The Next Best Thing: Anthony Rendon

Rendon's sweet swing produced 20 homers this year.

Name: Anthony Rendon

School: Rice University

Rendon clearly separated himself as far and away the consensus number one overall status this year. He has one of the best (if not the best) swing on a college hitter at the age of 19. His hip rotation is un-matched in the college game  today and he combines that with some incredible pitch recognition abilities and amazingly quick hands. The defense is already there as he’s an above average fielder with a nice arm that can easily make the transition to shortstop should a team have a need there. His habit of the double toe-tap when the pitch is on the way is not a big deal, he’s been able to tee off on tough college pitching this year with ease, so it obviously hasn’t affected his swing enough to the point that it’s a problem that needs to be fixed.

Considering the furious pace at which the Baltimore Orioles seem to be determined to lose games (most of them gut wrenchingly close), they will likely be the team that takes him and attempts to convert him to a shortstop given their consistent…well inconsistency at that position since the days of Mike Bordick and Cal Ripken Jr. Others who can be considered in this less-than-exciting sweepstakes are the Houston Astros and the Cleveland Indians. Whoever it is that ends being the Sultans of Suck this year will be rewarded with a nearly no-doubt future star that can bat in the middle of the lineup and play some excellent defense given the time to develop. It would take the emergence of the mother of all high school prospects for Rendon to not be the number one overall pick in next year’s draft.