It’s time for MLB Draft 2022, and scouts are excited to see what new star talents they can find this time.
Some outstanding, strong college players with impressive stats have made it to the Minor League baseball scouting radar. As a result, these young players have made their way into the top MLB prospects in 2022.
MLB Drafts are always exciting to see. Although a robust high school also plays a big part in scouting, a strong position player plays an important role.
In addition to the position, various other aspects are taken into serious consideration during MLB Drafts. For example, age, numbers, expert analysis, unique skill sets, injury history, etc., are all considered.
After going through all the arduous analysis, these young college players become eligible for the drafts. Among many top players, we have made a list of the top 14 MLB prospects in 2022.
Let us look at these new young talented stars who might make it big in the MLB soon.
Top 14 MLB Prospects in 2022
The information on this article is taken from various trusted sources around the web like D1Baseball.
Before diving into the intricate details, let us take a quick overview of this table.
Name of Players | Name of School |
1. Brooks Lee | Cal Poly |
2. Jace Jung | Texas Tech |
3. Jacob Berry | Louisiana State |
4. Elijah Green | IMG Academy |
5. Reggie Crawford | UConn |
6. Brock Jones | Standford |
7. Chase DeLauter | James Madison |
8. Daniel Susac | Arizona |
9. Kevin Parada | Georgia Tech |
10. Gavin Cross | Virginia Tech |
11. Robert Moore | Arkansas |
12. Peyron Pallette | Arkansas |
13. Hunter Barco | Florida |
14. Cade Doughty | Louisiana State |
1. Brooks Lee
- Position: Shortstop
- School: Cal Poly
Brooks Lee is a 23 year old American college baseball shortstop playing for the Cal Poly Mustangs. He was already taken as a top prospect for the 2019 MLB Draft.
Although Brooks was already the top prospect in 2019, he withdrew his name, intending to play college baseball at Cal Poly in the last hour. Additionally, his father is a coach at the school, and Lee waivered the prospect of playing for his father.
Recorded as 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Lee has a good instinct and strong arms with exceptional bat-to-bat skills. He is a switch-hitter with at least average power from both sides of the plate.
Brooks carries himself very well, his only drawback is that he is a fringy-average runner. As a result, he may eventually have to shift to second or third base.
Brooks Lee has caught the attention of the scouts with his incredible skills and athleticism making him the top pick in the MLB prospect 2022.
2. Jace Jung
- Position: Second Base
- School: Texas Tech
Jace Jung is the younger brother of Josh Jung, who was the first-round pick in the 2019 MLB draft. Jace is 6-foot, 205 pounds, power-oriented, and like his brother, he is a left-handed hitter.
In 2020, Jung hit 4 home runs in 16 starts for Texas Tech, and then in his sophomore year, he gave another 21. He is a thick, super-strong middle infielder. His arms and speed are average, but he is limited defensively.
Despite having a fringy speed, he is quick enough on his feet. However, it is his well-polished batting prospect that the scouts are excited about. There’s a high hope that he could eventually be a plus-plus hitter who can handle the hot corners.
Jung’s position is a second baseman, but he could be moved to the third base. With his bat-first prospect, Jace Jung looks like he may outdo his brother’s shine. Thus, he is second on our list of top MLB prospects of 2022.
3. Jacob Berry
- Position: Third Base
- School: Louisianna State
The next on our list is Louisianna State’s third base, Jacob Berry. Berry was a freshman at Arizona then transferred to Louisiana State after the Wildcats head coach Jay Johnson headed top Baton Rouge.
Scouts are looking at Berry as one of the best hitters in the 2022 class. He is a 6-foot, 21 2 pounds switch-hitter with the ability to hit from both sides of the plates.
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Berry has also displayed himself as a powerful hitter who can optimize swing, allowing power play. His well-built physical makes him an imposing player in the field. However, he has a below-average speed which he makes up with his incredible arm strength.
Regardless of his age, he is taken as one of the best players in the country. While with Arizona, he got all the eyes on him, but he played as the first base with Team USA. He is likely to end up being first base rather than the third.
4. Elijah Green
- Position: Outfield
- School: IMG Academy
A power package of speed and strength, the next on our list is Elijah Green. He is a
6-foot-3 inches, 225 pounds, a physically advanced player, among others.
Green is the most exciting player with explosive power and excellent instincts with his angles and timing. In addition, he is a right-handed hitter who has the incredible arm strength and can make accurate throws.
Not only is Green a powerful hitter, but he is also very quick on his feet. He can make accurate solid hop to the bases. In short, Elijah Green is an all-in-one package, and scouts are keeping their eagle eyes on him.
An elite runner, powerful swinger, and excellent overall coordination, he’s a top-scale talent. Thus, there are high expectations, and evaluators believe that Green is an exceptional talent who might be the best prep prospect the MLB draft has seen in quite some time.
5. Reggie Crawford
- Position: Left-Handed Pitcher/ First Base
- School: UConn
Reggie Crawford is a 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, left-handed American college baseball player. Crawford is one of those players who has shown impressive power and fast balling skills.
Crawford played with the Connecticut, Team USA, and in the Cape League this summer 2021. He struck an impressive 30 out of the 56 batters in those 3 stops.
Even though Reggie is limited to the first base defensively and has concerns about swing and miss, he has one of the finest arms. His fastball averaged 96 mph and topped 101 mph, while his power slider hit 88 mph in his game this summer.
Crawford has not made many appearances on the mound; he is the fourth player from UConn to play on the team since 2015. He made six appearances with UConn this spring.
With his potential of the fastball, throw strikes, and offspeed pitch, Reggie Crawford has shown himself as one of the topmost MLB prospects in 2022. If he can continue to hold his starter, there are chances for him to rise further to the top.
6. Brock Jones
- Position: Outfield
- School: Standford
The next on our list is a 6-foot, 205 pounds, two-sport player Brock Jones. Jones played football at Stanford in his freshman year. But he eventually gave up football to play baseball.
Brock Jones is a physical outfielder, and his decision to play baseball turned out to be a good one for him. He is an above-average left-handed player with power as well as speed. In his game in 2021, he hit 18 homers and stole 14 bases.
Jones has a slightly fringy arm but can manage compact left-handed swings. His strikeout rates are average, and he’s an above-average runner. He has so much room for growth that it looks like, from here onwards, his game will continue to flourish.
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Although 2021 was his first year without football, Brock showed off incredible skills in baseball. A slight exception of the throwing arms, overall, Brock Jones has the athleticism and skills to make him one of the top MLB prospects for 2022.
7. Chase DeLauter
- Position: Outfield/ Left-handed pitcher
- School: James Madison
Chase DeLauter is an outfielder for James Madison. A 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds left-handed player, he also pitched for the Dukes. With his large build and strong hands, DeLauter has both bat speed and strength.
Even though DeLauter was under the radar for some time, it was in the Cape Cod Baseball League where he caught the attention of the big league scouts.
As a result, he earned Robert A. McNeese Outstanding Pro Prospect Award for tying the league lead in home runs this summer.
He also has an average speed for his size, and with the above-average arms, Chase DeLauter has proven his worth to take a shot in centerfield. He has incredible ability, and many see him as an average hitter with raw solid power.
The fact that since 2007, James Madison hasn’t produced a first-round pick, Chase DeLauter might change that fact. He was also named MVP of the Rockingham County Baseball League in 2020.
8. Daniel Susac
- Position: Catcher
- School: Arizona
A 6-feet-3 and 215 pounds, Daniel Susac is a switch-hitting catcher for Arizona. He has a muscular build and athleticism, showcasing his raw solid arm power.
As a freshman in 2021, Susac hit 12 homers, and despite his size, he is very quick on his feet. He is a right-handed hitter and brother of Andrew Susac, a big-league catcher and former P.G. All-American.
Daniel was the 2021 Pac-12 Freshman of the year, and he also managed to make it to several All-American teams. Although he hits from a crouched stance with a big leg lift trigger, it can also cause timing problems.
With an above-average plus arm strength, Susac has a lot of potential with his impact batting skills.
However, there’s are some areas where he needs to do some more work. His receiving and blocking need some work. Daniel is named to play in the Perfect Game All-American Classic.
9. Kevin Parada
- Position: Catcher
- School: Georgia Tech
Before entering Georgia Tech, Kevin Parada was ranked as the No. 4 catcher in the country. This 6-foot, 192 pounds catcher for Georgia Tech was a talked catcher in the 2020 draft class pre-draft.
Parada has a solid athletic build and has very sound fundamentals that he repeats very well. In addition, he has a quick release on his throws, makes accurate throws, and throws out runners.
Along with being an excellent catcher, Parada has the ability to play other positions as well. A right-handed hitter, he has strong hands and powerful swings. As a freshman, he managed to hit nine homers.
This mixed ability and skillset have made Kevin Parada one of the favorite of the big league scouts. He has that exceptional athleticism which is not typical for guys of his size.
In addition to being a very defensive catcher, he has consistently performed at a high-level in-game event.
Kevin Parada is also named to be played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic. He may also get an opportunity to call his games in 2022, which not most college catchers can easily do.
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10. Gavin Cross
- Position: Outfield
- School: Virginia Tech
Gavin Cross was the U.S. collegiate national team’s best hitter in intrasquad play. He is a 6-foot-3, 210 pounds outfielder for Virginia Tech.
Cross made a significant impact in the 2021 campaign. He was named a First-Team All-ACC and also ACC All-Freshman Team. In addition, he was the first freshman in the program to be named to the All-ACC team.
The young outfielder possesses an excellent hitting ability and has shown some good power. He possesses average tools across the board, but his plus arm enhances his player profile.
Previously named a Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American, Cross has displayed his skillset talent. With so many careers honors already, he has made his way up to the big leagues’ scouts’ radars.
Although Virginia Tech hasn’t had any player drafted in the first round since Joe Saunders in 2002, Gavin Cross could find himself as the first. Hence, he is on the tenth spot of our top MLB prospects 2022.
11. Robert Moore
- Position: Second Base
- School: Arkansas
Robert Moore is a 5-foot-9, 170 pounds second baseman for Arkansas and a son of Kansas City Royals GM Dayton Moore. He is one of the youngest players on the Arkansas roster.
Moore was ranked as the No. 1 player in the state and No. 20 in the class of 2020 Perfect Game, in the whole nation. Before enrolling in Arkansas, he was regarded as a 2020 prep prospect before the 2020 season.
He is a switch-hitter, and he repeatedly barrels balls from both sides of the plate. Not only that, he has above-average speed and hands in the infield. Although he may have fringy arms, he’s quick on his feet and savvies on the bases.
Being around the baseball game, Robert has honed excellent instincts when it comes to playing the game. Moore has incredible power as well as athleticism.
While Moore does have some closeness to the Major Leagues because of his father, he has earned and proved his skills in the actual baseball field. The Perfect Game ranked him as the eighth-best overall player in the draft.
In addition, he has been ranked within the top 20 MLB prospects by many.
12. Peyton Pallette
- Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
- School: Arkansas
Peyton Pallette is Arkansas’ ranked No. 1 for most of the college season. He is a 6-foot, 160 pounds, right-handed pitcher.
Among all the pitchers in the 2022 prospects, Pallette has one of the most exhilarating quick right arms. Although his size may be smaller compared to others on this list, he can throw fastball like no others.
Pallette’s recent 2021 fastball was 97 mph, and his average fastball sits at 93-95 mph. His hammer curveball also has an excellent vertical tilt and sits at 80 mph. That is some of the pretty high spin rate one can see in baseball.
In May 2021, Pallette suffered an elbow injury which is every pitcher’s worst fear. Nevertheless, he has overcome his injury and is returning to the mound. The incredible arm talent that he has is only going to get better with time.
13. Hunter Barco
- Position: Left-Handed Pitcher
- School: Florida
Another name that was highly regarded in 2019 was Hunter Barco. Unfortunately, this 6-foot-4, 220 pounds left-handed pitcher had to forgo his chances after he strained his shoulder.
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Barco then decided to go to Florida, and he has now recovered since then. In each of his college seasons, he was Florida’s best starter. He has a very impressive slider with consistent sits.
With a 90 to 93 mph fastball that is generally low 90s, with a low 80s slider and changeup, Hunter Barco has one of the best arms that a pitcher can have in the field. His short arms also give some deception working in his favor.
Hunter Barco had been on the big league scouts’ radar since 2019. His name is already well known, and he has a huge opportunity to make it big out there. Thus, he is one of the top MLB prospects of 2022.
14. Cade Doughty
- Position: Third Base
- School: Louisiana State
Another name for the MLB prospects 2022 coming from Louisiana State is Cade Doughty. He is a 6-foot-1, 195 pounds third baseman for Louisiana.
Doughty has a robust athletic build who moves very well for his physical size. He is highly known for his excellent defense actions at the third base and his leadership. He moved to the third base from the second base in 2020, where he made 13 homers.
With a quick, compact right-handed stroke and above-average arms, Cade Doughty can probably play every position on the field. As a result, Doughty was selected to play in the 2018 Perfect Game All-American Classic.
Doughty is very agile with excellent barrel skills. He is the kind of player who has a high floor as a prospect. More can be expected from him as he continues to showcase his power with exceptional bat control skills.
Honorable Mentions
- Termarr Johnson (Second Base from Mays High School)
- Carter Young (Shortstop from Vanderbilt)
- Dylan Lesko (Right-Handed Pitcher from Buford High School)
- Cole Young (Shortstop from North Allegheny High School)
- Andruw Jones (Outfield, Wesleyan High School)
- Brock Porter (Right-Handed Pitcher from Orchard Lake St. Marys)
Conclusion
So these are the top MLB prospects for 2022. There is no shortage of incredible skillsets and raw power players on the list. The big-league scouts have their hawk eyes out for these young players, watching their every move.
We can only expect these players to continue to grow and hone their skills further down the line. Thus, one can expect to see some fantastic future stars of the MLB in the making.