Good
morning.
Well,
the mock draft season has really heated up, especially since we are around one
month away from the names being called by the Commissioner.
All
10 mock drafts being used for this post are all new and were released in the
month of May.
A
few observations –
I pointed out a week ago that all 10
mock drafts being averaged together that week had LHP Jason
Groome (Barnegat HS – NJ) as the #1 overall pick. Well, that seems to be
changing. Four of this week’s mocks have LHP A. J. Puk (Florida)
as the first pick and one has Groome as low as the eighth pick in the first
round. This can’t have anything to do about his remarkable talent and possibly
reflects his academic problems that developed when he attempted on his own to
change high schools without informing officials. This could be an early sign of
a character flaw that some scouts may think less of a financial investment
should be, well, invested in this young dude.
The
only other LHPs that have begun to crawl up the rankings are Jesuit College
Prep’s Kyle Muller and Shawnee Mission East HS Joey Wentz. Wentz entered the ‘mocking’ two mocks ago
at the 35th and 14th pick overall, so we’ll keep a
particular look at him over the next couple of weeks.
(Wentz actually had a dead
arm that prevented him from pitching last summer. Instead, he played first base
on the showcase circuit and started hitting 543-foot home runs. Now, his
fastball is back in the 93-95 range and he’s back on the mound. He’s just allowed
two hits while striking out 0 in his first 30 innings.
`
Mississippi
State’s RHP Dakota Hudson has been flying up the
slots and is now ranked fourth overall pick in two of the mock drafts this
month. In the past he had always been projected as a late first rounder;
however, he comes in as the eight overall pick in the last averaging of the
last five mock draft.
Watch
out for Alamo Heights HS (TX) RHP Forrest Whittley,
who has dropped 25 pounds off of his 6-7 frame and isturning out 92-97 accurate
strikes, along with a power curve, and a solid changeup.
Plum
H.S. (PA) 1B-OF Alex Kirloff has consistently
been an early second round.1st round compensatory pick; however,
he’s averaged being the sixteenth pick overall in the last five mock drafts…
including being picked twice in the nineteenth pick that is owned by the
Mets. Let’s not pull any punches here…Kirloff is a pure power hitter and could
be an interesting player to pick if you could find some place to play him.
Reminds me of a slightly more talents Matt Oberste.
If
we’re talking about RHPs, we have to mention the sneaky growth of Sheldon HS Matt Manning who seems to jump a notch up every time
someone faltered.
And
speaking of RHP that has fell from
graces, try the early on #1 ranked RHP in the draft, the 6-7 Oklahoma Alex
Hansen.
There
continues to be only two quality infields spending your big bucks on early…
Tennessee’s Nick Senzel, and The International
Baseball Academy (PR) SS Delvin Perez. Pope HS
(GA) 3B-P Josh Lowe and Holy Ghost Prep (PA) SS Nolan Jones should still be mid-round 1st
round picks, but early on top 10 favorite, 3B Arizona Bobby
Dalbec has fallen out of the first round.
Outfield
wise, there are four that have separated them
selves
from the pack and, in some order, should be the first four chose in the draft.
They are Mercer College’s Kyle Lewis,
Louisville’s Corey Ray, Charminade HS (CA) Blake Rutherford, and La Costa Canyon HS (CA) Mickey Moniak. Florida’s Buddy
Reed has faded a little while Westminster Schools HS (GA) Will Benson continues to rise.
There
really is only two top catchers in this draft… Clemson’s Chris Okey and Miami’s Zack
Collins… both of which’s name might not be called until the second
round; however, two of these mocks (Fueled 5-1 and Evanman 5-5) have Collins
going to the Mets on the 19th overall pick.
My
latest mock average –
1.
LHP Jason
Groome Suspended from High School
2.
SS Devin
Perez International Baseball
Academy (PR)
3.
LHP A.J.
Puk Florida
4.
OF Kyle
Lewis Mercer
5.
RHP Riley
Pint St. Thomas Aquinas HS
(KS)
6.
OF Corey
Ray Louisville
7.
IF Nick
Senzel Tennessee
8.
OF Blake
Rutherford Charminade HS (CA)
9.
OF Mickie
Moniak La Costa Canyon HS (CA)
10. OF Buddy
Reed Florida
11. RHP Connor
Jones Virginia
12. RHP Dakota
Hudson Mississippi State
13. IF-P Josh
Lowe Pope HS (GA)
14. RHP Ian
Anderson Shenendohowa HS (NY)
15. OF Will
Benson Westminster Schools (GA)
16. RHP Kevin
Gowdy Barbara HS (CA)
17. LHP Braxton
Garrett Florence HS (AL)
18. IF Nolan
Jones Holy Ghost Prep (PA)
19.
OF Bryan
Reynolds Vanderbilt
20. RHP Cal
Quatrill Stanford
21. RHP Daulton
Jefferies Cal
22. C Zack
Collins Miami
23. OF Nick
Banks Texas A and M
24. RHP Alec
Hansen Oklahoma
25. RHP Jordon
Sheffield Vanderbilt
26. 1B-OF Alex
Kirloff Plum HS (PA)
27. LHP Matt
Krook Oregon
28. RHP Matt
Manning Sheldon HS (CA)
29. RHP Forrest
Whitley Alamo Height HS (TX)
30. RHP Robert
Tyler Georgia
31. RHP Alex Speas Mceachern
HS (GA)
32. IF Drew
Mendoza Lake Minneola HS (FL)
33. IF Will
Craig Wake Forest
34. C Chris
Okey Clemson
35. RHP Logan
Shore Florida
36. IF Carter
Kieboom Walton HS (GA)
37. IF Bobby
Dalbec Arizona
38. RHP Cody
Sedlock Illinois
39. RHP Reggie
Lawson Victor Valley HS (CA)
40. LHP Jesus
Luzardo Stoneman Douglas HS (FL)
41. RHP Zach
Jackson Arkansas
42. OF Jake
Fraley LSU
43. RHP Austin
Bergner Windermere Prep (FL)
44. LHP Eric
Lauer Kent
State
45. RHP Jared
Horn Vintage HS (CA)
46. LHP Anthony
Kay Connecticut
47. OF Ronald
Washington Jr. Dullus HS (TX)
48. LHP Matt
Crohan Winthrop
49. RHP Baily
Clark Duke
50. RHP Mike
Shawaryn Maryland
51. OF Avery
Tuck Steele Canyon HS (CA)
52. OF Ryan
Boldt Nebraska
53. RHP Joe
Duplantier Rice
54. IF Bo
Bichette Lakewood HS (FL)
55. LHP Kyle
Muller Jesuit College Prep
56. RHP Kyle
Funkhouser Louisville
57. OF Penny
Grier Auburn
58. LHP Joey
Wentz Shawnee Mission East HS
59. SS Bryson
Brigman San Diego
60. OF Heath
Quinn Samford
61. RHP Zach
Burdi Louisville
62. 3B Joe
Rizzo Oakton HS (VA)
63. RHP Zack
Brown Kentucky
64. RHP Corbin Burnes St. Mary’s
6 comments:
Drafts are always interesting. Let's draft the next Mike Trout.
Rafael Montero tossed a superb 6 innings last night….hmmm.
Sorry, Ernest, but Mack mentioned Matt Oberste, so I just have to say:
Matt in 2015 and 2016: .303 in 523 at bats, 49 XBH, .360 on base.
Dom in 2015 and 2016: .300, also 49 XBH but in 67 more official ABs, .348 on base.
OBERSTE BETTER THAN SMITH? WHAT SAY YOU, ERNEST?
Dom Smith gold glove potential - difference maker
True, Bob, and if they were the same age, Smith would be doing better, assuming normal progression. But it is a way to show that Oberste may have big league potential too
I respect and root for oberste just as I've respected and rooted for alan dykstra, josh satin, zach Lutz and still root for Soup to hang on and utilize his versatility.
IMO guys like Conforto, Rosario, and Dom Smith are 'different'. Its up to them to meet their expectations but they're different and dont come around every day.
Soup Campbell is easily a .350 hitter in the minors. Doesnt mean it makes him better than top prospects will lesser 'stats' at same level.
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