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Talking Chop

MLB Draft Open Thread: Day 2

The Braves have the third pick in the second round today, as well as the 20th pick in the second round and every subsequent round. There is still a lot of first-round talent out there that Atlanta could pick up with one of their two early picks today. Draft starts at noon

Picks will be flying off the board super-fast all day, so chat about it if you'd like in the comments... not much else going on today. I'll have reviews of all the picks posted throughout the day and into the night.

We'll try another twitter widget that's set to pull all the "mlbdraft" results.

0 recs  |  592 comments

Comments

Yay, twitter feed has CyborgHanson! And…Joe West? /sarcastic enthusiasm

joe west’s first couple tweets were hilarious, but the novelty has kind of worn off since then

Can you tell me some of them? /puppy dog face

these were especially topical at the time, but the joke’s kinda worn out now:

Bad call at 1st kills perfect game. It’s always good when umps have an effect on the outcome. Good man Jim Joyce!
Bud Selig- If you overturn Jim Joyce call, I’m gonna start doing some really crazy shit in games. U ain’t seen nothin yet
If I was calling Galarraga’s perfect game bid, I’d change the strike zone to force walks. Too many perfect games. Disgrace
Ken Griffey Jr to announce his retirement. I regret I never got to throw him out of a game.

From what I’ve seen (which isn’t very much), Yordy Cabrera looks like he might be a good fit.

Signable?...

Fangraphs had a nice rundown of leftovers, including a couple that fits the Braves profile—IF and/or local.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/2010-mlb-draft-not-selected-day-1/

He’s going to want a decent bonus for sure, but it looks like he has some potential at 3B. It’s hard to know if Wren would throw a few extra dollars on the table for first round talent.

I like this braves.com article on Lipka

He seems like a good kid and extremely excited to be on the Braves. Said he’ll sign “long before” the deadline. I’m glad the Braves continue to value character in their draftees.

Here’s the link.

nice
Before his father was relocated to Dallas, Lipka actually spent the first eight years of his life in suburban Atlanta. Born in Snellville, he began playing youth baseball in the Cumming/Alpharetta area around the time the Braves notched the last of the five National League pennants that they won during the 1990s.

Though the Rangers became his favorite team over the course of the past decade, Lipka said that he has always remained fond of the Braves’ organization that many of his Atlanta-area relatives still call their hometown team.
See the fanshot scouting report pac...

I also linked two good Q&As in there. Read them, and you’ll like him even more.

what's our next pick after #53?
I think 70, maybe 72 or 73, but around there...

I doubt we were taking a college lefty though, so it looks like we should get a nice piece at 53.

we're up!!

ha, I was just about to ask when we were up

todd cunningham, CF
I like this

Todd Cunningham

Summary: With a good approach and great balance at the plate, Cunningham stood out early as one of the more advanced college hitters in the Draft class. He should hit for average and with some power down the road. His plus speed will allow him to steal bases and defend well in the outfield. While he’d be OK in center, he could be a plus defender in left, with the only real question being if he’ll have enough pop to profile as a corner guy. Even with that one small concern, Cunningham is setting himself up to possibly be one of the earlier college bats taken in June.

Mlb.com

espn

Cunningham hits for average everywhere he plays but doesn’t have a plus tool or profile well at positions he’s likely to play. He has a short, handsy swing that gives up power for contact and doesn’t get his lower half involved.

He plays center now but probably has to move to an outfield corner, which makes him more likely to be a fourth outfielder in pro ball because he won’t get on base enough or have the power to profile every day in left.

don't you know we only draft 3 hole studs?
I like that we are getting some speed guys early

Interesting picks so far… I like Lipka from what’s been posted. When’s our next pick?

70, then 101

why

aren’t we drafting SLUGGERZ according to Joe Morgan we need SLUGGERZ like the Phillies

slugz like Ryan Howard

Howard has a hot GF, way too hot for that weird looking guy.

nobody is too hot for this guy:

He's rich...

not girl is “way too hot” for rich.

Draft-novice question: was the speculation about Derek Dietrich here the other day overblown? He’s still on the board, but we don’t seem all that interested. What are the scouting reports saying about thus guy? Is there some flaw we were overlooking?

Hard to sign I believe

he could be our pick next
from BA's Jim Callis:
We rate Cunningham as the 87th-best player in the draft, which would make him an early third-rounder. But he was so good in the Cape Cod League, where scouts voted him the best prospect, and it’s such a thin year for college position prospects, that he’ll go at least a round earlier than that. It’s possible there might be a club that likes him at the end of the first round, but that’s a stretch after he hit .352/.464/.590 with 21 steals this spring.

Even during his big summer on the Cape, where he led the Cape in hitting (.378, better than he ever has hit with metal bats at Jacksonville State) and on-base percentage (.458), Cunningham created some split opinion. Everyone agreed that the 6-foot-1, 205-pound switch-hitter was gifted at squaring up balls from both sides of the plate and getting on base. Scouts who liked him projected him as a center fielder with gap power and good speed, while others said he lacked a second standout tool and profiled more as a tweener than as a big league regular.

Cunningham has played mostly left field at Jacksonville State but doesn’t have the power to profile as an everyday player at that position. Whoever drafts him will give him every chance to make it in center field, and if that doesn’t work out, he has the quickness and enough arm strength to try second base.
So maybe Melky...

or perhaps a nice switch hitting leadoff type?

We rate Cunningham as the 87th-best player in the draft, which would make him an early third-rounder.

By that math they must not factor in the sandwich picks, right?

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2010/order.jsp

87 is early 3rd round

Thanks, I assumed there would be sandwich picks after the 2nd round as well. Fail.

So he is a 3B?...

http://blog.al.com/birmingham-news-sports/2010/06/atlanta_braves_pick_jacksonvil.html

played outfield and shortstop this season for coach Jim Case’s Gamecocks, but the Braves project him as a third baseman

Possible stop gap if Chipper retires?

Braves on the board!
Andrelton Simmons, SS

??

Andrelton Simmons, RHP/SS

announced as RHP. from curacao

it means we’re getting rid of JJ. We always have to have one Curacao native in the system

lol

my thought exactly.

It’s a good plan. People from Curacao are awesome.

Summary :

Born in Curacao, Simmons has received some second- to third-round buzz this spring both as a shortstop and a pitcher. On the mound he’s 95-98 and has a short slider, but he’s more arm strength than pitcher, while in the field he’s a plus defender with excellent hands and a tremendous arm, but has little track record of hitting and has very questionable pitch recognition. He’s already 20 and is expected to sign right after the draft.

ESPN.com

Andrelton Simmons:

5-29 from: – link – Not much change with the shortstops, though the sole addition comes in the form of helium specimen Andrelton Simmons, Freshman, Western Oklahoma St. College. Simmons was unranked to start the season, jumping to #197 in the Midseason Top 300 after his electric arm started garnering big time attention through the first couple months of the season. He has maintained his momentum, potentially ascending to the Top 3 Round range on many ML draft boards. There are some questions as to how his bat will play, but no questions whatsoever as to the athletic actions and plus arm. The arm is special enough, in fact, that he may be snatched-up as a pitcher, having shown mid-90s velocity over the course of several relief stints (season line of 10 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 17 SO, per NJCAA’s official website).
http://macksmets.blogspot.com/2010/05/draft-andrelton-simmons-bryan-holaday.html

I want a guy named Andrelton on the big league ballclub so bad.

This kid seems like a pretty big reach to me…

The ESPN blurb posted just above had him as a 2nd-3rd round pick.

heh heh...

“blurb”

no one knows

unless you have one of the best scouting and player development systems in baseball, which the braves do. I’ll tend to trust their judgement.

Hello people!
I know absolutely nothing about the MLB draft. Please ignore my stupidness.

haha join the club - most of us don't have much of a clue

beyond what we read…myself no exception!

same here

haha

I feel better now

via jim callis tweet
Andrelton Simmons looks like the best, and some clubs like him more as P @Kevin_Goldstein: #mlbdraft there are no really good defensive SS.

Do we have any idea if the Braves will make Andrelton a pitcher or infielder?

We can always “Van Pope” him if the bat doesn’t come around

I'd rather "Sergio Santos" or "Tony Pena Jr" him.
lol
Dude, I love your quote

thanks! :D i love it too

or “Lance Niekro” him

somebody’s gotta win the BA best glove in the system every year

Jordan Kreke? Brandon Hicks? Wes Timmons?

Of those 3, Timmons.

Kreke impressed the hell out of me in Augusta...

and Hicks reportedly has the great glove. But either way, do we really care who wins BA’s best glove in the system title?

No more than we care about anything else. Yeah, I care. It’s good to know who’s the best at defense. That seems like an odd statement coming from you.

It's nice...

but it’s not like that’s a huge deal when the winner could easily be an all glove, no hit middle IF that hits like Raffy Belliard, except in AA. That’s what I’m meaning.

And the overall point was we’ve got our share of some pretty good gloves in the system, so who actually gets that distinction, considering it could very well be a guy who isn’t even considered a top 50 prospect within the system, means it’s not exactly something to worry about.

Still, guys like Raffy Belliard have value. The guy had a 15 year career in the Majors and was the starting shortstop on several World Series teams, including the 95 team that won.

OK, make it Timmons then...

good player, but not exactly a prospect. And I said “hits like Raffy…in AA”, and assume Belliard was at least a decent hitter on that level. A guy like Zazueta (sp?) is who I’m thinking, the free agent pickup that clearly was filler, but had a good glove.

In 711 AA at bats Belliard hit .280 with a .618 OPS, which was much better than the .234 with a .536 OPS he hit in 384 plate appearances. Though I guess both were better than the .221 average and .530 OPS he put up as a Major Leaguer. Still, 17 seasons and a WS ring ain’t too shabby.

announced as RHP
Do we know if that means for sure thats how the Braves intend on using him?
Its not something set in stone

But the team is the one that tells MLB what position they’re drafting him at.

usually teams announce what position they want the player to play

this is probably the right choice. apparently simmons’ bat isn’t that great, but can touch mid-high 90s with his fastball. good glove though

There are some questions as to how his bat will play, but no questions whatsoever as to the athletic actions and plus arm. The arm is special enough, in fact, that he may be snatched-up as a pitcher, having shown mid-90s velocity over the course of several relief stints

2 plus tools in the mid-second isn’t bad

/pretends to know what you all are talking about

Per Kevin Goldstein
Correction: #Braves take Simmons as RHP; scout “has huge shit out of ’pen”
is that a good thing

or a bad thing?

i'm guessing good

ie “huge shit” = “great stuff”

from SI:

No one in this draft has taken the same path or has the same tools as Andrelton Simmons. The quick version: He’s a shortstop and pitcher at Western Oklahoma State, whose fastball has reached 98 mph in short relief stints and who also might be the best defensive shortstop available. A native of Curacao who had small offers to sign as an international free agent at age 16, he wound up coming to junior college instead. He’s already 20 and was expected to go off the board quickly despite a somewhat long swing and average speed.
I take it as a good thing. As in he has good stuff. I think

Nice to see you this afternoon, Pac

Hopefully he can learn to harness his huge shit. I don’t want us getting shit all over our minor league system.

Wait, you can see me? I had better put on some pants, then.

Wow. I love that scout.

The guy over on MLB Bonus Baby quoted this from somewhere:

On the mound he shows just as much promise, throwing a plus fastball in the 93-95 range, touching 96, though that was completely out of the bullpen. He also throws a solid-average slider, an average curveball, and a fringe-average changeup, but none of those pitches is close to being ready for the Major Leagues anytime soon.
Yankees draft 2 shortstops with first two picks? Why bother, they will just buy tulowitzki when jeter retires. Its the yankee way.

lol I love this twitter feed

lol
TEAMMATE JONES LARRY AKA “CHIPPER” SHOULD CONSIDER REPLACEMENT OF HUMAN FINGERS WITH METALLIC PROSTHESIS TO MAXIMIZE ATBATS

ahhh I love CyborgHanson

Is he a poster here? I didn’t know it was a real guy.

it could be, but “CyborgHanson48” is a twitter person…i dunno.

What feed is that?

I got it from the twitter feed above…

three picks

and no georgia kids yet?

strange....
Lipka was from Georgia,or atleast has Georgia connections

Per DOB

nuh uh

doesn’t count! doesn’t count!

yeah, Zeus you should know better.

lol, sorry boys
nooooo

there goes aaron shipman

hope austin wilson drops to us at........ 101

(fingers crossed)

We won’t draft him, because he won’t sign. Why? He’s going to Stanford, and could possibly be a first rounder next year.

He'd have to wait a few years till he's eligible, no?
Joe Leonard, 3B
Sounds nice

like a projectable bat. 6’5, so perhaps ends up at 1st if 3B doesn’t work out.

There’s still Zach Alvord and AJ Cole out there.

from BA

104. Joe Leonard, 3b
Pittsburgh
Leonard’s father, John, was a first-round pick of the Orioles in 1982, and Joe stepped into Pitt’s starting lineup as a freshman. After two solid seasons, Leonard exploded as a junior this spring, hitting .452/.507/.719 with eight homers and 60 RBIs though 199 at-bats. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Leonard has below-average game power currently, but he has shown good pop with wood bats in batting practice and projects for average power if he can add loft to his flat swing. His swing is long, making him vulnerable against good fastballs on the inner half, but he has good bat speed and feel for hitting, so he barrels up balls consistently. He projects as an average hitter. Leonard also reaches 92-93 mph off the mound as Pitt’s closer, and his arm is above-average at third base. He is not a finished product defensively but has good feet and solid instincts, and he projects as a solid-average defender. He is a below-average runner but not a clogger. Leonard projects as a second- to third-round pick.

The bald guy on the MLB.com stream really likes him. Said he’ll be an everyday MLB 3rd baseman. Don’t know how trustworthy the bald guy is so don’t blame me if he ends up being wrong.

according to espn, 3 hours, 55 minutes until strasburgs debut.

Thank god I will be nowhere near the metro tonight. That place is going to be a madhouse.

Can you imagine

the concession stands at Nats Park? They’re used to 15K, it’ll take 2 innings to get a beer and a half smoke…

Oh man, I didn’t even think about that. There’s no way they’ll be prepared.

I almost bought

one of the individual suite tickets they were selling for $95 but then i pictured the platform at L’Enfant Plaza pre and post-game and had second, more rational, thoughts.

Plus, the Metro has been sucking lately, coinciding perfectly with the fare hikes. I’ve been on trains that have had to be offloaded 6 times in the last three weeks.

from baseballdraftreport.com
Top 30 College Third Base Prospects – 4. Pittsburgh JR 3B Joe Leonard – Leonard has gotten a ton of positive press over the past few weeks, all of it well earned. He came into the season as one of the best college hitting prospects and one of the few collegiate position players projected to be productive enough both at the plate and in the field to start every day in the big leagues. The one question that scouts had about his game was his power upside. Leonard has answered the bell by hitting for over 30 extra base hits and slugging well over .600. He’s a good athlete with a plus arm and great big league size for a third baseman. Defensively he’s presently skilled enough to be considered big league average at the position, and continued development ought to get him up above-average during his best defensive seasons. Neither his offense nor his defense will ever quite approach the level of peak years Scott Rolen (a really underrated player by many, I think), but if you squint really hard you can begin to see Leonard as perhaps developing into that type of player – exciting defenders, strong physiques, and often mischaracterized as power hitters first and foremost. In fact, after looking at the numbers some, I’d compare Leonard’s upside as a hitter to something around what Rolen did his rookie season (.283/.377/.469) with the Phillies.
more
There’s also hope for continued development in the power department, as he’s still a tall, skinny hitter at the plate, though he’s matured over the last 12 months in his frame. He’s worked hard on his plate discipline, and while he won’t walk anything more than the league average in the pros, he’s not going to swing at everything like he has sometimes in the past. The doubles he hits now will turn into some homers in the future, and while his ceiling looks like a 15-20 home run slugger in his prime, his defense and hit tools are good enough to make him a league average third baseman in the big leagues.
That sounds great to me
I am liking this kid

the best of all our picks so far.

Per MLB.com
He has excellent defensive skills at third, and has shown the ability to hit for plenty of average. He hasn’t hit for a ton of power in college, but some feel he will develop more as he matures

Depending on what they do with Simmons, that’s 4/4 on positions players. When was the last time the Braves didn’t take a pitcher in the first three rounds? It’s nice to have the pitching depth to be able to focus on the organizational needs.

pretty sure braves will push simmons to go the pitching route

he’s a great defensive SS, but not a good bat, supposedly

Will somebody post when...

Zach Alvord, AJ Cole, Kris Bryant, and Deandre Smelter go off the board

Cole was the first pick of the 4th round to Washington.

thanks cb...

I like the sound of Alvord, although I assume all 4 I mentioned are “signable” questions.

Big fan of the Leonard pick.

Yeah, I’m really liking the reports although comments on his power seem to vary.

Leonard = Troy Glaus clone!
Indeed, when your physical makeup resembles that of current Atlanta first baseman Troy Glaus, you will get noticed. Especially if you show the potential to hit like Glaus has, too.
Leonard has long levers, and his swing can get a little long as he extends his arms but he has plus power and a strong arm that offers plus velo around 90-92 on the occasions that Leonard takes the mound. As he continues to grow, there is the chance his lateral movement will decrease, perhaps necessitating a move to first. But for right now, Leonard is very much active around the third base bag.
Who all is happy to see the Braves addressing our needs well? Pick me!
According to a new (re)tweet from Gondee:
Jason Heyward jumped into second place in All-Star voting, garnering most votes after the third talley for a rookie.
no f-ing way

WOW YES

and prado's in second!
and rollins isn't first

all is right in the world!

Life is good again!

and bmac

in second place!

even glaus moved into the top 5

yeah by a million votes though…he’s till going to have to be picked by Manual

still

at least he’s beating RICKIE EFFING WEEKS

I thought played center fields?

HOLY FREAKIN CRAAAAP

AJ Cole to the Nats, I’d be surprised if he signs

nats seem more willing to shell out the dollars in the draft lately. god knows that strasburg and harper won’t be cheap

use profits from tickets sold for strasburg debut to sign harper

then, use profits from tickets sold for harper debut to sign next #1 pick

rinse & repeat. BRILLIANT!

I’m sure there’s a reason harper was drafted yesterday and strasburg debuts today.

in 4 years, they’ll both be playing for the yankees.

Thanks Zeus...

although I’d think the Nats would be willing to show they’ll spend.

Who would want to play for the Nationals, anyway?

Yadier Molina with 762,875 votes, BMac with 676,400.
Braun ahead of Heyward with 1,017,266. Heyward has 1,008,451.
Vote and I’ll give you free cookies.

hell yea im voting

no way im letting the phillies OFs overtake heyward. NO WAY

/gives you cookies
We have to get heyward into first!

mm…cookies..

I already maxed out all of my email addresses

do I get the cookies anyway?

oh, fine! /cookies

nooooo

noooo dont delete the cookies!

Braves on the clock

draft Sluggers

I’m on braves.com to vote for all stars, and i can just found out i can watch it liveee…

David Filak, RHP

More pitchers? gah

Can’t tell much by his draft video. His curve looks to be decent.

David Filak, RHP
from BA

73. David Filak, rhp
Oneonta State (N.Y.)
Filak has a fresh, explosive arm; he did not pitch in high school and walked on at Oneonta State as a catcher. He was quickly converted to the mound, where he led all Division III pitchers in strikeouts per nine innings (14.86) and fewest hits allowed per nine innings (5.07) as a sophomore last year. Scouts were buzzing about Filak after he ran his fastball up to 95 mph and flashed a plus-plus 83 mph spike curveball in his 2010 debut in Vero Beach, but he exited his third start of the season after just two innings because of elbow stiffness, which caused him to miss his next outing. He did not show quite as much velocity after returning to action, but he still posted a dominant season, going 8-0, 1.82 with 96 strikeouts and 16 walks through 59 innings. Filak’s fastball settled in at 90-93 mph, and he still regularly flashed a plus curveball with 12-to-6 break in the 77-80 range. Filak did not learn to throw a changeup until last fall, and the pitch is a work in progress. Filak has a physical, athletic 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame, and he could still add velocity as he learns to make better use of his lower half in his delivery.

Damn. Some nice numbers.

Scouting Report: Filak has a big, loose body and has made strides in refining his long, Iron Mike-like, straight-over-the-top arm action and release point. His fastball was consistently 90-92 mph, touching 93, although the pitch is pretty straight. Filak’s downer curveball is a solid second pitch, when he throws it in the strike zone. Hitters obviously have trouble picking up Filak’s pitches as he has struck out 146 hitters in 93 innings in two seasons at Division III SUNY Oneonta. He topped D-III pitchers in most strikeouts (14.86) and fewest hits (5.07) per nine innings in 2009.

http://www.baseballrumormill.com/players/david-filak/

STEAL

“SUNY-Oneonta’s David Filak moved up 40 spots from #96 to #56 in Law’s latest rankings. According to Law, Filak’s strong finish to the season had pushed him into the second round and possibly even a sandwich round pick.”

wainwright 2.0?
Ohhh, these reports rolling in have me excited about Filak

Filak has emerged this spring as one of the top college starting pitching prospects, while dominating Division 3 competition with Division 1 stuff, fanning 96 of the 212 hitters he faced.

He’s got a big fastball, 92-95 most weeks, with a curveball he tends to flip in rather than snapping it, so it has some late depth but isn’t as sharp as a typical big-league breaking ball. His ideal slot is ¾, but he tends to drift downward and gets on the side of the curveball to make it more like a backup slider. I’d like to see him stay over the rubber longer and not elevate his pitching elbow so much behind his shoulder. He missed one start this spring with some minor soreness but returned the following week without any decline in his stuff.

It’s easier for a club to take a Division 3 arm than bat, since the level of competition is less of a concern when you can see the quality of the stuff, and Filak’s velocity measures up with many of the best D1 arms this year.

ESPN.com

K'ing almost half of all batters faced?

holy sh*t

Knuckle curve is dirty apparently.

knuckle curve

i thought that was only a video game pitch

it’s what cole rohrbaugh throws

Let's hope Filak throws it better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABJFJBa49iU

it’s not a rickroll, is it?

No, local news report on Filak

i know, just joking :D

What's our next pick?
College football coaches be warned

The Rockies want your quarterbacks!

I think Austin Wilson's gotta be unsignable at this point.

What do you guys think?

yep. most definitely.

certainly seems that way

someone will probably take a flyer on him in a late round. just in case.

I wouldn't mind taking a go at him next round if Smelter is off the board.

Smelter, Wilson, or Hahn.

…Or some guy I’ve never heard of. Any one of those I’m good with.

Zach Alvord sounds like a talent...

and he’s local. Comments by his dad in the AJC make me wonder what it’d take to sign him. Plus there’s another Nevada prep slugger, Kris Bryant, who could be a good fit, as well as Smelter.

Just watched his mlb.com blurb

Looks pretty solid, and I’d jump at taking him. Swing looks a little long, though, as much as you can tell from a 30 second clip with 3 swings in it. Thanks for the heads up.

More on him...

http://yankees.scout.com/2/945320.html (makes him sound pretty strong to Auburn)

http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/02/19/draft-notebook-excerpt-zach-alvord/

And here on the signability thing…
http://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school/georgia-high-schoolers-take-543049.html
his father, John Alvord, said. “We’re more concerned about a fair offer rather than which round Zach gets drafted.”
That article also mentions a home schooled, atlanta area P named Connor Mason who is still on the board.

Less signable than Zach Lee, which is to say really unsignable, according to KLaw.
Oh, LA

No matter how much you say that the pick wasn’t a weasel way out of having to pay a 1st rounder, we all know differently.

No more than he would have been elsewhere...

I assume their desired bonus hasn’t changed whether it was pick 12 or 312.

Sooo…..when’s our next pick?

Dickie Thon

rofl.

Son of former all-star....Dickie Thon.
oh

so he’s really Dickie Thon, Jr. haha

Also, #154's first name is...

Jablonski. wtf.

Would have been better if it was Jabroni

then I could make loads of The Rock refrences.

Poor kid...

That’s a very…strange name.

Its pretty cool to see GA represented so well in this draft...

But other teams need to GTFO our turf.

haha

meanwhile, the braves have selected zero GA players

We usually select players from georgia, the braves luuuuv home grown players

On the lock

The whaaat?

lock

Its like clock

with no c

Phil Gosselin, 2B
i know why we picked gosselin

rumor is he hit a HR off strasburg

Just a rumor?

“However, Gosselin is perhaps best known for a first-inning, first-pitch fastball last May that started in the right hand of Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, then a junior at San Diego State, and ended up bouncing off a plastic scoreboard in left field that read “Anteater Ballpark” in Irvine, Calif. "

Another leadoff type

That means he’s good.

Strasburg got the loss, but still struck out 15 in 7 innings that day – http://www.virginiasports.com/fls/17800/stats/baseball/2009/va0529.htm

strasburg is obviously untouchable, so any news of a HR off strasburg are clearly false

According to the nationals, he’s the next nolan ryan

Fine with me

Despite all the strike-outs, Ryan wasn’t that exceptional. He pitched in one of the weakest hitting eras in baseball so his numbers look better now, but consider this:

ERA+
Nolan Ryan: 112
Tom Glavine: 118
John Smoltz: 125
Kevin Brown: 127
Mike Mussina: 123
Jack Morris: 105
Greg Maddux: 132
Pedro Martinez: 154

So he wouldn’t be one of the best pitchers of the current era, i’m thinking.

pedro is severely underrated by the casual fan.

He was Sandy Koufax for a stretch of about 4-5 years there. Untouchable. Chipper Jones always uses him as a benchmark when talking about the best pitchers he’s ever seen.

Wowzers with the IF prospects.
Are we all white kids so far?

http://www.virginiasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17800&ATCLID=1370504

Terence Moore is copy and pasting as we speak.

there's the curacao kid
Doesn't count

I’m sure.

No Torii Hunting around here…

.310 .405 .475 880

With 6 HRs

Seems decent

I wish they would post OPS+ data for colleges.

Its hard for me to get a good read on how silly the numbers can get.

Cubs

Their 5th round pick (160) is Matt Szczur. Rumor is he’s going to hold out for above slot money so that he can afford to buy a vowel… /rimshot

Szczur he will.

boom tish!!!!
Lol

where is the draft at right now?
Seacaucus, NJ

Why, have you heard it might move? ;-)

Virginia JR 2B Phil Gosselin– Remains an average to slightly below-average infielder (capable of playing third and short in a pinch) with an average arm well suited for second base, who many believe may ultimately wind up in the outfield as a pro. That’s what I’ve heard, anyway. I’m not necessarily buying it; heck, his mere presence on this list indicates I think it would be best to keep Gosselin at second as long as possible professionally. He doesn’t have the glove/range for center, and doesn’t have the bat for a corner. If he isn’t a starting caliber outfielder, why not at least give him a shot in the infield? Coming into the year I thought his future was as a big league super-sub, but his big junior year has me thinking his bat could work at second if the glove cooperates.
meh

We’ll have to see how he hits in the pros, but doesn’t sound too exciting. Of course, we’re getting pretty far along in the draft, so I guess we’re not going to see too many more “exciting” players.

Hey, Hanson was drafted in the 22nd. Pujols was drafted in the 13th. Never know when you might find a gem.

from MLB bonus baby
Phil Gosselin has split time between second and left field for one of the best college teams in the country at Virginia. Thus, scouts are fairly split on whether he profiles better in left or at second, but there is some consensus that it’s at least worth a shot to see if he can handle second at the next level. As you can tell from his stats, he’s had a breakout season of sorts, showing exceptional ability to hit the ball hard to all parts of the ballpark. He is the definition of a doubles hitter with enough power to keep pitchers honest, and he’s going to be productive with the stick as a pro.

Gosselin’s overall tools don’t necessarily stack up well compared to some of his peers. As somewhat of a professional hitter without a true defensive home, he’s flashed an above-average hit tool with fringe-average raw power, and he’s going to make pitchers work. A lot of his strikeouts are a function of how many pitches he takes, and he’s going to be an asset in a major league lineup as a number two hitter. He’s an average runner underway, but an above-average baserunner and he reads pitchers well. Defensively, his range is a little below-average up the middle, but his arm is average and good enough for second. He’s played shortstop before, as well, and if anything, he’s as steady as they come with the glove. He should go somewhere in the range of the fourth to sixth round.
This is why I wish I was a professional athlete.

I believe I’d get arrested for flashing my above-average hit tool.

How old is this kid?

21

22 in october

"a professional hitter"

not another one.

We should hire more professional hitters

Interesting that there are so few in a game where people get paid to hit.

+10...

very well played sir.

great….

sounds like kelly johnson

hilarious tweet

BREAKING MLB NEWS: The Washington Nationals just retired Stephen Strasburg’s number…

LOL
when’s his HOF induction?

tomorrow

right before first pitch

Are they going to present him his WS MVP trophy, Cy Young award and MVP award then, too?

I hear he’s already won the Divisional Series MVP.

dude you missed that ceremony by a year

and a day

Dang it!

About damn time!

RUNS RUNS RUNS RUNS RUNS RUNS

Ooops, wrong thread.

never too early for this...
True. Maybe it'll work. On the OT tonight we should start the "runs runs" in the 1st

U

Okay, it’s the 6th round, this is when there’s usually a closer run. Anyone take Joe Nathan yet?

He got autodrafted in the 4th by some sucker who didn't show.
Brian Sabean?

I’m punting saves this year

You need some relievers, though, because Holds is a category too.

what is Scot Shields up to these days?

Okay prospect hounds

Are there any interesting guys left besides Austin Wilson?

Jacob Heyward.

He’s like 15.

so?

Yeah, Bronn just doesn’t get it. One Heyward is not enough

duhh
wouldn’t it be great if both Heywards played for the Braves?

Jesse Hahn, Virginia Tech.

Injury concerns, but has a big fastball. Future pen, closer type, I think I heard.

Also, Zach Alvord, GA HS 2B. Has pretty good potential but some mechanical flaws in his swing that are fixable.

any relation to bill?

oh, he’s Hohn, nevermind

Let’s hope and pray that the answer is No

There goes Hahn.
as in ejected?

by Hohn?

Yup

Here comes the Braves' pick.
LOL

Terdoslavich!

Sounds…Russian!

mlb guy totally slaughtered that name

it’s terdoslavich, not tersolavich! get it right!

Joseph Terdoslavich

Never heard of him, but he’s very close to being my favorite player already because of the name.

The names always get me, too.

Hey kids

anyone care to fill me on who we drafted? I just caught up on my sleep.

the theme so far has been athleticism

not that I know anything about these kids

and “professional hitters”

irony?

professional hitters in the amateur draft?

by round

2. jacob heyward
3. heyward’s dad
4. heyward’s grandpa
5. heyward’s dog
6. heyward’s pet hamster

Jesus had a hamster?

I give our draft an A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I give our draft an A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sounds like drafted the next Eric Campbell, the next Tony Pena Jr, the next Melvin Mora, the next Craig Kimbrel

Possibly also the next Kelly Wunsch, but only because he’s not notable but has an awesome name.

RED SOX SELECT KENDRICK PERKINS!
they would.
perkins immediately received two technicals

baha

any news on Turdsandwich?

Lol

Not Much on Joe, heres his 2010 stats

Terdoslavich, Joe

AVG GP-GS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB SLG% BB HBP SO GDP OB% SF SH SB-ATT PO A E FLD%
.326 55-54 224 34 73 12 2 7 46 110 .491 19 2 36 7 .379 3 0 3-9 53 103 13 .923

terdoslavich = cojo clone
Long Beach State SO 1B Joey Terdoslavich
_
Terdoslavich was once a pretty exciting prospect, but his transfer to Long Beach has taken his name out of the big-time college spotlight. His power remains, but the 2010 drop in plate discipline is worrying. In his favor, however, is the positional versatility so many of these first base prospects will need if they want big league bench jobs someday.

But…but…i wanted a JHey clone.

For the record

I think Bryce Harper could end up being a bust.

DFA his ass!!

-C

Ryan Leaf 2.0

I could see it happening.

Just listening to him talk

He’s the age of a high school junior, and he sounds like it. I’m not sure he has the maturity to deal with the hype and expectations. I understand that he’s not going to be expected to do anything for a few years, but I have some questions about his plate discipline as well.

Obviously the expectations are different

but latin players have to deal with playing professional baseball in a foreign country at age 16.

Oh, I understand that, but the success rate for those guys ends up being fairly low. And they don’t necessarily live under the same spotlight that will follow Harper around.

D

I think Bryce Harper sounds like the name of the guy in a stupid high school chick flick.

haha

Zac Effron’s role

Seems like we’re just drafting the funkiest names available

can anyone beat RSF yet?

Well...

“Chipper” is a pretty weird name, ya know

It's a rule

We have to draft the players with the stupidest names this year.

Braves get what's going on here

This is a weak draft, and now that the real interesting guys are gone, they’re amusing the fans by putting silly names up on the board. It’s an entertainment business.

silly name contest

winner gets dibs on jacob heyward in 3 years

Jacob Filak
Joseph Terdoslavich
Matthew Suschak

toronto might give us a run for the money

noah snydergaard
asher wojciechowski
marcus knecht
dickie thon

Yeah…i think they win.
But i really really want Jacob Heyward!

it's ok

they are canadian. canadians are ineligible under these contest rules.

Great, so we win.
Let’s hope Jacob has the talent of his brother.

Pretty sure black people aren’t even allowed in Canada, ’cept on Joe Carter Day.

-C

I hope we wim

Stephen Strasburg...

I hope the Pirates light him up tonight.

you're not the only one...
i know

i just love how ESPN is BJ’ing him already. Even more than Heyward.

According to ESPN, Strasburg is God. Silly ESPN! We all know Jason Heyward is God.

I don't

I’ve had him in fantasy for months

must’ve been a pitcher.

Straslessburger

Nats come by to visit June 28-30 and if they pitch him every 5th day…he should get the ball at the Ted the 29th

quick

call up phil gosselin before that date!

I have to admit..

I’d love to see Jason Heyward vs. Stephen Strasburg.

I wonder what the Braves see

with these numbers http://www.utrockets.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=18000&ATCLID=1257053

oh dear lord…

these numbers are pretty useless to scouts, just so you know...
He was better in 2010.

3.84 ERA, 60 Ks in 61.0 IP, .207 BAA, 3.2 BB/9

waaay better.

He was a starter and reliever for Toledo

Guessing he profiles as a reliever for us.

idk

maybe the 44 Ks in 27 IP…

“Right-hander Matt Suschak (pictured) has been drawing scouts because of his “plus” arm strength. Last Thursday, he dueled Ball State fireballer Perci Garner (more on him this week). And while Suschak got the win, both pitchers were touched up. Suschak gave up six earned runs on eight hits and a walk in seven innings, striking out four. Garner gave up four runs on nine hits and two walks.
Matt Suschak
For the season, Suschak is 4-1 with a 4.12 ERA in 54 innings. He’s averaging about a strikeout per inning and limiting opposing batters to a .205 average.

I talked to one AL West scout who texted me: “A COUPLE OF RIGHT-HANDERS THROWING BIG VELO.” That naturally piqued my interest. And he told me about Suschak.

“Suschak’s hitting 96 now,” the scout said. “He was pitching out of the ‘pen for most of the season, but his velocity spiked about halfway through the season. Against Michigan he was 94-95 so they moved him to the Friday spot. His second start he was 95 for most of the way. It’s dipped a little since, his last couple of starts he’s been sitting around 92-93.”

Suschak’s breaking ball is a slurve-type pitch with good downward tilt. He throws it in the 76-79 mph range. His command is a work in progress—he hit two batters Thursday—but he has the potential to be a power reliever or a back-of-the-rotation starter.

And put the above pedestrian numbers aside: Suschak’s upside is such that he could be a mid-third round pick or better. He could be some team’s diamond in the rough.

“From the Northern schools, it just takes some guys to get going,” the scout said. “It’s no coincidence that Suschak, [Indiana State’s] Jacob Petricka and [Missouri State’s] Mike Kickham are mid- to high-90s now and they’re all from Midwest schools.” "

So maybe

If his arm were more rested than college pitchers’ sometimes are, he could throw 96 with the fastball out of the bullpen and a good slurve. Sounds like two good pitches so he could be a useful bullpen piece.

did anyone catch

the player that got drafted that goes to The Pendleton School?

i nearly pissed my pants.

Lolzz

must’ve been a pitcher

The team site didn't have his 2010 stats. Atleast he is showing improvement.

So who picks the players, anyway? Wren? Bobby?

Matty S

       

15 SUSCHAK, Matt….
         ERA W-L APP GS CG SHO/CBO SV IP H R ER BB SO 2B 3B HR AB B/Avg WP HBP BK SFA SHA
3.84 5-1 21 6 0 0/0 3 61.0 47 31 26 22 60 9 1 3 227 .207 7 8 1 3 3

We got anything on this Kurt Fleming kid?

Any relation to Ian Fleming?

Again, weird names.

All i’ve found on him is that he’s a two sport athlete (football) committed to Army.

at least we'll have an OF who knows how to run the option

Seems like he was a running back and a right fielder.

Antwoin Jarelle Kirby-Jones

that’s a sick name

So many weird names!! Good lord…..

clarification

we did not select this fella

Fresno City College FR 3B David Rohm – Rohm hits and hits and hits. He can also steal a bag when left unattended (great instincts on the bases), smack a ball the other way (very mature hitting style), and crank it out of the ballpark when the mood strikes (above-average present power). Mostly though, he hits. His defense ranks in the bottom third of players here in the top 30, but he still has a better than 50/50 shot to stick at the position through his first six years of big league control. Ah, the defense update is appreciated, you’re thinking, but, wait, can the guy hit? Excellent question; yes, David Rohm can hit.
mlb.com

had him as a 1b, is that where we put him?

The more corner infielders the better
does he hit though?
it's the central valley conference but

splits

.506/.564/.775 with a 1.339 OPS

Call him up right now!

He can take CF.

yea!

screw defense!

I take it we're giving up on the silly name contest.

David Rohm and Kurt Fleming? We’ll never win with these!

Damn, there went our ticket...

in Kawika Emsley-Pai

George Lucas couldn’t come up with this stuff.

It's over

We just took Matthew Lewis.

this is just our latest entry into the “two first names” contest

Does Joseph Terdoslavich count?

yes

everyone knows “ted” is short for “terdoslavich”

Q:

When does rookie ball start up? Danville and GCL?

In 2 weeks

Well, Danville does at least.

matthew lewis

braves pick. losing name contest.

but hes got a helluva mullet
rhp from u. cal davis
I see a continuation of the college player trend from last year.
So weird to see us drafting all these guys who are older than Jason Heyward.
And Teheran, among others...

I always liked the focus on JUCOs and high school kids personally, though maybe that has changed in the last several years as more of your later round picks head to school.

that makes TWO (count'em: TWO) pitchers we have selected that have pitched a no-no in college

is anyone here? hello? is the draft still going on?

i feel so stupid

i'm here

good, because I’m lonely :)

we'll never leave you, MBL1

thanks /internet hug

chasen shreve

ok, weird name selections are back on again.

we are definitely going to win the weird name contest amirite?

oooh hes from my state
he's from college of s. nevada

and is bryce harper’s teammate. i hope we signed him to fuck with bryce

CHASEN: yo bryce, remember back in college when you got herpes from that hooker?
BRYCE: promptly strikes out 4 times in a game

at this point

im judging picks based on whether mlb thinks highly enough of them to have a highlight video available.

As a native of Shreveport, LA… I can’t wait to buy his jersey.

i've figured it out

jason + chase = CHASEN

ergo

CHASEN = CHASE UTLEY + JASON HEYWARD

PERFECT!!!

WOW

i know chasen, tahts fucking weird i hang out with him a month ago, thats so cool

thats creepy

how
im only 19

i mean its creepy cool and weird haha

barrett kleinknecht

it’s not even close anymore

according to espn, only 3 hours until Strasburg’s debut. Gosh they are obsessed.

WOW Barrett Kleinknecht SS

Braves pick
that takes the cake

since its just us in this thread

and you guys seem to be pretty level headed…

Strasburg is going to be dominant right away. Discuss

he’s facing the pirates……….

i mean this year in general

probably

he’ll get hit some though. He won’t throw like 15 perfect games for the rest of the season or anything

define "dominant"

his current minor-league numbers? no. but he’ll probably be better than mike leake, IMO

leake is due for some heavy regression

im thinking 2.75 – 3.25 ERA

hes done better than what teheran has done… only for like 2 straight years including AAA.

did you hear his number is going to be retired before the game? They’re also presenting him all kinds of awards before he throws a perfect game. However the Nationals will not score him any runs so it will go into 33 innings and then the nats bullpen will blow it.
Strasburg will take the loss, becausse Joe West, Jim Joyce and Bill Hohn will all be umpiring the game and somehow charge the loss to him.

Phillies select Tyler Knigge

i cannot wait for some broadcaster to fuck up his last name

lol
“The Atlanta Falcons select…Brett Favor.”

I have to admit, I’m getting kind of pissed. I was positive my buddy from ODU was going to be a 4th to 6th round pick, but through 12 he still hasn’t gone. I don’t know who wouldn’t want a lefty with plus, plus secondary stuff who led his league in Ks this year. And threw a no-hitter. Get it done Frank!

not enough velo

I guess. He’s at 87-89 with the fastball, but he’s also striking out a ton of guys. It’s insanely hard to strike out guys swinging aluminum bats; the slightest bit of contact leads to hits. If you can strike guys out in college you can be successful as a pro, regardless of velocity.

the indians just took michael goodnight

I hope he becomes a big prospect and hundreds of newspaper headlines come up with some incredible puns.

haha

awesome

braves have pick #404

sweet

and its another SS
This thread

is solely about funny player’s names. This is like that time when my mom found out there were players named Milton Bradley and Coco Crisp.

it's the only think worth following at this pt in the draft

what else am I supposed to talk about when I know nothing about the MLB draft? I am here to provide comic relief for those with more smartness than i.

yea the problem is non one knows who any of these guys are anymore :(

including mel kiper

It’s not like the NBA or NFL…..

and then randomly in the thirteenth round you pick up a guy that gets on the roids and becomes pujols

brandon drury

at 404

combo of Brandon Dubinsky and Chris Drury

from my NY Rangers

6'2" 190 lbs
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic_id=10018074&content_id=8645289

do the braves have enough infield spots to play all these guys?

clearly not all are going to pan out or even sign, right?

I assume some of these SS will end up at 3rd

these guys should all sign. Once you get to the 20th or 30th round, guys don’t all sign from there. eventually, some of them won’t pan out, but for the first 2 or 3 years, the braves will need space for all of them

we are going to have to make up new infield spots. How about 4th base? Left-center field? Right-center field?

we select a lot of SS because they are usually the most athletic of their respective teams

there will be a lot of positional shuffling going on

So just got back from golf. How has the draft gone? Any power guys, high risk high reward types of players and any speed or good pitching prospects? Thanks

mostly speed/toolsy infielders

a few pitchers with solid upside

by round

2. jacob heyward
3. heyward’s dad
4. heyward’s grandpa
5. heyward’s dog
6. heyward’s pet hamster

by atl192485 on Jun 8, 2010 11:46 AM PDT

diego seastrunk to the indians

what the heck is with the names?
No one cares at this point so they’re picking people with weird names to keep people watching it.

Where did Wilson eventually go?

still dropping................
st louis

pick #379

oh nvm

wasn’t aware he was selected. oops.

Holy shit, so why did every1 pass on him and why didnt we take a stab at him in the later rounds if he fell that low

signability

Wow, he was considered in some mock’s to go in the mid to late first round, wow!

he’s good enough to be a first round pick, but he’s set on going to stanford so no one was willing to take a shot until the 12th round

Mr. 2-a-days Ross Wilson?
oh shit! mets drafted james brown!
richie tate

HAHAHAHA

there are so many weird names it’s not even funny anymore

so we’re laughing at the normal ones now?

something about richie tate makes me laugh…… sorry i am not normal

no one is normal…

maybe i should google it but what is:
plus or plus-plus
slot (money)?

plus is like well above average, plus-plus is well above that. plus plus is about as good as it gets.

slot money is the recommended signing bonuses handed down by the commissioners office. It’s not really enforced, but most teams follow it anyway. a lot of guys want more than “slot money” for whatever spot in the draft they’re going to be selected, so the teams that stick to the guidelines don’t draft them and they fall until the cardinals, tigers, yankees, or red sox take them

FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUU

I have plus plus typing speed. you just have plus typing speed.

yep

i like how we said almost the exact same thing, down to the formatting

haha i’m making that my signature

plus = solidly above average attribute (could be describing speed or power, etc)
plus plus = top of the line attribute

slot = what a team should expect to pay for a given pick (determined by selig and his minions)
sometimes you have good players that slip because they demand a ton of money… then a team like the red sox picks them up in the second round and gives them a massive bonus - something not expected for a pick that low

Braves drafted someone Ive hung out with before

chasen shreve

can you get him to sign some stuff

and mail it to us plz? you know, on the off-chance he makes it big…

oh

and bryce harper too

KTHXBYE

COOL STORY COMING UP

My roommate asks me if I’ve ever heard of a pitcher that he and his brother used to be really good friends with. He knows nothing about baseball but knows I watch it all the time. His friend = Adam Wainwright. He had no idea that Wainwright was a Cy Young contender. He thought he was some random minor leaguer.

lol what an idiot

lol

i never met harper, i heard hes a douche tho, so fuck him

Have we called dibs on Heyward’s lil bro yet??

The team that drafts the players with the weirdest names gets dibs.

3 sec video of Jacob Heyward

am i supposed to click on that? because it’s not doing anything

brownsten ba ha ha ha

ROFL

“we got da cornbread”
“really? how was it?”

yum cornbread

POLL TIME

would you prefer:

A. mike stanton hits 4 jacks, marlins beat phillies

OR

B. mike stanton goes 0/4 with 6Ks, phillies win

B

it’s just one game for the phils. media would declare stanton > heyward.

and then the world would explode

A for fantasy baseball purposes.

Agreed, picked him up today.

On another note…Fuck you, Nick Markakis.

-C

This.

How much longer until you drop him? Or maybe you did for Stanton?

DAN WINNIE

game over. braves win.

That means we get dibs on Jacob Heyward in 3 years! YESSSSSS

this just in

braves draft winnie the pooh

Dan Winnie

keep em comin

so how good is this winnie guy?

excellent.

really, no one has any idea who he is

figures

eventually, BA will post blurbs about everyone and I’ll pass them along

hello….anybody home

Not draft related at all but did an1 know prado has a 13 game hit streak going?

I knew because im awesome like that

12-game

he also had an 1-game run streak before yetserday

I bet 20 years ago people were watching the MLB Draft and were like “Chipper Jones? What kind of name is THAT?”

brandon drury

The best high school position player in Oregon is Drury, a baseball rat who has a strong, athletic 6-foot-2 build. He keeps his hands back at the plate, shows bat speed and gets good backspin on balls. While he was a high school shortstop, he has below-average speed and will have to move to third base or the outfield as a pro. He has also committed to Oregon State, but scouts believe he is more motivated to play professionally.

It will be 13 after tonight duh

ok everyone….see yaa

Stefan Sabol C

I think this kid was on a HS skills contest I saw on FSN earlier this week

Stefan Sabol- Another name we win, getting closer and closer to dibs on Jacob

from BA

95. Stefan Sabol, c
Aliso Niguel HS, Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Sabol is the cousin of Pittsburgh Steelers all-pro safety Troy Polamalu. One of the finest prep athletes in the nation, Sabol finished first in the SPARQ testing (which includes several tests that measure athleticism) at last summer’s Area Code Games, with a 36.2-inch vertical leap and a 6.28-second time over 60 yards. Some scouts doubt the 60 time, though Sabol has well-above-average speed. Scouts also say that Sabol will not remain a catcher as a pro. While his arm is adequate behind the plate, his receiving skills are substandard. His tools fit comfortably as a corner outfielder. As a hitter, Sabol rarely has been productive with a wood bat. The switch from metal to wood may be a difficult transition for him, though he has the skills to succeed as a hitter. He flashes both bat speed and quickness despite a few problems in his hitting mechanics. His stride is too long, and he has a tendency to pull his head and front shoulder off the pitch. An Oregon signee, Sabol is the most athletic prep receiver available, but he does not figure to catch if he signs a pro contract in 2010. Instead, he profiles as a potential five-tool outfielder.

from baseballbeginnings
Stefan Sabol, C
6-1, 195 B/T: R/R
(Aliso Niguel HS, Aliso Niguel, CA)
Games seen: 6, Innings: 40
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Durable athletic frame frame, strong hips and thighs and still filling out.
STRENGTHS: Above-average speed, good first step. Handsy hitter, hard to beat with velocity on the inner half. Very good athlete for position. Loose, quick athletic actions.
WEAKNESSES: Needs to improve catching defense – needs to use body to block balls, drops to his knees too many times, hurries throws before feet are set, throws drift on him. Needs to show he can go to right field more consistently in coming years.
SUMMARY: Should be above-average offensive player with at least average defensive skills if he stays behind the plate in the coming years. Strikes me as flashy player – wants you to know he’s there.
GRADES: (Present/Future)
Hit 35/60
Power 30/50
Run 60/60
Throw 40/50
Field 30/50
Overall Future Potential: 54
mlbfantasyprospects
Stefan Sabol (C, Aliso Niquel HS)

The Breakdown

Physicals

Height: 6’2

Weight: 210

Positions

Current: C/IF/OF

Projected MLB: C/Util

Miscellaneous

School: Aliso Niquel HS

Best Case Scenario: Russell Martin

Worst Case Scenario: Brandon Inge

ETA: 2014

Scouting Report and Analysis

The strong athletic backstop out of California has all of the physical tools necessary to excel at the next level, but due to his overall athleticism, he has played elsewhere in the field. Therefore he has not caught as many games as some of his peers, so his mechanics are still a work in progress. He could be the ultimate utility player who can play anywhere on the field similar to Inge.

His strength, drawn from his 6’2, 205-pound frame, allows him to power the ball to the gaps, and if he maintains his catcher eligibility, Sabol will be a sweet fantasy gem. His strong right-handed swing, combined with impressive bat speed, allows him to overpower pitches to all parts of the field.

Sabol has showcased impressive speed (6.6) for a catcher, and coupled with his time spent in the outfield, the team that drafts him will be confident in his abilities to play all over the field. By the time he matures and becomes comfortable with major league pitching, he will be able to hit for solid .290-.300 average, swipe as many as 15-20 bases and drive in 70-plus runs consistently.

Sabol sounds like the best player we have got in the draft

i wouldn't say that

but sounds like has a lot of upside. not sure why he dropped so far, though…

FINALLY

A GEORGIAN!

alvord to the braves

that's one I wanted...

just wonder if he signs instead of heading to Auburn.

Zach Alvord
Alvord is an athletically built 6-0, 180 lb middle infielder with very good compact strength for a middle infielder. Alvord’s arm strength and athletic ability play all over the field, although he probably has the most experience playing second base. Alvord’s best tool is his bat and offensive potential as a middle of the field player. He is a dead red fastball hitter with very good bat speed and the ability to turn around top velocity pitchers. He has some pull lift in his swing and can hit the ball a long way. He has a verbal commitment to attend Auburn University and could create early round draft interest.

The scouting report is he has power right now and could develop even more power as he matures

mlb
Hitting ability: Alvord has plenty of bat speed. He started barring his front arm on his swing a bit, but it’s correctable.

Power: He’s got power that plays now and will play in the future. He’s got some natural loft to his swing.

Running speed: He’s got below-average speed.

Base running: Running is not a part of his game.

Arm strength: He’s got a pretty strong arm, enough for second base.

Fielding: He certainly won’t play short at the next level. He might be OK as an offensive-minded second baseman. He could be an interesting option behind the plate, though he’s never played there.

Range: He’s got below-average range in the middle infield.

Physical Description: Alvord is strong and fairly athletic. Some have compared him to Gordon Beckham.

Medical Update: Healthy.

Strengths: Legitimate power in his bat, excellent bat speed.

Weaknesses: Issue with his swing mechanics have hurt his overall hitting. He’s limited defensively. If he’s going to play second, he better hit enough to be make up for his limitations.

Summary: Alvord has the makings of a very good, offensive-minded second baseman. He might never be a Gold Glover defensively, but it looks like the bat might play, especially once he corrects an issue with his swing. He’s got both present and future power, with natural loft in his swing and plenty of bat speed. It’s his bat that will carry him and that will get him drafted. The team that thinks it’s enough for him to be an offensive-minded second baseman or that is willing to think about moving him to another position might take a chance on that hitting potential.
from BA

165. Zach Alvord, ss
South Forsyth HS, Cumming, Ga.
Alvord entered the year as one of Georgia’s top prep hitters, and that hasn’t changed. He’s strong and solid at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, and he has good enough hands to stay in the infield. He also has above-average arm strength, having hit the low 90s as a prep closer, but his best tool is his bat. Alvord bars his lead arm, a no-no for many scouts, yet he still creates good bat speed and has present strength, giving him raw power. Some scouts compare him to former Auburn infielder Joe Saunders (a 2009 fifth-round pick now with the Rockies), a comparison made in part because Alvord is committed to Auburn. He may wind up there for two big reasons: He’s a below-average runner, and he’s got a big price tag. In Georgia this spring, scouts saw so much speed that Alvord’s lack of speed stood out in a negative way. He’s not going to play shortstop as a pro, may not have the range for second and doesn’t have the classic size or profile for third. Alvord’s price tag also might cause him to drop, as he has a strong commitment to college and prefers a comparison to Gordon Beckham, who was more athletic and more of a power hitter. If Alvord has a Saunders-like career, scouts will definitely be back. Despite his polished bat, he may wind up falling out of the first five rounds, where his talent fits.

Sounds like a steal to get him this late

if we can sign him

yea, i think the main thing is signability.

I’m surprised how many infielders we have taken, we have taken one outfielder who may be a 3B

in all fairness, some of our infielders profile as outfielders

tyler hess, RHP

it’s coming to this part of the draft where i can’t find anything on the guy

This guy?

Tyler Hess

  1. 55 RHP
    Ht:6-4 Weight:236
    Sophomore
    B/T:R/R
    CAREER NOTES: Owns a 5-3 record with a 6.39 earned-run average in two full seasons at Pepperdine … Has pitched 63.1 innings through 43 relief appearances and has struck out 61 batters.

CAREER HIGHS: Strikeouts: 6, 3/5/09 vs. Evansville; Walks: 3 (4x), Last: 4/19/09 vs. Loyola Marymount; IP (start): None; IP (relief): 3.2, 3/5/09 vs. Evansville; Winning Streak: 4g, 3/8-6/2/08; Losing Streak: 2g, 3/21/09 – present.

SPRING 2009: Posted a 1-2 record with a 7.30 earned-run average through 18 relief appearances and 24.2 innings pitched … His 18 outings were second on the team to Nick Gaudi … Struck out 29 batters and averaged 10.58 strikeouts per game … Picked off one runner, Evansville’s Cody Fick … As a fielder, was credited with three assists and helped turn a double play … Induced four double play ground balls, which was the team’s second highest total (Scott Alexander, 9) and the most by any Waves’ reliever … Tagged out two runners at home plate following wild pitches (3/15 at Wichita State and 4/22 vs. Cal State Fullerton) … Made season debut vs. Cal State Northridge (2/22), relieving Aaron Gates in the sixth inning with the game tied at 1-1 and runners on first and second base … Struck out the two Matadors he faced to escape the inning … Wiggled out of a second jam in the seventh inning by inducing a 3-2 double play ball as Ryan Heroy tagged first base before gunning down a Matador at home plate … Picked up first win of season vs. Evansville (3/5) with 3.2 IP of quality relief, striking out a season and career high six batters … Was the pitcher of record when Nate Johnson scored Denny Duron on a walkoff sacrifice fly in the ninth … Pitched an inning of scoreless relief during Pepperdine’s 16-6 win over then-No. 25 Cal Poly (3/10) … Allowed two of the first three Saint Mary’s batters (4/11) to reach base, but escaped the minor jam by getting Ryan Young to line out into a 3-6 double play … Walked and struck out one Gael on 13 pitches, six strikes in what was a scoreless seventh inning of Pepperdine’s 21-2 win … Struck out four batters over the final 1.2 innings of a 10-5 loss at Long Beach State (5/5) … All four punch outs came with a pair of runners in scoring position in both the seventh and eighth innings … Pitched two innings at then-No. 18 Cal Poly (5/12) … Entered game to start the seventh with a 5-2 lead, but gave up a two-out, two-run double that cut the lead to 5-4, but then stranded the tying run at second base in both frames via fly out and strikeout … Made final appearance of the season at then-No. 4 Cal State Fullerton (5/19) in the top of the seventh and pitched a scoreless inning on 11 pitches/5 strikes … Allowed the first two Titans to reach base on a hit by pitch and single before getting Joe Scott to ground into a double play.

Transferred to D-II Sonoma State after his sophomore year (2009)

Appeared in 12 games, 4 as a starter. Record of 2-3 with an ERA of 7.15 in 39 IP. Allowed more than a hit per inning, had a K/BB ratio of 33/25, and led the team with 14 WP and 9 hit batsmen.

Evan Gattis, Texas-Permian Basin

Started 57 games for the Falcons. Lead team in every batting category.
AVG/SLG/OBP: .403/.712/.519
12 homers, 19 double, 35 walks and only 24 strikeouts in 191 at-bats.

Evan Danieli, P, Notre Dame

AT NOTRE DAME: One-year monogram winner that enters junior season with a 5.64 career ERA and 0-1 record, plus 24 strikeouts, 21 walks and 34 hits allowed (.288 opponent batting average) in 11 appearances (two starts) and 30.1 innings (six hit batters, 10 wild pitches, three home runs allowed) … averaging 7.12 strikeouts and 6.23 walks per 9.0 innings pitched in his career … will likely miss the entire 2010 season after off-season elbow surgery … imposing presence who is noted for ability to consistently repeat his pitching motion and for his devastating curveball … throws tight, late-breaking and well-controlled curve that can be legitimate “out pitch” … also has a heavy, over-the-top fastball that touches the low-90s, plus a developing changeup and slider … benefits from loose arm and downward angle to the plate … battle-tested competitor with good poise … made strides in `07 fall workouts with his situational pitching … gained quality experience as a freshman … needs to continue work toward consistency … probably owns the most electric stuff of any member of the Irish pitching staff.

Dan Jurik, P, St. John Fisher College

Senior went 7-3 with 1.99 ERA, 5 complete games in 13 starts. 85 K, 30 BB in 77 IP.

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