Which Famous Names Have Been Drafted in the 2011 MLB Draft? 

The 2011 MLB Draft is quickly coming to a close. Teams are making the final picks as I write. It's a been a long process, but that is expected going in because there are 50 rounds in the draft. 

Other than the first round the story lines tend to fade out. However, this year has been a bit different because of a few certain prospects. 

Some players that were drafted these past couple of days have legendary names. So who are these famous names being selected to eventually play in the MLB? 

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

Trevor Gretzky: Son of the greatest hockey player ever, Trevor Gretzky is a first baseman prospect drafted by the Chicago Cubs. The high school kid's father is Wayne Gretzky.

Trevor is clearly the most famous name selected in the 2011 MLB Draft. He was taken in the seventh round, and he has a big decision to make. Will Trevor join the Cubs? Or will he go play college ball at San Diego State? 

Dereck Rodriguez: Dereck is the son of active catch Ivan Rodriguez. He was drafted in the sixth round by the Minnesota Twins. The catcher just finished up high school and he is very likely to start his journey to the majors. 

Pudge Rodriguez has the rare opportunity to play at the same time his son does. However, it may be difficult because it will take Dereck awhile to reach the bigs, and Pudge turns 40 later this year.

Ryan Garvey: Ryan is the son of former MLB MVP and 10-time All-Star Steve Garvey. Ryan is an outfielder that was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 15th round. Steve thought his son would be drafted by the third round, but that didn't happen.

Will Ryan have the same success of his father "Mr. Clean"? Or Will Ryan choose college at USC over the pros? 

Other famous names that were drafted are the son of former Cub Shawn Dunston, Shawn Dunston Jr. (Chicago Cubs), Bryce Harper's brother Bryan (Washington), sports agent Scott Boras' son Trent (Milwaukee), and Johnny Reuttiger, the nephew of the Dan Reuttiger who was the subject of the sports classic "Rudy", was drafted by Baltimore.   

-Eric Bowman

2011 MLB Results: Injured Georgia Player Johnathan Taylor Gets Drafted

The final day of the 2011 MLB Draft is winding down. Many players drafted today will either take a leap of faith and test their luck in the farm system of a MLB team or return to school. 

The draft started at noon today and featured rounds 31 through 50. A team might be able to find a hidden gem this late in the draft, but that's mostly depends on how a player handles the transition to wooden bats and how coaches develop him.

The best story of the day happened in the 33rd round. The Texas Rangers did a wonderful thing today by drafting Georgia junior outfielder Johnathan Taylor. Any player drafted by any team is great, but what makes this pick so special is that Taylor is paralyzed.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

Taylor suffered a broken neck on March 6 of this year during a game against the Florida State Seminoles. Taylor collided with teammate Zach Cone when the two dove for a ball hit to the outfield. Cone was drafted in the first compensation round by the Rangers. 

Georgia head coach David Perno heard of the news earlier today and was very happy for Taylor and his family. Per GeorgiaDogs.com:

This was truly a classy move and a great gesture on the part of the Texas Rangers organization, said Georgia coach David Perno. J.T. is definitely a player worthy of getting drafted. He’s been a big part of our program, and we are all very excited for him. When I talked to him after he got the call, he was in the middle of his rehabilitation work, laughing and having a good time and was thrilled to be drafted.

Taylor has been a great player for Georgia since his starting in his freshman year. This was truly a great act from the Texas Rangers.

His Georgia teammates have been honoring him all season long wearing his jersey number and helping motivate him during his rehabilitation. Taylor was actually in rehab when the Rangers called him. A great gesture from the Texas Rangers will not go unnoticed. 

-Eric Bowman

MLB Draft 2011 Got Underway With Round 1 On Monday, But Which Player Were Taken Before They Should Have Been

The 2011 MLB Draft began with the first-round on Monday night. Gerrit Cole was the top pick for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as expected, and was arguably the top talent available in the draft.

But there are some picks that left a little something to be desired. We know that these scouting teams do hard work all year long and know these players really well by the time they make the pick. But that doesn't mean that the pick always makes sense.

Here are the three first-round selections that are overrated based on where they were taken in the draft and the tools that they have.

1) Chris Reed, Los Angeles - I understand that the Dodgers had to make a pick that would be an easy sign, but they could have gone with an actual first-round talent with the pick. He could be a starter in the big leagues despite being a reliever at Stanford. But they could have gotten him in the second-round.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

2) Jed Bradley, Milwaukee - He is a big lefty that throws in the mid-90's, so you can see the value with this pick. The problem, at least for me, is that he is probably going to be a mid-rotation guy because he doesn't have a viable third pitch. There were better options on the board - Sonny Gray, Alex Meyer, Matt Barnes - at the time he was picked.

3) C.J. Cron, Los Angeles Angels - The Angels made this pick because they are worried about what kind of player Kendrys Morales will be when he comes back. He is most likely a DH in the big leagues and doesn't project to do a lot more than hit for power. Mikie Mahtook would have been a much better selection for this team at this point.

These guys could turn into all-stars for all we know, but right now they look like serious reaches especially considering the guys that were left on the board when these teams made their respective picks.

Dylan Bundy

MLB Draft 2011 Looks At The Best High School Players That Were Taken In The First-Round

The 2011 MLB Draft featured a very good crop of high school players being taken in the first-round. The best athlete in the entire draft was two-sport high school star Bubba Starling. He was taken by the Royals with the No. 5 pick and should sign for an over slot deal.

Here are the five best high school players that were taken, based on where the pick was made, in the first-round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

1) Bubba Starling, Kansas City - The Royals wanted a college pitcher. When Trevor Bauer was taken by Arizona with the third pick, Starling became the logical choice. He has superstar potential, though, he will take at least four years to hone his skills in the minors.

2) Dylan Bundy, Baltimore - The Orioles landed the best high school pitcher in the draft with the fourth overall pick. He could get to the majors earlier than most high school players because his command is so good. He has a big fastball, a terrific curveball and a cutter that is still developing but projects to be an above-average pitch.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

3) Blake Swihart, Boston - Catching was scarce in this draft, and the Red Sox got the best one with the 26th pick. His bat is good as he shows the ability to hit for average and power with some mechanical tweaks. He has a lot of developing to do behind the plate since he doesn't receive the ball well or have good throwing mechanics.

4) Francisco Lindor, Cleveland - Lindor is a true shortstop prospect. He projects to be plus defensively and the bat should play very well at the position. Scouts are mixed on how much power he will have at the Major League level, but his approach at the plate will allow him to at least hit for average.

5) Taylor Guerreri, Tampa Bay - Guerreri's stuff should have made him a top-10 pick, but there were some character concerns that scared people off. Plus, he is going to demand an over slot deal. The Rays did their due diligence on him and saw enough to make him the 24th player taken in the draft. He needs to get consistent command of his pitches, but the stuff will play in the majors.

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Who Were the Losers of the 2011 MLB Draft? 

The 2011 MLB Draft had a few surprises as well as some possible steals. It will be awhile before we know how well these players turn out, but one thing we know for sure is that some teams could have done better. 

There are winners and losers in every draft of every sport. However, losing in the MLB Draft is far worse than losing in any other draft. 

Most baseball teams like to build their team through the draft and use their farm system to continue their success. A few bad picks in the early rounds could set a team back, or it could force them to spend a lot of money on a big time free agent.

So with that said, which teams dropped the ball in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft?

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

Atlanta Braves: The Braves had only one pick last night. They went with left handed pitcher Sean Gilmartin from Florida State. He's a strong guy, very athletic, and a big plus that he's a lefty. However, there were plenty of guys still on the board with a much higher ceiling. The Braves could use a lefty, but Gilmartin doesn't have a ton of upside and is projected as a back end starter, which isn't what the Braves truly need.

Texas Rangers: The Rangers drafted high school left handed pitcher Kevin Matthews who has verbally committed to Virginia. Despite a hefty signing bonus he may skip out on the Rangers and go to college. Matthews has above average velocity and is likely a future reliever.

Zach Cone of Georgia was the Rangers second pick. He's an OK pick because of his athleticism in the outfield and at the plate. However, he doesn't have a ton of experience with a wooden bat, and the times he did use them it was obvious that he was struggling. That could be a bad sign for the future. 

Los Angeles Dodgers: Like the Braves, the Dodgers only had one pick yesterday. They went with Chris Reed at No. 16. The left handed pitcher from Stanford doesn't have as much upside as a few of the other players that were still on the board. Reed is likely to be a reliever in the majors.

The Dodgers are having a ton of financial problems, which is why the MLB has stepped in to attempt to fix things. The Dodgers pick of Reed was a reach.

-Eric Bowman

2011 MLB Draft Looks At The 5 Best College Players Who Were Taken In The First-Round

The first-round of the 2011 MLB Draft featured a number of surprises with college players, particularly pitchers, falling lower than expected.

The pitching in this draft class looks to be outstanding, particularly from the college ranks, led by UCLA teammates Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer.

There were some good college bats available in round 1, led by Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon, though they did fall lower than most expected because the pitching was so deep.

Here are the five best college players taken in the first-round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

1) Gerrit Cole, Pittsburgh - He has the best pure stuff of any pitcher in the draft. He has a big fastball and a fantastic changeup. His slider is coming along and the command will get better with coaching. He is a true No. 1 starter in the making. He will need a year in the minors, but he will be a star.

2) Anthony Rendon, Washington - The Nationals had to be drooling when Rendon made it all the way to them with the sixth pick. He has a great approach at the plate and projects to hit for 25 homeruns in the majors. His glove will be plus at third base. He was the best college hitter available in this draft.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

3) Trevor Bauer, Arizona - Bauer was the best performing college pitcher this season having set a new Pac-10 record with 203 strikeouts. He has a plus fastball and plus breaking ball. His command is already above average and could get better with development. He could be the first player taken in the draft to arrive in the majors.

4) Matt Barnes, Boston - The Red Sox always seem to fall into these players who have top-10 talent, but slide for one reason or another. Barnes struggled with his command this season, which likely hurt him, but his stuff is electric. He can be a top-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues if he finds average command.

5) Mikie Mahtook, Tampa Bay - The second-best college bat in this draft, after Rendon, Mahtook fell to the Rays because of concerns that he might not be a center fielder. He has the potential to be a five-tool player, and to get someone like that at No. 31 is something that was too good for the Rays to pass up.

These are the five best college players taken, relative to the position where they are drafted. These guys could all arrive in the big leagues within a year, but some will likely need more development time.

MLB Draft 2011 Saw A Number Of College Players Taken In Round 1, But There Is Plenty Of Value Remaining

The first-round of the 2011 MLB Draft was loaded with high-end college players taken early, led by Gerrit Cole going No. 1 to Pittsburgh, but there are still a lot of high-ceiling college players still on the board in round 2.

Here are the five best college players remaining on the board.

1) Andrew Susac, C - The Oregon State catcher is the best college catcher in this draft. He looks good defensively, showing good arm strength, but lacking ideal receiving skills behind the plate. He has good power, though he will have to clean up his swing to hit for average.

2) Alex Dickerson, LF - Dickerson has tremendous power and a good approach at the plate allowing him to hit for a high average. He is limited defensively and could end up at first base or designated hitter.

3) Josh Osich, RHP - ESPN's Keith Law said that the Rangers were looking at Osich with the final pick of the first-round, but they opted to go for Kevin Matthews. He is still making his way back from an elbow injury, but has looked strong this season in the Pac-10.

4) Jason Esposito, 3B - Vanderbilt's third baseman is likely going to make it to the big leagues thanks to his defense. His offense has been suspect this season, which has caused him to fall out of the first-round.

5) Erik Johnson, RHP - Johnson doesn't have great stuff, but he has enough command to make him a potential starter in the majors. He doesn't have consistent command of any of his pitches right now.

Josh Bell

MLB Draft 2011 Saw A Number Of High School Players Taken In Round 1, But Who Are The Best Prep Players Remaining?

The first-round of the 2011 MLB Draft is in the books, and there were a number of quality high school players taken in the first 60 picks. But there are some guys who fell out of the first-round because of signing demands.

Here are the five best high school players remaining in the 2011 MLB Draft.

1) Josh Bell - Bell has the best high school bat in this draft class. He projects to hit for average and a ton of power thanks to tremendous bat speed that allows him to get through the zone. He sent out a letter two weeks ago telling teams not to draft him because he was going to college.

2) Dillon Howard - Another guy who is demanding big money, Howard has good stuff but hasn't shown consistency commanding any of his pitches right now.

3) Daniel Norris - He is one of the best high school left handers available in the draft. He hasn't always shown consistent command or velocity with his pitches, which no doubt scared some teams off. If he can hold the velocity throughout the course of the season, he could develop into a No. 2 starter.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

4) Charles Tilson - He has the potential for five-tools in the big leagues. ESPN's Keith Law says that one thing that could hurt him is lack of elite competition. He has tools and is very projectable.

5) Austin Hedges - Hedges is a great defensive catching prospect, and should be able to hold his own with professional experience behind the plate. His bat needs some work, but even a mediocre hitting catcher that plays outstanding defense has a ton of value.

These are the five best high school players that weren't selected in the first-round of the 2011 MLB Draft.

Update: Bell was taken by the Pirates with the first pick of the second-round, 61st overall. Howard was taken by the Indians with the seventh pick of the second round, 67th overall. Norris was taken with the 14th pick of the second-round, 74th overall.

Which Teams Did the Best During Day One of the 2011 MLB Draft? 

The first day of the 2011 MLB Draft has come and gone, as well as any fan excitement about the actual draft. It's not a popular event, but it's probably the most important draft of any sport. 

Several baseball teams heavily rely on their farm system to continue their success. A few bad picks in the early rounds could set a team back, or it could force them to spend a lot of money on a big time free agent. 

Most clubs like to save money and build their roster up from their draft picks. Looking at last night's picks we saw quite a few teams with multiple picks in the first round. So which teams made the most of their numerous first round draft picks?

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

Three teams that did a solid job with two or more first round picks are the Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres, and the Boston Red Sox. 

You could include the Arizona Diamondbacks in there but it's sort of cheating. Arizona had two picks in the top 10 so of course they're going to do well. 

The Rays had three picks in the first round, and with those picks they drafted Taylor Guerrieri, RHP (24), Mikie Mahtook, OF (31), Jake Hager, SS (32). Guerrieri and Hager are both high schoolers, which means the Rays are hoping neither will skip out on the draft for college ball.

Mahtook played at LSU and it was a bit of a surprise that he was still available for them. Tampa Bay used 10 of their 12 day one picks.

The Padres drafted Cory Spangenberg (10), Joe Ross (25). Spangenberg is a third baseman from Indiana River State College but the Padres know they can easily move him around the infield. He has a great amount of potential. It's an unprotected pick, which is why the Padres drafted him, but he will still be a good player. 

Ross is a right handed pitcher with high upside. He is an athletic high schooler that should sign with the Padres in no time.

The Boston Red Sox made their case as big winners of the 2011 MLB Draft. They drafted Matt Barnes, RHP (19), Blake Swihart, C (26). These two guys fell Boston's way and the Red Sox made the most of it. 

Barnes was a preseason top 10 player but his command wasn't very solid this year. He throws with high velocity and the Red Sox will work with him to get him under control.

The pick of Swihart is a great one because the Red Sox could use a strong catcher. He was rated the top catcher in the draft class and it's a position that Boston needs help with. A few years of development for this high schooler and he should be up in the bigs as a solid hitter. 

The draft continues today and tomorrow. Every team has a chance to make up for bad picks or add to their already strong draft choices. Who will emerge as the big winners of the 2011 MLB Draft? 

-Eric Bowman 

MLB Draft 2011 Features A Few Players Who Are On The Fast Track To The Big Leagues, Who Are They and When Will They Debut

With the first-round of the 2011 MLB Draft in the books, it's time to look at those players who are on the fast track to the big leagues. Every year there are at least a couple guys who debut after spending a month or two in the minors, and this year is no different.

Here are the first-round picks who will make it to The Show very, very soon.

1) Trevor Bauer, Arizona - His stuff is already Major League ready and he commands his pitches in the strike zone. Durability won't be a problem because he routinely threw over 120-130 pitches per start in college. He should see the big leagues next summer.

2) Danny Hultzen, Seattle - The Mariners surprised a lot of people by going with Hultzen over some of the higher upside players. His stuff is not electric, but still good, and he has a great command and feel for pitching. He will spend a couple months in the minors next season before debuting around July or August.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

3) Taylor Jungmann, Milwaukee - Jungmann doesn't have an overpowering fastball, it sits in the low-90's, but he has a dynamite curveball and command of his pitches which allows him to miss a lot of bats. He could debut next September, but 2013 is more likely.

4) Anthony Rendon, Washington - His bat is so advanced that he could start in double-A and not miss a beat. The shoulder injury that plagued him this season will be healed before spring training next year, allowing him to show off that plus glove at third base. He could see time late in the year if Ryan Zimmerman gets hurt.

5) Mikie Mahtook, Tampa Bay - The Rays were able to get the second best college hitter - after Rendon - for some reason. He has five-tool potential, and the bat will play right away. He needs to get better reads off the bat in center to play the position in the big leagues, but if you can hit - and Mahtook can definitely do that - teams will find a position for you.

A majority of the fast track guys this year are pitchers because that's where a vast majority of the talent was in this draft, but there are a few hitters that could see time as early as next year.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

MLB Draft 2011 Looks At Teams That Didn’t Make Smart Choices In First-Round

Every year there are a few teams in the MLB Draft that do a few things that leave you scratching your head. Some teams make these kinds of picks because they don’t want to spend big money on the top talent – or in the case of one team they can’t because of financial restraints. Others teams just think highly of players that no one else does.

Here are the three teams that made very questionable picks in the first-round last night.

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers’ pick wasn’t going to light the world on fire because of all Major League Baseball assuming control of the team in light of all the financial problems that Frank McCourt is having.

Chris Reed was a second-round talent who likely agreed to a slot deal with the Dodgers before the draft began. He will be a reliever in the big leagues.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

Colorado: Tyler Anderson was a borderline first-round pick thanks to his ability to command pitches, but he doesn’t have the upside that a lot of players left on the board had. He projects as a fourth or fifth starter in the big leagues. You need those kinds of starters in your system, but there were better options available for them.

San Francisco: The Giants won the World Series last year thanks to a number of homegrown players, including Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Jonathan Sanchez, Buster Posey and Matt Cain. This team knows how to draft, but they dropped the ball with Joe Panik.

He is a second-round talent at best and will have to move off shortstop thanks to a below-average arm. He doesn’t have a good bat, with average his only real tool. He is a utility player in the big leagues.

These are the three teams that made the worst picks in the first-round. These guys could reach the majors at some point, but don’t figure to have a lot of impact when they get there.

Elsa/Getty Images

MLB Draft 2011 Takes A Look At Winners From The First-Round

The first-round and sandwich-round of the 2011 MLB Draft are in the books and only 49 more rounds to go. There were a lot of surprises in the first-round with some guys going higher than predicted and others slipping well below where anyone thought they would.

Here are the winners first-round of the MLB Draft.

Kansas City: The Royals wanted Trevor Bauer badly. When he was taken by Arizona with the third pick, they scrapped their plan of going with a college pitcher who could join that wave of talent coming through the system right now and drafted the best player available. Bubba Starling will need time to develop, but he will be a superstar.

Arizona: The Diamondbacks wanted two premium pitchers and they got exactly what they wanted. Trevor Bauer is a horse and should be the first player from this draft to reach the majors. Archie Bradley has No. 1 starter stuff, he just has to develop consistent command of his pitches.

Boston: The Red Sox were lying in the weeds waiting for someone to fall to them with the 19^th pick, and that’s exactly what happened as they were able to grab Matt Barnes. He is a top-10 talent and should be a No. 2 starter in the big leagues.

Blake Swihart gives them a catching prospect that they desperately need, though, I don’t think his position was the reason he was drafted. He was just the best player on their board with the 26^th pick.

Washington: Anthony Rendon was supposed to be the No. 2 pick to Seattle. Instead, the Mariners went with Danny Hultzen. The Nationals saw all these college pitchers coming off the board, while the best college hitter sat waiting to hear his name called.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

People like to ask questions like “Why do they want him when they have Ryan Zimmerman?” In baseball, you don’t draft based on need – at least you shouldn’t. You draft the best available player regardless of position. That’s exactly what the Nationals did.

Plus, Alex Meyer, the team’s second selection, has the best pure stuff of any college pitcher in this draft after Gerrit Cole. At worst, he will be a dominant reliever. At best, he could be a top of the rotation starter.

It’s hard to argue with any pick because we haven’t seen these guys in pro ball yet, but these are the teams that really stood out after the first day of drafting.

MLB Draft 2011 Looks At Kansas City’s Selection Of Bubba Starling With 5^th Overall Pick

Kansas City’s farm system, which is arguably the best in baseball today, got even better last night when Bubba Starling was the team’s choice with the 5^th pick in Monday’s draft. Of course, that’s provided the team is able to sign him away from his football scholarship to Nebraska, though no one thinks that will be a problem.

Starling was the best athlete in this draft, but because he is a high school player who was demanding a lot of money teams were shying away from him. Even the Royals were planning on going with a college pitcher who they could plug into the system and would arrive in the majors along with the rest of their top prospects around 2013.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

But give the Royals credit for going with Starling. The two guys that they really wanted – Trevor Bauer and Dylan Bundy – were off the board. They could have gone with another top college pitcher, but they went with the best player available, which is something that a lot of teams won’t do.

Starling is going to need at least four years in the minors to translate all the tools that he has into production. But he should be a superstar when he enters his prime because the skills are THAT good.

He won’t reach the majors when all of the other top prospects in the Royals’ system do, but he will arrive around 2016 when those guys are hitting their prime. This team will be a dominant force in the American League Central for years to come thanks to great drafting and developing.

MLB Draft 2011 Looks at the Diamondbacks’ Trevor Bauer With the No. 3 Selection

Arizona’s front office had a dream when the draft began. Since they had the third and seventh selections, they were hoping to get Danny Hultzen and Trevor Bauer with those selections. Seattle ruined that dream when they made Hultzen the second pick. This changed Arizona’s plans a bit as they took Bauer with the third pick.

Bauer is one of the more unique individuals in this draft class. He has an intense training regimen that includes doing long-toss at distances of 300 feet and he goes all out with his warm-up tosses in between innings.

All of these idiosyncrasies have served him well because his stuff is tremendous with a mid-90’s fastball, a knockout curveball and a good changeup. His command of the strike zone is already very good with a chance to become even better.

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

He was a workhorse in college, often throwing over 120 pitches per start, which did raise some red flags with a few teams. But there were some people, including Baseball America’s Aaron Fitt, who said that Bauer should have been the top player taken in this draft because he is that good.

The Diamondbacks didn’t care about the workload because they saw the stuff is so advanced and his command is already major league average, and he should be the first player taken from this draft to reach the big leagues.

He hasn’t had any injuries during his college career, so the insane workout and warm-up regimen is doing something right. If all goes well with his development, he could see the big leagues next July.

MLB Draft 2011 Looks at Seattle’s Choice of Danny Hultzen with the No. 2 Pick

Seattle made the first surprising move of the 2011 MLB Draft when it made left-handed pitcher Danny Hultzen the No. 2 pick. Everything that had come out before the draft had them linked to Rice third baseman Anthony Rendon.

Hultzen doesn’t have the upside of some of the other players in the draft, which is why the pick was surprising, but he will be a guy who breezes through the minor leagues thanks to a combination of quality stuff and a great feel for pitching.

If he signs early enough, he could arrive in Seattle at some point next season. His ceiling is that of a No. 2 starter, which is certainly nothing to thumb your nose at, but that will require the stuff to get a little better than it is right now.

ESPN’s Jason Churchill speculated that this may have been a pick about finances as well as talent. "The rumored asking price was high,” he wrote, “but perhaps there was a pre-draft deal in place here or strong indications that Hultzen would sign for what Seattle was willing to spend on the pick.”

Must Read: Grading Each Team's Draft After Day 1

I think that this pick was more about being safe than it was about getting the best player available. Hultzen can make an impact in the majors quicker than almost any other player in this draft. If he reaches his ceiling, the Mariners will have a great rotation with Felix Hernandez, Michael Pineda and Hultzen.

The top guys in the draft were all bunched so close together that it’s hard to find real fault with this pick. He doesn’t have the ceiling of someone like Gerrit Cole, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be a good major league pitcher.