* 1. Matt Anderson, Detroit Tigers, RHP, Rice, 6-4, 200, age 20 -  Anderson, the top closing prospect in the draft, mixes a high-90s fastball with a good hard slider. He has struggled with his command in the past, but it improved with the addition of a knuckle-curve. He has been a closer for most of his career but went full-time this season. He also has the mental makeup and the velocity to get it done. "I've always thrown relatively hard for my age at the time," Anderson said. "Every year I've thrown a little harder, my arm's gotten a little stronger." College baseball is regarded as somewhere in the neighborhood of high Class-A (where Anderson might start his pro career), but not as good as AA. "He is the most aggressive pitcher I have ever seen,'' said GM Randy Smith.

* 2. J.D. Drew, Philadelphia Phillies, CF, Florida State, 6-1, 195, age 21 - Drew has good speed and also power to all fields because of his strong wrists and hands. He is the first Division I player in history to produce a 30-30 season. Positives include bat speed, a good eye at the plate, instincts for the game, strength and work ethic. Weaknesses include overall defense, which could necessitate a move to left field eventually. The Tigers steered clear of Drew, mainly because it could take $10 million to sign him. (The notorious Scott Boras represents him.)  "This year signability is a factor with everybody," Phillies scouting director Mike Arbuckle said. "Baseball ability is a prime concern, but signability has to be thought about. This year will be the longest (signing) process for everybody, the longest baseball has ever seen."

"J.D. has told the Phillies what his market value is,'' Boras said. "Before the draft, he gave them a specific price and asked them in good faith not to draft him unless they were willing to meet it. The Phillies will hold his rights for about the next 50 weeks, unless Drew decides to return to Florida State for his senior year. The Phils would lose Drew's rights when he attends his first class. That scenario is unlikely, however. "He's a great package, but there are no sure things,'' Arbuckle said. "Every player has question marks, especially when you're using an aluminum bat, facing one good pitcher a week. There are always risks. There's no such an animal as a no-risk, definite major-league star. He will be on the fast track to the majors once we sign him." Drew's brother Tim, high-school right-hander, went to Cleveland on the 28th pick, the first time that brothers have been selected in the first round of the draft.

* 3. Troy Glaus, Anaheim Angels, SS-3B, UCLA, 6-5, 225, age 21 - A big-time power hitter, Glaus set conference and school records for career homers (61) and broke Mark McGwire's conference record for home runs in a season (33). Criticized in the past for motivational reasons, he nonetheless had an outstanding year and was chosen the Pac-10 Southern Division Player of the Year. The Angels said that he would likely be a third baseman when he reaches the majors because of his size. According to Angels scout Darrell Miller and director of scouting Bob Fontaine, Jr., Glaus will get a chance to play shortstop until he shows that he should be moved. They want him to gain weight, strength and refine his fielding skills. But don't expect him to sign right away. He said he wants to wait and see exactly what the other top picks get first. Big league comparison: Matt Williams, Cal Ripken.

4. Jason Grilli, San Francisco Giants, RHP, Seton Hall, 6-5, 178, age 20 -  Grilli has an outstanding sinking 90-91 mph fastball and a very good hard slurve but has lacked consistency in his career thus far. When he's on, he is practically unhittable as in one game where he struck out 18 batters to break Charles Nagy's Big East record. Overall he fanned 125 in 81 innings this year. "We feel fortunate with the pick," said GM Brian Sabean. "He was the top-ranked pitcher on our list and should be on the fast track."

"His best trait is his command of his pitches,'' his coach Mike Sheppard said. "He has a pretty good change-up and is not afraid to throw his three pitches on a 3-and-2 count. He's gotten bigger and stronger. He's a strikeout pitcher. He's a great kid.'' He is the son of former major league pitcher Steve Grilli. Big league comparison: Jack McDowell

* 5. Vernon Wells, Toronto Blue Jays, CF, Bowie HS, Arlington, Texas, 6-2, 195, Age 17 - Rated the best all-around high school, talent, Wells has five tools and tremendous athletic ability. The Jays think he'll develop into a feared power hitter but is at least 3-4 years away from the majors. The Jays think they'll be able to sign him quickly. Jays area scout Jim Hughes: "I saw Vernon last summer playing Connie Mack. We all had him rated high. He has average-to-plus tools across the board." His father, Vernon Sr., played wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs.

6. Geoff Goetz, New York Mets, LHP, Jesuit HS, Tampa, Fla., 6-0, 165, age 18 - Goetz has unusually good command of his pitches for a lefty, especially since he can hit 95-mph on the gun. Scouts love his world class arm but are concerned about his size. He wasn't ranked among the top ten players in the draft by most teams, but the Mets took him sixth overall because they were afraid of signing bonuses for the top players. Big league comparison: Billy Wagner.

7. Daniel Reichert, Kansas City Royals, RHP, Pacific, 6-3, 170, age 20 - Coming off a poor '96 campaign, scouts began to take notice after he fanned 22 in a game earlier in the season and went on to lead all Division I pitchers in K's. He throws hard but his out pitch is a nasty slider that he relies on heavily. If he stays healthy (we worry about young hard slider pitchers), he could be a good one. "He is a pitcher with a high ceiling," said director of scouting Art Stewart. "He is a competitor. And he could get to the big leagues very quickly and help, hopefully within the next year or so."

8. J.J. Davis, Pittsburgh Pirates, 1B, Baldwin Park HS, Pomona, Cal., 6-6, 230, age 18 - Davis has the size and big-time power potential the scouts love but he is below average defensively at the moment. Questions have also arisen concerning his attitude and lack of work ethic. The Pirates aren't worried. They think he'll mature into a home run hitting big leaguer and think they can sign him very soon. "If we can sign him in the next couple of days, we'd be happy," said GM Cam Bonifay. "We thought he was the best two-way player on the board, a combination of power, speed and hitting ability," scouting director Maddox said. "The one tool that a lot of people don't recognize is the makeup tool. We feel you have to be tough to play this game, and J.J. Davis brings that credential to the ballpark every day." Maddox projects Davis could be batting cleanup for the Pirates within 3-4 years. "I'm going to go out on a limb, and I'm going to be bold because we're paying him enough money to be a type of player that we think he can be," Maddox said. "I believe he has the work ethic to be in the big leagues and be a legitimate hitter in four years. Maybe faster than that, but I don't want to put that type of pressure on a young man like this." Despite his prowess in football and basketball (he has been offered two different scholarships), baseball is his favorite sport. Big league comparison: Dave Winfield.

* 9. Mike Cuddyer, Minnesota Twins, SS, Great Bridge HS, Chesapeake, Va., 9-2, 190, age 18 - "Cuddyer was a very high-profile player going into this draft," scouting director Mike Radcliff said. "He was the leading hitter on the Junior Olympic team. He's a power player. The ball jumps off his bat. When he was on the mound, he threw the ball 93 miles per hour." He dropped a little in the draft because he has a scholarship to Florida State if he wants it. Most scouts think he can become a power hitter as he matures and will be moved to third base. "This guy has an outstanding intangible makeup," Radcliff said. "He has a chance to be a tremendous player. He plays both shortstop and third base above average. He has a well-above-average arm and is going to be able to play defense no problem. Offensively, he has a high ceiling."

10. Jon Garland, Chicago Cubs, RHP, Kennedy HS, Granada Hills, Cal., 6-5, 198, age 17 - Scouts love Garland's loose, smooth motion and his 92-mph fastball. He also has a pretty good hard slider and excellent command. Garland signed a national letter of intent with USC last November, but is expected to sign with the Cubs. "I think he can be the ace of a staff in the big league," scout Steve Fuller said. "I've had my eye on him." He has impressed scouts with his composure and maturity and with the consistency of his fastball. Jon Garland has a letter of intent to attend Southern California but said he expects to sign early with the Cubs. "I believe that if I work hard I can get to the majors in three years,'' Garland said. But Jim Hendry, the Cubs' director of scouting, wouldn't put a timetable on him. Baseball America rated him as the third-best control pitcher in high school and projects him as the second closest high school pitcher to the majors.

11. Chris Enochs, Oakland A's, RHP, West Virginia, 6-2, 210, age 19 - After two straight below average seasons, Enochs had an outstanding junior season, and was named the Big East Pitcher of the Year. He throws a 93-mph fastball and a pretty good changeup for a power pitcher. He struck out 86 in 95 innings this year and out-pitched Seton Hall's Jason Grilli in a Big East Conference tournament game, solidifying his first-round status. "I expect to sign quickly so I can get the minors and then to the majors," he said.

12. Aaron Akin, Florida Marlins, RHP, Cowley, County Community College, Kansas, 6-2, 190, Age 20 - Akin throws a excellent 93-95 mph live fastball but needs to develop and off-speed pitch and a reliable breaking ball. They had him targeted as their first pick all along a Marlins spokesman said. "I anticipate with his kind of command and stuff that it won't take very long," said scouting director Orrin Freeman. "He reminds me of Tom Seaver. He has that kind of a clean motion. You don't know if this kid will turn out to be Seaver but he's in that kind of mold."

13. Kyle Peterson, Milwaukee Brewers, RHP, Stanford, 6-3, 215, age 21 - Peterson is a control pitcher who relies on location rather than velocity. The two-time Pac-10 Pitcher-of-the-Year fools the hitters with a deceptive delivery and an outstanding changeup. His fastball is 89-92 mph and he has a good curveball. Scouting director Ken Califano said Peterson could make it to the big leagues by 2000. "We think he'll be quick to the big leagues," Califano said. "The one thing he has is command of all of his pitches. Usually, when Stanford players get to the big leagues, they get better because they're playing tough competition all the time. They're used to pressure situations and playing in the big games."

14. Brandon Larson, Cincinnati Reds, SS, Louisiana State, 6-0, 197, age 21 - Larson has power and is a good defensive player with a strong arm but lacks the range for shortstop and will probably be shifted to second base or third in the pros. Some scouts think the Reds pick of Larson was a reach so early. "I've been fortunate enough to sign Frank Thomas and Robin Ventura," said Al Goldis, the Reds' senior director of scouting and player development. "He's right there with Ventura and he can run." Goldis thinks he could be up as early as next year. "We believe he is one of the closest players to the big leagues in this draft," Goldis said. "We'll probably start him in A-ball and hopefully end up at AA before the year's over with."

15. Jason Dellaero, Chicago White Sox, SS, South Florida, 6-2, 192, age 20 - Dellaero is a decent switch-hitter with some power but might have to move to third base eventually. He has a great arm and a good glove but is heavy-footed that hurts his range at short. He also throws a 94-mph fastball. "We think he's going to be a tremendous defensive player,'' scouting director Shaffer said. "He has a tremendous arm. He has very good hands with average range. I think he will be able to cheat a little because of his arm though.''

* 16. Lance Berkman, Houston Astros, 1B, Rice, 6-1, 210, age 21 - Originally regarded as the best hitting prospect in the draft this year, Berkman led the nation in home runs (41) while knocking in 134 (second-most in Division I history). A switch-hitter, scouts like his solid, compact swing and textbook hitting mechanics. He also won the Cape Cod League batting title while using nothing but wooden bats but hit only one home run (which is why he dropped a little). "He's arguably the best pure hitter in the draft-- if not the best power hitter," GM Gerry Hunsicker said.

17. John Curtice, Boston Red Sox, LHP, Great Bridge High School, Chesapeake, Va., 6-2, 200, age 17 - Curtice has the size and velocity for a lefty that scouts really love. "He's a character, a fun kid,'' said Sox scout Jeffrey Zona. "He's one of the most personable kids you'd ever want to meet. We liken him to a David Wells, but slimmer." His fastball has been clocked in the low-90s and has two other quality pitches but his mechanics need a lot of work.

18. Mark Mangum, Colorado Rockies, RHP, Kingwood High School, Kingwood, Texas, 6-1, 170, age 18 - Mangum throws a 90-92 mph moving fastball (up from 87 last year) and is one of the better athletes among the pitchers on this list. He has excellent control but has to further develop his secondary pitches. VP of scouting Pat Daugherty loves this guy. "He can almost sit on an average big-league fastball right now," he said. "I'm talking about 90 miles per hour. He has good life on his fastball and a great curveball. His changeup needs some work." GM Bob Gebhard said he expects to sign him quickly and send him to the club's Rookie League team in Mesa, Ariz.

* 19. Ryan Anderson, Seattle Mariners, LHP, Divine Child HS, Westland, Mich., 6-10, 210, age 17 - Anderson has an excellent moving 92-mph fastball and an above average curveball, both of which he throws from three different angles-- overhand, three-quarters and sidearm. He has an unusually fluid delivery for his size and is extremely tough on left-handers. Struck out all 21 batters he faced in two different games this season. "I wanted to go to Seattle if I wasn't drafted No. 1 by the Tigers," Anderson said. "Seattle has always been one of my favorite teams because I pattern myself after Randy Johnson." The Mariners didn't think Anderson would be available when they drafted 19th. "We were very pleased Ryan slipped down to the No. 19 pick," GM Woody Woodward said. "He was rated as the best pitcher in the draft and we see this kid as another Randy Johnson." Teams passed Anderson, who was originally projected in the top five, because they didn't think they could afford him.

* 20. Adam Kennedy, St. Louis Cardinals, SS, Cal State Northridge, 6-1, 180, age 21 - Kennedy is a pure left-handed hitter with power to all fields but scouts aren't sure what position he'll play in the majors. His funny stance at the plate and inconsistent play in the field undoubtedly dropped him in the draft but some scouts thought he would go in the second round. But Cardinals area scout Chuck Fick convinced the Cards that Kennedy could hit with the best of them. "I pushed real hard,'' Fick said. "I thought he was one of the best hitters in the country. To me, this kid is not a gamble. To me, he's the real deal.'' Keep an eye on him.

21. Eric DuBose, Oakland A's, LHP, Mississippi State, 6-3, 220, age 21 -  Generally considered the top left-handed college pitcher in the draft, DuBose throws a 92-94 mph fastball, changeup, knuckle-curve and a cut fastball. He got off to a slow start this year, which could explain a slight drop in the draft but gained control midway through the season and finished strong. Big league comparison: Mark Langston.

* 22. Jayson Werth, Baltimore Orioles, C, Glenwood HS, Chatham, Ill., 6-4, 190, age 18 - Werth is a fine hitter and runs very well for a catcher (he's played center field at times). He has solid tools across the board including a strong throwing arm and a solid work ethic. His father was former catcher Dennis Werth and his grandfather and uncle are Dick Schofield Sr. and Jr. respectively. Big league comparison: Dale Murphy.

23. Donnie Bridges, Montreal Expos, RHP, Oak Grove HS, Hattiesburg, Miss., 6-3, 200, age 18 - Bridges throws a 92-94 mph fastball and a nasty hard slider. Scouts love his pitcher's build and live arm but health concerns dropped him into the lower part of the round. GM Jim Beattie said he had a mild elbow strain earlier this year and visited Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. "Andrews felt it wasn't a serious problem, that it was something that could be taken care of by therapy and rehabilitation," said Beattie. "He pitched three innings three days ago and threw free and easy."

24. Tyrell Godwin, New York Yankees, CF, East Bladen HS, Elizabethtown, NC, 5-11, 185, age 17 - Along with McDonald, Godwin was considered the fastest player available. Scouts say he has impact potential but is very raw (offensively and defensively) and probably won't reach the majors until 2002. He concentrated on football in high school as a top-rated running back and could attend North Carolina to play football, which makes him a question mark for baseball. He is a switch-hitter.

25. Glenn Davis, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1B, Vanderbilt, 6-1, 195, age 21 - Davis is a switch-hitter with power from the left side and a sweet line-drive stroke from the right. He is a good defensive player and can even play the outfield. He could be signed by the time rookie camp starts next week. "I'm not one to sit out and ask for a lot of money,'' said Davis. "I'm looking forward to signing and playing right away.'' Dodgers scout Carl Loewenstine, called him "a well-rounded player. He has a chance to be an outstanding hitter.'' He is the brother of top Padres catching prospect Ben Davis. Big league comparison: Mark Grace.

26. Darnell McDonald, Baltimore Orioles, CF, Cherry Creek HS, Englewood, Col., 5-10, 190, age 18 -  Considered the best high school athlete in the draft, McDonald has big-time bat speed and big-time power potential. He also has big-time 4.4 speed and set a state record by rushing for more than 6,000 yards in his high school career. And if that isn't enough, he also has a 95-mph fastball as a RHP. Pre-draft speculation had him going within the top five picks. He dropped because he had signed a letter-of-intent to play football and baseball at the University of Texas. Also, his high-dollar asking price (rumored in the $3 million range) eliminated some teams because of budgetary restraints. Baltimore now has until the first day of school at Texas to sign McDonald, or he returns to free-agent status.

27. Kevin Nicholson, San Diego Padres, SS, Stetson, 5-9, 189, age 21 - The switch-hitting Nicholson is very strong and has good power for a middle infielder which is where his fantasy value lies. He is a good defensive player but lacks top range at short and will probably end up at second base. He was voted MVP of the Cape Cod League last summer using wooden bats and is the first Canadian to be drafted in the first round. Scouts commended the Padres and agree his future is as a second baseman. "Our scouts had him ranked very high, and I saw tape of him, and I was very impressed," said Rockies GM Bob Gebhard. "We passed on him only because we need pitching." Big league comparison: Chuck Knoblauch.

28. Tim Drew, Cleveland Indians, RHP, Lowndes County HS, Hahira, Ga., 6-2, 190, age 18 - Drew's fastball is clocked at 95 mph, his slider at 85-- both of which are outstanding pitches. A pulled muscle in his back forced him to miss most of the second half. "Drew is a power pitcher with a power pitcher's demeanor," said scouting director Lee MacPhail. "He doesn't like hitters. He is a throwback to the old days. We think we can work out an agreement and sign him fast." His older brother is second overall pick J.D. Drew.

29. Troy Cameron, Atlanta Braves, SS, St. Thomas Aquinas HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 5-11, 165, age 18 - A switch-hitter, Cameron is noted for his bat more than anything else. He has good pop but a lack of speed and range could move him to the outfield or second base in the future.

* 30. Jack Cust, Arizona Diamondbacks, 1B, Immaculata HS, Flemington, N.J., 6-3, 200, age 18 - Cust was probably the best high school left-handed power hitter available. Unfortunately, he is slow afoot and below average defensively, which is why he dropped to the end of the first round.

31. Jason Standridge, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, RHP, Hewitt HS, Tressville, Ala., 6-4, 205, age 18 - Director of scouting Dan Jennings said he has a fastball as high as 94 mph and has good command of a curve and changeup. "Believe me, we've done our homework,'' Jennings said, adding that his willingness to give up football was a big factor in their decision to draft him. He has a scholarship to Auburn as a quarterback.