Best tools in the Draft class: Corner infielders

May 29th, 2018

Corner infielders represent one of the strengths of this year's Draft. Three third basemen -- Wichita State's Alec Bohm, Florida's Jonathan India and Arizona high schooler Nolan Gorman -- could go in the first 10 choices. The hot corner hasn't had three players selected that early since 2005, when went No. 2 to the Royals, went No. 4 to the Nationals and went No. 5 to the Brewers.
Texas prepster Jordan Groshans is another third baseman who could hear his name called in the first round. While the first basemen aren't as formidable as the 2017 crop that featured four among the top 17 picks, Florida high schooler Triston Casas and Clemson's Seth Beer are two of the best power bats available and figure to get snapped up in the first round.
:: 2018 Draft coverage ::
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. Rounds 11-40 can be heard live on MLB.com on Day 3, beginning at noon ET.
Go to MLB.com/draft to see MLB Pipeline's Top 200 Prospects list, mock drafts, complete order of selection and more. And follow @MLBDraft on Twitter to see what Draft hopefuls, clubs and experts are saying.
Below are the top-rated corner infielders on the Top 200 list:
7. Alec Bohm, 3B, Wichita State
8. Jonathan India, 3B, Florida
12. Nolan Gorman, 3B, O'Connor HS (Phoenix)
20. Tristan Casas, 1B, American Heritage School (Plantation, Fla.)
32. Jordan Groshans, 3B, Magnolia (Texas) HS
46. Seth Beer, 1B, Clemson
57. Luken Baker, 1B, Texas Christian
82. Nick Northcut, 3B, Mason (Ohio) HS
100. Grant Lavigne, 1B, Bedford (N.H.) HS
131. Bren Spillane, 1B, Illinois

Top tools (grade on 20-80 scouting scale in parentheses)
Best hitter: India (55)
One of college baseball's hottest hitters in the first half of the season, India cooled off a bit down the stretch but still enters the NCAA Division I tournament ranked second in the Southeastern Conference in batting (.362) and first in on-base percentage (.502) and slugging (.723). The SEC player of the year, he has a quality right-handed swing and is managing the strike zone and tapping into his raw power better than he ever has before.
Best power: Gorman (60)
Gorman has the best power in the Draft, the product of electric bat speed and a lot of loft in his left-handed stroke. He also packs plenty of strength in his 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame and showed off his talents last summer when he won the High School Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game in Miami and another home run contest at the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field.

Fastest runner: Niko Decolati, 3B, Loyola Marymount (60)
Corner infielders aren't usually known for their speed, which is why Decolati stands out as a plus runner. He has raw power to match and the versatility to play a number of positions, though he'll have to make more consistent contact at the plate to succeed in pro ball.
Strongest arm: Northcut (60)
Northcut will get drafted early because of his offensive potential, but he's also interesting on the mound with a low-90s fastball and a promising breaking ball. His arm is an asset at the hot corner, where he projects as a solid defender if he can improve his agility.

Best defender: India (55)
India has the hands, arm and instincts to make all of the plays at third base. There's no doubt he can handle the hot corner at the next level, and he's also quick enough that whoever drafts him may be tempted to try him at second base or perhaps even shortstop.