2008 Draft Discussion Thread

[Outshined_One]

I'd kill for Pedro Alvarez.

[wekse]

there was a little bit of a write up about sonny gray in the tennessean today....nothing really of note mentioned, was just part of a primer for high school ball here in middle tenn....aparently mt. juliet's team is pre-season #1 for them...so i'll have to check out a few of their games as well as smyrna's(when gray pitches)

[UK1679666180]

http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2008/3/18/crow-receives-scouts-attention/

 

Missouri junior pitcher Aaron Crow is no stranger to leaving professional baseball scouts speechless when reporters come around. No scout wants to give up a competitive advantage by commenting on Crow publicly.

 

But the 6-3, 195-pound right-hander from Wakarusa, Kan., is putting together pitching performances so dominant that they leave even his teammates searching for words.

 

“I tell you what, Aaron Crow is just — good grief — that’s all I have to say about that,” catcher Trevor Coleman said following a 6-0 win over Toledo last Friday.

 

Against Toledo, Crow put together the best performance of his career, pitching a career-first complete game shutout, striking out a career-high of 15 batters and walking none.

 

“It was the best night I’ve ever had my whole career,” Crow said. “Coach J told me they were going to be real aggressive, so just go out, throw strikes and I’ll be OK.”

[Guest]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-dish/2008/265878.html

 

New BA top 50.

[snoodmonger]

http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2008/3/18/crow-receives-scouts-attention/

 

Missouri junior pitcher Aaron Crow is no stranger to leaving professional baseball scouts speechless when reporters come around. No scout wants to give up a competitive advantage by commenting on Crow publicly.

 

But the 6-3, 195-pound right-hander from Wakarusa, Kan., is putting together pitching performances so dominant that they leave even his teammates searching for words.

 

“I tell you what, Aaron Crow is just — good grief — that’s all I have to say about that,” catcher Trevor Coleman said following a 6-0 win over Toledo last Friday.

 

Against Toledo, Crow put together the best performance of his career, pitching a career-first complete game shutout, striking out a career-high of 15 batters and walking none.

 

“It was the best night I’ve ever had my whole career,” Crow said. “Coach J told me they were going to be real aggressive, so just go out, throw strikes and I’ll be OK.”

 

I didn't know he was from Kansas. Traitor.

[RammyFanny]

June's getting kinda-sorta close. I'd like to get an arm at 19.

[illiniguy]

http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2008/3/18/crow-receives-scouts-attention/

 

Missouri junior pitcher Aaron Crow is no stranger to leaving professional baseball scouts speechless when reporters come around. No scout wants to give up a competitive advantage by commenting on Crow publicly.

 

But the 6-3, 195-pound right-hander from Wakarusa, Kan., is putting together pitching performances so dominant that they leave even his teammates searching for words.

 

“I tell you what, Aaron Crow is just — good grief — that’s all I have to say about that,” catcher Trevor Coleman said following a 6-0 win over Toledo last Friday.

 

Against Toledo, Crow put together the best performance of his career, pitching a career-first complete game shutout, striking out a career-high of 15 batters and walking none.

 

“It was the best night I’ve ever had my whole career,” Crow said. “Coach J told me they were going to be real aggressive, so just go out, throw strikes and I’ll be OK.”

 

I didn't know he was from Kansas. Traitor.

Yeah we were a little shocked when we saw that the day we went to the game. I can't say I blame him though, it seems like Mizzou is putting out great pitchers every other year now. I think, and the other guys might know, that they have another underclassman who should be a high pick as well.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

BA had Kyle Gibson near the top of their Best Sophomores list prior to this season. In his first year as a starter he's put up a 3.84 ERA, 74/18 K/BB, 1.27 WHIP in 70.1 IP.

 

Nick Tepesch was at the top of the Best Freshman list, he's been in the bullpen like Gibson was last year, although without the same success thus far. 5.24 ERA, 13/8 K/BB, 1.43 WHIP in 22.1 IP

[Guest]

I'm guessing illiniguy is referring to Kyle Gibson, fantastic prospect.

[illiniguy]

I'm guessing illiniguy is referring to Kyle Gibson, fantastic prospect.

Yep, that's the guy. I am looking forward to seeing both he and Crow pitch this weekend.

[Outshined_One]

Given that the draft is less than a month away (!), does anyone have a list of Boras clients yet? I'd like to see what top talents could slide to the Cubs. :D

[Guest]

Given that the draft is less than a month away (!), does anyone have a list of Boras clients yet? I'd like to see what top talents could slide to the Cubs. :D

 

I know:

 

3B Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt

1B Eric Hosmer, American Heritage HS (FL)

RHP Gerrit Cole, Orange Lutheran HS (CA)

RHP Josh Fields, Georgia

[UK1679666180]

Given that the draft is less than a month away (!), does anyone have a list of Boras clients yet? I'd like to see what top talents could slide to the Cubs. :D

 

I know:

 

3B Pedro Alvarez, Vanderbilt

1B Eric Hosmer, American Heritage HS (FL)

RHP Gerrit Cole, Orange Lutheran HS (CA)

RHP Josh Fields, Georgia

 

Im not 100% positive but I think the big RH'er from Indiana is as well.

[RammyFanny]

Don't know if he is, but you're referring to Bubba Meyer IIRC.

[Guest]

Right you are, UK.

 

RHP Alex Meyer, Greenburg HS (IN)

[Outshined_One]

Cal (or anyone, for that matter), what can you tell me about Eric Thames? He's been rising up draft boards lately and apparently has done quite well despite playing against tough competition and in a pitcher-friendly park.

 

I'm hopeful that the Cubs could pick up a falling draftee with big signing demands, but Thames strikes me as a possible target if the Cubs are looking to signability with a polished college bat.

[badnews]

Does anyone care to speculate on the odds that the Cubs in the upcoming draft

 

1. Take somebody from Virginia in rounds 4-8 (highest probability 5 or 6)

 

2. After the first two rounds, make our first high school pitcher selection a kid from Florida in rounds 11-12?

 

Why do we do this every year?

[RammyFanny]

Any chance Fields could fall to our Comp. pick?

 

I've heard he compares to a Billy Wagner.

[Guest]

Any chance Fields could fall to our Comp. pick?

 

I've heard he compares to a Billy Wagner.

 

Doubt it, I've seen him generally on draft boards and mocks somewhere near the Cubs first round pick. He won't fall due to signability because he's a senior.

 

Outshined, I haven't seen too much on Thames outside of the fantastic season he's had. Sounds like he has a good approach and a good ceilind and, as you said, is moving up draft boards.

 

PGCrosschecker:

 

Most recent mention:

Pepperdine’s Eric Thames is quietly having one of the biggest seasons in all of college baseball. In previous columns I have noted how scouts have been waiting for him to put his entire game together for a couple of years now, and he has done that and then some this spring. He can hit (.414 batting average), has patience (.525 on-base percentage), power (12 home runs, .829 slugging) and speed (six triples, 10 stolen bases) while making a legitimate case for the player of the year award.

 

This is a bit older:

Pepperdine left-fielder Eric Thames is a player that I was plenty familiar with after covering the Northwoods League and naming him the top overall prospect based on the amount of univeral praise he received from the coaches and scouts that covered that league last summer. A left-handed hitter, he showed a sound approach, good plate coverage and excellent bat speed by making strong contact in each of his four plate appearances. That strong contact didn’t pay off until he hit an absolute rocket up the middle in the eighth inning that began Pepperdine’s two-run rally, with Thames scoring the go-ahead run.

 

While many want, and expect, to see more power come from Thames’ bat, you have to love his approach. He is always thinking the other way and up the middle, and shows the ability to go with the pitch. That approach is what allowed him to lead both Pepperdine and the Northwoods League in RBI last year, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him start to develop more pull power as he continues to master the strike zone.

 

Thames also made a nice defensive play, ranging to deep left-center field to catch a ball while slamming up against the outfield wall. However, he also showed his weakest tool, his arm strength, early in the contest by struggling to get a ball he quickly retrieved that was hit to shallow left field to home plate in the first inning, allowing the runner that was on second base to score.

 

Physically Thames looks like a big-leaguer, with a strong muscular build and good proportions. I think he has the best bet to hit at the next level of all of the batters in attendance for this game given his approach, but his upside may be somewhat limited depending on how his power develops.

[Guest]

And here is BA's most recent Draft Tracker. It came out today: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/draft-dish/2008/266044.html

[UK1679666180]

Thames is an impressive-looking athlete and led Pepperdine in RBIs a year ago—oddly, while failing to launch a single home run. His lack of raw power played a hand in last year’s draft as he wasn’t selected until the 39th round by the New York Yankees as a draft-eligible sophomore. But he enjoyed a big summer in the Northwoods League, finishing second in RBIs while being selected that league’s top prospect. He hit only three home runs, but the Yankees were impressed enough with his bat speed that they offered fifth-round money in an effort to sign him just before he returned to Pepperdine. Scouts believe a surge in power may be in the offing for Thames this season. He also gets a lot of support for his foot speed. He spent most of last season in a DH role for Pepperdine as he needs work on his outfield play. His arm is his only tool that is below average, which may relegate him to left field but there is a question if his lack of raw power will play at that position.

[TruffleShuffle]

the brewers have 6 picks in the top 62 of the draft. hopefully they do as great a job with their extra picks as we did in 2002.

[illiniguy]

the brewers have 6 picks in the top 62 of the draft. hopefully they do as great a job with their extra picks as we did in 2002.

I doubt they will. They have been pretty good at picking players.

[TruffleShuffle]

the brewers have 6 picks in the top 62 of the draft. hopefully they do as great a job with their extra picks as we did in 2002.

I doubt they will. They have been pretty good at picking players.

 

i know, that's why their surplus of picks concerns me. they don't have any really high picks like the ones they used on braun and laporta, but one would still expect them to develop a couple of quality major leaguers out of those six picks.

[sneakypower]

back in 2005, they looked like a real team to be reckoned with in the future years. so now it's 2008 and they're about to start looking towards 2010.

 

they've got some nice young talent in LaPorta, Gamel, Escobar, Jeffress, Salome and Irribarren and they'll pick up a nice crop of players in the draft but it just really hasn't materialized yet.