- Full name Kayson Cunningham
- Born 06/25/2006 in
- Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: L / Throws: R
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Drafted in the 1st round (18th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025 (signed for $4,581,900).
View Draft Report
School: Johnson HS, San Antonio Drafted/Committed: Texas
Age At Draft: 19.1
BA Grade: 55/High
In a 2025 class filled with talented prep shortstops, it is Cunningham who can lay claim to being USA Baseball’s 18U National Team shortstop in 2024. It’s also Cunningham who can claim to be the best pure hitter in the class—high school or otherwise. Listed at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, he is a lefthanded hitter with a quick, efficient and adjustable swing that has allowed him to perform at a high level against top arms in the class for years. He’s one of the most difficult hitters in the class to strike out and rarely swings and misses. Cunningham has the sort of standout contact ability that allows him to expand the zone and get away with it, which could be an area for him to rein in once he starts facing better competition. In general, he has a sound approach and uses the entire field with a swing and raw power that are better fits for hitting line drives into the gaps than leaving the yard with a ton of frequency—though he does have impressive bat speed and swings with plenty of intent. Cunningham is a short-strider at the plate, but he’s quick enough to regularly deliver plus run times from home to first out of the lefthanded batter’s box. He’s a good athlete who should be able to stick in the middle infield, though his actions and arm strength might be a tick light for shortstop and a better fit for second base. Cunningham is committed to Texas and will be 19 years old on draft day, but his plus pure hitting potential should make him a safe first-round pick.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run:60 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade/Risk: 55/Average
Adjusted Grade: 45
Track Record: Cunningham was widely regarded as the best pure hitter among high schoolers in the 2025 draft. He also had another credit to his name: In a prep class loaded with shortstops, he was the starter at the position for Team USA in the 18U World Cup qualifier in Panama the summer before his senior year. Because Cunningham fit the profile of many recent Diamondbacks draft picks—undersized frame, lefthanded hitter, strong contact skills, plays an up-the-middle position—it was no surprise when Arizona drafted him at No. 18 overall then bought him out of his Texas commitment with a $4.58 million bonus.
Scouting Report: Cunningham has a quick, efficient swing and excellent barrel control. He rarely swings and misses, recognizes balls from strikes and has shown average power, though some evaluators aren’t confident the pop will get to that level in pro ball. While he can occasionally leave the yard to his pull side, he routinely sprays line drives to the gaps. Cunningham’s hands, instincts and range, as well as his ability to make different types of throws, gave the D-backs confidence that he could remain at shortstop. Things seemed to be moving fast for him defensively in his 11-game pro debut for Low-A Visalia, but the organization plans to give him every chance to stick at the position. Some scouts who saw him post-draft wrote him up as a second baseman.
The Future: Cunningham’s bat should play just about anywhere. D-backs evaluators saw shades of Kevin McGonigle in his game with his adaptable, contact-oriented, high-average swing along with a high probability to stick at an up-the-middle position. If he hits as expected, he should be an everyday player who fits anywhere in the top half of a lineup.
Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50.
Draft Prospects
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School: Johnson HS, San Antonio Drafted/Committed: Texas
Age At Draft: 19.1
BA Grade: 55/High
In a 2025 class filled with talented prep shortstops, it is Cunningham who can lay claim to being USA Baseball’s 18U National Team shortstop in 2024. It’s also Cunningham who can claim to be the best pure hitter in the class—high school or otherwise. Listed at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, he is a lefthanded hitter with a quick, efficient and adjustable swing that has allowed him to perform at a high level against top arms in the class for years. He’s one of the most difficult hitters in the class to strike out and rarely swings and misses. Cunningham has the sort of standout contact ability that allows him to expand the zone and get away with it, which could be an area for him to rein in once he starts facing better competition. In general, he has a sound approach and uses the entire field with a swing and raw power that are better fits for hitting line drives into the gaps than leaving the yard with a ton of frequency—though he does have impressive bat speed and swings with plenty of intent. Cunningham is a short-strider at the plate, but he’s quick enough to regularly deliver plus run times from home to first out of the lefthanded batter’s box. He’s a good athlete who should be able to stick in the middle infield, though his actions and arm strength might be a tick light for shortstop and a better fit for second base. Cunningham is committed to Texas and will be 19 years old on draft day, but his plus pure hitting potential should make him a safe first-round pick.
Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run:60 | Field: 50 | Arm: 50. -
School: Johnson HS, San Antonio Committed: Texas
Age At Draft: 19.1
Cunningham might be the best pure hitter in the 2025 class. He’s one of the smaller players toward the top of the 2025 rankings, but he consistently performs at a high level against top competition. His lefthanded swing is quick, efficient and adjustable, enabling him to maneuver the barrel and cover all quadrants of the strike zone with good hand-eye coordination. He’s one of the most difficult hitters in the class to strike out and rarely swings and misses. With his disciplined approach, he rarely expands the strike zone and uses the whole field with a swing geared for line drives with gap power to get on base at a high clip. Cunningham is a plus runner and a good athlete who projects to play somewhere in the middle infield. Some scouts will look at his size and want to push him to second base, but he has good hands, footwork and moves well to both sides with a strong arm, so he should get a chance to stick at shortstop.
