Ones that got away -- Draft Version

[Mass Haas]

We already did a discussion of "ones that got away" within the Alumni Thread on the Minor League Forum.

 

From a draft perspective within the Melvin era (no, we won't go back to Nomar Garciaparra), I'm aware of three pretty obvious candidates.

 

There's Hunter Pence, Andrew Bailey, and Jake Arrieta.

 

Are there others who are on the cusp of big league contributions? Jemile Weeks can't stay healthy, he may be on the list eventually.

 

Just checking to see if obvious candidates have been missed...

[colbyjack]

There isn't really anyone else on the cusp of contributing, but there is a thread about former Brewers draftees with more details of some of the more talented ones:

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/viewtopic.php?t=10508

 

Rick Hague is probably the biggest name of these players, recently drafted in the early rounds by the Nationals. Scott Shuman has been dealing for the Rays team in the MWL. Chad Bell (Rangers), Aaron Tullo (Angels), Marcus Knecht (Blue Jays) Andrew Clark (Rangers) and Chase Reid (Cardinals) are off to good starts in the lower levels and have promise to creep towards the big-leagues.

 

Lex Rutledge, Kyle Winkler, Geno Escalante, Kyle Hanson and Calvin Drummond are all still in college. Winkler played for Team USA this past summer and I believe Rutledge was part of the TUSA trials, but didn't make the final roster. Escalante hit pretty well in limited time in the Northwoods League.

[YoungGeezy]

Ruthledge is 3rd in k/9 rate in D1 behind Bauer and Hultzen....not to bad.

[Oldcity]

Wow, Jemile Weeks is having a great season so far in AAA. He has a .401 OBP.

[battlekow]

Rickie's younger brother Jemile making impact with A's

Tom Haudricourt/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In the eighth round of the 2005 draft, the Brewers selected high school second baseman Jemile Weeks, younger brother of Rickie Weeks, who was within days of being called up to begin his career as Milwaukee's second baseman.

The Brewers knew the younger Weeks had a scholarship offer from the University of Miami and would be difficult to sign but they took a shot anyway. Instead, Jemile went to college and emerged three years later as a first-round draft pick of the Oakland A's.

Imagine what might have happened had Jemile signed with the Brewers. Would he have taken his brother's job? Would the Brewers have committed long-term to Rickie as they did this spring?

We'll never know, but suffice to say Jemile has made an immediate impact in Oakland. In fact, he was playing so well after being summoned from the minors June 7 that veteran Mark Ellis did not reclaim the second-base job after coming off the disabled list last week.

Entering Saturday, the 24-year-old Jemile had established himself atop Oakland's batting order with a .305 batting average. Ellis, now considered trade bait, said he understood why Weeks did not relinquish the job.

"Jemile is playing too well to take him out," Ellis said. "He's provided a spark. You can't take him out. I hope he does well and plays 10 years in Oakland."

Jemile, a 5-foot-9 switch-hitter, is making a similar impact with the A's that catcher Buster Posey made across the bay in San Francisco when summoned in the first half of the 2010 season. Beyond that, their backgrounds are similar.

Both were first-round picks in '08, with Posey going fifth and Weeks 12th. Both were college stars in Florida, with Posey coming out of Florida State. Both were seen as possible difference-makers, offensively and defensively.

Obviously, Weeks can only dream of having the same first-year impact of Posey, who went on to claim rookie of the year honors and help the Giants win the World Series.

"I have nerves," said Weeks, who was batting .321 with a .417 on-base percentage at Class AAA Sacramento when summoned. "At the same time, they're exciting nerves, like readiness."

Weeks was fortunate to receive counsel and advice along the way from his big brother as well as former A's standout Rickey Henderson. There also has been the leadership and magnanimity of Ellis, who holds no grudges.

"My loyalty is obviously to Oakland, but I realize the situation," Ellis said. "Jemile is the future, and we play the same position. It's something I have zero control over, anyway."

http://media.jsonline.com/images/ap-giants-athletics-baseball.jpg

(AP)

[i didn't think Jemile looked much like Rickie when I saw him on TV recently, but in profile there's definitely a resemblance.]

[LouisEly]

Man, look at that 2005 draft: Braun, Gamel, Brantley, Jemile Weeks, Bailey, Braddock, Taylor Green, Arrietta, plus they traded Inman, Hammond, and Garrison for major league players, and Brendan Katin and Brock Kjeldgaard were a part of that draft class too. That has to be one of the most productive drafts ever in terms of number of major league players produced/acquired.

[colbyjack]

You don't want a guy's name to show up on this thread less than a month after the signing deadline, but according to BA's Conor Glassey LHP Carlos Rodon's (now at NC State) first two pitches today in a scrimmage with the Team USA 18u National Team were 94 and 96. Given his polish, I think it's safe to say we'll likely be talking a lot more about him as one of the more notable players that got away (and not in a negative fashion, as it wasn't just the Brewers that saw him as far as he did).

 

Lex Rutledge and Kyle Hansen remain two of the more intriguing college arms for next year's draft.

[colbyjack]

Word from NC State indicates that freshman LHP Carlos Rodon will likely open the season as the team's Friday night ace. That doesn't happen very often. He's been up to 97 several times in fall ball, and already is generating buzz as one of the top 3-5 players that will be available in the 2014 draft.