2021 Draft Thread

[Named After Maddux]

https://www.mlb.com/news/mock-mlb-draft-2021-may-5

 

21. Cubs: Michael McGreevy, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

 

No college pitcher has more helium right now than McGreevy, who endears himself to clubs with his combination of pitch data, polish and performance. He struck out 15 while permitting just two hits and no walks against Cal Poly in his last start.

 

A college RH?! So two years ago

 

Cubs pass on Ford in this mock, Joe Mack is the first HS C off the board, de Castillo doesn’t go until pick 20 to the Yankees, other stuff

 

McGreevy sounds like a Cleveland Baseball Team pick.

 

He does fit Cleveland’s MO. But there’s people in the Cubs org that are pounding the table for McGreevy. I’m still surprised it’s in round one, but he’s been impressing a lot of teams.

[NOLA]

 

He had 10 K through 3 IP and ends with 15 K through 5 IP.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

Must have been a mid-week injury.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[CubinNY]

 

No thanks,

[Bertz]

HARD pass on not going with Jaden Hill in that scenario.

[OleMissCub]

That’s brutal

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

HARD pass on not going with Jaden Hill in that scenario.

 

I'm expecting Hill to go to a team with a comp pick or high second rounder because they'll be able to manage the extra bonus demands and are better able to handle the additional risk. Maybe with Hoglund now needing TJS too, both of them can't be funneled to teams with more bonus space.

 

Even with his swing changes that match up with improved contact, I'm not a fan of Fabian. I just am not comfortable with guys who strike out so much in college (call it Brett Jackson flashbacks if you will but it's not like the Dodgers were able to fix Jeren Kendall's contact issues).

[Bertz]

HARD pass on not going with Jaden Hill in that scenario.

 

I'm expecting Hill to go to a team with a comp pick or high second rounder because they'll be able to manage the extra bonus demands and are better able to handle the additional risk. Maybe with Hoglund now needing TJS too, both of them can't be funneled to teams with more bonus space.

 

Even with his swing changes that match up with improved contact, I'm not a fan of Fabian. I just am not comfortable with guys who strike out so much in college (call it Brett Jackson flashbacks if you will but it's not like the Dodgers were able to fix Jeren Kendall's contact issues).

 

Yeah, it feels like a team like the Tigers, picking at both 3 and 32, would make the most sense. But the White Sox have essentially equal draft capital to the Cubs if I'm not mistaken, so I'd be pissed if we passed on him and a team like them nabs him.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I'd bet, no I wouldn't but will say I would, that Fabian goes back to school. He's 21 next year and the way he's hitting lately could relatively easily regain his status. This year it's Ks, next year it'll be a lack of leveragez (since he'll be a senior)...these guys can't win and that's the present and even more so the future of the draft

 

As far as Fabian today....I'm impressed by the combo of age, CF defense (would maybe easily be the best in the org), overall track record including hitting in the CCBL at 18, and the way he's been hitting lately. I'd also throw in that Bryant K'd plenty in college without a pandemic taking away hundreds of documented game reps, and I'm pretty sure rates overall were lower then too, so I don't want to be too quick to crush an otherwise elite player for one obvious flaw. THAT said, I don't think a successful Fabian is crazy different from a successful Davis or Roederer, and he's not way more obviously certain than either at this point - the #1 reason to take a college bat

 

Bryant and Fabian's college strikeout rates aren't at all similar in their sophomore and junior years.

 

Bryant K%: 22.18% as a freshman, 14.45% as a sophomore and 14.57% as a junior. Fabian: 21.74%, 22.22% and 27.70%.

 

Kris also walked more than he struck out his sophomore and junior year (Fabian isn't close to that) and had far better power.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Named After Maddux has a mock:

 

[Named After Maddux]

Named After Maddux has a mock:

 

 

Hey, thanks for sharing. I also wanted to put it out there that I get that the first thing most of us do with a new mock is to critique it. I know I do. Unlike Baseball America or Jim Callis, I've been a poster here, but feel free to tear into this one if you'd like. I've had some good feedback from scouts and analysts since I put it out there a couple days ago that helps me with the next one (late June/July), but it's ok to think some of the picks are wonky.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

MLB Pipeline’s new number 1 is suburban San Diego prep SS Marcelo Mayer. Jordan Lawler is 2.

 

[CubinNY]

James Wood at #29, will he last for the Cubs to draft him? Is this a pick the Cubs would make?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

James Wood at #29, will he last for the Cubs to draft him? Is this a pick the Cubs would make?

 

The Cubs pick 21 and Wood has been available at their pick in most mock drafts. I'm not sure if the Dan Kantrovitz-led Cubs would pick him since we have only seen him run one draft so far but he does seem more willing to take on riskier but higher ceiling picks than Jason McLeod did from 2012-2019.

 

Also, there's still about 6 weeks to go till the draft and high talent states like California are only now starting their prep season so draft boards should shuffle around a lot more.

[Bertz]

 

21. Cubs: Harry Ford, C, North Cobb HS (Kennesaw, Ga.)

He’s an athletic catcher who can really run and make a lot of contact, with the athleticism to move to another position if any club that takes him feels the need to do so.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Kevin Goldstein:

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

BA Mock Draft 4.0: https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/mlb-mock-draft/

 

1. Jordan Lawler

2. Marcelo Mayer

3. Brady House

4. Jack Leiter

5. Henry Davis

6. Kahlil Watson

7. Kumar Rocker

 

The Cubs pick at 21:

 

Michael McGreevy, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

 

McGreevy’s name is frequently mentioned as the top college righthander after the Vanderbilt arms, Madden and Bachman, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he went higher than this. Along with Hoglund, he has some of the best overall command in the class, is young, still-projectable and has two plus offerings in his fastball and curveball.

 

Others of interest:

 

14. Bubba Chandler

16. Sam Bachman

18. Gunnar Hoglund

19. Harry Ford

23. Joe Mack

24. Ryan Cusick

26. Jud Fabian

28. Lonnie White

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Callis mock: https://www.mlb.com/amp/news/mock-mlb-draft-may-26.html?__twitter_impression=true

 

21. Cubs: Michael McGreevy, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

No college prospect in this projection has climbed boards more than McGreevy, who ranked second in NCAA D-I with a 104/10 K/BB ratio and also endears himself to teams with his pitch metrics. His polish could appeal to the Cubs, who have struggled to develop arms.

[Tim]

Keith Law mock is up in the Athletic today, too:

 

21. Chicago Cubs: Will Taylor, OF, Dutch Fork (SC) HS

 

Taylor is the biggest wild card in the draft — he still hasn’t really indicated whether he wants to play baseball or would rather go to Clemson to play football (as a six-foot, 175-pound receiver?), and also isn’t working with an adviser yet, which is very unusual. If he does say “let’s do that baseball,” he’s going to get $2 million-plus, and the Cubs have been strongly linked to him.

[CubinNY]

Keith Law mock is up in the Athletic today, too:

 

21. Chicago Cubs: Will Taylor, OF, Dutch Fork (SC) HS

 

Taylor is the biggest wild card in the draft — he still hasn’t really indicated whether he wants to play baseball or would rather go to Clemson to play football (as a six-foot, 175-pound receiver?), and also isn’t working with an adviser yet, which is very unusual. If he does say “let’s do that baseball,” he’s going to get $2 million-plus, and the Cubs have been strongly linked to him.

I don't know vital statistics well - Is Law saying Taylor is too big, too small, or too heavy to be a WR?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=19435&src=hmrep

 

21. Chicago Cubs: Matt McLain, SS, UCLA

 

We have already seen McLain’s name called in the first round as he was picked by the Diamondbacks back in the 2018. He has done nothing but progress at UCLA and finds himself right back into first round talks. A risk-free pick as you know you are getting a prospect who has proved himself time and time again. The versatility in the infield combined with the hit tool are too good for the Cubs to pass up here in the first round. -DW/CS

 

TH: After adding a shortstop in the first round last year, the Cubs do it again with McLain. If healthy and at his best, the UCLA shortstop provides a quality bat with power and ability to play solid defense at a premium position in shortstop.

 

If he’s available it makes some sense to take him I guess, but it’s hard to imagine McLain reaches 21. There’s not many college hitters in this draft with a meatier resume, he’s one of the few who hit with wood bats in the CCBL plus is a 3 year starter, and he’s played a bunch of positions after being drafted in the first out of HS.

 

Alex Binelas in the 2nd round. Meh.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Jim Callis mock:

 

 

21. Cubs: Will Taylor, OF, Dutch Fork HS (Irmo, S.C.)

 

The Cubs are considering every demographic -- high school bats (Taylor, Colson Montgomery) and arms (Solometo), college hitters (Florida outfielder Jud Fabian) and pitchers (McGreevy).