ESPN’s Keith Law has released his mock draft for the MLB First Year Player Draft. With just 31 days to go before the draft begins, the Detroit Tigers have been on the clock since the final day of the season last year when they secured the first overall pick. Law has the Tigers taking Auburn right-handed pitcher Casey Mize at the top spot:
“It is entirely possible the Tigers don’t take Mize, cutting a deal with someone else, but at this point there’s no real indication they’re taking someone else. Imagine if the Tigers could trade this pick to a team in contention right now, though, given how advanced Mize is and the possibility he could work out of an MLB bullpen in September and October.”
Mize has been arguably the best pitcher in the country this season, racking up incredible numbers. Baseball America’s scouting report says it all:
“The Auburn ace is making a strong case as the best pitcher in the 2018 draft class and it’s not just because of statistical performance. Scouts rave about the deep repertoire that’s allowed Mize to strikeout 38 batters in 25.1 innings over his first four starts, while walking just three. Some evaluators say he has four plus pitches between a fastball in the mid 90s, a devastating split-finger, a mid-80s slider and a recently added cutter that’s in the upper 80s.
Mize seems to have no trouble locating his entire arsenal, and has a 38-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio a year after leading Division I pitchers in that exact category. Additionally, through games played on March 13, Mize has the second-lowest WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched) of any Division I arm in the nation at 0.51. Of the 355 pitches he’s thrown so far this season, 243 of them have been strikes—good for a strike percentage (68.5%) higher than the 2017 MLB average (63.2%).”
With all the options available to Detroit, there is no shortage of talent; as most experts agree this is the deepest draft since 2011, which saw players like Gerrit Cole, Francisco Lindor, and George Springer taken in the first round. Other notable players in that draft include Jackie Bradley, Jr., and Detroit Tigers Michael Fulmer and James McCann.
MLB.com lists the current top 10 prospects:
- Casey Mize – RHP – Auburn
- Carter Stewart – RHP – Eau Gallie HS (FL)
- Nick Madrigal – 2B – Oregon State
- Matthew Liberatore – LHP – Mountain Ridge HS (AZ)
- Brady Singer – RHP – Florida
- Shane McClanahan – LHP – South Florida
- Travis Swaggerty – OF – South Alabama
- Jarred Kelenic – OF – Waukesha West HS (WI)
- Joey Bart – C – Georgia Tech
- Jonathan India – 3B – Florida
While Mize is the consensus best player available, there are injury concerns that hurt him during Team USA play last year, and with the early success of Tigers’ first round pick Alex Faedo and Oakland’s A.J. Puk, the Florida pipeline is strong; which gives Brady Singer a strong case for going number one.
The MLB Rule 4 (First Year Player) Draft is scheduled for June 4th and 5th and will be aired on the MLB Network.