Here's an early look at an analysis of the 2018 SLB Draft first round.
Darin covered the first eight picks, I covered the last eight.
Enjoy!
1. TAI – 2B Mook Jockster (Ole Miss) – This is both a great and difficult year to have the #1 overall pick. On the one hand, there is tremendous depth, especially in hitting. On the other, there is no de facto "best" player. You'll get a great player, but you're afraid you'll let a better one slip away. Such was the fate of Dylan Goforth. His pick this year was the switch-hitting second baseman Mook Jockster. It's an interesting pick; it's debatable that Jockster is the best available player (he's probably not even the best at his own school), and he plays a position that isn't one of need in Taipei's system. In fact, the Tai Fong don't have a single 3B in their system, making this pick even more curious, especially considering the depth at that position in this draft. Jockster had a tremendous year, batting .363 and posting a nearly 1:1 BB:K ratio. Jockster will be a very good player (this isn't Damion Douglas #1 overall here) but was he the right pick for the team?
2. PHI – 3B Jason Wilber (Ole Miss) – Back to back Rebels taken to kick off the draft. Wilber is considered by many as the best of a very deep class of third baseman. The NCAA Player of the Year broke the collegiate record for HR in a season and could step right into a starting role next season with Philly. Evan Longoria is currently the only 3B in the Fever system, and he is at the end of his current contract. The 24 year old Wilber has the tools to step right in at the major league level and contribute, so this is a very smart pick.
3. ATL – 3B Josh Rodriguez (Rice) – The Flyers jumped up in the draft lottery this year and swiped "J-Rod", a former All American from the Rice Owls. Though scouts aren't as impressed with his skill set as some of the other third basemen in the draft, the on-field results are tough to argue with. Rodriguez capped his four-year career by batting .401/.459/.738, striking out just 36 times in 344 AB's. J-Rod finished his college play with a career 1.048 OPS, 165 doubles, 96 HR and 314 RBI.
4. OSKA – 3B Ben Parker (Florida) – This was possibly the most predictable pick in the draft. Chest Rockwell leaving Osaka for Atlanta left a void that needed to be filled, and GM Tom Hey found his man. Parker is a left-handed, fly ball hitting third baseman with gold glove defense (something Rockwell did NOT have). Parker perhaps needs a little more refining than some of the other third base draftees, but Hey isn't known for his patience with prospects, and I expect to see this former Gator in the lineup by year's end. What's not to like about a kid who can hit 35 HR and Slug .741? Good pick.
5. KYO – 3B Shuhei Iwata (Cal St. Fullerton) – The run on third basemen continues. Kyoto is another team with a need at the position, and their scouts loved the Japan native on Cal St. Fullerton. Unlike some of the other hot corner players in the draft, Iwata is more or less a two-tool player. His defense is not good, and he has catcher's speed. He also had a subpar year in college (compared to other draftees), hitting just .272 with 23 HR and 63 RBI. Is Kyoto GM Darin Keesing concerned? "Not at all. We feel he has the same skill set as Albert Pujols, and all that guy has done is hit 455 HR." This will be an interesting prospect to keep an eye on, as we've seen that collegiate play doesn't always equate with pro ball; just look at Diego Clemente's college numbers if you want Exhibit A.
6. BAL – C Calver Alkoa (Arizona) – The incredible depth at third base in this year's draft is offset by an extremely thin crop of catchers. While Baltimore certainly can use a catching prospect, this pick brings up the common debate over first round picks: do you draft for need or do you take the best available player regardless of position? Alkoa is a decent looking prospect, a lefty hitter who had a good power year for the Wildcats, but there are definitely better hitters available at this pick. GM Jose Gutierrez is known for not always making the obvious choice, but recently he has come out on top with his early draft picks. Personally, I think he took the second best catcher in the draft, but history will decide who's right.
7. BED – SS Sheyne Baniaga (Cal St. Fullerton) – Baniaga is the second Titan taken in the first 7 picks. A switch-hitting short stop with elite power and gold glove defensive abilities come around extremely rarely and Bedford is a team starving for offense. Baniaga hit just 16 HR (and 59 in his career), but Crunch scouts think he'll adapt well to the wooden bat. The team has a pair of young SS's on the major league roster, so they have some time to groom Baniaga before thrusting him into the limelight.
8. CLE – 1B Matthew Hamman (Wichita St.) – The Dawgs looked to add another piece to their home-grown offense, choosing to upgrade at first base. Hamman is a switch-hitter with a good eye at the plate and developing power. He led his team with 28 HR while batting .350. He picked the right time to peak, having hit just 48 HR in his previous 3 years. Cleveland has done an impressive job drafting hitters, and first base was an obvious area to upgrade, as Al Allen and Al Siever just haven't risen above bench player status.
- By Darin Keesing
9. IRE – 3B Kainalu Chmolak (LSU)
You know Ireland was thinking catcher here after drafting one seemingly every year, but Baltimore took Alokoa with the sixth pick. Chmolak is no booby prize, however. He’s a switch hitter with just ridiculous power, but scouts say he has a hole in his swing that SLB pitchers can exploit. He’s a career .320 hitter in college, though, so the truth may be that the juice in his bat hides any deficiencies. Ireland isn’t too enamored with current third baseman Barry Rosen, so Chmolak might get the call sooner rather than later.
10. BAL – 2B Luke Daughetry (BAY)
With their second pick of the first round, Baltimore settled on Daughetry. He compares well to Jockster, who went first overall. Like Taipei’s new second sacker, Daughetry is a switch hitter with power to spare – even more so in fact – but he isn’t quite the contact hitter that Jockster is. The Panthers currently have Frank Vanderwall and his .380 average sitting at second base, so they can afford to groom Daughetry for the future.
11. CHNG – CF Dreshon Murray (WICH)
It’s rare to find a centerfielder with the kind of power that Murray displays. In fact, there’s not one in the entire SLB that can match Murray punch-for-punch. The only problem that scouts see with Murray is that he spent so much time in the weight room at Wichita State that he lost some flexibility and as a result, his swing doesn’t generate the same amount of lift that most power hitters do. Right now, the Kwaan have their outfield set, but if Trevor Bayne continues his struggles, Murray may end up in the big leagues soon.
12. SAV – SP Holden Whitley (MIA)
In an offense laden draft, it took until the twelfth pick to see a pitcher come off the board. Whitley has all kinds of measurables, he throws hard (with room for improvement), he has good control, good endurance and he’s great at holding runners. He’s got projectable fastball that’s already good enough for the SLB, but his secondary pitches are lacking. His slider looks like it could be a big league pitch one day, but his curveball looks like it will never be anything more than a last resort. Whitley has a career 21-21 record with a 4.46 ERA, but he really put things together his senior year, going 7-2 and lowering his ERA to 3.27.
13. LON – 2B Augustine Ortiz (WICH)
Like it was for the hot corner, this draft was thick in second baseman. The sweet-swinging lefty makes tons of contact (A career .360 hitter) and uses his speed and quick bat to pound balls into the gaps for extra bases (178 career doubles). The first two second basemen drafted were more of the thick-necked variety, but Ortiz is no slouch, either. London is currently enjoying a rebirth of sorts from T.J. Mackey, so don’t expect to see Ortiz in the bigs for a while.
14. SJ - 2B Jonathan Stephens (MIA)
Stephens is the fourth second baseman taken in the first round, and he’s more like Ortiz than Jockster or Daughetry. His bat will play just a step below Ortiz’, but Stephens is the fastest of the second basemen drafted in the first round. Stephens hit .335 last year, but continued to struggle versus lefthanded pitching, batting just .242 against them, lower than his .266 career mark. The Senadores are currently just three games behind Atlanta, but with Baltimore hot on their tails, it might be hard for Gluvna to leave Stephens down for too long.
15. HAL - (R) Jerry Bennett (ARZ)
Guess what, another second baseman. Again, Bennett has more of a prototypical second baseman’s bat - if not a shortstop’s, truthfully. He has a quick bat and great speed, but he’s never going to be a home run hitter. Scouts say that his swing is tailor made to dominate lefties. It’s just never happened. Bennett hit just .269 against them last year and is just a .277 hitter against them in his career. Things like that tend to get overlooked when you smash righthanded pitching the way he has, you just have to wonder how his those skills and numbers will translate against more advanced pitching. Halifax has Jed Lowrie in the last year of his contract currently playing second base, so we may see Bennett up in the bigs by 2019.
16. PAR - 2B Bucky Covington (ND)
Of course the draft ends with another second baseman. This sweet swinging lefty is also a sweet singing lefty… he almost turned down his scholarship offer to Notre Dame to pursue a music career. In the end the Golden Domers won out, and Covington responded by hitting .323 in 314 career games. He’s not overly powerful or overly fast, but he projects to potentially add speed and strength which could push him into the realm of the elite second basemen.
- By Dylan Goforth
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Amateur Draft Analysis - 2016
Moving on to 2016....
2016 - After the 2015 draft, the SLB front office voted to restrict eligibility to seniors only. As a result, the 2016 class was predictably weak. Most of the impact juniors were drafted the year before, leaving the senior class pretty thin (The All-American Team had just three seniors, only one of whom was drafted). As a result, 2016 was arguably one of (if not the) weakest drafts in league history. Did anyone find a diamond in the rough?
1) CLE - SS Damion Douglas (KENT) - Even considering the weak draft class, this pick had most GM's scratching their heads. Douglas had an extremely average skill set, and didn't even project as a major league bench player to many scouts. He did nothing to create any buzz during his first minor league year, batting .287 with 8 HR and 27 RBI. Despite the weak showing, he got called up to the majors, accumulating 334 AB's. His final line was .243/.285/.455, 16 HR, 43 RBI.
That was the extent of Douglas' minor league stay. He has been on the Cleveland bench this year, going just .220 with 3 HR in 50 AB's. Think the Dawgs regret this one?
2) TAI - P Roy Higuera (CSF) - Taipei had the misfortune of having a high pick in a bad draft. They decided to take a shot at Cal State Fullerton's Roy Higuera, a hard throwing starter with just a fastball and a change up. Last year's draft showed mixed results with two-pitch starters, but Higuera had a much stronger arm than any of those draftees. The gamble looked like a bad one after 2017's AAA season ended, as Higuera went 4-2, 6.58 with a 1.63 WHIP.
After such pitiful pitching, the natural thing to do was stick him in your big league rotation, right? Well someone must have seen something in the kid, as he has sparkled as a major league rookie. In 13 starts, he has 10 QS, going 5-6, 2.86 and a WHIP just over 1.00. The question is, which Higuera is the real one? Did the kid suddenly "get it", or is he doomed to regress next season?
3) IRE - P Al Snodgrass (KENT) - Another two-pitch starter. Seems to be a trend, eh? Snodgrass wasn't as strong as Higuera, and featured a curve rather than a change up. Unfortunately for Ireland, his numbers have been the reverse of Higuera's as well. Snodgrass excelled in 2017, posting a 2.66 ERA in Melbourne allowing just 7 HR in 118 IP. He came up to Ireland in September, but threw just 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
Snodgrass was inserted into the major league rotation in 2018, but it was too soon. The kid had a 2.00 WHIP and a 10.05 ERA in 3 starts. On April 20th, he was sent back to the Beer Bellies. Since his return to AAA, he has gone 5-4, 3.17. Best to give him more inning in the minors and ease him back to the majors.
4) SJ - RF Charlie Proly (MICH) - Hindsight being 20/20, Proly should have been the #1 overall pick. Cleveland had just drafted Tex Austin the year before, but Proly was the cream of the offensive crop. His first year in Caracas saw a .330 average with 18 HR and 67 RBI.
After adding about 15 pounds of muscle in the off season, Proly returned to Caracas on a mission. The 25 year old has pounded 30 HR this year without losing his great average. So what's his future with San Juan? The Senadores already have three All-Star caliber outfielders, all under 30 years old. Is it time a for a position change, or can you work him as the key man in a big trade?
5) BED - P Alex Pocoroba (AUB) - Pocoroba was the first (and only) All-American drafted in 2016. He was dominant in Auburn's bullpen, posting a 1.72 ERA while saving 10 games. His fastball and slider were both plus pitches and he had above average arm strength. For some reason, he only pitched 4 2/3 innings for AAA Detroit in 2017, posting a 15.43 ERA. The sample size was far too small to make any judgments on.
Pocoroba was traded to Chiang Mai in April of 2018 as part of a 4 player swap. He has seen more regular work in Springfield's pen, with 37 IP. His ERA has been a decent 4.34, but his overall performance has to vastly improve before he sees any significant playing time in a major league bullpen.
6) HAL - P Randall Graves (NWU) - What's this? A starter with more than two pitches? Perish the thought! Graves Featured a 93 mph fastball along with a slider and curve at Northwestern. In his first season with Vancouver, he went 9-5, 3.07. More impressive, his WHIP was under 1.00.
Graves has spent all of 2018 in AAA. He has pitched 13 QS in 17 games started with a 3.59 ERA. It's tough to imagine that he's too far away from the major league rotation; perhaps not this year, but he'll be strongly considered for 2019.
7) BAL - RF Mike Wells (OSU) - Baltimore had far less pressure on them in 2016, picking mid-round in a draft devoid of sure stars. Gutierrez picked up a useful OF in left-handed batting Mike Wells. With Guerrero retiring soon (or so we keep assuming), the team has time to groom his replacement. His 2017 season was solid: an .873 OPS and 50 XBH.
Wells has really turned it up a notch or two this year in Miami. His OPS is up to 1.040 and he leads his team with 67 RBI. Though his power isn't likely to ever match Vladdy's, this former Buckeye looks like a cheap 20 HR bat in the near future.
8) PAR - Skipped - You know the draft is bad when a GM thinks no one in it is better than a single person on his current roster. Moving on....
9) OSKA - C Elmer Kennedy (LSU) - The Ronin always need pitching, but this clearly wasn't the draft to improve that side of the ball. With the impending free agency of Tony Montana, Osaka was smart to invest a pick into a potential replacement. Kennedy had decent power and above average defense, and was a rare switch-hitting catcher. His 2017 line in Ft. Wayne finished at .288 with 17 HR and 49 RBI.
Montana did end up walking after 2017, thrusting Kennedy into the starting position behind the dish for the Ronin. He has responded well offensively, hitting 14 HR and driving in 38 to date. His defense has been shaky; 9 errors in 68 games behind the dish is pretty rough. It would be easy to criticize his handling of the pitching staff, but I don't think Ivan Rodriguez could get much out of this sorry group.
10) SCOT - LF Bill Ranford (RICE) - Ranford was a potential 5-tool outfielder out of Rice. Scouts loved his blend of eye, power and speed to go with good defense. But before he could take a minor league at-bat for Stockholm, he was traded to Halifax as part of the Kenji Johjima deal. He was a bench player in Vancouver, getting just 102 AB's.
Injury issues in Halifax have forced Ranford into some playing time, and he has done better than expected. .316/.356/.553 with 6 HR in 152 AB's. Can't ask for much more from a kid his age.
11) PHI - LF Truck Chakales (ARZ) - Truck is a big thumper out of Arizona who has put up good power numbers for the Senators over the past 2 seasons. He slugged .629 with 23 big flys in 2017, leading his team in both categories.
His numbers in 2018 have been nearly identical. The 23 year old might have to wait a while before getting his shot in the bigs, however, as he's staring up at the outfield of Hunter/Bruce/Hunting in Phily.
12) P Kyle Carr (MINN) - Slim pickings already, so Kyoto takes Golden Gopher closer Kyle Carr. Carr had a good fastball and curve, but nothing that topped about 90 mph. He had a pretty good debut season, posting a 3.49 ERA and 9 saves as Flint's closer.
It's been rougher sailing for Carr in 2018. His ERA has been hovering in the mid-5's with a high WHIP. He as just traded to Ireland as part of the C.C. Sabathia deal.
13) ATL - SS Jimmy Hess (OSU) - Atlanta turned to Ohio State for a speedy short stop. Hess has great speed and a good eye, but not much defense. Stuck behind Orlie King on the depth chart, he went hitless in just 7 AB's for Charleston in 2017 .
Hess slotted over to 2B this year and has fared very poorly. His OPS is a paltry .642 and he leads his team with 72 K's (in 356 AB's). It seems unlikely that he sees time on the Flyers roster any time soon (if ever).
14) LON - P Ben Jenzen (MICH) - Jenzen came out of Michigan with three pitches, one of which was a very hittable curveball. He hasn't improved it much. He went 0-6, 5.68 in 2017, walking more (22) than he struck out (20). Ouch.
He remains winless as a pro, now 0-6 in 2018. He has pitched exclusively out of the pen, improving his ERA to 4.15 and his BB/K ratio to 14/44. Don't look too hard at the record, as Queens is a terrible, terrible team. At any rate, this guy is not ready for prime time.
15) SAV - 3B Lew Little (AUB) - Little has about the same skill set as Damion Douglas, he just went at a far more appropriate place in the draft. He played to his skills, OPSing about .770 and hitting 11 HR for Tampa in 2017.
It's a lot worse this year. His OPS is down to .661 (to go with a .249 average) and he has just 5 HR. The kid doesn't look to be cut out for pro ball. Tough break.
16) P Tyler Oakes (MINN) - Oakes was an interesting prospect out of the Big 10. His fastball topped out in the high 80's, but he had a plus curveball with pinpoint control. His first summer in Queens was a disaster, allowing 34 baserunners in just 13 innings (.409 OpAvg).
But Oakes didn't get discouraged and entered 2018 with a bright outlook. After posting a 1.79 ERA in 7 IP at Queens, Tyler got the call up to the bigs. He is now a fixture in the first place London's pen, and he has shined. He is 2-1 with a dazzling 0.66 ERA in 13 2/3 innings, allowing just 9 baserunners and fanning 11. Coupled with Craig Hansen, he's part of the most intimidating duo in any SLB bullpen.
2016 - After the 2015 draft, the SLB front office voted to restrict eligibility to seniors only. As a result, the 2016 class was predictably weak. Most of the impact juniors were drafted the year before, leaving the senior class pretty thin (The All-American Team had just three seniors, only one of whom was drafted). As a result, 2016 was arguably one of (if not the) weakest drafts in league history. Did anyone find a diamond in the rough?
1) CLE - SS Damion Douglas (KENT) - Even considering the weak draft class, this pick had most GM's scratching their heads. Douglas had an extremely average skill set, and didn't even project as a major league bench player to many scouts. He did nothing to create any buzz during his first minor league year, batting .287 with 8 HR and 27 RBI. Despite the weak showing, he got called up to the majors, accumulating 334 AB's. His final line was .243/.285/.455, 16 HR, 43 RBI.
That was the extent of Douglas' minor league stay. He has been on the Cleveland bench this year, going just .220 with 3 HR in 50 AB's. Think the Dawgs regret this one?
2) TAI - P Roy Higuera (CSF) - Taipei had the misfortune of having a high pick in a bad draft. They decided to take a shot at Cal State Fullerton's Roy Higuera, a hard throwing starter with just a fastball and a change up. Last year's draft showed mixed results with two-pitch starters, but Higuera had a much stronger arm than any of those draftees. The gamble looked like a bad one after 2017's AAA season ended, as Higuera went 4-2, 6.58 with a 1.63 WHIP.
After such pitiful pitching, the natural thing to do was stick him in your big league rotation, right? Well someone must have seen something in the kid, as he has sparkled as a major league rookie. In 13 starts, he has 10 QS, going 5-6, 2.86 and a WHIP just over 1.00. The question is, which Higuera is the real one? Did the kid suddenly "get it", or is he doomed to regress next season?
3) IRE - P Al Snodgrass (KENT) - Another two-pitch starter. Seems to be a trend, eh? Snodgrass wasn't as strong as Higuera, and featured a curve rather than a change up. Unfortunately for Ireland, his numbers have been the reverse of Higuera's as well. Snodgrass excelled in 2017, posting a 2.66 ERA in Melbourne allowing just 7 HR in 118 IP. He came up to Ireland in September, but threw just 2 2/3 scoreless innings.
Snodgrass was inserted into the major league rotation in 2018, but it was too soon. The kid had a 2.00 WHIP and a 10.05 ERA in 3 starts. On April 20th, he was sent back to the Beer Bellies. Since his return to AAA, he has gone 5-4, 3.17. Best to give him more inning in the minors and ease him back to the majors.
4) SJ - RF Charlie Proly (MICH) - Hindsight being 20/20, Proly should have been the #1 overall pick. Cleveland had just drafted Tex Austin the year before, but Proly was the cream of the offensive crop. His first year in Caracas saw a .330 average with 18 HR and 67 RBI.
After adding about 15 pounds of muscle in the off season, Proly returned to Caracas on a mission. The 25 year old has pounded 30 HR this year without losing his great average. So what's his future with San Juan? The Senadores already have three All-Star caliber outfielders, all under 30 years old. Is it time a for a position change, or can you work him as the key man in a big trade?
5) BED - P Alex Pocoroba (AUB) - Pocoroba was the first (and only) All-American drafted in 2016. He was dominant in Auburn's bullpen, posting a 1.72 ERA while saving 10 games. His fastball and slider were both plus pitches and he had above average arm strength. For some reason, he only pitched 4 2/3 innings for AAA Detroit in 2017, posting a 15.43 ERA. The sample size was far too small to make any judgments on.
Pocoroba was traded to Chiang Mai in April of 2018 as part of a 4 player swap. He has seen more regular work in Springfield's pen, with 37 IP. His ERA has been a decent 4.34, but his overall performance has to vastly improve before he sees any significant playing time in a major league bullpen.
6) HAL - P Randall Graves (NWU) - What's this? A starter with more than two pitches? Perish the thought! Graves Featured a 93 mph fastball along with a slider and curve at Northwestern. In his first season with Vancouver, he went 9-5, 3.07. More impressive, his WHIP was under 1.00.
Graves has spent all of 2018 in AAA. He has pitched 13 QS in 17 games started with a 3.59 ERA. It's tough to imagine that he's too far away from the major league rotation; perhaps not this year, but he'll be strongly considered for 2019.
7) BAL - RF Mike Wells (OSU) - Baltimore had far less pressure on them in 2016, picking mid-round in a draft devoid of sure stars. Gutierrez picked up a useful OF in left-handed batting Mike Wells. With Guerrero retiring soon (or so we keep assuming), the team has time to groom his replacement. His 2017 season was solid: an .873 OPS and 50 XBH.
Wells has really turned it up a notch or two this year in Miami. His OPS is up to 1.040 and he leads his team with 67 RBI. Though his power isn't likely to ever match Vladdy's, this former Buckeye looks like a cheap 20 HR bat in the near future.
8) PAR - Skipped - You know the draft is bad when a GM thinks no one in it is better than a single person on his current roster. Moving on....
9) OSKA - C Elmer Kennedy (LSU) - The Ronin always need pitching, but this clearly wasn't the draft to improve that side of the ball. With the impending free agency of Tony Montana, Osaka was smart to invest a pick into a potential replacement. Kennedy had decent power and above average defense, and was a rare switch-hitting catcher. His 2017 line in Ft. Wayne finished at .288 with 17 HR and 49 RBI.
Montana did end up walking after 2017, thrusting Kennedy into the starting position behind the dish for the Ronin. He has responded well offensively, hitting 14 HR and driving in 38 to date. His defense has been shaky; 9 errors in 68 games behind the dish is pretty rough. It would be easy to criticize his handling of the pitching staff, but I don't think Ivan Rodriguez could get much out of this sorry group.
10) SCOT - LF Bill Ranford (RICE) - Ranford was a potential 5-tool outfielder out of Rice. Scouts loved his blend of eye, power and speed to go with good defense. But before he could take a minor league at-bat for Stockholm, he was traded to Halifax as part of the Kenji Johjima deal. He was a bench player in Vancouver, getting just 102 AB's.
Injury issues in Halifax have forced Ranford into some playing time, and he has done better than expected. .316/.356/.553 with 6 HR in 152 AB's. Can't ask for much more from a kid his age.
11) PHI - LF Truck Chakales (ARZ) - Truck is a big thumper out of Arizona who has put up good power numbers for the Senators over the past 2 seasons. He slugged .629 with 23 big flys in 2017, leading his team in both categories.
His numbers in 2018 have been nearly identical. The 23 year old might have to wait a while before getting his shot in the bigs, however, as he's staring up at the outfield of Hunter/Bruce/Hunting in Phily.
12) P Kyle Carr (MINN) - Slim pickings already, so Kyoto takes Golden Gopher closer Kyle Carr. Carr had a good fastball and curve, but nothing that topped about 90 mph. He had a pretty good debut season, posting a 3.49 ERA and 9 saves as Flint's closer.
It's been rougher sailing for Carr in 2018. His ERA has been hovering in the mid-5's with a high WHIP. He as just traded to Ireland as part of the C.C. Sabathia deal.
13) ATL - SS Jimmy Hess (OSU) - Atlanta turned to Ohio State for a speedy short stop. Hess has great speed and a good eye, but not much defense. Stuck behind Orlie King on the depth chart, he went hitless in just 7 AB's for Charleston in 2017 .
Hess slotted over to 2B this year and has fared very poorly. His OPS is a paltry .642 and he leads his team with 72 K's (in 356 AB's). It seems unlikely that he sees time on the Flyers roster any time soon (if ever).
14) LON - P Ben Jenzen (MICH) - Jenzen came out of Michigan with three pitches, one of which was a very hittable curveball. He hasn't improved it much. He went 0-6, 5.68 in 2017, walking more (22) than he struck out (20). Ouch.
He remains winless as a pro, now 0-6 in 2018. He has pitched exclusively out of the pen, improving his ERA to 4.15 and his BB/K ratio to 14/44. Don't look too hard at the record, as Queens is a terrible, terrible team. At any rate, this guy is not ready for prime time.
15) SAV - 3B Lew Little (AUB) - Little has about the same skill set as Damion Douglas, he just went at a far more appropriate place in the draft. He played to his skills, OPSing about .770 and hitting 11 HR for Tampa in 2017.
It's a lot worse this year. His OPS is down to .661 (to go with a .249 average) and he has just 5 HR. The kid doesn't look to be cut out for pro ball. Tough break.
16) P Tyler Oakes (MINN) - Oakes was an interesting prospect out of the Big 10. His fastball topped out in the high 80's, but he had a plus curveball with pinpoint control. His first summer in Queens was a disaster, allowing 34 baserunners in just 13 innings (.409 OpAvg).
But Oakes didn't get discouraged and entered 2018 with a bright outlook. After posting a 1.79 ERA in 7 IP at Queens, Tyler got the call up to the bigs. He is now a fixture in the first place London's pen, and he has shined. He is 2-1 with a dazzling 0.66 ERA in 13 2/3 innings, allowing just 9 baserunners and fanning 11. Coupled with Craig Hansen, he's part of the most intimidating duo in any SLB bullpen.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Amateur Draft Analysis - 2015
Over the days leading up to this year's draft, I'll be looking back at the past few drafts for some analysis. What better year to start than 2015, the draft for which this blog was named? Let's dive right in.
2015 - In the third year of SLB's official draft affiliation with the NCAA, the players who were freshmen at the start became draft eligible. The most talked about player in the collegiate ranks was USC shortstop Diego Clemente, a 5-tool player who was being called the next Alex Rodriguez before he ever took a swing. For 3 seasons, it was assumed he would go #1 overall. The only thing that stopped that from happening was Baltimore GM Jose Gutierrez; Panther fans were hoping he'd make up for what they considered a draft day gaffe the year before (taking LHP Zach Putnam #1 overall ahead of sluggers like Al Murphy, Alex Hildenbrand and Antonio Mule). The blue and black Diego Clemente jerseys were being made and ready to ship to every team shop in the greater Baltimore area, but Gutierrez threw another curveball, selecting Auburn starter Ben Cepeda instead, leaving Panther fans on suicide watch and London GM Sean O'Hallaran giddy with disbelief.
Now, looking back, can we still say that Gutierrez's selection was as bad as the critics believed? Let's take a look at the entire first round and see how they have (or haven't) contributed to their teams.
1) BAL - P Ben Cepeda (AUB) - Saddled as the most notorious #1 overall pick since the Texans took Mario Williams over Reggie Bush, Cepeda headed to Miami to prove the critics wrong. His 2016 line was very good for a first year pro: 9-4, 3.88, 123 H, 128 K and only 17 BB in 123 IP. His performance was overshadowed by teammate Zach Putnam, who was shutting his own critics down with a 12-1, 1.59 (and Pitching Prospect of the Year Award) performance of his own.
Cepeda's second season exceeded his first, as the Miami ace finished with a 12-2, 3.15 line. Most impressive was his K rate, as he struck out 137 batters in 117 IP (10.5 K/9IP).
The Baltimore front office was satisfied with Cepeda's progress and inserted him into their major league rotation (along side Putnam) and have seen great results. His run support has been bad, but you can't complain about a 4-5, 2.85 line with a K/IP from a rookie. If Cepeda wins the RPOY award this year, will he finally be able to silence his critics? Does Jose get any credit for making the unpopular choice?
2) LON - SS Diego Clemente (USC) - After an All-American Team selection as a junior, Clemente was snatched up by London. He never spent a day in the minor leagues. After a quick Rookie League warm up, Clemente jumped straight into the Knights' lineup in 2016 (playing 3B) and ran away with the Rookie Hitter of the Year honors. His rookie line: .312/.352/.570, 44 2B, 42 HR, 109 RBI, 44 SB. This is the way to live up to your billing!
There was some drop off of Clemente's numbers in 2017 as pitchers adjusted, but he still raked. .269/.316/.506, 43 2B, 39 HR, 108 RBI, 31 SB.
Injuries have hampered Clemente in 2018, limiting him to just 29 games so far this season. He's hitting a paltry .252 with just 7 HR and 21 RBI. London has managed to stay in first place despite his injuries and hope he comes back strong (he's expected back in 2-4 weeks).
3) CHNG - RF Morton Henrikksen (RICE) - The big slugger from the Owls has been putting up huge power numbers in the minors since being drafted 3rd overall. The Kwaan selected him despite the fact he shared the same position as MVP Joe Belinda. His debut season in Springfield saw him put up a .297/.354/.528, 16 HR, 51 RBI line.
On the day before Opening Day 2017, Henrikksen was shipped to Atlanta as part of an 8 player deal featuring Mark Prior and Barry Zito. The Mighty Swede has excelled in the excellent Charleston system. His 2017 line was a robust .321/.380/.659, 26 HR, 72 RBI.
With two weeks to go in the 2018 campaign, Henrikksen shows no signs of slowing: .331/.390/.686, 27 HR, 73 RBI. The question with an Atlanta prospect is always "when will he get the call?" The Flyers' recent shopping of Joshua Brady may be an indication that they are ready to see what Henrikksen can do, but it's unlikely we see him until 2019.
4) CLE - RF Tex Austin (TEX) - The Dawgs were thrilled that the 2015 National Player of the Year fell to them at #4. After batting .377 with 23 HR and 84 RBI for the Longhorns, Austin looked to jumpstart a struggling Cleveland offense. His first year for Hawaii saw a fine .317/.398/.587, 25 HR, 71 RBI line. No slowing down for this young stud.
Austin jumped to the majors in 2017, putting up a rookie OPS of .916 with 30 HR and 93 RBI. In many years, that would get him RHOY honors, but he came in second to Al Murphy (40 HR, 121 RBI).
Cleveland still struggles, but don't blame Tex. His 2018 line has been great, with an OPS near 1.000 to go with 19 HR and 50 RBI over the first 64 games.
5) TAI - P Chris Fetter (MICH) - Taipei had taken hitters in their first two amateur drafts (Maple in '13 and Mule in '14), but with glaring weaknesses at pitcher throughout the organization, adding arms was the priority of the day. Chris Fetter would get the honor of being the first pitcher taken in 2015. His first season in Lander was pretty mediocre, going 4-5, 4.76 in 115 innings. Coaches were encouraged, however, by his 133 K's over that span.
2017 saw the K rate go down but the ERA drop. On a terrible Lander team he went 2-9, 3.81 with 98 K's.
The Tai Fong plugged Fetter into the rotation this year for lack of anything better to throw out there. He's done a pretty good job thus far, going 7-4, 4.00 with 74 K's in 83 IP to date. He's prone to the long ball, but he's put up 8 quality starts in 13 tries and has helped Taipei stay in first place so far.
6) IRE - SS Jackie Pointer (FLA) - The 2014 All-American was usurped by Clemente in 2015, but still showed strongly enough to be a Top 10 pick. His 2016 debut was decent, posting a .792 OPS with 17 HR and 52 RBI. He was prone to losing concentration in the field, booting 8 balls for a .976 fielding %.
Pointer showed a little improvement in 2017, but as much as the scouts would have liked to see. A .834 OPS with 16 HR and 54 RBI was about the same as the season before, though his defense improved.
Pointer got a cup of coffee in September in both '16 and '17, hitting 6 HR and 19 RBI in about 150 combined AB's. 2018 has seen an improved eye at the plate, as he has posted a .317/.361/.514 line with 11 HR and 42 RBI so far. Overall, you'd have to label Pointer a disappointment, if only for his draft position. If you got these numbers from a 2nd rounder, you'd probably be satisfied, but at this point he's not much more than a useful bench player.
7) SAV - P Bill Bartleman (UVA) - The Sabers rolled the dice on this hard-throwing lefty despite the fact that he only has two pitches. He was nearly unhittable in his first minor league season, holding opponents to a .203 average (.190 vs.L) and posting a 3.47 ERA while striking out 133 in 114 IP. Pretty mean.
That confidence building season translated big time in 2017 where Bartleman dominated. His 10-1, 1.81 line dominated AAA and he won the Pitching Prospect of the Year Award. Bartleman held opponents to a .189 average and allowed just 4 HR in 114 IP. A brief 14 inning call up in September might have rattled his confidence a bit, as he gave up 19 hits and 7 walks.
Bartleman has been good this year, but not nearly as dominating as a year ago. In 14 starts he has gone 6-3, 3.58 and his OpAvg has risen to .249. He is still getting a great K rate. The question for the Saber organization is whether his future is as a starter or, perhaps, a shut down closer.
8) KYO - P Jordan Auerbach (IOWA) - Kyoto was thrilled that Auerbach fell to their spot at #8, though they knew they had a project on their hands. Scouts marvelled at his arm strength as he regularly hit the high 90's during workouts, but his pitches were raw and unrefined. His first season was good but unremarkable: 5-6, 3.51, 111 K's in 125 IP.
After a very good Rookie League, the Bushido front office decided to put Auerbach's feet to the fire and inserted him into the major league lineup. The former Hawkeye responded, going 13-9, 2.86 in his rookie season, holding opponents to a .224 average. He came in second in RPOY voting.
Though inconsistent at times, Auerbach continues to pitch well in Kyoto. His second season has seen him go 7-4, 2.99 in his first 13 starts. As the pitches improve, Auerbach will continue to be a very productive (and cheap) option in the rotation. Overall, a steal at #8.
9) PHI - P Dante Hicks (UCI) - Philly selected the junior southpaw All-American from UC Irvine with the #9 pick. Hicks landed in a good spot, pitching for the always formidable Washington D.C. squad. The winning tradition rubbed off as he went 10-5, 3.44 with 126 K's and only 17 BB's in 2016.
2017 was a slight drop off for Hicks. He matched his 10-5 record, but his ERA (3.76) and walks (25) increased. He still struck out a batter per inning and lead his team with 11 quality starts.
Hicks started the 2018 season in the Fever rotation, but was sent back to AAA on May 11th after going 2-2, 7.40 with 9 HR allowed in 46 IP. Since returning to D.C., he has regained his confidence, posting a 5-0, 3.22 line. While his FB and SI are rated as "plus" pitches, his SL is just average and needs improving.
10) BED - P Connor Graham (MIOH) - Graham came out of college with three good pitches and a decent arm. His first year in Detroit was decent (6-9, 4.18, 12 QS) but nothing to jump up and down about.
Lack of run support seemed to weigh Graham down in 2017. Despite getting better than a K/IP, he won just 3 games (vs. 10 losses) and allowed 165 baserunners in 119 IP. A brief September call up didn't help the confidence, as he allowed 34 baserunners in 20 IP and lost 2 games in his 14 appearances out of the pen.
Unfortunately, Graham hasn't showed much improvement. His ERA is hovering dangerously close to 5.00 in Detroit and his OpAvg is up to .283. The 25 year old lefty has good stuff, but at what point does it all come together for him?
11) HAL - SS Kiko Brezovan (MINN) - After a very promising debut season, Brezovan was fast-tracked to the majors. He posted a .978 OPS with 19 HR and 67 RBI for Vancouver in 2016, and that was all the time he has spent in the minors.
In 2017, Brezovan made the Sailor roster as a bench player out of Spring Training. He appeared in 48 games as a backup SS and 2B, OPSing 1.005 with 12 HR and 36 RBI in just 185 AB's.
Brezovan now bats cleanup and 5th for the Sailors. He leads the team in AB's and has put up an .854 OPS with 10 HR, 32 RBI and 21 doubles to date.
12) SJ - P Charlie Bosio (TEN) - Bosio might have been a stretch as a first round pick. The tall left-hander has a plus FB and CU, but no third pitch. His fastball tops out around 91. In his first season with Caracas he gave up 18 HR in 108 IP and posted a 4.99 ERA.
It got worse in 2017, as he allowed a .508 OpSlg and a 5.56 ERA. 171 baserunners in 115 IP is really bad.
Though the ERA has improved some (4.52) this season, Bosio still allows baserunners to reach at an alarming rate. With just two pitches, management might consider a move to the bullpen, but you can't have a setup man or closer post a 1.50 WHIP. So far, this is the first clear bust of the first round.
13) OSKA - 3B Wally Scott (SMSU) - The Ronin picked up Scott late in the first round, probably happy to have an All-American third baseman fall in their laps. Scott followed up his 19 HR, 73 RBI season at Southern Miss with a 14 HR, 52 RBI stint in Ft. Wayne.
2017 was a big year for Scott. He posted a 1.000 OPS with 22 dingers and 37 doubles. He was traded at the deadline to Savannah in exchange for reliever Brock Landers. The Sabers called on him right away, and in 58 games, Scott hit .355 with 8 HR and 38 RBI.
So far this year, Scott has been limited to bench duty for the Sabers. He has managed just 50 AB's, but has hit .320 with 5 HR and a .700 SLG. He's unlikely to get any regular playing time as long as Miguel Cabrera is on the roster.
14) SCOT - P Jim Autry (SMSU) - Autry went 10-2, 2.99 in his junior year at Southern Miss, making the All-American team. Like Charlie Bosio, he was a starter with just two pitches and an average-at-best arm. His first summer in Stockholm resulted in a 4.59 ERA and an alarming 165 baserunners in 104 IP.
Season two was an improvement. He lowered his ERA to 3.95 and his WHIP to 1.35. During the 2018 Winter Meetings, Autry was shipped to Chiang-Mai in an 8 player deal.
Autry has served as a middle reliever for the Kwaan in 2018. In 22 IP, he has gone 2-3, 4.03 and has allowed just one HR. This seems to be a better role for Autry.
15) PAR - 1B Angel Peltz (AUB) - Peltz put up big power numbers at Auburn and has done nothing but obliterate minor league pitching in his short career. His debut season in Quebec saw him bat .335 with a .975 OPS, launching 21 HR and 80 RBI.
It got scarier in 2017. How about this line: .370/.410/.707, 25 HR, 85 RBI, 44 2B. Holy christ! The only reason he didn't win the Hitting Prospect of the Year award was because teammate Stu Watwood knocked in 102. Rude.
Peltz has showed no sign of slowing down with the bat, though the power is down a bit this season. He has hit .377 so far with 15 HR and 52 RBI. The kid is built for Paris' high-powered offense, and few have any doubt he could hit 25+ HR a year for the Pimps. Great pickup at the end of Round 1.
16) P Dante Yeohe (GT) - Same pitcher, different name. Like Bosio/Autry, he has just the two pitches. What Yeohe has benefited from so far is a superior coaching staff in Charleston. His first season went very well as Yeohe posted a 2.94 ERA and K'd 137 in 118 IP.
Yeohe's ERA rose to 3.22 in 2017, but he K'd 141 in 112 IP.
Atlanta move Yeohe out of the rotation at Charleston this year and he hasn't responded well. He has appeared in 36 games (56 IP) and has a 4.34 ERA. His K/9 is almost down to 1:1. Is he just made to be a starter? The bullpen is a better role for him, but his confidence seems to have taken a hit.
And now for the picks that got away...
Round 2
LON - CF Warren McFadden - Career: .316, 121 2B, 41 3B, 59 HR, 186 RBI
CLE - 2B James Ewing (now with ATL) - Career: .314, 82 2B, 24 3B, 56 HR, 166 RBI
Round 5
CLE - 1B Al Siever - Career: .281, 24 HR, 78 RBI in 654 AB's
2015 - In the third year of SLB's official draft affiliation with the NCAA, the players who were freshmen at the start became draft eligible. The most talked about player in the collegiate ranks was USC shortstop Diego Clemente, a 5-tool player who was being called the next Alex Rodriguez before he ever took a swing. For 3 seasons, it was assumed he would go #1 overall. The only thing that stopped that from happening was Baltimore GM Jose Gutierrez; Panther fans were hoping he'd make up for what they considered a draft day gaffe the year before (taking LHP Zach Putnam #1 overall ahead of sluggers like Al Murphy, Alex Hildenbrand and Antonio Mule). The blue and black Diego Clemente jerseys were being made and ready to ship to every team shop in the greater Baltimore area, but Gutierrez threw another curveball, selecting Auburn starter Ben Cepeda instead, leaving Panther fans on suicide watch and London GM Sean O'Hallaran giddy with disbelief.
Now, looking back, can we still say that Gutierrez's selection was as bad as the critics believed? Let's take a look at the entire first round and see how they have (or haven't) contributed to their teams.
1) BAL - P Ben Cepeda (AUB) - Saddled as the most notorious #1 overall pick since the Texans took Mario Williams over Reggie Bush, Cepeda headed to Miami to prove the critics wrong. His 2016 line was very good for a first year pro: 9-4, 3.88, 123 H, 128 K and only 17 BB in 123 IP. His performance was overshadowed by teammate Zach Putnam, who was shutting his own critics down with a 12-1, 1.59 (and Pitching Prospect of the Year Award) performance of his own.
Cepeda's second season exceeded his first, as the Miami ace finished with a 12-2, 3.15 line. Most impressive was his K rate, as he struck out 137 batters in 117 IP (10.5 K/9IP).
The Baltimore front office was satisfied with Cepeda's progress and inserted him into their major league rotation (along side Putnam) and have seen great results. His run support has been bad, but you can't complain about a 4-5, 2.85 line with a K/IP from a rookie. If Cepeda wins the RPOY award this year, will he finally be able to silence his critics? Does Jose get any credit for making the unpopular choice?
2) LON - SS Diego Clemente (USC) - After an All-American Team selection as a junior, Clemente was snatched up by London. He never spent a day in the minor leagues. After a quick Rookie League warm up, Clemente jumped straight into the Knights' lineup in 2016 (playing 3B) and ran away with the Rookie Hitter of the Year honors. His rookie line: .312/.352/.570, 44 2B, 42 HR, 109 RBI, 44 SB. This is the way to live up to your billing!
There was some drop off of Clemente's numbers in 2017 as pitchers adjusted, but he still raked. .269/.316/.506, 43 2B, 39 HR, 108 RBI, 31 SB.
Injuries have hampered Clemente in 2018, limiting him to just 29 games so far this season. He's hitting a paltry .252 with just 7 HR and 21 RBI. London has managed to stay in first place despite his injuries and hope he comes back strong (he's expected back in 2-4 weeks).
3) CHNG - RF Morton Henrikksen (RICE) - The big slugger from the Owls has been putting up huge power numbers in the minors since being drafted 3rd overall. The Kwaan selected him despite the fact he shared the same position as MVP Joe Belinda. His debut season in Springfield saw him put up a .297/.354/.528, 16 HR, 51 RBI line.
On the day before Opening Day 2017, Henrikksen was shipped to Atlanta as part of an 8 player deal featuring Mark Prior and Barry Zito. The Mighty Swede has excelled in the excellent Charleston system. His 2017 line was a robust .321/.380/.659, 26 HR, 72 RBI.
With two weeks to go in the 2018 campaign, Henrikksen shows no signs of slowing: .331/.390/.686, 27 HR, 73 RBI. The question with an Atlanta prospect is always "when will he get the call?" The Flyers' recent shopping of Joshua Brady may be an indication that they are ready to see what Henrikksen can do, but it's unlikely we see him until 2019.
4) CLE - RF Tex Austin (TEX) - The Dawgs were thrilled that the 2015 National Player of the Year fell to them at #4. After batting .377 with 23 HR and 84 RBI for the Longhorns, Austin looked to jumpstart a struggling Cleveland offense. His first year for Hawaii saw a fine .317/.398/.587, 25 HR, 71 RBI line. No slowing down for this young stud.
Austin jumped to the majors in 2017, putting up a rookie OPS of .916 with 30 HR and 93 RBI. In many years, that would get him RHOY honors, but he came in second to Al Murphy (40 HR, 121 RBI).
Cleveland still struggles, but don't blame Tex. His 2018 line has been great, with an OPS near 1.000 to go with 19 HR and 50 RBI over the first 64 games.
5) TAI - P Chris Fetter (MICH) - Taipei had taken hitters in their first two amateur drafts (Maple in '13 and Mule in '14), but with glaring weaknesses at pitcher throughout the organization, adding arms was the priority of the day. Chris Fetter would get the honor of being the first pitcher taken in 2015. His first season in Lander was pretty mediocre, going 4-5, 4.76 in 115 innings. Coaches were encouraged, however, by his 133 K's over that span.
2017 saw the K rate go down but the ERA drop. On a terrible Lander team he went 2-9, 3.81 with 98 K's.
The Tai Fong plugged Fetter into the rotation this year for lack of anything better to throw out there. He's done a pretty good job thus far, going 7-4, 4.00 with 74 K's in 83 IP to date. He's prone to the long ball, but he's put up 8 quality starts in 13 tries and has helped Taipei stay in first place so far.
6) IRE - SS Jackie Pointer (FLA) - The 2014 All-American was usurped by Clemente in 2015, but still showed strongly enough to be a Top 10 pick. His 2016 debut was decent, posting a .792 OPS with 17 HR and 52 RBI. He was prone to losing concentration in the field, booting 8 balls for a .976 fielding %.
Pointer showed a little improvement in 2017, but as much as the scouts would have liked to see. A .834 OPS with 16 HR and 54 RBI was about the same as the season before, though his defense improved.
Pointer got a cup of coffee in September in both '16 and '17, hitting 6 HR and 19 RBI in about 150 combined AB's. 2018 has seen an improved eye at the plate, as he has posted a .317/.361/.514 line with 11 HR and 42 RBI so far. Overall, you'd have to label Pointer a disappointment, if only for his draft position. If you got these numbers from a 2nd rounder, you'd probably be satisfied, but at this point he's not much more than a useful bench player.
7) SAV - P Bill Bartleman (UVA) - The Sabers rolled the dice on this hard-throwing lefty despite the fact that he only has two pitches. He was nearly unhittable in his first minor league season, holding opponents to a .203 average (.190 vs.L) and posting a 3.47 ERA while striking out 133 in 114 IP. Pretty mean.
That confidence building season translated big time in 2017 where Bartleman dominated. His 10-1, 1.81 line dominated AAA and he won the Pitching Prospect of the Year Award. Bartleman held opponents to a .189 average and allowed just 4 HR in 114 IP. A brief 14 inning call up in September might have rattled his confidence a bit, as he gave up 19 hits and 7 walks.
Bartleman has been good this year, but not nearly as dominating as a year ago. In 14 starts he has gone 6-3, 3.58 and his OpAvg has risen to .249. He is still getting a great K rate. The question for the Saber organization is whether his future is as a starter or, perhaps, a shut down closer.
8) KYO - P Jordan Auerbach (IOWA) - Kyoto was thrilled that Auerbach fell to their spot at #8, though they knew they had a project on their hands. Scouts marvelled at his arm strength as he regularly hit the high 90's during workouts, but his pitches were raw and unrefined. His first season was good but unremarkable: 5-6, 3.51, 111 K's in 125 IP.
After a very good Rookie League, the Bushido front office decided to put Auerbach's feet to the fire and inserted him into the major league lineup. The former Hawkeye responded, going 13-9, 2.86 in his rookie season, holding opponents to a .224 average. He came in second in RPOY voting.
Though inconsistent at times, Auerbach continues to pitch well in Kyoto. His second season has seen him go 7-4, 2.99 in his first 13 starts. As the pitches improve, Auerbach will continue to be a very productive (and cheap) option in the rotation. Overall, a steal at #8.
9) PHI - P Dante Hicks (UCI) - Philly selected the junior southpaw All-American from UC Irvine with the #9 pick. Hicks landed in a good spot, pitching for the always formidable Washington D.C. squad. The winning tradition rubbed off as he went 10-5, 3.44 with 126 K's and only 17 BB's in 2016.
2017 was a slight drop off for Hicks. He matched his 10-5 record, but his ERA (3.76) and walks (25) increased. He still struck out a batter per inning and lead his team with 11 quality starts.
Hicks started the 2018 season in the Fever rotation, but was sent back to AAA on May 11th after going 2-2, 7.40 with 9 HR allowed in 46 IP. Since returning to D.C., he has regained his confidence, posting a 5-0, 3.22 line. While his FB and SI are rated as "plus" pitches, his SL is just average and needs improving.
10) BED - P Connor Graham (MIOH) - Graham came out of college with three good pitches and a decent arm. His first year in Detroit was decent (6-9, 4.18, 12 QS) but nothing to jump up and down about.
Lack of run support seemed to weigh Graham down in 2017. Despite getting better than a K/IP, he won just 3 games (vs. 10 losses) and allowed 165 baserunners in 119 IP. A brief September call up didn't help the confidence, as he allowed 34 baserunners in 20 IP and lost 2 games in his 14 appearances out of the pen.
Unfortunately, Graham hasn't showed much improvement. His ERA is hovering dangerously close to 5.00 in Detroit and his OpAvg is up to .283. The 25 year old lefty has good stuff, but at what point does it all come together for him?
11) HAL - SS Kiko Brezovan (MINN) - After a very promising debut season, Brezovan was fast-tracked to the majors. He posted a .978 OPS with 19 HR and 67 RBI for Vancouver in 2016, and that was all the time he has spent in the minors.
In 2017, Brezovan made the Sailor roster as a bench player out of Spring Training. He appeared in 48 games as a backup SS and 2B, OPSing 1.005 with 12 HR and 36 RBI in just 185 AB's.
Brezovan now bats cleanup and 5th for the Sailors. He leads the team in AB's and has put up an .854 OPS with 10 HR, 32 RBI and 21 doubles to date.
12) SJ - P Charlie Bosio (TEN) - Bosio might have been a stretch as a first round pick. The tall left-hander has a plus FB and CU, but no third pitch. His fastball tops out around 91. In his first season with Caracas he gave up 18 HR in 108 IP and posted a 4.99 ERA.
It got worse in 2017, as he allowed a .508 OpSlg and a 5.56 ERA. 171 baserunners in 115 IP is really bad.
Though the ERA has improved some (4.52) this season, Bosio still allows baserunners to reach at an alarming rate. With just two pitches, management might consider a move to the bullpen, but you can't have a setup man or closer post a 1.50 WHIP. So far, this is the first clear bust of the first round.
13) OSKA - 3B Wally Scott (SMSU) - The Ronin picked up Scott late in the first round, probably happy to have an All-American third baseman fall in their laps. Scott followed up his 19 HR, 73 RBI season at Southern Miss with a 14 HR, 52 RBI stint in Ft. Wayne.
2017 was a big year for Scott. He posted a 1.000 OPS with 22 dingers and 37 doubles. He was traded at the deadline to Savannah in exchange for reliever Brock Landers. The Sabers called on him right away, and in 58 games, Scott hit .355 with 8 HR and 38 RBI.
So far this year, Scott has been limited to bench duty for the Sabers. He has managed just 50 AB's, but has hit .320 with 5 HR and a .700 SLG. He's unlikely to get any regular playing time as long as Miguel Cabrera is on the roster.
14) SCOT - P Jim Autry (SMSU) - Autry went 10-2, 2.99 in his junior year at Southern Miss, making the All-American team. Like Charlie Bosio, he was a starter with just two pitches and an average-at-best arm. His first summer in Stockholm resulted in a 4.59 ERA and an alarming 165 baserunners in 104 IP.
Season two was an improvement. He lowered his ERA to 3.95 and his WHIP to 1.35. During the 2018 Winter Meetings, Autry was shipped to Chiang-Mai in an 8 player deal.
Autry has served as a middle reliever for the Kwaan in 2018. In 22 IP, he has gone 2-3, 4.03 and has allowed just one HR. This seems to be a better role for Autry.
15) PAR - 1B Angel Peltz (AUB) - Peltz put up big power numbers at Auburn and has done nothing but obliterate minor league pitching in his short career. His debut season in Quebec saw him bat .335 with a .975 OPS, launching 21 HR and 80 RBI.
It got scarier in 2017. How about this line: .370/.410/.707, 25 HR, 85 RBI, 44 2B. Holy christ! The only reason he didn't win the Hitting Prospect of the Year award was because teammate Stu Watwood knocked in 102. Rude.
Peltz has showed no sign of slowing down with the bat, though the power is down a bit this season. He has hit .377 so far with 15 HR and 52 RBI. The kid is built for Paris' high-powered offense, and few have any doubt he could hit 25+ HR a year for the Pimps. Great pickup at the end of Round 1.
16) P Dante Yeohe (GT) - Same pitcher, different name. Like Bosio/Autry, he has just the two pitches. What Yeohe has benefited from so far is a superior coaching staff in Charleston. His first season went very well as Yeohe posted a 2.94 ERA and K'd 137 in 118 IP.
Yeohe's ERA rose to 3.22 in 2017, but he K'd 141 in 112 IP.
Atlanta move Yeohe out of the rotation at Charleston this year and he hasn't responded well. He has appeared in 36 games (56 IP) and has a 4.34 ERA. His K/9 is almost down to 1:1. Is he just made to be a starter? The bullpen is a better role for him, but his confidence seems to have taken a hit.
And now for the picks that got away...
Round 2
LON - CF Warren McFadden - Career: .316, 121 2B, 41 3B, 59 HR, 186 RBI
CLE - 2B James Ewing (now with ATL) - Career: .314, 82 2B, 24 3B, 56 HR, 166 RBI
Round 5
CLE - 1B Al Siever - Career: .281, 24 HR, 78 RBI in 654 AB's
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Power Rankings (May 21, 2018)
"Title Contenders"
1. Philly (33-13) - 16-8 at home, wow, what a start. Oh wait, they’re even better on the road (17-5). Jay Bruce for MVP?
2. London (30-17) - Winners of nine straight, the Knights dominate left-handed pitching (12-3 record, .301 average against lefties).
3. Savannah (27-18) - Same record as the Flyers, but Atlanta swooning while Sabers are rising (five straight wins).
4 Baltimore (26-20) - Offense is uninspiring, but pitching staff is the real deal.
5. Atlanta (27-18) - Dropped five in a row, but slide shouldn’t last for too long.
6. San Juan (26-21) - Five games over .500, and in last place. Would have second best record if they were in the World League.
"We really want that playoff bonus"
7. Paris (25-24) - Pimps are 15-8 on the road but only 10-16 at home, a number that should even out as the season moves on.
8. Halifax (25-23) - Sort of a disappointing start. Boring offense — no one has more than eight home runs — and underachieving pitching has no one excited.
9. Taipei (26-21) - Not buying the start, but the Far East is so weak, someone has to win it.
"Maybe next year"
10. Scotland (22-26) - Not pretty — outside of Hamilton (.337, 18, 40) — but probably the best of the rest so far.
11. Cleveland (20-28) - Offense is a snoozer, and 80 percent of the pitching staff have been awful.
12. Kyoto (21-26) - Slumbering offense being somewhat carried by pretty decent pitching (get Affeldt out of there).
13. Chiang-Mai (21-26) - Carbon copy of Kyoto, just with worse pitching.
"Let's go ahead and just call it a day"
14. Bedford (16-31) - What a disaster. Gets placed ahead of Ireland and Osaka just based on being in the American League. Good news is that the offense (194 runs, second lowest in league) shouldn’t be this bad forever. Bad news is that the pitching will be.
15. Ireland (15-33) - Almost $40 million tied up in three starters, and the Invaders have a 4.92 ERA. THAT’S GOTTA HURT.
16. Osaka (17-32) - Only one team in SLB history has finished a season with an ERA above 6.00 — the 125-loss Tennessee Thunder, who came in at 6.79. Osaka’s ERA right now is 6.72, so at least they’re not Tennessee-bad.
1. Philly (33-13) - 16-8 at home, wow, what a start. Oh wait, they’re even better on the road (17-5). Jay Bruce for MVP?
2. London (30-17) - Winners of nine straight, the Knights dominate left-handed pitching (12-3 record, .301 average against lefties).
3. Savannah (27-18) - Same record as the Flyers, but Atlanta swooning while Sabers are rising (five straight wins).
4 Baltimore (26-20) - Offense is uninspiring, but pitching staff is the real deal.
5. Atlanta (27-18) - Dropped five in a row, but slide shouldn’t last for too long.
6. San Juan (26-21) - Five games over .500, and in last place. Would have second best record if they were in the World League.
"We really want that playoff bonus"
7. Paris (25-24) - Pimps are 15-8 on the road but only 10-16 at home, a number that should even out as the season moves on.
8. Halifax (25-23) - Sort of a disappointing start. Boring offense — no one has more than eight home runs — and underachieving pitching has no one excited.
9. Taipei (26-21) - Not buying the start, but the Far East is so weak, someone has to win it.
"Maybe next year"
10. Scotland (22-26) - Not pretty — outside of Hamilton (.337, 18, 40) — but probably the best of the rest so far.
11. Cleveland (20-28) - Offense is a snoozer, and 80 percent of the pitching staff have been awful.
12. Kyoto (21-26) - Slumbering offense being somewhat carried by pretty decent pitching (get Affeldt out of there).
13. Chiang-Mai (21-26) - Carbon copy of Kyoto, just with worse pitching.
"Let's go ahead and just call it a day"
14. Bedford (16-31) - What a disaster. Gets placed ahead of Ireland and Osaka just based on being in the American League. Good news is that the offense (194 runs, second lowest in league) shouldn’t be this bad forever. Bad news is that the pitching will be.
15. Ireland (15-33) - Almost $40 million tied up in three starters, and the Invaders have a 4.92 ERA. THAT’S GOTTA HURT.
16. Osaka (17-32) - Only one team in SLB history has finished a season with an ERA above 6.00 — the 125-loss Tennessee Thunder, who came in at 6.79. Osaka’s ERA right now is 6.72, so at least they’re not Tennessee-bad.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)