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The people have spoken. If it's mock drafts you want... well, that's what you're going to get.
1. Houston - Carlos Rodon, LHP, NC State - The Astros have employed two very different strategies the last two years: They drafted Carlos Correa who wasn't perceived to be the top prospect to save money to draft guys who dropped later. Last year they took the #1 talent in Mark Appel. If they choose to go with the talent - which they should because the drop off to get savings is significant - Rodon is the answer.
Every weekday for the next three weeks, Twins Daily will be previewing the June draft.
2. Miami - Brady Aiken, LHP, California prep - Aiken is a fine consolation prize for a team which had hoped to draft Rodon. Aiken is the safer of the two high school picks and could ascend through the minors much like Dylan Bundy did recently.
3. Chicago White Sox - Tyler Kolek, RHP, Texas prep - This pick was a slam-dunk before Jeff Hoffman got hurt. Now the White Sox are left to choose between Kolek and Alex Jackson. For now, it's Kolek.
4. Chicago Cubs - Jeff Hoffman, RHP, East Carolina - Stay with me here. The Cubs desperately want a pitcher. But why a pitcher that's out for a year? Hoffman still might be the guy that provides front-of-the-rotation ability the soonest (and by that I mean 2017). Tyler Beede might enter the discussion, based on the history he has with their minor league pitching coordinator.
5. Minnesota - Alex Jackson, C/OF, California prep - The Twins stay true to their board and take Jackson. For the record, I currently have their board as 1) Rodon 2) Aiken 3) Jackson 4) Kolek 5) Gordon. Jackson will likely tie up the entire slot ($3.851m). I would also anticipate the Twins having Jackson continue to catch a few times a week while also playing RF in Cedar Rapids next year.
6. Seattle - Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU - Nola's not going to be a front-end guy, but he'll move quickly. So give him a year or so and he'll make a nice #3 behind King Felix and Taijuan Walker.
7. Philadelphia - Nick Gordon, SS, Florida prep - While it seems silly to take a prep shortstop in consecutive drafts (especially after hitting on J.P. Crawford last year), Gordon is the exact type of player (see: crazy athletic) that the Phillies love.
8. Colorado - Kyle Freeland, LHP, Evansville - Freeland could be in play at #7 - the Phillies did draft him out of high school. Freeland grew up in Denver, so no doubt there is some familiarity both ways.
9. Toronto - Trea Turner, SS, NC State - Turner seems like a relatively safe pick here for a team that comes back on the board at #11.
10. New York Mets - Sean Newcomb, LHP, Hartford - Newcomb has solidified his spot in the Top 15 and the Mets are in need of a pitcher. But, they also need hitting and that could lead them to Michael Conforto or Bradley Zimmer.
11. Toronto - Touki Toussaint, RHP, Florida prep - Touki might not be the easiest guy to sign, but when you flash $3m at him. I bet he takes it.
12. Milwaukee - Grant Holmes, RHP, South Carolina prep - The Crew could go many directions, but Holmes is the choice over Beede and Finnegan.
13. San Diego - Michael Conforto, OF, Oregon State - The Padres would likely prefer a player with a higher-ceiling, but getting a guy who has been rumored as high as #6 is not a bad second choice.
14. San Francisco - Tyler Beede, RHP, Vanderbilt - It would be such a Giants thing to do to get a polarizing figure like Beede and turn him into Cy Young.
15. LA Angels - Max Pentecost, C, Kennesaw State - This might turn out to be the steal of the draft.
16. Arizona - Brandon Finnegan, LHP, TCU - How far does the short lefty drop? For today, it's to Arizona.
17. Kansas City - Bradley Zimmer, OF, San Francisco - Zimmer could go higher (or lower) but going to KC would be cute for the Zimmer parents.
18. Washington - Erick Fedde, RHP, UNLV - The Nats go ahead and snap up an injured pitcher because they have stock in cadaver ligament companies or because they are good at rehabbing pitchers back to health.
19. Cincinnati - Sean Reid-Foley, RHP, Florida prep
20. Tampa Bay - Kyle Schwarber, C, Indiana
21. Cleveland - Nick Burdi, RHP, Louisville
22. LA Dodgers - Derek Hill, OF, California prep
23. Detroit - Michael Chavis, 3B, Georgia prep
24. Pittsburgh - AJ Reed, 1B, Kentucky
25. Oakland - Monte Harrison, OF, Missouri prep
26. Boston - Derek Fisher, OF, Virginia
27. St. Louis - Kodi Medeiros, LHP, Hawaii prep
Next Thursday, I will project the Top 34 picks. And the morning of the draft, I will go through the top 46.
If you'd like a taste of other mock drafts, check out Baseball America, Scout.com, MLB.com and ESPN. If you do compare my final mocks to those that are more prominent, please come up with a scoring system so you can tell me how I rank when it's all said and done.
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