What's the highest and lowest potential spots you see Leiter & Rocker going in the Draft? Feels like I keep seeing them projected lower and lower. -- @puk32ellers
Though Vanderbilt right-handers Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker are the best college pitchers and the most famous players available, they're not going to become the first teammates to go 1-2 in the Draft. The closest that ever has come to happening was in 1978, when Arizona State infielders Bob Horner and Hubie Brooks went 1-3, and in 2011, when UCLA righties Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer did the same.
When I did my last first-round projection a week ago, I had Leiter going No. 2 to the Rangers and Rocker going No. 6 to the Diamondbacks. I continue to believe that the Pirates are targeting bats over arms (not necessarily high schoolers over collegians) at No. 1, so Texas feels like the ceiling for Leiter. As of now, Rocker wouldn't go higher than No. 4 to the Red Sox and that doesn't feel extremely likely.
Leiter won't get out of the top five picks, as he could be the best talent available in the minds of the Tigers (No. 3), Red Sox and Orioles (No. 5). Let's call Boston his realistic floor. The top tier of talent consists of eight players, so Rocker conceivably could last until the Rockies at No. 8, perhaps a bit longer if signability becomes a concern. The Reds don't pick until No. 17 but have two supplemental first-rounders and the fourth-largest bonus pool at $11,905,700.
Though Vanderbilt right-handers Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker are the best college pitchers and the most famous players available, they're not going to become the first teammates to go 1-2 in the Draft. The closest that ever has come to happening was in 1978, when Arizona State infielders Bob Horner and Hubie Brooks went 1-3, and in 2011, when UCLA righties Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer did the same.
When I did my last first-round projection a week ago, I had Leiter going No. 2 to the Rangers and Rocker going No. 6 to the Diamondbacks. I continue to believe that the Pirates are targeting bats over arms (not necessarily high schoolers over collegians) at No. 1, so Texas feels like the ceiling for Leiter. As of now, Rocker wouldn't go higher than No. 4 to the Red Sox and that doesn't feel extremely likely.
Leiter won't get out of the top five picks, as he could be the best talent available in the minds of the Tigers (No. 3), Red Sox and Orioles (No. 5). Let's call Boston his realistic floor. The top tier of talent consists of eight players, so Rocker conceivably could last until the Rockies at No. 8, perhaps a bit longer if signability becomes a concern. The Reds don't pick until No. 17 but have two supplemental first-rounders and the fourth-largest bonus pool at $11,905,700.
