Did this last year as well (see a few posts down in this forum) and hit on about 6 or 7 out of 10 I think….figure I will follow up with my 2011 version.  Don't know how many of you are into the draft…but I love it…and today is the big day…so here goes:

1. Pirates – Gerrit Cole, RHP:  Keep going back and forth between Cole and Rendon here…Rendon's been dinged up all year, and it seems like the rumors are that the Pirates want pitching….I'll go with Cole here.  Pirates also have a young 3B prospect as well in Alvarez…even though he has struggled, I think they give him every chance to succeed.  That said, if Rendon is their guy, they'll take him regardless of position….if Alvarez pans out, they can always move one of them to 1B or the OF…..

2. Mariners – Anthony Rendon, 3B:  After the draft last year, I was pretty sure Rendon would be the top prospect heading into 2011…and I was right, but injuries have slowed him down this season.  However, many think he ranks as a prospect with the great 3B of recent times like Zimmerman and Longoria…Seattle would be crazy to let him go.  If Pirates take Rendon, look for Seattle to go with Cole, and word is the GM loves Bubba Starling as well (outside shot he goes here, but I'd be surprised).

3. Diamondbacks – Danny Hultzen, LHP:  He's been moving up draftboards.  Having a great season, and a very polished college arm.  I could see an outside shot of him going 1 or 2…but I think he slips down to Arizona who sound like they are going after arms in this draft.  Trevor Bauer and Dylan Bundy are two more pitchers that could go here, and could likely go in the next two picks if not to Arizona.

4. Orioles – Dylan Bundy, RHP:  Starts getting a little harder to project now…it's a deep draft, but after Cole and Rendon, in my opinion, it's a crapshoot.  O's could go with Bauer here, but I think Bundy is their man. 

5. Royals – Bubba Starling, OF:  A local high schooler in the KC area…he's signed a letter of intent to play QB for Nebraska, so his bonus will be a big one as he'll have to be bought out of being a two sport stud at a big university.  I keep trying to move Starling past KC, but I just can't do it…they will probably look for a college pitcher here, but the story would just be too great to have a local kid playing for the home team!  The skill level is there for this kids to be a Bryce Harper type of talent…hard to pass up on a bat like this who could fly through the minors (as quickly as Hosmer did).  If things go a little wacky (as they well could) the Royals would LOVE for Gerrit Cole to slide to this spot.

6. Nationals – Trevor Bauer, RHP:  Very good college arm…Could go as high as third, but I think he falls to Washington, who will have another top prospect to add to the mix with Strasburg and Harper.

7. Diamondbacks – Javier Baez, SS:  Diamondbacks pick again (this pick is because they were unable to sign last year's first rounder).  They will likely try to pick someone they can definitely sign since they won't be compensated again if they can't land get their guy to sign.  Could see them going pitcher here as well…but Baez is a high schooler with upside, can play multiple positions, and is is only signed on with a community college, so singability shouldn't be an issue.  Look for them to possibly take Jed Bradley or Alex Meyer here instead (both are college pitchers).

8. Indians – Jed Bradley, LHP: Lefty out of Georgia Tech…control is shaky, but his stuff is just plain NASTY!  A little raw…but the sky is the limit here.

9. Cubs – Archie Bradley, RHP:  High shool arm…and I'm kind of throwing a dart here…Cubs have show interest in SEVERAL players…very hard to pin them down here.  They would also look hard at Springer (OF prospect) here I think…and could go in about 10 different directions.

10. Padres – Francisco Lindor, SS:  High school stud.  Padres have a need here…he could go a little higher (maybe to Arizona) but I think the Padres will jump on him here.  They have no good shortstops in their system and this kid is getting a lot of hype. 

Now we'll see how I do….probably terrible….like I said…this is a super deep draft, without much "clear cut" talent as far as guys who are head and shoulders above the field…Rendon and Cole are the closest to being those sure fire picks…but I could even see one of them slipping a few spots.  Should be an interesting draft for sure.