Seattle Mariners 5 Round MLB Mock Draft 3.0 The Morning Of

The MLB Draft is finally here! The Seattle Mariners will be on the clock with the 20th pick in just a few hours, so here is our final mock draft for the 2019 MLB Draft.

The Mariners could go anywhere with their first pick, which makes it difficult to project anybody with confidence. There are also 19 teams who select ahead of them, which complicates things even further.

They could go below-slot early to try and lure a prep player out of their college commitment. They could go slot and try and have a balanced draft. Do they consider going prep in round 1? Or do they stick with their college player preference?

With so many options to ponder it is easy to get stuck. But let’s just dive right in and begin our mock draft.

20. Mariners select George Kirby, RHP Elon

All the buzz is currently surrounding Anthony Volpe, which would be a disaster of an idea, at least on paper. But Jerry Dipoto still loves his college arms and this draft is light on those types of arms. If George Kirby is still around at 20, the Mariners should pounce on him quickly.

Kirby has the potential for 3 plus offerings including a running low-90’s fastball that has hit 97 at times. Both the curveball and slider are above-average offerings and the changeup could be another solid offering.

Kirby is the poster child of “control the zone”, walking just 6 batters in 88 innings to go along with 107 strikeouts. Kirby would likely sign for the slot value, giving the team flexibility to get creative with their next pick at 59 without sabotaging the rest of their draft.

Pick 59: Mariners select Graeme Stinson, LHP Duke

The Mariners could get aggressive hear and snag a prep player and give him an over-slot deal, but I’m not smart enough to figure out who that would be, or how much it would take to sign said player.

So instead, the Mariners double down on the college arms, this time snagging Graeme Stinson, a 6’5″, 260 lbs lefty from Duke. The physique is a challenge for Stinson to overcome, as some scouts worry about his conditioning.

When he’s on the mound, Stinson sits 91-94 with an ability to hit 97 mph with perhaps the best slider in the draft. The changeup shows real promise as a third offering and should be average or better in the future.

The upside of Stinson might be limited, but with 2 potential plus offerings and a solid average third, he could move quickly through the minors. He won’t be as exciting as Kirby, but Stinson would likely be a first-round pick if not for the concerns about his conditioning.

Pick 76: Mariners select Jordan Brewer, OF Michigan

Brewer is quickly becoming one of my favorite prospects in this draft. Of course, he has glorious hair, but he also has the potential for 5 above-average tools. His best tool right now is his speed, which grades as plus on the scouting scale. He uses that speed to track down flyballs in CF where he is above-average.

The bat will remain the question, but Brewer has silenced critics with a solid junior season in the Big 10. Brewer also shows average game power and can put on a show in batting practice. If he can translate his raw power into game power, Brewer could be a legitimate 20/20 player with average or better defense at the next level.

Brewer’s tools could easily make him an early second round pick. But he’s only played one season of D-1 baseball and the swing does need some work going forward.

Pick 97: Mariners select Tristin English, 1B Georgia Tech

A two-way player at Georgia Tech, English will need to hang up his pitcher’s glove and hang on tight to his first baseman’s glove after he is drafted sometime on day 2 of the MLB Draft. The right-hander has shown plus power and is a good athlete as well.

English has crushed the ACC this season, slashing .324/.414/.688 with 15 home runs and just 26 strikeouts in 176 plate appearances. Right now the questions surrounding English are about his swing as scouts are wondering if he can hit for enough average to be an everyday player.

He isn’t a burner, but can build up to average run tools once he gets going. He should have no problem playing an above-average first base and has the arm to handle right field as well. With English focusing on his swing full-time, he could be a steal in this draft.

On the mound, he actually sat 92-95 with a good slider, so perhaps the possibility of him playing both ways still exist.

Pick 126: Mariners select Jake Mangum, OF Miss St.

Jake Mangum has been one of my favorite prospects each of the past two seasons. The 23-year-old lefty OF is wrapping up his senior year and has worn out SEC pitching once again. In 2019, Mangum has slashed .375/.427/.490 with 21 steals and above-average defense.

If Mangum had any over the fence power, he would go higher than this. But alas, he does not. What he does have is incredible speed, an understanding of the strike zone, above-average arm, swing, and is a good defender in centerfield.

Mangum doesn’t hit for power, but he doesn’t need to since he can stick in centerfield. He reminds me of Mallex Smith who, despite his first 2 months with the Mariners, is a solid MLB contributor. He won’t wow people, but with the exception of power, he has above-average or better tools across the board.

Pick 156: Mariners select Joey Ortiz, SS New Mexico State

If the Mariners want a solid defensive shortstop with well below-average power and a fringe-average bat, they don’t need to take Anthony Volpe in round 1. Instead, they can have Ortiz from NMS.

It seems odd to call a player who slashed .430/.484/.722 with 8 home runs, 25 doubles, and 10 triples a fringe-bat, but we need to remember a few things. First, this is the first and only year Ortiz has produced anywhere near this level.

Second, NMS plays in the WAC, which isn’t exactly a powerhouse conference. And third, New Mexico is a hitters paradise. But he does have solid bat-to-ball skills and a good handle on the strike zone, so hitting for average isn’t out of the question.

Ortiz can handle shortstop, though his arm may force him to second base. However, he has the hands, quickness, and accurate arm needed to handle the position at a well above-average rate.

Well, there you have it. A 5 round mock draft for you leading up to Day 1 of the MLB Draft. It is an exciting evening for Mariners fans as the fate of the Mariners rebuild can be greatly influenced by the success or lack thereof this draft.