Mock Draft: Mize not a slam dunk at No. 1
Usually when the Draft is two weeks away, teams have some idea what the first round will look like. That hasn't really been the case this spring, with clubs picking later in the round saying they've expanded, rather than contracted, their pool of players as they explore every possibility due to the amount of uncertainty.:: 2018 Draft coverage ::
The top three picks this week are the same as they were in last week's effort by Jim Callis, though there was a small desire to change things up at the very top, as the Tigers continue to kick the tires on various options. I've moved a couple of high school arms into the top 10 and added a new high school bat while dropping one high school arm off the list for now.
1. Tigers: Casey Mize, RHP, Auburn
Some thought was given to changing this pick, as there is some buzz that Mize isn't quite the slam dunk some portray him to be, but there wasn't enough there to make a switch. However, there are some in the industry who feel Joey Bart from Georgia Tech could go No. 1 overall.
• Mize talks Draft on Pipeline Podcast
2. Giants: Joey Bart, C, Georgia Tech
So instead, he'll go No. 2. The Giants could easily be looking at a college arm like Brady Singer here, but the Bart connection (a little San Fran mass transit joke for you) is solid.
3. Phillies: Alec Bohm, 3B, Wichita State
College bats have been associated with the Phillies all along, and the powerful Bohm, even if he eventually moves to first, has been in the Top 5 discussion all spring.
4. White Sox: Brady Singer, RHP, Florida
Mostly college bats have been mentioned here, but keep in mind that the White Sox took college arms the last two times they had a single-digit pick (Carlos Rodon, Carson Fulmer).
5. Reds: Nick Madrigal, 2B/SS, Oregon State
They'd take Singer if he dropped here, otherwise the Reds are likely opting for a college bat, and Madrigal is the best pure one in the class.
6. Mets: Jonathan India, 3B, Florida
The Mets might love for Madrigal to get here, but they would have interest in Travis Swaggerty among the college bats and Matt Liberatore if they go the high school arm route.
7. Padres: Matt Liberatore, LHP, Mountain Ridge HS (Ariz.)
Speaking of Liberatore, his name is all over the Top 10, with the Padres a logical landing place due to their penchant for taking high school talent.
8. Braves: Carter Stewart, RHP, Eau Gallie HS (Fla.)
Stewart had about a two-start lull, where his stuff wasn't quite as electric as it had been for most of the spring, but a strong finish could catapult him here or even a bit higher.
9. A's: Travis Swaggerty, OF, South Alabama
There's some talk of a high school hitter here, and the A's went that route a year ago, but the all-around tools that Swaggerty brings to the table as a center fielder might be too much to pass up.
10. Pirates: Cole Winn, RHP, Orange Lutheran HS (Calif.)
We've been leaning toward a high school bat with this pick, as both Jim and I previously put prep outfielder Jarred Kelenic here, but the Pirates never shy away from high school arms, and Winn has been as consistent as any in the country.
11. Orioles: Ryan Weathers, LHP, Loretto (Tenn.) HS
High school arms have been mentioned prominently here, and the O's took a prep lefty a year ago in D.L. Hall. They could go that route again with David Weathers' son.
12. Blue Jays: Shane McClanahan, LHP, South Florida
Toronto has taken a college arm with a first-round pick in each of the past four Drafts. And if McClanahan's arm strength from the left side is still on the board, why change that now?
13. Marlins: Connor Scott, OF, H B Plant HS, Tampa, Fla.
Two high school bats made sense here: corner infielder/slugger Triston Casas and toolsy outfielder Connor Scott, who missed a lot of the spring with a hamstring injury. Scott, who garners some Christian Yelich (a Marlins draftee) comps, gets the nod for now.
14. Mariners: Trevor Larnach, OF, Oregon State
The college-player talk continues here, with Larnach as the best pure bat still on the board. Drafting a guy in their backyard is a nice bonus for the Mariners.
15. Rangers: Nolan Gorman, 3B, Sandra Day O'Connor HS, (Ariz.)
It's quite possible Gorman goes higher, with a lot of teams interested in a guy who has as much raw power as anyone in the class.
16. Rays: Jarred Kelenic, Waukesha West HS (Wis.)
Like with Gorman, it's very realistic to think this outstanding prep bat goes higher, even in the top 10, and it's hard to see him falling much further than this.
17. Angels: Brice Turang, SS, Santiago HS, Corona, Calif.
We're in the middle of a run on high school talent (seven of the past 10 picks), and there's no reason to stop now. Georgia prep right-hander Ethan Hankins is a possibility, but we'll go with a bat this week, in Turang, who provides up-the-middle talent.
18. Royals: Triston Casas, 3B/1B, American Heritage School (Fla.)
Casas' power is no joke, and the Royals took a corner infielder from American Heritage a while back and that worked out pretty well (See Hosmer, Eric.).
19. Cardinals: Logan Gilbert, RHP, Stetson
Gilbert lagged for a while, but his stuff, and his stock, are moving upward again, and there's a chance he is off the board earlier than this.
20. Twins: Jackson Kowar, RHP, Florida
The general feeling is that the Twins are leaning college arm or high school bat, and there are options for both, with Florida's second first-round starter possibly coming off the board here.
21. Brewers: Parker Meadows, OF, Grayson (Ga.) HS
The Brewers have taken a bat with their first pick three years in a row (two college and one high school), and without an available college hitter that would make sense to go with, a toolsy, athletic outfielder like Meadows could be a good fit.
22. Rockies: Anthony Seigler, C, Cartersville (Ga.) HS
Seigler is an athletic catcher who has the chance to be a very good all-around backstop, and his name has been popping up all over this part of the first round.
23. Yankees: Kumar Rocker, RHP, North Oconee HS (Ga.)
Rocker wasn't as sharp late in the spring, and he was outpitched by Cole Wilcox in a key matchup, but he still has a premium heater and potentially plus-slider to go along with size and athleticism.
24. Cubs: Ryan Rolison, LHP, Mississippi
Rolison's stock has taken a hit with a bit of an uneven sophomore season, but he did once have top-half-of-the-first-round buzz, so he could be a nice steal here.
25. D-backs: Nick Schnell, OF, Roncalli HS (Ind.)
Schnell has some serious helium, with teams pouring into Indianapolis over the past few days. His name has been coming up all over the first round, and the D-backs were in heavy to see him recently.
26. Red Sox: Steele Walker, OF, Oklahoma
As college performers go, few have produced more than Walker. After a bit of a slow start, the outfielder has been especially red-hot recently.
27. Nationals: Mason Denaburg, RHP, Merritt Island (Fla.) HS
Denaburg missed a large amount of the spring with a biceps issue, but while he did struggle a bit, he did return to the mound on Wednesday. A healthy Denaburg was a Top-10 type of talent.
28. Astros: Jordan Groshans, 3B, Magnolia (Tex.) HS
Groshans' hit and power tools will be of interest to a number of teams from the middle of the first round on who are looking at high school bats.
29. Indians: Noah Naylor, C, St. Joan of Arc Catholic SS (Ont.)
Speaking of prep bats, Naylor's could also go off the board much earlier than this, especially given his chance to stay behind the plate.
30. Dodgers: Jameson Hannah, OF, Dallas Baptist
Hannah provides an interesting package of hittability and athleticism in a college player, with some pop for him to grow into.
31. Rays: Xavier Edwards, SS, North Broward Prep (Fla.)
He is a bit undersized, but Edwards has some terrific baseball skills, with plus-speed and the ability to stay in a middle-infield spot at the next level.
32. Rays: Jordyn Adams, OF, Green Hope HS (NC)
That's right, three high school hitters, but the Rays don't shy away from such things and they can use their multiple picks to find a way to sign Adams, a two-sport standout who could keep playing football in college.
33. Royals: Ethan Hankins, RHP, Forsyth Central HS (Ga.)
It is highly possible -- some would say probable -- that Hankins will be long gone at this point, especially as his MRI is reportedly clean and his velo is back. The Royals could take him with their first pick in the round.
34. Royals: Cole Wilcox, RHP, Heritage HS (Ga.)
Wilcox outpitched fellow Georgian Kumar Rocker in a head-to-head matchup and was more consistent overall for much of the spring. Wilcox gives Kansas City its third high schooler of the round.
35. Indians: Alek Thomas, OF, Mt. Carmel HS (Ill.)
The Indians would love the chance to get a second high school position player and they would be ecstatic if they could follow up Naylor's bat skills with Thomas' athleticism and upside.