zbhargrove
Well-known member
Well yeah, obviously any prospects can be trade bait.
2023 MLB Draft Thread
- Thread starter CJ9
- Start date
Well yeah, obviously any prospects can be trade bait.
I think we've officially reached the point where we can stop critiquing the Braves drafts. There is no exact science, but we seem to be doing considerably better than the field.
Heyward
<B>Voted Worst Poster <br>'13, '14, '15 (Co-Winner
We do have alot of young arms stockpiled: SpencerS (pitched in Futures game), Ritchie, Murphy, AJJS, Phillips, Vines along with the three guys we picked, Dodd, Schuster to go with what is in the big league team. Some may get dealt in future trades but never a bad idea to stockpile arms. Especially with Morton close to retiring, and Fried inching closer to free agency.
Heyward
<B>Voted Worst Poster <br>'13, '14, '15 (Co-Winner
Other fans say our farm sucks yet every year we seem to have 2-3 guys who come up and help the big league team. I'm not complaining about stockpiling pitching, just would like a position player high in the draft lol, that's all.
Our farm "sucks" because we keep graduating guys/trading guys that would make the system one of the best in the league. If we still had Langeliers, Harris, Elder, Grissom, AJSS, Muller etc. all still in the minors right now and all still eligible for prospect status, we'd easily have a top 5 system in baseball.
Heyward
<B>Voted Worst Poster <br>'13, '14, '15 (Co-Winner
I dont think it sucks to be fair, just hard to have a great system when you promote 2-3 guys a year and/or trade away some of that depth to get guys like Sean Murphy, Olson, etc. AJSS is technically still in prospect status, fwiw.
striker42
Well-known member
I love our strategy with pitchers in this draft so far. All three are guys that have something potentially special in their arsenal. Waldrep has perhaps the nastiest pure stuff in the draft, Hackenburg has an excellent power sinker, and Keuhler has good fastball velocity and two breaking balls with good potential. These give these guys excellent top range potential. They're all risky and we should consider ourselves lucky if one of the three hits, but I'd much rather take guys who are risks with higher ceilings early in the draft than guys with limited ceilings and high floors.
The word "pitchability" hasn't been used once to describe our picks and I like that with early picks.
The word "pitchability" hasn't been used once to describe our picks and I like that with early picks.
Tapate50
Well-known member
Which player drafted Sunday night has the best chance to win an MVP or Cy Young award someday?
Skenes is the easy call there -- although of the 18 previous pitchers to go No. 1 overall, only David Price has won a Cy Young Award (Gerrit Cole has finished second twice and Strasburg had a third-place result). My sleeper: Hurston Waldrep, the Braves' selection. Big-time stuff, and the Braves have certainly had some success in developing pitchers. For MVP, Crews makes sense, but I'll toss out Clark here as well. I'm getting Corbin Carroll vibes with his hit/power/speed skill set, and Carroll already looks like a potential MVP candidate as a rookie.
Skenes is the easy call there -- although of the 18 previous pitchers to go No. 1 overall, only David Price has won a Cy Young Award (Gerrit Cole has finished second twice and Strasburg had a third-place result). My sleeper: Hurston Waldrep, the Braves' selection. Big-time stuff, and the Braves have certainly had some success in developing pitchers. For MVP, Crews makes sense, but I'll toss out Clark here as well. I'm getting Corbin Carroll vibes with his hit/power/speed skill set, and Carroll already looks like a potential MVP candidate as a rookie.
50PoundHead
Hessmania Forever
The most "to form" draft I've seen from the Braves in a bit. Waldrep probably comes in very close to slot and even if Hackenburg comes in at half his slot value, they are only saving about $650,000 and they would either be planning to load up on one guy or spread it thinly across a few guys. Kuehler might take a little bit of the savings from Hackenburg. I'm obviously spitballing because while I'm sure the Braves know what it's going to take to get guys signed, no one on this side of things does.
Always need pitching and the Braves are thin above A-ball now in terms of prospects, so going the college route makes sense.
Always need pitching and the Braves are thin above A-ball now in terms of prospects, so going the college route makes sense.
Tapate50
Well-known member
Braves selected Florida RHP Hurston Waldrep with the 24th pick of the 2023 MLB Draft.
There are enough glaring concerns with Waldrep’s command that he may ultimately wind up as a reliever, but he possesses a deadly double-plus splitter, which has a chance to carry him to the big leagues. It’s not hyperbolic to suggest it might be the most potent pitch in the entire draft class. There’s enough upside here for the 21-year-old right-hander to be worth the risk for the Braves, who have shown a propensity to push young pitchers quickly to the big leagues. He’s the type of pitching prospect that is really intriguing for fantasy managers since he could take a massive leap forward, if he’s somehow able to tame his omnipresent command issues and stick as a starting pitcher. The stuff is there, but Waldrep is one of the riskiest collegiate pitchers in this year’s draft. There’s a decent shot he’s pitching in relief for Atlanta very soon.
I GOTTA GET A LOOK AT THIS SPLIT!
There are enough glaring concerns with Waldrep’s command that he may ultimately wind up as a reliever, but he possesses a deadly double-plus splitter, which has a chance to carry him to the big leagues. It’s not hyperbolic to suggest it might be the most potent pitch in the entire draft class. There’s enough upside here for the 21-year-old right-hander to be worth the risk for the Braves, who have shown a propensity to push young pitchers quickly to the big leagues. He’s the type of pitching prospect that is really intriguing for fantasy managers since he could take a massive leap forward, if he’s somehow able to tame his omnipresent command issues and stick as a starting pitcher. The stuff is there, but Waldrep is one of the riskiest collegiate pitchers in this year’s draft. There’s a decent shot he’s pitching in relief for Atlanta very soon.
I GOTTA GET A LOOK AT THIS SPLIT!
Heyward
<B>Voted Worst Poster <br>'13, '14, '15 (Co-Winner
Waldrep is probably a good bit overslot. How much, is tbd.
striker42
Well-known member
It's every bit as good as advertised.
Really interested to see what the plan for Waldrep is. He threw 101 innings this year. Wouldn't be crazy to just shut him down from pitching and have him get ready for next year. Or maybe they'll give him some 2-3 inning outings in Augusta, which would be my guess. The talk about him pitching in the big league bullpen this year just seems crazy to me, but I guess it's possible.
In 2021, Cusick threw 70 innings at Wake Forest and then made six starts in Augusta totaling 16 innings after we drafted him. I'd imagine it will be similar to that.
In 2021, Cusick threw 70 innings at Wake Forest and then made six starts in Augusta totaling 16 innings after we drafted him. I'd imagine it will be similar to that.
Tapate50
Well-known member
From FG Chat:
Steve: Prediction for fastest player to make the big leagues?
7:19
Eric A Longenhagen: Weirdly Waldrep, just think he ends up somewhere where they need him asap
Bill: What is your favorite pick so far?
8:58
Eric A Longenhagen: Wherever Waldrep goes
9:00
Anders: Tell me why the emerson pick for seattle isn’t terrible
9:01
Eric A Longenhagen: He’s a lefty-hitting shortstop with a sweet swing and a great shot to stay there. He’s basically what Coel Young was, and that’s working out
9:01
Guest: Any Braves intel
9:01
Eric A Longenhagen: Think they’d do Waldrep if he’s there but not firm
Travis: Is Waldrep destined for the bullpen
9:21
Eric A Longenhagen: It’s plausible but he’ll be so nasty there you’d still love having him as a 1st rounder
9:24
Guest: How do the Braves keep getting away with their sorcery?
Steve: Prediction for fastest player to make the big leagues?
7:19
Eric A Longenhagen: Weirdly Waldrep, just think he ends up somewhere where they need him asap
Bill: What is your favorite pick so far?
8:58
Eric A Longenhagen: Wherever Waldrep goes
9:00
Anders: Tell me why the emerson pick for seattle isn’t terrible
9:01
Eric A Longenhagen: He’s a lefty-hitting shortstop with a sweet swing and a great shot to stay there. He’s basically what Coel Young was, and that’s working out
9:01
Guest: Any Braves intel
9:01
Eric A Longenhagen: Think they’d do Waldrep if he’s there but not firm
Travis: Is Waldrep destined for the bullpen
9:21
Eric A Longenhagen: It’s plausible but he’ll be so nasty there you’d still love having him as a 1st rounder
9:24
Guest: How do the Braves keep getting away with their sorcery?
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Heyward
<B>Voted Worst Poster <br>'13, '14, '15 (Co-Winner
Opposing fans were sick when we took Waldrep lol. The reactions were wild. Very interested how aggressive we are with him though. He'll be a fast riser.
I'd like to see how it stacks up to Smoltzie's split, which was nasty.
50PoundHead
Hessmania Forever
And maybe the Hackenburg pick gives them the leeway to go over slot with Waldrep. People often look at underslot picks as an opportunity to go higher later, but you can always push money forward. Like I said, the Braves know the numbers and I doubt they draft him if they knew he was going to sap a bigger chunk of the pool than they could afford. We'll know more as things unfold today.
jsebe10
Well-known member
I've seen this kid pitch on several occasions playing Clemson and other ACC teams...he's actually pretty awful.
Heyward
<B>Voted Worst Poster <br>'13, '14, '15 (Co-Winner
Clear underslot pick. If you could go BPA every pick like NFL, but unfortunately baseball you have a pool. Cant just pick the top 4 guys early then you have nothing to use the rest of the draft.