The SWAC saw nine players drafted by MLB teams last June. I think the talent is there to match or exceed that in 2016.

Larry Barraza leads the way as a middle infield prospect with sneaky pop, functional speed, and a track record of making plenty of solid contact. I’m a fan of his all-around game. Diamyn Hall is more of a boom/bust pick considering he only managed 26 healthy at bats last season. His 2014 was strong and his tools are exciting (quick bat, tons of speed, intriguing power), so I think he’ll fly up boards with a full return to health. Sam Campbell is a thumper with advanced strike zone knowledge. Both Moses Charles and Ryan Lazo are capable of sticking up the middle defensively as pros; Lazo in particular stands out as being outstanding in center with speed and athleticism for days.

Jackson Figueroa is a little like the Diamyn Hall of pitchers: he only threw fourteen innings last year, so his spot atop the pitching rankings is a gamble on his athleticism and arm speed. Guys who can hit the mid-90s like he can don’t stay under the radar for long, SWAC or not. Jevon Jacobs is another two-way talent who could make his mark in pro ball thanks to a very appealing three-pitch mix. Like Figueroa, Jacobs makes up for his lack of physicality (both guys are listed around 6-0, 180 pounds) with serious athleticism. Angel Alicea is the third guy who logically can be lumped together with the short, two-way, athletic, big fastballing profile. Jamal Wilson and Robert Pearson both stick to pitching only – as far as I know – but can run their heaters up to 96 at their best. That’ll get you noticed. Michael Tellado and Joseph Camacho are on the opposite end of the spectrum. Both righthanders fall just shy of the 90 MPH mark with their fastballs, but do enough well beyond that (curve for Tellado, sinker/slider/change/deception for Camacho) that they are able to pile up strikeouts year after year. There are many paths to getting one’s name called on draft day, and I could see a team that factors analytics high in their decision-making give those two sleepers some consideration this year as senior-signs. I would, but nobody asked me.

Hitting

1. Grambling State SR 2B/SS Larry Barraza
2. Grambling State rJR OF Diamyn Hall
3. Jackson State JR 1B Sam Campbell
4. Alcorn State SR SS Moses Charles
5. Texas Southern SR OF Ryan Lazo
6. Texas Southern rSR C Javier Valdez
7. Prairie View A&M JR OF Cody Den Beste
8. Alabama State JR OF Carlos Ocasio
9. Jackson State JR C Carlos Diaz
10. Alcorn State rJR INF Daniel Corona
11. Southern JR SS/RHP Troy Lewis
12. Alcorn State SR 1B Collin Carroll
13. Prairie View A&M SR 1B Angel Avalos
14. Alabama State rJR C Chris Biocic
15. Southern rSR C Jose DeLa Torre
16. Alabama A&M SR 1B Dylan Payne
17. Mississippi Valley State JR C Arrington Smith
18. Grambling State JR SS Wesley Drain
19. Prairie View A&M JR INF/RHP Charles Philpott
20. Jackson State SR OF Tony Holton
21. Prairie View A&M JR 2B Kevin Macias
22. Prairie View A&M SR C Jaron Hicks
23. Alcorn State SR OF LaDerrick Williams
24. Mississippi Valley State rSR 3B/OF Drew Wheeler
25. Prairie View A&M JR 1B Carson Lee
26. Texas Southern SR OF Christopher Scroggins
27. Prairie View A&M SR OF Anthony Fernandez
28. Texas Southern SR INF Joel Rosario

Pitching

1. Arkansas-Pine Bluff JR RHP/OF Jeremiah Figueroa
2. Jackson State SR RHP/SS Jevon Jacobs
3. Jackson State JR RHP Jamal Wilson
4. Texas Southern rSR RHP Robert Pearson
5. Alabama State JR RHP/SS Angel Alicea
6. Alabama State rSR RHP Michael Tellado
7. Alabama State SR RHP Joseph Camacho
8. Jackson State JR RHP Jesse Anderson
9. Alabama State SR RHP Hunter McIntosh
10. Grambling State JR LHP Tanner Raiburn
11. Alabama State JR RHP Austin Bizzle
12. Grambling State SR LHP Dion Holbrook
13. Alabama State JR RHP Brandon Caples
14. Alabama State rJR RHP Tyler Howe
15. Alabama A&M SR RHP Josh Burchell
16. Arkansas-Pine Bluff SR RHP Blake Estep
17. Arkansas-Pine Bluff SR RHP Humberto Medina
18. Jackson State SR RHP Rene Colon
19. Southern rSO RHP Harold Myles
20. Texas Southern JR RHP Ryan Rios
21. Jackson State SR LHP Vincent Anthonia
22. Prairie View A&M SR RHP Jordan Foster

Alabama A&M

SR RHP Josh Burchell (2016)
SR RHP Caleb Roberts (2016)
SR RHP Jordan Benford (2016)
SR 1B Dylan Payne (2016)
JR INF JT O’Reel (2016)
rFR 3B Austin Turner (2017)
SO INF Tanner Ivey (2017)

High Priority Follows: Josh Burchell, Dylan Payne

Alabama State

SR RHP Joseph Camacho (2016)
rSR RHP Michael Tellado (2016)
rJR RHP Tyler Howe (2016)
JR RHP Austin Bizzle (2016)
SR RHP Hunter McIntosh (2016)
JR LHP Patrick Coffin (2016)
JR RHP Brandon Caples (2016)
JR RHP/SS Angel Alicea (2016)
SR OF Dillon Cooper (2016)
JR OF Carlos Ocasio (2016)
rJR C Chris Biocic (2016)
SO LHP Ivanniel Vazquez (2017)
SO RHP Darren Kelly (2017)
SO 3B Ray Hernandez (2017)
SO OF Joseph Estrada (2017)
SO 1B Gustavo Rios (2017)
SO 2B Yamil Pagan (2017)
SO C Hunter Allen (2017)
FR 2B Eriq White (2018)
FR OF Diandre Amion (2018)

High Priority Follows: Joseph Camacho, Michael Tellado, Tyler Howe, Austin Bizzle, Hunter McIntosh, Brandon Caples, Angel Alicea, Carlos Ocasio, Chris Biocic

Alcorn State

rJR INF Daniel Corona (2016)
SR 1B Collin Carroll (2016)
rJR INF Jesus Vasquez (2016)
JR C Walter Vives (2016)
SR SS Moses Charles (2016)
SR OF LaDerrick Williams (2016)
FR RHP Conrado Skepple (2018)

High Priority Follows: Daniel Corona, Collin Carroll, Moses Charles, LaDerrick Williams

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

SR RHP Blake Estep (2016)
SR RHP Skyler Henson (2016)
JR RHP CJ Lewington (2016)
SR RHP Humberto Medina (2016)
rSR LHP Chris Phelps (2016)
JR RHP/OF Jeremiah Figueroa (2016)
SR INF Roberto Colon (2016)

High Priority Follows: Blake Estep, Humberto Medina, Jeremiah Figueroa

Grambling State

JR LHP Tanner Raiburn (2016)
SR LHP Dion Holbrook (2016)
SR 2B/SS Larry Barraza (2016)
rJR OF Diamyn Hall (2016)
SR OF Darien Brown (2016)
JR OF Marshawn Taylor (2016)
JR SS Wesley Drain (2016)
JR 3B Daniel Barnett (2016)
FR OF Nick Wheeler (2018)

High Priority Follows: Tanner Raiburn, Dion Holbrook, Larry Barraza, Diamyn Hll, Wesley Drain

Jackson State

SR RHP/SS Jevon Jacobs (2016)
SR LHP Vincent Anthonia (2016)
JR RHP Jamal Wilson (2016)
JR RHP Jesse Anderson (2016)
SR RHP Rene Colon (2016)
JR 1B Sam Campbell (2016)
JR C Carlos Diaz (2016)
SR OF Tony Holton (2016)
SO C David Burke (2017)
SO 3B Jesus Santana (2017)
SO OF Bryce Brown (2017)
SO INF Lamar Briggs (2017)
FR OF CJ Newsome (2018)

High Priority Follows: Jevon Jacobs, Vincent Anthonia, Jamal Wilson, Jesse Anderson, Rene Colon, Sam Campbell, Carlos Diaz, Tony Holton

Mississippi Valley State

rSR 3B/OF Drew Wheeler (2016)
JR C Arrington Smith (2016)
FR RHP/SS Fredrick Spencer (2018)
FR RHP Marcus Jones (2018)

High Priority Follows: Drew Wheeler, Arrington Smith

Prairie View A&M

SR RHP Jordan Foster (2016)
JR INF/RHP Charles Philpott (2016)
SR 1B Angel Avalos (2016)
JR 3B Josh Jefferson (2016)
JR OF Cody Den Beste (2016)
SR C Jaron Hicks (2016)
JR 2B Kevin Macias (2016)
JR 1B Carson Lee (2016)
SR OF Anthony Fernandez (2016)
SO OF Brashad Jones (2017)
SO OF Darrien Williams (2017)

High Priority Follows: Jordan Foster, Charles Philpott, Angel Avalos, Cody Den Beste, Jaron Hicks, Kevin Macias, Carson Lee, Anthony Fernandez

Southern

rSO RHP Harold Myles (2016)
JR SS/RHP Troy Lewis (2016)
rSR C Jose DeLa Torre (2016)
JR INF Robinson Mateo (2016)
FR LHP Bryan Melendez (2018)
FR OF Anthony Valdes (2018)
FR SS/3B Franky Montesino (2018)

High Priority Follows: Harold Myles, Troy Lewis, Jose DeLa Torre

Texas Southern

rSR RHP Robert Pearson (2016)
JR RHP Larry Romero (2016)
JR RHP Ryan Rios (2016)
rSR C Javier Valdez (2016)
SR OF Ryan Lazo (2016)
SR INF Joel Rosario (2016)
SR OF Christopher Scroggins (2016)
SO RHP Seth Oliver (2017)
SO SS Gerreck Jimenez (2017)
SO C Blake Hicks (2017)
SO 3B Horace LeBlanc (2017)
SO INF Kamren Dukes (2017)
FR OF Oladjide Oloruntimilehin (2018)

High Priority Follows: Robert Pearson, Ryan Rios, Javier Valdez, Ryan Lazo, Joel Rosario, Christopher Scroggins