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Friday, June 7, 2013

MLB Draft: First Day Recap

The Pirates came into the first day of the 2013 MLB draft with the number nine and number fourteen picks, as well as the 51st overall pick in the second round.  With those picks, they selected three high school players, two being left handed hitters, and the other being a left handed pitcher.

9th Overall Pick: Austin Meadows
Meadows came into the draft ranked number six on my draft board and number five on Baseball America's draft board.  He is a potential five tool talent who was a centerfielder in the prep ranks, and the Pirates hope he can stay in that position as a pro.
The Pirates were heavily linked to high school catcher Reese McGuire with the ninth overall pick, but when Meadows fell to them, the Pirates didn't pass on the upside that Meadows brings.  He could hit for average and power, along with being a threat on the base paths with great fielding range in center.  He came into the year with a chance to be the number one overall pick, but he didn't hit for as much power as some scouts would've like to see from him.  Still, he has a solid swing and a 6'3, 200-210 pound frame that is ideal for a power hitter.  I see his upside as a Matt Kemp type player (when Kemp is healthy), but obviously that will take a lot of things to go the right way for that to happen.  General Manager Neal Huntington stayed true to his draft board with this pick, something that you definitely like to see from your GM.

14th Overall Pick: Reese McGuire
As I previously stated, the Pirates were heavily linked to McGuire with the number nine overall pick, but took Meadows instead after he fell to them.  I thought it would be unlikely that McGuire would still be available to the Pirates with the number fourteen pick, so I was surprised that he was still available there.  Also available to the Pirates at that pick was Nevada pitcher Braden Shipley.  I had ranked him as the seventh best prospect in the draft and actually preferred him to McGuire with this pick.  I wanted Shipley because he was a college pitcher that isn't too far from the majors, with a good fastball, great changeup, and potential for an above average curve.  Shipley has an upside of a number two starter, and I felt he would have been a good addition to the organization, especially after taking a high upside high school hitter with the first pick.  That being said, I think Reese McGuire is a very good fourteenth overall selection, as there was some talk he could go as high as number four overall to the Twins.  He is a defensive first catcher with a plus arm that can really control the running game.  Also, McGuire has been calling his own games since little league, giving him great experience that is very rare from the high school ranks.  The main question mark about McGuire is the upside that he brings with his bat.  He's a left handed hitter that has the potential to hit for a decent/good average with moderate power, but his defense will always be the strong part of his game.

51st Overall Pick: Blake Taylor
With their second round pick, the Pirates selected high school projectable left hander Blake Taylor.  Taylor sits in the low 90's with his fastball, but can reach the mid 90's at times.  He has good sink on that fastball that leads to a lot of ground ball outs.  He adds a curve to his arsenal, a pitch that has a chance to be above average in the future, but some feel it will remain an average pitch.  He doesn't have a changeup at this point, something that he will need to develop in order to remain a starter.  I didn't have Taylor ranked in my top 50 draft prospects, but I did add him in the next 25 prospect to watch section.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Pirates Select Reese McGuire At #14

The Pirates have selected high school catcher Reese McGuire with the fourteenth overall pick in the 2013 MLB Draft.

Here's my scouting report for McGuire from my draft preview:

11) Reese McGuire--C--L/R--6'1--190--HS
McGuire is a defensive first catcher who has the best arm from behind the plate in the draft.  He has incredible pop times to go along with that 70-80 arm (on the 20-80 scale), and has improved his receiving skills since last season.  His bat is questionable, and doesn't have the upside of other high school catchers in this class, but he could hit for a decent-good average with moderate power.  Regardless, he will remain a defensive first catcher who can really control the running game.


McGuire is really a defense first catcher with a decent chance of being a good hitter, and his plus arm is the tool that stands out the most.  Personally, I would have taken Braden Shipley with this pick, as he was the number nine guy on my board, compared to McGuire at number eleven.  With two first round picks, I would've gone one high school player and one college player, but the Pirates went with two high school guys.  That being said, the Pirates wanted McGuire at the number nine pick before Meadows fell, and McGuire was far from a bad pick at number fourteen.  

Pirates Select Austin Meadows At #9

The Pittsburgh Pirates have selected Austin Meadows as the ninth overall pick in the 2013 MLB draft.

Here's my scouting report of him from my draft preview:

6) Austin Meadows--OF--L/L--6'3--200--HSMeadows has the potential to be a five-tool talent, and may have the best shot at being that type of player out of anyone in this draft class.  He has the range to handle center field, along with the speed and arm to make it in any outfield position.  He makes good contact with a solid swing, but hasn't produced as much power in games as scouts would like him to.  If he develops power, he has the highest upside of any player in this class. 

Meadows was the best player still on the board for the Pirates at number nine, so the Pirates made the correct choice here.  There's not much question as to whether he will sign or not, but it will probably take around the slotted amount of $3,029,600 to sign him to a deal.  He has the highest upside of any high school position player in this draft class, and will most likely start in the rookie level Gulf Coast League if he plays this year.  Expect him to start the year in Low-A West Virginia in 2014.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

2013 Draft Preview: My Draft Board

The 2013 MLB draft is coming up on Thursday, and just like last year, it is unclear who will be taken at the top of the draft.  Also similar to last year, this year's crop of talent is considered to be relatively weak, especially when compared to the 2011 draft.  However, there is some depth in this year's class, mostly in the prep ranks.  There is a lot of high school catching talent that should come off the board early, as well as some depth with high school lefties.  The prospects at the top of the draft are mostly college players and high school hitters.  After that, we see a lot of high-risk, high-upside high school pitchers, along with some safer college players.
This is the first time I have scouted the draft to this extent and made a draft board along with it, and I approached it by reading scouting reports and watching videos from MLB.com and Keith Law, as well as any other websites that had player rankings, mock drafts, or videos of the players.  From reading these reports and watching videos of the prospects, I made my own judgments on the ultimate upside of players, their floors, and what tools they do or do not have.  With all that, I created a draft board of 50 players in order of how I would draft them if I were an MLB General Manager or scouting director (which I will be one day).  I would also like to note that this is not a mock draft, just what I would do.

1) Mark Appel--RHP--6'5--215--College Senior
Appel, who was in contention for the first overall selection in the 2012 draft, returns as the top prospect in the 2013 draft after not signing with the Pirates, who selected him with the number eight overall pick.  Appel is armed with a mid 90's fastball, along with a slider and change, which both grade as plus pitches.  Some scouts say he is the most polished pitcher coming from the draft since Stephen Strasburg, and he is probably the closest player to the majors in this draft class.

2) Jonathan Gray--RHP--6'4--245--College Junior
Gray forced himself to the top of draft boards this year by displaying an upper 90's fastball that has exceeded 100 MPH, even late into games.  He also has a plus-plus slider and commands his pitches well.  Gray has as high an upside as Appel, but isn't as polished at this point, so he will take a little longer to reach the majors.  Sources say Gray recently tested positive for Adderall in the mandatory drug test for the draft's top 200 prospects, which is a banned substance, but most believe this shouldn't have a major impact on his draft status.

3) Kris Bryant--3B--R/R--6'5--215--CJr
Bryant currently leads college baseball in home runs in 2013, with 31 homers in 215 at bats.  To put that in perspective, the next highest home run total in college baseball is 18.  He has the best power in the class, and has cut down on his strikeouts this year, making him better as an overall hitter.  There are questions as to whether he will stay at third base (something you will hear about most amateur third baseman, shortstops, and center fielders), but his strong arm will play well in right field, where he has seen some time this year.

4) Colin Moran--3B--L/R--6'3--215--CJr
Many scouts call Moran the best overall bat in the class, as he hits for average, power, and has amazing plate discipline.  As I stated above, as a college third baseman there are questions as to whether Moran will stay at the position, but he has the hands and the arm strength to stay there if he can improve his footwork.  He is polished enough that he should be able to move quicker through the minors than any other hitter in this draft.

5) Kohl Stewart--RHP--6'3--190--High School
The top prep pitcher in the class, Kohl Stewart has top of the rotation potential, with a fastball that reaches the mid 90's and potential for a plus slider.  He also has a curve and a change, with the curve having the potential to be an above average pitch.  However, he has a commitment to play football at Texas A&M, which could drive up his bonus demands.

6) Austin Meadows--OF--L/L--6'3--200--HS
Meadows has the potential to be a five-tool talent, and may have the best shot at being that type of player out of anyone in this draft class.  He has the range to handle center field, along with the speed and arm to make it in any outfield position.  He makes good contact with a solid swing, but hasn't produced as much power in games as scouts would like him to.  If he develops power, he has the highest upside of any player in this class.

7) Braden Shipley--RHP--6'3--190--CJr
Shipley has performed very well this year, which has shot his name up on draft boards.  He generally sits 92-95 with his fastball, but has reached the 97-99 MPH range.  He also has a changeup that could be a plus pitch, along with a curveball that could be an above average to plus pitch.

8) Clint Frazier--OF--R/R--6'1--190--HS
Frazier and Meadows are both from the same area in Georgia, and many scouts are split on who the better prospect is.  While Meadows is more of an all around player, Frazier could have the better bat.  He has tremendous bat speed with a very short swing that leads to hard contact, and that should give him the potential to have plus power.

9) D.J. Peterson--3B/1B--R/R--6'1--190--CJr
Some say that Peterson is the best overall bat in the draft this year, but he lacks the upside of other college hitters like Bryant or Moran.  He generates good contact with his swing, but I question whether he will continue to have above average power in pro ball.  He will almost surely end up as a first baseman in the future, with average to slightly below average range at third.  He has a high floor, and shouldn't be too far from the majors, but also doesn't have a huge upside.

10) Dominic Smith--1B--L/L--6'0--195--HS
Some scouts believe that Smith has the highest offensive upside of any player in this draft.  He has a great swing that can generate a lot power in the future, but hasn't overwhelmed anyone with his power so far.  As a plus defender at first with a surprisingly good arm, Smith should be able to really focus on his hitting more during his time in the minors, making him a safer bet to hit than most high school players.  I also am very high on high school first basemen who can hit, as they have a very good success rate in their pro careers when taken in the first round.

11) Reese McGuire--C--L/R--6'1--190--HS
McGuire is a defensive first catcher who has the best arm from behind the plate in the draft.  He has incredible pop times to go along with that 70-80 arm (on the 20-80 scale), and has improved his receiving skills since last season.  His bat is questionable, and doesn't have the upside of other high school catchers in this class, but he could hit for a decent-good average with moderate power.  Regardless, he will remain a defensive first catcher who can really control the running game.

12) Hunter Renfroe--OF--R/R--6'1--216--CJr
Renfroe hadn't performed much during his college career entering the 2013 season, but he has become one of the best performers in the NCAA this season.  The raw tools were always there, especially his great raw power and speed combination, along with an above average arm and range in the outfield.  He is the toolsiest college hitter in the draft, and the only other player that can rival his overall package of talent is Austin Meadows.

13) Trey Ball--LHP--6'6--180--HS
Ball is a two-way player, being both a good pitching prospect and a good hitting prospect.  At this point, there's little doubt that Ball will be selected as a pitcher, as he has a much higher upside at that position.  Ball will sit in the low 90's in his starts, and has consistently hit 94 MPH.  With his very projectable body, that velocity could eventually end up sitting in the mid 90's and will even have the chance to hit the upper 90's.  He also has the chance to have an above average curveball in addition to that fastball.  Ball has a lot of upside, but will probably need a lot of development time in the minors.

14) Ryne Stanek--RHP--6'4--190--CJr
Stanek came into the year with the potential to go in the top 3-5 picks, but command issues and problems with his delivery have caused some concerns with scouts.  He also isn't striking out enough batters with the pitches that he has.  Still, he has a fastball that sits 92-94 MPH and can go a little higher, with potential for a plus slider to go with that.

15) J.P. Crawford--SS--L/R--6'2--175--HS
The best shortstop in the class, Crawford will be a coveted player for most teams, especially with picks 10-20.  He has an athletic body, one that could allow him to grow into more power.  With his smooth swing, he could hit 10-15 homers a year in the future if he fills out his body, along with a decent average.  He is a safe bet to stick at short, which is not extremely common for high school shortstops.

16) Nick Ciuffo--C--L/R--6'1--200--HS
Ciuffo is in a solid group of prep catchers this year, and is the best receiving catcher in the class.  He has improved his arm to a point where he should have no trouble staying behind the plate.  He displays good bat speed that will generate a lot of solidly hit balls, and could also give him above average power.  Ciuffo may have the best shot at being a two-way catcher when compared to other catchers in this class, as he has the best combination of offensive and defensive abilities.

17) Chris Anderson--RHP--6'4--225--CJr
I was a little hesitant to put Anderson this high, but with his combination of size, stuff, and improved control this year, I had to put him here.  Earlier in the year, Anderson was hitting 96 MPH with his fastball and paired that with a plus slider.  As the year went on, he began to fade and lost some velocity on his fastball, as well as the feel for his slider.  If he can regain his early season form and keep it as a pro, Anderson could be a number two starter.  If he doesn't regain what he had, then there's a chance he could end up a reliever.

18) Hunter Harvey--RHP--6'3--175--HS
Harvey has a big projectable body, with a fastball that is currently sitting at 90-94 MPH, and is said to have hit 97.  With his body, he could see an increase in velocity as he matures.  He matches that with a potential plus curveball, but doesn't have a third pitch yet.  He doesn't have a good delivery, one that limits arm speed and causes struggle with his command, but it is fixable.  He is a high-risk, high-reward player, and if a player development system fixes his delivery, his body fills out (adding to his velocity), and he discovers a changeup, Harvey could be a top of the rotation pitcher.

19) Sean Manaea--LHP--6'5--235--CJr
Manaea is another player that I was hesitant to have this high.  Manaea started the season with a chance to go number one overall after a brilliant season in the Cape Cod summer league.  There he showed a good fastball that was up to 96 MPH, along with a great slider and good changeup.  During this college season, however, Manaea has dealt with injuries and his velocity has dropped off a bit and his arsenal wasn't what is was during the Cape Cod League.  Despite his stuff not being as sharp and those injury concerns, Manaea has a high upside and good floor, so teams willing to take a risk on him could get a good late first round steal.

20) Matt Krook--LHP--6'4--200--HS
Krook is a big high school lefty that possesses a fastball that sits 88-92 MPH, with a chance to add a little more velocity in the future.  He also has the potential for a plus curve that has good depth and spin to it.  He is mainly a two-pitch guy at this point, but he will flash a rare change at 79-80 MPH.  Scouts feel he needs to work on his delivery, but I don't see too much wrong with it, personally.  If he improves on his velocity a little and gets a better feel for his changeup, he could be a good 2-3 starter in the majors.

21) Marco Gonzales--LHP--6'1--185--CJr
A high floor, low upside college pitcher, Gonzales will sit in the upper 80's and occasionally hit 90-91.  His main weapons are his secondary pitches, with a plus changeup and above average curveball.  He has good command, and all of that combined should allow him to move through a system relatively quickly.

22) Jon Denney--C--R/R--6'2--205--HS
Denney has the look and ability to be an offensive threat behind the plate, with good raw power and the potential to hit for a good average.  Out of the top three prep catchers, the other two being Reese McGuire and Nick Ciuffo, Denney has the most struggles on defense.  He has an average to slightly above average arm behind the plate, but has troubles with receiving.  If he improves on his catching ability, his offense gives him All-Star potential.

23) Eric Jagielo--3B--L/R--6'3--215--CJr
Jagielo has a polished bat that has led to a .388 average so far this season, but his swing can get a little long at times.  He makes consistent solid contact which also leads to good power, but doesn't have the same level of ability as Bryant or Moran, and is not quite with Peterson, although he isn't far behind.  He has a chance to stay at third, where he will be average defensively.

24) Rob Kaminsky--LHP--6'0--188--HS
Another high upside high school lefty, Kaminsky brings a fastball that is 92-95 that could end up a plus pitch.  To pair with his fastball, Kaminsky throws a curve that could also end up as a plus pitch.  He doesn't have the ideal body that scouts love to see, but he has a lot of arm speed and he displays command that should be at least average down the road.

25) Billy McKinney--OF--L/L--6'1--195
McKinney has one of the highest upsides of any hitter in this year's draft, with the chance to hit for both average and power.  He has a long swing, which could lead to strikeouts in the future, but he has strong hands and good hip rotation that will lead to power.  He's not much of a defender, with below average speed and not much of an arm, so he will be limited to left field for now.

26) Ian Clarkin--LHP--6'2--190--HS
Yet another high upside high school lefty, Clarkin has a fastball that he throws up to 92-93, with the chance to add a little velocity in the future.  He adds a power curve that could end up as an above average or even plus pitch, along with an average change.  He could be a middle of the rotation starter, with an outside chance of being a number two guy, but needs to improve on his command to get there.

27) Phil Bickford--RHP--6'4--200--HS
Bickford has really been shooting up a lot of draft boards recently, with some very impressive starts in his last few outings, including a 17 strikeout performance.  He throws a fastball that can reach the mid to upper 90's with good sink, and the chance to even throw a little harder.  However, he doesn't have anything special beyond that fastball, with his slider and change grading as average pitches.  If he wants to be more than a power fastball kind of pitcher, then he will need to vastly improve his breaking stuff.

28) Hunter Dozier--SS/IF--R/R--6'4--220--CJr
Dozier is a big guy who has very little chance to stay at short as a pro, but he has the arm and range to translate over to third base, and should be at least average there.  His real value comes with his bat, as he has been one of the best performers in the NCAA this year.  He could provide above average power with a decent average to go along with that.

29) Alex Gonzalez--RHP--6'3--200--CJr
He possesses no plus pitches, but is average to above average across the board with good control and good strikeout numbers.  His fastball sits at 91-94 MPH with good movement, along with a slider/cutter pitch that comes in anywhere from 84-90 MPH.  He doesn't have a very high upside, but he has a very high floor, and won't take too long to make the majors, and could be selected in the middle of the first round.

30) Austin Wilson--OF--R/R--6'5--245--CJr
Wilson is a big, strong player who has a good deal of upside, but is far from a safe bet.  He put up less than impressive numbers this year, especially for a player with his talent.  With his size, he has a lot of raw power, but after suffering from injuries this year, he struggled to get on track offensively.  Despite his lack of performance this year, his athleticism should draw teams attention, as he could hit for above average power with decent defense in a corner outfield spot.

31) Aaron Judge--OF--R/R--6'7--255--CJr
Judge is possibly the biggest guy in the draft, from a pure size standpoint.  At 6 feet, 7 inches tall, Judge has huge raw power, which hasn't really shown up much in games until this season.  He will probably endure some higher strikeout totals as a pro, but his power should make it at least somewhat acceptable.  He is athletic and should be at least an average defender in a corner outfield spot, with an above average arm and decent range.

32) Kyle Serrano--RHP--6'0--185--HS
Serrano has the potential for two plus off speed pitches with his curve and change, with his curve being the better of the two pitches.  He will sit 90-94 with his fastball, but doesn't have much projection to add more velocity in the future.  He has at least number two starter upside, but is a very tough sign due to a commitment to Tennessee, where his father is the head baseball coach.

33) Devin Williams--RHP--6'3--172--HS
Williams has a projectable body with a good chance to add velocity as he matures, though he already throws with good velocity, sitting in the low 90's and hitting 93-94.  He mixes in a change, which is his best off-speed pitch, along with a slider that has been improving.  Williams is very raw at this point, so it is difficult to determine his ultimate upside.  He could be a hard throwing righty with two good off-speed pitches, but could take four or five years to develop.

34) Carlos Salazar--RHP--6'0--200--HS
No one really has Salazar rated as highly as I do, or else I may have even rated him higher than this.  Salazar possesses great arm strength that allows him to hit 97 on the gun, making his fastball a potential plus pitch.  He also shows a good slurvy pitch that has great break to it, which also has the potential to be a plus pitch.  He has a feel for a change as well, and I'd say that pitch has the chance to be above average.  With that total package, Salazar is a high upside player that could work out of the first couple spots in a major league rotation, but he is committed to his hometown Fresno State, so could be a tough sign if he doesn't go high in the draft.

35) Tim Anderson--SS--R/R--6'1--180--Junior College
Most people have Anderson higher than I do, due to his athleticism and the strong probability of him staying at shortstop.  He has plus speed with the ability to hit for average and doubles power, but not much home run power.  If he can't stay at shortstop, he has the athletic ability to play centerfield, much like the move that Reds' prospect Billy Hamilton made.  I have him rated this low because of the fact he plays in Junior College, and the competition is nowhere near as good as the NCAA, but the tools are there.

36) Andrew Thurman--RHP--6'3--205--CJr
There isn't much upside with Thurman, but he has very good command and control of his pitches, making him pretty polished coming out of college.  He will sit 90-93 with his fastball, along a change that could be a plus pitch in the future.  He is a safe pick with number three or four starter upside, as well as a high floor.

37) Travis Demerritte--SS/3B--R/R--6'1--195--HS
Demerritte played a lot of shortstop in high school, but he will no doubt end up a third baseman as a pro player.  He has great bat speed that gives him the potential to hit for plus power that will profile well at third base.  He may not hit for a high average, but the power could make up for that.  He has an athletic body as well, and his arm should work well at the hot corner.

38) Dustin Peterson--SS--R/R--6'2--185--HS
The younger brother of D.J. Peterson (#9 on this list), Dustin Peterson is another high school shortstop that will probably end up playing another position, and in his case it will most likely be second base.  He has an average arm and range, which profile better at second than they do at third.  Peterson's main asset is his bat, which has good power due to good hip rotation, and could produce 20+ homers as a pro.  His short swing and good bat speed also generate solid contact consistently, and that could allow him to hit for a good average as well.  

39) Josh Hart--OF--L/L--5'11--172--HS
Hart is a great athlete who could have plus speed that should give him good range in center, along with a good glove.  He will be a threat on the base paths with his speed, displaying a good ability to swipe bases in high school.  He will never hit for power, but may put up a decent average.  His value will be with his speed and defense, and he really reminds me of Michael Bourn.

40) Phil Ervin--OF--R/R--5'11--190--CJr
Ervin is high on a lot of peoples' boards, but he isn't really spectacular as a hitter.  He won the Cape Cod summer league's MVP award, after being a great power-speed player.  He has plus speed, which should allow him to have a chance in center, but some see him as a future left fielder.  He will get some loft on the ball with his swing, but there really isn't much power projection in his body.  He doesn't have much of an upside as a hitter, but could be a decent power-speed player.  

41) Cody Reed--LHP--6'5--220--JC
When he was in high school, Reed wasn't much of a prospect, as he was hitting only 84 MPH on the radar with a fringy slider.  In his first two seasons at JuCo, he has increased his velocity drastically, now hitting as high as 94.  He has also improved his slider, and has shown the ability to command his pitches, as well as miss bats with them.  If he continues these improvements, Reed has a high upside.

42) Ryan Boldt--OF--L/R--6'1--190--HS
Boldt probably won't have any plus tools as a pro, but he could be above average with multiple tools.  He is a very raw player that will take a long time to develop, but he has the ability to hit for a good average while playing a good centerfield.  Boldt doesn't have much power projection in his swing or his body frame, but his batting average and defense in center can make up for that.

43) Jonathan Crawford--RHP--6'1--205--CJr
Crawford was higher on a lot of draft boards coming into the season, with the potential for a plus fastball and plus slider, but didn't have the junior season that many thought he would have.  He still has a fastball that touches 96 and a hard slider, but his change doesn't have enough separation in velocity with his fastball.  He also struggles a little with his control and command, and didn't miss many bats this spring.  He has a higher upside than most college pitchers this low, but he will need to refine his command and changeup if he wants to reach his number two starter ceiling.

44) Jacob Brentz--LHP--6'2--195--HS
Brentz has a plus fastball that has hit the upper 90's this year, and that was sitting in the 91-95 range during a showcase in April.  He also has the chance to have an above average changeup, but is basically a one pitch guy at this point, with his curveball being at best an average pitch.  He has good command, but will be a project who needs to develop his offspeed pitches in order to reach his 2-3 starter upside.

45) Robert Tyler--RHP--6'3--196--HS
I have Tyler ranked higher than others do, as he has a projectable body with a fastball that can already reach 94 MPH with good movement.  He has a hard curve that has been inconsistent, but also that has the chance to be a plus pitch in the future.  He also throws an average change, along with a slider that he should probably get rid of.  He has the potential of a number two starter if his curve reaches its potential, but he is a big project who will need to work on his mechanics.

46) Trevor Williams--RHP--6'3--228--CJr
Williams is average to above average with his three pitch mix, which includes a fastball, slider, and change.  His fastball will sit at 90-94 MPH, but his best pitch is his change, which is a plus pitch at times.  His slider doesn't have much of an upside, but with a good fastball and potential plus change, Williams could be a good middle to back of the rotation starter in the majors.

47) Garrett Williams--LHP--6'3--185--HS
Williams is a projectable lefty who has already hit 94, but he will mostly sit in the 88-92 range at this point.  His curve comes in at 77-78 MPH, and it could also end up as an above average pitch.  He has a questionable delivery right now, one that doesn't use much of his lower half.  If he improved his delivery, Williams could really ramp up his fastball, making it a plus pitch in the future.

48) Connor Jones--RHP--6'1--190--HS
Jones has a three pitch mix that has nothing that stands out as a plus pitch, with a fastball that reaches 93 with good sinking movement.  His slider has good late break on it, but it probably won't be more than slightly above average in the future, with his change being a strictly average pitch.  He has good control and good pitchability, making him more polished than most high school pitchers.

49) Cavan Biggio--3B--L/R--6'2--180--HS
Son of the Astro great Craig Biggio, Cavan is a good natural hitter with a chance to add more power in the future as he fills out more.  He is currently listed as a third baseman, but he has played other positions, including second base and outfield.  He projects best as a second baseman with a below average arm, but his offense should make up for any defensive struggles at second.  He has made consistent hard contact against strong competition, keeping the Biggio hitting genes in the family.

50) Rowdy Tellez--1B--L/L--6'4--220--HS
Tellez is a big high school first baseman who has one of the top high school bats in the draft.  He has power to all fields, with potential plus plus power to the right field as a lefty hitter.  He also could hit for a good average to go along with that power, making him a major threat at the plate.  Tellez handles first base well and will be able to focus on his hitting as he develops.  He will be a project, but he has the ability to hit 30+ homers with some of the best raw power in the draft.


25 MORE PLAYERS TO KNOW
Ryan Eades--RHP--6'3--193--CJr
Aaron Blair--RHP--6'4--220--CJr
Andrew Mitchell--RHP--6'3--220--CJr
Blake Taylor--LHP--6'3--220--HS
Will Crowe--RHP--6'3--225--HS
Jason Hursh--RHP--6'3--195--College Sophemore
Michael Lorenzen--RHP--6'3--195--CJr
Bobby Wahl--RHP--6'3--200--CJr
Tom Windle--LHP--6'4--215--CJr
Kevin Ziomek--LHP--6'3--200--CJr
Oscar Mercado--SS--R/R--6'2--175--HS
Dylan Covey--RHP--6'2--205--CJr
Alex Balog--RHP--6'6--225--CJr
Corey Knebel--RHP--6'3--210--CJr
Chad Pinder--3B--R/R--6'2--192--CJr
Chris Okey--C--R/R--6'0--179--HS
Colby Suggs--RHP--6'0--225--CJr
Cord Sandberg--OF/1B--L/L--6'2--215--HS
Stephen Tarpley--LHP--6'2--200--JC
Jared King--OF--S/L--6'1--200--CJr
Brian Ragira--1B/OF--R/R--6'2--200--CSr
Zack Collins--C--L/R--6'3--220--HS
Justin Williams--OF--L/R--6'3--215--HS
A.J. Vanegas--RHP--6'3--215--CJr
Hunter Green--LHP--6'2--200--HS


FIRST ROUND ORDER WITH SLOT VALUE
1) Houston Astros--$7,790,400
2) Chicago Cubs--$6,708,400
3) Colorado Rockies--$5,626,400
4) Minnesota Twins--$4,544,400
5) Cleveland Indians--$3,787,000
6) Miami Marlins--$3,516,500
7) Boston Red Sox--$3,246,000
8) Kansas City Royals--$3,137,800
9) Pittsburgh Pirates--$3,029,600
10) Toronto Blue Jays--$2,921,400
11) New York Mets--$2,840,300
12) Seattle Mariners--$2,759,100
13) San Diego Padres--$2,678,000
14) Pittsburgh Pirates--$2,569,800
15) Arizona Diamondbacks--$2,434,500
16) Philadelphia Phillies--$2,299,300
17) Chicago White Sox--$2,164,000
18) Los Angeles Dodgers--$2,109,900
19) St. Louis Cardinals--$2,055,800
20) Detroit Tigers--$2,001,700
21) Tampa Bay Rays--$1,974,700
22) Baltimore Orioles--$1,947,600
23) Texas Rangers--$1,920,600
24) Oakland Athletics--$1,893,500
25) San Francisco Giants--$1,866,500
26) New York Yankees--$1,839,400
27) Cincinnati Reds--$1,812,400
28) St. Louis Cardinals--$1,785,300
29) Tampa Bay Rays--$1,758,300
30) Texas Rangers--$1,731,200
31) Atlanta Braves--$1,704,200
32) New York Yankees--$1,677,100
33) New York Yankees--$1,650,100


Well, there it is.  This has been my longest and most in depth project for this site, in terms of length and the amount of research and scouting I had to do to complete it.  I hope this is a helpful tool to anyone that is interested in the MLB draft this year.  If you would like me to expand on any of the players in the "25 more players to know" section, just ask in the comment section below.  If you want to know where I think a player will go in the actual draft or which player I think a team will take, you can also ask in the comment section.  I will be live tweeting the draft on Thursday, so you can follow me on twitter @mikemaw45 for any draft updates.  Thanks for reading, and let's get excited for the 2013 MLB draft!

Monday, June 3, 2013

Sorry for the Delay--Draft Board Coming Soon

It's been a really long time since I've posted, as I've been very busy lately.  I'm a senior in high school and I've had some final tests and projects that I've needed to work on, as well as releasing some music.  In the meantime, though, I have been working on scouting for this year's MLB Draft, and that has taken a very long time.  With this scouting, I have put together a draft board of my top 50 players, as well as the next best 25 players available.  I am currently doing write-ups on these players, and I will have that up in the next couple days, as the draft begins Thursday.  My school ends on Wednesday, but I don't have any more work to do for school so I will be able to start posting regularly now.  Sorry for the lack of work on the website, and thank you for being patient.  Bloggin Buccos will be up and running again in the next couple days, and hopefully we can expand the site a little with a podcast!  Thanks!

Also, if there is any ever topic, player, or prospect that you would like to talk about or have me write an article about, you can email me at mikemaw45@gmail.com or tweet me @mikemaw45.

Thanks for reading!