By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

Over the course of four months, which has spanned the high school season, state-specific and the national summer showcase circuit, our scouting staff has been hard at work. In that span, many sophomores have taken significant leaps forward, which in turn have created massive shakeups in the updated and expanded overall 2018 rankings.

Although it’s still early, and the list will inevitably evolve, expand and dramatically change over the coming years, we are confident this list of the top 150 2018 prospects will have bright futures as they grow and mature.

While it is early, many sophomores have already made their verbal commitments. In fact, 18 of the top 30 prospects have already verballed to top-level programs across the country with many others sitting on offers. In our coverage area, both Louisville and Florida each have five 2018 commitments, while Vanderbilt and Virginia have four.

Early indications point to this 2018 class being another bumper crop of prospects. 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 150 Class of 2018 rankings is comprised of our current 27-state coverage area, which now includes New Jersey, all New England states and Ontario.

Although this class already features a dearth of high-level talent, there is no definitive No. 1 prospect like some previous classes. While several players can make a strong case for the top spot, OF/LHP Connor Scott (Plant HS) gets the slight nod. The highly projectable 6-foot-3, 170-pound Florida recruit starred at Plant HS as a freshman, a program that featured two first-rounders, including OF Kyle Tucker, the No. 5 overall pick whom Scott resembles. Scott is a highly athletic left-handed hitter with power potential and a strong arm. Although his future is most likely as a position player, Scott also features a lively fastball that has been up to 87 mph.

Not far behind Scott is another left-handed hitting outfielder with tremendous upside: Alek Thomas (Mount Carmel HS, IL). Like Scott, Thomas emerged on a loaded high school team with eight Division 1 players to lead the team in home runs. A clutch performer, Thomas hits balls much farther than his wiry 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame would indicate. In short order, Thomas has begun to build a reputation as potentially one of the top outfield prospects Illinois has seen in a long time. A three-sport standout, Thomas’ dad, Allen, is the strength coach for the Chicago White Sox.

RHP Levi Kelly (IMG Academy HS, FL), a physically advanced 6-foot-3, 195-pound LSU recruit, recently transferred from Nitro HS in West Virginia to IMG Academy in Florida. Kelly, who features premium arm strength, is one of four Florida prospects in the top 10, along with left-handed hitting SS Alec Sanchez (Providence HS, FL) and RHP/INF Lyon Richardson (Jensen Beach HS, FL).

INF/RHP Ryder Green (Hardin Valley HS, TN) jumps to No. 5 on the list after the physical two-way talent helped lead the 15U USA National Team to the gold medal recently. The Kentucky recruit is one of the top right-handed hitters in the class and also features an upper-80s fastball on the mound.

LHP Jacob Sweeney (Andrean HS, IN) headlines an extremely talented Indiana crop of prospects. The highly projectable 6-foot-6, 205-pound left-hander burst onto the national recruiting scene at the PBR Future Games in August, showing an easy upper-80s fastball with, it seems, plenty more in the tank. Indiana, which has been a hotbed for top-level pitchers recently, has 15 players in the top 150, five of whom are already committed.

Rounding out the top 10 are RHP Landon Marceaux (Destrahan HS, LA), left-handed hitting OF Jarred Kelenic (Waukesha West HS, WI) and physical infielder Justyn Henry-Malloy (St. Joseph’s Regional HS, NJ).

Outside the top 10, there are several big risers this summer, led by RHP Bayden Root (Kokomo HS, IN), 1B/LHP John Malcom (Country Day HS, MI), RHP Connor Van Scoyoc (Cedar Rapids Jefferson HS, IA), LHP/OF Grant Richardson (Bishop Dwenger HS, IN), SS Camron McMillan (St. Thomas Aquinas HS, KS), SS Cory Acton (Westminster Christian HS, FL), SS Charles Mack (Williamsville East HS, NY), and Trae Harmon (Somerset HS, KY), to name a few.

A look at the Top 10:

Rank	Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1	Connor Scott	FL	Plant	2018	OF	Florida
2	Alek Thomas	IL	Mount Carmel	2018	OF
3	Levi Kelly	FL	IMG Academy	2018	RHP	Louisiana State
4	Alec Sanchez	FL	Providence	2018	SS	Florida State
5	Ryder Green	TN	Hardin Valley Academy	2018	3B	Kentucky
6	Jacob Sweeney	IN	Andrean	2018	LHP
7	Lyon Richardson	FL	Jensen Beach	2018	RHP
8	Landon Marceaux	LA	Destrahan	2018	RHP
9	Jarred Kelenic	WI	Waukesha West	2018	OF	Louisville
10	Justyn Henry-Malloy	NJ	St. Joseph's Regional	2018	3B

CLICK HERE to view complete Top 150 2018 overall rankings