Padres MOD Thread

not really sure how all of this works, really interested to watch all of this. My two cents on the first round pick are simply that we appear to have most of our young guys coming around in the next couple years, so I’ve felt Deven Marrero might be the best pick for us, simply as he’ll be ready to come up and play soon and fill an obvious need for the team (MI). Not at all an expert on all this stuff, just my opinion.

As I said, excited to watch all of this unfold!

Under the new CBA, no organization will have as much flexibility as the Padres with their slot totals. Given that - and what they did last year - I’d look for an aggressive approach from the team in real life. Given the dynamics of the minorleagueball community, I’d expect you to have to be even more aggressive, as there are probably a few scouting directors who’d take 14 year olds if they were aloud to!

I’m a Cecchini honk in general, but Hawkins would be hard to pass up here, especially given the route the organization took last year.

Grandbaby Goose doesn’t merit top 11 for you? I still think he has a pretty good chance to be the best HS RHP in the class.

When his dad became the closer in San Diego in 1987, given the shoes (and mustache) he was filling, he was dubbed “Baby Goose”

I agree that taking him seven would be too high, but I just have a sneaking suspicion someone picking in the low-teens will give him a chance to start, and will be VERY happy with the results.

In general, I’m onboard with your approach with the other early picks. The other choice along those lines would be to target James Ramsey at 55 or 66.

but his 2011 with the new bats put up a big red flag for me. I don’t like him at 7. For SS, I only like Correa at 7. Correa there is BPA, whereas Marrero there, to me, feels like organizational need.

I also think Correa could be there, in which case he would be my pick.

I’ve started the process of really getting a substantial number of players up on the board. A lot is going to shift over time, but I wanted to give us a starting place. Date of big board update will be given in my signature so you’ll know when you need to check it out. We now have 36 players on the board - if we didn’t do anything else from this point onward, we’d have a resource that can get us through at least our first two picks, the quality of those picks aside.

After hearing some of the initial feedback, I’ve made a few adjustments. Assuming the first six players go off the board, we’ll be targeting prep SS Gavin Cecchini at No. 7. If Cecchini is off the board, I would move on one of the other players above him on this list - the only one I’m not sure on right now is Mike Zunino. I’m not a big Zunino fan and we have a prospect in Austin Hedges who will be playing at Lake Elsinore next year. Do we take Zunino anyways and slate him to start next year in Double A? Otherwise, our likely targets would be OF Courtney Hawkins or Duke RHP Marcus Stroman, who I’ve been reading/watching a lot of. I don’t want to take a college pitcher early unless he has impact talent, and Stroman has that.

At 33, I would guess that the pick will likely be a prep pitcher. My review suggests that Cali RHP Cody Poteet is an underrated arm - he has the potential for multiple strong pitches, some projection, solid velocity and good athleticism. One pop up guy is Edwin Perez, a hard-throwing Puerto Rican pitcher, and he is also under consideration. I haven’t reviewed the other Puerto Rican pitcher yet, but he may slot in or above these two. If we want to look at the college ranks, I like CC pitcher Dylan Baker’s fastball/breaking balls combo, and he has an ideal build. If we want to diversify with a little less risk, RHPs Chris Stratton and Chris Beck may both be available. Beck is suffering from a little prospect fatigue but is still a decent arm, and Stratton has been redhot and may go higher than this in the actual draft.

Some of these players may still be available at No. 44, but there are other options as well. I like CC 3B Fernando Perez a lot - a little bit of Lonnie Chisenhall (in a good way) in him. I’m on record as liking Puerto Rico SS Jesmuel Valentin. Prep RHP Nick Travieso has a great arm. I love Arizona State infield Joey Dimichelle - great bat from a strong college program would be a safe pick, a little along the lines of a Jedd Gyorko.

Thoughts on any of the above, the big board strategy, or additional players we want to look at? I’d like to build out to 50 in the next day or two.

I’d move Max Fried way up the Big Board-in fact, I think that he might be gone by the time that we select. Keith Law has him 5th and says that at least two teams say they would consider him at 1-1. We’d be really lucky if he fell to us, IMO.

I’d be a little bummed with Ceccini at 1-7. I agree that SS is a priority; I’d just rather not reach with that first pick. Correa would obviously be my first choice, but I’d take Almora, Zimmer, or Gioloto over Ceccini.

Could you talk a little about what you see in Trey Williams and Ty Hensley? You seem to be quite a bit over consensus (at least that I’ve seen-for example, Law has Williams at 82 and Hensley in the thirties).

My dream scenario includes
7-Correa, Almora, Zimmer, Gioloto, Ceccini, Hawkins
33-Rahier, Beck, Stratton, Virant, Wieckel, Hensley
44-I like Poteet as well. The other HS MIF that you mentioned have some appeal as well.
55-DJ Davis, Lovegrove, lots of other names that are appealing.

And, well, crap. The John/Matt combination basically nailed 80 percent of the guys I was looking at . . .which of course means there will be people hoping for the scoop by grabbing these guys 2-5 picks before us, lol.

I’d actually love the Naquin pick, he’s one of the few decent college bats out there. Not a chance Underwood makes it to 55 in this draft, we’d have to pop him at 44 or maybe even 33. I’m willing to go prep at 33 but the problem is that I suspect a lot of college talent is going to go off the board in the 30-45 range (teams with multiple picks looking to justify their prep picks budget-wise). So, yeah.

Going to update down here, because updating posts gets really weird with the HTML code needed . . .lots of inadvertent paragraph tags that need to be knocked out.

So I’ve done a lot of thinking, and honestly the more I think about it the more I think RHP Marcus Stroman can really be something unique. His performance this year is exceptional, his stuff is outstanding, and he works off of athleticism and arm strength, not effort. I’m really down to five players as I don’t think Kyle Zimmer (yes, I botched more than a few names here) has the total package I would want out of a college RHP in this slot. We’re looking at Stroman, Hawkins, Fried, Almora, and Cecchini. All have questions. Stroman has his height. Hawkins has questions about his approach and pure hitting ability. Fried is a little reliant on projection. Almora has awesome tools and a better approach than Hawkins but is more of a gap power guy. Cecchini is a question mark to stick at shortstop, and there is substantial question in my mind as to whether he is a “great” hitter or merely a good one.

All top draft prospects look pretty good; if they didn’t, they wouldn’t be top draft prospects. What I’m looking to do is find reasons not to take certain players, particularly in relation to draft slot. For instance, I’m not real high on college 3B Steve Piscotty . . .honestly, in an average draft this guy is a supplemental round talent. If he got to 33, that might work, but he ain’t getting to 33. Keep that in mind and let’s start nailing some guys for their flaws and eliminating them from consideration at certain spots.

1. Marcus Stroman, RHP, Duke
2. Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU
3. Byron Buxton, OF, Georgia HS - I think concerns about his hitting ability are overblown
4. Max Fried, LHP, California HS - surprised? I’m struggling to find reasons not to like him, even if there are reasons not to love him
5. Carlos Correa, SS/3B, Puerto Rico HS - hitting ability a little overhyped, and big 17 year old isn’t as smooth as Manny Machado was last year
6. Albert Almora, OF, Florida HS - I think his game is better suited for an NL West team than Hawkins, and while his floor is very high, there is a chance that his tools are underappreciated. big ? that could slide him down: power?
7.Lucas Giolito, RHP, California HS - If he’s healthy, he’ll never get here. If he’s not healthy, we don’t want him anyways. He’s got a great arm but I’m skeptical everything will line up. But hey, you never know, and this is a safe place to keep him in mind.
8.Courtney Hawkins, OF, Texas HS - A bit of a boom or bust. Could be an elite offensive player with plus defense. Could end up doing nothing. Big upside play, but I don’t think a couple of weeks of an improved approach should fool us.
9. Gavin Cecchini, SS, Louisiana HS - No standout tools, and I feel like some may be projecting things for him that just aren’t there. I do like him a lot, but if he’s a 2B with an okay bat in the end then we can do better.
10. Mike Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco - Pure power with a good idea of what to do with his first two pitches. Not sure he has a very workable changeup in him.
11. Marc Appel, RHP, Stanford - There is a chance that he blows up in the pros, and a much greater chance that he is just decent and pitches less than the sum of his parts. Lack of consistency is not a huge problem in my mind, that goes for many college pitchers, most of them less talented than Appel.
12. Tanner Rahier, SS, HS - Surprised again? I can’t find things to complain about here. I don’t think he’s that far behind Cecchini, and if you project Cecchini to definitely move off SS then Rahier’s bat makes him the superior prospect. My preferred target du jour at 33.
13. Richie Shaffer, 3B, Clemson - No, I don’t know where he’s going to play in the end. But he has impact power and bat speed, and that makes him good enough to go here. If I knew he could play 3B or even a passable OF, he’d be in the No. 7 mix, but I don’t believe that one will be proven any time soon, if at all.
14. Lewis Brinson, OF, North Carolina HS - Holy crap, look at this kid. Awesome power projection, very athletic, great speed. Very high upside - similar players have gone higher than this in better drafts.
15. Mike Zunino, C, Florida - Yeah, I know. He can catch and he can hit for some power. He has a lot of swing and miss and that’s not likely to get a whole lot better with playing a pro season.
16. Ty Hensley, RHP, Oklahoma HS - I’ve come down off my cloud a bit and I recognize he is a work in progress with some mechanical roughness. Still got the size, the velocity, and the good pitch mix.
17. Duane Underwood, RHP, Georgia HS - A little raw, but the “up and down” talk about him reminds me a lot of Taijuan Walker a couple of years ago, and we’ve seen how that one looks. First round pure talent with wide range of outcomes, good and bad.
18. Nick Travieso, RHP, Florida HS - Some have suggested his delivery has effort. I would say the kid’s been up to 97 this year, there damn well better be effort. Ideal pitcher’s frame. Got an Alex Fernandez comp from the ever-trusty xmlbscout.
19. DJ Davis, OF, HS - Toolshed. Biggest question, can he really hit? Elite speedster. That’s a whole lotta upside.
20. Deven Marrerro, SS, Arizona State - I still think he can hit. I’m more concerned about his lack of patience. I think he motors through A ball and has people raving about him, then he drops back to the earth quickly in AA. He doesn’t lack for talent, it’s his approach that’s killing him. I don’t see how it gets better and it limits his ceiling.
21. Alex Wood, LHP, Georgia - 2010 Tommy John survivor who still battles inconsistency, that’s the bad part. The good part is that he can pitch in the mid-90s and has multiple good offerings. In most drafts he’d be a first round arm with questions that push him down. But not here!
22. Tyler Naquin, OF, Texas A&M - Too bold? Maybe, we’ll see what you guys think. Terrific pure hitter, should play good D, one of the few truly safe bats in the class. Not high upside, but should be at least a decent starter.
23. Cory Seager, SS, North Carolina HS - Fast riser and for good reason. Kid can hit. Probably not playing SS, more of a 3B, but has strong feel for hitting and should be a very well-rounded player in the end.
24. Rio Ruiz, 3B, California HS - Would have to get him at 33 to be sure we landed him, but he’s a first round talent with fluky injuries. Again, in such a year, I’m not worried. Has the extra benefit of being a Cali kid, nice for perception of signability.
25. Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi State - Safe pick but he’s got what you want out of a RHP. Solid FB, good breaking ball, a couple more solid offerings. Has really come into his own this year - does that mean he’s a one year wonder, or is he undervalued? Maybe both?.
26. Nolan Fontana, SS, Florida - He has some serious skills, although I don’t get the impression he’s exceptional anywhere. Am I overvaluing him here because of positional scarcity?
27. Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M - I bet you were wondering where he was. Big body, good FB, favored secondary is his change, and questions with breaking stuff. That sounds like an innings-eater without much upside to me. He knows how to pitch, though.
28. Cody Poteet, RHP, California HS - Kind of reminds me a bit of Texas RHP prospect Cody Buckel. Has three quality pitches, still considerable projection here, strong athlete. Ceiling may be called into question.
29. Steve Piscotty, 3B, Stanford - I don’t trust his power. Pure hitter but overvalued due to scarcity of college bats this year.
30. Walker Weickel, RHP, Florida HS - Off year, but it’s not like the stuff has sucked, and he’s a growing kid. May represent a steal @ 33 if he is there. Still, we’d have to ask if we’re buying on the way up or the way down.
31. David Dahl, OF, Alabama HS - Should hit a ton of line drives, not sure about HRs. Tools are generally good, not great.
32. Dylan Baker, RHP, Western Nevada - I could see a case for him being 15 spots higher, but two problems. One, he’s only really emerged this year - will the stuff be there next year? Two, does he have a decent changeup? I could see him ending up slotting as a dynamite reliever.
33. Mitchell Traver, RHP, HS - BIG dude with projection. Not much info on him yet, but looks very interesting.
34. Chris Beck, RHP, Georgia Southern - A little underappreciated these days. Might not have a high ceiling, but should be a future contributor.

..to be able to write a brief synopsis on seventy prospects is pretty damn impressive.

Take the best available of these 7 in order:
Buxton
Giolito
Correa
Gausman
Fried
Appel
Hawkins

All represent significant upside with the exception of Appel. Appel would be too high of a floor and value to pass if he was the only player available from this list. What I like most about him is the ability to be a workhorse and potential # 2 starter. The Padres simply do not possess a guy that can get into the 8th inning with any type of consistancy. Appel can be argued from both value and need.

The Padres first several selections will be protected for 2 years. This fact along with the lack of elite upside players should allow the Padres to focus on upside players.

I haven’t ordered everybody at the end of the list yet, but they’re guys I know I want to have on here. I’ve adjusted a few guys, but there are still a few players left to consider. Prep RHPs Taylore Cherry (6’9" prep, filled out, moderate ceiling with polish) and Ty Buttrey (6’6") could be had if drafted in the first couple of rounds, but I’m not sure where they fit in yet.

I’m going to try to emphasize a mix of college and prep players, good upside guys while giving us some safe contributors as well. Based on the list below, I’d like to start hearing some feedback about specific players you guys would like at each slot, as well as any thoughts you have on strategy. I am obviously fine with jumping the consensus curve, and we need to think with innovation. I believe one of the major reasons why this draft is believed to be “weak” is because people are too fixated on guys who have been sitting near the top of the list.

1. Marcus Stroman, RHP, Duke
2. Kevin Gausman, RHP, LSU
3. Byron Buxton, OF, Georgia HS – I think concerns about his hitting ability are overblown
4. Max Fried, LHP, California HS – surprised? I’m struggling to find reasons not to like him, even if there are reasons not to love him
5. Carlos Correa, SS/3B, Puerto Rico HS – hitting ability a little overhyped, and big 17 year old isn’t as smooth as Manny Machado was last year
6. Albert Almora, OF, Florida HS – I think his game is better suited for an NL West team than Hawkins, and while his floor is very high, there is a chance that his tools are underappreciated. big ? that could slide him down: power?
7.Lucas Giolito, RHP, California HS – If he’s healthy, he’ll never get here. If he’s not healthy, we don’t want him anyways. He’s got a great arm but I’m skeptical everything will line up. But hey, you never know, and this is a safe place to keep him in mind.
8.Courtney Hawkins, OF, Texas HS – A bit of a boom or bust. Could be an elite offensive player with plus defense. Could end up doing nothing. Big upside play, but I don’t think a couple of weeks of an improved approach should fool us.
9. Gavin Cecchini, SS, Louisiana HS – No standout tools, and I feel like some may be projecting things for him that just aren’t there. I do like him a lot, but if he’s a 2B with an okay bat in the end then we can do better.
10. Mike Zimmer, RHP, San Francisco – Pure power with a good idea of what to do with his first two pitches. Not sure he has a very workable changeup in him.
11. Marc Appel, RHP, Stanford – There is a chance that he blows up in the pros, and a much greater chance that he is just decent and pitches less than the sum of his parts. Lack of consistency is not a huge problem in my mind, that goes for many college pitchers, most of them less talented than Appel.
12. Tanner Rahier, SS, HS – Surprised again? I can’t find things to complain about here. I don’t think he’s that far behind Cecchini, and if you project Cecchini to definitely move off SS then Rahier’s bat makes him the superior prospect. My preferred target du jour at 33.
13. Richie Shaffer, 3B, Clemson – No, I don’t know where he’s going to play in the end. But he has impact power and bat speed, and that makes him good enough to go here. If I knew he could play 3B or even a passable OF, he’d be in the No. 7 mix, but I don’t believe that one will be proven any time soon, if at all.
14. Lewis Brinson, OF, North Carolina HS – Holy crap, look at this kid. Awesome power projection, very athletic, great speed. Very high upside – similar players have gone higher than this in better drafts.
15. Mike Zunino, C, Florida – Yeah, I know. He can catch and he can hit for some power. He has a lot of swing and miss and that’s not likely to get a whole lot better with playing a pro season.
16. Ty Hensley, RHP, Oklahoma HS – I’ve come down off my cloud a bit and I recognize he is a work in progress with some mechanical roughness. Still got the size, the velocity, and the good pitch mix.
17. Duane Underwood, RHP, Georgia HS – A little raw, but the "up and down" talk about him reminds me a lot of Taijuan Walker a couple of years ago, and we’ve seen how that one looks. First round pure talent with wide range of outcomes, good and bad.
18. Nick Travieso, RHP, Florida HS – Some have suggested his delivery has effort. I would say the kid’s been up to 97 this year, there damn well better be effort. Ideal pitcher’s frame. Got an Alex Fernandez comp from the ever-trusty xmlbscout.
19. DJ Davis, OF, HS – Toolshed. Biggest question, can he really hit? Elite speedster. That’s a whole lotta upside.
20. Deven Marrerro, SS, Arizona State – I still think he can hit. I’m more concerned about his lack of patience. I think he motors through A ball and has people raving about him, then he drops back to the earth quickly in AA. He doesn’t lack for talent, it’s his approach that’s killing him. I don’t see how it gets better and it limits his ceiling.
21. Lance McCullers, RHP, Florida HS – Forgot him last go around . . .stock seems to be markedly up. Stuff has always been there . . .is he somebody we can seriously consider at 7?
22. Matt Smoral, LHP, Ohio HS – As you may have noticed, I’ve been hesitating on integrating injured players into the list, wanting to see how the rest of the list shapes out. Big body, already has good stuff. Some concern about lingering impact of foot fracture in a body that big. That said, he has very substantial upside. North Carolina commit, not sure how his signability looks.
23. Tyler Naquin, OF, Texas A&M – Too bold? Maybe, we’ll see what you guys think. Terrific pure hitter, should play good D, one of the few truly safe bats in the class. Not high upside, but should be at least a decent starter.
24. Cory Seager, SS, North Carolina HS – Fast riser and for good reason. Kid can hit. Probably not playing SS, more of a 3B, but has strong feel for hitting and should be a very well-rounded player in the end.
25. Travis Jankowski, OF, Stony Brook – A little bit of everything with him, I find him intriguing and wonder if he might be undervalued a bit due to his competition. Interesting raw power. Possible comp: poor man’s Curtis Granderson?
26. Rio Ruiz, 3B, California HS – Would have to get him at 33 to be sure we landed him, but he’s a first round talent with fluky injuries. Again, in such a year, I’m not worried. Has the extra benefit of being a Cali kid, nice for perception of signability.
27. Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi State – Safe pick but he’s got what you want out of a RHP. Solid FB, good breaking ball, a couple more solid offerings. Has really come into his own this year – does that mean he’s a one year wonder, or is he undervalued? Maybe both?.
28. Alex Wood, LHP, Georgia – 2010 Tommy John survivor who still battles inconsistency, that’s the bad part. The good part is that he can pitch in the mid-90s and has multiple good offerings. In most drafts he’d be a first round arm with questions that push him down. But not here!
29. Nolan Fontana, SS, Florida – He has some serious skills, although I don’t get the impression he’s exceptional anywhere. Am I overvaluing him here because of positional scarcity?
30. Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M – I bet you were wondering where he was. Big body, good FB, favored secondary is his change, and questions with breaking stuff. That sounds like an innings-eater without much upside to me. He knows how to pitch, though.
31 Cody Poteet, RHP, California HS – Kind of reminds me a bit of Texas RHP prospect Cody Buckel. Has three quality pitches, still considerable projection here, strong athlete. Ceiling may be called into question.
1. 32. Mitchell Traver, RHP, HS – BIG dude with projection. Already can sit 92-93 with makings of a good breaking ball and decent change.
33. Steve Piscotty, 3B, Stanford – I don’t trust his power. Pure hitter but overvalued due to scarcity of college bats this year.
34. Walker Weickel, RHP, Florida HS – Off year, but it’s not like the stuff has sucked, and he’s a growing kid. May represent a steal @ 33 if he is there. Still, we’d have to ask if we’re buying on the way up or the way down.
35. David Dahl, OF, Alabama HS – Should hit a ton of line drives, not sure about HRs. Tools are generally good, not great.
36. Dylan Baker, RHP, Western Nevada – I could see a case for him being 15 spots higher, but two problems. One, he’s only really emerged this year – will the stuff be there next year? Two, does he have a decent changeup? I could see him ending up slotting as a dynamite reliever.
37. Chris Beck, RHP, Georgia Southern – A little underappreciated these days. Might not have a high ceiling, but should be a future contributor.
38. James Ramsey, OF, Florida State – I think he might be a little overvalued this year, again due to a lack of college bats. Not a great defensive fit for us.
39. Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State – I think his game is more deception than stuff, but he does have a good idea of how to pitch and solid offerings. Write him in as a No. 4 or maybe No. 5 starter for a long while in the majors. The type of guy who slots in around this point, no matter how good the draft is.
40. Lucas Sims, RHP, Georgia HS – Solid two pitch mix and athletic, but would need projection to get beyond a No. 3 or (more likely) No. 4 starter future.
41. Carson Kelly, 3B, Oregon HS – A little raw, but two way player has some thunder in his bat. Could see him being a dark horse IRL for the Rays in round 1.
42. Stephen Bruno, SS, Virginia – Tools and production, health has been a little balky and has dropped his stock. A deceptively high ceiling player makes him a sneaky candidate for 44 if he’s on the board – but we’ll have to see if others agree.
43. Barrett Barnes, OF, Texas Tech – Ks a lot, but has athleticism and solid secondary skills at the plate. Another guy I could see moving up, as he has upside yet is a little safer as a college player.
44. Pierce Johnson, RHP, Missouri State – I might end up sticking him higher next go-around depending on how I feel about his health. Forearm strains often hint at future TJ, but an argument can be made that he’s the best of the second tier of college arms and a first round talent. Might be hard to pass on that.
45. Addison Russell, SS, HS – Nice raw power and some defensive tools. I’d worry that if he fights to keep his weight down, though, that it might hurt his power projection. Some people do really love him.
46. Nick Williams, OF, Texas HS – I put him here, but really this kid will never get to us. He’s a lotto ticket and I think somebody will bite on him in the early 20s when they want upside and are unenthused by their options.
47. Zach Elfin, RHP, Florida HS – Already throws hard and stuff could get even better. Concerned about triceps tendonitis, hard to be too high on a kid who’s already having that type of issue.
48. Victor Roache, OF, Georgia Southern – Some people absolutely love him. I think he’s nice, but he had questions to answer before this year and the injury leaves them unanswered. I don’t care to be too aggressive on him.
49. Hunter Virant, LHP, Georgia HS – Young and almost entirely projection. I prefer to see a little more now out of my high round picks unless the upside is extremely high, and I don’t think that’s Virant.
50. Jeff Gelalich, OF, UCLA – Helium guy this year. Excellent tools with college performance. Not sure there will be much pop in the end.
51. Brian Johnson, LHP, Florida – Raw despite pitching in the SEC, talented, good way to straddle the line between safe and bold. Will probably take some development time.
52. Tom Murphy, C, Buffalo – Legitimate bat and field skills. May not hit for average.
53. Sam Selman, LHP, Vanderbilt – Doesn’t have the performance yet, but power and projection combo from the left side.
54. C.J. Hinojosa, 2B/SS, Texas HS – I’m unsure what to think with him. He is not going to be an easy sign and may well think that he’s better off going to UT. I like his bat a lot and could see putting him higher but could bust the class.
55. Trey Williams, 3B, California HS – I’m getting the feeling that he could find his way to college, where he’d likely not lose stock and have a chance to really bump it. Has been a little off this year, but pure talent to be a quality bat is there.
56. Fernelys Sanchez, OF, New York HS – Very high upside, only committed to a community college. Season ended early due to injury. Aggressive target @ 44 or 55?
57. Jeff Gibbs, RHP, Maine – Raw Canadian with FB that reaches into the upper 90s; good upside/signability combo
58. Pete O’Brien, C, Miami – Feels low for him. I like him a lot and he’d be an easy sign, but beware of taking too much from the performance of college seniors. In real life, I think we’d have to pull the string on him at 33.
59. Joey Demichelle, 2B/3B, Arizona State – Dude can hit and his selection could bring a lot of balance to the class. Questions on ultimate position.
60. Brett Mooneyham, LHP, Stanford – Polarizing prospect with excellent stuff and spotty command. Some think he’s a pen arm, others think he could be a good starter. He’s been a major draft prospect since HS and might suffer from overexposure.
61. Edwin Diaz, RHP, Puerto Rico HS – Has hit 97 mph recently and has more of a prototype build than the other PR pitcher Berrios. As a PR arm, his development track will probably be a little slower than a lot of guys in this area.
62. Clate Schmidt, RHP, Georgia HS – I liked the Jake Odorizzi comparison that Matt Garrioch made on him, but a big part of Odo’s game is pitchability. Schmidt has some mechanical quirks. Stuff is decent and has room to improve.
63. Paxton de la Garza, SS, Texas HS – Is coming up a lot in my research. Should stick at shortstop, strong makeup, decent bat who doesn’t stand out scouting-wise. Some similarities to TBR 1st round Jake Hager a year ago. Possible target at 55, 66, or 70. Could also be an underslot target @ 44 to ensure we get the class signed.
64. J.O. Berrios, RHP, Puerto Rico HS – A little small, but fastball jumps into the high 90s. Upside play, a long ways off, might be better off as a reliever. Potential three pitch mix. Helium guy who others may value more highly.
65. Austin Maddox, RHP, Florida – First relief pitching prospect on the board. Profiles as true late inning guy. Obvious limitation as "just" a pen guy, but would be a savvy money play and diversify the class
66. Brady Rogers, RHP, Arizona State – His stuff is unexceptional, but it’s solid across the board, good makeup, good idea of how to pitch. Would be a good get at 66 or 70, should have a solid career.
67. Braden Kline, RHP, Virginia – Strong two pitch mix, ideal build, could fit in as SP or RP
68. Stephen Johnson, RHP, St. Edward’s University – Pure upside play for raw power arm. Hasn’t faced quality competition. .
69. Cole Irvin, LHP, California HS – Already has three respectable offerings and size, including an excellent changeup. Needs to get stronger. A classic projection pick who nonetheless is a little safer than many of that type.
70. Carson Fulmer, RHP, Florida HS – In a weaker HS pitching crop he might get more attention. A little short but has a shot at having three above-average to plus pitches.
71. Wyatt Mathison, C, Texas HS – If we take a prep catcher, this one please. Athletic and probably the best pure hitter among his peers. Still new to catching but he’d be the one I’d strike my typical aversion to prep Cs for.
72. Patrick Light, RHP, Monmouth – Drafting him on size and fastball, both of which are premium. Might take the long way through the pros, might be best fit as a reliever in the end.
73. Chris Taylor, SS, Virginia – Too low for him? Does some of everything, but a lot of talk has him profiling at other positions. Very intriguing bat, has shown good pop.
74. Stryker Trahan, C/OF, HS – If anything, he’s going to end up lower on here. He’s a project defensively and catching will put a damper on his speed. I am not a big fan of prep catchers and I think he is particularly likely to bust. But upside? Yeah, there’s upside. Signability may be an issue.
75. Dane Phillips, C, Oklahoma State – Serious bat, has a chance to catch. Otherwise, might struggle for position.
76. Rock Rucker, OF/LHP, Georgia HS – Would rate much higher if position were confirmed; prefer as athletic, 6’5" LHP w/projection, may go as 5-tool OF
77. D.J. Hicks, 1B, College
78. Brandon Thomas, OF, Georgia Tech
79. Jake Barrett, RHP, Arizona State
80. Adam Brett Walker, 1B, COL
81. Ross Stripling, RHP, Texas A&M

Wont be available but would snatch if they fell:

Marrero
Cecchini
Mccullers
Wacha

Targets that could be available:
Baker
Russell
Rahier
Valentin

Guys I would love to see available at 44:

Smoral
Naquin
Seager
Stratton
Fontana
Poteet
Weikel
Sims
Nick williams
Trahan

If Correa, then Baker and Naquin or Nick Williams

If Fried, then Valentin and Naquin or Maddox

If Hawkins, then Stratton and best available SS