AL WEST DRAFT REVIEW

 

 

Kansas City McCoys-

Needs from the draft: 1: CF 2 RF 3: 3B

Round	Pick	Player	Pos	Age	Back- ground	Contract	Bonus	Comment
1	23	Adam James	SP	18	HS	MILB	$1,940K	Solid 4 pitch starter. Has the control and splits to break into the majors and perform well for many years, but will not win to many awards with his gritty style
1	39	Rafael Bolivar	2B	18	HS	MILB	$760K	Great 2 Bagger who has elite level steed and solid Major League Hitting a great Supplemental pick who will make a good #2 batter.
2	69	Stuffy Lawrence	SP	18	HS	MILB	$550K	The name alone makes this pick worth it. Ol' Stuffy has the splits and control to play at the Pro level and should have a career similar to Fonville with his average Stuff.
3	101	Junior Miller	RP	18	HS	MILB	$425K	Solid Reliever with good control and 2 strong pitches. His durability is on the low end for an everyday reliever, but he could be effective with good managing.
4	133	Gerald Pong	SP/LR	21	COL	MILB	$350K	Good 4th round gem he has the splits and the control to make him a good 4th or 5th starter in the Pros, most likely is destination will be long relieve and spot starting where he should excel
5	165	Angel Melian	P	19	JC	MILB	$250K	Another good reliever gem. His lowish durability will be a concern in the future, but for now he is a great 5th round prospect

 

Summary: Every pick was great value; KC ignored their needs and stocked their pitching ranks with solid to above average pitchers. There is not 1 pick you can look at and say they don't have a chance to make the majors.

Grade: A+

 

 

Las Vegas Gamble:

Needs from the draft: 1: RP 2 3B 3: 1B

Round	Pick	Player	Pos	Age	Back- ground	Contract	Bonus	Comments
1	15	Walt Inge	SP	18	HS	MILB	$2,690K	Great 4 seamer and pinpoint control will compliment 2 other solid pitches and above average splits. He has low velocity so he needs to have a good glove behind him to be really successful, but he is going to get some W's
1	38	Dickie Sullivan	SP	18	HS	---	---	Signing issues are holding him back, he has all the right tools to be a great pitcher, control Check, Splits check, 3 awesome pitches check. Can LV lure him away from Basketball?
1	46	Dwight Melville	SS	18	HS	MILB	$600K	From the similar mold as SS Steve Smart. He is an elite fielder and can hit but only against Lefties. He will struggle against right handers. He also has Speed and the ability to use it on the bases.
3	93	Tomas Samuel	SP	18	HS	---	---	Solid Pitcher who is a bit wilder than most coaches like to see, but he does pitch effectively against both sides of the plate and has 4 above average pitches. Still considering College over the Pros
4	125	Luis Perez	CF	22	COL	MILB	$350K	Great Defensive CF who has great speed and base running and knows how to lay a bunt. He also has very poor batting eye and no power. He does have a place on someone's roster though when and where is the question
5	157	Jung-Lee Chen	SP	20	JC	MILB	$250K	Another low control pitcher with good stuff and decent splits, He needs to find control to be effective above the minor leagues

 

Summary: Picked up a few good Starters and 2 great defensive players, but did not address needs at 3B or in the bullpen. These issues might set them back if these issues are not fixed.

Grade: B

 

Arizona
Rattlesnakes:

Needs from the draft: 1: CF 2 SP 3: Best Available

 

Round	Pick	Player	Pos	Age	Back- ground	Contract	Bonus	Comments
1	11	Adam Miller	SP	20	JC	---	---	Huge reach for Miller, He has below average splits and only 2 good pitches, his great control and stamina will allow him to pitch deep, but it hard to overcome back left/right combos.
2	57	Ricardo Espinosa	P	18	HS	---	---	Average splits mar an overall good pitcher; he has 4 strong pitches 2 of which are elite level and average control. He might sneak into the rotation, but it will be hard for him to compete at a high level for long.-
3	89	Frank Ventrella	P	21	COL	---	---	NOT SCOUTED
4	121	Adrian Smith	SS	21	COL	---	---	NOT SCOUTED
5	153	Willie Matos	P	21	COL	---	---	Poor control, below average splits and mediocre pitches will doom him in the Pros

 

Summary: Did themselves no service with their pitching choices. They did not even get good value with their 2^nd or 3^rd pick. This is a team that does not need a lot to add depth and they missed on many levels, There is always next season I guess.

Grade: D-

 

Wichita Sizzlers

Needs from the draft: 1: C 2 LF 3: RP

Round	Pick	Player	Pos	Age	Back- ground	Contract	Bonus	Comments
1	17	Jimmy Christiansen	3B	22	COL	MILB	$2,500K	Above average hitter with good speed, but poor base running. He does have some pop in his bat, but he is a big reach for the 1st round
2	63	Garret Hall	C	21	COL	MILB	$550K	Offensive minded catcher who doesn't handle a pitching staff very well, but has a sure home run swing. Good batting eye and splits will make him a good home at DH and a solid backup catcher
3	95	Jay Blum	3B	22	COL	MILB	$425K	As a 3B and hitter, I like Blum better than Christiansen. Which tells me 3rd round might be a closer fit for him. He is a solid hitter with good speed and fielding. Solid 3rd rounder.
4	127	Gerald Christenson	RP	19	JC	MILB	$350K	Poor durability on a great reliever with good control and splits and 2 average pitches, It will be interesting to see how he is used in the future.
5	159	Bob Hughes	RP	18	HS	---	---	If he signs he is a great 5th round pick he is a solid reliever with good pitches and control to compliment above average splits. Wanted to be in the 1st round might not sign.

 

Summary: Filled most of their critical needs but made a couple of suspect decisions early in the draft. I'm sure they wish they had their 1^st pick back on a do over.

Grade: B-