The 2016 MLB draft kicked off Thursday with the Philadelphia Phillies having the first shot to add a potential franchise player.
The draft is a three-day process that started with the first and second rounds Thursday. Rounds 3 through 10 will take place Friday before the event concludes with Rounds 11 through 40 on Saturday. There are also lottery rounds after the first and second rounds. They are awarded to eligible teams that either have the smallest markets or smallest revenue pools, per MLB.com.
There is no bona fide top prospect in this year’s class, so the first day of the draft was unpredictable. Below are the Day 1 results, an updated order of the remaining selections and a breakdown of Thursday’s picks:
Notable Selections
Mickey Moniak to the Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies could have gone in a number of directions, but they chose to secure their outfield’s future with Mickey Moniak.
His selection made history, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:
ESPN Stats & Info also mentioned that Moniak was the first outfielder to go No. 1 overall since Bryce Harper in 2010.
His draft stock rose dramatically since the start of last year, and MLB.com provided a look at the top pick:
Moniak may be the most complete player in the draft, but he is not exceptional at one particular aspect of the game. The Phillies are second to last in the National League in scoring this year, so they needed another position player to bolster their lineup.
He will be a great fit alongside Odubel Herrera in Philadelphia’s outfield, and Moniak should develop into a consistent contributor at the top of Philadelphia’s batting order.
Riley Pint to the Colorado Rockies
Riley Pint is a rare high school prospect with exceptional velocity.
According to Nick Groke of the Denver Post, Pint has been clocked at 102 mph, and he hit 96 mph as a 15-year-old. Pint has an explosive, generational arm.
ESPN’s Keith Law shared his thoughts on the youngster:
Control is an issue with any hard-throwing young pitcher, but Pint is only 18 years old. He will have ample time to work with the Colorado pitching staff to improve his pitch location while also developing some supporting pitches.
Another issue is the possibility of Tommy John surgery. Groke noted that high school pitchers who throw like Pint tend to end up needing the procedure. Yet the Rockies seem to be aware of this, per Groke.
“It’s a risk-reward type thing,” vice president of scouting Bill Schmidt said before the draft. “Tommy John surgery is a lot more common.”
Colorado also took Mike Nikorak in the first round of last year’s draft, who was a similar prospect to Pint. The team is gambling on the future of its pitching staff, but Pint has tremendous potential to become a bona fide ace by the time he reaches his mid-20s.
Jason Groome to the Boston Red Sox
Jason Groome entered the night as a contender to go No. 1 overall, but he fell all the way to the Red Sox at No. 12 in one of the first round’s biggest storylines.
Groome is a 6’6″ pitcher with a great fastball and nasty curveball, which Law commended:
The Red Sox lead the American League in scoring, and their rotation is solid with Rick Porcello, David Price and Steven Wright. Now the team has a dynamic prospect in the system.
There are no issues with Groome’s game, but whether he and the team can work out a contract could be an issue.
Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan provided some context:
If the two sides can work out an agreement, Boston got a steal with Groome. He does not have an electric arm like Pint, but he is more polished and his secondary pitches are more advanced. Groome could become the future anchor of Boston’s rotation.
Statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.
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