best player to come out of the 2005 draft

[brewers112002]

best player to come out of 2005 draft

 

after a half year of pro ball and previous knowledge on the players who would you guess right now will have the best major league career.

 

i believe it will be cameron maybin. He has all 5 tools and i think he could end up putting up guerrero like numbers in his prime. I was very disapointed when the brewers passed on him to fill "a need". I think when you choose in the top 5 you need to take the best available player.

[molitor fan]

I think it would be a major shock if Maybin becomes a better player than Upton, who looks to be much more of a cannot miss prospect than Maybin.

 

Braun's performance so far has been excellent, and I do not think it is fair to label the pick as one that was simply based upon need, as it looks he might too be an impact player. I too wanted Maybin at 5, but Braun will be at Hi/A/AA next year while maybin will be getting his first taste of professional ball. Braun should be contributing in the majors by the end of 2007, whereas Maybin looks to be entering the majors by 2009 is all liklihood.

[brewers112002]

maybin vs. upton

 

if looking at pure talent i agree upton gets the nod. but considering defense and power projection in the majors i'd rather have maybin in my system

[colbyjack]

after a half year of pro ball and previous knowledge on the players who would you guess right now will have the best major league career.

 

Kind of a funny situation, because the three best players from last year's draft based on talent, Upton, Gordon and Maybin, all signed too late in the year to have any significant time under their belt (I say significant because Gordon did play in the AFL.

 

Upton is a rare and special talent. With all due respct to Maybin, there are few prospects who stand up next to Upton. And I would take Alex Gordon ahead of Maybin too, and since we're considering time spent in the minors, Ryan Zimmerman would be mighty hard not to take ahead of Maybin as well as he's already pencilled in as the Nationals starting 3B this spring.

 

if looking at pure talent i agree upton gets the nod. but considering defense and power projection in the majors i'd rather have maybin in my system

 

Upton actually has better power potential, and if Upton gets moved to the OF as many think he will, he instantly becomes a better defensive player than Maybin. As a CF, Upton could very well be the next Ken Griffey Jr. Maybin's ceiling is probably in the Erik Davis realm, which is nothing to scoff at.

 

Here's a pic I took of Justin Upton last summer standing next to Cody Johnson (Cody is 6'4", and is one of the top prep players available for this June's draft):

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/colbyjack/justincody.jpg

 

I was very disapointed when the brewers passed on him to fill "a need". I think when you choose in the top 5 you need to take the best available player.

 

If you asked the Brewers, they will still tell you that they took the best player available. Keep in mind that Maybin's asking price heading into draft day was mighty high, even if he signed for close to slot value for the #5 overall pick. While the Brewers aren't cheap when it comes to the draft, they certainly have stuck to the suggested slot value with their first-round picks, and value getting their picks signed quickly.

[deeswan]

If I had to pick right now, I'd take Zimmerman simply because of where he advanced to and the level he produced at last season. Five years from now, when we see where Upton, Maybin, Pelfrey, Gordon, Braun, etc. end up I might change my mind, but right now I'd take Zimmerman.

[Blazer25]

If Gordon stays healthy its Gordon by a longshot....

 

Many people don't realize it but he runs as good or better than Braun, has plus power, and a plus arm...oh yeah and he bats LH.

[Athens Badger]

oh yeah and he bats LH.

 

Huh? This makes him a better player? I don't quite get your logic here. Pujols is bats from the right side...is he not as valuable now?

[deeswan]

If Gordon stays healthy its Gordon by a longshot....

 

Certainly you're entitled to your opinion, but to suggest that Gordon is far and away more talented than Upton, Maybin, Braun, etc. is a stretch. Given that we have not seen him play a single minor league game yet, it might be a tad early to label him "the best."

[UWRyan428]

Am I allowed to argue for Braun? I mean, allowing for bust (high school picks) and lower ceiling (Zimmerman), Braun looks like he would be a worthy challenger for Gordon right now. The big question prior to the draft was how well his college-issued aluminum bat would translate to the less-powerful wood of the professionals. I was verily impressed with his line and only expect him to correct his plate discipline. And I truly expect him to stick at his position, even moreso than I expect Weeks to stick at his, but that's another story. In truth, Gordon is probably the pick today if I were a safe man. My Brewer loyalty says the paper towel manufacturer. If I were to speculate with a bit of risk, and very little risk, I'd say Upton because of his bat and athleticism. But if I wanted to shoot for the stars, I could easily argue Cameron Maybin. He has a set position, especially with his cannon, he plays it well, and if his bat can catch up with his eye, he could be THE pick of the draft. But he and Upton could quickly fizzle so...give it 3 years! Why is there no "Pick of the 2002" or "2001" draft? At least there it gives us a good sample size. Until then, I'd trade all three of them for the LeBron of baseball, King Felix.

[colbyjack]

Why is there no "Pick of the 2002" or "2001" draft? At least there it gives us a good sample size.

 

I'll bite...going back 4 more years:

 

2004:

Stephen Drew (other candidates include Justin Verlander, Jeremy Sowers & Thomas Diamond)

 

2003:

Delmon Young (other candidates include Rickie Weeks, Lastings Milledge, Conor Jackson, Chad Billingsley, Chad Cordero, Brandon Wood and Jarrod Saltalamacchia)

 

2002:

Jeff Francoeur (other candidates include B.J. Upton, Adam Loewen, Zach Greinke, Prince Fielder, Jeremy Hermida, Khalil Greene, Scott Kazmir, Nick Swisher & Joe Blanton)

 

2001:

David Wright (other candidates include Joe Mauer, Mark Prior, Mark Teixeira, Bobby Crosby, Jeremy Bonderman, Noah Lowry and J.J. Hardy)

[Blazer25]

Quote:

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Certainly you're entitled to your opinion, but to suggest that Gordon is far and away more talented than Upton, Maybin, Braun, etc. is a stretch. Given that we have not seen him play a single minor league game yet, it might be a tad early to label him "the best."

---

 

Seeing as I've seen them all play in person, I think I am able to speak on the matter.

 

Reguardless wasn't this thread asking for opinions?

 

Time will tell...

[Blazer25]

Quote:

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I could easily argue Cameron Maybin. He has a set position, especially with his cannon, he plays it well, and if his bat can catch up with his eye, he could be THE pick of the draft.

---

 

 

UWRyan,

 

I love Maybin, I wish the Brewers would have taken him.

 

That being said he has a bellow average to avererage arm at best. Maybe you were thinking of Upton?

[Blazer25]

Quote:

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oh yeah and he bats LH.

 

Huh? This makes him a better player? I don't quite get your logic here. Pujols is bats from the right side...is he not as valuable now?

that's the bottom line

---

 

 

Athens,

 

You're comparing apples to oranges...Pujols is the best hitter in the game...

 

LH hitters are inherently more valuable, all things being equal, because they are more rare. LH power hitters are even more valuable.

 

I don't see why this is a hard concept...

[deeswan]

Reguardless wasn't this thread asking for opinions?

 

Blazer, this thread did ask for opinions. You gave yours, I gave mine. It just so happens that yours is wrong. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[brettac1]

Patrick, any clear cut reason for taking Francoeur out of that 2002 class? I think I'd pick Upton, Fielder, Hermida, and Kazmir all over him. I think it's easily forgotten how average he was in the minor leagues because of a couple hundred AB sample in MLB. All three of those hitters have a better understanding of the strike zone, Francoeur plays better defense, but to me that's about all.

[colbyjack]

I've always liked Francoeur, as he was one of my faves leading up to the '02 draft. He had a heavy commitment to play both football & baseball and Clemson, and was considered a tough sign so I didn't make more of a fuss about him. To me, he's one of those guys whose athleticism is going to make up for any deficiency, meaning, he'll hit even though his plate discipline is far less than ideal, which we saw last year and throughout his minor league career. But we saw that he overcame that deficiency with some pretty impressive numbers, and I don't think it's a fluke since that is how I have felt about him for several years now. I just think he's the next star for the Atlanta Braves that will characterize that organization much like Chipper Jones has over the last decade.

 

It is a tough class to pick from though, as I realize I'm probably in the minority picking Francoeur over some of those other guys. Upton, Fielder and Hermida are all going to be more patient run producers, while Kazmir will only continue to improve upon his dominating rookie season. I guess that shows you just how good I think Francoeur will become.

[pogokat]

I just think he's the next star for the Atlanta Braves that will characterize that organization much like Chipper Jones has over the last decade.

 

hopefully he will do it with more class than larry wayne has...