The 2025 MLB Draft will take place in July 2025. Andersen Pickard shares his analysis of Jace LaViolette, an outfielder from Texas A&M University.
Make sure to check out the rest of Andersen Pickard’s MLB Draft Profiles.
Jace LaViolette, Outfielder, Texas A&M
| Player | Pos | School | Grade |
| Jace LaViolette | OF | Texas A&M | 55 |
| Age | Height | Weight | Bats | Throws |
| 21 | 6-5 | 230 | L | L |
Scouting Grades for Jace LaViolette
| Hit | Pow | Fld | Arm | Run |
| 50 | 60 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
Jace LaViolette broke his hand after getting hit by a pitch yesterday.
This morning, he had surgery
Tonight, he delivered a RBI single
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) May 24, 2025
Scouting Report
LaViolette is a physical specimen who was once mentioned as a potential No. 1 overall pick. Although he’s no longer in the mix for the first selection after a slightly underwhelming junior season, he should still be a mid-first-round pick with the potential to alter a franchise’s trajectory.
LaViolette possesses terrific power, especially against right-handed pitching. His swing is violent yet optimal, allowing him to put a charge into the baseball. During the 2025 season, he launched 18 homers while tallying 27 extra-base hits. He walked more than he struck out against right-handers. Even when factoring in southpaws, his overall K/BB rate for the season was 1.16.
Although LaViolette’s stats speak for themselves, he has shown a tendency to struggle with pitches on the outer half of the zone. His two-strike whiff rate is highly elevated on the outer half of the zone, and when he does make contact with pitches in this location, they carry a low slugging percentage.
So far, LaViolette has been able to overcome this deficiency in his game because of how well he terrorizes pitches on the inside half of the zone. Even if a pitcher beats him on the outer half once or twice, he’ll instantly make them pay when they leave something inside. He should continue to have similar success with middle or middle-in pitches at the professional level, but he could face some growing pains against higher-level pitchers who can consistently attack him away.
LaViolette’s average base-stealing stats with the Aggies don’t adequately reflect his running ability. He is quick out of the box and can routinely leg out extra-base hits. Defensively, he’s quick enough to play center field daily.
LaViolette has experience in all three outfield spots, and most of his 2025 reps came in center field. Fortunately for prospective teams, he is a terrific athlete with a strong arm, so he offers outfield versatility. His long-term home will depend on the preference of whichever team drafts him; there’s little doubt that he could deliver above-average production in center field or right field at the major league level.
It’s also worth noting that LaViolette broke his hand in late May 2025. He quickly underwent surgery so that he could play the next day, and he delivered an RBI single. While the injury will be highlighted in scouting reports across all 30 MLB front offices, there will also be a note about the devotion he showed to his teammates while playing through pain in the postseason.
Whiff concerns on the outer part of the plate will prevent LaViolette from being selected within the first few picks of the 2025 MLB Draft, but he should hear his name called in the first round. He has All-Star potential in the outfield, making him a candidate to alter the future of any MLB franchise.
Main Image Credit: Eddie Kelly/ProLook Photos
