Next year's draft class is considerably deeper (on paper) than the 2016 iteration -- Keith Law and I will have a top 30 previewing the group next month -- and that was certainly on display at the 2016 Area Code Games this week in Long Beach, California. There were certainly some sloppy elements as there are at all prep events, but overall there were more positives than negatives over the five days.
Here's a look at some standouts from this year's Area Code Games.
Hunter Greene (Notre Dame HS, Stevenson Ranch, California) was not only the standout of the Brewers club, but also the best player on display over the week. He sat at 94-96 mph with his fastball with considerable movement and touched 98. His slider was inconsistent at best during the Under Armour All-American Game the previous month, but it flashed plus here, and he was able to locate the pitch for strikes for the most part. He also showed a change in the mid-80s that he buried down with good arm speed, and although he didn't have great feel for it, you can see the makings of a quality third offering.
Greene also plays in the middle infield, and he showed a solid glove with a (obvious) strong throwing arm, and there's some power potential here as well. With how good he is on the mound, however, it'd be a surprise if we ever see him playing in the field. He's a legit top-five candidate.
