The MLB First Year Player Draft does not experience the same hype as the other drafts in the major sports.
Baseball is a different breed. Players need years of development and no one is major-league ready immediately. Over 1,000 players will be selected in the draft over hundreds of rounds, as compared to seven in football and hockey and two in basketball. Space is much more limited in the other sports. Every franchise in baseball will add dozens of prospects and only a few may truly pan out.
For the Phillies, the draft is a huge deal. In the previous two seasons, the Phillies finally made some headway selecting two prospects with bright futures – J.P. Crawford in 2013 and Aaron Nola in 2014. Both are currently in Double-A Reading and have high ceilings.
With the 10th overall pick this season, the Phillies need to strike gold the way it appears they have in the last two seasons and find another piece to the rebuilding puzzle. Here are 10 players that could help them do just that.
RHP Walker Buehler – Buehler has a package of traits that may be impossible to pass up. He throws hard, has a good repertoire of pitches, has solid mechanics. His major flaw is his frame – 6'1" and 170 pounds. That could be something any team could work around, and the Vanderbilt product still has projections to be a solid No. 2 starter if he reaches his full potential.
CF Daz Cameron – The Phillies desperately need outfield help. They'll need some help from the teams ahead of them to get Cameron, who may be one of the best candidates in the draft as a five-tool player. He's got the foundation of hitting skills that the Phillies will be looking for and as an outfielder, he could easily join the likes of Crawford, Nola and Maikel Franco as pieces of the future.
RHP Carson Fulmer – If the Phillies aren't able to get Buehler, then they may go after his teammate. Size plays a factor again here – he's just 5'11" – but he's got the same dynamic pitches that his teammate has. He's got a strong curveball and throws a powerful fastball. Injury history is a concern, but his upside and potential are so great, he may be worth the risk.
OF Kyle Tucker – There are a lot of teams that would prefer the college-level talent that was listed above in the previous three players. Tucker comes out of Plant High School in Florida, but don't let that fool you. He's got a very fine-tuned game for his age. Listed primarily as a right fielder, he still has some development to do in the field with his arm strength, but otherwise, he already looks like a seasoned hitter with a short, smooth swing. He's projected to be a potential No. 3 hitter and have All-Star capabilities.
CF Andrew Benintendi – The Arkansas sophomore rose through the ranks quickly, as a huge turnaround from last season to this season make him a desirable pick in the draft. He's got tremendous power for his size, and possesses the ability to be a serviceable centerfielder. There are two downsides to picking him, his success primarily came this past season, so he's not overly proven at the college level and his size of 5'10", 180 pounds is undersized, but his upside seems strong.
C Chris Betts – This lefty has cleanup hitter written all over him, which would certainly solve one problem for the Phillies. They need a sure-fire power bat and Betts would provide it. For as impressive as his power is, he hits to all fields, showing his ability to go with the pitch. The bigger problem to solve would be where to put him in the field. He's listed as a catcher, certainly a need for the Phillies, but most think he's more likely to fit in the outfield or at first base.
LHP Nathan Kirby – This may be the left-handed version of Aaron Nola. He throws strikes and a lot of them. His command, particularly of his fastball, is great, though not quite as on point as Nola's, and he adds a devastating curveball as his strikeout pitch. He also has a changeup, which could use a little work but could also turn into a solid pitch for the lefty. Kirby also falls into the No. 2 starter projection which makes him a desirable pick early in the draft.
OF Ian Happ – Happ is another outfielder with the tools that could make him a fit for the Phillies offense. He's a switch hitter, better from the left side, with modest power but a strong foundation of hitting ability. In the field, the Cincinnati product played mostly centerfield, but also spent a season at second base, showing his versatility.
LHP Tyler Jay – Depending on how he's used, Jay's path to the majors is clouded. As a reliever, he's got a quick path there, dealing a strong fastball and a slider that stands out. He's working on a changeup and curveball that could make for a fuller selection of pitches. It all depends on how a team chooses to use the lefty, as a starter, where he'll need more development, or as a reliever, where he's already a well-rounded pitcher.
RHP Mike Nikorak – This is the local product option. The Stroudsberg High School product has no issues with size, standing 6'5" and weighing in at 224 pounds. He has a solid fastball and curveball and continues to grow with his changeup. At full potential, Nikorak has the potential to be a No. 2 starter, but he seems more likely to be a low-end starter in the rotation.
Kevin Durso is a contributing writer and editorial assistant for Philliedelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
