Article: Twins Select Royce Lewis First Overall

[KirbyDome89]

 

IMO you never, ever, ever "draft for need" in the first round of the MLB draft. It's not the NFL or NBA. Nobody knows what their "need" will be in 3-5 years with enough certainty to do that. You take the best player on your board, based on your projections of his talent.

 

I would have preferred Greene, but I see no reason not to give the FO the benefit of the doubt at this point. 

Agree 100% on the first paragraph.

 

Yeah, we should probably wait to see who they take with the supplemental picks and hear some rationale for the moves made. 

[caninatl04]

 

Boras doesn't have much leverage. He's getting much more than he would at a lower pick....and you'll never go higher than #1. What are this kid's chances of going #1 again in the future? Probably not great.

Boras wants his cash too. He'll do what he can't to prevent this kid from going to college and collecting nothing.

But, I wouldn't be overly disappointed to if he doesn't sign, and the Twins keep their pick next year. This kid won't be around for 5-6 years anyway. What's one year?

I didn't mean "to sign versus not to sign" but by how much Boras will sign for under slot so that the Twins can go over slot at 35 and 37.  That's the idea of picking Lewis, isn't it?

[drivlikejehu]

Lewis could wind up at SS, 2B, 3B, CF, or LF. The idea that his selection means anything for Gordon or any other player is just completely wrong.

[T_J]

It's like people forget how starved The Twins were at short not even that long ago. Most teams are though. They have three pretty good ones now with this kid as a fourth. Good, all around, SS are hard to find. These are assets that can be traded. It's far from the end of the world. 

[adorduan]

 

IMO you never, ever, ever "draft for need" in the first round of the MLB draft. It's not the NFL or NBA. Nobody knows what their "need" will be in 3-5 years with enough certainty to do that. You take the best player on your board, based on your projections of his talent.

 

I would have preferred Greene, but I see no reason not to give the FO the benefit of the doubt at this point. It's their first draft. 

 

I also don't think this FO is so averse to dealing with Boras, and vice versa. If I were Boras, I'd be looking for an opportunity to establish a positive relationship with Falvine. Just broadens the realistic potential markets for all of his clients going forward.

Well, the one certainty with the Twins is that they ALWAYS "need" pitching....

[Cooz]

 

The Twins have big plans for 35 and 37. Sent LEN3's tweet to one in the draft room and he text back.

 

"Boom. Just wait."

 

They've got something lined up and I have some pretty high hopes. 

 

Baz is my first choice. DL Hall and Carlson are 2A and 2B. I'd love Jennings, Rogers, and others as well.

 

Let's not judge the Lewis pick til all the dust settles.

 

I understand it's feasible for them to essentially save some cash to pick up on a player who falls to a certain point, but the logic behind this position essentially says "No. 1 overall isn't worth it to us, but we've got a great plan for a few players who were passed on 34 times, including once by us, so stick around!" 

If the "BOOM" part of that hip quip is they'll draft a BETTER prospect than Lewis at 35, I'm really confused as to what there is to be proud of. 

[Gunnz]

McKay and Weight have ceiling of a 5 and 4, respectively and high school pitchers do not project well. High ceiling pick with with greater probability of being an impact player. Might be a Matt Bush, but best athlete at premium position with at least 1m in savings is the move I was hoping 4.

[108Stitches]

This must make Gordon, Javier, and Palacios feel very appreciated lol

[Darius]

Well, there goes the Baz at 35 because of $$$ steam.

[Cooz]

Ah. Well, there goes Baz. 

[twinsfanstreif]

I'm soooooo happy about this! I really wanted to avoid Wright and McKay as I feel like they will both just be ok players but not stars, while Gore, Lewis, and Greene have much higher ceilings. I personally wanted Gore more but Lewis was not far behind. I'm not as concerned about his bat as much as I've seen reported, his swing is a little long but so was a prospect named Aaron Judge. I think he has big time potential as a long term SS. If we can get a deal here too and end up with Carlson at #35 this could be a really great pick

[RaoulDuke]

There was a quote in the draft thread about the scouts like Lewis and the analytics guys liking Mckay.  The scouts, who are largely old regime guys, seem to have won and taken a guy right in their wheelhouse.  This worries me some because the recent history is not favorable to them. 

 

I like Lewis as the pick a lot more than Mckay as a pitcher, but would personally have preferred Gore/ Wright/ Green.  Hopefully Lewis turns into a stud, there isn't much more valuable than a stud SS/CF. 

[Gunnz]

Bc drafting for need is always the best strategy I guess

[Han Joelo]

This thread...wow. Archive it. I like the theory behind the pick. Pitchers of all ages are such a crapshoot. I am no scout, so can't comment specifically, but I like that they took the best position prospect.

[jrod23]

It's like the Twins don't realize that the Twins have a 21 year old SS Nick Gordon (our top prospect I might add) hitting .311 at AA. Add in Palacios as his viable running mate in the middle infield and with a dire need for starting pitching in the coming years, we instead draft a player at a position we don't need who is likely 4-5 years out??

 

I agree. I know you shouldn't draft around need here especially with the first overall pick. They must've sniffed something out they didn't like in Gordon and Palacios to go and get another SS. I just want to get this kid on the first flight to Nashville, then private puddle jumper to Elizabethton where he can battle another highly touted SS in Wander Javier for the starting spot.

[Darius]

There was a quote in the draft thread about the scouts like Lewis and the analytics guys liking Mckay. The scouts, who are largely old regime guys, seem to have won and taken a guy right in their wheelhouse. This worries me some because the recent history is not favorable to them.

 

I like Lewis as the pick a lot more than Mckay as a pitcher, but would personally have preferred Gore/ Wright/ Green. Hopefully Lewis turns into a stud, there isn't much more valuable than a stud SS/CF.

Apparently, they wanted McKay, but the feeling wasn't mutual.

[Darius]

I agree. I know you shouldn't draft around need here especially with the first overall pick. They must've sniffed something out they didn't like in Gordon and Palacios to go and get another SS. I just want to get this kid on the first flight to Nashville, then private puddle jumper to Elizabethton where he can battle another highly touted SS in Wander Javier for the starting spot.

I don't think this is the case at all (not liking Gordon, etc).

 

Many think this kid won't stick at SS. On top of that, who knows at this point if Gordon, etc stick at short. It's a different animal in the MLB vs A/AA.

 

Also, not much more valuable than a SS prospect, if he does. Can never have too many.

[Oldgoat_MN]

Royce Lewis is highly regarded. I will certainly be pulling for him.

My issue is that we have a core of 23 and 24 year old players I was hoping we would get some support for. I understand that Flavine are planning for the future, but I had hoped that they might use some of the players they inherited. 

Perhaps they have a 2024 World Series plan.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Royce Clayton... Royce Ring... hopefully Royce Lewis will break the mediocre mold!

[Cooz]

 

I am not bummed out by the selection of Lewis. I too wanted a pitcher for a long time. But, if the Twins do get two high performance high school pitchers at 35 and 38 then it could be a stellar draft for the Twins. They could also nab a College starter in round 3.

Someone's going to have to explain this to me. Why is justification in taking a certain player No. 1 overall made by the selections of two other players at 35 and 37? The Twins didn't get those two picks because of who they took first overall. 

"It's ok if the top pick wasn't so good because we know the rest of baseball -- including us -- totally snoozed on the guys we got at 35 and 37!" How does that make sense? 

[h2oface]

Falvey apparently just doesn't like to use the number one pick for the number one pick. Not in rule 5, and not here. How many times do you get that pick? Hopefully never, because you are winning. But when you do............ still livid in SoCal.

 

The Reds didn't miss it. They know a 1-1 when they see it.

Edited June 13, 2017 by h2oface

[bird]

At least it's an interesting night.

[drivlikejehu]

 

Falvey apparently just doesn't like to use the number one pick for the number one pick. Not in rule 5, and not here. How many times to you get that pick? Hopefully never, because you are winning. But when you do............ still livid in SoCal.

 

The Reds didn't miss it. They know a 1-1 when they see it.

 

Yes, as proven by the Reds amazing draft record this decade, or this century for that matter.

[jimmer]

 

Yes, as proven by the Reds amazing draft record this decade, or this century for that matter.

how many times have they had 1:1 pick lately?

[drivlikejehu]

 

how many times have they had 1:1 pick lately?

 

Oh, so they can't draft successfully at all, but they have an instinct for that 1st overall pick. Gotcha.

[Cooz]

 

how many times have they had 1:1 pick lately?

Haven't they drafted No. 2 two years in a row now?

[jimmer]

 

Oh, so they can't draft successfully at all, but they have an instinct for that 1st overall pick. Gotcha.

I think fans in glass houses...

[jimmer]

 

Haven't they drafted No. 2 two years in a row now?

yes, and their one last year is doing very well.

[drivlikejehu]

 

I think fans in glass houses...

 

It is what it is, neither the Twins nor the Reds have a track record of drafting success. Their pick of Greene is meaningless from the standpoint of whether the Twins should have.

[h2oface]

OK. Whatever. The Reds suck at picking, too, if you like. Still livid. They didn't pass on Greene when they had the opportunity, though.