The 2015 MLB Draft kicks off Monday. Here is a schedule of events for the week:
Day 1 (June 8)
Preview show: 6 PM (MLB Network)
Rounds 1-2: 7 PM (MLB Network and MLB.com)
Day 2 (June 9)
Preview show: 12:30 PM (MLB.com)
Rounds 3-10: 1 PM (MLB.com)
Day 3 (June 10)
Rounds 11-40: 12 PM (MLB.com)
Monday's broadcast will cover the first 75 picks, which encompass the first round, the compensation round, the first competitive-balance round, the second round, and the second competitive-balance round. Bear in mind the Rays do not have a competitive balance pick because of their big-market stature that terrorizes the league.
Monday's broadcast will also feature Andy Sonnanstine announcing the Rays' second-round pick at No. 52 overall.
The Rays hold picks No. 13 and 52 Monday. On Tuesday, they will pick 87th overall, 418th and then every 30 picks after that for the rest of time.
Players
I wrote mini reports on 39 players that will be drafted over the next three days. I hope the Rays will take one of them:
Up-the-middle position players
Corner position bats
Pitchers with stuff
Pitchers with control
You may be more interested in reading what professionals have to say about players, instead of an idiot who hasn't shaved in a week sitting on the couch eating a soft pretzel. Here are some more resources:
Baseball America top 500 (reports are for subscribers only)
ESPN top 100 (subscriber only)
Baseball Prospectus top 125 (subscriber only)
MLB.com top 200
FanGraphs sortable draft board
MLB Prospect Guide top 724
Major sources are probably done releasing mock drafts, so here are the final guesses for pick No. 13 tonight:
Baseball America's John Manuel:
Tampa’s recent draft struggles will lead them to go more conservatively here. The Rays have been linked to New York State prep outfielder Garrett Whitley, but Vanderbilt righty Walker Buehler makes more sense.
Selection: Walker Buehler, rhp, Vanderbilt
Walker BuehlerAnalysis: I'm hearing them mostly connected to college players, especially Benintendi and Buehler.
Baseball Prospectus' Christopher Crawford ($):
13. Tampa Bay Rays – Trenton Clark, OF, Richland HS (Tex.)
If Clark is gone this is likely Jon Harris, and this is the furthest Benintendi likely falls.
MLB.com's Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo:
13. Rays
Callis: RHP Walker Buehler, Vanderbilt
The Rays appear to be heaviest on college arms, and a run on the second tier starts here.Mayo: Buehler
The third Vandy player to go in the early stages of the first round. The Rays also could consider Jon Harris in this spot if they are focusing on college arms.
13. Rays – James Kaprielian, RHP, UCLA
The Rays are hoping for Stephenson, Happ or Whitley (really, any of the bats going ahead of this pick) to fall to them, but will take a college pitcher if they don’t make it, with Kaprielian and Harris the most likely.
Minor League Ball's John Sickels:
13) Tampa Bay Rays: James Kaprielian, RHP, UCLA: previously Phil Bickford, but he is such an enigma I’m not comfortable slotting him that high now, no pun intended.
Minor League Ball's annual community mock draft:
TAMPA BAY RAYS
1-13) Mike Nikorak, RHP, Pennsylvania HS
2-52) Richie Martin, SS, University of Florida
3-87) Antonio Santillan, RHP, Texas HS
4-118) Isaiah Gilliam, OF, Chipola JC
Important thing to know
The Rays can spend up to $6,591,300 on their picks. The league arrives at this number by adding up the valuations of a team's picks in the first 10 rounds. Players are not tied to those individual values at all, but teams cannot exceed that by a certain amount without facing financial and draft pick penalties in future drafts. Although that number only accounts for picks in the top ten rounds, players drafted beyond that that sign for more than $500,000 count against the cap.
Not really important
No. 13 pick in 2014: "Padres" shortstop Trea Turner (has reached Double A)
Top No. 13 picks
1. Manny Ramirez (69.2 WAR)
2. Frank Tanana (57.9 WAR)
3. Paul Konerko/Gary Templeton (26.7 WAR)
Other No. 13 picks
2010: Chris Sale
2003: Aaron Hill
2001: Casey Kotchman
1997: College baseball analyst Kyle Peterson
1982: Former Pirates manager John Russell
No. 52 pick in 2014: Giants catcher Aramis Garcia (reached Class A)
Top No. 52 picks
1. Carl Crawford (39.8 WAR)
2. Ralph Garr (14.6 WAR)
3. J.P. Howell (6.9 WAR- did not sign)
Other No. 52 picks
2013: Justin Williams
2011: Blake Snell
1996: Former NFL "quarterback" Quincy Carter
1981: Legitimate former NFL quarterback John Elway