D-backs Own First Pick in 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft

MISSOULA, MONT. - The 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft will begin on Monday, June 8, at 5 p.m. MDT with the Arizona Diamondbacks, parent club of the Missoula Osprey, making the first overall pick. Arizona, which will pick first in all 40 rounds, last held the first overall pick in 2005 when it selected Justin Upton.

The first round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft will begin on Monday at 5 p.m. MDT, and will be shown in conjunction with the second round on MLB Network and online at MLB.com. Before the start of the draft, MLB Network will air a preview show, which will also be simulcast on MLB.com, at 4 p.m. MLB.com's exclusive coverage of Day 2 begins with a live Draft show at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, with exclusive coverage of Day 3 beginning at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Fans can also follow along with the draft on the Missoula Osprey website, where all of the draft picks will be featured.

The draft is moving back to a Monday, the day the draft began from 2010-2012, after being held on Thursday each of the past two years. This change will ensure that no collegiate super regional games will be played on the final two days of the draft. The same cannot be said for the first day, as Monday is also the final day of super regional play, meaning collegiate players could be playing with a trip to the College World Series on the line as their names are called during picks 1-75.

While there seems to be no obvious No. 1 pick in this year's draft, with a handful of players holding top-billing at varying points over the last two months, the latest mock drafts from Baseball America, MLB.com and ESPN's senior baseball writer, Keith Law, point to Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson as the favorite to go to the D-backs. Although Swanson is the favorite, Baseball America is also reporting that the D-backs are still considering Illinois lefthander Tyler Jay and Georgia prep catcher Tyler Stephenson as potential selections.

Arizona's current 25-man roster features former Osprey Paul Goldschmidt (2009), Chris Owings (2009), Ender Inciarte (2009), Chase Anderson (2009), Archie Bradley (2011), and Andrew Chafin (2011).

Three of the first five picks from Arizona's 2014 draft class appeared for the Osprey last year, including first-rounder Touki Toussaint (Coral Springs Christian Academy), second-rounder Cody Reed (Ardmore HS), and third-rounder Matt Railey (North Florida Christian HS).

The Osprey open the 2015 season on the road against the Helena Brewers June 18. The Osprey home opener is set for June 24 against Helena. Osprey ticket plans are still available and can be purchased at the MSO Hub Box Office, by phone at (406) 543-3300, and online at MissoulaOsprey.com