Using fangraphs scouting grades:

 

4. madrigal (55FV)

12-18 range walker steele (high 40)

12-18 range Konnor pilkington (high 40)

after 25 lency delgado (35), stiever (35), andrew perez (35)

 

Of course those are current projections if they develope "normally". with a great performance they could rise (and of course it could also go the other way if they do badly). the first 3 picks definitely help the system. madrigal is a new high end guy after some graduations and steele and pilkington are a nice boost for the second half of the systems top10.

1 hour ago, dominik-keul@gmx.de said:

Using fangraphs scouting grades:

 

4. madrigal (55FV)

12-18 range walker steele (high 40)

12-18 range Konnor pilkington (high 40)

after 25 lency delgado (35), stiever (35), andrew perez (35)

 

Of course those are current projections if they develope "normally". with a great performance they could rise (and of course it could also go the other way if they do badly). the first 3 picks definitely help the system. madrigal is a new high end guy after some graduations and steele and pilkington are a nice boost for the second half of the systems top10.

Ultimately, you SHOULD have Luis Robert and Madrigal battling it out over the next two years for "top prospect."

Jimenez will be #1 going into next year.  Kopech MIGHT be graduated...we shall see.

Then you have Collins, Cease, Hansen and Dunning somewhere in that next grouping or tier.

And then the survivor/s of the Adolfo/Rutherford/Basabe/L.Gonzalez OF battle/s in the next tier, alongside Burdi.

BTW would it make sense to keep eloy and kopech down all year? most of the top prosects will arrive around 2020/2021. Maybe the team should do everything to maximize the 2021-2027 window. Now I get moncada, giolito and rodon don't really fit that timeline but I think the eloy, robert, madrigal, kopech, collins and hopefully also burger, hansen, rutherford could be the more important wave of prospects. if needed you could even trade one of moncada/rodon if they raise their value. hopefully rodon gets healthy again  he actually did produce 2 and 2.6 WAR his first two seasons which is good but then went downhill.

Through 2023 is either 3 or 4 years in the Sox competitive window for Moncada....

Abreu and Rodon are big ?’s.

Ranking either Robert or Madrigal is difficult at the moment. Just give me like 100 PAs to build an opinion. There should almost be an incomplete rank until they can play a few games.  At the moment I'd put Jimenez, Kopech & Hansen all above them simply because I have a much better idea of what those guys could eventually become. If Zack Collins keeps mashing and I keep seeing positive blurbs on his receiving improvements I'd might be inclined to rank him in the top 4.

Hansen can't be ranked ahead of them because he hasn't proven that he will even pitch this year in a regular MILB game...and I'd have Cease in that list as well, ahead of Dunning.

Edited June 7, 20187 yr by caulfield12

Just now, caulfield12 said:

Hansen can't be ranked ahead of them because he hasn't proven that he will even pitch this year in a regular MILB game...and I'd have Cease in that list as well, ahead of Dunning.

I have nearly 200 IP to evaluate Hanson and despite the time he's missed I'm working under the assumption his injury is not serious. After 100 PAs from both Robert & Madrigal I may change my opinion, but for now he has the benefit of the doubt. 

It would put my mind at ease if they came out and said he's do back soon. The longer things stay quiet like this the more paranoid I become. 

At first blush I'd go:

1. Eloy Jimenez OF

2. Michael Kopech RHP

3. Luis Robert OF

4. Nick Madrigal SS

5. Alec Hansen RHP

6. Zack Collins C

7. Dane Dunning RHP

8. Dylan Cease RHP

9. Blake Rutherford OF

10. Luis Basabe OF

11. Micker Adolfo OF

12. Steele Walker OF

13. Luis Gonzalez OF

14. Jake Burger 3B

15. Gavin Sheets 1B

16. Jordan Stephens RHP

17. Zack Burdi RHP

18. Seby Zavala C

19. Konnor Pilkington LHP

20. Spencer Adams RHP 

50 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

At first blush I'd go:

1. Eloy Jimenez OF

2. Michael Kopech RHP

3. Luis Robert OF

4. Nick Madrigal SS

5. Alec Hansen RHP

6. Zack Collins C

7. Dane Dunning RHP

8. Dylan Cease RHP

9. Blake Rutherford OF

10. Luis Basabe OF

11. Micker Adolfo OF

12. Steele Walker OF

13. Luis Gonzalez OF

14. Jake Burger 3B

15. Gavin Sheets 1B

16. Jordan Stephens RHP

17. Zack Burdi RHP

18. Seby Zavala C

19. Konnor Pilkington LHP

20. Spencer Adams RHP 

7 OF's in our top 13. Clearly the strength of our system and likely to be the area of surplus we can trade from when contending. I like those rankings, hell of a top 20 and some more intriguing arms in the system that didn't even make the list: Hamilton, Battenfield, Henzman, Johnson, etc.

1 hour ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

At first blush I'd go:

1. Eloy Jimenez OF

2. Michael Kopech RHP

3. Luis Robert OF

4. Nick Madrigal SS

5. Alec Hansen RHP

6. Zack Collins C

7. Dane Dunning RHP

8. Dylan Cease RHP

9. Blake Rutherford OF

10. Luis Basabe OF

11. Micker Adolfo OF

12. Steele Walker OF

13. Luis Gonzalez OF

14. Jake Burger 3B

15. Gavin Sheets 1B

16. Jordan Stephens RHP

17. Zack Burdi RHP

18. Seby Zavala C

19. Konnor Pilkington LHP

20. Spencer Adams RHP 

Cease should be above Dunning based on +upside/TOR potential...might even have him over Hansen as of this exact moment in time.

I would have a hard time ranking any of the arms we just drafted over Henzman. Dude has been a ground ball dealing machine. Anyone with the ability to get guys to pound the ball into the ground at his rate has a chance at a long big league career.

14 minutes ago, mac9001 said:

I would have a hard time ranking any of the arms we just drafted over Henzman. Dude has been a ground ball dealing machine. Anyone with the ability to get guys to pound the ball into the ground at his rate has a chance at a long big league career.

Our Mississippi State kid's definitely going to start out rated higher...Pilkington.

7 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Our Mississippi State kid's definitely going to start out rated higher...Pilkington.

Pilkington was a really good pick in the third round. His career numbers are solid in the tough SEC and he's a lefty with remaining upside. He won't turn 21 until September and has a solid 6'3", 225 lb frame. Can't complain about getting a player that has #3/4 starter ceiling in the third round. 

10 hours ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

At first blush I'd go:

1. Eloy Jimenez OF

2. Michael Kopech RHP

3. Luis Robert OF

4. Nick Madrigal SS

5. Alec Hansen RHP

6. Zack Collins C

7. Dane Dunning RHP

8. Dylan Cease RHP

9. Blake Rutherford OF

10. Luis Basabe OF

11. Micker Adolfo OF

12. Steele Walker OF

13. Luis Gonzalez OF

14. Jake Burger 3B

15. Gavin Sheets 1B

16. Jordan Stephens RHP

17. Zack Burdi RHP

18. Seby Zavala C

19. Konnor Pilkington LHP

20. Spencer Adams RHP 

Well done. You figure in a farm system like ours you don't want more than your first 3 round picks in the top 20. Still just not that thrilled with Walker. 

23 hours ago, bmags said:

Well done. You figure in a farm system like ours you don't want more than your first 3 round picks in the top 20. Still just not that thrilled with Walker. 

I felt the same way about Walker...he seems like a very "safe" pick--nothing really seems to stand out about him and normally with a 2nd round pick, you see a reason why he's a 2nd rounder.  An OFer to boot--in a system who loaded with OF prospects.  Just through there were better options on the board for US--shoot, I could see Pilkington picked there in the 2nd round--luckily he was still there in the 3rd.  I did read somewhere that people believe Walker is one of the most likely to contribute to a MLB team this season....but there are a lot of ?? about that statement...

39 minutes ago, FT35 said:

I felt the same way about Walker...he seems like a very "safe" pick--nothing really seems to stand out about him and normally with a 2nd round pick, you see a reason why he's a 2nd rounder.  An OFer to boot--in a system who loaded with OF prospects.  Just through there were better options on the board for US--shoot, I could see Pilkington picked there in the 2nd round--luckily he was still there in the 3rd.  I did read somewhere that people believe Walker is one of the most likely to contribute to a MLB team this season....but there are a lot of ?? about that statement...

Hostetler said they didn't really consider the system as a prime motivator early on, but that he is so advanced now means we really will run into an issue. Can't remember where I read it but soemone said he will just mash low-a type leagues before he is challenged.

On 6/6/2018 at 11:44 PM, caulfield12 said:

Cease should be above Dunning based on +upside/TOR potential...might even have him over Hansen as of this exact moment in time.

I disagree. Cease has better stuff for sure but Dunning is very safely a mid-rotation starter and he's at AA already. Cease still has tons of reliever risk in my mind, has never thrown a full season of innings and is at High A. I would have Dunning ahead of him and the majority of publications agree with that as well. 

41 minutes ago, FT35 said:

I felt the same way about Walker...he seems like a very "safe" pick--nothing really seems to stand out about him and normally with a 2nd round pick, you see a reason why he's a 2nd rounder.  An OFer to boot--in a system who loaded with OF prospects.  Just through there were better options on the board for US--shoot, I could see Pilkington picked there in the 2nd round--luckily he was still there in the 3rd.  I did read somewhere that people believe Walker is one of the most likely to contribute to a MLB team this season....but there are a lot of ?? about that statement...

Hostetler loves Walker's wood bat success. He can really, really hit. They also think he's a 60 runner that can stay in CF. I'm not sure I agree with that but with mid first round grades on him he was a no brainer for their staff at #46. Time will tell if they're right. 

I guess we have to agree to disagree on that one.

You’re going with floor, I’m going with max ceiling.  Obviously, the previous TJS makes Cease a BIT riskier as well, although the velocity issue is almost the opposite of the Giolito one (gaining, rather than losing.)

3 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

Hostetler loves Walker's wood bat success. He can really, really hit. They also think he's a 60 runner that can stay in CF. I'm not sure I agree with that but with mid first round grades on him he was a no brainer for their staff at #46. Time will tell if they're right. 

He’s really going to be challenged to hold CF...foot speed is closer to Yolmer than Moncada, and his arm is also below-average.

Reminiscent of a more athletic Jeff Abbott.

25 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

He’s really going to be challenged to hold CF...foot speed is closer to Yolmer than Moncada, and his arm is also below-average.

Reminiscent of a more athletic Jeff Abbott.

His game reminds me of Nick Swisher kind of. 

1 hour ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

His game reminds me of Nick Swisher kind of. 

Hopefully he's way less of an asshole.

1 hour ago, Dam8610 said:

Hopefully he's way less of an asshole.

No joke.  I'd take the game part though...Swish had some baller years.

3 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

I guess we have to agree to disagree on that one.

You’re going with floor, I’m going with max ceiling.  Obviously, the previous TJS makes Cease a BIT riskier as well, although the velocity issue is almost the opposite of the Giolito one (gaining, rather than losing.)

The big factor that may cap the ceiling on Cease is the higher walk total with command issues compared to Dunning. Dunning is far more advanced in thos area.

Listening to yesterday’s podcast, Hostetler seemed ever so slightly tepid in enthusiasm for Walker. Deferred to the scout on this one and wished Getzy good luck fitting him in.