We’re mere hours away from the 2022 MLB Draft. Front offices are scrambling to finalize their big boards and the first round remains as set as a bar of soap in the shower. Gathering as much sources as possible, I was able to compile a list of picks that are rising and falling.
RISERS
Termarr Johnson, 2B/SS, Mays HS (GA)
His stock isn’t rising by day but by the hour. I’m hearing that Johnson is being considered a top-three pick now. Don’t be surprised if the Orioles want to save money and select the Georgia native with the number one pick.
Spencer Jones, OF, Vanderbilt
I’ve been impressed with Jones since he was coming out of high school. A one-time pitcher as well, Jones has solidified his future position in the bigs. The power is there and he is sneakily becoming one of the best directional hitters in the draft. There’s this range of comparisons I see with him in flashes. Sometimes I see Aaron Judge and other times I see Riley Greene. If he can stay consistent to these comparisons, he’ll become a star.
Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola College
He’s went from not even a second rounder to a first round, top-10 selection in mocks. This is mostly because access to him has been limited. Playing in junior college, he didn’t get a lot of scouts until he started raking. Now we are realizing he can hit for average and power.
Sterlin Thompson, OF, Florida
Jud Fabian has fallen out of favor, and Thompson has entered centerstage in Gainesville. He’s hitting .354 with 51 RBIs and an OPS of 1.006.
Zack Neto, SS, Campbell
Neto has flirted with the top-15 for quite some time now. The first team that could pull the trigger on him is the Tigers, I believe. They need more shortstops in their system, and if there is a run on shortstops, other teams might be pressured to grab one. If that’s the case, Neto is there.
Kumar Rocker, RHP, Tri-City (Independent)
Pitching in the Independent League, Rocker has showed every bit of why he was a first round selection in 2021. His fastball sits in the high-90s, and touches triple digits often. If Rocker drops in the draft, it’s because teams are scared of the obscurity surrounding his injury last year that prevented the Mets from signing him.
Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, East Carolina
Whisenhunt’s changeup could very well be the best in this draft. It’s a mid-90s pitch that drops at the plate and has gained more misses than hits.
Peyton Graham, SS, Oklahoma
Graham didn’t start out as a big name in Oklahoma, but when he got the opportunity he made the most of it. While 2020 was his breakout year, 2022 is surely his best. He’s hitting .335 with 93 hits and 71 RBIs in 67 games.
Robby Snelling, LHP, McQueen (NV)
Snelling lives in the strike zone. He doesn’t have many games of inconsistency. He is targeted in the back half of the first round, but there are some teams that are in need of southpaws, who are now starting to see him as more of a middle of the first round pick.
Tucker Toman, 3B, Hammond HS (SC)
Toman has risen and fallen more than any prospect this class. His lack of patience at the plate is apparent. He gets overaggressive and pull-happy too often, but the past month he’s pulled that back a little, which scouts like to see. At his best, Toman is a switch hitter who constantly barrels the ball and makes hard contact to all fields.
FALLERS
Blade Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee
Tidwell came off an excellent 2021 campaign, but he’d spend most of the 2022 season coming back from an injury. When he did return, while he has showcased his skillset and pitch selection, he didn’t blow anyone away. Teams that are in love with him are still stuck on his 2021 season.
Jace Jung, 2B/3B, Texas Tech
Jung’s lackluster performance in the Big 12 Tournament didn’t win him over with scouts. Still, though, he destroys pitches that are in his wheelhouse. He’ll probably need to tweak his batting stance in the pros, but there are teams out there who consider him a top-10 pick, which I believe he should be.
Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga
Hughes made a push into the middle of the first round this college season, but there are still teams who feel he’s a late-to-second rounder at best. He’s 8-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 15 starts this season.
Jackson Ferris, LHP, IMG Academy (FL)
At one point in the season, Ferris was considered the best prep arm next to Dylan Lesko. A couple shaky starts dropped him from first round consideration for many. However, there is still a lot there to work with, and if developed right, could become a special player down the road.
Brock Jones, OF, Stanford
Jones has been all over mock drafts for months. There are teams that worry, though, that the one-time two-sport athlete has peaked. He’s having a great year, knocking in 57 RBIs on 82 hits and 21 homers and he maintains a .324 batting average.
Dylan Beavers, OF, California
Beavers has been considered a mid-to-late round pick in many mocks. While that remains, there are a few scouts who consider him dropping to the second round. He’s got a lot of power, but his ability to hit for average on a consistent basis has yet to be seen.
Cade Doughty, 3B, LSU
The comparison here is to former LSU alum Daniel Cabrera. At times, he can hit for power and has shown he can get on base. Earlier in the year he was considered a first round pick, but the slide is real now after his recent outings.
Jud Fabian, OF, Florida
Fabian can’t catch a break. While he is a very good player, he’s been sort of exposed. He decided to bet on himself and go back to college to improve his one-time first round stock. Let’s just say it hasn’t quite turned out how he had planned. He’s got a lot of swing and miss in his game, but the power is there. He’s got 30+ homer run potential.
Reggie Crawford, LHP, UConn
Crawford’s fastball made him a fast riser in many early mocks. It’s when he underwent Tommy John surgery that the hype died down a bit. Much like Jaden Hill in 2021, Crawford is finding himself fighting to be selected in the first two rounds. Still, though, it’s hard to find that kind of arm power. It’s just hard to determine if him throwing too hard will lead to more injuries, or if he is the kind of arm that could turn into a backend starter or even a lights out closer. A lot of unknown here.
Logan Tanner, C, Mississippi
There was so much hype for Tanner coming into 2022. He drew Dillon Dingler and Patrick Bailey comparisons, that hinted he was more than just a defensive catcher. Not to say he isn’t, but having a lesser season performance than his 2021 season didn’t help his draft stock any.