2015 MLB Draft: Second Basemen

Second base actually has quite a bit of talent this year. While second base isn't a place for high end prospects, players that have ability to play multiple positions with their athleticism but may be best utilized at 2B are atop this list. Alonzo Jones may be the most athletic player in this draft. Cornelius Randolph is one of the best prep hitters in the draft.

If Randolph, India and Jones would be placed at different positions, this list would be quite thin.

Cornelius Randolph is a bit unique. He doesn't have a strong position. He plays SS in high school but he won't in pro ball. He may end up at 2B and he could play 3B. The actions are good and the arm is strong. I haven't seen him enough defensively to know if he has the quickness for the hot corner. The bat should play wherever he ends up. He hits the ball hard and makes consistent contact. He has a short swing that should lead to high averages and solid power potential. He could be an above average regular wherever he plays.

Jonathan India has the raw tools to be an above average big league 2B. He has quick feet and moves well laterally. He moves well enough to cover 2B or 3B well defensively. He could maybe even cover SS in the low minors. He is a high-energy player and that hurts him some right now. He needs reps to become more efficient on D and at the plate. He hits the ball hard and has solid gap power. He uses the entire field well. He has the bat to be a first division starting 2B. He is committed to Florida if he doesn't sign but he's better than most MIF players that get to Florida.

Alonzo Jones may be drafted as a short stop but I don't know that he can stick there. He is more methodical than natural there and will need reps if he intends to play there in the future. He is a great athelte. He can fly and is one of the faster players in this draft. He is also a switch hitter. He's more natural from the right side but isn't bad from the left. Again, reps will help. He's a high ceiling guy that will need a lot of polish. He's commited to Vanderbilt if he doesn't sign and that may very well be where he ends up in 2016.

Mark Mathias is a good example of the best of the second base prospects. He can hit. He has very good bat control and makes solid contact. He doesn't strike out much, walks occasionally and hits a few extra base hits.  He could be a 1st division starter if he reaches his ceiling but is more likely to hold down a 2B job for a lesser team and have a couple strong seasons if everything works out for him. He had shoulder surgery to start the year and DH'd his first few games back but even with the bum shoulder, he should handle 2B well defensively.

Eduardo Estrada is a strong and stocky. Prep second baseman aren't great prospects typically but he stands out. He is a good runner, is agile and athletic and has adequate arm strength for 2B.  He could probably handle LF or 3B, maybe even SS in college but his arm would be short for the left side most likely. His bat is what really makes him impressive. He has a compact swing but it stays in the zone a long time and looks like it will generate power down the line.

Edwin Rios is a bigger guy who may be more of a 3B/LF in time. He has a strong swing and has quite a bit of pop but with that comes swing and miss. I haven't seen enough of him in games to see if it's a pitch recognition thing or a mechanical thing that he can change. The bat will get him drafted. Where he plays after that is a question but I bet he's a 3B, occasionally fills in at 2B and LF to see where his glove fits. If the bat doesn't play, it won't matter but if the power comes through like it could, you could see a .260 hitting 3B with 20 HR's.

Max Schrock could is in the mix as the best hitting 2B in this class. He has great hand eye coordination but doesn't always have the best AB's. He often swings at bat pitches but when he gets a good pitch and connects, he has surprising power. Even though he doesn't always go after the best pitches, he does walk plenty. He could really improve if the switch flips on and he decides to wait on his pitch more often. Defensively, he's not great. He needs to improve or he'll be in the OF and then the bat will really have to play, as he doesn't have the speed to play CF.

Nico Hoerner is a solid all-around middle infielder. He is likely a 2B down the line as he doesn't have a big arm and that will likely keep him off SS past the low minors/college. He is commited to Stanford so he will be a tough sign. His bat fits Stanford as well. He has a hard contact oriented swing that is way more likely to hit a line drive or a grounder than out of the park.

Daniel Little is a smooth player. It's a shame he doesn't have a stronger arm or he could be a solid SS but he'll have to play on the right side due to the lack of arm strength. At the plate, he has a simple swing from both sides and is line drive oriented. He's quick enough to be an impact on the bases as well. He is a solid all around prospect who is commited to Louisville if he doesn't sign.

John LaPrise is not  a great player but can barrel fastballs and play 2B and 3B. He struggles with off-speed offerings, especially breaking balls but has hit well with wood bats and could be a solid 2B/3B and occasional SS kind of utility player. I've seen him plenty and never saw him as anything special but the skills could play well enough in pro ball to be a top 10 round guy.

Cobie Vance is a short stocky dude. He reminds me of one of the guys I have missed the most on, Josh Tobias. I was convinced he was a 1st round type of talent with 20-20 potential.  I thought he'd be a more powerful, less fast version of Delino Deshields, jr. I was way off. He has been mediocre at Florida, at best and Vance makes that red flag pop up in my head. Vance swings uphill which I don't like but he has some pop and a strong enough arm he could play 3B.  The best case scenario for him is late career Juan Uribe. He's committed to Alabama.

Dalton Dulin is a grinder. He doesn't have a ton of tools but he plays hard and has a lot of what you want in a player. He may only be an org guy or he may just continue playing college ball but he's a good org guy type, at least.

Jordan Holloman Scott is a very good athlete. The ball jumps off his bat. He isn't a great hitter but when he runs into one, he'll get extra bases, so he's not just a slap hitter. He has excellent speed and a good arm. His bat could improve with time and work as well. He's a good player development project, or he can go to West Virginia and see what happens in three years there.

Others of note are Charlie Donovan, Blaine Prescott, Brandon Lowe, Andrew Noviello, Brandon Wagner.