Mock Draft Picks 6-10

To summarize my projected first five picks:
1. Houston Astros- Kris Bryant, 3B, San Diego
2. Chicago Cubs- Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford
3. Colorado Rockies- Clint Frazier, OF, Loganville High School
4. Minnesota Twins- Kohl Stewart, RHP, Saint Pius High School
5. Cleveland Indians- Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma

For explanations, click here: 

6. Miami Marlins- Dominic Smith, 1B/OF/LHP, Serra High School

Say what you will about the fire-sale that the Marlins had during the off season, but they actually seem to have come out the winners in their deal with Toronto. Fans and media alike jumped all over Marlins owner Jeff Loria, though acquiring pieces like Adeiny Hechavarria, Jake Marisnick and Justin Nicolino will likely pay off in the near future. As sickening as it feels to defend Loria, credit must be given where it is due. Smith, a high school first baseman, could fit in perfectly with what the Marlins are trying to do. He is very young, very raw, and has no ceiling. Perfect Game describes his power, as well as his overall hitting ability, as "outstanding". His versatility is a huge plus, as well. He is more than capable as an outfielder or a first baseman, and his pitching is highly regarded. If all else fails, the Marlins will likely be able to under slot him big time, and everyone knows how much Loria enjoys saving money.

7. Boston Red Sox- Colin Moran, 3B, North Carolina

Where Moran will end up is a mystery. Some are projecting that the Astros could take him first overall, under slotting him and saving money for players later in the draft. Bruce Levine of ESPN Chicago believes that Moran will not get past the Cubs, who lack an impact first baseman. Moran is one of the safer picks in the draft because of his amazing patience at the plate. His North Carolina Tar Heels are favorites to win a national championship this year, and his .357 average with 13 home runs have been a major contribution. Unlike power, patience is something that should not regress too much at higher levels, giving teams a good idea of what they are getting. If Moran does drop to Boston, it seems unlikely that they would pass up on him. Will Middlebrooks likely has third base locked up in Bean Town for the foreseeable, so this would be more of a "best player available" pick. 

8. Kansas City Royals- Ryne Stanek, RHP, Arkansas

The Royals have a number of directions that they could go in with this pick, but pitching should be their focus. Stanek was expected to be a top three pick several months ago, though dropped due to some questions over his command. His low strikeout total says that he relies heavily on his defense, something that will definitely scare some teams away. Aside from his strikeout total, his numbers from this season were nothing short of excellent, allowing 15 earned runs over 97.1 innings. Consider that Stanek was facing SEC competition, and his season is even more impressive. David Glass, who reads from the book of Loria in terms of spending, should not have slot concerns with signing Stanek, thanks to his stock dropping this year. The Royals have the opportunity to fill a need, though Stanek might not be the best player available.

9. Pittsburgh Pirates- Austin Meadows, OF, Grayson High School

If someone told the Pirates front office a year ago that they would have the chance to draft Austin Meadows, they wouldn't have believed it. They have the ninth pick in 2013 due to the fact that Mark Appel did not sign with them last year, and elected to return to Stanford. Meadows has spent the last couple years as somewhat of a prodigy, having five plus tools. While he still has those tools, it seems that they not be at the same level they once appeared to be. As a high school player, Meadows is considered raw, with a ton of potential. This is perfect for a Pirates team that doesn't need immediate impact talent, and can afford to wait on Meadows. If he can live up to the hype, which will be tough, one has to wonder what else the Pirates need. They have the top tier pitching prospects in their farm system, they have the super star in Andrew McCutchen, and they have a rising star in Starling Marte. The Pirates have the 14th pick in the first round, as well.

10. Toronto Blue Jays- Reese McGuire, C, Kentwood High School

Mcguire is more than likely going to be the first of many catchers to be drafted early on in the 2013 MLB Draft, and he has an outstanding arm to thank for that. Jonathan Mayo believes his arm is already a 7, stunning considering that he is only in high school. Among their flurry of off season moves was trading Travis D'Arnaud to the Mets in return for R.A Dickey, and Alex Anthopolous' Jays are now extremely thin on impact position players. Scouts believe McGuire to turn into an above average hitter with little more than average power. If he decides to go to school and become more polished, he could end up a top three pick like Mike Zunino. He could end up being among the more interesting signings on Thursday.

Like any mock draft, the above listed picks are merely guesses. Simply put, each of these choices would make sense given the "best player available" methodology, along with documented team interests (such as is the case with Minnesota).