2019 MLB Draft Speculation

[SerAdonisKingery]

I'm not sure I could handle the irony of drafting Logan Davidson.

[schillingfan]

I'm not sure I could handle the irony of drafting Logan Davidson.

I’m sure there’s a story here I don’t remember.

[Lawman]

I just googled it:

Davidson has been through this before, so he knows how to handle situations like he is in now. As a high school senior he was touted and ranked No. 131 on the BA 500. He had a strong commitment to Clemson, however, and he didn’t sign after being drafted in the 30th round by the Phillies.

[julio]

Interesting, but I don't see anything particularly ironic about the possibility that the Phils would redraft a player who didn't sign - who wasn't expected to sign - when drafted out of high school. Taking late-round fliers on high school prospects who are known to be difficult (or impossible) to sign isn't rare - it's done every year.

In Davidson's case... somebody was going to draft him in the late rounds in 2016, and Davidson was going to Clemson regardless. It happened to be the Phillies who drafted him, but there wasn't any evidence of bad feelings, or bad faith on anybody's part. In 2019, Davidson will be drafted early; the Phillies may, or may not, be the club that drafts him. Statistically, it's not that unusual for a club to draft the same player more than once. Listen to the draft online; any time the team's representative says, "The [team] selects, redraft, [player]..." that's a player they've drafted in a past draft. You will hear it in this June's draft - it happens every year.

[fish]

Kirby would be an interesting pick. Almarez has said he wouldn't use a high pick on a pitcher unless he thought he had #1 potential. If he picks Kirby, does that mean at #14 the #1 potential qualifier is out the window, or does he think he's that good.

Fastball is solid with good command, looks like he has room to get stronger and add another tick. Unflattering descriptions of his secondaries are a bit concerning.

I'm trying to psyche myself into liking the idea of Rutledge and that his short-arm action, rather than being a detriment, is similar to Trevor Bauer.

I love Davidson's tools, but he strikes out 20% of the time in college- that can't be good.

Langeliers is really the guy in that top 14 list I don't want.

[SerAdonisKingery]

The irony is he could easily be the best player they drafted in a year they held the #1 pick in every round.

[Squire]

On my theory that the Phillies are predictable, some uninformed possibilities for our 3rd-6th round picks:

California High Schoolers:
Cody Freeman, SS (147)
Glenallen Hill Jr. OF (149)
Jasiah Dixon, OF (178)
Colin Barber, OF (196)
Joe Naranjo, 1B (209)
Garrett Frechette, 1B/OF (215)
Joey Estes, RHP (239)

California College Pitchers:
Ben Brecht, LHP, UC Santa Barbara (88)
Ryan Garcia, RHP, UCLA (89)
Erik Miller, LHP, Stanford (106)
Ryan Jensen, RHP, Fresno (110)
Chris Lincoln, RHP, UC Santa Barbara (153)
Chris Murphy, LHP, San Diego (156)
Andre Pallantine, RHP, UC Irvine (158)
Logan Boyer, RHP, San Diego State (176)
Ken Waldichuk, LHP, St. Marys (186)
Jared Horn, RHP, Cal (188)
Jack Ralston, RHP, UCLA (202)
Chris Clarke, RHP, Southern Cal (217)
Jack Little, RHP, Stanford (221)
Jack Dashwood, LHP, UC Santa Barbara (255)
Riley Ornido, RHP, San Francisco (263)

Midwest College Hitters:
Will Robertson, OF, Creighton (96)
Matt Gorski, OF, IU (151)
Michael Massey, 2B, Illinois (189)
John Rave, OF, Illinois State (203)

University of Mississippi Guys:
Thomas Dillard, OF/C (105)
Cooper Johnson, C (109)
Grae Kessinger, SS (126)
Parker Caracci, RHP (234)
Will Etheridge, RHP (277)
Ryne Olenek, OF/INF (283)

Georgia High Schoolers:
Myles Austin, SS (117)
Jonathan French, C (131)
Brennan Milone, SS (135)
Zach Maxwell, RHP (139)
Alex McFarlane, RHP (187)
Landon Sims, RHP (199)
Tres Gonzalez, OF (245)
Michael Harris, LHP/OF (248)
Mason Barnett, RHP (250)

Virginia-Carolinas College Hitters
Bryant Packard, OF, ECU (119)
Tanner Morris, SS, UVA (125)
Spencer Brickhouse, 1B, ECU (133)

[Squire]

1. Keith Law with an updated Mock this morning. I'm not an ESPN insider but will sniff around. I know he has Jung to the Rangers at 9 and Kirby to the Mets at 12.

2. One guy I wouldn't be that opposed to taking is Brett Baty, for what its worth. I know he's old for a HS player but the bat is apparently for real and with power.

[andyb]

Keith Law has us with Kody Hoese (3B, Tulane).

"I've heard Philly all over the place -- Kirby, Carroll, Brennan Malone and Hoese, in particular, which is one player from each of the four major categories."

I would be very disappointed with that choice. Number 42 on his top 100. Seems a lesser version of Bohm who was eligible last year so is older (almost 22).

Keith Law's 2019 MLB mock draft 2.0

[Squire]

Hmmm....that would be somewhat of a shocker.

[andyb]

Athletic mock draft - George Kirby (RHP, Elon) - This one makes more sense if he is still there. Quick-moving pitcher that checks some analytic projection boxes also.

MLB Mock Draft: The Athletic's beat writers project the...

[SerAdonisKingery]

I hadn't really thought much of Hoese until Kiley McDaniel mentioned him in a chat last week. Here's what he said: "There’s a lot of cross-year comps you can make. I’ve stumped a few guys this week on Kody Hoese vs. Jonathan India. They aren’t that different but one went 5th and one will go in the 20’s."

If the Phillies do take Hoese or Jung I wonder if they're prepared to trade Bohm. To get a Bumgarner/Will Smith or Bauer you're going to have to give up a big asset. Bohm is really our only blue chip one at this point. Obviously, the draft should be BPA and I'm just having fun speculating.

[zambonir]

To get a Bumgarner/Will Smith or Bauer you're going to have to give up a big asset. Bohm is really our only blue chip one at this point. Obviously, the draft should be BPA and I'm just having fun speculating.

Not necessarily. It's rare a team's top prospects go in a deadline deal for a FA to-be. In any case it's certainly not on anyone's mind before the draft.

[gmwannabe]

Anyone hear anything about waylon richardson? Fully recovered?
gm

[Squire]

Fangraphs/Kiley McDaniel Mock Draft 3.0

1. Orioles - Adley Rutschman, C
2. Royals - Bobby Witt, Jr., SS
3. White Sox - C.J. Abrams, SS
4. Marlins - J.J. Bleday, OF
5. Tigers - Andrew Vaughan, 1B
6. Padres - Riley Greene, OF
7. Reds - Alex Manoah, RHP
8. Rangers - Brett Baty, 3B
9. Braves - Nick Lodolo, LHP
10. Giants - Hunter Bishop, OF
11. Blue Jays - Jackson Rutledge, RHP
12. Mets - Bryson Stott, SS
13. Twins - Josh Jung, 3B
14. PHILLIES – George Kirby, RHP, Elon
    Rutledge is the pick if he’s here, which he likely won’t be. They may underslot Hoese. Alabama SS Gunnar Henderson is a dark horse.

Refers to Quinn Preister as the consensus top prep arm.

[Squire]

My one draft prediction is that we will hear the word "lifeblood" overrused.

[fish]

Johnny Almaraz says “We trust our ability to develop hitters”
....you’ll see!!

[Squire]

Updated 5/31 Callis Mock

1. Orioles - Adley Rutschman, C
2. Royals - Bobby Witt, Jr., SS (HS)
3. White Sox - Andrew Vaughan, 1B
4. Marlins - J.J. Bleday, OF
5. Tigers - Riley Greene, OF (HS)
6. Padres - C.J. Abrams, SS (HS)
7. Reds - Nick Lodolo, LHP
8. Rangers - Hunter Bishop, OF
9. Braves - Corbin Carroll, OF (HS)
10. Giants - Jackson Rutledge, RHP
11. Blue Jays - Alex Manoah, RHP
12. Mets - Zach Thompson, RHP
13. Twins - Keoni Cavaco, 3B (HS)
14. PHILLIES - Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor - This feels like the floor for Langeliers, with Tulane third baseman Kody Hoese and Morgan Academy (Selma, Ala.) shortstop Gunnar Henderson as backup plans.

So it seems like any of the following are legit possibilities for the Phillies at 14

Shea Langeliers, C, Baylor
Josh Jung, 3B, Texas Tech
Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto JC
George Kirby, RHP, Elon
Zach Thompson, LHP, Kentucky
Kody Hoese, 3B, Tulane
Gunnar Henderson, 3B, HS
Brennan Malone, RHP, HS
Quinn Preister, RHP, HS

[Squire]

I'm becoming increasingly intrigued by Kody Hoese. Great numbers this year.

[bigegypt0417]

seems like an Alec Bohm clone....not that i'd complain.