Sunday, October 24, 2010

Season 10 Draft Review (Cont.)

The Captain Morgan Category - Good by itself, but needs some help to be great

11. Austin Rock Stars

First round pick David Silva projects as a good hitter with a very good eye. Initially slotted as a CF, it is more likely that he ends up as a corner player. 18-year old Ralph Drew has control issues, but is otherwise a solid starter prospect.

Internationals: None

10. Hartford Huskies

Daniel Grove, the 12th pick, projects as a very good reliever with a fantastic fastball/slider combo. At 18, Grove is raw, and has a lot of room for growth. Chili Xaio has the potential to be a back-end starter.

Internationals: None

9. Boston Massacre

25th pick Andre Wood has a decent ceiling, probably as a number 2 or 3. Wood projects with good control and velocity, and a nasty slurve. Third round pick Duffy Waters has the potential to be a ML catcher.

Internationals: None

8. Charleston Chew

Charleston comes away with maybe the steal of the draft, nabbing Chris Nye with the 9th pick. Nye has elite defensive potential, and projects with a ton of power for a premium position. He is also blazing fast and could be 100 steal guy if used correctly. The one downside is that he is raw, and will have to be developed properly to have any chance of being an elite player.

Internationals: None

The HPNOTIQ Category - Won't completely blow you away, but it's time to party with class

7. Syracuse Sycophants

With seven picks in the first two rounds, it would have been impossible not to get some talent, even in this draft. Julian Beltre projects as a decent hitter if he can stick at 2B or in CF, but will struggle if he has to play a corner spot. B.C. Fussell may have some moderate value as a reliever someday, but isn't great against either righties or lefties. Steven Robinson is similar to Beltre, but is less selective and doesn't have the plate patience. Jimmie Beltre, the first of two second round picks, projects with ML potential.

Internationals: None

6. New York Pride of the Yankees

As we've seen so far, this was not a good year for team with multiple, but late, first round picks. New York is no exception. Moose Gonzales is the best of the group, and projects as an up-the-middle defender. Whether his glove will be good enough to play SS is the only question. He may struggle at the plate because of a subpar eye, but he should be acceptable with his defense. Pedro Barrios may end up as a decent reliever, while Dante Iwamura may end up as NY's future CF. Stu Thomas is the best hitter of the group, but his ceiling isn't much above average.

Internationals: None

5. Tacoma Termites

Basically the same as the previous two teams on the list, Tacoma had a ton of picks in the first two rounds, and that is why they are listed here without any top-tier talent. Vladimir Rosario projects as to be a very good, well-rounded pitcher. Jonathan Lawton will see the Major Leagues some day as a reliever. Roy Phillips will have trouble making contact, but has good power. Davey Torres is the opposite. Juan Sanchez, one of the many decent catching prospects in this draft, projects as a ML catcher.

Internationals: Javier Vega should be a very solid corner OF, but lacks power.