Lots of non-raves about the Yankees first day of picks. This from BA regarding their second round pick, John Murphy, “Scouts that we have talked to were mixed on his catching ability, and even if he can, why would the Yankees take yet another catcher?” Heathcott, the Yankees just seemed to be in love with, which I get (despite concerns regarding reports on his (Tabataesque) attitude, but Murphy seems like a huge, inexplicable reach. We’ll see.
While the Bombers went for signability early, their strategy seems to be to take more chances late, reasoning (I suppose) that a wasted 8th or 12th round pick doesn’t matter so much if they can’t sign the guy. Maybe they were scared off by the Cole fiasco last year? As the highest profile and most monied franchise in the game, the team is constantly dealing with guys looking to hijack them and must be concerned with the precedents they set. Here are picks from the 12th through the
12th Round – Brett Gerritse (RHP – HS – 6’4″, 220lbs) – Video
From RAB:
A 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, Gerritse has an awkward delivery and less-than-ideal arm action, but his stuff will get him drafted. Big and physical, he delivers a 90-91 mph fastball and 80-81 mph curve that at times is a plus pitch. His changeup may be his best pitch, as it has split-finger movement late.
He sounds like a projectable kid. One rumor on RAB was that he’s from money and will, therefore, be a tougher sign.
13th Round – DeAngelo Mack – OF – LHB – USC – 5’10″, 185lbs
From RAB:
Mack, one of the SEC’s most improved players, has added significant polish since he arrived on campus, particularly improving his two-strike approach. He has opposite-field power, stays back on offspeed stuff and has a good pro body. His offensive tools grade out as average, not plus, and he may not hit for enough power to be an everyday corner regular. He doesn’t’ run well enough to be a center fielder.
Not much to see here by that description
14th Round – Graham Stoneburner – RHP – Clemson – 6’1″, 190lbs – Video
From RAB:
Stoneburner, a redshirt sophomore, has lacked consistency in his performance, though not with his velocity. He consistently hits 94 mph with his four-seamer, a sign that he’s come back completely healthy from a torn ACL and back injury (fractured vertebra) from high school that caused him to miss his freshman season. At times, Stoneburner is just an arm-strength guy, with scattershot command and below-average secondary stuff. At other times, he throws strikes to all four quadrants at 94-95 mph, stays tall in his delivery well for a 6-foot, 185-pounder and keep the ball in the ballpark, as he’d allowed only two homers all spring. At times he shows some power on his slider, which still needs to add depth and tilt and doesn’t project as anything more than an average pitch. His ability to pitch off his fastball was more successful in the bullpen, which was his primary role once the calendar turned to April. His changeup is a bit better than his slider, though it lacks life and is as straight as his fastball at times. Stoneburner’s feel for pitching also is inconsistent, but his consistent velocity is as good as any college righthander in the Southeast, and he generally throws strikes, if not quality strikes. He had just 17 walks in 56 innings.
Oh my God! The Yankees just drafted Jose Veras! Seriously, though, 14th round for a guy who sits at 94? Sign me up. Cool name, too. Yanks draft strategy this year may be to just draft the coolest sounding names: Slade Heathcott, Graham Stoneburner, DeAngelo Mack, all very cool baseball names (nowhere else can you get analysis like this, ladies and gentlemen – God I suck at draft analysis – I wish I actually saw ONE of these kids play before).
15th Round – Shane Green – RHP – 6’4″, 210lbs – Daytona Beach CC
Even RAB has nothing on this kid. I’m sick of blatantly ripping off RAB anyway (who’s possibly using BA or BP analysis anyway). I’m doing my own comments from now on – tune in later for actual analysis from someone like EJ, Eric, Moshe, Steve or someone who actually HAS a BA subscription.
16th Round – Bryan Mitchell – RHP – HS – 6’2″, 175lbs – Video
Hey! He’s got a video. Let’s watch it and see what I can learn. He’s… uhhhh… skinny – dude does NOT look 6’2″. Gun flashes 85-86 for him with nice movement, though RAB says 90-91 and he’s committed to NC (signability concerns). Damn, I’ve already resorted to using RAB – DAMN YOU, RAB AND YOUR INSIGHTFUL COMMENTARY!!!
17th Round – Chad Thompson – RHP – HS – 6’8″, 205lbs – Video
6’8″!! Man, Cash and Oppenheimer sure do like tall hurlers. I guess between him and Brackman, they figure they can loan these guys out to the Nets if they can’t pitch.
18th Round – Hector Rabago – C – RHB – USC – 5’10″ – Video
ANOTHER Catcher? Really Cash? Another catcher? Really? You DO realize that we can only play one at a time, right? Is this just a massive vote of no confidence for Montero’s future behind the dish?
19th Round – Luke Murton – 1b – RHB – Georgia Tech – 6’4″, 235lbs
He’s, um, large. Very projectable linebacker/first baseman’s frame, and a very projectable NAME, too. Can’t you just hear it, “Now batting for the Yankees, first baseman, Luke…. Murton…. Murton”
20th Round – Thomas Keeling – LHP – Oklahoma St. – 6’3″ – Video
All these random names, videos and scouting reports whizzing by are starting to make me feel drunk. Though it could be the Jim Beam that’s doing that, too. A LEFTY, YAAAAY. I like lefties. So do the Yankees. Lots of hurlers in these mid-rounds.
Sorry for the analysis slipping into the realm of the absurd towards the end, but one of TYU’s resident experts will be sure to pick up the pieces later on with ACTUAL analysis, but I hope it was as much fun for you as it was for me (ie fair to middling).
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21 Responses to Draft Update: Mid-Rounds
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For a good deal of information from various sources, check out Lane Meyer at Nomass. Many of the Yankee picks seem to have significant upside potential, with a few recovering from seriou sinjuries that damaged theri draft stock.
He tries hard, but most of his info comes from BA, local papers, and interviews with the prospects, themselves, so you’re not really getting any professional, objective analysis (except from BA – it pretty much all comes from BA it seems), either. It all depends on who does the most research and whose writing style you like the best. Our own Eric & EJ both do amazing jobs with this stuff and have years of experience. I really don’t see anyone else out there who knows their stuff any better than those two.
My comment was not intended to slight the writers on this blog — I respect their expertise. But, Tom, you admitted that you were lifting much of your analysis today from RAB, and I merely wanted to point to another source. Lane does a number of his own interviews, but he puts together anything he can find from a variety of non-professional sources. This can be revealing about whether a young player is ready to sign a profesional contract and more. Let’s face it: none of us has access to the actual team scouting reports on al these players.
Never took it as a slight at all, my friend – just giving props to Eric & E.J. Like I said, it all depends on what you like. Lane has his thing and lots of people love his stuff – more power to him. Personally, I don’t like reading the player interviews and local stuff b/c I can’t expect objective analysis from those sources. I like reading the scouting stuff. Sometimes coaches and organizational guys can give you some good info, too, but they can’t be objective either. Hey, Lane knows waaaaaaaay more than I do about the draft guys no question (of course I’m clueless) – stylistically, I just like some other guys better.
Funny blog posting. I know the maxim is best player available without regard to position, but did they really need to wait until the 675th pick to take a shortstop?
Agreed. Admittedly, I know next-to-nothing about this stuff, but it would be nice to have a decent SS in system. Pre-draft rumors had them almost a lock to pick Renfroe with their 2nd pick and he wound up with the Bean eaters (talk about insult to injury). It’s particularly galling with Angelini busting so badly. Maybe they’re relying on signing Hanley in a few years? Lots of eggs in that basket, though (welcome to cliche central).
Give up on the complaining about so many catchers. The Yankees do have 6 or so teams to fill with these guys and nobody is knocking off Jesus
True, but correct me if I’m wrong, the objective of drafting players is not so much to fill up 6 minor league teams (6? – I only count 5) but to develop major league talent. Forgive me if the prospect of drafting a low upside backstop with our second pick when we already have 4 better prospects in-system, doesn’t send chills down my spine.
GCL
Staten Island
Charleston
Tampa
Trenton
Scranton
Young MLB catchers are the rarest commodity in baseball. I think it is an intelligent strategy.
BTW How is drafting a catcher a reflection on a guy that is in AA? It’s like saying that the Yankees think A-Jax will have to play a corner OF spot because they drafted a CF with their 1st round pick.
And hey, “knocking off Jesus”?? Talk about a phrase that can be taken out of context!!
LMAO
Well nobody wants that.
“ANOTHER Catcher? Really Cash? Another catcher? Really? You DO realize that we can only play one at a time, right? Is this just a massive vote of no confidence for Montero’s future behind the dish?”
You know Cashman really has nothing to do with the draft after the first round or two right? Damon Oppenheimer makes all the picks based on scouts recommendations. Also not all of these catchers go straight to minor league spots, they could spend time in extend spring training be evaluated.
Murphy is new to the position, so he could potentially move. I think the Yankees took him for his bat, which was rated as a plus tool. So I wouldn’t pay too much attention to what position he plays.
Murphy WAS in the first few rounds, dude.
he was their second pick
I was directing my comment towards your comment on the second catcher they took later in the draft. As for Murphy I don’t care what position he plays. You take the best player on your board, regardless of organizational depth.
Well, a lot of the experts are less than enamored with Murphy’s bat – let’s hope the Yankees know something they don’t.
The “experts” have to have an opinion on every prospect our that and obviously don’t do the same job scouting as a team that’s considering investing a considerable amount of money into them. Opp seems to just love this guys and like it was mentioned earlier, you can never have enough catching (or pitching). Jorge Posada was also a convert to catching and had a bunch of scouts saying that he’d never hit enough to make it
Really? With his bat? I have not seen one person question his bat.
Uumm…the coment on gerritse being from money was a play on Gerrit Cole from last year and HIS family sit. Just thought i’d update ya on the RAB meme
I think he’s just hating on Murphy.
Murphy was top 100 in BA and ESPN…. a huge, inexplicable risk? I don’t see where you’re getting your info from.