Official MLB Draft Thread

[ScottT]

This poor guy is going to be invited to AngelsWin FanFest and come across this thread after he accepts the invitation.

[SoWhat]

Nice draft for the dogs

[ScottT]

Whoa, Tampa Bay Lightning goal!

[Angel Oracle]

SMFH at this org

[Chris]

ya i don't get the celebration and fist pumping for a guy ranked in the 50-100 range falling to #26;  what a shocker he was still there

 

he'll be our 2018 Mathis; now we just need our future Napoli

[Inside Pitch]

I'm not able to tune into to the draft at the moment, so I missed that. They were that pumped up over this guy? WTF do they see that no one in all of baseball sees?

 

 

Hopefully something.   I know nothing about the kid, I'm not going to get bent about random scout comments.  But looking at his college numbers, he knows how to milk a walk and he posted an OPS over 1.000 in a very limited (tiny) sample size in the Cape Cod League.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[robblin17]

Anyone see the Angels Twitter in which the name showed Joseph Ward? I thought this guys name was Taylor Ward? Did we accidentally draft the wrong guy? 

[Chris]

not draft related, but on the radio Eric Karabell suggested the Angels trade for Tulowitzki but not for SS

 

not sure where he was going with that 3B, DH?

 

he also seemed high on Kubitza and thought they should consider calling him up...

[Dave Saltzer]

I get it. The organization is thin at a lot of positions. Catching is definitely a weakness. His times to 2B are great, and with some of our current pitchers being slow to the plate, will help out a lot. And, as Fletcher pointed out, we've had picks ranked higher than Ward flame out and not make it. So let's give the FO some slack here. With our pitching in development, we will need a good catcher coming up.

[Mark68]

not draft related, but on the radio Eric Karabell suggested the Angels trade for Tulowitzki but not for SS

 

not sure where he was going with that 3B, DH?

 

he also seemed high on Kubitza and thought they should consider calling him up...

Tulo at DH seems kind of a waste of his defensive talent.

 

Might keep him healthy, though.

[ettin]

Actually Dave I thought they might grab a SS, C, or RF otherwise a pitcher. Betts was still on the board too I believe but they went with Ward. I think they probably liked his floor so much they went with a safer bet in their minds and will sign him below slot and use that money on some 2-8th rounders.

[Ohtaniland]

I get it. The organization is thin at a lot of positions. Catching is definitely a weakness. His times to 2B are great, and with some of our current pitchers being slow to the plate, will help out a lot. And, as Fletcher pointed out, we've had picks ranked higher than Ward flame out and not make it. So let's give the FO some slack here. With our pitching in development, we will need a good catcher coming up.

 

The Angels have drafted 30 catchers since 2009.

[Dave Saltzer]

Think of it this how: how would we be reacting had we drafted this guy? So far, he's been the only other catcher taken, and there are serious questions about him as well.

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Tyler Stephenson

Pick: 11th Overall (1st Round)

Pick By: CIN

Position: C

Born: August 16, 1996

School: Kennesaw Mountain HS

Class: HS

Height: 6'4" Weight: 225

Bats: R Throws: R

Comments: Scouts have bemoaned the lack of catching in this Draft, so Stephenson's emergence this spring qualifies as a pleasant surprise. Some evaluators liked him more as a pitcher last summer -- he has a 90-mph fastball and a hard slider -- but now he's the consensus best backstop available and a dark-horse candidate to go No. 1 overall to the Diamondbacks. Clearly a better defender than Betts, Stephenson is quite advanced for a high schooler. His strong hands and arm translate into quality receiving and throwing skills, and he has surprising agility for a 6-foot-4, 210-pounder. Stephenson's combination of strength, bat speed and loft in his right-handed swing translate into huge raw power. There are some concerns about his ability to make contact against pro-level pitching, however, because his swing can get long. His frame and skills remind scouts of Matt Wieters, and Stephenson will follow his path to Georgia Tech if he doesn't turn pro.

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From all the info available, we know we have a solid defender in Ward, who we think will hit. And, he's a college player, so a lot closer to being ready. Catching is always in short supply, and we'd have a more difficult time sign ING a prep catcher than a college player. I'm starting g to like this pick more as I think about it.

[Chuck]

Remember, Trout was just OK. Another Aaron Rowand per BA.

[Dave Saltzer]

Actually Dave I thought they might grab a SS, C, or RF otherwise a pitcher. Betts was still on the board too I believe but they went with Ward. I think they probably liked his floor so much they went with a safer bet in their minds and will sign him below slot and use that money on some 2-8th rounders.

Yeah, I think the writeup threw a lot of people because it focused on his floor, not his ceiling. With a 1.8 to 1.9 time to 2B already, we know the defense should be good. Let's just work on the bat. That will determine the ceiling.

[ScottT]

There is a guy with an Angels site named Taylor Ward.

At least they didn't draft Rev

[Ohtaniland]

[yamsi12]

Well that went well.

[Quinlanforthewin]

Yeah, I think the writeup threw a lot of people because it focused on his floor, not his ceiling. With a 1.8 to 1.9 time to 2B already, we know the defense should be good. Let's just work on the bat. That will determine the ceiling.

 

Because the organization needs defensive prospects and not hitting. It's a poor pick for a minor league system devoid of any true sluggers.  Quit carrying the water for the ineptitude that has been the front office this season.  

[Angel Oracle]

Chavez Clarke like selection, oh goody.

[robblin17]

Anyone see the Angels Twitter in which the name showed Joseph Ward? I thought this guys name was Taylor Ward? Did we accidentally draft the wrong guy? 

 

Joseph Taylor Ward...darn 

[tdawg87]

Think of it this how: how would we be reacting had we drafted this guy? So far, he's been the only other catcher taken, and there are serious questions about him as well.

His frame and skills remind scouts of Matt Wieters

From all the info available, we know we have a solid defender in Ward, who we think will hit. And, he's a college player, so a lot closer to being ready. Catching is always in short supply, and we'd have a more difficult time sign ING a prep catcher than a college player. I'm starting g to like this pick more as I think about it.

 

I'd be pretty damn excited about that, actually.

 

I know it's your job to put a positive spin on everything and I respect that but this is just reaching.

[The Dude]

Hopefully something.   I know nothing about the kid, I'm not going to get bent about random scout comments.  But looking at his college numbers, he knows how to milk a walk and he posted an OPS over 1.000 in a very limited (tiny) sample size in the Cape Cod League.

He does seem to have some decent ability to draw the walk based those numbers. I'm not saying I hate the pick,just seems like a bit of a head scratcher. Looks like he could be Iannetta like with the bat(not counting this year), but a lot better defensively and I be totally fine with that.

[Halonut]

The Astros have had a helluva draft thus far; Bregman, Tucker and Cameron.

[Chuck]

You're not going to get a Kris Bryant type player with all the hype where the Angels are picking this year.