Draft Pick Discussion, Rounds 1-5; Latest -- Dylan Covey doing well at U of San Diego

[colbyjack]

Please use this thread to share your thoughts, links, stories, pictures and anything else on the Brewers picks on draft day from rounds 1 through 5. Please do not start separate threads to discuss the individual picks.

Please use the in-draft thread to talk about the picks similar to a game thread.

[TheCrew07]

Hmm Covey, not sure how I feel about this one.

[battlekow]

Instant reactions:

 

Lincoln Hamilton of Project Prospect: "Been talk of the Brewers taking Jesse Biddle...Covey is much better value...Covey

immediately becomes the Brewers best pitching prospect."

 

Jim Callis of Baseball America: "Wondered if

late-season fade might drive Covey down further. Mil couldn't get at 14 a

month ago."

 

Nathan Rode of Baseball America: "RHP Dylan Covey to

Brewers. I like this pick. He slid late, but has a plus fastball and

breaking ball. Body isn't ideal however."

 

Baseball Beginnings: "Brewers fans, Covey is

92-94, the big CB is 84 at best. Reminds some of Schilling or Clemens.

He won't be cheap. Not a slot guy...Covey's arm action

is loose and powerful. You guys will love him when you see him go good...Difference between

Covey and Taillon or Allie is looseness. I think he has the most limber

arm of the three...I think Covey's CB

has a chance to be the best at his position, RHP, in MLB. That is an 80

curveball."

[twobrewers]

Covey is a workhorse and keeps his fastball in the 91-94mph range. He has an MLB ready curve and draws comparisons to Giants pitcher Matt Cain. Showing signs of faith with young pitchers the Brew Crew could have a good one.

 

From Rivals.com

 

I like Covey better than Biddle. The Brewers like good curve balls.

[ILuvDaBush]

If he's sign-able. I hear he is a top 3 prep arm, but he's about as un-signable as they come. Let's hope we get him signed because he immediately becomes a top-3 arm with Odorizzi and....Jeffress.

[lcbj68c]

MLB.com scouting report:

 

Dylan Covey - RHP

Maranatha HS, Pasadena, Calif., Sr.

 

* Birthdate: 7/19/1991

* Height: 6'2"

* Weight: 200 lbs.

* Bats: Right

* Throws: Right

* Scout's report filed: 2/13/10

 

Scouting Report

 

Fastball: In this early showcase outing, Coveydidn't have the velocity he's shown in the past, but he touched 93 mph. He can reach back and blow away a hitter when he needs to.

 

Fastball movement: He usually has some heavy life to his pitch, with sink and bore and late giddyup.

 

Curve: He throws a power curve, up to 80-81 mph. It's a plus pitch, maybe a 70 on the scouting scale.

 

Changeup: He showed it a copule of times. It's a developing pitch, common for high-school arms. But it was nice to see it as part of his arsenal this early in the season.

 

Control: With a little extra adrenaline early, some of his pitches were up in the zone a bit, but then he settled down and commanded his pitches well.

 

Poise: He did a nice job of calming himself down and throwing a solid inning.

 

Physical Description: Covey is a very sturdy right-hander who will get comparisons to pitchers like a Jaret Wright. He's not long, gangly and projectable, like some high schoolers.

 

Medical Update: Healthy.

 

Strengths: Two outstanding pitches, with the plus plus curve. Strong, solid frame. Shows a good feel for pitching.

 

Weaknesses: The changeup is behind the other offerings. Like with many high school arms, he can improve the command of his fastball.

 

Summary: Covey entered the 2010 Draft season as one of the top prep arms in the class and his first showing at the UYA showcase did nothing to hurt his standing. He'd shown more fastball in the past, but no one doubted that will be there once the spring got going. His plus curve was working well and he even showed the changeup a bit. It was a good start for Covey who could very well be one of the top high school pitchers taken on Draft Day.

[TheCrew07]

His FB has good run.. my initial reaction was disappointment, but the more I consider this pick, the more I like it. Generally speaking I'm into Curve Ball, Change Up pitchers, pitchers that can reach the mid 90s, and pitchers who's FB has good run. Covey fits all of my personal criteria so if he signs quickly I'll probably end up thrilled with him down the road.

[battlekow]

Andy Seiler from MLB Bonus Baby:

Dylan Covey is a solidly-built right-handed power pitcher

from Maranatha High School in Sierra Made, California, which is just

outside Pasadena, home to the Rose Bowl. Covey features one of the most

polished arsenals at the high school level in this draft, and he should

be an early draft pick. Featuring a low- to mid-90s fastball, he also

has some of the best fastball command around. He generally works in the

92-94 range, and he’s touched as high as 97, but he works better in that

range, where he can get more movement and better command. It’s a plus

pitch by any standard, and that’s just the start. His breaking ball, a

true power curveball, is also a plus pitch. It has been at its best in

the low-80s, generally between 80 and 82, but it was reached 85 to

become a powerful secondary weapon with his plus fastball. Unlike a lot

of top prep pitchers, he does have extensive experience with a changeup,

and it could be an average pitch with some work. It’s generally a low-

to mid-80s offering, usually 82-84, and it provides a solid 10 mph

difference from his fastball. It’s just a show-me pitch at this point,

but that’s all it needs to be if he keeps commanding a pair of plus

pitches. He’s a solid first-round prospect, and even though his ceiling

is likely the tenth pick to the A’s, his polished arsenal makes him an

attractive candidate for teams looking for a little less risk in a prep

arm. He should be signable in the first round with ease.

[Never Outhustled]

To me, he is somewhat similar in style to Gallardo. A drop and drive pitcher with a 4 pitch mix and good command. Completely different than the other guys (raw fireballers) that we have drafted that have yet to break through.

[battlekow]

ESPN's Jason A. Churchill and Keith Law on Covey:

 

 

Churchill:

The Brewers were on pitching heavily, and were considering Barrett Loux

and Alex Wimmers, but went the prep route and chose Covey over Luke

Jackson and Jessie Biddle.

 

 

Covey may have been the best player on the board. It appears the Brewers

avoided trying for a quick fix on a college pitcher to take the arm

with more upside. Kudos.

 

Law:

I like Covey, but it's weird the Brewers would go for a prep arm here

with their horror show of a current rotation.

 

[jjkoestler]

BK - Do you like the Covey pick?

[YoungGeezy]

I kind of like the pick, a lot more than I liked the Arnett pick the last year (was never a fan). I'm not worried about signability at all with him. Brewers are one of the top teams at getting players signed, last year Davis was said to be one of the hardest players to get signed but they got it done. I just hope he doesn't waste time like Hall did. He needs to get in and get started asap!

[battlekow]

BK - Do you like the Covey pick?

I'm really not the guy to ask, but I really like what I'm reading.

 

Baseball America:

Covey first grabbed the attention of California scouts at a San Gabriel

Valley underclassman showcase in Alhambra in the summer of 2008. A

sophomore at the time, Covey unleashed a series of throws from right

field that exhibited his terrific arm strength. Not surprisingly,

several scouts asked Covey if he was a pitcher and asked when he would

be throwing next. Since then, Covey has matured, grown into his frame

and improved his conditioning. The results have been sensational. Covey

made all the standard showcase appearances in the past year, with

uniformly outstanding performances. Covey, solidly built at 6-foot-2,

200 pounds, hammers the strike zone with a 93-94 mph fastball that can

touch 96. He adds a wicked 81-82 mph slider and has steadily developed

his curve and changeup. Covey's arm works smoothly and his has solid

mechanics, though he will need to fight a tendency to pull his lead

shoulder open when tired. Resembling a younger, lighter version of

Giants righthander Matt Cain, Covey profiles as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter

with four average to plus offerings. A San Diego signee, Covey ranks a

notch above the rest in a deep Southern California prep pitching class

and figures to take a shorter path to the majors than his peers.

[YoungGeezy]

ESPN's Jason A. Churchill and Keith Law on Covey:

 

Churchill: The Brewers were on pitching heavily, and were considering Barrett Loux and Alex Wimmers, but went the prep route and chose Covey over Luke Jackson and Jessie Biddle.

 

Covey may have been the best player on the board. It appears the Brewers avoided trying for a quick fix on a college pitcher to take the arm with more upside. Kudos.

Law: I like Covey, but it's weird the Brewers would go for a prep arm here with their horror show of a current rotation.

 

 

See that is the totally wrong way to think about it. We went last year with college pitchers and they are both still in low class A. Just because they are college pitchers doesn't mean that they will improve the staff this year or next year or even the year after that. You have to take the player you feel will become the best player.

 

Gallardo moved up much faster than most of your college prospect do... it matter more on the talent than the age. Lets just hope he is more like Yo and the Brewers don't take BS approach they have taken with Odorizzi (In his 3rd year and is still only in low A.)

[battlekow]

I asked Baseball Beginnings about BA seemingly preferring Covey's slider to his curve: "No, CB is the thing with Covey, not SL. He throws a SL but the Over the top hammer is his signature pitch."

[Tbadder]

What I like most about the pick is that it kinda proves the Brewers will stick to their board, and past failures be damned. I don't know if he's any good but he sounds like a guy that is an over-the-slot pick, which makes sense since they don't have as many picks as they've had in the past.

[battlekow]

Covey video:

 

MLB.com

 

Baseball Beginnings

 

Project Prospect

[CheezWizHed]

So has the TV coverage slowed things down or is it just my perception because I'm at home and not at work?

[battlekow]

Covey from an interview with Baseball Beginnings:

Baseball Beginnings: For you,

the separating factor is the curveball. Where did that come from?

Covey: When I was a freshman, I had no off-speed. It

would either go above the catcher or straight into the dirt. One game in

Florida, I couldn’t locate my fastball. So I had to work backwards. All

of a sudden, I had a curveball. I have no idea where it came from. I

never had an off-speed pitch before that. Ever since then, I’ve had a

really good feel for it.

 

Baseball Beginnings: You’ve got

two breaking balls. There’s the good hard 84 one, then there’s the 81

curveball with more of a loop than the hammer.

Covey: The curveball is sometimes hard breaking and

sometimes it rolls off my fingers. My slider is more of like a really

slow cut fastball.

Baseball Beginnings: What

things do you want to improve on in the coming years?

Covey: I think a change-up would definitely help set me

above the rest. I started throwing one. I was playing around with it

and found a new grip. I don’t really want to throw it in high school

games because I don’t want to give somebody something they can get

around on. I think that would help me in the minor leagues. Then, just

consistency with mechanics. I have a tendency to fly open when I get

tired.

[LouisEly]

To me, he is somewhat similar in style to Gallardo. A drop and drive pitcher with a 4 pitch mix and good command. Completely different than the other guys (raw fireballers) that we have drafted that have yet to break through.

Damn you X, I was just going to say:

 

* Height: 6'2"

* Weight: 200 lbs.

* Bats: Right

* Throws: Right

* Scout's report filed: 2/13/10

Scouting Report

Fastball: In this early showcase outing, Covey didn't have the velocity

he's shown in the past, but he touched 93 mph. He can reach back and

blow away a hitter when he needs to.

Fastball movement: He usually has some heavy life to his pitch, with

sink and bore and late giddyup.

Curve: He throws a power curve, up to 80-81 mph. It's a plus pitch,

maybe a 70 on the scouting scale.

 

Sounds eerily like both Gallardo and Sheets. Gallardo - 6'2" 220, Sheets - 6'1" 220. Both have excellent over-the-top curveballs and work consistently around 92-93 but can reach back and go 95-96 when they need to. Me likey.

 

Nice to see Law state that the Brewers were on to Loux. Apparently, so were the Diamondbacks.

[giffted1]

Does this pick indicate that Melvin knows his job is fairly secure? A college arm who could move up quickly seems like a safer pick for a GM

with concerns about his job security. If they take their time with him like they have with Odorizzi, it'll be 2014 before he's anywhere close to Milwaukee.

[TheCrew07]

I'll be honest, my initial gut reaction was base entirely on everyone labeling him "a safe pick", a concept I'm generally not thrilled about.

[DHonks]

I like this surprise, but it's partly because I always prefer young pitchers. Also, I suggest clicking on the brewerfan.net roster for Helena and AZ and notice that there's at least 1 full rotation of prospects between those two teams. We have a lot of arms in the system right now

[battlekow]

Covey: "I want to play, I want to sign, and I want to play soon, but I don’t know what that process is like. I’m not completely writing college off, but

there’s a good chance -- I would say a really good chance -- that I will

sign."

[TheCrew07]

I want him signed by Friday!

 

Seriously though, that's great to read.