2014 MLB Draft: Grades for Each Franchise After Round 1 Results
Surprises filled the first day of the 2014 MLB Draft.
There were reaches galore. And when there are reaches, smart franchises reap the rewards, cleaning up the mess by selecting steals.
Here are all of the players drafted in the first round and grades for each team.
Houston Astros
1.ย LHP Brady Aiken, Cathedral Catholic HS
Grade: A
While a prep pitcher hadn't heard his name called first overall since 1991, Aiken was the consensus first overall pick.ย
His fastball reaches 97 mph. And few pitchers as young as Aiken already have three quality pitches. He utilized those gifts to record an ERA of 1.06 this season.
Not only did the Astros select the best player available, but their farm system had a need for left-handed pitching.
Miami Marlins
2. RHPย Tyler Kolek, Shepherd HS
Grade: A
Pitching was already the strength of the Marlins farm system. If they weren't elite in that department before, they sure are now.
Kolek definitely passes the eyeball test. He stands at 6'5", 230 pounds. His fastball eclipses the century mark, which isn't exactly a surprise for a man his size.
He terrified high school hitters (just a hunch) en route to recording aย 0.35 ERA this season.
Chicago White Sox
3.ย LHP Carlos Rodon, North Carolina State
Grade: A
The White Sox hadn't spent a first-rounder on a prospect over 20 years old since 2010. Rodon was worth bucking that trend, though.
He probably had the best chance to beat out Aiken for the No. 1 pick, so adding him at No. 3 could ultimately turn out to be a steal.
His fastball, like Aiken's, can touch 97 mph. Few prospects also have a better slider thanย Rodon. He's built well atย 6'3" and 235 pounds. He demanded first overall pick consideration withย a 2.01 ERA and 117 strikeouts this season.
Chicago Cubs
4.ย C/1B Kyle Schwarber, Indiana
Grade: C-
MLB.com didn't rank Schwarber in its top 15 prospects. ESPN's Keith Lawย (subscription required)ย didn't have him in his top 25 prospects.
Chicago selected him because it believes he's the best hitter. The 6'0", 240-pounder hit .358, 14 home runs and 48 RBI this season, so he may be just that. However, he wasn't the fourth best prospect in the 2014 draft class.
Minnesota Twins
5.ย SS Nick Gordon, Olympia HS
Grade: A
Minnesota breathed a sigh of relief when the Cubs selected Schwarber, because Gordon is the superior prospect.
Gordon batted .494 his senior season, and he's just as gifted defensively. Alex Jackson andย Michael Conforto are the only offensive players whom teams would have been justified drafting ahead of him.
Seattle Mariners
6.ย C/OF Alex Jackson,ย Ranchoย Bernardo HS
Grade: A
With one of the worst farm systems in the league, Seattle desperately needed to nail its sixth overall pick. It did just that, selecting arguably the top offensive prospect in the draft.
Jackson could have gone higher. The uncertainty surrounding his position may have caused him to slip, but his bat will remind Mariners why they picked him. The seniorย hit .385 with 11 home runs and 31 RBI.ย
Philadelphia Phillies
7.ย RHPย Aaron Nola, LSU
Grade: A
Philadelphia went against its norm and selected a college prospect in Nola. It's safe to say its need for pitching outweighed its preference for youth.
Nola dominated this year at LSU. He earned a record ofย 11-1, a 1.47 ERA and 134 strikeouts. He'll be one of the fastest pitchers in this draft to make the majors.
Colorado Rockies
8.ย LHPย Kyle Freeland, Evansville
Grade: A
Teams continue to benefit from the Cubs' gaffe. Freeland could have gone earlier.
The Colorado native's fastball reaches 96 mph. It isn't as eye-popping as some of the pitchers' selected before him, but his performance statistics speak for themselves. Freeland not onlyย finished with 10 wins, a 1.90 ERA and 128 strikeouts this season, but he didn't even allow a home run.
Toronto Blue Jays
9.ย RHPย Jeff Hoffman, East Carolina
11.ย C Max Pentecost,ย Kennesawย State
Grade: B
The Hoffman selection earns a B. The Pentecost selection earns a B. Together, they average out to a B.
Hoffman's fastball reaches 98 mph. Or at least it did. He sat out most of the season because he needed Tommy John surgery.
He is a major gamble even if he would have earned an A grade when healthy. Toronto's pair of first-round picks may have given it the confidence to roll the dice.
The Blue Jays' other selection, Pentecost, wasย only ranked the No. 19 prospect in the class on MLB.com. Keith Lawย ranked him No. 22. While he batted an impressive .423 this season, this is a slight reach.
New York Metsย
10.ย OF Michaelย Conforto, Oregon State
Grade: A+
Keith Lawย and MLB.com's Jonathan Mayoย and Jim Callisย all expected Conforto to go fourth overall. This is a steal, a major one for the Mets at that.
He is one of the best hitters in the draft class. He finished this season with a batting average of .345 and launched seven home runs and 57 RBI.
Milwaukee Brewers
12. LHPย Kodi Medeiros,ย Waiakea HSย
Grade: C-
Medeiros isย Keith Law'sย 50th best prospect. While his fastball can reachย 97 mph, this is even more of a reach thanย Schwarber at No. 4.
Milwaukee must have been desperate for a pitcher...aย Hawaiianย one.
San Diego Padres
13.ย SSย Treaย Turner, North Carolina State
Grade: A
Turner is not only one of the best players available, but he fills a major need for the Padres. They had little infield talent in their farm system.
He boasts blazing speed. He stole 26 bases this season and attempted just 30. He also batted .321.
San Francisco Giants
14.ย RHPย Tylerย Beede, Vanderbilt
Grade: A
This is the second time Beede has been selected in the first round. He opted for Vanderbilt instead of entering the minors when he was drafted in 2011. And he dominated in college.
The 6'5", 215-pounder used his 97 mph fastball to strike out 106 batters in 2014.
Los Angeles Angels
15.ย LHPย Seanย Newcomb, Hartford
Grade: A
When prospects are reached for, other, more talented ones fall. Newcomb is one of those more talented ones.
He is MLB.com'sย ninth best prospect. Keith Lawย ranked him seventh overall.ย Newcombย recorded an ERA of 1.25 and 106 strikeouts this year to earn that praise.
Arizona Diamondbacksย
16.ย RHPย Toukiย Toussaint, Coral Springs Christianย Academy
Grade: A
Toussaint brings as much value this late in the first round as Newcomb does. He also could have been a top-10 pick.
His fastball reaches 97 mph, and his best pitch could be his curveball. One can imagine those tools would abuse hitters at the high school level. He finished this season with a 1.22 ERA and 104 strikeouts.
Kansas City Royals
17.ย LHPย Brandon Finnegan, TCU
Grade: A
Kansas City has now used five out of its past six first-round picks on college prospects.ย
At 5'11", 185 pounds, Finnegan doesn't compare physically to the pitchers who were drafted earlier than him. His skills make up for his lack of size, though. In just 91.1 innings, he struck out 122 hitters this season and had a 2.07 ERA.
Washington Nationals
18.ย RHPย Erickย Fedde, UNLV
Grade: C+
MLB.comย rated Fedde the 33rd best prospect in the class. That's because he also just had Tommy John surgery.ย
Washington is gambling even more than the Blue Jays because it doesn't have multiple first-round picks. In a class this deep, gambling isn't wise. A healthy Fedde is talented, though, as he recorded a 1.76 ERA and 82 strikeouts this year.
Cincinnati Reds
19.ย RHP Nick Howard, Virginia
Grade: B-
Keith Law rated Howard just the 63rd best prospect in the draft.
At 6'3", 215 pounds with a 98 mph fastball, he has top-notch physical tools. He's only pitchedย 29.1 innings this year, though.
Tampa Bay Rays
20.ย 1B Caseyย Gillaspie, Wichita State
Grade: A
Gillaspie fills a gaping hole that the Rays had for offense in their farm system.ย
The 6'4", 230-pounder hitย 15 home runs and 50 RBI this season. And he's more than a power hitter. He also battedย .389.
Cleveland Indians
21.ย OF Bradleyย Zimmer, San Francisco
Grade: A+
Zimmer shouldn't have lasted this long.
He has elite speed, arm strength and length at 6'4". He has major defensive potential, and he battedย .368 this season for the Dons.
Los Angeles Dodgers
22.ย RHPย Grant Holmes, Conway HS
Grade: A+
Holy steal. Holmes shouldn't have lasted this long either.ย
Holmes can throw 100 mph. And his curveball rivals his fastball. He fell in the draft because of a lack of length, which shouldn't have outweighed his ability.
Detroit Tigers
23.ย OF Derek Hill, Elk Grove HS
Grade: A
Hill is one of the best athletes in the draft. As a result, he's a monster defensively and stole 21 bases this season.
He's not bad with a bat in his hands either. He hit .500 as a senior.
Pittsburgh Pirates
24. SS Cole Tucker,ย Pointe HS
Grade: C
Neitherย Keith Law,ย Jonathan Mayoย norย Jim Callisย had Tucker anywhere in their mocks, not even in Compensation Round A. MLB.comย ranked him the No. 67 prospect.
Pittsburgh's farm needed infield help, but this is the biggest reach yet.
Oakland Athletics
25. 3B Matt Chapman,ย Cal State Fullerton
Grade: C-
The Pirates didn't hold onto the title of the biggest reach for long. Chapman is the 82nd-rated prospect onย MLB.com. The aforementioned experts did not predict he'd hear his name called in Round 1.
He only battedย .312 this season, which isn't nearly as impressive in college as it is in the majors.
Boston Red Sox
26.ย 3B Michaelย Chavis,ย Sprayberryย HS
Grade: A
Third basemen go back-to-back. And the Red Sox got the better one despite having the later pick.
Chavisย hit .580, 13 home runs and 37 RBI this season. But apparently, he didn't hit well enough for the Athletics.
St. Louis Cardinals
27. RHP Luke Weaver, Florida State
Grade: A-
Weaver is a solid pick to finish the first round. He's on the thin side at 6'2", 170 pounds, but he throws 97 mph.
That speed, coupled with a 2.62ย ERA, made the Cardinals forget he only struck outย 85 batters this year in 106.1 innings.
All high school statistics courtesy ofย MaxPreps.com.
David Daniels is a columnist at Bleacher Report. He tweets, too.
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