2018 MLB Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions for Where Top Prospects Will Land

The 2018 MLB draft could go in a variety ways, as it's expected by some experts to be one of the more unpredictable selection processes in recent years. 

Outside of the No. 1 overall pick, there is some indecision in slots No. 2 to No. 6 where most of the elite prospects in the talent pool should land. 

The draft begins Monday in Secaucus, New Jersey, and lasts over three days with players taken across 40 rounds. 

A handful of the players expected to be taken in Monday's first round are still playing in the NCAA tournament, while some will be waiting around after failing to make the field of 64. 

2018 1st-Round MLB Mock Draft

1. Detroit Tigers: Casey Mize, RHP, Auburn

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

3. Philadelphia Phillies: Alec Bohm, 3B, Wichita State

4. Chicago White Sox: Brady Singer, RHP, Florida

5. Cincinnati Reds: Nick Madrigal, 2B, Oregon State

6. New York Mets: Jonathan India, 3B, Florida

7. San Diego Padres: Ryan Weathers, LHP, Loretto HS (TN) 

8. Atlanta Braves: Nolan Gorman, 3B, O'Connor HS (AZ) 

9. Oakland Athletics: Travis Swaggerty, OF, South Alabama

10. Pittsburgh Pirates: Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Mountain Ridge HS (AZ)

11. Baltimore Orioles: Jarred Kelenic, OF, Waukesha HS (WI)

12. Toronto Blue Jays: Cole Winn, RHP, Orange Lutheran HS (CA) 

13. Miami Marlins: Connor Scott, OF, Plant HS (FL) 

14. Seattle Mariners: Logan Gilbert, RHP, Stetson

15. Texas Rangers: Carter Stewart, RHP, Eau Gallie HS (FL) 

16. Tampa Bay Rays: Jordyn Adams, OF, Green Hope HS (NC) 

17. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Mason Denaburg, RHP, Merritt Island HS (FL) 

18. Kansas City Royals: Triston Casas, 3B/1B, American Heritage HS (FL)

19. St. Louis Cardinals: Jackson Kowar, RHP, Florida

20. Minnesota Twins: Ryan Rolison, LHP, Ole Miss

21. Milwaukee Brewers: Trevor Larnach, OF, Oregon State

22. Colorado Rockies: Ethan Hankins, RHP, Forsyth Central HS (GA) 

23. New York Yankees: Daniel Lynch, LHP, Virginia

24. Chicago Cubs: Brice Turang, SS, Santiago HS (CA) 

25. Arizona Diamondbacks: Nick Schnell, OF, Roncalli HS (IN) 

26. Boston Red Sox: Steele Walker, OF, Oklahoma

27. Washington Nationals: Alek Thomas, OF, Mount Carmel HS (IL) 

28. Houston Astros: Cole Wilcox, RHP, Heritage HS (GA) 

29. Cleveland Indians: Jordan Groshans, 3B, Magnolia HS (TX) 

30. Los Angeles Dodgers: Anthony Seigler, C, Cartersville HS (GA) 

Top Prospects

Casey Mize 

By all accounts, Casey Mize will be the No. 1 overall pick Monday night.

Mize wasn't drafted in 2015 out of high school despite having a high ranking in the state of Alabama, but he didn't take the snub personally, as he told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. 

"I didn't really use the draft as a ton of motivation," Mize said. "I understood where I stood with my talent level. I knew I needed to go to Auburn to get better. I didn't take the draft personally. I wanted to put myself in a better position in three years, which is where I am now."

Mize, who will toe the rubber for Auburn in Saturday's NCAA tournament game against Army, has a 9-5 record with three complete games on his resume.

What's most impressive about the Auburn junior is his strikeout-to-walk ratio, as he's fanned 140 batters and walked just 10. 

Selecting a pitcher with the No. 1 overall pick has been hit-or-miss for some franchises, as The Athletic's Peter Gammons detailed: 

While there are a few other intriguing prospects in the talent pool the Detroit Tigers could consider, Mize appears to be the safe bet, and it's hard to argue against him after looking at his numbers. 

Joey Bart 

After Mize, the draft could go in a few different directions, as a handful of prospects could land anywhere from No. 2 to No. 6. 

Catcher Joey Bart is one of the top hitting prospects in the talent pool, and it would be wise of the San Francisco Giants to swoop him up at No. 2.

Bart leads the Yellow Jackets in batting average, home runs, total bases and on-base percentage, and he's racked up quite the impressive haul of awards, as the ACC Digital Network outlined: 

In 57 games, Bart hit 16 home runs and tallied 38 RBI for a Georgia Tech team that hovered around .500 and finished 31-27. 

The junior, who hails from Georgia, was selected in 2015 by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 808th overall pick. 

The potential jump of 806 spots in three years is a testament to all the hard work Bart put in while with the Yellow Jackets. 

Not only is Bart a solid hitter, he's one of the best defensive players on the draft board, as he boasts a .990 career fielding percentage while throwing 31 runners in his three seasons at Georgia Tech. 

Alec Bohm 

Alec Bohm is one of a few third basemen who could go in the top 10, and he might go as high as No. 3 to the Philadelphia Phillies. 

With so much chatter revolving around each top 10 pick at the moment, it's hard to gauge where exactly Bohm will land, but the consensus in most mock drafts is he won't last past the New York Mets at No. 6. 

Bohm mashed 16 home runs and drove in 55 runs for Wichita State while producing a .339 average, which was second best on the team. 

Just like Bart, Bohm wasn't able to show off his talents in the NCAA tournament, as the Shockers went 35-21-1, which was held down by a 9-14-1 conference mark. 

Bohm finished off his junior season with a pair of three-hit games in May and hits in 11 of his last 14 contests, but he was shut out in two matchups against South Florida to conclude the 2018 campaign. 

If he goes at the top of the first round as predicted, Bohm would be just the 15th Wichita State player to be selected in the opening round, but he'd join some impressive names like Joe Carter, Mike Pelfrey and Braden Looper. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

Statistics obtained from official team websites.