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The MLB draft is set to take place this weekend, so we thought we’d have a mock draft of our own with SB Nation writers. We took 30 writers from various SB Nation baseball sites and gave them each a team to work with. To be clear, this is not who we think will get drafted, just who we would draft.
Clint Scoles drafted for the Royals, and with the seventh pick, he selected Georgia prep shortstop Brady House.
Clint Scoles: I didn’t expect the board to layout like it did, to be honest, with it going pretty chalk at the top. Once it did, I couldn’t stay off of Brady House with his athleticism and power. At 215 lbs and just turned 18 years old, he’s not going to be able to stick at the position when he likely adds 20 or more pounds, but no matter with his hands, arm, and power. He should be able to handle third base or rightfield easily in the early years before moving to first or designated hitter. None of the shortstops in this class could move Bobby Witt, Jr. off the position anyway and it’s fools gold to think one could. I think outside of Marcelo Mayer, House is the best prep bat in this class as he doesn’t need to ramp up like Watson to get to the power. He has a long track record in front of scouts similar to Pratto and Witt in the past, and he’s shown he can make tweaks in his swing already, which is something all players have to do at some point in their development.
The only other possible pick for me here with what was on the board was Colton Cowser. I like Cowser quite a bit and believe he will be a longtime major league corner outfielder that will hit 10-20 HR while carrying a good OBP. Still, House has a huge upside and drips Troy Glaus 30 to 40 home run potential, which next to Bobby Witt could make the best-left side infield in the game for a few years. There are rumors House could take a shorter deal in the top five, so I don’t suspect that the Royals would have to go much over slot with this selection, leaving them with a decent bonus amount to take a player with their second selection.
Full draft results:
SB Nation Mock Draft
| Round 1 | Pick | School |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Pick | School |
| 1 Pirates | SS Jordan Lawlar | Jesuit HS (TX) |
| 2 Rangers | SS Marcelo Mayer | Eastlake HS (CA) |
| 3 Tigers | RHP Jack Leiter | Vanderbilt University |
| 4 Red Sox | C Henry Davis | University of Louisville |
| 5 Orioles | SS Kahlil Watson | Wake Forest HS (NC) |
| 6 Diamondbacks | RHP Kumar Rocker | Vanderbilt University |
| 7 Royals | SS Brady House | Winder-Barrow HS (GA) |
| 8 Rockies | OF Sal Frelick | Boston College |
| 9 Angels | RHP Jackson Jobe | Heritage Hall HS (OK) |
| 10 Mets | RHP Ty Madden | University of Texas |
| 11 Nationals | OF Colton Cowser | Sam Houston State |
| 12 Mariners | LHP Jordan Wicks | Kansas State University |
| 13 Phillies | RHP Gunnar Hoglund | University of Mississippi |
| 14 Giants | CF Benny Montgomery | Red Land HS (PA) |
| 15 Brewers | SS Matt McLain | UCLA |
| 16 Marlins | C Harry Ford | North Cobb HS (GA) |
| 17 Reds | RHP Andrew Painter | Calvary Christian HS (FL) |
| 18 Cardinals | RHP Sam Bachman | Miami University (OH) |
| 19 Blue Jays | RHP Gavin Williams | East Carolina University |
| 20 Yankees | RHP Will Bednar | Mississippi State University |
| 21 Cubs | RHP Michael McGreevy | UC-Santa Barbara |
| 22 White Sox | SS Colson Montgomery | Southridge HS (IN) |
| 23 Indians | RHP Bubba Chandler | North Oconee HS (GA) |
| 24 Braves | SS Trey Sweeney | Eastern Illinois Univeresity |
| 25 Athletics | OF Will Taylor | Dutch Fork HS (SC) |
| 26 Twins | CF Jud Fabian | University of Florida |
| 27 Padres | 3B Izaac Pacheco | Friendswood HS (TX) |
| 28 Rays | RHP Ryan Cusick | Wake Forest University |
| 29 Dodgers (Comp pick) | C Joe Mack | Williamsville East HS (NY) |
| 30 Reds (Competitive Balance A pick) | OF Joshua Baez | Dexter Southfield HS (MA) |