Official 2014 Draft Day Thread, Day 1

[dgwills]

Seems like a solid pick. Passing on a guy like Jackson is the kind of thing you can really regret though. I would of been surprised to see them take a Boras client. Guessing that was the deciding factor.

[jokin]

I would have preferred Jackson but I am not disappointed with Gordon. This is a very good pick imo.

 

Yep, that was my take. But if Harold Reynolds can say with a straight face that not only was he raised right and is a high character kid, but that he projects even higher than his brother, Dee, I'd say this a very, very solid pick. Let's hope they get this deal done ASAP and get him on the field on opening day in the GCL.

[gunnarthor]

So where does he rank in our system?

 

Also, what are some comps?

4th or 5th - depending how you view Stewart.

[ScottyB]

Seems like a solid pick. Passing on a guy like Jackson is the kind of thing you can really regret though. I would of been surprised to see them take a Boras client. Guessing that was the deciding factor.

 

They did say one of the things they were looking at was signability

[notoriousgod71]

Yep, that was my take. But if Harold Reynolds can say with a straight face that not only was he raised right and is high character kid, but that he projects even higher than his brother, Dee, I'd say this a very, very solid pick. Let's hope they get this deal done ASAP and get him on the field on opening day in the GCL.

 

He projects even higher than a guy with a sub .700 ops in his supposed breakout season?

[Brock Beauchamp]

But if Harold Reynolds can say with a straight face

 

I'm sure Harold Reynolds often believes the things that come out of his mouth.

 

Reality, on the other hand, has quite a different take on it most of the time.

[Chance]

The second round pick will be a pitcher coming off of arm injury that was highly regarded before said injury. Who fits the bill?...

[Brock Beauchamp]

He projects even higher than a guy with a sub .700 ops in his supposed breakout season?

 

To be fair to Dee, he already has 35 stolen bases against 4 caught stealing on the year.

 

Holy crap.

[InfraRen]

Mike Berardino @MikeBerardino

Deron Johnson, #mntwins scouting director, used JJ Hardy and Stephen Drew as comps for Gordon

[Brandon]

I am curious as to how our top prospect list looks with Gordon. I wonder when we will see the update in the list.

[ashbury]

Seems like a solid pick. Passing on a guy like Jackson is the kind of thing you can really regret though. I would of been surprised to see them take a Boras client. Guessing that was the deciding factor.

 

Boras isn't a monster and he isn't delusional. However, if the Twins didn't like what they were hearing from him, they'd be ill-advised to think this agent wouldn't stick to his guns. That's information we may never have.

[ScottyB]

The second round pick will be a pitcher coming off of arm injury that was highly regarded before said injury. Who fits the bill?...

 

Lucas Giolito

[twinsfanstreif]

I've been openly down on Gordon because of the questionable bat, I've warmed up on him the more I've read and watched. In 2012 I was also down on Buxton early on because of the questionable bat and competition, the more I read up on him and watched tape I went fully on the Buxton bandwagon. Here's to hoping the same thing happens with Gordon! I'll be rooting for the next Jeter (only not as douchy and not on the evil empire).

[Brock Beauchamp]

Here is Cody's write-up on the selection, BTW. More info to come soon, as TD is reaching out to various sources for comment.

 

http://twinsdaily.com/content.php/3069-Twins-Select-Nick-Gordon-Fifth-Overall

[notoriousgod71]

Mike Berardino @MikeBerardino

Deron Johnson, #mntwins scouting director, used JJ Hardy and Stephen Drew as comps for Gordon

 

So we traded one of them and didn't sign the other despite a pressing need. Makes sense that we would take a similar player then.

[kab21]

The second round pick will be a pitcher coming off of arm injury that was highly regarded before said injury. Who fits the bill?...

 

This is unlikely given the setup of the draft. For example the Cubs have already saved big money and they make their 2nd pick before the Twins and will certainly take somebody that dropped.

[Brock Beauchamp]

So we traded one of them and didn't sign the other despite a pressing need. Makes sense that we would take a similar player then.

 

http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110705203442/glee/images/3/38/Orson-welles-clapping.gif

[B Richard]

This is unlikely given the setup of the draft. For example the Cubs have already saved big money and they make their 2nd pick before the Twins and will certainly take somebody that dropped.

 

True, but from what I've heard it'll be entirely possible to still nab an intriguing HS pitcher with our 2nd rounder.

[twinsfanstreif]

Mike Berardino @MikeBerardino

Deron Johnson, #mntwins scouting director, used JJ Hardy and Stephen Drew as comps for Gordon

 

He doesn't remind me of either, he has better fielding (potential) and speed than both and he will most likely have less power than both as well. I'll take Jimmy Rollins or Jeter as a better comp but I'm not a scout.

[70charger]

Interesting take on the Hoffman-money angle. Take him earlier, save more money due to the slotting system. Probably doesn't work if the Blue Jays don't have two top picks in quick succession, but something I didn't think about.

[dgwills]

Boras isn't a monster and he isn't delusional. However, if the Twins didn't like what they were hearing from him, they'd be ill-advised to think this agent wouldn't stick to his guns. That's information we may never have.

I agree. I do not ever remember Boras backing down. Who knows, maybe the cubs didn't like what they were hearing from him either. Not to mention that most of his clients hit free agency once they can. I will trust that the twins made the right decision. It will be nice to have a top shelf shortstop prospect to follow on Twinsdaily for the next few years!

[notoriousgod71]

Listening to Selig speak is one of life's greatest treasures.

[jokin]

He projects even higher than a guy with a sub .700 ops in his supposed breakout season?

 

And Dee is on his way to a 4.0 +WAR season. He's going to be an All Star. His .700 OPS is 30 points better than league average @2B- only no other 2nd Baseman is going to steal 100 bases this year.

 

If we can get an All Star SS out of Nick... when was the last time that happened again?

[twinsfanstreif]

Listening to Selig speak is one of life's greatest treasures.

 

I enjoyed listening to him say Michael Conforto from Or-eh-gone State

[jokin]

Boras isn't a monster and he isn't delusional. However, if the Twins didn't like what they were hearing from him, they'd be ill-advised to think this agent wouldn't stick to his guns. That's information we may never have.

 

They could have purposely failed to sign him and gotten the same pick back next year.

[Brock Beauchamp]

If we can get an All Star SS out of Nick... when was the last time that happened again?

 

Not that long ago. 1979.

 

edit: Aw, man. I missed the fact that Guzman was once an All-Star.

[Mike Sixel]

I LOLed.

 

 

As did I. Not even close to a pre-injury Kubel. And post injury?

[notoriousgod71]

And Dee is on his way to a 4.0 +WAR season. He's going to be an All Star. His .700 OPS is 30 points better than league average @2B- only no other 2nd Baseman is going to steal 100 bases this year.

 

If we can get an All Star SS out of Nick... when was the last time that happened again?

 

Sure if you think he's a 4 WAR player. I see a guy that couldn't stick at short (over Hanley of all shortstops, which Nick supposedly will do) and that can't hit. Of all the tools, speed is not as valuable as hitting or hitting for power.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Of all the tools, speed is not as valuable as hitting or hitting for power.

 

No, but it's really useful in a guy's early and mid-20s. After 6-7 years of control, you let it go.

 

Dee is a really valuable player right now. I don't know if he'll keep it up but he's on pace for 100 stolen bases. That's huge. No one has stolen 100 since Vince Coleman in 87. No one has stolen 90 since 88.

[Thrylos]

I think that the Twins have a comparable player already in their system: Engelb Vielma. I'd probably argue that Vielma's 3 good tools (the same with Gordon's) Defense, Arm, Speed are ahead of Gordon's, but he is 2 years older or so. Nobody had Vielma in the top 10 Twins' prospect lists this off-season, but I suspect that many will have Gordon, sight unseen.

 

Hope that he is the next Cal Ripken Jr, but totally disappointed by the pick...