Okay, a week later than I hoped, but here is the second installment of the Mock. Look for the next installment, with the sandwich round, to appear in three weeks.
1st Overall – The Washington
Nationals
Bryce Harper (C),
College Of Southern Nevada
Previous Mock: Same
Harper is the defacto top prospect here, and
nothing has really changed that would make me want to drop him any lower. Harper is regarded to be the best young prep
hitting prospect since Justin Upton back in 2005. He's been followed by
prospect hounds every since he was around 14.
Harper is not actually supposed to be eligible for this draft, but
instead went to get his GED and enrolled in a junior college on the advice of
his parents and his representative, making him eligible for next year. Anyhow,
Harper is a massive kid that should be a special hitter. He has excellent bat speed, and has plus power
potential. One knock on him is that his
swing has a lot of moving parts, and should be cleaned up to take advantage of
his natural bat speed. Another knock is
his defensive home While he is listed
as a catcher, he has seen time at third base, the outfield corners, and even
shortstop. It’s likely that one of the
corners is going to be his future home, as he is just too massive to remain at
catcher. Overall, scouts feel he could
have a Joe Mauer like impact in the majors, though that may be a bit optimistic
in my opinion. However, it should be
noted that unlike last year’s Number One overall, Harper isn’t a consensus
number one. It’s very possible that if
he struggles or if his price tag gets far too ridiculous, the Nationals could
pass. For now, according to Keith Law’s
most recent chat, the Nationals are operating on the assumption that he’s their
guy.
2nd Overall –
The Pittsburgh Pirates
Jameson
Taillon (RHP), Texas High School
Previous
Mock: Anthony Ranaudo (RHP), LSU
Arguably the best arm in the draft, Taillon has drawn
comparisons to Stephen Strasburg in terms of his stuff. Standing at 6-7, Taillon is blessed with a
power pitchers frame and power stuff.
He throws in the low 90’s, touching 96.
It’s possible he might even gain velocity as he ages. He throws a power curve that is a solid out
pitch. He is working on developing a
changeup as well. However, he’s not
very athletic and his delivery is a bit rough.
Overall, Taillon could go anywhere from first to fourth, and while his
stock hasn’t change, the concerns over Ranaudo are enough to vault him to
second overall. This is probably the
lowest he goes unless his elbow explodes, and even then he’d probably get a
huge contract from a big market club to forgo his Rice commitment.
3rd Overall –
The Baltimore Orioles
Christian
Colon (SS), Cal State Fullerton
Previous
Mock: Same
Possibly
the best college positional players, Colon had an excellent season for the
Titans, hitting .357/.438/.529 with 8 homers in 62 games. Colon doesn’t have standout tools but he’s a
solid hitter with a good eye and plate discipline. He should draw more than his share of walks and he makes solid
contact with the ball. He has below
average power and average speed for the position. Colon is a fundamentally sound fielder with solid instincts and
range. There is still some concern that
he will probably be a second baseman in the end, but he has the toolset to stay
at short. Overall, Colon will probably
go third to the Orioles, who could use a shortstop of the future, or a
potential successor from Brian Roberts at second. Either way, he would join a promising young core for the O’s.
4th Overall –
The Kansas City Royals
A.J. Cole (RHP), Florida High
School
Previous
Mock: Jameson Taillon (RHP), Texas High
School
I had Taillon going here the last draft, but in
this mock, he’s long gone. Had Anthony Ranaudo not suddenly had issues with his
elbow, he’d be here. Because of that,
I’ll slot Cole in here, who is the second best prep arm behind Taillon. Cole
himself has some big time projection on him.
He has a loose arm, and his frame is fairly projectable. He throws a fastball in the low 90’s,
reaching 95. Cole has hit 98 at times
as well. He also throws a biting
curveball that rates as a plus pitch as well.
Cole has not developed his changeup much, but that’s typical among prep
prospects. It shows the potential to
become a average pitch, and a usable weapon against lefties. His mechanics don’t show any problems. All in all, he also has ace potential if
he’s able to maximize his potential.
Kansas City has drafted some solid young arms as of late, though in the
later rounds. Cole would be another
addition to what is a bit of an embarrassment of riches for the Royals (as
opposed to the rest of the organization being an embarrassment.)
5th Overall –
The Cleveland Indians
Drew Pomeranz (LHP), Ole
Miss
Previous
Mock: Same
I didn’t see anything that should penalize
Pomeranz at the moment, as he’s been quite successful this season. Drafted by Texas in the 12th
round of the 2007 draft, Pomeranz was rumored to have signed just before the
deadline. Obviously that didn’t happen,
but whatever the case, Pomeranz’s decision will payoff for him in 2010, after
he went 8-4 with a 3.40 ERA, striking out 124 and walking just 37 over 95 1/3
innings. He’s quite possibly the best
college lefty in the draft, sitting in the low 90’s on his fastball, touching
94. He combines it with a spike
curveball that is very effective, and also has a changeup that looks like a
usable pitch. His delivery does have
some funk to it, but overall he looks like a potential top ten pick at the
least. Like all of these picks, Pomeranz isn’t a lock to go here either. If the Royals choose a little more certainty
with their first round pick, or if the Pirates decide to play it same, Pomeranz
could go higher.
6th Overall –
The Arizona Diamondbacks
Karsten Whitson (RHP),
Florida High School
Previous Mock:
A.J. Cole (RHP), Florida High School
Whitson is a quick riser in this
draft, and has become arguably the second prep pitcher after Taillon. He’s got a excellent frame with plenty of
projection, and while he doesn’t throw as hard as Taillon or Cole, he’s able to
get his fastball up to 94 with plenty of sink.
He throws a good slider, and a average curveball. However, Whitson’s issue is that he doesn’t
command his stuff well, which will only come from experience. Still, he does an excellent job of keeping
the ball in the park, and should be able to develop into a groundball starter
in time. He makes sense here for
Arizona, who have a top ten pick and need high ceiling arms in their
system. He makes sense here, and would
immediately become the Snakes their second best arm after only Jarrod Parker.
7th Overall –
The New York Mets
Anthony
Ranaudo (RHP), LSU
Previous
Mock: Alex Wimmers (RHP), Ohio State
The Mets have one of their highest draft picks
in decades, and would do best not to screw it up. Because of his arm trouble, as well as many of the other clubs
looking to be careful, Ranaudo would be a great get here. While his stock has fallen thanks to his
elbow and choice in representation (Scott Boras), he still has Top 3
talent. Ranaudo has been dominant for
LSU, and had an impressive sophomore year, going 10-3 with a 2.95 ERA, with 147
K’s in 110 innings. However, some
people were down on him because he was gassed in the College World Series. The first thing that catches you about
Ranaudo is that he’s an absolutely massive pitcher, standing at 6-7. He doesn’t have one dominant pitch, but he
has a good three pitch arsenal that all grades above average. His fastball clocks in the low 90’s, and he
has touched 95 in the past. He also
throws a curveball and a changeup that both grade as above average. He has a lot of deception in his delivery,
as well as good command as well.
However, his lack of a plus offering, as well as his representation will
drop him a bit. All in all, the Mets
would be best just paying Ranaudo his money and calling it a day.
8th Overall –
The Houston Astros
Chris
Sale (LHP), Florida Gulf Coast
Previous Mock: Same
Zack
Cox is tempting here, but he also isn’t likely to sign for slot. As a result, the Astros will turn for a bit
more certainty. Sale burst on the scene
after a successful Cap Cod performance in 2009. As a result, he’s going to get some notice as far as a first
round arm is concerned. Sale has a big
frame, allowing him to potentially add to his 89-92 mph fastball. The pitch has good sink to it, thanks to his
low ¾ arm slot. Sale also has a solid
slider that should be an out pitch. He
also has a changeup that has the potential to be a good offering, but he’ll
need to improve it and keep it from elevating up in the strike zone. Sale is able to get results from his
arsenal thanks to his impressive command. The one real knock on him is
that none of his pitches are outstanding. He should be a average back of
the rotation guy in the majors, but one that has a relatively low bust
possibility. If the Mets pass on Ranaudo, he might be an
intriguing option here.
9th Overall –
The San Diego Padres
LeVon Washington
(CF), Florida Junior College
Previous
Pick: Deck McGuire (RHP), Georgia Tech
I’m not sure what San Diego will do, as this is their first
draft. Right now, I’m simply guessing
at potential need and fit. The Padres
lack any sort of centerfielder, and their top centerfield prospect, Donovan
Tate, is years away from making the majors.
In my personal opinion, Washington is a good fit here. He’s a quick centerfield that has the speed
and range to cover ground in center.
His arm strength was sapped due to shoulder surgery, but it should
eventually become average. He won’t be
a major masher, but has enough raw power and the bat speed to hit to all
fields, allowing him to take advantage of Petco’s gaps. This is a fluid guess right now in terms of
a pick, but with the Padres’, it’s a total crapshoot until more info leaks
closer to the draft.
10th Overall
– The Oakland Athletics
Deck
McGuire (RHP), Georgia Tech
Previous Mock:
Karsten
Whitson (RHP), Florida High School
I had McGuire going to the Padres, but he doesn’t
fall far here. McGuire is far from your
typical college pick, but he isn’t a total high bust potential pick
either. McGuire has a fastball that
clocks in the low 90’s, but has heavy sink.
He compliments it with a hard slider that is a plus pitch. McGuire also has a changeup, but while it is
a solid pitch, it’s not anywhere near the slider. Still, McGuire has all the physical tools to be a quality
pitcher, with only some improvement in his command holding him back from being
a solid Number Two/Three in the majors.
11th Overall
– The Toronto Blue Jays
Zack Cox (3B), Arkansas
Previous Mock:
Same
Cox I still see coming here as of
this mock draft. A draft eligible
sophomore, Cox also happens to be one of the top hitters in the college
class. Cox has a quick swing that
allows him to make contact, but he also has plus power that will allow him to
drive the ball out of the park.
However, he is a free swinger and will have to improve his plate
discipline if he’s to hit for an acceptable average and draw walks. He’s an athletic defender with good hands,
range and an arm to play third.
Overall, Cox shows quite a bit of potential, and he’ll likely be a solid
fit for Toronto (Brett Wallace isn’t a third baseman guys.) However, the big issue here is that Cox’s
status as a draft eligible sophomore.
Cox will have a huge amount of leverage, and the Jays could find
themselves paying quite a bit for his services. However, with the Jays looking to acquire high upside talent to
rebuild their squad, he might be worth it.
12th Overall
– The Cincinnati Reds
Manny
Machado (SS), Florida High School
Previous
Mock: Same
This
is another pick that remains unchanged for now. Regarded to be the best prep shortstop candidate in the draft,
Machado is an athletic player should be able to remain at shortstop. He shows a strong arm, solid
instincts, and average range, along with a tall and wiry build that also
projects well for him to remain at shortstop. He shouldn’t lose too much range as he
fills out. However, despite
him shown the potential of being a plus defender, Machado can be sloppy,
missing the routine play in favor of the spectacular one. His bat also inspires a lot of
questions. From the video I’ve seen on him, Machado has a bat
wrap at the beginning of his swing, which tends to lengthen his swing a
bit. However, he also shows
good bat speed, and has shown the ability to hit with Team USA. Overall,
Machado will have teams that will have varying degrees of how they rate
him. I think still think
he’s going to go here.
13th Overall
– The Chicago White Sox
Alex Wimmers (RHP), Ohio
State
Previous Mock:
Justin O’Conner (SS), Indiana High School
It’s a crapshoot when it comes to the White Sox. Aside from counting out any Scott Boras clients, the Sox may be looking for a low bust pitching prospect here, one that could rise quickly enough to allow them to internally replace Mark Buerhle. In this case, the obvious fit is Wimmers. While he doesn’t have a large frame, Wimmers is similar to Mike Leake and has excellent command and control over his stuff. He finished in the top five of the NCAA Division One Schools in strikeouts thanks to it. His fastball is average, about the low 90’s, but his off-speed pitches show promise. His curveball is his best pitch, a true wipeout pitch with good movement. His changeup is also an above average pitch, giving him an effective three pitch mix. All in all, Wimmers should be taken high, and won’t cost much more over slot. He’s got low upside, but he also should be a solid back of the rotation guy.
14th Overall
– The Milwaukee Brewers
Bryce Brentz
(CF/RF), Middle Tennessee State
Previous
Mock: Same
Brentz was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 30th
round of the 2007 draft as a pitcher, but has since become one of the best
outfield prospects in the college ranks.
Brentz’s bat is his best tool, as he will hit for average and should hit
for above average power. He’s got
excellent bat speed and fairly good pitch recognition. However, he is an overly aggressive hitter,
which results in him striking out a lot.
That is a concern in the long term.
Defensively, Brentz profiles well as a right fielder, thanks to his
range and his strong arm. He is going to
get his knocks on his stats because he plays in a smaller conference. There also have been some makeup and work
ethic questions that been reported by Andy Seller at MLBBonusBaby. Still, it’s a light year for college
outfielders, and despite that, he deserves to be ranked as one of the top
college outfield talents available in this draft. With the Brewers seeking more youth in their outfield, and with
their aggressive shopping of Corey Hart, this seems like a solid fit.
15th Overall
– The Texas Rangers (Compensation For Matt Purke)
Brandon Workman (RHP), Texas
Previous
Mock: Same
This is another pick that likely isn’t changing. Workman has been rated as a high ceiling
talent since he drafted by the Phillies in the 3rd round back in
2007. However, Workman instead went to
Texas and has been rolling ever since, until he ran out of gas during the Cape
Cod season. Workman throws his fastball
in the low 90’s, touching 94 with good movement. He throws a spike curveball that is a borderline plus at times. His changeup is
coming along, and should be average.
His mechanics aren’t great, but he repeats if fairly well. One thing that does stand out is that his command
still leaves a lot to be desired, and will ultimately hinder his progress.
Overall, he’ll likely be inexpensive, and if his command improves, he could be
a solid middle of the rotation workhorse.
Because this pick isn’t protected, and with Rangers ownership still in a
state of flux, this is where he’ll likely be popped.
16th Overall – The Chicago Cubs
James Paxton (LHP), Grand Prairie Air Hogs
Previous Mock: LeVon Washington
(CF), Florida Junior College
This is a
total crapshoot, but I think the Cubs will go pitcher here, due to the lack of
close to the majors starters. With
Paxton withdrawing from Kentucky and going to pitch in the American
Association, I think the Cubs might try and give him a shot here. Paxton has potential Number Two starter
stuff. He throws in the mid 90’s,
touching 98, and features a solid curveball and a changeup. He is also represented by Scott Boras. There are some concerns about Paxton that go
beyond the money issue. He has had
several injury issues, which have cropped up among Canadian pitchers (see Rich
Harden and Eric Bedard, who saw their markets plummet this off-season). As a result, he’s probably going to fall to
the back of the first round, unless his stock really rises.
17th
Overall – The Tampa Bay Rays
Austin Wilson (CF), California High School
Previous Mock:
Yasmani Grandal (C),
Miami
I had the Rays taking Yasmani
Grandal, but he’s falling on several boards.
Plus, the Rays are running a little thin in terms of high impact talent
in their minor league systems. Wilson has
a large frame, and projects to hit for significant power. He also has a strong arm in the
outfield. However, Wilson has two big
flaws. First, his range will decrease
enough as he matures that he’ll have to move to right field. Second, Wilson lacks plate discipline, and
will strike out a lot. Overall, though,
the talent is here for him to become a run producing outfielder, similar to
Jermaine Dye. The Rays have had a lot
of success in terms of developing tools players, so he’ll probably get popped
here.
18th Overall - The Los
Angeles Angels (Compensation For Chone Figgins)
Yordy Cabrera (SS), Florida High School
Previous
Mock: Stetson Allie (SS/RHP), Ohio
High School
The
Angels have several picks to continue their rebuilding process of their farm
system. For starters, I would add
Cabrera, who is mentioned with Machado as the top prep shortstop in the 2009
draft class. While he shows
the ability to play the position, many expect him to move to as he
matures. He shows average speed now,
but will lose some as he matures.
Cabrera also shows the ability to hit for above average power in the
future, with the potential for more down the line. My concern is that he doesn’t have great plate discipline, as
he’s a bit of a hacker. So
strikeouts will likely be a problem as he faces more advanced pitching. All in all, Cabrera could be a power
source in right field or in third base, and should take off once he improves
his discipline and taps into his offensive abilities.
19th Overall – The Houston Astros (Compensation For Jose
Valverde)
Kevin Gausman (RHP), Colorado High School
Previous Mock (As Tigers): James Paxton (LHP), Kentucky
Gausman has been working the
showcase circuit his junior year, and has begun to see his name surface as a
potential first rounder. He has a
projectable frame at 6-4, and shows an average fastball. Baseball America had him throwing in low
90’s at the Area Code Games, but there may be more if he continues to fill
out. He does have good movement on his
heater. He also shows the makings of an
above average curveball and changeup.
All in all, he’s an excellent prospect that won’t cost too much in terms
of getting him in camp and signed. The
Astros could also go for someone with more upside should they fall this far,
but I’m not counting on it just yet.
20th Overall – The Boston Red Sox
(Compensation For Billy Wagner)
Stetson
Allie (SS/RHP), Ohio High School
Previous
Mock: Yordy
Cabrera (SS), Florida High School
A two way prospect, Allie is a legitimate prospect as a
shortstop and as a pitcher. As a
positional player, Allie has a strong arm, solid range, and a quick swing. He also is able to hit for some pop. However, as he matures, he’ll likely have to
move over to third base. As for his
potential on the mound, Allie has a quick arm that allows him to throw in the
upper 90’s. He couples it with a slider
that allows him to have a second solid offering. However, Allie also has a delivery that has a lot of effort,
which may result in him having to move to the bullpen in time. The Red Sox have had some success with two
way players in the past, like Casey Kelly, and might be able to extract the
most out of him.
21st
Overall – The Minnesota Twins
Nick
Castellanos (3B), Florida High School
Previous Mock:
Same
Castellanos is another prep prospect gaining some early
traction. Right now, Castellanos is
similar to Brian Bochering, whom the Diamondbacks took in the middle of the
first round last year. Like the latter,
Castellanos is highly regarded for his
ability to hit. He shows the ability to
make solid contact, and displays a patient approach at the plate. He also projects to hit for plus power as he
fills out. However, like Bochering,
there is also a concern that he’ll not be long at third base as he matures, due
to the likelihood that he’ll lose speed and range. Still, he is a fairly safe here.
It’s difficult to tell where the Twins will go, so Castellanos will slot
here for now.
22th Overall – The Texas Rangers
Justin O’Conner (SS), Indiana High School
Previous Mock:
Austin Wilson (CF), California High School
A early personal favorite of mine,
O’Connor is an excellent prep shortstop that should be ranked up high with
Machado and Cabrera as a top prospect.
O’Connor has excellent range and a strong arm to remain at short (he can
also touch 96 as a pitcher). He also
shows a good swing and shows the ability to make contact. O’Conner has also shown the ability to hit
for power, as he hit 19 home runs in his junior year. O’Conner has also decided to make a move to catcher this season,
which enhances his value. All in all,
he’s the best two way player in the class.
Texas will look to add some up the middle talent in this draft, and
O’Conner would add that and more.
23rd Overall – The Florida Marlins
Josh
Sale (COF), Washington High School
Previous
Mock: Dylan Covey (RHP), California High
School
I’m not really all that wild about high
school corner outfielders. Usually, the
guy really has to hit or he’s screwed.
Sale, however, looks like he’ll do the former. Sale has the potential to develop plus power, and has shown the
knack for making contact. That’s great,
because he isn’t overly athletic, nor does he have a strong arm. As he matures, it’s almost a give that he
will have to move over to left field as he matures. Still, he should hit, and could become your classic cleanup
hitter. The Marlins are getting a bit
thin in terms of their positional player prospects, and could use Sale in the
system.
24th Overall – The San Francisco Giants
Josh Rutledge (SS), Alabama
Previous Mock: Kris Bryant (SS/3B), Nevada High School
Rutledge is another college shortstop in this class. He’s a terrific defender, and should remain
there as a pro. He also shows good
speed, and runs the bases well.
However, it’s his offensive potential that causes some concern. Rutledge shows some raw power, and will
likely hit for average as a pro. But he
has a long swing that, when coupled with his mediocre plate discipline, will
limit his total value as a prospect. He
has been adjusting his hitting ability with a contact and power approach in
order to minimize his strikeouts.
Still, if his future team is able to get him to lay off just a bit, he
should be an average regular. Overall,
I think he goes here, giving the Giants a potential regular that could rise
quickly.
25th Overall – The St. Louis Cardinals
Dylan Covey
(RHP), California High School
Previous Mock: Josh
Rutledge (SS), Alabama
Covey is another high school arm that is showing potential
to be a first rounder. He throws a
fastball in the mid 90’s with good movement.
He also has a solid curveball that gives him a second good
offering. Like most prep pitchers, he
lacks a changeup, which he’ll need to remain a starter. Still, he has the potential to be a solid
middle of the rotation guy, with a chance to become a Number Two Starter if
everything works out. He’d add another
quality arm here for St. Louis.
26th Overall – The Colorado Rockies
Kris Bryant (SS/3B), Nevada High School
Previous Mock:
Bryan Morgado (LHP), Tennessee
Bryant has the potential to stay at third base, where he
shows a strong arm and solid range. He
also shows lots of power right now. He
isn’t quite the hitter Castellanos is, but overall he’ll provide more value,
especially if he’s able to remain at third.
All in all, he could become a solid third baseman in the future, kind of
like Matt Dominguez of the Marlins, except with more power and less
contact. He is a solid value here, and
the Rockies tend to jump all over that.
27th Overall – The Philadelphia Phillies
Brett
Eibner (CF/RHP), Arkansas
Previous Mock:
Same
No change really for Eibner, who has done exceptionally well
both as a hitter and as a pitcher.
Eibner is an all or nothing hitter that shows huge power, but also a
huge swing, and is a capable centerfielder.
However, I prefer him as a pitcher.
Eibner throws in the low 90’s, touching 94. He also has a cutter that shows some promise. However, Eibner lacks a changeup, and has
tinkered with a slider, but neither is even close to being a usable pitch. However, he has showed good fastball
command, and it’s possible that with some work, he should be a solid middle of
the rotation starter. The Phillies have
had success with raw athletes, and I still have him going here.
28th
Overall – The Los Angeles Dodgers
Matt Harvey (RHP), North
Carolina
Previous
Mock: Kyle
Blair (RHP), San Diego
A past Boras client that fell because of signability, the Angels
failed to sign him as a third round pick. Right now, the reviews are
mixed as to whether or not the Angels made the right decision (they wound up
fumbling their compensation pick for Harvey the next year, getting
nothing). Harvey has had one very good
freshman year, a sophomore year that saw him banished to the bullpen, and thus
far a fairly good money year. Harvey has several things to like about
him. His fastball clocks in the low 90's, touching 95 at times, and he
throws an excellent curveball with that is a plus pitch. He compliments
it with a changeup that should eventually be average. What turns off some
people is that Harvey's command comes and goes, and went far more in 2009 than
the Tar Heels were comfortable with. His delivery has some effort that
worries some scouts. All in all, while the Mechanics and the command
indicate some trouble down the road, Harvey could, with some work, could
eventually blossom into what his potential was back when he was in high school.
He certainly would provide some nice value here in the back of the first
round.
29th Overall – The Los
Angeles Angels (Compensation For John Lackey)
Yasmani Grandal (C), Miami
Previous
Mock: Josh Sale (COF), Washington High
School
One of the bigger, but not elite, catching
talents from the 2009, Grandal fell after a inconsistent senior season.
He was taken in the later rounds by the Red Sox, but failed to come to
terms with them. Grandal sought a seven figure bonus to skip college.
With solid defense behind the bag, the ability to hit for power and above
average plate discipline, Grandal will get his money and more in the back of
the first round. He would be a good fit
here with the Angels, as Hank Conger might not stick as a catcher, and neither
Jeff Mathis or Mike Napoli is worth a long term commitment.
30th
Overall – The Los Angeles Angels
Rick Hague (SS), Rice
Previous Mock: Same
Hague has been a
steady talent with the Owls for much of his season. He has hit over .300 over both of his
years for the Owls, and has shown a good approach at the plate. He has a simple swing that allows him
to make solid contact, and he shows the ability to draw a walk. His power projects to be merely average,
though he should hit for plenty of doubles. The question is whether or not he’ll
remain at shortstop. He has average range there, but there is a general
consensus that he’ll have to move. He
played third base for Team USA this summer and showed he’d be a solid fit
there, but his bat fits more along the lines of second base. Either way, he should be a solid
pickand would rise quickly for the Angels, who might look to try and save a bit
of cash with this pick.
31st
Overall – The Tampa Bay Rays (Compensation For LeVon Washington)
Justin Grimm,
RHP, Georgia
Previous Mock:
Kevin Gausman (RHP), Colorado High School
Grimm is one of a number of high
potential college starters that are available in this draft. He was a former Red Sox draftee that was
deemed too expensive to sign, but has had a fairly inconsistent career with the
bulldogs. Grimm throws strikes with a
fastball that's usually low- to mid-90s, but that will occasionally touch 95. He couples it with a curve that could be a
solid pitch. He needs work on a
changeup to give him a weapon against lefties, but overall, he’s shown some
sign of manifesting average control this season. Overall, he should be fairly
signable, and the Rays can use that, with this pick not being protected.
32nd Overall – The New York Yankees
A.J. Vanegas (RHP), California High School
Previous Mock:
Same
Still no
change. Vanegas is another quality prep
arm in this draft, though he belongs in the second tier. He throws in the low 90’s, and has a pair of
solid breaking pitches. He throws a
solid curveball, and shows some feel for a slider. Vanegas also has a thick build which draws some comparisons to
Mark Prior. Ironically, Vanegas’
delivery also reminds others of Prior because it places a lot of stress on his
elbow. Vanegas will drop in this draft
because of his commitment to Stanford, which is notoriously difficult to sign
away players from. Still, look for the
Yankees to make him an offer he can’t refuse.
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