colbyjack

I have a feeling one of the three remaining RBs (Cook, Kamara or Mixon) will be one of the Packers picks in round 2, and could be a reason they moved down with all three available and three other RBs already being selected in the 1st round. It reminds me of the year they took Lacy when they moved down for similar reasons and still had both Monte Ball and Lacy fall to their late 2nd rounder. I don't follow this kind of thing, but what other teams out there still have RB has one of their top needs? I would imagine that is a very short list. After the Packers signed Evans I don't see them going for a OG, at least not this early, although from what I've read about Lamp he looks to be about as ready of a plug-and-play player as there is, especially at this spot.

Pavin Smith shows great power in batting practice. That leads many to believe he's going to hit at a higher rate as a professional. His approach is so sound, and everyone knows who he is, that he frequently doesn't get good pitches to hit. But when he does, he doesn't miss. I know two scouts in the Northeast that absolutely love Smith and think he should be rated higher given his advanced hit tool, and also believe his other tools are a little undersold. That said, even if 20-25 home runs is his upside I'll still take that. I don't think that should be viewed as a negative. As for Adell, everyone likes him a lot. The biggest concern is just whether or not the hit tool will translate, and if he will continue to make the necessary adjustments at the next level. He's having a huge season from a production standpoint, and may end up being the National HS Player of the Year if it continues, but there are some swing mechanic/adjustment issues that create some pause. Otherwise, he would be a Justin Upton-type No. 1 overall candidate. Most I have spoken to about Kendall don't think his swing necessarily needs a complete overhaul, but he does need to learn to incorporate his lower half better into his swing. He's better than he was in HS with this, but continues to be a pretty upper-half/strength dependent swinger. That naturally leads to a lot of strikeouts. I've heard people comment and say this has a lot to do with his hockey background, among other speculation, but similar to Adell, the tools are so fascinating at some point you just have to buy into the athleticism and hope he's able to make those adjustments. Even then, one of our scouts at PG that saw him recently believes he could become a .280 type hitter with 20-20 type overall potential, which is still a pretty exciting player. As for Alex Toral he's another tough one to judge thoroughly. He is sometimes patient to a fault, and makes him difficult to scout at times because the bat never leaves the shoulder. You want to see hitters that are patient in their approach yet aggressive in their swing and while you can say he definitely does the former, the latter is a little in question. However, he has a beautiful lefthanded swing and legitimate power. I've heard there may be some character issues involved, but not those that point to any disturbing activity, just that he's a more difficult personality. Without a doubt he's a candidate for the Brewers 2nd and 3rd picks. At one point I thought he would be a candidate for #9 but I think now that would be considered a stretch. Keep in mind that at one point Toral was considered the #1 overall HS prospect available for this year's draft.

I just wanted to respond to the comments on Pavin Smith. He actually does have some positional versatility, even if it is limited to an outfield corner and first base. But at first he could be a Gold Glover. He was also an uppper-80s/low-90s LHP in high school, so it's not like he's a one-trick pony at first base. Matt LaPorta is not a good baseline for a discussion regarding Smith, who could very well be the best hitter available in this draft (for me it's between he and Keston Hiura). If he (or Hiura) were the pick at #9 I would be pretty happy with it. John Olerud is a pretty solid comp for him, and anyone else that has been compared to John Olerud (like Todd Helton).

I hear you LouisEly, but it's not looked at that way from the scouting perspective, it's about his projection. Age is a big component that baseball scouts look at and it does play a significant factor in a players' overall prospect profile package. The icing on the cake with Hunter Greene, for instance, doesn't turn 18 until August. Mark Vientos doesn't turn 18 until December and is more similarly aged to a HS junior, which has caused some buzz about him sneaking up into the comp round or even the late first. It was also a positive with Groome a year ago and conversely was a slight negative with Blake Rutherford. And this isn't an opinion, it's a fact. Basically, you have to get to the big leagues first before you can start thinking about one's years of control. But I too like Crowe and think he could move quickly, and more quickly than the 3.5 year timeline you laid out (which I know was done to intentionally be conservative). I still will be mildly surprised if Kendall makes it that far, but of course crazier things have happened. As MrTPlush noted his K rate in college is pretty alarming (around 33%), which can be debated as to how important that is, but you would imagine that isn't likely to go down as a professional without some changes to his swing/approach. And while I always, always stress the importance of taking the best player available, I might actually be inclined to say that we have enough outfielders, especially ones that profile similar to Kendall, in Ray, Phillips and Brinson. However, I do like the Wisconsin connection, and aside from his swing-and-miss concerns, he is an incredibly talented ballplayer. There is one name notably absent from BA's mock draft: Trevor Rogers. He's a prep lefty who is remarkably similar to Jason Groome and has been very impressive this spring. And keep an eye on prep RHP Shane Baz, who is on the list but recent reports are circulating that he could force his way into the top 10, if not top 5. He has been "Josh Beckett-esque" this spring.

Nit picked, and duly noted. But that wasn't really my point, just saying the Packers depth at WR isn't as good as some people think it is, but I'm not suggesting it should be a target/priority for the 1st round.

Just to support Toby's comments on Feliciano, as last year's draft approached we received numerous reports from Puerto Rico that Feliciano was moving up boards, but was more likely considered a corner outfielder than a catcher at that time. Physically he has the tools, with a strong arm and good quickness/speed for a catcher. However, and again as Toby noted, it was his bat that stood out. This report from David Rawnsley from last May sums up his profile perfectly IMO: The prototypical Puerto Rican catcher can best be summarized as resembling one of the Molina Brothers; a wide lower half, loose actions with very good one-spot quickness, a big throwing arm and polished receiving skills. Plus, they are definitely "defense over offense" in their skill and tool set. Fast rising Puerto Rican Mario Feliciano is pretty much the exact opposite of that. At an extra strong but well proportioned 6-foot-1, 195-pounds, Feliciano has a mature build that would look at home on a football field in Texas or Pennsylvania. He has surprisingly good straight-ahead speed and has run a 6.8 60-yard dash, but his shifting and blocking behind the plate are not quick and athletic enough to be called one of his best tools. And while Feliciano has a strong arm that is notably accurate, it grades out as a 50 (average) tool on the professional scouting scale. There are any number of other positions on the field that Feliciano could be playable at defensively with his athleticism and tools, not always something one can say about a catcher. The big difference right now, though, is that Feliciano is definitely an "offense over defense" present talent. Here are the hitting notes from Feliciano's 2015 PG National Showcase report: Righthanded hitter, big leg lift trigger but gets his foot down in time for the most part, big lower half coil, can keep his hands back even when opening early, pull and lift approach, swings hard and has very good bat speed, gets extended well when timed, big power when squared and has a feel for the barrel, impressive hitting prospect. Some prospects are top-level hitting prospects because they have well constructed and repeatable hitting mechanics that have been honed through innumerable swings and repetitions. Feliciano is a top-level hitting prospect as much because of his combination of raw strength driven bat speed and aggression in trying to hit the ball very, very hard as anything. He's a "bat speed over mechanics" hitter who simply looks to crush the ball as hard and often as he can. And that definitely works for him.

I agree that WR is a bigger need than a lot of people recognize. That group is getting pretty old already, and another injury or two next season could be pretty crippling. As for the comments about McCaffrey and Montgomery being too similar to one another, is that really a problem? Montgomery hasn't been able to stay healthy to this point of his career, and the way the Falcons used both Freeman and Coleman last year is reason enough to have more weapons out of the backfield (and they essentially aren't that different as players). The fact that both players (Montgomery and McCaffrey) can legitimately play both the RB and WR positions only points to increased mis-matches for opposing defenses. Throw in Bennett and Kendricks with the WRs already on the roster and a good offense could get that much better. And as the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense . I do recognize the defensive needs, and like the ideas of guys like Watt, Peppers, etc., but I also love the idea of arming Rodgers with as many weapons as possible, and I am legitimately concerned about the team's RB depth.

tbbrewers, I like Wil Crowe, but I don't like that he turns 23 in September. That's pretty old. His stuff reminds me of Ben Sheets', with a 90-95 fastball and a really sharp breaking ball, but not much else. However, he can dominate with those two pitches. Physically he doesn't resemble Sheets at all. #9 is definitely too high for Crowe for his age alone, unless you're confident you could insert him into the starting rotation within the next 12 months, and there is an injury history there as well. #34 could be a possibility, but as of right now you're right, he probably is off the board before that pick. It could be close, though. MilwaukeeBeers, lot of people are in on Austin Beck, and as noted, it's becoming more and more likely he goes among the top 3-5 overall picks. The tools are unreal, the only problem is that he hasn't shown he can handle high-level pitching after missing last summer's showcase/tournament circuit due to injury. AshleyP, I'm biased, but at Perfect Game we just updated our Top 150 prospect list last week: https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=13803 It is subscriber based, but if you're into the draft I strongly recommend that you consider a subscription, even a monthly one, to carry you through the draft season. We have a ton of reports on players at all levels (and I'm always happy to answer questions here in this forum). The MLB.com link you provided does look fairly outdated. A lot of the names remain the same, but there has been some pretty significant movement this spring.

We have scouts at Mississippi State/South Carolina, Florida/Vanderbilt and Louisville/Georgia Tech this weekend so I have the benefit of some good first-hand info. First of all, Kyle Wright may have put himself back in position to be in consideration for the 1-1 pick tonight. He tossed a CG against Florida, striking out 13 (I think) and giving up only 3 hits. Was consistently 92-95 with very good command, something that's been lacking this season. Obviously, he needs to be more consistent, but that was an eye-opening performance. Faedo was strong last night, but not as strong as Wright, although his pure stuff looked better than before: 92-94 fairly consistently, but the command wasn't as strong. But not, it is very unlikely he falls to the Brewers comp pick. Someone will still take him in the first round based on his performance record alone, and he too may have helped himself get back on track with Thursday's performance. Brent Rooker is going to be 23 years old in the fall I believe. He's essentially a senior sign, but he's obviously having a huge year. He can crush fastballs but struggled with off-speed stuff. For me he's a little on the stiff side but he does have good overall tools and solid bat speed. Those tools have always been there, and he did have a solid season a year ago, so it's not like this season came out of nowhere. Not sure where you get your info YoungGeezy but DL Hall is more of an upside prospect than a high floor one. He has one of the better fastball/curveball combos available for this year's draft but the command can be in question at times. One of our lead scouts David Rawnsley has compared him to Scott Kazmir in the past and I think that's a very apt comparison, especially if you remember how good Kazmir was coming out of HS. He could be special but I don't think he's considered any safer as a prospect (well, compared to Adell maybe). JJ Schwarz is having a bad year, and no, he's not a catcher. He hasn't re-captured the magic since his freshman season and at this point in time is very unlikely to be taken in the second or third rounds, much less the first. KJ Harrison on the other hand is a player some believe could still catch if given the opportunity. For his first two years at Oregon State he was behind Logan Ice, and now he's behind Adley Rutschman, who they really like defensively. Harrison may not have had many reps, and as a result he wasn't one of the catchers I was referring to, but he could still be in the picture for the position. His profile is limited as a first baseman.

brewerfan17 – his stuff wasn't as good to open the spring, and he hasn't been as sharp as a result. We (PG) actually have Faedo and Wright still ranked fairly high, but word on the street suggests they need to finish the spring strong or be at risk of falling to the bottom, or possibly even out of, the first round. I think Faedo did have a minor arm thing going on, nothing to worry about, but it could have effected his velo. reillymcshane and foamboy, you're welcome, always good to hear from a few long timers. I know it's subscriber based, but we released our updated top 150 prospect list today: https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=13803 I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about it, other than "can you copy and paste the entire list here" . lynchp, top 5 catchers and third basemen: Catchers: MJ Melendez (prep), Mike Rivera (college, Florida), Riley Adams (college, San Diego), Luis Campusano (prep), Matt Whatley (college, Oral Roberts). 3B: Jake Burger (college, Missouri State), Jacob Gonzalez (prep), Joe Dunand (college, NC State), Ryan Vilade (prep), Jayson Gonzalez (prep). Melendez is an interesting athlete, with more of a slender, wiry strong frame and a big-time arm with promising offensive tools as a LH hitter. Rivera is a take-charge backstop with some pop that is on the short side, while Riley Adams is more of an offensive-minded catcher with a very strong arm but questionable catch-and-throw skills. I really would like to see the Brewers add one of these three with one of their picks between the comp and their second rounder. Burger is more of a first baseman at the next level. Gonzalez is Luis' son, but makes great in-game adjustments and has done a really good job firming up his body. He makes really good, consistent hard contact against high level pitching at bigger tournament events. Dunand and Vilade are versatile athletes with intriguing power while Jayson Gonzalez is surprisingly athletic for his frame (he looks more like a football player) but there are some concerns as a result about him being able to stay on the left side of the infield. However, he currently plays SS. For third baseman I would prefer to target a shortstop that may outgrow the position, such as Adam Hall, Mark Vientos or Christopher Seise, and even then I wouldn't immediately move them to third. It's not a great draft for pure third baseman. Dunand might be a good fit, as he's pretty rangy and athletic and can play SS but is a better fit at third at the next level. Vientos would be an interesting target for the team's comp pick.

brewerfan17, Faedo is going to fall a lot further than 9 as it stands now. He and Wright are more likely to be taken in the latter half of the 1st than at the top. brewcrewdude80, this year's draft is kind of similar to last year's (2005 was too special of a year). The college ranks are really lacking in impact talent among bats, and it seems as though every player has a significant wart (how high is McKay's ceiling, JB Bukauskas is too short, can Jeren Kendall hit advanced pitching, Keston Hiura doesn't have a true position, Seth Romero has off-field issues, etc.). Also similar to last year, the difference in talent between the 1st pick and the last may not be as great as it is some years. And look for teams to reach for a few hitters early, especially among the college ranks, as there is more depth among the pitchers than hitters. 2018 could be a pretty special draft.

Well Hunter Greene is a pretty special talent. We already knew that, but he keeps on showing it. He SITS (no touches) mid- to upper-90s and touches 103. And he's a legitimate 1st-round candidate as a hard-hitting shortstop. He's the best prospect so few people are talking about as everything about him is unreal. He also has the prep pitcher thing working against him, but he's such a unique talent it's hard to imagine him not going 1 or 2 overall. But, it's possible if the pricetag is there (and some are guessing it might be). He comes from an affluent family so he may be one of those rare types that wants to go to college. In my humble opinion he needs to begin his pro career. Austin Beck has really soared up draft boards. He was injured last spring and summer so we fell somewhat off draft boards but he has been compared to Mike Trout for his foot speed, bat speed and arm strength. He's a true 5-tool talent but the biggest concern with him is the level of competition he's played. Since he was injured he didn't face good pitchers consistently, and he plays pretty weak competition in NC. He should go top 3-5 overall. Brendan McKay has really helped himself this year, both pitching and hitting, and it's hard to determine where he's going to go. The thought, now, is that you start him as a hitter and you can always fall back on pitching. However, he makes pitching look so easy, but his best pure tool is his 70 grade power. Most think he's likely to go No. 1 overall and if he doesn't the Reds at No. 2 are expected to take him. Houston LHP Seth Romero has emerged as a potential 1-1 candidate. He's lost a bunch of weight and has really trimmed himself up. There's some off-the-field concerns but his stuff sits low-90s, touches 94-96 routinely and he has good secondary pitches. JB Bukauskas has solidified himself as an early first rounder as he may have the best pure stuff in the draft. However, he's a 6-foot RHP with some believing he may be better as a closer. The same thing, however, was said about Gerrit Cole and Lance McCullers in their careers. McCullers might be a good comp for Bukauskas. Holmen native Jeren Kendall is still supposed to go top 3-5. If the Twins take McKay #1 Kendall is expected to be high on the Reds board. The Reds love college players. UC Irvine's Keston Hiura and Virginia's Pavin Smith are the draft's 2 best pure hitters. Hiura's future position is a little in question, as an elbow (or hand, I can't remember) injury has limited him to DH for most of this season, while Smith is best off at 1B, although he could play a corner OF spot. Even if Hiura is a future LF it may not matter as each can hit and hit for power with selective batting eyes. I think taking Hiura at No. 9 for the Brewers would be similar to when the Cubs took Ian Happ, I believe at the same spot, 2 years ago. Prep LHPs MacKenzie Gore and Trevor Rogers have really moved up boards this spring. Gore is throwing harder, more consistently, and while Rogers already could throw hard the other pieces are coming together for him. If you like Jason Groome last year than Rogers is your man this year. Another prep LHP, DL Hall, has solidified his status as a likely first half of the first round pick and all three could be on the table for the Brewers at No. 9. Jordon Adell is a fascinating prospect, a true boom or bust player with unreal tools but uncertainty about how they're going to convert at the next level. If everything clicks for him he could be a superstar. I could see a team like the White Sox, Phillies or even the Rockies being in on Adell given how much of a premium they place on sheer athleticism. Prep OF Royce Lewis has also solidified himself as a likely top 5-7 overall pick, maybe even higher. His hitting approach and athleticism are actually similar to those of Ryan Braun in that he has a middle to opposite field approach but can also still pull the ball. He can run and throw and has some positional versatility. I still like Mizzou's Tanner Houck as a possibility for the Brewers. There are prospects I like more, but he's pretty consistent, as he works 91-94, can touch higher and has a pretty good slider that he shows a great deal of comfort throwing. Keep an eye on Matt Sauer, a RHP from SoCal that has good size and things seem to be clicking for him this spring. I think No. 9 is a little rich at this point, but he's forced himself into the first round conversation in short order. College pitchers who have fallen a little include Florida's Alex Faedo and Vanderbilt's Kyle Wright. Faedo's stuff hasn't been as dominant while Wright hasn't been as sharp this spring. But both have shown better in the past and there's still enough time this spring for both to rebound.

On this site, I don't think anyone is under the radar! I like the call of Zack Brown. He's very much like Jamey Wright (don't let that effect your opinion of him, I mean that in a positive way) in that he has good size and stuff, and when he's on he's nearly unhittable. Being more on more frequently is the next step of his development, and you never know when that's going to happen for a pitcher with extreme fastball movement. I think Medeiros could be under the radar given the disappointment from last year. Same goes for Roache or even guys like Coulter and Taylor. The video Mass Haas shared on Twitter of Medieros was pretty encouraging, as it was pretty clear the trust in his slider was alive in well. I'm going to go with Thomas Jankins and Eric Hanhold. Jankins of course was taken in last year's draft and had a very solid overall prospect profile with good size and stuff. Plus, the result were pretty encouraging. Hanhold is an interesting player in that he went to college but profiles more closely to a high school player, taking longer to develop than one would like, and he spent more of his time at Florida coming out of the bullpen, which saved his arm but limited his experience. However, the size and stuff are there, and if he's getting more and more used to starting he could be on the cusp of a very good season.

Awesome stuff as always. I don't follow the NFL Draft nearly as much as I used to but this thread is the one thing I always make a point to read. I will say for as glaring as the needs are for defense I'm still a big fan of Christian McCaffrey and the different things he could do for the Packers offense.

Just curious, does anyone actually believe listed heights/weights?

Hah, I hear you Toby. Heatherly was at our place last weekend and we filed a report (with video) on him here if you're interested (and/or haven't seen it yet): https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=13610 As you noted very easily delivery, he maintains the arm speed well on his curveball, a pitch that shows very good depth. Hall's curve is nastier, but I just think Heatherly has the better pure package. And we'll be profiling Jake Eder in our next MLB Draft Pack next Friday.

Dear Toby, that 2nd mock draft is really bad. I too like Hall and Heatherly (and Eder), but I wouldn't count on that, at all, in March, when it is already painfully outdated, to determine who might be available where. If you like Hall read the report on him in our first MLB Draft Pack of the year (Insider based, I'll copy and paste link below -- for the record I actually like Heatherly better than Hall): https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=13638 D.L. Hall – LHP Height/Weight: 6-2/175 Bats/Throws: L/L Birthdate: Sept. 19, 1998 High School: Valdosta Hometown: Warner Robins, Ga. Travel Team: Chain Marucci Black Commitment: Florida State Projected Draft Round: 1 Player comparisons are best when the scout/writer making the comparison has seen both players extensively at the same relative age. I was fortunate enough to see Scott Kazmir pitch frequently when he was a teenager before he eventually was picked in the first round by the New York Mets. Georgia southpaw D.L. Hall is about as close as it gets as a comparison at the same age. Hall has an inch or maybe two on Kazmir at the same age but generally has the same athletic build, with long arms for his height and plenty of athleticism for a pitcher. There are plenty of similarities in the deliveries as well, as both have a moderate but not concerning amount of energy through release but nothing that is worrisome, especially given their level of athleticism. Hall's arm action, like Kazmir's, is sound and repeatable and similar on all his pitches. Most importantly, their stuff is very similar as well. Both last summer and so far this spring, Hall has generally been pitching in the 92-95 mph range with his fastball and touching higher at times. His fastball is pretty straight but will get some running action at times but is generally kept down in the zone well. Hall's best pitch, however, is his curveball, which ranks as one of the top, if not the best, off-speed pitches in the 2017 draft class. It's thrown with the proper velocity differential to his fastball, generally sitting in the 77-79 mph range, and has outstanding tightness and sharpness. The most impressive thing about Hall's curveball is how well he commands it. Righthanders don't get a break with Hall and his curveball, he'll throw it just as often to opposite side hitters and has shown a consistent ability to both backdoor and back foot the pitch with intent. Lefthanded hitters are pretty much just overmatched. Hall made an recognizable effort to throw more changeups last summer at high level events, an impressive sign in and of itself, and while he's still developing consistency with the pitch, he did pick up a number of strikeouts on it as well and gave hitters one more thing to worry about. The most impressive thing that Hall did last summer was to improve his fastball command. Prior to that time, throwing strikes with his fastball was a feast or famine proposition. Hall has always been able, it seems, to throw his curveball for strikes, but it was only last June and July when he really seemed to key in a consistent fastball release point. A Florida State signee, Hall is currently ranked fourth nationally in the PG class rankings, although New Mexico southpaw Trevor Rogers edges him out as the top-ranked lefthander. Regardless, Hall seems a sure thing to be a first round pick come June and likely even higher than Kazmir's 15th overall slot. (DR)

Some early draft rumblings a month into the college season: The top 3 picks may very well be Hunter Greene (HS RHP that has thrown triple digits recently), Jeren Kendall (Holmen native, 5-tool OF from Vanderbilt) and Brendan McKay. What's interesting about McKay, given the discussion about his earlier in this thread, is that he's drawing interest that high as a power hitting first baseman. Keep in mind he is very, very good on the mound, but his best raw tool is his power (70). Austin Beck, a prep OF from NC, and Keston Hiura, an OF with the potential to play at 2B at the next level for UC Irvine, are also generating a lot of draft buzz and could their way into the first half of the first round.

He doesn't fall within the parameters of the challenge since he's more than 5 picks behind Coutler and Roache (and a couple of picks ahead of Haniger) but Stephen Piscotty has quickly turned himself into essentially what the Brewers hoped to get with either Coulter or Roache. Staying within the parameters for that year I take Berrios. Lance McCullers is another that applied but the bonus that was required to sign him obviously was huge, and a big reason why the Astros went with Correa #1 (who talents were still warranted for the pick). Overall I take Corey Seager as others have mentioned. I don't think you have to overthink the risk involved, as others have noted he still would have been plenty high of a pick.

I'm not sure if all top prospect lists are supposed to go in here but definitely give this one a read: http://2080baseball.com/2017/01/2017-orgrev-mil/ Nick Faleris and Dave DeFreitas (among others) are doing really good things at 2080 Baseball and this is the most insightful prospect evaluation I've seen for the Brewers, possibly ever. These guys, who are actual scouts, certainly did their homework. I'm sure they're linked elsewhere but they also have really good features up on Corey Ray and Trent Clark.

That's a pretty complex question DHonks, and I don't know science/medicine related issues enough to know if there's something to that. I personally think the sports specialization conversation is a little overblown, I'm not even sure if that topic matters once they've reached 18+ years old and I'm not sure if the actions are different enough to even make a difference.

I'm a little surprised some team out there hasn't tried to develop a player both ways. I don't think it will happen with a first-rounder given the money invested -- too much concern about injury due to overall overuse, unless that player is an athletic freak of nature. Which McKay isn't. His body is one red flag. He's not overweight, but he's certainly not neat and trim either, just a big fella. That said, he knows how to pitch (he's a starter for sure) and as I believe I've stated earlier in this thread his highest pure tool is his raw power, which one scout I spoke to last summer put a 70 on. His pitchability does push up his pure stuff a notch or two, and he can touch the mid-90s even if he mostly sits 88-92. I like Pavin Smith better as a hitter and I think there will be one of the power-armed pitchers left on the board at #9, but again, I like the concept. McKay may not even be available with another big season on the mound as he's currently my favorite to win the Golden Spikes Award.

I'm a big fan of Heatherly Toby. Big-bodied lefty with smooth mechanics and a 4-pitch mix. Sits in the upper-80s to low-90s and can touch 94/95. His delivery has some downward plane to it and he attacks hitters at the knees with his fastball to either side of the plate. His curve is a little slower but he spins it well in the low-70s and he also throws a mid/upper 70s slider. He also throws a changeup but it's the least developed pitch of the 4. Most importantly he keeps getting better and progressed all summer long. I think we have him ranked 15th and I may argue that's 5-10 spots too low, definitely one of my faves. Crouse is about as funky as you can get but he creates one of the most difficult at-bats for opposing hitters. He absolutely shut down Cuba for Team USA in the championship game and has a lot of arms and legs coming at you and he frequently alters his arm angle. He tops out around 96-97 and can sit at 91-93 with a lot of life, mixing in a good mid-70s curve and low-80s change. His personality matches his delivery, which endears him to some, creates questions for others. As for that mock, I really like Pavin Smith. He might be the best hitter available for next year's draft, but he's definitely a bat-first player. He's good defensively at 1B with soft hands and good instincts, but he's limited to there or LF. I just don't know if that profile matches the more toolsy approach our scouting department has taken the last few years, but I would be pretty happy if it happened that way. Adell on the other hand defines tools. He might be the most toolsed-up prospect to come out of high school since Justin Upton.

We release our top 250 overall prospect list for next year's draft earlier this week: http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=13355 We also released the top 100 college list, top 100s for 2018 and 2019 as well as a top 100 JUCO list (links to those features can be found in the one linked above). They are protected content (the top 10 are shown for free), but please let me know if you have any questions.

clancy, no Jeff Pickler? I had the chance to see Gideon at the Northwoods League prospect showcase in Madison in early August of 2015. I was familiar with him due to him playing for Texas A&M, but the first thing that stood out was his size. He's a big boy, in some ways good (size/strength) and in some ways not so good (need for conditioning). He also was a righthanded hitter, which may not sound like a big deal, but he's the type of one-dimensional player that would benefit greatly from batting lefthanded, at least from a value/scouting perspective. He did take a good BP and showed some bat speed. In the game he received a steady dose of breaking balls, which he did a good job laying off while also making it clear he can destroy fastballs. The high number of strikeouts point to this as well. I'm not trying to deter anyone's opinion of him, just providing some background. From Tony Festa to Michael Ratteree I always need to see more from college hitters that enjoy big seasons in Helena before getting too excited about them. I do agree that Gabriel Garcia has the highest upside of the 2016 draft sleepers. Big arm/power combo that obviously play up if he's able to stick behind the plate moving forward.