Position: SP
Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Not only would I have selected Bundy ahead of Taillon, I would have also selected Bundy ahead of Cole, hence that ranking. That said, the actual #1 overall pick in 2011 is an elite prospect in his own right. Cole has absolutely filthy stuff that rivals Stephen Strasburg, although he’s currently more reminiscent of a guy like A.J. Burnett who was unable to fully harness his arsenal due to a lack of command. Cole’s arsenal includes three fastballs, highlighted by a 4-seamer than can consistently hit triple digits, a 2-seamer and a cut fastball. He also has a slider that garners plus-plus grades and a changeup that flashes above-average on some days and plus-plus on others. If everything works out well, Cole could become the most dominant pitcher in baseball for a multi-year stretch.
