Here is the fifth edition of my 2021 MLB Mock Draft.
1. Pittsburgh Pirates- Marcelo Mayer, Shortstop, Eastlake HS (CA): Yet again we have the talented Mayer going first overall. Mayer is not per say the perfect player, but he does everything right and has tremendous upside.
2. Texas Rangers- Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt: Due to a strong showing, in the College World Series, Leiter's stock rose even more. He is the best pitcher in this draft class and could have been a first round pick several years ago, but opted to go to school, which was the right call.
3. Detroit Tigers- Jackson Jobe, RHP, Heritage Hall HS (OK): The Tigers have some options here and this mock I have them adding to their young collection of pitching with Jobe. His stock is absolutely rising, even after he went from a guy that occasionally showed flashes to perhaps the best prep arm in the draft.
4. Boston Red Sox- Henry Davis, Catcher, Louisville: Davis is somebody else who's stock is soaring as we get closer to the draft. He's somebody who broke out onto the scene this college season and would instantly become the Red Sox catcher of the future.
5. Baltimore Orioles- Jordan Lawlar, Shortstop, Jesuit Prep HS (TX): A lot of people seem to think that the O's are going to go with a bat here. Lawler is a two-way player, but is most likely to be drafted as a shortstop due to his tremendous upside that would be too tempting to pass up.
6. Arizona Diamondbacks- Brady House, Shortstop, Winder-Barrow HS (GA): The Diamondbacks are a team that is under some pressure to get it right with this pick. House has a fabulous arm as folks have compared him to the likes of Nolan Arenado and Josh Donaldson and some feel is a star in the making.
7. Kansas City Royals- Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt: The second of two Vanderbilt pitchers lands here with the Royals. Despite a rocky decisive game in the College World Series, Rocker should still be a high pick come next Sunday and he would just be yet another asset to go with the Royals young pitching collection.
8. Colorado Rockies- Khalil Watson, SS, Wake Forest HS (NC): The Rockies go with a possible need pick here with the possibility of Trevor Story getting traded. Watson is somebody that is a great hitter with a ton of power and has a chance to go higher than this.
9. Los Angeles Angels- Ty Madden, RHP, Texas: This would be a great pick for the Angels, who can use some more pitching in their system. Madden helped the Longhorns in their run to the College World Series and has potential to be a top-end starter and could buzz through the minors.
10. New York Mets- Sal Frelick, Outfielder, Boston College: This would be a solid pick by the Mets, who can use some college bats in their system. Some people are concerned about his height, but does have pop in his bat.
11. Washington Nationals- Gunnar Hogland, RHP, Ole Miss: This would be an interesting pick for the Nationals here as some people may consider a reach. Hogland is recovering from Tommy John Surgery and if it weren't for that, he would have had a quicker path to The Show.
12. Seattle Mariners- Matt McLain, Shortstop, UCLA: McLain and the Mariners has been a popular match among recent mock drafts. McLain is somebody that has a solid bat and speed, but does not hit for power.13. Philadelphia Phillies- Colton Cowser, Outfielder, Sam Houston State: The Phillies to me are a bit of a wild card here as the draft gets closer. Cowser has a sweet lefty swing, but it's unknown what outfield spot he will end up at.
14. San Francisco Giants- Benny Montgomery, Outfielder, Red Land HS (PA): The Giants may land themselves a possible steal here with Montgomery, which would only add to a suddenly great farm system. His athleticism is outstanding and has great power with his bat.
15. Milwaukee Brewers- Sam Bachmann, RHP, Miami (OH): The Brewers are a team that seems set on college arms. Bachmann is somebody else that I can see breezing through the minors and end up at The Show, whether it's a starter or a reliever.
16. Miami Marlins- Harry Ford, Catcher, North Cobb (GA): This would be an interesting selection for the Marlins and it would tell you about how they really feel about Jorge Alfaro. Ford has tremendous offensive upside and is a good athlete.
17. Cincinnati Reds- Anthony Solometo, LHP, Bishop Eustace HS (NJ): Solometo is a super fast riser as we are less than a few days away. He is somebody that makes hitters uncomfortable and fills the strike zone.
18. St. Louis Cardinals- Andrew Painter, RHP, Calvary Christina HS (FL): Painter is one of the wild card entrees in the draft because of the unknown that is where exactly will he be picked. He is one of the better athletes in terms of pitchers in this draft, but has boom or bust potential.
19. Toronto Blue Jays- Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State: This would be a good pick and a potential steal for the Jays, who could use some college arms in their system. Wicks has a solid pitch selection, throws for quality speeds, and is an innings eater.
20. New York Yankees- Will Bednar, RHP, Mississippi State: Bednar is flying up draft boards due to the fact he helped lead the Bulldogs to their first ever College World Series championship. The Yankees lean heavily on pitch data when it comes to their selections, and while this feels like Bednar’s ceiling, it also feels like a distinct possibility.
21. Chicago Cubs- Joe Mack, Catcher, Williamsville East HS (NY): The Cubs are a wild card as the draft approaches because mocks have them all over the place. Mack is a great two-way catcher, but he may not sign if he isn't chosen in the first round.
22. Chicago White Sox- Colson Montgomery, Third Baseman, Southridge HS (IN): A popular match of late in mock drafts are the White Sox and Montgomery. He has that bat-to-ball skill that some teams die for in the strikeout era.
23. Cleveland Indians- Bubba Chandler, RHP/Shortstop, North Ocenee HS (GA): The Indians are a team that could conceivably go in any direction. There is some uncertainty whether Chandler is better off as a shortstop or a pitcher, but Shohei Ohtani is proving it's possible.
24. Atlanta Braves- Michael McGreevy, RHP, UC Santa Barbara: The Braves and McGreevy has been another popular mock draft match of late. McGreevy came into his own this past season with his stuff and pitch ability.
25. Oakland Athletics- Joshua Baez, Outfielder, Dexter Southfield HS (MA): The Athletics are a team that usually does not take prep bats and here I have them going with one in Baez. High risks, high reward picks don't always play out, but his tools and makeup is what can make it work.
26. Minnesota Twins- Adrian Del Castillo, Catcher, Miami: Del Castillo is someone that was considered a top ten pick not long ago, but his stock fell due to being inconsistent. When he is on his game, he has some big time power and a good approach.
27. San Diego Padres- Frank Mozzicato, RHP, East Catholic HS (CT): The Padres are pretty much stacked in their farm system sans graduating some big names recently and being a contender now. Mozzicato is somebody with an interesting arsenal and has different speeds for his pitches.
28. Tampa Bay Rays- Ryan Cusick, RHP, Wake Forest: The Rays could go in any direction with this pick and here I have them going with a college pitcher in Cusick. This is a high risk pick due to some inconsistencies, but can occasionally hit triple digits when he pitches.
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