2017 MLB Draft: The best players left going into day 2

We are 75 picks deep in the 2017 MLB Draft and although a lot of talent has come off the board, there’s still some studs available for the Brewers to pick at #9 in the third round today. Here’s a look at the best remaining players and their rankings according to MLB, Baseball America and Minor League Ball.

Blayne Enlow
Pitcher, St. Amant High School

Rankings
MLB: 29 || Baseball America: 27 || Minor League Ball: 28

MLB Pipeline Grades:
Fastball: 60 || Curveball: 60 || Changeup: 50 || Control: 55 || Overall: 50

Enlow has a mid-90s fastball he commands well and one of the best breaking balls of the high school pitchers in this draft. So why is he still on the board at pick 76? I’m guessing Enlow’s commitment to Louisville is getting in the way. The young right-hander comes from the same high school as Ben Sheets and bears a striking resemblance in the way he pitches. It would be fun to see the Brewers take him in the third round and try to lure him from his college commitment.

Nick Allen
Shortstop, Park High School

Rankings
MLB: 30 || Baseball America: 26 || Minor League Ball: 32

MLB Pipeline Grades:
Hit: 55 || Power: 30 || Ren: 65 || Arm: 55 || Field: 65 || Overall: 50

Nick Allen is a tiny shortstop who often gets compared to Jose Altuve. That might be unfair because it’s mostly due to him being a slick fielding middle infielder who can’t get the bread off the top of the fridge. Allen had been connected to the Brewers and he has as good a chance as any to wind up a Brewer if the Crew ends up shelling out some bucks in the third round.

Tanner Burns
Pitcher, Decatur High School

Rankings
MLB: 39 || Baseball America: 37 || Minor League Ball: 41

MLB Pipeline Grades:
Fastball: 60 || Curveball: 55 || Changeup: 50 || Control: 50 || Overall: 50

From the tools, Burns looks like a pitcher very similar to Enlow but he’s not. The high school righty isn’t that tall which gives scouts a concern he’ll end up in the pen. If he does, his power fastball will have him covered, currently topping out at 97 with room for growth. His curveball can be plus but gets slurvy at times and his changeup gives him a great three pitch mix for a high schooler. The size is the problem.

Jacob Heatherly
Pitcher, Cullman High School

Rankings
MLB: 45 || Baseball America: 55 || Minor League Ball: 35

MLB Pipeline Grades:
Fastball: 55 || Curveball: 50 || Slider: 50 || Changeup: 50 || Control: 50 || Overall: 50

Heatherly was in talks to go in the first round, perhaps top ten before a rough season showed he could not control his secondary stuff. The high school lefty has plenty of talent but some scouts knock him for his age (19 years old) and continue to grow concerned about his command issues.

Evan Skoug
Catcher, Texas Christian

Rankings
MLB: 48 || Baseball America: 74 || Minor League Ball: 108

MLB Pipeline Grades:
Hit: 45 || Power: 50 || Run: 30 || Arm: 45 || Field: 45 || Overall: 50

All you have to do is look at the rankings to see the jury is still out on Skoug. However, it’s surprising to see the big catcher sitting around this long as teams normally reach for catchers since it is such a shallow position. His defense isn’t superb but he’s made due with what he has, giving him a chance to stick behind the plate. The calling card with Skoug is his power to all fields and he could make an easy transition to first once he goes pro.

Alex Scherff
Pitcher, Colleyville Herritage High School
Rankings
MLB: 52 || Baseball America: 52 || Minor League Ball: 63

MLB Pipeline Grades:
Fastball: 60 || Curveball: 45 || Slider: 50 || Changeup: 55 || Control: 50 || Overall: 50

The high school righty was able to get his fastball up to 98 MPH thanks to shedding 40 lbs but scouts are concerned because he jumped around from high school to high school throughout his career. He throws a great changeup for a prep player but his breaking balls leave a lot to be desired. His age is also concerning as he’s another 19-year-old.

Tristan Beck
Pitcher, Stanford

Rankings
MLB: 53 || Baseball America: 54 || Minor League Ball: 43

MLB Pipeline Grades:
Fastball: 55 || Curveball: 50 || Changeup: 60 || Control: 55 || Overall: 50

Why’s this 20-year-old Stanford standout slipping? A stress fracture in his back. Aside from a standout freshman year, Beck was not able to get on the mound and demonstrate his ability to scouts. If a team’s willing to pay up and ignore the risk, they could get a diamond in the rough. However, Beck has a lot of leverage as he still has two years of college eligibility left. The Brewers actually drafted Beck in the 34th round of the 2015 draft.

The MLB Draft will resume today for Day 2 picks in Rounds 3-10. Coverage begins at 11:30 AM CST streaming on MLB.com, and the first pick of the 3rd round will take place at 12:00 PM CST.