The Major League Baseball draft is full of smoke screens, signability, and potential. With the draft coming up on Thursday, here are some rumors from some around baseball and a few last thoughts heading up to the two-day draft. The Tampa Bay Rays have the top pick again, and Keith Law of ESPN said they have narrowed their list to Florida State catcher Buster Posey and Georgia high school Tim Beckham. According to Law, they will take Posey. One of my favorite players in the draft is Fresno State pitcher Tanner Scheppers. However, Jonathan Mayo of mlb.com and Baseball America have reported he has a stress fracture in his shoulder. It will drop him in the draft, but it shouldn?t affect his long-term future. Baseball America and ESPN both have Stanford catcher Jason Castro slotted at No. 18 to the New York Mets. With Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez almost locked in at No. 2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the next question is No. 3 with the Kansas City Royals. ESPN and MLB.com have them taking Florida high school first baseman Eric Hosmer. With any draft, the position battles are one of the most intriguing parts prior to the draft. One of the most intriguing we have come across is with college first basemen in South Carolina?s Justin Smoak and Miami?s Yonder Alonso. I rate Smoak higher, but they will both have an impact on where the other is selected. Catchers also are an interesting position with Posey and California high school product Kyle Skipworth who both should be taken in the top 10. Catchers don?t stay behind the plate as often due to injuries and lack of development. However, both players have shown the talents to not only stay at catcher but to be a force defensively. Three college players I like who might not make the first round are Texas outfielder Kyle Russell, UCLA shortstop Brandon Crawford, and Mississippi pitcher Lance Lynn. Out of the high school ranks, I like Georgia high school third baseman Ethan Martin, California outfielder Anthony Gose, and Alabama outfielder Destin Hood. What are your draft tidbits? Email them to Douglas.Benton@realgm.com