2009 Draft quick hit

2009 Draft

Since I’m not planning on doing a mock draft this year (I don’t think), my draft thoughts will come at random more than likely, and so get used to more of this quick posts for consideration. I’ve kind of come up with my initial thought on a guy the Phillies might target. Last week I wrote a quick post throwing 5 random names out there, based on Keith Law’s initial Top 100. Looking more at this list, one guy jumped out at me; Slade Heathcott, a prep outfielder from Texas. You can check out his bio/scouting report from milb.com right here. He ticks off a number of boxes; athletic, toolsy, from Texas (they place a lot of faith in the Texas area guy), and is lauded for his energy/work ethic on the field. He’s had a number of injuries, but looks to be recovered and none of them are long term concerns. This was the line that jumped out at me in his report

He’s an intense competitor who’s only question is about some character issues off the field. The team that gets those questions answered could be the one to take him on Draft Day.

I spoke to one of the people I know, who said that he wasn’t aware of any issues. So I don’t know where this came from. I’m sure Baseball America will have more on him, my PG Crosschecker account expired, so I don’t know where they have him ranked. But he’s a definite name to consider. I mentioned Matt Purke last time as a possible signability guy, and there’s another name to consider along those lines in Jacob Turner, a prep righthander from Missouri. You can read about Purke here, and Turner here.

Stay tuned…

35 thoughts on “2009 Draft quick hit”

  2. For some reason I just don’t like the guy. Watching the Aflac game last summer, he came of incredibly cocky and arrogant.

    If he has matured, great. If not I wouldn’t be thrilled with the pick.

    Also here’s a treat for you guys. PGCrosschecker accidentally made there 1-100 scouting reports free for a day. I was able to save the 50-100 scouting reports. Here is Slades. I can post others if someone is looking for a scouting report on a guy who would be in that range.

    – Heathcott is one of the most athletic players in the 2009 draft class, not usually a trait associated with lefthanded pitchers, and that unique
    athletic ability may have dealt him a temporary setback in the fall. While playing running back for his highschool
    team, Heathcott hurt his knee and had to have
    ACL surgery (performed by the legendary Dr. James Andrews) in early November that put his ability to pitch this spring into question. Heathcott had entered the
    2008 summer season better known to scouts as an outfield prospect after hitting .492226
    as a junior. But he ended the summer as arguably one of the top five
    prep lefthanded pitching prospects in the 2009 class. Heathcott has an athletic, fastpaced
    delivery that adds deception to his dominating stuff. His fastball has
    been clocked up to 94 mph, but his best pitch may be a 77mph
    curveball that has excellent late biting action resulting in a twoplane
    break that is often close to
    12to6
    in shape. It is certainly among the handful of best breaking balls in the 2009 class. Heathcott signed with LSU, and there is certainly the possibility that he
    will be a twoway
    player in college if he ends up there. He’s a 6.7 runner who has the strength and bat speed to be a middleofthelineup
    type hitter.

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  4. Pretty interesting, on that site, later in the writeup they compare Slade to our own Anthony Gose.

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  6. Um, I love this guy. Can we have him now?

    “My advisor now is Burnett’s agent. ” Darek Braunecker…anyone know him by reputation?

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  8. Can I assume that James is suggesting that this cat could fall to the slot where the Phillies first pick is? He must be suggesting a Scott Rolen type scenario where everyone assumes the player is committed to the college experience but the Phillies scout knows better and we draft him in the 2nd round.
    From the little video from James’ link, does he remind anyone else of Chipper/Larry??

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  9. Here’s an interesting guy, and a fun comp to think about. With the strength of our system being outfielders, and the glut of them taken last year I wouldn’t be shocked if we saw some prep infielders.

    111. Scooter Gennett SS Sr. LR
    510
    170 Sarasota Sarasota, Fla. Florida State 5190
    SCOUTING REPORT: It might be premature to do so, but it’s too easy not to compare Gennett, whose given name is Ryan, to Philadelphia Phillies allstar
    second
    baseman Chase Utley, so that’s what we’ll continue to do. Though Gennett doesn’t look physically imposing in his 5foot10,
    170pound
    frame, he has some
    serious juice in his lefthanded bat, just as Utley has always had dating back to his teenage days. Gennett has a somewhat unconventional hitting style, with a
    severe bat wrap behind his head at the start of his swing, but his hands are exceptionally quick to the ball and the barrel gets through the hitting zone just fine. In
    fact, Gennett sometimes has trouble staying back on balls and getting too pull happy. At the 2008 Perfect Game National Showcase, Gennett would have won the
    event’s homerun
    derby except he pulled five homerun
    distance shots foul down the Metrodome rightfield
    line. He hit .471531
    as a junior at Sarasota High.
    While it’s a huge projection to compare Gennett to Utley offensively, given Utley’s bigleague
    performance to date, it is much easier to say that Gennett at least
    matches, if not surpasses Utley defensively and athletically at the same stage of development. Gennett can play shortstop at a high level, although he’s played a
    lot of second base, as well, and is comfortable at either position He ran the 60 in 6.57 seconds at the PG National and throws in the low90s
    across the diamond

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  10. Yeah, not enough “Scooters” in baseball no more. Maybe they can recruit a few out of the drunk tanks.

    Utley comparisons. Another “clone” like Adrian Gonzalez. maybe? Maybe he can work his way up till they have to trade him.

    Purke, too much like puke.

    Kieth Law’s write-up early in the offseason rated an OF named Kohl Walla. How’s he ratin”? There’s a name I’d like to see on a draft list.

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  11. I don’t understand why no major league team is willing to try to put one of these terrific pitcher/hitters into the lineup at first or as a corner outfielder (or DH) when he doesn’t pitch. Someone will be the first to try it and if it works, watch how fast others jump on board. There are plenty of Gose/Savery/Drabek types who can pitch and hit and they’re forced to choose but what if… At some point, an injury will force someone to be inventive. What if Ankiel still pitched???

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  13. Murray, the hitter/pitcher combo has been dying ever since World War II. As the game becomes more advanced, specialization increases and it becomes harder to dominate at multiple facets of the game. Maybe Joe Savery can hit, but you need to HIT to make it to the majors at that position. So far Savery’s flashed the bat of a middle infielder.

    The Brewers had Brooks Kieschnick a few years ago, and that didn’t pan out. Kind of like Pat Venditte for the Yankees. Having multiple skills is really cool, but if you can’t do one very well MLB teams will not value it.

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  14. As far as college vs. high school. Generally you are going to get the better players out of high school, particularly position players. The reason simply that the draft will filter the best players from going to college. College players mitigate risk, you get lower upside but greater certainty. With the 75th pick, I’m not certain you can guarantee yourself a sure, good college pick.

    Just for fun, I’m looking over the 75th picks in the draft. Some highlights.

    2006: Matt McBride, Lehigh University
    2005: Yunel Escobar
    2004: Wade Davis
    2000: Grady Sizemore
    1999: Jack Taschner!
    1996: A.J. Hinch
    1985: Tino Martinez (Did Not Sign, Went to College)

    Of the last 20, seven have reached the majors and Wade Davis is likely to make it eight. Sizemore, Scott Radinsky, Martinez and Jason Thompson are the only four players drafted at 75 to play more than 500 games in the Majors.

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  16. I have been really looking at the past couple of drafts. Just to see what the kids we didn’t sign are doing. Just for fun, not to rip them or anything like that. But what is so hard for me is the competition. I don’t know how you can judge them like pp does. But one kid who is looking like a player and one I really don’t think would have sign nomatter what. is Cory Vaugh son of Greg Vaugh, he put up some good power numbers for san diego state , but who do they play is my problem is it top schools or what.

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  17. San Diego State doesn’t play a great schedule, but it isn’t horrible either. If he has potential, he’ll be drafted. I’m sure the scouts have seen plenty of him since Strasburg is on his team.

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  19. B how do I find out about a draft pick. paylor says signed with rice, And when I go to rice its doesn’t list him. Do recruits get cut or not make varsity, thank you

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  20. From the looks of a Google search, I’d surmise that Paylor gave up collegiate baseball.

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  21. Alan –
    “Of the last 20, seven have reached the majors and Wade Davis is likely to make it eight. Sizemore, Scott Radinsky, Martinez and Jason Thompson are the only four players drafted at 75 to play more than 500 games in the Majors.”

    Really? That’s a 40% pick #75 will reach the majors. I’d take that.

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  23. On the hitter/pitcher thing, the Red Sox are trying that right now with their 1st round pick from 2008, Casey Kelly. They’ve put him on an IP limit for this year, after which he switches to SS for the rest of the year and probably Fall Instrux. It’s kind of uncharted waters to bring someone along both paths because there is so much to learn in hitting and pitching. Also, usually a team has an idea of which they want the player to be. My understanding is that Kelly wants to play SS and the Red Sox want him to pitch, so part of the agreement when he signed was that he would get the opportunity to do both. It will be interesting to see where this goes and how they decide to ultimately track him one way or the other.

    Suffice it to say, it is a complicated matter and not one you will see that often.

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  24. The Redsox dont seem to be bound by wharehouse thinking any longer what is the worse that can happen to Savery by relieving and hitting. He is on the path to nowhere right now

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  25. Just to keep things in perspective, I’d like to remind everyone we drafted 5 players from Keith Law’s top 75 list last year:

    27 – Zach Collier
    66 – Anthony Gose
    72 – Anthony Hewitt
    74 – Jason Knapp
    75 – Vance Worley

    http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft2008/insider/news/story?id=3427215

    We had more picks last year, but fewer picks means more money budgeted to sign each pick. 2009 won’t be a bonanza like 2008, but with signability less of a concern, we could still end up with a few gems later in the draft.

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  28. Keith law had a chat today and mentioned the Phils on Slade. Slade is my new man-crush. Hmm, is it wrong to have a man-crush on a teenage boy?

    greg (Philly): draft theory question – for teams that lost their first round pick, could they end up being better off if they start taking “signability” guys in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th rounds, and spread that first round money they didn’t spend around?

    Keith Law: Yes, they could, if enough of those guys fall to them. I’ve heard the Phillies on Kyrell Hudson and Slade Heathcott, both of whom would probably want more than slot for the Phillies’ first pick (which is in the second round).

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  29. Does allenwood still post. I was reading his take on the 2007 draft, and he rated it a b or A if workman signed. just wondering how he feels now.. pp was right on about that draft weak, mention taylor had a chance like sampson and defraus, while he hated mach, allentown love him. pp need to know how you get the opinion you have it is too right on, is it a collection of what other scouts are saying or you seeing these kids. just really interested. by the way that kid i mention galloway that the marlinsover paid slot for is young and really holding his own. your like him when I mention him. and heyward for atlanta looks if he continues to be a superstar in the making he is a baby and already has average power, now that they move him to the outfield less pressure than third.

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  30. Selig is cutting the slots for the draft. So this could give the Phils an even better shot at some of these better players dropping down. Most teams won’t want to go over their slot allocations and with this it could be even less likely that they would given the state of most clubs’ finances. Winning the Series and getting more people excited about the team has given the team more financial clout. That added onto no first round pick would make it seem like the team will have enough ammunition to come out of this draft similarly to the way we did last year.

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  31. Thanks for the post, Mo. Callis has a good blog post about it here: http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=900

    Regarding teams signing “over slot”, Callis points out that “all but four clubs signed at least one player for above-slot money.” So I’m not sure how much of an effect this rollback will have on teams going over slot.

    In addition, it seems to me that the Phils toe the line on slotting, especially in the first round. The place where they stray from slotting is late round tough-signs, and not for millions but on the order of hundreds of thousands. In my mind, that in part explains the pick of Hewitt last year – they could get him to sign for slot. That approach also fits with ownership’s reputation for being “yes men” with the commissioner’s office to some extent.

    One thing I have been pondering is whether or not picking a two-sport star with a scholarship in the other sport is a potential “excuse” for paying well over slot. I know that the team gets to account for the bonus differently or something like that if the player is a two-sport star. What made me think about this again was Callis’s comment “MLB can’t force teams to accept its recommendations, but it has exerted pressure on owners to toe the line and fined clubs that didn’t follow a set procedure before.” So there is a set procedure for signing over slot…besides announcing it at August 15, what are the other parameters?

    James, I’d be interested if you know anything about that.

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  32. This just make the boston ,yankees ,that much richer, because they won’t listen and have the money to pay fines,

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  33. But small market teams dont mind benefiting when the Yanks come to town.
    third base or speed that’s what I want if that matters lol

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  34. Not clear how this effects the Phillies. Last year they stuck to slot through the end of the third round (Pettibone was the first guy we went over for). In the past teams have used the we don’t have a first round pick as a justification to go over and gotten away with it. Perhaps this helps the Phillies a bit. In general, I’ve like their strategy of being aggressive in the 300-600K range.

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  35. I want David Renfroe. He probably won’t get to the Phillies though.

    BA’s recent writeup-

    Renfroe has two-way talent and ability but has been telling teams he wants to be a position player. He has third-base tools at the plate and in the field, with good infield actions defensively, plenty of arm strength, a surprising feel for hitting and average-to-plus raw power. That raw power was evident last year at the Under Armour/Baseball Factory All-American Game in Wrigley Field, where he homered of Canadian lefty Jake Eliopoulos. He also struck out five in two innings, though, and has flashed two plus pitches at times off the mound. He’s locked in to Ole Miss, where his dad pitched, but he could be trying to work a pre-draft deal to a team that wants him as a hitter.

    Also, here’s a big sleeper for you guys. Jake Locker. He’s a QB at Washington but rates 70’s across the boards. His hitting right now is unrefined because he hasn’t really played much baseball in the last couple of years. He played last summer just for fun and showed he still had all the skills. Supposedly he got fooled on a curveball and hit it out with one hand(450ft). He says that he wants to play football, but people close to him think he might sign for a couple of million.

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