2012 Draft: Update on Tenth Round Picks
We continue this morning with the well-liked series of draft reviews, today with an update on players drafted in the tenth round. By popular demand, I'll keep this going into the teen rounds to pick up the overslot draftees. The series will resume on Tuesday.
Cheap college players were definitely the emphasis in this round.
309) Joe Bircher, LHP, Houston Astros: 3.23 ERA with 36/16 K/BB in 53 innings, 64 hits for Tri-City in the New York-Penn League. Outstanding college career despite lack of velocity, deceptive and throws strikes. Below slot bonus but could be a nice pickup, although so far the Ks he ran up in college haven't translated to pro ball.
310) D.J. Baxendale, RHP, Minnesota Twins: College pitcher earned slot bonus, fastball varies from game to game but has a good curve. Outstanding in pro ball so far: 0.51 ERA, 31/2 K/BB in 18 innings between Elizabethton in the Appalachian League and Beloit in the Low-A Midwest League. I like him.
311) Grady Wood, RHP, Seattle Mariners: 2.17 ERA with 35/15 K/BB in 37 innings for Everett in the Northwest League, 29 hits, 2.45 GO/AO. Below slot bonus, college pitcher with solid sinker and slider, could be nice reliever.
312) Joel Hutter, SS, Baltimore Orioles: Cheapo bonus for a college senior, .272/.329/.346 with 19 walks, 25 strikeouts in 228 at-bats for Aberdeen in the NY-P so far. Utility profile.
313) Alexis Rivera, OF, Kansas City Royals: .341/.413/.477 with 23 walks, 29 strikeouts in 176 at-bats for AZL Royals, 9-for-12 in steals. Slot bonus for Florida high school player, has performed very well so far and could end up being a bargain.
314) Chad Martin, RHP, Chicago Cubs: Live arm but below slot bonus for erratic college pitcher. 5.06 ERA with 17/9 K/BB in 16 innings, 17 hits for the AZL Cubs. Has potential but a project.
315) Stephen Carmon, SS, San Diego Padres: .280/.385/.384 with 26 walks, 21 strikeouts in 164 at-bats for Eugene in the NWL, 9-for-12 in steals. Error-prone with the glove. Very small bonus for college infielder, has some interesting leadoff skills but lacks power.
316) Pat Ludwig, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates: Tiny bonus for Yale product with decent breaking stuff but little heat. Good performance so far: 1.47 ERA with 27/4 K/BB in 31 innings between State College in the NY-P and West Virginia in the Low-A South Atlantic League. Knows how to pitch.
317) Ron Miller, 1B, Miami Marlins: .182/.225/.356 with six walks, 51 strikeouts in 132 at-bats for the GCL Marlins. Very impressive strength/power, but no clue about hitting at this point, can't make contact. Slot bonus for high school first baseman.
318) Ben Waldrip, 1B, Colorado Rockies: College slugger, small bonus, otherwise lacks tools as you might imagine. Has hit 10 homers for Grand Junction in the Pioneer League, but overall numbers are weak (.227/.295/.448) due to contact issues (47 whiffs in 45 games).
319) Brett Vertigan, OF, Oakland Athletics: .263/.337/.358 with 23 walks, 30 strikeouts in 232 at-bats for Vermont in the NY-P, 12-for-16 in steals. Slot bonus for college outfielder, good speed, fourth outfielder profile.
320) Paul Sewald, RHP, New York Mets: College senior, bonus smaller than the Grinch's heart at $1,000. Great numbers so far: 1.95 ERA with 34/2 K/BB in 28 innings for Brooklyn in the NY-P, 24 hits. Lacks heat but knows what he's doing on the mound.
321) Brandon Hardin, RHP, Chicago White Sox: Below slot bonus for college pitcher despite good velocity and command, has looked good in the Pioneer League so far, 3.13 ERA with 36/8 K/BB in 32 innings, 3.54 GO/AO. Need higher-level data but a good start to his career.
322) Jeremy Kivel, RHP, Cincinnati Reds: Huge overslot bonus ($500,000), made possible because he is out with a torn ACL. Throws hard but raw.
323) Josh Martin, RHP, Cleveland Indians: College senior with good statistical track record, decent arm strength, small bonus. That's the "possible bargain" profile. 4.21 ERA with 41/15 K/BB in 47 innings, 38 hits, mostly at Mahoning Valley in the NY-P, though the Indians like him enough that he was just moved up to High-A Carolina this week.
324) Craig Manuel, C, Washington Nationals: College backstop with good defensive and intangible rep, bat questions kept him to a small bonus. So far, hitting .287/.376/.315 with 16 walks, 11 strikeouts in 143 at-bats for Auburn in the NY-P, with 41% of runners caught. If he had any power at all, he'd be a major sleeper.
325) Alex Azor, OF, Toronto Blue Jays: Navy product with bonus smaller than a PT boat ($1,000), .250/.302/.275 in 40 at-bats for Bluefield in the Appy League. Seems unlikely to amount to much. On military leave.
326) Zach Babitt, 2B, Los Angeles Dodgers: Tiny bonus following college baseball play at Academy of Art in California. .254/.389/.271 with 13 walks, six strikeouts in 59 at-bats for AZL Dodgers. Gets on base, but lacks power. Best attribute is the fact that he's the son of former major league infielder Shooty Babbit.
327) Chris O'Grady, LHP, Los Angeles Angels: Below slot college pitcher with mediocre velocity, 5.02 ERA with 13/7 K/BB in 14 innings for Orem in the Pioneer League, 16 hits. Could hang around awhile since he's a lefty and breathing but has little margin for error.
328) Trevor Brown, C, San Francisco Giants: Slot bonus for college guy with experience at multiple positions, playing catcher as a pro. Hitting .207/.291/.261 with 13 walks, 14 strikeouts for Salem-Keizer in the NWL. Has played well behind the plate at least.
329) Mike Dodig, 3B, Atlanta Braves: Junior college slugger earned below slot bonus. Very raw, hitting .174/.224/.273 with eight walks, 37 strikeouts in 132 at-bats for GCL Braves, while making 14 errors in 33 games.
330) Jacob Wilson, 2B, St. Louis Cardinals: Stereotype scrappy college infielder, below slot bonus, .232/.303/.370 with 11 walks, 30 strikeouts in 138 at-bats for Batavia in the NY-P. Very good glove but not much of a hitter at this stage.
331) J.T. Watkins, C, Boston Red Sox: .200/.294/.289 with three walks, 13 strikeouts in 45 at-bats for Lowell in the NY-P, 41% of runners caught. Sample is quite small obviously. Army guy, signed for $1,000.
332) Sean Bierman, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays: 3.65 ERA with 45/9 K/BB in 62 innings for Hudson Valley in the NY-P and Bowling Green in the Midwest League. 2.39 GO/AO. Tiny bonus college senior, injury-prone but has been effective when healthy, throws strikes and keeps the ball down.
333) Danny Poma, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks: .236/.323/.297 with 15 walks, 20 strikeouts in 195 at-bats for Yakima in the NWL. Below slot college outfielder, not hitting yet, but he does have some tools including good speed and a strong arm. Raw for his age but has some development potential.
334) Charlie Gillies, RHP, Detroit Tigers: Another below slot college senior, 3.40 ERA with 42/17 K/BB in 42 innings for Connecticut in the NY-P, 31 hits. Spectacular 4.73 GO/AO supports scouting reports of an excellent sinker.
335) Anthony Banda, LHP, Milwaukee Brewers: Junior college guy got a slot bonus, has a very good curve, average heat, control problems so far with 5.83 ERA, 43/24 K/BB in 42 innings for AZL Brewers, 54 hits.
336) Casey Shiver, RHP, Texas Rangers: Below slot bonus for small college guy with strong stats but mediocre stuff. 2.22 ERA with 23/4 K/BB in 24 innings for AZL Rangers, 19 hits. Good numbers but old for the level.
337) Matt Snyder, 1B, New York Yankees: Younger brother of Brandon Snyder, successful college power hitter but lack of speed/athleticism means he got a tiny bonus. .299/.397/.428 with 26 walks, 19 strikeouts in 187 at-bats for Staten Island in the NY-P. I like the BB/K/AB ratio.
338) Kevin Brady, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies: Slot bonus for college pitcher, history of injuries but has good stuff, strong numbers so far in pro ball, 1.67 ERA with 49/7 K/BB in 38 innings between GCL Phillies and Williamsport in the NY-P. Good sleeper potential if he avoids health issues.
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