2008 Draft Discussion Thread

[Mephistopheles]

I guess it's time to start looking!

 

Guys to look at off the top of my head

 

College Position Players:

Pedro Alvarez, 3B - Vanderbilt

Justin Smoak, 1B - South Carolina

Jemille Weeks, 2B - Miami

Jordan Danks, OF - Texas

Brandon Crawford, SS - UCLA

 

College Pitchers:

Aaron Shafer, RHP - Wichita State (iirc he hurt his elbow within the last week and my need TJ)

Brian Matusz, LHP - San Diego

Shooter Hunt, RHP - Tulane

Tyson Ross, RHP - Cal

 

Umm HS now means almost nothing. This time last year Vitters, Harvey and Porcello were nowhere near the top of the HS class.

 

Pitchers:

Aaron Hicks, RHP - Wilson HS (California)

Daniel Webb, RHP - Heath HS (Kentucky)

 

Outfielders

Isaac Galloway, OF - Los Osos HS (California)

 

Im sorry but these are the only three guys Im familiar with at this time.

 

Now to post stats and scouting reports. We all know who Raisin wants us to take.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

We all know who Raisin wants us to take.

 

Pedro Alvarez?

 

Ehh, the Cubs won't get the #1 pick...so CRAWFORD!! CRAWFORD!!

[Mephistopheles]

Hopefully the Cubs are good enough so they can't grab him early. I guess as of right now that means top 10 or so, record wise.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA's Sneak Peek at the 2008 Draft (January 30th):

 

DRAFT 2008: SNEAK PEEK

Our first look at the top college and high school prospects for next year's draft.

 

COLLEGE

1. Pedro Alvarez, 3b, Vanderbilt

2. Justin Smoak, 1b, South Carolina

3. Aaron Shafer, rhp, Wichita State

4. Jemile Weeks, 2b, Miami

5. Brandon Crawford, ss, UCLA

6. Jordan Danks, of, Texas

7. Cody Satterwhite, rhp, Mississippi

8. Brian Matusz, lhp, San Diego

9. Shooter Hunt, rhp, Tulane

10. Roger Kieschnick, of, Texas Tech

 

HIGH SCHOOL

1. Isaac Galloway, of, Los Osos HS (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)

2. Aaron Hicks, of, Wilson HS (Long Beach)

3. Eric Hosmer, 1b, American Heritage HS (Plantation, Fla.)

4. Ethan Martin, 3b/rhp, Stephens County HS (Toccoa, Ga.)

5. Jordan Cooper, rhp, Shawnee Heights HS (Tecumseh, Kan.)

6. Casey Kelly, ss/of, Sarasota (Fla.) HS

7. Michael Palazzone, rhp, Lassiter HS (Marietta, Ga.)

8. Anthony Ferrara, lhp, Riverview (Fla.) HS

9. Daniel Webb, rhp/1b, Heath HS (West Paducah, Ky.)

10. Mark Ginther, ss, Jenks HS (Tulsa)

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm still pretty clueless about the 2007 draft, don't see myself taking a look at this one for quite a while. And hopefully the Cubs won't be picking anywhere near the top.

[imb]

That's weird. I've seen Ginther (Jenks SS) play this year and I wasn't too stoked.

[Rebel_Cubbie]

Lance Lynn, 6-5 260lb rhp, Mississippi

 

any opinions on him?

[Iceblink]

BA's Sneak Peek at the 2008 Draft (January 30th):

10. Roger Kieschnick, of, Texas Tech

 

Little brother, I'm guessing?

 

EDIT: I guessed wrong.powers voice>

 

Third cousins.

[Jazz]

I really like my hometown boy Smoak. He can really swing that bat.

[The Q]

BA's Sneak Peek at the 2008 Draft (January 30th):

10. Roger Kieschnick, of, Texas Tech

 

Little brother, I'm guessing?

 

EDIT: I guessed wrong.powers voice>

 

Third cousins.

 

 

Yeah, just missed that. They're very distant cousins. I asked him about that when I met him...lol.

[Mephistopheles]

i went to school with brooks' half-brother. that family is all over the texas sports scene.

[Guest]

Meph, whatcha think about Galloway? He's starting to get the same local hype that Stock/Dominguez/Moustakas/Vitters got last season and Delmon Young in 03.

 

I like what I've seen of Matusz when I've seen him pitch and, of course, I'm a huge Crawford fan.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/highschool/features/264296.html

Edited June 14, 2007 by CaliforniaRaisin

[UK1679666180]

http://pgcrosschecker.com/draft/2007/notebooks/blaineclemmens/notebook_61407.aspx

[Guest]

http://pgcrosschecker.com/draft/2007/notebooks/blaineclemmens/notebook_61407.aspx

 

Thanks, UK. Nice to see Tim Murphy getting some love and I was surprised but pleased to see Babineau and Curtis mentioned.

[baseball7897]

Kyle Weiland would be a nice pick.

[Mephistopheles]

I can't find any reports on PGN yet. It's over today and is usually one of the biggest and most-attended showcase events of the summer.

[Guest]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/askba/264301.html

 

Ask BA:

 

With the 2007 draft just behind us, some of us already are looking to 2008. Vanderbilt third baseman Pedro Alvarez is generally regarded by most folks as the No. 1 prospect for next year. Can you tell me about some other college players that will be eligible next year, namely Miami first baseman Yonder Alfonso, UCLA shortstop Brandon Crawford and Texas outfielder Jordan Danks?

 

Al Huang

Port Chester, NY

 

Alan Matthews already has worked up an early Top 20 for the 2008 draft, which runs in the issue of the magazine that just went to press. No. 1 on the list indeed was Alvarez, followed in order by San Diego lefthander Brian Matusz, South Carolina first baseman Justin Smoak, Florida high school first baseman Eric Hosmer and California prep outfielder Isaac Galloway.

 

Next on the Top 20 was Crawford, who would have been the first shortstop taken in the 2007 draft had he been eligible. He's a legitimate five-tool player who hit .335/.405/.504 with seven homers and 11 steals this spring, and he also can make spectacular plays at shortstop. He does strike out a lot (58 times in 248 at-bats), but Crawford is immensely talented.

 

Alonso ranked 17th on the list. He's coming off a .379/.523/.714 season in which he led the Atlantic Coast Conference in homers (18) and RBIs (74). While his calling card is his power, he's a good athlete for a first baseman and stole 13 bases as a sophomore. He does have some experience as a catcher—though not with the Hurricanes—and would be even more attractive if he could move behind the plate.

 

Danks would have been a first-round or sandwich pick coming out of high school had he not told teams he was intent on attending Texas. Power was his ticket as well, though he hasn't shown as much as expected with the Longhorns. He went deep just four times this year, serving as Texas' leadoff man and hitting .332/.440/.479 while going a perfect 19-for-19 in steals. He'd be more of a sandwich or second-round choice at this point.

[Mephistopheles]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/images/sgray07428309dp.jpg

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/highschool/features/264352.html

1. Tim Melville, rhp Holt High, Wentzville, Mo.

2. Alex Meyer, rhp Greensburg (Ind.) HS

3. Gerrit Cole, rhp Lutheran HS, Orange, Calif.

4. Eric Hosmer, 1b American Heritage HS, Plantation, Fla.

5. Aaron Hicks, of/rhp Wilson HS, Long Beach

6. Michael Pallazone, rhp Lassiter HS, Marietta, Ga.

7. Sonny Gray, rhp Smyrna (Tenn.) HS

8. Ethan Martin, 3b Stephens County HS, Toccoa, Ga.

9. Harold Martinez, 3b Braddock HS, Miami

10. Kyle Skipworth, c Patriot HS, Riverside, Calif.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/highschool/news/264350.html

It's evident that this year's class of high school players isn't as talented as the '07 banner crop that produced 17 first-round draft picks and 20 of the top 33 overall selections.

 

"I was very disappointed in the position players," a second NL crosschecker said. "I thought there was only a few guys that had the size and the physical strength that you're looking for. The bats were just mediocre, and although the radar gun readings were there, I'm not so sure I'm buying that the group of pitchers we saw is really all that great, either."

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/highschool/features/264296.html

[Guest]

Isaac Galloway wasn't at Perfect Game, right?

[TruffleShuffle]

consider me an enthusiastic member of the yonder alonso bandwagon

[Mephistopheles]

There's no reason in hell the Cubs should draft Alonso.

 

Isaac Galloway wasn't at Perfect Game, right?

 

Correct. He had a school commitment. Nice to see he is from inner-LA with a good head.

[Guest]

There's no reason in hell the Cubs should draft Alonso.

 

Isaac Galloway wasn't at Perfect Game, right?

 

Correct. He had a school commitment. Nice to see he is from inner-LA with a good head.

 

Is he from inner-LA? He goes to high school in Rancho Cucamonga, I thought he was from that area.

[TruffleShuffle]

There's no reason in hell the Cubs should draft Alonso.

 

true, he gets on base too much

[Mephistopheles]

there's nothing worse than whoring out stats from college baseball.

 

There's no reason in hell the Cubs should draft Alonso.

 

Isaac Galloway wasn't at Perfect Game, right?

 

Correct. He had a school commitment. Nice to see he is from inner-LA with a good head.

 

Is he from inner-LA? He goes to high school in Rancho Cucamonga, I thought he was from that area.

 

meh my california geography blows.

[Guest]

Heh, it's ok. Rancho is about an hour from inner-city LA and in San Bernardino County. It's where the Angels' high-A affiliate is.

 

So if the HS ranks aren't that good, how much better are the college guys? I know Alvarez, Smoak, Matusz, Danks, Weeks and Crawford. Don't know much beyond that.

Edited June 26, 2007 by CaliforniaRaisin