All-Century Team: Best High School 3rd Baseman of This Century

December 22, 2025

High school baseball is where the future starts to take shape: the raw tools, the swagger, the flashes of greatness. Before they were All-Stars or MVPs, these guys were just teenagers lighting up local diamonds.


At third base, we’re talking about cornerstones. Big arms. Bigger bats. Players who owned the hot corner and the batter’s box. And the three we chose? All future pros. All high school legends.


Let’s break it down.

Kris Bryant  (Bonanza High School, Nevada)

Some Kris Bryant wasn’t just mashing baseballs in Las Vegas — he was rewriting record books. As a senior at Bonanza, he hit .489 with 22 home runs and 51 RBIs, earning him First-Team USA Today All-American honors.


He had one of the most powerful right-handed swings in the country, a frame built to grow, and discipline beyond his years. Though he opted to play college ball at the University of San Diego, he was drafted 18th overall out of high school — and eventually went #2 overall in 2013 after winning the Golden Spikes Award.


Stat Line (Senior Year):
 .489 AVG | 22 HR | 51 RBI

Manny Machado   (Brito Miami Private, Florida)

Machado’s high school numbers are the stuff of Florida baseball legend. His .639 average, 15 home runs, and 57 RBIs as a senior were matched only by his elite tools. He stole 27 bases, played both shortstop and third, and had scouts buzzing with every throw across the diamond.


He was the Gatorade Florida Player of the Year, a Perfect Game All-American, and taken 3rd overall in the 2010 MLB Draft by the Orioles. Even in high school, Machado looked like he belonged in a big-league lineup.



Stat Line (Senior Year):
 .639 AVG | 15 HR | 57 RBI | 27 SB


Nolan Arenado   (El Toro High School, California)


Arenado didn’t come with the loudest numbers — but the eye test told you everything. At El Toro High School in Southern California, he hit .456 as a senior with 5 home runs and 32 RBIs. But more than anything, it was the glove.


His defense was already elite. The hands. The footwork. The arm. He was a quiet assassin at third base, a student of the game who never took a play off. Scouts saw it early, and the Rockies took him 59th overall in 2009. Today? He’s one of the greatest defensive third basemen of all time.


Stat Line (Senior Year):
 .456 AVG | 5 HR | 32 RBI

Why Arenando Is Our Pick

Bryant had the power. Machado had the flash. But Arenado had everything, and brought it every day. His combination of offense, glove work, and baseball IQ made him the most complete third baseman of the era.



That’s why he’s our pick to lock down the hot corner for the All-Century Team.

Catch the Whole All-Century Team Series

Since 2001, SkillShow has been helping tomorrow's stars get discovered.


Watch the full All-Century Team Series on YouTube and follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes reels, scouting notes, and more.


When there, don't forget to subscribe to our social channels to see even more of baseball's past, present, and future greats.

Javier Baez playing baseball in high school

All-Century Team: Best High School 2nd Baseman of This Century

December 17, 2025
Every generation has its own definition of greatness. At second base, greatness shows up in different ways. Flash. Grit. Complete dominance.  For the All-Century Team, we narrowed the field to three players who define what the position has been since 2000. Each took a different path. Each brought a different style. And each forced the game to adjust around them. This is the All-Century Team at second base, SkillShow style.
Madison Bumgarner pitching in high school

All-Century Team: Best High School Pitchers Since 2000

December 2, 2025
In high school, pitchers don’t just lead rotations — they define eras. They throw gas, paint corners, and rack up strikeouts under Friday night lights. They’re the ones who silence bats and electrify scouts. And the three on our All-Century Team? They were already big-league material before they ever signed their first contract.  We’re talking about pure dominance, elite projection, and the kind of prep careers that built legends.
Mike Trout in high school

SkillShow All-Century Team: Outfielder Edition

November 19, 2025
The best outfielders at the high school level selected by SkillShow for their All-Century Team: Corbin Carroll, Andrew McCutchen, Kyle Schwarber, and Mike Trout.

SkillShow All-Century Team: Best High School Catcher Since 2000

November 3, 2025
Not every great catcher was supposed to be a catcher. Some of the most legendary prep players of the century weren't traditional backstops at all — they were multi-sport stars, position-switchers, or even pitchers who just happened to strap on the gear and dominate. For the All-Century Team, we wanted to highlight not just the numbers, but the stories. And behind the plate, the stories are anything but ordinary.
Tom Koerick Jr., founder and CEO of SkillShow speaks to camera

A SkillShow Story: MLB ALCS 2025 Game 7

November 3, 2025
Every so often, a story reminds me exactly why we started SkillShow . Years ago, at a Perfect Game showcase, a dad came up to us. He told us his son wasn’t getting much attention from college recruiters. A great athlete and a great person, just flying under the radar. He asked if we could make a video to help his son get seen. We said yes. From that event, we made him a SkillShow recruiting video. Then he asked, “Could you do one for my daughter too? She’s a softball player.” So we did. Same afternoon on a side field that was across the street from the showcase. Brother, sister, and dad all out there helping each other, chasing the same dream, together with my father and I as we ran our business trying to help families like them. Fast forward a few years... That “under-scouted” kid went on to become an All-American at UConn , a first-round draft pick , and one of the most exciting players in Major League Baseball. That kid was George Springer , currently on the Toronto Blue Jays. (His sister was Nicole, a highly accomplished collegiate player, Puerto Rican National Team player and college coach!) Stories like that remind me what this work is really about. Helping athletes and families believe in themselves, get seen, and find opportunity. At SkillShow, we’ve had the privilege of working with tens of thousands of incredible families like the Springers. And every time a player’s journey comes full circle, it reinforces one truth: Talent deserves to be seen. And we help Show their Skills!
Carlos Correa playing baseball in high school

SkillShow All-Century Team: Shortstop Edition

October 28, 2025
SkillShow picks the best high school shortstop of this century. We consider Bobby Witt Jr., Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor. Check out the video.
Freddie Freeman playing baseball in high school.

The All-Century High School Team: Best First Baseman Since 2000

October 21, 2025
Who is the best high school first baseman since 2000? Eric Hosmer? Joey Votto? Freddie Freeman? Pete Alonso? We compare their games and make our selection.