The 2022 version of the MLB Draft begins on Sunday night. We take a look at the final mock drafts out there and who they have the Atlanta Braves taking.
On Sunday night the Atlanta Braves will begin their quest to restock a farm system that ranks among the worst in baseball.
They’ll have four picks on day one of the draft and five in the top 100 picks.
Throughout the week we’ve been compiling a list of players the Braves could take with those first five picks, you can read up on those players here.
There are also a number of mock drafts out there from various sites. Let’s take a look at the latest version of those mock drafts and see who they have Atlanta taking early in the draft.
Braves MLB Draft: What do the Mock Experts Say?
ESPN Kiley McDaniel: Justin Campbell, RHP, Oklahoma State
This pick at 20 is not very inspiring. While Campbell is a solid pitcher who is likely to make a big league rotation sooner rather than later, he has a pretty low ceiling as a third or fourth starter — with fourth being more likely.
With the extra bonus pool money you’d love to see the Braves take a player with more upside at 20. Campbell would be a much better pick at 35.
MLB Pipeline Jonathan Mayo: Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga
Again, not a very inspiring pick, but more of a safe pick as Hughes has a good chance of being a middle-to-back of the rotation starter.
Mayo also mentions Campbell as a possibility at 20, but then has the Braves taking him at 35, which should tell you something.
Prospects Live also has the Braves taking Hughes at 20.
CBS Sports Mike Axisa: Cade Horton, RHP, Oklahoma
This two-way player for the Sooners is picking up a lot of steam going into the draft because of his excellent postseason helping Oklahoma reach the College World Series finals.
And he already boasts two plus offerings in his mid-to-high 90s fastball and a plus-plus slider.
Bleacher Report also has the Braves taking Horton.
The Athletic Keith Law: Dylan Lesko, RHP, Buford, GA
This is one that gets me excited. Not only is Lesko a Georgia kid, but he has one of the best change-ups in this draft and would have likely been a top 10 pick if not for an injury that led to him having Tommy John surgery in April.
Drafting high school players always comes with a ton of risk, especially those coming off major surgery, but the upside potential here is huge.
It’s sounding like the Braves may play it safe early on taking a college arm like Hughes, Campbell, or Cooper Hjerpe.
It would be great to see them take someone with a little more upside like Horton, Lesko, or Conner Prielipp.
And then with the 35th pick, there is a sense they’ll go after one of the best college bats available in that range like Jordan Beck, Sterlin Thompson, or Cayden Wallace.
Let me know who you would like to see the Braves take in the comments below. And we’ll find out together on Sunday as the draft starts at 7 pm ET.