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.