MLB Draft 2016: Live Action Comment Thread

When is the draft and where do the Angels pick?

It begins today, Thursday, June 9, continues on Friday, June 10, and concludes on Saturday, June 11. On Thursday, teams will makes choices in Round 1, the Competitive Balance Lottery Round A, Round 2, and the Competitive Balance Lottery Round B. Rounds 3-10 will follow on Friday and Rounds 11-40 on Saturday.

The Angels hold two selections on Day 1: Nos. 16 and 60. For the remainder of the draft, the Angels will select twentieth in each round unless a team before them passes.

Can I follow this online?

Yes, MLB.com will stream MLB Network's coverage as well as provide a draft tracker. There will be online coverage for all 40 rounds. Day 2 starts at 11 a.m. MT and Day 3 at 10 a.m. MT.

Any late breaking news on who the Angels might be targeting?

Several new mocks were released in the past 48 hours by notable draft forecasters, and they're all over the map as far as the Angels are concerned:

Jim Callis, MLB.com: Dakota Hudson, RHP, Mississippi State

Los Angeles would have interest in Kirilloff and otherwise will look at college pitchers such as Hudson and fellow right-handers Cody Sedlock (Illinois), T.J. Zeuch (Pittsburgh) and Jordan Sheffield (Vanderbilt), plus high school hitters such as Georgians Lowe and Will Benson.

Jonathan Mayo, MLB.com: T.J. Zeuch, RHP, Pittsburgh

This could be a very good landing spot for Kirilloff, a player the Angels scouted heavily. With him off the board, most of the other options seem to involve college pitchers, like Dunn (off the board in this scenario), Illinois right-hander Sedlock or Hudson. Zeuch's size (6-foot-7), plus fastball with sink and projectability might be too much to pass up here, though.

Keith Law, ESPN: Alex Kirilloff, OF, Plum HS (Pittsburgh)

I've also heard them with Matt Thaiss, Hudson and Josh Lowe.

(Turk: This is the first I've heard Thaiss, which would be another bat-first alternative to Will Craig on my board. And another first-round catcher, oof! Albeit one who can actually hit, and is probably a 1B or LF down the road.)

John Manuel, Baseball America (Mock 5.2): Alex Kirilloff, OF, Plum HS (Pittsburgh)

Kirilloff has some late helium and might be a backup plan for several teams ahead of 16.

Christopher Crawford, Sports Illustrated: Josh Lowe, 3B, Pope High (Georgia)

The last time the Angels took a Georgia prospect who was highly coveted as both a pitcher and infielder, it was Kaleb Cowart, whom they selected 18th in 2010. That didn’t work out so well: Cowart, a third baseman, has played just 37 games for Los Angeles and hit .173. Lowe’s athleticism and power potential, however, make him one of the most intriguing bats in the class and a good value play for a farm system that needs a lot of help.

Will you be registering all the live action in real-time, so that I never have to leave Halos Heaven this evening?

Naturally, my friend! Look to the comment thread below for all the shrek and glee, and we'll update this board periodically as it happens!

What would Day One look like if teams just picked the "Best Player Available"?

Well, that's a matter of some debate, but we do have a simulation exercise here called the "consensus big board", which is a weighted average of nearly twenty expert mocks and prospect rankings. The 3.0 version of the big board is below:

But of course the Angels aren't going to take a prep pitcher and prep catcher with their first two picks. Or will they?

(Thanks to our SBN peers at Purple Row for showing the way with their MLB draft coverage.)