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2015 MLB Mock Draft: Dillon Tate is mocked to the Rangers at #4 in the latest mock draft from Baseball America, a result that I think Rangers fans would be very happy with.
There appears to be a clear three-member top tier in this year's draft -- Florida high school shortstop Brendan Rodgers, Vanderbilt shortstop Dansby Swanson, and UC-Santa Barbara righthanded pitcher Dillon Tate. Rodgers has been thought to be the likely #1 for some time, but the D-Backs (who have the #1 pick) are supposedly less than enthused about him, and there's been quite a bit of talk that they'll go with someone other than the consensus top three, meaning one of those other guys will drop to Texas at #4.
There real intrigue is what Texas will do if one of those top three doesn't drop. John Manuel says LSU shortstop Alex Bregman is someone the Rangers are "bearing down" on -- Bregman is a quality hitter who seems likely to end up at second base or center field as a professional, and Texas could see him as a potential eventual replacement for Leonys Martin, once Leonys hits free agency. Missouri State RHP Jon Harris and Vandy RHP Walker Buehler are also guys who have been strongly linked with the Rangers. If Texas goes Harris or Buehler, you'd likely see them cut a below-slot deal, allowing them to go after harder-to-sign players in the later rounds.
