2nd Round Draft Preview

Earlier this week, I gave a look at what to expect from the Mariners in the first round of the draft. Here are some names to remember in the second round.

Seattle doesn’t have a first round compensation pick, so their second pick in the draft will be at 63^rd overall. It is always tough to anticipate picks after the first round since you never know who will still be on the board, but here are a few guys to keep in mind.

If Seattle doesn’t take Zunino in the first round, you could see them select a backstop in the second round, and there are many to choose from. Miami catcher Pete O’Brien could be described as a poor man’s Mike Zunino. Like Zunino, O’Brien brings plus power and solid defensive abilities. He has also shown some nice consistency and could be a nice pickup in the second round. Buffalo backstop Tom Murphy will likely be on the board for Seattle as well. He has extreme power but his ability to tap into his power is unreliable.

It is unlikely that the Mariners will score on five-tool outfielder Byron Buxton in the first round, but they could certainly

get a similar skill set in the second round with players like Lewis Brinson or Anthony Alford. Both of these guys have been up and down the mock draft boards, but they could certainly be available at 63^rd overall. Both are five-tool outfielders with tons of raw, yet unpolished, potential. Nearly all scouting reports on the 6’4” 170 pound Brinson will mention his similarity to Cameron Maybin. Alford possesses a stronger build, but he is also a stud on the football field and has stated that he plans to become a two sport athlete at Southern Miss which means it would be very risky to take him in an early round. Nick Williams is another raw five-tool guy to keep in mind. He was a top 20 talent early in the spring, but his stock has dropped quickly. He still has the talent that scouts thought was worthy of a first round pick, there are just more doubts than before. A high-risk high-reward guy like Williams could be a good guy to look at with a second round pick.

There are also lots of pitchers that will be available in the second round, but the one guy I will highlight is JC pitcher Chris Beck. Like Nick Williams, Beck has slipped down draft boards over the spring. Last fall, he displayed mid 90’s fastball with three solid off speeds. However, that velocity has not been evident this year causing doubt to cloud his perception. If the Mariners want to take the risk on Beck, they could get another dominant arm if he can find his 96 mph fastball again.