2016 Cubs Picks Thread

[craig]

11th rounder Michael Rucker said they are paying him >$100K, so he's one of the overslots.

 

Not surprising, really that 11th rounder would overslot. As Round 2 winds down and then between day 2 and 3, you talk to guys you like to see who'll sign for what you can/want-to pay. If you reach a mutual agreement on an overslot guy, you want to draft him ASAP before somebody else does, rather than wait till round 30 or whatever. So rounds 11-12-13 are the most likely overslot rounds on Day 3.

 

Rucker said he's got an agreement, short of some details.

Mekkes said he's got an agreement, too, short of some details.

 

So, two overslots agreed, will be interesting to see how far over they got.

[craig]

I could imagine just some modest overslots might be an interesting tool to apply for college guys you like. I imagine a lot of college juniors kind of want to sign and start their pro careers Maybe guys though they would be 4th-7th round 2nd day picks and get $200-400K, and listed ≥$200K on their sign ability survey. But, if Day 2 finishes and nobody has picked you; maybe you figure you'll have to just take the $100 and go forward.

 

But, since you listed ≥$200K on your survey, maybe teams still make sure they call and confirm you'll really sign for $100K before using a pick on you.

 

So, what if the Cubs call a bunch of these guys, and say "we can't go ≥$200K on you, but we can scrape up enough to make $135. Will you sign if we draft you and offer that? If so, make sure you tell any other teams who call you that you've got an overslot deal arranged, so you aren't going to sign for $100K, so they shouldn't draft you if $100K is all they're willing to pay." Maybe must by boosting from $100K to $135-150K, the Cubs can drive off a lot of competition and get a whole string of modest-overslot college pitchers they kinda like on Day 3?

[craig]

16th round pick from Old Dominion is a catcher-to-pitcher convert, supposedly strong arm. A lot of catchers have good arms, so who knows.

[CubsWin]

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2016/06/17/haverford-colleges-stephen-ridings-ready-for-life-in-the-pros/#.V2QbNY3AgEg.twitter

 

6'6" RHP and 8th round pick Stephen Ridings gave an interview. He confirms that the Cubs called just before they picked him and made a contract offer. He said he accepted the offer, so whatever the number, it's agreed to. We'll find out soon. He also said he'd likely go to Mesa and then Fall Instructs. The Cubs like to give their recently drafted pitchers some rest and very light in game work.

 

All of that is pretty well known. What was revealing to me is that he said he was hitting 96 and had topped out at 98. He also said later in the season that velo dropped a bit, but he'd learned to "pitch" well enough to get hitters out. Apparently, he was sitting more around 92 later on.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Thomas Hatch will be pitching for Oklahoma State against UCSB on ESPN2 in the College World Series in about 15 minutes.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Hatch with a complete game shutout but he threw 112 pitches in some really hot weather. (This is why the draft should be after the college baseball season.)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

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[craig]

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very decent indeed.

[Bear Cub]

AZ Phil, wrote that Michael Cruz has reported to Mesa.

[CubinNY]

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very decent indeed.

McLoed knows what he's doing

[David]

i don't know a single name of anyone we drafted this year but i saw this on my feed and figured you nerds would like to read it

 

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[CaliforniaRaisin]

i don't know a single name of anyone we drafted this year but i saw this on my feed and figured you nerds would like to read it

 

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(Pretty rich coming from a robot.)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Thomas Hatch (round 3) is a six foot tall right-hander, who missed all of last year with an elbow issue that did not require surgery. He is similar to Oakland A's comp round A pick Daulton Jefferies, in that both are smaller right-handers without big velocity, who profile as back-end starters due to excellent command and control and three average pitches. The Cubs have shown zero aversion to smaller pitchers for the past few years, so Hatch made a lot of sense. The physical opposite of Hatch would be Duncan Robinson (round 9), the right-hander from Dartmouth, although he is a very similar pitcher to Hatch in terms of his profile. Robinson is a command control pitcher, despite being 6'5''. He had a walk rate per nine under one this year as a senior, walking just seven batters all year.

 

The Cubs did take a few big names in the top-10, although they were all relievers or players I project as relievers: Bailey Clark (round 5), Chad Hockin (round 6), and Dakota Mekkes (round 10). Clark excelled in his first few starts for Duke this year before hitting a wall. He has the size to start at 6’4”. I think he projects as a reliever long term, based on his performance this year. There is a chance he could rebound back to the pitcher who many thought would be a possible first-round starter earlier in the year.

Hockin has never been a starter, not in high school or college. He did start two games his first two years in school, but even though he had his best statistical season this year, he did not get a chance to start. This was very unfortunate for him and his draft value. His brother was a second round pick for the Cleveland Indians and his grandfather is Harmon Killebrew. The bloodlines and the production are there to make him an interesting selection.

 

Mekkes closed a few games for Michigan State this year. He had the highest strikeout rates in the country, at 15.16 per nine, but also had a walk rate of nearly seven. He is a big guy but doesn’t throw hard. As a 10th-rounder, Mekkes is a good gamble as a pitcher whose strikeout rate was off the charts this year.

 

My favorite pick after the 10th was Trey Cobb (round 12), another undersized right-handed pitcher from Oklahoma State. The Cubs' area scout was able to land the top two pitchers this year from the Cowboys. Cobb posted a strikeout per nine over 11, with a walk per nine under four. There is a chance he will have to go to the bullpen. Cobb's numbers actually intrigue me more than Hatch’s, although Hatch has much stronger command and control and a workable third pitch. The Cubs won’t worry about Cobb's size, and I expect they will give Cobb a chance to start in the minors.

 

http://www.scout.com/mlb/scouting/story/1680292-ranking-2016-mlb-draft-nl-central?s=321

[stitchface]

Cubs going to get around to signing people soon?

[craig]

6th rounder Chad Hockin signed.

 

One of my favorite picks. Has a chance to be an interesting fastball/slider reliever.

 

I'll be curious to see whether he's a slot guy, or may have been one of the overslots, along with Mekkes and Rucker?

[craig]

I assume Hatch will be pitching again today?

[stitchface]

Seems that that game just started.

[CubInOK]

I assume Hatch will be pitching again today?

It's Hatch today.

[stitchface]

I assume Hatch will be pitching again today?

It's Hatch today.

 

Not doing too well

[craig]

Hatch gives up 4 runs in the first 2 innings and is taken out. So, his shutout streak is over. Trey Cobb, the Cubs 12th rounder, relievers him. Has allowed just 1 unearned run in his 5 innings thus far.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Well, Hatch can now sign.

[davell]

Hockin gets full slot(241K), per Mayo.

[davell]

Ridings gets 120k, saving 53,800 from slot value.

 

Robinson gets 30k, saving 132300 from slot. Both, according to Mayo

 

297,100 saved altogether between Cruz, Ridings, and Robinson. With Mekkes and Rucker both expected to receive over slot. No idea if we can save anything on any of Hatch, Miller, or Clark. My guess is its a slim possibility on Miller. But I can see Hatch requiring over slot himself. Perhaps Clark as well.

 

At any rate, my guess is we don't have 100k extra to throw at any of the later round guys.

[Vinestal]

What are the chances they just shut Hatch down for the remaining season once he's signed just to rest him?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

What are the chances they just shut Hatch down for the remaining season once he's signed just to rest him?

 

Pretty slim, unless he's hurt. They'll probably pitch him sparingly (1-2 inning outings once a week) in Mesa and/or Eugene, which is what they've done with most of their highly drafted college pitchers since the new signing deadline.