2,072 MLB PLAYERS | 14,476 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Draft  | Story  | 5/13/2010

Mock Draft Introduction

David Rawnsley     
The 46th annual June first-yearplayer draft is about four weeks away, and PG Crosschecker is ramping up itscoverage starting this week. Truth be told, it’s more like fine-tuning some ofour existing information that has been up on the website in one form or anotherfor some time.

One of the obvious places to startdraft coverage is, of course, with a mock draft, and PG Crosschecker readersare getting two for the price of one this year. We would like to introduce toyou to Andy Seiler, the creator of the website www.mlbbonusbaby.com and one of the best young prospect analysts in thebusiness. Seiler has been running mock drafts on his website for much of thespring (this is actually version 6) and they are both very insightful and verywell-sourced.

Six versions in one spring doesnot touch the untold dozens of mock drafts that Allan Simpson and I have donethrough the years, however, most recently with PG Crosschecker. Our firsteffort of the 2010 season, written by myself but heavily-sourced by Simpson,appears here alongside Seiler’s “introductory” version.

Baring some unforeseen events,17-year-old prodigy Bryce Harper will be the first pick, as selected by theWashington Nationals. A huge number of words will undoubtedly be written about hissigning status over the following 10 weeks, leading up to the Aug. 16 signingdeadline, before the supremely talented hitter/catcher is either signed or notsigned for a potential record setting bonus.

Some of the more wide-rangingthemes and wild cards of the 2010 draft are addressed in the respective mockdrafts. 

While there is some depth in thecollege pitching class, the premium college pitchers in the country have beenless than stellar this spring, both in terms of health and performance, and noone has really stepped forward and asserted himself as the consensus top collegepitching prospect in the country. A minor injury in the last week by Mississippi lefthanderDrew Pomeranz, the consensus top college arm, has even further clouded thatpicture.

On the other hand, high-schoolpitchers, and especially righthanders, have shined this spring. Eight suchprospects are listed in the first round of PG Crosschecker’s initial mock draft,and if we went to the extent of including the supplemental first round, therewould likely be up to another half dozen.

If it weren’t for Harper, Texas prep righthanderJameson Taillon would stand a realistic chance of becoming the first high-schoolrighthander selected with the No. 1 overall pick. Noticeably missing from boththe mock drafts are lefthanders, as none has even remotely emerged this springas a first-round candidate.

Scouts across the countryregularly bemoan the lack of potential impact hitters, which is hardly a newtheme. As is the norm, such hitters, whether they are high school or collegehitters, will tend to get over-drafted by teams who figure that there will beplenty of pitching available later in the draft.

The final theme that one hearsfrequently when talking to scouts this spring is the impact that the LosAngeles Angels, and especially the Toronto Blue Jays, will have at the top ofthe draft. The Angels have five picks in the top m50, the Jays four.

DAVID RAWNSLEY’S MOCK DRAFT


ANDY SEILER’S MOCK DRAFT
PG Special Events
Travel, Lodging, Entertainment
PG Partners
Recommended
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2024 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.