I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t think this is going to happen. Madrigal could go at 1.01 (round 1, pick 1), and is unlikely to fall out of the Top 10. However, the opportunity to take Madrigal arose, the Mariners would be fools not to take him.
Let’s begin with the obvious: Nick Madrigal is an excellent baseball player. Unlike many of his peers in this draft, Madrigal is a nearly finished project. He is easy to project and, barring injury, as safe a bet to play in the Big Leagues as possible.
At 5’7″, 160 lbs, Madrigal does not look like your prototypical first round pick.