High school baseball prospects often grab the limelight. This year, an outstanding crop of college players ended up dominating the early round of the draft. Strong pitching arms are always desired by MLB clubs, but position players still command attention, especially those capable of contributing a multifaceted game.
None of the prospects drafted in 2018 will help determine the World Series this season – after all, sites such as BeABetterBettor.com list established clubs like the Red Sox and Astros as championship favorites. Instead, these elite college position players could develop into the vanguard of modern baseball over the next decade.
Joey Bart – San Francisco Giants
Catcher – Georgia Tech
The Bay Area Rapid Transit system will soon be known as the Joey Bart train after the San Francisco Giants decided to select Joey number two overall in the 2018 MLB entry draft. Despite questions of his fit as catcher early in his collegiate career, Bart managed to become one of the top position prospects in college baseball.
In 228 plate appearances in the minors, Joey batted .294 with 13 homers and 40 RBIs – superb power production from the backstop position. Bart’s throwing arm was one of the best in college, nailing 40 percent of would-be basestealers during his time with Georgia Tech. Put simply, Joey Bart has a shot at becoming one of the top catchers in his generation.
Alec Bohm – Philadelphia Phillies
Third Baseman – Wichita State
Bohm has made a solid transition from college to the minors this year, earning a .252 batting average along with 17 RBI during his first 40 games. He’s yet to slug a homer, which is a bit strange given his 6’5”, 225-pound frame.
Coaching will help him leverage his natural power, but his fielding might turn into an issue if he doesn’t learn to be proficient at third. More likely, Alec will occupy first base or even turn into a DH if his offensive upside can’t be ignored at the big league level.
Nick Madrigal – Chicago White Sox
Shortstop – Oregon State
Madrigal packs a lot of baseball into his diminutive frame, even if he’ll probably never develop into a homer machine. Other than a recent, brief slump with the White Sox of the Arizona league, Nick managed to maintain a .303 batting average over his first 173 plate appearances in the minors.
Nick was a standout at Oregon State, playing shortstop and second depending on circumstances. He projects as a solid pro hitter with excellent speed, likely to make the roster as a second baseman in the majors.
Jonathan India – Cincinnati Reds
Third Baseman – Florida
Scouts have been tracking India since high school, when he decided to join the Florida Gators program instead of making a quick leap to the majors. Over the last year of his college career, Jonathan made his mark, displaying an ability to hit for power and average.
Jonathan’s athleticism allows him to excel at the hot corner, but he could be asked to play any infield position. He showed a hint of speed along with power during his first year in the minors, slugging six dingers and stealing six bases over 184 plate appearances.
Kyler Murray – Oakland Athletics
Outfield – Oklahoma
The most athletic player in the draft, Kyler Murray’s a two-sport threat who will finish his final season as QB of the Oklahoma Sooners. Oakland ignored his dedication to football, drafting and signing Kyler to a $4.66 million bonus.
Looks like Murray will avoid his senior season with the Sooners and report to the Athletics instead in 2019. Oakland will attempt to develop Murray as an elite center fielder with decent power who drives the opposition nuts on the basepaths.
Travis Swaggerty – Pittsburgh Pirates
Outfielder – South Alabama
Owner of the best baseball name in the draft, Travis Swaggerty parleyed a successful college career with South Alabama into a sweet signing bonus as a top draft pick for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Travis hasn’t shown swag with West Virginia of the South Atlantic League, slumping to a .129 BA despite a .288 BA in the NYPL.
Pittsburgh wants to develop Swaggerty’s speed and athleticism as a center fielder and lead-off menace with a bit of power on the side. He has one of the best throwing arms as an outfielder, which should help him transition to the Big Show if he continues to develop as a hitter.
Trevor Larnach – Minnesota Twins
Outfielder – Oregon State
Trevor started his minor league career with a bang after the Twins drafted the outfielder, averaging .303 in rookie and minor A with Cedar Rapids. He also popped five homers, revealing tantalizing power which could translate well in the majors.
Larnach gained notoriety with Oregon State when he added a bit of pop to his approach, allowing scouts to forgive his relative lack of foot speed. He probably won’t turn into a daily right fielder in the majors, but he’s good enough at the plate to potentially play the left corner.
Nico Hoerner – Chicago Cubs
Shortstop – Stanford
This Stanford shortstop showed strong success during a limited minor league outing, averaging .327 over 60 plate appearances. He’s also added a couple of homers, doubles and triples, displaying both power and speed on the basepaths.
He may not turn into a shortstop in the majors, but Nico’s considered a strong candidate to make the grade as an above average second baseman. The Cubs don’t expect a slugger at the second bag, but Nico’s speed and ability to hit for average attracted Chicago’s attention nonetheless.
Seth Beer – Houston Astros
Outfielder – Clemson
His skills match the perception of someone with the name Beer playing baseball. Seth crushed the heck out of the ball as one of the top hitters in college, but his extremely limited footspeed, iffy fielding and underwhelming throwing arm could prevent him from establishing his game at the big league level.
The Astros picked him nonetheless, and Beer’s showed early returns during his superb first season in the minors. Beer averaged .304 at the plate in three leagues while collecting 12 homers and 42 RBI. Houston might try to hide him at first base, or even left field, to give Seth a swinging chance in the majors.
Cadyn Grenier – Baltimore Orioles
Shortstop – Oregon State
Perhaps the best fielding shortstop in college, Cadyn possess decent speed, a strong arm and terrific instincts on field. His craftmanship at shortstop will all but ensure Grenier getting a legit shot at playing in the majors.
Cadyn will need to improve his hitting to maximize his potential in the Big Show. He batted .216 in 183 plate appearances in single A, a number he’ll need to improve as he’ll likely never turn into a feared power hitter.
