2078 Draft Grades
Mzy:
Grade: C+
Best Pick: Joe Dix RP
Sleeper Pick: Evan Measures OF
Dix looks like he can be a potential closer and its a surprise he fell as far as he did he should have a good fastball with a curveball that plays. Measures is the loveable speed projection OF, he might not play well enough to be an everyday guy but has a shot at a slit OF rotation type roll.
TT:
ARZ
Grade: B
For having all 7 picks being #70 or later, I think there are some solid players in this group. Dix will a good shot at being at least an effective MR, possibly even a setup guy at some point. Vandyck and Measures will each have a great shot at a ML roster spot at some point as with their solid starting vitals, it won’t take much development to turn them into at least bench players. Pender, Blanc, and Stalwell each have a chance to turn into a back of the rotation arm, and knowing Andy’s past draft success, I suspect at least one of his picks will exceed expectations.
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Jose Landlina C
Sleeper Pick: N/A
Jose should be a good catcher with a good eye, however the rest of the offensive side is a concern as he may not hit RHP well enough, also unless he bulks up his arm then he will not throw out enough runners.
TT:
ATL
Grade: B-
Landolina looks like he’ll be a good defender, although arm will stay in the mid 80’s at best, but he won’t hit much. This might not be a problem if the future Braves lineup is anything like the current version. B- as I think there were better players to be had at this spot, possibly even at catcher, but it’s certainly not a bad pick at the back of the 1st round.
:bal3:
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Carlos Trevino C
Sleeper Pick: Jesse Meadows 3B
Trevino looks to be similar to the Catcher Atlanta got, difference is Carlos should hit a little better and has a much better arm. He might only end up being a backup but he has a chance to be an everyday catcher. Meadows might not be able to field but he had a chance to play with his bat, but likely no better than a bench bat.
TT:
BAL
Grade: B-
Baltimore took the catcher I think I would have leaned towards over the aforementioned Landolina...Trevino looks like he’ll hit a bit more, and possesses that sought after 90+arm vital, however the other defensive stats aren’t as great as Landolina. The late lottery picks here were both 3B with no glove and not a lot of bat, so it would take quite a jump to see them become quality pieces in the future, although Meadows at least has youth and a possibility of becoming playable defensively at 2B to give him a slight edge there.
:bos2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Jim Paynter 1B
Sleeper Pick: Ed Beeck OF
Boston had a very nice draft, they got a lot of very typical projectable bats, none will be top of the order but plenty could be middle of the road. Paynter looks like he could be a very good bat, probably will be rock hands on the field but should hit very well. Beeck again will not be a great, good or average defender but his bat will make him worthwhile, maybe not as a starter but a part time DH or very good bench bat should be in his future.
TT:
BOS
Grade: B-
Paynter has true elite power potential to go with a solid eye, but the contact will be the question mark here….if it can get to 75, he could be a 40 HR guy, but any less could really hurt his value on most teams. If it all comes together, he could be a monster. The rest of the Red Sox draft doesn’t have nearly as much upside a couple of OFs with low contact/high power and each may as well leave their gloves at home. Albright is intriguing as a lotto pick, if he can get into the 80’s the glove may be good enough to take advantage of the power potential.
:chc2:
Mzy:
Grade: B-
Best Pick: Ian Phipps RP
Sleeper Pick: Brad White C
Phipps is a very young RP hard to project him this far out but he looks like he has the potential to be a long term closer. IF all goes right he will be very successful for a number of years. White does not have the arm you look for in a catcher but the rest of him looks solid, he may not be the type people want but he should be good enough to play as a back up.
TT:
CHC
Grade: B
Phipps is so young, and RPs are so weird so the hope is there that the control can progress as well as it should, and if it does, he will be a solid back of the bullpen arm for the Cubbies. White looks alot like Landolina, so getting that type of player at #62 makes him a nice pick. Livings looks to have some added value by way of versatility, so even if he doesn’t have any outstanding vitals, he could still end up on a ML roster someday.
:chw2:
No picks
:cin2:
Mzy:
Grade: A
Best Pick: Mike Botts SP
Sleeper Pick: Zach McIntrye 1B
Botts might be one of the best SP in the draft, he has pitched very well up to this point and he has the things that most GM's look for in a pitcher, the big concern here is no fastball, if he can get around with a changeup and a sinker he will be good, if not heads will shake. Zach has a nice projectable bat, not the typical power eye that most pick he will be more even keeled but he should make the majors for a bench spot.
TT:
CIN
Grade: D+
I am complete opposite of Mzy here. I think Botts was a terrible pick at #3. If you go pitcher in the top 3, you absolutely have to get a future top of the rotation arm, and Botts is not that, and here’s why… all 3 of his important vitals are well below his current overall of 73, in fact at 68/56/66, he looks like a solid control/movement build that I and many others love to build a rotation around. But, those particular numbers would only look good if he was like 60 overall or less. I doubt very strongly that those ever get near the 90/80/90 that most would expect in a TORP in this league. As he looks now, a future #4 or #5 SP is his ceiling imo. Ironically, his auto-picks are the reason’s that this is not an F. Lewis was a solid pick, the 2nd best catcher in this draft from my board at 20 is a good pick, and Panigua I’d say probably has a higher ceiling than Botts, as if his control can get into the 80’s, and I think it will be damn close that it could, he would be a solid SP in most rotations.
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Marc Cartier OF
Sleeper Pick: Justin Kellner OF
Cartier is a guy that shouldn't see the field, but that doesn't matter, he has a very nice looking bat, should hit well for contact with good power and a great eye, should be a OPS machine and an everyday player. Kellner is the guy if he had a high peak would go in the top two rounds, the fact that his birthday is still upcoming hurts as well, but if he can survive that and get a jump he could end up being a guy to try to find a way to play, especially with his outfield defense.
TT:
CLE
Grade: B-
Dearing was a reach at #12. He doesn’t have any standout skills to make him worth a pick that high, with plenty of other better prospects on the board. I think he’ll be good enough defensively at 2B, but the bat doesn’t offer anything special to pass up on the other talent out there at #12, especially the pitchers that were there. Cartier could have some value as a lefty bat with the con/pow/eye all at good levels compared to his overall. I really liked the 3rd and 4th rd picks for CLE. Erroa will be in the ML someday, with good defense at all IF spots, and being a switch hitter with power.
:col2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Eli Simms SP
Sleeper Pick: James Richard OF
Colorado had a lot of picks here, Simms was a very good pick here, he has three potential plus pitches and a very good track record so far in his career, still a bit young so he has top of the rotation potential. Richard looks like a very exciting bat with top of the lineup potential, should hit for good power and good contact might have a little speed to play with, the eye is a bit of a concer.
TT:
COL
Grade: B
Quantity was the story for COL this draft, but I’m not sure how much quality he got. Although, when you have that many picks, you are really just hoping the higher picks pan out, and the lower picks can develop into something useful someday. Simms wasn’t a bad pick here, while he has a power build with a lower GB%, the amateur HR rates aren’t too bad, so he will have a chance to be a SP someday. Ospina has a similar scouting report, and I actually think he could end up better, with a better chance of his control reaching 80 and tunring him into a quality starter. Without writing a novel on his draft, a couple of those RP look to be future useful pen pieces. A couple of his later Lotto picks really caught my interest, C Weber has a floor of a backup C, as an 18 y/o lefty bat with a nice arm, and P Rhodes who has a nice starting build, but already dropped, so we’ll see if he can rebound from that. Lots of upside from this draft overall.
:det2:
Mzy:
Grade: C+
Best Pick: Raul Perez SP
Sleeper Pick: Jace Brooks 3B
Perez is a good young projectable pitcher, drafting him in the first one hopes Gil Marin and the potential is there, the lack of a fastball appears not to be a deterent, at 17 plenty of room to grow. Brooks may be a steal, looks to have solid defense and has a projectable bat and hits from both sides of the plate, may be a very big surprise in a few years.
TT:
DET
Grade: A
As seems a normal occurrence, I quite like what GB did for this draft, especially with only 4 picks to work with this time. Perez will be solid. He’s got the good end/health vitals you look for, and nice starting build. Sure, he’s a lefty, but he has a god-tier GB%, and no signs of HR issues in his amateur stats. The LH power potential of Solley was a nice pickup at the back of 2nd round, and the versatility of Brooks and Yamaguchi make them as close to locks as 4th and 5th round picks can be, at least to be bench options on future Tigers teams.
:fla2:
Mzy:
Grade: A
Best Pick: Kevin Saffron 2B
Sleeper Pick: Jesse Colhoun OF
I'm just mad about Saffren, and Saffren is mad about me. He looks like he could be a good to very good 2B with solid defense, the power is real if the eye increase and the contact holds he will be very good. Colhoun has very good efense and has a projectable bat, should play as a good 4th OF in a few years.
TT:
FLA
Grade: A+
Nice overall draft for Hokey, and I can say I contributed by sending him a few more picks to work with. This is an A+ draft, just based on his 1st round talent that he got. His future middle infield and 2 / 5 of his future rotation, and all of them with big time upside. Orrin and Morales also fit into that future rotation as 2nd rounders, and the lotto picks he grabbed later in the draft all have a shot to be on the roster of the future 2086 WS champion Florida Marlins.
:hou3:
Mzy:
Grade: C-
Best Pick: Gregg Roth SP
Sleeper Pick: Sam Grant OF
Roth has been solid pitching everywhere he has been and that should continue moving forward, while his ceiling may only be a back end of the rotation type guy he should do well enough in that roll. Grant has good speed, if the rest of the bat comes along he can turn into a good split canidate as a semi everyday guy, or a good 4th OF.
TT:
KCR
Grade: A
I love what KC came away with, even without a 1st round pick. Walsh is one of those high-floor SP that you pretty much know what you’re going to get from draft day, and while he may not end up and ace he will be a solid arm to have around. Hinton, Marks, and Lawrence were each one of the best players to go in their respective rounds. Fossett has some nice upside as well, although he has that power build, his control is well above his overall and a jump could push him to being an 80/90/90 SP or better someday.
:kcr2:
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Dave Walsh SP
Sleeper Pick: Nick Lawrence OF
Good all around draft by KC, Walsh looks like he could be a solid mid rotation guy, the concern here is the advanced age but if things do not come up Milhouse then all should be good in the KC hood. Lawrence is a guy you would have thought to gone off the board earlier as he has big speed and a good looking bat and solid defense, could be a everyday OF one day.
TT:
KCR
Grade: A
I love what KC came away with, even without a 1st round pick. Walsh is one of those high-floor SP that you pretty much know what you’re going to get from draft day, and while he may not end up and ace he will be a solid arm to have around. Hinton, Marks, and Lawrence were each one of the best players to go in their respective rounds. Fossett has some nice upside as well, although he has that power build, his control is well above his overall and a jump could push him to being an 80/90/90 SP or better someday.
:laa2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Rutherford Dinnes SP
Sleeper Pick: Cristian Casarz SP
Most would take one of the first two SP picked by LAA, and they should be good but I think Dinnes is the guy here. He has very solid vitals good stats and a good fastball and solid slider, while the other two have more time to fill out Dinnes looks certain he will. Casarz has very good stats to this point doesn't give up many HR and has a great fastball, if he can add a pitch he should be a good to very good SP and potentially a mid rotation type guy.
TT:
LAA
Grade: B-
A pitcher-heavy draft for the Angels. Lisanti is an interesting pitcher. He’s got some big upside, and has tons of time to reach it, but I see him more as a #3 type of SP maybe a #2 in his best years, which is certainly useful and depending on the makeup of future Angels teams could make him worth the top 10 pick. Rush was a reach at 9. I don’t think the control will ever get up high enough to make him more than a back of the rotation arm or LR...he’s a long shot to become a solid contributer. Dinnes will need a jump to get to be a useful SP, but I do think he may be better of in the bullpen at some point, if the vitals never take off. Rivra was a nice pick, if he can rebound from the early drop, I think he has a future spot in the rotation. Casarz was also a nice arm to grab at the back of the 3rd, a power build with some upside could surprise when he develops a bit more.
:lad2:
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Joe Bailey C
Sleeper Pick: Brian Mason 1B
Bailey is a very good looking catching spec, great arm and very good looking hitting vitals. He should have a very good bat when all is said and done and he will throw out runners on a regular basis. Mason is a good pick where he went he look like he can be a very good bat, might be able to play everyday in the field or at DH, should be a very nice pick a few seasons from now.
TT:
LAD
Grade: B-
Best catcher in the draft was Bailey, and LAD grabbed him at 6th overall. He’s got everything you look for in a starting catcher, and after the clear best 4 players were off the board ahead of this pick, filling that position on your team is a great decision. Emesto (as is a common theme with young power builds) needs the control to tick up as he progresses to become a solid ML contributor, but I worry a bit about his HR rates so far. He does have 4 pitches right at or above his current overall, so that is a positive. I love taking chances on RPs in the 3rd and later, but not sure Gomez fits what I would select at that part of the draft. My main worry is the movement, as it is so far behind his overall, and he has so little upside left, that it may struggle to get out of the low 70’s and that simply won’t cut it in a bullpen in this league, of course a jump to the upper 80’s could change his outlook.
:mil2:
Mzy:
Grade: B-
Best Pick: Marco Nifaro RP
Sleeper Pick: Brandon Westhead OF
Nirfaro is one of the best RP in the draft, was surprised to see him go this high but it doesn't change the fact he would produce well. Good stats so far in his career and he has a great GB%, however the their in a concern with him being a curveball first pitcher, but his fastball should be good enough to go with a great curve to carry him through. Westhead has little room to grow, but if he get a potentially surprise jump he could be a very useful bench guy down the road.
TT:
MIL
Grade: B
Bold move to take a RP at #15, but Nifaro was far and away the best RP spec in this draft, so I think it was a solid pick here, especially at the start of a rebuild (or retool or whatever Jmaine is calling it these days). Then he backed it up with probably the 2nd best RP at #31, so his future bullpen is set. Then it got interesting…. LF Grant, he of 76 overall on draft day, was picked at #33. I get the thinking, and it takes guts to make a pick of a guy like that in the first comp round, but my biggest issue is how much upside he’s got, which isn’t much. If he was a couple years younger and a little lower overall right now, he would have much more potential to turn into something great, but he seems like he may peak fairly soon….so we’ll see. Love the Shneider pick though, a switch hitting catcher like him, with a good arm will always have value in this league. Westhead was a nice pickup at #157, switch hitter, with great speed and relatively decent power….it’s a long shot, but a decent jump would turn him into a future 4th OF.
:min2:
Mzy:
Grade: C
Best Pick: Oscar Sancha SP
Sleeper Pick: Eduard Mendesa SP
Sancha has the change to be a solid SP but at 21yr and with both pitches below his overall there is concern if he will be able to do much of anything, the fact his birthday has come and went might be a saving grace here. Mendesa is a guy you want to like but probably shoudlnt, while his vitals look like a guy who could turn into a solid SP the HR will be an issue and the fact that the last two seasons he was walked more then he struck out is a major red flag.
TT:
MIN
Grade: B-
Sancha doesn’t have elite upside imo, but he could very well end up a solid back of the rotation arm, and with the power arms MIN has right now, that is all they need to stay on track to be contenders for the next decade. Mendesa I’m not as high on, but lefty power builds need love too, and the 4th round is a good spot to take a shot on one with an 83 peak.
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Cesar Parras 1B
Sleeper Pick: Sean Starrett SP
Parras may end up being the best hitter in the draft, only time will tell but he has the look of a guy that will crush the ball once he hits the majors, if he leans more toward Dan Vines then Brian Strauch then MOntreal will be tickled pink. Starrett was taken out of my usual sleeper range but he is a very nice looking pick, he should end up a middle of the rotation type arm if all 3 pitches develop and he gets the right jumps he could be a higher rotation guy, but the potential is there for a back end or LR too, at 19 at least there is time to tell.
TT:
MON
Grade: B+
Parras got a jump leading up to the draft, which ultimately probably bumped him from a 10-15 pick all the way up to 5, and that was definitely a great pick here. He is so young, but all the vitals are great, so there’s no reason to think that he won’t become an impact hitter. Nelson wasn’t the worst pick at #38, but it’s hard to see him becoming a starting caliber catcher, with his poor splits and arm that likely won’t break 80, and he is going to clog up the bases..even for a catcher. That said, a jump could make him a useable catcher during his peak years. I thought Starrett may have been the steal of the 3rd round. Great starting vitals, good amateur stats, and great GB% all make him look like a future #3 or 4 type of SP, he will age in a couple sims, so we’ll see if he takes a hit, or can stick with that 81 or better peak.
:nym2:
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Mark DibBiasi C
Sleeper Pick: Clark Bohl 2B
DiBiasi might be the best player drafted, I know that will be a far stretch for many but I'm sticking to it. He should be a very good catcher people will want to make the comparion to a certain catcher in Detroit, and if he gets to that level then he will certainly be the best player drafted this year. Bohl gets the nod as the sleep because his bat looks like it could play as a bench piece AAAA guy one day, and beign a swith hitter certainly helps his case.
TT:
NYM
Grade: B
Dibiasi was a point of some mixed opinions in XAT leading up to the draft, with some loving him, some hating him, and some indifferent. I was mostly indifferent towards his unique build. He will be a starting catcher someday, so that alone is typically worth a top pick. Where he starts to lose me is his lack of eye, and relatively low power for a catcher--which probably won’t get out of the lower 70’s at his peak. That said, the speed/baserunning ability is the game-changer, and he should hit enough to make some use of it. The current Tiger Hainsworth is the closest comp to him, but Dibiasi probably will never be quite the same offensive threat as he is.
:nyy2:
Mzy:
Grade: F
Best Pick: Cory McPhearson SS
Sleeper Pick: N/A
Only one pick, takes a guy that wont be able to play defense, or shouldn't, with a bat that is only of mildest interest, the speed and since he is a lefty is why he was taken, but that doesn't mean he should have been.
TT:
NYY
Grade: N/A
One very late pick...a SS with 5 points of upside remaining currently, so not worth grading based on a single lotto pick.
:oak2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Mike Arnopp SP
Sleeper Pick: Jim Benham C
Arnopp was a guy that was so close to falling in my lap it isn't funny, no seriously its not fucking funny stop laughing...asshats. Anyway, a lot of people may not like him but he has so much to love. He strikes out a ton of guys doesn't give up many HR and his stats are superb from 16 on, 16 was his highest ERA at 3.04, he will be ready to throw next season and draws a Tom Little comparison. Benham was a steal in the 4th round, he may be the best defensive catcher in the draft, the speed is intriguing as well, if the rest of the bat can somehow catch up you may have one of the best late rounds picks taken in a long long whiel.
TT:
OAK
Grade: B+
Arnopp is very interesting, as a power build that is very nearly major league ready, and seems on track to be a useful SP very soon. Depending on his next jump, he could end up somewhere between a middle rotation arm and a TORP, which would be an excellent pickup for OAK, and not a ton of risk for taking a pitcher at #14. Macy is...well he’s young, so he’s got that going for him, but at his current projection, he would be a fringe starting catcher, with his likely below average arm, but you could do much worse than him as a starter. Benham is intriguing, as a Dibiasi-light, he’s a lower peak, but high speed/arm catcher, that will turn 20 within a couple sims, so we should get a better idea on his potential when he ages, but he is a fascinating sleeper. I had Danagher and Ray each on my board at the back of this draft, which each having a solid defensive profile to go with a chance to hold their own on offense, I think each will have a chance to be bench player in the future.
:phi2:
Mzy:
Grade: C-
Best Pick: Raul Ampuro 1B
Sleeper Pick:
For a late round Auto you could do a lot worse, he look like he has an outside chance at become a good bench bat or a very poor mans DH.
TT:
PHI
Grade: N/A
Another late lotto pick, we’ll see if he turns into something worth grading in the future.
:pit2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Heath Fretwell OF
Sleeper Pick: Marc Williams SS
Fretwell is an interesting guy for me, defense is good and his eye may be the best we have seen in a while, and the power and contact are where they need to be to project out. However for me something does not sit right, I cant put my finger on it either, he should end up being a very good OF playing wherever he wants if the bat develops the way most think he could be a perennial all star. Williams was picked as a sleeper because I didn't want to spell out the 2B name, his bat wont play but his defense and speed will, he will find a home on a bench one day.
TT:
PIT
Grade: A-
I liked this draft a bit, Fretwell was the correct #1 imo, even though we’ve seen this build thrive and fail, and there seems to be one a the top of every draft, he has massive potential. Steward was another nice pick, although it appears his peak dropped a point in sim 4, I really love his profile, he could play all 3 OF positions well enough, and has really good splits for a righty hitter and could steal 10-15 bags a season as well. Inions was another nice bat here, a young lefty with contact/power/eye well over his current overall, he will find a spot at either 1B or DH for Gilly. Like Kinchen and Williams as a sleepers here, a good glove and a bat with some potential makes them a possible role player option in the future. Would have liked to see PIT add some of these interesting young arms in this draft, but can’t argue with the big time power potential he added.
:sdp2:
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Tony Kastelin SP
Sleeper Pick: Carlos Gina OF
Kastelin was a good pick, he project nicely as a middle of the rotation arm, maybe better. At 18 he has a chance to develop to that higher end but I'm not sure he makes it there, he has all the right signs that he could but I'm not as sold as others. Gina is a nice projectable bat could end up on a bench some day.
TT:
SDP
Grade: A-
Kastelin was a target I was hoping to trade up for, as well as another name later in this review. I thought #22 was too far for him to fall. He was one of the top 3-4 SP on my board, as his power/control looks to be set to reach in to the mid 80’s at least, and that sets him apart from some of the other arms that went before him. It wouldn’t shock me to see him as San Diego’s ace in the future. Murdock was a nice pickup at the end of the 3rd round, an elite defender at SS or 3B, the bat may lag behind some, but he will have value at least as a bench option in the future.
:sfg2:
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Damon Redmond DH
Sleeper Pick: Paul Blumenthal 2B
Redmond was a guy I was surprised fell as far as he did, sure he is a DH and nothing more but he is a very good looking DH. While one would not and should not put any stock in his last season in College wow was it good, he should develop into a DH that has a nice long career in the MLB, and could be one of those players people later kick themselves for not taking. Blumenthal has a chance to develop into a everyday 2B, the defense is there and the bat isn't to far off, worse comes to worse he could see some spit time.
TT:
SFG
Grade: C+
Redmond is a DH for sure, and he will probably be a solid one with his con/pow/eye all getting into the mid-upper 80’s if it all comes together. Tobis has solid splits as a righty hitter, but without a defensive position, I don’t think he will find a spot on a ML roster in the future. Lima is similarly built, and Peterson would have looked really nice before his drop last time he aged...he could still end up as a useful platoon bat, but he might need to rebound some first.
:sea2:
Mzy:
Grade: A+++ (JK) Actual Grade: B-
Best Pick: Bobby Schulenburg RP
Sleeper Pick: Kiwamu Hoshino SP
Schulenburg is a guy most would not take, especially as high as he went, but his power is real and his fastball is there to match, doesn't give up many HR. His control will be his issue if that can get up a bit and his movement stays moving upwards he could become a dominant closer. Hoshino is a guy that has the potential to peak sooner rather than later, however if he gets a jump in he could be a very good back end of the rotation guy, if not a solid back end guy or a good LRP.
TT:
SEA
Grade: B
Mzy’s first two picks, SP Sumaya and RP Schulenburg have me on the fence. Sumaya I think needs to see some development when he jumps next, to get the control up into the 80’s, however SEA has had some success before with a certain left handed power build with fringe control (see Little, Tom). Schulendurg is interesting, as the power is so high compared to his control, that it will actually work more like 99 power when adjusted according to Matty’s pitching vitals chart, and the movement will end up in the upper 80s as well. The control is going to be an issue, but his amateur stats don’t look awful when it comes to BBs or HRs, if you feel those are important...plus that ELITE fastball is nice too. My guess is he becomes a good, if not somewhat inconsistent setup or closer. Grainger is a more traditional RP build, but control is also a question with him, but the power and movement will turn him into an effective short reliever or setup man in the future.
:stl2:
Mzy:
Grade: C+
Best Pick: Darren Myers 2B
Sleeper Pick: Mario Rabelo 1B
I didn't allow myself to take no one as the best pick, but I almost did jus that, I'm not a fan or Kransy I don't think there is much to him, reminds me of a Nat Heffernan type, completely average across the board and looks better than he actually is. Hence why I go with Myers who has the potential to have a very nice bat and has an outside chance to be an ok defender. Rabelo has that hitter profile you want in a late round pick, if he jumps right he could be a nice producer off the bench.
TT:
STL
Grade: C+
Krasny I think will hit enough to be a starting CF at some point, but I don’t see a star OF future for him. Myers has a nice offensive profile as a switch hitter, but he doesn’t look to be much of a defender. Rigney is a sleeper here, with a power bat potential at 3B, he won’t be a great defender, but he could profile well into a future lineup if he progresses well enough.
:tex2:
Mzy:
Grade: C+
Best Pick: Justin Waering SP
Sleeper Pick: Wade Wahren 1B
Waering has the potential to be a solid SP, the thing that will hold him back is lack of good performance to this point in his career, as well as a lack of pitches. Wahren is a guy that you love to project as a useful bat, however his downfall is it will be a split only type of projecting which will hurt his overall value greatly.
TT:
TEX
Grade: B-
All picks were #102 and later for Warpriest this season, an he got some interesting arms, but 1B Wahren is a weird one. With about as drastic of a split as I have seen in a prospect...he’s 58/75 contact vs R/R and 73/89 power right now. So he could be the right side of a 1B platoon one day.
:tor3:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Jose Mota SP
Sleeper Pick: Erick Dravid SP
Mota was one of my favorite arms in the draft, and I was a bit surprised and pissed to see him go so high. His has great vitals great fastball good curveball and amazing stats, he projects to be a top end of the rotation arm. Dravid is another good pick in a draft class that I am a big fan of for Toronto. Great fastball and sinker and good vitals, he has a legit shot at being a middle of the rotation guy, hard to believe so many passed him up.
TT:
TOR
Grade: B+
Mota is an interesting arm. I see him as a ceiling of a #2, with more likely a #3 or good #4 SP, but the potential is there, and the amateur stats and great GB% are great indicators toward a nice career for him. Fujii will be a useful RP someday, while the power will probably be too low to make him a true back of the bullpen arm, his crazy high GB% will make him a good addition in the middle of a bullpen. Davidson went a pick before I could get him at #78, and I really like him. Another one of those speedy lefthanded hitters, that has a lower peak, he will be at least a 4th OF, and maybe a guy that you can throw at the bottom of a lineup as a CF with good defense and elite baserunning.
:was2:
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Tim Strange SP
Sleeper Pick: Marc Walton SP
People are strange when there a Stranger people seem wicked when their alone. Great pick of Strange guy has a good shot a being a solid 4th starter maybe even a 3rd, got good vitals and pitches and a solid track record to this point. Walton is another guy similar to many we saw come out of this draft (Drvavid-TOR) that could be very nice pitchers in their own right down the road. While Washington decided not to pick until late in the 2nd they did very well for themselves when all was said and done.
TT:
WAS
Grade: A-
No 1st round picks for Peter for the first time in years, but he still grabbed some nice arms and some interesting lottery picks. Strange was a relatively safe pick at the end of the 2nd round, as a guy that could be at least a back of the rotation arm someday. Riser is similar and has a similar profile. Catron was a nice pick at #107, and I think he’ll be a good enough RP to make the majors eventually. Walton could be another rotation member for a future Nationals team, with a back of the rotation profile similar to the first 2 pitchers I mentioned. Pineiro, Artega, and Regan each have a shot to be useful bats, and Alterete looks to have a nice RP build and was on my list as well. Overall, WAS got plenty of interesting players, and will surely see a good number of them in the majors at some point.
Mzy:
Grade: C+
Best Pick: Joe Dix RP
Sleeper Pick: Evan Measures OF
Dix looks like he can be a potential closer and its a surprise he fell as far as he did he should have a good fastball with a curveball that plays. Measures is the loveable speed projection OF, he might not play well enough to be an everyday guy but has a shot at a slit OF rotation type roll.
TT:
ARZ
Grade: B
For having all 7 picks being #70 or later, I think there are some solid players in this group. Dix will a good shot at being at least an effective MR, possibly even a setup guy at some point. Vandyck and Measures will each have a great shot at a ML roster spot at some point as with their solid starting vitals, it won’t take much development to turn them into at least bench players. Pender, Blanc, and Stalwell each have a chance to turn into a back of the rotation arm, and knowing Andy’s past draft success, I suspect at least one of his picks will exceed expectations.
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Jose Landlina C
Sleeper Pick: N/A
Jose should be a good catcher with a good eye, however the rest of the offensive side is a concern as he may not hit RHP well enough, also unless he bulks up his arm then he will not throw out enough runners.
TT:
ATL
Grade: B-
Landolina looks like he’ll be a good defender, although arm will stay in the mid 80’s at best, but he won’t hit much. This might not be a problem if the future Braves lineup is anything like the current version. B- as I think there were better players to be had at this spot, possibly even at catcher, but it’s certainly not a bad pick at the back of the 1st round.
:bal3:
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Carlos Trevino C
Sleeper Pick: Jesse Meadows 3B
Trevino looks to be similar to the Catcher Atlanta got, difference is Carlos should hit a little better and has a much better arm. He might only end up being a backup but he has a chance to be an everyday catcher. Meadows might not be able to field but he had a chance to play with his bat, but likely no better than a bench bat.
TT:
BAL
Grade: B-
Baltimore took the catcher I think I would have leaned towards over the aforementioned Landolina...Trevino looks like he’ll hit a bit more, and possesses that sought after 90+arm vital, however the other defensive stats aren’t as great as Landolina. The late lottery picks here were both 3B with no glove and not a lot of bat, so it would take quite a jump to see them become quality pieces in the future, although Meadows at least has youth and a possibility of becoming playable defensively at 2B to give him a slight edge there.
:bos2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Jim Paynter 1B
Sleeper Pick: Ed Beeck OF
Boston had a very nice draft, they got a lot of very typical projectable bats, none will be top of the order but plenty could be middle of the road. Paynter looks like he could be a very good bat, probably will be rock hands on the field but should hit very well. Beeck again will not be a great, good or average defender but his bat will make him worthwhile, maybe not as a starter but a part time DH or very good bench bat should be in his future.
TT:
BOS
Grade: B-
Paynter has true elite power potential to go with a solid eye, but the contact will be the question mark here….if it can get to 75, he could be a 40 HR guy, but any less could really hurt his value on most teams. If it all comes together, he could be a monster. The rest of the Red Sox draft doesn’t have nearly as much upside a couple of OFs with low contact/high power and each may as well leave their gloves at home. Albright is intriguing as a lotto pick, if he can get into the 80’s the glove may be good enough to take advantage of the power potential.
:chc2:
Mzy:
Grade: B-
Best Pick: Ian Phipps RP
Sleeper Pick: Brad White C
Phipps is a very young RP hard to project him this far out but he looks like he has the potential to be a long term closer. IF all goes right he will be very successful for a number of years. White does not have the arm you look for in a catcher but the rest of him looks solid, he may not be the type people want but he should be good enough to play as a back up.
TT:
CHC
Grade: B
Phipps is so young, and RPs are so weird so the hope is there that the control can progress as well as it should, and if it does, he will be a solid back of the bullpen arm for the Cubbies. White looks alot like Landolina, so getting that type of player at #62 makes him a nice pick. Livings looks to have some added value by way of versatility, so even if he doesn’t have any outstanding vitals, he could still end up on a ML roster someday.
:chw2:
No picks
:cin2:
Mzy:
Grade: A
Best Pick: Mike Botts SP
Sleeper Pick: Zach McIntrye 1B
Botts might be one of the best SP in the draft, he has pitched very well up to this point and he has the things that most GM's look for in a pitcher, the big concern here is no fastball, if he can get around with a changeup and a sinker he will be good, if not heads will shake. Zach has a nice projectable bat, not the typical power eye that most pick he will be more even keeled but he should make the majors for a bench spot.
TT:
CIN
Grade: D+
I am complete opposite of Mzy here. I think Botts was a terrible pick at #3. If you go pitcher in the top 3, you absolutely have to get a future top of the rotation arm, and Botts is not that, and here’s why… all 3 of his important vitals are well below his current overall of 73, in fact at 68/56/66, he looks like a solid control/movement build that I and many others love to build a rotation around. But, those particular numbers would only look good if he was like 60 overall or less. I doubt very strongly that those ever get near the 90/80/90 that most would expect in a TORP in this league. As he looks now, a future #4 or #5 SP is his ceiling imo. Ironically, his auto-picks are the reason’s that this is not an F. Lewis was a solid pick, the 2nd best catcher in this draft from my board at 20 is a good pick, and Panigua I’d say probably has a higher ceiling than Botts, as if his control can get into the 80’s, and I think it will be damn close that it could, he would be a solid SP in most rotations.
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Marc Cartier OF
Sleeper Pick: Justin Kellner OF
Cartier is a guy that shouldn't see the field, but that doesn't matter, he has a very nice looking bat, should hit well for contact with good power and a great eye, should be a OPS machine and an everyday player. Kellner is the guy if he had a high peak would go in the top two rounds, the fact that his birthday is still upcoming hurts as well, but if he can survive that and get a jump he could end up being a guy to try to find a way to play, especially with his outfield defense.
TT:
CLE
Grade: B-
Dearing was a reach at #12. He doesn’t have any standout skills to make him worth a pick that high, with plenty of other better prospects on the board. I think he’ll be good enough defensively at 2B, but the bat doesn’t offer anything special to pass up on the other talent out there at #12, especially the pitchers that were there. Cartier could have some value as a lefty bat with the con/pow/eye all at good levels compared to his overall. I really liked the 3rd and 4th rd picks for CLE. Erroa will be in the ML someday, with good defense at all IF spots, and being a switch hitter with power.
:col2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Eli Simms SP
Sleeper Pick: James Richard OF
Colorado had a lot of picks here, Simms was a very good pick here, he has three potential plus pitches and a very good track record so far in his career, still a bit young so he has top of the rotation potential. Richard looks like a very exciting bat with top of the lineup potential, should hit for good power and good contact might have a little speed to play with, the eye is a bit of a concer.
TT:
COL
Grade: B
Quantity was the story for COL this draft, but I’m not sure how much quality he got. Although, when you have that many picks, you are really just hoping the higher picks pan out, and the lower picks can develop into something useful someday. Simms wasn’t a bad pick here, while he has a power build with a lower GB%, the amateur HR rates aren’t too bad, so he will have a chance to be a SP someday. Ospina has a similar scouting report, and I actually think he could end up better, with a better chance of his control reaching 80 and tunring him into a quality starter. Without writing a novel on his draft, a couple of those RP look to be future useful pen pieces. A couple of his later Lotto picks really caught my interest, C Weber has a floor of a backup C, as an 18 y/o lefty bat with a nice arm, and P Rhodes who has a nice starting build, but already dropped, so we’ll see if he can rebound from that. Lots of upside from this draft overall.
:det2:
Mzy:
Grade: C+
Best Pick: Raul Perez SP
Sleeper Pick: Jace Brooks 3B
Perez is a good young projectable pitcher, drafting him in the first one hopes Gil Marin and the potential is there, the lack of a fastball appears not to be a deterent, at 17 plenty of room to grow. Brooks may be a steal, looks to have solid defense and has a projectable bat and hits from both sides of the plate, may be a very big surprise in a few years.
TT:
DET
Grade: A
As seems a normal occurrence, I quite like what GB did for this draft, especially with only 4 picks to work with this time. Perez will be solid. He’s got the good end/health vitals you look for, and nice starting build. Sure, he’s a lefty, but he has a god-tier GB%, and no signs of HR issues in his amateur stats. The LH power potential of Solley was a nice pickup at the back of 2nd round, and the versatility of Brooks and Yamaguchi make them as close to locks as 4th and 5th round picks can be, at least to be bench options on future Tigers teams.
:fla2:
Mzy:
Grade: A
Best Pick: Kevin Saffron 2B
Sleeper Pick: Jesse Colhoun OF
I'm just mad about Saffren, and Saffren is mad about me. He looks like he could be a good to very good 2B with solid defense, the power is real if the eye increase and the contact holds he will be very good. Colhoun has very good efense and has a projectable bat, should play as a good 4th OF in a few years.
TT:
FLA
Grade: A+
Nice overall draft for Hokey, and I can say I contributed by sending him a few more picks to work with. This is an A+ draft, just based on his 1st round talent that he got. His future middle infield and 2 / 5 of his future rotation, and all of them with big time upside. Orrin and Morales also fit into that future rotation as 2nd rounders, and the lotto picks he grabbed later in the draft all have a shot to be on the roster of the future 2086 WS champion Florida Marlins.
:hou3:
Mzy:
Grade: C-
Best Pick: Gregg Roth SP
Sleeper Pick: Sam Grant OF
Roth has been solid pitching everywhere he has been and that should continue moving forward, while his ceiling may only be a back end of the rotation type guy he should do well enough in that roll. Grant has good speed, if the rest of the bat comes along he can turn into a good split canidate as a semi everyday guy, or a good 4th OF.
TT:
KCR
Grade: A
I love what KC came away with, even without a 1st round pick. Walsh is one of those high-floor SP that you pretty much know what you’re going to get from draft day, and while he may not end up and ace he will be a solid arm to have around. Hinton, Marks, and Lawrence were each one of the best players to go in their respective rounds. Fossett has some nice upside as well, although he has that power build, his control is well above his overall and a jump could push him to being an 80/90/90 SP or better someday.
:kcr2:
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Dave Walsh SP
Sleeper Pick: Nick Lawrence OF
Good all around draft by KC, Walsh looks like he could be a solid mid rotation guy, the concern here is the advanced age but if things do not come up Milhouse then all should be good in the KC hood. Lawrence is a guy you would have thought to gone off the board earlier as he has big speed and a good looking bat and solid defense, could be a everyday OF one day.
TT:
KCR
Grade: A
I love what KC came away with, even without a 1st round pick. Walsh is one of those high-floor SP that you pretty much know what you’re going to get from draft day, and while he may not end up and ace he will be a solid arm to have around. Hinton, Marks, and Lawrence were each one of the best players to go in their respective rounds. Fossett has some nice upside as well, although he has that power build, his control is well above his overall and a jump could push him to being an 80/90/90 SP or better someday.
:laa2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Rutherford Dinnes SP
Sleeper Pick: Cristian Casarz SP
Most would take one of the first two SP picked by LAA, and they should be good but I think Dinnes is the guy here. He has very solid vitals good stats and a good fastball and solid slider, while the other two have more time to fill out Dinnes looks certain he will. Casarz has very good stats to this point doesn't give up many HR and has a great fastball, if he can add a pitch he should be a good to very good SP and potentially a mid rotation type guy.
TT:
LAA
Grade: B-
A pitcher-heavy draft for the Angels. Lisanti is an interesting pitcher. He’s got some big upside, and has tons of time to reach it, but I see him more as a #3 type of SP maybe a #2 in his best years, which is certainly useful and depending on the makeup of future Angels teams could make him worth the top 10 pick. Rush was a reach at 9. I don’t think the control will ever get up high enough to make him more than a back of the rotation arm or LR...he’s a long shot to become a solid contributer. Dinnes will need a jump to get to be a useful SP, but I do think he may be better of in the bullpen at some point, if the vitals never take off. Rivra was a nice pick, if he can rebound from the early drop, I think he has a future spot in the rotation. Casarz was also a nice arm to grab at the back of the 3rd, a power build with some upside could surprise when he develops a bit more.
:lad2:
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Joe Bailey C
Sleeper Pick: Brian Mason 1B
Bailey is a very good looking catching spec, great arm and very good looking hitting vitals. He should have a very good bat when all is said and done and he will throw out runners on a regular basis. Mason is a good pick where he went he look like he can be a very good bat, might be able to play everyday in the field or at DH, should be a very nice pick a few seasons from now.
TT:
LAD
Grade: B-
Best catcher in the draft was Bailey, and LAD grabbed him at 6th overall. He’s got everything you look for in a starting catcher, and after the clear best 4 players were off the board ahead of this pick, filling that position on your team is a great decision. Emesto (as is a common theme with young power builds) needs the control to tick up as he progresses to become a solid ML contributor, but I worry a bit about his HR rates so far. He does have 4 pitches right at or above his current overall, so that is a positive. I love taking chances on RPs in the 3rd and later, but not sure Gomez fits what I would select at that part of the draft. My main worry is the movement, as it is so far behind his overall, and he has so little upside left, that it may struggle to get out of the low 70’s and that simply won’t cut it in a bullpen in this league, of course a jump to the upper 80’s could change his outlook.
:mil2:
Mzy:
Grade: B-
Best Pick: Marco Nifaro RP
Sleeper Pick: Brandon Westhead OF
Nirfaro is one of the best RP in the draft, was surprised to see him go this high but it doesn't change the fact he would produce well. Good stats so far in his career and he has a great GB%, however the their in a concern with him being a curveball first pitcher, but his fastball should be good enough to go with a great curve to carry him through. Westhead has little room to grow, but if he get a potentially surprise jump he could be a very useful bench guy down the road.
TT:
MIL
Grade: B
Bold move to take a RP at #15, but Nifaro was far and away the best RP spec in this draft, so I think it was a solid pick here, especially at the start of a rebuild (or retool or whatever Jmaine is calling it these days). Then he backed it up with probably the 2nd best RP at #31, so his future bullpen is set. Then it got interesting…. LF Grant, he of 76 overall on draft day, was picked at #33. I get the thinking, and it takes guts to make a pick of a guy like that in the first comp round, but my biggest issue is how much upside he’s got, which isn’t much. If he was a couple years younger and a little lower overall right now, he would have much more potential to turn into something great, but he seems like he may peak fairly soon….so we’ll see. Love the Shneider pick though, a switch hitting catcher like him, with a good arm will always have value in this league. Westhead was a nice pickup at #157, switch hitter, with great speed and relatively decent power….it’s a long shot, but a decent jump would turn him into a future 4th OF.
:min2:
Mzy:
Grade: C
Best Pick: Oscar Sancha SP
Sleeper Pick: Eduard Mendesa SP
Sancha has the change to be a solid SP but at 21yr and with both pitches below his overall there is concern if he will be able to do much of anything, the fact his birthday has come and went might be a saving grace here. Mendesa is a guy you want to like but probably shoudlnt, while his vitals look like a guy who could turn into a solid SP the HR will be an issue and the fact that the last two seasons he was walked more then he struck out is a major red flag.
TT:
MIN
Grade: B-
Sancha doesn’t have elite upside imo, but he could very well end up a solid back of the rotation arm, and with the power arms MIN has right now, that is all they need to stay on track to be contenders for the next decade. Mendesa I’m not as high on, but lefty power builds need love too, and the 4th round is a good spot to take a shot on one with an 83 peak.
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Cesar Parras 1B
Sleeper Pick: Sean Starrett SP
Parras may end up being the best hitter in the draft, only time will tell but he has the look of a guy that will crush the ball once he hits the majors, if he leans more toward Dan Vines then Brian Strauch then MOntreal will be tickled pink. Starrett was taken out of my usual sleeper range but he is a very nice looking pick, he should end up a middle of the rotation type arm if all 3 pitches develop and he gets the right jumps he could be a higher rotation guy, but the potential is there for a back end or LR too, at 19 at least there is time to tell.
TT:
MON
Grade: B+
Parras got a jump leading up to the draft, which ultimately probably bumped him from a 10-15 pick all the way up to 5, and that was definitely a great pick here. He is so young, but all the vitals are great, so there’s no reason to think that he won’t become an impact hitter. Nelson wasn’t the worst pick at #38, but it’s hard to see him becoming a starting caliber catcher, with his poor splits and arm that likely won’t break 80, and he is going to clog up the bases..even for a catcher. That said, a jump could make him a useable catcher during his peak years. I thought Starrett may have been the steal of the 3rd round. Great starting vitals, good amateur stats, and great GB% all make him look like a future #3 or 4 type of SP, he will age in a couple sims, so we’ll see if he takes a hit, or can stick with that 81 or better peak.
:nym2:
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Mark DibBiasi C
Sleeper Pick: Clark Bohl 2B
DiBiasi might be the best player drafted, I know that will be a far stretch for many but I'm sticking to it. He should be a very good catcher people will want to make the comparion to a certain catcher in Detroit, and if he gets to that level then he will certainly be the best player drafted this year. Bohl gets the nod as the sleep because his bat looks like it could play as a bench piece AAAA guy one day, and beign a swith hitter certainly helps his case.
TT:
NYM
Grade: B
Dibiasi was a point of some mixed opinions in XAT leading up to the draft, with some loving him, some hating him, and some indifferent. I was mostly indifferent towards his unique build. He will be a starting catcher someday, so that alone is typically worth a top pick. Where he starts to lose me is his lack of eye, and relatively low power for a catcher--which probably won’t get out of the lower 70’s at his peak. That said, the speed/baserunning ability is the game-changer, and he should hit enough to make some use of it. The current Tiger Hainsworth is the closest comp to him, but Dibiasi probably will never be quite the same offensive threat as he is.
:nyy2:
Mzy:
Grade: F
Best Pick: Cory McPhearson SS
Sleeper Pick: N/A
Only one pick, takes a guy that wont be able to play defense, or shouldn't, with a bat that is only of mildest interest, the speed and since he is a lefty is why he was taken, but that doesn't mean he should have been.
TT:
NYY
Grade: N/A
One very late pick...a SS with 5 points of upside remaining currently, so not worth grading based on a single lotto pick.
:oak2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Mike Arnopp SP
Sleeper Pick: Jim Benham C
Arnopp was a guy that was so close to falling in my lap it isn't funny, no seriously its not fucking funny stop laughing...asshats. Anyway, a lot of people may not like him but he has so much to love. He strikes out a ton of guys doesn't give up many HR and his stats are superb from 16 on, 16 was his highest ERA at 3.04, he will be ready to throw next season and draws a Tom Little comparison. Benham was a steal in the 4th round, he may be the best defensive catcher in the draft, the speed is intriguing as well, if the rest of the bat can somehow catch up you may have one of the best late rounds picks taken in a long long whiel.
TT:
OAK
Grade: B+
Arnopp is very interesting, as a power build that is very nearly major league ready, and seems on track to be a useful SP very soon. Depending on his next jump, he could end up somewhere between a middle rotation arm and a TORP, which would be an excellent pickup for OAK, and not a ton of risk for taking a pitcher at #14. Macy is...well he’s young, so he’s got that going for him, but at his current projection, he would be a fringe starting catcher, with his likely below average arm, but you could do much worse than him as a starter. Benham is intriguing, as a Dibiasi-light, he’s a lower peak, but high speed/arm catcher, that will turn 20 within a couple sims, so we should get a better idea on his potential when he ages, but he is a fascinating sleeper. I had Danagher and Ray each on my board at the back of this draft, which each having a solid defensive profile to go with a chance to hold their own on offense, I think each will have a chance to be bench player in the future.
:phi2:
Mzy:
Grade: C-
Best Pick: Raul Ampuro 1B
Sleeper Pick:
For a late round Auto you could do a lot worse, he look like he has an outside chance at become a good bench bat or a very poor mans DH.
TT:
PHI
Grade: N/A
Another late lotto pick, we’ll see if he turns into something worth grading in the future.
:pit2:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Heath Fretwell OF
Sleeper Pick: Marc Williams SS
Fretwell is an interesting guy for me, defense is good and his eye may be the best we have seen in a while, and the power and contact are where they need to be to project out. However for me something does not sit right, I cant put my finger on it either, he should end up being a very good OF playing wherever he wants if the bat develops the way most think he could be a perennial all star. Williams was picked as a sleeper because I didn't want to spell out the 2B name, his bat wont play but his defense and speed will, he will find a home on a bench one day.
TT:
PIT
Grade: A-
I liked this draft a bit, Fretwell was the correct #1 imo, even though we’ve seen this build thrive and fail, and there seems to be one a the top of every draft, he has massive potential. Steward was another nice pick, although it appears his peak dropped a point in sim 4, I really love his profile, he could play all 3 OF positions well enough, and has really good splits for a righty hitter and could steal 10-15 bags a season as well. Inions was another nice bat here, a young lefty with contact/power/eye well over his current overall, he will find a spot at either 1B or DH for Gilly. Like Kinchen and Williams as a sleepers here, a good glove and a bat with some potential makes them a possible role player option in the future. Would have liked to see PIT add some of these interesting young arms in this draft, but can’t argue with the big time power potential he added.
:sdp2:
Mzy:
Grade: B
Best Pick: Tony Kastelin SP
Sleeper Pick: Carlos Gina OF
Kastelin was a good pick, he project nicely as a middle of the rotation arm, maybe better. At 18 he has a chance to develop to that higher end but I'm not sure he makes it there, he has all the right signs that he could but I'm not as sold as others. Gina is a nice projectable bat could end up on a bench some day.
TT:
SDP
Grade: A-
Kastelin was a target I was hoping to trade up for, as well as another name later in this review. I thought #22 was too far for him to fall. He was one of the top 3-4 SP on my board, as his power/control looks to be set to reach in to the mid 80’s at least, and that sets him apart from some of the other arms that went before him. It wouldn’t shock me to see him as San Diego’s ace in the future. Murdock was a nice pickup at the end of the 3rd round, an elite defender at SS or 3B, the bat may lag behind some, but he will have value at least as a bench option in the future.
:sfg2:
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Damon Redmond DH
Sleeper Pick: Paul Blumenthal 2B
Redmond was a guy I was surprised fell as far as he did, sure he is a DH and nothing more but he is a very good looking DH. While one would not and should not put any stock in his last season in College wow was it good, he should develop into a DH that has a nice long career in the MLB, and could be one of those players people later kick themselves for not taking. Blumenthal has a chance to develop into a everyday 2B, the defense is there and the bat isn't to far off, worse comes to worse he could see some spit time.
TT:
SFG
Grade: C+
Redmond is a DH for sure, and he will probably be a solid one with his con/pow/eye all getting into the mid-upper 80’s if it all comes together. Tobis has solid splits as a righty hitter, but without a defensive position, I don’t think he will find a spot on a ML roster in the future. Lima is similarly built, and Peterson would have looked really nice before his drop last time he aged...he could still end up as a useful platoon bat, but he might need to rebound some first.
:sea2:
Mzy:
Grade: A+++ (JK) Actual Grade: B-
Best Pick: Bobby Schulenburg RP
Sleeper Pick: Kiwamu Hoshino SP
Schulenburg is a guy most would not take, especially as high as he went, but his power is real and his fastball is there to match, doesn't give up many HR. His control will be his issue if that can get up a bit and his movement stays moving upwards he could become a dominant closer. Hoshino is a guy that has the potential to peak sooner rather than later, however if he gets a jump in he could be a very good back end of the rotation guy, if not a solid back end guy or a good LRP.
TT:
SEA
Grade: B
Mzy’s first two picks, SP Sumaya and RP Schulenburg have me on the fence. Sumaya I think needs to see some development when he jumps next, to get the control up into the 80’s, however SEA has had some success before with a certain left handed power build with fringe control (see Little, Tom). Schulendurg is interesting, as the power is so high compared to his control, that it will actually work more like 99 power when adjusted according to Matty’s pitching vitals chart, and the movement will end up in the upper 80s as well. The control is going to be an issue, but his amateur stats don’t look awful when it comes to BBs or HRs, if you feel those are important...plus that ELITE fastball is nice too. My guess is he becomes a good, if not somewhat inconsistent setup or closer. Grainger is a more traditional RP build, but control is also a question with him, but the power and movement will turn him into an effective short reliever or setup man in the future.
:stl2:
Mzy:
Grade: C+
Best Pick: Darren Myers 2B
Sleeper Pick: Mario Rabelo 1B
I didn't allow myself to take no one as the best pick, but I almost did jus that, I'm not a fan or Kransy I don't think there is much to him, reminds me of a Nat Heffernan type, completely average across the board and looks better than he actually is. Hence why I go with Myers who has the potential to have a very nice bat and has an outside chance to be an ok defender. Rabelo has that hitter profile you want in a late round pick, if he jumps right he could be a nice producer off the bench.
TT:
STL
Grade: C+
Krasny I think will hit enough to be a starting CF at some point, but I don’t see a star OF future for him. Myers has a nice offensive profile as a switch hitter, but he doesn’t look to be much of a defender. Rigney is a sleeper here, with a power bat potential at 3B, he won’t be a great defender, but he could profile well into a future lineup if he progresses well enough.
:tex2:
Mzy:
Grade: C+
Best Pick: Justin Waering SP
Sleeper Pick: Wade Wahren 1B
Waering has the potential to be a solid SP, the thing that will hold him back is lack of good performance to this point in his career, as well as a lack of pitches. Wahren is a guy that you love to project as a useful bat, however his downfall is it will be a split only type of projecting which will hurt his overall value greatly.
TT:
TEX
Grade: B-
All picks were #102 and later for Warpriest this season, an he got some interesting arms, but 1B Wahren is a weird one. With about as drastic of a split as I have seen in a prospect...he’s 58/75 contact vs R/R and 73/89 power right now. So he could be the right side of a 1B platoon one day.
:tor3:
Mzy:
Grade: A-
Best Pick: Jose Mota SP
Sleeper Pick: Erick Dravid SP
Mota was one of my favorite arms in the draft, and I was a bit surprised and pissed to see him go so high. His has great vitals great fastball good curveball and amazing stats, he projects to be a top end of the rotation arm. Dravid is another good pick in a draft class that I am a big fan of for Toronto. Great fastball and sinker and good vitals, he has a legit shot at being a middle of the rotation guy, hard to believe so many passed him up.
TT:
TOR
Grade: B+
Mota is an interesting arm. I see him as a ceiling of a #2, with more likely a #3 or good #4 SP, but the potential is there, and the amateur stats and great GB% are great indicators toward a nice career for him. Fujii will be a useful RP someday, while the power will probably be too low to make him a true back of the bullpen arm, his crazy high GB% will make him a good addition in the middle of a bullpen. Davidson went a pick before I could get him at #78, and I really like him. Another one of those speedy lefthanded hitters, that has a lower peak, he will be at least a 4th OF, and maybe a guy that you can throw at the bottom of a lineup as a CF with good defense and elite baserunning.
:was2:
Mzy:
Grade: B+
Best Pick: Tim Strange SP
Sleeper Pick: Marc Walton SP
People are strange when there a Stranger people seem wicked when their alone. Great pick of Strange guy has a good shot a being a solid 4th starter maybe even a 3rd, got good vitals and pitches and a solid track record to this point. Walton is another guy similar to many we saw come out of this draft (Drvavid-TOR) that could be very nice pitchers in their own right down the road. While Washington decided not to pick until late in the 2nd they did very well for themselves when all was said and done.
TT:
WAS
Grade: A-
No 1st round picks for Peter for the first time in years, but he still grabbed some nice arms and some interesting lottery picks. Strange was a relatively safe pick at the end of the 2nd round, as a guy that could be at least a back of the rotation arm someday. Riser is similar and has a similar profile. Catron was a nice pick at #107, and I think he’ll be a good enough RP to make the majors eventually. Walton could be another rotation member for a future Nationals team, with a back of the rotation profile similar to the first 2 pitchers I mentioned. Pineiro, Artega, and Regan each have a shot to be useful bats, and Alterete looks to have a nice RP build and was on my list as well. Overall, WAS got plenty of interesting players, and will surely see a good number of them in the majors at some point.
GM '08- Current: Pirates GM Record
'56-'08: Seattle GM Record 4606-3510 .568 win%
'20-'32: San Francisco GM Record 875-1231 .415 win%
'10-'14: Minnesota GM Record 324-324 .500 win%
World Series Champion 2010, 2089, 2092, 2095
American League Champion 2010, 2062, 2089, 2092, 2093, 2095
Best Record Full Year (Regular Season and Playoffs Combined): 131-45 .744 win%
Winner of first ever FCM World Series