Atlanta Braves May Have to Sweat Out 2017 Draft

There’s a lot of jockeying for position already underway at the top of the draft board, which may leave Atlanta with a hand full of solid options at #5.

The Atlanta Braves pick 5th in the June 12th draft, which means they have to sit and watch as things play out above them.

NASCAR has what’s termed the “silly season” – a time in which drivers’ contracts or sponsorships expire and then everyone starts playing a high-stakes version of musical chairs.

That could be how the draft is shaping up.

Hunter Greene is the top consensus player on many draft boards right now.  He is a California high schooler who has a 100 mph fastball plus enough skill to be a first rounder if he were selected as a shortstop.

The draft order for the protected picks is this:  Twins, Reds, Padres, Rays, Braves, A’s, DBacks, Phillies, Brewers, and Angels.

But if BaseballAmerica’s analysis is correct, it’s the Reds and Padres who might control the direction of this draft:

"“…the rumors of [Greene] and his family attempting to maneuver his way to the No. 3 pick with the Padres are a poorly kept secret. The Padres’ throwing program is more in line with Greene’s program, and it’s on the West Coast, among other advantages. Greene isn’t pitching this week in the Boras Classic and is widely believed to be shutting down as a pitcher in another attempt to move down to the third pick."

The Boras Classic, eh? 

By BA’s current reckoning, the Twins may not be inclined to even attempt drafting Greene if it’s this obvious that he doesn’t want to play for them.  Interestingly enough, they also are projecting that the Cincinnati Reds might not be deterred by this ploy.