The Official 2023 MLB Amateur Draft Thread

[jsnpritchett]

18 minutes ago, Jimmy Z said:

could it be the Angels are building a reputation for being an organization that will fast track you to the Majors if you're good and not play with your service time like other teams?

Again, I think people are missing the point I'm trying to make (which probably means I was too vague to begin with). I'm not at all surprised that he signed with the Angels. I'm surprised that he wasn't drafted at all, and I'm just wondering if there's some non-obvious reason he wasn't. 

[totdprods]

41 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Again, I think people are missing the point I'm trying to make (which probably means I was too vague to begin with). I'm not at all surprised that he signed with the Angels. I'm surprised that he wasn't drafted at all, and I'm just wondering if there's some non-obvious reason he wasn't. 

That’s why I said maybe he made it clear to any agent/scout/org who was asking that he was flatly not going to sign, that he was going to school, so no team even bothered wasting a pick on him.

But, maybe being from California, and with some money being offered, he was happy to sign with the Halos (whether or not that was communicated ahead of time to anyone or not). 

I know there are plenty of instances where teams still draft guys who won’t sign but maybe just didn’t happen this instance.

[jsnpritchett]

4 minutes ago, totdprods said:

That’s why I said maybe he made it clear to any agent/scout/org who was asking that he was flatly not going to sign, that he was going to school, so no team even bothered wasting a pick on him.

But, maybe being from California, and with some money being offered, he was happy to sign with the Halos (whether or not that was communicated ahead of time to anyone or not). 

I know there are plenty of instances where teams still draft guys who won’t sign but maybe just didn’t happen this instance.

You say "go to school" as if he's a HS player who'll be venturing out into the college experience for the first time.  He's not.  He's played 3 years of college ball at two different schools. 

[totdprods]

2 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

You say "go to school" as if he's a HS player who'll be venturing out into the college experience for the first time.  He's not.  He's played 3 years of college ball at two different schools. 

Could he not have been still planning on going to another school or returning?

Edited July 12, 2023 by totdprods

[jsnpritchett]

2 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Could he not have been still planning on going to another school or returning?

Given that he signed, probably not.  Ha.  I'm just saying that it's an unusual occurrence for a guy in his situation.  Maybe there's a simple answer.  Hopefully, we'll learn more about him soon. 

[Angel Oracle]

Or maybe the Halos had his name in the back of their minds, and then seeing they likely had some extra slot money left after the draft, immediately signed him as an UDFA?

[greginpsca]

Having not seen any of the drafted players sign, do they need to be signed to attend the "mini camp" on monday? Or is that where all these picks will sign?

[mmc]

 

[Taylor]

22 hours ago, T.G. said:

They drafted guys who love Del Taco. 

Taco Bell was the minor leaguers' dinner of choice. 

[mmc]

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels went for a quick-to-the-majors guy again in the first round, taking FAU first baseman Nolan Schanuel (1) with the 11th pick, betting that his tremendous performance this spring will help him move as quickly as their 2022 first-rounder Zach Neto did. Schanuel can definitely hit and he showed power this spring, although his batted-ball data was more very good than elite and he may not have the same kind of power with wood bats against better pitching. His plate discipline is exemplary, though, and that should speed him to the majors.

Alberto Rios (3) had all of eight plate appearances in his first two years at Stanford, but broke out this year with a .384/.405/.707 line, leading the team in doubles and homers — even more than first-rounder Tommy Troy hit. He doesn’t chase, has bat speed, and hits good fastballs. The rub is that he’s in search of a position — he’s caught a little bit, and maybe could have stuck there with work, and played left field with below-average range, but the Angels announced him as a third baseman. I have no confidence that’ll work. Outfielder Joe Redfield (4) is the son of the former Angels outfielder of the same name, a transfer from JUCO to Sam Houston State who hit .402/.485/.683 for the Bearkats this spring. He has a very wide stance and has no stride, but his hands are quick and he’s short to the ball, which should produce contact, perhaps without that much power. The Angels could try to give him a stride and more of a weight transfer to see if he can start to drive the ball. I like the bat speed and pitch recognition here.

Right-hander Chris Clark (5) pahks his cah in the yahd, but the Crimson starter had a near-5 ERA this spring with too many walks and a lot of hard contact. He’s mostly fastball/slider and either could be a 55, although his max-effort delivery inhibits his command. Wake Forest right-hander Camden Minacci (6) was the Deacons’ closer this year, working 94-97 with a plus slider and throwing both for strikes. He didn’t show a third pitch but I think the delivery would allow him to be more than a one-inning guy if he has one for lefties.

TCU’s Cole Fontenelle (7) had a great year for the Frogs, hammering fastballs in his first year there after transferring from a junior college, but he doesn’t hit offspeed stuff well and played mostly first base in college, although the Angels also announced him as a third baseman, which appears to be some sort of new market inefficiency. Right-hander Barrett Kent (8) is a sinker/slider guy with a very mechanical delivery where he falls off hard to the first base side after release. He’s 91-94 mph and the slider is just okay, although he’s definitely projectable. He’s an Arkansas commit and I assume a big over-slot guy in this spot.

[totdprods]

Eh still not really feeling this draft. Still saying it kind of feels like these guys were on their board two weeks ago when they were contending and thinking they'd restock A+/AA with this draft to replenish whomever they dealt as buyers, and didn't anticipate they'd be changing course so drastically. 

Just feels like a very safe, restoring of the floor of the system type draft. I don't really see any thing that jumps out about any of these guys to dream on other than the fact that they're ideally filling some MLB depth by late 2024.

[AngelStew43]

A lot of writers said the same thing about last year's draft, but Neto and Joyce are already here.  

Year before, more of the same, but Sam Bachman is already here.  

I like what we're doing, it is a nice change. 

[mmc]

21 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Eh still not really feeling this draft. Still saying it kind of feels like these guys were on their board two weeks ago when they were contending and thinking they'd restock A+/AA with this draft to replenish whomever they dealt as buyers, and didn't anticipate they'd be changing course so drastically. 

Just feels like a very safe, restoring of the floor of the system type draft. I don't really see any thing that jumps out about any of these guys to dream on other than the fact that they're ideally filling some MLB depth by late 2024.

This take is absurd to me

[Revad]

Perhaps Schanuel becomes an above average regular by 2025 and a reliever makes it, then everything is fine.  I’m hoping Perry and team know what they’re doing.

[totdprods]

16 minutes ago, AngelStew43 said:

A lot of writers said the same thing about last year's draft, but Neto and Joyce are already here.  

Year before, more of the same, but Sam Bachman is already here.  

I like what we're doing, it is a nice change. 

I really liked last year's draft. He looked a little risky, but had some elite contact skills and appeared to be a near-MLB ready guy who was solid all-around at an immediate position of need. Schanuel is kinda there, but, I dunno, 1B doesn't seem nearly as valuable as filling as SS is with the first pick of a draft. Joyce had a ton of hype as being one of the hardest throwers in history. DiChiara had a ton of power. There was at least something exciting about a couple of those.

Madden and Dana seemed like really, really savvy draft picks to shore up some potential high-end starting help, even if they were further away and held some risk. 

This crop just seems pretty safe at first blush.

[totdprods]

6 minutes ago, mmc said:

This take is absurd to me

I love abusrd.

[mmc]

7 hours ago, mmc said:

6

And 7

 

8

and 9

 

[T.G.]

3 hours ago, Taylor said:

Taco Bell was the minor leaguers' dinner of choice. 

They've upgraded their draft picks.

[Stradling]

We’re about to enter my favorite part of the season.  The @John Smith part of the season. 

[jsnpritchett]

3 hours ago, mmc said:

 

and 9

 

Thompson had some crazy numbers this year!  53 1/3 IP, 57(!!) BB, 98(!!!) K.

[Taylor]

7 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

Thompson had some crazy numbers this year!  53 1/3 IP, 57(!!) BB, 98(!!!) K.

42 average pitches per inning

[arch stanton]

1 minute ago, Taylor said:

42 average pitches per inning

Are you sure they were all average? I'd expect at least a few to be very good to excellent and based on the quantity a lot of them to be pretty bad

[greginpsca]

3 minutes ago, Taylor said:

42 average pitches per inning

OUCH !!!

[Taylor]

33 minutes ago, arch stanton said:

Are you sure they were all average? I'd expect at least a few to be very good to excellent and based on the quantity a lot of them to be pretty bad

I realized as I was posting this that my word order could invite this joke, but I didn't care enough to reframe the sentence.

[Inside Pitch]

6 hours ago, Taylor said:

I realized as I was posting this that my word order could invite this joke, but I didn't care enough to reframe the sentence.

Rebel!