Arizona Diamondbacks: SS Jordan Lawlar (No. 6)
Viewed by many as the best all-around talent in the class, Lawlar is backing up the hype. The 19-year-old has already made it to High-A, as he was promoted July 4, and he's hitting .347/.447/.579 with 23 extra-base hits and 25 steals in 51 games overall.
Colorado Rockies: CF Benny Montgomery (No. 8)
A tooled-up prep outfielder in the mold of previous Rockies first-round picks David Dahl and Zac Veen, Montgomery was one of the best athletes in the class. He has moving parts to his swing and is still growing into his 6'4", 200-pound frame, so patience will be key. But he has posted a .783 OPS and nine extra-base hits in 100 plate appearances across two levels.
Los Angeles Dodgers: LHP Maddux Bruns (No. 29)
Bruns was a bit of a reach, as he checked in at No. 48 in Baseball America's predraft rankings. With three 60-grade pitches but below-average command, he's a boom-or-bust prospect, and his 22 walks and 38 strikeouts in 22.2 innings speak to the refinement he still needs.
San Diego Padres: SS Jackson Merrill (No. 27)
The biggest surprise of the first round was Merrill, who landed at No. 101 in Baseball America's prospect rankings and was nowhere to be found in mock drafts. But he is making the Padres look smart. After impressing in rookie ball, he hit .455/.500/.667 with nine extra-base hits in 17 games before he was sidelined with a wrist injury.
San Francisco Giants: RHP Will Bednar (No. 14)
Bednar sent his draft stock soaring with brilliant starts against Texas (6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 15 K) and Vanderbilt (6.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K) in the Men's College World Series, and he was the fourth college pitcher off the board after Jack Leiter, Sam Bachman and Kumar Rocker. With a 4.19 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP and 51 strikeouts in 43 innings in Single-A, he was off to a solid start before he was shelved with a back injury.
