2018 MLB Draft Thread

[Larry Cook]

Heard the Sox have had a scout watching Walker Steele of Oklahoma.

 

I still hope we Rolison falls to us at 26 and pilkington at 64.

 

My sleeper pick for 100 is the reliever from tcu German felder. Throws mid 90’s and has a decent slider. He should skyrocket through the minors and be in the big leagues by September 2019 as a call up.

[jacksonianmarch]

Heard the Sox have had a scout watching Walker Steele of Oklahoma.

 

I still hope we Rolison falls to us at 26 and pilkington at 64.

 

My sleeper pick for 100 is the reliever from tcu German felder. Throws mid 90’s and has a decent slider. He should skyrocket through the minors and be in the big leagues by September 2019 as a call up.

 

Would the sox go P, P, P? Or would they mix in a position player? Either way, I expect the sox and the yanks to have dichotomous strategies. I think the Yankees will select the best position player on their board with their first 2 picks, unless a pitcher falls who is head and shoulders above the remaining hitters. After that, the Yanks will select power pitching. This is what they do. They find big college relievers who have high spin rates and deep (for relief) arsenals who could move to a starting role OR they get guys who started who weren't from big name schools (Dalton Lehnen from D2 last yr who is dominating A ball right now). They'll be pitching heavy in the top 10 as they always are, but they will be top heavy with position players, maybe even their top 3 picks.

 

I expect the sox to draft a pitcher first unless there is a close to finished product offensive player available who is better than the SP. Pitchers rise faster than hitters and the sox desperately need their picks in the first 3 rounds to rise. They'd prefer to put their first two picks into the long season leagues and see if they can hit AA some time next season, which would put them on a prospect map and in position to land someone of consequence to fill holes that come up.

[Larry Cook]

Heard on the radio that the Yankees had a scout following kumar rocker, the Georgia high school pitcher.

[Hugh2]

If Available the Sox will select Logan Gilbert or Brice Turang. Very good chance those guys go off the board in the 15-25 area of the draft. Aside from those guys falling the names that have been heavily connected to the Sox the past week have been.

 

Seth Beer. OF JR Clemson.

Shane McClanahan. LHP JR. Florida

Steele Walker OF JR. Oklahoma

 

Seth Beers name has been showing up a lot leading right up to the draft, he definitely wins the coolest name in the draft.

 

Also, of interest, is Roger Clemens son Kody Clemens is in this draft and has had talks with the Sox leading up to tonight. I'm not sure where he's projected to go but he's on the board for this team as well.

[jacksonianmarch]

Brady Singer is tumbling down the draft. If he’s there for the Yanks, we have to take him. I know we want hitting, but you can’t pass up the #2 player in the draft

[Hugh2]

Brady Singer is tumbling down the draft. If he’s there for the Yanks, we have to take him. I know we want hitting, but you can’t pass up the #2 player in the draft

 

reminiscent of Groome falling in the draft, I have a hard time seeing him falling that far. The thing is once you fall out of the top 12 or so you're falling to teams who didn't anticipate you being there and didn't plan on having the money for you so theres a chance the teams draft the guy they had in their plans and the player keeps falling.

 

I forget the players' name but there was a guy a few years back who was a consensus top 10 picks who fell out of the first round but still got one of the highest bonuses in the draft because a team a big bonus pool was able to afford his demands in the compensation round.

 

He could fall, but he might blow up your whole draft too to get him.

[Hugh2]

There goes Logan Gilbert #14 to the Mariners.

 

I guess he was sort of a pipe dream though.

Edited June 5, 2018 by A Red Sox fan named Hugh

[Meh]

Brady Singer is tumbling down the draft. If he’s there for the Yanks, we have to take him. I know we want hitting, but you can’t pass up the #2 player in the draft

Singer to the Royals.

[Hugh2]

Supposedly Brewers are going with Turang, I think the Sox reach for some Beer if that happens.

[Hugh2]

Wow, Yankees are really reaching here.

[Hugh2]

Kiley McDaniels is reporting that the Sox will draft Triston Casas in two picks from now. A HS senior with plus-plus raw power. High Ceiling, Low floor guy for sure.

[Larry Cook]

Wow, Yankees are really reaching here.

 

Very nice pick by them.

[Larry Cook]

With Rolison off the board, Sox look to take prep 1b casas.

[jacksonianmarch]

I said before that I wanted Casas, so the fact that he’s a Sox sucks. I like Seigler. Switch hitter who can also switch throw, surprisingly. Has the goods to stay behind the dish and the bat projection to hit for both power and average. I like the pick. I would have loved Casas. Any time you have a guy with plus plus raw power at 18, you have to be intrigued. This kid has light tower power. Now he’s not advanced with his approach and has some holes in his swing, but he’s gonna hit a lot of bombs. I understand the yanks usually don’t like one-dimensional players, but this was one I’d make an exception on. So be it

[Spudboy]

So the question is at what position will Casas be developed. He was drafted as a 3rd baseman but has played 1st.

 

Maybe the Sox will think big and move him to catcher. They have had so much luck with that move!

[Station 13]

With Rolison off the board, Sox look to take prep 1b casas.

 

See you in 4 years. *whistles*

[Hugh2]

So the question is at what position will Casas be developed. He was drafted as a 3rd baseman but has played 1st.

 

Maybe the Sox will think big and move him to catcher. They have had so much luck with that move!

 

He played 3B, but many see 1B in his future.

[Hugh2]

From Baseball America:

 

Triston Casas

HS 1B/3B

Notes:

School: American Heritage School, Plantation, Fla.

Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 238 | B-T: L-R | Commit/Drafted: Miami

Scouting Report: One of the top power-hitting players in the class, Casas has established an impressive track record as a corner infielder who was originally supposed to be in the 2019 draft class before reclassifying to become eligible this June. A two-time member of USA Baseball’s 18U National Team, Casas was named the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s player of the year in 2017, after leading the U-18 World Cup field with three home runs and 13 RBI, pushing Team USA to a gold-medal victory over Korea. He was also named the MVP of the tournament. Casas has 70-grade raw power out of a 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame that he has maintained well over the offseason, and he might be a bit lighter now after trimming up prior to his final season with American Heritage High in Plantation, Fla. His power plays to all fields, and Casas has enough to drive balls out of the park even when he doesn’t make solid contact. The Miami commit has a patient, selective approach at the plate and was among the more difficult player to pitch to on the summer showcase circuit according to a number of pitchers, although he has shown some of the swing-and-miss tendencies that can coincide with long arms. A surprisingly good athlete for his size, Casas has plus arm strength, which gives him an outside shot to play third base, where he plays for American Heritage. Most scouts believe he’ll inevitably slide to first base, however, which is a tough position to draft out of high school. But it is also challenging to find a hitter in the draft class with a better combination of hitting ability, plate discipline, power and track record against quality arms than Casas provides.

[oldtimer]

I saw nothing on the draft. The Sox went for Triston Casa a 6'4" 238 # third baseman/first baseman as their first pick. Probably at least a couple of years away but at his size, he is more likely to go to first, probably after Moreland leaves. He has great raw power and can hit so I look forward to him coming to the club. He seemed excited to be picked by the Red Sox.

[Spudboy]

He played 3B, but many see 1B in his future.

 

Yeah 6'5' and 245 he sounds like a 1st baseman by the time he makes it to Fenway.

[Spudboy]

He's 18.

 

Who expects him in Boston in 2 years?

[Larry Cook]

He's 18.

 

Who expects him in Boston in 2 years?

 

This kid is probably 2022 at he earliest.

 

He is Dalbec part 2.

[Larry Cook]

Decker at 64. Baseball America has him ranked 110. Somebody must see something special in this kid to overdraft him.

[moonslav59]

MLB reports...

26. Boston Red Sox: 1B/3B Triston Casas, American Heritage (Fla.) HS

Casas ranks right with Nolan Gorman as one of the best high school power hitters in this Draft. He had a chance to go as high as No. 13 to his hometown club in Miami, and a few other spots in the teens, so getting him at No. 26 is a nice grab for the Red Sox. While he has some athleticism for his size (6-foot-4, 240 pounds), Casas is most likely a first baseman, albeit one with a strong arm who can delivery 94 mph fastballs on the mound.

 

CBS Sports...

3B Triston Casas, American Heritage School (Florida). Casas is a third baseman presently, but it's highly likely he'll be shifted to first as a pro. He's got big power, but he's also got some issues making contact. Scouts are mixed on how well that power will translate, but the potential for big numbers is there. He's committed to Miami.

 

SBNation...

The Red Sox are on a quest to rebuild their farm system, and they’ve gotten started with their first pick of the 2018 MLB draft on Monday night. With that selection, they went with high school first baseman Triston Casas with their first round pick at number 26 overall. He is 18 years old and went to American Heritage High School in Florida. He is also committed to the University of Miami next year.

 

This bucks their recent trend of taking pitchers in the first round, something they’ve done in each of the last two years. It also goes against some of the recent mocks, though Casas was mentioned as a possibility by a few publications.

 

We’ll have a lot more on Casas later on tonight, but for now here are the basics. Although he’ll be listed as a 1B/3B, it’s almost certain that he will be a first base only player soon enough, and possibly as soon as this year. The bat has huge potential, though, particularly the power. There are some questions about the hit tool, but the Red Sox clearly believe it is good enough for him to tap into that raw power. Baseball America has him ranked as their number 25 prospect in the draft, while MLB Pipeline has him at 20 and Fangraphs has him at 33.

[Spudboy]

He has a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG swing.

[jacksonianmarch]

Casas is the classic boom or bust guy. He’s got a good eye, but plenty of holes in his swing. Thing is, if he can get ahold of a ball, it’s going out of the park. He was drafted as a 3b, but he’s not staying there. He’s massive as an 18 yr old, he’s only going to get bigger. He’s a 1b/DH long term. I think this is the kind of pick that could go well for Boston, but I don’t think this is what Boston needed. You needed a guy like McLanaghan who thrown 100 from the left side and should rocket through a system. Casas is going to take awhile, Boston needed a prospect who could be an option for trade or replacement shortly.

[jacksonianmarch]

Decker is an interesting pick as well. Power hitter who is relegated to LF long term with a questionable hit tool. He’s another HS kid who will take time to establish himself as a prospect.

 

I don’t think there’s any problem with the talent boston got, I just find it interesting that they didn’t try to pick guys capable of rocketing through a system like a college pitcher or hitter could have. These guys will be on prospect lists in 3 years rather than 1 that a college kid could do.

[oldtimer]

Grayson Rodriguez had the potential to be a major league starter. At 6’4” plus he meets the Sox height requirement.

 

Fastball sits 92 or so. It’s a heavy ball that is tough to muscle up.

 

He throws a decent slider and I know the Sox don’t usually let their starters throw sliders. Th curveball is a work in progress.

 

Whats with this height requirement. Pedro Martinez would have been passed up on that score.

[mvp 78]

Decker is an interesting pick as well. Power hitter who is relegated to LF long term with a questionable hit tool. He’s another HS kid who will take time to establish himself as a prospect.

 

I don’t think there’s any problem with the talent boston got, I just find it interesting that they didn’t try to pick guys capable of rocketing through a system like a college pitcher or hitter could have. These guys will be on prospect lists in 3 years rather than 1 that a college kid could do.

 

Because they've mainly selected college pitchers and hitters the past few years. They needed to stock up on young guys with high upside bats. Their farm system has a severe lack of power and they are trying to correct it.

[mvp 78]

Also, the Sox are a fairly young team. They don't need guys up in BOS in the short term.