The 2019 MLB Draft is today. Here is a final list of the best prospects in the draft this year. If you recall five guys to make the Top 100 last year ended up being Braves- Carter Stewart, Tristan Beck, Greyson Jenista, Trey Riley, and Nolan Kingham.
Since each of these players was written up in more detail in the position by position lists, this is just a quick description of the guys in the Top 50, and a list of 51-100.
- Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State
The best prospect in the draft in about a decade.
2. Daniel Espino, RHP, Georgia HS
The best pitching prospect in the draft out of high school in a very long time. I’m higher than most, but that is mostly because I’m not going to knock his stock for past hits and misses of hard throwing right handed prep pitchers.
3. Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Texas HS
In a lot of other years Witt would be the top prospect in the draft, a five tool shortstop with franchise potential and great bloodlines.
4. Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Cal
If it wasn’t for his defensive position, this would be the third best prospect in the draft. Vaughn is a special hitter, able to hit for average and power while getting on base at a high clip and limiting the strikeouts.
5. JJ Bleday, OF, Vanderbilt
Bleday has always been very productive, but now he’s added power to his game. His bat and his ability to come up clutch in many big moments for the Commodores makes him the type of guy to build a lineup around.
6. Corbin Carroll, OF, Washington HS
Carroll doesn’t have huge power but he belongs on the top tier of players. He’s comped to Jacoby Ellsbury and it works, as he’s going to hit for a high average, rack up extra base hits, and use his speed to his advantage.
7. Riley Greene, OF, Florida HS
Greene is a guy who can really hit and has the potential for plus power. I have him below Carroll because the rest of his game isn’t quite as valuable and the power isn’t fully there yet for Greene.
8. CJ Abrams, SS, Georgia HS
Abrams will go higher than this tonight, but I don’t think he’s quite as valuable as the others above him. I’m not sure he sticks at short, and has some work to be an outfielder. The value is the speed and the bat, where he is likely a Dee Gordon with less hit tool but more power.
9. Bryson Stott, SS, UNLV
Stott is a very solid shortstop that figures to stay at the position. He should do a bit of everything and has the ceiling to be an All Star.
10. Nick Lodolo, LHP, TCU
This big projectable 6’6” lefty was a first rounder out of high school but went to college. Until this year the results never quite matched the stuff, but he was much better this year. Still he’s more projectable than most college arms and has strong mid rotation upside.
11. Jackson Rutledge, RHP, Texas JUCO
The top JUCO player this year is a former Arkansas pitcher. Rutledge is a massive 6’8” pitcher with huge stuff, but command and size issues, along with a past labrum injury give some cause for concern.
12. Hunter Bishop, OF, Arizona State
Bishop is a great athlete and has a very high ceiling. The issue is that he strikes out a ton and has an arm that limits him to left field. He’s the kind of player who could be a superstar, or also a bust depending on if a team can fix the holes in his swing.
13. Quinn Priester, RHP, Illinois HS
A self taught pitcher who can reach the mid to upper 90s, Priester has great aptitude for pitching and working to improve. A pro staff and full time baseball schedule could help him really take off.
14. Gunnar Henderson, SS, Alabama HS
A bigger framed shortstop in the Manny Machado mold, Henderson should be an athletic, power hitting third baseman in time.
15. Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor
An elite defender who can also frame at a high level, Langeliers has some power in his stick. The question is how much he will hit.
16. Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech
Jung is one of the top college hitters this year, but the power hasn’t come as one might hope and his defense gets mixed reviews.
17. Kody Hoese, 3B, Tulane
Hoese has come from no where to be one of the top sluggers in the nation. He hits for power, keeps the strikeouts down, and could stick at third. The only question is where was his production as a freshman and sophomore?
18. Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia
Manoah is a big power pitcher, with great numbers in the Big 12. He hasn’t shown much of a third pitch, is bigger than his listed 6’6”, 260 frame, and has inconsistent command that hold him back from being higher. Still his floor is high as a two pitch reliever.
19. Tyler Callihan, 3B, Florida HS
Callihan is one of the best prep hitters in the class, a natural hitter capable of hitting for both average and power. The question here is where he belongs defensively, as he lacks a clear home.
20. Brennan Malone, RHP, Florida HS
One of the higher upside arms in the class is also a guy who needs time to really refine his game as his stuff and command haven’t always been consistent.
21. Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson
Davidson is a lanky, athletic shortstop who only needs to hit a little bit to be a star because of his other tools. Based on his history with the wood bats in the Cape Cod League there is some reason for concern there.
22. Matthew Allan, RHP, Florida HS
Allan is a very high upside arm, but needs to work on the command and fill in his projection. There isn’t much separating him and Malone.
23. Maurice Hampton, OF, Tennessee HS
The LSU football signee is a premium athlete with very high upside. Hampton also has a better feel for hitting than the typical high level football commit.
24. Michael Busch, OF/1B, North Carolina
Busch is a quality hitter that can hit for both average and power. His offensive tools aren’t quite as loud as Vaughn- which is what they need to be to rank higher as a guy likely to end up at first base.
25. Brett Baty, 3B, Texas HS
Baty has some feel for hitting and big power. The huge question is how much is real and how much is because he’s a physically mature kid closer to age 20 than his 19th birthday. There are also questions about him sticking at third base.
26. Zack Thompson, LHP, Kentucky
Thompson is a promising arm with three pitches flashing plus, but his health track record and inconsistency are among the things that keep him from ranking higher.
27. George Kirby, RHP, Elon
The small college ace with big numbers and a big fastball is more of a middle of the rotation arm than a guy with front of the rotation ability. Still the results are impressive.
28. Trejyn Fletcher, OF, Maine HS
Fletcher reclassified into this class earlier this spring and immediately added a premium athlete with legit five tool talent. Fletcher has very loud tools good enough to give him the upside equal to almost anyone in the outfield class this year.
29. Hunter Barco, LHP, Florida HS
If not for a recent injury Barco would rank a bit higher. He’s been on the radar for a while and is clearly the top prep lefty in this class. He’s also one of the pitchers more than capable of raking when given the chance.
30. Rece Hinds, 3B, Florida HS
Hinds brings true 80 grade power potential and would be the Joey Gallo of this class. He also has real swing and miss concerns as well as where he winds up defensively.
31. Brady McConnell, SS, Florida
A top prospect out of high school, McConnell struggled at Florida as a freshman before turning it around this year. He has some loud tools, but also some strikeout concern.
32. Will Wilson, SS, NC State
Wilson is a bat first shortstop likely to end up at second base. If it wasn’t for his lack of tools outside of the bat, he’d rank higher.
33. Blake Walston, LHP, North Carolina HS
A helium prospect on the rise, Walston is the highest upside prep lefty in the class with a football background.
34. Keoni Cavaco, 3B, California HS
Cavaco has very loud tools, especially the power, arm, and athleticism. He also has some hit tool question which prevent me from ranking him higher.
35. Kameron Misner, OF, Missouri
A big prototypical right fielder with large upside, Misner reminds people of Jason Heyward. Unfortunately for him, Misner struggled at the plate this spring for Mizzou.
36. Jack Leiter, RHP, New Jersey HS
Al Leiter’s son has great pitchability, and has intriguing though not totally consistent stuff. However his mind almost feels made up to head to Vanderbilt.
37. Braden Shewmake, SS, Texas A&M
Shewmake has been extremely productive for the Aggies since arriving on campus, but has mixed reviews on his power and a potential move to second base.
38. Sammy Siani, OF, Pennsylvania HS
The brother of Reds overslot fourth rounder from last year, Mike Siani. Sammy has the better bat of the two, though not quite the same for the rest of his tools.
39. Jamari Baylor, SS, Virginia HS
A fast rising prep infielder with athleticism and plenty of power, Jamari Baylor has gone from off the radar to a guy who could potentially be drafted tonight.
40. Jerrion Ealy, OF, Mississippi HS
The top recruit in the Ole Miss football class this year, Ealy is a very high upside athlete. If he didn’t struggle with his hit tool this spring and also have to overcome the Mississippi prep hitter profile concerns, he would have ranked higher.
41. Ethan Small, LHP, Mississippi State
Small has a dominant season at MSU and a mix of pitchability, size, and stuff to profile with a high floor. He probably ends up as a backend starter, but a team that relies on analytics will really like him.
42. JJ Goss, RHP, Texas HS
After starting out as the second best starter on his high school team Goss has passed by his highly regarded teammate, Matthew Thompson. Goss has a solid mix of pitches to profile well as a middle of the rotation guy.
43. Matt Canterino, RHP, Rice
Canterino is an unorthodox delivery guy with great results and should be able to keep putting up solid strikeout numbers in pro ball. He profiles as a #3/4 starter.
44. Kendall Williams, RHP, Florida HS
Williams is a huge, projectable pitcher that has a good feel for pitching. He’s got plenty of upside once he fills in his lanky 6’6” frame, but until he does you can only guess as to what his five pitch arsenal can become.
45. Logan Wyatt, 1B, Louisville
Not the typical college first base prospect, Logan Wyatt is actually a guy who gets on base at a high clip more than a true power hitter. There is power in his bat, but he’s awfully similar to the man he replaced for the Cardinals- Brendan McKay.
46. Drew Mendoza, 3B, Florida State
A big power hitting third baseman who has been on the radar for years after choosing college out of high school, Drew Mendoza has at least 70 grade power from the left side. If not for the big strikeout totals that go with the big power as well as fringy defense at third, Mendoza would rank higher.
47. Kyren Paris, SS, California HS
Very young for the class, Kyren Paris brings plenty of tools to the table and the chance to be a well rounded shortstop.
48. Brooks Lee, SS, California HS
The son of a coach and former pro, Lee has great feel for the game with a promising bat.
49. Chase Strumpf, 2B, UCLA
The top second baseman on the board, Strumpf is a very good hitting prospect and adequate fielder. The ceiling isn’t huge, but he should hit for average and some power with adequate defense.
50. Michael Toglia, OF, UCLA
Toglia is a switch hitting slugger with very interesting power from both sides. He was dropping on the boards after starting slow, but really heated up for the Bruins to remain a high end bat in this class.
The Next 50
51. Matt Wallner, OF, Southern Miss
52. Ryne Nelson, RHP, Oregon
53. Greg Jones, SS, UNC Wilmington
54. Matthew Thompson, RHP, Texas HS
55. Chris Newell, OF, Pennsylvania HS
56. Seth Johnson, RHP, Campbell
57. Josh Wolf, RHP, Texas HS
58. Jordan Brewer, OF, Michigan
59. Nasim Nunez, SS, Georgia HS
60.Anthony Volpe, SS, New Jersey HS
61. Jimmy Lewis, RHP, Texas HS
62. Tommy Henry, LHP, Michigan
63. Joshua Rivera, 3B, Florida HS
64. Bryce Osmond, RHP, Oklahoma HS
65. Drey Jameson, RHP, Ball State
66. Dom Fletcher, OF, Arkansas
67. Ethan Hearn, C, Alabama HS
68. Davis Wendzel, 3B, Baylor
69. Riley Cornelio, RHP, Colorado HS
70. Jack Kochanowitz, RHP, Pennsylvania HS
71. Isaiah Campbell, RHP, Arkansas
72. Kyle McCann, C, Georgia Tech
73. Brenton Doyle, OF, Shepherd
74. Ryan Zeferjahn, RHP, Kansas
75. Will Rigney, RHP, Texas HS
76. John Doxakis, LHP, Texas A&M
77. Evan Fitterer, RHP, California HS
78. Graeme Stinson, LHP, Duke
79. Kyle Stowers, OF, Stanford
80. Ryan Garcia, RHP, UCLA
81. James Beard, OF, Mississippi HS
82. Josh Smith, SS, LSU
83. Andrew Dalquist, RHP, California HS
84. Will Holland, SS, Auburn
85. Yordy Valdez, SS, Florida HS
86. Erik Miller, LHP, Stanford
87. Brett Thomas, RHP, Georgia HS
88. Antoine Harris, RHP, Louisiana HS
89. Tyler Dyson, RHP, Florida
90. Ryan Pepiot, RHP, Butler
91. Glenallen Hill Jr., OF, California HS
92. TJ Sikkema, LHP, Missouri
93. Matthew Lugo, SS, Puerto Rico HS
94. Ben Brecht, LHP, UC Santa Barbara
95. Bryant Packard, OF, East Carolina
96. Mason Feole, LHP, UConn
97. Christian Cairo, SS, Florida HS
98. Spencer Jones, LHP, California HS
99. Kyle Brnovich, RHP, Elon
100. Myles Austin, SS, Georgia HS