How are the college bats looking?

[paul253]

After looking at the rosters for both Wisconsin and Brevard County, it really makes me think the Brewers need to draft a power hitter. A first basemen would be great, but that is a position that's pretty limited in terms of the players moving anywhere else. I think a third basemen would be good too, or a corner outfielder with some pop. Even a solid shortstop would be a good. But it seems like as the pitching keeps moving up, the offense at the lower levels is struggling to turn out any real high level prospects. Kentrail Davis seems to be the best one below Huntsville, and he hasn't even played a professional inning yet. Would the Brewers even consider taking a bat with this being such a good year for college pitchers?

[battlekow]

Jim Callis said yesterday "After [bryce Harper], there's such as steep dropoff, that the next 10 or so best prospects might all be pitchers." If that's true, I wonder how far Josh Sale will drop; he certainly smells like a Brewers-type player to me. Not a college bat, but still a bat.

[colbyjack]

Yeah, it's not a good year to nab a big bat early, that's been known about this class for quite some time. The pitching is deep, and there continue to be a few more that pop up from both the college and high school ranks every few weeks that continue to put more arms in consideration for the early rounds.

 

As 'kow noted, Sale isn't a college bat, but he's a lot like Geoff Jenkins, although not the loose, rangy Jenkins the Brewers drafted out of USC. BA loves the guy, and while I like his bat, I'm not as big on him since he is really limited athletically. He's not Prince Fielder terrible body-wise, but more like a Jaff Decker or Travis Snider. That could be a good thing depending on how much you like those guys, but not so good if you like more well-rounded players.

 

If you're looking for a college SS, Cal State Fullerton's Christian Colon is your guy. He's heating up after a slow start (and he broke his leg to close out last summer with Team USA), and while he's not the flashiest of shortstops, he does everything well. Boras-client warning.

 

Big bats are harder to find. Arkansas' Zack Cox is probably the most notable. He's a 3B now, but probably plays 1B or a corner OF spot at the next level. That won't matter, as he's got a great LH swing and overall approach. The power is a little questionable, but he's hitting in the .430s the last time I checked with twice as many walks as Ks.

 

Power isn't a problem for Auburn's Hunter Morris, probably the only true bopper from college that could sneak into the first round.

 

Keep an eye on Texas-Arlington's Michael Choice. A RH batter, all he has done is hit, although his competition isn't as strong. His power is really up this year.

 

Georgia Tech's Derek Dietrich is also on fire, although he doesn't project to hit for a ton of power nor does he project to stick at shortstop.

 

If you want a 3B, Nick Castellanos is your man, although he's a high school hitter. Another prep hitter, shortstop Manny Machado, is as close to a proven 5-tool potential star this year's draft has to offer, although like Colon, he too is aligned with Boras.

[TooLiveBrew]

Thanks for the info, guys. While I also wouldn't mind seeing Seid & Co. draft a big bat high this June, I'd be even happier (given the draft class) to see them continue to stockpile the types of arms they did last year. You should always be able to trade for a big bat when you can offer quality pitching.

 

Are there any sort of under-the-radar bats that might make sense somewhere in rounds 2-5? Sounds like this might be a year to get another top arm in round one, but perhaps after that try to salvage a big bat thereafter that's slipped due to signability or some other concern.

[Tedaldtada]

It's going to be weird not having extra picks this year.

 

Seid should really stick with BPA (I think that's what he basically does). If one of those hitters slip (a la Heyward), I really hope Seid pops him.

[colbyjack]

Are there any sort of under-the-radar bats that might make sense somewhere in rounds 2-5?

 

There are always bats that can be had, as even down years offer hitters that people wonder how they fell in the years that follow. If you're looking for a pure power hitter that plays 1B, Arkansas' Andy Wilkins may be one of those prospects.

 

Seid should really stick with BPA (I think that's what he basically does). If one of those hitters slip (a la Heyward), I really hope Seid pops him.

 

There really isn't a bat that you could say would fall to #14, because that is roughly where the top bats will start to go off the board. Machado is probably the only hitter right now that should be gone before that, and as noted, only will fall if his Boras affiliation complicates his signing. There certainly isn't a Heyward type of hitter.

 

Bryce Brentz of Middle Tennessee usually is talked about for the latter half of the first round could be a player that could go at #14. He projects better in RF than CF, but he put up Nintendo numbers a year ago. I'll have an interview up with him tomorrow.

 

There are a couple of college catchers that project to go in the first, LSU's Micah Gibbs and Miami's Yasmani Grandal. Jacksonville State OF Todd Cunningham is more of a sandwich pick, but he hit very well in the Cape last summer and could also be taken higher given the lack of bats. Same goes for Virginia's Jarrett Parker and Virginia Tech's Austin Wates.

 

Three prep bats that could gain momentum as the draft approaches are Stefan Sabol, Christian Yelich and Drew Vettleson. Sabol currently plays catcher but probably ends up on an OF corner, Yelich is a slick fielding, smooth swinging 1B and Vettleson is an interesting left-handed hitting, switch pitching OF/pitcher.

 

One of my favorite college bats is Tulane's Rob Segedin, who could slide to the Brewers' second-round pick. He is a pure hitter that currently plays 3B but may have to move to an OF corner or 1B. There is some question about how much power he'll hit for, but he is currently leading the nation in doubles with 19, and hits the ball similar to Ryan Zimmerman with the Nationals (but doesn't have Zimmerman's glove).

[Tedaldtada]

Yea, after I posted that, I decided I should've used Kentrail Davis as an example, not Heyward. Davis was thought of as a for 1st rounder forever, but had that rough soph. year (which actually wasn't that bad at all), and he fell to us in the supplemental round.