There has been some guessing out there about who the Braves will take with their first pick in this year's draft, which starts next Monday. I've held off with much coverage, since we pick first at #35 in the supplemental first round, and there's no idea of who will be available. One of the better guesses I've seen comes from Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus:
The Braves like to go with local talent, usually of the high school variety, but they need some infielders who can help an aging team quickly. Their Chipper Jones replacement might just be in their back yard.
Pick: Derek Dietrich, SS/3B, Georgia Tech
It's been a while since the Braves drafted a Georgia college product in the early rounds. The last two I remember are Josh Fields from UGA in 07 and Richard Lewis from GT in 01.
0 recs | 48 comments
I hope we dont draft another “easy sign” who ends up taking months to
cooper37 - June 3, 2010
Minor is looking pretty good though.
Scott Coleman - June 3, 2010 via mobile
in the grand scheme of things how long it takes for a guy to sign is kinda inconsequential…its just important that he does sign
Swo12bv - June 3, 2010
Minor only took months because of MLB...
he agreed early.
Mr. Sanchez - June 4, 2010
Me either.
i couldn’t take another round of BravesMania’s weekly Minor? fanposts.
10-4 - June 4, 2010
We actually had a streak of taking players from UGA, including Clint Sammons
Quilvio Veras - June 3, 2010
http://www.georgiadogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8800&ATCLID=922573
Quilvio Veras - June 3, 2010
Derek Dietrich
2010 stats: .360 AVG 58 G 225 AB 15 2B 3 3B 16 HR 58 RBI 150 TB 26 BB 32 K .667 SLG .469 OBP 8/12 SB/A
2008 stats: .332 AVG 62 G 238 AB 16 2B 2 3B 14 HR 66 RBI 141 TB 26 BB 50 K .592 SLG .410 OBP 3/4 SB/A
(sadly, can’t locate 2009 stats)
fandave - June 3, 2010
Here is 2009
Year Avg GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SLG% BB HB SO GDP
311 58-58 225 61 70 7 4 10 54 115 .511 30 16 48 5
Quilvio Veras - June 3, 2010
Josh Fields...
From the Milledgeville school…but he went back into the draft…
flyers13 - June 3, 2010
Wrong...
from Georgia, and prior to that Prince Avenue. He was from Hull, Ga.
Mr. Sanchez - June 4, 2010
Big Dietrich fan
I think that would be a great pick
acie4mvp - June 3, 2010
i hope not!
he is a cockier asshole than schafer.his license plate in high school was "MLB1DAY
thelecroyboy - June 3, 2010
Was he cocky in college?
Because pretty much everyone in high school is an asshole.
DogDaysofSummer - June 3, 2010
I think what you meant to say is
everyone in high school who doesn’t read TC is an asshole.
Jacob Peterson - June 3, 2010
God forbid the kid wants to/thinks he can get there some day
eaheckman10 - June 3, 2010
I have no idea who we will or should pick at that spot
but it’s great how he calls the Braves “an aging team,” when our core players outside of Chipper are some of the youngest and best in the league. What he meant to say is “an aging Chipper Jones” but he was too polite to say so I guess. Outside of Chipper’s replacement, I don’t think we need anyone “quickly”.
Jacob Peterson - June 3, 2010
We’re actually fairly old. We have a good solid group of young guys, but Hudson is 34, Kawakami is 34, Lowe is 37, Wagner 38, Saito 40, Moylan 31, Ross 33, Glaus 33, Hinske 32.
That’s also not to say anything about players that could leave in the next couple of years either as free agents or by not being offered arbitration.
In fact, we’re actually the 9th oldest team in baseball this year. So he’s kind of right.
garlick - June 3, 2010
We’re a strange mix of young (Heyward, McCann, Hanson), and old (Chipper, Lowe, Wagner). The only people I can think of off the top of my head in that 27-30 range is Escobar and Infante and McLouth
eaheckman10 - June 3, 2010
This isn't bad.
The rotation replacements are already in the minors—-we have the best set of young arms in the majors. We also have a closer replacement, hopefully, in Kimbrel, and MR arms are pretty fungible. As for Ross, he is a back-up catcher, very replaceable. Glaus is at 1B, we have Freeman. Hinske is supposed to be a bench guy, but our OF has sucked so he starts alot. We could use some OF help, but we aren’t that small market a team; we can pay for a decent player or two.
cavebird - June 3, 2010
Don't get me wrong
I know what’s in the minors, but minor league players, are still minor league players, till they prove they can do it at a major league level.
We have a LOT of prospects, especially pitchers.
We’re very weak at 2nd, 3rd and OF in the minors right now, and could use a couple guys that would advance very quickly.
The idea is, we do have some aging spots, and we want to be 2 deep in our system at each position, with one established guy and one prospect at all times. That’s truly the ideal.
We just don’t have it right now in a few key areas that have some aging guys.
garlick - June 4, 2010
When will Heyward's younger brother be eligable?
I’ve heard good things about him, and of course, he’s Jason’s brother.
GouldisGold - June 3, 2010
There’s another? Dear lord…
FineHamAbounds - June 4, 2010
They say he's ten stories tall
Hits home runs with an uprooted Redwood, empties tanker trucks of Gatorade with a single gulp and takes down Communist aircraft with well aimed throws from the warning track.
The Keith Lockhart Era - June 6, 2010
He's a freshman
in hgh school at Eagle’s Landing Christian School, so he will graduate (and be draft eligible) in 2013.
J-Turn14 - June 4, 2010
Josh Fields. I met him last week. He sure is a cocky SOB. His pitching coach, Lance Painter, who played in the Majors, was giving him a hard time because he was personalizing his autographs. Yes, when rocks stars do it, it’s cool, but when baseball players do it, it’s kind of a jackass move. But, at the end of the day, Fields was cool to me and I can’t talk bad about him. Still, I love Bobby’s quote from last ST when Fields faced the Braves in an exhibition game: “Why didn’t he sign again? …I guess some kids just don’t want to play.”
And my guess for the Braves 1st pick has been and remains Cam Bedrosian. But I’d be cool with Deitrich cause he already has baseball cards.
cbwilk - June 4, 2010
He was a Boras advisee...
he was dominant as a FR and SO at Georgia, and his junior year was his worst one. I’m assuming Boras convinced him he could go in the top half of the first with a senior year like his first two. He went higher, but it wasn’t too much of a difference.
And anyone got a scouting report on Bedrosian? If we’re going local, I’d love to get Delino Deshields or the kid from Cook County with upper 90s gas and the ability to play 3B, but I think both are supposed to be off the board in the top 20 picks.
Mr. Sanchez - June 4, 2010
Does anyone know the story on Delino DeShields?
Last fall he was the running back (and a good one) for the Norcross High football team, but apparently he transferred after football season to Woodward Academy. Was this just to be on a better baseball team? Seems strange for a guy to change high schools in the middle of his senior year.
J-Turn14 - June 4, 2010
wait...theres a JR?
or just really big fans
bpk228480 - June 4, 2010
Probably, but he was at Woodward prior to Norcross..
and that school (Norcross) isn’t exactly shy from recruiting in players, such as his basketball playing sister.
There was a story in the AJC on him a few days ago.
http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-high-school-sports/2010/06/01/woodwards-delino-deshields-could-be-first-georgia-high-schooler-taken-in-mlb-draft/
And as it says, he is NOT a junior, different middle names.
Mr. Sanchez - June 4, 2010
I was never a big Josh Fields fan. Saw him pitch a couple times and all he was doing was throwing as hard as he could. He had no idea where it was going. So far in his professional career, he’s walked way too many guys and doesn’t have the strikeout rate you’d expect from a college guy with that fastball/slider combo.
ajones2522 - June 4, 2010
This. If he had signed with the Braves he’d already be in the Majors, likely with those issues fixed. The funny thing is the Braves drafted a much better player later, in the 8th round, when they got Craig Kimbrel.
cbwilk - June 4, 2010
So you're saying Scott Boras gave bad advice?
and that last line is something I think we can all agree on and be thankful for.
Mr. Sanchez - June 4, 2010
please no Bedrosian
unless he adds another 4-5 mph on his fastball (which he doesn’t project to do as he’s only 6’0")
apoxonbothyourhouses - June 4, 2010
I’m not necessarily advocating him, I’m just making an educated guess. Heck, I think the best thing about getting him would be that his dad Bedrock would probably come back and coach in the Minors for the Braves again.
cbwilk - June 4, 2010
Yeah Jacob Heyward, he’s only in 9th grade though so he won’t be draft eligible for a few more years.
ScottBravesFan - June 4, 2010
I don’t like it. Huge Dietrich fan, I think 35 is a reach for him.
I’d like the pick a lot better if it were 53 or 70.
PWHjort - June 4, 2010
I actually kind of think we could probably get him with one of our two second round selections.
gondeee - June 4, 2010
I agree. I don’t think he’ll go top 50. I guess his NCAA tournament could change that.
PWHjort - June 4, 2010
My guess for the 1st rd supp is one of two HS OFers
Reggie Golden, Alabama HS, RH – At 5’10" he’s definitely not big but has big time power and plus speed. Very toolsy guy but he’d be worth it to me. Plus he’s fairly local so he may be easy to sign.
Chavez Clarke, Marietta HS, SH – He another toolsy 5 tool potential OF. Most scout say he reminds them of Jimmy Rollins. Already plays plus D and has plus speed he’d be a great fit as a potential LF/CF mainstay.
Jay212033 - June 4, 2010
Reggie Golden is extremely raw. I hope we pass on him
eaheckman10 - June 4, 2010
true
PLUS we need help in MI and THEN OF.
apoxonbothyourhouses - June 4, 2010
If you haven't noticed
We have been platooning LF for a good minute and CF isn’t a sure thing either.
Jay212033 - June 4, 2010
if you haven't noticed
we have more legit OF prospects in the minors than MI or 3B
apoxonbothyourhouses - June 6, 2010
I'm kind of hoping Kaleb Cowart falls to us at 35.
I know he’s got some signability concerns, but he’s got the skill and the desire to play SS/3B, has a dynamic arm if he doesn’t hit enough at the big leagues, and is from GA.
soup du jour - June 4, 2010
The thinking has generally been there’s no way Cowart falls to 35. I’d love for it to happen, though.
PWHjort - June 4, 2010
Chavez Clarke/Reggie Goldan or Cowart
Cowart’s dropping due to signability issues. But, he’s a local kid, wants to hit, plays SS (probably 3B in the pros, he’s gonna be over 6’2") and a Braves fan.
I think we draft him if he’s available.
apoxonbothyourhouses - June 4, 2010
kyle parker
jaypatel - June 5, 2010
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Talking Chop to post a comment.