Baseball America Mock Draft 3.0

This would be the highest rated prospect projected to fall the Giants way, so yeah, I hope so. MLB has him ranked at #6. Nikorak reportedly is a  6-5, 205 RHP with a 97 MPH that has some sink to it.

He has future ace, top of the rotation starter written all over him. The Giants would be giddy beyond belief if a talent like this fell to their spot. But you know what? It seems as if one will. We just don't know which one.

from baseballamerica.com
http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/mlb-mock-draft-2015-version-3-0/

18. Giants

San Francisco’s success with drafting prep pitching should be rewarded with several choices this June. Allard lacks the physicality of the Giants’ homegrown arms such as Madison Bumgarner or Matt Cain or the electricity of Tim Lincecum. That’s not true of Nikorak, whose fastball has bowling ball sink.

Selection: Mike Nikorak, rhp, Stroudsburg (Pa.) HS

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from mlb.com

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55Nikorak raised his profile with his performance at the first showcase event on the summer circuit. He came out throwing 94-97 mph at the Perfect Game National and some scouts thought he was as impressive as any prep pitcher early in the summer. After having to wait for the Northeast to thaw, he picked up right where he left off, moving up boards as one of the more intriguing prep arms in the class.

Nikorak came out this spring sporting the same 94-97 mph fastball he showed early last summer, with a free and easy delivery. Even if he loses a tick or two, the heater is still effective because it features plenty of run and sink. He shows the makings of a plus curveball at times and also flashes at least a solid changeup.

An all-conference quarterback before he decided to focus on baseball, Nikorak is extremely athletic and has a lot of projection remaining in his lean 6-foot-5 frame. He has committed to Alabama.

The BA projection also had Illinois LHP Tyler Jay as the #1 pick overall, the first time I have seen his name mentioned. A lot of sand shifting underneath some guys feet and others are filled with helium.

Note: this was part of the blurb for the pick just prior to #18, the Indians projected pick of TN RHP Donny Everett:

Russell and Nikorak pitched on the same day, and while Russell consistently pitched at 92 mph, Nikorak’s velocity continued to be somewhat erratic, with reports all over the board. Russell holds his velocity better and has a better present breaking ball; both have more projection than Tennessee prep Everett, but Everett has the best arm of the trio.

So the more they talk, the more guys rise and fall.  I can't recall the last time I have seen such a lack of consensus about the Giants pick in general and the top two or three picks specifically. Generally speaking, by now there is a pretty clear cut feel for how the top five or so picks are going to go. This one could be a real crap-shoot, I also cannot recall a year where a pick ranked as far down most lists as Tyler Jay all of a sudden elevated to the top of the charts, Go figure.

For the record, the way I would rank them is as follows:

Note: I do not project which team will pick which player, only whether it appears a team got good value relative to their slot or not. I do not subscribe to the NFL "need-pick" philosophy in MLB since anyone drafted outside the first three to five picks is likely not going to contribute for the organization for 2-3 years or more.

Also Note Aiken and Matuella are two wild cards. Premium, top of the draft talent when healthy, as both were spoken of as #1 picks overall and Aiken actually was a #1 overall. Where they rise / fall depends entirely on teams interpretation of the medical reports and willingness to wait for good health to develop.

1. Brendan Rodgers, SS
2. Dillon Tate, RHP
3. Dansby Swanson, SS
4. Alex Bregman, SS
5. Carson Fulmer, RHP
6. Kyle Funkhouser, RHP
7. Kyle Tucker, OF
8. Daz Cameron, OF
9. Walker Buehler, RHP
10. Mike Nikorak, RHP
11. Tyler Jay, LHP
12. Ian Happ, OF
13. Kolby Allard, LHP
14. Nick Plummer, OF
15. Trenton Clark, OF
16. Garrett Whitley, OF
17. Jon Harris, RHP
18. Nathan Kirby, LHP
19. Ashe Russell, RHP
20. Brady Aiken, LHP 
21. Mike Matuella, RHP
22. Kevin Newman, SS
23. Justin Hooper, LHP
24. Phil Bickford, RHP  
25. Cornelius Randolph, SS
26. Chris Betts, C
27. Cody Ponce, RHP
28. James Karprellian, RHP
29. Tyler Stephenson, C
30. D.J. Stewart, OF
31. Dakota Chalmers, RHP
32. Beau Burrows, RHP
33. Alex Young, LHP
34. Austin Smith, RHP
35. Donny Everett, RHP
36. Richie Martin,SS
37. Jalen Miller, SS
38. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B
39. Andrew Benintendi, OF
40. Mitch Hansen, OF
41. Scott Kingery, 2B-OF
42. Eric Jenkins, OF
43. Jacob Nix, RHP 
44. D.J. Shaw, 1B
45. Riley Ferrell, RHP
46. Kyle Cody, RHP
47. Blake Trehan, SS
48. Tyler Nevin, 3B
49. Chandler Day, RHP
50. Triston McKenzie, RHP