For more on the players on the list, see these companion pieces:
Inside the Top 50: College Players
Inside The Top 50: High School Players
Rather than rushing a pre-season ranking when I started a few weeks ago, I wanted to wait until the first couple weeks of the college season played out so I could capture the early season buzz. A number of players have emerged or regressed in the past few weeks, so this ranking reflects the most up-to-date MLB draft information. I'll update this ranking every few weeks as I see more players and more notes come in.
As I've said before, the top 15-20 players are pretty solid compared to past years, though it lacks the impact talent you want in the top couple picks, so this is considered a down year for talent overall. The 21-50 range is very unsettled, without a huge difference between the players in that range at this juncture. Listed age is as of draft day.
In the first few weeks of the season, I've seen and posted reports and video on both of the top two prospects, Mark Appel (Report & Video) and Sean Manaea (Report & Video). Both project as potential #1 starters but both have plenty of concerns to shore up between now and June. Both rank behind recent elite college pitchers like Stephen Strasburg, David Price, Gerrit Cole and Kevin Gausman, to name a few, as amateur prospects.
1. Sean Manaea
|
LHP
|
21.3
|
Indiana St.
|
-------
|
2. Mark Appel
|
RHP
|
21.9
|
Stanford
|
-------
|
3. Austin Meadows
|
CF
|
18.1
|
Grayson HS (GA)
|
Clemson
|
4. Ryne Stanek
|
RHP
|
21.9
|
Arkansas
|
-------
|
5. Clint Frazier
|
CF
|
18.8
|
Loganville HS (GA)
|
Georgia
|
6. Jon Denney
|
C
|
18.7
|
Yukon HS (OK)
|
Arkansas
|
7. Colin Moran
|
3B
|
20.7
|
North Carolina
|
-------
|
8. J.P. Crawford
|
SS
|
18.4
|
Lakewood HS (CA)
|
USC
|
9. Kris Bryant
|
RF
|
21.4
|
San Diego
|
-------
|
10. Bobby Wahl
|
RHP
|
21.2
|
Ole Miss
|
-------
|
11. Phil Ervin
|
OF
|
20.9
|
Samford
|
-------
|
12. Dominic Smith
|
1B
|
18.0
|
Serra HS (CA)
|
USC
|
13. Jonathon Crawford
|
RHP
|
21.6
|
Florida
|
-------
|
14. Chris Anderson
|
RHP
|
20.9
|
Jacksonville
|
-------
|
15. Oscar Mercado
|
SS
|
18.5
|
Gaither HS (FL)
|
Florida St.
|
16. Andrew Thurman
|
RHP
|
21.5
|
UC-Irvine
|
-------
|
17. Reese McGuire
|
C
|
18.3
|
Kentwood HS (WA)
|
San Diego
|
18. Austin Wilson
|
RF
|
21.3
|
Stanford
|
-------
|
19. Ryan Boldt
|
CF
|
18.5
|
Red Wing HS (MN)
|
Nebraska
|
20. Jonathan Gray
|
RHP
|
21.6
|
Oklahoma
|
-------
|
21. Jason Hursh
|
RHP
|
21.7
|
Oklahoma St.
|
-------
|
22. Eric Jagielo
|
3B
|
21.1
|
Notre Dame
|
-------
|
23. Chris Okey
|
C
|
18.4
|
Eustis HS (FL)
|
Clemson
|
24. Tucker Neuhaus
|
3B
|
18.0
|
Wharton HS (FL)
|
Louisville
|
25. Aaron Judge
|
RF
|
21.1
|
Fresno St.
|
-------
|
26. Kohl Stewart
|
RHP
|
18.7
|
St. Pius X HS (TX)
|
Texas A&M
|
27. Andrew Mitchell
|
RHP
|
21.6
|
TCU
|
-------
|
28. Trey Ball
|
LHP/RF
|
18.9
|
New Castle HS (IN)
|
Texas
|
29. Rob Kaminsky
|
LHP
|
18.8
|
St. Joseph HS (NJ)
|
N. Carolina
|
30. D.J. Peterson
|
1B
|
21.4
|
New Mexico
|
-------
|
31. Marco Gonzales
|
LHP
|
21.3
|
Gonzaga
|
-------
|
32. Nick Ciuffo
|
C
|
18.2
|
Lexington HS (SC)
|
S. Carolina
|
33. Jacoby Jones
|
3B/CF
|
21.1
|
LSU
|
-------
|
34. Jordan Sheffield
|
RHP
|
18.0
|
Tullahoma HS (TN)
|
Vanderbilt
|
35. Kevin Ziomek
|
LHP
|
21.2
|
Vanderbilt
|
-------
|
36. Hunter Renfroe
|
CF
|
21.4
|
Mississippi St.
|
-------
|
37. Conrad Gregor
|
1B
|
21.3
|
Vanderbilt
|
-------
|
38. Trevor WIlliams
|
RHP
|
21.1
|
Arizona St.
|
-------
|
39. Carlos Salazar
|
RHP
|
18.5
|
Kerman HS (CA)
|
Fresno St.
|
40. Jake Brentz
|
LHP
|
18.7
|
Parkway South HS (MO)
|
Missouri
|
41. Josh Hart
|
CF
|
18.7
|
Parkview HS (GA)
|
Ga. Tech
|
42. Connor Jones
|
RHP
|
18.7
|
Great Bridge HS (VA)
|
Virginia
|
43. Scott Frazier
|
RHP
|
21.5
|
Pepperdine
|
-------
|
44. Dillon Overton
|
LHP
|
21.8
|
Oklahoma
|
-------
|
45. Ian Clarkin
|
LHP
|
18.3
|
James Madison HS (CA)
|
San Diego
|
46. Billy McKinney
|
CF
|
18.8
|
Plano West HS (TX)
|
TCU
|
47. Tony Rizzotti
|
RHP
|
21.1
|
Tulane
|
-------
|
48. Chad Pinder
|
3B
|
21.2
|
Virginia Tech
|
-------
|
49. Ryan Eades
|
RHP
|
21.5
|
LSU
|
-------
|
50. Zack Collins
|
1B
|
18.3
|
American Heritage HS (FL)
|
Miami (FL)
|
Just Missed
Terry McClure, CF, 17.7, Riverwood HS (GA), Georgia Tech
Justin Williams, RF, 17.8, Terrebonne HS (LA), LSU
Brett Morales, RHP, 18.8, King HS (FL), Florida
Stock Rising
Braden Shipley, RHP, 21.3, Nevada
Nick Eicholtz, RHP, 18.8, Cambridge Christian HS (FL), Alabama
Matt Krook, LHP, 18.6, St. Ignatius Prep HS (CA), Oregon