The 2021 MLB draft is here. After months of preparation and evaluating prospects, major-league front offices have their draft boards set and are ready to add players to their organization.
This year’s draft will be interesting to watch. It is a deep draft, but there is a lot of parity among the top prospects. After the top eight prospects, the next tier of players is similar in talent and future potential. This will cause numerous teams to draft underslot candidates in the first round to use that savings in bonus pool money later in the draft, according to scouts and player advisors.
Remember, the Houston Astros forfeited their first-round and second-round picks last year and this year due to the illegal sign-stealing incident.
If you are looking for more draft content, check out the Baseball Prospect Journal. I interviewed and wrote in-depth stories on 103 of the top 2021 MLB draft prospects.
Below is my final mock draft of the 2021 MLB draft first round, compensation pick and the first competitive balance round.
First Round
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake (Calif.) HS
- Texas Rangers: Jordan Lawlar, SS, Dallas Jesuit (Texas) HS
- Detroit Tigers: Jackson Jobe, RHP, Heritage Hall (Okla.) HS
- Boston Red Sox: Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt
- Baltimore Orioles: Henry Davis, C, Louisville
- Arizona Diamondbacks: Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest (N.C.) HS
- Kansas City Royals: Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt
- Colorado Rockies: Brady House, SS, Winder-Barrow (Ga.) HS
- Los Angeles Angels: Will Taylor, OF, Dutch Fork (S.C.) HS
- New York Mets: Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College
- Washington Nationals: Ty Madden, RHP, Texas
- Seattle Mariners: Matt McLain, SS, UCLA
- Philadelphia Phillies: Benny Montgomery, OF, Red Land (Pa.) HS
- San Francisco Giants: Jordan Wicks, LHP, Kansas State
- Milwaukee Brewers: Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston State
- Miami Marlins: Harry Ford, C, North Cobb (Ga.) HS
- Cincinnati Reds: Andrew Painter, RHP, Calvary Christian (Fla.) HS
- St. Louis Cardinals: Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Ole Miss
- Toronto Blue Jays: Jay Allen, OF, John Carroll Catholic (Fla.) HS
- New York Yankees: Will Bednar, RHP, Mississippi State
- Chicago Cubs: Bubba Chandler, SS/RHP, North Oconee (Ga.) HS
- Chicago White Sox: Colson Montgomery, SS, Southridge (Ind.) HS
- Cleveland Indians: Sam Bachman, RHP, Miami (OH)
- Atlanta Braves: Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP/SS, Nebraska
- Oakland Athletics: Wes Kath, 3B, Desert Mountain (Ariz.) HS
- Minnesota Twins: Trey Sweeney, SS, Eastern Illinois
- San Diego Padres: Anthony Solometo, LHP, Bishop Eustace (N.J.) HS
- Tampa Bay Rays: Michael McGreevy, RHP UCSB
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Peyton Stovall, 2B, Haughton (La.) HS
Compensation Picks
- Cincinnati Reds: Frank Mozzicato, LHP, East Catholic (Conn.) HS
Supplemental Round A
- Miami Marlins: Ryan Cusick, RHP, Wake Forest
- Detroit Tigers: Jud Fabian, OF, Florida
- Milwaukee Brewers: Gavin Williams, RHP, ECU
- Tampa Bay Rays: Tyler Black, 2B, Wright State
- Cincinnati Reds: Matt Mikulski, LHP, Fordham
- Minnesota Twins: Cooper Kinney, 3B, Baylor (Tenn.) HS
Read more in-depth stories on top 2021 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for six years. He has interviewed 253 of the top draft prospects in that period, including three No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com and The Arizona Republic, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
I thoroughly enjoy reading your scouting reports and analysis, ‘He said, just before he launched a grenade’– there is no way the Angels don’t take an arm at #9– NO WAY!. Rocker, or Jobe could fall to them, and certainly other there are other significant college arms like Ty Madden, and Bachman that must be selected to go with last year’s nearly ready first round arm, Detmers. Madden or Bachman could be in the rotation in just a couple of years. This team is absolutely desperate for high end arms, and they’re already loaded with SS prospects and outfielders. Need Pitching, catching, and third base prospects– but pitching is their greatest need. In order to win the Angels need to go heavy on arms all through this draft in order to shore up their bullpen as well.
Hey Carl. Thank you for reading! I agree, the Angels need arms. But at the end of the day, they need to take the best player on their board at each pick. You can’t draft for need in the MLB draft. We will see what happens tonight!