2012 Draft: Update on Eighth Round Picks
Continuing with our 2012 draft updates, we drive onward to the eighth round to study how everyone is doing so far. The current plan is to take this feature to the 10th round.
249) Tyler Heineman, C, Houston Astros: Hitting .363/.452/.440 with 20 walks, 11 strikeouts in 168 at-bats for Tri-City in the New York-Penn League. Has caught 50% of runners, no errors, just two passed balls in 31 games. Reliable glove, has hit well thus far but lack of power could hamper him at higher levels. Slightly below slot bonus for this college pick.
250) Christian Powell, RHP, Minnesota Twins: 5.74 ERA with 20/7 K/BB in 16 innings for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League, 18 hits. ERA inflated by a couple of bad outings. Slot bonus for college arm.
251) Nick Halamandaris, 1B, Seattle Mariners: Didn't sign. Will move on to bust the baseball jersey lettering budget at the University of California.
252) Torsten Boss, 3B, Baltimore Orioles: .251/.362/.411 with 30 walks, 51 strikeouts in 219 at-bats between Aberdeen in the NY-P and Frederick in the High-A Carolina League. Draws walks, not much power yet. Slot bonus college guy.
253) Alfredo Escalera-Maldonado, OF, Kansas City Royals: .303/.344/.361 with five walks, 29 strikeouts in 119 at-bats in the Arizona Rookie League. High school kid from Puerto Rico but attended school in Florida, below-slot bonus of just $50,000. Raw, but only 17 years old.
254) Michael Heesch, LHP, Chicago Cubs: Below slot small college pitcher, 2.91 ERA with 18/1 K/BB and 1.82 GO/AO in 22 innings for Boise in the Northwest League. Breaking stuff is supposed to be mediocre, but he's pitched well so far.
255) Brian Adams, OF, San Diego Padres: Hot start with a .321/.406/.714 mark in 12 games for Eugene in the NWL, but went on the DL in early July. Another below slot bonus for a college guy.
256) Kevin Ross, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates: Slot bonus for high school kid, hitting .233/.282/.315 so far in the Gulf Coast League with two walks, 10 strikeouts in 73 at-bats. Good throwing arm, too early to tell about the bat.
257) Drew Steckenrider, RHP, Miami Marlins: Slot bonus for college guy. 3.95 ERA with 34/24 K/BB in 27 innings for Jamestown in the NY-P, 19 hits, 3.30 GO/AO. Needs to get the walks down, strong ground ball guy with sinker and changeup.
258) Derek Jones, OF, Colorado Rockies: Below slot college senior, performing very poorly so far, .187/.296/.301 with 28 walks, 81 strikeouts in 219 at-bats. Won't stay employed for long without a big improvement in his approach.
259) Kris Hall, RHP, Oakland Athletics: 0.99 ERA with 24/14 K/BB in 27 innings for Vermont in the NY-P, 17 hits. Slot bonus college pitcher, throws hard but needs better control.
260) Tomas Nido, C, New York Mets: .242/.307/.339 with 12 walks, 23 strikeouts in 124 at-bats for Kingsport in the Appy League. 20% of runners caught, passed ball and error rates are high. Above-slot bonus for prep catcher, raw, not everyone thinks his glove will improve.
261) Zach Isler, RHP, Chicago White Sox: 4.42 ERA with 27/10 K/BB in 39 innings for Great Falls in the Pioneer League, 47 hits, 1.79 GO/AO. Slot bonus college guy, workable sinker and slider combination.
262) Seth Mejias-Brean, 3B, Cincinnati Reds: Slightly below slot bonus for college guy, hitting .349/.415/.589 with 16 walks, 24 strikeouts in 146 at-bats for Billings in the Pioneer League. Needs some work on defense but has hit very well so far.
263) Caleb Hamrick, RHP, Cleveland Indians: Seven hits, three runs in eight innings in the AZL, with six strikeouts. Slightly above-slot bonus for prep pitcher with a good slider and fastball. Sleeper.
264) Stephen Perez, SS, Washington Nationals: Below slot bonus for college infielder, awful hitter so far, .222/.252/.364 with four walks, 40 strikeouts in 99 at-bats between GCL and NY-P. Glovework also disappointing. Has good tools but didn't play up to expectations in college at Miami, and hasn't in pro ball so far either.
265) Tucker Frawley, C, Toronto Blue Jays: .182/.273/.182 with eight walks, 18 strikeouts in 77 at-bats for Vancouver in the NWL, 30% of runners caught, only one passed ball. Good glove, can't hit, and this is reflected in $5,000 bonus.
266) Scott Griggs, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2.95 ERA with 29/18 K/BB in 21 innings between the Pioneer League and the Midwest League, just 10 hits. Excellent K/IP and H/IP, throws hard, but too many walks at this point. Slot bonus college pitcher, could be a bargain if command comes around.
267) Austin Adams, RHP, Los Angeles Angels: College pitcher with a bonus slightly below slot, throws hard. 4.85 ERA with 26/15 K/BB in 26 innings for Orem in the Pioneer League, 19 hits. Needs better command but has the stuff to succeed in the long run.
268) Joe Kurrasch, LHP, San Francisco Giants: Slot bonus college pitcher, good changeup, gets grounders, has thrown just eight innings in the NWL and AZL, 10 hits, seven runs, but a 2.75 GO/AO.
269) Dave Peterson, RHP, Atlanta Braves: Below slot college closer, throws fairly hard, 2.45 ERA with 18/10 K/BB in 22 innings for Rome in the Low-A Sally League, 17 hits, 2.40 GO/AO. Ground ball guy, could be useful if he sharpens command.
270) Yoenny Gonzalez, OF, St. Louis Cardinals: Below slot junior college outfielder, lots of speed, 14-for-17 in steals but hitting .227/.311/.258 overall in 132 at-bats in the GCL, 13 hits, 28 walks. Lack of power a big hindrance.
271) Nathan Minnich, 1B, Boston Red Sox: Tiny bonus guy from small college, raw power but poor defense hurt stock, hitting just .201/.333/.252 with 25 walks, 47 strikeouts in 139 at-bats between NY-P and GCL. You get what you pay for.
272) Luke Maile, C, Tampa Bay Rays: Slot bonus college guy, good plate discipline, .278/.379/.389 with 30 walks, 33 strikeouts in 198 at-bats for Hudson Valley in the NY-P. Good approach at the plate, but hasn't shown much power yet. 23% of runners caught, just two passed balls in 29 games, but has also spent time at first base. There is some potential here.
273) Evan Marzilli, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks: Slot bonus college guy, lots of exposure at University of South Carolina, good glove, .332/.404/.389 with 19 walks, 31 strikeouts in 190 at-bats for Missoula in the Pioneer League. No power yet, other skills from college carrying over.
274) Jeff McVaney, OF-LHP, Detroit Tigers: Below slot college senior, throws hard from the left side, athletic enough to play outfield as a pro and that's what he's doing, .267/.337/.405 with 17 walks, 43 strikeouts in 247 at-bats between NY-P and Midwest League. Holding his own, has some plate discipline issues.
275) Edgardo Rivera, OF, Milwaukee Brewers: Above-slot bonus for Puerto Rican high school outfielder with lots of speed. 9-for-10 in steals in the AZL, .262/.356/.310 overall, 19 walks, 36 strikeouts in 126 at-bats. He can scoot but lacks power. Just 18 of course.
276) Cody Kendall, RHP, Texas Rangers: College senior, pittance bonus, heavy sinker. 2.31 ERA with 2.33 GO/AO, 20/18 K/BB in 39 innings for Spokane in the NWL, 34 hits. Lots of grounders, could use better command.
277) Taylor Dugas, OF, New York Yankees: Small bonus college senior, runs well, good college record at Alabama, hitting .323/.470/.391 with 44 walks, 30 strikeouts in 192 at-bats for Staten Island. Draws walks and hits for average, but lack of power could hinder against better pitching.
278) Josh Ludy, C, Philadelphia Phillies: Bad-body college senior with small bonus, but has some power and a decent arm, .260/.361/.410 with 14 walks, 19 strikeouts in 100 at-bats for Low-A Lakewood, 27% of runners caught, just two passed balls.
For the most part, the teams that went with cheapo bonuses got what they paid for.
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