Prospect Insider - 2011 Mock Draft

2011 Mock Draft

By Jason A. Churchill

By 06-14-2010

We produced a very, super, ridiculously early -- so much that it means less than nothing and is just to show the top talents, rather than being an actual simulation -- mock draft for 2011 that you can view here.

Next year's class is very good, with more college talent overall, including more bats, which could be good for a club such as Seattle. You'll notice that at pick No. 3, which is where Seattle sits as they head toward game 2 of the series in St. Louis, we have the M's taking UCLA right-hander Gerrit Cole, which is actually what I would do if the draft were today and I had the No. 3 pick.

There are a few top 15-worthy bats, however, and I do expect Seattle to win enough games to eventually slide out of the top 5 into the 6-8 range where drafting UConn outfielder George Springer or South Carolina outfielder Jackie Bradley, Jr. would probably make a lot of sense.

But we're almost a year away and so much can change between now and then that really the idea is just to present the current draft order and show some of the top talents -- as it stands right now.

Notes
Chris Crawford and I will be podcasting Tuesday at 2pm PT to throw around some topics from the draft -- click here for all of Prospect Insider's draft coverage, including scouting reports on the M's top 5 selections -- to the Everett AquaSox roster -- announced Monday, as well some Cliff Lee trade talk and prospect conversations as well.

Anyone can call in by dialing (347) 945-5817, and you can listen in by clicking here.

2011-mock-draft

Comments
The following 11 comment(s) for this article are shown below:

1. By: randallball on 06-14-2010 23:07:17
Thanks for throwing this together!

Jackie Bradley, Jr., Esposito and Oropesa are the 3 guys that I have been hoping that the M's would have a shot at.

2. By: randallball on 06-14-2010 23:09:38
(Wasn't done, got my son on my lap reading/typing with me)
Looks like those 3 all are top-25 talent, so landing one of them looks promising.

I really like what I've seen of Bradley.

Thanks again.

3. By: Chris Crawford on 06-14-2010 23:12:03
Glad you liked it, Randall. It was fun to do, but we reserve the right to say that it's extremely primitive. Pretty good chance we got pick one right though.

4. By: csiems on 06-14-2010 23:37:19
Looks like it will be a good year to root for Vanderbilt.

5. By: safecochatter on 06-15-2010 09:18:38
going off topic here...but after the 22 year old tillman was hit hard again last night,his 2010 era stands at 8.40 plus other ugly numbers.and then checked adam jones who sits at 256/286/390 and then someone said butler was released.
you could say jack reversed the bavasi/jones trade with the putz/franklin trade. franklin sits at 275/357/403 and vargas has turned out to be a solid #4. plus the minor leaguers that could help the team some day.

6. By: Edman on 06-15-2010 11:41:43
That's one reason you shouldn't lament over bad trades. Yes, Bavasi gave up a lot to get Bedard, there is no doubt about that. And, the Jones and Tillman hopefully have a long way to go in their careers. But, had that trade not been made, would Jack have been less compelled to deal Putz for Gutti and company.

As it stands today, Gutti and Vargas are greater by a wide margin, than Jones and Tillman. It's how baseball works, sometimes. Nothing is typically clear, until it's become history.

Would Jones and Tillman being in Seattle instead of Baltimore, made a big difference? Perhaps financially. But as far as wins and losses, not so much.

More impactful, IMHO, are not the deals that get made, but the ones that don't. If Jack had a crystal ball, wouldn't he have been more compelled to seek a better bat at DH or LF, and at 1B? Perhaps, but lets all be honest, last year's free agent crop was pretty unexciting. We could be overpaying for Bay and his lack of power. He's not a bad bat, but not worth the contract he got.

The moral of the story is, you build a strong team though your farm system. The void between Jones-Tillman, to current day, wouldn't have helped this team much. There are a lot of holes.

Sometimes we forget, that was Jack's mission statement when he was hired. The wins last year, were a bonus. For once, the proper focus is on a five year from the date Jack was hired.

7. By: Jason A. Churchill on 06-15-2010 13:57:55
If you really want to dig on it...

If the M's have Jones and Tillman, and Sherrill, they have more trade pieces to add SPs and bats they need.

You simply can't ignore the FACT that Bedard is the commodity the Mariners received in return and he's done nothing.

Jones and company are assets Jack could have used to better the big league club, whether he went out and got Gutierrez or not.

And let's stop talking about Vargas as if he's some frontline guy with a track record. It's ignorant.

But the other thing to remember is that if Bavasi doesn't make the deal for Bedard, there's a chance he remains the GM for another year, because he made the deal knowing he was on the hot seat. No hot seat, no deal, perhaps means he gets another year and the M's are an extra year from being in a position to do anything at all.

I would trade Gutierrez and Vargas for Jones, Tillman, Bell -- whom the O's got for Sherrill, and Mickolio right now without thinking twice.

8. By: Edman on 06-15-2010 14:59:20
All the Lee speculation is rather funny. Some of east coast guys think that Seattle MUST trade Lee. Considering that the 2011 Draft is substantially deeper than this year's draft, the two picks for signing Lee as a free agent, have a lot of value.

I know we're going to have to put up with this until the deadline comes and goes. But it's humorous that some think he's going to be easy to acquire.

9. By: littlelinny6 on 06-15-2010 15:19:40
I'm rooting for a package around the Twins with Baker, Ramos, and Plouffe and anything else we can get from them. However, I think those 3 are a reasonable deal for both teams. Jason, any idea on the struggles Ramos has had this spring in AAA?

10. By: blackout on 06-21-2010 16:38:46
That mock made my day, JC, ridiculously early or not. Aren't Bundy and Verrett RHPs though?

11. By: blackout on 06-21-2010 16:48:55
Oh, and you have Travis Harrison dropping out of the 1st. I know his athleticism is behind some of the other h.s. OF draftees next year but the bat looks advanced. What was the thought process in dropping him behind Larry Green for instance?

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