Kevin Goldstein's "Way Too Early Mock Draft"

[Leitch]

Doing a mock draft nearly three weeks before the real thing is an exercise that combines gathering intelligence with making a lot of dart throws—especially in this draft, where clarity ends after the first pick. Here are reactions from various agents, scouts, scouting directors, and front office officials when I contacted them in reference to this article.

"You're doing what? Good god, I don't envy you."

"I look forward to mocking you."

"Do you know who #2 is even, yet? Because we sure don't."

Thus the problem. Still, it's a good exercise to talk about players, figure out some basic ranges for the top talents, and get some pre-draft indications of which teams are thinking about what. So grab your grain of salt (make it a sizable one) and come along for the ride.

http://baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8915

I'll summarize the first 15 non-Oriole picks because this is paid content:

1. WAS - Stephen Strasburg, RHP (duh)

2. SEA - Dustin Ackley, OF

3. SDN - Donavan Tate, OF

4. PIT - Kyle Gibson, RHP

5. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles are focusing on pitchers and athletes for this pick, but there are many of the former to choose from, and precious few of the latter. Unsigned by the Pirates last year, Tanner Scheppers is the subject of a great deal of buzz lately by showing mid-90s heat in independent league action, but some teams are still leery of him because of last year's shoulder problems, the details of which are still a bit cloudy for many. There are scouting directors who think he's the best arm on the board after Strasburg, and there are scouting directors who have crossed him off as a surgery waiting to happen. His upside should still be enough to make him a single-digit pick.

Selection: Tanner Scheppers, RHP, St. Paul Saints

6. SFN - Jacob Turner, RHP

7. ATL - Zach Wheeler, RHP

8. CIN - Grant Green, SS

9. DET - Alex White, RHP

10. WAS - Brett Jackson, OF

11. COL - Aaron Crow, RHP

12. KCA - Tyler Matzek, LHP

13. OAK - Jared Mitchell, OF

14. TEX - Shelby Miller, RHP

15. CLE - Chad James, LHP

[JCK]

Interesting. Thanks for that. Here's a piece on Scheppers from Feb.2008. It notes that the Orioles drafted him in the 29th out of high school:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/season-preview/2008/265642.html