With the excitement of draft week on us... thought it'd be fun to look back at the top draft picks from last year.
#14 Kolby Allard signed overslot by 200K
- Hasn't played yet this year, but in limited innings looked awesome in 2015. Its all about the health, if he can stay healthy he projects to be very good. Still love the pick.
#28 Mike Soroka signed at slot value
- Nobody has been better out of the gates than Soroka from the 2015 class, this is looking like a potential steal. So far he's thrown 95 IP and has 93 SOs against only 18 BBs. Love the pick.
#41 Austin Riley signed overslot by 93.6K
- Has lots of power and lots of contact issues. Like the pick, the upside is there, but his stock has taken a hit this season.
#54 Lucas Herbert signed at slot value
- 2015 was a lost season for Herbert who hurt his knee, so he's probably still shaking some rust off, he's hit a little better in May, but considering he only hit .176 in April; it wasn't a high bar to climb.
#75 AJ Minter signed at slot value
- A future bullpen piece with a big arm, Minter has moved to Carolina this year and in 10 innings has 11 SOs and an ERA of ZERO.ZEROZERO. Could see him in Atlanta by next year.
#89 Anthony Guardado signed underslot by 106.3K
- Was a projectable HS arm coming into the draft, hasn't pitched this year; I'm assuming if he's healthy he's headed to the Danville or the GCL.
#120 Josh Graham signed overslot by 29.8K
- A bit of a project coming out of college as he was a converted catcher, Graham has pitched well out of the bullpen this year with a high K rate and not many walks (15/2).
#150 Ryan Clark signed at slot value
- The 6-5 righty out of UNC Greensboro has not pitched well this year with too many walks and not enough strikeouts. There was talk before the draft that he might project to the bullpen, its too early to say that for sure, but the early results as a starter have not been strong.
#180 Matt Withrow signed at slot value
- Withrow has pitched well this season for Carolina, the walks are a little high, but he's striking out nearly a batter per inning and only allowing a BAA of .208
#210 Patrick Wiegel signed at slot value
- Big righty that has pitched well this season, like most young pitchers with big frames the walks are a little high, but he's struck out 58 in 55 innings, so far so good with PW.
#240 Ryan Lawlor signed at slot value
- Lawlor has been OK for Carolina, but he was a more polished low-upside pitcher coming out of college so the 18 BBs in 29 innings isn't a great sign, his stuff is mostly average, so he needs to find the control to be successful. Probably a bullpen arm in the future.
#270 Taylor Lewis signed overslot by 39.9K
- A college reliever, Lewis has a 2.91 career ERA in 43 innings split up between Carolina and Rome.
#300 Stephen Moore signed underslot 149.7K
- Nothing to see here, Moore was simply a guy taken because he was going to sign way underslot before his military obligation kicked in.
And that's the top 10 rounds of the draft, overall lots to like with this group. The duo at the top with Allard/Soroka, power potential with Riley, Withrow/Wiegel are pitching well as starters and Clark/Minter are throwing well in the pen. Herbert is struggling and Ryan Clark hasn't looked great. But I think when you look at the early returns, if should give you some confidence in the scouts as we get ready for this year's draft.
#14 Kolby Allard signed overslot by 200K
- Hasn't played yet this year, but in limited innings looked awesome in 2015. Its all about the health, if he can stay healthy he projects to be very good. Still love the pick.
#28 Mike Soroka signed at slot value
- Nobody has been better out of the gates than Soroka from the 2015 class, this is looking like a potential steal. So far he's thrown 95 IP and has 93 SOs against only 18 BBs. Love the pick.
#41 Austin Riley signed overslot by 93.6K
- Has lots of power and lots of contact issues. Like the pick, the upside is there, but his stock has taken a hit this season.
#54 Lucas Herbert signed at slot value
- 2015 was a lost season for Herbert who hurt his knee, so he's probably still shaking some rust off, he's hit a little better in May, but considering he only hit .176 in April; it wasn't a high bar to climb.
#75 AJ Minter signed at slot value
- A future bullpen piece with a big arm, Minter has moved to Carolina this year and in 10 innings has 11 SOs and an ERA of ZERO.ZEROZERO. Could see him in Atlanta by next year.
#89 Anthony Guardado signed underslot by 106.3K
- Was a projectable HS arm coming into the draft, hasn't pitched this year; I'm assuming if he's healthy he's headed to the Danville or the GCL.
#120 Josh Graham signed overslot by 29.8K
- A bit of a project coming out of college as he was a converted catcher, Graham has pitched well out of the bullpen this year with a high K rate and not many walks (15/2).
#150 Ryan Clark signed at slot value
- The 6-5 righty out of UNC Greensboro has not pitched well this year with too many walks and not enough strikeouts. There was talk before the draft that he might project to the bullpen, its too early to say that for sure, but the early results as a starter have not been strong.
#180 Matt Withrow signed at slot value
- Withrow has pitched well this season for Carolina, the walks are a little high, but he's striking out nearly a batter per inning and only allowing a BAA of .208
#210 Patrick Wiegel signed at slot value
- Big righty that has pitched well this season, like most young pitchers with big frames the walks are a little high, but he's struck out 58 in 55 innings, so far so good with PW.
#240 Ryan Lawlor signed at slot value
- Lawlor has been OK for Carolina, but he was a more polished low-upside pitcher coming out of college so the 18 BBs in 29 innings isn't a great sign, his stuff is mostly average, so he needs to find the control to be successful. Probably a bullpen arm in the future.
#270 Taylor Lewis signed overslot by 39.9K
- A college reliever, Lewis has a 2.91 career ERA in 43 innings split up between Carolina and Rome.
#300 Stephen Moore signed underslot 149.7K
- Nothing to see here, Moore was simply a guy taken because he was going to sign way underslot before his military obligation kicked in.
And that's the top 10 rounds of the draft, overall lots to like with this group. The duo at the top with Allard/Soroka, power potential with Riley, Withrow/Wiegel are pitching well as starters and Clark/Minter are throwing well in the pen. Herbert is struggling and Ryan Clark hasn't looked great. But I think when you look at the early returns, if should give you some confidence in the scouts as we get ready for this year's draft.