Top 10 High School Pitchers in the 2019 MLB Draft
The 2019 MLB Draft is quickly approaching and Off the Bench is proud to present a series of Top 10s, running through the various groups that MLB clubs will be picking from- today, it’s the High School Pitchers.
We ran our Top 10 College hitters and Top 10 High School hitters in the MLB Draft last week and College pitchers earlier this week.
Like I mentioned with the college pitchers, the top high school pitchers should be considered really close to one another. It’s really just a matter of personal preference. This particular order represents my preference; teams may hold different feelings and things may shift over the next week.
#1 MATTHEW ALLAN, RHP, HS- FLORIDA
More of an unknown this past summer, Matthew Allan performed well on multiple summer showcase events and performed well this spring helping to put his name up near the top of all high school pitching prospects.
Size: 6’3″, 210
Stuff: Allan is a 3 pitch pitcher who projects to have 3 above average or better pitches, 2 which could grade as 70 plus someday. His best pitch is his fastball that consistently hits 97 mph and he has shown the ability to maintain that velocity deep into his starts and he has shown good command of it this spring. His second best pitch is a 12-6 curveball that looks to be a plus to double plus pitch in the future. His changeup is another pitch that looks to be an above average to plus pitch. Some scouts question his arm action but he has done a good job of repeating his delivery and looks to have a nice clean delivery that should allow for him to become a future innings eater. He is a Florida commit.
2019 and beyond: Allan has frontline starter potential and is my number 1 guy because of the above current mentioned stuff. He’s just more advanced than most of the high school pitchers in this year’s class.
#2 BRENNAN MALONE, RHP, HS- FLORIDA
Brennan Malone has been one of the top high school pitchers since last summer and he hasn’t done anything to change that this spring. At USA Baseball’s National High School Invitational he pitched a complete game shutout. Originally from North Carolina, he moved to Florida this spring so he could attend the IMG Academy in Bradenton. He is committed to play college ball at North Carolina.
Size: 6’4″, 210
Stuff: Malone is a four pitch pitcher with a chance to have 4 above average or better pitches. His best pitch is his fastball that regularly hits 96 mph and projects to be a plus to double plus pitch in time, and he has shown the ability to maintain his stuff late into games. His best secondary pitch is his slider which took a big step forward this spring. He throws an average 11-5 curveball that has the potential to become above average. He also has feel for a changeup. His command has improved this spring and he has a nice easy arm action and looks to be a future power pitcher.
2019 and beyond: Brennan Malone has for a long time been considered one of the top arms among high school pitchers and his stuff has improved this spring. He has a good chance to go in the Top 15-20 picks.
#3 DANIEL ESPINO, RHP, HS- GEORGIA
Daniel Espino, who was born in Panama and moved to the US in 2016, is one of the top high school pitchers in this years draft class and he has the best velocity among all high school pitchers. Last summer at the Under Armour Game he set a record with a fastball that was clocked at 99 mph. He is committed to LSU.
Size: 6’2″, 200
Stuff: Espino is a five pitch pitcher with a chance to have 5 above average or better pitches. His best pitches are his fastballs that usually sit around 94-97 mph and he has reached triple digits. His 2-seamer has good sinking action and his four seam fastball has good run. He also has a nice low 80s slider that looks to have the potential to be a plus pitch, and a nice upper 70s curveball that could develop into an above average to plus pitch as well. Espino has also worked on throwing a changeup and it could develop into yet another above average pitch. He has a long arm action, and at times is inconsistent and lacks command. He doesn’t have the projectability of other guys, which leads some scouts to feel his future is in the bullpen, but the current stuff is plenty intriguing.
2019 and beyond: With some of the best pure stuff among all high school pitchers, there is a lot to like about Espino. He will need to work on improving his command but a team that believes in his talent and ability to become a starting pitcher could take him around the top 25 picks. He has the potential to be a front of the rotation starter if everything clicks.
#4 JACK LEITER, RHP, HS- NEW JERSEY
Jack Leiter comes from a family of Major Leaguers. His dad is the former All-Star Al Leiter and both his uncle and cousin were major league pitchers. He is one the most polished high school pitchers in this year’s class. He performed well during last year’s summer showcases pitching for Team USA and making the Under Armour All-America team, and he pitched well this spring at USA Baseball’s National High School Invitational. Scouts feel that he has the best command among all high school pitchers in this year’s class. He is committed to Vanderbilt.
Size: 6’1″, 195
Stuff: Jack Leiter is a four pitch pitcher with the chance to have 4 above average pitches. His fastball that grades as a potential above average to plus pitch usually sits around 91-92 mph and he can throw 94-95 mph if needed. He has great command of his fastball and it has nice sink. His best secondary pitch is a curveball that could develop into an above average to plus pitch. He also has a good feel for a changeup which might be this best among all high school pitchers, but he hasn’t had to use it much at the high school level. Leiter also throws a slider but it is farther behind his other offerings. He has a much more advanced feel for pitching and has better command than most high school pitchers.
2019 and beyond: Jack Leiter is one of the best high school pitchers in this class and probably is one of the safer options. Due to his advanced feel for pitching, above average command, major league bloodlines and understanding of the game, he seems like a pitcher who could move through a teams system faster than most high school pitchers. He should go somewhere in the first round but might be more of a signability concern due to his strong commitment to Vanderbilt and the fact that his dad made somewhere close to $70M in his playing days.
#5 QUINN PRIESTER, RHP, HS- ILLINOIS
Quinn is among the top high school pitchers in the nation, and he has a great chance to be the first pitcher taken in the first round out of Illinois since Mike Foltynewicz was drafted in the first round (19th overall) back in 2010. Quinn Priester might even go earlier than that this year. A 2-sport athlete in high school, he helped Cary-Grove win a state title in football with a touchdown catch in the championship game. He is committed to TCU.
Size: 6’3″, 200
Stuff: Priester is a four pitch pitcher with a chance to have 4 above average pitches. He throws 2 different fastballs: a four seamer that tops out at 97 mph and a two seam fastball he throws in the low 90s that has good movement. Both should develop into plus pitches. His curveball could develop into a third plus pitch and it already is one of the best among high school pitchers in this class. He has great athleticism and a nice easy arm action and he is projectable. He also throws a changeup, but it’s more an afterthought at this point. Pro scouts feel it could develop into an above average pitch in time.
2019 and beyond: Quinn Priester is a projectable young pitcher with nice easy arm action and a nice clean delivery with a chance to throw harder in time. He will need to put in the work to develop into one of the better pitchers in this class but he has plenty of upside and should hear his name called on Day 1. He should develop into a mid-rotation starter.
#6 J.J. GOSS, RHP, HS- TEXAS
J.J. Goss began the season as the #2 pitcher on his high school team . He is teammates with Matthew Thompson, who did not make this list, but is another top high school pitcher. Goss has looked better than his highly touted teammate this spring and which has helped to put his name among the top high school pitchers in this year’s class. He is a Texas A&M commit.
Size: 6’3″, 185
Stuff: Goss is a three pitch pitcher. His fastball usually sits 90-92 mph and tops out at 96 mph and looks to be an above average to plus pitch. He has a projectable frame and should be able to pitch in the mid 90s as he matures. He has one of the best sliders in this year’s class and he has shown good feel for a changeup that should become an above average pitch as it develops. His arm action can get long, but he does a good job of repeating his delivery and it shouldn’t be an issue as he gains more strength. Goss projects to have above average control. He has some of the best pure stuff in the class among high school pitchers.
2019 and beyond: Goss has done nothing but improve his stock this spring and he is still projectable. He has a great chance to go Day 1 and could end up being one of the best pitchers in this year’s class.
#7 JOSH WOLF, RHP, HS- TEXAS
A good pitcher but more of an afterthought than anything the past few years, it seemed like Wolf would make it to Texas A&M relatively easy. Thanks to an uptick in velocity this spring that has allowed him to touch 97 mph he has his name now among some of the top high school pitchers in this year’s draft class. He is committed to Texas A&M.
Size: 6’2″, 165
Stuff: Wolf is a three pitch pitcher who plays primarily off of his fastball that currently sits anywhere from 90-97 mph. His best secondary pitch is a 12-6 curveball that scouts feel could develop into a plus pitch. He also throws a changeup, but it’s a work in progress. Wolf has shown a good feel being able to throw strikes all throughout the zone and he should have above average command as he develops. He has good makeup and is still projectable.
2019 and beyond: Wolf is one of the top high school pitchers in this year’s class and due to his makeup, ability to throw strikes, and plus fastball he seems like he should be a lock for Day 1 based off of talent but he could slip due to his strong commitment to Texas A&M.
#8 HUNTER BARCO, LHP, HS- FLORIDA
The top lefty on this list, Hunter Barco was one of the top prep pitchers heading into last summer’s showcase circuit as he has a projectable build with good velocity but has had trouble repeating his delivery consistently. He pitched for Team USA last summer and was an Under Armour/Perfect Game All-American. He is a Florida commit.
Size: 6’4″, 212
Stuff: Barco is a three pitch pitcher with a fastball that averages around 91-92 mph and has topped out around 94-95 mph and looks to be an above average to plus pitch in the future. He also has a mid 80s split change, which is considered one of the best in this class and could be another above average to plus pitch. He compliments those pitches by throwing a low 80s slider that should become a plus pitch in time. His biggest concern/area of improvement will be working on building consistency in his delivery/release point which will help improve his ability to throw strikes consistently. Scouts feel that he has a clean arm action and he should be able to develop above average control.
2019 and beyond: Hunter Barco is still very raw at this point in his career and will need to improve his consistency with his delivery but there is a lot to like from the young left handed pitcher and he probably has enough upside for a team to take him on Day 1.
#9 BLAKE WALSTON, LHP, HS- NORTH CAROLINA
Blake Walston was a star quarterback for his high school team helping lead them to a state title and leading the state in passing yards in 2017. Due to football he was not part of the Summer Showcase circuit last year and he is still somewhat raw but his future is definitely in Baseball. He is an North Carolina State commit.
Size: 6’4″, 172
Stuff: Walston is a four pitch pitcher with a chance to have 4 above average or better pitches. His fastball projects to be an above average to plus pitch and it currently sits 90-93 mph early in games but his velocity will drop the deeper he pitches into games, so it varies between 86-91 mph. He has a good feel for the curveball and scouts feel it has the makings of a plus pitch. He can also mix in either a changeup or a slider, but he hasn’t had to throw either one much in high school. He is very projectable and tall and lanky and the type of athlete that could add more muscle, which should allow him to maintain his velocity better. Walston has a clean arm action and he projects to have above average control.
2019 and beyond: Walston is an extremely projectable young pitcher due to his ability to add on possibly 30 to 40 pounds to his frame and he was a former 2-sport athlete whose primary focus will now be on baseball. How early he gets picked probably comes down to how much a team really likes him. Some will be concerned about signability due to his strong commitment to NC State.
#10 KENDALL WILLIAMS, RHP, HS- FLORIDA
Kendall Williams is from Mississippi, but in 2017 he moved to Florida in order to attend the IMG Academy where he is teammates with Brennan Malone. He is committed to Vanderbilt.
Size: 6’6″, 190
Stuff: Kendall Williams is a four pitch pitcher with a fastball that sits around 91-92 mph it looks like it could become a plus pitch as it develops. He throws a curveball that scouts feel could develop into an above average to plus pitch. He also throws both a slider and a changeup that are both works in progress but could develop into above average pitches.
2019 and beyond: One of the most projectable pitchers in this year’s draft class, Kendall Williams has the talent to go on Day 1 but he might slip due to his strong commitment to Vanderbilt.
BONUS: BRYCE OSMOND, RHP, HS- OKLAHOMA
Bryce Osmond is a very special talent, as he could be a top shortstop prospect in this year’s draft, but I like him most as a pitcher. He is committed to Oklahoma State.
Size: 6’3″, 175
Stuff: Osmond is a three pitch pitcher with a chance to have 3 above average or better pitches. His best pitch is his fastball that scouts feel will develop into a plus pitch, it currently sits at 92-94 mph early in games and then it will sit about 89-91 mph in the later innings. He has topped 96 mph with his fastball. His best secondary pitch is his slider which has the makings of an above average to plus pitch. He also has throws a changeup that could become an above average pitch but he hasn’t had to use it much at the high school level. Scouts feel he has a good chance to develop above average command.
2019 and beyond: Osmond is a special two way player with plenty of upside as a pitcher. A team that is looking for an athletic, projectable pitcher with a chance to have plus command could like him enough to Draft him in the First or Second Round.
-James Weisser
