2022 Baseball America Staff Draft Version 3.0 — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

Image credit: Termarr Johnson (Photo by Mike Janes/Four Seam)

The 2022 MLB Draft is just days away and with that we are giving BA staffers one last shot to put on their GM hats and make picks as if they were running the show on draft day.

This is Version 3.0 of the staff draft (you can also check out Version 1.0 and Version 2.0) and the one that history will judge us on. Keep in mind that this is not a mock draft. We are not attempting to predict what will actually happen on Sunday—rather picking players we personally like and would choose if we were (foolishly) placed in charge of a draft.

If a mock draft is what you’re looking for, you can find our most recent version here, with updates coming throughout the weekend.

For this staff draft BA writers include: Ben Badler, Carlos Collazo, JJ Cooper and Tom Lipari. Below you can find all of our picks through the first two rounds, as well as pick-by-pick rationale, four “sleeper” selections among players ranked outside the top 100 of the BA 500 and first round draft history nuggets provided by Pramana’s SHIFT tool.

Baseball America is partnering with Pramana to use the company’s SHIFT tool. SHIFT helps companies find instant answers to a wide variety of questions by using natural language search and free text to turn data into content and insights. We used the SHIFT tool to find a variety of insights and nuggets about each of the potential first-round picks for our staff draft.

Related:

Pick	Team	Writer	Player	Position	School	BA Rank
1	Orioles	Ben	Termarr Johnson	SS	Mays HS, Atlanta	4
2	D-Backs	Carlos	Druw Jones	OF	Wesleyan HS, Norcross, Ga.	1
3	Rangers	JJ	Cam Collier	3B	Chipola (Fla.) JC	7
4	Pirates	Tom	Elijah Green	OF	IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.	5
5	Nationals	Ben	Brooks Lee	SS	Cal Poly	2
6	Marlins	Carlos	Kevin Parada	C	Georgia Tech	6
7	Cubs	JJ	Jackson Holliday	SS	Stillwater (Okla.) HS	3
8	Twins	Tom	Jace Jung	INF	Texas Tech	9
9	Royals	Ben	Cole Young	SS	North Allegheny HS, Wexford, Pa.	14
10	Rockies	Carlos	Dylan Lesko	RHP	Buford (Ga.) HS	13
11	Mets	JJ	Jacob Berry	1B	Louisiana State	8
12	Tigers	Tom	Gabriel Hughes	RHP	Gonzaga	22
13	Angels	Ben	Justin Crawford	OF	Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas	18
14	Mets	Carlos	Jett Williams	SS/OF	Rockwall-Heath HS, Rockwall, Texas	15
15	Padres	JJ	Zach Neto	SS	Campbell	16
16	Guardians	Tom	Kumar Rocker	RHP	Tri-City (Frontier)	20
17	Phillies	Ben	Chase DeLauter	OF	James Madison	19
18	Reds	Carlos	Gavin Cross	OF	Virginia Tech	10
19	A’s	JJ	Daniel Susac	C	Arizona	11
20	Braves	Tom	Drew Gilbert	OF	Tennessee	24
21	Mariners	Ben	Noah Schultz	LHP	Oswego (Ill.) East HS	51
22	Cardinals	Carlos	Brock Porter	RHP	St. Mary Prep, Orchard Lake, Mich.	12
23	Blue Jays	JJ	Peyton Graham	3B/SS	Oklahoma	31
24	Red Sox	Tom	Justin Campbell	RHP	Oklahoma State	27
25	Yankees	Ben	Brandon Barriera	LHP	American Heritage HS, Plantation, Fla.	17
26	White Sox	Carlos	Cade Horton	RHP	Oklahoma	23
27	Brewers	JJ	Cooper Hjerpe	LHP	Oregon State	32
28	Astros	Tom	Owen Murphy	RHP	Riverside-Brookfield HS, Riverside, Ill.	45
29	Rays	Ben	Robby Snelling	LHP	McQueen HS, Reno, Nev.	21
30	Giants	Carlos	Carson Whisenhunt	LHP	East Carolina	28
31	Rockies	JJ	Landon Sims	RHP	Mississippi State	34
32	Reds	Tom	Blade Tidwell	RHP	Tennessee	29
33	Orioles	Ben	Jacob Miller	RHP	Liberty Union HS, Baltimore, Ohio	39
34	D-Backs	Carlos	Sterlin Thompson	OF	Florida	35
35	Braves	JJ	Connor Prielipp	LHP	Alabama	37
36	Pirates	Tom	Reggie Crawford	LHP	Connecticut	59
37	Guardians	Ben	Walter Ford	RHP	Pace (Fla.) HS	58
38	Rockies	Carlos	Jake Bennett	LHP	Oklahoma	41
39	Padres	JJ	Jacob Melton	OF	Oregon State	25
40	Dodgers	Tom	Dylan Beavers	OF	California	26
41	Red Sox	Ben	Jackson Cox	RHP	Toutle Lake HS, Toutle, Wash.	43
42	Orioles	Carlos	Jonathan Cannon	RHP	Georgia	46
43	D-Backs	JJ	Brock Jones	OF	Stanford	30
44	Pirates	Tom	Jackson Ferris	LHP	IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.	33
45	Nationals	Ben	JR Ritchie	RHP	Bainbridge HS, Bainbridge Island, Wash.	52
46	Marlins	Carlos	Malcolm Moore	C	McClatchy HS, Sacramento	66
47	Cubs	JJ	Jordan Beck	OF	Tennessee	36
48	Twins	Tom	Ryan Cermak	OF	Illinois State	56
49	Royals	Ben	Ivan Melendez	1B	Texas	50
50	Rockies	Carlos	Henry Bolte	OF	Palo Alto (Calif.) HS	42
51	Tigers	JJ	Peyton Pallette	RHP	Arkansas	38
52	Mets	Tom	Cade Doughty	Util	Louisiana State	57
53	Padres	Ben	Hunter Barco	LHP	Florida	69
54	Guardians	Carlos	Thomas Harrington	RHP	Campbell	48
55	Reds	JJ	Tucker Toman	3B	Hammond HS, Columbia, S.C.	40
56	A’s	Tom	Cayden Wallace	3B	Arkansas	53
57	Braves	Ben	Cameron Smith	SS	Palm Beach Central HS, Wellington, Fla.	81
58	Mariners	Carlos	Sal Stewart	3B	Westminster Christian HS, Miami	63
59	Cardinals	JJ	Parker Messick	LHP	Florida State	74
60	Blue Jays	Tom	Dalton Rushing	C	Louisville	44
61	Yankees	Ben	Adam Mazur	RHP	Iowa	60
62	White Sox	Carlos	Eric Brown	SS	Coastal Carolina	54
63	Brewers	JJ	Gavin Guidry	SS	Barbe HS, Lake Charles, La.	85
64	Astros	Tom	Spencer Jones	OF	Vanderbilt	49
65	Rays	Ben	Mikey Romero	SS	Orange (Calif.) Lutheran HS	78
66	Giants	Carlos	Pete Hansen	LHP	Texas	91

1. Orioles
Pick: Termarr Johnson, SS, Mays HS, Atlanta
Rationale: Johnson is the best high school hitter in the country. His smaller, Jose Ramirez body type reminds me of watching Wander Franco at the same age, and so does his bat speed, feel for manipuating the barrel and outstanding baseball IQ. I know some scouts are hesitant on Johnson this high up the board because of the way he’s built, but I think he’s a potential 70 hitter who could hit 30-plus home runs. I’m not letting him get away.

Pramana Insights: A high school shortstop has been the first overall pick nine times, the second most of any position, trailing only college righthanders (12 picks). The last time the Orioles selected a high school shortstop in the top 10 picks was Manny Machado with the third overall pick in 2010. Before that you have to go back to Junior Kennedy at number 10 in 1968.

2. D-backs
Pick: Druw Jones, OF, Wesleyan HS, Norcross, Ga.
Rationale: As soon as Ben was randomly assigned the first pick in the draft, I knew I would be getting the best overall player in the class with the second pick. Who knows, the D-backs could wind up in this exact scenario in the real draft on Sunday as well. Druw’s all-around tools are impressive and I think he will become a top-25 prospect in baseball pretty much immediatley whenever he signs. I am drooling over an outfield that includes Jones, Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas in Arizona.

Pramana Insights: Two players from the state of Georgia have never been drafted 1-2 in the same year. California is the only state to have that happen (2017, 2013, 2000, 1980). There have only ever been five players from the state of Georgia drafted in the top two picks (three at pick No. 1, two at pick No. 2). The last was Joey Bart at No. 2 in 2018.

3. Rangers
Pick: Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola (Fla.) JC
Rationale: There are plenty of good choices here, but I’ll take a swing at the upside of Collier, a 17-year-old who showed an advanced approach and burgeoning power against more experienced junior college competition.

Pramana Insights: Collier would be the highest junior college third baseman selected by a huge margin. The previous record for a juco third baseman by any team was Mat Gamel (also out of Chipola) with pick 115 in the fourth round of 2005 by the Brewers. The Rangers have never selected a juco player in Round 1. Their previous record was Colby Lewis at pick 38 in the 1999 supplemental round.

4. Pirates
Pick: Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.
Rationale: With each mock, if there’s an opportunity to take Green in the top 5, i’m ALL IN.

Pramana Insights: There have been 22 players selected all-time from IMG Academy, dating back to 2014. Pirate City, the draft headquarters for the Pirates, is 7.8 miles from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. They have never selected a player from the school. Green would make the first high school OF selected by the Pirates in the first round since Austin Meadows in 2013 and the highest by the franchise since Mark Merchant was picked second overall in 1987. Collier and Green at picks three and four would mark only the second time two players from the state of Florida were selected in the top four picks in the same year—Chipper Jones (1) and Alex Fernandez (4) in 1990 was the only other occurrence.

5. Nationals
Pick: Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly
Rationale: I’m torn here between Jackson Holliday and Brooks Lee. Some scouts think Holliday is the best player in the country, and he does bring more likely positional and defensive value than Lee. But Lee’s offensive track record and overall hitting polish give him a slight edge here for me.

Pramana Insights: Lee would make only the second player from Cal Poly ever drafted in the first round and the first since catcher John Orton was taken by the Angels at 25 in 1987. The highest drafted Cal Poly shortstop ever selected was Ozzie Smith, the Padres fourth-round pick in 1977.

6. Marlins
Pick: Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech
Rationale: I was legitimately torn here and hoping Ben would take one of Kevin Parada or Jackson Holliday to make my selection easier. He took neither of the players I was considering for this pick and my conundrum was this: we have Holliday ranked higher and the industry has consistently pointed to him as a top-three prospect in this draft class given his impressive spring. However, Parada is in a similar phylum of talent (along with all the prospects ranked 2-6) and has long been one of my favorite hitters. I don’t think I can really go wrong here, but part of me laments passing on a tooled-up high school shortstop. Still, I love Parada’s hitting ability and he absolutely mashed this spring.

Pramana Insights: There has only been one college catcher selected at pick six all-time—Terry Anderson by the Cardinals in 1977. This would be only the third catcher the Marlins have selected in the first round in franchise history—Charles Johnson (1992) and Kyle Skipworth (2008). There have been four Georgia Tech players drafted sixth or earlier. Joey Bart was picked second overall in 2018. Matt Wieters was picked fifth in 2007, Mark Teixeira was picked fifth in 2001 and Kevin Brown was selected with the fourth pick in 1986. They have combined for 13 All-Star Game appearances, two World Series titles and seven Gold Gloves.

7. Cubs
Pick: Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater (Okla.) HS
Rationale: This would be a dream scenario for the Cubs. Holliday was exceptional all season. He’s a five-tool talent who plays an up-the-middle position.

Pramana Insights: This would make the second consecutive year a high school player named Jackson from the state of Oklahoma was drafted in the first seven picks. Jackson Jobe (Heritage Hall HS, Oklahoma City) was selected third overall last year by the Tigers. The last time the Cubs drafted a player named Jackson was Jackson Todd (11th round) in 1970, also a high schooler from Oklahoma.

8. Twins
Pick: Jace Jung, INF, Texas Tech
Rationale: I’ve always felt Jace is/was the top collegiate bat in draft.

Pramana Insights: Starting in 1991, there has been a player selected from Texas Tech in 31 consecutive drafts. If selected eighth overall, Jung would match his older brother, Josh Jung, who was also taken eighth overall out of Texas Tech in 2019.

9. Royals
Pick: Cole Young, SS, North Allegheny HS, Wexford, Pa.
Rationale: The bat is the most important tool, and Young is one of the most hitterish players in the country. His swing works well, he controls the strike zone and makes a ton of contact with more power that I think can develop as he gets stronger.

Pramana Insights: Young would be the first Pennsylvania high school shortstop drafted in any round since 2016 when the Indians selected Nolan Jones in the second round at pick 55. The Royals have drafted a prep player from Pennsylvania twice before in the first round—Chris Lubanski (2003) and Jim Pittsley (1992).

10. Rockies
Pick: Dylan Lesko, RHP, Buford (Ga.) HS
Rationale: If Lesko was healthy right now I probably wouldn’t be grabbing him with the 10th pick of the draft. He’s the best high school pitcher I have seen with a freakish combination of power stuff, an outlier changeup, a high-spin breaking ball and a silky smooth and athletic delivery. I think if you drew up a starting pitching prospect in a lab, the outcome would be something eerily similar to what Lesko is. Plenty of pitchers come back fine from Tommy John and I am more than happy with the risk here for a potential top-of-the-rotation arm.

Pramana Insights: If Lesko is the first pitcher off the board at pick 10, that would be the latest the first pitcher came off the board by three picks. The most picks in MLB draft history without a pitcher was six in 2019 when Nick Lodolo became the first pitcher selected with the seventh overall pick. Lesko would also be the fourth player from Georgia selected through the 10th pick, setting a new record. The previous high was two Georgia players in 2009.

11. Mets
Pick: Jacob Berry, 1B, Louisiana State
Rationale: It’s hard to say where Berry will play defensively, as he’s pretty limited at anywhere other than first base. But he can really hit, which makes him an excellent value at pick 11.

Pramana Insights: LSU has never had a first baseman selected in the first round. The last time the Mets drafted a college first baseman in the first round was Ike Davis in 2008. That same year set the all-time mark with seven first basemen selected in round one.

12. Tigers
Pick: Gabriel Hughes , RHP, Gonzaga
Rationale: I’m a believer! Potential to be special. Though his performances tailed off a touch down the stretch, he displayed enough during the spring for me to take him here. Hughes turned out performances in ’22 featuring now stuff. A lot of growth took place from his freshman All-American season to this spring, and I expect the positive strides to continue.

Pramana Insights: Hughes would be the first Gonzaga righthander ever selected in round one and first pitcher since lefthander Marco Gonzales was the 15th overall pick in 2013.

13. Angels
Pick: Justin Crawford, OF, Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas
Rationale: Crawford is a supreme athlete with elite speed and defensive potential at a premium position. But I’m not taking a great athlete at No. 13 overall if I’m skeptical of his ability to hit, and with Crawford, one of the things I like about him is his bat control and feel at the plate. He has a long, lanky frame too, so I think there’s more power to come, though even if that doesn’t happen, I think he can be a tablesetter at the top of the lineup who adds value with his ability to prevent runs as well.

Pramana Insights: Crawford would be the first position player selected by the Angels since Werner Blakely in round four, pick 111 of the 2020 MLB Draft. The streak of pitchers selected spanned 21 consecutive picks.

14. Mets
Pick: Jett Williams, SS/OF, Rockwall-Heath HS, Rockwall, Texas
Rationale: I was considering Williams with my 10th pick for the Rockies, but figured Lesko was less likely to be available at 14 than Jett. My gambit paid off and I am left with one of my favorite swings in the class in an up-the-middle defender who has speed and plenty of power, with excellent bat speed, feel for the barrel and a strong lower half. He’s short but he is not small and I am fully bought into his hitting ability. I think this could be a viable pick for the Mets in this spot on draft day as well.

Pramana Insights: If Williams goes at pick 14, he would be only the third player named Jett to ever be drafted (Jett Bandy, Jett Manning) and the highest selected by 572 picks.

15. Padres
Pick: Zach Neto, SS, Campbell
Rationale: I’m a Neto believer. His plus arm will be an asset anywhere around the infield and he has the ability to hit for average and power.

Pramana Insights: Neto would be the sixth shortstop taken in the first 15 picks, setting an all-time record. The previous record was five, set four times (2019, 2002, 1974, 1971). The last time a Campbell shortstop was drafted was Greg Cloninger in 1987 at selection 985 by the Atlanta Braves.

16. Guardians
Pick: Kumar Rocker, RHP, Tri-City (Frontier)
Rationale: Thought JJ was gonna take Kumar at 15! I’m optimistic on his arm health.

Pramana Insights: A righthander has been drafted 19 times with pick 16, the most of any position. Kumar has already been drafted twice and is only the second Rocker ever selected, joining John Rocker by the Braves in 1993. Both are from the state of Georgia.

17. Phillies
Pick: Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison
Rationale: DeLauter is big, he’s tooled-up, there’s power, speed and an impressive performance record between the Cape and the regular season. He also doesn’t turn 21 until October, so he’s the same age as a typical college sophomore.

Pramana Insights: DeLauter would become the highest drafted player from James Madison and first-ever first-round selection, eclipsing Dan Meyer (34th pick overall) in 2002 and Brian McNichol (also 34th pick overall) in 1995.

18. Reds
Pick: Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech
Rationale: I am just letting the board come to me with this pick. Cross is a top-10 talent in the class and I am getting him with the 18th selection. Hard not to like that. He has real power and showed an impressive approach adjustment this spring and is a sneaky good athlete in the outfield with big arm strength if he needs to move to right field. Consistent producer in the ACC and he was also quite good with Team USA last summer as well. More than happy with this college bat at this spot.

Pramana Insights: The last first round position player drafted out of Virginia Tech was outfielder Franklin Stubbs in 1982 (19th overall). The last first-round pick was lefthander Joe Saunders, picked 12th overall in 2002.

19. A’s
Pick: Daniel Susac, C, Arizona
Rationale: I was going to take Cross if he fell one more spot, but getting Susac here is excellent value as well. Like Carlos, I will value shop.

Pramana Insights: The A’s have only selected a college catcher in the top 19 picks once before in MLB draft history. In 1986, they selected Scott Hemond at pick 12 out of South Florida.

20. Braves
Pick: Drew Gilbert , OF, Tennessee
Rationale: In agreement with the industry that Gilbert has earned his way up the boards. Love his hard-nosed style of play. Also creates a lot of issues for opposing arms. Tough out.

Pramana Insights: Gilbert would mark the fourth consecutive year the Braves have selected a college player in the first round, including two in the 2019 first round (Braden Shewmake, 2019; Shea Langeliers, 2019; Jared Shuster, 2020; Ryan Cusick, 2021). That would be the longest streak in franchise history.

21. Mariners
Pick: Noah Schultz, LHP, Oswego (Ill.) East HS
Rationale: A 6-foot-9 lefty with a power fastball and nasty slider from a low slot sure would look good in a Mariners uniform, right? We won’t go there with the comp, but I love the present stuff with Schultz, the projection for it to tick up even more and the unusual body control and pitchability he has for a teenage pitcher his size.

Pramana Insights: If Shultz is the first lefthander off the board at 21, it will be only the second time in MLB draft history to see the first 20 picks without a lefthander taken. 1968 is the only other year, with Brad Gratz coming off the board at 29 as the first lefthander picked that year.

22. Cardinals
Pick: Brock Porter, RHP, St. Mary Prep, Orchard Lake, Mich.
Rationale: Too easy. I am really getting the top pitching prospect on our draft board after… FOUR other arms have been picked? Like my last pick with Gavin Cross, this is purely a value and talent selection and with Lesko’s injury, Porter is a comparable talent to my first pitcher selected and viewed by most of the industry as the best healthy pitcher in the class. He has a power fastball, and like Lesko has a chance for a double-plus changeup. On top of that he throw strikes and spins multiple solid breaking balls. Sign me up.

Pramana Insights: The only time the Cardinals have ever selected a Michigan high school righthander in any round was 1971. William Poe was selected in the 18th round, pick 423 out of Waterford High in Pontiac.

23. Blue Jays
Pick: Peyton Graham, 3B/SS, Oklahoma
Rationale: Too often, it’s easy for fans to see a player going eight spots higher than where they were ranked and think that’s a reach. In the MLB draft, the differences between the 20th and 40th player on this board is pretty thin. I like Graham’s lengthy track record of hitting and his defensive value.

Pramana Insights: Oklahoma has had a position player drafted in the MLB draft in 31 consecutive years.

24. Red Sox
Pick: Justin Campbell, RHP, Oklahoma State
Rationale: JJ got me with the Graham pick. Pleased with Campbell here, though. Mature, pitchability arm. Quick mover through a system.

Pramana Insights: The Red Sox have drafted a college righthader in the first 24 picks four previous times: Tanner Houck as the 24th pick in 2017, Matt Barnes as the 19th pick in 2011, Aaron Sele as the 23rd pick in 1991 and Roger Clemens as the 19th pick in 1983.

25. Yankees
Pick: Brandon Barriera, LHP, American Heritage HS, Plantation, Fla.
Rationale: Barriera has a plus fastball, a slider that should be an out pitch and a changeup that he has shown feel for as well. With his ability to throw strikes, the Yankees are getting one of the best lefthanders in the draft.

Pramana Insights: There have been eight previous Florida high school lefthanders selected in the first 25 picks. Only Sean Burnett (2000), Bobby Seay (1996) and Vance Lovelace (1981) ever appeared in a major league game. Lovelace pitched a grand total of 4.2 career innings.

26. White Sox
Pick: Cade Horton, RHP, Oklahoma
Rationale: Horton was the biggest riser in of any prospect during the College World Series and has some of the best pure stuff in the class. If he was healthy and pitching all season he likely doesn’t make it to this pick, but he’s got a power fastball, a fantastic slider and the strikes to go along with it. It was between Horton and Snelling—the best player available on the BA board—for me with this pick.

Pramana Insights: If this draft happened in reality, Horton would be the fourth player from the state of Oklahoma drafted in the first 26 picks, breaking the record of three set back in 1973 (Joe Edelen, Jerry Tabb, Ted Cox).

27. Brewers
Pick: Cooper Hjerpe , LHP, Oregon State
Rationale: We are picking who we would pick, not who we think the team would pick, but I can’t help but ponder how well the Brewers would be able to develop Hjerpe.

Pramana Insights: The Beavers have produced seven first-rounders all-time. The only pitcher was lefthander Scott Christman in 1981.

28. Astros
Pick: Owen Murphy , RHP, Riverside-Brookfield HS, Riverside, Ill.
Rationale: Absolutely love Murphy’s arsenal and projection. I believe he can be a steal in this year’s draft.

Pramana Insights: Murphy would be only the third high school righthander the Astros have selected in round one since 1996 and the second from Illinois, joining Mike Foltynewicz in 2010.

29. Rays
Pick: Robby Snelling, LHP, McQueen HS, Reno, Nev.
Rationale: Snelling fills the strike zone with a fastball that has ticked up this year to reach 96 mph and can put hitters away with a plus curveball. His changeup lags behind, which is typical for a high school pitcher, but there’s a starter profile here with the stuff to miss bats and advanced ability to throw strikes for his age.

Pramana Insights: Snelling would be the third straight prep selection in the first round for the Rays, joining Carson Williams in 2021 and Nick Bitsko in 2020.

30. Giants
Pick: Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, East Carolina
Rationale: We’re now at a spot on the board where I am thinking long and hard about the players selected. This could have started sooner but a few players who I thought should have been taken much sooner fell to me. Now, there are 20-30 players on the board who I see very little separation at all between and it’s difficult to make a confident selection. Whisenhunt has great stuff from the left side and while his ERA in the Cape Cod League is not sterling (hint at my next pick) his peripherals are good and I have heard good feedback on the stuff. If he had a normal spring we could be talking about him as a middle of the first round sort of talent. I am a sucker for good changeups as well, so that helps.

Pramana Insights: East Carolina has never had a lefthander selected before the fourth round. The highest picked was Jake Agnos, who was selected by the Yankees with the 135th pick in 2019.

31. Rockies
Pick: Landon Sims, RHP, Mississippi State
Rationale: This is the point where I think there are a number of very interesting potential first round pitchers who have slid because of injury. Sims was looking like a first round starter pre-injury.

32. Reds
Pick: Blade Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee
Rationale: Couldn’t pass up on Tidwell here. He has size, a good pitch mix and upside left. More of a pitcher than a thrower with very good stuff.

33. Orioles
Pick: Jacob Miller, RHP, Liberty Union HS, Baltimore, Ohio
Rationale: We’re moving into the range where most of the top hitters are gone, and especially in a year where college pitching is down, there are a lot of high school arms I like that should be available over the next round or two. I’m adding one of my favorites here in Miller, who has long shown the ability to pile up strikeouts with his innate feel to spin his breaking stuff and has added more power behind his fastball this year.

34. D-backs
Pick: Sterlin Thompson, OF, Florida
Rationale: Even after giving away my pick in my previous pick’s rationale I get him here at 34 for the D-backs. There are a lot of pitchers on the board here who I think are comparable talents, but I prefer Thompson of the college outfield group and hitters available. Others might have more exciting pure tools like power and speed, but I believe Thompson is the purest hitter of the group and he is coming off a .354/.443/.556 season with 11 home runs. He faced as much top-end velocity as anyone (169 pitches against 93-plus mph) and hammered that pitch type.

35. Braves
Pick: Connor Prielipp, LHP, Alabama
Rationale: Here’s another pitcher who is available mainly because he’s been injured. Unlike many of the other injured pitchers, Prielipp is now healthy and ready to pitch.

36. Pirates
Pick: Reggie Crawford, LHP, Connecticut
Rationale: Special talent. Physical athlete up to triple digits from the left side. He has also been known to put pitches into orbit with his power. Will pick 36 be good enough for Crawford to pass up heading to Tennessee?

37. Guardians
Pick: Walter Ford, RHP, Pace (Fla.) HS
Rationale: Not only do I love Walter Ford, I love pairing him with the pitching development system in the Guardians organization. Ford is an athletic pitcher who already throws hard, but I think there’s more in the tank that the organization can help him maximize, along with a powerful slider that should miss a lot of bats.

38. Rockies
Pick: Jake Bennett, LHP, Oklahoma
Rationale: Lefthanders up to 95 with the sort of command he has shown at Oklahoma State seem like rare profiles. Perhaps nothing in his pitch mix will really wow you, but he throws everything for strikes, mixes and matches and his college performance is quite strong.

39. Padres
Pick: Jacob Melton, OF, Oregon State
Rationale: It’s time to go value shopping again. To get Melton here is an excellent opportunity to nab a player who could go 20-25th with a pick near 40.

40. Dodgers
Pick: Dylan Beavers, OF, California
Rationale: Let’s keep Dylan on the West Coast. Really like the value with this pick.

41. Red Sox
Pick: Jackson Cox, RHP, Toutle Lake HS, Toutle, Wash.
Rationale: Cox is an athletic righthander who pitches in the low-to-mid 90s and can touch 98 mph. That might be his second-best pitch, as he throws a curveball with tight rotation and sharp bite that earns future projections as a plus or better offering.

42. Orioles
Pick: Jonathan Cannon, RHP, Georgia
Rationale: I’ve long been high on Cannon thanks to his command and delivery, and this spring he employed a cutter to great effect. I would not be surprised if a pro team was able to help him improve his secondaries a tick and find a better swing-and-miss pitch, but even without that he induces groundouts at a high clip and has excellent starter attributes.

43. D-backs
Pick: Brock Jones, OF, Stanford
Rationale: I didn’t expect Jones to still be available at pick 43. Considering Carlos drafted Druw Jones for the D-backs at the top of the draft, this is an incredible embarrasment of outfield riches, but draft for talent.

44. Pirates
Pick: Jackson Ferris, LHP, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.
Rationale: Not the first time I have chosen Ferris in a BA mock. Lefthanded, good frame, athleticism, arm strength and stuff should allow him to start long term.

45. Nationals
Pick: JR Ritchie, RHP, Bainbridge HS, Bainbridge Island, Wash.
Rationale: There has been a run of good high school arms going off the board here over the last 20 or so picks. Ritchie fits in well with that group, pitching in the low-to-mid 90s, reaching higher on occasion with a starter look between his pitchability and three-pitch mix.

46. Marlins
Pick: Malcolm Moore, C, McClatchy HS, Sacramento
Rationale: I have more confidence in the hit and power tools with Moore than most of the other bats still on the board. In the actual draft he could be a tough sign, but we don’t have that problem to sort through in our staff draft.

47. Cubs
Pick: Jordan Beck, OF, Tennessee
Rationale: Beck has prototypical right field tools. There are some concerns as to whether he’ll make enough contact, but as a second-round pick, the risk is exceeded by the potential reward.

48. Twins
Pick: Ryan Cermak, OF, Illinois State
Rationale: Going to stand by my Aaron Rowand comp. Love the tools and grit in his game.

49. Royals
Pick: Ivan Melendez, 1B, Texas
Rationale: Melendez hit .387/.508/.863 with 32 home runs, 52 walks and 51 strikeouts in 315 plate appearances. Yes, he’s a first baseman, and at 22 he’s a touch older than most college players here. But he’s not an all-or-nothing slugger either, and if you’re looking for a hitter still available who could potentially mash in the middle of the lineup, Melendez is one of the best candidates to do so.

50. Rockies
Pick: Henry Bolte, OF, Palo Alto (Calif.) HS
Rationale: I’ve heard some scouts say that Bolte’s physicality and tools are the closest you will get to Elijah Green in this draft class. The hit tool is the big question, but I feel OK taking on that risk for the potential reward with the 50th overall selection.

51. Tigers
Pick: Peyton Pallette, RHP, Arkansas
Rationale: Yet another of the many injured but promising college pitchers from this class, getting Pallette helps mollify some of the risk.

52. Mets
Pick: Cade Doughty, UTL, Louisiana State
Rationale: I have the feeling Doughty is still getting better, and he has the makeup to make the appropriate adjustments.

53. Padres
Pick: Hunter Barco, LHP, Florida
Rationale: After drafting two college hitters with their first picks here, the Padres land one of the many college pitchers who entered the year with higher aspirations but succumbed to Tommy John surgery. A lot of those other TJ arms scare me more due to their lack of track record or history of erratic control, but with Barco, you’re getting a pitcher who has a history of throwing strikes and racking up strikeouts as a starter in the SEC.

54. Guardians
Pick: Thomas Harrington, RHP, Campbell
Rationale: The Guardians would be a great fit for Thomas Harrington in real life thanks to his excellent command foundation. Nothing right now is plus for Harrington, but he’s a more projectable college pitcher than you typically see with more strength gains coming, and he showed impressive feel for four pitches this spring. I think the changeup and slider both could become consistent above-average pitches.

55. Reds
Pick: Tucker Toman, 3B, Hammond HS, Columbia, S.C.
Rationale: Toman faces some defensive questions, but defense is something pro teams often do a good job of developing, so this is a bet on a very talented hitter.

56. A’s
Pick: Cayden Wallace, 3B, Arkansas
Rationale: Love this pick. Wallace brings multiple tools to the table that can play for a very long time.

57. Braves
Pick: Cameron Smith, SS, Palm Beach Central HS, Wellington, Fla.
Rationale: Smith has a promising combination of contact and impact, with the strength projection for that power to continue to climb. I like him more than some of the high school and college hitters with more swing-and-miss tendencies who were already off the board.

58. Mariners
Pick: Sal Stewart, 3B, Westminster Christian HS, Miami
Rationale: Similar to my Malcolm Moore pick a few selections earlier, I am taking an offensive high school player with defensive questions but plenty of confidence in the hit and power tools. Like Moore, Stewart had a strong high school season in a good area for competition and has a solid amateur track record of hitting at a high level.

59. Cardinals
Pick: Parker Messick, LHP, Florida State
Rationale: Messick was one of the most effective starting pitchers in college baseball. If he can add a little more velocity to go with his exceptional feel, he could be a steal here.

60. Blue Jays
Pick: Dalton Rushing, C, Louisville
Rationale: Rushing brings power from the left side while providing solid defense behind the plate. Needed to add a catcher to my group and got a really good one here.

61. Yankees
Pick: Adam Mazur, RHP, Iowa
Rationale: Mazur already has good stuff and track record, including last summer on the Cape. Just as intriguing, with the space on his frame to add more weight, it’s possible his stuff could hit another uptick in pro ball.

62. White Sox
Pick: Eric Brown, SS, Coastal Carolina
Rationale: It’s really not a great year for shortstops, is it? We’ve only had eight shortstops selected before this pick and of that group I would say more than half are not likely to stick at the position in the long run. Brown has solid tools across the board, but it’s his plate discipline skills I am selecting him for here.

63. Brewers
Pick: Gavin Guidry, SS, Barbe HS, Lake Charles, La.
Rationale: Guidry was an excellent pitcher in high school, but the thought is he’ll be an even better hitter and shortstop if he gets to focus full-time on it in pro ball.

64. Astros
Pick: Spencer Jones, OF, Vanderbilt
Rationale: I see a little Paul O’Neill in Jones’ swing. There’s a lot of strength in that imposing 6-foot-7 frame.

65. Rays
Pick: Mikey Romero, SS, Orange (Calif.) Lutheran HS
Rationale: Romero fits a profile the Rays have a history of acquiring, with a sweet swing, good feel for hitting and a hit-over-power profile from a player who doesn’t have explosive tools. There’s risk that power never materializes, but Romero has one of the better swings and ability to control the barrel in the high school class.

66. Giants
Pick: Pete Hansen, LHP, Texas
Rationale: Almost all of the pitchers I have selected in this staff draft stand out for their command. Hansen is no different and has some of the best strike-throwing ability in the draft class. Yes, the stuff is light, but he finds a way to make it work and is coming off a fantastic season with Texas. Teams can increase stuff much easier than they can increase command. In the right organization, I think Hansen could really take some massive steps forward.

One Gut-Feel Pick (not in top 100)

Ben: Eli Jerzembeck , RHP, Providence HS, Charlotte, N.C.
Rationale: There’s a lot of good clay to mold with Jerzembeck. His fastball is typically in the low 90s and will bump 95, with the strength potential where there could be more coming. His ability to manipulate his secondary stuff is what intrigues me, especially his curveball with tight rotation.

Carlos: Michael Knorr, RHP, Coastal Carolina
Rationale: Knorr was a strong strike thrower during his years with Cal State Fullerton, but this spring he showed much better stuff across the board. His fastball was firmer and his breaking stuff had more bite—resulting in the best season of his career with Coastal Carolina this spring. If that sticks around I think he could wind up being a sneaky good pick.

JJ: Ben Metzinger, 3B, Louisville
Rationale: Metzinger is one of the many players whose draft status was dinged by the pandemic. He’s an excellent senior sign who should be a plus defender at third base with the potential to hit as well.

Tom: Trey Lipscomb, INF, Tennessee
Rationale: Let’s put age aside. I believe Lipscomb is going to move quick in the right organization. He’s still getting better and can be a nice steal in this draft.

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