June 3, 2012; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Oklahoma Sooner pitcher Jonathan Gray (22) pitches against the Army Black Knights in the first inning in game three of the Charlottesville regional at Davenport Field. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Laferriere-USA TODAY Sports
Houston Astros select Jonathan Gray- Perhaps more than anybody else in the 2013 draft class, Gray has true ace potential. He sits in the high 90’s and has been known to throw in the triple digits, mixing in a great slider and decent change. Gray has has an excellent spring, and will complement the Astros’ farm system well.
Chicago Cubs select Mark Appel- If Gray does indeed go to the Astros at #1, Appel is very likely to immediately follow him. Appel also throws in the high 90’s and occasionally into triple digits along with a great slider and change. Appel is a very good #2 pick for the Cubs, should he not go #1 overall.
Colorado Rockies select Kris Bryant- With a good spring, Bryant has moved from a top draft candidate already to the consensus best hitter in the draft class. He has great power, which will play well into Coors Field. However, if he is drafted sooner, the Rockies will likely go with one of the pitchers.
Minnesota Twins select Kohl Stewart- There are some concerns with Stewart, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the most intriguing high school arms. He throws in the mid 90’s and has plus off-speed pitches. The Twins have been interested in him all along and will likely have their chance at him.
Cleveland Indians select Colin Moran- The Indians like safe picks early in the draft and Moran is just that. He has the best hit tool in the draft and enough power to become a very strong-hitting third baseman. There are questions of whether he can stay at third, but even if he can’t, he should become a great, pure hitter.
Miami Marlins select DJ Peterson- The Marlins will be tight on cash during this year’s draft and Peterson might be a good solution. He won’t demand a huge price tag, but the Marlins may be getting a very good hitter. Peterson has shown the ability to hit for average and power, although he may be a first baseman in the long run.
Boston Red Sox select Clint Frazier- With their first top ten pick in a long time, the Red Sox will likely be trying to go big. Frazier presents one of the highest ceilings in the draft and a player that could be made for Fenway Park. He should be able to do a bit of everything as he grows into himself and could be a very good outfielder to boot.
Kansas City Royals select Braden Shipley- Below their major league team, the Royals don’t have a ton of pitching depth. Shipley will provide not only depth, but a very good prospect. He has great stuff, and can throw in the high 90’s with a solid curve and change. If Shipley is still around, the Royals may well opt to take him.
Pittsburgh Pirates select Austin Meadows- The Pirates have never shied away from high-ceiling prospects in the past, and that will continue this year. Meadows has the potential to do a bit of everything, particularly run and hit for contact. However, he could grow into being a bona fide five-tool player if everything breaks right.
Toronto Blue Jays select Trey Ball- The Blue Jays have also never shied away from toolsy players and Ball is toolsy and both sides of the ball. He has a great arm, throwing in the low 90’s consistently with a solid curve and change. On offense, he projects as a speedy outfielder with the potential to hit for contact and power. It’s anybody’s guess whether he will go with the hitting or pitching route long term and that’s part of what makes him so valuable.
New York Mets select Reese McGuire-
With the Mets’ farm system in a sense of disarray, more than ever they’ll likely pick the best player available. At this point, that may be high school catcher Reese McGuire. McGuire has a fantastic arm and good enough defensive tools to stick as a catcher long term. He is a pure hitter who has the potential to grow into some power as he grows and could be a very useful player going forward.
June 3, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs Aaron Judge (29) singles during the game against the California Irvine Anteaters in the Los Angeles Regional of the 2011 NCAA baseball tournament at Jackie Robinson Stadium. California Irvine won12-6. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Seattle Mariners select Aaron Judge- The Mariners have been linked to a number of college bats this spring and in this mock draft, the best available looks to be Aaron Judge. Judge is a huge presence at the plate at 6’7″ and 240 pounds and as one might guess, he shows off considerable power. He runs and throws well enough to project as a solid right fielder with above average power at the major league level.
San Diego Padres select JP Crawford- Given the spacious Petco Park, the Padres have never been a team where big power hitters have thrived. Thus, instead of going after one of the big college bats, they may opt for more of a contact hitter in JP Crawford. Crawford also plays outstanding defense and runs well enough that he could be a very good player if he hits enough.
Pittsburgh Pirates select Dominic Smith- After going with a somewhat risky pick with their first pick, the Pirates may go with a safer one at #14. Dominic Smith is arguably the safest high school hitter in the draft as his pure hitting skills have shown through. Even though he is a first baseman, he should hit enough to be a useful player.
Arizona Diamondbacks select Ian Clarkin- After a number of hitters being taken, Clarkin fits right into the next tier of pitchers. He’s a high school lefty who throws in the low 90’s with room to grow. He has good enough offspeed pitches that he could become very good if he can harness his control.
Philadelphia Phillies select Chris Anderson– The Phillies have often taken big college pitchers in recent years and Anderson would be no exception. He throws into the mid 90’s with a pair of breaking balls and a change. His control is above average as well and he could very well develop into a solid pitcher.
Chicago White Sox select Phillip Ervin- The White Sox have often drafted very toolsy players and Ervin would fit the bill. He runs extremely well and has a bit of power to go with his solid hit tool. Ervin could probably stay in center field with his wheels and develop into a good top-of-the-order spark plug.
Los Angeles Dodgers select Ryne Stanek- Stanek has fallen quite a bit due to some concerns to his mechanics this spring. Still, he is one of the best power arms in the draft and that is a prototype that he Dodgers have often sought for. If Stanek is still available at the #18 pick, which may be a stretch, the Dodgers will be waiting.
St. Louis Cardinals select Sean Manaea- The Cardinals are a team that has often gone after the big prospects who fall off draft boards. Manaea fits the bill in 2013 as he looked like a potential #1 overall pick before injuries and ineffectiveness set in in his junior year at Indiana State. If he recovers, he should be a quality power arm and a good first round pick for the Cardinals.
Detroit Tigers select Jonathan Crawford- The Tigers have always liked big power arms and Crawford, a 6’1″, 205 pound right-hander fits the bill. Crawford throws hard, consistently reaching the mid 90’s with a hard slider and average change. He is a bit of a thrower, but if he can be refined, Crawford could be an excellent power arm that could go to the Tigers.
Tampa Bay Rays select Hunter Renfroe- The Rays have taken college hitters in the first round the past few years and if Renfroe is available, he could be the next one. Renfroe does a bit of everything; he runs well and is a good outfielder with a very strong arm. At the plate, he is a bit raw, but he has plenty of power and could develop into a speed-power guy at the major league level.
Baltimore Orioles select Phil Bickford- Since the Orioles haven’t had a non-early pick in a while and they’ll likely still go for the guy with the highest ceiling. At this point in the draft, that may be high school pitcher Phil Bickford. Bickford runs his fastball into the mid 90’s and has a solid, if inconsistent, slider and change. Bickford would add another young power arm into the Orioles’ system.
Texas Rangers select Tim Anderson-
The Rangers like speedy, young infielders and Anderson would add another to the system. The high school shortstop runs very well, and puts the ball into play with a bit of power. For a high schooler, he is also a pretty good shortstop but may have to move into the outfield long term.
June 10, 2012; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Stanford Cardinal outfielder Austin Wilson (30) throws the ball towards second base during the second inning of game two of the Tallahassee super regional against the Florida State Seminoles at Dick Howser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
Oakland Athletics select Austin Wilson- The Athletics like making safe picks with college hitters and Wilson is just that. He should develop into an excellent pure hitter for average and power. He doesn’t run extremely well but he is a good defensive right fielder with a strong arm.
San Francisco Giants select Hunter Harvey- The Giants are excellent at developing young pitchers and Harvey is likely the best available with the #25 pick. He has a great pitching frame at 6’2″, 168 pounds and he runs his fastball into the mid 90’s with solid-average offspeed pitches.
New York Yankees select Nick Ciuffo- The Yankees are used to the whole “picking at the bottom of the first round” deal and will select the best overall player as usual. At this point, that could be high school catcher Nick Ciuffo. Ciuffo has a strong arm and decent defensive tools but should be an offensive catcher in the future.
Cincinnati Reds select Marco Gonzales- If still available, Gonzales could very well be a steal this late in the first round. He doesn’t have great stuff, but he is a very good pitcher. He throws an excellent change with a decent fastball in the low 90’s and a decent slider, which is his sole breaking ball.
St. Louis Cardinals select Eric Jagielo- After taking a somewhat risky pitcher, the Cardinals may opt to take a safer hitter with their next pick. Jagielo has the ability to hit for average and plenty of power. He may not be able to stick at third base, but he is still a useful player in the corner outfield.
Tampa Bay Rays select Alex Gonzalez– After taking a hitter with their first pick, the Rays may want to use their next pick for a raw, hard-throwing college pitcher. Gonzalez, who can throw into the mid 90’s, fits the bill and with his slider, change, and cut fastball he could be a valuable pitcher.
Texas Rangers select Kevin Ziomek- After taking a raw, high school infielder with their first pick, the Rangers may opt to take a college pitcher. Along with being a relatively safe pick, Ziomek has pretty good stuff. He is a lefty with three solid pitches and good enough control.
Atlanta Braves select Robert Kaminsky- Kaminsky is one of the best high school arms in the country and it’s hard to imagine him lasting much past here. He throws in the mid 90’s with a hard slider and decent change. He has a ceiling to become a very good pitcher in the majors but with high school pitchers, there’s always a risk.
New York Yankees select Ryan Eades- With Eades’ stuff, it’s hard to imagine him lasting much past this. Even though their are medical concerns, he has great stuff– throwing a mid 90’s fastball with above average secondary pitches. Due to their earlier pick, the Yankees can use some creativity and they may want to go with a great ceiling pitcher like Eades.
New York Yankees select Billy McKinney- With that short porch in right field, left-handed power hitters are attractive to the Yankees. McKinney has the potential to be that and then some as he has above average tools for both contact and power. He’ll likely be limited to a corner outfield spot or even first base, but his bat will carry him.
