2021 Draft Pick Discussion, Rounds 1-10

[Eye Black]

From Keith Law…

 

There goes Frelick, a true center fielder with a short swing that should make him a high-contact hitter even with the wood bat in pro ball -- but he's got enough strength to drive the ball for doubles power and avoid getting the bat knocked out of his hands by velocity. The Brewers have really pivoted towards valuing defense in the last year or so, and Frelick fits that philosophy well.

[brewers888]

Not sure why I have a height bias in outfielders, but when I see his projections as a limited power type, I imagine they drafted Nori Aoki 2.0.

 

His scouting report says he's a slap hitter. I don't know how anyone can be excited by this pick.

[narwhalattack]

There it is what a joke. Wish our Farm director had a lick of balls. But nope gotta stick to the model that worked so well so far.

 

The Marlins have been in on Watson forever. It's very possible they had a deal worked out with him in the unlikely event he made it this far, and that's a luxury the Brewers probably weren't able to match.

 

I wonder if this is similar to what went on with Jose Fernandez. Perhaps Watson just refused to sign with anyone except Miami.

[patrickgpe]

Not sure why I have a height bias in outfielders, but when I see his projections as a limited power type, I imagine they drafted Nori Aoki 2.0.

 

His scouting report says he's a slap hitter. I don't know how anyone can be excited by this pick.

Dude they didn’t take wicks, you should being doing backflips or else you were going to complain about whomever they take

[homer]

I can't imagine ever getting upset about a baseball draft pick unless it's in the top three

[brewers888]

Why is it always defense and up the middle athletes over hitting and power ability. Just how many up the middle athletes does this organization need while we go through a bunch of first and third basemen every year.

[Eye Black]

From The Athletic…

 

10. Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College

Previously No. 6

Frelick looks like a future MLB leadoff hitter, with a strong eye, high contact rates, and above-average speed. He’s shown he can generate enough power from his 5-foot-10 frame to make hard contact, albeit probably without much power. He moved to centerfield this year and has shown enough to be a plus defender there.

[brewers888]

Not sure why I have a height bias in outfielders, but when I see his projections as a limited power type, I imagine they drafted Nori Aoki 2.0.

 

His scouting report says he's a slap hitter. I don't know how anyone can be excited by this pick.

Dude they didn’t take wicks, you should being doing backflips or else you were going to complain about whomever they take

 

I gave a bunch of guys I would have been excited about but no I'm not doing backflips over a powerless 5'9 outfielder.

[Never Outhustled]

Not sure why I have a height bias in outfielders, but when I see his projections as a limited power type, I imagine they drafted Nori Aoki 2.0.

 

His scouting report says he's a slap hitter. I don't know how anyone can be excited by this pick.

 

You're reading bad scouting reports. He is in no way a slap hitter.

[82brewcrew82]

Just saw we took Frelick with Watson still on the board. Either he is unsignable or Milwaukee is taking Ls all over tonight SMH. Our farm system is 29th ranked. Maybe it’s time to deviate from the player model we lean so heavily on apparently hmmm.

 

We've graduated or traded for Narvaez, Hiura, Adames, Urias, Yelich, Woodruff, Burnes, Peralta, Houser, Hader, Williams, Suter & won the 7th most games in MLB over the last four years.

 

29th ranked farm or not, Ashby, Small, Mitchell & Turang are all due to start coming up over the next couple years & look like potential MLB contributors at this point.

 

The models are working just fine.

And Taylor, Cousins, Sanchez, etc. But a bunch of folks with limited information on a message board know best.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Why is it always defense and up the middle athletes over hitting and power ability. Just how many up the middle athletes does this organization need while we go through a bunch of first and third basemen every year.

 

It's obviously an organizational philosophy. Simply because ain ill-informed fan doesn't agree with it, it doesn't mean they are going to deviate off that.

[Eye Black]

I still think I would’ve preferred McLain over Frelick, but I’ve also watched a lot more of McLain than Frelick so I’m a little biased.

[homer]

Why is it always defense and up the middle athletes over hitting and power ability. Just how many up the middle athletes does this organization need while we go through a bunch of first and third basemen every year.

 

If you can play SS, you can most likely play 3rd (or OF). And if you can play CF, you can play LF or RF

[Oxy]

Not sure why I have a height bias in outfielders, but when I see his projections as a limited power type, I imagine they drafted Nori Aoki 2.0.

 

His scouting report says he's a slap hitter. I don't know how anyone can be excited by this pick.

Dude they didn’t take wicks, you should being doing backflips or else you were going to complain about whomever they take

 

Clearly. There were at least 4 consensus top 12 picks on the board (Watson, Madden, McLain, Frelick) and brewers888 knows more than all of the consensus since he was gunna hate all those picks. He wants a power bat without a hole in the bat....just like everybody else.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Not sure why I have a height bias in outfielders, but when I see his projections as a limited power type, I imagine they drafted Nori Aoki 2.0.

 

His scouting report says he's a slap hitter. I don't know how anyone can be excited by this pick.

 

You're reading bad scouting reports. He is in no way a slap hitter.

 

He's reading what he wants to read. It's part of his schtick ... one that is crossing the line to trolling at this point IMO.

[brewers888]

Why is it always defense and up the middle athletes over hitting and power ability. Just how many up the middle athletes does this organization need while we go through a bunch of first and third basemen every year.

 

If you can play SS, you can most likely play 3rd (or OF). And if you can play CF, you can play LF or RF

 

Please tell me which of the shortstops in our system has the bat to play third base.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Why is it always defense and up the middle athletes over hitting and power ability. Just how many up the middle athletes does this organization need while we go through a bunch of first and third basemen every year.

 

If you can play SS, you can most likely play 3rd (or OF). And if you can play CF, you can play LF or RF

 

Please tell me which of the shortstops in our system has the bat to play third base.

 

Luis Urias.

[MilwaukeeBeers]

Do not hate the Frelick pick by any means just feel when you have a potential superstar like Watson there and a large bonus pool you should pull the trigger especially when you have such a poor farm. Good point with the Marlins possibly working out a deal a head of time though. I’m a Sal Frelick fan now and wish him nothing but success. His size is concerning to me though.

[brewers888]

Even McClain looks like he has the bat to handle third. Just don't understand this organizations draft philosophy but thats why we have such a lowly ranked farm system.

[PeaveyFury]

From The Athletic…

 

10. Sal Frelick, OF, Boston College

Previously No. 6

Frelick looks like a future MLB leadoff hitter, with a strong eye, high contact rates, and above-average speed. He’s shown he can generate enough power from his 5-foot-10 frame to make hard contact, albeit probably without much power. He moved to centerfield this year and has shown enough to be a plus defender there.

 

Sounds like a nice profile to me....

[patrickgpe]

Personally I’m fine with the pick. Some of the guys I would have preferred more went but if they went McLain or Frelik I wouldn’t have complained. Knowing what the organization prefers to do, who could be surprised they did this?

[folly412]

Haven't seen a mock on Frelick lower than #16. Most in the #10-#14 range. Certainly not a reach. Can't say I mind a profile of limited power as the ding vs. one of strikeout problems, given what we're fond of acquiring at the MLB level.

[Eye Black]

From MLB Pipeline…

 

Age: 21

BATS: L

DOB: 04/19/2000

THROWS: R

HT: 5' 9"

DRAFTED: 2021, 1st (15) - MIL

WT: 175

TWITTER: @SalFrelick

 

Scouting Grades/Report (20-80 grading scale)

 

HIT

60

 

POWER

45

 

RUN

70

 

ARM

50

 

FIELD

55

 

OVERALL

55

 

In 2019, a core of talented freshmen served notice that Boston College could very well be a force to be reckoned with in the ACC and a frequent destination for scouts leading up to the 2021 Draft. At the center of that group is Frelick, an undersized but athletic outfielder who batted .367/.447/.513 in a freshman year shortened by a knee injury. After not hitting well during the brief 2020 season, Frelick was one of the better offensive performers in the college ranks in 2021 to move him up Draft boards.

 

Frelick was a three-sport star in high school, playing football, hockey and baseball at a high level. That athleticism is a big part of his game, with his easy speed helping him defensively and on the basepaths. Offensively, he has a strong history of making contact and getting on base. He walked more than he struck out in 2019 and '20 combined and has very impressive bat-to-ball skills along with plus bat speed, pointing to future potential as a plus hitter. He’s deceptively strong with good extra-base ability, and he could eventually get to average power from the left side of the plate.

 

The 5-foot-9 Frelick has played mostly right field at Boston College, though he did see some time in center in 2019 and even played some shortstop last summer. He was in in center full-time in 2021, and thanks to his plus makeup, he worked to make good adjustments and prove he should be able to stay there long-term, and the Golden Spikes Award semifinalist was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year as a result of those efforts. Teams considering him early in the first round certainly will believe he can remain up the middle.

[pacopete4]

I don’t know if this guy will ever make it. We never do. But he looks to be a great teammate, a great athlete, and a bunch of great tools that could help him be a Major League Baseball player. I’m not sure why anyone would be truly upset over this? Any I would wonder why anyone questions what our organization is doing. They’ve had so much success lately doing their thing even when the “experts” say they don’t have good players. It’s truly amazing how many people think they know something more than guys being paid to do this.

[patrickgpe]

Not sure why I have a height bias in outfielders, but when I see his projections as a limited power type, I imagine they drafted Nori Aoki 2.0.

 

His scouting report says he's a slap hitter. I don't know how anyone can be excited by this pick.

Curious who did you want with the board ending up like it did.