Season 5 1st Round Draft Recap

#1 Wichita – Hugh Blalock: With the number one pick in the draft, the Jayhawks take a closer.  He’s got great control and a good stamina/durability combo that will allow him to pitch most days.  He’ll be a decent player when he reaches the minors but with the #1 pick I expect a little more.
 

#3 Scranton – Paul Hayes: First position player taken in the draft and he’ll be an all-star for several seasons.  For me 2B is a hard position to find above average offense while not sacrificing for defense and the Nittany Lions found both.  He’ll hand the defense for this position while his bat will be good no matter where they play him.  Hayes will dominate right handed pitching while being no slouch against lefties, can hit for power, and has good contact and eye.  If that wasn’t enough he’ll threaten the stolen base totals for season and career by the time he’s done.

llcc: “Paul Hayes has a projected overall rating of 91. He should hit for average, power and steal bases. His one drawback is his durability rating is only 77.” 
 

#4 Montgomery – F.P. Averill: The Crimson Tide select the first starting pitcher at the number 4 slot.  His higher durability will help with his lower stamina to allow him to be a starting pitcher.  Outstanding control while having very good splits for both lefties and righties.  Averill will be a nice addition to the starting rotation, especially given this world’s lack of quality pitching so far.

abesmem:  “The Crimson Tide is very happy with A. P. Averill as their first round pick. We had FP rated #2 overall. He brings 4 pitches with great control and can handle lefties and rights with equal effectiveness. His makeup, health and durability are all superior and we expect FP to be a solid member of the ML rotation for many years. His current advanced skill set allows him to start off in AA.” 
 

#5 Richmond – Jhoulys Tarasco: Richmond follows the trend of bullpen pitchers and lands a great one, maybe even the best so far.  He’s got the durability/stamina combo that will allow him to throw a ton of innings while his control, vL, vR, and two pitches will make him nearly unhittable.  I have a guy like this in another world who has won the Cy Young with these type of ratings.  The only knock is Tarasco’s health, but as long as he doesn’t have any major injuries he’s going to be a stud for the Cavaliers.

mikejuggalo: “We are hoping he can stay healthy and perhaps be a legit member of our big league bullpen in the future. He was not an ideal selection that early in the draft, but hope he will work out.” 
 

#6 Charlotte – Al Fossum: Worst draft pick I’ve even seen taken in the first round in all my seasons ;)  Honestly this guy is going to be a hitter.  He’s probably better suited for play in the American League but with his bat, I could even probably live with his lower defense in the National League and I’m more particular with my defensive ratings than most owners.  He’ll be dominant against any type of pitcher and can hit the long ball.  Charlotte usually drafts very well and found themselves another great player.

hopkinsheel: "The Tar Heel were excited to grab Fossum at #6.  We project him as an absolute monster of a bat and will live with his mediocre skill set behind the plate. We are hoping he can at least get his PC to 50. Either way, really happy he fell to us at #6." 
 

#7 New York – Casey Darr: Another nice bat taken by the Red Storm with this pick, Darr projects to be a 1B or LF.  He’ll hit for power in the lineup and has decent speed around the bases.  A little low contact so may not have consistency from season to season but when he puts one together he’s going to have some great numbers.

cbf88: "Not a good draft for the Red Storm. Got no pitching and almost no power.  5th rounder quentin Velarde should be good in RF, he has no power but makes contact and has speed. Posiedon Welsh is the same player but iin CF. 1st rounder Casey Darr wont be a superstar but does everything well." 
 

#8 Atlanta – Kevin Wong: This type of player comes up in every draft and Mr. Wong provides us with another one at number eight.  He’s projected defensively to play shortstop and if he reaches those projections he’ll bring to that position a nice bat.  If he falls short defensively he’ll be a gold glove third baseman but with a below average bat for that position.

dgtrache:  “Atlanta projects Wong to develop into a very good SS. Wong already has very good range, decent arm strength and should develop his glove and accuracy to levels well above average for a ML SS. In addition, his good contact and decent splits should allow him to have a length ML career.”
 

 #9 Little Rock – Mark Ellsbury: Hasn’t signed.

drichar138: “my pick didn't sign.”
 

 #10 Boston – Boots Karros: Karros rounds out the top ten with another closer/setup type player.  He’s projected to be low overall but also reminds us why overall ratings don’t mean much.  He’s got great control and splits along with two very good pitches and a third one that you don’t usually get with closers.  However his stamina/durability combination are going to limit how many innings he’ll be able to pitch. 

eastonest: "These Boots are made for pitchin'." 
 

#11 Seattle – Brett Hewitt: Interesting selection here just like Kevin Wong.  Defensively he projects to play shortstop and his ratings now are high enough he might have a chance.  A little different than Wong though as if he does only play third base, he’s still got a decent bat and brings some power to the position.  He can hit against right-handed pitching no matter what position defensively he plays but left-handed pitchers are going to keep Mr. Hewitt off the bases with a lot of success.

mr_gone: "The Seattle Huskies were happy to see Brett Hewitt fall to them at #11. He was ranked much higher on the Huskies big board. We feel that we have a player that can be a top five in the league at his position as long as his glove reaches its potential.  With Brett’s combination of elite power and speed. And his dominance of right handed pitching we think that a 40/40 season can be the norm." 

#12 Salem – Tito McCallum: Projects to play third base but I see him more of a right fielder.  Has great contact and batting eye but lacks the power and his splits are just average.  Will have speed around the bases when he gets on.

gmuphy10:  “We're looking for Tito to become great contact hitter and well rounded third baseman.”
 

#13 Iowa City – Max Williams: The bullpens are going to be a strong position for many teams after this draft as yet another bullpen pitcher is selected.  He’s got the best stamina/durability combo yet so he’ll be on the mound frequently for the Hawkeyes.  He’ll bring great control when he pitches while his splits are decent along with his two pitches.

daddiothree: "With the the 13th overall pick the Hawkeyes selected 22 y/o relief pitcher Max Williams from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Looking for young starters the Hawkeyes settled on Williams whom will definately solidify the bullpen in a few years." 
 

#14 Arizona – Kyle Truman: Surprised to see Truman available for Arizona at this spot considering the players taken before him but Arizona got a nice surprise in this season’s draft.  With his stamina/durability combo he’s going to be able to pitch a lot of innings and give the Sun Devils’ bullpen a chance to rest.  Great control along with decent splits, he also has one outstanding pitch to go along with two slightly above average pitches.  Once again he’ll put up some good numbers as NCAA II lacks pitching right now. 

train: "Truman projects to a solid mid-rotation SP, and he should slot in nicely within a few years.  I had hoped for a big bat at the spot I was picking, but had Truman pretty high on my board and I'm certainly pleased with him. He was a signability guy, but he ended up signing for just a small amount more than his original demands."
 

#15 Richmond – Johnny Pauley: Unsigned. 

#16 Columbus – Abdul Russ: Another shortstop selection that will be interesting to watch.  Defensively I’m not sure if he’ll be able to play the position with where he’s projected.  He’s got good splits and power although his contact and eye is low so I’ll be interested to see what type of numbers he puts up if he does play the corner.

anml34: “Glad to get Russ at 16 as he was #5 on my big board. Projected to be either a solid 3b or a little bit of a weak fielding ss I love the power in the bat that he brings to the club.” 
 

#17 Cincinnati – Goose Cora: Another player who will be judged on where he plays.  His glove projects to be low to handle second base but if he plays there and doesn’t commit a ton of errors he’s got a decent bat.  He’ll hit lefties very well and has decent contact along with above average batting eye.  His vR is a little low but has a little power if he can handle second base.  If not his bat is probably a little low for what you’d want to see out of left field.

 

#18 Wichita – Barry Graves: Another pitcher taken by Wichita with their 2^nd pick in the 1^st round, this time a starting pitcher.  Not to be repetitive but this draft is full of interesting players that could have great seasons or underperform but it’s hard to say.  Graves will be able to handle throwing a lot of innings for the Jayhawks and has great vR with decent vL.  He’s control projects to be just average though, at least for me.  I’ve had a pitcher like this in a different world and he was great one season and frustrating the next season with this type of control so we’ll see how Graves turns out.  Decent pick at this spot in the draft though considering all his other ratings.

 

#19 Texas – Trey Beckett: Almost the opposite of Graves taken just before him.  Has outstanding control for a pitcher with decent vR and just average vL; two quality pitches with two average pitches will help out with that lower vL.  Another quality pick-up at this point in the draft considering the lack of pitching depth in this world.

tbone66: “I needed a starting pitcher and that is what I got Trey Beckett has great stamina and control and I hope that is enough to make him a true starter in the ML.  I haven't had much luck in drafting pitchers so hopefully Trey will turn things around for me.” 
 

#21 Atlanta – Del Profar: Atlanta goes with another position player with their 2^nd pick in the first round, this time going with a second baseman.  Profar will be able to handle second defensively, might even spend some time in center field possibly.  Will hit for above average power.

dgtrache: "Profar may develop into a 2b, but more likely will see more time in the outfield. His projections are solid all the way around and he should be a good contributor at the ML level."

 

#22 Los Angeles – Fernando Delgado: Unsigned.

mamidu: "Did not sign."

#23 Pittsburgh – Eduardo Cantu: Really like this pick.  This late in the 1^st round and the Panthers found themselves a very nice starting pitcher.  He’s got very good control, should be hard for lefties to hit against him and will be able to handle right-handed batters as well.  Two very good pitches along with two average ones, throw in the nice stamina/durability and makeup and I think the Panthers got a steal with this selection. 

#24 Austin – Tripp Hutton: Third base player, has good batting eye but vL and power is below average. 

#25 Syracuse – Quentin Berry: Has the defense to be behind the plate calling games, nice contact and power, very good batting eye with average/below average splits. 

joekendall: "We were pleased to get a C with our pick. We couldn't expect to get a superstar at our draft position." 
 

#26 Durham – Chris Treadway: Says he’s a shortstop but I’m guessing he’ll be better suited for right field, maybe third base.  Has the durability to be an everyday player with great batting eye but the rest of his bat is just average.

ghutton9: "It was a terrible pick, but I didn't see a very good draft to begin with. He was my 5th rated player and I doubt he'll ever be a major leaguer." 
 

#28 Portland – Julio Julio: Another shortstop who looks to be playing third base when he makes it to the majors.  Will hit for some power with a good eye, rest of his bat average.  Also has the durability to be on the field everyday for the Ducks as long as he remains healthy.

meece: "With the 28th Pick Portland selects SS Julio Julio. With this pick drafting late in the 1st round was looking to add a player of positional strength that could one day contribute. Taking a old theory of drafting SS players allows a move to several positons. WIth Julio's lack of Range a move to either 3B or LF could be the potential landing spot for him as he progesses though the organization."
 

 #29 Kansas City – Cooper Seelbach: Unsigned.

displacednyr: “SNUBBED: Cooper Seelbach opted for college rather than playing for Kansas City, whom he learned did not really want him to begin with !!”
 

 #30 Baltimore – Yunesky Flores: Unsigned.

mcgupp: With the 30th pick Baltimore selected Yunesky Flores who filled a major organizational need.  Solid defense, strong arm, good contact, excellent batting eye and great stamina led Baltimore to be excited about his future with our franchise. Unfortunately he decided to attend college and will not sign."

 

#31 Colorado – Ernie Wuertz: The trend of 2B continues with this selection.  Wuertz will have no problem defensively handling the position.  For 2B, his bat  is a nice addition along with the speed he’ll have around the bases once he gets back off the DL. 

cctigerfan: "With the 31st pick in the draft the Colorado Buffaloes selected 2B Ernie Wuertz.  The Buffaloes hope Wuertz can develop into an everyday 2nd baseman at the major league level. "We are very happy with the quality of this pick at this spot in the draft", said Buffaloes GM cctigerfan."

#32 Detroit – Tex Craig: Another catcher who will probably be better off for an AL team.  Defensivley he can be behind the plate and throw a few runners out but his pitch calling is just average.  However his offense could make-up for that.  He’s got some power, will not be fooled against lefties and will hit against righties as well.  Nice selection this late in the draft with that type of bat.

mexd781: “With the 32nd pick, we weren't expecting to get too much. With Tex Craig, we were able to get ourselves a future offensive catcher that will give the ML club some quality at bats.”

 

#33 Little Rock – George Westbrook: Another very solid pick up in this spot.  Westbrook will be a nice addition to the Razorbacks starting rotation in the future, outstanding control, will be good against left-handed batters and be above average with righties.  Having three solid pitches in his arsenal will help with his splits as well. 

#34 Los Angeles – Alving Arenado: The Bruins go with a starting pitcher with this pick; Arenado has great control and slightly above average splits.  His first pitch is a little low but his 2^nd pitch will be his dominant one.   

mamidu: "Alving Arenado - A good pick-up for where I got him.  Projects to have very good control, vR & 2p. Has 4 ML quality pitches. He projects to have nothing spectacular, but every rating is solid. Lower DUR is a concern. I hope he can fit in as a SP3 as he develops."

#35 Chicago – Yorrick DeJean: The Blue Demons continue with starting pitching, grabbing DeJean at the #35 spot.  He’ll just bring average control to the mound but his vL and vR are nice splits, along with 3 solid pitches and a fourth that’s very good. 

#36 Jackson – Jimmie Wifredo: With the last selection in the 1^st round, the Rebels take Jimmie Wilfredo off the draft board.  They’ve got some options with him as it looks like he’ll be able to play both second base and centerfield depending on the Rebels needs.  He’s got a decent batting eye but the rest of his bat is average, although he’ll be a threat on the bases when he reaches. 

NO Pick in 1^st Round

Oakland’s mr_stickball: “Of note, the Golden Bears did not have a first round selection thanks to the highly questionable decision by management to sign allegedly "pretty decent" SP Salvador Freeman at the beginning of the season. And, given the Golden Bears less than stellar amateur scouting staff, the student body at U.C. Berkeley barely noticed when the team eventually selected RP Alan Bonham with their first pick (in the second round) -- Bonham was rated sixth by the controversial management group, but that may have been after smoking a little too much Humboldt Gold.  Interestingly, two full rounds later, they managed to pick up the intriguing RP, Ralph "I'm better than Alan Bonham" Adams in what many feel might have made up for such a pitiful showing in the early rounds.”