Mack – Early Top 5 RHP in 2018 Draft

Good morning.

This is a way early prediction, but I want to get ahead of this draft since there is a good chance the Mets could pick one of these prime cuts.

They are, in MY order, are:

    1.     Brady Singer                 Florida          -           Jim Callis says “The Cape Cod League's top prospect last summer, he follows A.J. Puk and Alex Faedo as the latest Gators ace with designs on going No. 1. Matt Powers says “If Rocker is the top prep prospect, Brady Singer is the college equivalent. He was a second round pick and my #53 draft prospect out of high school but chose school, and really broke out in the Gators rotation this year. He’s long been highly thought of, and his mix of current stuff, projection, and performance track record could push him as high as the top overall pick.”

    2.     Jackson Kowar             Florida          -           Yes, Florida has the top two right handed starters in baseball Scary stuff. Powers says “Florida’s other 2018 arm is overshadowed by the higher profile Brady Singer, not to mention 2017 first rounder Alex Faedo. However Jackson Kowar has pitched at a high level and has Top 10 potential on his own with his mid to upper 90s fastball. If he’s able to more consistently tighten up his command next year, he could elevate his stock even more. Like Singer, I ranked Kowar at #70 in the draft out of high school and he has done nothing to hurt his stock since.”

   3.     Kumar Rocker               N. Oconee HS (GA)            -           Callis says “The top prep pitcher is extremely physical, already reaches the mid-90s with his fastball and flashes a nasty slider.”  Powers says “Arguably the best high school prospect as things stand today is Georgia’s own Kumar Rocker. I say as things stand today because the Vandy commit has an advantage over his peers in that he physically matured early. He’s already 6’4” and 240 pounds and doesn’t have much remaning projection, but that doesn’t matter as much when you can already hit 98 MPH now with a hard slider and some feel for the change. Then add in that he could develop solid command and has the bloodlines of his father playing in the NFL, and it’s easy to see why he’s a top pick candidate.”

    4.     Chandler Day                Vanderbilt               -           PG said in 2014: “PG Grade: 10 - Chandler Day is a 2015 RHP/OF with a 6-4 162 lb. frame from Granville, OH who attends Watkins Memorial HS. Very slender build, narrow features and will likely always be slender. Well paced balanced delivery, keeps hands high, very fast arm coming through, 3/4's arm slot, maintains velocity from the stretch, some energy at release. Fastball topped out at 93 mph, hard running action at times, will occasionally drop fastball arm slot. Hard curveball with good power and tight spin, also tends to drop slot on curveball, harder with better spin/shape at highest release points. Nice change up with deception and life, quality third pitch to mix in more frequently. Threw strikes with all three pitches and had an idea on the mound. High ceiling talent. Verbal commitment to Vanderbilt.”

     5.     Ethan Hankins              Forsyth Central HS (GA)  -           Powers says “As good as Kumar Rocker is, the Georgia prep pitcher with the most upside might be the extremely projectable Ethan Hankins. Like Rocker, he is a Vandy commit, but the 6’6” 200 pound Hankins already hits 96 MPH with a promising slider and change. There’s no telling how much more velocity is to come when he fills in that large frame, but it’s not hard to see him moving himself into the Top 5 in the draft when it’s all over.