2017 MLB DRAFT

[Y2Jimmy0]

Guys like Nate Jones and Addison Reed in the later rounds are the ideal...obviously, Hector Santiago, Petricka, etc.

 

Kanhle was originally drafted by the Yankees in the 5th round. Swarzak was 2nd round, 61st pick by the Twins, for another example.

 

 

Nate Jones was a 5th rounder and drafted as a starter. Reed was a 2nd round reliever. Petricka was a starter as well.

[Y2Jimmy0]

If the Sox take Jeren Kendall at #11, I hope they go High School at #49. Could be any number of options: RHP Steven Jennings, LHP Jacob Heatherly, RHP Hagen Danner, SS Chris Seise, SS Jeter Downs, 3B Mark Vientos, 3B Ryan Vilade, OF Drew Waters.

[caulfield12]

Nate Jones was a 5th rounder and drafted as a starter. Reed was a 2nd round reliever. Petricka was a starter as well.

 

Well, Royce Ring and Aaron Poreda are lousy examples.

[Eminor3rd]

This draft class seems weak overall, and the second tier or talent seems to comprise pretty much picks 6-20. This is a year where I can't say I have a strong opinion -- it's just going to come down to who the Sox think is the best. Everyone that has any chance to fall to us has as many warts as virtues.

[Y2Jimmy0]

This is what Eric Longenhagen of fan graphs had to say in his mock draft: 11. Chicago AL – Jeren Kendall, CF, Vanderbilt

If any of the three toolsy outfielders (Adell, Beck, Kendall) or UVA hitters are here, I think they’re the pick.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/fangraphs-2017-mock-draft/

[bmags]

This draft class seems weak overall, and the second tier or talent seems to comprise pretty much picks 6-20. This is a year where I can't say I have a strong opinion -- it's just going to come down to who the Sox think is the best. Everyone that has any chance to fall to us has as many warts as virtues.

 

I think it will end up being a productive draft just because of number of college pitchers with some pretty good if unharnassed stuff.

 

But when you have a bunch of lite power 1b leading the top position players it really drags down the excitement.

[bmags]

This is what MLBpipeline.com has to say about Lincoln Henzman. He's their #163 prospect.

 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Henzman overcame Tommy John surgery as a high school junior in 2013 to make an immediate impact as a freshman reliever at Louisville two years later. After an inconsistent 2016 season, he turned down the Mariners as a sophomore-eligible 31st-rounder and has taken over from White Sox first-rounder Zack Burdi as the Cardinals' closer. Henzman tied for the NCAA Division I lead with 16 saves entering the regional playoffs.

 

When Henzman keeps his 90-95 mph fastball down in the zone, it's almost impossible for hitters to lift. His changeup has similar action, behaving like a splitter, and grades as a plus pitch at times. His cutter climbs into the upper 80s and is an effective third offering.

 

Henzman blitzes the bottom of the strike zone and has permitted just one homer in three college seasons. He could move quickly through the Minors as a reliever, but he also had success as a starter in the Cape Cod League last summer and could get a shot in that role. He has enough pitches to work out of the rotation, though he'd have to prove he could maintain his velocity with a heavier workload.

 

I really like a lot of this but especially anytime a young player already has a feel for the change.

 

Would be happy with it if we did the dunning route, just would prefer we take guys that are already relievers after round 5.

[bmags]

Sorry for flurry, but JIm Callis was on the sss podcast doing a preview, starts around minute 19 if you want to skip over Josh Nelson reading from a script for 20 minutes.

 

Thoughts:

-Really high on kendall, doesn't see how you could knock kendall for hit tool and then go after player like Beck who has no track record.

-Thinks Bukauskus will go top ten.

-Lower on Haseley. Says he is definitely going in that 5-8 range but thinks players like Kendall give you so much more. More of a line drive hitter - "only thing that he gives you more than Kendall is batting average"

- Has not heard what BA is reporting of the tools being hung on austin beck.

- Thinks Faedo's velo issues are all due to the knee stuff and isn't concerned.

 

[steveno89]

This draft class seems weak overall, and the second tier or talent seems to comprise pretty much picks 6-20. This is a year where I can't say I have a strong opinion -- it's just going to come down to who the Sox think is the best. Everyone that has any chance to fall to us has as many warts as virtues.

 

Agreed. Obviously early to say for sure, but this seems to be a pretty weak draft. The talent level beyond the top 15 players or so drops off sharply.

[steveno89]

Sorry for flurry, but JIm Callis was on the sss podcast doing a preview, starts around minute 19 if you want to skip over Josh Nelson reading from a script for 20 minutes.

 

Thoughts:

-Really high on kendall, doesn't see how you could knock kendall for hit tool and then go after player like Beck who has no track record.

-Thinks Bukauskus will go top ten.

-Lower on Haseley. Says he is definitely going in that 5-8 range but thinks players like Kendall give you so much more. More of a line drive hitter - "only thing that he gives you more than Kendall is batting average"

- Has not heard what BA is reporting of the tools being hung on austin beck.

- Thinks Faedo's velo issues are all due to the knee stuff and isn't concerned.

 

In what is shaping up to be a fairly weak draft, I do not have an issue selecting Kendall if he is on the board at #11. Yes, he has considerable swing and miss issues, but the other tools are all there.

 

Haseley we all like, but his ceiling is certainly lower than Kendall's. Higher floor? Absolutely. But I'm not sure how much stock I would put into Haseley's great 2017 performance. His freshman and sophomore seasons were fairly pedestrian and the power only started to show up this year. Haseley has decent speed, but I doubt he becomes much of a stolen base threat professionally.

 

If selecting a player for floor, go Haseley as his hit tool seems more sound, but the ceiling of Kendall could be a really solid player offensively and defensively.

[Y2Jimmy0]

Something like this with the first few picks would be ideal for me:

 

#11: Jeren Kendall OF Vanderbilt

#49: Chris Seise SS HS (FL)

#87: Daniel Tillo LHP Iowa CC

#117 Lincoln Henzman RHP Louisville (if they really want this guy, hopefully they'd wait until round 4 rather than 3).

[bmags]

I really like Haseley but it just makes me nervous that a lot of the logic seems to be :

College outfielder with splashy junior season ... he's andrew benintendi!

 

 

[steveno89]

I really like Haseley but it just makes me nervous that a lot of the logic seems to be :

College outfielder with splashy junior season ... he's andrew benintendi!

 

Benintendi was a more complete player coming out of college than Haseley. Better power, better speed as well. Haseley will get overdrafted due to this year being a shallow draft, but he does not have the lofty ceiling Benintendi has.

[shoeless_joe21]

My Iowa bias is showing, but I was really hoping Jake Adams would make MLB's top 200. I get the limitations keeping his draft stock from ever really taking off, but he's become a bit of a folk hero here in Iowa City. Paul Bunyan incarnate.

[beautox]

Something like this with the first few picks would be ideal for me:

 

#11: Jeren Kendall OF Vanderbilt

#49: Chris Seise SS HS (FL)

#87: Daniel Tillo LHP Iowa CC

#117 Lincoln Henzman RHP Louisville (if they really want this guy, hopefully they'd wait until round 4 rather than 3).

 

I would be open to that, which ever bat they take at 11, Ideally Haseley, Beck Kendall, Adell in that order. If Seth Romero is available at 39 I hope they take him issues and all.

[fathom]

I would be open to that, which ever bat they take at 11, Ideally Haseley, Beck Kendall, Adell in that order. If Seth Romero is available at 39 I hope they take him issues and all.

 

I'm intrigued with Drew Ellis from Louisville with 2nd pick

[bmags]

I would be open to that, which ever bat they take at 11, Ideally Haseley, Beck Kendall, Adell in that order. If Seth Romero is available at 39 I hope they take him issues and all.

 

Yeah it will be interesting. If we draft a college bat then I'd like to get a good HS talent in 2nd, but there are some mocks projecting pitchers like Tanner Houck available at 39, there could be a really interesting college pitcher at 2 like last year, will be fun to see it shake out.

[fathom]

Also Evan Skoug in 3rd round would be interesting. Possible catcher who finished strong and is from Libertyville

[fathom]

In the 4th round range, Toffey from Vandy and Mahan from Kentucky have been super impressive in the games I've seen

[maggsmaggs]

Because putting these thoughts to paper so to speak will allow me to one day see how poorly I performed (or how well I suppose), I decided to post who I think the Sox should draft at 11. Trying to be realistic about who will be available (basically excluding MLB Pipeline’s Top 5), I will list one high school pitcher, a high school hitter and a college hitter, but no college pitchers because I am not impressed with that collection this year.

 

High School Pitcher

 

Sam Carlson, RHP, Minnesota

 

I love his classic pitcher’s build at 6’4” and 195 lbs and his deep repertoire. According to MLB Pipeline, he throws in the mid-90s with life and sink and commands the pitch well. He also has a solid change-up which he uses frequently and an improving slider. Watching some Youtube highlights, his delivery looks a little rushed, but that seems like an easy fix in pro ball.

 

High School Hitter

 

Nick Pratto, 1B, California

 

Just love everything about his bat, and although he will likely be a first baseman in pro ball, he is said to be excellent there. I know he is relatively unathletic and does not play a premium position, but I think the combination of elite bat and defense at first base would be very valuable regardless.

 

College Hitter

 

Adam Haseley

 

He surpassed Pavin Smith for me as the guy I want from the college hitter ranks in large part because he can play the outfield and play it well, at least the corners. He has walked twice as much as he has struck out this year and hit 14 HRs in a notoriously tough hitter’s park. I just love that type of plate discipline with emerging power. Sure, the downside is that his power does not translate to the pros and he is relegated to left field due to an average arm, but I am willing to take that risk, especially when you juxtapose him with Smith who has the same concerns but as a first baseman and Kendall who has serious swing-and-miss concerns.

 

College Pitcher

 

Not really a huge fan of the college pitchers that might be available at 11 (Bukauskas, Faedo, Lange, Peterson or Houck).

 

In my perfect world, I would get Haseley, but, because he will likely be gone by the time the Sox pick, I would go Pratto as 1A and Carlson as 1B.

Edited June 5, 2017 by maggsmaggs

[steveno89]

Because putting these thoughts to paper so to speak will allow me to one day see how poorly I performed (or how well I suppose), I decided to post who I think the Sox should draft at 11. Trying to be realistic about who will be available (basically excluding MLB Pipeline’s Top 5), I will list one high school pitcher, a high school hitter and a college hitter, but no college pitchers because I am not impressed with that collection this year.

 

High School Pitcher

 

Sam Carlson, RHP, Minnesota

 

I love his classic pitcher’s build at 6’4” and 195 lbs and his deep repertoire. According to MLB Pipeline, he throws in the mid-90s with life and sink and commands the pitch well. He also has a solid change-up which he uses frequently and an improving slider. Watching some Youtube highlights, his delivery looks a little rushed, but that seems like an easy fix in pro ball.

 

High School Hitter

 

Nick Pratto, 1B, California

 

Just love everything about his bat, and although he will likely be a first baseman in pro ball, he is said to be excellent there. I know he is relatively unathletic and does not play a premium position, but I think the combination of elite bat and defense at first base would be very valuable regardless.

 

College Hitter

 

Adam Haseley

 

He surpassed Pavin Smith for me as the guy I want from the college hitter ranks in large part because he can play the outfield and play it well, at least the corners. He has walked twice as much as he has struck out this year and hit 14 HRs in a notoriously tough hitter’s park. I just love that type of plate discipline with emerging power. Sure, the downside is that his power does not translate to the pros and he is relegated to left field due to an average arm, but I am willing to take that risk, especially when you juxtapose him with Smith who has the same concerns but as a first baseman and Kendall who has serious swing-and-miss concerns.

 

College Pitcher

 

Not really a huge fan of the college pitchers that might be available at 11 (Bukauskas, Faedo, Lange, Peterson or Houck).

 

In my perfect world, I would get Haseley, but, because he will likely be gone by the time the Sox pick, I would go Pratto as 1A and Carlson as 1B.

 

Given the timeline of the White Sox rebuild, I do not think it is likely that that draft a high school player in the first round. Best case of development timeline for a high school player would be 4-6 years in the minors before they are ready to contribute at the mlb level. Sox are likely wanting to select a college arm or bat in the first round that could jive with the timeline of other prospects like Moncada, Collins, Giolito, Lopez, Kopech, Dunning, Adams, Robert, etc.

 

Haseley will likely be gone by #11 given how strong his season was.

 

Carlson looks solid, but see above regarding timeline.

 

I'm not a fan of drafting a prep 1B only player in the top 15 overall as the 1B position is pretty easy to fill. Not knocking Pratto, but I'd much rather go with an arm or skill position player prospect that high.

[fathom]

Burger has not been overly impressive to me in the Regionals

[caulfield12]

Haseley's going to go 6-9 according to nearly everyone, correct?

 

Hostetler hyped Beck a lot, smokescreen to draw attention off Kendall? The problem with THAT particular theory is that nearly everyone is baseball knows we're after him, and unless the A's took him at 6th, he's quite likely to be there for the White Sox to take at 11th. No matter what the tool package, kids at the high school level with that much hype pan out about 10% of the time.

 

Guys like Smith and to a lesser extent Haseley...did they peak this year? How well will their power translate with wooden bats at corner positions (LF/RF and 1B).

 

With the insurance of Robert already in the fold, it does seem that you at least have the option to take the higher floor/lower ceiling choice in a Pavin Smith, but it's still highly unlikely either of those options are there.

 

As we've already gone through with Rodon/Fulmer and all of our pitching prospects (up and downs), taking Faedo at 11 when he's only throwing 90-92 is scary as heck. Having Robert AND Kendall, the odds are super high at least one of them makes it, if not both.

Edited June 6, 2017 by caulfield12

[Nokona]

In the 4th round range, Toffey from Vandy and Mahan from Kentucky have been super impressive in the games I've seen

 

2 bombs from Toffey tonight

[fathom]

2 bombs from Toffey tonight

 

His stock has to be skyrocketing. Probably best offensive player I've seen in the Regionals