2017 Draft Thread

[Regular Show]

I wonder if we should make a poll closer to the draft about who we want the Cubs to take at #27? I don't really know if there are enough posters on NSBB interested in the MLB draft these days? Especially since we don't have a high pick, and probably won't have one for a long time (fingers crossed).

 

I also am curious who do you guys trust the most when it comes to scouting reports for these amateur players/prospects? K. Law, J. Callis, E. Longenhagen, J. Sickels, etc...

 

I feel like Sickels gives the most generic information and doesn't stray from consensus. I like K. Law, but think he has some blind spots and biases (he hates Rice pitchers). I read all of them and the scouting reports on Baseball America (probably the best). I really miss K. McDaniel and his detailed notes...

[Regular Show]

So my dream scenario I just made up right now is one of Tanner Houck and one of Nick Allen/Calvin Mitchell/Quientin Holmes/Jeremiah Estrada. They have Rizzo, a potential icon for the franchise, but Alexander Toral probably belongs in that pool of HS talent too. It's hard for a HS 1B to hold first round status like he has, he's long been considered a if not outright the top HS bat and held up this spring, so that seems impressive.

 

The Houck in the late first stuff is weird unless this draft is loaded with bats. He's probably the most well rounded college SP prospect in this draft - healthy, productive, ML tools, ML frame, athletic and still projectable, consistent and consistently good, consistent against good competition, consistent under the pressures of being on the radar forever. Unless that dip in velocity is injury related he *should* in the first dozen or so picks, so please take and run if available at 27.

 

I like C. Mitchell too and I'm coming around on N. Allen. I think J. Estrada is going to UCLA. I really like A. Toral and I think his swing is maybe the best swing in the HS ranks I've seen on video. Well balanced, rotational and finishes with good loft. It's a pretty swing. Shame he can only play 1B. I think he is also going to college and will be a first-round pick (like J. Estrada) three years from now.

 

I think my favorite HS position players prospects (available where the Cubs pick) are M. Vientos, H. Ramos, C. Mitchell, N. Allen and A. Toral. Maybe throw R. Vilade and D. Waters in that mix too.

[davell]

BA has us taking HS RHP Blayne Enlow and HS OF Quentin Holmes, mentioned us being connected to Allen too.

 

 

And RS, there's definitely less guys now that'll be much invested in the draft, but there's still going to be good conversation.

Edited May 18, 2017 by davell

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA has us taking HS RHP Blayne Enloe and HS OF Quentin Holmes, mentioned us being connected to Allen too.

 

 

And RS, there's definitely less guys now that'll be much invested in the draft, but there's still going to be good conversation.

 

They also have top 10 talent prep OF Jordon Adell dropping all the way to 32 (bonus demands?) and Vandy OF Jeren Kendall down to 16 (contact issues). Clarke Schmidt went 19 and Kyle Wright was their newest 1st overall pick.

[davell]

Adell's swing and miss, maybe? He's kind of boom or bust. But yeah, his bonus demands probably make more sense.

[Regular Show]

Adell's swing and miss, maybe? He's kind of boom or bust. But yeah, his bonus demands probably make more sense.

 

I read somewhere that a good comp for J. Adell is M. Upton. Great tools and amazing athlete w/ a lot of swing-and-miss. I hope J. Adell is more "B.J. Upton" than M. Upton lol

[CaliforniaRaisin]

2089 Mock: https://2080baseball.com/2017/05/mlb-draft-bites-mock-draft-edition-05-19-2017/

 

27. Keston Hiura, 2B/OF, Univ. of California – Irvine | 2080 Video

 

All Hiura does is hit and had he not been limited to DH duty this Spring I’ve little doubt he’d be off the board by now. The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team alum is slashing .402/.546/.669 through 49 games, walking 46 times versus just 33 strikeouts in 227 plate appearances with 41% of his hits going for extra bases. The Cubs have a stronger systemic need for pitching, but a player with Hiura’s offensive upside is too much to pass on here. —Nick J. Faleris

 

30. Heliot Ramos, OF, Alfonso Casta Martinez HS (Maunabo, PR) | 2080 Video

 

Ramos possesses arguably the most sought after combination in all of baseball: power and speed. The skills don’t stop there, however, as Ramos could grade out as average in the other three tools, as well. There are mixed reviews as to whether he will be able to make enough contact to tap into the power constantly, due to some swing path issues and a relatively raw approach, but the upside potential is big and the Cubs can afford to spend some developmental time with him. — Will Garofalo

 

Nick Allen goes 24 to Boston, Tanner Houck 26, Brendon Little 28.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

College hitters who bash the bejeezus out of the ball always have my attention.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

College hitters who bash the bejeezus out of the ball always have my attention.

 

Yep. Hiura would be my dream come true.

[craig]

...An aside but I have a growing pet peeve for these ["tools" and "skills"] being used interchangeably as if they're the same thing. Maybe that is the big hole in all this upside/ceiling talk for players - tools get confused for skills. There are plenty of guys who can run, jump, throw, and/or have the strength or bat speed for significant power. The vast majority do not have the skills to really make it work...

 

:):) I agree Tom. Huge difference. Perhaps why Ryan Harvey and Bubba Starling aren't doing much.

 

Also think big difference between crude bulk "football-combine" type tools, and actual finesse baseball talents, as required to adjust and square up to, or lay off of, a fast-moving cutter or slider. Or to not only be able to throw fast and to spin, but to locate and command those pitches consistently. Bulk tools like velocity, power, and speed are easy to see. But the finesse tools required to hit and pitch with command, much harder to quantify.

 

Also, thanks very much you guys for your posts and opinions about the draft. I haven't had the capacity to keep track or have opinions myself. Drafting top 5 or top 10, not that hard to try to track 8 or 10 guys and read as much as possible. But kinda hard for me to evaluate guys in the late 20's. If a guy sounds really good, the better he sounds th eless likely he lasts. So anyway, reading you guys's thoughts has been helpful. Keep it up! :)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Jonathan Mayo's mock draft: http://m.mlb.com/news/article/231085504/jonathan-mayo-mock-projection-2017-mlb-draft/?topicid=151437456

 

27. Cubs: Nick Allen, SS, Parker HS (San Diego)

 

There could be a fun little cat-and-mouse game with the Cubs and Blue Jays, the teams with multiple picks at the end of the round. Both reportedly like Allen, so if the Jays don't take him at 22, the Cubs could strike here so Toronto doesn't get a second shot.

 

30. Cubs: Brendon Little, LHP, State College of Florida (Compensation pick for Dexter Fowler signing with the Cardinals)

 

Yes, they're known for drafting and developing hitters, but Little could get turned into a reliever, and his plus power stuff from the left side could help a big league bullpen out pretty quickly.

 

Hiura went 22, Pearson went 23, Danner 25, Carlson 26, Lutz 29, no Ramos or Holmes in the top 30.

[UK]

I just don't see any college arms in the 20-35 range minus Canning I like. Maybe if they draft Schmidt on the cheap at 30, let him recover from TJS and go from there.

 

With that said, I really like Ramos at 30 if he's there.

 

I also have a soft spot for Hans Crouse but there's a better chance of the Bulls drafting him in June than the Cubs.

 

I also like David Peterson amongst the college arms in the that range. But it sounds like both Canning and Peterson will be gone by 27, though.

 

Like Regular Show, I'm intrigued by the top two JC arms.

 

Pearson and Little are intriguing, Little has one of the best curves in the draft, great FB/curve combo. Pearson touches 99, flashes +breaking ball.

 

Both are raw with no 3rd pitch and lack of command.

 

I don't know their philosophy as far as drafting collegiate players with control issues.

[davell]

UK, have you heard of any high bonus demands yet this year?

[UK]

UK, have you heard of any high bonus demands yet this year?

 

Nothing on a national level, for the Midwest U

Il, WI, Ia and MN.

 

Carlson is signable, fwiw.

[davell]

UK, have you heard of any high bonus demands yet this year?

 

Nothing on a national level, for the Midwest U

Il, WI, Ia and MN.

 

Carlson is signable, fwiw.

 

Cool. Curious, why is Crouse a complete no for the Cubs? Too animated or just too much of a project?

[UK]

Off-topic:

 

2018 OF Jarred Kelenic (OF from WI) is the best player I've scouted in 13 years. It was previously Odorizzi.

[UK]

UK, have you heard of any high bonus demands yet this year?

 

Nothing on a national level, for the Midwest U

Il, WI, Ia and MN.

 

Carlson is signable, fwiw.

 

Cool. Curious, why is Crouse a complete no for the Cubs? Too animated or just too much of a project?

 

I really like Crouse, he has the best swing and miss among the prep pitchers but there's some concerns with repeating that as well as the recoil.

 

With their 1st pick, I don't know if they want that much of a floor.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

UK, have you heard of any high bonus demands yet this year?

 

Michael a Mercado is definitely making it to Stanford.

 

Jake Eder (Vandy) and Jeremiah Estrada (UCLA) are tough signs - though I've heard Estrada can be had.

[Regular Show]

College hitters who bash the bejeezus out of the ball always have my attention.

 

Yep. Hiura would be my dream come true.

 

Yeah, I'm also down for selecting Hiura if he falls that far. I don't know where he fits or works defensively. He definitely needs TJ surgery on his throwing arm right?

[UK]

College hitters who bash the bejeezus out of the ball always have my attention.

 

Yep. Hiura would be my dream come true.

 

Yeah, I'm also down for selecting Hiura if he falls that far. I don't know where he fits or works defensively. He definitely needs TJ surgery on his throwing arm right?

 

Agreed, if the best hitter in the draft falls to 27, you have to get him. I think it's very slim he drops that far.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

College hitters who bash the bejeezus out of the ball always have my attention.

 

Yep. Hiura would be my dream come true.

 

Yeah, I'm also down for selecting Hiura if he falls that far. I don't know where he fits or works defensively. He definitely needs TJ surgery on his throwing arm right?

 

There have been hints but nothing has been confirmed. He sprained his UCL, re-injured it after trying to just rest it and then got a PRP shot. He still hasn't played in the field since the original injury.

 

Even if he needs TJS, I'd take the best college hitter in the draft and wait for him to heal up. It's not a pitcher elbow injury.

[UK]

If you guys want a report on a particular player, let me know.

[davell]

If you guys want a report on a particular player, let me know.

 

UK, what can you give us on Logan Warmoth?

[Tryptamine]

As of right now, assuming no one slides like crazy(Hiura,Romero), I think I'd prefer the Cubs take two of the Tanner Houck,Nate Pearson,Nate Allen trio. Also, If Jeren Kendall continues to slide he'd be super intriguing at #27 even if contact issues are perhaps the biggest red flag for me.

[davell]

As of right now, assuming no one slides like crazy(Hiura,Romero), I think I'd prefer the Cubs take two of the Tanner Houck,Nate Pearson,Nate Allen trio. Also, If Jeren Kendall continues to slide he'd be super intriguing at #27 even if contact issues are perhaps the biggest red flag for me.

 

I think Romero will be there. Law thinks he'll go 2nd or 3rd round now. Personally, I've got a feeling Hiura goes early, top 15. Kendall does seem to be sliding, but I doubt he falls outside the top 20. Adell falling in BA's latest mock really intrigues me, but I'm guessing that's a monetary thing and I don't think I'd be comfortable blowing most of the budget for BOTH those picks on him.

 

I think my group for 27 and 30 is Little, Pearson, and Schmidt(screw it, I'll roll the dice)for pitching. With Allen, Ramos, Holmes, and maybe Warmoth, for position guys.

 

If Hiura or Kendall fall, I'd be all over them. Same with Peterson and probably Canning, on the pitching side. Doesn't seem as if any of those 4 are there though.

 

In the 2nd, I'd love to nab Romero, Crowe, or Beck.