2012 Draft Discussion

CaliforniaRaisin · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 9:13 am

High School:

Lance McCullers, RHP, Tampa Jesuit HS (FL)
Nick Williams, OF, Galveston Ball HS (TX)
Trey Williams, 3B, Valencia HS (CA)
Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA)
Addison Russell, SS, Pace HS (FL)

Others of note: Anthony Alford, OF, Petal HS (MS); Carlos Correa, SS, Puerto Rico Baseball Academy (PR); Rio Ruiz, 3B/RHP, Bishop Amat HS (CA); Kayden Porter, RHP, Spanish Fork HS (UT); Cody Poteet, INF, Northwest Cabarrus HS (NC); Keon Barnum, 1B/OF, King HS (FL); Gavin Cecchini, SS, Barbe HS (LA); David Thompson, 3B, Westminster Christian HS (FL)

College:

Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford
Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State
Michael Wacha, RHP, Texas A&M
Jake Barrett, RHP, Arizona
Branden Kline, RHP, Virginia

Others of note: Kenny Diekroeger, SS, Stanford; Kevin Gausman, RHP, Louisiana State; DJ Baxendale, RHP, Arkansas; Brian Johnson, LHP/1B, Florida; Austin Maddox, 3B, Florida; Mike Zunino, C, Florida.

(Gausman will be a draft-eligible sophomore.)

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... e_20222396

Perfect Game's Top 10 (200 if you're a subscriber): http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/Vie ... ticle=5117

1. Lance McCullers, RHP/SS, Tampa Jesuit HS (Tampa, FL)
2. Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford
3. Nick Williams, OF, Ball HS (Galveston, TX)
4. Kenny Diekroeger, SS, Stanford
5. Trey Williams, 3B/OF, Valencia HS (Santa Clarita, CA)
6. Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard Westlake (Santa Monica, CA)
7. Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State
9. Steve Nyisztor, SS/2B, Rutgers
10. Jake Barrett, RHP, Arizona State

#8 was Brian Goodwin, who got kicked out of UNC, went to a JC and was drafted last week.

Google

pitchcs · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:05 am

Did you sorta list those in order of status right now? I really know nothing about any of them other than Appel, Maddox and Zunino.

shnsajax · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:28 am

And maybe Matt Purke if he doesn't sign.

Ronnie Woo Woo · **Joined:** Sun Nov 14, 2004 11:29 am **Posts:** 1741

I've read that McCullers has a chance to be the first HS RHP ever taken #1 overall. I'm not really sure if he is considered better than Bundy, Bradley, or Tallion at this same stage though.

pitchcs · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:51 am

Ronnie Woo Woo wrote:

I've read that McCullers has a chance to be the first HS RHP ever taken #1 overall. I'm not really sure if he is considered better than Bundy, Bradley, or Tallion at this same stage though.

And the only 2 LHP were David Clyde ('73) and Brien Taylor ('91)....so 2/2 on failures with HS pitchers at #1.

I've never heard of Danny Goodwin (#1 in '75 from Peoria)

CaliforniaRaisin · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:52 am

pitchcs wrote:

Did you sorta list those in order of status right now? I really know nothing about any of them other than Appel, Maddox and Zunino.

Nah, I ordered them the way Jonathan Mayo did and he didn't necessarily state they were in any order though he said Appel could be the #1 pick.

I haven't seen all the college players listed but I do feel like Zunino should be one of the top 5 college prospects, especially when you consider catchers are overrated.

I don't have Perfect Game's Top 10 on me right now but they had McCullers #1 overall.

Transmogrified Tiger · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:03 am

Interesting to see how well BA did at this time last year.

1. Anthony Rendon 3B Rice - 6th overall
2. Gerrit Cole RHP UCLA - 1st overall
3. *Matt Purke LHP Texas Christian - 96th Overall
4. Daniel Norris LHP Science Hill HS, Johnson City, Tenn. - 74th Overall
5. Taylor Jungmann RHP Texas - 12th Overall
6. Sonny Gray RHP Vanderbilt - 18th Overall
7. Alex Meyer RHP Kentucky - 23rd Overall
8. Jack Armstrong RHP Vanderbilt - 99th Overall
9. Dylan Bundy RHP Owasso (Okla.) HS - 4th Overall
10. Dwight Smith OF McIntosh HS, Peachtree City, Ga. - 53rd Overall
11. Archie Bradley RHP Muskogee (Okla.) HS - 7th Overall
12. Jackie Bradley OF South Carolina - 40th Overall
13. Preston Tucker 1B Florida - 498th Overall
14. Ryan Carpenter LHP Gonzaga - 240th Overall
15. Andrew Suarez LHP Columbus HS, Miami - 289th Overall

5 of the Top 15 made their Top 15.

CaliforniaRaisin · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:04 am

Ronnie Woo Woo wrote:

I've read that McCullers has a chance to be the first HS RHP ever taken #1 overall. I'm not really sure if he is considered better than Bundy, Bradley, or Tallion at this same stage though.

Right. I have no idea but given this is a weak draft at the college ranks and Taillon/Bundy are considered 2 of the best HS RHP prospects ever, it seems like it could be a case of right place, right time for McCullers.

The 2013 draft is looking pretty good right now in the college ranks considering who went to college instead of going pro last year (RHPs Karsten Whitson, Dylan Covey, Ryne Stanek, Adam Plutko & AJ Vanegas, 3Bs Dominic Ficociello & Kris Bryant and OF Austin Wilson). This is how this years draft became so strong - tons of the top HS kids from 3 years ago went to college.

pitchcs · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:33 am

OK, so Zunino is expected to stay at catcher, I wasn't sure.

RammyFanny · **Joined:** Wed Jul 20, 2005 2:08 pm **Posts:** 2494

I've heard that Giolito could be a stud. He's like 6'7 250 or something crazy if I remember right.

toonsterwu · **Joined:** Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:10 am **Posts:** 3022

whoa, didn't realize that Kline was getting national attention. Makes sense I guess, since he was a former 6th round pick who didn't sign. Almost certain Kline is going to get a shot to be the Friday night starter for Virginia next year. In terms of raw stuff, he has excellent stuff, mid-90's fastball, good breaking ball off the top. His raw stuff is probably ahead of Hultzen's, but obviously, not as polished.

illiniguy · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:06 pm

pitchcs wrote:

Ronnie Woo Woo wrote:

I've read that McCullers has a chance to be the first HS RHP ever taken #1 overall. I'm not really sure if he is considered better than Bundy, Bradley, or Tallion at this same stage though.

And the only 2 LHP were David Clyde ('73) and Brien Taylor ('91)....so 2/2 on failures with HS pitchers at #1.

I've never heard of Danny Goodwin (#1 in '75 from Peoria)

Is Goodwin the guy who went number 1 twice?

NCCubFan · **Posted:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:21 pm

illiniguy wrote:

pitchcs wrote:

Ronnie Woo Woo wrote:

I've read that McCullers has a chance to be the first HS RHP ever taken #1 overall. I'm not really sure if he is considered better than Bundy, Bradley, or Tallion at this same stage though.

And the only 2 LHP were David Clyde ('73) and Brien Taylor ('91)....so 2/2 on failures with HS pitchers at #1.

I've never heard of Danny Goodwin (#1 in '75 from Peoria)

Is Goodwin the guy who went number 1 twice?

Yes. He was #1 overall by the White Sox (1971) and Angels (1975). He's the only player to be drafted #1 overall twice.

CaliforniaRaisin · **Posted:** Sat Jun 11, 2011 11:10 pm

Perfect Game's Top 10 (200 if you're a subscriber): http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/Vie ... ticle=5117

1. Lance McCullers, RHP/SS, Tampa Jesuit HS (Tampa, FL)
2. Mark Appel, RHP, Stanford
3. Nick Williams, OF, Ball HS (Galveston, TX)
4. Kenny Diekroeger, SS, Stanford
5. Trey Williams, 3B/OF, Valencia HS (Santa Clarita, CA)
6. Lucas Giolito, RHP, Harvard Westlake (Santa Monica, CA)
7. Deven Marrero, SS, Arizona State
9. Steve Nyisztor, SS/2B, Rutgers
10. Jake Barrett, RHP, Arizona State

#8 was Brian Goodwin, who got kicked out of UNC, went to a JC and was drafted last week.

Shilzzz · **Posted:** Sun Jun 12, 2011 7:32 am

Tough to swallow that the cubs could very well have the top pick, and almost certainly will be a top 5. Be pretty cool if the consensus guy is a hs pitcher.

KyleJRM · **Posted:** Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:03 pm

Shilzzz wrote:

Tough to swallow that the cubs could very well have the top pick, and almost certainly will be a top 5. Be pretty cool if the consensus guy is a hs pitcher.

When it's all said and done, I bet they are outside the top 5 unless they do a huge firesale at the deadline. There are enough useful parts here to pull another late fake rally if they get reasonably healthy.

Shilzzz · **Posted:** Sun Jun 12, 2011 3:40 pm

questionmarkgrace · **Posted:** Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:55 pm

KyleJRM wrote:

Shilzzz wrote:

Tough to swallow that the cubs could very well have the top pick, and almost certainly will be a top 5. Be pretty cool if the consensus guy is a hs pitcher.

When it's all said and done, I bet they are outside the top 5 unless they do a huge firesale at the deadline. There are enough useful parts here to pull another late fake rally if they get reasonably healthy.

I think they sell off some of those parts but not all. My gut says that Z, Soriano, and Aram stay. Z being the only one of those three that could possibly go (soriano's contract and arams no trade will be pretty much stop them from trading them). But Pena, Byrd, Fukudome, I've even read Garza's name out there as a possibility, marshal or wood could go too. Not sure if any one would want grabow. Unfortunately, I dont see us getting that many useful parts back from this bunch. Maybe some low a guys who are a ways away.

toonsterwu · **Joined:** Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:10 am **Posts:** 3022

I've got an awfully hard time seeing them deal Garza. You make that sort of deal for the long term as much as the short term. Ricketts had to approve the deal as well. More importantly, a new regime will likely still need a young pitcher to build the staff around, and Garza makes sense. Unless the package is ridiculous, I fully expect Garza to be here next year, and more, and perhaps be the "ace" of the staff. You don't give up that type of young talent for a short term fix unless you get an equal return in whatever trade you pursue.

questionmarkgrace · **Posted:** Tue Jun 14, 2011 11:31 pm

toonsterwu wrote:

I've got an awfully hard time seeing them deal Garza. You make that sort of deal for the long term as much as the short term. Ricketts had to approve the deal as well. More importantly, a new regime will likely still need a young pitcher to build the staff around, and Garza makes sense. Unless the package is ridiculous, I fully expect Garza to be here next year, and more, and perhaps be the "ace" of the staff. You don't give up that type of young talent for a short term fix unless you get an equal return in whatever trade you pursue.

Oh I agree, I was surprised to hear him mentioned on comcast after the phillies series as a possible tradeble commodity. but yes it would take probably two high caliber major league ready starters to land him.

CaliforniaRaisin · **Posted:** Wed Jun 15, 2011 10:54 pm

Keith Law's names to watch for the 2012 draft: http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?nam ... %3d6663445

Don't have ESPN Insider so I don't know any names besides Lance McCullers on his list.

CaliforniaRaisin · **Posted:** Sun Jun 19, 2011 11:43 pm

Lance McCullers Jr. was the best pitcher at PG National:

Baseball America wrote:

McCullers threw 22 fastballs today: five at 94 mph, seven at 95, six at 96 and four at 97. He throws both a curveball and a slider. There is a subtle difference in the velocity—the curveball is 83-84 mph and the slider is 86-87—but the pitches blend together a bit with hard, late break.

McCullers said he has been hitting the gym to add muscle to his 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, mostly focusing on strengthening his legs and core. The improved strength showed up on the mound today, as McCullers looked more balanced than he has in the past. He was sticking his landing pretty well instead of falling off or overthrowing and the adjustment allowed him to throw more strikes.

"I worked for about six months with Orlando Chinea, who is the guy that worked out Jose Fernandez," McCullers said. "Me and Jose are really good friends and work out together all the time and I've really transformed into an athletic thrower and a guy that can be looked at as more of a complete pitcher. I have much better control down in the zone now. I don't leave as many balls up for guys to take good hacks at. My curveball is much sharper and I'm working on that changeup now."

RammyFanny · **Joined:** Wed Jul 20, 2005 2:08 pm **Posts:** 2494

Cubs sitting at the #2 pick even after the quasi-hot streak we had.

CaliforniaRaisin · **Posted:** Fri Jun 24, 2011 8:05 pm

RammyFanny wrote:

I've heard that Giolito could be a stud. He's like 6'7 250 or something crazy if I remember right.

Yeah, he's at least 6'6". Doubt he makes it to UCLA. Here's a link of him pitching as a junior: http://www.latimes.com/videobeta/71953d ... hrows-heat

Baseball America wrote:

Giolito showed his complete repertoire today, throwing his fastball 92-95 mph while mixing in a mid-80s changeup and 80-81 curveball. His fastball comes out easy and he uses his height well, throwing it downhill. His changeup has some sink to it while the curveball has sharp, downward bite.

toonsterwu wrote:

whoa, didn't realize that Kline was getting national attention. Makes sense I guess, since he was a former 6th round pick who didn't sign. Almost certain Kline is going to get a shot to be the Friday night starter for Virginia next year. In terms of raw stuff, he has excellent stuff, mid-90's fastball, good breaking ball off the top. His raw stuff is probably ahead of Hultzen's, but obviously, not as polished.

First time watching him right now, he definitely has a nice slider. If he makes the move to the rotation and holds up, he looks like a top 10 pick.

StarlinOnYou · **Joined:** Fri May 14, 2010 9:08 pm **Posts:** 305

Is McCullers better than Bundy?

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