MLB Draft grades: Live order and first-round results

MLB Draft grades: 26-32

Chicago White Sox draft grade: B-

Schultz projects to be below slot value, but he does stand at 6-9, and throws at a three-quarters arm slot. If that sounds familiar, that’s because Randy Johnson also shares those same attributes. As an 18-year-old left-handed pitcher, Schultz will try to follow in Johnson’s footsteps. Odds are, the White Sox would sign up for that career, as well.

Milwaukee Brewers draft grade: C+

Brown Jr. became just the latest in a round full of shortstops taken. As the highest-selected player in Coastal Carolina history, Brown, Jr. has a chance to put his program on the map. Brown Jr. is known for his impressive hand-eye coordination which should translate into 15-20 homers per season at the big-league level, assuming all goes according to plan.

Houston Astros draft grade: B

Gilbert should fit right in. The Tennessee Vols employed their us against the world mentality during last year’s SEC season. That will work just fine in Houston, where the Astros are the most-hated team in professional baseball. Gilbert has some raw power at 15-20 home runs a year, and has plus-speed, which makes him a threat on the basepaths. He’s a fiery competitor, as well.

Tampa Bay Rays draft grade: B-

I’ve learned to never doubt the Rays too much. While Isaac may be ranked outside the top-100 per MLB Pipeline, that does not make him a poor fit in Tampa Bay. If anything, they see something in Isaac that we simply don’t. Taking a first baseman is always a little risky, because there isn’t really a backup position for Isaac. Nonetheless, a first-round flyer on a player of his caliber makes more sense than some might think.

San Francisco Giants draft grade: B

The Giants drafted a player with raw power at first base, and a triple-digits fastball. Surely, one of those attributes will come in handy, no? While there’s no guarantee he’s Shohei Ohtani, Crawford has the makings of a productive reliever, at the very least. Someone in the Giants’ scouting department knows what they’re doing.

Colorado Rockies draft grade: C+

This is about where Thompson projected, so it’s unfair to call him a reach. However, while Thompson does excel at hitting the fastball, his inability to adjust to breaking pitches was noticeable during his time at Florida. His contact should translate to the big-league level, but his power is really a question mark.

Cincinnati Reds draft grade: B-

I’m giving the Reds the benefit of the doubt because of their previous selection, Cam Collier, who was also a third baseman. Stewart has a lot of raw power, and was even an entrant in the All-American Home Run Derby, and for good reason. That trait is expected to translate to the next level.