Another
draft is in the books, and while we're only two days removed from the
process, it is time to take an early look as to how the teams fared.
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.
The
next step is signing these players and getting them into their
respective organizations. This year's signing deadline is Monday,
August 15.
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
Top
pick:
Sean
Gilmartin, LHP, Florida State, 28th overall
Synopsis:
Gilmartin's
12-1, 1.83 ERA season led to a significant climb up draft boards,
leading to him being selected towards the end of the first round.
His game is highlighted by his command, throwing his three-pitch
arsenal for strikes while working in the 88-91 range. Overall the
Braves early picks had an unexpected college feel to them, as their
first 10 picks came from the college or juco ranks. UConn shortstop
Nick Ahmed (second-round) shows good range and a strong arm from the
position with a line drive swing. Texas State third baseman Kyle
Kubitza (third) offers a big, pro-style body and exciting power
potential. The Braves took two players that served as closers at the
college level with opposite profiles. Santa Clara's J.R. Graham
(fourth) has one of the best fastballs available for this year's
draft, with the ability to dial up the heat to the 96-100 range
despite a small stature. Gonzaga's Cody Martin (seventh) doesn't
throw as hard, but has a more projectable frame. He returned to the
stopper role this season that he assumed in 2008 and 2009 and had a
phenomenal season, posting a 0.86 ERA with 12 saves, bringing his
career total to 27.
Late
Round Gem:
Navery
Moore (14th round). Moore wasn't expected to slide out of the top several
rounds, with a live arm and the ability to throw in the mid-90s with
a nasty slider.
Wild
Card:
Carlos
Rodriguez (20th round). It was a solid year for talent from the island of Hawaii,
with the projectable lefty Rodriguez being a big part of that. The
Oregon State commit may be considered somewhat of a difficult sign as
a player that was expected to go in the top 10 rounds.
Key
to Success:
It
was an uncharacteristically conservative draft for the Braves,
loading up on proven college players with polish but lacking in high
potential. Although Gilmartin alone may make this year's draft a
success, especially if he's able to soar through the minors similar
to Mike Minor.
Florida
Marlins
Top
pick:
Jose
Fernandez, RHP, Alonso
HS, Tampa,
14th overall
Synopsis:
Fernandez
was a natural fit for the Marlins, a big-bodied, power-armed righty
that fits their scouting preferences perfectly. They also added a
pair of live-armed college lefties among their early picks in
Washington State's Adam Conley (second-round) and Wichita State's
Charlie Lowell (sixth). Connor Barron (third) also fits the profile
of a typical Marlins draft pick as a live-bodied infielder with an
exciting blend of power and speed, although he may fit best in the
outfield at the next level. Right-handed pitcher Mason Hope (fifth)
was Archie Bradley's starting rotation mate at Broken Arrow High
School in Oklahoma, and while he doesn't have Bradley's size or raw
stuff, he has a projectable frame and the ability to throw in the
low-90s. Two-way performer Scott Lyman of UC Davis provides solid
value as a 10th-round pick with a power fastball-slider one-two
punch.
Late
Round Gem:
Josh
Adams (12th round). Adams choice to return to Florida for his senior year after
hitting .224 as a junior paid off. He rebounded by hitting .330 and
providing rock-steady defense at second base.
Wild
Card:
Damek
Tomscha (36th round). Tomscha is an interesting two-way player with incredible arm
strength. He shows some power potential as a third baseman, but may
have a higher upside as a pitcher if he's gains the necessary
experience.
Key
to Success:
The
Marlins have a knack for developing quality starting pitching from
within, so it will be important for them to continue that with some
combination of success from Fernandez, Conley, Hope, Lowell and
Lyman.
New
York Mets
Top
pick:
Brandon
Nimmo, OF, East
HS, Cheyenne, Wyo.,
13th overall
Synopsis:
Similar
to the cross-town Yankees, the Mets typically take a conservative
approach to the draft, and while Nimmo is an exciting potential
five-tool talent, most considered him to be somewhat of a reach for
the middle of the first round. After Nimmo the Mets loaded up on
pitching, taking seven arms among their picks in the top 10 rounds.
Michael Fulmer gave Oklahoma a third power righty from the prep class
to go along with Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley, and the Mets plucked
him up in the sandwich round. NC State's Cory Mazzoni (second-round)
has a similar power profile to Fulmer. Left-hander Jack Leathersich
(fifth) can approach the mid-90s. College right-handers Logan
Verrett (third)and Tyler Pill (fourth), as well as left-hander Alex
Panteliodis (ninth), are known more for their command of solid
three-pitch arsenals than their raw stuff.
Late
Round Gem:
Christian
Montgomery (11th round). Montgomery's velocity may not have been as consistently good
this spring as it was last summer, when he showed the ability to sit
in the low-90s while approaching the mid-90s, but he has a strong,
powerful frame and overall approach.
Wild
Card:
Phillip
Evans (15th round). It's impossible not to enjoy watching Evans play the game,
as he's one of the most fundamentally sound players among those
eligible for the draft. He's on the smaller side, but plays the game
hard and makes the middle infield look effortless.
Key
to Success:
The
Mets can look pretty smart if Brandon Nimmo pans out. They took a
nice handful of arms that could provide some much-needed support to
their pitching staff.
Philadelphia
Phillies
Top
pick:
Larry
Greene, OF, Berrian
County HS, Nashville, Ga.,
39th overall
Synopsis:
Greene
was selected in the sandwich round, the Phillies first pick after
they forfeited their first-round selection by signing free agent
starter Cliff Lee. Greene has a plus-sized, pro-style body that
physically resembles Ryan Howard. That size gives him excellent raw
power potential. He has the room to get bigger, and if he continues
to add strength first base may be his long-term position. The
Phillies typically target toolsy players, and between Greene's power,
Roman Quinn's speed and Harold Martinez' overall athleticism, they
continued to show that preference with their top three picks. After
that they turned their attention to more polish between left-handed
pitcher Adam Morgan (third round) and slugging third baseman Cody
Asche (fourth).
Late
Round Gem:
Ryan
Garvey (15th round). Steve's son has a similar compact frame with the ability to
drive the ball to the alleys. Tyler Greene (11th)
and Colton Murray (13th)
are also among their more interesting picks after round 10.
Wild
Card:
Garvey.
Signing him away from USC would be a nice addition to the Phillies
system, and would give them a nice handful of offensive players for
this draft.
Key
to Success:
The
Phillies have procured quite a few players on their own in recent
years, but since they have reached the status of perennial contenders
they have been more aggressive trading prospects for proven talent
such as Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt. As long as they're able to keep
the system rich enough to continue such acquisitions they should
remain competitive.
Washington
Nationals
Top
pick:
Anthony
Rendon, 3B, Rice,
6th overall
Synopsis:
Although
the Nationals had their sights set on Bubba Starling, they were
thrilled to have Anthony Rendon fall in their laps. He entered the
spring as one of the favorites for the first overall pick, and while
a tender shoulder hampered his productivity this spring, he offers
one of the most complete all-around packages of talent available for
this year's draft. Ryan Zimmerman's presence may prompt a move to
second base, and like Zimmerman it may not take Rendon long to get to
the big-leagues. The Nationals had an additional first-round pick
after losing Adam Dunn to free agency, which they used to select
towering right-hander Alex Meyer, who some believe they liked enough
to take sixth overall. Outfielder Brian Goodwin was selected with
their sandwich pick, and they rolled the dice by taking TCU
left-hander Matt Purke in the third. Essentially, with their picks
through the third round the Nationals ended up with four players with
legitimate first-round talent.
Late
Round Gem:
Deion
Williams (16th round). Williams is a tall, lanky yet wiry strong athlete who has
obvious room for added strength. He has quick-twitch actions as a
shortstop with good speed and a strong arm to go along with a
promising bat.
Wild
Card:
Purke.
The Nationals have been drafting more aggressively on the draft,
spending more money to acquire as much talent as they can to improve
their chances for the future. However, signing Purke, a
draft-eligible sophomore, will be no easy task.
Key
to Success:
For
the third year in a row the Nationals have added the player that
entered the spring scouting season as the favorite to go first
overall. To ensure they aren't doing so on an annual basis, that
talent needs to turn into success at the big-league level.
National
League Central
Chicago
Cubs
Top
pick:
Javier
Baez, SS, Arlington
Country Day HS, Jacksonville, Fla.,
9th overall
Synopsis:
Baez
was on the Cubs' radar for over a month, although there were reports
that they were hoping one of either Bubba Starling or Francisco
Lindor fell to their spot. Baez gives them a solid prep bat with
some defensive versatility, as it remains to be seen whether he'll
stick at short. Their second-round pick, Dan Vogelbach, is also an
exciting offensive talent, with promising power potential to all
fields and an advanced approach at the plate. Zeke DeVoss
(third-round) and Taylor Dugas (eighth) are smaller, speedy leadoff
types that can play centerfield, although DeVoss has played some
infield in the past. Tony Zych (fourth) is a short relief prospect
with a somewhat violent delivery and nasty fastball-slider combo.
Tayler Scott (fifth) and Trevor Gretzky (seventh) offer two of the
more interesting draft backgrounds. Scott was born in South Africa,
and is relatively new to pitching despite having the present-day
ability to throw in the low-90s. Gretzky is the son of NHL great
Wayne.
Late
Round Gem:
Dillon
Maples (14th round). Based on talent alone, Maples was expected to go in the top
two to three rounds of the draft, but an in-state commitment to North
Carolina likely had everything to do with his fall to the 14th
round.
Wild
Card:
Maples,
Shawon Dunston, Jr. (11th round). Like Maples, Dunston, the son of
the former Cubs long-time shortstop and the first round pick of the
1982 draft of the same name, has a strong college commitment
(Vanderbilt). Signing either player away from those commitments
would be huge for the Cubs.
Key
to Success:
It's
been a long time since the Cubs developed an impact hitter from
within, pointing to the importance of them doing so with either Baez,
Vogelbach or both.
Cincinnati
Reds
Top
pick:
Robert
Stephenson, RHP, Alhambra
HS, Martinez, Calif.,
27th overall
Synopsis:
The
Reds loaded up on arms in this draft, using 18 of their top 25 picks
on pitchers, all but three of those being right-handers. Stephenson
is the best of the bunch, with electric arm speed and the ability to
touch 96-97 while sitting in the low-90s. He also throws a nasty
slider, giving him two legitimate swing-and-miss offerings. Kyle
McMyne (fourth round) also has exceptional arm strength, although his
future is probably best suited in a short relief role. The same can
be said for James Allen (seventh), a converted shortstop with a great
sinker/slider combo that recorded 16 saves this spring for Kansas.
Brooks Pinckard (10th)
falls into a similar category, with an incredibly live arm in
addition to game-changing speed as a two-way threat. Ryan Wright
(fifth) was the team's best positional prospect among their early
picks, a steady infielder with a line drive swing that projects best
second base.
Late
Round Gem:
Amir
Garrett (22nd round). Garrett offers one of the most interesting backgrounds of
the draft-eligible players from this year's draft as a rare two-sport
athlete (basketball) that has been steadily climbing boards this
spring thanks to improved velocity as a left-handed pitcher.
Wild
Card:
Garrett.
It may be difficult to pry Garrett away from St. John's as a
basketball player, but his upside is similar to that of Aroldis
Chapman's.
Key
to Success:
The
Reds have grown increasingly efficient developing pitchers from
within, and they stand to add a wealth of power arms from this group
as well. As long as they keep that internal pipeline churning with
talent, this draft will be viewed as a success.
Houston
Astros
Top
pick:
George
Springer, OF, Connecticut, 11th overall
Synopsis:
Springer
is the obvious score from the Astros 2011 draft class, a true
five-tool outfielder that gives the Astros system an instant boost of
athleticism and star potential. Right-hander Adrian Houser (second
round) is yet another member of the talented prep pitching class from
Oklahoma. Towering Vanderbilt right-hander Jack Armstrong (third) at
one point was thought to be one of the premium prospects available
for this year's draft, but hasn't flashed the same power arm that he
did on the Cape during the summer of 2009. Fourth-rounder Chris Lee
and fifth-rounder Nick Tropeano offer opposite profiles. Lee is a
projectable, hard-throwing left-hander with a need for polish, while
Tropeano pounds the strike zone with a three-pitch mix, typically
topping out around 90 with his sinking fastball.
Late
Round Gem:
Billy
Flamion (25th round), Jared Fisher (26th). Flamion showed incredible bat speed
last summer on the showcase circuit and was a member of the Aflac
All-American Classic. Fisher joined Flamion at the Perfect Game
National last summer, and has a large, projectable build leading many
to believe he will continue to add a few ticks to his current 88-91
fastball.
Wild
Card:
Flamion,
Fisher. It's not often that you see a team sign a prominent draft
pick away from college in the later rounds, much less two, but adding
either would be huge for the Astros to get as much talent into a
system in need of upside.
Key
to Success:
The
Astros are the first team I have profiled whose key to success really
has more to do about the sum of its parts than any one individual.
As noted, their farm system is lacking in overall athleticism and
upside, something Bobby Heck started to address as soon as he took
over as the team's scouting boss nearly four years ago.
Milwaukee
Brewers
Top
pick:
Taylor
Jungmann, RHP, Texas,
12th overall
Synopsis:
The
Brewers had two first round picks that are somewhat interchangeable
in regards to their prospective value, as they also took Georgia Tech
left-hander Jed Bradley three picks after Jungmann. Jungmann has
been as steady as they come through his college career, working in
the low-90s with a hammer curveball and a polished three-pitch
repertoire. Bradley has more of a power approach, attacking hitters
with a low-90s fastball that can reach 97 while also mixing in a
power slider. The Brewers took the top prospect out of Puerto Rico
with their second round pick, Jorge Lopez, an extremely athletic and
projectable right-hander that is also fairly polished for his
relative lack of experience. Pitching overall was the team's focus
in the early rounds, also adding more polished college starters in
Drew Gagnon (fourth-round) and Mike Strong (10th)
as well as the second coming of 'Wild Thing,' Ole Miss' David Goforth
(seventh).
Late
Round Gem:
Carlos
Rodon (16th round). An easy-throwing, relatively polished lefty, Rodon throws in
the 88-91 range with a power curveball.
Wild
Card:
Malcolm
Dowell (9th round). Dowell is as raw as they come, but his upside is nearly
limitless thanks to his amazing athleticism. His overall baseball
prowess is hard to identify since he has previously been known for
his accolades on the football field more than the baseball diamond.
Key
to Success:
It
isn't too surprising the Brewers continued to focus on pitching, the
organization's most glaring weakness. That weakness led to them
unloading most of their premium prospective talent last offseason for
Zack Greinke and Shawn Marcum, leaving the system relatively barren
of talent. This draft is key in replenishing that talent.
Pittsburgh
Pirates
Top
pick:
Gerrit
Cole, RHP, UCLA,
first overall
Synopsis:
There
were rumors swirling leading up until draft day that the Pirates may
switch gears and go with a player other than Cole or Anthony Rendon,
who entered the year as the early canidates to go first overall.
Eventually they stuck with Cole, who may not have Stephen Strasburg's
profile, but consistently throws in the upper-90s. Josh Bell was the
first pick in the second round despite Bell making it be known that
he was basically unsignable. Adding Bell and Cole to the system
would instantly give the team an impact hitter and pitcher from the
same draft. Indiana's Alex Dickerson (third-round) is another player
that was considered a potential first-round pick at the beginning of
the spring, and still had a strong season for the Hoosiers. He's a
bat-first player with a good approach and intriguing power potential.
After Dickerson they turned their focus to pitching by selecting a
series of projectable prep right-handers: Colten Brewer (fourth),
Tyler Glasnow (fifth), Jake Burnette (seventh), Jason Creasy (eighth)
and Clay Holmes (ninth).
Late
Round Gem:
Brandon
Platts (13th round), Brandon Zajac (28th round). Both Platts, a right-hander, and Zajac, a left-hander, have
big, projectable builds with improving fastballs.
Wild
Card:
Bell.
While Bell did issue a letter to teams telling them not to select
him, the Pirates wouldn't have taken him if they hadn't done their
homework. That said, signing him is crucial, and could be the
difference between a great draft and a wasted pick.
Key
to Success:
Similar
to the Baltimore Orioles with Dylan Bundy, as much as it would seem
that the eventual success of Cole will ultimately define the Pirates'
2011 draft success, they need a lot more help than just one player to
remove themselves from their usual presence at the top of the draft
order.
St.
Louis Cardinals
Top
pick:
Kolten
Wong, 2B, Hawaii,
22nd overall
Synopsis:
Wong
appears to be a perfect fit for the Cardinals who have an obvious
need at second base. That need shouldn't be confused as an
overdraft, as Wong was named the MVP of the Cape League last summer
and is an all-around solid player with the ability to hit, hit for
power, run and play solid defense. They stayed with positional
prospects through their first four picks, adding athletic and toolsy
prep outfielders Charlie Tilson (second-round) and C.J. McElroy
(third), as well as shortstop Kenny Peoples. They did the same with
their 10th-round
pick in Lance Jeffries, a local product. Also among their top 10
picks are a trio of polished college pitchers: Sam Gaviglio (fifth),
Daniel Miranda (eight) and Tyler Mills (ninth).
Late
Round Gem:
Aramis
Garcia (20th round). While raw both offensively and defensively, Garcia is a
big-bodied catcher with a strong arm and intriguing power potential.
Wild
Card:
Tilson.
Tilson's father is a prominent attorney in Chicago, which may make
signing the talented young player away from his Illinois commitment
difficult.
Key
to Success:
While
Wong seems like a relatively safe bet to succeed, the Cardinals
rolled the dice on several high-risk, high-reward players that are
big on potential but in need of polish. Having one to two of those
players progress up the ladder will be ultimately viewed as to
whether or not this year's draft was a success.
National
League West
Arizona
Diamondbacks
Top
pick:
Trevor
Bauer, RHP, UCLA, third overall
Synopsis:
The
Diamondbacks were said to have Danny Hultzen set in their sights all
spring, a player they drafted out of high school only to have him
attend Virginia. Since Hultzen went one pick ahead of the D-Backs'
third overall selection, Arizona was pleased to take Bauer, who
finished the season 55 strikeouts ahead of Hultzen for the national
lead (203 to 148). Bauer is an enigmatic prospect, drawing frequent
comparisons to Tim Lincecum for his smaller stature and unorthodox
delivery, but the results are one in the same. In addition to Bauer,
the D-Backs cashed in with the seventh overall selection, a
compensatory pick after not signing Barret Loux a year ago, by taking
high school right-hander Archie Bradley. Those two picks alone give
the team an incredible wealth of pitching talent within four picks of
one another. They didn't stop there, drafting two more fire-balling
collegians, left-hander Andrew Chafin and right-hander Anthony Meo,
with their sandwich and second-round picks. Evan Marshall
(fourth-round), Matt Price (sixth), Jesse Darrah (eighth) and Kyle
Winkler (10th)
stand out among their other early picks.
Late
Round Gem:
Adam
Choplick (17th round). The 6-foot-8, 245-pound Choplick offers a plus-size frame
and improving stuff for a prep lefty. He has committed to play for
Oklahoma, and is a name to watch three years from now should he
attend college.
Wild
Card:
Bradley.
Signing both Bauer and Bradley will be no easy task, but the seventh
overall pick is unprotected as a compensatory selection for last
year's unsigned pick (Loux). The Diamondbacks took Bradley fully
intending to sign him. Due to his two-sport prowess, at least
Arizona has the opportunity to spread his bonus over five years.
Key
to Success:
That's
pretty easy to identify given their early pitching haul, which could
very well represent a sizable chunk of the team's starting rotation
in three to four years.
Colorado
Rockies
Top
pick:
Tyler
Anderson, LHP, Oregon, 20th overall
Synopsis:
Colorado
has shown a preference towards college hitters with their first-round
picks, with reports of them targeting infielders such as Kolten Wong
and Levi Michael. They also have a history of taking left-handed
pitchers early (Jeff Francis, Christian Freidrich, Rex Brothers,
Tyler Matzek), and continued that trend with Anderson. Anderson is
praised not only for his stuff and overall repertoire, but also for
his desire to succeed. After Anderson the Rockies shifted their
attention to athletic positional prospects, taking shortstops Trevor
Story (supplemental first-round) and Taylor Featherston (fifth),
outfielders Carl Thormore (second) and Dillon Thomas (fourth),
catcher Peter O'Brien (third) and first baseman Harold Riggins
(seventh).
Late
Round Gem:
Preston
Tucker (16th round). Florida Gators first-baseman Preston Tucker shows a great
approach at the plate with pull power down the right field line. He
was considered a third-to-fifth round pick to open the spring.
Wild
Card:
Connor
McKay (24th round). An athletic, potential five-tool outfielder, McKay tore his
ACL playing football last fall, limiting his ability to play baseball
this spring. The Aurora, Colorado native may be drawn to his
hometown Rockies, but is likely better off improving both his craft
and his draft-status by honoring his commitment to Kansas.
Key
to Success:
This
is another sum-of-its-parts draft, although with an obvious
preference towards positional prospects. The Rockies have done an
excellent job procuring talent from within, and should get a few
big-leaguers out of this year's effort as well.
Los
Angeles Dodgers
Top
pick:
Chris
Reed, LHP, Stanford, 16th overall
Synopsis:
After
Major League Baseball stepped in to oversee the Dodgers financial
landscape, it was known that they wouldn't be able to over-step the
commissioners's office slot recommendations. That led to their
selection of Stanford lefty Chris Reed, who was frequently mentioned
with a handful of teams picking in the teens as a potential
signability pick. That isn't to take anything away from his talent
as a tall and lanky lefty with good stuff. He has a relatively fresh
arm coming out of the bullpen for The Cardinal, but he's expected to
assume a starting role as a pro. Not surprisingly most of the
Dodgers other early picks had a taste of signability, but again, that
doesn't mean they selected sub-par talent. Second-rounder Alex
Santana has a tall, wiry strong frame with power potential and a
strong arm at the hot corner. Oklahoma City College right-handed
pitcher Ryan O'Sullivan has a good fastball-curveball combo, while
Oregon closer Scotty McGough can dial his fastball into the low-90s
consistently with a sharp slider despite a smallish/slender stature.
Late
Round Gem:
Vince
Spilker (20th round). Projected as a short-reliever, Spilker was recently throwing
in the 93-95 range with a sharp slider at Perfect Game's Pre-Draft
Showcase.
Wild
Card:
Major
League Baseball. It remains to be seen just how much MLB's
involvement will affect who the Dodgers sign.
Key
to Success:
The
Dodgers farm system hasn't been nearly as fruitful as it was just a
few short years ago, so it's important, even with the obvious
limitations, that this teams injects some much-needed talent into the
organization.
San
Diego Padres
Top
pick:
Cory
Spangenberg, 2B, Indian
River (Fla.) JC,
10th overall
Synopsis:
Some
scouts considered Spangenberg to be the most fundamentally sound
hitter available for this year's draft, with an excellent approach
and very good bat speed. For the most part he's a line drive hitter
with power to the gaps, but can muscle over home runs from time to
time. In addition, he has very good speed, and may eventually settle
in the outfield. They used their next two picks, another
first-rounder and a sandwich rounder selection, on a pair of
live-armed former Aflac All-American right-handers, Joe Ross and
Michael Kelly. They also added a pair of promising catchers in Brett
Austin (supplemental first-round) and Austin Hedges (second), and a
pair of gifted athletes in shortstop Jace Peterson (supplemental) and
Kyle Gaedele (sixth). College right-handers Matt Andriese (third)
and Mark Pope (fifth) round out their impressive early round haul.
Late
Round Gem:
Burch
Smith (14th round). A big-bodied right-hander with equally big stuff, Smith, a
juco transfer to Oklahoma, entered the year with early round promise
but was largely inconsistent.
Wild
Card:
Hedges.
Another former Aflac All-American, Hedges made it clear early on
that he fully intended to honor his commitment to UCLA. San Diego
didn't take him as early as they did without intending to make an
honest effort to add him to their system.
Key
to Success:
The
Padres did an excellent job taking advantage of additional, early
selections, and didn't reach for a single player in the process. The
key now is getting all of that impact-level talent signed.
San
Francisco Giants
Top
pick:
Joe
Panik, SS, St.
John's,
29th overall
Synopsis:
Panik
seemed as somewhat of a reach, although the Giants likely knew he
wouldn't be available between their first-round and supplemental
first-round selection (49th overall). Panik is a steady fielder with good range and strong
overall defensive tools to go along with a line drive bat as a
left-handed hitter. That selection selection looks stronger
considering their second-round pick, Oregon State catcher Andrew
Susac, was expected to go in the range they took Panik. With their
sandwich pick they took surging Texas-sized prep right-hander Kyle
Crick, armed with one of the better sliders in this year's class
along with an improving fastball that now sits in the low-90s,
touching 95/96. They added four more power arms in left-handers
Bryce Bandilla (fourth-round) and Josh Osich (sixth), as well as
right-handers Chris Marlowe (fifth) and Ray Black (seventh).
Late
Round Gem:
Garrett
Buechele (14th round). While not overly toolsy, Buechele is a carbon-copy of his
father, Steve, with strong defensive skills at the hot corner and a
productive bat. It's somewhat surprising he lasted as long as he did
after hitting .316-8-63 for the Sooners this spring.
Wild
Card:
Osich.
Recovering from Tommy John surgery, Osich's fastball sat in the
92-94 range and approached triple digits on occasion. He wasn't
allowed to throw breaking balls until late in the spring, and may opt
to return to Oregon State as he has legitimate first-round talent.
Key
to Success:
The
Giants have proved to be quite proficient drafting and developing
pitching from within, and that will be the key again this year with
the number of power arms they selected. Panik and Susac could
provide solid bats, and gloves, up the middle of the Giants defense
to help those pitchers succeed.