Re-Drafting the 2108 Draft

[MidMissourians]

If we were able to look at players today, how would the draft look.  Here's my projection.  Original Pick Spot in Parenthesis (Round - Pick Number Original Team).

Pick 1 



Who They Took: Arnaldo Celerino SP

Who They Would Take Now: Darren Claudius 2B (1-5 Milwaukee Brewers)

Celerino did not live up to his draft stock.  He had some warts on draft day, but obviously looked stellar enough to go first overall.  Claudius looked good and lived up to the hype, developing rapidly and into some elite offensive seasons, while being very proficient defensively.  Claudius seems like the right choice at a redraft first overall.


Pick 2



Who They Took: Brent Mallinson 3B

Who They Would Take Now:  Juan Alambar OF (1-3 Cincinnati Reds)

While they did not know the future would hold three good looking 2B/3B in the next draft, and that they would be picking first overall next year (Who are we kidding, they probably already knew), but Mallison while a good player is not the hitter Alambar looks to be.  Alambar in that park would be a monster, for a team who lacks that elite superstar hitter.  


Pick 3



Who They Took: Juan Alambar OF

Who They Would Take Now:  Brent Mallison 2B/3B (1-2 Arizona Diamondbacks)

Honestly they should have considered Nijel Brearton here, but the Reds aversion to lefty starting pitchers makes that very unlikely.  Joe Miller would also have been a nice choice, but high school starting pitchers aren't really their thing either.  Mallison is a good selection and would fill their gap at 2B with Keith Charest at 3B.

Pick 4



Who They Took: Jose Ramirez OF

Who They Would Take Now:  Jose Ramirez OF (1-4 Toronto Blue Jays)

Ramirez is the exact player Toronto thought they were getting when they traded up to pick 4.  He is making the machine go as Toronto begins to enter a hopeful long run of successful seasons.  There are no real knocks on Ramirez, as he's getting on base well and stealing bases.  Maybe he's not scoring runs exactly like you'd like, but he's not doing a bad job at that either.


Pick 5



Who They Took: Darren Claudius 2B/3B

Who They Would Take Now:  Joe Miller SP (1-8 Chicago White Sox)

They have quite a stable of hitters and having acquired Joe Miller in a deal for their former shortstop he looks quite good at or near the top of their rotation.  Joe Miller appears on his way to becoming an ace level starting pitcher, or good number two at worst.  Milwaukee needs that on their team, and with Claudius already gone (He was the right pick) Miller is an easy replacement choice.


Pick 6



Who They Took: Nijel Brearton SP

Who They Would Take Now: Francisco Rentezia OF (1-26 Baltimore Orioles)

Baltimore had the best of both worlds getting both of these players in the draft, but considering what Rentezia has done with his career so far there is no way they would pass on this guy knowing they would not be getting him that late in the draft with the ability of hindsight.  Nabbing Rentezia with this pick is a no brainer, even though the groundball machine Brearton remains right up Mainer's alley.


Pick 7



Who They Tooki: Daniel Johnson OF

Who They Would Take Now:  Roberto Gallegon SP (1-14 Chicago White Sox)

This sure seems like a GD pitcher.  I'm actually quite surprised he didn't grab him initially.  GD has been looking for some speed so he reached a bit for Daniel Johnson, while he would have been far better off with Gallegon.  Obviously with a re-draft he gets to right that wrong.


Pick 8



Who They Took: Joe Miller SP

Who They Would Take Now:  Peter Hunssinger LF (2-52 Los Angeles Dodgers)

While he's not elite defensively, Hunssinger would fill a nice spot in the lineup that is missing one elite outfielder.  Hunssinger is an MVP candidate and just flat out slugging the ball.  Chicago's lineup would be elite with this player in it.


Pick 9



Who They Took:  Josh Jones 3B

Who They Would Take Now:  James Sosnowski SP (1-16 Toronto Blue Jays)

While Nijel Brearton might be a slightly better pitcher, Florida's lack of defense and larger "pitchers" park makes a play like Sosnowski just a little better fit than Brearton.  Florida's rotation is really struggling and even though Josh Jones might be an ok player, especially with elite defense at third base, they would be far better off adding a top end starting pitcher to their rotation.


Pick 10



Who They Took: Hao Sasaski 3B

Who They Would Take Now:  Nijel Brearton SP (1-6 Baltimore Orioles)

Brearton is an elite pitcher and with Seattle having a park who favors left handed hitters, hitting homeruns, Brearton would make a ton of sense for them.  Especially considering Sasaki did not.  Granted Seattle did no favors to him with some up and down development, but Sasaki was a long shot out the gate.  Brearton was more a sure thing and is clearly a top end starting pitcher.


Pick 11



Who They Took: Alan Martin RF

Who They Would Take Now:  Jacob Dantford 2B (2-45 Philadelphia Phillies)

Elite stolen base speed with quality if not great middle infield defense.  Sounds like the exact type of player if they knew they would be getting they would have taken this high.  Alan Martin is a solid player but his contact did not reach the expected levels. 



Pick 12



Who They Took: Keith Copestake 1B

Who They Would Take Now:  Bernie Henderson OF (3-73 Chicago Cubs)

I think Chicago would be satisfied with the development of Copestake to this point, but Henderson has already put up a near MVP level performance.  While he cannot play a lick of defense, which caused his fall, his bat more than makes up for it and makes for a strong lineup piece, especially with the newly minted Dantford getting on in front of him.

Pick 13



Who They Took: Brian Fraven 1B

Who They Would Take Now:  Matt Clemons RP (2-34 Chicago White Sox)

While Fraven is still coming along and may hit a lot of homeruns he is fairly redundant in the current lineup.  Matt Clemons vs Milton Wayne is a very close discussion on relief pitchers out of this draft, but his power potential makes him a better closer.  Philadelphia has always done their best to target solid closer level pitchers and Clemons would fit in well with his development.


Pick 14



Who They Took: Roberto Gallegon SP

Who They Would Take Now:  Milton Wayne RP (1-21 Toronto Blue Jays)

Knowing how Wayne turns out and with Clemons coming off the board in front of them I think Chicago would happy to nab a closer as good as Wayne at this point in the draft.  There are a few prospect players still developing, but Wayne would be performing at this moment while Chicago is in the hunt.


Pick 15



Who They Took: Leon Villarrvel SP

Who They Would Take Now:  Eric Hammons SP (1-19 Minnesota Twins)

Minnesota's pick of Villarrvel was questioned, as was the pick of Hammons.  At this point I think pretty much anyone would be happy with how Hammons is coming along and Villarrvel might be ok but would make a reasonable punt at this point.  Taking Hammons two earlier than before protects someone else from taking a pitcher who is developing quite nicely.

[MidMissourians]

Pick 16



Who They Took: James Sosnowski SP

Who They Would Take Now:  Alan Edwards 1B (2-43 Toronto Blue Jays)

Alan Edwards is a player they got much later, but he's a player who fits nicely into their lineup.  With the high end pitchers off the board now, making sure they get this slugger is a real solid play here.  Edwards fits nicely into the Toronto lineup in real life and in this scenario.


Pick 17



Who They Took: Justin Casali 1B

Who They Would Take Now: Keith Copestake 1B (1-12 Chicago Cubs)

Casali has developed ok, but probably is not a feared hitter.  Copestake is still developing at this time and is looking like a strong player in the minors.  A few more years and he might be the elite middle of the order hitter Oakland was hoping to land when they drafted Casali.



Pick 18



Who They Took: Dan Zabel SP

Who They Would Take Now:  Agustin Lopez 1B (3-63 Washington Nationals)

Losing out on Hunssinger in this re-draft, adding a hitter like Lopez into the middle of their lineup would be potent.  While he doesn't have quite the power of some others, his adequate power and on base skills in front of the Tweedy masher would be elite.  After having bought all the strong starting pitchers the free agent market had to offer, continuing to bolster the lineup makes perfect sense.


Pick 19



Who They Took: Eric Hammons SP

Who They Would Take Now:  Jorge Valdespino SP (1-30 San Diego Padres)

They had to grab Hammons earlier to make sure they locked him up, but trading out Villavrrel for Valdespino would look really nice in their rotation.  Valdespino developed nicely and would fit well in Minnesota with a good Ostos at shorstop.  Getting Bracy off that field would really help the ground ball pitchers take off.


Pick 20



Who They Took:  Timmy Huebner SP

Who They Would Take Now:  Alan Martin OF (1-11 Chicago Cubs)

Martin is a good player and shouldn't have fallen this far.  Florida is happy to have him at this spot, as he's developed nicely into a player who can do a lot of nice things.  Huebner was a wild miss, so any change would be good here.


Pick 21



Who They Took: Milton Wayne RP

Who They Would Take Now: Shawn Parker 1B (2-38 Chicago Cubs)

Could you imagine having Parker slugging left handed along side the right handed Alan Edwards.  Set the middle of your order and forget about it.  Toronto would jump at this pairing in their lineup, especially with the starters hokey is able to surround them with.


Pick 22



Who They Took: Eric Brewer SP

Who They Would Take Now:  Manuel Rivera SP (3-61 Washington Nationals)

Missing out on Brearton in this draft hurts a bit, but nabbing Rivera is an easy compensation.  He's a stellar looking top of the rotation pitcher that fits what Maine loves to do.  He probably should go above Valdespino who went a bit earlier.


Pick 23



Who They Took: Ray Duarte OF

Who They Would Take Now:  Eric Griffin 2B (1-29 Washington Nationals)

Ray Duarte did not work out, even though his power was interesting.  Eric Griffin however did work out and became a real nice middle infielder with speed.  He makes for an excellent leadoff man and can play solid defense.  While in the middle infield it makes for an excellent selection.


Pick 24



Who They Took: Carl Morris 1B

Who They Would Take Now:  Trey Hoy 3B (2-42 Chicago Cubs)

Not taking Josh Jones much earlier and now replacing him with Trey Hoy.  While he might not be quite the defensive player Jones will be, Hoy offer so much more on the offensive end.  Florida didn't quite get the value they would have liked this draft, but going back there are a lot of good choices available.


Pick 25



Who They Took: Mario Cadahia OF

Who They Would Take Now:  Mario Cadahia OF (1-25 Kansas City Royals)

I think KC is happy with this choice in this place.  A good outfielder defensively and offensively.  With nice OBP ability and speed.  Cadahia falling to this spot, just like in the original draft seems like a no brainer to go back and take him yet again.


Pick 26



Who They Took: Francisco Rentezia OF

Who They Would Take Now:  Mario Vargas 2B (4-94 Los Angeles Dodgers)

Vargas is a real nice pick at this point.  Decent speed, decent pop.  Does nothing amazingly, but does a lot well.  This pick fits with Maine's original draft in getting a lot of value at the pick spots they make.  He's not quite as good a player as his vitals may suggest, but he's still a good value at pick 26.


Pick 27



Who They Took: Chris Peters SS

Who They Would Take Now:  Chad Davis OF (4-102 Houston Astros)

A well rounded player who fell a lot farther than he should have.  Defense, eye, and power the guy can do a lot from the corner outfield position.  He's the exact build Washington likes to nab and he makes a ton of sense for them here at this spot.


Pick 28



Who They Took:  Leo Ednams SP

Who They Would Take Now:  Kurt Mckee SP (2-40 Los Angeles Angels)

A ground ball dynamo who can be successful in a rotation.  Definitely a piece of value this late in the draft that is dang near perfect to this point.  Florida would be jubilant to change out their previous picks for this new collection of talent.  Kurt McKee was a good pick in the original draft a few picks later.


Pick 29




Who They Took: Eric Griffin 2B

Who They Would Take Now:  Josh Jones 3B (1-9 Florida Marlins)

He's not an elite hitter, but he's good at defense and can hit well enough.  This late in the draft he now makes quite a bit of sense.  Washington is good at finding players who can play and Jones can, even if he's not an elite level player.


Pick 30



Who They Took: Jorge Valdespino SP

Who They Would Take Now:   Brian Fraven 1B (1-13 Philadelphia Phillies)

When this kind of power falls to the end of the first round you take this shot.  While he may not be getting to an elite level, he still has huge power and can be a real producer in the lineup.  Losing out on Valdespino is a problem, but getting Fraven this late is a solid selection.

[MidMissourians]

Updated with previous pick round, number, and original team.