Farm Futures: MLB Draft Top 12 Hitters

The MLB Draft is less than two weeks away (June 9), so it's time to preview some of the potential impact fantasy players who will soon be entering the professional ranks. A handful of these players will be important in all formats a lot sooner than many fantasy owners realize. Alex Bregman, who was the second pick in last year's draft, is already generating interest in single-season and dynasty leagues alike, while players like Dansby Swanson, Brendan Rodgers and Andrew Benintendi are among the best fantasy prospects in the minor leagues as we approach the one-year anniversary of them coming off the board within the first 10 picks of last year's draft.

Given the dearth of high-end talent remaining in the minor leagues after all the big league graduations over the past 12 months, the players selected in this year's draft will soon account for a notable percentage of the top-200. Here are a dozen of the most intriguing hitters in this year's class, listed in approximate order of how they'll rank when they debut on our prospect rankings later this month.

Corey Ray, OF, 21, Louisville
Expected Draft Pick Range: 1-11

As the safest college hitter on the board, Ray has the best chance to be the first position player from this draft class to reach the big leagues. His approach is excellent, with a virtually even K:BB, and he can play all three outfield spots so he is less likely to be blocked by an internal option no matter which organization he ends up in. He has borderline plus speed and a little bit of power, so 12-homer/20-steal seasons could be possible during his peak years. That may not sound like anything special for the top fantasy option in a draft, but it could come with a .300 average, which would make him a borderline first round pick. If prior years have taught fantasy owners anything, it's that going after college hitters is the safest way to profit in dynasty leagues, and Ray is the best college hitter available.

Kyle Lewis, OF, 20, Mercer
Expected Draft Pick Range: 2-7

Lewis' power is the most intriguing fantasy tool of any hitter in this draft. There are plenty of players with speed or with a high likelihood of hitting for a plus batting average, but there are few players who offer big power and also have a clue at the plate. Throw in the fact that as a college hitter his ETA bests that of the power-centric high school bats, and the case could be made that Lewis offers more dynasty league potential than Ray. Lewis will swing and miss quite a bit once he gets into pro ball, but it doesn't seem like he will have debilitating contact issues and he'll also offer a handful of steals, at least initially. His career trajectory could mirror that of Yoenis Cespedes, where he is a 25-homer, 15-steal threat before his production trends more toward power with each successive season. Lewis may not hit for a high average, but there should be enough power for him to profile as a top-25 fantasy outfielder, even if he's only hitting .260.

Nick Senzel, 3B, 20, Tennessee
Expected Draft Pick Range: 2-9

If Senzel projected to be a plus defender at third, he could be the top player on a lot of draft boards. He still might go as high as No. 2 to the Reds, but will likely end up going somewhere in the middle of the top 10. He has a plus hit tool and crazy quick wrists that allow him to offer above average power with the projection for a little more, depending on how he adjusts to wood bats. How quickly he moves will depend on how dead set his organization is on making him a better defensive option but just based on his plate skills, he could reach the majors in late 2017 or early 2018.

Will Craig, 1B, 21, Wake Forest
Expected Draft Pick Range: 18-40

We in the fantasy community love the guys who get downgraded on big league draft boards because of their defensive limitations, but inevitably come off the board in the first 30 or 50 picks because their offensive abilities are impossible to ignore. Craig fits the bill, and at six-foot-three, 235 pounds, it's pretty clear which position he'll end up at. It would be great if an American League team popped Craig so that DH would also be an option for him in addition to first base. Either way, he has the potential to hit .300 and slug 30 homers during his peak seasons while hitting in the middle of a big league lineup, so he'd fit nicely in the Senior Circuit as well, even if he offers nothing with the glove.

Blake Rutherford, OF, 19, High School (Calif.)
Expected Draft Pick Range: 4-13

There are no Bryce Harper-level high school hitters in this draft, and there aren't even any Brendan Rodgers-caliber prep position players, yet the high school hitters that come off the board in the first 10-12 picks will still be valued a little too highly in most dynasty leagues. Rutherford seems like the safest of the bunch, and therefore he'll likely rank the highest of this year's prep bats on the updated top-200. He has the potential to offer plus power, speed and hit tools, which puts his offensive ceiling at or near the top of this draft class. He likely won't stick up the middle, so he probably won't be the first high school hitter selected, but he's the most intriguing from a fantasy perspective.

Delvin Perez, SS, 17, High School (Puerto Rico)
Expected Draft Pick Range: 2-8

Perez is in the rare position of being the only consensus top-20 talent in this draft who also profiles as a shortstop long term. This will undoubtedly result in him coming off the board in the first eight picks, and his Puerto Rican roots coupled with the recent success of fellow countrymen Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor should result in him gaining a lot of helium in the dynasty league community. The two questionable aspects about Perez's game, however, are his ability to hit and hit for power, so it would be wise to pump the brakes a little. Given his youth, Perez may not reach a full-season league until mid-to-late 2017, so a lot of patience will be required when investing in him. While there are questions about the bat, the fact that he's six-foot-three and that some evaluators see him developing an average or better hit tool means that he has as much fantasy upside as any high school hitter in this draft. His plus speed and ability to stick at shortstop give him a solid realistic floor as well.

Mickey Moniak, OF, 18, High School (Calif.)
Expected Draft Pick Range: 1-7

By most accounts, Moniak has the best chance among hitters to be selected by the Phillies with the No. 1 overall pick. There are two reasons for this. First, he should be able to stick in center field and play at least average defense. Second, and most importantly, he has a beautiful swing from the left side and might have the best hit tool in this draft. Throw in the fact that he's a plus runner, and there's definitely reason for intrigue here. That said, his power potential might rank last among hitters expected to go in the first 20 picks, and considering he's a 60 runner who could turn into a 50-55 runner by the time he reaches the big leagues, he could just be a guy who hits for an empty, albeit high, batting average and offers a ton of runs and 12-15 steals. That's valuable, but it's not a super sexy fantasy package, especially for a hitter who could go 1-1.

Josh Lowe, 3B, 18, High School (Ga.)
Expected Draft Pick Range: 5-30

Lowe is the best two-way player in the draft, and could be selected somewhat early as a right-handed pitcher, but his big league future is as a hitter. His six-foot-four frame and leveraged swing suggests legitimate long-term power projection, and he is already a plus runner. Whether or not he can hit enough to get to that power and speed will determine what kind of fantasy asset he becomes, but there's five-category potential here, and that's enough for him to be a top-200 prospect from day one.

Nolan Jones, 3B, 18, High School (Pa.)
Expected Draft Pick Range: 10-30

Whoever takes Jones may view him as a shortstop, or at least someone with the potential to stick at shortstop, but in all likelihood he'll end up at the hot corner. An athletic six-foot-three frame gives him the potential for average or better power and speed, and an above average hit tool from the left side should allow those secondary tools to show up in games with regularity. Jones and Lowe are somewhat indistinguishable as long-term fantasy assets at this stage in their development.

Will Benson, OF, 17, High School (Ga.)
Expected Draft Pick Range: 24-40

At six-foot-six, 220 pounds, it's pretty obvious what fantasy owners should be looking for in the athletic right fielder. He has big raw power, and good speed for someone his size. If scouts had more confidence in Benson's ability to hit for average, he'd be in the mix as a potential top-five pick. Instead, it's unclear if he'll ever hit enough to even get to the big leagues. Those who invest in Benson will need to be patient, as it may be a year or more before he is deemed ready for a full-season league. That said, Benson's long-term fantasy potential is up there with the best hitting prospects in this draft, and he'll make for a nice lottery ticket once the first 10 or so players from this class have been selected in dynasty league drafts.

Bryan Reynolds, OF, 21, Vanderbilt
Expected Draft Pick Range: 16-30

The word that often comes up with Reynolds is "polish" and there's reason to be drawn to that in a college hitter when the players with more upside are off the board. The switch-hitting left fielder is on the short list of players who could be the first from this class to reach the big leagues, as his advanced approach could lead to him cruising through the minors. He has the potential to be a five-category contributor, even though his production may not be elite in any one category.

Buddy Reed, OF, 21, Florida
Expected Draft Pick Range: 15-50

Reed's profile resembles that of a high-upside/high-risk prep hitter, not that of a switch-hitting college junior playing for an SEC powerhouse. The glass-half-full take would be that Reed, while among the toolsiest players in the draft, could move a lot faster than the prep hitters with similar athletic attributes. The glass-half-empty viewpoint is that he had three years of college coaching and still couldn't shed the "he'll be good if he can hit" label. A plus-plus runner with the projection to grow into some power, Reed's fantasy potential is pretty apparent, but the risks are also abundantly clear.