Baseball America mock draft

[kazmir19]

I agree with many of the posters who feel that Fields would be a waste that high in the draft. Drafting closers just doenst make sense.

 

I think the guy to take for the Brewers is Casey Kelly, if the draft pans out as BA expects, he is the best player available when the Brewers pick. Forget about him wanting to go play football at Tennessee, just offer him what he is looking for, and reap the rewards of that big signing bonus in 3 years when he is your starting SS and can actually hit with pop.

[bklynbrewcrew]

From the latest Keith Law blog:

 

Brewers' scouting director Jack Zdurencik reportedly skipped all conference tournaments to go sit on Salisbury (Conn.) prep shortstop Anthony Hewitt. Hewitt, a Vanderbilt recruit, has above-average tools, but was terrible last summer in various wood-bat showcases.

 

I have a bad feeling this is the guy we are gonna pick 16th overall. This kid sounds way too raw to pick that high but Jack Z loves toolsy guys. This kid seems like pure projection. If he pans out you have an all star. If he doesnt he may never get out of A ball. I believe the 16th pick is way too high to pick a guy with these attributes. I guess with so many picks Jack Z is gonna take a shot or two. On the bright side he is from Brooklyn so he cant be too bad.

[colbyjack]

Here's a pic of Hewitt from BA today, along with a feature story (subscribers only) linked below:

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/images/ahewitt08428309.jpg

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/high-school/high-heat/2008/266161.html

[Gopher74]

I dont want to see a prep pitcher, at least not with #16...they are just too risky, and considering how few pitching prospects we have in the system, I'd rather take a college pitcher, even if his ceiling isnt quite as high. The thing I see with high school pitchers, at least the ones we take.....are flame throwers who cant throw strikes and get hurt. Gallardo seems to be the lone exception. Neugebauer, Gold, Jones, Rogers, Jeffress (not hurt but other issues). None of them could throw strikes.

That's probably because most young pitchers struggle with their command when they throw hard. I suppose by the time they're Juniors in college, they've either figured it out, or they've flamed out.

 

I also don't know why Jeffress would be in there yet. He's thrown the ball exceptionally well thus far in his career, and doesn't really fit the profile you're suggesting the Brewers follow.

The bottom line is that prep arms have the higher ceilings unless you're picking at the very top of the 1st round, and you could likely put together a list from any organization and you'd have one that contained many high profile busts.

 

 

I guess I'm just of the opinion that you put together as many guys like Jeffress, Rogers, Gallardo, as you possible can. The high ceiling power pitchers. Those are the types that win you playoff series. And while most will flame out, you try and get as many as you can and hope that you can find a couple who can put it together. Right now it's worked with Yo, Parra and Sheets. Of course Yo's out with a bit of a fluke injury, but still the point remains. To go after a college pitcher with a lower ceiling just doesn't offer enough upside to me.

 

To me I want either a flame throwing young Prep Arm, a college arm that's dropped because of injury concerns, or a college closer. The college starter such as Hunt or Scheppers gives you a guy who could be both closer and who has a high ceiling. Fields solves a problem right now, and while I hate drafting for need, if you take the other 5 high picks and draft BPA, you could get a potentially dominant closer who could help your team out right now.