Yankees draft 2009 thread

[jacksonianmarch]

Tonight is the night. 6pm, first pick gets 15 minutes, then every other pick gets 4 minutes through the end of the first day, then its rapid fire, 1 minute between picks.

 

I have seen a lot of projections and each one has a different player falling to the yankees.

 

One projection has Matt Purke falling to NY. He is considered arguably the best HS pitcher out there, he's big, left handed and asking for Porcello money. The fact that the sox pick before the yankees could make that a bit more dicey.

 

Another is Slade Heathcott, a 5 tool CF HSer from Texas.

 

And yet another, is Max Stassi, a high school catcher from Yuba City California.

 

Interesting doings though, include the recent projections that Aaron Crow could fall out of the first round based on his holdout from last yr and that Tanner Scheppers could fall out for medical concerns. Mock drafts from earlier in the yr had both of these players in the top 10, with Crow going as high as #3 behind Strasburg and Ackley. I would absolutely love to take Aaron Crow if he fell. He is all about the money and we have a lot of it.

 

Thats it. Starts at 6pm, should be interesting to have on in the background while watching the yankees.

[Cocos Disciples]

It's at night? Sick.

 

Feel free to use to other draft thread for the other, inferior 29 teams.

[ORS]

This guy takes attention whoring to epic levels.

[jacksonianmarch]

Slade Heathcott goes 1st round. This is a high upside pick, lefty with power to all fields, plus speed and plus arm. He apparently has been a bit of a problem off the field, but on the field he is solid. He did have ACL reconstruction in November, but he is still running at an above average clip. What I love about this kid is that he offers a two way possibility if he fails on the offensive end, topping out at 95mph from the left hand side.

 

I like the pick, I do not think they took the best player available (Tanner Scheppers: shoulder woes will make his stock plummet) but they took a guy who has a ton of talent and should be an easier sign.

[msubulldogs21]

He apparently has been a bit of a problem off the field

 

How so?

[jacksonianmarch]

I dont know what it is, but every scouting site I have looked at talks about him being a superior talent but every single one of them bring up some "off the field issues". Not sure what happened.

[jacksonianmarch]

Ahh, both of his parents are in jail.

[diony]

Only his dad.

[jacksonianmarch]

I heard both were. Maybe his mama is out, lol.

 

The Yankees selected J. R. Murphy out of Bradenton Florida with their second round selection. He's a recent convert to catcher who has a plus bat for the position and an above average arm. He projects to be a line drive, gap power kind of guy who has a projection to be an above average defender.

 

In a vacuum, I like this selection. But what the hell are we doing here?

 

The only position that we DIDNT NEED FILLED was at catcher

Francisco Cervelli

2006- INTL FA signee Jesus Montero

2007- 2nd round pick Austin Romine

2007- 6th round pick Chase Weems

2008- 7th round pick Kyle Higashioka

 

whatever, catcher is the toughest position to get solid depth, and if we draft enough high upside guys at the position, one is gonna bear fruit. That being said, I loved the idea of Renfroe but maybe his signability scared them off (since the yankees 2nd rounder isnt guaranteed for next yr).

[jacksonianmarch]

Prospect wire had Murphy as the #1 prospect out of the state of Florida. His numbers in high school were ridiculous. 1.97OPS, 4Ks, 11 homers. He also showcased in the Jupiter, FL world baseball wood bat tourney and was impressive. John Manuel says that scouts are split on him. Some think he is a supplemental round talent, others think he grades out more as a third round talent. And it all depends on how he is viewed behind the dish. Some say he will be an above average defender with a plus arm, others think he will end up in the corner OF slot or at 3b. Regardless, he's a high projection high schooler to add to the pile with Heathcott. Overall, two big talents to add to the system, which is not a bad thing.

[jacksonianmarch]

In summary of day 1..

 

The Yankees got a high upside OFer with power in Heathcott who will be over slot, but shouldnt be so far over that it becomes prohibitive. He fills a void the size of the Grand Canyon in our system in terms of OF talent with power. He's a CFer in waiting. And they got a line drive hitting catcher who scouts are split on, but everyone agrees he is a professional hitter right now. Considering that both picks are unprotected, I think the yankees did a very good job. I would have loved to have seen Renfroe in that second spot, but I get why they didnt nab him (dont want a repeat of Cole from a yr ago). But thus far, there isnt a pick that is an absolute head scratcher (like Bittle last yr) through 3 rounds. And if the rumor of the yankees having a draft budget is true, these two kids should leave a lot of room to sign some signability cases on day 2. I am excited for the next round.

[jacksonianmarch]

2nd Rounder

J.R. Murphy C Pendleton School, Bradenton, Fla.

 

The scouting consensus seemed to be that Murphy had risen to the top of the pile of Florida prep catchers by the end of the season, after an amazing spring playing for the IMG Academy in Bradenton. Murphy hit .627 with 11 home runs in 102 at-bats, rapping 34 extra-base hits overall and striking out just four times. That built off a strong summer and fall performance, as Murphy starred for the Florida Bombers during Connie Mack play and the World Wood Bat tournament in Jupiter, Fla., in October 2008. Murphy's bat attracts most of the attention, as he has a short, sharp righthanded swing that generates good bat speed and plate coverage. Scouts grade his hit tool ahead of his power, though he's expected to produce average power with wood. He's also athletic, having made a shift from outfield (and occasionally third base) to catcher. He's shown he's more than capable of handling catcher, showing plus arm strength, solid receiving ability and a quick transfer. The Miami recruit has intelligence and makeup needed for the position, as well, and had hit his way into supplemental round consideration

[yankeessuck013]

The Yankees chose Slade Heathcott, a high school outfielder from Texarkana, Tex., with the 29th pick in Tuesday’s draft. Heathcott, a left-handed hitter, had knee surgery last November but said he was healthy and called himself an aggressive, energetic player. “I’m pretty rounded in my five tools,” he said. “My hitting is probably the best out of the five.” Heathcott, 18, has a scholarship to Louisiana State and is being advised by Darek Braunecker, who also represents A. J. Burnett. “I’m a Yankees fan now,” Heathcott said. “I actually was a Red Sox fan.”

[jacksonianmarch]

Adam Warren 4th round pick. RHP from UNC

Caleb Cotham 5th round pick. RHP Vanderbilt

Robert Lyerly 6th round pick. 3b from UNC Charlotte

Sean Black 7th round pick. RHP Seton Hall

Samuel Elam 8th round pick. LHP Notre Dame

Gavin Brooks 9th round pick. LHP UCLA

[jacksonianmarch]

Not sure what to say about the fact that we are raiding the college pitching market. The biggest talent is Elam, who is lefty and throws mid 90s. He just has no control.

[BoSox21]

Ahh' date=' both of his parents are in jail.[/quote']

 

Good, I'm sure he'll bond with Joba pretty quickly

[jacksonianmarch]

Adam Warren 4th round pick. RHP from UNC

Caleb Cotham 5th round pick. RHP Vanderbilt

Robert Lyerly 6th round pick. 3b from UNC Charlotte

Sean Black 7th round pick. RHP Seton Hall

Samuel Elam 8th round pick. LHP Notre Dame

Gavin Brooks 9th round pick. LHP UCLA

Tyler Lyons 10th round pick. LHP Oklahoma St.

[jacksonianmarch]

Caleb Cotham will be a signability pick in the 5th round. He was projected to be a 1st rounder for 2010, so getting him now and signing him would be a nice coup.

 

The three consecutive left handed college guys intrigue me. Elam has the best stuff (2nd rounder out of HS) but he is the biggest project. Lyons is listed at #153 from BA with a deep arsenal and tops out at 92.

 

I think the yankees are trying to stay near slot in the first 10 picks and potentially get a few signability guys later on.

[yankeessuck013]

the Yankee draft board doesn't look too hot, they should be able to sign the entire class so far.

 

I wonder how much of that has to do with the new stadium and their failure to sell a lot of the high-end seats. I had heard they said the Scouting staff was put on a budget for the draft this year. I didn't realize the total budget was the equivalent of a luxury suite rental for ONE night at yankee stadium

[jacksonianmarch]

4th Round: Adam Warren, RHP, UNC - A sturdy RHP from a big-time program with primetime experience. BA had his velocity ticking up a notch and his command improving this season, so he’s a solid pick in the 4th round, and shouldn’t be a difficult sign after UNC finishes up in the CWS, as he’s a senior.

5th Round: Caleb Cotham, RHP, Vanderbilt - Another Impressively built college starter from a powerhouse program, Cotham’s selection should send up some signability flags because he is a DES. He pitched very well as the season wore on for Vandy, and it will be interesting to see what kind of bonus the talented righty with tons of leverage gets if he signs.

6th Round: Robert Lyerly, 1B, UNC Charlotte - A solid hitting lefty (hit .401 in 2009) who missed time due to injury, Lyerly could be a solid sleeper bat. He’s received a few of national accolades in his time at UNCC, and should be a fairly easy sign.

7th Round: Sean Black, RHP, Seton Hall - This is a steal of a pick. Black was ranked as a top prospect in the 2006 draft and was selected by the Nationals in the 2nd round (59th overall). He decided to pass up the big money and go to school. Standing 6′5″, 200 lbs, Black has a great pitcher’s build to go with a velocity and flashes of secondary ability. Given the Yankees work with RHP prospects, this is a great pick for the organization.

8th Round: Sam Elam, LHP, Notre Dame - Elam is a talented lefty that could be something if the Yankees can harness that talent. Clocking in at 6′3″, 220, Elam throws up to the mid-90s, has shown some control problems, and shouldn’t be a difficult sign as a senior.

9th Round: Gavin Brooks, LHP, UCLA - Brooks was a highly touted prospect out of San Diego in 2006, and was represented by Scott Boras. He went undrafted due to shoulder surgery, attending UCLA and eventually was converted to the team’s closer in 2009 after young starters (i.e. Gerit Cole) took the weekend rotation slots. At 6′4″, 220 Brooks has a great build and is a solid pick in the 9th round.

10th Round: Tyler Lyons, LHP, Oklahoma St. - I gave you a heads up about this one a few days ago. Lyons was a potential 1st round pick prior to this season, but due to a slight decrease in velo and a down season statistically, he fell down draft boards. Lyons came on stronger at the end of the season and impressed the Yankees in his workout, so this could be a real steal if he can build on that.

 

From Lane Meyer nomaas.org

 

In terms of good picks in the second 10 to this point....

 

Brett Gerritse in the 12th round is gonna be a tough sign. Big kid at 6'3" 200lbs out of HS, already throws low 90s with a lot of sink.

 

DeAngelo Mack in the 13th round is an athlete who impressed in the Cape Cod league. He has a lot of raw power, but is more of a project than most college athletes. But he does have a high ceiling

 

Graham Stoneberner in the 14th round is another project with high ceiling out of Clemson. Mid 90s sinker with a plus potential breaking ball. Problem being, the guy is very inconsistent and has walked a lot of batters at times

 

Bryan Mitchell in the 16th round is a HS pitcher who throws high 80s to low 90s with a quirky motion. He will not be an easy sign.

 

Chad Thompson, the yankees 17th round pick, might be the toughest sign so far. 6'8" righty with mid 90s potential is just coming off TJS

[jacksonianmarch]

Aaron Fitt from BA just said this in his chat:

 

My vote for best pick in the 11th: Oklahoma State outfielder Neil Medchill, who went to the Yankees at No. 345 overall. The No. 160 prospect on our Top 200, Medchill was expected to go around the third round thanks to his solid tools across the board and big-time lefthanded power potential. The Yankees have taken a number of talented college players who have slipped for one reason or another (Medchill, Tyler Lyons, Gavin Brooks and Graham Stoneburner), and it will be interesting to see how aggressively they attempt to sign those players.

[jacksonianmarch]

Hmm. We draft Luke Murton in the 19th round. We drafted him once before and he didnt sign. He's a senior now.

[jacksonianmarch]

the Yankee draft board doesn't look too hot, they should be able to sign the entire class so far.

 

I wonder how much of that has to do with the new stadium and their failure to sell a lot of the high-end seats. I had heard they said the Scouting staff was put on a budget for the draft this year. I didn't realize the total budget was the equivalent of a luxury suite rental for ONE night at yankee stadium

 

The Yankees are going a different route than the sox. They have taken college guys who have fallen for some reason. I love the Stoneberner pick and if the reports from BA are correct, we might have added some much needed power to our system. I dont think many people understand how dire our power outage is in the system. We have Montero and Romine as power threats. Laird was our HR champ last yr, but he isnt hitting thus far. And after that, we dont have any big power (outside of our AAAA guys in AAA).

[jacksonianmarch]

I am intrigued by the yankees selections thus far. After going rather young the last 2 seasons, they seem to be reversing course. In 2008, 6 of their first 11 selections were high schoolers (they signed 5 of them) and they also signed 4 higher upside guys outside the top 10. In 2007, 5 of their top 12 picks were High Schoolers (all of them signed). This yr, they started with 2 high upside high school picks but then they went with 8 consecutive college players before starting to have an uptick in the HS players. I think this mostly has to do with the yankees needing to fill in some gaps in talent in the middle levels since they have a glut of talent in the lower levels.

 

Overall....

First Round- Slade Heathcott is legit. He's a true 5 tool prospect who will likely demand somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.5-2.2 million to sign. If and when he signs, He'll likely head to SI and then to Charleston next season. I would expect that he'll be our third highest rated offensive player behind Montero and Romine.

 

Second Round- J.R. Murphy is a true talent, but not as talented as Slade. He will likely sign for somewhere in the mid 6 figure range. He's a gap power hitter with an advanced discipline and good raw mechanics and agility behind the plate.

 

Fourth Round- Adam Warren- RHP from UNC, he is a college senior, so he should sign. He's a big framed righty who is just starting to see his velocity creep up into the low to mid 90s range.

 

Fifth Round- Caleb Cotham- Draft Eligible Sophomore from Vandy who I expect to be our second toughest sign. He dominated in the Cape Cod league, and features a low to mid 90s FB and a plus breaking pitch.

 

Sixth Round- Robert Lyerly first baseman from UNCC, is a left handed hitting 1b with power projection who is already a professional hitter. The hope is that he continues to maintain that approach

 

Seventh Round- Sean Black out of Seton Hall was a second rounder in 2006 but did not sign. He has been inconsistent, but when he is on, his stuff is dynamite.

 

Eight Round- Sam Elam out of ND. He's a lefty with a mid 90s fastball and nearly no command. If they can fix him, he'll be a hell of an 8th rounder

 

Ninth Round- Gavin Brooks LHP out of UCLA. A guy with a moderate upside and can throw in the low 90s, he served as the UCLA closer.

 

Tenth Round- Tyler Lyons LHP out of Okla St. He was a first round prospect until his velocity started to drop. His velocity came up at the end of the yr out of the pen, so the Yankees will have a decision to make.

 

After the top 10....

 

11th Round Neil Medchill, College OFer with power to spare. He was ranked in the 150 range from BA, not sure why he fell to the 11th round. The Yankees are hoping he becomes a big time power bat they are sorely lacking in the OF.

 

12th Round HS righty Brett Gerritse will be a signability pick. A big kid, who throws 91-92mph with a lot of sink, he looks like a potential horse with a bit more projection in his fastball

 

13th Round DeAngelo Mack is a college project, which seems to be the overwhelming theme. He is more advanced than a lot of the 5 tool HS guys, but he is a project nonetheless. He has raw power and a ton of speed. He also fared very well in Cape Cod.

 

14th Round Graham Stoneberner, RHP from Clemson. He was a starter and a reliever in college. He throws a hard, mid 90s sinker. But he is also a project who needs to work on his control and his off speed offerings. He has a ridiculously high ceiling, but he is also a junior and would love to improve his draft status should he not get a good offer

 

15th Round Shane Greene is an interesting story. He's a 20 yr old guy with a huge frame (6'5") who never threw higher than 88mph. He had TJS, was dropped from his college scholarship and decided to rehab at a local community college. He threw a bullpen and was clocked at 91mph. Shocked, his coach put him in the rotation and he showed a hard, improved slider. Now, he sits 92mph and tops out in the 94 range with a plus potential slider. He will be a signability guy, but could really be a good pick.

 

16th Round Bryan Mitchell is a high school projection pick. 6'2" and having recently put on 15 pounds of muscle, he features a low 90s heater with plus control and a good slider. He's got a strong commit to UNC, so he is gonna be one to watch

 

17th Round Chad Thompson has the highest upside of any player on this list, but he also has the farthest to go. 6'8" in high school and having just had Tommy John in May, he is a guy who has a lot of concerns. At the same time, he had a mid 90s fastball prior to tommy john as an 18 yr old. He is going to take a long time to develop, but his reward could be greater than anyone on the list

 

Rabago and Murton are fillers for the most part in the 18th and 19th rounds.

 

20th Round Thomas Keeling, a lefty pitcher capable of throwing low 90s will be an interesting guy to follow. Not a great prospect, but a lefty who is young and throws well is better than nothing

 

the only other guys I am excited about...

25th round Shaeffer Hall is a durable left handed starter who showed good command in Kansas, albeit with marginal stuff

 

26th round Stephen Bruno, a small high school SS who has solid average and defense ceiling. He is gonna be a tougher sign

 

28th Round Aaron Meade, a lefty with impeccable control and a plus changeup will be a tough sign as a draft eligible sophomore.

 

30th Round Kyle McKenzie, a righty HSer with low 90s fastball who has topped out at 94, has made strides with his curveball and his delivery this yr. He was considered a 5-8th round player who may be signable at the right price.

[jacksonianmarch]

I just had a brief conversation with the king of the Yankees draft, and I can relay a few things. Before I get to them, remember that if you want notification of these updates when they happen, you can friend me on Facebook. Now, onto the news…

 

* First off, 4th round pick, Adam Warren out of UNC was a guy they really like. At the end of the year Damon said “every time we saw him he just kept getting better and better. His fastball kept increasing until he was 92-94 mph by the end, and he really came on.”

 

* Second, the huge signability case of Chad Thompson was absolutely NOT a shot in the dark. Damon gave a lot of credit to his scout team for really putting in work speaking to the family to find out what they were thinking and to get to know their situation. Thompson is going to rehab his elbow for a little while, and when it comes time to negotiate they will sit down and decide where it is best for him to continue his recovery - at ASU or with the Yankees.

 

* Third, and most importantly, Damon was as animated as I’ve ever heard him about the selection of JR Murphy in the second round yesterday, telling me, “let me just say that you and your readers are going to love this kid. He can flat. Out. Hit. He’s got present power, too. I was at four games of his and in those four games he hit four homeruns that would have been out of any park. He’s also got 6.75-6.80 second 60 speed, and he’s constantly getting better behind the plate. I know a lot of the publications didn’t have him at the top of their lists because he didn’t start the season there, but let me tell you that you’re really going to like this kid.” He said that if we like the Austin Romine pick now, we’re going to like this one, too. I asked about his opinion on Murphy’s plate discipline, and he replied simply, “It’s tremendous. He can really hit.”

 

from Lane Meyer at nomaas

[example1]

Third, and most importantly, Damon was as animated as I’ve ever heard him about the selection of JR Murphy in the second round yesterday, telling me, “let me just say that you and your readers are going to love this kid. He can flat. Out. Hit. He’s got present power, too. I was at four games of his and in those four games he hit four homeruns that would have been out of any park. He’s also got 6.75-6.80 second 60 speed, and he’s constantly getting better behind the plate. I know a lot of the publications didn’t have him at the top of their lists because he didn’t start the season there, but let me tell you that you’re really going to like this kid.” He said that if we like the Austin Romine pick now, we’re going to like this one, too. I asked about his opinion on Murphy’s plate discipline, and he replied simply, “It’s tremendous. He can really hit.”

 

Can't help but think of "Oh my goodness gracious! Of all the dramatic things I've ever seen!"

 

Also Jacko, in all seriousness, really, really nice work on your draft coverage. You make this a better site. Thanks.

[jacksonianmarch]

Thanks man, I appreciate it.

 

More good stuff on yankee signees. See, the thing about the draft is, that you know which guys are solid, you know which high schoolers to look for, but there are certain things you dont get exposed to, and those are draft eligible sophomores. These are guys who entered college at 19 or redshirted one of their seasons. Well, we took a TON of them.

 

5th Round Caleb Cotham

14th Round Graham Stoneberner

20th Round Thomas Keeling

28th Round Aaron Meade

29th Round Scott Matyas

 

Most teams do not draft DES players because their leverage is supreme. It isnt like a HS kid who must wait until he's 21 or until after his Jr yr to go. These guys will be able to re-enter the draft for the next 2 seasons. That being said, the guys above are intriguing.

 

Cotham actually just had his meniscus repaired. Turns out he was pitching on a bum knee for the past 6 months. He is a high ceiling kind of guy. When the Yankees scouted him, his FB was clocked in the 94-96mph range and his slider was clocked at 87mph. Thats power. Cotham could be groomed as a starter, but I think he ends up as a closer type.

 

Stoneberner I talked about yesterday. Another power guy with a hard, bowling ball type sinker that sits comfortably in the mid 90s. He projects as a closer, IMO because his secondary stuff is pretty crude and he has difficulty repeating his delivery, yet he looked good out of the pen with Clemson

 

Just saw a feature on Keeling over at nomaas. Turns out his scouting video is accurate in terms of his velocity and his movement. I saw that he threw across his body and his FB does sit in the 89-92 range. But he gets a ton of motion on it, making him very difficult to hit. His breaking ball is inconsistent and his repetition of his delivery had been difficult up until this yr. He is a project, but he is big (6'3") and he's got a good arm, so if they can mold him a bit, he could add some power to that movement and increase his stock.

 

Scott Matyas is another DES out of University of Minnesota. He served as the closer. He brings a 89-91mph FB with a plus curveball and plus command. He is gonna be a tough sign, but he should be a pretty safe bet to project as a middle reliever right now. He's a big guy and if they can eek out a few more mph, he should project even higher.

[jacksonianmarch]

Here we go again...

 

31st round- Judd Golson OFer Alabama HS

32nd round- John Ebert 1B Univ South Carolina

33rd round- Andrew Aplin CFer CA HS

34th round- Jacob Petricka RHP ISU

35th round- Brett Bruening RHP Grayson Country Coll

36th round- Kyle Ottison LHP Ariz CC

[jacksonianmarch]

another high schooler with good upside. I likey

 

Aplin looks good. Watch the scouting vid. His arm is impressive and his swing is smooth. I hope we can get him

 

Bruening is huge and was listed by BA as one of the best players left on the board

[jacksonianmarch]

I like this draft. We got the high upside guys. We got a lot of DES guys and polished guys and then we went signability throughout the last 20 picks of the draft. This is gonna be an expensive draft, I can tell you that much, but I do think we will sign the majority of our signability guys.