2011 MLB Mock Draft

Written by Jack Jones - Google +

The 2011 MLB Draft is right around the corner and it’s time to start predicting which players will be taken by which teams. The draft starts on June 6th with round one followed by rounds 2-30 on June 7th and rounds 31-50 on June 8th. This first-year player draft isn’t as big around the country as sports like the NFL and NBA simply because there are so many more rounds in the MLB. Still, for the diehard baseball fans this can be a very exciting time of year.

I’m going to give my mock draft for the first round by listing the players that I feel will be taken by each team. I will also give a little background information on every player so that way you can know something about the player that your team might select. Just like any other sport, the draft is very hard to predict but I’ll give it my best shot from information I’ve gathered from my resources. You may also be interested in checking out MLB mock drafts from our partners.

1.) Pittsburgh Pirates: Gerrit Cole, RHP, UCLA – After topping out at 101 mph on his 4-seamer this past Friday and hitting 100 several times this season, Cole’s raw talent is too good to pass up. He has one of the best changups in the business and a solid slider to boot. Other Options: Danny Hultzen, Bubba Starling

2.) Seattle Mariners: Anthony Rendon, 3B, Rice - The top college position player in the draft, Rendon has the potential to win a batting title while also providing above-average power. He is a plus defender at third and has a great eye at the plate. Other Options: Gerrit Cole, Bubba Starling, Francisco Lindor

3.) Arizona Diamondbacks: Danny Hultzen, LHP, Virginia – Hultzen doesn’t have overpowering stuff like Cole, but he still can reach 95 mph at times. His best pitch is a changeup and he uses an average slider as well as a curveball for a show-me pitch. He also has great command and can still be successful on days he doesn’t locate as well as he normally does. Other Options: Trevor Bauer, Dylan Bundy, Bubba Starling

4.) Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Bundy, RHP, Owasso (Okla.) HS – The top high school pitcher in the draft, Bundy is certainly worthy of a top-5 pick. He throws between 93-96 on average and can get up to 98. His upper-70s curveball has a big, sharp break to it, but his out pitch is a vicious cutter at 86-88. He also has a changeup, making him one of the most versatile pitchers in this class. Other Options: Archie Bradley

5.) Kansas City Royals: Trevor Bauer, RHP, UCLA – Bauer can reach 97 with his fastball and can mix up speeds on his curveball very well while still commanding it. His brutal workload has some teams concerned as he has topped 120 pitches five times this spring. Still, his proven track record will have him going within the first 15 picks. Other Options: Dylan Bundy, Matt Barnes

6.) Washington Nationals: Matt Barnes, RHP, Connecticut – He has a plus fastball at 93-95 and one of the best curveballs in this class. It has a two-plane break, but after an impressive summer with Team USA, Barnes has struggled with his command this spring. His below-average slider is also a concern. Other Otpions: Matt Barnes, Bubba Starling

7.) Arizona Diamondbacks: Sonny Gray, RHP, Vanderbilt – With a 91-96 fastball and a two-plane breaking curveball, Gray has the ability to be a No. 2 starter in the big leagues. He needs to really improve his changeup, and his height at 5-11 is a concern. Other Options: Dylan Bundy

8.) Cleveland Indians: Francisco Lindor, SS, Monteverde (Fla.) Academy – At just 17 years old, Lindor has the potential for further development than the typical high school senior. He is the top prep shortstop in this year’s draft and can do a little bit of everything. Other Options: Archie Bradley, Jed Bradley, Javier Baez

9.) Chicago Cubs: Bubba Starling, CF, Gardner-Edgerton HS, (Kan.) – Many believe that Starling is the single-most talented player in this year’s draft, with his age being the only drawback. He is the best athlete for sure, with the choice of playing pro ball or going to Nebraska to play quarterback. He can hit for power, steal bases, and throw runners out from center field. Other Otpions: George Springer, Javier Baez

10.) San Diego Padres: Cory Spangenberg, 3B, Indians River State College – With a simple swing and excellent bat speed, Spangenberg has a chance to be a very productive hitter in this league. He also has above-average speed and can play center field, making him a very versatile prospect. Other Options: Matt Barnes, Sonny Gray

11.) Houston Astros: Jed Bradley, LHP, Georgia Tech – A big, strong left-hander is a hot commodity in the big leagues. Bradley fits that description and he can hit 97 mph with his fastball. He sports an above-average changeup as well. There are concerns with his breaking ball as many consider it below-average, and the same goes for his slider. He needs to find a third pitch to be a No. 1 or No. 2 starter. Other Options: Archie Bradley, Francisco Lindor

12.) Milwaukee Brewers: Archie Bradley, RHP, Broken Arrow (Okla.) HS – While his passion is baseball, Bradley has committed to Oklahoma to play quarterback. He has improved the velocity on his fastball up to 97 mph this spring. His out pitch is a hammer curveball at 80-84 that is potentially the best in the draft. Other Options: Taylor Jungmann, Mikie Mahtock, Cory Spangenberg, Francisco Lindor, George Springer, C.J. Cron

13.) New York Mets: Levi Michael, SS, North Carolina – While the competition for best college shortstop in the draft isn’t very strong, Michael has run away with that title. He has solid bat speed and can work counts very well with an excellent eye. He is a well-above average runner and can make all the routine plays at shortstop. Other Options: Mikie Mahtook, Taylor Jungmann

14.) Florida Marlins: Mikie Mahtook, CF, LSU – Mahtook is a five-tool player with star potential. He is a plus runner and can make all the plays in center. He has quick hands, great hip rotation and solid plate discipline as well. Other Options: Cory Spangenberg

15.) Milwaukee Brewers: C.J. Cron, 1B, Utah – Due to new bats in college baseball, power numbers are down everywhere. That’s why Cron’s eye-popping power has really stood out despite some injury concerns. His upper body strength and hip rotation combined with solid plate discipline make him the top power guy in this class. Other Options: Mikie Mahtook, Cory Spangenberg

16.) Los Angeles Dodgers: Javier Baez, 3B, Arlington County Day School (Jacksonville, Fla.) – Baez has amazing bat speed which should translate into big-time power in the future. The problem is that he may struggle to find a position in the field unless he starts showing more energy out there. He takes a “swing with all you’ve got” approach to every pitch, which could also work against him. Other Options: Daniel Norris, Dillon Howard, Taylor Guerrieri

17.) Los Angeles Angels: Jose Fernandez, RHP, Alonso HS (Tampa, Fla.) – He hit 98 in the 2010 AFLAC All-American Game and will likely touch 97 in every start. His power arm coupled with a great 12-to-6 curveball and an average slider make Fernandez one of the top high school pitchers in this class. Other Options: Dillon Howard, Taylor Guerrieri, Henry Owens

18.) Oakland Athletics: George Springer, OF, UConn – Questions surrounding his swing mechanics have really hurt his draft stock, but Springer still has the total package. He is a superior athlete, an above-average runner with a good arm, and his raw power is tough to match. If he can eliminate the back-side collapse that has him swinging uphill most of the time, Springer could be a good one. Other Options: Alex Meyer, Joe Ross, Josh Bell

19.) Boston Red Sox: Alex Meyer, RHP, Kentucky – The Red Sox took Meyer out of high school and nearly signed him on deadline day in 2008. That means he is likely a target of theirs come June 6th. He did struggle in his first two years at Kentucky before dominating this spring. Meyer throws a 93-96 mph fastball with life due to his three-quarter delivery, plus his wipeout slider at 83-86 will make him very tough against right-handed hitters. Other Options: Jed Bradley

20.) Colorado Rockies: Kolten Wong, 2B, Hawaii – Wong is only a one-tool player, but fortunately for him that tool is his ability to hit. He has excellent hand-eye coordination and the kind of line-drive contact you want to see from a hitter. If he plays in the field, it will have to be either at second base or catcher. Other Options: C.J. Cron

21.) Toronto Blue Jays: Taylor Jungmann, RHP, Texas - If Jungmann falls this far, the Blue Jays will have a steal here. He is one of the rare three-year performers at the college level. Jungmann throws a 91-95 mph fastball and a hammer curveball with two-plane break. He doesn’t need to use his changeup too often because he can command his fastball and curveball to both sides of the plate. Other Options: Jed Bradley

22.) St. Louis Cardinals: – Dillon Howard, RHP, Searcy (Ark.) HS – While he’s committed to Arkansas, the Cardinals may be able to buy Howard out of that commitment. His fastball reaches 95 and 96 at times and once he fills out he will be able to sit in the mid-90s over an entire start. He has the tendency to get caught between a slider and a curve, but with a few mechanical tweaks he certainly has shown that he has the wrist action to produce impressive spin on the curve ball. Other Options: Taylor Guerrieri, Larry Green, Jose Fernandez

23.) Washington Nationals: Brian Goodwin, CF, Miami Dade College – Goodwin is a potential five-tool player with big upside. He did get suspended at North Carolina due to academic issues, but I don’t believe his draft stock is falling because of it. Goodwin has some of the best speed as a runner in this class to go along with excellent bat speed and the potential for above-average power. Other Options: Larry Greene

24.) Tampa Bay Rays: Andrew Susac, C, Oregon State – Due to the scarcity of the catcher position, Susac’s stock is climbing. He is easily the best collegiate catcher in this draft with a great glove, excellent arm tools and power at the plate. The only concern is his ability to hit for average because he has had a lot of swings-and-misses at the dish this spring. Other Options: C.J. Cron, Kolten Wong

25.) San Diego Padres: Taylor Guerrieri, RHP, Spring Valley HS, (Colombia, S.C.) – Many senior scouts believe Guerrieri’s stuff is the best in the draft, but concerns with fatigue and his makeup have him out of top-10 consideration. He has huge velocity, a knockout curveball and a solid frame at 6-3, 180. His command of the fastball and curveball just aren’t quite there yet, though. Other Options: Tyler Beede, Dillon Howard

26.) Boston Red Sox: Josh Bell, OF, Dallas Jesuit Prep – One of the best pure hitters in this draft, Bell has the rare explosive hands that allow him to let the ball travel deep into the strike zone before he commits to swing. He also gets excellent hip rotation with loft. Not to mention, he’s a switch-hitter. What holds Bell back is his inability to find a spot in the field. He plays center in school but doesn’t have the speed or arm for it. Other Options: Tyler Beede

27.) Cincinnati Reds: Tyler Anderson, LHP, Oregon – Anderson has been able to succeed this year in the tough Pac-10 despite having average stuff. What allows him to get away with average stuff is his excellent delivery with a long stride and big shoulder tilt. All of his pitches are considered to be average and if he wants to be more than a fourth starter in the big leagues, then he must develop an above-average breaking ball. Other Options: Grayson Garvin, Sean Gilmartin

28.) Atlanta Braves: Robert Stephenson, RHP, Alhambra (Calif.) HS – At 6-3, Stephenson produces a downhill plane with his above-average fastball that has hit 96 repeatedly this spring. He has a big breaking curveball and a solid changeup, but doesn’t command either pitch very well. Stephenson’s herky-jerky delivery will need some fine-tuning. Other Options: Tyler Beede, Joe Ross

29.) San Francisco Giants: Joe Ross, RHP, Bishop O’Dowd HS (Oakland, Calif.) – Older brother Tyson has made the big leagues with Oakland despite one of the worst deliveries I’ve ever seen. Joe Ross has a much cleaner delivery than his brother but the same athleticism, making him a better prospect going forward. His fastball has reached 96 this spring. He needs to quit getting caught between a curveball and a slider, but his traditional arm action should produce an above-average curve in the future. Other Options: Robert Stephenson, Daniel Norris

30.) Minnesota Twins: Tyler Beede, RHP, Lawrence Academy (Groton, Mass.) – Beede repeats his delivery very well, meaning he has great command for his age. His fastball is normally 89-92 on average and his curveball is too loopy at times. When he throws it at 71-73 it’s very hittable pitch, but at 75 it’s much more effective. Other Options: Tyler Anderson, Kolten Wong

31.) Tampa Bay Rays: Johnny Eirman, SS, Warsaw (Mo.) HS – Eirman showed tremendous raw power at last year’s Area Code Games due to a big leg kick and an explosive bat. He also has great athleticism, but won’t stay at shortstop in the big leagues because he lacks the range for it. The Rays have proven they have some patience, and given time Eirman has substantial upside. Other Options: Travis Harrison

32.) Tampa Bay Rays: Travis Harrison, 3B, Tustin (Calif.) HS - With one of the best bats in the high school class this year, Harrison is certainly worth a look. But like many other players, he is limited defensively. He has all the mechanics you are looking for in a young hitter with the potential for even more power than he has already shown. The only positions in the field he could play are likely left field or first base, though. Other Options: Johnny Eirman

33.) Texas Rangers: Brandon Nimmo, OF, East HS (Cheyenne, Wyo.) – With strong hands and good hand-eye coordination, Nimmo has the tools to be a very productive hitter in the big leagues. He opened eyes last summer on the showcase circuit and has shown he has the arm to play in right field. Nimmo has been slowed this spring due to tendonitis in his right knee, which is the same knee he had ACL surgery on in 2009. Other Options: John Osich

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