2017 Draft Thread

[Regular Show]

So I've read many mock drafts by this point, and they consistently say we're in on SS N. Allen and that we really like him. I guess some Cubs scouts have been spotted at his games. The Cubs always do some private workouts with prospects they like. I believe they had I. Happ come out to Wrigley before the draft to take some BP? I could be wrong and I'm confusing him with someone else.

 

I'm really curious who they're inviting to Wrigley Field or Arizona for some private workouts. We don't usually get that information until right around draft time or afterwards.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

So I've read many mock drafts by this point, and they consistently say we're in on SS N. Allen and that we really like him. I guess some Cubs scouts have been spotted at his games. The Cubs always do some private workouts with prospects they like. I believe they had I. Happ come out to Wrigley before the draft to take some BP? I could be wrong and I'm confusing him with someone else.

 

I'm really curious who they're inviting to Wrigley Field or Arizona for some private workouts. We don't usually get that information until right around draft time or afterwards.

 

I remember Happ and Benintendi worked out at Wrigley their year and Correa and Almora their year.

[Regular Show]

So I've read many mock drafts by this point, and they consistently say we're in on SS N. Allen and that we really like him. I guess some Cubs scouts have been spotted at his games. The Cubs always do some private workouts with prospects they like. I believe they had I. Happ come out to Wrigley before the draft to take some BP? I could be wrong and I'm confusing him with someone else.

 

I'm really curious who they're inviting to Wrigley Field or Arizona for some private workouts. We don't usually get that information until right around draft time or afterwards.

 

I remember Happ and Benintendi worked out at Wrigley their year and Correa and Almora their year.

 

Yeah, I remember reading Correa was super impressive and the Cubs FO really liked him. That's who I wanted the Cubs to take. I really liked K. Gausman that year too. I believe Buxton was the consensus best prospect in that draft class.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Tedward]

Law has his latest 2.0 Mock up at ESPN, again only going thru pick 27. In his 1st mock he had us on Allen, now a new name appears, and I mean a new name. I haven't seen this guy listed in other mocks, Fangraphs doesn't have him in their top 50 sortable board, BA has him listed at 87 overall on their recent top 200 update. Interesting...

 

27. Chicago Cubs

 

Luis Gonzalez, CF

 

New Mexico

 

He’s no relation to the former Astro and Diamondback (whose son, Jacob, is a possible third- or fourth-round pick out of Chaparral High School this year). Gonzalez has put up silly numbers at the high altitude of Albuquerque, including a .500 OBP with 58 walks and 32 strikeouts.

[Hrubes20]

This FO has gone heavy with Cape Cod alums in the past. Zach Lowther seems like he could definitely be a target starting as early as the 2nd round.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

This FO has gone heavy with Cape Cod alums in the past.

 

What are some examples of this? Not doubting at all, but it's not something I know off the top and it's a tough thing to search.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

This FO has gone heavy with Cape Cod alums in the past.

 

What are some examples of this? Not doubting at all, but it's not something I know off the top and it's a tough thing to search.

 

As far as early picks go, Ian Happ & Pierce Johnson both played a few seasons in the Cape Cod League. Hatch spent some time there in 2014 as well.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

This FO has gone heavy with Cape Cod alums in the past.

 

What are some examples of this? Not doubting at all, but it's not something I know off the top and it's a tough thing to search.

 

As far as early picks go, Ian Happ & Pierce Johnson both played a few seasons in the Cape Cod League. Hatch spent some time there in 2014 as well.

 

Bryant, Schwarber and Stinnett too.

 

Benintendi famously did not and the Cubs were very high on him.

[Hrubes20]

 

What are some examples of this? Not doubting at all, but it's not something I know off the top and it's a tough thing to search.

 

As far as early picks go, Ian Happ & Pierce Johnson both played a few seasons in the Cape Cod League. Hatch spent some time there in 2014 as well.

 

Bryant, Schwarber and Stinnett too.

 

Benintendi famously did not and the Cubs were very high on him.

 

Happ, Donnie Dewees, Ryan Kellogg, Preston Morrison, Scott Effross, and Kyle Twomey I remember from the 2015 class. There may be more after those guys.

 

Hatch, Bailey Clark, Chad Hockin, Duncan Robinson, Wyatt Short, Parker Dunshee (didn't sign), Zach Short from last year's class, and again, there may be more after those guys.

 

Maybe it's just a coincidence, or maybe all teams end up drafting this many Cape league performers. I tend to think it's something the FO is looking at.

[UK]

Law has his latest 2.0 Mock up at ESPN, again only going thru pick 27. In his 1st mock he had us on Allen, now a new name appears, and I mean a new name. I haven't seen this guy listed in other mocks, Fangraphs doesn't have him in their top 50 sortable board, BA has him listed at 87 overall on their recent top 200 update. Interesting...

 

27. Chicago Cubs

 

Luis Gonzalez, CF

 

New Mexico

 

He’s no relation to the former Astro and Diamondback (whose son, Jacob, is a possible third- or fourth-round pick out of Chaparral High School this year). Gonzalez has put up silly numbers at the high altitude of Albuquerque, including a .500 OBP with 58 walks and 32 strikeouts.

 

Luis Gonzalez, of, New Mexico (JR)

L-L, 6-0/185, Tuscon, Ariz.

Previously Drafted: Never Drafted

 

Another one of those "pop up" guys this spring in the eyes of the industry, Gonzalez has had Four Corners area scouts scrambling all over the state of New Mexico as they chase down both he and prep lefty Trevor Rogers. Gonzalez has certainly performed this spring as well, posting a slash line of .361/.500/.589 with nearly twice as many walks as strikeouts, 32 extra base hits (including 8 home runs), and 14 stolen bases.

 

Gonzalez's profile is that of a potential top-of-the-order hitter with good hitting tools overall and the ability to stay in center field and be a defensive asset there. A plus runner whose speed plays in the outfield, Gonzalez can really good get it in center field, with good reads and routes in addition to that speed, and some scouts have gone so far as to put plus grades on his defense. He's got very good bat-to-ball skills at the plate with one of the best approaches in the class; and while he's likely to hit and get on base at a high level, there are question marks concerning just how much power he'll hit for in professional baseball, which does limit the profile a bit.

[UK]

Spencer Howard - RHP

 

Height/Weight: 6-3/205

Bats/Throws: R/R

Birthdate: July 25, 1996

College: Cal Poly

Hometown: Templeton, Calif.

Projected Draft Round: 2-3

 

Heading into the spring most of the scouting attention surrounding Cal Poly was indeed on a righthanded pitcher, it just wasn’t Howard. Teammate Erich Uelmen put his electric, advanced arsenal on display out on the Cape. Though quietly out in the West Coast League was the red-shirt freshman Howard who put together a 2-0 record in 27 innings, averaging more than a strikeout per frame with a 1.33 ERA. He spent all of 2016 in the bullpen and that was the early though for this spring as well, even his Cal Poly profile reads “Expected to be one of the top relievers out of the bullpen as a sophomore this season.”

 

And that’s not meant to suggest Uelmen isn’t still a top 3-4 round caliber talent, but rather a compliment to Howard who has seen his draft stock steadily rise throughout this spring. A transition into the starting rotation has been perhaps the biggest factor in his rise, though his ability to maintain a quality arsenal through a start on top of putting up solid statistics certainly help. Athletically built at 6-foot-3, 205-pounds, Howard still has room to fill with additional strength, only adding to his ability to remain in a starting role at the next level.

 

With just two starts under his belt prior to 2017, Howard has made the transition seamlessly this spring with 11 of his 16 appearances coming in the form of starts. His 80.1 innings this spring are more than double what he threw last spring and the results have been loud and clear as he’s gone 7-1 with a 2.24 ERA and nearly a 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (87 punch outs to 22 walks).

 

The numbers are good, but so is the raw stuff that Howard produces and that’s what has grabbed the attention of scouts this spring. With an athletic delivery and some cross-fire element to his release, Howard his able to generate some angle to his release while showing a clean and easy arm action. Throughout the spring his fastball has sat in the 91-94 mph range, bumping a tick higher while showing steady running life to his arm side.

 

His slider is a solid secondary option as it offers tight rotation and some tilting life to it in the mid-80s. A third pitch is key for a starter and Howard shows one with his upper-70s changeup, a pitch that can be inconsistent at times but should solidify into a quality pitch. He has confidence in the pitch and will throw it to both righthanded and lefthanded hitters, showing tumbling life down to his arm side.

 

Opponents are hitting a mere .219 against Howard this spring and as he continues to progress in a starting role at the next level, he’s only going to refine his arsenal and become that much more effective.

 

Caden Lemons - RHP

 

Height/Weight: 6-6/175

Bats/Throws: R/R

Birthdate: December 2, 1998

High School: Vestavia Hills

Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.

Travel Team: Excel

College Commitment: Mississippi

Projected Draft Round: 2-4

 

After topping out at around 91 mph and working in the high-80s after PG National, Lemons was seen as a high end projection play and someone, once he filled out his body, could be a strong righthanded arm. The frame is still extremely lean and lanky, but the fastball velocity has ticked up this spring, touching as high as 96-97 mph per some reports and was up to 95 mph during Perfect Game’s single viewing. That kind of power arm normally indicates someone who will be drafted in the top three or four rounds, not someone who finds their way going to college.

 

Lemons has extremely long limbs with a high-waisted frame and extreme length on both his arms and legs. He uses that length to generate extension down the mound and whips his arm throughout a loose and full arm circle. The arm strength and speed along with the coordination of his body allow him to gain that velocity and he goes to the fastball often. Though the fastball has ticked up in terms of the top of the range, he works comfortably in the 89-92 mph range.

 

Currently, the secondary pitch that Lemons has the most confidence in is his big breaking curveball. The pitch generates good angle upon delivery and shows sharpness with downward tilt in the mid-70s. It is an effective offering both at being thrown for strikes in the zone and getting chase swings down in the zone.

 

He has had some of the strongest buzz and has climbed draft boards as one of the biggest risers this spring, mostly due to his increased velocity. Regardless, Lemons has an extremely high ceiling as a pitcher and if he can add some good weight, whether that be through professional training programs or in a college program, the velocity of his fastball should only continue to climb. The projection still left on his body and arm coupled with the current velocity levels make Lemons an extremely intriguing piece to MLB organizations come June’s draft.

 

James Marinan - RHP

 

Height/Weight: 6-5/220

Bats/Throws: R/R

Birthdate: October 10, 1998

High School: Park Vista

Hometown: Boynton Beach, Fla.

Travel Team: FTB Rockets

Commitment: Miami

Projected Draft Round: 1S-3

 

Marinan came to last year's Perfect Game National Showcase as a two-way prospect playing both first base and pitching. Though listed as a primary pitcher, the after event report said that the 6-foot-5 Marinan might have a higher ceiling as a position player. Here is the report from that event:

 

Long and lean athletic build, very athletic look, has some projection physically. High energy delivery, falls off to the first base side on release, arm tends to stay behind, tight high 3/4's arm slot. Fastball topped out at 88 mph, mostly straight, will have to improve ability to get fastball glove side. Change up was his best pitch, stays more directional in his delivery and throws quality strikes down and glove side. Slurve type breaking ball. Two-way prospect who might have a higher ceiling in the field. Very athletic actions at first base, could be a plus defender at that position. Right handed hitter who hits from a wide base with a deep load, has quick hands and a direct path to the ball, lots of bat speed and strength at contact, line drive swing plane, has leverage at contact.

 

Evidently, lots of work was done during the off-season because Marinan has definitely become a primary pitcher this spring. He's been getting over his front side consistently and taking a better line to the plate, resulting in more extension and a cleaner release. He's been topping out at 94-95 mph with big downhill angle and lots of heaviness at the plate to go along with much improved command..

 

Marinan has also tightened up his power curveball with better direction to the plate through release. It works in the 74-78 mph range, with the best offerings being in the upper velocity range with big 12/6 bite when he gets over them out front. Marinan also throws a mid-70's changeup that is still a work in progress.

 

Notably, every time a member of the PG scouting staff talks to a scout or front office member recently about where to slot Marinan, the feedback has consistently been the same, to the effect of "keep moving him up." Last summer, there would have been little reason to even ask that question, but things change quickly.

 

 

 

Michael Mercado - RHP

 

Height/Weight: 6-4/180

Bats/Throws: R/R

High School: Westview

Hometown: San Diego, Calif.

Commitment: Stanford

Projected Draft Round: 2-3

 

Mercado had very little national scouting profile before this spring but has been one of the fastest rising, not to mention most dominant, pitchers in Southern California this spring. A long and slender athlete with a loose arm and easy high 3/4's arm slot, Mercado has been working 89-92 this spring and touching 94-95 at times.He throws a full four-pitch mix, with his curveball being his best present secondary pitch, supplemented by a slider-like cutter and a two-seam fastball that can almost serve as a changeup at times.

 

The dominance and ability to pitch, while not having been shown on the national stage, has been complete at the competitive Southern California level. As of late May, Mercado's record stood at 9-1, 0.69 in 11 starts and 70 innings, with 29 hits and 17 walks and 97 strikeouts.

 

The most intriguing thing to scouts about Mercado is the combination of how easily he throws, how advanced his present stuff currently is and how his young and slender body has so much remaining projection before he is physically mature. While scouts can look at any number of high school pitchers around the country with present plus fastballs and longer resume's, they are often the physically mature pitchers who will just have to fine tune their skills. Mercado's skills are advanced already and he might, just by staying healthy and physically maturing, surpass them in raw stuff.

 

The complicating factor for Mercado is that he is signed with Stanford, which has traditionally been perhaps the hardest school in the country from which to sign a high school player out of his commitment. Mercado's path and profile at draft time isn't too different than that of Tristan Beck, except that Beck went into the process knowing that he would be eligible after his sophomore year, while Mercado will have to wait three years to be eligible again.

[Tedward]

Law has his latest 2.0 Mock up at ESPN, again only going thru pick 27. In his 1st mock he had us on Allen, now a new name appears, and I mean a new name. I haven't seen this guy listed in other mocks, Fangraphs doesn't have him in their top 50 sortable board, BA has him listed at 87 overall on their recent top 200 update. Interesting...

 

27. Chicago Cubs

 

Luis Gonzalez, CF

 

New Mexico

 

He’s no relation to the former Astro and Diamondback (whose son, Jacob, is a possible third- or fourth-round pick out of Chaparral High School this year). Gonzalez has put up silly numbers at the high altitude of Albuquerque, including a .500 OBP with 58 walks and 32 strikeouts.

 

Luis Gonzalez, of, New Mexico (JR)

L-L, 6-0/185, Tuscon, Ariz.

Previously Drafted: Never Drafted

 

Another one of those "pop up" guys this spring in the eyes of the industry, Gonzalez has had Four Corners area scouts scrambling all over the state of New Mexico as they chase down both he and prep lefty Trevor Rogers. Gonzalez has certainly performed this spring as well, posting a slash line of .361/.500/.589 with nearly twice as many walks as strikeouts, 32 extra base hits (including 8 home runs), and 14 stolen bases.

 

Gonzalez's profile is that of a potential top-of-the-order hitter with good hitting tools overall and the ability to stay in center field and be a defensive asset there. A plus runner whose speed plays in the outfield, Gonzalez can really good get it in center field, with good reads and routes in addition to that speed, and some scouts have gone so far as to put plus grades on his defense. He's got very good bat-to-ball skills at the plate with one of the best approaches in the class; and while he's likely to hit and get on base at a high level, there are question marks concerning just how much power he'll hit for in professional baseball, which does limit the profile a bit.

 

Thanks UK ! Based on the profile, I'm not surprised in the least he's someone our front office would have interest.

[UK]

Thanks UK! Lemons reads like Chris Volstad. Anything on HS RHP Joe Perez?

 

Page 6 - About halfway down.

[Regular Show]

Thanks for all the great scouting reports UK!

 

Could you provide one on RHP Garrett King and RHP B. Montes De Oca? I like G. King and B. Montes De Oca as possibilities for the later rounds.

[davell]

Thanks again for the great stuff, UK. I know you said Carlson is signable.....I saw someone else(Longenhagen or Law probably) mention he's got a high bonus demand.

 

Makes me wonder if he's a guy we may get at 30, by possibly getting an underslot type, maybe Gonzalez, at 27 and using the savings for him......If he's a 3 mill bonus type. Any idea of what he's actually looking for?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

My concern with Gonzalez would be how much of his hitting ability is his own talent and how much of it is his hitter-friendly home ballpark and conference? (Obvious disclaimer that this regime knows what it's doing, especially when it comes to first round hitters.)

[Tryptamine]

Thanks UK! Lemons reads like Chris Volstad. Anything on HS RHP Joe Perez?

 

Page 6 - About halfway down.

 

Thanks again. He seems interesting.

 

Jeremiah Estrada seems to be holding up really well. I could like Austin Beck as an OF prospect, not there yet but that bat speed.

 

If he made it to 27 some how I'd be thrilled. Metal bat or not those oppo wrist flicks are pretty crazy for a high school kid. He kind of reminds me a bit of Clint Frazier. With that said, pretty bummed Pearson threw 101 in front of those scouts. I really wanted him at #30 and I don't see how he'll realistically be there now.

[Hrubes20]

 

Page 6 - About halfway down.

 

Thanks again. He seems interesting.

 

Jeremiah Estrada seems to be holding up really well. I could like Austin Beck as an OF prospect, not there yet but that bat speed.

 

If he made it to 27 some how I'd be thrilled. Metal bat or not those oppo wrist flicks are pretty crazy for a high school kid. He kind of reminds me a bit of Clint Frazier. With that said, pretty bummed Pearson threw 101 in front of those scouts. I really wanted him at #30 and I don't see how he'll realistically be there now.

 

Not sure there is any realistic hope of Beck falling to 27, unless his bonus demands are absurd. He was getting buzz to the Braves at #5. Speaking of bonus demands, have there been any made public yet?

[UK]

Thanks for all the great scouting reports UK!

 

Could you provide one on RHP Garrett King and RHP B. Montes De Oca? I like G. King and B. Montes De Oca as possibilities for the later rounds.

Bryce Montes De Oca

Class: Junior

School: University of Missouri

Draft Eligible Year: 2017

The first thing that stands out about Montes De Oca is the sheer size and his presence on the mound. Listed at a perhaps generous 6-foot-7 and 261-pounds, Montes De Oca is physically imposing and his frame alone allows him to get on top of balls consistently.

 

The arm action is quick and almost whip-like, with a soft stab in the back of the arm circle. The delivery has violence to it and Montes De Oca throws with effort and slight head whack. The approach on the mound is that of a power pitcher, with a strong combination of fastball and curveball that he is looking to blow by hitters.

 

While reports have him touching at or near 100 mph in the past, Montes De Oca did not reach that plateau in his outing against the Georgia Bulldogs but still showed off a strong fastball. The pitch sat from 92-95 mph, topping out at 96 mph multiple times, and his frame and delivery allowed him to maintain the velocity on his fastball throughout the outing, hitting near the top of his range multiple times in his final inning.

 

The curveball was the other pitch he went to often and it was the pitch that garnered Montes De Oca the most swings and misses on the afternoon. The pitch has sharp break to it, and he varied times that he used the pitch. Early on in the outing, he went to the curveball primarily on two-strike counts as a chase pitch with two-strikes. As the outing went on, he would go to the curveball more often, sometimes even starting at-bats out with it. The issue he ran into was that early on he struggled with getting on top of it adequately. The two curveballs he hung were two hard hit liners.

 

Overall, Montes De Oca has a lot of arm talent with two pitches that could potentially be plus one day at the Major League level, the glaring issue that he must overcome is his inconsistent strike-throwing ability. Montes De Oca walked four batters and hit another which gave him five extra base runners. He fell behind in counts early in the game and allowed hitters to get to 2-0, 2-1, and 3-1 counts often.

 

I don't have much on Garett King out of Cal Baptist, from I've seen on him is that his FB is between 89-93 with + command, 72-75 CB which is his out pitch, inconsistent slider and change.

[UK]

Thanks again for the great stuff, UK. I know you said Carlson is signable.....I saw someone else(Longenhagen or Law probably) mention he's got a high bonus demand.

 

Makes me wonder if he's a guy we may get at 30, by possibly getting an underslot type, maybe Gonzalez, at 27 and using the savings for him......If he's a 3 mill bonus type. Any idea of what he's actually looking for?

 

I heard less than 3, slot up until 1st 10 picks. But, it's been awhile and it's all speculation.

[davell]

Thanks again, UK.

 

Tribes, I've seen speculation that Shane Baz has high demands, or at least wants to be in control of who takes him, if he's not getting picked extremely high.(he's an Astros fan, fwiw).

 

UK, what in the world happened to JJ Schwarz? The guy has literally went from being a potential top 5 pick heading into 2017, to not even being in the BA top 200.....That's got to be extremely rare. Especially for college hitters. Even a poor season wouldn't affect someone THAT much, I wouldn't think.....

[CubsWin]

Thanks again for the great stuff, UK. I know you said Carlson is signable.....I saw someone else(Longenhagen or Law probably) mention he's got a high bonus demand.

 

Makes me wonder if he's a guy we may get at 30, by possibly getting an underslot type, maybe Gonzalez, at 27 and using the savings for him......If he's a 3 mill bonus type. Any idea of what he's actually looking for?

Welp, Jonathan Mayo's latest mock draft on MLB.com has Carlson going to the Cubs at 30.

 

BA's got him ranked 14th and MLB 15th, so if he falls that would be fine with me. Here's MLB.com's scouting report for reference:

 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 55

In 52 years of Drafts, no Minnesota high school pitcher has gone in the first round and only four have gone in the second, most recently Mitch Brown to the Indians in 2012. As an athletic right-hander whose stuff continues to get better, Carlson could become the state's first prep first-round arm. Scouts already loved his build and his feel for pitching, and now his stuff has improved significantly this spring.

 

Carlson spent most of the summer pitching at 88-92 mph with his fastball, and he hinted at the projection remaining in his 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame by working in the low 90s and touching 95 at October's WWBA World Championships in Jupiter, Fla. He came out firing this year at 93-97 mph, and his heater already plays better than its velocity because it has sinking and running life and he commands it well.

 

Carlson also fills the strike zone with his slider, which also looks better than ever, and his changeup, which features fade and sink. Unlike most high school pitchers, he trusts his changeup and uses it liberally. Though his future definitely is on the mound, the Florida recruit is also an interesting prospect as a right fielder with bat speed, power potential and arm strength.

[Tryptamine]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm really nervous about guys who have up ticks in velocity and stuff because it seems like they then get drafted and they're back to their old velocity and old stuff far too often.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm really nervous about guys who have up ticks in velocity and stuff because it seems like they then get drafted and they're back to their old velocity and old stuff far too often.

 

Who specifically are you talking about? Obviously for some players, an uptick in velocity is fleeting but it does happen to many HS kids who do maintain the velocity. It's a natural aspect of a teenager growing and maturing.

 

The other concern is players who are a bit older who have an uptick in velocity and then blow out their arm almost immediately (Rob Whitenack comes to mind).