Tomahawk Take 2015 Mock MLB Draft
By Fred Owens
This Year’s MLB Draft Pool
The 2015 draft pool is notably absent can’t miss prospects. John Manuel writing for Baseball America (subscription required) reported that, “. . . every scout I have talked to can’t wait for 2016 to get here. . .(it’s hard) to get scouts excited for players this year, even the scouts who go out of their way to like players.” That’s pretty obvious when you consider the way they discuss their list of consensus top 100 prospects.
"Building a consensus has been difficult this spring and several top prospects are sidelined by injury, throwing the draft into even more uncertainty . . .lining the players up may be more difficult . . .(but) there is talent. . . (and) depth among the ranks of college shortstops and high school outfielders . . . But, one month out, which players will go at the top of the draft remains unclear. And seemingly the only certainty this year is that the draft will remain uncertain until teams start picking on June 8."
So it looks like a thin draft which could actually help the Braves.
A typical consensus top 10 pick would require a signing bonus between $8M and $3.3M this year according to MLB’s predetermined maximum slot values. A thinner draft gives teams leverage to pay less at the top and be able to sign others with the excess or simply not spend the money. No one’s going over slot in this draft, the talent level is simply too similar amongst the players for one player to hold out hoping for a big bonus. Enough prologue let’s mock this draft . . .err make a guess about what will happen.