2019 MLB Mock Draft: Spring Training Edition

The College season is hitting the monthlong mark in a week, and MLB string training is getting started. In other words, it’s #MockSzn. My apologies for giving everyone blue balls for the last month.

Anyway, with MLB Pipeline dropping their top 30 by team list this past week, it was finally time to do this. You’ll notice the writeups are a bit light in content this time around. Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is I started a new job as a grant writer, but the bad news is that I’m gonna have to dial back the big writeups to maybe twice or three times a year unless I want to spend two months doing these. Obviously Mock Draft 3.0 will get the full treatment, but depending on when Pipeline drops their list, I may either do full writeups for April and June, or just June. I hope you guys understand, and I certainly hope you use this as incentive to check out these players yourself. Seriously, YouTube is your friend.

Anyway, same rules apply, blah blah blah, yadda yadda. Organizational needs unless tendencies are really obvious.

Baltimore Orioles: Adley Rutschman, C, Oregon State

He’s arguably the most complete catching prospect in recent draft history, even better than Joey Bart last year. Unless Rutschman has a complete regression or a devastating injury, he’s a virtual lock for the number one pick.

Kansas City Royals: Bobby Witt Jr. SS, Colleyville Heritage HS, Texas

Witt is probably the odds on favorite to slide because of prospect fatigue, but until he does, he’s a prime candidate to be part of the Royals upgraded middle infield of the future.

Chicago White Sox: Andrew Vaughn, 1B, California

The White Sox drafted Nick Madrigal despite having a solid logjam up the middle. This year, I think they’ll opt to grab another college masher, but in a position that’s got more questions re: who takes over for Abreu.

Miami Marlins: Riley Greene, 1B, Hagerty HS, Florida

Greene is also an outfielder, but in a place like Marlins Park, I’d think the Marlins would draft him for the bat, then worry about where to deploy him.

Detroit Tigers: CJ Abrams, SS, Blessed Trinity HS, Georgia

Abrams would probably be gone at this point but if he falls to 5, Detroit really could’ve use his athleticism, speed, and toolsiness.

San Diego Padres: Daniel Espino, RHP, Georgia Premier Academy

Espino is a unicorn — he’s a high floor high school arm, San Diego drafted a similar high floor arm last year in Ryan Weathers in a system that clearly needs no upgrades.

Cincinnati Reds: Erik Miller, LHP, Stanford

It’s a weak pitching class this year, so you could swap any helium filled college pitcher in at this spot. Miller’s had the hottest start though among the southpaws.

Texas Rangers: Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech

Jung may look like a Joey Gallo clone, but unlike Gallo, he’s a more consisent hitter. Plus, Texas could use a definitive successor to the great Adrian Beltre.

Atlanta Braves: JJ Bleday, OF, Vanderbilt

Atlanta likes their prep pitchers, but could find a nice outfielder here. Bleday has had a solid start for Vandy to catapult him to tier 1 status.

San Francisco Giants: Kameron Misner, OF, Mizzou

The Giants should have sold a long time ago but instead treaded water and didn’t restock their farm. Misner makes for a nice building block to partner with Chris Shaw and Steven Duggar

Toronto Blue Jays: Zack Thompson, LHP, Kentucky

Toronto lucks into a nice mid rotation to top half starter. The Kentucky pitching pipeline continues.

New York Mets: Jack Leiter, RHP, Delbarton HS, New Jersey

With Al Leiter taking a job in the Mets operations department, Jack could be a legitimate match for the Mets. He’s got the pedigree and work ethic and his mechanics are solid, hopefully a solid spring can dispel any notions of nepotism.

Minnesota Twins: George Kirby, RHP, Elon

Kirby’s start to the season made him a legitimate first round candidate. He could make a serious case to be the top college arm if he continues to pitch like he did.

Philadelphia Phillies: Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto College North

The last three first rounders Philly took had some serious helium, and Rutledge’s physicality and arsenal make him an ideal booster to a rotation that has no contingency plan.

Los Angeles Angels: Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia

The Angels can give Mike Trout half a billion, but unless they solidify their pitching, his career will go the way of Charles Barkley and Dan Marino. Manoah has shown tier 1 potential this year and could be a quick riser in the Angels system.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Bryson Stott, SS, UNLV

It’s a middle infield rich draft, and Arizona grabs the top college bat as their first of four picks in the first round.

Washington Nationals: Carter Stewart, RHP, Eastern Florida State College

Carlos Collazo said Stewart would fit the Nationals draft MO, (Boras client whose stock fell because of injury concerns) however his 15 strikeout gem will probably put him back in the top ten.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Matt Allan, RHP, Seminole HS, Florida

Pittsburgh recoups the loss of Shane Baz by grabbing the physical Florida Prep righty

St. Louis Cardinals: Corbin Carroll, OF, Lakeside HS, Washington

Carroll is going to go higher than this, but if he does slip because people are reminded of Mickey Moniak, he’s a perfect fit as a scrappy, undersized centerfielder that can spray the ball around.

Seattle Mariners: Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor

The fall is over for Langeliers, who gives the Mariners a better defender than Zunino. The bat needs work though. If he can recover from his injury and show no slowed progress he could go anywhere from top 15 to top 10.

Atlanta Braves: Spencer Jones, LHP/1B, La Costa Canyon HS, California

Atlanta gets three players for the price of two as they grab two-way prepster Spencer Jones to bulk up their already impressive stable of arms and potentially an heir to Freddie Freeman.

Tampa Bay Rays: Jerrion Ealy, OF, Jackson Prep, Mississippi

Tampa Bay has the money to go after a tough sign like Ealy, who’s got a two sport scholarship to play for Ole Miss.

Colorado Rockies: Maurice Hampton, OF, Memphis University HS, Tennessee

If Hampton doesn’t go here, I imagine he’ll probably opt to go to school. Still his two sport background makes him an ideal fit for Coors Field’s expansive outfield.

Cleveland Indians: Michael Busch, 1B, North Carolina

Busch comes off as a Daniel Murphy type with no defined position and the ability to hit. He’d be perfect as a right side complement to Lindor.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Rece Hinds, 3B, IMG Academy

Hinds’s defense may be iffy, but his power would translate very well to Dodger Stadium and he’d make a solid heir to Justin Turner.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Brennan Malone, RHP, IMG Academy

Malone obviously deserves better but he could fall for signability reasons, in which case, Arizona could easily scoop him up.

Chicago Cubs: Will Wilson, 2B, North Carolina State

Nico Hoerner is the shortstop of the future, and Zobrist isn’t going to be around to see that, so the Cubs could easily draft his future double play mate in Wilson

Milwaukee Brewers: Ryne Nelson, RHP, Oregon

Milwaukee’s got strong pitching but inevitably they will have to pay it. Nelson has a starter ceiling and a closer floor with his blistering fastball.

Oakland A’s: Greg Jones, OF, UNC Wilmington

This is more of a hedge pick than anything else, but the A’s could easily save face from the Kyler Murray fiasco by taking the ultra talented and versatile IF/OF Greg Jones.

New York Yankees: Nick Lodolo, LHP, TCU

Lodolo’s been mediocre in college, but then again, so was Gerrit Cole. The Yankees could use a lefty to replace Justus Sheffield and Lodolo is as safe a pick as they come.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Graeme Stinson, LHP, Duke

Stinson’s stock has fallen since his velocity has dipped to high 80’s- low 90’s. The Dodgers love finesse pitchers so they seem to be the most logical fit here. If he can get back his velocity, he can easily recover his stock enough, but for now, he’s looking like the reliever he was the first two years at Duke.

Houston Astros: Tyler Callihan, C, Providence HS, Florida

Callihan’s stock could rise if he commits to. catching full time. The Astros could use a fresh backstop for the future.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Logan Wyatt, 1B, Louisville

Wyatt is no Brendan McKay, but his bat is certainly making a case for him to go in the first round. Arizona could use him to transition from Goldschmidt.

Arizona Diamondbacks: Hunter Barco, LHP, The Bolles School, Florida

Barco’s recent performance will likely push him higher, but he’d be a nice complement to Brennan Malone.

CB

Miami Marlins: Will Holland, SS, Auburn

Miami really could use a shortstop. Holland isn’t as flashy as Stott or Wilson but he could save the Marlins some money for Riley Greene

Tampa Bay Rays: Braden Shewmake, INF, Texas A&M

Shewmake should be higher, but if he were to fall, he’d be a nice utility player on a team that has been bucking baseball tradition the past two years.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Mason Feole, LHP, Connecticut

Pittsburgh has a strong scouting presence in the Nutmeg State, so Feole, who could go higher would be the most logical stop for the latest UConn ace.

New York Yankees: Kyle Stowers, 1B, Stanford

Stowers can also play outfield, but as a capable defender of first base, he’d be a nice answer to the Yankees long-standing first base problem.

Tampa Bay Rays: Drew Mendoza, 3B, Florida State

The Rays finally grab Evan Longoria’s successor in their own home state. Mendoza’s bat would be ideal for the Trop.

Texas Rangers: Hayden Mullins, LHP, Hendersonville HS, Tennessee

The Rangers bulk up a much neglected position by taking the Tennessee prepster

Minnesota Twins: Matt Wallner, OF/RHP, Southern Mississippi

Minnesota kid? Check. Versatile? Check. Stock falling? Check. The Twins would be stupid to not go after Wallner’s bat and arm.

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And that conclude this month’s edition of the Minor League Madhouse mock draft. Stay tuned for the April Edition, which should come about late next month.