Best Draft prospects at each position

The ways to slice and dice a First-Year Player Draft class are infinite. One of the easiest methods: by position.

Think of it as a Draft All-Star team of sorts. While no team will be able to field every player on this list, it’s fun to think about a potential starting nine made exclusively out of top 2021 prospects. This year’s edition is pretty well-balanced: six players from the college ranks, four from high schools. Three of the top five overall prospects make the cut in Marcelo Mayer, Jack Leiter and Henry Davis while No. 3 Jordan Lawlar is forced to the second team at a loaded spot on the diamond.

• Draft Central | Draft Tracker | Top 250 | Order

These are the best Draft prospects at each position:

C: Henry Davis, Louisville (No. 5)
Davis surged to become the best college hitter in this class by hitting .370/.482/.663 with 15 homers and a 24/31 K/BB ratio in 50 games this spring. Those numbers are almost exactly in line with the same stats he produced (.372/.481/.698) in his pandemic-shortened sophomore year. The right-handed slugger is expected to be an above-average hitter when it comes to both average and power because of his strength and ability to control the strike zone. His best grades might still be for his cannon of an arm behind the plate, so while he still has some defensive kinks to work out, his throwing ability should keep him at catcher. That’s an enticing mix for any team picking in the top five this year.

Second team: Harry Ford, North Cobb (Ga.) HS (No. 13)

1B: Alex Binelas, Louisville (No. 65)
Make it two straight Louisville sluggers at the top of the list. Binelas is a homer hitter through and through. His 19 blasts this spring tied him for 11th in Division I, and he finished the season with a lopsided .256/.348/.621 line in 50 games. Batting from the left side, Binelas’ streaky nature might keep him from being an average overall hitter at the top level, but the 55-grade pop, which stems from the strength of his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame, will allow him to help in the middle of a lineup. The 21-year-old played both first and third at Louisville but wasn’t plus at either spot. He could move to the outfield at the pro level.

Second team: Kyle Manzardo, Washington State (No. 81)

2B: Peyton Stovall, Haughton (LA) HS (No. 29)
Stovall is known for his sweet, left-handed swing, one that allows him to make hard contact all over the diamond and send his fair share of balls screaming over the fence. The 18-year-old might possess just average power when it’s all settled, but the bat should be at least plus overall. He has question marks elsewhere. Stovall projects for slightly below-average speed, and evaluators believe that -- combined with a 45-grade arm -- will keep him to second base. That’s still an up-the-middle position, however, and Stovall’s bat could be good enough to overcome any other shortcomings.

Second team: Tyler Black, Wright State (No. 57)

3B: Colson Montgomery, Southridge (Ind.) HS (No. 25)
What do you need to be a corner infielder? Likely some power. Montgomery shows signs of that from the left side, and he’s at his best when he’s trying to utilize the entire field, rather than selling out for pulled moonshots. What do you need to be a third baseman? A good arm. Montgomery’s tool in that regard earns 55 grades on the 20-80 scouting scale, an assessment that should help him slide over from shortstop in the Minors. The Indiana native certainly has the size for the spot at 6-foot-4, and if he lives up to his potential, the team that takes him could get its prototypical third baseman locked in Sunday.

Second team: Izaac Pacheco, Friendswood (Tex.) HS (No. 30)

SS: Marcelo Mayer, Eastlake (Calif.) HS (No. 1)
Jordan Lawlar, Kahlil Watson and Brady House all have legitimate claims to the six spot on this list, but it’s tough to beat the top overall prospect in the Draft. Mayer gets the call because he’s the most likely of the group to be a plus overall hitter. Batting from the left side, the California native works the strike zone well and makes a lot of good contact when he does put the bat on the ball, which is often. Standing at 6-foot-3, he projects for at least above-average power, and that size shouldn’t stop him from being a plus shortstop because of his good hands and footwork. It’s the type of package that would instantly make Mayer one of the Minors’ best prospects the moment he signs.

Second team: Jordan Lawlar, Jesuit Prep (Tex.) (No. 3)

OF: Colton Cowser, Sam Houston (No. 10)
Cowser has long been a plus left-handed hitter, including his time with the U.S. collegiate team in 2019 facing more advanced arms than he did in college. He was the Southland Conference Player of the Year and a Golden Spikes semifinalist this spring after hitting .374/.490/.680 with 16 homers in 55 games. He also showed off plus speed with 17 steals in 20 attempts. Cowser has a decent chance to stick in center and would become even more valuable if he is able to remain up the middle.

OF: Sal Frelick, Boston College (No. 11)
At 5-foot-9, Frelick is the shortest player on this first team, but underestimate him at your own peril. His plus-plus run tool makes him an instant prospect, and his plus hitting ability -- stemming from good bat speed and an impressive approach that leads to more walks than strikeouts -- pushes him into the upper echelon of the class. Frelick hit .359/.443/.559 with six homers and 13 steals in 48 games with the Eagles this spring, securing his place as a top-15 prospect. As if he needed more, the BC star won ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors in his first season as a full-time center fielder.

OF: Benny Montgomery, Red Land (PA) HS (No. 15)
An organization willing to bet on athletic tools should put a star next to Montgomery’s name. The Pennsylvania native can run with almost anyone else in this Draft class, earning a 70 for his wheels, and he has the raw power from the right side to be at least above-average in that area as well. His speed and strong arm make him a defensive threat from the grass. There are just some questions about how well the bat will play in the pros because of a hitchy swing, but Montgomery checks so many of the other boxes that he could be a good bet to figure out that part of his game, too.

Second team: Will Taylor, Dutch Fork (SC) HS (No. 20); Jud Fabian, Florida (No. 23); Joshua Baez, Dexter Southfield (MA) (No. 24)

LHP: Jordan Wicks, Kansas State (No. 16)
Pitchers with near-plus-plus changeups are rare, yet Wicks fits the bill. The 6-foot-3 southpaw throws the cambio with the same arm speed as his low-90s fastball only for it to drop off in the low-80s, giving hitters fits. His fastball also plays up because of high spin rates, and he has the full four-pitch arsenal that includes an above-average slider and a serviceable curve. Wicks posted a 3.70 ERA with 118 strikeouts and 28 walks in 92 1/3 innings this spring and should be even better than those numbers would indicate.

Second team: Anthony Solometo, Bishop Eustace (NJ) HS (No. 17)

RHP: Jack Leiter, Vanderbilt (No. 2)
Depending on your view, we might be saving the best for last here. Leiter entered 2021 as a must-follow pitcher in Nashville and eventually pulled away from the pack because of his difficult-to-touch stuff. The fastball, in particular, can be a plus-plus pitch in the mid-90s with plenty of life and spin. His 12-to-6 curveball can be difficult for righties to pick up, while his slider and changeup also have above-average potential. Leiter used that arsenal to lead Division I in strikeouts with 179 in 110 innings this spring, and it’s the mix of stuff and results that are likely to make him the first pitcher off the board this weekend.

Second team: Kumar Rocker, Vanderbilt (No. 6)