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.
