Scouting the Draft: Live Blog

Hey everybody!  We'll try some live-blogging here.   Just got home from work and the board is already blown up with Orioles taking Heston Kjerstad at #2.  Suspect this is an underslot bonus situation.

Tork goes #1 overall, so no surprise there.  Great anchor to the Tigers future lineup.

I had Max Meyer as my #1 pitcher.  The Marlins agreed and popped him at #3.

Royals grab Asa Lacy when he falls to them at #4.

How's everybody doing?

BJ's were linked to Max Meyer but he went off the board at #3 so they settle for the consensus #2 ranked player in the draft.

Everybody thought Mariners would take Nick Gonzalez if he was on the board, but we have a run on college pitching.  Emerson Hancock is the most projectable college pitcher in the draft.  Current mid-upper 90's velocity but the frame is incredible.  There is a lot more in the tank there.

....and Gonzalez goes to the Pirates, a very Piratesy pick!  Very limited physical projection and he's limited to 2B, but the bat could be special.  Concerns about strength of competition and environment at New Mexico St, but he also hit well in the Cape Cod League.

Hey! I got one right!  Sweet swinging Robert Hassell to the Padres who continue to rake in high ceiling players.  He's from Tennessee and committed to Vandy but Padres must believe they have a deal.

Most boards had Zac Veen ahead of Hassell.  Now he'll get to inflate his numbers in Coors Field.  Reminds a lot of people of Christian Yelich.

Whew!  I don't have to worry about the Giants making a huge mistake and taking Reid Detmers. Angels take care of that!  ....and now I've hit on 2 of the last 3 picks.

Dodged another bullet with Crochet off the board.  Tremendous size and stuff for a lefty, but risk is sky high, IMO.

Gettin down to it.  Early on I thought Austin Hendrick was the Giants target and I still think the Soderstrom rumors may be a smokescreen.  Hendrick still on the board.  Kelley and Abel the two HS pitching studs are still there too.

Hendrick off the board at #12 to the Reds.  Do Giants go with Soderstrom, a pitcher or do they go underslot?  I'd love Cole Wilcox or Bryse Jarvis!  Studs galore with multiple HS hitters, pitchers and College pitching studs.  Don't forget Garrett Mitchell too!

Longenhagen says Patrick Bailey..... and it's Bailey!  Tyler Soderstrom except 3 years closer to the majors.... and I had him at #10 on my board 2 slots ahead of Soderstrom!

I thought Bailey would go to the White Sox at #11 so he was not on my board for my mock draft, but love the pick. Giants get great value and can probably sign him modestly below slot.

Ha!  Foscue to the Rangers at 14! Love it! I can see the rationale, but I would have been disappointed with Foscue.  MLB panel seems pretty lukewarm about Foscue.

Mick Abel first HS pitcher off the board to the Phillies.  Most projectable HS pitcher in the draft.  Reminds me of Michael Kopech in terms of projection at time of draft.

Ed Howard to his hometown Cubs.  Interesting pick for the Cubbies.

Garrett Mitchell dropping.  Is it because of the Type 1 DM or lack of game power?

Wow!  Red Sox go WAY off the board with Nick Yorke 2B, HS.  Nick who?  I profiled close to 100 draft prospects and he was not one of them.  HS 2B?  They must REALLY believe in the bat!

D'Backs take one of my favorite players in the draft, Bryse Jarvis.  Not good news for Giants fans.

Pete Crow-Armstrong was born to play in The Big Apple!

Garrett Mitchell finally goes to the BrewCrew.

The run on college pitchers kind of fizzled.  Looks like there could be a whole flotilla of them available in Round 2.

Whoa!  Looks like somebody with a pretty darn strong track record in the draft also likes Jordan Walker!  Most physical player in the draft.  This year's Jo Adell.  Cardinals crush the draft once again!

Cade Cavalli to the Nationals.  Big, physical pitcher who some mocks had going to the Giants.  Has had come injury issues in past years.

Indians go for HS SS in Carson Tucker.  Not going to make Indians fans forget Francisco Lindor.

Nick Bitsko is the second HS pitcher off the board to the Rays.  Very projectable RHP but needs development.  Rays are loaded with pitching prospects, so they can be patient.

Braves take Jared Shuster, a late rising college lefty from Wake Forest. I had him at #35.

Soderstrom to the A's at #26.

Aaron Sabato to the Twins.  Great bat, bad body.  There's gonna be a huge run on college pitchers. When does it start?

Austin Wells to the Yanks.  Love, love, love the bat.  Where will he play?

Bad Guys are up....darn!  Big physical college RHP, Bobby Miller.  Very projectable.  I'm sure the Dodgers will develop him. #22 on my board.

Not a big fan of Westburg or what the Orioles are doing in this draft.

This may be the start of the college pitcher run.  Carmen Mlodzinski, a burly RHP from South Carolina to the Bucs at #31.  Pairs up with Nick Gonzalez at #7. Nice hitting/pitching combo picks.

As I predicted, lots of college bats being drafted higher than I had them on my board, but what do I Know?  Nick Loftin to the Royals at #32 to back up Asa Lacy at #4.

D'Backs get two very solid college pitchers back-to-back Bryse Jarvis with a more projectable Slade Cecconi.

Ugh!  Another HS talent with a sky high ceiling to the Padres in Justin Lange RHP.  Padres already had one of the top systems in all of baseball and they just got a whole lot stronger!

Rockies going for HS position players.  Drew Romo is a defense-first prep C who might hit.

Not that there is anything wrong with Tanner Burns but I'm underwhelmed by the Indians haul here after taking Carson Tucker at #23.  But who cares about the Cleveland Indians?

Rays go for Alika Williams.  True college SS but bat is on the weak side.  Probably an underslot deal to help them sign Bitsko.

That's it for Day 1.  Patrick Bailey is not a flashy pick but Giants got him later than I had him on my board and my mock draft so gotta love it. Once again, FZ goes for a 3 true outcomes college hitter who can play up the middle.