Top 5 infielders in the 2015 MLB Draft
The Arizona Diamondbacks will open the 2015 MLB Draft with the first pick on Monday, June 8.
Here's a list of the top five infielders:
Brendan Rodgers - Lake Mary HS (Fla.)
Height/Weight: 6-0/195 lbs.
What's not to like about Rodgers? The kid out of Lake Mary High School throws 93 mph across the diamond, makes consistent, hard contact with a violent swing, and has all the tools necessary to play shortstop at the next level. But drafting a young shortstop comes with risk. The other two notable shortstops to be picked No. 1 in the draft are Carlos Correa by the Astros (2012) and Tim Beckham by the Rays (2008). Although Correa is sitting by his phone waiting for the call, Beckham's age, immaturity, and makeup hurt him in the long run. He finally made his full-time debut in 2015, only to be sent down.
Dansby Swanson - Vanderbilt
Height/Weight: 6-0/190 lbs.
From a makeup standpoint, Swanson sits alongside LSU's Alex Bregman (below) as the top infielder in this year's draft. He's big, strong, and has performed against the best collegiate baseball players in the nation. From a middle infield standpoint, scouts don't project Swanson to move over to third or second base given his obvious athleticism. It'll be interesting to see if Swanson goes as the top pick, as he's more of a sure thing than his counterparts.
Alex Bregman - LSU
Height/Weight: 6-0/190 lbs.
Without a doubt, Bregman plays a better shortstop than anyone in the draft. But it's not only his hands, footwork, and arm strength that make him such a sly middle infielder, it's his ability to make flashy plays on a day-to-day basis. The LSU shortstop, like Vanderbilt's Swanson, is as good a pick as they come. His only fault is that, although he projects as a middle infielder, his bat could use some work. Mind you, he led the Tigers with 36 walks while finishing second with nine homers. He doesn't look as smooth as Swanson at the plate, but he finds a way to get the job done.
Tyler Stephenson - Kennesaw Mountain HS (Ga.)
Height/Weight: 6-4/210 lbs.
It was a toss-up between Chris Betts and Stephenson, but we're going to go with the big man behind the plate. Built like Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters, Stephenson was a late bloomer who grew into his body in a hurry. Plain and simple, the kid can hit the ball a long way. It's interesting to see such a young player use a high leg kick (a la Bryce Harper), and that'll probably get flushed out in the minors. But whether he's behind the plate or in the batter's box, Stephenson does one thing better than most players his age: make adjustments.
Kevin Newman - Arizona
Height/Weight: 6-1/180 lbs.
Newman is one of the better-hitting infielders in this year's class. The Arizona product has an advanced approach at the plate, drawing a lot of walks while putting the ball in play with authority. In the field, his ability to play shortstop in the majors is a question mark. Sure, he's got the arm, but his hands don't have the fluidity of his counterparts, leading some scouts to believe that he'll be moved over to third base.