2021 Draft Thread

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Here is BA's Way Too Early Top 10: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2021-mlb-mock-draft-way-too-early-top-10-picks/

 

1. Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt

2. Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt (draft-eligible sophomore)

3. Brady House, SS, Winder-Barrow HS (GA)

4. Adrian del Castillo, C, Miami

5. Matt McLain, SS, UCLA

6. Jud Fabian, OF, Florida

7. Jaden Hill, RHP, LSU

8. Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston State

9. Luke Leto, SS/RHP, Portage Central HS (MI)

10. Braylon Bishop, OF, Arkansas HS (AR)

 

ESPN (Kiley McDaniel) has a ranking of 30. Here are all of Kiley's 45 FV prospects:

 

1. Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt, 50 FV

2. Brady House, 3B, Winder-Barrow HS (GA), Tennessee commit, 45+ FV

3. Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt, 45+ FV

4. Jud Fabian, CF, Florida, 45 FV

5. Matt McLain, 2B, UCLA, 45 FV

6. Jordan Lawlar, SS, Jesuit HS (TX), Vanderbilt commit, 45 FV

7. Jaden Hill, RHP, LSU, 45 FV

8. Ethan Wilson, LF, South Alabama, 45 FV

9. Luke Leto, SS, Portage Central HS (MI), LSU commit, 45 FV

10. Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville, 45 FV

11. Davis Sharpe, RHP, Clemson, 45 FV

 

Fangraphs has ranked 111 prospects on their 2021 board plus have a bunch more prospects of interest: https://www.fangraphs.com/prospects/the-board/2021-mlb-draft/summary?type=0&team=&sort=-1,1&pageitems=10000000000000&pg=0

 

Their top 17 all have 40+ FV:

 

1. Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt - 50 FV

2. Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt - 50

3. Luke Leto, SS, Portage Central HS (MI) - 45

4. Braylon Bishop, CF, Texarkana HS (AR) - 45

5. Brady House, 3B/RHP, Winder-Barrow HS (GA) - 45

6. Robby Martin, RF, Florida State - 40+

7. Jaden Hill, RHP, LSU - 40+

8. Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville - 40+

9. Matt McLain, 2B, UCLA - 40+

10. Jud Fabian, CF, Florida - 40+

11, Jordan Lawlar, SS, Jesuit Prep HS (TX) - 40+

12. Izaac Pacheco, 3B, Friendswood HS (TX) - 40+

13. Christian Little, RHP, Christian Brothers HS (MO) - 40+

14. Davis Sharpe, RHP, Clemson - 40+

15. Jonathan Cannon, RHP, Georgia - 40+

16. Gunnar Hoglund, RHP, Ole Miss - 40+

17. Adrian del Castillo, C, Miami - 40+

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

Also, I updated the original post with Kiley McDaniel's top rankings too.

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I don't think the 2021 draft class is as talented as this year's draft class. It's better than the 2019 draft class (I think), but it doesn't have a transcendent talent at the very top like Adley Rutschman, or even someone like Spencer Torkelson or Austin Martin. Scouts don't have a great feel for this year's group so it's hard to say...

 

No Cape Cod League this summer, very limited spring ball and maybe some extended looks in the fall or later this summer.

 

At this same point last year, Emerson Hancock was considered the consensus best talent in the 2020 draft class and he obviously didn't go 1-1. I think the same thing happens to Kumar Rocker next year, but I could be wrong.

 

Definitely some players I like and I've mentioned some already... I don't like SS/3B Brady House.

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[CaliforniaRaisin]

[toonsterwu]

I have big hopes for UVA's 2021 season, and UVA draft potential for 2021 ... but I have my doubts as well. Vasil and McGarry both have big time stuff, but the consistency and command has never been there. McGarry's mechanics can be a mess at times and helped contribute to his problems, and you just sort of feel that if he can get that ironed out, he can take off. I don't have a great feel on Vasil, whose fastball backslid his first year, but was supposedly back last year. If the fastball's back, this was a kid that might've been a first rounder out of HS had he shown a desire to go pro (I believe he had a statement that was something like baseball isn't forever, so I bet that will be hammered repeatedly ... could be thinking of someone else).

 

Truth be told, beyond those two and Abbott, the guy I really have hopes for, that's draft eligible, is Gelof. He started showing more power last year, and if that continues, that's an enticing bat. I mean, Pavin Smith went 7th (on a tangent, very curious how he does this year, had a monster 2nd half, and if he bounces back, gonna be intriguing despite them adding Seth Beer (of course, if universal DH comes in, Beer goes there), and while Gelof doesn't have that level of discipline/approach, I don't know if the power potential is that far off. Of course, what position he plays in the pros is a question. Nic Kent feels like there's some more pop in there, enough to make him intriguing, but he's probably more in that Andy Weber mold (former UVA, current Cub farmhand at last check).

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1. Chase Burns, RHP, Station Camp (Tenn.)

The consensus standout among scouts at this year’s PG National Showcase, Burns, a University of Tennessee commit, looked the part of a future early first-round pick on Saturday when he ran his fastball up to 99 mph, recording the event's top velocity. His heater hovered around 95-97-mph in the outing, and the 6-foot-4, 215-pound righty impressed evaluators by flashing plus with both his slider and changeup, while also mixing in a quality curveball.

 

Chase Burns made a big impression at this event. I didn't know much about him before and I'm pretty sure most scouts weren't super familiar with him either. They've definitely taken notice after that performance. There will be another big PG event later this summer.

[ddwyer]

FYI - the Northwoods League actually started in 1994 so it has been around for quite some time. I remember watching Scherzer pitch in the league and thinking that he looks MUCH better than the other pitchers.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

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https://www.fangraphs.com/prospects/the-board/2021-mlb-draft/summary?sort=-1,1&q=

 

 

Seriously man... *

 

 

----

 

*This will be a nice little easter egg for anyone that finds this.

 

Seriously, how the horsefeathers have you not figured out that I don't want you to interact with me by now?

 

I don't want to discuss James Wood or Kumar Rocker or Chase Burns or any other draft prospect with you here... I don't want to discuss anything baseball-related with you here. Actually, I don't want to discuss anything with you here. When you respond to one of my posts it just makes me want to delete it and leave the thread... I despise you that horsefeathering much.

 

You're a troll. You act like an horsefeathers at times. You're a horsefeathering idiot. You lie or fabricate stuff (especially in regards to me) all the time... You never admit when someone is more knowledgeable than you. You're bad at scouting and I'm pretty sure all scouts would think you're an idiot and a waste of time if they met you. You never admit when you're wrong and you just try to deflect...

 

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=39&start=1225

 

Remember this? When you were wrong about Adbert Alzolay's injury, and Duke Silver and Davell and myself all made fun of you? Good times.

 

Honestly, you just make the discourse worse here and I'm pissed other posters even entertain and engage you in conversation (it's horsefeathering moronic). You should be banned and if not that, then collectively shunned. I won't miss telling you when you're wrong (which is often) and avoiding all the dumb horsefeathers you say here.

 

Tom, I sincerely think you're a:

 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Regular Show

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Beautiful swing in the top clip above.

 

As I was saying earlier, this kid is having a very loud summer and is definitely getting noticed now. He's rocketing up the draft rankings.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

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[CaliforniaRaisin]

Missouri prep RHP Christian Little, one of the top prospects in next year’s draft, is instead enrolling early at Vanderbilt.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

MLB.com's top 15 HS prospects: https://www.mlb.com/news/2021-mlb-draft-top-high-school-prospects?t=mlb-pipeline-coverage

 

1. Jordan Lawler, HS, Jesuit College Prep (TX)

2. Andrew Painter, RHP, Cavalry Christian Academy (FL)

3. Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake HS (CA)

4. Brady House, 3B/RHP, Winder-Barrow HS (GA)

5. Chase Petty, RHP, Mainland Regional HS (NJ)

6. Izaac Pacheco, 3B, Friendswood HS (TX)

7. Chase Burns, RHP, Station Camp HS (TN)

8. Joe Mack, C, Williamsville East HS (NY)

9. James Wood, OF, IMG Academy (FL)

10. Josh Báez, OF/RHP, Dexter Southfield HS (MA)

11. Benny Montgomery, OF, Red Land HS (PA)

12. Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest HS (NC)

13. Jackson Jobe, RHP/SS, Heritage Hall HS (OK)

14. Ian Moller, C, Wahlert HS (IA)

15. Tyree Reed, OF, American Canyon HS (CA)

[Bertz]

[Bryants Disco Ball]

I know this isn't acceptable, but I really wanted the Cubs to tank this sham season so we could have gotten Kumar Rocker.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA says the Cubs have the 22nd pick, CBS has them with the 21st

 

*The rest of this post is nonsense*

 

I would like any of these 5 players:

 

Braylon Bishop

Izaac Pacheco

Christian MacLeod

Steve Hajjar

Carter Holton

 

Would guess maybe Bishop, Pacheco, and one of the college arms are there while Holton might go in the top 15 picks as the top HS P. If you want crazy comps, and who doesn't - Jim Edmonds, Jim Thome, Mark Buerhle, Andy Pettitte, Cliff Lee. Throw Eddie Murray in for Braden Montgomery. These purported ceilings are only possible if drafted by the Cubs

 

It’s the 21st pick. BA included Houston’s forfeited pick in their draft order.

 

(This assumes they’ll go with 2020 record for their 2021 draft order.)

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

21 Chicago Cubs

Steven Hajjar

LHP, Michigan

The Cubs love a cold weather pitcher and Michigan's Steven Hajjar is right in their backyard. There's several directions the Cubbies could go with this pick as their farm is in need of a talent infusion just about everywhere. Hajjar is a guy that will need to prove his velo spikes in 2020 weren't an anomaly. He touched 95 on a number of occasions, but the heater averaged barely 90 mph last season. He's a sinker-ball guy with an intriguing change-up and a slider that's flashed plus at times, but was wildly inconsistent.

 

Contributor: Joe