2021 MLB DRAFT Prospect Watch

[Sexymarinersfan]

Here is SNY’s 2021 MLB Mock Draft 1.0...

1. Pittsburgh Pirates: SS Jordan Lawlar – Dallas Jesuit HS (Texas)

There is not a consensus in the scouting community as to who the best prospect in the draft is. There is not a slam dunk number one pick like in years past when you think of Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg, but Lawlar to me is the best one in this class. He shows above average tools across the board and has five-tool potential. He still needs to physically mature, but has the potential to be a high level major leaguer.

2. Texas Rangers: C Henry Davis – Louisville

Davis is one of the biggest risers in this year's class, and scouts say he is a legitimate possibility to end up going No. 1 overall. Davis is hitting .367 with a .486 on-base percentage and 14 home runs in 49 games for Louisville. He has an above average hit and power tool, but his best tool is his throwing arm, which is considered “plus plus” by scouts. He needs some work on framing pitches and receiving, but should stick behind the plate.

3. Detroit Tigers: SS Marcelo Mayer – Eastlake HS (California)

Mayer recently was moved to the No. 1 spot on MLB Pipeline’s Top 200 Draft prospects list. This isn’t stunning to me, as Mayer might be the best pure hitter in the high school class. He still needs to grow into his 6-foot-3 frame to tap into power, but a pure stroke at the plate, good strike zone knowledge for his age, and the ability to stick at shortstop long term makes for a very valuable prospect. To me you can arrange the top three of Lawlar, Davis and Mayer however you want. And right now, about six weeks out, it sounds like the top three picks will be some combination of Lawlar, Davis and Mayer.

4. Boston Red Sox: RHP Jack Leiter – Vanderbilt

If you look on Twitter, many think Al Leiter’s son Jack should go No. 1 overall. He falls to four here, but Leiter to me is the top collegiate arm available in this year's draft. Early on, Leiter was simply untouchable for Vanderbilt. He ended up having a couple tough starts in a row then missed a start due to Vanderbilt wanting to monitor his innings. Despite this, his numbers are fantastic, with a 2.12 ERA in 76.1 innings. He has allowed only 33 hits, walked 34, and struck out 127. Leiter does not have your prototypical starter's build at only 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds. But he sports some special stuff including a fastball that touches 97 mph. Some in the community think Leiter’s potential is a better version of Sonny Gray.

5. Baltimore Orioles: RHP Jackson Jobe – Heritage Hall HS (Oklahoma)

Jobe is someone I highlighted last summer in the limited showcase circuit as a name to watch in the 2021 draft. He was showing a slider with a spin rate over 3000 rpm, which is crazy as a high school arm. That spin rate would put him in the elite category in the major leagues right now. This spring his stuff has held up, and he’s even added some ticks to his fastball, touching 99 mph. To me he is clearly the best high school arm in the class. If he is willing to sign for a sum of money around slot value here, I would be hard pressed to pass on his upside if I were the Orioles.

6. Arizona Diamondbacks: SS Matt McLain – UCLA

Coming out of high school, McLain was drafted by the Diamondbacks with the 25th overall pick and elected to attend UCLA to pursue education and also with a thought that he could potentially become a top-five pick in a couple of years. He struggled his first year at UCLA, but rebounded this year, hitting .325 with nine home runs in 40 games before suffering a thumb injury that is not expected to negatively impact his draft stock. He has made strides defensively where he has a chance to stick at shortstop, but if not his above average hit tool profiles well at second base.

7. Kansas City Royals: RHP Kumar Rocker – Vanderbilt

The slide ends for the consensus No. 1 pick coming into the spring and the Royals get a potential steal at No. 7 overall. Would it shock me if Rocker still went in the top five? Absolutely not. But he has had some inconsistencies with his velocity this year, some starts being down in the low 90s, then others being his mid-upper 90s self. The velocity inconsistency combined with the unlikelihood of him taking a discount financially gives him the opportunity to slide a little bit.

8. Colorado Rockies: SS Brady House – Winder Barrow HS (Georgia)

House has the most raw power in this prep class. Coming into the season there was worry about his contact ability and a hitch in his swing, and he has made some mechanical adjustments that have scouts believing he will hit for enough contact to have his plus power play. Last year, the Rockies drafted big power bat in Zac Veen and they add another here in House.

9. Los Angeles Angels: OF Sal Frelick – Boston College

Frelick is your prototypical leadoff type of hitter. He won’t hit for a ton of power, though he did have 23 extra-base hits in 2021 -- including six home runs -- while slashing .359/.443/.559. He has a good contact-based approach and utilizes his plus speed on the base paths. Frelick did not play center field full time until this year, but it sounds as if he is being talked about all over the top 10. And if you are drafting a player like Frelick in the top 10, you believe he is a center fielder long term.

10. New York Mets: RHP Sam Bachman – Miami (Ohio)

If you are looking for an arm with premier stuff, Bachman is your guy. He has two true plus-plus pitches. His fastball sits 95-98 mph and has touched 102 mph, and his slider is in the mid-to-upper 80s. Both pitches produce a lot of swings and misses. His changeup isn’t frequently used in game, but in workouts and using Rapsodo data, it shows plus movement. He just has not thrown it a lot in college, and he will need to refine that in pro ball to avoid the worry some teams have that he'll end up as a reliever. The upside with Bachman is sky high, but he also has a lower floor than some other options who could end up being considered at this spot.

So they only completed the first 10 picks. In this scenario we'd still have one more selection come off the board before we make a selection. The prospects remaining that I like:
- OF Colton Cowser
- SS Kahlil Watson
- C Harry Ford
- RHP Gunnar Hoglund

There's a nice variety, so pick your poison. I don't expect Watson to make it to 12, but then again I didn't either for Kyle Lewis. Watson is smaller at 5'9 but he's got all the tools you look for in a prototypical middle infielder.

[Sexymarinersfan]

Shopping Day!!! Hmmmm....should I go for the Maserati or the Bentley?!

[D-train]

Damn Rocker's stock has fallen faster than his Uncle John after his ride on the NYC subway.

[D-train]

First, he talked to Pearlman about the likelihood that he would ever accept a position on a New York team. "I would retire first," Rocker said. "It's the most hectic, nerve-wracking city." That was a benign comment compared to what came next. On the city's residents: "The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. I'm not a very big fan of foreigners." Then there's the experience of riding a New York City subway: "Imagine having to take the [Number] 7 train to the ballpark … next to some kid with purple hair next to some queer with AIDS right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing." He was no more charitable to his Atlanta teammates, calling one black player a "fat monkey."

Read more: John Rocker - At Full Blast - York, Braves, City, and League - JRank Articles https://sports.jrank.org/pages/4014/Roc ... z6we2evl00

[Bil522]

First, he talked to Pearlman about the likelihood that he would ever accept a position on a New York team. "I would retire first," Rocker said. "It's the most hectic, nerve-wracking city." That was a benign comment compared to what came next. On the city's residents: "The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. I'm not a very big fan of foreigners." Then there's the experience of riding a New York City subway: "Imagine having to take the [Number] 7 train to the ballpark … next to some kid with purple hair next to some queer with AIDS right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing." He was no more charitable to his Atlanta teammates, calling one black player a "fat monkey."

Read more: John Rocker - At Full Blast - York, Braves, City, and League - JRank Articles https://sports.jrank.org/pages/4014/Roc ... z6we2evl00

Why was that wrong?

[AT Funchal-Madeira]

I seriously doubt taking a catcher at number two is a good idea. I also feel that Marcello is a "prototype leadoff hitter". Leiter is a good pick for a college pitcher, but if we take another college pitcher in the draft I might puke. No sure picks at number 12, we have to get lucky. Wish we could get a top five pick next year. We could easily add two premium picks. Ah well, not long to wait. With Mayer, Lawler, Davis,Fralick and House gone at twelve, I would be tempted to take a reach with Castillo and add a quality left hand power contact hitter to the M's.... Along with infield depth, we need more depth and potential at the catching position. Twelve is not a bad spot to go for the second best catcher in the draft.

[D-train]

First, he talked to Pearlman about the likelihood that he would ever accept a position on a New York team. "I would retire first," Rocker said. "It's the most hectic, nerve-wracking city." That was a benign comment compared to what came next. On the city's residents: "The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. I'm not a very big fan of foreigners." Then there's the experience of riding a New York City subway: "Imagine having to take the [Number] 7 train to the ballpark … next to some kid with purple hair next to some queer with AIDS right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing." He was no more charitable to his Atlanta teammates, calling one black player a "fat monkey."

Read more: John Rocker - At Full Blast - York, Braves, City, and League - JRank Articles https://sports.jrank.org/pages/4014/Roc ... z6we2evl00

Why was that wrong?

Imagine if he would have said that today. lol

[D-train]

I seriously doubt taking a catcher at number two is a good idea. I also feel that Marcello is a "prototype leadoff hitter". Leiter is a good pick for a college pitcher, but if we take another college pitcher in the draft I might puke. No sure picks at number 12, we have to get lucky. Wish we could get a top five pick next year. We could easily add two premium picks. Ah well, not long to wait. With Mayer, Lawler, Davis,Fralick and House gone at twelve, I would be tempted to take a reach with Castillo and add a quality left hand power contact hitter to the M's.... Along with infield depth, we need more depth and potential at the catching position. Twelve is not a bad spot to go for the second best catcher in the draft.

We took Clement and Zunino both at #3 overall. ha

[AT Funchal-Madeira]

I seriously doubt taking a catcher at number two is a good idea. I also feel that Marcello is a "prototype leadoff hitter". Leiter is a good pick for a college pitcher, but if we take another college pitcher in the draft I might puke. No sure picks at number 12, we have to get lucky. Wish we could get a top five pick next year. We could easily add two premium picks. Ah well, not long to wait. With Mayer, Lawler, Davis,Fralick and House gone at twelve, I would be tempted to take a reach with Castillo and add a quality left hand power contact hitter to the M's.... Along with infield depth, we need more depth and potential at the catching position. Twelve is not a bad spot to go for the second best catcher in the draft.

We took Clement and Zunino both at #3 overall. ha

Yeah we got Zunino at #3, the Dodgers got Corey Seager out of high school at #18, the Diamondbacks took Mitch Haniger at #38. Probably better to take any other position player than catcher at number 12, and still better to take a high schooler...

[Sexymarinersfan]

Damn Rocker's stock has fallen faster than his Uncle John after his ride on the NYC subway.

Rocker is the 2nd coming of CC Sabathia. If I were him, I'd get with CC ASAP and figure how to carve out a nice career.

Henry Davis may wind up going #1 overall. His needle has been pointing straight up ALL SEASON!! He's got the patience of Job, eye of an Eagle, walks more than he strikes out, 70 grade arm along with good defense and hits for power, average, and obp. I mean thats really all you can ask for. A college bat. Will move quick through the system.