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I’ve been working on this project for Twins Daily for a long time. As part of our draft coverage this season, we are not releasing a ‘Top 50 Prospects’ piece. Instead, we’re going to do something different, that I hope will grow and evolve over time, a ‘Consensus Big Board’.
If you missed it, here's a link to part 1 (prospects 56-26).
What and Why?
I’ve always enjoyed draft coverage and analysis, in all sports. Arif Hasan of The Athletic releases a consensus big board for the NFL Draft each year. The concept is simple, there’s value in consensus. Why rely on one set of rankings, or one big board, when you can rely on many? The consensus big board is simply an amalgamation of a few key industry sources on the MLB draft that will (hopefully) give more and greater insight into how prospects are viewed and the variance of those evaluations, a level of variance that is typically greater in MLB than in other major sports.
How?
As this is a first version of this process I kept things simple. I combined rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, ESPN (Kiley McDaniel), The Athletic (Keith Law), and Prospects Live to form a consensus top 56 prospects for the 2022 MLB draft. This is part two (prospects 25-1). I hope that this is a valuable resource for Twins fans and Twins Daily readers. Ultimately, I hope it is a useful resource for baseball fans of any team. If it’s well received, I plan on expanding the 2023 version to be a top 100 and include more sources. Additionally, I’d welcome any constructive feedback folks have, or simply to know whether you value this type of content.
Notes
For each prospect, they are listed by name, position, then high school or college attended. Their listed age is their age on draft day (July 17th). Additionally, you’ll notice a ‘high’ and ‘low’ number. These indicate what was the highest position that player appeared in a ranking from the sources I used and what was the lowest, giving an idea of if the evaluations are clustered or if there is a greater range for that prospect. Finally, ties (there were only a few) were broken by median, then mode. If they were still tied after that, I averaged the middle two evaluations. There’s a brief write up of each player to try and give a flavor of what the strengths and areas of growth in their games, but the majority of the work was compiling the data that went into the rankings.
Let’s get stuck in to part two.
25. Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, East Carolina
Age: 21 B/T: L/L
High: 17 Low: 40
Evaluators were eagerly awaiting Whisenhunt’s 2022 season when he was ruled ineligible for the year after failing a drug test. Whisenhunt maintained the failed test was unintentional and due to supplements taken in the offseason. Whisenhunt has a fastball that sits between 92-95 mph and one of the best changeups in the draft (it generated close to 60% whiffs in 2021). Lastly, he has an average curveball and above average command. Whisenhunt has a polished skillset, with an elite off-speed pitch. Combine that with some projectability and its likely his name is called in the first round on July 17th.
24. Sterlin Thompson, OF, Florida
Age: 21 B/T: L/R
High: 19 Low: 36
Thompson is a 6’4 outfielder out of Florida who has shown a plus hit tool in his time with the Gators. Although he didn’t display obvious power, Thompson has a strong, line drive swing that could produce more power based on the size of his frame. Thompson has a good arm in the field and is likely destined for a corner outfield spot at the big league level. Thompson is a high floor, lower ceiling type prospect that makes sense at the back of the first round of beginning of the second.
23. Connor Prielipp, LHP, Alabama
Age: 21 B/T: L/L
High: 17 Low: 37
Prielipp looked destined to be a top ten overall pick before needing Tommy John surgery in 2021. With that out the way, Prelipp made his return and has thrown multiple bullpen sessions for evaluators in late spring. Prielipp boasts the type of arsenal that could make its way to the top 25 of global prospect lists. Two plus pitches, a good fastball and a devastating slider, an above average changeup and solid command. While he has a limited track record of pitching in games, Prielipp has the tools to become a frontline starting pitcher. He is one of the few pitchers the Twins have been linked to in the pre-draft process (along with Cade Horton). If the Twins want to gamble on a high upside arm, he should be available at eight.
22. Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga
Age: 20 B/T: R/R
High: 22 Low: 30
With a range of just eight in his evaluations across five major industry outlets, Hughes represents one of the most consistently evaluated college pitching prospects in this draft class. Hughes has the prototypical starting pitching body, at 6’4, 220 lbs. Hughes has a fastball that sits 93-94 mph but can reach 97 mph. He has a good but inconsistent slider that has the spin profile to become a plus pitch. Hughes also has a changeup that needs further development. There’s plenty of projectability here with a big frame and being just 20 years old on draft day. In a pretty thin class of college arms, Hughes is a safe bet to be a back of the rotation starter.
21. Jordan Beck, OF, Tennessee
Age: 21 B/T: R/R
High: 14 Low: 36
Beck was a name evaluators linked to the Twins in early spring, connecting his profile to a player type the Derek Falvey led front office has often targeted in early rounds. Beck is a 6’3 outfielder with a strong athletic profile. He has good bat speed and generates good power, while having good speed for his size and a strong arm. The questions around Beck are rooted in his contact rates, as he can be overly aggressive at the plate. If his hit tool develops, Beck will be a very strong all around player and good value in the mid to late first round.
20. Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison
Age: 20 B/T: L/L
High: 15 Low: 35
DeLauter was close to a consensus top ten pick for the majority of the spring (except Law) before slipping at the end of the season. DeLauter put up incredible numbers at James Madison, albeit against middling opposition. A broken foot ended his 2022 season after a solid start. If DeLauter hits, he profiles as a middle of the order, bat first outfielder. He has plus raw power, is a good athlete with solid speed, and should be a solid defensive corner outfielder.
19. Justin Crawford, Bishop Gorman HS, NV
Age: 18 B/T: L/R
High: 13 Low: 27
Justin Crawford is the son of Carl, former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder, speedster, and former All Star. Unsurprisingly, Crawford’s tools are set of by 70-grade speed and a 60-grade arm. Crawford already has a good hit tool, with strong bat to ball skills and has begun to generate hard contact and drive the ball with more consistency. Crawford is committed to LSU, but the opportunity for him to be an outstanding defensive center fielder with the potential for his hitting to continue to develop make him a safe bet for the middle of the first round. Someone is buying.
18. Drew Gilbert, OF, Tennessee
Age: 21 B/T: L/L
High: 11 Low: 32
Minnesota represent. Stillwater’s own Drew Gilbert has rocketed up draft boards this spring due to his strong performance for an incredible Volunteers team. Although undersized at 5’9, he hit 10 home runs and 20 doubles in 54 games for the Vols and was consistently the best hitter on the best regular season team in the country. Gilbert doesn’t have a weak tool and doesn’t have an outstanding one either. Some evaluators are split on whether there is more projectability in his game due to his smaller size. There has been steam linking him to the Twins in recent weeks, but it may be little more than a home town connection. Gilbert is the kind of player opposition players hate playing against and opposing fans love to hate. He’s likely to be a mid first round selection.
17. Cole Young, North Allegheny High School, PA
Age: 18 B/T: L/R
High: 12 Low: 33
Pennsylvania is hardly a prep baseball hotbed. Alas, it produces one of the better high school prospects in the 2022 draft. Young’s plus tool currently is hit bat, with good contact skills. Young has a good enough arm and defense to remain at shortstop permanently, and has plenty of room and time to build on his already excellent hit tool. He is committed to Duke.
16. Brandon Barriera, LHP, American Heritage High School, FL
Age: 18 B/T: L/L
High: 15 Low: 22
Barriera is a high school prep arm to dream on. The Vanderbilt commit has a fastball the regularly touches 96 mph, a good slider with a ton of horizontal movement, and a solid changeup. Add already above average command, some remaining projectability and a remarkably tight cluster of evaluations for a prep pitcher (a range of 15-22) and Barriera has the upside of a mid-rotation starting pitcher, with an already fairly polished skillset.
15. Jett Williams, SS/OF, Rockwall-Heath High School, TX
Age: 18 B/T: S/R
High: 11 Low: 21
Williams is one of the smallest players in the entire draft class, but he packs some excellent tools into a small package. Williams has good bat speed, leading to an above average hit tool and room to grow into more power. Williams has good strike zone control and rarely swings and misses. He has plus speed (has to with that name!). If a team thinks he can stick at shortstop, his already advanced plate approach should have him drafted in the teens.
14. Daniel Susac, C, Arizona
Age: 21 B/T: R/R
High: 11 Low: 23
Susac has been a prospect of interest to Twins Daily readers due to a lack of organizational depth at catcher. Susac is a draft eligible sophomore, just turned 21. Despite his large frame (6’4) he moves well, has a rocket of an arm, and should be at least an average defender behind the plate. He has above average hit and power tools at the plate, hitting 12 home runs and 19 doubles in 2022 for the Wildcats. While he does chase off-speed and breaking balls, Susac has the ability to be a well above average offensive big-league backstop, with at least average defense.
13. Brock Porter, RHP, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High School, MI
Age: 19 B/T: R/R
High: 9 Low: 24
Like Cole Young, Porter is another excellent prep prospect from a state that doesn’t typically produce that many. With Dylan Lesko recovering from Tommy John surgery, Porter is the best healthy prep arm in the draft class. At 6’3, 188 pounds, Porter has good amount of projectability left as he fills out. Porter already has two 70-grade pitches, a fastball that sits in the upper 90s, and a changeup that has a ton of horizontal action. Porter is committed to Clemson, but has a good chance to be the first pitcher off the board in a draft lacking in high end arm talent.
12. Zach Neto, SS, Campbell
Age: 21 B/T: R/R
High: 9 Low: 17
Neto is a prospect whose stock is on the rise, and has been connected with the Twins at eight overall considerably in recent weeks. The shortstop prospect is likely to be Campbell’s first ever first round pick. Simply put, he does everything well. Neto slugged .751 over three collegiate seasons, and excelled in the Cape Cod league prior to the 2022 season. Neto is an aggressive base runner and has a great arm (he hit 93 mph as a relief pitcher in college). His arm, movement, and defense make him likely to stick a shortstop, although he played all infield positions in college and that defensive versatility never hurts. Neto is one of a handful of players who might be considered ‘favorites’ to be drafted by the Twins at eight.
11. Dylan Lesko, RHP, Buford High School, GA
Age: 18 B/T: R/R
High: 8 Low: 15
Lesko was a lock to be a top 10 pick and was trending towards the top five when he was hurt and Tommy John surgery ended his season. On talent alone, he’s the best prep arm in the class and could prove a good value pick in the teens. Lesko has a mid 90s fastball that tops out at 97 mph with the ability to command it well. This is paired with a devastating, 70-grade changeup, one that has been called ‘one of the best prep changeups ever scouted’. Lesko also features an above average curveball and good command. In 2021, he struck out 112 batters in just 60 innings of work. He has the tools needed to be a front of the rotation starting pitcher, but his injury has clouded his status ahead of Sunday.
10. Jacob Berry, CI, LSU
Age: 21 B/T: S/R
High: 7 Low: 27
Berry is a switch hitting corner outfielder who has drawn comparisons for his offensive game to Andrew Vaughn. Berry has good plate discipline, 60-grade hit and power tools, and is equally effective from both sides of the plate. While Berry is a little positionless, he probably fits best long term at first base. Many Twins fans have balked at the idea of drafting Berry as a stale, uninteresting pattern of the front office (bat first college players), but the bat is a true weapon. He’s one of three college hitters (Cross and Neto) most likely to be drafted by the Twins at eight IF the first round sticks to the consensus board through seven picks.
9. Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech
Age: 21 B/T: L/R
High: 8 Low: 13
The younger brother of Texas Rangers prospect Josh Jung, Jace is another bat first college player whose offensive tools deserve plenty of respect. Like Berry, Jung as 60-grade hit and power tools, displaying line drive ability all over the field. Jung has great discipline, owning a career 19 BB%. Similarly to Berry, his defensive home is uncertain. Jung’s bat more than makes up for this however, as there’s .285 hitter with 25-30 home run power upside.
8. Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech
Age: 21 B/T: L/L
High: 8 Low: 10
Cross has some of the most consistent evaluations in the entire draft class, with a range of just two across five evaluations on the consensus big board, ridiculous. The strong, athletic outfielder is a half step below Berry and Jung in terms of his hit and power tools, but miles ahead defensively. Although he played center field for the Hokies, he profiles as a defensively strong corner outfielder at the big league level with a solid arm and good speed. I’d bet Cross is among the first 12 picks on July 17th and is player who has been consistently linked to the Twins, who will value his outstanding exit velocities.
7. Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech
Age: 21 B/T: R/R
High: 6 Low: 7
College catchers don’t often have seasons like Parada did in 2022. In 59 games he hit 26 home runs and drove in 88 runners. Parada has a weird setup at the plate, laying the barrel of hit bat almost flat on his back, pointing straight down at the ground. Whatever works though, right? Parada grades out with 60-grade hit and power tools (around .285, 25 home run power). Although his defense is not yet a strength, it’s solid enough for him to be at least average behind the dish. Hitters with his upside and production at premium defensive positions don’t come around often. Parada will likely be off the board in the first six picks.
6. Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola JC
Age: 17 B/T: L/R
High: 2 Low: 8
Along with Walter Ford, Collier is one of two 17 year old's in the consensus top 56. Collier is a third baseman with big league bloodlines. He left high school after his sophomore year and transferred to Chipola, one of the best JC programs in the country (Andrew Bechtold is an alum). Collier slugged .537 with eight home runs. Collier already has a 60-grade hit tool and above average power. At 6’2, 210 pounds, there’s plenty left in the tank too. With a cannon of an arm, he’ll easily stick at third base. Collier could become an absolute monster if he hits a solid percentile on his development trajectory. He’s been mocked to the Twins plenty, but chances are he’s going in the first seven picks. He’s currently committed to Louisville.
5. Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy, FL
Age: 18 B/T: R/R
High: 2 Low: 7
Green is the best athlete in this class, bar none. Son of a Pro-Bowl tight end, Green’s tools are off the charts. A recent mock described him as a ‘more physical Byron Buxton’. Wow. Green has 70-grade power and is a 70-grade runner. A plus arm, combined with his athleticism mean he should be able to play elite center field defense. His remaining question marks are around his hit tool. If he can continue to develop it to be above average, Green could be an franchise caliber player.
4. Brooks Lee, SS, Cal-Poly
Age: 21 B/T: S/R
High: 2 Low: 5
The Twins have been doing their due diligence scouting Lee in recent days. While there have been mock drafts where he made it to eight, it’s likely the floor is too high, and the hit tool too good, for that to happen. If it did, the Twins should be sprinting to the podium. Lee played at Cal Poly under the coaching of his father (and well respected hitting coach) Larry Lee. He has a legit 70-grade hit tool, with the ability to develop above average power. He has a good glove and excellent arm but limited quickness inhibit his infield range and its likely he eventually moves to third base. Lee hardly ever strikes out, with elite bat to ball skills. He put together a .667 SLG in a spell in the Cape Cod league against solid competition. He has the best hit tool in college baseball and he’s as safe a pick as you can get in the top five.
3. Termarr Johnson, 2B/SS Mays High School, GA
Age: 18 B/T: L/R
High: 2 Low: 7
Johnson has been consistently at the top of draft boards since the beginning of the pre-draft process. A compact 5’8, he has an elite hit tool and approach for a high-school player, with one of the smoothest swings in the draft. Don’t let his height fool you, however, Johnson has plus power as well thanks to great bat speed and barrel control. Johnson has a solid arm and a good glove, but is likely destined for second base long term. The Twins have been said to be interested in both Johnson and Collier, were one of the prep bats fall to them at eight.
2. Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater High School, OK
Age: 18 B/T: L/R
High: 2 Low: 6
Holliday ascended to the top of draft boards in the second half of the spring, and boy was it a rapid rise. The son of former Cardinal Matt Holliday, Jackson seems like a lock for a top three pick. An increase in size and weight this spring boosted Holliday’s stock, such that he already has above average power to go with plus hit, a plus arm, and a plus run tool. His uncle would stand to be his head coach in college if he makes it to campus, but Holliday is beginning to look more and more like a future star.
1. Druw Jones, OF, Wesleyan High School, GA
Age: 18 B/T: R/R
High: 1 Low: 1
It’s simple. Druw Jones is the consensus number one prospect ahead of the draft. Like, on every big board you can find. The son of should-be-Hall-of-Famer Andruw Jones, there’s plenty that reminds of the great center fielder in his son’s game. Simply put, Jones is a five tool talent. Jones has a swing that is still developing but will generate plus power and is already driving the ball to all fields against good pitching. His athleticism really shines in the field, with plus speed, a plus arm, and incredible defense that should make him an elite center fielder for a decade. Jones is committed to Vanderbilt but should be the first or second overall selection.
Who would you like to see the Twins take at 8? How about at 48? Where do you think the two Minnesotan's in the consensus 56 will go? Share your thoughts in the chat.
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