Taking a look at some early mock drafts...

[allstar1579]

Where do you see Chad James being taken? I see this mock had him falling out of the first round, and he would be an absolute steal if he fell to 2:5. If I had to guess, James is a back half of the first/sandwich pick guy, but stranger things have happened.

I could see him going anywhere from mid-first to third round. Im not real enamored with him. Too inconsistent with the breaking ball, and the command isn't really there.

[ChaosLex]

1. Washington – Steven Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State

2. Seattle – Dustin Ackley, OF/1B, North Carolina

3. San Diego – Donavan Tate, OF, Cartersville HS (GA)

4. Pittsburgh – Aaron Crow, RHP, Ft. Worth Cats

5. Baltimore – Kyle Gibson, RHP, Missouri

6. San Francisco – Tyler Matzek, LHP, Capistrano Valley HS (CA)

7. Atlanta – Zack Wheeler, RHP, East Paulding HS (GA)

8. Cincinnati – Tanner Scheppers, RHP, St. Paul Saints

9. Detroit – Jacob Turner, RHP, Westminster Christian Academy (MO)

10. Washington – Mike Trout, OF, Millville HS (NJ)

http://firstinning.com/?p=208

1. Washington Nationals

Stephen Strasburg, San Diego State, RHP

He lost his first game in what probably will be his last college start. Could the big leagues be next?

2. Seattle Mariners

Dustin Ackley, North Carolina, 1B/OF

Gulp. Went 10-for-16 with six RBI in Chapel Hill Regional. For Seattle, that's hard to pass up.

3. San Diego Padres

Aaron Crow, Fort Worth Cats (Independent), RHP

New ownership and management should make a safe choice to show credibility. Polished Crow is a safe pick and could help quickly.

4. Pittsburgh Pirates

Kyle Gibson, Missouri, RHP

He might not have Strasburg's velocity, but Gibson has four plus or above-average pitches that give him a shot to hit the majors like Strasburg.

5. Baltimore Orioles

Tyler Matzek, Capistrano Valley (Calif.) HS, LHP

Matzek is like the high school version of Kyle Gibson. He just got better and better, stayed consistent all season.

6. San Francisco Giants

Donovan Tate, Cartersville (Ga.) HS, OF

Giants have developed high-ceiling toolsy high schooler outfielders before: see current leftfielder Fred Lewis.

7. Atlanta Braves

Zach Wheeler, E. Paulding HS, Dallas, Ga., RHP

Braves are partial to Georgia-bred players, and Wheeler fits with what their system needs right now: high-ceiling pitchers.

8. Cincinnati Reds

Alex White, University of North Carolina, RHP

Continues to frustrate himself and teams after allowing five runs on four hits and four walks. Looking more like a 'pen guy lately

9. Detroit Tigers

Jacob Turner, Westminster Christian (St. Louis) HS, RHP

Scott Boras representation won't scare off Tigers, who have paid over slot for Rick Porcello and Casey Crosby.

10. Washington Nationals (for not signing Crow)

Mike Trout, Millville (N.J.) High School, OF

Trout shot up draft boards after northeastern weather finally cleared up. High-motor guy in centerfield with plus power and speed.

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/MLB_Draft/entry/view/25024/mock_draft_update_top_10_taking_shape;_matzek_moves_up,_trout_rockets_to_10

1) Washington Nationals - Stephen Strasburg

This is a no-brainer first pick for the Nationals. Stephen Strasburg is not only the best pitcher in this draft, he’s probably the best pitcher in any MLB draft of the last few decades. His statistics are off the charts and he has future superstar written all over him.

2) Seattle Mariners - Dustin Ackley

While there are a ton of quality pitchers in this draft, Dustin Ackley might be the only position player with a “can’t miss” label. He has a great swing and should become a very good first baseman.

3) San Diego Padres - Tanner Scheppers

For the last few years, Tanner Scheppers has been a top flight pitching prospect. However, last year an injury scare hurt his stock. Now that he’s healthy again, expect him to be a top five pick.

4) Pittsburgh Pirates - Tony Sanchez

The Pirates have been connected to Tony Sanchez and that’s not much of a surprise. They’ve had a difficult time finding a dependable catcher and Sanchez can solve that issue.

5) Baltimore Orioles - Tyler Matzek

Considered by many scouts to be the best left-handed pitcher in the 2009 MLB Draft, Tyler Matzek is a starting pitcher who can get up to about 95 on the gun. His impressive size should also help him grow into a very good pitcher down the line.

6) San Francisco Giants - Tim Wheeler

Out of Sacramento State, Tim Wheeler is a 6-foot-4 center fielder. He’s still a bit of a raw prospect but he has the tools to be a star.

7) Atlanta Braves - Aaron Crow

Aaron Crow is a well known prospect. Last season, the Nationals drafted him 9th — but Crow and the Nationals couldn’t agree on a contract. He didn’t do anything to hurt his stock and should once again be a top ten pick.

8) Cincinnati Reds - Alex White

Although Alex White needs a lot of work, the Reds could very well roll the dice on him. He needs to improve his confidence in his fastball but his off-speed pitchers are impressive for a player his age.

9) Detroit Tigers - Jacob Turner

When it comes to a throwing a fastball, Jacob Turner probably has the second best raw heat in the draft behind Stephen Strasburg. He can hit 98 miles per hour and given his age, he could even improve further.

10) Washington Nationals - Donovan Tate

Perhaps the best pure athlete in the draft, Donovan Tate is the son of Lars Tate, the former NFL running back. A center fielder, he has very good size, speed and a good arm. The only flaw in his game right now is a below average eye at the plate, however expect someone in the top to take a gamble on him.

http://www.everyjoe.com/knucklecurve/2009-mlb-mock-draft-top-ten-picks/

1. Nationals - San Diego St RHSP Steven Strasburg - A lead pipe lock at this point. Last time: Strasburg

2. Mariners - UNC 1B/OF Dustin Ackley - Ackley seems like the slam dunk here, though Aaron Crow could still be a dark horse here. Last time: Ackley

3. Padres - Fort Worth Cats RHSP Aaron Crow- The last time I had the Padres on UNC’s Alex White. I still see a pitcher here though there are rumblings they are also considering GA HS OF Donavan Tate. Last time: UNC RHP Alex White

4. Pirates - Boston College CA Tony Sanchez. This is the hottest rumor recently. The thought is that the Pirates are going to go with a signability pick here and shift their money to the international market. I think that’s a bad idea and feel bad for Pirates fans who will again watch better prospects bypassed. Last time: Crow

5. Orioles - Capistrano Valley HS (CA) LHSP Tyler Matzek - Looking at the names still on the board, the crop of college arms has either disappointed (White), shown possible injuries (Missouri RHP Kyle Gibson), or has been linked to huge bonus demands (St. Paul Saints RHP Tanner Scheppers). All things being equal, I’d lean towards Scheppers here, but I’m going to say the Orioles make a play for arguably the best prep arm in the draft, a guy who could end up being better than Scheppers in the long run, but with greater risk- Last time: Matzek

6. Giants - East Paulding (GA) HS RHSP Zack Wheeler - The Giants are reportedly all over the place with this pick, with ESPN’s Keith Law having them linked to college OFs (Sacramento State’s Tim Wheeler and Cal’s Brett Jackson) as well as prep arms (Zack Wheeler along with Matzek and Texas HS RHP Shelby Miller). I think the best guy of that list is Zack Wheeler, a HS arm whose selection here will disappoint the team on deck. Last time: USC SS Grant Green

7. Braves - UNC RHP Alex White - The Giants will snatch the local kid right out from under the Braves. While it’s a bit disappointing, there still is one local guy out there (Tate) but given the Braves recent moves (dumping Tom Glavine to free up money for Nate McLouth), Atlanta might avoid Tate’s reported bonus demands (a rumored $6 million) and opt for a more signable option in White. With both Matzek and ZWheeler off the table, their choices are down to Scheppers (another reported pricy choice), Missouri HS RHP Jacob Turner (another reported big bonus), White or Shelby Miller. I say they’ll gamble on White regaining the form that had him a top 5 candidate entering 2009. Last week: Zack Wheeler.

8. Reds - St. Paul Saints RHP Tanner Scheppers - It really boils down to whether the Reds are willing to take on the big bonus demads here. With Scheppers, Tate, and Turner all still on the board with their rumored big dollar demands, they could grab a guy who would have gone earlier were it not for that. I had them on Gibson last time, but his loss of velocity late in the season raises an injury flag and makes him something of an overdraft at #9. I’m going to give the Reds the benefit of the doubt and guess they’ll grab Scheppers here and take on the negotiating challenges. Last week: Missouri RHSP Kyle Gibson

9. Tigers - Westminster Christian Academy (MO) RHP Jacob Turner - As I said last time, the Tigers are never afraid to go overslot on a high schooler but I’m going to shift from the bat to the arm. They went to the well a couple of years ago with Rick Porcello, I think they’ll do it again with Turner who has gained steam as th year progressed. Last time - Cartersville HS (GA) OF Donavan Tate

10. Nationals - Millville (NJ) HS OF Mike Trout. From all reports (and whether we like it or not), the Nationals are going to find a guy who will agree to a pre-draft slot deal at #10. The names rumored include Kennesaw St RHP Chad Jenkins, NC HS CA Wil Myers, and Trout. It would be tempting to grab Kyle Gibson here but I do wonder about that loss of velocity and it might not be worth the risk. There have also been reports that Stanford RHP Drew Storen (a draft eligible sophomore) is in DC for a workout. He likely will not do better than #10 in 2010 but it is still too much of an overdraft. If they are going to draft a more signable guy here, I hope tab the Trout, the HS CF. His bat projects as solid average and he has the ability to stick in center field (both with the range and arm). He has drawn comparisons to Aaron Rowand. Last time: Scheppers.

http://natsfarm.com/2009/06/04/nfa-mock-draft-june-4/

Draft#:1

Nationals

Stephen Strasburg

Ht/Wt: 6-4/230 lbs

Position:RHP

Drafted From:San Diego State

Draft#:2

Mariners

Dustin Ackley

Ht/Wt: 6-1/190 lbs

Position:CF/1B

Drafted From:UNC

Draft#:3

Padres

Donovan Tate

Ht/Wt: 6-3/200 lbs

Position:CF

Drafted From:Cartersville HS (GA)

Draft#:4

Pirates

Aaron Crow

Ht/Wt: 6-2/205 lbs

Position:RHP

Drafted From:Fort Worth Cats

Draft#:5

Orioles

Tanner Scheppers

Ht/Wt: 6-4/200 lbs

Position:RHP

Drafted From:Fresno State

Draft#:6

Giants

Shelby Miller

Ht/Wt: 6-4/215 lbs

Position:RHP

Drafted From:Brownwood HS (Tex.)

Draft#:7

Braves

Zach Wheeler

Ht/Wt: 6-4/180 lbs

Position:RHP

Drafted From:East Paulding HS (Ga.)

Draft#:8

Reds

Tyler Matzek

Ht/Wt: 6-3/210 lbs

Position:LHP

Drafted From:Capistrano Valley HS (Calif.)

Draft#:9

Tigers

Jacob Turner

Ht/Wt: 6-4/205 lbs

Position:RHP

Drafted From:Westminster Christian Academy (Mo.)

Draft#:10*

Nationals

Ht/Wt: 6-3/190 lbs

Position:RHP

Drafted From:UNC

http://www.mymlbdraft.com/MLB-Mock-Draft-2009

[ChaosLex]

I hope you guys all appreciate the time and effort I'm putting into this crap. :laughlol:

[allstar1579]

I hope you guys all appreciate the time and effort I'm putting into this crap. :laughlol:

Yeah, we do, but remember, take them with a grain of salt.

[jdccb]

I hope you guys all appreciate the time and effort I'm putting into this crap. :laughlol:

As an occasional poster and often reader, I just thought I'd let you know that I love having so many mock's rounded into one spot. It's nice to see so many different opinions.

[ChaosLex]

Thanks for all the rep, guys and gals.

It wasn't necessary, but I appreciate it just the same.

[stef]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090521&content_id=4856224&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb&partnerId=rss_mlb

I think this is an update of the above. Now includes the entire first round.

[ccbird]

I think this is an update of the above. Now includes the entire first round.

Really wish this article would have us linked to Matzek. Has there been any info anywhere that has us linked to Matzek?? Wheeler I wouldn't mind too much but White, Turner or Hobgood would be very disappointing at #5 IMO, especially if Matzek or Crow were still available.

[allstar1579]

Really wish this article would have us linked to Matzek. Has there been any info anywhere that has us linked to Matzek?? Wheeler I wouldn't mind too much but White, Turner or Hobgood would be very disappointing at #5 IMO, especially if Matzek or Crow were still available.

You aren't really going to see legit info linking anyone to any team. The unique thing about the MLB draft is that there are no draft pick trading, so you don't see a lot of gamesmanship when it comes to up or downplaying interest in players. Teams instead will just keep completely quiet in case they are going to tip off another team on a player that may be lower ranked, but higher talent.

[Duke2010]

I think this is an update of the above. Now includes the entire first round.

I like Wheeler a good deal, but only if Stras, Ackley, Matzek, and Crow are gone 1-4. I will be upset if Matzek is gone before our pick, but I will be even more upset if we decide to pass on him.

[Pruke]

The more I go 'round and read about everyone, the more I'm thinking Matzek. No much to say under the 'why not' column. ETA sounds like it's just as much on par with some of the collegiate arms.

[crawdad]

Today's mock over at Minor League Ball (still going on) . . . I selected Wheeler.

Not yet to the second round.

[Greg Pappas]

Today's mock over at Minor League Ball (still going on) . . . I selected Wheeler.

Not yet to the second round.

Very cool that you're a part of that.

[crawdad]

Very cool that you're a part of that.

Maybe . . . some of the guys selecting do not seem very knowledgeable.

[Duke2010]

Maybe . . . some of the guys selecting do not seem very knowledgeable.

And the greekgod33 is sapping all the fun out of it

But, I do like your picks in the draft. Given what was available in round 1, I loved the Wheeler pick.

Can you tell me more about Glaesmann? I know he's a big outfielder who is athletic, but what makes him more desirable over some other guys? Some of the guys I really liked in the second round were Jeff Malm, Slade Heathcott, and Billy Hamilton...the guy's an amazing athlete.