Mock draft: Top 5 holds steady as college bats make push
I actually wished to come back in and shake issues up with this week’s mock draft, particularly on the prime. Let’s be sincere right here: It would make issues extra fascinating after having the identical 5 gamers within the first 5 spots week after week.
But, in the long run, I simply couldn’t do it.
The prime 5 are nonetheless very a lot the highest 5 and nobody is breaking in primarily based on expertise. Sure, one thing might go awry and one of many groups might reduce a deal up prime to pressure one of many quintet right down to No. 6. And sure, we’ve heard the speak concerning the Pirates doing one thing to avoid wasting more cash (although it will be with another person within the prime 5, with Max Clark’s identify talked about essentially the most). But it’s means too early to know something for sure and there’s nonetheless sturdy perception that the highest 5 will go in these first 5 picks, beginning with retaining the LSU duo of Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes within the prime two spots.
After that, it opens up a bit extra. And whereas there nonetheless isn’t agency data, one factor that’s filtered in a bit is which gamers are of curiosity to which groups. With seasons over for all apart from these heading to tremendous regionals this weekend, many gamers are heading to exercises for groups and a few data on these meetups is being dropped at our consideration. As a end result, we will at the least proceed to present a smattering of possible names in as many spots as potential.
Following Jim Callis’ lead, I’ve included the Mets’ choose at 32 and the Dodgers at 36 to offer all 30 groups’ first picks. Detailed scouting stories for all gamers talked about under will be discovered with our Draft Top 200 (rankings in parentheses).
1. Pirates: Dylan Crews, OF, Louisiana State (No. 1)
The Pirates will undoubtedly go right down to the wire in making a selection and have achieved due diligence in scouting the entire prime 5. After his sturdy regional, Crews is now as much as .432/.573/.736 for the 12 months and nonetheless looks like one of the best wager to go within the prime spot.
2. Nationals: Paul Skenes, RHP, Louisiana State (No. 2)
Skenes wasn’t as sharp as standard, however nonetheless struck out 12 and walked none in his full recreation victory over Tulane in regional play, which really lowered his Okay charge to 16.2 per 9 for the 12 months. The Skenes-to-the-Nats connection continues to be the strongest one on the prime of the spherical.
3. Tigers: Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida (No. 3)
If the LSU duo goes 1-2, the Tigers can choose one of the best bat out there, with a selection of the school bat in Langford and the 2 highschool outfielders in Clark and Walker Jenkins. Most of the excitement is that they’ll desire the superior faculty man and take Langford, who heads into tremendous regional play with the identical OPS (1.310) as Crews.
4. Rangers: Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS, Southport, N.C. (No. 4)
There’s curiosity within the two prep outfielders right here, with the sting seemingly belonging to Jenkins in the intervening time. Could this be the place the place a non-top 5 deal takes place? This is the crew, in spite of everything, that stunned lots of people by taking Kumar Rocker No. 3 final 12 months.
5. Twins: Max Clark, OF, Franklin (Ind.) HS (No. 5)
Clark is one of the best match right here, although the Twins will proceed to ponder numerous the school names within the subsequent set of projected picks, together with prime highschool arm Noble Meyer. And, in fact, they might be the beneficiary of getting one of many different prime 5 if one thing goes sideways above them.
6. Athletics: Kyle Teel, C, Virginia (No. 10)
Teel is hitting .423/.487/.690 getting into tremendous regional play and might stick behind the plate defensively. What’s to not like? The A’s additionally will proceed to discover the school arms up subsequent and the subsequent set of faculty bats with Teel.
7. Reds: Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee (No. 6)
There’s curiosity in a university arm right here and it nonetheless appears up within the air if it’s Dollander and his superior pure stuff or Rhett Lowder with the extra constant efficiency this 12 months. I’ll go Dollander this week, whereas that is additionally a spot the place each Meyer and shortstop Arjun Nimmala from the highschool crop are talked about.
8. Royals: Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest (No. 8)
If the Royals don’t choose to go together with whichever faculty arm the Reds don’t take, it’s believed they’ve curiosity in Meyer on the mound and Nimmala in the event that they need to go highschool hitter, with Jacob Gonzalez and Jacob Wilson the school bats in play.
9. Rockies: Noble Meyer, RHP, Jesuit HS, Portland, Ore. (No. 11)
The Rockies are at all times looking for arms they’ll develop to pitch in Coors Field, and with each Dollander and Lowder off the board right here, they may flip to the highest arm out there, albeit a highschool one, in Meyer.
10. Marlins: Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS, Dover, Fla. (No. 9)
Nimmala’s identify is everywhere in the again half of the highest 10 and the gifted highschool shortstop shouldn’t go an excessive amount of additional than this. Aidan Miller might be a great consideration right here as properly.
11. Angels: Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon (No. 7)
This might be a touchdown spot for Nimmala if he makes it out of the highest 10, but when he’s gone, the Angels have some faculty bats to select from, together with Wilson, Gonzalez and Enrique Bradfield.
12. D-backs: Colin Houck, SS, Parkview HS, Lilburn, Ga. (No. 14)
The D-backs actually don’t shrink back from taking highschool bats (Druw Jones, Jordan Lawlar, Corbin Carroll) on the prime, so why ought to this 12 months be any completely different? This is one other player-team connection that appears fairly tight proper now.
13. Cubs: Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi (No. 15)
It’s principally faculty names right here proper now, with Gonzalez, Bradfield and Matt Shaw arising among the many hitters. Florida’s Hursten Waldrep has been pitching higher of late, so don’t be shocked if he begins floating as much as round this half and there was slightly buzz that ought to the Cubs flip to the highschool ranks, they do like Colt Emerson.
14. Red Sox: Aidan Miller, 3B, Mitchell HS, New Port Richey, Fla. (No. 12)
Miller might have very properly been a Top 10 choose if he hadn’t missed a lot of his senior 12 months with a hamate damage (although he nonetheless might float as much as the again finish of that 10). The Red Sox haven’t any drawback taking highschool hitters, so this checks off that field. Bradfield might land on this spot, as might Shaw ought to they go the school hitter route and whereas I didn’t work Arizona’s Chase Davis into this mock, his identify has come up in the course of the primary spherical some.
15. White Sox: Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland (No. 18)
It nonetheless looks like a university hitter is one of the best wager right here, and Shaw’s been a great one with Maryland. Bradfield and Florida Atlantic’s Nolan Schanuel are potentialities, although the White Sox are wanting on the prime prep hitters out there nonetheless.
16. Giants: Tommy Troy, SS, Stanford (No. 19)
This might be a great touchdown spot for Bradfield, however the Giants might keep in their very own yard and take Troy, who heads into tremendous regional play with a .411/.489/.738 line that features 17 homers and steals. They like highschool slugger Bryce Eldridge as properly and there was some buzz about Colorado prep shortstop Walker Martin, however they haven’t taken a highschool participant with their prime choose since 2017.
17. Orioles: Bryce Eldridge, 1B/RHP, Madison HS, Vienna, Va. (No. 21)
The O’s might be taking a look at arms, with Waldrep maybe being of their sights, although he might soar previous if he continues his postseason resurgence. But they’re good at creating younger hitters and aren’t afraid of taking them from the highschool ranks and an argument might be made that with the expertise they’ve amassed on the higher ranges, they may go upside like this and afford to be affected person.
18. Brewers: Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt (No. 16)
Bradfield would doubtless prime an inventory of faculty bats in play right here, in entrance of Brayden Taylor, Schanuel and Yohandy Morales. Lots of people I reached out to this week felt Bradfield goes sooner than this.
19. Rays: Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida (No. 20)
There are bats available right here, with guys like Taylor, who’s trending up, and Schanuel on the school facet, Blake Mitchell and Kevin McGonigle on the highschool facet. But Waldrep’s pure stuff could be exhausting to cross up right here, along with his previous couple of outings maybe giving groups extra confidence he can begin long-term.
20. Blue Jays: Brayden Taylor, 3B, Texas Christian (No. 30)
As talked about above, Taylor’s identify is trending up as he’s swung the bat very properly in NCAA postseason play. If he goes earlier, somebody like Schanuel might match and somebody like Emerson might come into play in the event that they go the prep bat route.
21. Cardinals: Nolan Schanuel, 1B/OF, Florida Atlantic (No. 29)
Schanuel’s identify will get hotter if you carry him up on this a part of the Draft. The Cardinals have taken a university pitcher within the first spherical in three of the previous 4 Drafts, but when Waldrep is gone, there isn’t actually a terrific choice right here.
22. Mariners: Blake Mitchell, C, Sinton (Texas) HS (No. 13)
My intestine says Mitchell and his super instruments go larger than this, however conversations about him additionally carry up speak over the highschool catcher threat. Emerson might be a match ought to he make it to the Mariners on the highschool bat facet and so they might be taking a look at prep lefty Thomas White as properly. They’d actually take into account the school bats projected to go within the teenagers ought to one get there.
23. Guardians: Colt Emerson, SS/3B, Glenn HS, New Concord, Ohio (No. 27)
Though there’s buzz round Emerson and him going larger than this, having him keep residence in Ohio might work properly and the Guardians do like guys who actually know methods to hit. The truth Emerson continues to be 17 actually doesn’t harm by way of what he seems to be like in groups’ fashions.
24. Braves: George Lombard Jr., SS, Gulliver Prep, Pinecrest, Fla. (No. 38)
High college bats are talked about right here greater than the rest and a few evaluators felt there was a robust hyperlink between the Braves and Lombard. McGonigle, Martin and Sammy Stafura are different prep shortstops who come up right here.
25. Padres: Thomas White, LHP, Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. (No. 23)
The two names arising rather a lot on this spot are Dillon Head, the speedy highschool outfielder, and White, the highest lefty pitcher (of any type) within the class, because the Padres have by no means shied away from upside.
26. Yankees: Dillon Head, OF, Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Flossmoor, Ill. (No. 22)
The Yankees may love an opportunity to draft White, however Head can be within the combine if he goes forward of the Yankees. So would different highschool bats like Stafura and McGonigle.
27. Phillies: Charlee Soto, RHP, Reborn Christian Academy, Kissimmee, Fla. (No. 25)
There are those that really feel Soto is a robust candidate right here, and he’s undoubtedly of their combine.
28. Astros: Yohandy Morales, 3B, Miami (No. 17)
It’s nearly all hitters that get introduced up right here, with faculty ones getting extra buzz. Morales is the sort of faculty performer who might match after hitting .408/.475/.713 with 20 homers for the Hurricanes this 12 months.
32. Mets: Walker Martin, SS, Eaton (Col.) HS (No. 28)
There are a number of bats who might be round for the Mets to think about and if Martin goes earlier, they may desire somebody like McGonigle over different highschool center infielders like Stafura or Adrian Santana.
36. Dodgers: Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest (No. 24)
Wilken is one other identify that many individuals anticipate to go larger than this, along with his 27 homers and .805 SLG getting into tremendous regional play, so the Dodgers could be thrilled if he’s right here.
