The 2021 MLB Draft is just a few weeks away, and with spring baseball well into the season, it’s time to take a shot at how the top picks of the draft will fall.
Players will rise and fall before draft day and much of forecasting drafts are like a flip of a coin or roll of the dice. With the assistance of great minds inside of Major League scouts, we take a look at who may fall at the top of the first round in this MLB mock draft.
1- Pittsburgh Pirates (Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt)
Rocker is having his best collegiate season, posting an ERA of 1.55 with 89 strikeouts and only 15 walks in 64 innings. He began the season without allowing a run in his first 23 innings. While his fastball command is sometimes off, it’s significantly better than in the past. The fastball lights up the radar at mid to high 90s and his slider is the best in the class. Rocker has been working on a change-up and if he masters that, will be even more dominating.
2 – Texas Rangers (Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt)
Leiter showed a great fastball in the early going this season, registering in the upper 90s. The command wasn’t great and neither was the competition. However, when conference play began, his overall stuff, mixtures of pitcher and composure have shown. For the season, Leiter is 7-0 with an 0.98 ERA with 94 strikeouts and 17 hits allowed in 55 1/3 innings. Early indications were that Leiter could fall ot the Tigers at three, but he could very well be a top pick if not for Rocker.
3 – Detroit Tigers (Jordan Lawlar, SS, Dallas Jesuit HS)
Lawlar is an interesting selection here considering the fact he doesn’t have a single top grade. However, it’s a solid bet that Lawlar will be a good hitter with some power and solid grades across the board. Lawlar hit .485 with an on-base percentage of .561. He’s clearly the best position player in the draft and hard to pass up after the top two pitchers are off the board.
4 – Boston Red Sox (Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest HS)
Arguably the second-best shortstop in the draft behind Lawlar, Kahlil Watson has excellent bat speed and professional power potential. In the field, his instincts are solid and has a very strong arm. It’s possible that Watson could be moved to second base at the Minor League level, but his bat will keep him in the lineup regardless of position.
5 – Baltimore Orioles (Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake HS)
The recent added strength has elevated Mayer’s power potential. He’s a plus in both overall hitting and defense, and although isn’t top-notch in any one category, is overall better than most at his position. The upper limits to his power likely will depend on how much Mayer continues to develop physically. Mayer projects as a Major League shortstop with a high ceiling.
