2023 MLB Draft Thread

[Tim]

I'm good with Nimmala

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

new mock from Law: https://theathletic.com/4646310/2023/06/29/mlb-mock-draft-paul-skenes-pirates

 

Cubs take Enrique Bradfield Jr. with Taylor, Waldrep, Troy, Nimmala, and Meyer still on the board.  Doesn't seem to be strong rumors connecting him though.

 

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13. Chicago Cubs — Enrique Bradfield, Jr., OF, Vanderbilt

DOB: 12-02-2001 | Height: 6-1 | Weight: 170

Bradfield’s range seems to be 11-16, except Arizona, while the Cubs are mostly linked to college bats like him, Shaw, Troy, and Taylor, as well as one high schooler in Houck.

Scouting Report: Bradfield brings two elite tools to the table – he’s an 80 runner and at least a 70 defender in center, maybe an 80, thanks to that speed and very good reads on balls off the bat. He’s stolen 129 bases in three seasons with the Commodores, through the end of this year’s regular season, with just 13 times caught stealing, none as a sophomore when he was a perfect 46 of 46. At the plate, however, he comes with some questions, including a swing that needs a ton of help. He loads his hands very deep, takes a big stride, opens his hips early, and collapses his back side … it’s a wonder he hits as well as he does, but also opens a world of possibilities for improvement. He’s slight, but not weak, with exit velocities that point to average power if he can sync up his upper and lower halves and stay more upright through contact. The 14 homers he’s hit since the start of 2022 are a promising sign to go with the floor his speed and defense provide.

 

[CubinNY]

too slow

Edited June 29, 2023 by CubinNY

[CaliforniaRaisin]

4 hours ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

new mock from Law: https://theathletic.com/4646310/2023/06/29/mlb-mock-draft-paul-skenes-pirates

 

Cubs take Enrique Bradfield Jr. with Taylor, Waldrep, Troy, Nimmala, and Meyer still on the board.  Doesn't seem to be strong rumors connecting him though.

 

 

Just as weird is that Law only mentioned one prep player linked to the Cubs in his blurb when we know they've worked out and high are on few of them (sounds like Houck is one of them though).

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Jim Callis and Kiley McDaniel both have mocked Nimmala to the Cubs recently..

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13. Cubs: Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS, Dover, Fla. (No. 11)
The Cubs are sorting through several bats, with the high school group (Nimmala, Houck, Miller, Emerson, Eldridge) maybe ahead of the college crop (Taylor, Shaw, Gonzalez, Wilson, Bradfield). They've taken college pitchers in the first round of the three of the last four Drafts, and Florida right-hander Huston Waldrep would be their only viable option in this scenario.

 

[Named After Maddux]

I’m guessing it ultimately is a hitter, but hard to imagine they’d pass Dollander or Lowder (really unlikely to be there). 
Good bevy of hitters in both college (Brayden Taylor, Schanuel, JGon) and (Aidan Miller, Colt Emerson, Arjun Nimmala) who could be there. Lots of good talent.

[Outshined_One]

Random question for the people who know way more about this stuff than I do.

Is there anyone in the Top 50 in this class who is projected to be a good defensive SS?  I feel like Nimmala is the only one whose writeups indicate he's likely to stick at SS, but nearly every other MIF prospect gets knocked for issues with arm/quickness/lateral movement/instincts and is likely to end up at 2B/3B/OF in the majors.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

45 minutes ago, Outshined_One said:

Random question for the people who know way more about this stuff than I do.

Is there anyone in the Top 50 in this class who is projected to be a good defensive SS?  I feel like Nimmala is the only one whose writeups indicate he's likely to stick at SS, but nearly every other MIF prospect gets knocked for issues with arm/quickness/lateral movement/instincts and is likely to end up at 2B/3B/OF in the majors.

Jacob Wilson is the one that jumped to mind, maybe not so surprising given that he's Jack Wilson's son.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

1 hour ago, Outshined_One said:

Random question for the people who know way more about this stuff than I do.

Is there anyone in the Top 50 in this class who is projected to be a good defensive SS?  I feel like Nimmala is the only one whose writeups indicate he's likely to stick at SS, but nearly every other MIF prospect gets knocked for issues with arm/quickness/lateral movement/instincts and is likely to end up at 2B/3B/OF in the majors.

Roch Cholowsky, prep from the Phoenix area

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Kiley McDaniel’s draft preview: https://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/insider/story/_/id/37939240/2023-mlb-draft-guide-best-fits-biggest-need-all-30-teams

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Chicago Cubs

Day 1 picks: No. 13, No. 68

2023 draft bonus pool: $8,962,000

Where their farm system ranks: sixth, $245 million

What they do well and a recent draft win: After years of struggling to create high-level pitching depth, the Cubs' past two first-round picks, Cade Horton and Jordan Wicks, are both college arms who have been arrow-up arms since draft day.

What they need to accomplish in this draft: The big league team is still just OK, but the farm system is cresting with multiple players close to contributing. The lower minors aren't quite as strong, so beefing up the next wave will help sustain this movement.

Best fits: They'll likely be staring top prep arm Noble Meyer in the face with their first pick, along with much of the top of the second tier of prep hitters. Rumor is Arjun Nimmala had a sterling private workout. Their second pick is a nice spot to dip into the second cut of prep pitching, with one of the high-upside-option lefties among Paul Wilson, Alex Clemmey and Cameron Johnson probably still available.

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2023-mock-draft-1-0/

 

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12. Arizona Diamondbacks
Pick: Aidan Miller, 3B, Mitchell HS (FL)
13. Chicago Cubs
Pick: Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Florida Atlantic
14. Boston Red Sox
Pick: Blake Mitchell, C, Sinton HS (TX)

Miller’s name pops up at all three of these picks, and if the Cubs and Red Sox want him but have their pockets picked by the D-backs, they might each check down to a college safety valve. Maryland’s Matt Shaw is often mentioned in this general area, but Schanuel has been mentioned specifically with the Cubs (and as high as the Angels). I’m getting mixed signals on the BoSox, who have been mentioned with Mitchell and also as a team looking to cut a deal. It sounds like Stanford’s Tommy Troy is behind a bunch of the other college hitters on teams’ boards, so he might present the greatest savings here if that’s what Boston wants to do.

 

 

All that matters is that they get it right in the very end, but boy does drafting a college 1B from a non-power conference make me antsy.  Especially since he did not hit in the Cape last year.

[Tryptamine]

I am almost never ok with taking a 1B in the 1st unless he absolutely rakes and even then it doesn't usually turn out very well. I'd be pretty intensely disappointed by this.

[Hrubes20]

1 hour ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2023-mock-draft-1-0/

 

 

 

All that matters is that they get it right in the very end, but boy does drafting a college 1B from a non-power conference make me antsy.  Especially since he did not hit in the Cape last year.

I'm actually a pretty big fan of Schanuel, but I 100% get this.  This type of pick is much easier to stomach in the 20's, rather than at 13.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

2 hours ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2023-mock-draft-1-0/

 

 

 

All that matters is that they get it right in the very end, but boy does drafting a college 1B from a non-power conference make me antsy.  Especially since he did not hit in the Cape last year.

This would be a clear slot savings pick with an eye for the large number of overslot options in the 2nd/3rd round but I don’t like it since it’s so low risk/low reward in comparison to Horton last year. I much prefer one of the prep infielders and use senior signs in rounds 6-10 to get overslot options in rounds 2 and 3 (and the Cubs are starting to get meaningful prospects with senior signs - Riley Martin, Brody McCullough, Matt Mervis).

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I got curious so I checked on how Schanuel fared against power conference competition, and even though these are midweek games it did make me feel a little bit better.  FAU had 6 games against Miami and Florida, Schanuel in those games: 29 PA, .545/.655/1.500, 7 HR, 7/4 BB/K

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Mayo:

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13. Cubs: Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS, Dover, Fla. (No. 11)
The Cubs could still entertain a college hitter here, like Shaw, Troy or Gonzalez. But they also may not have thought Nimmala would be available and he could top a group of high school hitters like Miller and Eldridge here. If Nimmala doesn’t go here, it might become a little tougher to find him a home in this range.

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]

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13. Chicago Cubs

Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest (Fla.) HS

Nimmala has interest from multiple teams picking in the top 10 and more spots in this area, but rumors persist that he has some chance to last long enough to get floated to a team's second pick with a mid-first round type bonus. I just can't quite see that happening due to the rare combination of upside that a number of teams are specifically looking for in prospects. Aidan Miller is another hot name at this pick, which is probably his high-water mark, but it's been hard to narrow the Cubs' targets (and those of the Red Sox picking behind them) down to a smaller player mix.

On Arizona’s pick (12th, right before the Cubs), Kiley said this:

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This pick and the two that follow are the toughest for me to pin down. 

Oops, didn’t realize Kiley mocked the Cubs second pick too:

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68. Chicago Cubs: Jackson Baumeister, RHP, Florida State

 

[CaliforniaRaisin]