Hrubes20

Given that these guys can now be dealt right after signing, there is potential immediate impact here for a contender like the Cubs at the deadline.

What the actual horsefeathers was that?

They thinking Rocker is gonna be there at the comp picks? Gotta use this underslot somewhere.

Yuck. Let’s hope someone worthwhile drops so the savings on this reach can be spent well.

Marlin Bystro over at PSD thinks the Cubs won't take a prep pitcher before the 5th round.

Last year he mocked Nate Pearson and Drew Rasmussen (Little and Lange). No 1st rounder in 2016. He mocked Benintendi in 2015 (sigh, Ian Happ). He mocked Conforto in 2014 (Schwarber). He hit on every demographic chosen, but didn't actually get any of the picks themselves right. If he's saying the Cubs are leaning towards hitters, which he is, it seems like a good bet that they go with a bat in the 1st.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/mlb-mock-draft/ #hrubes20rage

I like Edwards enough, but the Vandy commit is a little concerning. He may cost a pretty penny in the 1st, and there should be others available that are equally as talented and come cheaper.

Who knows anymore with this guy? Would not mind the Reds doing that at all. Murray has struck out like 25% of the time this year. Big questions about that hit tool for me.

They also said Conner Scott to the Marlins at 13 is about as much of a lock as you can get in the teens.

Not sure if it's been posted yet, but here is Fangraphs' sorted list: https://www.fangraphs.com/scoutboard.aspx?draft=2018mlb&type=0&pos=all&team=all

Nope. God bless Yagyu and his twitter searching.

It’s not. I was assured by a guy who “knows things” that they aren’t connected to him.

That stinks. I guess the kid didn't want a chance at a big league career. Going to UVA effectively ends that.

He will be an interesting one to follow. Usually guys with his mediocre stuff induce alot of groundballs to maintain good results. Thompson throws very few of them.

Yeah, that updated list was a good read. Plenty of prep guys I hadn’t heard of.

Whoa. That’s a legit changeup. Huge development for him if he gets consistent with it

I might agree with this since intuitively it seems like he has more starting potential than say a Larnach due to bringing speed and defense to the table. Larnach strikes me as a Seth Smith type, the bat will play but the rest of his game will keep his overall value down. Yeah, it just depends on how his body matures. He's a got a really good OF arm, so he could stick in RF pretty easily as long as he doesn't fill out too much and slow down.

They aren't. Rangers are always really active in IFA (they just signed the big time Cuban, Julio Pablo Martinez), and I would honestly expect them to ADD IFA money, rather than deal it away. Crazier things have happened I suppose.

Very true. There will always be more prep arms than anything else. It's actually a somewhat deep pool this year for college bats though. Hoerner/Eierman/Conine/Hannah/McCarthy/Jenista/Pompey/Isbel all look like guys that are actual prospects with a solid chance of being there in the 2nd. Without a doubt. Beer is a DH. Larnach is actually pretty athletic for his build, and looks like a solid RFer.

Moving off of Rolison, Callis had a new mock yesterday. Gave the Cubs Trevor Larnach, and tied them to Nico Hoerner and Nick Schnell (who somebody said has a bunch of helium right now). https://www.mlb.com/news/mock-draft-college-players-get-picked-early/c-278228058 I would be 100% behind the pick of Larnach. Not sure he makes it to 24 though. Hoerner would be a reach for sure. Seems like a target for the 2nd round. Worth noting that both Larnach and Hoerner performed well on the Cape.

I can't definitely say it wasn't a blister. I'll take it! Especially considering I always assume blown UCL or labrum until I'm told otherwise. That way you aren't disappointed any further.

Well of course he is. I wasn't comparing Rolison and Zastryzny as prospects, but comparing the situations. (i.e. a guy who wasn't great most of the year, but who happened to have a terrific start in his conference tourney in front of the FO; leading them to select him) I don't buy it. Rolison was a top 10 or 20 guy for most pubs coming into the year whereas Zastrzny was a relative unknown that happened to be LH, have some arm strength, be healthy, and not totally suck in college while being cheap (Cubs signed him for like 200K+ below slot) for the Bryant draft. That distinction is significant, as is the gap in their college performance. Zastrzny gave up more H than IP in college with a low K rate, mostly in the Big 12, whereas Rolison was strong in the CCL while closing his college career with a season that will probably push 100 IP/120 Ks with tourney play in the SEC. Basically, you're really selling Rolison short by even lumping them together on general terms. I disagree. Rolison as a 1st rounder is as big a stretch to me as Zastryzny was as a 2nd rounder. He was garbage against SEC opponents this year and feasted on lesser opponents. Other than his curve, his stuff isn’t anything to write home about. His body is probably maxed out, so he’s not going to improve the 89-92 much. Rolison’s stock has been steadily falling all year and honestly, his health is the only reason he’s still in 1st round discussions. He wouldn’t be in mine. But I still think you are trying to compare them as prospects. Rolison is clearly a superior prospect to what Zastryzny was. That was never in question.

Dammit. Hope it’s just a blister or something.

Well, they took bats for the first however many years so we can't really know. But Brendon Little is in the same boat as Stinnett and Abbott, in that they had velocity increase their draft year, and he obviously was their 1st pick in 2017. I hope it's nothing and I'm just being paranoid.