2019 MLB Draft team-by-team strategy: AL West

As we continue our review of each team’s potential draft strategy for the 2019 MLB draft, we reach the American League West, a division with two of the bottom four bonus pools in the draft and only one team even in the top half of the game in bonus pool money.

Houston Astros

2018 Record: 103-59 (lost ALCS)
Bonus Pool: $5,355,100
Day 1 selections: 2 (32,68)
Day 2 selections: 8 (106,136,166,196,226,256,286,316)

Draft Strategy

The Astros have been smart with pursuing high-aptitude high school players in the draft while also focusing on versatility and athleticism in their college selections. That could serve them well in this draft that has a number of top high school players that are extremely athletic and top college players that are fairly focused on their position.

With a bottom-five bonus pool and a full slate of selections to spread it across, the Astros very likely will have a push to the very deep college classes. The versatility of many players in the class could really help their ability to maximize their draft class, with players like Brendan Shewmake, Davis Wendzel, and Kody Hoese showing defensive flexibility this year. Even a guy like UCLA’s Mike Toglia is athletic enough to handle the outfield as well as first base and has a big bat, so he could also fit their targeting.

The Astros have also been able to locate excellent college arms that were ready to move quickly recently, as seen with the quick ascent of Corbin Martin. This year’s draft doesn’t have a lot of elite guys up top, but there are a number of potential mid-rotation options that could propagate the 2nd-5th rounds for Houston.

Los Angeles Angels

2018 Record: 80-82
Bonus Pool: $7,608,700
Day 1 selections: 2 (15,55)
Day 2 selections: 8 (92,121,151,181,211,241,271,301)

Draft Strategy

Under Billy Eppler, the Angels have focused on talent, and that makes focusing their selection a bit more difficult as they could really do well in their draft position simply waiting on the talent that falls into their lap in this particular draft class.

One area the Angels have seen some recent success in with Griffin Canning being a good example is high-ceiling college pitching. This could make a pitcher like Alek Manoah or Jackson Rutledge a very good target if either makes it to 15, which may be unlikely. The Angels could also key the first high school arm taken in the draft if they chose to do so as well.

This draft is not deep in elite prep athletes as the depth is more in corner infield players, but the Angels could potentially jump on one of the top prep players that drops or make a push for one of the deep college middle infield class.

Oakland Athletics

2018 Record: 97-65 (lost Wild Card game)
Bonus Pool: $5,605,900
Day 1 selections: 2 (29,66)
Day 2 selections: 8 (104,134,164,194,224,254,284,314)

Draft Strategy

After the saga of Kyler Murray has passed, the A’s may be in a position where they could deal with a similar ordeal all over again as the top talent likely to be on the board when their slot comes up in the first round this year is probably going to be uber-talented high school athletes deciding between signing and playing college ball.

A pair of players that the A’s have been noted on lately actually fit their recent push to athletic outfielders. Maurice Hampton may be one of the most athletic players in the entire draft, but he’s also a two-sport athlete with scholarships to LSU in both baseball and football. The other guy they’ve been noted on lately is Maine prep Trejyn Fletcher, who was recently classified for the 2019 draft. Fletcher is an exceptional athlete and would likely be a two-way player at Vanderbilt if he makes it to school, but he could be a potential power/speed threat in the outfield.

The A’s have also been scouting college arms and prep middle infielders heavily lately with their top brass. With tremendous depth in both classes, they could see picks from those classes dot their 2nd through 5th round selections, though working with one of the smallest pools in the draft will mean they need to likely focus on signability in their picks.

Seattle Mariners

2018 Record: 89-73
Bonus Pool: $7,559,000
Day 1 selections: 3 (20,59,76)
Day 2 selections: 8 (97,126,156,186,216,246,276,306)

Draft Strategy

The Mariners have an extra pick and they have seen a boost to their farm system from offseason trades this year. That could alter how they focus their drafting compared to previous years, but interestingly, previous draft strategies actually fit very well this year.

The Mariners have focused strongly on college bats and college arms in recent years, and this year, the college classes are much, much deeper than prep classes. The Mariners have been specifically looking at a number of the middle infielders in an exceptionally deep college middle infield class, which could mean they grab one right away in the first round or that they intend to walk away from the first day with one.

Seattle has been noted at a number of the second-tier prep arms lately, and with a very flat class as far as high school arms are concerned, the Mariners could go in the first round after a prep arm or wait until day 2 and still have guys with very similar grades. It will likely matter strongly on who they really fall in love with over the final two weeks.

Texas Rangers

2018 Record: 67-95
Bonus Pool: $11,023,100
Day 1 selections: 3 (8,41,50)
Day 2 selections: 8 (86,115,145,175,205,235,265,295)

Draft Strategy

The Rangers are really no mystery. The organization loves upside, upside, upside. Recently, heavy discussion that the team may try to push some of the bonus money from the #8 pick to the rest of their draft could mean that they grab someone most view lower on rankings at that pick, but that would allow them to focus their attention on getting more players with high upside throughout the first two days.

The Rangers have been heavy on prep infielders, both corner infielders and middle infielders, and it would not surprise if in their four selections in the top 100 if they come out with two prep infielders in those four picks. The state of Texas also has some excellent collegiate pitching this year that could both offer upside and be affordable within a plan to spread money across the draft.

The other thing to note is that the Rangers do tend to scout Texas high school and college pitching with a surprising laissez-faire attitude, given their locality to the talent that the typically high rate of excellent arms that come from the state. While the state’s prep arms are much like the rest of the prep arm class in their lack of a true standout, the college class has some very polished pitchers that still retain some upside, and the Rangers have been noted at their games to close out the college season, which could give some indication of their intent to push for a college arm in the first two days over prep arms, especially after a rash of injuries to the talented high school arms they’ve drafted over the last few years.

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