2019 MLB draft thread

[Flash]

Strikes me as odd that Vaughn plays 1B for Cal. He was a HS SS and even pitched a bit at Cal so you'd think he had the skills to play 3B. He is said to be excellent with the leather at 1B but imagine his stock if he played 3rd. Do any Pac 10 fans know? Is it because Cal has some other stud 3rd baseman?

[beautox]

1 hour ago, DirtySox said:

I'm no expert and still doing research on this draft class, but I feel like it's going to take a combination of someone emerging with huge helium this year (Misner?), one of the Orioles/Royals wanting to go under-slot to allocate to later rounds, and the other team being enamored with Bobby Witt, for Adley to fall to 3. He's just so well rounded, so safe, plays a premium position, and will theoretically be quick to the bigs. Caveat. Still super early. Remember when Singer was going 1.1 this time last year? Though I feel Adley is a different animal.

While I agree, I think its entirely possible he falls to the sox at 3; it is entirely possible he gets prospect fatigue like Rodon. The O's new front office might opt to go in a similar fashion as the astros with Correa in '12 or the twins recently. As for the royals I could see them getting cute too and going under slot both the O's and Royals have 4 in the top 80.

[DirtySox]

1 minute ago, beautox said:

While I agree, I think its entirely possible he falls to the sox at 3; it is entirely possible he gets prospect fatigue like Rodon. The O's new front office might opt to go in a similar fashion as the astros with Correa in '12 or the twins recently. As for the royals I could see them getting cute too and going under slot both the O's and Royals have 4 in the top 80.

Fingers crossed. I fell in love watching him in the College World Series this year. He was otherworldly.

[Dominikk85]

If adley falls the sox should definitely take him. Fangraphs have him as the only 55 pre draft.

 

[Dam8610]

3 hours ago, dominik-keul@gmx.de said:

If adley falls the sox should definitely take him. Fangraphs have him as the only 55 pre draft.

 

That will change by draft day. There will likely be a few more 55s and a guy or two (maybe 3?) that get bumped up to 60s. Adley may be a 60 by draft day.

[fathom]

Times like this I hate that Directv doesn't pick up the Pac 10 Network.  I will say though, Oregon St's twitter site does a phenomenal job of including video highlights.

[fathom]

Looked at Vaughn's stats again.  They're comically awesome.  He seems like the 1B version of Madrigal (in a good way).  I also don't think having Burger or Sheets on the roster is reason to shy away from him.

[Balta1701]

13 minutes ago, fathom said:

Looked at Vaughn's stats again.  They're comically awesome.  He seems like the 1B version of Madrigal (in a good way).  I also don't think having Burger or Sheets on the roster is reason to shy away from him.

Hell if Moncada wasn't a reason to stay away from a 2b then guys who aren't even in the bigs aren't reasons to stay away from a 1b. The only reason to stay away from him is if you think there's a better value/bet available at the 3rd draft pick than that particular first baseman. As with Moncada and Madrigal, if the former guy seizes the position and the next guy breaks out and is on the cusp of the big leagues, then worst case scenario you have yourself a ton of trade value.

[yesterday333]

16 hours ago, fathom said:

Times like this I hate that Directv doesn't pick up the Pac 10 Network.  I will say though, Oregon St's twitter site does a phenomenal job of including video highlights.

I am not sure about the other schools but I was able to watch quite a few Stanford games on their website last year. Maybe osu offers this as well.

And I wanna say I am happy there is finally some activity on this board. I like this board more than the main board.

[reiks12]

21 hours ago, Flash said:

Strikes me as odd that Vaughn plays 1B for Cal. He was a HS SS and even pitched a bit at Cal so you'd think he had the skills to play 3B. He is said to be excellent with the leather at 1B but imagine his stock if he played 3rd. Do any Pac 10 fans know? Is it because Cal has some other stud 3rd baseman?

Can anyone touch on this? Sorry if the answer is already in the thread.

[yesterday333]

2 hours ago, reiks12 said:

Can anyone touch on this? Sorry if the answer is already in the thread.

Ive been wondering this for a while. Sounds like he is a good athlete with a good arm. I wonder what is putting him at 1B

[Dominikk85]

2 hours ago, reiks12 said:

Can anyone touch on this? Sorry if the answer is already in the thread.

No chance. College 1B never move up in position and in fact even college 3b have a pretty bad prognosis considering staying at third (a lot have to move to first).

If he is an average or better 1b that would be excellent for him.

[Flash]

The question was if anyone knew of a specific reason why he is playing 1B. Given his middle IF and pitching experience and the fact he's 6'1" R/R , just seems as though he might profile better at 3rd, unless of course Cal has a better 3rd baseman. Wondering if any Pac 10 fans had some perspective. Either way, the guy looks like Trout at the plate.  

[CWSpalehoseCWS]

BA released a mock draft for anyone interested: https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/mlb-mock-draft/

 

They have the first 3 picks as follows:

1. ORIOLES - Rutschman

2. ROYALS - Witt Jr.

3. WHITE SOX - Vaughn

 

Quote

Why It Makes Sense: The White Sox have drafted college prospects with each of their last six first-round selections. After taking the best college hitter in 2018 in Nick Madrigal, the White Sox could do it again with Vaughn, who has a case as the best combination of both hitting ability and power in the draft class.

 

EDIT: Disregard this, I'm an idiot 😎

Edited December 22, 2018 by CWSpalehoseCWS

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

I really REALLY hope the best guy that falls to us at #3 is not a 1B. 

[Dominikk85]

10 hours ago, Flash said:

The question was if anyone knew of a specific reason why he is playing 1B. Given his middle IF and pitching experience and the fact he's 6'1" R/R , just seems as though he might profile better at 3rd, unless of course Cal has a better 3rd baseman. Wondering if any Pac 10 fans had some perspective. Either way, the guy looks like Trout at the plate.  

Zack greinke also played SS in HS, that is nothing unusual. A lot of college and mlb corner guys have been HS middle infielders.

[caulfield12]

We know this about Vaughn.  He doesn’t run very well.  He can throw about 92 as a pitcher, so he has the arm for 3b.  He was voted first team PAC 12 as a defender at 1B.

He’s also a touch under 6 feet, listed at 5’11”.

 

"In 1999, we had the two Joshes [Hamilton and Beckett] and then everybody else," a National League scouting official said. "It could be a similar situation this year with Rutschman and Witt. Bobby Witt's kid is certainly one of the most exciting kids I've seen in a long time. You have to go back a long way to see a shortstop with those tools."

Some teams would group Vaughn, the reigning Golden Spikes Award winner, with Rutschman and Witt. He's the best offensive player available, a .402/.531/.819 hitter as a sophomore who draws raves for his ability to barrel balls, hit for power and control the strike zone.

https://www.mlb.com/news/2019-draft-top-50-prospects-list-revealed/c-301460626

 

3. Chicago White Sox Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Cal

 

I can hear the White Sox moans from here-- not another college bat! Especially not an undersized first baseman. The last two years, the White Sox have drafted my guy in the draft and without a doubt, this year it’s Vaughn. Vaughn had a strong freshman year and then came back and nearly doubled his home run total, more than doubled his walk total, and also doubled his doubles total while striking out less. The White Sox have targeted players who hit for power with low strikeout rates. There is not one stat in which Vaughn did not excel. Over the summer, he was selling out for power in the Cape and, while it worked, his walk and strikeout totals were off. It still shows, though, that he can hit for power with wood bats. We have heard the Seth Beer hype the last few years; Vaughn is a plus version of Beer. His size and position will be the knocks on Vaughn, but he should be the first bat to the majors and a middle of the order hitter in a hurry.

 

4. Miami Marlins Riley Greene, OF, Hagerty HS (FL)

The Marlins have been targeting upside in trades and via the draft. I thought they did very well a year ago, drafting high ceiling prep players. Greene would make it back to back years for the Marlins using their first rounder on a high ceiling outfielder from the Florida prep ranks. Greene is a legitimate five-tool talent who could challenge Bobby Witt for the top player in this draft. For fun, go look at Greene on the Perfect Game site; his lowest percentile rank is 93.61 in all the areas they measure. 

 

5. Detroit Tigers Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor

Last year, there was some late talk that the Tigers were tempted to draft Joey Bart with the first overall pick. I think they made the right pick, taking Casey Mize instead. This year, they have a chance to draft a similar talent in Shea Langeliers. Langeliers has a better defensive profile, but more questions with his bat. I also think the Tigers have a heck of a future catcher with Jake Rogers. Still, there is no position harder to fill than catcher and Langeliers power means he should be a player who would profile anywhere. He did not hit for average a year ago, mostly in part because of a major drop in BABIP. The Tigers have been looking for a consistent catcher for years; Langeliers and Rogers would give them the best catching prospects the Tigers have had since I started covering the minors.

https://247sports.com/mlb/scouting/Article/Way-Too-Early-Mock-2019-122757013/

[Chicago White Sox]

Vaughn is definitely intriguing.  I know in a perfect world you’d want an up the middle type player or a pitcher with ace upside at #3, but I’m not passing on a 1B if my scouts are confident he can be elite.

[Flash]

3 hours ago, dominik-keul@gmx.de said:

Zack greinke also played SS in HS, that is nothing unusual. A lot of college and mlb corner guys have been HS middle infielders.

Dominik - thanks for your response. I understand players might end up playing a different position as they progress through the ranks. What I am trying to understand, maybe from someone who is close to the Cal/Pac 10 baseball scene, is whether the reason he is at 1B is due to him being inadequate at 3B or, as was the case with Madrigal, there is a better fielder who Cal wants in the lineup. Could be he is at 1B because Cal values his glove there to save IF throwing errors. Just wondering.

[Y2Jimmy0]

4 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

We know this about Vaughn.  He doesn’t run very well.  He can throw about 92 as a pitcher, so he has the arm for 3b.  He was voted first team PAC 12 as a defender at 1B.

He’s also a touch under 6 feet, listed at 5’11”.

 

"In 1999, we had the two Joshes [Hamilton and Beckett] and then everybody else," a National League scouting official said. "It could be a similar situation this year with Rutschman and Witt. Bobby Witt's kid is certainly one of the most exciting kids I've seen in a long time. You have to go back a long way to see a shortstop with those tools."

Some teams would group Vaughn, the reigning Golden Spikes Award winner, with Rutschman and Witt. He's the best offensive player available, a .402/.531/.819 hitter as a sophomore who draws raves for his ability to barrel balls, hit for power and control the strike zone.

https://www.mlb.com/news/2019-draft-top-50-prospects-list-revealed/c-301460626

 

3. Chicago White Sox Andrew Vaughn, 1B, Cal

 

I can hear the White Sox moans from here-- not another college bat! Especially not an undersized first baseman. The last two years, the White Sox have drafted my guy in the draft and without a doubt, this year it’s Vaughn. Vaughn had a strong freshman year and then came back and nearly doubled his home run total, more than doubled his walk total, and also doubled his doubles total while striking out less. The White Sox have targeted players who hit for power with low strikeout rates. There is not one stat in which Vaughn did not excel. Over the summer, he was selling out for power in the Cape and, while it worked, his walk and strikeout totals were off. It still shows, though, that he can hit for power with wood bats. We have heard the Seth Beer hype the last few years; Vaughn is a plus version of Beer. His size and position will be the knocks on Vaughn, but he should be the first bat to the majors and a middle of the order hitter in a hurry.

 

4. Miami Marlins Riley Greene, OF, Hagerty HS (FL)

The Marlins have been targeting upside in trades and via the draft. I thought they did very well a year ago, drafting high ceiling prep players. Greene would make it back to back years for the Marlins using their first rounder on a high ceiling outfielder from the Florida prep ranks. Greene is a legitimate five-tool talent who could challenge Bobby Witt for the top player in this draft. For fun, go look at Greene on the Perfect Game site; his lowest percentile rank is 93.61 in all the areas they measure. 

 

5. Detroit Tigers Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor

Last year, there was some late talk that the Tigers were tempted to draft Joey Bart with the first overall pick. I think they made the right pick, taking Casey Mize instead. This year, they have a chance to draft a similar talent in Shea Langeliers. Langeliers has a better defensive profile, but more questions with his bat. I also think the Tigers have a heck of a future catcher with Jake Rogers. Still, there is no position harder to fill than catcher and Langeliers power means he should be a player who would profile anywhere. He did not hit for average a year ago, mostly in part because of a major drop in BABIP. The Tigers have been looking for a consistent catcher for years; Langeliers and Rogers would give them the best catching prospects the Tigers have had since I started covering the minors.

https://247sports.com/mlb/scouting/Article/Way-Too-Early-Mock-2019-122757013/

I would rather have CJ Abrams than Witt personally. Abrams reminds me of Lindor 

[beautox]

fangraphs just updated their draft board here

Vaughn sliding down to #6, Abrams at #2 and Stott at #3

[Quin]

20 minutes ago, beautox said:

fangraphs just updated their draft board here

Vaughn sliding down to #6, Abrams at #2 and Stott at #3

Langeliers at 11, Witt at 9.

 

[yesterday333]

1 hour ago, beautox said:

fangraphs just updated their draft board here

Vaughn sliding down to #6, Abrams at #2 and Stott at #3

Interesting that mlb.com has Kameron Misner at #11 with very high ranking on all his tools, and fangraphs does not list him at all.

[Dominikk85]

I don't think updates now mean that much. 

However rutschman and vaughn basically are as high as they can get because they already performed so well, there is simply no more room up and especially vaughn could fall even his performance only slips a little bit or if other more versatile players perform.

Even rutschman could fall a little if he has a non great season.

With the high school guys anything can happen from staying at the top to falling to late first. 

Really AR and vaughn are the safest bets. I would be surprised if AR doesn't go 1-3 and vaughn not 3-6 unless something drastic happens.

[beautox]

My hope is similar to Rodon; Rutschman gets prospect fatigue and the O's and Royals get cute and focus on HS bats and more $ to spread down draft.