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2017 MLB Mock Draft 3.5

As many college seasons wind down, teams are having (or have had) their meetings. Draft boards are being shaped and finalized. The same is true at BA, as the BA500 keeps taking shape. We’re still reporting, still adding to our list, and found time to squeeze in an amended Mock Draft before Memorial Day.


1. Twins Minnesota appeared to be leaning toward Brendan McKay as a hitter rather than on the mound. Some evaluators agree he has more looseness at the plate than he does on the mound, and may have more upside as a hitter. The best combination of upside and modest risk is Vanderbilt righthander Kyle Wright, who got the week off at the SEC Tournament after the Commodores lost a play-in game.

Pick: Kyle Wright, rhp, Vanderbilt | bba_video_icon_red


2. Reds The Reds have been consistent. They’ll either pick Greene or McKay, though they may be leaning more toward McKay at the plate of late.

Pick: Brendan McKay, 1b/lhp, Louisville |  bba_video_icon_red


3. Padres This could be a fine scenario for both sides, though the Padres also could cut a deal here with a player such as New Mexico prep lefty Trevor Rogers if it allows them more flexibility for deals in later rounds.

Pick: Hunter Greene, rhp, Notre Dame High, Sherman Oaks, Calif. | bba_video_icon_red


4. Rays In best player available mode, Tampa Bay could wind up with the draft’s best position player.

Pick: Royce Lewis, ss/of, JSerra Catholic HS, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. | bba_video_icon_red


5. Braves The Braves would go prep arm in this scenario. If Gore, Greene, Wright and Lewis are gone, it’s unclear if they would take McKay, which could lead them to more of an off-the-board pick such as Texas prep righty Shane Baz.

Pick: MacKenzie Gore, lhp, Whiteville (N.C.) High | bba_video_icon_red


6. Athletics Oakland isn’t shy about short pitchers, and 6-foot righty J.B. Bukauskas has the draft’s best breaking ball, an 87-88 mph slider.

Pick: J.B. Bukauskas, rhp, North Carolina | bba_video_icon_red


7. Diamondbacks Virginia’s Pavin Smith had more home runs (12) than strikeouts (8) entering ACC tournament play.

Pick: Pavin Smith, 1b, Virginia |  bba_video_icon_red


8. Phillies The Phillies were bearing down on the college talent, particularly early in the class.

Pick: Alex Faedo, rhp, Florida | bba_video_icon_red


9. Brewers Milwaukee has opened drafts with athletic outfielders (Trent Clark, Corey Ray) twice in a row. This year, no one is toolsier than Jordon Adell, whose 24-homer season makes him too difficult to slide through to the comp round.

Pick: Jordon Adell, of, Ballard HS, Louisville | bba_video_icon_red


10. Angels With Mike Trout’s clock ticking, the Angels don’t have time to wait on toolsy preps.

Pick: Adam Haseley, of, Virginia | bba_video_icon_red


11. White Sox Vanderbilt outfielder Jeren Kendall has struggled with strikeouts all spring (65 in 230 at-bats), but his other tools earn easy plus grades.

Pick: Jeren Kendall, of, Vanderbilt | bba_video_icon_red


12. Pirates Pittsburgh’s focus on hitters could lead them to one of the draft’s risers, Kentucky’s slashing first baseman Evan White. He’s the rare bats-right, throws-left profile.

Pick: Evan White, 1b, Kentucky | bba_video_icon_red


13. Marlins Miami Marlins The Marlins have had more success when they’ve drafted pitchers in the first round of late.

Pick: Shane Baz, rhp, Concordia Lutheran HS, Tomball, Texas | bba_video_icon_red


14. Royals Trevor Rogers, the New Mexico prep lefty, has one of the higher ceilings left on the board.

Pick: Trevor Rogers, lhp, Calsbad (N.M.) HS | bba_video_icon_red


15. Astros If UC Irvine’s Keston Hiura makes it this far, Houston will pounce.

Pick: Keston Hiura, 2b/of, UC Irvine | bba_video_icon_red


16. Yankees New York may find an answer to its need for a homegrown lefthanded starting pitcher.

Pick: David Peterson, lhp, Oregon | bba_video_icon_red


17. Mariners Other clubs have linked Seattle to college bats.

Pick: Jake Burger, 3b, Missouri State | bba_video_icon_red


18. Tigers Detroit has eyes on arms and won’t shy from preps.

Pick: D.L. Hall, lhp, Valdosta (Ga.) HS | bba_video_icon_red


19. Giants The safest bet is giving the Giants a college bat.

Pick: Logan Warmoth, ss, North Carolina | bba_video_icon_red


20. Mets Nick Pratto has lost some steam with an average spring. His long track record of success keeps him in the first round.

Pick: Nick Pratto, 1b/of, Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS | bba_video_icon_red


21. Orioles Baltimore Orioles In need of a fast-moving college performer, Baltimore would get just that in UCLA’s latest ace.

Pick: Griffin Canning, rhp, UCLA | bba_video_icon_red


22. Blue Jays Missouri ace Tanner Houck struggled a bit in the SEC tournament.

Pick: Tanner Houck, rhp, Missouri | bba_video_icon_red


23. Dodgers Evan White and prep outfielder Bubba Thompson, out of Alabama, are chief Dodgers targets.

Pick: Bubba Thompson, of, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS, Mobile, Ala. | bba_video_icon_red


24. Red Sox Troubled lefty Seth Romero, kicked off the Houston roster, could move quickly in a relief role.

Pick: Seth Romero, lhp, no team | bba_video_icon_red


25. Nationals Washington never shies away from injured players.

Pick: Clarke Schmidt, rhp, South Carolina | bba_video_icon_red


26. Rangers North Carolina prep outfielder Austin Beck was losing draft helium as June approached, less because of his performance and more due to the glut of prep outfielders and his shorter track record.

Pick: Austin Beck, of, North Davidson High, Lexington, N.C. | bba_video_icon_red


27. Cubs

While they crave pitching, the Cubs love little (listed 5-foot-8) Nick Allen.

Pick: Nick Allen, ss, Parker School, San Diego | bba_video_icon_red


28. Blue Jays Toronto won’t be able to avoid LSU strikeout artist Alex Lange here.

Pick: Alex Lange, rhp, Louisiana State | bba_video_icon_red


29. Rangers Texas isn’t shy about prep talent even with both of its first-rounders.

Pick: Matt Sauer, rhp, Righetti HS, Santa Maria, Calif. | bba_video_icon_red


30. Cubs

This is where a high-ceiling prep talent can get paid with Chicago’s deep pool.

Pick: Sam Carlson, rhp, Burnsville (Minn.) HS | bba_video_icon_red


Supplemental First Round

31. Rays High-risk, high-reward outfielders satisfy this franchise’s sweet tooth.

Pick: Quentin Holmes, of, McClancy Memorial HS, East Elmhurst, N.Y. | bba_video_icon_red


32. Reds Cincinnati has plenty of toolsy outfielders to choose from in the supplemental round.

Pick: Tristan Lutz, of, Martin HS, Arlington, Texas | bba_video_icon_red


33. Athletics We’re sticking with last week’s pick here, a college bat with wood-bat track record.

Pick: Brian Miller, of, North Carolina | bba_video_icon_red


34. Brewers Analytically inclined teams value youth in the draft, and the 17-year-old Mark Vientos is the youngest player in BA’s Top 200.

Pick: Mark Vientos, ss/3b, American Heritage HS, Plantation, Fla. | bba_video_icon_red


35. Twins Puerto Rican outfielder Heliot Ramos is the second-youngest player.

Pick: Heliot Ramos, of, Leadership Christian Academy, Guaynabo, P.R. | bba_video_icon_red


36. Marlins Miami MarlinsAll the toolsy preps aren’t outfielders, and South Florida’s Jeter Downs has been moving up boards with a strong spring, showing more power.

Pick: Jeter Downs, ss, Pace HS, Miami | bba_video_icon_red

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