MLB draft will take place from July 17-19, and there is a plethora of Black talent expected to hear their names called. Two names which ring loudly are Elijah Green and Cam Collier. Both are expected to be taken off the board early, and they’re considered foundational pieces that teams can build around.
In a sport where blacks once comprised a high of 18 percent of MLB rosters in 1991, that number has dipped to a dramatically low 7.2 percent in 2022.
The success of blue-chip players such as Green and Collier are vital to the hopes of seeing more Blacks on the diamond and in the stands of baseball stadiums.
They represent the cream of the crop of Black players who’ll be available in this year’s draft. Both have an array of talent and present different skill sets that major league teams love.
Elijah Green Is A Stud
While Druw Jones, the son of former Atlanta Braves great Andruw Jones is the bell cow of the draft class, Elijah Green of IMG Academy is widely considered the second-best prospect. The Baltimore Orioles hold the first overall pick, and one has to wonder if they’d be willing to take the kid who once lived in Baltimore. That’s right, Green’s dad Eric was once a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens, so he has ties to “Charm City.”
https://twitter.com/elijahgreen1204/status/1432857249957953538?s=21&t=gALMCU4EZRcUkfJPxn0UNg
When asked about the chances of the Orioles drafting his son, Green responded enthusiastically, “That would be great, that would be fantastic.”
Standing 6 feet 3 and 225 pounds, Green is a chiseled rare blend of speed and power that franchises crave. The Miami Hurricanes commit is considered a five-tool prospect, as he possesses elite power and speed, range, instincts, arm strength and a great glove. He’s efficient at all three outfield positions, and he should thrive.
Will Elijah Green be the No. 1 pick in the 2022 Draft?
Watch the @CanesBaseball commit in #PDPLeague21 action.
LIVE: https://t.co/cnjoEmIVIh pic.twitter.com/dAB5r87RIA
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 29, 2021
Cam Collier Has MLB Lineage
The son of former MLB player Lou Collier, Cam’s had the benefit of being guided and tutored through the MLB draft process. The Louisville Cardinals commit is currently the 12th-ranked prospect ahead of next month’s draft. The 6-foot-2 and 215-pound, slick-fielding power hitter has had scouts’ attention since his junior year of high school. After consulting with his dad, he reclassified from the class of 2023.
When he made the decision to reclass last season, here’s what he had to say.
“I haven’t had the opportunity to talk to a lot of scouts yet, but it’s been cool to see where I rank and where I could maybe go in the draft. I think reclassifying is what’s best for my family and me and how well I played this summer. For me, I just felt I was ready for the move.”
https://twitter.com/truetemperbsbl/status/1522404319936528384?s=21&t=r2aR5E23dugPcMDoj1HSjA
Here’s what Collier’s latest draft report had to say.
“Most of the excitement about Collier centers around his left-handed bat. He has a loose stroke with outstanding bat speed and uncanny bat-to-ball skills. For most of the summer, he squared just about everything up, using the whole field and not being bothered by premium velocity, and he continued to show professional at-bats this spring. There’s good raw power in his swing, with more likely to come. While he’s not a burner, he’s a solid runner.”
Having a former MLB dad like Lou, who played for five different teams (1997-2004), has helped shape Collier into the player we see today.
“It’s easier going through the draft process because he knows how it goes and has gone through it. He has helped guide me through the process, which has helped me a lot.”
Collier’s natural compact swing is what sets him apart. It’s his best trait and is the specific talent that jumps off the page to scouts.
Watch for these future franchise-changers in next month’s MLB draft as they help reinfuse MLB with soul power.
