2020 MLB Actual Draft Day(s) Thread

[Regular Show]

 

You would be hard-pressed to find scouts who aren’t impressed by Howard’s defensive ability. Talent evaluators agreed that it’s hard to find a prep shortstop of this caliber at that point in the draft.

 

What makes Howard such a strong defender? Scouts point to his hands. Howard may not have elite range, but if he can get to the ball, he will make the play. In today’s game, with teams knowing how to position their defenders better than ever before, some believe he’ll grade out as an elite shortstop. The Cubs believe they selected the best defender in the draft.

 

I said that I doubt Howard reaches the level of Addison Russell or Javy Baez on defense, but I think he can be above-average at SS. Not elite, but very good and I believe that's how most scouts feel as well.

 

Howard won’t have the swing-and-miss concern as he’s viewed as a strong contact hitter. But the separator will be whether he can tap into his power. The Cubs don’t envision a dramatic swing change to get this done, but this is where the player development staff, like Valaika and new director of hitting Justin Stone, will be key.

 

“Their hitting coaches in the organization, I think they’re really good,” Howard said. “I think they can help me a lot. I feel like I can improve everywhere, all sides of the game. I think that organization is going to do a great job to help me get on the right path to play in the big leagues. I’m comfortable with them. I believe in them, I trust them and I feel like they trust in me. I think it’s a great fit and I’m just ready to get going.”

 

Same thing for me. I like the swing, but I wonder how much power he develops as he grows and gets stronger? 10-15 HRs is still great for a SS who plays good/great defense; if he gets stronger and starts hitting for power and gets to 25-30 HRs then he becomes one of the best shortstops in the game. Very exciting to have a prospect like this in the system again.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

From different discussion board:

Lifted this from the Cubs Draft Tracker guy re. Koen Moreno, the HS 5th rounder.

 

Gave an interview with a local podcast guy.

Q: Do you have an idea if you're gonna if you're gonna pick between heading to college VCU and signing with the Cubs?

A: Yeah, so I mean, it's definitely you know, this draft is so different because, you know, they want kids to sign. So I believe that I am going to sign with the cubs. Um, so yeah

 

:hello:

 

Hi there! Didn’t know you were around this message board too.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

NDFA is going well.

 

 

BA has a tracker going:

 

 

[Named After Maddux]

Beesley to Cubs per the BA tracker.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The Cubs have signed Bradley Beesley, BA’s 429th ranked prospect and their 6th best NDFA senior.

 

Bradlee Beesley Cal Poly OF

 

Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 180 | B-T: R-R

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted

Age At Draft: 22.3

 

Beesley started all four years at Cal Poly and hit well in the Cape Cod League two years in a row while swinging a wood bat. He’s an undersized contact hitter who sprays the ball around. Beesley lacks power and could walk more, but he knows his game and gets the bat to the ball. Beesley is a plus runner with an above-average arm and plays an average center field. He has the tools and mature instincts to play all three outfield positions.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

The Padres signed a HS kid: Sam Ruta, SS, Pennsbury HS, Fairless Hills, PA

 

The Phillies just signed one too.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Second Cubs signing:

 

 

He’s ranked 438th overall in BA’s top 500 and their 10th best NDFA senior.

 

Scott McKeon (BA RANK: 438 ) Coastal Carolina SS

 

Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R

Commit/Drafted: Tigers '19 (21)

Age At Draft: 22.6

 

McKeon began his career at Brunswick (N.C.) JC, where he led the team in hitting with a .434 average as a freshman before hitting .339 in his sophomore campaign. His hitting ability translated just fine to Coastal Carolina and the Sun Belt Conference, as McKeon managed a .344/.407/.500 line in 79 games over the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Teams were interested in McKeon last year—the Tigers drafted him in the 21st round—but he returned to school for his final season and would have been a priority senior sign in the 5-10 round range in a normal year. Scouts see McKeon as a solid defender at shortstop and think he can stick there but have questions about whether his bat and offensive approach will translate to the pro game.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

3rd signing:

 

LHP Scott Kobos, Coastal Carolina

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Cubs should be doing well in Puerto Rico seeing as they have one of the two best and most marketable Puerto Ricans in the game.

 

 

[Tim]

Cubs should be doing well in Puerto Rico seeing as they have one of the two best and most marketable Puerto Ricans in the game.

 

 

Seems like a great time to sign Javy to a big extension and then get him on the phone to all these guys. :D

[CaliforniaRaisin]

3rd signing from the state of South Carolina (Billy Swoope, the Cubs area scout for the Carolinas, is considered one of, if not their best):

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Ben Leeper, RHP, Oklahoma State (sho looks like Justin Turner in his Orioles days). That’s 6 total signings:

 

https://twitter.com/ben_leeper5/status/1272228364976300032?s=21

[Tim]

As always, an invaluable link this time of year:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1R9hzhGo0Q_29g2bfa2yQwHYqNN799JzkCP7HyK-XCKY/htmlview#

[Post Count Padder]

Graham Lawson was an 12th round pick 2 years ago by the Nats.

 

McKeon was a 21st rounder last year.

 

Small sample size but Leeper struck out 14 in just 7 innings this spring.

[Post Count Padder]

Phillies just nabbed a local prep kid out of Ocean City NJ high school, Jake McKenna, BA's 434th ranked prospect in the Draft. He got the maximum $20k. Gonna be interesting to see how many high school seniors take a deal.

[Regular Show]

I kinda want a bunch of prospects to do this to stick it to MLB and the owners...

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[Tim]

Couple more signings:

 

Bailey Reid:

https://athletics.westmont.edu/sports/baseball/roster/bailey-reid/7722

 

in 2019+20, Reid had: 22.1 IP, four singles allowed, two doubles allowed, 1 run, 0 earned runs and 43 k

(and 16 walks)

 

Reid is a senior sign out of a 4yr college.

 

 

Jacob Wetzel:

http://fccathletics.com/sports/bsb/2018-19/bios/wetzel_jacob_ommj

 

Wetzel just crushed at that community college. A .377/.510/.667 is really good at any level of competition.

Plus he struck out 16.2 batters per nine innings as a reliever. So I'm guessing he's got a plus arm in the OF

And he hit six dongs and stole 14 bases (2 cs)

 

Wetzel is a freshman sign out of a CC.

 

 

Both seem like nice gets.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

Most interesting thing I saw from the Wetzel signing: “Instructional league in August or early September”

[toonsterwu]

Mildly curious how high on the radar some of these guys were and where they would've gone in a longer draft. Edited June 15, 2020 by toonsterwu

[Cubswin11]

Law’s write up on Little sounds like like tall Justin Wilson as a high end outcome

 

Luke Little (4) became internet famous for supposedly throwing 105 mph in an indoor workout during the shutdown, but he’s really just a mid-90s guy with below-average command and control. It’s more interesting that he’s 6-8, which could be an advantage since it’s an unusual look, although very few pitchers have been able to start with that size.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[Regular Show]

 

More Matt Mervis:

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[Regular Show]

Good stuff in here:

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[Hrubes20]

Looks like Sam Thoresen, a junior RHP from U of Minnesota, signed. [tweet]

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Looks like another one of the big stuff, terrible command/control types that have been added to the system. Get that arm in the pitching lab and see if something can be done.