2018 Draft Thread

[Hrubes20]

A guy that hasn't been discussed much, but probably should be, is Jonathan India from UF. I will be following him more closely now that SEC play is in full swing. 24 games into the season and he's rocking a .429/.535/.909 slash line with 9 HRs and 17 BBs to 15 Ks. He hasn't been playing SS this year, but his D at 3B has received some really solid reviews. I think I read somewhere that many thought he was a 2B at the next level.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

A guy that hasn't been discussed much, but probably should be, is Jonathan India from UF. I will be following him more closely now that SEC play is in full swing. 24 games into the season and he's rocking a .429/.535/.909 slash line with 9 HRs and 17 BBs to 15 Ks. He hasn't been playing SS this year, but his D at 3B has received some really solid reviews. I think I read somewhere that many thought he was a 2B at the next level.

 

He has stood out offensively whenever I'd watch Florida games last year.

[Hrubes20]

A guy that hasn't been discussed much, but probably should be, is Jonathan India from UF. I will be following him more closely now that SEC play is in full swing. 24 games into the season and he's rocking a .429/.535/.909 slash line with 9 HRs and 17 BBs to 15 Ks. He hasn't been playing SS this year, but his D at 3B has received some really solid reviews. I think I read somewhere that many thought he was a 2B at the next level.

 

He has stood out offensively whenever I'd watch Florida games last year.

 

I have to imagine he has boosted his stock to the point where he's being considered a 2nd rounder at least. If he keeps mowing through SEC pitching the rest of the year, he may end up a 1st rounder.

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I like Cole Winn and think he's one of the top HS arms in this draft class. Doesn't quite have the same velocity as the other top HS arms in this draft though.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Five college hitters on the rise: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/five-college-hitters-rising-on-draft-boards/

 

Alec Brohm, 3B, Wichita State - top 15 pick

Gage Canning, OF, Arizona State - second or third rounder

Brett Kinneman, OF, North Carolina State - Day 2 pick

Jonathan India, 3B, Florida - played himself into a late first rounder or early second rounder

Trevor Larnach, OF, Oregon State - back end of the first round or supplemental round

[Bertz]

Now that Holland has signed, it looks like the Cubs' top picks are #24, #62, #77, #78, and #98, and they'll have just over $7.5 million in their bonus pools.

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Wichita State won big 14-3 against ECU. Alec Bohm went 4-for-5 with 6 RBIs and 2 HRs, and 1 BB. Hit 1 double as well. Really impressive power. Definitely boosted his rising draft stock. Greyson Jenista went 1-for-6.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA did a mock draft of the top 10:

 

1. Tigers: Casey Mize, RHP, Auburn

2. Giants: Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Mountain Ridge HS (Peoria, AZ)

3. Phillies: Nick Madrigal, SS/2B, Oregon State

4. White Sox: Shane McClanahan, LHP, South Florida

5. Reds: Brady Singer, RHP, Florida

6. Mets: Ryan Rolison, LHP, Ole MIss

7. Padres: Brice Turang, SS, Santiago HS (Corona, CA)

8. Braves: Ethan Hankins, RHP, Forsyth Cen. HS (Cummings, GA)

9. A's: Travis Swaggerty, OF, South Alabama

10. Pirates: Alec Bohm, 3B, Wichita State

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John from Peru: Has a top tier of the draft formed yet? Who’s on it and how deep is it so far? Is there anyone just on the outside of that tier who could potentially sneak in by draft day?

 

Eric A Longenhagen: Kiley and I were talking about it yesterday as we’re prepping an draft board update. We agree Mize, Bohm and Madrigal are tier 1, Libby, Swaggerty and the rest of the premium college pitching are tier 2. Still time for some of the NE high schoolers to start playing and really blow up.

 

This is from the latest chat with Longenhagen. He also mentioned this concept of Reverse Projection in a podcast on Fangraphs. So he describes Reverse Projection as a way of modeling or thinking how a prospect could get into better shape/improve their underlying athleticism that would allow them to stay at a position instead of moving down the defensive spectrum.

 

I can think of a few examples of this. I remember Addison Russell put on some good weight (muscle) during his junior year of HS but lost range/flexibility, and scouts started saying he would most likely have to move to 3B at the pro level. He then committed to losing weight and improving his flexibility his senior year. He worked hard to improve his flexibility/range and many scouts said he now had a good shot at sticking at SS. Well, those optimistic scouts were right. Not everyone was sold that Russell could stick at SS.

 

I think this is a good example of reverse projection.

[OleMissCub]

lol at that slg%. might be someone to keep an eye on for later rounds.

 

[Hrubes20]

 

Oh and this:

 

Alan: Alec Bohm. Is the hype real? Top 5 guy? Can he stick at 3rd long term?

 

Kiley McDaniel: Yes, Yes, Yes

 

Travis Swaggerty seems to have hit a wall recently.

 

Has he seen Bohm play in the field? I just don't see any way he stays there. I love that bat though. Still could be a top 5 pick based on just the bat.

 

Previous pop-up mention, Gunnar Hoglund, is still doing things.

 

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[Hrubes20]

 

Oh and this:

 

Alan: Alec Bohm. Is the hype real? Top 5 guy? Can he stick at 3rd long term?

 

Kiley McDaniel: Yes, Yes, Yes

 

Travis Swaggerty seems to have hit a wall recently.

 

Has he seen Bohm play in the field? I just don't see any way he stays there. I love that bat though. Still could be a top 5 pick based on just the bat.

 

Previous pop-up mention, Gunnar Hoglund, is still doing things.

 

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You read that correctly. He has 4 no-hitters in 7 starts this year; 2 of which were perfect games.

[OleMissCub]

 

You read that correctly. He has 4 no-hitters in 7 starts this year; 2 of which were perfect games.

 

What high school level is he pitching at?

[Hrubes20]

 

You read that correctly. He has 4 no-hitters in 7 starts this year; 2 of which were perfect games.

 

What high school level is he pitching at?

 

It looks like 5A, which is 1200-1600 kids. It goes up to 8A, so a little bigger than average down there.

[OleMissCub]

 

You read that correctly. He has 4 no-hitters in 7 starts this year; 2 of which were perfect games.

 

What high school level is he pitching at?

 

It looks like 5A, which is 1200-1600 kids. It goes up to 8A, so a little bigger than average down there.

 

That's pretty strong

[Hrubes20]

 

What high school level is he pitching at?

 

It looks like 5A, which is 1200-1600 kids. It goes up to 8A, so a little bigger than average down there.

 

That's pretty strong

 

Yeah, a brief search shows that Addy Russell, Eric Hosmer, and Josh Donaldson all played at that level. It's Florida, so there is going to be legit talent at every level.

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Oh and this:

 

Alan: Alec Bohm. Is the hype real? Top 5 guy? Can he stick at 3rd long term?

 

Kiley McDaniel: Yes, Yes, Yes

 

Travis Swaggerty seems to have hit a wall recently.

 

Has he seen Bohm play in the field? I just don't see any way he stays there. I love that bat though. Still could be a top 5 pick based on just the bat.

 

I've seen him play in the field on video. He seems fine to me. KB was a much better athlete and had a much stronger arm. I felt way more confident about Bryant's ability to stay at 3B.

 

His first step isn't great and he might have trouble on slow rollers. I thought Alex Gordon could stick at 3B, but I never watched him play in college. I could be wrong, but I believe most scouts think Bohm can play 3B at the pro level.

 

You'll live with his defense at 3B if Bohm's bat is as special as scouts say it is. He has good makeup too.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Kiley with another scouting notebook. Some scouts are name dropping Kris Bryant when they see Bohm. Plus stuff on Swaggerty, Gilbert, Jenista, India, Conine and a host of rounds 3-6 guys: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/far-too-many-scouting-notes-on-college-draft-prospects/

[Hrubes20]

 

Oh and this:

 

 

 

Travis Swaggerty seems to have hit a wall recently.

 

Has he seen Bohm play in the field? I just don't see any way he stays there. I love that bat though. Still could be a top 5 pick based on just the bat.

 

I've seen him play in the field on video. He seems fine to me. KB was a much better athlete and had a much stronger arm. I felt way more confident about Bryant's ability to stay at 3B.

 

His first step isn't great and he might have trouble on slow rollers. I thought Alex Gordon could stick at 3B, but I never watched him play in college. I could be wrong, but I believe most scouts think Bohm can play 3B at the pro level.

 

You'll live with his defense at 3B if Bohm's bat is as special as scouts say it is. He has good makeup too.

 

I've admittedly only seen him 1 time, and it wasn't enough to form an opinion. But I have spoken with 2 guys (1 a D1 coach, another a scout who saw him extensively on the Cape last summer) who said he is a 1B/DH all the way. They said very similar things that you mentioned about his 1st step being terrible. Basically they called him a statue over there. I think right now scouts are 50/50 at best about his ability to stick.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Kris Bryant: 19.7 bWAR

The rest of the 2013 first round(incl. Supplemental) combined: 24.4 bWAR

[Hrubes20]

Kiley with another scouting notebook. Some scouts are name dropping Kris Bryant when they see Bohm. Plus stuff on Swaggerty, Gilbert, Jenista, India, Conine and a host of rounds 3-6 guys: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/far-too-many-scouting-notes-on-college-draft-prospects/

 

Bohm is an excellent draft prospect but Kris Bryant's excellence is so understated for a player so accomplished already.

 

I also like my Swaggerty/Granderson comp better than Benintendi, same build and potential skillsets if you asked me. Logan Gilbert is really meh for me. Jenista's cool, though he was a better overall athlete initially but like Bohm he's always hit.

 

The same guy who said Bohm was a 1B/DH as a pro, said Jenista will have no problems playing COF as a pro, barring injury. He probably goes mid-1st anyway, but if he were to somehow fall a little further than expected, I would love to have him added to the system.

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Kris Bryant: 19.7 bWAR

The rest of the 2013 first round(incl. Supplemental) combined: 24.4 bWAR

 

I think this just proves how crappy the first round was in 2013 and how lucky we got drafting KB. There is a crazy gap between Kris Bryant at #2 and Aaron Judge at #32. Teams really did a poor job scouting and evaluating that draft class.

 

I thought Austin Meadows would develop into a star player and maybe he still will. Has great tools but is never fully healthy.

[Hrubes20]

 

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Knight's a really competent looking college arm, maybe a little HR happy, and would love to see the Cubs add him to the org.

 

He's a bulldog out there. Never gonna be a TOR starter, but I could see a future where he ate innings as a #4.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Regular Show]

 

 

I was surprised when I read that rumor. There is no KB or Harper type talent in this draft, but that still feels like a big reach to me. I would feel uncomfortable taking a pitcher with the #1 pick too, but pitching is the strength of this draft class.

 

I think if I were the Tigers and I wanted to save money and minimize risk with the #1 overall pick I'd just select Madrigal or Bohm.