2022 Bowman Draft Baseball Prospect Review

Written by: Titus Bishop and Emil Cienik

*Players below are listed in no particular order.

Jackson Holliday (Orioles-SS)

As the #1 overall pick and son of seven-time MLB All-Star Matt Holliday, expectations are sky high for Jackson. He may look like he’s still in high school, but this man can hit. He carries an extremely advanced approach at the plate and consistently barrels baseballs which should lead to some fantastic slash lines. He followed up an absurd .685/.749/1.392 line in his senior year of high school by debuting with a .409/.576/.591 line in the FCL prior to a brief promotion to Delmarva to end the season. As he continues to grow and build strength, Jackson is going to be a fun one to follow as he progresses through an Orioles system in the midst of a major youth movement.

Elijah Green (Nationals-OF)

Elijah continues a trend in this year’s draft of some amazing sports bloodlines. Son of former NFL Pro Bowler Eric Green, the #5 overall pick carries a huge frame with plus power and can run with the best of them. He won’t have any issues sticking in Center Field, but the biggest question mark will be his ability to limit his strikeouts at the plate. If he can put the ball in play at a high clip, Elijah has all the tools to be a star for the Nationals.

Termarr Johnson (Pirates-SS)

The #4 pick in the Draft, many people had Termarr Johnson ranked as a potential #1. His scouting reports marked him as the best pure hitter in the class, as well as the top prep hitter in at least a decade. Johnson profiles out as a solid second baseman with huge offensive upside from the left side of the plate. His $7.2MM signing bonus is the sixth-highest payout to a high school player in MLB Draft history

Gavin Cross (Royals-OF)

Gavin Cross was taken ninth overall in the Draft as another one of the plentiful big college bats of the class. Cross wasted zero time making a splash professionally – quickly jumping up to be their #1 prospect after posting a .293/.423/.596 line with five doubles, two triples, seven homers and 22 RBIs in 26 games with Low-A Columbia. He profiles as a corner outfielder and should have opportunities to move quickly throughout the Royals system next season.

Jace Jung (Tigers-2B)

Three years after his older brother was taken 8th overall by the Rangers, the Tigers scooped up Jace Jung with the 12th pick in 2022. He does have some defensive versatility and should be able to stick at 2B; however, Jung’s bat holds the real upside. Despite an unorthodox swing, Jung can mash to all parts of the park and consistently makes extremely hard contact. He showed some glimpses of this in his debut at High-A and will look to put together a strong full season in 2023.

Jett Williams (Mets-SS)

Despite being one of the smallest players in the draft at 5’8″, the Mets loved what they saw in Jett Williams and took him 14th overall. He’s a gritty player with great plate discipline and above average bat-to-ball skills. Don’t let his size fool you, Williams also has some sneaky power and will look to increase that as he gets older and develops. He should be able to stick at shortstop and will be a leader on every team he’s on.

Kumar Rocker (Rangers-P)

One year after being taken 10th overall to the Mets, to which New York backed out due to medical concerns – Kumar Rocker finds himself landing in Texas alongside his former Vanderbilt teammate, Jack Leiter. Health concerns weren’t an issue for the Rangers, grabbing Rocker with the 3rd overall pick. One thing is for sure, Rocker has proved his absolute dominance at the collegiate level and should be able to bring that same level of success to the majors, adding to what is now a very interesting pitching prospect pool for Texas.

Brooks Lee (Twins-SS)

Brooks was the 8th overall pick out of Cal Poly where he had a unique opportunity to play under his father. A switch hitter with excellent bat-to-ball skills, Brooks progressed extremely quickly through the ranks in his pro debut. He finished off the season with a few appearances with the Twins Double-A affiliate in Wichita for their postseason run. He plays like a veteran and should continue a quick rise through the organization in 2023. As a Twins fan, I would love to see Brooks slide to Third Base eventually and play alongside Royce Lewis for years to come.

Kevin Parada (Mets-C)

Parada shot up draft boards after setting a school record with 26 home runs in 2022 for Georgia Tech and a successful stint with Team USA. He projects as a middle of the lineup hitter that can hit for average and power that is a huge asset at the position. His progression will be reliant on the development of his defense behind the plate, but the scouting reports say that he is headed in the right direction.

Zach Neto (Angels-SS)

The 13th overall pick and only Campbell player ever taken in the first round, Neto is one of the top bats from the college class. He quickly excelled in his pro debut, hitting .320 over 20 games at the Double-A level. He is extremely versatile, having played every infield position in college and topping 90mph on the mound. The Angels have kept him at shortstop thus far, but it remains to be seen whether or not he will stick.