Early Season Mock Draft

The 2008 Major League Draft will be held on Thursday June 5th and Friday June 6th. It is unknown at this time if the draft will be broadcasted on ESPN as it was last year. This years draft class is weak when it come to top tier power pitchers. This draft however does include an abundance of power hitters especially at 1B and 3B. This the first mock draft that I will produce. The college and high school baseball seasons have not even started yet so many things can happen between now and the draft.

1. Tampa Bay Rays- Aaron Crow RHP Missouri? It?s hard not to put Pedro Alvarez as the top pick in the draft but Tampa Bay doesn?t really need him. They are hopefully set at the hot corners for quite a few years with Carlos Pena signing a 3 year deal with them and Evan Longoria their top pick 2 years ago looking like the real deal could be up playing 3B for them sometime in 2008. Aaron Crowe however won 9 games for the Tigers last season and was 3-1 with a 0.67 ERA in 40.1 innings pitched over the summer in the Cape Cod League. He won the Robert A. McNeece award for his performance over the summer. His arsenal includes a fastball that sits around 93-94 MPH and can reach 98, a solid slider, and decent changeup. He has great control and knows how to work the plate. He doesn?t project to be a staff ace b/c he doesn?t have a second great pitch to go with his fastball but his velocity and control will make him a very good #2 starter? hopefully in Tampa Bay?s case forming a 1-2 punch with David Price.

2. Pittsburgh Pirates- Pedro Alvarez 3B Vanderbilt?. Pedro Alvarez has the potential to be the best power hitter in Pittsburgh since Barry Lamar Bonds was in uniform. He has tremendous power in 723 at bats in college he has a total of 49 homeruns and 55 doubles. He?s not a gold glove 3B and his later in his career a move across the diamond to first might become necessary but not anyways.  He is a leader by example on his team? by his effort on and off the field. Alvarez is a patient hitter who works the counts deep which does lead him to strikeout sometimes. That is really his only fault as of now.

3. Kansas City Royals- Gerrit Cole RHP Orange Lutheran High School?. He has a fastball with late break that sits in the mid 90?s and can reach into the upper 90?s. His slider has the potential to be a devastating pitch but for now it?s a bit inconsistent. He has an all right changeup as well. He has a smooth delivery and is aggressive in the strike zone. He has committed to playing for UCLA but that could easily be changed if he was picked here.

 4. Baltimore Orioles- Eric Hosmer 1B American Heritage High School?. Eric is the best high school bat in the draft and probably the second best bat in the entire draft behind Pedro Alvarez.  He has tremendous power and is a potential gold glove at first. At 6?4? he has drawn comparisons to Mark Teixeria and Casey Kotchman of the Angels. Last year when high school pitchers began pitching around Eric he found another way to help his team and he took up pitching and went 4-0 with 0.63 ERA. But despite that his best tool is his bat and at first is where his greatest potential lies. He has also made a commitment to play at Arizona St.

5. San Francisco Giants- Justin Smoak  1B South Carolina?. The best way to describe Justin Smoak in baseball terms would be that he is a run producer. He has driven in 135 runs in only 504 at bats at South Carolina. He is a very good defender over at first and has power to all fields from both sides of the plate. He has been said to have a strong character and good work ethic making him a great teammate. He could make a great combination with Angel Vilalona in San Fran.

6. Florida Marlins- Yonder Alonso 1B Miami?. A local product Yonder Alonso is another left handed 1B who has 25-30 homerun potential and is also an excellent athlete. He runs better then most 1B and is very capable over at first which will be a breath of fresh air for the Marlins defense. He has the potential to move quickly through the system and will thrive with Marlins until a year later when they have to rebuild and is sold off for some prospects.

7. Cincinnati Reds- Brian Matusz LHP San Diego?. Brian is probably the 2nd best college arm in the draft and probably the best left hander in the draft. He has a fastball that is consistently in the low 90?s and can reach 95 at times. His changeup and breakingball both project as plus pitches and his change may even be the best of the three. He has decent control and strikes out a lot of batter. He has struck out 256 batters in 212 innings of work at San Diego. He was previously drafted in the 4th round by the Angels out of high school but chose not to sign.

8. Chicago White Sox- Tim Melville RHP Wentzville Holt High School?. Tim Melville is another good athlete, not only can he dial it up in the mid 90?s but he knows how to handle a bat as well. His upside however is as a pitcher. He also has a breakingball that is a potential plus pitch and could get him some strike outs. He has a changeup to go along with arsenal as well. He has committed to play at North Carolina but Chicago will need to try and retain this guy after going out and trading their top two pitching prospects.

9. Washington Nationals- Tim Beckham SS Griffin High School?. Tim Beckham is the best all around shortstop in this year?s draft. He is a five tool player? his best tool has got to be his speed. He creates havoc on the base paths and turn singles into double with his great speed. His defense is very good maybe just a notch below gold glove status but it?s good. He will develop more power as he gets older.

10. Houston Astros ? Harold Martinez SS/3B Braddock High School?.Harold has drawn comparisons to Alex Rodriguez but he?s not exactly on his level. He is currently a shortstop but is better suited over at third where he has the potential to win a gold glove. He has a strong arm and can make the throw across the diamond with ease. He has the potential to develop more power as he gets older but as of now is still very powerful and has the ability to hit the ball to all fields for power. He has committed to play for the Hurricanes at Miami.

11. Texas Rangers- Christian Friedrichv LHP Western Kentucky?. The Rangers have probably the worst pitching in baseball. Last year they seemed to realize that and so in the first round they took two talent RHP pitchers out of high school. Well there going to take a few years to develop and in this years draft they should take a look at this college left hander who has the chance to move quickly through the system. He doesn?t over power hitters? his fastball sits at about 88-90 MPH but he has a nasty curve and excellent control should allow him to thrive in the major leagues.

12. Oakland Athletics- Cole St. Clair LHP Rice?. One thing that can be certain about any pick made by Billy Beane in the first round is that the player he chooses will come out of college. Cole was drafted last year by the Indians last year in the 7th round but elected not to sign and enter his senior year at Rice. He has worked out of the bullpen for most of his college career and since his arm hasn?t logged many innings he could make it to the majors quickly. He throws three good pitches in a fastball that sits at about 90-94 MPH, a plus slider, and really good changeup. He has the potential to be a great closer especially if Oakland trades Houston Street to beef up their farm system even more.

13. St. Louis Cardinals- Aaron Hicks OF Wilson High School?.. Aaron Hicks is a two way player for his high school team playing both CF and Pitcher. He has some potential as a pitcher but his upside leans toward a position player. He is a potential 5 tool player?. he is very fast on the base paths stealing 44 bases this past year and to get an idea of how good that is he only had 100 at bats. He also has great bat speed that helps him generate power. He obviously has a strong arm since he is a part time pitcher

14. Minnesota Twins- Ethan Martin 3B Stephens County High School?. Ethan Martin like so many in this draft are excellent athletes. He also excels as a pitcher for his baseball team and starting quarterback for his high school team so sign ability might be an issue with him. But he has tremendous power and is a great defender over at third with a strong arm. He is everything a team could want out of their third baseman.

15. Los Angeles Dodgers- Isaac Galloway OF Los Osos High School?.. Isaac is another toolsy outfielder who projects as a five tool player. The tools that are there now are average, speed, defense, and his arm?. only leaving his power which is something scouts hope will develop as he gains more bat speed. He has committed to playing at San Diego St. University.

16. Milwaukee Brewers- Kyle Skipworth Catcher Patriot High School?. The best catcher in the draft who is a top ten talent will probably fall due to the fact he?s a catcher and it?s very hard to tell how a catcher will do when he?s only been as far as high school. Kyle has been said to be the best catching prospects since Joe Mauer, both being big tall catchers with loads of power potential. He has a strong throwing arm and is a leader of his team and will be good at managing a pitching staff. He has committed to going to Arizona St.

17. Toronto Blue Jays- Brett Wallace 1B Arizona State?.. Well if he doesn?t sign the first time why not try it again? The Blue Jays drafted Wallace in the 42nd round out of high school he elected to go to Arizona State instead. He has got a lot of power potential again like every other 1B in this draft but Wallace is just a really good hitter. Last year he hit over .400 and is also a good athlete swiping 12 bases. Defensively at first Brett is above average even though he was a 3B in high school.

18. Mets (from Braves) - Jacob Thompson RHP Virginia?. The Mets are still hoping that Mike Pelfry or Phillip Humber will develop into decent major league starters but have thus far been unimpressive. Jacob isn?t an over powering pitcher his fastball sits in the low 90?s but locates it well. His best pitch his breakingball has a sharp curve to it and gets lots of swings and misses. He also has an average changeup. Since his control is good and has pretty good stuff he should be able to fly through the minors and reach the majors quickly. Plus he?s a winner in his two year college career he has a combined record of 21-4.

19. Chicago Cubs- Brandon Crawford SS UCLA?. Brandon Crawford has the most power potential of any shortstop in the entire draft. He might be better suited for second base, but for now he is about average over at short. He has the potential to hit 20-25 homeruns and is pretty fast on the base paths as well. He bats left handed full time which is a bit odd for a shortstop. His one major flaw is his swing can sometimes be a bit erratic and has led him to strikeout quite a bit in the past.

20. Seattle Mariners- Tyson Ross RHP California?.. Tyson is a good college right hander who at 6?5? you would think could really dial it up there but an awkward delivery keeps it at about 92-93 MPH. But he controls all his pitches really well. He has a slider and changeup that both grade out as potential plus pitches.

21. Detroit Tigers- Jemile Weeks 2B Miami?.. Jemile is the younger brother of Ricky who is the 2B for the Brewers and unlike Ricky? Jemile is more of your everyday lead off hitter. He can slap the ball around the field and get on base and make the opposing pitcher and catcher worry about trying to contain him.

22. New York Mets- Alex Meyer RHP Greenburg High School?.. Alex is a tall lanky right hander who has a fastball that sits in the mid 90?s. Right now he just pounds the strike zone with his powerful fastball and doesn?t use his slider or changeup that often. But if his slider and changeup continue to improve you could see his stock rise very, very quickly in this year?s draft.

23. San Diego Padres- Brett Hunter RHP Pepperdine?. Brett is a future closer and has been shuffled back and forth between the rotation and bullpen at Pepperdine. His fastball sits in the 93-95 MPH range and has a natural sink to it. He also has a good breakingball to go along. He has been compared to Trevor Hoffman. Oh the possibilities.

24. Philadelphia Phillies- James Darnell 3B/OF South Carolina?. James is a teammate of Justin Smoak and might not be the all around great hitter that Justin is but he can produce some bombs as well. Last year he hit 19 of them for the gamecocks and in the Cape Cod league blasting 8. He is not the best over at third and a move to a corner outfield spot may be in his best interest.

25. Colorado Rockies- Taylor Jungmann RHP Rogers High School?.. What kind of first round would this be without a ?Texas Flamethrower?? Well this year that honor goes to the hard throwing Taylor Jungmann. He has a fastball that can reach 95 MPH. He also has two potential plus pitches in a slider and changeup.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks- Allan Dykstra 1B Wake Forrest?. Allan is another power potential left handed first basemen. He doesn?t have as much power potential as the other hundred I?ve listed before him but don?t fret he?s still pretty good. He is an average fielder and is no way a threat to steal base. He has great plate discipline?draws plenty of walks.

27. Twins (from Angels)- Jarret Martin LHP Centennial High School?. Jarret is a high school lefty who fastball sits in the low 90?s. He commands his fastball very well and is a big part in his success. He also has a sharp breakingball that has plus, plus potential. He is also a good hitter from the left side of the plate but he?s a better pitcher.

28. New York Yankees- Kyle Russell OF Texas?. Last season Kyle led the entire NCAA in homeruns with 28, problem is he also is among the lead leaders in strikeouts. He has tremendous power potential but he may struggled as he is bumped up each level?but the Yankees don?t have to worry this is a low risk high reward for them. If he flops they always have those unlimited funds to go out and buy a player off the free agent market.

29. Cleveland Indians- Ryan Perry RHP Arizona?. Ryan may start the season in the rotation for Arizona but his future as a major leaguer will be out of the bullpen. He can throw his fastball into triple digits and has great but sometimes uncontrollable slider. It is possible that he has a changeup but he throws it so rarely its become more of a rumor.

30. Boston Red Sox- Jordan Danks OF Texas?. Jordan is a teammate of Kyle Russell at Texas and is the better athlete of the two. He runs really well?hits for good average?he has good power potential?.great fielder?.but a weak arm. He is the younger brother of White Sox pitcher John Danks.

I was pretty sure the Indians aren't going to take a hitter with the pick mainly b/c we took the power hitter in Beau last year and the speed in 2005 with Crowe so I figured a talented college arm would be appealing to the Tribe. I was also debating if I should have them taking a hard throwing high schooler like we did in 2003 in Adam Miller but its still very early someone I dont even know about yet could emerge as a good pick for us.

2008 MLB Mock Draft

The 2008 Major League Draft will be held on Thursday June 5th and Friday June 6th. It is unknown at this time if the draft will be broadcasted on ESPN as it was last year. This years draft class is weak when it come to top tier power pitchers. This draft however does include an abundance of power hitters especially at 1B and 3B. This the first mock draft that I will produce. The college and high school baseball seasons have not even started yet so many things can happen between now and the draft.

3/15/08 UPDATE- I have just updated my original mock. Four players have dropped out and four new players have moved in. A couple players who have moved up and for some players I put a little update on how they are doing so far this season. It?s still early in the college baseball season but we are starting to see some players shine and some falter which could affect there draft status.

4/11/08 UPDATE- I have now updated my mock draft for the second time. We are starting to see more projections and with both the college and high school seasons nearing the end we are rapidly approaching the draft so here are my updates. It has also been confirmed the first round of this years draft will be broadcast on ESPN2.

1. Tampa Bay Rays- Tim Beckham SS Griffin High School?. Tim Beckham is the best all around shortstop in this year?s draft. He is a five tool player? his best tool is his good feel for the game. He is a good runner who knows how to run the bases. He is super athletic. His defense is very good maybe just a notch below gold glove status but it?s good. He will develop more power as he gets older. I don?t think he is the best player in the draft but Tampa Bay loves their athletic SS and there the last one they drafted has turned out all right so far (BJ Upton). (Last Mock 9th overall)

2. Pittsburgh Pirates- Pedro Alvarez 3B Vanderbilt?. Pedro Alvarez has the potential to be the best power hitter in Pittsburgh since Barry Lamar Bonds was in uniform. He has tremendous power in 723 at bats in college he has a total of 49 homeruns and 55 doubles. He?s not a gold glove 3B and his later in his career a move across the diamond to first might become necessary but not now.  He is a leader by example ? by his effort on and off the field. Alvarez is a patient hitter who works the count deep which does lead him to strikeout sometimes. That is really his only fault as of now.  He did suffer an injury earlier this year this year but has managed to hit .302 average, 421 on base, 534 slugging with 6 homers and 21 RBI in 28 games this year.

3. Kansas City Royals- Aaron Crow RHP Missouri? I think the Royals take the local kid as their top pick and add him to an impressive group of young pitchers. He is coming from a school that has produced some good high draft picks the last couple of years (Ross Detwiler and Max Scherzer). Aaron Crow won 9 games for the Tigers last season and was 3-1 with a 0.67 ERA in 40.1 innings pitched over the summer in the Cape Cod League. He won the Robert A. McNeece award for his performance over the summer. His arsenal includes a fastball that sits around 93-94 MPH and can reach 96, a hard slider that reaches 87 mph, and a decent changeup. He has great control and knows how to work the plate. This year he is an unbelievable 11-0 with a 2.82 ERA with 103 K?s to 29 walks in 83 innings of work. (Last Mock 1st Overall)

4. Baltimore Orioles- Justin Smoak 1B South Carolina?. Last year the O?s took the best college hitter in Matt Wieters and this year they could arguably do the same. The best way to describe Justin Smoak in baseball terms would be that he is a run producer. He has driven in 135 runs in only 504 at bats at South Carolina. He is a limited defender over at first and has power to all fields from both sides of the plate. He has been said to have a strong character and good work ethic making him a great teammate.  This year he is hitting 392 average, 510 on base, 773 slugging with 19 homeruns and 56 runs driven in. (Last Mock 5th overall)

5. San Francisco Giants- Gordon Beckham SS Georgia?.  In my opinion Gordon is having one of those years that seriously inflate his draft status. He has been said to be the top infield prospect in the draft. I personally think Jemile Weeks has more upside but neither are top ten picks. But I have the feeling that San Fran is going Beckham here b/c it is an organizational need for young infielders and he is polished enough he could make an impact very soon.  He is 6 foot 185 pounds and might be better suited for 2B but he knows how to put a good at bat. He is currently hitting .405 average, 515 on base,  836 slugging with 22 homers and 54 RBI in 50 games this year. (Last Mock N/A)

6. Florida Marlins- Yonder Alonso 1B Miami?. A local product Yonder Alonso is another left handed 1B who has 25-30 homerun potential and is also an excellent athlete. He runs better then most 1B and is very capable over at first which will be a breath of fresh air for the Marlins defense. He has the potential to move quickly through the system and will thrive with Marlins until a year later when they have to rebuild and is sold off for some prospects. He is currently hitting .442 with 4 homeruns and 16 RBI.

7. Cincinnati Reds- Brian Matusz LHP San Diego?. Brian is probably the 2nd best college arm in the draft and probably the best left hander in the draft. He has a fastball that is consistently in the low 90?s and can reach 95 at times. His changeup and breakingball both project as plus pitches and his change may even be the best of the three. He has decent control and strikes out a lot of batter. He has struck out 256 batters in 212 innings of work at San Diego. He was previously drafted in the 4th round by the Angels out of high school but chose not to sign. He is 10-2 with a 2.05 ERA with 122 K?s and 20 walks in 88 innings of work this year.

8. Chicago White Sox- Gerrit Cole RHP Orange Lutheran High School?. He has a fastball with late break that sits in the mid 90?s and can reach into the upper 90?s. His slider has the potential to be a devastating pitch but for now it?s a bit inconsistent. He has an all right changeup as well. He has a smooth delivery and is aggressive in the strike zone. He has committed to playing for UCLA but that could easily be changed if he was picked here. (Last Mock 3rd Overall)

9. Washington Nationals- Eric Hosmer 1B American Heritage High School?. Eric is the best high school bat in the draft.  He has tremendous power and is a potential gold glove at first. At 6?4? he has drawn comparisons to Mark Teixeria and Casey Kotchman of the Angels. Last year when high school pitchers began pitching around Eric he found another way to help his team and he took up pitching and went 4-0 with 0.63 ERA. But despite that his best tool is his bat and at first is where his greatest potential lies. It wouldn?t be surprising to see him drop to here with Scott Boras his agent. I think the Nationals will pay the price to bring one of the top prospects into their organization. He has also made a commitment to play at Arizona St.  (Last Mock 4th Overall).

10. Houston Astros ?- Buster Posey Catcher Florida State? The best college catcher is off to a great start for Florida State batting .400 5 homeruns and 19 RBI. After only hitting 7 homeruns in his first two seasons he seems to be settling into his power potential a bit this year. He has very good size for a catcher at 6?2? 200 pounds. Now latter in the season he is hitting .463 average, 563 on base, 835 slugging with 15 homers 61 RBI. (Last Mock 24)

11. Texas Rangers- Christian Friedrich RHP Eastern Kentucky ?  Christian is not the most over powerering pitcher but he controls the baseball well. He throws in the 88-93 range and is pitching extremely well for Eastern Kentucky. The Rangers have rebuilt their farm system through last years draft and the trades of Tex, Gagne, and Lofton so Christian is a good safe pick to keep them on the right track.

12. Oakland Athletics- Tanner Scheppers Fresno State? There is one thing that I can guarantee here and that is Billy Beane and the Oakland A?s will take a college player. Tanner is a good college righty with a fast in the 92-95 mph range, a power slider in the 87-88 range and a changeup which needs to be developed a little more. He is currently 8-2 2.93 ERA with 109 K?s 34 Walks in 70 2/3 innings pitched this season. (Last Mock N/A)

13. St. Louis Cardinals- Aaron Hicks OF Wilson High School?.. Aaron Hicks is a two way player for his high school team playing both CF and Pitcher. He has some potential as a pitcher but his upside leans toward a position player. He is a potential 5 tool player?. he is very fast on the base paths stealing 44 bases this past year and to get an idea of how good that is he only had 100 at bats. He also has great bat speed that helps him generate power. He obviously has a strong arm since he is a part time pitcher

14. Minnesota Twins- Brett Wallace 1B-3B Arizona State?.. He has got a lot of power potential again like every other 1B in this draft but Wallace is just a really good hitter. Last year he hit over .400 and is also a good athlete swiping 12 bases. He is currently hitting .414 16 homeruns and 65 Runs batted in. Last year he played first base but this year is playing 3B.

15. Los Angeles Dodgers- Isaac Galloway OF Los Osos High School?.. Isaac is another toolsy outfielder who projects as a five tool player. The tools that are there now are average, speed, defense, and his arm?. only leaving his power which is something scouts hope will develop as he gains more bat speed. He has committed to playing at San Diego St. University.

16. Milwaukee Brewers- Sonny Gray RHP Symrna High School? He is an undersized RHP with 4 pitches including a fastball in the 90-94 mph range, a power curve, decent slider, and a changeup. He can command all four pitches around the plate which makes him a very attractive prospect. (Last Mock N/A)

17. Toronto Blue Jays- Brett DeVall LHP Rutherford High School? Brett has a great pitching frame at 6?4? 220 pounds his has a power pitchers body and a power pitchers fastball which can be dialed up there in the upper 90?s. He also has a nasty breakingball which could become a plus-plus pitch. He also plays first base but his future is on the mound.

18. Mets (from Braves) - Jacob Thompson RHP Virginia?.. Jacob isn?t an over powering pitcher his fastball sits in the low 90?s but locates it well. His best pitch his breakingball has a sharp curve to it and gets lots of swings and misses. He also has an average changeup. Since his control is good and has pretty good stuff he should be able to fly through the minors and reach the majors quickly. Plus he?s a winner in his two year college career he has a combined record of 21-4. He is currently 2-0 3.38 and has 27 strikeouts in 21.1 innings of work.

19. Chicago Cubs- Shooter Hunt RHP Tulane?. His real name is Steven Daniel Hunt but Scooter is a nickname that he prefers. He played for Virginia but transfer to Tulane for reasons I cannot find. He is a good strikeout pitcher and this year is off to a good start at 9-1 with a 1.97 ERA with 105 K?s and 42 K?s in 77 2/3 innings. (Last Mock N/A).

20. Seattle Mariners- Ike Davis OF Arizona State?. Teammate of Brett Wallace doesn?t get as much as attention as him but is a good prospect himself. He has good size at 6 feet 4 inches 205 pounds he looks like he might have some serious power potential. He throws 87 mph as a pitcher so a strong arm is present in the outfield. He has 4 of the 5 tools and hitting real well for the Sun Devils. He?s hitting .401 average, 473 on base, 822 slugging with 15 homeruns and 62 Runs Batted In. (Last Mock N/A)

21. Detroit Tigers- Jemile Weeks 2B Miami?.. Jemile is the younger brother of Ricky who is the 2B for the Brewers and unlike Ricky? Jemile is more of your everyday lead off hitter. He can slap the ball around the field and get on base and make the opposing pitcher and catcher worry about trying to contain him. He is currently hitting .449 3 homeruns and 16 RBI. He could see his draft stock rise rapidly if he continues at this pace.

22. New York Mets- Trey Haley RHP Central Heights High?. He is a pitcher similar to Clay Buchholz who throws his fastball in the 90-95 range, a good curve, nonexistent change and good command around the plate.  He is smart pitcher with good stuff and a projectable frame at 6 foot 4 inches. (Last Mock N/A)

23. San Diego Padres- Brett Hunter RHP Pepperdine?. Brett is a future closer and has been shuffled back and forth between the rotation and bullpen at Pepperdine. His fastball sits in the 93-95 MPH range and has a natural sink to it. He also has a good breakingball to go along. He has been compared to Trevor Hoffman. Oh the possibilities.

24. Philadelphia Phillies- Tim Melville RHP Wentzville Holt High School?. Tim Melville is another good athlete, not only can he dial it up in the mid 90?s who has drawn comparisons to Phil Hughes. His upside however is as a pitcher. He also has a breakingball that is a potential plus pitch and could get him some strike outs. He has a changeup to go along with arsenal as well. He has committed to play at North Carolina. (Last Mock 8th Overall)

25. Colorado Rockies- Taylor Jungmann RHP Rogers High School?.. What kind of first round would this be without a ?Texas Flamethrower?? Well this year that honor goes to the hard throwing Taylor Jungmann. He has a fastball that can reach 95 MPH. He also has two potential plus pitches in a slider and changeup.

26. Arizona Diamondbacks- Allan Dykstra 1B Wake Forrest?. Allan is another power potential left handed first basemen. He doesn?t have as much power potential as the other hundred I?ve listed before him but don?t fret he?s still pretty good. He is an average fielder and is no way a threat to steal base. He has great plate discipline?draws plenty of walks. He is currently hitting .341 14 homeruns 42 RBI.

27. Twins (from Angels)- Jarret Martin LHP Centennial High School?. Jarret is a high school lefty who fastball sits in the low 90?s. He commands his fastball very well and is a big part in his success. He also has a sharp breakingball that has plus, plus potential. He is also a good hitter from the left side of the plate but he?s a better pitcher.

 28. New York Yankees- Anthony Ferrara LHP Riverview High School? Anthony is a very talented high school lefty. He is probably the 2nd best in the entire draft behind DeVall. He has a fastball that sits in the 92-94 range which is impressive for his small frame of 6?1? 170 pounds and has room to improve his velocity as he gets bigger and stronger. There are injury concerns (Last Mock 29).

29. Cleveland Indians- Josh Fields RHP Georgia? As a Cleveland Indians fan one thing is certain we do not have a real closer. In my first mock draft I had us taking Ryan Perry who has an arm but not much else. Josh Fields is a real closer with a closers mentality and good stuff as well. He throws a fastball in the 92-95 range with a knee buckling curve. He was drafted last year in the 2nd after a bad junior season but this year as a senior has improved great with a 0.36 ERA in 25 1/3 innings 46 K?s 16 walks with 14 saves. He has the closer mentality and since he is a college reliever he should move fast through the system. I hope he can turn into a Houston Street or Chad Cordero who make it to the majors very quickly and have great success. (Last Mock N/A)

30. Boston Red Sox- Kyle Skipworth Catcher Patriot High School?. At the beginning he was the best catcher in the draft and was a sure fire first round pick but recent performance has him slipping a bit and I think he falls all the way to the Sox. Kyle has been said to be the best catching prospects since Joe Mauer, both being big tall catchers with loads of power potential. He has a strong throwing arm and is a leader of his team and will be good at managing a pitching staff. He has committed to going to Arizona St. (Last Mock 16th Overall)

I personally don't like him... he seems to have a bunch of power come out of no where and isn't a great defensive catcher... but some places have him going first overall to the Rays.

The 2008 Major League Draft will be held on Thursday June 5th and Friday June 6th. It is unknown at this time if the draft will be broadcasted on ESPN as it was last year. This years draft class is weak when it come to top tier power pitchers. This draft however does include an abundance of power hitters especially at 1B and 3B. This the first mock draft that I will produce. The college and high school baseball seasons have not even started yet so many things can happen between now and the draft.

3/15/08 UPDATE- I have just updated my original mock. Four players have dropped out and four new players have moved in. A couple players who have moved up and for some players I put a little update on how they are doing so far this season. It?s still early in the college baseball season but we are starting to see some players shine and some falter which could affect there draft status.

4/11/08 UPDATE- I have now updated my mock draft for the second time. We are starting to see more projections and with both the college and high school seasons nearing the end we are rapidly approaching the draft so here are my updates. It has also been confirmed the first round of this years draft will be broadcast on ESPN2.

6/4/08 UPDATE- This will probably the second to last time I will update my mock? With the draft being tomorrow I will probably update it once more. There are a lot of big changes so I didn?t put where the players were in the past mocks.

6/5/08 12:45 PM Eastern Time- I have updated my mock and the draft is less then an hour and 15 minutes away. I might update it once more if any picks are confirmed.

1. Tampa Bay Rays- Tim Beckham SS Griffin High School- Tim Beckham is the best all around shortstop in this year?s draft. He is a five tool player; his best tool is his good feel for the game. He is a good runner who knows how to run the bases. He is super athletic. His defense is very good maybe just a notch below gold glove status but it?s good. He will develop more power as he gets older. I don?t think he is the best player in the draft but Tampa Bay loves their athletic SS and there the last one they drafted has turned out all right so far (BJ Upton).

2. Pittsburgh Pirates- Pedro Alvarez 3B Vanderbilt. Pedro Alvarez has the potential to be the best power hitter in Pittsburgh since Barry Lamar Bonds was in uniform. He has tremendous power in 723 at bats in college he has a total of 49 homeruns and 55 doubles. He?s not a gold glove 3B and his later in his career a move across the diamond to first might become necessary but not now.  He is a leader by example,  by his effort on and off the field. Alvarez is a patient hitter who works the count deep which does lead him to strikeout sometimes. That is really his only fault as of now.  He did suffer an injury earlier this year this year but has managed to hit .302 average, 421 on base, 534 slugging with 6 homers and 21 RBI in 28 games this year.

3. Kansas City Royals- Eric Hosmer 1B American Heritage High School. Eric is the best high school bat in the draft.  He has tremendous power and is a potential gold glove at first. At 6 foot 4 inches he has drawn comparisons to Mark Teixeria and Casey Kotchman of the Angels. Last year when high school pitchers began pitching around Eric he found another way to help his team and he took up pitching and went 4-0 with 0.63 ERA. But despite that his best tool is his bat and at first is where his greatest potential lies. It wouldn?t be surprising to see him drop to here with Scott Boras his agent. He has also made a commitment to play at Arizona St.

4. Baltimore Orioles- Justin Smoak 1B South Carolina. Last year the O?s took the best college hitter in Matt Wieters and this year they could arguably do the same. The best way to describe Justin Smoak in baseball terms would be that he is a run producer. He has driven in 135 runs in only 504 at bats at South Carolina. He is a limited defender over at first and has power to all fields from both sides of the plate. He has been said to have a strong character and good work ethic making him a great teammate.  This year he is hitting 392 average, 510 on base, 773 slugging with 19 homeruns and 56 runs driven in.

5. San Francisco Giants- Buster Posey Catcher Florida State The best college catcher is off to a great start for Florida State batting .400 5 homeruns and 19 RBI. After only hitting 7 homeruns in his first two seasons he seems to be settling into his power potential a bit this year. He has very good size for a catcher at 6 foot 2 inches 200 pounds. Now latter in the season he is hitting .463 average, 563 on base, 835 slugging with 15 homers 61 RBI.

6. Florida Marlins- Yonder Alonso 1B Miami. A local product Yonder Alonso is another left handed 1B who has 25-30 homerun potential and is also an excellent athlete. He runs better then most 1B and is very capable over at first which will be a breath of fresh air for the Marlins defense. He has the potential to move quickly through the system and will thrive with Marlins until a year later when they have to rebuild and is sold off for some prospects. He is currently hitting .442 with 4 homeruns and 16 RBI.

7. Cincinnati Reds- Gordon Beckham SS Georgia.  In my opinion Gordon is having one of those years that seriously inflate his draft status. He has been said to be the top infield prospect in the draft. I personally think Jemile Weeks has more upside but neither are top ten picks.  He is 6 foot 185 pounds and might be better suited for 2B but he knows how to put a good at bat. He is currently hitting .405 average, 515 on base,  836 slugging with 22 homers and 54 RBI in 50 games this year. Big thanks to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com for reporting this pick. (If its right of course)

8. Chicago White Sox- Brian Matusz LHP San Diego. Brian is probably the 2nd best college arm in the draft and probably the best left hander in the draft. He has a fastball that is consistently in the low 90?s and can reach 95 at times. His changeup and breaking ball both project as plus pitches and his change may even be the best of the three. He has decent control and strikes out a lot of batter. He has struck out 256 batters in 212 innings of work at San Diego. He was previously drafted in the 4th round by the Angels out of high school but chose not to sign. He is 10-2 with a 2.05 ERA with 122 K?s and 20 walks in 88 innings of work this year.
9. Washington Nationals- Kyle Skipworth Catcher Patriot High School- At the beginning he was the best catcher in the draft and was a sure fire first round pick but recent performance has him slipping a bit and I think he falls all the way to the Sox. Kyle has been said to be the best catching prospects since Joe Mauer, both being big tall catchers with loads of power potential. He has a strong throwing arm and is a leader of his team and will be good at managing a pitching staff. He has committed to going to Arizona St.

10. Houston Astros ? Aaron Crow RHP Missouri, My absolute favorite prospect in the draft. Crow won 9 games for the Tigers last season and was 3-1 with a 0.67 ERA in 40.1 innings pitched over the summer in the Cape Cod League. He won the Robert A. McNeece award for his performance over the summer. His arsenal includes a fastball that sits around 93-94 MPH and can reach 96, a hard slider that reaches 87 mph, and a decent changeup. He has great control and knows how to work the plate. This year he is an unbelievable 13-0 with a 2.35 ERA with 127 K?s to 38 walks in 107.1 innings of work.

11. Texas Rangers- Andrew Cashner RHP TCU- A college reliever who is rising fast on most draft boards.  He throws his fastball 97-98 MPH along with 87-88 MPH slider. He has had some control problems as TCU?s closer but should still be taken early in the draft.
12. Oakland Athletics- Christian Friedrich RHP Eastern Kentucky  Christian is not the most over powerering pitcher but he controls the baseball well. He throws in the 88-93 range and is pitching extremely well for Eastern Kentucky. A college player is almost a guarantee for Billy Beane and the Oakland Athletics so I think this is a real possibility.

13. St. Louis Cardinals- Aaron Hicks OF Wilson High School. Aaron Hicks is a two way player for his high school team playing both CF and Pitcher. He has some potential as a pitcher but his upside leans toward a position player. He is a potential 5 tool player. He is very fast on the base paths stealing 44 bases this past year and to get an idea of how good that is he only had 100 at bats. He also has great bat speed that helps him generate power. He obviously has a strong arm since he is a part time pitcher

14. Minnesota Twins- Brett Wallace 1B-3B Arizona State.. He has got a lot of power potential again like every other 1B in this draft but Wallace is just a really good hitter. Last year he hit over .400 and is also a good athlete swiping 12 bases. He is currently hitting .414 16 homeruns and 65 Runs batted in. Last year he played first base but this year is playing 3B.

15. Los Angeles Dodgers- Ethan Martin RHP Stephens County High School- In one of my earlier mocks I had him going to the Twins as a 3B. I guess I was wrong and he is better suited as a pitcher. He has a great strong arm and obviously good hitting ability as well but his future is on the mound.

16. Milwaukee Brewers- Shooter Hunt RHP Tulane. His real name is Steven Daniel Hunt but Scooter is a nickname that he prefers. He played for Virginia but transfer to Tulane for reasons I cannot find. He is a good strikeout pitcher and this year is off to a good start at 9-1 with a 1.97 ERA with 105 K?s and 42 K?s in 77 2/3 innings.

17. Toronto Blue Jays- Brett DeVall LHP Rutherford High School- Brett has a great pitching frame at 6 foot 4 inches 220 pounds his has a power pitchers body and a power pitchers fastball which can be dialed up there in the upper 90?s. He also has a nasty breaking ball which could become a plus-plus pitch. He also plays first base but his future is on the mound.

18. Mets (from Braves) ? Ryan Perry RHP Arizona- Probably the hardest thrower in the draft. He can hit 100 MPH on the radar gun. He has a devastating and yet inconsistent slider. He throws a changeup rarely and has some control problems. He?s another college righty relief pitcher with closer potential.

19. Chicago Cubs- Zach Collier CF Chino Hills High School- He is only 17 years old and is very, very raw. He has good left handed power and it should get better as he develops. He has pretty good speed, should be a decent defender with a decent arm as well.

20. Seattle Mariners- Lance Lynn RHP University of Mississippi- He is a huge pitcher at 6 foot 5 inches 260 pounds. He doesn?t throw as hard as you would think from him being such a big guy. He throws in the 88-90 MPH but it has a good sink to it which would blend very well with Coors Field.

21. Detroit Tigers- Jemile Weeks 2B Miami.. Jemile is the younger brother of Ricky who is the 2B for the Brewers and unlike Ricky; Jemile is more of your everyday lead off hitter. He can slap the ball around the field and get on base and make the opposing pitcher and catcher worry about trying to contain him. He is currently hitting .449 3 homeruns and 16 RBI. He could see his draft stock rise rapidly if he continues at this pace.

22. New York Mets- Ike Davis OF Arizona State. Teammate of Brett Wallace doesn?t get as much as attention as him but is a good prospect himself. He has good size at 6 feet 4 inches 205 pounds he looks like he might have some serious power potential. He throws 87 mph as a pitcher so a strong arm is present in the outfield. He has 4 of the 5 tools and hitting real well for the Sun Devils. He?s hitting .401 average, 473 on base, 822 slugging with 15 homeruns and 62 Runs Batted In.

23. San Diego Padres- Anthony Hewitt- He is a toolsy shortstop. He has good speed, looks like good power potential. Defensively he may benefit if he was moved to centerfield. He is pretty raw and has committed to Vanderbilt so sign ability is an issue.
24. Philadelphia Phillies- Tim Melville RHP Wentzville Holt High School. Tim Melville is another good athlete, not only can he hit he dials it up in the mid 90?s who has drawn comparisons to Phil Hughes. His upside however is as a pitcher. He also has a breaking ball that is a potential plus pitch and could get him some strike outs. He has a changeup to go along with arsenal as well. He has committed to play at North Carolina.

25. Colorado Rockies- Brett Lawrie Catcher Brookswood SS Canada- Being in Canada Brett hasn?t had much of a chance to be seen by scouts but what they do know is that he has raw plus plus power and he can play a premium position in catcher. He is a very great athlete.
26. Arizona Diamondbacks- Jason Castro Catcher Stanford- Jason is another polished college catcher who has been on the rise this year. He hits left handed and there is a possibility of power development down the road. He is pretty good defensively with an average arm. He is right now pretty fast for a catcher.

27. Twins (from Angels)-  Anthony Ferrara LHP Riverview High School Anthony is a very talented high school lefty. He is probably the 2nd best in the entire draft behind DeVall. He has a fastball that sits in the 92-94 range which is impressive for his small frame of 6 foot 1 inch 170 pounds and has room to improve his velocity as he gets bigger and stronger. There are injury concerns however.

28. New York Yankees-  Gerrit Cole RHP Orange Lutheran High School, He has a fastball with late break that sits in the mid 90?s and can reach into the upper 90?s. His slider has the potential to be a devastating pitch but for now it?s a bit inconsistent. He has an all right changeup as well. He has a smooth delivery and is aggressive in the strike zone. He has committed to playing for UCLA but that could easily be changed if he was picked here.

29. Cleveland Indians- Josh Fields RHP Georgia, As a Cleveland Indians fan one thing is certain we do not have a real closer. In my first mock draft I had us taking Ryan Perry who has an arm but not much else. Josh Fields is a real closer with a closers mentality and good stuff as well. He throws a fastball in the 92-95 range with a knee buckling curve. He was drafted last year in the 2nd after a bad junior season but this year as a senior has improved great with a 0.36 ERA in 25 1/3 innings 46 K?s 16 walks with 14 saves. He has the closer mentality and since he is a college reliever he should move fast through the system. I hope he can turn into a Houston Street or Chad Cordero who make it to the majors very quickly and have great success.

30. Boston Red Sox- Tanner Scheppers Fresno State, Tanner is a good college righty with a fast in the 92-95 mph range, a power slider in the 87-88 range and a changeup which needs to be developed a little more. He is currently 8-2 2.93 ERA with 109 K?s 34 Walks in 70 2/3 innings pitched this season. He is currently injured and his stock is falling but a team like the Red Sox who already have good pitching could look at this as a high risk high reward