2,072 MLB PLAYERS | 14,476 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Draft  | Story  | 6/7/2012

National League Draft Impressions

Patrick Ebert     
Photo: Perfect Game
Perfect Game's Draft LIVE! pick tracker and draft day chat
Perfect Game 2012 draft preview content
Perfect Game draft page

American League Draft Impressions

Another draft is in the books, and while we're only a day removed from the process, it is time to take an early look as to how the teams fared.

The overlying theme in this year's draft obviously will be on the signing process.  With the new signing restrictions and draft pools, that alone created a controversial topic that became even more evident as the picks were made over the course of the three days of the 2012 First Year Player Draft.  While that theme will remain evident through this year's signing deadline, which is Friday, July 13, it is also expected to speed up the process of players signing, with several early picks already agreeing to terms, including the No. 1 overall pick, Carlos Correa.

Of course it takes at least two to three years to determine just how successful any one team's draft effort was. And if you asked any of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball about how they fared, they are going to be quick to point out how excited they are about the players they selected.

As part of a two part series (American/National League) I'm going to provide a quick synopsis of the notable players each team selected, the best late-round pick (after round 10), a wild card, and the key to what will allow this year's draft to be viewed as an eventual success.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

National League East

Atlanta Braves
Draft pool:  $4,030,800

Top pick:
Lucas Sims, RHP, Brookwood HS, Ga., 21st overall
Synopsis:
After a relative conservative approach to the draft in recent years, the Braves got back to what they did best when their scouting department was considered one of the best, if not the best, in the business, leading to an impressive, largely homegrown team that claimed the NL East crown 14 years in a row from 1991 through 2005 (not counting the strike-shortened year of 1994).  They took a pair of hard throwing pitchers from their own backyard with their first too picks, prep righty Lucas Sims and Georgia lefty Alex Wood.  Sims has already signed, and Wood is expected to follow suit shortly.  The Braves followed that up with a pair of promising positional prep 179621, prospects, catcher Bryan de la Rosa was their pick in the third round and outfielder Justin Black in the fourth, before rounding out the top 10 rounds with a mix of college bats and arms, including sixth rounder Josh Elander from TCU.  The Braves didn't have any extra picks, nor did they lose any, so they have a relatively modest draft pool to work with, but none of the players in the top 10 rounds pose signability concerns, especially since Sims has already agreed to terms.
Late Round Gem:
Fernelys Sanchez (16th round). Sanchez showed that there was much more to his game than speed at the PG World Showcase in January, but unfortunately broke a bone in his left leg this spring limiting his exposure in front of scouts.
Wild Card:
Sanchez.
Key to Success:
The Braves just need to get back to what made them so successful for so long, adding impact tools to their system and allowing their player development staff to do the rest.  Sims could add a valuable power arm to the Braves' rotation a few years down the road.

Miami Marlins
Draft pool:  $4,935,100

Top pick:
Andrew Heaney, LHP, Oklahoma State, 9th overall
Synopsis:
Many expected the Marlins to take either a prep player from South Florida or any player from Oklahoma given their history and ties to the state.  That rang true when they took Heaney with their first pick since Albert Almora was selected by the Cubs three picks ahead of them.  After forfeiting their second-round pick to sign Jose Reyes during the offseason, they added Avery Romero in the third who could be groomed as a catcher, although he could move faster as an infielder thanks to his offensive potential.  Two more hard hitting prep bats, Kolby Copeland and Austin Dean, were added in the supplemental third and fourth rounds before they turned their attention to college players (like so many other teams did after the early rounds).  Infielders Anthony Gomez (6th round) and Austin Nola (5th) are polished defenders up the middle that have some promise at the plate, while lefty Drew Steckenrider (8th) and rigthies Nick Wittgren (9th) and Matt Milroy (11th) could give the team a trio of promising short relief options down the road.
Late Round Gem:
Cody Keefer (15th round). Keefer had a solid college career at UCLA, with some defensive versatility and a solid approach as a left-handed hitter.
Wild Card:
Austin Dean (3rd round). While the Marlins didn't take any players that should pose significant signability problems, adding Dean, a Texas recruit, to the system may not occur until just before the July 13 deadline.
Key to Success:
The Marlins have one of the stronger scouting and player development systems in the game, and with a new stadium and increased payroll, it simply is a matter of continuing to build from within.

New York Mets
Draft pool:  $7,151,400

Top pick:
Gavin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS, La., 12th overall
Synopsis:
The Mets gained a supplemental first and second round pick after Jose Reyes left to join the division rival Marlins.  Those two picks allowed them to garner a draft pool over $7 million, and they used those two picks to take a pair of polished college bats in catcher Kevin Plawecki and third baseman Matt Reynolds.  The slick fielding Cecchini, who has already agreed to terms, was their first pick, and they also added a potential big bat in first baseman Jayce Boyd in the sixth, giving them a quartet of positional prospects that could help shape their infield defense in the years to come.  They also added a quartet of power right-handers in the top 10 rounds, including Teddy Stankiewicz (2nd), Matt Koch (3rd), Brandon Welch (5th) and Corey Oswalt (7th).  Oswalt is of particular interest, since he participated in the 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic as an infielder, but drew more and more interest as a pitcher this spring, and should continue to add velocity to his fastball as he focuses on pitching.
Late Round Gem:
The Mets took several intriguing players after the 10th round, including right-handers Logan Taylor (11th), Robert Whalen (12th), Chris Flexen (14th) and Nick Grant (15th), as well as catcher Stefan Sabol.
Wild Card:
Taylor, Whalen, Flexen, Grant, Sabol.  How many of these players the Mets sign could really lead to an impact draft.
Key to Success:
While the Mets took a solid player in Cecchini with their first pick, their next few were fairly safe, conservative picks.  Because of that quantity may take a greater importance over quality when it comes to how many of their picks pan out.

Philadelphia Phillies
Draft pool:  $4,916,900

Top pick:
Shane Watson, RHP, Lakewood HS, Calif., 40th overall
Synopsis:
The Phillies swapped their first overall pick (31st) for a supplemental first rounder when they signed Jonathan Papelbon while losing Ryan Madson in free agency.  They added three incredibly promising, athletic right-handed pitchers among their top four selections in Watson, two-way standout Mitchell Gueller and Alec Rash.  All three soared up draft boards this spring thanks to dramatic improvements they made on the mound.  The Phillies continues to show their preference for well rounded athletes by adding prep outfielders Dylan Cozens (2nd round) and Andrew Pullin (5th), prep infielder Zach Green (3rd) and Purdue third baseman Cameron Perkins (6th).  Power comes in the form of 4th rounder Chris Serritella, while left-hander Hoby Milner (7th) and right-hander Kevin Brady (10th) gives the team a pair of polished arms from the college ranks.
Late Round Gem:
Steven Golden (13th round). Golden is a promising all-around athlete whose game is highlighted by his game-changing speed.
Wild Card:
Pullin.  The Phillies will likely have to give Pullin higher than slot value to keep him away from Oregon.
Key to Success:
Similar to past drafting preferences, the bulk of the players the Phillies selected are all about upside.  Having a few of those player reach their considerable potential would make this a successful draft, especially since they were without a true first-rounder. 

Washington Nationals
Draft pool:  $4,436,200

Top pick:
Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard Westlake HS, Calif., 16th overall
Synopsis:
One could argue that the Nationals selected the top player in the draft for the fourth year in a row when they took prep right-hander Lucas Giolito with the 16th overall pick.  Prior to the draft speculation led some to believe that Giolito had already worked out a deal with a team given the limited amount of information that was available pertaining to the health of Giolito's right arm.  That speculation seemed to have come true on draft day, and while you have to believe that Nationals will get Giolito signed, they are likely going to need most of their projected draft pool to do so.  That's complicated when you consider their second and third round picks, Tony Renda and Brett Mooneyham, were both projected to go early in the draft, meaning it's unlikely either will come at the cost savings needed.  Savings could be had with their fourth through 10th round picks.
Late Round Gem:
Blake Schwartz (17th round). While Schwartz doesn't throw the ball particularly hard, he has enjoyed success at each and every stop he has made thanks to a polished, three-pitch repertoire, and at the very least should have no problem carving up low level hitters.
Wild Card:
Giolito.
Key to Success:
No other team's projected draft success comes down to one player as it does with the Nationals.  It's hard not to be impressed with the high-risk, high-reward move they made by taking Giolito, so the key to this draft really comes down to whether or not it pans out.  If it does, Giolito and Stephen Strasburg, along with several others members of a promising, young staff, could form one of the best rotations in all of baseball.

National League Central

Chicago Cubs
Draft pool:  $7,933,900

Top pick:
Albert Almora, OF, Mater Academy Charter School, Fla., 6th overall
Synopsis:
Word surfaced in the weeks leading up to the draft that the Cubs had narrowed their focus to Albert Almora, so they made an easy decision when he fell to their lap with the sixth overall pick.  Almora is a good all-around player with great baseball instincts that could allow for him to progress quickly.  After they selected Almora, they turned their attention almost exclusively to pitching, taking a handful of promising, power arms that includes Pierce Johnson (supplemental first round), Paul Blackburn (1S), Duane Underwood (2nd), Ryan McNeil (3rd), Josh Conway (4th), Anthony Prieto (5th) and Trey Lang (6th).  It was believed leading up to the draft that both Johnson and Underwood could be selected in the first round, while Conway was a candidate to go in the sandwich round prior to having Tommy John surgery.
Late Round Gem:
Bijan Rademacher (13th).  The Cubs took a handful of promising high school players in Jake Drossner (23rd) and Rhett Wiseman (25th), but it would seem unlikely that either would sign given their college commitments to Maryland and Vanderbilt respectively.  Rademacher was considered one of the top junior college prospects leading up to the draft thanks to his powerful right arm.
Wild Card:
Conway.  After we all saw what happened with college seniors in the draft this year, Conway may be more inclined to sign if the Cubs give him something close to slot value despite his injury situation.
Key to Success:
The Cubs' projected draft pool should allow them to get most, if not all of their early picks signed, and they were aggressive in the players that they selected, as all of whom have considerable upside.  Many consider Almora a fairly safe pick to develop as expected, so getting one or two of the pitchers to the big leagues would make this a successful draft.

Cincinnati Reds
Draft pool:  $6,653,800

Top pick:
Nick Travieso, RHP, Archbishop McCarthy HS, Fla., 14th overall
Synopsis:
While the Reds have targeted quite a few college players in the early rounds of the draft in recent years, they also have had pretty good success drafting and developing high school pitchers, including Homer Bailey and Travis Wood.  Outside of the high school pitchers, the Reds have overall done a good job developing pitching from within, and look to continue to do that with the live-armed Travieso.  A big-bodied right-hander, Travieso's stock continued to climb the more he continued to approach triple digits.  They added a few more promising arms in the early rounds by taking fellow right-handers Dan Langfield (3rd) and Jon Moscot (4th), as well as left-hander Mason Felt (5th).  Aside from those four players, the Reds' focus was largely on bats, adding a pair of PG All-Americans, Jesse Winker and Tanner Rahier, in the sandwich and second rounds, while also adding athletic UCLA outfielder Jeff Gelalich with their second of two supplemental first-round selections.
Late Round Gem:
Adam Matthews (28th round). After missing the majority of the 2011 season due to a hamstring injury, Matthews didn't fare as well at the plate this spring, but has an exciting combination of power and speed, to go along with a strong arm, that gives him promising pro potential.
Wild Card:
Rahier.  Many had Rahier projected to go among the top 20-30 picks in the first round.  The Reds have a large enough draft pool to get Rahier signed, but it likely will be for an amount larger than the slot where he was taken may indicate.
Key to Success:
The Reds have grown increasingly efficient developing pitchers from within, adding a few more to their system in the early rounds while also adding a handle of potential impact bats that could help complement the likes of Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Co.

Houston Astros
Draft pool:  $11,177,700

Top pick:
Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, 1st overall
Synopsis:
Correa's upside is similar to that of Troy Tulowitzki, so there is obvious star potential with that selection.  Since they followed up that pick with Lance McCullers, it wasn't a surprise that Correa signed for a lot less ($4.8 million) than the $7.2 million that was allotted by MLB for the No. 1 overall pick.  Fourth round third baseman Rio Ruiz and 11th round left-hander Hunter Virant joined Correa and McCullers as members of the 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic, and will also require money significantly over slot to sign.  Right-handed pitcher Brady Rodgers (3rd round) as well as positional players Nolan Fontana (2nd), Andrew Aplin (5th) and Preston Tucker (7th) were among some of the more polished college players available for this year's draft, while prep outfielder Brett Phillips (6th) could give the organization a fourth potential impact player among those selected in the top 10 rounds.
Late Round Gem:
Dan Gulbransen (16th round), Aaron West (17th).  Gulbransen and West were both expected to be drafted earlier than where they were selected, which may prompt one or both of them to return to Jacksonville and Washington respectively, but either would be considered a sleeper prospect in the system should the Astros find a way to add them.
Wild Card:
Virant.  Virant would seem to be somewhat of a backup plan given how aggressive the Astros were in drafting players in the early rounds.
Key to Success:
The Astros selected enough high potential players that this draft doesn't solely rely on whether or not Correa continues to progress, but he is the most likely of this group to become the future face of the franchise.

Milwaukee Brewers
Draft pool:  $6,764,700

Top pick:
Clint Coulter, C, Union HS, Wash., 27th overall
Synopsis:
After focusing almost entirely on arms in the early rounds of the past few drafts, the Brewers clearly placed a priority on impact bats with each of their first three picks, which included an additional first-round and supplemental first-round pick due to the departure of 2011-12 free agent Prince Fielder.  Coulter and Victor Roache have very impressive power potential, while Mitch Haniger (1S) is an impressive all-around athlete that offers both speed and power as part of his profile.  Coulter could be fast-tracked should the Brewers move him from behind the plate to first.  They continued to add athleticism in prep outfielders Tyrone Taylor (2nd) and Edgardo Rivera (8th), as well as shortstop Angel Ortega.  They did still add some promising pitching depth in the form of hard-throwing right-handers Zach Quintana (3rd), Tyler Wagner (4th) and Damien Magnifico (5th).  David Otterman (7th) and Alex Lavendero (9th) could give the organization two more tall, athletic and projectable pitchers from the prep ranks.
Late Round Gem:
Buck Farmer (15th round). Farmer has good size and stuff despite unconventional mechanics, as the team has a large enough signing pool to figure out a way to get him signed.
Wild Card:
Farmer.
Key to Success:
Given the team's on-and-off preferences between loading up on pitchers and hitters from one year to the next as opposed to simply identifying the top talent eligible, the Brewers need more than one of the big bats that they selected early to flourish given these drafting patterns.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Draft pool:  $6,563,500

Top pick:
Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford, 8th overall
Synopsis:
Many pegged Mark Appel as the likely candidate to go No. 1 overall to the Astros, and when they didn't, Appel dropped to the Pirates at No. 8, likely because the teams from No. 2 to No. 7 had already zeroed in on the players they expected to be available.  Assuming Appel signs, he would join Jameson Taillon and Gerrit Cole to give the Pirates arguably the most promising trio of right-handed pitching prospects in all of baseball.  Their sandwich round pick, Barrett Barnes, is a promising offensive talent, and likely will sign for less than the projected slot value, which will be necessary for the Pirates to sign Appel.  Second-rounder Wyatt Mathisen is expected to be moved behind the plate to begin his progression as a catcher with promising offensive tools, while Kevin Ross (8th round) gives the team another versatile, dynamic athlete.  Aside from Mathisen, Ross and projectable right-handed pitchers Jonathan Sandfort (3rd) and Adrian Sampson (5th), the team focused mostly on college hitters including outfielder Brandon Thomas (4), infielders Eric Wood (6th) and Douglas Crumlich (9th) and catcher Jacob Stallings (7th).
Late Round Gem:
Walker Buehler (14th round).  It seems unlikely that the Pirates would have a chance to sign Buehler, who already was considered unsignable in any round after the first, much less the 14th.
Wild Card:
Buehler.
Key to Success:
As exciting as it is for the Pirates to have Appel fall in their lap, they likely had to adjust their draft approach on the fly to make sure they took players that didn't pose as great of a signing risk among their other, early selections.  Because of that, the success of this draft will ultimately hinge on whether or not Appel succeeds.

St. Louis Cardinals
Draft pool:  $9,131,100

Top pick:
Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M, 19th overall
Synopsis:
Armed with one extra first-rounder and three sandwich picks, the Cardinals garnered one of the highest draft pools of any MLB team.  After the first day of the draft, when they selected four productive college players (Michael Wacha, James Ramsey, Stephen Piscotty, Patrick Wisdom) and one high school player (catcher Steve Bean), you had a feeling that a more aggressive selection was in their near future.  That came in the form of two-way talent Carson Kelly, the team's second round pick, who isn't completely unsignable, but was viewed as a late first to sandwich round selection.  Wacha, Ramsey, Piscotty and Wisdom all fit the Cardinals recent mold of drafting proven, productive players from the college ranks, while Bean and Kelly offer intriguing upside.  After Kelly the Cardinals got back to their norm, taking relatively advanced college and juco arms including Tim Cooney (3rd), Cory Jones (5th), Kurt Heyer (6th) and Kyle Barraclough (7th).
Late Round Gem:
Trey Williams (11th).  It's hard to call Williams a "gem," as he's probably college bound falling this far.
Wild Card:
Williams, Max Foody (12th).  Taking both Williams and Foody back-to-back after the 10th round leads me to believe the Cardinals may actually try to get creative signing one of them (more likely Foody).
Key to Success:
This is another sum of its part kind of drafts, fitting for a team that seems to excel by getting key contributions from everyone on their roster.  They may not need a star to emerge from this group, but a handful of solid regulars could help continue to define the Cardinals' success.

National League West

Arizona Diamondbacks
Draft pool:  $3,818,300

Top pick:
Styker Trahan, C, Acadiana HS, La., 26th overall
Synopsis:
With no additional, or lost, early picks, the Diamondbacks followed up one of the most aggressive drafts from 2011 with a decidedly conservative one, although they did have one of the smaller overall draft pools.  After taking an athletic, toolsy catcher in Stryker Trahan with their first pick, they loaded up mostly with college players in the top 10 rounds.  Shortstops Jose Munoz (2nd) and Andrew Velazquez (7th), as well as outfielder Chuck Taylor (4th) are exceptions from this, and while they offer promise, none were expected to be as drafted as early as where the D-Backs selected them.  Overall the team focused on bats after loading up on pitching in 2011, showing a similar on/off tendency from one year to the next similar to the Brewers.  Catcher Ronnie Freeman (5th), third baseman Jake Lamb (6th) and outfielder Evan Marzilli offer promising bats and some versatility.  One of the few pitchers they did take early came in the form of a local product, Arizona State right-hander Jake Barrett, who has electric stuff but may profile best in relief.
Late Round Gem:
R.J. Hively (19th round). Hively has bounced around to a few schools during his college career, but has a sturdy frame and solid stuff, and would seem to be a fairly safe pick to make it to the big leagues as a middle reliever.
Wild Card:
None.
Key to Success:
A few of the team's early picks will need to come through for them, as no one player stands out besides first-rounder Stryker Trahan.

Colorado Rockies
Draft pool:  $6,628,300

Top pick:
David Dahl, OF, Oak Mountain HS, Ala., 10th overall
Synopsis:
The Rockies have long valued athletes, which is why they have taken so many two-sport stars from the gridiron including long-term star Todd Helton and recent premium pick Kyle Parker.  Dahl continues that theme, who may not have had a promising college football career to contend with, but did offer one of the best overall collections of tools of any 2012 draft-eligible prospects thanks to his speed, strong arm and hitting prowess.  Their focus through the top 10 rounds remained up the middle and on the mound.  Like Dahl, outfielders Max White (2nd round) and Derek Jones (8th) as well as catchers Tom Murphy (3rd) and Wilfredo Rodriguez (7th) project as plus athletes at their positions.  Supplemental first-round pick, Radford right-handed Eddie Butler, offers one of the more projectable frames and live arms of any pitcher eligible for this year's draft, while fellow right-handers Ryan Warner (3S), Seth Willoughby (4th), Matt Carasiti (6th) and Zach Jemiola (9th) all have intriguing upside thanks to their athleticisim and power profiles.
Late Round Gem:
Aaron Jones (18th round). A draft-eligible sophomore, Jones has played the outfield at Oregon, but projects best at catcher given his quickness and strong arm.
Wild Card:
None.
Key to Success:
The Rockies boast one of the more athletic overall collections of talent in all of baseball, and they continue to add to that preference.  Dahl's skills could make him a perfect fit playing his home games at Coors Field.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Draft pool:  $5,202,800

Top pick:
Corey Seager, SS, Northwest Cabarrus HS, N.C., 18th overall
Synopsis:
The Dodgers added a pair of potential impact bats in prep infielders Corey Seager and Jesmuel Valentin Diaz (1S).  The two played shortstop in high school, but may be best off at third and second respectively, but profile as solid to plus defensive players with very good offensive tools at those positions.  The Dodgers also picked up hard-throwing Cuban left-hander Onelki Garcia in the third, who was eligible for the draft after defecting to Puerto Rico and could advance quickly thanks to a well-rounded three-pitch repertoire that includes a low-90s fastball that peaks at 95.  Steven Rodriguez (2nd round) is another polished lefty out of Florida, who is also poised to advance quickly, especially if he's kept in a short relief role.  Prep outfielder Joey Curletta (6th) and Theo Alexander (7th) are also good all around athletes with intriguing tools, while college arms Ross Stripling (5th) and Scott Griggs (8th) could move at a pace similar to Garcia and Rodriguez.
Late Round Gem:
Josh Henderson (16th round). Henderson put on a show at the plate during last year's PG National Showcase, but is somewhat of an enigma as he was home schooled through high school.
Wild Card:
Henderson.  The Dodgers have a large enough draft pool to get creative in finding ways to put together an offer to try and get Henderson signed without exceeding their allotment.
Key to Success:
The Dodgers added several promising all-around athletes to go along with a handful of polished pitchers, so this is another case of simply being able to produce two-to-three big leaguers instead of relying entirely on one or two of their premium picks.

San Diego Padres
Draft pool:  $9,903,100

Top pick:
Max Fried, LHP, Harvard Westlake HS, Calif., 7th overall
Synopsis:
The Padres were linked to Fried for quite some time, who has drawn comparisons to another Southern California left-handed pitcher, the Phillies Cole Hamels.  Fried could move quickly thanks to his impressive command of a three-pitch repertoire that includes one of the better curveballs of those drafted this year.  They have one of the larger draft pools thanks to three additional sandwich picks and one additional second rounder, and used those selections to take a nice mix of players including projectable prep right-handers Zach Eflin and Walker Weickel as well as college hitters Travis Jankowski, Jeremy Baltz and Dane Phillips.  Fernando Perez, one of the best positional players from the junior college ranks, was added as the Padres' third-round pick, giving the team an impressive mix of athleticism, power and defensive versatility among the positional prospects they targeted early.
Late Round Gem:
Andrew Sopko (14th round). With an easy, loose delivery and projectable frame, it's easy to envision Sopko throwing much harder than his current upper-80s velocity in 2-3 years.
Wild Card:
Kevin McCanna (22nd round).  By falling this far it would seem likely that McCanna is likely to honor his commitment to Rice, but the Padres have a larger enough pool to try and pry him away.
Key to Success:
Few teams were able to load up on talent the way the Padres did, as their draft efforts was one of the better ones in all of baseball this year.  Because of that, it will be expected that 2-3 players from this class emerge as future stars.

San Francisco Giants
Draft pool:  $4,076,400

Top pick:
Chris Stratton, RHP, Mississippi State, 20th overall
Synopsis:
After targeting a few bats early in last year's draft, the Giants got back to what they seem to do best: Draft and develop pitching from within.  Chris Stratton enjoyed a breakout season to put himself in a position to be drafted as early as he was, thanks to a 90-93 fastball and impressive slider.  He could move quickly to join an already strong pitching staff.  Their focus remained on pitchers, mostly from the college ranks, for six of their next seven selections.  Right-handers Martin Agosta (2nd round), Stephen Johnson (6th) and E.J. Encinosa (7th) all have the ability to throw the ball hard; Agosta is the most polished of the trio, Johnson throws the hardest and Encinosa has the single best pitch in his mid-90s sinker.  Left-handers Steven Okert (4th), Ty Blach (5th) and Joe Kurrasch (8th) all are known more for their ability to change speeds that their harder throwing right-handed counterparts.
Late Round Gem:
Ian Gardeck (16th round). A big bodied, power right-hander, Gardeck transferred to Alabama to gain more experience, but struggled with consistency and control.  His raw stuff is still among the best of anyone eligible for this year's draft.
Wild Card:
Shilo McCall (9th round).  McCall is a very good overall athlete with solid tools, and has committed to play for Arkansas, and may require a bonus larger than what the ninth round would normally dictate.
Key to Success:
Just when you think it's time for the Giants to load up on bats, they continue to stockpile arms.  As long as they continue to produce a few big leaguers from this crop they will also continue to be successful as an organization.
PG Special Events
Travel, Lodging, Entertainment
PG Partners
Recommended
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2024 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.