MLB Draft 2013: High School Stars Who Are Locks to Be Taken Early

The 2013 MLB draft class is full of exciting high school prospects that are guarantees to have their names called during the early parts of the first round.

While there are certainly risks to taking high school players that have college commitments, the chance to land a star in the making is likely worth it. The potential that some of these players have is outstanding, and their ceilings are as high as it gets.

The first couple of picks on June 6 are expected to be college players, but high school prospects will make their names known shortly thereafter. There should be around four or five high school players within the top 10 selections, but that’s obviously no guarantee.

What is a guarantee is that the following three high school athletes will be taken in the top 10, and one or two has the potential be to selected in the top five. Let’s meet these prospects and analyze what’s in store for them come draft day.

Clint Frazier, OF, Loganville (Ga.) HS

A power-hitting outfielder, Clint Frazier is arguably the top high school prospect in this year’s class and is likely to be selected within the first five or so picks.

Frazier got off to a crazy start to his senior season at Loganville High School in Georgia, as noted by Joel Beck in a special to USA Today. Frazier hit six home runs in the first seven games of the season while hitting .600 and driving in 18 runs. As Beck notes, Frazier broke the school’s record last year by hitting 24 home runs.

Frazier belted 17 home runs in 32 games this season while hitting .485/.561/1.134, according to MaxPreps. Needless to say, he knows how to hit the ball out of the park.

While Frazier’s power alone could have him taken early come June 6, he has remarkable bat speed and a solid eye at the plate, according to Keith Law of ESPN. Bleacher Report MLB National Writer Adam Wells has the Kansas City Royals selecting Frazier with the No. 8 pick in his latest mock draft.

Because Frazier’s bat is so advanced, there’s the chance that he makes it to the major leagues very quickly. He does have to make a few adjustments with his pitch recognition, and the team that takes him will have to decide whether it plays him in center or a corner-outfield position. In general, though, he could be on a big league roster by 2015.

Draft projection: Boston Red Sox (No. 7)

 

Kohl Stewart, RHP, St. Pius (Texas) HS

Easily the top high school pitching prospect this year, Kohl Stewart was recently described as “electric” by San Diego Padres VP and assistant general manager of player personnel Chad MacDonald, according to Chris Jenkins of The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Stewart is a great athlete and is not just a baseball player. He committed to Texas A&M for the fall semester and is a four-star quarterback recruit, according to Rivals. That shouldn’t keep major league teams from taking a chance on the high school senior, though. Here's what a scouting director told Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com:

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"What helps Kohl Stewart a lot, from the football, he’s already a strong kid,” the scouting director said. “What’s tough with the high school kids, their velocity can really fluctuate. Most of them aren’t strong yet. Stewart, most times you seen him, he has good stuff. He doesn't know how to pitch yet, but [the velocity] is there."

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The scouting director mentions that Stewart isn’t fully developed yet, noting that “he doesn’t know how to pitch yet," but that’s not something a full-time minor league coach couldn’t work on with him. What’s important is that he can throw hard right now, according to the scouting director.

Stewart’s Perfect Game profile notes that he can throw up to 96 miles per hour and also has a hard breaking ball. Those two pitches are why he’s so highly touted as a top prospect. It’ll be tough to convince him not to back up Johnny Manziel for the Aggies, but teams shouldn’t have any problem digging deep into their pockets.

Draft projection: Colorado Rockies (No. 3)

Austin Meadows, OF, Grayson (Ga.) HS

Austin Meadows plays in the same town as the aforementioned Frazier, and the two are actually friends, according to Mayo. The two are very similar, and both will be taken within the first 10 picks in the draft.

While I believe that Frazier is the better prospect, there are some factors that give Meadows the advantage. For one, he’s much quicker and should have an easier time stealing bases at the next level. Meadows is also a slightly better outfielder and has the potential to play center, while Frazier will likely go to left or right.

Meadows doesn’t have great power, though. He only hit four home runs this year, according to MaxPreps. He did have 38 hits, 28 RBI, 29 runs and 17 stolen bases, though. It’s expected that Meadows will have average power in the future but certainly nothing special.

Wells has the Boston Red Sox selecting Meadows with the seventh overall pick in the draft, but that spot could also go to his buddy, Frazier. Wells writes that if Meadows hits, he could be a top-20 player in baseball. He certainly has a high ceiling.

Meadows might not be the best high school outfielder in the class or even the best one from his hometown, but he’ll be drafted like the star player MLB teams think he’ll turn out to be. There’s no doubt he’ll be off the board quickly.

Draft projection: Kansas City Royals (No. 8)