Top 10 MLB draft prospects in SEC Tournament
Some of the top prospects in the MLB First-Year Player Draft (June 8-10) will compete in the SEC Tournament (Tuesday-Sunday) in Hoover, Ala. Here are the SEC's top 10 draft-eligible players, as projected by MLB.com.
1. Dansby Swanson
School: Vanderbilt
Position: Shortstop
MLB.com draft projection: Top 5 overall pick
Scouting report: Last year's College World Series MVP, Swanson is an instinctive player with unmatched intangibles. MLB.com says, "His makeup is off the charts and universally praised by coaches and scouts." Swanson made a seamless transition from second base to shortstop. At the plate, Swanson hits the gaps well, racking up plenty of doubles and triples. MLB.com ranks him as the top positional player in the draft, going as high as No. 3 overall. Scouting sites disagree about many of the SEC's top prospects, but all have Swanson going high.
Key stat(s): .347 average, 50 RBIs, 34 extra-base hits, 60 runs scored (leads SEC)
Twitter: @LieutenantDans7
2. Alex Bregman
School: LSU
Position: Shortstop
MLB.com draft projection: Top 10 overall pick
Scouting report: The 2013 national freshman of the year, he ranked second in college baseball in base hits last year. His strong play has continued, including improvement defensively that should keep him at shortstop as a big leaguer. Bregman is a proven hitter at every level, and MLB.com says "he's now one of the top bats in this year's college crop." He should make a quick transition to the next level. But some scouting sites push him to the mid-first round.
Key stat(s): .329 average, 9 home runs, 44 RBIs; leads SEC in stolen bases (29) and defensive assists (191)
Twitter: @ABREG_1
3. Carson Fulmer
School: Vanderbilt
Position: Pitcher
MLB.com draft projection: Top 10 overall pick
Scouting report: It's hard to find a more competitive pitcher in college baseball than Fulmer. The hard-throwing righty has good command and a knack for racking up strikeouts in any role. Making a successful transition from power closer to elite starter last year, Fulmer can do it all. Some scouts see the energy in his delivery as a reason to push him to the bullpen, but the fact that he is rated as a top-10 pick says enough teams see Fulmer as a starter. Baseball America even put him as the No. 1 overall pick. Over the last two years, Fulmer has had long stretches of scoreless innings, and he's been unflappable this season as a starter.
Key stat(s): 11-1, 1.51 ERA, 132 strikeouts, .182 opposing average (led SEC in all categories)
Twitter: @C_fulmer15
4. Walker Buehler
School: Vanderbilt
Position: Pitcher
MLB.com draft projection: Top 10 overall pick
Scouting report: Buehler has pitched well all three seasons at Vanderbilt, including last year's national title run. He also earned co-MVP honors at the Cape Cod league in 2014. The righty has a superb fastball, but he also commands an array of pitches at a high level. That versatility and clean mechanics project Buehler as a starter in the big leagues.
Key stat(s): 19-7, 240 strikeouts in career
Twitter: @buehlersdayoff
5. Richie Martin
School: Florida
Position: Shortstop
MLB.com draft projection: Late first round
Scouting report: Martin's fielding is pretty strong, but his hitting just came along this season. His stock could rise or fall depending if MLB teams think he will stay at shortstop long-term rather than move to second base, but it appears early projections have him remaining at short.
Key stat(s): .296 average, 30 RBI, 49 runs (seventh in SEC)
Twitter: none
6. Kyle Cody
School: Kentucky
Position: Pitcher
MLB.com draft projection: Late first/early second round
Scouting report: A 6-foot-7, 245-pound hard-throwing righty, Cody has an intimidating frame and fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s. Some scouting sites say his second pitch is not quite as polished, but others praise his breaking ball. Most agree Cody is a top-50 pick, but some have him as high as a mid-first round selection. His numbers have not been especially good this season, but his size certainly is an asset.
Key stat(s): 4-4, 4.91 ERA, 63 strikeouts in 66 innings pitched.
Twitter: @kylecody10
7. Andrew Benintendi
School: Arkansas
Position: Outfielder
MLB.com draft projection: Second round (but rising)
Scouting report: A productive left-handed power hitter and speedy base-stealer, Benintendi appears to be a good bet for the big leagues. He showed this season he can hit in the high level of the SEC, narrowly missing a conference triple crown. MLB.com tabs Benintendi as a likely second-round pick, but Baseball America pushes him all the way to No. 9 overall.
Key stat(s): Leads SEC in average (.415) and ranks third nationally in home runs (17)
Twitter: @asben16
8. Andrew Stevenson
School: LSU
Position: Centerfielder
MLB.com draft projection: Second round
Scouting report: An elite centerfielder, Stevenson gets more praise for his defense than his left-handed hitting. He tracks balls extremely well and uses his speed in the field, leading MLB.com to call Stevenson "the best defensive centerfielder in college baseball." At the plate, Stevenson is not overpowering, but his speed and good contact put him on base at a high rate.
Key stat(s): .360 average, 22 stolen bases (third in SEC)
Twitter: @stevenson6
9. Christin Stewart
School: Tennessee
Position: Outfielder
MLB.com draft projection: Second round
Scouting report: Stewart was already a good hitter, as he led UT in average, home runs and RBI as a junior. But the left-handed hitter added more power in 2015, blasting 15 home runs compared to the eight long balls in the previous two years combined. MLB.com raves about his bat speed, which should convince a team to take him on as a project with plenty of upside if his power continues to climb.
Key stat(s): 15 home runs (third in SEC)
Twitter: @baseball4stewie
10. Mikey White
School: Alabama
Position: Shortstop
MLB.com draft projection: Second round
Scouting report: A standout since day one at Alabama, White has started all three seasons and excelled every step along the way. Some draft scout sites project White as a better big-league second baseman than a shortstop. Regardless of his position, White has great baseball instincts and consistent contact from the plate.
Key stat(s): 19 doubles, 6 triples (both top 3 in SEC)
Twitter: @migey1
Reach Adam Sparks at 615-259-8010 and on Twitter @AdamSparks.