MLB Draft: Top 10 high school outfield prospects

With the Major League Baseball First Year Player Selection set for Monday, MaxPreps looks at the Top 10 high school outfielders projected to go in the early rounds of the draft.

1. Byron Buxton, Appling County (Baxley, Ga.)
After being relatively under the radar 10 months ago, Buxton has become the top non-pitching prospect in the draft and will likely be the first non-pitcher selected. He even has a chance to be the No. 1 overall pick. He is a five tool player who hasn't shown much power this year, but scouts don't seem to be too concerned about that. He has shown a powerful arm (he has 136 strikeouts as a pitcher this year) and great speed (36 stolen bases).

2. Albert Almora, Mater Academy Charter (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.)
A standout for Team USA over the summer, he was the team MVP. Almora is expected to be a consistent .300 hitter in the major leagues with enough power to hit anywhere from 10 to 20 home runs a year. He makes good contact and he has all the basic tools to be a good defensive player in the outfield.

3. Courtney Hawkins, Carroll (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Scouts expect Hawkins to be a solid power hitter at the major league level due to his outstanding bat speed. He has plenty of speed to first base and he has a strong-enough arm to place him in left or right field.

4. David Dahl, Oak Mountain (Birmingham, Ala.)
Dahl impresses with his swing, which scouts feel will allow him to be a consistent power hitter in the major leagues. He also has the tools to become a good centerfielder as he has a strong arm and good speed. He spent much of the year sidelined with an injury, however it is not expected to prevent him from being drafted high in the first round.

5. DJ Davis, Stone (Wiggins, Miss.)
A rapid riser this spring, Davis has moved up in the draft projections due to his speed on the basepaths. Getting on base may be a bit more of a problem, and his lack of true arm strength could keep him out of the first round.

6. Lewis Brinson, Coral Springs (Fla.)
An injury kept Brinson sidelined for much of the season, but he is expected to go somewhere during the compensatory sandwich rounds or early in the second round. Scouts like Brinson's potential, forecasting him as a possible centerfielder who can hit for average with about 20 home runs a season. He also has the tools to stay in centerfield, including very good speed.

7. Skye Bolt, Holy Innocents Episcopal (Atlanta, Ga.)
Bolt is another player who scouts fell has plenty of potential. Although not necessarily a power hitter, Bolt could be a doubles hitter. He has a strong-enough arm to play centerfield and he has enough speed to be a solid defender.

8. Anthony Alford, Petal (Miss.)
A great all-around athlete, Alford will have to make the decision between playing football at Southern Mississippi or possibly signing with an MLB team. As recently as Thursday, Alford said he would honor his commitment to Southern Mississippi, so that could drop him a bit on the draft board. However he has excellent speed and he could develop into a power hitter at the major league level.

9. Nick Williams, Ball (Galveston, Texas)
Williams is considered to be raw, but full of potential. He will likely need help with his hitting mechanics, but he has good speed and a good arm.

10. Jesse Winker, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.)
Although not necessarily a strong defender, Winker will get plenty of looks from teams looking for a strong contact hitter. He could develop into a power hitter, although he only hit three homers during his senior season. He does have a strong arm and thus could end up in one of the corner outfield spots.