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2009 Baseball America Draft Report Cards


DaTank

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They didn't give grades, it was actually a pretty blah piece. Just named best tools, which is pretty much been discussed here. They love Ryan Buch though. Best fastball they mentioned him, Taylor Thompson (91-93 sinker) and Kyle Bellamy (for sink and movement). "RHP Ryan Buch (8) was inconsistent all spring and in the summer after signing, but his fastball touched 97 mph in instructional league in short stints." And this, "Buch's curve can also be a plus pitch when he repeats his mechanics." They also said David Holmberg has a 'good feel for his change' and they called his curve a plus pitch.

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Here is the actual article, nothing really earth shattering. However, BA and a lot of others seem to really downplay Holmberg. Does anyone think he was an overdaft? I never really followed Taylor Thompson from Auburn, anyone know anything about him?

 

 

White Sox Draft Report Card

 

By John Manuel

October 23, 2009

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QUICK TAKE

After striking gold with '08 draftees Gordon Beckham and Daniel Hudson, the White Sox were ecstatic to get Mitchell and his top-shelf tools so low in the first round. A hitter-heavy crop will become well rounded if college enigmas such as Buch and Thompson work out.POSITION PLAYERS

BEST PURE HITTER:: OF Nick Ciolli (10) has the pretty swing path scouts look for, and his other tools are solid. He batted .317 at Rookie-level Great Falls. >> BEST POWER HITTER:: C Josh Phegley (2) slugged 32 homers in his last two seasons at Indiana, then hit nine after signing at low Class A Kannapolis. He has adjustments to make receiving and in his stance, but the raw hitting and power tools are there. >> FASTEST RUNNER:: OF Jared Mitchell (1) has electric athleticism and is a 70 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale. >> BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Mitchell played mostly right field at Louisiana State, despite his below-average arm. His speed and arm should play better in center.

PITCHERS

BEST FASTBALL: RHP Ryan Buch (8) was inconsistent all spring and in the summer after signing, but his fastball touched 97 mph in instructional league in short stints. RHP Taylor Thompson (44) pumps his heavy sinker in the 91-93 mph range, and RHP Kyle Bellamy (5) has plus life, sink and command of his upper-80s fastball from a submarine slot. >> BEST SECONDARY PITCH: Buch's curve can also be a plus pitch when he repeats his mechanics. LHP David Holmberg (2) has average velocity and a big body that might be maxed out physically, but he throws stikes and has good feel for a change and a plus curveball he commands well.

ODDS AND ENDS

BEST PRO DEBUT: Ciolli, whose batting average led the entire organization. Also, OF Brady Shoemaker (19) finished the year hitting 3-for-29 in Triple-A after a .351/.426/.585 performance at Rookie-level Bristol, which included nine home runs and 21 doubles. Mitchell started strong at Kannapolis, batting .296/.417/.435. Bellamy posted a 32/2 K/BB ratio and 1.23 ERA in 22 innings, mostly at Kannapolis. >> BEST ATHLETE: Mitchell. OF Trayce Thompson (2) has an athletic, projectable 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame. >> MOST INTRIGUING BACKGROUND:: Thompson is the son of former NBA center Mychal Thompson. Mitchell was a punt returner and wide receiver for LSU in football and won national titles both in baseball and football. The father of OF Harold Baines Jr. (45) had his number retired by the White Sox and was a six-time all-star who was the No. 1 overall pick in 1977. Unsigned RHP Grant Monroe (46) is the son of longtime Sox scout/adviser Larry. >> CLOSEST TO THE MAJORS: Bellamy could get to Chicago next year if he continues to succeed and there's a big league need. >> BEST LATE-ROUND PICK: Thompson, who had a 6.65 ERA in 154 innings at Auburn. >> THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY: After trading LHPs Clayton Richard and Aaron Poreda to the Padres, the White Sox really wanted LHP Bryan Morgado (3), an eligible sophomore who shined in the Cape Cod League this summer, but they couldn't make it work.

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I really like the Heidenreich pick and am surprised there's no mention of him anywhere. Probably way too early though. And I still say Justin Jones is the one who got away, not Morgado as much, but Morgado would have definitely been the better immediate fit for our system given the Peavy trade. Hopefully Santos Rodriguez and Charlie Leesman take big steps forward next year.

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QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 26, 2009 -> 08:42 AM)
I think the key for Mitchell will be to keep it conservative, and make sure he doesn't try to move up too quickly. Being a two sport guy, they need to resist the urge to push him too hard. Get the kid his ABs and give him the best chance to succeed at each level.

Yeah, he's probably a guy that will get AFL treatment in a year or 2. Still, he's not that raw. The guy won CWS MVP and did fine at low A straight out of college. He can start at high-A. Remember Josh Fields, another 2 sport player, spent his first full season in Birmingham.

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QUOTE (danman31 @ Oct 26, 2009 -> 04:27 PM)
Yeah, he's probably a guy that will get AFL treatment in a year or 2. Still, he's not that raw. The guy won CWS MVP and did fine at low A straight out of college. He can start at high-A. Remember Josh Fields, another 2 sport player, spent his first full season in Birmingham.

 

The obvious answer is... How did that work out? The strikeout numbers really are very similar now that I look at it. Hopefully they can fix the hole in his swing.

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QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 26, 2009 -> 04:36 PM)
The obvious answer is... How did that work out? The strikeout numbers really are very similar now that I look at it. Hopefully they can fix the hole in his swing.

Right, but we don't have enough of a sample size with Mitchell to see if his K rate will go down or not. He certainly has time. This guy was taken as a project so we will see if he projects better.

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QUOTE (danman31 @ Oct 26, 2009 -> 05:07 PM)
Right, but we don't have enough of a sample size with Mitchell to see if his K rate will go down or not. He certainly has time. This guy was taken as a project so we will see if he projects better.

 

No we don't. That's for sure. Plus the kid can contribute outside of the bat from the sounds of it, which already puts him ahead of Fields. I just want to be slow with the kid.

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