Mariners take Joe Rizzo with Second Pick

Kyle Lewis fell into Seattle's lap in the first round, and the consensus is that the Mariners again did well for themselves in round two, drafting Joe Rizzo with the 50th overall pick. Rizzo, a left-handed hitter, draws rave reviews for his stick. He's just 18, but has already demonstrated tremendous feel to hit for a player his age, and he already has above average raw power.

It's not clear where Rizzo will play on the other side of the ball. He started at shortstop in high school, which is just the latest bit of evidence that everybody drafted played short, center, or catcher at some point. He'll play at third base in pro ball, and while he has the arm strength for the position, he's not a smooth fielder and he isn't quick. At 5-foot-11 and 215 pounds, he's already a below average runner, and there's not much physical projection left in his frame. With work, he could turn into a serviceable third basemen; the safe bet is that he'll eventually have to shift across the diamond to first.

Rizzo will go as far as his bat takes him. As a high schooler, he won't move super quickly, but this is another solid selection for the Mariners. Assuming that he signs and performs up to his potential this summer, I expect that you'll find his name at the fringes of most Mariners top ten prospects lists.