Ah yes, baseball is truly upon us. From the Spring Training where major leaguers and minor leaguers are putting their work in, collegiate baseball that is already heating up, HS circuits and showcases already under way (maybe not for the Northeastern areas). From Adley Rutschman looking like the second coming of Joe Mauer to Tyler Beede already re-opening eyes this Spring Training (more on him on my next post), things are slowly taking shape (aside from the off the field BS that the Giants put themselves in the past weeks).
As such, it is never too early to take a look at the possible draft targets for the Giants in June. Again, they are under new management so the usual stuff of "having a different board than the rest" can be put into the shelf, at least for now. As far as the Dodgers, the A's and the Braves' track records are concerned (because it will be the triumvirate of Zaidi-Holmes-Bridges that will be calling the shots), they usually follow the best player available approach in the 1st round and going with intriguing guys in the middle rounds, leaning more on the pop-up college arms and volatile players. But they are in the Giants now so it will be very interesting to see their collective concepts of talent acquisition via draft.
Without further ado, these are the draft prospects in this year's draft that I think we should be looking at heavily until draft time because they are in the wheelhouse of the 10th overall pick and there is a definitive top half of the group that separated themselves from the rest of the pack.
The Can't Touch This Group
Adley Rutschman - He is the best prospect this year, no doubt about it.
Bobby Witt Jr. - Tools alone should have him drafted in the top 5.
Andrew Vaughn - He is the second best college prospect after Rutschman.
C.J. Abrams - He is probably the best HS prospect right now.
Corbin Carroll - His tools are very good and should not be selected after the top 8. Has just started his senior season so if he struggles, he can still drop. But so far, no way.
Josh Jung - Looks like his hot start probably seals his fate as a potential 6-8 pick does not really have the vibe of the versatile defenders that Zaidi envisions for this organization.
Bryson Stott - Ditto.
Pitchers
As such, it is never too early to take a look at the possible draft targets for the Giants in June. Again, they are under new management so the usual stuff of "having a different board than the rest" can be put into the shelf, at least for now. As far as the Dodgers, the A's and the Braves' track records are concerned (because it will be the triumvirate of Zaidi-Holmes-Bridges that will be calling the shots), they usually follow the best player available approach in the 1st round and going with intriguing guys in the middle rounds, leaning more on the pop-up college arms and volatile players. But they are in the Giants now so it will be very interesting to see their collective concepts of talent acquisition via draft.
Without further ado, these are the draft prospects in this year's draft that I think we should be looking at heavily until draft time because they are in the wheelhouse of the 10th overall pick and there is a definitive top half of the group that separated themselves from the rest of the pack.
The Can't Touch This Group
Adley Rutschman - He is the best prospect this year, no doubt about it.
Bobby Witt Jr. - Tools alone should have him drafted in the top 5.
Andrew Vaughn - He is the second best college prospect after Rutschman.
C.J. Abrams - He is probably the best HS prospect right now.
Corbin Carroll - His tools are very good and should not be selected after the top 8. Has just started his senior season so if he struggles, he can still drop. But so far, no way.
Josh Jung - Looks like his hot start probably seals his fate as a potential 6-8 pick does not really have the vibe of the versatile defenders that Zaidi envisions for this organization.
Bryson Stott - Ditto.
Pitchers
Daniel Espino RHP HS
6'1" 200 lbs. R/R
Videos: Credits to Prospects Live and Perfect Game Baseball
FB 70 | CB 60+ | SL 60 | CH 50 | CMD 45
One of the hardest throwers in this draft class where he lit up the PG All-American Classic last year by pumping out 99 MPH fastballs, Espino has held his stock as one of the best pitchers in the class but remains one of the most volatile. After watching multiple videos of him from last year to this year, Espino always reminds me of Jameson Taillon in terms of size, mechanics and stuff.
In recent videos, Espino's frame looked buffed and physically maxed out. Not quite D.K. Metcalf buffed but his head looks small in comparison to his frame. It could be good that his frame is already this built to sustain his mechanics. Like Taillon, Espino's mechanics features a big arm action and drop and drive traits. The arm roation looked loose and easy and the finish and follow-through in his mechanics looked good so I don't really see a lot concerns of a possible injury due to the mechanics itself but pitchers with big arm actions do struggle with command of his pitches especially on guys that lack the feel. If Espino tones down his mechanics similar to what Bumgarner (another pitcher with a big arm action) has done to his (Espino's drive to the plate still looks raw), that could help him improve the command of his stuff, and boy his stuff is plenty nasty.
Espino's repertoire is already deep, with a full four-pitch mix, highlighted by his fastball that reaches 99 MPH with little knowhow on where to spot it but hovers in the mid-90s with control but not command. The pure velocity and good running life alone can beat up HS hitting but needs to command it in the zone better to achieve success. Espino's pair of breaking balls are downright dirty for HS ranks, with his low-80s curveball having plus-plus 11-5 break at best and the feel to spin and actually locate it in the knees it is very impressive. His harder slider is currently more of a chase pitch where he loves to place it down and away towards the dirt often due to the crossfire nature of his mechanics. His changeup is decent in terms of fade but is clearly behind of his other three pitches because he does not need it to do damage against HS competition.
Like any HS pitcher, Espino needs maturity in terms of feel for pitching but the success rate of pitchers with big arm swing becoming starting pitching options are low so the odds are against Espino. It is for that reason that I do not advice the Giants drafting him but their success at letting the natural motion of their pitchers stay true is what the org has done in developing any pitchers so far. Under the new management though, it will be interesting if they draft Espino because of his wipeout stuff.
Brennan Malone RHP HS
6'3" 200 lbs. R/R
Videos: Credits to Prospects Live and Perfect Game Baseball
FB 60 | CB 60 | SL 50+ | CMD 50
In this year's draft class, I have never seen a better natural thrower of the baseball than Malone. In fact, in some ways, he has some similar traits to a young Tyler Beede in his HS days: projectable frame, two plus pitches with a projectable third pitch, and a natural pitching motion.
Based on the PBR Florida Preseason Classic, Malone has three pitches in his disposal. His fastball ranges from 92-96 MPH, able to reach 96 MPH early his starts but he sits on 92-93 MPH later. The fastball has tremendous life and thrown on a downhill plane. With a projectable frame to fill in 20 more pounds in his frame, the velocity can reach towards the high-90s. His mid to high-70s curveball is his best secondary pitch, with big and sharp 12-6 break and is downright nasty. His mid-80s slider is more of a power pitch with solid vertical break.
The thing that is very confusing is that even though Malone has one of the purest pitching motions that I have ever seen, he misses so much at the zone, a proof of his lack of feel for his repertoire at the moment. The mechanics is just a thing of beauty. Great tempo, aggressive drive to the plate, great hip-shoulder separation, flawless and loose arm action, quick arm speed. If I compare it to a work of art, it's Mona Lisa. The problem with Malone is that he misses his spots with his fastball far too often, sailing high and out of the zone, and high and in at times. The slider also does not have the most optimal location, high or middle away. The curveball actually is the one that he has the most impressive feel, can locate it down in the zone for strikes and out of the zone at times to induce swings and misses. I did not see any pitch that resembles the shape of a changeup in that game and in other recent videos of Malone.
Malone will always be in the conversation with Espino as the top prepster pitchers in this class. Malone is behind in terms of stuff and feel as compared with Espino but he offers better optimism due to his projection in his frame and in his mechanics for better velocity and command. However, the issue is that he will be a project and HS pitchers tend to slip down the draft due to their bigger learning curve and Malone could experience plenty of growing pains. If Malone shows that his feel for his pitches improves over the course of a couple months, any team will be confident enough to draft him in the pre-teens, including the Giants.
Brennan Malone RHP HS
6'3" 200 lbs. R/R
Videos: Credits to Prospects Live and Perfect Game Baseball
FB 60 | CB 60 | SL 50+ | CMD 50
In this year's draft class, I have never seen a better natural thrower of the baseball than Malone. In fact, in some ways, he has some similar traits to a young Tyler Beede in his HS days: projectable frame, two plus pitches with a projectable third pitch, and a natural pitching motion.
Based on the PBR Florida Preseason Classic, Malone has three pitches in his disposal. His fastball ranges from 92-96 MPH, able to reach 96 MPH early his starts but he sits on 92-93 MPH later. The fastball has tremendous life and thrown on a downhill plane. With a projectable frame to fill in 20 more pounds in his frame, the velocity can reach towards the high-90s. His mid to high-70s curveball is his best secondary pitch, with big and sharp 12-6 break and is downright nasty. His mid-80s slider is more of a power pitch with solid vertical break.
The thing that is very confusing is that even though Malone has one of the purest pitching motions that I have ever seen, he misses so much at the zone, a proof of his lack of feel for his repertoire at the moment. The mechanics is just a thing of beauty. Great tempo, aggressive drive to the plate, great hip-shoulder separation, flawless and loose arm action, quick arm speed. If I compare it to a work of art, it's Mona Lisa. The problem with Malone is that he misses his spots with his fastball far too often, sailing high and out of the zone, and high and in at times. The slider also does not have the most optimal location, high or middle away. The curveball actually is the one that he has the most impressive feel, can locate it down in the zone for strikes and out of the zone at times to induce swings and misses. I did not see any pitch that resembles the shape of a changeup in that game and in other recent videos of Malone.
Malone will always be in the conversation with Espino as the top prepster pitchers in this class. Malone is behind in terms of stuff and feel as compared with Espino but he offers better optimism due to his projection in his frame and in his mechanics for better velocity and command. However, the issue is that he will be a project and HS pitchers tend to slip down the draft due to their bigger learning curve and Malone could experience plenty of growing pains. If Malone shows that his feel for his pitches improves over the course of a couple months, any team will be confident enough to draft him in the pre-teens, including the Giants.
Jackson Rutledge RHP JC
6'8" 250 lbs. R/R
Videos: Credits to 2080 Baseball and The Prospect Pipeline
FB 65 | SL 60 | CB 55 | CH 45 | CMD 45
In this college class devoid of a true top pitching prospect option, Rutledge swooped in from the junior college ranks and just took over as the best college pitching prospect or possibly the best overall prospect thanks to his nasty stuff.
If you like BIG BOYS like I like my BIG BOY BART, Rutledge might be your boy in this draft. This guy is a BIG BOY. Rutledge is not just tall. He, like Espino, already filled up his frame nicely. With his size, he can really be an intimidating presence on the mound. His size is very similar to Dellin Betances.
When looking at Rutledge's mechanics, it is a pretty simple one to be honest and that offers optimism especially for a guy with his size. Rutledge's arm action is ridiculously short, like he is throwing darts instead of baseball. There is not a lot of hip-shoulder separation to add more velocity but the short action along with his short stride do help him fine the strike zone. I think that the issue with his overall control and command issues is a result of his body turn on his leg kick. It causes his balance to be a little off and results to some inconsistencies in his arm slot. If he can shave off the over rotation and probably throw from stretch exclusively, it can improve his command.
In terms of stuff, Rutledge's stuff is the best among the college ranks right now. His fastball sits on the mid-90s and often touch high-90s with good amount of life on it but it does not have the jump or the hop because of his short stride. He has control of it but definitely lacks the fine command and that is pretty much expected from a two-way prospect behemoth in HS and just starting to fully understand pitching. His high-80s slider is a true plus pitch, with a sharp vertical break but currently is employed as a chase pitch and has not been consistently located in the zone for called strikes. The 80 MPH curveball also flashed plus in terms of break but has thrown more solid curves than pluses. He also got a changeup in his back pocket but has yet to unleash it.
If the Giants are really looking for pitchers this year, I will suggest to draft Rutledge more than Espino for several reasons. Rutledge is more polished, better optimism on his command, and faster track to the Majors. I think Rutledge has a non-zero chance to be a starter because guys with his type of profile tend to fall to bullpen options over time where the fastball can tick up to triple digits and his imposing presence can easily make him a closer material but if you are drafting in the first round, you are drafting for big impact. But hey, I am intrigued with Rutledge. And you should be too.
Quick Thoughts on Other Pitchers.
On the college side, once the top pitching prospect available, Graeme Stinson's fastball dipped hard towards the high-80s after chilling out on mid-90s last year, making his nasty slider less effective. I think he is experiencing the Ian Hamilton syndrome as he might not be comfortable in starting full-time and should fare better in the pen in pro ball.
Erik Miller has been a pleasant surprise but reminds me of Giants closer Will Smith with a plus looking fastball and breaking ball and the changeup flashes average.
George Kirby has been better, striking out more than an inning this season and flashes a plus-looking hard curveball and a low to mid-90s heater with Jeremy Guthrie elements on his mechanics. I just do not see Kirby as a top 10 pick at the moment.
Nick Lodolo looks pretty convincing as a teens pick now as his fastball is now back in the low-90s range and reaching up to 94 MPH with two above-average ceiling breaking balls but I do not really want to deal with developing Lodolo greatly. However, if Lodolo improves throughout the next two months, look for me to make a write-up on him.
Carter Stewart is really Lucas Giolito, just like what I said last year in terms of his mechanics, frame, stuff and control issues. I am hands off on him.
Zack Thompson is only a late-1st round pick at the moment as he lack the fastball velocity to be a true early-1st round prospect.
On the prepster side, Matthew Allan is the only guy worth considering in the pre-teens range as he improved his velocity, touching the high-90s this year with a good looking curveball last season. However, I do not see any new footage of him pitching this year and I need hard evidence to see if there is something that he has done on his mechanics or in his body to have him throw harder.
J.J. Goss is soaring in the draft ever since putting on 20 pounds in his frame and is now sitting mid-90s with his plus mid-80s slider. He really does remind me of Phil Bickford and that thought just make me pull back on drafting him at the 10th. In the teens however, sure. But I still cringe of the Bickford nightmares.
Matthew Thompson threw a no-no not too long ago and has flashed plus curveball and above average change but still a projection-type of pitcher that is a better fit in the late-1st round.
Alek Manoah is like the right handed version of Erik Miller to be honest: a smoking fastball and a plus breaking ball but I am not sure if the mechanics will be enough to warrant a starting option.
Hitters
JJ Bleday OF COL
6'3" 205 lbs. L/L
Videos: Credits to Prospects Live, Perfect Game Baseball and James Weisser
Hit 60 | Power 55 | Speed 40 | Arm 60 | Glove 50
Vanderbilt is on the top of the national rankings once again. In other news, water is wet. Just kidding. Vandy reloaded very well, from guys like Kumar Rocker, Jake Eder and others. But at the very center of the squad is their best player, JJ Bleday. There is a stigma that recent Vandy hitters do not pan out in terms of development but I think Bleday has the best chance of breaking that.
From what I have seen so far, Bleday is a polished hitter. I have watched more than a handful of full Vandy games so far (thank God for cable television) and I have to say I am impressed with Bleday's approach at the plate. Very mature. He drew more walks than strikeouts for the third consecutive year and the raw power that he has in his frame is translating this year that has started in the Cape where he hit more homers there than in his sophomore season. This year, he already eclipsed his career high with 6 already with plenty of games to go. He also has a very good eye at the plate, able to track breaking ball spin and lays off on borderline pitches well. He is striking out on a higher rate this year probably because he wants to do more damage at the plate.
Bleday is a rhythm hitter. From an open set-up, the swing mechanics itself is quiet with a leg kick to close his backside and lands back on his original spot more often than not. The bat is loose but has a noticeable hitch where he pulls the bat back while his front foot lands. It might turn off some but I do not really see it as a big issue. It helps him aim the knob towards the catcher and generate the power and Bryce Harper has it. If Bleday's comfortable with it, I am also. His swing path's on the upper cut side so it could cause issues on elevated fastballs and I have yet to see him hit premium velocity so I am pretty generous to give him a plus hit tool at the moment but I feel confident that he can.
Even though Bleday will never be a force to be reckoned with on the bases, he has enough speed to cover ground in right and he is a former pitcher in HS so the arm is safe to employ in right. I don't think he has to move to left because of his below average speed once he gets older and puts more pressure on the bat to perform. The Giants drafted Bryan Reynolds before and he has not been what was expected of him. But Bleday carries a greater offensive potential that make him shatter the bad reputation of Vandy hitters struggling in the minors. The Zaidi-Holmes tandem loves drafting intriguing college performers, injured college starting pitchers or high risk-high ceiling prepsters based on the track records of the Dodgers and A's recently and Bleday definitely fits one of the molds.
Kameron Misner OF COL
6'4" 213 lbs. L/L
Videos: Credits to Mizzou Athlerics 1, 2 and 3
Hit 55 | Power 60 | Speed 60 | Arm 60 | Glove 55
This is the guy that I really want the Giants to draft. Then again, there will be a lot of teams, possibly as high as the White Sox, that are taking a hard look at Misner because nobody is more tooled up in the college level right now than Misner. I think that he can be join the 20-20 club in the collegiate level this year.
Misner really resembled Bradley Zimmer, another favorite draft prospect of mine, in terms of tools. Misner has true plus to plus-plus raw power thanks to his big but athletic and mature frame. It really depends on him if he tacks on a good 15 to 20 pounds to solidify his frame and be a true power hitter or just keep his frame to keep him as a dangerous player on the basepaths as well. Durability has been an issue last year for him so taking care of his body better should do wonders on him and minor league teams do have a better conditioning program.
Misner's raw power does not translate into games well because of his swing. Misner does not sell out for homers, and he does not need to, as his swing his short and compact. Misner's set up is quiet with a crouching action to load up his backside, closing the backside. The hips explode quite well but what I love more is his ability to adjust on pitches, using his eyes and strong wrists to reach out to still make solid contact on offspeed pitches. There's swing and miss due to his natural height disadvantage but the approach is advanced and his strike zone recognition allows him to draw more walks than strikeouts for more than a season now. The swing itself does not scream homer power but his power works on all fields and can take outside pitches to left field for a homer.
He is not just dangerous at the plate but also dangerous at the basepaths as well. His looseness and base stealing abilities should help him steal north of 20 bases in pro ball. He looks to slow down once he tacks on the muscle in his frame but I can still see him do 15-20 bases in pro ball with the added weight. He has only played in the corner outfield and first base in pro ball but honestly, I will give him a shot at center field. He will eventually settle at right field but he is a very intriguing defender at right with a strong arm.
If Misner's available at 10, 100% pick him. But there is now more than 50% chance that he will be gone once the 10th pick comes along. Because I think he is the most tooled up player in this year. Andrew Benintendi-type of stuff.
Riley Greene OF HS
6'1" 190 lbs. L/L
Videos: Credits to Prospects Live, Chris Coleman and Riley Greene himself
Hit 65 | Power 60 | Speed 40 | Arm 45 | Glove 45
Personally, I do not have much preference for guys who are very bat-reliant in terms of their stock because if they falter in pro ball offensively, there's very little that they can contribute. They can't cover their defensive position well due to their lackluster speed so a better defender will eat his playing time. If he gets on base, he does not have the wheels to affect the pitcher's head in the base stealing aspect.
A short while back, I really want the Giants to draft Keston Hiura because personally, I have never seen a bat move that quick in the zone and square the ball up that well at the same time and it is a rare trait to have to be honest. To have that eye-hand coordination and quick twitch to make it work every single time can overcome any defensive liabilities. Too bad the Brewers probably liked Hiura as much as I do and drafted him in the top 10. Getting Heliot is not to shabby to say, at least. This year, a similar prospect like Hiura popped up where his eye-hand coordination and lightning bat speed can overcome any liabilities and that is Riley Greene.
I think that Greene's bat is the best in this class. With his quiet set-up at the plate, rhythmic motion, excellent loading of his wrists at front foot plant, explosive hips helping generate the bat speed, great eye-hand coordination and polish, Greene can square up baseballs better than anyone in this class. What I love about him is that he can do two-handed and one-handed hacks no problem at all. I think that the swing and miss issues that he had at the end of last year is from fatigue and probably trying to do too much and he is already hitting very well at the start of this year and it should quiet down those issues. He has a history of drawing walks at a high rate which is also a big plus. Even though Greene is skinny at the moment, the hips are wide enough to tack on weight and have better than plus raw power to tap on.
Most of Greene's value is on how well he can hit a baseball in pro ball because the rest of his tools are palatable at best. He does not have a great throwing arm, that is why he is stuck at left field at the moment where his decent at best speed is projected to slow down once he adds on that weight in his frame although his frame is athletic. It's just weird to see an athletic body run slower than hoped. And that really limits him to play two positions: left field and first base.
Sure, drafting Greene is not a fit on the versatility on the field that the Giants are preaching but to get a bat this good when he is available at 10 is just too good to pass up. But yes, the bat will be under heavy pressure just like Jesse Winker of the Reds where his relative struggle to get acclimated to the Majors really hurt his value last season because he is a palatable at best defender and Greene could end up that same fate.
Michael Busch INF/OF COL
6'1" 200 lbs. L/R
Videos: Credits to Matthew Edwards, D1 Baseball, Prospects Live and Daniel Garrett
Hit 55 | Power 50+ | Speed 45 | Arm 45 | Glove 50
Whenever I watch Michael Busch on videos, I always see a resemblance of a Tar Heel alumni Colin Moran: prospects known more for their feel for hitting on the left side than pure athleticism with a very good track record with solid power, not much speed, and has defensive flexibility even though the arm strength is only average.
Busch's calling card is his very mature approach at the plate and has the look of a professional hitter. Hitting from a crouch stance, his movements are quiet that makes his him see and track spin consistently, knows how to work counts to his favor that results to extremely high walk rates and has a very low propensity to strike out. He does not have great athleticism but he does have a good stroke that is capable of producing consistent hard contact. He does have some trouble with his batting average this year, starting off pretty slow but his walks are still there. His power is only above average but he does extract it well using his good eye-hand coordination.
The rest of Busch's tools are going to be average at best as he only has average at best speed and arm strength but what he got a leg up on other prospects on the list is his defensive versatility. Busch played first base last year and played second base on the Cape Cod League and is now on left field this year where he made a very good running catch showing off his surprising range. That gives him some leg up on what Farhan envisions in terms of defensive versatility as he can be plugged and played everywhere and produce at the plate. Busch can be a little boring because there is less ceiling as compared to the other prospects in this list but his floor as an advanced hitter and his flexibility gives him a better shot to be a Major Leaguer, albeit a complimentary piece rather than a game-changing one.
Hunter Bishop OF COL
6'5" 210 lbs. L/R
Videos: Credits to Jack Lautaret, Sun Devil Baseball and Perfect Game Baseball
Hit 50+ | Power 60 | Speed 60 | Arm 45 | Glove 50+
There is nobody in this freaking planet that is as hot of a hitter as Hunter Bishop is right now for the Sun Devils. Part of a potentially loaded offensive staff led by potential top 5 pick next year Spencer Tolkerson, Bishop emerged as the best player in the early going, batting north of .400. I got intrigued about him because he just keep on popping up on my Twitter and I get really intrigued as he exhibits the same tools as Kameron Misner. Like Misner, Bishop has some of the best power-speed combinations before the season started but has really popped off at the start of 2019, with 10 homers and 6 steals already.
The meteoric rise of BIshop has been aided by a couple of adjustments with his set-up at the plate. The most obvious change is his hand placement in his batting stance. Last year, his hands are chest-level and the bat is resting on his left shoulder which made his rhythm looked off and made his bat not travel through the zone inconsistently. This year, Bishop's hands are now set up around chin level, making his load simpler and all he has to do is just shift his momentum forward with his stride to create a more consistent bat path in the zone and drive any pitch to any part of the field with power.
There is natural leverage and loft in his swing and already has enough power to produce 105+ MPH exit velocities and high launch angles even towards left field. Bishop can still tuck in 20 more pounds in his frame if he wants to become a full pledged power hitter where he can be a north of 20 homers a season thanks to his quick bat. There's swing and miss issues on Bishop due to his aggressiveness at the plate but there's enough discipline from him to draw ample walks and he drastically improved his walk rate in his junior season.
Bishop has been playing at center field all season long and he is cut for center if he does not add weight in his frame and already had an outstanding catch in center, robbing a potential homer on the wall. Reports on his arm strength are against Bishop however but I think if he goes on a throwing program, I think the arm can be adequate enough on center. His plus raw speed can make him steal up to 20 bases annually but I project him to slow down if he ever adds the weight and have him shift to left.
Bishop has certainly entered the conversation in the first round after his literal lava-type of a season so far and if this keeps up for a couple of months, he can be in the pre-teen conversation, including the Giants. Now, he might be less tooled up than Misner but the two share similar traits: tall outfielders with plenty of power and speed in their games that are hitting very well in the early season. Pac-12's not the best conference but I think Bishop's hitting ability is for real and I really hope he keeps this up.
Quick Thoughts on Other Hitters
There are so many top hitters in this draft class that I probably pointed out all of the guys that I wanted because I do not see much after the four guys I did a report on that can boost their stock to force their way into the top 10. But for the sake of giving my information for you people on what I think of the other prospects, I will give you my quick thoughts.
I am going to start off with the prepsters. I have seen recent videos of Jerrion Ealy and I have to say that his swing is nowhere near what I have seen in his BP videos last year in PG National. It's so one handed at the moment with little drive to the ball. The athleticism is oozing but the very raw swing mechanics will put him probably outside the first round now.
His fellow two-sport star Maurice Hampton looked better actually in his homer swing, his athleticism reflecting on that plus bat speed swing. I love Hampton now more than Ealy in the early going and could push himself to the preteens if he keeps this up.
Aside from the two two-sport stars, the other that I like from the prep class Nasim Nunez with tremendous defensive upside, playing at a premium position with quick twitch actions, range and tremendous arm strength. His ceiling is only capped by his limited raw power but he can swing the bat pretty well so he can be drafted in the early rounds.
The one that is intriguing me the most lately is third baseman Keoni Cavaco with his plus raw power and arm for third base with a much better hit tool than Rece Hinds.
In the college crop, aside from Shea Langliers that is a hands off for the Giants due to BIG BOY BART reasons, there are niches of players with similar profiles. First is the middle infielders with solid hit tool, some power and are shortstop now but will probably move to second base as they get older. They are Will Wilson, Braden Shewmake and Chase Strumpf. The exceptions to the rule are Greg Jones that is a very toolsy but raw middle infield prospect, Logan Davidson who is more of a power over hit hitter with plenty of holes in the swing but has been pretty good this year, and Will Holland who is a twitchy infielder with speed and power.
The other niche that formed are corner outfielders with power in their frame but not a lot of speed and could move to first base in pro ball (or is there already). They are Matt Wallner, Kyle Stowers and Mike Toglia who are struggling heavily right off the gate and fell out of the first round.
Do you have other players in mind? Hit me up on the comments section on Twitter and tell me what you think. Thank you for reading!
If the Giants are really looking for pitchers this year, I will suggest to draft Rutledge more than Espino for several reasons. Rutledge is more polished, better optimism on his command, and faster track to the Majors. I think Rutledge has a non-zero chance to be a starter because guys with his type of profile tend to fall to bullpen options over time where the fastball can tick up to triple digits and his imposing presence can easily make him a closer material but if you are drafting in the first round, you are drafting for big impact. But hey, I am intrigued with Rutledge. And you should be too.
Quick Thoughts on Other Pitchers.
On the college side, once the top pitching prospect available, Graeme Stinson's fastball dipped hard towards the high-80s after chilling out on mid-90s last year, making his nasty slider less effective. I think he is experiencing the Ian Hamilton syndrome as he might not be comfortable in starting full-time and should fare better in the pen in pro ball.
Erik Miller has been a pleasant surprise but reminds me of Giants closer Will Smith with a plus looking fastball and breaking ball and the changeup flashes average.
George Kirby has been better, striking out more than an inning this season and flashes a plus-looking hard curveball and a low to mid-90s heater with Jeremy Guthrie elements on his mechanics. I just do not see Kirby as a top 10 pick at the moment.
Nick Lodolo looks pretty convincing as a teens pick now as his fastball is now back in the low-90s range and reaching up to 94 MPH with two above-average ceiling breaking balls but I do not really want to deal with developing Lodolo greatly. However, if Lodolo improves throughout the next two months, look for me to make a write-up on him.
Carter Stewart is really Lucas Giolito, just like what I said last year in terms of his mechanics, frame, stuff and control issues. I am hands off on him.
Zack Thompson is only a late-1st round pick at the moment as he lack the fastball velocity to be a true early-1st round prospect.
On the prepster side, Matthew Allan is the only guy worth considering in the pre-teens range as he improved his velocity, touching the high-90s this year with a good looking curveball last season. However, I do not see any new footage of him pitching this year and I need hard evidence to see if there is something that he has done on his mechanics or in his body to have him throw harder.
J.J. Goss is soaring in the draft ever since putting on 20 pounds in his frame and is now sitting mid-90s with his plus mid-80s slider. He really does remind me of Phil Bickford and that thought just make me pull back on drafting him at the 10th. In the teens however, sure. But I still cringe of the Bickford nightmares.
Matthew Thompson threw a no-no not too long ago and has flashed plus curveball and above average change but still a projection-type of pitcher that is a better fit in the late-1st round.
Alek Manoah is like the right handed version of Erik Miller to be honest: a smoking fastball and a plus breaking ball but I am not sure if the mechanics will be enough to warrant a starting option.
Hitters
JJ Bleday OF COL
6'3" 205 lbs. L/L
Videos: Credits to Prospects Live, Perfect Game Baseball and James Weisser
Hit 60 | Power 55 | Speed 40 | Arm 60 | Glove 50
Vanderbilt is on the top of the national rankings once again. In other news, water is wet. Just kidding. Vandy reloaded very well, from guys like Kumar Rocker, Jake Eder and others. But at the very center of the squad is their best player, JJ Bleday. There is a stigma that recent Vandy hitters do not pan out in terms of development but I think Bleday has the best chance of breaking that.
From what I have seen so far, Bleday is a polished hitter. I have watched more than a handful of full Vandy games so far (thank God for cable television) and I have to say I am impressed with Bleday's approach at the plate. Very mature. He drew more walks than strikeouts for the third consecutive year and the raw power that he has in his frame is translating this year that has started in the Cape where he hit more homers there than in his sophomore season. This year, he already eclipsed his career high with 6 already with plenty of games to go. He also has a very good eye at the plate, able to track breaking ball spin and lays off on borderline pitches well. He is striking out on a higher rate this year probably because he wants to do more damage at the plate.
Bleday is a rhythm hitter. From an open set-up, the swing mechanics itself is quiet with a leg kick to close his backside and lands back on his original spot more often than not. The bat is loose but has a noticeable hitch where he pulls the bat back while his front foot lands. It might turn off some but I do not really see it as a big issue. It helps him aim the knob towards the catcher and generate the power and Bryce Harper has it. If Bleday's comfortable with it, I am also. His swing path's on the upper cut side so it could cause issues on elevated fastballs and I have yet to see him hit premium velocity so I am pretty generous to give him a plus hit tool at the moment but I feel confident that he can.
Even though Bleday will never be a force to be reckoned with on the bases, he has enough speed to cover ground in right and he is a former pitcher in HS so the arm is safe to employ in right. I don't think he has to move to left because of his below average speed once he gets older and puts more pressure on the bat to perform. The Giants drafted Bryan Reynolds before and he has not been what was expected of him. But Bleday carries a greater offensive potential that make him shatter the bad reputation of Vandy hitters struggling in the minors. The Zaidi-Holmes tandem loves drafting intriguing college performers, injured college starting pitchers or high risk-high ceiling prepsters based on the track records of the Dodgers and A's recently and Bleday definitely fits one of the molds.
Kameron Misner OF COL
6'4" 213 lbs. L/L
Videos: Credits to Mizzou Athlerics 1, 2 and 3
Hit 55 | Power 60 | Speed 60 | Arm 60 | Glove 55
This is the guy that I really want the Giants to draft. Then again, there will be a lot of teams, possibly as high as the White Sox, that are taking a hard look at Misner because nobody is more tooled up in the college level right now than Misner. I think that he can be join the 20-20 club in the collegiate level this year.
Misner really resembled Bradley Zimmer, another favorite draft prospect of mine, in terms of tools. Misner has true plus to plus-plus raw power thanks to his big but athletic and mature frame. It really depends on him if he tacks on a good 15 to 20 pounds to solidify his frame and be a true power hitter or just keep his frame to keep him as a dangerous player on the basepaths as well. Durability has been an issue last year for him so taking care of his body better should do wonders on him and minor league teams do have a better conditioning program.
Misner's raw power does not translate into games well because of his swing. Misner does not sell out for homers, and he does not need to, as his swing his short and compact. Misner's set up is quiet with a crouching action to load up his backside, closing the backside. The hips explode quite well but what I love more is his ability to adjust on pitches, using his eyes and strong wrists to reach out to still make solid contact on offspeed pitches. There's swing and miss due to his natural height disadvantage but the approach is advanced and his strike zone recognition allows him to draw more walks than strikeouts for more than a season now. The swing itself does not scream homer power but his power works on all fields and can take outside pitches to left field for a homer.
He is not just dangerous at the plate but also dangerous at the basepaths as well. His looseness and base stealing abilities should help him steal north of 20 bases in pro ball. He looks to slow down once he tacks on the muscle in his frame but I can still see him do 15-20 bases in pro ball with the added weight. He has only played in the corner outfield and first base in pro ball but honestly, I will give him a shot at center field. He will eventually settle at right field but he is a very intriguing defender at right with a strong arm.
If Misner's available at 10, 100% pick him. But there is now more than 50% chance that he will be gone once the 10th pick comes along. Because I think he is the most tooled up player in this year. Andrew Benintendi-type of stuff.
Riley Greene OF HS
6'1" 190 lbs. L/L
Videos: Credits to Prospects Live, Chris Coleman and Riley Greene himself
Hit 65 | Power 60 | Speed 40 | Arm 45 | Glove 45
Personally, I do not have much preference for guys who are very bat-reliant in terms of their stock because if they falter in pro ball offensively, there's very little that they can contribute. They can't cover their defensive position well due to their lackluster speed so a better defender will eat his playing time. If he gets on base, he does not have the wheels to affect the pitcher's head in the base stealing aspect.
A short while back, I really want the Giants to draft Keston Hiura because personally, I have never seen a bat move that quick in the zone and square the ball up that well at the same time and it is a rare trait to have to be honest. To have that eye-hand coordination and quick twitch to make it work every single time can overcome any defensive liabilities. Too bad the Brewers probably liked Hiura as much as I do and drafted him in the top 10. Getting Heliot is not to shabby to say, at least. This year, a similar prospect like Hiura popped up where his eye-hand coordination and lightning bat speed can overcome any liabilities and that is Riley Greene.
I think that Greene's bat is the best in this class. With his quiet set-up at the plate, rhythmic motion, excellent loading of his wrists at front foot plant, explosive hips helping generate the bat speed, great eye-hand coordination and polish, Greene can square up baseballs better than anyone in this class. What I love about him is that he can do two-handed and one-handed hacks no problem at all. I think that the swing and miss issues that he had at the end of last year is from fatigue and probably trying to do too much and he is already hitting very well at the start of this year and it should quiet down those issues. He has a history of drawing walks at a high rate which is also a big plus. Even though Greene is skinny at the moment, the hips are wide enough to tack on weight and have better than plus raw power to tap on.
Most of Greene's value is on how well he can hit a baseball in pro ball because the rest of his tools are palatable at best. He does not have a great throwing arm, that is why he is stuck at left field at the moment where his decent at best speed is projected to slow down once he adds on that weight in his frame although his frame is athletic. It's just weird to see an athletic body run slower than hoped. And that really limits him to play two positions: left field and first base.
Sure, drafting Greene is not a fit on the versatility on the field that the Giants are preaching but to get a bat this good when he is available at 10 is just too good to pass up. But yes, the bat will be under heavy pressure just like Jesse Winker of the Reds where his relative struggle to get acclimated to the Majors really hurt his value last season because he is a palatable at best defender and Greene could end up that same fate.
Michael Busch INF/OF COL
6'1" 200 lbs. L/R
Videos: Credits to Matthew Edwards, D1 Baseball, Prospects Live and Daniel Garrett
Hit 55 | Power 50+ | Speed 45 | Arm 45 | Glove 50
Whenever I watch Michael Busch on videos, I always see a resemblance of a Tar Heel alumni Colin Moran: prospects known more for their feel for hitting on the left side than pure athleticism with a very good track record with solid power, not much speed, and has defensive flexibility even though the arm strength is only average.
Busch's calling card is his very mature approach at the plate and has the look of a professional hitter. Hitting from a crouch stance, his movements are quiet that makes his him see and track spin consistently, knows how to work counts to his favor that results to extremely high walk rates and has a very low propensity to strike out. He does not have great athleticism but he does have a good stroke that is capable of producing consistent hard contact. He does have some trouble with his batting average this year, starting off pretty slow but his walks are still there. His power is only above average but he does extract it well using his good eye-hand coordination.
The rest of Busch's tools are going to be average at best as he only has average at best speed and arm strength but what he got a leg up on other prospects on the list is his defensive versatility. Busch played first base last year and played second base on the Cape Cod League and is now on left field this year where he made a very good running catch showing off his surprising range. That gives him some leg up on what Farhan envisions in terms of defensive versatility as he can be plugged and played everywhere and produce at the plate. Busch can be a little boring because there is less ceiling as compared to the other prospects in this list but his floor as an advanced hitter and his flexibility gives him a better shot to be a Major Leaguer, albeit a complimentary piece rather than a game-changing one.
Hunter Bishop OF COL
6'5" 210 lbs. L/R
Videos: Credits to Jack Lautaret, Sun Devil Baseball and Perfect Game Baseball
Hit 50+ | Power 60 | Speed 60 | Arm 45 | Glove 50+
There is nobody in this freaking planet that is as hot of a hitter as Hunter Bishop is right now for the Sun Devils. Part of a potentially loaded offensive staff led by potential top 5 pick next year Spencer Tolkerson, Bishop emerged as the best player in the early going, batting north of .400. I got intrigued about him because he just keep on popping up on my Twitter and I get really intrigued as he exhibits the same tools as Kameron Misner. Like Misner, Bishop has some of the best power-speed combinations before the season started but has really popped off at the start of 2019, with 10 homers and 6 steals already.
The meteoric rise of BIshop has been aided by a couple of adjustments with his set-up at the plate. The most obvious change is his hand placement in his batting stance. Last year, his hands are chest-level and the bat is resting on his left shoulder which made his rhythm looked off and made his bat not travel through the zone inconsistently. This year, Bishop's hands are now set up around chin level, making his load simpler and all he has to do is just shift his momentum forward with his stride to create a more consistent bat path in the zone and drive any pitch to any part of the field with power.
There is natural leverage and loft in his swing and already has enough power to produce 105+ MPH exit velocities and high launch angles even towards left field. Bishop can still tuck in 20 more pounds in his frame if he wants to become a full pledged power hitter where he can be a north of 20 homers a season thanks to his quick bat. There's swing and miss issues on Bishop due to his aggressiveness at the plate but there's enough discipline from him to draw ample walks and he drastically improved his walk rate in his junior season.
Bishop has been playing at center field all season long and he is cut for center if he does not add weight in his frame and already had an outstanding catch in center, robbing a potential homer on the wall. Reports on his arm strength are against Bishop however but I think if he goes on a throwing program, I think the arm can be adequate enough on center. His plus raw speed can make him steal up to 20 bases annually but I project him to slow down if he ever adds the weight and have him shift to left.
Bishop has certainly entered the conversation in the first round after his literal lava-type of a season so far and if this keeps up for a couple of months, he can be in the pre-teen conversation, including the Giants. Now, he might be less tooled up than Misner but the two share similar traits: tall outfielders with plenty of power and speed in their games that are hitting very well in the early season. Pac-12's not the best conference but I think Bishop's hitting ability is for real and I really hope he keeps this up.
Quick Thoughts on Other Hitters
There are so many top hitters in this draft class that I probably pointed out all of the guys that I wanted because I do not see much after the four guys I did a report on that can boost their stock to force their way into the top 10. But for the sake of giving my information for you people on what I think of the other prospects, I will give you my quick thoughts.
I am going to start off with the prepsters. I have seen recent videos of Jerrion Ealy and I have to say that his swing is nowhere near what I have seen in his BP videos last year in PG National. It's so one handed at the moment with little drive to the ball. The athleticism is oozing but the very raw swing mechanics will put him probably outside the first round now.
His fellow two-sport star Maurice Hampton looked better actually in his homer swing, his athleticism reflecting on that plus bat speed swing. I love Hampton now more than Ealy in the early going and could push himself to the preteens if he keeps this up.
Aside from the two two-sport stars, the other that I like from the prep class Nasim Nunez with tremendous defensive upside, playing at a premium position with quick twitch actions, range and tremendous arm strength. His ceiling is only capped by his limited raw power but he can swing the bat pretty well so he can be drafted in the early rounds.
The one that is intriguing me the most lately is third baseman Keoni Cavaco with his plus raw power and arm for third base with a much better hit tool than Rece Hinds.
In the college crop, aside from Shea Langliers that is a hands off for the Giants due to BIG BOY BART reasons, there are niches of players with similar profiles. First is the middle infielders with solid hit tool, some power and are shortstop now but will probably move to second base as they get older. They are Will Wilson, Braden Shewmake and Chase Strumpf. The exceptions to the rule are Greg Jones that is a very toolsy but raw middle infield prospect, Logan Davidson who is more of a power over hit hitter with plenty of holes in the swing but has been pretty good this year, and Will Holland who is a twitchy infielder with speed and power.
The other niche that formed are corner outfielders with power in their frame but not a lot of speed and could move to first base in pro ball (or is there already). They are Matt Wallner, Kyle Stowers and Mike Toglia who are struggling heavily right off the gate and fell out of the first round.
Do you have other players in mind? Hit me up on the comments section on Twitter and tell me what you think. Thank you for reading!
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