2022 Draft Thoughts: Termarr Johnson Logan Tanner, Sal Stewart, Eric Brown, Mark Anglin

2-10-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-mlb-mock-draft-version-10/?s=03 -

 Baseball America 2022 MLB Mock Draft Version 1.0 

2. D-Backs — Termarr Johnson, SS, Mays HS, Atlanta 

Carlos’ take: With Druw off the board in front, this is a no-brainer for me and I think it pairs nicely with the sort of hitter the D-backs have selected in recent years—guys like Corbin Carroll, Alek Thomas, Jake McCarthy, Matt McLain, Ryan Bliss—standout pure hit tool bats and often smaller players with short levers. Johnson fits that to a tee and is the best pure hitting prospect of that entire group by a fair margin. A middle infield combo of Johnson and Jordan Lawlar would be a lot of fun to see. 

Scout’s take: Advanced bat, well beyond his years. The most handsy hitter in the draft. He projects to get to plus power due to his plus-plus hit tool, regardless of his stature. In four of the last six drafts, Arizona signed a pitcher in the first round, but not in the top 10 picks. I think the D-backs go bat here, where Termarr will be an offensive performing second baseman. Lawlar/Johnson up the middle will be a good combo in the big leagues for Arizona.

                                2-4-22 - https://www.maxpreps.com/news/AixjPJrhdE2_ZvQlE7haTQ/high-school-baseball-georgia-trio-tops-10-mlb-draft-prospects.html -

 Top 10 Draft Prospects 

1. Termarr Johnson, Mays (Atlanta), MIF 

Pegged by many scouts and recruiting services as the top high school player in the draft and potentially the top player overall. A shortstop who likely moves to second base, Johnson draws raves for his power hitting. At 5-foot-10, Johnson is not a big player, but he draws his power from extremely quick hands. Could be first prep No. 1 pick since Royce Lewis of JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) in 2017 and the first Georgia No. 1 since Tim Beckham of Griffin in 2008.

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2-10-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-mlb-mock-draft-version-10/?s=03 - 

Baseball America 2022 MLB Mock Draft Version 1.0 

24. Red Sox — Logan Tanner, C, Mississippi State 

Carlos’ take: I don’t have much feel for the Red Sox pick tendencies, especially in this range. They’ve taken prep infielders in each of the last three drafts but all of those picks are quite a bit different both in terms of bonus, draft position and player profile. Again, I feel like I’m just going to take one of the best players available here and go with Tanner, who is ranked No. 17 on our draft board and has the best catching arm in the college class. 

Scout’s take: I think the same. Red Sox take the best available at this point. They are pretty balanced in their minor league system. Tanner immediately becomes Boston’s best catching prospect as a defense-over-hit profile. This may be a safer bet than taking a chance on an arm with its first pick. The AL East is the toughest in baseball right now and the Red Sox need valuable assets to continue as contenders.

                                12-4-22 - https://razzball.com/top-15-college-prospects-for-the-2022-mlb-draft/ - 

4. Logan Tanner | C | Mississippi State | R/R | 6-0 | 230 

As I’ve stated many times, catchers don’t receive a boost in any of my fantasy rankings due to their positional eligibility. That does very little for us in the fantasy realm and when it comes to prospects, we don’t even know if a particular player will be moved off the position to give them increased long-term value. As for Tanner, this is solely about the bat — although he does have a real chance to stick behind the dish thanks to a 70-grade arm and receiving skills that should develop into being above average as he works through the farm. 

At the end of the day, Tanner’s bat should be capable of 25+ homers in the big leagues. He hit .287/.383/.525 last season after having just 41 ABs as a freshman in 2020, leading the NCAA-champion Bulldogs with 15 home runs while also tallying 13 doubles. With that came a 16.8% strikeout rate and 13.7 walk rate — numbers you have to feel good about for a prospect with 81 college games on his resume. 

Like most catchers, he’ll be a lost cause in the stolen bases department. But the swing is advanced for a prospect of his age, and I have no doubt that it will play at the professional level.  If you need evidence of that, perhaps you missed the 2021 NCAA Baseball Tournament. Even so, he has a track record of performing against some of the nation’s top collegiate arms and while I see him going in the second round as it stands today, another strong season could easily propel him into the top-30 picks. 

Tanner is primed to be another value selection in FYPDs so long as his 2022 campaign doesn’t elevate the price tag too much.

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1-19-22 -1-15-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2022-mlb-draft-top-100-prospects/ - 

53 Sal Stewart

Westminster Christian HS, Miami 3B

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 225 | B-T: R-R

Commit/Drafted: Vanderbilt

Age At Draft: 18.6 

Stewart made a case as one of the premium bats of the 2022 high school group, with an impressive track record of performance and big-time raw power out of a large, 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame. Stewart pairs power with impressive bat-to-ball ability and scouts were particularly impressed with how he tracked and did damage against breaking stuff. He controls the zone at an impressive rate and should have power that plays to all fields. Stewart is a physically maxed player who will need to maintain his frame and continue putting in work to stick at third base. Those highest on him believe he has the hands, instincts and arm strength to stick at third base, but he needs to improve his footwork and become more mobile and there’s a real shot he has to move to first. Stewart is committed to Vanderbilt.

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2-10-22 -

 

https://goccusports.com/news/2022/2/10/baseball-brown-named-sun-belt-conference-preseason-player-of-the-year.aspx  - 

 Coastal Carolina junior shortstop Eric Brown was named the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year, as chosen by the league's head coaches, it was announced on Thursday. 

Brown was also named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt team, earning the Chanticleers lone selection. 

Named the 2022 Preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year by both Perfect Game and D1Baseball, and ranked as the No. 1 prospect for the MLB Draft Class of 2022 by both outlets, Brown is the top returner for head coach Gary Gilmore and the Chanticleers in 2022.

                        https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-mlb-draft-stock-watch-five-up-arrow-prospects/ - 

Eric Brown, SS, Coastal Carolina (No. 49) 

There are always players who don’t jump out to an evaluator right away, but the more you see them play, the more they grow on you. Brown might fall into that camp. When most scouts see him hit for the first time, they’re likely to be turned off by what’s one of the most unique hitting stances in the class. 

Brown has his hands fully extended away from his body and raised above his head and incorporates a long, deliberate leg kick in his lower half during his load. It’s funky to say the least, but it has worked for Brown and after looking at his production at the end of the season, evaluators always seem a bit surprised. 

But you can’t knock the production. Brown is a career .286/.405/.465 hitter in two seasons with Coastal Carolina who has 42 walks to 47 strikeouts. Last summer he formed one of the better middle infield duos with Kentucky shortstop Ryan Ritter with Cotuit in the Cape Cod League. While there, he hit .282/.375/.436 with five home runs and 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts. 

He’s shown he has the athleticism to stick at shortstop, he has impressive run tools and zone recognition and despite the aesthetics of the swing he manages to make contact and get on base. Many scouts in the industry now are talking about him as a top 50-60 player in the class and if he hits over .300 this spring—for the first time in his career—he could move up more. 

1-15-22 - https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2022-mlb-draft-top-100-prospects/ -

49 Eric Brown Coastal Carolina SS

Notes:

Ht: 5-10| Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted

Age At Draft: 21.6

Brown is an athletic, 5-foot-10, 190-pound middle infielder who ranked as the No. 24 prospect in the Cape Cod League last summer after hitting .282/.375/.476 with five home runs with Cotuit. He’s an unusual hitting prospect given his unique setup. Brown starts with his hands fully extended from his body and raised up above his head—which leads to Craig Counsell comparisons—before slowly drawing them back in his load, with a long and deliberate leg kick in the lower half. It is far from a picturesque swing and scouts typically find themselves put off initially, but it’s hard to argue with the numbers he’s posted as a college shortstop. He controls the zone well (13.7 BB%, 15.4K%) and has impressive, pure bat-to-ball skills, with solid pull-side power. While he doesn’t look like a slugger by any means, he checks a lot of boxes on paper and because of that many scouts view him as a top-two round player in the class.

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12-30-21 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2021/12/29/2022-mlb-draft-top-300-prospects -

151 Mack Anglin RHP Clemson Marengo, OH 

92-96/97 with iffy command and lots of walks. Curve is a really high-spin low 80s offering with 11-5 shape and hard, violent break. If he's commanding it, it might be the best curveball in the class. Works in a high-spin slider as well. CH is 81-84 but higher spin most of the time and more often than not is a fringy offering. Can turn a few above average cambios. Drafted in 2021 by the Nationals in the 13th round but did not sign. If a team believes he can start, Anglin is a Top 50 player on that board. More than likely he projects a high leverage reliever like a Blake Treinen type.