Top 50 high school baseball players since 1965

When it comes to ranking the all-time greatest high school baseball players, Major League Hall of Famers like Stan Musial, Sandy Koufax and Brooks Robinson would seemingly be among the first to put on the list.


As a result, picking the all-time greatest high school players is not an easy task. There were certainly some great high school players prior to 1965, when Major League Baseball held its first draft, including Ted Williams, who starred at Hoover (San Diego), and Bob Feller from Vanmeter (Iowa) and Al Kaline from Southern (Md.).

The Major League Baseball Draft makes it easier to recognize the top high school players in the country, as prep players have regularly been selected as the No. 1 overall player in the draft, including Ken Griffey Jr., Darryl Strawberry and Alex Rodriguez.

All-American teams were first selected by Rawlings in 1969. They, too, have put the spotlight on the top players in the country with many from those lists going on to long, productive Major League careers.

MaxPreps attempts to select the greatest high school baseball players of all-time, with the caveat that the list begins in 1965 with the very first MLB Draft. Incorporating the draft, All-American teams (those selected by Rawlings, as well as USA Today, Baseball America and MaxPreps), and player statistics, MaxPreps has put together a list of the greatest high school baseball players during the draft era. Professional statistics and career honors were also considered, but were not a deal-breaker for elimination, nor inclusion, on the Top 50 list. This was especially true for players who had their careers cut short due to injury. No players who graduated during the past five years were selected.


1. Alex Rodriguez, Westminster Christian (Miami), 1993
The No. 1 overall pick in the 1993 draft by the Seattle Mariners, Rodriguez was the USA Today national Player of the Year and he was a Rawlings All-American. He helped lead Westminster Christian to a national championship as a junior. He batted .505 with nine home runs and 36 RBI his senior year. He played 23 seasons at the Major League level and was a 14-time All-Star and a three-time American League MVP. He finished his career with 696 home runs, 3,115 hits and 2,086 RBI.

2. Ken Griffey, Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 1987
The Gatorade state Player of the Year in Ohio and a Rawlings All-American, Griffey batted .478 with 23 RBI and seven home runs. He also had 10 home runs as a junior. He went No. 1 overall to the Mariners in the 1987 MLB draft. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with 630 home runs and 13 All-Star appearances.

3. Joe Mauer, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.), 2001
The only athlete to ever be the national high school Player of the Year in both football and baseball, Mauer chose to become a professional baseball player after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Twins. In high school, Mauer batted .600 with 53 RBI and 15 home runs as a senior and reportedly only struck out only once in his high school career. In 15 years with the Twins, Mauer was a six-time All-Star and the American League MVP in 2009.

4. David Clyde, Westchester (Houston), 1973
It may be a bit unfair to call Clyde a bust as a professional player considering that injuries and overuse as a young prospect led to an early exit from the Major Leagues. However, he quite simply ranks as statistically the greatest pitcher in high school history. He still holds national records for career shutouts (29), and career strikeouts (842). He is also Nos.1 and 2 on the list for consecutive innings with no earned runs allowed at 115.6 and 95.3, respectively. He was taken No. 1 overall in the 1973 draft by the Texas Rangers and immediately joined the team, starting 18 games and going 4-8 on the mound. He won his first Major League game just 20 days after graduating from high school. He finished his career with an 18-33 record.

5. Derek Jeter, Kalamazoo Central (Kalamazoo, Mich.), 1992
The top high school player chosen in the 1992 MLB draft, Jeter went No. 6 overall by the Yankees. He played 20 seasons with the Yankees, was a 14-time All-Star, had 3,465 hits and won five World Series championships. He was the Gatorade state Player of the Year while earning USA Today player of the year honors and Rawlings All-American honors. He batted .508 as a senior with 23 RBI and four home runs.
6. Clayton Kershaw, Highland Park (Dallas), 2006
The USA Today national Player of the Year and the Texas Class 4A state Player of the Year in Texas, Kershaw was the seventh overall pick in the 2006 MLB draft, but he was the first high school player chosen. He went 13-0 as a senior with a 0.77 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 64 innings pitched. In 12 Major League seasons, Kershaw is a seven-time All-Star and a three-time Cy Young Award winner.

7. Chipper Jones, Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), 1990
With expected No. 1 pick Todd Van Poppel telling teams not to draft him in 1990 because he was planning to go to college, Jones became the No. 1 pick overall pick in the draft by the Atlanta Braves. The Braves never regretted that decision as Jones went on to a Hall of Fame career in 19 seasons, all with Atlanta, and made the All-Star game eight times. He was a three-time All-State player at Bolles, batting .488 with 25 RBI and five home runs as a senior.

8. Josh Hamilton, Athens Drive (Raleigh, N.C.), 1999
If not for injuries and his battle with addiction early in his career, Hamilton might have been in the running for the Hall of Fame. After being drafted in 1999, Hamilton didn't make the Major Leagues until 2007. In his nine years in the Major Leagues, Hamilton was a five-time All-Star and the American League MVP in 2010. Coming out of high school, Hamilton was a tremendous prospect. He was a two-time North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year and a Rawlings and Baseball America All-American. As a junior he batted .636 with 12 home runs and 56 RBI. He followed that effort with a senior year that saw him bat .529 with 13 home runs and 35 RBI. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays.

9. Josh Beckett, Spring (Texas), 1999
Speculation throughout the spring of 1999 was whether or not Josh Beckett, a 6-foot-4 pitcher with a 95-mph fastball would go No. 1 in the MLB Draft. He went No. 2 to the Florida Marlins and eventually helped them win a World Series, being named World Series MVP. He also helped the Boston Red Sox win a World Series in 2007 and he finished his 14-year career with 138 wins and 1,901 strikeouts. As the Class 5A state Player of the Year in Texas in 1999 and the USA Today national Player of the Year, Becket went 13-2 on the mound with 178 strikeouts and a 0.39 ERA. He had similar numbers as a junior, going 13-2 with 179 strikeouts.

10. Kerry Wood, Grand Prairie (Texas), 1995
As a 6-foot-4 high school pitcher, Wood proved to be very imposing as he led Grand Prairie to the state tournament with a 12-0 record, a 0.77 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 72.1 innings pitched. While Grand Prairie was eliminated in the semifinals (Wood did not pitch), Wood earned Class 5A Player of the Year honors and was a Rawlings All-American. He went No. 4 overall in the 1995 draft to the Chicago Cubs. He spent three years in the minor leagues, but in his fifth start as a pro, Wood struck out 20 batters to tie a Major League record. He was the Rookie of the Year in the National League and a two-time All-Star, but had Tommy John surgery in his second season in the Major Leagues. He played 14 seasons in the Major Leagues and had 1,582 career strikeouts.

11. Justin Upton, Great Bridge (Chesapeake, Va.), 2005
Like his brother (B.J.) before him, Justin Upton was a USA Today national Player of the Year. He was also a USA Today All-American as a junior. He did his brother one better by being the No. 1 overall player chosen in the 2005 MLB Draft by Arizona. As a senior, Upton batted .519 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI. He is in his 13th year in the Major Leagues and is a four-time All-Star.

12. Mike Trout, Millville (N.J.), 2009
Trout lasted until the No. 25 overall pick in the 2009 draft, leaving the Angels with one of the greatest steals in MLB Draft history. A MaxPreps All-American and the state Player of the Year, Trout set a state record with 18 home runs while batting .531 with 45 RBI and 49 runs scored. He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2012 and is a seven-time All-Star and two-time American League MVP.

13. Jeff Burroughs, Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.), 1969
When legendary hitter Ted Williams watched Burroughs hit during a workout at Angels Stadium (where Burroughs hit six home runs during the workout), he called Burroughs, "the best hitter I've ever seen at his age." Williams then made Burroughs the No. 1 pick in the 1969 Major League Baseball draft. There wasn't much question Burroughs was going to be the No. 1 pick as he batted .569, despite playing in the Moore League, one of the top baseball leagues in the nation at that time. He played 15 years in the Major Leagues and was the American League MVP in 1974.

14. Bryce Harper, Las Vegas (Nev.), 2010
Harper only played two years of high school baseball and they were his freshman and sophomore seasons. He attended community college during what would have been his junior season and was drafted No. 1 overall by the Nationals in 2010 before he was even 18 years old. Harper was a phenom as a freshman, however, and he earned national Player of the Year honors by Baseball America as a sophomore. He batted .626 in his final season with 14 home runs, 22 doubles, nine triples and 55 RBI. He also stole 36 bases. At the age of 26, Harper is a six-time all-star, was the National League MVP in 2015 and has 191 career home runs.

15. Gary Sheffield, Hillsborough (Tampa, Fla.), 1986
The Gatorade national Player of the Year and a Rawlings All-American, Sheffield batted .500 as a senior with 14 home runs and 30 RBI. He went to the Brewers with the No. 6 overall pick in the 1986 draft. He played 22 seasons and had 509 home runs and was a nine-time All-Star.

16. Darryl Strawberry, Crenshaw (Los Angeles), 1980
Strawberry might not have been the best baseball player in the city as a senior (he wasn't the city section MVP) and he might not have always been the best player on his own team (four players from the 1979 team were drafted), but no player was more hyped during the 1980 season than Strawberry. Considered by one scout as the "best player I've seen in 30 years", Strawberry was viewed as the next Ted Williams due to his powerful swing that saw the ball explode off the bat. In April 1980, Sports Illustrated published an article in which it was predicting the baseball stars of the next decade. One of the players they chose was Strawberry, who at that point had barely even started his senior year at Crenshaw. He was not a high school All-American, but he was taken No. 1 overall by the Mets in the MLB Draft. He earned Rookie if the Year honors in 1983 and was an eight-time All-Star in 17 seasons.

17. Shawon Dunston, Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 1982
Playing in the PSAL in New York, Dunston rarely made an out as a senior as he batted .790 (not a typo) and was 33-for-33 on stolen base attempts. He also hit 25 home runs in his career at Jefferson. Not surprisingly, Dunston was a high school All-American and the No. 1 overall pick in the 1982 draft by the Cubs. He played 18 seasons in the Major Leagues and was a two-time all-star.

18. Mike Moustakas, Chatsworth (Calif.), 2007
A USA Today and Rawlings All-American, Moustakas was the cornerstone of one of the greatest high school baseball dynasties in California state history. Chatsworth went 124-11 in Moustakas' four years on the varsity and he was named the state Player of the Year as a senior. He had 52 career home runs, including 24 as a senior. Taken No. 2 overall by the Royals in 2007, Moustakas has played nine season in the Major Leagues and is a two-time All-Star.

19. Dylan Bundy, Owasso (Okla.), 2011
The USA Today and MaxPreps national Player of the Year, Bundy was the No. 4 overall selection in the 2011 draft by the Baltimore Orioles. He also won the Gatorade state Player of the Year honor three times in Oklahoma. He posted an 11-0 record with a 0.20 ERA and 158 strikeouts in 71 innings pitched. He also batted .457 with 54 RBI, 50 runs and 11 home runs. Plagued by arm troubles in the Major Leagues, Bundy is 32-35 with 478 career strikeouts.

20. Drew Henson, Brighton (Mich.), 1998
A tremendous three-sport athlete, Henson was the USA Today national Player of the Year after setting a national record with 70 career home runs. A Rawlings All-American, Henson was not drafted until the third round, possibly due to his having committed to play quarterback at Michigan. As a senior, Henson, known as the "Brighton Bomber" belted 22 home runs with 83 RBI to go with a .608 batting average. He was also 14-2 on the mound. He had only brief careers in both sports, but he is one of the few athletes to ever play professional football and baseball.

21. Manny Machado, Brito (Miami), 2010
Machado was the first high school position player to come off the board in the 2010 draft when he went No. 3 overall to the Orioles. A MaxPreps All-American, Machado batted .639 as a senior with 27 doubles, 12 home runs, 43 runs and 56 RBI. He has been one of the top players in the Major Leagues, earning four trips to the All-Star game in his seven seasons.

22. Robin Yount, Taft (Woodland Hills, Calif.), 1973
The last 18-year-old to hit a home run in the Major Leagues, Yount spent only a few months in the Minor Leagues after being picked No. 3 overall in the 1973 draft. He spent 20 years in the Major Leagues with the Brewers and was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He earned Los Angeles City Player of the Year honors as a senior, batting .455 and leading Taft in six offensive categories. Taft finished 14-1 on the season.

23. Brien Taylor, East Carteret (Beaufort, N.C.), 1991
An injury to his shoulder resulted in Taylor becoming one of only three No. 1 overall draft picks to never reach the Major League level. There was every indication he was on the road to a Major League career after going with the top pick to the Yankees. He had performed well at the Class A and AA levels and was headed to the 3A level before a shoulder injury sustained in a fistfight derailed his career. He posted 29 career wins in high school with 213 strikeouts in 88 innings pitched. He was a Rawlings All-American and the USA Today national Player of the Year.

24. Danny Goodwin, Peoria (Ill.), 1971
Goodwin holds the distinction of being the only player to be selected No. 1 overall in the MLB draft twice. He was chosen as a high school catcher out of Peoria Central in 1971 and again in 1975 after completing his college career. Although he played sparingly in his 10 seasons in the Major Leagues, he was the considered a can't miss prospect coming out of high school. Goodwin, a Rawlings All-Americans, hit .494 as a senior, .427 as a junior and .459 as a sophomore while blasting nine home runs during his senior year.

25. Delmon Young, Camarillo (Calif.), 2003
Young was both the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 draft and he was the USA Today national Player of the Year. Known for his explosive home runs, Young hit seven as a senior, 17 as a junior, and 35 for his career. He batted .541 his senior year with 28 RBI. In 10 years at the Major League level, Young has 109 home runs.

26. JT Realmuto, Carl Albert (Midwest City, Okla.), 2010
A MaxPreps All-American and a Rawlings All-American, Realmuto was not drafted until the third round of the 2010 MLB Draft. However, he was a prolific hitter in high school. He belted 28 home runs and set a national record with 119 RBI. He also tied a national record with 88 base hits (.595 average) and scored 78 runs with 26 doubles. He's played five seasons in the Major Leagues and was an All-Star in 2018.

27. J.R. Richard, Lincoln Prep (Grambling, La.), 1969
Drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1969 draft by the Houston Astros, Richard was a basketball standout as well as an overpowering baseball pitcher. He stood 6-foot-8 and never lost a high school start, going 28-0 in his career and 7-0 as a senior. He struck out 89 batters in just 43 innings his senior year and once hit four home runs in one game. He reportedly had five home runs in five consecutive at-bats with three of those homers going for grand slams. He also had three no-hitters and a one-hitter as a senior. An all-around athlete, he reportedly averaged 35 points in basketball, could throw the ball 80 yards in football and averaged 48 yards a punt. Once he overcame bouts of wildness as a pitcher, he became a force for the Astros, leading the National League in strikeouts in 1978 and 1979 before suffering a stroke in 1980.

28. Ken Brett, El Segundo (Calif.), 1966
The Brett brother who isn't in the Hall of Fame was actually more heralded as a prep at El Segundo. In 1966, Kemer "Ken" Brett was the Southern Section Player of the Year for the second season in a row after leading El Segundo to back-to-back section championships. He posted a 13-1 record with a 0.63 ERA in 83.1 innings pitched. He also struck out 152 batters, hit .484 at the plate and belted eight home runs. He threw a no-hitter in the playoffs and he also threw a no-hitter two years earlier in the Babe Ruth national tournament in New York. Picked No. 4 overall by the Red Sox. In 1967, he became the youngest pitcher to ever appear in a World Series game. He had several arm surgeries the following year, however, and never quite lived up to the promise he showed as a prep. He pitched 14 seasons in the Major Leagues and had an 83-85 record.

29. Jake Odorizzi, Highland (Ill.), 2008
Odorizzi had possibly one of the best senior seasons ever. Besides going 14-0 on the mound with a 0.08 ERA, he struck out 146 batters and had a streak of 25 straight wins. At the plate, he batted .409 with 15 home runs, 41 RBI and 31 stolen bases. He was the MaxPreps national Player of the Year and was drafted No. 32 overall by the Brewers. He has played seven seasons and has a 52-50 career record with 851 strikeouts.

30. Adrian Gonzalez, Eastlake (Chula Vista, Calif.), 2000
The No. 1 pick by the Marlins in the 2000 draft, Gonzalez was the top player in California by Cal-Hi Sports and a USA Today All-American. He batted .645 at Eastlake with 13 home runs and 34 runs batted in. As a junior he had 18 home runs and finished with 31 in his career. In 14 years in the Major Leagues, Gonzalez is a five-time All-Star with over 2,000 hits and 317 home runs.

31. Scott McGregor, El Segundo (Calif.), 1972
Although a teammate of Hall of Famer George Brett (as a sophomore and junior), it was McGregor who garnered more headlines during his three-year career under legendary coach John Stevenson. McGregor was a three-time All-CIF selection and was twice named Player of the Year. He was also a Rawlings All-American as a senior. He set section records (which still stand) for career wins (51), career shutouts (20), shutouts in a season (9), and consecutive no-hitters (2). He also set the section record for career strikeouts (which has since been broken) with 496. He was the No. 14 overall pick in 1972 draft by the Yankees, but he was eventually traded to Baltimore. He played 13 seasons with the Orioles, won 138 games and was an All-Star in 1981.

32. Harold Baines, St. Michaels (Md.), 1977
A 2019 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Baines started his career as a Rawlings All-American and a No. 1 overall draft pick by the White Sox in the 1977 MLB Draft. Baines didn't play on a championship team at St. Michael, but he attracted scouts with his .532 batting average. He played 22 seasons in the Major Leagues and had 2,866 career hits.

33. Todd Van Poppel, Martin (Arlington, Texas), 1990
One of the most hyped pitchers coming out of high school, Van Poppel made it clear to teams that he did not want to be drafted because he was going to attend the University of Texas. The USA Today national Player of the Year was drafted No. 14 overall by the Athletics, who eventually signed Van Poppel. He posted an 11-4 record as a senior and a career record of 25-6. He struck out 170 batters his senior year. He played 13 years at the Major League level and posted a record of 40-52.

34. Jim Rice, T.L. Hanna (Anderson, S.C.), 1971
An All-State player in football and a Rawlings All-American in baseball as a senior, Rice, known as "Ed" in high school, was the No. 15 overall choice in the 1971 MLB draft by the Red Sox. He batted .455 with four home runs, six doubles and 23 runs. A member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Rice was an eight-time All-Star and the American League MVP in 1978.

35. Bill Gullickson, Joliet Catholic (Joliet, Ill.), 1977
While Harold Baines was considered the top position player in the 1977 draft, Gullickson was considered the top pitcher — and for good reason. He posted a 12-0 record as a senior and reportedly had a 96-mph fastball. He 0.48 ERA and struck out 158 batters in just 87 innings. A Rawlings All-American, Gullickson went No. 2 in the draft to the Montreal Expos. He spent 15 years playing professional baseball (two years in Japan) and won 162 games, despite battling diabetes throughout his career.

36. B.J Upton, Greenbrier Christian Academy (Chesapeake, Va.), 2002
USA Today named Upton its national Player of the Year in 2002 when he was regarded as the nation's top defensive shortstop. Upton could hit as well, batting .614 with 10 home runs, 47 RBI and 21 steals. He went No. 2 overall in the 2002 draft and played 12 seasons in the Major Leagues with four different teams.

37. C.C. Sabathia, Vallejo (Calif.), 1998
Sabathia was a dominant all-around athlete at Vallejo. Besides racking up 14 sacks in leading the basketball team to a 32-2 record, Sabathia was 9-1 on the mound and batted .563 for the baseball team. He was named state Athlete of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports and he earned a spot on the Rawlings All-American baseball team. He went No. 20 overall in the 1998 draft, going to the Cleveland Indians. Playing in his 19th season, the 2007 Cy Young Award winner and six-time All-Star recently posted his 3,000th career strikeout.

38. Homer Bailey, La Grange (Texas), 2004
The national Player of the Year by USA Today, Bailey led LaGrange to a state title and won Gatorade state Player of the Year honors. He went 15-0 on the mound with a 0.68 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 92.2 innings pitched. Bailey went 41-4 in his high school career with 536 strikeouts. Selected No. 7 overall by the Reds in the 2004 draft, Bailey has played 13 years at the Major League level, posting 1,035 career strikeouts while going 70-80. He has pitched two no-hitters.

39. Lonnie Smith, Centennial (Compton, Calif.), 1974
Considered a possible No. 1 overall pick in the 1974 draft, Smith went No. 3 to the Phillies. An All-CIF outfielder, Smith was known for his speed and hitting ability. He batted .426 during the season with four home runs. He played 17 years in the Major Leagues, was an All-Star in 1982 and played on three World Series championship teams.

40. Jeff Francoeur, Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), 2002
A two-time Rawlings All-American, Francoeur was the No. 23 overall pick in the 2002 draft by the Atlanta Braves. He hit 55 home runs in his career and 20 in one season. He also hit 56 RBI in one season. He played for nine different teams over 12 season in the Major Leagues.

41. Josh Booty, Evangel Christian Academy (Shreveport, La.), 1994
One of the all-time leading prep passers, Booty turned down the chance to play college football in order to play baseball after being drafted No. 5 overall in the 1994 draft by the Florida Marlins. A four-time All-State selection, Booty was a Rawlings and USA Today All-American while batting .429 with 12 home runs. Booty played four years at the minor league level before giving football a try. He played three seasons in the NFL.

42. Rick Porcello, Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.), 2007
The USA Today national Player of the Year, Porcello wasn't drafted until the No. 27 overall pick in the first round by the Tigers. He was 10-0 at Seton Hall Prep, striking out 103 batters with a 1.44 ERA. He won the Cy Young Award in 2016 and has 137 career wins with 1,399 career strikeouts.

43. Eric Hosmer, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 2008
Considered the top power hitter in the country as a senior, he was drafted No. 3 overall by the Royals. In leading American Heritage to a state championship, Hosmer batted .471 with 11 home runs and 31 RBI. In eight seasons, Hosmer has made an All-Star game and won four gold gloves. He has 151 career home runs.

44. Scott Kazmir, Cypress Falls (Houston), 2002
Owner of five no-hitters in high school, Kazmir went No. 15 overall to the Rays. He was a USA Today All-American after posting an 11-2 record with 172 strikeouts in just 75 innings pitched. In 13 Major League seasons, Kazmir was a three-time All-Star and led the American League in strikeouts in 2007.

45. Willie Wilson, Summit (N.J.), 1974
Wilson was a three-sport star who earned All-American honors in football and baseball. A catcher in high school, Wilson batted .436 as a senior. He was converted to the outfield after being drafted in the first round by the Royals. He became one of the top base stealers in the Major Leagues, swiping 668 in his 18-year career.

46. Dale Murphy, Wilson (Portland, Ore.), 1974
If not for injuries late in his career, Murphy would have been a shoo-in for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He won back-to-back National League MVP honors in 1982 and 1983 and was a seven-time All-Star. He had 398 career home runs and 2,111 hits. He batted .432 as a senior at Wilson while earning All-State and All-American honors. He was taken No. 5 overall in the 1974 draft by the Braves.

47. Tim Foli, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), 1968
A three-sport athlete at Notre Dame, Foli led the baseball team to a Catholic League championship and was named Class 3A Player of the Year in the Southern Section. The Mets tabbed him with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1968 draft after he batted .576 with 34 RBI as a senior. He reached the Major Leagues by the time he was 19 and played 15 years, playing on the Pirates' 1979 World Series championship squad.

48. Lance Parrish, Walnut (Calif.), 1974
A three-sport standout, Parrish had a scholarship to play football at UCLA. However, he chose baseball after being drafted No. 16 overall by the Tigers. He batted .440 in high school and was an All-Southern Section selection. He was an eight-time All-Star during an 18-year career in the Major Leagues.

49. Lloyd Moseby, Oakland (Calif.), 1978
A Rawlings All-American and the Cal-Hi Sports state Player of the year for 1978, Moseby was the No. 2 player chosen in the 1978 draft and the top high school player selected. He turned heads with his power-hitting abilities that included 15 home runs in just 15 games at the high school level. He played 14 seasons in the Major Leagues and was an All-Star in 1986.

50. Ron Blomberg, Druid Hills (Atlanta), 1967
Considered one of the best hitters in the country as a senior, Blomberg was also a standout basketball player headed to UCLA and coach John Wooden. However, the Yankees took him No. 1 overall in the 1967 draft. He batted .472 with five home runs and 45 RBI while also drawing 50 walks. He went on to become the first designated hitter in American League history.