Jeremy Nygaard

Now that the dust has settled on the MLB draft, let's look at how the club did. Who were the best picks? Who were the risky picks? How many will they sign? We'll try to answer those questions and more. Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports (photo of Zyhir Hope at the MLB Draft Combine) BEST PICKS: The expectation is that everyone in this group will sign. There may have been some doubt about Hope - and maybe still could be - but if mama says her son is signing, he's probably signing. In the event that he doesn't, the Cubs will not lose any bonus pool money. Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland (1) Maybe that's the easy answer given he was the club's first pick, but Matt Shaw was overlooked as a hitter due to there being two absolute college studs and a glut of infielders. He was my favorite of all the college infielders, even if he doesn't stick at shortstop. He has the bat and athleticism to play anywhere, though the arm may prevent him from playing shortstop, third base, or right field. I look for Shaw to adjust quickly in pro ball and sneak into a preseason national Top 100 or two. Michael Carico, C, Davidson (5) As prep guys were flying off the board on Day Two, Carico was one of the best college players available and fell into the Cubs laps. He will need time to adjust to better pitching - you aren't seeing it at Davidson - but if he shows an ability to hit at all he's a backup catcher. He missed a lot of the season with a hand injury. Someone to watch the next few years. Zyhir Hope, OF, Colonial Forge HS (11) The Cubs must have worked that calculator on Monday night and realized they had money to spend on Hope, who is rumored to be forgoing a UNC commitment. The road to Wrigley will be long for Hope, but he's a plus athlete. It will be on the developmental team to turn him into a baseball player. There's plenty of risk here as well, but the "take a prep with the first pick on day three" is a strategy of which I'm a fan. RISK/REWARD PICKS: The players in this group could go either way. If they were a top-10-round pick, they are almost assuredly going to sign. Outside of that, it becomes a bigger question. In most cases, the player could bet on himself to be a higher draft pick next year (or later) or could take the money now and start developing as a pro. Jaxon Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas (2C) It's easy to dream on an arm like this. At a minimum, you'd think someone who can touch 100 mph and has a slider could be a valuable bullpen arm. Add anything to that and you've got a starter. But Wiggins has been injured and struggles to throw it over the plate. An intriguing arm if you could coax him to sign underslot, but he's got enough ability that he could go back to school and try to improve his draft stock. Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina (4) A little bit different than the Wiggins pick, because the floor is higher. He's going to need to figure it out mechanically and make adjustments to his fastball. If he does, you could get a durable, mid-rotation starter. If he doesn't, there's still enough to like as a reliever profile. Alfonsin Rosario, OF, P27 Academy (6) Heavy lean toward the risk category here. Too much swing-and-miss. If he comes in under slot, I'll not like this pick less. Yahil Melendez, SS, B You Academy (7) Melendez has already reportedly agreed to an above-slot deal. And I'm a fan of these picks. A young shortstop for Puerto Rico who has limited exposure, but enough tools to believe in. This pick is akin to an international signing. There is plenty of time to develop a 17-year-old. Luis Martinez-Gomez, RHP, Tempe College (10) An electric arm out of the JUCO ranks. You'd hope pro coaching can help him level up. A fun way to end Day Two. Sam Armstrong, RHP, Old Dominion (13) A solid small-school pitcher who didn't put up big strike-out numbers and walked more than you'd like to see. Probably profiles as a reliever. Guessing the two starts he made in the Cape (10 innings, 13 Ks, 3 walks, 0 ER) helped get his name called. The new and relatively unknown thing here is that a bigger college could slide in and try to get him to transfer. Two years ago, he's a slam-dunk sign. Now there is another option. Ty Johnson, RHP, Ball State (15) A tall, righty who made his best start of the season (7.0 IP, 10 Ks) in late February. Got lit up on a number of occasions (gave up 10 earned runs on 15 hits and four walks in his last eight innings), but the Cubs must see something they can do to get more production of out him. Hard to call anything at this point in the draft a risk though. Daniel Brown, LHP, Campbell (16) Probably the most "fun" pick of the draft. Brown's game log from this season (and his career) is almost laughable. This year he made four appearances and got three outs. Nothing too crazy... right? In his first game, he walked four on 22 pitches. They all scored. In his second game, he struck out the side on 15 pitches. In this third game, he walked three, two of them scored. In his last game, he walked two. That's right, four games, three outs, nine walks, six earned runs. In 2022, he faced six batters. He walked four and hit two. But he throws the ever-living snot out of the ball and not just anyone can do that. SAFE/DEPTH PICKS: These players should sign. Returning to school - if that's even an option - probably isn't going to help them make a bunch more money. Josh Rivera, SS, Florida (3) A senior - so you can expect some savings - with a high floor. You're probably not banking on a first-division regular, but if you can get a utility player with a little bit of pop while stretching the bonus pool a little bit, that's a win. Brett Bateman, OF, Minnesota (8) It's 2023 and speed is en vogue again. Bateman will give you that and good defense in center field. Jonathan Long, 1B, Long Beach State (9) Probably isn't to the bottom of the defensive spectrum yet, but you're buying the power. Going to give a minor-league team a valuable bat in the lineup for the next couple of years with a chance to be more. Carter Trice, 2B, NC State (12) Trice struggled at NC State after transferring from Old Dominion. At a minimum, he'll be a solid player through A-ball and give the organization depth. He's a three-year Cape player, so he's got plenty of wood-bat experience. But is a career .238/.343/..409 player in that league. He's still only 20, so there's still time to develop into more. Brian Kalmer, 3B, Gonzaga (18) Showed power (15 home runs) in his lone year at Gonzaga after rarely playing at Arizona State for two years before going JUCO. Nick Dean, RHP, Marlyand (19) A good value/depth pick this late in the draft. Started every one of the 43 games he appeared in for Maryland in four years. Struck out 77 in 74 2/3 innings this year. WILL HE SIGN?: If I were in this group, I'd have more reason to go back to school than turn pro. Grayson Moore, RHP, Vanderbilt (14) Pitched out of Vandy's bullpen and struck out 36 in 26 1/3 innings. If the Cubs can get him signed, I'd consider it one of their better-value picks. Throw him into an A-ball bullpen and see how he does. But he could return to Vandy, compete for a starting role, and look to be one of the better seniors in next year's draft. He might get $150k this year and he likely wouldn't get that next year, so you wouldn't blame him either way. Ethan Flanagan, LHP, UCLA (17) A draft-eligible sophomore, Flanagan really doesn't have any reason to sign. He was better in 2022 than 2023 and can have another shot to improve his draft stock while still having some financial leverage. Drew Bowser, 3B, Stanford (20) Another one of those cases where his signing bonus isn't going to get bigger by going back to school for another year, but he can improve his draft stock by going back to Stanford and cutting down on his swing-and-miss. Big-time power (32 home runs in the last two years), but that gets overshadowed by the holes (158 Ks in 483 at-bats and only 46 walks). What do you think? Who were you favorites? Or least-favorites? View full article

Ten rounds down, ten rounds to go for the 2023 MLB Draft. It's been a life-changing event for 314 young men so far; there will be 300 more lives changed on Tuesday afternoon. Keep it tuned to North Side Baseball for live updates throughout the remainder of the draft. Image courtesy of Steven Branscombe (photo of Josh Rivera) Today's portion of the draft, which will conclude with rounds 11 through 20, will begin at 1 p.m. CT. Keep up to date with the Cubs Draft Tracker. One update with the new CBA: players selected on Day 3 can sign for up to $150,000 without it impacting the team's bonus pool. Any dollars above that threshold will count toward the cap. For example, if a player today signs for $200k, it will count $50k toward the team's bonus pool. 11 (326) - Zyhir Hope, OF, Colonial Forge HS (VA)18 years old. 6-0, 193. 12 (356) - Carter Trice, 2B, NC State20 years old. 6-0, 200. 13 (386) - Sean Armstrong, RHP, Old Dominion22 years old. 6-2, 245. 14 (416) - Grayson Moore, RHP, Vanderbilt22 years old. 6-3, 233. 15 (446) - Ty Johnson, RHP, Ball State21 years old. 6-6, 205. 16 (476) - Daniel Brown, LHP, Campbell20 years old. 6-3, 200. 17 (506) - Ethan Flanigan, LHP, UCLA21 years old. 6-3, 205. 18 (536) - Brian Kalmer, 3B, Gonzaga22 years old. 6-2, 215. 19 (566) - Nick Dean, RHP, Maryland22 years old. 6-3, 180. 20 (596) - Drew Bowser, 3B, Stanford21 years old. 6-4, 226. If you've missed anything from the previous two days, you can find it below. There has been lots of draft content posted so far, which is all linked below. But any changes or additions to scouting reports and/or signing information will all be changed in the Tracker that is linked above. So please keep checking the player's profiles for new and added information. Cubs Select Matt Shaw #13 Overall Cubs Select RHP Jaxon Wiggins #68 Overall 2023 MLB Draft Day 2 Thread 1 (13) - Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland21 years old. 5-11, 185.Draft Article / Draft Tracker 2C (68) - Jaxon Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas21 years old. 6-6, 225. Draft Article / Draft Tracker 3 (81) - Josh Rivera, SS, Florida22 years old. 6-2, 215. Draft Tracker 4 (113) - Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina21 years old. 6-6, 230. Draft Tracker 5 (149) - Michael Carico, C, Davidson20 years old. 6-0, 190.Draft Tracker 6 (176) - Alfonsin Rosario, OF, P27 Academy (SC)18 years old. 6-5, 210.Draft Tracker 7 (206) - Yahil Melendez, SS, B You Academy (PR)17 years old. 6-3, 165.Draft Tracker 8 (236) - Brett Bateman, OF, Minnesota21 years old. 5-10, 170.Draft Tracker 9 (266) - Jonathon Long, 1B, Long Beach State21 years old. 6-0, 210.Draft Tracker 10 (296) - Luis Martinez-Gomez, RHP, Tempe College (TX)20 years old. 6-2, 175.Draft Tracker What have been your favorite or least-favorite selections so far? What should the focus be on on the final day of the draft? View full article

The day one review of the two Cubs picks from the 2023 MLB Draft. View full video

The Cubs added two players on Sunday night and will add eight more on Monday. This article will be updated with each Cubs pick, so check back often. Image courtesy of Ron Schloerb/Cape Cod Times-USA TODAY NETWORK Today's portion of the draft, which will include rounds 3 through 10, will begin at 1 p.m. CT. Keep up to date with the Cubs Draft Tracker. A quick recap from yesterday: 1 (13) - Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland21 years old. 5-11, 185.Draft Article / Draft Tracker 2C (68) - Jaxon Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas21 years old. 6-6, 225. Draft Article / Draft Tracker 3 (81) - Josh Rivera, SS, Florida22 years old. 6-2, 215. Draft Tracker Rivera was a key contributor in Florida's College World Series run in 2023, with solid tools across the board helping him move steadily up Draft boards this spring. Rivera's college production in his first two seasons was impacted by the pandemic and injury. In 2023 he's been a able to show what he can do. Rivera has a strong, selective approach at the plate that has led to a higher walk rate 18 BB%, than strikeout rate 14 K%. He hit .348/.447/.617 in 2023 with 19 home runs. Defensively, while not the quickest, Rivera has good defensive actions that give him a good chance to stick at shortstop. Rivera does everything pretty well and should be a top 100 pick in July. - JD Cameron Draft slot: $872,400 4 (113) - Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina21 years old. 6-6, 230. Draft Tracker Sanders is a big-bodied righty whose frame, solid platform of stuff, and projectability outweigh his relatively poor 2023 production. Sanders features a four pitch mix in which all of them may be above average with no one outstanding offering, but plenty of clay to mold. His fastball sits 93-96 mph with good carry. Despite Sanders' size and good extension, he struggled to get whiffs on his fastball and this development will be key to unlocking his potential as a pro. For secondaries, he relies most on his slider but also features a changeup with good fade, both solid offerings. Sanders has some projection left, unlocking a better fastball will be a key next step. - JD Cameron Draft slot: $591,800 5 (149) - Michael Carico, C, Davidson20 years old. 6-0, 190.Draft Tracker Carico has one of the most intriguing bats of any catcher in the 2023 class. A broken wrist put a huge dent in his 2023 season after just 9 games, but his numbers for Davidson in 2022 were ridiculous. In 54 games, he batted .456/.559/.843 with 21 home runs, 17 K% and 23 BB%, sheesh. In limited 2023 action he's hitting .352/.551/.690 with 6 HR. Carico has an uppercut type swing from the left side that produces fly balls to all fields, and the bat speed and raw power to hit for plenty of power at the next level. The question with Carico's offensive profile is if he can translate it to tougher competition and better velocity. Defensively, he should stick at catcher. He's an above average defender with a solid arm, but his receiving skills could use refinement. The hit tool will be average but Carico could be a great pickup for an organization that can take advantage of his raw power and great approach at the plate. - JD Cameron Draft slot: $416,900 6 (176) - Alfonsin Rosario, OF, P27 Academy (SC)18 years old. 6-5, 210.Draft Tracker Originally from the Dominican Republic, Rosario transferred to the P27 Academy in Lexington, S.C. for the 2023 season. That’s the same program that produced Dodgers sixth-round righthander Logan Wagner in 2022. Rosario is a 6-foot-2, 215-pound righthanded hitter with plenty of physicality and tools, including one of the best arms in the class. He registered an outfield throw of 101 mph at Perfect Game’s National Showcase in 2022, and also has solid running ability and big raw power. That raw power comes with an offensive approach and swing that needs to be refined and simplified, as Rosario features plenty of moving parts with both his hands and a large leg kick. He does have good bat speed and twitchy hands, but he’s often overly pull-happy and will aggressively expand the zone and swing-and-miss with enough frequency to raise questions about the overall quality of his hit tool. Rosario has exciting upside, but might be better off proving his hitting chops with Chipola (Fla.) JC next year, and he could be an interesting option for the re-implemented draft-and-follow system because of that. - Baseball America Draft slot: $325,600 7 (206) - Yahil Melendez, SS, B You Academy (PR)17 years old. 6-3, 165.Draft Tracker Draft slot: $254,500 8 (236) - Brett Bateman, OF, Minnesota21 years old. 5-10, 170.Draft Tracker A 5-foot-10, 170-pound outfielder, Bateman led Minnesota in average, on-base percentage and steals in 2023 and slashed .354/.450/.407 in a career year that featured 10 doubles, 17 stolen bases and strong plate discipline, with a 9% strikeout rate and 13.9% walk rate. Contact is the name of the game with Bateman, who has never hit a single home run with Minnesota and employs a simple and direct line drive swing with excellent bat-tot-ball skills. He made contact at an elite, 89% rate this spring and against pitches within the strike zone that jumped to 94%. As evidenced by his home run totals in college and his small frame, Bateman doesn’t have much in the way of power and has to rely on stretching softly hit singles into doubles in order to create any extra-base hits. He is a good defender in the outfield as a plus runner who should be able to play all three outfield positions, but does a nice job in center and should stick there at the next level. Bateman went 17-for-21 (80.1%) in stolen bases this spring and should be a consistent threat to steal in pro ball. He was also the best hitter in the early weeks of the Cape Cod League after the season, and hit .500/.519/.587 with Cotuit in his first 13 games. His contact ability, defense and speed could make him a top-10 round pick. - Baseball America Draft slot: $203,600 9 (266) - Jonathon Long, 1B, Long Beach State21 years old. 6-0, 210.Draft Tracker A three-year starter and consistent offensive performer for Long Beach State, Long had a career-year in 2023 when he slashed .310/.402/.597 and hit 15 home runs and 17 doubles with a 17.2% strikeout rate and 11.4% walk rate. Long earned second team All-Big West honors for his season, which was significantly more powerful than his 2021 and 2022 campaigns. A 6-foot, 210-pound first baseman, Long has a slightly closed off setup with quick hands and a fairly direct path to the ball. He hits the ball hard and managed a 92 mph average exit velocity this spring, with home run power to both gaps. Long’s uptick in game power this spring is important for his profile at the next level, as he’s a below-average runner and likely limited to first base. He’s always hit for average and gotten on base at a strong clip, though Long did struggle in 40 games in the Cape Cod League in 2022, when he slashed .210/.320/.381 with 41 strikeouts and 14 walks. His performance this spring could make him a late day two draft target. - Baseball America Draft slot: $179,400 10 (296) - Luis Martinez-Gomez, RHP, Tempe College (TX)20 years old. 6-2, 175.Draft Tracker Draft slot: $168,300 In the meantime, what did you think about what happened Sunday night? What are you looking forward to on Monday? View full article

With the 68th pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the Cubs select Jaxon Wiggins, a right-handed pitcher from Arkansas. Jaxon Wiggins has an exceptional repertoire, with a fastball that almost touches 100 mph, a hard slider, a changeup and a curveball. He was trending toward being a first-round pick after backing up a promising freshman season with a summer for the U.S. Collegiate National Team. But his sophomore year wasn't good and his junior year was over before it started when he suffered elbow discomfort and ended up undergoing Tommy John surgery. He definitely won't pitch this year and the time is unclear at best as it was announced he needed the surgery in February, but not when the surgery happened. Best case scenario, he's throwing in spring training. Realistically, though, Wiggins is probably starting to throw when the complex seasons begin next summer. The bonus slot associated with pick #68 is $1,101,000, The Cubs were awarded this pick for losing Willson Contreras in free agency. View full article

With the 13th pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, the Cubs select Matt Shaw, a shortstop from Maryland. Image courtesy of Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen During the researching process, Matt Shaw not only climbed up the Consensus Big Board to #12, but also become my favorite college infield prospect. You can read my entire preview here. Maybe Shaw doesn't stick at shortstop long-term, but he's an exciting prospect nonetheless. He can hit for power as well as impact the game with his legs on the base paths. The bonus slot associated with the 13th pick is $4,848,500. JD Cameron on Shaw: View full article

Draft Day is finally upon us! You've found the right place to follow the day's events, and you're all invited to be a part of the conversation. Image courtesy of Brock Beauchamp This year’s draft will again feature just 20 rounds. Day 1, which begins tonight at 6 p.m. CT and can be viewed on ESPN and MLB Network, will include the first and second rounds as well as both competitive balance rounds and all compensation rounds. There will be 70 selections total. The Cubs will make two picks tonight. They will draft in the first round at 13th overall and pick again at 68th overall with a draft pick they were awarded due to Willson Contreras leaving in free agency. The draft will continue on Monday with round 3, beginning at 1 p.m. CT. We're excited to introduce the Cubs Draft Tracker which will be kept up-to-date not only during the draft but through the entire signing period. So keep coming back for updates! There will be a lot going on during the draft both on and off this website. We will try to make updates to the story (and add links) as things happen, so keep refreshing! Hopefully there will be plenty of activity in the comments! In the meantime, you can catch up on all of our Cubs-related draft content below: Draft Articles and ProfilesKevin McGonigleArjun NimmalaNoble MeyerNolan SchanuelMatt ShawAidan MillerRhett LowderEnrique Bradfield, JrJacob GonzalezTommy Troy Nygaard Mock Draft v.3 Final Consensus Big Board Update (Print it out, cross players off as they are drafted. You won't find a better resource anywhere on the web.) Consensus Big Board Profiles: 26-50 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 1-25 View full article

My final attempt at how the first 30 picks will play out. There’s been a lot out there. How much is completely bogus? How much is credible? Who knows!? This is how I think the first round will play out. Not how I would pick for each team. 1.) Pirates – Max Clark, OF, Indiana prep - I wouldn’t take Clark one. I wouldn’t take him second or third either. And maybe not fourth. But I’m not faced with screwing up having a ton of money in a loaded draft. Clark - in a normal year - is a legitimate contender to go 1-1. This year, there are three college players who are simply better options, but the Pirates can’t mess this up and decide to take a really good prospect while also allowing them to take more really good prospects later. Previous: Dylan Crews 2.) Nationals – Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU - Having to choose between Skenes and Dylan Crews is like the Nationals having to decide between Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg. (They paid Strasburg, not Harper.) Either pick would be a great pick, so the Nationals are going to be winners of this draft either way. Previous: no change 3.) Tigers – Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida - It would be easy to switch this to Dylan Crews, but I think the Tigers have been focused on Langford for a while now and won’t have to blow up their pool to get him. Previous: Wyatt Langford 4.) Rangers - Dylan Crews, OF, LSU - Yes, the Rangers have a pool of less than $10 million. Yes, there’s a rumor out there that Boras wants $10 million for Crews. But, yes, Scott Boras also brokered huge deals between the Rangers and Corey Seager and Marcus Semien recently and may be doing work behind the scenes to get Crews to the biggest market possible while also convincing the Rangers to spend big on his client. The $10 rumor may just be a tactical move to get exactly what Scott Boras wants. Previous: Dylan Crews 5.) Twins – Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi - I’m believing the smoke here. (Or at least convincing myself to believe the smoke to prepare myself for the disappointment.) I usually give myself more time in between my 10-round Twins mock and my final mock than 24. But I’m going to stick with it. I also believe that the Twins will use their savings to get Noble Meyer to fall to their next pick. Previous: Kyle Teel 6.) A’s – Brayden Taylor, 3B, TCU - It’s too early to take Taylor, Matt Shaw or Jacob Wilson in my opinion, but the A’s make bad decisions. Previous: Jacob Wilson 7.) Reds – Walker Jenkins, OF, North Carolina prep - Cincinnati will end Jenkins slide like they ended Cam Collier’s last year. Previous: Rhett Lowder 8.) Royals - Kyle Teel, C, Virginia - This seems to be a common fit. Perez can’t play forever - though he may try - and Teel will be a solid regular for many years. Previous: Thomas White 9.) Rockies - Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest - I haven’t changed this description for any mock: The best chance for the Rockies to add pitching is through the draft. Their board should go Skenes, Lowder, Waldrep, Dollander, Floyd… and they take the first one available. Previous: Hurston Waldrep 10.) Marlins – Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt - Bradfield is going to have a team that believes in his bat and loves his speed and defense so much he will go higher than we see him in most mock drafts. Stealing bases is cool again. Previous: Max Clark 11.) Angels – Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Florida Atlantic - When the biggest names in the media start to agree on every part of a team’s strategy, there’s got to be a reason for it. Schanuel has one of the most impactful bats in the draft class. Previous: Jacob Gonzalez 12.) Diamondbacks – Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee - Who knows where Dollander ends up. He could be the second pitcher off the board. He could be the 6th or 7th if prep pitchers start to go. His stuff is off the charts… he just couldn’t put it all together this season. Previous: no change 13.) Cubs – Arjun Nimmala, SS, Florida prep - This is a fit that continues to make too much sense for me. I think Nimmala could end up being the steal of the draft. Previous: no change 14.) Red Sox – Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland - There’s going to be a run on infielders in the middle of the first round and it’s going to be heavy with college guys. Previous: no change 15.) White Sox – Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida - The White Sox are another team that I feel like needs to shoot their shot on pitchers. Waldrep dropping to the middle of the first round would be a revelation for them. Previous: Tommy Troy 16.) Giants – Tommy Troy, SS, Stanford - Seems like a good fit to go relatively local and in a spot that makes a lot of sense. Previous: Enrique Bradfield Jr 17.) Orioles – Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon - This is the Orioles favorite demographic in the first round and Wilson should go in this range. Previous: Colin Houck 18.) Brewers - Chase Davis, OF, Arizona - The Brewers have gone the college route a lot recently and Davis is probably underappreciated for the type of year he had and the data that he put up. Previous: Brayden Taylor 19.) Rays – Aidan Miller, 3B, Florida prep - The opportunistic Rays have a prospect who was injured and missed the majority of his senior season fall into their laps. Previous: Noble Meyer 20.) Blue Jays – Yohandy Morales, 3B, Miami. Previous: Chase Davis 21.) Cardinals – Ty Floyd, RHP, LSU. Previous: Aidan Miller 22.) Mariners – Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest Previous: Nolan Schanuel 23.) Guardians – Colt Emerson, SS, Ohio prep Previous: no change 24.) Braves – Colin Houck, SS, Georgia prep Previous: Dillon Head 25.) Padres - Bryce Eldridge, 1B/RHP, Virginia prep Previous: no change 26.) Yankees – Sammy Stafura, SS, New York prep Previous: no change 27.) Phillies – Charlee Soto, RHP, Florida prep Previous: no change 28.) Astros - Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech Previous: no change 29.) Mariners – Blake Mitchell, C, Texas prep Previous: no change 30.) Mariners – Thomas White, LHP, Massachusetts prep Previous: Kevin McGonigle View full article

Kevin McGonigle is a prep shortstop from the state of Pennsylvania. He is committed to Auburn, but figures to get drafted high enough to forego his college commitment and turn professional. McGonigle currently ranks 24th overall on the Consensus Big Board. Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Over the next two weeks, we're going to be providing you with profiles of 10 players the Cubs could take with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Who is He? Kevin McGonigle is one of the best bats in the most recent high-school class. He's well-known to scouts due to his time with USA Baseball on the 2022 18U National Team. He's impressed with his hit tool and is regarded as a smart baseball player. Why the Cubs Will Draft HimThere's a collection of high school infielders - McGonigle, Arjun Nimmala, Colin Houck and Aidan Miller among others - with little that separates one from another. In a "beauty lies in the eye of the beholder" like situation, it will just take any team to like one more than the others for any specific reason. The reason to like McGonigle is his bat. It grades as an above-average tool with every other tool projecting to be at least average. If you believe he sticks at shortstop long-term, he gets a bump. If you believe he will develop 20+ home run power, he gets another bump. Why the Cubs Won't Draft HimOn the flip side, McGonigle is nearly 19 years old, which is over a year older than Nimmala. Analytic-driven teams typically ding players when they are older then their peers. That could be something to watch in regards to McGonigle (but also Miller and Houck). Turning 19 in August isn't exactly "old" but could ultimately be a factor when you're trying to make such a big decision. Additionally, there's no guarantee that McGonigle remains at shortstop. He's also on the smaller (5' 10", 185) side, so there may be some limitations physically. How much power is he likely to produce? Is it justifiable to draft a potentially light-hitting second baseman in the top half of the first round? I think you'd find a number of people who oppose it. What do you think of Kevin McGonigle as a prospect? How would you feel about him being the Cubs pick at 13 overall? Join the discussion in the comments. Previous Draft Articles and Profiles Arjun Nimmala Noble Meyer Nolan Schanuel Matt Shaw Aidan Miller Rhett Lowder Enrique Bradfield, Jr Jacob Gonzalez Tommy Troy Nygaard Mock Draft v.2 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 26-50 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 1-25 View full article

Arjun Nimmala is one of the youngest and highest-upside hitters in the entire draft. He takes a back seat to Max Clark and Walker Jenkins right now, but it won't be that way forever. Nimmala cracks the Top Ten of the Consensus Big Board, checking in at #9. Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Over the next two weeks, we're going to be providing you with profiles of 10 players the Cubs could take with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Who is He? Arjun Nimmala is a 17-year-old shortstop from the gulf side of Florida who draws comparisons to Alfonso Soriano. Nimmala sees himself more as a Francisco Lindor-type. Either way, Nimmala has incredible upside. But as you would expect from someone so young, there are a lot of unfinished parts of his game. Buying Nimmala would give you a very, very high ceiling paired with an exceptionally low floor. Why the Cubs Will Draft Him If you want to take a swing for the fence after Dylan Crews and the two highest-ranked prep hitters go off the board, Arjun Nimmala is your guy. Providing a reward potentially much greater than the college infielders to choose from, Nimmala could give you 30-plus home run potential and a slick glove at shortstop. A premium bat at a premium position, it doesn't get much better. Says Jamie Cameron: Why the Cubs Won't Draft HimIt's easy to be scared off by the low floor. How well will he hit? Right now, that's a huge question. If he doesn't hit, he becomes a utility-type who doesn't even have the wheels to be a pinch-runner. That's a tough pill to swallow when you're drafting 13th overall and there are a ton of safer options. His at-bats and pitch selection can be problematic. You're hoping he develops power. You're banking on his body developing in a way that doesn't push him away from a premium defensive position. There are a lot of what-ifs and risk-averse teams should look elsewhere. The Cubs took a similar prospect in the 2020 draft when they selected Ed Howard 16th overall. He was a bet on development and upside. So far, he's struggled. In his pro debut, he struck out 98 ties in 302 at-bats while only drawing 18 walks. After missing most of last season with a hip injury, he's repeating High-A and batting .187. If you're counting on walks to inflate his on-base percentage, he's drawn exactly one of them in 75 at-bats. His OBP is under .200. His slugging is under .300. Ed Howard is the cautionary tale of betting on upside, which is exactly what you'd be doing by drafting Nimmala. Howard may left the Cubs draft room with a bad taste in their mouth. I love to take big swings on upside and Nimmala is one of my favorites to sneak into the Top 10. What do you think of Arjun Nimmala as a prospect? How would you feel about him being the Cubs pick at 13 overall? Join the discussion in the comments. Previous Draft Articles and Profiles Noble Meyer Nolan Schanuel Matt Shaw Aidan Miller Rhett Lowder Enrique Bradfield, Jr Jacob Gonzalez Tommy Troy Nygaard Mock Draft v.2 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 26-50 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 1-25 View full article

Noble Meyer is the highest ranked high school pitcher in this year's draft. Checking in at 12th overall on the Consensus Big Board, Meyer offers a full arsenal already, but comes from the most debated demographic: prep right-handed pitchers. Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Over the next two weeks, we're going to be providing you with profiles of 10 players the Cubs could take with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Who is He? Noble Meyer is an 18-year-old from Oregon who, unfortunately, happened to graduate high school in the same year that the draft is loaded. Due to the COVID-shortened 2020 draft - which pushed many high school players to college - there is an abundance of top-end talent. Players like Noble Meyer become more afterthoughts than they would in a typical year. Meyer hails from the same high school that produced Mick Abel and is exactly what you want a pitching prospect to be. He's tall (6' 5") but has room to fill out. He already throws a plus fastball that has hit triple digits and a plus slider in the mid-80s. He's shown a good feel for a change-up as well. It's *easy* to project his ceiling as someone who leads a rotation. In a normal year, Meyer is getting a lot of love in the Top 5. Why the Cubs Will Draft Him Take a shot, right? The Cubs shocked the world by drafting Cade Horton seventh overall last year (despite looking like he'd go more in the late teens). And Meyer offers a similar upside. There are always going to be questions about a high school pitcher's track record - because it's so brief - but Horton had only thrown 53 2/3 innings at Oklahoma. The Cubs leaned into upside in 2022 and could reap the rewards of having considerable upside fall into their laps in the 2023 draft as well. It also shouldn't hurt Meyer's chances that Horton has impressed in his first professional year. There's certainly nothing but a good taste in the mouths of the Cubs draft room when it comes to drafting pitchers with high-end potential. Why the Cubs Won't Draft Him All of the rumors have linked the Cubs to high school hitters (like Arjun Nimmala) or college hitters (like Enrique Bradfield) or college pitchers (like Rhett Lowder). Very rarely do you hear any mention of the Cubs wanting to go to the high school pitching demographic. In fact, you have to go back to 2012 to find the Cubs using a first-round pick on Paul Blackburn (and it was a supplemental pick) and all the way back to 2005 (can that be right!?) when they drafted Mark Pawelek 20th overall to find a high school pitcher the Cubs felt comfortable drafting in the first round. Jon Garland in 1997 was the last time the Cubs took a high school pitcher in the top half of the first round. Nothing against Noble Meyer. It's just not a direction the Cubs seem inclined to head. What do you think of Noble Meyer as a prospect? How would you feel about him being the Cubs pick at 13 overall? Join the discussion in the comments. Previous Draft Articles and Profiles Nolan Schanuel Matt Shaw Aidan Miller Rhett Lowder Enrique Bradfield, Jr Jacob Gonzalez Tommy Troy Nygaard Mock Draft v.2 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 26-50 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 1-25 View full article

Nolan Schanuel is one of the best collegiate hitters in the entire country. He's moved up draft boards with a fantastic college season and, despite being ranked 26th on the latest Consensus Big Board, has picked up some steam in recent mock drafts. You may wonder why--with a bat like his--he isn't higher on boards. You can read the answer within. Image courtesy of JC Ridley/OwlPix.com Over the next two weeks, we're going to be providing you with profiles of 10 players the Cubs could take with the 13th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Who is He? Nolan Ryan Schanuel is an aptly-named baseball player, but this Nolan stands out because of the damage he can do with a bat in his hands. Currently sitting at 29th on the Consensus Board, Schanuel will have his name called for the first time after spending three years raking for Florida Atlantic. He went undrafted out of high school. Why the Cubs Will Draft Him Schanuel's bat is special and that's why he will be in the conversation for those teams drafting outside of the top ten (or in some recent mock drafts, as early as #10). In three college seasons, Schanuel has drawn 138 walks while only striking out 57 times (including 71 walks and 14 strikeouts in 2023). Guys with that kind of handle on the strike zone don't often produce significant power when they do hit; Schanuel does. Of his 46 career long balls, 19 came in 2023 which helped support a .868 slugging percentage. Beyond that, he's put up excellent exit velocities. Stat-, eye- and analytic-driven teams should all come to the same conclusion: Dude can rake. On the most recent Consensus Big Board, Jamie Cameron says the following: Why the Cubs Won’t Draft Him Almost every player projected to be a first baseman is going to get pushed toward the back half of the first round. On the whole, most first basemen get knocked down team's boards because all of their value is tied up in their bat, as they're already on the bottom rung of the defensive spectrum. Teams normally just look past first baseman in the first round. And when they don't, they should. The last handful of first basemen drafted in the first round: Aaron Sabato (2020), Michael Toglia and Andrew Vaughn (2019) and Pavin Smith and Evan White (2016) have been disappointing at best, and relatively gross if we're being honest. That's no knock on Schanuel, who could certainly buck the trend. But it is a trend, and teams have learned to allocate their assets better when it comes to making their first pick of the draft. In 155 plate appearances in the wood-bat Cape Cod League last summer, Schanuel batted .200, struck out and walked 24 times each, and provided very little power (one home run, .272 SLG). So it's happened before - albeit in a 36-game sample. But if it happens again, there's no defensive value to speak of. That's quite a gamble at 13. What do you think of Nolan Schanuel as a prospect? How would you feel about him being the Cubs pick at 13 overall? Join the discussion in the comments. Previous Draft Articles and Profiles Matt Shaw Aidan Miller Rhett Lowder Enrique Bradfield, Jr Jacob Gonzalez Tommy Troy Nygaard Mock Draft v.2 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 26-50 Consensus Big Board Profiles: 1-25 View full article

Let's take a look at some rumored targets for the Cubs at pick #13. There's been a pretty popular name connected to them, but things could really be wide open. View full video