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Darkstone42
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I usually start this thread during the draft, but I didn't have time until today. So here is a quick recap of the draft.
Pirates Drafted Players
My highlights follow.
Day 1
Obviously, first rounder Travis Swaggerty. He's a good, complete ballplayer. Has some swing and miss, and his power is a little limited, but he's great at getting on base, and he does a lot with his legs once he gets there. He'll be a good defender in CF. I think he could turn into an Andy Van Slyke type if he reaches his potential.
Gunnar Hoglund and Braxton Ashcraft are both projectable prep arms, and very athletic. Hoglund is a basketball player, and Ashcraft a football star. Both generate good plane and sink on already-hard fastballs, and both have the makings of breaking pitches, though they're inconsistent so far. Hoglund has clean mechanics and good command already.
Now I want to highlight a few positions the Bucs seemed to target.
Big Shortstops
In rounds 3, 13, 23, and 35, they took big shortstops. Kaiser (3) is big and fast, and hit well in the Cape, but not in college. There's a lot of room to add power if the bat comes along, and he's got the glove and arm to play short. If he's able to bring the bat along at all, especially the power, he could turn into a fast version of Mercer. Kone (13) is also a tall collegiate shortstop, and he hit alright in college. Arm and wheels are only average, so maybe a move to second is in his future, but there's plenty of promise in his bat with some refinement. Miller (23) is the most exciting of the bunch. He's a toolsy prep shortstop who already has pop showing up in his bat.
Catchers with Pop
They took a few very interesting catchers in Koch, Susi, and Citta. Koch and Susi are both excellent defenders who have some potential with the bat. Susi apparently handles pitchers especially well. Koch is a strong dude who could hit for quite a bit of power. Citta was announced as an outfielder, and he hit pretty well in college.
11th Round Prep Arm
Burrows is an interesting pick at 11. He's got four pitches, and the fastball is hard with sink and some command, and the slider is pretty good, too. If the curve and change come along, he'll have a nice mix.
College Arms
The Pirates took a lot of college arms, many of whom are more stuff than production. Of note, Aaron Shortridge (4) and Michael Flynn (6) were fine but unspectacular college arms with four-pitch arsenals they can command. Flynn's stuff is good, but he's inconsistent. Lefty Zach Spears (8) is huge at 6'7" and throws three decent pitches. I'm not going to bother with the rest, except to say there were another 9 college righties and two college lefties. Most of these guys lack great numbers and in many cases innings (converted position players, for example, or guys who threw out of the bullpen), but have hard fastballs and/or multi-pitch mixes the Pirates may think they can work with and develop.
College Bats
10th Rounder 3B Mike Gretler is a senior sign taken to save money for day three prep guys, but he's a solid but unspectacular hitter and a very smart ballplayer who's been a key piece on some very good Oregon State teams. They took a speedy outfielder in Amaral, and a few potential corner OF power bats in Kinneman (who I think is a very interesting pick), Davis, and Mangieri. 1B Nick Patten is huge and has some punch, too. They also took Kaiser's double play partner Ethan Paul, who's a fine all-around player, and 2B Dean Lockery and SS Justin Harrer. Ryan Haug is a defense only catcher likely just around to help manage young pitchers.
Prep Bats
This is the most interesting section, I think. Davis Sharpe is a strong-armed 3B with a quick swing. Giovanni DiGiacomo is a fast outfielder with an amazing name, but he's already announced his LSU commitment and won't sign. Jack Herman is another athletic outfielder, and he will sign. He's a good get, I think. Great arm, quick bat with some pop. Lavoisier Fisher (also a great name) is an outstanding athlete who's hit very well in high school. Emmanuel Andrews is another athletic outfielder, and a good pure hitter, but his other tools are underdeveloped, including basically no power. But most interestingly of all, I think, is Jason Brandow. He's big, athletic, and while drafted as an outfielder, has also played catcher and 3B. He hits monster home runs with a pretty, quick swing. He and Miller are the two prep hitters I most hope the Pirates can sign, but Herman, Fisher, and Sharpe are all really interesting athletes, as well.
Overall Thoughts
This draft doesn't necessarily have a lot of national outlet excitement, since so many of the HS players, in particular, were not well-known names. But there are a lot of high-ceiling, high pick value college players, and most of the prep guys taken are exceptional, well-rounded athletes with exciting tools. It's difficult to know what they're going to get out of this draft (aside from some really fantastic names) so early, but there's plenty of talent to like. Now we wait for them to sign and see how they develop.
Pirates Drafted Players
My highlights follow.
Day 1
Obviously, first rounder Travis Swaggerty. He's a good, complete ballplayer. Has some swing and miss, and his power is a little limited, but he's great at getting on base, and he does a lot with his legs once he gets there. He'll be a good defender in CF. I think he could turn into an Andy Van Slyke type if he reaches his potential.
Gunnar Hoglund and Braxton Ashcraft are both projectable prep arms, and very athletic. Hoglund is a basketball player, and Ashcraft a football star. Both generate good plane and sink on already-hard fastballs, and both have the makings of breaking pitches, though they're inconsistent so far. Hoglund has clean mechanics and good command already.
Now I want to highlight a few positions the Bucs seemed to target.
Big Shortstops
In rounds 3, 13, 23, and 35, they took big shortstops. Kaiser (3) is big and fast, and hit well in the Cape, but not in college. There's a lot of room to add power if the bat comes along, and he's got the glove and arm to play short. If he's able to bring the bat along at all, especially the power, he could turn into a fast version of Mercer. Kone (13) is also a tall collegiate shortstop, and he hit alright in college. Arm and wheels are only average, so maybe a move to second is in his future, but there's plenty of promise in his bat with some refinement. Miller (23) is the most exciting of the bunch. He's a toolsy prep shortstop who already has pop showing up in his bat.
Catchers with Pop
They took a few very interesting catchers in Koch, Susi, and Citta. Koch and Susi are both excellent defenders who have some potential with the bat. Susi apparently handles pitchers especially well. Koch is a strong dude who could hit for quite a bit of power. Citta was announced as an outfielder, and he hit pretty well in college.
11th Round Prep Arm
Burrows is an interesting pick at 11. He's got four pitches, and the fastball is hard with sink and some command, and the slider is pretty good, too. If the curve and change come along, he'll have a nice mix.
College Arms
The Pirates took a lot of college arms, many of whom are more stuff than production. Of note, Aaron Shortridge (4) and Michael Flynn (6) were fine but unspectacular college arms with four-pitch arsenals they can command. Flynn's stuff is good, but he's inconsistent. Lefty Zach Spears (8) is huge at 6'7" and throws three decent pitches. I'm not going to bother with the rest, except to say there were another 9 college righties and two college lefties. Most of these guys lack great numbers and in many cases innings (converted position players, for example, or guys who threw out of the bullpen), but have hard fastballs and/or multi-pitch mixes the Pirates may think they can work with and develop.
College Bats
10th Rounder 3B Mike Gretler is a senior sign taken to save money for day three prep guys, but he's a solid but unspectacular hitter and a very smart ballplayer who's been a key piece on some very good Oregon State teams. They took a speedy outfielder in Amaral, and a few potential corner OF power bats in Kinneman (who I think is a very interesting pick), Davis, and Mangieri. 1B Nick Patten is huge and has some punch, too. They also took Kaiser's double play partner Ethan Paul, who's a fine all-around player, and 2B Dean Lockery and SS Justin Harrer. Ryan Haug is a defense only catcher likely just around to help manage young pitchers.
Prep Bats
This is the most interesting section, I think. Davis Sharpe is a strong-armed 3B with a quick swing. Giovanni DiGiacomo is a fast outfielder with an amazing name, but he's already announced his LSU commitment and won't sign. Jack Herman is another athletic outfielder, and he will sign. He's a good get, I think. Great arm, quick bat with some pop. Lavoisier Fisher (also a great name) is an outstanding athlete who's hit very well in high school. Emmanuel Andrews is another athletic outfielder, and a good pure hitter, but his other tools are underdeveloped, including basically no power. But most interestingly of all, I think, is Jason Brandow. He's big, athletic, and while drafted as an outfielder, has also played catcher and 3B. He hits monster home runs with a pretty, quick swing. He and Miller are the two prep hitters I most hope the Pirates can sign, but Herman, Fisher, and Sharpe are all really interesting athletes, as well.
Overall Thoughts
This draft doesn't necessarily have a lot of national outlet excitement, since so many of the HS players, in particular, were not well-known names. But there are a lot of high-ceiling, high pick value college players, and most of the prep guys taken are exceptional, well-rounded athletes with exciting tools. It's difficult to know what they're going to get out of this draft (aside from some really fantastic names) so early, but there's plenty of talent to like. Now we wait for them to sign and see how they develop.
