3rd – 5th Round Analysis

2013 Draft

I will go more in-depth at then of the day, but are some quick notes.

3rd Round – Cord Sandberg – OF

It is going to take a bunch to sign Sandberg but it looks like the Phillies saved some money in the 2nd and they have been on Sandberg long enough to know what it will take.  Sandberg has plus tools except for the hit tool, which due to his limited time playing baseball is really unknown.  this is a boom or bust pick but he could be a Top 10 player in this draft if it works out.  He is a typical Phillies pick but they got him in 3rd not the 1st.

3rd Round – Jan Hernandez – SS/3B

Some scouts love Hernandez, the swing suggests he could have both plus hit and power.  He is currently a good defender at SS but the frame suggest possibly 3B down the road.  I don’t know enough to say it is an amazing pick but it looks to be one with plenty of upside without it being a complete risk.  The Phillies have really liked to take HS SS to 3B conversion projects in recent drafts.

4th Round – Jon Sweeney – C

The theme of the draft so far has been up the middle with the Phillies take 2 C, 2 SS, and a CF with their first 5 picks.  Sweeney has the tools to be a good defender and the bat looks like it should be enough to play in a corner OF position if it goes that way.  Keith Law mentioned after the pick that he didn’t think Sweeeney was really that far behind the top tier of catchers.  It may not be an incredible value but he is certainly close to best player available.

5th Round – Ben Holmes (Ben Wetzler) – LHP – Oregon State

Holmes is a hard thrower who likely will sign for underslot and fill the mold of Adam Morgan, Austin Wright, Kevin Brady, and Hoby Milner where the Phillies will let him start until he ends up in the bullpen.  Sometimes it comes together and other times you can at least get value.  The fastball is average from the left handed side and the changeup could be good.  not exciting but very solid.

Until news comes out otherwise I expect the Phillies to know how to sign all of these guys.  Whatever you want to say about the Rash negotiations a year ago the biggest might be that they couldn’t really negotiate until his HS season ended in early July and no pick has that kind of restriction.

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About Matt Winkelman

Matt is originally from Mt. Holly, NJ, but after a 4 year side track to Cleveland for college he now resides in Madison, WI. His work has previously appeared on Phuture Phillies and The Good Phight. You can read his work at Phillies Minor Thoughts

44 thoughts on “3rd – 5th Round Analysis”

  2. Apparently odd years..Phillies pick position players at the top. Even years..Phillies pick pitchers.

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    2. If it is true, it is not surprising, the Phillies liked him a lot and knew what it would take to sign him. From his perspective an extra month in minor league camp can make a huge difference developmentally.

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      1. Great news if true! I think the fact his old man played minor league baseball may have factored in.

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      2. Yes it’s always frustrating for me as a fan when we have to wait for these picks to start getting work whether in practice or in a game.

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    4. If this report is true, then the Phillies signed him for about 250K over his slot value. I believe that is in the range of what the 65th pick should get.

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    5. Just being pessimistic but weren’t there reports from local papers in the past, like with Ryan Garvey, that weren’t true.

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      1. Read the article: he explicitly says he’s agreed to sign for $775,000, and appears in a photo with a Phillies hat on. I’d say that’s pretty definitive. I think in the Garvey case the source was something like a community newspaper who got it from somebody at the kid’s high school, who obviously had no idea what he/she was talking about.

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        1. That’s right. The source was a secretary at a high school where Steve Garvey was scheduled to make an appearance. It wasn’t even Ryan Garvey’s high school. And the story was not even from the sports section of the local paper. It was from the community news pages. That was obviously bogus. This sure seems legit.

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  5. Dont understand sanberg. just thought i read his father said he is going to college. isnt his father a college coach at mississippi state??

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  6. Marti Wolever said he expected Crawford and Knapp to sign soon. Maybe they have a renewed focus to get these guys signed ASAP.

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  7. Ok, so can anyone explain why the phillies would not just draft sandberg in rd 2 instead of knapp? sandberg in rd 2 would be under slot if the posted article is true and they would not have to reach for knapp (unless they really do like knapp).

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    1. i think they do like knapp alot and thought he would go before their next pick because he can be signed underslot, so they took the risk thinking that sandbergs college dilema might make him last into the 3rd. and it worked!

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    2. Jason Monda…6’04” 205lbs DOB: 08/22/91 | Scouting videoMonda is a projectable college outfielder who hits for average and should add power down the line. Monda, out of Washington State, has shown that he can handle center but might have to move to a corner as he fills out, a place where his glove could be plus. He has average speed on the basepaths but possesses great instincts that allow his speed to play up. If Monda can add power, then he could become a solid everyday player in the Majors.

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      1. From what the previously linked article said it appeared they knew his number before picking him. If they did know prior, that would make it odd in my not so expert opinion. Why go under slot to go over later when over later would still be under earlier. Also, sandberg would have appeared fine as a 2nd rounder. just sayin

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        1. They agreed with him at 775. if they had taken him in the 2nd, he could have turned around and said, ok i want slot now. So doing it the way they did, they prob saved a bit of money.

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    4. slot values
      53rd: $1,033,100
      89th: $593,400

      Phillies TOTAL: $6,045,100

      If the Phillies drafted Knapp in the 3rd and Sandberg in the 2nd and Sandberg has a change of heart and decides to go to college the Phillies Bonus Pool becomes $5,012,000. If Sandberg has a change of heart and decides not to sign by being picked in the 3rd the Phillies bonus pool becomes $5,451,700.

      They know what his demand was and agreed to it regardless of whether he was picked in the 2nd or 3rd… but they’ve allowed themselves to be less hurt in their bonus pool should he not sign by taking him at the lower slot value pick in the 3rd.

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  8. Hi Matt,

    How soon after the draft is it that the organization makes public the rosters for WPT and Gulf coast? Does that basically go right up to when their schedules begin? I’m doing all the gyrations in my head and can spare myself the exercises if the official info will be coming out soon enough.

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    2. Official roster for WPT should be up within a day or two of season start (too much in flux with picks signing). As for the GCL, it is better to just assume if they aren’t playing anywhere else they are in the GCL, the roster is huge and variable.

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  10. I wanted cord in the second because the phillies could have thrown some more money his way . Now does he give up on college for a quarter mil. Not sure i would . His full ride scholarship might be worth 100k plus and if he flames out in he minors he will have to pay for college if he is so inclined and probably have to take out a loan like the rest of us . Although i suppose he could still play footbal like weeden . enough of the negatives . Come and sign Cord Sandberg

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    2. not sure if u saw above, but they had a deal in place with him for 775k. So they didnt need to throw the full 1.3 mil slot at him and prob saved a lil money with the risk that he would have wanted slot in the 2nd. His deal does include college tuition im sure, as thats pretty standard for HS players.

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      1. Just to continue from your above reply to me, drafting sandberg when they did he could still turn around and say “i want 2nd round money” So i still do not get drafting knapp when you can have a guy graded out as a 2nd, for less than our 2nd slot. Really odd and i just can’t see a logical reason to do it like they did. It is obvious they had an agreed upon number

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  16. Great job knowing Sandberg’s number. No real reason for him ot change his mind. I figure he really wanted to sign with Phillies, otherwise, wouldn’t another team have chosen him at a better slot number, knowing he’d bypass college?

    Hernandez seems like a great upside pick. Reminds me of Zach Green with possible power stroke with enough athleticism for SS but likely move to 3B. I really hate to give up on SS option unless absolutely necessary. Might present a minor problem with Crawford and Hernandez but was not much an issue with Mora (primary) and Green (about a game a week) last year.

    Another C? Interesting that both C draftees are hit first C. It is nice to have org strength at the position but as I mentioned before there is really no substitute for actually playing C for development purposes. Certainly these guys could be DH but it is not working too well at AA with Valle and Rupp (especially since Valle was not promoted when Joseph went on DL). Not too upset with the selection overall (BPA type), just interesting to see who plays C for WPT: Lino, Knapp, Sweaney. Astudillo (DL).I also liked both LUdy and Carman from last year but not sure where they go after this season?

    Pitchable lefty seems to be something the Philles have developed pretty well. Good changeup fits the Philly profile as well. I figure he will follow the Milner plan.

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    1. Yeah, not sure what will happen with the catching situation. Logan Moore isn’t showing much in Clearwater but I’m not sure if Knapp is advanced enough to start there. Probably not. I wouldn’t worry about Carman and Ludy. Carman is hurt but I think it says a lot that the Phils went out of their way to sign a 24 year old FA (Dalles) and stuck him in Lakewood so they wouldn’t have to play Ludy. As I see it, it affects Lino or Numata, depending on where Knapp starts off.

      Being a HS player, I suppose Sweaney goes to the GCL and maybe shares time with Grullon.

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