2016 MLB draft thread.

[King]

Craig Biggios son! How about that lol

[King]

http://i.imgur.com/joQkxYL.png

 

Cavan Biggio. 2B

 

https://twitter.com/doinitBIGgio23

 

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — After digging in the left-handed batter's box, a teenage Cavan Biggio stared over his shoulder at a familiar face.

 

Roger Clemens gazed back with his trademarked, surly, uber-competitive look any wannabe baseball player would recognize. But Cavan had a unique relationship with the 354-game winner, who was a teammate of his father, Craig Biggio, with the Houston Astros.

 

Clemens, by any measure, is one of the best right-handed pitchers of all time. But given that it was only batting practice for an elite travel team, and Rocket had an L-screen in front of him, Cavan, now a star second baseman at Notre Dame, didn’t expect to see Clemens’ best stuff.

 

Until he saw a nasty off-speed pitch head his way.

 

“He’s not that fun to hit batting practice off of, honestly. He’s not like my dad where he kind of throws it in there nice and straight. He’s got some run on it. Sometimes he’ll throw the split finger."

 

Clemens wasn't going to make it easy for Cavan. He would have to earn it. In fact, Cavan wasn’t given much of anything throughout his baseball development.

 

His pedigree came with perks, of course, which included access for him and older brother Conor to the Astros clubhouse, the opportunity to study the game with major leaguers and up-close exposure as to how the game’s best prepare.

 

"Cavan and Conor had the opportunity to see [them] prepare for a baseball game, and watching them get themselves ready physically and mentally to go compete in a baseball game," Craig told B/R.

 

"I think for Cavan and Conor, having the opportunity to be in the clubhouse, be around big league guys, it definitely helped them. It definitely helped them a lot. I think that if you asked my kids, they will tell you the big league guys, they were like their friends."

 

But the name on the back of Cavan's jersey made it harder for him than other prospects. He became a target. The tamest just wanted a shot at beating Craig Biggio’s son.

 

Others lobbed lofty expectations on the Fighting Irish second baseman. The worst of them heckled Cavan, insinuating that all he has earned—a college scholarship and high praise from MLB scouts heading into June’s draft—was only because of his last name.

 

He plays the same position as his father. He leads off for Notre Dame as his father did throughout his career with the Astros. He has some of the same goals his dad once had as a hungry, up-and-coming major league talent.

 

Cavan’s mission, though, has also been to prove he is a different player from his father. And to prove his love of baseball wasn’t something he just inherited.

 

It’s innate.

 

“I kind of realized, who cares what people think? I’m not my dad,” Cavan said. “My dad is an incredible baseball player, and if I’m going to be just as good ... I’m not going to be anything like the player he was because we’re two different players.”

 

Along with Conor, a four-year player at Notre Dame, Cavan developed a game when he was a youngster to work on fielding.

 

The two brothers would stand on opposite sides of a batting cage they had at home, one that pulled out to some 20 feet long. One brother would hit off a tee at the other as hard as he could.

 

The object: Field balls as cleanly as possible. Whoever got the most out of 20, while committing the fewest errors, would win.

 

Cavan was so competitive and hooked on baseball that he would play the game anywhere he could. The two brothers even took over the batting cage at Minute Maid Park.

 

Conor said when they played the game at the Astros' home field, there was a soft area at the end of the home team’s cage where they could dive around. The bright lights of an MLB stadium made it even more competitive.

 

This game, without a name, was one of the many quirks in their development that the Biggio boys were tasked with inventing.

 

“So I guess I could take credit for his Gold Glove,” Conor said of the award his brother won last season, acknowledging him as college baseball’s best-fielding second baseman.

 

Conor was joking. Cavan doesn’t when he credits his older brother with his development. That far predates their two seasons together at Notre Dame.

 

Amid his professional baseball career, Craig would make every attempt to attend his sons’ games. Some weekends, he would pull the doubleheader—watch the first five innings of a son’s game, then head to the park to prepare for his own.

 

The boys would shower and join him later, in time to watch the “Killer B’s,” which included Craig, Derek Bell and Jeff Bagwell—who hit 1-2-3 in the Houston order.

 

They would often act as de facto "clubbies"—shagging balls in the home batting cage for players readying for a pinch-hit appearance. After games, they would clean cleats.

 

As much of a help as they were to the players, Cavan acknowledges the incredible influence it had on his success.

 

Practically speaking, though, it was difficult for Craig to maintain a constant presence in the baseball development of his young sons. The logistics of a professional baseball career were too difficult to juggle with his sons' games.

 

Most of the time, they outright conflicted.

 

For Cavan, having Conor at his side was critical. Conor, two years his elder, was the trailblazer—facing the bloodline expectations first and helping him adapt.

 

“Conor set the path for me,” Cavan said. “Obviously we pretty much played the same sport growing up and played on the same teams, and we both ended up being teammates at Notre Dame.

 

“He’s been a huge help and a huge leader in my life when my dad wasn’t around to be that father in the household.”

 

On a college visit to the University of Virginia, Cavan fell in love with the facilities. He liked the coaches and players he met. The program is a perennial contender for the national championship.

 

But something was missing.

 

“Conor is such a great older brother and such a great leader in his own way that having an opportunity to see how Conor went through things for his first two years being here [at Notre Dame helped Cavan],” Craig said. “The two things is being an athlete and also being a student-athlete. They go hand and hand; you've got to do both sides of it. So I think it absolutely helped him out a lot.”

 

It seems like the Irish land every son of a professional athlete.

 

Torii Hunter Jr., son of the soon-to-be Hall of Fame center fielder of the same name, is part of that contingent. Hunter Jr. plays wide receiver on the Irish football team and outfield for the baseball team.

 

He has given Cavan a sounding board anytime the pressures of succeeding their fathers invaded college life.

 

The two often take a lighthearted approach to discussing the pressures. Both will joke about how, unlike many athletes, they don’t care about what number they wear—provided it isn’t the one their respective dad wore.

 

“That was the thing that brought us closer together,” Hunter Jr. said. “We had those commonalities.

 

“People have certain expectations just because of your last name. You just learn to shake those expectations and play the game you know how to play and just not let it affect you."

 

Cavan met yet another legacy prospect while playing in the Cape Cod Baseball League—a wood bat league featuring the country’s best college talent. There, he was teammates with Preston Palmeiro, son of Rafael Palmeiro—a 20-year MLB veteran with 569 career home runs.

 

In August 2005, Rafael was suspended by MLB after testing positive for steroids. He vehemently denied knowingly doing so. According to ESPN.com, Rafael told an arbitration panel the positive test resulted from a tainted B-12 shot, given to him by Miguel Tejada—who was implicated in the Mitchell Report.

 

“He’s a great player, even better person,” Cavan said of Preston. “He’s gone through the downsides of [the son of] a major league baseball player just because of ... what his dad has been accused of. It’s kind of taken a toll on him but he’s handled it so maturely and I think it’s very impressive for him to kind of brush it off.”

 

Writing his own chapter would take more than off-field counsel from other sons of professional athletes, though.

 

Cavan still needed to prove he had the skill set of baseball’s elite. Notre Dame and the ACC, the country’s best baseball conference, provided the stage.

 

But with the Irish, Cavan would fail for the first time in his career.

 

Cavan grabs a cross, hanging around his neck, out from under his shirt when he talks about his freshman season.

 

His struggles, in part, were the result of dealing with the death of a close family friend. Cavan found out about it during a doubleheader in which he recalls failing to get a hit.

 

The adjustment to elite pitching and off-field tragedy caused Cavan to struggle as a freshman. He leaned on Adam Pavkovich, then a coach at Notre Dame who now serves as an assistant at Georgia State.

 

“When things happen outside of the field out of our control, it affects anybody, but especially him being so young early in his college career,” Pavkovich said. “You just be there, continue to build him up, talk to him and tell him it’s an escape when you finally get to go to the baseball field.”

 

In 43 games his freshman year, Cavan hit .246/.329/.353.

 

But it proved to be the best learning experience of his career. Though Cavan hit only .258 his sophomore year, he had an OBP of .406, showing scouts he had great plate discipline.

 

“Baseball is a game of failure, and when you haven’t really experienced it that much, I don’t think you’re ready for the professional level,” Cavan said. “College level is a great way to figure yourself out as a person and as a baseball player. It kind of hit me hard my freshman year when I was failing a lot when I hadn’t before my whole life. But I think it’s helped me mature as a baseball player and as a person.”

 

This season, Cavan leads off for the Irish and was hitting .311/.473/.474 with a team-high 43 runs scored and 28 RBI, which ranked second on the team through Tuesday. Though there is no official college stat that tracks pitches seen per at-bat, Notre Dame head coach Mik Aoki surmises he is among the nation’s best at seeing pitches.

 

His game is indicative of a player exposed to baseball at a high level. The little things come easy to Cavan—knowing when to run on a pitch in the dirt, situational hitting or his positioning in the field.

 

“His identity is wrapped up in being a baseball player, and I certainly think he wants to carve his own path and be known for the things he has been able to accomplish rather than the things his dad was able to accomplish,” Aoki said.

 

“He sees the game at a really, really high level.”

 

In a breakout year for the Irish star, comparisons to his father have lessened. His play stands on its own. But like many college stars on the precipice of a pro career, Cavan is drawing parallels to other MLB stars.

 

“He reminds me a lot of Jeff Bagwell, in a way. If you walk him, you walk him,” Craig said. “If he gets a chance to hit, he hits. That's the way he goes about his business.

 

“My maturity level, how was I at 20 years old, 21 years old? I was nowhere near half as close as what Cavan is right now. He is so wise and mature on the baseball field and a student of the game.”

 

Cavan is proud of his father and his name. But it finally appears he is first recognized for his own play, not Craig’s.

 

Scouts from several MLB organizations have flocked to South Bend to watch Cavan, but it’s too early to say what round that may be. As a junior, Cavan will be eligible to be picked in this year's draft.

 

“The name can only take you so far,” Cavan said. “It’s going to catch people’s eye. But at the end of the day, if you can play, you can play.”

 

There are no longer questions about his talent. He will always be honored to be a Biggio, but it's time for him to make a name for himself as Cavan—last name excluded.

[Angrioter]

Bichette and now Biggio.....This is like the Old scouts from moneyball movie.

[jaysguy44]

Bichette and now Biggio.....This is like the Old scouts from moneyball movie.

 

Lol

[Krylian]

JP Ricciardi would love this.

[Pendleton]

JP Ricciardi would love this.

 

I think you have to go back to that era to find the last time we didn't take a HS pitcher in the first 5 rounds.

[sdyment]

Just an aside guys. Does anyone know when the Vancouver roster gets announced? The roster last year was underwhelming, so I didn't get to any games, but this year may be much better.

[Krylian]

I think you have to go back to that era to find the last time we didn't take a HS pitcher in the first 5 rounds.

 

I'm willing to wait and see how these guys develop, but I'm not going to pretend that I'm a big fan of this philosophy so far. Unless...as we've mentioned, there are some tricks up the Jays sleeves in rounds 11 + and underslot signings.

[Krylian]

Just an aside guys. Does anyone know when the Vancouver roster gets announced? The roster last year was underwhelming, so I didn't get to any games, but this year may be much better.

 

I want to say June 17th

[King]

Just an aside guys. Does anyone know when the Vancouver roster gets announced? The roster last year was underwhelming, so I didn't get to any games, but this year may be much better.

 

The season starts June 17th and the team usually flies out to Vancouver a few days before that, which is when the roster is usually announced. I'll say June 15th or 16th, and as always depending on when players sign they could be added to the roster as the season goes on.

[King]

Twins draft another tall RHP who can't miss bats lol

[bendera3]

Twins draft another tall RHP who can't miss bats lol

 

Twins pitching to contact?

[King]

Twins pitching to contact?

 

Yes that's a thing.

[King]

Jays are OTC again.

[King]

David Daniels a big outfielder out of high school from North Carolina.

 

I have no idea who this is and can't find much information on him, but Callis said he liked him and called him a sleeper.

[Pendleton]

David Daniels a big outfielder out of high school from North Carolina.

 

I have no idea who this is and can't find much information on him, but Callis said he liked him and called him a sleeper.

 

Tried to dig up some info but haven't come across anything yet

[crazy47larry]

I remember Cavan Biggio was really highly regarded out of HS. Similar to Cal Quantrill if memory serves. Obviously he didn't impress in NCAA like Qunatrill did though.

[King]

I heard them announce the name as DJ Daniels but on the draft tracker it came up as David, but I think he goes by DJ.

 

Deb Rogers ‏@FikeCounseling 28 Jul 2015

Let the senior fun begin again! Congrats to DJ Daniels ,who has verbally committed to James Madison University to play football & baseball!

[King]

Twitter - https://twitter.com/daniels_dj23/

[King]

http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/dj-daniels/qwcs8PTlEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/gendersport/baseball-stats.htm

 

http://i.imgur.com/KqXmNHS.png

 

http://www.impactbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=511&Itemid=24

 

 

 

Impact Baseball hit the road to Wilson, North Carolina to sit down with dual sport athlete D.J. Daniels. Daniels is a big name around the athletic program at Wilson Fike High School, as he excels on the gridiron and diamond for the Demons. D.J. is excited to get the 2015 baseball season in full swing as he hopes to lead the Demons into a deep playoff run.

 

 

Name: DJ Daniels

High School: Wilson Fike

Year: Junior

Position: OF

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Height: 6'2

Weight: 200

College Commitment: Uncommitted

 

 

How has your season started off?

My season has started off a little slow, I am still getting in the swing of things and getting better each day.

 

 

What are your expectations for the 2015 Wilson Fike Demons?

My expectations for our season is to finish in the top three of the conference and make a run in the playoffs.

 

 

What's the strength of this year club?

Some of the strength to our team is that our pitching is deeper this year than in the past. We also have more team speed in our lineup this year from top to bottom.

 

 

What conference do you guys play in?

Big East

 

 

Who's in the conference?

Our conference includes Hunt, Northern Nash, Southern Nash, Rocky Mount, and Nash Central.

 

 

What games are you looking forward to on your schedule and why?

I am looking forward to playing Hunt, they are our rival.

 

 

How has football helped you as far as being a baseball player?

In football throwing an interception is like striking out in baseball, so I would say football has taught me to have a short memory and just to keep balling.

 

 

How are your mindsets different between being on the gridiron compared to on the diamond?

Football and baseball mindsets are really different but in both both sports you want to go out and have fun and try to win a game in front of the fans.

 

 

Describe the feeling being offered by Boston College for football?

My feelings for Boston College are very strong, I have even talked to their baseball coaches some. I felt really blessed when the football program offered, I am very excited to receive an offer from a great institution like Boston College.

 

 

What are your strengths as a baseball player?

Some of my strengths as a baseball is that I have a strong arm and can really square up a baseball with my strength.

 

For the people that haven't seen you play, describe yourself as a baseball player?

Describing myself as a baseball player, I am very athletic, can cover some ground, 6.8 speed, and have good bat speed.

 

Outside of Football and Baseball, what are your hobbies?

Outside of football and baseball my hobbies are chilling with my family and friends and just having a good time.

 

If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would it be and why?

If I could trade places with one person for a day it would be Russell Wilson! I would love to see how he balances both sports being a pro athlete. Hes just the man!

 

Tell us some facts most people don't know about you?

I am the oldest child in my family, I play the piano and can throw a football 65 yards.

 

Quick Facts:.

 

Favorite Movie: Friday Nights Lights

 

Favorite Music: Rap/Hip Hop

 

Favorite Food: Burgers

 

Favorite NFL Football Team: Seahawks, Panthers and Steelers. (Yes, I am on the bandwagon )

 

Favorite Quote: "If it was easy, everyone would do it " "Chances favor those who work hard"

[Pendleton]

I heard them announce the name as DJ Daniels but on the draft tracker it came up as David, but I think he goes by DJ.

 

Deb Rogers ‏@FikeCounseling 28 Jul 2015

Let the senior fun begin again! Congrats to DJ Daniels ,who has verbally committed to James Madison University to play football & baseball!

 

Yep I found him on their team page.

 

http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/dj-daniels/qwcs8PTlEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/gendersport/baseball-stats.htm#year=15-16

 

Interestingly enough he did very well in a couple outings as a pitcher.

 

edit: beat me to it^

[King]

http://i.imgur.com/tT3Aud0.png

[King]

Yep I found him on their team page.

 

http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/dj-daniels/qwcs8PTlEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/gendersport/baseball-stats.htm#year=15-16

 

Interestingly enough he did very well in a couple outings as a pitcher.

 

edit: beat me to it^

 

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2785701/highlights/297059380

 

Football highlights lol. Wonder if he'll sign

[King]

Jays OTC again. Round 7

 

edit: Andy Ravel from Kent State, Eric Lauers teammate

 

http://i.imgur.com/Z1eLo3u.png

 

jeff ellis ‏@jeffMLBdraft 18s19 seconds ago

Wrote on Ravel saw him face Western Carolina this year and dominate that line up. Back end guy, not huge kid, three pitch guy

 

[Cyborg]

Dat BB rate for Biggio.

[Pendleton]

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2785701/highlights/297059380

 

Football highlights lol. Wonder if he'll sign

 

Our new Alford haha he does look like a pretty impressive athlete

[King]

Brian Sakowski ‏@B_Sakowski_PG 2m2 minutes ago

Blue Jays take Andy Ravel, the 2nd Kent State arm taken (Lauer). Ravel works 88-91, slider/changeup combo, skinny dude, reliever prob.

 

Aaron Fitt ‏@aaronfitt Feb 21

Nice Sunday matchup here between O'Donnell and Kent State's Andy Ravel, who's 89-91 with easy delivery, but not great command of secondaries

[King]

http://www.scout.com/mlb/scouting/story/1672923-at-the-park-kent-state-western-carolina

 

This past weekend, I was trying to figure out where to make my final scouting stop of the year. Outside of one weekend with a family commitment, I have been on the road every weekend since April. This week, almost every series began on a Thursday; since I have a day job, I can often only hit Friday or Saturday games. This limited my ability to see draft talent this weekend, as most team's best pitchers went on Thursday.

 

I had wanted to go to see the Pittsburgh Panthers, as their season was likely ending and T.J. Zeuch has elevated himself to the first round discussion. He had been the number two starter for most of the year for Pitt, once he returned for injury issues that caused him to miss a large chunk of the first part of the year. Unfortunately for me, over the past few weeks he has taken over the top spot, so I missed his stellar Thursday performance.

 

Instead, I decided it was best to go to Kent State for the fourth time this year. I knew by going out that I would miss Eric Lauer and, after seeing him twice this year, I was fine with that. Instead, I would get my first look at Andy Ravel.

 

If you were to go back to 2014, you would hear Ravel and Lauer being talked about as the same level as incoming freshman for Kent State. As a matter of fact, Ravel was rated higher in several places. He was even drafted higher, taken in the 21st round by the Diamondbacks in 2013.

I am not setting this up to knock Ravel. I just wanted to point out how highly he was thought of, and how it's a little strange just how much he has become an afterthought to many. I think Ravel would be the Friday night starter for at least a half, to possibly three quarters, of other schools in the MAC. He just, unfortunately, got stuck behind a first round pick.

Let’s get the negatives out of the way for Ravel. He is going to be considered undersized, as he is listed at 6’2” or 6”1”; either is still below the height teams want in a right-hander. The other is that he is more of a low 90’s thrower. He doesn't bring the gas and has never posted big strikeout totals in college. I know to some these would be bigger issues, but for me it's more of a shrug and move on deal, because Ravel is a capital ‘P’ pitcher. It might limit his upside, but he has shown some back-end potential over the last three years.

Ravel has four pitches he uses in a game and can command them all for strikes. He might not throw hard, but he rarely hurts himself with a walk either. He is an above-average athlete, with an easy, loose delivery that he repeats with no trouble. The stuff might not be overpowering, but he can mix his pitches, keep the ball down, and be effective. I wish he had gotten more innings in the Cape Cod League, but, in a very small sample size, he continued to do exactly what one expects from Ravel.

 

On Friday night, he went 6.1 innings and did not give up a run. He allowed just three hits and did not walk anyone, although he did hit two batters. He worked quickly and efficiently the whole game. He was pitching to contact against a team that has put up some gaudy numbers in the Southern Conference, but they could not seem to put anything on the board against him. There were a lot of fly ball outs and nothing was hit hard.

 

Ravel will go in the top-10 rounds of this year’s draft, depending on bonus demands. He is not going in the top five or so rounds, because of size and velocity, but as a pitcher there is value, thanks to his ability to command his pitches and control the strike zone. I know there is some disappointment that he didn’t add a ton of velocity since high school, but what he has done is become a polished pitcher. He could return to Kent State next year, but I expect him to hear his name called on day 2.

[King]

I kinda like this Ravel pick. Not sexy but it's fine for the 7th round. Seems like he could be a backend SP which is decent value at this point. All the more if he signs for cheap.

[Laika]

I kinda like this Ravel pick. Not sexy but it's fine for the 7th round. Seems like he could be a backend SP which is decent value at this point. All the more if he signs for cheap.

 

The farm system is so depleted at the upper levels that they kind of need to draft a lot of boring college dudes anyway... like it or not.