By Doug Freeman and Mike Maerz

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With the recent release of the updated Florida Class of 2017 Rankings, it’s time to move on to the talented 2018 Class. This particular class not only boasts high-end prospects that will garner draft attention over the next year, but is deep and features dozens of Division I prospects as 61 of the top 65 have already committed to play at the next level. Below are reports on the top five in Florida’s 2018 Class.

Mason Denaburg, RHP/C, Merritt Island HS, FL
Florida recruit. Currently ranked No. 1 in the Florida 2018 class, No. 3 Overall. Tall, lean, projectable build on a 6-foot-3, 190 pound frame. On the mound he shows a loose, quick arm with some extension out in front. Throws from the stretch out of the high-3/4 arm slot and works quickly. Fastball sits 90-91 mph with late life and touches 92. The slider sits at 75-76 mph with depth along with an 82-83 mph changeup. At the plate he shows good rhythm in his setup which leads to a balanced, level swing with quick hands through the zone. The ball jumps off of his bat and is consistently on time with extension, driving the ball into both gaps.

Slade Cecconi, RHP, Trinity Prep, FL
Miami recruit. Currently ranked No. 2 in the Florida 2018 Class, No. 5 Overall. Stands at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds with long legs and athleticism. Has gotten noticeably taller and added to his frame over the past few months. Has a simple, fluid delivery throwing out of the high-3/4 slot with a quick, loose arm. Repeats well and lands out in front. His fastball sits 91-93 mph with life, touching 94 along with a 78-80 mph slider that shows depth and tight spin, throwing it for strikes. Pitches with confidence and shows good command of the zone. Will continue to be one of the top follows in his class and garner plenty of attention over the next year in regards to the 2018 MLB Draft.

Triston Casas, 1B/RHP, American Heritage HS, FL
Miami recruit. Currently ranked No. 3 in the Florida 2018 Class, No. 2 Overall. The big, strong 6-foot-3, 230 pound left handed hitting first baseman may have reclassified, but has not missed a step on the field. Not only has he shown his present above average power, he projects to have plus power from the left side. What may be more impressive though is to go along with the power, is an advanced approach with above average barrel control. He can spray balls from gap-to-gap and handles all high-caliber pitching. Not only are the present tools impressive, he still looks very young in the face and can continue to grow and fill out which would produce big time power. On the mound he has an easy working arm and gets some extension out in front on his delivery. Occasionally can fall off to the side on his follow through. Fastball sits 88-90 mph with run, touching 91 and mixes in a 72-75 mph slider with depth and hard bite.

Nander De Sedas, SS, Montverde Academy, FL
Florida State recruit. Currently ranked No. 4 in the Florida 2018 Class, No. 11 Overall. Currently stands at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds with a lean, athletic build and quick twitch actions. He has good hands, range, and enough arm to stay at short. Offensively, he is similar from both sides of the plate as he a short, quick swing with some present pull power especially from the left side. There is still some length from both sides of the plate, but there is a lot of bat speed as well as some above average power potential. Expect to see Nander continue to be a high end prospect as he has more at-bats and continues to fill out.

Elijah Cabell, OF, TNXL Academy, FL
Louisiana State recruit. Currently ranked No. 5 in the Florida 2018 Class, No. 6 Overall. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder has a strong lower half and stays in rhythm and on time throughout his swing. Cabell shows an advanced approach and can drive balls into both gaps. He has great bat speed and feel for the barrel, consistently hitting the ball hard. The ball explodes off of his bat and sounds different than most anyone in his class. Not only is he impressive in the box, but he shows the ability to run down the ball with a quick first step in the outfield along with strong, accurate throws to the bag.

Here’s a look at how the Top 10 stacks up:

RANK	NAME	STATE	SCHOOL	CLASS	POS	COMMITMENT
1	Mason Denaburg	FL	Merritt Island	2018	C	Florida
2	Slade Cecconi	FL	Trinity Prep	2018	RHP	Miami
3	Triston Casas	FL	American Heritage	2018	1B	Miami
4	Nander De Sedas	FL	Montverde Academy	2018	SS	Florida State
5	Elijah Cabell	FL	TNXL Academy	2018	OF	Louisiana State
6	Brandon Howlett	FL	George W. Jenkins	2018	3B	Florida State
7	Connor Scott	FL	Plant	2018	OF	Florida
8	Jonathan Gates	FL	Nature Coast Technical	2018	LHP	Miami
9	Lyon Richardson	FL	Jensen Beach	2018	RHP	Florida
10	Carter Stewart	FL	Eau Gallie	2018	RHP	Mississippi State

For a complete look at the updated Florida Class of 2018 Rankings, CLICK HERE

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