2021 MLB Draft

Sounds like we're zeroing in on either a mid-ceiling conversion project or a toolsy guy with raw stuff whose arm will probably fall off.
 
Arkansas let kopps throw around 180 pitches in a 4-day span.

Ole miss let Doug nikhazi throw around 165 pitches in a 3-day span.

Isn't this excessive?
 
Last edited:
msstate7 said:
Arkansas let kopps throw around 180 pitches in a 4-day span.

Ole miss let Doug nikhazi throw around 165 pitches in a 3-day span.

Isn't this excessive?
Click to expand...

Long debated subject. College baseball coaches get called on it, stop doing it for about five minutes, and start doing it again.

With the draft moving to 20 rounds, a lot more guys will probably go into college ball and maybe MLB and the NCAA can strike a deal for some meaningful guidelines due to that.
 
clvclv said:
BPA - and (like Pitchers) you can NEVER have too many Catchers.
Click to expand...

Since different player development heads pulled the trigger, it's probably coincidence, but the Braves do seem to trade or quickly give up on many of their catching prospects. To wit:

Bryan de la Rosa (3rd round, 2012) released March 2016
Vic Caratini (3rd round, 2013) traded July 2014 to Cubs for Bonafacio, Russell and cash.
Lucas Herbert (2nd round 2015) released March, 2019
Brett Cumberland (2nd round 2016) traded with three other prospects to Orioles July 2018 for Gausman and O'Day.
No catcher was drafted before the 10th round 2017-18
 
Drafting another catcher early would be surprising given the depth we have at catcher with Langy, Contreras, and even Valdes.

I would imagine it'll be a pitcher, CFer, or middle infielder.
 
Updated mock from Prospects Live has us taking Bubba Chandler at 24: https://www.prospectslive.com/mlb-draft/2021/5/11/2021-mlb-mock-draft-40-zwtc9. Much more exciting than the college guys we've been connected to.

Bubba Chandler, SS/RHP, North Oconee

Bubba Chandler is one of the more intriguing players in this year’s class. He’s a two-way, two-sport star committed to Clemson, though it’s looking likely that he won’t be reaching campus. On the mound, you’re looking at an uber-athletic operation with a lightning quick arm, boasting a fastball that has touched 97 MPH, sitting 92-95 MPH. Pair that with a tight-spinning slider, a big curveball, and a burgeoning change-up, you’ve got a recipe for a first round arm here. However, let’s not forget what he brings to the table in the dirt. Some teams have turned Chandler in as a shortstop instead of an arm. He’s a switch-hitter with average or better power potential and has shown solid speed on the base paths. The Braves built a dynamic farm system through arms, though we’ve heard they like the bat as much as the arm.
 
msstate7 said:
Arkansas let kopps throw around 180 pitches in a 4-day span.

Ole miss let Doug nikhazi throw around 165 pitches in a 3-day span.

Isn't this excessive?
Click to expand...

Yes, it's excessive. But college coaches are paid to win games. They also have kids in their faces telling them they will do whatever it takes to help the team win a championship. Sure, the coaches are responsible for being the grown ups, but they also have to keep the respect of the guys in their locker rooms. When you're Van Horn or Bianco, at the top or at least close to that "best coach to never win a championship" title, the pressure has to be intense. Especially in Van Horn's case, when you have a team being touted by neutral observers as potentially one of the best of all time that is on the verge of getting run from its own regional.

Van Horn used to be among the worst at overusing pitchers. Over the last several years he has gone in the opposite direction. Before last night, the last time I recall him using someone the way he did Kopps last night was with Keuchel in the 2009 CWS. Arkansas may have had one starting pitcher throw 100 pitches in a game this year. I think Kopps got to 100 for a weekend (2 appearances) once before the regional.
 
DirkPiggler said:
Yes, it's excessive. But college coaches are paid to win games. They also have kids in their faces telling them they will do whatever it takes to help the team win a championship. Sure, the coaches are responsible for being the grown ups, but they also have to keep the respect of the guys in their locker rooms. When you're Van Horn or Bianco, at the top or at least close to that "best coach to never win a championship" title, the pressure has to be intense. Especially in Van Horn's case, when you have a team being touted by neutral observers as potentially one of the best of all time that is on the verge of getting run from its own regional.

Van Horn used to be among the worst at overusing pitchers. Over the last several years he has gone in the opposite direction. Before last night, the last time I recall him using someone the way he did Kopps last night was with Keuchel in the 2009 CWS. Arkansas may have had one starting pitcher throw 100 pitches in a game this year. I think Kopps got to 100 for a weekend (2 appearances) once before the regional.
Click to expand...

Lemonis (miss st coach) goes the complete opposite with babying arms. I don't like either approach. Lemonis holding Landon sims to basically 1 appearance a weekend has cost state wins imo.

I'll be interested in how kopps and DN respond this weekend.

ETA... and it depends on the arm. If a kid is just a good college pitcher with no real future, sure, burn em if they wanna pitch.
 
Last edited:
rico43 said:
Since different player development heads pulled the trigger, it's probably coincidence, but the Braves do seem to trade or quickly give up on many of their catching prospects. To wit:

Bryan de la Rosa (3rd round, 2012) released March 2016
Vic Caratini (3rd round, 2013) traded July 2014 to Cubs for Bonafacio, Russell and cash.
Lucas Herbert (2nd round 2015) released March, 2019
Brett Cumberland (2nd round 2016) traded with three other prospects to Orioles July 2018 for Gausman and O'Day.
No catcher was drafted before the 10th round 2017-18
Click to expand...

I'll be Dr. Anal Retentive and make a small correction and point out that Caratini was a 2nd round choice (and has had a decent if somewhat non-descript career). Question on him was always his defense as he hadn't caught much prior to being drafted.

But that's a great list and points out that the Braves have prioritized the position but have had mixed results. The big surprise to me is that both de la Rosa and Herbert were ranked fairly high iin pre-draft analyses but neither one could hit worth a damn once they got a paycheck. Herbert was Kolby Allard's high school catcher and I always wondered if there was some kind of package deal going on with them. Seems like something Coppolella would do.

Cumberland is now in AAA and doing fairly well. Like Caratini, he was a guy drafted mainly for his bat with hopes that he would somehow magically take to catching right away without any drop-off in hitting. Curious to see if the O's promote him at some point this season.
 
msstate7 said:
Lemonis (miss st coach) goes the complete opposite with babying arms. I don't like either approach. Lemonis holding Landon sims to basically 1 appearance a weekend has cost state wins imo.

I'll be interested in how kopps and DN respond this weekend.

ETA... and it depends on the arm. If a kid is just a good college pitcher with no real future, sure, burn em if they wanna pitch.
Click to expand...

Kopps is a 6th year guy (who could come back for a 7th thanks to COVID...he won't, but he still has some leverage). Up until this year he would've fallen into that last category. He almost didn't come back this year - was rumored to be headed to medical school. Definitely a special case...not sure how much of a prospect he is, but he'll get a shot thanks to being unhittable against top competition. He's almost like a knuckleballer...not in terms of wear on his arm, but due to the novelty of his cutter/slider/whatever the hell it is.

I see Nikhaizy as being more likely to experience ill effects. He's conditioned to pitch once per week. Kopps has been throwing twice per weekend all season, albeit not at anywhere near the number of pitches or innings.
 
CJ9 said:
Updated mock from Prospects Live has us taking Bubba Chandler at 24: https://www.prospectslive.com/mlb-draft/2021/5/11/2021-mlb-mock-draft-40-zwtc9. Much more exciting than the college guys we've been connected to.

Bubba Chandler, SS/RHP, North Oconee

Bubba Chandler is one of the more intriguing players in this year’s class. He’s a two-way, two-sport star committed to Clemson, though it’s looking likely that he won’t be reaching campus. On the mound, you’re looking at an uber-athletic operation with a lightning quick arm, boasting a fastball that has touched 97 MPH, sitting 92-95 MPH. Pair that with a tight-spinning slider, a big curveball, and a burgeoning change-up, you’ve got a recipe for a first round arm here. However, let’s not forget what he brings to the table in the dirt. Some teams have turned Chandler in as a shortstop instead of an arm. He’s a switch-hitter with average or better power potential and has shown solid speed on the base paths. The Braves built a dynamic farm system through arms, though we’ve heard they like the bat as much as the arm.
Click to expand...

Nobody named Bubba has ever had a successful major league career.

Next.
 
Carp said:
Nobody named Bubba has ever had a successful major league career.

Next.
Click to expand...

220px-Bubba_Phillips_1959.jpg


Are you telling me that starting 3B on the 1959 American League Champion Chicago White Sox Bubba Phillips didn't have a successful career? Looking at his .655 career OPS (79 OPS+), I'd say you were right. He had a great tobacco chaw though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top