College Top 50 Freshman

Starting today with the freshmen, Baseball America’s annual ranking of the top 50 players in each class returns for 2019. 

Vanderbilt righthander Kumar Rocker, who was No. 13 on the 2018 BA 500, was the highest ranked player last year to arrive on a Division I campus and tops this list. He is followed by Florida State shortstop Nander De Sedas, the top-ranked position player in last year’s prep class not to sign. Both are expected to impact their teams this spring.

Righthander Carter Stewart, who ranked No. 9 on last year’s BA 500 and went unsigned as the eighth overall pick in the draft, will this spring play for Eastern Florida State JC. Junior college players were not considered for this list.

Even without Stewart, the list features three players who went unsigned after being drafted in the first 40 picks: UCLA shortstop/center fielder Matt McLain, Mississippi State righthander/first baseman JT Ginn and Mississippi righthander Gunnar Hoglund. Not since the 1989 draft have so many prep players drafted in the top 40 picks not signed and gone on to play Division I college baseball. That 1989 group included catcher Charles Johnson and third baseman Calvin Murray, who went on to star at Miami and Texas, respectively.  

The trio of McLain, Ginn and Hoglund, as well as Rocker, De Sedas and Georgia righthander Cole Wilcox, who ranked No. 39 in the BA 500, give this year's freshman class a special feel. It remains to be seen if there is a Johnson or Murray in this year's class, but, at the very least, it should make for a fun Freshman of the Year race. 

Florida and Louisiana State both have four players on the list, the most of any team. Louisville, Miami and Vanderbilt all have three players. In all, 31 schools are represented.

The rankings are primarily a reflection of draft status, with some consideration given for how players are expected to perform this spring.