MLB Mock Draft 4.0 – Mayhem Incoming
Happy draft day to those who celebrate!
We are currently less than an hour away from the start of the draft, and rumors are circulating like wildfire. There’s a lot to unpack, and personally, we’ll see a lot of chaos today. Let’s dive in.
1. Chicago White Sox – Roch Cholowsky, SS | UCLA
Slot Value: $11,350,600
With the White Sox acquiring pick #34 in this draft, they now have $20,489,500 to work with, not including overage pay. At the moment, it’s between Cholowsky and Emerson, and we’ll stick with Cholowsky as the first overall pick.
2. Tampa Bay Rays – Grady Emerson, SS | Fort Worth Christian (TX)
Slot Value: $10,507,000
With Cholowsky off the board, this selection comes down to a myriad of players. Emerson, Lackey, and Flora are rumored to be at this selection, though it’s tough for me not to go with Emerson.
3. Minnesota Twins – Vahn Lackey, C | Georgia Tech
Slot Value: $9,740,100
Do the Twins want one of Cholowsky or Emerson to fall into their lap? Absolutely. However, it seems as if that won’t be the case, and Lackey is the last of the 1A Tier prospects. Unless something drastic happens ahead of this pick, it should be Lackey.
4. San Francisco Giants – Jackson Flora, RHP | UC Santa Barbara
Slot Value: $8,988,400
The Giants have been a tough one to pin down. Lombard, Booth, and Flora have been rumored at this spot, and Flora appears to be taking the lead down the stretch. It would add a solid arm for a farm system that lacks high-end pitching.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates – Drew Burress, OF | Georgia Tech
Slot Value: $8,336,500
With the trade of pick #34 last night, it appears as if the Pirates are hunting for a college option. Curiel has been rumored here, but the Burress-to-Pittsburgh rumor gained steam this morning. If Flora isn’t the pick for the Giants, his floor might be here.
6. Kansas City Royals – Eric “EJ” Booth, OF | Oak Grove (MS)
Slot Value: $7,746,100
The Royals have been linked to a bat at this spot, and they’ve been enamored with Booth in recent weeks. Booth has links to the Giants, though they’re not as strong as they were a few days ago.
7. Baltimore Orioles – Jacob Lombard, SS | Gulliver Prep (FL)
Slot Value: $7,327,200
The Orioles are hoping Booth falls to them, as this would be his floor in this draft. However, they’ll settle for Lombard, who boasts a ton of upside and tools despite a polarizing hit tool.
8. Athletics – Ryder Helfrick, C | Arkansas
Slot Value: $6,982,600
There are three names to watch at this spot, and they’re all college: Hacopian, Helfrick, and Bell. We’ll stick with Helfrick, but don’t be surprised if it’s Hacopian.
9. Atlanta Braves – Gio Rojas, LHP | Marjory Stoneman Douglas (FL)
Slot Value: $6,675,300
With a second selection at pick #26, the Braves have a decent bonus pool to play with. There’s a ton of smoke around this pick, and admittedly, I have little confidence in this, but we’re going with Rojas. Burress fits in this spot if he falls.
10. Colorado Rockies – Tyler Bell, SS | Kentucky
Slot Value – $6,393,100
The Rockies will be busy on draft day, as they boast 3 Top 40 selections. Bell will need shoulder surgery, but the power would play in Coors, and he’ll save them some money to splurge at back-to-back picks at 37 and 38.
11. Washington Nationals – Derek Curiel, OF | Louisiana State
Slot Value – $6,133,500
College bats have been rumored here for a while, and we’re going to settle on Curiel at this spot. He’ll hit for average and play center for the Nationals. There may be chaos at this selection, though, as Reese, Head, and a few others are involved.
12. Los Angeles Angels – Liam Peterson, RHP | Florida
Slot Value – $5,889,300
While it’s a new regime at the helm, it’s the same Scouting Director leading the charge for the Angels. There’s more smoke of a high school prospect here, but it’s not enough to move away from a college arm with loud stuff, which is what Peterson is.
13. St. Louis Cardinals – Jared Grindlinger, LHP/OF | Huntington Beach (CA)
Slot Value – $5,661,300
The Cardinals want Helfrick at this spot, but it’s hard to envision him falling. Grindlinger would be a fantastic get for the team, and he’ll have plenty of time to figure out his route in pro ball.
14. Miami Marlins – Chris Hacopian, 2B | Texas A&M
Slot Value – $5,444,900
The Marlins are heavily linked to college bats, and Hacopian fits what they look for well. There are a few others to watch out for, including Rose and Head.
15. Arizona Diamondbacks – Trevor Condon, OF | Etowah (GA)
Slot Value – $5,241,000
It’s been hard to let go of this link between team and player over the past month, and I’m not cutting it today. Condon fits their draft philosophy to a tee, though if it’s not Condon, it could be an arm.
16. Texas Rangers – Mason Edwards, LHP | Southern California
Slot Value – $5,051,900
The Rangers are a tough one to pin down. I’ve leaned towards the college side for them, though, whether it’s a bat or an arm is to be determined. Edwards has helium in the late teens, so we’ll stick with him.
17. Houston Astros – Justin Lebron, SS | Alabama
Slot Value – $4,868,600
The Astros ignore risk and like to gamble on upside. Lebron fits the organizational thinking incredibly well, and I can’t ditch the connection.
18. Cincinnati Reds – Hunter Dietz, LHP | Arkansas
Slot Value – $4,695,500
If Condon falls to Cincinnati, he’s the pick. However, in this scenario, he’s not available, and I feel like the Reds will turn to a college arm. Edwards, Rabe, and others make sense, but Dietz feels likely.
19. Cleveland Guardians – Carson Bolemon, LHP | Southside Christian (SC)
Slot Value – $4,530,500
The Guardians know how to maximize value from soft-throwing southpaws, and while Bolemon isn’t quite that, he’s incredibly advanced and has late helium. Reddemann makes sense here, as well.
20. Boston Red Sox – Ace Reese, 1B/3B | Mississippi State
Slot Value – $4,373,900
The morning rumor mill has frequently mentioned Reese to Boston, and it feels inevitable at this stage.
21. San Diego Padres – AJ Gracia, OF | Virginia
Slot Value – $4,224,700
Conor is being held hostage.
For the first time in a long time, we have the Padres going for a college player, and Gracia/Rose feels like the fit. If it’s not Gracia, it’s Rose, and vice versa.
22. Detroit Tigers – Zion Rose, OF | Louisville
Slot Value – $4,082,700
Detroit has made a living off of prep bats in recent years, though that likely changes this year. They’ve been linked to college bats, and Rose is the biggest link.
23. Chicago Cubs – Daniel Jackson, C/OF | Georgia
Slot Value – $3,947,600
A model-driven organization that loves upside, Jackson fits their profile perfectly. Another hard link to loosen the shackles on.
24. Seattle Mariners – Tegan Kuhns, RHP | Tennessee
Slot Value – $3,818,700
There are a plethora of arms linked to the Mariners at this spot, and it’s to nobody’s surprise, either. Kuhns makes the most sense from a pitch-quality standpoint, though Radel, Townsend, and others also make sense.
25. Milwaukee Brewers – Cole Prosek, 3B/C | Magnolia Heights (MS)
Slot Value – $3,696,000
The Brewers took Cooper Pratt from Magnolia Heights in 2023, and my gut feeling tells me they’ll go there again with Prosek. He fits their offensive mold perfectly, and scouts believe he can catch now.
26. Atlanta Braves – Cade Townsend, RHP | Mississippi
Slot Value – $3,578,800
With Rojas at ninth overall, the Braves will find talent and save money here with Townsend. If it’s a college guy at nine, this pick feels more like a prepster, but we’ll see.
27. New York Mets – Sawyer Strosnider, OF | Texas Christian
Slot Value – $3,466,500
Strosnider is a candidate to slip through the cracks, and while he may go as high as fifteen, he could fall out of the main first round. The Mets like up-the-middle profiles, and he fits the mold.
28. Houston Astros – Bo Lowrance, SS/3B | Christ Church Episcopal (SC)
Slot Value – $3,363,600
Lowrance has connections higher than this, but the Astros make a ton of sense for his profile.
29. San Francisco Giants – Archer Horn, SS/OF | St. Ignatius Prep (CA)
Slot Value – $3,270,200
With the Giants, we feel confident they’ll take a big swing at this selection. Horn is a hometown kid with helium all spring, and we like the pairing.
30. Kansas City Royals – Taylor Rabe, RHP | Mississippi
Slot Value – $3,190,500
Rabe has helium late in the process, and with the Royals going after Booth, they’ll look to save some money here. It’s a great pairing of talent and potential savings.
31. Arizona Diamondbacks – Eric Becker, SS | Virginia
Slot Value – $3,118,300
32. St. Louis Cardinals – Logan Hughes, OF | Texas Tech
Slot Value – $3,044,600
33. Tampa Bay Rays – Taj Marchand, SS | James Island Charter (SC)
Slot Value – $2,970,200
34. Chicago White Sox – Jack Slightom, RHP | Lyon Township (IL)
Slot Value – $2,897,400
This is the only blurb in the final ten selections on this mock, and for good reason. The White Sox adding nearly $3 million to their pool means they’ll target preps at 34, 41, and 77. Slightom has extreme helium this week, though watch Thome at this pick. Santarelli will be in play at 41, as well.
35. New York Yankees – Logan Reddemann, RHP | UCLA
Slot Value – $2,826,700
36. Philadelphia Phillies – Rocco Maniscalco, SS | Oxford (AL)
Slot Value – $2,758,800
37. Colorado Rockies – Cole Carlon, LHP | Arizona State
Slot Value – $2,696,700
38. Colorado Rockies – Logan Schmidt, LHP | Ganesha (CA)
Slot Value – $2,633,100
39. Toronto Blue Jays – Jack Radel, RHP | Notre Dame
Slot Value – $2,571,500
40. Los Angeles Dodgers – Joey Volchko, RHP | Georgia
Slot Value – $2,504,200
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