MLB Draft 2018: 1st-Round Mock Draft, Breakdown of Top Prospects

College players are expected to heavily populate the early portion of the 2018 MLB draft, which is scheduled to kick off Monday at MLB Network headquarters in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Although collegiate stars such as Auburn starting pitcher Casey Mize and Georgia Tech catcher Joey Bart are solid bets to come off the board right away, the top 10 could also feature several prep pitchers who are longer-term development projects.

Let's check out a complete mock draft for the first round of the draft. That's followed by a closer look at the top overall prospects in the 2018 class.

Round 1 MLB Mock Draft

1. Detroit Tigers: Casey Mize, RHP, Auburn

2. San Francisco Giants: Joey Bart, C, Georgia Tech

3. Philadelphia Phillies: Brady Singer, RHP, Florida

4. Chicago White Sox: Nick Madrigal, 2B, Oregon State

5. Cincinnati Reds: Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Mountain Ridge HS (Ariz.)

6. New York Mets: Alec Bohm, 3B, Wichita State

7. San Diego Padres: Carter Stewart, RHP, Eau Gallie HS (Fla.)

8. Atlanta Braves: Ryan Weathers, LHP, Loretto HS (Tenn.)

9. Oakland Athletics: Nolan Gorman, 3B, O'Connor HS (Ariz.)

10. Pittsburgh Pirates: Grayson Rodriguez, RHP, Central Heights HS (Texas)

11. Baltimore Orioles: Cole Winn, RHP, Orange Lutheran HE (Calif.)

12. Toronto Blue Jays: Jonathan India, 3B, Florida

13. Miami Marlins: Jarred Kelenic, OF, Waukesha West HS (Wis.)

14. Seattle Mariners: Jackson Kowar, RHP, Florida

15. Texas Rangers: Travis Swaggerty, OF, South Alabama

16. Tampa Bay Rays: Triston Casas, 1B, American Heritage School (Fla.)

17. Los Angeles Angels: Shane McClanahan, LHP, South Florida

18. Kansas City Royals: Jordan Groshans, 3B, Magnolia HS (Texas)

19. St. Louis Cardinals: Logan Gilbert, RHP, Stetson

20. Minnesota Twins: Xavier Edwards, SS, North Broward Prep (Fla.)

21. Milwaukee Brewers: Ryan Rolison, LHP, Mississippi

22. Colorado Rockies: Connor Scott, OF, Plant HS (Fla.)

23. New York Yankees: Brice Turang, SS, Santiago HS (Calif.)

24. Chicago Cubs: Jordyn Adams, OF, Green Hope HS (N.C.)

25. Arizona Diamondbacks: Trevor Larnach, OF, Oregon State

26. Boston Red Sox: Jeremy Eierman, SS, Missouri State

27. Washington Nationals: Cole Wilcox, RHP, Heritage HS (Ga.)

28. Houston Astros: Steele Walker, OF, Oklahoma

29. Cleveland Indians: Noah Naylor, C, St. Joan of Arc HS (Ont.)

30. Los Angeles Dodgers: Jameson Hannah, OF, Dallas Baptist

Analyzing Top Prospects

Casey Mize, RHP, Auburn

Mize went undrafted out of high school in 2015. He's become far more polished and added a little heat to his fastball during his time with the Tigers, and he's in line to become the first overall selection.

If the 21-year-old Alabama native is playing with a chip on his shoulder, he doesn't show it. Instead, he owns up to the fact he probably wasn't good enough to hear his name called three years ago, per John Zenor of the Associated Press:

"I definitely was not good enough. I realized that and I was fine with that. I was just a smaller guy, very raw, didn't know anything about pitching. Just had a good arm. Luckily, I got to Auburn, learned some things, put some weight on, got stronger. I had a chance to be around some really good coaches and really good teammates and they've helped mold me into the player I am today."

The right-hander showcased his high-end upside in March when he threw a no-hitter against Northeastern. The only blemish was an error, as he also didn't walk any batters and struck out 13 in one of those most dominant performances of the college season.

He's got all the tools to become an top-two starter at the MLB level, and his development at Auburn should allow him to make a relatively quick journey through the minor leagues.

Nick Madrigal, 2B, Oregon State

Nick Madrigal is generating a lot of attention, not only because of his skill set but also the across-the-board success found by small-stature second basemen in recent years. The Houston Astros' Jose Altuve is the main example, but the Atlanta Braves' Ozzie Albies is also making a major impact this season.

It's unclear whether the 21-year-old Beavers standout, who can also play shortstop, will develop the power displayed by Altuve and Albies. He makes consistently strong contact, which yields hope he will garner more pop as he added more strength to his frame.

Even if that 20-homer power never arrives, he's got the lowest floor in the class thanks to his terrific eye, which should lead to a high on-base percentage at every level. It makes him a safe pick, and there aren't many of those in a draft with a lot of variables.

Joey Bart, C, Georgia Tech

Catchers with serious power potential aren't easy to find, which is a significant reason Bart should land in the top five. His all-around performance at the plate is still a work in progress, especially in terms of showing more patience to draw walks, but he makes up for it with his game-changing homers.

He's also become a more reliable handler of the pitching staff at Georgia Tech. It's eased concerns that he would have to switch to a corner-infield spot. That may still happen, but his peak value would come if he can remain a major offensive threat and start behind the dish.

Bart is still going to take a handful of years in the minors to continue the progress he made with the Yellow Jackets. However, that's common for catches, so it shouldn't affect his stock. He should still provide plenty of bang for the buck over the long haul.