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2018 MLB Draft Thread

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Round 5 complete. Again only four HS players selected for a total of just 14 of 86 so far today.
 
PGrady24 said:
What's your theory on the low # of high school kids being taken? Down year, asking prices too high, etc.
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I think it's cyclical for the most part. Teams are valuing college players more at the moment. They mentioned on the BA draft podcast a few weeks ago that there is a backlash against HS pitchers among the teams. Looks like we've got a run on HS players at them moment, but they're almost exclusively players outside the MLB.com Top 200 players. Teams don't seem to be quite as willing to pay the premium to keep the 2nd-4th round high schoolers from going to college (Davis being an exception unfortunately for us).
 
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Round 6 complete. 11 of the 30 were HS players this time around. Started to see some college seniors creep in towards the end of the round.
 
It's mainly a combination of down talent at the high school level, college performers, and then teams manipulating the draft bonus pools.

Teams are looking at historical risk rates and seeing high schoolers as a demographic that is high-variance (meaning 4th-6th round players have nearly the same return rates as the supplemental and late first rounders).

Mostly ebbs and flows, but the draft pools have really changed the draft. It's helped college baseball though.
 
Lance Roffers said:
It's mainly a combination of down talent at the high school level, college performers, and then teams manipulating the draft bonus pools.

Teams are looking at historical risk rates and seeing high schoolers as a demographic that is high-variance (meaning 4th-6th round players have nearly the same return rates as the supplemental and late first rounders).

Mostly ebbs and flows, but the draft pools have really changed the draft. It's helped college baseball though.
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Let's hope it helps us this year and in coming recruiting classes.

JD does a great job with what he is given, but until we can sign some of these HS arms who sit in the low to mid 90's and start for us for three years, like UF does year in and year out, I don't see us competing for titles again any time soon.
 
35 picks now since the last HS player was taken. Still need to watch Gates and particularly Del Castillo in the 11th and 12th rounds, but things are starting to look good with those two.
 
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JJ Schwarz just went with pick 233. I certainly wouldn't have guessed after his freshman year at UF that he would have gone in the senior savings rounds.
 
Should note on Gates, his BA scouting report says he would be a two-way player in college and has decent power at the plate.
 
scane said:
Should note on Gates, his BA scouting report says he would be a two-way player in college and has decent power at the plate.
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And for whatever it's worth, MLB Tracker's write-up on Del Castillo characterized his commitment to us as "strong".
 
Del Castillo wanted a ****load of money, got to think he signs here. Same with Gates and Cecconi.
 
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A really good (ie quiet) Day 2 of the draft is now complete. Looking great with Cecconi, Gates, and Del Castillo. While it's worth watching the latter two in rounds 11 and 12, the focus shifts to the current players. Cabezas and Gonzalez should go fairly early on Day 3 and sign. Bartow will likely go a bit later, and I would be surprised if he didn't sign. Reyes is a question mark. I feel good about Veliz coming back. Keysor (JUCO) might be worth keeping an eye on as well. Adding Cecconi, Gates, and Keysor while keeping Veliz would erase most of my concerns about next year's pitching staff.

Hopefully, Jeb will get a late call.
 
Pretty happy with how this draft turned out for us. Feel like getting Cecconi is a surprise Christmas gift. Never thought he'd end up on campus.
 
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scane said:
A really good (ie quiet) Day 2 of the draft is now complete. Looking great with Cecconi, Gates, and Del Castillo. While it's worth watching the latter two in rounds 11 and 12, the focus shifts to the current players. Cabezas and Gonzalez should go fairly early on Day 3 and sign. Bartow will likely go a bit later, and I would be surprised if he didn't sign. Reyes is a question mark. I feel good about Veliz coming back. Keysor (JUCO) might be worth keeping an eye on as well. Adding Cecconi, Gates, and Keysor while keeping Veliz would erase most of my concerns about next year's pitching staff.

Hopefully, Jeb will get a late call.
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Agree - let's hope nothing silly happens and the highly touted recruits sign for next to nothing after a late round selection. The new trend is clear - quality college players can get a decent bonus after three years of college.
 
scane said:
Should note on Gates, his BA scouting report says he would be a two-way player in college and has decent power at the plate.
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Per this article he had 28 HRs in high school and his coach had some pretty heady praise for him, ""He's the best I've ever had," said fourth-year Sharks' coach Frank Vitale, who also coached nine seasons at Springstead. "I had (current Tampa Bay Ray) Christian Arroyo as a freshman. I had Brandon Lawson as a freshman. And I had Brandon Brosher. They were all excellent players. But J.P. could be even better. He's got the pitching and he's also got the hitting." " Maybe he will play both ways. Lord knows we need some power. The Vilar kid also seems to have some pop based off his stats.

Nature Coast’s J.P. Gates doesn’t need a license to smoke opponents
 
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