2021 MLB MOCK DRAFT 2.0
2021 MLB MOCK DRAFT 2.0
Normally this time of year we’d be doing our final mock drafts but with still about a month left before the real draft on July 11th here’s a look at how things might shake out. We ran our first version of the MLB Mock Draft about a 6 weeks ago, so there’s been some movement.
#1 Pittsburgh Pirates- Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake HS- California
Over the past month or so it’s become more apparent that Marcelo Mayer has a great chance to be the 1st overall pick. Mayer is viewed as the top left handed hitter in this year’s draft class and was also considered by many scouting departments as the top defensive infielder as well as the 2nd best pure hitter among all high school players and there’s a good chance he could develop more power than the guy next on this list.
Previous Pick: Jordan Lawlar, SS
#2 Texas Rangers- Jordan Lawlar, SS, Dallas Jesuit HS- Texas
Lawlar has always been very comparable to Marcelo Mayer and there’s a good chance he could be the #1 pick thanks to his plus hitting ability combined with the intangibles that help draw comparisons to Derek Jeter and former 1st overall pick Carlos Correa. Texas would be hard pressed to pass on Lawlar if he’s available here.
Previous Pick: Jack Leiter, RHP
#3 Detroit Tigers- Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt
The top college pitcher all year could go earlier than this if Pittsburgh or Texas prefers taking a pitcher over a hitter but I doubt Leiter falls much farther than #3. He has MLB bloodlines with his dad a former All-Star and his uncle and cousin also playing in the majors. That upbringing has helped him become one of the most polished arms in the draft and he could be one of the first guys in this draft class to make it to the majors.
Previous Pick: Kumar Rocker, RHP
#4 Boston Red Sox- Henry Davis, C, Louisville
This pick is one of the more interesting picks as there’s been talk that Henry Davis could go earlier than this. There’s also the chance that one of the players mentioned above could fall here if Davis does indeed go earlier as usually the top college hitter tends to go super early on draft day. Henry Davis is the consensus top college bat in this year’s draft class.
Previous Pick: Marcelo Mayer, SS
#5 Baltimore Orioles- Brady House, SS, Winder-Barrow HS- Georgia
House was the top player on Team USA’s 17U Team which featured Mayer and Lawlar back in 2019 and there was once thought that he could be the #1 high school player in this year’s draft class back then. He struggled a bit last summer which caused his draft stock to take a hit but he’s worked his way back up the boards this spring. He probably has as much upside as anyone in this year’s class with probably the best raw power with a real chance to stick at shortstop.
Previous Pick: Brady House, SS
#6 Arizona Diamondbacks- Khalil Watson, SS, Wake Forest HS- North Carolina
This year’s draft class is known for being the best high school shortstop class in quite some time and Watson has continued to impress this spring. He could be the 4th high school shortstop taken within the top 6 picks. I think Arizona takes him here after taking a lot of college pitching over the past few years. But would they really pass on Kumar Rocker?
Previous Pick: Jackson Jobe
#7 Kansas City Royals- Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt
Kumar was the pre-season #1 draft prospect and his stock has taken a bit of a fall due to struggles with command and his velocity backing up a bit. Still, he’s the #2 ranked college pitcher in this year’s draft class and the old cliche is you can never have too much pitching. There’s a real chance he could go earlier than this. Most within the industry feel this is the farthest he could fall. But there are some rumors that if he falls any further due to his asking price he could go back to college for another year with the chance to make more money next year.
Previous Pick: Henry Davis, C
#8 Colorado Rockies- Benny Montgomery, OF, Redland HS- Pennsylvania
This is probably where everything starts to fall apart as this is currently one of the toughest teams to mock. I feel they have 2 possible options but both will end up taking the player with the most upside and that’s either Benny Montgomery who is probably the player with the loudest set of tools still available here or they could go with the high upside prep arm in Jackson Jobe. The Rockies don’t have a great track record with high school pitchers so I think they take Benny Montgomery here.
Previous Pick: Sal Frelick, OF
#9 Los Angeles Angels- Jackson Jobe, RHP, HS- Oklahoma
Jobe has a chance to go earlier than this as he has some of the best stuff in this year’s draft class with a chance for even more as he was viewed mainly as a shortstop prior to putting up some of the best spin rates at the Perfect Game National Showcase last summer. He’s a legit top 10 talent that is considered by many within the industry as the best high school right handed pitcher since Hunter Greene.
Previous Pick: Ty Madden, RHP
#10 New York Mets- Matt McLain, SS, UCLA
This pick more than likely will be a college hitter as there are a few that are good enough to fit in the top 10 and those 2 would be Matt McLain, Sal Frelick. They’re both comparable as hitters that have below average power with the chance for above average hit tools. Sal Frelick is a lefty whereas Matt McLain has a chance to play middle infield and offers more defensive value.
Previous Pick: Gunnar Hoglund, RHP
#11 Washington Nationals- Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College
I feel like this pick will be either one of the college hitters left between Frelick and McLain as the Washington Nationals could use more hitters and this would be a good fit for either one. I really don’t see either player falling much farther than this as both are advanced hitters that have a chance to make it to the majors quicker than most in this year’s draft class.
Previous Pick: Khalil Watson, SS
#12 Seattle Mariners- Sam Bachman, RHP, Miami (Ohio)
Bachman is a small conference pitcher with a big time arm. His fastball touches triple digits and he pairs that with a slider that earns plus grades giving him a chance to have a floor as a power reliever. Whichever team drafts him will give him the opportunity to start where he has the upside to be a difference maker as a mid rotation starting pitcher. This feels like a Mariners type of pick as it seems they enjoy taking college pitchers in the draft while signing hitters internationally.
Previous Pick: Sam Bachman, RHP
#13 Philadelphia Phillies- Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston State
Cowser should be considered in the same conversation with McLain, and Frelick but there are some concerns that he might fall as a small conference player. For those who love Cowser he could be the 2nd college guy on their board as he has more power than Frelick with perhaps a better chance of staying in centerfield and could be some teams #1 ranked college left handed hitter which makes sense as to why some see him going in the top 10. There’s a good chance he could go earlier than this.
Previous Pick: Adrian Del Castillo, C
#14 San Francisco Giants- Ty Madden, RHP, Texas
This seems like a spot where a college pitcher will go off the board and the pitcher that has the best chance to go earlier than this is Ty Madden he was once considered a top 10 talent. His stock has fallen a bit, but he’s still considered to be one of the top 5 college pitchers in this year’s draft class. Another option could be Kansas State lefthander Jordan Wicks who is the top left handed pitcher in this year’s draft class.
Previous Pick: Colton Cowser, OF
#15 Milwaukee Brewers- Harry Ford, C, North Cobb HS- Georgia
The Milwaukee Brewers are rather thin on impact position player prospects and could use one of the better athletes in this draft. Harry Ford is more than just an athlete that you could see play all over the diamond thanks to a strong arm and above average speed; he’s also got the chance to hit for lots of power and with the chance of developing into a high impact bat.
Previous Pick: Jordan Wicks, LHP
#16 Miami Marlins- Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State
Jordan Wicks is the top left handed pitcher in this year’s draft class and he’s one of the more polished arms. He has a double plus changeup and throws plenty of strikes which should make him an easy day 1 pick with a good chance to go earlier than this and has a chance to fit in well as a mid-rotation starter or high leverage reliever.
Previous Pick: Andrew Painter, RHP
#17 Cincinnati Reds- Andrew Painter, RHP, Calvary Christian HS- Florida
Andrew Painter is the 2nd high school pitcher to go off the board in this mock draft and there’s a chance he doesn’t get past the Miami Marlins at pick 16 but if he does he shouldn’t last very long as he’s still considered a top 20 overall talent by most.
Previous Pick: Harry Ford, C
#18 St. Louis Cardinals- Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Ole Miss
Hoglund was considered a top 10 overall pick prior to needing Tommy John surgery. There’s many within the industry that still feel he will go within the top 20 picks and should recover well. If he does, he could prove to be one of the better picks in this year’s draft class.
Previous Pick: Ryan Cusick, RHP
#19 Toronto Blue Jays- Bubba Chandler, RHP/SS, HS- Georgia
Chandler has been the top pop up player this spring and is an incredible athlete that’s even earned a football scholarship to Clemson as well as shows promise as a shortstop. He’s a strong armed athlete with the upside that could get him possibly drafted earlier than this.
Previous Pick: Matt McLain, SS
#20 New York Yankees- Joe Mack, C, Williamsville East HS- New York
Joe Mack is the 2nd high school player to go in a loaded Northeast prep class which should have plenty of players selected in the latter half of this first round. Mack is a good strong armed defensive catcher that has the chance to have plus power from the left side of the plate.
Previous Pick: Joe Mack, C
#21 Chicago Cubs- Michael McGreevy, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
The Cubs need young pitching and are a favorite to take a college arm here. The Cubs have a recent history of taking early picks on players from the state of California. Michael McGreevy seems like a good fit here as he’s continued to move up boards with his performances this spring and seems like a favorite to go here.
Previous Pick: Joshua Baez, OF
#22 Chicago White Sox- Jud Fabian, OF, Florida
Fabian was once considered one of the best hitters in this year’s draft class and he was a pre-season top 5 draft prospect but he’s taken a slide due to swing and miss concerns. He still has a ton of talent and is an above average runner who also has some of the best power among all college hitters. He’s good value here as he’s still one of the youngest college hitters available in this year’s draft class.
Previous Pick: Benny Montgomery, OF
#23 Cleveland Indians- Joshua Baez, OF, Dexter Southfield HS- Massachusetts
Baez is one of the best prep athletes in the country as a player that has some of the best power among all high school players while also being able to touch the upper 90s off the mound as something he likes to do for fun. He is easily one of the most exciting prep players in the country.
Previous Pick: Chase Petty, RHP
#24 Atlanta Braves- Ryan Cusick, RHP, Wake Forest
The Braves 1st Round Draft Pick last year was Jared Shuster out of Wake Forest. This year Wake Forest has another intriguing arm that’s drawing plenty of 1st round consideration in Ryan Cusick, who has a fastball that touches triple digits. The Braves also have drafted college hitters in the 1st round recently which makes this a favorite landing spot for Cusick.
Previous Pick: Bubba Chandler, RHP/SS
#25 Oakland Athletics- Will Taylor, OF, Dutch Fork HS- South Carolina
Oakland is rumored to be interested in high school hitters and I think they would be interested in Will Taylor who is another terrific athlete in this year’s draft class. Taylor is a state champion in wrestling and has earned a scholarship to play football at Clemson while also having a chance to go in the 1st Round in this year’s MLB Draft.
Previous Pick: Jud Fabian, OF
#26 Minnesota Twins- Adrian Del Castillo, C, Miami
Del Castillo was once considered as one of the best college hitters in this year’s draft class due to a strong track record of hitting. This season he’s struggled to hit for power and put up big time numbers and there are still questions about his ability to stick behind home plate long term. Still he’s a left handed hitter with a track record of hitting which could be enough for him to still go in the first round.
Previous Pick: James Wood, OF
#27 San Diego Padres- Chase Petty, RHP, Mainland Regional HS- New Jersey
Most High School Pitchers that throw 100 are considered 1st round picks although in years past where these guys would go much earlier it seems as though teams prefer to proceed with caution when it comes to hard tossing high school pitchers as they often have more risk for injuries due to throwing so hard. Petty has the track record and has performed well enough to get drafted earlier than this but it seems like a safe spot for him to go here with a chance to prove to be an excellent value pick in time.
Previous Pick: Jaden Hill, RHP
#28 Tampa Bay Rays- Lonnie White, OF, Malvern Prep HS- Pennsylvania
White is yet another outstanding athlete that’s part of this impressive prep position player draft class. He is an outstanding 2 sport star that has earned a football scholarship to play wide receiver at Penn State he is one of the fastest players in this year’s draft class and has shown the ability to use that speed to impact the game on the base paths.
Previous Pick: Tommy Mace, RHP
#29 Los Angeles Dodgers- Anthony Solometo, LHP, Bishop Eustace Prep HS- New Jersey
Solometo has gained plenty of interest from clubs and there’s a chance he doesn’t make it to this pick as he’s a very interesting prep pitcher that offers plenty of upside. He is the 5th prep pitcher to go in the 1st Round and the 6th high school player from the Northeast to go in the 1st round in this current mock draft, something that would be a record as the previous high was 5 set twice in the 1970’s.
Previous Pick: Thatcher Hurd, RHP
