[ayaghmour2]

It's time! It's the 2029 MLB draft where the Seattle Pilots own the first pick! The Indians have the 2nd Pick for not signing their first rounder last year, followed by the Washington Senators, Boston Doves, and Montreal Expos. These are the first ever picks for four of the five teams. I don't pick until 32.

The Pilots selected Chris Carpenter 1st overall, the only player I really wanted to draft. He's a 5* stud who's durable, and extreme groundballer, has top stamina, and 100 rated stuff. He looks like a lock for star.

The Senators took Chris Prochaska 3rd Overall. He's another starter with elite stamina and is rated a 3* potential.

The Boston Doves took a starter of their own, southpaw Luis Jaquez out of Puerto Rico. Another 3* with elite stamina and stuff.

Lastly, the Expos selected SP Jeremy Gilmore, a 3.5* starter who was my next pick with Carpenter off the board at #1. He's an extreme groundballer with elite stamina, plus-plus stuff, and plus movement and control.

1st Round, 32nd Overall: SP Chris DePalma (3.5): Okay, I lied. DePalma was actually my number 2, not Gilmore, and I somehow managed to get him. Drafted out of Ludlow HS in Massachusetts, the 19-year-old has elite stamina, plus-plus control and stuff, and plus movement, all while keeping the ball on the ground. His slider is a great wipeout pitch, but his plus fastball just sits at 90-92. He's "clutch" and shuts out stress with ease. He's got mid-rotation potential, but reminds me a lot of Joe Kramer, who's ended up turning into a late inning relief prospect/big leaguer.

1st Round, 41st Overall: SP Joel Vibbert (3.5): He's a compensation pick for the signing of Jake Florence, and sadly, isn't nearly as good as Florence. He's a borderline starter, kind of like Chris Bigsby, with elite stamina, plus-plus stuff, but with plus-plus control as well. Both guys also have plus-plus fastballs and curves with an average change. Bigsby throws harder, but just barely, and Vibbert has nice potential. He was absolutely dominate and Colony High School, and the California native has big leaguer written all over him, whether it's as a starter or reliever.

2nd Round, 73rd Overall: SP Joey Winterscheidt (3): Another high school reliever, Winterscheidt has plus-plus stuff with plus control and average movement. The southpaw has an elite curveball, but his cutter sits at just 87-89. He's got elite stamina with back of the rotation potential. He's got a lot of work, but he's got a long way to go. With good work and good luck, he's got the intangibles to intrigue.

3rd Round, 107th Overall: 3B Zach Pontius (3): The first htiter selected this year, Pontius has a cannon at third and elite power. He's got a plus eye, but doesn't make much contact, and he strikes out a lot. He's got decent speed, and can offer on the basepaths desptie the lack of range at the hot corner. He's got a little ability at second base, but it's more of a last resort position. It's a great birthday gift for him to get selected on his 18th birthday.

3rd Round, 113th Overall: SP Joe Valrie (3): He's a fringe starter, with barley enough stamina to be a starter. But, what he does have, is elite stuff with an 100 rated slider. He's got a plus fastball that sits around 92-94 and an average change up. He's got plus-plus control as well, but doesn't have the movement needed to excel, yet. He's part Venezuelan, but was born and raised in Oregon.


4th Round, 147th Overall: CF Charlie Dennis (2.5): He's a fringe prospect, but could eventually become a 4th outfielder in the big leagues. He's got elite speed and is a plus-plus baserunner. He's got elite range and will track down almost every ball in the outfield. He doesn't have much of an arm, btu has good contact, power, and an elite eye. He's a light hitting singles hitter, but he'll strike otu a lot.

5th Round, 181st Overall: SP Steve Gullo (3): Says he won't sign, but I'd like to change his mind. He's got 100 rated stamina, plus-plus stuff and control, but just average movement. He's got a nice curve, and throws just 89-91 with his plus fastball. He's got a lot of growing to do, but he does have his share of upside.

6th Round, 215th Overall: CF Bobby Fitzgerald (2.5): He's more of a corner outfielder, but he does have the range for center. He's got great speed and a great eye, but not much of a bat. He's got some upside, but could just be another one of "those" prospects that look good and then fiz out.

7th Round, 249th Overall: SP Eric Estes (2): A junior out of USC, Estes was taken by the Brewers in the 5th Round in 2026, but has dropped a little. That's not to say that he's not talented, as the Miami native has an intriguing four pitch arsenal with a plus fastball that can touch 97. He's got potential, but is likely a longman.

8th Round, 283rd Overall: SP Josh Welsh (2): He's got a ton of stamina and plus stuff, but he relies much too much on his natural talent. He's got a plus-plus fastball that can touch triple digits with a plus curveball and average change up. He's not too special, but definitely worth a look.

9th Round, 317th Overall: SS Ken Neiderhauser (2.5): Won't sign. He's a future elite defender with good speed, but isn't much of a baserunner. He rarley strikes out, and has a decent overall bat, but heading to college should really help him. He's been linked to North Carolina.

10th Round, 351st Overall: C Ernie Erickson (2): Undrafted out of high school, he went to Contreras College in Los Angeles and excelled. He's got the defensive skills to be a plus catcher, and has plus contact at the plate. He's got a good eye as well, and is an intriguing young prospect.

11th Round, 385th Overall: SP Danny Sauls (2): Nicknamed "D-Money" by his high school friends, the Florida native features a plus slider and a fastball that hits 90-92 with ease to go with an average change. He's got the stamina to pitch deep into games and plus control.

12th Round, 419th Overall: 3B Braedon Leshane (2): A versatile righty from Winnipeg, Leshane turned 19 today. He's got an elite arm and elite range in the infield, as well as plus range and arm in the outfield. He can play first, third, left, center, and right, but needs to learn how to turn double plays better for the middle infield.

13th Round, 453rd Overall: SP Chris Wright (2): Won't sign. An undersized righty, Wright needs to grow a little if he wants to take advantage of his arm. He can still reach mid 90s with his fastball, and he can drop on a plus-plus curveball. He's got plus stuff and control as well.

14th Round, 487th Overall: SS Mike Berry (2): Undrafted out of High School, he went to Morton Memorial and put together a solid collegeiate career. He's an elite defender with elite speed, but not much of a bat. He's likely to be a defensive utility man.

15th Round, 521st Overall: C Jeremy Kyle (2): Won't sign. He'll develop into a solid catcher defensively, but is known for his elite eye. College should help polish him off, and he's been linked to Auburn and Alabama, as he wants to stay close to home.

16th Round, 555th Overall: CF Whitney Lindstrom (2): Won't sign. He's got elite range, a plus arm, and can catch almost everything hit to him. He's a durable lefty who needs to work on his contact before taking the next leap.

17th Round, 589th Overall: SS Mike Segal (2): Another undrafted high school senior, he went to Warren College in California, and had a really solid senior season. He's an elite infield defender and has a cannon in the outfield. He's lined up at second, short, third, left, and right. He's got good speed as well, but needs a little more power.

18th Round, 623rd Overall: SP Luis Alejo (1.5): A southpaw with elite stamina, he's got a decent three pitch arsenal. He's got a plus-plus curve and plus stuff. He needs to get his other pitches movement better, but he's worth the late selection.

19th Round, 657th Overall: SS Bubba Hyde (1.5): Hyde dropped all the way from a 3.5* to 1.5* before draft day. He's got plus-plus defensive ability and can stick at short or be a top second basemen. He's got plus speed, plus contact, and a plus-plus eye, but "Yac" will have more then his fair share of strikeouts.

20th Round, 691st Overall: SP Chris King (1.5): Won't sign. He's got elite stamina, plus control, and a nice circle change, but he's an incomplete prospect. College should help him out, and he has his choice of California schools.

21st Overall, 725th Overall: SP Caleb Downing (1.5): I actually like him. He's got plus-plus stamina and plus control with a four pitch arsenal. His changeup is his best pitch, but he can barely hit 90 with his cutter. He's more of a Zach Davies type pitcher then Jake Florence, but he could be an interesting youngster.

22nd Overall, 759th Overall: SS Zack Roeske (1.5): He's a decent infielder, but has absolutely no speed. He makes up for it with solid instincts, but he will make a lot of errors. He's got plus contact and power, and is a much better hitter then defender.

23rd Overall, 793rd Overall: SS Erik Miller (1.5): We're now at the point where all the guys who are more then 1* are "fake" prospects and it's really all a guessing game. Miller is intriguing because he has experience at second, third, short, left, and right. He's got a great arm, which makes it likely he ends up at third or right. He does have the range for short, but isn't the best on the double plays. He's not much of a hitter, but he's got a good eye.

24th Round, 827th Overall: CF Steve Locastro (1.5): A walk-on at Mississippi, Locastro could be a solid outfielder if he ever stays healthy, which is what lead to his walk-on status. He's got elite speed and range, and can stick in center. He just almost never hits the ball, but the lefty will draw walks and hit doubles down the line.

25th Round, 861st Overall: CF Pete Caulkins (1): Won't sign. Another California native, he's a decent outfielder who can stick in center. He's not much of a base runner or hitter, but he's got a little potential. He's linked to a lot of the second tier of California schools.

26th Round, 895th Overall: CF Maddox Clancey (0.5): I'm drafting him as a pitcher, not outfielder, but will use him as a two way player. The Canadian switch hitter has elite speed, elite range, and a plus-plus eye, but without any bat. As a pitcher, he actually has 1.5 potential with plus stuff and control. Three of his four pitches are plus pitches, and his average fastball sits around 88-90.

27th Round, 929th Overall: SP Jimmy Wein (0.5): He's got 100 rated stamina, so that's a start. He also has a plus-plus changeup and plus control. Other then that, not too special, but hey, he can get better.

28th Round, 963rd Overall: CF Dave Bair (1.5): He's a good runner who has plus-plus range and can stick in center. He's got a plus eye as well, but doesn't have too much of a bat. He is durable, so at least he won't get hurt.

29th Round, 997th Overall: SP Mike Cartolano (0.5): He's got elite stamina and a decent three pitch arsenal. His slider is a plus pitch and he hits 90-92 with his fastball.

30th Round, 1,031st Overall: CF Josh Fonseca (0.5): I took him in the 28th Round in 2027, and he's been at Curry Junior College the past two seasons and has hit pretty well. I'm going to use him as a two-way player. He's got great defensive abilities and can stick in the outfield despite his lack of speed. He doesn't hit much though. He's got plus-plus stuff and good stamina out of the pen.

31st Round, 1,065th Overall: CF Jim Ahrens (1): If you haven't noticed I like two-way players, and here's another one. He's a decent hitter for a 31st Round pick, and has solid range and speed. He's likely a left fielder position wise. As a pitcher, he doesn't have the stamina for a starter, but he's got a plus-plus curve with a plus fastball and change. He's an average starter, and could push to the high levels of the minors.

32nd Round, 1,099th Overall: CF Mat Trent (1.5): Think worse version of Joey Gallo offensively. Lot's of swing and miss power with a solid eye. He's a decent defender as well, and can play all three spots. He's a Miami Gardens native as well.

33rd Round, 1,133rd Overall: SP Chris Alexander (0.5): Won't sign. Elite stamina, two plus pitches, but that's about it. Well, he's also a 6'7'' righty at 18 with joint baseball-basketball scholarships.

34th Round, 1,167th Overall: SS Dan Platenberg (0.5): Won't sign. He's an intriguing prospect with not much of a position. He likely ends up at first, but he played short in High School. He's a Florida native.

35th Round, 1,201st Overall: SP Ben Studivant (0.5) He moved up a round since 2026 when the Angels selected him 1,076th Overall, but as you can see, was selected later overall. He attended Washington, but really struggled as a junior. He can throw a knuckleball, however, so I grabbed him. He has four other pitches, but none are really that good.

36th Round, 1,235th Overall: SP Jonathan Dickerson (0.5): He's dropped a ton since the Astros took him in the 13th Round in 2026. He attended a smaller school in Fairfield, and did not play well at all. He throws five pitches, has elite stamina, and throws 92-94 consistently.

37th Overall, 1,269th Overall: CF Joey Greenmyer (0.5): Won't sign. This lefty has an elite eye, plus-plus speed, and a cannon in the outfield, which will likely lead him to right field. He can't hit much, but he's got time to work on it.

38th Round, 1,303rd Overall: SP Rory Baker (0.5): He was selected by the Phillies in the 18th Round in 2026, but struggled at San Jose State. He's got elite stamina and throws 90-92 with his cutter, but he has absolutely no control.

39th Round, 1,337th Overall: SP Josh Staley (0.5): He's got plus control and elite stamina, but lacks the third pitch currently to be a starter. His change ranks as just a 4, and his other two pitches are nothing special either. He also doesn't throw too fast, but is just 18.

40th Round, 1,371st Overall: SP Jake Miller (0.5): My first ever Mr. Irrelevant! Miller was my 32nd Round pick in 2026, but he didn't do enough at Stony Brook to propel his draft stock. He is a durable righty, but lacks the stamina to be a starter. He hits 91-93 and throws five below average to average pitches. He's interesting enough to re-select.

Here's where my other undrafted guys from 2026 went:

2nd Round: SP Shawn Perryman: Selected by the Senators in the 7th Round
8th Round: SP Nate Walters: Selected by the Astros in the 7th Round
14th Round: 2B Kennan Muttart: Selected by the Dodgers in the 33rd Round, then released
15th Round: CF Juan Escudero: Selected by the Mets in the 7th Round
18th Round: CF Juan Montoya: Selected by the Twins in the 34th Round
22nd Round: CF Dan Hitz: Selected by the Phillies in the 27th Round, then released
27th Round: C Murdoch Levick: Selected in the 10th Round by the Seantors
31st Round: SS Ethan McKinney: Returned for his senior year
33rd Round: C Daniel R. Suber: Returned for his senior year
35th Round: CF Ernesto Vuelvas: Selected by the Expos in the 15th Round

Up next, a review of the 2019 Draft on its' 10th aniversary:

In the majors:

2B Tyler Callihan (1st): I wouldn't label him a star, but he's had a great career in the bigs. I traded him and Hunter Harvey to the Phillies for Scott Kingery, and let's just say the Phillies won that trade. He spent 2024-2028 with them in the bigs, putting togehther three straight seasons of 3.5 or more WAR before being traded to the Reds midseason. He was great in 2028 with the Reds, and has put togehter a solid 2029. He's hitting .286/.354/.453 with 86 homers, 341 RBI's, and 60 steals in 696 big league games.

Retired Major Leaguers:

RP Jaheim Meggett (2nd): You can barley call him a big leaguer, but he did toss 8.1 innings with the Blue Jays in 2025 with a 3.24 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. He had a lot of talent, and was on my 40, but dealt with a ton of injuries that eventually cut his career short.

Active, but not employed:

LF Chad Greyerbiehl (5th): He spent a season with us before being traded to Baltimore. They released him in 2021, and then he came back to Miami. He spent 2021-2025 with us before being released. He hooked on with the A's in 2026, and they released and resigned him before cutting him for good in 2027. He has a few at bats in AA, but really hasn't done much with his career.

SP Josh Reynolds (17th): He spent 2019-2024 in the GCL, before finally breaking through to Batavia in '24. He made it to Jupiter in 2025, then got hurt for the rest of the year. He took a carosuel of rehab with Seattle, Toronto, and Cleveland before signing with the Clinton Pilots in 2027 where he started for an extended time. He then went to the Dodgers system, was released, and signed with the Twins. He pitched well in AA last year, but hasn't gotten a new contract.

Retired Minor Leaguers:

RF Steve Catteron (3rd): Here's a useless pick, he spent two seasons in the GCL before being traded to the Mets. They released him the day after, and he eventually retired in 2023.

SP Joe Sheridan (4th): He had a ton of talent, but had a ton of injuries. He tossed 321 innings in the minors, but never got past Single A. We released him in 2023, and then he spent a little time with Tampa and Washington in their farms.

RP Keylan Killgore (6th): He spent his whole minor league career in Miami before retiring in 2026. He tossed 482.2 innings from the Rookie Leagues all the way to AAA, working a 4.20 ERA and 1.48 WHIP with 359 strikeouts and 254 walks. He almost earned a callup, but was passed on and never signed after becoming a minor league free agent.

RP Joe Stapelton (7th): He was released in 2021, but caught on with Minnesota for a few days in 2022, and then a month with the Angels. He also spent time with Seattle and New York, but never passed A ball.

RF Jamie Ross (8th): Traded to Baltimore after a year in the system, they ended up releasing him in 2021. He spent time with Seattle and Pittsburgh, but he never really did much with his opportunities.

1B Brody Cook (10th): He had 2,244 minor league at bats with a solid .266/.325/.385 line. In 2024, we trade him to the Angels who released him at the end of the year. He latched on with Boston, but was cut before the year started. He then went to Washington for 2025, the Phillies for the offseason, then cut and sent to Tampa for 2026, the last time he played.

SP Cameron Kovachik (11th): He tossed 527.1 big league innings with a 4.13 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. He started 86 of his 130 minor league games. Mainly a Marlin, he did spend a season with the Brewers.

RF Kyle Jacobsen (13th): He ha da long minor league career, that spanned between short season and Double A. He played with us, the Yankees, Phillies, Padres and Indians.

RF Chrisstian Bullock (14th): In real life, I plaeyd against him at Morgan Park. He spent his whol professional career with us, but never really hit much.

2B Luis Madrid (16th): He spent his whole minor league career with us. The Puerto Rican native never really hit much, and never got passed Jupiter.

SP Jared Prentiss (18th): We traded him to the A's in the Dustin Folwer deal in 2020. He then bounced aaround in the miniors, before topping out in AA in 2026, the last year he appeared in organized baseball.

LF Wil Dalton (20th): He only played in 2019 before his released in 2020. He then retired in 2022.

LF Chris Cirrincione (21st): He was traded to the Orioles in 2020. He spent a year there before heading to the Giants system and the Yankees system.

RP Andrew Cioli (24th): He tossed 229.1 innings in the minors and spent 2019-2023 with us before being released midseason. He latched on with the Angels for two days, before spending 9 day with the Nats. He finisehed his 2023 with the White Sox, and then retired.

RP Matt McGarry (26th): Pitched 26.2 innings in 2019, his only professional season.

CF Steve McCornell (29th): He was releaesd in 2020, signed with the Pirates, but didn't play. He had a few bats in 2021 and 2023, but was signed and released by a ton of teams.

1B Juan Montalvo (30th): Appeared in 6 games in the GCL and hit 1-for-6 with a double. That's all the appearences he got.

3B Rylan Thomas (31st): He got 62 plate appearences in 2019 and 2 in 2020 for his entire career.

SS Cole Daily (33rd): He appeared in 132 inor league games and hit .256/.361/.376 with 3 homers, 16 steals, and 44 RBI's. He bounced around a lot, and even appeared in 3 games with AA Biloxi.

C Greg Powers (37th): He spent his whole career in the Rookie Leagues, playing in just a handful of games with us and the Reds.

RP Omari Poullard (38th): He tossed 7.1 innings with the GCL Marlins for the enitrely of his career.

LF E.P. Reese (40th): He was released by us, the Mets, and Pirates before signing with Baltimore. He played 5 games in the GCL in 2020, and then played in 2 games, including his first start, in AAA Norfolk. That's his career.

So 2 of the 26 guys I signed made the majors, not the best ratio. But, one of those, Tyler Callihan, is an All-Star who has played well in his big league career, so I'd consider this draft a minor success, since I actually made a good pick with the 3rd Overall pick, even if I did trade him. It definitely could have been better, but again, one guy who's made $20 million and counting is better then 11 fringe big leaguers.

On to Chicago to get back to winning!