2017 MLB Draft Grades: Tuesday Results and Scores for Each Team

More than any other sport, Major League Baseball's draft is a crapshoot. When teams select players, they do so knowing they likely won't see them on the MLB roster for at least two years in the very best-case scenario.

Even really good prospects linger in the minors for four or five years, honing their games before making their debuts. When you're discussing players who range anywhere from 17 to 23 years old, four and five years is a long time.

It's the difference between boyhood and adulthood for players being taken out of high school. For that reason and many others, all draft grades here are always kept with a relative healthy skepticism and knowledge they may look silly in a few years.

This is a value judgment, not a discussion of a player's acumen. 

2017 MLB Draft Grades

Arizona Diamondbacks: B+

Atlanta Braves: B

Baltimore Orioles: A-

Boston Red Sox: B

Chicago Cubs: B+

Chicago White Sox: B

Cincinnati Reds: A

Cleveland Indians: B

Colorado Rockies: B

Detroit Tigers: B+

Houston Astros: B+

Kansas City Royals: B+

Los Angeles Angels: B

Los Angeles Dodgers: B+

Miami Marlins: B

Milwaukee Brewers: B

Minnesota Twins: A

New York Mets: B

New York Yankees: B

Oakland Athletics: B

Philadelphia Phillies: B

Pittsburgh Pirates: A-

San Diego Padres: A-

San Francisco Giants: B

Seattle Mariners: A-

St. Louis Cardinals: B

Tampa Bay Rays: A

Texas Rangers: B+

Toronto Blue Jays: B+

Washington Nationals: B

Results available at MLB.com.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds rolled the dice on a pair of high school prospects with their first two picks, and it could pay huge dividends if they're able to sign them. Hunter Greene is one of the most tantalizing prospects with perhaps the highest ceiling in this class.

Equipped with the talent to play shortstop or pitch at a first-round level, Greene has a cannon for an arm and good athleticism for his position in the middle infield. The Reds tipped their hand on what position they'll be having Greene play long term with their second-round pick of prep shortstop Jeter Downs. 

Some viewed Downs as a player who could have gone in the mid-first round, making him a steal at No. 32.

Downs talked to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon about his unique first name:

"When he came into the Major Leagues [in 1995], he was the name. He was the thing. He was shining. It was 'Jeter this, Jeter that.' It was actually my Mom's idea. My brother got Jerry from my Dad. It was my Mom's turn to pick a name since I was a second child. She just fell in love with Jeter and the way he played, his humbleness, how he carried himself on and off the field.

"That's how I pride myself. I try to do the right thing on and off the field, whether it's baseball-related or out with friends or helping somebody out on the street. It's kind of ironic that I have the name because that's exactly the person I model myself after."

The Reds continued adding pieces like Wake Forest outfielder Stuart Fairchild in the second round, which made its class among the strongest through the first 10 rounds.

Minnesota Twins

After a ton of hesitation built around potential signability, the Twins wound up rolling the dice on their top-rated player in the class. If Minnesota can get him signed, Royce Lewis has the same face-of-the-franchise type potential once handed to Joe Mauer.

"We see this guy as an impact player on both sides of the ball," Twins vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff said, per Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press. "He also has a unique ability to impact the clubhouse and the community. This guy gets it. He's got that 'it' factor that a No. 1 pick needs to survive and move forward and have success at the end of the journey. He checked all the boxes for us."

The shortstop hit .429 as a senior and projects as a very good contact hitter who can play strong defense. Lewis should come in well below the signing threshold and allow the Twins to allocate money from the first three rounds to replenish their system. 

Mississippi State outfielder Brent Rooker is another solid, signable player. If the Twins wind up convincing prep arms Landon Leach and Blayne Enlow to sign, their class could wind up being the best of any team in a few years.

Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays' semi-surprising decision to draft Louisville star Brendan McKay as a first baseman came into focus with their next two picks. They added Oregon State righty Drew Rasmussen at No. 31 and then prep righty Michael Mercado nine picks later.

Add in Florida State shortstop Taylor Walls, and the first three rounds of the draft were major wins for Tampa. Getting Old Dominion's Zach Rutherford in the sixth round will also be a boost to this class if they can bring him in.

Btu the real crown jewel is McKay, who was considered by some the best overall player in the class. As a left-handed pitcher, McKay has potential top-of-the-rotation stuff, and he emerged as a power slugger in 2017 after two years of high-contact, low-power numbers.