2017 MLB Mock Draft, Version 5.2

The Athletics could end up pulling off the top-rated collegiate talent two seasons in a row as they fall just as the draft approaches. Last season, <strong><a rel=. 1B/LHP. University of Louisville. Brendan McKay. 6. player. 96

8. The Diamondbacks want to get talent, and the best talent they can find at that. Lewis may be a guy who takes a bit to develop, but his makeup is absolutely tremendous, and he has the profile to work up the middle as either an infielder or outfielder, depending on the organization. Lewis is lightning-quick with his feet and with his bat through the zone. He is built slender right now, but he has the bat speed and the ability to put the barrel on the ball that would allow for power as he matured. An inconsistent start to Lewis’ spring had his initial top 3-4 placement in flux, but he will certianly not drop out of the top 10, and the Diamondbacks would be overjoyed to get a guy of Lewis’ personal makeup as their face of their porous farm system.. IF/OF. JSerra Catholic HS (CA). Royce Lewis. 7. player

RHP. University of North Carolina. J.B. Bukauskas. 8. player. 6. The Phillies want elite talent, and their early hot start in 2016 put them out of the top 5 in the draft, so they’re left watching the draft come to them rather than controlling their selection like they did in the 2016 draft. Philadelphia has tremendous depth at the lower levels with high-upside prospects and could be enticed by a selection that could move quicker. I’ve mocked a number of guys here, but the Phillies are known to be in on top college arms this season. Bukauskas very likely has the best individual pitch in the entire draft in his slider, but many teams have concerns in his stature and his delivery. Philadelphia could take the big swing here, knowing they’d have an elite closer at the least. Bukauskas is one of the youngest collegiate players in the class due to his reclassification in high school during his junior year, and he would instantly become the top pitching prospect in a good pitching system.

player. 76. While Beck has been highly variable, Adell’s had a seeming issue with his strikeout ability since last summer when he showed his first real issues with swing-and-miss. He did make adjustments mid-summer after those initial struggles and finished on a high note, but the reports for many were already written. Adell’s tools are impressive, with legit double plus arm, speed, power, and defense. His contact has even flashed at that level at the end of the summer, and there are a number of scouts who believe he could be the top overall high school prospect when all is said and done in this year’s high school class. Getting him at #9 would be a coup for the Brewers, who got an equally toolsy outfielder last season out of college in <strong><a rel=. OF. Ballard HS (KY). Jordon Adell. 9

OF. University of Virginia. Adam Haseley. 10. player. 102. Haseley got his first collegiate notice as a pitcher with the Virginia College World Series championship team in 2015. He’s worked his way from more of a pitching prospect who could also hit to an outfield prospect who also pitches at this point. His experience as a pitcher portends his plus arm in the outfield and his impressive accuracy from the outfield. He likely does not profile as an elite power guy, but he has shown the ability to be an above-average to plus outfielder in all offensive aspects – power, speed, and contact. He would be a guy that would be a big addition to the Angels high-ceiling, low-floor system as a guy with a high-ceiling but also a likely high-floor as well.