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I’m hoping they take Landon Knack (He’s from my school and the best college SR in the draft.) tomorrow. I think they’ll need to save somewhere to sign Walker.
Baseball America on Jordan Walker:
The best high school third baseman in the class, Walker is a massive-framed, 6-foot-5, 220-pound slugger committed to Duke. He’s also the top-ranked prep prospect out of Georgia, which has been more pitcher-heavy than bat-heavy in recent years. Walker was one of the high school players who managed to get seen early and often during the shortened 2020 season. He performed at a high level against solid competition while all those eyes were on him. Walker has a solid feel to hit with plus raw power and plenty more projected as he grows into more strength. While there are some questions about his natural feel to hit thanks to the length of his arms and some swing-and-miss concerns, Walker has progressed in the right direction with his hit tool and could be an average or slightly better hitter. He moves remarkably well considering his size, though many scouts don’t think that will be enough to prevent a move to first base or a corner outfield spot in the future. Walker was something of a polarizing player last summer for scouts, largely thanks to questions about his profile, but he performed at the right time this spring and could go off the board at the end of the first round or shortly thereafter. Scouts praise Walker’s heady, cerebral nature and believe he could be a tough sign out of Duke, where he could elevate his draft stock with a few years of ACC performance.Alright Brian, time to get that article out!!! Can’t wait to see you and hopefully Derek’s analysis.
Only reason I ask is that it matches their Fletcher pick last year in getting a guy that’s one of the top guys in next years draft at a discounted position.
I thought Hendrick might be one to slide, but a good pick up for the Reds. His power will play at Great American Ballpark.
Mocks are crap shoot, no argument here. I just find them as a fun way to start discussion and get what other people who are somewhat connected are thinking and hearing. Overall its an entertaining way to consolidate information.
Max Meyer?!? Didn’t see that coming with Martin on the board. Somebody is going to slide. Super interesting so far.
First off, draft day! Really looking forward to your coverage and write up for the picks Brian.
Next a couple of last minute mock drafts:
BA: Dillon Dingler C/Ohio St – wouldn’t be my favorite choice with all of the guys going after him in this mock.
ESPN: Ed Howard – read that Baltimore is might sign first pick below slot to drive up the price for a guy like Howard so they can get him at 30. Have to love the chess game that is the MLB draft.
MLB: Callis – Nick Bitsko RHP – if you don’t like a guy that’s basically a junior in HS due to the lost year you probably can’t get behind a guy that reclassified whose last full season is as a Sophomore.
Mayo – Cole Wilcox – Would fit what the Cards like with college pitchers.
CBSSports: Cole Wilcox
Bleacher Report: Cade Cavelli – my favorite of the second tier of RHP.Looking forward to it.
I think the safest bet is a college righty, most likely being Cole Wilcox or Cade Cavelli it looks like. I think the dark horse is Nick Loftin SS/Baylor. I’ve only seen him go in one draft, but it’s a sneaky good pick for the Cards. He seems like a guy that is a good bet to be a solid SS with a possibility to develop into more. I still am holding out hope that Robert Hassell slides, but that’s very unlikely.
Based on what we’ve seen in the past regarding the Cardinals draft strategy under Flores (Best available, particularly if he’s an unexplained fall down the draft board; 1 mid round high school over-sign; couple of cost saving college arms; wood bat league success, particularly from hitters). Here are my favorites at each position with rankings (MLB/BA/FG). After my first draft I realized there was a very high risk – high reward so I’ve added what I think are lower risk picks where needed. Obviously risk is completely my subjective opinion.
1-21 Robert Hassell OF/HS (16/16/15) – Most well rounded HS player not named Veen.
Lower Risk: Bobby Miller LHP/Louisville (26/28/28) – Big lefty with great stuff and ceiling
2-54 Clayton Beeter RHP/TXTech (51/58/19) – Injury only thing that would drive him down. Stuff is there.
Lower Risk: C.J. Van Eyk (39/46/31) – Solid three pitch mix with great CB and good track record in the ACC
2-63 Zach DeLoach OF/TXAM (80/87/64) – good performer in wood bat leagues who’s struggled in the SEC
Lower Risk: Parker Chavers OF/Coastal Carolina (108/167/54) – Good performer in wood bat leagues, injury history
2-70 Landon Knack RHP/ETSU (113/113/116) – Late bloomer who could be a great mix of performance, upside and savings for a college senior. Leading the nation in strike outs prior to shutdown.
Lower Risk: Ian Bedell RHP/Mizzou (89/105/100) – Safe pick with good stats in SEC and Cape Cod
3-94 Drew Bowser 3B/HS (64/63/57) – HS SS who will likely move to 3rd. Big frame, good power, great program (Harvard Westlake)
Lower Risk: Anthony Servideo SS/OleMiss (111/91/59) Fast; good defender with an avg hit tool and some gap power.
4-121 Kevin Abel RHP/ORSt (153/124/121) Injury history brings him down but stuff is 1st or 2nd round
Lower Risk: Hayden Cantrell SS/LA Lafeyette (119/138/88) Switch hitter with solid defense likely to stay at short
5-151 Luke Little LHP/San Jacinto JC (167/121/173) who doesn’t love lefty velocity
Lower Risk: Hugh Fisher LHP/Vanderbilt (154/173/97) “Only 60 grade FB) but much better repertoireAnybody else got favorites for each pick?
1946, there are some similarities defensively, however I think offensively there are a few reasons to differentiate the two. Namely Howard is already 20 pounds heavier at roughly the same height with most projecting room to add more good weight and strength. That was a question mark for Perez, particularly after the PED issue. The other part that stands out is most seem to think that Howard has an advanced approach at the plate, particularly for a “cold weather” player. While I agree the glove over bat comp works, there is a little more projection in the bat than I think Perez had. Overall I’m a little weary of the lack of track record, but there are some tools there to work with if that is the way the Cards go. I don’t think that would be my pick, but I’m not a scout obviously. Hindsight is 20/20 on Perez though. At the time a consensus top 10 prospect falling into your lap in the back half of the first round seemed like a great pick. He’s still young and still talented, if the bat comes around, that pick may still look pretty good.
I think there are probably 2 or 3 position players or HS arms they would pull the trigger on, otherwise I think they look to one of the college pitchers. My personal favorites are Garrett Crochet and Max Meyer, but both would have to slide to get to #21. Crochet’s “injury” history might scare a few teams off, but I’m a little less worried just hearing his coaches comments from this fall/spring (I’m a TN fan so I keep up with them as much as I can.) I’ve seen one mock where Meyer falls to them and I think the Cards would snap him up quickly if that were the case. Otherwise just depends on how they feel about guys like Garrett Mitchell, Robert Hassell, Austin Hendrick, Ed Howard, Tyler Soderstrom or Nick Bitsko if they were to fall to them. I think the Foscue stuff comes from people thinking the Cards are thin on upper level middle infielders and the belief that the draft is heavy enough on college pitching to wait until 54 to get a guy who is not a huge step down from what you would get at 21. I think that is a reasonable argument, but given their draft history I’d have to believe they go pitcher unless, as previously stated, someone they really like falls to them. I don’t see Soderstrom as the type they would draft this highly, but people really like his bat, and think it’ll play anywhere on the field (I don’t think he’s a catcher). Foscue is a good bat with some versatility, not just 2B. Here are some names I like at each pick (I went through the Top Prospects from MLB, Fangraphs, and Baseball America and picked my favorite guys plus or minus about 10 from each draft spot from their rankings).
1-21 – Hassell OF, Mitchell OF, Meyer RHP, Crochet LHP, Hendrick OF, Bitsko RHP, Howard SS, Cavelli RHP, Mlodzinski RHP, Wilcox RHP
2-54 – CJ Van Eyk RHP, Jake Eder LHP, JT, Ginn, RHP, CLayton Beeter RHP, Parker Chavers OF, Cayden Wallace 3B, Yohandy Morales 3B
2-63 – See above (one of the picks 54, 63 & 70 is a good spot for a value pick)
2-70 – (Value Picks) Landon Knack RHP, Ian Bedell RHP, Alerick Soulaire OF, Luke Little LHP, Zavier Warren SS/UT,
3-93 – (This is where I think they try to go over slot) Blaze Jordan 3B/1B, Milan Tolentino SS, AJ Vukovich 3B, Drew Romo C, Enrique Bradfield OF, Seth Lonsway LHP, Dylan Crews OF, Ryan Hagenow RHP
4-123 – Hayden Cantrell SS, Dane Acker RHP, Kevin Abel RHP, Jackson Leath RHP, Tyler Brown RHP
5-153 – Jake Leftwich RHP, Shane Drohan LHP, Hugh Fisher LHP, Tim Tawa SS, Luke Waddell 2B, Elijah Cabell OF, Dalton Fowler LHP
