Players to Watch in the Baseball Draft - The New York Times
NYTimes no longer supports Internet Explorer 9 or earlier. Please upgrade your browser. LEARN MORE >> Kyle Wright is the latest top pitching prospect from the Vanderbilt pipeline, and he is expected to be chosen early in Monday's draft. Credit Mark Humphrey/Associated Press Unlike drafts in the N.B.A. and the N.F.L., which are showcases for players who are known to many fans Cam Stewart Jersey, the Major League Baseball first-year player draft is still, after all these years, largely a crapshoot.Perhaps no better example of this was the 2013 draft, when Mark Appel, a Stanford pitcher, was taken No. 1 over all by Houston. Appel was considered a can't-miss prospect, with some comparing him to once-in-a-generation pitchers. But because of poor health and a 5.14 earned run average in the minor leagues, he has yet to appear in the majors.Meanwhile, the No. 2 pick that year, third baseman Kris Bryant, has 79 career home runs and a World Series ring for the Chicago Cubs, and the No. 32 pick, outfielder Aaron Judge, is this season's breakout star for the Yankees https://www.alabamateamsgear.com/gear/blaine-anderson-bama-jersey.The 2017 draft is held over three days, with Rounds 1 and 2, along with two competitive balance rounds, starting on Monday at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Rounds 3 to 10 will be held on Tuesday, and Rounds 11 to 40 will be on Wednesday.A look at the top prospects reveals plenty of intriguing candidates, though differentiating between the Appels and the Bryants can be difficult, even for the teams doing the drafting. With the Minnesota Twins up first with the No. 1 pick, here is a look at the top players available.Top High School PitcherHunter Greene, RHP/SS, Notre Dame High School (Calif.)A lot of the superlatives used on Appel have also been used on Greene, including the "generational talent" label. But he comes with a price that may make any team hoping to creatively distribute its bonus pool nervous. At 6-foot-4 with a fastball in the high 90s, Greene will present an interesting choice for any team drafting him, since he is an elite pitching prospect but also a power-hitting shortstop. He is 17, and it is hard to tell which direction he should go. His ceiling is higher as a pitcher, and if the Twins believe they can get him to sign, rather than honor his commitment to U.C.L.A., then he may be the first high school right-hander to go No. 1.Top College PitcherKyle Wright https://www.alabamateamsgear.com/gear/korren-kirven-bama-jersey, RHP, VanderbiltThe latest prospect out of the draft pipeline of Vanderbilt, Wright did not have a tremendous season statistically, but he has ideal size at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds to go with a mid-90s fastball and several secondary pitches. The expectation is that he will develop into a quality major league starter. He was once considered a potential No. 1 overall pick, but his inconsistent season, and some concern about his velocity, which dipped early in the year, may be enough for Minnesota to roll the dice on a high school prospect instead. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Sign Up for the Sports Newsletter Get the big sports news, highlights and analysis from Times journalists, with distinctive takes on games and some behind-the-scenes surprises, delivered to your inbox every week. Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. An error has occurred. Please try again later. You are already subscribed to this email Jake Long Jersey. View all New York Times newsletters.Top Position PlayerBrendan McKay, 1B/LHP, LouisvilleMcKay, like Greene, presents a difficult decision. He has first-round talent at pitcher and in the field, but with his power (17 home runs) and his elite ability to get on base (.476 on-base percentage), his ceiling could be higher if he sticks with first base. The decision is likely to come down to which team drafts him.Top Middle InfielderRoyce Lewis, SS, JSerra Catholic High School (Calif.)Lewis turns 18 on Thursday, and he is one of the best athletes in the draft, offering a blend of speed and power that any team would love to add. His more favorable projections indicate he can be a 20-homer, 20-steal player at a key defensive position, but questions about his ability to stick at shortstop cloud his value. If he was a sure bet to stay at shortstop, he would be in the mix for No. 1, but as it stands he is likely to land somewhere in the top 10, with the ability to be the draft's best player if everything goes right.Top OutfielderAdam Haseley, OF, VirginiaCollege statistics can sometimes be misleading, but Haseley has rocketed up draft boards because of a junior season in which he hit .390 with a .491 on-base percentage, a .659 slugging percentage and 14 home runs. He is an above-average runner with a strong arm, and while his power might not translate at the professional level, he should have a strong enough overall game to be a big contributor. Continue reading the main story Related Coverage Give Baseball Scouts a (Perfect) 80 for Tradition JUNE 12, 2017 Related Coverage Give Baseball Scouts a (Perfect) 80 for Tradition JUNE 12, 2017
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