6 College Pitchers (1 LHP, 5 RHP)
5 High School Hitters (2 OF, 3 INF)
3 College Hitters (1 OF, 1 SS, 1 2B)
1 High School Pitcher (RHP)
1 Pitcher with No School (LHP)
Round 1: Corey Seager - SS/3B - Northwest Cabarrus HS - The first thing to know about Seager is that he is the brother of Mariner's current 3rd base Kyle Seager who broke into the big leagues last year and is now holding his own in Seattle. At 6'3" and 205 lbs, Corey is bigger than his brother and projects to have solid power as he matures. Some scouts say the lefty has one of the prettiest swings in the draft, and they also rave about his bat speed. A shortstop in high school, he doesn't have the quickness to play there in the big leagues but has plenty of instincts and a strong arm that would make him a valuable 3rd baseman. He hit 10 homers for his high school team this season, and doesn't have a problem going the other way. Corey is advised by Scott Boras and has a strong commitment to South Carolina, but given he was the 18th overall pick he seems like he'll sign.
Supplemental 1st Round: Jesmuel Valentin - Puerto Rico BB Academy - SS/2B - The son of former big leaguer Jose Valentin, Jesmuel has obviously grown up around the game has good baseball knowledge. He can play all over the diamond, and while he'll get a chance to play shortstop in the minors, he might just end up as a 2nd baseman. He's a line drive hitter who was ranked by Baseball America as the #71 overall best prospect in this draft. He has a similar build to his dad at 5'10" and 175 lbs, but scouts don't project that he'll have the same power as his father (249 career HR's). He's a natural right handed hitter, but he's been working as a switch hitter over the past year and a half.
Round 2: Steven "Paco" Rodriguez - LHP - Florida - The left handed specialist for one of the nation's top college programs, Rodriguez is said to have the stuff to be more than a LOOGY in the big leagues. The 6'3", 225 lb lefty has a very unorthodox delivery, but he is expected to move quickly through the minor leagues. Paco has a upper 80's cut fastball but can also dial it up to the low 90's when needed. He also has a slider, and very good control. This year at Florida batters are hitting less than .200 against him, and he has a K/9 above 12.
Round 3: Onelkis Garcia - LHP - No School - Garcia has had an interesting journey since defecting from Cuba. He thought he'd be a free agent, but was initially declared eligible for the 2011 draft. That decision was reversed, but then he was again declared eligible for the 2012 draft. Now almost 23 years old, Garcia has been working out in Los Angeles over the past few months and possess a strong two-pitch combination. At 6'2" the lefty has a low 90's fastball and a hard curveball. He doesn't have much of a 3rd pitch which might force him to the bullpen. Once artcile I read said there might be a signabilty issue with him, but I don't see how that can be given that his age and lack of school.
Round 4: Justin Chigbogu - 1B - Raytown South HS - Still just 17, the Dodgers 4th round pick is a powerful 1st baseman that stand at 6'2" and weighs 230 pounds. He's a bit of a reach as the #146 overall pick as Baseball America had him ranked as the 423rd best prospect in the draft, but I'm guessing the Dodgers will to get him for under slot given that their top 3 picks might be a little expensive. His raw power is huge, and the good news is that the all state defensive end doesn't strike out a lot. According to scouts he's raw and will probably need a few years in the rookie leagues.