Bryson Stott has garnered a lot of accolades during his time as UNLV’s starting shortstop for the last three years. The Desert Oasis High grad was chosen to Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game/Rawlings’ All-America third team and was first-team all-Mountain West Conference this year.
On Monday, all that hard work will pay off … literally.
Stott is expected to be a first-round pick in the Major League Baseball draft on June 3. Where he will be picked is anyone’s guess at this point, but perusing some of the various mock drafts on the internet say he will go anywhere from seventh to the Cincinnati Reds all the way to No. 26 by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Here is what some of these sits have projected:
MLB.com’s Jim Callis says Stott will be chosen 13th overall by the Minnesota Twins
The best of an unusually deep crop of college shortstops, Stott is a proven offensive performer and a good bet to stay at the position.
TheBigLead.com also has Stott going at No. 13.
Bryson Stott could have been a top-five guy in this draft if his tools had popped as a junior this season, instead he’s shown himself to have solid-to-plus ability across the board. Stott is a good hitter, making lots of contact from the left side and showing a good approach. Most believe he’ll stick at short long term, though his arm isn’t the greatest. Stott slashed .356/.486/.599 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI this season. The Twins have been connected to pretty much everyone, so this is a guess. At this point a well-rounded player up the middle like Stott is just too hard to pass up.
BleacherReport.com has the San Francisco Giants choosing Stott at No. 10.
UNLV shortstop Bryson Stott or West Virginia right-hander Alex Manoah? That has seemingly been the question for the Giants throughout the predraft process. Given the ongoing struggles of Brandon Crawford and the dearth of middle infield talent in their system, Stott makes a lot of sense. He’s hitting .369/.498/.636 with 19 doubles and 10 home runs this spring, and he should have no problem sticking at shortstop.
CBSSports.com says the Toronto Blue Jays will make the pick at No. 11
At this point Stott is the best player still on the board, and I don’t see the Blue Jays messing around. They’ll take the best player. Stott went into this weekend with a .365/.498/.652 batting line and 10 homers in 46 games. A lefty hitting middle infielder with good bat-to-ball skills and a history of good performance at the Division I level will forever be a target at the top of the draft. Even if he has to move to second base, Stotts can do a lot to help his club win.
247sports.com is the highest on Stott. They have the Cincinnati Reds choosing Stott at No. 7, but also say he could be a sleeper pick by the Kansas City Royals at No. 2
The Reds went more conservative last year and went with a proven college producer. They have had more success with college players, as their minors have struggled in general with the development of prep talent. Stott did not have the best summer but has continued to hit well again for UNLV. He has potential plus on-base skills and has shown greater power this year, but it is likely an average grade tool at best. If the Reds liked Jonathan India a year ago, I think they will be fans of Stott, who is another gamer type with a history of production. Stott would also be the best defensive option at shortstop down the line among the multitude of young players the Reds have who play up the middle. If the Reds were to go for upside, then the choice here would likely be Witt. He was once viewed as a potential top overall pick and is still top five on most boards.
MLBDraftExpress.com has Stott going to the Tampa Bay Rays at No. 22
Stott has the ability to hit for average and show signs that he could develop power as he matures and gains strength. Nice swing, can hit the ball all over the field. Plus defender with an above average arm. A guy to keep an eye on this spring, could potentially be a top-15 pick.
Lastly, Draftsite.com has the Arizona Diamondbacks choosing Stott at No. 26. They don’t have any commentary about their picks, but it says something when the say Stott is from University of Nevada. Oops.