2018 MLB Draft Thread

nsacpi said:
I like guys with multiple paths to success. Guys with the hit tool AND the ability to play a premium defensive position. So Turang and Madrigal are the guys I'm hoping we take. I like them more than someone like Gorman or Conine.
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Just me, but I lean a little more towards Gorman and Conine as guys who have the power (we so desperately need) and can move fast personally. If Riley's defense doesn't cut the mustard, there's a chance he could move to LF and Gorman could replace him as your "comer" at 3B. Conine reminds me a little of Markakis in the sense that he could probably have enough pop to profile on a corner early on even if he eventually just turns into a "hitter".

The organization has always had so much success finding solid up-the-middle guys (even though they might not have turned into All-Stars) that weren't highly-rated originally and has developed so few corner guys with legitimate pop that it'd be tough for me to pass one up if your scouts were convinced he'd be able to stick somewhere defensively and not turn into a "tweener" (Matt Adams/Beer/etc. that you don't think can play anywhere other than 1B without hurting you). Those fortunes obviously could change at any time though, and if AA brings in more guys that can help with launch angles and such, I can see drafting the best defenders as well if you're confident you can help them add pop.
 
clvclv said:
Just me, but I lean a little more towards Gorman and Conine as guys who have the power (we so desperately need) and can move fast personally. If Riley's defense doesn't cut the mustard, there's a chance he could move to LF and Gorman could replace him as your "comer" at 3B. Conine reminds me a little of Markakis in the sense that he could probably have enough pop to profile on a corner early on even if he eventually just turns into a "hitter".

The organization has always had so much success finding solid up-the-middle guys (even though they might not have turned into All-Stars) that weren't highly-rated originally and has developed so few corner guys with legitimate pop that it'd be tough for me to pass one up if your scouts were convinced he'd be able to stick somewhere defensively and not turn into a "tweener" (Matt Adams/Beer/etc. that you don't think can play anywhere other than 1B without hurting you). Those fortunes obviously could change at any time though, and if AA brings in more guys that can help with launch angles and such, I can see drafting the best defenders as well if you're confident you can help them add pop.
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Assessing the power tool, especially for high school players, is a very tricky and risky thing. For hitters, it is one of the most difficult things to project. The hit tool and defensive talent are much more reliable in terms of translating from an 18-year old to the major league level. If you have someone like Turang or Madrigal with both a high ceiling and a high floor, you need to draft them.

High school players with good power tools but limited upside in other areas are a better bet in rounds 2 and 3.
 
nsacpi said:
Assessing the power tool, especially for high school players, is a very tricky and risky thing. For hitters, it is one of the most difficult things to project. The hit tool and defensive talent are much more reliable in terms of translating from an 18-year old to the major league level. If you have someone like Turang or Madrigal with both a high ceiling and a high floor, you need to draft them.

High school players with good power tools but limited upside in other areas are a better bet in rounds 2 and 3.
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Madrigal is a guy who turns 21 in 10 days and is listed at 5'7", 160 which probably means he's 5'6" and 160.

Albies is listed as 5'9" 160 so he's likely at least 2" taller.

Altuve is a 5'6" guy.

So short CAN be done. But the odds are against it.

I see Madrigal as more likely a high floor, low ceiling pick.

Turang I could get behind because he might be a player at ss or eventually third if his power develops. He's also relatively young not turning 19 until after the 2018 season.

I like Gorman because he's showing big power already with a 50 hit grade and he won't turn 18 until May 10. The draw back is if he can't stick at 3rd then he's at 1B. But considering his projected timeline to the Majors and FF contract that might not be a bad thing.

PS: I like Hankins most of all as a potential TOR starter.
 
Horsehide Harry said:
Madrigal is a guy who turns 21 in 10 days and is listed at 5'7", 160 which probably means he's 5'6" and 160.

Albies is listed as 5'9" 160 so he's likely at least 2" taller.

Altuve is a 5'6" guy.

So short CAN be done. But the odds are against it.

I see Madrigal as more likely a high floor, low ceiling pick.

Turang I could get behind because he might be a player at ss or eventually third if his power develops. He's also relatively young not turning 19 until after the 2018 season.

I like Gorman because he's showing big power already with a 50 hit grade and he won't turn 18 until May 10. The draw back is if he can't stick at 3rd then he's at 1B. But considering his projected timeline to the Majors and FF contract that might not be a bad thing.

PS: I like Hankins most of all as a potential TOR starter.
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in general there are physical characteristics that favor success...but there are also black swan type players where talent trumps those characteristics...it happens more often than you think...altuve, lincecum, Pedro Martinez, Kirby Puckett, Tony Gwynn, etc etc

I rate Turang at the top of this year's draft...imo Madrigal is the next best position prospect...i dont think Turang will drop to #8...Madrigal might

btw both Albies and Altuve are shorter than the height you listed...Altuve is more like 5'4
 
nsacpi said:
Assessing the power tool, especially for high school players, is a very tricky and risky thing. For hitters, it is one of the most difficult things to project. The hit tool and defensive talent are much more reliable in terms of translating from an 18-year old to the major league level. If you have someone like Turang or Madrigal with both a high ceiling and a high floor, you need to draft them.

High school players with good power tools but limited upside in other areas are a better bet in rounds 2 and 3.
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Not just for the high school kids - I agree - but Gorman's a bit different here. He's been given at least a 60 grade power-wise pretty much across the board (with several scouts giving him a 70), there haven't been any concerns about his hit tool that I've read (quick hands and bat speed as well), and most reports have him as a good athlete even if he's not a GG winner.

I'm not "spitting" on Turang or Madrigal by any means, I'd just prefer a bat with a higher ceiling personally. That said, I think there's more of a chance that any of the four is taken over Rocker than there would have been previously - I don't see the Georgia connections carrying quite as much weight with AA as they have previously. Really tough to get much of a take about any of them just yet though IMO.
 
It would take a small miracle for Gorman to fall to the Braves at 8.

We should talk about guys who will realistically be available.
 
I like Kumar Rocker. I hope he goes nuts this year, but not too nuts. By all accounts a good student and good kid. 6'5, 250 lbs of muscle. Topped out at 98 mph with some scouts thinking more velocity could come.

While I understand high school pitchers are the riskiest of all potential draftees, the plus athleticism at his size is very rare in baseball.

He's also a Georgia boy and is African-American, which the Braves should be mindful of. The organization and baseball itself would be best served by appealing more to African-Americans.

I would take him at 8. If you get him for under slot since he's projected to go mid-1st, then great.
 
SJ24 said:
I like Kumar Rocker. I hope he goes nuts this year, but not too nuts. By all accounts a good student and good kid. 6'5, 250 lbs of muscle. Topped out at 98 mph with some scouts thinking more velocity could come.

While I understand high school pitchers are the riskiest of all potential draftees, the plus athleticism at his size is very rare in baseball.

He's also a Georgia boy and is African-American, which the Braves should be mindful of. The organization and baseball itself would be best served by appealing more to African-Americans.

I would take him at 8. If you get him for under slot since he's projected to go mid-1st, then great.
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Hey, you "know athletes", so if you like Rocker...I like Rocker.
 
I'm fine with taking a pitcher if Turang and Madrigal are gone...at this point I am not sold on Gorman
 
Enscheff said:
It would take a small miracle for Gorman to fall to the Braves at 8.

We should talk about guys who will realistically be available.
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He probably won't be there, but it's just now March, and he's a high schooler. He's projected around 5-6 right now, so it's absolutely within the realm of possibility for him to ultimately be there at 8.

But I'd be totally fine with Madrigal. I don't think it's necessary to go full upside there at 8, and I don't care that much about position. You worry about position when he's ready for the majors and you have to make a decision. But a guy who can hit .280-.300 with average defense and elite speed? I'll take that. He won't walk much, but he'll hardly K at all, and those guys can be really valuable.
 
smootness said:
He probably won't be there, but it's just now March, and he's a high schooler. He's projected around 5-6 right now, so it's absolutely within the realm of possibility for him to ultimately be there at 8.

But I'd be totally fine with Madrigal. I don't think it's necessary to go full upside there at 8, and I don't care that much about position. You worry about position when he's ready for the majors and you have to make a decision. But a guy who can hit .280-.300 with average defense and elite speed? I'll take that. He won't walk much, but he'll hardly K at all, and those guys can be really valuable.
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Agreed. I should probably hold off from making any declarations on draft prospects for at least a couple months.

All I will say for now is my preference is an impact college hitter like what folks hope Eierman is. Whether or not one emerges as a candidate at #8 is still up in the air.
 
SJ24 said:
I like Kumar Rocker. I hope he goes nuts this year, but not too nuts. By all accounts a good student and good kid. 6'5, 250 lbs of muscle. Topped out at 98 mph with some scouts thinking more velocity could come.

While I understand high school pitchers are the riskiest of all potential draftees, the plus athleticism at his size is very rare in baseball.

He's also a Georgia boy and is African-American, which the Braves should be mindful of. The organization and baseball itself would be best served by appealing more to African-Americans.

I would take him at 8. If you get him for under slot since he's projected to go mid-1st, then great.
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Hoping this Rocker would not be off his rocker.
 
Enscheff said:
Agreed. I should probably hold off from making any declarations on draft prospects for at least a couple months.
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Yeah. As I said I'm not sold on Gorman yet. Could change. But as a general proposition I believe the bar for persuasion has to be higher for players with his set of attributes than for guys like Turang.
 
Only way Mize falls to us is if he gets hurt, and durability has been a question for him so that's not out of the question. But I'd be stunned if he gets to us. Jeff Passan was talking the other day about him getting a lot of attention at 1-1, especially with the Tigers' history with college arms.
 
Horsehide Harry said:
Madrigal is a guy who turns 21 in 10 days and is listed at 5'7", 160 which probably means he's 5'6" and 160.

Albies is listed as 5'9" 160 so he's likely at least 2" taller.

Altuve is a 5'6" guy.

So short CAN be done. But the odds are against it.

I see Madrigal as more likely a high floor, low ceiling pick.

Turang I could get behind because he might be a player at ss or eventually third if his power develops. He's also relatively young not turning 19 until after the 2018 season.

I like Gorman because he's showing big power already with a 50 hit grade and he won't turn 18 until May 10. The draw back is if he can't stick at 3rd then he's at 1B. But considering his projected timeline to the Majors and FF contract that might not be a bad thing.

PS: I like Hankins most of all as a potential TOR starter.
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You know who also already had shown big power in HS? Braxton Davidson
 
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