Keith Law MLB Draft 2017: Takeaways from ESPN Guru's Big Board

With less than one week to go before the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, all 30 teams are finalizing their boards while hoping to add the next great star to their prospect pipeline. 

ESPN's Keith Law is all over the draft proceedings, as usual, releasing his updated top-100 big board Wednesday. 

The key point from Law's introduction about this year's class is it's "fine at the top" but is "weaker than normal" once you get beyond the first round. 

Here are the most notable takeaways from the crop of talent available for teams to choose from starting June 12. 

Heavy Pitching up Top

Among the top 15 players Law lists, nine are pitchers, and each of the first four players are hurlers. 

Notre Dame High School right-hander Hunter Greene leads the way as the best overall talent in this class. He's listed as both a pitcher and shortstop, but the consensus seems to be that his future lies on the mound. 

In April, Baseball America's Hudson Belinsky broke down the kind of stuff Greene brings with him to professional baseball as a pitcher:

"Greene’s fastball has peaked at 102 mph this season on some scouts’ radar guns, while others have seen him top out at 101. His slowest fastball of the season was 95 mph. He has shown promise with his slider and changeup and impressive command. There are varying opinions in the scouting community on Greene’s breaking pitches, though most see his slider ahead of his curveball at this point."

With those elite weapons in his arsenal, Greene has legitimate No. 1-starter upside that every MLB team would want to develop for the next three or four years. 

Louisville's Brendan McKay (No. 3 prospect) was included among the list of nine pitchers in the top 15 because he has been both a left-handed starter and slugging first baseman in college.

Unlike Greene, though, it's unclear where McKay will suit up for his future team. Law likes him better as a position player, but McKay told USA Today's Gabe Lacques the Minnesota Twins—who own the No. 1 overall pick—view him as a pitcher. 

Returning Names

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It's not a surprise to see players who were drafted three years ago out of high school pop back up now that they are draft-eligible as college juniors. 

There are various reasons players don't sign out of high school. Some are asking for more money than their talent warrants—or at least more than teams are comfortable paying. Others want the experience of playing baseball on the college stage. 

The two biggest returning names in the 2017 draft are North Carolina right-hander J.B. Bukauskas and Vanderbilt outfielder Jeren Kendall, who rank No. 9 and 10 on Law's big board.

The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Bukauskas in the 20th round three years ago, after he emailed teams requesting not to be selected because he wanted to honor his commitment to North Carolina. 

Kendall was a 30th-round pick by the Boston Red Sox in 2014, and he opted not to sign so he could play for Vanderbilt. 

Based on their ranking, it's apparent there is talent to work with. But there are also significant concerns. 

Bukauskas' concern is more of a physical problem that he has no control over, which MLB.com noted in its scouting report:

"Bukauskas has toned down his delivery in college, but he still throws with effort and he's a 6-foot right-hander, so there's concern that he might be destined for the bullpen rather than the rotation. Some scouts who believe he can make it as a starter liken him to Sonny Gray, and others say he has better command than the similarly sized Carson Fulmer, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2015 Draft."

Since Bukauskas can't control his height, it's on him to dominate in pro ball the way he has in college to avoid being relegated to bullpen duty. As a Tar Heels starter, he went 9-1 with a 2.53 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 92.2 innings. 

Kendall's issue is one that can be corrected with proper coaching, since it seems to be more of a mechanical thing. He's struck out 71 times in 253 at-bats this season, an unusually high total for a top draft prospect. 

By comparison, McKay has punched out 35 times in 202 at-bats. 

Kendall has tools that go beyond hitting. He's got terrific speed that will help him play center field in pro ball and has used it to great effect in college with 19 stolen bases this season. 

If Kendall can get his strikeout numbers in check, his ability to play a premium position and hit for power could make him one of the best bargains in this class if he falls outside the first 10 picks. 

The Hidden Gem

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Finding a true "hidden" gem in any sport is virtually impossible, because scouts have seen anyone worth seeing multiple times. 

Perhaps a better term would be "underrated" gem, which is the way to describe White House High School outfielder Mason House. 

Compared to Baseball America and MLB.com, Law is bullish on House, listing him as the No. 41 prospect in the 2017 class. MLB.com has him ranked No. 83, and Baseball America has him at No. 132. 

There is a clear reason House has found himself outside of the first-round mix in this year's draft, per MLB.com:

"Though he hails from a Whitehouse (Texas) High program that spawned big leaguers Travis Chick and Josh Tomlin as well as top NFL quarterback prospect Patrick Mahomes (a two-sport star as a prepster), House was largely unknown entering his senior season. He didn't attend many showcase events and his summer team got little exposure, but scouts and college recruiters have rushed to see him once word got out this spring. A club that isn't worried about his lack of track record could take him as early as the second round."

Despite the lack of exposure, House looks like the kind of long-term project who will turn into a star. 

"At 6'2" and 190 pounds with extremely athletic actions, House already looks like a big leaguer," MLB.com wrote. "He generates a lot of bat speed with his loose left-handed swing and gets good leverage out of his projectable frame."

The big problem when trying to evaluate a player such as House is determining how much his skill set has developed. It's one thing to look great against high school competition in Texas, but one reason those summer showcase events are so critical is they offer at least a small glimpse at what the best prep players in the country can do against each other. 

Since House doesn't have that on his resume, he's relying on the scouting eye and his own natural ability to carry him in the draft. His body and athleticism make him one of the most intriguing talents available, even if he doesn't hear his name called until the second or third round.