172 replies to this topic

[dude]

Just playing the leverage game. Guys do this kinda stuff every year.

 

Agreed, it will be interesting to see where this goes under the new rules.

 

Samardzija worked his deal where he got significantly payed for giving up football and it will be interesting to watch how a situation like this plays out because the Orioles never show the type of commitment that Shark got.

 

If they can figure it all out....they can get a steal of a talent for someone teams may not have been comfortable messing around with in the new system.....

 

....maybe they sign him for 100k and work it all out later after he gores back to school.  We'll see.

[Coker]

7th rd pick Max Schuh out of UCLA. Ranked 360 by BA.
 

Schuh arrived at UCLA as a walk-on for the football team but has turned himself into a baseball prospect under John Savage’s expert tutelage. Scouts love his athletic, physical 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame and his fresh arm. He has a long takeaway and good extension out front in his high three-quarters delivery, making his 86-91 fastball tough to pick up. It also has some late life and sink, and scouts think he could add more velocity as he matures. Schuh has shown the ability to throw his 77-81 slurve for a strike for a chase pitch, generating swing-and-misses against lefthanded hitters. Schuh’s two-pitch repertoire makes him profile as a lefty reliever, but coaches rave about his work ethic and aptitude, suggesting he has a chance to reach his ceiling.

[JeremyStrain]

Agreed, it will be interesting to see where this goes under the new rules.

 

Samardzija worked his deal where he got significantly payed for giving up football and it will be interesting to watch how a situation like this plays out because the Orioles never show the type of commitment that Shark got.

 

If they can figure it all out....they can get a steal of a talent for someone teams may not have been comfortable messing around with in the new system.....

 

....maybe they sign him for 100k and work it all out later after he gores back to school.  We'll see.

 

Yeah I mean don't get me wrong, I'm sure he's really been pushing for the basketball thing. But unless he goes in the first round of the NBA draft, which I doubt is likely, he's not going to make what he would get for signing. Plus there's much more margin for error with baseball. He'll be employed at least the next 6 years. Basketball he could be begging for developmental tryouts in a couple months. Just not enough positions in pro basketball, he'd be stupid to turn down guaranteed money to play college basketball for free.

[McNulty]

All pitchers so far.

[Stotle]

Wonder if they are targeting an overslot in Round 11. Connaughton just doesn't (IMO) warrant significant overslot investment. He's highly underdeveloped at present, and a bunch of Midwest scouts don't think he'll ever throw a solid breaking ball. A lot depends on Rd 3 + 4 for Baltimore. Can't tell if they are freeing up $900 K with all of those JuCo/Sr signs for a huge splash in Rd 11 or if they are just playing their board.

[Coker]

I don't pretend like I know anything...but from what I've read, seems like an interesting couple of picks today.

[McNulty]

I don't pretend like I know anything.

You are light years ahead of the morons I'm arguing with at foxhole HQ with this sentence alone.

[Coker]

You are light years ahead of the morons I'm arguing with at foxhole HQ with this sentence alone.

No point in me carrying on a conversation or argument as if I actually know what I'm talking about. Gotta base everything on what I can read and what little video I can watch. 

That being said, I'm looking forward to see the plan the O's take tomorrow - trying to save some money now and grab some higher upside players in the teens? Let the speculations run wild. 

Edit: I did see a great question asked over there, asking Stotle about how the O's scouting and FO is viewed around the league. 

[dude]

Can't tell if they are freeing up $900 K with all of those JuCo/Sr signs for a huge splash in Rd 11 or if they are just playing their board.

 

I've thought they might be doing this in past years.....but they seem to struggle to get some guys inked quickly, even when they appeared (like last year) to be significant overdrafts.

 

#3 and #5 both appear to be significant overdraft

#4 has the basketball consideration to work with/around (opportunity there?)

#7,8,9 and 10 are all college SRs

 

....it's hard to save a lot of money with rds 3-10 (totals just aren't that big)......but they didn't go after any top guys there.

 

---------

Three guys (with the understanding that I know nothing and have talked to no-one) that jump out on the still undrafted list include

 

Virginia HS product Jacob Bukaukas (RHP) and 2 kids that played with Josh Hart (O's #2 in 2013) at Parkview HS Mac Marshall (LHP) and Isiah Gilliam (1B)

 

BA had them at #33, #57 and #132 respectively. 

[Stotle]

I've thought they might be doing this in past years.....but they seem to struggle to get some guys inked quickly, even when they appeared (like last year) to be significant overdrafts.

 

#3 and #5 both appear to be significant overdraft

#4 has the basketball consideration to work with/around (opportunity there?)

#7,8,9 and 10 are all college SRs

 

....it's hard to save a lot of money with rds 3-10 (totals just aren't that big)......but they didn't go after any top guys there.

 

---------

Three guys (with the understanding that I know nothing and have talked to no-one) that jump out on the still undrafted list include

 

Virginia HS product Jacob Bukaukas (RHP) and 2 kids that played with Josh Hart (O's #2 in 2013) at Parkview HS Mac Marshall (LHP) and Isiah Gilliam (1B)

 

BA had them at #33, #57 and #132 respectively. 

 

Bukauskas is not a good option for Baltimore. Marshall could be but Baltimore would likely not have enough money (I think it could take upwards of $2 MM). Gilliam is not committed to a 4YR school, but the upside is fairly uncertain. Raw but also young for the class; corner profile that will rely on power manifesting in the near future (not there yet). Not trying to shoot all of those down, but it's telling no one has popped any of them yet. 

[Coker]

Bukauskas is not a good option for Baltimore. Marshall could be but Baltimore would likely not have enough money (I think it could take upwards of $2 MM). Gilliam is not committed to a 4YR school, but the upside is fairly uncertain. Raw but also young for the class; corner profile that will rely on power manifesting in the near future (not there yet). Not trying to shoot all of those down, but it's telling no one has popped any of them yet. 

If it's going to take upwards of 2M for Marshall, I can't imagine the Orioles being in. Their allotted bonus pool money is 2.2M 

[dude]

Bukauskas is not a good option for Baltimore. Marshall could be but Baltimore would likely not have enough money (I think it could take upwards of $2 MM). Gilliam is not committed to a 4YR school, but the upside is fairly uncertain. Raw but also young for the class; corner profile that will rely on power manifesting in the near future (not there yet). Not trying to shoot all of those down, but it's telling no one has popped any of them yet. 

 

.....so there are certainly reasons not to take those guys in the top 5 rounds......but we are talking about the 15+th pick......

 

.....out of curiosity.....why isn't Bukaukas a good ft for Baltimore?  Maybe he's not a good fit anywhere because of the NC commit.....but with guys like him and Marshall.....I'd still play a little defense and not let him be woo'd by a team like the Dodgers, Yankees or RedSox.

 

with Gilliam....isn't uncertain upside better than no upside?.....it is the 15th round.  How many guys with any upside are left?

 

btw....absolutely no commitment to these comments.....literally perusing the list of still available guys and thinking about higher ranked talent that is still on the Day3 board.....and could be some fit for the Orioles.  I have no idea how much this does or doesn't play into things....but you have a guy like Hart that played with Marshall and Gilliam.....where you may get a voice inside the circle that other teams don't have.

[Coker]

Well, doesn't look like the O's made a big splash in rd. 11. All scouting reports below provided by BA. 

11. John Means, LHP WVU

Means has sustained two years of solid performance and strike-throwing ability in the rotation, making him a candidate to go in the top 10 rounds. He has a solid build at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and his fastball works at 88-91 mph, touching 93, with some downhill plane and armside run. He hides the ball well in his delivery. Means' top secondary offering is his changeup that shows average potential. His breaking ball will have to improve for him to remain in the rotation, though it shows flashes. He offers pitchability and control, with a career walk rate of 2.6 per nine and a 2.4 strikeout-walk ratio.

12. Nigel Nootbaar, RHP USC

Nootbaar is a classic arm-strength righty with major control issues. After logging 35 innings as a freshman and 48 as a sophomore, he threw just 16 innings as a junior this spring, issuing 18 walks while striking out 14. His delivery is a mess—he throws across his body, has a low elbow and can’t repeat his release point. But he has a quick arm, an athletic 6-foot-1 frame and the makings of two plus pitches—but they are very erratic. His fastball ranges from 91-94 mph, and his low-80s power breaking ball has good depth at times. He’s a reliever all the way, and a project, but an enterprising club could take him in the top 10 rounds.

13. Matt Trowbridge, LHP Central Michigan
14. Gerrion Grim, RF Jefferson College
15. Alejandro Juvier, 2B Doral Academy
16. Tanner Chleboard, RHP Wash St. 

A 6-foot-5 190-pound string bean, Chleborad jumped from a South Dakota high school straight into a Pac-12 rotation as a freshman. He’s had ups and downs in his career, with the ups including throwing a lot of strikes and developing his arm strength to the point that he’s hit some 94s with his average fastball. Chleborad throws a lot of strikes and not enough quality strikes, both with the fastball and with his fringy changeup and curveball. He’s given up more hits than innings pitched in every college season and doesn’t miss a lot of bats. He profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter at best.

[Coker]

17. Jean Cosme, RHP Colegio Sagrada Familia HS (PR)
 

Cosme finished the spring on a high note with a strong showing at the Excellence Games and could be the top arm selected from Puerto Rico. He was 86-89 mph to begin the spring but sat 89-91 while touching 93 at the Excellence Games. He has a quick, loose arm that produces natural gloveside run. He can get around on his curveball, but shows enough feel for spin to project an average breaking ball. His changeup is serviceable, though it hasn’t gotten much use in game action. He is around the plate enough to project average control. The 6-foot-2, 160-pound Cosme has gotten stronger this spring and offers a projectable, lean build with loose limbs. He does not have a college commitment.

 18. Matthew Grimes, RHP GT

 

Grimes was a fourth-round pick out of high school in 2010, but he’ll be hard-pressed to go in that range in 2014. He had Tommy John surgery in 2013 and worked his way back slowly this spring for Georgia Tech. While he had some high points, such as a seven-inning wins against North Carolina and Georgia, he generally lacked consistency with his fastball velocity and location. The pitch tended was 90-92 mph at its best, though he reached higher at times. At his best, Grimes pitches downhill with sink to his fastballs and changeup. His breaking ball is his third-best offering, and at times he was hit hard, finishing at 5-3, 4.39 with a 33-36 walk-strikeout ratio.

19. Connor Seabold, RHP Newport Harbor HS (CA)
20. Zach Albin, RHP UCONN Avery Point

[SportsGuy]

So...garbage draft?

[Coker]

No BA reports on the recent draftees: 
21. John McLeod, LHP Wake Forest
22. Josh Walker, RHP New Mexico
23. Zeke McGranahan, RHP Georgia Gwinnett 
24. Lucas Long, RHP  USan Diego

25. Brandon Bonilla, LHP Grand Canyon U
 

The son of Bobby Bonilla, who played 16 big league seasons and still is getting paid $1 million annually by the Mets, Brandon Bonilla has some of his father’s size at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds. He has power on the mound instead of on the plate, with a fastball that has reached 97 mph. He’s earned comparisons to Donald Veal and Dontrelle Willis for his high-effort, high-leg kick delivery, and command is not a strong suit. Neither is experience. The Connecticut native, who attended Florida’s IMG Academy for his final two years of high school, threw 36 innings in his first two college seasons between Arizona State and Grand Canyon, due in part to a stress fracture in his left elbow. He was ineligible this season, limited to scrimmages and bullpen sessions for scouts. He struck out 30 in 19 innings in the New England Collegiate League last summer but walked 13 and posted an 8.37 ERA. Lefties with velocity, though, remain coveted, making Bonilla a significant wild card for Four Corners area scouts.

So out of their 23 draft picks so far, the O's have taken 18 pitchers. 5 position players. Only 4 HS players by the looks of things. 

 

   

[Greg Pappas]

No BA reports on the recent draftees: 
21. John McLeod, LHP Wake Forest
22. Josh Walker, RHP New Mexico
23. Zeke McGranahan, RHP Georgia Gwinnett 
24. Lucas Long, RHP  USan Diego

25. Brandon Bonilla, LHP Grand Canyon U
 

So out of their 23 draft picks so far, the O's have taken 18 pitchers. 5 position players. Only 4 HS players by the looks of things. 

 

   

 

Appreciate the updates... regardless of the apparent lack of quality that permeates from this draft class.

[Oriole85]

@MLBDraft Johnny Baseball! @AggieAthletics RT 28 (837): @Padres select Texas A&M U SS Johnny Manziel. http://mlb.mlb.com/m...#ft=team&fv=sdn … …  #MLBDraft

[Coker]

Appreciate the updates... regardless of the apparent lack of quality that permeates from this draft class.

We'll see. I certainly haven't seen anybody come out and praise the O's for this draft. Or any of the players selected, really. The initial reaction for most is that it's been underwhelming, no doubt. 

 

[SportsGuy]

Did this draft end up being as deep and talented as expected?