The 2013 MLB draft’s 40 rounds are now all in the books as every organization has been given the opportunity to stock their farm systems for years to come.
The MLB draft is always an intriguing event because of the varied approaches that teams can choose to use.
While some GM’s love to go for the high ceiling of unproven high school prospects, others prefer to choose the more pro-ready college prospects in hopes for a quick return.
Either approach can be successful—provided teams find the right value. Here’s a breakdown of how each team graded out at the conclusion of the draft based on the value of their selections.
2013 MLB Draft Grades
| Team | Grade |
|---|---|
| Houston Astros | A- |
| Chicago Cubs | B |
| Colorado Rockies | B+ |
| Minnesota Twins | B |
| Cleveland Indians | B |
| Miami Marlins | B+ |
| Boston Red Sox | B+ |
| Kansas City Royals | B- |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | A- |
| Toronto Blue Jays | C |
| New York Mets | B |
| Seattle Mariners | B+ |
| San Diego Padres | B- |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | B |
| Philadelphia Phillies | B |
| Chicago White Sox | B- |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | B- |
| St. Louis Cardinals | A- |
| Detroit Tigers | C+ |
| Baltimore Orioles | B+ |
| Oakland Athletics | B |
| San Francisco Giants | C+ |
| New York Yankees | B+ |
| Cincinnati Reds | B |
| Tampa Bay Rays | B+ |
| Texas Rangers |
C+ |
| Atlanta Braves | B- |
| Milwaukee Brewers | B |
| Los Angeles Angels | C+ |
| Washington Nationals | B- |
Superlatives
Most Likely to Succeed: Houston Astros
The Houston Astros started things off with a great pick and didn’t stop making solid selections throughout the draft. They had the No. 1 pick for the second year in a row which is a testament to their need for help as soon as possible.
With a draft class full of college talent that has a good chance to contribute sooner rather than later, the Astros did exactly what they needed to in the draft.
First overall selection Mark Appel is a name that won’t soon be forgotten by Astros fans, he could be in the rotation as soon as 2014.
Houston followed up that pick by adding two more mature college pitchers in Andrew Thurman of UC-Irvine and Kent Emmanuel out of North Carolina.
Overall, the Astros didn’t reach for many projects. They took seven college players in their first 10 picks and continued that trend throughout the draft.
They might not wind up with any revelations outside of Appel, but they consistently chose solid players with proven tools.
Best Potential: Pittsburgh Pirates
While the Astros went out and added polish to their farm system, the Pittsburgh Pirates showed that they valued potential over polish.
Despite the difference in philosophy, the Pirates were just as successful at collecting talent. Their first-round pick, Austin Meadows is one of the most promising offensive prospects coming out of high school, and Reese McGuire has the tools to be a successful catcher in the big leagues.
The Pirates weren’t afraid to go for prep prospects early and often. Trae Arbet projects as an exciting prospect at either shortstop or second base, and even their college picks such as LSU’s JaCoby Jones still have a lot of room to grow.
The Pirates already have one of the best farm systems in baseball. Now they have a ton of projects to bring through the ranks.
Best Pitching: St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals already possess one of the deepest farm systems in the league—now they have even more promising pitchers at their disposal.
They kicked their draft off by grabbing polished pitcher Marco Gonzales out of Gonzaga and went the high school route with Rob Kaminsky with their second first-round selection. Both should wind up with successful MLB careers.
The Cardinals didn’t stop there, though. They didn’t stop acquiring good pitching prospects throughout the draft.
They also nabbed a projectable shortstop out of high school in Oscar Mercado.
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