2017 MLB Mock Draft 3.5

As many college seasons wind down, teams are having (or have had) their meetings. Draft boards are being shaped and finalized. The same is true at BA, as the BA500 keeps taking shape. We’re still reporting, still adding to our list, and found time to squeeze in an amended Mock Draft before Memorial Day.

1. Twins Minnesota appeared to be leaning toward Brendan McKay as a hitter rather than on the mound. Some evaluators agree he has more looseness at the plate than he does on the mound, and may have more upside as a hitter. The best combination of upside and modest risk is Vanderbilt righthander Kyle Wright, who got the week off at the SEC Tournament after the Commodores lost a play-in game.

Pick: Kyle Wright, rhp, Vanderbilt |

2. Reds The Reds have been consistent. They’ll either pick Greene or McKay, though they may be leaning more toward McKay at the plate of late.

Pick: Brendan McKay, 1b/lhp, Louisville |

3. Padres This could be a fine scenario for both sides, though the Padres also could cut a deal here with a player such as New Mexico prep lefty Trevor Rogers if it allows them more flexibility for deals in later rounds.

Pick: Hunter Greene, rhp, Notre Dame High, Sherman Oaks, Calif. |

4. Rays In best player available mode, Tampa Bay could wind up with the draft’s best position player.

Pick: Royce Lewis, ss/of, JSerra Catholic HS, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. |

5. Braves The Braves would go prep arm in this scenario. If Gore, Greene, Wright and Lewis are gone, it’s unclear if they would take McKay, which could lead them to more of an off-the-board pick such as Texas prep righty Shane Baz.

Pick: MacKenzie Gore, lhp, Whiteville (N.C.) High |

6. Athletics Oakland isn’t shy about short pitchers, and 6-foot righty J.B. Bukauskas has the draft’s best breaking ball, an 87-88 mph slider.

Pick: J.B. Bukauskas, rhp, North Carolina |

7. Diamondbacks Virginia’s Pavin Smith had more home runs (12) than strikeouts (8) entering ACC tournament play.

Pick: Pavin Smith, 1b, Virginia |

8. Phillies The Phillies were bearing down on the college talent, particularly early in the class.

Pick: Alex Faedo, rhp, Florida |

9. Brewers Milwaukee has opened drafts with athletic outfielders (Trent Clark, Corey Ray) twice in a row. This year, no one is toolsier than Jordon Adell, whose 24-homer season makes him too difficult to slide through to the comp round.

Pick: Jordon Adell, of, Ballard HS, Louisville |

10. Angels With Mike Trout’s clock ticking, the Angels don’t have time to wait on toolsy preps.

Pick: Adam Haseley, of, Virginia |

11. White Sox Vanderbilt outfielder Jeren Kendall has struggled with strikeouts all spring (65 in 230 at-bats), but his other tools earn easy plus grades.

Pick: Jeren Kendall, of, Vanderbilt |

12. Pirates Pittsburgh’s focus on hitters could lead them to one of the draft’s risers, Kentucky’s slashing first baseman Evan White. He’s the rare bats-right, throws-left profile.

Pick: Evan White, 1b, Kentucky |

13. Marlins The Marlins have had more success when they’ve drafted pitchers in the first round of late.

Pick: Shane Baz, rhp, Concordia Lutheran HS, Tomball, Texas |

14. Royals Trevor Rogers, the New Mexico prep lefty, has one of the higher ceilings left on the board.

Pick: Trevor Rogers, lhp, Calsbad (N.M.) HS |

15. Astros If UC Irvine’s Keston Hiura makes it this far, Houston will pounce.

Pick: Keston Hiura, 2b/of, UC Irvine |

16. Yankees New York may find an answer to its need for a homegrown lefthanded starting pitcher.

Pick: David Peterson, lhp, Oregon |

17. Mariners Other clubs have linked Seattle to college bats.

Pick: Jake Burger, 3b, Missouri State |

18. Tigers Detroit has eyes on arms and won’t shy from preps.

Pick: D.L. Hall, lhp, Valdosta (Ga.) HS |

19. Giants The safest bet is giving the Giants a college bat.

Pick: Logan Warmoth, ss, North Carolina |

20. Mets Nick Pratto has lost some steam with an average spring. His long track record of success keeps him in the first round.

Pick: Nick Pratto, 1b/of, Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS |

21. Orioles In need of a fast-moving college performer, Baltimore would get just that in UCLA’s latest ace.

Pick: Griffin Canning, rhp, UCLA |

22. Blue Jays Missouri ace Tanner Houck struggled a bit in the SEC tournament.

Pick: Tanner Houck, rhp, Missouri |

23. Dodgers Evan White and prep outfielder Bubba Thompson, out of Alabama, are chief Dodgers targets.

Pick: Bubba Thompson, of, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS, Mobile, Ala. |

24. Red Sox Troubled lefty Seth Romero, kicked off the Houston roster, could move quickly in a relief role.

Pick: Seth Romero, lhp, no team |

25. Nationals Washington never shies away from injured players.

Pick: Clarke Schmidt, rhp, South Carolina |

26. Rangers North Carolina prep outfielder Austin Beck was losing draft helium as June approached, less because of his performance and more due to the glut of prep outfielders and his shorter track record.

Pick: Austin Beck, of, North Davidson High, Lexington, N.C. |

27. Cubs

While they crave pitching, the Cubs love little (listed 5-foot-8) Nick Allen.

Pick: Nick Allen, ss, Parker School, San Diego |

28. Blue Jays Toronto won’t be able to avoid LSU strikeout artist Alex Lange here.

Pick: Alex Lange, rhp, Louisiana State |

29. Rangers Texas isn’t shy about prep talent even with both of its first-rounders.

Pick: Matt Sauer, rhp, Righetti HS, Santa Maria, Calif. |

30. Cubs

This is where a high-ceiling prep talent can get paid with Chicago’s deep pool.

Pick: Sam Carlson, rhp, Burnsville (Minn.) HS |

Supplemental First Round

31. Rays High-risk, high-reward outfielders satisfy this franchise’s sweet tooth.

Pick: Quentin Holmes, of, McClancy Memorial HS, East Elmhurst, N.Y. |

32. Reds Cincinnati has plenty of toolsy outfielders to choose from in the supplemental round.

Pick: Tristan Lutz, of, Martin HS, Arlington, Texas |

33. Athletics We’re sticking with last week’s pick here, a college bat with wood-bat track record.

Pick: Brian Miller, of, North Carolina |

34. Brewers Analytically inclined teams value youth in the draft, and the 17-year-old Mark Vientos is the youngest player in BA’s Top 200.

Pick: Mark Vientos, ss/3b, American Heritage HS, Plantation, Fla. |

35. Twins Puerto Rican outfielder Heliot Ramos is the second-youngest player.

Pick: Heliot Ramos, of, Leadership Christian Academy, Guaynabo, P.R. |

36. Marlins All the toolsy preps aren’t outfielders, and South Florida’s Jeter Downs has been moving up boards with a strong spring, showing more power.

Pick: Jeter Downs, ss, Pace HS, Miami |