Frank_Thomas Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 HS-LHP- Brady Aiken, Cathedral Catholic HS (Calif.) Didn't know Hoffman was hurt, they have him slipping to 18 to the Nats. Here's the rest of the top 5 and a link if you want to see how the rest is mocked. 1. Astros: Carlos Rodon, LHP, North Carolina State A slow start left Rodon's status as the top pick in question, and one of the big high school pitchers below could still be Houston's choice, but here's saying the N.C. State lefty has done enough to reclaim the spot. 2. Marlins: Tyler Kolek, RHP, Shepherd HS (Texas) The Marlins love left-handed pitching, and there'd be nothing wrong with Brady Aiken here, but the size and pure stuff of Kolek is too hard to pass up. 3. White Sox: Brady Aiken, LHP, Cathedral Catholic HS (Calif.) The White Sox might be in the best spot. They can just take whichever of the top three arms is available. 4. Cubs: Alex Jackson, C/OF, Rancho Bernardo HS (Calif.) This might be the first place where the injury to Hoffman is really felt. Jackson is considered by many to be the best all-around hitter in the class. 5. Twins: Nick Gordon, SS, Olympia HS (Fla.) Dee's brother and Flash's son will be able to stay at shortstop and has added strength, making him a better all-around prospect. http://m.mlb.com/news/article/2014051675655476/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Lucy's Avocado Farm Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Really hoping Kolek falls/slips to the Sox... if you can call #3 overall "slipping or falling" to the Sox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank_Thomas Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) Unfortunately don't know much about any of these three liked Hoffman a ton before he was injured. Actually surprised the draft is only 3 weeks out. However did find this interesting comparison when reading a quick scouring report on Aiken. I think you guys may like it. "There's a ton to love about Aiken, he's a High School Lefty who 3 months ago was known most to scouts for having far advanced pitchability and control, with a middling fastball that showed promise. Then Aiken showed up in 2014 and his Fastball was no longer a middling offering in the high-80's, it was suddenly a beast he could throw low to mid 90's with an ability to rear back and unleash a 97mph Fastball on occasion. Well, now that's much more interesting and it's drawn comparisons to none other than Clayton Kershaw. Aiken is a near finished product for a High Schooler. He may add a few more pounds to a 6'4" 200 lb frame and maybe with it a mile or two on his Fastball, but mid-90's is plenty for a left hander." Clearly with a HS pitcher he's a work in progress as the rest of the scouting report touches on but a CK comparison gets me pretty giddy. http://www.thegoodphight.com/2014/4/15/560...brady-aiken-lhp Edited May 16, 2014 by Frank_Thomas35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harfman77 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 That would be perfect for me, I would love to get Aiken. Rodon would a solid option as well, I would rather go underslot than take Kolek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtySox Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 This is all in the draft thread already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Lucy's Avocado Farm Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 QUOTE (IowaSoxFan @ May 16, 2014 -> 11:44 AM) That would be perfect for me, I would love to get Aiken. Rodon would a solid option as well, I would rather go underslot than take Kolek. Ha. After I posted about how "I hope the Sox draft Kolek" I watched video of him. Reminds me of Jonathon Broxton. Big guy with max effort motion. I cant imagine he stays healthy / away from the bullpen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winninguglyin83 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 as long as it isn't Lance Broadway or Kyle McCullough, I'm fine with either Aiken or Rodon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCCWS Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 QUOTE (Charlie Haeger's Knuckles @ May 16, 2014 -> 02:27 PM) Ha. After I posted about how "I hope the Sox draft Kolek" I watched video of him. Reminds me of Jonathon Broxton. Big guy with max effort motion. I cant imagine he stays healthy / away from the bullpen. Since we probably have the best LH in baseball, I was hoping we take a RH in thi spot. But the decision will probably be made for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witesoxfan Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 QUOTE (SCCWS @ May 16, 2014 -> 02:22 PM) Since we probably have the best LH in baseball, I was hoping we take a RH in thi spot. But the decision will probably be made for us. Handedness matters very little in this instance. Draft the best arm you can. Would it really be a bad thing to have two pitchers like Chris Sale in the rotation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sin city sox fan Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 This mock has UNLV ace Erick Fedde dropping all the way to the Cardinals at 34 as a result of his Tommy John surgery. Honestly, I don't think he drops that far, but if happens to last until our pick in round 2, I'd love to see the Sox take him. Obviously, he'll be out for a while recovering, but this kid is the real deal and will likely be a top starter in 3-4 years for whatever team gets him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tannerfan Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I don't follow the world of prospects, but is it possible the WS shock everyone by passing on one of these high schoolers and go for a college guy who can get to the bigs sooner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 QUOTE (Tannerfan @ May 16, 2014 -> 05:40 PM) I don't follow the world of prospects, but is it possible the WS shock everyone by passing on one of these high schoolers and go for a college guy who can get to the bigs sooner? Anything is possible, and yes. The MLB draft really is so much of a crapshoot that the team could easily have a scout or two saying "for the love of god don't take this guy" and go somewhere else. It might well even work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chitownsportsfan Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 16, 2014 -> 04:59 PM) Anything is possible, and yes. The MLB draft really is so much of a crapshoot that the team could easily have a scout or two saying "for the love of god don't take this guy" and go somewhere else. It might well even work. Yea but there is a very clear top 3 this year and the Sox (imo) would be foolish not to draft Aiken or Krolek because they are high school arms. These are guys that are at the top of what is widely regarded as a pretty good draft for a reason. Krolek, under the Sox' tutelage, could be ready in '17 -- by then the Sox should be well back to competing if Hahn continues his work and they can work him in slowly without him being "the savior". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 QUOTE (chitownsportsfan @ May 16, 2014 -> 06:35 PM) Yea but there is a very clear top 3 this year and the Sox (imo) would be foolish not to draft Aiken or Krolek because they are high school arms. These are guys that are at the top of what is widely regarded as a pretty good draft for a reason. Krolek, under the Sox' tutelage, could be ready in '17 -- by then the Sox should be well back to competing if Hahn continues his work and they can work him in slowly without him being "the savior". I probably agree with you but I don't have scouts of my own to work with. If Cooper was saying that Aiken will be undergoing TJS by age 20 and there was nothing he could do about it, would you trust the generally declared top 3 or would you trust the guy who has pushed the WHite Sox to the fewest Tommy John Surgerys of any team in baseball? There are other potential benefits of drafting a different guy don't forget...if you draft a guy that will sign for $2 million under the slot value because he was expected to go around pick 5, that's $2 million you could spend on other guys in your draft. That's like getting a couple extra 3rd round picks later in the draft. Again, I would probably agree with you, but the tradeoffs need to be noted here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 If Don Cooper tells me to pass on a pitcher, I walk away, no questions asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quin Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 16, 2014 -> 06:58 PM) If Don Cooper tells me to pass on a pitcher, I walk away, no questions asked. Same for if a pitcher like Aiken/Kolek/Rodon gets his approval. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caulfield12 Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Surprised nobody has attempted to get Cooper's take on the top 3-4 arms (including Hoffman). It would have been hard for him to suppress his opinion/s. Or he would have made some smart-alecky comment about not having time to do both draft scouting and manage a big league pitching staff with a revolving door bullpen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gosox41 Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 QUOTE (Tannerfan @ May 16, 2014 -> 04:40 PM) I don't follow the world of prospects, but is it possible the WS shock everyone by passing on one of these high schoolers and go for a college guy who can get to the bigs sooner? I want a player with big upside. What about the C/OF the Cubs may take at 4. The best all around hitter in the draft. While I want the Sox to get pitching (Rodon) I am wary of taking a HS pitcher in the first round. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank_Thomas Posted May 17, 2014 Author Share Posted May 17, 2014 (edited) I'll admit I'm very naive as to this years draft. Usually I am doing a bit a research on drafts, but for whatever reason this one snuck up a bit on me. As far as the articles I have read this draft is as deep as it has been a while, ( good timing for a historically bad season last year) however before this season there was a clear consensus that the top four picks would be pitchers. Those pitchers have changed due to injury,and positive and negative starts of seasons. But from what I have read the top four players were Hoffman (who was injured), Rondon, Kolek, and Aiken. Jackson the catcher you asked about has always been the fifth and first Position player and I always asked the samething. If its a pitcher and everyday player why not take the player who has an impact everyday. As a catcher, he has an impact on every ball pitched. I'm not sure what the scouting report or the people who follow young prospects take is, but the more I read on Aiken the more I like him. As far as injury prone I definitely feel like Kolek is more of an injury worry. Most scouts say the physical side is there but mentally he struggles and they worry about his ability to repeat mechanics day in. Aiken however is a fluid easy going motion. If you look at the video attached in page one in my post and compare it to the same sites scouting report of Koleks, you may see what i am taking about. fWiw Jackson is catching in both videos. Need to read up on that kid. Edited May 17, 2014 by Frank_Thomas35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 16, 2014 -> 08:10 PM) Surprised nobody has attempted to get Cooper's take on the top 3-4 arms (including Hoffman). It would have been hard for him to suppress his opinion/s. Or he would have made some smart-alecky comment about not having time to do both draft scouting and manage a big league pitching staff with a revolving door bullpen. The rest of the coaches throughout the org are probably familiar with whatever his format is and would take that into account even if he hadn't looked at a guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Parque Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 If Jeff Hoffman is still there in round 2, don't you have to take him if you're the Sox? That's great value (albeit delayed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 QUOTE (Butter Parque @ May 17, 2014 -> 10:17 AM) If Jeff Hoffman is still there in round 2, don't you have to take him if you're the Sox? That's great value (albeit delayed) Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 QUOTE (Quinarvy @ May 16, 2014 -> 07:06 PM) Same for if a pitcher like Aiken/Kolek/Rodon gets his approval. Agreed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 16, 2014 -> 07:10 PM) Surprised nobody has attempted to get Cooper's take on the top 3-4 arms (including Hoffman). It would have been hard for him to suppress his opinion/s. Or he would have made some smart-alecky comment about not having time to do both draft scouting and manage a big league pitching staff with a revolving door bullpen. I am sure the organization has done exactly that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCCWS Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 QUOTE (witesoxfan @ May 16, 2014 -> 04:00 PM) Handedness matters very little in this instance. Draft the best arm you can. Would it really be a bad thing to have two pitchers like Chris Sale in the rotation? No but if you agree Sale is the best LH in baseball, you probably are not going to get someone jthat good. With Quintana already in the rotation, I was hoping a RH stud would fall in our laps. But as i posted, we will get who ends up 3rd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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