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Major League Baseball will kick off its 2021 draft on Sunday night. For the first time, the draft will coincide with the All-Star Game festivities and take place in Denver, Colorado. The Pittsburgh Pirates will make the first pick for the fifth time in franchise history, and the first time since selecting Gerrit Cole in 2011.
Who could they select? Let’s break this question down, along with four other questions that need to be answered before Sunday evening.
1. When is the draft and how can I view it?
The first round of the draft is scheduled to begin around 7 p.m. ET on Sunday night. It will air on MLB Network and ESPN and will stream via fuboTV (Try for free). You can also follow CBS Sports’ coverage, both online and through the CBS Sports HQ streaming service.
Here’s the viewing information for the 2021 MLB Draft:
Sunday July 11: Round 1 & Competitive balance Round A
- Time: 7 p.m. ET | TV Channel: ESPN, MLB Network | Live Streaming: fuboTV (try for free)
Monday July 12: Rounds 2 to 10 and Competitive Balance Round B
- Time: 1 p.m. ET | Live stream: MLB.com
Monday July 12: Rounds 11-20
- Time: 12 p.m. ET | Live stream: MLB.com
2. Who will the Pirates take in # 1?
As we recently reported, the expectation within the industry is that Pirates will take whichever of the best prospects is willing to accept the lowest signing bonus. That means they have to choose between California prep shortstop Marcelo Mayer and Louisville wide receiver Henry Davis. It should be noted that both are defensible selections at the top of this class.
Mayer, for his part, was ranked No. 1 by CBS Sports in the top 50 pre-draft. Here is what we wrote:
Mayer goes from No.5 in preseason to No.1 now, but that place could have gone to a few other players without a problem. His boosters in the industry think he’s the best player in the class: a potential 15-20 home run shortstop who can deliver a good average and professional batting all the time. He’s not a fast runner, but the smoothness of his defensive actions makes him feel like he’s moving at a higher rate per second than the average prep shortstop. Depending on the extent of his projected power gains, he could end his development with four more tools (everything except racing), giving him a high cap that deserves the first pick. Mayer is far more likely to become the first prep shortstop to become No.1 since Royce Lewis in 2017 than he is expected to attend an in-person class at USC this fall.
In the meantime, here’s what we wrote about Davis when we ranked him # 4:
“Don’t sleep on Davis like a dark horse to get into the top five,” that’s how his preseason capsule began. Five months later, he is a legitimate candidate for the top spot overall, based on his financial demand. Davis made the jump, hitting 0.370 / 0.482 / .663 this season with 15 homers and seven more walks than strikeouts. The demand for two-way backstops always exceeds supply, which is why the Davis Advantage is intriguing. He combines a low puff rate with a high average exit speed at the plate, and he’s at least a decent defender (with a strong arm) behind him. Some evaluators are concerned that his strength-based swing doesn’t work as well against an advanced pitcher. Okay, but he’s the most accomplished college bat in a class that doesn’t have a lot of it, and it’s hard to imagine him slipping way past number 5.
Theoretically, the Pirates could also weigh on the selection of Jordan Lawlar, Jack Leiter, Kahlil Watson and many others. Again, however, the expectation in the game is that their call will come back to Mayer or Davis.
3. Where will Vanderbilt’s righties land?
These right-handed people are of course Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker. Each has just finished a busy career at one of the best baseball schools in the country. Likewise, they are the two most famous players in the class.
Leiter, who placed No.2 in the top 50 before the draft, is considered the better draft prospect of the two thanks to his advantage in fastball quality and arsenal depth. Most of the scouts who spoke to CBS Sports expect him to enter the top five, with his window ostensibly opening at No.2 in the Texas Rangers.
Rocker is more likely to come out of the top five, an upheaval based on the public’s perception of his game, due to concerns about his faltering speed, lack of a third throw, and durability. He ranked No.8 on the pre-draft list.
4. Will there be any surprises in the top five?
Almost certainly. Rangers at No.2 seem to have the best chance of ruining everyone rough draft, depending on whether or not they take someone other than Jordan Lawlar or Jack Leiter. They are not alone in this regard either.
The Detroit Tigers are rumored to decide between the Brady House prep shortstop and right-hander Jackson Jobe. Jobe placed sixth in the top 50 before the draft; House registered at n ° 9.
It should be noted, for a certain portion of the reader base, that if the above turns out to be the case, then Lawlar or Leiter will be a board member when the Boston Red Sox choose No.4.
5. When does my team choose?
Here is the order of the first round:
- Pirates
- Rangers
- Tigers
- Red Sox
- Orioles
- Diamondbacks
- Royals
- Rocky mountains
- angels
- Food
- Nationals
- Sailors
- Philly
- giants
- Brewers
- Marlins
- red
- Cardinals
- Blue jays
- Yankees
- Bear cubs
- White Sox
- Indians
- Courageous
- Athletics
- twins
- Fathers
- Rays
- Dodgers
You can find the complete order project by clicking here.
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