THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,410 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,410 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Sign in Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Draft  | Story | 12/27/2018

Year in Review: MLB Draft

Patrick Ebert
Photo: Jarred Kelenic (Perfect Game)

Year in Review: PG Events | High School | College
 Top 300 MLB Draft Prospects | 2018 MLB Draft Impressions

With the MLB Draft scouting season about to get back underway it’s time to take one last look at the bigger draft-related storylines from 2018.


Mize goes No. 1, as projected

Auburn righthanded pitcher Casey Mize entered the spring of 2018 as the No. 1 overall draft prospect, and while his production did drop off towards the end of the season, he more than lived up to the hype. That resulted in him going first overall to the Detroit Tigers, and while there were other players associated with the Tigers in the weeks leading up to the draft, Mize seemed to be their preferred target all along.

In the always-tough environment of playing in the SEC, Mize went 10-6 with a 3.30 ERA serving as Auburn’s Friday ace. He went the distance in three of his 17 games (all of which were starts), logging 114 2/3 innings while giving up just 84 hits and 16 walks as compared to 156 punchouts. He was twice named Perfect Game’s College Pitcher of the Week during the 2018 season, the first of which was a 13-strikeout, no-hit performance against Northeastern in mid-March and the second was another complete game effort, this time fanning 15 Commodores in a win against Vanderbilt in early May.

Mize’s stuff matched his performances, with a mid-90s fastball that routinely touched 97-99 mph, a slider, cutter and an upper-80s to low-90s splitter that made him especially unhittable. Given his power arsenal, his sterling control made his overall body of work even that much more impressive.


Rays load up on premium talent

The Rays gained three additional, early picks for the 2018 draft, all of which came before the beginning of the third round. Two of them were back-to-back selections, 31st and 32nd overall, for unsigned 2017 pick Drew Rasmussen and free agent Alex Cobb. The third was a Competitive Balance Lottery selection after the second round.

With those three extra picks, in addition to their own first and second round selections, the Rays had a large bonus pool to work with and were able to load up as a result. They selected two of the premium lefthanded pitchers available in Matthew Liberatore and Shane McClanahan and followed that up with five-tool prep outfielder Nick Schnell. Shortstop Tyler Frank and righthanded pitcher Tanner Dodson rounded out their first five selections, a group that collectively earned nearly $10 million in bonus money.

The reinforcements are a good sign for the Rays and their fans considering the organization went from 68-94 in 2016 to 80-82 in 2017 and 89-73 this past year, just missing the playoffs due to the presence of the Red Sox and Yankees in their own division.


Indians big haul

Similar to the Rays, the Indians had a pair of extra first round picks due to the departure of free agent Carlos Santana in addition to a Competitive Balance Lottery selection. They used those two picks, in addition to their own first round selection, on a trio of PG All-Americans: catcher Noah Naylor and righthanded pitchers Ethan Hankins and Lenny Torres.

While the stock of Naylor and Torres – both of whom hail from untraditional scouting locations of Ontario and New York, respectively – continued to rise all spring long, Ethan Hankins was an especially interesting prospect. He entered the spring ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect eligible for the draft, a near-perfect combination of size, stuff and command not often seen from a high school pitcher. A combination of factors, which included a commitment to Vanderbilt, caused him to fall and the Indians went above slot to sign Hankins for over $2.2 million.

However, it was the team’s second round pick, Nick Sandlin, that made the most noise after joining the system. Sandlin enjoyed a huge spring for Southern Miss, earning PG's College Pitcher of the Year honors while enjoying a significant spike in velocity despite being a closer-turned-starter. Sandlin moved back to the bullpen to begin his professional career, largely due to his heavy spring workload, and after opening at Cleveland’s Rookie-ball affiliate in Arizona, he was quickly moved up to A-ball, advanced A-ball and finally Double-A; he finished the summer with a gaudy 36-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 24 innings of work.


College picks go early

It was a good year for college prospects, particularly position players, and the draft reflect that talent as the first five selections were taken from the college ranks. It started with the first overall pick Casey Mize before moving to a quartet of hitters: Joey Bart (2nd overall, Giants), Alec Bohm (3rd, Phillies), Nick Madrigal (4th, White Sox) and Jonathan India (5th, Reds).

Two more college hitters were taken within the top 10 overall picks in outfielders Kyler Murray (9th, Athletics) and Travis Swaggerty (10th, Pirates).

Bart enjoyed a breakout season, hitting .359-16-38 while regularly showcasing his exciting power bat/arm combo. Bohn paired with Greyson Jenista (2nd round, Braves) to give Wichita State a pair of sluggers taken on Day 1 of the draft. Madrigal entered the spring as a Player of the Year favorite but injuries kept him out of action for a month early in the season, a year that saw he and two of his National Championship teammates – Trevor Larnach and Cadyn Grenier – also go in the first round of the draft. India was in the running for the Golden Spikes Award for his own breakout season.

Murray was one of the bigger overall stories from college athletics in 2018, signing with the A’s while returning to Oklahoma to pick up where Baker Mayfield left off as OU’s starting quarterback on his way to earning the Heisman Trophy. Swaggerty was one of the top pure hitters eligible in 2018 with a knack for working the count and getting on base.

Florida three-year rotation mates Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar along with Clemson slugger Seth Beer were among some of the more notable first round picks selected out of college.


Royals nab Gators duo

As noted, three Florida Gators were taken in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft: Jonathan India, Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar. The Royals, with three additional first round picks, selected two of those Gators, Singer and Kowar, with their first two choices.

Singer and Kowar seemed to be tied at the hip since they arrived on campus in Gainesville during the fall of 2015. They both served swing roles as freshmen before being inserted into the weekend rotation for their sophomore and junior seasons. Both played key roles in the Gators’ first-ever National Championship in 2017, and they finished their careers with eerily similar numbers, combining for a 48-16 record and a 3.37 ERA.

The Royals added three more accomplish college hurlers with their next three picks, Daniel Lynch of Virginia, Kris Bubic of Stanford and Jonathan Bowlan out of Memphis. All five hurlers had recorded over 100 strikeouts during the spring, pointing to each one’s ability to miss bats while significantly improving the Royals’ organizational pitching depth.


High school picks-a-plenty in first round

Although the 2018 draft had a college-heavy feel initially, after the first five picks high school players were predominantly taken. In total, 19 of the 35 players taken in the first round were selected out of high school, with another four (out of eight) picked in the supplemental first round.

The first high school player selected was five-tool outfielder Jarred Kelenic, who became the highest drafted player out of the state of Wisconsin when the Mets took him with the sixth overall pick. Kelenic was recently traded to the Mariners as part of a blockbuster offseason trade involving Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz.

Fellow PG All-Americans Ryan Weathers and Carter Stewart were taken right after Kelenic, and 14 more 2017 PG All-American honorees (Jordan Groshans, Connor Scott, Matthew Liberatore, Nolan Gorman, Brice Turang, Anthony Seigler, Triston Casas, Mason Denaburg, Noah Naylor, JT Ginn, Nick Schnell, Ethan Hankins, Xavier Edwards, Lenny Torres) were taken before the second round began.


Eventual Heisman winner goes 9th overall

Kyler Murray emerged as not only one of the more intriguing draft stories but also as one of the more compelling stories from the world of sports during 2018. He offered a unique situation leading up to the draft considering everyone knew of his football talents, and everyone also knew that Oklahoma’s starting quarterback job was his for the taking with Baker Mayfield moving on to the NFL as the first overall selection of the Cleveland Browns.

Murray, of course, is a game-changing athlete, one that baseball doesn’t see all that often, drawing comparisons to one of the all-time two-way greats, Bo Jackson. But for as much as Bo Knows, he never played under center.

As part of a dynamic overall OU offense, Murray enjoyed a big season at the plate, hitting .296-10-47 with 10 stolen bases. He was the best overall athlete available for the draft, but it was still hard to project whether or not he had interest in signing to play baseball. The Oakland A’s did their homework and selected Murray ninth overall, signing him to a $4.66 million contract that allowed him to continue to play football.

And that Murray did, throwing for 4,053 yards and 40 touchdown passes while adding another 1,006 yards on the ground with 11 rushing scores on his way to earning the Heisman Trophy. Oklahoma went 12-1, avenging their only regular season loss with a victory over Texas in the Big 12 Championship while earning the opportunity to play for a National Championship, starting with a matchup against No. 1 Alabama this Saturday in the Orange Bowl.


Unsigned stars

Four players selected among the top 36 overall selection from the 2018 MLB Draft ended up not signing with the team that selected them: Carter Stewart (8th overall, Braves), Matt McLain (25th, D-backs), JT Ginn (30th, Dodgers) and Gunnar Hoglund (36th, Pirates). All four teams will receive a compensatory pick one pick after their 2018 draft slot in the 2019 draft.

Stewart became the highest unsigned draft pick since Brady Aiken, the first overall selection in 2014. Stewart, who originally committed to play at Mississippi State, is expected to play during the spring of 2019 at Eastern Florida State, a junior college, and will re-enter the 2019 draft as a premium pick.

Ginn will bolster an already deep Mississippi State pitching staff, and he could chip in on the offensive side of things given his two-way prowess, while Hoglund will play for MSU’s in-state, SEC rival Ole Miss. McLain will fight for playing time at UCLA as part of a deep and talented everyday lineup.

In addition to the unsigned players there were a few notable draft-eligible prospects, also from the high school ranks, that informed big league teams that they intended to honor their college commitments. Mike Vasil and Brandon Neeck, both participants of the 2017 PG All-American Classic, were among these players and both are currently at Virginia.


PG’s impression on the draft

Perfect Game continues to play a role in scouting and player development considering most of the top players in the country that are drafted by Major League teams have participated in PG events while in high school. The 2018 draft put an exclamation point on this fact as all 43 first and supplemental first round picks had previously attended a Perfect Game showcase and/or tournament event. Expand the picks to all of those taken on the first day (the top two rounds) and 77 of 78 players were PG alumni.

Thirty-seven of those 78 players had previously attended a National Showcase, held annually in mid-June while serving as the unofficial kickoff to the summer showcase circuit. Twenty-seven of the 78 had previously played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic, 24 of which did so in 2017, which has served as an annual, televised preview to the draft 10 months in advance since 2003.

The first PG All-American to be selected in 2018 was Jonathan India, who went fifth overall to the Cincinnati Reds and enjoyed a huge season at the plate for Florida and helped propel them to Omaha. The second PG All-American taken, and the first high school player to be selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, was outfielder Jarred Kelenic out of Waukesha West High School in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Casey Mize, the first overall pick, had attended 14 Perfect Game tournament events before attending Auburn. He was ranked 351st in the nation coming out of high school in the class of 2015, regularly sitting in the 87-91 mph range, peaking at 92 mph, before his velocity spiked while in college.
Give us your feedback
Draft | Story | 4/10/2026

PG Draft: Favorite Position Group
Tyler Henninger
Article Image
Every draft class has its strengths. Some years its a loaded group of prep infielders, some years its a deep collection of college arms. In this year’s class, certain position groups stand out above the rest to us. This week, the draft team dives into their favorite position groups. Groups that we believe are loaded with depth, upside, and big league potential. College Infielders It’s hard not to get excited about the crop of college infielders in this year’s class because of who is at the top. Roch Cholowsky alone makes the group exciting. He’s got gold glove potential at the next level and an offensive profile that should make him one of the Top 15 to 20 prospects in all of baseball the second he gets drafted. Justin Lebron is another player with as much upside in the class. He is a premium athlete that can really pick it at short and has big upside with the...
Read More
College | Story | 4/16/2026

Coppy's Corner: April 16 POY Deep Dive

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Each week I huddle with Vinnie Cervino and Craig Cozart  to discuss Top-25 rankings and Players of the Week. In Coppy’s Corner, I dive deeper into these Players of the Week, providing analysis from 20+ years working in baseball front offices at the highest level.   Player of the Week: Jaquae Stewart – Texas State University  If you squint a little bit, you can see some Josh Naylor or Dominic Smith in Jaquae Stewart, with a stout build like a more powerful version of the teacup from the children’s song. Lately, the Sun Belt Conference has been child’s play for Stewart as he has been on fire showing an improved hit approach and power that tracks more with his 2024 performance at Northwest Florida State College than with his 2025 experience at the University of Texas. It’s tough for any player to jump from a JUCO in Florida to the big stage...
Read More
Juco | Rankings | 4/15/2026

JUCO Top 25: April 15

Blaine Peterson
Article Image
Another week of undefeated weeks for our top 4 ranked teams. Joining them in the top 5, coming off an undefeated week of their own, is Florence-Darlington, a team we have consistently had as a top 10 team all season long. Cloud County and Midland College continue to put together strong weeks and climb the rankings each week it seems. Jumping into the rankings this week on the strength of a 15-game winning streak is Seminole State (OK). And Linn Benton makes the top 25 for a 2nd consecutive week and looks like the top team in the NWAC this spring. Plenty of high-level matchups at the JUCO level for some of the top teams in the county this next week.  Rk. School Record 1 Johnson County (KS) 42-2 2 Gaston (NC) 43-3 3 McLennan (TX) 34-7 4 Chipola (FL) 37-7 5 Florence-Darlington (SC) 40-8 6 Walters State (TN) 37-10 7 Blinn (TX) 31-11 8 Florida Southwestern (FL) 30-12 9 Southern Nevada...
Read More
College | Rankings | 4/15/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: April 15

Nick Herfordt
Article Image
Welcome to this week's small school baseball rankings, covering NCAA Division II, the NAIA, and NCAA Division III. As the calendar turns toward the final weeks of the regular season, the urgency is real across all three levels — teams are running out of weekends to build their cases, and the extended postseason invitations that every program is chasing don't go to programs that peak in March. The next few weeks of results will carry more weight than anything that happened before spring break, and the postseason committees in all three divisions are watching closely. Every series dropped to a team you should beat, every road sweep you let get away — it all matters now in a way it simply didn't two months ago. What you'll also notice as you read through the breakdowns below is that the numbers are doing more of the heavy lifting in how these rankings are constructed. Run...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 4/15/2026

Perfect Game & Youth Prospects Team Up

Article Image
    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923  www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    PERFECT GAME AND YOUTH PROSPECTS ANNOUNCE   BROADCAST RIGHTS AND CONTENT PARTNERSHIP    Sanford, Florida (Wednesday, April 15, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new partnership with content platform Youth Prospects centered around broadcast rights, content collaboration and expanded visibility for elite youth baseball events.    As part of the agreement, Perfect Game will grant Youth Prospects broadcast rights to select games across its premiere events, including marquee matchups at the WWBA World...
Read More
College | Story | 4/14/2026

College Players of the Week: April 14

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
April 14th Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Jaquae Stewart, INF/OF, Texas State  The Texas State Bobcats (24-12) are sitting in second place in the ultra-competitive Sun Belt Conference, and they have one of the most explosive offenses in the country.  They average right at 8-runs per game and can slug with the best of them, averaging almost 2-home runs per game as well.  Sitting in the middle of the order, Jaquae Stewart, is putting together a career year and is becoming the focus of opposing teams.  The 5-10/234 junior from Sinton, Tx is your classic lefthanded power hitter and is thriving in his move from Austin to San Marcos.  While it wasn’t the best week for his club, Stewart was sensational, collecting 8 hits in his 19 at-bats, scoring 5 runs, launching 5 home runs and driving in an insane 17 runs.  For the season, he is now slashing...
Read More
Showcase | Story | 4/14/2026

PG Announces Prospect Gateway Schedule

Hannah Jo Groves
Article Image
PG has announced the dates for Prospect Gateway events across the country - unique opportunities for young players to receive professional feedback and prepare for the next level. The Prospect Gateways are for players ages 13U-14U and serve as a qualifier for the National Showcase. Kevin Schuver, the senior director of showcases at Perfect Game, said these events are chances for players to step out of their comfort zone and show what they’re really made of. “Perfect Game Prospect Gateways aren’t just events. They’re doorways into something bigger. For young athletes, they serve as the first real step beyond their local fields, where raw ability begins to meet visibility and purpose.” At the event, each player is assigned a PG advisor who will watch and advise them individually. There will also be other scouts giving tips on how to enhance and develop a...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 4/13/2026

PG & MLB Clubs Offer Discount Tickets

Article Image
    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923  www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    PERFECT GAME PARTNERS WITH THREE MLB CLUBS TO OFFER EXCLUSIVE TICKET DISCOUNTS FOR YOUTH TEAMS    Sanford, Florida (Friday, April 10, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced a new fan engagement initiative in partnership with three Major League Baseball clubs — the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals — to provide exclusive discounted ticket opportunities for teams participating in Perfect Game events.    Through the collaboration, youth baseball and softball teams competing in...
Read More
College | Rankings | 4/13/2026

College Top 25: April 13

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
In a season where remaining in the Top 25 has become a war of attrition, the No. 1 UCLA Bruins (33-2) are making the game look much easier than it is in all reality.  Winners of 27-games in a row, this club continues to win games by any means necessary as they continue their historic run.  Beyond the incredible win streak, the Bruins have started off Big Ten play (18-0) by sweeping their first six conference weekend.  Adding to their resume, in Game 1 of their series at Rutgers, they won a 14-inning thriller by a score of 4-1where their pitching staff registered an eye-popping 30-strikeouts while only surrendering 1 walk and 4 hits throughout.  In most any other season, the No. 2 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (30-5) would be sitting atop the poll as they are putting together a historic season of their own.  They swept Florida State (24-11) who was previously ranked...
Read More
Press Release | Press Release | 4/10/2026

Perfect Game and vivenu Partner Up

Article Image
    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923  www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    PERFECT GAME PARTNERS WITH VIVENU TO POWER DIGITAL COMMERCE ACROSS YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL    Sanford, Florida / New York, New York (Friday, April 10, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, has selected vivenu as its ticketing and commerce partner to unify revenue operations across its tournament ecosystem.    With 1.6 million tickets sold annually, 9,800 events in 40+ states and an immense social footprint, Perfect Game has built the most influential pipeline in amateur baseball. The organization has produced over 2,200 MLB alumni, and...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.