1. Cleveland Guardians
Pick: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
There has been a lot of buzz today about Wetherholt going here and, as I wrote in my first mock, he is the guy to cut an under-slot deal with if you’re going to do it with anyone because his other homes are later than the other candidates. I also have Wetherholt first on my board and would be fine just taking him here on talent. The rumors smell almost too strong today, as if they’re a last ditch effort to drive Bazzana’s price down before taking him. I’m staying disciplined and leaving Bazzana here, but it’s purely on intuition.
2. Cincinnati Reds
Pick: Charlie Condon, 3B/CF/1B, Georgia
No change from the previous mock. I did have a person in a draft room not far behind the Reds tell me they thought both of the first two picks would be bonus pool savers, but they are the lone dissenter.
3. Colorado Rockies
Pick: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
No change here, this has been either Burns or Jac Caglianone the whole time and people behind Colorado are too connected with Cags to think that he’s going here. If he were, I feel like there would be less buzz around Cags behind this pick.
4. Oakland Athletics
Pick: Braden Montgomery, RF, Texas A&M
Bazzana if he’s here. There are folks who think whichever of the middle infielders don’t go first will be the pick here.
5. Chicago White Sox
Pick: Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard Westlake (CA)
This the today’s rumor that I think actually has legs. I’ve had people this week put the White Sox with high school hitters in a way that was vague, and some people specifically mentioned Chicago cutting a deal with Konnor Griffin here. Because the names attached to Kansas City today have suddenly been Hagen Smith and Jac Caglianone and conspicuously not Rainer (who everyone thinks the Royals love), it tells me that’s because Rainer will be gone. I don’t have dope suggesting that would be Oakland, but I have had folks mention Rainer here today.
6. Kansas City Royals
Pick: Jac Caglianone, 1B/RF, Florida
Early intel on the Royals did not have Cags in their mix, but perhaps that’s because they didn’t think he’d be here. There is some buzz that Hagen Smith (who has long been in their mix) might get popped here and rushed to the bigs fast, but Caglianone’s power-hitting upside is right up their alley, too.
7. St. Louis Cardinals
Pick: JJ Wetherholt, 2B, West Virginia
I had Wetherholt slipping past this pick in my last mock, but I don’t think that happens if he’s here. I have really late buzz on Cam Caminiti here.
8. Los Angeles Angels
Pick: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
Nobody is sure if the Angels will continue to take more polished players now that Ohtani is gone, but Smith is certainly of that ilk. There’s very late Christian Moore buzz here.
9. Pittsburgh Pirates
Pick: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
No change, same reasoning I used in my first mock. Cags would be a coup here; the Pirates would have drafted the two most famous college baseball players in consecutive years.
10. Washington Nationals
Pick: Konnor Griffin, OF, Jackson Prep (MS)
Washington’s comp pick acquisition gives them more bonus pool ammo to try to float someone back to their pick for over-slot money. It could be anyone, but a toolsy high schooler would seem to be the most likely target for something like that.
11. Detroit Tigers
Pick: Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky
I’ve heard Nick Kurtz mentioned here, too. Caminiti dope is fading at this pick.
12. Boston Red Sox
Pick: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Dope from today says Boston is cutting. It makes sense since this is essentially the start of the next talent tier. The question is with who? I also have them on Trey Yesavage, but I don’t think he falls very deep beyond this, so the cut would be modest. Because Moore might not have as many homes between here and pick 21 or so, he (and maybe Malcolm Moore) feel like the two college bats who could conceivably cut a deal.
13. San Francisco Giants
Pick: Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
I mocked Cam Caminiti here this week and think he’s still a possibility, but the big, physical tools Smith presents (typical of San Francisco the last few drafts) are great value; there’s a mix of safety and upside here.
14. Chicago Cubs
Pick: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford
Today I’ve heard Trey Yesavage is in their mix, as well.
15. Seattle Mariners
Pick: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
No change from last mock.
16. Miami Marlins
Pick: Seaver King, SS, Wake Forest
17. Milwaukee Brewers
Pick: Carter Johnson, SS, Oxfod HS (AL)
Folks consider Johnson’s stock to be quite the wild card and there’s buzz he might cut a deal in this area. The Brewers have had success with hitterish high school guys recently, including ones who they’ve essentially moved up the defensive spectrum (Cooper Pratt so far) so this feels possible here.
18. Tampa Bay Rays
Pick: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguardo HS (AZ)
I have late Jurrangelo Cijntje buzz here, too.
19. New York Mets
Pick: Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State
20. Toronto Blue Jays
Pick: Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston State
I also have Malcolm Moore in their mix.
21. Minnesota Twins
Pick: James Tibbs, OF, Florida State
If there’s a college bat left to take here I think they’ll go that way, and in this scenario it’s Tibbs.
22. Baltimore Orioles
Pick: Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa
23. Los Angeles Dodgers
Pick: Kellon Lindsey, SS/CF, Hardee HS (FL)
24. Atlanta Braves
Pick: Braylon Doughty, RHP, Chaparral HS (CA)
25. San Diego Padres
Pick: Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City (OK)
26. New York Yankees
Pick: Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP, Mississippi State
27. Philadelphia Phillies
Pick: PJ Morlando, OF, Summerville HS (SC)
28. Houston Astros
Pick: Tyson Lewis, SS, Millard West HS (NE)
29. Arizona Diamondbacks
Pick: Theo Gillen, 2B/CF, Westlake HS (TX)
30. Texas Rangers
Pick: Dax Whitney, RHP, Blackfoot (ID)
Prospect Promotion Incentive Picks
31. Arizona Diamondbacks
Pick: Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State
32. Baltimore Orioles
Pick: Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View HS (AR)
Compensation Picks
33. Minnesota Twins (Compensation for Sonny Gray; Cardinals forfeited their second-round pick for signing Gray)
Pick: Dasan Hill, LHP, Grapevine HS (TX)
Competitive Balance Round A
34. Milwaukee Brewers (Acquired from Orioles in Corbin Burnes trade)
Pick: Kyle Debarge, SS, Louisiana – Lafayette
35. Arizona Diamondbacks
Pick: Wyatt Sanford, SS, Independence HS (TX)
36. Cleveland Guardians
Pick: Owen Hall, RHP, Owen North HS (OK)
37. Pittsburgh Pirates
Pick: Joey Oakie, RHP, Ankeny Centennial HS (IA)
38. Colorado Rockies
Pick: Vance Honeycutt, CF, North Carolina
39. Washington Nationals (from Kansas City)
Pick: Tommy White, 3B, LSU
