While we’re chatting away down below, you can follow along as we update this post and offer some commentary on a pick by pick basis.
1. Washington Nationals – Bryce Harper | C/OF | College of Southern Nevada
Credit is due to both Rich Lederer and Tom Verducci for introducing Harper to the blogosphere and world, respectively, very early in his prep career, paving the way for him to become one of the most hyped prospects in draft history. It seemed a gimmick when Harper opted to skip his final two years of high school to join his brother Bryan at the College of Southern Nevada, but he was ready: slugging .442/.524/.986 in one of the nation’s hardest junior college conferences. Harper has 80 raw power on the 20-80 scouting scale, and a 70 arm that will likely lend a move from catcher to right field. Harper is represented by Scott Boras, and is likely to set a draft record with the contract he signs. (Bryan Smith)
2. Pittsburgh Pirates – Jameson Taillon | RHP | Texas HS
Touted as the best high school pitching prospect since Josh Beckett, Taillon’s stuff outpaced his results this spring. However, listed at 6-foot-7, and sporting a fastball that reaches 97 mph, any team would love to get their pitching instructors working on building their next ace. Taillon might have to pick a breaking ball at the next level, and it will probably be a hard slider that sits around 85 mph. He’s an intelligent pitcher that has embraced the idea of throwing a changeup, but in high school, showed it more in bullpens than during games. Stuff like this usually doesn’t miss, but the team that drafts him must be ready to refine his arm. (Bryan Smith)
3. Baltimore Orioles – Manny Machado | SS | Florida HS
Probably the best Miami-area high school prospect since Alex Rodriguez, Machado has been plagued by that lofty comparison for about a year. While no one is ready to project 600 home run power, he’s a sure-fire bet to add muscle and pop in the minor leagues. Machado offers a canon of an arm, so if he grows too big for the middle infield, both third base and right field should be natural fits. After dominating the summer showcase series last summer, Machado grabbed hold of the top high school hitter label, and never let it go this spring. (Bryan Smith)
4. Kansas City Royals – Christian Colon | SS | Cal State Fullerton
One of the top shortstop prospects in the game, Colon is likely to move to second base in professional baseball due to limits with both his range and arm strength, although he has pretty quick hands. Offensively, he swings with a clear upper cut in his stroke at times, which could cause him some issues against better pitching. In college, though, he exhibited the ability to make consistent contact and rarely struck out. Colon was originally selected out of high school by San Diego in the 10th round of the 2007 draft. (Marc Hulet)
5. Cleveland Indians – Drew Pomeranz | LHP | University of Mississippi
The top college pitcher in the draft, Pomeranz has solid fastball velocity for a lefty. The southpaw has a good three-pitch mix – 89-94 mph fastball, curveball, change-up – but his control is still a work in progress. He has a fairly smooth delivery. Pomeranz was previously selected out of high school by the Texas Rangers in the 12th round of the 2007 draft. (Marc Hulet)
6. Arizona Diamondbacks – Barret Loux | RHP | Texas A&M
One of Division I’s top recruits three years ago, Loux was inconsistent for his first two seasons, before transforming into the ace the Aggies needed this season. He’s your typical tall-and-fall big righty, with little tempo in his delivery, but a ton of arm speed on his 92-94 mph fastball. He maintains the arm speed on a very good changeup that has been his best pitch this spring, helping to shut down left-handed hitters. He’ll need work refining a breaking ball, as neither his slider or curveball made much headway in three years at college. (Bryan Smith)
7. New York Mets – Matt Harvey | RHP | University of North Carolina
Entering the 2007 draft, the top three prep pitchers were Rick Porcello, Jarrod Parker, and Matt Harvey. Both Porcello and Parker signed as first-round picks but Harvey slid to the third round (Los Angeles Angels) due to signability concerns and ended up heading off to the University of North Carolina. Harvey had an up-and-down career in college but has looked good this season. He has mid-90s velocity, a sharp slider, and and a developing change-up but his command and control both need work; he could stand to have a cleaner finish to his arm action. If he cannot improve in that area, Harvey could end up at the back of a big league bullpen. (Marc Hulet)
8. Houston Astros – Delino DeShields Jr. | OF | Georgia HS
Like his father (who is a former first round pick of the Expos), DeShields’ game is built around plus-plus speed. Unlike a lot of young speedsters, though, he’s not a fast-twitch player and he’s filled out pretty well already. Offensively, there are some questions about his potential with the stick but he has good bat speed; he just needs better pitch recognition. He’s committed to Louisiana State University, but is expected to be drafted in the first round. (Marc Hulet)
9. San Diego Padres – Karsten Whitson | RHP | Florida HS
Whitson has a fastball that can hit the mid-90s but his slider is one of the best in the draft. The right-hander is athletic (He was a good prep basketball player) and fields his position well. He has a quick, short arm action. Whitson, who has been on the prospect circuit for quite some time, is committed to the University of Florida. (Marc Hulet)
10. Oakland Athletics – Michael Choice | OF | University of Texas-Arlington
As the draft neared, there were a number of teams with top draft picks dreaming on Choice’s plus power potential. He’s been a three true outcome hitter in college with lots of home runs, walks, and strikeouts. Like a lot of young hitters, Choice needs to avoid the natural tendency to try and pull everything; he has excellent bat speed that could easily produce opposite-field blasts. A center-fielder in college, he should be able to stick there but he has the power to play either outfield corner. (Marc Hulet)
11. Toronto Blue Jays – Deck McGuire | RHP | Georgia Tech
It’s not often for a pitcher to pair such size (6-foot-6, 220 pounds) with such pitchability, but McGuire is a rare breed. Capable of throwing four pitches in any count, he’ll go as high as scouts believe in pitches 2-4. We know his fastball will work at the next level, and while it’s not explosive, commanding 92 mph isn’t bad. He trusts his change up, and flashes a plus slider, so it will probably be his curveball that gets scrapped. (Bryan Smith)
12. Cincinnati Reds – Yasmani Grandal | C | University of Miami
It’s easy to see why Grandal is attractive to a number of teams picking in the first half of the first round of the 2010 draft. He’s a switch-hitting catcher with solid offensive and defensive skills (although his arm strength is a little below average). Grandal has displayed the ability to hit for a good average and also has some pop. He has yet to thicken up in his lower half but he’s not a great base runner. After a modest senior year of high school, he slid to the 27th round when teams became leery on his signability. The Red Sox tried to get an above-slot deal done by Grandal ultimately headed to Miami. (Marc Hulet)
13. Chicago White Sox – Chris Sale | LHP | Florida Gulf Coast University
The 6’6” southpaw is not a hard thrower and his fastball tops out around 90 mph. However, he commands it very well and its movement makes it a plus pitch for him. His change-up is also considered a plus pitch, but he’s still working to command his slider on a regular basis. Sale has good deception in his delivery to right-handers. He was originally drafted out of high school in the 21st round by the Colorado Rockies. (Marc Hulet)
14. Milwaukee Brewers – Dylan Covey | RHP | California HS
Covey doesn’t have the same explosive ceiling as some of the other first-round arms, in part because he’s already filled out, but he has advanced skills that could help him move quickly through the minors. The right-hander has a low-90s fastball and good slider. His repertoire also includes a curveball and a change-up. Covey’s delivery is fairly smooth. As the draft approached, his value had slipped a bit. Covey is committed to the University of San Diego. (Marc Hulet)
15. Texas Rangers – Jake Skole | OF | Georgia HS
Skole was an overdraft by the Rangers with a pick that was not protected. The outfielder had a lot of helium as the draft approached, as a number of teams were eyeing him for the supplemental round. Like a lot of young players, Skole needs to work on his pitch recognition but he projects to have good power and should slot in at a corner outfield spot. He’s committed to Georgia Tech to also play football, so the Rangers obviously have something worked out here and can spread out his draft bonus. (Marc Hulet)
16. Chicago Cubs – Hayden Simpson | RHP | Southern Arkansas
The only guy on earth who knows anything about Simpson is Jim Callis, and unfortunately, he doesn’t work for us.
17. Tampa Bay Rays – Josh Sale | OF | Seattle HS
Sale receives a lot of comparisons to Toronto’s Travis Snider but the ‘10 draft pick has better bat speed, which helps him to show plus, raw power. Like many young hitters, Sale struggles with breaking balls but he’s considered a hard worker and should improve quickly in pro ball. He’s committed to Gonzaga University but could be one of the first prep bats off the board. (Marc Hulet)
18. Anaheim Angels – Kaleb Cowart | RHP/SS | Georgia HS
It will be important to take note of Cowart’s announced position, as teams seem to still be debating his best future path. On the mound, he succeeds with an essentially one-pitch arsenal, a low-to-mid 90s fastball with good movement. At the plate, he’s a switch-hitter that most believe will move to third base. He certainly has the arm for the position, and his bat has plenty of untapped power. Cowart has been said to prefer playing everyday, but won’t necessarily attend Florida State University if that preference is not met. (Bryan Smith)
19. Houston Astros – Mike Foltynewicz | RHP | Illinois HS
Foltynewicz is a hard-throwing right-hander that can touch the mid-90s with his heater, and he also has a good change-up. Both his slider and his curve ball are developing. He’s committed to the University of Texas. (Marc Hulet)
20. Boston Red Sox – Kolbrin Vitek | 2B/3B/OF | Ball State University
Vitek was a two-way player at Ball State, occupying a regular spot in the Cardinals rotation, and impressed scouts there with a 185/48 strikeout-to-walk ratio over a little more than 200 innings. But no one is likely to take the bat out of Vitek’s hands, as he seems to hit at every stop. He has been an awkward fit defensively, but with good raw speed, many teams think he will be a good fit in center field. (Bryan Smith)
21. Minnesota Twins – Alex Wimmers | RHP | Ohio State
Handed the title of the most Major League ready of the draft prospects, Wimmers is likely to move quickly through the minor leagues. However, he doesn’t have the command or guile of Mike Leake, so he should be penciled in for 2012 rather than 2011. He does have better raw stuff, probably, with the best changeup in the draft. Given his ability to backdoor a plus curveball, left-handed hitters have no chance, and when he shows the confidence to throw the change to RHH’s, they shouldn’t either. His velocity has ebbed and flowed a bit throughout his career, but it should be consistently 91-94 when he’s done filling out. (Bryan Smith)
22. Texas Rangers – Kellin Deglan | C | British Columbia HS
One of the top Canadians, Deglan has surpassed a couple other Canuck prospects this season and could be the first name called from the country (although James Paxton is in play, too). Defensively, he’s a good receiver with a strong arm. It’s his bat that has question marks surrounding it. His left-handed swing gets long at times but he does possess good power potential if he can learn to make consistent contact. (Marc Hulet)
23. Florida Marlins – Christian Yelich | 1B/OF | California HS
Yelich possesses the prettiest swing in the entire draft, a smooth left-handed stroke with very good bat speed. He hasn’t filled out his 6-foot-4, 190 pound frame, so scouts believe that the doubles he will show in the low minors will become home runs as he rises up the ladder. However, while he is quick enough to handle a corner outfield spot, Yelich has one of the ugliest throwing motions you will see from a first-round draft prospect. In all likelihood, he will be relegated to first base, where he’s likely to lead the position in steals down the road. (Bryan Smith)
24. San Francisco Giants -Gary Brown | OF | Cal State Fullerton
Brown has perhaps the best speed in the draft. That allows him to project as a plus defender in center field despite an average arm. Offensively, there are a lot of questions about his hitting ability. As a speedster, he needs to do a better job of talking walks so that he can take advantage of his plus-plus speed. The team that selects Brown will no doubt instruct its coaches to quiet his lower half; he has far too much movementin his feet and will need to develop a better timing mechanism. His body resembles a young Aaron Hill, which includes shorter legs, and he could lose some speed as he fills out. He was originally drafted in the 12th round by the A’s out of high school. (Marc Hulet)
25. St. Louis Cardinals -Zack Cox | 3B/2B | University of Arkansas
A draft-eligible infielder, Cox certainly experienced the Tale of Two Seasons. As a freshman, he flew up the draft radar by showing big-time power, hitting 28 extra bases in 181 at-bats in the SEC. Scouts were worried, however, if his 58 strikeouts was a sign that he’d never make enough contact to succeed. Flash forward a year later, and Cox has a ISO of just .179, but has just 34 strikeouts in more than 260 plate appearances. In separate seasons, he’s generated plus reports in both the hitting and power columns, so if a team believes he’ll meld both skills together, Cox could be the first college hitter selected. (Bryan Smith)
26. Colorado Rockies – Kyle Parker | OF | Clemson University
There aren’t a ton of college outfielders with high ceilings, so Parker is a bit of a rarity in the 2010 draft. Clemson’s starting quarterback, he’s considered a tough sign. He has good, raw power and projects to be a pro left fielder due to his average arm. (Marc Hulet)
27. Philadelphia Phillies – Jesse Biddle | LHP | Pennsylvania HS
Biddle is a big 6-foot-6 lefty, and one of the better cold state pitchers available in this draft. Like a lot of guys that come from colder states, he doesn’t yet have a great feeling for a breaking ball, tossing his curveball just a slow 70 mph. But his feeling for a changeup is actually fairly advanced, and his low 90s velocity is very good for a lefty.
28. Los Angeles Dodgers – Zach Lee | RHP | Texas HS
A top quarterback prospect from Texas, it will clearly take a lot ($$$) to sway Lee away from his commitment to Louisiana State University. A team drafting Lee in the first round will have to have a pretty good feel on his signability. Lee has a three pitch repertoire that includes a low-90s fastball, slider, and change-up. His arm slot tends to wander at times. Thanks to his focus on the football field, the right-hander is still raw but he does display solid control for his age. (Marc Hulet)
29. Anaheim Angels – Cam Bedrosian | RHP | Georgia HS
The son of former closer Steve Bedrosian, who won the NL Cy Young in the late ’80s, this young right-hander is a projected starter. Bedrosian is on the short side at just 6’0” but he has a good low-90s fastball that can touch the mid-90s and has good, late life. He also features three other pitches (curve, slider, change) but none of them rate as more than average right now. He’s committed to Louisiana State, but is considered signable. (Marc Hulet)
30. Anaheim Angels – Chevez Clarke | OF | Georgia HS
One of the draft’s most talented, and inconsistent, performers. Clarke’s most worrisome note is found in Keith Law’s write-up of him, “…he’s an undisciplined hitter whom I’ve seen struggle to square balls up well even in [batting practice]…” While that is clearly a bad sign, Clarke will tease people by showing all five tools in some games. He is committed to Georgia Tech, but most believe a team tempted by his ability will sign him away from the Yellow Jackets. (Bryan Smith)
31. Tampa Bay Rays – Justin O’Conner | C/RHP | Indiana HS
O’Conner is an intriguing two-way prep player who spent time on the left side of the infield before settling behind the plate. O’Conner attracted scouts with a low-to-mid-90s fastball and good curveball but he’s also displayed above-average power. Clearly, there is work to be done on his raw defensive skills given the limited time he’s had behind the dish. He lacks accuracy with his strong throws from behind the plate. If he can hit for a solid average – and some scouts have their doubts – O’Conner could be a real find. He is committed to the University of Arkansas. (Marc Hulet)
32. New York Yankees – Cito Culver | SS | New York HS
33. Houston Astros – Mike Kvasnicka | C/OF | University of Minnesota
The Big Ten’s best offensive prospect is a player whose value is strictly tied to his perceived ability to catch. Kvasnicka didn’t get behind the plate often in three years at Minnesota, but scouts believe his footwork and arm strength will be sufficient. At the plate, he’s a switch-hitter with gap power that scouts believe still has a good deal of projection. He drastically reduced his strikeout rate and upped his walk rate between his sophomore and junior seasons. Kvasnicka’s father Jay was an eighth-round pick by the Minnesota Twins in 1988, reaching Triple-A before flaming out. (Bryan Smith)
34. Toronto Blue Jays – Aaron Sanchez | RHP | California HS
Sanchez is considered a bit of a project with a good, low-90s fastball and curveball, but he lacks a third pitch. He has a very long stride and almost launches himself off the rubber, which could be contributing to his control issues. He’s committed to the University of Oregon. (Marc Hulet)
35. Atlanta Braves – Mike Lipka | SS | Texas HS
36. Boston Red Sox – Bryce Brentz | OF | Middle Tennessee State
Plagued by a stress fracture in his ankle this spring, Brentz didn’t dominate in his final season at MTSU like scouts thought he might. He’s a smart hitter with an easy swing, and he has the strength to hit for a good amount of power. Scouts like his potential in right field, given that he was a good reliever with the Blue Raiders in his career. (Bryan Smith)
37. Anaheim Angels – Taylor Lindsey | SS | Arizona HS
38. Toronto Blue Jays – Noah Syndergaard | RHP | Texas HS
39. Boston Red Sox – Anthony Ranaudo | RHP | Louisiana State
Talked about as a potential #1 overall pick before Harper joined this draft class, Ranaudo has had the worst spring possible. After he was slowed by shoulder stiffness as a freshman, Ranaudo missed part of the early season with a minor elbow injury in the spring. His size on the mound is daunting, and he gets good tilt on his fastball. The strength of his game is a really good curveball, but its consistency comes and goes. The team that drafts him will need a good explanation for why anyone so talented can post a 7.32 ERA in his draft year. (Bryan Smith)
40. Anaheim Angels – Ryan Bolden | OF | Mississippi HS
41. Toronto Blue Jays – Asher Wojciechowski | RHP | The Citadel
Wojciechowski currently leads Division I in both innings pitched (125.2) and strikeouts (155), which is a bit of a double-edged sword: on the one hand, he’s a proven workhorse. On the other, he has a lot of mileage on his arm. The team that drafts him would be well advised to give him some well-earned rest, and begin refining his slider and changeup in the fall. Some are calling him a future reliever, because while the fastball already plays, it might only be his slider that ever becomes a usable secondary offering. (Bryan Smith)
42. Tampa Bay Rays – Drew Vettleson | OF | Washington HS
43. Seattle Mariners – Taijuan Walker | RHP | California HS
44. Detroit Tigers – Nick Castellanos | SS/3B | Florida HS
Castellanos is a smart hitter that has shown the ability to hit to all fields, and has the body type of a future power hitter. It’s unlikely that a team will even bother having him play shortstop, his natural position, at the next level — Castellanos is a third baseman through and through. Marked up for his make-up, Castellanos impressed this spring by showing up stronger, and began convincing more and more scouts that his power will play professionally. It’s unlikely the University of Miami will see Castellanos reach Coral Gables. (Bryan Smith)
45. Texas Rangers – Luke Jackson | RHP | Florida HS
46. St. Louis Cardinals – Seth Blair | RHP | Arizona State University
Blair has a solid fastball that can touch 97 mph but it sits more comfortable (and consistently) in the 91-94 mph range. His repertoire also includes a good curveball and change-up. Blair has to potential to induce a solid number of ground balls and he’s’ even toyed with a cutter that could develop into a useful pitch under the right pitching coach. He has a tendency to be a little wild and throw a lot of pitches, so he needs to work at being more efficient. Blair was a solid draft prospect out of high school but signability concerns (Boras) caused the right-hander to slide to the end of the ’07 draft where Oakland took a flyer on him. (Marc Hulet)
47. Colorado Rockies – Peter Tago | RHP | California HS
Tago has a good pitcher’s frame and he has an easy, fluid throwing motion, which could help him avoid injury. his fastball sits in the low-90s and he also has a good curveball and needs to develop a change-up. Tago’s fastball and breaking ball both have good late movement through the zone. He’s committed to Cal State Fullerton. (Marc Hulet)
48. Detroit Tigers – Chance Ruffin | RHP | University of Texas
Another player with an MLB pedigree, Ruffin’s father Bruce pitched for 12 MLB seasons and spent time as both a starter and a reliever. The younger Ruffin projects as a reliever, although he did spend time in the starting rotation earlier on in his college career. He has a low-90s fastball, a plus slider and a curveball; his control might improve if he stood taller over the rubber. (Marc Hulet)
49. Texas Rangers – Mike Olt | 3B | UConn
50. St. Louis Cardinals – Tyrell Jenkins | RHP | Texas HS
A tough sign, Jenkins has been linked to the first round with the New York Yankees. He’s committed to Baylor University and is a quality football quarterback prospect. As a pitcher, the right-hander has a good low-to-mid 90s fastball but none of his secondary pitches – slider, curve, change – are overly developed. He’s a project with a high ceiling but some effort in his delivery. (Marc Hulet)