FanPost

Offseason MLB Draft preview - Top 20 prospects

With the MLB offseason winding down, and the Mets having mostly completed their roster we as fans are looking for something to sink our teeth into before pitchers and catchers report soon. For me that something is the MLB draft, and so I have stepped into the shoes of a scout and scoured game film, stats, scouting reports and news to put together an early look at this year's top 20 draft prospects. Before I jump into my rankings I want to remind everyone that the Mets hold the 12th pick in this year's draft. One last thing is that I know that these players have much lower floors than what I am projecting ie. not making the majors at all. For this ranking, I am talking about what their floor at the major league level would look like. Now then let's begin.

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#20 Zack Thompson

School: Kentucky Class: Junior

Age: 21 Position: LHP

Height: 6'3" Weight: 225 lb.

Zach Thomspon is a polish over stuff left-hander. He was one of the top prep arms in the 2016 draft, but a shoulder injury and a very strong commitment forced him down to the 11th round. Thompson has two above-average to plus pitches in his fastball and his slider. His fastball sits in the low 90s and touches 96, but has some nice movement and he can control it well. Thompson's slider sits in the low 80s with good to great movement and Thompson gets a great spin rate on it. He has an average to above-average curveball that sits in the low 70s and gets decent 12-6 drop, but this is more a set or early count pitch than an out pitch. Lastly, Thompson's changeup is an average pitch that sits in the low 80s, but he throws the pitch sparingly right now, so it's hard to know how developed of a pitch it really is. Despite the lack of stuff Thomspons knows how to pitch, and has 11.64 K/9 in his 106.2 innings so far. The reason for this is because Thompson often pitches around the corner of the zone, and that has led to some walk issues as he's averaged 4.89 BB/9 in that same time. I wouldn't say that control is the issue with Thomspon, but more that hitters get wise to the way he pitches. The other thing that has likely contributed to his high walk rate is his constant injury concerns. As I mentioned Thompson had a shoulder concern keep him out of the first 10 rounds in high school, and that has continued into his college career. Thompson only made 9 appearances, 7 starts, last year because of an elbow injury. While the injury didn't require surgery Thompson's injury concerns are real. If he's healthy this year you can expect him to make major strides over his poor numbers last year. Thompson's ceiling is likely a consistently good mid-rotation lefty. The question for Thompson is whether or not he can stay healthy, and if he does stay healthy will he show that his stuff was hampered by his injuries. If he does do that Thompson becomes a much more intriguing prospect and might be the first college lefty selected in this draft class.

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#19 Brennan Malone

School: IMG Academy Commitment: North Carolina

Age: 18 Position: RHP

Height: 6'3" Weight: 203 lb.

Malone has the kind of stuff that makes scouts forget about the results they're seeing right in front of their eyes and just wonder what he could project to be once he gets working with a professional staff. The right hander has an electric fastball that sits in the 93-95 range while hitting 96-97 consistently with arm side run. With his projectable size, there is reason to believe that his fastball could get even faster and become a truly elite pitch. He has had issues controlling his fastball at times, and it showed during the summer circuit, where he would walk batters or leave the ball in the middle of the plate. Malone has gotten away with his spotty fastball control for now due to his overwhelming speed and movement, but it will be an issue at the next level if it's not ironed out. Malone has two offspeed pitches right now in a curveball and a changeup, and both lag behind his fastball significantly. The curveball is the better of his secondary offerings, it sits in the mid-70s with sharp 12-6 break. The pitch flashes plus at times, but the issue with his curveball is that he hasn't been able to command it consistently and that has led to multiple outings where the pitch looks below average. Malone's changeup has solid fade and sits in the mid to low 80s, it is a new pitch in his arsenal, and to this point, he has shown some feel for it, again though he struggles with consistency. The changeup has flashed plus potential but is mostly an average pitch that Malone has struggled to use at times. Malone has the stuff to blow a scout away if they catch him on the right day, but his inconsistency is maddening. Picking Malone is a high-risk high reward gamble that if it pays off gets you an ace-caliber pitcher if it doesn't work as a starter though Malone's fastball and curveball combo should be lights out coming out of the bullpen and could lead to him being a high leverage reliever.

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#18 Bryson Stott

School: UNLV Class: Junior

Age: 21 Position: SS

Height: 6'3" Weight: 195 lb.

Stott is a solid left-handed hitting shortstop prospect. Despite his size, Stott is a fluid defensive shortstop with the arm to stay at the position long term. He isn't going to win a gold glove one day, but he should be an above-average defender at the position. One reason for that is his above-average speed and overall athletic ability. His speed and athleticism grades out as average to above-average and that along with plus instincts also makes Stott an above average base runner, which he made evident last year when he was successful on 14 of 16 stolen base attempts. Stotts instincts carry over to his approach at the plate where Stott combines a patient approach, a good eye and above-average contact ability that makes him the best hitter of this years college middle infield prospects. Despite his size, Stott has not been able to tap into his above-average raw power in games, as he has topped out with 4 home runs last year, though he will likely be around a 10-15 home run guy at the major league level. That said Stott has been able to use his above-average hit tool and line drive approach to excel as a gap hitter hitting 30 doubles last year. Stott's upside is limited due to his lack of any elite or plus tools, but he is a high floor guy who has been able to play above his natural talent level due to his instincts and baseball IQ. If you're looking for a guy who's almost guaranteed to become an average MLB SS in the future than Stott is your guy.

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#17 Riley Greene

School: Hagerty(Fla.) HS Commitment: Florida

Age: 18 Position: LF/1B

Height: 6'1" Weight: 191 lb.

There is a real argument to be made that Riley Greene is the best high school hitter in this draft class. The lefty has a smooth swing and great bat speed. He drives the ball to all fields and has the ability to hit the breaking ball. This gives Greene a plus hit tool as he is likely to be able to hit wherever he goes due to his swing, advanced approach and pitch recognition skills. His great bat speed and advanced approach along with his mature body give him above-average power, which could become plus as his body continues to fill out. Greene also dominated the summer circuit showing off his improved power from the year before. Greene's issues are basically everything other than his bat. He is a below-average runner now, and that will likely go down too well below-average as his body fills out. Combine that with a fringe-average arm and you can see why most scouts don't trust that he could be a RF at the major league level. Some think that he'll be a LF in MLB, but with his sheer lack of athletic tools, he would likely be below-average to well-below average there. The most likely outcome for Greene is that he will be a 1B only prospect, which would be fine if he could be trusted to play average defense there. That's not a guarantee though as he has only played 1B sparingly to this point, and there isn't much data on how he looked there. Considering his other tools it's likely that Greene will be a below-average defensive first baseman, so for him to have value as a player and a prospect he will need to live up to the lofty expectations put on his bat.

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#16 Shea Langeliers

School: Baylor Class: Junior

Age: 21 Position: C

Height: 6'0" Weight: 190 lb.

Shea Langeliers is a defense-first catcher, but that doesn't mean that he lacks an offensive game and as such. Without a doubt, Langeliers best tool is his arm, which grades out as elite. Langeliers has an elite pop time of 1.7 seconds to pair with his elite arm making it nearly impossible for runners to steal, which is proven by his insane 69% caught stealing rate last year. Langeliers is also credited with great blocking skills and framing skills due to having above average athleticism for the position. Put that together and Langeliers is an elite defender at the position and has the potential to be a gold glove catcher. The questions around Langeliers all surround how well he will be able to hit. He's power over hit prospect and he has shown impressive power at the college level. Langeliers had a 54.39% extra-base hit percentage last year. He just doesn't make enough hard contact for many scouts to believe that his power will be sustainable once drafted. That's why right now Langeliers is graded as having average power, but that could easily jump up to above average if he repeats his success at the plate for a second year. Langeliers doesn't strike out much right now as he sat at 16.79% strikeout percentage last year and he walks a fair amount as he had a 13.06% walk percentage last year. Though that strikeout rate ballooned over 24% and his walk rate shrunk to about 9% at the cape cod league. The lack of hard contact and the increase in ground balls last year are a real issue. Lanegliers grounded into 8 DPs last year compared to 4 in only three more games the year before. Langeliers also saw a dramatic drop in his batting average from his freshman year where he hit .313 to just .256 in his sophomore year and an even further drop to .234 in the cape cod league. Langeliers is seemingly selling out for power is only striking out at a low rate because of the level of competition. Put all of this together and you can see why Langeliers has a below average hit tool, though he could change that perception with a strong season this year. Langelier's ceiling is that of an all-star catcher due to his elite defense and possible above-average power, but his hit tool makes that ceiling seem unlikely. More likely is that Langeliers ends up a bottom of the order defense-first catcher. No matter what though Langelier's defense is likely to make sure he has a long career as a major league catcher in some capacity.

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#15 Braden Shewmake

School: Texas A&M Class: Junior

Age: 21 Position: SS

Height: 6'4" Weight: 190 lb.

Every one of Shewmake's tools is average or better, but he currently lacks any plus tools. The right-hander is big for a SS, but thanks to above average instincts and average speed he can handle SS, at least for the time being. Shewmake has an above average arm, but that is due to his accuracy more than his arm strength. His average arm strength has led some scouts to believe that Shewmake will have to shift over to 2B, but I have no such concerns due as I Shewmake's instincts and fluid motions in the field lead me to believe he will be an average defender at SS at the major league level. Despite his large body, Shewmake does have average speed, which he uses well on the bases. Shewmake has stolen double-digit bases in both of his seasons at Texas A&M. Shewmake also wasn't caught stealing a single time last season, which shows Shewmake's high baseball IQ. Shewmake has some impressive raw power due to his body, but it hasn't translated into games consistently yet. Shewmake hit double-digit home runs his freshman year and fell just short of 20 doubles, which shows that he does have the ability to use his power in games. Shewmake wasn't able to replicate that power this past season though, hitting only 5 home runs and 8 doubles in just 3 fewer games. It wasn't an issue of making enough contact, as Shewmake's best tool is his hit tool. Shewmake has elite bat to ball skills and excellent bat speed. Shewmake also has a good eye at the plate having walked 21 times to only 22 strikeouts last year. Shewmake does have issues with pitch recognition, which is why his hit tool is only above average right now. Shewmake often gets caught on breaking balls, which he has been able to hit due to his elite bat to ball skills, but it has also sapped his power as pitchers have taken advantage of Shewmake's weakness. If Shewmake is able to improve his pitch recognition skills and regain his power from his freshman season than Shewmake will jump up draft boards, as his ceiling is that of a .300/.400+ 20-20 hitting SS. Shewmake is likely to find his way to majors even if his power doesn't return and could turn into a player similar to the Mets version of Daniel Murphy who plays average defense.

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#14 Daniel Espino

School: Georgia Premier Academy Commitment: Florida

Age: 18 Position: RHP

Height: 6'2" Weight: 200 lb.

Espino is a power righty arm with a 4 pitch mix. Espino's best pitch is without question his fastball, which sits in the mid to high 90s and has touched 100+. Espino set the record for the fastest pitch ever at the Under Armour All American Game by hitting 99 MPH, breaking Hunter Greene's record. Despite having elite velocity Espino's fastball lacks movement and can be hit by hitters with enough bat speed. What separates Espino from this prep classes other power arm Brennan Malone is his slider. He has a plus slider with nasty break that currently sits in the high 80s making it impossible for hitters to sit on his fastball. Espino's slider is the best breaking pitch of any of the prep arms in this class. He also has a curve that sits in the high 70s that has good depth and is overall an above average pitch. Lastly, Espino has recently added a changeup that he rarely uses right now, but he has struggled to get the break on it he does with his other breaking balls, but when he does get it to break it gets a decent amount of sink. The issues with Espino stem from his elongated throwing motion that is hard to repeat and has led to control issues. Like Malone, Espino has been able to dominate at the high school level due to his sheer stuff, but unless he gains that much-needed command and consistency with his motion his ceiling will be questioned. If Espino fixes his mechanical issues than he has ace written all over him. If he doesn't figure out how to be more consistent with than his stuff should play up in the bullpen meaning that he should be able to find a spot in the back end of a bullpen.

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#13 Jack Leiter

School: Delbarton(N.J.) HS Commitment: Vanderbilt

Age: 18 Position: RHP

Height: 6'1" Weight: 195 lb.

If the name looks familiar it should, Jack Leiter is former Mets pitcher Al Leiter's son. With Al growing up in a baseball family it should come as no surprise that the righty is the most polished pitcher in this high school class. Jack has a 4 pitch mix that improved massively during the summer circuit. Jack's best pitch is his fastball, which sits in the low to mid 90s touching 95. Jack controls the pitch extremely well for a high school student and gets fantastic sink on the pitch making it extremely hard to barrel up. Jack's best breaking ball is his curveball, which sits in the low 70s, but has good depth and should develop into an out pitch. Jack also throws a good slider that is distinct from his curveball. It sits in the low 80s has good movement, while it likely won't out pitch Jack's slider should develop into an above average pitch. Lastly, Jack has a changeup that he doesn't use as much as the other two pitches, but that is a solid offering and provides Jack with a solid 4th option in his arsenal. While Jack doesn't have the amazing stuff that Malone and Espino have he has the control and consistency that they don't have. Jack also knows how and when to mix his pitches and how to attack batter's weakness. His incredibly high baseball IQ at such a young age makes him an intriguing prospect because it means that Jack knows how to maximize his 4 pitch mix making him the most likely of this year's high school class to stay in a rotation. Jack also has room to project as his body continues to fill out making it likely that his stuff will only get better. Jack has the potential to be a frontline starter in the mold of the A's version of Sonny Gray. His floor is likely that of a back end starter.

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#12 Maurice Hampton

School: Mepmhis University(Tenn.) HS Commitment: LSU

Age: 17 Position: CF

Height: 6'0" Weight: 195 lb.

Hampton would be the top athlete in most draft classes due to his history as a dual sport athlete, but not this one. Hampton also plays football and is a 4 star CB who has been recruited to LSU to play both football and baseball. That alone makes Hampton hard for teams to pick because they don't know if he'll choose baseball over a commitment to play for one of the best college football teams in the country and delay a decision on a sport. As a baseball player, Hampton is going to be CFer when he plays due to his plus plus speed, instincts and an above average arm. Hampton should be an above average to plus defender in CFer when all is said and done. Hampton's speed allows him to wreak havoc on the bases and he has the potential to be a 30+ stolen base guy. His weaknesses right now are at the plate, but it's not because of any lack of talent, rather it's a lack of polish because he has split time between two sports. The righty has plus bat speed and hits the ball as hard as anyone in this class leading to a projected above average to plus raw power. He has only been able to manage average power so far, though the more he played on the summer circuit the more power he displayed at the plate. Hampton's worst tool right now is his hit tool, which lags behind the others because he struggles to recognize pitches and swings and pitches out of the zone far too often. These are products of his lack of experience and would likely be hammered out to a degree once he is working solely on baseball. Hampton's ceiling is tremendous he could be a 30-30 guy when all is said and done, but his hit tool will likely limit his floor. If Hampton does decide to play baseball than he will need to put in extra work to catch up, and his work on his pitch recognition to a great degree. Hampton's floor is likely that of a 4th OF power and speed off the bench. By drafting Hampton a team is hoping to catch him up to speed and draw out his massive potential, but he is the highest risk-reward position player on the list so far.

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#11 Carter Stewart

School: East Florida State JC Class: Freshman

Age: 19 Position: RHP

Height: 6'6" Weight: 200 lb.

Stewart was drafted 8th overall by the Braves last year but did not sign. The Braves claimed to have found a shoulder injury that Stewart didn't report and subsequently low balled him until Stewart decided to reject their offer. Stewart decided to attend a junior college so that he could reenter the draft this year. Stewart has an exciting mix of pitches led by his fastball. Stewart's fastball sits in the low to mid 90s and touches 97, with incredible movement. As Stewart's body fills out it's likely he'll add velocity and his fastball will likely be an elite pitch. He pairs that with a plus plus curveball that could be the best breaking ball in this year's draft class. Stewart's curveball sits in the mid 80s with some serious 12-6 break and an unbelievably good spin rate. In fact, Carter Stewart's 3200 RPM would be the highest spin rate in MLB today. Stewart also has a changeup that he has worked hard to develop and is now solidly average and flashes plus at times. As far as raw stuff is concerned there is not another pitch in this draft class who can touch Stewart. There are only two questions about Stewart. One is whether or not Stewart can figure out the control issues that he had in high school. His lack of control has been attributed to the difficulty in controlling pitches with as much movement as his have. That won't fly after another year this time at the junior college level. He has to show improved control of his pitches to be a top 10 pick in a stacked position player draft like this years. The other issue is his injury concerns. Now while the shoulder injury that the Braves flagged last year didn't effect Stewart in any visible way last year it is a concern as shoulder injuries are the scariest in baseball for a pitcher. If he can stay healthy all year and prove that the Braves medical staff was wrong then he will go a long way towards easing the worries of MLB teams. Stewart has an ace-level ceiling with his stuff no question, he very well could be a perennial Cy Young candidate with his arsenal. His floor like most power arms is as a back end reliever, with his fastball and curveball combo Stewart would be a devastating reliever if a team decided that was the way they wanted to go with him, or if durability questions forced him out of the rotation.

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#10 Graeme Stinson

School: Duke Class: Junior

Age: 21 Position: LHP

Height: 6'5" Weight: 260 lb.

This year will be Stinson's first full year as a starter at Duke. That hasn't stopped teams from dreaming on his ability to miss bats. Over his first two seasons at Duke Stinson has a 14.25 K/9, while only walking 3.09 per 9. Stinson's 14.25 K/9 over the last 2 years is the best in D1. His success out of the bullpen has mostly been due to his above-average control and his fantastic fastball and slider combo. Stinson's calling card is his slider, which is the best breaking ball in this draft class. His slider sits in the mid 80s and has a devastating sweeping drop. Stinson's slider at it's best can start in the middle of the strike zone and will cut out of the zone west to east, while dropping below a batter's knees. It has made most batters he's faced while at Duke look foolish. Stinson's fastball is plus for a lefty sitting in the low to mid 90s touching 96 with some regularity. His fastball has some good sink that he has used to get batters to pound the ball into the ground. Stinson has only allowed 3 home runs combined between his first two seasons at Duke and hasn't allowed a single home run in the Cape Cod League. Stinson also has a changeup but hasn't used it much since he's had no need for it coming out of the bullpen. this upcoming season will be big for Stinson as he needs to prove that his stuff can still play as a full-time starter. Stinson also needs to prove his lack of athleticism and big body won't hamper his ability to repeat his delivery when he needs to pitch long stretches as a starter. Stinson also needs to prove that he can pitch at a high level when asked to throw 100+ innings in a season, which is more than he's thrown the past 2 seasons combined. Lastly, he needs to show scouts that his changeup is a viable third pitch because it's very hard to make a two-pitch mix work as a starter in today's professional baseball. Stinson has an incredibly high ceiling if he can show the things I mentioned. He has the stuff to be the ace of a staff in the mold of a CC Sabathia. His floor is likely moving back into the bullpen where his stuff will play up and his fastball and slider combo will likely make him a back end reliever.

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#9 JJ Bleday

School: Vanderbilt Class: Junior

Age: 21 Position: RF

Height: 6'3" Weight: 205 lb.

Bleday is one of the most prolific hitters in college baseball. He has a quick and silky smooth lefty swing and pairs that with excellent zone control and barrel to ball skills. Bleday has also shown some amazing pitch recognition and patience in his approach walking more times than he's struck out in each of his last 2 seasons at Vanderbilt. Bleday has been a hit over power guy to this point in his baseball career. He tends to scatter line drives rather than drive the ball out of the park. Bleday does have a considerable amount of raw power from his large frame, but he has yet to turn that into game power. Bleday is the exact kind of hitter who would benefit from a launch angle swing, and you can already see him working on it as he improved his power pretty drastically at the cape cod league, where he was named MVP by MLB scouts. While it's unlikely that Bleday ever becomes a 30 home run hitter he should develop average power as he progresses through a major league system and when you pair that with his plus hit tool Bleday should be one of the best hitters taken in this draft class. Defensively Bleday lacks athleticism and speed, which has forced him out of CF and into RF. Bleday does have a cannon for an arm, which has aided in that transition. Bleday also has good instincts in the OF, which helps him overcome his lack of speed and should allow him to be at least an average OFer defensively. Bleday's challenge this year will be showing scouts that the power that he showed at the Cape Cod League was for real and if he does that he should be the first college OFer to be drafted. Bleday's ceiling could look like a Mitch Haniger. His floor though isn't pretty due to his only average to above average defense, if his power doesn't develop Bleday is likely nothing more than a 4th OFer because his bat wouldn't be able to carry his corner OF only profile.

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#8 Bobby Witt Jr.

School: Colleyville Heritage (Texas.) HS Commitment: Oklahoma

Age: 18 Position: SS

Height: 6'0" Weight: 180 lb.

Another second-generation player Bobby Witt Jr. is a potential 5 tools SS. Starting with his defense, Witt is as fluid SS with plus athleticism and a plus arm to go with it. Witt isn't likely to be a gold glove winner at the position, but there is no doubt that Witt will likely be an above average defender at the position once his body fills out and he reaches the majors. Witt's plus speed makes him a threat on the base paths, but he does not yet possess the base running IQ to be a top of the league base stealer. He should be expected to steal 20+ bases when he reaches the Major leagues. The questions about Witt stem from his ability to hit the ball. Witt is a power over hit prospect and his hit tool is his only tool that's not above average. The righty has had issues making contact on the summer circuit and has had issues with using the whole field. He's overly aggressive and has had pitch recognition issues, which limit his ability to make contact and is why he only has a fringe-average hit tool. Witt does have some pretty big raw power and has used most of that in games already. Witt has good barrel control and when he is able to make contact he does make loud contact. The question, of course, is how much contact he will actually be able to make. If Witt modifies his approach and makes more contact you could be looking at a ceiling of a Francisco Lindor. If not then you're looking at a floor of a Tim Anderson. Witt is also one of the oldest high school players in this draft class and would be a draft-eligible sophomore, which makes him a signability risk if he doesn't go as high as he believes he should.

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#7 CJ Abrams

School: Blessed Trinity Catholic(Ga.) HS Commitment: Alabama

Age: 18 Position: SS/2B

Height: 6'1" Weight: 178 lb.

Abrams is an old school top of the order middle infielder. His best tool hands down is his speed, which would top most draft classes, but is a close second in this class. CJ Abrams has elite game-breaking speed and would be one of if not the fastest players in MLB right now. He ran his 60-yard dash in 6.29 seconds, for comparison Billy Hamilton ran his 60 yard dash in around 6.5 seconds at the same age. Abrams pairs that speed with an above average arm, which gives him the chance to stick at SS. He likely won't be able to stay at SS long term due to a lack of fluid movements at the position. He has already shifted to 2B when playing at major tournaments, while Bobby Witt Jr. has taken SS on those teams. There is also a thought that due to his above-average arm and his speed that Abrams could shift to CF after he's drafted, but he has yet to play there in any real capacity, so nobody has any idea what his OF defense would look like. As a batter, Abrams is a hit over power prospect. The lefty has a quick and smooth swing with good zone control that he has been able to use to make consistent contact to all fields. Abrams also has some raw power and should gain more as his body fills out, but he'll likely never be a home run hitter. Instead, if he does get his raw power into games Abrams could develop into a 10-15 home run hitter. Abrams ceiling is a player similar to in his prime Jose Reyes. Abrams will likely find a role on a major league team because of his speed and hit tool, and his floor as is likely a .240-.250 hitter who can cause havoc on the basepaths, while not having a real defensive home making it hard to play him every day.

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#6 Josh Jung

School: Texas Tech Class: Junior

Age: 20 Position: 3B

Height: 6'2" Weight: 215 lb.

Jung can flat out hit and hit for power. Jung was the Big 12 Freshman of the year in 2017 and he improved on that in a massive way last year. He led the Big 12 in batting average at .392, OBP at .491, and in RBI at 80. Jung was 12th, 14th and 4th respectively in college baseball in those categories. He also hit 12 home runs doubling his total from his freshman year, along with 17 doubles and 6 triples. Jung is expected to continue to be one of the best hitters in all of college baseball this year, and if he continues to improve on his power there is a chance he could be the first pick in the draft. As for his raw tools Jung has a good zone control and barrel to ball skills, he also sprays the ball to all fields. Jung should not have any issues hitting for average at the next level and will likely be a plus hitter due to his raw tools and his advanced approach at the plate that allowed him to walk more times than strike out last year. The righty has a ton of natural raw power that he gets from his great bat speed and natural strength and he should provide plus power with the potential for more, think 25+ home runs per season. Jung 's biggest question mark is his natural athleticism, which is his worst tool. He is a below average runner but still tried to be a base stealer last year a was caught 6 of the 10 times he attempted to steal a base. His baserunning IQ clearly needs work, but that is something that can be improved with professional coaching. Defensively Jung should be able to stay at 3B long term due to his quick first step and instincts at the position. Jung also has a plus arm and that should help him make plays that someone with his athletic profile wouldn't normally be able to make. Overall Jung would be an average defender at third base. Jung's ceiling is very high, if he hits it you could be looking at an Anthony Rendon kind of player, with slightly more power. Jung's floor is also pretty high, there is no reason to believe that he should struggle with the bat at the major league level even if he doesn't excel at the level most expect, so you're probably looking at something like Chase Headley.

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#5 Corbin Carroll

School: Lakeside(Wash.) HS Commitment: UCLA

Age: 18 Position: CF

Height: 5'11" Weight: 161 lb.

Carroll is a future CFer and there is no question about it. Caroll has elite speed that you just don't often see, but that you can see from three prospects in this year's top 10 prospects. Corbin ran his 60 yard dash in 6.33 seconds, just a tiny bit slower than CJ Abrams did. That speed help Carroll glide around CF and makes it so that no ball is out of his reach. Still, Carroll is only an above average defender out in CF due to his weak arm that is currently graded as fringe-average, and because his routes to the ball are still a work in progress. When all is said and done Corbin should be a plus defender once he works with professional coaches on his routes to the ball. His weak arm will always be an issue, but because of his speed he there is no question that Carroll will be able to stick in CF long term. Carroll's speed is of course also an asset on the basepaths and he showed that in the Perfect Game All-American Classic where he hit an RBI triple that gave the West the west the lead off of Daniel Espino, and they never looked back. Carroll was named MVP of that game, which also included every prep prospect on this list. Carroll's hit tool is what carries his bat as he has an advanced approach for his age. He has a smooth left swing and good bat speed that allows him to drive the ball with line drives to all fields. Carroll's bat speed and barrel to ball skills provide him with more power than you would expect with his smaller frame. Carroll is never going to be a 20+ home run guy, but he should be able to hit 10-15+ a season. Carroll is also an accomplished base stealer for his age and his baserunning IQ is one if his prime assets on the field. Carroll was one of the biggest stars on the summer circuit this summer and showed off his plus hit tool wherever he went. Carroll's ceiling could look like a left-handed version of Lorenzo Cain. Carroll's floor isn't very pretty due to his lack of power if he can't hit for contact the way people expect him too then he might just be the next Billy Hamilton, though with more power potential.

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#4 Kameron Misner

School: Missouri Class: Junior

Age: 21 Position: OF

Height: 6'4" Weight: 219 lb.

Every single one of Misner's tools is above average or better. Misner has plus speed that he has used to steal 30 bases in his first 2 seasons, and has aided him in the fielded to this point. Misner has spent of his time defensively at LF and 1B, but has the athletic profile to play anywhere in the OF and it is expected that once he is drafted he will be started out in CF where he has the raw tools to succeed. It is most likely however that Misner will move over to RF where his plus arm will make him a plus defender in the long term. Misner's season was cut short last year after fouling a ball off his foot and breaking it. Before then Misner had been putting together a great season that showed off massive improvements to his offensive game. He had hit nearly as many extra base hits as he had the season before in half as many games. He raised his batting average from .282 to .360 and his OBP from .360 to .497. At the core of that improvement was Misner's massive improvement with his plate discipline. In his Freshman year, Misner sported a BB% of 9.39% and a K% of 22.45%. In his Sophmore season, Misner had a BB% of 20% and a K% of 16.25%. His improved plate discipline improved everything about his offensive game and made him one of the best hitters in all of college baseball. Misner's raw tools at the plate are even better. Due to his size, bat speed and a swing with a slight uppercut Misner has massive power that he hasn't tapped into yet. His lefty swing is smooth and his improved approach at the plate are reasons why Misner has a plus hit tool, which should allow him to tap into his raw power more and more as he continues to adjust to better and better pitching. Misner's ceiling is unbelievably high as he has the potential to be a 30+ HR, 20+ SB 5 tool player at the major league level. His floor is that he is relegated to LF due to his body filling out and his speed drops off significantly, while he never taps into his well of raw power. Even if that's the case Misner should find a way to be a starter or a 4th OFer in a good OF with his hit tool and at least average defense even if he is forced to LF.

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#3 Andrew Vaughn

School: California Class: Junior

Age: 20 Position: 1B

Height: 6'0" Weight: 214 lb.

Andrew Vaughn is without a doubt no questions asked the best hitter in this draft class. He won the Golden Spikes award last year as an underclassman. He is only the 5th underclassman to ever win the award joining former MVP Bryce Harper, Mark Kotsay, bust Alex Fernandez and Jim Abbott. Yes, Vaughn is an unathletic 1B only prospect, but that doesn't tell his story. Vaughn is athletic enough that he can handle 1B and should be an average defender there. He is a grade 30 runner though, and that is always an issue as it limits his ability to take an extra base and score runs. Now that we've talked about that let's move onto his bat. Vaughn has an elite hit tool. His smooth righty swing and elite barrel control give him the ability to drive the ball to all fields. He pairs that with an elite eye and an advanced approach at the plate that allowed him to slash .402/.531/.819 last season. He was top 5 in college baseball in OBP and slugging and was top 10 in batting average. He also walked 44 times to only 18 strikeouts, which was good for a 17.09% walk rate and a 7.03% K rate. Vaughn doesn't sacrifice power for his hit tool. He has plus plus power that he showed last year hitting 23 home runs, which was good enough for 3rd in the country and had an extra-base hit rate of 46.25%. Vaughn's natural power is great on its own, but when combined with his barrel control and elite bat speed Vaughn crushes the baseball to all fields. The only questions about Vaughn's bat are about whether or not he'll be an elite hitter or just a great one. If he can prove that his video game numbers from last year are real by backing it up this year he could be the first 1B drafted #1 overall since 2000 when the Marlins took Adrian Gonzalez with the top pick. Vaughn's ceiling could be in his prime Albert Pujols, yes that's how high I am on his bat. His floor is that of an above average 1B in the mold of Derek Lee.

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#2 Jerrion Ealy

School: Jackson Prep(Miss.) Commitment: Ole Miss

Age: 18 Position: CF

Height: 5'10" Weight: 192 lb.

Ealy is the reason that all those other ridiculous athletes like a 4-star football player in Hampton and someone as fast as CJ Abrams are considered second best in those raw athletic traits. Ealy is a 5 star running back prospect and one of the top 30 prospects in all of college football, and he has committed to play both sports at Ole Miss. Ealy has blazing speed and ran his 60-yard dash in an insane 6.13 seconds. He ran his 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds. That would make him one of the fastest players to ever play baseball. Remember he is only 18 years old and he can and probably will get faster similar to how Billy Hamilton got faster as he developed. Just a reminder he ran his 60-yard dash nearly 4 tenths of a second faster than Billy Hamilton did at this age, that's some insane speed. That insane speed is what helps make Ealy an above average defender at this point in his career despite splitting time with football. Ealy also has a plus arm that should become even better as he works on making more accurate throws once he fully commits to baseball. Ealy is raw in the field as he doesn't run the best routes out in CF yet, but he has the instincts and the speed to make it work right now. It is possible that in the future Ealy could be a gold glove caliber defender in CF. At the plate, Ealy isn't as raw as most two sport athletes are. His righty swing does need work as it's not as smooth as one would like, but he has elite bat speed and good bat to ball skills. Ealy's hit tool is only considered average right now, but again he has not been solely focused on baseball, and with more work, he could be an above average to plus hitter. Ealy's body may be small, but it is compact and built from football and that along with his elite bat speed makes it so that he packs a punch. Ealy has the power potential to hit 25+ home runs and maybe even 30+ as his body continues to fill out and as he adjusts his swing when he focuses on baseball, and when paired with his speed and defense Ealy has the chance to be a real 5 tool player that could be one of the best in baseball. Ealy's ceiling is the highest in the class, but it is all projection. He has a lot to prove and not a lot of time to do it. As for signability questions, there is a very real chance Ealy plays baseball, but he will need to be paid a pretty large signing bonus for him to give up on football. Ealy, unlike Kyler Murray, really does have a great chance at signing for his drafted team if he is drafted in the top 10 and given at least slot value. Ealy's ceiling reminds me of Carlos Beltran, and i know that is a lofty goal, but he has all the tools to be that kind of a player if he hits his absolute ceiling. To be 100% clear Beltran is Ealy's 99% outcome. Ealy's floor is a 4th OFer because it's just as likely that he never learns how to hit, and all that promise that we see is never lived up to, but his speed and defense should get him a job somewhere on someone's bench. Ealy is the epitome of a high-risk high-reward prospect.

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#1 Adley Rutschman

School: Oregon State Class: Junior

Age: 20 Position: C

Height: 6'2" Weight: 216 lb.

Rutschman is one of the absolute best catcher prospects to come out in a long time. Rutschman is a plus defender and has a plus arm behind the plate, he isn't the same kind of defender that Langeliers is, but Rutschman is going to be able to say behind the plate long term and should be a good defender there. Rutschman is also more athletic than most catchers, though he does still only have below average speed and isn't likely going to be a plus on the basepaths. Rutschman shines at the plate on a level similar unlike any catcher prospect in a long time. Rutschman led the Pac 12 in batting average last season hitting .408, he was second in OBP to Andrew Vaughn at .505, those were 5th and 7th in the country respectively. Rutschman has shown a great eye and discipline at the plate, as was illustrated by his 17.21% walk rate and his 12.99% K rate. The switch hitter has a smooth swing from both sides of the plate and is able to make contact and drive the ball from both sides of the plate with ease. The one issue with Rutschman's offensive game is that he has not yet developed the over the fence power one would hope for. That said he has displayed gap power hitting 22 doubles last season. He has more power to tap into due to his big body and his top end barrel control. It's possible that Rutschman could develop more power and become a 20-25 home run hitter once he develops, but it's more likely he will hit 15-20 home runs with a large number of doubles due to the continual development of gap power rather than over the fence power. Rutschman's ceiling is likely something similar to fellow switch hitter Jorge Posada, except with plus defense behind the plate. His floor is likely something like fellow number 1 pick and switch-hitting catcher Matt Wieters who struggled to find his footing offensively in the major leagues, and whose defense saw a sharp decline with age and injuries.

Who was your favorite prospect, and what changes would you make to these rankings? Did I miss somebody that you think should be on this list? I'd love to hear from anyone and continue the discussion about the 2019 MLB Draft.

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