30% against either side, all while maintaining a hard-hit rate of at least 50% from either side. Though his xISO declines, the potential for damage output against higher velocity levels is tangible, which is promising.
Part of what makes Dreiling so appealing is that he not only possesses above-average in-game power, but he also displays palpable contact skills, especially against LHP, which was critical for Dreiling to display going into this season. There are numerous examples of Dreiling being able to display the advancements in his approach, especially when it comes to his two-strike counts and shortening up his swings to emphasize contact. His relevant bat speed enables him to emphasize contact or power, depending on his situational approach.
This is a testament to not only his abilities but an improvement when it comes to his approach — with nearly a 1–1 K/BB ratio in the SEC.
Conclusion
Personally, Dreiling is a top 50 player on my board. While he does not have a definitive carrying tool, his above-average in-game power and contact skills make him an enticing prospect for me, along with his well-rounded approach. Though his defensive range, arm, and athleticism likely limit him to a corner outfielder spot, Dreiling should be a player that will be coveted based on the tangible offensive tools, along with the intangibles that round out his offensive game. I think his development would lean into beneficial development with an emphasis on his hit tool rather than power emphasis, though his balance to both at an above-average level is admirable. It will be interesting to see how an MLB team parses through his developmental path. He will be a vital part of Tennessee’s final vault toward a National Championship and has shown up when it has mattered most.
