Prospects Plus: My MLB Mock Draft

Doing a MLB Mock Draft is probably the hardest thing in sports to do, but over the last couple of years I've given it a shot and I will again this year. So Here we go: 

1. Diamondbacks: Dansby Swanson,SS, Vanderbilt    
2. Astros: Alex Bregman, SS, LSU
3. Rockies: Dillion Tate, RHP, UCSB
4. Rangers: Brandan Rodgers, SS, California HS
5. Astros: Carson Fulmer, RHP, Vanderbilt
6. Twins: Tyler Jay, RHP, Illinois
7. Red Sox: Daz Cameron, OF, Georgia HS
8. White Sox: Kyle Funkhouser, RHP, Louisville
9. Cubs: Garrett Whitley, OF, New York HS
10. Phillies: Kyle Tucker, OF, Florida HS
11. Reds: Walker Buehler, RHP, Vanderbilt
12. Marlins: Trenton Clark, OF, Texas HS          
13. Rays: Andrew Benintendi, OF, Arkansas
14. Braves: Carnelius Randolph, SS, Georgia HS
15. Brewers: Ian Happ, OF, Cincinnati
16. Yankees: Tyler Stephenson, C, Georgia HS
17. Indians: Nick Plummer, OF, Michigan HS
18. Giants: Alex Young, LHP, TCU
19. Pirates: Mike Nikorak, RHP, Pennsylvania HS
20. Athletics: James Kapriellian, RHP, UCLA
21. Royals: Brady Aiken, LHP, IMG
22. Tigers: Ashe Russell, RHP, Indianapolis HS
23. Cardinals: Jon Harris, RHP, Missouri State
24. Dodgers: Kolby Allard, LHP, California HS
25. Orioles: Beau Burrows, RHP, Texas HS
26. Angels: Phil Bickford, RHP, JC of Southern Nevada
27. Rockies: Nathan Kirby, LHP, Virginia      
28. Braves: Dakota Chalmers, RHP, Georgia HS
29. Blue Jays: Michael Matuella, RHP, Duke
30. Yankees: Donny Everett, RHP, Tennessee HS
31. Giants: DJ Stewart, OF, Florida State
32. Pirates: Kevin Newman, SS, Arizona
33. Royals: Cody Ponce, RHP, Cal Poly Pomona
34. Tigers: Jacob Nix, RHP, IMG
35. Dodgers: Chris Shaw, OF/1b, Boston College
36. Orioles: Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3b, Texas HS
37. Astros: Donnie Dewees, OF, North Florida
38. Rockies: Justin Hooper, LHP, De La Salle HS
39. Cardinals: Kyle Holder, SS, San Diego
40. Brewers: David Hill, RHP, San Diego
41. Padres: Juan Hillman, LHP, Canada HS
42. Indians: Scott Kingery, 2B, Arizona

Prospects Plus: North Carolina's J.B. Bukauskas

 
Name: J.B. Bukauskas

Team: North Carolina 

Position: Pitcher

Rank:  #2 ranked college player for the 2017 draft

Friday vs Clemson: 5 + innings, 5 hits, 2 earned runs, no walks,  7 strikeouts.

Positives: During the 2014 MLB Draft, Bukauskas was one of my favorite players. He had a live arm and was going to be a top round draft pick. But instead of heading to the draft out of high school, JB told teams not to draft him so he could head to North Carolina. During the game on Friday afternoon, Bukauskas showed a great fastball as well as a wipe out change up. During the game he topped out at 95 mph, his change, which showed great movement was around 84 mph. Looked extremely polished for a young college pitcher. 

Negative: He's got a reliever's delivery with a lot of effort and inconsistent command; small frame inhibits ability to drive with the leg, putting more stress on the arm, and lack of finish could cause problems in the future. Big effort in the delivery will always limit the command upside, but there are flashes that he can at least be average placing the ball where he needs to against advanced hitters.

Prospect Plus: Met's Gavin Cecchini

Name: Gavin Cecchini
Organization: New York Mets
Team: Savannah Sand Gnats
Position: Shortstop
Stats Friday against the BlueClaws: 0-5 with two strikeouts

Positives: The younger brother to Boston's Garin, shortstop Gavin Cecchini is a contact hitter with solid tools. Cecchini will make contact. Will make the solid play, never will be a superstar.

Negative: One thing that will make it hard for Mets fans to get excite for is that they passed on Cards stud pitcher Michael Wacha to take Cecchini. I know that its only one game but Cecchini looked terrible and didn't show me anything that warrants him being a top 10 prospect in the Mets organization.

Professional Tailgating: One Down One To Go

Last night, I headed to Citizens Bank Park to see my Nationals drop a heart breaker to the Phillies. But on the bright side it was dollar dog night and I saw a big running around the outfield. 

Two days of baseball fun

Nationals at Phillies tonight. South Atlantic League All Star Game in Lakewood tomorrow night. Not a bad two days of baseball.

Prospects Plus: Did the Nationals get first round value in Ward

The Nationals theory of drafting high upside players was shown again in the third round of this years draft. In the third round, the Nationals drafted Oklahoma high school third baseman Drew Ward. So what, you say.

Up until a month ago, many thought that Ward would be a member of the 2014 draft. But that all changed after Drew, who is committed to Oklahoma, graduated early from high school and petitioned to be part of this years draft. After MLB ruled in favor of the Drew, many scouts scurried to see what he was about. 

According to Baseball America,  Ward has a big, strong frame and has a sweet swing from the left side. He plays shortstop for his high school, but fits best at a corner position because of his below-average speed.

Many in the scouting community, had Ward pegged as a 2014 first rounder. The Bleacher Report pegged him as the 13th overall pick to the Padres in a really early mock 2014 draft. 

While the season may not be going as planned, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo always takes the player with the best upside and it looks like he may have gotten a future first rounder for the prices of the third rounder. Now that is good business.

Prospects Plus: OTWT MOCK DRAFT

It's almost time for the MLB Draft and the scouting staff at OTWT has been busy breaking down film on these propects. Here is our mock first round (hopefully, it will be better than last years):

•  1. Houston Astros: Mark Appel, P, Stanford
• 2. Chicago Cubs: Jonathan Gray, P, Oklahoma
• 3. Colorado Rockies: Colin Moran, 3B/1B, UNC
• 4. Minnesota Twins: Kohl Steward, P, Texas HS (pictured right)
• 5. Cleveland Indians: Kris Bryant, 3B, San Diego
• 6. Miami Marlins:Hunter Renfroe, OF, Mississippi State
• 7. Boston Red Sox: Clint Frazier, OF, Georgia HS
• 8. Kansas City Royals: Austin Meadows, OF, Geogria HS
• 9. Pittsburgh Pirates (M. Appel - unsigned): Braden Shipley, P, Nevada
• 10. Toronto Blue Jays: Trey Ball, P, Indina HS
• 11. New York Mets: Austin Wilson, OF, Stanford
• 12. Seattle Mariners: Dominic Smith, 1B, California HS
• 13. San Diego Padres:JP Crawford, SS, California HS
• 14. Pittsburgh Pirates: Nick Ciuffo, C, South Carolina HS
• 15. Arizona Diamondbacks:Ryne Stanek, P, Arkansas
• 16. Philadelphia Phillies:Robert Kaminsky, P, New Jersey HS
• 17. Chicago White Sox: Jonathan Denney, C, Oklahoma HS
• 18. Los Angeles Dodgers: Sean Manaea, P, Indiana State
• 19. St. Louis Cardinals: Reese McGuire, C, Washington HS
• 20. Detroit Tigers: Billy McKinney, OF, Texas HS
• 21. Tampa Bay Rays: Bobby Wahl, P, Ole Miss
• 22. Baltimore Orioles: Aaron Judge, OF, Fresno State
• 23. Texas Rangers: Ian Clarkin, P, California HS
• 24. Oakland Athletics: Jonathan Crawford, P, Florida
• 25. San Francisco Giants: Chris Anderson, P, Jacksonville

Prospects Plus: Going Retro Bryce Harper

Hey who is this former College of Southern Nevada star.Bryce Harper looks so young in this photo.

Prospect Plus: Vanderbilt's Tyler Beede

Name: Tyler Beede
Position: RHP
Prospect Statues: First round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011, but did not sign. Beede is expected to be a top 10 pick in the 2014 MLB Draft.
Saturday vs. Missouri: 7 innings, 3 hits allowed, one earned run, 10 strikeouts.



Positives: During the course of his start, Beede hit between 92-95 miles per hour. The tigers hitters looked completely over matched. Beede's change up is something special, the bottom completely dropped out of it. During the 2011 Draft, Beede was considered the 14 best right hand prospect in the draft. Beede, who's 6ft 4 in, was the only first round pick in the 2011 draft not to sign. According to the 2011 Baseball America Draft Preview, "Beede has advanced command, feel, and offspeed stuff, and scouts are impressed by his approach to the game.'' Smooth mechanics. Could be a top of the rotation type pitcher.

Negative: Can you sign him. That would be mine question. The only little concern I would have that he does not have an elite fastball. His control can be a little off, 36 walks in more than 50 innings that is a concern.

Professional Tailgating: Dollar Dog Night

So baseball season is in full swing and the OTWT head to Philly for our first trip to Citizens Bank Park for dollar dog night. By the way the Phillies hammered the Mets 8-3 during the game but the real story was the hot dogs.

Prospects Plus: Red Sox Jackie Bradley Jr.

Baseball season is almost here, so that means the return of our Prospects Plus feature. During Prospects Plus we break down the up and coming players in the minor league and college players.

Name: Jackie Bradley Jr.
Organization: Red Sox
Position: Outfield
Stats Wednesday against the Yankees: 2 for 4 with a double

Strengths: Has a great eye at the plate. Bradley knows the strike zone better than most players at his age. He has a great commitment to the game. A tremendous outfielder he can chase anything down in the outfield. A winner, won back to back National Championship at South Carolina. When he was at USC he was one of my favorite players in college baseball

Weakness: There aren't many. The only thing that would keep him off the major league roster is that the Red Sox don't want his free agency clock to start.

Prospects Plus: A Failed Experiment

The book has finally been closed on one of the worst experiments in the history of the Washington Nationals. After five years in the farm system, Jack McGeary is gone from the system. The Boston Red Sox selected the Massachusetts native in the Rule 5 draft during the recently completed Winter Meeting in Nashville.

When McGeary was selected in the 2007 draft he was supposed to be the face of the franchise for years to come. When the Nationals drafted McGeary in 2007, they gave him a $1.7 million signing bonus to buy him out of commitment to Stanford. Little did we know that McGeary would be a huge flop.

I remember seeing him pitch when he was in the SAL and thought what A Waste of Money, So Far. His stuff was not overpowering, his command was not that good and he just seemed disinterested on the mount. During his time in the Nationals system, McGeary put together an 8-18 record with a 4.97 ERA. McGeary never made it pass A-Ball.

At first I was in total favor of the drafting him and paying him, little did I know that he would turn into an example of how much of a crap shoot the baseball draft really is.

The numbers don't lie

So they Yankees are gone from playoffs and I can't be happier. The Yankees are a complete disappointment and the numbers don't lie.