clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2011 Baseball Draft Discussion: Intuitive Calls

New, 42 comments

I stole this idea from MLBBonusBaby, but it is such a good discussion topic that I can't resist.

The idea here is to answer six questions about the upcoming draft, based on your "gut feeling" or intuition. You don't (necessarily) have to have logic or analysis behind this, though you can if you want, but I'm thinking more of intuition here. Here are the questions, and I will post my own answers below..

1-Who is a player projected to go on the 1st day that you have a good gut feeling about ?

2-Who is a player projected to go on the 2nd day that you have a good gut feeling about?

3-Who do you think will be the biggest steal of the draft?

And of course there is the corollary

4-Who is a player projected to go on the 1st day that you have a bad gut feeling about?

5-Who is a player projected to go on the 2nd day that you have a bad gut feeling about?

6-Who will be the biggest reach in the draft

1-Who is a player projected to go on the 1st day that you have a good gut feeling about ?
Brandon Nimmo. I know he's going to be expensive, but I've had a good feeling about him since I first read about him. I like the tools, I like the unusual background, and he controls the strike zone. I also have unusually strong positive gut feelings about Trevor Bauer, Josh Bell, Andrew Susac, Mikie Mahtook, Trevor Story, Jorge Lopez (very much so), Joe Panik, Aaron Westlake, Connor Barron, and Jason Hager (maybe an early second day guy).

2-Who is a player projected to go on the 2nd day that you have a good gut feeling about?
Some second-day players who strike me as good intuitive picks are Canadian high school right-hander Tom Robson, Georgia Tech right-hander Mark Pope, Baylor right-hander Logan Verret, Florida high school catcher Tyler Marlette, Cal State Fullerton right-hander Noe Ramirez, Notre Dame right-hander Brian Dupra, Oklahoma third baseman Garrett Buechele, Arkansas catcher James McCann, and Central Arizona outfielder Keenan Walker. Also right-hander Quintavious Drains of Jackson State University has the coolest name ever and that has to count for something.

3-Who do you think will be the biggest steal of the draft?
Lopez among possible first-day picks, Pope or Buechele among second day picks.

4-Who is a player projected to go on the 1st day that you have a bad gut feeling about?
I don't like Cory Spangenberg, Adam Conley, or Anthony Meo as much as some people do, not really for reasons I can pin down.

5-Who is a player projected to go on the 2nd day that you have a bad gut feeling about?
Larry Greene might go on the first day but he sounds like a big bust risk to me. I also don't think Zach Cone will hit.

6-Who will be the biggest reach in the draft
Green or Amir Garrett.