Mikey Romero top baseball prospect signed today.

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While not a lock to stay at shortstop due to middling range and actions, Romero has among the more advanced hit tools in the 2022 high school class, able to impact pitches all over the strike zone. Based on where hitterish middle infielders were picked in 2021, he fits toward the back of the first round.

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Orange Lutheran High School in Southern California has generated some serious Draft talent over the years, from 2018 first-rounder and current Rangers prospect Cole Winn to future first-rounders like Garrett Mitchell and, most notably, Gerrit Cole. Romero doesn’t quite profile as high as those players went (though it should be noted Mitchell and Cole went on to UCLA before becoming first-round talents), but he does have the chance to be the highest position player drafted from the high school powerhouse since Josh Morgan was a third-rounder in 2014.

With impressive bat-to-ball skills, Romero has the chance to perhaps be a plus hitter in time. He rarely strikes out and can use all fields. He does need to continue to add strength, but though he struggled a bit against velocity early in the summer, he was one of the best hitters at Perfect Game’s World Wood Bat Association World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., in the fall, showing off bat speed, quick hands and good timing from the left side of the plate. He may never be a huge power guy, but there’s enough for him to impact the ball.

Romero is a smooth defender with more than enough arm to go along with the range, instincts and footwork to stay at shortstop for a long time. He’s not quite Marcelo Mayer, the lefty-swinging prep shortstop from SoCal who was the No. 4 pick in the 2021 Draft, but continued strength gains and more production with the bat could move Romero, an LSU recruit, into the conversation of best high school shortstops in this year’s class.

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Romero is a small and thin middle infielder—listed at 5-foot-11, 168 pounds—who entered the year with a reputation as one of the best pure hitters in the class. He backed that up by performing loudly at both the Area Code Games and during the fall in Jupiter, where he showed twitchy hands and great feel for putting the barrel on the ball with a smooth and fluid lefthanded stroke. Scouts are skeptical of the impact Romero will have given his size and lack of strength, so coming out stronger this spring would do a lot to help his draft case. Defensively, he has the hands and actions to stick at shortstop, with solid arm strength and impressive instincts. Romero is committed to Louisiana State, but already has an argument as one of the top prep shortstops in the class and could bolster that reputation this spring.

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Romero is a solid defender on the dirt with obvious strengths in barrel-manipulation and timing cadences at the plate. He can really hit, and in a class lacking polish within the prep bat ranks, Romero presents safety and projection at a premium position. He’s shown the ability to get to any pitch, sometimes expanding the zone but keeping the at-bat alive. He's a gap hitter right now and doesn't project to tap into a ton of power as he matures, though 40 game power is squarely within reach. Most evaluators believe he'll have no issue sticking at shortstop where his fantastic footwork, rhythm, athleticism and internal clock play beautifully. Romero needs to get stronger and add impact at the plate, but the swing is picturesque and the hit tool is very real. Should Romero add some raw power to his game, the profile immediately accelerates. We think he’s a good bet to go earlier than where he’s featured on most boards.

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If nothing else, it demonstrates that Coach understands the most urgent need for 2023

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it demonstrates that Coach understands the most urgent need for 2023

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