Six months ago, he was an afterthought on most boards. Today, scouts can't stop talking about him.

The tools were always there — the speed, the arm, the barrel control — but they've come together in a way that turns routine plays into highlights and close games into wins. What changed? Mostly, he did. A reworked swing and a full offseason of strength work turned projection into production.

"You watch him for one series and you get it," one area scout said. "The motor never stops."