Here is my first attempt at a mock draft for this year. I factored in other mock drafts, team first round trends, and my gut feeling.
Pick | Team | Player | Position | School | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nationals | Bryce Harper | C | Southern Nevada CC | |
Easy pick for the Nationals. No concerns over make up. | |||||
2 | Pirates | Deck McGuire | RHP | Georgia Tech | |
The Pirates like college pitchers, only this one isn’t an over-draft. | |||||
3 | Orioles | A.J. Cole | RHP | Oviedo HS (FL) | |
Cole looks like he’ll project well for the majors; may take some time. | |||||
4 | Royals | Jameson Taillon | RHP | Woodland College Pk HS (TX) | |
Royals luck out with Taillon dropping to them. He’s pricing himself out of a lot of teams budgets. | |||||
5 | Indians | Karsten Whitson | RHP | Chipley HS (FL) | |
Best available HS pitcher. | |||||
6 | Diamondbacks | Zach Cox | 3B | Arkansas | |
Cox looks like a good fit for the D’backs – could move Mark Reynolds to first. | |||||
7 | Mets | Anthony Ranaudo | RHP | LSU | |
Ranaudo has struggle this year, but the Mets won’t be afraid to take him. | |||||
8 | Astros | Christian Colon | SS | Cal State Fullerton | |
The Astros have taken a few HS shortstops in the last 20 years; he’s the best available player for them. | |||||
9 | Padres | Drew Pomeranz | LHP | Mississippi | |
Pomeranz is much like Ranaudo, only a lefty. Good pick for the Padres. | |||||
10 | Athletics | Chris Sale | LHP | Florida Gulf Coast | |
A’s continue to play it safe with a college pitcher. | |||||
11 | Blue Jays | Manny Machado | SS | Brito Miami HS (FL) | |
Even with Hechavarria, I see them taking Machado; one could easily move to second. | |||||
12 | Reds | Dylan Covey | RHP | Maranatha HS (CA) | |
The Reds covet good HS arms, but have trouble developing them. | |||||
13 | White Sox | Alex Wimmers | RHP | Ohio State | |
Look for the Sox to take quite a few college players to create some depth in the system. | |||||
14 | Brewers | Bryce Brentz | OF | Middle Tennessee State | |
Brentz drops to the Brewers, who could be another fast mover. | |||||
15 | Rangers | Brandon Workman | RHP | Texas | |
Rangers take the local pitcher with good, quick upside. | |||||
16 | Cubs | Yasmani Grandal | C | Miami | |
Hard to find some the Cubs could take. Grandal was kind of a sleeper pick for the team. | |||||
17 | Rays | Austin Wilson | OF | Harvard-Westlake HS (CA) | |
The Rays have taken a few HS outfielders since their inception. | |||||
18 | Angels | Michael Choice | OF | Texas-Arlington | |
Choice should be ready for when Abreu leaves. | |||||
19 | Astros | LeVon Washington | 2B | Chipola | |
Could be a quick mover and the Astros need the help. | |||||
20 | Red Sox | Josh Sale | OF | Blanchet HS (WA) | |
The BoSox like their HS outfielders – should take the place for Westmoreland until he comes back. | |||||
21 | Twins | Nick Castellanos | 3B | Archbishop Edward McCarthy HS (FL) | |
Castellanos falls to the Twins, who wouldn’t hesitate to take him here. | |||||
22 | Rangers | Jesse Hahn | RHP | Virginia Tech | |
Another college arm for the Rangers. | |||||
23 | Marlins | Anthony Wolters | 2B | Rancho Buena Vista HS (CA) | |
The Marlins love high schoolers; Wolters would fit nicely with their system. | |||||
24 | Giants | Kyle Blair | RHP | San Diego | |
Blair is a solid arm and the Giants would be happy to have him. | |||||
25 | Cardinals | James Paxton | LHP | Kentucky* | |
Paxton didn’t sign last year, but the Cardinals like college arms and are spending more in the draft. | |||||
26 | Rockies | Matt Harvey | RHP | North Carolina | |
Harvey was a top draft prospect a few years ago before some subpar college years; looks like he’s back this year. | |||||
27 | Phillies | Mel Rojas Jr | OF | W Virginia | |
Rojas is sort of a sleeper, but I could see the Phillies picking him. | |||||
28 | Dodgers | Kaleb Cowart | SS | Cook HS (GA) | |
The Dodgers take a lot of HS fielders and Cowart fits the mold. | |||||
29 | Angels | Aaron Sanchez | RHP | Barstow HS (CA) | |
The Angels have a lot of picks here and will throw a couple of guys they can be patient with, like Sachez. | |||||
30 | Angels | Josh Rutledge | SS | Alabama | |
Rutledge on the other hand, should move fast. | |||||
31 | Rays | Justin O’Connor | RHP | Cowan HS (IN) | |
The Rays can identify good HS arms and I don’t see them letting O’Connor fall. | |||||
32 | Yankees | Stetson Allie | LHP | St Edwards HS (OH) | |
Allie was ranked higher prior to the season, but the Yankees would have a solid pick with him. | |||||
33 | Astros | Sammy Solis | LHP | San Diego | |
Solis is a decent pitcher who will move quickly, which is what the Astros need. | |||||
34 | Blue Jays | DeAndre Smelter | RHP | Tattnall Square HS (GA) | |
The Blue Jays will fill in their lower rotation with Smelter, who is off a lot of teams radars. | |||||
35 | Braves | Cameron Bedrosian | RHP | E Coweta HS (GA) | |
Braves take the Georgia kid with the MLB pedigree. | |||||
36 | Red Sox | Yordy Cabrera | SS | Lakeland HS (FL) | |
Cabrera falls due to other teams wanting polished players; the Red Sox have time to wait for him. | |||||
37 | Angels | Christian Yelich | OF | Westlake HS (CA) | |
Yelich shows a lot of promise and the Angels have lots of patients. | |||||
38 | Blue Jays | Chevez Clarke | OF | Marietta HS (GA) | |
Another young player that fits the mold of the Jays; need a bit of polish though. | |||||
39 | Red Sox | Kevin Gausman | RHP | Grandview HS (CA) | |
The Red Sox have a strong system that they are filling in at the bottom levels. | |||||
40 | Angels | Justin Grimm | RHP | Georgia | |
Grimm has good upside and is a solid supplemental pick. | |||||
41 | Blue Jays | Kevin Jacob | RHP | Georgia Tech | |
Jacobs will move faster than the other Jays picks, but won’t have as much upside. | |||||
42 | Rays | Micah Gibbs | C | LSU | |
2 years ago everyone thought the Rays would take a catcher in the first round (Buster Posey); they finally do it this year. | |||||
43 | Mariners | Marcus Littlewood | SS | Pine View HS (UT) | |
Littlewood is a toolsy prospect that will need time. | |||||
44 | Tigers | Rick Hague | SS | Rice | |
Hague will move quickly and the Tigers need a shortstop of his caliber. | |||||
45 | Rangers | Brett Eibner | OF | Arkansas | |
OF isn’t a need for the Rangers, but Eibner is the best available player. | |||||
46 | Cardinals | Kolbren Vitek | 2B | Ball State | |
Vitek has been moving up the boards, and I don’t see him making it to the second round. | |||||
47 | Rockies | Kris Bryant | 3B | Bonanza HS (NV) | |
The Rockies are thin at third in their system, and Bryant provides plenty of upside. | |||||
48 | Tigers | Gary Brown | OF | Cal State Fullerton | |
Brown could be a fast mover, which would help add youth to the Tigers outfield. | |||||
49 | Rangers | Robbie Aviles | RHP | Suffern HS (NY) | |
Aviles has a ton of upside and could be a steal here. | |||||
50 | Cardinals | Bryan Morgado | LHP | Tennessee | |
Low ceiling, high floor pitcher fits the Cardinals mold. |
* James Paxton was drafted last year but did not sign. He attended Kentucky 2 years ago and is currently playing in the American Association Independent League.
Notes:
– The Rangers received pick 15 for not signing their first rounder last year.
– The Mariners lost pick 18 to the Angels for signing free agent Chone Figgins.
– The Tigers lost pick 19 to the Astros for signing free agent Jose Valverde.
– The Braves lost pick 20 to the Red Sox for signing free agent Billy Wagner.
– The Red Sox lost pick 29 to the Angels for signing free agent John Lackey.
– The Yankees received pick 31 for failing to sign last years first rounder.