2013 MLB Mock Draft: Worst-Case Scenarios for All 30 Teams' First Round Picks

As mentioned in this mock draft's sister slideshow, the "Best-Case Scenarios for All 30 Teams' First-Round Picks," the big-league draft is a funny thing.

It can be both incredibly simple and terrifyingly difficult.

And that's when things are going according to plan.

This year's "plan" calls for pitchers Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray to go No. 1 and 2, in no particular order, to Houston and Chicago. Third baseman Kris Bryant will follow at pick No. 3 and so on and so forth.

So what happens when one of those top three teams goes against the grain, so to speak?

Say the Astros don't pick Appel or Gray, or even Bryant for that matter.

What happens next?

Pure. Unadulterated. Chaos.

What follows is each team's worst-case scenario projection, starting at the very top with another surprising pick from the Houston Astros, and one nobody sees coming.

1. Houston Astros- Austin Meadows, Of, Grayson HS (Ga.)

The Astros, owners of the number one overall pick for the second consecutive year, are going to try the same tactic as last year, when they narrowed their choices down to a handful of players and let the financial team decide who made the most sense.

Last year the tactic netted them shortstop Carlos Correa, who signed for $4.8 million, or $2.4 million less than the allotted bonus amount for the top overall pick.

While Correa has potential, he's not widely regarded as the type of franchise player one expects to build a team around. The players who followed him, Byron Buxton (Minnesota), Mike Zunino (Seattle) and Kevin Gausman (Baltimore) all had that potential.

If things go badly during negotiations with right-handers Mark Appel (Stanford) or Jonathan Gray (Oklahoma), the Astros could once again end up with a high schooler with lower bonus demands.

That "worst-case scenario" path could lead them to Austin Meadows, an outfielder who was rumored to be in the running for the top pick a few months ago, before he was leapfrogged by several players, including his in-state rival Clint Frazier.

Like Correa, Meadows is a fine selection who could turn in a productive big-league career, but he's also less of a sure thing than Appel, Gray or even San Diego third baseman Kris Bryant.

Not only would the selection of Meadows be a disappointment to Houston fans, but it would have a ripple affect that would shake up the entire top ten.

The first team to be affected would be...

2. Chicago Cubs- Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford

For the past few months, the Cubs draft plan for the first round has consisted of a simple statement.

Take whichever pitcher the Astros don't take.

So what happens when the Astros pass on both Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray?

What does Theo Epstein do now?

Ideally, it won't change too much, considering the Cubs have scouted the hell out of both pitchers, but now they face the unenviable Peyton Manning-Ryan Leaf decision and the backlash that could haunt the franchise for years to come should Appel turn into an All-Star and Gray flame out. Or vice versa.

Epstein will likely side in favor of Appel due to his track record and experience, although the temptation to take Gray and his 100 mph fastball will be mighty tempting.

3. Colorado Rockies- Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma

With everyone expecting Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray to go 1-2 or 2-1 in this year's draft, it's become somewhat of an inevitability that San Diego's super-slugger Kris Bryant will be the third overall pick.

If Houston or Chicago decides against one of those two pitchers, Colorado's front office will be in for a rude awakening. It will be awful hard to pass on either one of those prospects in favor of Bryant, no matter how many home runs (already up to 31) he hits this year.

As much as the Rockies could use Bryant's bat, they have several talented offensive-minded prospects in their system, including but not limited to Kyle Parker, David Dahl, Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story. The latter two could easily handle third base defensively, arguably more capably than Bryant.

What they really lack, and therefore could really use, is elite starting pitching.

It will be hard enough for one of the top two teams to pass on Appel or Gray.

Getting Colorado to pass on them will be even harder.

Clearly, for the first three teams picking in this year's draft the worst-case scenario is still a pretty good one.

4. Minnesota Twins- Kris Bryant, 3B, San Diego

Kris Bryant is an incredible hitter who will likely take home NCAA Player of the Year honors this season, in addition to leading the country in home runs.

Any team would be lucky to have his services, although there are some teams who would appreciate him more than others.

Minnesota falls into the category of teams that would prefer to see him off the board by the time they pick. Not because he wouldn't be an excellent addition to their system, but because if he has already been selected at  No. 1, 2 or 3, then the odds increase that they have a chance to get Mark Appel or Jonathan Gray.

Assuming Houston doesn't go for either big-name pitcher, then it would be even more of a disappointment if Appel or Gray didn't fall all the way to pick No. 4.

Kris Bryant is one hell of a consolation prize, but he's not the guy that Minnesota wants.

5. Cleveland Indians- Kohl Stewart, RHP, St. Pius X HS (Tex.)

The Indians haven't developed an early round high school pitching prospect since C.C. Sabathia.

To be fair, since taking Sabathia in the first round in 1998, Cleveland has pretty much avoided prep pitchers early in the draft like the plague.

As such, don't expect them to be one of the teams drooling over Texas fire-baller Kohl Stewart.

However, if the players that Cleveland has their eye on end up getting taken before they pick at No. 5, or they express concerns about the organization's ability to sign them, don't be surprised if they make a splash and select Stewart.

After all, he is the cream of the crop of the high school pitching class, possessing mid-90s heat and arguably the top breaking ball of any pitcher in this year's class.

Stewart has the potential to be a game changer for the organization, but as with most high school pitchers, the odds of him achieving the level of success that Sabathia has had is incredibly slim.

6. Miami Marlins- Clint Frazier, Of, Grayson HS (Ga.)

The Marlins ownership and front office have made it clear the organization is looking to do some serious Geico-level money saving in this year's draft.

As such, the last thing the organization would want to do is align themselves with a player who has "over-slot bonus" written all over him.

Several players make sense for the Marlins with the sixth overall pick: Braden Shipley, Reese McGuire and even D.J. Peterson.

One who doesn't make a darn lick of sense is Georgia high school outfielder Clint Frazier.

While Frazier has one of the highest ceilings of any prospect in this draft, and some of the most exciting tools, he doesn't figure to come cheap, especially considering his solid commitment to Georgia.

If the Marlins do get stars in their eyes and pull the trigger on Frazier, or any player like him who is expecting a gigantic bonus, they'll likely see the deal fall through.

That would lead to a compensation pick in next year's draft, where they'll do the same dance all over again.

7. Boston Red Sox- Braden Shipley, RHP, Nevada

The Red Sox are under new management with GM Ben Cherington at the helm, and there are questions regarding how he's going to manage the draft abound.

Will he continue to spend like he has a bottomless war-chest, or will be buckle down and go after players willing to come down on their asking price to have the chance to wear a Red Sox jersey.

Picking inside the top ten for the first time in a long time gives the Sox access to the types of players they've never had a chance at drafting before.

As such, it's the perfect scenario for them to go after one of the big fish, aka the Clint Fraziers, Kris Bryants and Phil Bickfords of the world. Each of those players figures to command a pretty hefty bonus, but each also possesses an incredibly high-ceiling and future All-Star potential.

Nevada right-hander Braden Shipley, while plenty talented, does not figure to have outrageous bonus demands. He's also nearly big-league ready, which will make him a highly sought after prospect in the first round.

Boston would be playing it safe, but altogether mistaken to go after Shipley with the seventh overall pick.

Their recent track record of developing college pitchers lends further credence to the belief.

8. Kansas City Royals- Colin Moran, 3B, North Carolina

As of right now, it seems that the Royals are targeting any of the top college pitchers with the eighth pick in the first round.

It's likely they could get a shot at Braden Shipley, Ryne Stanek or Alex Gonzalez, although depending on how the first seven picks break down they could be tempted to head in another direction. In this case, that direction would be North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran.

In any other year Moran would be a top-five selection, but in a draft class that contains one of the better all around hitting prospects (Kris Bryant) in recent memory, he's been largely overshadowed.

He offers above average hitting ability, good raw power and he's a capable defender. He's also as big-league ready as they come, which would fall right into line with GM Dayton Moore's off-season agenda that brought Kansas City multiple proven big-leaguers in exchange for two of the most talented prospects in all of baseball.

It's easy to see then why the Royals could get distracted and fall in love with Moran.

If they do pull the trigger on Moran, who went undrafted out of high school, they would be doing so at the expense of their minor league pitching depth, which has taken so many hits over the past few seasons and has robbed the organization of so many talented prospects.

9. Pittsburgh Pirates- Phil Bickford, RHP, Westlake Village HS (Calif.)

The ninth overall pick belongs to Pittsburgh, who acquired the selection as compensation for not being able to come to terms with Mark Appel in last year's draft.

Picking ninth in a top-heavy draft affords the Pirates a little more flexibility, although there's no doubt that they, like most teams, would love to get their hands on some big-league ready pitching. Unfortunately, there's only so much to go around, and after Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray go off the board, there's quite a significant drop-off to the next tier, which includes Braden Shipley, Ryne Stanek and Jonathan Crawford.

Shipley is not only the most polished of those three, but he also showed the most consistency this season. Unfortunately, he could be off the board by then.

Taking into account that the Pirates pick is once again protected, it might make more sense to go completely against the grain and take the best available player, in this case California high schooler Phil Bickford.

Bickford has a lot of late helium, an easy delivery, mid 90s heat and two potential above-average secondary pitches. He's got a ceiling as a No. 2 starter.

10. Toronto Blue Jays- D.J. Peterson, 3B, New Mexico

Knowing the Blue Jays the way that any other casual draft fan does, it seems a pretty safe bet that the front office has their eyes on a plethora of talented young high school prospects.

LHP Trey Ball, SS J.P. Crawford and C Reese McGuire all seem to be perfect fits for Toronto.

The one thing they won't expect, however, is hitting machine D.J. Peterson falling into their lap.

Peterson is widely expected to be a top-ten pick, and he could go even higher considering his likeliness to sign an under-slot deal. Miami and Kansas City could be destinations for the slugger who has hit well over .400 the past two seasons combined.

The Blue Jays lineup is currently filled with several heavy hitters, including Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and J.P. Arencibia.

Adding Peterson and his .300/30 HR potential to that bunch almost seems unfair.

11. New York Mets- Ryne Stanek, RHP, Arkansas

Picking 11th overall, the Mets were hoping to take advantage of the fact that Georgia prep outfielders Austin Meadows and Clint Frazier have been slipping down draft boards as of late.

Unfortunately, in their worst-case scenario both players are off the board, with Meadows surprisingly going No. 1 overall to Houston and Frazier getting tabbed by Miami at pick No. 6. Another player they favor, D.J. Peterson has gone off the board one pick ahead of them.

In this scenario, the player who makes the most sense would be Arkansas right-hander Ryne Stanek.

Stanek showed some inconsistency early in the season, but he appears to be peaking at exactly the right time. For the year, Stanek is 9-2 with a 1.41 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 90 innings, and he's coming off an incredible performance against LSU in which he held the Tigers to just one run over eight innings.

The Mets have had great success with college pitchers the past few years, chief among them Matt Harvey, so the worst case scenario here isn't actually too bad.

12. Seattle Mariners- Reese McGuire, C, Kentwood HS (Wash.)

According to Jim Callis' most recent mock draft, the Mariners have their eye on 3B Colin Moran, RHP Phil Bickford, 3B D.J. Peterson and C Reese McGuire.

If you've been paying attention, you'll notice that everyone but McGuire is already off the board.

As terrible of an idea as it appears to be (drafting a catcher with a top-15 pick one year after drafting a catcher with a top-5 pick), there are worse routes for the Mariners to take here.

Simply put, McGuire is the best available player on the board, and as too many prospects have proven before, time has a way of sorting these things out.

Look out Mike Zunino.

13. San Diego Padres- Ian Clarkin, LHP, James Madison HS (Calif.)

The Padres two most recent first round selections have been high school pitchers Max Fried and Joe Ross. Both have already cemented themselves as two of the top pitching prospects in the National League.

While that's great for San Diego, it could cause them to go back to the well one too many times.

Don't get me wrong, there's absolutely nothing wrong with California southpaw Ian Clarkin. He's arguably the top high school lefty and has shown flashes of sheer dominance, utilizing a low 90s fastball and an above average curveball.

What should concern Padres fans is taking Clarkin when there are still several players on the board who offer a higher ceiling, namely shortstop J.P. Crawford, who not only has the tools to develop into an above average all-around player, but also mans a position that has been one of San Diego's most glaring needs.

14. Pittsburgh Pirates- Austin Wilson, OF, Stanford

Oh, Austin Wilson.

One of this year's most polarizing players, Wilson has gone as high as inside the top ten in some mock drafts and dropped out of the first round completely in others.

That's what happens when a highly touted player has an inconsistent sophomore season and misses nearly half of his junior campaign.

This much is clear; when Wilson is on his game, he flashes some of the most impressive tools one will ever see.

True light-tower power? Check.

An arm that more closely resembles a Howitzer than an appendage? Check.

Unfortunately, when Wilson has been on the field, he's shown flashes of being in completely over his head as well.

Pittsburgh could take a chance on him with their second selection of the first round, but chances are they'll end up wildly disappointed.

15. Arizona Diamondbacks- Dominic Smith, Serra HS (Calif.)

Arizona is going to be in the market for some hitters.

Unfortunately, Austin Wilson, Reese McGuire, D.J. Peterson, Colin Moran, Clint Frazier, Kris Bryant and Austin Meadows are all off the board in this worse-case scenario draft.

Taking that into account, and that the top pure hitter available might actually be two-way star Trey Ball, a prospect who is more likely to go pro as a pitcher, the organization might come down in favor of Dominic Smith.

Not only does Smith offer impressive hitting ability, but he is also one of the most polished defenders at first base to come through the draft in quite some time. At least from the high school ranks.

16. Philadelphia Phillies- J.P. Crawford, SS, Lakewood HS (Calif.)

On the surface, J.P. Crawford to the Phillies seems like an excellent idea.

Crawford is easily the top shortstop in this year's class, and the competition isn't even close. He offers incredible defensive ability, a strong arm and quick feet. At the plate, he's a work in progress, but he has all the tools to be a top-of-the-order hitter in the Starlin Castro mold.

At the same time, the Phillies are in the twilight of Jimmy Rollins' career. Now a .250 hitter who offers little speed (four steals) and even less defensive value (-0.2 defensive WAR), the 34-year old Rollins has maybe two or three more years left.

Looking past all the reasons that the two sides are a perfect fit, take into account the recent track record of high school shortstops who have been drafted in the first round: Christian Colon, Grant Green, Jiovanni Mier, Gordon Beckham, Reese Havens, Anthony Hewitt, Kevin Ahrens, C.J. Henry and Tyler Greene.

Even tossing into the mix the two most talented shortstops to come out of the draft in the last decade (Manny Machado and Troy Tulowitzki) it's still a hell of a gamble going for a shortstop in the first round.

Also, take into account how the overall weakness of the shortstop crop in this year's class might make Crawford look a lot better than he really is.

Remember, tools don't always convert to success.

17. Chicago White Sox- Trey Ball, LHP, New Castle HS (Ind.)

The White Sox have made their love for toolsy, high-risk, high-reward players no secret.

Just take one look at their drafting history the past five years: OF/RHP Courtney Hawkins, OF Keenyn Walker, LHP Chris Sale, OF Jared Mitchell, SS/2B Gordon Beckham.

The Sox lucked out with the scrawny southpaw Sale and it's too early to tell on Hawkins, but the results are mixed-to-negative when it comes to the others.

One would think that would make the White Sox change their drafting ways, coupled with the fact that the last real impact player the team drafted in the first round was Aaron Rowand, all the way back in 1998. 

Chances are the front office will continue to do what they do best, aka sabotage the drafting effort, and that will likely lead them to the toolsy, two-way star Trey Ball.

Ball has incredible tools, both at the plate and on the mound. He throws easy low 90s heat and complements his fastball with an above average changeup.

18. Los Angeles Dodgers- Sean Manaea, LHP, Indiana State

The Dodgers have spent seven of their last 11 first round selections on high school pitchers.

Of those seven, the only real star has been Clayton Kershaw. It's likely too early to tell on Zach Lee, but there's no arguing that the Dodgers missed on Chris Withrow and Ethan Martin.

Dating back to 2004, the Dodgers have used their first round pick on only two positions: pitcher and shortstop.

Think they'll go another route in 2013? 

Doubt it.

There really isn't a shortstop worth taking here, so they'll go after the top available player and what do you know? He happens to be a pitcher.

Indiana State's Sean Manaea has had an interesting year. His stats, including a 1.47 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 73.1 innings, indicate he's had a phenomenal junior campaign, but his pitches haven't looked as sharp and he's had trouble working deep into games.

Once considered a sure-fire top five pick, Manaea will likely fall to around No. 20.

19. St. Louis Cardinals- Jonathan Crawford, RHP, Florida

The Cardinals haven't used a first round pick on anything other than a pitcher or an infielder since 2003, when they selected Darin Barton, who just so happened to end up as a first baseman a couple of years later.

As such, it would be their preference to go after a pitcher, likely one from the college ranks, where 12 of their last 16 first rounders have come from.

Unfortunately, Sean Manaea has just been selected one pick earlier, leaving Jonathan Crawford as the top remaining arm.

To say that Crawford has had an inconsistent season would be putting it nicely. He's been an absolute train wreck, showing none of the ability that earned him a spot in NCAA tournament lore when he threw a complete-game no-hitter last year against Bethune Cookman.

Still, the guy can dial it up to 97 mph and velocity like that can't be taught. A good breaking ball can.

Crawford isn't ideal, but in this worst-case scenario, he's the pick.

20. Detroit Tigers- Hunter Renfroe, OF, Mississippi State

This is Detroit's first first round pick in four years, so they better make it count.

It would make sense for them to go after a sure-fire, big-league ready college product, considering that is exactly the type of player they haven't had access to during their first round exile.

With the majority of the first- and second-tier college players off the board, the top remaining collegian is Mississippi State outfielder Hunter Renfroe, who could be described as "jack of all trades, master of none."

Renfroe has had an exceptional season, pacing the Rebels' offensive effort with a .352 average, 14 doubles, 15 homers and 54 RBI, but when one stops to examine his actual tools, he's lacking.

He's a good hitter, but not a great one. He's got good power, but not great power. He certainly doesn't have great speed, and he's not going to be a perennial Gold Glover.

Still, the kind of production he has the potential to offer is just too tempting, and some team in the first round will bite.

21. Tampa Bay Rays- Jon Denney, C, Yukon HS (Okla.)

Let's just take a moment to acknowledge how terrible the Rays have been at drafting catchers since their inception as a franchise.

Doesn't it seem odd that through the 16 years they've been drafting, they have yet to stumble upon a catcher who can hit worth a darn? Maybe it made sense during the years when they sucked at drafting everyone, but given their recent successes, it's surprising that a quality back-stop isn't among them.

The Rays could go in any number of directions here, but with scouts seemingly so divided on the talent at the bottom half of the first round, they might as well just suck it up and go after a catcher.

Lucky for them, there's still a pretty good one left: Oklahoma's Jon Denney.

Denney has great tools behind the plate, and he's growing into a master at it.

If the Rays don't see anyone else who could develop into a real impact-player, they might as well go for a need.

22. Baltimore Orioles- Alex Gonzalez, RHP, Oral Roberts

Few teams have seen as many high-profile pitching prospects flare out as Baltimore.

Jake Arrieta, Brian Matusz and Zach Britton. Matt Hobgood, Chris Smith and Pedro Beato. Radhames Liz, John Maine and Garrett Olson.

The list goes on and on.

That hasn't stopped the O's from trying, though, as five of their last seven first round picks have been pitchers, including Dylan Bundy in 2012, and Kevin Gausman last year.

Gausman appears to be up for good after logging less than 50 innings in the minor leagues, and Bundy is a good bet to join him as soon as he's healthy, but that still leaves Baltimore with a bevy of starters who are better fits at the back-end of a rotation. 

Time for some help.

Unfortunately, the best remaining pitching options are San Francisco's Alex Balog, Oral Roberts' Alex Gonzalez and Gonzaga's Marco Gonzalez.

Going for the safe pick instead of the high-upside, the O's end up with Gonzalez, a well-built right-hander who throws in the low 90s and has two potential secondary pitches, including a devastating slider. 

23. Texas Rangers- Phillip Ervin, Of, Samford

Texas has two of the last 11 selections in the first round, and two of the players they appear to be really keen on are Mississippi shortstop Tim Anderson and left-hander Cody Reed.

Both would be excellent additions to their system, although the unexpected manner in which the first round has played out so far will likely lead them to scrap their plans and go after one of the players mentioned above with their second pick.

Right now, it's time to go after a player who slipped out of the upper half of the first round and right into their lap.

By all accounts, outfielder Phillip Ervin has top-15 pick written all over him. He's experienced, proven against top-level competition and has a collection of tools that have allowed him to put his mark all over the school record book.

This year alone he hit .337 with 11 homers and 21 steals.

He also offers good defensive value.

24. Oakland Athletics- Eric Jagielo, 3B, Notre Dame

Oakland's front office, led by Billy Beane, tends to think unlike any other.

That "moneyball" philosophy is especially prevalent in the drafting process, where Oakland has passed over eye-popping talent in favor of production and of course, high on-base percentage hitters.

As such, it's not likely that a worst-case scenario even exists for Oakland.

The player they appear to covet more than any other, Notre Dame's Eric Jagielo, should be available when they pick 24th.

Jagielo is exactly the player that Oakland covets.He excels at getting on base, doesn't have too much defensive value and is good at getting on base.

25. San Francisco Giants- Alex Balog, RHP, San Francisco

The Giants are another team that tends to favor pitching over hitting in the first round.

The top remaining college pitcher, Alex Balog, isn't anything special and wouldn't be the first pitcher on their wish list, but he's a guy who has No. 3 potential, which is good enough for San Francisco's late first round selection.

His stats aren't too pretty, but Balog features mid 90s heat and a fastball that he can ratchet up to 97 mph. The pitch also has excellent sink.

Like so many of the teams picking late in the first round, San Francisco's worst case scenario is acceptable.

26. New York Yankees- Jason Hursh, RHP, Oklahoma State

The Yankees minor league pitching depth is, at best, weak.

Injuries, promotions and trades have taken their toll on a farm system that once housed an incredible collection of pitching talent.

These days, the problem has begun to bubble up to the big-league level and the quick-fix Yankees have been unable to fill all the holes via free agency.

Instead of taking the best player available, in this case likely catcher Nick Ciuffo or shortstop Tim Anderson, the Yanks panic and over-draft Oklahoma State right-hander Jason Hursh.

Hursh does possess one of this year's best fastballs, a pitch he can crank up to 97 mph, but his secondary stuff is far behind his heater, making some question whether or not he'll end up in the bullpen. 

27. Cincinnati Reds- Marco Gonzales, LHP, Gonzaga

The run on college players continues, further accentuating the weakness of the 2013 high school crop.

Gonzaga lefty Marco Gonzales makes it seven in a row for the collegians, and gives Cincinnati a solid, nearly big-league ready pitcher. He features low 90s heat and a polished array of secondary pitches, each of which has at least average Major League potential.

Other players Cincinnati could consider under the worst-case scenario circumstances would be outfielders Billy McKinney, Aaron Judge and shortstop Tim Anderson.

28. St. Louis Cardinals- Tim Anderson, SS, East Central Community College

After going all in for the inconsistent but wildly talented Jonathan Crawford with their first pick, St. Louis makes another common decision.

An infielder.

The best one on the board is junior college product Tim Anderson, who offers incredible athleticism, defensive prowess and enough potential in his bat to make a team stick by him as he inevitably struggles through a few extra years in the minors.

Anderson shouldn't last much longer than this, and there isn't another game-changing shortstop in this year's class, so the Cards will have to act quickly if they want one.

29. Tampa Bay Rays- Cody Reed, LHP, Northwest Mississippi Community College

All of the players that the Rays have singled out have been selected by other teams, freeing them up to go after some players that don't fit their typical drafting pattern.

First, they selected Jon Denney, putting aside the "it's not smart to draft for need" thought process in the hopes that Denney can end their 17-year drought.

The second step in the worst-case plan would be to go after a high-risk, high-reward arm like Cody Reed's.

Reed has spent the past two years in hiding at Northwest Mississippi Community College, but he's opened some eyes with improved velocity (93-97 mph) and incredible results (ten complete games and one no-hitter).

30. Texas Rangers- Rob Kaminsky, LHP, St. Joseph's Regional HS (N.J.)

Talk about worst-case scenario.

The two players the Rangers were really high on have been selected back-to-back right in front of their second first-round pick.

After picking up outfielder Phillip Ervin with their first pick, they go the pitching route with pick number two and select Rob Kaminsky out of St. Joseph's Regional High in New Jersey.

Kaminsky had some early first-round helium earlier in the spring, but the ascension of some others, including Phil Bickford and Trey Ball, have forced him down into the 25-35 range.

He's plenty talented, however, offering low 90s heat and one of the best curveballs in this year's class.

Plus, the Rangers do excel at developing lefties.

31. Atlanta Braves- Travis Demeritte, 3B, Winder-Barrow HS (Ga.)

The Braves have made their love for in-state prospects no secret, and don't be surprised if they go off the board and select some unknown Georgian.

Candidates for said selection include outfielder Josh Hart, infielder Daniel Palka, catcher Zane Evans and third baseman Travis Demeritte.

Demeritte is the most well-regarded of that quartet and makes the most sense.

He's an athletic defender who has incredible arm strength, good speed and No. 2 or 3 hitter potential with the bat.

32/33. New York Yankees- Aaron Blair, RHP, Marshall & Aaron Judge, Of, Fresno St

Given the state of the aging roster, the Yankees would love to pick up talented young prospects at shortstop, third base and pitcher, but considering the weak depth of those positions in this class, they're going to be stuck with the best available players.

In this worst case scenario, that would be two Aarons, Blair and Judge.

Blair has put together an incredible campaign for a terrible Marshall squad and has flashed a mid 90s fastball that he pairs beautifully with a plus changeup. He has No. 3 starter potential and the size and stamina to be an inning-eater.

Judge is a massive talent who has done nothing but rake for Fresno State this year. He has great power potential and his arm is a serious weapon in the outfield.

Both players would immediately jump to the top of New York's prospect list, despite not being ideal fits for their system.

54. Milwaukee Brewers- Bobby Wahl, RHP, Mississippi

Picking for the first time with the 54th overall pick in this year's draft, the Brewers would no doubt love to get their hands on a prospect with plenty of upside.

Picking so late, however, means they'll be stuck picking between players who have some serious holes in their game. There's a reason why the further down in the draft a team picks, the less likely they are to find big-league talent.

Milwaukee's one hope is that a player falls out of favor and slips to them.

Right-hander Bobby Wahl almost qualifies as that. He has the pedigree and pitching for an established SEC program, and he has the stuff, including a low-to-mid 90s fastball and a slider/changeup combo, that should allow him to find his way into the last few slots of a big-league rotation.

59. Los Angeles Angels- Chris Okey, C, Eustis HS (Fla.)

Like Milwaukee, Los Angeles doesn't pick until the second round.

As such, any player that they have hopes for will likely be gone, leaving them with tons of options, very few of which they'll actually be excited about.

Florida prep catcher Chris Okey has everyday regular potential and would be as good a find as any picking this late.

He's great behind the plate and is growing into his own as a hitter. 

68. Washington Nationals- Andrew Knapp, C, California

The Nationals don't get to pick for the first time until the bottom half of the second round, their punishment for bringing aboard reliever Rafael Soriano.

As mentioned in the best-case scenario mock draft, their best bet is to follow their pattern from the 2012 draft and select a player who has dropped precipitously due to an injury or bonus concerns.

Unfortunately, with the bonus pools spread out so evenly, it might be hard for the Nationals to find a player worthy of that kind of treatment.

California catcher Andrew Knapp might not be the best fit, but he'd be more than an adequate pick-up considering the pick position.

Knapp offers solid defensive value and .280/15-20 HR potential at the plate.