Let's start to separate out talk about the White Sox specifically... worth noting the White Sox slot for their top pick is $3.470,600

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2015-mlb-draft-slots/

 

If you are the White Sox do you approach guys like Matulla and Aiken with an offer of $2.5 million pre draft to see if one would jump at it?

No way do I take Matuella or Aiken.

Let's start to separate out talk about the White Sox specifically... worth noting the White Sox slot for their top pick is $3.470,600

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2015-mlb-draft-slots/

 

If you are the White Sox do you approach guys like Matulla and Aiken with an offer of $2.5 million pre draft to see if one would jump at it?

 

I still vote yes. Being able to go underslot on a high reward arm could be fantastic.

If Aiken or Matuella were willing to sign for that big of a discount it would be tempting to pull the trigger, close to $1 million to spend on prep prospects past round 10 could be huge. However, I think the injury history for both of them is too concerning so I'd stay away. If they are willing to sign for that far underslot though, Hahn could use it as leverage to negotiate with other available players.

 

Personally, I'd like to see them take a more advanced college bat like Swanson or Happ, it's been pointed out several times that we have a distinct dearth of position prospects in the system outside of Anderson, Hawkins and Trey and it would be nice to have premiere bat coming up.

Edited April 28, 201510 yr by Bruce_Blixton

At this point, I wouldn't be completely shocked if Barnum put it together and passed Trey.

 

For some reason, he seems like he's going to end up close to Brent Morel statistically. Just a hunch. Hope I'm wrong.

At this point, I wouldn't be completely shocked if Barnum put it together and passed Trey.

 

For some reason, he seems like he's going to end up close to Brent Morel statistically. Just a hunch. Hope I'm wrong.

Trey was probably rushed a bit. Still a pup.

Trey was probably rushed a bit. Still a pup.

 

Gee, how many times have we said that over the last 10-15 years about a position prospect?

If Aiken or Matuella were willing to sign for that big of a discount it would be tempting to pull the trigger, close to $1 million to spend on prep prospects past round 10 could be huge. However, I think the injury history for both of them is too concerning so I'd stay away. If they are willing to sign for that far underslot though, Hahn could use it as leverage to negotiate with other available players.

 

Personally, I'd like to see them take a more advanced college bat like Swanson or Happ, it's been pointed out several times that we have a distinct dearth of position prospects in the system outside of Anderson, Hawkins and Trey and it would be nice to have premiere bat coming up.

 

I don't recall the TJ guys signing for that big of a discount last year, may not be remembering correctly though.

I don't recall the TJ guys signing for that big of a discount last year, may not be remembering correctly though.

 

 

courtesy of OZZIEBALL

 

I hope they don't. I think it would require a significant overdraft in order to save the type of money you would need to make this strategy work. The only significant under slot signing in the first round last year outside the top 3 was the injured Kyle Freeland at #8 (~800k under slot). Even the injured Jeff Hoffman signed for slot at #9. Unless you have one of the top 3 or 4 selections or target an injured pitcher I'm just not sure how workable a strategy it is.

 

Personally I'd rather they just go all in on the #8 pick and ensure they have at least one impact type talent entering the system. I'd rather have a 1st and a 4th round pick than two 2nd's, if that's the trade-off.

 

Eric Fedde was the other one...or you could look at Lucas Giolito as well with the Nationals in previous years.

 

Certainly it's likely to happen with Aiken. Can't imagine him waiting at least one more year and probably two to be back to anything close to 100%.

Edited April 28, 201510 yr by caulfield12

Honestly, I just want them to pick the best all around player possible. Someone that is solid both defensively and offensively (if it's a position player). We need to hit on these picks, they should be the cornerstones of our franchise for the next decade.

At this point, I wouldn't be completely shocked if Barnum put it together and passed Trey.

 

For some reason, he seems like he's going to end up close to Brent Morel statistically. Just a hunch. Hope I'm wrong.

 

Geez, we're only 3 weeks into the season and you're already writing off Trey? He more than held his own in Kanny last year for a 19 year old.

 

Gee, how many times have we said that over the last 10-15 years about a position prospect?

 

And of course the irony is Barnum is spending his 3rd year in A ball and is trending downward after his hot start in the first week.

Geez, we're only 3 weeks into the season and you're already writing off Trey? He more than held his own in Kanny last year for a 19 year old.

 

 

 

And of course the irony is Barnum is spending his 3rd year in A ball and is trending downward after his hot start in the first week.

 

 

Nobody said anything about writing him off.

 

Sure, he's got potential, athletic/raw ability.

 

 

With the premium on being able to put up 25-35 homer seasons offensively, and being left-handed...I just like Barnum more.

 

And there's nothing wrong with Trey. M. ending up with a big league career like Brent Morel...it's far from expected that a draft pick from that round even makes it to the majors.

 

 

You realize there's TWO levels to A ball, and technically 3 if you include rookie/short-season? For high school players, it's not unusual to take 3-4 years to get to AA when they're incredibly raw and unrefined coming into pro ball.

 

In all likelihood, neither guy makes a significant impact. We'll see.

Edited April 28, 201510 yr by caulfield12

I don't recall the TJ guys signing for that big of a discount last year, may not be remembering correctly though.

 

Well, they both are projected to go in the 20s now.

 

Getting picked at 8 and taking a discount would be likely on par with what they could expect to get.

Hopefully this is the last time we pick top ten for a while, so let's get it right.

I don't recall the TJ guys signing for that big of a discount last year, may not be remembering correctly though.

 

I was using the hypothetical numbers in the post that I quoted for the discount, I know that it is highly unlikely that either of Aiken or Matuella are willing to sign for such a steep discount but stranger things have happened.

Nobody said anything about writing him off.

 

Sure, he's got potential, athletic/raw ability.

 

 

With the premium on being able to put up 25-35 homer seasons offensively, and being left-handed...I just like Barnum more.

 

Trey's a switch hitter.

 

And there's nothing wrong with Trey. M. ending up with a big league career like Brent Morel...it's far from expected that a draft pick from that round even makes it to the majors.

 

You realize there's TWO levels to A ball, and technically 3 if you include rookie/short-season? For high school players, it's not unusual to take 3-4 years to get to AA when they're incredibly raw and unrefined coming into pro ball.

 

In all likelihood, neither guy makes a significant impact. We'll see.

 

So you were correcting me for generalizing A and A+ leagues, but then go on to call Rookie ball A ball as well? Thanks for the laugh Caufield. And by the way, I still remember your gripes on Quintana and his six years in "A" ball, one of which was a suspended season.

 

Regardless, most minor league gurus will tell you that the jump from A+ to Double A is the most difficult jump for minor leaguers, and Barnum has yet to make that jump.

 

As for Barnum or Trey, we know that both have power potential. With his athletic frame, scouts said that Trey has power to hit 25+ HR's, and that's as a third basemen switch hitter. For me, with power being Barnum's only stand out tool, to say his career minor league slugging % is unimpressive for a first basemen is understating it. It's hard to make a case for Barnum passing Trey based on what they've done so far.

The guy I would like is Carson Fulmer, and it will definitely be close if he makes it to the Sox's pick. None of the hitters really wow me at all - as far as college hitters. And I have ZERO faith in the Sox taking a high school bat and developing him into an MLB bat, so to me it becomes take the BPA between a college arm and a high school arm. And I think it Fulmer is the BPA. He is having a terrific year in the SEC and has electric stuff. Many worry about his size and durability, but I have still yet to see any study (maybe there is one, I honestly have no idea) that finds any correlation or causation between a pitcher's size and his ability to stay healthy. There just seems to be an assumption that if you are not 6'3" and 220, you are destined for the bullpen because you aren't built like the prototypical pitcher.

 

So he is the guy I would take. I really like Tucker, but like I said, I have no faith in the Sox being able to take a high school bat and help him become an MLB player.

Edited April 29, 201510 yr by maggsmaggs

The guy I would like is Carson Fulmer, and it will definitely be close if he makes it to the Sox's pick. None of the hitters really wow me at all - as far as college hitters. And I have ZERO faith in the Sox taking a high school bat and developing him into an MLB bat, so to me it becomes take the BPA between a college arm and a high school arm. And I think it Fulmer is the BPA. He is having a terrific year in the SEC and has electric stuff. Many worry about his size and durability, but I have still yet to see any study (maybe there is one, I honestly have no idea) that finds any correlation or causation between a pitcher's size and his ability to stay healthy. There just seems to be an assumption that if you are not 6'3" and 220, you are destined for the bullpen because you aren't built like the prototypical pitcher.

 

So he is the guy I would take. I really like Tucker, but like I said, I have no faith in the Sox being able to take a high school bat and help him become an MLB player.

Me too. Annoyingly, the Red Sox seem keen on him at number 7.

Kyle Tucker.

there is so many ways the sox can go. it all depends on how the top 7 picks goes, then what is the direction the org wants to go and lastly how they want to address it.

 

this draft may not have many superstars but i think they can have nice players if they develop as hoped.

 

also, some new names are starting to make a move, nice timing.

At this point, I wouldn't be completely shocked if Barnum put it together and passed Trey.

 

For some reason, he seems like he's going to end up close to Brent Morel statistically. Just a hunch. Hope I'm wrong.

You keep saying this on Barnum. Earlier you said he's a T10 guy with a good season. He's a 1B with essentially one tool. That tool has yet to show anything in games, and the risk areas like swing-and-miss are prolific. His chances of being a top 10 prospect in the system in the future are slim at this point, at best. And certainly he won't be there this year.

 

 

I don't recall the TJ guys signing for that big of a discount last year, may not be remembering correctly though.

 

The question is would they take say $2.5 million from us, or risk falling further down the draft where the slot amount doesn't allow that much to be offered. The #16 spot in the draft is the last place that could offer $2.5 million without being over slot. If you move that number to $3.0 million, that number moves up to the #12 slot.

If Aiken or Matuella were willing to sign for that big of a discount it would be tempting to pull the trigger, close to $1 million to spend on prep prospects past round 10 could be huge. However, I think the injury history for both of them is too concerning so I'd stay away. If they are willing to sign for that far underslot though, Hahn could use it as leverage to negotiate with other available players.

 

Personally, I'd like to see them take a more advanced college bat like Swanson or Happ, it's been pointed out several times that we have a distinct dearth of position prospects in the system outside of Anderson, Hawkins and Trey and it would be nice to have premiere bat coming up.

 

 

If you could get either guy for like $2.4 million, I'd do it. That gives you $1 million in savings to take a chance on a guy later.

If you could get either guy for like $2.4 million, I'd do it. That gives you $1 million in savings to take a chance on a guy later.

 

i have a completely different mindset than most of you guys. but depending on who is there i will go with the minimum allotted for that pick, take the bad rap in the PR and if the player signs it, fine, the team saves some money, if not, then next yr, the sox will have 2 - first rounder, one at #9.

Well, they both are projected to go in the 20s now.

 

Getting picked at 8 and taking a discount would be likely on par with what they could expect to get.

 

Yeah, still, I feel like everyone thought Hoffman would be late first until a week before draft and post-injury suddenly the "hoffman would still be selected top 15" started coming up.