Mock Draft Final - June 9, 2009

Stephen Strasburg is going No. 1, Dustin Ackley is going No. 2. Most still believe San Diego is taking Donavan Tate at No. 3, but I have them taking Aaron Crow, mostly because I want to believe that they aren't dumb enough to pay Tate anywhere near his asking price of $6 million over signing Crow for $4 million and getting a quicker return.

Pittsburgh has a pre-draft deal with Boston College catcher Tony Sanchez at No. 4, and Baltimore will choose between Tyler Matzek and Zach Wheeler. Wheeler is the cheaper of the two, but Matt Hobgood is gaining momentum as the cheapest of the three. If that happens, and it very well could, the rest of the round is... a mess, of course.

San Francisco would then be left with Matzek or Wheeler with word they'll take Wheeler -- best consolation prize in the draft -- and then comes Atlanta's decision. Pay Matt Purke? Their upper management says no, apparently. Take Shelby Miller? He wants as much as $4 million, making him less likely than Alex White. If not White, Mike Minor and Drew Storen are in play at No. 7.

Cincinnati could take Minor, Miller or White, too.

Detroit wants to take Jake Turner, and it'll come down to money. Like Purke, Turner's price is hefty. If Turner is too expensive, Miller could be an option here, as could lesser talents such as Bobby Borchering, Mike Trout and Rex Brothers.

Washington is set on taking Minor, Storen or Chad Jenkins, and probably in that order of preference. Colorado is all over two players - Matt Hobgood and Borchering - and Kansas City is deciding between Mike Leake, Wil Myers and a surprise late candidate in Grant Green.

Oakland is also on Green and Leake, and could take Tate here if the price comes down far enough. Texas would love to get Miller or Leake at 14, but may have to choose between Tanner Scheppers and his medicals, an ahletic outfielder like Reymond Fuentes or another college arm such as Eric Arnett.

Cleveland wants a pitcher, and Arnett and Brothers both are possibilities here. Green makes some sense, but they are apparently not on him much, despite needing middle defenders in their system.

Arizona at 16 and 17 could go Matt Davidson and A.J. Pollock, or Borchering and Pollock, or a prep arm, such as Skaggs or James, and Davidson, Borchering or Pollock. If James is on the board, Florida probably tabs him at 18, leaving St. Louis as the probably the last spot for Purke.

Toronto could go in several directions at No. 20, including Jenkins, Storen, Billy Bullock and even Davidson if he's there. Houston and Minnesota are both interested in Mier, and the Twins also like Storen and Bullock here, too. The Astros could go Fuentes or Trout here, if either are still on the board, and the Twins could go Jenkins or Skaggs as well. If Davidson or Hobgood are available, the Twins like both at 22.

The White Sox are said to be only focusing on college arms, such as Arnett or Brothers, even Heckathorn and Jenkins, or a prep outfielder. If Fuentes and Trout are both gone, Slade Heathcott could be a fit here.

The Angels, as Law says, are on everyone, it seems, including Heckathorn, Jenkins, Storen, Fuentes, Trout and probably your uncle Billy Bob, too. I hear he can play second and short and has gap power.

Milwaukee likes Pollock, then Tim Wheeler and possibly Bullock and Storen as well. Seattle could go in several directions, including Arnett, Scheppers, Paxton or Stassi, but Paxton, who is said to be pricey as a Boras client, is unlikely, as their area scout liked him but did not see him as a No. 1.

Boston would take Turner or Stassi if one were here, with New York looking for more speed and athleticsm, such as Fuentes, Wheeler or Heathcott.

Tampa could use Tommy Joseph, but are also on Everett Williams. The Cubs like Brett Jackson and Wheeler here, but could go best college arm, too. Law has them taking Andrew Oliver.

Colorado would love Wheeler, but may have to settle for Heathcott or stretch for a college arm.

Mock Draft Final - June 9, 2009
No.	Team	Player, Pos.	School	Ht/Wt	B/T
1	Washington	Stephen Strasburg, RHP	San Diego State	6-4/230	R/R
2	Seattle	Dustin Ackley, OF	North Carolina	6-1/185	L/R
3	San Diego	Aaron Crow, RHP	Fort Worth	6-2/205	R/R
4	Pittsburgh	Tony Sanchez, C	Boston College	6-1/220	R/R
5	Baltimore	Zack Wheeler, RHP	East Paulding HS	6-4/180	R/R
6	San Francisco	Tyler Matzek, LHP	Capistrano Valley HS	6-3/200	L/L
7	Atlanta	Alex White, RHP	North Carolina	6-3/205	R/R
8	Cincinnati	Shelby Miller, RHP	Brownwood HS	6-4/215	R/R
9	Detroit	Jacob Turner, RHP	Westminster CA	6-4/215	R/R
10	Washington	Mike Minor, LHP	Georgia	6-4/195	R/R
11	Colorado	Matt Hobgood, RHP	Norco HS	6-4/240	L/L
12	Kansas City	Wil Myers, C	Wesleyan Christian Academy	6-3/190	R/R
13	Oakland	Mike Leake, RHP	Arizona State	6-1/185	R/R
14	Texas	Mike Trout, CF	Brownwood HS	6-2/195	R/R
15	Cleveland	Rex Brothers, LHP	Lipscomb	6-1/205	R/R
16	Arizona	Bobby Borchering, 1B/3B	Bishop Verot HS	6-3/190	B/R
17	Arizona	A.J. Pollock, CF	Notre Dame	6-1/200	R/R
18	Florida	Chad James, LHP	Yukon HS	6-3/205	L/L
19	St. Louis	Matt Purke, LHP	Klein HS	6-3/185	R/R
20	Toronto	Chad Jenkins, RHP	Kennesaw State	6-4/225	R/R
21	Houston	Jiovanni Mier, SS	Bonita HS	6-2/170	R/R
22	Minnesota	Billy Bullock, RHP	Florida	6-6/210	R/R
23	Chicago (AL)	Reymond Fuentes, CF	Fernando Callego HS	6-0/160	L/L
24	LA Angels	Drew Storen, RHP	Stanford	6-2/185	R/R
25	LA Angels	Slade Heathcott, CF	Texas HS	6-1/195	R/R
26	Milwaukee	Tim Wheeler, CF	Sacramento State	6-4/190	L/L
27	Seattle	Eric Arnett, RHP	Indiana	6-5/225	R/R
28	NY Yankees	Brian Goodwin, OF	Rocky Mount HS	6-1/185	L/R
29	Boston	Max Stassi, C	Yuba City HS	5-10/190	R/R
30	Tampa Bay	Tommy Joseph, C	Horizon HS	6-1/215	R/R
31	Chicago (NL)	Brett Jackson, CF	California	6-2/210	L/L
32	Colorado	Tyler Skaggs, LHP	Santa Monica HS	6-5/185	L/L
33	Seattle	Steve Baron, C	Ferguson HS	6-2/170	R/R

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