2020 MLB Actual Draft Day(s) Thread

[Regular Show]

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[Cubswin11]

[Regular Show]

My top 3 HS bats:

 

Zac Veen

Tyler Soderstrom

Robert Hassell

 

I'm a big fan of Hassell, but I'm not sure about the power or how much power he develops. I think he can stick in CF.

Soderstrom or Mitchell at 16 hopefully

 

Yeah, we'll see.

 

I'm much higher on Soderstrom than Mitchell. I don't like that demographic (HS catchers), but his bat is really special. I've been on him since last year...

[Cubswin11]

My top 3 HS bats:

 

Zac Veen

Tyler Soderstrom

Robert Hassell

 

I'm a big fan of Hassell, but I'm not sure about the power or how much power he develops. I think he can stick in CF.

Soderstrom or Mitchell at 16 hopefully

 

Yeah, we'll see.

 

I'm much higher on Soderstrom than Mitchell. I don't like that demographic (HS catchers), but his bat is really special. I've been on him since last year...

I like him a lot more if they think 3B/COF is where he’s headed because I really like the bat too.

[Rob]

Just joining in and completely uneducated on this year's draft class.

 

What are the best case scenarios for the Cubs? Any big guys dropping?

[Bertz]

I don't like any of the catchers, so glad the Giants are taking Bailey

 

One of Abel, Bitsko, or Mitchell is now guaranteed to make it to the Cubs, so already preparing myself for the idea they won't take any of them.

[Bertz]

Just joining in and completely uneducated on this year's draft class.

 

What are the best case scenarios for the Cubs? Any big guys dropping?

 

Nah, there was some weirdness at the top of the draft, arguably the top guy went 5th, but at this point the board looks about how it was supposed to.

[CubinNY]

What does that mean?

[Regular Show]

Excellent news. The players I like now or how I have it:

 

HS bat:

Tyler Soderstrom

 

HS pitcher:

Mick Abel

 

College pitcher:

Bobby Miller

 

College hitter:

Garrett Mitchell

 

I have it Soderstrom, Abel, Miller and then Mitchell in my rankings. Miller and Mitchell are very close for me and if you think you can improve his swing, then I'm fine with taking Mitchell after Abel and Soderstrom.

Edited June 11, 2020 by Regular Show

[Cubswin11]

What does that mean?

Taking a guy who takes more than the slot amount to sign

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Damn, I wanted Abel.

 

[Rob]

What does that mean?

Taking a guy who takes more than the slot amount to sign

Or somebody related to Daryl Hannah

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Cubs taking Howard per Longehagen

 

[Regular Show]

Damn, I wanted Abel.

 

 

Yeah, I was getting excited.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Extremely acceptable pick, Howard is such a dude

 

I’m happy with it. He’ll stick at short, good floor for a prep kid.

[Regular Show]

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Interesting. I like Ed Howard and the local media will be thrilled.

[Bertz]

Very nonplussed by this. He wasn't my guy but isn't someone I will complain about a bit. I'm used to either being thrilled or pissed when the Cubs pick.

[Derwood]

MLB Network said he was committed to Oklahoma. What are the chances he signs?

[Cubswin11]

Don’t love it, hopefully he can come in under slot a bit. Would’ve preferred Soderstrom, Mitchell or a pitcher.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Ed Howard was ranked 20th by BA:

 

20 Ed Howard Mount Carmel (Ill.) HS SS

 

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R

Commit/Drafted: Oklahoma

Age At Draft: 18.4

 

Howard is the top prep shortstop in a light high school class at the position and midwest area scouts should have good history with him considering he played alongside D-backs’ second-round pick Alek Thomas (2018) as an underclassman at Mount Carmel (Ill.) High. Howard wowed scouts as a junior in Perfect Game’s Jupiter WWBA tournament, showing high-level ability on both sides of the ball. While he has upside as a hitter, the polished part of Howard’s game comes from his glove. He’s a no-doubt shortstop at the next level as a solid athlete with reliable hands and a strong, accurate throwing arm. He moves fluidly in the middle of the diamond and has the ability to throw from all angles with excellent body control and a solid internal clock. In the 2020 class, he’s the clear-cut top prep defender at the position and has the potential to be a plus defensive shortstop in the big leagues . The one critique in his defensive game is that scouts would like to see better foot speed. He’s a solid runner, but not a burner by any means. Scouts will have to project more on Howard’s offensive game, particularly after not seeing him in games this season. He shows all the tools you want to see, with good bat speed, some bat-to-ball skill and a lithe, 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame that has plenty of room to add more muscle and impact ability. At present he’s more of a gap-to-gap, line-drive type hitter, but scouts want to see him refine his approach. He did a nice job of progressing throughout the summer in 2019 and showing he can make adjustments, but teams are still waiting for him to put it all together. While he is committed to Oklahoma, it’s rare for the top high school shortstop to not go in the first round, and a team that buys into his upside could jump on him in the middle or back half of the first round.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

MLB Network said he was committed to Oklahoma. What are the chances he signs?

 

The normal % of most prep kids picked in the 1st round, close to 0%.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

ESPN/Kiley had Howard at 34:

 

34. Ed Howard, SS, Mount Carmel HS (IL), Oklahoma commit, 45 FV: He had a strong summer with above-average tools and athleticism to get into first-round consideration, didn't get much of a chance to build on that this spring.

[Regular Show]

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Lol

[SpongeWorthy]

the confidence to go by "ed howard" in the year of our lord 2020 is pretty cool

[Bertz]

ESPN/Kiley had Howard at 21:

 

21. Ed Howard, SS, Mount Carmel HS (IL), Oklahoma commit, 45 FV: He had a strong summer with above-average tools and athleticism to get into first-round consideration, didn't get much of a chance to build on that this spring.

 

Here's Keith Law

 

15. Ed Howard, SS, Mount Carmel (Ill.) HS, Age: 18

 

Howard is one of the few true shortstops in the draft class at either the high school or college level, and that alone makes him at least a top two rounds guy, while the upside in his bat is probably going to make him a first-rounder. Howard is very projectable at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, and is an above-average runner with very good hands, giving scouts no doubt he’ll stay at short in the long term. His bat speed is excellent and he rotates well for future power as he fills out. Howard did struggle at the end of the summer of 2019, and we don’t know if that was due to a sore shoulder or fatigue or just trouble with better competition — and he didn’t get to play this spring to answer any of that. In a draft with more polished shortstops, he might slip to the supplemental round and end up an overslot guy, but this year he seems likely to go somewhere in the back half of the first.