Kade Lewis has made tremendous strides over the last three years. A self-described late bloomer from Minnesota, Lewis garnered just three Division I baseball offers coming out of high school — Butler, St. Thomas and Milwaukee.
After spending his freshman year at Butler, where he earned Big East Freshman of the Year honors, Lewis transferred to Wake Forest and quickly established himself as one of the ACC’s top players. Now, as he gears up for his junior season, Lewis is an MLB draft prospect, with scouts projecting him as a potential first- or second-round pick.
“It’s cool. It’s something everyone wants to do,” Lewis said of his draft status. “I didn’t really take baseball super seriously until my junior year of high school. In my sophomore year, if you told me I would be in this position, I’d probably have thought you were crazy. But it’s kind of cool just to see how far I have come.”
Lewis is a 6-foot-2, 225-pound left-handed corner infielder who employs a simple setup and a quick, efficient swing. He takes an all-fields approach at the plate, demonstrating a strong understanding of the strike zone. He currently profiles more as a contact hitter with excellent bat-to-ball skills, though his power is steadily improving.
“My strike zone awareness is the biggest strength of mine,” Lewis said. “Knowing what pitches I can hit, combined with what I think are really good bat-to-ball skills, is a recipe for success. As I continue to develop, generating a little more power is the next step. I’m setting myself up with a foundation of a good eye and strong bat-to-ball skills, which will help me excel.”
Lewis spent most of the 2025 season at third base, but scouts are split on his long-term defensive home. He’s an average athlete with inconsistent defensive actions at times and only average arm strength at the hot corner, leading many to project a move to first base in pro ball.
In high school, Lewis also played a corner outfield spot, and he believes he could handle a similar role in the future, adding to his versatility.
“I don’t know if I could even say one of them is my natural position,” Lewis said. “I think I play both well, and I’ll probably end up playing both this year. Moving forward, I probably have the ability to play both.”
As a freshman at Butler in 2024, Lewis hit .377 with 12 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs and 51 RBIs in 234 plate appearances, with 18 walks against 35 strikeouts. After transferring to Wake Forest, he hit .376 with 18 doubles, 11 home runs and 59 RBIs last season, while recording 45 walks and 45 strikeouts. He also showed promise in the Cape Cod League last summer, adjusting to wood bats.
This season, Lewis hopes to play a key role in leading Wake Forest to its first national championship. The Demon Deacons are seeking to return to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, for the first time since 2023.
“The biggest thing is staying healthy,” Lewis said on Wake Forest’s key to a deep postseason run. “Next would just be dominating the strike zone, both offensively and defensively. Last year, we struggled a little with walks, so that hurt us at times. If we can draw a lot of walks, get guys on base and create havoc, and keep opponents off base, that’ll set us up for success.”
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for 11 years. He has interviewed 613 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as an “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
