1. Beckham
2. Alvarez
3. Crow

IMO…

I have a hard time picking between Alvarez, Matusz and Beckham—I’d be happy with any of them. It’s those later picks that are fun. Last year, we waited until the 60s for our 2nd pick. So for either #36 or #49, I’ll throw out a few names in no particular order:

Ike Davis
Brett Davall
Zach Collier
David Cooper
Kyle Lobstein
Isaac Galloway

Alvarez
Matusz
Crow
Beckham
Smoak/Posey

Other players that I’d at least scout include Hosmer and Gordon Beckham. Also, haven’t followed him much, but what’s the deal with Tim Melville?

It’s fine to talk about 1st round picks but once we go deeper we will want to keep some ideas and strategies quiet.

I’m similar to firesticks in that I prefer to take position players in the 1st round, and then load up on projectable arms later in the draft. That was my strategy in last year’s mock and it’s the same strategy that Ladnier and Moore used in the real thing. So with that in mind, guys like Alvarez, Smoak, and the Beckhams should be in play.

That said, Matusz really excites me, and I think by the time June rolls around he could very well be the best player available at our pick. He seems fairly safe while providing nice upside, has a long track record of success, and is a southpaw which our org is sorely lacking.

At this point, Tim Beckham is at the top of my board and he has been for some time. Elite prep shorstop prospects have a nice history of success, and I think this kid could eventually live up to the Larkin and Jeter comps.

I think they have to be considered the BPAs. If either is available at #3, I say take him and worry about position later. One of them is bound to be gone so prioritizing them should not be a big deal, but I would put Beckham first.

Don’t pick Matsuz…if you don’t want Crow, just take Smoak

With the Royals depth of pitching in minor league system, KC needs to go with a position player with #3. Here are my choices:

Alvarez, Tim Beckham, Justin Smoak - one of those three will be available. Avoid Posey at #3 - I just don’t see him as a #3 overall pick, same with Gordon Beckham. I would avoid Hosmer since he is a HS with Boras as an agent - lots of leverage there. Don’t feel the same with college Boras guys.

With the other picks - go for best player available leaning toward pitchers. Good high school pitcher at supplemental #1 would be the way to go for me. KC could get one of the 1B prospects with #36 or 49 but only if top player available.

this thread is dying….

We should go with a HS pitcher…there should be some good ones there (DeVall or Lobstein)

is the Colorado kid Tyler Sample. Big kid at 6’7” who throws in the low 90’s with a good breaking ball. Colorado prep pitchers have done pretty well in the past like Halladay and Hochevar. Devall has been a prep pitcher I have been following - 6’3” 215 and LH. FL prep stars are usually advanced so if Devall is putting up numbers like 21BB/140K ratio and 12-1 with a 0.41 ERA - I like it. Also a fan of the Texas and Georgia pitchers.

Any of the HS pitchers would be a good fit along with the 2007 draft prospects.

is to take 1-2 players in lower rounds who drop due to signability issues. KC could get a premium talent with a lower pick for an extra $100-500K. Two examples - In 2007, KC picked up Keaton Hayenga who was a top HS pitching prospect from WA. They went well over the slot at paid $300K for a 31st rounder. Now, he is the 27th prospect by BA and could add to the nice HS crop of Runion, Duffy, Mitchell. Hayenga is a guy I’ll follow closely this summer. In 2006, KC went for Derrick Robinson in 4th round for $850K. Ranked by BA as 11th best prospect. Right now, Robinson is at Wilmington and has game changing speed.

KC has got to take some risks with the prep players and Latin guys. Wealthy clubs like Red Sox are figuring out that the slots don’t apply anymore. Playing for the quick fix, college guy who is an easy sign just hasn’t worked for KC over the years. I’d rather see KC put an extra million bucks into 5-10 minor leagues that waste it on a washed up FA 5th starters who gets released by mid summer.

Seems like this position is the strength of the draft? Top end is Smoak, Hosmer, and Alonso - they won’t fall that far. Say KC comes up with Tim Beckham (my personal choice), could you see KC or the MOD crew going college 1B then prep pitchers? BA ranked other 1B prospects in top 50 as: #30 - Ike Davis - AZ State, #31-David Cooper - Cal, or #38 Allan Dykstra - Wake Forest. Would these guys be worth a supplemental or 2nd rounder?

I initially thought I was going to have a project at work keep me busy on Saturday, but it looks like I’ll be free.

I ran the draft last year and would love to help out again this year if possible.

After 2nd round - best available player. If it was KC’s front office, they’ll pick a guy no one has heard of in the 2nd or 3rd round. A speedy OF in the 4-6th round, too. Avoid the “toolsy” guys who can’t hit and can’t throw strikes in HS or College - those guys never pan out. Colt Griffin and Roscoe Crosby come to mind and Hugh Walker for the old timers but every draft has them.

Personal preference: Alvarez, Beckham, Hosmer

Smoak seems like the kind of guy who plays the game right also. Chipper Jones is his role model. Switch hitter, good fielder, good kid. I like it with Beckham and Alvarez off the board. Smoak could move quickly through the system. Start him at Burlington with Clint Robinson going to Wilmington.

Since it’s the mock draft, the guy signs day of the draft, right?

Hope the supplemental round finds one of the advanced HS pitchers available - like LH like Devall, Lobstein, or Ross. Also like Sample from CO (even though not a LH).

that is looking possible. Saw that Ross went #24 to Phillies - pretty high compared to BA’s ranking.

Montgomery, Sample, Lobstein - any would be good choices.

What is the story with that?