This is part two of a three part series looking back at the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Part one can be found HERE. The purpose of these articles is to see the progression to date of each individual player, complete with current stats. This year’s draft will take place Thursday, June 9, at 6 PM ET.

*All stats current as of Saturday, June 4, 2016.

Round 1, Pick 11: Tyler Stephenson, C, Cincinnati Reds

Age: 19

2015 Stats (Rookie League): .273/.356/.371, 1 HR, 16 RBIs, 28 Runs

2016 Stats (Single-A): .196/.267/.272, 1 HR, 10 RBIs, 12 Runs*

In the lead up to the 2015 Draft, many scouts viewed Stephenson as a potential No. 1 overall pick. Whether it was his position that scared teams or something unknown, Stephenson fell to No. 11 overall. Prior to being drafted, Stephenson drew comparisons to Orioles catcher, Matt Wieters. This is certainly a fair correlation, though Wieters hasn’t panned out exactly as planned.

Stephenson has struggled at the plate this season, especially in the average and power departments. A nagging wrist injury landed Stephenson on the disabled list last week, so that injury could be partly to blame. During his senior year of high school at Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia, Stephenson batted .415 with eight homers and 25 RBI. The level of competition certainly doesn’t match what he’ll face playing professional baseball, but it’s still evident that there is power in his bat. He is a tough case to project as catchers break down much faster than other position players. The important thing for Stephenson is that he gets healthy and makes positive progression going forward. He is at least two years away from the majors, though he should be stashed away in dynasty leagues.

Round 1, Pick 12: Josh Naylor, 1B, Miami Marlins

Age: 18

2015 Stats (Rookie League): .327/.352/.418, 1 HR, 16, RBIs

2016 Stats (Single-A): .255/.322/.448, 7 HR, 35 RBIs, 6 SB

It’s rare that you see a player drafted in the first round as an actual first baseman, but that’s exactly what Miami did last season. Over his first 215 plate appearances at Single-A Greensboro, Naylor is batting a respectable .255 with seven homers and 35 RBI. Many scouts believe that Naylor was over-drafted last season due to the clear flaws in his game. While his power is likely to translate into success in the major leagues, the jury is still out as to whether he will hit for average. The Marlins have no reason to rush Naylor to the majors, so don’t expect to see him until 2018 or 2019.

Round 1, Pick 13: Garrett Whitley, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

Age: 19

2015 Stats (Rookie League & Short-Season A): .174/.293/.312, 3 HR, 17 RBIs, 8 SB

As you can see, Whitley has yet to take the field in 2016. A hamstring injury during spring training has limited him to playing only in extended spring training games at this point. His numbers in the Gulf Coast League and the New York-Penn League were rather putrid, though he did manage 10 extra-base hits in 138 at-bats. It is expected that Whitley will report back to Short-Season A or to one of the other Single-A affiliates for Tampa Bay once he is healthy.

Round 1, Pick 14: Kolby Allard, LHP, Atlanta Braves

Age: 18

2015 Stats (Rookie League): 6.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.17 WHIP, 12 Ks

Much like the aforementioned Whitley, Allard has yet to see game action in 2016. In a very small sample size, Allard struck out 12 batters in six innings before going down in August with a back injury that required a disc fusion. Allard is only 18 years old, so he has plenty of time to make a full recovery and reclaim his spot as one of the top left-handed prospects in baseball.

Round 1, Pick 15: Trent Clark, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Age: 19

2015 Stats (Rookie League): .309/.424/.430, 2 HR, 21 RBIs, 25 SB

2016 Stats (Single-A): .220/.396/.415, 7 Runs

There is a lot to like about the Brewers’ first-round pick from a season ago. Clark is exactly the type of leadoff hitter that most teams covet. He can hit for average, has exceptional plate discipline, and runs rampant on the base paths. His power is still developing, but even if he hits seven or eight per year, the Brewers will be ecstatic.

Clark dominated the Arizona and Pioneer Leagues in Rookie Ball last season and Milwaukee didn’t hesitate to send him to their Single-A affiliate, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, to start the 2016 season after receiving extra at-bats during extended spring training. While Clark’s strikeout percentage (29.8 percent) is up from last season, his walk rate (22 percent) is up as well. His ability to domineer the strike zone and get on base offsets his low average. Over time, his contact rate will rise and he should continue to develop into a commanding presence in a lead off role.

Round 1, Pick 16: James Kaprielian, RHP, New York Yankees

Age: 22

2015 Stats (Rookie League & Short-Season A): 11.0 IP, 1.64 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 11.5 K/9

2016 Stats (High-A): 18.0 IP, 1.50 ERA, 0.61 WHIP, 11.0 K/9

Kaprielian is a guy that you rarely hear about, but his numbers are solid. He only has 29 professional innings under his belt to date, but he’s made the most of them so far. With 36 strikeouts to just five walks, it is becoming increasingly clear that Kaprielian has above average command. Whether he continues to start long-term or is shifted to a bullpen role is unknown at this point, but with excellent strikeout numbers, Kaprielian should be able to find success at the major league level. Another positive factor that Kaprielian has going for him is his age. Drafted as a 21-year-old, Kaprielian is going to be fast tracked through the Yankees’ minor league system. Don’t be surprised if you see him in late-2017.

 

Round 1, Pick 17: Brady Aiken, LHP, Cleveland Indians

Age: 19

NO STATS ACCUMULATED

The Brady Aiken story is a very interesting one. He was drafted first overall by Houston in 2014, only to balk and not sign, holding out and ultimately waiting a year to enter the 2015 Draft. Well, things didn’t go exactly as planned and Aiken went down with a torn UCL, better known as Tommy John surgery. Aiken cost himself several million dollars by not signing with Houston, but the Indians may have found themselves a future ace. It will likely be a long road before Aiken reaches the majors; he hasn’t even made his 2016 debut yet. He is currently pitching in extended spring training, though he didn’t make his first appearance in game action until late May. The Indians are hoping that he’ll be able to make his minor league debut for the organization by July.

Round 1, Pick 18: Phil Bickford, RHP, San Francisco Giants

Age: 20

2015 Stats (Rookie League): 22.1 IP, 2.01 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 12.9 K/9

2016 Stats (Single-A): 48.0 IP, 2.62 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 10.7 K/9

Much like Kaprielian, Bickford is a name that doesn’t receive much fanfare—but he should. Since being a teenage in high school, all Bickford has done is succeed. During his senior season at Oaks Christian High School in California, Bickford posted a 12-1 record with a nasty 0.83 ERA and an unbelievable 146 strikeouts in 84.2 innings pitched. Fast-forward to his single season at College of Southern Nevada and it gets even filthier. Bickford completely dominated the competition, going 9-1 with a 1.45 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 86.2 innings pitched. Why isn’t this kid getting more fanfare? I honestly don’t know the answer.

He signed with the Giants after being drafted last season and has done exceptionally well considering the type of talent he is facing compared to his amateur years. Given the way he’s rolled through the minors so far, I expect Bickford in Double-A by the end of the year and in the majors at some point next season. This is a guy that should be watched closely because he’s going under the radar.

Round 1, Pick 19: Kevin Newman, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates

Age: 22

2015 Stats (Short-Season A & Single-A): .257/.318/.350, 2 HR, 17 RBIs, 39 Runs, 13 SB

2016 Stats (High-A): .346/.414/.444, 2 HR, 18 RBIs, 21 Runs, 4 SB

The Pirates really liked Newman and decided to make him their own in the first round. Newman has a strong hit tool, but there really isn’t much power to be had. Pittsburgh will be happy if he can hit .280 and play excellent defense, but Newman has a higher upside than that. Last season he showed that he could make noise on the base paths. If that continues throughout his rise through the minor leagues, Newman could be a future number two hitter in the majors.

Round 1, Pick 20: Richie Martin, SS, Oakland A’s

Age: 21

2015 Stats (Short-Season A): .237/.353/.342, 2 HR, 16 RBIs, 7 SB

2016 Stats (High-A): .323/.400/.452, 1 HR, 3 RBIs, 1 SB

The A’s have several shortstops in their system that make their coveted “top prospect” list, but Martin is second only to Franklin Barreto, the consensus No. 1 guy in Oakland’s minor league ranks. Martin was hampered by a meniscus tear prior to the start of the season and only has 31 at-bats under his belt so far. With his ability to hit line drives all over the field and his above average speed, Martin figures to be a top of the order hitter when he settles in at the major league level.