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  • Nygaard Mock Draft v. 1.0


    Jeremy Nygaard

    Mock Draft Season is upon us. We're still a solid seven weeks from having any clarity, but it's always fun to start to speculate. Last year's draft got crazy early. Even crazier than normal when you consider two pitchers went in the Top 7 and barely anyone saw a pitcher going in the Top 15. Other players fell to teams who were elated to take someone they never thought they'd have a chance to select.  

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    1.) Pirates – Dylan Crews, OF, LSU - Arguably the best hitting prospect since Bryce Harper, Crews should be a no-doubt pick for Pittsburgh.

    2.) Nationals – Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU - This is the highest Washington has drafted since having back-to-back first overall picks in 2009 and 2010. Skenes is the best pitcher available by a relatively wind margin and the Nationals would be wise to add such a highly regarded prospect.

    3.) Tigers – Walker Jenkins, OF, North Carolina prep -  Remarkably, this is going to be the fifth year out of the last six that the Tigers have had a top five pick. And they have very little to show for it. They’ve missed on both high school and college pitchers. They’ve had a little more success recently with prep hitters and Jenkins is the highest-ceiling hitter available. 

    4.) Rangers – Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida - The Rangers have went the collegiate route the last four years and the SEC in three of those four years. Langford fits the bill and is more than deserving of being picked here… or higher. 

    5.) Twins – Max Clark, OF, Indiana prep - There are certainly reasons and rumblings why the Twins would go a different direction here. But, at this point, it’s more of a “just make the easy choice” and that’s whichever of these top five names are available. The Twins have definitely been a college-bat lean recently. Langford would likely be preferred. Is this too early for Teel? Gut says yes (in late May anyway). 

    6.) A’s – Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt - The A’s are a mess and a team I’ve never been able to peg down - which is ok because they’ve struggled to hit on first-round picks. Bradfield has game-changing speed and the A’s have the third most stolen-base attempts in the league. Bradfield can help with that.

    7.) Reds – Kyle Teel, C, Virginia - With the exception of Nick Lodolo in 2019, the Reds have gone hitter each year dating back to Hunter Greene in 2017. Either Chase Dollander or Rhett Lowder would make sense here too.

    8.) Royals – Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest - It’s hard to really see a trend with the Royals. They’ve taken from each of the four demographics in the first round the last four years. Lowder has done well for himself and is the second college pitcher drafted here.

    9.) Rockies – Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee - I’ve long believed the Rockies best chances to add difference-making pitchers come in the draft. Dollander hasn’t lived up to the preseason hype, but he’s still a Top 10 pick. 

    10.) Marlins – Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi - The Jacob Berry selection last year was a head-scratcher to me. This would be a chance to get it right.

    11.) Angels – Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon - A small-school hitter is one of the few things the Angels have done well in identifying in the draft lately. 

    12.) Diamondbacks – Arjun Nimmala, SS, Florida prep - Consider me someone who thinks Nimmala breaks into the Top 10. Arizona has gone the prep route in four of the last five years.

    13.) Cubs – Tommy Troy, SS, Stanford - Maybe he doesn’t stick at shortstop, but the bat plays at second base. There’s a mix of players here would could go anywhere in the next 20 picks so it’s going to be a lot of mixing team preference with price tags.

    14.) Red Sox – Colin Houck, SS, Georgia prep - Houck seems to be doing well for himself as the draft gets closer. And the Red Sox have gone this route recently. 

    15.) White Sox – Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida - It seems like it’s always college pitchers for the White Sox.

    16.) Giants – Bryce Eldridge, 1B/RHP, Virginia prep - Maybe too high for Eldridge, but they may have reached for Reggie Crawford last year too. 

    17.) Orioles – Noble Meyer, RHP, Oregon prep - The Orioles are in a good position to add to their depth of prospects and here the top-rated prep pitcher falls into their lap.

    18.) Brewers – Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland - The profile of a hitter who probably can’t stick at shortstop and his last name is Shaw. Sure seems to fit with the Brewers. 

    At this point in time it becomes a “here are some other guys I think go in the first round.”

    19.) Rays – Thomas White, LHP, Massachusetts prep 

    20.) Blue Jays – Brayden Taylor, 3B, TCU

    21.) Cardinals – Kevin McGonigle, SS, Pennsylvania prep

    22.) Mariners – Blake Mitchell, C, Texas prep

    23.) Guardians – Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech

    24.) Braves – Brock Wilken, 2B, Wake Forest

    25.) Padres – Aidan Miller, 3B, Florida prep

    26.) Yankees – George Lombard Jr., SS, Florida prep

    27.) Phillies – Colt Emerson, SS, Ohio prep

    28.) Astros – Chase Davis, OF, Arizona

    29.) Mariners – Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Florida Atlantic

    30.) Mariners – Colton Ledbetter, OF, Mississippi State

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    I rant every year about this time about getting a corner IF early in the draft. I do like Aidan Miller's profile. 

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    27 minutes ago, patrickgpe said:

    I rant every year about this time about getting a corner IF early in the draft. I do like Aidan Miller's profile. 

    Miller is coming off an injury to his hamate.  He really hasn't looked like the hitter he was last year since the injury. 

    If you want a corner IF Schanuel is probably the guy you want.  Brayden Taylor is another corner IF who has slipped he was considered a top 10 pick early on but with his early play he played out of a top 10 pick but he has come roaring back.  I think K's maybe a problem for Taylor once he starts playing in the upper minors and MLB but his bat is legit.  He has 25+ HR potential and he is solid at 3B he could also play 2B though he is not really quick enough to play there. 

    Schanuel you may be able to get under slot which should allow the Brewers to go more aggressive with their other picks.  I like Taylor and Schanuel over Miller.  The Brewers could also go with Yohandy Morales who looks like he has slipped out of the 1st round and should be there for the Brewers competitive balance pick at 33.

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    46 minutes ago, patrickgpe said:

    I rant every year about this time about getting a corner IF early in the draft. I do like Aidan Miller's profile. 

    Shaw would be a good value at #18, in my opinion. Miller would be a good pick, but I went college route because the Brewers have done that the last four years.

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    4 minutes ago, Jeremy Nygaard said:

    Shaw would be a good value at #18, in my opinion. Miller would be a good pick, but I went college route because the Brewers have done that the last four years.

    any thoughts on Taylor to go the college route? I know he may not be a 3B (rather a SS) and has less projectable power than Miller. 

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    Just now, patrickgpe said:

    any thoughts on Taylor to go the college route? I know he may not be a 3B (rather a SS) and has less projectable power than Miller. 

    Taylor is a SS as much as Braun was a SS.  Unless your name is clancy then Taylor is not a SS. 

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    On 5/26/2023 at 10:24 AM, nate82 said:

    Miller is coming off an injury to his hamate.  He really hasn't looked like the hitter he was last year since the injury. 

    If you want a corner IF Schanuel is probably the guy you want.  Brayden Taylor is another corner IF who has slipped he was considered a top 10 pick early on but with his early play he played out of a top 10 pick but he has come roaring back.  I think K's maybe a problem for Taylor once he starts playing in the upper minors and MLB but his bat is legit.  He has 25+ HR potential and he is solid at 3B he could also play 2B though he is not really quick enough to play there. 

    Schanuel you may be able to get under slot which should allow the Brewers to go more aggressive with their other picks.  I like Taylor and Schanuel over Miller.  The Brewers could also go with Yohandy Morales who looks like he has slipped out of the 1st round and should be there for the Brewers competitive balance pick at 33.

    Agree that Shanuel is very tantalizing, best hitter available (to us), and that 72 walks to 14 strikeouts is fun too.

    They absolutely need to start drafting some actual hitters, especially after blowing it by passing on Max Wagner last year.

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    4 hours ago, Never Outhustled said:

    They absolutely need to start drafting some actual hitters, especially after blowing it by passing on Max Wagner last year.

    They blew nothing by not drafting Wagner last year.  He is a K machine and is currently sitting at .226 / .376 / .431 in A+ with 44 K's.  I don't think he will be a MLB regular at best he is going to be a bench bat if he even makes it to MLB.

         
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    10 hours ago, nate82 said:

    They blew nothing by not drafting Wagner last year.  He is a K machine and is currently sitting at .226 / .376 / .431 in A+ with 44 K's.  I don't think he will be a MLB regular at best he is going to be a bench bat if he even makes it to MLB.

         

    He has a 1,066 OPS in May, will hit AA any day now, and could still still be playing his college junior season. The Ks will fall once he gains experience against advanced pitching. It's amazing he can even survive against these pitchers with only 1 year of college starting experience. 

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    I hope we land our yearly JuCo pitching steal. Avoid catchers in the top 5 rounds. Concentrate on position players early (except for JuCo pitching robbery).

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    3 hours ago, Never Outhustled said:

    I hope we land our yearly JuCo pitching steal. Avoid catchers in the top 5 rounds. Concentrate on position players early (except for JuCo pitching robbery).

    I am all for pitching and the position players should be anything but the punchless middle infielders that this team just won't stop drafting but I agree that I would avoid catchers early.  

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    On 5/26/2023 at 10:24 AM, nate82 said:

    Miller is coming off an injury to his hamate.  He really hasn't looked like the hitter he was last year since the injury. 

    If you want a corner IF Schanuel is probably the guy you want.  Brayden Taylor is another corner IF who has slipped he was considered a top 10 pick early on but with his early play he played out of a top 10 pick but he has come roaring back.  I think K's maybe a problem for Taylor once he starts playing in the upper minors and MLB but his bat is legit.  He has 25+ HR potential and he is solid at 3B he could also play 2B though he is not really quick enough to play there. 

    Schanuel you may be able to get under slot which should allow the Brewers to go more aggressive with their other picks.  I like Taylor and Schanuel over Miller.  The Brewers could also go with Yohandy Morales who looks like he has slipped out of the 1st round and should be there for the Brewers competitive balance pick at 33.

    Would be amazing for us to get Schanuel at 18 and then Morales at 33, I would love those first 2 picks!

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