Eaton, a 23-year-old lefty pitcher, was a bit under the radar entering 2025, but his size and athleticism were intriguing. He throws in the lower half 90s and possesses a slider whose late horizontal movement is effective against hitters from both sides of the plate. Eaton has a sturdy, durable frame (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) that projects well as a traditional starting pitcher. His performance is athletic, although since turning professional he has worked on simplifying his mechanics to improve his overall passing ability.
Eaton, who signed for a full-slot bonus of $378.9k after being drafted in the sixth round in 2024, threw 62 innings across 14 starts in his platform draft year, though his results (5.66 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 4.9 BB/9 rate, 11.9 K/9 rate) weren’t strong and the level of competition wasn’t notably high. Unusually for a newly drafted pitcher, Eaton also saw some action in affiliated ball, pitching eleven innings in nine relief appearances in Low-A Fresno and High-A Spokane, allowing just one run on six hits and three walks while striking out sixteen.
In 2025, Eaton was assigned back to High-A Spokane, where he was 1.2 years younger than league average. Eaton was a rotation stalwart for Spokane, starting 23 games and throwing 121 1/3 innings with a 3.56 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 9.3 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9, while lefties maintained a .603 OPS. That includes quality starts in seven of the eight starts between mid-June and early August. In mid-August, Eaton was promoted to Double-A Hartford, where he was 2.7 years younger than the league average. He took the mound for four more starts in the Eastern League, throwing 18 2/3 innings with a nice 11.6 K/9 rate, albeit a 5.30 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 4.8 BB/9 rate.
Here’s a look at Eaton’s 2025 highlights:
At 6-foot-1, Eaton’s combination of size and athleticism has long intrigued scouts. Although he typically runs his fastball to about 90 mph, he can miss bats with a solid reverse vertical break. His sweeping mid-80s slider is an above-average breaking ball that can serve as a throwout at times, and while his changeup has been inconsistent in the past, it’s a third effective offering for the southpaw.
After walking 5.0 per nine innings over the course of his George Mason career, there were questions about Eaton’s ability to start long-term. He found the zone much more consistent early in his pro career, and if that continues, along with his three-pitch mix, he has a chance to stay in a rotation. If not, the fastball-slider combo could come out of the pen in shorter stints.
Eaton’s “vertical” attack plan (high fastballs and sweepy sliders) fits well at Coors Field if he can locate well, because high-spin sliders are less affected by the thin air than traditional curveballs. Eaton’s total of 140 frames in 2025 represents a clear workload for the starter in this day and age, allowing him to become an innings-eater in the upper minors or even MLB.
Eaton should head back to Hartford to start the year, so a reasonable trajectory could be to see him in purple pinstripes by the end of 2027. He could still be sent to the bullpen if his command falters against hitting in higher minors, but the current starting role and results make him a 35+ FV player in my book, someone who just missed being included on my ballot.
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