Top 10 High School Baseball Players to Watch for 2014 MLB Draft

The 2013 Major League Baseball First Year Player Selection is over, which means that mock drafts will soon pop up projecting next year's draft.

It is easy to predict which player from the class of 2014 will be selected first in the draft. That's because Drew Ward of Leedey (Okla.), the No. 3 prospect in the MaxPreps class of 2014, was already taken with the No. 105 pick overall by the Washington Nationals. The shortstop, who will likely convert to either third or first base at the next level, was reclassified as a senior prior to the start of the 2013 season and thus became eligible for the 2013 draft.

With Ward gone, here's a look at 10 players who could go early in next year's MLB draft.

MaxPreps Top 10 Players to Watch for 2014 MLB Draft

1. Alex Jackson, Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), Catcher One of the top hitters at the Area Code Games as a sophomore, Jackson was among the national leaders in home runs again this year with 14. He batted .343 with 33 RBIs while leading Rancho Bernardo to the San Diego Section Open Division championship.{PAGEBREAK}2. Nick Gordon, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.), Outfield Committed to Florida State, Gordon had a big year for Olympia, batting .505 with 50 base hits, 15 doubles and 23 runs scored. He also pitched and posted a 5-1 record. He's the son of fomer major leaguer Tom "Flash" Gordon and the brother of Dee Gordon, who has seen time with the Los Angeles Dodgers.{PAGEBREAK}3. Touki Toussaint, Coral Springs Christian (Fla.), Right-Handed Pitcher
One of the fastest rising players in the class of 2014, Toussaint impressed last year on the mound as a sophomore and didn't do anything to diminish that assessment with a 5-2 record and 65 strikeouts with a 0.95 ERA. Fastball is reportedly up to 97 mph.

{PAGEBREAK}4. Jacob Gatewood, Clovis (Calif.), Right-Handed Pitcher
At 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Gatewood has the right frame to be either a pitcher of position player at the next level. He showed his hitting skills at the Area Code Games last summer, but he has also posted a 5-1 record this year with a 2.02 ERA for Clovis. Batted .320 this year, but has plenty of projection as a power hitter.



{PAGEBREAK}5. Justus Sheffield, Tullahoma (Tenn.), Left-Handed Pitcher When brother Jordan went down with an elbow injury, Justus carried much of the load for Tullahoma while leading the team to the state tournament. Bigger than his brother at 6-foot-0, 190 pounds, Sheffield throws in the low 90s. The nephew of former major league All-Star Gary Sheffield.{PAGEBREAK}6. Jack Flaherty, Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), Right-Handed Pitcher Perhaps no junior in the nation had a better year than Flaherty, who posted a 13-0 record with six shutouts, a 0.63 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 89 innings pitched. He led the Wolverines to the Southern Section Division I championship and a No. 3 national ranking.{PAGEBREAK}7. Justin Bellinger, St. Sebastian's School (Needham, Mass.), First Base/LHP No prep player from Massachusetts was drafted this year, but that could change next year when Bellinger is available. He batted .415 with 36 RBI and eight home runs. He had a monster game against Portsmouth Abbey in the first game of the year, belting three home runs with 11 RBIs. Followed that outing with a triple and home run and eight RBIs against Dexter School.{PAGEBREAK}8. Stone Garrett, George Ranch (Richmond, Texas), Outfield
Outstanding athlete with a powerful bat, Garrett batted .359 with six home runs and 22 RBIs. Also had just one error in the outfield for George Ranch.

{PAGEBREAK}9. Carson Sands, North Florida Christian (Tallahassee, Fla.), Pitcher
Sands has already experienced national competition as a member of Team USA 18U, which won the gold medal last year. He posted a 7-2 record with 81 strikeouts and a 1.28 ERA in 54.2 innings pitched.

{PAGEBREAK}10. Cameron Varga, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Right-Handed Pitcher
Varga transferred from IMG Academy in Florida to Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy this year and had a spectacular season. He threw between 92-95 mph and posted 148 strikeouts and just 14 walks in 64 innings pitched. He was 8-2 with a 0.21 ERA.