Friday, June 10, 2016

Padres Shadow Draft for Day 2

Recapping day 1, I've added a pair of college pitchers, and a trio of hitters. Hudson, Kay, Okey, Dawson and Gray feels like a strong haul for the first day. Based on what's left form my big board, I'm going to shift some guys around, trying to add some upside. Going into today, my big board now reads:
  • Belge
  • Thompson
  • Taylor
  • Hampson
  • Calica
  • Schmidt
  • York
  • Moseley
  • Jordan
  • Hammond

If I land two of the top 3 here (Belge, Thompson, Taylor), I'm going to move Schmidt of York up to and a senior sign and open up some funds.

Enjoy the draft!

Padres Shadow Draft Day 1

Day one is in the books, and man, it was an odd one. Here is how things go for me:
  • Ray- Goes 5th to the Brewers.... there was a brief moment where I was hoping he'd make it to me.
  • Senzel- 2nd pick in the draft. The Reds have something in mind, and I like what they're doing with this pick.
  • Hudson- With the 8th pick in the draft, Hudson is there, and I'm taking him. The Padres IRL are trying to be clever with the Quantril pick, so it will be fun to compare these two careers. Also, IRL, Hudson couldn't have landed in a better spot. Upon seeing the Cardinals stop his free fall, the only reaction is "yup, that makes sense."
  • Pint- Went 4th to the Rockies. I can't imagine that's going to help his career.
  • Dunn-The Mets grab him at 19. I was REALLY hoping he'd slide to the 24th pick.
  • Anderson- The 3rd pick? Anyone who listed to Jonah Keri's podcast with John Copolella knew something crazy was goig to happen at the 3rd pick. This was that surprise.
  • Perez- Remember that note about Hudson and "of course they did"... same thing here.
  • OkeyI'm excited to land Okey with the 24th pick. He's going to be a stud. IRL, he goes at the top of the 2nd round to the Reds, so this isn't too much of a reach.
  • KayLoving this pick for me too. IRL, Kay goes a few picks later (to the Mets, whose big board seems to look a lot like moie)
  • Dawson- IRL, he goes 61 to the Dodger, so I grabbed him a few picks early.
  • Gray- At 71, I'm picking up Logan Gray.
  • Jefferies- Goes to the As befoe I have a chance to draft him
  • Hampson
  • Belge
  • Moseley
  • Taylor
  • Calica
  • Thompson
  • Schmidt
  • York
  • Jordan
  • Hammond

Thursday, June 9, 2016

MLB Draft Day Big Board

It's draft day!!!!... which means it's time to roll out my full blown big board. Part 1 of the preview can be found here. Part 2 here, and part 3 here.

This post is a compilation and update to those posts, and will also add some comparisons of where my rankings are vs where the industry is. I'm going to keep the majority of post 3 on the side this year, with the idea that different players I referenced in the 3rd post might become more valuable depending on how things go. For example, if Delvin Perez falls to me, I'll plan to bump someone like Clate Schmidt up a bunch of my board (senior sign + later-than-expected HS'er should leave me room to sign everyone.

One more thing... D1 posted its top 150 prospects draft prospects (I left their rankings out since they're subscriber only), whereas BA did 500, and so did PG. If you're reading this blog, you either have WAY too much time on your hands, or you're someone who should try to support those sites. They're incredible.

Without further ado:

PlayerSchoolLevelNotesBA RankPG Rank
Corey RayLouisvilleJRRay has been at the top of my board for around 18 months. Nothing hes's done made me change my mind.73
Nick SenzelTennesseeJRNothing has changed here67
Dakota HudsonMississippi StateJRNothing has changed here, either1415
Riley PintSt. Thomas AquinasHSThe first HS on my board. I can't imagine he is falling to the 8th pick, but stranger things have happened22
Justin DunnBoston CollegeJRHere is the first diversion for me from my first draft board. Dunn's stock is soaring, in part because of how he's pitched in the post season.2233
Ian AndersonShenendehowaHSIf he lasts until my back to back picks, this would be a steal129
Delvin PerezInternational Baseball Academy,PRHSGetting popped for PED's has me worried, but with 3 pick in the first round, I'd roll the dice99
Chris OkeyClemsonJRnothing changed here5247
Anthony KayConnecticutJRnothing changed here3543
Ronnie DawsonOhio StateJRHe's had some serious helium, so I'm moving him up to make sure I'm in striking distance when the 3rd round comes around (maybe even the 2nd round)53143
Logan GrayAustin PeayJRI don't understand how this guy is ranked so low. I can't get the Ryan Braun comp out of my head169140
Daulton JefferiesCalJRA missed season hurts, but it could also mean more bullets in the gun6145
Garrett HampsonLong Beach StateJRI've flip flopped on whether Hampson or Solak fits into my draft board, and on decision day, I can't get away from the idea that Hampson has a higher upside (and a lower floor). I think I'm putting Hampson here so that all of the pitching staffs on his teams get to play with a quality SS (probably a philosophical thought for another day)156201
Jeff BelgeHennigerHSHe slots in nicely here, and with the actual draft, might slide up depending on how things are going68168
Ryan MoseleyTexas TechJRnothing changed hereNANA
Kobie TaylorPortsmouthHSHe might move up in the actual draft259351
Andrew CalicaUC Santa BarbaraJRnothing changed here235251
Keegan ThompsonAuburnJRI'm moving him up a bit, because I think he's going to be a tremendous value232392
Clate SchmidtClemsonSRnothing changed here493NA
Trey YorkEastern TennesseeSRnothing changed hereNANA
Mitchell JordanStetsonJRnothing changed here418NA
Cooper HammondMiamiJRnothing changed hereNANA

There it is

Happy Draft Day!

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Ten more players on my big board

In some years, I've ended up with a surplus of guys on my big board, and in some, I've run out of players within the first 3 rounds.

I think my first couple posts, which identify a dozen college players, and five high school players, should give me a good start. But in case I end up with a situation where I need to draft more players, here's a set of ten more players I'm thinking about.

This list isn't in any sort of order (that might come with a final, inclusive big board post... though I might need to highlight where specific players fall into the mix if that's the case... Or I might leave it as is, to create some flexibility). Here is my college list of additional prospects:

  • Garret Hampson- Hampson and Okey were two of my favorite players from the 2013 draft, and he barely missed my top 12 (in fact, it was a toss up between Hampson and Solak... the latter making it because of a stronger bat... though as we get closer... these two might swap spots).
  • Mike Shawaryn- This guy was a work horse for a bunch of years in college, and in his draft year, he seems to have run out of steam. Whether it is because of an injury (which seems likely) or fatigue, I'd be thrilled to land this guy, tell him to go home and rest up for spring training (no touching a baseball), and seeing what I have next year.
  • Keegan Thompson- Keegan Thompson is a SP at Auburn, who just missed a season with Tommy John surgery. He was also the ace of the 2012 Team USA under 18 team that brought home the gold medal (against Cuba, in the gold medal game, all he did was throw a complete game shut out with 12 Ks, seriously). It seems there should be a very real chance he goes back to college for his senior year, but maybe he can be talked into joining the pros. If so, I want it to be in my system.
  • Zack Brown- Here is a guy whose sinker has been compared to a bowling ball. He's been up and down as a college player, but he's a terrific pitcher and workhorse.
  • Clate Schmidt- Schmidt had been largely pedestrian this year, but his scouting report shows a guy who's won some big games, basically, by out-competing everyone he faces and pitching off a killer changeup. Here's the thing... coming out of HS, his scouting report was a guy with terrific stuff. He was diagnosed with cancer (the Red Sox did something really cool, drafting Schmidt and letting him talk to Jon Lester). Another year cancer free (which is awesome) and another year Chemo-Free (again, bigger than the game here, but an amazing story), I'm betting more of his strength comes back. Yes, he's a senior sign, but more importantly, he'l pitch in the majors, and be an amazing story.
  • Andrew Calica- He's an OBP machine who switch hits and plays strong CF defense. Sign me up.
  • Trey York- This senior sign from Eastern Tennessee is a 2b who has the following credits under his belt from this past year: More XBH than K's, a nearly equal K:BB ratio, double digit HR and SB, a 70% SB success rate. Sign me up, please.
  • Brian Dalbec- There is no way this guy makes it to me, but every time I hear his game and think about his game, I keep coming back to one name: Micah Owings
  • Mitchall Jordan- I don't know what to make of this guy. On the Cape... he was Greg Maddux. Seriously... just... just... just... ok. I don't know what changed, but I'm hoping my scouts and coaches do, since Jordan proved capable of dominating against guys his age.

Let me also tack on a couple more HS players.

  • Dylan Carson- Carson is a Cal State Fullerton commit. The switch hitting 1b has been comp'd to a very young Mark Teixeira, who was a terrific player for a long time (and still is). Snagging Carson would be a nice later round pick up.
  • Kobie Taylor- As far as HS players go, "Northeast athlete that's been recruited to Vanderbilt" falls very, VERY high on my list of types. Isan Diaz, Rhett Wiseman, and now Kobie Taylor. There's a good chance this is the guy I try to put on my roster, and then spend every dollar I've got from under slot deals on.

With a week left before the draft, my next couple posts will focus on putting some order into a big board, and then doing some comparisons on how players line up across the land (using public sources as a baseline). As with last year, I'm also planning to do a shadow draft.