2009 Draft & Signings Thread

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Just like the last few years, let's have one thread for the actual draft and a second to discuss Cubs picks.

 

The draft starts at 5 pm CT and today will be rounds 1 - 3 today. Round 1 will be on MLB TV and all 3 rounds will be on MLB.com. Watch the streaming video of the draft live here.

 

Some links:

 

BA's Draft Blog, which should be updated throughout the day: http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/

BP's Draft Roundtable (starts at 3:30 pm CT): http://www.baseballprospectus.com/rt/rt.php?rtId=17

ESPN's Keith Law Chat: http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/26888/mlb-draft-keith-law

MLB's Draft Tracker: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/drafttracker.jsp

 

Final Mock Drafts:

 

Baseball America (Jim Calis) - Cubs pick Cal OF Brett Jackson: link

Baseball Prospectus (Kevin Goldstein) - Cubs pick Sacramento St. OF Tim Wheeler: link

ESPN (Keith Law) - Cubs pick Oklahoma St. LHP Andy Oliver: link

MLB.com (Jonathan Mayo) - Cubs pick Notre Dame OF AJ Pollock: link

PG Crosschecker (David Rawnsley & Allan Simpson) - Cubs pick Oklahoma St. LHP Andy Oliver: link

PG Crosschecker (Patrick Ebert) - Cubs pick Cal OF Brett Jackson: link

 

First Round

 

1. Washington Nationals - Stephen Starsburg, RHP, San Diego St.

2. Seattle Mariners - Dustin Ackley, OF, North Carolina

3. San Diego Padres - Donovan Tate, OF, Cartersville HS (GA)

4. Pittsburgh Pirates - Tony Sanchez, C, Boston College

5. Baltimore Orioles - Matt Hobgood, RHP, Norco HS (CA)

6. San Francisco Giants - Zack Wheeler, RHP, East Paulding HS (Dallas, GA)

7. Atlanta Braves - Mike Minor, LHP, Vanderbilt

8. Cincinnati Reds - Mike Leake, RHP, Arizona State

9. Detroit Tigers - Jake Turner, RHP, Westminster Christian Academy (St. Louis, MO)

10. Washington Nationals (9B, for unsigned 2008 No. 9 overall pick Aaron Crow) - Drew Storen, RHP, Stanford

11. Colorado Rockies - Tyler Matzek, LHP, Capistrano Valley HS (Mission Viejo, CA)

12. Kansas City Royals - Aaron Crow, RHP, independent Ft. Wayne Cats

13. Oakland A's - Grant Green, SS, Southern California

14. Texas Rangers - Matt Purke, LHP, Klein HS (TX)

15. Cleveland Indians - Alex White, RHP, North Carolina

16. Arizona Diamondbacks - Bobby Borchering, 3B, Bishop Verot HS (Ft. Myers, FL)

17. Arizona Diamondbacks (from Dodgers - Orlando Hudson) - AJ Pollock, OF, Notre Dame

18. Florida Marlins - Chad James, LHP, Yukon HS (OK)

19. St. Louis Cardinals - Shelby Miller, RHP, Brownwood HS (TX)

20. Toronto Blue Jays - Chad Jenkins, RHP, Kennesaw State

21. Houston Astros - Jiovanni Mier, SS, Bonita HS (La Verne, CA)

22. Minnesota Twins - Kyle Gibson, RHP, Missouri

23. Chicago White Sox - Jared Mitchell, OF, Louisiana State

24. Los Angeles Angels (from Mets - Francisco Rodriguez) - Randall Grichuk, OF, Lamar Consolidated HS (Rosenberg, TX)

25. Los Angeles Angels (from Yankees - Mark Teixeira) - Michael Trout, OF, Milville HS (NJ)

26. Milwaukee Brewers - Eric Arnett, RHP, Indiana

27. Seattle Mariners (from Phillies - Raul Ibanez) - Nick Franklin, SS, Lake Brantley HS (Altamonte Springs, FL)

28. Boston Red Sox - Reymond Fuentes, OF, Callego HS (Manati, PR)

29. New York Yankees (28B, for unsigned 2008 No. 28 overall pick Gerrit Cole) - Slade Heathcott, OF, Texas HS (Texarkana, TX)

30. Tampa Bay Rays - LeVon Washington, OF, Gainesville HS (FL)

31. Chicago Cubs - Brett Jackson, OF, Cal

32. Colorado Rockies (from Angels - Brian Fuentes) - Tim Wheeler, OF, Sacramento State

 

Comp Round A

33. Seattle Mariners (Raul Ibanez) - Steven Baron, C, Ferguson HS (Miami, FL)

34. Colorado Rockies (Brian Fuentes) - Rex Brothers, LHP, Lipscomb

35. Arizona Diamondbacks (Orlando Hudson) - Matt Davidson, 1B, Yucaipa HS (CA)

36. Los Angeles Dodgers (Derek Lowe) - Aaron Miller, LHP, Baylor

37. Toronto Blue Jays (A.J Burnett) - James Paxton, LHP, Kentucky

38. Chicago White Sox (Orlando Cabrera) - Josh Phegley, C, Indiana

39. Milwaukee Brewers (CC Sabathia) - Kentrail Davis, OF, Tennessee

40. Los Angeles Angels (Mark Teixeira) - Tyler Skaggs, LHP, Santa Monica HS (CA)

41. Arizona Diamondbacks (Juan Cruz) - Chris Owings, SS, Gilbert HS (SC)

42. Los Angeles Angels (Francisco Rodriguez) - Garrett Richards, RHP, Oklahoma

43. Cincinnati Reds (Jeremy Affeldt) - Brad Boxberger, RHP, Southern California

44. Texas Rangers (Milton Bradley) - Tanner Scheppers, RHP, St. Paul Saints

45. Arizona Diamondbacks (Brandon Lyon) - Michael Belfiore, OF/LHP, Boston College

46. Minnesota Twins (Denny Reyes) - Matt Bashore, LHP, Indiana

47. Milwaukee Brewers (Brian Shouse) - Kyle Heckathorn, RHP, Kennesaw State

48. Los Angeles Angels (Jon Garland) - Tyler Kehrer, LHP, Eastern Illinois

49. Pittsburgh Pirates (48B, for unsighed 2008 No. 48 overall pick Tanner Scheppers) - Victor Black, RHP, Dallas Baptist

[Wrigley Rat]

And with the 31st pick of the 2009 Amateur Draft, the Chicago Cubs select...

 

(Anyone know if there will be video on mlb.com this evening? Or will it just be an update of draft picks?)

[NonProfitCow]

And with the 31st pick of the 2009 Amateur Draft, the Chicago Cubs select...

 

(Anyone know if there will be video on mlb.com this evening? Or will it just be an update of draft picks?)

I'm sure it will be. I think they even stream it live.

[Guest]

And with the 31st pick of the 2009 Amateur Draft, the Chicago Cubs select...

 

(Anyone know if there will be video on mlb.com this evening? Or will it just be an update of draft picks?)

 

I believe all of today will be streamed on MLB.com I'll update the first post with that link when it's made available.

 

MLB.com will offer live coverage and analysis of the entire First-Year Player Draft on June 9-11. The MLB Network will broadcast the first round at 5 p.m. CT on June 9 from its Studio 42 in Secaucus, N.J., and those 32 selections also will be simulcast live on MLB.com.

 

Beginning with the 33rd pick, up-to-the-minute on-air coverage from the remaining rounds will shift exclusively to MLB.com/Live, where host Vinny Micucci will be joined by MLB.com Draft expert Jonathan Mayo and Major League Scouting Bureau director Frank Marcos.

[Tony Thomas]

Its free streaming on mlb.com right?

[Guest]

Its free streaming on mlb.com right?

 

Yes.

[Jon]

Its free streaming on mlb.com right?

 

Yes.

You're obviously going to hit 60,000 posts in this thread today. The question becomes will you hit 70,000 before the draft is over.

[Guest]

Without getting up to look, is there any pre-draft coverage on MLB TV today?

[Tony Thomas]

Without getting up to look, is there any pre-draft coverage on MLB TV today?

 

I looked and it doesn't look like there is. I think they are just doing regular everyday shows up until the draft.

[Guest]

Without getting up to look, is there any pre-draft coverage on MLB TV today?

 

I looked and it doesn't look like there is. I think they are just doing regular everyday shows up until the draft.

 

Thanks!

[jersey cubs fan]

So who do I want the Cubs to draft? And who should I be annoyed at if they take him instead?

[Guest]

Its free streaming on mlb.com right?

 

Yes.

You're obviously going to hit 60,000 posts in this thread today. The question becomes will you hit 70,000 before the draft is over.

 

Jon's first post in a baseball-related forum in 2009 and he makes it a good one.

[Guest]

So who do I want the Cubs to draft? And who should I be annoyed at if they take him instead?

 

You'll be annoyed if they take Brett Jackson. Toolsy but major contact issues.

[Guest]

Without getting up to look, is there any pre-draft coverage on MLB TV today?

 

I looked and it doesn't look like there is. I think they are just doing regular everyday shows up until the draft.

 

Thanks!

 

I know Keith Law will have a bunch of appearances on ESPNews today and PTI. I'm guessing Jim Callis will get on ESPN too at some point.

[Outshined_One]

Without getting up to look, is there any pre-draft coverage on MLB TV today?

 

I looked and it doesn't look like there is. I think they are just doing regular everyday shows up until the draft.

 

Thanks!

 

I know Keith Law will have a bunch of appearances on ESPNews today and PTI. I'm guessing Jim Callis will get on ESPN too at some point.

 

PTI will just be Wilbon whining about the MLB Draft and how he hates it even more than the NFL Draft. I'd probably pass on that.

[Guest]

Baseball Prospectus Final Mock[/url]"]This one could be a mess folks, and it's all about bonus demands at this point. Right now, you have as many as four high school pitchers—Jacob Turner, Tyler Matzek, Matt Purke, and Shelby Miller—looking for big, big money, with the first three all telling teams they're looking for Rick Porcello-level deals (or more). This has the potential to blow the first round wide open, and turn it into into a very college-oriented first 30 picks, with numerous top talents falling to later picks than initially expected. One team picking in the top ten I spoke to this morning said he still had very little idea of who was going to be picked ahead of his club's choice.

 

Further down, signability could continue to rule the day, as players and agent are basically conducting a mini-revolt over the fact that MLB's recommended slot bonuses are 10 percent lower this year. "I'm not really upset that the top guys are asking for a lot of money, because that's every year," said one scouting director. "What's bugging me is that we called a lot of kids we'd think about in rounds two through six, and they're suddenly all asking for a million dollars as well."

 

With just 111 picks getting made today, one thing is certain—there is going to be plenty of top talent going to bed tonight still wondering where they will be selected.

 

I don't have a BP subscription so I can't tell you who the Cubs pick in it but that was the intro. BA had come to the same consensus on the prep arms with Tyler Matzker and Shelby Miller upping their bonus demands too.

[Tyrant]

Didn't the draft used to be during the day? I seem to remember that, and I was really hoping to waste my entire work day by following it.

 

Can anyone call MLB and get it moved up five hours?

[Guest]

Was this graphic correct on ESPN last night?

 

Strasberg has 195 K's in 15 starts this year.

[jersey cubs fan]

Didn't the draft used to be during the day? I seem to remember that, and I was really hoping to waste my entire work day by following it.

 

Can anyone call MLB and get it moved up five hours?

 

I thought last year it aired on ESPN during the day, and it was the first time they put that much effort into airing it. They want it to become more of an event, and you have a better chance of doing that if it's in prime time. The NFL wants to move their first round to prime time as well.

[Guest]

Didn't the draft used to be during the day? I seem to remember that, and I was really hoping to waste my entire work day by following it.

 

Can anyone call MLB and get it moved up five hours?

 

Yes, it used to be but they're going prime time even though they really won't attact that many new viewers. Tomorrow (rounds 4-30) will be back in the day (11 am CT start).

[Outshined_One]

Keith Law has twitter.

 

Media today all times EDT: Outside the Lines around 3 pm; Tirico/Van Pelt 3:25; ESPNEWS at 6, 6:30, 7, & 7:30; ESPN from 9-10.

 

I readily admit that I have no idea what's going to happen tonight. This is the most ridiculous draft I've ever been a part of or covered.

 

Newest first-round projection is up. Crow's agents calling around trying to find a buyer in the top 10.

[Tony Thomas]

Doesn't Keith Law does his espn chat on tuesdays?

[Outshined_One]

Doesn't Keith Law does his espn chat on tuesdays?

 

Coming up at 1 PM CST on ESPN.com.

 

Link

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Please, anyone but Jackson, with "anyone" = pleasepleaseplease let Gibson fall.

[Little Slide Rooter]

MLB.com predicts A.J. Pollock. Imagine that, a Noter Dame guy.