There are no superstars in this year's outfield class, but there is good depth, especially if you are looking for guys who can stay in center field long term. Being a center fielder is much like being a shortstop or second baseman in that pressure is taken off the bat, and on the flip side, being a left fielder means that all of the pressure is on the bat, nearly as much as if a player was a first baseman.
1. Travis Swaggerty (South Alabama)
Swaggerty opened eyes with a big sophomore season at South Alabama (10 HR, .361/.487/.567), and while his batting average dropped in 2018, he walked a lot more, added more power, and pushed himself possibly into the top ten picks. Over 57 games, he hit 13 home runs and slashed .296/.455/.526 with an excellent 38/54 strikeout to walk ratio. He generates more power than you would think for a 5'11" guy, especially with his speed. That speed plays on both sides of the ball, as he projects to stay in center field long term, taking some pressure off his bat. Add in that he's young for a college junior and won't turn 21 until August, and you have a guy with power, patience, and speed who could impact the game in a lot of ways.
2. Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha West HS, WI)
There was buzz that the Tigers could select Kelenic first overall for an under slot deal for a while, but that has faded and he looks to go somewhere in the middle of the first round, with the top ten still being a possibility. He may be the most advanced high school hitter available, one who could slot into full season ball soon and who could work his way to the majors fairly quickly. While he doesn't have a plus tool, he does everything well, showing a very advanced approach at the plate as well as some power, speed, and good defense. If he can stay in center field, he could be a left handed Adam Eaton, but even if he slides to a corner, he'll still be an impactful player for a long time. He is a little old for the class, turning 19 in July, but he's so advanced as a hitter that that shouldn't be a problem. He's committed to Louisville.
3. Connor Scott (Plant HS, FL)
If Kelenic is the unspectacular, steady player, Scott is the exciting wild card. The Tampa native is lanky at 6'4" with plenty of room to grow into his frame, and he does everything well. While his approach is not as advanced as Kelenic's, he still has a good feel for the barrel and could grow into more power. He's extremely fast and has a cannon arm, meaning he could be an above average defender in center field, so he can impact the game on both ends of the ball. He is a little bit of a bust risk, as his swing is awkward and his power hasn't developed yet, but the swing works for him and it's not too dissimilar to former teammate and Astros first round pick Kyle Tucker's. He won't make it out of the first round and has a good shot at going in the top half, and he's committed to Florida.
4. Trevor Larnach (Oregon State)
Larnach's excellent performance this spring has had him shooting up draft boards, as he has slashed .330/.452/.632 with 17 home runs to actually overshadow possible top five pick Nick Madrigal in the Oregon State lineup at times. That power is real, as he generates elite exit velocities off the bat, so it should play up with wood bats. He does strike out a lot, but he also walks a lot, showing a power/patience combination that should carry him all the way to the majors. He also swung well in the Cape Cod League for two years, and he's overall trending hard in the right direction. He could hit his way to the majors quickly. On defense though, he's mediocre and will likely have to play left field, where he has enough bat to carry him. He'll likely come off the board before Scott.
5. Greyson Jenista (Wichita State)
Alec Bohm's teammate in Wichita is a first round prospect as well, albeit not as strong of one. He looked like a first round lock after a very good summer in the Cape Cod League (3 HR, .310/.391/.401) in which he was universally praised by coaches for his work ethic and leadership as well as his performance, but a pedestrian junior season (9 HR, .309/.446/.475) has knocked him at least to the back half of the first round if not out of it. I'm still high on him and think he'll be an impact player in time, as he has an explosive swing from a 6'4" frame that will help his power play up. He also walks a lot, and if he can improve his barrel control, he should be able to put it all together and be a complete hitter. He's athletic for his size and should be able to stay in the outfield, but he may have to move to first base if he slows down.
6. Jake McCarthy (Virginia)
Jake McCarthy, whose brother Joe is currently a prospect in the Rays system, had a very good sophomore year (5 HR, .338/.425/.506, 27 SB) and was ready to build on it in 2018 until a broken wrist cut a large chunk out of his season. I still like him as a prospect, as he has a clean, explosive swing that could generate more power if he adds some loft to go along with enough speed to stay in center field. The wrist injury makes him a bit of a wild card, and he may end up as a tweener that doesn't hit quite enough to break past AAA, but I buy the upside and think he could be an every day center fielder. He's also young for a college junior, and he's unlikely to go in the first round but should be drafted shortly afterwards.
7. Jordyn Adams (Green Hope HS, NC)
Adams is a fast rising prospect who could make this ranking look too conservative when it is all said and done. He wasn't well known heading into the season, but a huge performance at the National High School Invitational in March and continued good play afterwards have elevated him to a likely first round prospect. He's a super-athlete who is committed to North Carolina not just for baseball but for football as well, showcasing top of the scale speed that should help him stay in center field no matter how his arm and glove progress. That takes pressure off his bat, which is behind his glove but could generate power and contact when it's all said and done. His swing is long and smooth, and once he gives up football, it should get shorter and more consistent, though he does do a good job of getting the barrel into the zone early. He's ranked here but will go higher than McCarthy, probably higher than Jenista, and possibly in the same range as Scott and Larnach at best, though signability will be an issue no matter where he is drafted.
8. Mike Siani (Penn Charter HS, PA)
The Philadelphia area doesn't have much going on in terms of draft prospects, but Siani is right there in the national conversation. He is fast enough and has enough arm strength to not only stay in center field, but be very good there, taking some pressure off his bat. He'll need that pressure off, because even though he has some loft in his swing and the wheels to turn doubles into triples, he has struggled to find the barrel and will take some time to develop. If it all breaks right, I honestly see some Adam Haseley in him, and he's committed to Virginia like Haseley. He's a little old for a high school senior, turning 19 in July, and is probably a second round pick.
9. Griffin Conine (Duke)
Jeff Conine's son had a huge sophomore season (13 HR, .298/.425/.546) and then hit extremely well in the Cape Cod League (9 HR, .329/.406/.537), leading to projections that he could hit his way into the top ten picks with a good junior season. That didn't happen, as he sold out for power, his swing got long, and he struck out way too much, but he began to right the ship as the season went on and brings 15 home runs and a respectable .265/.390/.559 line into this writing. He strikes out a ton, 27.3% of the time, and that alone could be his downfall in pro ball. However, if he cleans up his approach with pro coaching, he has a good shot at being a power hitting right fielder in the middle of a major league order. He's also young for a college junior, turning 21 in July, and should go somewhere in the second round.
10. Steele Walker (Oklahoma)
Walker is an interesting prospect for more reasons than just his cool name, as he has hit better than ever during his junior year at Oklahoma (13 HR, .352/.441/.606), but hasn't seen his draft stock move up all that much. He plays the game hard and plays it smart, getting the most out of his skill set despite a relative lack of loud tools, which has led to plenty of success for the Sooners, but given that description, I'd like to see a better strikeout to walk ratio than 48/31 if I'm going to take him in the first round, as some teams have shown interest in doing. He strikes me as a bit of a tweener, a player who can't quite field enough to stay in center field but who doesn't quite hit enough for left field, so he could end up a fourth outfielder, but he also plays the game in such a way that he could surprise. He is a little bit old for his class though, turning 22 in July (quite a few July birthdays in this part of the rankings, I know). He could go anywhere from the end of the first round to the back of the second round, and likely ahead of Conine and Siani.
11. Kyler Murray (Oklahoma)
While I consider Walker a slightly better prospect, his teammate Kyler Murray is perhaps the most interesting man in the draft. A potential first round pick as a Dallas area high schooler, he was instead busy leading the famous Allen High School football program as one of the top quarterback recruits in the country to Texas A&M. Things didn't work out there and he transferred to Oklahoma, where he backed up first overall pick Baker Mayfield in Norman. Meanwhile, this paragraph is supposed to be about baseball, and I'll get to that. He had to sit out his freshman baseball season at Oklahoma due to transfer rules and slashed a miserable .122/.317/.122 as a sophomore, leading to the baseball world all but forgetting about him, but he's back out of nowhere this year. In 51 games, he has ten home runs and is slashing .296/.398/.556 with a respectable 56/28 strikeout to walk ratio given the circumstances, showing plenty of speed and the athleticism you'd expect from a two sport star. His bat is coming along nicely as well, and once (if ever) he focuses full time on baseball, he should be able to cut down that strikeout rate and bump up the walk rate. There is a lot of potential to unlock here, and to top it off, he is young for a college junior and won't turn 21 until August. He has pushed himself into the first round conversation, but he will be an extremely tough sign given that he has the opportunity to take over for Mayfield as the starting quarterback of the famous University of Oklahoma offense next fall.
12. Nick Schnell (Roncalli HS, IN)
Schnell is a high ceiling outfielder from Indianapolis who does a little bit of everything. He can run and stay in center field, taking pressure of his bat, and he has added power this spring with big bat speed and a whippy bat path. He is fairly raw at the plate, and pro coaching will need to clean up that swing, but as I said, the good defense buys him slack. He looks to go somewhere in the second round and is committed to Louisville, like Kelenic.
13. Alek Thomas (Mount Carmel HS, IL)
Thomas lacks any real standout tool but plays the game well and has a higher floor than most high school hitters. His feel to hit and defensive ability are both advanced, and if he can improve his arm strength, he'll be a good center fielder. That takes some pressure off his bat, which might need it because he lacks power and could end up a fourth outfielder if he doesn't start driving the ball with more authority. He's committed to TCU and could go as early as the end of the first round.
14. Jameson Hannah (Dallas Baptist)
Hannah may only be 5'9", but he has a lot of Denard Span in him and has shown consistent gap power this spring, slashing .363/.449/.556 with six home runs, 24 doubles, three triples, and an even 38/38 strikeout to walk ratio for the Patriots. He's fast, has shown a great feel for the barrel, and should stick in center field. If he can't cut it as a leadoff guy, he'll make a solid fourth outfielder, and should go somewhere in the second or third round.
15. Parker Meadows (Grayson HS, GA)
The younger brother of Pirates rookie star Austin Meadows, Parker isn't quite the same prospect but has high upside. His left handed swing, combined with his lean 6'4" frame, is built for knocking balls out of the park, but his feel for the barrel is subpar and will need to improve if he wants to go anywhere. With his speed and arm strength, he should be able to stick in center field, buying the contact some time to come along. He's committed to Clemson, where he could emerge as a first round pick in three years. If he chooses to sign, he's a second or third round talent.
Others: Kyle Isbel (UNLV), Tristan Pompey (Kentucky), Joe Gray Jr. (Hattiesburg HS, MS), Zach Watson (Louisiana State), Ryder Green (Karns HS, TN), Nick Decker (Seneca HS, NJ)
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