Prep Baseball Report

2015 National Top 50



By Nathan Rode
National Supervisor

The summer and fall seasons have concluded so now is a great time to look at the 2015 high school class and how it currently stacks up. The draft is still seven months away and changes are guaranteed, but below is the National Top 50, which comes together after attending several large events and corresponding with scouts.

At this time in 2014, there wasn’t a clear No. 1 prospect in the high school class. The 2015 class is different as SS Brendan Rodgers (Lake Mary HS, FL) has shown that he is leading horse in the race. A Florida State recruit, Rodgers shows at least average tools across the board with his ability to hit, hit for power, run, field and throw. With questions about the top of the college class, Rodgers is currently a strong candidate to be the first overall pick in June. That would make him the first Florida prep product to be selected first since Alex Rodriguez was popped by the Mariners in 1993.

The top pitching spots are taken by two California southpaws—Kolby Allard (San Clemente HS, CA) and Justin Hooper (De La Salle HS, CA). Allard lacks the typical frame seen in a top prospect, standing at 6 feet, 165 pounds, but he has a good delivery, low-90s fastball and nasty curveball with good shape and depth. Hooper jumps out physically, standing at 6-foot-7, 230 pounds. It’s easy for pitchers with long limbs to get lost in their delivery, but Hooper is an excellent athlete and should be able to harness everything. His fastball sits 90-93, but he can touch 95-96 with life and he shows good secondary offerings with a sharp curveball, slider and changeup.

Big league bloodlines are a common theme in any draft class, but this one seems to stand apart. OF Daz Cameron (Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, GA), 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (Concordia Lutheran HS, TX), SS Nick Shumpert (Highlands Ranch HS, CO) and C Elih Marrero (Coral Gables HS, FL) all have major league fathers.

1. Brendan Rodgers, SS, Lake Mary HS, FL (Florida State)
Consensus top prospect hits for power and is a good defender

2. Kolby Allard, LHP, San Clemente HS, CA (UCLA)
Size (6 feet, 165 pounds) doesn’t detract from low-90s fastball and nasty curve

3. Justin Hooper, LHP, De La Salle HS, CA (UCLA)
Premium athlete reaches mid 90s with good curveball from easy, loose delivery

4. Trent Clark, OF, Richland HS, TX (Texas Tech)
Pan Am MVP has strong frame and handles the bat, runs well

5. Daz Cameron, OF, Eagle's Landing Christian Academy, GA (Florida State)
Son of Mike, has a sweet swing, plus speed and performed for Team USA

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