Here's our favorite Draft pick for all 30 teams
Three days, 40 rounds, more than 1,200 picks. All 30 organizations have used this year¡¯s Draft to bring in a new wave of talent into their systems. Now it¡¯s time for teams to go out and get these players signed and embarked on their professional careers.
With all of those picks, it¡¯s tricky business singling out one interesting selection per team. But that¡¯s exactly what we¡¯ve done, excluding first-round picks for all teams (Who wouldn¡¯t pick Adley Rutschman for the Orioles, after all?). Some have great backstories. Some fell because of signability. One has world-class speed. And we think all of them have the potential for bright futures. Here¡¯s our look at one intriguing Draft pick for each team.
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Blue Jays: Kendall Williams, RHP, IMG Academy (Fla.), 2nd round
A quintessential projectable high school right-hander at 6-foot-6, Williams gets excellent plate on a low-90s fastball that could sit consistently in the mid-90s with physical development. He has a deep arsenal of secondary pitches, too, showing feel for a pair of breaking balls as well as a changeup, and stands to make significant gains with his control and command as he learns to better repeat his delivery.
Orioles: Gunnar Henderson, SS, John T. Morgan Academy (Ala.), 2nd round
One of the better hitters in this year's high school class, Henderson boosted his stock this spring by showing more strength and improved quickness in his projectable 6-foot-3 frame. While the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year in Alabama will likely be forced off of shortstop as he fills out physically, he has the type of impact bat to profile at other positions.
Rays: JJ Goss, RHP, Cypress Ranch (Texas) HS, Competitive Balance Round A
Selected by the Rays with their second overall pick, Goss, a highly projectable 6-foot-3 righty, has been up to 96 mph with his heater and has one of the best sliders in the 2019 class, and he also demonstrates feel for throwing a changeup. The Texas A&M commit posted video-game numbers this spring, going 11-2 with a 0.64 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 87 1/3 innings.
Red Sox: Noah Song, RHP, Navy, 4th round
The NCAA Division I strikeout leader (161 in 94 innings) would have gone at least two rounds earlier than this if he didn't have a two-year military commitment. Song misses bats with a mid-90s fastball and a pair of potential plus breaking pitches in his curveball and slider, so he'll be a steal if his stuff holds up during his hiatus.
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Yankees: Jake Sanford, OF, Western Kentucky, 3rd round
Unknown when he transferred from McCook (Neb.) CC, Sanford won the first regular-season triple crown in Conference USA history (.402-22-65) and leads NCAA Division I in slugging (.805). His well-above-average raw power produces legendary batting practice displays, and he has plus speed as well.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Indians: Christian Cairo, SS, Calvary Christian HS (Fla.), 4th round
The son of 17-year big league infielder Miguel Cairo, Christian stands out with his advanced instincts in all phases of the game. He's a contact hitter whose baseball IQ and quick hands may allow him to stay at shortstop despite average speed.
Royals: Brady McConnell, SS, Florida, 2nd round
It was a disappointing year for the Florida Gators, but McConnell was a bright spot, hitting .332 with 15 homers, after missing his freshman year. His stock was on the rise as the spring wore on (No. 39 on the Top 200) as an athletic Draft-eligible sophomore. And don¡¯t worry, Royals fans, about both he and top pick Bobby Witt Jr. playing the same position. They¡¯ll sort that out down the road.
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Tigers: Zack Hess, RHP, Louisiana State, 7th round
Hess was a bullpen force on a 2017 Tigers team that went to the College World Series finals, throwing fastballs in the upper 90s and wipeout sliders in the mid-80s. Miscast as a starter the last two seasons, he could rocket to the Majors and develop into a closer if the Tigers revert him to his freshman role.
Twins: Will Holland, SS, Auburn, 5th round
After a solid sophomore year at Auburn and a strong showing on the Cape last summer, Holland looked like he might be a part of a large group of college shortstops who could go in the top couple of rounds. An awful junior year hurt his stock, but if the Twins can get him straightened out, they could have a middle infielder with 20-20 potential on their hands.
White Sox: James Beard, OF, Loyd Star HS (Miss.), 4th round
Beard was the fastest player in the Draft and clocked a 6.21-second 60-yard dash last summer. More than just a speedster, he has the quickness in his swing and the strength in his hands to develop some power as well.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
A¡¯s: Drew Millas, C, Missouri State, 7th round
A very athletic backstop, Millas is thought to rival Braves first-round pick Shea Langeliers in terms of defensive prowess. He¡¯s shown some raw pop but hasn¡¯t swung the bat as consistently. A switch-hitter, he might be better off just hitting left-handed. Getting a catcher with the glovework to catch in the big leagues quickly in the seventh round is a good get for the A¡¯s.
Angels: Erik Rivera, LHP, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, 4th round
Rivera was a hitter on the summer showcase circuit with excellent raw power, albeit with swing-and-miss tendencies. He hasn¡¯t been pitching for long, but he¡¯s very athletic on the mound with a good delivery and has touched 95 mph. The Angels, perhaps the leaders in two-way player development, will let the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy product hit while he works on developing his secondary stuff once he joins the organization.
Astros: Grae Kessinger, SS, Mississippi, 2nd round
Kessinger kept up the family tradition of playing at Mississippi, following his grandfather Don (a six-time All-Star with the Cubs who was an All-American for the Rebels in both baseball and basketball), father Kevin and uncle Keith (who played briefly in the Majors). Known previously for playing above his tools thanks to his advanced instincts, he boosted his profile by batting .405 in Southeastern Conference play this spring.
Mariners: Austin Shenton, 3B, Florida International, 5th round
Shenton is from Bellingham, Washington, north of Seattle. He scuffled at the start of his junior year at Florida International, understandably, as his mother was undergoing cancer treatment back home. He looked more like the guy who starred on the Cape as the spring wore on.
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Rangers: David Wendzel, SS, Baylor, supplemental 1st round
The Big 12 Conference co-player of the year has a well-rounded game that doesn't always get as much attention as it should. Wendzel possesses solid hitting ability, arm strength and defensive skills, and his power and speed are underrated.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves: Michael Harris, RHP, Stockbridge HS (Ga.), 3rd round
It should surprise no one that the Braves stayed in their own backyard to open Day 2, taking Harris, a two-way player from Stockbridge High School in Georgia. Some liked him better as a switch-hitting outfielder, but the Braves liked his fastball (up to 93 mph), curve and change, and his solid feel for pitching.
Marlins: Kameron Misner, OF, Missouri, supplemental 1st round
Teams had a difficult time figuring out Misner, who had the best all-around tools in the college crop but also hit just .222 with 39 strikeouts in 30 Southeastern Conference games. He could have plus tools across the board if he can modify a disciplined approach that borders on overly passive.
Mets: Matthew Allan, RHP, Seminole (Fla.) HS, 3rd round
MLB Pipeline's top-rated high school pitcher (No. 13 overall), Allan boasts a mid-90s fastball and power curveball, a pair of plus pitches, as well as a very promising changeup, all from an impressive 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame. The Florida commit fell to Day 2 due to his reported price tag of $4 million, but the Mets, owners of the 16th-largest bonus pool ($8,224,600), should have the capital to sign him after they drafted college seniors with seven straight picks after Allan.
Phillies: Jamari Baylor, SS, Benedictine School (Va.), 3rd round
Baylor¡¯s name started popping up on top five rounds radars as the spring wore on during his senior season at the Benedictine School in Virginia and ended up at No. 161 on the Draft Top 200. He¡¯s raw, but he¡¯s got a lot of tools with bat speed at the plate, plus speed on the basepaths and the chance to stick at shortstop.
Nationals: Matt Cronin, LHP, Arkansas, 4th round
As the Razorbacks' closer this season, Cronin tallied 12 saves, racked up 40 strikeouts and held hitters to a .163 average. His fastball ranges from 90-97 mph, and he pairs it with a top-to-bottom, hammer curveball that scouts viewed as one of the best in the class. With those two plus offerings, the southpaw could move quickly en route to the big leagues.
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NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers: Antoine Kelly, LHP, Wabash Valley College (Ill.), 2nd round
Kelly, 19, might have the best pure stuff of any left-hander in the Draft. The 6-foot-6 southpaw generates easy velocity, sitting in the mid-90s and touching 98 mph, and he could throw even harder in the years to come. Both his slider and changeup need work, but the raw ingredients are all there for that to happen. This spring, he led national junior college pitchers both in strikeouts and strikeouts per nine.
Cubs: Ethan Hearn, C, Mobile Christian HS (Ala.), 6th round
The Draft's best high school catcher shouldn't have lasted six rounds, going 192nd overall after ranking 67th on the Top 200. Hearn has two impressive tools in his raw power and arm strength, and he should be able to stay behind the plate as he continues to improve as a receiver.
Cardinals: Tre Fletcher, OF, Deering (Maine) HS, 2nd round
One of the better athletes available in the 2019 Class, Fletcher became the highest-drafted player in state history when the Cardinals popped him with the No. 58 overall pick. He has ridiculous tools, including plus raw power, speed and arm strength, and the potential is there for him to become a 20-20 center fielder if everything comes together.
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Pirates: Sammy Siani, OF, William Penn Charter School (Pa.), Competitive Balance Round A
Siani¡¯s older brother, Mike, was a Reds¡¯ fourth-round pick a year ago and is currently playing in the Midwest League. Sammy, also a high school outfielder from eastern Pennsylvania, has a smooth left-handed swing and could grow into more power as he matures.
Reds: Tyler Callihan, 2B, Providence School of Jacksonville (Fla.), 3rd round:
We thought Callihan had a chance to sneak into the back end of the first round, but instead lasted until the start of Day 2. The Florida prep hitter has the chance to hit for average and power, though he didn¡¯t seem to have a true defensive profile, making it interesting the Twins announced him as a second baseman.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs: Glenallen Hill Jr., SS, Santa Cruz (Calif.) HS, 4th round
The son of former big leaguer masher Glenallen Hill -- who famously hit a ball out of Wrigley Field onto the rooftops of Waveland Ave. -- the younger Hill also has big raw power from both sides of the plate as well as plus speed that the D-backs believe will translate well in center field, where they plan to deploy him in the professional ranks.
Dodgers: Jimmy Lewis, RHP, Lake Travis HS (Texas), supplemental 2nd round
A high school teammate of Mets first-rounder Brett Baty, he went 64th overall -- 15 picks lower than his father Jim went as a Florida State right-hander in 1991. Though Lewis offers some intriguing hitting and power potential, his future is on the mound as a projectable 6-foot-6 righty who already touches 95 mph and shows flashes of a plus curveball.
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Giants: Grant McCray, OF, Lakewood Ranch HS (Fla.), 3rd round
Rodney McCray played briefly in the Majors but is most famous for crashing through the outfield fence at Triple-A Vancouver while trying to make a catch in 1991. His son is a projectable athlete with solid bat speed, foot speed and center-field ability.
Padres: Joshua Mears, OF, Federal Way (Wash.) HS, 2nd round
At 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Mears is a physical specimen who has huge raw power but faces questions about his bat, making him the definition of a high-risk, high-reward prospect. He¡¯ll likely need quite a bit of time to develop as a result, but the final product could be a slugging, run-producing corner outfielder.
Rockies: Jacob Wallace, RHP, Connecticut, 3rd round
Wallace tied the UConn single-season record with 16 saves in 2019 and struck out more than 14.5 batters per nine innings. A Cape Cod League All-Star, his fastball-slider combination could allow him to make a beeline to the Rockies¡¯ big league bullpen.