Day 1 of the MLB Draft starts tonight at 7 PM ET. Here's our top-10 MLB Mock Draft!
This is one of the most loaded classes in recent memory. Here's our MLB Mock Draft for the first ten picks, starting with Pittsburgh.
1. Pirates: Paul Skenes
The Pirates have hit the jackpot when drafting a pitcher first overall in the past, as shown when they selected Gerrit Cole. This pick to me is an absolute layup. I think Skenes is the most big league-ready player in high school or college, and with his fastball-slider combo while sitting at 100 and topping at 103, he will not need much time in the minors. You can accelerate Skenes quickly to Pittsburgh. Skenes is a front-end rotation type guy who could have a great career.
Pittsburgh took catcher Henry Davis #1 in 2021, who they just called up a few weeks ago and is having a nice start to his career. These two should be battery mates for many years to come. You can’t go wrong with taking Dylan Crews instead, but you can get Skenes through the minors faster than Crews.
2. Nationals: Dylan Crews
Dylan Crews is coming off an impressive season at LSU. Most teams that start the year ranked #1 do not end up winning it all, but LSU did just that. Led by Crews offensively, who won the Golden Spikes Award, he slashed .426/.567/.713 for the season. Doing that while playing in the SEC is absurd.
In most drafts, he is easily the #1 overall pick. This year though, I have him going second behind his teammate. The Nationals will be getting an absolute stud who is a true professional hitter. He can use the entire field and can play catch with the fence. He also has elite speed. A true 5-tool prospect who will make a huge impact when he makes his way to the Majors.
3. Tigers: Max Clark
Clark is also a name that could be a top pick most years. He is the best prospect to come out of Indiana since 2002 and he has a sweet swing. Clark hit .686 this season in 28 games and walked 56 times. He had an OBP of .808, which is absolutely absurd no matter where you are playing. He is committed to Vanderbilt right now, but the potential top pick is looking to forgo college and start his professional career straight out of high school.
Clark has four plus tools and can reach 97 off the mound. He can definitely throw even harder from the outfield with a crow hop. It is always a luxury to have a center fielder with a cannon for an arm who can also swing the stick, which is exactly what you will get from Max Clark.
4. Rangers: Wyatt Langford
In this draft, I think the top three players are kind of in their own class. Not saying the others won’t have amazing careers and potentially better careers than them, but at this moment, those three seem to be the best players. Wyatt Langford is the second best college bat in the country and the dude rakes. In his last two seasons at Florida, he hit 46 ding dongs. Which is wild. In those two years he has also put up a batting average of .363 which is, again, absurd in the SEC.
Langford is definitely a lock to go top-5 if not top-3. I have him at #4, but don’t be surprised if the Tigers take him at #3. Langford is one of the best bats in the country and he will quickly hit his way to the Bigs.
5. Twins: Walker Jenkins
Walker Jenkins is a 6-foot-3 outfielder from North Carolina. He and Max Clark are considered the best high school players from this year’s draft. Jenkins won Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year the last two seasons. He is a righty thrower and a lefty hitter who can hit for a lot of power. He also has really good hands and has shown he can turn on pitches.
This would be a great fit for the Twins because they are missing impact bats in the field and could really benefit from adding depth to their outfield.
6. A’s: Kyle Teel
Kyle Teel is a legit prospect from Virginia. He hit a very impressive .407 this year with 13 bombs. Teel can flat out rake and he gets on base at a very high clip. His OBP this year was .475 which is impressive for Division 3 college baseball, let alone ACC play. He is a lefty hitting catcher, which is one of the most attractive things possible for scouts. Teel has a very smooth lefty stroke that will definitely translate to pro ball.
The Virginia backstop has elite bat to ball skills that the A’s desperately need. They could also put him in a corner outfield spot so he can play, as the A’s have a few good catching prospects.
7. Reds: Rhett Lowder
ACC pitcher of the year Rhett Lowder led the number one pitching staff in the country. He posted a wild 1.87 ERA and added 15 wins on the season. He sits around 93 and can run it up as high as 97. What jumps out to me about Lowder is he has great pitchability. This is something you can’t really teach and you just kind of figure out by pitching more and more. The ability to stay calm and make big pitches over and over again no matter the situation is a valuable skill to have. Lots of guys do not have this ability. Other pitchers may throw 97 with a wipeout slider, but can't spot up and mix up pitches the way Lowder does. He has a true mound presence, which makes him exciting to watch.
Adding Lowder would be smart for the Reds because they have so many great infield and outfield prospects. Adding a guy like Lowder to the staff could make the Reds dangerous in a few years.
8. Royals: Brayden Taylor
Taylor had a standout year at TCU. He hit .308 and launched 23 home runs with 70 RBIs in the Big 12 . He can spray balls all over the field and has a very projectable frame. He set the TCU record for career and single-season home runs, and will continue hitting in the minors. He is also a solid defender with a plus arm that will most likely stick at third base.
The Royals have had a terrible season and could use help everywhere. It looks like at their slot they will be taking the best player available. Because they need help in every facet of the game, Taylor could be their guy to pair up with Vinnie Pasquantino, their current best hitter.
9. Rockies: Colin Houck
I think Houck is a perfect fit for the Rockies. A big-bodied high school shortstop that could turn into 20-25 home runs a year for them at Coors field. The lack of infield talent the Rockies have is why this is a good fit. If you look at past Rockies shortstops, they have been guys who can hit and drive the baseball (think Trevor Story or Troy Tulowitzki). I think Houck could become a player like that.
I would not be surprised if Houck gets moved over to 3rd at some point, but this is a nice fit for a struggling franchise. He is rated as the #1 shortstop and player in all of Georgia. Houch has good hands and is short to the ball. This would be an ideal spot for Houck.
10. Marlins: Chase Dollander
The Marlins are big on drafting pitchers early and it generally pays off for them. Chase Dollander was the projected #1 pick in the MLB Draft coming into this college season. After a little bit of a rough season, he has dropped a little. He is still going top-10 because he has elite stuff and throws 97.
This would be a good fit because the Marlins have been successful in developing pitchers recently, and Chase Dollander has the tools to be great.