Gabrielle O. Alvarez-Tillman - Contributing Reporter.
Draft season is just around the corner. This is the time of year that will make or break a season for teams like Tacoma, Mexico City, Dover, New York, and Montreal. As they continue a rebuild, a blown pick could set them back another season or two. Let's hope they don't "a pull a Mini" and are able to secure their picks this season.
Here's some things we know, or at least assume we know based on knowledge of previous seasons and habits.
- Anaheim - likely to take highest projected HS player they were able to scout & strong chance they won't sign anybody after the 5th round.
- Atlanta - given the early IFA signing this one becomes a little tougher to project, our guess is this team goes black and white. Either signs all their draft picks in hope they land something nice, or doesn't sign much hoping to land a somewhat cheap IFA later in the season.
- Augusta - will draft their fair share of college frat boys to line their minor leagues. With 3 picks in the Top 65, they are hoping for some depth in this year's draft.
- Austin - a mixed bag of HS and College players with one player drafted somewhere in 6-10 that doesn't get signed.
- Boston - players drafted by Boston need to be aware that just because you are drafted doesn't mean you get signed. Our guess is it will be a College heavy draft for CollegeBoy33.
- Buffalo - Similar to the B team brother, it should be well known they will draft nothing but college kids. Buffalo hasn't touched a high schooler since the league was 19 years old. I swear mister officer, the league said it was Season 21!
- Charleston - Hard to tell with the change in ownership.
- Chicago - An early focus on High Schoolers and good chance they sign majority of their picks.
- Colorado Springs - Chicago, but your guess is as good as mine if they sign. Some seasons yes, some seasons no.
- Columbus - We think recent focus has shifted to College kids, which makes sense given the payroll and focus on winning now.
- Dover - Will be focused on the long term plan with High Schoolers being the initial target.
- Hartford - Only expect them to sign no more than 40% of their draft picks with a focus on HS.
- Helena - Should be a college heavy draft unless they divert back to HS, but your guess is as good as mine on how many they will sign.
- Houston - Will sign their top 3 picks and maybe a couple more, but that is all. And likely only college players at that.
- Huntington - Won't even look at anybody after the 10th round. Might not even sign anyone outside of the top 100 picks.
- Jacksonville - Hard to tell with the change in ownership.
- Mexico City - With owners before him not signing anything, he'll sign every piece he can but they will likely all be college kids.
- Milwaukee - Leans college but will mix in a few High School kids. Likely to sign the majority of picks as well.
- Minnesota - High school heavy draft, but likely has quite a few that are drafted and go off to college instead of playing in Minny.
- Montreal - High school heavy front end of draft but shifts to college kids for the back end of the draft. It's a crap shoot on how many prospects they sign. Might depend on what they are saving for those international stars.
- New Orleans - One year he signs everybody but their top pick, the next they sign nobody and filling their minors with older tired prospects.
- New York - Will likely take the opposite strategy they've taken in IFA, and not hand out too many contracts and likely to draft 85% high school players.
- Oklahoma City - Another club that is focused on High Schoolers, and should sign the majority of them. Positive vibes to this club.
- Philadelphia - Mixed bag, but this year's Rookie club appears pretty full; we'll see if last year's crop gets waived or if they save money and don't sign this year's draft prospects. Most players don't last more than a year in the club.
- Pittsburgh - Should likely be college focused but who knows with this club after trading with corner stone Rip Bromberg! The Yinzer faithful...if you can call anyone from Pittsburg faithful, are upset with ownership.
- Salem - favors college players but isn't afraid to grab a high schooler. If you are drafted after round 10, and your signability goes WAY down with staeben.
- Salt Lake City - should sign majority of their draftees and appears to be in the mood for a high schooler...errr, that didn't come out right but perhaps they shift back to more seasons prospects.
- Santa Fe - No High Schoolers allowed club! If you get drafted, there's a 99% chance you get signed.
- Tacoma - The wildcard, could go HS or College. Could sign their entire drafted prospect list, sign five of them, or sign none of them.
- Tokyo - Will go all high schoolers, and likely to sign the majority of its drafted prospects.
- Vancouver - Struggles to find players or even people interested in Canada, much less Vancouver.
- Washington DC - Still new to the league, we'll see how he rights the ship in the nation's capital.