A look at our 2017 MLB mock draft.
The MLB draft, beginning on Monday, may be the most unpredictable event in sports. Not only is the nature of foreseeing selections unclear, but grading the talent of players — many of whom will not reach the big leagues until the 2020s — is annually dubio
1. Minnesota Twins
The rundown: It seems like a three-way race for the top selection, with Vanderbilt’s Kyle Wright, Louisville’s Brendan McKay, and California prep phenom Hunter Greene (who would be the first high school right-hander ever taken first overall). With teams still undecided on whether McKay will be a pitcher or a hitter, the Commodores’ ace looks to be the college player with the highest floor in the class. For Greene, who can touch 102 mph with his fastball and would be a firstrounder even if just a shortstop, his ties to his hometown Padres are no secret—and scouts are concerned with his shutting down as a pitcher midway through the spring. With his advanced arsenal of pitches, Wright has been lights out for Vandy of late and is only gaining steam as the draft approaches. One upset to watch here: Sam Carlson, a hardthrowing righty out of Burnsville, Minn., who has dazzled this spring, and the Twins might not be confident he’ll be there with the No. 35 pick. The pick: Kyle Wright, RHP, Vanderbilt
2. Cincinnati Reds
The rundown: The Reds’ move will be a reaction to what the Twins do before them, but they are known to covet McKay and could also be the team who calls the Greene’s bluff with the Padres. Still, if Minnesota opts for the two-way college standout, the Reds will have to choose between Greene, Wright, or toolsy high school shortstop Royce Lewis. For McKay, although pitching with diminished velocity of late, most teams still view the Louisville star as a pitcher—while some teams see his lofty power numbers at the plate and may view things differently. An extremely loose bat and a sweet power swing have convinced many that McKay’s greatest upside is with the bat. A strong showing from both sides of the ball in NCAA regional play could tilt the Reds in favor of the big lefty. The pick: Brendan McKay, LHP/1B, Louisville
3. San Diego Padres
The rundown: Greene and the Padres would be equally elated if this scenario fell in place, with San Diego’s throwing program very similar to the one in which Greene is already inserted in nearby Sherman Oaks. At 6-foot 3-inches and 195 pounds, the righthander supplements his lively fastball with solid command of two different breaking pitches. Extremely mature for his age, Greene’s positive character traits have been well-documented in numerous publications leading up to the draft. A talented painter as well as pitcher, the 17-year-old has the kind of mental and physical attributes to be the sport’s next superstar—and he’d have no better place to do it than San Diego. If Greene is gone, other options for the Padres would be Lewis and North Carolina prep lefty MacKenzie Gore. The pick: Hunter Greene, RHP/SS, Notre Dame (Calif.) HS
4. Tampa Bay Rays
The rundown: If any of the already-taken players were to be available here, the Rays would likely scoop up one of them. If not, there would seem to be a tough decision between Lewis and Gore, two of the most heralded high school players in this draft class. Tampa Bay already has an elite shortstop prospect in Willy Adames, and while that shouldn’t sway them, it could give them enough reason to take Gore instead. The East Carolina commit sits comfortably in the low-to-mid 90s with his fastball and offers a developed curveball and an effective slider. The Rays have been known to be high on McKay, so this is likely his floor. The pick: MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Whiteville (N.C.) HS
5. Atlanta Braves
The rundown: The Braves are said to covet Wright, but it doesn’t seem like they’ll get a shot at him. A very nice consolation prize is Lewis, who most evaluators don’t see dropping out of the top 5. Showing tremendous athletic ability and profiling well as either a shortstop of center fielder at the next level, the UC Irvine commit is a bit unorthodox in terms of his mechanics and approach at the plate—but he’s been a consistent producer at the high school level and has even surprised many scouts with his power. Other high schoolers Shane Baz and Austin Beck could be in play here, and Gore could be a fit if available. This is the floor for Gore, who profiles very similarly to current farmhand Kolby Allard—another flashy southpaw drafted out of high school. The pick: Royce Lewis, SS/OF, J Serra Catholic (Calif.) HS
6. Oakland Athletics
The rundown: There is little doubt the A’s would pass on either Lewis or Gore if they fell to No. 6, so either of those would be a virtual lock. But in this scenario, Oakland could go in a number of directions. The next two serious names in play are Beck and University of North Carolina ace J.B. Bukauskas, whom many liken to Sonny Gray. For Beck, even after tearing the meniscus in his knee last May, the right-hand hitting outfielder has displayed incredible talent. Reports suggest the team has done extensive scouting in North Carolina to examine Beck, Bukauskas and Gore—so it would seem one of them is a probable choice here. Beck has seen his stock drop in recent weeks, so the A’s could get him cheap here. The pick: Austin Beck, OF, North Davidson (N.C.) HS
7. Arizona Diamondbacks
The rundown: After Wright, Bukauskas is the next-best pure college pitcher in the class and would be a clear pick for the Diamondbacks if they opted to go with an arm here. But Arizona’s new front office regime has also been linked to University of Virginia teammates Pavin Smith and Adam Haseley, a first baseman and outfielder, respectively. Bukauskas, whom Arizona drafted out of high school in the 20th round in 2014, has dazzled as the Tar Heels’ Friday night starter this spring, showing tremendous action on his mid-90s fastball along with an effective mix of pitches. This is the high mark for Texas prep righty Shane Baz. The pick: J.B. Bukauskas, RHP, North Carolina » For the full MLB mock draft, visit dbacks .azcentral.com.