By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

The landscape of the updated overall Class of 2015 player rankings have changed dramatically, chiefly because the landscape of the Prep Baseball Report state-specific coverage area has expanded since the last update.

It is important to note that the PBR overall rankings only reflect the states that we intimately know from our boots-on-the-ground scouting staff. The updated Top 400 Class of 2015 rankings now includes Florida, Louisiana and Maryland, in addition to our previously established states. All told, the overall rankings include 21 states and Ontario.

The inclusion of Florida changes the complexion of the overall rankings, starting with SS Brendan Rodgers (Lake Mary HS, FL), the undisputed No. 1 player in the country and likely the top pick in the MLB draft. In fact, four Florida prospects move into the top 10:  Rodgers, RHP Tristan McKenzie (Royal Palm Beach HS, FL), LHP Juan Hillman (Olympia HS, FL) and RHP Austin Smith (Park Vista HS, FL).

While there have been some seismic shifts since the last update, several familiar names still hover near the top of the list. RHP Mike Nikorak (Stroudsburg HS, PA) and RHP Ashe Russell (Cathedral HS, IN) follow right behind Rodgers at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively. OF Nick Plummer (Brother Rice, MI), RHP Donny Everett (Clarksville HS, TN), OF Demi Orimoloye and SS Nick Shumpert (Highlands Ranch HS, CO) all hold firm in the top 10 as well.

Aside from the newly added prospects, there are several players that made significant leaps over the winter, starting with OF/RHP Matt Vierlieng (CBC HS, MO), who turned in arguably the most impressive overall performance at the Super 60 in February. Vierling, who missed most of the summer and fall seasons with a leg injury, jumps to No. 12 in the overall rankings. Several Missouri prospects, in fact, made big leaps: SS Jeremy Eierman (Warsaw HS, MO), OF Marquise Doherty (Winnetonka HS, MO), LHP Jacob Schlesener (Logan-Rogersville HS, MO) and LHP Jake Lochner (Sullivan HS, MO) all jumped into the top 60. Lochner enjoyed the starkest move, going from 311 to 52 after the left-hander sat 90-92, topping at 93, with a sharp breaking ball at the Super 60.

No player in the PBR coverage area has seen his stock improve more over the offseason than RHP Luke Shilling (Notre Dame Prep HS, MI). The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Shilling went from a power-hitting first baseman/catcher to one of the most intriguing power arms in the country in a few bullpen sessions. At the Super 60, Shilling sat 93-95 with little effort. If the Illinois recruit proves he can throw strikes this spring, he should see his draft stock soar.

Enough reading about it. See for yourself. A look at the Top 10:

Rank	Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1	Brendan Rodgers	FL	Lake Mary	2015	SS	Florida State
2	Mike Nikorak	PA	Stroudsburg	2015	RHP	Alabama
3	Ashe Russell	IN	Cathedral	2015	RHP	Texas A&M
4	Tristan McKenzie	FL	Royal Palm Beach	2015	RHP	Vanderbilt
5	Nick Plummer	MI	Brother Rice	2015	OF	Kentucky
6	Juan Hillman	FL	Olympia	2015	LHP	Central Florida
7	Donny Everett	TN	Clarksville	2015	RHP	Vanderbilt
8	Demi Orimoloye	ON	St. Matthew	2015	OF	Oregon
9	Nick Shumpert	CO	Highlands Ranch	2015	SS	Kentucky
10	Austin Smith	FL	Park Vista	2015	RHP	Florida Atlantic

CLICK HERE for complete Top 400 Class of 2015 overall rankings