First off, I'm trying something new here by including a YouTube version of this article. The video is a new idea for our audio/video preferring friends! Please let us know if you like this format!

To preface this article, however, I want to emphasize that this is an instant reaction piece. It is nearly impossible to grade a draft right after it happens. A handful of players will not sign, which would obviously change how I look at a draft class. I am writing and recording this piece before any signing values have come out.

I want to keep bonus pools and day one picks at the top of mind when doing this exercise. Just because Baltimore had more day one picks than anyone, doesn't mean that they should be awarded the best draft class (Spoiler, they did great).

It's important to note that this article is based on my individual views, which pretty closely align with our typical coverage and draft board. I think our whole draft side staff has earned some time off, but I wanted to get one more piece of content out to you guys to wrap up the 2025 draft cycle. This article would be infinitely better if I had all the fellas here with me, but sorry, you're stuck with me and my opinions!

If you want to skip to the end, there will be a full 'tierlist' style graphic where you can see all the team grades listed in one place.

OK, let's begin...

Arizona Diamondbacks

Top Pick: Kayson Cunningham (1.18)

Favorite Pitcher: Patrick Forbes (1.29)

Favorite Hitter: Wallace Clark (9.273)

The DBacks came away with two very solid players in the first round, selecting Kayson Cunningham and Patrick Forbes. The latter has some nasty stuff that fits well in an Arizona system that could use some more premium pitching prospects. There are adjustments to be made with Forbes, giving him a great ceiling for the 29th pick in the draft. I was notably lower on Kayson Cunningham than others; however, this is a good value for him at 18. If Cunningham's hit tool can play like a 60 in the minor leagues, he's a future top 100 prospect despite likely being a second baseman long-term. Wallace Clark is a fun pick from Duke. Clark is a switch hitter with incredible plate vision skills, running OBP's in the upper .400's. Also, look out for Clark to be on the Great Britain team in next year's WBC! Joe Ariola, Dean Livingston, and Brian Curley all came at good value for the snakes, with Ariola being a fun lefty flier out of Wake Forest in the 7th.

Grade: B

Athletics

Top Pick: Jamie Arnold (1.11)

Favorite Pitcher: Zane Taylor (5.141)

Favorite Hitter: Devin Taylor (2.48)

The Athletics came away with a great haul this year. The Athletics took the best player on the board consistently on day one, catching both Jamie Arnold and Devin Taylor's slides. Jamie Arnold has SP2 written all over him in Las Vegas, looking like a great lefty running mate to Gage Jump in a couple of years. Devin Taylor can play a serviceable left field while doing everything you want with the bat. He follows the trend of the A's drafting non-premium position players who have comfortable floors. Gavin Turley is another fun bat for the A's to work with, grabbing him at the projected slot in the 3rd round. Zane Taylor is an incredibly polished pitcher out of UNCW, with a starter's mix and plenty of college experience.

Grade: A

Atlanta Braves

Top Pick: Tate Southisene (1.22)

Favorite Pitcher: Jay Woolfolk (12.367)

Favorite Hitter: Alex Lodise (2.60)

The Braves had one of the most interesting drafts of every team. They picked Tate Southisene earlier than consensus had him in an underslot prep play. In general, I don't love underslot prep moves in the first round, but we'll have to see how much money they actually did save on Southisene because I don't think it'll be anything significant given their other picks. It did, however, land them Briggs McKenzie in the 4th round, which is a good over-slot maneuver for a team that typically goes pitcher on day one. I like that the Braves operated by a new strategy this year, but I don't think they came away with any significant players. I think Alex Lodise is a safe prospect with a good defensive floor, mitigating some strikeout problems. Jay Woolfolk is a fun shout with some good clay in the 12th round after spending 4 years at Virginia. Shoutout to the Braves for drafting Ryan Heppner in the 19th round, too, because it gets him out of the conference I coach in. Great pitcher!

Grade: C

Baltimore Orioles

Top Pick: Ike Irish (1.19)

Favorite Pitcher: Joseph Dzierwa (2.58)

Favorite Hitter: Caden Bodine (1.30)

The Baltimore Orioles had SEVEN day one picks, and they did not disappoint. Ike Irish slid because of a reported social media video that teams did not like. That is purely speculation at this point; the Orioles could also have simply floated him down to 19 with their huge bonus pool. They also caught the Wehiwa Aloy and Caden Bodine slide at 30 and 31, two great value picks. Bodine projects to be an MLB regular with good defense and contact skills, while Aloy could be a fantastic player if the holes in his game can shrink a bit. They also came away with Slater de Brun, the rapper, I mean outfielder, that was projected to go earlier than 37. Joseph Dzierwa and JT Quinn round out the first round with some much-needed pitching, with Caden Hunter going in the 6th. This was one of the most impressive hauls of the draft; the Orioles did exactly what they should to replenish the farm, the only way they know how to. The next question is, can they develop some pitching? I think this is an A+ if they took a pitcher with their first four picks, with plenty of good guys on the board.

Grade: A

Boston Red Sox

Top Pick: Kyson Witherspoon (1.15)

Favorite Pitcher: Anthony Eyanson (3.87)

Favorite Hitter: Maximus Martin (10.298)

The Red Sox went pitcher-heavy, and I really like what they walked away with. Kyson Witherspoon slid a little bit based on some expectations, but I thought 15 was the perfect place for him and his short arm action. Witherspoon has some outlier deception with his arm and could be a really solid starter for a long time. Anthony Eyanson is the pick of their draft, getting him all the way at 87 after people mocked him within the top 27. Marcus Phillips and Henry Godbout round out a really good day one. The Red Sox continued to go heavy into the arms on day two, getting another fun pitcher with starter upside in Myles Patton out of Texas A&M. It is also notable that the Red Sox didn't draft a prep player until the 19th round in Fabian Bonilla, who will likely be tough to sign.

Grade: B+

Chicago Cubs

Top Pick: Ethan Conrad (1.17)

Favorite Pitcher: Kaleb Wing (4.121)

Favorite Hitter: Josiah Hartshorn (6.181)

The Cubs had a solid draft, mixing in some really fun prep picks with solidified college players. Ethan Conrad was a solid pickup in the first round, who might've gone a bit early for some but found a good spot with the Cubs. I love the Wing and Hartshorn picks, as they are two of my favorite prep prospects on different sides of the game. I didn't love the Kane Kepley pick, but I might like it more when I see the dollar figure attached. Pierce Coppola was a nice pickup out of Florida, and Justin Stransky (my former Juco opponent) is one of the more underrated senior draftees in the country.

Grade: B

Chicago White Sox

Top Pick: Billy Carlson (1.10)

Favorite Pitcher: Riley Eikhoff (9.256)

Favorite Hitter: Jaden Fauske (2.44)

The White Sox might have had the best 1-2 combo in this draft, taking prep hitters Billy Carlson and Jaden Fauske at 10 and 44. They didn't slow down after that, layering more good prep talents between college standouts like Riley Eikhoff. Eikhoff is one of the big 3 Coastal Carolina starters, and one of two that was drafted this week, with the other, Cameron Flukey, appearing on our draft stream. Billy Carlson was great value at 10, especially after the Reds went for Steele Hall before Carlson. Jaden Fauske has top 20 upside in this draft, regardless of whether he sticks at catcher, and could be another White Sox win in the second round.

Grade: A-

Cincinnati Reds

Top Pick: Steele Hall (1.9)

Favorite Pitcher: Aaron Watson (2.51)

Favorite Hitter: Mason Neville (4.114)

The Reds got really good value with Mason Neville at 114, but otherwise their draft was underwhelming in my opinion. I do not think Steele Hall should have been taken before Gavin Fien or Billy Carlson, regardless of bonus honestly. Aaron Watson has been a riser over the past year with a big frame that projects for more velo in the future. Watson is a sinker/slider guy with huge movement and a good amount of feel. He isn't the typical sexy Reds pitcher pick, but he's perfect value at 51. I do not think Eli Pitts is worth his bonus demand at pick 145, likely costing the Reds significantly over slot. There aren't many other notable draft picks for the Reds here; it just isn't my favorite right now. I don't think they used their money well.

Grade: C

Cleveland Guardians

Top Pick: Jace LaViolette (1.27)

Favorite Pitcher: Nelson Keljo (6.192)

Favorite Hitter: Aaron Walton (2.66)

Aaron Walton is an incredibly well rounded player and was a great second round pick for the Guardians. Other than the Walton selection, I'm not in love with a whole lot of the Guardians' picks. Jace LaViolette is good value at 27, but he's a big lottery ticket that the Guardians' dev system will have to work hard to cash in. Nelson Keljo is a big stuff lefty in the 6th round that could be a key bullpen piece if he doesn't cut it as a starter. Will Hynes was a big reach in the Comp B round, coming in at 192 on our final big board. If LaViolette doesn't work out, this draft grade could plummet quickly.

Grade: C

Colorado Rockies

Top Pick: Ethan Holliday (1.4)

Favorite Pitcher: Antoine Jean (7.197)

Favorite Hitter: Ethan Holliday (1.4)

Ethan Holliday was the no-brainer selection that everyone had mocked to the Rockies. I find it slightly funny that in a first round full of deception, the Rockies continue to not hide their cards well at all. JB Middleton does not strike me as a pitcher who will succeed in Coors, and he went slightly early for me with better players available on the board for a similar cost. Max Belyeu feels like every Rockies outfielder ever, so I guess that's good? Antoine Jean has the chance to be one of the more electric relievers in baseball, as the Rockies continue to compile interesting bullpen pieces throughout their system.

Grade: B

Detroit Tigers

Top Pick: Jordan Yost (1.24)

Favorite Pitcher: Grayson Grinsell (6.189)

Favorite Hitter: Michael Oliveto (1.34)

The Detroit Tigers went down the board with their first two picks, taking Yost and Oliveto before consensus, while saving some money for their 2nd to 8th round picks that generally went overslot. Yost looks like a future top-of-the-lineup bat with a strong hit tool and a frame that can add power. Michael Oliveto was one of our most hyped up guys at PL, proving the hype was real after going 70+ picks before most outlets would consider him. Seeing the Tigers' faith in Oliveto makes me think he will stick at catcher for a bit despite his utility player capabilities. Grayson Grinsell was a great pick down the board, as Grinsell shined at the University of Oregon, with some of the best statistics in the class. Nick Dumesnil was a great pick in the 8th round, and was someone I had within my top 100 players in the class. The Tigers also got River Hamilton in the 11th round at a likely huge overslot swing. Hamilton is a super projectable arm to add to a great dev system in Detroit. Rhys White, Mitch, and Trevor should be happy with the Tigers' haul!

Grade: B+

Houston Astros

Top Pick: Xavier Neyens (1.21)

Favorite Pitcher: Gabel Pentecost (6.186)

Favorite Hitter: Xavier Neyens (1.21)

This class is buoyed by the potential of Xavier Neyens, who likely slots in as the best prospect in the Houston system out of the gate. Xavier has huge power upside with a strong 6'4 frame, and likely projects as a corner infield or right fielder long term. Neyens will be a project, however, with him likely taking a while to develop in the minors. Gabel Pentecost was chosen as my favorite pitcher because he was the first NAIA guy drafted, with the Astros displaying a lot of confidence in the pitcher from Taylor University. I don't think the Astros did anything special with their draft, but they had limited resources to begin with.

Grade: B-

Kansas City Royals

Top Pick: Sean Gamble (1.23)

Favorite Pitcher: Michael Lombardi (2.61)

Favorite Hitter: Josh Hammond (1.28)

The Royals killed this draft. They went prep-prep to start the draft, getting two of the best prep bats left on the board in Hammond and Gamble. Josh Hammond has insane upside, in my opinion, being one of the best athletes based on size in the class. Hammond was a legitimate two-way prospect, but it looks like he'll focus on hitting in the pros. Hammond has insane power potential mixed with a plate approach well beyond his years. Hammond could be the best prep player to come from this class, and I feel comfortable saying that. Michael Lombardi was a fun pick in the second round, going likely underslot with the rest of their day one picks to afford the two prepsters at the top. Shane Van Dam in the 9th round was a great buy-low as well for a guy coming off of injury. The Royals did exactly what they needed to in 2025.

Grade: A-

Los Angeles Angels

Top Pick: Tyler Bremner (1.2)

Favorite Pitcher: ALL

Favorite Hitter: None?

I know I broke the rules a bit in my favorites section, but this Angels draft is fully led by the pitchers they were able to draft. After starting their day one with a huge surprise in Tyler Bremner, the Angels produced hit after hit with pitcher draft picks. I do not think Bremner should have gone two, but when I look at how the Angels navigated this board, I am not upset that he went two anymore. Chase Shores is an electric factor in the second round, with him being a favorite amongst a lot of the draft community this summer. Johnny Slawinski was one of my favorite prep pitchers, showing a good blend of stuff and polish from the left side. Nate Snead is one of the most intriguing pitchers for the Angels because he could jump straight to their pen in 2026 or be transitioned into a starter with a solid overall pitch mix led by high-velocity sinkers. Alton Davis II was a great pick at 319, followed by one of the best moves in the draft, with the Angels taking Talon Haley at 349 in a massive overslot play, something we consistently see the Angels do. Haley has immense upside and an inspirational story that makes it hard for you not to root for him; the Angels got a good one.

Grade: A-

Los Angeles Dodgers

Top Pick: Zach Root (1.40)

Favorite Pitcher: Mason Estrada (7.225)

Favorite Hitter: ALL

As you can imagine, the Dodgers killed the draft once again. Despite having very few resources, the Dodgers were able to acquire an extra comp pick in the Lux deal, which gave them a lot of flexibility. Zach Root and Chuck Davalan were one of the best 1-2 punches in the whole draft, and getting them at the end of the first round is just icing on top of the cake. Cam Leiter is a guy I could see succeeding in the Dodgers system, and Landyn Vidourek is the PERFECT Dodgers prospect. He is tooled up, but needs a lot of refinement. I could see Vidourek being next year's Mike Sirota with a bit of a different profile. Both Davion Hickson and Mason Ligenza were great money saving options early on day two, followed by Mason Estrada, the nasty MIT pitcher that was set to transfer to Tennessee, sorry, Drew! Deeper in the draft, I want to highlight the selection of Anson Aroz from the University of Oregon in the 19th round. I have never seen a more electric player than Anson with my own eyes. He consistently made game changing plays for Oregon, desite playing both outfield and catcher. He has a steady presence with the bat as well. I could see him being a huge steal for the Dodgers at the end of their draft. Based on the Dodgers' limited early picks and tiny bonus pool, only one grade feels right for them.

Grade: A+

Miami Marlins

Top Pick: Aiva Arquette (1.7)

Favorite Pitcher: Jadon Williamson (11.318)

Favorite Hitter: Brandon Compton (2.46)

The Marlins had a very interesting draft, opting to push up their timeline a bit by drafting strictly from the college ranks. Yes, you heard that right, 21 college players headlined by Aiva Arquette. If I were the Marlins, I'm not sure that I would be pushing up my window, but they clearly thought differently. Arquette looks like a future big league regular with some holes in his game that might prevent him from reaching the upper levels of hitting stardom. The Marlins had a solid day one aside from Arquette, nabbing Brandon Compton and Cam Cannerella in the 40s. Compton is a big upside play with his loud tool set, while Cannarella slid down boards heading into the draft, but the talent is there. The Marlins generally went position player heavy, with a lot of young pitching talent already in their system. They took Jadon Williamson from the NAIA ranks in the 11th round, which I thought was a fantastic pick. Williamson has a plus fastball displaying some really good shape and velocity on the pitch, with developing off-speed. He will likely end up being a quality reliever due to that fastball. Overall, I think the Marlins had a pretty average draft with a good amount of upside despite being strictly college.

Grade: B-

Milwaukee Brewers

Top Pick: Andrew Fischer (1.20)

Favorite Pitcher: Jacob Morrison (3.93)

Favorite Hitter: Daniel Dickinson (6.185)

The Brewers did it again. It all started off with Andrew Fischer, a likely underslot deal for a really solid prospect that might be the best pure hitter in this draft. Next, the Brewers went into the prep ranks for Brady Ebel at 32, which is slightly early for the Corona kid, but it likely continued the savings for the Brewers, allowing them to make moves down the board. Jacob Morrison at pick 94 is one of the best picks in the draft. The Brewers are getting polish mixed with clay, which equals a high-ceiling prospect. Morrison has shown he can pitch at the highest levels, but there's clearly more in the tank for the Coastal Carolina product. Daniel Dickinson slid all the way into the 6th round, when many saw him going on day one, making him a great value add for the Brewers in the middle of their draft. Dickinson has an average big leaguer written all over him at second base. Cooper Underwood was another one of the best picks in the draft, saving some money early to draft Underwood at pick 365, getting them one of the best lefty prepsters in the class. Underwood looked GREAT in my live look at him at the MLB Draft Combine. They also got another interesting piece in Ma'Kale Holden in the 20th round, who is likely an insurance pick if a player doesn't sign, but I wouldn't be surprised if Ma'Kale ended up on the Brewers one way or another. I don't think the Brewers got the most high-end talent in the draft, but boy, did they get a lot of my favorite players.

Grade: A

Minnesota Twins

Top Pick: Marek Houston (1.16)

Favorite Pitcher: Matt Barr (5.149)

Favorite Hitter: Quentin Young (2.54)

The Twins walked away with 3 of my favorite pitchers in this draft, taking Riley Quick at 36, Matt Barr at 149, and Justin Mitrovich at 269. I talked to Mitrovich at the MLB Draft Combine, which you can find below. Matt Barr is the best juco player in the draft, and I'm honestly surprised the Twins were able to lure him away from Tennessee and their endless NIL bucket. Riley Quick is one of my favorite pitchers in the draft, with his advanced numbers showing he has a lot more in the tank with plenty of polish already. The Twins didn't just draft great pitchers; they got two of my favorite hitters in Quentin Young and Bruin Agbayani. People weren't sure if Agbayani would make it to campus or not, but after a really strong late spring and MLB Combine, Agbayani was taken in the 6th round. Bruin has elite leadoff hitter written all over him, with good power and hit tools combined with elite plate discipline. Quentin Young has some of the most potential in the class, with MLB-level power potential despite being a high schooler. The question mark will be if he can hit and field enough to display that power on a big league field. I didn't even talk about Marek Houston, and you guys should know where I'm going with this grade.

Grade: A+

New York Mets

Top Pick: Mitch Voit (1.38)

Favorite Pitcher: Cam Tilly (7.223)

Favorite Hitter: Mitch Voit (1.38)

The Mets had a top heavy draft, and by top heavy I mean I only really love their first pick, Mitch Voit. Voit is known for his celebrations on the basepaths, but he's also one heck of a ballplayer who was announced as a two-way player at the draft. I doubt Mitch Voit will ever go back to pitching after a Tommy John surgery that left him rendered to second base this past year. Voit has elite athleticism, posting the highest mark at the MLB Draft Combine in the relative explosiveness testing. Cam Tilly is a fun stuff guy down the board for the Mets, but I can't say any of their other picks got me super excited. They had among the most limited resources in the draft, so I won't tank this grade too badly.

Grade: B-

New York Yankees

Top Pick: Dax Kilby (1.39)

Favorite Pitcher: Pico Kohn (4.134)

Favorite Hitter: None

This was one of my least favorite drafts of the day. It didn't feel like the Yankees tried to make many interesting moves throughout the draft, and while they were hampered by a small draft pool, I don't think they maximized their resources. Dax Kilby as their first pick feels like a punch in the face, simply. He is not the guy to headline a draft class, likely a longterm second baseman and having a bag of 50 grade tools without anything special. I wouldn't have considered Kilby until the 3rd round, and wouldn't have targeted him anywhere near the 1st regardless of slot. Pico Kohn was a fun pitcher pick, likely grabbing their second-highest bonus of the draft. Kohn is a polished starter from Mississippi State that will likely be the key piece from this draft class, knowing how the Yankees develop pitchers. Despite having a similar pool to the Mets, I thought the Mets draft was better than their cross-town rival's.

Grade: C

Philadelphia Phillies

Top Pick: Gage Wood (1.26)

Favorite Pitcher: ALL

Favorite Hitter: Will Vierling (11.341)

The Phillies went pitcher-heavy, and boy, was it fun to watch. Gage Wood sliding to 26 due to likely shakey medicals was a gift for the Phillies, as they now have one of the highest ceiling pitcher in the league. The common theme with Phillies draftees was loud stuff with relief concerns. Cade Obermueller can flip breaking balls for days, while Cody Bowker has an elite fastball. Sean Youngerman is a PLive favorite and has all the tools to be an impact pitcher regardless of his future role. Matthew Fisher was somehow still an option for the Phillies down the board despite their wealth of talent early, grabbing fisher in the 7th despite him being a top ~50 prospect in the draft. Will Vierling, the standout catcher from America's Murray State Racers, was a fun pick in the 11th round, where we saw a lot of teams prioritize older college players that would not affect their bonus pool. There is a lot of risk in the Phils' draft profile, which leads them to a great but not perfect grade.

Grade: A

Pittsburgh Pirates

Top Pick: Seth Hernandez (1.6)

Favorite Pitcher: Seth Hernandez (1.6)

Favorite Hitter: Murf Gray (2.73)

The Pirates quietly had an amazing draft. Seth Hernandez fell to them, and they did not hesitate to grab the best true talent in the draft. Hernandez has the best changeup in the draft and has a high floor with a repeatable delivery and elite velocity. I expect the Pirates will manage his fastball well, as they recently had another highly touted player come through their system with an average fastball shape in Paul Skenes. Angel Cervantes is also dripping with potential, giving the Pirates a plethora of young starting pitchers in their system. Murf Gray and Easton Carmichael were great underslot college picks on the second half of day 2, with Murf Gray having real star potential if he can adjust to professional pitching quickly. Adonys Guzman and Jared Jones were two more excellent college selections on day 2, with both being names to know in a Pirates farm that could use some more fun hitters to pair with Konnor Griffin. This is simply one of the best drafts of anyone, mixing calculated risks with high-floor players masterfully.

Grade: A+

San Diego Padres

Top Pick: Kruz Schoolcraft (1.25)

Favorite Pitcher: Michael Salina (4.130)

Favorite Hitter: Truitt Madonna (11.340)

Despite limited resources, the Padres killed the draft this year. They got their classic high upside prepster in Kruz Schoolcraft in the first round. While I am not sold on Schoolcraft as a prospect, San Diego is a great place for him to be, as he stays on the West Coast. Ryan Wideman was their next selection in the 3rd round, going right where I had him ranked at 99. The draft starts to get really fun in the 4th round, when the Padres took Michael Salina from St. Bonaventure. Salina is a flamethrowing righty, touching 102 last year before undergoing Tommy John surgery. While there is clear relief risk with Salina, he has some of the best raw pitching tools in the draft. The Padres picked up Kerrington Cross in the 7th round, getting a great college performer with some room to continue growing. In the 11th round, they took Truitt Madonna, who many thought would end up on campus at UCLA. Truitt is a huge catcher with some really raw tools buoyed by his overall physicality. The Padres did a very good job in the middle part of the draft despite me not being the highest on their first pick.

Grade: A-

San Francisco Giants

Top Pick: Gavin Kilen (1.13)

Favorite Pitcher: Cody Delvecchio (12.356)

Favorite Hitter: Gavin Kilen (1.13)

I thought 13 was pretty high for Gavin Kilen, but he still came out as my favorite hitter selection for the Giants. Kilen is a pretty safe pick, which is surprising coming from the Giants, who normally take big swings on day one. Cody Delvecchio from UCLA was one of the pitching steals from the draft, going in the 12th round. Delvecchio was ineligible for most of the season, but after talking to Roch Cholowsky and hearing his thoughts on Cody, it's impossible not to like the guy. Reid Worley is one of the few high upside plays the Giants took, featuring a plus breaking ball with a crazy grip. Look it up on the internet. Trey Seeley was a fun pick in the 14th round, but otherwise, the Giants' draft left me wanting more.

Grade: C+

Seattle Mariners

Top Pick: Kade Anderson (1.3)

Favorite Pitcher: Kade Anderson (1.3)

Favorite Hitter: Korbyn Dickerson (5.152)

The Mariners came away with a real haul this year after having the second-largest bonus pool allotment headed into the draft. Kade Anderson falling to 3 is a dream for Mariners fans, and Anderson slots in as a top 3 prospect on the team immediately. Luke Stevenson is a young upside play out of North Carolina, providing much-needed catching depth to the Mariners' system. Nick Becker was the main prep player of the Mariners class, being taken at 57 for a likely overslot figure. Korbyn Dickerson has a lot of development left, but he had a great college season, showcasing some really strong raw tools. Look out for Dickerson to develop into an even better defender moving forward, with his lack of overall reps and plus speed. Aiden Taurek is also a fun shout in the 13th round as he has a short drive to Seattle while currently playing for the Portland Pickles. Cameron Appenzeller was drafted in the 19th round, and the Mariners almost certainly don't have the money to sign him, but what if? Knowing that Appenzeller was drafted as an insurance play, the Mariners fall into the great but not best category.

Grade: A

St. Louis Cardinals

Top Pick: Liam Doyle (1.5)

Favorite Pitcher: ALL

Favorite Hitter: Jack Gurevitch (3.89)

The Cardinals had a really fun draft in my eyes. They took a bunch of my favorite pitchers, headlined by the flamethrowing Liam Doyle at 5. I've been talking a bunch about the possibility of Doyle starting in the bullpen for the Cards, and while I don't think that will happen, I selfishly would love to see them try it. Cade Crossland and Ty Van Dyke are both fun college performers who are true starters. Crossland has great pitchability coming from Oklahoma, and Van Dyke is a workhorse out of Stetson. Payton Graham was also a great lottery ticket selection, coming off of TJ, but hitting 100 on the radar gun before surgery. The bats lagged slightly behind the pitchers this year, but Jack Gurevitch was a great slot selection in the 3rd round, while Matthew Miura, the contact king, was taken in the 6th round out of Hawaii. Ryan Mitchell was also a good slot selection in the second round, but I'm slightly lower on him than others, it seems. If the bats had a bit more upside all around, the Cardinals would be in the upper echelon of drafts this year.

Grade: A-

Tampa Bay Rays

Top Pick: Daniel Pierce (1.14)

Favorite Pitcher: Jacob Kuhn (7.207)

Favorite Hitter: Taitn Gray (3.86)

The Rays drafted some incredible hitters this year, led off by Daniel Pierce. I thought 14 was a really good spot for Pierce, who has a really high defensive floor and room to add in his frame. Brendan Summerhill slid to 42 after some off-the-field concerns, providing the Rays great value at the end of the first round. Cooper Flemming and Dean Moss were their next two picks, and there are still no complaints from me. Taitn Gray came off the board next at 86, and I simply can't think of a better fit for Gray. Taitn has some of the most upside in the draft, with some really loud tools and positional versatility that make him a super valuable player. Below you can find my interview with Gray from last week. Maybe my favorite pick for the Rays, though, was James Quinn-Irons from George Mason. Quinn-Irons was one of the most complete hitters in college baseball last year, providing a high-floor hitter for the Rays system. They also were able to swing Brady Donay in the 17th round in an overslot deal.

Grade: A-

Texas Rangers

Top Pick: Gavin Fien (1.12)

Favorite Pitcher: AJ Russell (2.52)

Favorite Hitter: Gavin Fien (1.12)

The Rangers had a good, top-heavy draft. Gavin Fien was a top 10 player on my big board, so I was happy to see him go early after the initial prep shortstops were picked. Fien offers a lot of upside for the Rangers and immediately becomes one of the best prospects in their system. AJ Russell was a great fit at the 52nd pick, showing a lot of the characteristics the Rangers covet in pitching prospects. Josh Owens and Paxton Kling were also two picks I liked early in the Rangers draft. Ultimately, most of the Rangers' late picks were not too interesting to me, putting them in the average draft bucket despite my love for Fien.

Grade: B

Toronto Blue Jays

Top Pick: JoJo Parker (1.8)

Favorite Pitcher: Dylan Watts (7.202)

Favorite Hitter: ALL

The Blue Jays came away with an offense-led draft that I'm a big fan of. JoJo Parker in the first round is a great selection, with Parker having a lot of upside with a pretty high floor. Jake Cook was an incredibly interesting selection in the 3rd round. Cook comes from Southern Miss and possesses some of the best centerfield defense in the minor leagues before setting foot on a professional field. Tim Piasentin stays north of the border in Canada with plus power and a smooth lefty swing that enchanted me at the MLB Draft Combine. Jared Spencer and Blaine Bullard were both fun overslot options in the 11th and 12th rounds, with the money the Jays somehow saved in rounds 6-10. This was a very strong draft from the Blue Jays, who continue to bolster their farm system in a short span of time.

Grade: A

Washington Nationals

Top Pick: Eli Willits (1.1)

Favorite Pitcher: Landon Harmon (3.80)

Favorite Hitter: ALL

The Nationals, like everyone predicted, took Eli Willits at 1.1 and saved some money while getting one of the highest potential prepsters in the class. I like this move a lot, and I'm honestly shocked the Nationals took such a big swing after firing their GM just a week ago. These savings allowed the Nationals to go on a tear throughout the draft, taking Landon Harmon, Miguel Sime Jr., and Coy James in 3 consecutive slam dunk picks. Harmon and James quickly slot into the Nationals' top 10 prospects. Stay tuned for our updated top 20s coming soon! The Nationals got some D1 standouts later in the draft, including Jacob Walsh from Oregon in the 15th round. Walsh is a good defender and has light tower power from the left side. In a backup move, the Nationals took Mason Pike in the 19th round of the draft in case one of their big 4 prep prospects chooses to go to campus.

Grade: A

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