Stephen Guilbert- Full 1st Round Mock Draft- 2014

1.) Houston Astros- Brady Aiken- HS LHP

The Astros select the best player on the board. I think they see Aiken as a guy who will not be much behind LHP Carlos Rodon in time to the majors. Aiken is much younger, cheaper, and potentially substantially better as well.

2.) Miami Marlins- Carlos Rodon- LHP- NC State

The Marlins are a team built around a core of young pitching. As soon as Fernandez is fully healed, he and Rodon compose a frightening R-L duo at the top of the rotation. Fish could look at Alex Jackson or Tyler Kolek here, but Rodon, of Cuban descent, is the choice.

3.) Chicago White Sox- Tyler Kolek- HS RHP

The White Sox would have loved to see Rodon still available or RHP Jeff Hoffman not hurt. Since the college arms (the White Sox enjoy drafting from the college ranks) are off the board, they cannot pass on the hardest thrower in the draft and a physical high school phenom with very nice looking secondary offerings as well. A bit higher risk than they would like, but too good to pass up.

4.) Chicago Cubs- Sean Newcomb- LHP- Hartford University

This is the wildcard pick in the draft as many expect the Cubs to save money for one of their many later top round picks. Newcomb had just about as good a finish to his season with many scouts in attendance. The Cubs could look at catchers Max Pentecost or Kyle Schwarber here and the best pick is either Alex Jackson or Nick Gordon, but the Cubs save a few hundred thousand dollars to go over slot later, much as Kansas City did last year.

5.) Minnesota Twins- Nick Gordon- SS- Florida HS

This is as much of a lock as I have in this draft. Yes, there are rumors he could go #1 overall, but I see little reason to think the Astros select a hitter with the pitching available at the top. The Twins would draft Kolek if he were around but are thrilled with Gordon, who is, in my opinion, the best position player in the draft.

6.) Seattle Mariners- Aaron Nola- RHP- LSU

Alex Jackson slips even further as the Mariners, in "win now" mode, select the pitcher most likely to reach the majors first. They get a great arm here, don't be fooled, but they pass on Jackson, who could go as high as #2.

7.) Philadelphia Phillies- Alex Jackson- C/OF- California HS

The Phillies will be looking at Nola closely and many have him selected there. I see the Mariners making that an issue for Philly as the Phils gladly take Jackson who further than he should. They will have some negotiating to do, but this is too good of a pick to let slide.

8.) Colorado Rockies- Kyle Freeland- LHP- Evansville

This pick makes a great deal of sense. The Rockies are stockpiling pitching and Freeland has had an excellent spring to go along with great stuff. Nice pick here by the Rockies and a slot I can see few other players in. Perhaps a college bat, but most likely Freeland, Nola, or Beede if they reach.

9.) Toronto Blue Jays- Jeff Hoffman- RHP- East Carolina

Most have Mr. Hoffman, a former potential #1 overall pick on the shelf for Tommy John, going all the way to the Nationals. I say that is ludicrous. The Blue Jays have two out of three picks and go with a guy who should be a true ace once he is healthy. They can gamble a bit here and they do.

10.) New York Mets- Trea Turner- SS- NC State

Well, I am bummed Hoffman and Gordon are gone, but they should be. My gut says we should go with Zimmer here, but the possibility of a quick-to-the-majors shortstop with power, speed, and a glove is too good to pass up. Plus, Turner is a better player than he exhibited this season as he tried to do too much to impress scouts. He will not have that problem once in a farm system and the Mets do not let him slip by them here. A lot of people have Newcomb, a guy I really like, Conforto, a guy I really don't, and Zimmer, my second prediction, here as well.

11.) Toronto Blue Jays- Touki Toussaint- RHP- Florida HS

Simply put, one of my favorite players in the draft and the highest ceiling for any player in the draft. A bit wild, a bit of a project, but the Jays get two awesome arms nearly back to back.

12.) Milwaukee Brewers- Tyler Beede- RHP- Vanderbilt

The Brewers will look pitching here and could jump for Holmes out of the high school ranks or Finnegan from the college but I see Beede's recent outing as enough to make the Brew Crew grab him at #12.

13.) San Diego Padres- Bradley Zimmer- OF- San Francisco

Padres have had plenty of opportunities to scout Zimmer and the tools are just too good to pass up.

14.) San Francisco Giants- Kodi Medeiros- LHP- Hawaii HS

This is a reach and this is a risk, but the Giants are good with those and love their pitching. I think Medeiros could be a star in this league and the Giants would be the team to get him there.

15.) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim- Max Pentecost- C- Kennesaw State

Many mocks have the Angels taking Pentecost here and I agree. Unless something crazy happens like the Cubs take him very early, this makes quite a bit of sense.

16.) Arizona Diamondbacks- Grant Holmes- RHP- South Carolina HS

Holmes could go a bunch of places, including as high as Philadelphia but more likely here or to the Giants two picks above. Holmes has a lot of polish for a high school arm and complements it with good velocity. Diamondbacks need some more pitching in their system and are on a longer plan for building regardless. They take the best player on their board which is Holmes.

17.) Kansas City Royals- Michael Conforto- OF- Oregon State

Maybe I have him so low because I like defense and speed and Conforto has neither. He has one heck of an eye and bat, though, and some team above will probable grab him earlier. I have him down here, though.

18.) Washington Nationals- Jacob Gatewood- SS- California HS

Most every mock I see has the Nationals going either for TJS patient Fedde or Hoffman, merely because they selected Giolito and had success with him. I say they get the tall, toolsy, impressive young shortstop from California and get another theft in the mid-late first round.

19.) Cincinnati Reds- Sein Reid-Foley- RHP- Florida HS

Kind of reminds me of Lance McCullers but not quite as talented. The Reds have done well with their pitching picks recently and take this two-pitch, projectable high schooler with the good fastball with the 19th selection.

20.) Tampa Bay Rays- Michael Gettys- OF- Georgia HS

There are a few teams that always get players I want. St. Louis is one, the Nationals are another. The Rays, for certain, are one of those teams. There was a time when there was not a player I coveted more in the draft. Gettys gained some concerns over the season about his hit tool but the Rays do not pass on Gettys and get a steal here. Some mocks have this kid all the way into the supplemental.

21.) Cleveland Indians- Casey Gillapsie- 1B- Wichita State

The Indians like players like Gillapsie and have scouted him plenty. They could go with one of the good catchers still on the board, but opt for the slugging first baseman.

22.) Los Angeles Dodgers- Nick Burdi- RHRP- Louisville

One of my favorite story lines of the 2014 draft is where Burdi will go. It should be somewhere around here. The Dodgers have the freedom to use a first round pick on a reliever and Burdi could probably pitch out of their bullpen now and solidify the 8th inning. What a bullpen that could be with Burdi in there. The Dodgers could go high school starting pitcher as well but I like Burdi with this pick.

23.) Detroit Tigers- Kyle Schwarber- C- Indiana

The Tigers are hoping either Schwarber or Pentecost are on the board. There is a good chance neither will be and Jon Heyman has Schwarber all the way up in the top 10. I think that is a bit ambitious and if the Indiana backstop is around, the Tigers will take him.

24.) Pittsburgh Pirates- Ti'quan Forbes- SS- Mississippi HS

I lied. It is the Cards, Rays, Nats, and the Pirates who always seem to get the players I really like. I love Forbes. I think he has outstanding tools, a great looking future, and just was not seen enough this spring. If he were, he would not even be an option for the Bucs as I see Forbes as a near top 10 talent. Pitt gets a steal here. If Gatewood slips, he could go here as well.

25.) Oakland Athletics- Michael Chavis- IF- Georgia HS

This 2B/3B is the one guy I could see a team reaching for early in the draft, potentially even in the top ten selections. Chavis seems to enamor some and draw mixed reviews from others but I have a good bet that GM Billy Beane and his team like this athlete and see a lot of potential (and for good reason).

26.) Boston Red Sox- Brandon Finnegan- LHP- TCU

I know he had a nice rebound from arm problems but I think it still scares a lot of teams away. Dead arm is never good, especially for a college hurler. The Red Sox have a number of early picks and could look at Fedde here as well but Finnegan is just as good, a lefty, and will be much quicker to the bigs. For a team looking to contend for the next few years and short on some really solid pitching right now, Finnegan is a catch for them this late. They can also gamble with the pick a bit and do with the Texas Christian southpaw.

27.) St. Louis Cardinals- Spencer Adams- RHP- Georgia HS

I always try to predict who the Cardinals will select and I always get it wrong. Whatever happens, they always seem to land one of the best players out of the draft. Adams has not gotten much press and was a bit of a late riser, but he is an excellent arm who fits nicely into St. Louis' system.



The Mets add SS Trea Turner to their improving and dynamic minor league system, according to my full first round and last 2014 Amateur Player Draft mock.

Let's see how this plays out.

--Stephen