2011 MLB Draft: Watch Seattle Mariners Picks In NCAA Baseball Super Regionals

The 2011 MLB Draft is in the rear-view mirror, and now it's time to gather as much information about the Seattle Mariners' picks as possible. With 50 rounds of prospects, it's tough to digest who a lot of these players are and which will have an impact on the team in the future, but we can get a sneak peek this weekend. The Mariners have multiple prospects playing on a national stage at the NCAA Baseball Super Regionals, including No. 2 overall pick Danny Hultzen, the ace of the Virginia Cavaliers staff.

But the Mariners didn't just take Hultzen and ignore the rest of his team. Instead, Seattle picked three Virginia players in the early stages of the 2011 MLB Draft, including Hultzen's catcher, John Hicks, and the Cavaliers' third baseman, Steven Proscia.

Seattle also selected Michael McGee, a center fielder from Florida State, with the 453rd overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft. His team is still playing, and will face Texas A&M this weekend. John Taylor, a righty our of South Carolina, will be in action this weekend as the Gamecocks battle Connecticut. Stanford pitcher Jordan Pries rounds out the group of Mariners picks playing this weekend.

Here is the schedule for the weekend's Super Regional games the Seattle Mariners prospects can be seen in.

Virginia vs. UC Irvine -- Hultzen, Hicks, Proscia
Saturday at 10 a.m. on ESPNU
Sunday at 10 a.m. on ESPNU
Monday (if necessary) TBD

Florida State vs. Texas A&M -- Michael McGee
Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on ESPNU
Sunday at 1 p.m. on ESPNU
Monday (if necessary) TBD

South Carolina vs. UConn -- John Taylor
Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN2
Sunday at 4 p.m. on ESPNU
Monday (if necessary) TBD

Stanford vs. North Carolina -- Jordan Pries
Friday at 12 p.m. on ESPN2
Saturday at 12 p.m. on ESPN
Sunday (if necessary) TBD

For a look back at the draft and the Mariners' picks, see the rest of our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Fun With Seattle Mariners Draft Tracker

There's a ton of names to play with when wandering through the 2011 MLB Draft tracker in the aftermath of Wednesday's final round. With thousands of prospects taken, there's always interesting stories to be found or names that just stand out. The following are a few of the latter, with regards to the Seattle Mariners, and are inspired by Jeff Sullivan's work at Baseball Nation, where he put together the best names in the 2011 MLB Draft.

With that in mind, here's some fun with the Mariners draft picks.

Cavan Cohoes, SS, Patch HS, No. 273. I don't know what it is, but his name just rolls off the tongue. Also similar to Coho salmon, which feels very Northwest.
Jack Marder, C, Oregon, No. 483. I was hoping that 'a' in his last name would be a 'u', which would make it an awesome name for a catcher.
Cory Scammell, LF, St. Francis Xavier HS, No. 1053. For some reason, I don't trust a man with Scammell as a last name.
Jeremy Null, RHP, Bunker Hill HS, No. 1153. The nerd in me wonders if his last name is a result of a draft tracker error.
Maxx Catapano, RHP, Lee U, No. 1383. I just like the two x's in Maxx.
Max Krakowiak, RHP, Fordham, No. 1443. Clearly two x's are better than one.
Andrew Grifol, 1B, Santa Fe CC, No. 1473. There's always one player taken who's related to a front office member in every draft. Always. This year it's the younger brother of Pedro Grifol, the Mariners director of minor league operations (H/T Christian Caple at the PI).

A full list of the Mariners draft picks can be found scattered about in this StoryStream. Be sure to check out Sullivan's all-name team here.

For a look back at the draft and the Mariners' picks, see the rest of our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

MLB Draft 2011 Results: Washington Sees 33 Players With State Ties Picked

A quick filter of the 2011 MLB Draft tracker shows an impressive amount of players with Washington ties picked in the 2011 MLB Draft. Of the Northwest states -- Washington, Oregon and Idaho -- the state of Washington came away the winner, with 33 players taken in the three days of the MLB Draft. Jeff Ames led the way as the Tampa Bay Rays made him the 42nd pick in the draft. Just 10 picks later, the Rays grabbed another Washington player, choosing Shorewood senior Blake Snell.

Snell is a University of Washington signee with a decision to make. In fact, Washington had two incoming freshman chosen early, with Robert Stephenson joining Snell as were picked early enough to make forgoing college a tantalizing option. You can find more on the two here.

Shorewood came away as the high school winner, with three players taken over the 50 rounds of the 2011 MLB Draft. The Washington State Cougars had five players taken, topping all schools in the state. Gonzaga was close-behind with four, Edmonds Community College and Bellevue College had three players taken and the rest of the picks were spread out among area schools.

Overall, it wasn't a bad three days for the state of Washington. Below is a full list of players taken, courtesy of MLB.com.

42		Ames, Jeff	Lower Columbia College	RHP	R/R	6'04"	225	1991-01-31	J2
52		Snell, Blake	Shorewood HS (WA)	LHP	L/L	6'04"	180	1992-12-04	HS
72		Conley, Adam	Washington State	LHP	L/L	6'03"	185	1990-05-24	JR
143		Hebner, Cody	Green River CC	RHP	R/R	5'11"	175	1990-11-21	J2
236		Martin, Cody	Gonzaga	RHP	R/R	6'02"	210	1989-09-04	SR
239		Jones, Austin	Edmonds Woodway HS (WA)	1B	L/R	6'01"		1992-08-20	HS
240		Carpenter, Ryan	Gonzaga	LHP	L/L	6'05"	230	1990-08-22	JR
390		Mitsui, Trevor	Shorewood HS (WA)	1B	R/R	6'05"	225	1992-10-01	HS
395		Jones, Derek	Washington State	RF	L/L	6'00"	210	1990-06-03	JR
439		Wiper, Nicholas	Newport HS (WA)	RHP	R/R	6'04"	185	1992-06-03	HS
452		Watts, Kody	Skyview HS (WA)	RHP	R/R	6'03"	185	1992-12-29	HS
484		Blake, Michael	Hawaii	LHP	L/L	5'11"	190	1990-08-04	JR
493		Sampson, Adrian	Bellevue CC	RHP	R/R	6'03"	200	1991-10-07	J1
674		Conwell, Kyle	Bellevue CC	LF	R/R	6'01"	195	1990-08-06	J2
772		Ard, Taylor	Washington State	1B	R/R	6'02"	225	1990-01-31	JR
790		Fisher, Jared	Newport HS (WA)	RHP	L/R	6'04"	235	1992-09-01	HS
828		Argyropoulos, Matthew	Washington State	3B	R/R	6'02"		1988-08-24	SR
873		Kela, Keone	Chief Sealth HS (WA)	RHP	R/R	6'01"	190	1993-04-16	HS
875		Edman, Cameron	Gonzaga U	C	R/R	6'03"	205	1988-06-17	SR
961		Olson, Kyle	Jackson HS (WA)	C	R/R	6'02"	195	1992-05-23	HS
1005		Forgione, Erik	W F West HS (WA)	SS	S/R	6'00"	160	1992-09-09	HS
1009		Champlin, Kramer	Arizona State	RHP	R/R	6'06"		1990-03-08	JR
1019		O'Neil, Spencer	Southridge HS (WA)	RF	L/R	6'04"	185	1992-07-05	HS
1023		Smith-Brennan, Taylor	Edmonds CC	2B	R/R	6'00"	210	1992-01-31	J1
1038		Dennis, Chris	U Portland	RHP	R/R	6'00"	180	1989-03-31	SR
1249		Bartlett, Cody	Washington St U	SS	R/R	6'05"	180	1988-07-22	SR
1271		Whalen, Caleb	Union HS (WA)	SS	R/R	6'02"	180	1992-10-19	HS
1295		Reynolds, David	Edmonds CC	RHP	R/R	6'01"	185	1991-09-04	J1
1296		Chism, Tyler	Gonzaga U	CF	R/R	6'00"	205	1988-10-06	SR
1322		LeCount, Bobby	Edmonds CC	3B	R/R	6'02"	215	1991-01-18	J2

1434		Moriarty, Kevin	Shorewood HS (WA)	RHP	R/R	6'06"	195	1993-01-29	HS
1509		Edwards, Cody	Bellevue CC	RHP	R/R	6'04"	215	1989-10-30	J2
1527		Burgher, Bryan	Emerald Ridge HS (WA)	RHP	R/R	6'02"	195	1993-03-21	HS

For a look back at the draft and the Mariners' picks, see the rest of our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Reviewing The Seattle Mariners Picks And Prospects

When evaluating the 2011 MLB Draft, it's important to take a weighted approach. Prospects taken early in the draft, especially in the first few rounds, are those likely to make an impact, and hold the best chance of making a major league roster at some point in there career. At the same time, it's also important to note that some of these players will never sign, instead opting to stay in college another year or, in the case of high school prospects, skip the professional ranks and head to college, losing draft eligibility for the next three years.

Drafting is an inexact science in baseball, and signability plays a role. Some of these players won't sign for one reason or another, and signing bonuses come into play, especially for the early-round picks. It's why the MLB Draft is hard to get too worked up about; we just never know which players will even show up with a farm team. But at least with players in the top-half of the draft, there's a better chance.

The Seattle Mariners began their 2011 MLB Draft experience with Danny Hultzen, a 6-foot-2 left-handed starting pitcher from Virginia. The Seattle front office called him polished, and the prevailing wisdom is that he'll be major-league ready in short order. In that regard, it's easy to get excited about Hultzen; he's tangible and we'll likely see him in a Mariners uniform soon.

Seattle took a position player next, drafting Brad Miller at No. 62. Again, the Mariners picked a college player, with Miller coming by way of Clemson, where he played shortstop. And, again, Miller would probably be more major-league ready than not, though there's still a need for season. But after him, forecasting the prospects gets murky.

We wrote about Kevin Cron, Carter Capps and John Hicks on Tuesday, noting Cron is a hefty high schooler with a poweful bat. It's difficult to know whether he'll sign, but we do know he can hit the snot out of the ball. Hicks is intriguing simply because he knows Hultzen well -- he was the Virginia pitcher's catcher. The Mariners made it a trio of Cavaliers, selecting Virginia third baseman Steven Proscia with pick No. 213. At least we know Seattle scouted Virginia well this season.

Below is a list of the early picks. You can find the second day choices here and third day choices here.

2

Hultzen, Danny

Virginia

LHP

L/L

6'02"

200

1989-11-28

JR

62		Miller, Bradley	Clemson	SS	L/R	6'02"	185	1989-10-18	JR
92		Cron, Kevin	Mountain Pointe HS (AZ)	1B	R/R	6'05"	245	1993-02-17	HS
121		Capps, Carter	Mount Olive College	RHP	R/R	6'05"	220	1990-08-07	JR
123		Hicks, John	Virginia	C	R/R	6'02"	190	1989-08-31	JR
153		Marlette, Tyler	Hagerty HS (FL)	C	R/R	5'11"	195	1993-01-23	HS
183		Zamarripa, James	Rancho Cucamonga HS (CA)	CF	L/L	5'10"	190	1993-09-17	HS
213		Proscia, Steven	Virginia	3B	R/R	6'02"	210	1990-06-26	JR
243		Smith, Carson	Texas State	RHP	R/R	6'06"	205	1989-10-19	JR
273		Cohoes, Cavan	Patch HS	SS	R/R	6'02"	185	1993-05-03	HS
303		Paolini, Daniel	Siena College	2B	R/R	6'00"	190	1989-10-11	JR
333		Hobson, Cameron	Dayton	LHP	L/L	6'00"	190	1989-04-10	JR
363		Dowd, Michael	Franklin Pierce University	C	R/R	5'08"	205	1990-04-10	JR
393		Austin, Jamal	Alabama - Birmingham	CF	R/R	5'09"	180	1990-08-26	JR

For a look back at the draft and the Mariners' picks, see the rest of our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Full List Of Day Three Picks By Seattle Mariners

The 2011 MLB Draft came to a close on Wednesday after 50 rounds of non-stop, rapid-fire picks. The MLB Draft is a unique experience, and the sheer volume of prospects can be daunting and disorienting for the most followers. With most of the country used to the NBA and NFL Drafts -- low on numbers, high on recognizable faces -- there's a certain beauty in the way the MLB conducts its draft.

The fact of the matter is most of these players will never see the field in the uniform of the team that selected them. Yes, first and second round prospects are a significant investment, but signability concerns, players choosing college over the pros and the lack of a guarantee a draft pick will ever make it to the major leagues takes some of the intrigue out of the process. This holds especially true on the third day, where teams are drafting filler and taking fliers on players in the late rounds.

The Seattle Mariners took a shotgun approach again on Wednesday to start the day, choosing three left-handed pitchers in a row to start the day, each 30 picks apart. If you'll recall, Seattle's first pick was Danny Hultzen, a lefty out of Virginia at No. 2. Seattle followed the left run with a righty run, taking three-in-a-row on the third day, as well -- two from college, one out of high school. Overall, the late rounds were about adding arms, and a bevy of pitchers who will likely never see the day were taken.

For a look back at day two, check out the Mariners list of picks here. For a look back at the first day, check out our initial writeup of Danny Hultzen.

Here is the list of players taken on the third day of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners.

933		Hunter, Kyle	Kansas State	LHP	L/L	6'03"	205	1989-06-18	JR
963		Hawthorne, Ryan	Loyola Marymount University	LHP	L/L	6'01"	185	1989-12-21	JR
993		Dobbs, Jeremy	Austin Peay	LHP	L/L	6'03"	185	1989-10-12	JR
1023		Smith-Brennan, Taylor	Edmonds CC	2B	R/R	6'00"	210	1992-01-31	J1
1053		Scammell, Cory	St. Francis Xavier HS	LF	L/R	6'05"	205	1993-07-28	HS
1083		Reeder, Bo	East Tennessee St U	RHP	R/R	6'00"	195	1990-08-21	JR
1113		Null, Jeremy	Bunker Hill HS (NC)	RHP	R/R	6'07"	200	1993-09-27	HS
1143		Sunderland, Alexander	Claremont McKenna Col	RHP	R/R	6'03"	200	1989-08-09	SR
1173		Andreas, Christopher	Sam Houston St U	1B	L/R	6'03"	215	1988-05-31	SR
1203		Miller, Trevor	San Joaquin Delta Col	RHP	R/R	6'03"	190	1991-06-13	J2
1233		Shore, Bobby	U Oklahoma	RHP	R/R	6'01"	178	1989-01-27	SR
1263		Villasuso, David	Miami	C	R/R	5'10"		1989-12-31	JR
1293		Reyna, Marcos	Bakersfield Col	RHP	R/R	6'02"	190	1989-11-04	J3
1323		Corrales, Joshua	Cal State - Dominguez Hills	RHP	R/R	6'02"	205	1990-05-25	JR
1353		Jimenez, Charles	Milton HS (FL)	RF	R/R	6'03"	225	1993-05-19	HS
1383		Catapano, Maxx	Lee U	RHP	R/R	6'04"	215	1988-10-28	SR
1413		Plotz, Brandon	Chabot Col	RHP	R/R	6'03"	200	1991-05-22	J2
1443		Krakowiak, Max	Fordham U	RHP	R/R	6'03"	205	1989-06-23	SR
1473		Grifol, Andrew	Santa Fe CC	1B	L/L	5'11"	200	1991-09-17	J1
1503		Tresgallo, Esteban	Colegio Marista de Guaynabo	1B	R/R	6'02"	200	1993-09-10	HS

For a look back at the draft and the Mariners' picks, see the rest of our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

MLB Draft 2011 Results: 19 Players From Washington Picked So Far

It's been a solid 2011 MLB Draft for the state of Washington as 19 players from local high schools and college were taken over the first two days. Jeff Ames, a 6-foot-4, 225 pound pitcher from Lower Columbia College, was first off the board as the Tampa Bay Rays selected him in the first compensatory round. The Rays fell in love with local pitching early, taking Blake Snell, a left-handed pitcher from Shorewood High School who committed to Washington, just 10 picks later. The two led the way, but the fun was just beginning as day two got underway.

As we detailed earlier, four Washington State Cougars were taken, led by Adam Conley. Cody Hebner, who's been pitching for Green River Community College after graduating from Auburn Mountainview High School, was taken at No. 143 and was followed by Cody Martin, a righty from Gonzaga, 93 picks later. Overall, the first five picks from the state of Washington were pitchers. You can read more about Conley here and the Cougars here.

Washington State was the school with the most players drafted, followed by Gonzaga (3), Bellevue College (2) and Shorewood High School (2). Seven players picked were from area high schools while 12 were college players, either from two-year or four-year schools. 12 of the 19 players from the state were pitching prospects and three were first basemen.

Below is a list of players from Washington taken in the 2011 MLB Draft thus far. With 20 more rounds to go, you can be sure there are more to come as the draft winds down on Wednesday.

42		Ames, Jeff	Lower Columbia College	RHP	R/R	6'04"	225	1991-01-31	J2
52		Snell, Blake	Shorewood HS (WA)	LHP	L/L	6'04"	180	1992-12-04	HS
72		Conley, Adam	Washington State	LHP	L/L	6'03"	185	1990-05-24	JR
143		Hebner, Cody	Green River CC	RHP	R/R	5'11"	175	1990-11-21	J2
236		Martin, Cody	Gonzaga	RHP	R/R	6'02"	210	1989-09-04	SR
239		Jones, Austin	Edmonds Woodway HS (WA)	1B	L/R	6'01"		1992-08-20	HS
240		Carpenter, Ryan	Gonzaga	LHP	L/L	6'05"	230	1990-08-22	JR
390		Mitsui, Trevor	Shorewood HS (WA)	1B	R/R	6'05"	225	1992-10-01	HS
395		Jones, Derek	Washington State	RF	L/L	6'00"	210	1990-06-03	JR
439		Wiper, Nicholas	Newport HS (WA)	RHP	R/R	6'04"	185	1992-06-03	HS
452		Watts, Kody	Skyview HS (WA)	RHP	R/R	6'03"	185	1992-12-29	HS
484		Blake, Michael	Hawaii	LHP	L/L	5'11"	190	1990-08-04	JR
493		Sampson, Adrian	Bellevue CC	RHP	R/R	6'03"	200	1991-10-07	J1
674		Conwell, Kyle	Bellevue CC	LF	R/R	6'01"	195	1990-08-06	J2
772		Ard, Taylor	Washington State	1B	R/R	6'02"	225	1990-01-31	JR
790		Fisher, Jared	Newport HS (WA)	RHP	L/R	6'04"	235	1992-09-01	HS
828		Argyropoulos, Matthew	Washington State	3B	R/R	6'02"		1988-08-24	SR
873		Kela, Keone	Chief Sealth HS (WA)	RHP	R/R	6'01"	190	1993-04-16	HS
875		Edman, Cameron	Gonzaga U	C	R/R	6'03"	205	1988-06-17	SR

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft: Order, Schedule And Draft Tracker For The Final Rounds

Day three, and it's the same as the second in the 2011 MLB Draft as the beat rolls on and into the late rounds. The third day is filled with names you'll likely never hear again and faces you'll probably never see in your team's uniform as scouts flex their muscles and show-off the depth and breadth of knowledge gained during the draft prospect. Like much of the second day, the third day is about building organizational depth, finding bodies and, perhaps, finding that one-in-a-million prospect who is a true diamond in the rough.

For a look back at the first two days, including the picks and write-ups for a select few, head here.

Day three begins bright and early here on the West Coast again as the 31st round gets underway at 9 a.m. PDT. From there, the picks should come flying in at a rapid fire pace as teams start shooting names at the board. There's little debate involved in the third day, nor do teams need to make last-minute adjustments after having a prospect stolen from right underneath them. Strap in for a fast and bumpy ride.

Coverage can be found on MLB.com again, though you're not going to find talking heads filling air and analyzing 43rd round picks. Instead, your best bet is to check out the draft tracker and watch as picks come through in text form. It's a fun activity, trust me. Be sure to check out the filterable list of picks, which you can use to sort players by team, round and a bevy of other categories.

The draft order is locked-in and the same as the non-compensatory rounds that occurred over the first two days. A refresher of the order for each round can be found below. The Seattle Mariners will pick second, which is pretty neat.

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Four Washington State Cougars Drafted On Day Two

The Washington State Cougars had a bittersweet day as four players from the 2011 squad were taken in the MLB Draft, led by left-handed pitcher Adam Conley. The Florida Marlins took Conley relatively early, picking him with the 72nd overall pick. From there, the Washington State fans had to wait some 300 picks to hear the second name called: right fielder Derek Jones. But overall, it was both a good and a bad day as Washington State may be saying goodbye to a few of their stars.

Joining Conley and Jones was Taylor Ard, a junior in academic years for the Cougs. Ard had a breakout year for Washington State, and many expected him to have his name called in the first-half of the draft. The Boston Red Sox drafted him with the 772nd pick in the 2011 MLB Draft.

Matt Argyropoulos, whose name announcers and play-by-play men at minor league parks across the country will struggle to spell and pronounce, was the final Washington State player taken on day two as the Colorado Rockies drafted him with the 828th pick.

SB Nation's CougCenter has been following each of these players during their college journey in Pullman and wrote scouting reports on each after they were drafted. You can find the quick writeup of Jones, Ard and Argyropoulos here and a lengthier writeup of Conley here.

It remains to be seen which players stay in Pullman and which head to the professional ranks, but they have until August to sign on the dotted line. Below is a rundown of the picks, courtesy of MLB.com.

72		Conley, Adam	Washington State	LHP	L/L	6'03"	185	1990-05-24	JR
395		Jones, Derek	Washington State	RF	L/L	6'00"	210	1990-06-03	JR
772		Ard, Taylor	Washington State	1B	R/R	6'02"	225	1990-01-31	JR
828		Argyropoulos, Matthew	Washington State	3B	R/R	6'02"		1988-08-24	SR

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Full List Of Seattle Mariners Picks From Second Day

We're over halfway done with the 2011 MLB Draft, but the beat goes on again on Wednesday as the marathon finally comes to a close. With 50 rounds of picks, and over 1,000 prospects to track, keeping an eye on the MLB Draft is a daunting task, but thankfully we have plenty of tools at our disposal. We know the Mariners took left-handed pitcher Danny Hutlzen first, and added his battery-mate early in the second day. Outside of the first few picks, though, it's tough to get a read on exactly who these guys are.

We made note of some of the interesting second day picks on Tuesday, including the run on catchers early that included Kevin Cron, a power-hitting high schooler who will likely end up at a different position. But the Mariners weren't done with the catcher position, and took a shotgun approach to adding organizational depth at a spot its desperately needed. Brad Miller, a shortstop from Clemson, became the Mariners second pick in the draft when his name was called at No. 62.

The rest of the day was filled with names and faces, many of whom only a select few following the draft knew. In a way, that's the beauty of the MLB Draft. Most of these prospects come from relative anonymity, making it like opening a present on Christmas, though 90 percent of the time that present turns out to be coal.

With that in mind, here is the list of prospects the Seattle Mariners took on the second day of the 2011 MLB Draft.

62		Miller, Bradley	Clemson	SS	L/R	6'02"	185	1989-10-18	JR
92		Cron, Kevin	Mountain Pointe HS (AZ)	1B	R/R	6'05"	245	1993-02-17	HS
121		Capps, Carter	Mount Olive College	RHP	R/R	6'05"	220	1990-08-07	JR
123		Hicks, John	Virginia	C	R/R	6'02"	190	1989-08-31	JR
153		Marlette, Tyler	Hagerty HS (FL)	C	R/R	5'11"	195	1993-01-23	HS
183		Zamarripa, James	Rancho Cucamonga HS (CA)	CF	L/L	5'10"	190	1993-09-17	HS
213		Proscia, Steven	Virginia	3B	R/R	6'02"	210	1990-06-26	JR
243		Smith, Carson	Texas State	RHP	R/R	6'06"	205	1989-10-19	JR
273		Cohoes, Cavan	Patch HS	SS	R/R	6'02"	185	1993-05-03	HS
303		Paolini, Daniel	Siena College	2B	R/R	6'00"	190	1989-10-11	JR
333		Hobson, Cameron	Dayton	LHP	L/L	6'00"	190	1989-04-10	JR
363		Dowd, Michael	Franklin Pierce University	C	R/R	5'08"	205	1990-04-10	JR
393		Austin, Jamal	Alabama - Birmingham	CF	R/R	5'09"	180	1990-08-26	JR
423		Weiss, Cody	La Salle	RHP	R/R	5'10"	195	1990-08-14	JR
453		McGee, Michael	Florida State	CF	R/R	6'00"	185	1988-03-07	SR
483		Marder, Jack	Oregon	C	R/R	5'11"	185	1990-02-21	SO
513		Melendres, Nathan	Miami	CF	R/R	5'10"		1990-04-04	JR
543		Valenza, Nicholas	Horizon HS (AZ)	LHP	R/L	5'10"	180	1993-03-31	HS
573		Guarnaccia, Luke	Palm Beach CC	C	S/R	5'11"	210	1992-07-11	J1
603		Hazlett, Dillon	Emporia St U	2B	R/R	5'11"	190	1989-01-22	SR
633		DiRocco, Joseph	Seton Hall	RHP	R/R	6'01"	200	1988-09-19	SR
663		Taylor, John	U South Carolina Columbia	RHP	R/R	5'10"	175	1989-03-27	SR
693		White, Richard	No School	RHP	R/R	5'11"		1993-02-01	NS
723		Chleborad, Tanner	Stevens HS (SD)	RHP	R/R	6'06"	185	1992-11-04	HS
753		Saquilon, Gabriel	Horizon Christian HS (CA)	RHP	R/R	6'00"		1993-06-07	HS
783		Straus, Kenneth	Georgia Perimeter College	3B	L/R	6'00"	190	1990-08-07	J2
813		Colvin, David	Pomona-Pitzer Colleges	RHP	R/R	6'03"	215	1989-01-07	SR
843		Shankin, Brett	Wayne State	RHP	R/R	6'00"	200	1989-10-30	SR
873		Kela, Keone	Chief Sealth HS (WA)	RHP	R/R	6'01"	190	1993-04-16	HS

903

Pries, Jordan

Stanford

RHP

S/R

6'01"

1990-01-27

JR

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Seattle Mariners Focus On Position Players Early In Day Two

Day two of the 2011 MLB Draft is in the books, with teams making their second through 30th rounds picks. Unlike Monday, the picks came fast and furious, making the Draft tough to keep up with at times. I can only imagine what it's like to be making the picks and keeping track of the prospects taken off the board, but that's why front offices are paid the big bucks.

Seattle opened the draft with a bit of a surprise, picking left-handed pitcher Danny Hultzen first. The Mariners regarded Hultzen as the best college lefty in the draft, and after scouting him for years, the Seattle front office felt confident he was their guy. With the No. 2 overall pick, Seattle had a plethora of options, including Anthony Rendon, Bubba Starling and Trevor Bauer, but threw a bit of a curveball in taking Rendon. As we said earlier, Jack Zduriencik and Tom McNamara had followed Hultzen for years and had scouted him extensively in the weeks leading up to the draft.

On day two, it was more about building depth and relying on scouting. Many of these players will never see the light of the day, some may be a diamond-in-the-rough and others may be filler. It's all a guessing game, but a fun one at that. Instead of breaking down who they are and who they will be, we'll just be passing along the picks because it's way too hard to not sound like a fool talking about MLB Draft prospects.

Let's break this down into bite-sized chunks. We know the Mariners took Hultzen first, but here are the rest of the early-round players taken on day two.

62		Miller, Bradley	Clemson	SS	L/R	6'02"	185	1989-10-18	JR
92		Cron, Kevin	Mountain Pointe HS (AZ)	1B	R/R	6'05"	245	1993-02-17	HS
121		Capps, Carter	Mount Olive College	RHP	R/R	6'05"	220	1990-08-07	JR
123		Hicks, John	Virginia	C	R/R	6'02"	190	1989-08-31	JR
153		Marlette, Tyler	Hagerty HS (FL)	C	R/R	5'11"	195	1993-01-23	HS
183		Zamarripa, James	Rancho Cucamonga HS (CA)	CF	L/L	5'10"	190	1993-09-17	HS
213		Proscia, Steven	Virginia	3B	R/R	6'02"	210	1990-06-26	JR
243		Smith, Carson	Texas State	RHP	R/R	6'06"	205	1989-10-19	JR
273		Cohoes, Cavan	Patch HS	SS	R/R	6'02"	185	1993-05-03	HS

Via MLB.com

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Seattle Mariners Using Shotgun Approach To Catching Prospects

The Seattle Mariners are clearly targeting catchers in the early part of the second day of the 2011 MLB Draft. As noted earlier, Seattle picked Kevin Cron, an 18-year-old catcher who signed a Letter of Intent to play for TCU, with their third pick and followed that up by drafting first round pick Danny Hultzen's catcher at Virginia, John Hicks. Sandwiched in-between was a catcher who became a pitcher: Carter Capps.

Jeff Sullivan noted the run on catching as only he can while taking a look at the three picks.

So with their third, fourth, and fifth picks, the Mariners selected one catcher who won't catch, one catcher who doesn't catch, and one catcher who should catch. Expect them to use their sixth pick on a catcher who sometimes catches, their seventh pick on a shortstop moving to catcher, and their eighth pick on a catcher who wants to keep catching, but whose mother insists he'd be safer at third.

And wouldn't you know it, the Mariners picked a catcher with their sixth pick. With the 153rd overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, Seattle went with Tyler Marlette, a catcher out of Haggerty High School in Florida. Truth be told, I have no idea if he'll stick at the position, nor do I have a clue what he brings to the table, but he's a catcher, and the Mariners need catchers. I think we all know what the word of the day is in the Mariners war room.

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft: Kevin Cron, John Hicks Selected By Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners made a few interesting picks early in the second day of the 2011 MLB Draft, picking a hulking catcher out of high school and another catcher with a connection to a previous pick. Kevin Cron and John Hicks were the Mariners' third and fifth picks, and though each is listed as a catcher, only one is likely to actually fill that role in the system.

Kevin Cron is a man-child in every sense of the world. At 18-years-old, he's got the build of a season vet, standing 6-foot-4 and tipping the scales at 240 pounds. He's big, he's beefy and, right now, he's a catcher. But nobody expects that to last. He hits the ball hard and has a fun pedigree, which makes him an intriguing prospect.

John Hicks, on the other hand, is a catcher that appears to be a catcher. Oh, and he was also the battery-mate of Danny Hultzen, the Mariners' first pick in the draft. So, if nothing else, there's a familiarity there that won't matter at all as they come through the system.

Clearly the Mariners were trying to build some kind of organizational depth at catcher in the second day of the draft. It's well documented where Seattle stands at the position, both at the major league level and down through the minors, where we can count on one hand -- a hand that had a few accidents with a saw -- how many legitimate prospects are in the system. This is what the final 48 rounds of the draft are for, and the Mariners are filling holes.

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Brad Miller Selected By Seattle Mariners At No. 62

With the 62nd pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, the Seattle Mariners picked Brad Miller, a shortstop out of Clemson. Miller earned All-American accolades at Clemson for a junior year that included a .403 batting average, 0.506 on-base percentage and 0.571 slugging percentage. Miller is far from the picture of power, hitting only five home runs this past season, but he did show the ability to get on-base.

Miller also drew 40 walks to just 34 strikeouts in 191 at bats, which is something. At this point in the draft, we have no real idea how these guys are going to pan out, and like much of the MLB Draft, it's a bit of a crap-shoot. Miller is quick on the basepaths, nimble in the field and seems to have the skillset to succeed in the middle infield, but who knows.

So there you have it: A pitcher in the first round and shortstop in the second. Seattle went against the grain and grabbed Danny Hultzen at No. 2 overall, and followed it up by grabbing Miller at No. 62. After the second round, the drafting hits high gear, and prospects come flying off the board. Hang on, it'll be a wild ride.

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft: Danny Hultzen, Seattle Mariners Developed Relationship Over Years

Knowing what we know now, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Seattle Mariners selected Danny Hultzen with the second pick in the 2011 MLB Draft. Hultzen was a player Mariners scouting director Tom McNamara had his eyes on for years, dating all the way back to Hultzen's senior year of high school. At the time, Hultzen was adamant he would attend college -- he came from a family that valued education heavily and made it clear to teams ahead of the draft that there was no way he would sign. And it played out just as many expected as Hultzen was drafted in the 50th round and bypassed the major league to attend college at Virginia.

But this was just the beginning of the relationship between the key players in what's now the Seattle Mariners front office and Hultzen. McNamara kept tabs on Hultzen, according to an interview on 710 ESPN Monday night, and kept a keen eye on his development. As a senior in high school, it was clear Hultzen had loads of potential, and it began to manifest itself in Virginia.

In February, the Mariners began to zero-in on Hultzen, McNamara said in the same interview. As the draft process began, Seattle kept coming back to the junior from Virginia -- a lefty Zduriencik described as "polished" and whose resume speaks for itself. When the Mariners traveled to Boston to face the Red Sox, Zduriencik, McNamara and others made a detour to watch Hultzen pitch, and according to 710's Shannon Drayer, the Mariners general manager came back as giddy as a kid in a candy store. The front office was sold.

By now we should know that the Seattle front office never tips its hand and is one of the most tight-lipped in the league. The team, apparently, went back-and-forth on its pick, and despite rumors of Anthony Rendon, Francisco Lindor and others, pulled the trigger on the lefty from Virginia.

We'll be back with more on Hultzen and what he brings to the table, but this is the reasoning behind the pick, straight from the mouth of the front office, revealed in interview following Monday's portion of the MLB Draft. Zduriencik used the word "polished" several times, and felt Hultzen could quickly make his way to the big leagues. But the front office felt Hultzen was the best lefty in the draft, and felt he was a good pick for the team when their names were called on Monday evening.

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft: Start Time, Coverage And Order For Tuesday's Rounds

The 2011 MLB Draft kicks into overdrive on Tuesday after a drawn-out affair on Monday. The coverage was at a snail's pace throughout the first and sandwich rounds on Monday as analysts took their time breaking down the picks and filling air-time to milk as much coverage as possible. While it took hours to get two rounds of the Draft done on Monday, the picks will come flying in on Tuesday, with the second through 30th rounds set to take place over the course of the day. Monday is about flash while the rest of the draft is about building organization depth and, hopefully, finding that diamond in the rough.

The Mariners had a quiet day on Monday, picking only once. But Seattle had a large amount of responsibility and plenty of options with the second pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, and chose to use it on left-handed pitcher Danny Hultzen, a junior from the University of Virginia. It came as a surprise as many expected the Mariners to take Anthony Rendon or any of the other top position players available, but Jack Zduriencik and his scouting crew loved what they saw in Hultzen and pulled the trigger.

The Mariners will pick early on Tuesday, once again holding the second pick of the day. Here's the vital information for Tuesday's festivities.

Start time: It's an earlier start on Tuesday as teams have a boatload of picks to make and work to get done. Coverage begins at 9 a.m. on the West Coast with the beginning of the third round.

Coverage: Once again, MLB Network will have full coverage of the 2011 MLB Draft. The picks will be coming fast and Tuesday is less about painstaking analysis and more about getting the picks out in the open and going back to review some of the highlights. In addition to the television broadcast, MLB.com will also have a live-stream and draft tracker, for those stuck at work.

Below is the order for rounds three through 50.

Sandwiched in-between are the following picks, of which the Mariners have one, in supplemental round three.

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' pick in our 2011 MLB Draft . StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Robert Stephenson, Blake Snell Picked On Monday

Two University of Washington baseball signees face a tough decision after being picked during the first day of the 2011 MLB Draft on Monday. Robert Stephenson, a pitcher and outfielder from California, and Blake Snell, a pitcher from Shoreline, were each taken over the course of the first round and compensatory round A on Monday, and must now decide whether to stick with their commitments to Washington or forgo college and enter the professional ranks.

It's a common decision for top-flight prospects out of high school. Signing bonuses stretch into six figure territory and beyond for first day picks, and if the players opts to head to a four-year school, they will not be eligible again until after their junior year. Because of the eligibility issues in play in the MLB Draft, the Huskies may lose one or both players, though nothing will be known until just before the signing deadline in August.

According to Washington Athletics, Stephenson was the Gatorade Player of the Year in California after compiling an 8-2 record with a 1.19 ERA and 142 strikeouts over 76.1 innings this past year. He also threw back-to-back no-hitters, striking out 32 in the process. The Cincinnati Reds picked Stephenson with the 27th pick in the 2011 MLB Draft.

Snell was just as good, finishing his senior year with a 9-0 record and 1.00 ERA while striking out 128 in 63 innings. The Tampa Bay Rays chose Snell with the 52nd pick in the draft.

Both players have a decision to make, but it's a nice position to be in. With a hefty bonus likely on the table, the lure of money and Major League Baseball may be too much for Snell and Stephenson. We'll keep an eye on what happens and whether the two end up at Washington or in the major leagues.

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' picks in our 2011 MLB Draft . StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

MLB Draft 2011 Results: Tyler Anderson Drafted By Colorado Rockies

With the 20th pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, the Colorado Rockies selected Oregon pitcher Tyler Anderson, the fourth Pac-10 pitcher taken in the first round. It's been a banner day for the conference as UCLA's Gerrit Cole came off the board at No. 1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, followed by teammate Trevor Bauer at No. 3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Anderson was first drafted in 2008, when the Minnesota Twins took him in the 50th, and final, round of the MLB Draft.

Anderson is a milestone pick for the Ducks, who revived their baseball program from the dead in 2009. Anderson helped with the team's quick turnaround as the Ducks have boosted their win total to 40 in 2010 after winning just 14 games in the program's first year of existence.

The Oregonian's Aaron Fentress had the rundown of Anderson and the significance of the pick, which is the first time a duck has been chose in the first round since 1972.

The left-handed pitcher, who last season went 8-3 with a 2.17 ERA, could very well become the first Duck selected in the first round of the draft since 1972. That year, San Diego chose Dave Roberts first overall. The utility player played 10 years in the big leagues, six with the Padres, batting .239 with 49 home runs.

Anderson becomes the eighth player from the Oregon baseball program to be selected in the MLB Draft since 2009, as well.

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' pick in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For more on the Rockies, head over to SB Nation Denver. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Results: Danny Hultzen Selected By Seattle Mariners With No. 2 Pick

The Seattle Mariners made a u-turn ahead of the 2011 MLB Draft, turning aside Anthony Rendon and taking Virginia pitcher Danny Hultzen. Rendon had the upside, and many were expecting the Mariners to jump at the chance to take the player seen as the No. 1 prospect in the 2011 MLB Draft before injuries derailed his junior season. Instead, Seattle went with Hultzen in an effort to bolster the pitching staff despite all the talk centering around position players.

Hultzen finished the season with an 11-3 record for the Cavaliers as the team's No. 1 pitcher. He compiled a 1.57 ERA along the way, striking out 148 and walking only 17. Hultzen boasts four pitches -- a four-seam fastball, changeup, curve and slider. His fastball sits high-80s to low-90s and his slider appears to be a plus pitch, if just barely.

There's no question he's a quality pitcher, but this move certainly came out of left field. Seattle had been looking at Rendon, Bubba Starling and Francisco Lindor, but went a completely different direction, surprising fans who had been paying attention. It doesn't mean it's bad, and it's almost certainly not, it's just a surprising choice considering what many thought ahead of the draft.

The Mariners are done for the day and will get back at it tomorrow as the draft churns through an obscene amount of rounds on the road to 50 over the next two days.

We'll be tracking the day's events and will have more on the Mariners' pick in our 2011 MLB Draft . StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

MLB Draft 2011: Bubba Starling A Prospect To Watch For Seattle Mariners Fans

The Seattle Mariners seem to have zeroed-in on three position players ahead of the 2011 MLB Draft, though nothing is ever definite when it comes to drafting. Anthony Rendon is the clear consensus pick of many analysts, and it seems more than likely that the Mariners will go with his upside if concerns about injuries can be put to rest. Francisco Lindor also workout out well, and boosted his stock with Seattle in recent weeks. The third in the trio seems to be Bubba Starling, an incredibly gifted athlete who sits at a crossroads as he chooses football or baseball out of high school.

Starling has the chance to be a scholarship quarterback at Nebraska, but will, in all likelihood, be a top-10 pick in Monday's first round of the 2011 MLB Draft. He's incredibly talented, and oozes athleticism on the baseball field and in the pocket on the football field. In centerfield, his defense is outstanding, and combined with his hitting prowess and speed, Starling has a chance to make an impact on the diamond for whomever drafts him.

But there is the signability question. Will Starling sign and give up football? Will he use the scholarship to Nebraska as a negotiating ploy, demanding millions through MLB super-agent Scott Boras? Would a team such as the Mariners blow a top-5 pick not knowing whether he'll ever don a major league uniform? As with most players in the MLB Draft, signability and slotting are always concerns.

Starling is a hell of an athlete and if he chooses baseball, he has a shot at being a standout. But there are many buts, and a significant amount of risk in drafting him. He's a tantalizing prospect, but the same physical tools that have scouts drooling are the tools luring him to the football field.

We'll find out what the Mariners do at 4 p.m. as the first round of the MLB Draft gets underway on MLB Network. We'll be tracking the projections and handing out information about the day's events in our 2011 MLB Draft . StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

MLB Draft 2011 Prospects: Francisco Lindor An Option For Seattle Mariners

While the Seattle Mariners are all but certain to take Anthony Rendon with the second pick of the 2011 MLB Draft on Monday, a high school shortstop may throw a wrench in the best laid plans. Francisco Lindor came to Seattle to workout for all the Mariners big-wigs recently and, from all accounts, showed well. The Mariners reportedly came away impressed, and it's led some to wonder if Seattle will throw a curveball and grab Lindor at No. 2.

While Baseball Prospectus went with the crowd and projected the Mariners would take Anthony Rendon at No. 2, they too noted Lindor may be an option, as many others have recently. Rendon's injury history has teams wonder if he's healthy now and if he can stay healthy, making him less than a sure-thing. If Seattle isn't comfortable enough with Rendon, Lindor could be an option.

The hottest rumor of the weekend had the Mariners taking high school shortstop Francisco Lindor here, which would tear open most draft boards and create serious chaos. Lindor's workout for the Mariners was fantastic, but Jack Zduriencik got limited looks at him during the season and might prefer Bubba Starling among prep players

In the MLB Draft, there's any number of unknowns, and front offices have to balance the risk with the reward. If Rendon is healthy, and can stay healthy, the reward is as high, or higher than, any in the 2011 MLB Draft. But if Seattle is not convinced, a broad range of prospects are available including Lindor.

We'll find out soon what the Mariners will do with that No. 2 pick as the 2011 MLB Draft begins at 4 p.m. We'll be tracking the projections and handing out information about the day's events in our 2011 MLB Draft . StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Mock Draft: Baseball America Projects Anthony Rendon To Seattle Mariners

It's almost impossible to find a reputable 2011 MLB mock draft that doesn't have the Seattle Mariners taking Anthony Rendon with the second pick on Monday night. While many worry about Rendon's injuries, and a shoulder that may require surgery, ultimately his skill is far too tantalizing to pass up. And when the Mariners are placed on the clock during the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft, it's all but expected that general manager Jack Zduriencik will pull the trigger and choose Rendon, despite a stellar workout from Francisco Lindor.

Lindor was in Seattle last week to run through drills for Mariners scouts, and by all accounts, he killed the workout. He did a lot to endear himself in the eyes of the Seattle brass, but with Rendon on the board, it's hard to see the Mariners deviating from the expected. Baseball America agreed in its final 2011 MLB mock draft, projecting Rendon to Seattle.

For the record, Baseball America has Lindor as the 11th pick, heading to the Houston Astros, and Starling as the ninth pick, heading to the Chicago Cubs. If Rendon is healthy and the Mariners are confident enough in his medical records, there's no reason not to take him. But that if is a big one, and you can be sure Seattle is dotting i's and crossing t's to make sure.

We'll be tracking the projections and handing out information about the day's events in our 2011 MLB Draft . StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft: Start Time, Live Coverage And Draft Order For Monday

The 2011 MLB Draft is just a few hours away and teams are making their final preparations ahead of Monday night's first and second rounds. The draft is a three-day event this year, with two rounds set to take place on the first day and the other 48 set for Tuesday and Wednesday. Like the NFL, baseball has decided to put its first round in prime-time, stretching it out to accommodate all the analysis one can handle.

With time winding down to the start of the MLB Draft, here's a quick primer.

Start time: The 2011 MLB Draft gets underway at 4:00 p.m. PDT, or 7 p.m. on the East Coast. The draft will be coming to you live from the MLB Network studios in New Jersey.

Live coverage: The broadcast can be found on MLB Network, with pre-draft coverage set to begin at 3 p.m. PDT. The crew switches from previews to the real thing at 4 p.m. and will be providing pick-by-pick analysis live as it happens in New Jersey. For those without MLB Network, a live-stream will be available on MLB.com.

Draft order: Monday will be a quick day for the Seattle Mariners. The Pittsburgh Pirates have the No. 1 pick, and will likely snatch UCLA pitcher Gerrit Cole off the board. The Mariners pick second, and have a bevy of options, some of which are detailed here. Monday's order of picks can be found here, including the reasons for compensatory picks, be it failure to sign 2010 MLB Draft picks or the loss of Type A free agents. The draft order is concrete; teams cannot trade picks or players as they can in the NBA and NFL drafts.

Draft coverage: You can find all of our 2011 MLB Draft coverage in this StoryStream. Most 2011 MLB mock drafts have the Mariners taking Anthony Rendon, though the team has done its due-diligence in recent weeks. You'll also hear plenty of buzzwords and snap evaluations, which we covered here.

We'll be tracking the projections and handing out information about the day's events in our 2011 MLB Draft . StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Draft Filled With Hope, Pitfalls And Buzzwords

Unlike the NFL and NBA, the MLB Draft lacks immediate results, and some of its appeal comes from the unknown. Players who have just graduated high school are eligible, the draw spans 50 rounds and all we know is that we don't know. The players picked won't be immediately seen in the major leagues, and many will take years to advance through the minors to play on the sport's biggest stage. And when projecting the MLB Draft, the best we can do is throw darts at a board and hope.

Baseball Nation's Jeff Sullivan, who also spends his time writing SB Nation's Seattle Mariners blog, Lookout Landing, put together a primer for the 2011 MLB Draft. It's not your average primer; Sullivan embraces the unknown and breaks down some of the buzzwords and evaluations you'll likely hear over the next three days and beyond. Players have upside, polish and tools, which is all a fancy way of saying "eh, we're not sure."

The majority of these people have never actually seen the players play. Thorough scouting reports are generated by a select few, and these reports spread like a brushfire. Which isn't to say that the reports are wrong. Many reports are accurate. But scouting is a subjective art, and scouting opinions should never be taken as gospel

As he says, the draft is a trap and we all fall into the pitfalls. Leading up to the draft, fans fall in love with prospects, and zero-in on who they think their team should pick. It's natural, and happens in every professional league, but with 50 rounds of picks to work through, we have plenty of inventory to parse.

Mariners fans have fallen in love with Anthony Rendon, Trevor Bauer, Dylan Bundy and others. With the second pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, the options are aplenty, and everyone has an opinion. But in the end, what we think doesn't matter, and the amount of information publicly available pales in comparison to the information the Seattle front office has at its disposal.

When it comes time to evaluate the Mariners' draft, keep Sullivan's words in mind. Nothing is guaranteed and no pick is safe. We won't know whether any of these picks will work out for years, and in many cases these players will never see a major league field. But that's part of the fun.

We'll be tracking the projections and handing out information about the day's events in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

MLB Draft 2011 Prospects: Dylan Bundy An Alternative To Anthony Rendon For Seattle Mariners

With the Pittsburgh Pirates reportedly dead-set on taking Gerrit Cole with the first pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, the Seattle Mariners have a choice to make. Do the Mariners take Anthony Rendon, whose upside is tantalizingly good despite injury concerns, or does the team go a different direction and take a pitcher, of which there are plenty? One such arm is high-schooler Dylan Bundy, who may be the best prospect in the draft.

Bundy is a superb pitcher and isn't your typical high school prospect. Right now, he boasts three-and-a-half pitches, including a fastball that sits mid- to high-90s. Despite his age, Bundy is polished, and doesn't seem to come with the concerns many draft-eligible high school pitchers do. And though Gerrit Cole will reportedly be the first pitcher taken on Monday, Bundy should come off the board soon after, and could find himself in the top-5.

While almost every mock draft around has the Mariners selecting Anthony Rendon, if concerns about the Rice third baseman's injuries persist, Seattle has options at No. 2. Over at FanGraphs, Bundy is the No. 4 pick in their latest 2011 MLB mock draft, and is the third pitcher taken.

The best prep draft eligible player in the nation, Bundy is considered an advanced prep arm that could move Rick-Porcello-fast through the minors. The younger brother of Orioles’ Top 10 prospect Bobby Bundy, that organization would love to make it a pair.

Keith Law has the Kansas City Royals taking Bundy with the fifth pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, and calls him a steal at that spot. The buzz lately has been centered around Bundy being the best player in the draft, and Law agrees he could move fast through the minors.

They want a polished pitcher who'll move quickly through their system, and Bundy fits. I've had two evaluators call Bundy the best player in the draft, which would be quite a coup for a team picking fifth.

He's good, and he could be great with a bit of development time in the minors -- though he won't need long. With a good smattering of top-flight prospects, the Mariners have options should Rendon's injury concerns scare them away. But, in all likelihood, Seattle will snatch Rendon up because his talents are far too great to ignore.

We'll be tracking the projections and handing out information about the day's events in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

MLB Draft 2011: Anthony Rendon, Seattle Mariners Connected, But Health A Concern

Anthony Rendon is a super, albeit broken, prospect. To be clear, he may not be broken in the long-term, but since becoming a consensus No. 1 draft pick ahead of the 2010-11 season, Rendon has been unable to shake the  concerns that come with an ankle and shoulder injury. When healthy, there may be nobody better in the 2011 MLB Draft. But the health has teams pausing and poring over medical records to glean every bit of predictive information ahead of Monday's first round.

As we continue our tour of 2011 MLB mock drafts, we head over to FanGraphs and find a familiar story. Gerrit Cole will, in all likelihood, be the No. 1 pick, leaving the Mariners with Rendon at No. 2. We know the Seattle front office has Rendon's medical records, but have no idea whether the team's concerns have been sufficiently calmed.

Seattle is known to be very interested but he could end up sliding a bit with reports of so-so medical reports that team doctors are no doubt pouring over until the very last minute. If all goes as hoped, Rendon has the chance to be a Gold Glove fielder with 20+ home run potential and a solid batting average.

ESPN's Keith Law has the Mariners taking Rendon, as well. In fact, it's hard to find projections that don't link the Mariners to Rendon with the draft just hours away. From all indications, that's how the pick will shake out when the Mariners send their choice to Bud Selig this afternoon just after 4 p.m.

We'll be tracking the projections and handing out information about the day's events in our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.

2011 MLB Mock Draft: Keith Law Has Anthony Rendon Heading To Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners are in an excellent position in the 2011 MLB Draft after a tough campaign in 2010 left them with the second-worst record in baseball. But on the positive side, the Mariners have a chance to draft a difference-maker, and many are available at the top of the draft. Gerrit Cole is expected to be the first pick in the draft, and reports are already emerging indicating the Pittsburgh Pirates will draft him No. 1 overall. But who might the Mariners take? Keith Law or ESPN has a few ideas.

In his latest 2011 MLB mock draft (insider), Law took a stab at the first round, and it's a bit of a mess after Cole at No. 1. For now, Law has Anthony Rendon, a third baseman from Rice who's struggled with injuries in the last year, as the Mariners pick at No. 2. But Seattle has plenty of options in play, including Francisco Lindor and Bubba Starling.

2011 MLB Draft Order: Seattle Mariners Pick Second, After Pittsburgh Pirates

The 2011 MLB Draft gets underway on Monday evening and the Seattle Mariners will reap the benefits of an atrocious 2010 campaign. Although nothing will erase the bad taste of disappointment following a season in which the fans had high expectations, the Mariners will have a chance to pick-up a player that could become a cornerstone of the franchise with the second pick in the 2011 MLB Draft. Seattle last picked second just two years ago, and was able to secure Dustin Ackley, who appears to be just days away from making his major league debut.

The Pittsburgh Pirates will pick first by virtue of their 57-105 record in 2010. The Pirates are widely expected to take UCLA starting pitcher Gerrit Cole, leaving the Mariners with plenty of options at No. 2. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals round out the top-5.

The 2011 MLB Draft gets underway late on Friday as it switches to a three-day format. Like the NFL, the draft will be broadcast in prime-time on Monday, with the first and compensatory rounds set to take place. The draft encompasses 50 rounds, with the bulk of the picks stretched over the second and third days. Picks will begin rolling in at 4 p.m. PDT on Monday, with a pre-draft show set for 3 p.m. on MLB Network. You can find a live broadcast of the draft on MLB Network and online at MLB.com.

Below is the order for the first round and the sandwich round. The sandwich, or compensatory round, is for teams who lost Type A free agents following the 2010 season. You'll see the reasons for the compensatory picks listed next to the team names below.

First Round

Compensatory Round A

Via ESPN

For more on the draft, stay with our 2011 MLB Draft StoryStream. For a local look at what the Mariners are planning, head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.