Draft open thread
June 7th, 2010 | Published in Myron Logan, baseball, draft, links | 40 Comments
The first round of the MLB draft is today at 4 PM PST on MLB Network. The San Diego Padres pick ninth and have been connected with quite a few prospects, namely Kolbrin Vitek and Michael Choice.
We’ve already discussed why the draft is so important for teams, especially the Padres. Last year after the draft we reviewed the Padres draft strategy, since 2006
With a new regime in place – Jed Hoyer, Jason McLeod, Jaron Madison, etc. – it does not make a lot of sense looking at the Padres past drafts to assess what they are going to do this year. What is more important is the track records of the new guys in charge and their philosophies on the draft.
Anyway, use this thread to discuss anything draft related throughout the day. Please feel free to jump into the discussion. We’ll have full coverage of the Padres first round selection, as well as some of the picks tomorrow.
Here are a few links:
Kevin Goldstein will be chatting throughout the draft at Baseball Prospectus.
Friarhood has some nice profiles on a lot of the first round prospects.
Baseball America, MLB Bonus Baby, and Minor League Ball are great sources for draft coverage.
June 7th, 2010 at 12:56 pm (#)
Jim Callis over at BA has us taking Whitson.
June 7th, 2010 at 1:13 pm (#)
Yup, just saw that. Also mentions Choice and Vitek, as well as Castellanos and Kyle Parker.
Link: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/mock-draft/2010/2610137.html
June 7th, 2010 at 1:18 pm (#)
This draft is fluxxed up.
June 7th, 2010 at 1:41 pm (#)
Prospect rankings, combining Law, Sickels, and BA:
http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?s=&showtopic=56950&view=findpost&p=2990246
Rumored Padres:
Cox: 5
Whitson: 10
Choice: 14
Castellanos: 15
Vitek: 28
Parker: 54
June 7th, 2010 at 1:53 pm (#)
Wow, Cox that high? There seem to be a lot of questions about his swing from some people, and then others say “best pure hitter in the draft,” which usually means there aren’t any mechanical questions even if he might lack power.
June 7th, 2010 at 2:39 pm (#)
Yeah, I’ve read that he is the most polished college bat in the draft and has excellent mechanics. At the same time, like you mention, power production appears to be his main issue.
June 7th, 2010 at 2:44 pm (#)
A split between his stroke and his pop isn’t too unusual. What piqued my interest were the reports that his swing still has some holes and that he K’s way too often with aluminum to be called a “pure hitter.” Those reports don’t represent a consensus, but a fair number of scouts aren’t in love with any part of his swing. That doesn’t sound like the 5th or 6th best prospect in the draft, not above some of the HS kids.
If he’s asking for Alvarez money, that’s crazy. Alvarez had tremendous power.
June 7th, 2010 at 3:00 pm (#)
Keith Law, Jim Callis and Jonathon Mayo all have the Padres taking Karsten Whitson now.
June 7th, 2010 at 3:02 pm (#)
Kevin Goldstein has the Padres taking Zack Cox now.
June 7th, 2010 at 3:16 pm (#)
Tom W - interesting. And I don’t think he’s going to get Alvarez money or anything close.
Tom - just saw Goldstein’s latest mock. The feeling I get is that nobody really knows what the Pads are going to do.
Some good quotes from the NC Times: http://tinyurl.com/23peqcz
June 7th, 2010 at 3:33 pm (#)
Cox would be a good pick, but I dont think he is worth Alvarez money. And while I know the Padres do not draft for need, drafting ANOTHER 3B does seem a bit excessive. We already know how many 3B prospects we have, and the Padres front office seems to be grinning ear to ear about signing the Jones’ kid in the past month. They think he will be a legit power hitting 3B.
I’d be more tempted to take Whitson. Choice would be fine but I just have a bad feeling that the Padres 1st round hex would continue with him.
June 7th, 2010 at 4:06 pm (#)
Personally, I don’t have a problem taking a 3B, if they think he is the right guy. Forsythe is at 2B now, Darnell is solid, and Jones is a long way away.
Also, looks like Choice may be off the board by the time the Pads pick at 9, at least from what I’m reading.
June 7th, 2010 at 4:12 pm (#)
Me either, Myron. Maybe I’m reading skeptical scouting reports, but what bothers me about Cox isn’t his position, it’s the bat.
There are a couple of teams in front of us that really like Choice. Hard to see him coming all the way to 9.
Colon could still be around. He’s not a shortstop in the pros, but he could be a terrific 2b.
I like Whiston or Allie, too, but I can’t shake the jitters around a first-round HS pitcher.
June 7th, 2010 at 4:35 pm (#)
Aren’t there reports that Cox could move to 2B? At least Keith Law thinks he can handle that position.
June 7th, 2010 at 4:47 pm (#)
I haven’t read that, Tom, but people may have said it. Always skeptical when a fringe defensive 3b moves to a tougher position. Goldstein seems to think he might become “just acceptable” at 2b.
Oh, now I understand Cox’s money demands. He’s a soph-eligible.
June 7th, 2010 at 5:07 pm (#)
@Tom Waits:
I actually misread what Keith Law, he actually said that he didn’t think he could handle 2B. I know I’ve read somewhere (can’t remember who though) that they thought he’d be acceptable there.
June 7th, 2010 at 5:21 pm (#)
Harold Reynold’s talking about Bryce Harper’s swing mechanics …
From my understanding, at contact having the bat foot off the ground is both a good thing and commonplace among good major league hitters.
June 7th, 2010 at 5:22 pm (#)
Draft chats:
Project Prospect: http://tiny.cc/onqpj
FanGraphs: http://tiny.cc/kxfir
June 7th, 2010 at 5:29 pm (#)
mayo says whitson
calis says Whitson
June 7th, 2010 at 5:42 pm (#)
Watching the MLB Network predraft. Peter Gammons was praising Vitek, saying that everyone knows he has a great bat for average and contact, but when he worked out with 2 big league clubs the thing that impressed them the most was his power.
Hmmmm…..
June 7th, 2010 at 6:02 pm (#)
If the scouts think Vitek’s swing will work for power in the pros, even though they haven’t seen him against top-end competition or in a quality wood bat league, I’d be inclined to trust them. This scouting group won’t overvalue signability. He doesn’t thrill me, but that could be my own ignorance of his tools. The post-Alderson team won’t repeat the Dykstra/Schmidt errors.
June 7th, 2010 at 6:06 pm (#)
I sure hope so Tom. Also interesting to hear that the draft has few 1st round type hitters, but has a plethora of lower first round pitchers. The Padres could potentially land a pitcher in the 2nd or 3rd round who has lower 1st round potential.
Definitely not a lot of hitters that profile to go in the first 3 rounds. I love Whitson, but it might be more prevalent to take a hitter.
June 7th, 2010 at 6:13 pm (#)
Kevin Goldstein, asked about Law’s claim that this may the worst class in almost 10 years, basically agrees. So maybe not the worst year to not have a lot of extra picks.
June 7th, 2010 at 6:14 pm (#)
Commander Adama making the pick for Pittsburgh.
June 7th, 2010 at 6:27 pm (#)
KC takes Colon
If Grandal falls to 9 do the Padres take him instead?
June 7th, 2010 at 6:43 pm (#)
We’re gonna have some choices, that’s for sure.
June 7th, 2010 at 6:48 pm (#)
Our whole board must still be available.
June 7th, 2010 at 6:51 pm (#)
My crazy prediction: Padres take someone not yet rumored to go to them.
June 7th, 2010 at 6:55 pm (#)
Whitson, huh?
June 7th, 2010 at 6:56 pm (#)
The Padres even get ignored in the draft coverage!
June 7th, 2010 at 6:57 pm (#)
Whitson was Law’s highest ranked player still on the board. What do other experts say about him?
June 7th, 2010 at 6:58 pm (#)
Goldstein’s not a big fan. Jim Callis of BA calls him the consensus #2 HS pitcher.
June 7th, 2010 at 7:01 pm (#)
And now we’re done for the night. Not sure I like this way of doing things, not when my team only has the one pick.
Some teams with extra picks are very happy. Both Sales, Cox, Grandal, etc. still around.
June 7th, 2010 at 7:02 pm (#)
he’s committed to the Gators. i wonder what his asking price would be to forego that.
June 7th, 2010 at 7:05 pm (#)
Didi, I bet they have a good idea or they wouldn’t take him. Not many first-rounders have gone to college in the past several years.
June 7th, 2010 at 7:10 pm (#)
Whitson post up. Feel free to continue discussing the rest of the first round here. If you want to talk Whitson specifically, use the thread above, though it is not a big deal either way.
I’ll have my full report on the Whitson pick later tonight, though I’m limited because he’s a pitcher* and a high schooler**
*I know more (though not a ton) about hitting mechanics than pitching mechanics.
**High school stats are obviously largely irrelevant.
June 7th, 2010 at 7:52 pm (#)
TW, i’m sure they have an idea of what the signing price is.
I didn’t realize he’s Ed Whitson’s son. Wow…cue “We Are Family”…
June 7th, 2010 at 8:07 pm (#)
Hard to realize it when his dad’s name is Kent Whitson.
http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/06/07/draft-day-at-forefront-for-pitching-prospect-karsten-whitson/
June 7th, 2010 at 10:01 pm (#)
Oops, sorry, I meant it’s his nephew.
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/Padres-Draft-A-Pitcher-95822809.html
June 8th, 2010 at 12:17 am (#)
SI reported him as Ed’s son. so he’s his nephew? Interesting nonetheless.