This time we will be taking a look at tome of the top young corner infielders eligible for the baseball draft in June. Unlike the catchers, I’m going to be ranking the Top Ten for high school and college. I shouldn’t have to explain why. Corner infield consists of two positions. Two positions = more prospects to sort through. Without further ado, the number one prospect in this crowd should come as no surprise as he’s the top hitter available this draft: Kris Bryant.
Someone’s happy about the hefty signing bonus headed his way in June
Top 10 College 1B/3B
1) Kris Bryant – 1B – San Diego
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 215
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: 18th Round, 2010, by Blue Jays
Draft Projection: Top Five
The almighty Kris Bryant has taken the college baseball world by thundering storm this season with his gargantuan power and walk totals. He’s actually a third baseman at the moment but I’m just gonna try and be cute here an assume he’s a first basemen in pro ball. He’s athletic enough that he could handle a corner OF spot too but he’s not staying at third. He’ll likely go in the top three picks with consensus opinion being the Rockies third pick. I wouldn’t rule I’m out for first overall though.
2) Colin Moran – 3B – North Carolina
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 215
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: No
Draft Projection: Early to Mid-First Round
One of the best contact hitters in this draft class, Moran consistently barrels up the ball showing good power to all fields. He’s an average defender at third and should be able to stick there short term. He’s a money ball type player, showing outstanding patience and plate discipline which should allow for consistently high OBP numbers. Some question whether he’ll hit for the ‘traditional corner infield power’ but I think he’ll be fine. Not a sexy upside but about as safe a pick as there is in the draft and should be off the board no later than pick 10.
3) D.J. Peterson – 1B – New Mexico
Height: 6’1″ Weight: 190
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: No
Draft Projection: Mid-First Round
This is another college third basemen who I assume will shift over to first base in pro ball. Why? He has no range at third. Peterson can flat out rake but I am one of ‘those people’ who questions how inflated his college production is, considering the extreme home field bandbox New Mexico plays in. Watching his interviews, he carries himself with a unabashed confidence and seems like a strong team leader, attributes that should allow him to succeed in pro ball. However, I seem him as more of a solid everyday 1B than a future star.
4) Eric Jagielo – 3B – Notre Dame
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 215
Bats: L Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: 50th Round, 2010, by Cubs
Draft Projection: 1st-2nd Round
Jagielo (Juh-gail-oh) has the potential to be a solid regular, bat first third baseman. He may end up having some strikeout addictions that will need to be treated properly but he has a legit power bat and could easily put out 20-25 in his prime. He also draws enough walks to keep an ideal OBP. He reminds me somewhat of Mike Olt, the Rangers prospect, and should be off the board no later than the early 2nd Round.
The diving grab
5) Chad Pinder – 3B – Virginia Tech
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 195
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: No
Draft Projection: 2nd-3rd Round
One of the best defenders around, there’s no worrying among scouts about him position moving. He can hit too although his aggressive approach worries me some as it may lead him to become an inconsistent hitter with a below average OBP. However, the glove gives him good value and he has solid average power by corner infield standards. He should make a nice pick in the 2nd or early 3rd Round.
6) Ryon Healy – 1B – Oregon
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 230
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: No
Draft Projection: 3rd Round
Ryon’s parents dared to be different and spelled his name with an O. This year, Ryon also dared to be different, finally showing some of that impressive batting practice power more so in games. He has the chance to be an above average defender at first. He demonstrates an impressive feel for hitting, and he could become an above average power hitter too.
7) Brian Ragira – 1B – Stanford
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 210
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: 30th Round, 2010, by Rangers
Draft Projection: 3rd-4th Round
Ragira is something of an enigma as he shows very good contact skills and ideal size for a first basemen. However, he has showed well below average power production by first base standards. There’s always the question of how much can this little power production be attributed to the Stanford coaches meddling with swing mechanics (as they’ve been suspected of in the past). If a team thinks they can unlock a hidden power potential, he could come off the board in the 2nd or 3rd round.
8) Matt Oberste – 1B – Oklahoma
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 210
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: No
Draft Projection: 4th-6th Round
Oberste has been the leading hitter all year for the Sooners finishing with a .382 AVG. The power potential is good, not great, but Oberste has major league upside because of his strong feel for consistently hitting the ball, as evidenced by his 30+ hit streak earlier in the season.
9) Trey Mancini – 1B – Notre Dame
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 205
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: No
Draft Projection: 5th-7th Round
He’ll downgraded and discriminated by some for usual tired reasons. “Not enough power for first base”. The dude can flat out hit though as he edged out teammate Eric Jagielo by a single point to lead Big East in hitting (.396 AVG). He’s a big kid too and something tells me (hmm perhaps this video of him WINNING the Big East HR derby) there could me more juice in that bat several years from now. If he ever develops even modest 15-20 home run power, he could be a nice value sign relative to his draft position even if the upside is most likely a bench/platoon bat.
10) Jimmy Yezzo – 1B – Delaware
Height: 6’0″ Weight: 200
Bats: L Throws: R
Age: 21 Previously Drafted: No
Draft Projection: 7th-9th Round
One of my favorite overlooked draft prospects I’ve been following this year. The CAA hitter of the year has been one of the best-of-the-best statistical performers in all of college baseball this season, batting .410/.453/.714 with 13 HR, 20 BB, and 30 K. He’s likely limited to first base in pro ball so the pressure for him to perform with the bat will be immense but I like is raw power and I think he could surprise.
The Other Guys:
Jordan Patterson – 1B – South Alabama
Outstanding feel for hitting. Entered the season as one of the top Sun Belt prospects according to Baseball America. Just doesn’t offer near enough power production for the position. Has a great arm and pitched some for the Jaguars too. He’s capable of playing OF and seems like a nice value pick in the mid to late rounds as someone who could potentially help as a platoon hitter.
Drew Dosch – 3B – Youngstown State
Gets overlooked because he plays in a slapdick conference but he’s one of those types who does a little bit of everything well, but nothing particularly great. He held his own on the Cape last summer and could make a nice bench bat in the majors. That may sound unexciting but it’s important to remember that simply having ‘the potential to play in the majors’ as an amateur means you are a damn good baseball player. It shouldn’t be taken as a knock if a bench bat is considered your upside.
Mason Katz – 1B – LSU
– As an easy senior sign, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Katz go higher than he should (He’s an 8th-10th Rounder for me). He’s got some pop, but I don’t like his swing at all with that ugly leg kick and he seems like something of a AAAA player to me but the college version-a guy who murdered college pitching but will struggle at the next level.
LB Dantzler – 1B – South Carolina
What I said about Katz…ditto for Dantzler. Also a Senior, he can draw walks and he brings some tremendous lefty raw power (which I’ve witnessed several times in person), but he wiffs way too much for my liking. It’s hard to see him passing the AA/AAA test but he could be an interesting longterm sleeper if his power production continues to escalate and he can keep the K’s under control.
Nick Backlund – 1B – Mercer
Another guy who’s in the same boat as Katz and Dantzler with the only difference being he’s a Junior. He’ll probably get picked in the teens somewhere and could be a steal in one of those rounds if even some of his impressive college production translates to pro ball.
Conrad Gregor – 1B – Vanderbilt
Some would likely question why he’s not in the top ten but the bat just does not excite me at all. He does have the versatility to play corner outfield too but his upside to me is a bench player with below average power for the positions he plays.
Top 10 High School 1B/3B
1) Dominic Smith – 1B – Sierra HS (California)
The Met have been linked heavily to Smith according to PG
Height: 6’0″ Weight: 195
Bats: L Throws: L
Age: 18 College Commitment: USC
Draft Projection: Mid-First Round
Not the biggest guy in the world (by first base standards) but Smith has demonstrated an impressive offensive ceiling that has led to a consensus that he’s the best prep first basemen in this draft. He has a picturesque lefty swing with tremendous bat speed and power to all fields. He’ll be off the board in the middle first round.
2) Dustin Peterson – 3B – Gilbert HS (Arizona)
Height: 6’0″ Weight: 190
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: Arizona State
Draft Projection: Late First-Mid-2nd Round
Yes, believe it or not, this is D.J’s younger brother and some think Dustin has a chance to become a better player than older bro. He can flat out hit and could become an above average power hitter and defensive third basemen. Here’s a nice piece on the Peterson brothers from Baseball America.
3) Ryan McMahon – 3B – Mater Dei HS (California)
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 195
Bats: L Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: USC
Draft Projection: 3rd-4th Round
USC has a helluva recruiting class. Doubtful any of these kids make their way to SoCal. McMahon has a very intriguing bat (20+ HR potential) and the defensive ability and arm strength to remain at third.
Collins rounding the bases
4) Zack Collins – 1B – American Heritage HS (Florida)
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 215
Bats: L Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: Miami
Draft Projection: 3rd-4th Round
Collins is a naturally gifted hitter who presents one of the more highly thought of hit tools in this group. He also has some impressive raw power. Rob Ozga of Baseball Draft Report compares him to Mike Napoli.
5) Andy McGuire – 3B – James Madison HS (Virginia)
Height: 6’1″ Weight: 190
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: Texas
Draft Projection: 3rd-4th Round
An impressive athlete which you expect from a Texas recruit. Projects as a major league caliber defender at third. Can already drive the ball to gaps and may have above average power potential down the road. Aggressive hitter but shows good feel for squaring up fastballs. Something like the high school prospect version of Chad Pinder.
6) Travis Demeritte – 3B – Winder-Barrow HS (Georgia)
Height: 6’1″ Weight: 195
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: South Carolina
Draft Projection: 2nd-3rd Round
From what I’ve gathered, Demeritte has impressive bat speed for a high schooler and offers the most raw power potential of anyone in the high school corner infield group. He’s pretty risky though as there’s a TON of swing and miss in his game. He has a strong arm and good enough instincts to project as a 3B longterm. Personally, I’d stay away from him because of the risk associated with the spotty plate discipline but his impressive power upside should get him drafted early if he doesn’t feel like honoring his Gamecock commitment (which he should).
7) Jan Hernandez – 3B – Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (P.R.)
Height: 6’1″ Weight: 195
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: None
Draft Projection: 2nd-3rd Round
The lack of college commitment will intrigue teams looking to save a little money and Hernandez is an intriguing athlete with good longterm power potential and a rifle arm at third base. He’s actually listed as a SS now but many project a move to 3B so I’m just rolling with that. A risky boom/bust profile and I’d personally stay away from him unless I had multiple early round picks and was looking to save some money.
8) Rowdy Tellez – 1B – Elk Grove HS (California)
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 250
Bats: L Throws: L
Age: 18 College Commitment: USC
Draft Projection: 3rd-4th Round
Upper deck power, a high school Chris Davis. However, he’s a mediocre athlete and whether he’ll hit enough for the power to be relevant is a big question mark that may/may not prevent him from going in the top 3 rounds. However, power is at a premium these days and Tellez ‘supposedly’ carries a well known strong work ethic. So, I’d be surprised if he falls any further than the 4th Round. And with a name like Rowdy Tellez, you’re absolutely pulling for this kid to reach his potential.
9) John Sternagel – 3B – Rockledge HS (Florida)
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 200
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: Florida
Draft Projection: 3rd-4th Round
Solid unspectacular upside. Might not need as much development time as other bats and longterm could be an everyday player if his currently average power projection sees a spike. Scouts are confident that he’ll hit and can be an average defender with a lot of work.
10) Tucker Neuhaus – 3B – Wharton HS (Florida)
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 190
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: Louisville
Draft Projection: 3rd-4th Round
Very projectable bat. Apparently, has strong commitment to Louisville.
Other Names To Know
Cody Bellinger – 1B – Hamilton HS (Arizona)
Height: 6’4″ Weight: 180
Bats: L Throws: L
Age: 18 College Commitment: Oregon
Another bat oozing projectability, meaning he’s blah now but could a legitimate major league prospect with 3-4 years of training and development in the minors.
Jake Bauers – 1B – Marina HS (California)
Height: 6’1″ Weight: 200
Bats: L Throws: L
Age: 18 College Commitment: Hawaii
He’s slow and limited to first base but he shows a great patient approach and potential to be a decent hitter for average. He also brings some intriguing raw power.
Drew Ward – 3B – Leedey HS (Oklahoma)
Height: 6’4″ Weight: 200
Bats: L Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: Oklahoma
Big strong kid who could be an above average power hitter as he fills out his frame. Has a decent feel for hitting too but may end up at first which will increase pressure to develop in game power.
Corey Simpson – 1B – Sweeny HS (Texas)
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 220
Bats: R Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: Houston
Trey Michalczewski – 3B – Jenks HS (Oklahoma)
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 195
Bats: S Throws: R
Age: 18 College Commitment: Oklahoma
High upside bat with impressive power potential and is a great athlete and defender at third. His hit tool, like many of these ‘projectable bats’ needs serious work, especially as a lefty hitter.
Slade's Top Orioles Prospects 