5 prospects to watch at No. 3

It is all over but the arguing.

High school seasons are over. The MLB scouting combine is over. By Monday, the final game of the college season will be done. All that will be left to do in the three weeks leading up to the draft is to analyze — and perhaps over-analyze — who will select who at the top of the first round.

For the second straight year, the Rangers have a stake at the top of the first round. They will pick third overall, a year after taking Jack Leiter with at No. 2..

Here’s a look at five guys the Rangers are considering at No. 3:

SS Jackson Holliday, Stillwater High School

The son ofseven-time All-star Matt Holliday raised his stock considerably over the season, going from Baseball America’s No. 21-ranked prospect heading into the school year to No. 3.

A lefthanded hitting athletic middle infielder with strong baseball bloodlines and instincts put him on the map. A surge in strength that led to a .685 average with 17 homers and a 2.141 OPS during the high school season put him at the center of the conversation.

OF Druw Jones, Wesleyan School

The progeny of five-time All-star and 10-time Gold Glove winner Andruw Jones, is a chip off the old block. He’s a premium defender who draws comps to his old man. The argument that fuels draft room debates is who projects better: Holliday or Jones?

Jones hit .570 with 13 homers and a 1.702 OPS this past season, so there is plenty to work with.

OF Elijah Green, IMG Academy

The son of former Probowl tight end Eric Green, he has already left his mark in Arlington. During a visit for a tournament in 2021, Green homered to the back of the visiting bullpen.

He does legendary stuff like that.

And that’s just his power tool; according to Baseball America-he’s got topof-the-charts speed, too.

He hit .462 with a 1.592 OPS. Gaudy numbers for sure. But there is also some concern over swing-andmiss tendencies.

2B Termarr Johnson, Mays High School

Though he doesn’t come from famous bloodlines, Johnson drew a comp from Baseball America to Joe Mauer, which is pretty nice company. The magazine suggested he’s the most advanced high school hitter in the draft since Mauer, a three-time batting champ and former MVP, in 2001.

Now come the questions. Legitimate or not, the industry supposition is that Johnson will have to move from shortstop in high school to second base and that he doesn’t really have anywhere to go from there. He’s “only” 5-8 and BA suggests he’s “physically maxed out.” But regardless of supposed limitations, if you get the best offensive player in a draft, you’ve hit a home run.

C Kevin Parada, Georgia Tech

While the Rangers have gone with a college player with their top pick in each of the last three years, the top of the college crop this year seems to fall just a tick below the top of the top of the high school class.

Parada comes from a program that has history of producing big league catchers from Jason Varitek to Matt Wieters to, most recently 2018 No. 2 overall pick Joey Bart. At age 20, as a draft-eligible sophomore, he batted .361 with 26 homers and a 1.162 OPS in 2022.

There are choices. There will be plenty of time for the Rangers to discuss them over the next three weeks.