Final Mock 2021

 Here we are the final non-Twitter Mock of the year.

1 Pittsburgh Pirates Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake HS (CA) Committed USC 

Sleeper Henry Davis, C, Louisville 

Most think it will be Mayer, with an outside chance of Davis or Watson here. The whole rebuild has been long, long-term makes more sense to go with a younger prospect.

2 Texas Rangers Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt

Sleeper Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest HS (NC) Committed to NC State

I think teams are pissed off at Boston trying to manipulate the draft. Leiter fits the Rangers model which has been very college and production-heavy. The front office takes their guy and knows they have time to build and the worst case is a 3rd overall pick in a year. Yes, this would hurt a ton if Leiter went back to school and they lost the pool in a deep draft, but I also think they refuse to be bullied, plus they know the worst thing for the Rangers and Leiter would be a return to school. 

3 Detroit Tigers Jackson Jobe, RHP, Heritage Hill HS (OK) Committed Ole Miss

Sleeper Brady House, 3B, Winder-Barrow HS (GA) Committed Tennessee

This is a hard one, there are two names. Everyone knows they want Marcelo Mayer, but he is gone. In general, Aliva grabs pitchers in round one or not until later. In a deep class, I think money is a tie-breaker so they grab the arm then come back with bats in the next few rounds. Plus the Tigers just don’t draft high school shortstops in round one, just two in the entire history of the draft.

4 Red Sox Henry Davis, C, Louisville

Sleeper Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt

The Red Sox are not making friends, they are doing everything they can to tilt the board in their direction. They want Leiter, but if he is gone Davis is the player they have been connected with the second most. My general view is they are so college heavy if both were gone then Rocker makes logical sense.

5 Baltimore Orioles  Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest HS (NC) Committed to NC State

Sleeper Matt McLain, 2B, UCLA

Colton Cowser could also be in play, but McLain feels like the big money saver with some big upside. I still think he likely is a top 10 pick if he doesn’t break a finger. As for Watson, one of the reasons he is rumored everywhere is due to lower demands. He is talented enough to go here, cheaper than the other shortstops, and the Orioles have very little to no shortstops of note in their system. That's a lot of good reasons for Watson here. 

6. Arizona Diamondbacks Jordan Lawlar, SS, Jesuit College Prep (TX) Committed Vandy

Sleeper Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston State

There is some pressure for Lawlar to go to school. There are Nike ties I was told that would not mind seeing it happen. Plus due to his age, he would be eligible in just two years anyways. He has the largest risk of the shortstops and the biggest ceiling. His age and cost are limiting landing spots in a draft where a lot of teams like the depth more than the high-end talent. Cowser is the save money pick if they look to go conservative like a year ago.

7 Kansas City Royals Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt

Sleeper Brady House, 3B, Winder-Barrow HS (GA) Committed Tennessee

I kind of want them to go House as I mocked House to them at the end of last year. Still, they have taken just one high school player in round one with their last seven first-rounders. If one goes to the last 10 firsts it jumps to four, but to varying degrees, those last three have all been disappointments. So the team that likes big-name talent, and college performers I think would take the college pitcher over the high school bat.  

8 Colorado Rockies  Brady House, 3B, Winder-Barrow HS (GA) Committed Tennessee

Sleeper Ty Madden, RHP, Texas

House has been connected to the Rockies for a while. They go for power bats. At the same time, they had been hyper-conservative until last year, so a college player like Madden or Cowser could make sense. Honestly, no one knows what is happening at eight. I am not sure the Rockies know. 

9 Los Angeles Angels Ty Madden, RHP, Texas

Sleeper Bubba Chandler, RHP, North Oconee HS (GA) Committed Clemson

This is the worst-case scenario. The Angels are hoping that House goes to the Royals and the Rockies pass on Rocker. They do not want the top eight to go chalk. In this mock I have it falling that way with the big eight names off the board the general opinion is they will go with a college arm, but if they did not prep then Chandler is the name to know.

10 New York Mets Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College

Sleeper Colson Montgomery, SS, SouthBridge HS (IN) Committed Indiana 

Montgomery is the hot name of late. Frelick has been the most common, but there is a logic to McLain who teams are higher on than the industry it seems. Cowser would also make sense here, and if things go crazy in the top eight they would jump on a player who slides down the board. Frelick stays as Alderson often liked drafting from the Northeast, and the value is also a match.

11 Washington Nationals Will Bednar, RHP, Miss State 

Sleeper Will Taylor, OF, Dutch Fork HS (SC) Committed Clemson 

The Nationals focus on arms and often when they draft later they target players whose stock dipped over the year either due to injuries or late struggles. In this case, I have them grabbing the rising arm, which I don’t love but when looking at college arms it is a limited fit here. Taylor would be off the wall but fits the athletic profile they target when they grab bats early.

12 Seattle Mariners Matt McLain, 2B, UCLA

Sleeper Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State

It would be the biggest shock of the night if they went with a prep player. McLain gives them one of the second tier of college bats. They have had many chances to scout him, and he is in play from five on. Wicks is the perceived safe arm if they want to draft a pitcher.

13 Philadelphia Phillies  Benny Montgomery, OF, Red Lands HS (PA) Committed Virginia 

Sleeper Andrew Painter, RHP, Calvary Christian Academy (FL) Committed Florida

This pick will be a toolsy outfielder or a big-bodied pitcher with good or great velocity. Dave Dombrowski has a type that is easy to spot and it lowers the field for the pick. The best fit is Montgomery so here he is. 

14 San Francisco Giants Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston State

Sleeper Sam Bachman, RHP,  Miami of Ohio 

The Giants would run this pick in. They seem to want one of the second-tier of college bats. They get maybe the best of the second tier here. Bachman has some multiple persistent injury issues which will push him down a bit but could make sense if the bats are gone. 

15 Milwaukee Brewers Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Ole Miss

Sleeper Tyler Black, 2B, Wright State

The Brewers march to their own beat. They will grab the player they like and often go for high-level production like Hoglund had before his injury. He would have gone no later than the Angels if healthy and possibly even higher. Black is the late-rising name, who fits many draft models perfectly.

16 Miami Marlins Harry Ford, C, North Cobb High School (GA) Committed Georgia Tech

Sleeper Sam Bachman, RHP, Miami of Ohio

I don’t love this pick. The Marlins have gone with high-level producers with the current scouting team early. They went very college-heavy a year ago as well. It is hard to see a way one of the second-tier college bats lands here for them. If they do go prep I think Ford makes the most sense. If they are willing to draft an arm Sam Bachman has a lot of Max Meyer to him. 

17 Cincinnati Reds Will Taylor, OF, Dutch Fork HS (SC) Committed Clemson 

Sleeper Sam Bachman, RHP Miami of Ohio

There is a consistent rumor connecting Taylor and the Reds. He does fit their type and the talk is that he is not going to school, so one connects the dots and hopes it is not smoke. His athletic profile fits what the Reds target. He is a high-level performer at three sports who should blossom once baseball is the focus. Bachman is just a value if they decided to go that way at this pick.

18 St. Louis Cardinals  Sam Bachman, RHP Miami of Ohio

Sleeper Colson Montgomery, SS, SouthBridge HS (IN) Committed Indiana 

There are concerns about Bachman’s hip right now which will cause him to slide. I think he is just too good a value still on the board for the Cardinals to pass on. They tend to target power, and sliding talent. Bachman is a power pitcher who could go up to 10 spots higher. Montgomery is the power-hitting infielder they have drafted of late.

19 Toronto Blue Jays Joe Mack, C, Williamsville East HS (NY) Committed Clemson

Sleeper Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State

I know they have been mostly on college arms, and the Jay Allen talk here never seems to end except when the Anthony Solometo talk begins. For me, I have never failed by looking for bloodlines with the Blue Jays. Mack and Bednar are the names to watch here and Bednar would be an easy pick if he was still on the board. 

20 New York Yankees Trey Sweeney, SS, Eastern Illinois 

Sleeper Anthony Solometo, LHP, Bishop Eustace HS (NJ) Committed UNC

Gunnar Hoglund seems to be the player they hope slides. In this case, they switch the college bat. Sweeney is a player that you love or hate, if you love him this is a great value. His exit velocities show power potential that the Yankees often covet in round one. The Yankees tend to be very conservative, but they do like New Jersey prep talent and Solometo makes sense in this range.

21 Chicago Cubs Colson Montgomery, SS, SouthBridge HS (IN) Committed Indiana 

Sleeper Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State

They have been connected to a lot of players in general. The reports switch from college to prep focus. Last year they went with the midwest player with power projection so why not do the same here with a player in Montgomery who is linked to teams all up and down the teens. Wicks is the same arm if they decided to go the college route. 

22 Chicago White Sox Gavin Williams, RHP, ECU

Sleeper Tyler Black, 2B, Wright State

I just can’t mock them prep talent until I see a change to their approach. Every year I get told it will change for the last decade and it has not. The one time I trusted such a tip it burned my mock. Williams makes sense and is a logical fit in terms of stuff and ability. He has some Crochet to him in terms of velocity and injury risk. Black is a player I am very high on, and the White Sox and I often agree on players. I do not get the Jud Fabian mocks, as they have always focused on low strikeout percentage players which is not Fabian.

23 Cleveland Indians Michael McGreevy, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Sleeper Frank Mozzicato, LHP, East Catholic HS (CT) Committed UConn

The Indians are cutting their scouts and didn’t send them out until late. They are using more models, and videos and taking what they did for 2020 and expanding it. So one merely needs to look at that approach and see how it was based on drafting what they have had success with. Tanner Burns and Logan Allen the Younger are pitchers from the same cloth as the 2016 Bieber, Civale, and Plesac class. McGreevy also fits those models. Mozzicato as a young for his class lefty with big spin, and a developed secondary offering also makes a lot of sense.

24 Atlanta Braves Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP/SS, Nebraska

Sleeper Tyler Black, 2B, Wright State

Everyone is on one Schwellenbach for the Braves. Black is going somewhere around here, just hard to find an exact home. I think for Schwellenbach the Braves would be up for trying to let him develop as a two-way talent.

25 Oakland Athletics  Max Muncy, SS, Thousand Oaks HS (CA) Committed to Arkansas

Sleeper  Tyler Black, 2B, Wright State

They are mostly committed to college bats, and Black would make a lot of sense in terms of models. Oakland loves up the middle athletes and as I wrote on my big board Muncy and the word twitch will come up a lot. He isn’t the fast dude but his first step is, everything is quick with him and gives him more power potential than he gets credit for. 

26 Minnesota Twins Izaac Pacheco, SS/3B, Friendswood HS (TX) Committed to Texas A&M

Sleeper Carson Williams, SS, Torrey Pines HS (CA) Committed to California

The Twins go for power, and Pacheco is the best left-handed power bat in the prep class. I think this is a solid value for him here. Williams is a player I think the league is higher on than the industry and could end up with some pop to his game.

27 San Diego Padres Bubba Chandler, RHP, North Oconee HS (GA) Committed Clemson

Sleeper Anthony Solometo, LHP, Bishop Eustace HS (NJ) Committed UNC

They have been mostly connected to high school arms. Here they can pick between many big names as I have the prep arms sliding. It is a deep class and the risk of injury has started to make prep arms a little less valuable. The Padres find ways to sign big-name talents as they did with Cole Wilcox last year, they will figure it out there with Solometo.

28 Tampa Bay Rays Mat Nelson, C, Florida State

Sleeper Tyler Black, 2B, Wright State

The Rays are heavily tied to college players. I went with Nelson over Black due to power potential and positional value. The Rays know how effective a catcher who hits for power can be and even if the bat is in question the power can be enough. This pick also allows them to save money and come back with a bigger name later.

29 Los Angeles Dodgers  Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State 

Sleeper Tyler Black, 2B, Wright State

 I was all set to put Black here, as they have drafted in the first round out of smaller schools before. Yet they often look at-bats with power potential which is not really Black’s game. Instead, they end the slide of Wicks giving them another backend starter in their system. Just a case of grabbing the sliding talent. 

30 Red Matt Mikulski, LHP, Fordham

Sleeper Anthony Solometo, LHP, Bishop Eustace HS (NJ) Committed UNC

At some point they need to go under slot, so grabbing the top senior makes a lot of sense. If they plan to wait to grab a money saver then grabbing Solometo here would give them two perceived top 20 talents in this class. 

31 Miami Marlins Jud Fabian, OF, Florida

Sleeper Dylan Smith, RHP, Alabama

The Marlins have gone for high-level performers. Here are a pair of such players who excelled in the SEC. 

32 Detroit Tigers Jaden Hill, RHP, LSU

Sleeper Wes Kath, 3B, Desert Mountain HS (AZ) Committed Arizona State

The Tigers have the picks to take risks, and they also love velocity and SEC arms. Hill is both and was a potential 1-1 player before the year began. 

33 Milwaukee Brewers Tyler Black, 2B, Wright State

Sleeper Ryan Cusick, RHP, Wake Forest

Black was my sleeper with the earlier pick, I still think he goes earlier than this. Yet since he is here it is easy. Cusick is the last of his tier of perceived college arms. 

34 Tampa Bay Rays Andrew Painter, RHO, Calvary Chirstian Academy (FL) Committed Florida

Sleeper Anthony Solometo, LHP, Bishop Eustace HS (NJ) Committed UNC

After going under slot with the previous pick it leaves them the money to add one of the big prep arms still on the board right here. 

35 Cincinnati Reds Anthony Solometo, LHP, Bishop Eustace HS (NJ) Committed UNC

Sleeper James Woods, OF, IMG Academy Florida Committed to Miss State

The Reds get the previously mentioned sleeper here, no matter what there should be an interesting arm from the second tier they can grab. James Woods is all tools with no polish but fits the Reds type.

36 Minnesota Twins Ethan Wilson, OF, South Alabama

Sleeper Niko Kavadas, 1B, Notre Dame

Wilson has been connected to the Twins for months. Kavadas could save a lot of money and get a power bat that has some similarity to Brent Rooker.

87 Houston Astros Denzel Clarke, OF, Cal State Northridge

Sleeper Ryan Bliss, SS, Auburn

I want to cover every team. My first thought was Bliss who I just think might not be there for the Astros. I expect them to take a player with helium potential or model value over safety. Clarke is the upside pick as he stands 6’5” and his mother was an Olympian in 1984. He has some five tool potential and with his size and speed, there is certainly a chance for him to turn into something special. When you add in the high BABIP and walk percentage the models will love him too.