Fresh off leading Florida State to the semifinals of the College World Series, James Tibbs has shot up to being MLB Pipeline’s No. 12 overall prospect eligible for the 2024 Draft. Here’s what you need to know about the highly touted outfielder before he goes pro.

FAST FACTS
Position: OF
Ht/Wt: 6-foot-0, 201 lbs
B/T: Left/left
DOB: Oct. 1, 2002
College: Florida State
High school: Pope High School (Ga.)
Born: Atlanta, Ga.
MLB Pipeline Ranking: No. 12

Winning pedigree

Even before he led his Florida State squad to Omaha this year, Tibbs had demonstrated an ability to know how to win.

In fact, this ability was put on display as soon as he arrived at Pope High School. Making the varsity team as a freshman in the spring of 2018, he helped the team to its fourth state title in school history, winning the Georgia High School Association 6A Championship in a best-of-three series despite losing the first game and trailing in the seventh (and final regulation) inning of Game 2. Pope also made deep runs in both of Tibbs’ remaining high school seasons during which there was a state tournament, though it lost in the 2019 championship and 2021 semifinals.

From an individual standpoint, Tibbs also excelled, earning First Team All-Georgia honors in each of his final two non-shortened seasons. He wasn’t drafted out of high school despite these accolades, but that hasn’t prevented him from having a strong chance to eventually become the sixth Pope alumnus to make an MLB roster.

Immediate college contributions

You want to talk about making an early impact? Tibbs didn’t just start as a freshman, and he didn’t just play well in his first game. He took it even further by homering on the very first pitch he saw as a collegiate player in February 2022, going yard against James Madison to take the lead in a season-opening 4-1 victory.

That day set the tone for a strong freshman season in which Tibbs finished with a .300/.411/.553 batting line, leading the team in slugging percentage and earning Baseball America Second Team Freshman All-American honors in the process.

His sophomore season saw him improve to a .339/.471/.682 batting line, followed by a strong showing at the ensuing summer’s Cape Cod League, where he finished tied for third with six home runs. But even that didn’t match the standard he set in his junior and final college season. Tibbs’ hitting numbers got into video game territory, finishing with a .363 batting average, .488 OBP and .777 slugging percentage, adding to a 1.264 OPS.

His 28 home runs were the most for a Seminole since Marshall McDougall hit 28 in 1999, while his 95 RBIs ranked second in the country (trailing Morehead State’s Roman Kuntz) and were also the most at Florida State since McDougall in 1999. He was named the ACC Player of the Year, along with being a unanimous First Team All-American by the likes of Perfect Game, D1Baseball, Baseball America, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).

From a team standpoint, Florida State had an impressive turnaround in 2024. One year after snapping a 44-season NCAA Tournament streak -- tied for the longest in NCAA Division I men’s or women’s sports history, with Miami baseball -- the Seminoles responded by making it all the way to the semifinals in Omaha, falling to the Tennessee team that went on to win it all. It was the Seminoles’ first time reaching the College World Series since 2019, and the team’s 49 wins were its most since having 50 in 2012.

Big-time bat

As one might guess by taking a quick glance at his collegiate hitting numbers, Tibbs’ bat is the most appealing trait at the professional level. According to MLB’s 20-to-80 scouting scale, his contact and his power are his two above-average characteristics, while his fielding, throwing and running were all deemed by MLB Pipeline as average at best.

Beyond sheer power, improved plate discipline was a defining trait of his college career. He had more home runs than strikeouts for much of his junior season, though he ultimately finished with slightly more K’s than dingers (by a 37-to-28 margin). Still, he had a career-high walk total and a career-low strikeout total in 2024, which, when combined with his ability to hit the long ball, led to his best season yet.

“Being able to think out situations, not let the game speed up for me. Being in the Cape this summer was super special for me … just being able to figure out how to play to my strengths,” Tibbs said on the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast, when asked about the biggest difference for him in the 2024 season. “I just think it’s about being able to be consistent with my approach and pre-game routines, as all of those things help me be comfortable in whatever situation comes my way. Just being who I am and not trying to do too much.”

In the field, MLB Pipeline has hypothesized that he might move to first base at the pro level due to his lack of speed, a spot he did play at times with the Seminoles in 2023. Regardless of how that plays out, he has a strong chance to become the first Florida State player picked in the top 20 since Buster Posey went fifth overall back in 2008.

Character off the diamond

Off the field, a defining trait of Tibbs’ Florida State tenure was his ability to contribute in the classroom. As a junior, he was one of four Seminole athletes to be part of the ACC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He later went on to be named the 2024 ACC Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and he won the ACC’s Postgraduate Scholarship Award.

Tibbs graduated from FSU in May with a degree in political science and had a 3.53 GPA during his time there. Beyond the aforementioned Scholar-Athlete Award, he also was on the 2023 and 2024 All-ACC Academic Team and the ACC Academic Honor Roll all three years.

Much of his strong background can be attributed to his family upbringing. His parents, James II and Julie, have supported him the whole way -- even if they do it from slightly different locations.

“It’s funny, my parents [who are still married] don’t sit together during games. I think it’s hilarious, and I don’t know why they do it,” said Tibbs, who grew up as a die-hard Braves fan, on the ACC Baseball Etc. podcast. “They just kind of sit in opposite places because my mom likes to pace, she walks around the stadium, and my dad just sits there chilling and watching the games. It makes me laugh, such a hilarious dynamic. But they’re amazing people, and I wouldn’t be here without them.”

Later on the podcast, Tibbs noted that he believed the 2024 season was the first time in his baseball career that he had a name on the back of his jersey, and he was extremely honored to have the right to use the Roman numeral “III” to support his father and grandfather.

“To be able to represent my dad and grandfather, and to go out there and play for the Lord and play for those two people, is a huge honor for me. And I hope I do it the right way, the way they would want,” said Tibbs, who is nicknamed “JT3” because of his initials. “Obviously the name on the front is what matters most, but to represent not just myself and my team, but also the people that helped me be the person that I am today, is an extremely important thing that I take pride in.”

All in all, his character seems to match his on-field accomplishments. When all of that is added up, it should be an alluring combination for whichever team ends up calling his name in July.