After posting the summaries and opinions of the first 10 rounds of the MLB draft for all 15 National League teams yesterday, today I have the AL team-by-team breakdown.
As I've stated in previous years, I don't do "winners and losers," a fool's exercise in the baseball draft. Instead, I tell you what I liked and didn't like for each team, and highlight players of note. To see the full Draft Tracker for Rounds 1-10, click here. I've also added a few players taken after the 10th round if they're notable and I think there's a reasonable chance they'll sign.
A few relevant notes:
• The number in parentheses indicates the round in which that player was selected.
• When I refer to "my rankings," I'm referring to my Big Board, my top 100 draft prospects, which can be found here.
• I also wrote about the highlights of Round 1 and Round 2, and Eric Longenhagen had pick-by-pick analysis of Round 1 through the competitive balance Round A, then round-by-round analysis of Rounds 2-10.
• If we have scouting profiles of the player mentioned, his name will link to his profile, written by Eric Longenhagen.
• We use the 20-80 grading scale for all MLB prospects.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles coughed up their first-rounder for Yovani Shoulder … I mean Gallardo, but they did well to land Illinois right-hander Cody Sedlock (1A) at pick 29, well after I expected him to be off the board. He's a three-pitch starter with a delivery that caused some scouts to think he'd have to return to relief work, and he was badly overused by the Illini in his first season as a full-time starter, pitching into the 10th inning twice. … Keegan Akin (2) is a squat 6-foot lefty from Western Michigan with a plus fastball at 92-95 mph, an average changeup and a fringy breaking ball. I think he does end up in relief, and Sedlock remains a starter. … Right-hander Matthias Dietz (2), from John A. Logan College in Illinois, is 90-95 from a strong 6-foot-5 frame and more arm strength than command right now, with an average or better slider and very quick arm. … Austin Hays (3) is a 6-foot outfielder from the Jacksonville University Dolphins who speaks in clicks and whistles; he put up huge numbers for them this year but is light on tools, and his swing doesn't look as if it will produce hard contact or power with the wood bat.
Prep right-hander Brenan Hanifee (4) is a huge projection gamble, a very athletic kid with feel to pitch and a good delivery but fringy present stuff; he's a "double-projection" guy with big upside if the velocity comes. … Alexis Torres (5) might be a good value pick here, as he was a potential top-100 guy coming into the spring but performed poorly at the plate, losing his approach and visibly pressing at times. He's listed as a shortstop but probably ends up at second base. … Tobias Myers (6) is a 6-foot high school right-hander with a very quick arm, 90-92, touching 94, with a solid-average changeup and some depth on a slow curveball. … Preston Palmeiro (7) has the famous finger-pointing father but didn't inherit the hit gene and will probably be a good organizational bat.
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox nabbed the best high school player in the draft in Jason Groome (1) with the 12th overall pick. He fell because of some minor off-field concerns, but on the field, Groome's stuff and character are top-notch: He has a present 70 curveball, sits 90-94 touching 97, with an easy delivery and strong competitive streak. His fastball command is below average, and he will need to develop a better changeup since he barely used it in high school. Paying him might require some under-slot deals through the rest of the top 10 rounds, so the Red Sox took only one other top 100 prospect in Mike Shawaryn (5), a starting pitcher at Maryland who projects 100 percent as a reliever in pro ball due to his arm action, but should be an above-average right-handed middle reliever or setup man.
The Red Sox took CJ Chatham (2) out of Florida Atlantic with the 51st overall pick, a reach for me given that he probably won't remain at shortstop and has too little power for another position. … Florida closer Shaun Anderson (3) is a three-pitch guy who could convert to starting, although I think he's probably a reliever in the long run due to the lack of a plus pitch when he starts. He does have the command and control for any role and could move very quickly through the minors as a reliever. … Bobby Dalbec (4) is a third baseman and reliever for the University of Arizona with 80 power and a 70 arm, but he struck out 76 times in 250 plate appearances this spring and may be a better prospect on the mound, where he's 92-95 with a surprisingly good delivery and a sharp slider. He also threw 126 pitches in Arizona's super regional this weekend after spending nearly all of the season working in short stints for the Wildcats, which had to thrill the Red Sox. I've never bought his plate discipline or approach at the plate, but there is absolutely 30-homer power in there. … The Red Sox did take one more potential over-slot guy in Las Vegas prep shortstop Nick Quintana (11), who was probably a third-round talent. He can hit with plus bat speed, but he's not a shortstop, so he either has to move to second or try to convert to catcher.
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox popped Zack Collins (1) with the 10th overall pick, taking one of the best overall bats in the class, a player who's a star if he stays behind the plate -- which is unlikely -- but could be a star even if he moves to first. … Zack Burdi (1A), younger brother of Nick Burdi in the Twins' system, is 98-100 with a slider up to about 92 mph, stuff that would play in the majors right now, but his fastball command isn't quite ready. … The White Sox really rolled the dice with Oklahoma right-hander Alec Hansen (2), whom I thought had a chance to end up going 1-1 before his miserable spring of poor performance (he walked 39 in 51 innings, with 75 K's) and up-and-down velocity. Hansen has a screw in his elbow from a high school injury, and was then shut down in the fall with forearm tightness, so it's possible he's just not fully healthy and tried to pitch through it. If the worst-case scenario here is Tommy John surgery and its an 85 percent chance of full recovery of stuff, the White Sox took a really smart gamble. And if it's mechanical, the White Sox have a pretty good track record with those guys, too.
Alex Call (3) is an undersized hitter from Ball State who profiles as a fourth outfielder due to a lack of power. … Jameson Fisher (4) is a 22½-year-old senior who put up comical numbers for Southeastern Louisiana University this year, but he's limited to first base due to below-average speed and arm strength, and those stats came against weak pitching in the Southland Conference this year. (As far as I can tell, the Southland saw one pitcher drafted through the top 20 rounds this year, a lefty taken in the 16th.) … Jimmy LambertLuis Curbelo (6), who moved to Florida and played at Cocoa High School, will have to move to second or third but has good feel to hit and future average power.
Cleveland Indians
Cleveland took one of my favorite prep players with their second pick, which balanced out the slight reach of their first pick in a lot of ways -- in risk and in present skill set as well. The first pick was Will Benson (1), a very tooled-up high school outfielder from Georgia, a fantastic athlete with four present tools -- all he's missing is the most important one, the hit tool. He has changed his swing a bunch of times, and it still doesn't really work for him; he has plus raw power, but in games, he tends to hook everything he drives. He's a great student as well -- he has a commitment to Duke -- so there's a lot of optimism that he'll be able to learn quickly and make adjustments with pro coaches. Just bear in mind that so far, changing his swing hasn't produced results. … Second-rounder Nolan Jones (2) was a top-15 talent in my mind because the one thing he can really do is hit. He's a shortstop now but is already way too big for the position; I think he moves to third base now and may end up in right field, since he has a plus arm but is getting close to Kris Bryant size. His swing works, he has power to all fields, and he has a good idea at the plate.
Logan Ice (2A) is a bit of a sleeper, a very strong defensive catcher who couldn't do anything offensively before this spring, when he hit .310/.432/.563 for Oregon State. Before 2016, he didn't seem to have the strength to profile as even an average hitter, let alone having any power. That said, it won't take much offense for him to profile as an everyday catcher. … Aaron Civale (3) put up good numbers for Northeastern this year, but he's a bad-bodied 6-foot-1 right-hander who tops out at 91 with an average slider. He projects as an org starter or middle reliever. … Shane Bieber (4) may have his "beliebers" thanks to only 37 walks in 285 career innings for UC Santa Barbara, but he pitches with a grade-45 fastball and a fringy slider. This could (or should) be a money-saver to reallocate bonus pool money to the first two picks … or to Conner Capel (5), a fairly toolsy center fielder from a Houston-area high school who can run, field and throw but needs to get stronger to hit enough for everyday duty. He just turned 19 a few weeks ago, so he's an older high school kid, and he's committed to Texas. … Ulysses Cantu (6) is at the other end of the spectrum from Capel; he's strong, can hit and has some power, but has no position. He'll go out at third base but needs work there; he caught some this year in high school, but Cleveland has no plans to leave him there. … Kansas catcher Michael Tinsley (7) is like the yin to Logan Ice's yang, a solid hitter who never strikes out, but other than arm strength, he doesn't do anything even average behind the plate and will be a project back there. I don't know if the team's plan was to pair up picks like that -- Benson/Jones, Capel/Cantu, Ice/Tinsley -- but I like the portfolio it forms.
Detroit Tigers
Sacramento prep right-hander Matt Manning (1) is a beast, a 6-foot-6 hoops star who has been up to 98 with a sharp spike curveball that most scouts felt Manning would have to scrap in favor of a traditional breaking ball. The Tigers are betting on his athleticism and off-speed development, but it's a bet I'd be willing to take with his size and fairly limited usage in high school. … They didn't pick again until the fourth round, when they took Kyle Funkhouser (4), who was a sandwich pick last year by the Dodgers and turned down something in the range of $2.2 million to return to Louisville. He won't get close to that this year, but he did see his stuff tick back up at the end of the spring, and there could be some hidden value here as a back-end starter or perhaps a power reliever. Before his fade last spring, he had been sitting 93-95 and would occasionally flash an above-average slider, although his control has always been a problem.
Mark Ecker (5) was the strike-machine closer for Texas A&M, a 6-foot right-hander who's 93-96 with a power curve and average changeup. He has a starter's arsenal and control -- four walks in 42 innings this year -- but his stride is short, so he has an abrupt finish and no downhill plane. … Austin Sodders (7) is a 6-foot-4 lefty who has been up to 92, but with no breaking ball and poor athleticism. … Jacob Robson (8) plays center for Mississippi State with 70 or 80 speed and a slap swing that produces no power at all; his ISO (isolated power) over four years for the Bulldogs was .057. … The Tigers also drafted Virginia shortstop Daniel Pinero (9) last year when he was sophomore-eligible; he's a below-average runner and is awkward at short, but he has enough feel to hit that he might end up finding his way to the majors at another position. … Mississippi State swingman Zac Houston (11) has been up to 97 and can miss bats with the pitch, although the delivery is rough and limits him to relief work. … Late picks of note include Drew Mendoza (36), probably unsignable and heading to college; Keegan Thompson (33), a potential top-two-rounds guy for 2017 who missed this year after Tommy John surgery; and Clemson starter Clate Schmidt (20), who has recovered from lymphoma during his junior year.
Houston Astros
The Astros started off with one of the best high school pitchers in the class, then followed up with largely college players, although not always the "good stats" guys you'd expect. Forrest Whitley (1) blew up this spring, showing up in better shape with a tick more velocity and a sharper curveball, with several teams considering him in the back of the top 10. He's great value where the Astros were picking and gives them one of the highest-upside arms in their system. … Ronnie Dawson (2) is built like a running back -- which he was in high school -- with a power/speed combination limited by his propensity to swing and miss. I thought he had more fourth-outfielder probability than upside to be a regular. … Tulane catcher Jake Rogers (3) is a plus defender all-around behind the plate but has shown no ability to hit, anywhere. He hit just .200/.289/.318 in conference play this year, and hit .233/.333/.309 across all games in his three years for the Green Wave.
Brett Adcock (4) walked 62 and struck out 100 in 78 innings for Michigan this spring. He's up to 94 with four pitches, including two breaking balls, so there's at least a floor of a lefty reliever here, but enough of an arsenal to try to develop him as a starter. His finish is very abrupt, which could be tied to the control issues. … Third baseman Abraham Toro-Hernandez (5) was born in Venezuela, raised in Montreal and drafted out of Seminole State College, a juco in Florida. He has a plus arm and showed power from both sides of the plate this year in a dominant season for the Trojans. He has caught in the past but is likely to go out as a third baseman. … Stephen Wrenn (6) was a good value pick, as he never quite recovered from getting hit in the face with a fly ball during a preseason practice and had a disappointing season. There's still too much swing and miss here, but he's a plus runner with a little pop and could still have everyday upside. … University of Houston right-hander Nick Hernandez (8) had an outstanding season as the Cougars' closer, working with a deceptive 91-92 mph fastball that he likes to use up in the zone and an improved slider in his first full year over from Alvin Community College.
Kansas City Royals
The Royals gave up their first-round pick to sign Ian Kennedy, so their first pick was A.J. Puckett (2) at No. 67 overall, whose mere eligibility for the draft is a miracle of science, as he once spent two weeks in a coma due to an epidural hematoma. Puckett posted a 1.27 ERA for Pepperdine this year with a fastball that has been up to 97 (mostly 92-94) and plus changeup. He rushes through his delivery, starting with an exaggerated leg kick and landing well before he has his arm pronated, so it's a little shocking that he throws as many strikes as he does, and I do worry about his arm health long-term. … Khalil Lee (3) was a two-way player at Flint Hill prep school in Fairfax County, Virginia, a fleet-footed outfielder and left-handed pitcher, with more scouts preferring him on the mound where he'd reach 94, although the Royals appear to want to develop him as a hitter.
Jace Vines (4) spent one year at Texas A&M, his third school in three years, and posted an ERA near 5.00 but with better peripherals.
He'll turn 22 in September and is 88-93 with a good body and repeatable delivery (but with a little wrist-wrap in back). … Cal Jones (6) is a 6-foot righty-hitting/righty-throwing outfielder from Alabama who was committed to the Crimson Tide. He's a plus runner, but he's a very long way off with the bat, probably a two-year rookie ball guy. … Oregon State senior Travis Eckert (7) sits 87-92, touching 94, with a fringy breaking ball and changeup. He's a solid athlete but will also turn 23 in September, so there's not much hope for projection. … Chris DeVito (8) is a big, stiff slugger with huge power and no position. He's nicknamed "Red Hercules" for his red hair, which is as good a reason as any to take him in the eighth round. … Vance Vizcaino (11) is the son of longtime Royals scout Junior Vizcaino, a senior sign out of Stetson who can run and has a sound swing but slumped this spring after a strong junior season for the Hatters.
Los Angeles Angels
Virginia catcher Matt Thaiss (1) was a very popular name among teams looking for a college bat in the first round because of his outstanding hand-eye coordination; Thaiss struck out only 16 times in 279 plate appearances this year, and while he hit 10 homers, he projects more as a hitter for average and doubles power in pro ball. He's a catcher now but a poor receiver and more likely to end up at another position. … Brandon Marsh (2) is a Georgia prep outfielder who has a plus arm, plus speed, projects for big power and has a big question mark around his hit tool. His swing gets long and he doesn't use his lower half enough to get to that power right now, making him something of a project pick. … Nonie Williams (3) is their most intriguing pick, a home-schooled shortstop from the Kansas City area who reclassified a year ago to enter the draft this year at age 18, rather than in 2017. He reminds me a bit of Jacoby Jones, another tall, athletic prep shortstop who was going to need another position in pro ball, with a lot of upside as a hitter and perhaps on defense at another position. Williams is a switch-hitter with a simpler swing left-handed, a plus runner, with power to come if the hit tool develops. The Angels haven't taken guys like Marsh and Williams since before Jerry Dipoto became GM, so this marks a real change in drafting direction.
Chris Rodriguez (4) was a very late pop-up guy, unusual for a Florida prep player, a slightly projectable right-hander who started showing big velocity late in the spring. … Georgia Tech shortstop Connor Justus (5) burst out with a huge year at the plate after slugging .315 his first two years for the Ramblin' Wreck. He has some uppercut to his swing but stays inside the ball OK, while in the field he's going to end up at second base. … Kansas City area prep arm Cole Duensing (6) is a max-effort guy with an upper 80s fastball and slow-roller curveball in the upper 60s. He's committed to Kansas State. … Jordan Zimmerman (7) with one "n" is a bat-first second baseman from Michigan State who may not stay on the dirt but can hit enough that he might end up a bench bat or utility player who can play some at second and bounce around the outfield corners. … The Angels also took Anthony Molina (13), who was featured heavily in Jeff Passan's book "The Arm." He looked like a first-rounder as an underclassman but lost some velocity and had off-field troubles, which cost him his college commitment.
Minnesota Twins
Alex Kirilloff (1) was one of the top power bats in the prep class, winning the home run derby at the Perfect Game All-American Classic last August. He plays center field now and pitches (upper 80s) but will end up in right field in pro ball, with real upside at the plate. … Ben Rortvedt (2) is one of two Wisconsin prep players to go in the top two rounds this year -- a banner season for the Badger State -- as a catcher who seems very unlikely to stay behind the plate but who projects to hit for average and get to 15-20 homer power. … Jose Miranda (2A) was the final cut from my final Big Board -- so you could say he truly was No. 101. He's a Puerto Rican shortstop who'll have to move to third base but shows a very advanced feel to hit, with some power projection as he fills out, although I think he'll be mostly a high-average/doubles guy. … Georgia prep outfielder Akil Baddoo (2A) is tooled-up with an appealing power-speed combo and explosive hands at the plate, although he wraps his bat, and his approach at the plate is still raw. … Griffin Jax (3) became the highest-drafted player out of the Air Force Academy -- the previous high was a 10th-rounder in 2013 -- thanks to a 92-94 mph fastball and power breaking ball at 83-84, coming from a very high slot that has everything coming straight down at the strike zone. He might have been a higher pick had he been at another school, without the threat of a military commitment (which the Air Force is apparently willing to defer). … St. John's senior righty Thomas Hackimer (4) is a sidearmer, throwing an average fastball with 55 life and a frisbee slider, but the low slot and lack of a third pitch means he's a right-handed specialist at best.
Canadian right-hander Jordan Balazovic (5) is young and super-projectable physically, up to 90 now with life and sporting a short, slurvy breaking ball that is pretty effective for its shape, but he has a really rough delivery, with an arm action like Daniel Hudson's. … Alex Schick (6) would probably have gone in the top 3-4 rounds had he not injured his knee in January, limiting him to only 13 mediocre innings this spring for the California Bears. He was in the same high school rotation as Brady Aiken, one year ahead of the Cleveland farmhand. … Bryant outfielder Matt Albanese (7) had a huge year at the plate but is a well below-average runner and defender in center with questions even around his power with wood bats.
New York Yankees
The Yankees were the beneficiaries of one of the more surprising slips in the draft, as Blake Rutherford (1), a top-five pick coming into the year and still every bit the player we thought he was six months ago, slid all the way to 18 due to apparent concerns about his signability. Rutherford is already 19, and thus would be sophomore-eligible in 2018 if he had gone to UCLA, but at this point, I think he's going to sign. Rutherford can hit and has power, so while he may end up in left field, he still profiles as at least an above-average regular.
Nick Solak (2) was a quiet favorite of a lot of scouts -- I've heard from quite a few since this pick about how much they like him as a player -- as a hard-nosed player with a quick line-drive stroke and above-average speed, but no clear position. He played second for Louisville but might wind up in the outfield in pro ball. … Nolan Martinez (3) is a slightly projectable SoCal right-hander with a clean delivery, a fastball up to 93 and feel for an average curveball. I think he has more back-end upside, but a higher probability to get there because the delivery works. … Nick Nelson (4), a right-handed pitcher from Gulf Coast State College (formerly Community College), works with a plus fastball up to 95 and a plus curveball, with good command for his age, and his arm action and delivery point to future plus command as well. … South Carolina center fielder Dom Thompson-Williams (5) is a plus runner with enough pop to profile as a potential regular out there, at worst a good fourth outfielder thanks to his speed and plate discipline.
The Yankees then took college seniors in Rounds 6-10, probably to save money to pay Rutherford over slot. They did take Zach Linginfelter (16) on Day 3, but he's probably headed to Tennessee, where he'll be sophomore-eligible in 2018.
Oakland Athletics
The A's draft was largely one of opportunism; many of their picks were players who fell below their expected range in the draft or who slipped for non-performance reasons. A.J. Puk (1) was in the mix to go first or second overall, but the 6-foot-6 Florida Gators lefty had a very middling season, frequently failing to get past the fifth inning despite a 93-97 mph fastball and big changeup. His breaking ball is inconsistent, as is his command; his lower half is frequently out of sync with his upper half in his delivery, so even though he gets great extension out front, he doesn't have downhill plane on his stuff or depth on the breaking ball. Still, he's a giant lefty with arm strength, and the A's have nothing like him in their system. … Daulton Jefferies (1A) would have gone in the top 15-20 picks if healthy, but he had what's known as a SLAP tear (in the front of his shoulder) that cost him about six starts, although his velocity was fine when he returned late in Cal's season. He's a command right-hander without a clear out pitch and is just 6 feet tall so he lacks plane, but he should rip through the low minors because he throws everything for strikes (he had only 46 walks in 221 innings for the Golden Bears). … Florida's Logan Shore (2) is another command righty, 88-91 with an above-average changeup, succeeding with good deception and, like Jefferies, throwing a ton of strikes -- 59 walks in 300 innings and a career 2.46 ERA -- although I wish he had a better breaking ball.
Wright State catcher Sean Murphy (3) broke his hamate bone after just 28 at-bats this spring and wasn't completely recovered when he came back a month later, so his offensive stats suffered. He does have good bat control and, when he has all his hand strength, above-average to plus raw power. He has a plus-plus arm and projects to stay behind the plate, with a Mark Parent kind of floor and above-average regular catcher ceiling. … Right-hander Skylar Szynski (4), from an Indianapolis-area high school, is 89-93 from a high three-quarters slot that gets him some downhill plane and depth on his power 12-to-6 curveball. He even has some feel for a lively low-80s changeup, and the delivery works very well. I thought he'd go about a round higher. … Kentucky third baseman JaVon Shelby (5) tested positive for Adderall in MLB's pre-draft drug testing, and also hit only .212/.335/.470 with 67 strikeouts in 236 plate appearances.
In a bit of draft comedy, the A's took diminutive Gonzaga starter Brandon Bailey (6), who is often compared to former A's farmhand Bubba Derby (now with Milwaukee), with their sixth-round pick. And who did they take in the sixth round last year? Bubba Derby. How about that? Bailey is generously listed at 5-foot-10, works at 90-93 with a slider and changeup, and pitches very aggressively. He profiles as a good middle reliever or better. … Minnesota right-hander Dalton Sawyer (9), a college senior, probably begins in pro ball as a starter but ends up in the pen, possessing a fastball up to 94 but more of a reliever's arm stroke. … Stetson right-hander Mitchell Jordan (10) is a finesse right-hander, throwing strikes with a fringe or below-average fastball. He's probably an org starter in the end, but with enough command and feel to bear watching.
Seattle Mariners
Everyone thought the Mariners would take Boston College right-hander Justin Dunn, and maybe they would have, but when Mercer outfielder Kyle Lewis (1) fell to pick 11, he was their selection. Lewis has 30-homer upside, probably ends up in right field and has some mechanical stuff to work out at the plate, starting with the high leg kick that I think interferes with his timing. This draft had little power, especially right-handed power, and Lewis was one of the best in the class for that. … Virginia prep infielder Joe Rizzo (2) is a bat-first prospect, with a future-plus hit tool but questionable power and no shot to play on the dirt other than at first base. … Bryson Brigman (3) is one of those plays-hard-all-the-time types that scouts love more than the numbers would. He can run, never strikes out or walks and has grade-30 power, so you have to think he'll either stay at shortstop or succeed with a move to center field.
Alabama right-hander Thomas Burrows (4) could be a quick-moving reliever, 92-95 from a low three-quarters slot with plus life and a hard sweeping slider; he struck out a third of the guys he faced this year. … Oklahoma State shortstop Donovan Walton (5) is a senior sign, perhaps a money-saving pick. He has limited tools, lacking the power to profile at second or third. … Brandon Miller (6) played at Millersville University, a Division II school in Pennsylvania. He's 90-93 with some sink, throwing four pitches, with the curve and slider both showing average. The arm isn't quick and the body is not projectable, but he has present command and control that should help him succeed in the low minors. … Arizona State third baseman David Greer (10) won't turn 21 for a few more weeks. He has good hand-eye and feel to hit, below-average game power and likely will end up at first base. … UCLA right fielder Eric Filia (20) is an interesting pick, a fifth-year senior who missed two years after getting caught plagiarizing a paper. He returned this season to hit .295/.415/.411 with a very high contact rate and seemed to be able to square up good velocity even with the long layoff.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays took one of the more prominent boom-or-bust prospects in the draft in Georgia prepster Josh Lowe (1), who played third and pitched for Pope High School (Marietta, Georgia), although many scouts projected him to move to center field. Lowe has real, now power, is a solid athlete overall, and of course has a plus-plus arm. There's a lot of swing and miss to his game, however, which is why I think he created two very distinct camps; some teams were all-in on him as a first-rounder, and the rest were totally out. The upside here is substantial -- a 30-homer bat somewhere at a skill position -- but with the risk that he'll strike out too much to get to the power. … Ryan Boldt (2) was a first-round talent out of high school, but he played one game between bad weather and a knee injury his senior year, so he went to Nebraska, where he has been solid but not up to expectations. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds and looking bigger, he still hits like a little guy, slapping everything the other way when he has the strength and bat speed to pull the ball for power. If the Rays can unlock that, they got great value for the pick; if not, he's safe, certainly a big leaguer, but maybe just a fringe regular in a corner.
LSU outfielder Jake Fraley (2A) has to play in center to profile as a regular. He can run and has a contact-oriented swing without power, so he'll have a hard time remaining an everyday player in a corner. … Austin Franklin (3) is a raw right-hander from the Florida panhandle with a live arm, featuring a low-90s fastball but a high release point and unpolished (but not necessarily bad) delivery. … Easton McGee (4) is a very intriguing projection right-hander with a good delivery and arm action, a lot of upper 80s now with great extension out front from his 6-foot-7 frame. His curveball doesn't have great spin, although I suppose that might pick up as he gains velocity. He also restores the balance of the universe by putting a McGee back in Tampa's system. … Right-hander Mikey York (5) was 90-94 for College of Southern Nevada this year, his first back from Tommy John surgery, flashing an average curveball, with some cross-body in his delivery. … J.D. Busfield (7) struggled in Loyola Marymount's rotation this year and was only slightly better last year, so despite his size (6-foot-7) and occasional above-average velocity, he's a project. … Zach Thompson (11) is another project. After recovering from a 2015 shoulder injury, he touched 95 this spring and flashed a plus curveball. It seems like after the first day, the Rays wanted to load up on prep arms who were projectable either on physical development or delivery refinement.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers gave up their first-round pick to sign Ian Desmond -- a move I didn't like, but one that has worked out extremely well for Texas -- so their top selection was Cole Ragans (1A) in the compensation round. The lefty from the Florida panhandle has intriguing physical projection with some present feel to pitch; he's 89-92 from a high slot with depth on his curveball, but his delivery is awful, as he lands offline, which forces him to come back across (and over) his body at release. There's No. 2 starter upside here, but a lot of development remains. … Alex Speas (2) is a typical Rangers pick as a highly athletic prep kid from Georgia, in this case a pitcher rather than an outfielder. Speas looks like the perfect starter physically, and his arm is loose and quick, but he has legit grade-20 command; some guys can't hit the broad side of a barn, but Speas might not even get it in the right county. However, if your system is loaded, which Texas' is, and your major league team is good, which is also true here, there's a spot to take a beautiful arm like this and see if you can mold it into a pitcher.
Orlando-area prepster Kole Enright (3) is a switch-hitting third baseman with strong hands that produce power, although his body lacks projection, and he might not be athletic enough to stay at third. … Pitt shortstop Charles Leblanc (4) will move to second base but is very interesting, given his youth (he turned 20 last week, after his season ended), his swing and his performance, including a .494 OBP, good for 17th in all of Division I. He's an average runner without the footwork for short, but should be more than adequate at second. He was eligible as a 20-year-old sophomore because he had completed a 13th year of grade school in Canada. … Lefty Kyle Roberts (5) touches the mid-90s with projection remaining and has a good slider, but he walked 43 in 46 innings this year for Henry Ford (Community) College (along with 71 strikeouts). I'm not sure I'd want him and Speas on the same staff.
Kyle Cody (6) was drafted last year in the second round by the Twins but didn't sign, and actually threw much better this year than last, only to go a hundred picks later. I'd send him out as a starter, but I think he might profile as an elite reliever who could sit in the upper 90s with a high-80s slider. … Arizona prep catcher Sam Huff (7) receives well and has an average arm, but the bat speed is just fair, and it has to improve if he's going to go face pro pitching. … Hever Bueno (9) is an unusual pick: He threw just six innings for Arizona State this year, touching 97 with a plus change and average slider, but hurt his elbow and is having Tommy John surgery next week. I don't know his opinion on the frequency of 'urricanes in 'artford, 'ereford and 'ampshire, though.
Toronto Blue Jays
T.J. Zeuch (1) missed the first month of the season because of a groin injury, then came back throwing 92-95 from a very high slot that made the ball really tough for hitters to elevate. The secondary stuff just isn't there now and you don't see a lot of successful starters from that arm slot, so while he has to go out as a starter, he has a lot of reliever risk for a first-rounder. … J.B. Woodman (2) is a four-tool player, minus the one that matters -- the hit tool -- having led the Cape Cod League in strikeouts last summer and continuing to swing and miss all spring against better quality pitching. He can put on a show in workouts and may have a chance to stay in center, but the strikeout rate is likely to be enormous. … Bo Bichette (2), yet another son of former major leaguer Dante to be a prospect, is a better hitter than his older brother Dante Jr. (in the Yankees' system) and a better athlete as well. Bo has the potential to hit for average with 15-18 homers, probably at second base or third. His swing and approach remain noisy but he has quieted them substantially since last spring, and he showed last summer he could hit high-quality pitching.
Zach Jackson (3) was handled strangely at the University of Arkansas this year, serving as a swingman rather than given one consistent role. He has a fast arm with a mid-90s fastball and hard slider, profiling as a reliever due to his long arm stroke and poor fastball command. … Auburn center fielder Joshua Palacios (4) is a 'tweener, lacking the speed for center in pro ball or the power or on-base skills for either corner. … Cavan Biggio (5), son of Hall of Famer Craig, played second base for Notre Dame this year, getting on base but hitting for little power. He's not capable of handling second going forward, requiring a move to left or first that, given his lack of pop, probably makes him an org player. … D.J. Daniels (6) is a strong two-sport athlete who had an awful swing, sporting no load, no trigger and no weight transfer whatsoever. He's an average runner who'll need a swing makeover to hit for any kind of power, and maybe to hit at all.
I don't like giving draft grades, as I note in the lead, or even calling any draft class the "worst," but I can say this is my "least favorite" of all 30, considering the picks and pool available, as well as the players taken.