Cubs Draft: Five-round mock draft finds Anthony Rizzo’s replacement

Prospects 365 released its five-round mock draft and have the Chicago Cubs landing a first baseman in the fourth round.

With the Chicago Cubs set to select the next wave in an abbreviated draft starting tomorrow evening, that will officially close the book on #MockDraftSZN. And with the impending expiration of several key players’ contracts in the next couple of years, it will be critical for the Cubs’ brass to hit on every pick.

Thankfully for us, Prospects 365 has laid the groundwork in their recent mock draft. They went the extra mile, predicting each and every pick of the entire draft, so give that a read if you have a moment. For the Cubs, here’s a recap of who they went with.

Round 1: 16th overall – Jared Kelley (RHP)

Kelley throws gas, despite still being in high school. He’s already at a physical stature of 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, and could be the ace of the Cubs staff in the next three to four years.

"His delivery is effortless for the velocity he creates, and he uses the same arm slot to deploy a filthy changeup that looks to be his bread-and-butter out pitch going forward. Lack of a quality track record combined with the stigma of hard-throwing, right-handed prep pitchers without a notable breaking ball have pushed Kelley slightly behind the elite arms in this class and right into the Cubs’ open arms. – Prospects 365"

Round 2: 51st overall – Carmen Mlodzinski (RHP)

If you recall, Carmen Mlodzinski was one of the guys I said the Cubs should stay away from. His stats at South Carolina weren’t overly impressive, and he missed most of his sophomore year due to a fractured foot. He’s a guy that needed the 2020 season, and he was off to a modest start this year. Through four starts, he had a 2.84 ERA while striking out 22 batters in 25.1 innings.

He walked eight batters during that span as well and allowed a .258 average to opponents. Mlodzinksi may end up being a fine starter at the big league level, but he doesn’t have a proven-enough track record for me to take him, especially in an abbreviated draft.

Round 3: 88th overall – Werner Blakely (SS)

Blakely has a verbal commitment to Auburn next year, but a third-round selection in the draft could change his mind. He’s 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with plenty of room to fill out his frame. Here’s what Auburn has to say about their commit:

"A lengthy shortstop and left-handed bat, Blakely is ranked by Perfect Game and Prep Baseball Report as the top-rated player in Michigan. He is also rated as the No. 184 overall player in the country and was named a 2019 Preseason High Honorable Mention All-American by Perfect Game. Entering his senior season at Detroit Edison Academy, Blakely has recorded 163 hits, 26 doubles, 19 triples, 12 home runs and 103 RBI."

He took part in the Under Armour All-American Game at Wrigley Field, going 0-1 while drawing a walk as well.

Round 4: 117th overall – Alex Toral (1B)

After struggling through his freshman campaign, Alex Toral continued his development in the Northwoods League the following summer, hitting .238 while smacking seven bombs and driving in 29 runs in a 56-game sample size. Back on campus, he had a breakout year as a sophomore, slashing .293/.400/.656 with six doubles, 24 home runs, and 67 RBI.

He has the propensity to swing-and-miss but demonstrated that he was on the right path before the shutdown this year. Through 16 games, Toral had a 1.028 OPS with five home runs, 16 RBI, and a 13-to-9 walk-to-strikeout ratio.

I love this pick, and Toral is great value in the fourth round. He has so much power and after Spencer Torkelson and Aaron Sabato, Toral is the next best option at first base.

With Anthony Rizzo‘s contract set to expire after next season and the Cubs reportedly not willing to discuss an extension at this time, his future in Chicago remains in the balance. Chances are, he and the Cubs will likely agree on something, but Rizzo will also be 31 when he becomes a free agent.

A two or three year deal for Rizzo would seem to make sense, but with the implementation of the DH in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, there is a ton of flexibility here. If Rizzo were to transition into a DH role as he enters his mid-30s, playing time could significantly open up for Toral. A vice-versa scenario could be another alternative to transition Toral into the big leagues.

Round 5: De’Andre Smith (SS)

Smith has a verbal commitment to USC next year and could be a sneaky good grab for the Cubs in the fifth round. At 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, the power should come as he physically fills out. In 28 games as a junior at San Dimas High School, Smith hit .409 with 12 doubles, one triple, one home run, and drove in 18 over 28 games. He had essentially the same stats as a sophomore as well.

From a closed crouch, Smith has a quick bat through the strike zone, often being ahead of incoming pitches. Here’s what Perfect Game has to say about Smith:

"Compact athletic build. 6.78 runner, quick twitch actions in the middle infield, fast and flashy hands, gets rid of the ball very quickly, profiles very well at second base at the next level. Right handed hitter, hits from a wide base with good lower half use, simple well timed trigger, can create some barrel whip and has some juice in his bat for his size, gets on plane early and stays there a long time."

What do you think about this mock draft?