2019 MLB Draft

[moonslav59]

We drafted Cameron Cannon a SS (Jr from AZ). He was picked 43rd and ranked 79th by MLB.com.

[moonslav59]

# 69

[Jasonbay44]

Pick seems like a reach, but I guess we’ll see

[notin]

We drafted Cameron Cannon a SS (Jr from AZ). He was picked 43rd and ranked 79th by MLB.com.

 

If nothing else, that has got to be the best name in the draft. He might need mention on the Name Thread...

[moonslav59]

2nd pick...

 

Lugo, Matthew

Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (PR)

SS

R/R

HS SR

 

[sk7326]

From Law's Top 100 http://www.espn.com/mlb/insider/story/_/id/26789854/keith-law-2019-big-board-updated-top-100-draft-prospects

 

As I've said previously, this is the weakest college pitching crop of any draft in which I've been involved, either with the Toronto Blue Jays or with ESPN, so this list is far heavier on position players, college and prep, than the typical top 100 would be.

 

46. Matthew Lugo, SS, Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (Florida, Puerto Rico) -- Lugo is the best prospect out of Puerto Rico this year -- it's a light year for the island -- boasting a smooth right-handed swing that looks like it could lead to above-average power as he fills out. He'll need a lot of work to stay at shortstop and is more likely to move to second or third.

 

87. Cameron Cannon, INF, Arizona -- Cannon has played shortstop but profiles as a second baseman in pro ball, running well enough for the outfield corners as well, with the upside of an above-average regular or multi-position guy after a .397/.478/.651 season for the Wildcats with more walks than strikeouts.

[jacksonianmarch]

Not a huge fan of either of our team’s drafts. None of the guys picked have the upside to be an impact, game changing player. Every guy picked has a ceiling of a solid big league contributor. When your teams are always in the mix for a division crown, you need to shoot higher.

[mvp 78]

If nothing else, that has got to be the best name in the draft. He might need mention on the Name Thread...

 

CamCan

[sk7326]

Law on Yankees Picks: (his big board goes to 100)

 

90. Anthony Volpe, SS, Delbarton HS (Morristown, New Jersey) -- Volpe plays with Jack Leiter and has been scouted a ton this spring, getting first-round buzz given his presumed bonus demands and his commitment to Vanderbilt. He's a very instinctive player with good feel but limited tools, nothing projecting to above average except possibly his hit tool. He'll move to second or third base in pro ball.

 

54. TJ Sikkema, LHP, Missouri -- Sikkema is a three-pitch lefty who'll touch the mid-90s with good feel for mixing all of his pitches, striking out more than a man an inning in the SEC this spring with a sub-2 ERA.

 

N/R: Josh Smith, SS, LSU

 

Longenhagen on Yankees picks:

 

Volpe #38 - The steadiest infield defender in the class, Volpe compares similarly to Oakland A's shortstop, Nick Allen, when he was a high schooler. Volpe will likely be a plus shortstop defender and has good feel for contact, but he lacks strength and physical projection that enables teams to anticipate it will come. He also reportedly wants about $3 million to sign, which is too rich for lots of teams and much more than Allen got a couple years ago. Volpe may end up at school, but if he signs he projects as a low-end shortstop regular.)

 

Sikkema ranked 78, their TLDR: Lefty was mostly a pitchability type, then the velo spiked to 95 this spring and now it's solid average stuff in a #4 starter package.

 

Smith #54 "Smith can passably play all the infield spots and is 50 or 55 across the board but has a squatty frame, some quirks to his swing, will be nearly 22 on draft day, and missed all of 2018 with a back injury."

Edited June 4, 2019 by sk7326

[sk7326]

Fangraphs Longenhagen on Sox picks

 

Cameron Cannon #48 - Two years of elite statistical performance -- including a .390/.480/.640 line as a junior -- and more walks than strikeouts will have Cannon in the second or third round. He can't play shortstop, but has a shot to play second or third. Perhaps most interestingly, he has hit as well has he has despite very conservative use of his lower half, something that might be changed to enable him to hit with more power in pro ball.

 

Matthew Lugo #26 - Lugo stood out most of the summer as a first round type of shortstop with 50 or 55 tools across the board. He had a slow start this spring and has been a little tougher to see than the typical prospect in the southeast, because you have to fly to Puerto Rico the day before and then only get one game a day, when you could easily have 5-6 quality games if you hung around major metro areas like Atlanta or Orlando for the same period. Lugo has interest as high as St. Louis at 19, and likely goes by the Arizona picks at 33 and 34.

[sk7326]

Not a huge fan of either of our team’s drafts. None of the guys picked have the upside to be an impact, game changing player. Every guy picked has a ceiling of a solid big league contributor. When your teams are always in the mix for a division crown, you need to shoot higher.

 

Usually when the "shoot higher" guys slip to 30 and beyond it's signability. And the system creates a strong incentive to get signable guys early - or to not mess with tough signs in the first 10 rounds unless you are confident. (related: see if the teams have some moon shots in mind for the later rounds on that basis)

[notin]

CamCan

 

 

Although it is somewhat disheartening that a guy named Cannon might not have the arm to stick at shortstop...

[sk7326]

Not a huge fan of either of our team’s drafts. None of the guys picked have the upside to be an impact, game changing player. Every guy picked has a ceiling of a solid big league contributor. When your teams are always in the mix for a division crown, you need to shoot higher.

 

One theory about the Volpe pick - although he is clearly a prospect in his own right - is that it might pave the way for the Yankees to use a later pick on Leiter and see if drafting one of his buddies helps convince him to sign.

[jacksonianmarch]

One theory about the Volpe pick - although he is clearly a prospect in his own right - is that it might pave the way for the Yankees to use a later pick on Leiter and see if drafting one of his buddies helps convince him to sign.

 

Leiter would have been taken by now. Leiter's number was $4 mil and he had to be in NY. No way he gets that outside the top 2 rounds.

[mvp 78]

Although it is somewhat disheartening that a guy named Cannon might not have the arm to stick at shortstop...

 

This is very true.

[notin]

This is very true.

 

 

Maybe the Sox need to draft a guy named Popgun who does have the arm...

[mvp 78]

They drafted the wonderfully easy to spell Ryan Zeferjahn.

 

https://twitter.com/jnorris427/status/1135967085866225664

 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 40 | Overall: 45

 

Part of a crazy-deep Kansas high school pitching crop in 2016 -- Riley Pint went fourth overall to the Rockies, Joey Wentz signed for $3.05 million as a supplemental first-rounder, Cole Duensing nearly doubled his slot value in the sixth round -- Zeferjahn could have been a top-three-rounds pick if he hadn't been set on becoming a Jayhawk. Three years later, his scouting reports read pretty much the same and he has the same upside in the Draft. He has a big arm that produces inconsistent results, as evidenced in early April when he gave up nine runs against Texas Tech and then struck out a career-high 14 against Oklahoma State in his next start.

 

Zeferjahn is capable of working with a 93-96 mph fastball as a starter and has climbed as high as 98, though there are games where he'll operate at 90-93. His heater is fairly straight considering he throws from a low-three-quarters slot, an angle that makes it tough for him to stay on top of his slider, which ranges anywhere from 80-87 mph and from a below-average slurve to a plus offering with hard bite. His changeup grades better than his slider at times, though it also lacks consistency.

 

Zeferjahn is athletic but tends to get under his pitches, costing him control and quality. He doesn't have a track record of throwing strikes, leading several scouts to project a move the bullpen, where he could regularly feature a double-plus fastball in shorter stints. He's at his best when he pitches closer to a traditional three-quarters arm angle but has trouble doing so.

 

Read more: http://forum.soxprospects.com/thread/5040/mlb-draft-day-2-2019#ixzz5pu5y9pUr

[jacksonianmarch]

This kid screams reliever to me. His command never changed from HS and his velocity is inconsistent as a starter. He’s the kind of guy you put in the pen, have him grip it and rip it at 98 and blow guys away

[sk7326]

Ryan Zeferjahn

 

Law:

 

78. Ryan Zeferjahn, RHP, Kansas -- Zeferjahn is 90-95 with a fringy slider and below-average changeup, coming from the extreme third-base side of the rubber for deception but some crossfire action to his delivery.

 

Longenhagen

 

Zeferjahn ended up 3rd in a loaded 2016 Kansas prep pitching class (Riley Pint, Joey Wentz) but took a step forward this summer with Team USA, flashing two plus pitches and a chance to start. His spring hasn't been great, with more of a reliever look and less consistent execution. (Rating 35+, some starter potential but likely pen)

[mvp 78]

This kid screams reliever to me. His command never changed from HS and his velocity is inconsistent as a starter. He’s the kind of guy you put in the pen, have him grip it and rip it at 98 and blow guys away

 

Yup. CAN THEY PROMOTE HIM AND FELTMAN TO BOSTON TOMORROW?!?!?!?

[a700hitter]

My great nephews have played against a number of the guys that will get drafted. I have a good video of the younger one a (high school sophomore) striking out the Cards #2 pick Trejyn Fletcher. Next year, the older one will be draft eligible/

[jacksonianmarch]

4th round pick- Noah Song out of the Naval Academy. Interesting pick. He's a back end 1st round talent but has a 2 year Naval commitment and won't be available until he is 25.

[mvp 78]

https://www.mlb.com/video/2019-draft-noah-song-rhp

[mvp 78]

4th round pick- Noah Song out of the Naval Academy. Interesting pick. He's a back end 1st round talent but has a 2 year Naval commitment and won't be available until he is 25.

 

Thanks Obama!

[mvp 78]

Song is a Golden Spikes Finalist and had a 1.44 ERA with 161 Ks in 94 IP.

[mvp 78]

5 (167): @RedSox select Kansas (KS) C Jaxx Groshans.

 

https://www.mlb.com/video/2019-draft-jaxx-groshans-c?t=mlb-draft

[mvp 78]

https://kuathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=15525

 

Jaxx hit 6 taters in his first 6 games this year. Legit power?

[mvp 78]

Apparently, Jaxx has a good arm to go with that power, just needs to refine his work behind the dish (1b/COF profile down the road?).

[sk7326]

Noah Song

 

Longenhagen

 

#49 Full Report

The way teams value Song depends on whether or not they feel confident the U.S. Department of Defense will re-write service academy athlete policy. Currently, Song must complete two years of Naval service. This administration may reinstate an Obama-era rule that allows athletes to petition for an exemption to pursue sports. If that rule were currently in place, Song would go in the top 50. He throws hard, attacks hitters with his fastball and slider, and will mix in the occasional knee-buckling, rainbow curveball. If teams think Song will have to serve and thus won't be able to pitch again until he's 24, he'll fall to Day 3.

 

Jaxxon Groshans #49 misc college bat per Fangraphs

[mvp 78]

6 (197): @RedSox select University of San Diego (CA) P Chris Murphy.