De La Salle's Justin Hooper and his blazing fastball make him a likely high pick in the MLB Draft in June.
Photo by Ralph Thompson
Only six high school shortstops have ever been drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the Major League Baseball Draft, but that number could grow to seven in June if Brendan Rodgers, as expected, is taken No. 1 by the Houston Astros.
Rodgers, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound shortstop from Lake Mary (Fla.), has been the No. 1 pick on almost every mock draft and he is also ranked No. 1 by Perfect Game, a service that ranks high school baseball prospects.
The list of No. 1 overall draft picks includes Tim Foli of Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) by the New York Mets in 1968, Shawon Dunston of Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) by the Chicago Cubs in 1982, Chipper Jones of Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.) by the Atlanta Braves in 1990, Matt Bush of Mission Bay (San Diego) by the San Diego Padres in 2004, Justin Upton of Great Bridge (Chesapeake, Va.) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005 and Tim Beckham of Griffin (Ga.) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008.
Following are the top 10 Major League Baseball Draft Prospects, based on a compilation of MLB mock drafts.
Top 10 2015 Major League Baseball Draft Prospects
1. Brendan Rodgers, Lake Mary (Fla.), 6-1, 190, SS
Rodgers was already a first round prospect following his junior season, but an outstanding summer put him in the No. 1 overall spot. He showed good power at the plate (he had eight home runs as a junior) and he continued to show solid fielding ability and a stronger-than-expected arm across the infield.
Highest draft pick from Lake Mary - Shane Letterio, Round 5, No. 128, 1987
2. Dazmon Cameron, Eagle's Landing Christian Academy (McDonough, Ga.), 6-0, 186, OF
A year ago, Cameron would have been the No. 1 overall pick from the class of 2015. While he definitely remains a top prospect, he's slipped a little bit in the most recent mock drafts. He bolstered his status with a strong summer performance with Team USA. Defensively, Cameron has a strong arm and the necessary speed to be a top defensive outfielder. That shouldn't be too surprising considering his father Mike Cameron was also a standout defensive player in the Major Leagues.
Highest draft pick from Eagle's Landing Christian - None
3. Justin Hooper, De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 6-7, 230, LHP
There aren't any 100 mph high school pitchers in this year's class, but
Hooper comes the closest. He threw 97 mph at the Perfect Game
All-American Classic. Hooper reportedly needs to polish his delivery,
but his frame and speed on the fastball make him a high-ceiling pick.
Highest draft pick from De La Salle - Clayton Tanner, No. 89, 2006
4. Kolby Allard, San Clemente (Calif.), 6-2, 175, LHP
Allard had a solid junior year for the Tritons, but he really picked it up over the summer when he hit 96 mph on his fastball and showed a plus curveball. He led Team USA 18U with a pair of wins and a team-high 14 strikeouts.
Highest draft pick from San Clemente - Richard Newhart, Round 9, No. 180, 1965
5. Ashe Russell, Indianapolis Cathedral, 6-4, 195, RHP
Trent Clark, Richland
Photo by Robbie Rakestraw
Scouts like Russell's athleticism and arm strength, as he hit 96 mph this summer. Developing a third pitch is deemed to be Russell's key to making it to the Major Leagues.
Highest draft pick from Indianapolis Cathedral - Tommy Hunter, Round 18, No. 538, 2005
6. Trent Clark, Richland (North Richland Hills, Texas), 6-0, 200, OF
Clark proved his worth at the plate this summer when he led Team USA 18U in hitting. Expected to bat somewhere in the middle of the order in the big leagues, Clark will likely end up in left field due to his arm strength, according to some scouting reports.
Highest draft pick from Richland - Ryan Turner, Round 22, No. 665, 2007
7. Kyle Tucker, Plant (Tampa, Fla.), 6-4, 175, OF
Tucker has the rare ability to hit for power, yet also make contact. In his high school career, Tucker has 194 at bats with 20 home runs and just 12 strikeouts. Scouts feel Tucker is athletic enough to play one of the corner outfield spots while also providing a power bat to a team's lineup.
Highest Draft Pick from Plant - Chris Myers, Round 1, No. 7, 1987
8. Chris Betts, Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.), 6-2, 210, C
The 2015 class does not have much depth at catcher, but Betts ranks as a high draft pick due to his strong arm and his improved hitting. He could eventually play another position, but will likely be drafted as a catcher in the late first or early second round.
Highest draft pick from Woodrow Wilson - Jeff Burroughs, Round 1, No. 1, 1969
9. Nick Plummer, Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 5-11, 200, OF
Another late riser, Plummer excelled at the Area Code Games, going deep in one of his first at-bats of the event. A possible five-tool player, Plummer's hitting is ahead of his defense at this point.
Highest draft pick from Brother Rice - Tommy Marx, Round 3, No. 87, 1998
10. Mike Nikorak, Stroudsburg (Pa.), 6-5, 224, RHP
If you asked a scout back in June to name the top right-handed pitchers in the 2015 MLB Draft, Nikorak would not have been on the list. That all changed during the summer, however, as Nikorak hit 97 mph with his fastball and showed two other solid pitches in a changeup and a curve.
Highest Draft Pick from Stroudsburg - Robert Warner, Round 35, No. 649, 1967
