This is useless. Paying the ****s premium content prices means that this thread is not accessible to most of us. Go to Baseball America instead, who have a whole lot more free content on the draft.
If you have premium content ESPN Insider in your budget, feel "free" to let us know who they think the Braves are targeting.
Knucksie (11-27-2015)
I can copy/paste if you want (if not please delete)
Timothy D. Easley/AP Photo
Keith LawEric Longenhagen
The early adjectives being used by evaluators to describe the 2016 MLB draft class are "fine" and "muddled," as the class has no clear-cut top pick -- though several prospects, especially our top three arms, have a chance to ascend to that level next spring -- but is teeming with prospects worthy of late-first or sandwich-round grades.
The draft's top 10 picks will be made, in order, by the Philadelphia Phillies (their first top-overall selection since they drafted Pat Burrell out of Miami in 1998), Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics, Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox. The strength of teams' draft and international bonus pools will also look something like that, though pool amounts will be impacted by free agency and trades in the coming months. The slot (signing bonus) value of the Phillies' No. 1 overall selection is projected to be close to $9 million. (For the sake of comparison, considering that Burrell signed a five-year, $8 million major league deal with a $3.15 million bonus in '98.)
We're doing a little something different this year. Rather than simply ranking all the draft prospects on one diverse list, we've separated them by tier and expanded our number or profiles (to 40). The top 30 rankings are included in a separate box.
Upper-crust arms
Jason Groome, LHP, Barnegat (New Jersey) HS
Hulking 6-foot-6 lefties who can throw in the mid-90s don't exactly grow on trees, and if that were all Jason Groome had going for him, it'd be enough to merit first-round consideration. But Groome also has an above-average curveball that easily projects to plus, inconsistent but present changeup feel and a delivery that affords him surprising command projection for an arm this big and young. And I do mean young; Groome doesn't turn 18 until August 2016, making him one of the youngest players in his class. His combination of age, size, mechanical cleanliness and geographical location enables scouts and executives to dream for much more than what is already here, even though what's already here is tantalizing.
2016 MLB draft player rankings
An early look at the top 30 prospects for the 2016 MLB draft.
RANK/PLAYER POS. HS/COLLEGE
1. Jason Groome LHP High school
2. Alec Hansen RHP Oklahoma
3. Blake Rutherford OF High school
4. A.J. Puk LHP Florida
5. Corey Ray OF Louisville
6. Connor Jones RHP Virginia
7. Reggie Lawson RHP High school
8. Brandon McIlwain OF High school
9. Delvin Perez SS Puerto Rico
10. Nick Banks OF Texas A&M
11. Mickey Moniak OF High school
12. Bo Bichette IF High school
13. Cal Quantrill RHP Stanford
14. Matt Krook LHP Oregon
15. Riley Pint RHP High school
16. Avery Tuck RF High school
17. Nolan Jones IF High school
18. Will Benson RF High school
19. Kyle Lewis OF Mercer
20. Alex Speas RHP High school
21. Ian Anderson RHP High school
22. Forrest Whitley RHP High school
23. Ryan Boldt CF Nebraska
24. Matt Manning RHP High school
25. Bobby Dalbec 3B Arizona
26. Jesus Luzardo LHP High school
27. Joe Rizzo 3B High school
28. Alex Kirilloff OF/1B High school
29. David Hamilton SS High school
30. Alexis Torres SS Puerto Rico
Alec Hansen, RHP, Oklahoma
The 6-foot-7 behemoth was electric but inconsistent during his sophomore year with the Sooners, struggling to throw strikes the way young power pitchers his size often do. When he's keeping his delivery direct to the plate instead of falling off the mound toward first base during his release, he throws his 94-98 mph fastball for quality strikes in the bottom of the zone. Hansen backs that up with a plus-flashing breaking ball in the 77-83 mph range, and he has shown some feel for a changeup as well, though it has been only fringe-average to average in his best starts. So no, Hansen isn't presently a riskless generational talent; he falls short of that kind of praise because the changeup and command simply aren't far enough along to merit it, and because forearm soreness kept him from pitching in a fall series last week. (Quick side note: He has a screw in his right elbow from a prior medial epicondyle fracture, an injury that results from the growth plates in the elbow not fusing correctly and is not uncommon in young baseball players. Hansen had the surgery at age 14, and while the screw could have been removed by now, doing so has been deemed unnecessary by the surgeon, Rockies team doctor Tom Noonan.) But he has shown progress, and he has unteachable size, velocity and the ability to spin a good breaking ball. With a healthy, efficient spring, he could become a viable top-pick candidate.
A.J. Puk, LHP, Florida
Puk's stuff waxed and waned a good bit this year. He featured a consistent mid-90s fastball and plus breaking ball in some starts, while in others he sat "only" 91-94 mph with a breaking ball that only flashed plus. The command and changeup are a bit behind, both below average, and some scouts are turned off by the uniqueness of his delivery while others think it adds an element of deception to his stuff. Puk's performance against the best conference in college baseball using basically two good pitches -- he had 55 strikeouts in 35 SEC innings this year -- certainly lends credence to the latter group's theory.
The class's best bats
Corey Ray, OF, Louisville
Ray is easily the top college bat in the class. He's a very polished hitter with some pop and speed as part of his well-rounded game, and had some strong performances against top pitching prospects last spring that helped raise his profile. He does have a lot of swing-and-miss in his game, punching out 60 times in 296 plate appearances last spring; that keeps him out of the uppermost tier even in a light draft for hitters.
Blake Rutherford, OF, Chaminade Prep (Canoga Park, Calif.)
Rutherford has the best combination of power and hit tools of any prep bat in the class, though his chances of staying in center field long-term have dwindled in the eyes of scouts over the past calendar year. His arm was lacking during showcase work, and left field might be his ultimate destination, though the bat will profile just about anywhere.
Cathedral ceilings or concrete floors
Brandon McIlwain is set to play football at South Carolina next fall, but that could change. Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire
Brandon McIlwain, OF, Council Rock North HS (Newton, Pa.)
McIlwain is as raw as one would expect a two-sport prospect from the Northeast to be, but his physical gifts and natural baseball instincts allowed him to compete and excel against elite peers during showcase play this summer. McIlwain has natural opposite-field power, and his plus wheels give him a chance to stay in center field, where that kind of power is rare. He's a four-star quarterback committed to South Carolina, but head coach Steve Spurrier's departure from the program might impact the strength of his commitment.
Connor Jones, RHP, Virginia
Jones has been a scout favorite since high school and likely would have been a high pick in 2013 if not for his strong commitment to UVa. He has been very good since arriving on campus, featuring a low-90s sinking fastball that touches 95 and a host of secondary offerings that play at average or better. The ceiling here isn't overwhelming, but assuming good health, Jones' floor is that of a midrotation starter.
Reggie Lawson, RHP, Victor Valley HS (Victorville, Calif.)
Lawson is among the most projectable and athletic arms in the draft given his lean and loose 6-foot-4 frame. He already is touching 94 mph, featuring an above-average curveball, and has shown a fringe-average slider and changeup. The athleticism allows scouts to dream of command and pitch projection.
Nick Banks, OF, Texas A&M
Toolsy college bats are rare, but Banks has a well-rounded skill set -- average or better power, run, arm and glove -- that has been subverted by the way his body has stiffened up as it has filled out.
Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon HS (Encinitas, Calif.)
Moniak has electric, loose hands and the best hit-tool projection of any prep bat. He's not a burner, but he's fast enough to handle center field right now. Moniak is slightly built, which means he's not likely to fill out and add much power, but it also means he has a better chance of remaining nimble, fleet-footed and worthy of remaining in center field.
Delvin Perez, SS, International Baseball Academy (Puerto Rico)
The hyperathletic Perez is the crown jewel of a sterling Puerto Rican class that's packed with infield talent. Perez is a plus-plus runner with a plus arm and quite easily possesses the footwork and actions to be a plus defender at shortstop with reps. There might be value in the bat too, as Perez has exhibited solid hitting tools and the frame to grow into respectable power.
Injured or divisive
Stanford pitcher (and draft prospect) Cal Quantrill underwent Tommy John surgery on March 20. Courtesy of Stanford University Athletics
Cal Quantrill, RHP, Stanford
Quantrill would likely be in the 1-1 (top pick) conversation if he had not blown out his elbow last spring; he had surgery in March. Prior to the injury, Quantrill was working with a deep, advanced repertoire headlined by a potential plus-plus changeup and a fastball that would creep up to 94 mph. He started throwing again in August, and no issues have been reported. If his recovery time mirrors that of most Tommy John recoveries, he'd be on track to make about eight starts next year, still time to show scouts that all is well.
Matt Krook, LHP, Oregon
Krook was the 35th overall pick in 2013 -- a pick the Marlins acquired from Pittsburgh in the legendary Gaby Sanchez for Gorkys Hernandez trade -- but flunked his physical and went to Oregon, where he proceeded to lead the Pac-12 in strikeouts as a freshman before blowing out his elbow in April 2014. He did not pitch for the Ducks in 2015 and instead debuted in the Cape Cod League, where he sat in the low 90s -- a grade beneath where his fastball was at in high school -- with a plus breaking ball in abbreviated outings. If he can stay healthy and reclaim that lost velocity, he's a first-rounder.
Bo Bichette, IF, Lakewood HS (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
Bichette has inherited the family bat speed and power, as well as some of the mechanical hiccups that often undermine it. His defense during the showcases was inconsistent, and there's no consensus regarding his future position, though the best-case scenarios are third or second base. If Bichette can either clean up his deep load and noisy hands or simply overcome them because of sheer talent, then he's going to hit a ton and it won't matter where he plays.
Riley Pint, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas HS (Overland Park, Kan.)
Pint is one of the hardest throwers in the class at either level, hitting triple digits at the 2016 Area Code Games and 98 mph at the Under Armour All-American Classic a week later. A well-built 6-foot-4 already, Pint still has some room to fill out, which might help him maintain his velocity while reducing the effort in his delivery. He'll show a sharp upper-80s slider as well, but his overall command is well below average. He's a bit like Tyler Kolek, the second pick in the 2014 draft, who struggled in his first full year in pro ball despite premium stuff.
Potential impact corner bats
Avery Tuck, RF, Steele Canyon HS (Spring Valley, Calif.)
Tuck broke out during early showcase play in Florida and never looked quite that good again during the rest of the summer, as he struggled to make consistent contact. Even if Tuck ends up with only a fringe-average hit tool, he has oodles of physical projection and could end up with 25-plus-homer power at maturity while possessing enough glove and arm to be a useful defender in right field.
Nolan Jones, IF, Holy Ghost Prep (Bensalem, Pa.)
Jones looked great during the Area Code Games, showing a natural ability to get the bat head to the ball in various parts of the strike zone and spray loud contact to all fields while also displaying infield-worthy footwork and actions. His body will play a significant role in determining his ultimate defensive home, and scouts will spend next spring determining where that is. For us he projects as a 55 bat (on the 20-to-80 scouting scale), 55 power and a 55 glove at third base.
Will Benson, RF, The Westminster Schools (Atlanta)
Benson is a massive 18-year-old -- he's listed at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds -- with big bat speed and raw power, but he's limited to the corner-outfield/first-base end of the defensive spectrum, and there's no guarantee that he's going to hit because of lever length, a lack of bat control and general inconsistencies in his swing. If things get ironed out and scouts think he'll make enough contact to get to what projects as at least 70 raw power, he could be hot on Blake Rutherford's tail by June.
Kyle Lewis, OF, Mercer
Lewis put on a show this summer in the Cape Cod League, showing plus raw power, the ability to move the bat head around the zone and enough arm and enough athleticism to play a decent right field. Lewis will face concerns about the quality of competition he faces at Mercer and about the excessive pre-swing movement in his hands, but he has first-round tools.
Alex Speas, RHP, McEachern HS (Powder Springs, Ga.)
The projectable Speas has electric arm speed and already has been up to 96 mph with feel for a low-80s curveball. He's raw, has issues throwing strikes and might end up in the bullpen, but the body, arm strength and precocious breaking ball will have him off the board early.
Ian Anderson, RHP, Shenendehowa HS (Clifton Park, N.Y.)
With a great pitcher's build at a projectable 6-foot-3, 170, Anderson has already thrown in the mid-90s with his fastball and has an average breaking ball that flashes above. The delivery is direct to the plate and the arm is nice and loose, so Anderson has command and changeup projection. He could be a midrotation arm.
A hole in the profile
Nebraska's Ryan Boldt runs well and is solid defensively in center field. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
Forrest Whitley, RHP, Alamo Heights HS (San Antonio)
At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, Whitley is the most physically imposing prep arm on this list. He sat in the low 90s and threw strikes at the Area Code Games, then aired it out into the mid-90s at the Under Armour game in Chicago shortly thereafter, though he needed much more effort in his delivery to get there. He'll flash an above-average slider and fringe-average changeup, but there's no physical projection here and nobody has been blown away by his athleticism. He's an innings-eater No. 4 starter type of prospect.
Ryan Boldt, CF, Nebraska
Boldt has been well-known to scouts for a while -- he was No. 44 on Keith's Big Board in 2013 -- and the tools that put him on the early-round radar are still present. Boldt is a 70 runner who can stick in center field and has some power, but his in-game swing is geared for ground balls and he's not likely to make much of an offensive impact without some heavy mechanical adjustments.
Matt Manning, RHP, Sheldon HS (Sacramento, Calif.)
Manning pitched at just about every major summer showcase you can name and held his stuff throughout, throwing in the low-to-mid 90s with his fastball and flashing an above-average breaking ball from a good delivery and big frame.
Bobby Dalbec, 3B, Arizona
Dalbec has plus-plus power projection and a plus arm, but there are questions about how much he's going to hit and whether or not he can stay at third base.
Jesus Luzardo, LHP, Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Parkland, Fla.)
Luzardo has a deep, advanced repertoire -- 88-93 mph with the fastball and grade-55 curveball and changeup projection -- but his body is maxed out at 6-0, 200-plus pounds, and all you can project on is command and consistency.
David Hamilton, SS, San Marcos (Texas) HS
Though a tad undersized, Hamilton has shown all the necessary skills to remain at shortstop, along with a surprising amount of strength in his wrists and bat-to-ball ability while not being wholly unprojectable. He won't be an impact offensive player but rather a useful one who can play well at shortstop.
Alex Kirilloff, OF/1B, Plum HS (Pittsburgh)
His swing is a bit unorthodox and he had to sell out for the big power he showed at the PG All American Game in San Diego, but he has some athleticism, barrel feel, natural loft and a projectable body, which all point to that power coming more naturally down the road. Also, the arm plays in right field.
Joe Rizzo, 3B, Oakton HS (Vienna, Va.)
Rizzo is a strong-armed third baseman with very good feel to hit, showing particularly well at the Mets' late-August tournament, the Metropolitan Classic, this past summer. He's strong with explosive hands at the plate, and has worked out for a few scouts this fall as a catcher, although if he's the hitter I think he can be, I'd rather leave him at the hot corner.
Kyle Serrano, RHP, Tennessee
The son of Volunteers coach Dave Serrano, Kyle recovered from an awful freshman year (he walked more guys than he struck out) with a solid sophomore campaign and a strong summer on the Cape. He's 90-94 mph with plus life and has both a curveball and slider, with control more than command; he's a bit over six feet tall now with a thick body that's durable but lacks projection.
Alexis Torres, SS, Colegio Angel David (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Torres is a quick-twitch athlete with lively defensive actions and a plus arm. He has a good chance to stick at shortstop and hit enough, despite his slight frame, to get into an everyday lineup.
Honorable mention
Kyle Funkhouser has returned to Louisville for his senior season. AP Photo/Nati Harnik
Kyle Funkhouser, RHP, Louisville
The Scott Boras-advised Funkhouser elected to return to school after a down year caused him to tumble to the 35th pick a year after he was firmly entrenched in most organizations' top 10. If he can get back into the mid-90s with a plus slider and stay there consistently, he'll get something closer to the top-10 sort of signing bonus he was headed for in 2014.
Kyle Cody, RHP, Kentucky
Cody has big stuff, but he struggled so badly with his command last year that he was removed from the Wildcats' rotation at one point. He was selected by the Twins but returned to school, and scouts will be looking for the same thing from him that they have been for three years: some modicum of strike-throwing stability.
Buddy Reed, OF, Florida
Reed is tooled up -- plus run, plus arm, plus defense, plus bat speed -- but his swing is a mess, and he might never hit enough to get on the field. If he shows even moderate improvement there this spring, he'll move up this list.
Luis Curbelo, INF, Cocoa (Fla.) HS
A native Puerto Rican, Curbelo is going to play out his senior spring in Florida. He took some of the more majestic BP cuts of the showcase circuit and his power is real but didn't often show in games. His athleticism hasn't quite translated to the infield yet, raising questions about his ultimate defensive home.
Bailey Clark, RHP, Duke
Clark has an unorthodox delivery for a starter but has been up to 95 mph and flashed a plus slider as a starter for the Blue Devils, picking up some of the slack when their ace, Mike Matuella, blew out his elbow last March. Clark has some downhill plane on the fastball, but the no-windup delivery and the Lance McCullers-like arm path are both potential indications of a bullpen future.
Jordan Sheffield, RHP, Vanderbilt
Older brother of Cleveland lefty prospect Justus, Jordan missed his senior year of high school following Tommy John surgery, redshirted his freshman year, then had an up-and-down sophomore season, in which he showed premium stuff but walked 43 batters in 60 innings while working as both a starter and a reliever. He hit 97 mph on the Cape this summer and has a very quick arm, but he'll have to answer questions about his control and whether his slight (6-foot) frame can handle starting.
Anthony Molina, RHP, West Broward HS (Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
A very projectable right-hander -- he was 6-foot-5 but just 180 pounds over the summer -- who is already throwing 90-93 mph, Molina is more of a long-term bet at this point; everything looks right, but he hasn't shown plus stuff yet, between the average fastball and the too-slow curveball. He's a sleeper to make that leap this spring, however.
Cooper Johnson, C, Carmel Catholic HS (Mundelein, Ill.)
It's a poor catching class, both prep and college, so Johnson stood out quickly for his combination of tools on both sides of the ball. He has shown consistent sub-two-second pop times to second base with good hands, while at the plate he's very balanced, with quick acceleration from his loaded position.
Carter Kieboom, 3B/1B, Walton HS (Marietta, Ga.)
The younger brother of Nationals catching prospect Spencer Kieboom, Carter has more offensive upside than his brother, with a loose, easy swing and a plus arm that should play at third base or even right field if he continues to grow.
Others of interest: Carlos Cortes, Austin Bergner, Logan Shore, Kevin Gowdy
50PoundHead (11-28-2015), bravesfanMatt (11-28-2015), JohnAdcox (11-29-2015), rico43 (11-29-2015)
I'm hoping Benson shores up the issues the scouts see this year and becomes an elite bat.
Benson, Bichete, or Kieboom seem like guys I'd definitely be interested in, but not necessarily at no. 3 overall. At least not right now.
I'm still hoping for Rutherford at #3. I believe Groom will go #1 just not sure about the 2nd pick.
That Blake Rutherford fellow seems very, very intriguing, though I'll bet 50Poundhead's entire annual salary that we take a pitcher.
You wouldn't be losing much if you were wrong.Originally Posted by MadduxFanII
We'll probably take a pitcher but we really need a high impact bat in the system.
The impact bat just doesn't seem to be there at 3, at least not yet. I bet they will draft one of the elite arms (probably one of the college guys) and look to infuse the system with position talent with the international players.
JMO, but it's entirely too early to be concerned about that for me - way too many things could potentially occur between now and June.
Miller and/or Teheran could be traded. As unlikely as it seems, one could be signed. Prospects could be packaged to get one.
So many scenarios once the dominoes start falling...
Yankees sign Heyward, could you trade Miller for Judge?
Cardinals re-sign Heyward, could you trade Teheran for Stephen Piscotty?
Cubs sign Heyward, could you trade Teheran for Soler or Baez?
Rangers sign Upton or Cespedes, could you trade Miller for Mazara or Gallo?
So many other possibilities as well. June is just way too far off to worry about now - especially since that list is likely to look entirely different in May.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
If they Yankees sign Heyward I am done with baseball. The sport just needs to die.
If terrorists ever attack Yankees stadium I will be rooting for the terrorists. Yankees are a pit stain on baseball and it's embarrassing that MLB is the only major American sport without a salary cap. Karma needs to catch up to these assholes for what they have done to this once great sport.
"Donald Trump will serve a second term as president of the United States.
It’s over."
Little Thethe Nov 19, 2020.
wow
I'm pretty sure it did by them flopping year after year while buying up all the top talent. Same thing is happening to the Dodgers right now.
I honestly would go pitching unless the position player is out of this world (Harper). You can always flip your abundance of pitching for a hitter ready or nearly ready for the big leagues. I think you're more sure of drafting a high end pitcher instead of a high end position player. If I'm Braves, I go Groome or Hansen -- if both go top 2, I'd be tempted to take Puk over Rutherford or Banks.
Really not much of a stretch if you think about it.
I realize the rumors keep saying they want pitching in return for Brett Gardner even though a Gardner for Castro swap with the Cubs would seem to make all the sense in the world. If they made that deal and moved Beltran to LF, they could sign Heyward to play RF and plug Judge in to replace Beltran next season.
Has there EVER been a statement and question a certain someone should absolutely never have made and asked publicly more than...
Kinda pathetic to see yourself as a message board knight in shining armor. How impotent does someone have to be in real life to resort to playing hero on a message board?
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