Lucas Herbert

Herbert has a long track record of catching good pitchers, from being teammates with top San Clemente lefty Kolby Allard to his stint with USA Baseball's 18U national team. He helped that club win a gold medal at the Pan American Championship, hitting a pair of home runs, then had five hits and a strong performance to help San Clemente win the 2015 National High School Invitational, even without the injured Allard. That event helped raise Herbert's profile and had more scouts considering him as a potential top-three-rounds pick. Herbert's strong catch-and-throw skills and the overall weakness of the catching class also help Herbert, who is a sound receiver for an amateur. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder calls his own game, has the intangible leadership qualities scouts look for at the position and has a plus arm, producing consistent 1.9-1.95-second times to second base on throws. Scouts aren't all-in on his bat, but at his best he has shown the strength to drive the ball, particularly to his pull side. He doesn't have a textbook swing, geared more for strength than grace or bat speed, but the righthanded hitter has found the barrel this spring. He's committed to UCLA but not expected to get there.