2012 Draft Discussion

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

For some reason I keep picturing DeJesus + .20 to .30 points of batting average when I read Almora's scouting reports. Which is a pretty damn good player. He's got to sell me on the power though, every video i've seen of him (which isn't many) shows at bats where the result ends up being a typical ground ball.

 

Definitely hear you on that. Any idea if MLB teams use smokescreens during the draft? If not, wouldn't they start since the draft gets so much more press than it one did?

[Guest]

Is it possible for any high school player to be low-risk?

 

He's a lower risk than any college position player besides Zunino. It's both a compliment to how advanced he is and an indictment on this draft class.

[davell]

The PerfectGame consensus, by the way, is that Correa is the top prospect in this draft.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Matt Garrioch (minorleagueball ball and MLB Prospect Guide) put up his big board today:

 

http://mobile.minorleagueball.com/2012/5/17/3024055/2012-mlb-draft-board-5-17-12

 

I don't get why I'm not in on the Correa hype. OTOH the Cubs are extremely lucky to have an early pick because this draft is balls.

 

Highlights:

 

Zunino at 1

Appel at 11

Almora at 12

Says Correa might be the best in the draft

Stroman top 5

Buxton at 6

 

Personally I think some of the comments are a little optimistic on players. Don't really see Fried as a low-mid 90s guy long term (OK that might not be so crazy), Dahl sticking in CF...

Edited May 17, 2012 by PriortoTheoIhadWood

[RammyFanny]

For some reason I keep picturing DeJesus + .20 to .30 points of batting average when I read Almora's scouting reports. Which is a pretty damn good player. He's got to sell me on the power though, every video i've seen of him (which isn't many) shows at bats where the result ends up being a typical ground ball.

 

Definitely hear you on that. Any idea if MLB teams use smokescreens during the draft? If not, wouldn't they start since the draft gets so much more press than it one did?

I've thought about smokescreens...but I keep coming to conclude "what's the point?". There's no trade ups, i'm not really sure what the point of it would be then. I might be missing something obvious though.

[davell]

Garrioch did a great job with that. PG has been having a chat for 2 hours at this point on the draft, TONS of excellent stuff in there obviously. Giolito's dad stopped in and said Lucas will be throwing for teams very soon.

[RammyFanny]

Matt Garrioch (minorleagueball ball and MLB Prospect Guide) put up his big board today:

 

http://mobile.minorleagueball.com/2012/5/17/3024055/2012-mlb-draft-board-5-17-12

 

I don't get why I'm not in on the Correa hype.

I think alot has to do with the body, he just looks like he could develop into an Arod or Miggy type body IMO....combine that with his already solid present skills, projected improvements/future skills, and the potential starts going through the roof.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

For some reason I keep picturing DeJesus + .20 to .30 points of batting average when I read Almora's scouting reports. Which is a pretty damn good player. He's got to sell me on the power though, every video i've seen of him (which isn't many) shows at bats where the result ends up being a typical ground ball.

 

Definitely hear you on that. Any idea if MLB teams use smokescreens during the draft? If not, wouldn't they start since the draft gets so much more press than it one did?

I've thought about smokescreens...but I keep coming to conclude "what's the point?". There's no trade ups, i'm not really sure what the point of it would be then. I might be missing something obvious though.

 

Just to throw out disinformation amongst the information...kind of like the news today...No point in doing it but it gets people talking and maybe some buy what someone else wants them to buy.

[davell]

Matt Garrioch (minorleagueball ball and MLB Prospect Guide) put up his big board today:

 

http://mobile.minorleagueball.com/2012/5/17/3024055/2012-mlb-draft-board-5-17-12

 

I don't get why I'm not in on the Correa hype.

 

It didn't hit me til the end of the damn chat to ask about Selman and they didn't get to it, by the way. They'll have another chat next week though.

 

Odd implications on Dylan Baker, by the way, or at least that's how I took it. I asked if he's one of the highest upside guys around for the comp round and the response was scouts aren't sure why or how he's gotten better, only that he has and has taken an odd road to get where he's at basically and scouts don't like things that aren't neatly wrapped. But yes, he's certainly got upside was the gist of the response. So now, I'm definitely intrigued about him, to see what ANY of that actually means.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Matt Garrioch (minorleagueball ball and MLB Prospect Guide) put up his big board today:

 

http://mobile.minorleagueball.com/2012/5/17/3024055/2012-mlb-draft-board-5-17-12

 

I don't get why I'm not in on the Correa hype.

I think alot has to do with the body, he just looks like he could develop into an Arod or Miggy type body IMO....combine that with his already solid present skills, projected improvements/future skills, and the potential starts going through the roof.

 

Just feel like guys like ARod and even Machado were in the conversation for 1-1 for a lot longer. Hell, there was probably jokes about an ARod sweepstakes. Don't really have this with Correa.

[davell]

One thing to remember about Correa, is he doesn't turn 18 until September 22. He's close to a year younger than quite a few of his high school draft class, making the projection factor that much larger.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

One thing to remember about Correa, is he doesn't turn 18 until September 22. He's close to a year younger than quite a few of his high school draft class, making the projection factor that much larger.

 

That is his advantage but he's really only 5 months younger than Almora, the other top high school position player. Both were born in 1994 (April and September). Age is a factor but eh, not a huge advantage.

[Guest]

One thing to remember about Correa, is he doesn't turn 18 until September 22. He's close to a year younger than quite a few of his high school draft class, making the projection factor that much larger.

 

That is his advantage but he's really only 5 months younger than Almora, the other top high school position player. Both were born in 1994 (April and September). Age is a factor but eh, not a huge advantage.

Ahem...Buxton

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

One thing to remember about Correa, is he doesn't turn 18 until September 22. He's close to a year younger than quite a few of his high school draft class, making the projection factor that much larger.

 

That is his advantage but he's really only 5 months younger than Almora, the other top high school position player. Both were born in 1994 (April and September). Age is a factor but eh, not a huge advantage.

Ahem...Buxton

 

Oops. League of his own?

[davell]

Buxton's birthday is 12-18-93. I know that's not what you're getting at Tim, but there is 9 months difference between him and Correa. That's pretty sizable. Don't get me wrong, Buxton would be my choice of the 3, but it ain't happening. And it's certainly plausible that either Correa or Almora wind up being better longterm.

[Guest]

Yesterday, Fried threw a shutout with 10 Ks with midseason velocity readings.

[iowahawkeyes89]

Yesterday, Fried threw a shutout with 10 Ks with midseason velocity readings.

 

 

Such a tease

 

I prefer Fried over Zimmer or Wacha

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Yesterday, Fried threw a shutout with 10 Ks with midseason velocity readings.

 

 

Such a tease

 

I prefer Fried over Zimmer or Wacha

 

Definitely...still probably the 5th HS player in the draft after Buxton, Giolito, Correa, and Almora so not sure how real of an option he is. Then again, he's the #2 HS pitcher and the big lefty so that helps make him more of a conceivable option than he is.

[Guest]

Theo is at Duke today, taking in Marcus Stroman.

 

Stroman wasn't that good yesterday: 7 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 9 K.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Didn't even realize the Cubs had 5 picks in the first 102 and the 4 in the first 70. I've been too nice to Jim Hendry lately, but once again I have to commend him on not leaving a super mega organizational overhaul for Theo and friends to undertake.

 

OTOH, I do fault him for the Prior career fiasco that I personally think cost the Cubs of the 2000's at least one WS. Whatever happened there happened because homework wasn't done.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Minorleagueball mock had the Cubs take:

 

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/5/18/3008041/2012-mlb-mock-draft-the-first-10-rounds#storyjump

 

Much of this was randomly generated by assigning a range where I expect each player to be taken. I randomly generated a number in that range, then sorted it. It makes some teams draft seem odd but it's an idea of how things could fall. This is more of an exercise in where players could go than putting deep thought into 300+ picks. Don't tear me up too much :) Enjoy!

 

6: Carlos Correa

43: Mitchell Travor (6'7 240 HS RH who might have hit 95 and does have strong athleticism on the mound)

56: Alex Bregman (HS SS moved to catcher. Check this swing out:

- Due to his old and new position might get compared to Justin O'Connor, a Rays C prospect who was also rumored to be an option for the Cubs in whatever draft that was)

68: Kyle Hansen (6'8" pitcher from St. John's who might be the brother of the other Hansen, a hard throwing reliever bust, from the same school)

102: Matt Reynolds (Arkansas 3B who seems likeable)

135: Daniel Stalwart (6'3 210 RH HS arm)

165: Stephen Francis (HS OF)

195: Ronnie Freeman (Kennesaw State C, sounds familiar but not remembering anything right now)

225: Cameron Perkins (Purdue 3B)

255: Cody Johnson (HS RHP, looks athletic? I know nothing)

285: Max White (Oklahoma University junior 1B)

315: Scott Firth (Clemson P)

 

Hunter Virant went after our pick at 43 if anyone wants to make that an issue. I'd like a projectable LH arm in the system like that.

[davell]

If Hendry were still here though, my honest guess is we would have kept Aramis, not offered arb to Pena, and signed one of Pujols or Fielder, taking away our 2nd rounder.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

If Hendry were still here though, my honest guess is we would have kept Aramis, not offered arb to Pena, and signed one of Pujols or Fielder, taking away our 2nd rounder.

 

Well yeah, that's the only way to make that choice seem sane. The overall point is that Hendry handled the long decided decision to overhaul the image and FO as well as you possibly can. I'll even go as far as saying its a big part of why he ended up being hired by a top tier organization after his days here. It's an impressive thing away from the Internet, which might give half a crap.

 

Of course this really comes down to the guy who's going to go down as the best thing to happen to the Cubs in ever, Tom Ricketts.

[Guest]

Hunter Virant went after our pick at 43 if anyone wants to make that an issue. I'd like a projectable LH arm in the system like that.

 

I've heard Hunter Virant will be a tough sign.

[davell]

Speaking of lefties, is AJ Vanegas draft eligible? Garrioch keeps putting him in his stuff, but I don't see him elsewhere. If so, he'd be a solid lefty to add to the mix in the top 100 or so picks, wouldn't he?