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Draft  | Story  | 4/24/2019

2019 MLB Mock Draft Version 1

Patrick Ebert      Jerry Ford      Greg Sabers      Vincent Cervino      David Rawnsley      Jheremy Brown      Greg Gerard     
Photo: CJ Abrams (Perfect Game)

MLB Draft Top 300 Prospects

Welcome to our first attempt at predicting the first 41 picks (all picks before the beginning of the second round) for the 2019 MLB Draft. Similar to past years we have assembled numerous members of our scouting staff, eight in total, to take turns making selections. Since we are still ahead of trying to figure out signability and more concrete player-to-team picks, each one of our scouts has a little different approach to their selections. From trying to match team preferences to players, talent to picks and/or simply selecting players we feel would be good for the respective slots, each person employs a different philosophy when making their picks.

Be sure to visit the link above for the most recently updated draft list for the 2019 draft and stay tuned between now and early June for our annual draft preview content.


1. Baltimore Orioles | Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State
Dating back to even last June’s draft, teams already had the Oregon State catcher pegged as a potential top choice and the switch-hitting Rutschman has done nothing but solidify himself atop the board throughout this spring. Well past the midway point of the year, Rutschman is still hitting north of .400, has shown plenty of raw power from both sides (13 home runs) and is an elite defender with a plus arm at a premium position. (JB)


2. Kansas City Royals | Bobby Witt Jr, SS, Colleyville Heritage HS (Texas)
If Adley Rutschman is a slam dunk for the No. 1 overall pick Bobby Witt Jr might be the same at No. 2 to the Royals. Long considered the top high school player eligible for this year's draft, Witt continues to elevate his game and is enjoying a huge senior season, hitting everything hard and racking up an astonishing number of extra-base hits while showing his high-level tools both offensively and defensively. (PE)


3. Chicago White Sox | Hunter Bishop, OF, Arizona State
Bishop is putting up gaudy numbers out west for Arizona State and has quickly seen his draft stock rocket up draft boards. Coming off a season in which he hit .250 with five homers and 11 extra-base hits, Bishop is now hitting .380 with 17 home runs and 32 extra-base hits. The White Sox have a young and talented offense down on the farm and they could add to that with physical lefthanded hitting outfielder Hunter Bishop. (GG)

4. Miami Marlins | CJ Abrams, SS, Blessed Trinity Catholic HS (Ga.)
PG’s Tyson Kimm put a Kenny Lofton comp on Abrams at the 2017 PG High School Showdown and that still fits his offensive profile. It will be no surprise to see him in All Star Games and hitting leadoff in the World Series soon like Lofton did. Abrams possesses an impact bat and if you have ever had the chance to see him put a ball in the gap and fly around the bases for a triple using his 6.29 speed to fly around the bases you know it’s a treat. (GS)

5. Detroit Tigers | Bryson Stott, SS, UNLV
In an interesting spot at No. 5 overall, the Tigers have been said to be focusing on bats, mostly college, but with some potential prep names mixed in. Stott is No. 4 on the PG draft board and offers an intriguing mix of defensive ability at shortstop as well as lefthanded raw pop. (BS)
 

6. San Diego Padres | Andrew Vaughn, 1B, California
Vaughn is perhaps the most polished and adept hitter of any prospect in this year’s draft class and the Padres would be ecstatic if he fell into their laps. Vaughn has put up big numbers the past three years and his polished hit/power combination may cause Padres GM AJ Preller to forgo an upside high school prospect for a player that will move quickly through the minor leagues. (VC)


7. Cincinnati Reds | Nick Lodolo, LHP, TCU
Lodolo was a 2015 PG All-American and has a long and established track record for health and continued improvement, and there’s still enough projection on the slender 6-foot-6 southpaw to see more physical development. Lodolo’s also a strike thrower (only 12 walks in 65 innings this spring) who should be a fast-track type to the big leagues. (DR)


8. Texas Rangers | Daniel Espino, Georgia Premier Academy
With three solid pitches and a fastball that has registered 100mph with life, Daniel Espino’s profile is near unrivaled at this point of his baseball career. Along with his high-octane stuff, he displays good command of all three pitches and seems to love the big stage. He’s one of the very best high school pitchers we have ever seen and find ourselves wondering, how many pitchers with his resume ever got to the eighth pick? (JF)


9. Atlanta Braves | George Kirby, RHP, Elon
A late round pick who ultimately went in the 32nd round out of high school, Kirby shouldn’t make it to the 32nd overall pick in 2019 as the Elon righthander has been outstanding this season. Not only has Kirby missed bats (76 strikeouts in 64.2 innings) but he has walked just five batters over 10 starts, living in the mid-90s with a clean delivery and a full four-pitch arsenal, all of which show at least average. (JB)
 

10. San Francisco Giants | JJ Bleday, OF, Vanderbilt
Lately Bleday has been hitting one home run per game, and he entered the 2019 season as a potential breakout candidate after missing parts of his sophomore year due to injury. He has certainly lived up to those expectations, and then some, and has been an integral part of Vanderbilt's national success as a strong and polished lefthanded hitter who can leave the yard at any time, to all fields. (PE)


11. Toronto Blue Jays | Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia
Manoah has seen his draft stock steadily rise after a strong performance on the Cape last summer and this season’s performance has been nothing short of outstanding as well. The extra large righthander’s fastball reaches 97 mph and his command of all three of his pitches are surely going to help him be a first round pick. (GG)


12. New York Mets | Riley Greene, OF, Hagerty High School (Fla.)
Greene is just a natural hitter with a smooth lefthanded stroke that always seems to find the barrel. A loud 2017, when he hit six homers in 65 ABs at PG events, put him right at the top of the list as one of the top hitters for the 2019 draft and he has continued to hit putting up a 1.291 OPS at PG events that last two years. In short, it’s an impact bat to add to any minor league system. (GS)

13. Minnesota Twins | Zack Thompson, LHP, Kentucky
Thompson could go higher than this as he continues his mid- to late-season surge, and would give the Twins excellent value at 13. He has the size, athleticism and stuff to be a high-end Major League starter, and at No. 11 on the PG draft board fits in this range. (BS)


14. Philadelphia Phillies | Michael Busch, 1B, North Carolina
GM Matt Klentak and the Phillies made it clear this past offseason that they were looking to win now and Busch fits that directive. An extremely polished hitter, Busch has the potential for a plus bat with plus game power and offers one of the most disciplined approaches in the class with nearly twice as many walks as strikeouts and he should be able to aid the big league club in a short period of time. (VC)


15. Los Angeles Angels | Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor
Langeliers stands out as the second-best catching prospect in the 2019 class behind potential first overall pick Adley Rutschman and is Oregon State standout’s defensive equal without the big offensive ceiling. Langeliers’ reputation with scouts as a hard-nosed gamer was boosted this spring when he only missed a handful of games after breaking his hamate bone. (DR)


16. Arizona Diamondbacks | Brennan Malone, RHP, IMG Academy (Fla.)
Malone would represent excellent value in this range, as it's hard to project where some of the top high school pitchers may end up going, but this could be the range in which a run occurs with several high profile arms available. Malone has one of the better combinations of size, stuff and pitchability with a long track record of success and a fastball that sustains low- to mid-90s velocity deep into games. (JF)


17. Washington Nationals | Matt Allan, RHP, Seminole HS (Fla.)
Allan has quickly established himself as one of the top prep arms this spring and could in fact be the first one off the board come June. Throughout his career Allan has been a model of consistency on the national stage and has continued to deliver while showing an uptick in his arsenal. Reports from this spring have Allan up to 98 mph, routinely working into the mid-90s while showing a power 12-6 curveball to elicit empty swings. (JB)
 

18. Pittsburgh Pirates | Corbin Carroll, OF, Lakeside HS (Wash.)
It would be somewhat surprising if Carroll made it this far, a player who has very good tools across the board and makes those tools even better with an incredibly high level of game instincts and feel for the game that allows everything to play up. He's somewhat similar to Francisco Lindor in that he may not be overly big or physical but impacts the baseball consistently hard while profiling as an ideal threat towards the top of a lineup. (PE)


19. St. Louis Cardinals | Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto College
The Cardinals have an outstanding reputation of player development and Jackson Rutledge could be a perfect fit with a mid- to upper-90s fastball yet with still-developing command. That sounds like a recipe for a pitcher who could drop to the late teens in the first round for the Cardinals to scoop and develop a potential monster on the mound. (GG)
 

20. Seattle Mariners | JJ Goss, RHP, Cypress Ranch HS (Texas)
We have been big fans of JJ Goss since we first got our eyes on him at the 2017 Sunshine South Showcase and all he has done since then is continue to get better. The stuff he showed in the 17u WWBA playoffs is what took him to first-round consideration for us, showing a 96 mph fastball with a wipeout slider. He has been very good this spring as well and in 29 1/3 innings the last two years at PG events he has struck out 45 with only nine walks and a 0.89 WHIP. (GS)


21. Atlanta Braves | Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech
One of the more well known performers in the class, Jung has done nothing but hit in his college career, and represents relative safety in a draft where there is no such thing as a sure thing. He projects to hit, play a solid defensive at third base and bring some righthanded power to the table. (BS)


22. Tampa Bay Rays | Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson
The Rays have four picks in the first round, including supplemental and compensatory picks, and they’ll start with someone they envision as their big league shortstop in a few years, Logan Davidson. Davidson is a fascinating prospect as he offers surprising pop for a middle infielder with the tools to stick as shortstop as well. There are some concerns with his wood bat history in the Cape but Davidson has proven himself worthy of a first round selection this spring. (VC)


23. Colorado Rockies | Kendall Williams, RHP, IMG Academy (Fla.)
The 6-foot-6, 190-pound Williams has continued to develop this spring and has four solid present pitches, including a fastball that has been up to 94-95 mph, and still has plenty of physical projection. His height and high three-quarters arm slot gives his pitches huge downhill angle, making it very difficult for hitters to lift his pitches, an added bonus for the Rockies. (DR)


24. Cleveland Indians | Erik Rivera, OF/LHP, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy
Taking Erik Rivera from Puerto Rico is a pick that could surprise everyone at this spot, however, he could enjoy a long and successful career in the big leagues. Rivera’s tools play, he’s a professional hitter and he is a true baseball player in every way. Not to mention, if he does fail to hit you could have one of the better lefthanded pitchers available in this year’s draft class. (JF)


25. Los Angeles Dodgers | Quinn Priester, RHP, Cary-Grove HS (Ill.)
Priester, an Illinois native, opened his season later than those in warmer states but has forced his way into first round discussions with the potential to keep rising thanks to a hot start. Still offering ample projection with high-end athleticism, Priester has no problem running his fastball up into the mid-90s while spinning a tight curveball and displaying advanced feel for the offering. (JB)
 

26. Arizona Diamondbacks | Kameron Misner, OF, Missouri
Built big and physical, Misner may not be having as loud of a season as he enjoyed as a freshman and sophomore, but the power and patience numbers are still there. A hulking athlete, you're not going to miss Misner on the field, and while he has one of the better approaches in the nation as a lefthanded hitter, he's also looking to destroy the baseball as soon as the bat leaves his shoulder. (PE)


27. Chicago Cubs | Jack Leiter, RHP, Delbaron HS (N.J.)
One of the top prep arms in the class hails from New Jersey in righthander Jack Leiter, the son of former big leaguer Al Leiter. A PG All-American last summer, the righthander has an ideal delivery and above average stuff. He’s a little old for the grade, and possibly a tick undersized for a potential starter long-term, but there are comparisons to Sonny Gray that make Leiter a first round-type talent. (GG)


28. Milwaukee Brewers | Rece Hinds, 3B, IMG Academy (Fla.)
There is an argument to be made that Hinds has as high a ceiling as anyone in the 2019 draft with huge raw power that has shown up in games against quality pitching and also some of the best arm strength we have seen at an event. He can be a bit inconsistent with the bat, which is the reason he may still available here, but we are going to bet on him figuring it out in the minors and reaching that lofty ceiling. (GS)


29. Oakland Athletics | Will Wilson, SS, North Carolina State
Wilson is a sum-of-his-parts type of player without a true standout tool, but he does everything pretty well and scouts are mostly convinced he’ll hit long term as well. He’s not a lock to stay at shortstop, but he’d represent good value for the Athletics here. (BS) 

30. New York Yankees | Brooks Lee, SS, San Luis Obispo HS (Calif.)
The Yankees love their California prep prospects and in this exercise they grab arguably the best one in Brooks Lee near the end of the first round. Lee has had some nagging injuries this spring but is perhaps the best pure hitter in the prep class. The son of Cal Poly head coach Larry Lee, Brooks offers a sweet swing from both sides of the plate and offers significant upside as he’s been scorching hot since returning from injury this spring. (VC)


31. Los Angeles Dodgers | Carter Stewart, RHP, Eastern Florida State College
Neither Stewart’s velocity nor his devastating breaking ball have been the same as last year, when the Braves picked him ninth overall before a late-spring wrist injury sabotaged his signing. The Dodgers took a first round chance on another high ceiling but nicked up righthander in 2015 in Walker Buehler and that has worked out pretty well. (DR)


32. Houston Astros | Nasim Nunez, SS, Collins Hill HS (Ga.)
Nunez’ tools are off the chart. We have seen the best shortstops in the big leagues perform in high school and defensively Nunez is at that level, even better than some. While he isn’t big or physical he still has a high ceiling as a hitter. This kid is exciting and just plain fun to watch. (JF)


33. Arizona Diamondbacks | Seth Johnson, RHP, Campbell
After rarely pitching last spring in the JUCO ranks, Johnson has had perhaps the most helium of anybody in the 2019 class thanks to what he has been able to do for the Fighting Camels on the mound. The athleticism he showed in the infield translates well to the rubber and the relative low mileage of his arm will be intriguing, not to mention a 92-95 mph fastball which he complements with a plus slider and an above average changeup. (JB)


34. Arizona Diamondbacks | Anthony Volpe, SS, Delbarton HS (N.J.)
Volpe is a fun player to watch, one that plays the game the right way with an elevated level of intensity, and not surprisingly he has committed to play collegiately at Vanderbilt, like so any other talented players from the Northeast have. However, he may not make it to campus given his diverse and expansive tool-set and the Dbacks could be a good match for him given their extra picks and overall bonus allotment. (PE)


35. Miami Marlins | Gunnar Henderson, SS, John T. Morgan Academy (Ala.)
Henderson, an athletic shortstop who might move to third base down the road, might remind Marlins fans of one of the best hitters of this generation with a similar profile in Miguel Cabrera. Now that is an very ambitious comp, and Henderson does bat lefthanded, but it is something to think about with the Marlins player development of young infielders. Why not take a player with Henderson’s athleticism and tools as the first pick in the Competitive Balance Round? (GG)

 
36. Tampa Bay Rays | Tyler Callihan, 3B, Providence HS (Fla.)
Callihan has shown a great feel for hitting and plenty of power to go with it and the Rays would be excited to be able to land a bat with his potential at this point in the draft. There are plenty of similarities in the box to his former Central Florida Gators teammate and Cardinals first-rounder Nolan Gorman. (GS)

 
37. Pittsburgh Pirates | Brett Baty, 3B, Lake Travis HS (Texas)
A physical, lefthanded hitting corner infielder, Baty’s ultimate defensive home is a bit of a question mark here but he has always shown advanced hitting skills and has tapped into more and more of his substantial raw power in 2019. (BS)


38. New York Yankees | Drew Mendoza, 3B, Florida State
GM Brian Cashman and the Yankees received this pick in the Sonny Gray trade and will use it to nab one of the best power bats in the collegiate ranks with Florida State’s Drew Mendoza. The former PG All-American is a big, hulking lefthanded hitter with plus-plus raw power and a smooth, picturesque lefthanded swing. There are some concerns about his ultimate positional home but his advanced approach and ability to get to the power makes him a worthy selection. (VC)


39. Minnesota Twins | Josh Wolf, RHP, St. Thomas HS (Texas)
Perhaps no high school pitcher in the country has improved his draft stock this spring as much as Wolf. Wolf topped out at 92 mph at the PG National Showcase last June but has been up to 97 mph this spring while maintaining his potential plus power curveball and advanced ability to throw strikes from a sound delivery. (DR)


40. Tampa Bay Rays | Myles Austin, SS, Westlake HS (Ga.)
A PG All-American last summer, we have been following Austin for a long time and he really turned it up a notch over the last year. The power has shown up and it projects large. He has simply improved in every facet of the game and there is no reason to think that he is going to stop developing anytime soon. (JF)


41. Texas Rangers | Hunter Barco, LHP, The Bolles HS (Fla.)
Barco has been on the national scene as long as any prep player in this year’s class and he has continued to establish himself as one of the top prospects. The Florida signee came out this spring showing improvements from the summer circuit, living within the low-90s from an extended slot while maintaining the pitchability he has shown throughout his career, along with the potential for a plus changeup. (JB)
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