We are one week away from the MLB draft, and with the college conference tournaments ending this past weekend, scouting departments have begun their meetings in the past 48 hours or so to prepare for draft day.
This projected first round is just one scenario; you could change the names at most picks, including the first one, then watch the effects ripple their way through the rest of the round. It reflects the most recent rumors I've heard from scouts, executives and agents about who might be picked where in the first round.
Full coverage of the 2019 MLB draft can be found here. The draft will be held June 3-5 in Secaucus, New Jersey.
More coverage from Keith Law:
Top 100 | Mock draft 1.0
1. Baltimore Orioles: Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State
I've said this before, but I'll repeat it: This isn't a lock. Rutschman is the consensus No. 1 prospect in the class, but I have heard from multiple sources that the Orioles will at least explore other options, notably Andrew Vaughn, to strike the best possible deal, since they pick again at 42, 71 and 79.
UPDATE: The Orioles could also consider JJ Bleday at this pick.
2. Kansas City Royals: Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Colleyville (Texas) Heritage HS
OK, I think this one's a lock. They definitely take Witt over Vaughn and I think they might take Witt over Rutschman.
3. Chicago White Sox: Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Cal
Vaughn could slip past here; the White Sox are also linked to C.J. Abrams, who is also slipping in some teams' eyes. I don't think there's a fourth name here beyond those two and Rutschman.
Kyle Peterson and Chris Burke detail the skills of Vanderbilt's JJ Bleday, who is Keith Law's No. 7 MLB draft prospect.
4. Miami Marlins: JJ Bleday, OF, Vanderbilt
Bleday and Hunter Bishop seem to be the Marlins' top two targets, but they were linked earlier to Abrams as well. Captain Jeets has even seen Vaughn and Rutschman in the past week.
5. Detroit Tigers: Riley Greene, OF, Hagerty HS (Oviedo, Florida)
I think this is Vaughn's floor, which would be a huge win for the Tigers. They're also the team that's highest on Nick Lodolo.
6. San Diego Padres: CJ Abrams, SS, Blessed Trinity HS (Roswell, Georgia)
I could see scenarios in which they get Abrams, Bleday or Greene, but not where they miss out on all three.
Chris Burke likens Nick Lodolo to Andrew Miller and questions whether he will be a major league starter or be in the bullpen.
7. Cincinnati Reds: Nick Lodolo, LHP, TCU
Not a lock, but a very frequent link the past few weeks. It feels like the Reds are almost certain to take a college arm, so if it isn't Lodolo it might be Alek Manoah or George Kirby.
8. Texas Rangers: Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech
This rumor has been hot the past 48 hours -- that the Rangers are on Jung and might be shifting draft philosophy completely from their previous, more tool-centric approach.
9. Atlanta Braves: Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto College
Atlanta's mix here seems to include Rutledge (who threw at their stadium for team officials), Hunter Bishop, Corbin Carroll, Manoah and Shea Langeliers.
10. San Francisco Giants: Hunter Bishop, OF, Arizona State
I've also heard the Giants linked with Manoah, Bryson Stott and Kirby.
11. Toronto Blue Jays: Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia
I keep hearing college guys here, including Bishop and Stott as well.
12. New York Mets: George Kirby, RHP, Elon
Very likely a college guy here too; if Kirby is gone I would bet they take a college bat.
13. Minnesota Twins: Bryson Stott, SS, UNLV
I've heard the Twins connected to an array of names too, including Matthew Lugo from Puerto Rico, but other teams believe the Twins are more likely to go college with their first pick (Stott, Hoese) and go for upside prep kids with subsequent picks.
14. Philadelphia Phillies: Kody Hoese, 3B, Tulane
I've heard Philly all over the place -- Kirby, Carroll, Brennan Malone and Hoese, in particular, which is one player from each of the four major categories.
15. Los Angeles Angels: Daniel Espino, RHP, Georgia Premier Academy
This connection keeps coming up as well and would fit the Angels' recent modus operandi of going for huge upside with their first pick.
16. Arizona Diamondbacks: Corbin Carroll, OF, Lakeside HS (Seattle)
I think this is Carroll's floor; he could go as high as 8 or 9 but probably won't go 10-12. The Diamondbacks have four picks in the top 34 and I would bet they diversify their portfolio, trying to go two college and two prep if the board permits.
17. Washington Nationals: Matt Allan, RHP, Seminole (Florida) HS
Another rumor that has picked up steam recently and fits Washington's general trend of taking one of the most famous names on the board when they pick.
18. Pittsburgh Pirates: Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor
Langeliers has recovered nicely from a broken hamate he suffered the first weekend of the spring, and as a no-doubt catcher he has pushed himself into the teens.
19. St. Louis Cardinals: Will Wilson, SS, North Carolina State
I've heard the Cards with Wilson (a lot, recently) and Maurice Hampton.
20. Seattle Mariners: Tyler Callihan, IF/C, Providence HS (Jacksonville, Florida)
I believe Seattle would prefer a college player here, but the way this scenario unfolds, I don't think the right name gets here. Callihan is one of the most advanced pure bats in the class, even though he lacks a clear position.
21. Atlanta Braves: Brennan Malone, RHP, IMG Academy
I've heard the Braves linked with some prep arms for this second pick and Georgia Tech power-first catcher Kyle McCann perhaps at pick 60.
22. Tampa Bay Rays: Zack Thompson, LHP, Kentucky
Thompson has top-10 stuff with some questions about his durability after a forearm injury his sophomore year -- and the Rays have zero qualms about taking players with upside who fall for reasons like injury concerns. I've also heard them with Espino, who, as a 6-foot high school right-hander, also doesn't fit the industry mold.
23. Colorado Rockies: Michael Busch, 1B, North Carolina
The Rockies were heavy at the ACC tournament, with GM Jeff Bridich in attendance, to see Busch play.
24. Cleveland Indians: Maurice Hampton, OF, Memphis University HS
I've heard the Tribe with Busch and Wilson too, in that order, as well as Hampton.
25. Los Angeles Dodgers: Gunnar Henderson, SS, Morgan Academy (Selma, Alabama)
Henderson seems likely to go in this range even with some widely mixed opinions on him in the industry.
26. Arizona Diamondbacks: Quinn Priester, RHP, Cary-Grove (Illinois) HS
They might be able to float Priester to pick 33 or 34, or take another prep arm like JJ Goss or Espino and switch to a college guy if someone like Wilson, Busch or Kam Misner is here.
27. Chicago Cubs: Logan Wyatt, 1B, Louisville
I've got them taking a college bat here -- Wyatt has a really good swing but needs some work to unlock more power -- yet I've heard them with a number of high school arms too, such as Espino or Malone, none of whom will be available at this pick in this scenario.
28. Milwaukee Brewers: Brett Baty, 3B, Lake Travis HS (Austin, Texas)
The Brewers have been a no-nonsense, best-player-available team since Ray Montgomery, now the team's VP of scouting, came over as scouting director in 2014. Baty would be a top-10 pick if he weren't already 19½ as a high school player, but the bat looks like it will play, and one of the drawbacks of age, the lack of time for physical projection or growth, isn't a factor given Baty's current size.
29. Oakland Athletics: Greg Jones, SS, UNC-Wilmington
Most of the names they've been linked to -- Hoese, Wilson, Baty -- are probably gone by this pick, which is probably why I'm hearing Oakland more with Jones, the fastest player in the class, as well as Goss or Logan Davidson.
30. New York Yankees: Rece Hinds, IF, IMG Academy
I've also heard the Yankees with Kirby and Henderson, neither of whom seems that likely to get here, along with Hinds as another bet on huge power as they've done successfully with other picks such as Aaron Judge.
31. Los Angeles Dodgers: Kam Misner, OF, Missouri
The Dodgers, like Tampa Bay, have a habit of targeting guys who have top-10 upside but some flaws on their résumés, such as Misner's high strikeout rate.
32. Houston Astros: Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson
It is pure coincidence that I have the Astros taking a Clemson player with their first pick as they did in 2018 with Seth Beer, who, by the way, has raked at two levels this spring.