Royce Lewis Selected No. 1 by Twins in 2017 MLB Draft

The Minnesota Twins selected JSerra Catholic (California) High School shortstop Royce Lewis with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft Monday night.

MLB.com's Jim Callis noted the Twins considered Louisville first baseman/left-handed pitcher Brendan McKay but were rebuffed:

MLB tweeted an introductory video about Lewis to let Minnesota fans know what the Twins' newest prospect can do:

Here was the social media reaction to Lewis going No. 1 overall:

Coming into his senior season, Lewis emerged as a potential top pick, and he took over as the Lions' starting shortstop after having spent most of his time in the outfield.

He talked about the position switch with Mark Whicker of the Los Angeles Daily News in February.

"It's a premium position," Lewis said. "I can show my leadership skills, take control of the game. It's what I love about it. I want to play the position Derek Jeter played. Except I want to be Royce Lewis."

The versatile, high-end athlete didn't wilt under the spotlight. He put together another strong season leading the JSerra offense and proved he can handle the marquee position.

JSerra Baseball‏ spotlighted his continued success:

Lewis does just about everything well. He sprays the ball all over the field and has gap-to-gap power, speed on the basepaths and quickness in the field. He also developed a nice eye at the plate, which allowed him to become more selective as high school pitchers worked around him.

It's unclear at this early stage of his development whether he'll stick at shortstop for the long haul. He may end up back in center field, but that won't have a major impact on his value.

The biggest question is whether his pop will make him a consistent home run threat. If it does, he has all the tools to become a special talent in the years ahead.

With the No. 1 overall pick, the Twins were going to set the tone for this year's draft. Lewis agreed to the terms they offered, and they can concentrate on later rounds.

Minnesota is in first place in the American League Central thanks to up-and-comers like Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton. Lewis will be the next star in the pipeline waiting to help the big league club.