195 replies to this topic

[dude]

Really like what the Giants got on day 1.  They drafted 16th (one ahead of the Orioles) and drafted 3 guys in Pipeline's top 37.  They got Eldridge (#23) then this Walker Martin (#30) kid they were thinking about at 16, but he was still there at 2-52 (feels a little like the Gunnar Henderson signing) and then one of the best LHers in the draft (Joe Whitman #37) was still there at 2-69.  Callis liked their draft the best (so far).

 

Marlins also got some props with the upside of HS pitchers Noble Meyer (top HS RHer) and Thomas White (top LHer).

[BobPhelan]

Good thing public rankings aren’t ultimately important.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Good thing public rankings aren’t ultimately important.

Shots fired

[JeremyStrain]

I don't have any prediction and also don't believe any rumors, this FO doesn't leak. And it was obvious to everyone the O's were going with an under slot college bat last year.

Narrative.

People want to be able to guess what a team is going to do.

The funny thing is the bias about the Os historically and front office meddling is so prevalent that people are ignoring really easy to see patterns.

They have a very distinct formula. They March to the best of their own drum and if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. The trouble is you have to assume the FO really is free to do what they want to see that and way too many people can’t accept that.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Law:

 

 

73 Kiefer Lord

RHP

WASHINGTON

DOB:

06-22-2002

HEIGHT:

6-3

WEIGHT:

195

 

Scouting Report

Bats: R, Throws: R

At the start of May, Lord seemed like he’d be an easy second-round pick, but he scuffled down the stretch, giving up 22 runs in 8 2/3 innings over his final three outings, as hitters jumped all over his fastball and he couldn’t get to his two breaking balls. He can really spin the ball, even the fastball, which is mostly 93-95 mph and has reached 99 mph. He throws plenty of strikes, but hitters see the fastball too well and he probably needs to pitch more with his secondaries. Lord has already shown incredible drive and capacity to learn, taking his fastball from around 80-81 mph during the COVID-19 shutdown to the mid 90s largely by finding videos online on how to throw harder. In his one year at UW after he transferred from Division III Carleton College, he’s already tightened up the delivery and been up to 99 mph. There’s still a lot of untapped potential here, and it’s the sort of makeup you want to bet on.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

 

Levi Wells, RHP, Texas State

DOB: 9-21-2002 | 6-foot-2 | 216 pounds | B/T: R/R

Wells comes right over the top, giving him deception but limiting his ability to pitch east-west, as everything he throws is straight and up, like his 89-94 mph fastball, or breaks downward, with both his low-80s curve and upper-80s slider doing so. He throws a ton of strikes and has enough of a changeup to get lefties out for now. Long term he’s probably not a starter but could be a bulk guy, and I think he’ll have a lot of success in the low minors when he enters pro ball.

[Mackus]

Lord has already shown incredible drive and capacity to learn, taking his fastball from around 80-81 mph during the COVID-19 shutdown to the mid 90s largely by finding videos online on how to throw harder.

 

God dammit...I can't even figure out patching drywall on youtube.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

More pitchers than position players through 4 rounds. Stop the presses and stop trying to peg this FO as being so black and white.

[JeremyStrain]

Lord sounds like a guy that’s about to be encouraged to spend the summer at Driveline, and in the fall he’s going to have some insane K rate.

Like the EV and contact rate on the hitting side, they seem to really like spin rate.

[Nigel Tufnel]

 

Jake Cunningham, OF, UNC Charlotte

DOB: 07-03-2002 | 6-foot-4 | 205 pounds | B/T: R/R

Cunningham injured his ankle in the offseason, missing the start of the year and never quite getting going at the plate or on the bases, losing 37 points of batting average and 76 points of slugging from his sophomore year to this one. He certainly looks the part, with an athletic frame that could still add some muscle. He hits with a wide stance and no stride, showing easy power from the right side. His contact rates have never been great and this year he was especially bad at tracking fastballs, often chasing them up and/or in. He won’t turn 21 until a week before the draft, making him one of the youngest college prospects in the class, although he could also try to go back to school for one more year and see what a healthy start to the season does for his performance.

[BaltBird 24]

Another very college heavy draft. I like it.

[JeremyStrain]

Seems to be a big focus on defense this year.

[Slidemaster]

More smart guys with crazy raw potential. Almost feels like they want to draft the tools and then teach them major league baseball.

I remember years ago it felt like they screwed great prospects up. Now they're getting more than expected out of them.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Orioles take 7 pitchers and 5 position players in the first 10 rounds. All college guys. Interesting to see where the signing bonuses fall. Would think mostly around slot for all these guys.

[makoman]

Orioles take 7 pitchers and 5 position players in the first 10 rounds. All college guys. Interesting to see where the signing bonuses fall. Would think mostly around slot for all these guys.

If MLB is correct Braxton Bragg (8th) is a senior and Zach Fruit (9th) is a grad student, so you'd think they'd be cheap. Baumeister is a sophomore so could be a little expensive. I read speculation somewhere that Cunningham might want to go back to school and improve his stock cause he was hurt a good chunk this year, had a 1.005 OPS last year down to .878 this year. They could have a plan to try to go overslot tomorrow too.

[dude]

Stop the presses and stop trying to peg this FO as being so black and white.

 

So I'd argue things (influences) are different now than the first 3 years.  You are arguing that because things are different, see, things can be different.  Why wouldn't the notion that strategy appears different be the argument that things actually are different?

[dude]

Good thing public rankings aren’t ultimately important.

 

You didn't actually want to discuss this, did you?

[BobPhelan]

You didn't actually want to discuss this, did you?

Nope, no point.

[BobPhelan]

If MLB is correct Braxton Bragg (8th) is a senior and Zach Fruit (9th) is a grad student, so you'd think they'd be cheap. Baumeister is a sophomore so could be a little expensive. I read speculation somewhere that Cunningham might want to go back to school and improve his stock cause he was hurt a good chunk this year, had a 1.005 OPS last year down to .878 this year. They could have a plan to try to go overslot tomorrow too.

Cunningham is an absolute steal, certainly seems like an overslot. Wouldn’t be surprised if Baumeister was too.

Hopefully some money left for tomorrow too.

[makoman]

Cunningham is an absolute steal, certainly seems like an overslot. Wouldn’t be surprised if Baumeister was too.

Hopefully some money left for tomorrow too.

Seems they like him.

 

Steve Melewski
@masnSteve
O's Brad Ciolek on getting OF Jake Cunningham in rnd 5: "He is a tool shed. He has double plus raw power in BP. He is a plus runner and one of those guys that has instincts for CF. In a (predraft) workout at Camden Yds he was up to 111 (exit velocity) with wood."
7:01 PM · Jul 10, 2023