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2025 MLB Draft Deep Dive: Mason Neville

Originally posted on Just Baseball | By Jared Perkins | Last updated May 5, 2025 11:38 AM ET

We are in the final month of the college baseball season (how?!), and we are quickly approaching the 2025 MLB Draft.

We recently had our 2025 MLB Draft Top 200 Board drop (soon to be top 300!), and we also have our first mock draft on its way. The excitement of the MLB draft is upon us!

This draft class has been so up in the air that we have seen more jumping up and down the board based on weekend performances than in previous years. One of those guys who has skyrocketed is Oregon outfielder Mason Neville.

I recently caught Neville in a three-game series against Maryland and a mid-week game against Georgetown, and I came away very impressed. Let’s dive in!

Age: 21.6 on Draft Day
B/T: L/L
HT: 6’3
WT: 210
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
2025 Stats (as of May 3): 42 G, 207 PA, 14 2B, 21 HR, 46 RBI, 8 SB, .329/.478/.826 (1.304 OPS)

College Performance and Scouting Report

Coming out of high school, Neville was a highly-touted prospect who was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 18th round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Neville ultimately ended up at Arkansas, where he struggled to find his way at the plate.

In just 33 plate appearances, Neville slashed .111/.250/.148 with 20 strikeouts. He just seemed lost at the plate. If anyone was a candidate for a change of scenery, it was him.

Neville transferred to Oregon, where he started to find success at the plate. The numbers were much better in his sophomore year, and he slashed .269/.369/.664 with five doubles, 16 home runs, and 43 RBI.

He still struggled with his approach at the plate though, striking out more than you’d like to see. That has all changed in 2024.

As you can see from the stats above, Neville is having a massive breakout in 2025 and is one of the top five players in all of college baseball with a legit shot at being the Golden Spikes Award winner.

He recently joined us on On The Clock to talk about what changes he made that led to this breakout.

He’s up to a league leading 21 home runs now!

Oregon’s Mason Neville joined us on On The Clock and talked about the mental and physical adjustments he made that’s led to his breakout year. pic.twitter.com/c5ymHSyGyh
— On The Clock | College Baseball and MLB Draft (@OnTheClock_1) April 28, 2025

He credits his improved approach at the plate to his ability to mature as a person and a player mentally.

He’s also made a lot of changes that have led to improvement in the numbers. Let’s take a look into the data to see what else has changed.

Data Evaluation: Strengths & Opportunities

Mason Neville’s data paints the picture of a guy with real upside in this year’s class and maybe one of the more overlooked offensive skill sets in the college ranks right now.

He’s taken a big step forward in his approach this spring. His walk rate is up over 20%, and his chase rate is down to just 12%, putting him in elite territory in both categories.

That kind of plate discipline shows a mature understanding of the zone and a willingness to stick to a plan, even if it means passing up pitches he could handle early in the count.

And when he does get something to hit, the power shows up in a big way. Neville’s max exit velocity is a ridiculous 114 mph, and he’s posting a 52% hard-hit rate, both of which put him near the top of the class regarding raw impact.

The average exit velocity (86.5 mph) is substantial, suggesting he’s getting to that power with some regularity.

He’s showing plenty of pull-side pop, but he’s not selling out for it; he can drive the ball to all parts of the field, mainly when he stays on time.

You want to see the strikeouts and whiff rates come down slightly, but the combination of discipline, bat speed, and power potential is hard to ignore. If the consistency comes along, there’s a shot he becomes one of the better value plays in the 2025 class.

Mason Neville Deep Dive: Conclusion

Mason Neville’s transformation has been one of the more compelling storylines of the 2025 college season, and it feels like he’s just starting to scratch the surface of what he can become.

The tools have always been there, but now that he’s paired them with a more refined approach and mental maturity, we’re seeing a player who not only impacts games in the box score but also looks the part of a future pro.

If the trends continue, don’t be surprised if he hears his name called earlier than expected come July.

This article first appeared on Just Baseball and was syndicated with permission.

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