2021 MLB Mock Draft: Spring Training Edition
With the release of MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Prospects by Team, it’s time for Minor League Madhouse to exit the almost 3 month long hibernation and start mocking again. College baseball has been underway for a month now, and with high school ball either starting or in progress, it seems apropos to get things going again. Remember that these picks are purely speculative and will be until we see more concrete information about team interest.
Of note, Minor League Madhouse is trying something a little different, and using Prospects Live’s Big Board as a reference guide. Also I will not be doing write ups for the CB section.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt
Rocker has so far dispelled concerns about laboring through games and his pro ceiling, as evidenced by his 14 strikeout gem against South Carolina. The Pirates basically have carte blanche with this pick because if Rocker falters, there are at least two solid secondary options behind him.
Texas Rangers: Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt
A 16 strikeout no-hitter against a ranked South Carolina is a great start to your SEC career, and considering Leiter has basically matched Rocker tit for tat all spring, if he continues to pitch like this he may even make a case to unseat him as the presumptive top pick. Regardless, the Rangers lucked into a great situation with this pick, as they will get a dynamic talent here.
Detroit Tigers: Jordan Lawlar, SS, Jesuit College Prep, Texas
Lawlar remains the top high school talent on the board, and there are whispers that he may be even better than Bobby Witt Jr. Though it’s been a while since the Tigers have taken a middle infielder in the first round, Lawlar is hard to ignore, and he’d make for a solid lineup complement with Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene.
Boston Red Sox: Ty Madden, RHP Texas
Madden has put together a strong start to his spring, to the point where he has surpassed Jaden Hill as the number 3 college pitcher in the class. Madden has met or exceeded expectations as Texas’s ace, and with his body and pro projection, he’d be a great young candidate to solidify Boston’s rotation for the future.
Baltimore Orioles: Adrian Del Castillo, C/1B, Miami
Before Orioles fans and Rutschman stans kill me, hear me out. Del Castillo is regarded as one of the best bats in the class, but position wise, there is a considerable amount of doubt where he’ll end up. In this scenario, the Orioles tab Del Castillo as their first baseman of the future.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Henry Davis, C, Louisville
Davis is easily the best catcher in the class, there’s no doubt about it, the only reason why Adrian Del Castillo is taken higher than him is because he has a better bat. Still, Davis calls a masterful game and his ascension this spring has been nothing short of impressive.
Kansas City Royals: James Wood, OF, IMG Academy, Florida
Wood was loud all preseason and because of this he has made a strong case to be a top 10 pick. The Royals haven’t had an outfielder like him in a long time and would definitely be getting one of the better up and coming prepsters if he lands here.
Colorado Rockies: Jaden Hill, RHP, LSU
Hill’s stock has taken a tumble after a rough appearance his last time out, but unless the Rockies are thinking of going elsewhere or he continues to implode, this has to be the latest he’ll be taken.
Los Angeles Angels: Andrew Painter, RHP, Calvary Christian Academy, Florida
Painter at this point controls his own destiny as he’s far and away the best prep pitcher in the class. Because he’s been regarded as “Advanced for his age”, he could end up being put on an accelerated development schedule. Having him and Reid Detmers be the future of the Angels rotation would allow them to finally give the team the dimension they need to compete in an AL West that looks to be in flux pretty soon.
New York Mets: Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State
The Mets are no stranger to this type of pick. In 2017, they drafted David Peterson, a low 90’s throwing 3/4 slot lefty out of Oregon, and in 2019 and 2020, they took Matt Allan and JT Ginn, both pitchers whose secondary offerings were regarded as the best in the class. Wicks fits both those profiles, and while it may be a reach now, if he continues to pitch like he has so far, he’s got a good chance to make this a reasonable pick.
Washington Nationals: Matt McLain, SS, UCLA
McLain was expected to take a big leap in Year 3 with the spotlight solely on him, but his power still hasn’t developed. That said, he still has the defensive ability and on base ability to be a first round prospect, and given the Nationals’ propensity to take falling players, if he’s there they should grab him.
Seattle Mariners: Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake HS, California
Mayer probably will go higher than this, but the Mariners could find themselves their 3B of the future with this pick. Mayer doesn’t excel at any particular tool, but at the same time, there are no major weaknesses to his game. He’s ranked a lot higher and likely will go top 10, but if he falls to 12, Seattle should pounce.
Philadelphia Phillies: Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College
Frelick has absolutely taken off this spring for BC, outside of the Louisville series, and because this year’s college outfield crop has faltered, he’s catapulted himself to the top outfielder available. ahead of the likes of Christian Franklin and Jud Fabian. Frelick’s athleticism, grittiness, and leadoff ability will serve him well especially with Philly’s track record as of late.
San Francisco Giants: Chase Petty, RHP, Mainland HS, New Jersey
The Giants haven’t taken a prep pitcher in the first round since Zack Wheeler in 2009, but their track record, not to mention the fact that they’re fighting an uphill battle in a stacked NL West indicate that maybe they should go back to that. Petty is one of the hardest throwing prep arms in the country, and he’d make for a solid starter with some fine tuning.
Milwaukee Brewers: Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Mississippi
Hoglund probably will pitch himself out of the Brewers slot, but the NCAA strikeout leader has definitely made his case to be a first round pick again. Hoglund has the veteran mentality and exceptional control, plus his stuff has played up all spring. If by some miracle Hoglund is still at this pick, the Brewers should go after him.
Miami Marlins: Harry Ford, C, North Cobb HS, Georgia
Georgia Tech won’t be so lucky this time around, as Ford is one of the best prep catchers in the class. Ford has a nice uppercut swing that can really play up his power, plus he has the quick twitch instincts to call and hold a good game. If the Marlins feel like they want to get more out of him though he can be moved to infield or outfield.
Cincinnati Reds: Jackson Jobe, RHP, Heritage Hall HS, Oklahoma
Jobe saw his stock rise this summer, and while initially he was considered the best two-way talent, it’s looking like the mound is his professional future. He hits the mid 90’s with ease, and his slider is a devastating 3000+ RPM buckler. The Reds would definitely be getting their money’s worth on him.
St. Louis Cardinals: Jud Fabian, OF, Florida
This has been a weak year so far for college outfielders, and Fabian, who was hyped to have a strong junior season, hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations. Though Fabian has shown he can hit with wood thanks to two strong summer seasons, his college play hasn't inspired the level of confidence, and as a result, his stock has taken a tumble. Still, the Cardinals have scooped up talented kids who have fallen before, and Fabian would be a nice continuation of
Toronto Blue Jays: Brady House, 3B, Winder-Barrow HS, Georgia
House has plenty of time to regain the draft stock that he lost after his quiet summer, but regardless, he still has a strong bat, is a more than capable third baseman, and has a rifle for an arm that can hit high 90’s. He’d be a nice complement to Jordan Groshans and Austin Martin.
New York Yankees: Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville
Binelas has struggled mightily out of the gate, but things may start happening for him now. Still, his bat and athleticism are worth keeping in the first round. If the Yankees are concerned about his defensive limitations, he is capable of playing corner outfield.
Chicago Cubs: Sam Bachman, RHP, Miami (Ohio)
The Cubs have taken small school pitchers before to varying results, but nobody is as intriguing as Bachman, who has hit triple digits this spring and seen his stock take a meteoric rise. Bachman’s spring has gotten a ton of attention from scouts, and if he continues to pitch this way while touching triple digits, it’s possible he doesn’t last this long.
Chicago White Sox: Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest HS, North Carolina
Admittedly this doesn’t seem like a likely pick, but Watson’s high ceiling and athleticism, coupled with the uncertainty of the direction of the White Sox makes it a possibility they look for Tim Anderson’s heir a little earlier than expected. Watson would be a steal at this spot though.
Cleveland Indians: Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston State
Cowser has been on radar since freshman year of college, but he has not taken the third year leap that many anticipated. Because it has been a down year for most outfielders, he still offers enough intrigue as a small school darling to stay in the first round where the Indians could make him their pick.
Atlanta Braves: Kevin Abel, RHP, Oregon State
Abel is older than his contemporaries thanks to having Tommy John his sophomore year and not being selected his redshirt sophomore season. That said, Abel has capitalized on his College World Series heroics and brought himself back into the first round. A bull on the mound, he’d be a perfect complement to Atlanta’s stable of hurlers, and would bring a veteran presence
Oakland A’s: Justice Thompson, OF, North Carolina
The JuCo product has absolutely raked since coming to Chapel Hill, and has really taken advantage of bad performances from his contemporaries. While it may be ambitious to slot him here, Thompson’s upside as a speedy contact oriented centerfielder makes him intriguing for an A’s team that still hasn’t taken outfield since the 2018 draft.
Minnesota Twins: Gage Jump, LHP, JSerra Catholic HS, California
In this scenario, the Twins circle back to JSerra four years after tabbing Royce Lewis with the first overall pick. Only this time, they grab one of the better fastballs in the class, as well as some of the best Rapsodo data. Given Wes Johnson’s analytical approach to the Twins, Jump could be his next great success.
San Diego Padres: Tommy Mace, RHP, Florida
I’m generally leery of Florida pitchers because they always tend to falter towards the end, but Mace is making a strong case to buck that trend. Mace has been exceptionally dominant this spring, and if he continues to deliver like this during SECplay, he’s going to go much higher than San Diego.
Tampa Bay Rays: Luca Tresh, C, North Carolina State
Tresh had the arduous task of taking over for Will Wilson and has not disappointed so far, with great gamecalling and prodigious power. Tresh has the veteran mentality that would work well with young Rays pitching, and he’d definitely be a quick riser through their system.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Joshua Baez, OF, Dexter Southfield HS, Massachusetts
The Dodgers can afford to take on a developmental project while their outfield is intact, and Baez’s projection to be an elite power hitter is definitely worth waiting for. There is swing and miss to his game, but if he hones in, he can be a dangerous hitter for the Dodgers.
COMPENSATORY PICKS:
Cincinnati Reds: Wes Clarke, 1B, South Carolina
Clarke has come out of nowhere to lead the nation in home runs, and the only thing that has slowed him down has been running into Vanderbilt’s two aces, Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter. Clarke’s power make him an ideal candidate to become Joey Votto’s heir at first base.
CB PICKS:
Miami Marlins: Benny Montgomery, OF, Red Land HS, Pennsylvania
Detroit Tigers: Steven Hajjar, LHP, Michigan
Milwaukee Brewers: Alex Mooney, SS, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep, Michigan
Tampa Bay Rays: Zack Gelof, 3B, Virginia
Cincinnati Reds: Joe Rock, LHP, Ohio
Minnesota Twins: Anthony Solometo, RHP, Bishop Eustace HS, New Jersey
