To see my previous mock draft from February in which I had the Mets drafting left-handed pitcher Max Fried, click here.
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1. Houston Astros – Mark Appel, RHP (Stanford)
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| Why: The Astros don’t appear like the team who is going to go for the risky homerun pick No. 1 overall with Buxton. Appel is having a fine season for Stanford so I think they’ll play this one “safe”.Previous Mock: Mark Appel |
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2. Minnesota Twins – Mike Zunino, C (Florida)
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| Why:Zimmer has pitched his way into becoming a popular choice here because he is a rather safe and unsexy pick, which fits the Twins billing. In my opinion Zunino could provide them with a sexy and moderately safe pick. He is the best college catcher since Buster Posey and that has worked out well for the Giants.Previous Mock: Mike Zunino |
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3. Seattle Mariners – Byron Buxton, OF (Appling County HS, GA)
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| Why:The Mariners were recently spotted scouting him (really they would be dumb not too), but the Jesus Montero trade is more telling in my opinion of what they will do with this pick. The clearly are looking for bats and Buxton is the best bat available and might have the highest potential of any player in the draft.Previous Mock: Lucas Giolito |
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4. Baltimore Orioles – Kevin Gausman, RHP (LSU)
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| Why:Admittedly this one is a tough call. I think they would love Buxton, but I don’t see him being available here anymore. I feel Gausman is the top college pitcher in the draft and would be a scary combo with Bundy.Previous Mock: Byron Buxton |
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5. Kansas City Royals – Lucas Giolito, RHP (Harvard-Westlake HS, CA)
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| Why:He is the toughest one to place because of the injury concerns. Otherwise I’d see him as a lock for the top 3 and possible No. 1. I’d have to think one of the teams at the top with think he is worth the risk and what does Kansas City have to lose?Previous Mock: Kevin Gausman |
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6. Chicago Cubs – Kyle Zimmer, RHP (San Francisco)
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| Why:The Cubs need to rebuild, which usually makes people instantly think high school but what better way to start a rebuilding process than with a pitcher with frontline starter like stuff and a workhorse body.Previous Mock: David Dahl |
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7. San Diego Padres – Deven Marrero, SS (Arizona State)
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| Why:He hasn’t had a good season with the bat, but he was never made a top prospect because of his bat. Like Francisco Lindor last year, this is right about where major league defensive shortstops go in the draft.Previous Mock: Deven Marrero |
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8. Pittsburgh Pirates – Carlos Correa, SS (Puerto Rico HS)
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| Why:I feel Correa compliments the Pirates system perfectly and gives them one of the highest ceiling prospects in the draft.Previous Mock: Gavin Cecchini |
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9. Miami Marlins – Max Fried, LHP (Harvard-Westlake HS, CA)
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| Why:Walker Weickel or Lance McCullers are the obvious choices since Florida loves to take the best players in their backyard. Either would be a fine pick as well. Fried just has that top end upside the Marlins system could desperately use.Previous Mock: Lance McCullers |
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10. Colorado Rockies – Stryker Trahan, C (Arcadiana HS, LA)
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| Why:Colorado always seems to make an interesting pick and the package Trahan posses from the catcher’s position could be too good to pass up for them.Previous Mock: Chris Beck |
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11. Oakland Athletics – Marcus Stroman, RHP (Duke)
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| Why:The A’s took a small stature pitcher last year in Sonny Gray and with the way Stroman has been dominating this season he can only last so long. The case could be made that he has the best stuff in the entire class.Previous Mock: Brian Johnson |
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12. New York Mets – David Dahl, OF (Oak Mountain HS, AL)
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| Why:The Mets need position players and Dahl’s polish represents a nice compliment to the upside of 2011 1st round pick Brandon Nimmo. They could also look to the middle infield with Gavin Cecchini or Addison Russell.Previous Mock: Max Fried |
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13. Chicago White Sox – Walker Weickel, RHP (Olympia HS, FL)
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| Why:The White Sox system is barren so they could really go anywhere with this pick and it would be an instant upgrade over whatever they have. Weickel is has big stuff, a big body, and big potential.Previous Mock: Trey Williams |
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14. Cincinnati Reds – Matt Smoral, LHP (Solon HS, OH)
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| Why:I’m usually not one for playing the hometown ties card, but in this situation I think it makes a lot of sense. Even though they went with Stephenson last year, Cincinnati could use a high upside pitcher and they certainly get that with the 6’8″ lefty.Previous Mock: Walker Weickel |
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15. Cleveland Indians – Michael Wacha, RHP (Texas A&M)
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| Why:The critics are torn on Wacha—some love him, some just see a pitcher with one major league pitch. Now I don’t know how the Indians feel about him, but after dealing Alex White and Drew Pomeranz they could use some pitching depth.Previous Mock: Victor Roache |
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16. Washington Nationals – Lance McCullers, RHP (Jesuit HS, FL)
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| Why:The Nationals are another team who depleted their pitching depth because of a trade. McCullers just seems like the Nationals’ type to me.Previous Mock: Stryker Trahan |
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17. Toronto Blue Jays – Joey Gallo, 1B/3B (Bishop Gorman HS, NV)
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| Why:With a stacked farm system the Blue Jays have the luxury of going best player available more so than almost every other team in the draft. Gallo’s power is just too good too stay around for too much longer.Previous Mock: Carlos Correa |
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18. Los Angeles Dodgers – Gavin Cecchini, SS (Barbe HS, LA)
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| Why:The days of Chris Reed’s in the 1st round are over. Cecchini has a good bat, great defensive, and provides terrific value at this part of the draft.Previous Mock: Jake Barrett |
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19. St. Louis Cardinals – Albert Almora, OF (Marion Christian Academy, FL)
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| Why:The Cardinals M.O. is usually a college player with their first pick, but Almora isn’t a traditional HS player. He has as much “big game” appearances as anyone and has extreme polish. With two first round picks I think it also gives them the luxury of going the HS route.Previous Mock: Joey Gallo |
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20. San Francisco Giants – Rio Ruiz, 3B (Bishop Amat HS, CA)
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| Why:The Giants are a pitcher heavy organization and lack upside position players. Ruiz has a beautiful swing that he gets the most out of. The question regarding him is how strong teams feel his USC commitment is.Previous Mock: Matt Smoral |
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21. Atlanta Braves – Stephen Piscotty, 3B (Stanford)
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| Why:At some point the Braves are going to realize they have too much pitching about to break through and what better time to snag the heir apparent to Chipper Jones than in the season he announced his retirement.Previous Mock: Albert Almora |
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22. Toronto Blue Jays – Lucas Sims, RHP (Brookwood HS, GA)
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| Why:The Blue Jays have an upside addiction. And it has been working for them recently so why stop now?Previous Mock: Michael Wacha |
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23. St. Louis Cardinals – Chris Beck, RHP (Georgia Southern)
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| Why:Even with a somewhat mediocre season this has to be the floor of how far Beck can fall.Previous Mock: Duane Underwood |
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24. Boston Red Sox – Courtney Hawkins, OF (Mary Carroll HS, TX)
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| Why:The Sox are always waiting to pounce should someone fall to them, but they are more than happy to take Hawkins and try to develop his amazing power.Previous Mock: Kenny Diekroeger |
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25. Tampa Bay Rays – Zach Eflin, RHP (Paul J. Hagerty HS, FL)
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| Why: He has a big body, present velocity, and a projectable curveball. Strikes me as the type of pitcher the Rays can develop into a stud.Previous Mock: Addison Russell |
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26. Arizona Diamondbacks – Trey Williams, 3B (Valencia HS, CA)
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| Why:After taking all those starters last year I would be absolutely shocked if they went for another pitcher. Trey Williams has some pop, good defense, and good bloodlines. Should fit in nicely in Arizona.Previous Mock: Stephen Piscotty |
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27. Milwaukee Brewers – Travis Jankowski, OF (Stony Brook)
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| Why:They have a good crop of pitchers in their system at the moment and Jankowski would bring some balance to that. He has looked great this year and could be the Brewers leadoff man before not too long.Previous Mock: Marcus Stroman |
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28. Milwaukee Brewers – Victor Roache, OF (Georgie Southern)
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| Why:They get the speedster with their first pick and then add the big bopper with their next pick. Roache could still fall out of the first round because of his injury but he is a top of the first round talent.Previous Mock: Rio Ruiz |
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29. Texas Rangers – Clate Schmidt, RHP (Allatoona HS, GA)
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| Why:He has that big arm Texas loves with their pitchers and has been pretty underrated thus far. I wouldn’t be shocked if they went after someone like Carson Fulmer or Hunter Virant either.Previous Mock: Lucas Sims |
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30. New York Yankees – Brian Johnson, 1B/LHP (Florida)
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| Why:Johnson has been slipping and could fall even further then this because of a poor season. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see the Yankees try him at first base. Could you imagine his power with that short porch? “It could happen”.Previous Mock: Travis Jankowski |
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31. Boston Red Sox – Hunter Virant, LHP (Camarillo HS, CA)
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| Why:Virant is the epitome of a Red Sox first round pick. It is a match made in heaven.Previous Mock: Hunter Virant |
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