Arizona weighs options at No. 1
The Arizona Diamondbacks have the first pick in the draft after finishing with baseball’s worst record last season.
As the clock winds toward the start of today’s draft, they’re not revealing who they are going to take.
In a draft that has some talent up top, but bereft of a sure-fire No. 1, it can’t be an easy decision.
“It’s not the prototypical draft where … there’s an anointed one, so to speak,” Diamondbacks director of scouting Deric Ladnier said. “But I do think that the players at the top are very desirable players that can help our organization.”
The Diamondbacks last had the No. 1 pick in 2005. They used it to take high school shortstop Justin Upton, who went on to become an All-Star outfielder in the desert before being traded to Atlanta in 2013.
The top end of the 40-round draft is filled with talented players who will likely have a long-term impact on the team that drafts them, but no consensus No. 1 like Bryce Harper, Alex Rodriguez or Ken Griffey Jr.
That leaves the Diamondbacks will a lot of options and what figures to be plenty of debate – before and after the draft.
Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson appears to be the front-runner for the No. 1 pick. He plays a premium position and is a strong hitter, finishing with a .348 average, 14 homers and 61 RBIs as a junior.
But two other shortstops could be worth a look at No. 1: Brendan Rodgers, a high schooler from Florida, and LSU’s Alex Bregman.
If the Diamondbacks want an arm instead, they could go with Vanderbilt right-hander Carson Fulmer, UC Santa Barbara righty Dillon Tate or Illinois left-hander Tyler Jay.
They could go a completely different route, too, and take Tyler Stephenson, a high school catcher out of Kennesaw, Georgia.
Clearing the bases
Friends have started an online fundraiser for a woman hit by a flying bat on Friday. Tonya Carpenter remained in serious condition at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. She was struck in the head by Oakland player Brett Lawrie’s bat as she sat between home plate and the third-base dugout at Fenway Park. … Cleveland owner Paul Dolan has joined the team’s shaved head club. Several players shaved their heads last month in support of infielder Mike Aviles, whose 4-year-old daughter, Adriana, has been diagnosed with leukemia. … Triple Crown winning jockey Victor Espinoza has a little giddyup on his fastball, too. A day after riding American Pharoah to a commanding victory at the Belmont Stakes, Espinoza threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the New York Yankees played the Angels. He moved the game ball that had been placed on the rubber and took a windup, making perfect throw just off the corner of home plate.