2018 MLB Draft

[Dam8610]

1 minute ago, ChiSoxJon said:

India and Bart still interest me but I'll pass on Bohm...Singer may very well be the best P in this class though

Singer has a lot of the same red flags as Fulmer to me.

[oneofthemikes]

11 minutes ago, bmags said:

I just keep thinking about last year and how everyone was on us going with Jeren Kendall. (and JB Bukauskus)

Ugh, I remember that. I wanted absolutely nothing to do with Kendall. So glad we looked elsewhere (despite recent events).

[ChiSoxJon]

Irrelevant Personal ranks:

Top overall bat: Madrigal
Top overall arm: Singer
Top 3 HS bat: Kelenic, Gorman, Turang
Top 3 HS arm: Stewart, Liberatore, Hankins
Top 3 college bat: Madrigal, India, Bart
Top 3 college arm: Singer, Mize, McClanahan
 

[ChiSoxJon]

First time since Mitchell I'd be cool with a typical KW pick (Murray) at 46...I want either Beer, Murray, De Sedas, or Baker there...maybe Murray or Baker fall to 3

[Dunt]

1 hour ago, DirtySox said:

I've watched Singer for maybe 6 starts this year.  He's fine, but just not that exciting?  Solid across the board with a weird delivery and arm slot.  He just doesn't blow me away.  He doesn't have that wow factor like McClanahan's velocity, or Mize's dumb splitter. I understand the rationale for considering him, I just can't get too excited about it.

I understand why a lot of people wouldnt like that pick, but there is a lot I like about him personally. I've probably watched around the same amount of starts the last two years with him and there are some things that stick out to me:

1.) He gets a ton of movement on his fastball. That movement, along with his typical velocity, make that a well above average pitch to me.

2.)  His slider, which is also an above average offering, plays really well off of his fastball. His pitch tunneling for these two pitches make it really hard to pick up what he's throwing.

3.) Long, proven track record in the best conference in America and dominance when he pitched in the Cape.

4.) He doesn't walk anybody. He's had 3 straight years at Florida of decreasing his walks and increasing his strikeouts. In a system full of guys that have a propensity for the free base, his profile is very attractive to me.

5.) He's going to be a fast mover. I think his profile is pretty similar to Aaron Nola's and I imagine their tracks to the majors will be pretty similar.  Even if he doesnt break the majors with the Sox, that will be an attractive trade piece.

On the other two pitchers, McClanahan is a big time no for me. The velo is sexy, but he's walking almost 5 per 9 and he already has one TJ under his belt. I'm not using the #4 pick on a pitcher with an injury history. As for Mize, I think he's far and away the best pitcher in this draft. His mix of stuff and command give him a treu ace ceiling.  That said, in the times I've watched him, I've always thought it looks like he creates a lot of stress in his shoulder.  He looks like someone that might have a couple good years, then never pitch again. That's my opinion, but not letting anyone besides the drafting team see his MRI seems like a red flag to me.

[Dunt]

20 minutes ago, Dam8610 said:

Singer has a lot of the same red flags as Fulmer to me.

I'm not seeing the comparison

[Eminor3rd]

I just feel like Singer seems like a great pick at like, #10 or so.

[GreenSox]

29 minutes ago, ChiSoxJon said:

Irrelevant Personal ranks:

Top overall bat: Madrigal

If that's accurate, then they have to draft him.  Top bat AND plays middle infield.
As for Singer, delivery issues.  We've seen enough delivery issues and swing hitches lately (with all due respect to the phenom Sale).

Edited May 15, 2018 by GreenSox

[DirtySox]

16 minutes ago, Dunt said:

I understand why a lot of people wouldnt like that pick, but there is a lot I like about him personally. I've probably watched around the same amount of starts the last two years with him and there are some things that stick out to me:

1.) He gets a ton of movement on his fastball. That movement, along with his typical velocity, make that a well above average pitch to me.

2.)  His slider, which is also an above average offering, plays really well off of his fastball. His pitch tunneling for these two pitches make it really hard to pick up what he's throwing.

3.) Long, proven track record in the best conference in America and dominance when he pitched in the Cape.

4.) He doesn't walk anybody. He's had 3 straight years at Florida of decreasing his walks and increasing his strikeouts. In a system full of guys that have a propensity for the free base, his profile is very attractive to me.

5.) He's going to be a fast mover. I think his profile is pretty similar to Aaron Nola's and I imagine their tracks to the majors will be pretty similar.  Even if he doesnt break the majors with the Sox, that will be an attractive trade piece.

On the other two pitchers, McClanahan is a big time no for me. The velo is sexy, but he's walking almost 5 per 9 and he already has one TJ under his belt. I'm not using the #4 pick on a pitcher with an injury history. As for Mize, I think he's far and away the best pitcher in this draft. His mix of stuff and command give him a treu ace ceiling.  That said, in the times I've watched him, I've always thought it looks like he creates a lot of stress in his shoulder.  He looks like someone that might have a couple good years, then never pitch again. That's my opinion, but not letting anyone besides the drafting team see his MRI seems like a red flag to me.

Good post.  I actually likened him to Nola a few pages back. Their numbers are actually shockingly similar in college.  Especially the Junior year.  I get it. I wouldn't hate it, I just wouldn't be all that excited.

[Jake]

I know all the caveats about drafting for need, but I just don't know what we'd do with another OF in our low minors. Lucky there aren't many that we would seriously consider at our spot.

[Jake]

Okay, my half-baked rankings for the Sox:

1. Mize

2. Madrigal

3. Liberatore

4. Bart

You'll get one of the four, so no sense ranking beyond that.

[bmags]

1 minute ago, Jake said:

Okay, my half-baked rankings for the Sox:

1. Mize

2. Madrigal

3. Liberatore

4. Bart

You'll get one of the four, so no sense ranking beyond that.

You totally jinxed them picking none of those 4.

[Dunt]

26 minutes ago, DirtySox said:

Good post.  I actually likened him to Nola a few pages back. Their numbers are actually shockingly similar in college.  Especially the Junior year.  I get it. I wouldn't hate it, I just wouldn't be all that excited.

Hahaha, missed that, great minds think alike. I feel the same way.  I feel like he will have a solid mlb career, but that pick wouldn't excite me.  Hoping the Sox go one of Bart, India, or Madrigal myself.

[bmags]

It's funny that that sentiment around nola was the same around the time of the draft, but worth remembering that Nola has become one of the better pitchers in the NL.

Frankly, with the rumors that we would pick Rodon or Nola, it's safe to say we'd have been in a better position had Rodon not fell (we also would have had more pool to play with).

[Dam8610]

1 hour ago, Dunt said:

I'm not seeing the comparison

Questionable mechanics with high effort delivery, pedigree of school and pitchers before him is a factor in his ranking, velocity isn't as high as you'd like. The only thing missing is the height concern.

[Dam8610]

1 hour ago, Eminor3rd said:

I just feel like Singer seems like a great pick at like, #10 or so.

If the Sox were sitting at 10, I'd be stoked to get Singer there. I do like how his FB & breaking ball (slider? curve? slurve?) movement play off of one another, and his change dives like a submarine.

[Dunt]

17 minutes ago, Dam8610 said:

Questionable mechanics with high effort delivery, pedigree of school and pitchers before him is a factor in his ranking, velocity isn't as high as you'd like. The only thing missing is the height concern.

I dont think his mechanics are questionable or his delivery is high effort. Velocity is generally 93-96, where do you expect him to be? Ya, it was a little down last start, but we have enough data at this point to know where he sits. Singer is like half a foot taller and doesnt have the control concerns that Fulmer had at Vandy.

[joejoedairy]

1 hour ago, bmags said:

You totally jinxed them picking none of those 4.

I hope so, as I still prefer Bohm. 

But I'd be happy with Madrigal as well. I feel like 1 of those 2 will be there. 

If not, I guess I'd be ok with Singer or Bart

[Dam8610]

1 minute ago, Dunt said:

I dont think his mechanics are questionable or his delivery is high effort. Velocity is generally 93-96, where do you expect him to be? Ya, it was a little down last start, but we have enough data at this point to know where he sits. Singer is like half a foot taller and doesnt have the control concerns that Fulmer had at Vandy.

I'm not a scout standing behind a report here, all of this information is secondhand, except that I can verify the whip action in his arm that I've read about based on the small amount of video I've watched on him (it's really obvious). I've seen the mechanics questioned numerous times, everything I've read about him (except MLB Pipeline) suggests that he sits 90-93 and touches 95, and I do think part of his rank is the current pedigree of Florida pitching. I'm not saying these aren't things he can overcome, just that I could easily see him becoming something similar to Fulmer, and his negatives remind me a lot of Fulmer's negatives coming out.

[DirtySox]

 

 

[caulfield12]

Just looking at his stance, he is a bit reminiscent of Moncada with that bat wrap (albeit on the RH side)...you better have incredible whip in your swing/hands to get away with that at the MLB level.

[Dominikk85]

I don't see any bat wrap with him, basically a classic "knob to catchers feet" launch position when he lands on his stride foot.

I wouldn't mind madrigal. Seems to be a polished hitter, decent defender at second who could play short in a pinch (albeit not really every day probably) and with the mlb ball and some more pounds he probably could hit 15-20 hr. There might be higher upside guys but he is probably the safest guy and there also is an outside chance he become kinda like altuve.

[mac9001]

Madrigal's contact rate is insane. It's hard to pass on a kid that never strikes out. 

[fathom]

I still don't buy the Madrigal smoke. I trust that KLaw heard correctly the Sox won't take him due to Moncada/Anderson.

[caulfield12]

Take the best hitter available and just stick him in the line-up at 3B, CF, LF...it doesn't really matter.   From all reports, Madrigal is an incredibly dedicated practice player and will do whatever it takes to be the best at his position.

Alex Gordon, for example, impacted tons of games from LF with his defensive abilities.   He's got some of the fastest hands ever tested at the OSU training facility, so he'd do fine at 3B as well.  Why do we have to settle for two so-so corner outfielders when we can have Madrigal and Luis Robert paired with the best all-around outfielder to emerge from Winston-Salem (or we target AJ Pollock this coming off-season)?

Edited May 16, 2018 by caulfield12