Re-Drafting Mookie Betts and 2011 MLB Draft Including International Prospects
What if Major League Baseball were like the National Basketball Association and international players were part of the annual draft process rather than the current free-for-all system where players go to the highest bidder within the confines of a club's predetermined bonus pool?
That's the hypothetical scenario we set out to explore with this new redraft series.
This time around the focus is 2011, which had an international class headlined by Seattle Mariners ace Luis Castillo, slugging outfielder Teoscar Hernández and pitchers Luis Severino and German Márquez.
They join a draft pool originally headlined by Gerrit Cole (PIT), Danny Hultzen (SEA), Trevor Bauer (ARI), Dylan Bundy (BAL) and Bubba Starling (KC) as the top five picks.
1. Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Mookie Betts
1 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Gerrit Cole
Betts' Actual Draft Position: No. 172 overall (Boston Red Sox)
The Pirates didn't whiff on the actual No. 1 overall pick by any stretch, with Gerrit Cole developing into one of the game's best young starters in Pittsburgh before he was traded to the Houston Astros.
However, there is no doubt the top spot in this draft class belongs to Mookie Betts.
"He could be a college difference-maker for his hitting ability, speed and solid athleticism, the last of which helped him be an all-conference basketball player and the state's boys bowler of the year in 2010. The question was whether any of Betts' tools was a carrying tool," wrote Baseball America, assuming he was headed to the University of Tennessee.
Instead, he inked an above-slot $750,000 bonus as a fifth-round pick and quickly emerged as a top prospect in the Boston system. He made his MLB debut in 2014, tallied 6.1 WAR in his first full season in the majors in 2015, won AL MVP in 2018, and has been one of the faces of baseball for years.
His 59.2 WAR ranks ninth among active players, trailing only Mike Trout (84.5), Clayton Kershaw (78.5), Justin Verlander (77.9), Zack Greinke (77.4), Max Scherzer (72.4), Miguel Cabrera (67.3), Joey Votto (64.5) and Paul Goldschmidt (60.6).
2. Seattle Mariners: RHP Gerrit Cole
2 of 34
Actual Pick: LHP Danny Hultzen
Cole's Actual Draft Position: No. 1 overall (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Gerrit Cole bet on himself when he spurned the New York Yankees as the No. 28 overall pick in the 2008 draft to honor his commitment to UCLA, and three years later it paid off when he went No. 1 overall and hauled in an $8 million signing bonus.
The hard-throwing right-hander posted a 3.31 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 119 strikeouts in 114.1 innings during his junior season with the Bruins, and while other college pitchers had better numbers, none could match his pure stuff.
In the years since, he has developed into one of the game's true aces and an elite strikeout pitcher, and he parlayed his early development into a record-setting nine-year, $324 million deal when he came full circle and finally joined the Yankees.
Cole would be the rotation staple the Mariners hoped they were getting when they selected Danny Hultzen, who went 12-3 with a 1.37 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 165 strikeouts in 118 innings during his junior season at the University of Virginia.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks: SS Francisco Lindor
3 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Trevor Bauer
Lindor's Actual Draft Position: No. 8 overall (Cleveland Guardians)
The Diamondbacks originally selected Trevor Bauer with the No. 3 overall pick, only to trade him to Cleveland a year later in a three-team deal that brought Didi Gregorius to Arizona in an effort to shore up the shortstop position.
This redraft cuts out all those steps and jumps straight to addressing the need at shortstop by taking four-time All-Star Francisco Lindor out of Puerto Rico.
While there were some questions about his long-term power potential, Lindor was a legitimate candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2011 draft on the strength of his all-around skills, elite defense and high baseball IQ.
With three straight 30-homer campaigns during his time in Cleveland and a 116 OPS+ and 38.2 WAR in nine seasons, he has developed into an all-around standout.
.png?w=256)
4. Baltimore Orioles: 2B Marcus Semien
4 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Dylan Bundy
Semien's Actual Draft Position: No. 201 overall (Chicago White Sox)
Marcus Semien was a bit of a late-bloomer, starting his career with the Chicago White Sox before joining the Oakland Athletics in a blockbuster deal that sent Jeff Samardzija the other way.
He enjoyed a breakout 2019 season when he posted a 139 OPS+ with 43 doubles, 33 home runs, 92 RBI and 8.5 WAR to finish third in AL MVP balloting, and he has been one of the best middle infielders in baseball in the years since.
Playing in the second season of a seven-year, $175 million deal with the Texas Rangers, he is hitting .286/.351/.477 with 20 doubles, 10 home runs, 53 RBI, 58 runs scored and 3.1 WAR in 67 games this year as a legitimate AL MVP candidate.
The Baltimore Orioles have an abundance of young infield talent, but a player like Semien would provide an established bat in the lineup and a welcome veteran presence in the clubhouse.
5. Kansas City Royals: RHP Luis Castillo
5 of 34
Actual Pick: OF Bubba Starling
Castillo's Actual Draft Position: International signing (SF, unknown bonus)
The top international player from the 2011 class, Luis Castillo was originally a member of the San Francisco Giants organization when he was signed out of the Dominican Republic on Dec. 23, 2011.
Three years later, he was traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for veteran third baseman Casey McGehee, and he was on the move again prior to the 2017 season when he joined the Cincinnati Reds in a deal that sent Dan Straily the other way.
He broke out as a frontline starter in Cincinnati, and last summer he was traded once again, this time to the Seattle Mariners who then signed him to a five-year, $108 million extension a year removed from free agency.
The 30-year-old would be the Kansas City Royals best homegrown pitcher since Zack Greinke first broke into the league back in 2004.
6. Washington Nationals: 3B Anthony Rendon
6 of 34
Actual Pick: 3B Anthony Rendon
Rendon's Actual Draft Position: No. 6 overall (Washington Nationals)
Anthony Rendon dealt with a shoulder injury during his junior season at Rice and spent most of the year serving as the team's designated hitter, effectively taking him out of the running to be the No. 1 overall pick.
However, he still hit .327/.520/.523 with 28 extra-base hits in 63 games, and he was the first college hitter off the board at No. 6 overall to the Washington Nationals.
The 33-year-old has dealt with injury issues throughout his career, but the impact he made during the Nationals' run to a World Series title in 2019 makes it a no-brainer to double down on selecting him this redraft.
During that season, he hit .319/.412/.598 for a 157 OPS+ with 44 doubles, 34 home runs, 126 RBI, 117 runs scored and 7.1 WAR to finish third in NL MVP voting.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks: OF George Springer
7 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Archie Bradley
Springer's Actual Draft Position: No. 11 overall (Houston Astros)
Along with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 draft, the D-backs also had a second selection inside the top 10 after Texas A&M right-hander Barret Loux failed his physical and did not sign at No. 6 in 2010.
This gives them an opportunity to add another impact bat to the lineup alongside their previous selection of Francisco Lindor, and UConn outfielder George Springer has been as impactful at the plate as any player from the 2011 class.
He hit .343/.450/.608 with 23 doubles, 12 home runs, 77 RBI and 31 steals in 66 games with the Huskies during the 2011 season, and he had a 37-homer, 45-steal season in the minors in 2013 on his way to the big leagues.
The 33-year-old has a 131 OPS+ and 35.6 WAR over 10 MLB seasons, and he is a four-time All-Star with a terrific postseason track record to boot.
8. Cleveland Guardians: RHP Sonny Gray
8 of 34
Actual Pick: SS Francisco Lindor
Gray's Actual Draft Position: No. 18 overall (Oakland Athletics)
Armed with a mid-90s fastball and an elite curveball, Sonny Gray went 12-4 with a 2.43 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 126 innings during his junior season at college powerhouse Vanderbilt.
He reached the big leagues in 2013 and quickly developed into the ace of the Oakland staff, earning his first All-Star selection and finishing third in AL Cy Young voting during the 2015 season.
The 33-year-old has had an up-and-down career, dealing with injuries and inconsistency, and he is turning in a great contract year this season with a 2.25 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 72 innings over his first 13 starts.
It's interesting to think of the impact he might have had on the 2016 Cleveland squad that fell one game short of a World Series title.
9. Chicago Cubs: SS Trevor Story
9 of 34
Actual Pick: SS Javier Báez
Story's Actual Draft Position: No. 45 overall (Colorado Rockies)
The Cubs face an interesting decision here between Javier Báez and Trevor Story to fill a void at shortstop during their previous window of contention.
The side-by-side comparison favors Story:
The 30-year-old is currently sidelined with an elbow injury, but he had back-to-back 30-homer, 20-steal, 6-WAR seasons during his prime in Colorado, and he broke into the league in 2016 with a stellar rookie season that would have lined up with the Cubs' title run.
10. San Diego Padres: RHP Joe Musgrove
10 of 34
Actual Pick: 2B Cory Spangenberg
Musgrove's Actual Draft Position: No. 46 overall (Toronto Blue Jays)
Right-hander Joe Musgrove was born in El Cajon, California, 15 miles east of Petco Park, and after spending time in the Blue Jays, Astros and Pirates organizations he eventually found his way home when he was traded to the San Diego Padres prior to the 2021 season.
This expedites him joining the San Diego organization by a decade, and makes him an early building block in the team's push to contend.
The 30-year-old has a 3.21 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 434 strikeouts in 409.2 innings since joining the Padres, and he signed a five-year, $100 million extension last August.
11. Houston Astros: OF Brandon Nimmo
11 of 34
Actual Pick: OF George Springer
Nimmo's Actual Draft Position: No. 13 overall (New York Mets)
With George Springer already scooped up a few picks earlier in this redraft, the Astros can still pivot to Brandon Nimmo to fill the void in center field and as a table-setter atop their potent lineup.
A native of Wyoming where there is no high school baseball, Nimmo made a name for himself on the summer showcase circuit, and became the highest-draft player in the history of the state when he was chosen No. 13 overall by the New York Mets.
While he does not possess the same power that Springer does, his .385 career on-base percentage and solid defense in center field have made him an extremely valuable player over the course of his eight-year career. The Mets rewarded him with an eight-year, $162 million deal during the offseason.
12. Milwaukee Brewers: SS Javier Báez
12 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Taylor Jungmann
Báez's Actual Draft Position: No. 9 overall (Chicago Cubs)
The Milwaukee Brewers churned through the likes of Jean Segura, Jonathan Villar and Orlando Arcia before acquiring Willy Adames to bring some stability to the shortstop position.
Despite his struggles since joining the Detroit Tigers in free agency, Javier Báez has still put together a solid MLB career, tallying 26.4 WAR over 10 seasons while earning a pair of All-Star selections.
He finished runner-up in NL MVP voting in 2018 when he posted a 129 OPS+ with 40 doubles, 34 home runs and an NL-leading 111 RBI in a 6.4-WAR season, and that was the first of what would be back-to-back 6-WAR campaigns.
13. New York Mets: OF Teoscar Hernández
13 of 34
Actual Pick: OF Brandon Nimmo
Hernández's Actual Draft Position: International signing (HOU, $20,000 bonus)
Teoscar Hernández was an under-the-radar signing out of the Dominican Republic who has developed into one of the most productive outfielders in baseball since breaking out during the pandemic-shortened season.
Among players with at least 1,000 plate appearances since the start of the 2020 season, he ranks 28th in OPS+ (128) and 16th in home runs (84), and even with a slow start this year he still has a 103 OPS+ with 11 home runs and 36 RBI.
The 30-year-old being a member of the New York Mets might have saved the organization from what is shaping up to be an ugly back-end of their four-year, $78 million deal with Starling Marte.
14. Miami Marlins: RHP José Fernández
14 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP José Fernández
Fernández's Actual Draft Position: No. 14 overall (Miami Marlins)
Given everything he meant to the Marlins organization and the city of Miami prior to his tragic death in a boating accident late in the 2016 season, it's only fitting that José Fernández would find his way back to the Marlins in this redraft.
The 2013 NL Rookie of the Year winner went 12-6 with a 2.19 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 187 strikeouts in 172.2 innings in his age-20 season to kick off his big league career, and across four seasons he had a 2.58 ERA and 589 strikeouts in 471.1 innings.
All signs pointed to a career that would have rivaled Gerrit Cole for the title of top pitcher from the 2011 draft class.
15. Milwaukee Brewers: LHP Blake Snell
15 of 34
Actual Pick: LHP Jed Bradley
Snell's Actual Draft Position: No. 52 overall (Tampa Bay Rays)
The Milwaukee Brewers came one win away from reaching the World Series for just the second time in franchise history in 2018.
That same year, left-hander Blake Snell won AL Cy Young honors as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays, finishing 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 221 strikeouts in 180.2 innings.
He has failed to match that level of success in the years since, but he remains an elite strikeout pitcher and has a 3.44 ERA with 1,070 strikeouts in 881.2 innings over eight big league seasons.
Are the Brewers hoisting the World Series trophy in 2018 with peak Snell added to their rotation?
16. Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Kyle Hendricks
16 of 34
Actual Pick: LHP Chris Reed
Hendricks' Actual Draft Position: No. 264 overall (Texas Rangers)
Injuries and some issues with the long ball have plagued Kyle Hendricks in recent years, but for a brief stretch he was one of the best pitchers in the National League.
From the start of the 2016 season when he finished third in NL Cy Young voting and started Game 7 of the World Series for the Chicago Cubs through the 2020 campaign, he went 54-39 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 787 innings.
With a 3.12 ERA in 57.2 career postseason innings, he would be a welcome addition to the staff for a Los Angeles Dodgers team that has been a perennial title contender but has gotten over the hump just once in recent years in 2020.
17. Los Angeles Angels: RHP Chris Bassitt
17 of 34
Actual Pick: 1B C.J. Cron
Bassitt's Actual Draft Position: No. 501 overall (Chicago White Sox)
The Chicago White Sox drafted both Marcus Semien (sixth round) and Chris Bassitt (16th round) in 2011, and then they traded both of them to the Oakland Athletics prior to the 2015 season in an ill-fated deal that brought back one year of Jeff Samardzija.
The Angels got to see plenty of the late-blooming Bassitt while he pitched for Oakland in the AL West, and he finished in the top 10 in AL Cy Young voting in 2020 and 2021 before he was traded to the New York Mets.
After a solid 2022 campaign, he inked a three-year, $63 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays in free agency.
18. Oakland Athletics: RHP Tyler Glasnow
18 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Sonny Gray
Glasnow's Actual Draft Position: No. 152 overall (Pittsburgh Pirates)
In terms of pure talent, Tyler Glasnow belongs much higher in this redraft, but his long injury history makes it difficult to rank him ahead of pitchers who have provided a significantly greater volume of production.
The 6'8" right-hander has a 2.81 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 326 strikeouts in 233.2 innings since the start of the 2019 season, but he has only pitched more than 100 innings in a season once in his career.
That boom-or-bust profile doesn't make sense to gamble on for teams that profile as perennial contenders, but he is a great value pick for an Oakland Athletics organization that almost certainly would have traded him several times over by now if they had drafted him in 2011.
19. Boston Red Sox: RHP Carlos Estévez
19 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Matt Barnes
Estévez's Actual Draft Position: International signing (COL, unknown bonus)
The bullpen has been a consistent issue for the Boston Red Sox since the days of Koji Uehara slamming the door in the ninth inning, so while this may seem like recency bias with Carlos Estévez enjoying a breakout 2023 season, there is some logic to the pick.
It's fair to wonder if Estévez might have taken his game to another level much sooner had he not spent the first seven years of his big league career battling Coors Field.
After signing a two-year, $13.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels during the offseason, he has posted a 1.50 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 11.7 K/9 in 30 appearances while going a perfect 18-for-18 on save chances.
20. Colorado Rockies: 2B Kolten Wong
20 of 34
Actual Pick: LHP Tyler Anderson
Wong's Actual Draft Position: No. 22 overall (St. Louis Cardinals)
Kolten Wong hit .378/.492/.560 with 21 extra-base hits and 23 steals in 57 games during his final season at the University of Hawaii, and he made his MLB debut a little over two years later for a St. Louis Cardinals team that was headed to the World Series.
The 32-year-old has been an inconsistent offensive contributor throughout his career, but he has five different seasons with at least 10 home runs and 10 steals, which coupled with his stellar defensive work at second base has made him a valuable player.
After posting a career-high 117 OPS+ with the Milwaukee Brewers last season, he is off to a dreadful start in his first year with the Seattle Mariners, but that doesn't erase the 21.7 WAR he has compiled over 11 seasons.
21. Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Luis Severino
21 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Tyler Beede (did not sign)
Severino's Actual Draft Position: International signing (NYY, $225,000 bonus)
When healthy, Luis Severino has been a legitimate frontline starter at times for the New York Yankees, but since eclipsing 190 innings in back-to-back seasons in 2017 and 2018 he has had a tough time staying on the field.
Over the past five years he has logged just 145 total innings, missing the entire 2020 season and most of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery, while also missing time more recently with a lat strain.
Still only 29 years old, he provides enough upside due to his peak performance to be worthy of a spot at the back end of this redraft. Considering the actual No. 21 overall pick Tyler Beede honored his commitment to Vanderbilt and did not sign, anything would be an upgrade for the Blue Jays.
22. St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Mike Clevinger
22 of 34
Actual Pick: 2B Kolten Wong
Clevinger's Actual Draft Position: No. 135 overall (Los Angeles Angels)
Acquired by Cleveland in an under-the-radar deal that sent reliever Vinnie Pestano to the Los Angeles Angels in 2014, right-hander Mike Clevinger made his MLB debut in 2016 and quickly developed into one of the best young starters in the American League.
From 2017 through the 2020 season, he went 41-20 with a 2.96 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 553 strikeouts in 489.1 innings, and he was sent to the San Diego Padres at the 2020 deadline in a blockbuster deal that brought back Josh Naylor, Cal Quantrill and four others.
An elbow injury sidelined him down the stretch in 2020 and he missed all of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Since returning to action, he has not had the same swing-and-miss stuff, but he still has a 4.17 ERA in 177 innings as a useful middle-of-the-rotation arm.
23. Washington Nationals: RHP Germán Márquez
23 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Alex Meyer
Márquez's Actual Draft Position: International signing (TB, unknown bonus)
In a rare trade misfire by the Tampa Bay Rays, a young Germán Márquez was sent to the Colorado Rockies along with Jake McGee prior to the 2016 season in exchange for Corey Dickerson and Kevin Padlo.
The right-hander made his MLB debut later that year, and he has since developed into a mainstay in the Colorado rotation, posting a 4.41 ERA and 111 ERA+ in 1,016 innings while landing a five-year, $43 million extension along the way.
With a 3.80 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 527.2 career innings away from Coors Field, it's fair to wonder what type of career he might have had if he wasn't playing his home games in a hitter's paradise.
24. Tampa Bay Rays: OF Anthony Santander
24 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Taylor Guerrieri
Santander's Actual Draft Position: International signing (CLE, $385,000 bonus)
The Tampa Bay Rays have one of the best lineups in baseball this season, but for years they were a team that succeeded on the strength of their pitching staff while eking out just enough offense to contend.
With averages of 35 doubles, 30 home runs and 89 RBI per 162 games in his career, Anthony Santander would provide some middle-of-the-order punch, and he is still earning a modest $7.4 million this season via arbitration so he would fit the club's budget.
Santander was originally signed by Cleveland out of Venezuela, but the Baltimore Orioles scooped him up in the 2016 Rule 5 draft and he has played his way into an everyday role, launching a career-high 33 home runs in 2022.
25. San Diego Padres: RHP Blake Treinen
25 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Joe Ross
Treinen's Actual Draft Position: No. 226 overall (Oakland Athletics)
After several years as a solid setup reliever with the Washington Nationals, sinkerballer Blake Treinen put together one of the greatest single-season performances in MLB history by a relief pitcher with the Oakland Athletics in 2018.
In 68 appearances, he went 9-2 with 38 saves in 43 chances while pitching to a 0.78 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 11.2 K/9. He limited opposing hitters to a .158 average and allowed just eight extra-base hits in 315 plate appearances.
All told, he has a 2.86 ERA and 9.0 K/9 in 449 career appearances, tallying 79 saves and 87 holds along the way.
26. Boston Red Sox: 1B C.J. Cron
26 of 34
Actual Pick: C Blake Swihart
Cron's Actual Draft Position: No. 17 overall (Los Angeles Angels)
Since the start of the 2011 season, the Boston Red Sox have used Adrian González, Mike Napoli, Hanley Ramírez, Mitch Moreland, Michael Chavis, Bobby Dalbec and Triston Casas as their primary first basemen.
That group has provided mixed results, and having someone like C.J. Cron penciled into the starting job and a spot in the middle of the lineup would have saved some money in free agency and brought stability to the position.
The University of Utah product hit .434/.517/.803 with 26 doubles, 15 home runs and 59 RBI as one of the most productive college hitters in the country in 2011.
27. Cincinnati Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani
27 of 34
Actual Pick: RHP Robert Stephenson
DeSclafani's Actual Draft Position: No. 199 overall (Toronto Blue Jays)
At his best, Anthony DeSclafani has been a solid No. 3 starter who chews through innings and misses plenty of bats. However, a variety of injuries and general inconsistency keep him from ranking any higher on this list, and the last five seasons are a fitting microcosm of his career.
2019: 31 GS, 3.89 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 167 K, 166.2 IP
2020: 7 GS, 7.22 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 25 K, 33.2 IP
2021: 31 GS, 3.17 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 152 K, 167.2 IP
2022: 5 GS, 6.63 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 17 K, 19.0 IP
2023: 14 GS, 4.31 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 60 K, 79.1 IP
The 33-year-old spent six seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, including his terrific 2019 campaign, so returning him to the franchise where he first broke through feels like a good fit in this redraft.
28. Atlanta Braves: LHP Tyler Anderson
28 of 34
Actual Pick: LHP Sean Gilmartin
Anderson's Actual Draft Position: No. 20 overall (Colorado Rockies)
One of the top college arms in the country in 2011, Tyler Anderson finished 8-3 with a 2.34 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 114 strikeouts in 107.2 innings as the Friday night starter for the Oregon Ducks.
He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Colorado Rockies before bouncing around and spending time with the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners. The Los Angeles Dodgers signed him to a one-year, $8 million deal prior to the 2022 season and he put together a career year, finishing 15-5 with a 2.57 ERA in 178.2 innings to earn his first All-Star selection.
He turned that performance into a three-year, $39 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. The 33-year-old has a 4.28 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 725 strikeouts in 866 career innings.
29. San Francisco Giants: RHP Giovanny Gallegos
29 of 34
Actual Pick: 2B Joe Panik
Gallegos' Actual Draft Position: International signing (NYY, $100,000 bonus)
There was some consideration to doubling down on the Joe Panik pick for the San Francisco Giants, but that feels like a reach considering his 5.4 career WAR, so we ultimately ended up reuniting the two sides with the No. 49 overall pick in the Supplemental Round.
Instead, the Giants walked away from the first round of this redraft with a standout bullpen arm, and a strong relief corps was the key to their success during the 2010s when they rattled off three World Series titles in five years.
The St. Louis Cardinals acquired Giovanny Gallegos at the 2018 trade deadline in a deal that sent slugger Luke Voit to the New York Yankees. Since that trade, he has a 2.95 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 with 41 saves and 61 holds in 239 appearances.
30. Minnesota Twins: 1B/OF Harold Ramirez
30 of 34
Actual Pick: SS Levi Michael
Ramirez's Actual Draft Position: International signing (PIT, $1.05 million bonus)
The Tampa Bay Rays sent infielder Esteban Quiroz to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for outfielder Harold Ramirez—who had just been acquired from Cleveland for cash considerations just a few months earlier—in an under-the-radar deal that is paying major dividends.
The 28-year-old had a 118 OPS+ in 435 plate appearances last season, and he has been even better this year, hitting .309/.355/.511 for a 141 OPS+ with 19 extra-base hits and a career-high 1.6 WAR in 54 games.
With club control through the 2025 season and a salary of just $2.2 million this year, he would be a great bargain addition to any team's lineup in this redraft.
31. Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Clay Holmes
31 of 34
Actual Pick: OF Mikie Mahtook
Holmes' Actual Draft Position: No. 272 overall (Pittsburgh Pirates)
A passable middle reliever to start his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. sinkerballer Clay Holmes was traded to the New York Yankees at the 2021 deadline and he almost immediately took his game to another level.
Prior to that trade, he had a 5.57 ERA and 1.64 WHIP with zero saves in 119.2 innings.
Since the trade, he has a 2.31 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 28 saves and 16 holds in 120.2 innings.
The 30-year-old was an All-Star for the first time last year, and it's fair to wonder if a Tampa Bay Rays organization that does as good a job as anyone developing pitching talent might have been unable to unlock his full potential several years sooner.
32. Tampa Bay Rays: 1B Josh Bell
32 of 34
Actual Pick: SS Jake Hager
X Actual Draft Position: No. 61 overall (Pittsburgh Pirates)
A strong commitment to the University of Texas caused Josh Bell to slip out of the first round of the 2011 draft, but the Pittsburgh Pirates added him to their draft haul with a massive $5 million above-slot bonus, the record for a player taken outside the first round.
He was an All-Star in 2019 when he had a 37-homer, 116-RBI season and he won Silver Slugger honors last year with a 128 OPS+ and 49 extra-base hits in 156 games with the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres.
The Cleveland Guardians signed him to a two-year, $33 million deal during the offseason, and while he has never quite jumped up to the top-tier of first basemen, he still has a solid 118 OPS+ with 136 home runs and 499 RBI over eight seasons.
33. Texas Rangers: OF Manuel Margot
33 of 34
Actual Pick: LHP Kevin Matthews
Margot's Actual Draft Position: International signing (BOS, $800,000 bonus)
The final first-round selection in our 2011 redraft was a toss-up between Manuel Margot, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Kevin Pillar, who each offer some similar qualities as solid defensive outfielders with some pop.
Bradley and Pillar have had the better careers to date, but Margot has the brightest outlook of the three going forward, and that carries a bit more value for a Texas Rangers team on the rise.
Since the start of last season, Margot has a 104 OPS+ with 38 extra-base hits, 14 steals and 2.1 WAR in 145 games, and he is still only 28 years old in the prime of his career.
Supplemental Round
34 of 34
34. Washington Nationals: OF Jackie Bradley Jr.
35. Toronto Blue Jays: OF Kevin Pillar
36. Boston Red Sox: RHP Rafael Montero
37. Texas Rangers: RHP Antonio Senzatela
38. Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Scott Barlow
39. Philadelphia Phillies: RHP Adrian Houser
40. Boston Red Sox: RHP Zach Davies
41. Tampa Bay Rays: 1B Dan Vogelbach
42. Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Michael Fulmer
43. Arizona Diamondbacks: SS Nick Ahmed
44. New York Mets: RHP Cody Allen
45. Colorado Rockies: RHP Joe Ross
46. Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Seth Lugo
47. Chicago White Sox: 3B Travis Shaw
48. San Diego Padres: LHP Andrew Chafin
49. San Francisco Giants: 2B Joe Panik
50. Minnesota Twins: RHP Dylan Bundy
51. New York Yankees: IF/OF Jon Berti
52. Tampa Bay Rays: C James McCann
53. Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Ken Giles
54. San Diego Padres: RHP Seranthony Domínguez
55. Minnesota Twins: 2B Rougned Odor
56. Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Chris Devenski
57. Toronto Blue Jays: IF/OF Brad Miller
58. San Diego Padres: RHP Matt Barnes
59. Tampa Bay Rays: IF Tommy La Stella
60. Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Nick Martinez
.png?w=480)
