Article: 2019 MLB Draft Day 1 Thread

[twins_89]

The first round is going incredibly slow. I left for a while after the Twins pick and decided to check back in at the 3 hour 20 minute mark thinking the Twins #39 pick should be coming up (or already done), but they are still in the regular first round.

[ChrisKnutson]

If drafting Cavaco in the 1st round (instead of Stott) means we’re getting Malone in the 2nd, I’m all in.

Edited June 4, 2019 by ChrisKnutson

[CSchmid10]

Was hoping the Twins could get Michael Busch with their 2nd pick.  Watched him play for the St. Cloud Rox and the kid can hit!!

[Roaddog]

So Allan is still available. Cubs took Jensen instead amid signability issues

[gunnarthor]

 

If drafting Cavaco in the 1st round (instead of Stott) means we’re getting Malone in the 2nd, I’m all in.

Nope, Dbacks just took Malone. They are having a great draft.

[2wins87]

 

Nope, Dbacks just took Malone. They are having a great draft.

 

They have a lot of money to use

[gunnarthor]

Charles Johnson! Man, that brings back memories. 

[Bob Sacamento]

 

Nope, Dbacks just took Malone. They are having a great draft.

I thought the same exact thing!!  I'm a big fan of Carroll and Malone but I've seen them in person at the WWBA.  

[Badmanbuxton]

Wallner it is... I would’ve preferred Lugo but I trust Sean Johnson’s scout more than my own.

[sftwinsfan]

This is the range where Falvey and Levine seem to like to reach, doubt anyone saw Landon Leach and Ryan Jeffers coming.  Anyone know where Leach is nowdays?  Hope he's not heading for a 3rd season of short-season ball.  

[Crackedfungo]

Not sure that the draft is going the way the Twins (and us) hoped it would.  A couple of the high school P's we were hoping would be around are vanishing - unless they are looking at Barco or Leiter's kid, or they are going to break the bank with Allan, or roll dice on Wolf

[sftwinsfan]

Makes me a little nervous when they start out with wow

 

[AlwaysinModeration]

So Allan is still available. Cubs took Jensen instead amid signability issues

Assume Allan won’t sign?

[operation mindcrime]

Hometown boy!!!!!!!!

[John Kelsey]

Wallner is a cool story, I dont mind it. 

[Crackedfungo]

A homer pick.  Disappointing....he is good, but I think we needed a pitcher

[gunnarthor]

Seems early to pick Wallner but I predicted we'd take him so ...

[operation mindcrime]

Maybe he'll take a hometown discount!!!!!

[Roaddog]

I'm ok with it. Big time power.

[operation mindcrime]

Congrats to Matt Wallner!!!!!! Go Twins!!!!!!!!

[Dman]

Kind of disappointed was looking for some pitching there to balance things out.  Wallner great power and arm not much else for tools.  Hope there is some money savings there.   Would rather they go after guys with better hit tools.  Looks like they are going high risk high reward this year.

[Soft Tosser]

Wallner's also a talented pitcher, is he not?

[d-mac]

Woof. We'll see how round three goes. So far not liking the strategy here. Reaches at both picks so far.

[Bob Sacamento]

What Baseball America has to say about Matt Wallner:

 

 

 

Wallner is going to be one of the toughest evaluations in this year’s draft class, simply because scouts are convinced they aren’t seeing him at his best. Wallner was one of the best freshmen in the country in 2017, hitting 17 home runs while also impressing on the mound as a talented two-way player. He was less effective as a pitcher during his sophomore season, and then prior to this spring Southern Mississippi announced Wallner would miss some time due to a forearm strain. He was limited to DH duty early on and returned to right field a few weeks into the season, but he never returned to the mound. Even when he returned to the outfield, some scouts said they didn’t see nearly the same plus arm strength he’d shown in the past, and early in the season he seemed to struggle to get full extension in his follow-through at the plate. Before this spring’s forearm injury, there were some teams who liked Wallner more on the mound—he’s been up to 95 mph with his fastball in the past. But Wallner has told evaluators that he prefers hitting, and he hasn’t seen significant time on the mound for a year now. As a hitter, Wallner fits the profile of a right fielder with his plus arm, average speed and plus power potential. His swing generates plenty of loft, but also draws concerns about whether he’ll be an average hitter. Wallner has shown steady improvement as the season has worn on, although questions revolving around his forearm injury cloud his draft status.

Edited June 4, 2019 by Bob Sacamento

[gunnarthor]

fangraphs guys liked Wallner:

"Wallner hit for power all three years of college, even while pitching part time as a freshman and sophomore. He has some of the most explosive raw thump in the entire class, and will hit balls 10 rows into the bleachers even when he doesn't get fully extended. He has some moderate swing-and-miss issues characteristic of hitters who have power-driven approaches, but he's also willing to take a walk. His is a traditional right field profile, and he's in the mix with late first, early second round college power bats."

[Old Twins Cap]

 

Woof. We'll see how round three goes. So far not liking the strategy here. Reaches at both picks so far.

 

A person's reach should exceed their grasp, and so should a baseball team.

 

Shoot for the stars.

[Bob Sacamento]

If the Twins two top picks reach their power potential, you're talking 30 homers each

[d-mac]

Wallner struck out 17-18% in a 3rd tier college conference. Ooof. For comparison, Rooker had a marginally higher K rate in the top college conference, and hit for more power his junior season.

[gunnarthor]

 

If the Twins two top picks reach their power potential, you're talking 30 homers each

Well, let's see if Rece Hinds can get to them at 54 ...

[sftwinsfan]

Maybe Wallner and Rooker can combine for 400k's for the 2021 Red Wings team.