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Post by The Duke on Jun 13, 2016 12:34:00 GMT -5
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Post by floydgator on Jun 14, 2016 15:47:45 GMT -5
JJ Schwarz had a mediocre season (until he crushed the dreams of Bumpkin Clowns with his game clinching grand slam last night), but he will be back. Not sure he can stay at catcher, and he won't get to play there much next year with Rivera back (best defensive C in college baseball), but despite a season long slump, he's hit .295 with 60 RBIs. He's going to have a monster year next season. He may not wait that long.
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Post by redskoolaiddrinker on Jun 14, 2016 19:52:34 GMT -5
JJ Schwarz had a mediocre season (until he crushed the dreams of Bumpkin Clowns with his game clinching grand slam last night), but he will be back. Not sure he can stay at catcher, and he won't get to play there much next year with Rivera back (best defensive C in college baseball), but despite a season long slump, he's hit .295 with 60 RBIs. He's going to have a monster year next season. He may not wait that long. Who are the top draftable Gator prospects for 2017?
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Post by Lark11 on Jun 14, 2016 23:08:41 GMT -5
Kyle Wright is impressive and with a touch more velocity he could be a stud. I'm a bit surprised Vandy's Jeren Kendall isn't mentioned. Seems like he could be a top 10 pick with a strong junior season. He already looks like a legit impact hitter.
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Post by The Duke on Jun 15, 2016 7:09:10 GMT -5
Kyle Wright is impressive and with a touch more velocity he could be a stud. I'm a bit surprised Vandy's Jeren Kendall isn't mentioned. Seems like he could be a top 10 pick with a strong junior season. He already looks like a legit impact hitter. 62 K vs 25 BB it's a bit if a red flag for me on Jeren Kendall. The .332 avg, 33 extra base hits, and 28 SB are nice, but I want to see better contact rates or a better walk rate. I never got to see Kyle Wright pitch this year, but the numbers are solid. I'm high on Faedo at Florida. JJ Schwarz had a mediocre season (until he crushed the dreams of Bumpkin Clowns with his game clinching grand slam last night), but he will be back. Not sure he can stay at catcher, and he won't get to play there much next year with Rivera back (best defensive C in college baseball), but despite a season long slump, he's hit .295 with 60 RBIs. He's going to have a monster year next season. He may not wait that long. The K rate was a little high, but he also walked a lot as well. He'll need to show a little more power next year, especially if he is going to have to move to 1B. Peter Alonso was a mid second round pick with far better numbers this year. Do you think Schwartz could handle LF?
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Post by cbassxu on Jun 15, 2016 8:10:21 GMT -5
Kyle Wright is impressive and with a touch more velocity he could be a stud. I'm a bit surprised Vandy's Jeren Kendall isn't mentioned. Seems like he could be a top 10 pick with a strong junior season. He already looks like a legit impact hitter. Having just moved to Nashville I got to watch the tail end of their season/regionals here and was SUPER impressed with Kendall, also pretty surprised to not see any mention of him. He's a guy I would love to somehow see us land next year.
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Post by Lark11 on Jun 15, 2016 8:26:11 GMT -5
Kyle Wright is impressive and with a touch more velocity he could be a stud. I'm a bit surprised Vandy's Jeren Kendall isn't mentioned. Seems like he could be a top 10 pick with a strong junior season. He already looks like a legit impact hitter. Having just moved to Nashville I got to watch the tail end of their season/regionals here and was SUPER impressed with Kendall, also pretty surprised to not see any mention of him. He's a guy I would love to somehow see us land next year. Yeah, agreed, he looks good. I do agree with TheDuke on the K/BB ratios, but it's also fairly common for the top collegiate players to make those improvements over the course of their collegiate careers. So, an improvement in both of those ratios during his junior season wouldn't be surprising and would almost certainly vault him into the top 10....if he's not there already.
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Post by The Duke on Jun 15, 2016 8:46:12 GMT -5
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Post by floydgator on Jun 15, 2016 10:03:06 GMT -5
Kyle Wright is impressive and with a touch more velocity he could be a stud. I'm a bit surprised Vandy's Jeren Kendall isn't mentioned. Seems like he could be a top 10 pick with a strong junior season. He already looks like a legit impact hitter. 62 K vs 25 BB it's a bit if a red flag for me on Jeren Kendall. The .332 avg, 33 extra base hits, and 28 SB are nice, but I want to see better contact rates or a better walk rate. I never got to see Kyle Wright pitch this year, but the numbers are solid. I'm high on Faedo at Florida. JJ Schwarz had a mediocre season (until he crushed the dreams of Bumpkin Clowns with his game clinching grand slam last night), but he will be back. Not sure he can stay at catcher, and he won't get to play there much next year with Rivera back (best defensive C in college baseball), but despite a season long slump, he's hit .295 with 60 RBIs. He's going to have a monster year next season. He may not wait that long. The K rate was a little high, but he also walked a lot as well. He'll need to show a little more power next year, especially if he is going to have to move to 1B. Peter Alonso was a mid second round pick with far better numbers this year. Do you think Schwartz could handle LF? No on LF. He's a catcher or 1B. Pete has been a stud, but JJ is significantly more talented. I expect him to hit .350+ next season with somewhere in the vicinity of 20 HRs. He's that good. Again, he's had a rough season - and he is still hitting .295 (OBP aroundn .400) with 60 RBIs. That gives him about 25 HR and 140 RBI in his first 2 years of college BB.
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Post by floydgator on Jun 15, 2016 10:07:51 GMT -5
JJ Schwarz had a mediocre season (until he crushed the dreams of Bumpkin Clowns with his game clinching grand slam last night), but he will be back. Not sure he can stay at catcher, and he won't get to play there much next year with Rivera back (best defensive C in college baseball), but despite a season long slump, he's hit .295 with 60 RBIs. He's going to have a monster year next season. He may not wait that long. Who are the top draftable Gator prospects for 2017? Faedo and Schwarz are likely first rounders. Rivera will get picked in the first 5-7 rounds, I think. If he hits in the neighborhood of .300, he'll go in the top 2 rounds. He's a fantastic defensive catcher and he has pop. He's only hitting .250ish, but the dude comes up big every time he is needed - I know that won't help him in the scouts' eyes. He's the leader of the team. If he can hit at all, he's a lock to be a starting C in the bigs. If he can't, he's still a backup b/c of his defense. Dalton Guthrie plays a really good SS for us, but he's a 2B in the pros and I'm not sure he will ever hit enough. Really, really good college player. My guess is somebody drafts him the round 8-13 range. Most of the talent is in the 2018 class - Singer, Kowar, India, Reyes, and Liput - but it's not likely to be like the 2016 draft class. this group is ridiculous.
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Post by Lark11 on Nov 24, 2016 1:42:31 GMT -5
www.espn.com/blog/mlb-draft/insider/post?id=2977Vandy outfielder No. 1 among 2017 MLB draft prospectsKeith Law Christopher Crawford The 2017 draft class is different than those we’ve seen the past few years. It lacks the depth of some recent classes, but features an above-average group of first-rounders, with an especially strong crop of college pitchers and some high-upside high school outfielders. Southern California is as good as it has been in years, and it’s a banner year in Kentucky, of all places. We’ve even got a few smaller colleges represented in addition to the usual passel of SEC prospects. It’s a good year to pick at the very top, and the back half of the first round is better than normal, but the difference between picking third and seventh -- which was determined on the season’s final day -- is significant. 1. Jeren Kendall, OF, VanderbiltA first-round candidate out of a Wisconsin high school, Kendall was close to unsignable because of his commitment to Vanderbilt, and his decision to go to school may end up tripling his signing bonus. He’s an actual five-tool talent, with the potential to play above-average defense in center, but high strikeout totals do have some scouts concerned about what his contact rates might look like in the majors. 2. Hunter Greene, RHP/SS, Notre Dame HSGreene was the star of the showcase season, showing incredible arm-strength and touching 98 mph with his fastball. He also showed the makings of a quality breaking-ball -- although not consistently -- and sporadically a decent change. He’s an outstanding athlete who has also shown plus defense at short and some raw power, but it’d be a real surprise if he wasn’t making his living on the mound. 3. Kyle Wright, RHP, VanderbiltWright looks the part in every way -- size, delivery, stuff -- with the best chance among this solid group of first-round college arms to end up a quality big-league starter with high strikeout rates. Vanderbilt’s very strong track record of producing MLB starters who stay healthy will help his cause also. 4. Alex Faedo, RHP, FloridaA rare prep hurler standout who has seen his stock rise since going to college, Faedo could miss time after having arthroscopic surgery on both of his knees. Assuming he comes back healthy, he’s sure to intrigue scouts with his ability to pound the strike zone with a plus fastball/slider combination. 5. Tanner Houck, RHP, MissouriScouts are torn on whether or not Houck will be a starter at the next level in large part to his low arm slot, but he certainly has the stuff to start. The fastball will get up to 97, and when he stays on top of his slider it’s a strikeout pitch. If the change can be even average, he has a chance to be the first hurler selected this summer. 6. Jo Adell, OF, Ballard (Louisville, Ky.) HSYou wouldn’t guess Adell was a prep by looking at him; and if the swing can be toned down, he has a chance to be a true five-tool player thanks to his impressive bat speed and raw power along with a strong throwing arm and plus speed. 7. Brendan McKay, LHP, LouisvilleMcKay doesn’t have the top-of-the-rotation stuff that the pitchers above -- and some below -- have, but what he does have is excellent feel for pitching and the ability to command an above-average fastball and curve. 8. Corbin Martin, RHP, Texas A&MEvery summer there’s a pitcher that sees his stock take a big jump from performing well in the Cape Cod League, and this year that hurler is Martin. The heater got up to 98 mph, and both his curveball and change flashed plus on a relatively consistent basis. It’s just a matter of him showing that same stuff -- and better command -- this spring. 9. JB Bukauskas, RHP, UNCFor pure stuff, Bukauskus might be the best college pitcher in the draft class, with a fastball up to 98, an above-average breaking ball, and an improved changeup that’s at least average. But at 6-foot with a high-effort arm action, Bukauskas faces a lot of skepticism about his ability to hold up as a starter across a full pro season, and many teams view him as a high-ceiling bullpen arm instead. 10. DL Hall, LHP, Valdosta (Warner Robins, Ga.) HSIf not for Greene, Hall would have been the most impressive prep pitcher this summer. The southpaw’s fastball will touch the mid-90s, and the curveball has big spin and should be a plus offering when all is said and done. 11. Hagen Danner, RHP, Huntington Beach (Calif.) HSDanner also catches and looked like a potential first-day selection behind the plate. Like Greene, he likely begins his professional journey on the mound thanks to a plus fastball and two secondary pitches that have drawn above-average grades from an athletic delivery. 12. JJ Schwarz, C, FloridaSchwarz will show huge power in BP and hit 18 homers as a freshman, but had a very disappointing sophomore year (including 54 strikeouts, second only to Buddy Reed among the Gators) and hasn’t caught much due to the presence of teammate Mike Rivera. He has the arm to catch but limited reps may mean he’s drafted for his bat rather than the position. 13. Tristan Beck, RHP, StanfordBeck is a draft-eligible sophomore, and likely to go high as a rare combination of both advanced stuff and projection. The only concern is the command, but it made strides toward the end of the season and should be good enough to allow him to start long-term. 14. Garrett Mitchell, OF, Orange Lutheran (Calif.) HSMitchell is an excellent athlete who posts plus run times, and his left-handed swing comes with plus bat-speed and a chance to hit for both average and power at the next level. 15. Brendon Little, LHP, Manatee JCLittle was a fourth- to fifth-round talent out of Malvern, Pennsylvania, in 2015. He went to North Carolina, but was barely used at all by the Heels because reasons. He went to the Cape this summer and touched 98, reaching 96 regularly with a plus curveball, and transferred to Manatee to get away from UNC and become eligible for the 2017 draft, where he’s now among the top southpaws in the class. 16. Royce Lewis, OF/IF, JSerra (Aliso Viejo HS, Calif.) HSThere are serious questions about where Lewis is going to play defensively, and that puts a damper on his ranking. That being said, he showed surprising feel for the barrel this summer with some power projection and can really run. If a team thinks he can stick at shortstop, he’ll move up these rankings without haste. 17. Hans Crouse, RHP, Dana Hills (Dana Point, Calif.) HSCrouse’s delivery is not aesthetically pleasing, and he has struggled at times to throw strikes while not showing a competent third pitch. Negatives aside, Crouse is one of the most intriguing hurlers in the class with a fastball that touches the high 90s with big life, and a curveball with the kind of hard spin you see in plus pitches. 18. Peter Solomon, RHP, Notre DameSolomon helped himself more than any other pitcher on the Cape this summer, and will appeal to clubs who emphasize player birthdates because he doesn’t turn 21 until next August. He’s athletic and has some projection remaining, already touching the mid-90s on the Cape, but needs to work on fastball command. Pitching for Mik Aoki, who has a history of overusing pitchers, won’t help his cause, however. 19. Trevor Rogers, LHP, Carlsbad (N.M.) HSRogers offers as much projection as any pitcher in the class, but he’s already touching 96 mph with his fastball. The secondary offerings are going to have to show more consistency if he’s going to stay a first-round prospect, however. 20. Alex Scherff, RHP, Grapevine (Colleyville, Texas) HSScherff doesn’t over the typical projection of some of the other hurlers in the class, but he does get his fastball up to 96 mph, and he has one of the best changeups in the class. 21. Kyle Hurt, RHP, Torrey Pines (Calif.) HSHurt was one of the real pleasant surprises of this year’s Area Code Games. Though not overpowering, he touched 94 in Long Beach, and he showed a change and curveball that both flashed above-average from a clean delivery that should allow him to throw plenty of strikes. 22. Alex Lange, RHP, LSUScouts who like Lange will point to his above-average fastball, a plus power curve and a change that features quality arm-speed and some fade. Scouts less enamored will point to the fact that the command isn’t good enough to start, and there’s a good deal of effort in the delivery. 23. Keston Hiura, OF, UC IrvineKiura’s bat is going to have to carry him, as he’s likely headed to left field as a professional. It just might do that, as the right-handed hitting outfielder has a smooth swing that is capable of hitting the ball hard to any part of the park, with enough leverage to project some power as well. 24. Cole Turney, OF, William B. Travis (Richmond, Texas) HSTurney has a chance to be the highest drafted player from a pretty strong class in the Lone Star State. He showed plus power potential from the left side this summer, but he also showed the ability to go the other way with strong wrists and above-average bat speed. 25. Sam Carlson, RHP, Burnsville (Savage, Mn.) HSAthletic, projectable prep right-hander with good feel for his off-speed stuff and an average fastball now that should end up a half to a full grade better than that. 26. Dalton Guthrie, SS, FloridaIn a draft that’s light on college middle infielders, Guthrie stands out as one of the few who can stay up the middle and can hit. With solid contact rates but limited power that means he has to stay at short to project as a regular. 27. Conner Uselton, OF, Southmoore (Oklahoma City) HSUselton’s swing is far from picturesque, and the considerable movement could make it tough to for him to produce even an average hit tool. He’s also a terrific athlete with plenty of bat speed and power potential, and he should be competent corner outfielder. 28. Michael Gigliotti, OF, LipscombUndrafted out of powerhouse Archbishop McCarthy in 2014, Gigliotti is a young left-handed hitter and plus runner with some surprising pull power and solid bat-to-ball skills, projecting to stay in center field as well. 29. Joe Boyle, RHP, North Oldham (Ky.) HSBoyle offers almost zero projection, but with durable size (6-6, 225 pounds), a fastball that touches 96 and a competent curve and change, he doesn’t need it. 30. Quentin Holmes, OF, Monsignor McClancy Memorial (Elmhurst, N.Y.)Holmes can hit and run but probably lacks the power for an outfield corner, so he’ll be a first-rounder just for teams that believe he stays in center, where his athleticism and quick-twitch actions could still make him an above-average everyday player.
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Post by The Duke on Dec 11, 2016 0:47:45 GMT -5
I'm interested to see how Greene hits next spring. He has the tools to be a plus defensive SS, has power potential, huge arm obviously, plus speed. If he can hit for average, that can't be ignored.
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Post by redsfanman on Dec 13, 2016 15:54:29 GMT -5
It's now been announced that the Reds get the second pick in Competitive Balance Round A, after having the first competitive balance pick last year (#35, Taylor Trammell). I thought they used to decide the final order by a lottery (which the Reds won last year), but went with some formula this time.
That second pick will fall between #32 and #35 (at the moment), depending on the remaining free agents tied to draft pick compensation: Mark Trumbo, Orioles Jose Bautista, Blue Jays Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays
Kenley Jansen, Dodgers - Resigned
Justin Turner, Dodgers - On the verge of resigning with the Dodgers, although not yet official.
Due to a shortage of qualifying-offer receiving free agents this year (7) and no team signing multiples (one by Rockies, one by Cardinals) I guess it's likely there'll end up being 30 first round picks, while last year there were 34. I thought I heard a rumor tying Trumbo to the Cardinals and/or Rockies, which would make a 31st first round pick. Trumbo, Edwin, and Bautista seem unlikely to be teammates outside of Toronto.
The Reds make their 2nd round selection 6 slots later.
The Reds choose #2, 2nd in Competitive Balance Round A (#32-35 overall), between #38-41 overall in the second round, and between #77-80 overall in the third round. The Twins choose #1, 5th in the Competitive Balance round, and between #37-40 in the second round, and #76-79 in the third round. The Rays choose #4, 1st in the Competitive Balance round (ahead of the Reds), between #40-43 in the second round, and between #79-82 in the third round.
Reds, Twins, and Rays are, in my opinion, best positioned to make multiple strong picks... thanks to draft position and an extra pick after the first round. The Padres, who pick #3 overall, get a Competitive Balance Round B pick after the second round, so they will get ~4 of the first 78 picks, but only 2 of the first ~70, so they'll have a smaller bonus pool. The #5 Braves get no Competitive Balance picks.
Bonus slot values have not yet been announced, but the Reds after having the largest bonus pool last year (due to a supplementary pick the Phillies didn't have) they'll probably have the second largest this time. Using 2016 values: #1 overall (Twins) - $9.0m #2 overall (Reds) - $7.7m #4 overall (Rays) - $5.3m #31 overall, Comp Balance A #1 (Rays) - $1.97m #32 overall, Comp Balance A #2 (Reds) - $1.94m #35 overall, Comp Balance A #5 (Twins) - $1.84m #37 overall (Twins) - $1.75m #38 overall (Reds) - $1.70m #40 overall (Rays) - $1.62m
Going by 2016's figures (which are sure to change, and this doesn't include [smaller] slot values for guys later on) the bonus pools allotted to the first two rounds will be at least: Twins: $12.59m Reds: $11.34m Rays: $8.89m
Last year the Reds had a $13.9m bonus pool, Phillies had a $13.4m pool, Braves had $13.2m, Padres $12.9m, Rockies $11.2m. And bonus pools will presumably increase.
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Post by redsfanman on Dec 14, 2016 11:20:23 GMT -5
Jonathan Mayo and MLBPipeline just posted their first top 50 list for the 2017 draft: m.mlb.com/prospects/2017?list=draftI don't place a lot of value on MLBPipeline lists (the Reds lists are pretty nonsensical more often than not, with certain guys ranked higher or lower than everywhere else for no good reason, often seemingly because MLBPipeline doesn't care to update)... but hey, it's a fairly credible source and moderately interesting to see what they come up with. Jonathan Mayo isn't my favorite, but I also don't think he's a moron (despite the concerns mentioned above). Again Reds choose #2, ~#32, ~#38, and ~#77 with 3 compensation-tied free agents yet to sign... most likely #32, 38, and 77 are set, but they might move back one spot if the Cardinals or Rockies sign another one from that list. 1. RHP Hunter Greene - Notably feels so strongly about his appeal as a RHP that it doesn't grade his hit tool or mention him as a two way player (shortstop). 2. CF Jeren Kendall - Vanderbilt, I'll definitely be keeping an eye on his performance once his season starts. 3. CF/SS Royce Lewis - High schooler from California, I think it's the first time I've seen him ranked in the top 10 or 20 anywhere, let alone top 5. Toolshed up-the-middle player. 4. RHP Alex Faedo - Florida 5. RHP Kyle Wright - Vanderbilt 6. RHP JB Bukauskis - North Carolina 7. LHP/1b Brendan McKay - Louisville 8. RHP Tanner Houck - Missouri 9. LHP DL Hall - Georgia high schooler, perhaps one of the worst nicknames for a pitcher since Homer Bailey. 10. RHP Alex Lange - Louisiana State 11. OF Jordan Adell - High schooler from Louisville, I feel like I usually see him ranked higher. 12. SS Brady McConnell - Florida high schooler, sounds like the top guy who might stick at shortstop. ... 19. C JJ Schwarz - Florida - Lowest I've seen him ranked by far, but he had a bad season and might not catch. ... 32. 3b Mark Vientos - Florida high schooler, I've seen him ranked much higher elsewhere, although some of those places listed him as a shortstop and MLBPipeline clearly sees him as a 3b. 33. OF Quentin Holmes - NY high schooler. Just some random observations from comparing MLBPipeline's and Keith Law's list, not saying that one is better or the other is wrong, just things that seem interesting: 1b Alex Toral missed both MLB's (top 50) and Keith Law's (top 30) lists. OF Connor Uselton, OF Cole Turney, RHP Peter Solomon, and RHP Kyle Hurt were among the names in Keith Law's top 30 that didn't make MLB's top 50. SS Brady McConnell (MLB #12), 1b Pavin Smith (#14), and RHP Blayne Enlow (#15) are the top ranked MLB guys who didn't make Keith Law's top 30. Although 12 of the top 30 on MLB's list didn't make Keith Law's top 30. Both sources generally agree on much... Greene and Kendall for 1 or 2. Faedo at #4. Kyle Wright in top 5. Bukauskis, Houck, and DL Hall in top 10. McKay at #7. CF/SS Royce Lewis (#3 vs #16), RHP Alex Lange (#10 vs #22), RHP Corbin Martin (#22 vs #8), and RHP Hagan Danner (#27 vs #11) are some of their biggest disagreements.
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Post by Lark11 on Dec 15, 2016 1:12:31 GMT -5
m.mlb.com/news/article/210974064/hunter-greene-2017-draft-top-50-prospects-list/?topicid=151437456Mock Draft 1.0: Early look at 2017's Top 10 picksBy Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com | @jimcallismlb | December 14th, 2016 Six months in advance of the 2017 Draft, we're taking a stab at guessing how the first 10 selections will play out. It's too early to know anything for certain, but we'll give it our best shot. Last year, Jonathan even nailed the Rockies taking Riley Pint at No. 4. Here's how we see the beginning of the Draft unfolding in June: 1. Twins Callis: Alex Faedo, RHP, Florida. Hunter Greene is the consensus top prospect right now, but I can't see Minnesota's new regime becoming the first to take a high school right-hander at 1-1. The Twins are more apt to take whomever they deem as the best of a deep college pitching crop. Mayo: Hunter Greene, RHP, Notre Dame HS (Sherman Oaks, Calif.). It's true that a high school right-hander never has gone No. 1 overall, but Greene is the kind of dynamic athlete and performer who could finally break that streak. 2. Reds Callis: Jeren Kendall, OF, Vanderbilt. For the second straight year, Cincinnati takes a college bat at No. 2. Kendall is the best of a weak college position player class, with nifty all-around tools mitigated somewhat by swing-and-miss concerns. Mayo: Kendall. In three of the past four years, the Reds have drafted at least one college bat in the first round. Kendall is the clear-cut best college position player in the Draft, so Cincy may not want to let him go by. 3. Padres Callis: Greene. Just like in 2016, the first prep arm will come off the board at No. 3. Greene is too talented -- he'd be a first-rounder as a shortstop, too -- to last any longer than this. Mayo: Faedo. A strong spring as the Gators' Friday night starter could mean he goes off the board in the top two, but the idea of Faedo pitching at Petco Park pretty quickly should have San Diego fans excited. 4. Rays Callis: Kyle Wright, RHP, Vanderbilt. It's very possible that Wright will emerge as the best college arm and No. 1 overall pick, and that the first two selections both could be Commodores. Mayo: Royce Lewis, SS/OF, JSerra Catholic HS (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.). In three of the past four Drafts, Tampa Bay has taken a high school bat with its first selection, so why not make it four out of five? The Rays haven't picked this high since having the No. 1 pick in 2008, when they took prep shortstop Tim Beckham over Buster Posey. 5. Braves Callis: Lewis. After loading up on pitching at the top of the 2016 Draft, it makes sense for Atlanta to grab one of the few top-10-worthy position players. The Braves do have Dansby Swanson at shortstop, but many evaluators believe Lewis will end up in center field. Mayo: Wright. The Braves have been high-school heavy in the past couple of Drafts. Imagine what adding an advanced college arm with front-line starter potential could look like. 6. Athletics Callis: Brendan McKay, LHP/1B, Louisville. Depending on who you talk to, McKay is a potential No. 3 starter and the best pure hitter in this year's college crop. He might be both. Mayo: J.B. Bukauskas, RHP, North Carolina. After back-to-back high school bats in 2012 and '13, Oakland has gone back to college in the first round of the past three Drafts. Next June will make it four as the A's add Bukauskas after taking A.J. Puk from the college pitching ranks last June. 7. D-backs Callis: Bukauskas. He has the most electric arm in college baseball, and Arizona (albeit a different regime) drafted him out of high school in 2014. Mayo: D.L. Hall, LHP, Valdosta (Ga.) HS. The D-backs took college hitters with their past two top picks, including Swanson No. 1 overall in 2015, but there isn't one to take here. Scouting director Deric Ladnier did like high school lefties (Danny Duffy, Mike Montgomery) back when he was in Kansas City. 8. Phillies Callis: Tanner Houck, RHP, Missouri. Philadelphia's system is hitter-heavy, so a quick-to-the-Majors pitcher like Houck would make sense. Mayo: Houck. Houck's hard sinker could be a very good weapon in the Phillies' very hitter-friendly home park. After aggressively pursuing high school talent in the 2016 Draft, adding a more advanced college arm might not be a bad idea. 9. Brewers Callis: Pavin Smith, 1B, Virginia. The demand for college bats is high while the supply is low, so they'll get pushed up boards. While teams would rather not take a first baseman this high, Smith can hit for average and power and play quality defense. Mayo: Jordon Adell, OF, Ballard HS (Louisville, Ky.). Milwaukee hasn't been afraid to roll the dice on high-ceiling prep talent, and Adell might have the best all-around raw tools in the Draft class. Being able to touch 97 mph isn't a bad safety net, either. 10. Angels Callis: Adell. He has the best all-around tools in this Draft, though he comes with some concerns about his bat. If Adell hits this spring, he won't last this long. Mayo: Alex Lange, RHP, Louisiana State. Strong and durable, Lange has two plus pitches and an improving changeup that point to a future as a workhorse starter at the big league level. The Angels went college bat in last year's first round, but there isn't necessarily one that makes sense here in this class. Jim Callis is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow @jimcallismlb on Twitter. Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLBPipeline.com. Follow him on Twitter @jonathanmayo and Facebook. Listen to them on the weekly Pipeline Podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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