This is a little bit of a rough group even though I do like the names at the top quite a bit. I have to keep my mouth shut more than usual about John Aiello because he’s one of the players I saw up close multiple times this past spring in an effort to perform a service for a team/company in return for a small financial outlay. I don’t foresee lucking into the same arrangement next year – said team/company now has a more permanent employee in the area, which I’m pleased about since it saved me from making a tough life path decision – so I should be able to write freely about Aiello’s game multiple times next spring. Everything you’ve heard/read elsewhere about him is true: he’s got a big league body with the confidence that comes with it (or swagger, if you’re into that kind of thing), above-average power and arm strength, and enough athleticism to project as a darn fine third baseman professionally with the tiny chance he stays up the middle for a bit. Exciting overall profile.

I haven’t seen anybody else on the list as often as I have Aiello, but I think I have a decent feel for the rest of the class based on the few looks I’ve had, the short snippets I’ve heard from smarter pals, and the free public info out there on each guy. Ryan Mountcastle can really swing the bat. Ke’Bryan Hayes looks like he’d be comfortable dropped into a professional batter’s box tomorrow (no surprise with his bloodlines). J’Mar Smith is shaping up a little bit like this year’s Ti’Quan Forbes for me; it’s very early yet, but I like everything I know about Smith to date and think he could be a very fast riser.

Willie Burger sounds delicious right about now (as always, I skipped lunch); more importantly, he has interesting power and lives close enough by that I should be able to see him a few times this year. My appreciation for Carson Kelly as a prospect back in the day trickles down to Parker Kelly, so he’s a high follow for me. I remember very little about Bryce Denton, which doesn’t mean anything good, bad, or whatever. Bat intrigues me, but I’m curious about the glove. Only notes I have on him from East Coast Pro don’t reveal a whole lot about his defense, so that’ll be something I’ll try to pay extra attention to now.

3B/SS John Aiello (Germantown Academy, Pennsylvania)

3B Ryan Mountcastle (Hagerty HS, Florida)

3B/RHP Ke’Bryan Hayes (Concordia Lutheran HS, Texas)

3B/RHP J’Mar Smith (Meridian HS, Mississippi)

3B/C Willie Burger (Lancaster Catholic HS, Pennsylvania)

3B/RHP Parker Kelly (Westview HS, Oregon)

3B/OF Bryce Denton (Ravenwood HS, Tennessee)

3B Ben Ellis (Briarcrest Christian HS, Tennessee)

3B Brenton Burgess (Chamblee Charter HS, Georgia)

3B/RHP Andrew Noviello (Bridgewater-Raynham HS, Massachusetts)

3B David Chabut (Loganville HS, Georgia)

3B Alec Bohm (Roncalli Catholic HS, Nebraska)

3B LJ Talley (Charlton County HS, Georgia)

3B/SS Austin Pharr (Cherokee HS, Georgia)

3B Jake Franklin (Jefferson HS, Georgia)

3B Zack Quintal (Marshwood HS, Maine)

3B/SS Lucas Larson (Jefferson HS, Iowa)

3B Jared Mang (Los Alamos HS, New Mexico)

3B/1B Greyson Jenista (De Soto HS, Kansas)

3B Trey Cabbage (Grainger HS, Tennessee)

3B Brendon Davis (Lakewood HS, California)

3B Ryan Mantle (Linn HS, Missouri)

3B/RHP Blake Burton (Mater Dei HS, California)

3B Jack Mattson (Chanhassen HS, Minnesota)

3B/RHP Tyler Wyatt (Liberty HS, Arizona)

3B/RHP Grant Sloan (Zionsville HS, Indiana)

3B Matt Vierling (Christian Brothers HS, Missouri)

3B Graham Mitchell (Eastside HS, South Carolina)

3B Tyler Nevin (Poway HS, California)

3B/1B AJ Curtis (Amador Valley HS, California)