Top 5 prospects in the 2022 MLB Draft

The 2022 MLB Draft will begin on July 17, with some great prospects that are expected to fly off the board right away. The draft is the best opportunity for teams to grow their prospect pools and set themselves up for future success.

Identifying MLB-level talent is an incredibly difficult job that even the best get wrong very often. While we likely won't see these players in the big leagues for a few years, they could become household names in the future.

Let's take a look at the top five prospects in the 2022 MLB Draft and how they compare to each other.

#5 Brooks Lee

Brooks Lee at Cal Poly, coutesy of Through The Fence Baseball

Brooks Lee is the oldest player to grace this top five list, coming in at an ancient 21 years old. This is, of course, hyperbole, as the young player still has many years ahead of him playing baseball. With a Batting Average of .357 this season, Brooks Lee is one of the best options in this year's draft.

The Washington Nationals pick fifth overall. If they select Lee, they will hope he continues his stellar offense beyond college.

This tweet from Mason McRae contextualizes what Brooks Lee brings to the table as a prospect.

"Brooks Lee is in my opinion the best college player in the draft" - Mason McRae

By the end of the night, we could easily see Brooks Lee be the steal of the draft.

#4 Termarr Johnson

Termarr Johnson, courtesy of Termarr Johnson on Twitter

Termarr Johnson comes in as the fourth-best player available in the draft. If the draft order matches this list, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be thrilled to get a such a great talent fourth overall. While the shortstop is strong defensively, his biggest advantage over other prospects is his offense.

During the MLB Draft Combine, Termarr Johnson sat down with the MLB Network to discuss his future. In this interview, included below, Johnson proved his maturity is as impressive as his skillset.

Terrmarr Johnson has plenty of upside and could be a game changer for any team he ends up with.

#3 Jackson Holliday

Jackson Holliday swinging for the fences

Jackson Holliday is the son of Matt Holliday, a seven-time MLB All-Star best known for his time with the St. Louis Cardinals and Colorado Rockies. Jackson Holliday is a great all-around player and would be a perfect fit wherever he ends up. Being the third-ranked prospect, the Texas Rangers will likely be the team to select him.

"If I can get Jackson Holliday at 3 I’m turning in my card right now" - Nolan Writin'

Jackson Holliday has everything it takes to carry on his father's legacy in the MLB.

#2 Elijah Green

Elijah Green at the Advancement Of Blacks In Sports Champions And Legends Awards

Elijah Green is the top athlete in the 2022 MLB Draft class, giving him a very high ceiling on his potential. Elijah is the son of Eric Green, a tight end who dominated the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Elijah Green brings this same physical dominance to the ballpark. This physical edge and complete toolset makes him almost the best prospect in this year's draft.

This video posted to YouTube by The Prospect Pipeline shows the variety of skills Green possesses.

If Elijah Green can continue to develop his diverse skillset, he has the potential to become an All-Star in the MLB.

#1 Druw Jones

Druw Jones sitting in the dugout

Druw Jones is a tremendous center fielder and the best overall prospect in this draft. Druw Jones does everything at a high level, much like his father Andruw Jones, who was a five-time All-Star in the MLB. Druw Jones has also proven to be coachable and has a strong ability to improve. With the Baltimore Orioles holding the first overall pick, missing out on Druw Jones would be a huge whiff.

This highlight package proves why everybody who scouts this high schooler has nothing but positives to say.

The MLB Draft is always full of surprises and trades, but these five prospects are as close to sure things as you can get. Sound off in the comments with who you think got left off this list and which teams you think these talented players will end up on.