2012 Draft Prospects

[OhioBaseball]

I saw Baxendale pitch over the weekend & if somone could teach this kid a cutter or a two seam FB he'd be something. He doesn't have the strongest arm with his FB sitting about 90(per the announcers) but that CB is something. His CB is better than Pomeranz's. If he had Hudson Randall's cutter he could dominate. He's RH & 6'2" & 190 so I doubt he gets much stronger. He's got good command but his FB, which is straight, is hittable when he doesn't locate. Make that tee-offable. Don't know where he's projected to go but I doubt he's in the top 150. Maybe a 4th or 5th Round guy that turns out to be a steal with some work.

I saw Baxendale last year. I share some of your thoughts on him. With that across the body delivery and arm slot, conventional scouting wisdom says he's a future reliever. I agree about his FB -- I think it's very hittable. He needs to do something, and developing a good cutter could really help. The way his arm slot is, it shouldn't be a problem for him to get some good cut. His FB now is not only straight, but it's flat -- that pitch will get hit in the upper levels of the minors. That curveball, though, it's extremely well spun and thrown. The depth he gets on it (for having such a low slot and bad downward leverage) is quite impressive.

The guy is a good pitcher with a major league pitch and he's demonstrated success in the SEC, which is hands down the best competition in the amateur ranks, and that means something. I'd be happy taking Baxendale in the fourth round, but I think he'll get taken earlier b/c he's had a lot of exposure and success. I just couldn't justify taking him in the top 3 rounds b/c you can still get impact arms that project as top 3 starters in the major leagues there, so I wouldn't reach for him before the fourth round, but yeah, I could see him working in the major leagues, but in limited capacity (relief). So yeah, I think we're kind of on the same page with the guy.

[GhostofTedCox]

Here's a link for a mock draft from Callis.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/dr ... 13371.html

[daingean]

A lot has been said in this thread about the new BBCOR bats used in college and now in HS. From my experience there are 2 hot bats (Rawlings 5150 and the Marrucci Cat-5) and all other bats just don't have the life. Basically with the 5150 and the Cat 5, balls hit off the barrel will fly and carry but balls of the handle are dead. That's because BBCOR measures compatibility off the handle (not the barrel) and these 2 manufacturers are using same tech as last year but using a metal ring to deaden the handle. With College players you can tell which bat they use because team's have exclusive contracts but HS guys anything can happen. Having watched 30 HS games this year, you can tell the difference between these bats and the others.

[GeronimoSon]

Here's a link for a mock draft from Callis.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/dr ... 13371.html

Quite a few mocks will be published between now and three weeks from today when the RULE IV draft is conducted.. I will say that after reading Jim Callis' appraisal of the Indians upcoming draft direction..I wanted to puke.. Go for the safe pick.. stay with the college guys.. yada, yada.. Hello?.. Overall, this college draft is really pretty weak.. Helium and upside guys are going to DOMINATE the first round.. as they should.. There are at least three guys that should be available when the Indians select at # 15, overall in June:

1. Matt Smoral.. in addition to being a local kid, he's the goods.. He has the size, the presence and the command to become a special player.. The foot injury is history. At the time he's selected and when he signs, he'll be the # 1 SP in the Indians system with the best chance to be that FOR.. and he's a lefty (assumes medical is fine)

2. Victor Roache.. Power and bat speed highlight this mediocre defensive OF'er. The bottom line on Roache will be his bat. He has a very short to the ball, long through the hitting zone stroke and his head stays on the ball. A natural hitter with a wide stance. This kid is really put together, too.. Should be an easy "sign" guy, as well.. (assumes medical is fine)

3. D.J. Davis.. There was a note about getting a table setting athlete at the top of the lineup.. well, they don't come any faster or better athletically than this kid. He has world class quicks and shown the ability to hit for power.. You go to the Miriam Webster's and look up lead off hitter and they have his photo and bio...

There are many more guys that could be selected.. but, right now, these are my favorite trio...

[OhioBaseball]

Here's a link for a mock draft from Callis.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/dr ... 13371.html

Interesting that Lucas Giolito was omitted. I'm sure it's b/c of the UCLA commitment and new draft rules, but I mean, if he's sitting out there at 15th overall, you've got to do your due diligence on the guy's signability.

Giolito absolutely has the physical pedigree of a true, #1 starter in the major leagues. Tremendous upside.

[A.Zajac]

Here's a link for a mock draft from Callis.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/dr ... 13371.html

Interesting that Lucas Giolito was omitted. I'm sure it's b/c of the UCLA commitment and new draft rules, but I mean, if he's sitting out there at 15th overall, you've got to do your due diligence on the guy's signability.

Giolito absolutely has the physical pedigree of a true, #1 starter in the major leagues. Tremendous upside.

Jeff and I talked about Giolito on the show last night.

[Magneticnorth451]

Interesting that Lucas Giolito was omitted. I'm sure it's b/c of the UCLA commitment and new draft rules, but I mean, if he's sitting out there at 15th overall, you've got to do your due diligence on the guy's signability.

Giolito absolutely has the physical pedigree of a true, #1 starter in the major leagues. Tremendous upside.

I'm not a big draft follower (trying to get into it more recently, though) but I've been hearing that Giolito will likely go in the single digits. Keith Law responded to someone on Twitter that he would take Giolito over the top College Arms.

What did you think of BA having the Indians select Andrew Heaney at 15, though? At that pick, would it make sense to go after a bat? I've heard good things about Richie Shaffer, namely that he could stick at 3rd, or move to a corner OF spot and still play All-star caliber baseball.

I know it's take BPA during the draft, but is a lower-tier college Pitcher really the BPA at that spot? Draft people, help.

[GeronimoSon]

Interesting that Lucas Giolito was omitted. I'm sure it's b/c of the UCLA commitment and new draft rules, but I mean, if he's sitting out there at 15th overall, you've got to do your due diligence on the guy's signability.

Giolito absolutely has the physical pedigree of a true, #1 starter in the major leagues. Tremendous upside.

I'm not a big draft follower (trying to get into it more recently, though) but I've been hearing that Giolito will likely go in the single digits. Keith Law responded to someone on Twitter that he would take Giolito over the top College Arms.

What did you think of BA having the Indians select Andrew Heaney at 15, though? At that pick, would it make sense to go after a bat? I've heard good things about Richie Shaffer, namely that he could stick at 3rd, or move to a corner OF spot and still play All-star caliber baseball.

I know it's take BPA during the draft, but is a lower-tier college Pitcher really the BPA at that spot? Draft people, help.

Heaney's another soft tossing lefty who doesn't wow anyone with anything in particular. He's a worse version of Jeremy Sowers at the college level. He'd be decent roster fodder making it allll the way up to AAA before being hammered. He doesn't have the physical tools to be anything more than a less than interesting lefty.. For a college pitcher, he'd rate somewhere around the 45th to 50th best choice of left handers.. Best guess would be draftable in the middle to late rounds.. at best.. PASS

Richie Shaffer is definitely am 'ok' prospect worth watching as he falls out of the top ten in the draft and could tumble as far as second round (top 100 picks). If a team thinks they can get his power potential realized, then he'd be a guy worth drafting later in the first round to the compensation picks (40-50 range). Not exactly a "do all" kind of player.. has slow feet that doesn't give him much range.. and, he really doesn't catch the ball all that well.. Has a gun for an arm. Think Wes Hodges or Michael Aubrey (without the glove) as a comp...

Regarding Lucas Giolito, you're absolutely spot on about him.. he is the goods. tremendous make up and physical tools to succeed. The arm thing was more precautionary than career threatening.. The medical report that I saw said he had his elbow scanned and the MRI revealed a slight sprain of the Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL). The press reports coming out of that said he was being shut down for 4-6 weeks of rest without throwing and he would not require surgery. A good medical of his condition would allay any fears of a long term problem.. Even so, a post TJ surgery Lucas Giolito will probably be better than damn near anyone the Indians would draft at # 15, anyway. Definitely worth the gamble, but very little chance he's there at # 15.. My guess.. he's gone in the first five picks..

[homerawayfromhome]

I'd agree Giolito won't pass the top 5 pks. I'd guess the O's would would gobble him up. How does a rotation sound with Dylan Bundy and Giolito in it?

I seriously doubt the Tribe looks all too hard at Heaney. Late first, comp round type talent... Not really that special at all.
I'd be willIng to say the Tribe goes BPA bc the CBA limits all the teams ($). That said it is simply you were picked here sign or lose money.
A cpl names the Tribe could see McCullers, Smoral, Davis, Dahl, Shafer, Piscotty, Sims, Roache, Eflin.

There seems to be a consensus that there are about 15 players / pitchers worthy of first rd pks... Everything else is even par talent, nothing overly impressive.

[PEngle39]

I'd agree Giolito won't pass the top 5 pks. I'd guess the O's would would gobble him up. How does a rotation sound with Dylan Bundy and Giolito in it?

I seriously doubt the Tribe looks all too hard at Heaney. Late first, comp round type talent... Not really that special at all.
I'd be willIng to say the Tribe goes BPA bc the CBA limits all the teams ($). That said it is simply you were picked here sign or lose money.
A cpl names the Tribe could see McCullers, Smoral, Davis, Dahl, Shafer, Piscotty, Sims, Roache, Eflin.

There seems to be a consensus that there are about 15 players / pitchers worthy of first rd pks... Everything else is even par talent, nothing overly impressive.

Yes, i agree the Tribe goes BPA with their first pick, as has been the case for the last few years. I think McCullers is a sleeper pick for the Tribe but he keeps re-climbing the draft boards after his free fall this summer since scouts now believe he can stay as a starting pitcher in pro ball and could sneak into the top 10. Love Smoral and as a "cold-weather" arm, he's fresh and hasn't been exposed to year-round pitching like kids from the south and west. You can expect a spike in velocity once he gets exposed to professional instruction. His frame is very hard to ignore with all of that potential. I also really really like Stephen Piscotty. One, he's going to be a corner OF in pro ball. Two, he has a plus arm. Three, he has a plus bat (potential for power and avg). Four, he plays at Stanford and they don't let their players pull the ball (it's a total joke and ruins many hitters) but most scouts believe that once the shackles come off, his batting will completely explode like it did when he led the Cape League in batting this past summer.

[homerawayfromhome]

Personally I see McCullers as a 2 type, power arm plus FB and a cpl avg. pitches that could develop. He has top 10 stuff but some have questioned his ability to stay as a starter. I believe he will be fine.
Piscotty is an advanced bat, RH to boot and would likely move qkly through the system. Piscotty could man any of 4 spots (1b, 3b, RF, LF) but his value would be best served in a corner OF position could be an Alex Gordon type... Power, and arm.
Smoral is very intriguing... Size, and power Lefty, oh and he's an Ohio kid too. At 6'8 with a mid 90's FB it's hard not to think he has more in there too. He's a cold weather P and could add more natural size / strength as he fills out, which would likely add another 1/2 mph to his FB. He is a guy I could see developing into a 1 / 2 (not an ACE) but a 1 or 2 hitting 97 mph and logging an easy 200 ip. He might slip a little bc of time missed due to the foot injury but won't likely make it through the 20's if the Tribe passes.

[OhioBaseball]

I believe McCullers' stock fell b/c his delivery tends to be high effort and there are some moving pieces in his delivery -- long arm action, long delivery. When you combine those, it's difficult to have command and I think thats why he was tagged as a future reliever. I haven't seen him this spring, but you can definitely tone things down in his delivery and work on him being a starter. He'll probably lose velocity, but he's still got enough to be a good starter.

He's also very much an early physical maturer -- he was close to maxing out physically at age 17. Not much physical projection with him. Others his age will improve more physically in coming years.

Regarding Smoral, I hate his arm slot. I'd like to compare him to Madison Bumgarner, but even he throws from a slot that is easily a couple notches taller. Even Matt Purke was criticized on his slot and some will attribute his arm injuries to it, but he's even taller than Smoral. Sorry, I think Smoral's slot is a major issue. Smoral can still make it to be a good pitcher with that slot the way Chris Sale has, but it's been prohibitive to many that never made it. (Keep in mind that the Indians passed on Chris Sale after being rumored to take him two years ago)

[homerawayfromhome]

McCullers has toned down the delivery. From what I have heard there is some concern re: his delivery but considered a reliever bc of lack of development on his third pitch by some as well. He has a plus FB and solid slider. There has been some talk he will be the 1st high school arm picked, he has regained status as top 20 pk and possibly has high as 6 from what I have heard. Personally depending on who else is there id snag McCullers if the Tribe has the chance.

I like Smoral but doubt the Tribe will snag him. While I rate McCullers higher than Smoral, I'd gladly take Smoral too. I just don't see the Tribe snagging him.

While there is talk the Tribe may try to fill a need spot such as OF or RH bat, I doubt they take that approach. While the new CBA has changed things, it's even across the board. Each team faces the same circumstances. That said there are numerous players that are very similar. Three college bats that Tribe could pick up Roache, Shafer, Piscotty all rate closely together, although Roache will likely last longer than Shafer or Piscotty bc of his wrist injury.

[Rocky55]

I've seen enough of Austin Maddox this year to be convinced he could be stretched out to be a SP. If so he's at least as talented as McCullers, throws as hard, has less mileage on his arm, probably has a better slider, & has made great strides in his delivery. When he closed last year he just got up & heaved it. He's a pitcher now.

Looking at vids beyond the usual suspects mentioned already, Colorado HS pitcher Ryan Burr looks promising. Jesse Winker has an uppercut/HR stroke(really like Winker), Dahl was hitting line drives all over the place & runs like a deer. Courtney Hawkins has one of the shortest swings I've ever seen. He looks like he's swinging a sand wedge on a level plane. Lewis Brinson has a nice, simple power stroke, bats RH, but I wasn't really impressed with his arm in RF. Gavin Cecchini has nice infield actions & a sweet bat but would the Tribe take another SS? Maybe Addison Russell?

[TheWord]

Addison Russell may have the best prep swing in the draft. So fluid, I'd really think the Indians are more interested in the plethora of college guys who will be available in mid-1, but this kid is definitely someone who could turn their heads.

Not fluid enough defensively to stick at SS IMO, but has more than enough raw power potential to fit at 3B.

Could be a really special kid when it's all said and done.

[ohioteamz]

Winker's Batting Stats, I happened to have bookmarked it since my kid is in the list (to show the grandparents back in Y-town.)

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/highschool/baseball/os-hs-batting-average-leaders-20120423,0,6994929.story


Actually the whole group of stats, is here this is a better link. Homers down big time, counting playoffs last year I am pretty sure Tomas hit 18, although in this list I think it was 15. Winker I think showed 7 in 2011 and 2012 which is a good sign BBCOR didn't affect his power.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/highschool/baseball/os-hs-2012-final-regular-season-baseball-statistics-leaders-20120423,0,1236562.storygallery

[ohioteamz]

By the way from watching the video of the two I really think Addison Russel's swing is the best of the two. I say it with some hesitation in that Winker you'd think could just be a monster at some point, but Russel's got the right kind of separation. From a youtube clip of BP he seemed to hit a lot of balls at full extension which is a little concerning (if the arms travel that far before contact it's tough to lay off bad pitches or check your swing).

If I were his coach I might try that old stick a towel under the lead arm pit and tell him hands, hands, hands, hands, do not pull that lead arm out to the ball. Don't make that 60'-6" into 57 feet. I need to see a game clip this might be just BP pitching and him being early, but the base swing is strong.

[PEngle39]

Regarding Smoral, I hate his arm slot. I'd like to compare him to Madison Bumgarner, but even he throws from a slot that is easily a couple notches taller. Even Matt Purke was criticized on his slot and some will attribute his arm injuries to it, but he's even taller than Smoral. Sorry, I think Smoral's slot is a major issue. Smoral can still make it to be a good pitcher with that slot the way Chris Sale has, but it's been prohibitive to many that never made it. (Keep in mind that the Indians passed on Chris Sale after being rumored to take him two years ago)

I know you've stated you dislike Smoral's arm slot and whatnot and im not debating that but i disagree wholeheartedly about future arm issues. Yes, Purke and Sale have similar arm slots but they have extreme 'violence' in their arm action, while Bumgarner and Smoral have very smooth and clean arm actions. You can see it in the video, it's painful to watch Sale pitch and even with Purke, he tweaks his elbow before throwing the ball and that's what causes the arm issues, not the slot itself. Smoral's arm action is much smoother and less taxing on the arm, which obviously leads to less wear and tear.

Sale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3IFWzHh_r0

Purke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZsWC18RSiM

Smoral: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glF26wuMJAI

[homerawayfromhome]

There seems to be a thought among some the Tribe might try to grab one of the college bats with hopes they could move qkly through the system and provide a little pop. This is something to take note of, all players who sign will be In the system much quicker bc of the new CBA.
While I don't believe in drafting for need, I believe there could be some creedance to picking Richie Shafer, Stephen Piscotty, and / or Victor Roache (doubtful---injured) with the hopes they advance qkly through the system. If the Tribe rates one of these players as high as a HS talent like Dahl, / Hawkins they could take that route.
-Richie Shafer the 1b/3b from Clemson is a power hitter, with potential for more as he fills out a bit more. He has a good frame but might add 5/10 lbs of muscle as he matures a bit more.
-Stephen Piscotty the Stanford product, has potential to man any of the corners and has the arm to match playing 3b / RF. Piscotty has been handcuffed by the Stanford hitting limitations but put on a nice showing at Cape Cod last yr.
-Victor Roache is a power bat that could end up as a 1b / DH IMO. Roache has been facing a hand injury for large part of the season but would add a productive power bat to the lineup.
-Both Dahl and Hawkins are toolsie OF from the HS ranks and would meet a need of the system but more importantly add serious talent the the Tribe farm system.
All of this said I still believe the Tribe will try the BPA approach. This isn't a very talent rich draft like some drafts but does have some guys that could develop.

[ohioteamz]

We happen to live in Oviedo, a town that's had four or five kids drafted over the last two-three years. Any word out there on Zach Eflin? We aren't from this town so we didn't grow up playing against any of these kids (moved here from San Diego in 2010). However we do get to play some of them in the summer/fall season and Eflin was throwing absolute gas when we saw him. My kid was out with elbow tendonitis when they played us, I was quite bummed, I'd like to see how he reacts to that speed.

One other question for draft experts, that I am not sure about. When you have a kid in HS rumored or clocked in the 96-97 range clearly there isn't much room to go up, you just simply work on being a better pitcher. The question I have is how many of the kids who throw that hard at this age, make it through to the majors, vs. how many wind up injured? Were most of the guys that throw ridiculous speeds (let's day 99 MPH) throwing 96-97 MPH in HS or where they 89-92 MPH and just kept getting better after either being drafted or going to college? I am just wondering how much of a sure thing is a kid who is already hitting 95-97 in HS.

[homerawayfromhome]

Zach Eflin has a good frame tall and slim could add some muscle as he matures through his early 20s... He was been climbing draft boards probably goes anywhere 10-25 (probably more like 15-25) from what I have heard, but this kid throws gas reportedly up to 98 this yr. I like him, wouldn't mind if the Tribe picked him up, but not the feeling I have about their pk this yr.

Some have compared Eflin to last yrs Taylor Guerriri bc of a big uptick in his velo. over a yr. I doubt his circumstances are as odd as Taylor Guerriri was last yr. Guerriri nonetheless was selected top 30 (?) I think 28 the top of my head. Guerriri by the way attributed the BIG up tick to a hard training regement.

Honestly, not sure about how the arms fair as far as making it to the bigs. It seems in recent yrs we have seem more and more kids coming out hitting 92 and the premium arms popped 95-96, it's more common to see these kids hitting those numbers in HS than ever before. With proper technique, training, injuries can be minimized, yet pitching is not a science nor is it a natural motion. Personally, I feel it goes both ways... Injuries can be caused by over throwing, poor mechanics, etc. others it is their body makeup... Some ppl simply are not gifted with a athletic body and yet have long sustained careers (David Wells).

[OhioBaseball]

Regarding Smoral, I hate his arm slot. I'd like to compare him to Madison Bumgarner, but even he throws from a slot that is easily a couple notches taller. Even Matt Purke was criticized on his slot and some will attribute his arm injuries to it, but he's even taller than Smoral. Sorry, I think Smoral's slot is a major issue. Smoral can still make it to be a good pitcher with that slot the way Chris Sale has, but it's been prohibitive to many that never made it. (Keep in mind that the Indians passed on Chris Sale after being rumored to take him two years ago)

I know you've stated you dislike Smoral's arm slot and whatnot and im not debating that but i disagree wholeheartedly about future arm issues. Yes, Purke and Sale have similar arm slots but they have extreme 'violence' in their arm action, while Bumgarner and Smoral have very smooth and clean arm actions. You can see it in the video, it's painful to watch Sale pitch and even with Purke, he tweaks his elbow before throwing the ball and that's what causes the arm issues, not the slot itself. Smoral's arm action is much smoother and less taxing on the arm, which obviously leads to less wear and tear.

Sale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3IFWzHh_r0

Purke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZsWC18RSiM

Smoral: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glF26wuMJAI

My concern on Smoral is the slot and the limitations he'll have getting depth on his pitches to miss bats and facing right handers. I've heard others say that pitchers with such low arm slots end up getting injured more. Most publicly, Keith Law of ESPN has communicated that. There are others. It's why I said "some attribute arm injuries to his slot".

Personally, I think arm injuries are for the most part nearly impossible to predict. Most pitchers will get hurt. In college, Tim Lincecum was going to blow his arm out and Mark Prior was going to be able to pitch without injury until he was 40 years old. Lincecum is slowing down, but has far surpassed expectations on his durability and Prior blew out very early. Who knows when it comes to this stuff. You can point out some guys with terrible arm actions and deliveries and say they won't last, but when we're talking early round draft picks it weeds those characters out.

I agree with you -- I don't think Smoral is any more likely to get hurt than anyone else b/c of his slot. Further, Smoral is significantly more physical and athletic than Purke and Sale. I think Smoral is a very impressive athlete, which Matt Purke is not. Purke was a very polished pitcher, however, so its a give and take.

[GeronimoSon]

Surprise Potention # 1: More and more of the mock drafts are showing severe slippage for Lucas Giolito.. many having him falling all the way into the mid teens of the first round... Wouldn't it be a sweeeet selection for the Indians to grab young Mr Giolito at # 15?.. think it's possible?

[OhioBaseball]

Surprise Potention # 1: More and more of the mock drafts are showing severe slippage for Lucas Giolito.. many having him falling all the way into the mid teens of the first round... Wouldn't it be a sweeeet selection for the Indians to grab young Mr Giolito at # 15?.. think it's possible?

Some people would probable take umbrage with this, but I'd take Giolito at 15 even if he was slated to have TJ surgery. He's just that kind of talent. 60% Josh Johnson, 40% Justin Verlander. I've always had a tendancy to get over-excited about some young prospects, but he's a great talent. A lot of 1st round picks don't pan out. If Giolito blows his arm out, or has major surgery and never makes a good recovery that's just the way it goes -- the upside is worth the risk.

Just some random thoughts --

I've championed Max Fried (LHP from California) as a good pick for the Indians at 15th overall since last fall, but I'm surprised to see him projected to go in the top 10 overall. He just doesn't have a front-of-the-rotation type of body or velo to go, as a high school pitcher, so early, but nonetheless he should get some good K's. Still would support the Indians taking him at 15.

I wouldn't let Lucas Giolito get beyond the 15th overall pick if I were the Indians. Injury concerns aside, he's a combination of Justin Verlander and Josh Johnson. Excellent pedigree and a true ace prospect. Don't think he'll make it to the Indians, but you gotta take him if given the chance.

Texas A&M RHP Michael Wacha stands a chance of being available at 15. I think he's a good pitcher with still some nice upside and projection -- he's not just a "safe" college arm the way Andrew Heaney is. Wacha has an impact arm, in my opinion.

Devin Marrero -- I'd pass all together on this guy in the 1st round. He's a better hitter than his batting average suggests this year and I think he'll be able to get extra base hits with wood in the upper levels, but I still wouldn't take him here. I've never liked this guy b/c I don't believe in the bat.

Richie Shaffer - I'm not against taking him at 15. I think he's a pretty solid bat with a chance to play 3b in the majors. He's got the athleticism and arm to play at 3b.

Tyler Naquin - It scares me to see him being considered in the middle of the first round. No way I'd take this guy in the first round -- far too little upside here, even though he's a nice bat. Only profiles as a 4th outfielder.

High School Arms -

I honestly don't know what to think of Lance McCullers. I saw him at a younger age, but not this year and its surprising to see him falling so much in rankings. He was supposed to be a top 5 overall pick last year at this time.

Zach Eflin - A very solid pitching prospect with nice mechanics and some projection. Kind of reminds me of a taller, bigger (more upside) version of Tim Stauffer. That's not meant to be a knock on Eflin b/c Stauffer's a nice pitcher, but just was never big enough to be a top guy. Eflin isn't flashy and I don't see him as an upside guy the way a lot of 1st round HS arms are classified, but it doesn't take too much imagination to see him as a 2 or 3 starter in the major leagues.

Ty Hensley - I really like his stuff; he gets very good downward leverage on his pitches, but he lands very stiff on his front leg. I think there are some mechanical things to work on, which is why I wouldn't look at him 15th overall, even though I like his stuff.

Lucas Sims - I like him. Good athlete, good arm speed, good stuff that should play well in the upper levels. Being a HS guy and smaller for a RHP, he may get overlooked in the middle of the first round, but a good pitcher.

[GeronimoSon]

My posting from May 14th says the same.. if Giolito's there and on the operating table getting ready to be cut on.. pick him anyway..

There are two 'front of the order' lead off hitter types that could be of interest to the Indians...
-DJ Davis: As stated above.. you go to the dictionary to look up "leadoff hitter" and they have his bio and photo...
-Lewis Brinson.. tall rangy strong fast athlete.. could project as an all world CF'er or Corner OF'er.. Fabulous tools..

[OhioBaseball]

This doesn't pertain to the first round, but throwing a couple more names out there...

ROSS STRIPLING - Senior, Texas A&M - I really like this guy. I never see him on prospect lists or even being talked about and I don't really get it. This guy does not fly under the radar at all, being at a top program and he even threw a no-hitter. I get *part* of it, but I think Stripling is a legitimate pitching prospect. He's really not a big framed guy, probably won't be a durability guy, he doesn't have plus velocity and I don't see him as a projectability guy, but he's got a short, deceptive arm action throws at a nice high 3/4. His curveball is really good and kind of reminds me of Trevor Bauer's last year. Even though the velocity isn't all there, he gets very good plane on his fastball. There's got to be something else on Stripling that I'm missing -- does he not want to play pro ball? I'd be extremely happy seeing the Indians take Stripling in the 3rd round, or later ideally I suppose. I don't think he's a first round pedigree, but the guy can deal and he pitches vertically very well, and I love that. Also throws strikes. I'd absolutely sign off on him in the 3rd round.

ALEC RASH - HS Iowa - This guy's mechanics need to be ironed out a bit, but he's super projectable. 6'5", long and lean with very loose athletic motions, he could throw at some very good velocity in 2-4 years. He could be a beast throwing 94-95mph *consistently*. I can easily see him flaming out, but I love the upside here. He could be a legitimate front of the rotation pitcher, but it's going to take some time. I also think he's easily worth a look in the 3rd round (or even 2nd).

[OhioBaseball]

My posting from May 14th says the same.. if Giolito's there and on the operating table getting ready to be cut on.. pick him anyway..

There are two 'front of the order' lead off hitter types that could be of interest to the Indians...
-DJ Davis: As stated above.. you go to the dictionary to look up "leadoff hitter" and they have his bio and photo...
-Lewis Brinson.. tall rangy strong fast athlete.. could project as an all world CF'er or Corner OF'er.. Fabulous tools..

Yeah, I saw Brinson last summer. I'm not going to disagree with anything you said about him, b/c I think you're right. He's a very exciting player but didn't strike me as a 1st round guy. I guess my hang up on him was that he's long-limbed and lanky. Narrow body type and and I think he'll always be skinny but that's not my issue. You mention it, he's "rangy", and I worry about him getting tied up at the plate. Some may not agree with me, but having such long arms and legs is a bit atypical for hitters. I think he's going to have some holes in his swing that'll be difficult to cover vs. advanced pitching, but we'll see. I share your intrigue on him and I could be totally wrong, but I worry about the hit-tool.

[GeronimoSon]

My posting from May 14th says the same.. if Giolito's there and on the operating table getting ready to be cut on.. pick him anyway..

There are two 'front of the order' lead off hitter types that could be of interest to the Indians...
-DJ Davis: As stated above.. you go to the dictionary to look up "leadoff hitter" and they have his bio and photo...
-Lewis Brinson.. tall rangy strong fast athlete.. could project as an all world CF'er or Corner OF'er.. Fabulous tools..

Yeah, I saw Brinson last summer. I'm not going to disagree with anything you said about him, b/c I think you're right. He's a very exciting player but didn't strike me as a 1st round guy. I guess my hang up on him was that he's long-limbed and lanky. Narrow body type and and I think he'll always be skinny but that's not my issue. You mention it, he's "rangy", and I worry about him getting tied up at the plate. Some may not agree with me, but having such long arms and legs is a bit atypical for hitters. I think he's going to have some holes in his swing that'll be difficult to cover vs. advanced pitching, but we'll see. I share your intrigue on him and I could be totally wrong, but I worry about the hit-tool.

OB.. In an effort to look into what may be considered the best athlete in the draft, Lewis Brinson was the name that just keeps coming up.. He's long and lanky, yes.. holes in his swing.. maybe not.. power.. ah.. that's the thing that says.. he's the goods. Brinson has the tools and puts them to on the field. I can't think of any other OF prospects, including Byron Buxton that would top him. The bat speed is there and as he gets a bit older, I'd expect him to go from a skinny 180 to a full grown man at 200-210. Brinson and Buxton faced off against each other at Wrigley Field for some home run derby thing.. yep.. it wasn't Buxton taking home the prize. Speed has been shown in two timings in the 60 yd dash: 6.60 & 6.51, respectively. Only D. J. Davis have better times and only slightly. D.J. Davis doesn't have a RF'ers arm, though.. Brinson does.. And.. according to an ESPN article, even though he's committed to the U of Florida.. they expect him to sign with whoever drafts him in the top half of the first round.. hmm?..

I'd like to see the Indians take a TOOLS PHENOM at # 15 over some marginal future projected back of the rotation safe pick..

[JP_Frost]

I wouldn't mind seeing the Tribe pick David Dahl. He'd fit in very nicely with our current group of prospects.

As long as it's not Heaney. I get Jeremy Sowers flashbacks when I read the scouting reports.

[Magneticnorth451]

I think all of us see the reports of Heaney throwing 91-92 and instantly think "Jeremy Sowers," but Keith Law said in the comments of his mock draft that the two aren't at all similar. Another concerned Indians fan made that comp.

That said I'd still like to see the Indians select a high-upside bat, rather than a fast moving College arm... But, maybe Heaney fits into their immediate plans for 2013-14?

Edit: Also from Law, said he saw Heaney, "good, not great."

[OhioBaseball]

Geronimo, I saw that HR derby at Wrigley in person. I agree with you on taking upside players, I just worry about how good of a hitter he'll be, and I believe that's why he's widely viewed as someone that'll be taken outside of the 1st round. I agree with you about Brinson's tools, so I'm agreeing with you, but I think those tools are a bit of a tease. That being said, some guys with long arms and legs can be decent hitters; Alexi Ramirez is an example -- he sucks now, but was good for about 3 years. I like David Dahl a lot more, who's also a very toolsy OF and an impressive projectable athlete. When you consider Dahl's far more impressive body frame and projection, I think Dahl presents a better athletic package than Brinson.

Regarding Heaney, I don't think Sowers is a fair comp, either. Chris Capuano may be a bit more appropriate, even though I don't think it's a great comp.

[Rocky55]

Saw Chris Stratton pitch again today, this time only to one batter. He might be the best college arm available when we pick, if he even lasts that long. Saw him pitch earlier this year & he's improved from last year. He used to touch 93 & sit 90-91 but now he touches 95 & sits 92-93. This was in the 8th inning. He's added a slider(nice pitch) this year & a two seamer to get more movement. RHP, nice simple delivery, quick arm. Also throws a change which is fringe(IMO). Had a 17 K game against LSU earlier. Good size, like 6'3" & 190. He should move really fast. Very much preferable to Heaney.

Read a comp on Brinson: Dexter Fowler. Doesn't mean he won't be better than Fowler but Fowler doesn't seem worth the 15th. I will say I like Brinson's swing way better than Fowler's. Also, Brinson isn't going to steal bases(too tall) & he's not going to hit more than 15 HRs. He'd be an antelope out in CF though. Maybe a GG or 6 in his future.

Dahl would be great. Toolsy as hell & almost a sure thing to hit. Also a great CF. Line drive machine.

Jesse Winker. Did I mention that I liked Jesse Winker? He's not a runner but the bat & the arm would look great in RF for about 10 years.

Rio Ruiz was injured & might be available with our 2nd. Great swing, great hitter, great fielder @ 3B. Two sport guy(QB) with upside left. Guy on PG comps him with Eric Chavez.

Then again there will be tons of draftable HS pitchers around at 15. One of the mocks on PG has us taking Zach Eflin at 15. His current stuff merits that slot, at least from the scouting reports. Looks good on the little bit of video I've seen. I wonder if ohioteamz has seen him pitch.

Lots of good options available when we pick. Go Brad Grant.

[OhioBaseball]

Jesse Winker. Did I mention that I liked Jesse Winker? He's not a runner but the bat & the arm would look great in RF for about 10 years.

Rio Ruiz was injured & might be available with our 2nd. Great swing, great hitter, great fielder @ 3B. Two sport guy(QB) with upside left. Guy on PG comps him with Eric Chavez.

Then again there will be tons of draftable HS pitchers around at 15. One of the mocks on PG has us taking Zach Eflin at 15. His current stuff merits that slot, at least from the scouting reports. Looks good on the little bit of video I've seen. I wonder if ohioteamz has seen him pitch.

Lots of good options available when we pick. Go Brad Grant.

I'd sign off on Winker as a hitter, but would he be there in the second round (like the 74th pick bc all of those ridiculous comp picks)? Would you consider him in the first round?

[Rocky55]

Jesse Winker. Did I mention that I liked Jesse Winker? He's not a runner but the bat & the arm would look great in RF for about 10 years.

Rio Ruiz was injured & might be available with our 2nd. Great swing, great hitter, great fielder @ 3B. Two sport guy(QB) with upside left. Guy on PG comps him with Eric Chavez.

Then again there will be tons of draftable HS pitchers around at 15. One of the mocks on PG has us taking Zach Eflin at 15. His current stuff merits that slot, at least from the scouting reports. Looks good on the little bit of video I've seen. I wonder if ohioteamz has seen him pitch.

Lots of good options available when we pick. Go Brad Grant.

I'd sign off on Winker as a hitter, but would he be there in the second round (like the 74th pick bc all of those ridiculous comp picks)? Would you consider him in the first round?

I'd go 1st round with Winker. He's hit great everywhere, inluding wood bats. He also pitches & has a great RF arm. One scout comps his swing with Votto. He's about as safe a pick for a HS bat as you could get. I've seen mocks with him going low 20's to mid 40's but he won't be there at 79. Rio Ruiz might though. Funny thing, just personal preference, but some of the guys ranked above Winker I wouldn't take on a bet. Marrero, Brian Johnson, Heaney, Ramsey, Rahier, even Piscotty. Joey Gallo is consistently ranked higher due to breakout potential but he's a real roll of the dice. Might end up a 35HR, 200K guy. Winker or Addison Russell at 15 & Rio Ruiz or Taylore Cherry at 79 & I'd be a happy guy.

Also like to get my guy Jamodrick McGruder somewhere in the top 5 rounds. Perfect leadoff guy, doesn't K, runs a 6.34 plus is also an intelligent base runner. i saw him hit a 3 run HR in one AB, then the next AB single, steal 2nd & 3rd, & score on a bloop single.

[JP_Frost]

From the clips that I saw, Brinson reminds me a little of Cameron Maybin in terms of physique.

Also, the main reason I don't like Heaney isn't necessarily the velocity, but the lack of a real breaking ball. We've been burned in the past by picking pitchability lefties with mediocre fastballs and solid changeups. Give me the big bender!

[Tondo]

I'm not as down on Heaney as most on here seem to be, but I don't dislike College players with supposedly lower ceiling in general....we had ths discussion last season

Lots of solid options at 15, but little "wow" will be there....not a fan of Piscotty, would prefer Shaffer over him

If we go arm in the 1st, I'd absolutely take Rio in the 2nd, but I doubt he'll be there...right now I'd like the "safe" College route going Shaffer-Agosta....2 advanced guys with a pretty nice track record....our system is stacked in the low minors, so I would look to add some fast moving specs early to clean Akron and Columbus from the 4A guys

Haven't finished up my routine armchair scouting yet, but here are some College specs I'd like to add to the system:

Like Rocky I really like Jamorick McGruder....I see him as a more polished version of 2011 6th rounder Myles and would draft him as soon as round 4, he'd be great value in rounds 5-6, don't think he'll last beyond that

Ross Stripling, SR, RHP Tex A&M is another 1 I just want and overdraft....he was drafted in the 9th round last draft and matched his superb JR season....I'd secure him as soon as the 3rd, maybe even safe some money (100k maybe?) to take a flyer later

Another SR I love is smallish OF Dugas from Bama, who didn't sign after being drafted in round 8 last year, anywhere from rounds 5 to 7 would be good value for him imho

Another SR is 1B/OF Taylor Ard, Wash St, drafted in rounds 35 and 25 the past 2 seasons...anywhere from rounds 7 to 15

1 of JR RHP DJ Baxendale, Arkansas or JR RHP Buck Farmer, GTech would be a nice add in round 3

2 SR RHP that'd look good in rounds 8 to 12 are Louisville's Justin Amlung and re-draft M.Roth, S.Carolina

Another re-draft option is RHP Matthew Reckling, who's already 23yo but still projects to go in the 5th to 8th round area

JR 1B Christian Walker, SCarolina is another bat I'd be more than willing to overdraft...he's not on BA's Top 200 but I'd reach as high as round 3, anything beyond that would be a steal imho

Another SR: 1B DJ Hicks, UCF...his power potential will get him drafted anywhere from 5th to 10th, maybe even earlier

Here's an Indians dream draft I'd like:

1-15 3B Shaffer - Clemson
2-79 OF Rio Ruiz or RHP Agosta - StMary's
3-110 RHP Baxendale - Arkansas or RHP Farmer - GTech
4-143 2B McGruder - Texas Tech
5-173 RHP Stripling - Texas A&M
6-203 1B Walker - S.Carolina or DJ Hicks - UCF
7-233 OF Dugas - Alabama
8-263 RHP Reckling - Rice
9-293 1B/OF Ard - Wash St or OF Kivlehan - Rutgers
10-327 RHP Amlung - Lousiville or RHP Roth - S.Carolina

I know that's be a pretty "old" draft class, but I see a lot of quick movers and since they should sign much quicker and play more this season I even see some of those with the potential to play or even start in Akron next season....how would you guys like this draft?

[ohioteamz]

I've seen Eflin he pitched to our team in a summer and fall game. We don't normally play them in regular season, but he was smooth as silk and throwing gas. Our mostly 10th grade kids had no chance (we had no seniors) but just watching it go by.

Winker's swing worries me slightly in that he's really applying force down the length of the arm, similar to Shelley Duncan. Means swing decision occurs over a shorter period in order to get it going. Again I haven't seen anything except youtube clips on Winker we never played them. His HS teammate is on my kid's team that played in Ft. Myers this weekend. I did ask his dad for a short period about him but didn't get much out of him. (wanted to see if he piled up stats on the 80 MPH guys and struggled against the 90 MPH guys). Unlike you guys I am pretty much limited to what I've seen in either Cent. Fla. or San Diego where we came from it sounds like you guys get looksee's at guys from all over. And now I've been gone from SD for a couple of years, kids change so much that I'd only be relating to what I saw when they were younger. Still there are always plenty of draft pick type kids around here that we might get to see.

Eflin's arm was not 100% as he finished the season. Eventual state Champion Spruce Creek came back and won in regionals once Zach was done for that game. Didn't have enough in him to go all 7, I think he went 4-5 from what someone was telling me, and that was about all he could handle with the nagging injury.

[daingean]

Yes, i agree the Tribe goes BPA with their first pick, as has been the case for the last few years.

Just about every team goes BPA but it's how you rate that BPA.

#1. Best player now? This has led to guys like Sowers, Huff, Mills, Crowe, White, Pomeranz and Aubrey (going way back Belle and Nagy)being taken in the first by the team.

#2 Best tools/potential? I think Lindor, Chisenhall, A. Miller, M. Whitney and going way back Many, C.C. and Jaret Wright.

Both have had some success and failures...I like the best tools type of pick because you have a better chance of getting an Albert Pujols type player (which is what a team in a smaller market needs).

[JP_Frost]

I'm not as down on Heaney as most on here seem to be, but I don't dislike College players with supposedly lower ceiling in general....we had ths discussion last season

Lots of solid options at 15, but little "wow" will be there....not a fan of Piscotty, would prefer Shaffer over him

If we go arm in the 1st, I'd absolutely take Rio in the 2nd, but I doubt he'll be there...right now I'd like the "safe" College route going Shaffer-Agosta....2 advanced guys with a pretty nice track record....our system is stacked in the low minors, so I would look to add some fast moving specs early to clean Akron and Columbus from the 4A guys

Haven't finished up my routine armchair scouting yet, but here are some College specs I'd like to add to the system:

Like Rocky I really like Jamorick McGruder....I see him as a more polished version of 2011 6th rounder Myles and would draft him as soon as round 4, he'd be great value in rounds 5-6, don't think he'll last beyond that

Ross Stripling, SR, RHP Tex A&M is another 1 I just want and overdraft....he was drafted in the 9th round last draft and matched his superb JR season....I'd secure him as soon as the 3rd, maybe even safe some money (100k maybe?) to take a flyer later

Another SR I love is smallish OF Dugas from Bama, who didn't sign after being drafted in round 8 last year, anywhere from rounds 5 to 7 would be good value for him imho

Another SR is 1B/OF Taylor Ard, Wash St, drafted in rounds 35 and 25 the past 2 seasons...anywhere from rounds 7 to 15

1 of JR RHP DJ Baxendale, Arkansas or JR RHP Buck Farmer, GTech would be a nice add in round 3

2 SR RHP that'd look good in rounds 8 to 12 are Louisville's Justin Amlung and re-draft M.Roth, S.Carolina

Another re-draft option is RHP Matthew Reckling, who's already 23yo but still projects to go in the 5th to 8th round area

JR 1B Christian Walker, SCarolina is another bat I'd be more than willing to overdraft...he's not on BA's Top 200 but I'd reach as high as round 3, anything beyond that would be a steal imho

Another SR: 1B DJ Hicks, UCF...his power potential will get him drafted anywhere from 5th to 10th, maybe even earlier

Here's an Indians dream draft I'd like:

1-15 3B Shaffer - Clemson
2-79 OF Rio Ruiz or RHP Agosta - StMary's
3-110 RHP Baxendale - Arkansas or RHP Farmer - GTech
4-143 2B McGruder - Texas Tech
5-173 RHP Stripling - Texas A&M
6-203 1B Walker - S.Carolina or DJ Hicks - UCF
7-233 OF Dugas - Alabama
8-263 RHP Reckling - Rice
9-293 1B/OF Ard - Wash St or OF Kivlehan - Rutgers
10-327 RHP Amlung - Lousiville or RHP Roth - S.Carolina

I know that's be a pretty "old" draft class, but I see a lot of quick movers and since they should sign much quicker and play more this season I even see some of those with the potential to play or even start in Akron next season....how would you guys like this draft?

I'd like that draft alot considering the new handcuffed system which the Tribe needs to work with. Not too familar with all of those names, but the ones I do know I like a lot. It fits the needs of the organization, but more importantly, it isn't too far fetched in terms of talent and overdrafting.

What happened to Walker btw? He was considered a 1st round talent, but alot of mock drafts have him out of the 1st altogether. It certainly can't be his performance.

[GeronimoSon]

Around about this time each year.. there are numerous Mock Drafts that are posted.. Many are well done.. others, as evidenced by 'repeated' comments, are aped from sources from sources from sources.. i.e.. a regurgitation of one report extrapolated through an endless series of re-writes..

The latest mocks, for the most part, are pretty similar.. the top 10 to 12 players are pretty much the same ones.. perhaps in different orders as the poster of the Mock may have a preference.. or need of the team, real or perceived, drafting is imparted, etc.. The most interesting mocks are the ones where they take what may be considered "main stream" and peg which ones of those guys are going to be "busts" or will require years and years of development, with little chance of succeeding. There are four such names being bandied about:

Byron Buxton: Considered for the first overall selection in the draft. Has quite a bit of development ahead of him, but the talent is clearly there. He may be best suited to go to college where he can develop his craft before making his way into a professional baseball organization. His biggest issue is who he's played against. There seems to be a lot of concern about what he can against better competition. Valid point, perhaps...

Richie Shaffer: Considered an excellent college player but may take a long time to develop the power stroke teams want from corner infielders. He's not necessarily impressive with his swing, swing mechanics, glove, arm, accuracy or fleetness of foot. In short. he could become a classic AAAA if all goes well.. Opportunity will be the key to him making it to a big league roster and having success, albeit minor...

Andrew Heaney: A lefty with decent control and no real weapon. The future with Heaney may include situational lefty out of the pen or AAAA or BOR SP at the ML level.. Not really a bad pitcher, just nothing that says, future ML star..

Courtney Hawkins: A true enigma.. has the power and speed and arm to be a top flight outfielder (RF) but is a "swing hard in case you make contact" kind of hitter. Pitch recognition and strike zone discipline give him a less than superstar grade as it applies to this draft..

If Courtney Hawkins is there at # 15, The Indians should take him.. unless.. they play it safe and go with the Heaney Project....

[Tondo]

I wouldn't take Hawkins over Heaney, too much projection for a top pick...you should take a look at how top drafted HS bats of the past 2 drafts are doing, might as well play bingo ..that said, the 15th pick won't be very sexy. If this was a NFL draft I would look to trade down, but it is what it is...

Right now this is the pool of players, who have a chance to be there, I'd be happy about at 15: McCullers, Heaney, Dahl and Shaffer....since Dahl is a LHB and McCullers a RHP I think that somewhat "downgrades" them on our board if they're ranked closely, leaving Heaney and Shaffer as most ikely candidates for our pick...

Some other names I like for rounds 2-5:

Jr OF Barret Barnes...highly unlikely to be around at our 2nd though

HS OF Jesse Winker....same here, with maybe 5% chance of being there...if so: DRAFT and never look back

HS RHP Teddy Stankiewicz...there's a decent chance he falls to our 2nd, has a lower floor then most HS arms, 2nd round option

JC RHP Dylan Baker...good chance he's there at 79 and decent option, though I like his value better in the 3rd

Jr RHP Brady Rodgers...should be there in round 2 and would be ok with him, as with Baker: like him in the 3rd more but could be gone by then

HS RHP Cody Poteet...similar to Stankiewicz as he's more polished and advanced than most HS arms, another 2nd-3rd round option

HS 3B Trey Williams...would take a shot on him in round 3, well rounded, advanced game

Jr RHP Hudson Randall....another pitchability guy with an AVG FB I like, underrated and a 3rd to 5th round option

[GeronimoSon]

Of the guys you mentioned for later rounds, 2-5, Trey Williams would be a HUGE steal. This is a guy that has the pedigree and skill set to become quite a player. Diamnond Prospects has this to say:

http://diamondprospects.blogspot.com/20 ... ofile.html

If he's there at # 79, either 29 other clubs screwed up or the proverbial sun shining on a dog's ass came to pass.. Trey Williams may be worth a stab at # 15, but would be a stretch.. Sorry to say, the Indians cannot afford to stretch for that pick..

[JP_Frost]

I'd seriously look at Jayce Boyd in rounds 2-5. The kid has been pretty underrated as he doesn't have enormous power potential, but is a good hitter, with a very nice approach at the plate and a slick fielder at 1st base to boot.

Trey Williams most likely won't be there when we draft again, or atleast, he shouldn't be.

[daingean]

Byron Buxton: Considered for the first overall selection in the draft. Has quite a bit of development ahead of him, but the talent is clearly there. He may be best suited to go to college where he can develop his craft before making his way into a professional baseball organization. His biggest issue is who he's played against. There seems to be a lot of concern about what he can against better competition. Valid point, perhaps...

valid point on the competition if you only look at HS competition (although they played Blessed Trinity in the play-offs and swept them -- Blessed Trinity is stacked with Div 1 players) but if you consider summer ball, he's played in a few WWBA tournaments where he'd have faced several of the best HS pitchers. But Appling County is in the middle of no-where central Georgia....but Cole Pitts is from that area (would take some research to see if they faced each other the last few years).

[OhioBaseball]

This is me sticking my neck out, and I'm sure someone will question me (I know someone will have an issue with this, but I don't care b/c I believe in it) -- Trey Williams has very wide, very broad shoulders. I had a mentor when I was in college that schooled me on scouting. He told me that such a set of very broad shoulders is prohibitive to the swing and it's rare to see good hitters with those kind of shoulders. It sounds crazy, but good hitters very often have sloping shoulders. I've watched major league hitters since then over the last 8-9 years and its largely true, although there are a few exceptions. One guy that has very broad, wide shoulders in MLB now is Carlos Quentin -- he's succeeded with less than a prototypical upper body type, even though he's definitely had his struggles to hit above .250. Dave Winfield also had big, broad shoulders and managed a tremendous career, but for the most part, and there are always exceptions, most major league hitters have sloped shoulders to varying degrees. Trey Williams doesn't and call me crazy, but I really believe its a legitimate issue. Thanks but no thanks, I'll pass on Trey. For such a tremendous athlete, him being ranked barely in the top 100 by BA speaks volumes (if he could hit he'd be a top 15 overall talent, no question). (I think you all would be surprised if you looked at major league hitters and their shoulders; you'll find surprisingly very few that are broad and wide)

Re: Christian Walker. He's a good hitter, but he's a bad body type that only looks to project to play 1b. Given that, he needs to be an exceptional hitter in the minor leagues to ascend to being a valuable major league player and I'm not sure he's got the power to do that for a 1b. I think BA's ranking of him in the 220 range is too low, however.

[GeronimoSon]

Byron Buxton: Considered for the first overall selection in the draft. Has quite a bit of development ahead of him, but the talent is clearly there. He may be best suited to go to college where he can develop his craft before making his way into a professional baseball organization. His biggest issue is who he's played against. There seems to be a lot of concern about what he can against better competition. Valid point, perhaps...

valid point on the competition if you only look at HS competition (although they played Blessed Trinity in the play-offs and swept them -- Blessed Trinity is stacked with Div 1 players) but if you consider summer ball, he's played in a few WWBA tournaments where he'd have faced several of the best HS pitchers. But Appling County is in the middle of no-where central Georgia....but Cole Pitts is from that area (would take some research to see if they faced each other the last few years).

Cole Pitts...now there's a name that I bandied about like prize rooster for a number of postings.. Out of Colquiit County Georgia.. Big stong kid.. the Indians drafted him in the latter rounds (30's) a year ago, but weren't able to sign him...

[daingean]

Cole Pitts...now there's a name that I bandied about like prize rooster for a number of postings.. Out of Colquiit County Georgia.. Big stong kid.. the Indians drafted him in the latter rounds (30's) a year ago, but weren't able to sign him...

Was #2 starter for Ga Tech which swept the ACC tournament this past weekend. ERA in the 6's but 6-4 for a Freshman. Not a bad showing.

[PEngle39]

Keith Law reports that the Indians are open to taking a college or prep player in round 1. Like always, the Indians will take the best player available; so rest easy Tribe fans!!

[GeronimoSon]

Keith Law reports that the Indians are open to taking a college or prep player in round 1. Like always, the Indians will take the best player available; so rest easy Tribe fans!!

A further clarification on Keith Law's report: The Indians will take a position player or a pitcher. Keith Law must be reading Paul Hoynes' insightful meanderings to get this specific...

[daingean]

Keith Law reports that the Indians are open to taking a college or prep player in round 1. Like always, the Indians will take the best player available; so rest easy Tribe fans!!

A further clarification on Keith Law's report: The Indians will take a position player or a pitcher. Keith Law must be reading Paul Hoynes' insightful meanderings to get this specific...

so that means that we can scratch from our list all punters

Board Member: This guy here is dead!
Rachel Phelps: Cross him off, then!