Re-Drafting Elly De La Cruz and the 2018 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 last year with our redraft series.
The thinking then was that a draft and international class needed at least five years for players to develop before we could reassess the landscape, so with another year passed, it's time to add the 2018 draft to the mix.
The 2018 international class is headlined by Elly De La Cruz and Francisco Álvarez, with 2024 rookies Andy Pages and Luis Matos also among the players who signed as amateur free agents during that cycle.
They join a draft pool originally headlined by Casey Mize (DET), Joey Bart (SF), Alec Bohm (PHI), Nick Madrigal (CWS) and Jonathan India (CIN) as the top five picks.
1. Detroit Tigers: SS Elly De La Cruz
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Actual Pick: RHP Casey Mize
De La Cruz's Actual Draft Position: International signing (CIN, $65,000 bonus)
In a market where Cuban outfielder Victor Victor Mesa reeled in a $5.25 million bonus from the Miami Marlins, Dominican-born shortstop Elly De La Cruz was little more than an afterthought when he inked a modest $65,000 bonus.
Now he's one of the sport's brightest rising stars.
The 22-year-old sports a 130 OPS+ with 19 extra-base hits and 30 steals through 49 games, and he possesses a rare combination of power, speed and athleticism all from a 6'5", 200-pound frame.
The hypothetical might not save the Tigers from signing Javier Báez, but it does give them a bona fide face of the franchise to build around for years to come.
2. San Francisco Giants: LHP Tarik Skubal
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Actual Pick: C Joey Bart
Skubal's Actual Draft Position: No. 255 overall (Detroit Tigers)
Catcher Joey Bart hit .359/.471/.632 with 16 home runs and 38 RBI during his junior season at Georgia Tech, and he looked like a slam dunk pick by the Giants with Buster Posey's career winding to a close.
Instead, he failed to find his footing in the majors and was ultimately designated for assignment earlier this year.
This re-do gives the Giants a second frontline starter to slot alongside Logan Webb in the starting rotation, and perhaps also saves them from what is shaping up to be an ill-advised move to sign Blake Snell.
Skubal, 27, has gone 13-4 with a 2.57 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 140.1 innings over his last 25 starts dating back to his return from flexor tendon surgery last summer.
3. Philadelphia Phillies: OF Steven Kwan
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Actual Pick: 3B Alec Bohm
Kwan's Actual Draft Position: No. 163 overall (Cleveland Guardians)
Steven Kwan spent his junior season at Oregon State playing in the shadow of eventual No. 4 overall pick Nick Madrigal, but he has developed into the best version of what Madrigal was supposed to be as one of the game's best contact hitters.
The 26-year-old was a 5.6-WAR player during his rookie season in 2022, which is the same year the Philadelphia Phillies made a surprise run to the World Series as a wild-card team.
Would they have been better off with Kwan on that team rather than Alec Bohm, who was the player they actually picked at No. 3 overall?
Both of those players are having terrific 2024 seasons, so it's an interesting debate, but we'll pencil Kwan into a spot in the Philadelphia outfield in this redraft.
4. Chicago White Sox: SS Jeremy Peña
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Actual Pick: 2B Nick Madrigal
Peña's Actual Draft Position: No. 102 overall (Houston Astros)
The White Sox unceremoniously cut ties with longtime shortstop Tim Anderson during the offseason, but perhaps they would have sold high at his peak a few years ago if they had Jeremy Peña rising the ranks in the farm system.
A third-round pick out of the University of Maine on the strength of his strong glove work at shortstop, Peña has developed into a well-rounded shortstop and quickly eased the loss of Carlos Correa in Houston.
He won a Gold Glove as a rookie and then went on to take home ALCS and World Series MVP honors during the 2022 postseason.
The 26-year-old is now hitting .326/.364/.461 for a 138 OPS+ and leading the AL with 63 hits.
5. Cincinnati Reds: RHP Logan Gilbert
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Actual Pick: IF Jonathan India
Gilbert's Actual Draft Position: No. 14 overall (Seattle Mariners)
It might seem odd to pivot away from selecting the guy who won 2021 NL Rookie of the Year honors, but things have not gone particularly well for Jonathan India since that terrific debut season.
Since the start of 2022, he has dealt with multiple injuries and when he has taken the field he has hit just .241/.332/.377 for a 93 OPS+ with 1.2 WAR in 264 games.
Instead, the Reds walk away with Logan Gilbert in this redraft, who with all due respect to guys like Tyler Mahle, Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott, would immediately become their best homegrown pitcher since Johnny Cueto.
The Stetson University alum is in his fourth big league season, and in 98 career starts with the Seattle Mariners he has a 3.69 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 553 strikeouts in 560.1 innings.
6. New York Mets: LHP Shane McClanahan
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Actual Pick: OF Jarred Kelenic
McClanahan's Actual Draft Position: No. 31 overall (Tampa Bay Rays)
If not for the fact that he is currently sidelined while recovering from Tommy John surgery, Shane McClanahan might have gone No. 2 pick in this redraft.
He showed swing-and-miss stuff as a redshirt sophomore at South Florida, racking up 120 strikeouts in 76.1 innings while drawing comparisons to Chris Sale, but there were also questions about his command as he issued 48 walks.
Those concerns quickly melted away once he got rolling in the Tampa Bay farm system, and after making his debut in the 2020 postseason, he quickly climbed to the top of the MLB rotation.
The 27-year-old was an All-Star in 2022 and 2023, earning the starting nod at the '22 game, and he has a 3.02 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 456 strikeouts in 404.2 innings.
Would the Mets have still traded him for Robinson Canó and Edwin Díaz like they did Jarred Kelenic?
7. San Diego Padres: C Cal Raleigh
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Actual Pick: LHP Ryan Weathers
Raleigh's Actual Draft Position: No. 90 overall (Seattle Mariners)
The catcher position has been a revolving door for the San Diego Padres essentially going all the way back to the early 1990s when Benito Santiago was in the prime of his career, and this redraft finally gives them a long-term answer.
Cal Raleigh hit .326/.447/.583 with 18 doubles, 13 home runs and 54 RBI during his junior season at Florida State, and he has developed into one of the steals of the 2018 draft class as a third-round pick.
The 27-year-old led all catchers with 30 home runs last year while logging his second straight 3-WAR season, and he is off to a strong start at the plate once again this year with a 119 OPS+ and 11 home runs in 45 games.
8. Atlanta Braves: RHP Grayson Rodriguez
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Actual Pick: RHP Carter Stewart (did not sign)
Rodriguez's Actual Draft Position: No. 11 overall (Baltimore Orioles)
The Braves selected high school pitcher Carter Stewart with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 draft, but offered him below slot value due to a wrist injury and he chose not to sign. He instead inked a six-year, $7 million contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in the Japanese League.
This redraft gives them another of the nation's top prep arms in Grayson Rodriguez, who ended up going off the board three picks later in the actual 2018 draft.
The 24-year-old turned a corner last year after returning from a minor league demotion in July, posting a 2.58 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 76.2 innings over his final 13 starts and living up to the hype of being the consensus top pitching prospect in baseball.
With club control through the 2029 season, he would be a key piece of Atlanta's impressive young core.
9. Oakland Athletics: 3B Alec Bohm
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Actual Pick: OF Kyler Murray
Bohm's Actual Draft Position: No. 3 overall (Philadelphia Phillies)
With a strong 6'5" frame and a .339/.436/.625 line that included 16 home runs and 55 RBI in 57 games during his junior season at Wichita State, Alec Bohm looked the part of a future middle-of-the-order slugger.
It has taken him some time to turn his offensive potential into production at the big league level, but after a 20-homer, 97-RBI campaign last year, he is hitting .330/.386/.530 with 20 doubles, five home runs and 46 RBI in 49 games this season.
Considering the A's wasted the No. 9 overall pick on Kyler Murray who then went back to Oklahoma to play out this junior season of football, won the Heisman Trophy and left baseball behind to focus on his football career, Bohm is a massive upgrade.
10. Pittsburgh Pirates: 2B Nico Hoerner
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Actual Pick: OF Travis Swaggerty
Hoerner's Actual Draft Position: No. 24 overall (Chicago Cubs)
The Pittsburgh Pirates have had some trouble finding stability at second base since Adam Frazier was traded to the San Diego Padres at the 2021 deadline.
That problem would instantly be solved with the addition of Nico Hoerner in this redraft, as he made his MLB debut in 2019 and had established himself as the second baseman of the present and future for the Chicago Cubs by the time the 2021 season came to a close.
An elite defender with solid contact skills and plus speed, he hit .283/.346/.383 with 40 extra-base hits, 43 steals and 5.1 WAR last season, joining double-play partner Dansby Swanson in taking home NL Gold Glove honors.
11. Baltimore Orioles: RHP Joe Ryan
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Actual Pick: RHP Grayson Rodriguez
Ryan's Actual Draft Position: No. 102 overall (Tampa Bay Rays)
The Baltimore Orioles would no doubt be content passing on the idea of a redraft and holding onto Grayson Rodriguez as the No. 11 overall pick, but in this scenario he is already off the board.
Right-hander Joe Ryan is a solid substitute, as he has developed into a reliable middle-of-the-rotation starter for the Minnesota Twins while flashing the potential for more. In 10 starts this season, he has a 3.15 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 64 strikeouts in 60 innings.
The Tampa Bay Rays decision to trade him at the 2021 deadline in exchange for a two-month rental of Nelson Cruz stands as one of the few obvious missteps by that front office in recent years.
12. Toronto Blue Jays: 1B Triston Casas
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Actual Pick: SS Jordan Groshans
Casas' Actual Draft Position: No. 26 overall (Boston Red Sox)
There is an added level of intrigue to the idea of Triston Casas landing with the Toronto Blue Jays in the midst of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. trade rumors, and it would be interesting to see how those two might have co-existed in Toronto.
Casas, 24, broke out during the second half of his rookie season last year when he hit .317/.417/.617 with 15 home runs in 54 games.
He is currently recovering from a fractured rib, but all signs point to him being an offensive star alongside Rafael Devers in the Boston lineup.
13. Miami Marlins: C Francisco Álvarez
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Actual Pick: OF Connor Scott
Alvarez's Actual Draft Position: International signing (NYM, $2.7 million bonus)
While Carter Stewart (No. 8 overall) did not sign and Kyler Murray (No. 9 overall) left baseball behind to pursue his football career, Connor Scott is the highest pick who actually played pro ball for the team that drafted him while failing to reach the majors.
He is playing his third straight season at the Double-A level in the Pittsburgh organization.
In his place, the Marlins add some much-needed offensive firepower in catcher Francisco Álvarez, who is just the second international player off the board in this redraft.
After developing into one of baseball's elite prospects, he launched 25 home runs as a rookie last season. A torn ligament in his thumb that required surgery has limited him to just 16 games so far this year, but he has superstar potential going forward.
14. Seattle Mariners: RHP Brady Singer
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Actual Pick: RHP Logan Gilbert
Singer's Actual Draft Position: No. 18 overall signing (Kansas City Royals)
Brady Singer was a candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2018 draft before an inconsistent spring at the University of Florida caused him to slip to No. 18 overall, and he has shown flashes of living up to his top-of-the-rotation potential.
The 27-year-old had a 3.23 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 153.1 innings during a breakout season in 2022, but he took a step backward last year with a 5.52 ERA in 159.2 frames.
Now pitching at a high level once again, he has a 2.70 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 61 strikeouts in 56.2 innings as a key piece of an upstart Kansas City rotation.
With Logan Gilbert off the board in this redraft, the Mariners still walk away with a highly productive college starter.
15. Texas Rangers: C Ryan Jeffers
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Actual Pick: RHP Cole Winn
Jeffers' Actual Draft Position: No. 59 overall signing (Minnesota Twins)
UNC Wilmington catcher Ryan Jeffers was the fourth backstop selected in the 2018 draft and the second from the college ranks behind only No. 2 overall pick Joey Bart, but his offensive explosion in recent years has still been a pleasant surprise.
The 26-year-old posted a 136 OPS+ with 14 home runs and 43 RBI in 96 games last season, and he has been even better this year with a 148 OPS+ and 10 long balls through his first 173 plate appearances.
The Rangers already have a good catcher in Jonah Heim, but more and more teams are going with a two-catcher approach to help keep both guys fresh, so Jeffers would still have a role on the current roster.
16. Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Kyle Bradish
16 of 31![BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 15: Kyle Bradish #38 of the Baltimore Orioles] pitches in the third inning during a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 15, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)](https://legacymedia.sportsplatform.io/image/upload/x_0,y_0,w_1800,h_1195,c_crop/v1716423247/cojcnickdyeofbpnvhci.jpg?w=684 "BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 15: Kyle Bradish #38 of the Baltimore Orioles] pitches in the third inning during a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 15, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)")
Actual Pick: LHP Matthew Liberatore
Bradish's Actual Draft Position: No. 121 overall signing (Los Angeles Angels)
Kyle Bradish went from the fringe of the MLB roster to a staff ace last season when he went 12-7 with a 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 168 strikeouts in 168.2 innings to finish fourth in AL Cy Young voting.
Elbow issues delayed the start of his 2024 season until May, but he has returned with a 2.41 ERA in 18.2 innings over his first four starts, backing up his breakout performance and giving a contending Orioles team a welcome boost.
The Tampa Bay Rays actually used No. 16 overall pick Matthew Liberatore in the deal to acquire Randy Arozarena from the St. Louis Cardinals, so that pick worked out well in the long run.
17. Los Angeles Angels: OF Jarren Duran
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Actual Pick: OF Jordyn Adams
Duran's Actual Draft Position: No. 220 overall signing (Boston Red Sox)
A three-sport athlete in high school who was committed to play baseball and football at North Carolina, outfielder Jordyn Adams has yet to turn his raw athleticism into consistent success on the baseball diamond.
Instead, the Angels get a productive outfielder just coming into his own in Jarren Duran.
The 27-year-old hit .295/.346/.482 for a 121 OPS+ with 44 extra-base hits, 24 steals and 2.1 WAR last season while staking his claim to the starting center field job, and he has continued to impress at the plate this season while taking his defensive game to another level.
With 3.0 WAR through 50 games, he ranks fourth among all AL players.
18. Kansas City Royals: 2B Nolan Gorman
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Actual Pick: RHP Brady Singer
Gorman's Actual Draft Position: No. 19 overall signing (St. Louis Cardinals)
One of the best power hitters in the 2018 draft class, Nolan Gorman demolished minor league pitching every step of the way before debuting with a 104 OPS+ and 14 home runs in 89 games in 2022.
Now in his third big league season, he is still searching for consistency at the plate, but his power continues to play as he sports a 111 OPS+ with 49 home runs in 251 career games in the big leagues.
The Royals could use more punch in their lineup beyond Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Pérez, and they are also still searching for their long-term answer at second base on the other side of the Whit Merrifield ERA.
19. St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Drew Rasmussen
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Actual Pick: 2B Nolan Gorman
Rasmussen's Actual Draft Position: No. 185 overall signing (Milwaukee Brewers)
After not signing as the No. 31 overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, Drew Rasmussen returned to Oregon State and promptly blew out his elbow, missing the entire 2018 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Brewers took a chance on him in the sixth round, but he ended up with the Rays anyway after he was acquired in the deal that sent Willy Adames to Milwaukee in 2021.
He went 15-9 with a 2.78 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 172 strikeouts in 190.2 innings over 36 starts in 2022 and 2023 before arm issues again sent him to the sidelines, and he is currently recovering from having an internal brace procedure on his elbow.
Still, his peak performance and potential upside going forward are enough for him to sneak into the back end of the first round in this redraft.
20. Minnesota Twins: 2B Brice Turang
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Actual Pick: OF Trevor Larnach
Turang's Actual Draft Position: No. 21 overall signing (Milwaukee Brewers)
A staple on the showcase circuit and a top prospect for the 2018 draft class throughout his high school career, Brice Turang suffered a bit from prospect fatigue by the time the draft finally arrived and he ended up slipping to No. 21 overall.
He showed off a slick glove at second base as a rookie last season, but hit just .218 with a 60 OPS+ and 18 extra-base hits in 448 plate appearances, raising questions about whether he would hit enough to hold onto a starting job.
The 24-year-old has answered those questions in the early going this year, hitting .310/.365/.426 with 12 doubles, two home runs, 17 RBI, 20 runs scored and 18 steals en route to an impressive 2.1 WAR in 45 games.
Perhaps the Twins pull the trigger on a Jorge Polanco trade sooner with Turang in the mix.
21. Milwaukee Brewers: IF/OF Brendan Donovan
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Actual Pick: 2B Brice Turang
Donovan's Actual Draft Position: No. 213 overall signing (St. Louis Cardinals)
Brendan Donovan has developed into one of baseball's best super-utility players since breaking into the majors with a 4.1-WAR season in 2022 to finish third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting.
He slots in as the perfect replacement for Brice Turang at second base after he was taken one pick earlier in this draft, while also providing an option at third base and in left field.
The Brewers have done a nice job developing position-player talent in recent years, so it's fair to assume they would still be able to squeeze the most out of Donovan, who was a seventh-round selection from South Alabama.
22. Colorado Rockies: OF Lars Nootbaar
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Actual Pick: LHP Ryan Rolison
Nootbaar's Actual Draft Position: No. 243 overall signing (St. Louis Cardinals)
Left-hander Ryan Rolison went 10-4 with a 3.70 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 97.1 innings as the ace of the Ole Miss staff in 2018 before he was taken in the first round by the Rockies, but he has yet to make it to the majors while battling a variety of injury issues.
The Rockies could reach for someone like Reese Olson or Josiah Gray, or take a chance on No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize in their search for competent pitching, but instead we've simply opted for the best available player on the board.
Outfielder Lars Nootbaar has shown flashes of being an All-Star caliber outfielder, including posting a 115 OPS+ and 3.3 WAR in 117 games last season, and he would be a core piece of this current Rockies roster.
23. New York Yankees: OF Andy Pages
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Actual Pick: C Anthony Seigler
Pages' Actual Draft Position: International signing (LAD, $300,000 bonus)
The Yankees original pick here was an intriguing prep catcher who was also a switch-pitcher in Anthony Seigler, but he has not yet advanced beyond Double-A. He hit .166 with a .597 OPS in 67 games at that level in 2023.
Slugger Andy Pages is an upside pick, but one that could pay huge dividends for the Yankees, especially if Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo both ended up walking in free agency and the outfield is once again a question mark around slugger Aaron Judge.
Pages, 23, emerged as a top prospect with a 31-homer season at High-A in 2021, and he has played his way into a starting role with the Dodgers this year after a red-hot start at Triple-A. Can he fully tap into his elite power potential in the majors?
24. Chicago Cubs: C Logan O'Hoppe
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Actual Pick: 2B Nico Hoerner
O'Hoppe's Actual Draft Position: No. 677 overall signing (Philadelphia Phillies)
There were 676 players selected before Logan O'Hoppe heard his name called in the 23rd round, but by the time the 2021 season rolled around he had established himself as one of baseball's top catching prospects.
The Angels acquired him in a one-for-one swap that sent Brandon Marsh to the Phillies at the 2022 deadline, and he has a 106 OPS+ with 18 home runs and 53 RBI in 377 plate appearances in the big leagues.
With Miguel Amaya looking best served as a backup and veteran Yan Gomes in the final year of his contract, O'Hoppe would give the Cubs a long-term answer behind the plate.
25. Arizona Diamondbacks: RHP Reese Olson
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Actual Pick: SS Matt McLain (did not sign)
Olson's Actual Draft Position: No. 395 overall (Milwaukee Brewers)
The D-backs failed to sign high school shortstop Matt McLain at No. 25 overall, as he instead honored his commitment to UCLA and ended up going No. 17 overall three years later to the Cincinnati Reds.
Left-hander Blake Walston was taken at No. 26 overall in the 2019 draft with the compensatory pick the D-backs received for failing to sign McLain.
This redraft gives them a young pitcher on the rise in Reese Olson.
The 6'1" right-hander received an above-slot $440,000 bonus as a 13th-round pick by the Brewers, and the Tigers acquired him in exchange for reliever Daniel Norris at the 2021 trade deadline.
The 24-year-old has a 2.16 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 43 strikeouts in 50 innings over his first nine starts following a breakthrough rookie season in 2023.
26. Boston Red Sox: IF Orelvis Martinez
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Actual Pick: 1B Triston Casas
Martinez's Actual Draft Position: International signing (TOR, $3.5 million bonus)
Slugger Orelvis Martinez is the first player selected in this redraft who has yet to make his MLB debut, but he checked in No. 57 on the latest B/R Top 100 prospect list.
The 22-year-old posted an .835 OPS with 25 doubles, 28 home runs and 94 RBI in 125 games in the upper levels of the minors last season, turning a corner offensively after struggling to make consistent contact in the past.
He is hitting .243/.331/.513 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI in 41 games at Triple-A to open the 2024 season, and he would likely already have been promoted to the big leagues in Boston given the team's lack of production at second base.
27. Washington Nationals: IF Jonathan India
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Actual Pick: RHP Mason Denaburg
India's Actual Draft Position: No. 5 overall signing (Cincinnati Reds)
The Nationals whiffed on Mason Denaburg, who is currently in his third consecutive season at Single-A Fredericksburg and has a 6.79 ERA and almost as many walks (104) as strikeouts (109) in 119.1 career innings.
That makes infielder Jonathan India a clear upgrade, even if he is still trying to replicate the success he had en route to 2021 NL Rookie of the Year honors.
India hit .350/.497/.717 with 21 home runs and 52 RBI in 68 games during his junior season at the University of Florida, and after dealing with injuries the past few seasons he now looks like a prime change of scenery candidate.
The Nationals would have been able to build around him at the onset of their rebuild.
28. Houston Astros: RHP Casey Mize
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Actual Pick: 1B Seth Beer
Mize's Actual Draft Position: No. 1 overall (Detroit Tigers)
Armed with a mid-90s fastball, plus slider and a lethal splitter, Casey Mize went 10-6 with a 3.30 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 156 strikeouts in 114.2 innings during his junior season at Auburn to go No. 1 overall in the 2018 draft.
He flew through the minors to make his MLB debut in 2020, and posted a 3.71 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 118 strikeouts in 150.1 innings over 30 starts the following year as a staple in the Detroit starting rotation.
Tommy John surgery and back surgery limited him to just two appearances in 2022 and 2023, and he has returned this season with a 4.57 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 34 strikeouts in 45.1 innings over nine starts.
The 27-year-old has yet to deliver on his ace potential, but he still offers some intriguing upside now that he is back healthy.
29. Cleveland Guardians: RHP Josiah Gray
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Actual Pick: C Bo Naylor
Gray's Actual Draft Position: No. 72 overall (Cincinnati Reds)
There's a case to be made for the Guardians sticking with the selection of Bo Naylor, even with the young catcher off to a slow start at the plate this year, but the upside that Josiah Gray offers is enough for him to slot in at the end of the first round in this redraft.
Originally drafted by the Reds, Gray was traded to the Dodgers in the Yasiel Puig deal, then dealt again as part of the Nationals return package when they shipped Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to Los Angeles.
Gray was an All-Star in 2023 when he posted a 3.91 ERA with 143 strikeouts in 159 innings, but his 4.93 FIP raised some questions about the sustainability of his numbers. Will he be a long-term rotation piece for the Nationals?
30. Los Angeles Dodgers: OF Luis Matos
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Actual Pick: RHP J.T. Ginn (did not sign)
Rojas' Actual Draft Position: International signing (SF, $725,000 bonus)
Three outfielders—Luis Matos, Jake McCarthy and Johan Rojas—were the leading candidates for the final spot in the first round of our redraft, and given the question marks in center field for the Dodgers the past few years all three are a logical fit.
Matos, 22, is a former Top 100 prospect who is hitting .325/.341/.550 for a 158 OPS+ with five extra-base hits and 18 RBI in 41 plate appearances this year, and his hit tool, speed and defense in center field give him significant upside.
The Dodgers failed to sign the actual No. 30 overall pick J.T. Ginn, who spent two inconsistent and injury-plagued seasons at Mississippi State before going in the second round of the 2020 draft to the New York Mets.
Other Notable 2018 Draft Picks and International Signings
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Draft Picks
SS Blaze Alexander
RHP J.P. France
RHP Jake Irvin
OF Kyle Isbel
OF Jarred Kelenic
OF Trevor Larnach
IF Nick Madrigal
OF Jake McCarthy
OF Parker Meadows
RHP Tylor Megill
C Bo Naylor
OF James Outman
RHP Nick Sandlin
OF Alek Thomas
LHP Alex Vesia
C Austin Wells
International Signings
SS Luisangel Acuña
OF Kevin Alcántara
C Diego Cartaya
SS Marco Luciano
3B Noelvi Marte
RHP Justin Martínez
IF Curtis Mead
C Endy Rodríguez
OF Johan Rojas
RHP Randy Vásquez
RHP Abner Uribe
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