MLB draft: Top 20 pitching prospects
- Counting down to the MLB amateur draft%2C scheduled for June 6-8
1. RH Mark Appel,Stanford
Class: Sr. Height: 6-5. Weight: 215.
Has the size and stuff you look for in a front-line starter. Has a mid-90s fastball with movement that will be his bread and butter. He is the best player available in the draft.
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2. RH Jonathan Gray,Oklahoma
Class: Jr. Height: 6-4. Weight: 239.
Has a workhorse build and hit 100 mph on the radar gun; has a potentially plus slider. Has a chance to go No. 1 overall.
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3. LH Sean Manaea,Indiana State
Class: Jr. Height: 6-5. Weight: 235.
Isn't as polished as Appel or Gray, but lefties who can throw 96 mph are going to grab a lot of attention when it comes to the draft. Needs to work on the consistencies of his secondary pitches, but he has a lot of upside.
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4. RH Braden Shipley,Nevada
Class: Jr. Height: 6-3. Weight: 190.
Has a lot of arm strength — hitting 98 mph — and has two solid secondary offerings in a curveball and changeup. He has easy mechanics and solid control.
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5. RH Kohl Stewart,St. Pius X High (Houston)
Height: 6-3. Weight: 195.
He's an outstanding athlete who committed to Texas A&M to play quarterback, but he has the stuff to be a front-line starter. Needs to work on his mechanics. Is a Type 1 diabetic.
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6. RH Chris Anderson,Jacksonville
Class: Jr. Height: 6-4. Weight: 225.
Has an athletic build. His fastball and slider are above average, to go along with very good control. Could be a front-end starter.
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7. RH Ryne Stanek,Arkansas
Class: Jr. Height: 6-4. Weight: 190.
A potential top-three pick coming into the season who has struggled with inconsistency. He has arm strength — hitting the mid-90s — and a potentially plus offering in his slider.
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8. RH Ryan Eades,LSU
Class: Jr. Height: 6-3. Weight: 198.
Has struggled with consistency, but he has the arm strength, size and control you look for in a top pitcher. A lack of dominance is a concern.
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9. LH Trey Ball,New Castle (Ind.) High
Height: 6-6. Weight: 180.
Ball, also an outfielder, is the top two-way player in the class. He likely would be higher if it was certain he was going to be picked as a pitcher. He has a long, lanky frame with room to grow. He has solid arm strength, hitting 93 mph. Has a solid curve and changeup.
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10. LH Marco Gonzales,Gonzaga
Class: Jr. Height: 6-1. Weight: 185.
He also is an infielder, but Gonzalez's future is on the mound. He has good command of a low-90s fastball, along with a slider and change.
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11. LH Ian Clarkin,Madison High (San Diego)
Height: 6-2. Weight: 195.
Has an athletic frame. Throws a fastball that can touch the low to mid-90s and a hard breaking ball and changeup. Controls all three well.
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12. RH Jonathon Crawford,Florida
Class: Jr. Height: 6-2. Weight: 205.
Has a big arm, hitting 96 mph with his fastball. He combines it with a hard slider. The stuff is there.
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13. LH Rob Kaminsky,St. Joseph Regional High (Montvale, N.J.)
Height: 6-0. Weight: 190.
He's not very big by top-prospect standards, but Kaminsky has one of the best arms in the country. He can hit the mid-90s with his fastball and throws a solid slider and change.
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14. RH Hunter Harvey,Bandys High (Catawba, N.C.)
Height: 6-3. Weight: 175.
Has major league bloodlines scouts love — his dad, Bryan, was an All-Star closer. He has a lean frame, so there is room to grow, but he hits the mid-90s with his fastball and also throws a curve and change.
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15. RH Phil Bickford,Oaks Christian High (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Height: 6-4. Weight: 200.
Has solid mechanics and has hit the high 90s with his fastball. Also throws a slider and a curve. He could rise up draft boards quickly.
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16. RH Bobby Wahl,Mississippi
Class: Jr. Height: 6-3. Weight: 210.
Has an ideal pitcher's frame. Pitched out of the bullpen — where big-league teams probably see him — for Team USA. Has a mid-90s fastball with a potentially plus curve.
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17. LH Kevin Ziomek,Vanderbilt
Class: Jr. Height: 6-3. Weight: 200.
Has solid three-pitch mix including a low-90s fastball with good movement and a plus changeup. Has struggled with consistency and can lose his velocity at times. But he has the makings of a front-end starter.
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18. RH Trevor Williams,Arizona State
Class: Jr. Height: 6-3. Weight: 228.
There is some concern because he doesn't strike out many hitters, considering his stuff. But he has a mid-90s fastball, along with a slider, curve and changeup.
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19. LH Matt Krook,St. Ignatius High (San Francisco)
Height: 6-2. Weight: 190.
Has plenty of room to fill out. He can reach the mid-90s with his fastball and throws a solid curve. He has a changeup, but it is inconsistent.
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20. RH Carlos Salazar,Kerman (Calif.) High
Height: 6-2. Weight: 205.
Has outstanding arm strength, hitting 97 mph. He also has a slider that has a chance to be a plus pitch and a solid changeup. A strong commitment to Fresno State could scare some teams off.
Rankings by Draftsite.com, an affiliate of USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties.