THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,494 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,494 MLB PLAYERS | 15,806 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Draft  | Rankings | 4/24/2019

2019 MLB Draft: Top 300 Prospects

Photo: JJ Bleday (Vanderbilt Athletics)

The rankings as shown below are a combination of Perfect Game's personal observations and opinions combined with those from the scouting community. To view Perfect Game's one-of-a-kind high school player rankings for the high school class of 2019 please visit this link.


Top 10 Prospects, 2019 MLB Draft


Rk. Player POS. School Rk. Player Pos. School
1 Adley Rutschman C Oregon State 6 Nick Lodolo LHP TCU
2 Bobby Witt Jr SS Colleyville Heritage HS 7 JJ Bleday OF Vanderbilt
3 Andrew Vaughn 1B California 8 Alek Manoah RHP West Virginia
4 Bryson Stott SS UNLV 9 Riley Greene OF Hagerty HS
5 CJ Abrams SS Blessed Trinity HS 10 Hunter Bishop OF Arizona State


The State of the Draft

We are, as of this posting 40 days away from the start of the MLB Draft, which will take place over the course of three days, June 3-5. Below you'll find 300 players ranked, representing roughly the top 10 rounds of the draft, taking everything into the equation with the exception of signability when ranking these players. For the first time since I've been covering the draft it looks like we're going have a wire-to-wire projected 1:1 pick, and it's well within reason that we'll go wire-to-wire with picks Nos. 1 and 2 in terms of year-long projection. Oregon State's Adley Rutschman has been excellent for well over a year now, as he ended 2018 as the projected first overall pick in 2019, and 40 days from the draft it's hard to imagine changing that projection barring something unforeseen. In the same vein, Texas prep shortstop Bobby Witt, Jr. has been atop the Perfect Game class of 2019 rankings for years now, and has stayed right on Rutschman's heels as the 1B to Rutschman's 1A in this draft class. 

As there is every year, players have risen and players have fallen throughout the course of the spring, and while draft boards are starting to take shape for MLB teams, we still have a ways to go. Cal's Andrew Vaughn and UNLV's Bryson Stott have gone the distance since last summer as projected high selections on the college side, as have Georgia prep shortstop CJ Abrams and Florida prep outfielder Riley Greene. If you've noticed, every player mentioned specifically so far has been a position player, which lines up with how the class lines up as well.

It would be difficult to say there's a dearth of pitching in this class, as the talent pool is deep, but, as you can see, the first pitcher on this list is TCU's Nick Lodolo at No. 6 and our first prep pitcher doesn't check in until Florida prep RHP Matt Allan at No. 12. Pitching has, really, been the toughest part of this class to figure out, because no pitcher on either the college or prep sides has really grabbed the mantle as top arm in the class and ran with it, a la Casey Mize in 2018 or even the Hunter Greene/MacKenzie Gore and Brendan McKay/Kyle Wright draft in 2017, as all four of those players went in the top 5. This year, it's actually somewhat of a possibility that we wait several picks before seeing a pitcher selected, perhaps as many as eight or nine picks, though that's all subject to change over the course of the next 40 days. 

As far as risers go, there have been plenty, as there always are, but perhaps none more so than Arizona State's Hunter Bishop. Long viewed as a player with extremely high-level tools and athleticism, Bishop has finally put it all together as a junior and performed loudly, and has flown up draft boards as a result. The concerns over whether or not his performance this year is a flash in the pan as well as his limited track record of success, both in college and in summer leagues, will give some teams pause but it would still be pretty shocking if he fell out of the top 10-12 picks or so as it sits right now.

In a similar vein, West Virginia's Alek Manoah has a claim as the top pitcher in the class on either the college or prep side, and while others have seen peaks and valleys in their performance this year, Manoah is peaking at the right time. He's currently on a hot streak not often seen by any pitcher, and has forced his way well into the top 10, maybe even higher at this point.

Similarly, San Jacinto's Jackson Rutledge came into the season as the No. 2 overall JUCO prospect (behind only '18 No. 8 overall pick Carter Stewart) and potentially an early- to mid-day two pick. He's now comfortably in first round consideration on the strength of tremendous size and physicality, a fastball that gets into the triple digits, and a pair of breaking balls that will at least flash plus.

Vanderbilt's JJ Bleday entered the season viewed as a potential day one guy, maybe higher depending on your perspective as a Vanderbilt fan or not, and he could go as high as No. 5 overall to Detroit right now given his massive performance this year and quality RF profile. 

The state of Texas, always a baseball powerhouse, is absolutely loaded again in 2019. Between college, prep and JUCO, Texas has 14 players in the top 100 right now, and depending on individual signability, there could be as many as 7-8 first rounders.

Prep pitching in general is a fascinating case study right now as, depending on who you ask, any of three arms could be the top prep pitcher on the board between Matt Allan, Brennan Malone, and Daniel Espino. All three are especially fascinating in how different they are from each other as well. Espino's performance at the Perfect Game High School Showdown featured some of the best pure stuff we've ever seen in PG events, a thought echoed by high-ranking members of the organization who have seen the greats come through our events over the past 20-plus years. Malone has come on strong this spring, as many expected him to, and may be the most projectable and athletic of the group. Allan, meanwhile, once viewed as a pretty quality day one talent in general, has rocketed up boards this spring and, at this moment, stands as the top prep pitcher on our board.

Right behind those three are Jack Leiter, JJ Goss, Quinn Priester and Kendall Williams, all first round talents who will be fascinating to follow as we get to draft day, given the proclivities of teams to try and get those types of talents to slide a bit and overpay them in the comp/early second rounds. 

We've touched on JUCO already with Jackson Rutledge, and he could be joined by Carter Stewart as a junior college first round pick, though Stewart seems more ticketed for the comp round or thereabouts as it sits right now. Following those two, Wabash Valley's Antoine Kelly, Northwest Mississippi's Dalton Fowler, Chipola's Ivan Johnson, Brookhaven's Justin Fall, Northwest Florida State's Jake Randa, Kirkwood's Levi Usher, Wallace-Dothan's Oraj Anu, Tyler's Peyton Miller, Central Arizona's Lucas Knowles and Central Florida's James Nix are several of the JUCO names who could find themselves as top 10 round picks this year, with a whole host of other players who will fit into the day three range. 

On the D-II side, a pair of prospects could be top 5-round picks, and we have them both slotted in the fourth round right now. Wayne State's Hunter Brown has been on the radar in the Midwest since the fall, but really blew up nationally early this spring as a physical righthander up to 97-98 mph with flashes of a plus slider. The other, Brenton Doyle, an outfielder from Shepherd University in West Virginia, is the lesser-known of the two on the national stage but offers substantial tools and athleticism, and should go in the top five rounds. 

On the whole, this is a fascinating draft class given the complexities and trends of the class at this juncture. We've touched on some of the highlights, and obviously we still have the big draft list to follow in the next several weeks when we reshuffle and expand the list for a final time.


Top 300 Prospects, 2019 MLB Draft
Column L = Level (C = College; H = High School; J = Junior College)

Continue reading this article and more with a Crosschecker Rankings & Scouting Reports subscription.

Sign in Subscribe Now

Draft | Mock Draft | 7/6/2026

MLB Mock Draft: 4.0

Tyler Henninger
Article Image
MLB Draft: Top 500 Update Pick Team Name Pos. School 1 Chicago White Sox Roch Cholowsky SS UCLA 2 Tampa Bay Rays Grady Emerson SS Fort Worth Christian 3 Minnesota Twins Vahn Lackey C Georgia Tech 4 San Francisco Giants Jacob Lombard SS Gulliver Schools 5 Pittsburgh Pirates Jackson Flora RHP UC Santa Barbara 6 Kansas City Royals Drew Burress OF Georgia Tech 7 Baltimore Orioles Eric Booth Jr. OF Oak Grove 8 Athletics Chris Hacopian SS Texas A&M 9 Atlanta Braves Ryder Helfrick C Arkansas 10 Colorado Rockies Tyler Bell* SS Kentucky 11 Washington Nationals Jared Grindlinger LHP/OF Huntington Beach 12 Los Angeles Angels Cameron Flukey RHP Coastal Carolina 13 St. Louis Cardinals AJ Gracia OF Virginia 14 Miami Marlins Derek Curiel OF LSU 15 Arizona Diamondbacks Gio Rojas LHP Marjory Stoneman Douglas 16 Texas Rangers Liam Peterson RHP Florida 17 Houston Astros Justin Lebron SS Alabama 18...
Tournaments | Story | 7/7/2026

Two Day Rewind at 15u National Elite

Kinley Kitchens
Article Image
Two days into the 2026 Perfect Game 15U National Elite Championship, the storylines are already beginning to take shape. As one of the summer’s premier invite-only events, the tournament annually brings together many of the nation’s top 15U clubs, with 100 elite teams traveling to Hoover in pursuit of a championship. While there is still plenty of baseball left to play, the opening rounds have already produced breakout performances, dominant team victories, and plenty of excitement heading into bracket play. Several nationally recognized organizations entered the week as favorites, including MTBA Dawgs, ranked No. 3 nationally, Wildcatters Baseball at No. 10, and 5 Star Mafia, ranked No. 12. Meanwhile, newer programs like Jason Kidd Select Team have quickly shown they are capable of making noise against the nation’s best. One of the biggest storylines through the first...
Tournaments | Story | 7/7/2026

16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 1

Jason Phillips
Article Image
Nolan Ash (2028, Ashland, Mo.) showed off the power upside for Natty State 2028. The right-handed hitter starts from a spread stance with in-line feet and a high handset with a high back elbow, utilizes a leg lift stride. Creates separation and uses a direct hand path with a slightly uphill bat plane and some feel to generate lift from the lower half. Quick hands and stays in-sync with a rotational lower half and solid bat speed. Showed the power belting a solo bomb over the left field fence. Long and lean 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame with wiry strength present and more room to fill. The shortstop has a high ceiling and feel for the barrel. Colton Dodds (2028, Columbia, Mo.) showed off the barrel feel and power upside for Natty State 2028. The right-handed hitter starts from a wide base with in-line feet and a high handset with a high back elbow, utilizes a no stride trigger. Direct hands...
College | Story | 7/7/2026

Coppy's Corner: July 7 Summer Edition

John Coppolella
Article Image
It’s an exciting time for College Baseball. Not only do potential and proposed changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) elevate the game, but we are coming off a thrilling College World Series and less than a week away from Major League Baseball’s 2026 Amateur Draft. In the middle of it all is the Cape Cod Baseball League.  The amateur players on the Cape are the future stars of the 2027 MLB Draft. The league runs from June 13th  through August 2nd. Games are played at historic stadiums in Old New England towns. It’s beautiful and charming. Hollywood even made a movie about the Cape Cod League ~25 years ago called Summer Catch. It scored an 8% (!) on Rotten Tomatoes, but, on the plus side, it featured 2001 Jessica Biel in a starring role.  It was so much fun writing Coppy’s Column this spring. My hope is to highlight a pitcher and...
Tournaments | Story | 7/6/2026

16u WWBA Rolls Into Marietta

Will Dembo
Article Image
More than 300 of the nation’s top 16u teams will meet in East Cobb, Georgia this week as the 16u WWBA Championship gets underway. Over 50 ranked teams from across the country will compete for one of the most prestigious titles in travel baseball, drawing scouts and fans from all over. Pool play will commence on Monday, July 6th with the championship game set for July 13th at the storied East Cobb Baseball Complex. Canes National 16u will hold honors of being the top ranked team entering the event as they have earned a No. 2 national ranking following a dominant 17-2-1 start to their season. The highly touted program is home to many of the top ranked prospects from the 2028 class including talented two-way athlete, Grant Arnold (No. 12 overall) who lives in the 90’s from the mound as well as middle infielder, Bryan Mesa (No. 14 overall) who will draw lots of attention this...
College | Story | 7/6/2026

USA Collegiate National Team: Stars

Craig Cozart
Article Image
Quick Hits  Each year at the end of June and beginning of July, top collegiate baseball talent from around the nation arrives in Cary, NC at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.  Typically, the rosters are filled with top underclass, non-draft-eligible talent but this year, we will see a sprinkling of upper-classmen as the coaches evaluate just under 60 players to get to their final 28 roster spots.  For a total of two weeks, the Stars Squad and the Stripes Squad will compete against outside competition in North Carolina as well as Virginia before finishing their slate with 5-games against each other at the NTC Complex.  Once the final roster has been announced the team will depart for Taiwan to compete in the 2026 World Baseball Championships, July 11-15.    CNT Stars Position Players  Anthony Pack Jr.  FR / OF / University of Texas ...
Tournaments | Story | 7/5/2026

13u World Series Notes: Days 1-2

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Michael Wedgeworth (2030, Flomaton, AL) had put the two way ability on full display so far this week, dominating from both sides. On the mound Wedgeworth ran the fastball up to 84 (81-83) with ease to the delivery. Broke off a couple nasty curveballs that induced swing and miss, as well as freezing hitters for punch outs. Collected six in his four inning complete game. He also would not be denied at the plate going 3-5 in the first two days with two doubles. Very intriguing young player as the body continues to grow.  Tyler Bellush (2031, Summerville, SC) is a sure handed shortstop for the Canes Nation squad. Swings it from the left side of the plate and the barrel accuracy has really stuck out thus far. 3-4 through the first couple days with a double and two triples, Bellush has also walked twice and collected 3 RBI along the way. Yesterday against USA Prime with the bases loaded,...
Tournaments | Story | 7/4/2026

16u WWBA North Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Oliver Lindstrom (2028, Green Bay, WI) created some of the loudest offensive moments of the weekend while producing across the board, finishing with six hits, eight RBI, and a home run. The right-handed hitter showed the ability to stay through the baseball and drive it with authority. Creates quality leverage through the lower half while arriving in strong hitting positions early, allowing the barrel to work with intent through the zone. The blend of power, athleticism, and all-fields impact stood out throughout the event.  Dominic Haigh (2028, South Bend, IN) was one of the most productive hitters at the event, collecting 10 hits while consistently creating pressure on opposing defenses. Made life difficult on pitchers with a relentless approach, routinely extending at-bats and forcing them to work deep into counts. The operation remains simple and efficient, featuring an early...
Tournaments | Story | 7/4/2026

West Region Rankings Risers: Class of 2028

Joey Cohen
Article Image
After a heavy stretch of early summer looks, our scouting staff felt confident rolling out an updated ‘28 national ranking a couple weeks ago. The evaluation window was packed whether it was with our Memorial Day and Summer Kickoff tournaments, UBC action, Sunshine Showcases, and of course the Junior National Showcase which all provided a deep and diverse look at the class against strong competition. Between fresh game evaluations and updated showcase data, we were able to get a clearer picture of where players stand and more importantly how they’ve progressed. Improvements in strength, athleticism, and overall skill were evident across the board giving our staff real conviction when it came time to shuffle the board. With that in mind, I wanted to highlight a handful of west region prospects who made a strong impression on me this summer and earned a well-deserved jump in...
All American Game | Story | 7/3/2026

Initial 2026 All Star Game Roster Reveal

Article Image
We are excited to announce the first selections for the 2026 PG All Star Game from both the Perfect Game Junior and Sophomore National Showcases. The PG All Star Game will be held on Friday, August 14th at Citizens Bank Ballpark, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies, and will feature roughly 40 of the top players, predominately from the 2028 class with a few of the very best 2029s also selected. A watchlist has been created from the Junior National Showcase and another group of players will be selected from that showcase towards the end of July as we continue to evaluate players at the major Perfect Game tournaments this summer. The final wave of selections we be made at the PG Underclass All American Games August 5-7 at the UCSD in San Diego, CA. PG Underclass All American Games   Junior National Selections Dexter McCleon Jr. OF Suwanee, GA USA Prime Cullen Scott RHP/3B Melissa,...
Loading more articles...