2018 MLB Draft Thread

[jays4life19]

A new mock was posted today here: https://247sports.com/mlb/scouting/Article/2018-March-Mock-for-Major-League-Baseball-Draft-Picks-1-30-115861234

Not sure how credible but hey, always fun to read!

 

Has the Jays drafting Conine over TSwagg.

 

Not terrible.

 

I would lose my poop if we took Conine over TSwiggle though.

[BlueRocky]

Wow Nander De Sedas falling to #18?

Could be a steal

[jays4life19]

South Alabama looks to end a 4 game losing streak against Alabama St who's been playing some good ball coming into this game.

 

Game is streamed for free through --> JagNationTV.com

 

7.30pm. You can get a live look at future Bluejays T-Swag.

 

 

SWAGGERTY LEADS SBC

Center fielder Travis Swaggerty leads the Sun Belt Conference in walks (21) and on-base percentage (.587), ranks second in the league in slugging percentage (.767), and tied for third in home runs (3).

[Boxcar]

Oh my god shut the f*** up

[jays4life19]

Okay

[Spanky99]

lol... f*** that Grump Boxbike!

[baubau]

Oh my god shut the f*** up

 

..no, f*** you Boxy. If you don't like this thread you can

 

[Spanky99]

..no, f*** you Boxy. If you don't like this thread you can

 

 

lol... I believe the "T-Swag" is triggering him.

[jays4life19]

lol... I believe the "T-Swag" is triggering him.

 

If that's the only issue I can spell out his whole name but I'm pretty sure it's not because we use nick names for dooodz all the time.

 

I only talk about Travis a lot because he's projected to be selected around when the Jays pick and he's like the most Shapiro type of guy. College bat with a very high floor.

[Spanky99]

If that's the only issue I can spell out his whole name but I'm pretty sure it's not because we use nick names for dooodz all the time.

 

I only talk about Travis a lot because he's projected to be selected around when the Jays pick and he's like the most Shapiro type of guy. College bat with a very high floor.

 

I'm laughing at it... trigger away.

[jays4life19]

Anyways...i guess i won't stop posting here but i'll talk about someone else.

 

BA did a write up on one of Hurls boys

 

_____

 

GREENVILLE, N.C.--A handful of decision-makers and at least a dozen scouts were in attendance for Saturday's East Carolina-Missouri State matchup this weekend, presumably to get a few early looks at Missouri State shortstop Jeremy Eierman.

 

Eierman is one of the top college bats available for this year's draft class, but was off to a slow start to begin the season, hitting just .125/.182/.225 with 10 strikeouts and just two walks. Because of that, he was one of the players falling in our first draft tracker of the season, and fell from No. 17 to No. 27 on our most recently updated top 300 draft prospects list.

 

Over the weekend, Eierman did some things to ease that fall, including hitting his first home run of the season in his final at-bat against ECU and going 4-for-11 with three walks and two strikeouts across all three games in Greenville (against Pepperdine and St. Joseph's in addition to the Pirates).

 

That performance improved his season line to .206/.341/.353 for the season, and while those numbers are far from electrifying, it's a big step in the right direction for Eierman at this point, particularly with the evaluators who were watching his every plate appearance Saturday night.

 

 

 

In the video above, you can get a look at batting practice from Eierman from last summer, as well as infield reps from the top-ranked college shortstop from this game and several live at-bats, including his first home run of the year--a no-doubt shot to left field.

 

Defensively, Eierman didn't have many opportunities at shortstop in this game, but did show off an arm that appeared plus, receiving a cut off throw from left field and making a strong, accurate throw to first base to double up a runner who had advanced on a hit-and-run. Eierman was a decent distance into the left field, behind second base when he caught the relay, and his throw to the bag was online and strong. He also swallowed up a ground ball up the middle that took a moderately challenging short hop near second base, making an easy and routine flip to second base.

 

At the plate, Eierman sets up with an extremely wide stance and has almost no leg kick in his load, instead shifting his weight back and barely lifting his front foot off the ground as he readies for contact. As he shifts his weight, his hands drop from around helmet height to just below his back shoulder, and he has a level to slightly uppercut bat path with a high and short two-handed finish. While there's some head movement as Eierman loads and strides to the ball, he's generally fairly steady and follows the ball to contact well. There's some stiffness to the swing and a wide lower half might contribute to that, but he regularly looked balanced throughout his swing, with the exception of a few pitches on the outer half of the plate where he got into trouble lunging or falling over the dish in his follow through. Eierman's bat speed is significantly more impressive in-game than in batting practice and he has obvious strength that allows for plus power.

 

 

While Eierman will never be a significant stolen base threat, he showed solid instincts on the bases Saturday after singling to left field by advancing to second on a throw to the plate. He went 2-for-3 in stolen base attempts this weekend and is now 4-for-5 on the season.

 

 

Read more at https://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2018-draft-notebook-jeremy-eierman-goes-deep-greenville/#peJ1QLemlhtTPdYx.99

[Spanky99]

Anyways...i guess i won't stop posting here but i'll talk about someone else.

 

BA did a write up on one of Hurls boys

 

_____

 

GREENVILLE, N.C.--A handful of decision-makers and at least a dozen scouts were in attendance for Saturday's East Carolina-Missouri State matchup this weekend, presumably to get a few early looks at Missouri State shortstop Jeremy Eierman.

 

Eierman is one of the top college bats available for this year's draft class, but was off to a slow start to begin the season, hitting just .125/.182/.225 with 10 strikeouts and just two walks. Because of that, he was one of the players falling in our first draft tracker of the season, and fell from No. 17 to No. 27 on our most recently updated top 300 draft prospects list.

 

Over the weekend, Eierman did some things to ease that fall, including hitting his first home run of the season in his final at-bat against ECU and going 4-for-11 with three walks and two strikeouts across all three games in Greenville (against Pepperdine and St. Joseph's in addition to the Pirates).

 

That performance improved his season line to .206/.341/.353 for the season, and while those numbers are far from electrifying, it's a big step in the right direction for Eierman at this point, particularly with the evaluators who were watching his every plate appearance Saturday night.

 

 

 

In the video above, you can get a look at batting practice from Eierman from last summer, as well as infield reps from the top-ranked college shortstop from this game and several live at-bats, including his first home run of the year--a no-doubt shot to left field.

 

Defensively, Eierman didn't have many opportunities at shortstop in this game, but did show off an arm that appeared plus, receiving a cut off throw from left field and making a strong, accurate throw to first base to double up a runner who had advanced on a hit-and-run. Eierman was a decent distance into the left field, behind second base when he caught the relay, and his throw to the bag was online and strong. He also swallowed up a ground ball up the middle that took a moderately challenging short hop near second base, making an easy and routine flip to second base.

 

At the plate, Eierman sets up with an extremely wide stance and has almost no leg kick in his load, instead shifting his weight back and barely lifting his front foot off the ground as he readies for contact. As he shifts his weight, his hands drop from around helmet height to just below his back shoulder, and he has a level to slightly uppercut bat path with a high and short two-handed finish. While there's some head movement as Eierman loads and strides to the ball, he's generally fairly steady and follows the ball to contact well. There's some stiffness to the swing and a wide lower half might contribute to that, but he regularly looked balanced throughout his swing, with the exception of a few pitches on the outer half of the plate where he got into trouble lunging or falling over the dish in his follow through. Eierman's bat speed is significantly more impressive in-game than in batting practice and he has obvious strength that allows for plus power.

 

 

While Eierman will never be a significant stolen base threat, he showed solid instincts on the bases Saturday after singling to left field by advancing to second on a throw to the plate. He went 2-for-3 in stolen base attempts this weekend and is now 4-for-5 on the season.

 

 

Read more at https://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2018-draft-notebook-jeremy-eierman-goes-deep-greenville/#peJ1QLemlhtTPdYx.99

 

Where's Conine... Hurl's boy?! Godammit... please!

 

PS - T - SWAG!! $LIFE!!!

[jays4life19]

Where's Conine... Hurl's boy?! Godammit... please!

 

PS - T - SWAG!! $LIFE!!!

 

I think he said he was a fan of Jeremy Eierman coming into the season.

[Spanky99]

I think he said he was a fan of Jeremy Eierman coming into the season.

 

Oh, he told me the sweetest sound off a bat was Conine... could've been Burger or Beer.

 

Sweetest thing is I can re-establish my sentences... It's f***ing mint.

[metafour]

I only talk about Travis a lot because he's projected to be selected around when the Jays pick and he's like the most Shapiro type of guy. College bat with a very high floor.

 

You realize that if he continues to hit at this pace that it is highly improbable that he's available when we are up to pick, right?

 

Also, who gives a s*** what Shapiro's "type of guy" is. I didn't realize that he was scouting college kids in between juggling the potential sale of the team by Rogers or whatever other hundred million+ dollar matters he has on his plate. Cleveland's draft strategy changed dramatically the last few years while Shapiro was President, so clearly his preference to "his type of guys" doesn't matter a whole lot as you'd expect once his priorities become much larger than worrying about who the team drafted. Was Clint Frazier, with his plus physical tools and low floor (due to his high whiff rate and overly aggressive approach) a Shapiro "type"?

[Spanky99]

You realize that if he continues to hit at this pace that it is highly improbable that he's available when we are up to pick, right?

 

Also, who gives a s*** what Shapiro's "type of guy" is. I didn't realize that he was scouting college kids in between juggling the potential sale of the team by Rogers or whatever other hundred million+ dollar matters he has on his plate. Cleveland's draft strategy changed dramatically the last few years while Shapiro was President, so clearly his preference to "his type of guys" doesn't matter a whole lot as you'd expect once his priorities become much larger than worrying about who the team drafted. Was Clint Frazier, with his plus physical tools and low floor (due to his high whiff rate and overly aggressive approach) a Shapiro "type"?

 

I agree with this view, but your early slander to JFL isn't rendered, who the f*** are you and your readings to be any different, from him, Nostradamus? Eat a dump truck full of dicks, thanks. Beeeeeeyotch!

 

To think I liked what you posted, this is a f***ing curb. To what JFL19 brings.

[metafour]

I agree with this view, but your early slander to JFL isn't rendered, who the f*** are you and your readings to be any different, from him, Nostradamus? Eat a dump truck full of dicks, thanks. Beeeeeeyotch!

 

To think I liked what you posted, this is a f***ing curb. To what JFL19 brings.

 

You need a Valium, bruh?

 

Its too bad Casey Mize didn't go against South Alabama; would have loved to have seen "Swaggy T" get his ******* stretched.

[Spanky99]

You need a Valium, bruh?

 

Its too bad Casey Mize didn't go against South Alabama; would have loved to have seen "Swaggy T" get his ******* stretched.

 

My point being... who f***ing knows! They're teenagers for the most part, wake up! Also a valium suggests I'm not right of mind? I try mate.

[jays4life19]

Well that escalated quickly. Lol.

 

I don't know how you could argue their hasn't been a major shift in draft philosophy from AA to Shapiro. Has any other team drafted more college players over the last 2 years? Serious question.

 

I like Mize too! Deff won't be available at 12 if he stays healthy.

[Spanky99]

Well that escalated quickly. Lol.

 

I don't know how you could argue their hasn't been a major shift in draft philosophy from AA to Shapiro. Has any other team drafted more college players over the last 2 years? Serious question.

 

I like Mize too! Deff won't be available at 12 if he stays healthy.

 

Reasons........

 

Peace I'm out...

[Boxcar]

I think he said he was a fan of Jeremy Eierman coming into the season.

 

I think that came across wrong. I don't seriously want you to stfu. Sorry.

[metafour]

I don't know how you could argue their hasn't been a major shift in draft philosophy from AA to Shapiro. Has any other team drafted more college players over the last 2 years? Serious question.

 

Why would that have been a Shapiro thing? More importantly, two years with a new regime isn't enough to determine any trend. The system was hollowed out when the change was made, with almost no one in the upper minors. Surely that would play a role in the push to draft more college kids who would fill the upper minors.

 

I'm not arguing that there hasn't been an obvious change, I just don't see why every little minor baseball decision (ie: who we draft 12th overall) has to be attributed to Shapiro. He isn't involved there much, I can almost assure you. If you want to find patterns, look at what Steve Sanders or even Ben Cherington prefers. Steve Sanders doesn't have much history to look off (he supposedly values analytical drafting a lot), but his preference is much more significant than Mark Shapiro who won't see a single one of these kids in person except the off chance he runs into them at the airport or something.

[jays4life19]

You read wayy too much into one comment.

 

AA would set the vision of the types of players he wanted. AA would instruct Parker and team on stock-piling high upside arms early in the draft for currency in trade.

 

I just assume Shapiro does the same; sets the vision and then Sanders and team goes out and finds the best talent to fit the vision.

 

We saw 10/11 of our first picks last year go towards college players, i don't think that's something that would have ever happened under AA and Parker.

[metafour]

You read wayy too much into one comment.

 

AA would set the vision of the types of players he wanted. AA would instruct Parker and team on stock-piling high upside arms early in the draft for currency in trade.

 

I just assume Shapiro does the same; sets the vision and then Sanders and team goes out and finds the best talent to fit the vision.

 

We saw 10/11 of our first picks last year go towards college players, i don't think that's something that would have ever happened under AA and Parker.

 

AA was the GM, Shapiro is the President. These are not comparable roles.

 

Are you implying that Beeston was telling AA who to draft? Or are you implying that Ross Atkins just sits around at his desk all day starring at a blank wall, because according to what I read from the majority of you on a daily basis, he supposedly has no say in any baseball decision EVER.

 

Like I said, Shapiro became President in Cleveland in 2010, and in 2011 they drafted Lindor, and in 2013 they drafted Frazier. Those were the two highest picks they had with Shapiro as President and they were used to select HS hitters. In Shapiro's last draft as a member of the Indians they took Brady Aiken: not a college player, and not even remotely safe as he was coming off an elbow injury.

[jays4life19]

AA was the GM, Shapiro is the President. These are not comparable roles.

 

Are you implying that Beeston was telling AA who to draft? Or are you implying that Ross Atkins just sits around at his desk all day starring at a blank wall, because according to what I read from the majority of you on a daily basis, he supposedly has no say in any baseball decision EVER.

 

The role of president from Beeston to Shapiro is very different. It's why AA left...

 

Even though Beeston technically had the final say in baseball related decisions he pretty much left that to AA.

 

Dropping Parker and hiring Sanders who as you said prefers taking an analytical approach to scouting would be Shapiro influencing the draft by that hire and getting a guy who's philosophy lines up with his own.

[Spanky99]

AA was the GM, Shapiro is the President. These are not comparable roles.

 

Are you implying that Beeston was telling AA who to draft? Or are you implying that Ross Atkins just sits around at his desk all day starring at a blank wall, because according to what I read from the majority of you on a daily basis, he supposedly has no say in any baseball decision EVER.

 

Like I said, Shapiro became President in Cleveland in 2010, and in 2011 they drafted Lindor, and in 2013 they drafted Frazier. Those were the two highest picks they had with Shapiro as President and they were used to select HS hitters. In Shapiro's last draft as a member of the Indians they took Brady Aiken: not a college player, and not even remotely safe as he was coming off an elbow injury.

 

You're boring me, anyhow... finalized sure, as always. Beeston had sticky fingers, this I'm sure of... At least Shapiro, knows what he's doing. Huge gap man... just stop!

[jays4life19]

Like I said, Shapiro became President in Cleveland in 2010, and in 2011 they drafted Lindor, and in 2013 they drafted Frazier. Those were the two highest picks they had with Shapiro as President and they were used to select HS hitters. In Shapiro's last draft as a member of the Indians they took Brady Aiken: not a college player, and not even remotely safe as he was coming off an elbow injury.

 

Well, yeah.

 

No FO is dumb enough to completely ignore X demographic but you can have preferences. If Normon Gorman fell to #12 and he was the clear BPA they obviously won't be like "nope, pass...not a college dude".

 

AA drafted college guys high too.

[baubau]

...RIGHT, so how about that 2018 draft guys? Wooo!

https://www.talkingchop.com/2018/3/5/17078540/jj-schwarz-logan-gilbert-are-among-those-highlighted-in-this-weeks-college-draft-prospect-tracker

 

Edit: Ninja edit..

[P2F]

Could a 5-foot-8 Second Baseman Be Drafted First Overall?

Longenhagen article

 

[h=1]FanGraphs Audio: Kiley McDaniel on the 2018 Draft Class[/h]

[metafour]

The role of president from Beeston to Shapiro is very different. It's why AA left...

 

Even though Beeston technically had the final say in baseball related decisions he pretty much left that to AA.

 

Dropping Parker and hiring Sanders who as you said prefers taking an analytical approach to scouting would be Shapiro influencing the draft by that hire and getting a guy who's philosophy lines up with his own.

 

Again, you ASSUME that all of these things somehow have Shapiro's little finger prints all over them. Most of this s*** is handled by the guys that he's hired to oversee these things, because the team President doesn't have time to make the call on everything from a $100 million dollar stadium renovation to determining who the AA pitching coach is LOL. Just because he's more involved than Beeston, doesn't mean that he's not delegating significant power to his subordinates. Your premise doesn't even line up with reality. The reason why so many of Shapiro's "guys" get GM or President gigs elsewhere is because he obviously empowers them to make baseball decisions which is how they get on the radar for promotions elsewhere. No one is going to hire a guy who's just Shapiro's mouthpiece to run their franchise, that is asinine. Hiring Sanders is proof that Shapiro is influencing the draft? How? Would you not assume that the hiring of Steve Sanders had a hell of a lot to do with Ben Cherington, who knew Sanders from his time in Boston? You know, Ben Cherington, the guy who was the GM of a major franchise himself and who obviously possesses the experience and aptitude to suggest a Director of Amateur scouting? Steve Sanders wasn't even the "favourite" to land that job, it was actually some other guy that IIRC DID have some "Cleveland connection" of some sort until Sanders randomly came out of nowhere and was hired. The whole thing is absurd; its been almost a decade since Shapiro handled a draft and you still think he's somehow forcing his vision on a bunch of highly regarded baseball-lifers who are employed to actually make those decisions themselves? Tony LaCava did WAY more scouting work than AA, and he's still here seemingly doing the same job.