It wasn't that long ago when you couldn't find much coverage of the MLB Draft. I remember a few years ago how easy it was to navigate through Google to find exactly the information you're trying to find. It's not like that anymore. Everybody covers the draft. Searching Google for specific info results in far too many hits to be of much use. I'm not the biggest fan of the way MLB has changed their draft. I much preferred the old style rapid fire days, but it's quite obvious that the changes made have created tremendous interest in the draft and that's good for baseball. I don't give Bud Selig props for too many things as I don't think he deserves many, but the changes he has helped ring to the draft has created tons of interest in it that otherwise did not exist.
The MLB Draft begins tomorrow night. MLB Network has a preview show beginning at 5 pm Central and the selections begin an hour later. Bud Selig announces the picks for the first round (31 picks) and a representative of the team announces its selections in the supplemental round (32-60). The selections will last about 3 hours so you'll have 4 hours to watch tomorrow night. Rounds 2 through 15 will be on Tuesday while rounds 16 through 40 will be completed on Wednesday.
Berselius already published an article with a few interesting tidbits from Kevin Goldstein and Jim Callis. We'll be covering the draft rumors tomorrow and the draft itself tomorrow night. Everybody is doing it now so you can pick your blog to follow along, but we hope you stick around here.
I've copied the draft order for tomorrow night and pasted it below.
PICK TEAM
1 Astros
2 Twins
3 Mariners
4 Orioles
5 Royals
6 Cubs
7 Padres
8 Pirates
9 Marlins
10 Rockies
11 Athletics
12 Mets
13 White Sox
14 Reds
15 Indians
16 Nationals
17 Blue Jays
18 Dodgers
19 Cardinals (from Angels for Albert Pujols, Type A)
20 Giants
21 Braves
22 Blue Jays (for failure to sign 2011 first-rounder Tyler Beede)
23 Cardinals
24 Red Sox
25 Rays
26 Diamondbacks
27 Brewers (from Tigers for Prince Fielder, Type A)
28 Brewers
29 Rangers
30 Yankees
31 Red Sox (from Phillies for Jonathan Papelbon, Type A)
———————————————————————————
32 Twins (for Michael Cuddyer, modified Type A, to Rockies)
33 Padres (for Heath Bell, modified Type A, to Marlins)
34 Athletics (for Josh Willingham, modified Type A, to Twins)
35 Mets (for Jose Reyes, Type A, to Marlins)
36 Cardinals (for Pujols)
37 Red Sox (for Papelbon)
38 Brewers (for Fielder)
39 Rangers (for C.J. Wilson, Type A, to Angels)
40 Phillies (for Ryan Madson, modified Type A, to Reds)
41 Astros (for Clint Barmes, Type B, to Pirates)
42 Twins (for Jason Kubel, Type B, to Diamondbacks)
43 Cubs (for Aramis Ramirez, Type B, to Brewers)
44 Padres (for Aaron Harang, Type B, to Dodgers)
45 Pirates (for Ryan Doumit, Type B, to Twins)
46 Rockies (for Mark Ellis, Type B, to Dodgers)
47 Athletics (for David DeJesus, Type B, to Cubs)
48 White Sox (for Mark Buehrle, Type B, to Marlins)
49 Reds (for Ramon Hernandez, Type B, to Rockies)
50 Blue Jays (for Frank Francisco, Type B, to Mets)
51 Dodgers (for Rod Barajas, Type B, to Pirates)
52 Cardinals (for Octavio Dotel, Type B, to Tigers)
53 Rangers (for Darren Oliver, Type B, to Blue Jays)
54 Phillies (for Raul Ibanez, Type B, to, Yankees)
55 Padres (for failure to sign 2011 sandwich-rounder Brett Austin)
56 Cubs (for Carlos Pena, Type B, to Rays)
57 Reds (for Francisco Cordero, Type B, to Blue Jays)
58 Blue Jays (for Jon Rauch, Type B, to Mets)
59 Cardinals (for Edwin Jackson, Type B, to Nationals)
60 Blue Jays (for Jose Molina, Type B, to Rays)
Jim Callis of Baseball America has posted 3 mock drafts already and will post his final mock draft sometime tomorrow. The third one can be found here and he has the Cubs selecting Albert Almora.
6. CUBS. As much as Chicago would love a shot at one of the top three college pitchers, that probably won't happen. Instead, the Cubs will be choosing from Correa, Fried and Florida high school outfielder Albert Almora. Almora has become the front-runner here.Projected Pick: ALBERT ALMORA.
The 3 college pitchers Callis is speaking of are all right handers. Kyle Zimmer, Mark Appel and Kevin Gausman are ranked 3, 4 and 5 by Baseball America and each is expected to be picked before the Cubs do at 6th. Callis has the Astros going with Appel as the first overall pick.
Here's some info on Almora (top 500 draft prospects):
Almora is a latter-day A.J. Hinch in that he has become a go-to player for USA Baseball national teams from a young age. Almora was USA Baseball's 2011 athlete of the year after being MVP of the 18-and-under Pan American Championships in Colombia in November 2011. He tied Hinch's USA Baseball record by playing on his sixth national team, and scouts love his grinder approach and in-game savvy. What's more, Almora has outstanding tools. The Miami signee, in one scout's words, "has no issues. He's got above-average tools everywhere, and they all play. He has tools and he uses them." He doesn't turn in blazing times when he runs in showcases (generally he's a 6.8-second runner in the 60), but his game instincts help him steal bases and cover plenty of ground in center field. Scouts consider his defense major league-ready right now, with plus grades for his accurate throwing arm. With natural hitting rhythm and plenty of bat speed, Almora is a line-drive machine with a loose swing who stays inside the ball, relishes velocity and handles spin. He should have 20-homer power down the line, sufficient if he slows down and can't play center, and a definite bonus if (as expected) he stays in the middle garden. He plays the game with both ease and energy and may have some projection left in his athletic 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame. The Miami signee is considered one of the draft's safer picks and could sneak into the first 10 selections.
Almora is ranked 7th by BA.
Jonathon Mayo of mlb.com also predicts the Cubs will go with Almora. Mayo ranks Almora 9th.
Almora has played for USA Baseball as much as any player in history. He's played in big situations and shown natural leadership abilities over the years.
He's also got many tools to get excited about. He should be an above-avearge hitter at the next level, with an ability to drive the ball to all fields. He'll have above-average power as well and shows it in games now, especially to the pull side. He's a solid average runner and knows what to do on the basepaths. Defensively, he's a plus center fielder with excellent arm strength and range.
All of his tools play up because of his plus makeup and work ethic. That combination should have plenty of teams in the first round taking a long look at him.
Callis mentioned that the Cubs may go with Carlos Correa and we've heard that elsewhere too. Baseball America and Mayo each rank Correa 5th. Correia's scouting report is below:
With the record now at 17th overall, Correa should become the highest-drafted player ever to come from Puerto Rico. He already has a big league body at 6-foot-3 and 185 pounds, yet he's light on his feet and shows fluid actions with a cannon for an arm. For those reasons, the team that drafts him will allow him to stay at shortstop. While he may get a little bigger, his tools would also allow him to be a premium defender at third base. Correa has garnered comparisons to both Troy Tulowitzki and Ryan Zimmerman. At the plate, Correa shows excellent balance and rhythm, as well as patience, to go along with exciting bat speed and natural loft. His swing can get a little long at times, leaving him exposed to quality fastballs inside, but he's learning how to make adjustments and projects to hit for average and power. Correa is a plus runner now, but he could lose a step or two as he fills out. He is one of the youngest players in the draft class and shows excellent work ethic, dedication and maturity. Correa is committed to Miami, but it would be a shock if he winds up on campus.
If all the information I had was the scouting reports, I'd go with Correa if he's available. Almora sounds like the typical toolsy high pick to me. I'd rather go with the guy who is patient at the plate and seems more likely to become a big-time power hitter than the toolsy Almora.
The Cubs also have 2 supplemental picks (43rd for Aramis Ramirez and 56th for Carlos Pena). Who the Cubs take with those picks will depend almost entirely on who is still left and that's anybody's guess.
BA's 43rd ranked prospect is Carson Kelly, but that means almost nothing. Freddy Avis is ranked 56th.
Below is what the Cubs slot value is for each pick:
| Cubs | |
|---|---|
| # | $ |
| 6 | $3,250,000 |
| 43 | $1,196,000 |
| 56 | $911,700 |
| 67 | $769,600 |
| 101 | $471,900 |
| 134 | $343,200 |
| 164 | $257,000 |
| 194 | $192,500 |
| 224 | $148,600 |
| 254 | $138,800 |
| 284 | $129,600 |
| 314 | $125,000 |
For these 12 picks through 10 rounds the Cubs can spend $7,933,900. The Cubs can spend that money any way they want. They could give their first pick $1 million and their 2nd pick $3.196 million if they wanted. They just can't pass $7.93 million.
If the Cubs exceed that total by more than 5% they would pay a 75% tax on the overage. This means the Cubs can safely spend on these 12 picks up to $8,330,595 without penalty. For every dollar they spend above that they pay 75 cents in tax. If the Cubs went over between 5 and 10% they'd 75% in tax on the overage and lose their first round pick in next year's draft. If they go over by 10-15% they pay 100% tax and lose a first and second round pick. If they go over by 15% they pay 100% tax and lose their first round picks in each of the next two drafts. That's just not going to happen anymore. If you fail to sign a player you cannot use that money to sign another player.
So look for the Cubs to spend no more than that $8.3 million on their first 12 picks (10 rounds). After that a team can sign as many players as they want and they do not count toward the allowed budget unless the player is signed for $100,000 or more.
Signability becomes an even bigger issue with these changes.
Regardless of the system or the size of bonuses, the concept of "signability" always has been pivotal in the draft. Scouts can salivate over a player's wheels, arm, bat speed and intangibles. But it doesn't matter if his asking price is beyond an organization's comfort zone. Numerous scouting directors and front-office officials say MLB's new system has raised the stakes for teams. In the past, clubs had the option of ponying up an extra $500,000 if an area scout misread a draft pick's price point. No more.
"I think signability is more critical this year than in any other year I've been involved in the draft," an AL scouting director says. "It's going to require teams and people like me to do things we aren't normally accustomed to doing, and that's getting a bottom line figure by the draft. There will be deals cut because basically it's our jobs at stake now. If we don't sign an individual for the amount that we have to sign them, it could jeopardize our whole draft."
The Cubs have to be sure they can sign the players they draft and they have to be sure they'll sign for an amount that keeps them from incurring a penalty. It's going to be interesting to see how it works out. I expect a lot of deals will be announced sooner than in the past. I wouldn't be surprised to hear a number of announcements the day after tomorrow. The players have little to bargain over at this point. They aren't going to get more money so they can sign for what the team offers them. There may be a little wiggle room, but not much.
Comments
Mercurial Outfielder wrote:
They’re the 7th best team in MLB, MO. They just need him to push them over the hump!
BerseliusQuote Reply
Almora played on 6 national teams? I didn’t realize they took 12 year olds
BerseliusQuote Reply
Do you recall if an unsigned draft pick can still net the team a compensatory pick (that slot plus one) the following season?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
I’m 99.9% sure that’s the same. If you lose the 5th overall pick you get the 6th the following year. I think it’s only 2 rounds now instead of 3 though.
mb21Quote Reply
BUNT
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ mb21:
Thanks, I couldn’t find the wording.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’m not sure you can really afford to lose a pick though. In year’s past you could afford it because you could load up elsewhere in the draft. You might take a tough sign in the 1st or 2nd, but grab some other tough signs and get them all signed. You can’t do that unless you’re willing to pay the penalty, which I think will only happen when there are guys like a Strasburg or Harper around. I just can’t imagine a situation in which you’d give up future 1st round picks unless it’s one of those two players (similar of course). Even then you’re probably better off not losing the pick.
mb21Quote Reply
Saw a phasmid today!
Okay, wrong forum.
joshQuote Reply
@ mb21:
Too lazy to look, but I suspect you have to offer at least slot $ to the player to get the pick too. You can’t just zero out a draftee to get the pick the following year.
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
I think you have to offer a certain amount to the picks, but I’m not sure it’s slot. I’ll look around.
mb21Quote Reply
i just dont see how Correa drops to us but it would be sweet if he did. But I like Almora a lot as well. I think Callis said last week the Cubs love him enough to pick him 1 if they had the first pick.
dylanjQuote Reply
They also said the same thing about an old rusty birdcage.
GBTSQuote Reply
Seriously, this offense is pathetic.
GBTSQuote Reply
Castro now has a 2-strikeout streak of 3 games.
ACTQuote Reply
@ ACT:
At least he’s walked a couple times recently.
mb21Quote Reply
Almora sounds like a fine player and I certainly won’t be upset if they draft him, but I don’t know how excited I can get about a 6-1, 175 pound guy.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
Maybe those home runs he hit recently have transformed into an Adam Dunn type.
ACTQuote Reply
Good pitching by Wood, it looks like.
Seriously, put Soriano on the DL. His defense is costing us runs now
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
I agree.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ mb21:
Yeah, seems like an optimistic ceiling for him is David DeJesus; maybe a more realistic one is Jacque Jones (at least the Twins version of Jones); and a pessimistic one is Tyler Colvin.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Neither report says anything about his patience so I’m guessing it doesn’t stand out as bad or good. I’d rather they take a safer pick to be honest. Brett Jackson had a lot of question marks, but it was always a safe choice because the dude walks. Even when he slumps he’s getting on base at a league average rate. I’m hoping one of Zimmer or Gausman drop to the Cubs. If they picked Almora over either of those two I’ll be a little disappointed.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
Yeah, it certainly sounds like the Cubs are in the position of having to really hope a couple of teams do something silly.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
White Sox let Sale throw a CG today. 119 pitches.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
The good news is that there doesn’t appear to be a consensus top 5 so I think it’s likely one those 3 pitcher or Correa slips to the Cubs. It won’t be Appel since the Astros are taking him, but I could see Zimmer or Gausman slipping.
mb21Quote Reply
there’s a lot to like about Almora. He’s played against high level competition for a few years now and like Jackson does a bit of everything well without one standout tool. I would be perfectly happy if we land him. Other than Appel I don’t like any of those college arms all that much
dylanjQuote Reply
I’ve never quite understood the comments about Jackson doing a lot well, but nothing extremely well. He’s always among the league leaders in BB%. His ISO has consistently been about .200, which is well above average. He’s hit for a high average and he’s stolen 61 bases over the last 2+ seasons. IMO Jackson has several tools that stand out, which is what makes him such a good prospect. If he really didn’t have a tool that stood out, big deal. The odds of him being any good at the big league level wouldn’t be very high. He hits for a better average than most (in his career), gets on base at a very high rate, has well above average speed and power. He’s stolen bases at a 78% success rate too.
I don’t know why you don’t like Zimmer.
I’d rather have him than Appel.
I like Gausman because he’s just a sophomore and already damn good. If I was picking I’d take them Zimmer, Gausman, Appel.
mb21Quote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/commentary-and-analysis/a-2013-cubs-contender-part-two.html
mb21Quote Reply