Video: Blake Rutherford highlightsSoCal star hit .577 with 13 doubles and four home runs for Chaminade this season.
MaxPreps is taking at look at the top high school baseball prospects heading into the Major League Baseball Draft, which is scheduled for June 9-11. The series continues today in the outfield.
Top 10 OutfieldersBlake Rutherford, Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.)
Rutherford has been impressive all season long in his ability to get the bat on the ball. He hit .577 his senior season with 13 doubles and four home runs. He was particularly impressive at the National High School Invitational, where he batted .714 (10 for 14) in four games against some of the top teams in the country. He won't last past the top five picks in the draft and could be the top position player chosen overall.
Mickey Moniak, La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.)
Already one of the top prospects in the Class of 2016, Moniak raised his value to a new level this year by adding power to his already impressive array of skills. Some recent mock drafts have Moniak as the top high school player chosen, even ahead of pitchers Jason Groome and Riley Pint. He already had above average speed and outstanding defensive instincts, but he greatly improved his power hitting in 2016. After going homerless as a junior, Moniak belted seven his senior year to go with 13 triples. He ended the year batting .476. Could go among the top five picks.
Alex Kirilloff, Plum (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
A first baseman in high school, Kiriloff will likely move to a corner outfield spot at the next level. He has a strong arm, which he has exhibited on the mound for Plum this year. He has six wins and 60 strikeouts in just 38 innings pitched. His strength is at the plate, where he is batting .540 with 13 doubles and three home runs in 63 at-bats. Look for him to come off the board early in the second round.
Will Benson, Westminster (Atlanta, Ga.)
Like Kirilloff, Benson is a first baseman/outfielder prospect who could find a home at either position. At 6-foot-6, he's one of the larger high school position players in the draft, but he is still a very athletic and capable fielder at one of the corner outfield spots. He also has power, as his 13 doubles and eight home runs for state champion Westminster will attest. Could go early on the second day of the draft.
Akil Baddoo, Salem (Conyers, Ga.)
Baddoo was a bright spot for a Salem team that won only 10 games this year. Baddoo moved up the player rankings this past year because of his hitting ability, which should transfer over to the next level. There is a bit of gap in talent between the top four players on this list and the final six, but expect Baddoo to get drafted somewhere during the early part of the second day of the draft.
Avery Tuck, Steele Canyon (Spring Valley, Calif.)
Fielding and arm strength won't be a problem for Tuck, who is above average in both phases of the game. However his ability to put the bat on the ball was lacking during his senior campaign when he batted just .288 with five doubles, seven triples and two home runs. Tuck has a lot of room to grow, however, which could tempt a team to draft him somewhere during the second day.
Taylor Trammell, Mount Paran Christian (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Trammell is a two-sport star who shined in football at Mount Paran Christian, but will likely play baseball at the next level. He has the speed to play centerfield, but he is reportedly still mastering the glove work needed for the position. Offensive skill might be behind his defensive ablities. He bats more for average than power. His athletic ability alone, however, might get him drafted at the end of the first day of the draft.
Jaren Shelby, Tates Creek (Lexington, Ky.)
The son of former Major Leaguer John Shelby, Jaren has shown outstanding power the past two seasons at Tates Creek, blasting 25 home runs during that stretch including 12 this year. He's the Gatorade State Player of the Year and could go early on the second day of the MLB draft.
Khalil Lee, Flint Hill (Oakton, Va.)
With a fastball that sits at over 90 mph, Lee could end up a pitching prospect at some point in his career. However he is also outstanding at the plate, batting .484 with six home runs for Flint Hill this year. Could surprise and go late on the first day, but Lee is probably a second day selection.
Bo Bichette, Lakewood (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
Bichette has always shown good power, but he has played shortstop throughout his high school career. He could move to the outfield, where his father played in the major leagues, once he gets to the next level. He was among the nation leaders this year in home runs with 13 and he had a slugging percentage of 1.400.
