Drafting MLB’s Top Talent, NFL Style
With the NFL Draft underway, Matt Varney wonders how an MLB draft where all players are available would look
The National Football League Draft is currently underway and will continue through Saturday. It’s an exciting time for football with lots of promise and daydreaming for fans of NFL teams. Neither of MLB’s draft equivalencies (the Amateur Draft nor the Rule 5 Draft) carry nearly as much fanfare.
But what if there was a shakeup? How about we expose all major league players to a draft for teams to get impactful players right away? Imagine the excitement and anticipation as each pick creates new and interesting scenarios for teams.
So without further ado, lets get underway.
First, a few rules:
- All players in Major League Baseball are available to all 30 organizations
- Like most drafts, this will follow the formula of last year’s win-loss from worst to best (not by playoff standing, which is an added quirk)
- Once a player has been drafted to a Major League team, they are ineligible to be drafted to another team
- A team may opt to give up their draft pick to protect one of their own players
- A team cannot give up their draft pick until they are on the clock
And now RO Baseball presents, the MLB Draft:
#1 Minnesota Twins (59–103) select Mike Trout
Come on, it’s Mike Trout. Who else did you expect? Sure, you could make the argument that the Twins have a young outfield that will blossom in time and that rotation needs help badly. But, this is generational talent Mike Trout and Byron Buxton looks more and more like a bust with every passing strikeout (40 percent strikeout rate this season). Get the guy that has had a case for MVP for every year since he came to the big leagues.
#2 San Diego Padres (68–94) select Clayton Kershaw
If the Twins ignore their rotation, the Padres will take advantage of that. Petco Park is notoriously a pitcher’s park. Clayton Kershaw is the best pitcher in MLB. It’s a match made in heaven.
#3 Cincinnati Reds (68–94) select Mookie Betts
The Reds have a lot of needs but most importantly they need a new face of the franchise. Joey Votto is aging and will be gone before we know it. Mookie Betts not only solidifies an outfield consisting of Billy Hamilton and Adam Duvall but also gives the Reds a brand new face to rally around.
#4 Tampa Bay Rays (68–94) select Noah Syndergaard
The Rays have a decent enough looking offense. Not perfect but definitely something that can succeed. That rotation though could use some work. With Noah Syndergaard at the helm in the Trop, things look a lot brighter. Plus, this follows the trend of the Rays having a young pitching phenom before he leaves for somewhere with higher aspirations.
#5 Atlanta Braves (68–93) select Josh Donaldson
Look, there are obviously better options out there. But the Braves love older players. Look at their rotation. Look at their outfield. They’re all about the veterans. Josh Donaldson fits that bill, even if it is a reach.
#6 Oakland A’s (69–93) select Manny Machado
Oakland’s a small market team. They need to get exciting players out on the field every day for their fans to be there. Manny Machado is that guy. A fiery, young third baseman that can do anything and everything you ask of him. He can hit the ball, he can flex his muscles, and he can steal a bag when he needs to. Not to mention he’s super fun to watch every single game.
#7 Arizona Diamondbacks (69–93) select Max Scherzer
With the seventh overall pick, the Diamondbacks select the National League Cy Young winner. The offense in Arizona is pretty self-sufficient but that rotation has not lived up to the hype. Add in Max Scherzer alongside Zack Greinke for a One-Two punch and that roster becomes a lot scarier.
#8 Philadelphia Phillies (71–91) select Bryce Harper
The Phillies have a rotation that’s coming along. It might be too far away but dang it, why not swing for the fences by selecting division rival Bryce Harper. His few years left on his contract will give the Phillies some worry but the roster becomes extremely elevated with Harper. If the rotation can progress quickly, the Phillies are knocking on the door of the World Series.
#9 Milwaukee Brewers (73–89) select Kris Bryant
Kris Bryant never should have fallen this far. But he did. And so to the Brewers go the spoils. A face of the franchise that will rejuvenate the Milwaukee fan base, Bryant is the steal of the draft to this point.
#10 Los Angeles Angels (74–88) select Buster Posey
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim lost their star player to the Minnesota Twins; they need to find a new centerpiece. Buster Posey may be the best all-around player in the league. The Angels are struggling all over the field so why not start with the field manager? Posey will be a competent leader for the clubhouse and should be the guy to start the turn around in Anaheim.
#11 Colorado Rockies (75–87) select Nolan Arenado
Colorado is the first to give up their draft pick to protect one of their own. Nolan Arenado is the face of the franchise and is expected to be such for another decade. The third baseman is the best player available and instead of leaving him exposed for another talent, Colorado takes the safe route and continues down the path they’ve planned out.
#12 Chicago White Sox (78–84) select Kyle Schwarber
Schwarbombs are staying in Chicago, but they’ll now be featured on the South Side. I’ll be honest, Casey Boguslaw pleaded with me to make this pick happen, but this makes a lot of sense. Kyle Schwarber’s position is DH. He can’t play catcher for awhile with those knees and he was never an outfielder to begin with. First base is foreign to him at the big leagues and so it leaves Schwarber at DH. And he’ll fit perfectly.
#13 Pittsburgh Pirates (78–83) select Francisco Lindor
The Pirates are unlucky to live in the NL Central. It was never their time and with the dominating Cubs in the division, it likely never will be. Drafting a young, fun shortstop like Francisco Lindor might change their fortune. He can be the young centerpiece they can build around for the next decade-plus. And with World Series experience, he’s amassed qualities that most 23 year olds could only dream of. The Pirates should be very happy with Lindor.
#14 Miami Marlins (79–82) select Chris Sale
The tragic loss of José Fernández leaves a big void in Miami. Drafting Chris Sale puts Miami right back where they were until that tragic day. Miami might still be okay.
#15 Kansas City Royals (81–81) select José Altuve
Kansas City is on the downswing right now. Their farm system is average at best, they might lose both Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas this offseason, and they live in a tough division. There’s nothing wrong with Whit Merrifield but they could do so much better at second base. Draft the best second baseman in baseball. José Altuve is a small guy in a small market and fits the small ball philosophy of Ned Yost perfectly.
#16 New York Yankees (84–78) select Corey Seager
The New York Baby Bombers add another baby to the team. The farm system is loaded with shortstops but why not add possibly the most tantalizing shortstop in the game. The team’s youth is only added to and the Yankees get one step closer to being the Yankees we all know and hate.
#17 Houston Astros (84–78) select Carlos Correa
Houston should make a move to get somebody after the loss of José Altuve. But you can’t risk the loss of Carlos Correa at this point. Keep the young centerpiece you already have here. Houston decides to protect instead of draft.
#18 St. Louis Cardinals (86–76) select Anthony Rizzo
The Cardinals are a little lost at first base. Matt Carpenter is there right now but Anthony Rizzo is there in the draft. Not only does it fill a longterm need, but it’s a stab in the heart to the Chicago Cubs. What better way to use a draft pick for the Cardinals?
#19 Seattle Mariners (86–76) select Giancarlo Stanton
The Seattle Mariners are just a piece or two away from being a legitimate threat for the World Series. The pitching could use some help but the real issue is the outfield. Jarrod Dyson is the biggest name out there. Put the power-hitting Giancarlo Stanton on the Mariners and you’ll see a Mariners team dominant like the early-2000's Mariners.
#20 Detroit Tigers (86–75) select Addison Russell
José Iglesias is great on defense. But Addison Russell has been described as a player with the potential of Derek Jeter. Why not take a shot here? The Tigers are attempting a quick rebuild anyways so bringing in Russell instead of choosing to protect Miguel Cabrera or Justin Verlander makes a lot more sense here.
#21 New York Mets (87–75) select Madison Bumgarner
The loss of Noah Syndergaard is a tough one to swallow. But watching Madison Bumgarner fall all the way to them has to have the Mets feeling good. They still retain their super rotation and get a power hitting pitcher that will get to bat every fifth day.
#22 San Francisco Giants (87–75) select Corey Kluber
Nothing is harder than watching your star player slip away the pick before you. If it hadn’t been for the Mets, the Giants likely would be protecting Madison Bumgarner here. Instead, they’re left doing damage control. Luckily they get a fantastic strikeout machine in Corey Kluber, so not much to worry about here.
#23 Baltimore Orioles (89–73) select Jake Arrieta
The grass is always greener. The Orioles are always going to wonder what if they hadn’t let Jake Arrieta go in that fateful trade with the Cubs. Now, they can find out. The Orioles lost Manny Machado but that rotation has always been sub-par so focus on that issue first.
#24 Toronto Blue Jays (89–73) select Xander Bogaerts
The Blue Jays have Troy Tulowitzki, but the days of building a roster around him are long gone. Move Tulo to the outfield if need be. This is Xander Bogaerts and there’s no reason to pass up on him here. It’s always going to be tough for pitchers to be successful in Toronto, so why not get yourself a cornerstone shortstop here? Bogaerts has begun to be a very successful hitter. Putting one of those in Toronto can only bode well, even with just medium power.
#25 Los Angeles Dodgers (91–71) select Gerrit Cole
The Dodgers lost their two prized possessions in the draft with Kershaw and Seager being drafted. Time to reload with another young ace in Gerrit Cole. Cole has had trouble cementing himself as a top guy in a rotation but a change of scenery might be all he needs. The 26-year-old can be the face of the Dodgers in this shakeup.
#26 Boston Red Sox (93–69) select Paul Goldschmidt
It’s tough to watch all your big names go. That’s what happens here to teams at the end of the draft. These teams need to reload quickly to continue their success. Boston can take Paul Goldschmidt and cement the first base position for years. The loss of Betts, Bogaerts, and Sale though are huge losses and might be too difficult to recover from.
#27 Cleveland Indians (94–67) select Yoenis Céspedes
The Indians have been lucky to not be purged like other teams at this point. The loss of Lindor will hurt in the future but is something that can be managed for now and their rotation can handle the loss of Kluber. Picking Yoenis Céspedes gives Cleveland a power bat in the outfield to help the lineup out in ways that haven’t been possible in recent years.
#28 Washington Nationals (95–67) select Freddie Freeman
The Nationals watched two big stars walk away in Harper and Scherzer. Freddie Freeman is a young enough star that the future isn’t affected much by Harper’s loss by gaining Freeman. It’s a smart damage control move.
#29 Texas Rangers (95–67) select Aroldis Chapman
The Rangers have been blessed with not having a single starter being selected in the draft up to this point. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing to be honest. But that does mean the Rangers get to bolster their bullpen because of these circumstances. Go out and grab the guy that can touch 105. Aroldis Chapman makes the Texas Rangers even more scary than they were last year.
#30 Chicago Cubs (103–58) select Christian Yelich
It’s been a difficult draft for the Cubs. They’ve lost five players to other teams. That’s, well, franchise-altering. Four of them are regulars in the batting order. The other a Cy Young winner. It’s a tough day to be a Cubs fan. But hey here’s a bit of good news, Chicago picks Christian Yelich to defend the ivy. The 25-year-old outfielder is still coming into his own but has shown a good mix of speed, power, and contact. Meanwhile, in the outfield, he’s transitioned from corner outfielder to centerfielder. He’s a leader and a guy that can provide offense — not that one guy can make up for four who could all do the same but still — while still giving the franchise a face to get behind.
The MLB world is truly shaken up by the new MLB draft. The Chicago Cubs have been ravaged. Don’t take it personally Cubs fans; it’s honestly a compliment to how great your team is right now.
Surprisingly, the Texas Rangers make it out unscathed and with the top closer in their bullpen now. Surprising to see for a team that did so well last season, even if it all fell apart in the ALDS. They might be the new powerhouse because of the draft, especially with the arrival of Joey Gallo.
There were clear reaches by a few teams, notably the Atlanta Braves, but the White Sox also reached on Kyle Schwarber. Both could have short-term success but it also is a risk for the franchises for different reasons. The Braves could have gone younger at third base with both Machado and Bryant there while the White Sox still have yet to see a full season out of Schwarber to determine if he’s worth taking at #11.
The teams that chose to protect players instead of draft a new one have to deal with those consequences. The Rockies were able to come out looking the same but that can be as much a problem as it is a relief to them. Nolan Arenado is a fantastic player but it still remains the same old Rockies team. Meanwhile, the Astros clung to Carlos Correa. A centerpiece without a doubt. But Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, and Addison Russell all came off the board right after. Each could have impacted the Astros positively. Still the fear of losing your best player is understandable, that’s why the caveat was there.
The question becomes after this draft: Who are the favorites? Well based on the pure fact that they managed to retain their entire roster and add Chapman, the Texas Rangers look like a very safe bet to be the AL Champs. The NL though is a different story. It’s a pretty wide open field with the new disparity. St. Louis and Philadelphia both seem like dangerous contenders. Washington might finally put it together, ironically, after the departure of Bryce Harper. But the fact still remains — the NL crown is wide open to all teams in it.
Fun story lines to keep track of in this made up universe:
- How hard do the Chicago Cubs fall after being purged?
- The Boston Red Sox were also purged but the addition of Paul Goldschmidt might keep them afloat
- How good are the Seattle Mariners with another power bat in the lineup?
- Does Anthony Rizzo go on a hunger strike until traded back to the Chicago Cubs because #NotMyTeam ?
- How much does José Altuve enjoy being in Kansas City? Does he become a barbecue fanatic?
- Chris Sale’s arrival in Miami
- “Manny being Manny” the sequel: Vacation in Oakland
- Will Mookie Betts lead the charge and push Cincinnati into the stratosphere?
- More importantly, will Mookie Betts find a good bowling alley to continue training for his PBA career?
- Will Bryce Harper go full mental when he realizes he’s on the Phillies midway through the season when he starts to slump?
- Can Mike Trout finally win the NL MVP? He’s never won it before and it’s a crime that he’s been snubbed every year!
