2014 Draft Pick Discussion, Rounds 1-5

[markedman5]

Law isn’t impressed...http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/mlb-draft/post?id=1925

 

I reported Wednesday night that the Milwaukee Brewers were set to take Hawaii prep lefty Kodi Medeiros at No. 12 overall, but I didn't understand the pick, as Medeiros is more likely to end up a reliever instead of a starter and doesn't seem like good value there with quality college starters and nearly every good high school arm still on the board.

 

Then, at pick 41, theny took Jacob Gatewood, the Clovis, California prep shortstop who has huge raw power but a well-below-average hit tool and who'll likely move to third or right. That's decent value, but another high-risk selection. I do think two-sport athlete Monte Harrison is good value at 50, as he had first-round buzz as a very crude hitter who can run and throw and should grow into power.

[TooLiveBrew]

Law isn’t impressed...

Then we can all feel even better about the selections!

[djoctagone]

any relation to

?

Ha! My first thought as well but figured the reference was too obscure for most. Because I'm a nerd, I did some research and while they are probably related in some capacity (both are Hawaiian with Portuguese descent) Kodi is not Glenn's son.

a billboard #1 single does not make one obscure.

[narwhalattack]

Law isn’t impressed...http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/mlb-draft/post?id=1925

 

 

Is he ever?

[narwhalattack]

I was initially hoping for the Brewers to nab Toussaint or Holmes at 12, but in hindsight that would've made signing Harrison and Gatewood nearly impossible.

[monty57]

The Brewers seem to be pretty cognizant of who they can sign when they draft them. I'm confident they'll sign them, and after reading about these guys, I'm thrilled with our draft!

 

It's cool that Medeiros and Gatewood know each other and have played together. Gatewood said all the right things in his post-selection interview (something about wanting to play defense behind Medeiros, and the two of them helping to bring a future championship to Milwaukee). It sounds like he's ready to sign and play. I wonder if their friendship helped the Brewers' strategy ("We'll draft you early, and if you sign for less than slot-value, we'll be able to draft your friend with our next pick and you guys can go through the system together.")

 

This is why draft day is fun... it's a long way off, but I'm starting to get feelings of when they brought Fielder, Weeks, etc through the minors together. We're putting together some high-upside guys at the lower levels, and if they pan out, it could be a great story.

[reillymcshane]

I'm going to add that I'm very happy with draft (assuming we can sign everyone).

 

I like that the team hasn't gone with the safe picks. We have enough 'solid' type prospects in our system. We need some potential stars.

 

I don't think anyone can question Gatewood and Harrison. They were both potential 1st rounders, so to find them available is great value. Medeiros is certainly more controversial. But I guess the team sees the upside in him that others don't.

[brewmann04]

There a nice article on our 1st round pick in this issue of BA. Seems the like him as a starter and a groundball guy.

[narwhalattack]

There a nice article on our 1st round pick in this issue of BA. Seems the like him as a starter and a groundball guy.

 

Is it the one that TC07 put up on the BA thread?

[Mass Haas]

In case --

 

Utah RHP Mitch Watrous waits for a call from an MLB team

 

Utah head coach Bill Kinneberg thinks he might go as early as the fourth round Friday. Watrous hopes to be selected during the first 10 rounds.

 

Every Major League Baseball team has contacted Watrous, with the Milwaukee Brewers showing more interest than the others.

 

Because he hasn’t signed with an agent, he’ll have the option of returning to the Utes if he’s not happy with his draft position. He’s thankful for the fallback plan — and the thought of leaving behind his Utah teammates saddens him — but he’s itching to go pro.

 

"You only get one chance, so I don’t want to risk turning it down and not getting that chance to play," he says. "I never thought I would get a chance."

[Crash2303]

I think it's interesting/cool that all three players thus far, were possible 1st day draftees on the other side of the ball as well. I read somewhere that Harrison can throw 97! So, there's always a Max Walla route, if they don't turn out. [kinda blue]

[splitterpfj]

On Keith Law's comments...

 

Yes, the Brewers seem to have reached for Medeiros, but everywhere you looked, he was seen as a late first/early second round selection. Yes, he may wind up in the bullpen, but come on, he's a teenager with a live arm from the left side, there's no reason to assume he can't start at this point.

 

Yes, Gatewood has a raw hit tool, which is why he fell from a top-five choice, but he's also got the potential to be a 30-homer middle infielder in the big leagues.

 

Yes, Harrison needs to focus on baseball and prove he can hit as he climbs the ladder, but this kid is a stud. He's not a true burner, but he can certainly run, he has a quick bat, and more than enough arm to play anywhere on the diamond. If he can make enough solid contact with the bat, he truly could become a star. He is what he should be at this point for a true athlete who didn't focus solely on baseball...ahem...this is why they have minor leagues.

 

Did the Brewers gamble last night? Yes.

 

For a team that has taken plenty of criticism for having a system full of #3 starters, and #6 hitters, the Brewers did exactly what they should have - they went for it. You're guessing on what three high school kids will do five to ten years from now, so of course you might be wrong, but Milwaukee took players rated as two first rounders, and at least a Competitive Balance pick last night. When you rank a team 29th in minor league talent, and they have three of the top 50 picks...isn't that exactly what they should be doing?

[Jose Cardenal1]

You have to wonder what Melvin and Ash have done to offend Keith Law. He never likes anything the Brewers do and sometimes seems to go out of his way to insult the front office.

[TheCrew07]

Law & Brewerfan.net have been at odds as long as I can remember...

[brewmann04]

Does it really matter what law thinks ?

[Jose Cardenal1]

Well it would be nice not to have someone at the mothership always denigrating the things your favorite team does. Other than that no it doesn't matter.

 

3rd round kicked off who do you want

[Jose Cardenal1]

btw I want Jackson Reetz - C/HS

[Fear The Chorizo]

I'll begrudgingly give Law props on his mock having the Brewers selecting Modeiros with the 12th pick...but how he framed it in his predraft chat and in his "analysis" says alot about his disdain for the Brewer F.O. From what I can tell the two things that make Modeiros a 'reach' pick at 12 are his arm slot and limited exposure being from Hawaii. I know team workouts aren't the end-all be all and the Brewers have a well-documented track record of falling in love with the wrong guys during them, but if Modeiros truly hit 97 on the gun and everything moves as much as some of his showcase highlights showed (catchers hoping to get drafted or sign D1 scholarships were having problems just catching the ball at times), it'd be hard not to notice.

 

Seems like many of the other MLB draftnicks that don't get ESPN paychecks were quite high on Modeiros, some basically saying he was just a tick below Aiken as a LHP due to Aiken's prototypical frame and delivery - with actual stuff being a wash between the two. I can also see the Brewers F.O. looking at their bonus pool money, not necessarily wanting to go over slot at 12 for any one particular player in the pool of talent available there, and opting to draft a slight risk with upside that would sign under slot and free them up to go after best available on their board for picks #41 and #50.

[princeofpop]

I want 1B Bobby Bradley

[princeofpop]

Also like high school leadoff-type centerfielder from Holmen, WI, Jaren Kendall.

 

But I assume we will go with easy sign college guys in round 3 and 4.

[TheCrew07]

I'd like one of the young HS pitchers here then start the run on college seniors... Mac Marshall is the pitcher I want to be specific, but there are bunch that would fit nicely here.

[princeofpop]

Would love Keaton McKinney, RHP HS Iowa

 

For College pitchers, I like

 

RHP Chris Ellis

RHP Jake Cosart

[princeofpop]

We went with a cheap, young CY. I guess.

[brwrsfan]

Cy Sneed, RHP from Dallas Baptist, 6'4, 185lb

 

MLB draft profile:

The younger brother of Royals right-handed pitching prospect Zeb Sneed, Cy could have preceded him in pro ball, but he declined to sign with the Rangers as a 35th-round pick out of an Idaho high school in 2011. He instead headed to Dallas Baptist, where he has been a rotation mainstay since the first weekend of his college career. Like his brother, Sneed relies mainly on his arm strength. He maintains a 90-92 mph fastball deep into games and is capable of reaching 95, though his heater is a bit straight. For now, the rest of Sneed's arsenal is ordinary. He has some feel for using a three-pitch mix, though neither his curveball nor his changeup is a consistently average pitch. He throws a decent amount of strikes, but his command isn't terribly reliable, so he could wind up as a reliever down the road.

[monty57]

Cy Sneed from Dallas Baptist. There's our college future reliever who should be under-slot to help afford the first three guys :-)