2016 MLB thread. THE CUBS HAVE BROKEN THE CURSE! Chicago Cubs are your 2016 World Series champions

[JCMojica24]

Stanton went 0-5 with 4 K's and a DP.

That's rough man.

HIM you should trade Stanton to me

 

[bishopstrongbow]

Looks like it's over for Jimmy Rollins. Hell of a career.

Facts will always be appreciated.

As a Sox fan with friends who work in the org, im just not all that impressed with Tim Anderson. 

 

[HIM]

Stanton went 0-5 with 4 K's and a DP.

That's rough man.

HIM you should trade Stanton to me

Kershaw


Stanton will bounce back.

I hope.

 

[checks grossman]

http://espn.go.com/blog/mlb-draft/insider/post?id=2796

 anyone connected to the inside?

 

[madj55]

http://espn.go.com/blog/mlb-draft/insider/post?id=2796

 anyone connected to the inside?

I read an article saying M's got the deal of the draft with Lewis

I like when players I like go to teams I wouldn't mind cheering for

Hopefully y'all don't give him away like Adam Jones

 

[macbk]

Long read but a good one -

Nick Swisher still dreams of majors, wouldn't mind driving a school bus

MOOSIC, Pa. -- There are more than four hours until first pitch of Dollar Dog Night at PNC Field, the home of the New York Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and Nick Swisher is doing Nick Swisher things as he and some minor leaguers hit off a tee. Swisher keeps yelling, “Dunk it!” and coaxing his younger teammates into exaggerated high-fives as they take swing after swing in the midday heat. Everyone is working and laughing hard.

When Swisher finishes practicing, he notices a familiar New York face behind the batting cage, struts over and jokes, “What is someone of your prominence doing in a place like this?”

The visitor responds, “I was just about to ask you the same question.”

Pets are allowed in the ballpark for $1 on Dollar Dog Night, and fans can purchase hot dogs at the game for the same price. The promotion attracts an announced crowd of 4,275. At first base and batting fifth will be Nick Swisher.

Swisher owns a World Series ring and an All-Star Game appearance in a dozen mostly solid big league seasons. He is 35 years old with two bad knees. When Mark Teixeira recently hurt his knee, the Yankees passed on Swisher and chose to convert utility man Rob Refsnyder to first base and call up journeyman Chris Parmelee instead.

On Thursday night, Parmelee went down with an ugly looking hamstring injury, which means the Yankees have now lost four first basemen this year (Greg Bird and Dustin Ackley both had season-ending shoulder surgery). Swisher is hitting .238 with four homers, 17 RBIs and a .605 OPS in 42 games for Scranton and remains at Triple-A.

Still, Swisher won't give up. His wife, actress JoAnna Garcia, is due this summer with the couple’s second child. She is at their home in Tampa, Florida. He lives alone in a nearby hotel.

Swisher doesn’t act any differently than when he was a Bleacher Creature favorite for four seasons beginning in 2009. He bombastically answers the question he himself had raised: What is someone of your prominence doing in a place like this?

“Why the hell is he doing this?” Swisher said on Monday. “He has made close to $100 million. Why is he doing this? Why is he still trying to fight for this? I have a baby girl and I have another one on the way in a couple of weeks. What am I teaching my kids? When times get tough, you just quit and go home. No, man, I’m going to fight for something I want.”

From the outside, it might seem apparent that Swisher is staring at the end, but he doesn’t see it that way.

While the pristine Triple-A facility and the beautiful landscape around it make the Moosic ballpark a Rockwellian minor league setting, it isn't where Swisher wants to be. His mind is two hours to the southeast in the Bronx. He daydreams about a Swishalicious tale that seems to meld elements of "Bull Durham," "Major League," "Moneyball" and "Rudy" into one.

“I want to do be that inspirational story to somebody,” said Swisher, the 16th pick in the 2002 draft by the Oakland A's. “They could say, ‘Man, look what happened to Swisher in his career.’ A guy who was an All-Star and won the World Series and the whole nine [yards] to be kind of pushed aside in a sense and to be able to regain that fight and get what he thought was his. Why would you not want to be that guy?”

Swisher is being paid $15 million this season not to play for the Cleveland Indians and the Atlanta Braves, the final remnants of the four-year, $56 million contract he signed with Cleveland when the suddenly austere Yankees declined to pay him following the 2012 season in which he hit .272 with 24 homers and 93 RBIs.

The Indians are cutting checks worth a total of $5 million, while the Braves are in for $10 million. Atlanta cut Swisher at the end of spring training, making it difficult to find any major league interest, which might have been tough at any time because of his .204 average over the past two seasons and his bad knees. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman gave Swisher a chance, though there was no 40-man roster spot or major league guarantee.

He hit .340 during his initial 13 games in April, which he thought would lead to a quick return to the majors. When the Yankees placed Alex Rodriguez on the disabled list in early May, Swisher felt he would hear the roar of Yankee Stadium once again.

“I was as hot as a firecracker,” Swisher said. “Then a couple of moves were made and I started getting flustered. I think that is when it started to go downhill for me a little bit.”

After being passed over, Swisher went 2-for-19 and hasn’t hit much since. His swing became a little long, according to his manager, Al Pedrique, as he was trying to knock balls the 127 miles from PNC Field to Yankee Stadium.

Swisher has a lot of experience to share with his younger teammates, from his days in the Bronx, Oakland, Chicago, Cleveland and Atlanta, though he knows he is in the same boat they are. Swisher plays big brother to his minor league teammates, which sometimes means picking up a $1,000 check at a restaurant in a Syracuse mall or simply telling them tales of what The Show is really like.

“He’s the type of big leaguer you want to be,” a smiling Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ top outfield prospect, said. “He’s won a World Series. He’s been an All-Star. He’s done all that. But, even now in Triple-A with us, he just comes out and is having fun. He is always smiling. He is always positive. Even if he is 0-for-4, he is still on the bench, talking, ‘Come on, here we go.’ Even when we are down a run, he is always focused on the main thing.”

Swisher gets excited talking about how guys get a taste of the majors doing the “Scranton shuffle,” which is what the players call the quick call-ups to the Yankees.

Swisher’s eyes grow larger and his voice, if it is possible, becomes even more excited as he explains how guys return saying it is even “more awesome” than Swisher had described it. You can tell he thinks every day about getting his own call.

“Maybe run out there to right field one more time and pump those Bleacher Creatures up like a WWE wrestler, like the old days,” Swisher said. “I still think I bring a lot to the ballpark, not necessarily on the field, but even just walking into a locker room. Just being me brings a lot. I’ve put so much pressure on myself, thinking that it is going to be a sprint. I was so hot those first three or four weeks I was here, and nothing happened. From there, I just picked the wrong month to have a bad month.”

Swisher is surviving those bus rides that lack the luxury of the major league charter jets. His body is as good as it is going to be, he says. His mind is focused on his dream.

“When there are 110 people in the stands, it is tough,” Swisher said. “I’m a ham. I love playing in front of 50,000 people. I love being there when the lights are on. I think that is my biggest battle here, to keep my focus level at a certain level, I guess you could say, so I can get the numbers and produce so I can get myself where I want to be.”

Swisher said he hasn’t really thought about his next step if it doesn’t work out. He hints he would like to stay in the game in some capacity. If not, it could be time to finally go home to the day-to-day of regular life, though in his case that doesn’t sound mundane.

“I kind of always thought about buying a school bus and pimping it out and driving all the kids to school,” Swisher said. “Can you imagine me as a bus driver? Welcome to first grade! Come on, let’s go.”

 

[checks grossman]

I read an article saying M's got the deal of the draft with Lewis

I like when players I like go to teams I wouldn't mind cheering for

Hopefully y'all don't give him away like Adam Jones

Definitely been hearing a lot of good things on Kyle Lewis. A lot of reputable sources claim to have had him as a top 3-5 prospect, even some pegging him #1. Read some teams knocked him down due to level of competition. If I heard correctly, I think he's been playing baseball for only a handful of years

. You follow Mercer baseball/Kyle Lewis?

 

[madj55]

Definitely been hearing a lot of good things on Kyle Lewis. A lot of reputable sources claim to have had him as a top 3-5 prospect, even some pegging him #1. Read some teams knocked him down due to level of competition. If I heard correctly, I think he's been playing baseball for only a handful of years . You follow Mercer baseball/Kyle Lewis?

Nope, just a big fan of African American kids getting back into baseball

 

[madj55]

Jewbacca, what's the scouting report on Nick Banks?

 

[jpzx]

His bro Adam = realest cakeeater you'll ever meet

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Man I like that cake batter ice cream coldstone offers but it's hard to pair it well with toppings. Feel like those golden Oreos would go well with it but they don't have them.

 

[jewbacca2]

Jewbacca, what's the scouting report on Nick Banks?

Previously projected a first round pick. Incredibly frustrating to watch.

Great in the OF and has an absolute cannon.

Has essentially regressed at the plate. Can't handle anything on the inner part of the plate, and gets tied up on inside pitches way too often. However, he's got a great opposite field approach and that's where he does the majority of damage.

I think he's really struggled by trying to change his approach and not sticking to his strengths.

He's a natural ball player though. Well worth a 4th round pick for the potential payoff.

He also started the year with a bank injury, but there haven't been many specifics about it, so not idea how much of his struggles can be attributed to it.

 

[madj55]

Previously projected a first round pick. Incredibly frustrating to watch.

Great in the OF and has an absolute cannon.

Has essentially regressed at the plate. Can't handle anything on the inner part of the plate, and gets tied up on inside pitches way too often. However, he's got a great opposite field approach and that's where he does the majority of damage.

I think he's really struggled by trying to change his approach and not sticking to his strengths.

He's a natural ball player though. Well worth a 4th round pick for the potential payoff.

He also started the year with a bank injury, but there haven't been many specifics about it, so not idea how much of his struggles can be attributed to it.

Thanks!

Hopefully the back is what is causing his problems. I read a report he was a stud in 2015 and for Team USA and then just didn't have it this year. On video he looked good...guess I'll have to wait and see

 

[jewbacca2]

Thanks!

Hopefully the back is what is causing his problems. I read a report he was a stud in 2015 and for Team USA and then just didn't have it this year. On video he looked good...guess I'll have to wait and see

You can check him out on one of the ESPN stations at 8 central time tonight

 

[cpf262]

Villar is a beast man. Love watching the dude play. Does some knucklehead stuff here and there but has a ton of enjoyment while playing the game and works hard when nobody is watching. Gotta find a spot for him going forward

 

[cpf262]

Also this review process is a joke Overturn a call then review another part of a call to see if you can overturn the overturn based this and that Jesus

 

[checks grossman]

Nope, just a big fan of African American kids getting back into baseball

Just read Lewis has already signed too

Mariners become first team in baseball history to have 4 different players hit 2 or more homers in a game for 4 consecutive games

 

[macbk]

SportsCenter (@SportsCenter)
38 mins ago - View on Twitter
Mariners' 24th-Rd pick: Trey Griffey Angels' 23rd-Rd pick: Torii Hunter Jr. Their dads announced the selections

So awesome.

 

[EddieDoyers]

Blue Jays tearing it up today

 

[Retroballer]

NL Draft recaps

Spoiler

MLB Draft Blog
Insider
2016 MLB draft: NL team-by-team breakdown

6:11 PM ET
Keith Law
ESPN Senior Writer
Here are my summaries and opinions on the first 10 rounds of the MLB draft for all 15 National League teams; I'll write the AL team-by-team breakdown for tomorrow.

As I've stated in previous years, I don't do "winners and losers," a fool's exercise in the baseball draft. Instead, I tell you what I liked and didn't like for each team, and highlight players of note. To see the full Draft Tracker for Rounds 1-10, click here. I've also added a few players taken after the 10th round if they're notable and I think there's a reasonable chance they'll sign.

A few relevant notes:

• The number in parentheses indicates the round in which that player was selected.

• When I refer to "my rankings," I'm referring to my Big Board, my top 100 draft prospects, which can be found here.

• I also wrote about the highlights of Round 1 and Round 2, and Eric Longenhagen had pick-by-pick analysis of Round 1 through the competitive balance Round A, then round-by-round analysis of Rounds 2-10.

• If we have scouting profiles of the player mentioned, his name will link to his profile, written by Eric Longenhagen.

• We use the 20-80 grading scale for all MLB prospects.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Arizona DiamondbacksThe Diamondbacks gave up their first-round pick to sign Zack Greinke, so their first selection was in the comp round, where they took athletic 20-year-old outfielder Anfernee Grier (1A), who started out the spring on fire for Auburn but began to struggle when they started playing conference opponents. He can play center and can run well, but he really has a hard time with quality breaking stuff. … Canadian catcher Andrew Yerzy (2) seemed like a big reach, as his swing doesn't work well -- he comes down at the ball and his bat is often flat through contact -- and his only real defensive asset behind the plate is his arm.

Rice pitcher Jon Duplantier (3) had Day 1 ability, from stuff to athleticism to body, but he missed all of 2015 with a sore shoulder and then was overworked by Rice this year (shocker!), especially in the Conference USA tournament, which scared some teams off. If he stays healthy, though, this could be their best pick of the year. … Right-hander Curtis Taylor (4) from the University of British Columbia, which has produced a lot of draft picks but only one big leaguer in Jeff Francis, is up to 96 mph with some spin but is crude as a pitcher right now; he won't turn 21 for a few more weeks. … Joey Rose (5) is a bad-bodied third baseman with power from Toms River, New Jersey, whom scouts expected to end up at Oklahoma State. … Palm Beach State College lefty Mack Lemieux (6) is an interesting project, a southpaw with the arm strength to get to 92-93 and feel for a curveball, but also a very crude delivery; he lands hard and cuts himself off and could have a lot more upside once pro coaches teach him a more fluid, repeatable delivery. … Texas Tech outfielder Stephen Smith (10) is a good performance pick but is probably a 'tweener in the end, lacking the speed for center or the power to play every day in a corner spot.
Atlanta Braves

Atlanta had four picks on Day 1 and used three on high-upside high school pitchers. Right-hander Ian Anderson (1), who was seventh on my final board, had a rough spring, missing several starts due to poor weather, a strained lat and pneumonia, which meant a lot of teams had a hard time getting enough looks at him. But Atlanta was heavy at his last pre-draft start, in which he showed his best velocity of the year. He's a kid that can be projected due to his a great delivery and easy arm action that he can repeat, and the weird season he has had at least means he has been lightly used. He'll sign well under slot at pick 3, allowing Atlanta to sign left-hander Joey Wentz (1A) and right-hander Kyle Muller (2) to over-slot deals at picks 40 and 44, respectively. Wentz is a two-way player who plays first base and has plus power, but came out of the chute this spring bumping 96 mph and giving up zero hits in his first three outings, although he didn't hold the velocity into the season. There's good mid-rotation potential here. As for Muller, he's a huge Texas righty who has been sitting in the low 90s this spring and can get up to 95, with an average breaking ball but ridiculously high workloads. … Cal catcher Brett Cumberland (2A), drafted with the pick they acquired from Baltimore a few weeks ago, led the Bears in every offensive stat, hitting for average and power and getting on base as a switch-hitter, but he's a long way off defensively and will need a lot of development to stick back there. If he does, he's a potential All-Star; otherwise he's more of a regular at first or in an outfield corner.

They went the college route with Louisville lefty Drew Harrington (3), a command/performance guy with good sink and average velocity and feel for a slider and changeup. He can really pitch, but the upside is limited by the stuff, and he might be just a fifth starter. … North Carolina prep righty Bryse Wilson (4) has good stuff, including a 93-95 fastball with an upper-70s slider, but a bad delivery with a high back elbow that's late to pronate, and his fastball lacks life or plane. … Gardner-Webb's Jeremy Walker (5) is a 6-foot-5, 230-pound right-hander who popped late this spring, hitting 96 in the conference tournament. … They ran the board with senior signs, probably to preserve money for the top three picks, although Taylor Hyssong ( is a funky lefty who could end up as a specialist reliever, and Matthew Gonzalez (6) can play a bunch of positions and hits for some average. Ultimately, however, this draft will be judged by those top three arms.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs didn't pick at all on Day 1; their first selection was No. 104. Tom Hatch (3) missed all of 2015 with a UCL sprain but never had surgery, and returned this year to have an outstanding season, pitching at 92-94 and touching 96 with good sink from a three-quarters slot, along with an average changeup and above-average slider. If he'd had a clean medical history, he might have gone at the tail end of Day 1. … Tyson Miller (4) pitched at Division 2 California Baptist, where his fastball was mostly solid but average and would occasionally touch 94-95, without any real plus pitch. He's a great athlete who's still pretty raw and might be a slow mover for a college arm. … Duke right-hander Bailey Clark (5) fell badly over the course of the spring from a potential late-first selection to the fifth round. He belongs in the bullpen, with a fastball up to 99 and sharp slider but reliever delivery and 35 present command. He could end up moving quickly if the Cubs have him throw an inning or two at a time.

Chad Hockin (6) was also projected to go higher, but he didn't hold the velocity he had shown out of the gate this spring and missed a couple of weekends for an undisclosed reason. His brother, Grant, is coming back from Tommy John surgery in Cleveland's system. … Stephen Ridings ( comes out of the baseball powerhouse Haverford -- he's only the fourth player ever drafted out of the Division 3 school, and only the third in the past 25 years -- and is raw, but he's also 6-foot-8 with a live arm and the great extension you'd expect from that. … Duncan Robinson (9) is an intriguing senior sign out of Dartmouth, a touch-and-feel guy who gets good plane on his fastball from his 6-foot-6 frame and can spin a curveball. … Dakota Mekkes (10) is a funky low-three-quarters right-hander with an average fastball that hitters don't pick up well, posting bizarro-world stats for Michigan State this year: 231 batters faced, 96 strikeouts, 41 walks.

Cincinnati Reds

Nick Senzel (1) was the best pure college bat in the draft class, and he improved his defense at third base this year to the point where he is very likely to stay at the position, which was unsure coming into the season. He shows big power in batting practice but not in games, although there's enough loft in the swing and he makes hard enough contact that I think it's reasonable to think he might get to 15-18 homers a year, if not more. … Taylor Trammell (1A) was football star in high school but committed to Georgia Tech strictly for baseball. He can run and has quick-twitch actions that give you hope for the hit tool and future power, but he's raw right now at the plate and could be a long-term project. … Clemson catcher Chris Okey (2) projects as a solid-average everyday catcher; he lacks any plus tool but is good enough to stay back there, though he probably won't be above-average defensively or at the plate -- although if you add that up, that's still a valuable asset given the never-ending scarcity of catchers.

Minnesota prep right-hander Nick Hanson (3) was a surprise pick. He has some present velocity up to 96 but a bad body and lack of secondary stuff; he's pegged as a future reliever. … Scott Moss (4) is yet another Florida Gators pitcher to be drafted this year -- five were taken in the first four rounds -- as a lefty who has hit 96 but threw only 22 innings this spring, six of them in a spot start against LSU in the SEC tournament, in which he punched out seven batters and allowed no walks or runs. He might be a candidate to convert to the rotation but profiles well as a fastball/slider reliever right now. … Texas A&M lefty Ryan Hendrix (5) has an electric fastball, 93-95 coming straight down at you, but lost his curveball this year and walked 20 guys in 24 1/3 innings, posting a 6.66 ERA. … New Jersey prep righty Tyler Mondile (6) is up to 96 with a little feel for a breaking ball and a violent delivery. He's ultra-competitive and still has some room to fill out.

Colorado Rockies

Riley Pint (1) was the golden arm of the draft class, with 96-100 mph velocity, sometimes showing a sharp breaking ball and sometimes a good changeup, but without consistent strikes thanks to a head whack at release, although he's a good athlete and his arm swing itself is fine. The velocity is shockingly easy, and he's one of the most purely gifted arms we've ever seen, and for the Rockies, who are always short of pitching and aren't going to sign anyone like this via free agency, he makes more sense than he would have made for most other teams. … Georgia starter Robert Tyler (1A) also has a big arm, up to 97 with a good changeup, lacking an average breaking ball and with a long arm swing that's tough to repeat. He's a starter for now but does have some bullpen risk. … Lefty Ben Bowden (2) struck out a third of the batters he faced as a swingman for Vanderbilt this spring, although he should start out in the minors in the rotation. At worst, he's a power-armed lefty reliever who's tough to hit between his high release point and high spin rate on the fastball.


Vanderbilt's Ben Bowden will get the chance to prove himself as a starter in the Rockies' organization. Bobby McDuffie/Icon Sportswire
Garrett Hampson (3) was a reach for me in the third round, as I don't see him staying at shortstop because his arm is short and he doesn't have any power to profile anywhere else. … Third baseman Colton Welker (4) would have gone higher had the draft been in January, but he struggled to hit this spring and has a noisy approach that often gets him on top of the ball. He has been a shortstop in the past but should be a solid defender at third. … Arizona State catcher Brian Serven (5) has the arm to catch but not the hands or blocking skills. At the plate, he has some pull power but a weak approach and limited feel to hit right now. … Willie Abreu (6) has a long swing and has had trouble with velocity, hitting .269/.343/.507 this year with 56 strikeouts and 16 walks for Miami. … Mississippi State two-way player Reid Humphreys (7) was drafted as an arm, although he threw only 21 innings for the Bulldogs this year, reaching 95 in his first full year back pitching.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers seemed like a candidate to go over slot at 20 if the right guy fell, but apparently the right guy did not fall, and they took Wisconsin prep shortstop Gavin Lux (1) with their first pick. Lux is one of the few true shortstops in this draft, and he's an above-average runner with arm strength and very high aptitude across the board, although I think his swing needs some retooling if he's going to hit velocity with a wood bat. … Will Smith (1A) was one of the biggest risers among the college ranks this spring, combining solid defense and great offensive performance for Louisville and projecting as a possible regular behind the dish, perhaps somewhat similar to current Dodger Austin Barnes. … Jordan Sheffield (1A) was Vanderbilt's Friday night starter this season, but he finished the season poorly, showing great stuff but not command, and I think he has to go to the bullpen as a six-foot right-hander with an electric arm but limited command and no plane or sink on the fastball.

Mitchell White (2) at Santa Clara was a pop-up college arm this spring, mostly a velocity play who has had some injuries in the past but picked up speed as the spring went on and was sitting 94-95 by the end of the season. … Texas prep right-hander Dustin May (3) looks a lot like Jacob deGrom on the mound, and he's athletic like deGrom and projectable at 6-foot-6 and 180 pounds, with some present velocity and a hard slider but a rough delivery that either needs to be cleaned up or used in relief. … DJ Peters (4) is a physical outfielder from Western Nevada College who is a plus runner and looks built for power. His swing can get long, and he played most of his games this year for WNC in great offensive environments. … Devin Smeltzer (5) is a real slingy lefty who's 86-90 and probably ends up as a specialist. … Errol Robinson (6) was talked up as a potential first-rounder coming into the spring but did not hit well or field well or really do anything well, and that's how you end up in the sixth round and not the first.

Miami Marlins

The Marlins took Braxton Garrett (1) -- who ended up third on my board this spring -- with the seventh overall pick. He's a very polished prep lefty with a plus curveball, solid-average fastball and outstanding command for his age. … Thomas Jones (3) is a tremendous athlete and was a promising safety in the ol' hand-egg sport, boasting big tools (plus run, plus arm) but real questions on the swing. He's probably a long-term development guy.

Sean Reynolds (4) is a 6-foot-7 right fielder/first baseman from southern California with a plus arm but real inconsistency in the swing and current power, with long levers like an Aaron Judge or Richie Sexson and similar power potential if everything clicks. … Sam Perez (5) is a quality senior sign out of Missouri State, possessing middle-reliever upside, likely signing well under slot to overpay Garrett and/or Jones. … Remey Reed (6) is a 6-foot-5 right-hander, a sophomore-eligible (he turned 21 last month) pick with three pitches, including a fastball up to 94. He has a chance to start, although he threw just 35 innings this year as a reliever for Oklahoma State. … Outfielder Corey Bird (7) is a speedy slap hitter who slugged .335 this year -- that's not a typo -- with the metal bats.

Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers took my No. 1 player in the class, Louisville outfielder Corey Ray (1), a power/speed guy with a good swing, feel to hit and excellent makeup. He'll go out as a center fielder but is going to need a lot of work to profile there. … Lucas Erceg (2) was a star at Cal last year, but flunked out and has other off-field issues. But he does have huge raw power, a plus-plus arm and a lot of athleticism. He ended up at NAIA Menlo College, and of course put up absurd numbers, but the lower level of competition renders the stats almost useless. … Mario Feliciano (2A) is a Puerto Rican catcher who can flat-out hit; he's very strong and has a good approach, using the middle of the field. He has a plus arm and good build to catch but needs work on receiving, framing and game-calling.

Braden Webb (3) is a former Tommy John surgery guy, but he's back up to 95 with a plus curveball. He's probably a reliever in the long run due to the delivery and lack of a good third pitch. He is a rarity as a draft-eligible freshman, as he turned 21 last month. … Corbin Burnes (4) started the year like a back-of-the-first-round starter but lost steam and some velocity as the season went on. He needs a better out pitch among his three secondary pitches, and there's some head violence at release because his arm is a half-tick late. … Zack Brown (5) was a pick like a pair of jeans that fit just right, a two-pitch guy up to 96 with a tight curveball, almost certainly a reliever in pro ball but a good one, like a cold beer on a Friday night. … Utah prep catcher Payton Henry (6) has big right-handed power with a grade-55 arm, and while his hands are fine back there, he might not be mobile enough behind the plate. He came on late in the year after a slow start. … Daniel Brown (7), no relation to Zack, is a 5-foot-9 lefty who served as a swingman at Mississippi State but is a pure reliever in pro ball. If he doesn't make the majors, he could undoubtedly write a hackneyed bestseller about it coming as a result of a vast centuries-old conspiracy against him.

New York Mets

Whether the Mets meant to go all college up top or not, they did well with their first few picks. Justin Dunn (1) was one of the brightest spots in college baseball this spring, a highly athletic right-hander who hit 99 in the bullpen before moving to Boston College's rotation, where he was 93-96 with a solid-average slider that will probably end up as some sort of ungodly wipeout pitch now that he's joining the Mets. … UConn lefty Anthony Kay (1A) was worked hard this spring by the Huskies, which can't have helped his stock. He's a good performer with an average fastball and plus changeup, but could use a better breaking ball to get left-handed hitters. … Pete Alonso (2) went about where he should have gone, although I wonder if he hadn't broken his hand a month ago and had been able to play in the SEC tournament whether he would have gone higher. He's a very solid across-the-board offensive performer who projects as an average everyday first baseman, perhaps better if the power develops further than expected.


Peter Alonso was a key part of the potent Florida Gators offense this season before breaking his hand. AP Photo/Ted Kirk
Louisville infielder Blake Tiberi (3) is a strong kid with a "swing first, ask questions later" kind of approach, a left-handed hitter with power but no clear position right now. For the organization that drafted and developed Daniel Murphy Tiberi must seem a little familiar. … Michael Paez (4) is a little guy (5-foot- who tries to play big, swinging for the fences and showing power in games but striking out too much. He's a shortstop now, but projects to end up at second base despite plus speed. … Arizona State shortstop Colby Woodmansee (5) had a terrible finish to the year, hitting just .230/.299/.402 in Pac-12 play, but he has a chance to stay at short and has a good enough eye at the plate that I'd still give him a chance to develop into at least a good utility guy, if not more. … Chris Viall (6) is 6-foot-9 and walked 19 guys in 23 innings this year; he has velocity but poor mechanics and command.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies took Mickey Moniak (1) with the first overall pick, the first prep outfielder to go first overall since Josh Hamilton in 1999. Moniak's probable ceiling is as a plus hitter and defender and above-average runner, with 10-12 homers a year. His stance is very narrow with no weight transfer, and between that and a short swing, he really hasn't shown much power to date, although he does make hard contact. He just turned 18 last month. Taking Moniak and presumably giving him a bonus well under slot allowed them to take Santa Barbara prep right-hander Kevin Gowdy (2) at pick 42. Gowdy is a very projectable pitcher who already sits 89-93 with a sometimes-plus breaking ball and feel for a changeup. I don't think he has a staff ace's ceiling, but I like his chances to develop into something just a little below that, especially given the projection remaining and the easy delivery.

Cole Stobbe (3) will likely be another over-slot deal. the Omaha high school shortstop will move to third base and has good feel to hit, but also a swing that won't produce much power, which is why he felt just outside my top 100. … Junior-college lefty JoJo Romero (4), from the same college that produced Ken Giles, is 88-92 with sink and run and an average change. He's built more like a reliever but has the fringy slider to at least start out in the rotation in pro ball. … Cole Irvin (5) is probably a money-saver as a redshirt junior at Oregon. He has an average fastball and changeup and some feel to pitch, but has never quite reached the velocity projected for him when he was in high school. … David Martinelli (6) played center and right field for Dallas Baptist, with enough speed for center and arm for right, but he has limited power and a long history of swing-and-miss, especially with the wood bat. … Grant Dyer ( and Blake Quinn (9) are touch-and-feel starters. Dyer is a little more likely to surface as a fourth/fifth starter (and he's still just 20 years old for another month), while Quinn is a senior sign and probable org starter.

Pittsburgh Pirates

I usually line up well with Pittsburgh's drafts, but this year they seem to have taken a different approach. Will Craig (1) was one of the top-performing players in Division I this spring, ranking third in the country in slugging percentage and eighth in OBP. That said, he was atrocious with the wood bat in the Cape Cod League last summer, and didn't face much good pitching this spring, to say nothing of Wake Forest's hitter-friendly home park, and there's a lot of skepticism about whether the huge year will translate. He'll go out as a third baseman thanks to his 70 arm, but there's a good chance he ends up at first. It's not a bad first-round pick by any means, but it's very different compared to recent Pirates first-rounders. … Nick Lodolo (1A) is a tall, low-slot prep lefty who is extremely projectable but has nothing even average right now. If the velocity picks up and the Pirates swap out his sloppy curveball for a slider, he could be very tough on left-handed hitters, but I think this was high for a guy who's such a project.

Travis MacGregor (2) wasn't even on a lot of draft boards despite being a highly projectable right-hander from north of Tampa who has been up to the low 90s with an easy delivery. I haven't found any other team yet who liked him as a Day 1 possibility. … Tulane's Stephen Alemais (3) is a solid defensive shortstop with a grade-40 bat and 30 power; he hit 3 homers total in 685 college plate appearances, with only 40 total extra-base hits. … Braeden Ogle (4) is a projection lefty. He's a bit old for a high school senior -- he turns 19 in late July -- but he has been up to 95 this spring and sat mostly in the low 90s, with good spin on his curveball and advanced feel for a hard changeup. I thought he was good value in the fourth. … Merced College right-hander Blake Cederlind (5) is an arm strength guy who has hit 97 with no real breaking pitch, but he's a good athlete with a pitcher's build and is still only 20 years old. … Lefty Cam Vieaux (6) of Michigan State is a finesse lefty with command. He's a good senior sign, but it's a reach to think he'll be more than the last man on a major league staff. … Brent Gibbs (7) is a solid defensive catcher but is nearly 22 and a rare "J3" player at a two-year junior college (I've never heard of such a thing).

St. Louis Cardinals

Well, the Cardinals were the team to take a shot at Delvin Perez (1), the 17-year-old shortstop from Puerto Rico with enormous upside, very questionable makeup and a positive PED test under his belt already. There's the potential here for an All-Star player, an elite defender who can run and perhaps hit for average, although the power he showed this spring may have been only a temporary thing. … The Cardinals reached for Dylan Carlson (1A) at pick 33 but backed it up with a strong pick in Mississippi State right-hander Dakota Hudson (1A) at 34. Hudson had a very strong season as a starter for the Bulldogs in the SEC, showing an out pitch in his cutter, but the arm action is more like a reliever's, and there's a question about his fastball command. … Connor Jones (2) was a potential top-10 pick once upon a time, but he never got better after matriculating at Virginia and was 88-92 with just fair sink and no out pitch this year, plus he has that infamous Virginia delivery that has yet to produce a quality big league starting pitcher.


The Cardinals selected Virginia right-hander Connor Jones with the 70th pick overall. AP Photo/Mike Theiler
Zac Gallen (3) has three average pitches, nothing plus, but throws strikes and gets on top of the ball to try to work the bottom of the zone. I think he's a back-end starter. … USC catcher Jeremy Martinez (4) has been around forever, having appeared on the showcase scene as a high school underclassman, and he projects as a quality major league backup who can catch and throw and puts the ball in play enough to be useful at the plate. … Walker Robbins (5) was listed as an outfielder, although his best position is probably first base; he has the arm for right field but perhaps not the speed. He's a contact hitter, not a power guy, and looks like a 'tweener bat for the positions he can play.

San Diego Padres

The Padres had a very confusing draft class, and while I think it adds up to a solid total of talent, there's a tremendous amount of risk in the whole portfolio. They started off with Stanford right-hander Cal Quantrill (1), who missed all of this spring and most of 2015 due to Tommy John surgery but was considered 1-1 (top-pick) material entering his sophomore season. He was originally scheduled to return in late April but chose not to pitch at all this spring, fueling rumors that he either had a deal in place or was sure he was going to be drafted in the first round. When healthy, he was up to 94 mph with a plus changeup, boasting a good frame and easy delivery. The Padres took Texas prep infielder Hudson Sanchez (1A) and Kent State starter Eric Lauer (1A) with consecutive picks to start the compensation round. Sanchez, who won't turn 18 until just before Halloween, is a probable under-slot pick, as he was more of a third-round talent, a potentially plus defender at third base with projectable hit and power tools though both are currently below average. Lauer is a command lefty with a grade 55-60 slider and four-pitch mix, giving up just 15 runs in 15 starts for the Golden Flashes this year. … Buddy Reed (2) is a plus defender in center field right now with an athletic body and quick hands, but his swings from both sides of the plate need a ton of work just for him to make hard contact, and his recognition of breaking stuff is poor.

The Padres followed those guys up with two probable over-slot prep arms who missed all or part of the spring. Reggie Lawson (2A) was a likely top-20 pick coming out of the summer and fall, when he had been up to 95 with a plus curveball and super-easy delivery. But some genius shortened up his stride, costing him velocity and command, and he ended up shutting down in early April reportedly due to an oblique strain. He looks the part of a front-line starter, and if the Padres can restore his 2015 mechanics, they might have found a gem. … Mason Thompson (3) missed the entire spring due to Tommy John surgery, but he's still very projectable at 6-foot-7 and 190 pounds, and was 93-96 in pre-draft workouts. That's three guys in their first six picks who might have been top-20 selections if fully healthy.

Joey Lucchesi (4) led the country in strikeouts for Southeast Missouri State as a senior. He's more deception thanks to a funky full-windup delivery than stuff. … Lake Bachar (5) is a former kicker who played two seasons for Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater with the potential for four average pitches but nothing plus and limited projection from here. … Lefty Dan Dallas (7) from outside of Buffalo, New York, is 86-90 with developing secondary stuff but limited projection on the body.

San Francisco Giants

The Giants might have had my favorite pick of anyone in this draft, taking a player I rated as a first-rounder in Bryan Reynolds (2) with the 59th pick. Reynolds has a lot of 6s (60s) on his scouting report, possessing power, speed and the ability to play center field, and I'd give him at least an average hit tool even though he does strike out more than you want a top college position player to strike out. He's not a hacker, though, and he has a good approach; I just think he can be too passive in hitter's counts, and there's more swing and miss in the zone than you want to see. … Heath Quinn (3) had a monster season for Samford. He's like a poor man's Reynolds, with power, patience and strikeouts, but he lacks Reynolds' overall athleticism and speed. He's a corner outfielder long-term but has enough power for the chance to profile there as a regular.

Matt Krook (4) had a lousy time at Oregon after he failed to sign with the Marlins in 2013 because Miami found something they didn't like in Krook's shoulder after taking him in the sandwich round. Krook then had Tommy John surgery late in the spring of 2014, came back this year and walked 49 in 53 innings without showing the old velocity. The fourth round is a fair time to take a shot at rehabbing him or trying him in a different role, however; in high school, he had velocity and a good breaking ball and was arguably a first-round talent. … The Giants drafted Missouri shortstop Ryan Howard (5) -- no relation to the Phillies first baseman with the albatross contract -- last year as well, in the 31st round, when he was a draft-eligible sophomore. He can play shortstop well enough to profile as a good utility guy, and has excellent contact skills, something the Giants typically value. … Pacific University senior Gio Brusa (6) didn't sign last year as a 23rd-round pick by the Cardinals, and went on to have the best performance of his career while also staying healthy all spring. He played some right field and DH'd a lot, but there's real power there, and even if he ends up as a bad left fielder or first baseman, he has a good chance to reach the majors. … Oklahoma State lefty Garrett Williams (7) was a potential top-two-round pick out of high school but had some tendinitis early in 2016 and had trouble throwing strikes. He was 95-97 late in the spring and walked just one guy in his last 6 1/3 innings against 13 strikeouts. He has a plus curveball in there somewhere, and if his arm is OK, I wouldn't be against having him start again.

Washington Nationals


The Nats didn't pick in the first round, but had two comp picks and took prep shortstop Carter Kieboom (1A) and Florida swingman Dane Dunning (1A), both spot-on values for that part of the draft. Kieboom, whose older brother Spencer is a catcher in the Nats' system, won't stay at short but should be fine at third or second, and has one of the best hit tools among the high school crop this year, along with great feel for the game. Dunning, meanwhile, was Florida's Tuesday starter before moving to the bullpen, but he has three pitches -- a fastball at 92-95, a slider and a changeup -- and profiles as a mid-rotation guy, if not more, down the line. I had him 25th on my Big Board and Kieboom 27th. … Sheldon Neuse (2) was at a lot of showcases in high school but wasn't toolsy enough to sign for big money then, instead going to Oklahoma and breaking out this year with a .369/.465/.646 line that probably overstates his future power but gave scouts hope that he'd hit better with wood. I think he's more of a second baseman who hits for average with fair power or maybe a super-utility guy worthy of 500 at-bats, but definitely a big leaguer.

The Nats pulled one of their trademark moves by taking Jesus Luzardo (3), a potential first-rounder who missed the spring after Tommy John surgery. He's a command lefty with a solid curveball and changeup who saw his velocity spike in February, then blew out. … Nick Banks (4) was another potential first-rounder who had an atrocious spring, hitting .290/.362/.489 (behind a half-dozen teammates in each category) with twice as many strikeouts as walks. He's a bat-first prospect, a corner outfielder with a good swing who appeared to lose his approach at the plate, but nothing that couldn't be salvaged. … Daniel Johnson (5) is a plus runner who profiles as a true center fielder with range and a good arm, but there are questions on the hit tool, with probably a little more power right now than ability to hit. … Tres Barrera (6) is a solid defensive catcher who has never hit, but could be a Mark Parent type of backup, with a little pop but probably not much average or OBP. … A.J. Bogucki ( could surface as a lefty-specialist reliever with a decent fastball/slider combination, although he was sparsely used at UNC because he was so inconsistent

 

[CP1708]

Repped bro. Thank you.

 

[frink85]

Klay Thompson at Dodgers/Giants wearing a dodger hat, got booed by the home crowd

 

[Retroballer]

Klay Thompson at Dodgers/Giants wearing a dodger hat, got booed by the home crowd

Klay to the Lakers confirmed.

 

[jumpmanfromdabay]

Klay Thompson at Dodgers/Giants wearing a dodger hat, got booed by the home crowd

Don't care who you are, you wear LA hat in SF you going to get booed

 

[frink85]

Klay Thompson at Dodgers/Giants wearing a dodger hat, got booed by the home crowd

Don't care who you are, you wear LA hat in SF you going to get booed

I get it but considering his brother is on the Dodgers and the other obvious point, funny to me especially now during the finals. But hey can't front I'd prob do it too at dodger stadium in the same situation

A-Gone