For pick-by-pick analysis of the first round of the MLB Draft, click here.
The 2010 MLB Draft is peaking over the horizon, and the only guaranteed predictions come out of the top three slots. After that, it’s a whirlwind of speculation as the options open up for the remaining 29 selections.
By Jake McCormick
Without further ado, here is the final mock up for the 2010 MLB Draft. Post-first round analysis will be available Tuesday morning when the dust settles. Enjoy!
2010 MLB Mock Draft 3.0 (* denotes compensation pick):
1. Washington Nationals: Bryce Harper, C, College of Southern Nevada
The only 100%, over-sized lock of the draft, and the first of two straight happy days for Nationals baseball (Stephen Strasburg’s MLB debut is Tuesday).
2. Pittsburgh Pirates: Manny Muchado, SS, Miami Brito HS (Florida)
The Muchado-Taillon debate will probably be settled with a coin toss, because neither player will get past the three spot and both are equally deserving of the hype.
3. Baltimore Orioles: Jameson Taillon, RHP, The Woodlands HS (Texas)
The Orioles will take Taillon if the Pirates opt for Muchado, and the addition of either will be an immediate upgrade for an organization in a painful rebuilding mode.
4. Kansas City Royals: Yasmani Grandal, C, Miami
This is the wild card pick of the 2010 MLB draft. If the Royals take Grandal, as the hot rumor mills are speculating, at least six team’s boards will be affected.
5. Cleveland Indians: Chris Sale, LHP, Florida Gulf Coast University
It’s between two lefties here, and Cleveland is probably leaning towards the south paw without the injury history. Sale is an imposing presence on the mound, and can throw three pitches for consistent strikes.
For more on Sale go here
6. Arizona Diamondbacks: Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Ole Miss
It seemed inconceivable a few months ago that Pomeranz dropped this far, but the D-Backs will be happy to oblige him should the draft sort itself out that way.
7. New York Mets: Zack Cox, 2B/3B, Arkansas
The Mets may go with a pitcher here, but it’s hard to say taking Cox as the BPA would hurt New York’s future. His bat has the potential to make him the second base version of David Wright.
8. Houston Astros: Michael Choice, OF, Texas-Arlington
Choice has some serious power and can book it around the bases, which is a rare combination the Astros won’t be able to pass up. The fact that he’s used to playing in Texas is just an added bonus.
9. San Diego Padres: Kolbrin Vitek, 2B, Ball State
The Padres are in need of some bats with pop, and Vitek will fill the gaps in Petco Park while racing around the bases with above-average speed.
10. Oakland A’s: Dylan Covey, RHP, Maranatha HS (California)
Covey may have the best curveball in the draft, his fastball tops out around 93-94, and he’s still working on a changeup. The similar makeup to Barry Zito could be especially enticing to Moneyball Godfather Billy Beane.
11. Toronto Blue Jays: Christian Colon, SS, Cal State Fullerton
Toronto has a plethora of pitchers developing on the farm, and a shortstop of the future that can bat at the top of their order would be a great addition. He’s a “baseball player” in every sense of the word because he’s solid everywhere.
12. Cincinnati Reds: Deck McGuire, RHP, Georgia Tech
McGuire is the most MLB-ready starter in the draft, but will most likely top out as a No. 3 starter. He could very well reach the Majors at the same time as Aroldis Chapman if the Reds send him down the Mike Leake path.
13. Chicago White Sox: Nick Castellanos, 3B, Archbishop McCarthy HS (Florida)
The White Sox will be looking for a high-impact hitter at this spot (outfielder Josh Sale could also be a possibility here), and Castellanos’ Scott Rolen-like frame won’t disappoint fans on the South Side.
For more on the White Sox go here
14. Milwaukee Brewers: Matt Harvey, RHP, North Carolina
Milwaukee has had success with taking hitters in the first round, but pitching is such a necessity right now that they can’t be looking anywhere but at a high velocity college pitcher. Enter Harvey and his 97 MPH fastball, should he still be on the board.
For more on the Brewers draft go here
15. *Texas Rangers: Brandon Workman, RHP, Texas
Workman can bring it on the mound in the high Texas heat, but comes with some assembly required. The Rangers have a stacked enough farm system that they can afford to take any player they want here.
16. Chicago Cubs: Karsten Whitson, RHP, Chipley HS (Florida)
His off-speed secondary pitches are a work in progress, but Whitson’s delivery and sinking fastball are good enough that the Cubs won’t be able to pass up a chance to greatly bolster their lackluster group of pitching prospects.
For more on the Cubs draft go here
17. Tampa Bay Rays: Justin O’Conner, C/SS/RHP, Cowan HS (Indiana)
With Grandal off the board, O’Conner would be a perfect option for the best minor league system in the MLB. The potential hitting similarities to Man-Ram will keep O’Conner behind the plate or in the field.
18. *Los Angeles Angels: Josh Sale, OF, Bishop-Blanchett HS (Washington)
Sale is a hitter beyond his years in terms of his plate discipline and power, and would be an absolute steal if he drops to the Angels. The scary part is that they have two picks at the end of the first round too.
19. *Houston Astros: Kaleb Cowart, IF-RHP, Cook County HS (Georgia)
Considering the Astros farm system is almost as barren as the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression, a very good pitching/hitting prospect would be a good place to start.
20. *Boston Red Sox: Anthony Ranaudo, RHP, LSU
I’ve been all over the map with Ranaudo in my previous mock-ups, and finally settled on sending him to Boston, where nearly every rumor mill has him going. The Red Sox have the money to pay the Scott Boras client and the patience to work through his arm troubles.
21. Minnesota Twins: Alex Wimmers, RHP, Ohio State
I didn’t move Wimmers from this spot once in the three 2010 mocks I’ve done, but his strong performance in the Big Ten Tournament and nomination for multiple NCAA awards could very well vault him to the top 15.
For more on Wimmers go here
Looks like Jake got this one exactly right, for more on that go here
22. Texas Rangers: Bryce Brentz, OF, Middle Tennessee State
The Rangers are filled to the brim with young pitchers, and Brentz would give Texas another big bat waiting in the wings to continue their power-happy outfield tradition. Getting a hitter of his caliber at pick 21 would be highway robbery.
23. Florida Marlins: Asher Wojciechowski, RHP, The Citadel
Wojciechowski has a closer’s hard fastball, and has a slider in the works as just an average pitch at this point. He could be on the fast track to the Majors fairly quickly as a power reliever if he drops to the Marlins.
24. San Francisco Giants: Austin Wilson, OF, Harvard-Westlake HS (California)
What do Iggy Pop and the Stooges and Austin Wilson have in common? The answer: Raw power (I still love this joke, sorry). His swing is too valuable for a pitching-rich team to pass up.
25. St. Louis Cardinals: Stetson Allie, 3B-RHP, St. Edwards HS (Ohio)
The Joba Chamberlain lookalike has some issues with control, but leave it to the Cardinals to be up for the challenge of grooming electric stuff and/or a quality bat.
26. Colorado Rockies: AJ Cole, RHP, Oviedo HS (Florida)
Cole’s fastball sits in the low 90s, but has reached 96 occasionally over the spring season, and it should gain some speed and movement as Cole beefs himself up a bit against minor league hitters.
27. Philadelphia Phillies: Brett Eibner, RHP/OF, Arkansas
Eibner has expressed a desire to stay in the outfield as a pro, and he would have no troubles fitting into the Phillies organization in either a pitching or hitting role. His power (Eibner had three dingers against Grambling in an NCAA regional game) is enough to guarantee a late first round selection.
28. Los Angeles Dodgers: Jedd Gyorko, SS, West Virginia
Gyorko’s season at West Virginia has helped his draft stock enough that he’s solidified himself as a first round pick. He doesn’t have the range to play shortstop, and will probably move to third, second, or the outfield, but Gyorko has good power along with an overall solid bat.
29. *Los Angeles Angels: James Paxton, LHP, Kentucky
Paxton is a high risk, high reward pick because of the lack of 2010 performances against quality competition in an independent league, but he was good enough last year to go at 37th to the Blue Jays. With back-to-back picks, the Angels have a chance to grab a lefty-righty pitching combo.
30. Los Angeles Angels: Tyrell Jenkins, RHP, Henderson HS (Texas)
Jenkins might be playing quarterback at Baylor in the fall, but his raw talent is good enough that he’ll likely be drafted in the late first/early second round. The challenge will be convincing him to focus his athleticism and talents on pitching.
31. *Tampa Bay Rays: Delino DeShields Jr., OF, Norcross HS (Georgia)
DeShields has no power, but excellent speed and line-drive hitting ability similar to his father of the same name. He’s projected as a quality center fielder with great range, and would fit very well into a prototypical Rays outfielder.
32. New York Yankees: Gary Brown, OF, Cal State Fullerton
Brown can rake and bust it down the line, but he’s got some Carlos Gomez-like issues with walks. The speedster has more power than his 6’0″ 185 pound frame would suggest, and is still learning the outfield.