2012 Draft Discussion

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Fried has been down around 87-90 the last few starts, topping out at 92.

 

Kershaw he is not.

[Guest]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-preview/2012/2613405.html

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/draft/draft-preview/2012/2613406.html

 

BA's final top 50 is out.

 

1. Buxton

2. Zunino

3. Zimmer

4. Appel

5. Gausman

6. Correa

7. Almora

8. Wacha

9. Giolito

10. Stroman

11. Fried

12. Dahl

13. McCullers

14. Marrero

15. Hawkins

[Guest]

Fried has been down around 87-90 the last few starts, topping out at 92.

 

Kershaw he is not.

 

Well, of course not. Kershaw would have been a slam dunk #1 in this year's draft.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Fried has been down around 87-90 the last few starts, topping out at 92.

 

Kershaw he is not.

 

Well, of course not. Kershaw would have been a slam dunk #1 in this year's draft.

 

I like where BA ranked him. I don't view Fried as a top 10 guy. I don't like HS arms who's curveball is better than their fastball, even if there is the argument for projection. I remember guys like Everts, Gruler, Pawelek to a point...who else...Chaz Roe...IIRC Fried also lacks the cartoon stats you want from a top 10 HS pick.

[jersey cubs fan]

Houston Astros

Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford

 

The Astros' decision is still apparently up in the air, but the general feeling is that they'll take the college arm over the higher-upside, higher-risk outfielder, Byron Buxton … or that they'll take the best player who'll cut a deal below the $7.2 million slot figure and transfer the money to later picks.

Minnesota Twins

Byron Buxton, OF, Appling County H.S. (Baxley, Ga.)

 

They were presumed to be on San Francisco right-hander Kyle Zimmer until the past few weeks, when Zimmer's velocity slipped and he missed a start with a hamstring injury. Appel seems to be the other option here, or perhaps prep right-hander Lucas Giolito now that teams are getting more and more comfortable with reports on his elbow injury, which caused him to miss most of the year.

 

Seattle Mariners

Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake H.S. (Studio City, Calif.)

 

They were supposedly on Florida catcher Mike Zunino, but now the word is they want pitching and are on Giolito, Max Fried (Giolito's high school teammate) and Oklahoma State southpaw Andrew Heaney. But I'm also hearing Puerto Rican prep shortstop Carlos Correa is a possibility. It's worth noting that their first-round pick last year, Danny Hultzen, stunned almost everyone, so if we think the Mariners are on someone, they probably are not.

 

Baltimore Orioles

Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU

 

Baltimore is looking for the best player available; that could be Gausman, who I currently have ranked as the top pitcher in the draft, or Correa or any of the players named above, although the Orioles are not really linked to Giolito.

 

Kansas City Royals

Mike Zunino, C, Florida

I've heard them on Gausman, and every college arm, and of course, they'd look at Buxton if he fell. They've also been camped out on hard-throwing prep right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. for his past few outings, when he has been peaking at just the right time.

 

Chicago Cubs

Albert Almora, CF, Mater Academy Charter (Hialeh Gardens, Fla.)

 

The Cubs also have their eyes California prep lefty Fried and Puerto Rico's Correa. Almora, who has an advanced feel for hitting and good range in center, is the likely favorite here.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Whoa thanks for posting the mock. No shock at Appel eventually being the #1 pick. I would accept that...instantly becomes the best OF prospect in the system and maybe even the best bat prospect with Baez. I think Almora could potentially develop into anywhere from a 1-3 hitter in a lineup and lock down CF for a decade+.

 

I really want to jump in on Correa's bandwagon, but I'm wondering if he's actually as good as the names being tossed with him. He does look legit defensively, and since he moves so well I wonder if I underrate his bat in the long term.

[CP_414]

I know they have a lot more info than I do, but I'm going to be disappointed if Correa and Zimmer are available and the Cubs take Almora. Not that I dislike Almora, I'd be thrilled with him if the Cubs picked 8th-10th. Correa sounds like he has more star potential, and Zimmer could be a very good MLB pitcher by Opening Day 2014. The idea of adding Hamels (I hope) to Garza and Shark, then following it up by adding one of the 3 top college pitchers in this draft to the rotation by September 2013 is tempting.

 

Edited because I typed like I never passed a 7th grade english class

[davell]

Thanks for posting that Jersey. I'd be OK with Almora there. Think I'd take Correa personally, but see both sides.

[El Duderino]

Are there any conceivable picks at 6 that would piss people off at this point?

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Are there any conceivable picks at 6 that would piss people off at this point?

 

I'm not big on Zimmer or Fried, but they're two guys with enough love elsewhere that they could shut me up.

 

Uuuuum...Heaney?

 

I pretty much believe that there's very little chance they f it up at 6.

[Guest]

Callis and Law now both have had the Cubs pass on Correa for Almora. I'd prefer Correa or Zimmer but I can see the rationale.

 

Surprised to see Giolito go #3.

[davell]

In this scenario, I could see KC taking Zimmer, which would drop Zunino to us.

[Guest]

I predict Buxton will fall to us.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Thoughts on Vaderbilt LHP Sam Selman? He's someone I like for the secnod or third pick. Don't like him as much as Garvin or Minor, but he does have talent.

[iowahawkeyes89]

This draft class is so "meh" that hardly any pick would really piss me off.

 

I still think Richie Shaffer is going to be that guy in this class that we look back on and shake our heads. (that is if our pick doesn't pan out)

[toonsterwu]

I know they have a lot more info than I do, but I'm going to be disappointed if Correa and Zimmer are available and the Cubs take Almora. Not that I dislike Almora, I'd be thrilled with him if the Cubs picked 8th-10th. Correa sounds like he has more star potential, and Zimmer could be a very good MLB pitcher by Opening Day 2014. The idea of adding Hamels (I hope) to Garza and Shark, then following it up by adding one of the 3 top college pitchers in this draft to the rotation by September 2013 is tempting.

 

Edited because I typed like I never passed a 7th grade english class

 

If they have Almora and Correa with close grades, then the fact that Correa is so similar to Baez could become a factor. Now, if the grades are fairly different, I'd hope they'd go for the guy with the clear-cut higher grade. But if it's close, Baez could be a factor and CF is somewhat of an area of concern in the lower ranks. After all, our current CF depth won't really impact things here - by the time Almora is ready, Jackson and Szczur, if they were up, would be in their mid-late 20's.

[davell]

Thoughts on Vaderbilt LHP Sam Selman? He's someone I like for the secnod or third pick. Don't like him as much as Garvin or Minor, but he does have talent.

 

 

He's a little too risky for me THAT early. Has he figured it out? His last month or so, it seems like it's possible for sure. At any rate, it's come at the best time for him obviously. Even though I said he's too risky for me, my honest guess is he's gone before we get around to our 1st supplemental pick.

[CP_414]

I know they have a lot more info than I do, but I'm going to be disappointed if Correa and Zimmer are available and the Cubs take Almora. Not that I dislike Almora, I'd be thrilled with him if the Cubs picked 8th-10th. Correa sounds like he has more star potential, and Zimmer could be a very good MLB pitcher by Opening Day 2014. The idea of adding Hamels (I hope) to Garza and Shark, then following it up by adding one of the 3 top college pitchers in this draft to the rotation by September 2013 is tempting.

 

Edited because I typed like I never passed a 7th grade english class

 

If they have Almora and Correa with close grades, then the fact that Correa is so similar to Baez could become a factor. Now, if the grades are fairly different, I'd hope they'd go for the guy with the clear-cut higher grade. But if it's close, Baez could be a factor and CF is somewhat of an area of concern in the lower ranks. After all, our current CF depth won't really impact things here - by the time Almora is ready, Jackson and Szczur, if they were up, would be in their mid-late 20's.

 

I suppose it depends on if they think Correa will stick at SS. It sounds like there have been some encouraging reports on Baez's glove at short this spring, but it is probably still doubtful he is a SS long term. I wouldn't be pissed if they take Almora. He sounds like a great CF prospect. I would just prefer the great SS prospect to the great CF prospect. So if they see Correa ending up at 3B like Baez, then Almora wouldn't be a bad way to go at all.

[Cubswin11]

I predict Buxton will fall to us.

I'm still pissed we played so well in Aug and Sept last year that we squandered a top 3 pick to be in a better spot to get him.

[El Duderino]

I predict Buxton will fall to us.

I'm still pissed we played so well in Aug and Sept last year that we squandered a top 3 pick to be in a better spot to get him.

 

wasn't that 2010?

[Cubswin11]

I predict Buxton will fall to us.

I'm still pissed we played so well in Aug and Sept last year that we squandered a top 3 pick to be in a better spot to get him.

 

wasn't that 2010?

Might of done it then too, but we went 34-36 overall in the 2nd half last year and 16-13 in August and 12-13 in September. Not that 18-16 is playing that well, but it's not bad either all we had to do was lose 4-5 more games to lock up a top 3 pick.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

He's a little too risky for me THAT early. Has he figured it out? His last month or so, it seems like it's possible for sure. At any rate, it's come at the best time for him obviously. Even though I said he's too risky for me, my honest guess is he's gone before we get around to our 1st supplemental pick.

 

What's risky about him? What about that risk is more risky than other guys?

 

I still think Richie Shaffer is going to be that guy in this class that we look back on and shake our heads. (that is if our pick doesn't pan out)

 

I like Shaffer too, just felt like saying it. Good size, solid athleticism, good bat speed, and the tools to play 3B...He's similarly athletic to Vitters IMO, and has a similar body...actually might offer a similar ceiling to what Vitters' might be at this point...I'm comparing him to Vitters here but I doubt we hear anything about his work ethic/maturity level being poor like Vitters would admit to.

[Guest]

He's a little too risky for me THAT early. Has he figured it out? His last month or so, it seems like it's possible for sure. At any rate, it's come at the best time for him obviously. Even though I said he's too risky for me, my honest guess is he's gone before we get around to our 1st supplemental pick.

 

What's risky about him? What about that risk is more risky than other guys?

 

I still think Richie Shaffer is going to be that guy in this class that we look back on and shake our heads. (that is if our pick doesn't pan out)

 

I like Shaffer too, just felt like saying it. Good size, solid athleticism, good bat speed, and the tools to play 3B...He's similarly athletic to Vitters IMO, and has a similar body...actually might offer a similar ceiling to what Vitters' might be at this point...I'm comparing him to Vitters here but I doubt we hear anything about his work ethic/maturity level being poor like Vitters would admit to.

 

If Shaffer's ceiling is comparable to Vitters' at this point, Shaffer wouldn't be considered a first rounder.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

If Shaffer's ceiling is comparable to Vitters' at this point, Shaffer wouldn't be considered a first rounder.

 

Well relative to this mediocrity heap of a draft he might be, but yes there has been talk that he might be overrated on the internet. I've read things like "well a solid average 3B is a good player" in connection with Shaffer.

 

I think he's a likeable talent who falls firmly into the "not at 6" category.

[davell]

To me, Selman is risky because of his lack of results. Yes, he's put it together in the last month or so. Personally, I like seeing more of a resume than that from a college junior. But that's just me. And I clearly question myself on that thinking, because if I think he may be gone before we pick in the 40's, I acknowledge others may see things differently., especially since he's still not even cracking BA's top 100 yet. I figure he's the 3rd college lefty off the board, behind Heaney and Wood.