Draft 2011: Midseason Top 50

Staff Report
April 12, 2011


The 2011 draft crop continues to live up to its billing as the most impressive in years, with an abundance of frontline pitching and depth everywhere, with the exception of shortstop. Most of the top prospects have lived up to expectations, and players such as South Carolina high school righthander Taylor Guerrieri have had breakout springs, making it all the more difficult to separate the top talents.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	SCHOOL	PREV. RANK
1	Anthony Rendon	3B	Rice	(1)
Sore shoulder has limited him to DH for much of the spring but doesn't affect his long-term value.
See Also: 2010 Player of the Year
2	Gerrit Cole	RHP	UCLA	(2)
The only true challenger to Rendon as the possible No. 1 overall pick.
See Also: UCLA Aces
3	Danny Hultzen	LHP	Virginia	(11)
BA's Midseason College Player of the Year is the most polished pitcher in the draft.
See Also: Midseason Player of the Year
4	Sonny Gray	RHP	Vanderbilt	(5)
Has outstanding fastball/curveball combo, with competitiveness off the charts.
See Also: Summer College Player of the Year
5	Jed Bradley	LHP	Georgia Tech	(12)
Owns the best all-around repertoire of any lefthander in this draft class.
See Also: Cape Cod League Top 30
6	Bubba Starling	OF	Gardner-Edgerton HS, Gardner, Kan.	(10)
Quarterback commit to Nebraska is a freak athlete with the highest ceiling in the draft.
See Also: Prized QB Also a Baseball Star
7	Francisco Lindor	SS	Montverde (Fla.) Academy	(13)
Athletic switch-hitter is a fluid shortstop and one of the draft's youngest players.
See Also: Lindor Grows Into a Leader
8	Trevor Bauer	RHP	UCLA	(16)
He's unorthodox, but he's also on pace to lead NCAA Division I in strikeouts for the second straight year.
See Also: UCLA Aces
9	Dylan Bundy	RHP	Owasso (Okla.) HS	(15)
Has moved to head of prep pitching class with mid-90s fastball, four-pitch mix and good mechanics.
See Also: Oklahoma Duo
10	George Springer	OF	Connecticut	(4)
Best college athlete available is regaining momentum after a low start.
See Also: Springer Dashes Into National Spotlight
11	Taylor Guerrieri	RHP	Spring Valley HS, Columbia, S.C.	(NR)
Has the most helium of any player this year after touching 98 mph with his fastball.
See Also: Draft Tracker: March 2
12	Archie Bradley	RHP	Broken Arrow (Okla.) HS	(9)
Another quarterback recruit (Oklahoma), he has prototypical size and stuff.
See Also: Oklahoma Duo
13	Taylor Jungmann	RHP	Texas	(6)
The best pitcher on talented Longhorns staffs for three years running.
See Also: Weekend Preview Scouting Report
14	Matt Barnes	RHP	Connecticut	(8)
How deep is 2011? Barnes would have been in the running to be top college pitcher drafted in 2010.
See Also: Cape Cod League Top 30
15	Matt Purke	LHP	Texas Christian	(3)
Inconsistent spring has some scouts wondering if there's more than a blister problem to blame.
See Also: 2010 Freshman of the Year
16	Jackie Bradley	OF	South Carolina	(7)
Doesn't have the most jaw-dropping tools, but gets a ton out of them and led his team to CWS title last June.
See Also: Team USA Top 20
17	Daniel Norris	LHP	Science Hill HS, Johnson City, Tenn.	(14)
Top prep lefthander shows flashes of plus stuff, just needs consistency.
See Also: Daniel Norris Q&A
18	Blake Swihart	C	Cleveland HS, Rio Rancho, N.M.	(22)
Switch-hitter has one of the best bats available, looks better behind the plate as he gains more experience.
See Also: Swihart New To Switch Hitting
19	Mikie Mahtook	OF	Louisiana State	(30)
Has solid all-around tools and is helping his cause with a monster year (.387, 10 HR, 19 SB).
See Also: Team USA Top 20
20	Josh Bell	OF	Jesuit College Prep, Dallas	(21)
Probably won't stay in center field, though the switch-hitter still has plenty of power for a corner spot.
See Also: For Whom The Bell Tolls
21	Tyler Anderson	LHP	Oregon	(25)
His stuff has ticked up across the board this spring.
See Also: Team USA Top 20
22	Jose Fernandez	RHP	Alonso HS, Tampa	(19)
Cuban defector has imposing frame and fastball to match, needs consistent secondary pitches.
See Also: Fernandez Dominant at World Wood Bat
23	Javier Baez	SS	Arlington Country Day HS, Jacksonville	(38)
Making the transition to shortstop with mixed reviews, has loud package of tools.
See Also: Draft Tracker: March 2
24	Andrew Susac	C	Oregon State	(33)
May miss rest of season with broken hamate, but established all-around credential before he got hurt.
See Also: Cape Cod League Top 30
25	Levi Michael	SS	North Carolina	(46)
Getting the job done in his first year at shortstop while showing his usual on-base skills, gamer makeup.
See Also: Michael On The Move Again
26	Henry Owens	LHP	Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif.	(17)
Lanky lefty offers plenty of projection, along with present stuff and lots of big-game experience.
See Also: Owens Impresses at SoCal Invite
27	Kolten Wong	2B	Hawaii	(24)
A rare quality prospect at second base, he's hitting .400 as an encore to winning Cape MVP honors last summer.
See Also: Cape Cod League Top 30
28	Alex Meyer	RHP	Kentucky	(34)
Starting to harness his stuff and getting results to match his radar-gun readings.
See Also: Meyer Tries To Turn It Around
29	Dillon Howard	RHP	Searcy (Ark.) HS	(20)
Physical righthander throws his fastball hard and heavy, also has advanced changeup for a high schooler.
See Also: Howard Turns Up The Heat
30	John Stilson	RHP	Texas A&M	(23)
NCAA Division I ERA leader (0.80) in 2010 has had no trouble transition to rotation this spring.
See Also: Houston College Classic
31	Anthony Meo	RHP	Coastal Carolina	(18)
Has mid-first-round stuff, and could get there if he showed better command.
See Also: Cape Cod League Top 30
32	C.J. Cron	1B	Utah	(NR)
Labrum injury has prevented him from catching, but not from making consistent hard contact.
See Also: Cron Brothers Feature
33	Brian Goodwin	OF	Miami-Dade JC	(28)
Potential five-tool player is draft-eligible a year earlier than expected after leaving North Carolina.
See Also: Goodwin Gets Fresh Start
34	Derek Fisher	OF	Cedar Crest HS, Lebanon, Pa.	(41)
Offers an excellent mix of size, lefthanded power and above-average speed.
See Also: Fisher Stands Out At East Coast Pro
35	Brandon Nimmo	OF	East HS, Cheyenne, Wyo.	(29)
Wyoming doesn't have high school baseball, so Nimmo recently worked out for teams in Arizona.
See Also: Nimmo Gives Scouts One Last Look
36	Cory Spangenberg	3B	Indian River State (Fla.) JC	(NR)
May have to move off third base, though he's one of the best pure hitters available.
See Also: Valley League Top 10
37	Austin Hedges	C	Jserra HS, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.	(36)
Has tremendous catch-and-throw skills, but questions about the bat and signability remain.
See Also: Hedges Shines At PG National
38	Nicky Delmonico	C/3B	Farragut HS, Knoxville, Tenn.	(37)
Quality athlete played all over the infield last summer, will enhance profile if he can make it at catcher.
See Also: Under Armour Roster With Scouting Reports
39	Dwight Smith Jr.	OF	McIntosh HS, Peachtree City, Ga.	(39)
Son of the former Cubs rookie star of the same name is an advanced high school hitter.
See Also: East Coast Pro Standouts
40	Peter O'Brien	C	Bethune-Cookman	(32)
His power and arm are attractive, but he has to improve his swing and receiving skills.
See Also: O'Brien Powers His Way To Top
41	Jason Esposito	3B	Vanderbilt	(26)
While he didn't stick in a trial at shortstop, he still has better tools than most third basemen.
See Also: Northeast Vibe
42	Alex Dickerson	OF	Indiana	(27)
His bat will have to carry him, and it's one of the best bats in this draft.
See Also: Dickerson Can Hit, Working On The Rest
43	Charlie Tilson	OF	New Trier HS, Winnetka, Ill.	(42)
Just getting started this spring after putting his name on the map at last summer's Area Code Games.
See Also: Tilson Stands Out At Midwest Workout
44	Joe Ross	RHP	Bishop O'Dowd HS, Oakland	(NR)
Tyson's little brother pairs a low-90s fastball with a sharp curveball.
See Also: Ross Stands Out At PG National
45	Billy Flamion	OF	Central Catholic HS, Modesto, Calif.	(44)
Good athlete has impressive bat speed and power from the left side of the plate.
See Also: Aflac Roster With Scouting Reports
46	Tyler Beede	RHP	Lawrence Academy, Groton, Mass.	(47)
Sitting in the low 90s with a good changeup and improving curveball at the start of his season.
See Also: Aflac Roster With Scouting Reports
47	Andrew Chafin	LHP	Kent State	(48)
Starred as a reliever in 2009, sat out after Tommy John surgery in 2010, throwing in low 90s as starter this spring.
See Also: Golden Spikes Spotlight
48	Robert Stephenson	RHP	Alhambra HS, Martinez, Calif.	(NR)
Began his high school season by throwing back-to-back no-hitters.
See Also: Aflac Roster With Scouting Reports
49	Trevor Story	SS	Irving (Texas) HS	(NR)
Good athlete showing promise at shortstop, he also has been up to 96 mph on the mound.
50	Jorge Lopez	RHP	Academia la Milagrosa, Cayey, P.R.	(NR)
The highlight of a stellar Puerto Rican crop, the projectable righty has hit 94 mph.
See Also: World Wood Bat Final Thoughts

—Rankings by BA staff, capsules by Jim Callis & Conor Glassey.