Friday, April 3, 2015

Season 13 - Amateur Draft

Thank you to everyone who participated.  I apologize for the format issues.  Its best when they are sitemailed to me, but several sent trade chats instead and thats where you see the type change.

As always, these reviews are using a mixture of my HS/Coll/ADV Scouting and analysis.  Without a doubt, people will disagree :-) Enjoy!

1. Boston College - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160039" target="_blank">Corey Franco</a>

Franco looks like he will be a solid SP, but is a disappointment when seeing how loaded this draft class was.  He'll definitely be an innings hitter, but I think we'll see several players more worthy of #1.

kdfan35 - The scouts saw franco as the best pitcher who was willing to commit to pro ball- he should be a future horse- throwing a lot of innings at the front end of th Boston rotation

2. Texas A&M - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159490" target="_blank">Jumbo Badilla</a>

Badilla has an unbelievable bat and should hit a ton for the Aggies once he develops. It will be interesting to see how his glove develops because obviously if he can even play average defensively at a premium position, his value will skyrocket. He is worth every penny he demanded.

tbone66 - With the second overall pick I choose SS Jumbo Badilla. Although he probably won't be a ML SS his batting potential it to the roof as a hitter and for power. I can see him one day being a 2B or a heavy hitting 1B. Hopefully it pans out as his demands just rose substantially and I am going to have to pay and arm and a leg to get him on board

3. Cincinnati - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160111" target="_blank">Augie Quackenbush</a>

One of, if not the best pitcher in the draft, Quankenbush easily could have gone #1 and similar players like him do all the time in other worlds.  His righty split is ridiculous and has a couple great pitches.  Top of the rotation ace material and a legitimate steal at #3.

4. Anaheim - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159603" target="_blank">Carl Griffey</a>

Is this Ken Griffey Jr's long lost twin brother?  Carl Girffey sports a fantastic bat and hopefully will also play a premium defensive position.  Yet another guy who easily could have gone #1.

5. Salem - Chief Luetge

Headed to college breaking the collective heart of the Beavers

hurricane384 - Chief Luetge was the #5 pick overall. He isn't signing. He was going to be a very good hitter, but him not signing isn't a bad thing either.

6. Los Angeles - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159377" target="_blank">Ted Stange</a>

Really nice prospect and probably a 2B or maybe 3B depending on how his defensive ratings develop.  Always nice to grab a really good hitting player at one of those positions who is also a solid fielder.  A notch below the other guys who have gone so far, but a nice pick at #6.

mamidu - Really happy to grab Stange at #6. I had him as my highest rated prospect. He'll be an above average defensive player at a premium position that can hit for power and steal a few bases to boo twith no glaring weakness. Overall, I'm very excited to have Stange as a Bruin

7. Little Rock - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159495" target="_blank">Herm Cecil</a>

I'd love this pick if his glove was good enough to play CF or he was right handed.  Unfortunately he is left handed and there is no way he will be good enough defensively to station in center full time so now we have to look at him as a COF and although he has a nice bat, great hitting COF aren't that hard to find.

drichar138 - The Little Rock Razorbacks selected Herm Cecil with the 7th pick of the season 13 draft. Herm is a player that does everything well. He is a switch-hitter that has elite level contact and good splits against lefties and righties. Herm doesn't have a great eye and is kind of tweeter in terms of position. He doesn't project to be a centerfielder and the fact that he is left handed, excludes him from playing the infield. In the end he might end up being a gold glover caliber corner outfielder.

8. Detroit - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160098" target="_blank">Damian Ball</a>a>

Love this pick.  Ball is a really good SP prospect who could have gone in the top 5 even in this draft and I wouldn't have batted an eye.  Not quite ace level, but certainly top 2 in a rotation.

10gks - With the 8th pick in S13 amateur draft Detroit looked to fill their obvious need for starting pitching with the selection of California HS standout Damien Ball. This little 18yr old shows up at the signing table appropriately wearing a black ski mask. The little thief increased his signing demand to $4.2 mil earning him the highest payout thus far this year. Management folded like a tent and paid him the cash but swore to have Damien Ball's BALLS if he does not perform. Damien begins the defense of his private parts at the Hi A level.

9. New York - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159491" target="_blank">Richie Ransom</a>

If Ransom can develop his glove enough to be even average at SS in the bigs then this picks a solid, if not spectaculr top ten pick.  However, he has a long way to go to get that glove into the mid 80's and if he falls short than he will be an awkward fit in the everyday lineup.

cbf88 - Richie Ransom he should be able to handle SS and with his combination of power and speed he should be a fixture on offense for awhile

10. Austin - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160093" target="_blank">Yamil Caballero</a>

Nice pick to roud out the top 10 as Caballero projects to be a solid high middle of the rotation pitching with a really good righty split and some nice pitches.

11. Montgomery - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160086" target="_blank">Rip Torres</a>

Could be the steal of the draft so far.  I am surprised he dropped all the way to #11 and could have gone 5 spots higher easily. One of the best righty splits in the draft and boasts several above average pitches.  He should help solidify the Crimson Tide's rotation for quite awhile.

abesmem - At number 11 Montgomery was very happy to get pitching prospect Rip Torres. Rip has all the tools to be a dominant SP at the ML level someday. He should dominate right handed hitters with a rising fastball and nasty curve. He should also develop a credible changeup and slider to keep hitters off balance. While some might question his makeup, he’s already a fairly well developed pitcher who has great control and amazing stamina. She should be a top of the rotation starter in a few years.

12. Portland - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159421" target="_blank">Bobby Joe Paramore</a>

Paramore looks like an great leadoff hitter to me rather than a middle lineup type guy.  I'd call him elite if his batting eye projected to higher than it does.  Regardless, he should have a very high OBP and be able to force the issue on the basepaths and thats always a plus.

meece - The Ducks working on year 4 of their rebound to the road to glory has decided it is time to focus on offense with the selection of RF Bobby Joe Paramore. Duck GM Meece was very happy to land his #3 ranked player available to him at pick 12.  Bobby Joe has the potential to become a dominant middle of the order hitter with his contact ability and enough power to get Portland back to its winning ways.

13. Colorado - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159496" target="_blank">Edgar Segui</a>

Absolutely love this pick if Segui can develop into a SS, but more likely is a 3B and in that case its still a really nice pick up.  This draft continues to show how deep it is when guys like Segui are going #13.

14. Oakland - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159373" target="_blank">Greg Torres</a>

Very similar to what I just wrote for Segui above, Torres projects to be a really good hitting 2B and those guys are not easy to find.  To be able to grab someone like him as we enter the middle of the draft is great value.

15. Atlanta - C.C. Jay

Hasn't signed

16. Syracuse - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160088" target="_blank">Harry Gutierrez</a>

Gutierrez should be able to slot in as a middle of the rotation type SP sooner than later as he is already quite developed. He is the type of pitcher who should put up solid numbers with the occasional season where he crushes it.

17. Jackson - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159489" target="_blank">Joey Lamb</a>

I don't think he'll quite get to SS material, but should be able to be a decent hitting 3B who coers the hot corner pretty well.  In a perfect world he'd have a little bit more power.

18. Cincinnati (type A from Pittsburgh for Stubby Stevens) - Joseph Matsuzaka 

Hasn't signed

19. Durham - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160078" target="_blank">Wayne Lowery</a>

Our first pure reliever goes and he is really good with excellent splits and pitches.  He'd be excellent if his control was just a tad higher.

20. Florida - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160105" target="_blank">Kendry Camacho</a>

Camacho's health issues probably helped lead to him dropping down some draft boards, but if he is able to stay relatively healthy, he should be able to be a fixture for the Gators in their rotation.

21. Charlotte - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159303" target="_blank">Ben Young</a>

I was hoping to grab someone a little higher on my draft board because it was such a loaded draft, however I'm excited to see how Young develops.  He has fantastic contact and righty splits.  I'd love for his batting eye to be better and then I'd be really comfortable saying he has a great future as a leadoff hitter.  We'll see what happens.

22. Kansas City - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159537" target="_blank">Felipe Seguignol</a>

Felipe should be able to help in the bigs especially with his righty split.  I doubt he'll be able to play 3B, but he definitely has a future as a COF.  By now in the draft I'm typically able to point out a bust, but we haven't found one yet.

23. Chicago - Humberto Pichardo

Hasn't signed

24. Iowa City - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159375" target="_blank">Brad Loney</a>

Really nice bat for someone who should be able to play a premium defensive position while being picked up so late in the first round.  I'm not sure I see SS in him because of his arm strength, but maybe I am seeing something quite different.  Regardless, a very nice value pick.

smuck22 - Brad Loney should be an above average defensive SS, and decent at the plate against lefties. Solid pick up for a late 1st round draft pick.

25. Wichita - Deven Lopez 

Hasn't signed

26. Columbus - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159368" target="_blank">Jim Pie</a>

I don't see Pie as a CFer, but a nice player at 2B hopefully, but that may even be a stretch.  I've rarely seen a 22 year old with a 57 glove rating be able to improve to >80 glove rating.  However, he should at least be able to be a great lefty platoon and utility player.

anml34 - Wasn't hoping for much at 26 so if we can get a solid bat and potential gold glove at cf....we will take i

27. Richmond (from Trenton for Hunter Giambi) - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160066" target="_blank">Dennis DePaula</a>

My scouts aren't showing much growth in STA which would make this a bullpen type of pick, but reading opie's comments, I think my scouts are off.  If his STA does get to the point where he can start, then its always nice to grab a solid SP with decent splits and pitches in the back half of the first round.

opie5 - Dennis DePaula will be a solid spot starter/long reliever for the Cavaliers. DePaula projects to an excellent 1st pitch with 3 above averages pitches. He also has a solid control and vs L split. His vs R split is a little low - hopefully he'll grow beyond current projections.

28. Jackson (from Scranton for Jhoulys Castro) - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160080" target="_blank">Salvador Rogers</a>

I don't see his splits getting much better and if they don't then he is destined to be a mop up/long reliever type. He has a couple decent pitches so he if he able to develop those splits than his upside is as a back of the rotation type pitcher.

29. Baltimore - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7159710" target="_blank">Glenallen Perez</a>

Absolutely love this pick and one of the steals of the draft.  Great hitting catcher who can also field the hell out of his position. This may be THE steal of the draft just in terms of value.  He could have gone top 10 and I wouldn't have blinked.  To get him at #29 is awesome.

30. Arizona - Brian Conti

Hasn't signed

31. Richmond - <a style="color:black;" href="http://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerProfile.aspx?pid=7160075" target="_blank">Pierce Buchanan</a>

I like this pick for the Cavaliers more than the pitcher they got at #27.  The tail end of the first round is always a nice place to pick up great reliever as they tend to be overlooked.  Nice value.

opie5 - Pierce Buchanan projects as a solid RP with excellent control. Buchanan should be solid vs R with nice ratios and solid pitches. His vs L split is a little low but hopefully develops beyond current projections.

32. Seattle - Brett Post

Hasn't signed

Scranton - llcc - The Scranton Nittany Lions did not have a number one draft pick this year because we signed Jhoulys Castro who was a type A free agent.