2022 MLB Draft Review: Oakland Athletics

Full list of draftees

The A's drafted four consecutive position players to start off the draft, including three outfielders that all have a broad enough skill set to develop into true five tool players. They kind of spent the rest of the draft playing bonus catchup after going more than $650,000 above slot value to sign second rounder Henry Bolte and six figures over slot again to sign third rounder Colby Thomas, but they have to feel great about getting a whole new outfield and a potential starting catcher all early in the draft. There are no slam dunk starting pitchers in this class, with the first two arms they selected showing considerable stuff but difficulty harnessing it and perhaps their best bet, eleventh rounder Christian Oppor, turning them down so he could attend JuCo in Florida.
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1-19: C Daniel Susac, Arizona. My rank: #15.
Slot value: $3.53 million. Signing bonus: $3.53 million.
The A's got great value here in the back of the teens, landing a catcher that many thought was talented enough to go in the top ten picks. The younger brother of former Giants catcher Andrew Susac, Daniel is also a hometown kid that grew up in the northeastern Sacramento suburb of Roseville, meanwhile commuting to Carmichael to attend Jesuit High School. He earned a lot of draft attention there in the five round 2020 draft, but opted to head to Arizona for college and that move paid off. Susac made an immediate impact in Tucson, slashing .335/.392/.591 with twelve home runs as a freshman, then stepped it up a notch in 2022 by slashing .366/.429/.582 with twelve more home runs and a 52/23 strikeout to walk ratio over 64 games. Working with a strong, long limbed, 6'4" frame, he produces high exit velocities from the right side that give him plus raw power when he lifts the ball. He's an aggressive hitter whose 7.4% walk rate was actually the lowest on my entire draft board this spring, but his above average bat to ball skills help him make a ton of hard contact regardless and strikeouts have never been an issue. In pro ball, he'll probably want to refine that approach a little bit as pitchers start to take advantage of the chases, but it's not terribly concerning given the rest of the profile. Behind the plate, he stands out as one of the better pitch framers in the class, so he'll provide immense value in that regard until MLB one day implements robo umps. His defense is otherwise average, enough to help him stick back there but he probably won't be winning many Gold Gloves. Together, it's an everyday catcher's profile that could produce 25+ home runs annually with solid on-base percentages. Two of the Athletics' past three first round picks have been catchers from the Central Valley, with Susac joining Turlock's Tyler Soderstrom, though Soderstrom is playing less and less catcher. Susac debuted in the Arizona Complex League and picked up three hits in his first two games.

2-56: OF Henry Bolte, Palo Alto HS [CA]. My rank: #41.
Slot value: $1.34 million. Signing bonus: $2 million ($658,100 above slot value).
After going local to the east with the Sacramento area's Daniel Susac, the A's went local again to the west by grabbing Henry Bolte out of Palo Alto High School. Bolte didn't come cheap, costing more than $650,000 above slot value to sign away from a Texas commitment, but he has a chance to be a special hitter in Oakland. He's a great athlete with a big, physical 6'3" frame oozing with tools. His right handed swing produces a ton of torque and high exit velocities, so the next step there will be helping him loft the ball more effectively and turn that plus raw power into more home runs in games. He also has a ways to go with his approach at the plate, but he does show the ability to impact the ball to all fields and should take well to pro pitching with a little refinement. Bolte has plus speed that could keep him in center field, where his plus arm could make him a Gold Glover if it all comes together. There is huge upside here as a potential five tool player, and he's not terribly far off from that ceiling for a high schooler. Oakland may opt to take it slow with their potential future star, but this will be a fun one to track and he has two hits in his first six at bats in the ACL.

CBB-69: OF Clark Elliott, Michigan. My rank: #81.
Slot value: $977,500. Signing bonus: $900,000 ($77,500 below slot value).
Clark Elliott has a lot of fans out in the Midwest, and it looks like the A's were among them. He didn't put up big numbers in his first two years at Michigan, but turned a lot of heads when he hit .344/.464/.478 with a strong 20/17 strikeout to walk ratio in the elite Cape Cod League last summer. He continued that success in Ann Arbor this spring, where he hit .337/.460/.630 with 16 home runs and a 56/49 strikeout to walk ratio over 61 games. Elliott has plenty of wiry strength in his lean 6' frame and has always shown strong feel for the barrel, previously employing a line drive, all-fields approach. In 2022, he began turning on and elevating the ball more effectively, tapping some pull side power that should play in pro ball. There are some concerns over his ability to handle quality breaking stuff, but overall it's a very well-rounded offensive profile augmented by plus speed that will help him stay in center field. There's no one plus tool here aside from that speed, but the Chicago-area native projects to be a well-rounded profile that can impact the game in a number of ways. He walked and scored in his first game in the ACL.

3-95: OF Colby Thomas, Mercer. My rank: #71.
Slot value: $642,100. Signing bonus: $750,000 ($107,900 above slot value).
The A's rounded out their outfield by selecting Colby Thomas out of Mercer, and he has a chance to be the best player in the group. He was up and down as an underclassman then showed well in the Cape Cod League last summer before breaking out in 2022 with a .325/.451/.734 slash line, 17 home runs, and a 32/34 strikeout to walk ratio over 42 games. Thomas is not huge at a listed 6', 190 pounds, but he can really put a charge into a baseball with a very leveraged right handed swing, great bat speed, and strong feel for the barrel. Those 17 home runs in 42 games this year were no fluke, and he should continue to hit for power in pro ball. Previously an aggressive hitter with some swing and miss in his game, the South Georgia native smoothed that out considerably this year and walked more than he struck out. It remains to be seen how Thomas handles the jump to professional pitching from the Southern Conference, but if it goes smoothly, this could end up being a steal of a pick. Meanwhile, he's not quite as fast as Henry Bolte or Clark Elliott, but he is a good runner that has a shot at center field if he hits and those guys don't or if Bolte slows down as he fills out. He has a good arm to top it off, giving him a chance to be a five tool player just like the other two outfielders here.

4-124: RHP Jacob Watters, West Virginia. My rank: #146.
Slot value: $483,500. Signing bonus: $491,750 ($8,250 above slot value).
The first pitcher of the draft for Oakland is an interesting one. Jacob Watters didn't get much exposure growing up in one of the most remote corners of Virginia, so he ended up on campus at West Virginia and has shown off some of the more impressive arm strength in the class. The numbers weren't pretty this year, with a 6.22 ERA and a 75/41 strikeout to walk ratio over 59.1 innings as a swingman, but he did strike out fifteen Longhorns during a start against Texas in May and there is a lot to work with. Watters sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and can touch triple digits in relief, just overpowering hitters when they're not explicitly sitting on the pitch. His curveball is his best pitch, coming in with huge spin and tight break, and together it's one of the better fastball/curveball combinations out there. He also throws a changeup, but it's well behind the fastball and curveball. Watters has shown well in relief but has really struggled as a starter, where his below average command really hurts him and he struggles to maintain his stuff. The 6'4", 230 pound righty is country strong and does have a chance to start if he can get that command ironed out and work on his changeup, but his most likely destination is the bullpen where he'll rely on the fastball and curveball. It's a fun profile with some upside here in the fourth round.

5-154: RHP Jack Perkins, Indiana. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $361,000. Signing bonus: $270,750 ($90,250 below slot value).
The A's spent big on their first five picks and now in the fifth round find themselves nearly $700,000 over their bonus pool pick for pick, so the money savings start in earnest here. Jack Perkins had serious draft interest out of Louisville last year, but walked 22 batters 16 innings and decided to stay in school. He transferred from Louisville to Indiana, which was closer to home, and got the opportunity to start that he wouldn't have gotten at Louisville. This year, he put up a 5.10 ERA and a 91/47 strikeout to walk ratio over 83 innings for the Hoosiers, unremarkable numbers on the surface but a big step forward from where he was. Perkins can sit in the low to mid 90's with his fastball, getting up to 97 in relief and coming in with big spin rates, but there were times in 2022 where he hung closer to 90. He works in vicious, plus slider that looks like one of the better breaking balls in the draft at its best, while also showing a cutter and a changeup. The Kokomo native's command improved from non-playable in 2021 to below average in 2022 as he smoothed out his delivery considerably, and if he moves back to the bullpen in pro ball, it should be good enough. Given how he couldn't quite maintain his stuff in a starting role, in addition to the command questions, I think the bullpen is where he belongs, and he could be a nasty reliever if the transition goes how it should. Aside from being a year older and a few inches shorter, there are some similarities here to Jacob Watters.

6-184: 3B Brennan Milone, Oregon. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $277,300. Signing bonus: $200,00 ($77,300 below slot value).
Brennan Milone was a big name for the 2019 draft out of high school in the Atlanta area, but made it to campus at South Carolina where he played sparingly and struggled to make an impact for two years. Looking for a change of scenery, he transferred across the country to Oregon this year and broke out with a .337/.405/.545 slash line, 12 home runs, and a 36/25 strikeout to walk ratio over 60 games for the Ducks. He makes a ton of contact from the right side, with a strong approach at the plate and good pitch recognition ability. Though there isn't huge power in his 6'1" frame, he finds the barrel frequently enough to tap what he has, and should continue to hit for impact at the next level. It's not the most exciting offensive profile, but he should get on base and could hit around 15 home runs per season at his peak if things break right. He's an average defender with enough arm for third base, adding to the well rounded profile here. To top it off, he's young for a college junior and only turned 21 in May, adding a little extra development time, not that he really needs it. He picked up two hits, including a double, in his first four at bats in the ACL while adding a walk.

8-244: RHP Micah Dallas, Texas A&M. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: $177,100. Signing bonus: $125,000 ($52,100 below slot value).
Micah Dallas earned some draft attention after a successful three year career at Texas Tech, but decided to transfer to Texas A&M for his senior season rather than turning pro. The results were more good than great with a 5.18 ERA and an 86/22 strikeout to walk ratio over 81.2 innings, so all in all his stock is roughly in the same place it was last year. He sits around 90 with his fastball usually a tick above and tops out around 93, coming in with steep angle. His best pitch is a downer slider, while he also works in a solid changeup. It's not the loudest stuff in the draft, but he's a bulldog on the mound that throws everything with conviction, daring hitters to hit it, and as a result walks have not been an issue for him. The 6'2" righty throws with some effort and given the average stuff, he's probably better suited for bullpen work where it can hopefully take a step forward, and his demeanor would work very well in that role. He never quite took the step forward I was hoping to see, but I still like this pick as an eighth round money saver.

13-394: RHP Jake Pfennigs, Oregon State. My rank: unranked.
Slot value: up to $125,000. Signing bonus: $125,000.
The A's picked up an interesting senior sign in Jake Pfennigs, though it will take some work to make him a major league option. He did a good job keeping runs off the board in 2022 with a 3.96 ERA for Oregon State, but was otherwise mediocre with a 1.79 WHIP and a 30/27 strikeout to walk ratio over 36.1 innings. He stands 6'7" with a high release point, giving his low 90's fastball some of the most extreme downhill plane in college baseball. Despite that, its generic movement makes it extremely straight and easy to square up, so the A's will want to play with his release and find a way to help the pitch play better to its slot. He works with a slider, curve, and changeup to round out his arsenal, with decent feel for spin that can keep hitters off his fastball but nothing to this point that misses a ton of bats. Oakland's main focus will be that fastball, but helping him sharpen up at least one offspeed pitch will help too. The northern Idaho native throws enough strikes to make it work, and it's hard to find another prospect with his release characteristics so they have themselves a unicorn. He's probably middle inning reliever but he could crack it as a #5 starter if everything breaks right and the A's unlock something with his fastball.

2022 MLB Draft: Ten Options for the Nationals at Pick #5 (April Update)

Before the start of the season, I pulled ten options for the Nationals at the fifth overall pick. While of course players' stocks have moved in all different directions since then, things have remained *fairly* unchanged in terms of who is in play at the top of the draft. I dove a little bit into their draft history in that original article, so instead we can skip straight into who could conceivably be under consideration two months later. Considering Mike Rizzo's recent statement that he wants to shake up player development in this system, it's hard to say exactly which direction they will go.

I'm going to start by making a note on the three players that I see locking themselves in as the top three prospects. Georgia prep bats Druw Jones and Termarr Johnson as well as Cal Poly shortstop Brooks Lee, in my opinion, are in a class of their own and have some daylight before the next group. That doesn't mean that they'll go first, second, and third overall, but there's a good chance all three are off the board in the first four picks and it's hard to say which could end up slipping through the cracks. If I had to guess, it would probably be Johnson, so I'll highlight him but leave off Jones and Lee (but if any of the three are available, I'd highly advise Washington to draft him). As a quick summary, Jones is the son of Hall of Fame candidate Andruw Jones, bringing a ridiculous combination of athleticism and polish to the field you just don't often see. A plus-plus runner, he has plenty room to add weight to his frame and already shows plus power to go with strong plate coverage and plays a mean center field. Meanwhile, Lee also shows elite bat to ball skills and this year is showing much more restraint on pitches outside the zone, patching up the biggest question mark scouts had about his game. He also shows plus power and is slashing .401/.503/.693 as of this writing.

Below are ten players the Nationals are likely considering, with their rank on my most recent top 75 in parentheses as well as, for college players, their stats through April 17th.

2B Termarr Johnson, Mays HS [GA] (#3)
I don't think Termarr Johnson will be available here. One of Baltimore, Arizona, Texas, or Pittsburgh seems likely to fall in love with him, especially if Druw Jones and Brooks Lee are off the board at that point. But if he does reach #5, Washington should be all over him. Johnson is one of the best pure hitters to come through the high school ranks in years, with some calling him the best they've ever seen. He handles the strike zone like a seasoned MLB veteran, spitting on breaking balls and other pitches he doesn't like while consistently barreling up everything thrown in his ample hitting zone. Despite standing just 5'9", his combination of a keen eye and elite bat to ball skills allows him to take big, healthy hacks from the left side, producing plus power. That kind of bat certainly has the Orioles considering him with the first overall pick. The only questions in his profile are size and athleticism, as the other two top hitters in the high school class, Jones (6'4", 180) and Elijah Green (6'3", 225), are freak of nature-type athletes and Jackson Holliday (6'1", 180) has blossomed physically as well. Johnson (5'9", 190) projects more as a steady second baseman who can make all the routine plays, but won't be winning and Gold Gloves. Still, we have plenty of recent history with defensively-limited hitters going in the top couple of picks, highlighted by 2020 first overall pick Spencer Torkelson, so I don't think that should be an issue. Believe it or not, he remains uncommitted which conventionally lead you to believe he won't be as expensive as someone like Jones, Green, or Dylan Lesko, but he's so talented that there is bound to be a bidding war for his services and he won't come cheap.

OF Gavin Cross, Virginia Tech (#4)
2022: 8 HR, .352/.439/.680, 4 SB, 14/17 K/BB in 30 games.
Cross entered the season as the #6 player on my board and now has hit well enough to push himself to #4, putting him right in range for the Nationals at #5. He's a hard-hit machine that sprays deep fly balls, screaming line drives, and hot shot ground balls all around the field. Even when he swings over pitches, he still pounds them into the ground with such force that they turn into high choppers that take a while to come down. This is a power bat through and through. The Bristol, Tennessee native has always tracked pitches well out of the hand, but an aggressive approach led to a somewhat unsightly 48/17 strikeout to walk ratio last year (a 20.5% strikeout rate). This year, he has done a much better job laying off those pitches just out of the zone and focusing on maximizing damage on pitches in the zone, matching last year's walk total already while cutting his strikeout rate in half to just 9.5%. Now that he has patched up that last hole in his profile, he's a much more complete hitter and the Nationals will likely strongly consider him with the fifth overall pick, perhaps ahead of every other college bat (of which there are plenty) except Lee. His defensive profile has raised this year as well, seamlessly moving from right field to center field and showing the ability to potentially stick there. If his larger 6'3", 210 pound frame does ultimately force him back to right, he's shown enough this year to convince evaluators he'll still be above average at that position.

C Kevin Parada, Georgia Tech (#5)
2022: 18 HR, .380/.471/.778, 5 SB, 19/21 K/BB in 37 games.
Kevin Parada just missed this list before the season, but he's improved is stock significantly this spring despite already being considered a consensus first round bat. Always known as a well-rounded hitter with a professional approach and above average power, he's taken a step forward on both sides of that equation this spring. He cut his strikeout rate from a solid 16.9% a year ago to a very strong 10.2% this year, while also improving his walk rate from 7.0% to 11.2%. Tacking on some strength helped his previously above average power play up to easy plus this spring, perhaps double plus depending on who you ask, and it's playing to all fields consistently, not just the pull side. His defensive ability remains a bit of a question mark, with so-so athleticism and arm strength, but he's known by area scouts to possess a very strong work ethic and many are confident he will put in the work to stick behind the plate. He's pushed to the front of an extremely strong college catching class even if he's not a surefire lock to stay at the position, mostly because he's arguably the best hitter in all of college baseball. To boot, he's draft-eligible as a sophomore and younger than the other college names on this list, not turning 21 until after the draft. If the Nationals believe he will eventually improve to an average defender, there's no denying the bat and he could very easily be the pick at fifth overall.

RHP Dylan Lesko, Buford HS [GA] (#6)
In the past, I think Mike Rizzo would have been all over an arm like Dylan Lesko, and even with the evolving development philosophy in the system, Rizzo will still likely strongly consider the Atlanta-area righty. In a class extremely short on college pitching, the high schooler has established himself as the consensus top pitching prospect at either level and will probably be the only arm in play at pick #5 unless a prep lefty like Noah Schultz, Jackson Ferris, or Brandon Barriera is willing to take a big discount. Many evaluators consider Lesko to be the best prep pitching prospect in years, an honor he has really driven home this spring. The 6'2" righty sits in the mid 90's with his fastball and can touch the upper 90's with ease, while his changeup is arguably the best in the class with ludicrous life. Some scouts have nitpicked his ability to spin a breaking ball, but he has always shown high spin rates on his curve and slider (indicating attainable room for improvement) and this spring they have been more consistent. They're above average pitches most of the time and are trending towards plus. He's a great athlete that repeats his delivery well, fills up the strike zone with all four pitches, and has some projection left to boot. There is tremendous risk associated with high school righthanders and he recently came down with a little bit of soreness in his arm, so the Nationals' scouting department will be following that development very closely. But if they deem him healthy, it's really hard to look away from an eighteen year old that checks every single box. He's committed to Vanderbilt and would be a very expensive sign, even this high in the draft.

2B Jace Jung, Texas Tech (#7)
2022: 10 HR, .379/.527/.714, 4 SB, 24/42 K/BB in 39 games.
If the Nationals decide that all they care about in this spot is the bat, then Jace Jung might be high on their list. After hitting .337/.462/.697 as a sophomore, he's somehow improved in all three measures of the triple slash while dropping his strikeout rate from 17.0% to 12.8% and increasing his walk rate from 18.6% to 22.3%. He's gotten very little to hit all spring, but continues to show an extremely disciplined approach at the plate and when he has gotten his pitch, he hasn't missed it. In addition to his patience, he continues to show plus power to all fields and looks like arguably the safest bet to become and impact hitter in the college class (again, perhaps except for Lee). He plays second base for Texas Tech right now and would be a decent, Daniel Murphy-like defender there, or he could switch over to third base and be good enough there as well. Either way he won't be winning any Gold Gloves, but it's nice to have at least a little versatility from a top tier bat that can stick on the dirt.

C Daniel Susac, Arizona (#8)
2022: 7 HR, .385/.436/.627, 0 SB, 28/11 K/BB in 36 games.
Daniel Susac has followed a very similar path to Kevin Parada. While Parada was clearly the better prospect at the time, both drew significant draft interest out of their respective California private schools in 2020 (Loyola for Parada, Jesuit for Susac) and instead headed to school. Now after pushing their names into the first round conversation as freshmen, both have improved their stock further this spring and make the Nationals' short list after just missing it at the beginning of the spring. While Parada is relatively old for a sophomore with his August birthday and therefore draft-eligible, Susac is the age of a college junior with a May birthday and doesn't quite get the extreme age advantage of Parada, but he's still relatively young for a college-eligible player. He shows plus power and excellent batted ball metrics from his long limbed, 6'4" frame and has been an extra base hit machine in Tucson, tallying 60 in 97 career games so far. While he's a very free swinger, he makes a ton of contact and has still managed to drop his strikeout rate from 17.7% last year to 15.6% this year, a very reasonable number. The Sacramento-area product has also improved considerably behind the plate as a strong framer with a strong arm. It's really hard to find catchers with that combination of power, bat to ball ability, and defense, so really the only question mark in his profile is that free swinging approach. If he was striking out over 20% of the time, it might be more worrisome, but given the consistent hard contact he has made against strong competition in the Pac-12, the fact that he rarely walks is more of an afterthought in the profile. I would prefer Parada in this spot but Susac has made a very good case for himself.

OF Elijah Green, IMG Academy [FL] (#9)
Long a headliner for this prep class, Elijah Green has been talked about as high as first overall in the past and more recently has endured rumors he could fall out of the top ten. Despite possessing the loudest physical tools in the entire class, the inconsistency of his hit tool is currently leaving evaluators with very split opinions. He showed well on the showcase circuit, but came out this spring in a bit of a funk and swung and missed at an alarming rate if we're going by the context of the top ten picks, then more recently, has righted the ship and looks as locked in as ever. So that leaves evaluators to decide – is Green a streaky hitter who will always deal with slumps, or has he turned a corner and is that slow start just a blip on an otherwise stellar track record? If the Nationals believe the latter, then they should be all over the Orlando native at pick #5. As most are well aware of by now, he possesses massive raw power unparalleled anywhere in the high school class, power he has gotten to against good pitching in the past. Not just a slugger, he can absolutely fly on the bases with plus-plus speed that makes him a weapon in center field as well. And oh yeah, he has a cannon right arm to boot. If you want to imagine his ceiling, think of Aaron Judge with Victor Robles speed. That's really, really hard to pass up if you believe in his hit tool. He's committed to Miami and I imagine he will be quite expensive to sign.

SS Jackson Holliday, Stillwater HS [OK] (#11)
I'll reserve the last three spots on this list for potential money savers, mostly so it doesn't read like a plain old top ten list. Jackson Holliday, the son of former All Star Matt Holliday, has been flying up boards faster than anybody this spring. A few months ago, he was seen as more of a second round type. Over the summer, Holliday showed an advanced approach at the plate, spraying deep line drives around the park by choosing good pitches and connecting with a clean, leveraged swing. It was a very nice profile, but scouts wanted to see him fill out his frame a little bit more (I've seen him listed as short as 5'11" and as tall as 6'1" in different sources) before projecting him as a true impact player. Well, he came out this spring looking much more physical and the results have been phenomenal, just raking against Oklahoma high school pitching and hitting some impressive home runs along the way. On top of that, he's a strong defender with a plus arm with a good chance to stick at shortstop, further increasing chances he could continue to move up. Right now, pick #5 seems just a little bit rich, but he's trending up and by July could be more in play here, especially if the Nationals want a shortstop. He probably won't require full slot value here despite a commitment to play for both his uncle and father at Oklahoma State, so he could help the Nationals go above slot later in the draft.

LHP Brandon Barriera, American Heritage HS [FL] (#13)
There are three lefties jockeying for position behind top prep pitching prospect Dylan Lesko, and they are Brandon Barriera, Jackson Ferris, and Noah Schultz. None will likely be in play at the fifth overall pick on talent alone, but if the Nationals want a pitcher and Lesko is off the board (or they don't want to splurge on his high price tag), they could reach down the board a little bit for one of these three and save some money in the process. I chose to highlight Barriera, a bulldog competitor down in South Florida who recently made it known he would be wrapping up his high school season early to focus on the draft. A bit undersized at a skinny 6'1", he possesses some of the loudest stuff in the class in a low to mid 90's fastball, a wicked slider, and a relatively advanced changeup. Coming from an uptempo delivery, he pounds the strike zone relentlessly and while his control is ahead of his command, he projects to stay in the rotation long term. He really stands out for his competitive demeanor on the mound, always looking to prove doubters wrong. A Vanderbilt commitment means he won't come cheap, but at pick #5 he should still help the Nationals save a little money and Vanderbilt commits have been used in that regard in the past (see Ian Anderson, third overall in 2016).

3B Cam Collier, Chipola JC (#16)
2022: 7 HR, .333/.429/.525, 5 SB, 30/24 K/BB in 48 games.
Cam Collier probably isn't a top ten prospect at this point, so it will take a strong finish to his JUCO season to vault into consideration at pick #5, and he'll also likely need to take a discount. He could be that guy, though, as one of the best pure hitters in this class especially when you take his age into account. Collier should be a high school junior, but not only did he reclassify, he went the Bryce Harper route and skipped both his junior and senior seasons at Mount Paran Christian HS in the Atlanta area in order to enroll early at Chipola JC in Florida. Despite being just 17 years old while playing against mostly 18, 19, and 20 year olds, he got off to a red hot start when his season began in January and was one of the spring's first risers. He's been a little up and down since then but the overall numbers remain great and he's hitting .556 over his last seven games, so if Collier can show that he's turned a corner and is now truly settling in, he'll be in a great spot come July. He doesn't stand out for one individual tool, instead showing feel for the. game advanced beyond his years and the ability to do a little bit of everything. His professional approach at the plate is the reason he's taken so well to older pitching, and there is some natural power here to all fields that he taps without selling out. Though he's not the springiest athlete in the world, his strong arm should help him stick at third base and provide some defensive value. This is the kind of bat that could reach the majors at twenty years old if everything breaks right. He's committed to Louisville and if he heads there, will be draft eligible again as a twenty year old junior in 2025, so he has a lot of leverage. This early in the draft, though, I'd still expect him to take a sizable discount even if he finishes strong enough to warrant the selection.

Other Options
OF Chase DeLauter, James Madison (#10)
3B Jacob Berry, Louisiana State (#12)
LHP Noah Schultz, Oswego East HS [IL] (#14)
LHP Jackson Ferris, IMG Academy [FL] (#15)
OF Jordan Beck, Tennessee (#22)

Some second round options
It's very hard to predict who a team will take in the first round, especially in April, and therefore it's near impossible to guess who they'll take in the second round. So instead, I'll take a look at a few names I'd like to see the Nationals consider with the 45th overall pick.

LHP Parker Messick, Florida State (#24)
2022: 5-2, 2.93 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 94/12 K/BB in 55.1 innings.
I am very bullish on Parker Messick, and while his #24 ranking on my board may indicate he would be unlikely to reach the Nationals, he's ranked #48 by MLB Pipeline, #55 by Baseball America, and #71 by Prospects Live, so the industry definitely views him more as a second rounder. The reason I am bullish is simple, and that's because Messick can really, really pitch. He's an old school guy without big stuff, sitting in the low 90's with his fastball while adding a curveball, slider, and changeup. Both breaking balls flash above average while the changeup flashes plus, giving him plenty of weapons with which to attack hitters. However, the key to his success his pitchability, pounding the strike zone with confidence and swagger while effectively mixing pitches and changing speeds. Furthermore, everything plays up because he hides the ball extremely well, making him extremely difficult to pick up. Despite averaging a ranking of #58 between the three outlets I mentioned, I think he'll be gone within the top fifty picks due to the lack of college pitching in this class and I would love if the Nationals were the team to take him.

RHP Andrew Dutkanych, Brebeuf Jesuit HS [IN] (#26)
Andrew Dutkanych is an interesting pitcher that I think will thrive in the right development system. I'm not sure if that's Washington, but I'd rather have him on my side than not. He sits in the low to mid 90's with his fastball and touches 97, and while it doesn't quite have elite movement metrics, there's plenty of velocity there to make up for it. His best pitch is a short, tight slider that gives hitters fits, while his curveball and changeup are a bit behind the fastball and slider. Everything plays up because he's an aggressive pitcher that pounds the strike zone and refuses to be beat, and I think that kind of presence will serve him well in pro ball. The Indianapolis native also shows good command for a high schooler and is athletic on the mound, portending to a future in the starting rotation. He's committed to Vanderbilt and will be an expensive sign in the second round.

SS Jett Williams, Rockwall-Heath HS [TX] (#28)
This is another fun one, as Jett Williams would probably be a surefire first rounder if it weren't for his short stature at 5'7". However, anybody looking at the size and comparing him to Nick Madrigal would be mistaken, because his game is much more explosive, more similar to Dustin Pedroia. Williams takes big hacks from the right side to produce above average power, but he keeps it under control and doesn't let it affect his hit tool. He finds the barrel consistently and has done so against good pitching, giving me confidence he'll be an impact hitter down the road. The Dallas-area native also plays a good shortstop and could stick there in the long run, with a strong arm and good athleticism to handle the position. He's also gotten looks in center field and has impressed there with plus speed and the aforementioned arm strength, adding some versatility to the profile. I honestly doubt he'll be available at pick #45 and if he is, it will be expensive to buy him out of a Mississippi State commitment, but the glut of high school shortstops with similar skillsets in the first round/comp round range (Jackson Holliday, Mikey Romero, Cole Young) could push him down.

LHP Bryce Hubbart, Florida State (#33)
2022: 6-1, 2.82 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 66/13 K/BB in 51 innings.
It's not just Parker Messick creating headlines in Tallahassee. While not quite Rocker-Leiter, Bryce Hubbart makes Messick-Hubbart the most fearsome one-two punch in college baseball right now as they've combined for a 2.88 ERA and 160 strikeouts to 25 walks in 106.1 innings. Hubbart, like Messick, doesn't quite light up the radar guns with his low 90's fastball, but it's an invisiball with tremendous riding action that hitters just can't seem to pick up (and he's hit 96 in the past as well). He adds a pair of breaking balls in a curveball and a sweepier slider that have both been inconsistent (the slider more so than the curveball), but they flash plus at their best and he also has a solid changeup at his disposal. Despite an uptempo delivery, the skinny 6'1" lefty has improved his control and is filling up the strike zone more often in 2022, dropping his walk rate from 9.5% a year ago to 6.0% this spring. Hubbart is also a student of the game who understands and has worked to incorporate new developments in pitching development. If the Nationals can help him reach his peak velocity more often and get more consistent with his breaking stuff, I think they could have a legit impact starter here.

OF Justin Crawford, Bishop Gorman HS [NV] (#37)
Carl Crawford's son is one of the toolsiest players in this year's class, a notch below Elijah Green but still extremely impressive. Justin has had some first round buzz this spring and may not be available at pick #45, but he would be a great get if he is still on the board. As you'd expect from someone whose father stole 480 bases in a fifteen year big league career, the younger Crawford is a plus-plus runner who can change games with his speed. With a rangy 6'3" frame, he also has the chance to grow into plus power and he's been showing it off more often this spring. My main concern is with his hit tool, especially around offspeed pitches which he struggled with over the summer, but he's been better in that regard this spring and has shown enough to warrant a role of the dice early in the draft. There is a ton of upside here and I think it would be worth buying him out of his Louisiana State commitment, though it will be expensive.

2022 MLB Draft: an early look at the Pac-12

2021 draftees: 45. Top school: UCLA (10)
2021 preseason writeup (published 12/17/2020)

Top draftees:
1-17, Reds: SS Matt McLain (UCLA)
2-38, Rangers: OF Aaron Zavala (Oregon)
2-55, Yankees: RHP Brendan Beck (Stanford)
2-63, Rays: 1B Kyle Manzardo (Washington State)
CBB-70, Cardinals: OF Ryan Holgate (Arizona)
3-82, Nationals: 1B Branden Boissiere (Arizona)

Though the Pac-12 snapped a streak of three straight seasons of at least three first round picks (including at least one in the top five overall), it still showed well in 2021 with every school except Utah having at least three players drafted and UCLA's Matt McLain leading a barrage of ten Bruins as the league's sole first rounder. This year, the league could get back on that pace, with some huge bats in Daniel Susac, Brock Jones, Dylan Beavers, and Ethan Long all having very real first round aspirations heading into the season. Throw in Max Rajcic and any pop-up prospects that could come along, and we should hear a lot from the West Coast early on. Overall, this is a hitter-heavy list, led by Arizona State placing three. Heading into the 2022 season, the top prospects for the upcoming draft are:

1. C Daniel Susac, Arizona.
Bat: S. Throw: R. 6'4", 205 lbs. Born 5/14/2001. Hometown: Roseville, CA.
2021: 12 HR, .335/.392/.591, 0 SB, 47/19 K/BB in 61 games.
In 2020, Daniel Susac had a chance to go near the back of the five round draft, but ultimately teams could not meet his asking price and he headed south to Arizona for school. The younger brother of MLB catcher Andrew Susac and a cousin of incoming freshman Anthony Susac, Daniel's massive freshman season now has him ready to take over as the best player in the family. Earning a starting role from day one, he took absolutely no time to adjust to the college level and hit right in the middle of arguably the top offense in college baseball, even rising to the challenge with a .363/.397/.669 line in conference play. Because he's a full year older than much of his high school graduating class, he'll be eligible as a true sophomore but that huge season means he already has plenty of track record. Susac stands out in a variety of areas, bringing a profile that offers both upside and balance. He has plus raw power from both sides of the plate, a product of his long-limbed 6'4" frame that's packed with strength from top to bottom. While he can be an aggressive hitter, he still makes very consistent hard contact and keeps his strikeout rates to a reasonable level, especially for an underclassman. At this point, he rarely walks, but that's not a huge issue for now given his feel for the barrel. On the defensive side, the Sacramento-area product moves very well for his size and will stick behind the plate, adding a plus arm with a quick, effortless release that helps him gun down runners. There are very few holes in Susac's game, with the upside of an All Star catcher who can hit 25-30 home runs per season while getting on base at a solid clip and playing good defense. That's a first round projection, with a chance to hit his way into the top half of the round if he can draw a few more walks.

2. OF Brock Jones, Stanford.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6' 205 lbs. Born 3/28/2001. Hometown: Clovis, CA.
2021: 18 HR, .311/.453/.646, 14 SB, 59/49 K/BB in 56 games.
I went back and forth between Daniel Susac and Brock Jones for the top spot on this list, and even though I eventually landed on Susac, Jones might have an even higher ceiling. He's a stud athlete that also played ten games at the safety position for Stanford's football team in 2019, then after hitting an unremarkable .228/.323/.316 in the shortened 2020 season, broke out for a .311/.453/.646 line this spring with his focus solely on baseball. He packs a ton of strength into a compact six foot frame, giving him the best combination of physical tools and performance in the entire conference. Jones shows off plus raw power from the left side, with a very simple, direct swing effectively channeling his strength into game power with 18 home runs in 2021. He's also an above average runner that can make things happen on the bases, and that translates to plenty of range in the outfield. Safeties don't throw the football very often and he doesn't have that big left arm you often see from these compact power hitters, so if he gets pushed off of center field by a better defender, left field is his most likely destination. The good news is that the Fresno product should hit plenty enough to profile as an every day player even at that less in-demand position and could be an above average defender there. Jones works a lot of deep counts and while he draws his fair share of walks, he can also get into trouble with strikeouts sometimes. The pure hitting ability is there and as he gets farther removed from his football career, we could see a reduction in his strikeout rate from the 22% we saw in 2021. If that happens, he should go off the board relatively early in the first round, and for now it's probably a back of the first round profile.

3. OF Dylan Beavers, California.
Bat: L. Throw: R. 6'4", 205 lbs. Born 8/11/2001. Hometown: Paso Robles, CA.
2021: 18 HR, .303/.401/.630, 10 SB, 53/32 K/BB in 55 games.
Dylan Beavers is another huge 2021 performer with upside still untapped that could push him into the top half of the first round with a strong 2022. He's extremely young for a college junior, nearly three months younger than true sophomore Daniel Susac, which is something scouts like to see. Beavers produces above average raw power from the left side that he taps very consistently in games, and with his lanky, projectable 6'4" frame, there is probably plus power in the tank. He's really loose in his swing, often just dropping his hands to the ball and letting his natural strength and leverage do the work rather than really selling out for power. A little bit of mechanical refinement to really get him driving up through it will help in that power projection as well. He's fairly aggressive at the plate and struck out in more than 20% of his plate appearances, something he'll want to cut down in 2022, but for now it's not a huge issue and he projects as at least an average hitter if not above average. Beavers' natural athleticism serves him well in the outfield as well, where he has an outside chance to stick in center field if the team that drafts him doesn't have a better option, and he could make a very solid right fielder or a well above average left fielder if it came down to it, showing more arm strength than Brock Jones. For now, because he doesn't control the strike zone as well as the top tier of college hitters in this draft (and an unremarkable eight game run through the Cape Cod League doesn't help either), he probably projects in the second round, but his youth and frame give him every chance to climb boards in 2022.

4. RHP Max Rajcic, UCLA.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6', 205 lbs. Born 8/3/2001. Hometown: Fullerton, CA.
2021: 2-1, 1.65 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 36/8 K/BB in 32.2 innings.
Like Daniel Susac, Max Rajcic had a chance to go in the back of the shortened 2020 draft if he were signable, and also like Susac, he's eligible again in 2022 because he's old for the class, though still two and a half months younger than his Arizona counterpart. Rajcic is the top pitching prospect in the conference heading into the season, having posted a strong freshman season as the UCLA closer followed by a very respectable run through the Cape Cod League as a starter (4.32 ERA, 28/8 K/BB in 25 IP). He consistently touched 95-96 as a reliever last spring, then sat comfortably in the low 90's as a starter on the Cape with good command of that fastball. His bread and butter is a wipeout slider with extremely high spin rates, coming in with tight, late bite that makes it a plus pitch. For now, he does command his fastball better than his slider, but it has been extremely effective for him nonetheless. Rajcic also throws a changeup with some fade, but doesn't quite have quite as much feel for it as his fastball and slider and he mainly sticks with those two pitches in games. In order to pitch his way into the top two rounds in 2022, he'll want to establish that changeup as at least a consistently useable game pitch, and without it he's more of a third round type. The other big item on his to do list is proving his durability as a starter and holding his stuff throughout the spring, as he'll get less benefit of the doubt as a physically maxed-out six footer with some effort in his delivery. For now, the Southern California product projects in the third round range but I have a hunch he's going to change that.

5. 1B Ethan Long, Arizona State.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6'2", 215 lbs. Born 5/10/2001. Hometown: Gilbert, AZ.
2021; 16 HR, .340/.417/.704, 0 SB, 46/18 K/BB in 51 games.
Ethan Long is in the same boat as Daniel Susac and Max Rajcic as a true sophomore that's eligible this year with an early birthday, and he's actually the oldest of the three and will turn 21 before many true juniors. Long rounds out the quartet of Pac-12 mashers with Susac, Brock Jones, and Dylan Beavers, and his 1.121 OPS in 2021 healthily bested all three of the others. For now, he's mostly a one tool player, but it's a loud one. The Phoenix-area native has plus raw power from the right side, flinging the barrel through the zone with ease with a ton of bat speed that helps him blast baseballs impressive distances to all fields. He taps that power very consistently in games and needed no time to adjust to Pac-12 pitching, still holding a .330/.423/.680 line against in-conference opponents. For now, that power comes with a healthy amount of swing and miss, with his 24% strikeout rate also the highest of the quartet stemming from an aggressive approach and the need to better identify pitches. He also does not provide much defensive value as a below average runner, but more seasoning and exposure in the field this spring could shed light as to whether he could stick in a corner outfield spot or just be limited to first base. Long's strong arm has run fastballs up to 97 and he even earned 6.2 (scoreless) innings out of the Sun Devil bullpen in 2021, so that could help make right field work. If he comes out in 2022 with a more selective approach at the plate and cuts his strikeout rate to under 20%, he could mash his way into the top couple of rounds with an Aaron Sabato/Seth Beer type of profile.

6. LHP Cooper Hjerpe, Oregon State.
Bat: L. Throw: L. 6'2", 190 lbs. Born 3/16/2001. Hometown: Capay, CA.
2021: 3-6, 4.21 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 98/27 K/BB in 77 innings.
Cooper Hjerpe is a favorite sleeper among Pacific Northwest area scouts, with a profile somewhat similar to TCU lefty Austin Krob, except that he's a year and a half younger with more time to build on his game. Hjerpe sits in the low 90's with his fastball but can run it up as high as 97, adding a sweeping slider and a sinking changeup. The fastball comes in with a flat approach angle, while his slider can pop out of his hand at times but can also show big lateral break, while his changeup has great separation from his fastball. Everything plays up because he comes from a low three quarters, nearly sidearm slot, making everything tough to pick up and producing a unique movement pattern. The fact that he fills up the strike zone with all three pitches is a bonus as well, with a repeatable delivery and a strong frame helping him project as a starter in pro ball. For now, he doesn't quite have the out pitch to profile in the top couple rounds, but a step forward with pretty much anything in 2022 could send him flying up boards. It's a back-end starter projection with a chance for more.

7. RHP Will Frisch, Oregon State.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 6', 225 lbs. Born 7/14/2000. Hometown: Stillwater, MN.
2021: 3-0, 2.38 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 54/24 K/BB in 56.2 innings.
Will Frisch was eligible as a sophomore last spring due to an early birthday, coming in at #201 on my board, but when the money wasn't there, he decided to head back to school and try his luck again. He's coming off a very strong season as a swingman for Oregon State, often throwing multiple innings and going five innings in strong starts against New Mexico, Washington, and Oregon. Frisch sits in the low 90's with his fastball and has popped for as much as 98 in short stints, coming from a lower arm slot that gives the pitch a flat approach angle, with the ability to run and sink the ball when he needs to. He flips in an average slider and flashes an above average changeup, though I have seen him struggle to keep the latter down at times. The 6' righty doesn't have much projection remaining but does generally do a good job of filling up the strike zone, though he can be scattered at times. He projects as a back-end starter or a long reliever for now, with the chance to improve that projection if he can tighten up his slider and/or get more consistent with his location within the zone, both with his fastball and offspeed stuff. The Minnesotan will also be gunning for more innings in the rotation, which with Kevin Abel (Reds, seventh round) and Jack Washburn (transfer, Ole Miss) gone, should be easier in 2022.

8. OF/RHP Steven Zobac, California.
Bat: L. Throw: R. 6'2", 200 lbs. Born 10/14/2000. Hometown: San Jose, CA.
2021: 5 HR, .240/.344/.359, 4 SB, 35/20 K/BB in 52 games.
2021: 2-2, 4.66 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 19/8 K/BB in 19.1 innings.
Steven Zobac is an interesting two-way player that has a chance to work his way into the top couple of rounds in either role. I prefer him slightly as a hitter, where he's yet to make a big impact at Cal but did hit .305/.443/.542 with more walks (12) than strikeouts (11) in 21 games in the California Collegiate League this summer. He has a compact left handed swing and manages the strike zone well, giving him a good shot at an above average hit tool in time. With a strong 6'2" frame, I could see him growing into average power as well if he adds a little bit of loft, and together that's a very balanced offensive profile. As you'd imagine, he has a strong arm in the outfield that will make him a solid right fielder, and he's athletic and fast enough to steal a few bases here and there. To me, it seems like the kind of profile where everything could click once he focuses solely on hitting. On the mound, I haven't seen any velocity numbers for Zobac since high school, where he sat around 90 with his fastball, so I'd imagine he's probably a slight tick above that now. He has a short but sharp cutter/slider that functions as his primary bat-missing pitch, and in general he throws strikes. The San Jose product will need to prove he can handle longer outings after typically throwing one to two innings at a time last spring and over the summer, and in general he looks a bit more natural at the plate than on the mound in my opinion. He looks like a late day two option as a hitter, which could become an early day two profile with a singular focus.

9. 2B Joe Lampe, Arizona State.
Bat: L. Throw: R. 6'1", 185 lbs. Born 12/5/2000. Hometown: Petaluma, CA.
2021: 3 HR, .294/.383/.461, 6 SB, 27/21 K/BB in 54 games.
Joe Lampe played with Spencer Torkelson at Casa Grande High School just north of San Francisco, then after a very successful year at Santa Rosa College (.424/.477/.687 in 20 games), he followed in Torkelson's footsteps down to Arizona State for the 2021 season. He may not have produced the loud numbers of his predecessor, but he was one of the Sun Devils' most consistent hitters last year and figures to provide a similarly steady presence in 2022. Lampe makes a ton of hard contact and struck out in just 12% of his plate appearances in 2021, showing excellent bat to ball skills and using the entire field extremely well. He'll likely always have well below average power, having knocked just two extra base hits in 37 Cape Cod League games this summer, but his plus speed will likely help him hit plenty of doubles and triples as he shoots line drives from gap to gap. He's selective at the plate and usually finds good pitches to hit, and when he gets them, he's adept at going with the pitch and getting his best swing off. His future position is a bit up in the air, but he should provide positive value wherever he ends up, whether that's shortstop (probably only in the best-case scenario), second base, or the outfield. Lampe looks like a late day two pick and projects as a super-utility type who can get on base consistently.

10. 2B Sean McLain, Arizona State.
Bat: R. Throw: R. 5'11", 170 lbs. Born 3/22/2001. Hometown: Tustin, CA.
2021: 7 HR, .322/.386/.519, 6 SB, 52/13 K/BB in 52 games.
Matt McLain has earned most of the attention as a two-time first round pick, but the McLain family has far more to offer. The youngest, Nick, just reached campus at UCLA after turning down six figure offers out of high school, while middle brother Sean is coming off a strong breakout season at Arizona State and could be a high draft pick this spring. Sean has a fairly similar profile to Matt if you take perhaps a half grade off most of his tools, with a consistent line drive bat that has taken very well to the Pac-12. He utilizes a compact right handed swing, again not unlike his brother, with the chance to tap into average power if he adds some loft. The Orange County product is a very aggressive hitter at this point in his career and rarely walks, so he'll want to show better zone control in 2022 to prove to teams that he'll be ready for pro pitching. His speed and athleticism make him a good candidate to stick at second base in pro ball.

2020 Draft: Top 12 Undrafted High School Hitters

Just like with the pitchers, more hitting talent is heading to college than ever before. In this case, there are actually a ton of catchers between Georgia Tech's Kevin Parada, UVA's Kyle Teel, Arizona's Daniel Susac, and Georgia's Corey Collins, in addition to Miami's Carlos Perez, who just missed the "others" section. Another running theme here is power, as only two of the twelve names profile for anything less than above average raw power. Parada and LSU's Dylan Crews are the clear headliners here, though lower down on the list, I see Cayden Wallace and AJ Shaver being interesting sleepers to keep an eye on. By conference in the 17 listed, the SEC leads the way with six names including two of the top four, while Arizona was the only school to bring on multiple hitters on the list. Between the hitters and pitchers list, Miami and Arizona are tied with three names apiece, though I'd easily call the Miami crop the best one.

1. C Kevin Parada (my draft rank: 47)
Loyola HS [CA] -> Georgia Tech
Atlanta is a long way from Kevin Parada's home in Los Angeles, but if you're looking for a school with track record behind the plate, Georgia Tech is the way to go. Parada will look to be next in a long line of Yellow Jacket catching talent extending from Jason Varitek and Matt Wieters to, more recently, 2018 Giants second overall pick Joey Bart and 2019 A's fourth round pick Kyle McCann. If anything, Parada brings a big time bat. It's not as flashy as Bart's, but it's certainly more balanced than McCann's. He combines naturally above average raw power with an advanced hit tool that has enabled that power to play up in games and which made him one of the more consistent performers on the prep circuit. This spring, he started off especially hot and might have hit his way into first round consideration, but his commitment to Georgia Tech remained firm and he effectively priced himself out of the draft. Defensively, he's a bit more of a work in progress, as he doesn't show the soft hands and natural agility behind the plate that teams look for, but he should still be good enough to catch at least in school. Very few question his bat, and he should be able to jump into the Yellow Jacket starting lineup as a freshman, whether that's behind the plate or somewhere else like first base or DH. He has a good shot to be one of the ACC's better bats over the next three seasons, so the development of his glove will likely determine whether he cracks the first round. Pre-draft profile here.

2. OF Dylan Crews (my draft rank: 55/unranked)
Lake Mary HS [FL] -> Louisiana State
Technically, I removed Dylan Crews from my draft rankings when he formally removed himself from the draft, but he would have ranked 55th had he not taken his name out. LSU is no stranger to big recruits making it to campus and brought on a big bat in Cade Doughty last year, but Crews could be an even bigger get. Playing out of the same suburban Orlando high school that produced Rockies infielder Brendan Rodgers in 2015, Crews put his name on the map early in his high school career and has long been a staple in first round conversations. However, an up and down summer, in addition to an unremarkable, shortened senior year, pushed him more into the second round range. Crews clearly believes that he possesses a first round bat, and he's off to prove it in Baton Rouge. He naturally produces a ton of raw power from a lightning quick right handed swing, and he has tapped that power against high level pitching for a long time. However, this past summer, he really tried to show it off, and that led to some swing and miss and overall uneven performance. Crews is at his best when he stays within himself and lets his strength and bat speed send the ball deep, and when he does stay within himself, he shows an above average hit tool. He'll look to refine his approach at LSU and get more consistent, and if he produces in the SEC like he's capable of, he could return in 2023 a first round pick. I could easily see Crews as one of the SEC's most productive hitters over the next few seasons. Pre-draft profile here.

3. OF Chase Davis (my draft rank: 65)
Franklin HS [CA] -> Arizona
I think more people expected Nick Yorke to make to campus at Arizona than Chase Davis, but Yorke's surprise first round selection to Boston was enough to pry him away from Tucson and Davis ended up effectively pricing himself out instead. Throw in Daniel Susac, and you have a couple of big Sacramento-area bats coming in to replace the departed catchers Austin Wells (Yankees, first round) and Matthew Dyer (Mets, fourth round). Davis is a power hitter with plenty of lean muscle packed onto his 6'1" frame, deploying his quick hands into explosive bat speed from the left side. Right now, the main flaw in his profile is a significant bat wrap that causes his swing to start with the head of the bat pointed towards the pitcher, making his swing a lot longer than it needs to be. Against high school pitching, his bat speed was more than enough to make up for that, but some of the premium arms on the showcase circuit were able to exploit that and overall he's a fairly streaky hitter. At Arizona, he has both the power and feel for the barrel to develop into one of the better hitters in the Pac 12, but his success might hinge on how well the Arizona coaching staff is able to smooth out that bat wrap. To me, it's reason to envision him showing a future average or even above average hit tool, because if he can succeed with the bat wrap, who knows how well he could hit without it. Eliminating that "who knows" with big production in the Pac 12 could turn him into a first round pick, but further inconsistency could have the opposite effect. Davis also has a plus arm and enough range to be an above average defender in right field, perhaps even a center fielder in college ball depending on who the Wildcats have in the outfield. Pre-draft profile here.

4. OF Enrique Bradfield (my draft rank: 72)
American Heritage HS [FL] -> Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt put together the best outfield recruiting class I've ever seen between Robert Hassell, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Enrique Bradfield, and while Hassell (Padres) and Crow-Armstrong (Mets) both went in the top 19 picks, Bradfield made it through and will end up in Nashville. One of the fastest players in the 2020 draft class, he has a chance to be a true leadoff bat that sets the tone for the next few Vanderbilt lineups. A very skinny kid at a listed 6' and 155 pounds, Bradfield is an old school type with very little power to speak of. Instead, he likes to slap the ball around the field and use his plus-plus wheels to do the rest, though he's not a pure slap hitter in that he has shown the ability to drive the ball if he wants to. I don't see him ever getting close to average power, but with a loose left handed swing and natural feel for the barrel, I could definitely see Bradfield knocking plenty of doubles and triples at Vanderbilt while running into a couple of home runs here and there. He'll also wreak havoc on the basepaths and be a handful for SEC catchers, aided by the likely high on-base percentages he'll put up. It's hard to see him projecting as a true first round pick just due to the lack of power, but three years of production in the SEC to prove his hit tool is for real could get him close. Defensively, I probably don't have to tell you that he's a true center fielder. It's always hard to break through and find playing time at Vanderbilt, but I don't expect him to take too long to be at least ready for full time duties in the SEC. Pre-draft profile here.

5. SS/3B Drew Bowser (my draft rank: 79)
Harvard-Westlake HS [CA] -> Stanford
Bowser was actually only the second best prospect on his Los Angeles high school team behind Mets first rounder Pete Crow-Armstrong, but he has a shot to be one of the better hitters Stanford has brought on in recent years. Bowser is a power hitter that generates a lot of torque from a sturdy 6'3" frame and a powerful right handed swing, regularly putting on a show in batting practice. While his power hasn't played up as consistently in games, it's definitely trending in the right direction as he has tightened up that right handed swing and let his power come naturally rather than selling out. A shortstop in high school, he's probably a third baseman in pro ball due to his fringy range, but he may be able to stick at the position in college depending on what the lineup looks like around him. If a better defender does push him to third base, he'll be above average there and an asset for the Cardinal. Bowser was trending up as a hitter before the season shut down, so it will be interesting to see how ready his bat is for the Pac 12 when his freshman season begins. Either way, by the time he's a sophomore, I'd expect him to be putting up big numbers. Pre-draft profile here.

6. SS/3B Yohandy Morales (my draft rank: 91)
Braddock HS [FL] -> Miami
Miami brought on two of the top four incoming high school pitching prospects on my previous list, and now they're on the board with the sixth best incoming hitting prospect as well. To make things even more fun for Hurricanes fans, all three of Victor Mederos, Alejandro Rosario, and Yohandy Morales, plus another top recruit in catcher Carlos Perez, attended high school in Miami-Dade County. Morales is a big power hitter who was trending up in the spring, more efficiently channeling his natural strength and leverage into game power. He's a big guy at 6'4" that can really put a charge into a baseball, though up until recently, he had a lot going on in his setup/swing that often led to some swing and miss. If he can maintain the adjustments he made in the shortened 2020 season that saw him calm down that setup, he could be the anchor of Miami lineups for the next couple of years. Morales, like Bowser, played shortstop in high school, but he's probably more likely to end up at third base even in Coral Gables. The loss of shortstop Freddy Zamora (Brewers, second round) and infield recruit Sammy Infante (Nationals, comp round) helps Morales' chances, though Miami is such a hotbed for talent that someone will inevitably rise up and push Morales to third base. Still, he has a chance to be solid average there and given how much he could hit, it won't really matter where he ends up defensively. Evaluators will be watching closely to see if he can bring that quieter approach to college ball, and if he demolishes ACC pitching like he is capable of, we could be looking at a high pick in the 2023 draft. Pre-draft profile here.

7. C Kyle Teel (my draft rank: 98/unranked)
Mahwah HS [NJ] -> Virginia
Like Dylan Crews, Kyle Teel formally removed his name from the draft during the spring, so he didn't end up on my rankings when he could have cracked the top 100. Nobody recruits out of the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area better than UVA, and Teel will hope to follow 2016 first rounder Matt Thaiss on the New Jersey to UVA catcher to major leagues pipeline. He will fit right into the Cavaliers' lineup as a well-rounded, disciplined player with the ability to play from day one. Teel doesn't have huge physical tools, but he's an agile defender behind the plate with soft hands who is actually athletic enough to play the infield if needed. With further refinement in college, he could make himself into a well above average defensive catcher. With the bat, it's a balanced profile with a loose left handed swing, some sneaky power, and a consistent hit tool that will enable him to handle ACC pitching. He probably won't post eye popping offensive numbers like Thaiss, but he'll be a better defender and he'll likely be very consistent. Continuing to bulk up and add impact to his overall game could put him in a really nice spot for the 2023 draft – while NC State's Patrick Bailey has more power than Teel will likely end up with, the fact that he went 13th overall without eye popping numbers shows the value of good defensive catchers who can hit.

8. OF Jace Bohrofen (my draft rank: 102)
Westmoore HS [OK] -> Oklahoma
Though Oklahoma lost shortstop recruits Bobby Witt Jr. to the Royals and Ed Howard to the Cubs in back to back first rounds, they landed a very solid outfield bat in Jace Bohrofen. While he doesn't have one standout tool like many of the other names on this list, Bohrofen brings a broad baseline that, at the very least, will make him a very productive player at the college level. I love the looseness and natural whip in his left handed swing, and his above average feel for the barrel enables him to make very consistent hard contact. For now, the power is pretty ordinary, but as he bulks up, he has the swing type and natural projection in his 6'2" frame to profile for average or even slightly above average power in pro ball. Back at the college level, I see him pretty easily playing up to at least above average power with metal bats and against Big 12 pitching. His feel for the game should enable him to slot right into the Oklahoma lineup from day one, and while he's more of a corner outfield profile for pro ball, he could stick in center field for the Sooners. Scouts were moderately underwhelmed by the tools he shows at this point, so three years of production in the Big 12 in addition to the chance to grow into some real power could change that in a big way come 2023.

9. 3B Cayden Wallace (my draft rank: 104)
Greenbrier HS [AR] -> Arkansas
Arkansas lost two superstar hitters to the 2020 draft in outfielder Heston Kjerstad (Orioles, second overall) and Casey Martin (Phillies, third round), but the returns of catcher Casey Opitz and infielder Robert Moore, plus a huge incoming freshman bat in Cayden Wallace, should keep the Razorbacks' lineup humming at a high level. Wallace is yet another power hitter who can really, really smoke the baseball, posting exit velocities up there with the best in the class. His swing could use a little bit of mechanical refinement to help him get more loft and extension, which could help him tap even bigger power. The hit tool will take a little more projection, as he has shown plenty of feel for the barrel in his high school career but since the barrel isn't in the zone for long, he can swing through hittable pitches at times. He'll be an interesting project for the Arkansas coaching staff that has had plenty of success with these types of hitters in the past, with a ton of upside to be unlocked. Given how deep the Arkansas lineup is, I'm not sure if he'll be able to crack the lineup from day one, but I expect him to work his way in rather quickly and he could be a legitimate impact hitter sooner rather than later for the Razorbacks. A shortstop in high school, he'll likely end up at third base in college, where his strong arm and quick instincts should make him solid average there.

10. C Daniel Susac (my draft rank: 110)
Jesuit HS [CA] -> Arizona
Joining Chase Davis on his way from Sacramento to Tucson will be Daniel Susac, the younger brother of MLB catcher Andrew Susac. Daniel will be a huge get for a Wildcats team that just lost both of its star catchers in Austin Wells (Yankees, first round) and Matthew Dyer (Mets, fourth round), giving him the chance to start full time immediately. Overall, Susac is a very solid all-around player with solid tools all-around but nothing that stands out at present. He generates above average raw power from a big, 6'3" frame that he has shown the ability to tap in games. A switch hitter, his long arms and legs can put some length into his swings at times, though he has shown the ability to make adjustments. His strength is apparent behind the plate with a strong arm, though he's not the most athletic back there and is still smoothing out his overall defensive game. Together it should profile well in college, where he could hit in the middle of the Wildcats lineup, and refining everything down into a more consistent product could really help his draft stock. He'll want to work quickly, because his May birthday makes him a year older than his peers in his class, and he'll be both age-appropriate and eligible for the 2022 draft as a sophomore.

11. C Corey Collins (my draft rank: 122)
North Gwinnett HS [GA] -> Georgia
Corey Collins was trending up when the shutdown happened, and some scouts believed he had a chance to hit his way into day one consideration with a full season. What was pro ball's loss could ultimately become Georgia's gain, as they're bringing on the top incoming catcher in the SEC. Collins, like many of the names before him on this list, is a power hitter with a big, strong 6'3" frame that produces a lot of leverage from the left side. However, he wasn't really seen much on the showcase circuit and therefore scouts didn't really know what to make of his hit tool, so that makes him a great candidate to go prove it in college. Some scouts who have seen more of Collins think his hit tool could be at least average, which would make him a really valuable player not only for the Bulldogs but in pro ball, but again, he's gotta prove it. Behind the plate, his defense is typical of high school catchers, with a strong arm and decent blocking/receiving skills in need of refinement. Collins has a chance to shoot up boards Patrick Bailey style with a strong career in Athens, and either way he's a huge get for that Georgia program.

12. OF AJ Shaver (my draft rank: 130)
South Lake HS [FL] -> Florida State
AJ Shaver was one of the last late risers up the board in this weird draft cycle, but his rise came too little too late to divert him away from heading to Florida State. He has a very quick right handed swing that produces some nice, natural raw power that he can tap naturally without selling out, though his aggressive approach has limited him at times against higher level pitching. Not just a power hitter, Shaver is also a plus runner that deploys his speed well on both sides of the ball, giving him another dimension with which to impact the game. While his hit tool is a bit uneven, that's more due to his approach than due to a lack of ability to find the barrel, and calming down his approach a bit at Florida State could help him improve his stock in a big way. Shaver was beginning to make those adjustments this spring and some regional evaluators are buying into the improvement, which is why his stock was rising. If he continues trending in this direction at FSU, Seminoles fans might have found themselves their next big offensive prospect.

Honorable Mentions: SS Cade Horton/3B Tanner Witt
Horton: Norman HS [OK] -> Oklahoma.  Witt: Episcopal HS [TX] -> Texas.
These guys were more prominently featured as numbers five and seven on my pitchers list, but they're going to hit at school as well so the Big 12 has a couple of big time two-way prospects coming to town. Horton, who is also a quarterback, generates some nice raw power from the extension he gets on a fairly explosive right handed swing, though his hit tool needs some work. His football athleticism plays well on the diamond, and he should stick at shortstop at least through his college career. With fellow Oklahoma commit Ed Howard signing with the Cubs in the first round, the spot is there for him to claim on days where he's not pitching. As for Tanner Witt, he's not quite the hitting prospect that Horton is, but he still shows big raw power from a 6'6" frame. Those long arms help him really put a charge into the ball when he gets extended, but the bat isn't quite as explosive as other power hitters in the class and he might struggle a bit with Big 12 pitching. While I would pick Horton to strike out Witt and Witt to strike out Horton in any future Big 12 match ups, I think Horton would be just a little more likely to pick up a hit off Witt than the other way around. Witt also doesn't bring the same defensive value as Horton, looking like he'll be limited to first base.

Others (by pre-draft rank):
132. SS Cole Foster, Plano Senior HS [TX] -> Auburn
140. OF Slade Wilks, Columbia Academy [MS] -> Southern Mississippi
145. 3B/RHP/QB Nolan McLean, Garner Magnet HS [NC] -> Oklahoma State
152. SS Colby Halter, Bishop Kenny HS [FL] -> Florida
158. OF Mario Zabala, International Baseball Academy [PR] -> Florida International