The 2013 MLB draft is set to start on Thursday and the event is a very anticipated one this year with the Houston Astros making the first pick and while the draft can be kind of a crap shoot for teams, others can change their fortunes in no time, as the Washington Nationals did when they selected Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper in consecutive years.
There are a number of players this year that will be looked at with the number one pick, including Stanford pitcher Mark Appel, who was drafted last year before returning to school, as well as Kris Bryant from the University of San Diego and Oklahoma pitcher Jonathan Gray. Those three are expected to go in the first few picks in nearly any order and it would be a surprise if any of them fell out of the Top 5 and the Top 10. The fates of franchises can be turned on just one pick, as the Nationals were able to pick Strasburg just ahead of the Seattle Mariners, who selected Dustin Ackley.
The Mariners were pleased to get one of college baseball's best hitters, but this year the team sent Ackley down to the minors after struggling, while Strasburg has developed into one of the best starters in the game. On top of that, that draft just shows how sometimes teams don't know what they have in a player, as Mike Trout was selected with the 25th pick for the Angels and he may be the best of the bunch. Another past mistake includes the San Diego Padres, who selected Matt Bush with the first pick in 2004 after deciding to pass on Justin Verlander, who ended up as an MVP and Cy Young winner. Bush is now in prison. The MLB Draft can sometimes be a crap shoot.
Some of the top players still have games to play in the NCAA Tournament and that will be the last chance for teams to get a look at them before the draft. Appel will be hanging out after the Cardinal didn't make it, while players like Bryant and Gray will still be playing. The Astros are likely to look on the offensive side of the ball rather than pitching, but there is always a chance that they will fall in love with Gray or Appel as Thursday night approaches. Bryant can play at third base and first base and the fact that he is a slugger and someone Houston can build around is appealing. He hit 31 home runs this season which is a top-20 number all-time and since the team is so far back, why not draft the closest thing to a sure thing in the draft?
The Chicago Cubs are in a good spot no matter who the Houston Astros take, as while there aren't superstar prospects like Strasburg or Harper, the team is in line to get a very solid player. The team may take Appel, as he has number one talent, but if the team is worried about signing him after he turned down $4 million from the Pirates after being taken eighth, they could pass on him. Gray is appealing for his size and arm strength and the Cubs could do well with either pick, but it will likely be Appel.
The Colorado Rockies follow and they have done a pretty decent job over the years in the draft, including taking Troy Tulowitzki a few years ago. The Rockies likely will take whomever is leftover from Appel and Bryant, but if the team wants to go offense, there will be some solid options waiting, including two Georgia high schoolers in Clint Frazier and Austin Meadows, both of whom have top-5 talent. The Marlins, Red Sox, Royals, Pirates and Blue Jays follow next.
