Eight players who could go No. 1 in the 2016 Draft

By virtue of finishing with a 63-99 record in 2015, the Philadelphia Phillies have the No. 1 pick in this year’s Draft. In a perfect world, there would be a slam-dunk decision in terms of who to take in that top spot.

Not so much.

There is no Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg in the Class of 2016, though there really hasn’t been a slam-dunk top pick like that since, well, since Harper and Strasburg. While there might not be a consensus on who the top player in this Draft is or should be, it’s not like the Phillies are going to pass or can trade down.

• MLB Draft, June 9-11: Day 1 on MLB Network/MLB.com; Days 2-3 on MLB.com

They will still get a very good player at the top of the Draft, though they are extremely unlikely to use all $9.015 million to sign him. It’s more probable they will look at their first two picks — the first pick of the second round, No. 42 overall, has a value of just over $1.5 million — as a combination deal. So they’ll be asking the question, “Who are the two best players we can get for $10.5 million?”

The majority of that amount, obviously, will go to whomever is selected 1-1 on June 9. While the Phillies continue to leave no stone unturned in terms of possibilities, with as many as seven players being discussed in some capacity, there are some candidates more realistic than others. Here’s some information on all the names potentially in play, ranked in order of likelihood at this moment:

The college arm: A.J. Puk

As the start of the 2016 Draft season approached, everyone — including the Phillies — hoped Puk would separate himself and become the clear-cut choice for No. 1 pick. While there is plenty to like about the big, hard-throwing lefty from the University of Florida, it hasn’t exactly worked out that way.

Few question his stuff. No. 5 on the new Draft Top 100, Puk touches the upper-90s with ease. He has the chance to have three plus pitches with his breaking ball and changeup as well. He is capable of being the kind of completely dominant amateur teams want to take with that top pick.

• Top 100 Draft Prospects list

“When you look at the stuff coming from the left side coming from that angle, there’s not another one in this Draft like it,” one scouting director said. “When he’s on, he’s as good as anybody. He’s been pretty dominant when I’ve seen him. He does all the things you look for in an amateur. High …

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