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Talk to BP's draft expert about how the draft went down.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Hi everyone! Another year, another draft in the books. It was a fun three days -- let's talk about this next wave of prospect talent!
Daniel (KY): What do you think of Burdi to the twins? It seems like a strange fit in some sense--unless the twins think theyre closer to contending than I do.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: A number of Burdi questions, so we'll start here. Burdi had "down" stuff in his last appearance before the draft. Never mind it was in the rain, and came after a ten minute delay post-warmup when the umpire made him find a replacement arm sleeve. Ultimately, his profile is dependent on power stuff because the command is below average and he's not a starter long term. He probably should not have slipped as far as he did, and provided he is healthy he is going to be a good quick return on investment for Minnesota. As an aside, his follow-up appearance post-draft he was back in the upper-90s with the fastball.
indianacardinal (Lowell, IN): Thanks to you and everyone at BBP that contributed to making the run up to the draft, the actual draft and, now, the post draft analysis so enjoyable.
That effort along with the minor league coverage on this site, by themselves make the subscription worthwhile.
Somewhat of a question, more of a request....with the present staff and the staff that has gone onto MLB jobs, could you produce an article or mock analysis of what goes into how teams analyze how they will draft vis-a-vis the slotting process for the 1st 10 rounds and any subsequent pick after 10 who receive a bonus over $100k? Might be interesting
Specifically, as a Cardinal fan, can you analyze what might have been their thought process regarding the Weaver, Flaherty, Morales and 2 other senior signs in the top 10 (they had 12) and then Bellinger as their 11th?
This might be too involved for a chat.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Thanks very much for the kind words; I'm deeply proud to be a part of the team that Jason Parks has put together (very much so with the support of Joe Hamrahi). It's a great collection of baseball minds that are hungry to grind it out at the fields and give readers high quality analysis.
Your request is noted and I'll get working on some form of this soon. Hopefully we can do a more in-depth analysis in the future, but I'll make sure we at least step through this exercise in some form soon!
Matt (NYC): How did the Yankees do considering they didn't have any top picks?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: As of draft day (which is the snap shot we have to analyze) they did a good job focusing on quick moving arms that likely slot into relief. It was a solid approach to grab value by attacking a strength in the draft class. Considering they were worse positioned than any other team in the draft outside of Baltimore, I thought they did alright.
Nick V (Winston-Salem, NC): Do I have any chance of seeing Rodon here in Winston before I graduate (May 2015)? Do you see him as a fast mover through the system? Or does it depend on how well he does in the AFL (assuming they shut him down for the summer)?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: He could definitely be a fast mover. Assuming he gets shut down after signing in July, the AFL would make sense, as would a Hi A assignment in 2015 with four or five starts at each level until he hits resistance. That might be Double A, Triple A, or MLB. It's a huge talent whose projection will depend on what he looks like after recharging the batteries and working a bit with the ChiSox dev staff.
SonofPezcore (Toronto): A lot of Jays fans are debating how much leverage Hoffman has in negotiations. What do you think would be a fair number given the circumstances.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Because I'm confident my voiced opinion will have no bearing on the actual leverage, I can say I had him valued at $3.5 MM. His leverage relies on his elite pre-injury profile (which is legitimate leverage) but his BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement) isn't pretty -- rehab on his own, likely with help from his advising agency, and throw a handful of times before next year's draft. My own approach would be to reach an agreed upon minimum with a promise to give any and all savings up to the 15% allotment overage once the other selections have been negotiated.
MKPJ (Chicago): Nick, please clear this up for Cub fans: Is Schwarber athletic enough to survive in Left Field? Much appreciated.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Personally, I don't think so. I know evaluators who argue that point, but to me it's less about whether or not he could possibly handle it, and more about whether he could actually make for a better option than your other MLB options to fill LF. The Cubs have Almora, Soler, and Bryant all as high level prospects that could fit into the outfield, and I can't see Schwarber as a better option than any of them, no matter how much I like the bat. He can really hit though. Really. Hit.
Bateman (Dorsia): How's the flow?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Frazzled today; rough morning.
Ace (PA): Would Aiken still go #1 if he was right handed?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: You could make an argument for it, but it's never happened before and it would surprised me if his profile was the first to achieve it.
Ace (PA): The Orioles must of had a different pre-draft process than the other 29 teams right? Did they stop scouting the top prospects after they signed Nelson Cruz?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I assume they spent little time on the top college guys and the truly elite guys. Considering the depth of the class I would think they were doing diligence on the top HS kids with potential to slip due to signability concerns. At least, I hope they were. There is a benefit to being able to focus on that lower tier of talent -- the kids that the high level decision makers usually can't spend as much time on -- so it'll be really interesting to see if some of the "lower than consensus" guys end up being good scouting stories.
Sammy30 (Hamilton, On): What is a good comp for Max Pentecost at his high end and what is your realistic grade?
Great work this spring Nick
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Thanks! I don't see a clean comp, but he can be an average defender with a 50-55 hit and 40-45 pop to my eye. A good solid high-floor everyday catcher that could be ready by 2015/2016 depending on when he signs and how quickly the bat adjusts to the pro game.
DServi4 (Maryland ): As a Brewer fan, should I be excited about the Brewers high upside high school picks in rounds 1 & 2?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I think so. Look, I understand the value of a portfolio approach to drafting and it's usually what I advocate. But the Brewers are LIGHT on big impact talent in their system, and they grabbed three guys up top that have legit all-star potential. There's a lot of risk with this trio, but the upside is huge and that's exactly what the Brewers should have been looking to add to their system.
edwardarthur (Illinois): The Yankees announcers Friday were hawking Jacob Lindgren as a possible September call-up in the bullpen. Does this strike you as (a) plausible, and (b) a good idea?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: It's definitely plausible, and I'd be fine with it if he looks ready after some minor league action. It's a reliever profile all the way so get him to the bigs as quickly as you can. The fastball/slider will play, so get him into pro ball and let's see how quickly he can contribute in the bronx.
EthanSpalding (Glenview, Il): The White Sox signed Jake Jarvis, who was considered unsignable. Is he a legit prospect?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I didn't see confirmation that he signed, but have heard it was happening. He is definitely a legit prospect. He was announced as an infielder but has a legit fallback on the mound, as well. Good 10th round get for the Sox.
Froglegs Jones Jr. (Palos Park): Do you think it's realistic to expect the White Sox to sign both Carlos Rodon and Spencer Adams?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I do; with Rodon being a better bet than Adams. Given their cap space, I see no reason why they wouldn't have room for both, and if Jarvis has in fact signed it's a good indication the Sox aren't worried about coming up with any extra money for their top two picks. In fact, drafting Jarvis in the first place was a pretty solid indication they think they are going to sign Adams and Rodon without issue.
mattseward (Cardiff, UK): Hi Nick, Loved the draft coverage you and the guys at PG did. I'm just wondering as a Mets fan whether you think they drafted anyone of note deeper in the draft?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Fourth rounder Eduardo Garcia-Pacheco is an interesting corner bat with some pop. Luke Bonefield, who went in the 20s, is unlikely to sign but would be a good get if he changes his mind about attending Arkansas (who, by the way, could be looking at a stacked class based on where their big signees were drafted).
The pool allotment/picks weren't great for the Mets, so in all likelihood Conforto/Ramos are likely to be the big make-or-break names from the signing class.
Ace (PA): Slapping a Mike Leake comp on Nola doesn't scream top 10 pick to me. I understand he was considered the "safest" pick, but his profile most likely puts him at the back-end of a rotation. Reminds me of Dillon Gee.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Nola is better than Leake at the same stage. I don't really see the comp at all except for the fact that Leake also through his fastball with a lot of life and good command. Nola has better deception and I like the secondaries more.
DServi4 (Maryland ): If the Brewers don't sign Gatewood/Harrison, do they get those draft picks back in 2015?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: They do. Both are protected picks, but I think both sign pretty easily. The Sneed pick in the third round solidified it for me.
thrillho (MN): Any of the Twins hard throwers from day 1/2 have a shot of seeing big league action in Sept?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I don't think anyone will be rushed that quickly, but Minnesota could have a number of arms ready in short order -- maybe on the same time frame that they see Buxton/Sano/Berrios/etc. start to filter onto the 25-man. Burdi is probably ready with MINIMAL MiLB time, but he could be shut down if Louisville continues to win and he continues to throw.
Silverback38 (VA): With Jon Gray and Eddie Butler already, how do you rank Kyle Freeland in the organizational future rotation? Does he have the stuff to supplant one of these two at the top of the rotation?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: He has a chance but will need to improve his execution and precision in the zone. It's a very good control profile without elite command. The stuff will play in the middle of a rotation and there is enough deception to potentially bump him to a #2 profile if you are a believer. I think at present he slots as the third best arm out of that trio.
Alex (Sheboygan): What caused Jacob Gatewood to slip all the way to the competitive balance round?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Poor performance and failure to demonstrate an ability (or desire) to make adjustments away from a yank-heavy home run swing that made contact against very average HS arms problematic. Had he shown improvement this spring he wouldn't have slipped, and those types of concerns tend to hold a lot of weight with decision makers looking to mete out seven figure bonuses. The power upside is so big that Milwaukee took a reasonable (in my opinion) gamble at the end of the comp round.
LindsBeard (Ottawa): Nick, I'd like your prediction - How many of the prospects just drafted will end up in BP's top 101, and which organization will have the most draftees make the list?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: At present it wouldn't be many, but that could change quickly once we see how some of these guys adjust to pro ball and how they look in fall instructs. Gun to my head I may go with Kansas City or Boston as the most likely to have the most 2014 draftees in the top 100. A lot of teams with two obvious candidates and some longer shots to jump rankings that quickly. Kansas City and Boston I could see three of each getting into game action and impressing enough to get 101 status early in their dev arc. Overall, I'd go with maybe ten or so ultimately making the list, with a big jump next year when a bunch of these high school kids take their first developmental step.
danrnelson (Mpls): Have you ever seen a team take as many college relievers in a row as the Twins did on Friday? What do you think they are trying to do with all of those guys? Turn some into starters?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I think a number of them will log time as starters in the minors to get their innings/work in. Maybe Curtiss is a starter long term, but these are mostly future relievers. I really like Reed (Oregon) as good value in the fifth round, and Burdi/Cederoth could have each gone 20 picks earlier than they did.
Nate (IL): Do you see Matt Chapman's hit/power tool coming around? If it doesn't, is his defense enough to make him a useful player?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: The defense is solid, the power upside is impressive. I didn't love the offensive profile when I saw him wielding wood. Oakland's draft looks like a scout's draft finding value by playing the board.
Bob (Cincy, OH): Overall thoughts on the Cincinnati Reds first three picks ?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Nick Howard (rhp, UVA) -- I really like him as a reliever and am interested to see what a switch to the rotation would look like. The Reds have made great strides with Lorenzen in a limited amount of time, so I'm more comfortable with that conversion in the Reds system than I would be in certain other systems.
Blandino (3b, Stanford) - really like the bat and he's going to be a solid to good defender at both third and second. I believe cincy is going to let him start off at short, and he's a talented enough defender to hold his own there for at least a little while.
Taylor Sparks (3b, UC Irvine) - Top level athlete with plus defense at third and power potential. Wasn't a great performance bat this spring, but there is upside here. Might not be a quick mover. Given they went collegiate ranks for their first two picks, I would have liked to see an upside HS arm here, but that's picking nits.
Mark L (Henderson NV): What are we to think about 17 year old Cole Tucker? Can you see the height of the ceiling?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: When I last saw him in person (end of March) I was split on where I'd take him in this class but felt strongly he was the kind of player that emerges as a potential early first rounder after further growth in his game at the college ranks. I don't have my spreadsheet here at my office but I believe I had a $725K price tag assigned to him, which would make him a comfortable third round talent, and I'd have gone a little over to get him signed away from 'Zona. So I don't really have an issue with popping him where Pittsburgh did so long as there are at least some savings to slide over to Keller (who was a great get in the second round!).
Bill (Bozeman): Nick, thanks to you and to BP for the fantastic draft and prospect coverage! I've been a subscriber since almost the beginning and you guys are doing a fnatastic job. Question about the Royals draft - it was disappointing to me not because of who they drafted but because it didn't include a single polished (close to the majors) bat. I know that was a scarcity in this draft and you are not supposed to draft for need, but I liked Zimmer/Gillaspie better than Finnegan at 1/17. Thoughts?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Gillaspie and Zimmer have their warts. The former due to average bat speed and an upper-body-heavy metal bat swing. His success will be predicated upon an ability to make adjustments to advanced arms and put together an approach that helps him find pitches he can handle and drive. The latter is a tweener profile for me because I don't think the power naturally comes with his added strength due to the swing type, and the added strength/mass is ultimately going to push him over to right field. Finnegan comes with risk, but I still had him above both Zimmer and Gillaspie as far as overall value (Zimmer within like $250K or so).
Jackwang (Everywhere): More polished out of HS: Bundy or Aiken?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Bundy, but Aiken comes with MUCH more projection in his stuff. I like Aiken as the better overall prospect, with Bundy as the slightly higher floor.
clark (family truckster): Who were the tough signs the Cubs landed that prompted them to go with under slot guys in the first two rounds? Worth it?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: They went with three potential overslot prep arms that will all require over-slot bonuses based on where they were drafted. If they get all three I applaud the process (even if they aren't the three I'd personally go after based on evaluations and valuations). If they sign two of the three I think it's a defensible process, but more complicated than they needed. If they only get one, it probably wasn't a good approach.
The early round overslots were Sands, Steele, and Cease.
Bill (Bozeman): Do you see the HS catcher drafted by the Royals, Chase Vallot, sticking behind the plate?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I think he has an good chance to stick behind home, but could move to an outfield corner if the bat proves ready to move quickly (which it very well might). Good addition to the Royals system.
Shawnykid23 (CT): Way too early guess for 2015 #1 overall pick?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Absolutely. But I'll be writing about the top HS candidates over the next week after I wrap at PG National Showcase (Thursday through next Monday). Kickoff to the 2015 showcase circuit.
Drew (Mpls): Does Nick Gordon wind up an Alexei Ramirez bat? +/-?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I think the OBP profile could be better and the power could resemble early-MLB career Ramirez.
philipspector (San Diego): I have seen lemond labeled a steal for padres? Ceiling? What is stuff like?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I thought he went right around where he should, considering the uncertainty as to his ability to transition to the rotation and the injury questions. Here's the writeup from the Baseball Prospectus positional preview series (tinyurl.com/2014PosRev-RHP):
"Lemond dealt with elbow inflammation earlier this spring after transitioning to the rotation, somewhat clouding his draft day stock. On pure stuff he could go as high as the supplemental-first round, but given the bevy of options available to teams, the health concerns could push him down into the second-to-fourth-round range, depending on medicals. At his best he'll show a hard 91 to 95 mph fastball with good life and a sharp plus curve that works in and out of the zone. The changeup is adequate, and gives him a chance to start long term, and he'll likely ease into pro ball in relief this summer before his drafting org determines the best developmental approach."
Karl (San Angelo): How do you feel Luis Ortiz' being drafted by Texas Rangers' affects his ability to develop and progress through the farm system?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I think so long as Ortiz is healthy and maintaining his physique, he'll be a good prospect with which to work. Impressive front-end upside (though probably unlikely) with a fallback as a late-inning power arm.
preams (SD): The Padres drafted two guys who had been mentioned in the top-5 picks in the months leading up to the draft. What's the best case scenario for Turner and Gettys? Do you have serious concerns about Gettys ability to hit?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I have serious concerns about both of them hitting at the pro ranks, though it's more dire in the case of Gettys. Both are athletic upside picks, with Gettys' ceiling trumping most, if not all, of the other prep players in the class. Turner's success or failure will probably come down to where he ends up as far as approach is concerned. If he goes to a slash-centric approach that puts a premium on working middle to oppo and putting the ball on the ground, I think he will be more likely to create offensive value for the Padres.
Shauncore (KC): I was a big Forrest Wall fan and hoped the Royals grabbed him at #28. All things equal would you rather have Wall or Foster Griffin (their #28 pick)?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I'd prefer Wall, but thought Griffin was a fine pick at that point. Picking between the two is solely a question of evaluative preference, and each are worthy first round guys -- especially in that latter part of the round.
Bill (Bozeman): It seems that the teams with extra compensatory picks always get the highest ratings from the expert because there is the most there to like. Any teams that didn't get extra picks that impressed you?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Really interesting question. I think the Rangers basically did as well as possible considering they were drafting without extra picks and later in the rounds. Ortiz, Forbes, Morgan, is a top 3 you could have expected from a team drafting 15 spots earlier.
I thought Philly did well playing into the strength of the draft, as well, and found pretty good value.
David (Malibu): Nick, how far under slot do you think the Cubs went with Schwarber/Stinnett to feel comfortable in taking Sands/Steele/Cease in 4,5,6.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: They have about $1.1 MM in slot value to spend on the three prep arms (Sands/Steele/Cease). They grabbed a couple hundred thousand in savings later in the top ten, most likely. They probably need somewhere between 1.5 and 2 MM in savings with their first two picks to get those three kids inked. Could be a little more or a little less depending on a couple of important factors (which we can revisit once we see how the talks go).
Robert (Lake Zurich): What to make of all the Cardinals RHP picks early this year? Think they sign the big two in Flaherty and Megill?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I think the selections are probably really good fits for their system, and will likely look better a year or two from now than they do as of the conclusion of the draft. To my mind, we need to see a big jump in performance for Flaherty for the overarching approach to ultimately play as making full use of their opportunities. But, generally, I trust the org to get value out of those arms.
MKPJ (chicago): Did the Cubs make a huge mistake passing on Reid-foley in favor of Stinnett? Is Stinnett a good prospect? Thanks
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I think Reid-Foley would have meant only one, MAYBE two, of the later HS arms. So the question is Reid-Foley and one or two of Sands/Cease/Steel vs Stinnett/Sands/Cease/Steele. Comes down to whether you think Stinnett is a legit mid-rotation guy (as opposed to future reliever/back-ender) and what your takes are on the health of Reid-Foley and Cease.
For me personally, I probably prefer Reid-Foley and Sands to Stinnett and the extra HS arm I get. Again, evaluative preference as opposed to questionable process.
Victor (Baltimore): Are you happy with where Michael Kopech was drafted (RedSox)?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I think he's really good value there. Would have been comfortable drafting him in the mid- to late-teens. He went like 15 picks later than that.
Mike (Montauk NY): Would Conforto have been better suited for an AL team where he could be slotted at DH? I've read he'd be no more than a 50 defender in LF.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: 50 is an average defender, so that seems just fine to me. I don't see a reason to limit him to DH duties at all.
Harry (Oklahoma): Morales was showing a pretty filthy breaking ball in the CWS. Could he move quickly if used as a reliever?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I think the Cardinals see it as a starter profile, but you could expedite the development in the pen, no question.
Mitchell (Denver): Any favorite late round picks by teams that have a good chance to sign?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: For real late round guys (outside of top ten), how about Tanner Houck to Toronto. Love the upside and the Jays may find enough money to buy him out of a Missouri commitment if he's at all open to starting pro ball. The Marlins could have room to ink Sullivan (14th round) which would be a really interesting upside play, too.
alangreene (Oakland): Please give me a good reason to believe in Trea Turner more than the Padres' long history of highly drafted players with bat concerns that never made it.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Each player is different and Turner does have the athleticism and feel to develop into an everyday guy. It's about the Padres development and Turner's willingness to make any necessary changes.
Bill (Bozeman): Is there anything to like in KC's draft after Day 1?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Sure. It looks like they essentially worked their board, and as a result in a deep draft got a number of guys about a round later than they normally would. In particular I like Skoglund and Downes, with the latter maybe not more than a fourth outfielder, but capable of providing really good value in that range with a change to hit for a bit of pop to go with good defense up-the-middle.
John (KC): Who are some guys who were taken in the later rounds who won't sign but who could be top picks 3 years from now?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Keith Weisenberg, JB Bukauskas, Tate Blackman, Devon Fisher, Montrell Marshall, Evan Skoug, JJ Schwarz, Jake Godfrey, Mac Marshall, Luke Bonfield, Trenton Kemp, Garrett Cave, among others. Even with aggressive culling of the HS talents, a good number of high ceiling kids are going to make it to college (although all of the above may not if teams find some extra money).
jsdspud (the beach): Nick, Thanks for the chat. Any idea what the Pirates strategy was?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: They shifted around their spending some to grab two high ceilinged HS arms. In order for the play to work they have to really like Connor Joe, I'd think, because there were good HS arms available had they decided to take a "play the board" approach. The college guys are solid upside plays. I thought it was solid, but was confused by the Connor Joe selection. Based on their high leverage picks I think a more straightforward approach with reaches up top as needed and savings on senior signs would have fit their opportunities a little better.
Silverback38 (VA): I appreciate the chat and your competency on these amateur players. When will you be starting your chats on 2015 players?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I don't know. I start scouting 2015 in earnest on Thursday morning and will be on them through next June. I guess so long as folks are reading the amateur coverage at BP they'll keep scheduling chats!
Max (Springfield): Have a favorite "huh..what?" pick from the draft? Just one that stands out as a bit odd/confusing...
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: I just mentioned Connor Joe -- for me the profile wasn't worthy of comp round selection even for savings. I would have preferred a slot college grab there or an upside HS player payable through senior signs later. For me personally, the delta between likely value and signing bonus is too great for the pick to make strategic sense.
Bill (New Mexico): Who's your prediction for the highest draftee who will remain unsigned because of the spending cap?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: One of the Cubs three prep arms (Sands/Steele/Cease) or maybe Reetz? That's based on profile and not inside info as to specific demands (let's not start unnecessary rumors, folks!).
Scott (Lincolnshire): In your opinion did the Cubs try to get too cute and outsmart themselves with their strategy? Or, did they do a ton of homework (maybe illegally) in getting the rounds 2-5 guys to commit to signing with them?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: If you really like Stinnett, I don't think it's too cute. The problem with the approach is other teams got really aggressive, as well, so in my opinion the Cubs didn't necessarily end up with the three best overslot options. The worst I'd say about it is that it was dependent upon the right guys slipping and being available. That's the problem with casting a wide overslot net as opposed to having extra early round picks to flex on that front.
Patrick (Chestnut Hill): Can you run through your favorite pick in each of the top 10 rounds?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: This would be fun -- let's do this as an Unfiltered piece on BP, and I'll make it a free piece for all you stragglers that haven't yet ponied up for the monster prospect coverage Parks and his team have put together at BP! Will get to it in the next two weeks so check in (Unfiltered articles on the right side of homepage).
Bill (Bozeman): Any teams stick out to you as having major challenges in shuffling money around to get their early picks signed?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: No one jumps out in the way the Athletics jumped out last year (incredible job by their scouts to absolutely nail the signability of a lot of tough-to-figure kids). I'd say the Marlins, but in honesty it looks like they simply maxed out the giant pool allotment. That's going to be a big influx of talent into an already interesting system.
Matt (Chicago): Nick, the Cubs have had three "pitching heavy" drafts in a row now. Based on early results from the first two, they have very little to show from a developmental standpoint. Is there a scouting/process problem or should I just give it some more time?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: More time. Let's see how the in-system arms progress after another year or so. I think Stinnett will be a good case study, as that's a high leverage pick ($ and opportunity) that the decision makers spent on Stinnett. Pretty important data point for me, personally.
Mitch (ATL): Where does Aiken land in the top 101 list?
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Top 50 and perhaps top 25 by the time the 101 rolls around. Will also depend on the graduations from here on out.
Draft Wrap Chat with Nick J. Faleris: Thanks for the great series of draft-related chats, everyone. It's been a fun few weeks at BP with the increased attention on the amateur side of the prospecting scene, and I appreciate your contributions to the conversation!
Let's do this again soon; see you around the comments sections and, of course, on twitter (@NickJFaleris).
Talk soon...
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