2012 Draft Day Thread + Cubs Picks Discussion

[Guest]

26tb rounder Jassvir Rakkar just have up a HR in the 11th to LSU. It's on ESPN2.

Thus marking the third consecutive inning Stony Brook couldn't hold a 1-run lead to end the game.

 

Which incredibly frustrating for me if UCLA advances to Omaha.

[davell]

Lance Rymel is signed.

[Wrigley Rat]

Might already be posted, but Nathan Dorris signed.

 

http://thesouthern.com/news/local/salukis-dorris-stoner-sign-pro-baseball-contracts/article_ce263c4c-b1c5-11e1-be49-001a4bcf887a.html?comment_form=true

[Guest]

Albert Almora (rd 1):

 

Almora is a latter-day A.J. Hinch in that he has become a go-to player for USA Baseball national teams from a young age. Almora was USA Baseball's 2011 athlete of the year after being MVP of the 18-and-under Pan American Championships in Colombia in November 2011. He tied Hinch's USA Baseball record by playing on his sixth national team, and scouts love his grinder approach and in-game savvy. What's more, Almora has outstanding tools. The Miami signee, in one scout's words, "has no issues. He's got above-average tools everywhere, and they all play. He has tools and he uses them." He doesn't turn in blazing times when he runs in showcases (generally he's a 6.8-second runner in the 60), but his game instincts help him steal bases and cover plenty of ground in center field. Scouts consider his defense major league-ready right now, with plus grades for his accurate throwing arm. With natural hitting rhythm and plenty of bat speed, Almora is a line-drive machine with a loose swing who stays inside the ball, relishes velocity and handles spin. He should have 20-homer power down the line, sufficient if he slows down and can't play center, and a definite bonus if (as expected) he stays in the middle garden. He plays the game with both ease and energy and may have some projection left in his athletic 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame. The Miami signee is considered one of the draft's safer picks and could sneak into the first 10 selections.

 

Pierce Johnson (rd 1s):

 

Few colleges can match Missouri State's recent track record for producing pitchers. Since 2001, the Bears have had three hurlers drafted in the first or sandwich rounds and sent a total of seven to the big leagues. The next in line is Johnson, who started to come on at the end of his sophomore season a year ago and ranked sixth in NCAA Division I in strikeouts per nine innings (11.5) in mid-May. The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder misses bats with a lively 92-93 mph fastball that reaches 96 mph and a hard three-quarters breaking ball. He'll mix in an 86-87 mph cutter a few times per game and has improved his feel for his changeup. While scouts have no quibbles with Johnson's stuff, they do have some concerns, most notably his health. He missed two starts this spring with a forearm strain, an issue that also cropped up in high school and during the fall of his freshman year. He wasn't as sharp in his first three starts after his layoff, which could drop him from the first round to the supplemental first. He also dislocated a knee while warming up in the bullpen last summer in the Cape Cod League, and missed much of his high school senior season after breaking his hand on a comebacker. Johnson has just decent control and command, though he has improved in both regards this year. He also can fall in love with his breaking ball a bit too much.

 

Paul Blackburn (rd 1s):

 

Blackburn stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 180 pounds. He is a good athlete and shows a clean delivery that he repeats well. His fastball sits in the 90-92 mph range and tops out at 94. Scouts can still project on Blackburn. His curveball and changeup show promise and he could eventually have three plus pitches. Because of his athleticism and smooth mechanics, scouts believe he will also eventually pitch with above-average control and command. He shows good feel and poise on the mound, too. Blackburn has consistently pitched well throughout the spring and is interested in professional baseball, so scouts don't believe he'll wind up at Arizona State, where he has committed.

 

Duane Underwood (2):

 

A Georgia signee, Underwood has plenty going for him. He has a quick arm and athletic frame at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, and if he winds up in Athens, he has a chance to contribute as both a hitter (he's a solid-average runner) and on the mound. He's young for the draft class as well, as he turns 18 in July. Pro scouts see him as a pitcher and a potential first-rounder on the right day, but that had not happened often enough in his senior season. Underwood at his best has a fastball that sits in the 91-94 mph range and touches 97-98. He has shown the ability to spin a breaking ball, though his curve often is soft in the 73-75 mph range and he tends to overthrow it. He has a firm but effective changeup, and this spring it has been his best pitch, in part because it's the pitch he controls the best. Underwood's fastball command has been erratic this spring, and his velocity often drops off quickly into the 87-92 mph range, and he hasn't shown much feel for pitching this spring. His mechanics are sound, though at times he loses his tempo and rushes his delivery. Scouts also want to see him handle adversity better. Scouts like Underwood and he had some supplemental-round buzz, but his inconsistent spring could knock him back a bit.

 

Ryan McNeil (3):

 

The athletic McNeil started slowly this spring after playing basketball into mid-February, but his stock has been on the rebound. Early in the spring, his mechanics, command and fastball velocity were off and his slider was flat. His velocity picked back up down the stretch, sitting at 90-91 mph and touching 93 at times, and he has a chance to pitch with a solid-average fastball as he adds strength to his 6-foot-3 frame. He has done a better job staying on top of the ball lately, lending his fastball more life and improving his command. His slider shows flashes of being a solid-average pitch with good shape, but other times it gets slurvy or flat. He also has improved his feel for a changeup, though it's still a work in progress like the rest of his repertoire. Some clubs soured on McNeil early in the spring, but a team that likes his frame, athleticism and arm strength could take him around the fifth round and try to buy him out of a commitment to Long Beach State.

 

Josh Conway (4):

 

Conway was on his way to being an early-round pick before leaving a start against Liberty and needing Tommy John surgery. Against the Flames, scouts were buzzing as Conway was sitting 94-96 early with a nasty slider, but he left in the fourth inning and his fastball was down into the high 80s. Signs point to him being a reliever because of his slight, 6-foot, 175-pound frame and inverted elbow, but when he's healthy he has the makings of two plus pitches. He was 4-1, 2.14 with 50 strikeouts and 18 walks in 55 innings.

 

Anthony Prieto (5):

 

Prieto barely pitched in high school until his junior season and joined his first travel team last summer, when he reportedly reached the mid-90s at a tournament in Phoenix. Scouts haven't seen that kind of velocity out of the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder this season, when he missed the first six weeks with a forearm strain. Since returning, Prieto mostly has dealt fastballs at 88-90 mph. Though he's not physical, he generates his heat with an effortless delivery that allows him to throw strikes with three pitches. Both his changeup and curveball show promise. He has signed with Howard (Texas) JC.

[Guest]

Trey Lang (6):

 

Lang played both ways at Skyline High in Mesa, Ariz., and at Northern Illinois before transferring closer to home at Gateway CC. Head coach Rob Shabansky saw Lang as an outfielder with power potential, but when he ran short on pitchers during fall ball asked if Lang wanted to take the mound. His first pitch was clocked at 93 mph, and Shabansky knew that's where Lang belonged. Lang has a sturdy, muscular build at 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, after trimming down from 260 pounds at Northern Illinois. Lang has continued to play both ways for the Geckos and served as their closer this year, so he was sometimes tough for scouts to see. His fastball was in the 92-94 mph range and topped out at 96 at its best, and his slider was a wipeout pitch, but his stuff faded down the stretch. His fastball was in the 87-90 mph range and his slider wasn't as firm. That's understandable given his inexperience on the mound and the fact that he was also spending time in the outfield and at DH. A team that is patient with Lang could wind up with a quality bullpen arm. He is committed to New Mexico but most scouts think he'll sign.

 

Steve Bruno (7):

 

At 5-foot-9, 165 pounds, Bruno doesn't look like a typical middle-of-the-order hitter, but he was the Cavaliers' leading hitter heading into regionals with a .362/.418/.549 line. His size is his biggest detractor as he isn't overwhelmed by velocity and is a solid runner. He's capable of playing third base, shortstop and second base so he could be a solid utility player at the pro level.

 

Chadd Krist (9):

 

Krist is a senior who shows good athleticism and agility behind the plate. He has a strong arm, but his bat is light, which makes him profile best as a backup in pro ball.

 

Chad Martin (10):

 

While Martin has size (6-foot-7, 240 pounds), arm strength (he can hit 95 mph) and the ability to spin the ball, he has yet to parlays those assets into consistent success. He'll pitch at 90-93 mph with his fastball early in games but dip quickly into the low 80s. His curveball and slider have their moments but lack consistency. His control and command regressed in 2012, and scouts wish he has more deception in his delivery and fire in his belly. He spent his first two college seasons at Vincennes (Ind.) JC.

 

Justin Amlung (12):

 

After an all-star summer in the Cape Cod League, Amlung agreed to terms as a 39th-round pick with the Reds only to have the deal fall apart over the club's insistence that the contract begin with the 2012 season. So he returned for his redshirt junior season at Louisville, where he ended the regular season ranked second in career wins (23) and ERA (2.74). Not bad for a player who didn't get a chance to walk on with the Cardinals until they lost recruit Jake Odorizzi to the Brewers as a sandwich-rounder in the 2008 draft. A catcher in high school, Amlung redshirted in his first year on campus. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder's fastball has improved a tick or two in velocity this spring, sitting at 91-92 mph and touching 94. He backs his heater up with an average slider and a so-so changeup. His arm action is short and stiff, but it doesn't prevent him from commanding his pitches. He relishes pitching inside and does a nice job of missing bats.

 

Bijan Rademacher (13):

A Cal State Fullerton bounceback, Rademacher had a strong spring with the bat for Orange Coast, and he is a legitimate prospect as both a pitcher and position player. While he has pitched sparingly for OCC, he is most intriguing to pro scouts on the mound thanks to his 92-94 mph fastball. He has little feel for pitching at this stage and needs to develop secondary stuff as well as command. As a position player, he has athleticism and strength in his lefthanded swing, but his arm is his most intriguing asset. Rademacher is committed to Oral Roberts.

 

Carlos Escobar (15):

 

Escobar has a sturdy, 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame and his calling card is his defense behind the plate. He receives and blocks well. His pure arm strength is just average, but he has a really quick transfer that allows it to play up. Escobar needs to work on his pitch calling, but unfortunately that's true of most college catchers these days. He has a quiet setup and a simple hitting mechanics, but his swing can get long at times. Escobar hit just .284/.371/.467, though with 14 doubles. Escobar did well with wood last summer in the Northwoods League, batting .345/.433/.533 with 16 doubles and seven home runs over 197 at-bats. Escobar was a 41st-round pick by the Astros out of Chatsworth (Calif.) High in 2009, where he was teammates with Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas two years prior.

[Guest]

Mike Hamann (16):

 

Hamann is more attractive as a prospect than his 5.80 ERA might indicate. He was slow to regain his form after arthroscopic shoulder surgery truncated his breakout sophomore season in 2011, but he recorded a 2.12 ERA over his final five starts as Toledo won the Mid-American Conference Western Division. When he's at his best, he can sit at 90-93 mph and touch 95 with his fastball deep into ballgames. At times, he'll work at 87-92 mph and not hold his velocity, so he needs to add strength to his 6-foot-3, 163-pound frame. He throws a pair of inconsistent breaking balls, with his slider ranking ahead of his curve and showing some late action when it's working well. His fastball command wavers as well. Though Hamann will get a chance to start in pro ball, his future may be as a reliever.

 

Nathan Dorris (17):

 

Dorris ran his fastball to 91 mph and threw his breaking ball for strikes when he was one of the state's top high school prospects in 2009, earning a scholarship from Vanderbilt. He lasted one semester with the Commodores and spent 2010-11 at Rend Lake (Ill.) CC, where his stuff and command regressed. Scouts still see him as a tease, but he pitched better down the stretch this spring, flashing some 90-91 mph fastballs and effective curveballs.

 

Damek Tomscha (19):

 

The most dangerous hitter on an Iowa Western team that made its sixth straight trip to the Junior College World Series, Tomscha batted .446 with nearly as many homers (15) as strikeouts (18) through the regional playoffs. He's a strong 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds, though some scouts question whether the righthanded hitter will provide enough offense for third base when he faces better competition. He's a fringy runner but not a bad athlete, and he has improved defensively at the hot corner this spring. He has been clocked at 90-92 mph off the mound and 95 across the infield, and a number of clubs would like to try him on the mound, but he has had no interest in converting to the mound. Catching is another intriguing possibility. Drafted in the 50th round by the Phillies out of high school and in the 36th round last year by the Marlins, Tomscha will get selected again this June. If he doesn't turn pro, he'll transfer to Auburn.

 

Steve Perkaslis (21):

 

While his teammate Jeff Gibbs has the arm strength and size of a righthanded prospect, Perakslis was the one that had better results for Maine. He's solidly built at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, and has a solid fastball that gets up to 93. He didn't show a true breaking ball this year, but that may have been hampered by a blister he had this spring. His changeup is average.

 

Jake Drossner (23):

 

Part of Maryland's strong recruiting class, Drossner did not have a good spring and is likely headed to school. In the past he has shown a high-80s fastball that touches 90 mph, to go with a curveball that is at its best when in the mid-70s but gets loopy at times. He also mixes in a changeup.

 

Rhett Wiseman (25):

 

Wiseman caught the eye of scouts on the showcase circuit last summer with his premium bat speed and athleticism, but he's far from a finished product. He stands at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds with a chiseled physique, and he's a tireless worker with exceptional makeup. While scouts love his athleticism and raw tools, he swings and misses too often. He hasn't dominated against modest competition this spring, and he still has a lot to learn. He has made adjustments to his stance by adopting a wider base and putting more weight on his back leg, but he needs to learn to use the whole field and keep his body under control. He is a plus runner and should be a legitimate center fielder. He has a below-average arm now, but his motion is awkward so it could get straightened out with better instruction. He served as class president, excelled at an academically rigorous high school and is committed to Vanderbilt, so he figures to be a tough sign if he doesn't go in the top two rounds.

 

Ben Carhart (35):

 

Smallish infielder Ben Carhart was once again the team's top hitter and should be a solid organizational player with gap power and good arm strength.

 

Clayton Crum (37):

 

Crum was the No. 2 pitcher behind Matt Purke at Klein (Texas) High before he blew out his elbow, had Tommy John surgery in 2009 and missed most of his senior season. He didn't get on the mound in his freshman year at Texas but emerged as the No. 2 starter at Howard this spring. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Crum lacks consistency after hardly pitching the past two years, but at his best he'll throw a 90-94 mph fastball and flash a good slider and an average changeup. His fastball dips to 86-89 mph at times and can get straight. He'll need to refine his pitches and improve his control and command, but some scouts believe he has more upside than any member of the Hawks' talented pitching staff. He has committed to Oregon.

 

Hassan Evans (38):

 

Primarily a position player, Evans' pro future is on the mound. He resembles Edwin Jackson physically and has flashed a mid-90s fastball in the past, though he doesn't always know where it's going.

[Named After Maddux]

#MLBDraft: #Stetson C/3B Ben Carhart (Palm Beach Gardens alum) to sign with #Cubs. http://bit.ly/MkqR3J

 

In Raisin's post above (Courtesy of BA), Carhart is on the smaller side and a College Senior destined to be, most likely, an organizational player. No terms announced, but probably nothing of consequence.

 

Edit: 35th round

[Named After Maddux]

Interesting story concerning the number 67 pick in the draft (ended up becoming Duane Underwood).

With the pick Sam Gillikin was apparently called by Cubs FO and asked if he would sign for, presumably, 800,000 slot. I hadn't seen this story anywhere. It was another high upside talent, who was almost drafted twice in the first round (21 and 26).

 

http://www.ihigh.com/hoover/article_125574.html

 

If we called him and he turned it down, hopefully that means Underwood was called and they roughly agreed to something.

[UMFan83]

Is it common to draft so many prospects that have converted from position player to pitcher? It seems like 2 out of every 3 scouting reports that Raisin posted mentioned a conversion from hitter to pitcher. If its not, is it a specific strategy by Theo and co to draft players that are possibly undervalued because of their relative newness to pitching?

[Guest]

FWIW, Wiseman seems really happy to have been drafted by the Cubs.

 

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/baseball/other_mlb/view/20220607cubs_select_wiseman_late/srvc=sports&position=also

 

“I was actually walking into the tuxedo shop, picking up my tux for my prom tonight when I got the call,” the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year said.

 

Though he was scooped up by the Cubs more than 20 rounds after he was projected to be taken — he was ranked as the 136th best prospect by Baseball America — the center fielder was ecstatic just to be drafted.

 

“You work your whole life to get drafted as a baseball player,” Wiseman said. “I was so honored, I was so humbled, and the Cubs are a great organization. I’m just so impressed with the people that run the Cubs from behind the scenes and the organization itself. To know that I was drafted by a team like the Cubs — not only a respected organization, but run by very, very respectable people — I was definitely humbled.”

 

Wiseman, who committed to Vanderbilt when he was 15 and plans on playing for the Commodores next year, was hitting .444 with eight home runs, 24 RBI and 26 runs scored for BB&N through last Friday. The 6-foot-2 senior noted he would be wearing an unconventional item in all of his prom pictures.

 

“I’ll show up to prom pictures with my Cubbies hat on, and it’s going to be tough for anyone to take it off my head tonight, that’s for sure.”

 

Not shocking that a kid from Massachusetts is impressed with Theo and company.

[Guest]

Craig, I know you've asked this before but Jim Callis tweeted today that college tuition money does not count against the draft bonus pool.

[craig]

Thanks, cal. That changes things. Maples/Dunston superslots have been rare, and won't be impacted.

 

But there have been no HS/JC kids who have signed for $100K or less for years. Many have signed for list of $125-250. Jensen, McNutt, Gallagher, Pugliese, Geiger, Martin, Kurcz, Reed, Acosta, Fitzgerald, Struck, and many others who signed and never did much. But there has been a volume of signings, some of whom have merited real interest/hope for at least a while. I think routinely those deals included $25K/year, or something like that, for scholarship.

 

So if scholarships are still included, HS guys like Crawford/Hickman and JC's like HOffner/Tomscha my well be signable at $200/$175 deals. Comparable to what's been slot for HS/JC guys in recent years, and if those have been attractive enough to sign many guys in recent years, I don't see why they wouldn't be attractive enough to sign many this year too. Even without costing against the cap.

 

And if you could save a couple hundred K of cap money to spend on 11-40 guys, you might be able to sign even more.

 

Kind of explains why we spend like 14 picks on HS/JC's after round 5. I'd originally thought that there might essentially be no draftings/signings of teenagers after the first five high-dollar rounds, and was surprised when we kept selecting guys. This helps to explain that.

 

Also impacts the demographics of low minors. I'd thought we might not have any more teenage Americans other than superstuds. So that short-season/low-A might have a very different age population and the age-norm per leagues might jump a bunch. This will allow things to remain somewhat more status quo.

[davell]

Is it common to draft so many prospects that have converted from position player to pitcher? It seems like 2 out of every 3 scouting reports that Raisin posted mentioned a conversion from hitter to pitcher. If its not, is it a specific strategy by Theo and co to draft players that are possibly undervalued because of their relative newness to pitching?

 

 

That's a very interesting point. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that this is kind of like throwing stuff up against the wall and seeing what sticks, in their way of trying to find whatever the new "market inefficiency' is.

[davell]

Austin Pentacoste has signed or will very soon anyway.

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/06/06/1973531/chicago-cubs-draft-kennewick-high.html

 

https://twitter.com/IU_CMART_37/status/211162446516322304

Chad martin is signed.

 

http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/Wolf_Pack_Catcher_Escobar_Drafed_by_Cubs_157344785.html

Escobar plans on signing.

 

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2012/06/05/2093977/nipomos-mcneil-drafted-in-third.html

 

McNeil wants to sign, negotiations take place in a week.

 

http://cubs.scout.com/2/1192714.html

Heesch is a lifelong Cubs fan, so he'll be signing obviously.

 

http://cubs.scout.com/2/1192714.html

 

Bruno may have signed.

 

 

 

Got these from Yagyu, over at PSD, who's doing a phenomenal job keeping up with this, by the way. Big ups to him on this for sure.

[davell]

https://twitter.com/bigmacmark2112/status/210873415630995457

 

Jake Drossner supposedly signs. Supposed to have been a tough later round guy.

[Named After Maddux]

Khalil Stinson ‏@keepMinCHECK

 

Shouts out to my boy Rashard for signing with the Chicago Cubs.

 

11th round Rashard Crawford apparently signs.

[Guest]

http://cubs.scout.com/2/1193070.html

 

“I’m 100 percent going to Vanderbilt," Wiseman said. "My family and I sat down to choose a number and depict a number to keep me away from school that would be high. My parents left the decision up to me but made sure I knew with a high number that I would be OK going to school."

 

Wiseman fell in love with Vanderbilt due to its excellence both in the classroom and on the diamond.

 

“The one school in the SEC off the charts academically is Vandy," said Wiseman. "My family values education very highly. They are top notch in both academics and baseball."

 

...

 

Wiseman understands the importance of continuing his hard work and has lofty expectations for when the draft rolls around for him next time.

 

“I want to be a top-30 talent, which will help me get through the minors quicker," he said. "College will definitely help me mature as a person and as a ballplayer.”

[bukie]

Is it common to draft so many prospects that have converted from position player to pitcher? It seems like 2 out of every 3 scouting reports that Raisin posted mentioned a conversion from hitter to pitcher. If its not, is it a specific strategy by Theo and co to draft players that are possibly undervalued because of their relative newness to pitching?

At the high school level, a lot of players are position players and pitchers. Those kind of players are usually the best player on the team at everything, so they often have to decide which way they'll want to go before they get drafted.

[davell]

On my cell, so can't link, but Conway sounds like he's signing and even gave off a quote saying he was thankful Cubs took him and believe in him and are willing to help him through rehab. Sounds to me like we may be underslotting him. McNeil says he was on the phone with Cubs and Twins negotiating at about the same time. Sounds like it's possible he could be underslotted a tad as well. Said he expects to sign as long as the numbers talked about end up being the same.

[Clem Fandango]

Thank you for compiling those scouting reports, CR!

[davell]

http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/article/20120607/SPORTS/206070321/Cubs-draft-Hamann

 

Hamann has either signed or is going to.

[davell]

http://www.the-review.com/local%20sports/2012/06/07/ahs-grad-saunders-drafted-by-chicago-cubs

 

Saunders is signed or will be very soon.

[bukie]

Jorge Soler signed with the Cubs. He was picked up in the supplemental supplemental round.

[davell]

Pierce Johnson signed, per his Twitter.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Jorge Soler signed with the Cubs. He was picked up in the supplemental supplemental round.

 

Link?