2008 Draft Slot: 7th overall
Top Pick: Yonder Alonso, 1B, University of Miami
Best Pick: Yonder Alonso
Keep an Eye On: Zach Stewart, RHP, Texas Tech (3rd round)
Notes: Zach Stewart is absolutely flying through the minors even though he’s been moved into the starting rotation. He began the year in high-A and has now made two starts in double-A – and has yet to allow a run at that level. Stewart was a little too hittable in high-A, but he throws an excellent sinker, and should benefit more as the defenses behind him improve (as he moves to higher levels). Stewart has also shown exceptional control by walking fewer than two batters per nine innings in nine starts. Yonder Alonso is having a solid, albeit not-so-flashy, season in high-A. He’s showing a good eye at the plate, he’s batting for a solid average and he’s showing some power. Alonso, though, has yet to quiet concerns that he cannot hit southpaws.

2007 Draft Slot: 15th overall
Top Pick: Devin Mesoraco, C, Pennsylvania high school
Best Pick: Todd Frazier, OF, Rutgers University (Supplemental 1st round)
Worst Pick: Devin Mesoraco
Notes: Devin Mesoraco showed a ton of improvement in his senior year of high school and was the fastest moving draft prospect right before the draft. It looks like scouts got a little ahead of themselves and Mesoraco was simply having a hot stretch. Only 20, though, he has plenty of time to turn things around. Despite not walking much, Todd Frazier is having a good season in double-A as he adjusts to life as an outfielder. Neftali Soto (3rd round) is finding high-A to be a challenge, especially with his aggressive approach at the plate, but don’t forget about him.

2006 Draft Slot: 8th overall
Top Pick: Drew Stubbs, OF, University of Texas
Best Pick: Drew Stubbs
Worst Pick: Sean Watson, RHP, University of Tennessee (2nd round)
Notes: When you take a college player with the eighth-overall pick, you’d hope he’d be in the Majors within two seasons. Drew Stubbs, though, is still in the minors and no one is really that surprised. He was a very toolsy and athletic, but raw, collegian and the Reds knew that when the organization selected him. Stubbs is playing well in triple-A, so his arrival in Cincinnati is not far off. Outfielder Chris Heisey was a nice find in the 17th round. He’s hitting .360 in double-A and has shown improved power development throughout his minor league career.

2009 Draft Slot: 8th overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): College, but will not shy away from good prep prospects
MLB Club Need: Starting pitching, Outfield, Shortstop
Organizational Need: Left-handed pitching, Right field, Left field, Second base
Organizational Strength: Center field, Third base
Notes: The Reds have a nice spot to pick in the first round and should be able to nab a very talented pitcher – either college or prep. The club also has an extra selection in the supplemental first round. With the 2007 selection of prep catcher Devin Mesoraco (15th overall) not looking so good (.180/.281/.311 in high-A), maybe the club will look for another catcher-of-the-future, with some of the many young backstops available.

2008 Draft Slot: 13th overall
Top Pick: Brett Wallace, 3B/1B, Arizona State University
Best Pick: Brett Wallace
Keep an Eye On: Lance Lynn, RHP, University of Mississippi (Supplemental 1st round)
Notes: He’s posted modest strikeout totals and he’s not missing a ton of bats to this point in his career, but Lance Lynn is already in double-A. The sinker-slider pitcher may see his hit totals drop as he gets higher in the minors and into the Majors as he receives better defense behind him, which will gobble up those ground balls. Brett Wallace is just a hitting machine and would probably be in the Majors already if A) Albert Pujols wasn’t at first base, and B) The organization was convinced he could handle third base at the MLB level. The first round aside, this was a rather uninteresting draft.

2007 Draft Slot: 18th overall
Top Pick: Peter Kozma, SS, Oklahoma high school
Best Pick: Jess Todd, RHP, University of Arkansas (2nd round, 82nd overall)
Worst Pick: Thomas Eager, RHP, Cal Poly (5th round)
Notes: The Cardinals organization went outside its comfort zone of taking college players and selected Peter Kozma with the first-round selection. It is turning out to be an uninspired choice, given Kozma’s offensive ceiling may top out as a utility player. The selections of pitchers Clayton Mortensen, Adam Reifer, and Jess Todd, could help to turn things around, though. The club also had a couple of interesting early-round picks that are turning into sleepers after modest starts to their pro careers: RHP David Kopp (2nd round) and 3B Daniel Descalso (3rd round).

2006 Draft Slot: 30th overall
Top Pick: Adam Ottavino, RHP, Northeastern University
Best Pick: Chris Perez, RHP, University of Miami (Supplemental 1st round)
Worst Pick: Brad Furnish, LHP, Texas Christian (2nd round)
Notes: Brad Furnish narrowly edges 1B Mark Hamilton for the worst pick in the draft so far. Adam Ottavino has not been very good of late, either, since graduating from high-A ball. Chris Perez has already helped the Cardinals in the bullpen. Pitchers P.J. Walters (11th round) and Nick Additon (47th round) have exceeded expectations. Outfielders Shane Robinson (fifth round) and Jon Jay (second round) are looking like useful part-time MLB players.

2009 Draft Slot: 19th overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): College
MLB Club Need: Third base, Shortstop, Second base
Organizational Need: Left field, Right field, Second base, Left-handed pitching
Organizational Strength: Third base, Center field
Notes: All the mock drafts to this point seem to be looking at the Cardinals taking a college left-hander, such as Mike Minor or Rex Brothers. The club could use some infield depth too.

2008 Draft Slot: 19th overall
Top Pick: Andrew Cashner, RHP, Texas Christian University
Best Pick: Jay Jackson, RHP, Furman University (9th round)
Keep an Eye On: Chris Carpenter, RHP, Kent State (3rd round)
Notes: Chris Carpenter has always had the stuff to make scouts drool, but a stream of constant injury concerns caused him to slip every year. He’s been healthy in pro ball so far and has the numbers to prove it, although he needs to be challenged and moved out of low-A. Jay Jackson was a two-way player in college, who has taken to full-time pitching like a fish to water. He’s already in double-A. Andrew Cashner had his greatest success in college as a reliever, but the Cubs have him back in the starting rotation. The results have not been pretty. Cashner can touch 99 mph with the fastball, but his control is not good at all.

2007 Draft Slot: Third overall
Top Pick: Josh Vitters, 3B, California high school
Best Pick: Josh Vitters
Worst Pick: Brandon Guyer, OF, University of Virginia (5th round)
Notes: There were three quality prep third basemen at the top of the 2007 draft and Josh Vitters was the second to go off the board (sandwiched between Mike Moustakas, 2nd overall, and Matt Dominguez, 12th overall). However, he struggled early and has fallen behind the other two. Vitters is making more noise in 2009 with a .355 average and 10 homers, but he’s also a level behind the pack. Luckily it’s a marathon, not a sprint. The Cubs’ second pick, catcher Josh Donaldson, helped land pitcher Rich Harden from the A’s in 2008.

2006 Draft Slot: 13th overall
Top Pick: Tyler Colvin, OF, Clemson University
Best Pick: Jeff Samardzija, RHP, Notre Dame University (Fifth round)
Worst Pick: Tyler Colvin
Notes: Everyone scratched their heads from the moment that the Cubs grabbed Tyler Colvin with the 13th overall pick and now everyone’s bald… no one has stopped scratching. Colvin spent 2008 in double-A and was demoted to high-A to begin 2009. He’s hitting .253 with one home run. The Cubs lacked 2nd to 4th round selections and then spent a boatload of money to sway Jeff Samardzija away from the National Football League. It looks like a smart move, but he may be better off as a reliever. Time will tell.

2009 Draft Slot: 31st overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): College for the most part
MLB Club Need: Second base, Third base, Catcher
Organizational Need: Left-handed pitching, Left field, Right field, First base
Organizational Strength: Third base, Shortstop
Notes: The club does not pick until 31st overall, so it’s almost impossible to know who is going to be there, especially in this draft where no one is even sure who’s in the mix for No. 2 overall. The Cubs could look to someone like James Paxton, who would immediately become the best left-handed pitcher in the system. He’s a college starter that can hit the high 90s, but his numbers have not been good this year – so he could slide to them. Paxton is a high risk, high reward player (but a much better bet than Colvin).

2008 Draft Slot: 16th overall
Top Pick: Brett Lawrie, 2B, British Columbia (Canada) high school
Best Pick: Brett Lawrie
Keep an Eye On: Logan Schafer, OF, Cal Poly State University (3rd round)
Notes: Logan Schafer, a gifted defender, is making huge strides offensively despite being quickly promoted to high-A to begin 2009. He’s hitting more than .300 and he’s trimmed his strikeout rate by 10%. The walk rate, though, is too low at about 4%. Brett Lawrie has looked good at the plate for such a young player – and given his inexperience as a Canadian product. His move from catcher to second base, though, hurts his value a bit, especially considering his defense at the keystone is… not good.

Bonus: Here is my pre-2008 draft interview with Brett Lawrie.

2007 Draft Slot: Seventh overall
Top Pick: Matt LaPorta, OF/1B, University of Florida
Best Pick: Matt LaPorta
Worst Pick: Dan Merklinger, LHP, Seton Hall (6th round)
Notes: Remember when Seton Hall was a powerhouse school? Dan Merklinger has struggled with staying healthy and throwing strikes. But it’s not a bad draft when your worst pick (which isn’t that bad) doesn’t occur until the sixth round. Matt LaPorta was a valuable pick because it helped the club get C.C. Sabathia from the Indians for the playoff race in 2008. The club lacked a second-round pick, but it found value in the third round with Jonathan Lucroy, who is now in double-A.

2006 Draft Slot: 16th overall
Top Pick: Jeremy Jeffress, RHP, Virginia high school
Best Pick: Jeremy Jeffress
Worst Pick: Brent Brewer, IF, Georgia high school (2nd round)
Notes: Brent Brewer would be a great marketing tool for the Brewers, but the bat just does not look like its going to play above A-ball. Jeremy Jeffress is still one of the most talented players in the draft but he’s painfully inconsistent and there are questions regarding his maturity and dedication, as well. Cole Gillespie (3rd round) and Lee Haydel (19th round) both appear to have the potential to make the Majors as fourth outfielders, if not more.

2009 Draft Slot: 26th overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): Best available player, college or prep
MLB Club Need: Second base, Catcher, Relief pitching
Organizational Need: Right field, Second base, First base, Left-handed pitching
Organizational Strength: Center field, Catcher
Notes: The Brewers organization does not pick until the back end of the first round in 2009, but the club also has two supplemental first round picks for losing pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Brian Shouse to free agency. The club also has an extra second-round pick for Sabathia (It would have been a first-rounder if the Yanks hadn’t signed Mark Teixeira too).

2008 Draft Slot: 10th overall
Top Pick: Jason Castro, C, Stanford University
Best Pick: Jason Castro
Keep an Eye On: Ross Seaton, RHP, Houston high school (Third round)
Notes: The Astros organization made some interesting decisions during the 2008 draft. The club nabbed Ross Seaton in the supplemental third round after the talented Texan dropped out of first-round consideration due to signability concerns. The club used its supplemental first round pick on South Carolina prep pitcher Jordan Lyles, whom most clubs did not consider a top pick. Lyles, though, has pitched extremely well so far, which has made Houston’s scouts look incredibly wise. Both Lyles and Seaton are playing in low-A ball, with the former out-performing the latter. Jason Castro is having a solid offensive season in high-A ball and could potentially see double-A by the end of the year.

2007 Draft Slot: Third round (111th overall)
Top Pick: Derek Dietrich, 3B, Cleveland high school (Did not sign)
Best Pick: Collin DeLome, OF, Lamar University (Fifth round)
Worst Pick: David Dinelli, RHP, California junior college (6th round)
Notes: There is no sugar-coating the fact that this was an ugly draft. The Astros organization did not have a pick before the third round and then it failed to sign its third- and fourth-round selections. The sixth-round pick posted an ERA above 7.00 in two rookie seasons, and the seventh-round pick is hitting .134 in low-A ball in 2009. Collin DeLome is showing some promising power at double-A this season, but his average is modest and he’s walking just 3.3% of the time. There is also some hope for RHP Kyle Greenwalt (20th round).

2006 Draft Slot: 23rd overall
Top Pick: Max Sapp, C, Florida high school
Best Pick: Bud Norris, RHP, University of Cal Poly (6th round)
Worst Pick: Nick Moresi, OF, Fresno State University (3rd round)
Notes: Max Sapp suffered a severe case of viral meningitis this past off-season. He’ll miss the entire 2009 season, but that is hardly important at this point. He’s also still young. RHP Sergio Perez (2nd round) missed most of the 2008 after breaking his hand and injuring his groin. He’s currently working his way back into baseball shape in double-A. Third baseman Chris Johnson (4th round) has a chance to contribute at the Major League level, although probably not as an everyday player.

2009 Draft Slot: 21st overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): High school or prep players
MLB Club Need: Third base, Starting pitching, Relief pitching
Organizational Need: Right field, Shortstop, Second base, First base, Pitching
Organizational Strength: Catcher, Center field
Notes: The Astros organization has an extra pick in the supplemental third round (the only club with such a pick) after the team failed to sign its 2008 third-round selection Chase Davidson. The draft has definitely not been a strength of the team’s for quite some time. In fact, a few of the recent drafts have been almost laughable. The club did, though, take some interesting names last year so perhaps things are starting to improve. The club desperately needs some minor-league depth.

2008 Draft Slot: 24th overall
Top Pick: Anthony Hewitt, SS, Connecticut high school
Best Pick: Jason Knapp, RHP, New Jersey high school (2nd round, 71st overall)
Keep an Eye On: Vance Worley, RHP, Long Beach State (3rd round)
Notes: The club selected Anthony Hewitt with its first pick, but the oufielder is rawer than raw and struck out 55 times in 117 at-bats in rookie ball last year. It will be a long, long time before he’s ready to contribute in the Majors. Second selection Zach Collier (34th overall), another prep outfielder, is hitting well in low-A. Jason Knapp has been excellent so far in pro ball and his value has risen in a lot of people’s eyes. So far this season, he’s allowed 31 hits in 41.1 innings pitched with rates of 3.70 BB/9 and 12.63 K/9. College right-hander Vance Worley won’t wow you with his stuff, but he’s been consistent and could fit in at the back of the Phillies’ rotation in a couple of years.

2007 Draft Slot: 19th overall
Top Pick: Joe Savery, LHP, Rice University
Best Pick: Michael Taylor, OF, Stanford University (5th round)
Worst Pick: Travis Mattair, 3B, Washington high school (2nd round)
Notes: Joe Savery had some well-documented injury problems in college, but that did not scare the Phillies organization away from drafting him in the first round. He has pitched OK, but his stuff and results do not really scream “First-round pick!” He looks like a No. 3 starter at this point. Michael Taylor, on the other hand, is looking more and more like a huge steal (literally and figuratively) in the fifth round. The 6’6” outfielder is showing raw power and the ability to hit more than .300. Two high draft picks that were chosen out of high school have had disappointing 2009 seasons in low-A ball: catcher Travis D’Arnaud, and infielder Travis Mattair. Mattair’s slugging percentage has dropped in each of his three pro seasons down to .287 so far in 2009.

2006 Draft Slot: 18th overall
Top Pick: Kyle Drabek, RHP, Texas high school
Best Pick: Adrian Cardenas, SS, Florida high school (Supplemental first round, 37th overall)
Worst Pick: D’Arby Myers, OF, California high school (4th round)
Notes: Everything is bigger in Texas, except Kyle Drabek. The son of former pitcher Doug Drabek (Pittsburgh, Houston), Kyle showed good stuff in high school but some teams were turned off by his slight stature (5’11’) – even though he threw in the mid 90s. Drabek did break down and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2007, but he’s back now and throwing very well in high-A ball. There are still questions about his makeup and maturity, though. The club also picked up a very good prospect in Adrian Cardenas, whom the club shuffled to Oakland in the Joe Blanton trade last season. The Phillies picked up some more useful parts early in the draft, including shortstop Jason Donald, outfielder Quintin Berry, and right-hander Andrew Carpenter.

2009 Draft Slot: 75th overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): The organization mixes in prep and college picks
MLB Club Need: Starting pitching, Catcher, Third base
Organizational Need: Left field, First base, Second base, Shortstop
Organizational Strength: Third base, Right-handed pitching
Notes: Perhaps with the way outfielder Raul Ibanez is playing in Philly, fans will be less upset that the club gave away its first-round pick to sign him away from Seattle. It still won’t make for a fun day on June 9, though, as the club will be the last organizations to make a selection.

2008 Draft Slot: 18th overall
Top Pick: Ike Davis, 1B/OF, Arizona State University
Best Pick: Reese Havens, IF, University of South Carolina (1st round, 22nd overall)
Keep an Eye On: Javier Rodriguez, OF, Puerto Rico high school (2nd round)
Notes: Javier Rodriguez was the first selection out of Puerto Rico but he hit just .193 in his rookie-ball debut. No one is worried, though, as the outfielder is very young and loaded with talent. Both Ike Davis and Reese Havens had disappointing debuts, while supplemental first round pick Brad Holt surprised everyone with his success. All three are in high-A ball in 2009 and Holt is still pitching well. Havens is showing more power than people expected (7 HR, .225 ISO) but he’s struggling to hit for average (.254). Davis is hitting for average, but he has just one home run in 352 at-bats, which is puzzling and very, very worrisome.

2007 Draft Slot: 42nd overall (Supplemental first round)
Top Pick: Eddie Kunz, RHP, Oregon State University
Best Pick: Dillon Gee, RHP, U of Texas-Arlington (21st round)
Worst Pick: Nathan Vineyard, LHP, Georgia high school (Supplemental 1st round, 47th overall)
Notes: Nathan Vineyard was not overly effective as a pro before blowing out his shoulder. He should be back in the second half of May, but it remains to be seen how effectively he’ll be as he already didn’t throw very hard prior to surgery and his best pitch (a slider) may have been the cause of the injury. Eddie Kunz is a perfect example of why it’s risky to choose relievers early in the draft. If a starter struggles, he can move to the bullpen. If a reliever struggles, he… Dillon Gee was a steal in the 21st round as he is already in triple-A and pitching well. The downside is that with a modest fastball that plays up due to command and control, Gee’s ceiling is that of a No. 4 starter or middle reliever.

2006 Draft Slot: 62nd overall (Second round)
Top Pick: Kevin Mulvey, RHP, Villanova University
Best Pick: Daniel Murphy, 3B, Jacksonville University (13th round)
Worst Pick: John Holdzkom, RHP, Salt Lake community college (4th round)
Notes: Like brother Lincoln, John Holdzkom just could not stay out of trouble or make the most of his blazing fastball. Daniel Murphy, already in New York, was a steal in the 13th round and he would be even better if he could play defense like he can hit. Now with the Twins organization, Kevin Mulvey – who has yet to get to the Majors – was used as part of the bait for Johan Santana.

2009 Draft Slot: 72nd overall (Second round)
Draft Preference (2006-08): College pitchers and hitters
MLB Club Need: First base, Starting pitcher, Catcher, Left field
Organizational Need: Outfield, Second base, Left-handed pitching
Organizational Strength: Shortstop, Third base
Notes: Thanks to the signing of closer Francisco Rodriguez, the Mets will not pick until 71 players have already gone off the board, so the club will have to scout really well to find a good sleeper, or hope that a top player slides due to signability concerns. The good news is that the club has worked with similar draft scenarios in the past few seasons, so it should be getting used to it. The bad news is that the club has had a number of disappointing drafts for that very reason. Another plus, though, is that the organization does very, very well in the international market, which always seems to make up for poor draft showings.

2008 Draft Slot: Sixth overall
Top Pick: Kyle Skipworth, C, California high school
Best Pick: Kyle Skipworth
Keep an Eye On: Isaac Galloway, OF, California high school (8th round)
Notes: Kyle Skipworth has not performed as well as the club probably would like, but young catchers have a lot to learn – both offensively and defensively, so there is a larger learning curve. Isaac Galloway was given an above-slot deal to sign in the eighth round and he’s shown respectable numbers so far while playing in low-A ball as a 19 year old. He just needs to cut down on the strikeouts and use his plus-plus speed a little more effectively on the bases. Second-round pick Brad Hand (Minnesota high school) had a very nice debut but he’s been brutal in 2009. The southpaw hurler has a 10.23 ERA in six starts.

2007 Draft Slot: 12th overall
Top Pick: Matt Dominguez, 3B, California high school
Best Pick: Michael Stanton, OF, California high school (2nd round)
Worst Pick: Jameson Smith, C, California community college (3rd round)
Notes: It’s far too early to give up on Jameson Smith, a young catcher, but he has limited power and strikes out too much right now. Matt Dominguez continues to be a good prospect, but he has been surpassed by Michael Stanton, one of the top power-hitting prospects in all of baseball. Stanton has shown some improvements this season in high-A ball, while maintaining a good batting average, solid power and cutting down on his strikeouts (from 32.7 K% in 2008 to 26.1 in ’09). Keep an eye on OF Bryan Petersen (fourth round, UC Irvine).

2006 Draft Slot: 19th overall
Top Pick: Brett Sinkbeil, RHP, Missouri State University
Best Pick: Chris Coghlan, 2B, University of Mississippi (Supplemental first round)
Worst Pick: Brett Sinkbeil
Notes: Brett Sinkbeil has been brutal above A-ball. In the past two seasons, the right-hander has allowed 236 hits in 178.1 innings of work. He’s also struck out just about five batters per nine innings during that span of time. Chris Coghlan was a nice grab and should be the club’s second baseman of the future. They don’t have huge ceilings, but the club has found useful part-time (at the very least) players in outfielders Scott Cousins (3rd round), and John Raynor (9th), as well as pitcher Graham Taylor (10th).

2009 Draft Slot: 18th overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): Prep hitters
MLB Club Need: Starting pitching, Relief pitching, Center field
Organizational Need: Right-handed pitchers, Left-handed pitchers, Left field, Shortstop
Organizational Strength: Center field, First base
Notes: Wow, the organization really loves to take high school prospects out of California. The club has actually not been all that successful with its first-round picks in recent years but it has made up for that fact with subsequent selections. The club could really use some pitching depth in the minors, but it has not had a lot of luck drafting pitchers in recent years. The last good pitching selection was Chris Volstad out of a Florida high school in 2006. That year the club selected four other pitchers before the second round (3 prep, 1 college) and missed on Jacob Marceaux, has seen promising things from Ryan Tucker, but is still waiting to see what it got with Aaron Thompson and Sean West.

2008 Draft Slot: Ninth overall
Top Pick: Aaron Crow, RHP, University of Missouri (Did not sign)
Best Pick (that signed): Destin Hood, OF, Alabama high school (2nd round)
Keep an Eye On: J.P. Ramirez, OF, Texas high school (15th round)
Notes: After taking the collegian hurler, Washington then selected prep prospects with three of the next four picks (Long Beach State infielder Danny Espinosa was also nabbed). Of those three high school picks – Destin Hood, LHP Graham Hicks, and C Adrian Nieto – (plus J.P. Ramirez, who was given a huge over-slot deal to sign after being taken in the 15th round), all of them began 2009 in extended spring training and will be making their season debuts in June in short-season ball.

2007 Draft Slot: Sixth overall
Top Pick: Ross Detwiler, RHP, Missouria State University
Best Pick: Jordan Zimmermann, RHP, Wisconsin-Stevens Point (Second round, 67th overall)
Worst Pick: Jake Smolinksi, 3B, Illinois high school (Second round, 70th overall)
Notes: With five picks in the first two rounds, Washington grabbed a number of key prospects and completely remade (and significantly improved) its minor league system. Jordan Zimmermann and Ross Detwiler are currently pitching in the big league rotation. OF Michael Burgess (supplemental first round) is the organization’s best hitting prospect. Catcher Derek Norris (fourth round) might be the second-best hitting prospect. Getting LHP Jack McGeary to sign in the sixth round was another steal.

2006 Draft Slot: 15th overall
Top Pick: Chris Marrero, 1B/OF, Florida high school
Best Pick: Chris Marrero
Worst Pick: Stephen Englund, OF, Washington high school (2nd round)
Notes: The club spent quite a few picks on prep players and did not fare very well. Chris Marrero is the best pick of the draft, but he’s been inconsistent and injured. Sean Black did not sign after being selected with the team’s first pick of the second round. Stephen Englund, also taken in the second, and Stephen King, the third-round selection, have both struggled to hit pro pitching. Fourth round pick LHP Glenn Gibson has fallen off the map since being traded to Tampa Bay.

2009 Draft Slot: 1st overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): College pitching, prep hitters
MLB Club Need: Pitching, Pitching, Pitching
Organizational Need: Right-handed pitching, third base, second base
Organizational Strength: Outfield, catcher
Notes: Along with the first overall pick in the 2009 draft, with which the club should take Stephen Strasburg (unless there is a catastrophic injury), the Nationals club also possesses the 10th overall pick in the draft for failing to sign its first round selection from 2008 (RHP Aaron Crow, who is back in the draft). The Nationals organization has the opportunity to significantly improve its minor-league depth in the span of 10 picks. A future starting rotation including Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Collin Balester, Ross Detwiler, and John Lannan or Shairon Martis should look pretty good in the National League East, if everyone stays healthy and reaches his potential.

2008 Draft Slot: 40th overall (Supplemental first round)
Top Pick: Brett DeVall, LHP, Florida high school
Best Pick: Zeke Spruill, RHP, Alabama high school (2nd round, 70th overall)
Keep an Eye On: Craig Kimbrel, RHP, Georgia community college (Third round)
Notes: The organization focused on pitching in the early rounds, taking three prep hurlers (Brett DeVall, Tyler Stovall, and Zeke Spruill) and one southern community college pitcher (Craig Kimbrel) before the fourth round. Kimbrel had a nice start to the year and earned a quick promotion to high-A but his control collapsed and he’s walked 18 batters in 10.2 innings of work (with 15 Ks too). Stovall is still in extended spring training, while DeVall was assigned to low-A in May. Spruill has been with low-A since the beginning of the year and he has a 1.91 ERA (2.73 FIP) in 42.1 innings.

2007 Draft Slot: 14th overall
Top Pick: Jason Heyward, OF, Georgia high school
Best Pick: Jason Heyward
Worst Pick: Jon Gilmore, 3B, Iowa high school (Supplemental first round, 33rd overall)
Notes: Jon Gilmore helped the Braves acquire Javier Vazquez from the Chicago White Sox, but the infielder has yet to hit more than .200 above rookie ball in two tries. Along with Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman (78th overall) has the chance to develop into a special offensive player. This was a very unusual draft for the Braves because the organization usually focuses on pitching, but it stayed true to its roots by drafting mostly prep players.

2006 Draft Slot: 24th overall
Top Pick: Cody Johnson, 1B, Florida high school
Best Pick: Cole Rohrbough, LHP, Nevada community college (22nd round)
Worst Pick: Cody Johnson
Notes: With seven picks in the first three rounds, the organization mixed pitching and hitting while taking just one college player. The club shocked a lot of people by taking Cody Johnson with its first pick, as the youngster was known for his massive power – and high strikeout totals in high school. The club has had a lot of bad luck with the prep pitchers it took early in the draft. Both RHP Cory Rasmus (Colby’s brother) and LHP Steve Evarts have had surgery, and Evarts has also had disciplinary issues (which haunted him in high school too). LHP Jeff Locke (51st overall) has had the best luck (and success) and is currently holding his own in high-A. LHP Cole Rohrbough has been slowed by injuries this year, but he was an absolute steal in the 22nd round.

2009 Draft Slot: Seventh overall
Draft Preference (2006-08): Prep pitchers, then high school hitters
MLB Club Need: Relief pitching, Outfield
Organizational Need: Third base, Shortstop, Second base
Organizational Strength: Right-handed pitching, Left-handed pitching
Notes: The club has a lot of pitching depth, especially in the low minors. Triple-A starter Tommy Hanson (2005 draft) is probably the best of the bunch even though he’s been passed over for a promotion a couple of times. There is not a ton of outfield depth, but there are a few very promising young outfielders like Jordan Schafer (currently in Atlanta) and Heyward.