Prep Baseball Report

2022 PBR Draft Board - May Update


Nathan Rode | Shooter Hunt | David Seifert

With the college regular season drawing to a close and high schools beginning to crown state champions, the PBR Draft Board is more than ready for an update. If there is a consensus on this year, it’s that the draft is going to be wild. Injuries have plagued the college pitching crop, and seeped into the high school arms as well. That is pretty clear at the top of the list with position players taking up the top 10 spots.

Taking over the No. 1 spot is our top high school prospect SS Termarr Johnson (Mays HS, GA). He recently committed to Arizona State, but that is a moot point. He is the best pure hitter from the high school ranks in years. His thicker frame doesn’t jump out as that of a big league shortstop, but his hands and arm strength fit there and he’d be at least an above average defender at third or second base. OF Elijah Green (IMG Academy, FL) and his electric five-tool potential slides in right behind him at No. 2.

The most notable jump into the top 10 is SS Jackson Holliday (Stillwater HS, OK). Previously at No. 25, the Oklahoma State recruit has had a huge spring and proven that he is among the best hitters in the country. His 89 hits on the season is a record according to the National Federation of High Schools record book, edging out fellow Oklahoman J.T. Realmuto. OF Druw Jones (Wesleyan School, GA) and SS Brooks Lee (Cal Poly) round out the top five.

The top pitcher on the board now is LHP Brandon Barriera (American Heritage HS, FL). The Vanderbilt recruit shut his season down a couple weeks ago, finishing with 68 strikeouts and 11 walks in 37 innings. RHP Kumar Rocker, who checks in at No. 12, will pitch for the Tri-City ValleyCats of the Frontier League, a Partner League of MLB, ahead of the draft in July.

RHP Gabe Hughes (Gonzaga) and LHP Cooper Hjerpe (Oregon State) also made huge jumps into the first-round discussion. Hughes has been a mainstay in the Zags’ rotation, sitting in the mid 90s with heavy action on his fastball. In 77 innings, he has struck out 115 while allowing 53 hits and 29 walks and carrying a 2.44 ERA. Hjerpe has led the Beavers to a top five ranking this season, striking out 125 and walking just 16 in 78 innings. His low-90s fastball explodes on hitters from a low slot, his changeup is deceptive and his slider buckles hitters with tight spin.

The top 50 is below, with links to player profiles that contain notes and videos. Asterisks (*) denote sophomore-eligible players. Subscribers can view the full list.

RANK NAME POS SCHOOL COMMITMENT/PREVIOUSLY DRAFTED
1 Termarr Johnson SS Mays HS, GA Arizona State
2 Elijah Green OF IMG Academy, FL Miami
3 Jackson Holliday SS Stillwater HS, OK Oklahoma State
4 Druw Jones OF Wesleyan School, GA Vanderbilt
5 Brooks Lee SS Cal Poly Giants, 35th round, 2019
6 Kevin Parada* C Georgia Tech Undrafted
7 Daniel Susac* C Arizona Undrafted
8 Jacob Berry* 1B Louisiana State Undrafted
9 Gavin Cross OF Virginia Tech Undrafted
10 Jace Jung 2B Texas Tech Undrafted
11 Brandon Barriera LHP American Heritage Plantation HS, FL Vanderbilt
12 Kumar Rocker RHP No School Mets, 1st round, 2021
13 Dylan Lesko RHP Buford HS, GA Vanderbilt
14 Paxton Kling OF Central (Martinsburg) HS, PA Louisiana State
15 Noah Schultz LHP Oswego East HS, IL Vanderbilt
16 Jett Williams SS Rockwall-Heath HS, TX Mississippi State
17 Gabe Hughes RHP Gonzaga Undrafted
18 Cooper Hjerpe LHP Oregon State Undrafted
19 Jackson Ferris LHP IMG Academy, FL Mississippi
20 Connor Prielipp LHP Alabama Red Sox, 37th round, 2019
21 Cam Collier 3B Chipola JC Undrafted
22 Brock Porter RHP Orchard Lake St Marys Prep, MI Clemson
23 Carson Whisenhunt LHP East Carolina Undrafted
24 Andrew Dutkanych RHP Brebeuf HS, IN Vanderbilt
25 Tristan Smith LHP Boiling Springs HS, SC Clemson
26 Zach Neto SS Campbell Undrafted
27 Malcolm Moore C C.K. McClatchy HS, CA Stanford
28 Brady Neal C IMG Academy, FL Louisiana State
29 Justin Campbell RHP Oklahoma State Astros, 18th round, 2019
30 Sterlin Thompson* OF Florida Undrafted
31 Cade Doughty 2B Louisiana State Tigers, 39th round, 2019
32 Chase DeLauter OF James Madison Undrafted
33 Jacob Melton OF Oregon State Undrafted
34 Jonathan Cannon RHP Georgia Undrafted
35 Dylan Beavers OF California Undrafted
36 Jordan Beck OF Tennessee Red Sox, 14th round, 2019
37 Tucker Toman 3B Hammond HS, SC Louisiana State
38 Cole Young SS North Allegheny HS, PA Duke
39 Robby Snelling LHP McQueen HS, NV Louisiana State
40 Nazier Mule RHP PCTI, NJ Miami
41 Logan Tanner C Mississippi State Undrafted
42 Drew Gilbert OF Tennessee Twins, 35th round, 2019
43 Peyton Pallette RHP Arkansas Undrafted
44 Thomas Harrington* RHP Campbell Undrafted
45 Adam Mazur RHP Iowa Undrafted
46 Blade Tidwell* RHP Tennessee Undrafted
47 Cayden Wallace* 3B Arkansas Undrafted
48 Jud Fabian OF Florida Red Sox, 2nd round, 2021
49 Brock Jones OF Stanford Diamondbacks, 16th round, 2019
50 Cole Phillips RHP Boerne HS, TX Arkansas

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