Slade

Yikes Richard being guaranteed a spot...

BA has been doing some IFA July 2 reports. Jays were not on the the first one. Rikelvin de Castro, SS, Dominican Republic A lean, 6-foot shortstop, de Castro is a high-energy, hard-nosed player with a chance to develop into a plus defender, making challenging plays look easy. He's a righthanded hitter with a quick, loose stroke and gap power. Castro trains with Angel Perez and is expected with the Blue Jays, likely for north of $1 million.

lmao

Cuban outfielder Victor Victor Mesa signed with the Marlins in October for $5.25 million. One month later, 24-year-old outfielder Harold Ramirez signed with the Marlins for a bonus of $25,000 in what could be a steal for Miami. Playing for the Blue Jays organization last year, Ramirez hit .320 and won the Double-A Eastern League batting title. He followed that up by hitting .381/.459/.556 and winning the Venezuelan League batting crown this winter. Despite ranking among the EL leader in hits, doubles and total bases last season, Ramirez qualified as a minor league free agent in November when Toronto decided not to add him to its 40-man roster. Ramirez said he received offers from 15 organizations. In an effort to re-sign him, the Blue Jays offered the largest bonus at $32,000—but Ramirez chose the Marlins. "I left money on the table,” he said. "I believe the Marlins are giving me the biggest opportunity.” Ramirez said he is playing for his wife, their 2-year-old son Elian and the rest of their family in Cartagena, Colombia. Even though soccer is religion in Colombia, Ramirez’s mom was a third baseman in softball and his dad was an outfielder in baseball. Ramirez followed in their cleat marks and signed with the Pirates in 2011. The Blue Jays acquired him in 2016, and his breakthrough came last season, when he delivered career highs in doubles (37), home runs (11) and RBIs (70). He also stole 16 bases in 18 attempts and compiled an .836 OPS. Ramirez's performance in Venezuela made the Marlins’ investment look even smarter. He collected 18 extra-base hits in 44 games and compiled a 1.016 OPS. "I worked on using my legs more in my swing and getting the ball up in the air,” Ramirez said in Spanish when asked to describe his improvement. "Also, I play aggressively all the time. I run the bases hard, and I don’t like to lose.” At 5-foot-10, 220 pounds, Ramirez said his plan is to skip Triple-A and earn a corner outfield spot on the Marlins' big league roster this spring.

Ok fair enough we are not the target audience. But do you really think a casual fan is going to notice the difference between a 3 hour game and a 2 hour 45 minute game? Baseball teams are regional products, you want to grow the game each individual team is going to have to figure out how to draw a bigger audience. For most teams the only thing that will do that is a winning culture. The only reason attendance was down this year was because teams finally realize there is no benefit to be in the middle. You either tank or are up and coming. The League is up in terms of revenue again this year from $10 billion to $10.3 Billion. The cancellation of baseball tonight doesn't matter, it's a s***** talk show nobody gave a crap about. It's not reflective of league popularity.

Disagree with most of this. I have no issues with the game as it is right now. I think the idea of speeding up the game is dumb and a waste of time. I know how much time it takes to play a game and I am fine with it. Over the last 20 years 9 innings has fluctuated from 2:46-3:05. Why is that an issue? I like watching teams do everything in their power to exploit weaknesses. I love the idea of front offices thinking so much about how much value they can get out of one roster spot and experimenting with their roster to find new value. Don't control the shift ever. It's hitters that need to figure that s*** out. I'll give it to you that I miss the art of stealing bases. Maybe some day those guys with blistering speed can learn to hit too. If there is one change I want to see it's the NL to adapt the DH so we don't have to see pitchers hit.

Meh I don't give a s*** about his political views or anything he posts on twitter. I just read his stuff because I find him really pessimistic about prospects and that's generally a different take than most other scouting reports that just gloss over the negatives of a player. He usually provides pretty good info on the Jays target in the draft too.

lmao I don't get why everyone hates him, I still read his stuff for another take on prospect. He is no more or less wrong than anyone else.

At least we won't have to watch Gurriel at SS for too long. Now definitely seems like they're going to give Pompey a real chance.

Yea he's seriously going to have to drop some weight. He has a body like Bengie Molina and he's only 20 years old.

BA top 35 Catching Prospects. 1. Keibert Ruiz, Dodgers 2. Joey Bart, Giants 3. Francisco Mejia, Padres 4. Danny Jansen, Blue Jays 5. Ronaldo Hernandez, Rays 6. Sean Murphy, Athletics 7. Will Smith, Dodgers 8. Miguel Amaya, Cubs 9. Daulton Varsho, D-backs 10. William Contreras, Braves 11. Carson Kelly, D-backs 12. Andrew Knizner, Cardinals 13. M.J. Melendez, Royals 14. Bo Naylor, Indians 15. Anthony Seigler, Yankees 16. Jake Rogers, Tigers 17. Diego Cartaya, Dodgers 18. Garrett Stubbs, Astros 19. Zack Collins, White Sox 20. Jacob Nottingham, Brewers 21. Austin Allen, Padres 22. Ivan Herrera, Cardinals 23. Ryan Jeffers, Twins 24. Luis Campusano, Padres 25. Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays 26. Will Banfield, Marlins 27. Cal Raleigh, Mariners 28. Francisco Alvarez, Mets 29. Tyler Stephenson, Reds 30. Eric Haase, Indians 31. Seby Zavala, White Sox 32. Tomas Nido, Mets 33. Meibrys Viloria, Royals 34. Jack Kruger, Angels 35. Connor Wong, Dodgers Last scouting report on Kirk from BA for those interested. Ranked Appalachian League #12 prospect in 2018 Kirk signed out of Mexico in 2016 and played in only one game in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2017 because of a hand injury. He initially fractured his left hand in a car collision, then re-injured his hand when hit by a pitch in his first GCL game. Kirk made up for lost time this summer as one of the best hitters in the Appy League, where he hit .354/.443/.558 with 10 home runs, 33 walks and 21 strikeouts. Kirk has a solid approach at the plate and a smooth stroke, but he faces skepticism about his future defensive home because of his frame. Listed at 5-foot-9 and 220 pounds, Kirk has well below-average athleticism and speed and will need to clean up his body to stick behind the plate. If he can, he has tools for the job with solid arm strength and game-calling ability. He threw out 43 percent of basestealers in the Appy League, and coaches were also impressed with his blocking ability.

I would have taken Pomeranz with that deal over Clayton Richards as our 5th starter.

Other than more bullpen help, what more do they need? Donaldson will be a huge addition to that lineup if he stays healthy and they have a lot more young players coming. Marwin Gonzalez might be a good fit but still can't see him making a huge difference.

Cashman just doesn't lose, a 1st round pick and and two decent prospects for a guy that New York didn't even want.

Anyone go to the Diamond Talk thing this weekend with Shapiro?

I doubt it, the stakes are different. Cashman could of just held on the Gray if he wanted, we needed to trade those guys asap. No doubt though it's an insanely good trade for the Yankees and I can't even believe that their are rumours of a 3rd piece.

Who's going to hire him now, TSN? Would be an unnecessary headache for any network to go through. He wasn't even good at his job, just a loud pompous ass. I think he runs his own podcast if someone actually wants to hear his opinions.

Oh my bad, didn't realize this is old. I hate when they tweet old articles, this popped up on my feed this morning.

BA Mock draft, it's insanely early but why not. 1 bal400x400.JPG Adley Rutschman Oregon State C Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Rutschman is more cemented into the No. 1 overall prospect slot than Florida righthander Brady Singer was at this time last year. And there’s as much consensus among teams in mid-December with Rutschman being the 1-1 favorite as there was with Auburn righthander Casey Mize at the midway point of the 2018 college season. 2 kc400x400.JPG Bobby Witt Jr. Coleyville (Texas) Heritage High School SS Notes: Why It Makes Sense: 2019 seems to be a good year to pick No. 2, as the Royals could happily select Witt, who has the tools, pedigree and performance that would make him the No. 1 favorite in other drafts. Last month, Witt led Team USA’s 18U team in hitting as the club won gold in the COPABE Pan-Am Championships in Panama. 3 cws400x400.JPG Andrew Vaughn California 1B Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The White Sox have drafted college prospects with each of their last six first-round selections. After taking the best college hitter in 2018 in Nick Madrigal, the White Sox could do it again with Vaughn, who has a case as the best combination of both hitting ability and power in the draft class. 4 mia400x400.jpg (1) Riley Greene Hagerty HS, Oviedo, Fla. OF Notes: Why It Makes Sense: While the White Sox have leaned towards the college ranks, Miami has preferred high school prospects with its last five first-round picks. A bat-first corner outfielder, most of Greene’s value comes from his offensive production, but he hits for average and power and is the best hitter in the 2019 prep class. 5 det400x400.JPG C.J. Abrams Blessed Trinity HS, Roswell, Ga. SS Notes: Why It Makes Sense: It wouldn’t be shocking to see Abrams off the board before No. 5, given his elite speed, contact ability and defensive potential up the middle. Given the state of Detroit’s rebuild, taking a shot on a high-upside, lefthanded hitter with dynamic leadoff abilities could be smart. 6 sd400x400.JPG Corbin Carroll Lakeside HS, Seattle OF Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Like the Marlins, the Padres have frequently gone to the high school ranks at the top of the draft. Carroll has a hit tool that challenges Greene’s, with the added bonus of plus speed that should allow him to profile as a center fielder moving forward. 7 cin400x400.JPG Shea Langeliers Baylor C Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Langeliers could easily be off the board at this point, considering his status as the No. 3 college prospect in the class. The Reds routinely go best player available and Langeliers’ has an all-around skill set and no glaring weaknesses in his game. Outside of position, that sounds a lot like Reds 2018 first-round pick Jonathan India. 8 tex400x400.JPG Jerrion Ealy Jackson (Miss.) Prep HS OF Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Perhaps the biggest reach on the board to this point, Ealy fits the profile of many Rangers first-round prospects in that sense that he’s overflowing with tools. There is some risk here, as Ealy is a four-star running back committed to play football and baseball at Mississippi, but he has plus speed, plus raw power and plus arm strength. He shares some similarities with 2017 Rangers first-round pick Bubba Thompson (who also played football at a high level) but with a better feel for getting the barrel on the ball. 9 atl400x400.JPG Graeme Stinson Duke LHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: No team develops and drafts arms like the Braves, so let's give them the first pitcher off the board. There are a pair of big-time prep righthanders who could make sense in Brennan Malone and Daniel Espino, but it also seems hard for a college lefthander with Stinson’s size and stuff to not go inside the top 10 of this draft. Atlanta’s last five first-round selections have all been pitchers, and going back to 2009 the Braves have had 10 first-round picks—nine of which were pitchers. 10 sf400x400.JPG Josh Jung Texas Tech 3B Notes: Why It Makes Sense: This could be low for Jung, who has hit .350/.445/.549 with 18 home runs in two seasons with Texas Tech. If he posts another stellar offensive campaign as a junior, it’s easy to see him going off the board earlier than this. But San Francisco might be happy to get a pair of elite college bats in back-to-back drafts among the top-10 picks. 11 tor400x400.JPG Will Holland Auburn SS Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The Blue Jays have selected shortstops with their first picks in each of the last two drafts, and that should be a position of strength for the 2019 class. Holland has solid power for his size and plus running ability, and he’s coming off of a strong sophomore season in which he hit .313/.406/.530 with 12 home runs at Auburn. He also had a loud summer in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .341/.431/.432 in 13 games before leaving with a wrist injury. 12 nym400x400.JPG Zack Thompson Kentucky LHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The Mets have gone the college route with four of their last five first-round selections. The only high school player the team did draft in that time span—outfielder Jarred Kelenic— is already out of the organization after being traded six months after he was selected. Thompson profiles as a mid-rotation starter, if healthy, and looked good for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team this summer. With a strong junior campaign and improved strike-throwing, Thompson could take advantage of a subpar college pitching crop and join an organization built on arms. 13 min400x400.JPG Brennan Malone IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. RHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Malone has big-time stuff and could go much higher or much lower than this depending on what happens during the spring. Still, he’s seen by many as the best arm in the prep class with a fastball that gets into the upper 90s, a projectable arm action and major league frame. Transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., will allow Malone to be seen early and often by front office decision-makers, which will give him a greater leverage index to move up or down lists, depending on how he performs. 14 phi400x400.JPG Daniel Espino Georgia Premier Academy, Statesboro, Ga. RHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The counterpart to Malone in the prep pitching ranks for the 2019 class, Espino has louder current stuff, but it comes in a shorter frame with an arm action that scouts are less keen on. Still, Espino touched 100 mph this summer and is regularly in the upper 90s with life on his fastball. He also has a pair of breaking balls that have shown potential to be plus offerings with an elite lower half to drive his body off the mound and a balanced finish to his delivery. 15 laa400x400.JPG Rece Hinds IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. 3B Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Hinds figures to be an enigma for many teams throughout the draft process. He’s got louder tools than perhaps any player in the class, with the most raw power of any prospect in the prep ranks as well as plus arm strength. At the same time, Hinds has struggled defensively at both third base and shortstop, and he swings and misses too often. Los Angeles has gone with big-time tools at the cost of heavier risk with their last two first-round picks in outfielders Jo Adell (2017) and Jordyn Adams (2018). 16 ari400x400.JPG Will Wilson NC State SS Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Scouts rave about Wilson’s character and makeup, but what the D-backs might especially be drawn to is Wilson’s feel to hit. Wilson has posted back-to-back seasons with a .300-or-better batting average at North Carolina State, and he has surprising power given his 6-foot, 175-pound frame. Arizona has prioritized the hit tool in recent drafts, selecting Virginia first baseman Pavin Smith in 2017 and then going with the trio of shortstop Matt McLain and outfielders Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas with their first three picks in 2018. 17 was400x400.JPG Carter Stewart No School RHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: On talent, Stewart ranks ahead of all the prep pitchers in the 2019 class and most of the college pitchers as well, but his wrist situation could muddy the waters. For a team that wants to take a chance, Stewart has two potential 70-grade offerings, including an elite curveball. The Nationals have never been afraid to take a chance on an arm with injury questions in the first round. This one is also tricky because Stewart’s grievance has yet to be settled after he and the Braves didn’t agree to a signing bonus last June. 18 pit400x400.JPG Tyler Dyson Florida RHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The Pirates haven’t drafted a college arm with a first-round pick since 2012, when they selected Mark Appel—who didn’t sign—with the No. 8 overall pick. The year prior, it was UCLA righthander Gerrit Cole with the No. 1 overall selection. Dyson has plenty of starter traits and pitched well this summer after a shoulder injury limited his production during the spring. Florida has as good a track record as any program in regards to producing arms. If Dyson goes here, that would be three straight Gators pitchers selected with the No. 18 pick, following righthanders Alex Faedo (Tigers, 2017) and Brady Singer (Royals, 2018). 19 stl400x400.JPG Nick Lodolo Texas Christian LHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Lodolo didn’t sign with the Pirates after being selected with the 41st pick in 2016, instead opting to attend Texas Christian. He’s been solid for the Horned Frogs, posting a 4.34 ERA over 155.2 innings, but not as dominant as he was expected to be. With a 6-foot-6, 180-pound frame that still has projection and a solid three-pitch mix, Lodolo is a candidate to shoot up draft boards with a breakout junior campaign. 20 sea400x400.JPG Bryson Stott Nevada-Las Vegas SS Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The Mariners routinely select from the college ranks, as seven of their last eight first-round picks have been players out of four-year universities. In this scenario, they take the college shortstop who handled the position for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team, impressed coaches with his defensive aptitude and has hit .333/.405/.474 in two seasons in the Mountain West Conference. 21 atl400x400.JPG Matthew Allan Seminole (Fla.) HS RHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The Braves have two picks in the first round, so one has to be a high school righthander, right? Allan has a big fastball that’s reached the mid-90s and a hammer, 12-to-6 curveball. Both offerings project as future plus pitches, and Allan also has a physical, 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame that Atlanta could find appealing. 22 tb400x400.JPG Matthew Thompson Cypress Ranch HS, Houston RHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Thompson figures to get linked to the Braves as well, but the Rays recently popped prep lefty Matthew Liberatore and could be drawn toward another Matthew’s arsenal in 2019. Thompson has terrific athleticism and body control, and he complements a low-90s fastball with tremendous feel to snap off a late-breaking, low-80s slider with hard, biting action. 23 col400x400.JPG Alek Manoah West Virginia RHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The Rockies have done a solid job developing starting pitchers in recent years, in spite of Coors Field. After watching righthander Jon Gray and lefthander Kyle Freeland turn into productive major leaguers, the Rockies dipped back into the college pitching pool last year with Mississippi lefthander Ryan Rolison. Manoah brings a bigger frame than all of them at a towering 6-foot-7, 260-pounds. He has a big fastball that has touched 98 mph, a pair of promising secondaries and showed improved strike-throwing ability on the Cape this summer. 24 cle400x400.JPG J.J. Bleday Vanderbilt OF Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Like the D-backs, the Indians also put plenty of emphasis on the hit tool. Bleday is coming off a season in which he hit .368/.494/.511 in the Southeastern Conference, and he has walked more than he’s struck out in both of his seasons at Vanderbilt. On top of that, Bleday showed he could hit with a wood bat this summer in Cape Cod League, where he hit five long balls in 148 at-bats—the highest home run rate of his college career. 25 lad400x400.JPG Ryne Nelson Oregon RHP Notes: Why It Makes Sense: One of many college pitchers looking to prove themselves for the first time in starter’s roles this spring, Nelson has arguably the biggest arm of any pitcher in the country. He’s touched 99 mph as a reliever who split time at shortstop with Oregon last spring, but he will be taking over a larger role as a pitcher in 2019. He could make a big jump up draft boards with an athletic delivery, a 6-foot-4, 182-frame and a hard slider. The analytically inclined Dodgers weren’t afraid to take prep righthander J.T. Ginn last year (who didn’t sign), so the reliever risk Nelson carries might not be prohibitive for the team at No. 25. 26 ari400x400.JPG Braden Shewmake Texas A&M SS Notes: Why It Makes Sense: We’re pairing the D-backs with another polished hitter here with their second pick in the first round. Shewmake has hit .327/.384/.492 in two seasons with Texas A&M and dreaming on his power potential could make up for the fact that shortstop might be a stretch for him, defensively, at the next level. 27 chc400x400.JPG Kameron Misner Missouri OF Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The Cubs built their team on the back of productive college bats selected early in the draft, and Misner has a track record of hitting in the Southeastern Conference that stacks up with anyone. He’s coming off of a .360/.497/.576 campaign that would have been even more impressive if not for a foot injury that cut his season short by six weeks. Misner also has a solid wood bat track record and showed he could hit for power without aluminum in his hands when he hit eight home runs in 38 games during the summer of 2017 in the New England Collegiate League. 28 mil400x400.JPG Tyler Callihan Providence HS, Jacksonville 3B Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The lack of a true position and a 5-foot-11, 211-pound frame could limit how early Callihan goes, but he’s one of the top hitters in the high school class. He seems to have a knack for barreling the baseball with authority from the left side, and he draws strong reviews for his makeup and work ethic as well. Teams could try to develop him at third, second or even as a catcher, but he’ll get drafted on the strength of his bat. Callihan hit in the middle of Team USA’s gold-winning 18U lineup in November, with a .528/.575/.889 line that trailed only Bobby Witt Jr. in batting average. 29 oak400x400.JPG Greg Jones UNC-Wilmington SS Notes: Why It Makes Sense: The Athletics swing for the fences in the draft. In 2017, Oakland ignored Austin Beck’s lack of track record against good competition and bet on his absurd toolset. Last June, the A’s had the most surprising selection of the 2018 draft when they took multi-sport athlete Kyler Murray at No. 9 and let him continue to play football at Oklahoma despite the inherent risks with the sport. Continuing with that mindset, Jones has elite speed, a plus arm and above-average bat speed, but there are serious questions about his hitting ability and chance to stick at shortstop. His ceiling is high, but it comes with plenty of risk. Sounds like the A’s to us. 30 nyy400x400.JPG Brett Baty Lake Travis HS, Austin 3B Notes: Why It Makes Sense:Baty will get talked about for both his prodigious strength in the lefthanded batter’s box and also the that he will be 19 and a half years old on draft day. This might not bother the Yankees as much as other teams, as New York just took high school catcher Anthony Seigler in the first round last year, who was also old for his class. 31 lad400x400.JPG Logan Davidson Clemson SS Notes: Why It Makes Sense: With seven shortstops already off the board, the Dodgers could still be excited to land Davidson here at pick No. 31. The Clemson middle infielder has become a polarizing prospect during his collegiate career thanks to disparate batting lines in the ACC and during the summer. With Clemson, Davidson has hit .289/.398/.509 with 27 home runs and 27 doubles over two years, but he’s combined for a .202/.304/.266 slash line in two summers in the Cape Cod League with just three homers and a significantly worse strikeout-to-walk rate. There aren’t many productive big leaguers with Cape statistics that poor, but a switch-hitting shortstop with above-average power who’s produced at his level in the ACC will be hard for teams to pass up. 32 hou400x400.JPG Michael Busch North Carolina 1B Notes: Why It Makes Sense: Houston just took Seth Beer with the No. 28 pick in 2018, so they likely won’t have any qualms going after Busch, who’s a much better athlete and defender at first base. Like Beer, Busch stands out for his impressive exit velocities. And if there is a team who is going to fall in love with those numbers, as well as his impressive 30-to-55 strikeout-to-walk ratio last spring, it’s Houston.

I'm so envious of Tampa, their organization is so well run. Shame they can't draw a good fan base.

Can only imagine Atkins was happy to see him go. I don't even know what his role with the team has been since AA left.

Maybe they went to a small school. Maybe they were a cold-weather high school player who didn't stand out at high-profile showcases. Maybe they were good hitters or instinctive players who lacked the type of quick-twitch athleticism or premium tools that quickly catch the attention of scouts, or maybe they have those loud tools but had other holes that created red flags. Every year, there are players who slip through the cracks and become late-round draft success stories. In many cases, the scouting directors and their top crosscheckers didn't even see them before the draft. These are 10 late-round sleeper prospects from the 2018 draft to keep an eye on, players drafted from Round 10 on who signed for less than $300,000. 1. Cal Stevenson, OF, Blue Jays (10th round) Stevenson signed for $5,000 as senior out of Arizona, then led the Rookie-level Appalachian League in on-base percentage by hitting .359/.494/.518 in 53 games. Stevenson has some of the sharpest strike-zone judgment in the minors, which he showed by drawing more than twice as many walks (53) as strikeouts (21) in the Appy League. He's a disciplined, high contact hitter (he struck out in just eight percent of his Appy League plate appearances), though he has little power, with just one home run his last year in college, then two in his pro debut. He's also an above-average runner who should be able to handle center field. 2. Justin Toerner, OF, Cardinals (28th round) Toerner moved fairly quickly for a $3,000 signing. He spent most of his pro debut with short-season State College, but he also played with low Class A Peoria and high Class A Palm Beach in the final month of the season, batting a combined .312/.410/.385 in 67 games. A four-year starter at Cal State Northridge, Toerner is a lefty who hit well throughout his college years and controls the strike zone well, though the risk is that he hasn't shown much power, with just one home run in pro ball. He's an above-average runner with an average arm in center field. 3. Jack Herman, OF, Pirates (30th round) A Maryland commit, Herman instead signed with the Pirates for $50,000. He slid under the radar as a high school player in New Jersey, but he made a loud impression with his bat in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, where he ranked second in on-base percentage and third in batting average by hitting .340/.435/.489 in 37 games. He's a bat-first prospect with quick hands, sound swing mechanics and a strong grasp of the strike zone. Herman split time between center and right field in the GCL, though he fits best in right field long term. 4. Brandon Howlett, 3B, Red Sox (21st round) Howlett was a Florida State commit but signed with the Red Sox for $185,000. With third baseman and first-round pick Triston Casas also on their GCL club, the Red Sox were planning to send Howlett to left field, but when Casas went out for the year with an injury, Howlett stepped in and played solid defense at third base with a chance to stick at the position. Mostly, though, Howlett shined offensively, batting .307/.405/.529 in 39 GCL games before a late promotion to short-season Lowell. While some scouts had concerns about Howlett's pitch recognition going into the draft, he showed a patient approach in pro ball, with solid-average raw power that he was able to get to in games. 5. Logan O'Hoppe, C, Phillies (23rd round) Between lefthanders Nick Fanti and Kyle Young and righthander Ben Brown, the Phillies have added a collection of Long Island high school draft picks to their system in recent years. The latest addition is O'Hoppe, who signed for $215,000 and batted .367/.411/.532 in 34 games in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. O'Hoppe showed promise both at the plate and behind it, where he has a plus arm with advanced receiving skills and flexibility. 6. Michael Helman, 2B, Twins (11th round) Helman spent two years at Hutchinson (Kan.) JC before transferring to Texas A&M. He made a quick impact as the Aggies' leadoff hitter, then signed with the Twins for $220,000. Helman, 22, split his pro debut between the Appy League and low Class A Cedar Rapids, batting a combined .361/.409/.510 in 39 games. Helman has good hand-eye coordination and a selective approach, helping him make frequent contact to get on base. Some scouts have reservations about Helman's defense at second base, but he's a good athlete with plus speed who could also fit in center field. 7. Brock Deatherage, OF, Tigers (10th round) As a junior at N.C. State, Deatherage showed exciting tools but hit .218/.304/.330. The Pirates still drafted Deatherage in the 27th round, but he returned to school for his senior year, bounced back to hit .307/.397/.548, then signed with the Tigers for $10,000. He progressed quickly, finishing 2018 with high Class A Lakeland and showing big power in his pro debut. Deatherage is a tooled-up, athletic center fielder with plus-plus speed (he stole 19 bases in 22 attempts in pro ball), a plus arm and above-average raw power. Deatherage's biggest risk factor is his swing-and-miss rate, but his dynamic tool set at a premium position is exciting if he can keep his strikeouts to a manageable level. Nolan_Gorman_DannyParker.jpg St. Louis Cardinals 2018 MLB Draft Grades St. Louis Cardinals first rounder Nolan Gorman shows plus-plus power, Luken Baker can mash and more superlatives. 8. Gus Varland, RHP, Athletics (14th round) Varland overmatched hitters in college, but he did it at Division II Concordia in Minnesota. Signed for $125,000, Varland replicated his success as a starter in his pro debut, posting an ERA of 0.95 in 38 innings with a 50-8 K-BB mark, mostly with short-season Vermont and low Class A Beloit. Varland isn't a smoke-and-mirrors guy either. He ran his fastball up to 97 mph in college and regularly registered in the low to mid-90s in pro ball, with a high spin rate that helps him miss bats when he elevates. Varland's mechanics give some scouts pause as to whether he will remain a starter, but he repeats his delivery and fills the strike zone. 9. Jonah Davis, OF, Pirates (21st round) Davis hit two home runs between his freshman and sophomore seasons at California, but he showed big power as a junior, slugging 14 homers in 54 games. After signing for $125,000, Davis kept the power show going for Rookie-level Bristol, batting .306/.398/.612 with 12 home runs in 51 games. At 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Davis isn't that big, but he has legitimate plus raw power from the left side, though he still has holes in his swing that create swing-and-miss risk. Davis played center field in his pro debut, though he fits better in a corner. 10. Simon Rosenblum-Larson, RHP, Rays (19th round) An $85,000 signing from Harvard, Rosenblum-Larson had an excellent pro debut. Working out of the bullpen for short-season Hudson Valley and low Class A Bowling Green, Rosenblum-Larson posted a sparkling 62-9 K-BB mark in 38.2 innings with a 1.16 ERA. He's a low-slot righthander who drops down to a low three-quarter, near sidearm angle, giving hitters an uncomfortable look with his low-90s fastball and a solid slider.

I understand the A's doing everything they can to keep him but why is MLB sending marketing execs so lure Murray? Why would they even consider letting the A's offer him more money or give him a major league deal. This is the risk the A's made.

Is this a MLB vs NFL thing? The A's took a risk, if they lose him to the NFL so be it, not sure why they are looking to bend the rules for him.