Brady Aiken is probably the top HS LHP in the 2014 draft, but there is a very large contingent with similar profiles. Aiken has the size you are looking for at 6'4", 205 lbs. He hails from Cathedral Catholic in CA and is one of the youngest players in the draft born 8/16/1996. He is committed to UCLA.
From BLF's scouting report, gives him a mix of 3 solid pitches with a FB that goes 88-91 and hits 93, a changeup that fades from RH batters and a slow curve at 71-73 MPH with above average movement. On video, I see what I would call a high 3/4 release point as he gets his hand at least 3-4 inches above the top of his cap. The delivery looks smooth and easy without excessive effort. You do not see the ball until it comes out of his hand.
Although his FB is nothing to be ashamed of, he is the type of pitcher who will depend on location and mixing his pitches. He will need to add a harder breaking ball, I'm thinking cutter rather than slider, to his repertoire which should be easy enough to accomplish. Although his body is not at all thin, he could probably add another 10-15 lbs and still carry it well.
BLF currently has him ranked at #33. Mack Ade of Mack's Mets has him at #16 with comments that he is going to be a "great major league pitcher" and "Every scout was wowed by his control" Matt Garrioch of Minor League Ball has him all the way down at #40, but BA has him all the way up at #9. Historically, the Giants have wanted their first round pitchers to have more velocity than what Aiken has shown so far.
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Not that I want to encourage Brian (''I can wait till the 2nd round to get a Crick") Sabean to forfeit the first round pick, and I definitely do not want to, but some of these guys can possibly be gotten in the 2nd round. Play it right and teams can really improve themselves.
ReplyDeleteMultiple ways to play it. You can look at it as an opportunity to get a second first round talent with the second round pick or you can give up the first rounder for an immediate upgrade and still get a first round talent in round 2. You can load up on 2 first round talent arms or, since the draft is so deep in pitching, you can reach a bit for a hitter in round 1 then get your first round pitching talent in round 2.
DeleteSabean will probably prove me wrong by going some other way - successfully, no less - but I imagine it would be really nice if he magically pulls off 2 frontline workhorse starters...with any surplus for getting a young stud hitter (emphasis on young - and contractually controlled...and the other emphasis on surplus).
DeleteAnd on top of that, he gets a Belt in the 3rd or 4th round.
DeleteCall me an eternal (He did it before, he can do it again) optimist.
I'm an optimist too. I believe Sabes/Barr pulled off a Belt-like heist when the drafted Tyler Horan in the 8'th round last year. I am really liking the way Barr seems to evaluate hitters. With Tidrow contributing his magic with pitchers, man, that's a great drafting team!
DeleteGiants signed Tim Hudson to 2 year deal. Sound good to me but what does this mean? Does this mean we are done and the #5 starter with be from our organization. We showed interest in Nolasco. Could that still be possible? I am interested in finding out.
ReplyDeleteIf this move says anything to me, it's that Sabean is not done. He pulled the first card while the rest of the league waited. I think there a quite a few other affordable pitchers out there who would love to play at AT&T. Great move for Hudson.
DeleteThe extreme optimist in me says Hudson as the #4 and Timmy as the #5, with the #3 (or even #2) yet to come, if as the article at CSN says that they want 'elite' pitching.
DeleteThe less extreme optimist in me says Hudson as the #3, Timmy as the #4 and our farm/a lesser free agent as the #5.
If nothing else, the Giants should win a couple more games against the Braves because they don't have to face Huddy. He just owned them!
DeleteI fully expect them to sign another FA pitcher for the #5.
Or make that another FA pitcher to fill out the 5 man rotation. I think it will be someone who is better than a #5. I don't think Sabes wants any #5 starters on next year's team.
DeleteIts also a shot across the bow to Vogelsong. He better not wait too long to do a deal if he wants to with the Giants as there may not be a spot for him soon.
ReplyDeleteI have a strong feeling that the Giants moved on from Ryan Vogelsong a long time ago. They don't seem to want him at any price.
Deleteschulman reported that the giants were talking to vogey's reps. but i think the hudson deal means that is done
Deletewhat is up with sabey sabes and the love for former a's pitchers?
2 year is one year too long
im stoked...i get to go back to hating sabean
cuz hudson was twice the cost plus one year of what it wouldve cost to bring back vogey...and he wont be as much fun
bacci
I don't think it has anything to do with the A's, Bacci. Ya gotta admit, Huddy has been a mighty tough SOB to play against for the Giants. After a few years of that you tend to develop a grudging respect for the guy. I know I have.
DeleteI don't know what it is, but I am getting the feeling that there is something below the surface with Vogey and the Giants. They are making it just a little too obvious that they really don't want the guy back. Now, I could be all wrong about that and we'll be reading about a deal with Vogey tomorrow, but that is the feeling I am getting.
Honestly, Bacci? I just don't get why you have this need to hate on Brian Sabean.
Dude puts together 2 teams, the only two teams in SF Giants history, that win the World Series, and you can't stand the guy? What is up with that anyway?
I understand Moneyball is actually a cult and Sabean is the arch enemy who must be vanquished...or was it a video game plot I heard?
DeleteJust saw that the Giants signed Caleb Clay to a minor league FA contract. This could be a really great signing. Clay is a former supplemental round draft pick by the Nationals whose career was delayed by TJ surgery. He pitched a full season between AA and AAA last year and seems fully recovered. He's still just 25 years old.
ReplyDeleteI saw that as well, and did a little digging because his numbers intrigued me! It sounds like he's more of a finesse guy, topping out at 90 with his FB and offering a bevy of offspeed stuff. Was drafted by the Red Sox, but WAS signed him last year. Posted pretty nice #'s in AAA, so I wonder why they let him go after only one year. I'm not sure how he'll hold up in the PCL, but at some point he was thought to be a high-upside pitcher.
DeleteThe relatively low K% and a strong flyball tendency do not bode too well for the PCL, but he does have an incredibly low walk rate. His numbers seem like he might be a lot like Brad Radke who used to pitch for the Twins.
DeleteMaybe our pitching guru's can spit shine another turd? They seem to be getting good at it with Vogey as the first notch on their belt, and now Petit as a possible second.
DeleteThis guy obviously had some stuff once upon a time ago....
Rumor is that Josh Johnson reached out to the Giants and Padres saying they were his first choices. I'd take a flyer on him for a 1 year deal as a possible #5 starter.
ReplyDeleteI'd have no problem with that. The upside is very high and if it blows up in their face, it's only 1 year and you still have Petit/Surkamp/Kickham and Escobar to compete for the opportunity it would create.
Delete