Mock MLB Draft: 1-10
Let’s take a look at the draft pick by pick with a quick review of each pick. I’ve taken a lot of time in working with people I know in the game and also reading anything I can get my hand on in verified and qualified draft coverage. I’ll likely do another couple of these before the June 9th draft. We’ll go through the competitive balance picks at the end of round one, so picks #1-41. Let’s start at the top!
1. Philadelphia Phillies – Kyle Lewis, OF, Mercer University
Lewis isn’t a can’t-miss type of guy, but he’s got the type of athletic body with monster power that teams love to dream on. In a draft without real elite top guys, Lewis has come out and just dominated in the college season to move him to the top of many draft boards.
2. Cincinnati Reds – A.J. Puk, LHP, University of Florida
Puk has that near-perfect lefty body with a big, strong frame, a mid-90s fastball, good secondary stuff, and he’s actually done well this year confronting some of the personal red flags from the offseason. His inconsistent season has him #2 still. If he dominates until the draft, he could be a no doubt #1.
3. Atlanta Braves – Jason Groome, LHP, New Jersey HS
Braves have been making noise about possibly working a deal to get two of their top 5 hitters if Lewis is off the board, but it’s hard to project those sort of things, so without more confirmation on that, I’m going with the top available player, giving the Braves incredible left-handed pitching depth with Sean Newcomb, Max Fried, Kolby Allard, and Groome.
4. Colorado Rockies – Mickey Moniak, OF, California HS
The Rockies front office would love to see Puk or Groome here, and if either is here, I think they’ll pick them. They may also consider Garrett, who is gaining big helium as the draft gets close. Moniak would be a big time pick, though, as he would be perfect in that big Coors outfield and could be a huge player for them for years.
5. Milwaukee Brewers – Corey Ray, OF, University of Louisville
Maybe the most athletic player in the college hitting class, but there are some words that he could drop some. I honestly think it’s as much “draft speak” as anything – the sort of rumors team put out before the draft to get other teams off of their trail. Ray would be a great pick up for the Brewers here and would quickly advance in their system.
6. Oakland Athletics – Nick Senzel, IF, University of Tennessee
Senzel is the most “safe” pick, but he’s not exactly sexy. I’ve heard a lot of Charlie Hayes comparisons, though his defense is questionable at third. That said, his bat to ball skills are very high, and he’s a guy that would fit very well with Oakland’s general hitting philosophy.
7. Florida Marlins – Delvin Perez, SS, Puerto Rico
If Perez lands in their lap, it’d be a big coup for the Marlins as he may have the highest ceiling of any player in the entire draft. He’s a very toolsy shortstop from the Puerto Rico academy and very young. He’ll probably take some time to work his way up the system, but he’d seem to be a good fit in the Marlins system.
8. San Diego Padres – Riley Pint, RHP, Kansas HS
Pint is one of my personal favorites, with an arm that can touch 102 and more and more scouting reports that rave about his secondary pitches. San Diego has a huge bonus pool, and they’ll likely hope to get one of Pint or Groome to fall to them here.
9. Detroit Tigers – Braxton Garrett, LHP, Alabama HS
It wouldn’t surprise me if the Tigers went college arm instead here, but Garrett is just moving up boards so much that I don’t know that he’ll even make it this far in the draft. The Tigers could also use the high-end lefty arm as well within their system.
10. Chicago White Sox – Matt Manning, RHP, California HS
Another team that could go after a college starter if they really believe in one, but there’s just not a lot of arms in the college class that I could put here. They’d also be a team that’d jump on a Ray or Senzel if they did drop this far, but here they get one of the more highly regarded prep arms, with some considering him even better than Pint as an overall package.
Next: 11-20