Not really impressive to me. One stud in Joba – and he has his question marks – and a bunch of guys with chances to be below average MLB players.

Yawn.

Who wouldn’t have taken Jesse Levis ahead of Bagwell in the 4th round? The Giles and Thome picks were pretty solid however.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?franch_ID=BOS&year_ID=2005&draft_type=junreg

Jacoby Ellsbury
Craig Hansen (“his value was shown by what he brought back in Jason Bay at the trade deadline” Ha!)
Clay Buchholz
Jew Lowrie
Michael Bowden

also
Luis Exposito
Bubba Bell

They also picked Pedro Alvarez in the 15th but couldnt sign him!

lots of drafts, if viewed through rose colored goggles, have looked like they have “potentially landed” an “ace, two starters, a closer and another reliever” two years down the line.

Please show me he can carry a 180+ inning load for a few seasons before he is an ace. Once you take the glasses off, while impressive, this is not a cream of the crop type draft. To me, this more looks like a #2 start, maybe another starter, two relievers and the rest unknown fringe major leaguers. Minor league stats as we have seen does not make a major leaguer

Lincecum hasn’t been a whole lot better than Joba so far, and their upsides are similar enough to make up for the fact that – at this very early stage of evaluation – the Yanks got a few possible solid pitchers elsewhere in the draft and the Giants only added a util IF or 2

do we need to go throught the history of Top 100 pitching prospects? The majority do not pan out. Yanks will be lucky if they get 2-3 respectable roster spots from these guys besides Joba the next 5 years. Besides Joba I do not see anyone else special in this draft,

He’s an interesting arm, but the stuff profile makes me think he profiles much more as a strike-throwing, inning-eating mid-rotation starter than a true frontline arm. He’s certainly polished for his age, pounding the zone with a solid low 90s fastball. But I suspect that he’s going to face substantial adjustments at higher levels. It’s only been recently that he’s gotten that H/IP ratio into a comfortable range. It’s mostly been very close if not over 1 H/IP, which suggests that while low level guys aren’t having a great deal of luck making great contact off of him, they’re not getting fooled all that much by what he’s tossing, either.

High floor for a 20 year old arm? I’ll agree to that. But I think there’s a lot more Josh Towers here than a 1-2 starter at this point.

One thing that can be said about this class, and recent developmental pitching assessments, is that it really helped push the Yankees system back on the map. In many ways, perception does play a role in things, but in saying this, the only perception that matters is other front office personnel and not our own. For example, the Cardinals system is largely considered average by most on here I think, but I remember reading numerous reports before August 1 about teams having intrigue with many players in the system, or something like that.

Saying that other than Joba none of those guys will even be AVERAGE major leaguers is pretty unfair at this point, especially considering the flashes of success that guys like Kennedy and Robertson have already shown, what is expected to come of Melancon, and the high potential of guys in the lower levels such as Betances and McAllister. No it isn’t the best draft ever, but it is a very good haul of pitching POTENTIAL.

How have Kennedy and Robertson shown you they have any chance to be above average major leaguers? If anything, Kennedy has demonstrated that his stuff is NOT going to be good enough(though its too early to close the book. I try not to take too much of an impression from a guy’s first time through the league… OTOH his stuff IS crappy). Robertson never even had a chance to be an above average major leaguer.

I feel that Joba is the only one of these pitchers who has the stuff and performance to be anything other than a back of the rotation starter. These guys are all 4/5s IF everything breaks right. McAllister perhaps a ceiling as a #3. These guys just arent as impressive as youre saying, IMHO. Can you find a quote or analysis anywhere from anyone with any credentials who thinks guys like Kontos or McCutcheon have any chance of being a front of the rotation guy?? The most likely scenario is these guys become middle relievers IF they even make the majors. To be fair, Betances likely has a higher ceiling but he’s a big Incomplete grade right now. I see Betances as a power reliever down the line, personally. Melancon I like, but he’s just a reliever who doesnt strike a ton of guys out. If this draft is anything special its going to be all because of Mr. Chamberlain, who looks awesome.

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Under the rating system you seem to be using the Texas Rangers must have no less than 25 future Ace pitchers. To illustrate, lets take a look and see what Ranger pitching prospects are better prospects than McAllister: Kiker, Hurley, Feliz, Main, Beavan, Poveda(maybe), Harrison, Hunter… and Im going to stop there, because I think Ive made my point. If youre seriously listing these Yankee pitcher ceilings as front of the rotation guys than you must surely think that in four years the Rangers will have the greatest pitching staff of all time. The same goes for the Rays, too.

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The “quick success” is a result of the Yankee organization’s pitching problems(other than Joba). Three Yankee pitching prospects began the year in the rotation and two performed like complete garbage. They had two high priced set up men – one who sucked and was released and one who did surprising well after stinking up the joint last year and was traded. Following these events the team was forced to turn to internal solutions. I would not construe any of this as a glowing recommendation of those internal options.

The “long-term potential” is being greatly exaggerated, IMHO, as discussed above.

I appreciate your love for your team but youve strongly overstated things, IMHO. You asked what people think and I told you…

To knock Joba as a future ace because of injury concerns is also a little over the top as he has never had one serious injury. If you consider tendinitis to be that scary, please find me one 22 year old pitcher who never dealt with tendinitis throughout college or the minor leagues, it is as common as the common cold in young pitchers. Joba’s injury concerns pre draft were due to his weight, and he has lost over 30 lbs since being drafted and his conditioning is only an issue in the opinion of Yankee haters.

Me above:

I think most of the people who wouldnt call Joba an "Ace" would be comfortable calling him a "potential future Ace." He just doesnt have the resume in professional ball to deserve the title "Ace" – especially when that title is in large part based on durability…

Its not a knock on Joba or his ability or his potential. He has certainly pitched LIKE an Ace so far.

Getting this excited about a guy in high A with so-so stuff and mediocre K rates.

Keep laughing, though, we’ll see on McAllister. Big Dude, gets grounders, mediocre stuff. Lots to like, but nothing special about this kid. Lots of these guys around in the low minors. How many pitchers in the minors would you take above him? Non Yankee fans would take lots.

Laffey is a guy who also gets a ton of grounders. McAllister has slightly better K rates. but theyre pretty similar in my opinion. They both dont have overpowering stuff. Laffey is a decent major league pitcher. 3-5 type. Mid to back of rotation. That’s something good and valuable. I think the Yankees would be delighted if McAllister reached that level.

Considering the highest level McAllister has pitched is high A(64 IP), I think youre really overrating the guy. There are really tons of guys with similar profiles in the low minors(though McAllister is on the top of that curve). You have to wait and see how they perform in AA before you get this excited about them, unless they have Kershaw numbers(and even then there were questions before AA). McAllister is eminently nothing special IMHO. I guess we’ll see soon enough, though. I dont think he’s missing enough bats to look all that good against advanced hitters, personally. Solid back of the rotation type, with a chance to be something more.

Everyone who disagrees with your assessment of these players is a “Yankee-hater.”