2021 MLB Draft Prospects Thread

[Angel Oracle]

Regarding the health concerns with Bachman, I’m seeing that he pitched 75 innings in 2019, then 23 innings in 2020 due to CoVid cancelling the season, and 59 innings this season.

Seems like only this season was less innings than normal.   How many starts did he miss this season?

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[Angel Oracle]

Gavin Williams (RHP - East Carolina) and Matt Mikulski (LHP - Fordham) are a couple of college pitchers, one of which could be the 2nd round pick for the Halos.

Edited June 10, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[greginpsca]

34 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Gavin Williams (RHP - East Carolina) and Matt Mikulski (LHP - Fordham) are a couple of college pitchers, one of which could be the 2nd round pick for the Halos.

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching. Or AW will be Bitching, Bitching, Bitching!

[Stradling]

I wonder when they do these mock drafts and predict who the Angels are going to take at 9, what goes into that prediction?  Obviously the talent they think is going to be available at 9 is part of it.  Maybe rumors of who people say the Angels are interested in.  But for the Angels it has to end there, unless they predict we take a college pitcher that is close to the majors.  They have no idea what the draft philosophy is of Minasian or the group he has surrounded himself with.    

[Stradling]

Just now, greginpsca said:

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching. Or AW will be Bitching, Bitching, Bitching!

It is so tough.  Would you rather have a solid #3 starter or an All Star level SS that takes a year or two longer to develop?  

[Angels in 2030]

45 minutes ago, Stradling said:

It is so tough.  Would you rather have a solid #3 starter or an All Star level SS that takes a year or two longer to develop?  

I’m not aware of what this so-called solid #3 starter is exactly.  Is this like the Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, chupacabra?   Or is it something that truly does exist?  I’m fascinated either way.  

[Stradling]

19 minutes ago, Fourts said:

I’m not aware of what this so-called solid #3 starter is exactly.  Is this like the Loch Ness monster, Bigfoot, chupacabra?   Or is it something that truly does exist?  I’m fascinated either way.  

Ok

[sportstr44]

 

[Angel Oracle]

Is Brady House really that good, to pass on either pitcher picked to go #10 or #11?   Is House projecting as a true SS prospect?

I thought the Halos were high on Kyren Paris.   Is he proving to be a better 2B/3B option?

If the Halos could sign a solid enough FA starting pitcher (not the usual one year guys), then I could see going for a SS with the #9 pick.

Although wouldn’t it make more sense to draft a college SS like McLain, who would not need 4 years to develop?

Edited June 10, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[rafibomb]

I'm seeing Kumar Rocker fall out of the top 5 quite frequently lately. Has he really been that bad?

[Inside Pitch]

8 minutes ago, rafibomb said:

I'm seeing Kumar Rocker fall out of the top 5 quite frequently lately. Has he really been that bad?

Not bad, erratic stuff.   https://vucommodores.com/sports/baseball/

I'm telling you a lot of people I've spoken to have said they are throwing out the numbers and looking at stuff, spin, exit velo, and velocity, period.

One of the reasons you're seeing a huge shift towards position players is because with pitching so far ahead of the hitters, the guys doing well are being viewed as being on another level.

Its going to be an interesting draft.

[jsnpritchett]

41 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

Is Brady House really that good, to pass on either pitcher picked to go #10 or #11?   Is House projecting as a true SS prospect?

I thought the Halos were high on Kyren Paris.   Is he proving to be a better 2B/3B option?

If the Halos could sign a solid enough FA starting pitcher (not the usual one year guys), then I could see going for a SS with the #9 pick.

Although wouldn’t it make more sense to draft a college SS like McLain, who would not need 4 years to develop?

Sounds like he's a 3B in the long run.  Here's the MLB.com blurb on him:

"House entered the summer as the consensus top prospect and most famous player in the 2021 high school class. He left it with a bunch of question marks after struggling mightily at the plate, though he performed better at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship in the fall and has been terrific this spring, especially in an April matchup against Dylan Lesko, the top high school arm in the 2022 class. He's a potential top-five pick and likely won't get out of the top 10. 

At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds with plenty of strength and bat speed, House looks the part of a power hitter and has well-above-average raw pop to all fields. But after showing the ability to crush good velocity and handle quality breaking balls in past years on the showcase circuit, he got excessively aggressive and his right-handed stroke got longer and slower. Since learning what happens when he sells out for home runs, he has made adjustments, shortened his swing and gotten back to doing damage. 

An average runner, House likely will move to third base in pro ball but may be athletic enough to stay at shortstop. The Tennessee recruit should be at least a solid defender at the hot corner and possesses a plus arm that can pump fastballs up to 96 mph off the mound. Scouts compare him to a more athletic version of Joey Gallo or 2018 Cardinals first-rounder Nolan Gorman."

[tdawg87]

I kinda hope we take him just to see the absolute shitstorm that would occur. 

WE NEED PITCHING! REEEEEEEE

Also, his name is Brady House. 

AO would be in his element.

[Angelsjunky]

This latest mock really goes to show you that things change. Six months ago it was all Leiter vs. Rocker, now they've both fallen. And Henry Davis as the top catcher? What happened to that Castillo guy?

AO, my take is that House is a very good hitting prospect, so wouldn't be opposed to the Angels taking him over Madden or Bachman, although Scotty has me almost convinced that Bachman could be a real gem. 

On the other hand, the Angels are as flush with middle infield prospects as they are with outfielders, and pitching is the perennial need. So I'd take Bachman over House, but maybe not Madden. I think 1st round should really emphasize upside as much as possible, and House could be a star bat, while Madden looks more like a #3-5.

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

This latest mock really goes to show you that things change. Six months ago it was all Leiter vs. Rocker, now they've both fallen. And Henry Davis as the top catcher? What happened to that Castillo guy?

AO, my take is that House is a very good hitting prospect, so wouldn't be opposed to the Angels taking him over Madden or Bachman, although Scotty has me almost convinced that Bachman could be a real gem. 

On the other hand, the Angels are as flush with middle infield prospects as they are with outfielders, and pitching is the perennial need. So I'd take Bachman over House, but maybe not Madden. I think 1st round should really emphasize upside as much as possible, and House could be a star bat, while Madden looks more like a #3-5.

I may be the only one,  but I'm really not impressed with Madden. Less velocity than someone of his size typically carries.  Fastball doesn't move. Good reach, downhill angle and breaking ball though.  

Right now, he just reminds me way too much of former Angel farmland, Joe Gatto. Was always waiting for his breakout.  Never came. 

[Docwaukee]

5 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

Not bad, erratic stuff.   https://vucommodores.com/sports/baseball/

I'm telling you a lot of people I've spoken to have said they are throwing out the numbers and looking at stuff, spin, exit velo, and velocity, period.

One of the reasons you're seeing a huge shift towards position players is because with pitching so far ahead of the hitters, the guys doing well are being viewed as being on another level.

Its going to be an interesting draft.

Finding some sort of edge in this draft in huge because it's almost like two buckets of players packed into 20 rounds.  Probably means a decent chunk of possible targets in the UDFA pool as well.  The crew of performers who got it done in college.  

I heard one of our 8 scouts shipped one of his eyes to Florida while he was scouting in CA.  Another chopped off his arm and sent it to Georgia with instructions to attach a radar gun.  

[eligrba]

I'm probably in the minority,  but I hope the Angels draft the best player with their first pick. Obviously,  the Angels need pitching now, but if there is not a pitcher worth the pick, I hope they don't waste it. As we know, prospects are currency and selecting the best player available potentially puts more spending power into the organization for future trades. 

[Inside Pitch]

17 minutes ago, eligrba said:

I'm probably in the minority,  but I hope the Angels draft the best player with their first pick. Obviously,  the Angels need pitching now, but if there is not a pitcher worth the pick, I hope they don't waste it. As we know, prospects are currency and selecting the best player available potentially puts more spending power into the organization for future trades. 

The talk seems to be they will continue to go after BPA.   

[Angel Oracle]

There is a pitcher who will be a FA after this season, who is dominating so far, who would make taking BPA if non-pitcher with #9 pick preferable.

Carlos Rodon

Sub 2.00 ERA, sub 1.00 WHIP, and 88 Ks in just 59 innings (around 6 innings/start)

Was the #3 overall pick by the ChiSox in 2014 out of NC State.

Downside is he’s had injury issues the past few seasons prior to 2021.

Has he finally maintained being healthy?   Will the ChiSox throw big money at him?

Edited June 11, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[totdprods]

10 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

There is a pitcher who will be a FA after this season, who is dominating so far, who would make taking BPA if non-pitcher with #9 pick preferable.

Carlos Rodon

Sub 2.00 ERA, sub 1.00 WHIP, and 88 Ks in just 59 innings (around 6 innings/start)

Was the #3 overall pick by the ChiSox in 2014 out of NC State.

Downside is he’s had injury issues the past few seasons prior to 2021.

Has he finally maintained being healthy?   Will the ChiSox throw big money at him?

Bonkers season. Most appealing to me is his age (he'll be age 29 season next year) but really hard to determine how he could be valued this winter. He's overperforming but still a quality arm, IMO. 

My guess is the White Sox pay up to retain him or let him go, which would be a bit of a red flag given they already let him go once. 

[Dtwncbad]

2 hours ago, eligrba said:

I'm probably in the minority,  but I hope the Angels draft the best player with their first pick. Obviously,  the Angels need pitching now, but if there is not a pitcher worth the pick, I hope they don't waste it. As we know, prospects are currency and selecting the best player available potentially puts more spending power into the organization for future trades. 

In a nutshell I want the Angels to win now. That means they need high end starting pitching now.  If the team miraculously finds itself in contention, that means at this seasons trade deadline.  If they are out if it, then it means in the immediate off-season.  Either way, drafting the BPA most effectively replenishes what they may have to trade to land a premium starter.

[Angel Oracle]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

Bonkers season. Most appealing to me is his age (he'll be age 29 season next year) but really hard to determine how he could be valued this winter. He's overperforming but still a quality arm, IMO. 

My guess is the White Sox pay up to retain him or let him go, which would be a bit of a red flag given they already let him go once. 

The good news is that prior to 2021 his career ERA had been around 4.00, which is #3-#4 level starter.

Edited June 11, 2021 by Angel Oracle

[Dtwncbad]

4 minutes ago, Angel Oracle said:

The good news is that prior to 2021 his career ERA had been around 4.00, which is #3-#4 level starter.

Bad news is he looks like a mid rotation starter with an injury history.  Is that really what the Angels need to graduate out of an era marked with having too many marginal starters with injury problems?

Wouldn’t this be like Elizabeth Taylor getting married again?

[Taylor]

19 hours ago, greginpsca said:

Pitching, Pitching, Pitching. Or AW will be Bitching, Bitching, Bitching!

Bitching and defense win championships.

[Taylor]

11 hours ago, Dochalo said:

I heard one of our 8 scouts shipped one of his eyes to Florida while he was scouting in CA.  Another chopped off his arm and sent it to Georgia with instructions to attach a radar gun.  

We joke, but it still makes me sad and angry.