OK, team. Gotta go into Christmas on a more positive note than the Beltran post.
Brian Sabean has a history of going back to things that work, until they don't work. The early returns on the last two drafts are that they have worked out very well for the Giants. In both cases, they went for low risk, high floor college hitters with excellent BA's but limited power at positions of relative scarcity. There is at least one player who fits that profile to a T in the upcoming 2012 draft. Travis Jankowski is a 4 tool CF for Stony Brook, an emerging program and alma mater of Joe Nathan. Acknowledgement to MLB Draft Guide linked over on the left for a nice career summary and scouting report on Jankowski.
Jankowski has nice size at 6'3", 190 lbs. He hits LH and throws RH. He is rated as a plus defender in CF with plus speed and and a strong arm. His offensive profile is a high batting average with some plate discipline and an ability to steal bases. Power is his one heretofore missing tool although he has the size for some possible upside in power. Here are his stats for his first two college seasons:
2010: .262/.339/.301 with 13 SB against 1 CS in 103 AB.
2011: .355/.419/.457 with 30 SB against just 4 CS in 186 AB.
Brian Sabean is well known to put a lot of stock in performance in wood bat summer leagues, particularly the Cape Cod League. This just happens to be where Jankowski has really shined:
2010 .346/.414/.385 with 6 SB in just 26 AB.
2011 .329/.410/.445 with 15 SB against 5 CS in 173 AB.
He was the 2011 Cape Cod League MVP while leading the league in hits, runs and triples. He was second in steals.
mlb.com has a scouting video up that includes a nice AB where he hangs in against a LHP and drives a ball up the middle. I found the link to the video by searching Travis Jankowski on Google Video. That's the only video of Jankowski in action I could find.
I've seen a couple of mock drafts with Jankowski going to the Giants at #20. I've seen him ranked anywhere from #20 down to about #35 or so. He certainly fits the mold of Gary Brown and Joe Panik from the Giants last 2 drafts. The danger in going back to the same well too many times in the draft is it can unbalance your organization. On the other hand, there are worse things for an organization than to have a surplus of talent at a position of relative scarcity. 4 tool CF's don't exactly grow on trees. I would be happy, though maybe not thrilled, if the Giants drafted Travis Jankowski at #20 in the 2012 draft.
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Nice call DrB. We're Giants fans, sometimes its hard to not go down the rabbit hole of history. I really like what AllFrank laid down there at the end, and for me that's the impressive part about Sabean's offseason: he's NOT going back to the well.
ReplyDeleteJankowski is also #10 in BA's college prospects, obviously very preliminary. He looks good, no doubt, but I agree with you, I'd be happy but not thrilled. It seems like Jankowski and Tyler Naquin are safe choices who might become tweeners. On the other hand, Jankowski kind of reminds me of Ellsbury. Power fills in a little and you have a very sweet player.
Did you see this guy Skye Bolt from GA? What a great name. Prep guy, if he's not 1st round I imagine he's a hard sign. Not that I see the Giants taking a HS OF.
Michael Wacha is worth Wacha'in. He may go way early, but he's a cusp type guy I think, who will either go top ten or possibly drop. MLB #17, BA College #9, 6'6 RH with 90-95 with control and a willingness to pound the strike zone. We have been active at Texas A&M, I imagine he's been scouted up good. Might be dreaming on a top 10 guy though, but solid mechanics, easy delivery and good job of pitching downhill? Nice.
This futures game coming up might hype up Correa and Valentin a bit more. I keep going back to Correa - can he fall to us? Can he? The 20th pick is sort of frustrating - your expectations rise over the 29th pick. There is a chance of a very high rated guy dropping, but its not that likely. I will bet the Giants do something unconventional.
Well, Correa would be a draft pick that would definitely thrill me. I just don't see him still being there at #20. They guy at MLB Draft Guide seems to agree with me on that count.
ReplyDeleteDr B, i spent 4 yrs coaching Travis "Freddy" Jankowski through HS and Summer leagues in Lancaster PA. i can assure you this kid is no tweener. he has been jumping over over fences and stealing hits since 14. He GLIDES around the field, think Garry Maddox, built like Shawn Greene, and this lad will work harder than anyone to get to the bigs and stay there. He will be playing CF in the bigs in 2 years, and it will surprise no one that has watched him over the last 5-6 yrs. GET HIM I live in Nor. Cal now and need some good seats!
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