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With just a few days remaining until the 2014 MLB draft officially gets underway on Thursday night, the debate over nearly ever selection in the first round is on.

Even players at the top of the draft like left-handed pitchers Carlos Rodon and Brady Aiken have shifted around multiple boards. As for some of the top position players like Alex Jackson and Nick Gordon, both have remained in the top 10 and will likely remain there on draft day.

Teams like the Houston Astros and Miami Marlins need to add serious talent to improve in the coming seasons. Regardless of which name they call at the top of the draft, both will come away with players that look like can’t-miss prospects at the next level.

Before the draft gets underway, here’s a look at the first round and some of the biggest storylines heading into the MLB draft.

Scouting Report for Top Prospects

Carlos Rodon, LHP, N.C. State

When it comes to college arms, Rodon is far and away the most lethal one in the draft.

Jeff Hoffman of East Carolina came into the season looking to contend with the southpaw from N.C. State, but an injury during the season hindered his rise. Rodon, like he has been throughout his college career, was simply sensational during his final campaign with the Wolfpack.

While Rodon entered last summer as the No. 1 prospect, he still worked to improve. Working with Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco, Rodon added a curveball and changeup, as he explained to me earlier in the season:

At first it didn’t help because you’re trying new stuff out and wondering, ‘Am I ever going to feel this pitch?’ And eventually those pitches came to me. Obviously I’m still working on them, but it helps with confidence… Adding it to the repertoire is obviously going to help.

It’s not always like riding a bike, sometimes you’ll lose those pitches. But I can wake up at four in the morning and throw the slider for a strike.

Despite the struggles of his team during the college season, Rodon still managed to maintain his standing at the top of most boards. Compiling a 6-7 record, the lefthander still had a 2.01 ERA, 117 strikeouts and just under 100 innings pitched.

Thanks to a ridiculous slider, a mid-90s fastball and a few other pitches in the repertoire, Rodon is the most polished player in the draft. Whether he’s the first-overall pick or not, expect to see Rodon light it up at the next level.

Brady Aiken, LHP, Cathedral Catholic

If Rodon is the best the college ranks have to offer, Aiken is his equal at the high school level.

Equipped with a left arm that can hurl the ball in the low-90s with breaking pitches that will make him a premier starter throughout his professional career. Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com provides a scouting report on the lefty:

Aiken is the freshly minted No. 1 prospect on our Draft Top 100 list. The SoCal left-hander has probably done more than any other 2014 draft prospect in terms of separating himself from others in the class. We had Aiken ranked at No. 9 overall in the fall as the top high school southpaw in the class, on the cusp of being a top-10 pick.

Now, Aiken is atop the board, ahead of N.C. State’s Carlos Rodon as the best pitcher in the class, and ahead of Tyler Kolek in a comparison of prep arms. Some of that has to do with Aiken’s increased velocity, to go along with the plus pitchability that he has always been known for. His maturity has enabled him to dominate all spring and make him look much more like a front-line starter in the future than he did even last fall.

Even with names like Rodon and fellow high school prospect Tyler Kolek near the front of the class, Aiken has outshined both in some analysts’ minds.

Thanks to a huge season at Cathedral Catholic in San Diego, Aiken has risen from a top-10 pick to the potential No. 1 selection on Thursday night. If he can live up to the hype early on in his career, expect to see Aiken with an MLB club in the near future.

Storylines to Watch

Will Alex Jackson Play Catcher or Outfield?

One of the biggest questions leading up to the draft is where Alex Jackson will be slotted at the next level. The high school prospect has lit the world on fire with his bat, but he could play either catcher or outfield at the next level.

A few current projections—including my own—have Jackson going No. 2 overall to the Miami Marlins. While the Marlins currently have a good backstop with Jarrod Saltalamacchia, they might be looking to replace the 29-year-old when his three-year contract is up.

Darren Wolfson of KSTP in Minneapolis provides another possible landing spot:

Picture this: Alex Jackson’s bat in the same outfield with Christian Yelich and Giancarlo Stanton, or behind the plate to keep Marcell Ozuna in the—or maybe you’d prefer to see him with Brian Dozier, Joe Mauer and Byron Buxton.

Either way, Jackson’s pop makes a deadly combination with any MLB lineup. Regardless of where he winds up on the field, his dynamic bat will haunt big league pitchers’ dreams in the near future.

The Houston Astros Are on the Board

Yes, the intrigue will start right from the very beginning of the selection process.

While the NFL draft had a surefire No. 1 player with Jadeveon Clowney and Andrew Wiggins appears to be the top prospect in the NBA draft later this month, there’s still a heated debate over who will go first in the MLB draft.

Whether it’s Rodon, Aiken or a surprise selection by the Astros, there is certainly a lot of depth in pitching for the struggling team to choose from. Each lefty provides ace potential for Houston and could join last year’s first overall selection, Mark Appel, at the top of the rotation.

Houston is a team slowly on the rise thanks to its farm system, which it will continue to bolster with the No. 1 pick. Who they wind up taking, though, is still anyone’s guess.

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Cleveland Indians first baseman Nick Swisher is one of the most durable players in the game, but the veteran suffered a left knee injury and will go on the 15-day disabled list as a result.   

The Indians’ official Twitter account reported the news on Tuesday afternoon:

Cleveland also called up a player to take Swisher’s place on the roster, per the team’s account:

Swisher, 33, is currently mired in an underwhelming season thus far, hitting just .211 with three home runs and a .319 on-base percentage.

While he hasn’t gotten off to a great start, he has normally been a reliable player throughout his career, as Joe Reedy of Fox Sports Ohio notes:

Reedy also notes the team’s lineup for Tuesday night with Jesus Aguilar plugged into Swisher’s spot:

Swisher spoke about his status in recent games and discussed his desire to fight through his lingering ailments, per Zack Meisel of Cleveland.com:

“If it’s not one thing, it’s another,” Swisher said. “I just know that it didn’t feel good. These guys are out there fighting. I want to be out there fighting with the guys. Everybody is banged up right now.”

Despite Swisher’s struggles, he has still been a veteran leader for the Indians over the last two seasons. With his bat out of the lineup, Cleveland will have to finish the series with the Chicago White Sox and Colorado Rockies with Aguilar in his place.

The Indians currently sit at 24-28 after winning five out of their last eight games, but will need the offense to continue producing to contend with their upcoming opponents. As Swisher recovers from the injury, the team will certainly need someone else to step up at the plate in his place.

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The crowd was on its feet in Arlington, Texas on Friday, screaming “Yuuuu” with a no-hitter hanging in the balance. But for the third time in his MLB career, it was not meant to be for Texas Rangers ace Yu Darvish.   

Darvish was just one out away from the feat after pitching 8.2 no-hit innings against the Boston Red Sox, but David Ortiz stepped up to the plate and ripped a single through the right side of the infield to break it up.

Updates from Saturday, May 10

Fox Sports: MLB provides the MLB’s statement on the scoring of the Darvish/David Ortiz play:

Original Text:

Darvish was promptly pulled from the game my manager Ron Washinton, finishing with 12 strikeouts and two walks on 126 pitches. Alexi Ogando would come in to close out the 8-0 win. 

The near no-no didn’t come without controversy. Ortiz skied a pop-fly in the seventh that dropped into no-mans land in right field, but it was ultimately ruled an error.

Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram broke down the ruling:

While an official decision on whether Ortiz will be awarded with two hits has not yet been handed down, the outcome will be no less disheartening for Darvish. Scott Lauber of The Boston Herald transcribed Ortiz’s comments after the game:

In just his third season with the Rangers, the Japanese sensation has been perfect through the first five frames on several occasions, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Bleacher Report MLB writer Zachary D. Rymer made his thoughts known on Darvish’s performance:

Brendan Kuty of NJ.con provides Tanaka’s take on Darvish’s outing:

The only concern for the Rangers now is how Darvish will perform during his next start. The outing had to take a toll on his arm, and it will be imperative for him to rest up before taking the mound opposite the Houston Astros on Wednesday. 

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Just when it seemed like Josh Johnson was going to make a comeback to his previous form with the San Diego Padres, the 30-year-old starting pitcher ran into a setback with a forearm injury during spring training.

Corey Brock of the MLB.com reported the news Saturday evening:

Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times spoke with manager Bud Black about the injury:

Johnson has shown flashes of greatness for San Diego during his time in spring training with the team. With a 3.38 ERA and 13-4 K/BB ratio through four starts, the 6’7″ starter looked like a great pickup for the franchise.

The Padres went out on a limb when they signed Johnson, who was the ace in 2009 and 2010 for the then Florida Marlins and is a two-time All-Star. While his track record when healthy is enticing, his recent injuries made him a risk.

In fact, an injury to his right forearm, which is his pitching arm, costed him much of the 2013 season with the Toronto Blue Jays. After going just 2-8 with a 6.20 ERA with the Jays, Johnson didn’t make a start after Aug. 6 and was officially done for the season on Aug. 27.

Even with his injury history, Joe Lemire of Sports Illustrated said the signing was a smart one by the Padres who were in desperate need of starting pitching:

Given the cost of good starting pitching in today’s market — and Johnson’s tantalizing potential, owing to his 3.06 ERA in more than 730 innings from 2008 through ’12, including an NL-leading 2.30 in 2010 — a contract of $8 million is exceedingly reasonable, even for someone as injury-prone as Johnson.

Since his first full season of 2006, he has thrown fewer than 100 innings as often (four times) as he has thrown more than 150. He logged only 81 1/3 innings with Toronto and didn’t pitch after Aug. 6. He had a bone spur removed from his elbow in early October.

Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com gave his thoughts on the situation for Johnson and the Padres:

But with the latest injury for Johnson, the Padres will have to start the season with him on the Disabled List. With Johnson on the DL for the foreseeable future, Dennis Lin of U-T San Diego provides a look at some of the starters that could step up in his place:

As the season is inching closer for the Padres, a decision will have to be made about who will replace Johnson in the rotation. With a plethora of arms to choose from, the team could go in several directions.

But if the righty can return early on in the season and shake the injury bug that has hampered him throughout the last several seasons, he has a shot at helping the team and revitalizing his career.

As more updates come in about Johnson’s return to San Diego, they will be added to this story.

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Oh, Tracy McGrady.

The same player that once befuddled us with his talent on a basketball court before refusing to retire in a timely manner is now remaining in professional sports after leaving the NBA.    

Only this time, he’s going to be toeing a rubber on the baseball diamond. Yes, McGrady was officially invited to spring training with the Sugar Land Skeeters, according to the Associated Press, via USA Today.

Skeeters manager Gary Gaetti spoke about the former NBA star and what he might bring to the independent league team, per the AP report:

“We’re intrigued by the progress Tracy has made thus far,” Gaetti said, “and really commend him for putting in the work.”

McGrady also spoke about the opportunity to pitch for the Skeeters in a statement released by the team (via the Houston Chronicle):

I got called into the skipper’s office after practice and he let me know that I was going to be a part of the Skeeters’ Spring Training camp. This has been a goal of mine and it’s a great challenge. I’m looking forward to competing and I’m excited about this great opportunity.

As far as measurables are concerned, the 6’8″ right-hander certainly looks the part on the mound. But the 34-year-old McGrady hasn’t thrown in a competitive atmosphere since his senior year of high school—so it’s been a while, to say the least.

But pitching in the independent league appears to be a perfect situation for McGrady. While referencing Gaetti‘s previous statement, Dayn Perry of CBS Sports gave his expert analysis of how “T-Mac” landed with the Skeeters:

Said intrigue is sufficient for the Skeeters to give the 6-foot-8 McGrady a chance to earn a roster spot. As always, the guiding principle of indy-league roster decisions contains not-insubstantial levels of “why the heck not?” So, really, why the heck not?

OK, so some aren’t taking the opportunity seriously, but McGrady clearly does as he’s attempting to fulfill his dream of pitching on a professional baseball team. And with the former Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic star already putting his NBA career behind him, he could have a few years left in him in the minor leagues.

While an actual career with the Houston Astros doesn’t seem likely, ticket sales in Sugar Land could certainly see a huge rise if he breaks camp with the team.

The team is known for pulling publicity stunts. After Roger Clemens made his comeback with the team back in 2012, the park was packed to see the Rocket deliver.

Now with another former Rocket set to take the stage, Sugar Land could yet again be a popular team for those intrigued in witnessing a unique comeback.

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Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan has been off the mound for over two decades, but he can’t seem to stay away from the game of baseball.   

The 67-year-old will now reunite with the Houston Astros in an advisory role, as first reported by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com:

McTaggart later confirmed the news and offered a quote from Ryan:

Jose de Jesus Ortiz of The Houston Chronicle also confirmed the news and provided comments from Astros owner Jim Crane during an official announcement:

Ryan chimed during the announcement and shared his thoughts on re-joining his old team, according to Ortiz:  

Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram provides a little more information about the situation:

Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times notes the exact role as a special assistant that Ryan will take on, as well as another important note:

Ryan was the Texas Rangers President and CEO from 2008 through 2013. He retired from the role on Oct. 31, 2013, and said during his final press conference that he might not be out of the game for good, according to Richard Durrett of ESPN.com: 

Will I be the CEO of another major league ballclub? No, I won’t. But I’m not going to sit here today and tell you that I don’t know what a year from now might bring. This might be the final chapter of my baseball career. If there was something else I did, it certainly wouldn’t be in the role I had with the Rangers.

Though it may not be a popular decision with Rangers fans, Ortiz is excited to see Ryan back with his old team:

While Ryan spent the twilight of his career with the Rangers and took on a huge role with the team, his best years were undoubtedly during his time in an Astros uniform.

During his nine years spent in Houston, Ryan compiled 106 wins in 282 games started, a 3.13 ERA, 13 shutouts and, most notably, 1,866 strikeouts.

The move is certainly an interesting one as the Astros just recently made the switch in 2013 to the American League East, the same division as the Rangers. Therefore, Ryan will be helping a team defeat the same franchise that he helped to turn around during his five years as the President and CEO.

The most likely situation for Ryan is that he wants to help improve the Astros’ pitching staff, and the team could certainly use his expertise. Scott Feldman (12-12, 3.86 ERA in 2013) and Brett Oberholtzer (4-5, 2.76 ERA in 2013) currently sit at the top of the rotation.

A young cast will be working their way through the minor leagues, including Mark Appel, the first overall pick in 2013, and possibly even N.C. State pitcher Carlos Rodon, who is projected to be the first overall pick in 2014.

Ryan has proven that he can turn around an entire franchise with the Rangers, helping lead them to two American League pennants, and he’ll be expected to bring that same success to the Astros’ pitching staff.

Only time will tell if the move pays off for the Astros, but it is great to see Ryan still in the sport of baseball.

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With just three days remaining before Arizona Diamondbacks pitchers and catchers officially report to spring training, the team made a huge statement by extending the contracts of manager Kirk Gibson and general manager Kevin Towers beyond the 2014 MLB season.    

The Diamondbacks’ official Twitter account reported the news Monday, Feb. 3:

Steve Gilbert, the team’s beat writer for MLB.com, provided a quote from the organization’s president and CEO Derrick Hall:

Over the past couple months, Ken Kendrick and I have had continued conversations about extending both Gibby and KT’s contracts and we are pleased to have come to an agreement. We continue to be impressed by their loyalty, dedication, work ethic and track record of success during their big league careers and are glad that their contract status will not be a distraction as we open up Spring Training this week.

This announcement comes nearly two months after Towers told Jim Bowden of ESPN that he wasn’t sure about his or Gibson’s job security:

While the exact length and financial terms have not yet been released by Arizona, it does provide a little clarity for the team’s players heading into offseason workouts.

Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick offered a little more insight on the situation and where the D-backs stand with Gibson and Towers, according to Gilbert:

I think we have good leadership starting with Derrick and in the front office and on the field with K.T. and Gibby. I’m comfortable with those guys. I think it’s important for them to go out and prove themselves once again. I hope and believe they’re going to be long-term Diamondback people.

Along with Hall and Kendrick’s comments about the extensions, Bowden offered his congratulations on the new deals:

Gibson started his tenure with the D-Backs with a bang after winning the 2011 NL Manager of the Year award, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing since.

After making a few questionable trades and losing star outfielder Justin Upton through free agency, the Diamondbacks finished at 81-81 last season and trailed the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West by 11 games to close the year.

Towers was worried for his job mainly due to the fact that he has shown faith in Gibson and the team has fallen short of the playoffs consistently. But if a few of his recent decisions pay off, like adding Mark Trumbo to the lineup and slowly grooming players like Patrick Corbin and Paul Goldschmidt, the franchise will be rewarded for its loyalty with more wins on the field in 2014.

The move benefits the team heading into spring training, as it keeps some consistency in the clubhouse. But with the Dodgers bringing back nearly their entire roster from last season’s division-title winning squad, it’s still going to be tough sledding to make the playoffs without going through the Wild Card Game.

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The sweepstakes for Masahiro Tanaka appear to have an end in sight, but the likely candidate list is still wide open.

According to Jason Stark of ESPN, Tanaka is expected to wait until Friday, Jan. 24, before ultimately making the decision as to where he will sign:

The Japanese ace has been the most coveted starting pitcher in the offseason with his price tag likely to rise above the $100 million mark.

In fact, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that the number could be even higher:

Apart from the rumors, what is known is that Tanaka has been in discussions with several teams about joining their clubs.

Which team will ultimately win the race for the ace is still unknown, but he will be back stateside soon.

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports claims that Tanaka will be returning to the states to complete a physical with the team of his choosing:

Thus far, the Tanaka rumors are just that. Nothing concrete has been reported about the Japanese pitcher’s interest with each team. In fact, confusion has actually ensued over what Tanaka wants out of the club he signs with.

Does Tanaka want to join a team with another Japanese star like the New York Yankees?

Or would he rather be the only one on the team like Yu Darvish for the Texas Rangers? Would the Japanese ace want to assume that role for a team like the Chicago Cubs? Or is he more interested in easing into an already established pitching staff like the Los Angeles Dodgers?

Bruce Levine of WSCR-AM in Chicago reported one crucial piece to the Tanaka puzzle that could limit his decision to a specific city rather than the team itself:

Though his decision still seems up in the air, teams appear to be coming out of the woodwork to sign him.

Chris Cotillo of the MLB Daily Dish reports that even the Seattle Mariners could be a surprise team when everything is said and done:

Then there’s the fact that none, literally not one, of the top contenders will be outbid for Tanaka.

David Waldstein of The New York Times is reporting the Yankees won’t be outbid.

Tadd Haislop of the Sporting News claims the Dodgers won’t give up on talks with Tanaka—which came before the signing of Clayton Kershaw.

Take a wild guess at what Levine is reporting about the Chicago Cubs on Twitter:

OK, one team has to outbid the others. That’s just math, people.

But with the talks heating up even more about the Japanese sensation, it still appears that there are several teams with a high amount interest. With the Arizona Diamondbacks, Houston Astros and Mariners in discussions for Tanaka as well, the price could end up being astronomical.

Friday’s deadline is looming, though, and the only thing baseball agents, executives and fans know for sure is that Tanaka will be making his decision by the end of this week.

May the odds be ever in your favorite team’s favor.

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The Masahiro Tanaka sweepstakes have officially taken over baseball headlines. But the question remains: Is he worth all the hype?

Before being able to answer that question, let’s examine the reports that have come out recently. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports is reporting that the Japanese prospect has started meeting with teams.

As of now, the teams most interested in the 25-year-old include the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees. Other teams like the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners are also interested but don’t appear to be serious contenders.

Of those teams, the Dodgers appear to be the team willing to put in the highest bid, according to NBC Sports:

In the past, Japanese pitchers have been hit or miss. The most recent examples are Yu Darvish becoming an ace for the Texas Rangers and Daisuke Matsuzaka falling out of favor with the Boston Red Sox after just two great seasons with the team.

But for Tanaka, his numbers are extremely similar and in some ways better than Darvish‘s over his last five seasons in the Japanese leagues. Here is a look at some of the stats that the two players accumulated during that stretch:

One thing that Japanese pitchers have become famous for is their nasty splitters. With some of the most movement in his split fastball, Tanaka‘s out pitch is one that has devastated foreign players for several years and would do the same to MLB hitters.

Ben Badler of Baseball America gave a scouting report on the prospect back in August:

At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Tanaka throws a low-90s fastball that can touch 96 mph. Even though Tanaka can reach the mid-90s, his fastball is the pitch that gives some scouts pause because it comes in on a flat plane, making it more hittable than the velocity might suggest. Tanaka has two secondary pitches that have earned grades of 60 or better on the 20-80 scouting scale, including a 70 splitter with late downward action to keep hitters off his fastball. His low- to mid-80s slider is another plus weapon, while he’ll mix in a curveball as well.

While Tanaka is three inches shorter than Darvish, he is already being projected as a No. 2 starter that can join a rotation right now. His fastball may not be the best pitch in his repertoire, but the splitter and slider are pitches that make him deadly against any batter, right-handed or left-handed.

The history of Japanese-born pitchers in MLB is typically unpredictable. Kei Igawa and Hideki Irabu never lived up to the hype. Matsuzaka started strong, but his fall was much steeper than his rise. While Darvish is experiencing success now, he’s heading into just his third season.

Hiroki Kuroda is probably the most consistent Japanese pitcher but has rarely been seen as one of the best pitchers in the major leagues.

While Tanaka is typically seen as a notch below Darvish, his control of four different pitches shows that he is already MLB-ready coming into the league. While a huge contract of over $100 million might seem like a blind investment, Tanaka is a young prospect who will be worth the investment for whichever MLB team lands him.

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