Potential high draft picks Jordan Lawler of Texas, Andrew Painter of Florida and Marcelo Mayer of California make the list.
After highlighting the
best team in every state earlier this week, we shift to identifying the top high school baseball
player in each state for 2021. Among the diamond stars are college signees, potential Major League Baseball draft picks as well as multi-sport athletes.
Many of these players missed their entire high school season in 2020. They are very familiar names with
college and professional scouts, who have been watching them play all
summer and fall during elite showcases and tournaments.
Read on to find out who earned the nod in your state.
Brock Selvidge, Hamilton
File photo by Darin Sicurello
Alabama
Maddux Bruns | UMS-Wright Prep (Mobile)
Got his junior season off to a strong start in 2020 as he struck out 15 in a win over defending 2019 state champion McGill-Toolen.
Alaska
Clayton Boyett | Wasilla
Pitched Warriors to a state championship in 2019 and is headed to play at the University of Oregon.
Arizona
Brock Selvidge | Hamilton (Chandler)
One of the nation's top two-way players, Selvidge was 4-2 on the mound as a sophomore and batted .311 with four home runs.
Arkansas
Braylon Bishop | Arkansas (Texarkana)
One of the state's top all-around athletes, Bishop batted .431 with 13 RBI as a sophomore.
California
Marcelo Mayer | Eastlake (Chula Vista)
In 2019, the Titans had a first-round draft pick in Keoni Cavaco and they could have another one in Mayer, one of the nation's top shortstops. He was batting .294 with three home runs last spring in seven games.
Colorado
Cale Lansville | ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch)
Struck out 47 batters in 34 innings and batted .386 as a sophomore. He earned second team Class 5A all-state honors.
Connecticut
Gavin Greger | Bristol Central (Bristol)
Only a junior, the University of Connecticut commit had 46 strikeouts as a freshman on the varsity in 2019.
Delaware
Lorenzo Carrier | Appoquinimink (West Middletown)
Gatorade selected Carrier the state Player of the Year in 2020. As a sophomore, he led the team to a 22-0 record and a state championship. He batted .423 with 22 RBI.
District of Columbia
David Jefferson | St. John's
The Notre Dame commit is ranked as one of the top players in the Virginia/District of Columbia area by Prep Baseball Report.
Florida
Andrew Painter | Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale)
He was 2-1 in three appearances last year with 27 strikeouts in just 12 innings pitched. He is ranked by Perfect Game as one of the nation's top pitching prospects.
Georgia
Brady House | Winder-Barrow (Winder)
At one time, he was considered the top prospect in the Class of 2021 by Perfect Game. He's still considered a potential high draft pick after hitting .653 with four home runs and 20 RBI last spring.
Hawaii
The catcher earned all-state honors as a sophomore and he has committed to play at the University of California-Berkeley.
Idaho
Chase Hilde | Eagle
As a sophomore, Hilde earned all-conference honors after batting .417. A two-sport standout, he was also a starting linebacker.
Illinois
Ben Hess | Charleston
The Indiana-bound Hess has grown into the No. 1 pitching prospect in Illinois. At 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Hess has his fastball up to 95 mph.
Indiana
Colson Montgomery | Southridge (Huntingburg)
One of the top basketball players in Southern Indiana, Montgomery has also developed into the top baseball prospect in the state. Committed to Indiana, the shortstop could be selected in the first two days of the MLB Draft this summer.
Iowa
Ian Moller | Wahlert (Dubuque)
Considered the best player in Iowa, he doesn't actually play baseball at Wahlert. Because Iowa holds its season in the summer, Moller chooses to attend summer showcases and tournaments. He's expected to be a first-day draft pick.
Kansas
Ben Kudrna | Blue Valley Southwest (Overland Park)
Kudrna only saw a couple of starts as a sophomore, posting a 1-1 record with 16 strikeouts. He has developed into the state's top pitcher and is ranked as the state's top player by Prep Baseball Report.
Kentucky
Daylen Lile | Trinity (Louisville)
As a sophomore, Lile earned all-state honors by the coaches association after batting .518 with 41 RBI, 17 doubles and three home runs.
Louisiana
Peyton Stovall | Haughton
A football standout at quarterback, Stovall was on a roll when COVID stopped play in March as he had four home runs in four straight games.
Maine
Brady Afthim | Windham
Afthim has committed to play at the University of Connecticut. The catcher/shortstop was an all-conference pick as a sophomore in 2019.
Maryland
Peter Heubeck | Gilman (Baltimore)
Sporting a fastball that hits in the low 90s, Heubeck earned second team All-Metro honors by the Baltimore Sun as a sophomore.
Massachusetts
Josh Baez | Dexter Southfield (Brookline)
Although he didn't play an inning last year, Baez was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2020. He has become one of the top two-way players in the New England complete with long home runs and 90-mph fastballs.
Michigan
Alex Mooney | St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake)
The infielder made the state coaches association all-state team as a sophomore after hitting .444 with 15 doubles and seven home runs.
Minnesota
Will Rogers | Mounds View (Arden Hills)
Rogers has signed to play with Arizona State, but he could go high in the MLB draft. Rogers, a catcher/pitcher, participated in the Perfect Game National Showcase in September.
Mississippi
Braden Montgomery | Madison Central (Madison)
The Stanford-bound outfielder has developed into one of the top players in the country. He played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic.
Missouri
Carter Jensen | Park Hill (Kansas City)
As a sophomore, Jensen batted .405 with 13 RBI and six doubles. Jensen can play multiple positions as he is listed as a catcher, corner infielder and outfielder.
Nebraska
Drew Christo | Elkhorn
A strong summer has moved Christo to the top of the Nebraska prospect rankings by Perfect Game. He has committed to Nebraska and has developed a 95 mph fastball.
Nevada
Tommy DiLandri | Palo Verde (Las Vegas)
He saw the field for only five games last spring for Palo Verde, but he batted .545 with seven runs and a home run. He batted .450 as a freshman at Bishop Gorman before transferring to Palo Verde.
New Hampshire
Ryan Minckler | Portsmouth
Earned all-state first team honors as a sophomore in 2019 and had a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts in his second start of the season.
New Jersey
Chase Petty | Mainland Regional (Linwood)
He might have the best fastball of any player in the Class of 2021 as he hit 100 mph during a summer Perfect Game showcase in Georgia.
New Mexico
Jacob Kmatz | Sandia (Albuquerque, N.M.)
One of the top pitchers in the Southwest, Kmatz has consistently hit in the low 90s with his fastball. He's committed to play at Oregon State.
New York
Joe Mack | Williamsville East (East Amherst)
Considered one of the top catchers in the nation, Mack did not play last year, but earned All-Western New York honors while batting .462 with four home runs as a sophomore.
North Carolina
Kahlil Watson | Wake Forest
A football and baseball standout, Watson dominated as a sophomore by batting .578 with six home runs and 23 RBI. He ranks as one of the nation's top shortstops.
North Dakota
Alex Urlaub | Sheyenne (West Fargo)
Earned all-tournament honors as a sophomore in 2019. His return helps make Sheyenne the favorite in North Dakota in 2021.
Ohio
Gavin Bruni | Alliance
Bruni has risen to become one of the top two-way players in the state. He went 6-2 as a sophomore with 81 strikeouts and just 17 walks. He also batted .484 with 28 RBI and eight doubles.
Oklahoma
Jackson Jobe | Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City)
Seen as a five-tool player who can throw 96 mph off the mound, he's also regarded as a prospect at shortstop. After his performance at the Perfect Game All-American Classic, Jobe will likely be drafted as a pitcher.
Oregon
Cameron Clayton | Lakeridge (Lake Oswego)
The Pacers could be the top team in Oregon this year and Clayton is a big reason. The shortstop ranks as one of the top middle infielders in the nation and is a preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball.
Pennsylvania
Ben Montgomery | Red Land (Lewisberry)
He didn't play last year, but he has consistently ranked among the Top 10 players heading into the 2021 MLB draft. He's regarded as the top overall outfielder in the nation by Perfect Game.
Rhode Island
Ben Brutti | South Kingstown (Wakefield)
Brutti is ranked as one of the top prospects in New England in the Class of 2022 and the No. 6 overall prospect in the Class according to Prep Baseball Report.
South Carolina
Will Taylor | Dutch Fork (Irmo)
A Clemson football prospect at quarterback, Taylor also ranks as the top baseball prospect in the state. The MaxPreps South Carolina Football Player of the Year is expected to play both sports at Clemson.
South Dakota
Chase Mason | Harrisburg
Mason was expected to be one of the top baseball players in the state and a possible MLB draft pick this summer, however he suffered an ACL injury playing football in September.
Tennessee
Chase Burns | Beech (Hendersonville)
Originally from Station Camp, Burns transferred to Beech last summer. He sported a 0.52 ERA in 40.2 innings pitched to rank among the top pitchers in the state in 2019.
Texas
Jordan Lawler | Dallas Jesuit
Lawler has taken over as the top prospect in the Class of 2021 and is a potential Top 10 draft pick. As a sophomore, he batted .385 with 25 RBI and four home runs.
Utah
Cam Day | Layton
As a sophomore, he posted a 1.97 ERA with 60 strikeouts in just 49.2 innings. He finished his sophomore season with back-to-back 10 strikeout efforts against Northridge.
Vermont
Owen Ellington | U-32 (Montpelier)
Named the state player of the year as a sophomore, Ellington struck out 66 batters and had a 0.47 ERA while also batting .457. He has committed to play at UConn.
Virginia
Elijah Lambros | Fredericksburg Christian
A multi-sport athlete, Lambros has been tabbed by Prep Baseball Report as the top baseball player in Virginia. He played at Stafford as a sophomore and batted .427 with 18 RBI while leading the team to a state championship.
Washington
Malakhi Knight | Marysville Getchell (Marysville)
A two-sport star, Knight excelled on the hardcourt for the Chargers while also emerging as the state's top baseball prospect as an outfielder in the Class of 2021.
West Virginia
Grant Hussey | Parkersburg South (Parkersburg)
The first baseman has committed to West Virginia. He batted .385 as a freshman and earned honorable mention all-state honors as a sophomore.
Wisconsin
Noah Miller | Ozaukee (Fredonia)
Already signed by Alabama, Miller is tabbed as the top player in the state by Perfect Game and Prep Baseball Report. As a sophomore, he batted .500 with nine doubles and three home runs.
