2014 First-Year Player Draft Thread

[Dave Saltzer]

Damn, Reds grabbed Gavin LaValley.

 

HS 3B with some power that I liked. Oh well

 

And I'll agree with some others here, Rhoades is the first pick of their draft that I'm pretty unimpressed with.

I thought about LaValley, but he will most likely end up at 1B where he will mash. He shed 30 lbs to play baseball (after being a center in football), and looking at his build, may put a good chunk of that back on as he fills out. 

[jshep]

I thought about LaValley, but he will most likely end up at 1B where he will mash. He shed 30 lbs to play baseball (after being a center in football), and looking at his build, may put a good chunk of that back on as he fills out. 

 

Fair enough, but even at 1B I would have rather grabbed LaValley. Rhoades just feels like the type of generic college reliever you can grab a few rounds from now just as easily.

[Chuck]

Rhoades seems like a great pick for the fourth round.

 

I'm pretty happy with this pick. Anyone that can dial it up in the low to mid 90's and has a wipeout slide, sign me up!

[Chuck]

Alden Gonzalez â€@Alden_Gonzalez  3m

You can watch the #Angels’ third-round pick, Chris Ellis, on Saturday. He’s expected to pitch against Lafayette in the super regional.

[jshep]

Angels 5th Rounder is RHP Jake Jewell from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M

[Chuck]

6'3" 200lbs DOB: 05/16/93 | Scouting videoJewell struggled as a freshman starter at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in 2013 before finding his niche as a closer this spring. Scouts trekked to Miami, Okla., to see him and fellow right-hander Dean Deetz, giving Jewell the nod for having the better body, delivery and command. Jewell has a mid-90s fastball that tops out at 97 mph, and his heater has good life when he doesn't overthrow it. He'll flash a solid slider at times, though it lacks consistency. He has some feel for a changeup, but he doesn't need it much against JuCo hitters or in a bullpen role. Jewell has a loose arm and a strong build, and he does a reasonable job of throwing strikes. If he doesn't turn pro this summer, he'll transfer to Oklahoma for his junior season.

[Cdaniel]

Who is left on the board that people really want? I'm happy we are going pitching heavy so far.

[jshep]

Well they sure seem eager to grab some college relievers at this point.

[Sherlock31]

Lefty relievers? 3b? Catcher?

[Dave Saltzer]

6'3" 200lbs DOB: 05/16/93 | Scouting videoJewell struggled as a freshman starter at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in 2013 before finding his niche as a closer this spring. Scouts trekked to Miami, Okla., to see him and fellow right-hander Dean Deetz, giving Jewell the nod for having the better body, delivery and command. Jewell has a mid-90s fastball that tops out at 97 mph, and his heater has good life when he doesn't overthrow it. He'll flash a solid slider at times, though it lacks consistency. He has some feel for a changeup, but he doesn't need it much against JuCo hitters or in a bullpen role. Jewell has a loose arm and a strong build, and he does a reasonable job of throwing strikes. If he doesn't turn pro this summer, he'll transfer to Oklahoma for his junior season.

If he has the changeup, I'd like to see the Angels try him in the rotation. He can always go back to a bullpen role.

[jshep]

Who is left on the board that people really want? I'm happy we are going pitching heavy so far.

 

I don't have a problem with going pitching heavy, but these last two picks seem like surefire bullpen guys and using picks this early on college relievers seem like a less than ideal usage. It feels like drafting based on the current ML club's needs, which is the last thing you should be doing.

 

There's still some interesting position players or even pitchers with a better chance to start left that they're passing on for non-standout hard throwing bullpen guys.

 

Just seems weird.

Edited June 6, 2014 by jshep

[UCLAngel]

Who is left on the board that people really want? I'm happy we are going pitching heavy so far.

 

This seems to be the right time to grab 4-5 high upside high school kids and see if you can sign them away from college commitments.

 

Other guys I like:

Byler - 3B at Nevada.  See if he can drop some weight and stay at third.

Wetzler - Guy who scorned the Phillies.  His velocity was down this year, but he went 10-1 w/ a 0.84 ERA in the Pac-12.

 

Shoot for a HS catcher or two as well and see if one of them develop. 

 

My real preference from this point on would be to draft all HS kids and shoot to sign half of them.  Restock with upside and quality instead of quantity.  Doubt it'll happen though.

[UCLAngel]

I think it'd be a good strategy to sign high upside California high school kids.  "Look, you could end up in Cleveland or Canada three years from now.  Why not just sign with us and, in a few years, you could be playing in your backyard?"

 

Bouchard - 3B w/ great bat speed from San Diego

Adams - C from San Diego

Cameron Bishop - LHP/OF - Brea Olinda

Coltin Gerhart - OF - Vista Murrieta (Toby's brother)

 

These guys fit the bill. 

[rafibomb]

Tyler Beede had a rough go in Game 1 of the Super Regionals against Stanford: 4.2 IP  6 ER  5 H  4 BB

[Dave Saltzer]

I don't have a problem with going pitching heavy, but these last two picks seem like surefire bullpen guys and using picks this early on college relievers seem like a less than ideal usage. It feels like drafting based on the current ML club's needs, which is the last thing you should be doing.

 

There's still some interesting position players or even pitchers with a better chance to start left that they're passing on for non-standout hard throwing bullpen guys.

 

Just seems weird.

I have a feeling that they are going to try and convert one or both of them into starters. They can always go back into the pen, but, if they have 3 pitches, would be far more valuable as starters.

[Dave Saltzer]

Looking at another prospect, it referenced Jewel that we drafted. Interesting info here:

 

-- --   Deetz, Dean Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (OK) RHP R/R J2 6'1" 190lbs DOB: 11/29/93 | Scouting videoThe two best arms in Oklahoma this year belong to a pair of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M JC right-handers, Deetz and Jake Jewell. A redshirt freshman, Deetz isn't as refined as Jewell and missed all of 2013 recovering from Tommy John after his final season of high school, but he has better breaking stuff and a chance to make it as a starter.Deetz showed an 89-90 mph fastball and a promising slider in the fall, and his velocity has exploded this spring. He has worked at 92-94 mph and peaked at 98, and his slider has climbed into the mid-80s. He also throws an effective curveball, but his changeup will need a lot of work. Deetz has an exceptionally quick arm but is still learning to harness it. He has trouble throwing strikes and locating his pitches on a consistent basis. He's a good athlete who was a star running back at Nixa (Mo.) High, so there's hope he'll be able to figure it out. Edited June 6, 2014 by Dave Saltzer

[jshep]

I have a feeling that they are going to try and convert one or both of them into starters. They can always go back into the pen, but, if they have 3 pitches, would be far more valuable as starters.

 

I'm assuming they will too, but neither of those guys seem like ones anyone else has faith in being able to stick in a rotation. Have to wait and see, I guess.

[jshep]

6th Round Pick:

 

RF Alex Abbott from Tift County HS, GA

[UCLAngel]

6th Round Pick:

 

RF Alex Abbott from Tift County HS, GA

 

Can't much on him.  Rightfielder in HS.  Committed to Florida.  Bats left throws right. I like this pick.  See if we can lure him away from college.

[Dave Saltzer]

Blue Devil in Tifton and Brave in Syracuse, Alex Abbott (left) and ex-Florida baseball/football player Gavin Dickey were at the East Coast Professional Showcase. Dickey is currently a scout for the Houston Astros. (1 of 1)

 

 

August 5, 2013

Abbott showcased in Syracuse

Becky TaylorCNHI

TIFTON — Bryce Abbott admitted that a 6:15 a.m. Sunday flight back to Georgia was quite early, but for the week he and his son, Alex, spent in New York, it was well worth it. The Abbotts were in Syracuse as Alex, an upcoming senior at Tift County High, was one of a select group of baseball players invited to the East Coast Professional Showcase.

"I'm very proud," said Blue Devils head coach Kyle Kirk. "He's just a great young man who has spent a lot of time on his craft."

Kirk said the Showcase was invite-only. Alex's news came quite early in the 2013 season, at the Devils' regular season debut against Crisp County on Feb. 19. Bryce Abbott said the invitation came from Baltimore Orioles scout Arthur McConnehead. It would be a day of two recommendations by McConnehead. Alex would be offered a chance to participate in the Showcase and he would also sent a referral to the O's on the player he was initially there to scout. Crisp pitcher Robert Tyler who was selected in the 28th round by the club, though he has opted to honor his scholarship to the University of Georgia.

"It was great experience and great exposure for [Alex]," said Bryce. Kirk said Alex went 1-2 on the first day and while he went 0-2 in the final game, he had two sharply hit balls. "Scouts were impressed with his hitting," said Bryce, who also said that his son had done well on skills tests.

The East Coast Professional Showcase featured players from east of the Mississippi River, as well as athletes from Puerto Rico. They were divided into six teams, depending on geography. Alex's team, the Braves was comprised of players from Georgia and north Florida players living in the Eastern Time Zone. Central Time Zone Floridians were members of the Mets, along with players from Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. The Puerto Ricans and south Floridians were given to their geographic opposite, the Rockies.

Bryce Abbott said that about 400 MLB scouts were in attendance for the Showcase, which ran from July 31 through Aug. 3.

[SoWhat]

Well they sure seem eager to grab some college relievers at this point.

I'm not too crazy about this. They'll probably convert them to starters, but I would've rather see some position players drafted in those rounds.

[SoWhat]

6th Round Pick:

RF Alex Abbott from Tift County HS, GA

Any scouting report on him? I can't find anything

[jshep]

Any scouting report on him? I can't find anything

 

I only found this short little video from MLB http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/67565098/v33238851

[rafibomb]

According to Baseball America even though he's just graduating from high school, he's already 20 years old come November.

Edited June 6, 2014 by rafibomb

[Docwaukee]

toolsy