2025 MLB Mock Draft 1.0: Anonymous Scout Analyzes Top 40 Picks
Well, it’s that time of year.
Time for way-too-early looks at how the first round of the 2025 draft might unfold. We’ve done a few of these for the 2025 class already, including 10 picks immediately after the 2024 draft and a full first-round mock after the draft lottery.
But this is our first in-season mock for the class, version 1.0.
Four weeks into the college season, we have a clear idea of the actual draft order, and we’re starting to see players move themselves up and down the board with play on the field. While a mock draft exercise this far out from July has its flaws, our 1.0 mock from last year at a similar time actually proved a decent projection of the first round.
Just know there’s plenty of time for things to change. At this stage, players are tied to teams more on talent and general understanding of organizational philosophy than any insight into which players teams are bearing down on. All teams are casting wide nets at this point.
For this mock, I’ve employed the help of an anonymous major league scout to alternate picks and provide commentary on players. I picked first and selected for all odd-numbered teams, while our scout picked second and for all even-numbered teams.
1. Nationals — Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
It doesn’t feel like there’s a slam dunk 1-1 pick at this point, but if there is a player who has done the most to make his case, I think it’s Arnold. He shoved in his first three starts of the season against non conference competition. He has a pair of plus pitches between his fastball and slider, and the changeup he has flashed more often this spring looks like another above-average offering. For me, he’s a slam dunk starter profile with above-average control.
Scout Commentary: “I had him No. 1 on my list. I see we think alike. With the combination of his performance and tools, he is the closest guy to the big leagues in my opinion. I think he has a chance to pitch in the big leagues as early as next year.”
2. Angels — Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Scout Commentary: “He has big league stuff now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him there next year. I see a plus fastball with plenty of life, and the changeup is a big league changeup now. I think an above-average slider is in there. With his ability to command and his top-of-the-rotation type stuff right now, I couldn’t pass on him here.”
I’m glad to see Bremner come off the board so quickly. His first two starts didn’t look good on paper, but from a pure stuff perspective, I thought he looked just as electric as he typically does. I do wonder how the fastball is going to play in pro ball and what the shape of that pitch looks like once he gets out of college. But I’m all in on the power, secondaries, command and athleticism.
3. Mariners — Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (Calif.) HS
At this point, I believe Hernandez might have the most pure upside in the class. It’s been a while since the Mariners have taken a high school righthander in the first round, but they also just spent first-round money on Ryan Sloan in 2024, so I’m not sure they’re super fearful of the profile. Hernandez has an upper-90s fastball, a changeup that rivals anyone’s in the class, two legitimate breaking ball shapes, athleticism and command. Pairing that talent with Seattle’s pitching development is a dream.
Scout Commentary: “I agree that he has the most upside in the class. I had him as a high-upside pick in this same spot. He’s an athletic two-way player who ends up being a pitcher because his stuff is just too loud to be only 19 years old. You can’t pass that up. Good pick, and I had him right there, as well.”
4. Rockies — Billy Carlson, SS, Corona (Calif.) HS
Scout Commentary: “This will make history once I select this guy—Seth’s teammate, Billy Carlson. He stays at shortstop and can play the game very well in all facets. Really good arm, mid 90s on the mound, can really defend, his contact skills are pretty good, and I think he will grow into 20-homer per year power. So, I am going with him right here as a high ceiling type guy.”
Having two high school players from the same team selected in the first four picks would be a draft record. That duo would top the 2012 first-round Harvard-Westlake duo of Max Fried (sixth) and Lucas Giolito (16th), and I wouldn’t be surprised if a third Corona High product comes off the board here in the near future.
5. Cardinals — Ethan Holliday, SS, Stillwater (Okla.) HS
The Cardinals have seemed to prioritize hitters who make a lot of contact in the zone recently, but is Holliday’s upside too much to pass up at fifth overall? I would think so. There are some defensive questions, but I think he has a chance to develop 70-grade game power that will profile at any of the four corner positions.
Scout Commentary: “When I saw Ethan, I saw a young kid with great strike zone awareness. I wasn’t surprised since his dad played in the bigs so long, and his brother is there now. I think he will be a really good hitter. My concern is on the defensive end. He has to move to a corner, and I am not sold on him staying on the left side. He might end up at first base in his prime, but I think his power numbers will support him being there anyway.”
6. Pirates — Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
Scout Commentary: “He is already solidified as probably the top defensive shortstop in the country, and now he is tapping into his power. He didn’t do that last year. The bat should get to above-average with average power and above-average speed. He has plenty of arm for shortstop to go with the glove. He is going to play shortstop in the big leagues, and if he can hit for average with average power, that is an everyday guy for sure.”
I was curious how early Houston would come off the board. We wrote about his increased power a few weeks ago, and if you think he’s going to get to average game power with wood, it’s a fairly well-rounded profile and a near lock to stick at shortstop. Hard to argue with that.
7. Marlins — Dean Curley, SS, Tennessee
It wouldn’t surprise me if Curley was the first college shortstop off the board. I think his offensive profile is one of the most well-rounded in the class right now, and he’s off to a strong start this spring. I’d expect him to move off the position and land at either second base or third in pro ball, but I’m guessing teams will believe in his offensive upside enough for that to be a non-issue.
Scout Commentary: “I agree with you on him moving off shortstop. I think of him moving to third base and becoming a power hitting corner profile. The ball just comes off his bat so loud, and I think he will get to the power easily. I don’t think he has the range for shortstop, but the easy plus arm does play at third base.”
8. Blue Jays — Ethan Conrad, OF, Wake Forest
Scout Commentary: “I am going to go with a premium position guy who was relatively unknown last year but has proven to be a better hitter now at Wake Forest. I’m very intrigued with his extra-base hit ability and his ability to defend, as well, at a premium position. I think he is a plus hitter with above-average power who’s an above-average defender and runner in center field. It is hard to find guys like this at a premium position, which supports him going this high in the draft.”
This was the first pick where I was a bit surprised. Especially with other big-bodied, toolsy outfielders still on the board. However, if you think Conrad is going to be a plus hitter it makes a ton of sense to have him in this range. He’s got great athleticism and tools across the board, as you mention. Has any school ever produced five top 10 picks in a two-year stretch?
9. Reds — Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
I’m in the range where I’m wondering if Jace LaViolette needs to just come off the board regardless of the slow start to the season. At the same time, Arquette has had a great start to 2025 and might offer more upside than anyone available. He’s got a big league body with great bat speed and plus power potential. Despite his 6-foot-5 frame there are a number of scouts who think he’s got a chance to stick at shortstop.
Scout Commentary: “He plays shortstop now but could slide to a corner and be fine there. I am concerned that he’ll have some swing-and-miss due to selling out for power, but he could fine-tune some things. If he becomes a below-average bat but plays a premium position and hits for power, that’s fine. His size and strength could produce that plus power.”
10. White Sox — Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP/1B, Sunset HS, Portland, Ore.
Scout Commentary: “Do they go back to the lefthanded pitching well at 10? I will go out on a limb and go with Kruz Schoolcraft here. The fastball is mid 90s. The changeup is the better secondary for him. He has the big 6-foot-7, 6-foot-8, Randy Johnson-looking frame. You get a young kid at 18 who’s already in the mid 90s from the left side? With his athleticism and that size, the slider will get better, and I think it’ll be an above-average pitch with the changeup showing flashes of plus right now.”
I’ve talked to scouts who prefer Schoolcraft as the top high school pitcher in the class. He’s got a massive frame, he’s athletic, he has a clean and balanced finish with elite extension and he’s already throwing 98 mph. I agree that the changeup is ahead of the slider now, but I’m pretty confident he’ll start ripping plus breaking balls once he’s working with pro pitching development. It also wouldn’t shock me if the White Sox don’t get a chance to draft him.
11. Athletics — Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M
Part of me was tempted to just not draft LaViolette to see how far our scout would let him slide. But I couldn’t justify taking anyone else at this point—his tools and upside are too massive. If he gets hot in conference play and rights the ship, I imagine the industry will be forgiving of a slow three-week stretch to start the season. I’m curious, if I never took LaViolette at what point would you be willing to grab him?
Scout Commentary: “I had him in a similar range here, but what separated Ethan Conrad for me was his contact frequency. It’s tough because Jace has never been a high-contact guy, but when he does make contact it’s loud. He can run well, but the run times have taken a step back since he’s put on some weight this year… I think Jace is still a premium position guy and a center fielder in the big leagues, but I have the same concerns as you with him struggling at the plate and the inconsistency. I’m hoping he hits enough to get to those power numbers.”
12. Rangers — Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson HS, San Antonio
Scout Commentary: “Texas kid for the Texas team. One of the best bats in the draft. The bat has potential to be plus and should get to average power. There is not a lot of projection in the frame, so I don’t see too much of a power increase, but you can’t ignore the ability to hit. High-contact guy who has hit everywhere he’s been. He runs plus underway, and the glove and arm are good enough to stay on the dirt. I think he will probably move to second base where the range will play better. Just limited projection in the frame and not much to dream on, but the bat is what you’re buying.”
The way you describe Cunningham reminds me of Kevin McGonigle, outside of maybe the straight line speed. Of all the players in this class, I think Cunningham is the one I’d feel most confident throwing a plus hit tool on. His swing is so direct and compact and quick. And he’s always performed.
13. Giants — Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
Stevenson is the most well-rounded catcher in the class for me. He’s not off to a scorching start offensively, but he’s walking a quarter of the time and doesn’t have huge strikeout concerns for me. Pair that with solid raw power and his excellent defensive ability at the most premium position on the diamond, and it makes him look like a rock solid regular. “But what about Patrick Bailey,” you might ask? I think you take the best player on the board, no matter what. The Giants have actively done this in the past when they drafted Bailey 13th overall two years after making Joey Bart the second overall pick. I don’t think they regret it.
Scout Commentary: “Stevenson will still have trade value even if he doesn’t make it to the bigs with the Giants due to Patrick Bailey’s presence.”
14. Rays — Max Belyeu, OF, Texas
Scout Commentary: “I’ll go with who I think is one of the better college bats in the class. I think that’s Max Belyeu. He has good bat-to-ball skills in different parts of the zone which will allow it to be at least above average. Defensively, he will be at least average, and he has a plus arm. I can see plus power in him, which profiles well in right field.”
15. Red Sox — Xavier Neyens, 3B, Mount Vernon (Wash.) HS
The Red Sox have done magic tricks with hitters, and in this projection of the first round they’re getting a hitter with 70-grade power potential and a tremendous eye at the plate. I’m also pretty confident about his defensive ability at the hot corner. Is there really a 10-spot gap between him and Ethan Holliday? I don’t really think so. This feels like good value for Boston.
Scout Commentary: “He has really good barrel control. He can hit any pitch in the zone. He will stick at third base I think. He has the arm to play that position. He just hits everything.”
16. Twins — Ike Irish, C, Auburn
Scout Commentary: “Irish has gotten better behind the plate this year after working on receiving skills. He has enough athleticism to play right field which helps him be a good athlete behind the plate, as well. He nails runners on the bases with his double plus arm. We know he has big power when he connects at the plate. He has struggled with a little bit of swing-and-miss early this season, but I think he will hit enough to get to plus power in his prime.”
I wish Ike were catching more regularly this spring. He’s still been splitting time between the outfield and catcher, and I hoped he’d be getting near everyday reps behind the dish. I like how his swing works. If he’s not the defender that Luke Stevenson is right now, I think he’s got a better hit/power combination.
17. Cubs — Brandon Compton, OF, Arizona State
The next scout we talk to this spring who’s not glowing about Compton will be the first. He’s gotten tremendous reviews from the people we’ve spoken with. It sounds like his hit/power combo is far too good to last beyond the teens.
Scout Commentary: “He does have a track record of hitting in college. Definitely a corner guy. Have to hope he gets to that plus power for the value of that profile.”
18. Diamondbacks — Sean Gamble, SS/OF, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.
Scout Commentary: “There are no pitchers I would take in this range unless it’s Riley Quick, Liam Doyle or Patrick Forbes, and I have not seen enough of them so far to have conviction. I like Gamble’s five-tool potential here. He has been playing a plus second base this spring, but ultimately he could move to center field. He does everything well and has a lot of 60s across the board.”
In this range it’s hard for me to not think about hit-dominant high school profiles like Brady Ebel, Coy James, Gavin Fien or even someone like Slater de Brun for the D-backs. They’ve had a lot of success with that profile.
19. Orioles — Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (Okla.) HS
Willits is expected to be a favorite for model teams and Baltimore counts. He’s the youngest player we’ve taken by a decent margin—he’ll be just 17.6 on draft day—with a tremendous feel for the game and a clean swing from both sides of the plate. I think he’s a strong athlete who’s going to fill out his frame and be a solid defender at shortstop.
Scout Commentary: “Nice pick here with the young guy. Those 17-year-olds are attractive, especially as we get towards the back of the first.”
20. Brewers — Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
Scout Commentary: “High-contact guy here. I don’t know if he will develop plus power. I think the usable power will be slightly below-average, but I think he will be a balanced catcher. He is the kind of guy who can handle a staff very well, play good defense and be a staple in your organization for a long time.”
Bodine has shown some of the best pure contact skills in the class and it sounds like there are some scouts who view him as pretty close or even to Luke Stevenson on the catching side. So having him here in the middle of the first round with him and Ike Irish makes a ton of sense to me.
21. Astros — Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
Doyle has been the most dominant pitcher in the country through the first four weeks of the season. His fastball is truly elite. He’s currently striking out 69.1% of the batters he’s faced, which is just absurd. I have some questions about the delivery and his secondaries, but an outlier fastball from the left side with this sort of performance in a starting role should be enough to shove him into the first round. Player development gets paid to help him iron out the secondaries.
Scout Commentary: “The fastball will play double-plus. I think the slider will be average at least, after spending time with professional development. The changeup is the one that needs work. He commands the ball well enough to start. It’s kind of like with hitters where sometimes we don’t know how they do it, but they make contact or generate power. Same way with this pitcher—we don’t know how he does it with the delivery, but he gets results. Until he’s not successful, I wouldn’t change what he is doing.”
22. Braves — Riley Quick, RHP, Alabama
Scout Commentary: “Upper-90s fastball is real heavy. Upper-80s slider is nasty and the mid-80s changeup could be plus, as well. The big and durable frame is what they look like, and he gets to his velocity easily.””
If the Braves go with a pitcher at this pick that’ll be six consecutive drafts of first-round pitchers for Atlanta. The Blue Jays have taken pitchers with three of their last four first-round picks, but no other organization is particularly close to investing as frequently in arms at the top of the draft.
23. Royals — Landon Harmon, RHP, East Union HS, Blue Springs, Miss.
There are plenty of bats and college arms I still like in this range, but I think Harmon could be a very Brian Bridges-esque pick here at 23. I believe Harmon is the second-most-talented high school righty in the class. He has extraordinarily easy upper-90s velocity already, with a highly projectable 6-foot-5 frame.
Scout Commentary: “What I like about Landon is he does throw strikes at a young age. You don’t find too many high school pitchers who can throw strikes. He has a great frame to work with, he’s projectable, athletic and it will fill out. He has time to improve the secondaries. The changeup needs work, but I think the slider can be above-average. He has a high ceiling, and he’s young.”
24. Tigers — Matt Scott, RHP, Stanford
Scout Commentary: “He has a chance for two above-average-to-plus secondaries with a plus fastball. Looks like a major league pitcher now and gets to his velocity easily. I am not concerned with the performance. I am looking at the way the delivery works, combined with his stuff, and his command will improve in pro ball. The delivery is just too easy for it not to.”
Scott has a similar “stuff-and-body-over-performance” resume that a pitcher like Ben Hess had a year ago in the back of the first round. I do like the stuff Scott has, but it’s really odd that he’s never had a strikeout rate north of 30%. Through his first four starts in 2025, he has struck out 23 batters in 21 innings—a 24.7% rate. I wonder if that would give some teams pause.
25. Padres — Cameron Appenzeller, LHP, Glenwood HS, Chatham, Ill.
Like my previous Royals pick, a high-upside and projectable high school pitcher with athleticism just feels like something the Padres do too regularly to pass up. Kash Mayfield was the pick a year ago, and Appenzeller is the second-best lefty in the class at the moment. Good fastball, great slider, solid changeup with touch and feel and a frame that should add plenty of weight.
Scout Commentary: “I think this is a guy who profiles for the Padres. High school guy with pretty good upside. He can flat out pitch for a high shool guy. That pitchability is a plus for me. Super projectable. Looks like he has a plus slider and an average changeup. A lot to dream on.”
26. Phillies — Gavin Kilen, 2B, Tennessee
Scout Commentary: “He’s having a power surge season. I think he can stay at second base. I think it’s average tools across the board except for hitting and power. He is showing big power. He has figured something out, I am not sure what it is—maybe tapping into the lower half more? But he has a slightly more uphill swing and makes enough contact to get to the power. I think he has above-average hittability and above-average power in the big leagues.”
I mentioned on a recent podcast that I thought Kilen fit somewhere in the supplemental first round range given the power he’s shown early this spring. We’re not too far off from that at 26, though I will note the Phillies have gone for high school players in the first round for five straight drafts.
27. Guardians — Patrick Forbes, RHP, Louisville
Forbes wowed me the first week of the season and has continued to shove since then. He has a 39:3 strikeout-to-walk rate in four starts and 21 innings with a plus fastball/slider combination and control that has taken a real step forward. I’ve got some questions about a third pitch, but I like his arm speed and how he moves on the mound.
Scout Commentary: “I had him in a similar range. I like this guy a lot.”
28. Royals — Cam Cannarella, OF, Clemson
Scout Commentary: “I think they go athletic premium profile hitter after you took Harmon for them earlier. He is a gamer, he comes up in the clutch. The numbers don’t tell the whole story for him I don’t think. You have to watch him play. He needs to steal more bases. I know he is bouncing back from surgery, so I hope he gets back to 100%, but he is an exceptional defender.”
This is quite a fall for Cannarella given his current top-10 status on our draft board. I didn’t think he looked timed up during the first week of the season, and I saw a bit more swing-and-miss than I expected to see. He’s off to a slower start, but I think he could still wind up in the middle of the first round given his track record, athleticism and defensive profile.
29. Diamondbacks — Brady Ebel, SS, Corona (Calif.) HS
If you’ve not been keeping track of Corona High products, this makes No. 3. Ebel feels like an Arizona sort of draft pick. They seem to prefer pure hitters at the top of the draft, and Ebel might be one of the best available of that categorization. His hit tool is the calling card and could be enough to get him popped in the first 30 picks. He’s also young for the class and still has room to fill out and add more strength.
Scout Commentary: “He does have a high IQ. His dad is a big league coach. You always want a coach’s kid in the organization, but the sweet swing is what you hear about with him. I think he moves to a corner, so hopefully he hits for power with that profile.”
30. Orioles — Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
Scout Commentary: “He pitches with a plus fastball and slider. Fastball is mid-to-upper 90s and the upper-80s slider is very tight and short. He is developing a changeup, as well. He needs to work on the control a bit, but the delivery will allow him to do that.”
So far, so good for Witherspoon. He owns a 1.17 ERA and 46% strikeout rate through his first four starts and 23 innings. Early this season, he’s dialed back his fastball and slider usage to show more of an arsenal, and his whiffs have gone up. He could easily go higher than this.
31. Orioles — Devin Taylor, OF, Indiana
I entered this mock draft expecting to see Taylor go off the board somewhere in the middle of the first round, yet here he is at 31. I think that speaks to the depth of the class and the volume of attractive college bats, arms and high school players in this range of the board more than any slight against Taylor. It could also be informative to remind everyone that the Orioles have the picks and pool space to do some damage here. Baltimore, Tampa and Milwaukee are the teams to watch in the middle and back of the first round.
Scout Commentary: “This is a definite left field profile here with the below-average run tool, below-average glove and arm, but the bat is just too good. This is a plus bat for me. Hopefully he can get to average power. He is going to be a high-contact and OBP guy.”
32. Brewers — Nick Dumesnil, OF, California Baptist
Scout Commentary: “This is a tough one… I am going to go with Nick Dumesnil. I had Nolan Schubart right here, but I think the Brewers have a model where the strikeouts will be a problem. Dumesnil profiles to stick in center. Good defender and a plus runner. He will hit for average power and be an average hitter, as well. The one concern I have about him is he did swing and miss on the breaking ball—the slider specifically. He needs to get better with that, as he’s a bit uphill at times. But he makes more contact than most of the guys on the board.”
Like Taylor, Dumesnil is another player I could easily see going somewhere in the middle of the first round. A proven college hitter with a solid center field profile? Those typically don’t last long.
33. Brewers — Gavin Fien, 3B/OF, Great Oak HS, Temecula, Calif.
Among the players still on the board, I think Fien’s hit/power combination is the most appealing. He raked all summer, and while he does it with a swing that’s a bit odd, it does work for him. I’m not entirely sure where he profiles best defensively. I would run him out at third to start and see how it goes. But I’m drafting a hit tool with power.
Scout Commentary: “I agree with you, I don’t know how he does it, but he is a strong kid and when he makes contact it comes off loud. And he’s consistent at making contact. The arm is enough for third base. I am not sure if the lack of athleticism pushes him to first, but nowadays you have to be an athlete to play first base, too. That profile has changed—I would still send him out at third base.”
34. Tigers — Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) HS
Scout Commentary: “I have two high school shortstops I want to go with here. I am torn between the two. I will go with the younger guy, Steele Hall, a high school kid out of Alabama. I have been hearing a lot of buzz about him shooting up the boards. He is a five-tool guy with a good power/speed combo that kind of reminds scouts of Matt McLain. Twitchy with a plus arm and has been giving consistent 70 run times, and some guys have gotten 80. He has put on a good amount of muscle and, combined with the ability to hit, he should get to above-average power.”
Hall’s defensive ability, quick-twitch actions and arm strength stuck out to me the first time I saw him play. I was previously concerned about his size. Hearing how you describe his power and strength development this spring transforms the profile pretty significantly for me, and I’ve also heard others rave about his athleticism. Nice pick.
35. Mariners — Brendan Summerhill, OF, Arizona
I went high-risk, high-reward for Seattle at No. 3, so I’ll balance that out somewhat with a college outfielder who I think is a reasonably safe bet at this stage. There might not be a carrying tool for Summerhill, but I think he’ll hit, have solid on-base ability and solid power to go with perfectly fine outfield play in a corner.
Scout Commentary: “That is a safe play there. I agree with you in that I don’t see a plus tool there. He does have average tools across the board.”
36. Twins — Tate Southisene, SS/OF, Basic (Nev.) HS
Scout Commentary: “I am going with another young guy here in Tate Southisene who will be 18 years old at the draft. The bat has a chance to be average with average power, and he’s an above-average runner with enough arm strength for shortstop. I might be light on the power because he is not that big of a guy now, but the frame is projectable. He just raked every time I saw him.”
A run on shortstops for you. Most of the scouts I’ve spoken with have described him in a similar fashion to what you laid out. It seems like the consensus is that Tate is ahead of where his brother Ty was at the same age. The Cubs drafted Ty in the fourth round last year and signed him for $1 million.
37. Rays — Slater de Brun, OF, Summit HS, Bend, Ore.
I’ll continue the mini run we are seeing of up-the-middle, smaller high school hitters who we feel confident in their hitting ability. De Brun is a Slade Caldwell starter kit-type for me, though he’s a bit leaner. Extremely young for the class, I think he’s got a chance for above-average hitting ability and plus defense in center as a near double-plus runner. Just one of the players you find yourself really liking every time you see him play.
Scout Commentary: “Slade Caldwell starter kit, that’s pretty funny. I agree with you though. He has a smaller frame, but makes a lot of contact and plays the game very well. Well-rounded kid with a high IQ, sprays the ball around the field and will play up the middle. Sticks in centerfield.”
38. Mets — Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
Scout Commentary: “With their only pick in the top 100, do they go the “safe” route? Aloy has started out hot this year. I think he is a good enough defender to stay at SS with the arm for the position. Solid player and a safe play here, I think. He has shown he can be an average hitter at the next level. He is strong enough to get to above-average power.”
We’ve reached the trio of teams who have their first-round picks moved down the board 10 spots for spending too much money. Aloy feels like a good value here given the position and power upside. I wonder if there’s actually as much separation between him and the Marek Houston/Dean Curley/Aiva Arquette college shortstop trio as this mock is indicating.
39. Yankees — Nolan Schubart, OF, Oklahoma State
Unless the Yankees are going to go all in on college pitchers again this year, Schubart just makes way too much sense for them. Huge exit velocities, huge physicality, lefthanded college hitter. Check, check, check. He’s not the athlete that Spencer Jones is, but maybe his consistently strong walk rates offer a balance against his swing-and-miss tendencies and give him a higher offensive floor?
Scout Commentary: “This is the pick that fits for them with that profile. He has a chance to get to double plus usable power. I think they will work with the swing-and-miss and figure it out enough for him to tap into it. I do think he moves to first base.”
40. Dodgers — Quentin Young, 3B/OF, Oaks Christian HS, Westlake Village, Calif.
Scout Commentary: “They can play around a little bit with their picks. They are good at development. I think Quentin Young fits here. Big league bloodlines and 30-homer potential. Cannon for an arm, will play right field at the next level. Above-average runner underway and profiles nicely in right with power. Will be fun to watch him develop, considering the inconsistency with contact. If they take Young, this will test what everyone thinks about their ability to develop players.”
Everything you laid out here makes a ton of sense. From a tools and athlete perspective, I could see Young being the best player available. Huge upside if he can hit.
