2009 Cubs Picks Thread

[Guest]

25th rounder: Justin Bour, 1B, George Mason

 

6'4 / 250 lb 5/28/1988

 

7th best prospect in Virginia per BA. Huge power guy.

 

Bour shows the ability to hit for average and power. He's a strapping 6-foot-4, 250 pounds and has drawn physical comparisons to Brett Wallace. Power will be his calling card, though he has the tools to be a good defensive first baseman.

Isn't VA a pretty fertile baseball state? What are the Cubs chances of signing this guy?

 

Not sure, probably as good as most 25th round college juniors. It doesn't sound like there's anything unsignable about him that I've heard.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

29th round: Timothy Clubb, RHP, Missouri St

 

6'2, 195. 9/4/1986

 

The Rays drafted righthander Tim Clubb in the 42nd round as a sophomore-eligible last year and monitored him closely in the Cape Cod League, but ultimately couldn't sign him. After leading Missouri State in wins his first two seasons and capturing the Missouri Valley Conference pitcher of the year award in 2008, Clubb wasn't as effective this spring and wound up in the bullpen. That will probably be his role in pro ball. His 83-86 mph cutter/slider remains his best pitch, but the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder lost command and velocity on his fastball (down to 87-88).

 

BA rates him as the 11th best prospect in Missouri.

 

His scouting report going into last year was much better:

 

The first pitcher in Missouri State history to go 11-0, righthander Tim Clubb was Missouri Valley Conference pitcher of the year. He's a redshirt sophomore after sitting out 2006 following surgery to repair the ulnar nerve in his elbow, and teams may not want to gamble on his signability. He'll touch 90-91 mph in the first inning, but he usually operates at 86-88 mph later in games. His slider is his best pitch and he also can backdoor his curveball for strikes against lefthanders. He hooks his arm in the back of his delivery, though it doesn't hamper his command.

 

88 IP, 5.11 ERA, 98 H, 70 R, 50 ER, 8 HR, 74/36 K/BB, .284 BAA

[Guest]

30th round: Daniel Sheppard, C, Downers Grove North HS (Downers Grove, IL)

 

6' / 180 lbs. 2/25/1991.

 

MLB scouting video: http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4758681

 

He's rated the 5th best prospect in Illinois by BA.

[TruffleShuffle]

30th round: Daniel Sheppard, C, Downers Grove North HS (Downers Grove, IL)

 

6' / 180 lbs. 2/25/1991.

 

MLB scouting video: http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4758681

 

He's rated the 5th best prospect in Illinois by BA.

 

where's he headed to college?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

26th round: Steve Grife, rhp, Mercyhurst

 

Steve Grife, generously listed at 6 feet, 170 pounds, has plenty of effort in his delivery, but he has handled a starter's workload the last few years. He ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Coastal Plain League last summer and went 5-1, 3.24 with 73 strikeouts in 67 innings this spring. Grife pitches off a plus fastball that he can run up to 94 mph. While his secondary stuff has improved since last year, his curveball and slider are still below-average at best. He has feel for a changeup, but he often slows down his arm when he throws it. He profiles as a reliever in pro ball, and it's unlikely a club will buy him out of his senior year at Mercyhurst.

 

BA has him as the 5th best prospect in Pennsylvania.

 

6' 177 lbs, 11/4/1986

 

BA's top 10 Coastal Plain League from last summer:

 

3. Steve Grife, rhp, Florence (Jr., Mercyhurst College, Pa.)

 

Grife led Division II Mercyhurst in ERA (2.50), wins (six), complete games (seven), innings (68) and strikeouts (78) this spring, and he emerged as the ace of league runner-up Florence's staff this summer. Grife struck out 12 in a no-hitter against Fayetteville on June 8, and he finished 4-1, 1.65 with a 55-22 strikeout-walk ratio in 49 innings. Grife is generously listed at 6-foot, 170 pounds, but he had one of the quickest arms in the CPL, running his fastball up to 94 mph and pitching in the 91-93 range. He complements it with a very good changeup that he uses against both lefthanded and righthanded hitters, and a hard curveball that can be an out pitch at times and a show pitch at others. Grife is not physical and has plenty of effort in his delivery, which he tends to come out of too early. He projects as a power reliever at the next level.

Player                 ERA   W-L   APP  GS  CG SHO/CBO SV    IP   H   R  ER  BB  SO  2B  3B  HR   AB B/Avg   WP HBP  BK  SFA SHA
14 Steve Grife......  2.50   6-5    11  11   7   2/0    0  68.1  58  24  19  19  78  11   2   3  249  .233    2   2   1    2   9

[jersey cubs fan]

Downers North sucks!

[UK1679666180]

30th round: Daniel Sheppard, C, Downers Grove North HS (Downers Grove, IL)

 

6' / 180 lbs. 2/25/1991.

 

MLB scouting video: http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4758681

 

He's rated the 5th best prospect in Illinois by BA.

 

where's he headed to college?

 

Hawkeyes.

[Guest]

Downers North sucks!

 

=D>

[Guest]

Day 3 starts tomorrow at 10:30 am CT. Rounds 31-50.

[Guest]

8 HS kids already, let's see how many sign.

[Guest]

Is there anywhere that you can search by school/conference/state in terms of draft picks?

 

Also, is there a site that tracks the kids who sign contracts?

[Guest]

Is there anywhere that you can search by school/conference/state in terms of draft picks?

 

Also, is there a site that tracks the kids who sign contracts?

 

BA will do the contracts but they can be slow on the non big bonus kids.

[Guest]

16th rounder: Keenyn Walker, of, Judge Memorial HS, Salt Lake City

 

BA rated him the 7th best prospect in Utah.

 

Outfielder Keenyn Walker is a great athlete. He runs well, has been up to 90 mph off the mound and plays football. He's a switch-hitter who has wiry strength and good bat speed, but his overall game is raw and he's expected to end up at Central Arizona CC.

 

MLB scouting video: http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?topic_id=4961152&content_id=4625607

 

He's also a CB/WR in HS. Here he is not catching a pass but "bowling over" some other guy in a HS game:

 

http://www.deseretnews.com/photos/midres/4799910.jpg

 

Salt Lake City Desert News[/url]"]Keenyn Walker, OF, Judge Memorial HS. Has tremendous athleticism, could skip school to play. Projection: 2nd day.

 

He has offers from Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington, Washington State and Boise State to play CB or S. This guy will likely have to be signed over slot.

 

EDIT:

Salt Lake Tribune[/url]"]Keenyn Walker, the all-state centerfielder from Judge Memorial, was the first state high school player taken. He was taken by the Chicago Cubs with the last pick in the 16th round. He was the 500th overall selection.

 

Walker said he wasn't sure whether he would go to college or start his pro career. He expects to speak with the Cubs soon, and will make his decision based upon what kind of contract the club offers him.

[Guest]

Tampa Bay Online[/url]"]Jefferson shortstop Chad Taylor was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 13th round (410th overall selection).

 

Taylor went in the same round as Mitchell standout left-handed pitcher Patrick Schuster, who was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 396th overall pick.

 

"Wow," Taylor said. "It feels great. It's always been my dream to play professional baseball, and to hear my name called is just amazing."

 

Taylor was among the Dragons' leaders in virtually every offensive category in 2009, hitting .342 with six doubles, six home runs and 24 RBIs. He was selected as a Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star and represented Hillsborough County in last weekend's Hillsborough-Pinellas all-star game at Tropicana Field.

 

Taylor has signed a baseball scholarship with USF. He said Wednesday he wasn't leaning one way or the other and said he'll sit down for negotiations with Cubs officials after the draft to see what can be worked out.

 

"Right now, it's up in the air where I'm going to go. It's all about the signability, the money issue," Taylor said. "For me to go professional, the money has to be right."

[Guest]

The Bloomington Pantagraph[/url]"] Decatur MacArthur outfielder and Illinois State recruit Blair Springfield was selected by the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday in the seventh round of the draft.

 

He was the 230th player taken overall. Springfield was ranked as the No. 5 high school player in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report.

 

He will need to make a decision between signing with the Cubs and reporting to the minor leagues, or enrolling at ISU in the fall. His decision is likely to come down to what kind of signing bonus the Cubs offer.

 

“I’m glad to have options,” Springfield told the Decatur Herald & Review last month. “If the money is right, I’m going to go play pro ball. If not, I’ll get my education at a great school like ISU.”

[TruffleShuffle]

illinois st is a great school?

[Guest]

BA:

 

The Cubs popped Kent State first baseman Greg Rohan in the 21st round. The hulking senior has a very wide stance, and when he’s up to bat, his teammates often cheer him on by yelling "Rut Roh" in their best Scooby Doo voice. Or maybe they’re just warning the pitcher, as Rohan hit .349/.436/.609 with 15 home runs for the Golden Flashes this year.

[Guest]

PG Crosschecker[/url]"]Sophomore outfielder Runey Davis and sophomore catcher Miles Hamblin are considered the team’s best prospects. Davis has committed to Mississippi State, Hamblin to Ole Miss. Yet both players could also edge their way into the top 5-6 rounds of the draft.

 

Davis, drafted in the 11th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007, has gotten a chance to play regularly this season after warming the bench at Texas as a freshman, and he has responded with a .357-1-12 season, along with a team-high eight stolen bases in eight attempts. Highly-athletic, Davis has been clocked in the 60 in 6.29 seconds.

 

“He’s an incredibly athletic kid,” Smith said. “He’s like Ladendorf was as a freshman in his terms of his development. He does a lot of little things OK, but just needs at-bats to get straightened out at the plate.”

[NCCubFan]

Round 17: Barrett Dail, RHP, Mt. Olive College (NC)

 

6'2 / 205 lbs. 9/30/1987

I used to teach at Mount Olive (about ten years ago). They won the Div. II national championship last year (before Dail transferred there) but graduated many players and didn't make the postseason this year.

[Little Slide Rooter]

So from what I gather, Brett Jackson is a "5 tool player". Does that sound about right? Then is it a pretty safe bet that hes riding the Orioles bench by 2013?

[sporrer17]

So from what I gather, Brett Jackson is a "5 tool player". Does that sound about right? Then is it a pretty safe bet that hes riding the Orioles bench by 2013?

 

I don't necessarily see him as a "five tool" guy unless he proves he can steal bases and hit HRs. To me, he's more of a "well rounded" type who can do a little bit of everything, but doesn't really excel in all areas either.

 

http://baseballbeginnings.com/2009/05/27/brett-jackson-qa/

 

I'm rooting for the kid, he has the right attitude about things.

[jersey cubs fan]

So from what I gather, Brett Jackson is a "5 tool player". Does that sound about right? Then is it a pretty safe bet that hes riding the Orioles bench by 2013?

 

I don't necessarily see him as a "five tool" guy unless he proves he can steal bases and hit HRs. To me, he's more of a "well rounded" type who can do a little bit of everything, but doesn't really excel in all areas either.

 

http://baseballbeginnings.com/2009/05/27/brett-jackson-qa/

 

I'm rooting for the kid, he has the right attitude about things.

 

Yeah, I don't understand how anybody can call him a 5 tool player considering he can't make much contact, can't hit for power, and by all accounts is just okay at throwing the ball. If he's 5-tool, that really devalues the concept of 5-tool, although it's a pretty worthless concept already.

[sporrer17]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but apparently the Cubs want to try Springfield at SS, 2b, 3b.

 

"Round 7, Blair Springfield, CF/SS, MacArthur (Decatur, Ill.) High School: He has signed a national letter of intent to attend Illinois State. Springfield would be tested at a number of positions, including third and second. The Cubs like his bat."

[A-Cal]

blair!?

 

lol

[Ryno is God 23]

How exactly is someone a draft eligible SOPH?

Juco for a year/red shirt?????