- Full name Slade Caldwell
- Born 06/18/2006 in
- Profile Ht.: 5'9" / Wt.: 170 / Bats: L / Throws: L
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Drafted in the 1st round (29th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024 (signed for $3,087,000).
View Draft Report
School: Valley View HS, Jonesboro, Ark.
Commit/Drafted: Ole Miss
Age At Draft: 18.1
BA Grade: 50/High
Tools: Hit: 55. Power: 40. Run: 70. Field: 60. Arm: 45.
Caldwell is a short but strong 5-foot-9, 182-pound outfielder and lefthanded hitter who is one of the smaller players in the class. He’s also been a consistent in-game performer with some of the most advanced pure baseball skills in the prep ranks. He has short levers and twitchy hands with a compact swing that leads to tons of contact and line drives. He uses a simple operation with solid rhythm, which he pairs with a keen eye that leaves him mostly swinging at pitches in the zone. His smaller zone also allows him to spit on balls and draw lots of walks. He doesn’t project for much raw power but should be a table-setting, top-of-the-lineup type who can get on base and create havoc with his speed—which is one of his best tools. Caldwell is a double-plus runner who accelerates out of the box quickly. He used that speed as a talented high school running back and should be a consistent threat to steal bases. He pairs his pure speed with high-level instincts on the basepaths and advanced route-running and reads in center field that should allow him to be a plus defender in the middle of the grass. His arm likely won’t be an asset or liability for him in the outfield. Caldwell is a Mississippi commit who’s also young for the class, but has been scouted enough to go in the first round with his well-rounded skill set. He has a chance to become the fourth Arkansas high schooler ever drafted in the first round, and the first since Tony McKnight in 1995.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade/Risk: 50/Average
Adjusted Grade: 40
Track Record: One of the better hitters on the showcase circuit the summer before his senior year, Caldwell went off the board with the 29th pick in the 2024 draft. The Diamondbacks made the Arkansas prep the latest in a series of undersized position players they have selected high in the draft during the Mike Hazen era. The club signed Caldwell away from a Mississippi commitment with a $3.087 million bonus. In his first full season as a pro in 2025, Caldwell torched the Low-A California League through 48 games but initially struggled after an aggressive promotion to High-A. He and the Pirates’ Konnor Griffin were the first 2024 preps to advance past Low-A.
Scouting Report: Caldwell’s swing is short and compact by virtue of his short levers. He makes a lot of contact, though his swing can appear pushy or slappy, leading most scouts to project fringe-average power at peak. He has elite zone awareness with a 15% chase rate but appeared too passive at times, raising questions about whether his high walk rate was the result of him gaming the system against low-level pitchers. It also might have led to a higher strikeout rate as he occasionally took hittable pitches early in counts. Still, Caldwell has the look of a potential top-of-the lineup on-base machine. He has plus speed, though is not yet a good basestealer. Evaluators were split on his defense, some seeing an average center fielder, others landing on plus. Caldwell is adored for the way he plays the game. Instinctual, gritty and tough, he routinely makes plays that help his team win.
The Future: Caldwell’s hitting approach, speed and defense give him a high floor, but how much he hits—and for how much impact—will determine his future value. Even if his pure production is light, team officials believe his baseball IQ and tenacity will fit well as part of a winning core.
Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45. -
BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.
Track Record: A two-time Gatorade player of the year in Arkansas, Caldwell was one of the better hitters on the showcase circuit the summer before his draft year, then led Valley View High to a 5A championship as a senior. The Diamondbacks took him with the 29th overall pick in 2024, making him the latest undersized, lefthanded-hitting outfielder they’ve selected high in the draft, following the likes of Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas and Dominic Fletcher, among others. He became the first Arkansas prep player to be taken in the first round since 1995. He was signed away from a Mississippi commitment for $3.087 million.
Scouting Report: Caldwell is 5-foot-9 with a thick, strong build reminiscent of Daulton Varsho, and his short levers make for a compact swing. He has plus bat speed and an advanced feel for the barrel with the ability to spray the ball to all fields. He has an advanced and stubborn approach at the plate and can regularly work walks. His ability to impact the ball was his biggest question from rival clubs, and his already-muscular frame makes projection harder. He opened eyes with his pop at a pre-draft workout for the Diamondbacks and continued to show decent power potential at the club’s continuation camp after the draft. He looks capable of hitting 15 home runs, though most of his pop will likely come via doubles and triples. He is an instinctual defender in center field who puts his double-plus speed to good use. His arm is fringe-average at best.
The Future: Caldwell’s polished skill set projects as a table-setting leadoff man whose best attributes are on-base ability and speed, a la Adam Eaton. He could move quickly, and he might apply some pressure to Druw Jones as he moves through the system.
Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 70 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 45
Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 70 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45.
Draft Prospects
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School: Valley View HS, Jonesboro, Ark. Commit/Drafted: Ole Miss
Age At Draft: 18.1
BA Grade: 50/High
Tools: Hit: 55. Power: 40. Run: 70. Field: 60. Arm: 45.
Caldwell is a short but strong 5-foot-9, 182-pound outfielder and lefthanded hitter who is one of the smaller players in the class. He’s also been a consistent in-game performer with some of the most advanced pure baseball skills in the prep ranks. He has short levers and twitchy hands with a compact swing that leads to tons of contact and line drives. He uses a simple operation with solid rhythm, which he pairs with a keen eye that leaves him mostly swinging at pitches in the zone. His smaller zone also allows him to spit on balls and draw lots of walks. He doesn’t project for much raw power but should be a table-setting, top-of-the-lineup type who can get on base and create havoc with his speed—which is one of his best tools. Caldwell is a double-plus runner who accelerates out of the box quickly. He used that speed as a talented high school running back and should be a consistent threat to steal bases. He pairs his pure speed with high-level instincts on the basepaths and advanced route-running and reads in center field that should allow him to be a plus defender in the middle of the grass. His arm likely won’t be an asset or liability for him in the outfield. Caldwell is a Mississippi commit who’s also young for the class, but has been scouted enough to go in the first round with his well-rounded skill set. He has a chance to become the fourth Arkansas high schooler ever drafted in the first round, and the first since Tony McKnight in 1995.
Top 100 Rankings
Scouting Reports
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School: Valley View HS, Jonesboro, Ark. Committed: Ole Miss
Age At Draft: 18.1
One of the younger players in the class, Caldwell has a small frame but is strong for his size with some of the more polished game skills in the country. The 5-foot-9, 182-pound lefthanded hitter has a smaller strike zone that he’s able to use to his advantage with some of the best plate discipline in the 2024 high school class. He’s a patient hitter, but when he does swing, he has short levers to the ball, accelerates his hands quickly with an accurate barrel that leads to a high contact rate and strong on-base skills. He was one of the most consistent in-game performers during the 2023 showcase season, and is a plus-plus runner whose high-level instincts for the game show up in center field and on the bases. Caldwell is committed to Ole Miss but there are some scouts who think he fits as a first rounder despite his smaller size.
