Official 2014 Draft Day Thread, Day 1

[twinsfanstreif]

I found this article from last year, they were early on talking about him as a top 5 overall: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20130610/draft-prospects-carlos-rodon/

[JB_Iowa]

Burton's replacement .... the sooner the better.

[Mike Sixel]

If I thought they would fast track him as a reliever, I would be ok with the pick......

[twinsfanstreif]

Toronto, the Cubs, and maybe Houston were the only teams in a position to sign Reid-Foley and Toronto pulled the trigger, we just didn't have the $ for him. It was possibly the same thing with Harrison and I don't think the Brewers will be able to sign him unless the rest of their picks are college seniors

[kab21]

They just can't say no to RP'ers. I won't get too worked up about this but if they draft one more (1st 5 rds) this place will explode.

[drivlikejehu]

In the lower minors, they actually do. So much so they can't find a rotation spot for Stephan Gonsalves and just now have made room for Thorpe and Romero.

 

They start most high schoolers in rookie league. With respect to Cedar Rapids though... surely you aren't suggesting that guys like Montanez and Mildren are better than a top 50 draft pick?

[drock2190]

On a second thought, I like the pick.

 

He can replace Burton

[cmb0252]

Unless he makes the team this year I'm just not impressed.

[twinsin17]

Good point, this pick was a combination of sign-ability and value. Give me Burdi over an Eades-esque pick any day of the week.

[nicksaviking]

What's this fast track talk? There's about a half dozen bullpen arms in Rochester calling BS every time Guerrier, Burton and Swarzak pitch. The country club is still clearly functioning.

[70charger]

I realize how this sounds, but Jack Wilson has the absolute worst-fitting suit ever. Your suit jacket should not be multiple inches away from your neck.

 

Also, I may be a few beers deep. See you tomorrow night!

[InfraRen]

Jim Callis analyzes some of the unexpected first rounders, best players that fell into the 2nd, and 3 best available going into today:

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/how-the-cards-unfolded-analyzing-drafts-first-day-surprises?ymd=20140606&content_id=78500524&vkey=news_mlb

[Otto von Ballpark]

Also, I may be a few beers deep. See you tomorrow night!

 

I think this is the same thing Jack Buck always said when leaving parties.

[tobi0040]

don't like it

 

Here is my two cents on the Burdi pick. I have two real thoughts. I would invest one year in making him a starter. He has an 80 fastball and a 60 slider. If he develops an average changeup and his fastball as a starter drops to a 60-65 pitch, we have a starter with two plus pitches and an average pitch. The upside there just seems too big.

 

Second, if he ends up being our 8th inning shut down guy and a closer in 3 years, that isn't a bad thing. Here is a quick list of recent 2nd round picks:

 

Eades, Melotakis, Chargois, Boer, Goodrum, Bullock, Ladendorf, Rams, Benson, Kelly, Slowey, Thompson, Swarzak, Baker, Crain, Tyler, Bozied. That goes back 14 years. The only guy that will retire with more WAR than a good 8 inning set up guy is probably Baker. The verdict is out on Eades but I am not very high on him. Crain and Swarzak are probably on par with a good set up guy.

[panolo]

Burdi is too violent right now. He can't start and prolong with his current motion. Watch some videos he is all effort.

 

I like the pick if they allow him to fast track providing he does well.

[twinsfan34]

Good point, this pick was a combination of sign-ability and value. Give me Burdi over an Eades-esque pick any day of the week.

 

Yeah. Was stated on air Reid-Foley and Harrison had price tag concerns. Whether true or not, hard to tell, other than they both fell quite a ways.

 

I'm all on board for a Burdi over Eades type. And I guess if you have a potential top closer/setup guy who is lights out. Does provide value.

[InfraRen]

Totally happy with letting Burdi be Burdi. Exactly who he is is someone the Twins could use today, and will be very valuable to have an imposing flamethrower set-up guy that can take over for Perk in a handful of years.

 

Liked it last night, like it today.

[InfraRen]

Excerpt from Keith Law's article today on Day 1 winners/losers/best available:

 

Best available (based on their top 100 ranking)

 

29. Jake Bukauskas, RHP, Stone Bridge (Va.) HS

32. Bryce Montes de Oca, RHP, Lawrence (Kan.) HS

36. Zech Lemond, RHP, Rice

38. Jackson Reetz, C/OF, Hickman (Neb.) HS

47. Mac Marshall, RHP, Parkview (Ga.) HS

48. Dylan Cease, RHP, Milton (Ga.) HS

59. Brett Graves, RHP, Missouri

61. Jeren Kendall, OF, Holmen (Wis.) HS

62. Bobby Bradley, 3B, Harrison Central HS (Gulfport, Miss.)

 

Bukauskus, Montes de Oca and Kendall are probably all unsignable/massive over-slot guys at this point, although I expect all three will get calls tonight from teams looking to see if $1.5-2 million is enough to buy them out of their college commitment.

 

Lemond came back from missing time with a sore elbow that resulted directly from misuse at Rice, and teams are afraid to take a Rice pitcher to begin with. But Lemond has shown he's healthy and represents great value at this point. Cease has an elbow injury but opted for platelet-rich plasma treatment rather than surgery, and could still be signable for a team willing to take on the risk that he'll need Tommy John surgery down the road. Graves' stock wasn't helped by playing for a miserable team that missed the SEC tournament, but I think he'll go in the third round as one of the few good college starters left on the board.

[Thrylos]

Re: Burdi. I bet that he would be more effective than Burton in the Twins' pen today. That said he really has to be fast tracked for the Twins to get value. I hope for Fort Myers but would take Cedar Rapids this season. He would gain nothing pitching against kids who now making the transition from metal to wood.

[oldguy10]

Someone please explain the buying out of MLB draftees from their college commitments, that is a concept I do not understand. Is that really required by the colleges if an athlete signs a letter of intent to accept an athletic scholarship? I'd like more info on this subject.

[kab21]

Someone please explain the buying out of MLB draftees from their college commitments, that is a concept I do not understand. Is that really required by the colleges if an athlete signs a letter of intent to accept an athletic scholarship? I'd like more info on this subject.

 

They are not buying them out of their college commitment. they are basically giving them a scholarship to that college to use if/when baseball doesn't work out so that education can't be used as a deciding factor.

[Willihammer]

I thought this was interesting:

http://blogs.twincities.com/twins/2014/06/05/twinsights-twins-draft-louisville-closer-nick-burdi-in-round-2/

Burdi said he was told the Twins had one other player on their second-round draft board rated ahead of him. Once that player went, they were ready to pull his card for the second time in four drafts.