MLB 2026 Draft ~ Mocks, Rankings, Discussions and More

[82birds]

St. Louis Picks 13, 32, 50 & 88

Needs power from both hitters and pitchers.

Methodology - I figure a 3 pick variance either side is fair. First pick at 13, must choose from 10-17, etc.

SO, purely from reading about them, and admittedly I know nothing. (AKA have a good laugh, ) - Wish list

With 13th, #10 - Sawyer Strosnider - TCU - L-L - OF - Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55 (Would also take Peterson or Flora as pitchers.)

With 32nd, #33 - Blake Bowen HS - R-R - OF - Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

With 50th, #51 - Savion Sims HS - 6'8" RHP - Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

With 88th, #87 - Carson Wiggens - Ark 6'5" RHP - Scouting grades: Fastball: 80 | Slider: 70 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

yep
thanks for the post
welcome to CT

[Shady]

As I mentioned earlier, Drafting 13th seems to be a good position to be in for one of the many collegiate outfielders that grade out in a similar fashion. At least for now.

[billybaseball]

ESPN’s Top 5

1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
2. Tampa Bay Rays: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian (Texas) HS, Texas commit
3. Minnesota Twins: Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama
4. San Francisco Giants: Drew Burress, CF, Georgia Tech
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: A.J. Gracia, OF, Virginia

I don’t see Burress going Top 10…

so small, eh? I agree with you....or maybe like 8th-12th? Seems like a good landing spot. His power last year, though...for his size...pretty incredible at 5'9"....if he can replicate last year in the ACC, he'll be tough to remove from the Top 10.

Performance, his Freshman & Sophomore season aren’t too big of a departure, even though it kind of looks that way.
Fr - .381/.512/.821/1.333
So - .333/.469/.693/1.162

A couple less walks, a couple more strikeouts, but still more BB than SO. Less Homers but a lot more Doubles. More Runs, less RBI’s. So, I see the appeal.

HOWEVER, the Cape Cod League performance leaves a lot to be desired. His Walks/Strikeouts completely reversed. 13 BB, 22 SO. Hell, his hitting ability vanished, completely.
.125/.282/.219/.501

Add to that he’s the size of Tavon Austin, and I just see a guy somewhere between Sugar Shane Robinson hit tool w/less power than Harrison Bader.

I’ll put it this way… I’d be annoyed if we took him at 13

So, you have judged him off of one summer in the cape cod league? Other than rock, he’s my favorite player in the draft.

I’ve judged him off of being 5’-8,” and a massive drop off in a wood bat league

Some college hitters get to power through the new composite bats and will never hit for the same power with a wood bat. This was a red flag with Bazzana and Condon in 2024. Now I don't know enough about Burress to judge him on this but it will definitely be a concern.

[Cardinalss4Ever]

St. Louis Picks 13, 32, 50 & 88

Needs power from both hitters and pitchers.

Methodology - I figure a 3 pick variance either side is fair. First pick at 13, must choose from 10-17, etc.

SO, purely from reading about them, and admittedly I know nothing. (AKA have a good laugh, ) - Wish list

With 13th, #10 - Sawyer Strosnider - TCU - L-L - OF - Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55 (Would also take Peterson or Flora as pitchers.)

With 32nd, #33 - Blake Bowen HS - R-R - OF - Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

With 50th, #51 - Savion Sims HS - 6'8" RHP - Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

With 88th, #87 - Carson Wiggens - Ark 6'5" RHP - Scouting grades: Fastball: 80 | Slider: 70 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

yep
thanks for the post
welcome to CT

Thanks. Gotta admit 80 fastball, 70 slider is intriguing. Even without another pitch, if control is decent, that's on SCAY reliever.

[RunSup]

BA is high on Jackson Flora as one of the big 3 college arms with nods to Peterson and Flukey. I posted this on a previous thread that immediately died..

"Recent BA podcast had Jackson Flora one of big 3 college starting pitchers this coming season in addition to Liam Peterson and Cameron Flukey. Any of these could be the first college SP off the board.

Flora has added a "kick changeup" to his high octane FB and slider

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... e-podcast/

That conversation starts at 44:16"

If any of the 3 college SP arms are available at 13, I'll put my early chips on them.

Cheers and thanks for the early start to the thread,
Thread Killer RS

[82birds]

BA is high on Jackson Flora as one of the big 3 college arms with nods to Peterson and Flukey. I posted this on a previous thread that immediately died..

"Recent BA podcast had Jackson Flora one of big 3 college starting pitchers this coming season in addition to Liam Peterson and Cameron Flukey. Any of these could be the first college SP off the board.

Flora has added a "kick changeup" to his high octane FB and slider

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories ... e-podcast/

That conversation starts at 44:16"

If any of the 3 college SP arms are available at 13, I'll put my early chips on them.

Cheers and thanks for the early start to the thread,
Thread Killer RS

LOL at redded words
that is seriously funny

[rockondlouie]

Ditto on 82birds.
He never gets in tiffs,
He never toots his own horn.
He is just a consistently good poster.
Thanks, Crav, for giving him a shout out.

+1

Ditto

[rockondlouie]

St. Louis Picks 13, 32, 50 & 88

Needs power from both hitters and pitchers.

Methodology - I figure a 3 pick variance either side is fair. First pick at 13, must choose from 10-17, etc.

SO, purely from reading about them, and admittedly I know nothing. (AKA have a good laugh, ) - Wish list

With 13th, #10 - Sawyer Strosnider - TCU - L-L - OF - Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55 (Would also take Peterson or Flora as pitchers.)

With 32nd, #33 - Blake Bowen HS - R-R - OF - Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 60 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

With 50th, #51 - Savion Sims HS - 6'8" RHP - Scouting grades: Fastball: 70 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

With 88th, #87 - Carson Wiggens - Ark 6'5" RHP - Scouting grades: Fastball: 80 | Slider: 70 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Agree 100%

Good stuff

OF needs addressing as much as starting pitching, you've laid out some good stuff.

[RunSup]

Ditto on 82birds.
He never gets in tiffs,
He never toots his own horn.
He is just a consistently good poster.
Thanks, Crav, for giving him a shout out.

+1

Ditto

Piling on to embarrass 82Birds who doesn't want the attention.

+1

[cardinalsfever44]

Appreciate all of the info on prosprects!

Anyone heard anything with the new CBA allowing for the trading of draft picks in the future?

[BleedingBleu]

Performance, his Freshman & Sophomore season aren’t too big of a departure, even though it kind of looks that way.
Fr - .381/.512/.821/1.333
So - .333/.469/.693/1.162

A couple less walks, a couple more strikeouts, but still more BB than SO. Less Homers but a lot more Doubles. More Runs, less RBI’s. So, I see the appeal.

HOWEVER, the Cape Cod League performance leaves a lot to be desired. His Walks/Strikeouts completely reversed. 13 BB, 22 SO. Hell, his hitting ability vanished, completely.
.125/.282/.219/.501

Add to that he’s the size of Tavon Austin, and I just see a guy somewhere between Sugar Shane Robinson hit tool w/less power than Harrison Bader.

I’ll put it this way… I’d be annoyed if we took him at 13

So, you have judged him off of one summer in the cape cod league? Other than rock, he’s my favorite player in the draft.

I’ve judged him off of being 5’-8,” and a massive drop off in a wood bat league

Some college hitters get to power through the new composite bats and will never hit for the same power with a wood bat. This was a red flag with Bazzana and Condon in 2024. Now I don't know enough about Burress to judge him on this but it will definitely be a concern.

Bazzana performed pretty decently in the CCBL and has pretty decent size (6’-0” 200 lbs). Charlie is a big boy (6’-6” 215 lbs) and will likely kill it in Coors.

For anyone who griped about The Great Midget Draft (TGMD™) of 2024, you should feel justified. We are seeing hardly any power output from Ryan Campos & Bryce Madron. Hell, Jon Jon Gazdar has more first names than Homers! Hopefully, Deniel Ortiz is a sleeper that pays off, because it’s looking more JJ or bust.

Also, while I like Wetherholt (5’-10” 190 lbs), I expect this guy could be a fringe 20-Homer guy at most, but more realistically a 15/30 HR/SB guy who could hit .300 get on base *.350, knock +40 doubles playing excellent defense up the middle.

[craviduce]

Performance, his Freshman & Sophomore season aren’t too big of a departure, even though it kind of looks that way.
Fr - .381/.512/.821/1.333
So - .333/.469/.693/1.162

A couple less walks, a couple more strikeouts, but still more BB than SO. Less Homers but a lot more Doubles. More Runs, less RBI’s. So, I see the appeal.

HOWEVER, the Cape Cod League performance leaves a lot to be desired. His Walks/Strikeouts completely reversed. 13 BB, 22 SO. Hell, his hitting ability vanished, completely.
.125/.282/.219/.501

Add to that he’s the size of Tavon Austin, and I just see a guy somewhere between Sugar Shane Robinson hit tool w/less power than Harrison Bader.

I’ll put it this way… I’d be annoyed if we took him at 13

So, you have judged him off of one summer in the cape cod league? Other than rock, he’s my favorite player in the draft.

I’ve judged him off of being 5’-8,” and a massive drop off in a wood bat league

Some college hitters get to power through the new composite bats and will never hit for the same power with a wood bat. This was a red flag with Bazzana and Condon in 2024. Now I don't know enough about Burress to judge him on this but it will definitely be a concern.

Bazzana performed pretty decently in the CCBL and has pretty decent size (6’-0” 200 lbs). Charlie is a big boy (6’-6” 215 lbs) and will likely kill it in Coors.

For anyone who griped about The Great Midget Draft (TGMD™) of 2024, you should feel justified. We are seeing hardly any power output from Ryan Campos & Bryce Madron. Hell, Jon Jon Gazdar has more first names than Homers! Hopefully, Deniel Ortiz is a sleeper that pays off, because it’s looking more JJ or bust.

Also, while I like Wetherholt (5’-10” 190 lbs), I expect this guy could be a fringe 20-Homer guy at most, but more realistically a 15/30 HR/SB guy who could hit .300 get on base *.350, knock +40 doubles playing excellent defense up the middle.

Deniel with the .580 OPS in Puerto Rican Winterball. I'm depressed over that.

JonJon smashed HR's with the Aluminum Bat at Austin Peay....vs. horrible competition. He's gone with singles as a pro...probably more of how he truly profiled as a hitter.

[BleedingBleu]

Performance, his Freshman & Sophomore season aren’t too big of a departure, even though it kind of looks that way.
Fr - .381/.512/.821/1.333
So - .333/.469/.693/1.162

A couple less walks, a couple more strikeouts, but still more BB than SO. Less Homers but a lot more Doubles. More Runs, less RBI’s. So, I see the appeal.

HOWEVER, the Cape Cod League performance leaves a lot to be desired. His Walks/Strikeouts completely reversed. 13 BB, 22 SO. Hell, his hitting ability vanished, completely.
.125/.282/.219/.501

Add to that he’s the size of Tavon Austin, and I just see a guy somewhere between Sugar Shane Robinson hit tool w/less power than Harrison Bader.

I’ll put it this way… I’d be annoyed if we took him at 13

So, you have judged him off of one summer in the cape cod league? Other than rock, he’s my favorite player in the draft.

I’ve judged him off of being 5’-8,” and a massive drop off in a wood bat league

Some college hitters get to power through the new composite bats and will never hit for the same power with a wood bat. This was a red flag with Bazzana and Condon in 2024. Now I don't know enough about Burress to judge him on this but it will definitely be a concern.

Bazzana performed pretty decently in the CCBL and has pretty decent size (6’-0” 200 lbs). Charlie is a big boy (6’-6” 215 lbs) and will likely kill it in Coors.

For anyone who griped about The Great Midget Draft (TGMD™) of 2024, you should feel justified. We are seeing hardly any power output from Ryan Campos & Bryce Madron. Hell, Jon Jon Gazdar has more first names than Homers! Hopefully, Deniel Ortiz is a sleeper that pays off, because it’s looking more JJ or bust.

Also, while I like Wetherholt (5’-10” 190 lbs), I expect this guy could be a fringe 20-Homer guy at most, but more realistically a 15/30 HR/SB guy who could hit .300 get on base *.350, knock +40 doubles playing excellent defense up the middle.

Deniel with the .580 OPS in Puerto Rican Winterball. I'm depressed over that.

JonJon smashed HR's with the Aluminum Bat at Austin Peay....vs. horrible competition. He's gone with singles as a pro...probably more of how he truly profiled as a hitter.

Looking at that league, no hitter appears to be really killing it there

[craviduce]

we haven't drafted a good hitter, outside of the one handed to us, Wetherholt....since 2020.....maybe 2022 with VS2 and Crooks III, but I'm not sold on either. They did hit enough to make the majors...that's the main goal, I guess. Keeping my fingers crossed that Baez backs up his 2025 breakout performance.

early returns on 2025 Draft from the plate side was HORRIBLE....they WHIFFED alot at the plate. Gurevitch and Datallo, the two I was most excited about fell so flat, it left you with the feeling of no hope. Gurevitch in particular was SUPPOSED to be a good bat. I think our most successful bats were the two catchers...20th pick and a UDFA. Forget their names.

Flipside with the Frodo draft from 2024...they all could take a walk...but like you said, outside of JJ you had Petrutz (He never met a 1B/RF line he didn't like ~ Pull Happy), and Gazdar the offensive output has been putrid at best. Kross did hit some HR's at PMB, but you saw the futility coming shortly before his promotion to Peoria. He was done after the promotion.

Pitching wise from 2024...still awaiting Holiday's debut. Davis doesn't give up many hits, but he gasses after 50 pitches. Threw some real gems for 4 innings...quite alot, but PC caught up to him. Dutkanych (AD4) may be the Gem of that draft....we'll see.

Davis, Honeyman, Levenson, Harris have been mildly disappointing to very disappointing. Harris the best of that bunch....2023...That's when I started losing faith in Flores and his scouting crew...the year before he (upset) me off with the Hjerpe pick...but 2023...no excuse there.

I feel we've drafted poorly overall from 2023-2025. I like the picks of Wetherholt and Franklin...I'm okay with Doyle, but he wasn't on my Top 5 radar...he made my next 5 I could live with....Jury is out for me on him until we can determine who he is..."High Ceiling FOTR starter, or his Low Floor Back of the BP set up/closer". Don't get me started on Mitchell...scouting says he can hit...but I think he may take a while...

Thankfully, we've done pretty well the last few years in IFA...Rodriguez, Padilla, Hunter, Strop, Dos Santos...they help offset the Draft Woes.

I"m on the FIRE FLORES bandwagon...most can attest I've been saying it since 2023 (grumbling in 2022)

[zuck698]

we haven't drafted a good hitter, outside of the one handed to us, Wetherholt....since 2020.....maybe 2022 with VS2 and Crooks III, but I'm not sold on either. They did hit enough to make the majors...that's the main goal, I guess. Keeping my fingers crossed that Baez backs up his 2025 breakout performance.

early returns on 2025 Draft from the plate side was HORRIBLE....they WHIFFED alot at the plate. Gurevitch and Datallo, the two I was most excited about fell so flat, it left you with the feeling of no hope. Gurevitch in particular was SUPPOSED to be a good bat. I think our most successful bats were the two catchers...20th pick and a UDFA. Forget their names.

Flipside with the Frodo draft from 2024...they all could take a walk...but like you said, outside of JJ you had Petrutz (He never met a 1B/RF line he didn't like ~ Pull Happy), and Gazdar the offensive output has been putrid at best. Kross did hit some HR's at PMB, but you saw the futility coming shortly before his promotion to Peoria. He was done after the promotion.

Pitching wise from 2024...still awaiting Holiday's debut. Davis doesn't give up many hits, but he gasses after 50 pitches. Threw some real gems for 4 innings...quite alot, but PC caught up to him. Dutkanych (AD4) may be the Gem of that draft....we'll see.

Davis, Honeyman, Levenson, Harris have been mildly disappointing to very disappointing. Harris the best of that bunch....2023...That's when I started losing faith in Flores and his scouting crew...the year before he (upset) me off with the Hjerpe pick...but 2023...no excuse there.

I feel we've drafted poorly overall from 2023-2025. I like the picks of Wetherholt and Franklin...I'm okay with Doyle, but he wasn't on my Top 5 radar...he made my next 5 I could live with....Jury is out for me on him until we can determine who he is..."High Ceiling FOTR starter, or his Low Floor Back of the BP set up/closer". Don't get me started on Mitchell...scouting says he can hit...but I think he may take a while...

Thankfully, we've done pretty well the last few years in IFA...Rodriguez, Padilla, Hunter, Strop, Dos Santos...they help offset the Draft Woes.

I"m on the FIRE FLORES bandwagon...most can attest I've been saying it since 2023 (grumbling in 2022)

I can't remember back that far Duce, but who did you want us to take that was available? Was he either Arnold or Hernandez?

[craviduce]

we haven't drafted a good hitter, outside of the one handed to us, Wetherholt....since 2020.....maybe 2022 with VS2 and Crooks III, but I'm not sold on either. They did hit enough to make the majors...that's the main goal, I guess. Keeping my fingers crossed that Baez backs up his 2025 breakout performance.

early returns on 2025 Draft from the plate side was HORRIBLE....they WHIFFED alot at the plate. Gurevitch and Datallo, the two I was most excited about fell so flat, it left you with the feeling of no hope. Gurevitch in particular was SUPPOSED to be a good bat. I think our most successful bats were the two catchers...20th pick and a UDFA. Forget their names.

Flipside with the Frodo draft from 2024...they all could take a walk...but like you said, outside of JJ you had Petrutz (He never met a 1B/RF line he didn't like ~ Pull Happy), and Gazdar the offensive output has been putrid at best. Kross did hit some HR's at PMB, but you saw the futility coming shortly before his promotion to Peoria. He was done after the promotion.

Pitching wise from 2024...still awaiting Holiday's debut. Davis doesn't give up many hits, but he gasses after 50 pitches. Threw some real gems for 4 innings...quite alot, but PC caught up to him. Dutkanych (AD4) may be the Gem of that draft....we'll see.

Davis, Honeyman, Levenson, Harris have been mildly disappointing to very disappointing. Harris the best of that bunch....2023...That's when I started losing faith in Flores and his scouting crew...the year before he (upset) me off with the Hjerpe pick...but 2023...no excuse there.

I feel we've drafted poorly overall from 2023-2025. I like the picks of Wetherholt and Franklin...I'm okay with Doyle, but he wasn't on my Top 5 radar...he made my next 5 I could live with....Jury is out for me on him until we can determine who he is..."High Ceiling FOTR starter, or his Low Floor Back of the BP set up/closer". Don't get me started on Mitchell...scouting says he can hit...but I think he may take a while...

Thankfully, we've done pretty well the last few years in IFA...Rodriguez, Padilla, Hunter, Strop, Dos Santos...they help offset the Draft Woes.

I"m on the FIRE FLORES bandwagon...most can attest I've been saying it since 2023 (grumbling in 2022)

I can't remember back that far Duce, but who did you want us to take that was available? Was he either Arnold or Hernandez?

I believe I had Hernandez, Irish, Witherspoon, Willits...I'm not 100% sure on the 5th right now...Maybe Arnold, he wasn't a popular pick at the end....but I liked him quite a bit better than Doyle....consistent his whole college career. Not just 1 year.