The Mariners picked Virginia left-hander Danny Hultzen with the second choice in the draft.
A surprise already. The Mariners had long been thought to be the destination for the top college hitter, Anthony Rendon. However, concerns about Rendon’s shoulder may have soured the team on him. Hultzen has a low-90s fastball, a plus changeup and a slider. He’s expected to move quickly after going 11-3 with a 1.57 ERA and a 148/17 K/BB ratio in 103 1/3 innings for Virginia this season.
Diamondbacks selected UCLA right-hander Trevor Bauer with the third overall pick.
Bauer, who did his best to copy Tim Lincecum’s delivery and his college results, struck out a whopping 203 batters while going 13-2 with a 1.25 ERA for UCLA this season. He doesn;t have Gerrit Cole’s fastball, but he works at 92-95 mph and his curve is an excellent second pitch. He should move quickly and potentially contribute to the Diamondbacks’ cause next year.
The Orioles took high school right-hander Dylan Bundy fourth.
Bundy, whose older brother was an eighth-round pick of the Orioles three years ago, was viewed by most as the top high school pitcher in the draft. He may not have ideal size at 6'1", but he’s incredibly strong and he throws in the mid-90s consistently. He also has a good curve and slider for a high school product. The Orioles will have to try to sign him away from a University of Texas scholarship.
Royals picked high school outfielder Bubba Starling with the fifth pick.
The Royals were believed to prefer a college pitcher, but with Cole, Bundy and Hultzen all gone, it was tough for them to pass on the local outfielder with the enormous ceiling. Starling figures to be a tough sign; he’s also a highly regarded running quarterback already signed to Nebraska. With tremendous speed and power potential, he could be a superstar if everything clicks.