0 of 7

Peter Aiken/Getty Images

Like all things associated with baseball, analyzing MLB's amateur draft requires patience.

Fans get whisked away in scouting reports promising a bright future. Of course, it's human nature to desire progress as soon as possible. The overwhelming majority of baseball prospects, however, require years of development before graduating from the minors, a day which never comes for most.

Realistically speaking, even a fast-tracked prospect won't arrive until late next season. No 2016 selection has played in an MLB game, and 2015 headliners Dansby Swanson, Alex Bregman and Andrew Benintendi showed up last summer.

High school stars Hunter Greene and MacKenzie Gore may define this class a decade from now, but it's unreasonable to expect either teenager in the big leagues before 2020. This list exclusively features college picks, some of whom certainly don't carry the upside of younger, unpolished talents.

Being the first doesn't necessarily mean they will be the best. Yet, they're poised to hasten their timetable because they're well-equipped to contribute now and for many years ahead.