Texas Rangers mock draft: Trio of outfielders to keep an eye on

Walker Jenkins, out of South Brunswick (N.C.) HS is a large (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) athlete that shows, plus raw power, solid defensive instincts with a strong arm, and good overall hit tools. Jenkins was the Gatorade North Carolina player of the year in 2022 as a high school junior.

Jenkins bats left and throws right and has played centerfield in high school. It will remain to be seen if Jenkins will stay in center or will be more suited for a corner position as he progresses through the pro ball ranks. He runs well, but with his big frame it is unclear if he will maintain his current speed as he matures and fills out even more.

There has not been a North Carolina high school prep star as highly sought after since Ranger Hall of Famer, Josh Hamilton was taken with the first overall selection in the 1999 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Jenkins is committed to the University of North Carolina, but with the likelihood of being selected in the top of the MLB draft, there is little chance that he plays ball in Chapel Hill next year.

Baseball America has Jenkins atop their latest high school draft prospect listing. He was unable to make the showcase circuit last summer because a hamate injury kept him sidelined. Jenkins had already shined on the national stage as he had made the 18U USA national team in 2021 as an underclassman.

One comp that has been thrown around with Jenkins, is Austin Meadows. While Meadows has struggled the last two seasons, he has put up some substantial numbers during parts of his career. Everyone wants to draft the next Mike Trout, but getting a major leaguer with an early draft pick is paramount. Missing on too many of those first round selections can have a negative impact on an organization for years. If the Rangers decide to dip back into the prep world for their first round pick this year, Jenkins appears to be a tremendous choice. Plus, as several fans have already pointed out, having Walker "Texas Ranger" in the organization would be kind of fun.

The final member of the outfield trio being linked to the Rangers is Max Clark. Clark, like Jenkins, is a high school centerfield that has put up some impressive numbers over the last few years.

One factor that was thought to possibly hurt Clark in the draft rankings, is the fact that he is from Indiana. Due to weather, he didn't get to play as much baseball throughout the entire year. There has never been a high schooler selected in the top 10 of the MLB draft that came out of the state of Indiana. Clark will likely be the first and has put that issue to rest and has produced at an elite level every chance he has had.

Clark is from Franklin, Ind., which is located thirty minutes south of Indianapolis. He will be the highest ranked player to come out of Indiana since Ball State University pitcher, Bryan Bullington went No.1 overall in the 2002 draft to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clark has committed to Vanderbilt University which is another feather in his cap even though he will most likely go pro. Vandy coach, Tim Corbin, isn't going to have anything less than quality ball players with good character on his squad, which speaks highly for the young centerfielder.

Before the latest updated rankings from Baseball America, Clark was sitting in the number one spot ahead of Jenkins. Even with Jenkins moving ahead of Clark, most everyone has the two as 1A and 1B. Basically, the two prep stars are a tossup at this point. Clark currently wouldn't be labeled a true five tool player, but he could easily develop into one. He has plus plus speed, arm, hit, and defensive skills and does so from the left side of the plate and throws lefty as well.

Power has been lacking a bit, but with a 6'1, 190-pound frame and great bat-to-ball skills, that could develop into a strength over time as well. Part of the lower homerun total is because of his approach at the plate. Clark is a line-drive hitter that uses all parts of the field. He has the speed to stretch singles into doubles and doubles into triples. Another interesting part of Clark is that he has a mid-90s fastball from the left side, so if something were to get derailed offensively there could be a fallback plan to make him into a pitcher.

It will be interesting what direction the Rangers go with their fourth overall selection this summer. Much of that decision will be based on what the three teams ahead of them do. Drafts are interesting as there is no one set way to put one together and there are so many different opinions on who an organization should take. If they were based on the past, it would be easy, but predicting the future is an exercise in due diligence, hope, and a little luck, all mixed together. Hopefully the Rangers will hit a homerun with their choice this summer.