Major League Baseball’s amateur draft began its two-day, 20-plus-round sprint on Sunday night, when the Washington Nationals selected Oklahoma prep shortstop Eli Willits with the No. 1 pick.
Willits, who CBS Sports ranked as the best prospect in the class, can only hope his time in D.C. is as productive as those of the Nationals’ other No. 1 overall top picks: longtime ace Stephen Strasburg and slugger Bryce Harper. Willits is a switch-hitting shortstop with a good feel for contact and the strike zone alike, as well as the opportunity to feature four above-average or better tools at maturation (everything but the power). It doesn’t hurt this long-term potential that he will remain 17 years old until December, making him nearly 10 months younger than peer Ethan Holliday (who went No. 4 to the Rockies).
While Willits’ standing as the No. 1 pick plays a big role in judging how the Nationals did this draft, let’s not overlook that they seemed to nab a few other intriguing prospects along the way:
- Second-round pick and South Carolina outfielder Ethan Petry has massive power and successfully cut into his strikeout rate, reducing it from 29.8% to 21% within SEC play on a year-to-year basis.
- Third-round pick and Mississippi prep right-hander Landon Harmon was part of my preseason top 30; that ranking proved overzealous, but he has mid-rotation potential if everything clicks.
- Fourth-round pick and New York prep righty Miguel Sime Jr. has massive arm strength, and fifth-round pick and North Carolina prep shortstop Coy James could develop into a well-rounded contributor if they can sign him.
Add it all together, and the Nationals seemed to take advantage of their premium position. Of course, the top-selecting team’s draft better look good immediately after the event. Otherwise, something went horribly wrong. Still, this beats the alternative if you’re a Nationals fan.
You know what other teams I thought did well the last two days? The following four clubs, only one of whom picked in the top half of the first round.
As with the other team located in the DMV, the Orioles’ draft has every reason to look good right now. That’s because Baltimore picked seven times within the first 100 selections.
I’m not convinced that Ike Irish (No. 19) is going to stick behind the plate, but scouts I trust love his bat — particularly his adaptability and his all-fields mentality. He’s athletic enough to be a good corner outfielder, too. Fellow backstop Caden Bodine (No. 30) is a switch-hitter with elite bat-to-ball and zone-control skills who connected on 95% of his in-zone swings this season for Coastal Carolina. Shortstop Wehiwa Aloy (No. 31) has an overly aggressive approach for my liking, yet the power is legitimate and he should remain at the six, giving him a chance to turn into a steal at that draft slot.
The Orioles were also able to nab outfielder Slater de Brun (No. 37), who regularly draws comparisons to Slade Caldwell and served as the fourth member of my top 30 chosen by Baltimore. To think, that’s without getting into some of the other downdraft picks I liked of theirs, including third-round outfielder RJ Austin — and no, it’s not because of the first name; I appreciate his contact chops and raw strength, even if he’ll need to improve upon his nearly 50% ground-ball rate to maximize his thump.
For all that’s gone wrong with the Orioles this season, it’s clear they still know how to boogie on draft night.
The Rays had five picks in the top 100 themselves. Shortstop Daniel Pierce is a coach’s son with good instincts and plus athleticism. He kept moving up draft boards over the spring because he has the potential to contribute in all facets of the game. I thought outfielder Brendan Summerhill could’ve been picked in the middle of the first round himself, and it’ll be up to Tampa Bay’s player development staff to help him tap into more power and/or improve his defense so he’s playable in center field.
Third-round pick Taitn Gray is a powerful switch-hitter who won’t turn 18 until next month. He has a big ceiling, even if his 6-foot-4 frame forces him out of the squat. Lefty and fourth-round pick Dom Fritton is interesting, too, thanks to a low-to-mid-90s fastball he delivers from a low release point. He’s the kind of arm the Rays seem particularly suited to get the most from.
The Brewers had five picks in the top 100 as well. Corner infielder Andrew Fischer has some positional questions, but he was a well-rounded hitter vetted by the SEC in an otherwise weak crop for collegiate bats. Prep shortstop Brady Ebel is both a coach’s son (dad Dino is the third base coach for the Dodgers) and extremely young (he’ll turn 18 in a week and a half). The Brewers will need to work with him to reduce his swing-and-miss tendencies and maximize his above-average raw strength. I also liked Milwaukee’s selection of Vanderbilt lefty J.D Thompson. He’s a lefty with a tough release point, a rising fastball, and some budding secondaries. Few organizations are better at helping their players lean into their strengths, so he’s in good hands.
I’m not convinced that first-round shortstop Marek Houston is going to hit a ton (his performance in last year’s Cape Cod League featured minimal slugging output), and scouts I trust felt his defensive reputation was a touch overblown. He was a defensible pick at No. 15 all the same. Right-hander Riley Quick is a big right-hander with a hard sinker and low release point. Second-round pick Quentin Young probably isn’t a shortstop, but he could become a slugging corner player if he can improve his bat-to-ball skills. Third- and fourth-round arms James Ellwanger and Jason Reitz — the latter a 6-foot-11 giant capable of touching into the upper-90s — are also interesting additions in my book.
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