Best tools in the Draft class: Right-handed pitchers

May 28th, 2018

Organizations looking to add high-ceiling pitching prospects in the early rounds of this year's Draft will have plenty of options. That's especially true for clubs targeting right-handed hurlers, as they account for 86 of the 111 pitchers ranked in MLB Pipeline's freshly minted list of the Top 200 Draft Prospects.
:: 2018 Draft coverage ::
Auburn's Casey Mize and Florida's Brady Singer, the Nos. 1- and 2-ranked prospects, respectively, in the 2018 class, have been viewed as possible No. 1 overall picks for much of spring. While Singer's stock has slipped a little with the news that he would miss the Southeastern Conference tournament with a hamstring injury, Mize has continued to separate himself from his peers with a stellar junior campaign.
The talent in this year's class doesn't stop there, either. With 12 righties ranked inside the Top 30, a team seeking a dynamic arm in the first round should have their choice from a host of young pitching prospects, either from the prep or college ranks.
The 2018 Draft will take place on June 4-6, beginning with the Draft preview show on MLB Network and MLB.com at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, June 4. MLB Network will broadcast the first 43 picks (Round 1 and Competitive Balance Round A), while MLB.com will stream all 78 picks on Day 1. MLB.com will also provide live pick-by-pick coverage of Rounds 3-10 on Day 2, with a preview show beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET. Then, Rounds 11-40 can be heard live on MLB.com on Day 3, beginning at noon ET.
Go to MLB.com/Draft to see the Top 200 Prospects list, mock drafts, the complete order of selection and more. And follow @MLBDraft on Twitter to see what Draft hopefuls, clubs and experts are saying.
Here's where the 10 best right-handed pitching prospect rank on the Top 200:

  1. Mize, Auburn
  2. Singer, Florida
  3. Carter Stewart, Eau Gallie HS (Melbourne, Fla.)
  4. Cole Winn, Orange Lutheran (Calif.) HS
  5. Jackson Kowar, Florida
  6. Logan Gilbert, Stetson
  7. Cole Wilcox, Heritage (Ga.) HS
  8. Ethan Hankins, Forsyth Central (Ga.) HS
  9. Grayson Rodriguez, Central Heights (Texas) HS
  10. Kumar Rocker, North Oconee (Ga.) HS

    Best fastball: Hankins (80)
    While a muscular issue behind Hankins' right shoulder has limited him this spring, he boasts the most dynamic heater in his class when healthy -- an elite, 80-grade offering, according to scouts. Hankins sits at 92-96 mph and reaches 98 mph, throwing the pitch with a combination of explosive late life, downhill trajectory and command that enables him to induce whiffs both in and out of the strike zone. And given his projectable 6-foot-6, 200-pound frame, many evaluators believe the Vanderbilt commit has more velocity in the tank.

Best curveball: Stewart (65)
Stewart owns the best true curveball in the 2018 Draft, a power offering thrown in the low 80s with an elite spin rate in the 3,500-RPM range. For context, only Angels righty has eclipsed that spin-rate mark with his curveball this season. Needless to say, Stewart, a 6-foot-6 Mississippi State commit, consistently piles up whiffs with the pitch while inducing ugly, off-balanced swings from hitters on both sides of the plate.
Best slider: Griffin Roberts, Wake Forest (70)
That Roberts owns the best strikeout rate (12.4 K/9) in Wake Forest history speaks to the effectiveness of his nasty slider. He delivers the pitch in mid-80s, throwing it with a high spin rate that creates late two-plane break and enables him to miss bats with ease. It's a legitimate out pitch, one that will serve the 6-foot-3, 210-pounder well in the professional ranks in either a starting or bullpen role.

Best changeup/splitter: Mize (70)
With three pitches that grade as 60 or better, Mize has no shortage of weapons in his impressive arsenal. His mid-80s splitter/changeup, however, nets Mize the most whiffs. The pitch is a perfect complement to his fastball and slider, as the 6-foot-3 righty throws it from a similar slot, with late tumbling action that can make it untouchable at times.
Best control: Mize (60)
On top of his impressive stuff, Mize also has an advanced feel for his craft. After pacing all NCAA Division I pitchers last year with a 12.1 K/BB ratio, the 21-year-old has improved that mark to 14.0 in 2018, good for second among D-I hurlers, while issuing fewer than one walk-per-nine for a second straight season.