Official pre-Draft thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
smootness said:
Campusano is a guy you might be able to get in round 3. And I definitely don't buy into the thought that we have to end up with at least one pitcher out of our top 2 picks. We've focused on pitching almost entirely at the top of the last 2 drafts, I'm totally fine if we go hitting in this draft, and I like the hitters available more than the pitchers.
Click to expand...

That's why I'd want to grab one early to be honest - I think there are enough interesting bats available that you try to load up on them in rounds 2-6 if you don't grab a high ceiling gamble like Lewis, Beck or Adell at #5. If I could add one more high ceiling arm there (Gore/Baz/Bukauskas/Faedo) early, I'd be perfectly fine with trying to scoop up Vientos/Waters/Rooker/Campusano/Evan Skoug/Ward/Ramirez/etc. with our next handful of picks.

I completely get what you're saying about the pitching, but will always default to high-upside arms when there's not a bat that's really separated himself available at the same spot personally. Hard to get us old-timers who bought into the "Braves Way" all these years to change much, I'd guess.
 
nsacpi said:
Rich man's Piscotty.
Click to expand...

Who, McKay? I don't see that. That may be his ceiling, but I think his likely outcome is something like Piscotty, except that Piscotty plays roughly average defense and I question whether McKay can do that in the OF.
 
hypothetically speaking, if the Braves were to decide that Pavin Smith or McKay is the best bat on the board when #5 rolls around and can only play 1B, do you take him?

So lets say the draft goes; Greene, Wright, Gore, Lewis and at #5 we are looking at McKay, Pavin, Baz, Beck, Adell, Hasley and the Braves like McKay's or Pavin's bat more than anyone else's; do you take the likely 1B only guy?

Honestly, I don't have an issue with it - again with the assumption that the Braves really believe in their bat - you take a guy like that and even as a college hitter he'll need a couple years to really be ready; by that point who knows? Maybe Freeman is starting to decline, or gets hurt? Or maybe the bet on McKay proves correct, he develops into a legitimate bat and you can even GASP trade Freeman?

I think we all agree its all about accumulating talent, if we do pick a 1B only type, but his bat is LEGIT and he develops, that's a really valuable piece to either trade, or plug into our MLB lineup.
 
clvclv said:
That's why I'd want to grab one early to be honest - I think there are enough interesting bats available that you try to load up on them in rounds 2-6 if you don't grab a high ceiling gamble like Lewis, Beck or Adell at #5. If I could add one more high ceiling arm there (Gore/Baz/Bukauskas/Faedo) early, I'd be perfectly fine with trying to scoop up Vientos/Waters/Rooker/Campusano/Evan Skoug/Ward/Ramirez/etc. with our next handful of picks.

I completely get what you're saying about the pitching, but will always default to high-upside arms when there's not a bat that's really separated himself available at the same spot personally. Hard to get us old-timers who bought into the "Braves Way" all these years to change much, I'd guess.
Click to expand...

And I'm probably the opposite. If there isn't a pitcher who has separated himself (and after Greene/Gore/Wright I don't think there is), you grab the high-ceiling bat.
 
Preacher said:
hypothetically speaking, if the Braves were to decide that Pavin Smith or McKay is the best bat on the board when #5 rolls around and can only play 1B, do you take him?

So lets say the draft goes; Greene, Wright, Gore, Lewis and at #5 we are looking at McKay, Pavin, Baz, Beck, Adell, Hasley and the Braves like McKay's or Pavin's bat more than anyone else's; do you take the likely 1B only guy?

Honestly, I don't have an issue with it - again with the assumption that the Braves really believe in their bat - you take a guy like that and even as a college hitter he'll need a couple years to really be ready; by that point who knows? Maybe Freeman is starting to decline, or gets hurt? Or maybe the bet on McKay proves correct, he develops into a legitimate bat and you can even GASP trade Freeman?

I think we all agree its all about accumulating talent, if we do pick a 1B only type, but his bat is LEGIT and he develops, that's a really valuable piece to either trade, or plug into our MLB lineup.
Click to expand...

Unless the bat is fully legit and unquestioned, I don't take a 1B-only guy at 5, period, it has nothing to do with Freeman.
 
Who do people most NOT WANT the Braves to pick.

My two;
Adell and McKay

Adell - I just can't get over the multiple reports that people have being concerned with his ability to hit a baseball, and now Klaw reporting his arm strength may not be what people think it is.
McKay - I think Smoot is saying the same thing here, but its almost like McKay is as high as he is because he's a good prospect as a pitcher and hitter, but is he elite at either?
 
Preacher said:
Who do people most NOT WANT the Braves to pick.

My two;
Adell and McKay

Adell - I just can't get over the multiple reports that people have being concerned with his ability to hit a baseball, and now Klaw reporting his arm strength may not be what people think it is.
McKay - I think Smoot is saying the same thing here, but its almost like McKay is as high as he is because he's a good prospect as a pitcher and hitter, but is he elite at either?
Click to expand...

Out of the guys we might realistically draft? I will say McKay and Pavin Smith. Would also hate Kendall, but I don't think he's a realistic option.
 
I don't want the Braves to draft Luke Heimlich from Oregon State. He is a sex offender and deserves no chance to play in MLB.
 
Tapate50 said:
Baz.

The question is if he is intent on TCU
Click to expand...

I don't believe he has separated himself the way the others have. I don't mean that he's not a potentially worthy pick at 5, just that he's not clearly ahead of the hitters that would be there, IMO.
 
I am a die-hard Louisville fan, and I want no parts of McKay unless he were to fall in our laps in a later round which won't happen. I know he is a two-way player, but he would be an underwhelming choice at #5. I'd much rather have Louisville commit Jo Adell, but I believe the front office is focusing on other targets at #5.
 
Is Lewis the best combination of high-upside, relatively safe floor at #5?

With his hit/run tools he's safer than a lot of HS bats, but if he can play a good OF and develop some power, that's quite a bit of upside as well.
 
Preacher said:
Is Lewis the best combination of high-upside, relatively safe floor at #5?

With his hit/run tools he's safer than a lot of HS bats, but if he can play a good OF and develop some power, that's quite a bit of upside as well.
Click to expand...

Agreed. That's why he's my #1.
 
My current personal board...

1.) Gore/Wright/Beck/Lewis/Haseley/Baz
2.) Tristan Beck/Vientos/Waters/Rooker/Campusano
3.) Was Joe Perez/Evan Skoug/Jacob Pearson/Daniel Cabrera/Shane Drohan - Perez is obviously out of the mix that high now (TJS)
4.) Van Eyk, Sam McMillan/Noah Campbell/Jackson Rutledge
5.) Keegan Thompson/Andrew Bechtold/Spencer Strider/Jordan Spicer/Terry Fuller
6.) Emerson Hancock/Freddy Tarnok/Jack Leftwich
7.) Je'Von Ward/Ben Ramirez/Alex Toral
 
2080 Baseball report on Lewis: https://2080baseball.com/2017/06/2017-mlb-draft-positional-previews-middle-infielders/

Royce Lewis, SS/CF, JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, CA)
Ht/Wt: 6’1”/185 B/T: R/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 0m

Lewis has the athleticism and the skill set to profile both on the dirt and in the grass at the next level, bolstered by double-plus speed, quick twitch actions, and a solid throwing arm. He ranges well at short and should be able to stick at the six-spot, though some clubs prefer his wheels out in center field where has shown impressive range and closing ability. Either way he is a high-value defender whose speed will also provide impact on the bases, where he shows advanced instincts, impressive aggressiveness, and the occasional sub-4.0 home-to-first time (registering as a true “80” on the scouting scale).

At the plate Lewis has good feel for the barrel and a chance to hit for both average and power thanks to explosive bat speed. As his body continues to mature he should be able to carry the fence with more regularity and has the upside of a plus hit stick that can give you 20-plus home runs a year to go with a pile of doubles and triples. Lewis rounds out the package with off-the-charts make-up, making him one of the most sought after talents in the draft class. An up-the-middle defender with a chance for impact offensive production, he should hear his name called very early on Day 1, and likely in the top five picks.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top