The bat control is the big reason why I point to current Markakis for a comp as a hitter. It's Shewmake's most impressive tool to me and comparing it to Markakis' is a complement.
Shew as an ultimate UTIL guy is fine, but having to use a 1st rounder on one of them is eh. I could see him get fast tracked quick though.
jpx7 (06-21-2019)
With his hit tool, if he had Dansby's defense he'd have been a top 5 pick. But Shewmake's not likely to stick at SS.
The Braves want him to add bulk (he's a scrawny 6-4 right now) to add some pop to his game. There's a good bet he outgrows being able to do more than fill in as a middle infielder.
If he's a full time player it's probably as an OF but a lot of people think he offers more value playing 5 days a week all over the field.
Looks like Wentz had some bad luck tonight. Nice to see 6 Ks in 5 IP for him though.
50PoundHead (06-21-2019)
I'm actually a fan of Markakis. Most negative stuff about him is defense related and I'm not comparing Shewmake's defense to his, only the bat.
Here's a line for Shewmake:
.274 BA, .363 OBP, .421 SLG, 11.9 K%
I think that's a very reasonable line for him at the plate. Maybe a bit higher BA but fewer walks so the OBP stays the same. But that would be a very successful line for Shewmake.
That's also Markakis' current line.
jpx7 (06-21-2019)
He could be anything from a guy who never gets out of high A ball to the next Chase Utley. It's all projection and speculation at this point. It's fun to do but ultimately meaningless
This is why I cannot fathom why people get so up in arms when you disagree with them over what you think a prospect will ultimately be. If you think Shewmake is going to be a top notch starter, that's great. I hope you're right. If you think he's going to bust out quickly, that's certainly your opinion. Even the guys who do this professionally are wrong about what players will become a huge percentage of the time.
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Tapate50 (06-21-2019)
I didn't rail at that pick as much as I railed at the strategy of drafting 3 lower ceiling college bats with the first three picks. I felt Shewmake was a reach at 21 but if we had gone higher risk with our other two picks, I'd have been okay with it. I was wanting someone with a shot at being a superstar and with our first two picks we got likely major leaguers but not guys who are going to have the ability to carry the team. It was a disappointing strategy to me.
The pick I really hated was Philip at 60. I still don't get drafting him at all.
Wilson did have some issues. He was sent home early from Danville in 2016, but he came back there in 2017 and started to look like a player. I always thought the Braves pushed him too aggressively and he never shook the strikeout habit. But, as you say, he was highly regarded by the Braves and he didn't break the bank when they signed him. I believe he signed for $125,000. Hardly a big splash.
Because we're baseball fans discussing a team on an internet forum. If we all sat around on draft day saying "Gee, that certainly was a player we just selected" it would be very boring. Debating baseball is fun. If you disagree with my take on a player, by all means go ahead. Share your opinions. Perhaps you win me over.
I will say there was one argument on the draft thread in favor of Shewmake that did resonate with me. That was when it was pointed out that the game has changed in recent years and you see teams like the Dodgers stocking their bench with super-sub types who contribute tremendously to their success. So that has actually give me more hope for Shewmake justifying his draft status.
Very true seeing he was drafted 7th the year he was drafted. I remember the discussion on the old Scout board about Markakis and the Braves were really hot on him that year, but they liked him more as a pitcher than a hitter. Of course, in those days, the Braves liked everyone more as a pitcher. Braves had two comp picks that year--#'s 35 and 36 with which they drafted Atilano and Saltalamacchia--and Markakis was never going to fall that far.
Just did a quick look, and of all the guys drafted in the first round in 2003, Markakis has the highest WAR, nudging out Adam Jones, who was the last pick in the round at #37.