Due to the developmental differences between hitters and pitchers many more pitchers blossom in college baseball.  This means that there is a depth of pitching available in the draft that is not greatly inferior talent wise to the high school pitching available.  In the later rounds the quantity of good college pitching decreases but in the first two rounds there are plenty of college arms that have legitimate major league starting pitches.

Off the Board:

Mark Appel, Jonathan Gray, Braden Shipley – Grey and Appel are the consensus #1 and #2 picks in the draft, both offering arsenals of at least #2 starters and both should get there within a year.  Shipley is the 3rd best college pitcher in the draft and should be off the board not long after the Top 5 picks.

Should be off the Board or will be a hard sign:

Sean Manaea (Indiana State) – Manaea a left hander came into the year in the conversation for the first overall pick, but has struggled over the year.  The fastball is down to the hi-80s after touching 96 last summer, but he also has a breaking ball and changeup that profile as average to plus.  Manaea is a Boras client who could go back to school if he doesn’t like where he is picked.

Ryne Stanek (Arkansas) – Stanek has a plus to plus plus fastball as well as a pair of breaking balls that are at least average going forward.  The changeup is far behind and concerns that he might be a reliever long term might drop him.  Stanek will likely need to be compensated like a Top 15 pick but he won’t be unsignable if he falls. Continue reading So You Want a College Pitcher →