2016 MLB Draft Results: Easy-to-View Grades for Each Franchise

Two days into the 2016 MLB draft, a handful of franchises must hope fortune will favor the bold.

In a class lacking can't-miss phenoms, teams searching for difference-makers were forced to roll the dice and accept a substantial amount of risk. Health hurdles, off-field issues and signing concerns caused top talents to plummet down the board until daring organizations swung for the fences.

A fair professor would wait until 2020 or later to grade all 30 teams. Looking back at 2013's draft, everyone still gets an incomplete beside the Chicago Cubs, who earn an A-plus for snagging Kris Bryant with the No. 2 overall selection.

The internet, however, is not a fair place, so let's jump the gun and assemble immediate assessments for each franchise. Full information is available on MLB.com.

Team	Grade	Analysis
Arizona Diamondbacks	B	For better or worse, none of Arizona's picks stand out.
Atlanta Braves	B-	After reaching for Ian Anderson, the Braves got fellow prep arms Joey Wentz and Kyle Muller at favorable slots.
Baltimore Orioles	B+	Junior college pitcher Matthias Dietz could become one of the draft's finest finds at pick No. 69.
Boston Red Sox	A-	After taking a major high-upside flier on Jason Groome, the Red Sox loaded up on college talent.
Chicago Cubs	B	Finally joining the fray in Round 3, the Cubs loaded up on right-handed college pitchers.
Chicago White Sox	B+	The White Sox built their draft around power bats and arms. If Zack Collins can't stick behind the plate, he'll make a great DH down the road.
Cincinnati Reds	B	Nick Senzel isn't the flashiest No. 2 pick, but he should become the Reds' Kyle Seager at third.
Cleveland Indians	A-	Expected to go in the first, Nolan Jones fell to No. 55. Unlike most catchers in this class, Logan Ice won't need to find a new position.
Colorado Rockies	A-	The Rockies keep stockpiling electric arms in hopes of building a steady pitching staff in Coors Field. If anyone can, it's Riley Pint and his 102-mph heater.
Detroit Tigers	B	The No. 35 pick last year, Kyle Funkhouser fell to No. 115 despite heating up down the stretch for Louisville.
Houston Astros	B	Forrest Whitley isn't as risky as the typical high school pitcher.
Kansas City Royals	B-	Second-round pick A.J. Puckett threw 45.2 straight scoreless innings for Pepperdine.
Los Angeles Angels	B-	Matt Thaiss is one of the most refined college bats, but he's also unlikely to remain a catcher.
Los Angeles Dodgers	B	Jordan Sheffield is an ultimate risk-reward pick after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Miami Marlins	B-	Miami chased upside, taking high-school prospects with each of its first three picks.
Milwaukee Brewers	A-	No. 111 pick Corbin Burnes easily could have warranted a second-round selection. Braden Webb also offers promise as high-leverage reliever.
Minnesota Twins	B-	The Twins, who could use some pitching, loaded up on prep-position players
New York Mets	B+	There's no such thing as having too much young pitching, and Peter Alonso gives them a college corner infielder with superb power.
New York Yankees	B+	In Blake Rutherford, the Yankees stole a top-10 talent at pick No. 18.
Oakland Athletics	A-	A.J. Puk was largely considered a frontrunner to go No. 1, but Logan Shore performed better in Florida. Oakland snagged both Gators pitchers.
Philadelphia Phillies	B	The Phillies were in a tough spot, picking No. 1 in a draft without a top player. Mickey Moniak isn't quite Mickey Mantle, but he should develop into a high-quality hitter and defender.
Pittsburgh Pirates	B	The Pirates went safe with Will Craig before purchasing a pure lottery ticket in teenage southpaw Nick Lodolo.
San Diego Padres	B+	After boldly taking Cal Quantrill, San Diego selected one of college's top performers in Kent State's Eric Lauer.
San Francisco Giants	B+	They didn't hold a top-50 pick, but the Giants plucked two high-end outfielders in Bryan Reynolds and Heath Quinn.
Seattle Mariners	A-	Kyle Lewis looked poised for top-five billing before falling to Seattle at No. 11.
St. Louis Cardinals	A-	Delvin Perez will cause controversy, but he, Dakota Hudson and Connor Jones stock St. Louis' farm with upside.
Tampa Bay Rays	B	If third base doesn't work out, first-round pick Joshua Lowe could hold his own as a pitcher.
Texas Rangers	B-	Searching for the next Cole Hamels, Texas will hope lefty Cole Ragans develops into its next workhorse.
Toronto Blue Jays	B	Toronto went with legacy names, taking Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio to help replenish their middle infield.
Washington Nationals	B-	Washington reached for Carter Kieboom and Dave Dunning, but Jesus Luzardo is intriguing in the late third round.

Boldest Picks

San Diego Padres: SP Cal Quantrill (Pick No. 8)

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Pitchers get hurt far too often for anyone's liking. This could cause cautious teams to avoid spending precious draft capital on hurlers, but it could also add incentive to stockpile as many promising arms as possible.

Realizing nobody can avoid the inevitable, the San Diego Padres used their first pick on a pitcher who has already undergone Tommy John surgery.

Stanford's Cal Quantrill sat out an entire season after undergoing the procedure to repair his pitching elbow on March 20, 2015. According to ESPN's Keith Law, the righty could have gone far higher if not for that major setback:

He submitted a 2.57 ERA in 129.1 innings at Stanford, compiling 118 strikeouts to 42 walks. Per MLB.com's AJ Cassavell, the Padres won't have to wait around for his debut.

The Canadian prospect wisely didn't risk returning and re-aggravating his throwing elbow before the draft. Yet it took guts for the Padres to spend a top-10 pick on someone who hasn't pitched in nearly 15 months. Considering it also held the No. 24 and 25 picks, they must have felt someone else would have gladly taken the plunge instead.

Tommy John surgery is commonplace, and it has saved several careers, with pitchers returning without missing a beat. It's also far from a perfect cure. For every Jose Fernandez and Stephen Strasburg there's a Josh Johnson and Kerry Wood who never came back the same.

San Diego took the ultimate risk-reward gambit on a potential ace. Like many of the team's past moves, it could pay major dividends or blow up in its face.

Boston Red Sox: SP Jason Groome (Pick No. 12)

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Like Quantrill, Jason Groome was also once considered a legitimate candidate for the No. 1 pick. The Boston Red Sox landed the player with the highest ceiling when the high-school southpaw fell into their laps at No. 12.

It's either the steal of the draft or a wasted selection.

Before the draft, MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis reported the New Jersey native changed his college commitment from Vanderbilt to Chipola College, a junior college in Florida. By going to the two-year school, he can declare for the draft after his freshman or sophomore year. At a four-year university, he'd need to wait three years.

This maneuvering gives him signing leverage, as the 17-year-old can try again next year if Boston doesn't meet his demands. According to Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan, he still wants to be paid like a top pick despite sliding outside the top 10:

MLB.com rated him as the class' top prospect. Already a menacing presence on the mound, he wields a mid-90s heater and deadly curve that Law described as the best he has seen since Washington Nationals prospect Lucas Giolito.

Mitigating some risk, the Red Sox would receive a compensatory pick at the end of next year's opening round if Groome doesn't sign. It's a chance worth taking for a potential star.

St. Louis Cardinals: SS Delvin Perez (Pick No. 23)

Delvin Perez is a top-tier talent once considered a probable top-five selection. After Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball reported he failed a drug test, he tumbled all the way to No. 23.

Some will call the St. Louis Cardinals shrewd for snagging the 17-year-old shortstop far below his original market value. Others, however, will raise an ethical red flag in protest of the Red Birds' choice.

As seen in the video above, Harold Reynolds lambasted the Cardinals for the selection during MLB Network's broadcast, calling it "a bad message for baseball."

Per MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak explained his organization's thought process. 

"Our takeaway on this is that we understand he made a mistake," Mozeliak said. "We understand that he realizes that this cost him a lot. But he also realizes that at 17, his future is still ahead of him. What we tried to decide basically is, 'Are we willing to forgive?'"

St. Louis' starting shortstop, Jhonny Peralta, tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs three years ago, shortly before signing with the Cardinals. Nelson Cruz has become one of baseball's best sluggers since his 50-game ban. Those veterans were given a second chance, so why blacklist a teenager?

Few critics will dislike this pick for reasons outside of his PED use. The Puerto Rican prospect brandishes an elite glove and quick bat that are advanced for his age. Let's slow down with the Carlos Correa comparisons, but his talent proved enough that St. Louis was willing to handle the resulting backlash.