2013 draft

[GD]

The thing about verbal agreements is they can be broken. I will wait until the official sign date before I set anything in stone.

 

It's still encouraging, though.

[Angrioter]

The thing about verbal agreements is they can be broken. I will wait until the official sign date before I set anything in stone.

 

It's very difficult to get excited about signing latin prospects. Who knows what direction they will go. These guys are so raw projecting them is nearly impossible. You're basically giving guys millions of dollars based on physical tools.

 

A majority of these guys never make it above A ball. Remember Balbino Fuenmayor? Hes still in Lansing.

 

Such an agreement wouldn't be binding because players can't be signed until July 2. Elroy Jimenez is expected to be signed by the Cubs, probably because he spends a lot of time in the Cubs complex and is close to their personnel. But nothing is final, and it's in Gudino's best interest to remain on the open market and not commit himself.

 

 

When you come to a verbal agreement with a team, the other teams don't scouting you, as they know that you will sign with a team X.

 

 

btw Next Sunday

Canada prospect team Vs Dominican prospect team

[ace3113]

From Baseball America:

 

Jose Herrera, C, 5'11" 177lbs, S/R, Venezuela

Trainer: Felix Olivo

 

With only a few months of experience behind the plate, Herrera went to the 15U World Championships last August in Mexico and made the tournament all-star team as a catcher. Herrera went 10-for-22, hitting .455/.571/.636 with two doubles, a triple, six walks and two strikeouts. In the championship game, Herrera went 3-for-6 with a double and drove in three runs to lead Venezuela to a 10-2 victory over Cuba.

 

Herrera stands out at the plate with a good eye along with the strength and loft in his swing to hit for power. Even though he’s only been switch-hitting for a year, some scouts already think his lefthanded stroke is more advanced than his righty swing. His footwork and receiving need improvement, but he has solid arm strength and should stick at catcher.

 

Several teams believe the Astros are the leaders to sign Herrera, although the Diamondbacks have also been connected to him. The Diamondbacks even had him at their spring training complex in Arizona last week to work out and play in an extended spring training game (thus explaining Bill Mitchell’s photo of him in Diamondbacks gear). Wherever he signs, he should be able to command at least $1 million.

 

“He’s a young kid with tools,” said one scout. “The arm is probably going to grade above-average when it’s done. The receiving is rough right now, but he’s fairly new to the position and I love the makeup. He’s not going to be a high average guy, but he’s going to hit for power, and the way he takes pitches makes you think he’s going to get on base a lot, too.”

[ace3113]

From Baseball America:

 

Nestor Tejada, OF, 5'10" 180lbs, L/L, Venezuela

Trainer: Carlos Guillen

 

Tejada, like Herrera, made the tournament all-star team, hitting .520/.629/1.080 by going 13-for-25 with four triples and two home runs, good for fifth in the tournament in on-base percentage and second in slugging. He has plenty of international tournament experience, having played for Venezuelan youth national teams since 2009 when he and Herrera were teammates in Puerto Rico at the 12U Pan American championships.

 

Tejada, 16, now trains at Carlos Guillen’s academy and will probably be in line for a low six-figure bonus. He’s 5-foot-10, 180 pounds and has some similarities to Melky Cabrera. He’s an above-average runner with a decent arm who could play center field. He doesn’t project to have much power, but he’s a quality line-drive hitter.

[ace3113]

ibid:

 

Jesus Lopez, SS, Nicaragua

Trainer: Wilfredo Blanco

 

Several scouts consider Lopez, a 16-year-old who trains with former scout Wilfredo Blanco, to be this year’s top prospect out of nicaragua. When Lopez was 13, he played for Nicaragua when his country hosted the 14u Pan American Championship in 2010. Since then, he has developed into one of the better hitters on the market this year in the eyes of some scouts. He’s a 5-foot-10, 170-pound switch-hitter with a clean swing path and a compact stroke from the left side, though his righthanded swing does get big on him sometimes. He’s a steady fielder with good body control, but it’s hard for scouts to project him as a shortstop because he’s a below-average runner without a quick first step and his arm is fringy, so second base might be a better fit. Some think he could end up pulling a high six-figure bonus.

[Angrioter]

Kiley McDaniel

Doesn't sound like Appel/Gray are open to giving a big discount, so Moran looks like the target if HOU decides to replicate 2012 strategy.

[Captain Adama]

Kiley McDaniel

Doesn't sound like Appel/Gray are open to giving a big discount, so Moran looks like the target if HOU decides to replicate 2012 strategy.

 

I would ROFL if the Astros took Moran 1st overall. Like holy s***. Someone like Frazier or even Stewart would make loads of more sense.

[Captain Adama]

Kiley McDaniel

Doesn't sound like Appel/Gray are open to giving a big discount, so Moran looks like the target if HOU decides to replicate 2012 strategy.

 

I would ROFL if the Astros took Moran 1st overall. Like holy s***. Someone like Frazier or even Stewart would make loads of more sense.

[StevieRay]

really like 3 lefties: Blake Taylor, Stephen Gonsalves and AJ Puk. Good build and delivery. Used to be particularly high on Gonsalves, but was slightly turned off by his swinging his arms behind his back in his wind up.

[mitchf]

Kiley McDaniel

Doesn't sound like Appel/Gray are open to giving a big discount, so Moran looks like the target if HOU decides to replicate 2012 strategy.

Well that would be incredibly stupid.

 

Carlos Correa was a legitimate elite SS prospect who happened to be ranked 5/6/7.

Colin Moran makes good contact, but has marginal power and let's not forget he may or may not have to move to 1st. He was a middle of the 1st round talent up until ..... God knows.

 

Correa and McCullers is a haul. Moran and anyone ranked 15 and beyond while having the 1st overall pick may not look any better than what the Jays pick up.

[GD]

Why the f*** wouldn't they just take Bryant/Frazier?

[Boxcar]

You can be certain that the Astros won't f*** up the #1 pick.

[IronLadle]

really like 3 lefties: Blake Taylor, Stephen Gonsalves and AJ Puk. Good build and delivery. Used to be particularly high on Gonsalves, but was slightly turned off by his swinging his arms behind his back in his wind up.

 

I'd like to get Puk

[GD]

So is Karen Whitson still around? Isn't he going in this draft?

[GD]

Whitson got injured pre-season. Some Padres blogger made fun of him for getting injured and had to pull the article after getting destroyed on twitter/other blogs lol.

 

Oh yeah I remember that article. So he withdrew from the draft?

[Angrioter]

2013 MLB Draft Prospects: 5 Best Catchers in the 2013 Draft Class

 

No. 1: Reese McGuire, Kentwood HS (Kent, WA)

 

Strengths: Best defensive catcher in the draft. He is a tremendous athlete behind the plate with great agility and already shows the ability to block breaking balls in the dirt.

 

Receiving skills are solid already. He also boasts the best pop times (usually in the 1.8-1.9 second range) and strongest throwing arm among all catchers in this class.

 

Weaknesses: Still very raw offensively. McGuire does boast above-average raw power but struggles to have it show up in games.

 

Swing gets long thanks to a bat wrap and high leg kick that throws off his timing, especially against better velocity. Despite good receiving skills, still shows a tendency to stab at the ball with the glove.

 

Overall Future Potential: McGuire has the most raw potential of any catcher in this class. His defensive skills alone could make him a starter for a long time, but he will have to prove that his offense will be good enough to play every day. Being able to get the bat through the zone quicker and improving his pitch recognition will determine if he is a star or just another catcher.

 

 

 

 

No. 2: Jon Denney, Yukon HS (Yukon, OK)

 

Strengths: Solid offensive skill set with bat speed and raw power. He has a very quiet approach at the plate with no wasted movement, and bat control allows him to barrel the ball on a consistent basis.

 

Solid-average throwing arm behind the plate. Not the most accurate thrower in the world, but will make enough plays to stay as a catcher. He could move off the position to get his bat moving quicker, though that would significantly lower his value.

 

Weaknesses: Overall defensive skills leave something to be desired. Very raw as a receiver and still struggles to move behind the plate. Balls in the dirt are going to give him problems. Denney will have problems adjusting to off-speed stuff and can get a little too reliant on his bat speed instead of playing the ball.

 

Overall Future Potential: Denney has the most offensive upside among catchers in this draft class. He also projects to be an above-average overall hitter, so if he is even fringe-average defensively, he could be a star. Due to questions about his glove, there is a chance he could be relegated to first base or DH.

 

 

No. 3: Nick Ciuffo, Lexington HS (Charleston, SC)

 

Strengths: Like Denney, Ciuffo has a very good swing from the left side of the plate and projects to have above-average power. He also shows a strong ability to make contact, which gives him a good chance to be an average hitter.

 

Above-average arm strength from behind the plate. Receiving skills are very strong, among the best in the class. Good, strong catcher frame at 6'1", 200 pounds.

 

Weaknesses: Shows inconsistent pop times from behind the plate, ranging anywhere from 1.85-2.0. Also struggles to make the throw down to second base. Denney will pull off the ball too often, leading to strikeouts and more soft contact than you would like.

 

Overall Future Potential: Good raw tools behind the plate. Arm strength and receiving skills will play right away, but he does have to show more consistency with his throwing motion. Even with some struggles offensively, Denney has enough power and bat speed to eventually become an average hitter. He has the ceiling of an All Star, though he could carve out a nice career as a solid regular if the glove and hit tools don't progress as expected.

 

 

 

No. 4: Chris Okey, Eustis HS (Mt. Dora, FL)

 

Strengths: Okey has an average defensive profile, with some arm strength and decent receiving skills. He is never going to be considered elite behind the plate, but should be adequate thanks to a good frame and projectable skills. He has some ability to hit for average thanks to bat speed.

 

Weaknesses: Overall defensive skill set leaves something to the desired. Okey also has a limited offensive profile because his swing is not going to produce a lot of power. He takes very little stride in his load and uses more of his upper body to drive the ball. He will have gap power, but home run pop will likely be fringy.

 

Overall Future Potential: Okey's best bet to get to the big leagues is as a defensive-oriented catcher with arm strength, ability to block balls and some athleticism. His bat is not going to be special due to lack of power projection, but his bat speed could help him become a .260-.270 hitter.

 

 

 

No. 5: Andrew Knapp, California

 

Strengths: Knapp offers the kind of floor that the first four catchers on the list don't. He is still raw as a hitter, but he knows how to catch good velocity and breaking stuff having played in the Pac-12 for the last three years.

 

Weaknesses: He doesn't offer much offensive upside, as his bat speed is just adequate and power is fringy. He has shown improvement as a hitter, increasing his average from .265 last season to .350 this year. Knapp does struggle receiving the ball, which is a red flag for a college catcher, and his arm strength is average.

 

Overall Future Potential: Knapp is the kind of catcher who could end up being in the big leagues for 10 years as a backup thanks to his athleticism and some tools with the bat. He will have to show vast improvement in his receiving and throwing skills, as well as the ability to make contact, in order to be a starter.

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1649222-2013-mlb-draft-prospects-5-best-catchers-in-the-2013-draft-class

[Captain Adama]

Reported for using bleacherreport

[ace3113]

That B/R guy clearly just read a bunch of BA/KLaw stuff and decided to write an article acting like the expert. That would be plagiarism.

 

Didn't Time Warner buy Bleacher Report for like $200,000,000? What a waste of money. lol

 

Anyway, here's ESPN's take on our draft.

 

Toronto Blue Jays

Pick: 10

Bonus pool: $6.3982M

 

System strength

 

The Blue Jays still boast elite pitching talent after last winter's trades with the Miami Marlins and New York Mets, including right-handers Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna as well as southpaws Sean Nolin and Matt Smoral. The club also is grooming toolsy outfielders Anthony Alford and the speedy D.J. Davis, both acquired via the 2012 draft.

 

System weaknesses

 

The Blue Jays lack up-the-middle talent with Davis and 20-year-old catchers Santiago Nessy and A.J. Jimenez the only exceptions among their best prospects. Their top shortstop prospect is 20-year-old Christian Lopes, who may not be long for the position.

 

Draft strategy

 

The Jays have gone for the upside of prep arms on several occasions in the first round over the past three drafts and it's already paid off, as they were able to use Justin Nicolino and Noah Syndergaard in the Marlins and Mets deals. That strategy could be gone now that the club is armed to contend, despite the slow start to the 2013 campaign. In the end, the Blue Jays are likely to go for the best value at No. 10.

 

Notable No. 10 Picks

2006: Tim Lincecum (23.3 WAR)

1988: Robin Ventura (55.9 WAR)

1984: Mark McGwire, 1B (62.0 WAR)

Possible fits

 

Austin Meadows | OF, Grayson (Ga.) HS: With Meadows, the Jays could address two needs: a long-term center fielder and position player with upside.

 

Reese McGuire | C, Kentwood (Wash.) HS: They've had a crosschecker at most of McGuire's games this spring -- and their area scout has probably seen McGuire more than any other scout in the game.

 

Clint Frazier | OF, Loganville High School (Ga.): Frazier, despite profiling as a corner outfielder, might be too talented to pass up at No. 10.

[GD]

Oh my God if we get Frazier at 10. That would be amazing.

[admin]

Reported for using bleacherreport

 

I should ban BR articles from the forum.

 

AA will draft either a) The pitcher who throws the hardest High school player with the most upside and raw

Those are AA's two flavors of the day.

[GD]

I should ban BR articles from the forum.

 

Please do. One last year compared Jake Marisnick to Ryan Braun.

[admin]

Please do. One last year compared Jake Marisnick to Ryan Braun.

 

Can't stand BR, and since Fox bought it, they get even more exposure now.

People need to realize it's 12 year old kids writing these articles.

[GD]

Can't stand BR, and since Fox bought it, they get even more exposure now.

People need to realize it's 12 year old kids writing these articles.

 

I think they have one decent writer, and their basketball articles really aren't terrible, but their baseball is just horrendous. And their hockey is all plagiarism.

[Angrioter]

Oh my God if we get Frazier at 10. That would be amazing.

 

Clint "Hunter Pence" Frazier will be a f***ing Red Sox

 

McGuire or Ball for sure

[GD]

Clint "Hunter Pence" Frazier will be a f***ing Red Sox

 

McGuire or Ball for sure

 

Don't even say that, too horrible to think about

[Captain Adama]

Clint "Hunter Pence" Frazier will be a f***ing Red Sox

 

McGuire or Ball for sure

 

Outside of Blake Swihart the Red Sox tend to draft college players. They do a half-decent job of it as well. So not sure if they'll go after Frazier with their pick if he's available. I can see them going after Jonathon Crawford, Peterson or Moran.

 

Plus a little side note, for an offensive catcher, Swihart's not really setting the Carolina league on fire, his K/BB rates are pretty good though.

[ace3113]

Baseball America's latest mock

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/jim-callis-2013-mock-draft-2-0/

 

1. HOUSTON ASTROS: Houston has narrowed its field to five: the top two college pitchers (Oklahoma’s Jonathan Gray and Stanford’s Mark Appel), the top two college bats (San Diego third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant and North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran) and a fifth option, presumed to be Georgia high school outfielder Clint Frazier.

 

Rumors persist that the Astros might prefer to redistribute bonus-pool money by striking a deal with one of the hitters, and owner Jim Crane and GM Jeff Luhnow have been spotted scouting Moran. Most industry sources, however, continue to believe the choice will come down to Gray or Appel, whom Houston also considered with the No. 1 pick last year. They’re close enough in talent that asking price could be a deciding factor, though either will command significantly more than the $4.8 million Carlos Correa got as the top choice in 2013.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Jonathan Gray (Mock Draft 1.0: Mark Appel).

 

2. CHICAGO CUBS: Chicago is looking at the same four college players that Houston is evaluating. The Cubs have an acute need for pitching and have had scouting eyes on Appel and Gray throughout the spring. It’s not clear whom they would prefer between Gray and Appel if the Astros opt for a hitter.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Mark Appel (Mock Draft 1.0: Jonathan Gray).

 

3. COLORADO ROCKIES: Gray, Appel and Bryant are the consensus top three prospects in the draft, so the obvious move would be to take the guy Houston and Chicago leave on the board, even though the Rockies probably would prefer a pitcher in a perfect world. Colorado also could consider Moran.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Kris Bryant (Unchanged).

 

4. MINNESOTA TWINS: Unless one of the big three falls, pitching-needy Minnesota appears focused most on Texas high school righthander Kohl Stewart. The Twins could save money with Washington prep catcher Reese McGuire, and Indiana high school lefty Trey Ball and Moran also are in the mix.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Kohl Stewart (Unchanged).

 

5. CLEVELAND INDIANS: Right now, the most credible top-five projection is that Cleveland will take Moran. If he goes in the top four, the Indians could turn to Nevada righthander Braden Shipley or Ball, or they could explore Georgia high school outfielders Frazier and Austin Meadows.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Colin Moran (Mock Draft 1.0: Braden Shipley).

 

6. MIAMI MARLINS: The industry buzz continues to be that the Marlins will look to save money with their first-round selection. Miami is expected to cut a deal with Shipley or McGuire, with New Mexico corner infielder D.J. Peterson a third option. Frazier and Meadows might factor in here as well.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Braden Shipley (Mock Draft 1.0: Reese McGuire).

 

7. BOSTON RED SOX: Boston hasn’t selected this high in the draft since it took high school outfielder Trot Nixon with the No. 7 choice in 1993, so its scouting focus has been on high-ceiling prospects. The Red Sox covet Stewart, who could get here if Minnesota doesn’t take him. Frazier appears to be Plan B, with Ball and Shipley two more considerations.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Clint Frazier (Unchanged).

 

8. KANSAS CITY ROYALS: Kansas City seeks pitching and would love a shot at Stewart or Shipley. The Royals prefer Ball and could also be tempted by California high school arms Phil Bickford and Ian Clarkin. If they took a college pitcher, this could be the high-water mark for Alex Gonzalez. They don’t appear to have interest in Arkansas’ Ryne Stanek, who pitched in suburban Kansas City as a high schooler.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Trey Ball (Mock Draft 1.0: Ryne Stanek).

 

9. PITTSBURGH PIRATES (compensation pick for failure to sign 2013 first-rounder Mark Appel): With two of the first 14 selections, Pittsburgh’s best case would have them landing both McGuire and Peterson. That might be tough, but the drop off among catchers after McGuire is steeper than the dropoff among college bats after Peterson. If the Pirates go for a pitcher, it could be Ball.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Reese McGuire (Mock Draft 1.0: Colin Moran).

 

10. TORONTO BLUE JAYS: Without the benefit of extra picks to load up on talent like it had a year ago, Toronto will shoot for a high-ceiling player here. If Stewart, Frazier and Ball aren’t available, Meadows would stand out. The Blue Jays also would consider Shipley or McGuire.

 

PROJECTED PICK: Austin Meadows (Mock Draft 1.0: Trey Ball).

[GD]

Ermahgerd, Austin Meadows please.

 

This draft is promising in the idea that one of Meadows/Frazier has a very good chance to fall to us and if they don't there's always Smith, but it's saddening in the thought that AA will pass up on all of them.

[Caper]

Ermahgerd, Austin Meadows please.

 

This draft is promising in the idea that one of Meadows/Frazier has a very good chance to fall to us and if they don't there's always Smith, but it's saddening in the thought that AA will pass up on all of them.

 

 

Gordie.... AA is going to stand up at that podium...... He's going to pick a kid that has never even played baseball before, but can run the 100m in under 10 seconds. Then he'll look right at the screen and say..... "f*** you Gordie".

[GD]

Gordie.... AA is going to stand up at that podium...... He's going to pick a kid that has never even played baseball before, but can run the 100m in under 10 seconds. Then he'll look right at the screen and say..... "f*** you Gordie".

 

I'm not sure if I should laugh because of the hilarity, or cry because this is totally going to happen.