2015 MLB Draft Thread

[diehardtwinsfan]

Well, 2014 is in the books. The Bleacher Report has already posted a mock draft for 2015. It's a bit early for anything other than speculation. The draft seems pretty heavy in pitching and middle infielders, both of which are always in high demand. They mocked the Twins taking another HS SS.

 

Should note, I really want the Twins to take Skye Bolt... not for anything mentioned in the scouting report, but because of the name. I think RiverBrian could have some fun in game threads with that name.

[diehardtwinsfan]

More links to look at:

 

http://www.mlbprospectguide.com/p/2015-and-later-draft-prospects.html

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/t/2015-draft/

[ashbury]

An outfield with Zack Granite and Skye Bolt could be fun.

[pierre75275]

You kidding right? 2015 draft already? I didnt think our team was that bad

[nicksaviking]

I never click on Bleacher Report propaganda because I hate slideshows but I couldn't help myself. This was not a slideshow. Is that new? Did those click hungry hacks finally do away with those?

[Paul Pleiss]

I also try to avoid Bleacher Report, but they've been hiring some people who are good at WRITING, and are using all those clicks to generate money and better content. They're becoming a force. Hopefully they don't choose the dark side.

[maxisagod]

You kidding right? 2015 draft already? I didnt think our team was that bad

 

I think last year someone started a 2014 thread the day before the 2013 draft, so this is an improvement.

There was a lot of talk about how the 2014 draft was week on college hitter because teams spent a lot 3 years before on high schoolers. It will be interesting to see if hitters pop back next year. Looking at the GCL and the DSL Twins they have a lot of corner Infielders. Depending who they sign on the international markets, I expect them to go BPA for the top rounds again, Then heavy on pitching and outfielders, to help fill out the ranks.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

I also try to avoid Bleacher Report, but they've been hiring some people who are good at WRITING, and are using all those clicks to generate money and better content. They're becoming a force. Hopefully they don't choose the dark side.

 

You know what's fantastic about that Bleacher Report mock? It's almost a carbon copy of Perfect Game's Top 30 of their Top 200 rankings (that were done in December). The first 12 names in the draft are the same 12 (only in different order), then dude got lazy at 13 and just listed the next 17 guys in the same order that PG had them. To throw readers off the scent, the 30th pick was actually ranked #44.

 

I figured it was fishy when they failed to include Mike Matuella, a pitcher from Duke, who BA called an early favorite to go 1.1. Matuella was in the 60's of this list (that was done BEFORE the college season).

[Jeremy Nygaard]

I also try to avoid Bleacher Report, but they've been hiring some people who are good at WRITING, and are using all those clicks to generate money and better content. They're becoming a force. Hopefully they don't choose the dark side.

 

So what you meant Paul was good at COPYING.

[kab21]

Just as long as they don't go heavy on relief pitching...

 

It will be interesting to see if the Twins end up closer to the middle of the draft next season. A lot of things change at that point. I really liked Shipley, Touki and Holmes the last 2 years but it was too early to pick them at 4/5. Taking them at #13 would have been great. Newcomb was another guy that dropped.

 

I also would have no problems if they picked another SS. Several of these guys aren't total locks to stick at SS and no team ever said we have too many MI'ers and nobody will trade for them.

[maxisagod]

... Mike Matuella, a pitcher from Duke, who BA called an early favorite to go 1.1. ...

 

I do love a guy who can throw a good 12-6 curve and a slider, his fastball has good cut and speed, but he needs to work on that change up, he throws it too hard for it to be a useful pitch.

[oldguy10]

Which website has the best analysis of the Twins 2014 draft? Outside of Twins Daily of course.

[nicksaviking]

Which website has the best analysis of the Twins 2014 draft? Outside of Twins Daily of course.

 

http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/6/6/5786338/mlb-draft-grades-2014-first-round

 

It's terrific.

[cmb0252]

Mayo's top players for 2015:

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/never-too-early-to-look-ahead-to-15-first-year-player-draft?ymd=20140607&content_id=78756580&vkey=news_mlb

[cmb0252]

Which website has the best analysis of the Twins 2014 draft? Outside of Twins Daily of course.

 

Sickles and Crawford are both working on draft write ups. Not sure why the Twins ones will be up but hopefully in the next week or two.

[diehardtwinsfan]

You kidding right? 2015 draft already? I didnt think our team was that bad

 

I said something similar in the 2014 thread, and was told, that this is the minor league forum... never too early to talk draft

[gunnarthor]

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/08/phil-bickford-considering-independent-ball-eyeing-2015-draft.html

 

Phil Bickford was drafted tenth overall in the 2013 draft as a young HS pitcher.  He turned down 2m and went to Cal State Fullerton where he was really good.  Now it sounds like he's leaving Cal State to play in independent ball which would make him eligible for next years draft.  This is good news for the Twins as Bickford will likely join Brady Aiken and Jacob Nix (both drafted but not signed by Houston) in next years draft.  Nix probably won't be a top 10 guy in that draft but Aiken and Bickford certainly are and gives the draft some more depth and high upside pitching talent.

[Paul Pleiss]

Bickford could definitely be a guy in the Twins sights in the 7-10 range. Power arms, power arms, power arms.

[gunnarthor]

So the season's over and we know the draft order now.  Twins will pick 6th.  Houston will pick 2nd (for failing to sign Brady Aiken) and 5th.  They finished with the same record as the Twins but, because they were worse last year, get to pick above us this year.  Top 6 picks are

Arizona

Houston
Rockies

Rangers

Houston

Twins

 

Twins also have a comp pick after the second round.

 

6th might not be a bad place to pick.  Brady Aiken will be back in the draft and he won't be picked by Houston so he could end up at 6.  While a year out, this is supposed to be a pretty solid draft esp for prep bats, something the Twins tend to target anyway.

[CharacterGroove]

What's the latest on Aiken? Has it been confirmed that he won't be enrolling at UCLA?

 

Wasn't there also a rumor that the Astros would be given some exemption to sign him anyway? That have any legs?

[cmb0252]

Kiley McDaniel released his way too early draft rankings a few weeks ago. It is a good read for any draft junkie.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2015-mlb-draft-top-51/

[Mike Sixel]

I don't think the Astros will be allowed to sign him, but you never know.

 

It would be insane to enroll, and have to wait 3 more years (or 2) to make millions. Insane, imo.

[Mike Sixel]

This was almost depressing:

 

This draft class is shallow at the top. The top 3 players are a tier and then the players right behind them would usually be around 10th in most classes. There’s still plenty of time for new players to emerge or known players to get better, but at this point things are a little light.

[Mike Sixel]

8 of his top 11 are pitchers! That's either really good, or really bad, for this team....

[drjim]

I don't think the Astros will be allowed to sign him, but you never know.

 

It would be insane to enroll, and have to wait 3 more years (or 2) to make millions. Insane, imo.

 

A player needs to give permission for a team to draft him again. I suspect Aiken will not grant Houston that right (or that Houston would even be interested).

[Mike Sixel]

A player needs to give permission for a team to draft him again. I suspect Aiken will not grant Houston that right (or that Houston would even be interested).

 

I was responding to the query about being allowed to sign him this year.....because there has been talk about that. I agree, he won't consent to being drafted by them again.

[drjim]

I was responding to the query about being allowed to sign him this year.....because there has been talk about that. I agree, he won't consent to being drafted by them again.

 

My mistake. I don't think Houston still signing Aiken is an issue, I thought the grievance was in regards to the other two players caught up in the mess.

[nicksaviking]

My pick put in stone: Kyle Funkhouser. Mark It Down.  The name is awesome plus the Twins love their Kentuky players lately.  Nick Burdi, Logan Darnell, Taylor Rogers, Will Hurt, Lance Ray, Ben Revere.  They even traded for Alex Meyer!

 

Put it down in stone, I will not change my mind.

 

Until next March at the very earliest.

 

Last year I said Michael Cederoth would shoot up the draft boards and the Twins should take him.  I got half of that equation right.

[kab21]

Some interesting arms in the drafts with several of them in college and not sounding like low upside guys.

[amjgt]

The annoying part about finishing with the 4th worst record, yet drafting 6th isn't even that we "dropped" 2 spots, it's that we lost 2 spots worth of draft pool money.

 

I understand the need for a tiebreaker (between MN and Houston), but in my opinion both teams should receive equal draft pool money and getting a team slotted in ahead of your shouldn't cost you pool money either.

 

The drop from 4th to 6th costs us $1.1M in draft pool money (using the 2014 numbers), through no fault of our own. Only because a) Houston couldn't sign their pick and b.) Houston sucked worse than we did in 2013.