I wouldn’t hate the Hughes pick. We’ve always been a pitching first organization but with the farm pretty thin we could use help everywhere.
Law has Braves taking Justin Crawford from Bishop Gorman. He's Carl's son.
I'd LOVE to see us take a HS position player. I'm just assuming it's a college arm until proven otherwise with this group.
Law’s reasoning for Crawford was that we have a thinned out system devoid of star power. I don’t disagree with that, but I also have doubts about whether that drives Dana Brown and team’s decision making. They have a clear preference of college guys early, upside HS guys later that has played out every draft since he’s been here. I don’t think the state of the system would have much impact on the way he evaluates players at 20.
BPA regardless whether they are HS or college guys should always be the strategy.
It's clearly not, though I agree with you.
Looks to me to be a heavy look at a statistical model rounds 1 and 2. A model that seems to favor college pitchers with velocity spikes that will not continue in the minors.
THen late they go more scouting of traits for high upside HS guys.
I can imagine his scouting report is littered with'Under-slot college pitchers!' Are there any words more thrilling to the human soul?
I can imagine his scouting report is littered with
“Relies on the hitter getting themselves out”
“Three above average pitches”
“Hits his spots”
“Sits 89-91 but can reach back for 93 when he needs to”
Kiley's first mock draft came out today.
20. Atlanta Braves
Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State
I've heard mostly under-slot college pitchers here including Georgia's Jonathan Cannon, Campbell's Thomas Harrington and Iowa's Adam Mazur, along with rising righty Jacob Miller. Miller and Robby Snelling are the two high school pitchers with a shot to get a slot-or-better bonus in the 20s behind the Lesko/Porter/Barriera group.
Newest BA mock is out - has the Braves taking Hjerpe as well...
https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/2022-mlb-mock-draft/
I will say that even though that's pretty uninspiring for lots of folks, it is nice to read that he's considered somewhat of an "analytical darling".
No thanks on a dude almost named Herpe
I loathe picking underslot starters in the first round with ceilings of a number 3 or 4 starter. I'd much rather go for elite ceiling in the first and pay slot for middle of the rotation types later on.