Its been a while since we hyper-monitored for the #1 pick in Nats town … but for draft-wonks its a fun time of the year. \u00a0The tail end of the season, especially a season where multiple teams were in “rebuilding mode,” is fun to see who’s in line for the #1 overall pick next year.<\/p>\n
| NO<\/th>\n | TEAM<\/th>\n | W<\/th>\n | L<\/th>\n | PCT<\/th>\n | LEAGUE<\/th>\n | L-30<\/th>\n | RS<\/th>\n | RA<\/th>\n | Diff<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1<\/td>\n | Minnesota Twins<\/a><\/td>\n | 55<\/td>\n | 96<\/td>\n | .364<\/td>\n | American League<\/a><\/td>\n | 6 – 24<\/td>\n | 684<\/td>\n | 835<\/td>\n | -151<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| 2<\/td>\n | Atlanta Braves<\/a><\/td>\n | 61<\/td>\n | 91<\/td>\n | .401<\/td>\n | National League<\/a><\/td>\n | 17 – 13<\/td>\n | 604<\/td>\n | 749<\/td>\n | -145<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| 3<\/td>\n | Cincinnati Reds<\/a><\/td>\n | 63<\/td>\n | 89<\/td>\n | .414<\/td>\n | National League<\/a><\/td>\n | 10 – 20<\/td>\n | 663<\/td>\n | 809<\/td>\n | -146<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| 4<\/td>\n | San Diego Padres<\/a><\/td>\n | 64<\/td>\n | 88<\/td>\n | .421<\/td>\n | National League<\/a><\/td>\n | 12 – 18<\/td>\n | 641<\/td>\n | 722<\/td>\n | -81<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| 5<\/td>\n | Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a><\/td>\n | 64<\/td>\n | 88<\/td>\n | .421<\/td>\n | National League<\/a><\/td>\n | 14 – 16<\/td>\n | 709<\/td>\n | 856<\/td>\n | -147<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| 6<\/td>\n | Tampa Bay Rays<\/a><\/td>\n | 64<\/td>\n | 87<\/td>\n | .424<\/td>\n | American League<\/a><\/td>\n | 13 – 17<\/td>\n | 640<\/td>\n | 670<\/td>\n | -30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| 7<\/td>\n | Los Angeles Angels<\/a><\/td>\n | 66<\/td>\n | 86<\/td>\n | .434<\/td>\n | American League<\/a><\/td>\n | 15 – 15<\/td>\n | 661<\/td>\n | 700<\/td>\n | -39<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| 8<\/td>\n | Oakland Athletics<\/a><\/td>\n | 66<\/td>\n | 86<\/td>\n | .434<\/td>\n | American League<\/a><\/td>\n | 13 – 17<\/td>\n | 623<\/td>\n | 716<\/td>\n | -93<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| 9<\/td>\n | Milwaukee Brewers<\/a><\/td>\n | 68<\/td>\n | 84<\/td>\n | .447<\/td>\n | National League<\/a><\/td>\n | 16 – 14<\/td>\n | 632<\/td>\n | 690<\/td>\n | -58<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| 10<\/td>\n | Philadelphia Phillies<\/a><\/td>\n | 69<\/td>\n | 83<\/td>\n | .454<\/td>\n | National League<\/a><\/td>\n | 12 – 18<\/td>\n | 568<\/td>\n | 716<\/td>\n | -148<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n So, as of 9\/22\/16, the Twins have a 5 game “lead” over Atlanta for the #1 overall pick, and they’re bottoming out, having gone just 6-24 in the last month or so. \u00a0Meanwhile, the Braves, who everyone thought was the shoe-in for the worst team this year, has a 17-13 record in its last 30 and has shown signs of life enough so as to cost themselves the #1 pick next year. \u00a0At the rate they’re all going, Atlanta may end up dropping even further down thanks to the Reds and their historically awful pitching. \u00a0Arizona has been playing decently but comes to Washington for a 4-game set.<\/p>\n Here’s a quick look at the 2017 candidates for going #1 overall. \u00a0Mind you this is amazingly early, especially for the high school kids, but there’s a few specific names that are rising above the others in this class.<\/p>\n High Schoolers in competition for 1-1 overall<\/strong>:<\/p>\n There’s a distinct gap between Greene\/Adell and the next grouping of HS players, which include a couple of high-end lefty prospects in\u00a0D.L. Hall<\/strong> and\u00a0Trevor Rogers<\/strong>, a couple of middle infielders in\u00a0Brady McConnell<\/strong> and\u00a0Royce Lewis<\/strong>, and a powerful 1B prospect from Miami named\u00a0Alejandro “Alex” Toral<\/strong>, but the two above are the cream. \u00a0Its worth noting; no prep RHP has ever gone 1-1, which works against Greene in that slot.<\/p>\n Collegiate players in competition for 1-1 overall<\/strong>:<\/p>\n I think they’re ranked roughly in this order too; Kendall is the name most frequently mentioned as 1-1 overall candidate right now; safest pick, an OF from a baseball factory. \u00a0I think Faedo and Wright go before local product Bukauskas, but its definitely looking like he’s projected top-10 at this point. \u00a0McCay is right there as well, with a great pedigree and likely being a 2-time All American by the time he’s done.<\/p>\n But we’re an awfully long way from next June. \u00a0Nobody had\u00a0Mickey Moniak<\/strong> at the top of their boards at this time last year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n PS: i’ve got a draft version of the “Local 2017 draft candidates” to watch, but in a spoiler (we won’t publish it until next Feb\/March) there’s nowhere near the projected local talent in 2017 as there was this year (when we saw two local prep players drafted in the top 3 rounds plus a few other local guys in the top 10). \u00a0But right now here’s who i’ve got as the best local prep players for 2017.<\/p>\n |