2018 MLB Mock Draft: Final Edition Before The Big Night
The 2018 MLB Draft is almost upon us, so with a few hours left before the big event, here’s our most recent mock draft. We may update this throughout the day with notes if there are changes or rumors that pop up, so check back.
Here’s our final 2018 MLB Mock Draft:
1. Detroit Tigers: Casey Mize, RHP, Auburn
This pick stays the same, as the Tigers get a potential ace here Casey Mize has the stuff to dominate at the next level. He sports a mid-90s fastball with a devastating splitter and a rapidly improving mid-80s slider.
Georgia Tech catcher Joey Bart is also a possibility, as is Florida righty Brady Singer.
2. San Francisco Giants: Joey Bart, C, Georgia Tech
This pick also remains the same and fits perfectly as the San Francisco Giants select Buster Posey’s eventual successor. Bart has a power bat though his hit tool lags behind a bit right now. He’s also an excellent receiver with a good arm, who will stay behind the plate.
There is buzz that California prep righty Cole Winn could go here, but I’m sticking with Bart.
3. Philadelphia Phillies: Alec Bohm, 3B, Wichita State
Alec Bohm has been connected to the Phillies for weeks, but word around the industry is this pick isn’t the lock it once was. Don’t be surprised if Oregon State second baseman Nick Madrigal, or Singer come off the board here.
4. Chicago White Sox: Nick Madrigal, 2B, Oregon State
If Madrigal is on the board, I think the White Sox take him here, though Singer is a definite possibility. If Madrigal is gone things could get interesting.
Singer, Bart, South Alabama center fielder Travis Swaggerty and Wisconsin prep outfielder Jarred Kelenic are all in the mix here.
5. Cincinnati Reds: Brady Singer, RHP, Florida
The Reds really love Singer, so they’ll get lucky if he falls this far. He entered the year as the consensus top player in the draft but faltered a bit early on. His stock is back up and he could be off the board before this spot. He’s not getting past the Reds.
If Bart somehow drops out of the top four, he could be the pick, as could Madrigal or Florida third baseman Jonathan India.
6. New York Mets: Jarred Kelenic, OF, Waukesha HS (WI)
The Mets have been tied to college players all spring but appear to have shifted their focus. A potential five-tooler, Kelenic’s stock has dropped a bit because scouts haven’t gotten to see him much this spring (coming from a cold-weather state always works against position players). He’s got a great lefty stroke and profiles well in center or a corner. It would be a big shift for the organization, but Kelenic might be worth it.
Florida third baseman Jonathan India will be in the mix, as will Swaggerty and prep lefty Matthew Liberatore, or Alec Bohm if he drops.
7. San Diego Padres: Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Mountain Ridge HS (AZ)
The Padres are expected to select the top prep arm available and in this scenario they have their pick of all of them. Liberatore is the consensus top high school pitcher and his stock has some helium. His fastball sits in the low- to mid- 90s but can jump to 97 and his curveball and changeup are both plus offerings already. He has the potential for three outstanding offerings and he is far ahead of his peers on the mental side of the game.
Carter Stewart, Ryan Weathers and Winn are all possibilities here as well. It will all depend on preference for Padres GM A.J. Preller, who is notoriously tough to read.
8. Atlanta Braves: Nolan Gorman, 3B, O’Connor HS (AZ)
Three mocks, three times I’ve put Nolan Gorman in this spot. It feels like the safest projection outside of Mize going No. 1. The Braves have been connected to high school bats all spring and Gorman has light-tower power from a sweet lefty swing.
Late buzz has the Braves potentially selecting Carter Stewart here and I could definitely see that happening.
9. Oakland Athletics: Jonathan India, 3B, Florida
The A’s are kind of all over the place, but the latest reports have them looking at college position players. India falling this far would be a coup. A solid player across the board, this year the righty is slashing .364/.504/.733 with 18 home runs, 45 RBIs and 49 walks against 48 strikeouts.
The A’s are tough to read but this feels like the right pick.
10. Pittsburgh Pirates: Carter Stewart, RHP, Eau Gallie HS (FL)
The Pirates continue to focus on prep arms and Stewart is the best available here. He can hit 98 with his fastball from a big 6’6″ frame and his curveball has the highest spin rates ever recorded.
The Pirates are also in on Weathers, Winn, Kelenic and are looking hard at fast-rising Texas prep righty Grayson Rodriguez.
11. Baltimore Orioles: Cole Winn, RHP, Orange Lutheran HS (CA)
Winn is the toughest player to pin down in the top 15 because he could truly go anywhere. The Orioles love the prep arms in this draft and are in on all of them.
Winn, a 6’2″ righty with a great fastball, a power slider and a developing changeup could wind up being a steal.
12. Toronto Blue Jays: Jordyn Adams, OF, Green Hope HS (NC)
The Blue Jays are looking closely at the prep bats this year, and they would get arguably the most athletic player in the draft in Jordyn Adams.
With a football commitment to North Carolina, Adams could be a tough sign, but his future may be on the diamond. He has good power and makes more than enough contact. He’s likely a pure center fielder and has tremendous upside.
13. Miami Marlins: Connor Scott, OF, Plant HS (FL)
The Marlins stay in-state here, grabbing a prep outfielder from a Florida baseball factory. Connor Scott has fantastic speed, a big arm and is a solid fielder. His hit tool out-paces his power right now, but with a 6’4″ frame and at just 180 pounds the lefty could develop more power as he fills out. He’s likely a center fielder long term and if the power develops he’s got big upside.
14. Seattle Mariners: Travis Swaggerty, OF, South Alabama
The Mariners are looking at college players and while a pitcher would seem to be a fit, Swaggerty’s plummet is too good to pass up. He has good tools across the board and should stick in center. That’s tremendous value at this spot if he continues to develop.
15. Texas Rangers: Ryan Weathers, LHP, Loretto HS (TN)
Weathers is the son of former big leaguer David Weathers and already has an athletic, developed body at 6’2″ and 210 pounds. He’s got a great three-pitch mix, with a fastball that sits 90-93 mph and touches 95, an advanced curveball in the upper-70s and a solid changeup.
The Rangers like the prep arms and will likely take the best available.
16. Tampa Bay Rays: Triston Casas, 3B/1B, American Heritage School (FL)
The Rays have a huge bonus pool and can take some risk on high-upside talents. Triston Casas is big (6’4″ and 240 pounds) and has some of the best power in the draft. He has a sweet lefty swing and while he’s not unathletic, he’ll likely be ticketed for first base long-term.
The Rays could go in a number of different directions here, but this feels like a great fit.
17. Los Angeles Angels: Jackson Kowar, RHP, Florida
The Angels are looking at college and prep arms and will likely select whoever they deem to be the best available.
Jackson Kowar is the No. 2 pitcher on his college staff, but he has plenty of upside himself. At 6’5″ and 180 pounds, there’s a ton of projection left in his frame. His fastball easily sits in the mid-90s and he’s already got an excellent changeup. If his curve develops he could develop into a frontline starter.
18. Kansas City Royals: Jordan Groshans, 3B, Magnolia HS (TX)
The Royals have been linked to Jordan Groshans for weeks and this feels like the perfect spot to take him.
A tall (6’4″), lean righty, Groshans is solid all around, with a great bat, solid speed and excellent hands paired with a great arm on the infield. He’s destined for third base or a corner outfield spot, but the bat should play up enough to justify his selection.
19. St. Louis Cardinals: Logan Gilbert, RHP, Stetson
The Cardinals are in on a lot of arms, and would likely prefer a college guy. They get a good one here in Logan Gilbert.
At 6’5″ and 195 pounds, Gilbert has great size for a starter. He can sit mid-90s with his fastball and has a developing slider. His changeup is currently his out-pitch though. Gilbert could be a sleeper.
20. Minnesota Twins: Shane McClanahan, LHP, South Florida
Shane McClanahan looked like a top 10 pick for months, but he struggled in a few outings, which has him dropping. Still, he’s a college lefty who can reach 100 mph consistently and already has a decent changeup, which means he’ll come off the board sooner than later.
The Twins are looking at prep position players and college arms, and McClanahan provides a ton of upside here if they can harness his control.
21. Milwaukee Brewers: Trevor Larnach, OF, Oregon State
The Brewers are all over the map on who they’re targeting, which means they could go with the best available player. Trevor Larnach is the kind of all-around player you can grab in the 20s and be thrilled with.
Larnach is a lefty with a great approach at the plate. He makes good, hard contact consistently, plus has a solid arm and is a decent corner outfielder. He was showed well against top competition in the Cape Cod League last summer.
22. Colorado Rockies: Grayson Rodriguez, RHP, Central Heights HS (TX)
The Rockies are all over the prep players in this draft and they get one of the draft’s highest risers in Rodriguez.
Rodriguez is a huge kid (6’5″ and 230 pounds) with a big fastball that consistently hits 98 mph. His curveball and slider are decent but he hasn’t shown much of a changeup. Still, the upside here is tremendous.
23. New York Yankees: Brice Turang, SS, Santiago HS (CA)
Brice Turang was a potential No. 1 overall pick last summer, but hasn’t shown a standout tool to vault him to the top of the class. The Yankees are looking at prep players, and taking Turang at 23 is well worth the risk.
An LSU commit, Turang should stick at short long-term and has an advanced approach at the plate from the left side, but the results have not lived up to his talent so far.
24. Chicago Cubs: Nick Schnell, OF, Roncalli HS (IN)
The Cubs are in on the top college bats hoping one falls here, but they also like this crop of prep bats as well. Nick Schnell is one of the top high school players in the nation and is sort of local for the Cubs. They know him well.
A lefty with an pretty swing, Schnell can run, hit, field and has some power. He’s a well-rounded prospect with some serious upside if all of his tools progress.
25. Arizona Diamondbacks: Steele Walker, OF, Oklahoma
College bats seem to be the focus for the Diamondbacks, and they get one of the great names in the draft at No. 25.
Steele Walker has outstanding bat control from the left side, has a short, quick stroke and can hit to all fields. He’s got some pop with his line drive heavy swing and decent speed, but he’s likely destined for left field in the pros.
26. Boston Red Sox: Ryan Rolison, LHP, Mississippi
The Red Sox get a guy whose stock is rapidly rising here. Rolison had a great start in the SEC Tournament and teams are rapidly buying back in on him.
He’s known mostly for his power curveball, but Rolison can also hit 95 with his fastball. He also has a decent slider and a solid changeup already. A polished lefty with a four-pitch mix rarely lasts long on draft night.
27. Washington Nationals: Ethan Hankins, RHP, Forsyth Central HS (GA)
Prep arms appear to be the order of the day for the Nationals and they could get an absolute steal in Ethan Hankins. He was considered the top prep arm by many heading into this spring, but a shoulder ailment hurt his stock big-time.
Hankins is 6’6″ and 200 pounds, and he has a legit fastball that hits the high-90s regularly with movement. His secondary offerings are still a work in progress, but the changeup looks like it will develop, though he needs a breaking pitch to improve. Still, he has the pure stuff of a frontline starter if he’s healthy and develops properly.
28. Houston Astros: Parker Meadows, OF, Grayson HS (GA)
The Astros have been linked to prep bats all spring and Parker Meadows fits what they’re looking for.
The younger brother of Pirates rookie Austin Meadows, Parker has the same arm and speed as his sibling, but not the power profile. Still, at 6’4″ he has the frame to develop power in time, as long as his hit tool improves. There’s a lot of raw talent here that’s enticing.
29. Cleveland Indians: Noah Naylor, C, St. Joan of Arc Catholic SS (Ontario)
Noah Naylor’s older brother Josh is currently destroying pitching in the Texas League, and his younger brother may actually be a better hitter. The Indians are in on prep bats and Naylor wouldn’t be a bad option.
The Ontario native has a great approach at the plate from the left side and has big time power. He has a solid arm but may not be agile enough to catch. This is a pure play for the bat, as Naylor may not stick behind the plate, but a corner infield spot could be a solid fit.
30. Los Angeles Dodgers: Jameson Hannah, OF, Dallas Baptist
The Dodgers are looking at outfielders and prep arms, and at this spot Jameson Hannah is a great pickup.
A smallish lefty with big-time speed, Hannah can rip the ball to all fields. Despite being at a small school, he was great in the Cape Cod League, showing an excellent approach and patience. Some power should develop and he’ll likely stick in center long term, despite an average arm.