2021 MLB Draft Prospects Thread

[ten ocho recon scout]

Just now, Dochalo said:

it's canadian.  pronounced Job ehh.  

that might turn some people off on drafting him so he's trying to keep it a secret.  

Or is it maybe like tom cruises character in mission impossible 1?

[Second Base]

Whoever the Angels get, will probably be their #3 ranked prospect after Marsh and Detmers. Unless you consider Adell and Rodriguez still prospects, which personally, I do, which means I'd probably rank they're first round pick #5 in the organization. 

And speaking very generally, you're in a good spot prospect wise if your top overall pick every year isn't immediately your top prospect. 

[Revad]

Minasain is in kind of a good spot, but this needs to be a good draft for him to be successful and I’m sure everyone around him knows that as well.

[Inside Pitch]

Rocker, Kobe, Madden....  They are all fine.   I think they'll make out ok in the first.  That second rounder is gonna be more fun.

[Second Base]

7 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Rocker, Kobe, Madden....  They are all fine.   I think they'll make out ok in the first.  That second rounder is gonna be more fun.

My thoughts exactly. My own personal opinion aside, either of those three and Bachman, are all justifiable. 

[rafibomb]

Is Matt Swanson still our director of scouting?

[Stradling]

1 hour ago, Dochalo said:

it's canadian.  pronounced Job ehh.  

that might turn some people off on drafting him so he's trying to keep it a secret.  

Fuck that guy. 

[Inside Pitch]

14 minutes ago, Second Base said:

My thoughts exactly. My own personal opinion aside, either of those three and Bachman, are all justifiable. 

I should have included Bachman as well.

[Inside Pitch]

8 minutes ago, rafibomb said:

Is Matt Swanson still our director of scouting?

Yes.  

[Inside Pitch]

4 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

Intriguing, much more advanced as in being just 2.5 years from being MLB ready?

I wish I had that good of an eye to even attempt to take a guess. 

He's a HS pitcher so, regardless of how good or advanced the stuff is, those first two years could be wild.  But he's legitimately a freakish talent.  Everything he throws is plus, and he's been able to command it.  

As I said previously I'd normally rail against the idea of drafting a HS pitcher in the first 10 rounds, but he'd be my pick even at 1-1.   

[DCAngelsFan]

11 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Rocker, Kobe, Madden....  They are all fine.   I think they'll make out ok in the first.  That second rounder is gonna be more fun.

This - to make a "mistake" at #9, you're going to have to do something kinda stupid like drafting a consensus 3rd rounder b/c they'll sign under-slot or something (simple bad luck isn't a "mistake" -- it's bad luck)

To have a good/great draft, it's finding undervalued players in #2 and beyond,  that defy the odds to become major league players.

The funniest thing is the inevitable "draft grades" articles that come out the day after the draft ends - it's like calling the results of a marathon after the first 100 yards.  

[Second Base]

2 hours ago, DCAngelsFan said:

This - to make a "mistake" at #9, you're going to have to do something kinda stupid like drafting a consensus 3rd rounder b/c they'll sign under-slot or something (simple bad luck isn't a "mistake" -- it's bad luck)

To have a good/great draft, it's finding undervalued players in #2 and beyond,  that defy the odds to become major league players.

The funniest thing is the inevitable "draft grades" articles that come out the day after the draft ends - it's like calling the results of a marathon after the first 100 yards.  

Impossible to like this post enough. Going back in time, the closest thing to a stupid pick the Angels made in the first round is probably Taylor Ward, as he was projected to go in third round, which was just Dipoto being Dipoto. And even then, Ward has developed into a passable major league outfielder. 

But during Eppler's tenure, they typically did an exceptional job with their second round picks. Brandon Marsh, Griffin Canning, Jeremiah Jackson, and Kyren Paris. Every single one of those guys either ended up as top 100 prospects, or appears to be on their way to earning such a distinction. I don't know if there is a single team in baseball that has done better in the second round than the Angels. 

And draft grades are more like reactions, rather than actual assessments. How many times in life have we all hated something at first but grown to love them later? Just as an example, when the Angels drafted Trout, I didn't like it. It had nothing to do with Trout, I loved his build and physical tools, they were incredible. But I didn't see the point in drafting him and Grichuk back to back. I thought they should've drafted one or the other and went with a pitcher with the other pick. But that just shows that judging, as you would put it, a marathon in the first 100 yards is ridiculous. 

[rafibomb]

MLB Pipeline has us taking Jackson Jobe in their latest mock draft:

1. Pirates: Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake HS (Chula Vista, Calif.)
The best hitter and the best defender in the Draft, Mayer remains the strong favorite at No. 1.

2. Rangers: Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt
Leiter would continue the Rangers' recent trend of taking polished college performers with their top choice.

3. Tigers: Brady House, SS, Winder-Barrow HS (Winder, Ga.)
The Tigers would love Mayer but the best power hitter in the Draft would be a nice backup plan. 

4. Red Sox: Jordan Lawlar, SS, Jesuit Prep (Dallas)
The Red Sox may covet Leiter, but Lawlar gives them the highest ceiling among the four elite prep shortstops.

5. Orioles: Henry Davis, C, Louisville
Clearly the best college position player available, Davis could shift to another position to fit in the same lineup with 2019 No. 1 overall pick Adley Rutschman.

6. D-backs: Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt
The NCAA Division I co-strikeout leader (179 in 122 innings) along with teammate Leiter, Rocker stands out with his physicality and track record of big-game performance.

7. Royals: Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest (N.C.) HS
With well-above-average speed and the potential for solid tools across the board, Watson could form a dynamic double-play combination with 2019 No. 2 overall choice Bobby Witt Jr.

8. Rockies: Benny Montgomery, OF, Red Land HS (Lewisberry, Pa.)
Montgomery might have the best all-around physical tools in the Draft and will be in play for virtually every club from here on down. 

9. Angels: Jackson Jobe, RHP, Heritage Hall HS (Oklahoma City)
High school right-handers are a risky demographic but Jobe's combination of pitches and command grade out better than those of Leiter and Rocker.

10. Mets: Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College
A center fielder, Frelick offers some of the best hitting ability and speed in the college class.

[Second Base]

Send out a search party for @Inside Pitch check every available "bunk."

[GrittyVeterans]

Can someone please fill me in on why Rocker went from being a pretty consensus top 2 to being a 6-9 pick all of a sudden? I don’t get it

[rafibomb]

10 minutes ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Can someone please fill me in on why Rocker went from being a pretty consensus top 2 to being a 6-9 pick all of a sudden? I don’t get it

This article explains a bit of what happened to Rocker along with getting touched up for a handful of runs here and there in some of his starts. All in all it's the inconsistency and prospect fatigue as the reason he fell out of being a consensus top-2 pick.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-kumar-rocker-velocity-roller-coaster/

Quote

Rocker came out with the best velocity of his career in his first start of the season, averaging 96 mph with his fastball and touching 99. He averaged 94–96 over his next two starts and touched 98, but the first big drop occurred following a 116-pitch outing on March 19 against South Carolina. Seven days after that, I got a text message from a scout: “Are you watching Rocker?” I switched his start on and saw him sitting at 90–91 all of a sudden. And these were not the 87–91 cutters he’s added to his repertoire; these were four-seam fastballs.

 

Quote

We didn’t see these kind of wild velocity swings out of Rocker as a freshman, when he averaged 93 mph with a best bolt of 98. In only three 2020 starts, Rocker was regularly 94–96, so he’s throwing as hard as expected in aggregate, but the up-and-down nature of his fastball has created some questions as teams start to organize for their initial draft meetings.

 

All that being said I'd still be ecstatic and shocked if Kumar fell to our pick and we took him. 

Edited July 8, 2021 by rafibomb

[Taylor]

Whichever pitcher the Angels draft, I vote to have them immediately undergo TJ surgery.

[Angels Fan Forever]

2 hours ago, rafibomb said:

9. Angels: Jackson Jobe, RHP, Heritage Hall HS (Oklahoma City)
High school right-handers are a risky demographic but Jobe's combination of pitches and command grade out better than those of Leiter and Rocker.

I've read some great things about Jobe the last two days but I would still feel more comfortable with a college pitcher who can help us sooner. Then again, maybe Minasian and Swanson think we have enough arms in the system currently to bridge the gap and Jobe really is too good to pass up at 9.

[ten ocho recon scout]

15 minutes ago, Angels Fan Forever said:

I've read some great things about Jobe the last two days but I would still feel more comfortable with a college pitcher who can help us sooner. Then again, maybe Minasian and Swanson think we have enough arms in the system currently to bridge the gap and Jobe really is too good to pass up at 9.

I think everyone here would prefer that. 

But who knows if theres a great one that will be available. 

Plus Jobe may be gone when its our turn anyway

[Inside Pitch]

3 hours ago, GrittyVeterans said:

Can someone please fill me in on why Rocker went from being a pretty consensus top 2 to being a 6-9 pick all of a sudden? I don’t get it

I genuinely believe some of it is overreaction and panic.   

Nobody wants to be the team that effs up their top 10 draft choice.  So a guy who's been nails his entire college career gets hyper scrutinized for what could have easily been nothing more than a dead arm period after having pitched a total of 15 innings the previous year.

For all the hand wringing about Rocker he still finished the season having thrown 122 innings striking out 179.

3 hours ago, Second Base said:

Send out a search party for @Inside Pitch check every available "bunk."

Ha!

Ill believe it when I see it, maybe more importantly .... like we were saying before... I'd be good with any of the four names we've mentioned.  But it is nice seeing it mentioned as a possibility.

1 hour ago, Angels Fan Forever said:

I've read some great things about Jobe the last two days but I would still feel more comfortable with a college pitcher who can help us sooner. Then again, maybe Minasian and Swanson think we have enough arms in the system currently to bridge the gap and Jobe really is too good to pass up at 9.

If Arte has any say, he'd probably say the same thing.  That being said..  Baseball America lists Jack Letter as a high risk choice, Jobe as an extreme risk....  All pitchers are health risks, few can do what Jobe can.

Angels will have solid options.

[Angels Fan Forever]

55 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

If Arte has any say, he'd probably say the same thing.  That being said..  Baseball America lists Jack Letter as a high risk choice, Jobe as an extreme risk....  All pitchers are health risks, few can do what Jobe can.

Angels will have solid options.

Yeah, I was just looking at college arms that would possibly/probably still be available at 9 - Madden, Bednar and Bachman all seem like solid options.

[Angelsjunky]

I'm hobing for Jobe. 

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

I'm hobing for Jobe. 

Dude, seriously, the more I read about him, the more I have a hard time believing he'll be around at pick 9. @Inside Pitch Kudos to you for being the first one on him. 

They're talking about Jobe the way they did Mackenzie Gore back when he was a senior. And who knows, maybe he is that good. One of the rare prep pitchers that doesn't need surgery, but it's also polished enough to be in the majors at 21. 

[Inside Pitch]

2 minutes ago, Second Base said:

Dude, seriously, the more I read about him, the more I have a hard time believing he'll be around at pick 9. @Inside Pitch Kudos to you for being the first one on him. 

They're talking about Jobe the way they did Mackenzie Gore back when he was a senior. And who knows, maybe he is that good. One of the rare prep pitchers that doesn't need surgery, but it's also polished enough to be in the majors at 21. 

He's a freaking unicorn. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

3 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

I'm hobing for Jobe. 

Make the T shirt that says that before anyone else does