Draft: Mock Draft

Mock Draft: Version 1.0
May. 10, 2012
Teams picking at the top of the 2012 draft privately lament their options. There isn't an obvious choice like Stephen Strasburg in 2009 or Bryce Harper in 2010, and there isn't an embarrassment of riches like there was a year ago. The new draft rules could add to the volatility of the first round. Nevertheless, here's our first run at how the first round will go on June 4. [...] Continue Reading »

Final Mock Draft
Jun. 6, 2011
As draft day dawned, one thing was certain: The Pirates will take UCLA righthander Gerrit Cole with the No. 1 overall selection. After that, teams were still scrambling to line up their picks. The consensus is the Mariners will choose Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon with the No. 2 pick. The Diamondbacks had appeared locked in on Virginia lefthander Danny Hultzen at No. 3, and the Orioles had zeroed in on Oklahoma high school righthander Dylan Bundy, though now those teams seem headed in different directions. It no longer looks like the consensus six players in the draft (the aforementioned four plus UCLA righthander Trevor Bauer and Kansas high school outfielder Bubba Starling) will go in the top six. [...] Continue Reading »

June 3 Mock Draft (List Only)
Jun. 3, 2011
Our third first-round projection for the 2011 draft, in list form. We predict the Pirates will selected Virginia lefthander Danny Hultzen first overall, followed by Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon going to the Mariners. [...] Continue Reading »

June 3 Mock Draft: Danny Hultzen Goes No. 1
Jun. 3, 2011
Our third projection of the first round of the 2011 draft, complete with analysis. The Pirates takes Virginia lefthander Danny Hultzen at No. 1, followed by Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon going to the Mariners [...] Continue Reading »

May 27 Mock Draft (List Only): Anthony Rendon Moves Into Top Spot
May. 27, 2011
Our second projection of the 2011 first round puts Anthony Rendon in the top spot to the Pirates, followed by Bubba Starling to the Mariners. [...] Continue Reading »

May 27 Mock Draft: Anthony Rendon Moves Into Top Spot
May. 27, 2011
Executive editor Jim Callis, BA's draft guru, takes his second stab at a first-round mock draft. [...] Continue Reading »

May 13 Mock Draft (List Only): Gerrit Cole To Pirates At No. 1
May. 13, 2011
A listing of our May 13 mock draft. [...] Continue Reading »

May 13 Mock Draft: Gerrit Cole To Pirates At No. 1
May. 13, 2011
For the first time in three years, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft isn't obvious weeks in advance. In 2009, the Nationals immediately locked in on Stephen Strasburg, the best pitching prospect in draft history. Washington had the top choice again last year and targeted Bryce Harper and his jaw-dropping power well before June. But that doesn't keep us from rolling out our first Mock Draft of the draft season. [...] Continue Reading »

Mock Draft: Draft Day
Jun. 7, 2010
It's the morning of the draft, and we don't know for certain anything more than we knew heading into the weekend. JC of Southern Nevada catcher Bryce Harper will go No. 1 overall to the Nationals. The next two best prospects—Texas high school righthander Jameson Taillon and Florida prep shortstop Manny Machado—will be the next two picks, in either order, to the Pirates and Orioles. After the big three, there's little agreement on how to stack up the remaining talent. [...] Continue Reading »

Mock Draft: June 4
Jun. 4, 2010
Jim Callis' June 4th look at how the first round will fall. [...] Continue Reading »

Mock Draft: May 28
May. 28, 2010
In terms of the big picture, not much has changed since our first mock draft Premium ran two weeks ago. CC of Southern Nevada catcher Bryce Harper is still considered a lock to go No. 1 overall to the Nationals, and righthander Jameson Taillon and shortstop Manny Machado remain the cream of the high school crop. After that, uncertainty reigns. [...] Continue Reading »

Mock Draft: May 14
May. 14, 2010
The Nationals hold the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year. And while there is not as much certainty as there was in 2009, when Washington was locked in on Stephen Strasburg, other teams fully expect the Nationals to make JC of Southern Nevada catcher Bryce Harper the first junior college player ever taken with the first choice. [...] Continue Reading »

Mock Draft 4.0
Jun. 9, 2009
When team officials head to bed the night before the draft, they usually have a pretty good idea of who they're going to take in the first round. They may not know exactly who's going to fall to them, but they at least have a feel for how different scenarios may play out. Not this year. The draft moves to prime time tonight, with the first pick expected to be announced on MLB Network at about 6:15 p.m. Clubs can spend most of the day working on their choices, and they're going to need the extra time.
[...] Continue Reading »

Mock Draft, Version 3.0
Jun. 5, 2009
Four days before the draft, we still project Stephen Strasburg and Dustin Ackley to go with the top two picks. [...] Continue Reading »

Mock Draft, Version 2.0
May. 29, 2009
Stephen Strasburg (Nationals) and Dustin Ackley (Mariners) hold the top two spots on our second projection for the first round of the draft. [...] Continue Reading »

Mock Draft, Version 1.0
May. 14, 2009
BA's Jim Callis dives in with BA's first mock draft of the 2009 draft stretch run. [...] Continue Reading »

BA's 2008 Final Mock First Round
Jun. 5, 2008
Jim Callis pulls an all-nighter to give you the freshest, latest mock first round before Thursday's 2008 draft. [...] Continue Reading »

Taking A Stab At The First Round
May. 16, 2008
Jim Callis projects that the Rays will take Tim Beckham No. 1 overall in his first attempt at a mock first round for the 2008 draft. [...] Continue Reading »

Mock Draft
Jun. 6, 2007
The Devil Rays will make Vanderbilt lefthander David Price the No. 1 overall selection in the 2007 draft, which begins today at 2 p.m. Eastern. That's no surprise, as other clubs have said for weeks that they would have been surprised if Tampa Bay had gone in a different direction. As scouting directors headed to bed for a few hours of sleep Thursday morning, here's how the first round projected to shake out. [...] Continue Reading »

Projecting The First Round
May. 18, 2007
Our first crack at forecasting the first round will go through several revisions between now and the June 7-8 draft. There's little agreement as to how to line up the players after Vanderbilt lefthander David Price, and once signability gets factored in—agent Scott Boras represents seven potential first-rounders—the picture becomes even cloudier. [...] Continue Reading »

Tuesday Morning Mock Draft
Jun. 6, 2006
For the first time since 1999, when the Devil Rays deliberated between Josh Hamilton and Josh Beckett, scouting directors will wake up on draft day without knowing for sure who will go No. 1. The Royals own that pick, and if they've finalized their decision, they've kept it closely guarded. The uncertainty surrounding Kansas City's choice filters down through the top of the first round, and several clubs may not settle their picks until Tuesday morning, hours before the draft's 1 p.m. ET start. But at the end of Monday evening, here's our projection of where things stand. [...] Continue Reading »

Monday Morning Mock Draft
Jun. 5, 2006
When Royals officials went to bed Sunday night, they still didn't know whose name they'd call with the No. 1 pick in the draft Tuesday at noon ET. Insisting money wouldn't be the determining factor, they still were debating the merits of North Carolina lefthander Andrew Miller, Fort Worth Cats righthander Luke Hochevar and Houston righty Brad Lincoln. Here's how the first 15 picks of the draft would unfold if it started Monday morning—but a lot could change in the next 24 hours. [...] Continue Reading »

Projecting The First Round: May 19
May. 19, 2006
Jim Callis takes a first attempt at predicting the first round of the 2006 draft. [...] Continue Reading »

Draft 2006: Projected First Round
Feb. 2, 2006
Previewing the class of 2006. [...] Continue Reading »

2005 Final Draft Projection
Jun. 7, 2005
Final projection of how the 2005 first round of the draft will shake out. [...] Continue Reading »