Monday's without the minors is a drag. I hereby establish Mondays to be a day of draft talk.
From what we can ascertain (or make up) of Brian Barber's tendencies, he likes tools, he likes some polish and track record in his first pick, he likes power pitchers with no bias against high school pitchers.
There lots of big arms out with injuries- I'd take Dylan Lesko or Landon Sims in a second, but for a team missing a second round pick and a system lacking depth, it's probably difficult to have the appetite for that.
Chipola JC 3b Cam Collier keeps showing up at or around #17. I don't know who to compare him to- he's 17 and looks like he's going to become stocky, he's "only" hitting .around .333 with power, taking his walks and not striking out too much and has the hands and arm for third. I wouldn't be upset with that pick.
Tennessee 105 mph reliever Brett Joyce shows up frequently in the bottom of top 100 rankings, but he's got to be sooner than that, especially to a team with a bunch of early picks.
Barber hasn't selected any high school lefties in the top 10, but Brandon Barriera, Jackson Ferris, and Robbie Snelling would sure be tempting.
I'd go Florida IMG high school lefty Jackson Ferris #17 (though i can't decide if I think Ferris' delivery is special or a warning sign- he's like AJ Puk with command).
and Arizona high school outfielder Gavin Turley #93. Turley is a 5 tool player with some holes in his swing but he's been an evolving player- in a good way.
My 'Hard No' pick is Chase DeLauter. DeLauter is a physical specimen with 4 tools, though the hit-tool is the one that's missing. My 'soft no' pick is Jacob Berry. Berry is a good switch hitter, powerful and short to the ball, but he's probably a poor first baseman (or DH) at the big league level.
Arkansas second baseman Robert Moore has fallen from the first round, maybe down to the third. Do they get tempted to go to that well again? (with an athletic toolsy Arkansas middle infielder that struggles to hit above .300 in college in the third round). I hope not. Some other team that knows hitting will figure out how to develop him.
Phillies pick #17 and #93 in the top 100. Here are 3 guys from each of the ranking services in the range of those picks:
MLB.com
16 Brandon Barriera, #17 Cam Collier #18 Cole Young
92 Robert Moore, #93 Brandon Birdsell, #94 Marcus Johnson
fangraphs:
16 Cole Young, #17 Jackson Holiday (no chance he's there anymore), #18 Branson Sproat
92 - their ranks end after 69
prospects live:
16 Zack Neto, #17 Cam Collier, #18 Blake Tidwell
92 Anthony Silva, #93 Willim Kempner, #94 Luis Ramirez
