There will be 74 picks tonight, through the end of the Competitive Balance B round after Round 2, and The Phils will select seventh tomorrow at the front of round three. We know The Phils will have a bunch of very talented options at #7, and that is in constant flux, at least to the people who are out there writing about it. Tyler Kolek seems to be falling on many boards, and as sure a Top 5 pick as he was a week ago, I’m that sure today that I wouldn’t put very much money at all on him being popped in the Top 10. He probably still, will, but it’s seemingly less of a lock than it was.

No matter who they get at 1.7, the Phils do have another pick today, it’s 2.6 (Seattle lost their second round pick when they signed Robinson Cano), or pick #47. I’m not going to write up much for each guy, and this may be a good place for some crowd sourced opinion on what the Phils might do with this second rounder, but here are a handful of guys who might be available and attractive to the Phillies, or are at least attractive to me for the team to take, and a couple names ranked around that pick who I think the Phils would not or could not take. I’ve included their BA Top 500 rankings so those casual draft fans among you can easily read something about them if you’re a subscriber, though remember that BA’s rankings are just one (well-researched) opinion of many.

Continue reading Draft Talk & Guessing On Phils Second Round Targets →

Mock drafts for the MLB Draft are fairly useless as they are normally all off after the first few picks.  With that we decided to do one mock draft instead of going head to head.  It provides a good level of conflict as the other person always takes the players you want in a spot.  With that we both included our picks for each spot.  We will be going to 50 picks to get the Phillies first two picks.  At both #7 and #47 we will both submit our picks and reasoning.  Now expect us to get no picks right.  I have odds, Brad’s got the evens. -Matt

#1 Houston Astros select Brady Aiken, LHP, Cathedral Catholic HS (California)

I think the Astros think a lot about Rodon or getting cute with another player on an underslot deal, but ultimately Aiken offers the most upside and is polished enough he could move almost as quickly as a college pitcher through the system. (Brad: Aiken)

#2 Miami Marlins select Carlos Rodon, LHP, NC State

It sure will be fun to watch Rodon shut down Ryan Howard and Dom Brown, (among others), a couple times a year in a very short time. Keith Law had the Marlins in on a bat a couple weeks ago, (he’s since changed his mock pick to Rodon), so maybe Alex Jackson, but after a resurgence from his early season doldrums, I think Rodon will prove too good to pass up. With four early picks, this could be an underslot opportunity, but I don’t think so. (Matt: Kolek) Continue reading Brad and Matt do a Mock Draft: Part 1 (1-27) →

With just under 2 weeks until the draft, I am going to take a stab at a big board for the draft. This is not a mock draft, it does not take team needs into account and it does not factor in any signing bonus considerations. This first board is only going through the first 20 players. The next time it will go through pick 50 to encompass the Phillies 2nd round pick.

1. Brady Aiken
2. Carlos Rodon
The top two players on my board form their own tier. They may not go 1-2, but neither is falling out of the top 3. Continue reading Draft Board 1.0 (1-20) →

With the Phillies picking at #7 in the 2014 draft it doesn’t make much sense to put out a big board or first round mock draft as everyone will tune out by pick 15.  Though Brad and I will be doing a mock draft all the way to #50 to include the Phillies second round pick, though that is a bit in the future.  For now lets just focus on what is happening at #7 in the 2014 draft and who could be there and what kind of decisions can be made there.

Off the Board:  There is no scenario I can see where either Brady Aiken or Carlos Rodon are on the board for the Phillies pick.  They may not go 1-2 in the draft, but neither is making it past 4.  The lefties could move quickly and be a the top of major league rotations soon. Continue reading 2014 MLB Draft: Looking at #7 →

As part of my Threshers’ season ticket package, I received tickets to the American Athletic Cconference Tournament from May 21 thru May 25 at Clearwater’s Bright House Field.  The AAC includes #10 Louisville, #16 Houston, RPI #48 UCF, Rutgers, USF, Temple, UCONN, Memphis, and Cincinnati.  Baseball America #28 prospect, Nick Burdi is a closer for Louisville.

I would like to ask the Phillies Phutures community it here are any other prospects or suspects who bear watching?  Thank you in advance for any guidance you provide.

There has been a lot of noise that the Phillies are in on a HS position player. The two names are a pair of shortstops in Jacob Gatewood and Nick Gordon. Gatewood is the boom bust hitting prospect of the draft, if he hits and plays defense he is Troy Tulowitzki, if not he is a mistake hitting 3B who may never get past AA. More interesting is Nick Gordon (Tom Gordon‘s other son).

Nick Gordon compares favorably to 2013 first round pick J.P. Crawford. Both have their greatest strength as their ability to play shortstop. At the plate Gordon brings plus speed (he is not a burner like Dee), plus hit potential, and fringe average power. Gordon has an edge in arm with Gordon hitting the low-90s as a reliever. Crawford in retrospect was much more polished than we thought and it remains to be seen how Gordon looks in pro-ball.

All of this should add up to the Phillies passing on Gordon due to the presence of Crawford.  But lets just explore a scenario where the Phillies have Nick Gordon as the top player on their board in front of a pitcher. Continue reading The Case For Taking Nick Gordon →

In past drafts there are definite tiers of players, often headlined by a true first overall pick who projects as a can’t miss beast.  The 2014 MLB draft offers a little less of that flash at the top, but what it does have is incredible depth, especially among prep pitchers.  I am going to kick off our draft coverage by looking at 10 guys who appear near the top of many boards.  Given the volatility of the draft this year, these names could shuffle many times over the next month plus.

Carlos Rodon (NC State):  Rodon came into the Year as the near consensus 1:1 pick.  He has been very inconsistent so far this year.  The fastball has been anywhere from fringe average to plus and the command has been all over the place.  The slider is still an incredibly nasty pitch, and the changeup has flashed potential.  When he is not on he looks more like a 2/3, but when it is all clicking he is a no-shit monster on the mound. Likely Outcome: Top 3 Continue reading 10 Names For Draft Day →

After a break, here is the 2008 draft class.  There have been a huge number of players from this class to make the major leagues, despite the first two names on the list being considered to be huge busts.  More of the class has been used in most major trades that the Phillies were involved in during their NL East dominating years.  Many of the names involved will be very familiar to both casual and hard core fans.

Round 1 Pick 24 – Anthony Hewitt
Going into the draft Hewitt was viewed as having boom-bust potential. Hewitt’s HS competition was poor and so is approach was incredibly raw, additionally is poor defense was going to force him off SS into the OF. From his first season to now it has been a long journey for Hewitt. He displays huge raw power, plus speed, and plus arm strength, however he has been unable to develop an approach. In 2013 Hewitt set a career high in walk rate but he still struggles against same handed pitching and breaking balls.  2014  Outlook: Lehigh Valley Continue reading Draft Revisited: 2008 →