X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Draft Prospects To Watch - Rutschman Goes No. 1, Allan Falls And More

Keith Hernandez looks at some of the most promising prospects of this week's Amateur MLB Draft. Who might be on the fast track to the big leagues and which prospects are the real deal?

This week is a little special since the 2019 MLB Amateur Draft took place on Monday and ran through Wednesday. So instead of focusing on current minor league players that are standing out with their performance, we're going to take a look at some of the high-profile draft prospects that were selected this week and which of them might have the best shot at either reaching the big leagues quickly or providing the complete long-term package down the road.

To set the stage, Day 1 of the draft on Monday featured position players selected with the first six picks. There were only three high school pitchers taken in the first round, which was the fewest since 2008. Nine shortstops went in the first round as well, which was the most in any MLB draft.

Professional baseball seems to get younger almost every season with a massive influx of young players already making their mark in the major leagues in 2019. The big names in the first few rounds often make the leap to the higher minor league levels in short order, but there are always unforeseen sleepers that wind up coming out of nowhere, too. Here are a few names that you might hear at a big league stadium near you before you know it:

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Switch-Hitting Catcher Comes Off The Board First

Adley Rutschman - C, Oregon State (No. 1 overall by Baltimore)

If you're selecting first like the Orioles did, you better make sure you get a stud. Check. He might be the most complete prospect since Bryce Harper. Rutschman helped the Beavers win the College World Series as a sophomore and then came back and dominated as a junior as both a defender and at both sides of the plate with the bat.

When talking about the complete package, Rutschman's name and image certainly come to mind. He's very confident and controlled with the bat and has an advanced approach at the plate that allows him to take walks frequently. The 21-year-old hits the ball hard to all fields with gap-to-gap power that should lead to more over-the-fence power as he develops in his first few seasons of pro ball. The polish that Rutschman comes with will no doubt help him move quickly through the O's system. Heck, they could use his help right now!

 

Lefty Lodolo The First Pitcher Drafted

Nick Lodolo - P, Texas Christian University (No. 8 overall by Cincinnati)

He was the consensus best arm in this draft, so it's no surprise he was the first pitcher taken, in the top 10 no less. He was previously chosen with the 41st overall pick in 2016 by the Pirates but went to college instead. It looks like his gamble paid off handsomely. The 6-foot-6, 185-pound left-hander became the highest pick in Horned Frogs history on Monday night.

Lodolo has three plus pitches (fastball, slider and changeup) and is able to create a steep downhill plane that makes his low- to mid-90s fastball very tough to hit. The 21-year-old needs to fill out his long, lean frame with a bit more muscle to reach his true potential, but he's already shown improved control and command since he was drafted in '16. It's not out of the question that he could debut in the majors as early as 2020.

 

Mets Make Steal Of The Draft?

Matthew Allan - P, Seminole (Fla.) High School (third round)

New York also scored in the first round with their pick of Texas high school third baseman Bret Baty, but Allan fell because of a reported $4 million price tag. The 18-year-old right-hander is big and physical and already measures in at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds as a senior in high school. His strength and frame give him a four-seam fastball that touches 97 mph on the radar gun.

Allan has a knack for pitching and complements his heater with a power curve that he throws for strikes and consistently misses bats with. He's developing a changeup that is above-average. It's rare for a high school arm to be this dominant and have repeatable mechanics and solid control and command of three pitches, but Allan does. As long as the Mets can sign him, Allan has the potential to be a frontline starting pitcher in the majors in a few seasons.

 

Big Things Come In Small Packages

Corbin Carroll - OF, Lakeside (Wash.) High School (No. 16 overall by Arizona)

The 18-year-old won't wow you with his size (5-foot-11, 161 pounds), but Carroll is an exceptional athlete and has done nothing but hit as one of the top prep bats in the country. He's drawn comparisons to Jacoby Ellsbury and Andrew Benintendi and is committed to UCLA.

Carroll's approach at the plate from the left side is mature and advanced beyond his years, which gives him a good shot to succeed at the next level. The speedy outfielder uses the whole field and has sneaky pop that should only improve as he gets stronger in the minors. Carroll's speed and outstanding defensive ability should help in center field long term. In short: Carroll can do it all on a baseball field.

He probably won't move as quickly through the D-Backs minor league system as quickly as some other high-level prospects in this draft because of his age, but Carroll shouldn't be overlooked simply because of his stature.

More MLB Prospects Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

CFB

Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt Probable For Saturday
Jake Walman

to Remain Out Thursday
Dmitry Kulikov

to Miss Five Months Following Surgery
Darcy Kuemper

Day-to-Day With Lower-Body Injury
Anze Kopitar

Listed as Day-to-Day
Jacob Markstrom

Out for "Couple of Weeks"
Kevon Looney

Slated to be Sidelined With Knee Injury
Nick Foligno

Out on Wednesday
Lucas Raymond

Misses Wednesday's Game
Malcolm Brogdon

Calling it a Career After Nine NBA Seasons
Sacramento Kings

Russell Westbrook Inks Deal With Kings
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Open 21-Day Practice Window for Khalik Mack
Quentin Johnston

Will Practice Wednesday
Travis Hunter

Jaguars Plan to Expand Travis Hunter's Role on Offense
Anthony Volpe

Undergoes Left-Shoulder Surgery
Deshaun Watson

"a Good Month Away" From Practicing
CFB

Jayden Gibson No Longer with Oklahoma Program
David Njoku

Not Practicing Wednesday
Rashee Rice

Chiefs "Allocating a Heavy Workload" for Rashee Rice Right Away
Puka Nacua

a "Long Shot" to Play in Week 7
Emeka Egbuka

is Expected to Miss Week 7
Jalen Suggs

Participates in Contact Drills
Mark Williams

Progresses to Five-on-Five Work
Gary Harris

to Miss 1-2 Weeks
De'Andre Hunter

Sustains Knee Contusion Tuesday
Karlo Matković

Karlo Matkovic Hurts Elbow in Loss to Houston
Jalen Duren

Returns to Action Against Cavaliers
Stuart Skinner

Records Eighth Career Shutout
Matthew Knies

Dishes Out Three Assists in Tuesday's Win
Maxwell Crozier

Likely Out on Friday
Brett Howden

Dealing With Lower-Body Injury
Adin Hill

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Versus Flames
Matt Duchene

Injured in Tuesday's Win
Emmanuel Clase

to be Banished for Life After Gambling Allegations?
Alex Bregman

Plans to Opt Out of Contract With Red Sox
Jalen Green

Reinjures Hamstring, Will be Reevaluated in 10 Days
Trey Murphy III

Set to Suit Up Tuesday
Joel Embiid

Could Play in Friday's Preseason Finale
Alexey Toropchenko

to Remain Out Wednesday
Jake Walman

Targeting Season Debut for Thursday
Zach Benson

Expected to Make Season Debut Wednesday
Paul George

Participates in Team Activities During Practice on Tuesday
Steven Lorentz

Misses Tuesday's Action
Jaccob Slavin

Unavailable Versus Sharks
Pierre-Luc Dubois

Out on Tuesday
Kris Letang

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Brady Tkachuk

Expected to Miss at Least One Month
CeeDee Lamb

"Looking Good" for Week 7
Kevin Huerter

Could Be an Option Thursday
Tre Jones

Nursing a Foot Problem
Marcus Smart

Set for Lakers Debut Tuesday
Jimmy Butler III

Sits Out Tuesday's Preseason Game
Lauri Markkanen

Logs 18 Minutes in Preseason Debut
Bam Adebayo

Exits Preseason Game With Knee Contusion
D'Andre Swift

Breaks Out for 175 Total Yards and Touchdown in Win
Drake London

Explodes for 158 Yards and Touchdown in Win Over Bills
Bijan Robinson

Erupts for 238 Total Yards and Touchdown Against Bills
Christopher Bell

Sits Third in Points After Quiet Third-Place Finish
Chase Briscoe

Passes Denny Hamlin at the Start, but Hamlin Gets Him in the End
Joey Logano

Falling Out of Playoff Picture Despite Other Contenders' Crashes
Ryan Blaney

Stage 1 Crash Puts Ryan Blaney in Severe Playoff Trouble
Denny Hamlin

Wins at Las Vegas and Will Compete for the 2025 Cup Series Title
Kyle Larson

Dominates at Las Vegas but Ends Up Second
Chase Elliott

Struggles to Gain A Solid Finish at Las Vegas After Pit-Road Penalty
William Byron

Strong Run Ends In A Wreck at Las Vegas
Stephon Castle

Set to Suit Up for Monday's Preseason Matchup With Indiana
Garrett Wilson

Expected to Miss "a Couple of Weeks" With Hyperextended Knee
Dalton Kincaid

Ruled Out for Monday Night
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Set to Make Preseason Debut on Tuesday
CFB

Sam Leavitt Viewed as Day-to-Day with Undisclosed Injury
Anthony Santander

Scratched From Game 2 of ALCS With Back Tightness
Deebo Samuel Sr.

Expected to Play on Monday Night
Brock Bowers

Could Sit for the "Long Haul"
CeeDee Lamb

has a Chance to Play in Week 7
San Diego Padres

Mike Shildt Retires as a Manager
Tennessee Titans

Titans Fire Head Coach Brian Callahan
Mateusz Gamrot

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Charles Oliveira

Gets Back In The Win Column
Montel Jackson

Drops Decision
Deiveson Figueiredo

Gets Split-Decision Victory
Vicente Luque

Outclassed
Vicente Luque

Joel Alvarez Outclasses Vicente Luque
Jhonata Diniz

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Mario Pinto

Remains Undefeated
CFB

Matt Rhule Denying Interest in Penn State Head Coaching Job
CFB

Le'Veon Moss Not Believed to Have Suffered Season-Ending Injury
Ricardo Ramos

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Chris Godwin

Not Expected to Return in Week 7
Bucky Irving

Not Expected to Return in Week 7
Puka Nacua

Rams Think Puka Nacua has Avoided a Long-Term Injury
Kaan Ofli

Scores Comeback Win
CFB

Bill Belichick Says he's Committed to North Carolina
Tiger Woods

Undergoes Back Surgery
CFB

UAB Fires Head Coach Trent Dilfer After 2.5 Seasons In Birmingham
CFB

Penn State Fires Head Coach James Franklin After 10.5 Seasons
CFB

Penn State QB Drew Allar Will Miss The Rest Of 2025 Season With Ankle Injury
Brandon Woodruff

Will Not be on NLCS Roster
Max Scherzer

Added to ALCS Roster
Bryan Woo

Makes ALCS Roster
Bo Bichette

Won't Make ALCS Roster
Christopher Bell

the Favorite to Win at Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin

on the Pole at Las Vegas
Joey Logano

Can Joey Logano Get Lucky in Las Vegas Again?
William Byron

has the Fastest Car in Practice at Las Vegas
Ty Gibbs

Speed of Ty Gibbs a Good Sign for Toyota at Las Vegas
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Should Contend at Las Vegas
Ross Chastain

Scrapes Wall in Practice But Qualifies 15th at Las Vegas
Chris Buescher

Looking for Improvement at Las Vegas
Austin Cindric

It Has Been Hit or Miss for Austin Cindric at Las Vegas
Chase Elliott

Should Run Well at Las Vegas
Kyle Larson

Conservatism May Keep him from Replicating Previous Las Vegas Drive
Josh Berry

After Josh Berry's Las Vegas Win, Ryan Blaney Should be a Top Contender
Chase Briscoe

has Definitely Improved on Intermediate Tracks
Gleyber Torres

Will Undergo Surgery to Repair Sports Hernia
Bryan Woo

Expected to be on Mariners' ALCS Roster
CFB

CJ Baxter to Miss Saturday's Game Against No. 6 Oklahoma
CFB

Syracuse QB Steve Angeli Will Miss Significant Time
Cody Bellinger

Plans to Opt Out of Contract
MLB

Munetaka Murakami Will be Posted This Winter
Nathan Eovaldi

has Hernia Surgery, Should be Ready for Spring Training
Mateusz Gamrot

Set For UFC Rio Main Event
Charles Oliveira

Returns At UFC Rio
Montel Jackson

Set For UFC Rio Co-Main Event
Deiveson Figueiredo

Returns At UFC Rio
Joel Álvarez

Joel Alvarez Set for his Welterweight Debut
Vicente Luque

A Huge Underdog
Mario Pinto

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Jhonata Diniz

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kaan Ofli

Looks To Secure His First Octagon Win
Ricardo Ramos

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Michael Aswell

Looks For His First UFC Win
CFB

North Carolina's Caleb Hood Retiring from College Football
CFB

Jeff Sims Likely to Start Against Utah
CFB

Syracuse QB Steve Angeli Will Miss Remainder of 2025 Season With Torn Achilles

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP