2021 MLB Draft Day 1 Thread

[Andrew Thares]

Come here to follow everything happening on night one of the draft and join in on the conversation.

 

It is officially All-Star week and that means the first day of the MLB Draft is finally upon us. Unlike in years past, when the draft took place in early June, this year’s draft will take place in the All-Star game’s host city of Denver, Colorado.

This year’s draft will feature just 20 rounds, instead of the usual 40. Day 1, which begins at 6 p.m. CT and can be viewed on ESPN and MLB Network, features both round 1 and Competitive Balance Round A.

The Twins have two picks tonight, with the first one coming at pick number 26 overall in the first round. They will then conclude tonight’s events with the last pick in Competitive Balance Round A, which will be pick number 36 overall. The draft will then pick back up again tomorrow with round 2, starting at 12 p.m. CT.

If you want a quick glimpse at who some of the top prospects are available in this year’s draft, you can take a look at the Twins Daily Top 50 Draft Prospect rankings.

2021 MLB Draft Top 50 Prospects: 1-10

2021 MLB Draft Top 50 Prospects: 11-20

2021 MLB Draft Top 50 Prospects: 21-30

2021 MLB Draft Top 50 Prospects: 31-40

2021 MLB Draft Top 50 Prospects: 41-50

MLB Draft Day 1 Picks

Round 1

1. Pirates: Henry Davis, C, Louisville

2. Rangers: Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt

3. Tigers: Jackson Jobe, RHP, Heritage Hall HS (OK)

4. Red Sox: Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake HS (CA)

5. Orioles: Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston State

6. Diamondbacks: Jordan Lawlar, SS, Jesuit HS (TX)

7. Royals: Frank Mozzicato, LHP, East Catholic HS (CT)

8. Rockies: Benny Montgomery, OF, Red Land HS (PA)

9. Angels: Sam Bachman, RHP, Miami (OH)

10. Mets: Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt

11. Nationals: Brady House, SS, Winder-Barrow HS (GA)

12. Mariners: Harry Ford, C, Horth Cobb HS (GA)

13. Phillies: Andrew Painter, RHP, Calvary Christian HS (FL)

14. Giants: Will Bednar, RHP, Mississippi State

15. Brewers: Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College

16. Marlins: Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest HS (NC)

17. Reds: Matt McLain, SS, UCLA

18. Cardinals: Michael McGreevy, RHP UC Santa Barbara

19. Blue Jays: Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Ole Miss

20. Yankees: Trey Sweeney, SS, Eastern Illinois

21. Cubs: Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State

22. White Sox: Colson Montgomery, SS, Southridge HS (IN)

23. Indians: Gavin Williams, RHP, East Carolina

24. Braves: Ryan Cusick, RHP, Wake Forest

25. Athletics: Max Muncy, SS, Thousand Oaks HS (CA)

26. Twins: Chase Petty, RHP, Mainland Regional HS (NJ)

27. Padres: Jackson Merrill, SS, Severna Park HS (MD)

28. Rays: Carson Williams, SS, Torrey Pines HS (CA)

29. Dodgers: Maddux Bruns, LHP, UMS Wright Prep School (AL)

Compensation Picks

30. Reds: (Trevor Bauer): Jay Allen, OF, John Carroll HS (FL)

Competitive Balance Round A

31. Marlins: Joe Mack, C, Williamsville East HS (NY)

32. Tigers: Ty Madden, RHP, Texas

33. Brewers: Tyler Black, 2B, Wright State University

34. Rays: Cooper Kinney, 2B, The Baylor Schools (TN)

35. Reds: Matheu Nelson, C, Florida State

36. Twins: Noah Miller, SS, Ozaukee HS (WI)

 

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[Mill1634]

Not a huge fan of the Davis pick. Jack going to a pitchers park in Taxas is awesome. Kid is going to be good. 

[Sielk]

Certainly didn't expect Marcelo Mayer to still be on the board after the first three picks...

[Sielk]

To the Red Sox he goes...

[Mill1634]

Red Sox get the best player at #4...congrats to them

[Sielk]

Wow. Wasn't Mozzicato supposed to go much later, toward the end of the first round?

[Rigby]

1 minute ago, Sielk said:

Wow. Wasn't Mozzicato supposed to go much later, toward the end of the first round?

Neither Callis nor Mayo had him going in the first.

[Seth Stohs]

Hearing that money is very much playing a big role in many of these top picks. That strategy certainly isn't new. 

Also, the Mozzicato pick is loved by people with the Twins. Love his curveball. 

[Sielk]

If I were a Royals fan I wouldn't be thrilled about reaching for a HS pitcher. But who knows, maybe they're onto something. 

[Seth Stohs]

Is it OK yet to start dreaming on Kumar Rocker now that he's fallen down to 9... can he make it to 26? OK, no, but I want to dream. 

 

[Andrew Thares]

1 minute ago, Seth Stohs said:

Is it OK yet to start dreaming on Kumar Rocker now that he's fallen down to 9... can he make it to 26? OK, no, but I want to dream. 

 

That might be a pipe dream, but with the number of teams taking the save money early approach, I could see a couple names fall to the Twins that we did not at all expect to fall to them.

[Danchat]

I am hoping for BPA (best pitcher available), and if they do take a hitter, he better be a true SS/CF. I don’t think the focus on 1B/DH hitters is going to pan out for them. Obviously it is all a crapshoot, but if a prospect ends up weaker as a hitter, it’s be better to at least have a quality defender at a premium position.

[HrbieFan]

56 minutes ago, Sielk said:

Wow. Wasn't Mozzicato supposed to go much later, toward the end of the first round?

Not going to go against the Royals recent draft record with pitchers.  They are actually graduating some very good arms to the MLB team 

[Sielk]

10 minutes ago, Danchat said:

I am hoping for BPA (best pitcher available), and if they do take a hitter, he better be a true SS/CF. I don’t think the focus on 1B/DH hitters is going to pan out for them. Obviously it is all a crapshoot, but if a prospect ends up weaker as a hitter, it’s be better to at least have a quality defender at a premium position.

100% agree.

Had kinda hoped Bednar would fall, but seeing how he just went to the Giants that was probably a pipedream. 

[Sielk]

Just now, HrbieFan said:

Not going to go against the Royals recent draft record with pitchers.  They are actually graduating some very good arms to the MLB team 

True. I'm sure the Royals know more than me who has just read scouting reports...

[Rigby]

Ty Madden... signability issue?

[SteelDodo]

Assuming they actually could sign him, Madden would be an AWFULLY good value...

[Dman]

Yankees got Sweeney the only hitter I really liked for the Twins at 26.  Kind of hoping they go pitcher but likely a pipe dream on my part.

 

[Seth Stohs]

Getting close!!!

[Rigby]

Just now, Seth Stohs said:

Getting close!!!

Who's it gonna be Seth?

[downunder twins fan]

Eric A Longenhagen

9:44

maybe Jay Allen? Maybe Joe Mack? Maybe  prep arm? They're tough to peg right now

[Seth Stohs]

Ethan Wilson, another very talented college outfielder? 

Joe Mack, a prep catcher whose brother Charlie is a catcher with the Mighty Mussels (who is in Denver with the family)?

Pitcher? Hitter? What to do???

[Sielk]

By the way, something I wondered about:

I remember Oakland being the second seed for the playoffs last year. Twins were the third, yet we pick after them.

Do they use different rules for draft seeding than for the playoffs?

[Squirrel]

okay ... let's speed this up ... 

[whosafraidofluigirussolo]

A few random thoughts - writing this as Atlanta has just picked 24th.

- The first round is soooo slow. Every year I notice this and every year it still exceeds my expectations of how slow it's going to be.

- The middle to late first round is more interesting to me than the top because this is when players who conceivably could make it or could have made it to the Twins are being rumored about and coming off the board.

- I pay exactly zero attention to amateur baseball except for starting to get an idea of who players are when mock drafts and previews start to come out, a month or two before the draft—so I have no real knowledge of what or who makes a good pick, just half-baked opinions based on the various sources I've seen.
So far, of names that seemed like they might have been around for the Twins, the college pitchers taken with the last 2 picks (Cusick and Williams), McGreevy (18th) and Painter (went all the way up at 13th, but had been lower in some mocks) are the players who I had an eye on.

- I've been looking at the Fangraphs draft night chat where they're saying that college pitcher Ty Madden is "the steal of the draft" at this point, falling farther than expected. Only 2 more picks for him to get to the Twins. Maybe...?

[Vanimal46]

Alright we’re on the clock!

[twins_89]

Twins up with Ty Madden still sitting there.

[Vanimal46]

I’d throw a dart at Ty Madden 

[SteelDodo]

Just now, Vanimal46 said:

I’d throw a dart at Ty Madden 

YUP. 

[Sielk]

So, Ty Madden is still there and clearly the best player remaining. Can we actually sign him, that's the million dollar question.