Official MLB Draft Thread

[Chuck]

Some info on Ward:

 

Ward benefits from being a well-rounded college backstop in a class that is historically thin on catchers, as many scouts viewed him as a candidate to come off the board in the first five rounds—but not the first. The 21-year-old has good raw pop from the right side, but there are questions as to whether his hit tool will develop enough for him to utilize it in games. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Ward is a good athlete behind the plate but only a tick above average as a receiver. Luckily, he’s an outstanding catch-and-throw backstop with an accurate, plus arm. Ward improved on all fronts this spring, setting career highs in OPS (.899), isolated power (.182), home runs (seven), doubles (14) and RBI (42) in 261 plate appearances.

[NrM]

Some info on Ward:

 

Ward benefits from being a well-rounded college backstop in a class that is historically thin on catchers, as many scouts viewed him as a candidate to come off the board in the first five rounds—but not the first. The 21-year-old has good raw pop from the right side, but there are questions as to whether his hit tool will develop enough for him to utilize it in games. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Ward is a good athlete behind the plate but only a tick above average as a receiver. Luckily, he’s an outstanding catch-and-throw backstop with an accurate, plus arm. Ward improved on all fronts this spring, setting career highs in OPS (.899), isolated power (.182), home runs (seven), doubles (14) and RBI (42) in 261 plate appearances.

 

why should I care that a kid is great at "catching and throwing" in a draft? Sure it's a bonus, but that is at the bottom of the skills I find valuable.

 

 

Future drafts....

 

Dipoto: This kid has great power, speed and potential. We should take him in the first round.

Scioscia: but does he catch and throw? I didn't think so.... pack it up boys.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Poozy

[ScottT]

You guys are fans first. As am I and almost everyone on this board. You can justify all you want overhype all you want, but you are a fan first and some of you are absolutely ridiculous when it comes to judging prospects and defending picks, trades, etc. You don't know a damn thing. You may know a scout or two or three, but what you hear from that person is probably heavily filtered through rose colored glasses. The hate for "certain publications" is probably jealousy is many cases

Keep on keepin on though. It's amusing

[Stradling]

Because he is a catcher and some catchers aren't that good at it, for example Iannetta.

[tdawg87]

Most of these "publications" use the exact same scouting methods and advanced statistics that most team scouts use. You'll notice most players rated in the top 20, were taken in the top 20. This happens every year. It happens for a reason.

 

Doesn't mean they are right or wrong. It just means they shouldn't be automatically discounted.

[Stradling]

You guys are fans first. As am I and almost everyone on this board. You can justify all you want overhype all you want, but you are a fan first and some of you are absolutely ridiculous when it comes to judging prospects and defending picks, trades, etc. You don't know a damn thing. You may know a scout or two or three, but what you hear from that person is probably heavily filtered through rose colored glasses. The hate for "certain publications" is probably jealousy is many cases

Keep on keepin on though. It's amusing

If this is directed at me then I should clarify that I don't read publications all that often. When I say I would choose a scouting department over a publication it really is just a logical thing for me, and not any distaste for any publication.

[ScottT]

Pretty sure "certain publications" also talk to certain scouts. Probably more so.

[Inside Pitch]

Some info on Ward:

 

Ward benefits from being a well-rounded college backstop in a class that is historically thin on catchers, as many scouts viewed him as a candidate to come off the board in the first five rounds—but not the first. The 21-year-old has good raw pop from the right side, but there are questions as to whether his hit tool will develop enough for him to utilize it in games. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Ward is a good athlete behind the plate but only a tick above average as a receiver. Luckily, he’s an outstanding catch-and-throw backstop with an accurate, plus arm. Ward improved on all fronts this spring, setting career highs in OPS (.899), isolated power (.182), home runs (seven), doubles (14) and RBI (42) in 261 plate appearances.

 

 

This isn't exactly a ringing endorsement.  In essence they are saying he's one of the better catchers in a historically bad draft for catchers.... makes me wonder what they would have had to say with a deeper draft pool.   Whatever -- none of this really matters to me, all anyone needs to look at is Grant Green's scouting report from his draft class to understand where I'm coming from.  

 

I have never seen the guy play, I know nothing about him other than what the stats show and the stats don't tell me anything about the level of competition in his conference.... so they don't show me much.  He has shown the ability to get on base, he's shown middling power, apparently all the scouts pretty much agree he's got a cannon for an arm, which is cool because that's not something they are wishing on or trying to project.  We know he can in fact throw.

 

There were a bunch of guys I would have preferred to see the team draft..  but, if this Ward guy becomes Chris Iannetta with an elite glove I could really dig that.  

 

Hopefully it all works out.  

[Chuck]

Should we all pitch in for a couple Baseball America subscriptions for Dipoto and the gang?

 

LOL, why not. I'm sure Eddie Bane could have used it when BA didn't even have Trout in their top 75 amateur prospects. 

[tdawg87]

LOL, why not. I'm sure Eddie Bane could have used it when BA didn't even have Trout in their top 75 amateur prospects. 

 

They had him 22. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/draft-preview/2009/268178.html

[ScottT]

I use publications as I would TP much more info on the web.

 

Haha.  Seriously.  Don't they have websites?  

[NrM]

Prediction: 2 years from now angelswin members will be saying "but does he catch and throw?" replacing "but he's not an ace anymore" 

Edited June 9, 2015 by Poozy

[ScottT]

They had him 22. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/draft-preview/2009/268178.html

Angels were clearly reading Baseball America then. What happened?

[Guest]

LOL, why not. I'm sure Eddie Bane could have used it when BA didn't even have Trout in their top 75 amateur prospects. 

 

Trout was clearly expected to go within the first round or two -- he was present in the studio during the 2009 draft. 

Edited June 9, 2015 by ScottLux

[Docwaukee]

Maybe our next pick will be a pitcher with a really good move to first.  

[Chimi]

This thread is kind of funny.  Hard to get mad about anything with the MLB draft since it's such a crap shoot in the long run.

[Chuck]

Trout was clearly expected to go within the first round or two -- he was present in the studio during the 2009 draft.

I remember reading he was initially out of the top 75. That he was a tweener, upside of Aaron Rowand, no better.

[tdawg87]

I, for one, hope they take a reliever with plans for some killer entrance music should he make the majors.

[Stradling]

This thread is kind of funny. Hard to get mad about anything with the MLB draft since it's such a crap shoot in the long run.

Crap shoot is only allowed to be used on AngelsWin when referring to the playoffs (I got your back QM).

[ScottT]

Maybe our next pick will be a pitcher with a really good move to first.

And the people that like/dislike the pick will be easily predictable.

And none of them should have a strong opinion.

[ScottT]

Crap shoot is only allowed to be used on AngelsWin when referring to the playoffs (I got your back QM).

And Halos Heaven. And halo Haven. And halo space. And halo hooligans. And marinerswin.com.

[Docwaukee]

using where Trout was drafted as consolation is actually way off.

 

it'd be like if we used that pick for Josh Phegley instead.  

[Hollyw00d]

So we drafted hank conger again?

[Tyler]

There's no doubt that Ward is a strange pick that early... however, if he signs real cheap then that will allow the Angels go more more HS picks with the 2-10 rounds, and we've already seen it with the second pick. Working with the 5th lowest draft pool, gotta be creative.

 

Shumpert is still on the board. If some of the savings can nab him, then it's a great draft.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Im still not liking rhe pick, and not defending the pick, but theres gotta be a reason for it. Im wure the front office knows where this guy is in everyone elses mind. I doubt they would have picked him over so many higher rated guys unless there was something specific to it. Whether its the slot money or whatever, theres got to be a plan behind it.

That said, still not high on it, but to be fair i know nothing of the other guys who were available.

Still say not signing moncada is the biggest fail for the farm, but i know shit about him either (other than his reputation as a solid prospect who we could have paid for)