MLB Draft (June 4-6)

[seawolf17]

Word from Rubin is that Nimmo starts in Brooklyn.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy DC wrote: Cecchini signed. $2.3 million.

$2.55 mil was the recommended price for that slot - so that gives the team an extra quarter-mil to throw around some place else if there are any tough signs in later rounds.

[Ceetar]

I think it's interesting that last year's first pick Nimmo is only 10 professional games ahead of Cecchini.

[nymr83]

seawolf17 wrote: Word from Rubin is that Nimmo starts in Brooklyn.

Yay! For the one or two cyclones games I make it to anyway.

I'm really bad at this stuff, is this an "accurate" breakdown?
You can add "plus career minor leaguers as necessary to fill positions" to each of these:
AAA Buffalo- hasbeens, major league depth, occasional prospects
AA Binghamton- prospects almost ready for majors, perhaps after several years at st lucie/savannah
A St Lucie - prospects make it here only after showing something at savannah, this is where automatic promotions stop and nobody ever really gets assigned here out of the draft
A Savannah - prspects advanced here from brooklyn/kinsport almost automatically, rarely college draftees go straight here
Short season Brooklyn - most college draftees and some really good HS kids plus last year's Kingsport standouts
Rookie Kingsport - starting point for most high school and some college draftees
Dominican team(s) - foreign rookies who aren't highly thought of enough for Kinsport/Brooklyn

[Benjamin Grimm]

I may be wrong, but it seems like Savannah is a detour. The real prospects go from Brooklyn to St. Lucie. Those that go to Savannah are (mostly) the ones who are less likely to make the big leagues.

I know that Wilmer Flores was in Savannah, but he may be an exception.

Does anyone else see it this way? Or am I off-base?

[Frayed Knot]

That (nmyr's categories) is pretty accurate in a general sense although there are always the exceptions.
More advanced college draftees (high round juniors or seniors from top programs) for instance sometimes start at levels higher than Low-A (Savannah level).
Dominican (and other Caribbean) players usually start in the DSL teams because they tend to be younger than even HS picks, but that same track exposes them to much more baseball and coaching at a younger age which in turn tends to make them advance quicker and so you might see some ahead of their American same-age counterparts as they move up the chain.

[Frayed Knot]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I may be wrong, but it seems like Savannah is a detour. The real prospects go from Brooklyn to St. Lucie. Those that go to Savannah are (mostly) the ones who are less likely to make the big leagues.

No, not so much.
Savannah is the lowest full-season league so most of the guys except for higher-level college picks will go through that level at some point.
Brooklyn is often the first stop for some of the "name" picks because it's a short-season league and therefore tailor made for newly signed picks. And, at least some people believe, that because it's a Wilpon-owned team that they tend to stack it with guys who maybe should be a bit higher up so as to increase the success (and therefore attendance and what not) of the stadium in Coney Island.

[Frayed Knot]

Insta-analysis is always problematic with drafts - particularly so in baseball, but here's John Sickels' take on the Mets' top guys this year.

First-rounder Gavin Cecchini (SS, Louisiana HS) has already signed for a below-slot bonus. His glove is sound but opinion about his bat is mixed.
Supplemental choice Kevin Plawecki (C, Purdue) is a solid hitter with good plate discipline, some power, and fine defense behind the plate. I like him.
Second-round pick Matt Reynolds (3B, Arkansas) has an impressive glove and a chance to hit enough to play regularly.
Second-round choice Teddy Stankiewicz (RHP, Texas HS) has a good fastball, already throws strikes, and is projectable. He could be a bargain.
Third-round pick Matt Koch (RHP, Louisville) throws hard but was surprisingly hittable in college.
The middle round picks were a mixed lot, then they switched to pitching after the 10th round.
The development of preps Cecchini and Stankiewicz is the key here

[Edgy MD]

Savannah has historically gotten a lot of young Latin American vets. 19-23-year-olds that were signed at 16 or 17. This is less so now, but had been more so back in Omartimes.

Obviously the younger ones are still potential big leaguers, and the older ones are the guys hired to play with potential big leaguers.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I realize that Savannah hasn't been in the Mets organization for all that long, but so far only eight Sand Gnats have become Mets, and only one of them, Josh Thole, has been a key player for the big league club.

Sand Gnats who became Mets

The picture may look different in a few years, but this at least is why I have the impression that Savannah is more of a detour than part of the typical path to the big leagues.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Add "Capital City Bombers" to the list, as I recall it was the previous affiliate in the same league.

[Edgy MD]

And briefly the Hagerstown Suns also.

[list:1132pqil][*:1132pqil]Nick Evans[/*:m:1132pqil]
[*:1132pqil]Carlos Gomez[/*:m:1132pqil]
[*:1132pqil]Fernando Martinez[/*:m:1132pqil]
[*:1132pqil]Carlos Muniz[/*:m:1132pqil]
[*:1132pqil]Jon Niese[/*:m:1132pqil]
[*:1132pqil]Bobby Parnell[/*:m:1132pqil]
[*:1132pqil]Josh Stinson[/*:m:1132pqil][/list:u:1132pqil]

H-Town was only a Met affiliate for two years: 2005-2006.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Columbia Mets (Capital City Bombers): http://leaptoad.com/mets/oppteams.php?ThisTeam=58&tabno=B

Hagerstown: http://leaptoad.com/mets/oppteams.php?ThisTeam=57&tabno=B

[Frayed Knot]

BA:
The Mets have agreed to terms with supplemental first-rounder Kevin Plawecki on a $1.4 million bonus.
The offensive-minded catcher led Purdue to its first Big Ten Conference regular-season title in 103 years and first-ever conference tournament championship this spring.
He makes consistent line-drive contact, has some power potential and gets the job done defensively.

The assigned value for Plawecki's 35th overall pick is $1,467,400.

[Benjamin Grimm]

What is it about his mind that BA finds so offensive?

[Edgy MD]

Maybe I'm the last to notice this, but from rounds 10-24, the Mets drafted 14 pitchers in 15 picks.

1 Gavin Cecchini, ss (HS) SIGNED
1 Kevin Plawecki, c (Col) SIGNED
2 Matt Reynolds, 3b (Col) SIGNED
2 Teddy Stankiewicz, p (HS)
3 Matt Koch, p (Col) SIGNED
4 Branden Kaupe, ss (HS) SIGNED
5 Brandon Welch, p (Col) SIGNED
6 Jayce Boyd, 1b (Col)
7 Corey Oswalt, p (HS) SIGNED
8 Tomas Nido, c (HS) SIGNED
9 Richie Rodriguez, 2b (Col) SIGNED
10 Paul Sewald, p (Col) SIGNED
11 Logan Taylor, p (Col)
12 Robert Whalen, p (HS) SIGNED
13 Matt Bowman, p (Col) SIGNED
14 Chris Flexen, p (HS)
15 Nicholas Grant, p (HS)
16 Myles Smith, p (Col)
17 Stefan Sabol, c (Col) SIGNED
18 Paul Paez, p (Col)
19 Tyler Vanderheiden, p (Col) SIGNED
20 Tim Peterson, p (Col) SIGNED
21 Gary Ward, p (Col)
22 Tejay Antone, p (HS)
23 Connor Baits, p (HS)
24 Andrew Massie, p (HS)
25 Leon Byrd, 2b (HS)
26 Chris Shaw, 1b (HSl)
27 Zach Arnold, c (HS)
28 Jacob Marks, p (HS)
29 Austin Barr, c (HS)
30 Dustin Cook, p (HS)
31 Vance Vizcaino, ss (HS)
32 Jon Leroux, 1b (Col)
33 Jared Price, p (HS)
34 Mikey White, ss (HS)
35 Brad Markey, p (Col)
36 Donovan Walton, ss (HS)
37 Benny Distefano, c (HS) (!!)
38 Jeff Reynolds, 3b (Col)
39 Patrick Ervin, 2b (HS)
40 David Gonzalez, p (HS)

[nymr83]

Corey Oswalt got about 400K out of the Mets where his "slot" was only about 150K, was this guy a higher round talent who slipped on signability issues?

[Ceetar]

Nymr83 wrote: Corey Oswalt got about 400K out of the Mets where his "slot" was only about 150K, was this guy a higher round talent who slipped on signability issues?

probably. From the way Kevin Goldstein was explaining it, there are a lot of those guys.

29 Austin Barr, c (HS) is another. It sounds like the Mets/other teams took a lot of these risky sign guys figuring they'd have to throw money at one or the other but wanted to draft a couple so they definitely get one. He was practically positive Barr goes to Stanford and if the Mets spent bonus money on Oswalt that probably means they won't have the extra Barr would need.

[Frayed Knot]

Guys get above-slot money for one of two reasons:
1) they're perceived to have more talent - or potential talent - than their slot would indicate yet were still available later in the draft
2) they have alternate plans to fall back on like a college scholarship and/or another sport (an invitation to the NASA rocket science program is also possible but less common) which simply gives them the leverage to ignore the club's offer and demand more cash

And frequently the answer is some combination of the two as the reason for condition #1 is usually found in #2
The one trend draft watchers noticed in this first year of the new rules was an increase in middle-round college seniors drafted as they generally have zero leverage and therefore can be snagged extra-cheap. A handful of those helps to off-set the occasional above-slot guy.

[Edgy MD]

Teddy Stankeiwicz has to get in the fold. When it comes to Jayce Boyd and Logan Taylor, well, I'm used to guys with two last names thinking their shit doesn't stink. Teddy has no excuses.

[Edgy MD]

Come on. You all gotta pick one of these dudes to write to and tell them to SIGN.

1 Gavin Cecchini, ss (HS) SIGNED
1 Kevin Plawecki, c (Col) SIGNED
2 Matt Reynolds, 3b (Col) SIGNED
2 Teddy Stankiewicz, p (HS)
3 Matt Koch, p (Col) SIGNED
4 Branden Kaupe, ss (HS) SIGNED
5 Brandon Welch, p (Col) SIGNED
6 Jayce Boyd, 1b (Col)
7 Corey Oswalt, p (HS) SIGNED
8 Tomas Nido, c (HS) SIGNED
9 Richie Rodriguez, 2b (Col) SIGNED
10 Paul Sewald, p (Col) SIGNED
11 Logan Taylor, p (Col)
12 Robert Whalen, p (HS) SIGNED
13 Matt Bowman, p (Col) SIGNED
14 Chris Flexen, p (HS)
15 Nicholas Grant, p (HS)
16 Myles Smith, p (Col)
17 Stefan Sabol, c (Col) SIGNED
18 Paul Paez, p (Col)
19 Tyler Vanderheiden, p (Col) SIGNED
20 Tim Peterson, p (Col) SIGNED
21 Gary Ward, p (Col)
22 Tejay Antone, p (HS)
23 Connor Baits, p (HS)
24 Andrew Massie, p (HS) =#FF8000]SIGNED
25 Leon Byrd, 2b (HS)
26 Chris Shaw, 1b (HSl)
27 Zach Arnold, c (HS)
28 Jacob Marks, p (HS)
29 Austin Barr, c (HS)
30 Dustin Cook, p (HS)
31 Vance Vizcaino, ss (HS)
32 Jon Leroux, 1b (Col) =#FF8000]SIGNED
33 Jared Price, p (HS)
34 Mikey White, ss (HS)
35 Brad Markey, p (Col)
36 Donovan Walton, ss (HS)
37 Benny Distefano, c (HS)
38 Jeff Reynolds, 3b (Col)
39 Patrick Ervin, 2b (HS)
40 David Gonzalez, p (HS)

[Edgy MD]

Hey, off day today! And you know who we signed? Nobody!

GUH!

Meanwhile, 19th round pick Taylor Vandeheiden turned out to be 56 years old.

[Edgy MD]

Reynolds reporting to Savannah. No other signings reported since, like, a week ago. Boo.

1 Gavin Cecchini, ss (HS) SIGNED
1 Kevin Plawecki, c (Col) SIGNED
2 Matt Reynolds, 3b (Col) SIGNED
2 Teddy Stankiewicz, p (HS)
3 Matt Koch, p (Col) SIGNED
4 Branden Kaupe, ss (HS) SIGNED
5 Brandon Welch, p (Col) SIGNED
6 Jayce Boyd, 1b (Col)
7 Corey Oswalt, p (HS) SIGNED
8 Tomas Nido, c (HS) SIGNED
9 Richie Rodriguez, 2b (Col) SIGNED
10 Paul Sewald, p (Col) SIGNED
11 Logan Taylor, p (Col)
12 Robert Whalen, p (HS) SIGNED
13 Matt Bowman, p (Col) SIGNED
14 Chris Flexen, p (HS)
15 Nicholas Grant, p (HS)
16 Myles Smith, p (Col)
17 Stefan Sabol, c (Col) SIGNED
18 Paul Paez, p (Col)
19 Tyler Vanderheiden, p (Col) SIGNED
20 Tim Peterson, p (Col) SIGNED
21 Gary Ward, p (Col)
22 Tejay Antone, p (HS)
23 Connor Baits, p (HS)
24 Andrew Massie, p (HS) SIGNED
25 Leon Byrd, 2b (HS)
26 Chris Shaw, 1b (HSl)
27 Zach Arnold, c (HS)
28 Jacob Marks, p (HS)
29 Austin Barr, c (HS)
30 Dustin Cook, p (HS)
31 Vance Vizcaino, ss (HS)
32 Jon Leroux, 1b (Col) SIGNED
33 Jared Price, p (HS)
34 Mikey White, ss (HS)
35 Brad Markey, p (Col)
36 Donovan Walton, ss (HS)
37 Benny Distefano, c (HS)
38 Jeff Reynolds, 3b (Col)
39 Patrick Ervin, 2b (HS)
40 David Gonzalez, p (HS)

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I saw where Flexen was in, apparently, he was a key get for us. Also Jayce "Party in the USA" Boyd is en route to Coney Island.

[Edgy MD]

Don't be goin' making wild unsubstantiated claims, boy. You got a source or two to back that up?

[Ceetar]

https://twitter.com/JBoyd016/status/216629085730906112

Well an 80 isn't a bad way to finish, time to load up and head home for a short break then Brooklyn here I come. Been a fun ride Tally.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Boyd on his FSU team's recent Stony Brook impersonation

Jayce Boyd ?@JBoyd016 Well an 80 isn't a bad way to finish, time to load up and head home for a short break then Brooklyn here I come. Been a fun ride Tally. Expand Reply Retweet Favorite

Lots of Tweeters on Flexen including, apparently, a spying neighbor:

Steve R. Waterhouse ?@SRWaterhouse Source: Chris Flexen just signed. Mets reps just left his house. @Mets @mlbdraft #Mets #Newark from Fremont, CA Reply Retweet Favorite

[soupcan]

Edgy DC wrote: You were asking about Round 13? Well, the Mets shocked the world that round by selecting... a righthanded pitcher! This one is one Matthew Bowman of Princeton. He's unlikely to be particularly related to Shawn Bowman who was born 4,000 miles away, but who knows, right? Chris Young helped with the scouting.

Ran into a friend over the weekend and was told that Matthew Bowman is his nephew. My friend - Bob Bowman - also happens to be the CEO of Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLB.com).

Bob told me that it looks like the kid might be playing in Brooklyn this season.

[Guest themetfairy]

soupcan wrote: Edgy DC wrote: You were asking about Round 13? Well, the Mets shocked the world that round by selecting... a righthanded pitcher! This one is one Matthew Bowman of Princeton. He's unlikely to be particularly related to Shawn Bowman who was born 4,000 miles away, but who knows, right? Chris Young helped with the scouting. Ran into a friend over the weekend and was told that Matthew Bowman is his nephew. My friend - Bob Bowman - also happens to be the CEO of Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLB.com). Bob told me that it looks like the kid might be playing in Brooklyn this season.

He looks like Lincecum.

Let's hope he can pitch like him (well, not this year's him....).

[Frayed Knot]

A few legacy players who were drafted earlier this month that I don't believe we noted (aside from LJ Mazzilli in other words):

- #580 overall (19th round) to Minnesota: Jonathan Murphy out of Jacksonville University; brother of Daniel. Already playing in the GCL

- #612 to Baltimore -- Ryan Ripken, son of Cal Jr. -- Drafted out of HS, probably won't sign

- #757 to the Yanx - Joe Table Jr.

- #911 to Seattle - Mike Yastrzemski, grandson of HoFer Carl

- #990 to the Cards - Eduardo Oquendo, son of Jose

- #1008 to the Nationals out of HS - Jake Jefferies, son of Gregg. Maybe he grew up swinging in the kiddie pool.

- #1046 by the Dodgers out of USC - Jordan Hershiser, son of Orel. Already playing with AZL team

- #1106 by the Dodgers out of HS - Jose Vizcaino, son of Jose