Welcome to the final version of our 2015 MLB Mock Draft. The 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, round one, is tonight. I’m not sure if there’s another independently owned and managed site that does a mock draft for baseball, basketball, football and hockey like we do.
Maybe there is another “mom and pop” shop out there that does a mock for these four professional sports, but I’m not aware of it; as of yet.
Go here for our 2016 NFL mock draft (our 2015 NFL mock draft was more accurate than Mel Kiper Jr’s or Mike Mayock’s mock draft), our 2015 NBA mock draft, our 2016 NBA mock draft. and our 2015 NHL Mock Draft.
1. Arizona Diamondbacks, Dansby Swanson, SS, Vanderbilt
Dansby Swanson attends Vanderbilt. His highly acclaimed prowess within athletic endeavors deems him a southern gentleman of excellent repute.
Those two previous sentences could have been from a chapter of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Or they could have been found in a Major League Baseball scouting report.
All joking aside, it seems that Swanson, a 6-1, 190 pound 21-year-old shortstop, is locked into the Houston Astros at the #2 overall pick. He’s the best bat available in this draft, and he could still go #1 overall, should the Arizona Diamondbacks decide to opt for the best college (instead of high school) player available.
Here are some Swanson highlights featured in the mock SportsCenter I did in Bristol last year. Watch the video below:
2. Houston Astros, Brendan Rodgers, SS, Lake Mary HS (FL)
He’s got the same exact name as Liverpool’s Manager, but make no mistake, this Brendan Rodgers is actually guaranteed to finish in the top four. Actually, I’ll be shocked if he lasts past #3 or #4. Unlike the other Rodgers, you know this guy will make the proverbial “champions league” in his sport.
Who goes number one overall is a bit of a toss-up this year, as there’s not a Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg level of distinction in this class.
3. Colorado Rockies, Tyler Jay, LHP, Illinois
The University of Illinois is now a baseball school. It used to be a basketball school for the longest time. It never was a football school as long as most of us have been alive. However, Illini baseball is a tour de force right now; ascending to the #6 overall seed in the national tournament. Jay can bring it; he’s going to make whatever team selects him very happy on draft day. He can throw four different pitches for strikes.
The closer from Lemont, IL leads the Big Ten in batting average against. He’s second in the nation in ERA, and first nationally in WHIP. His fastball tops out at 95 m.p.h. Even though Jay’s frame is slight, he packs a lot of power and velocity into his delivery.
Go here for more on Jay.
4. Texas Rangers, Alex Bregman, SS, LSU
This draft is more stocked with college prospects than it is high school blue-chippers. Usually, but not always, that means it’s a weaker draft. Still, Bregman would be a top 5, top 10 pick in just about any MLB Draft.To be honest, this class doesn’t have a Bryce Harper type super-mega-prospect position player in it.
5. Houston Astros, Kyle Tucker, RF, Plant HS (FL)
Yes, the top amateur talent in the prep ranks this year is from the Sunshine State. Or “America’s Wang,” as Homer J. Simpson calls it.
6. Minnesota Twins, Kyle Funkhouser, RHP, Louisville
Funkhouser, in addition to having one of the sweetest names of anybody in this 2015 MLB mock draft, is interchangeable among the top five overall pitching prospects in this class.
7. Boston Red Sox, Ian Happ, RF, Cincinnati
Happ is interchangeable among the top five position player prospects in this class. This is a very important draft for the Red Sox (at least as important as one individual draft can be in baseball), so the Sox really need to get this one right. Otherwise, it’s a lot of spending in order to keep up with the Jones; the Jones being the New York Yankees.
8. Chicago White Sox, Kevin Newman, SS, Arizona
The White Sox set the gold standard for doing draft night right in the 1980s and 1990s (Jack McDowell, Robin Ventura, Frank Thomas, Alex Fernandez) Lately though, they’ve missed a helluva lot more than they’ve hit. (Chris Sale is the exception) No, I don’t think Gordon Beckham quite qualifies as a “hit.”
Great hair and phenomenal walk-up music though.
9. Chicago Cubs, Carson Fulmer, RHP, Vanderbilt
We all know the Cubs have one of the best farm systems in baseball. There’s a ton of young studs among the position players. However, where’s all the pitching going to come from? I just can’t see Theo/Jed going anywhere else but starting pitching in this draft. Other mocks out there have Fulmer mocked to the Cubs as well.
By selecting a Vanderbilt alum to come to Chicago…maybe he knows Jay Cutler?
10. Philadelphia Phillies, Dillon Tate, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Tate has the profile of a #1 overall type pick; should pitching take priority in this draft. However there isn’t a Stephen Strasburg or David Price type pitching prospect in this class.
11. Cincinnati Reds, Mike Nikorak, RHP, Stroudsburg HS (PA)
The MLB Draft is definitely much more “best player available” than it is “team needs” when compared to the drafts in other sports. Especially so when you get outside the top 10.
12. Miami Marlins, Trenton Clark, OF, Richland HS, (TX)
Marlins could certainly use another blue-chip outfield prospect to plug into their system.
13. Tampa Bay Rays, Kolby Allard, LHP, San Clemente HS (CA)
Not very tall as far as power pitchers go, but he’s got great velocity and his fastball and still might have some top 10 potential.
14. Atlanta Braves, Daz Cameron, OF, Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (GA).
It wouldn’t be an MLB mock draft without legacies and Mike Cameron’s offspring is a top prospect. “The son also rises” indeed. Ernest Hemingway was correct.
15. Milwaukee Brewers, Nick Plummer, of, Brother Rice HS, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
The Brewers have a really poor farm system because they went all in for the 2011 postseason. Can’t say I blame them as it was the right call- strike while the iron is hot. However, rebuilding the level of talent in their minor league system means draft best player available, regardless of position.
16. New York Yankees, Walker Buehler, RHP, Vanderbilt
Anchor Down! You’ll notice multiple Vanderbilt Commodores in this 2015 MLB mock draft, as you scroll down through it. This talented group or players has led Vandy to the top ranking in many polls.
17. Cleveland Indians, Tyler Stephenson, C, Kennesaw Mountain (Ga.) HS
Late bloomer has drawn Matt Wieters comparisons.
18. San Francisco Giants, Garrett Whitley, of, Niskayuna (N.Y.) HS
Despite being in high school, he’s got a fully grown man Major League Baseball physique.
19. Pittsburgh Pirates, Ashe Russell, Cathedral Catholic HS, Indianapolis
Big tall pitching prospect with a very ugly delivery. One of much the more interesting prospects in this draft as he could be top 15, or compensation picks area- and everything in between.
20. Oakland Athletics, James Kaprielian, RHP, UCLA
Moneyball made this franchise one of the more brand-recognizable franchises when it comes to the MLB Draft. I could see them going with a member of a strong starting staff that’s propelled the Bruins to a top 3 ranking in the nation.
21. Kansas City Royals, Brady Aiken, lhp, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.
Top pick potential has now fallen down here, and could slip further, due to Tommy John surgery concerns.
22. Detroit Tigers, Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Concordia Lutheran HS (TX)
More legacy devices- son of Charlie Hayes could surpass the career accomplishments of his notable father.
23. St. Louis Cardinals, Kyle Cody, RHP, Kentucky
The Cardinals always seem to find the hidden gems in every draft.
24. Los Angeles Dodgers, Phil Bickford, rhp, JC of Southern Nevada
One of the bigger enigmas in this class. Around here is his ceiling, but don’t be shocked if he slips into round two.
25. Baltimore Orioles, Richie Martin, SS, Florida
It’s a very loaded shortstop class.
26. Los Angeles Angels, Cody Ponce, RHP, Cal Poly Pomon
Falls this far because his stats have been padded against easier division 2 competition.
Compensation Picks
Whenever you see a MLB mock draft it usually stops before reaching this section, but we’re hard core here. A lot of mocks even cease at the end of the top 20, but at The Sports Bank we’ll give you the compensation picks of the 2015 MLB mock draft.
27. Colorado Rockies, Michael Matuella, RHP, Duke
Other than Aiken, the draft’s biggest wildcard.
28. Atlanta Braves, Jon Harris, RHP, Missouri State
He’s a very big reason MSU is surprisingly so high up in the polls this year. He’s a phenomenal talent.
29. Toronto Blue Jays, Cornelius Randolph, 3B, Griffin HS (GA)
Should the Blue Jays go best player available? Or draft for a certain position? I consulted one of the highest profile baseball media personalities around (also a devout Jays fan, Baseball Tonight anchor Adnan Virk) for an answer:
@PaulMBanks best player available
— Adnan Virk, ESPN (@adnanESPN) May 10, 2015
By this point in the 2015 MLB mock draft, Randolph is about as BPA as it gets. The baseball draft in general is much more of a “best player available” kind of a thing than football or basketball.
30. New York Yankees, Chris Betts, C, Wilson HS (CA)
Betts lost a lot of weight and that really helped his draft stock rise in price
31. San Francisco Giants, D.J. Stewart, LF, Florida State
I can guarantee you that #FSUTwitter will take umbrage with where I have Stewart slotted for some reason.
32. Pittsburgh Pirates, Austin Smith, RHP, Park Vista HS (FL)
Another in the endless wave of top prospects emerging from Fark.com’s favorite state.
33. Kansas City Royals, Beau Burrows, RHP, Weatherford HS (TX),
Hit 98 MPH on the radar gun! That’s worth a very late first round look to me
34. Detroit Tigers, Justin Hooper, LHP, De La Salle HS (CA)
At 6’7″ 230, I had to double check to make sure I was actually mocking him to the Tigers, and not the Pistons.
35. Los Angeles Dodgers, Alex Young, LHP, TCU
Stellar Cape Cod league performance makes him one of the more “fast-tracked” to the majors prospects in this class. He’s developed more pitches already than some of the other prospects.
36. Baltimore Orioles, Dakota Chalmers, RHP, North Forsyth HS (GA)
Still a lot of tremendous upside with this guy as he hasn’t fully developed into his pitching motion yet.
Competitive Balance Round A
37. Houston Astros, Donnie Dewees, OF, North Florida
Astros go pitcher early on, position player later, in the first round.
38. Colorado Rockies, Nathan Kirby, LHP, Virginia
Had some lat strain issues lately, but that’s not enough to scare off potential suitors.
39. St. Louis Cardinals, Triston McKenzie, RHP, Royal Palm Beach HS (FL)
Same high school that produced Jarrod Saltalamacchia, a supplemental first-round pick in 2003 by Atlanta
40. Milwaukee Brewers, Chandler Day, RHP, Watkins HS (Ohio)
Brewers will continue to go best player available by scooping up this Vanderbilt commit.
41. Atlanta Braves, Tyler Nevin, 3B, UCLA
The son of 1992 #1 overall pick Phil Nevin. My God, I’m getting old.
42. Cleveland Indians, Blake Trahan, SS, Louisiana-Lafayette
Indians go best player available to complete the first round.
This 2015 MLB Mock Draft is listed on numerous databases including: DC Pro Sports Report, Fueled by Sports and EDS Baseball
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
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