See who experts have the Rangers selecting at No. 3 overall

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The Rangers have the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. IMG Academy outfielder Elijah Green, Stillwater High School shortstop Jackson Holliday and Georgia Tech catcher Kevin Parada are among the names who have been linked to the Rangers so far.

Who will the Rangers take on July 17? Here’s a quick breakdown of whom draft experts have going to the Rangers in the first round.

Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

The Athletic’s Keith Law (June 21): “Green would be a reversal of form for the Rangers, who’ve gone college in the first round in the last three years, including Vanderbilt’s Jack Leiter in 2021.

“Green looks the part of a future star in size, frame, and especially tools, with a strong, athletic 6-3 build, explosive speed, and plus power already that projects to 70 in the future. It’s easy, easy power, with fantastic hand acceleration after a quiet start, and when he gets his arms extended the ball jumps off his bat. All his power comes on pitches on the middle or outer thirds, although he can still make contact on the inner third, just without the same sort of impact. The concern on Green has always been his tendency to swing and miss, especially on stuff in the zone; he doesn’t chase fastballs, but will miss fastball strikes, especially up, and can expand for breaking stuff down and away. He has the most pure upside of the high school position players in the class, with 30/30 potential in a true centerfielder who throws well enough to play right, with a bit more risk than some of the other hitters in the top echelon.”

CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa (June 16): “Rumor has it the Rangers badly want Druw Jones to slip here, but a) that is very unlikely, and b) it doesn’t happen in our mock draft. Green has similar upside and was considered the better prospect coming into the spring, so he’s the next best thing. If Green, Jones, and Jackson Holliday go in the top three picks like they do in our mock draft, it would be the first time the top three picks are high schoolers since 2017 (Royce Lewis, Hunter Greene, and MacKenzie Gore).

Baseball America: “With Holliday off the board we have them taking Green, who has the most pure upside in the class. That player profile fits with the Rangers of old, but it has been mentioned that a college player at this pick might make some more sense given what the Rangers have done recently on the free agent market (signing Corey Seager and Marcus Semien) and at the top of the draft (selected college players like Josh Jung, Justin Foscue and Jack Leiter).”

Prime Time Sports Talk’s John Lepore also has the Rangers selecting Green. Read his analysis here.

Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater (Okla.) HS

Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter (June 15): “The son of former MLB All-Star Matt Holliday has a more well-rounded profile than his dad with plus athleticism and the defensive chops to stick at shortstop. He has gone from first-round candidate to top-five pick this spring with a stellar senior season, showing more strength and agility as he’s grown into his 6′1″ frame.”

MLB.com’s Jim Callis (June 22): “The Rangers wouldn’t mind a shot at Jones and covet Holliday. They’re also heavy on Green and Parada.”

Baseball Prospect Journal’s Dan Zielinski III and Philadelphia Sports Station’s Conor Doherty also have the Rangers selecting Holliday. Click the corresponding links to read their analysis.

Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel (June 29): “Every indication is that Texas wants Jones (5% chance), then Holliday (35% chance), in that order, and it appears that Parada is the Rangers’ third preference, again with Green (15% chance for him, plus others) being mentioned but I think he’s the backup option here as well. If Johnson goes first, then Jones likely goes second, and Holliday would appear to be a slam dunk here.”

OddsChecker’s Jason Radowitz has the Rangers selecting Parada. Click here to read his analysis.

Termarr Johnson, SS, Mays (GA)

Just Baseball’s Ryan Miller has the Rangers selecting Johnson. Click here to read his analysis.

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