2014 Cubs Pick Discussion

[Guest]

They've got to be targeting someone big in the 11th, I'd guess.

 

I hope so. I love the White Sox draft so far. Disappointed that the Cubs seem to be going cheap.

I like Schwarber much more than Rodon - especially considering money.

 

This pick? Wondering about the strategy.

Well it's well in line with the Cubs drafting strategy last year. Draft a big bat early and draft college pitching consistently with the rest of the top ten rounds.

More of a question of why that pitcher

[davell]

Hoping against hope here, but taking under slot guys in both 1-2.....Tells me they work the phones hard as hell tonight on the overslot guys left and come to an agreement with one in round 3. Can't wait til the 11th, in my opinion.

[Guest]

@KendallRogersPG: .@Cubs take @UMTerpsBaseball RHP Jake Stinnett 45th overall. 91-95 FB, big-time slider, blossomed as a senior. #MLBDraft #Terps

[Cubs Fan Dan]

I like it........ mainly because I am not going to second guess Jed, Jason and Theo when it comes to drafting.

 

Besides Kris Bryant, which player that was drafted are you most impressed with in the Theo/Jed era?

 

Almora has not had the best year but I am excited about him. I like Blackburn, Skulina, Masek, Johnson and Underwood. I think that group produces at least 2 potentially solid pitchers.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Well it's well in line with the Cubs drafting strategy last year. Draft a big bat early and draft college pitching consistently with the rest of the top ten rounds.

 

But the big bat was getting full slot.

 

Maybe Schwarber is too? (not really)

[Guest]

I like it........ mainly because I am not going to second guess Jed, Jason and Theo when it comes to drafting.

 

Besides Kris Bryant, which player that was drafted are you most impressed with in the Theo/Jed era?

 

Johnson, Blackburn, Almora, Bruno, Underwood, Remillard, Skulina

[Guest]

@Clint_BA: First senior off the board with Cubs taking Maryland RHP Jake Stinnett. Great body, + FB life, 92-94, controls the zone. great athlete.

[Guest]

@MikeFerrinSXM: Jake Stinnett is an outstanding pick in the 2nd. Fastball command to both sides, Great breaking ball. Big Fano

[The-Kris-Bryant]

They've got to be targeting someone big in the 11th, I'd guess.

 

I hope so. I love the White Sox draft so far. Disappointed that the Cubs seem to be going cheap.

I like Schwarber much more than Rodon - especially considering money.

 

This pick? Wondering about the strategy.

Well it's well in line with the Cubs drafting strategy last year. Draft a big bat early and draft college pitching consistently with the rest of the top ten rounds.

More of a question of why that pitcher

Well judging by MLB.com's college starters the choices were

 

44. Matt Imhof

48. Chris Oliver

58. Zech Lemond*

71. Spencer Turnbull

72. Jake Stinnett

73. Bryce Montes de Oca**

 

* Kind of a starter...

** Also a senior

 

So really there weren't a lot of options. So he was one of the top five college SPs, probably number four.

[mul21]

Solid FB, good slider, teach the kid a cutter and there's no reason he can't be a very good starter. I really think there's a lot to the low mileage on the arm with this pick as well as room for improvement with his lack of experience pitching.

[The-Kris-Bryant]

Well it's well in line with the Cubs drafting strategy last year. Draft a big bat early and draft college pitching consistently with the rest of the top ten rounds.

 

But the big bat was getting full slot.

 

Maybe Schwarber is too? (not really)

Well Schwarber may have been their #2 like they said. If you think about the tools they value, it's not hard to realize that may not be a lie at all (for better or worse). If they can sign him below slot, even better.

[Guest]

Stinnett will be starting for Maryland against Virginia at 11 am Saturday on ESPN2.

[Guest]

This pick? Wondering about the strategy.

Well it's well in line with the Cubs drafting strategy last year. Draft a big bat early and draft college pitching consistently with the rest of the top ten rounds.

More of a question of why that pitcher

Well judging by MLB.com's college starters the choices were

 

44. Matt Imhof

48. Chris Oliver

58. Zech Lemond*

71. Spencer Turnbull

72. Jake Stinnett

73. Bryce Montes de Oca**

 

* Kind of a starter...

** Also a senior

 

So really there weren't a lot of options. So he was one of the top five college SPs, probably number four.

 

I would have preferred Imhoff but like Stinnett. I could have sworn Montes de Oca is a HS kid.

 

Don't touch Lemond, Rice pitchers are abused, have injury problems after being drafted and he had injury problems this season when he was stretched from closer to starter with a 75-pitch jump between appearances.

 

Oliver is going to fall, he got a DWI yesterday.

[A New Era]

Stinnett will be starting for Maryland against Virginia at 11 am Saturday on ESPN2.

 

Thanks.

[Guest]

Just catching up, but love both the picks today. Really don't get the pessimism on Stinnett, everything I've seen so far looks great and worthy of that pick, and now they don't have to worry about a large chunk of the bonus pool being held in limbo.

[Guest]

Press release on first two rounds

[Guest]

@CJWittJr: Like the #cubs pick of Jake Stinnett. Saw him live. FB 92-94; SL 82-85; hard bite w/ tilt. Projects plus. CH work in progress

[toonsterwu]

Some random comments -

 

TKB - Pretty sure Donaldson played infield in the prep ranks, and maybe to start college.

 

___

 

As for the whole, trust in Jason/Theo/Jed thing - It's not like they haven't had bad years drafting before. I'm still not a huge fan of McLeod's first draft with the Padres, and the 2nd draft is more of a TBD (although it looks good right now). I'm too lazy to check, but Tim Wilken had a bad year and a good year with Tampa, IIRC. The best part of the new regime, IMO, isn't necessarily scouting, but rather structure, guideline, and organization.

 

___

 

As for Stinnett, I am ... intrigued with the pick. It's a bit risky, but there's ceiling to gamble on here and we need to gamble on potential arm wise. He fits the mold of both a McLeod and a Wilken arm pick, with his solid athleticism and strong frame. He threw strikes this year, but I'm a bit concerned that his changeup comes in so hard. That said, he fits the "Wrigley" groundball dynamic. There's work to be done, but I like the gamble. The difference between Stinnett and Howard (19th to Cincinnati) isn't that great (Howard has a tick better stuff). I wonder if a splitter might be an interesting option to go for as a 3rd pitch.

 

It's going to be an interesting game on Saturday. He'll be going up against UVA ace (and a projected early 1st rounder in 2015) in Nate Kirby. He faced UVA in the ACC tournament and won and got 10 K's, but gave up 3 earned (4 total), along with 10 hits (surprisingly, Nick Howard had 4 of them despite struggling so much this year at the plate). UVA also has 2 2015 guys in John LaPrise and Joe McCarthy (a possible early round pick) that could fit the mold of the type of hitters the FO looks at.

[Guest]

I gathered up everything I could find about Schwarber and posted it to the front page.

[RammyFanny]

http://btn.com/video/?select=tXRhiw_94xNs

 

Crushed this one and threw a little bat flip on top of it.

[Guest]

Kyle Schwarber -

 

BA (#17):

 

Recruited by some Big 10 Conference schools to play middle linebacker, Schwarber instead brought his fierce physicality and power to the middle of the diamond, anchoring Indiana’s lineup for the last three seasons. His 18 homers in 2013 ranked third in the country and helped the Hoosiers become the first Big Ten team to reach the College World Series since 1984. Listed at 6-feet, 240 pounds, Schwarber has made considerable improvement defensively over the course of his Indiana career, carrying over some hard-learned lessons when he struggled handling velocity with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team last summer. He still stabs and boxes too many balls, and a long transfer can sabotage his solid-average arm strength, but he’s thrown out 33 percent of basestealers this season after nabbing just 19 percent in 2013. His leadership qualities have been evident with the Hoosiers and he has a strong, durable body for catching, but he’ll never be more than a fringe-average defender. Schwarber fits in the first round for his bat. He’s a smart hitter who studies pitchers and has tremendous strength to punish pitches to all fields. He’s thick and could be quicker on pitches inside with a trimmer physique. He’s a better athlete than he looks and is even a fringy runner with the aggressiveness to have stolen eight bases this spring, second on Indiana’s team. His athleticism gives him a chance to shift to left field if catching doesn’t work out.

 

MLB.com (#16):

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 65 | Run: 40 | Arm: 40 | Field: 40 | Overall: 55

 

Schwarber powered Indiana to its first College World Series appearance and first outright Big Ten Conference regular-season championship since 1932 last year, slugging a school-record 18 homers and ranking third in NCAA Division I in that category. Undrafted and relatively unknown coming out of an Ohio high school, he has since established himself as the premier power hitter in the 2014 college Draft class.

 

He offers lots of strength and bat speed from the left side of the plate, and he's not a one-dimensional hitter either. Schwarber controls the strike zone well and repeatedly barrels balls, so he should hit for a high average as well.

 

His offensive ability could make him a star as a catcher -- provided that he can stay behind the plate. While he moves well for his size, his throwing and receiving both grade as below average and could prompt a move to the outfield, where he has seen time for the Hoosiers.

 

Scout.com - Kiley McDaniel (#20):

 

20. Kyle Schwarber, C/1B, Indiana

 

6'0/240, L/R, 21.25 on Draft Day

 

Hit: 55/50, Power: 65/70, Run: 40/40, Field: 45/45, Throw: 50/50

 

Scouting Report: Schwarber put on a power display this summer, hitting balls well up the batter's eye greenery in AAA Durham's park and forcing the Chatham Fire Department to close it's garage doors for the first time due to his mammoth BP shows on the Cape. He's got legit 30 home run power and has the approach and looseness at the plate to be a 50 bat or better and get to that power in games. He isn't a great runner but is a solid athlete for his size, as a D1 middle linebacking prospect in high school. Schwarber catches a lot right now and is fringy back there with an average arm, but makes the most of his tools and is good enough to catch once a week in the big leagues, enhancing his positional value and versatility for the club.

 

Take A Step Back: The best power in the draft comes from the left side, with enough bat to get to it in games, a track record of production and some defensive value as well. The upside isn't enormous and you'll have to monitor the body, but this is an easy prospect to like.

 

Projected Role: Above Average Regular, 55 FV

[Guest]

Jake Stinnett -

 

BA (#67):

 

Stinnett came to Maryland from California as a position player, starting 40 games at third base in 2011. He hit just .174 (though he did hit five home runs) and also pitched five times, earning two saves, but he made just eight appearances in 2012. Stinnett has a pin in his elbow stemming from an injury at a younger age, but he has pitched with it for years. He pitched well in a relief role in 2012 in the New England Collegiate League and was MVP of the team’s fall World Series. He started 2013 as the closer but moved into the rotation eventually, going 6-5, 2.83 and reaching 93 mph. Stinnett’s stuff has continued to trend upward this spring, as he threw a no-hitter in February, dominated a head-to-head matchup in March with Carlos Rodon and North Carolina State, and has reached 97 mph with his fastball, which usually sits 92-95 with above-average life. He gets extension in his delivery and has a pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. His hard 78-83 mph slider is his preferred second pitch, with a too-firm, little-used changeup also in his repertoire. Stinnett is a senior but also a legitimate top-three rounds talent with something left in the tank due to his relative inexperience as a pitcher.

 

MLB.com (#72):

 

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

 

College seniors have done well with the new Draft rules as teams try to find ways to strategically use their bonus pools. Stinnett has the chance to be the first senior to come off the board in 2014.

 

Originally a two-way player who played third base for the Terrapins, Stinnett started focusing on pitching only as a junior in 2013. He's really taken off this season, showing a jump in velocity up into the mid 90s with plenty of sink. His slider has greatly improved, flashing as a plus pitch. His changeup is behind the other two, but he has shown some feel for it. The focus on pitching has helped his command, and he's able to pitch to both sides of the plate.

 

There is some effort to his delivery, but not enough to make a team think he can't start. College seniors typically are value picks, but Stinnett has the chance to go in the early rounds based on his size and stuff alone.

 

Kiley McDaniel/Scout.com - #81

[toonsterwu]

Trying to think of a MLB positive case comp for him ... and I keep thinking that Jeff Samardzija isn't that bad a comparison to make.

[UMFan83]

Stinnett will be starting for Maryland against Virginia at 11 am Saturday on ESPN2.

 

I know this is common in college baseball but why are baseball players allowed to hire agents and be drafted without losing eligibility but football and basketball players aren't? Always wondered that.

[RynoRules]

That would be pretty great. Sounds like he will need two years or so to work on his change and his delivery. Could be a 3rd-4th starter type on a good team, perhaps?