Here is my final edition of my 2017 MLB Mock Draft.
1. Minnesota Twins- Brendan McKay, Pitcher/First Baseman, Louisville: On the mound McKay’s velocity has dipped a bit over the last month but he has also unveiled a cutter that has a ton of potential so teams may be able to look past the velocity issue. As a hitter, McKay has been on fire all season and has sparked a healthy debate about his eventual role in pro ball. Either way, McKay is a pretty sure bet to get to the big leagues quickly.
2. Cincinnati Reds- Hunter Greene, Pitcher/Outfielder/Shortstop, Notre Dame HS (CA): The Reds are said to be in heaviest on McKay and Greene, and this scenario, they'd have their pick of the two. Greene is the consensus top prospect in the draft class -- you won't find many who think it's all that close either -- and even while rebuilding, the one thing the Reds lack in the farm system is a prospect with true "star" ceiling. Greene would address that.
3. San Diego Padres- MacKenzie Gore, Pitcher, Whiteville HS (NC): Gore has shot up the boards this season and is now widely regarded as the best high school left hander available. Some scouts have even put him ahead of Hunter Greene as a prospect. Gore’s fastball sits in the mid-90’s and he has a nasty curveball that grades as a plus pitch.
4. Tampa Bay Rays- Bubba Thompson, Outfielder, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS (CA): Tampa has played this pick as close to the vest as any team, with speculation rising that the Rays will cut a deal. One scout said the biggest reason for the rise of Alabama prep outfielder Bubba Thompson is his improved hitting ability, saying he’s improved his hitting tool by two grades in the last six months.
5. Atlanta Braves- Kyle Wright, Pitcher, Vanderbilt: Although the Braves would be happy to save some cash for the remainder of the draft, seeing Wright fall to #5 would be a dream. The Braves are prepared to compete in two years and Wright could be a staple in the rotation by then seeing that he may be the most polished arm in the draft.
6. Oakland Athletics- Keston Hiura, Second Baseman/Outfielder, UC Irvine: Hiura in the preseason was considered a sure-fire top 10 selection before concerns about his defensive position came up due to his elbow injury that has limited him to DH this spring. Hiura profiles very similar to the Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ, albeit more of a hit over power profile, though plenty of both. Hiura should be able to handle second base once his elbow is healthy, and that would be a big addition into a depleted Pirates system.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks- Royce Lewis, Shortstop/Outfielder, JSerra Catholic HS (CA): Lewis does everything well, his best tool being his speed. He is a good hitter with a feel for the barrel and has solid power upside. Defensively he is a good athlete with great range but scouts feel his arm may not be strong enough to stay at short. I think he will be just fine and I’m willing to bet he’ll stay on the infield in the long run, but even if he doesn’t he would be an excellent center fielder in pro ball.
8. Philadelphia Phillies- Adam Haseley, Outfielder, Virginia: Haseley, who has emerged as the best college outfielder in the class. The right-handed hitter lacks a great deal of power but is coveted for his strong contact ability and athleticism. Some talent evaluators think he has the ability to be a five-tool player once he migrates to pro ball.
9. Milwaukee Brewers- Jordan Adell, Outfielder, Ballard HS (KY): Adell has excellent speed on the base paths and in the outfield with a plus arm and great instincts. He has big time raw power and the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. The concern with Adell is whether or not he can cut down the strikeouts; many think he can.
10. Los Angeles Angels- Alex Faedo, Pitcher, Florida: The Angels are big fans of Adell and Beck, and are in on a few college hitters, along with UCLA righty Griffin Canning. Here I have them going with a different college righty in Faedo. The Florida hurler was seen as a potential No. 1 overall pick after a brilliant sophomore year. His junior season has been inconsistent but his stuff is phenomenal.
11. Chicago White Sox- Jeren Kendall, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: If Kendall didn't swing and miss as much as he does, we'd likely be calling him a slam-dunk 1:1 selection--the other tools are just that good. He's got plus raw power from the left side with plus-plus speed, a plus arm, and a chance to be plus in center field. The only question is just how much the whiffs will impact his hit tool.
12. Pittsburgh Pirates- Austin Beck, Outfielder, North Davidson HS (NC): A knee injury prevented Beck from playing in summer showcases last year, though he's shown the same tremendous tools this spring, including top-of-the-line bat speed and power potential. He also has a rocket arm and is an above-average runner. Beck is one of the most tooled-up players in the draft class and this would be a steal for the Pirates.
13. Miami Marlins- Shane Baz, Pitcher, Concordia Lutheran HS (TX): At 6’3″ and 190 pounds, the Texas prep righty has good size with some projection left. He throws hard, touching 98 mph this spring and sitting in the 92 to 96 range. The TCU commit is a great athlete who also has a really nice cutter and a good curveball, with a developing changeup. He has ace upside.
14. Kansas City Royals- Trevor Rogers, Pitcher, Carlsbad HS (TX): Rogers has been rumored as high as No. 3 overall to the Padres, though that smoke died down quickly. He's also been tied to a bunch of other places, but it's well-known in the industry that the Royals are very heavy on the prep lefty from New Mexico, who has drawn comparisons to a young Andrew Miller.
15. Houston Astros- JB Bukauskas, Pitcher, North Carolina: This would be an absolute steal for the Astros, who are very close to being a World Series contender for years to come. The fact that Bukauskas doesn’t throw a ton of fastballs wouldn’t deter the Astros, whose major league staff throws fewer fastballs than any other.
16. New York Yankees- Evan White, First Baseman/Outfielder, Kentucky: A line-drive hitter with good command of the strike zone, White is an excellent defensive first baseman who has also logged innings at the corner outfield spots. His power remains a work in progress, but he'd be a fine addition to a loaded Yankees system.
17. Seattle Mariners- David Peterson, Pitcher, Oregon: "Dominant" doesn't even begin to describe how Peterson has been for Oregon this spring; as the huge lefthander has had no trouble whatsoever in the PAC-12. He works 90-94 mph on most nights with a potentially plus slider and plus command, and looks to be a pretty safe mid-rotation piece at this point.
18. Detroit Tigers- DL Hall, Pitcher, Valdosta HS (GA): If Pratto and/or Hall get here, the Tigers will take one of them. In this case it’s Hall, who can hit the mid-90s with his fastball, has a plus curve and possesses outstanding mechanics for a lefty. He’s not a big kid at 6’0″ and 190 pounds, but there is some projection left.
19. San Francisco Giants- Pavin Smith, First Baseman, Virginia: Think about this: Smith finished his season with 13 homers and only 12 strikeouts, to go with a .342 average and .427 on-base percentage. That’s kind of crazy, right? He might not have the raw upside of some of the players here, but he’s about as polished of a college bat as you’ll find. This would be a total steal for the Giants.
20. New York Mets- Griffin Canning, Pitcher, UCLA: Canning is one of the toughest players to peg in this year's draft. As a high-floor college arm with advanced pitchability and a four-pitch repertoire headlined by one of the better changeups in the class, he has a very similar profile to former Florida right-hander Logan Shore.
21. Baltimore Orioles- Tanner Houck, Pitcher, Missouri: Houck has the big fastball and the durable frame to develop into an impact starter. There are also questions about his secondary stuff and his mechanics, though, leaving the Missouri ace as an intriguing upside play here toward the back of the first round.
22. Toronto Blue Jays- Logan Warmorth, Shortstop, North Carolina: The Blue Jays pick twice in the first 30 selections, here and at No. 28 (compensation for losing Edwin Encarnacion), which gives them options. They’ve leaned college lately, and if Warmoth is still here, the college hitter with a good glove might be too much to resist.
23. Los Angeles Dodgers- Jake Burger, First Baseman/Third Baseman, Missouri State: Burger has been the preeminent collegiate power bat over the last two years (though Iowa's Jake Adams has him beat this season); smashing 20+ HR's each of the last two seasons. He seems likely to slide over to first base, but offers plus plus raw power along with good feel to hit.
24. Boston Red Sox- Heliot Ramos, Outfielder, Leadership Christian Academy (PR): Ramos is an outfielder from Puerto Rico with a lot of tools. There are lots of plus grades on Ramos' scouting report; though the rawness is pretty severe and makes him a boom-or-bust type of selection.
25. Washington Nationals- Seth Romero, Pitcher, Houston: The Nationals are sitting here near the bottom of the first round and if Romero falls into their laps, I don’t see a situation where they don’t take him. Romero did the damage to his own reputation with suspensions and being dismissed from his squad at the University of Houston so there is absolutely risk in taking him, but there is also very real upside if they can get a handle on him as he was a probably a top-15 selection or better before he got kicked off the team.
26. Texas Rangers- Nate Pearson, Pitcher, UCF: Pearson is A mountain of a right-hander flamethrower. With a fastball that has touched 101-102, Pearson pitches at 93-98 mph and will show an above average curveball along with delivery components to start.
27. Chicago Cubs- Nick Allen, Shortstop, Francis W. Parker HS (CL): The undersized shortstop is the best defender overall in the class with a headiness for the game not seen often from a prep player. He's not going to offer much power, but he can hit, run, and will be a premium defender for years at shortstop.
28. Toronto Blue Jays- Nick Pratto, First Baseman, Huntington Beach HS (CA): sweet swing has elevated him to first-round status. At 6’1″ and 193 pounds he already has a solid build, with good range at first base that should make him a plus defender. Pratto pitches in high school too, but his bat is what’s getting him to the majors.
29. Texas Rangers- Tristen Lutz, Outfielder, Martin HS (TX): There may not be a more powerful high school bat in the 2017 draft than Lutz. While he may not stick in center field as a pro, he has the athleticism to play there initially, which leads to just how well he should handle defense at the corner when he does move there. Lutz does have the traditional right field profile with a power arm and power bat. At 6’3″ and 220 pounds, he looks like he has been working with professional training for years already, and adding that pro coaching to his possible double-plus future power could allow him to be a very special bat indeed.
30. Chicago Cubs- Clarke Schmidt, Pitcher, South Carolina: Schmidt had been cruising through the first half of the season and rising up draft boards with eye popping stuff when he found out he would need Tommy John surgery. Schmidt brings a lot to the table including a plus fastball and off speed stuff that was greatly improved from years past before going down with the injury.
Supplemental First Round
31. Tampa Bay Rays- Jeter Downs, Shortstop, Pace HS (FL): Downs has had a fantastic spring, pushing him up boards by showing more power than he'd shown on the circuit along with the tools to stay at shortstop.
32. Cincinnati Reds- Sam Carlson, Pitcher, Burnsville HS (TN): Carlson had a decent showing over the Summer showing three good pitches, but most scouts felt he needed quite a bit of work before being ready to pitch at the professional level. Then this Spring happened and Carlson has flown up the boards. His fastball has added velocity, his slider has been sharper, he’s been locating his pitches well and his changeup is advanced for a prep pitcher.
33. Oakland Athletics- Alex Lange, Pitcher, LSU: In the two years since, Lange has refined his overall command and improved his changeup to the point that it's a passable third pitching alongside his mid-90s fastball and a hammer curve that ranks as one of the better breaking pitches in the class. That being said, he's prone to overthrowing at times and has some effort to his delivery, so there's a chance that strong two-pitch mix is utilized out of the bullpen before all is said and done.
34. Milwaukee Brewers- Drew Waters, Outfielder, Etowah HS (GA): Remember what we said about the Brewers and outfielders with great tools? Well, here's another one. Switch-hitting Waters fits the bill with plus speed, a strong arm and projectable pop out of the leadoff spot.
35. Minnesota Twins- Brent Rooker, First Base, Mississippi State: This would be local fave Sam Carlson if he falls this far, but that seems unlikely. With another pick coming at 37, Minnesota could save up for a run at a high-dollar tough sign such as Brady McConnell or Mark Vientos by saving some money with an older college player at 35.
36. Miami Marlins- Matt Sauer, Pitcher, Righetti HS (CA): Sauer is a big kid with a big arm. He has a lot of projection remaining which makes for an exciting profile. Sauer works with a four-pitch mix, highlighted by a good fastball/slider combo. The slider is an out pitch and has a lot of late life while the fastball sits in the low 90s with a lot of room for more as he fills out and gains more experience. He also owns a changeup and a curveball but they are works in progress at this point.
Monday, June 12, 2017
2017 MLB Mock Draft: Fifth Edition
Here is my fifth edition of my 2017 MLB Mock draft.
1. Minnesota Twins- Kyle Wright, Pitcher, Vanderbilt: Wright’s draft stock plummeted through the first month and a half of the season but has flown up recently after he has put together a string of impressive performances. There have still been some inconsistencies but Wright is a good high-floor prospect with a higher ceiling as a pitcher than Brendan McCay.
2. Cincinnati Reds- Hunter Greene, Pitcher/Outfielder/Shortstop, Notre Dame HS (CA): The Reds are said to be in heaviest on McKay and Greene, and this scenario, they'd have their pick of the two. Greene is the consensus top prospect in the draft class -- you won't find many who think it's all that close either -- and even while rebuilding, the one thing the Reds lack in the farm system is a prospect with true "star" ceiling. Greene would address that.
3. San Diego Padres- MacKenzie Gore, Pitcher, Whiteville HS (NC): Gore has shot up the boards this season and is now widely regarded as the best high school left hander available. Some scouts have even put him ahead of Hunter Greene as a prospect. Gore’s fastball sits in the mid-90’s and he has a nasty curveball that grades as a plus pitch.
4. Tampa Bay Rays- Brendan McKay, Pitcher/First Baseman, Louisville: On the mound McKay’s velocity has dipped a bit over the last month but he has also unveiled a cutter that has a ton of potential so teams may be able to look past the velocity issue. As a hitter, McKay has been on fire all season and has sparked a healthy debate about his eventual role in pro ball. Either way, McKay is a pretty sure bet to get to the big leagues quickly.
5. Atlanta Braves- Royce Lewis, Shortstop/Outfielder, JSerra Catholic HS (CA): Lewis does everything well, his best tool being his speed. He is a good hitter with a feel for the barrel and has solid power upside. Defensively he is a good athlete with great range but scouts feel his arm may not be strong enough to stay at short. I think he will be just fine and I’m willing to bet he’ll stay on the infield in the long run, but even if he doesn’t he would be an excellent center fielder in pro ball.
6. Oakland Athletics- Austin Beck, Outfielder, North Davidson HS (NC): A knee injury prevented Beck from playing in summer showcases last year, though he's shown the same tremendous tools this spring, including top-of-the-line bat speed and power potential. He also has a rocket arm and is an above-average runner. Beck is one of the most tooled-up players in the draft class.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks- JB Bukauskas, Pitcher, North Carolina: The Diamondbacks are in a nice position to sit tight and see who falls to them. Arizona drafted Bukauskas out of high school, so the organization knows him well along with scouting him recently. Bukauskas could be a quick riser in the Diamondbacks' system.
8. Philadelphia Phillies- Shane Baz, Pitcher, Concordia Lutheran HS (TX): Bukauskas and Beck have been talked about with this pick, but if neither are available than the Phillies could turn to one of the aforementioned Cavaliers teammates should they decide to draft a bat here. With an electric personality in tow, the TCU commit features a 98 mph fastball with sink and consistency, as well as a 84-88 mph cutter as an out pitch. After going prep with No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak last year, the Phillies could go that way once more.
9. Milwaukee Brewers- Jordan Adell, Outfielder, Ballard HS (KY): Adell has excellent speed on the base paths and in the outfield with a plus arm and great instincts. He has big time raw power and the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. The concern with Adell is whether or not he can cut down the strikeouts; many think he can.
10. Los Angeles Angels- Pavin Smith, First Baseman, Virginia: Think about this: Smith finished his season with 13 homers and only 12 strikeouts, to go with a .342 average and .427 on-base percentage. That’s kind of crazy, right? He might not have the raw upside of some of the players here, but he’s about as polished of a college bat as you’ll find.
11. Chicago White Sox- Jeren Kendall, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: If Kendall didn't swing and miss as much as he does, we'd likely be calling him a slam-dunk 1:1 selection--the other tools are just that good. He's got plus raw power from the left side with plus-plus speed, a plus arm, and a chance to be plus in center field. The only question is just how much the whiffs will impact his hit tool.
12. Pittsburgh Pirates- Adam Haseley, Outfielder, Virginia: This would be a total steal here for the Buccos. Haseley, who has emerged as the best college outfielder in the class. The right-handed hitter lacks a great deal of power but is coveted for his strong contact ability and athleticism. Some talent evaluators think he has the ability to be a five-tool player once he migrates to pro ball.
13. Miami Marlins- DL Hall, Pitcher, Valdosta HS (GA): The Marlins snapped up Braxton Garrett with its top pick last draft, and they’ve been seriously linked to another prep lefty this year in D.L. Hall. The 6-foot lefty is lauded for his command and analytically inclined evaluators love the spin rate on his sweeping curveball. The Florida State commit yields comparisons to Scott Kazmir. Other top college arms like UCLA’s Griffin Canning and New Mexico prep lefty Trevor Rogers also receive mentions for this pick.
14. Kansas City Royals- Trevor Rogers, Pitcher, Carlsbad HS (TX): Rogers has been rumored as high as No. 3 overall to the Padres, though that smoke died down quickly. He's also been tied to a bunch of other places, but it's well-known in the industry that the Royals are very heavy on the prep lefty from New Mexico, who has drawn comparisons to a young Andrew Miller.
15. Houston Astros- Alex Faedo, Pitcher, Florida: With their core of young stars, the Astros are going to be contenders for many years to come. Makes sense they’d want more immediate help at the top of the draft, with college hitters or pitchers. They’d be happy if Faedo is still available here, and if he’s not, guys like UCLA’s Griffin Canning and Mizzou’s Tanner Houck are options. Faedo hasn’t had the greatest season, but the raw stuff is there.
16. New York Yankees- Nick Pratto, First Baseman, Huntington Beach HS (CA): The Yanks have a known affinity for Southern California players -- four of their last six first-round picks were SoCal players -- which leads them to Pratto. He is considered the most advanced high school bat in the draft class and New York won't pass that up, even though the track record of high school first basemen taken in the first round isn't very good.
17. Seattle Mariners- David Peterson, Pitcher, Oregon: "Dominant" doesn't even begin to describe how Peterson has been for Oregon this spring; as the huge lefthander has had no trouble whatsoever in the PAC-12. He works 90-94 mph on most nights with a potentially plus slider and plus command, and looks to be a pretty safe mid-rotation piece at this point.
18. Detroit Tigers- Tanner Houck, Pitcher, Missouri: Houck has the big fastball and the durable frame to develop into an impact starter. There are also questions about his secondary stuff and his mechanics, though, leaving the Missouri ace as an intriguing upside play here toward the back of the first round.
19. San Francisco Giants- Evan White, First Baseman/Outfielder, Kentucky: The Giants could go best player available and land an intriguing talent like White as he could easily go higher. He has a well-rounded approach at the plate with the athletic ability to move to the outfield if necessary. White could go near the top 10, so this is a nice value for San Francisco.
20. New York Mets- Nate Pearson, Pitcher, UCF: Pearson is A mountain of a right-hander flamethrower. With a fastball that has touched 101-102, Pearson pitches at 93-98 mph and will show an above average curveball along with delivery components to start.
21. Baltimore Orioles- Jake Burger, First Baseman/Third Baseman, Missouri State: Burger has been the preeminent collegiate power bat over the last two years (though Iowa's Jake Adams has him beat this season); smashing 20+ HR's each of the last two seasons. He seems likely to slide over to first base, but offers plus plus raw power along with good feel to hit.
22. Toronto Blue Jays- Logan Warmorth, Shortstop, North Carolina: The Blue Jays pick twice in the first 30 selections, here and at No. 28 (compensation for losing Edwin Encarnacion), which gives them options. They’ve leaned college lately, and if Warmoth is still here, the college hitter with a good glove might be too much to resist.
23. Los Angeles Dodgers- Bubba Thompson, Outfielder, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS (CA): The Dodgers have been continually linked with the dual-sport superstar who is committed to Alabama to play strictly baseball. Thompson offers the type of high-impact athletic upside that few others in this class can, with the chops to be plus in the outfield long term and seriously advanced hitting tools.
24. Boston Red Sox- Keston Hiura, Second Baseman/Outfielder, UC Irvine: Hiura in the preseason was considered a sure-fire top 10 selection before concerns about his defensive position came up due to his elbow injury that has limited him to DH this spring. Hiura profiles very similar to the Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ, albeit more of a hit over power profile, though plenty of both. Hiura should be able to handle second base once his elbow is healthy, and that would be a big addition into a depleted Pirates system.
25. Washington Nationals- Seth Romero, Pitcher, Houston: The Nationals are sitting here near the bottom of the first round and if Romero falls into their laps, I don’t see a situation where they don’t take him. Romero did the damage to his own reputation with suspensions and being dismissed from his squad at the University of Houston so there is absolutely risk in taking him, but there is also very real upside if they can get a handle on him as he was a probably a top-15 selection or better before he got kicked off the team.
26. Texas Rangers- Sam Carlson, Pitcher, Burnsville HS (TN): Carlson had a decent showing over the Summer showing three good pitches, but most scouts felt he needed quite a bit of work before being ready to pitch at the professional level. Then this Spring happened and Carlson has flown up the boards. His fastball has added velocity, his slider has been sharper, he’s been locating his pitches well and his changeup is advanced for a prep pitcher.
27. Chicago Cubs- Nick Allen, Shortstop, Francis W. Parker HS (CL): The undersized shortstop is the best defender overall in the class with a headiness for the game not seen often from a prep player. He's not going to offer much power, but he can hit, run, and will be a premium defender for years at shortstop.
28. Toronto Blue Jays- Alex Lange, Pitcher, LSU: In the two years since, Lange has refined his overall command and improved his changeup to the point that it's a passable third pitching alongside his mid-90s fastball and a hammer curve that ranks as one of the better breaking pitches in the class. That being said, he's prone to overthrowing at times and has some effort to his delivery, so there's a chance that strong two-pitch mix is utilized out of the bullpen before all is said and done.
29. Texas Rangers- Matt Sauer, Pitcher, Righetti HS (CA): Sauer is a big kid with a big arm. He has a lot of projection remaining which makes for an exciting profile. Sauer works with a four-pitch mix, highlighted by a good fastball/slider combo. The slider is an out pitch and has a lot of late life while the fastball sits in the low 90s with a lot of room for more as he fills out and gains more experience. He also owns a changeup and a curveball but they are works in progress at this point.
30. Chicago Cubs- Clarke Schmidt, Pitcher, South Carolina: Schmidt had been cruising through the first half of the season and rising up draft boards with eye popping stuff when he found out he would need Tommy John surgery. Schmidt brings a lot to the table including a plus fastball and off speed stuff that was greatly improved from years past before going down with the injury.
Supplemental First Round
31. Tampa Bay Rays- Tristen Lutz, Outfielder, Martin HS (TX): There may not be a more powerful high school bat in the 2017 draft than Lutz. While he may not stick in center field as a pro, he has the athleticism to play there initially, which leads to just how well he should handle defense at the corner when he does move there. Lutz does have the traditional right field profile with a power arm and power bat. At 6’3″ and 220 pounds, he looks like he has been working with professional training for years already, and adding that pro coaching to his possible double-plus future power could allow him to be a very special bat indeed.
32. Cincinnati Reds- Drew Waters, Outfielder, Etowah HS (GA): Waters can hit from both sides with the tools to stay in center field long term. Cincinnati could use a college bat to fall to them here, but none looks likely to do so. That leaves prep outfielders aplenty.
33. Oakland Athletics- Corbin Martin, Pitcher, Texas A&M: The draft gets awful light on college bats at this point; so the A's go for a college arm here in Martin of Texas A&M, who has really flourished since joining the Aggie rotation at the start of conference play.
34. Milwaukee Brewers- Heliot Ramos, Outfielder, Leadership Christian Academy (PR): Ramos is an outfielder from Puerto Rico with a lot of tools. There are lots of plus grades on Ramos' scouting report; though the rawness is pretty severe and makes him a boom-or-bust type of selection.
35. Minnesota Twins- Brent Rooker, First Base, Mississippi State: This would be local fave Sam Carlson if he falls this far, but that seems unlikely. With another pick coming at 37, Minnesota could save up for a run at a high-dollar tough sign such as Brady McConnell or Mark Vientos by saving some money with an older college player at 35.
36. Miami Marlins- Jeter Downs, Shortstop, Pace HS (FL): Downs has had a fantastic spring, pushing him up boards by showing more power than he'd shown on the circuit along with the tools to stay at shortstop.
1. Minnesota Twins- Kyle Wright, Pitcher, Vanderbilt: Wright’s draft stock plummeted through the first month and a half of the season but has flown up recently after he has put together a string of impressive performances. There have still been some inconsistencies but Wright is a good high-floor prospect with a higher ceiling as a pitcher than Brendan McCay.
2. Cincinnati Reds- Hunter Greene, Pitcher/Outfielder/Shortstop, Notre Dame HS (CA): The Reds are said to be in heaviest on McKay and Greene, and this scenario, they'd have their pick of the two. Greene is the consensus top prospect in the draft class -- you won't find many who think it's all that close either -- and even while rebuilding, the one thing the Reds lack in the farm system is a prospect with true "star" ceiling. Greene would address that.
3. San Diego Padres- MacKenzie Gore, Pitcher, Whiteville HS (NC): Gore has shot up the boards this season and is now widely regarded as the best high school left hander available. Some scouts have even put him ahead of Hunter Greene as a prospect. Gore’s fastball sits in the mid-90’s and he has a nasty curveball that grades as a plus pitch.
4. Tampa Bay Rays- Brendan McKay, Pitcher/First Baseman, Louisville: On the mound McKay’s velocity has dipped a bit over the last month but he has also unveiled a cutter that has a ton of potential so teams may be able to look past the velocity issue. As a hitter, McKay has been on fire all season and has sparked a healthy debate about his eventual role in pro ball. Either way, McKay is a pretty sure bet to get to the big leagues quickly.
5. Atlanta Braves- Royce Lewis, Shortstop/Outfielder, JSerra Catholic HS (CA): Lewis does everything well, his best tool being his speed. He is a good hitter with a feel for the barrel and has solid power upside. Defensively he is a good athlete with great range but scouts feel his arm may not be strong enough to stay at short. I think he will be just fine and I’m willing to bet he’ll stay on the infield in the long run, but even if he doesn’t he would be an excellent center fielder in pro ball.
6. Oakland Athletics- Austin Beck, Outfielder, North Davidson HS (NC): A knee injury prevented Beck from playing in summer showcases last year, though he's shown the same tremendous tools this spring, including top-of-the-line bat speed and power potential. He also has a rocket arm and is an above-average runner. Beck is one of the most tooled-up players in the draft class.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks- JB Bukauskas, Pitcher, North Carolina: The Diamondbacks are in a nice position to sit tight and see who falls to them. Arizona drafted Bukauskas out of high school, so the organization knows him well along with scouting him recently. Bukauskas could be a quick riser in the Diamondbacks' system.
8. Philadelphia Phillies- Shane Baz, Pitcher, Concordia Lutheran HS (TX): Bukauskas and Beck have been talked about with this pick, but if neither are available than the Phillies could turn to one of the aforementioned Cavaliers teammates should they decide to draft a bat here. With an electric personality in tow, the TCU commit features a 98 mph fastball with sink and consistency, as well as a 84-88 mph cutter as an out pitch. After going prep with No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak last year, the Phillies could go that way once more.
9. Milwaukee Brewers- Jordan Adell, Outfielder, Ballard HS (KY): Adell has excellent speed on the base paths and in the outfield with a plus arm and great instincts. He has big time raw power and the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. The concern with Adell is whether or not he can cut down the strikeouts; many think he can.
10. Los Angeles Angels- Pavin Smith, First Baseman, Virginia: Think about this: Smith finished his season with 13 homers and only 12 strikeouts, to go with a .342 average and .427 on-base percentage. That’s kind of crazy, right? He might not have the raw upside of some of the players here, but he’s about as polished of a college bat as you’ll find.
11. Chicago White Sox- Jeren Kendall, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: If Kendall didn't swing and miss as much as he does, we'd likely be calling him a slam-dunk 1:1 selection--the other tools are just that good. He's got plus raw power from the left side with plus-plus speed, a plus arm, and a chance to be plus in center field. The only question is just how much the whiffs will impact his hit tool.
12. Pittsburgh Pirates- Adam Haseley, Outfielder, Virginia: This would be a total steal here for the Buccos. Haseley, who has emerged as the best college outfielder in the class. The right-handed hitter lacks a great deal of power but is coveted for his strong contact ability and athleticism. Some talent evaluators think he has the ability to be a five-tool player once he migrates to pro ball.
13. Miami Marlins- DL Hall, Pitcher, Valdosta HS (GA): The Marlins snapped up Braxton Garrett with its top pick last draft, and they’ve been seriously linked to another prep lefty this year in D.L. Hall. The 6-foot lefty is lauded for his command and analytically inclined evaluators love the spin rate on his sweeping curveball. The Florida State commit yields comparisons to Scott Kazmir. Other top college arms like UCLA’s Griffin Canning and New Mexico prep lefty Trevor Rogers also receive mentions for this pick.
14. Kansas City Royals- Trevor Rogers, Pitcher, Carlsbad HS (TX): Rogers has been rumored as high as No. 3 overall to the Padres, though that smoke died down quickly. He's also been tied to a bunch of other places, but it's well-known in the industry that the Royals are very heavy on the prep lefty from New Mexico, who has drawn comparisons to a young Andrew Miller.
15. Houston Astros- Alex Faedo, Pitcher, Florida: With their core of young stars, the Astros are going to be contenders for many years to come. Makes sense they’d want more immediate help at the top of the draft, with college hitters or pitchers. They’d be happy if Faedo is still available here, and if he’s not, guys like UCLA’s Griffin Canning and Mizzou’s Tanner Houck are options. Faedo hasn’t had the greatest season, but the raw stuff is there.
16. New York Yankees- Nick Pratto, First Baseman, Huntington Beach HS (CA): The Yanks have a known affinity for Southern California players -- four of their last six first-round picks were SoCal players -- which leads them to Pratto. He is considered the most advanced high school bat in the draft class and New York won't pass that up, even though the track record of high school first basemen taken in the first round isn't very good.
17. Seattle Mariners- David Peterson, Pitcher, Oregon: "Dominant" doesn't even begin to describe how Peterson has been for Oregon this spring; as the huge lefthander has had no trouble whatsoever in the PAC-12. He works 90-94 mph on most nights with a potentially plus slider and plus command, and looks to be a pretty safe mid-rotation piece at this point.
18. Detroit Tigers- Tanner Houck, Pitcher, Missouri: Houck has the big fastball and the durable frame to develop into an impact starter. There are also questions about his secondary stuff and his mechanics, though, leaving the Missouri ace as an intriguing upside play here toward the back of the first round.
19. San Francisco Giants- Evan White, First Baseman/Outfielder, Kentucky: The Giants could go best player available and land an intriguing talent like White as he could easily go higher. He has a well-rounded approach at the plate with the athletic ability to move to the outfield if necessary. White could go near the top 10, so this is a nice value for San Francisco.
20. New York Mets- Nate Pearson, Pitcher, UCF: Pearson is A mountain of a right-hander flamethrower. With a fastball that has touched 101-102, Pearson pitches at 93-98 mph and will show an above average curveball along with delivery components to start.
21. Baltimore Orioles- Jake Burger, First Baseman/Third Baseman, Missouri State: Burger has been the preeminent collegiate power bat over the last two years (though Iowa's Jake Adams has him beat this season); smashing 20+ HR's each of the last two seasons. He seems likely to slide over to first base, but offers plus plus raw power along with good feel to hit.
22. Toronto Blue Jays- Logan Warmorth, Shortstop, North Carolina: The Blue Jays pick twice in the first 30 selections, here and at No. 28 (compensation for losing Edwin Encarnacion), which gives them options. They’ve leaned college lately, and if Warmoth is still here, the college hitter with a good glove might be too much to resist.
23. Los Angeles Dodgers- Bubba Thompson, Outfielder, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS (CA): The Dodgers have been continually linked with the dual-sport superstar who is committed to Alabama to play strictly baseball. Thompson offers the type of high-impact athletic upside that few others in this class can, with the chops to be plus in the outfield long term and seriously advanced hitting tools.
24. Boston Red Sox- Keston Hiura, Second Baseman/Outfielder, UC Irvine: Hiura in the preseason was considered a sure-fire top 10 selection before concerns about his defensive position came up due to his elbow injury that has limited him to DH this spring. Hiura profiles very similar to the Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ, albeit more of a hit over power profile, though plenty of both. Hiura should be able to handle second base once his elbow is healthy, and that would be a big addition into a depleted Pirates system.
25. Washington Nationals- Seth Romero, Pitcher, Houston: The Nationals are sitting here near the bottom of the first round and if Romero falls into their laps, I don’t see a situation where they don’t take him. Romero did the damage to his own reputation with suspensions and being dismissed from his squad at the University of Houston so there is absolutely risk in taking him, but there is also very real upside if they can get a handle on him as he was a probably a top-15 selection or better before he got kicked off the team.
26. Texas Rangers- Sam Carlson, Pitcher, Burnsville HS (TN): Carlson had a decent showing over the Summer showing three good pitches, but most scouts felt he needed quite a bit of work before being ready to pitch at the professional level. Then this Spring happened and Carlson has flown up the boards. His fastball has added velocity, his slider has been sharper, he’s been locating his pitches well and his changeup is advanced for a prep pitcher.
27. Chicago Cubs- Nick Allen, Shortstop, Francis W. Parker HS (CL): The undersized shortstop is the best defender overall in the class with a headiness for the game not seen often from a prep player. He's not going to offer much power, but he can hit, run, and will be a premium defender for years at shortstop.
28. Toronto Blue Jays- Alex Lange, Pitcher, LSU: In the two years since, Lange has refined his overall command and improved his changeup to the point that it's a passable third pitching alongside his mid-90s fastball and a hammer curve that ranks as one of the better breaking pitches in the class. That being said, he's prone to overthrowing at times and has some effort to his delivery, so there's a chance that strong two-pitch mix is utilized out of the bullpen before all is said and done.
29. Texas Rangers- Matt Sauer, Pitcher, Righetti HS (CA): Sauer is a big kid with a big arm. He has a lot of projection remaining which makes for an exciting profile. Sauer works with a four-pitch mix, highlighted by a good fastball/slider combo. The slider is an out pitch and has a lot of late life while the fastball sits in the low 90s with a lot of room for more as he fills out and gains more experience. He also owns a changeup and a curveball but they are works in progress at this point.
30. Chicago Cubs- Clarke Schmidt, Pitcher, South Carolina: Schmidt had been cruising through the first half of the season and rising up draft boards with eye popping stuff when he found out he would need Tommy John surgery. Schmidt brings a lot to the table including a plus fastball and off speed stuff that was greatly improved from years past before going down with the injury.
Supplemental First Round
31. Tampa Bay Rays- Tristen Lutz, Outfielder, Martin HS (TX): There may not be a more powerful high school bat in the 2017 draft than Lutz. While he may not stick in center field as a pro, he has the athleticism to play there initially, which leads to just how well he should handle defense at the corner when he does move there. Lutz does have the traditional right field profile with a power arm and power bat. At 6’3″ and 220 pounds, he looks like he has been working with professional training for years already, and adding that pro coaching to his possible double-plus future power could allow him to be a very special bat indeed.
32. Cincinnati Reds- Drew Waters, Outfielder, Etowah HS (GA): Waters can hit from both sides with the tools to stay in center field long term. Cincinnati could use a college bat to fall to them here, but none looks likely to do so. That leaves prep outfielders aplenty.
33. Oakland Athletics- Corbin Martin, Pitcher, Texas A&M: The draft gets awful light on college bats at this point; so the A's go for a college arm here in Martin of Texas A&M, who has really flourished since joining the Aggie rotation at the start of conference play.
34. Milwaukee Brewers- Heliot Ramos, Outfielder, Leadership Christian Academy (PR): Ramos is an outfielder from Puerto Rico with a lot of tools. There are lots of plus grades on Ramos' scouting report; though the rawness is pretty severe and makes him a boom-or-bust type of selection.
35. Minnesota Twins- Brent Rooker, First Base, Mississippi State: This would be local fave Sam Carlson if he falls this far, but that seems unlikely. With another pick coming at 37, Minnesota could save up for a run at a high-dollar tough sign such as Brady McConnell or Mark Vientos by saving some money with an older college player at 35.
36. Miami Marlins- Jeter Downs, Shortstop, Pace HS (FL): Downs has had a fantastic spring, pushing him up boards by showing more power than he'd shown on the circuit along with the tools to stay at shortstop.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Candidates to replace Chris Holtmann as Butler head basketball coach
The other day, Chris Holtmann left Butler to replace Thad Matta at Ohio State. Here are candidates to replace Holtmann.
1. Tom Crean, Former Indiana Head Coach
2. Dane Fife, Assistant Coach, Michigan State
3. Matthew Graves, Head Coach, South Alabama
4. LaVall Jordan, Head Coach, Milwaukee
5. Terry Johnson, Assistant Coach, Butler
6. Michael Lewis, Assistant Coach, Nebraska
7. Dan Muller, Head Coach, Illinois State
8. Micah Shrewsberry, Assistant Coach, Boston Celtics
9. Travis Steele, Assistant Coach, Xavier
1. Tom Crean, Former Indiana Head Coach
2. Dane Fife, Assistant Coach, Michigan State
3. Matthew Graves, Head Coach, South Alabama
4. LaVall Jordan, Head Coach, Milwaukee
5. Terry Johnson, Assistant Coach, Butler
6. Michael Lewis, Assistant Coach, Nebraska
7. Dan Muller, Head Coach, Illinois State
8. Micah Shrewsberry, Assistant Coach, Boston Celtics
9. Travis Steele, Assistant Coach, Xavier
2017 NHL Mock Draft: Second Edition
Here is my second edition of my 2017 NHL Mock Draft.
1. New Jersey Devils- Nolan Patrick, Center, Brandon (WHL): He's been the guy from the very start of the draft process. But just like in year's past, another player puts together a great season and makes a charge for the top spot. Last season it was Patrik Laine who put on a great campaign to knock off Austin Matthews for the top spot and in 2015 it was Jack Eichel who put forth a valiant effort to go number one over Connor McDavid. Just like those drafts, the team in the top spot will stick with the guy who's been at the top the whole time.
2. Philadelphia Flyers- Nico Hischier, Center, Halifax (QMJHL): The Flyers are still pumped about winning a top-three selection in the draft lottery, so they don’t really care whether it’s Nolan or Nico. They get Nico, an extremely promising playmaker, and make him the highest-drafted Swiss player of all time.
3. Dallas Stars- Gabriel Vilardi, Center, Windsor (OHL): One of the OHL's top players in 2016/17, Vilardi is a big centre who has great offensive awareness and the dynamic skill to take advantage. While he is not the fastest player on the ice, he can maneuver in a phone booth and make things happen with a great passing ability.
4. Colorado Avalanche- Miro Heiskanen, Defenseman, HIFK Helsinki (SM-Liiga): Heiskanen is an excellent two-way defender with top-pairing potential. Having played his entire draft year in Finland’s top professional league, Heiskanen is one of the most pro-ready prospects available.
5. Vancouver Canucks- Casey Mittelsdalt, Center, Eden (High-MN): At 6-foot-1 and 200-pounds, Mittelstadt has ideal size to go along with his elite skill. Playing for the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL, the centre put up 30 points in just 24 games. He has a fantastic first step and can use his quickness to make defenders miss.
6. Las Vegas Golden Knights- Cody Glass, Center, Portland (WHL): Having grown a couple of inches and gained some muscle in the process, Glass has been rising up draft boards around the NHL. Glass plays strong on the puck and uses his excellent speed to create space and finish with his quick release.
7. Arizona Coyotes- Cale Makar, Defenseman, Brooks (AJHL): The Coyotes are loaded with high-end offensive talent, so they go for a dynamic blueliner who can lead the offense from the backend. Makar has some question marks, but the Coyotes see his upside and simply can’t pass up on him.
8. Buffalo Sabres- Owen Tippett, Wing, Mississauga (OHL): With the Sabres solidifying their defensive core with Rasmus Ristolainen and Jake McCabe among others, they add an electrifying winger in Tippett to play alongside of Jack Eichel. Tippett scored 44 goals and put up 75 points through 60 games in the OHL this season, and scouts say he already has an NHL shot. He’ll likely spend one more season in the OHL before making the jump to the NHL.
1. New Jersey Devils- Nolan Patrick, Center, Brandon (WHL): He's been the guy from the very start of the draft process. But just like in year's past, another player puts together a great season and makes a charge for the top spot. Last season it was Patrik Laine who put on a great campaign to knock off Austin Matthews for the top spot and in 2015 it was Jack Eichel who put forth a valiant effort to go number one over Connor McDavid. Just like those drafts, the team in the top spot will stick with the guy who's been at the top the whole time.
2. Philadelphia Flyers- Nico Hischier, Center, Halifax (QMJHL): The Flyers are still pumped about winning a top-three selection in the draft lottery, so they don’t really care whether it’s Nolan or Nico. They get Nico, an extremely promising playmaker, and make him the highest-drafted Swiss player of all time.
3. Dallas Stars- Gabriel Vilardi, Center, Windsor (OHL): One of the OHL's top players in 2016/17, Vilardi is a big centre who has great offensive awareness and the dynamic skill to take advantage. While he is not the fastest player on the ice, he can maneuver in a phone booth and make things happen with a great passing ability.
4. Colorado Avalanche- Miro Heiskanen, Defenseman, HIFK Helsinki (SM-Liiga): Heiskanen is an excellent two-way defender with top-pairing potential. Having played his entire draft year in Finland’s top professional league, Heiskanen is one of the most pro-ready prospects available.
5. Vancouver Canucks- Casey Mittelsdalt, Center, Eden (High-MN): At 6-foot-1 and 200-pounds, Mittelstadt has ideal size to go along with his elite skill. Playing for the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL, the centre put up 30 points in just 24 games. He has a fantastic first step and can use his quickness to make defenders miss.
6. Las Vegas Golden Knights- Cody Glass, Center, Portland (WHL): Having grown a couple of inches and gained some muscle in the process, Glass has been rising up draft boards around the NHL. Glass plays strong on the puck and uses his excellent speed to create space and finish with his quick release.
7. Arizona Coyotes- Cale Makar, Defenseman, Brooks (AJHL): The Coyotes are loaded with high-end offensive talent, so they go for a dynamic blueliner who can lead the offense from the backend. Makar has some question marks, but the Coyotes see his upside and simply can’t pass up on him.
8. Buffalo Sabres- Owen Tippett, Wing, Mississauga (OHL): With the Sabres solidifying their defensive core with Rasmus Ristolainen and Jake McCabe among others, they add an electrifying winger in Tippett to play alongside of Jack Eichel. Tippett scored 44 goals and put up 75 points through 60 games in the OHL this season, and scouts say he already has an NHL shot. He’ll likely spend one more season in the OHL before making the jump to the NHL.
9. Detroit Red Wings- Martin Necas, Center, Brno (CZREP): An offensive-minded centre, Necas has great lateral movement and can make defenders miss in space. He has good vision of the ice and can dissect the play quickly when on the rush.
10. Florida Panthers- Timothy Liljegren, Defenseman, Rogle (SHL): What a year it’s been for Liljegren. After being projected as the second overall pick behind Nolan Patrick, he saw his stock drop. Nevertheless, whoever lands Liljegren will be getting a top end defensive prospect. If the Panthers end up selecting him at 10th, he’ll be joining a solid prospect pool and could end up being a rock on their back end.
11. Los Angeles Kings- Michael Rasmussen, Center, Tri-City (WHL): The front-office shake up indicates some sort of change in philosophy, but Rasmussen is skilled enough to still fit into those plans. He’s also the prototypical Kings forward: A 6’6 center with excellent net-front skills and a good shot. Rasmussen isn’t overly physical yet, but that can be coaxed as he fills out his fame.
12. Carolina Hurricanes- Elias Pettersson, Center, Kimra (SHL): A playmaking center in the truest sense of the term, Pettersson owns a nice mix of speed, vision, and passing ability that makes him an offensive threat. He also has shown some tenacity in board play and forechecking, indicating he might become a better all-around player than he seems to be now. Carolina could use a center like him.
13. Winnipeg Jets- Juuso Valimaki, Defenseman, Tri-City (WHL): At 13, Winnipeg is happy to pick up one of Finland’s many up-and-coming prospects in two-way defenceman Juuso Valimaki. At this point, the Jets find Eeli Tolvanen almost too good to pass up on, but they decide a D-man is the higher priority with this pick.
14. Tampa Bay Lightning- Erik Brannstrom, Defenseman, HV (SHL): Another small (5’10), puck-moving defenseman, eh? And another fast riser: Brannstrom has the makings of a power-play quarterback at the NHL level. The key with any player of this type is his intelligence at both ends, and Brannstrom already demonstrates that. Tampa Bay adds a defenseman capable of giving their talented forwards the puck.
15. New York Islanders- Lias Andersson, Center, HV (SHL): Andersson spent this season playing against men in the SHL and he’s looking like a very solid prospect. If the Islanders see him on the board at 15th, they shouldn’t hesitate to take him. Andersson is an incredible skater and though he’s committed to Frolunda HC for next season, if the Islanders like what they see, it’s possible that he could move to North America in order for the organization to be able to keep a close eye on him.
16. Calgary Flames- Callan Foote, Defenseman, Kelowna (WHL): Following a similar storyline to last year's draft, the Flames once again take a player with a strong NHL lineage. Foote is a big, right-shot defenceman who has a powerful shot from the point. He is able to use his size and skating ability to take away time and space from opposing forwards.
17. Toronto Maple Leafs- Nicolas Hague, Defenseman, Mississauga (OHL): Hague is a large young man at 6-foot-6, but he combines that size with plenty of skill. He has good straight line speed, which helps him when retreating back into his own zone. He has a big point shot and he has the potential to be a big-time offensive contributor from the back-end.
18. Boston Bruins- Klim Kostin, Center, Dynamo (KHL): A big body, a non-stop motor, and a quick release - that's what the Bruins are getting with the versatile forward. Kostin is a guy that will work hard in the dirty areas and use his size to keep possession of the puck. Once he fills out his big frame, he could be a beast in the NHL.
19. San Jose Sharks- Kristian Vesalainen, Wing, Frolunda (SHL): This Finnish winger fell in draft rankings after a slower year, but the offensive skills are still there. The 6’4 winger is a power forward in the making, with a strong drive to the net and a well-developing defensive game.
20. St. Louis Blues- Nick Suzuki, Center, Owen (OHL): Even if Suzuki doesn’t end up as a pivot in the NHL, he projects as an impactful, all-situations forward. A feared penalty killer for years in the OHL, Suzuki’s offensive game blossomed this season into one of the league’s top scorers. Few draft players compete as well and as hard as him.
21. New York Rangers- Ryan Poehling, Center, St. Cloud (NCAA): A big, two-way center in the mold of Brandon Dubinsky or even Pierre-Luc Dubois, who the Jackets drafted third overall last year. He lacks the top-end scoring talent of Dubois, though, and would fill a more secondary role in the top nine.
22. Edmonton Oilers- Kailer Yamamoto, Wing, Spokane (WHL): This would be so fun to watch. Yamamoto is a 5’8 player and a lock for the first round because his offensive senses and skills are so superior to so many other forwards in this class. He knows how to use his speed and awareness to evade physical opponents. If he can translate that to the NHL, he and Connor McDavid could become must-watch duo.
23. Arizona Coyotes (via Minnesota Wild)- Isaac Ratcliffe, Wing, Guelph (OHL): If you have a system full of skilled forwards, what do you add to balance it out? A humongous-big winger with offensive instincts. Ratcliffe, 6’6, is a force all over the ice, willing to run over anyone in his way to get to the puck. Arizona would have Clayton Keller and Cale Makar to man the boards and point on the power play and Ratcliffe to terrorize defenders in front of the net.
24. Columbus Blue Jackets- Urho Vaakanainen, Defenseman, JYP (Liiga): Vaakanainen is a two-way defenseman that brings pro experience and solid upside to the Blue Jackets. Their blueline is one of the best in the league, but it's never an issue to make it stronger.
25. Montreal Canaidens- Nikita Popugaev, Wing, Moose Jaw (WHL): Popugaev is a massive winger who uses his 6’5 frame to aid his scoring ability as much as remove others from the puck. The knock on him is that he’s a one-trick pony: He waits for the puck and then drives straight to the net and shoots. Can you get him to commit to a 200-foot game and use his strength more? Montreal would like to find out.
26. Chicago Blackhawks- Robert Thomas, Center, London (OHL): The London Knights seem to be a factory for first round picks. This year, it's Thomas, who is a strong two-way player that does everything well. He makes good reads and plays with tenacity.
27. St. Louis Blues (via Washington Capitals)- Henri Jokiharju, Defenseman, Portland (WHL): Would the Blues take a defenseman with more flash than defensive substance at this point? I’d like to see them try it out. Much like many of his first-round counterparts, Jokiharju is a puck-rush-first defender who likes to take the puck and cut into the offensive zone. Think Trevor Daley in his heyday with the Stars: A quick defenseman who may not generate points but drags the play into the offensive zone very well.
28. Ottawa Senators- Jake Oettinger, Goalie, Boston College (NCAA): The Sens no future goalies to speak of due to the fact Craig Anderson is 36 and Andrew Hammond was a one-year wonder in 2015. Oettinger might be the best ’tender in a quality crop this year, a 6’4 goalie with size and impressive mobility and instincts. He had a fantastic freshman year with the Eagles.
29. Dallas Stars (via Anaheim Ducks)- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Goalie, HPK (Finland): Luukkonen is another 6’4 goalie with good agility and starting potential. Like most Finnish netminders, he possesses a calm focus in his crease at a young age. Dallas fans will rejoice at getting a good quality netminder they can look forward to.
30. Nashville Predators- Shane Bowers, Center, Waterloo (USHL): A gritty centre, Bowers can make life hard on the opposition. He uses his body well to protect the puck and he's willing to go play in the dirty areas. Armed with a quick shot, he is quite dangerous around the net.
31. Pittsburgh Penguins- Maxime Comotis, Wing, Victoriaville (QMJHL): Comtois is the typical low-floor, low-ceiling type of player. He seems like a lock to make the NHL in one role or another, but the Pens might have to be fine with getting a bottom-six grinder with a strong two-way game here, rather than an exciting offensive contributor. Then again, Comtois has nice offensive potential as well.
10. Florida Panthers- Timothy Liljegren, Defenseman, Rogle (SHL): What a year it’s been for Liljegren. After being projected as the second overall pick behind Nolan Patrick, he saw his stock drop. Nevertheless, whoever lands Liljegren will be getting a top end defensive prospect. If the Panthers end up selecting him at 10th, he’ll be joining a solid prospect pool and could end up being a rock on their back end.
11. Los Angeles Kings- Michael Rasmussen, Center, Tri-City (WHL): The front-office shake up indicates some sort of change in philosophy, but Rasmussen is skilled enough to still fit into those plans. He’s also the prototypical Kings forward: A 6’6 center with excellent net-front skills and a good shot. Rasmussen isn’t overly physical yet, but that can be coaxed as he fills out his fame.
12. Carolina Hurricanes- Elias Pettersson, Center, Kimra (SHL): A playmaking center in the truest sense of the term, Pettersson owns a nice mix of speed, vision, and passing ability that makes him an offensive threat. He also has shown some tenacity in board play and forechecking, indicating he might become a better all-around player than he seems to be now. Carolina could use a center like him.
13. Winnipeg Jets- Juuso Valimaki, Defenseman, Tri-City (WHL): At 13, Winnipeg is happy to pick up one of Finland’s many up-and-coming prospects in two-way defenceman Juuso Valimaki. At this point, the Jets find Eeli Tolvanen almost too good to pass up on, but they decide a D-man is the higher priority with this pick.
14. Tampa Bay Lightning- Erik Brannstrom, Defenseman, HV (SHL): Another small (5’10), puck-moving defenseman, eh? And another fast riser: Brannstrom has the makings of a power-play quarterback at the NHL level. The key with any player of this type is his intelligence at both ends, and Brannstrom already demonstrates that. Tampa Bay adds a defenseman capable of giving their talented forwards the puck.
15. New York Islanders- Lias Andersson, Center, HV (SHL): Andersson spent this season playing against men in the SHL and he’s looking like a very solid prospect. If the Islanders see him on the board at 15th, they shouldn’t hesitate to take him. Andersson is an incredible skater and though he’s committed to Frolunda HC for next season, if the Islanders like what they see, it’s possible that he could move to North America in order for the organization to be able to keep a close eye on him.
16. Calgary Flames- Callan Foote, Defenseman, Kelowna (WHL): Following a similar storyline to last year's draft, the Flames once again take a player with a strong NHL lineage. Foote is a big, right-shot defenceman who has a powerful shot from the point. He is able to use his size and skating ability to take away time and space from opposing forwards.
17. Toronto Maple Leafs- Nicolas Hague, Defenseman, Mississauga (OHL): Hague is a large young man at 6-foot-6, but he combines that size with plenty of skill. He has good straight line speed, which helps him when retreating back into his own zone. He has a big point shot and he has the potential to be a big-time offensive contributor from the back-end.
18. Boston Bruins- Klim Kostin, Center, Dynamo (KHL): A big body, a non-stop motor, and a quick release - that's what the Bruins are getting with the versatile forward. Kostin is a guy that will work hard in the dirty areas and use his size to keep possession of the puck. Once he fills out his big frame, he could be a beast in the NHL.
19. San Jose Sharks- Kristian Vesalainen, Wing, Frolunda (SHL): This Finnish winger fell in draft rankings after a slower year, but the offensive skills are still there. The 6’4 winger is a power forward in the making, with a strong drive to the net and a well-developing defensive game.
20. St. Louis Blues- Nick Suzuki, Center, Owen (OHL): Even if Suzuki doesn’t end up as a pivot in the NHL, he projects as an impactful, all-situations forward. A feared penalty killer for years in the OHL, Suzuki’s offensive game blossomed this season into one of the league’s top scorers. Few draft players compete as well and as hard as him.
21. New York Rangers- Ryan Poehling, Center, St. Cloud (NCAA): A big, two-way center in the mold of Brandon Dubinsky or even Pierre-Luc Dubois, who the Jackets drafted third overall last year. He lacks the top-end scoring talent of Dubois, though, and would fill a more secondary role in the top nine.
22. Edmonton Oilers- Kailer Yamamoto, Wing, Spokane (WHL): This would be so fun to watch. Yamamoto is a 5’8 player and a lock for the first round because his offensive senses and skills are so superior to so many other forwards in this class. He knows how to use his speed and awareness to evade physical opponents. If he can translate that to the NHL, he and Connor McDavid could become must-watch duo.
23. Arizona Coyotes (via Minnesota Wild)- Isaac Ratcliffe, Wing, Guelph (OHL): If you have a system full of skilled forwards, what do you add to balance it out? A humongous-big winger with offensive instincts. Ratcliffe, 6’6, is a force all over the ice, willing to run over anyone in his way to get to the puck. Arizona would have Clayton Keller and Cale Makar to man the boards and point on the power play and Ratcliffe to terrorize defenders in front of the net.
24. Columbus Blue Jackets- Urho Vaakanainen, Defenseman, JYP (Liiga): Vaakanainen is a two-way defenseman that brings pro experience and solid upside to the Blue Jackets. Their blueline is one of the best in the league, but it's never an issue to make it stronger.
25. Montreal Canaidens- Nikita Popugaev, Wing, Moose Jaw (WHL): Popugaev is a massive winger who uses his 6’5 frame to aid his scoring ability as much as remove others from the puck. The knock on him is that he’s a one-trick pony: He waits for the puck and then drives straight to the net and shoots. Can you get him to commit to a 200-foot game and use his strength more? Montreal would like to find out.
26. Chicago Blackhawks- Robert Thomas, Center, London (OHL): The London Knights seem to be a factory for first round picks. This year, it's Thomas, who is a strong two-way player that does everything well. He makes good reads and plays with tenacity.
27. St. Louis Blues (via Washington Capitals)- Henri Jokiharju, Defenseman, Portland (WHL): Would the Blues take a defenseman with more flash than defensive substance at this point? I’d like to see them try it out. Much like many of his first-round counterparts, Jokiharju is a puck-rush-first defender who likes to take the puck and cut into the offensive zone. Think Trevor Daley in his heyday with the Stars: A quick defenseman who may not generate points but drags the play into the offensive zone very well.
28. Ottawa Senators- Jake Oettinger, Goalie, Boston College (NCAA): The Sens no future goalies to speak of due to the fact Craig Anderson is 36 and Andrew Hammond was a one-year wonder in 2015. Oettinger might be the best ’tender in a quality crop this year, a 6’4 goalie with size and impressive mobility and instincts. He had a fantastic freshman year with the Eagles.
29. Dallas Stars (via Anaheim Ducks)- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Goalie, HPK (Finland): Luukkonen is another 6’4 goalie with good agility and starting potential. Like most Finnish netminders, he possesses a calm focus in his crease at a young age. Dallas fans will rejoice at getting a good quality netminder they can look forward to.
30. Nashville Predators- Shane Bowers, Center, Waterloo (USHL): A gritty centre, Bowers can make life hard on the opposition. He uses his body well to protect the puck and he's willing to go play in the dirty areas. Armed with a quick shot, he is quite dangerous around the net.
31. Pittsburgh Penguins- Maxime Comotis, Wing, Victoriaville (QMJHL): Comtois is the typical low-floor, low-ceiling type of player. He seems like a lock to make the NHL in one role or another, but the Pens might have to be fine with getting a bottom-six grinder with a strong two-way game here, rather than an exciting offensive contributor. Then again, Comtois has nice offensive potential as well.
Thursday, June 8, 2017
2017 MLB Mock Draft: Fourth Edition
Here is my fourth edition of my 2017 MLB Mock draft.
1. Minnesota Twins- Kyle Wright, Pitcher, Vanderbilt: Wright’s draft stock plummeted through the first month and a half of the season but has flown up recently after he has put together a string of impressive performances. There have still been some inconsistencies but Wright is a good high-floor prospect with a higher ceiling as a pitcher than Brendan McCay.
2. Cincinnati Reds- Hunter Greene, Pitcher/Outfielder/Shortstop, Notre Dame HS (CA): The Reds are said to be in heaviest on McKay and Greene, and this scenario, they'd have their pick of the two. Greene is the consensus top prospect in the draft class -- you won't find many who think it's all that close either -- and even while rebuilding, the one thing the Reds lack in the farm system is a prospect with true "star" ceiling. Greene would address that.
3. San Diego Padres- Royce Lewis, Shortstop/Outfielder, JSerra Catholic HS (CA): Lewis does everything well, his best tool being his speed. He is a good hitter with a feel for the barrel and has solid power upside. Defensively he is a good athlete with great range but scouts feel his arm may not be strong enough to stay at short. I think he will be just fine and I’m willing to bet he’ll stay on the infield in the long run, but even if he doesn’t he would be an excellent center fielder in pro ball.
4. Tampa Bay Rays- Brendan McKay, Pitcher/First Baseman, Louisville: On the mound McKay’s velocity has dipped a bit over the last month but he has also unveiled a cutter that has a ton of potential so teams may be able to look past the velocity issue. As a hitter, McKay has been on fire all season and has sparked a healthy debate about his eventual role in pro ball. Either way, McKay is a pretty sure bet to get to the big leagues quickly.
5. Atlanta Braves- MacKenzie Gore, Pitcher, Whiteville HS (NC): Gore has shot up the boards this season and is now widely regarded as the best high school left hander available. Some scouts have even put him ahead of Hunter Greene as a prospect. Gore’s fastball sits in the mid-90’s and he has a nasty curveball that grades as a plus pitch.
6. Oakland Athletics- Pavin Smith, First Baseman, Virginia: The A’s apparently really like Gore, but he’s gone in this scenario. They could go with a toolsy high school outfielder like Austin Beck, or hard-throwing college righty JB Bukauskas, but Billy Beane loves polished college hitters. Virginia’s Smtith is exactly that. He could be the first bat from this class to reach the big leagues.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks- JB Bukauskas, Pitcher, North Carolina: The Diamondbacks are in a nice position to sit tight and see who falls to them. Arizona drafted Bukauskas out of high school, so the organization knows him well along with scouting him recently. Bukauskas could be a quick riser in the Diamondbacks' system.
8. Philadelphia Phillies- Austin Beck, Outfielder, North Davidson HS (NC): A knee injury prevented Beck from playing in summer showcases last year, though he's shown the same tremendous tools this spring, including top-of-the-line bat speed and power potential. He also has a rocket arm and is an above-average runner. Beck is one of the most tooled-up players in the draft class. The Phillies have a recent history of valuing raw talent and upside over polish and track record, so Beck fits.
9. Milwaukee Brewers- Jordan Adell, Outfielder, Ballard HS (KY): Adell has excellent speed on the base paths and in the outfield with a plus arm and great instincts. He has big time raw power and the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. The concern with Adell is whether or not he can cut down the strikeouts; many think he can.
10. Los Angeles Angels- Adam Haseley, Outfielder, Virginia: The Angels have gone heavy on college players in recent years in an effort to quickly rebuild arguably the worst farm system in baseball. Haseley is a polished lefty hitter who excels at spraying the ball to left field, though this spring he started to figure out how to pull the ball to right field for power. He can also play a mean center fielder and isn't expected to require much time in the minors. If they're still on the board, either Smith or Bukauskas would be the pick here instead.
11. Chicago White Sox- Jeren Kendall, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: If Kendall didn't swing and miss as much as he does, we'd likely be calling him a slam-dunk 1:1 selection--the other tools are just that good. He's got plus raw power from the left side with plus-plus speed, a plus arm, and a chance to be plus in center field. The only question is just how much the whiffs will impact his hit tool.
12. Pittsburgh Pirates- Evan White, First Baseman/Outfielder, Kentucky: The Pirates tend to focus on bats in the first round, and White is gaining steam leading up to the draft. It's a very unique profile. White is a right-handed hitter and a left-handed thrower, and he stands out more for his pure hitting ability than his power. He's also a very good athlete with Gold Glove potential at first base, and he has played some outfield in the past. This isn't the best draft class for mid-first round bats, so if the Pirates decided to break the mold and go for an arm, this wouldn't be a bad year to do it.
13. Miami Marlins- Shane Baz, Pitcher, Concordia Lutheran HS (TX): If Baz lasts this long he should be the pick. At 6’3″ and 190 pounds, the Texas prep righty has good size with some projection left. He throws hard, touching 98 mph this spring and sitting in the 92-96 range. The TCU commit is a great athlete who also has a really nice cutter and a good curveball, with a developing changeup. He has ace upside.
14. Kansas City Royals- Trevor Rogers, Pitcher, Carlsbad HS (TX): Rogers has been rumored as high as No. 3 overall to the Padres, though that smoke died down quickly. He's also been tied to a bunch of other places, but it's well-known in the industry that the Royals are very heavy on the prep lefty from New Mexico, who has drawn comparisons to a young Andrew Miller.
15. Houston Astros- David Peterson, Pitcher, Oregon: "Dominant" doesn't even begin to describe how Peterson has been for Oregon this spring; as the huge lefthander has had no trouble whatsoever in the PAC-12. He works 90-94 mph on most nights with a potentially plus slider and plus command, and looks to be a pretty safe mid-rotation piece at this point.
16. New York Yankees- Nick Pratto, First Baseman, Huntington Beach HS (CA): The Yanks have a known affinity for Southern California players -- four of their last six first-round picks were SoCal players -- which leads them to Pratto. He is considered the most advanced high school bat in the draft class and New York won't pass that up, even though the track record of high school first basemen taken in the first round isn't very good.
17. Seattle Mariners- Jake Burger, First Baseman/Third Baseman, Missouri State: Burger has been the preeminent collegiate power bat over the last two years (though Iowa's Jake Adams has him beat this season); smashing 20+ HR's each of the last two seasons. He seems likely to slide over to first base, but offers plus plus raw power along with good feel to hit.
18. Detroit Tigers- Alex Faedo, Pitcher, Florida: Faedo easily could go higher. He entered the 2017 process as a candidate to go No. 1, but his season was a bit of downer compared to the year before. The Tigers could use an ace in their farm system, and it wouldn't be surprising if he ends up being a steal who rises quickly to the majors.
19. San Francisco Giants- Logan Warmorth, Shortstop, North Carolina: A college hitter is never a bad bet with the San Francisco Giants . Warmoth is a no-doubt first-round player with some die hard fans who consider him a top-10 talent thanks to his sweet right-handed swing and all-around ability. Warmoth's detractors see a guy without one outstanding tool. Just a lot of average ones. San Francisco is a great player development organization with a knack for getting players to exceed their perceived ceilings. Given that, in five years people might look back at this pick and wonder how Warmoth fell all the way to the 19th overall.
20. New York Mets- Keston Hiura, Second Baseman/Outfielder, UC Irvine: Hiura in the preseason was considered a sure-fire top 10 selection before concerns about his defensive position came up due to his elbow injury that has limited him to DH this spring. Hiura profiles very similar to the Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ, albeit more of a hit over power profile, though plenty of both. Hiura should be able to handle second base once his elbow is healthy, and that would be a big addition into a depleted Pirates system.
21. Baltimore Orioles- Griffin Canning, Pitcher, UCLA: Canning is one of the toughest players to peg in this year's draft. As a high-floor college arm with advanced pitchability and a four-pitch repertoire headlined by one of the better changeups in the class, he has a very similar profile to former Florida right-hander Logan Shore.
22. Toronto Blue Jays- Tanner Houck, Pitcher, Missouri: Houck has the big fastball and the durable frame to develop into an impact starter. There are also questions about his secondary stuff and his mechanics, though, leaving the Missouri ace as an intriguing upside play here toward the back of the first round.
23. Los Angeles Dodgers- Bubba Thompson, Outfielder, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS (CA): The Dodgers have been continually linked with the dual-sport superstar who is committed to Alabama to play strictly baseball. Thompson offers the type of high-impact athletic upside that few others in this class can, with the chops to be plus in the outfield long term and seriously advanced hitting tools.
24. Boston Red Sox- Nick Allen, Shortstop, Francis W. Parker HS (CL): The undersized shortstop is the best defender overall in the class with a headiness for the game not seen often from a prep player. He's not going to offer much power, but he can hit, run, and will be a premium defender for years at shortstop.
25. Washington Nationals- Seth Romero, Pitcher, Houston: The Nationals are sitting here near the bottom of the first round and if Romero falls into their laps, I don’t see a situation where they don’t take him. Romero did the damage to his own reputation with suspensions and being dismissed from his squad at the University of Houston so there is absolutely risk in taking him, but there is also very real upside if they can get a handle on him as he was a probably a top-15 selection or better before he got kicked off the team.
26. Texas Rangers- Matt Sauer, Pitcher, Righetti HS (CA): Sauer is a big kid with a big arm. He has a lot of projection remaining which makes for an exciting profile. Sauer works with a four-pitch mix, highlighted by a good fastball/slider combo. The slider is an out pitch and has a lot of late life while the fastball sits in the low 90s with a lot of room for more as he fills out and gains more experience. He also owns a changeup and a curveball but they are works in progress at this point.
27. Chicago Cubs- Nate Pearson, Pitcher, UCF: Pearson is A mountain of a right-hander flamethrower. With a fastball that has touched 101-102, Pearson pitches at 93-98 mph and will show an above average curveball along with delivery components to start.
28. Toronto Blue Jays- Alex Lange, Pitcher, LSU: In the two years since, Lange has refined his overall command and improved his changeup to the point that it's a passable third pitching alongside his mid-90s fastball and a hammer curve that ranks as one of the better breaking pitches in the class. That being said, he's prone to overthrowing at times and has some effort to his delivery, so there's a chance that strong two-pitch mix is utilized out of the bullpen before all is said and done.
29. Texas Rangers- Sam Carlson, Pitcher, Burnsville HS (TN): Carlson had a decent showing over the Summer showing three good pitches, but most scouts felt he needed quite a bit of work before being ready to pitch at the professional level. Then this Spring happened and Carlson has flown up the boards. His fastball has added velocity, his slider has been sharper, he’s been locating his pitches well and his changeup is advanced for a prep pitcher.
30. Chicago Cubs- Brendon Little, Pitcher, State College of Florida-Manatee (JC): Little is the second of the two-headed Florida JuCo pitcher monster with Nate Pearson; though more concerns about a future bullpen move have pushed him back a bit from his JC counterpart. Little works with a plus fastball and curveball from the left side, and could pitch in the majors quickly if moved to the 'pen immediately.
Supplemental First Round
31. Tampa Bay Rays- Jeter Downs, Shortstop, Pace HS (FL): Downs has had a fantastic spring, pushing him up boards by showing more power than he'd shown on the circuit along with the tools to stay at shortstop.
32. Cincinnati Reds- Tristen Lutz, Outfielder, Martin HS (TX): There may not be a more powerful high school bat in the 2017 draft than Lutz. While he may not stick in center field as a pro, he has the athleticism to play there initially, which leads to just how well he should handle defense at the corner when he does move there. Lutz does have the traditional right field profile with a power arm and power bat. At 6’3″ and 220 pounds, he looks like he has been working with professional training for years already, and adding that pro coaching to his possible double-plus future power could allow him to be a very special bat indeed.
33. Oakland Athletics- Corbin Martin, Pitcher, Texas A&M: The draft gets awful light on college bats at this point; so the A's go for a college arm here in Martin of Texas A&M, who has really flourished since joining the Aggie rotation at the start of conference play.
34. Milwaukee Brewers- Clarke Schmidt, Pitcher, South Carolina: Schmidt had been cruising through the first half of the season and rising up draft boards with eye popping stuff when he found out he would need Tommy John surgery. Schmidt brings a lot to the table including a plus fastball and off speed stuff that was greatly improved from years past before going down with the injury.
35. Minnesota Twins- Heliot Ramos, Outfielder, Leadership Christian Academy (PR): Ramos is an outfielder from Puerto Rico with a lot of tools. There are lots of plus grades on Ramos' scouting report; though the rawness is pretty severe and makes him a boom-or-bust type of selection.
36. Miami Marlins- Drew Waters, Outfielder, Etowah HS (GA): Waters can hit from both sides with the tools to stay in center field long term. I don't see Waters dropping beyond here.
1. Minnesota Twins- Kyle Wright, Pitcher, Vanderbilt: Wright’s draft stock plummeted through the first month and a half of the season but has flown up recently after he has put together a string of impressive performances. There have still been some inconsistencies but Wright is a good high-floor prospect with a higher ceiling as a pitcher than Brendan McCay.
2. Cincinnati Reds- Hunter Greene, Pitcher/Outfielder/Shortstop, Notre Dame HS (CA): The Reds are said to be in heaviest on McKay and Greene, and this scenario, they'd have their pick of the two. Greene is the consensus top prospect in the draft class -- you won't find many who think it's all that close either -- and even while rebuilding, the one thing the Reds lack in the farm system is a prospect with true "star" ceiling. Greene would address that.
3. San Diego Padres- Royce Lewis, Shortstop/Outfielder, JSerra Catholic HS (CA): Lewis does everything well, his best tool being his speed. He is a good hitter with a feel for the barrel and has solid power upside. Defensively he is a good athlete with great range but scouts feel his arm may not be strong enough to stay at short. I think he will be just fine and I’m willing to bet he’ll stay on the infield in the long run, but even if he doesn’t he would be an excellent center fielder in pro ball.
4. Tampa Bay Rays- Brendan McKay, Pitcher/First Baseman, Louisville: On the mound McKay’s velocity has dipped a bit over the last month but he has also unveiled a cutter that has a ton of potential so teams may be able to look past the velocity issue. As a hitter, McKay has been on fire all season and has sparked a healthy debate about his eventual role in pro ball. Either way, McKay is a pretty sure bet to get to the big leagues quickly.
5. Atlanta Braves- MacKenzie Gore, Pitcher, Whiteville HS (NC): Gore has shot up the boards this season and is now widely regarded as the best high school left hander available. Some scouts have even put him ahead of Hunter Greene as a prospect. Gore’s fastball sits in the mid-90’s and he has a nasty curveball that grades as a plus pitch.
6. Oakland Athletics- Pavin Smith, First Baseman, Virginia: The A’s apparently really like Gore, but he’s gone in this scenario. They could go with a toolsy high school outfielder like Austin Beck, or hard-throwing college righty JB Bukauskas, but Billy Beane loves polished college hitters. Virginia’s Smtith is exactly that. He could be the first bat from this class to reach the big leagues.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks- JB Bukauskas, Pitcher, North Carolina: The Diamondbacks are in a nice position to sit tight and see who falls to them. Arizona drafted Bukauskas out of high school, so the organization knows him well along with scouting him recently. Bukauskas could be a quick riser in the Diamondbacks' system.
8. Philadelphia Phillies- Austin Beck, Outfielder, North Davidson HS (NC): A knee injury prevented Beck from playing in summer showcases last year, though he's shown the same tremendous tools this spring, including top-of-the-line bat speed and power potential. He also has a rocket arm and is an above-average runner. Beck is one of the most tooled-up players in the draft class. The Phillies have a recent history of valuing raw talent and upside over polish and track record, so Beck fits.
9. Milwaukee Brewers- Jordan Adell, Outfielder, Ballard HS (KY): Adell has excellent speed on the base paths and in the outfield with a plus arm and great instincts. He has big time raw power and the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. The concern with Adell is whether or not he can cut down the strikeouts; many think he can.
10. Los Angeles Angels- Adam Haseley, Outfielder, Virginia: The Angels have gone heavy on college players in recent years in an effort to quickly rebuild arguably the worst farm system in baseball. Haseley is a polished lefty hitter who excels at spraying the ball to left field, though this spring he started to figure out how to pull the ball to right field for power. He can also play a mean center fielder and isn't expected to require much time in the minors. If they're still on the board, either Smith or Bukauskas would be the pick here instead.
11. Chicago White Sox- Jeren Kendall, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: If Kendall didn't swing and miss as much as he does, we'd likely be calling him a slam-dunk 1:1 selection--the other tools are just that good. He's got plus raw power from the left side with plus-plus speed, a plus arm, and a chance to be plus in center field. The only question is just how much the whiffs will impact his hit tool.
12. Pittsburgh Pirates- Evan White, First Baseman/Outfielder, Kentucky: The Pirates tend to focus on bats in the first round, and White is gaining steam leading up to the draft. It's a very unique profile. White is a right-handed hitter and a left-handed thrower, and he stands out more for his pure hitting ability than his power. He's also a very good athlete with Gold Glove potential at first base, and he has played some outfield in the past. This isn't the best draft class for mid-first round bats, so if the Pirates decided to break the mold and go for an arm, this wouldn't be a bad year to do it.
13. Miami Marlins- Shane Baz, Pitcher, Concordia Lutheran HS (TX): If Baz lasts this long he should be the pick. At 6’3″ and 190 pounds, the Texas prep righty has good size with some projection left. He throws hard, touching 98 mph this spring and sitting in the 92-96 range. The TCU commit is a great athlete who also has a really nice cutter and a good curveball, with a developing changeup. He has ace upside.
14. Kansas City Royals- Trevor Rogers, Pitcher, Carlsbad HS (TX): Rogers has been rumored as high as No. 3 overall to the Padres, though that smoke died down quickly. He's also been tied to a bunch of other places, but it's well-known in the industry that the Royals are very heavy on the prep lefty from New Mexico, who has drawn comparisons to a young Andrew Miller.
15. Houston Astros- David Peterson, Pitcher, Oregon: "Dominant" doesn't even begin to describe how Peterson has been for Oregon this spring; as the huge lefthander has had no trouble whatsoever in the PAC-12. He works 90-94 mph on most nights with a potentially plus slider and plus command, and looks to be a pretty safe mid-rotation piece at this point.
16. New York Yankees- Nick Pratto, First Baseman, Huntington Beach HS (CA): The Yanks have a known affinity for Southern California players -- four of their last six first-round picks were SoCal players -- which leads them to Pratto. He is considered the most advanced high school bat in the draft class and New York won't pass that up, even though the track record of high school first basemen taken in the first round isn't very good.
17. Seattle Mariners- Jake Burger, First Baseman/Third Baseman, Missouri State: Burger has been the preeminent collegiate power bat over the last two years (though Iowa's Jake Adams has him beat this season); smashing 20+ HR's each of the last two seasons. He seems likely to slide over to first base, but offers plus plus raw power along with good feel to hit.
18. Detroit Tigers- Alex Faedo, Pitcher, Florida: Faedo easily could go higher. He entered the 2017 process as a candidate to go No. 1, but his season was a bit of downer compared to the year before. The Tigers could use an ace in their farm system, and it wouldn't be surprising if he ends up being a steal who rises quickly to the majors.
19. San Francisco Giants- Logan Warmorth, Shortstop, North Carolina: A college hitter is never a bad bet with the San Francisco Giants . Warmoth is a no-doubt first-round player with some die hard fans who consider him a top-10 talent thanks to his sweet right-handed swing and all-around ability. Warmoth's detractors see a guy without one outstanding tool. Just a lot of average ones. San Francisco is a great player development organization with a knack for getting players to exceed their perceived ceilings. Given that, in five years people might look back at this pick and wonder how Warmoth fell all the way to the 19th overall.
20. New York Mets- Keston Hiura, Second Baseman/Outfielder, UC Irvine: Hiura in the preseason was considered a sure-fire top 10 selection before concerns about his defensive position came up due to his elbow injury that has limited him to DH this spring. Hiura profiles very similar to the Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ, albeit more of a hit over power profile, though plenty of both. Hiura should be able to handle second base once his elbow is healthy, and that would be a big addition into a depleted Pirates system.
21. Baltimore Orioles- Griffin Canning, Pitcher, UCLA: Canning is one of the toughest players to peg in this year's draft. As a high-floor college arm with advanced pitchability and a four-pitch repertoire headlined by one of the better changeups in the class, he has a very similar profile to former Florida right-hander Logan Shore.
22. Toronto Blue Jays- Tanner Houck, Pitcher, Missouri: Houck has the big fastball and the durable frame to develop into an impact starter. There are also questions about his secondary stuff and his mechanics, though, leaving the Missouri ace as an intriguing upside play here toward the back of the first round.
23. Los Angeles Dodgers- Bubba Thompson, Outfielder, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS (CA): The Dodgers have been continually linked with the dual-sport superstar who is committed to Alabama to play strictly baseball. Thompson offers the type of high-impact athletic upside that few others in this class can, with the chops to be plus in the outfield long term and seriously advanced hitting tools.
24. Boston Red Sox- Nick Allen, Shortstop, Francis W. Parker HS (CL): The undersized shortstop is the best defender overall in the class with a headiness for the game not seen often from a prep player. He's not going to offer much power, but he can hit, run, and will be a premium defender for years at shortstop.
25. Washington Nationals- Seth Romero, Pitcher, Houston: The Nationals are sitting here near the bottom of the first round and if Romero falls into their laps, I don’t see a situation where they don’t take him. Romero did the damage to his own reputation with suspensions and being dismissed from his squad at the University of Houston so there is absolutely risk in taking him, but there is also very real upside if they can get a handle on him as he was a probably a top-15 selection or better before he got kicked off the team.
26. Texas Rangers- Matt Sauer, Pitcher, Righetti HS (CA): Sauer is a big kid with a big arm. He has a lot of projection remaining which makes for an exciting profile. Sauer works with a four-pitch mix, highlighted by a good fastball/slider combo. The slider is an out pitch and has a lot of late life while the fastball sits in the low 90s with a lot of room for more as he fills out and gains more experience. He also owns a changeup and a curveball but they are works in progress at this point.
27. Chicago Cubs- Nate Pearson, Pitcher, UCF: Pearson is A mountain of a right-hander flamethrower. With a fastball that has touched 101-102, Pearson pitches at 93-98 mph and will show an above average curveball along with delivery components to start.
28. Toronto Blue Jays- Alex Lange, Pitcher, LSU: In the two years since, Lange has refined his overall command and improved his changeup to the point that it's a passable third pitching alongside his mid-90s fastball and a hammer curve that ranks as one of the better breaking pitches in the class. That being said, he's prone to overthrowing at times and has some effort to his delivery, so there's a chance that strong two-pitch mix is utilized out of the bullpen before all is said and done.
29. Texas Rangers- Sam Carlson, Pitcher, Burnsville HS (TN): Carlson had a decent showing over the Summer showing three good pitches, but most scouts felt he needed quite a bit of work before being ready to pitch at the professional level. Then this Spring happened and Carlson has flown up the boards. His fastball has added velocity, his slider has been sharper, he’s been locating his pitches well and his changeup is advanced for a prep pitcher.
30. Chicago Cubs- Brendon Little, Pitcher, State College of Florida-Manatee (JC): Little is the second of the two-headed Florida JuCo pitcher monster with Nate Pearson; though more concerns about a future bullpen move have pushed him back a bit from his JC counterpart. Little works with a plus fastball and curveball from the left side, and could pitch in the majors quickly if moved to the 'pen immediately.
Supplemental First Round
31. Tampa Bay Rays- Jeter Downs, Shortstop, Pace HS (FL): Downs has had a fantastic spring, pushing him up boards by showing more power than he'd shown on the circuit along with the tools to stay at shortstop.
32. Cincinnati Reds- Tristen Lutz, Outfielder, Martin HS (TX): There may not be a more powerful high school bat in the 2017 draft than Lutz. While he may not stick in center field as a pro, he has the athleticism to play there initially, which leads to just how well he should handle defense at the corner when he does move there. Lutz does have the traditional right field profile with a power arm and power bat. At 6’3″ and 220 pounds, he looks like he has been working with professional training for years already, and adding that pro coaching to his possible double-plus future power could allow him to be a very special bat indeed.
33. Oakland Athletics- Corbin Martin, Pitcher, Texas A&M: The draft gets awful light on college bats at this point; so the A's go for a college arm here in Martin of Texas A&M, who has really flourished since joining the Aggie rotation at the start of conference play.
34. Milwaukee Brewers- Clarke Schmidt, Pitcher, South Carolina: Schmidt had been cruising through the first half of the season and rising up draft boards with eye popping stuff when he found out he would need Tommy John surgery. Schmidt brings a lot to the table including a plus fastball and off speed stuff that was greatly improved from years past before going down with the injury.
35. Minnesota Twins- Heliot Ramos, Outfielder, Leadership Christian Academy (PR): Ramos is an outfielder from Puerto Rico with a lot of tools. There are lots of plus grades on Ramos' scouting report; though the rawness is pretty severe and makes him a boom-or-bust type of selection.
36. Miami Marlins- Drew Waters, Outfielder, Etowah HS (GA): Waters can hit from both sides with the tools to stay in center field long term. I don't see Waters dropping beyond here.
2017 MLB Mock Draft: Third Edition
Here is my third edition of my 2017 MLB Mock draft.
1. Minnesota Twins- Kyle Wright, Pitcher, Vanderbilt: Wright’s draft stock plummeted through the first month and a half of the season but has flown up recently after he has put together a string of impressive performances. There have still been some inconsistencies but Wright is a good high-floor prospect with a higher ceiling as a pitcher than Brendan McCay.
2. Cincinnati Reds- Brendan McKay, Pitcher/First Baseman, Louisville: On the mound McKay’s velocity has dipped a bit over the last month but he has also unveiled a cutter that has a ton of potential so teams may be able to look past the velocity issue. As a hitter, McKay has been on fire all season and has sparked a healthy debate about his eventual role in pro ball. Either way, McKay is a pretty sure bet to get to the big leagues quickly.
3. San Diego Padres- Hunter Greene, Pitcher, Notre Dame HS (CA): The Padres are heavily linked to Greene and all the research about their previous draft strategy is pretty much moot at this point. This would be the perfect situation for both parties so if Greene slips this far they are taking him.
4. Tampa Bay Rays- Royce Lewis, Shortstop/Outfielder, JSerra Catholic HS (CA): Lewis does everything well, his best tool being his speed. He is a good hitter with a feel for the barrel and has solid power upside. Defensively he is a good athlete with great range but scouts feel his arm may not be strong enough to stay at short. I think he will be just fine and I’m willing to bet he’ll stay on the
infield in the long run, but even if he doesn’t he would be an excellent center fielder in pro ball.
5. Atlanta Braves- MacKenzie Gore, Pitcher, Whiteville HS (NC): Gore has shot up the boards this season and is now widely regarded as the best high school left hander available. Some scouts have even put him ahead of Hunter Greene as a prospect. Gore’s fastball sits in the mid-90’s and he has a nasty curveball that grades as a plus pitch.
6. Oakland Athletics- Pavin Smith, First Baseman, Virginia: The A’s apparently really like Gore, but he’s gone in this scenario. They could go with a toolsy high school outfielder like Austin Beck, or hard-throwing college righty JB Bukauskas, but Billy Beane loves polished college hitters. Virginia’s Smtith is exactly that. He could be the first bat from this class to reach the big leagues.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks- JB Bukauskas, Pitcher, North Carolina: The Diamondbacks are in a nice position to sit tight and see who falls to them. Arizona drafted Bukauskas out of high school, so the organization knows him well along with scouting him recently. Bukauskas could be a quick riser in the Diamondbacks' system.
8. Philadelphia Phillies- Adam Haseley, Outfielder, Virginia: One of the biggest jumpers this spring in the college ranks, Haseley has benefitted from a less-than-stellar college hitting crop, and he’s definitely shown well at the end of the season as well to help bump up his stock. Philadelphia is strong on college prospects, whether pitching or hitting, this season, and with the top three guys they’d probably prefer off the mound in the college class off the board, they’ll go with a college bat that can help in what is a fairly weak point in their system.
9. Milwaukee Brewers- Jordan Adell, Outfielder, Ballard HS (KY): Adell has excellent speed on the base paths and in the outfield with a plus arm and great instincts. He has big time raw power and the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. The concern with Adell is whether or not he can cut down the strikeouts; many think he can.
10. Los Angeles Angels- Austin Beck, Outfielder, North Davidson HS (NC): Beck has made a lot of loud contact this season and is likely the biggest riser on draft boards since the start of 2017. There is a lot of raw power and speed that does come with some risk. But he also has a busy swing, lack of track record, and previous knee injury.
11. Chicago White Sox- Jeren Kendall, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: If Kendall didn't swing and miss as much as he does, we'd likely be calling him a slam-dunk 1:1 selection--the other tools are just that good. He's got plus raw power from the left side with plus-plus speed, a plus arm, and a chance to be plus in center field. The only question is just how much the whiffs will impact his hit tool.
12. Pittsburgh Pirates- Keston Hiura, Second Baseman/Outfielder, UC Irvine: Hiura in the preseason was considered a sure-fire top 10 selection before concerns about his defensive position came up due to his elbow injury that has limited him to DH this spring. Hiura profiles very similar to the Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ, albeit more of a hit over power profile, though plenty of both. Hiura should be able to handle second base once his elbow is healthy, and that would be a big addition into a depleted Pirates system.
13. Miami Marlins- Shane Baz, Pitcher, Concordia Lutheran HS (TX): If Baz lasts this long he should be the pick. At 6’3″ and 190 pounds, the Texas prep righty has good size with some projection left. He throws hard, touching 98 mph this spring and sitting in the 92-96 range. The TCU commit is a great athlete who also has a really nice cutter and a good curveball, with a developing changeup. He has ace upside.
14. Kansas City Royals- Trevor Rogers, Pitcher, Carlsbad HS (TX): Rogers has been rumored as high as No. 3 overall to the Padres, though that smoke died down quickly. He's also been tied to a bunch of other places, but it's well-known in the industry that the Royals are very heavy on the prep lefty from New Mexico, who has drawn comparisons to a young Andrew Miller.
15. Houston Astros- Nate Pearson, Pitcher, UCF: Pearson is A mountain of a right-hander flamethrower. With a fastball that has touched 101-102, Pearson pitches at 93-98 mph and will show an above average curveball along with delivery components to start.
16. New York Yankees- DL Hall, Pitcher, Valdosta HS (GA): The Yankees have been closely linked to California prep first baseman Nick Pratto and Georgia prep lefty Hall. I think they’ll go with Hall, who can hit the mid-90s with his fastball, has a really nice curve and the mechanics to continue his development. He’s not a big kid at 6’0″ and 190 pounds, but there’s still a bit of room for growth.
17. Seattle Mariners- Alex Faedo, Pitcher, Florida: Faedo easily could go higher. He entered the 2017 process as a candidate to go No. 1, but his season was a bit of downer compared to the year before. The Mariners need an ace in their farm system, and it wouldn't be surprising if he ends up being a
steal who rises quickly to the majors.
18. Detroit Tigers- Nick Pratto, First Baseman, Huntington Beach HS (CA): The Tigers have been tied to their typical collection of hard-throwing righthanded arms, but we've also heard them linked with prep outfielder Drew Waters, Oregon's David Peterson, and Pratto. Considered by some to be the best prep bat in the class, Pratto would provide a significant boost to the Detroit farm system, which is really lacking in pure hitters at the moment.
19. San Francisco Giants- Evan White, First Baseman/Outfielder, Kentucky: The Giants could go best player available and land an intriguing talent like White as he could easily go higher. He has a well-rounded approach at the plate with the athletic ability to move to the outfield if necessary. White could go near the top 10, so this is a nice value for San Francisco.
20. New York Mets- Logan Warmorth, Shortstop, North Carolina: The Mets could go in a number of
ways here, but I think they continue to stack their organizational depth up the middle with North Carolina’s Warmoth, who plays shortstop for the Tar Heels and could stick there long-term, but has the athleticism to move around the diamond. He had a great showing in the Cape Cod league last summer and has solidified himself as the top college middle infielder on the board. Warmoth doesn’t have big power, a huge arm or top speed, but he does everything well with almost no real weaknesses.
21. Baltimore Orioles- Tanner Houck, Pitcher, Missouri: Houck has the big fastball and the durable frame to develop into an impact starter. There are also questions about his secondary stuff and his mechanics, though, leaving the Missouri ace as an intriguing upside play here toward the back of the first round.
22. Toronto Blue Jays- David Peterson, Pitcher, Oregon: "Dominant" doesn't even begin to describe how Peterson has been for Oregon this spring; as the huge lefthander has had no trouble whatsoever in the PAC-12. He works 90-94 mph on most nights with a potentially plus slider and plus command, and looks to be a pretty safe mid-rotation piece at this point.
23. Los Angeles Dodgers- Bubba Thompson, Outfielder, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS (CA): The Dodgers have been continually linked with the dual-sport superstar who is committed to Alabama to play strictly baseball. Thompson offers the type of high-impact athletic upside that few others in this class can, with the chops to be plus in the outfield long term and seriously advanced hitting tools.
24. Boston Red Sox- Griffin Canning, Pitcher, UCLA: Canning is one of the toughest players to peg in this year's draft. As a high-floor college arm with advanced pitchability and a four-pitch repertoire headlined by one of the better changeups in the class, he has a very similar profile to former Florida right-hander Logan Shore.
25. Washington Nationals- Sam Carlson, Pitcher, Burnsville HS (TN): Carlson had a decent showing over the Summer showing three good pitches, but most scouts felt he needed quite a bit of work before being ready to pitch at the professional level. Then this Spring happened and Carlson has flown up the boards. His fastball has added velocity, his slider has been sharper, he’s been locating his pitches well and his changeup is advanced for a prep pitcher.
26. Texas Rangers- Alex Lange, Pitcher, LSU: In the two years since, Lange has refined his overall command and improved his changeup to the point that it's a passable third pitching alongside his mid-90s fastball and a hammer curve that ranks as one of the better breaking pitches in the class. That being said, he's prone to overthrowing at times and has some effort to his delivery, so there's a chance that strong two-pitch mix is utilized out of the bullpen before all is said and done.
27. Chicago Cubs- Nick Allen, Shortstop, Francis W. Parker HS (CL): The undersized shortstop is the best defender overall in the class with a headiness for the game not seen often from a prep player. He's not going to offer much power, but he can hit, run, and will be a premium defender for years at shortstop.
28. Toronto Blue Jays- Matt Sauer, Pitcher, Righetti HS (CA): Sauer is a big kid with a big arm. He has a lot of projection remaining which makes for an exciting profile. Sauer works with a four-pitch mix, highlighted by a good fastball/slider combo. The slider is an out pitch and has a lot of late life while the fastball sits in the low 90s with a lot of room for more as he fills out and gains more experience. He also owns a changeup and a curveball but they are works in progress at this point.
29. Texas Rangers- Seth Romero, Pitcher, Houston: The Nationals are sitting here near the bottom of the first round and if Romero falls into their laps, I don’t see a situation where they don’t take him. Romero did the damage to his own reputation with suspensions and being dismissed from his squad at the University of Houston so there is absolutely risk in taking him, but there is also very real upside if they can get a handle on him as he was a probably a top-15 selection or better before he got kicked off the team.
30. Chicago Cubs- Brendon Little, Pitcher, State College of Florida-Manatee (JC): Little is the second of the two-headed Florida JuCo pitcher monster with Nate Pearson; though more concerns about a future bullpen move have pushed him back a bit from his JC counterpart. Little works with a plus fastball and curveball from the left side, and could pitch in the majors quickly if moved to the 'pen immediately.
Supplemental First Round
31. Tampa Bay Rays- Jeter Downs, Shortstop, Pace HS (FL): Downs has had a fantastic spring, pushing him up boards by showing more power than he'd shown on the circuit along with the tools to stay at shortstop.
32. Cincinnati Reds- Tristen Lutz, Outfielder, Martin HS (TX): There may not be a more powerful high school bat in the 2017 draft than Lutz. While he may not stick in center field as a pro, he has the athleticism to play there initially, which leads to just how well he should handle defense at the corner when he does move there. Lutz does have the traditional right field profile with a power arm and power bat. At 6’3″ and 220 pounds, he looks like he has been working with professional training for years already, and adding that pro coaching to his possible double-plus future power could allow him to be a very special bat indeed.
33. Oakland Athletics- Corbin Martin, Pitcher, Texas A&M: The draft gets awful light on college bats at this point; so the A's go for a college arm here in Martin of Texas A&M, who has really flourished since joining the Aggie rotation at the start of conference play.
34. Milwaukee Brewers- Clarke Schmidt, Pitcher, South Carolina: Schmidt had been cruising through the first half of the season and rising up draft boards with eye popping stuff when he found out he would need Tommy John surgery. Schmidt brings a lot to the table including a plus fastball and off speed stuff that was greatly improved from years past before going down with the injury.
35. Minnesota Twins- Heliot Ramos, Outfielder, Leadership Christian Academy (PR): Ramos is an outfielder from Puerto Rico with a lot of tools. There are lots of plus grades on Ramos' scouting report; though the rawness is pretty severe and makes him a boom-or-bust type of selection.
36. Miami Marlins- Drew Waters, Outfielder, Etowah HS (GA): Waters can hit from both sides with the tools to stay in center field long term. I don't see Waters dropping beyond here.
1. Minnesota Twins- Kyle Wright, Pitcher, Vanderbilt: Wright’s draft stock plummeted through the first month and a half of the season but has flown up recently after he has put together a string of impressive performances. There have still been some inconsistencies but Wright is a good high-floor prospect with a higher ceiling as a pitcher than Brendan McCay.
2. Cincinnati Reds- Brendan McKay, Pitcher/First Baseman, Louisville: On the mound McKay’s velocity has dipped a bit over the last month but he has also unveiled a cutter that has a ton of potential so teams may be able to look past the velocity issue. As a hitter, McKay has been on fire all season and has sparked a healthy debate about his eventual role in pro ball. Either way, McKay is a pretty sure bet to get to the big leagues quickly.
3. San Diego Padres- Hunter Greene, Pitcher, Notre Dame HS (CA): The Padres are heavily linked to Greene and all the research about their previous draft strategy is pretty much moot at this point. This would be the perfect situation for both parties so if Greene slips this far they are taking him.
4. Tampa Bay Rays- Royce Lewis, Shortstop/Outfielder, JSerra Catholic HS (CA): Lewis does everything well, his best tool being his speed. He is a good hitter with a feel for the barrel and has solid power upside. Defensively he is a good athlete with great range but scouts feel his arm may not be strong enough to stay at short. I think he will be just fine and I’m willing to bet he’ll stay on the
infield in the long run, but even if he doesn’t he would be an excellent center fielder in pro ball.
5. Atlanta Braves- MacKenzie Gore, Pitcher, Whiteville HS (NC): Gore has shot up the boards this season and is now widely regarded as the best high school left hander available. Some scouts have even put him ahead of Hunter Greene as a prospect. Gore’s fastball sits in the mid-90’s and he has a nasty curveball that grades as a plus pitch.
6. Oakland Athletics- Pavin Smith, First Baseman, Virginia: The A’s apparently really like Gore, but he’s gone in this scenario. They could go with a toolsy high school outfielder like Austin Beck, or hard-throwing college righty JB Bukauskas, but Billy Beane loves polished college hitters. Virginia’s Smtith is exactly that. He could be the first bat from this class to reach the big leagues.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks- JB Bukauskas, Pitcher, North Carolina: The Diamondbacks are in a nice position to sit tight and see who falls to them. Arizona drafted Bukauskas out of high school, so the organization knows him well along with scouting him recently. Bukauskas could be a quick riser in the Diamondbacks' system.
8. Philadelphia Phillies- Adam Haseley, Outfielder, Virginia: One of the biggest jumpers this spring in the college ranks, Haseley has benefitted from a less-than-stellar college hitting crop, and he’s definitely shown well at the end of the season as well to help bump up his stock. Philadelphia is strong on college prospects, whether pitching or hitting, this season, and with the top three guys they’d probably prefer off the mound in the college class off the board, they’ll go with a college bat that can help in what is a fairly weak point in their system.
9. Milwaukee Brewers- Jordan Adell, Outfielder, Ballard HS (KY): Adell has excellent speed on the base paths and in the outfield with a plus arm and great instincts. He has big time raw power and the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. The concern with Adell is whether or not he can cut down the strikeouts; many think he can.
10. Los Angeles Angels- Austin Beck, Outfielder, North Davidson HS (NC): Beck has made a lot of loud contact this season and is likely the biggest riser on draft boards since the start of 2017. There is a lot of raw power and speed that does come with some risk. But he also has a busy swing, lack of track record, and previous knee injury.
11. Chicago White Sox- Jeren Kendall, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: If Kendall didn't swing and miss as much as he does, we'd likely be calling him a slam-dunk 1:1 selection--the other tools are just that good. He's got plus raw power from the left side with plus-plus speed, a plus arm, and a chance to be plus in center field. The only question is just how much the whiffs will impact his hit tool.
12. Pittsburgh Pirates- Keston Hiura, Second Baseman/Outfielder, UC Irvine: Hiura in the preseason was considered a sure-fire top 10 selection before concerns about his defensive position came up due to his elbow injury that has limited him to DH this spring. Hiura profiles very similar to the Chicago Cubs’ Ian Happ, albeit more of a hit over power profile, though plenty of both. Hiura should be able to handle second base once his elbow is healthy, and that would be a big addition into a depleted Pirates system.
13. Miami Marlins- Shane Baz, Pitcher, Concordia Lutheran HS (TX): If Baz lasts this long he should be the pick. At 6’3″ and 190 pounds, the Texas prep righty has good size with some projection left. He throws hard, touching 98 mph this spring and sitting in the 92-96 range. The TCU commit is a great athlete who also has a really nice cutter and a good curveball, with a developing changeup. He has ace upside.
14. Kansas City Royals- Trevor Rogers, Pitcher, Carlsbad HS (TX): Rogers has been rumored as high as No. 3 overall to the Padres, though that smoke died down quickly. He's also been tied to a bunch of other places, but it's well-known in the industry that the Royals are very heavy on the prep lefty from New Mexico, who has drawn comparisons to a young Andrew Miller.
15. Houston Astros- Nate Pearson, Pitcher, UCF: Pearson is A mountain of a right-hander flamethrower. With a fastball that has touched 101-102, Pearson pitches at 93-98 mph and will show an above average curveball along with delivery components to start.
16. New York Yankees- DL Hall, Pitcher, Valdosta HS (GA): The Yankees have been closely linked to California prep first baseman Nick Pratto and Georgia prep lefty Hall. I think they’ll go with Hall, who can hit the mid-90s with his fastball, has a really nice curve and the mechanics to continue his development. He’s not a big kid at 6’0″ and 190 pounds, but there’s still a bit of room for growth.
17. Seattle Mariners- Alex Faedo, Pitcher, Florida: Faedo easily could go higher. He entered the 2017 process as a candidate to go No. 1, but his season was a bit of downer compared to the year before. The Mariners need an ace in their farm system, and it wouldn't be surprising if he ends up being a
steal who rises quickly to the majors.
18. Detroit Tigers- Nick Pratto, First Baseman, Huntington Beach HS (CA): The Tigers have been tied to their typical collection of hard-throwing righthanded arms, but we've also heard them linked with prep outfielder Drew Waters, Oregon's David Peterson, and Pratto. Considered by some to be the best prep bat in the class, Pratto would provide a significant boost to the Detroit farm system, which is really lacking in pure hitters at the moment.
19. San Francisco Giants- Evan White, First Baseman/Outfielder, Kentucky: The Giants could go best player available and land an intriguing talent like White as he could easily go higher. He has a well-rounded approach at the plate with the athletic ability to move to the outfield if necessary. White could go near the top 10, so this is a nice value for San Francisco.
20. New York Mets- Logan Warmorth, Shortstop, North Carolina: The Mets could go in a number of
ways here, but I think they continue to stack their organizational depth up the middle with North Carolina’s Warmoth, who plays shortstop for the Tar Heels and could stick there long-term, but has the athleticism to move around the diamond. He had a great showing in the Cape Cod league last summer and has solidified himself as the top college middle infielder on the board. Warmoth doesn’t have big power, a huge arm or top speed, but he does everything well with almost no real weaknesses.
21. Baltimore Orioles- Tanner Houck, Pitcher, Missouri: Houck has the big fastball and the durable frame to develop into an impact starter. There are also questions about his secondary stuff and his mechanics, though, leaving the Missouri ace as an intriguing upside play here toward the back of the first round.
22. Toronto Blue Jays- David Peterson, Pitcher, Oregon: "Dominant" doesn't even begin to describe how Peterson has been for Oregon this spring; as the huge lefthander has had no trouble whatsoever in the PAC-12. He works 90-94 mph on most nights with a potentially plus slider and plus command, and looks to be a pretty safe mid-rotation piece at this point.
23. Los Angeles Dodgers- Bubba Thompson, Outfielder, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS (CA): The Dodgers have been continually linked with the dual-sport superstar who is committed to Alabama to play strictly baseball. Thompson offers the type of high-impact athletic upside that few others in this class can, with the chops to be plus in the outfield long term and seriously advanced hitting tools.
24. Boston Red Sox- Griffin Canning, Pitcher, UCLA: Canning is one of the toughest players to peg in this year's draft. As a high-floor college arm with advanced pitchability and a four-pitch repertoire headlined by one of the better changeups in the class, he has a very similar profile to former Florida right-hander Logan Shore.
25. Washington Nationals- Sam Carlson, Pitcher, Burnsville HS (TN): Carlson had a decent showing over the Summer showing three good pitches, but most scouts felt he needed quite a bit of work before being ready to pitch at the professional level. Then this Spring happened and Carlson has flown up the boards. His fastball has added velocity, his slider has been sharper, he’s been locating his pitches well and his changeup is advanced for a prep pitcher.
26. Texas Rangers- Alex Lange, Pitcher, LSU: In the two years since, Lange has refined his overall command and improved his changeup to the point that it's a passable third pitching alongside his mid-90s fastball and a hammer curve that ranks as one of the better breaking pitches in the class. That being said, he's prone to overthrowing at times and has some effort to his delivery, so there's a chance that strong two-pitch mix is utilized out of the bullpen before all is said and done.
27. Chicago Cubs- Nick Allen, Shortstop, Francis W. Parker HS (CL): The undersized shortstop is the best defender overall in the class with a headiness for the game not seen often from a prep player. He's not going to offer much power, but he can hit, run, and will be a premium defender for years at shortstop.
28. Toronto Blue Jays- Matt Sauer, Pitcher, Righetti HS (CA): Sauer is a big kid with a big arm. He has a lot of projection remaining which makes for an exciting profile. Sauer works with a four-pitch mix, highlighted by a good fastball/slider combo. The slider is an out pitch and has a lot of late life while the fastball sits in the low 90s with a lot of room for more as he fills out and gains more experience. He also owns a changeup and a curveball but they are works in progress at this point.
29. Texas Rangers- Seth Romero, Pitcher, Houston: The Nationals are sitting here near the bottom of the first round and if Romero falls into their laps, I don’t see a situation where they don’t take him. Romero did the damage to his own reputation with suspensions and being dismissed from his squad at the University of Houston so there is absolutely risk in taking him, but there is also very real upside if they can get a handle on him as he was a probably a top-15 selection or better before he got kicked off the team.
30. Chicago Cubs- Brendon Little, Pitcher, State College of Florida-Manatee (JC): Little is the second of the two-headed Florida JuCo pitcher monster with Nate Pearson; though more concerns about a future bullpen move have pushed him back a bit from his JC counterpart. Little works with a plus fastball and curveball from the left side, and could pitch in the majors quickly if moved to the 'pen immediately.
Supplemental First Round
31. Tampa Bay Rays- Jeter Downs, Shortstop, Pace HS (FL): Downs has had a fantastic spring, pushing him up boards by showing more power than he'd shown on the circuit along with the tools to stay at shortstop.
32. Cincinnati Reds- Tristen Lutz, Outfielder, Martin HS (TX): There may not be a more powerful high school bat in the 2017 draft than Lutz. While he may not stick in center field as a pro, he has the athleticism to play there initially, which leads to just how well he should handle defense at the corner when he does move there. Lutz does have the traditional right field profile with a power arm and power bat. At 6’3″ and 220 pounds, he looks like he has been working with professional training for years already, and adding that pro coaching to his possible double-plus future power could allow him to be a very special bat indeed.
33. Oakland Athletics- Corbin Martin, Pitcher, Texas A&M: The draft gets awful light on college bats at this point; so the A's go for a college arm here in Martin of Texas A&M, who has really flourished since joining the Aggie rotation at the start of conference play.
34. Milwaukee Brewers- Clarke Schmidt, Pitcher, South Carolina: Schmidt had been cruising through the first half of the season and rising up draft boards with eye popping stuff when he found out he would need Tommy John surgery. Schmidt brings a lot to the table including a plus fastball and off speed stuff that was greatly improved from years past before going down with the injury.
35. Minnesota Twins- Heliot Ramos, Outfielder, Leadership Christian Academy (PR): Ramos is an outfielder from Puerto Rico with a lot of tools. There are lots of plus grades on Ramos' scouting report; though the rawness is pretty severe and makes him a boom-or-bust type of selection.
36. Miami Marlins- Drew Waters, Outfielder, Etowah HS (GA): Waters can hit from both sides with the tools to stay in center field long term. I don't see Waters dropping beyond here.
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