Baseball Draft

[Silas]

While I have never paid much attention to the MLB Draft, I noticed that the Rockies have the 3rd overall pick this year and they are projected to select a 3B named Kris Barnes (I think that is his name). Barnes is apparently touted as having the best bat in the Draft this year.

While the Rockies have struggled to come up with a long term solution at 3B, I would be surprised if they didn't select a pitcher to fill a more pressing need.

The Dodgers, who pick 18th, are projected to pick a pitcher, which has been their MO over the years and that has paid off pretty well for them on a number of previous occasions.

 

[67RedSox]

There's two very good pitchers available...and two that are seen to be 1-2 by everyone's choice so it looks like Appel will go to the Astros which serves him right for turning down close to $4M from the Pirates last year. Projected #2, Jonathan Gray, likely to the Cubs. These two are apparently pretty close as far as there ML upside is concerned so even if they flip-flop I just don't see either the Astros or Cubs passing either one by.
Silas, it's Kris Bryant who's projected at #3 and he's apparently got a great bat, more from a power point of view than average, but he definitely has ML power. Some are suggesting he's more likely to end up in a ML Outfield than at his present 3B position. There is a pitcher with as much potential as either Appel or Gray but more of a risk and his name is Kohl Stewart and many are suggesting he could go #4 and no lower than 6th. Would the Rockies take a chance on him at #3...I'm thinking not because he's a high schooler with a chance to go to Texas A & M on a quarterback scholarship so even if they convince him to play baseball he's still a long way away and I'm not sure they'll cough up big money, $6M +/-, for someone who is a high-risk, long way away player.
Like you I don't pay too much attention to the MLB Draft. Unlike hockey, football and basketball where you can see an almost immediate jump to the big team in Baseball it's usually years before there's any impact. My usual thinking when it comes to any draft is take the best player available regardless of position but in Baseball pitching is huge and the Rockies need pitching. Since they aren't into free agency the draft is really all they have so I think they should be looking at pitching, pitching, pitching.

 

[Silas]

Thanks for correcting me on the name. I do agree that most teams are well served going after pitching, but, like you also point out, it's something of a crap shoot as a lot of these guys don't sign and, if they do, it could take a few years (if ever) before they make a MLB debut.

 

[dgonaz]

Taking the best bat available during the draft isn't a bad thing if the top two pitchers are off the table. And we don't know for sure that the Cubs and Astros won't go for the bat though it is to be assumed that they will take Appel and Gray.