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Re-Drafting 2016 MLB Draft With Pete Alonso, Bo Bichette, Corbin Burnes, More
The first round of the 2016 MLB draft has yet to produce a single All-Star, yet it still stands up as a deep draft class headlined by Pete Alonso, Will Smith and Bo Bichette on the hitting side and Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen and Shane Bieber on the mound.
Prep outfielder Mickey Moniak was the No. 1 overall pick, followed by Tennessee infielder Nick Senzel and high school pitchers Ian Anderson and Riley Pint.
In this hypothetical 2016 redraft, every MLB team's current roster remains intact, with the only change being a re-do of their 2016 first-round selection.
With that in mind, roster mechanics and organizational fit played a much bigger role here than they would in a traditional mock draft when teams are generally just looking to add the best available talent.
The Philadelphia Phillies are on the clock...
1. Philadelphia Phillies: 1B Pete Alonso
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Original Pick:Ā OF Mickey Moniak
Alonso's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 64 overall
Prolific slugger Pete Alonso exploded onto the scene with a rookie record 53 home runs in 2019, which is the same year that Bryce Harper made his Phillies debut.
It's hard to say how all the pieces would have fit together, and what would have become of Rhys Hoskins who had some good seasons as the Phillies first baseman, but the idea of those two hitting side-by-side in the lineup is a tantalizing one.
Mickey Moniak has found some success with the Angels and Rockies, but he never broke through during his time in Philadelphia, hitting .129/.214/.172 in 105 plate appearances.
2. Cincinnati Reds: RHP Corbin Burnes
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Original Pick:Ā 3B Nick Senzel
Burnes' Original Draft Position:Ā No. 111 overall
Corbin Burnes last took the mound in a big league game on June 1, 2025, so there is some "out of sight, out of mind" when it comes to his current standing as one of baseball's top aces.
However, with 2021 NL Cy Young honors and four other top-10 finishes on his resume, he is one of baseball's best starting pitchers of the last decade. Since the start of his Cy Young season, he has a 2.91 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 921 strikeouts in 821.1 innings.
Nick Senzel was viewed as a plug-and-play big leaguer coming out of the University of Tennessee, but he hit just .239 with a 76 OPS+ and minus-1.7 WAR during his time in Cincinnati.
3. Atlanta Braves: SS Bo Bichette
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Original Pick:Ā RHP Ian Anderson
Bichette's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 66 overall
With a .290/.333/.461 career batting line and 118 OPS+ over eight seasons in the big leagues, Bo Bichette has been one of baseball's best pure hitters throughout his career.
The two-time All-Star has never been a standout defender at shortstop, but that would fill a clear need in the Braves organization right now and for years going back to Dansby Swanson's departure.
With a 1.26 ERA in 35.2 innings in the postseason in 2020 and 2021, including five no-hit innings in Game 3 of the 2021 World Series, Ian Anderson made his mark on the Braves. However, he has pitched just 9.1 innings in the majors since 2022, and he is currently a free agent.
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4. Colorado Rockies: C Will Smith
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Original Pick:Ā RHP Riley Pint
Smith's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 32 overall
Elias DĆaz (2023) and Hunter Goodman (2025) are the only catchers in Rockies franchise history to earn an All-Star selection, and while Goodman is having a terrific follow-up to last year's breakout, he could just as easily slot in at first base or designated hitter in a lineup in serious need of proven run production.
Will Smith has been a steady presence in the middle of some stacked Dodgers lineups since debuting in 2019, averaging 28 home runs and 97 RBI per 162 games while posting a 126 OPS+ and 23.9 WAR in 774 games.
With 376 strikeouts and 262 walks in 311 career innings in the minors, Riley Pint had electric stuff that he was never able to rein in enough to even be considered effectively wild.
5. Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Shane Bieber
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Original Pick:Ā OF Corey Ray
Bieber's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 122 overall
Shane Bieber peaked during the shortened 2020 season, finishing 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 77.1 innings to win AL Cy Young honors, but he is far from a one-year wonder.
In 141 career starts, he has a 3.24 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 995 strikeouts in 883.1 innings, and he helped pitch the Blue Jays to the World Series last year after joining Toronto at the trade deadline. Injuries have limited him to just nine regular season starts since the beginning of 2024, but he still offers ace-caliber future upside.
Outfielder Corey Ray was the top draft prospect on a 2016 Louisville team that also featured catcher Will Smith and two-way standout Brendan McKay. He went 0-for-2 with a run scored in his only MLB game and is now the first base coach for the Washington Nationals.
6. Athletics: RHP Zac Gallen
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Original Pick:Ā LHP A.J. Puk
Gallen's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 106 overall
During the five-year stretch from 2020-24, Zac Gallen logged three top-10 finishes in NL Cy Young voting while posting a 3.34 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 789 strikeouts in 735.1 innings.
He appeared to be on track for a $100 million payday entering a contract year in 2025, but instead he pitched to a 4.83 ERA in 33 starts. Those struggles have continued in the early going this year, but his age (30) and frontline track record is enough for the Athletics to take a chance on him returning to form and anchoring their rotation.
AJ Puk has not developed into the rotation staple many were expecting coming out of Florida, but he has shown flashes as a late-inning reliever, including a 15-save season in 2023.
7. Miami Marlins: OF Bryan Reynolds
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Original Pick:Ā LHP Braxton Garrett
Reynolds' Original Draft Position:Ā No. 59 overall
Bryan Reynolds was one of the first stars to emerge from the 2016 draft class when he hit .314/.377/.503 for a 130 OPS+ with 37 doubles, 16 home runs, 68 RBI and 4.2 WAR in 134 games as a rookie in 2019.
The Vanderbilt product was originally drafted by the Giants and flipped to the Pirates in exchange for Andrew McCutchen. He was the de facto face of the franchise in Pittsburgh prior to the arrival of Paul Skenes, and is a perennial 20-homer, 80-RBi threat. That's exactly the reliable production the Marlins lineup has been lacking.
Left-hander Braxton Garrett has a 4.16 ERA and 323 strikeouts in 330.2 innings in the big leagues, but injuries have limited him to 41.1 innings since the start of 2024.
8. San Diego Padres: RHP Michael King
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Original Pick:Ā RHP Cal Quantrill
King's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 353 overall
The Padres acquired Michael King from the Yankees as one of the key pieces in the Juan Soto blockbuster, and this gives them an opportunity to integrate him into the organization years earlier.
With a 3.29 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 632 strikeouts in 579.2 innings, he has been a rock-solid No. 2 starter when everything is clicking. The Padres re-signed him with a three-year, $75 million deal in December, and he could opt-out and retest the market this coming winter.
Cal Quantrill did not pitch his junior season at Stanford, but showed enough potential prior to getting hurt to still go No. 8 overall. He has a 4.31 ERA in 864 career innings in the majors, and he has appeared in the big leagues in each of the last eight seasons.
9. Detroit Tigers: LHP JesĆŗs Luzardo
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Original Pick:Ā RHP Matt Manning
Luzardo's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 94 overall
When the Phillies acquired JesĆŗs Luzardo from the Marlins prior to the 2025 season, it marked the third time in his career the left-hander had been traded, but he has found a long-term home after inking a five-year, $135 million extension in March.
The 28-year-old has topped 30 starts just twice in his career, providing frontline production in 2023 (32 GS, 3.58 ERA, 208 K, 178.2 IP) and 2025 (32 GS, 3.92 ERA, 216 K, 183.2 IP). He would have been a solid No. 2 option behind Tarik Skubal during those standout campaigns.
Matt Manning was committed to play baseball and basketball at Loyola Marymount out of high school. He had a 4.43 ERA in 254 innings in the majors after emerging as one of baseball's top pitching prospects, but he has not pitched in the big leagues since 2024 and is recovering from Tommy John surgery as a member of the KBO's Samsung Lions.
10. Chicago White Sox: C Sean Murphy
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Original Pick:Ā C Zack Collins
Murphy's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 83 overall
With a Gold Glove in 2021, a 3.7-WAR season in 2022 and an All-Star Game starting nod in 2023, Sean Murphy was trending toward being one of baseball's top catchers after a terrific first season in Atlanta.
He has hit just .193 with an 85 OPS+ over the past three seasons while injuries have limited him to 170 total games, but the tools to be one of baseball's best two-way backstops are still enough to make him a top-10 pick in this class.
Zack Collins hit .188/.300/.329 with 11 home runs and minus-1.1 WAR in 152 games with the White Sox, Blue Jays, Pirates and Guardians, with his most recent action coming in 2023.
11. Seattle Mariners: OF Brandon Marsh
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Original Pick:Ā OF Kyle Lewis
Marsh's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 60 overall
Often overshadowed on a star-studded Phillies lineup, Brandon Marsh has hit .278/.347/.451 for a 118 OPS+ with 10.9 WAR in 510 games since the Phillies acquired him from the Angels in exchange for Logan O'Hoppe.
The Mariners have consistently struggled to find three productive outfielders in recent years, and Marsh's ability to play all three outfield spots further adds to his overall appeal.
Kyle Lewis deserves his flowers for 2020 AL Rookie of the Year honors when he logged a 124 OPS+ with 11 home runs in 58 games, but knee problems have derailed his career and he has not played since 2023.
12. Boston Red Sox: LHP Cole Ragans
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Original Pick:Ā LHP Jay Groome
Ragans' Original Draft Position:Ā No. 30 overall
Cole Ragans looked like a budding ace after joining the Royals in exchange for a two-month rental of Aroldis Chapman in 2023, and he followed that up with a 3.14 ERA and 223 strikeouts in 186.1 innings to finish fourth in 2024 AL Cy Young voting.
An injury-plagued season last year and a 4.84 ERA backed by a 6.18 FIP in 35.1 innings this season have shifted the frontline starter narrative, but there is no pitcher left on the board at this point with a higher ceiling.
Jay Groome was hyped as the best prep lefty since Clayton Kershaw, but he struggled to a 5.54 ERA over seven seasons in the minors and is currently pitching in indy ball.
13. Tampa Bay Rays: IF/OF Tommy Edman
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Original Pick:Ā OF Josh Lowe
Edman's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 196 overall
With elite defensive versatility, plus speed and sneaky power, Tommy Edman provides value in a way that his surface-level offensive stats don't always fully illustrate, and his 6.2-WAR season in 2022 is a prime example.
The Rays value defense and versatility as highly as any team in baseball, making him the perfect fit for an organization that could essentially deploy him as Ben Zobrist 2.0.
Josh Lowe had a stellar 2023 when he posted a 128 OPS+ with 20 home runs, 32 steals and 3.7 WAR, but that has been his only true standout season. He was traded to the Angels in a three-team deal for Gavin Lux in January.
14. Cleveland Guardians: RHP David Bednar
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Original Pick:Ā OF Will Benson
Bednar's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 1,044 overall
One of the biggest late-round steals in recent draft history, David Bednar was a 35th-round selection out of Lafayette College by the Padres. He was traded to the Pirates prior to the 2021 season in the Joe Musgrove deal.
His 103 saves since the start of 2023 trail only Emmanuel Clase (115) and Raisel Iglesias (110), and he has a 3.31 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 10.8 K/9 in 221 appearances during that span. The Guardians do a great job developing pitching talent outside the early rounds, and he would give an already deep bullpen another major weapon.
Will Benson had some of the best raw power in the 2016 high school class, and with a 92 OPS+ and 40 home runs in 405 career games he has shown some glimpses of that, but he has yet to carve out a regular role.
15. Minnesota Twins: 1B Nathaniel Lowe
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Original Pick:Ā OF Alex Kirilloff
Lowe's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 390 overall
After landing with the Reds on a minor league deal over the winter and playing his way onto the roster, Nathaniel Lowe has emerged as one of their best hitters this season, delivering aboveāaverage production in the middle of the lineup.
With 2022 AL Silver Slugger and 2023 AL Gold Glove among his accolades, and a 117 OPS+ with 116 home runs and 12.9 WAR for his career, he would provide the stability the Twins have been lacking at first base in recent years while shuffling through veterans on one-year deals.
A series of injuries kept Alex Kirilloff from delivering on his top prospect potential, and he ultimately retired at the age of 26 in 2024 with a 99 OPS+ and minus-0.1 WAR in 249 games.
16. Los Angeles Angels: RHP Griffin Jax
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Original Pick:Ā C/IF Matt Thaiss
Jax's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 93 overall
Griffin Jax is the first player to reach the majors as a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, and he broke through during his age-27 season in 2022 out of the Twins bullpen.
From 2022-25, he logged a 3.34 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 11.1 K/9 with 15 saves and 93 holds in 281 appearances. The Twins traded him to the Rays for Taj Bradley last summer, and he is now pitching as a starter for the first time since he was a rookie in 2021. The Angels have successfully gone the starter-turned-reliever-turned-starter route with Reid Detmers, so they have experience with that trajectory.
Matt Thaiss has hit .210/.320/.332 for an 81 OPS+ with 1.9 WAR in 305 MLB games, and he is currently playing for Boston's Triple-A affiliate.
17. Houston Astros: RHP Aaron Civale
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Original Pick:Ā RHP Forrest Whitley
Civale's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 92 overall
Aaron Civale is not the prototypical pitcher in today's velocity-driven game, working mostly off a cutter that averages 87.4 mph and a curveball in the mid-70s, but he has a 4.15 ERA and 102 ERA+ over 794 innings in the majors.
With a 4.20 ERA in 55.2 innings this year he has proven to be a solid investment on a one-year, $6 million deal, and there is little question he would be an upgrade for an Astros rotation that ranks 29th in the majors with a 5.07 ERA.
Forrest Whitley was baseball's No. 1 pitching prospect after a 2017 season where he logged a 2.83 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 92.1 innings while reaching Double-A. A PED suspension and arm issues derailed his development, and after posting a 10.57 ERA in 15.1 innings the last two years, he is now pitching in Japan.
18. New York Yankees: 1B/OF Luke Raley
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Original Pick:Ā OF Blake Rutherford
Raley's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 221 overall
Luke Raley has put together a quietly productive career as a bat-first utility player who splits his time between first base and the corner outfield spots, and he has a 120 OPS+ in 1,290 plate appearances since the start of 2023.
He has a 126 OPS+ and 14 home runs through 66 games this season, and while he doesn't profile well as a platoon candidate for Ben Rice, he would give the Yankees another power bat to help navigate injuries to Giancarlo Stanton and uncertainty in left field prior to the Cody Bellinger addition.
Blake Rutherford hit .279/.330/.424 over seven seasons in the minors, but only had a 16-game cup of coffee with the Nationals in 2023. He has spent the last three years playing indy ball and in the Mexican League.
19. New York Mets: OF Mickey Moniak
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Original Pick:Ā RHP Justin Dunn
Moniak's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 1 overall
Mickey Moniak was hitting just .157/.218/.268 for a 35 OPS+ over 167 plate appearances in the majors entering the 2023 season, and he had been traded to the Angels the previous summer for Noah Syndergaard. Since that change of scenery, he has a 108 OPS+ in 387 games.
He set career-high marks in hits (117), home runs (24) and RBI (68) last season in his first year with the Rockies, and he has a 145 OPS+ and 12 home runs in 43 games this season. He would be the Mets' best hitter not named Juan Soto this season, and he could fit at a corner outfield spot or as the primary DH.
The Mets ended up trading Justin Dunn as part of the blockbuster deal to acquire Edwin DĆaz and Robinson Cano from the Mariners. He has a 4.44 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 133.2 innings in the majors and is currently a member of the Angels organization.
20. Los Angeles Dodgers: LHP Dylan Lee
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Original Pick:Ā IF/OF Gavin Lux
Lee's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 293 overall
He might not be a household name, but Dylan Lee has developed into one of the best left-handed relievers in baseball over the past three seasons with the Braves, and he is enjoying a career year in 2026.
Armed with a swing-and-miss slider and a mid-90s fastball, he has posted a 1.14 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and a 40-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 31.2 innings this season, joining Robert SuƔrez and Raisel Iglesias in anchoring baseball's best bullpen. The Dodgers relief corps has been a revolving door for years, and he would be a welcome addition.
Gavin Lux developed into an elite prospect and he has been a productive big leaguer for stretches in his career, but with a 96 OPS+ and 7.2 WAR in 552 games he drops out of the first-round picture in this redraft.
21. Toronto Blue Jays: OF Austin Hays
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Original Pick:Ā RHP T.J. Zeuch
Hays' Original Draft Position:Ā No. 91 overall
Outfielder Austin Hays became the first player from the 2016 draft class to reach the majors on Sept. 7, 2017, and he eventually settled in as the Orioles everyday left fielder.
During the three-year stretch from 2021-23, he posted a 109 OPS+ while averaging 18 home runs, 66 RBI and 2.9 WAR, and he was an All-Star in 2023. If he was healthy and productive wearing a Blue Jays uniform, it might have discouraged them from the ill-fated Anthony Santander signing.
T.J. Zeuch saw sporadic MLB action in four straight seasons from 2019-22, posting a 6.49 ERA in 59.2 innings. He last pitched in the Mexican League in 2025.
22. Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Bryan Baker
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Original Pick:Ā 1B Will Craig
Baker's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 320 overall
Bryan Baker has been one of the breakout pitchers of the 2026 season, posting a 1.91 ERA and 10.2 K/9 with 18 saves in 30 appearances for the Rays while replacing Pete Fairbanks in the closer's role.
He has been a solid bullpen arm dating back to 2022 with the Orioles, and carries a 3.62 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 235 career games. His fastball-changeup approach is not the prototypical late-inning arsenal, but the results speak for themselves and he would fit nicely at the back of the Pirates bullpen in a post-David Bednar world.
Will Craig hit .203 with one home run and 23 strikeouts in 69 plate appearances in the majors, and he is best remembered for his rundown play with Javier Baez in a 2021 game against the Cubs.
23. St. Louis Cardinals: LHP Eric Lauer
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Original Pick:Ā SS Delvin PĆ©rez
Lauer's Original Draft Position:Ā No. 25 overall
Eric Lauer is the classic soft-tossing lefty who can fill a variety of roles on the staff, from plugging into the back of the starting rotation to serving as a bulk reliever out of the bullpen or bouncing between the two as a swingman.
With 137 career starts and a 4.23 ERA in 760 innings, he has put together a productive big league career, and just last year he was a 2.3-WAR player for the Blue Jays when he logged a 3.18 ERA in 104.2 innings. The Cardinals would benefit greatly from his ability to eat innings now and in recent years past.
Delvin PĆ©rez was expected to be a top-five pick in 2016 before reports of a positive PED test surfaced the day before the draft. The Cardinals rolled the dice at the back of the first round, and he hit .247 with a .642 OPS over seven seasons in the minors.
Compensatory Round and Competitive Balance Round A
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Compensatory Round
24. San Diego Padres: RHP Lucas Erceg
25. San Diego Padres: IF/OF Gavin Lux
26. Chicago White Sox: LHP Anthony Kay
27. Baltimore Orioles: RHP John Schreiber
28. Washington Nationals: LHP Braxton Garrett
29. Washington Nationals: IF/OF Zach McKinstry
30. Texas Rangers: OF Josh Lowe
31. New York Mets: LHP JoJo Romero
32. Los Angeles Dodgers: LHP A.J. Puk
33. St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Tony Gonsolin
34. St. Louis Cardinals: IF Cavan Biggio
Competitive Balance Round A
35. Cincinnati Reds: RHP Dean Kremer
36. Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Rico Garcia
37. Athletics: IF Santiago Espinal
38. Colorado Rockies: RHP Cal Quantrill
39. Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Will Benson
40. Atlanta Braves: OF Alex Call
41. Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Dustin May
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