Phillies take Moniak with top pick in Draft

SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The Major League First-Year Player Draft is when some dreams are made and new ones are born. Seventy-seven high-school and college players will be taken Thursday during the first night of the Draft as they begin their journeys toward becoming Major Leaguers. Here's a breakdown of the first-rounders taken Thursday night.

First round

1. Philadelphia Phillies -- Mickey Moniak, outfielder, La Costa Canyon (Calif.) High School: Making their first No. 1 overall pick since Pat Burrell in 1998, the Phillies took the toolsy center fielder from California. Moniak should immediately become a quality center fielder with a good bat to boot at the lower levels of the Phillies system. The hope is he grows into some power, and at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, he has the room to make that happen. The 18-year-old won't become the Phillies' top prospect right away -- J.P. Crawford is too good to make that happen right now -- but he makes what was a good Phillies system even stronger.

"I'm so grateful for this opportunity with the Phillies," Moniak told MLB Network. "I definitely wouldn't say there's any pressure. I'm going to play my game and continue doing what I've been doing my whole life, obviously listening to all the coaches and taking all the little tips along the way. I'm excited to hopefully prove the Phillies right and be honored as this No. 1 pick."

2. Cincinnati Reds -- Nick Senzel, third baseman, University of Tennessee: Senzel might be considered the safest pick in the Draft as an advanced college hitter. He made a big name for himself during the 2015 Cape Cod Baseball League season when he hit .364 with four homers, a triple, 14 doubles and 14 steals in 40 games. He backed that up by producing a .352/.456/.595 line as a junior at Tennessee. He's considered a solid third baseman and should stick at the hot corner in the pros. If and when he signs, he'll likely supplant Jesse Winker as the top prospect in the Reds system.

3. Atlanta Braves -- Ian Anderson, right-handed pitcher, Shenendehowa (N.Y.) High School: Ranked as MLB.com's No. 13 Draft prospect, Anderson surged up to the Braves, becoming the first pitcher off the board on the strength of a low-90s fastball, a good breaking ball (which some call a slider, others say it's a curveball) and an average changeup. The 18-year-old right-hander missed time this spring with an oblique injury, but made a major impression last summer on the showcase circuit and with Team USA. Anderson probably sealed his slot by putting on a show with 16 strikeouts in a seven-inning two-hitter in a playoff game last weekend and now he'll join one of the most exciting farm systems in the game.

"I'm excited," Anderson said after being taken. "They definitely have a big future, a bright future. I'm glad I can be a part of it."

4. Colorado Rockies -- Riley Pint, right-handed pitcher, Saint Thomas Aquinas (Kan.) HS: Pint might have the most impressive package of pitches in the Draft. The Kansas native has hit triple digits with his fastball and earned plus grades for his changeup and curveball as well. He'll need to hone his control in the pros, but the Rockies -- the team most in need of quality, controllable pitching -- must be over the moon to have a chance to sign Pint and get him to flash his stuff in the Colorado system.

5. Milwaukee Brewers -- Corey Ray, outfielder, University of Louisville: Ray is one of the most exciting players in this year's Draft class from a tools standpoint. He produced a .319/.396/.562 line with 15 homers and 44 steals in 62 games for Louisville this season and has the speed to stick in center. The Brewers have their shortstop of the future in Orlando Arcia and future center-field options in Trent Clark and Brett Phillips, but their system gets even stronger up the middle with the Ray pick.

6. Oakland Athletics -- A.J. Puk, left-hander, University of Florida: Up until just the past couple days, Puk seemed like a good bet for the top three, if not the top overall pick to the Phillies. Instead, he was hurt by command worries (highlighted by a recent 4 1/3-inning start against Connecticut), but the A's will be quite pleased that he dropped. The 21-year-old southpaw has earned raves for his fastball and slider and will become the A's best pitching prospect in the Minors the moment he steps on a mound. Puk is the first pitcher taken in the first round by Oakland since Sonny Gray in 2011.

7. Miami Marlins -- Braxton Garrett, left-handed pitcher, Florence (Ala.) HS: The Marlins went with a fireballer at No. 2 in Tyler Kolek two years ago and go with a little more of a craftier hurler here in Garrett. The Alabama left-hander has earned his best grades for his curveball, but also earned 55's on the 20-80 scale for his fastball, changeup and control from MLB.com. Some considered him the safest high school arm, considering he hasn't quite added tons of velocity yet, and time will tell whether that's the case.

8. San Diego Padres -- Cal Quantrill, right-handed pitcher, Stanford: Quantrill, son of Paul, did not pitch for Stanford this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015. When healthy, nobody doubts this pick as Quantrill has four average-to-plus pitches, and as such, this might speak more to how little clubs are worried about Tommy John surgery these days. Quantrill reportedly showed his health in pre-Draft workouts and could be a candidate to make up some innings later this summer in the Minors, more so than you typically see out of a college pitcher in his Draft year.

9. Detroit Tigers -- Matt Manning, right-handed pitcher Sheldon (Calif.) High School: Manning has tons of size as a 6-foot-6 right-hander, and that helped him on the mound and the basketball court. His athleticism helps give him the plus fastball that scouts love and the Tigers will surely dream about. The curveball and changeup might be the points of emphasis in terms of growth in the pros, but Detroit will give him ample time to mature.

10. Chicago White Sox -- Zack Collins, catcher, University of Miami (Fla.): Collins' best tools are on offense as he'll be hitting his way through the White Sox system. The top catching prospect in the Draft hit .358/.534/.631 with 13 homers for the Hurricanes this season and walked more times (69) than he struck out (48). With the pick, Chicago is showing it believes Collins can stick behind the plate, but he'll have lots of work to prove that he can.

11. Seattle Mariners -- Kyle Lewis, outfielder, Mercer: Lewis went from being an undrafted player out of high school to being taken in the top dozen picks with monster play at Mercer. As a junior, he hit .395/.535/.731 with 20 homers, 72 RBIs and 66 walks (vs. 48 strikeouts) in 61 games. He's not guaranteed to stay in center field, but the bat should play anywhere. The Mariners could use some juice in their system these days, and Lewis provides a lot of that.

12. Boston Red Sox -- Justin Groome, left-handed pitcher, Barnegat (N.J.) High School: This was perhaps the biggest surprise of the night. Groome was ranked first overall among MLB.com's Draft prospects entering Thursday because of his plus fastball and curveball mix from the left side along with some especially good control. But he likely fell all the way down to No. 12 due to signability concerns as he's reportedly threatened to head to junior college to become eligible for the 2017 Draft if his number wasn't met. The Sox, who simply went with the best player on the board, will likely have to use a sizable chunk of their bonus pool $6,997,400 and go above the $3,192,800 slot bonus for the 12th pick if they're going to ink Groome.

13. Tampa Bay Rays -- Joshua Lowe, third baseman, Pope (Ga.) High School: Lowe is a bit of a rare talent in that he is a third baseman with plus speed. His arm is good enough to give him the defensive chops to stick there or he could even move back to pitcher if his hit tool doesn't quite work out the way the Rays hope.

14. Cleveland Indians -- Will Benson, outfielder, The Westminster (Ga.) Schools: The Indians are notably rich in outfield talent with Bradley Zimmer, Clint Frazier and Tyler Naquin at the upper levels, and they'll get even deeper there with Benson. The 17-year-old Georgia native has good power from the left side and earns above-average grades for his run, arm and glove tools. His stroke can be a bit worrisome, but at such a young age, he's raw enough that the Indians should have plenty to work with after he signs.

Benson, who was ranked No. 38 in MLB.com's rankings and has a commitment to Duke, said even he was taken a little aback with how high he went.

"We set a floor around 32 and were going to let God take the wheel from there," he said after being taken. "So to have my name called at 14 was a blessing. I had a feeling it would have been the Cleveland Indians, so I'm glad we were able to connect."

15. Minnesota Twins -- Alex Kirilloff, outfielder, Plum (Pa.) High School: If there are two tools that stick out about Kirilloff's game, they are his power and his arm. He beat out Blake Rutherford in the Perfect Game All-American Classic Home Run Derby last summer and was a pitcher who could reach the upper-80s in high school. He'll have to work on some issues with his bat to get the most of that power and seems like a candidate to move to right to utilize that arm.

16. Los Angeles Angels -- Matt Thaiss, catcher, University of Virginia: Thaiss gives the Draft two college catchers in the first 16 picks, and you could make the case that he's every bit Collins' equal or even superior with the bat. Thaiss produced a .375/.473/.578 line with 10 homers, 39 walks and only 16 strikeouts in 232 at-bats for the Cavaliers this season. As there are with Collins, there are plenty of questions about whether he'll stick behind the plate, but a rough Angels system will use whatever help it can get.

17. Houston Astros -- Forrest Whitley, right-hander pitcher, Alamo Heights (Texas) High School: At 6-foot-7, 225 pounds, Whitley should scare a lot of Minor League hitters just by stepping on a mound. (It helps that he reportedly lost weight during his senior year.) He has four pitches with his mid-90s fastball being his best offering and his 60-grade curveball second-best. Earlier this year, it seemed like there was a chance Whitley would head to Florida State, but it's more likely he'll be an Astros prospect after being taken here.

18. New York Yankees -- Blake Rutherford, outfielder, Chaminade Prep (Calif.) High School: This should be a pick that Yankees fans craving for homegrown talent should love. There was a time when Rutherford seemed like a better prospect than even Moniak, and it's more of a case of the top overall pick passing MLB.com's No. 8 Draft prospect than Rutherford doing anything to drop his stock. He has the potential to be above-average in all aspects offensively and has speed to cause opposing teams fits on the basepaths. Rutherford is not as likely to stay in center as Moniak is, but his bat should be just as good, if not better. He'll be in conversation with Jorge Mateo as the system's top prospect if things shake out well.

19. New York Mets -- Justin Dunn, right-handed pitcher, Boston College: There were questions about how much helium Dunn would receive in this Draft after BC moved him from the bullpen to a starter's role this spring. The 20-year-old right-hander still wound up higher than his original MLB.com ranking at No. 29. He has the four-pitch mix to work as a starter in the pros, and the Mets will give him every chance to prove that's where he belongs. He'll become the organization's best pitching prospect once he signs, supplanting Marcos Molina who comes in at No. 8 in the system.

20. Los Angeles Dodgers -- Gavin Lux, shortstop, Indian Trail (Wisc.) Academy: The Dodgers already have a good shortstop for the long term in Corey Seager and grabbed another player who could stick to the position in Lux. One year after shortstops went with the first three picks, Lux was the first one off the board Thursday. He has a little more power than is typical for the position and has above-average speed to boot. There's nothing incredibly flashy in Lux's profile, but the overall package certainly justifies the pick.

21. Toronto Blue Jays: T.J. Zeuch, right-handed pitcher, University of Pittsburgh -- Zeuch has the size at 6-foot-7, 225 pounds to draw plenty of eyes and has a plus fastball to back it up. He posted a 2.62 ERA with 51 strikeouts and 10 walks in 48 innings for the Panthers this season. He'll look to get more out of his curveball and slider to find similar results in the pros, but there's enough to work with here for the Blue Jays.

22. Pittsburgh Pirates: Will Craig, third baseman, Wake Forest -- There was some confusion in the room when Craig was announced as a pitcher, but the Bucs will indeed use him as a third baseman. They should especially like his bat there. Craig hit .379/.520/.731 with 16 homers and 62 RBIs for the Demon Deacons this spring, challenging for the ACC Triple Crown for a second straight year. He has the arm to stick at the hot corner, but his bigger body frame has been worrisome. He's a candidate to move to first if he can't get the Pirates to keep him at third.

23. St. Louis Cardinals: Delvin Perez, shortstop, International Baseball Academy (Puerto Rico) -- This is easily the most controversial pick in this year's Draft. Perez was ranked as MLB.com's No. 9 Draft prospect, given high grades for his defensive tools at short and his speed, but he dropped like a rock after there were reports that he failed a test for performance-enhancing drugs. That brings up athletic and personal issues, but by taking Perez here, the Cardinals believe they can turn him around and bring out what many found to be promising.

24. San Diego Padres: Hudson Sanchez, shortstop, Carroll (Texas) High School -- This was a bit of a head-scratcher as Sanchez didn't rank as a first-round talent. Most evaluators doubt his ability to stay at shortstop, and he doesn't have the standout tool to force his way up the Padres chain, although his power has the chance to be something. He'll have to work on his range at short to become a premium prospect for San Diego.

25. San Diego Padres: Eric Lauer, left-handed pitcher, Kent State University -- Lauer is the perfectly steady option who might not move the needle in terms of tool attractiveness but is craved by organizations hoping to fill out a future Major League rotation. Lauer has good control from the left side with four pitches that can all be Major League average. He might not have a high ceiling, but his floor is pretty high.

26. Chicago White Sox: Zack Burdi, right-handed pitcher, University of Louisville -- Burdi is the second Louisville player and second White Sox draftee named Zack taken in this year's Draft, but is the first pitcher likely to be headed straight to the bullpen. Burdi earned 11 saves with the Cardinals and struck out 46 batters in 28 2/3 innings this season. He can hit triple digits with the fastball and has the slider to fool pro bats. There's a chance the White Sox could try him out as a starter, but Burdi could help the Major League club quite quickly in the bullpen.

27. Baltimore Orioles: Cody Sedlock, right-handed pitcher, University of Illinois -- Sedlock was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Year last month, giving in the Illini back-to-back award winners after Tyler Jay took the honor in 2015. Sedlock posted a 2.49 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 101 1/3 innings to take that trophy. He doesn't quite have the same stuff as Jay, but his four-pitch mix is what got him the award, this high pick and a ceiling in the middle of a Major League rotation.

28. Washington Nationals: Carter Kieboom, shortstop, Walton (Ga.) High School -- The 18-year-old shortstop might unseat older brother Spencer as the most famous Kieboom in the Nationals system, once he signs. It's not abundantly clear that he'll stick at shortstop over the long term, but that's where his best value will be. His best tool is his bat, which plays above his age.

29. Washington Nationals: Dane Dunning, right-handed pitcher, University of Florida -- With their second straight pick, the Nats took MLB.com's No. 59 Draft prospect. Dunning has the plus fastball, a good changeup and experience to climb quickly within the Washington system. But if he's going to be a Major League asset, he'll had to improve on his slider to give him the quality breaking pitch that makes Major League starters.

30. Texas Rangers: Cole Ragans, left-handed pitcher, North Florida Christian High School -- Ragans earned 55 grades for his fastball, curveball, changeup and control from MLB.com in its evaluation of the Florida-based left-hander. That may not be the 60s or 70s you'd love to see from high Draft picks, but it's the steadiness that makes for solid future prospects. As a high school pick, Ragans could develop one of those pitches into a plus offering, but the Rangers, who went arm with their first pick last year in Dillon Tate, will gladly take a solid, potentially dependable left-hander like Ragans.

31. New York Mets: Anthony Kay, left-handed pitcher, University of Connecticut -- As Peter Gammons pointed out on MLB Network, Kay is likely familiar with the Mets since he went to the same high school as Steven Matz. And based on their pick, the Mets seem to like what they've seen from Kay. At 5-foot-11, he is a bit undersized, but that didn't keep him from posting a 2.65 ERA with 111 strikeouts and 37 walks in 119 innings for UConn this season. He also thrived in the Cape Cod League and with Team USA in the past. The Mets hope that success, along with an above-average fastball and changeup, will carry him to the pros.

32. Los Angeles Dodgers: Will Smith, catcher, University of Louisville -- The Louisville Cardinals can take first-round props with their third pick here. Unlike Collins and Thaiss, Smith is more than capable behind the plate, both in his work with pitchers and with his arm. He doesn't have the pop of the other two, but he broke out with a .380 average and seven homers this season. The Dodgers are hoping that breakout was real and that Smith can be another asset in what remains one of the game's most promising systems.

33. St. Louis Cardinals: Dylan Carlson, outfielder/first baseman, Elk Grove (Calif.) High School -- Carlson wasn't ranked among MLB.com's Top 200 Draft prospects and placed at No. 92 on Baseball America's list. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound teenager is a switch-hitter and has just enough speed to play in the outfield. Baseball America notes he could be a "premium defender" at first base, but he'll have to hit and grow enough into some strength to make his bat good enough for the position.

34. St. Louis Cardinals: Dakota Hudson, right-handed pitcher, Mississippi State University -- The Cardinals rounded out the first round by taking a Bulldogs right-hander who has two plus pitches in his fastball and slider. Hudson posted a 2.62 ERA with 109 strikeouts and 34 walks in 106 2/3 innings for Mississippi State this season. A really good third pitch and past control issues could be the only things that prevented Hudson from being taken higher. Nonetheless, there will be a lot to work with for the Cardinals.

Check out MiLB.com's Draft Tracker this weekend and throughout the season to see when picks sign and where in the Minors they are assigned.