MLB Draft 2017: Selection Order and Predictions for 1st-Round Baseball Prospects

The 2017 MLB draft is only hours away as general managers make their final preparations to determine who will be a large part of their franchise's future.

In terms of spectacle, the MLB draft pales in comparison to its NFL and NBA equivalents, which is largely a result of the deferred returns from the draft itself. It's almost unheard of for a player to immediately join his MLB team, and some players opt against signing a deal altogether.

But it's easier than ever for fans to follow a player's progression and rise up through their organization's farm system.

The four players below are among the most intriguing to watch on Day 1, and three of the four may not have to spend much time in the minors before they're showcasing their skills in MLB.

Mock Draft

1. Minnesota Twins: Kyle Wright, RHP, Vanderbilt

2. Cincinnati Reds: Hunter Greene, RHP, Notre Dame HS

3. San Diego Padres: MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Whiteville HS

4. Tampa Bay Rays: Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP, Louisville

5. Atlanta Braves: Royce Lewis, SS/OF, JSerra Catholic HS

6. Oakland Athletics: Austin Beck, OF, North Davidson HS

7. Arizona Diamondbacks: J.B. Bukauskas, RHP, North Carolina

8. Philadelphia Phillies: Pavin Smith, 1B, Virginia

9. Milwaukee Brewers: Jordon Adell, OF, Ballard HS

10. Los Angeles Angels: Adam Haseley, OF, Virginia

11. Chicago White Sox: Jeren Kendall, OF, Vanderbilt

12. Pittsburgh Pirates: Alex Faedo, RHP, Florida

13. Miami Marlins: Trevor Rogers, LHP, Carlsbad HS

14. Kansas City Royals: Shane Baz, RHP, Concordia Lutheran HS

15. Houston Astros: D.L. Hall, LHP, Valdosta HS

16. New York Yankees: Evan White, 1B/OF, Kentucky

17. Seattle Mariners: Griffin Canning, RHP, UCLA

18. Detroit Tigers: Nick Pratto, 1B, Huntington Beach HS

19. San Francisco Giants: Logan Warmoth, SS, North Carolina

20. New York Mets: David Peterson, LHP, Oregon

21. Baltimore Orioles: Jake Burger, 3B, Missouri State

22. Toronto Blue Jays: Tanner Houck, RHP, Missouri

23. Los Angeles Dodgers: Bubba Thompson, OF, McGill-Toolen HS

24. Boston Red Sox: Keston Hiura, 2B/OF, UC Irvine

25. Washington Nationals: Nate Pearson, RHP, College of Central Florida

26. Texas Rangers: Alex Lange, RHP, LSU

27. Chicago Cubs: Seth Romero, LHP

28. Toronto Blue Jays: Nick Allen, SS, Parker HS

29. Texas Rangers: Brian Miller, OF, North Carolina

30. Chicago Cubs: Stuart Fairchild, OF, Wake Forest

Players to Watch

Hunter Greene, RHP, Notre Dame HS

In terms of potential, Hunter Greene is as good as anybody in the 2017 draft class. However, high school pitchers can be volatile in terms of their development, and there's also the question of whether Greene's future lies at shortstop instead of on the mound.

Since he has a commitment to the UCLA Bruins, Greene is in a strong negotiating position as well, so he almost certainly won't accept anything below the slot money allotted to wherever he falls.

Despite all of the potential pitfalls, Greene would be a great pick for any team in the top five. His fastball can hit the upper 90s, and he has batted .324 with six home runs and 28 RBI in 115 plate appearances for Notre Dame High School, per MaxPreps.

The southern California native would especially be a boost to the San Diego Padres or Cincinnati Reds, two teams that need to give fans a reason to be excited about the future as they embark on long-term rebuilds.

Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP, Louisville

Like Greene, Brendan McKay is a legitimate two-way player. At the plate, he boasts a .343/.464/.657 slash line to go along 17 homers and 56 RBI. On the mound, McKay is 10-3 with a 2.34 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 104 innings. 

Speaking with the Courier-Journal's Steve Jones, MLB.com's Jim Callis argued McKay's proficiency both as a hitter and a pitcher makes the decision about where he'll ultimately play even more difficult.

"Usually with two-way guys, nine times out of 10, it's pretty clear-cut on if the guy's better at one thing or the other, and with Brendan, I don't think there's a consensus," Callis said. "I've talked to people who are convinced he's better as a pitcher, and I've talked to people who are convinced he's definitely better as a hitter."

McKay told Jones that he'd prefer to play both ways but will accept whatever position his MLB team decides for him: "As long as I can do it, I want to try to do it. When it comes to the point when somebody says, 'Hey, it's got to be one way or the other,' then at that point, you'll make that choice."

If the Minnesota Twins are a little put off by Greene's risk and want to add another young hitter to a lineup that already includes Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton, then McKay would be their best option.

Seth Romero, LHP

Seth Romero is without a team affiliation after the Houston Cougars kicked him off the squad in May. His departure came after he served two separate suspensions previously. The fact Romero is still considered a first-round prospect is a testament to his talent.

He made 10 appearances for the Cougars this season, going 4-5 with a 3.51 ERA. In 2016, he was 6-4 with a 2.29 ERA and 113 strikeouts in 94.1 innings.

At 6'3" and 240 pounds, Romero has a great frame for his position. He also has three strong pitches with his fastball, changeup and slider.

The risk in selecting Romero is obvious, and a lot of teams will be reluctant to spend a first-round pick on a player who was twice suspended before getting kicked off his team entirely.

Those circumstances could make Romero a bargain, though. Not only will he slip further down the first round than one would expect based on talent alone, he'll also likely settle for a reasonable slot amount to sign.

Keston Hiura, 2B/OF, UC Irvine 

Keston Hiura is another high-risk, high-reward player for reasons altogether different from Romero.

The good news is that Hiura batted .442 with eight home runs and 42 RBI this past season with the UC Irvine Anteaters, which helped win him the Big West Player of the Year award:

The bad news is that he has dealt with an elbow injury throughout the year that MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo wrote may require Tommy John surgery. While Tommy John surgery is less of a problem for a position player than it is for a pitcher, it would still leave Hiura out for a significant chunk of time.

Should Hiura's elbow scare some teams off in the middle stages of the first round, he'd be a great pick in the latter half of the round. He's an adept hitter who can get on base and provide power at the plate.

When his elbow has fully healed, Hiura shouldn't need much time before he proves himself worthy of an MLB call-up.