Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon

Boras Classic tourney a Draft prospect showcase

A little more than a week after Temecula Valley won the Southern California portion of the Boras Baseball Classic, play began Monday for schools in the northern half of the state. Because California doesn't have a state playoff system, the Boras Classic functions as a de facto state tournament.

Several well-regarded prospects are vying for that chance this week. Among the many players scouts will be keeping a close eye on are catcher Tim Susnara (St. Francis), outfielders Derek Hill (Elk Grove) and Trenton Kemp (Buchanan), right-handers Mitch Hart (Granite Bay) and Matt Trask (Davis), and left-handers Cameron Avila (Grant) and John Gavin (St. Francis).

Hill and Kemp are toolsy outfielders, and both are likely to be selected in the top three rounds of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft in June. Hill, an Oregon recruit, is one of the fastest players in the Draft class, and he won the Rawlings Defensive Player of the Year Award last summer. Kemp excites scouts with his power-speed combination, and he is committed to Fresno State.

The winner of the North portion of the tournament will play Temecula Valley in the championship game on May 3 at Pacific University.

Teddy Cahill is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @tedcahill.