2014 MLB Draft: Team-by-Team Order for Each Round and Analysis of Top Prospects

No, it doesn't receive the hype or attention of the NFL draft. No, the players selected won't make as instant an impact as many players selected in the NBA draft. 

But, hey, the MLB draft has 40 rounds. Forty rounds—no other draft comes close. So, you know, it has that going for it.

Of course, it has far more going for it than just that, as hardcore baseball types will tell you. Pay attention to the scouting reports or the college baseball season, and you know that some truly talented players are about to be streaming through baseball's farm system. 

But before we get can get to that, let's take a look at this year's draft order and break down a few of the top prospects in this year's class. 

Draft Order

Round	Team
1	1. Houston Astros
1	2. Miami Marlins
1	3. Chicago White Sox
1	4. Chicago Cubs
1	5. Minnesota Twins
1	6. Seattle Mariners
1	7. Philadelphia Phillies
1	8. Colorado Rockies
1	9. Toronto Blue Jays
1	10. New York Mets
1	11. Toronto Blue Jays (P. Bickford - unsigned)
1	12. Milwaukee Brewers
1	13. San Diego Padres
1	14. San Francisco Giants
1	15. Los Angeles Angels
1	16. Arizona Diamondbacks
1	17. Kansas City Royals
1	18. Washington Nationals
1	19. Cincinnati Reds
1	20. Tampa Bay Rays
1	21. Cleveland Indians
1	22. Los Angeles Dodgers
1	23. Detroit Tigers
1	24. Pittsburgh Pirates
1	25. Oakland Athletics
1	26. Boston Red Sox
1	27. St. Louis Cardinals
Comp A	28. Kansas City Royals
Comp A	29. Cincinnati Reds
Comp A	30. Texas Rangers
Comp A	31. Cleveland Indians
Comp A	32. Atlanta Braves
Comp A	33. Boston Red Sox
Comp A	34. St. Louis Cardinals
Competitive Balance A	35. Colorado Rockies
Competitive Balance A	36. Miami Marlins
Competitive Balance A	37. Houston Astros (from the Orioles)
Competitive Balance A	38. Cleveland Indians
Competitive Balance A	39. Miami Marlins
Competitive Balance A	40. Kansas City Royals
Competitive Balance A	41. Milwaukee Brewers
2	42. Houston Astros
2	43. Miami Marlins
2	44. Chicago White Sox
2	45. Chicago Cubs
2	46. Minnesota Twins
2	47. Philadelphia Phillies
2	48. Colorado Rockies
2	49. Toronto Blue Jays
2	50. Milwaukee Brewers
2	51. San Diego Padres
2	52. San Francisco Giants
2	53. Los Angeles Angels
2	54. Arizona Diamondbacks
2	55. New York Yankees
2	56. Kansas City Royals
2	57. Washington Nationals
2	58. Cincinnati Reds
2	59. Texas Rangers
2	60. Tampa Bay Rays
2	61. Cleveland Indians
2	62. Los Angeles Dodgers
2	63. Detroit Tigers
2	64. Pittsburgh Pirates
2	65. Oakland Athletics
2	66. Atlanta Braves
2	67. Boston Red Sox
2	68. St. Louis Cardinals
Competitive Balance B	69. Arizona Diamondbacks (from the Padres)
Competitive Balance B	70. Arizona Diamondbacks
Competitive Balance B	71. St. Louis Cardinals
Competitive Balance B	72. Tampa Bay Rays
Competitive Balance B	73. Pittsburgh Pirates
Competitive Balance B	74. Seattle Mariners
3	75. Houston Astros
3	76. Miami Marlins
3	77. Chicago White Sox
3	78. Chicago Cubs
3	79. Minnesota Twins
3	80. Seattle Mariners
3	81. Philadelphia Phillies
3	82. Colorado Rockies
3	83. Toronto Blue Jays
3	84. New York Mets
3	85. Milwaukee Brewers
3	86. San Diego Padres
3	87. San Francisco Giants
3	88. Los Angeles Angels
3	89. Arizona Diamondbacks
3	90. Baltimore Orioles
3	91. New York Yankees
3	92. Kansas City Royals
3	93. Washington Nationals
3	94. Cincinnati Reds
3	95. Texas Rangers
3	96. Tampa Bay Rays
3	97. Cleveland Indians
3	98. Los Angeles Dodgers
3	99. Detroit Tigers
3	100. Pittsburgh Pirates
3	101. Oakland Athletics
3	102. Atlanta Braves
3	103. Boston Red Sox
3	104. St. Louis Cardinals
Supplemental Round	105. Miami Marlins

Order	Selection
1	Houston Astros
2	Miami Marlins
3	Chicago White Sox
4	Chicago Cubs
5	Minnesota Twins
6	Seattle Mariners
7	Philadelphia Phillies
8	Colorado Rockies
9	Toronto Blue Jays
10	New York Mets
11	Milwaukee Brewers
12	San Diego Padres
13	San Francisco Giants
14	Los Angeles Angels
15	Arizona Diamondbacks
16	Baltimore Orioles
17	New York Yankees
18	Kansas City Royals
19	Washington Nationals
20	Cincinnati Reds
21	Texas Rangers
22	Tampa Bay Rays
23	Cleveland Indians
24	Los Angeles Dodgers
25	Detroit Tigers
26	Pittsburgh Pirates
27	Oakland Athletics
28	Atlanta Braves
29	Boston Red Sox
30	St. Louis Cardinals

Prospects to Know

Brady Aiken, LHP, Cathedral Catholic High (San Diego)

Aiken has nasty stuff, folks. He already possesses an elite fastball, curveball and changeup, and he has shown maturity and discipline on the mound. He's currently the front-runner to go No. 1 overall to the Houston Astros, and for good reason—he projects as a front-of-the-rotation arm. 

Lefties with plus stuff and solid control don't grow on trees, so don't be surprised if he's the top player selected this year.

Tyler Kolek, RHP, Shepherd High (Texas)

Right-handed pitchers aren't generally valued as highly as lefties, but when they are high-school righties who happen to throw 100 miles per hour, well, they tend to attract the attention of big league teams. 

Tyler Kolek is one of those rare prospects. Standing 6'5" and weighing 250 pounds, he also brings a nasty curve to the table, making him nearly untouchable when he's hitting his spots. He'll be gone within the top-five picks.

Carlos Rodon, LHP, North Carolina State

As Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com notes, Carlos Rodon is easily this year's best college pitching prospect:

"

Any discussion of college pitchers must start with Rodon, a left-hander at North Carolina State. While he broke out of the gate a bit slowly this season, raising questions as to whether he was still a seemingly slam-dunk choice to be selected No. 1 by the Astros, he's recently turned it up a few notches. Rodon has a 2.01 ERA, a .229 batting average against and 117 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings for a disappointing N.C. State team. Rodon could still be Houston's choice. The top two prep pitchers, Aiken and Tyler Kolek, are his primary competition.

"

Rodon is certainly the top college prospect around, but for a team like the Astros that is likely still a few years away from competing, a college pitcher like Rodon that will probably be ready for the Major Leagues in a year or two might be less appealing than the raw upside of Aiken or Kolek. 

Don't expect him to slip out of the top five, however. 

Alex Jackson, C/OF, Rancho Bernardo High (San Diego)

With a pure stroke from the right side of the plate and an arm that makes him an option at catcher or right field, Alex Jackson is a physical specimen and a player with really exciting upside. A future line-drive hitter, Jackson has one of the better bats in this draft.

Nick Gordon, SS, Olympia High (Orlando)

There's something to be said for bloodlines, and Nick Gordon has a good one. The son of former Major League pitcher Tom Gordon and the brother of Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon has been rising up draft boards and could very well be a top-five pick. 

Gordon doesn't project to have many weaknesses and should develop more power than his brother. He seems like a true shortstop at the next level, which is always appealing. And if he continues to grow as a hitter, he could be a very special player. He's a defensive whiz, and when scouting shortstops that's always the metric that matters most.