2013 Draft Discussion

[Guest]

All times are ET:

 

NC State vs Florida: The leading candidate for #1 overall in 2014, Carlos Rodon, will be pitching for NC State on Sunday. Jonathan Crawford will pitch Monday (if necessary). Whitson will probably come of the pen at some point if necessary. Saturday: 2 p.m. (ESPNUHD), Sunday: 1 p.m. (ESPNUHD), Monday (if necessary): 1 p.m. (ESPN2HD)

 

Stanek will pitch Sunday for Arkansas vs Baylor on ESPNU at 4 PM ET. Suck it, Jonathan Mayo - Stanek >>>> Wacha:

 

"And Ryne Stanek, I think people will be talking about him next year the way they're talking about (LSU's Kevin) Gausman now. He's just a special, special arm. I heard his last outing he was 94-98 with the fastball and commanding everything for a strike. The thing he does is it's not just the fastball, the slider is very good and he can command it very well. It's just a tremendous talent, and a guy that will be talked about in the top half of the first round next year. If he's on, and it seems he's pitching better of late, he'll be very, very tough to handle. He's a sophomore, he's gained a lot of experience. He's spent two years in the SEC, he pitched for Team USA last year. So it's the natural maturation.

 

I believe Ryan Eades will pitch (if necessary) for LSU on Sunday at 1 PM ET on ESPN2. Gausman will start tomorrow at 12 noon on ESPN2.

 

Stanford has Austin Wilson and Brian Ragira as potential first round position players (Wilson is a possible top 10 pick): Friday: 7 p.m. (ESPN2HD), Saturday: 6 p.m. (ESPN2HD) and if necessary, Sunday: 7 p.m. (ESPN2HD).

[Guest]

Jonathan Mayo on the top '13 picks: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120606&content_id=32871134&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

 

High school

 

Trey Ball, LHP/OF, New Castle HS (IN)

Zach Collins, C, American Heritage HS (FL)

Clinton Hollon, RHP, Woodford County HS (KY)

Jeremy Martinez, C, Mater Dei HS (CA)

Reese McGuire, C, Kentwood HS (WA)

Austin Meadows, OF, Grayson HS (GA)

Oscar Mercado, SS, Gaither HS (FL)

Sheldon Neuse, SS/RHP, Keller Fossil Ridge HS (TX)

Chris Rivera, SS, El Dorado HS (CA)

Justin Williams, 3B/OF, Terrebonne HS (LA)

 

College

 

Kris Bryant, 3B/1B, San Diego

Jonathan Crawford, RHP, Florida

Marco Gonzales, LHP/INF, Gonzaga

Michael Lorenzen, OF, Cal State Fullerton

Adam Plutko, RHP, UCLA

Ryne Stanek, RHP, Arkansas

Bobby Wahl, RHP, Mississippi

Karsten Whitson, RHP, Florida

Trevor Williams, RHP, Arizona State

Austin Wilson, OF, Stanford

 

I stand by my previous comment - Plutko is not a first rounder (though he's a great college pitcher).

[Guest]

Jonathan Crawford (Florida) vs Carlos Rodon (2014, NC State) had been a great pitcher's duel but now there's a rain delay in the middle of the 3rd and neither pitcher is likely to come out after the delay. :(

[Guest]

Stanek is pitching on ESPNU right now.

 

Jonathan Crawford (Florida) vs Carlos Rodon (2014, NC State) had been a great pitcher's duel but now there's a rain delay in the middle of the 3rd and neither pitcher is likely to come out after the delay. :(

 

Crawford actually pitched after a 2:23 delay. Ridiculously abusive, especially when you consider how deep Florida's bullpen is.

[RammyFanny]

Stanek went 4 and gave up 2 runs. 4 k's.

[Guest]

Stanek went 4 and gave up 2 runs. 4 k's.

 

Stanek's 2nd run was an inherited run the reliever let in. He shouldn't have been pulled when he was (only 80 pitches), especially considering Arkansas' pen ended up giving up quite some runs and the lead. They're lucky Baylor's shortstop and bullpen melted down.

[Cubswin11]

Law has a names to know for the 2013 draft article up on ESPN today, Insider only. If anyone has access to it can you at least post some of the names (don't need the full article/capsules on guys) would be nice to know who he has as some of the top guys at this point with us likely having a top 3 pick

[Guest]

Law has a names to know for the 2013 draft article up on ESPN today, Insider only. If anyone has access to it can you at least post some of the names (don't need the full article/capsules on guys) would be nice to know who he has as some of the top guys at this point with us likely having a top 3 pick

 

He didn't give a top 10 list or anything like that. Instead, he provided a list of the top college hitters, top college pitchers, top HS hitters and top HS pitchers. Many of the same names we've seen - Bryant and Stanek are the college guys at this time. Hollon the top HS arm, Meadows the top prep bat. He's yet another person to point out prep C stand out.

[davell]

To me, our perfect scenario, since it dorsn't appear to have a single top guy again, is for their to be a group of 6-8 guys, like this past year. Slightly better than this past draft. Then, assuming we're picking top 3 or so, get an underslot sign and do what Houston is in the process of doing right now.

[Guest]

To me, our perfect scenario, since it dorsn't appear to have a single top guy again, is for their to be a group of 6-8 guys, like this past year. Slightly better than this past draft. Then, assuming we're picking top 3 or so, get an underslot sign and do what Houston is in the process of doing right now.

Yeah, I think this makes a lot of sense. If those picks are very close in talent, make an offer well under slot to each (in your order of preference) and see which one takes it. Then use the balance to go after overslots the rest of the draft until you consume the balance.

[Named After Maddux]

To me, our perfect scenario, since it dorsn't appear to have a single top guy again, is for their to be a group of 6-8 guys, like this past year. Slightly better than this past draft. Then, assuming we're picking top 3 or so, get an underslot sign and do what Houston is in the process of doing right now.

Yeah, I think this makes a lot of sense. If those picks are very close in talent, make an offer well under slot to each (in your order of preference) and see which one takes it. Then use the balance to go after overslots the rest of the draft until you consume the balance.

 

I completely agree. If we could even pick up someone for about 5-5.5 million it gives us a chance to pick up another first round talent that drops due to sign ability. Right now I'd love a college pitcher like Stanek, but it's a long way off obviously.

[davell]

Yeah, Stanek is my hope right now too. But our needs can change drastically by then, so who knows? But if it lets us add another bigtime talent or two, at whatever position, I hope we go that route.

[Guest]

Dave (Chicago): Strength of the next years draft?

 

Jim Callis: I think it's comparable to the 2012 crop, which was below average. The college bats aren't anything special (again), and I don't see pitchers to rival the Appel/Gausman/Zimmer trio. There are some interesting high schoolers, but no one lights me up like Buxton, Correa or a healthy Giolito do.

[El Duderino]

Dave (Chicago): Strength of the next years draft?

 

Jim Callis: I think it's comparable to the 2012 crop, which was below average. The college bats aren't anything special (again), and I don't see pitchers to rival the Appel/Gausman/Zimmer trio. There are some interesting high schoolers, but no one lights me up like Buxton, Correa or a healthy Giolito do.

 

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/Matt_2108/jacobplain.gif

[RammyFanny]

Heard Austin Kubitza (Rice) mentioned with the top guys, and his numbers look pretty nice. Anyone (CR?) have a scouting report or know anything on him?

[Guest]

Heard Austin Kubitza (Rice) mentioned with the top guys, and his numbers look pretty nice. Anyone (CR?) have a scouting report or know anything on him?

 

The stuff is good but he had a midseason issue with mechanics and got dropped out of the weekend rotation to fix it. He rebounded at the end of the season - definitely first round talent.

[Guest]

@conorglassey A couple burners from GA here at #PGNational. Clint Frazier (who hit 24 HRs last spring) ran a 6.45 & Austin Meadows ran a 6.31!

[davell]

I hope between now and next year's draft, there are at least 3 Dylan Bundy's emerge. Granted, if it happens, we'll wind up drafting 4th. But I really want to see us wind up with a dominant starter, unless we address it before the deadline.

[RammyFanny]

@conorglassey A couple burners from GA here at #PGNational. Clint Frazier (who hit 24 HRs last spring) ran a 6.45 & Austin Meadows ran a 6.31!

Wow. In the International FA thread, people were talking about how Gustavo Cabrera's 6.34 was in Billy Hamilton territory. 6.31, if it's legit, is filthy. I've obviously heard Meadows name alot as the top prep bat, but I had no idea he was a speed demon too.

 

Buxton, who many consider to have 80 speed, was clocked at 6.4 by the Twins.

Edited June 18, 2012 by RammyFanny

[Guest]

You have to think Meadows is the favorite for 1.1 at this time. Obviously a lot can change between now and next June.

 

Ryne Stanek starts Monday against South Carolina at 8 pm CT on ESPN2.

[RammyFanny]

http://www.perfectgame.org/articles/View.aspx?article=7239

 

New article with video on Meadows.

[Guest]

Due to Hudson Randall's heat exhaustion, Jonathan Crawford came in to start the 2nd inning. The game is on ESPN2 right now. Following this game is Stanek's game.

[Guest]

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/6/26/3117536/2013-mlb-draft-just-getting-started

[Guest]

@BAHighSchool Ryne Stanek was 93-94 tonight w/ nasty slider at 86-87. Mixed in 80-81 CH. #mlbdraft

 

@keithlaw Arkansas RHP Ryne Stanek 93-96 in the first here in Durham, slider 85-87.

 

@keithlaw Stanek is with Team USA right now. "@filletofish18: @keithlaw who is he playing for this summer?"

 

Baseball America[/url]"]"I felt like I competed pretty well," Stanek said. "I threw my fastball for a strike, which is the biggest thing. I was able to throw most everything for a strike. The second inning I ran into a little trouble. I tried to get a little too fine and make too good a pitch instead of just letting them put the ball in play and get a quick out."

 

Stanek's stuff was electric. His fastball sat around 93 mph and he touched 95-96 a couple times. His slider was a swing-and-miss pitch in the mid 80s and he also mixed in a solid changeup in the low 80s. Former major league righthander and Cy Young winner Jack McDowell is working with the 18-and-under pitchers, but got a look at one of the top pitching prospects for 2013 and was impressed with what he saw.

 

"He's got electric stuff obviously and threw the ball great," McDowell said. "Lots of confidence, you can tell he has command mentally on top of having the stuff physically. How he handles himself out there is one thing I noticed today."

[NDNazareth]

Just joined the site but been reading for years. Thanks everyone for the years of informative posts and reading entertainment. I am a lifelong Cubs fan but the last few years I have struggled to find much to interest me (understandably so), I'll never waiver on the Cubs but baseball season has been more an afterthought lately. I don't like spending my time looking at the calender waiting for football season to begin so I decided lately to start tracking things outside the actual Cubs roster. I have always been aware of big time prospects like every other serious Cubs fan but now I track the minors everyday and know the majority of the prospects in the system well, with the excitement of another Cubs loser there is a silver lining and that is our placement in the 2013 draft. This is another first time interest to me, I usually know the Cubs first round pick after the fact but never explored deep into the draft pool or discussed Cubs picks before they happen. I remember wanting Mark Texiera over Prior but I'm an ND fan and that's probably what clouded my judgement, anyways I digress. I am rambling but I wanted to preface my potentially dumb post to those of you that have followed this closely for years...

 

So I have been doing all the digging I can to try and ready myself for our options potentially at #1, although Rizzo's game winning rbi's are messing with our status as worst team in baseball! Anyways I am curious what the experts on here have to say about this draft. I watched the College World series for the first time as a psuedo scout and I'm not seeing what most people are saying. That this draft (2013) is significantly stronger than 2012. Don't get me wrong I thought the 2012 draft was pretty weak up top when reading scouting reports and comparing it to recent drafts but I don't see the star power that blows this draft away. Is it natural at this point in the game that every big prospect has a big question mark somewhere in their game? Do these guys usually make that jump their draft eligible year? I ask because I am not seeing what many others are. I see solid players in Stanek, Whitson, Ficociello, Crawford, Eades, Jones, Plutko but none of those guys are the complete package that you'd expect the top pick to be. I don't see a Gerrit Cole or Trevor Bauer amongst the pitchers. I am very intrigued by Austin Wilson and he could be what Jason Heyward was supposed to be (too young to remotely close door) but he has contact issues against college pitching and is far from an ideal #1 pick. I loved what I read about Kris Bryant (never saw him play) but now I read that he has little chance to stay at 3B and will be a 1B. Those skills are greatly diminished as a 1B imo. I am very underwhelmed having watched most of those guys live and seeing their stats/scouting reports. The draft may be better overall then the 2012 draft but I don't really see more talent at the top and that's not saying much. I'm very intrigued by Austin Meadows and he would seemingly be the favorite for the first overall pick but he's a high schooler that you're projecting big time at this point. Need to see more from him his senior year but if he has the potential that everyone says he's the best pick on paper that I see but at the strongest position in our system.

 

I am a firm believer in drafting the BPA, but with Almora signed soon (hopefully) Soler, Jackson, Sczur etc do you think the Cubs potentially shy away and draft pitching? I highly doubt Hoyer and Epstein will be influenced by what we have in the system but we are so void of any pitching right now that I fear we may reach for Stanek/Whitson over a better prospect because of our deficiencies. What do you guys think is it BPA all the way or do you think it's Best Pitcher Available? I know this is a dumb question and even more stupid to question those two but our system sucks as far as pitching goes and we need a serious influx of talent.

 

Lastly how do you guys feel we should handle things if we get the #1 pick? The new draft rules create many more questions and strategies now and the Astros seemed to do very well going underslot #1. I am intrigued by that strategy, and feel that's exactly what will do if the top 5-6 players are closely lumped together like the '12 draft. If there is no player that stands above the rest I almost prefer the Cubs draft the pitcher that they feel they can sign the cheapest and then pick up another 1-2 studs later, especially if this draft is considered deep. If someone is considered the clear cut favorite, even if he isn't Harper or Strasburg I say you have to draft him regardless of position and money and figure out the rest later. That's when we have to trust our scouting department.

 

I'm sorry to ramble I'm bored as hell at work and have been thinking a lot about the '13 draft, until Rizzo came up and provided some excitement and wins. Now I'm hoping our bullpen starts blowing Rizzo's game winners! What do you guys think? Who is your preferred #1 pick?