Draft Review - Atlanta Braves

I've posted a review of the Atlanta Braves' draft over at MLB Bonus Baby. There's comments on all 49 picks. The next team up will be the Cincinnati Reds.

Here's an excerpt for you, this being the size of each year in my draft previews before the draft:

1. Mike Minor, LHP, Vanderbilt, #7 overall, 6’3’’/200: I was slightly surprised by this pick, but not because I thought the Braves were locked into a prep arm. Minor really projects as a #4 starter to me, and I’m surprised the Braves didn’t shoot for a higher-upside arm like Alex White. However, it’s probably a signability issue, as the Braves generally don’t go over slot for their first pick, and even though Minor’s holding out at the moment (likely for last year’s slot), I don’t see him rejecting an offer somewhere in the neighborhood of $2.175 million, which is what the slot is supposedly this year. Don’t like this pick at all. DOB: 12/26/87.

3. David Hale, RHP, Princeton, #87 overall, 6’2’’/200: I really like this pick, as I’ve been high on Hale all spring. He’s got a plus arm, and while he lacks the polish that comes with most college juniors, he’s got the upside to make up for it. I’d say his potential is even higher than Mike Minor’s, though with considerably more risk. He can reach the mid-90s with his fastball, and he’s got repeatable mechanics, though his offspeed pitches are still a work in progress. He’s got a fresh arm, having thrown only 40 innings this spring, but that also means he’ll need more time in the minors. However, this is a great pick for talent and draft value, as this was a little below where I thought he might go. He also signed quickly for slot, and while he’s on the roster for Danville in the Appy League, he hasn’t appeared in a game yet. DOB: 9/27/87. Signing bonus: $405,000.

4. Mycal Jones, SS, Miami Dade CC (FL), #118 overall, 5’10’’/165: While I was high on Hale, I jumped back a bit with Jones, as I’m normally very wary of 22 year old JUCO players. Jones had a huge spring at Miami Dade, where he landed after a year at North Florida, then a year of academic ineligibility there. Jones is very, very fast, but that doesn’t always translate to the field, where he shows flashes of good defense, but only has what most have said is an average arm. I still think he’s better suited for second base or center field, but the Braves want to try him at short. This was an average pick for draft position, probably about average for talent, too, and he signed quickly for slot. He’s hitting .238/.330/.356 in 101 ABs with Danville so far. DOB: 5/30/87. Signing bonus: $252,000.

5. Thomas Berryhill, RHP, Newberry (SC), #148 overall, 5’10’’/185: This pick intrigues me, as Berryhill was a late riser in his college career. He was also a position player at Newberry, further obscuring his talent on the mound. A late-inning reliever, Berryhill flashes a plus fastball, and I think he might have the stuff and makeup to maintain a late-inning role in the Majors if he can avoid arm troubles. I didn’t expect him to go this high, but I had a sneaking suspicion late in the year that he was a name that might pop up earlier than expected anyway. He signed quickly, making this a solid pick, maybe even underrated by most observers. He’s thrown 12 solid innings for Danville so far. DOB: 12/9/87. Signing bonus: $160,000.

6. Ryan Woolley, RHP, UAB, #178 overall, 6’1’’/190: I have to admit that I had almost completely forgotten about Woolley before his name popped up this early on draft day. I had written his name down as a transfer to keep an eye on, but I didn’t really have a handle on how much helium Woolley had in side sessions. With the new transfer rules prohibiting Woolley from playing this spring, he was just a name on a piece of paper, and it wasn’t until the week before the draft that I wondered how he was doing. I had heard he would get drafted, but not this early. He’s got decent talent on the mound, but his signability is in question, and I’m not sure the Braves were competing against any other team for him this high. He hasn’t signed yet, and he’s busy pitching in the Alaska Baseball League as of now. Questionable pick. DOB: 2/11/88.

The cutoff point in the Braves' draft in terms of transitioning to unsignable or organizational players is after the Cory Harrilchak pick in the 14th round.

Direct link here.

What do you guys think?