Brewer 1st Round - 2008

[kazmir19]

If prospect lists stayed the same as the are now, in June, who would you like to see the Brewers pick?

 

I think there are a number of college pitchers who will all be available and clumped together when the Brewers pick, and if I had my choice Id go with Ryan Perry from Arizona. Luke Burnett from LA-Tech would be my #2 choice, followed by Cody Satterwhite from Mississippi. Among position players, who if available, the Brewers could/should pick, Kyle Skipworth, C, CA HS, or Gordon Beckham, SS from GA.

 

I could easily see the Brewers picking Jamile Weeks (again) this year because of the way they like to draft (at least in the first round). I think this would be a mistake. I see him as an Aaron Hill type of player, nice on defense, not too special on offense. Offensively, I see him as a Tony Gwynn Jr. type of player.

 

If I were the SD, which I can only dream of someday, somewhere, Id go for pitching first, up the middle second, and most tools last. I would have never drafted Fielder or Braun, or Rogers, Jeffress, or LaPorta for that matter if I were the GM.

[fewgoodcards]

i would take tanner scheppers over all those college pitchers you listed. here is how i have the top 5 college pitchers ranked right now: brian matusz, aaron crow, christian friedrich, tanner scheppers, and brett hunter.

[colbyjack]

There are already a few thread that kind of discuss people's favorite prospects and what players might be good matches for the Brewers at #16.

 

If Kyle Skipworth manages to fall to 16, for a reason other than being represented by Scott Boras, you have to take him. However, I honestly don't see him slipping past the top 10, and he could go within the top 3-5 overall picks. Heck, I wouldn't be shocked to see him go first overall to the Rays.

 

Perry, Burnett and Satterwhite have three of the best pure arms in college baseball, but project as relievers at the pro level. If the Brewers take a chance on such a live arm I think history suggests they do so on the HS level, where Sonny Gray might be a good fit. Perry, Burnett and Satterwhite have a lot to prove to me this spring, as they throw hard but everything else with them is in question.

 

I think Aaron Hicks make a ton of sense for the Brewers, as does Buster Posey a catcher from FSU. Shooter Hunt from Tulane is one college arm that could be of great value in the middle of the first-round based on the number of quality college arms that afewgoodcards mentioned, and Cole St. Clair is a personal favorite of mine. I also like Gordon Beckham as mentioned as well as South Carolina's James Darnell and David Adams of Virginia. I'd love to see the organization load up on college arms with a bunch of their extra, early comp picks, but since they haven't taken a college arm early since Jack Z. has been scouting director I guess I'll believe it when I see it.

 

It's hard not to like Jemile Weeks, although Aaron Hill isn't a very good comparison. Weeks has a patient eye and very good speed to go along with a good glove. Obviously if he struggles to hit he's going to be a liability similar to Tony Gwynn Jr., although Gwynn would be a lot more valuable to any team if he were able to play 2B as opposed to the OF.

[paul253]

are there any toolsy centerfielders ala cameron maybin and andrew mccutcheon (sp?) that might be available at 16? I hope they take the best available player at 16 and then kind of pick for need with their next 5 picks. I'd like to see them take at least 3 starting pitchers, at least one from college, and then maybe a catcher, a second basemen and an outfielder.

[fewgoodcards]

aaron hicks is the toolsy centerfielder, he has 6.7 speed in the 60 and a 95 mph fastball from the mound. he is also a switch hitter and has plenty of room to fill out and add power. the only question is will he hit?

[colbyjack]

All of the toolsy CF come from the HS ranks, with Hicks and Galloway the best bets to be worthy of the 16th overall selection at this point in time. While fewgoodcards covered Hicks, Galloway is an incredibly smooth 5-tool athlete that has also shown a knack to deliver the big hit when needed.

 

Anthony Gose is similar to Hicks in that he has very good tools and athleticism and can throw in the mid-90s as a LHP, but needs to refine his hitting. Xavier Avery is the fastest player in the class and also excels in football, a testament to just how good of an overall athlete he is. Robbie Grossman is an all-out player that has good but not great tools across the board. LJ Hoes may be the most polished of the bunch and is a good overall athlete despite probably having the lowest ceiling of the players mentioned.

 

Paul, just curious, why do you want to see the Brewers draft a second baseman? That's not exactly a position you go out of your way to grab, even if it were a perceived need (which IMO, it's not).

[paul253]

It just seems like we don't have any depth at that position. I have never been sold on Weeks, and Irrabarren just got switched to outfield. I guess you could always move a shortstop to 2nd base, but if you move a shortstop it is generally to center, not 2nd. I don't want them to go out their way to pick one up, but if any are around at a good spot, i wouldn't mind seeing them grab one. Jemile Weeks is a good example....he plays second right?

[colbyjack]

Yes, Jemile Weeks plays second base, and he also is a potentially dynamic leadoff hitter, who offers a skill set that the system is somewhat lacking (plenty of speed between guys like Haydel, Ford and Brewer, but not much polish).

 

David Adams is another 2B with a lot more offensive potential that could sneak into the first-round, and definitely could be a target in the sandwich round.

 

As for other guys currently in the system, I think Eric Farris is going to make himself some fans this season with a big year at West Virginia.

[fewgoodcards]

colby, what do you think adams' ultimate mlb hitting potential is? his numbers up to this point are better than what ryan zimmerman did at virginia, but it seems like ryan was always a guy that was considered to be a very good hitter that just didn't have the stats to back it up. i have heard people call adams a very good pure hitter, but no one really projects him to hit for much power even though he has a nice build. i saw he hit 2 homers in a game over the weekend, and was just wondering if he was a guy that could hit 20 homers or if he was more of a 10 homer guy.

[colbyjack]

Zimmerman is a pretty good comparison for Adams given your comment about how Zim was always considered to be a good hitter but didn't have the numbers to back it up entering his junior year. Adams went to college as one of the best prep hitters available in the 2005 draft, and has had a pretty quiet college career up to this point (not bad by any means, but I think most casual draft observers don't know and/or don't pay as much attention to Adams as I think they should). I think what he did last summer on the Cape really put his name on the map (similar to how Zimmerman really helped his status with a huge showing for Team USA the summer prior to his junior year).

 

And Zimmerman didn't have much power in college either, but you could see that it was there. He had great bat speed and a knack for making consistent, hard contact squaring the ball up on the meaty part of the barrel. That's something you just can't teach, and Adams has the same kind of skills as a hitter.

 

He's not in Zim's class defensively though, but few are. The long version, yes, I think Adams could hit 20 HR, and may do so belting 40+ doubles a year as well. I know Blazer is a huge fan of Adams for his pure hitting skills.

[TooLiveBrew]

pssshhhh - what does Blazer know?

[patrickgpe]

i really have to catch up on my draft knowledge and ill be up on it by june but in general i'd like to see a college starter (preferred lefty) or a catcher in the first round. according to what little i know i am looking at Christian Frederick, Kyle Shipworth, or Cole St. Clair. This is the first season i have subscribed to baseball america so between this site and that magazine i'd should be solid by june.

[fewgoodcards]

if you want a catcher and skipworth is gone, i would see no problem with taking buster posey. he is very athletic for a catcher and is a good pure hitter. he has some pop, and he will steal some bases early in his career. he is new to catching so he probably has some work to do, but he should have great agility behind the plate and i know he has a fantastic arm.

[GagneCY03]

I'd have a problem with taking Posey at #16. There's bound to be a much better talent on the board. I'd rather look at a catcher in the next few rounds than reach for one, especially in the first.

[TooLiveBrew]

If there are so many college arms, though, wouldn't reaching at #16 be much more of a calculated risk, though? To rephrase, if we could take a college arm at #16, and then BPA/position player in the supplemental round/2d round, why not take the C at #16, and then a college arm in the sandwich round? From what I've read, I get the impression that there's a relatively large crop of similarly-rated college pitchers - is that mistaken?

[colbyjack]

That's a fair assessment TLB, and IMO Buster Posey wouldn't be a reach at all at #16.

[GagneCY03]

Fine, take Posey. See if I care. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[TooLiveBrew]

I'd have a problem with taking Posey at #16. There's bound to be a much better talent on the board.

 

GagneCY, is that pretty much the beginning & end of your issue with drafting Posey? I can understand that. BPA is probably always the best strategy... but for me his value is upped quite a bit by the position he mans.

 

cj, is it relatively true that there's a large (or 'not small') group of very similarly-ceiling'ed college arms in the 1st/2d rd. this year? It seems it runs about 8+ deep.

[fewgoodcards]

i just don't see how posey would be a reach 16. he is a solid mid first round talent at this point.

[colbyjack]

cj, is it relatively true that there's a large (or 'not small') group of very similarly-ceiling'ed college arms in the 1st/2d rd. this year? It seems it runs about 8+ deep.

 

Oh yeah, there is some really nice pitching depth this year at the college level, with plenty of dark horse candidates that could sneak into the first round conversation.

 

And the talent at the top is really nice as well. There's a good chance one of the top college pitchers could fall to #16 that some may not expect at this point in time.

[TooLiveBrew]

There's a good chance one of the top college pitchers could fall to #16 that some may not expect at this point in time.

 

That's just simply delicious! Would signability be the main cause(s) here?

[colbyjack]

Sure, players always fall due to signability, but some may fall this year based on the sheer volume of talent.

[BucEbadger]

After watching Posey play the other day on TV i gotta say he would be a fine selection with one of our 1st round comp picks but at 16 i would much rather target Fields or the best pitcher available.... IMO he has alot of work ahead of him behind the plate. IMO hes gonna prob end up as a RF who has a strong arm and solid bat, Braun all over again...

[colbyjack]

Even if Posey can't stick behind the plate, which I don't agree with, he would like be moved to an infield position. I know there are a few scouts that have commented that they still feel he could play shortstop, a tribute to his overall athleticism.

[KCBrewerfan34]

I think with the difficulty to acquire & the ridiculous cost of a #4 starter is almost behooves the smaller market teams to draft pitching early, checkout Tampa Bay now, what a pipeline. No guarantees but it very very difficult to acquire a #1 starter type. Therefore my vote is for the best pitcher available at #16.