2019 MLB Mock Draft: First Edition

Here is my first edition of my 2019 MLB Mock Draft.

1. Baltimore Orioles- Adley Rutschman, Catcher, Oregon State: Rutschman is the heavy favorite to go first overall according to many people in the industry. He would immediately become the Orioles catcher of the future and he could get to the big leagues faster than a lot of folks due to his switch hitting ability and he provides a lot of power.

2. Kansas City Royals- Bobby Witt Jr., Shortstop, Colleyville Heritage HS (Texas): The Royals are a team that wants top tier talent to build around and in their system. Enter Witt, who is a five-tool prospect that hits for a ton of power and projects to be a shortstop long term would immediately become the Royals top prospect.

3. Chicago White Sox- CJ Abrams, Shortstop, Blessed Trinity HS (California): The White Sox have options with this choice. They decide to go with a middle infielder with Abrams, who is one of the best hitters and athletes in this draft. If it doesn't work out for him as a middle infielder, than he could work out in center field.

4. Miami Marlins- Andrew Vaughn, First Baseman, California: The Marlins are a team that lacks college position players in their system. Vaughn is arguably the best all-around hitter in this draft and he could go third to the White Sox. If Vaughn falls here, it's a major win for the Marlins as they finally have a possible franchise player.

5. Detroit Tigers- Riley Greene, Outfielder, Hagerty HS (Florida): Greene is the best high school hitter in this draft and the Tigers snag him here. They could go with a college hitter here, but they settle on Greene here, who is a below average defensive player that could end up a longterm DH.

6. San Diego Padres- J. J. Bleday, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: The Padres went with lefty pitchers the last few years, but this time wptheg go with a college position player. Bleday is someone that scouts thought had some power to go with his bat and he's displayed it this year in college.

7. Cincinnati Reds- Nick Lodolo, LHP, TCU: The Reds have a farm system that's loaded with hitters and high school pitchers, but it lacks collegiate arms. Lodolo is the first pitcher taken off the board as he's the best pitcher in the draft and he's someone that has three good pitches.

8. Texas Rangers- Hunter Bishop, Outfielder, Arizona State: The Rangers system lacks college hitters and they take one here in Bishop. The Orioles apparently like him too, but taking him number one overall is a bit of a stretch. Bishop is somebody who's stock has risen from the start of the season to put him in this position.

9. Atlanta Braves (compensation pick)- Shea Langeliers, Catcher, Baylor: If it weren't for Adley Rutschman, Langeliers would have been the best catcher in this draft. He doesn't have Rutschman's offensive upside, but he's one of the best defensive catchers of the last decade and is hitting better this spring despite a broken hamate that sidelined him for just three weeks.

10. San Francisco Giants- Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto (Texas): The Giants have been taking college prospects the past few years and this time around with a new front office, they settle on a high school arm in Rutledge. He's shown high velocity and is an analytics darling and that's something the Giants would like.

11. Toronto Blue Jays- Bryson Stott, Shortstop, UNLV: The Blue Jays should go with best player available at this point and Stott would be the choice. He has a lot of upside and good bat-to-ball skills for a middle infielder. Don't rule out the possibility of them going with a pitcher, though.

12. New York Mets- Corbin Carroll, Outfielder, Lakwood HS (California): Carroll is somebody that can rake and the Mets need some more high school position players in their system. He has a nice lefty swing and can hit to all fields, but lacks physicality.

13. Minnesota Twins- Zach Thompson, LHP, Kentucky: The Twins system is one that lacks college arms and Thompson is one of the better ones in this draft. If it weren't for injury concerns, he'd go in the top ten of this draft, but he has put together a great season.

14. Philadelphia Phillies- Matthew Allan, RHP, Seminole HS (Florida): The Phillies have drafted a lot of position players in the first round the past few seasons, but this time around they take a high school arm in Allan. Scouts love his curveball and his fastball, but if he falls far, he may be heading to college rather than the pros.

15. Los Angeles Angels- Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia: The irony here is that Erik Manoah (the brother of Alek) is in the Angels system. Manoah is the best college righty pitcher in the draft and he's somebody that has improved his walk rate from last year to this year.

16. Arizona Diamondbacks- Quinn Priester, RHP, Cary-Grove HS (Illinois): The Diamondbacks are a team that Matthew Allan falls to them, but instead they go with another high school righty. Priester is somebody that is one of the fastest risers of the spring and has a great curveball.

17. Washington Nationals- George Kirby, RHP, Elon: The lack of college arms that are first round worthy will push guys like Kirby up the draft boards. He is someone that is a great strike thrower and he lead the country in strikeout-walk ratio to back it up.

18. Pittsburgh Pirates- Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson: The Pirates are a team that's taken chances on high school guys a ton the past few years. Here, they take the college position player in Davidson who is a switch-hitting shortstop that plays good defense and runs the bases well too.

19. St. Louis Cardinals- Kameron Misner, Outfielder, Missouri: Misner is the college prospect with the best tools package among college position players. He has a good lefty swing and significant power potential, plus he draws praise for his makeup and worth ethic, but there are lingering concerns about his ability to make consistent contact at the upper levels.

20. Seattle Mariners- Josh Jung, Third Baseman, Texas Tech: Jung is somebody that was thought out to be a top ten or even top five pick prior to this season. He's having a down season, but is still producing solid numbers and he's worth a first round choice due to his past success.

21. Atlanta Braves- Brennan Malone, RHP, IMG Academy (Florida): The Braves go with a high school arm with their second first round choice. Malone is somebody that displays four good pitches and I wouldn't rule out him going ninth to the Braves or between 10 and 15.

22. Tampa Bay Rays- Brett Baty, Third Baseman, Lake Travis HS (Texas): Baty is somebody with tremendous upside and possibly could go higher than this. Some scouts believe he's the best high school hitter and not Riley Greene as he's also shown to hit for average and power. There are teams that won't touch him in the first round because of his age while others don't think he'll last 20 picks.

23. Colorado Rockies- Michael Busch, First Baseman/Outfielder, North Carolina: Busch is someone that is very polished and mature as a hitter, but he doesn't have a clear position. He hits for a ton of power and many folks he's a first baseman long term.

24. Cleveland Indians- Braden Shewmake, SS, Texas A&M: The Indians decide to go with the college position player in Shewmake. He's a grinder whose whole is greater than the sum of the parts and has outstanding hand-eye coordination and rarely strikes out, and he'll pepper the ball to all fields.

25. Los Angeles Dodgers- Daniel Espino, RHP, Georgia Premier Academy: With the first of two first round picks, the Dodgers go with a high school righty with a ton of upside in Espino. He offers plenty of good pitches and has big velocity and spin rate.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks (compensation pick)- Jack Leiter, RHP, Delbarton HS (New Jersey): We all know Jack's father Al, who was a great major league pitcher in his prime. Jack is somebody that has a chance to go pro if he is drafted this high. Leiter's fastball isn't the best, but his curveball is among the best in the draft class, and his changeup and command are very good as well.

27. Chicago Cubs- Seth Johnson, RHP, Campbell: The Cubs are a team that has drafted some college pitching the last few years, but their developments aren't going as strong as they'd hope. Johnson doesn't have much experience, but is very polished and has swing-and-miss stuff.

28. Milwaukee Brewers- Rece Hinds, Third Baseman, IMG Academy (Florida): The Brewers have hit on a some of high school hitters the past few years (Keston Hiura being the most recent). Hinds has as much raw power as anyone in the Draft, although there are swing-and-miss concerns too.

29. Oakland Athletics- Will Wilson, Shortstop, NC State: The A's system is very pitching pull as well as international position players. Wilson is not the sexiest pick, but in a draft that lacks quality middle infielders, the A's snag one here with Wilson, who's a righty hitter that has struck out more than walked.

30. New York Yankees- Kody Hoese, Third Baseman, Tulane: The Yankees system lacks college position players, so they take one here with Hoese. He's someone that's improved his power game tremendously, which has risen his draft stock.

31. Los Angeles Dodgers (compensation pick)- Tyler Callihan, Third Baseman, Providence HS (Florida): Callihan profiles similar to Brett Bady due to his being old for the high school class. He is someone else that's worth a first round pick due to the fact he can flat out hit.

32. Houston Astros- J. J. Goss, RHP, Cypress Ranch HS (Texas): The Astros have hit jackpot on high school pitching of late (latest example Forrest Whitley). Goss is somebody that has similar raw tools to Whitley and he has a great curveball and slider and would slide right in to the Astros collection of good young pitching prospects.

33. Arizona Diamondbacks (compensation pick)- Keoni Cavaco, Third Baseman, Eastlake HS (California): The Diamondbacks go with the high school bat with their second of three compensation picks. Cavaco is somebody that could go higher than this and he is having a breakout season and scouts really like his power.

34. Arizona Diamondbacks (compensation pick)- Maurice Hampton, Outfielder, Memphis University HS (Tennessee): Hampton is somebody that's committed to playing both baseball and football at LSU, and it would take a big offer from someone to pry him away from college to play pro-ball. If he refines his tools in center field, he could be a 25-25 guy.