The 2016 MLB draft concluded Saturday, and every team hopes its scouting paid off in the form of an impact prospect.
The draft was a three-day process. The first and second rounds took place Thursday. Rounds 3 through 10 unfolded on Friday, and Saturday saw the fourth round through 40th round come to an end.
There was no surefire top prospect in the 2016 draft pool, but there was depth at all positions. This means that numerous players picked in later rounds could wind up becoming solid contributors one day in the majors.
Here is a look at the grades for each team, as well as a breakdown of several value picks that look to be destined for the sport’s highest level.
Sleepers
Bryan Reynolds, Pick No. 59 to San Francisco
The San Francisco Giants had to wait until midway through the second round to make their first pick, and they nailed it with Vanderbilt outfielder Bryan Reynolds.
Reynolds, a 6’4″ junior, is athletic and a strong hitter. As a freshman, he led the national champions in batting average and was named a freshman All-American. In 2015, he was second on the team in batting average, and this season, he hit .330 with 13 home runs and 57 RBI, per Vanderbilt athletics.
According to MLB.com‘s Chris Haft, the Giants feel they got a steal by taking a player who could have landed in the first round.
“We did feel that he was a guy who more than likely would be gone before we selected,” Giants scouting director John Barr said.
The pick received praise from ESPN’s Keith Law and D1Baseball’s Kendall Rogers:
Reynolds looks like a great bet to become an MLB leadoff hitter. He joins a franchise with a pedigree for developing top prospects such as Brandon Crawford and Buster Posey. Expect Reynolds to become an everyday player in the next three years.
Connor Jones, No. 70 to St. Louis
The St. Louis Cardinals had a phenomenal draft, as they snagged studs like Delvin Perez in the first round and a strong pitching arm in Connor Jones in the third round.
Jones anchored a strong Virginia pitching staff during the past two seasons. He threw 115.2 innings in 2015 before tossing 103.2 frames last season. This year, he went 11-1 while only allowing 27 earned runs, per Virginia athletics.
He has a strong arm with a fastball that reaches the mid-90s, but he also has a few other pitches. Here is a look at his profile, courtesy of MLB.com.
Jones is a first-round talent who fell to the Cardinals because other teams valued potential over a collegiate veteran. D1Baseball’s Aaron Fitt commended St. Louis’ pick:
As a college player with plenty of innings under his belt, Jones may find himself in the majors soon. Whether he can develop into a consistent starter is unknown, but he will have a long career as a reliever at the very least.
Mike Shawaryn, No. 148 to Boston
Mike Shawaryn entered this season as a player primed to go on Day 1 of the MLB draft, but an uneven junior season lowered his stock. Still, Boston picked up a potential starter in the fifth round.
Shawaryn finished this season at 6-4 after making 15 starts. He was Maryland’s Friday starter for most of the season, as he pitched 99 innings and allowed 35 runs. He holds the school record for wins, strikeouts and innings pitched, per Maryland athletics.
He rebounded at the end of the season, as he was excellent in the Big Ten tournament. Maryland athletics provided a look at his impressive 16-strikeout performance against Indiana:
He also received some props from the Boston coaching staff, according to MLB.com’s Ian Browne.
“He can pitch; he’s got some deception and some pitchability, and at times his stuff has been really good,” Red Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Rikard said. “He’s been a real solid performer, and we’ve seen a lot of him. We believe in his makeup and look forward to getting him going.”
If Shawaryn can maintain his form from earlier in his career and at the end of last season, Boston will have another quality pitching prospect to pair with 2016 first-rounder Jason Groome.
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