MLB mock draft 2014: Baseball America projects Carlos Rodon to stay on top

The MLB draft is less than three weeks away, and although there has been some speculation that the Houston Astros could look elsewhere, Baseball America's John Manuel still has Carlos Rodon at the top of his second mock of the year.

Many evaluators are currently high on high school catcher Alex Jackson due to a "power barrage" of late, and prep lefty Brady Aiken has also received a few mock-topping accolades. Texas high school righty Tyler Kolek lights up fans' imagination with his triple-digit fastball, but Manuel has him slipping to the Phillies at No. 7, presumably due to the fact that the rest of his game isn't quite as incendiary as his heater.

High school shortstop Nick Gordon, Dee Gordon's brother, is a near lock to crack the top five. He's likely to stick at short, and his brother's success this season in Los Angeles can't hurt.

Louisiana State's Aaron Nola represents the lowest risk after Rodon as far as college arms go. Manuel has him being selected by the Mariners at No. 6 overall.

East Carolina's Jeff Hoffman was projected as a top-five pick before undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this month. He could slip to a team in the middle of the first round -- or even later in the first -- and present a potential steal for the team willing to take a chance on him as he recovers.

College lefties Kyle Freeland, Brandon Finnegan, and Sean Newcomb could also push their way into the top fifteen picks, but as always, it will depend on how the draft unfolds.