DRAFT IN PROGRESS THREAD ... What's past is preamble

jpx7 said:
I get that. But it seems like the Braves never prioritize hitting, aside from a year or two's worth of exceptions over the past twenty years.
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Thorman
Franceour
Cody Johnson
Heyward
Lipka
Davidson

We've actually taken a hitter with our first pick about as often as a pitcher over the last 20 or so years. We have skewed more toward pitching recently, but I'm fine with it.
 
jpx7 said:
I get that. But it seems like the Braves never prioritize hitting, aside from a year or two's worth of exceptions over the past twenty years.
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Thats a theory that a lot of the teams in the league can actually afford to draft by. I don't think we can! The lack of power up and down the organization is a glaring need that needs to be addressed through the draft. I can understand teams like Detroit not drafting a 1B or Baltimore not drafting a 3B...but this team has needs that can only be repaired via draft and trade...especially given our recent free agency signing track record....
 
smootness said:
Thorman
Franceour
Cody Johnson
Heyward
Lipka
Davidson

We've actually taken a hitter with our first pick about as often as a pitcher over the last 20 or so years. We have skewed more toward pitching recently, but I'm fine with it.
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I'm not referring solely to first overall pick.
 
I agree you don't reach because of a need. You should take BPA, and I know slots change strategy. But when you have the depth of pitching we have and the lack of bats, you should target bats. If we take Groome at 3, no argument. But when you "reach" for a pitcher and the ratio of hitters to pitchers is what it is in our system, it will be questioned. Coppy even said it pre draft that we need to get hitters in the system and the draft was the best way to do that. Then we go take 3 pitchers. I love the reports on all 3 arms, just disappointed in passing on bats. We target arms in trades and arms in the draft. We are a mid market team that can't overspend for hitters in FA. So where are the bats going to come from?

And don't get me wrong, I love our depth of arms. Wisler, Blair, Folty, Sims, Newcomb, Allard, Fried, Soroka, Tyrell, Anderson, Povse, Wentz, Muller, Touki, Ellis. Dang that looks nice. But I just think we all had an expectation coming in to tonight, and maybe just disappointed after anticipating us to take a guy that was at the top of most rankings.
 
ChadWC said:
So 3 plus pitches he can control. Mid 90s velocity. Thats pretty strong to start with. Not to mention he could theoretically be going back to HS next year since hes super young. Thats a pretty good combination of tools and skills that ace pitchers tend to possess.
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People assume he's gonna sit mid 90s+ and I think that's a mistake. Guys dont consistently work at the top of their ranges.

A pitcher with a fastball sitting 91-93, an above average curve and change, and good command is a good pitcher but probably not an ace.
 
striker42 said:
People assume he's gonna sit mid 90s+ and I think that's a mistake. Guys dont consistently work at the top of their ranges.

A pitcher with a fastball sitting 91-93, an above average curve and change, and good command is a good pitcher but probably not an ace.
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So what about Groome is super special?
 
Horn is considered a tough sign. Seems like it would be difficult to make the money work, may be more likely to go to college at this point.

But I would love it.
 
striker42 said:
People assume he's gonna sit mid 90s+ and I think that's a mistake. Guys dont consistently work at the top of their ranges.

A pitcher with a fastball sitting 91-93, an above average curve and change, and good command is a good pitcher but probably not an ace.
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He sat upper 90s his last start and he could be a HS junior. I'd say its not out of the realm of possibility that he couldn't be a guy who is 92-95 and he can go get 97 and thats plenty for an ace.
 
Don't know anything about this guy. Were probably hoping Ice would fall.

ETA: Woah, he mashed in college. May not stick at catcher, but dang, I'll take it.
 
An eligible sophomore, Cumberland was the rare Cal player performing during a disappointing spring for the Bears. He didn't play last summer after right hand and wrist injuries that dogged him as a freshman, instead working on an almond orchard, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He's come back strong as a sophomore, leading the Pacific-12 Conference in home runs, with 33 percent more than any other hitter by mid-May. He's a bat-first backstop with bat speed and strength as well as some feel for hitting from both sides of the plate. Cumberland's defense has improved but needs more polish, with fringy arm strength (though he's thrown out 42 percent of opposing runners in 2016). His receiving and blocking skills are below-average presently. He has below-average athleticism and figures to go out in the first three rounds.
 
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