Looking at the top 5 players available in the 2017 MLB Draft

The 2017 MLB Draft is set to take place June 12 in Secaucus, N.J., with the Minnesota Twins, owners of the worst record in baseball in 2016, making the first overall selection.

With the draft board blank and ready to accept the names of more than a thousand young players from all over the continent, there are a number of standouts who have drawn the attention of the 30 big-league clubs ready to make their picks next week.

Here are the top five players available in the draft and why they should go one through five when it's time for teams to make their selections.

Hunter Greene - RHP, SS

Greene, the 17-year-old sterling right-hander out of California's Notre Dame High School, will be the first overall selection, according to many draft analysts. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder is an unusual power pitcher with control, frequently touching triple digits with his fastball while possessing the ability to stay in the strike zone. Although Greene is an impressive offensive player as well, it's likely he'll be drafted as a pitcher. He was expected to fly to Minnesota to work out for the Twins on Friday, according to Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times.

Brendan McKay - LHP, 1B

Louisville standout McKay has two things working in his favor for the upcoming draft. The left-hander has not only been an effective starter, sitting between 90-94 mph with his fastball, as well as maintaining pinpoint control, but he may be an even better hitter. The two-way player is considered to be the best college bat in the draft, which, although it's to his benefit, could create issues for teams interested in drafting him due to the uncertainty of where he should be played. His lack of speed suggests first base if he isn't used in a pitching role.

Kyle Wright - RHP

Another year and another pitcher from Vanderbilt being highly touted. This is becoming routine for the school, which has churned out seven first-round pitchers in the past 10 drafts, including David Price and Carson Fulmer. Wright is a consensus top-10 selection who could even go to the Twins at No. 1, as predicted by ESPN's Keith Law. Unlike Greene and McKay, Wright has honed his craft at a single position and he's on the upswing as added size has increased his velocity into the the 91-94 mph range, hitting a high of 97.

MacKenzie Gore - LHP

The next Cole Hamels? That's the comparison Gore received from Baseball America in May, comparing his physical makeup to that of the Texas Rangers southpaw. Gore posted a ridiculous 0.08 ERA for Whiteville High School during his junior year, accumulating 174 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings. Obviously, he's also being considered by the Twins with the No. 1 pick, especially after his velocity increased by 3 mph over the spring, which he was able to maintain late into games.

Royce Lewis - SS/OF

Lewis, one of the top position players available who isn't splitting his focus between the field and the mound, is an 18-year-old California senior who has been near the top of draft lists since last summer. He's an athletically gifted player, whose arm may not play at shortstop, but his speed should translate well to a big-league outfield. He could still grow into home run power, but MLB.com predicts him more as a line-drive hitter, who will use his plus-speed to take extra bags, as well as steal some bases when his pro career begins.