2019 Mock Draft 2.0

We’re just hours away from the 2019 MLB Draft. Twelve months, arguably more, of work comes down to this. Here is what we’re hearing as the clock counts down…

1. Orioles: Unsurprisingly, there are rumors that Baltimore won’t take C Adley Rustchman (Oregon State). We’ll believe it when we see it. PICK: ADLEY RUTSCHMAN

2. Royals: It could still be SS Bobby Witt Jr. (Colleyville Heritage HS, TX), but the word this morning was Kansas City will go with a college bat so we’re thinking OF J.J. Bleday (Vanderbilt). PICK: J.J. BLEDAY

3. White Sox: There was talk of SS C.J. Abrams (Blessed Trinity Catholic HS, GA) here, but he might slide. It seems like college bats are going to be the first three picks with 1B Andrew Vaughn (California). PICK: ANDREW VAUGHN

4. Marlins: It still seems crazy, but it looks like Witt might get to this far. PICK: BOBBY WITT JR.

5. Tigers: OF Riley Greene (Hagerty HS, FL) has been tied to Detroit for a while now and if Bleday and Vaughn are off the board, it’s a relatively safe bet. PICK: RILEY GREENE.

6. Padres: San Diego likes athletes and upside and Abrams fits that just as well as anybody. PICK: C.J. ABRAMS

7. Reds: There has been talk of LHP Nick Lodolo (Texas Christian) slipping. College pitching may be thin, but someone has to go first. PICK: NICK LODOLO

8. Rangers: We’ve heard 3B Brett Baty (Lake Travis HS, TX) tied to Texas, but OF Hunter Bishop (Arizona State) has also been mentioned in the top 10 and could fit here. PICK: BRETT BATY

9. Braves: Our three experts had RHP Alek Manoah (West Virginia) going to Atlanta our first mock draft. It’s still a possibility but a sub-par final start may push him down. OF Corbin Carroll is an option. PICK: ALEK MANOAH

10. Giants: San Francisco would probably be plenty happy to get the best college shortstop—Bryson Stott (Nevada-Las Vegas) at 10th overall. PICK: BRYSON STOTT

11. Blue Jays: Toronto went for a big, strong junior college arm with a high-octane arm in the first round a couple years ago. RHP Jackson Rutledge (San Jacinto JC) would give them another one. PICK: JACKSON RUTLEDGE

12. Mets: You can never have enough pitching and LHP Zack Thompson (Kentucky) is one of the best ones available. PICK: ZACK THOMPSON

13. Twins: A college bat or arm feels like a better fit for Minnesota, but they have almost $10 million to work with. 3B Keoni Cavaco (Eastlake HS, CA) is the spring’s biggest riser and in the mix. PICK: KEONI CAVACO

14. Phillies: J.T. Realmuto is the catcher for the foreseeable future in Philadelphia, but you don’t draft on need. C Shea Langeliers (Baylor) is one of the best available. PICK: SHEA LANGELIERS

15. Angels: It’s a safe bet to just find the toolsiest athlete available and stick him with the Angels. We’ve heard this will be SS Kyren Paris (Freedom HS, CA), who is extremely young for his class. PICK: KYREN PARIS

16. Diamondbacks: Arizona has a draft bonanza with eight picks in the top 100 and may gamble on some risky, upside types like OF Hunter Bishop (Arizona State). PICK: HUNTER BISHOP

17. Nationals: Who has upside, but comes with some risk, and maybe has a certain advisor? RHP Matt Allan fits the bill. PICK: MATT ALLAN

18. Pirates: Pittsburgh hasn’t been afraid to take a high school righty and RHP Brennan Malone (IMG Academy, FL) has been mentioned here. PICK: BRENNAN MALONE

19. Cardinals: There are several high school righties that fit in the first round. RHP Quinn Priester (Cary Grove HS, IL) has had an arrow pointing up all spring. PICK: QUINN PRIESTER

20. Mariners: This is could be the floor for Carroll or RHP George Kirby (Elon). PICK: GEORGE KIRBY

21. Braves: Atlanta could go with Carroll with their first pick if not Manoah. PICK: CORBIN CARROLL

22. Rays: RHP J.J. Goss (Cypress Ranch HS, TX) has first-round stuff, but no clear spot right now. PICK: J.J. GOSS

23. Rockies: SS Greg Jones (UNC Wilmington) has shown this spring that he should get every chance to stick at shortstop. If he doesn’t, or if Trevor Story or Brendan Rodgers are still in Denver, his speed would easily cover the spacious outfield at Coors Field. PICK: GREG JONES

24. Indians: Cleveland has a smaller pool than years past and probably won’t be able to gamble as much on upside as usual. Look for them to go the college route. SS Will Wilson (North Carolina State) would fit, but 3B Josh Jung (Texas Tech) needs to go somewhere. PICK: JOSH JUNG

25. Dodgers: Los Angeles is rumored to be making a run at LHP Blake Walston (New Hanover HS, NC) and RHP Jack Leiter (Delbarton School, NJ). But that might happen with their second pick. First one may be for a college guy like OF Kameron Misner (Missouri). PICK: KAMERON MISNER

26. Diamondbacks: A few teams in the 20s are in on SS Anthony Volpe (Delbarton School, NJ), including Arizona. PICK: ANTHONY VOLPE

27. Cubs: Chicago has a small pool so look for a college guy here like Wilson or OF Michael Busch (North Carolina). PICK: WILL WILSON

28. Brewers: Same deal as Chicago, small pool for a college guy. PICK: KODY HOESE

29. Athletics: Oakland is rumored to be on SS Logan Davidson (Clemson). PICK: LOGAN DAVIDSON

30. Yankees: 3B Tyler Callihan (Providence School) and SS Gunnar Henderson (Morgan Academy, AL) have been mentioned here. Henderson may go higher. PICK: GUNNAR HENDERSON

31. Dodgers: Don’t rule out Leiter or Walston here, but RHP Daniel Espino (Georgia Premier Academy, GA) is more signable and needs a spot in the first round. PICK: DANIEL ESPINO

32. Astros: We’re well beyond the guesswork part of the draft. This is the pinnacle of it. Look for Houston to go with a college bat or arm. We’ll say it’s 3B Davis Wendzel (Baylor). PICK: DAVIS WENDZEL

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