Draft update

[Slizeezyc]

Will it come down to Deck Mcguire Vs Taillon. The 3.5 M safer lower ceiling pitcher or the 6 M HS electric stuff high ceiling pick. Personally a RH Paul Maholm does't do m uch for me.

What's wrong with a right handed Maholm? I prefer that to a Bullington, Bradley, Burnett, Van Benschoten...

Because at some point, we're going to need a legitimate ace.

You have to look at trends and so far not much points to them going Detroit Tigers for a high-school arm.

[BuccoFla]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=mlb_draft&id=4998138



Monday, March 15, 2010
Top small-school prospects

Five of the first 50 picks last June came from what we generally consider small colleges. Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Dallas Baptist and Sacramento State provided 10 percent of the players selected among those top 50, with two of them taken in round 1 -- Chad Jenkins to Toronto at No. 20 and CF Tim Wheeler went to Colorado with the round's final pick.

This year's class is no different, with a number of talents considered potential first-rounders -- and certain first-day considerations -- coming from schools not thought to be large or baseball-oriented programs from big-time conferences.

Middle Tennessee State's Bryce Brentz sits atop the list, but he's not alone, as we could be talking about 10 or more in the Top 100 picks.

"One thing is for sure," said one former GM. "We don't care where you play, if you can play. If you have what it takes, someone will find you. And it makes no difference to me if you come from a JC , USC or the University of Baseball. The letters on your hat don't help you play the game. Might help you get noticed, at first, but it doesn't make you a better player. The last dozen years or so, more and more talent is coming from these colleges, and it's a testament to the coaches there, and the players themselves for sticking with the game and improving so much between their senior year's (of high school) and their draft year."

While Brentz is a lock to be a first-round guy, barring something unforeseen, including wicked bonus demands, Florida Gulf Coast LHP Chris Sale could also knock on that door. Outfielders Michael Choice from Texas-Arlington and Jacksonville State's Todd Cunningham could sneak into the Top 30 or so as well, the way Wheeler did last year after a big spring at the plate.

Outside of Bryce Harper, this could be how the smaller-school crop shakes out in June.

1. Brentz, RF -- Middle Tennessee State
2. Chris Sale, LHP -- Florida Gulf Coast
3. Rob Brantly, C -- UC Riverside
4. Michael Choice, OF -- Texas-Arlington
5. Todd Cunningham, OF -- Jacksonville State
6. Martin Viramontes, RHP -- Loyola Marymount
7. Kolbrin Vitek, IF -- Ball State
8. Levon Washinton, OF -- Chipola JC (Fla.)

On the diamond

• Texas catcher Cameron Rupp, whom area scouts -- plural -- attest has above-average raw power, has yet to heat up as the winter comes to a close. He went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts Sunday versus a mediocre Iowa pitching staff, and went hitless in 15 at-bats in the four-game set, fanning four times and failing to reach base on his own. His last hit came in the eighth inning last week versus Texas State -- a single -- after going 0-for-3 with a strikeout versus 2011 prospect Carson Smith.

• Arkansas 3B Zach Cox, who was shredded by one scout I talked to Saturday night, went 2-for-4 with a double Sunday and is hitting .410/.500/.458 for the season. "He may simply be shortening things up a bit (with the swing) so he can make better contact," the scout said. "But he's not a middle infielder, he's not a guy whose job is going to be to just get on base. Like the approach in that regard, but he's a corner bat -- hit the ball with some authority, let it loose." Cox has just four extra-base hits in 15 games.

• We haven't talked much about Cal Bears 1B/OF Mark Canha, but he's a worthy name to remember for draft day, at least as far as late first or second-day talents are concerned. He's a right-handed hitter who can handle right field, and has been hitting since early last spring. He had two hits in four at-bats Sunday versus Rice, raising his line to .377/.452/.566 for the season.

• Another name for what may shape up to be a tremendous draft class next season is Cal catcher Chad Krist. He may have to get stronger to stay behind the plate -- he's just 5-10 and 190 pounds -- but he's mashing this season to the tune of a .462/.525/.942 stat line that includes eight doubles and five homers. He's drawn seven walks and struck out on eight occasions -- and has thrown out five of 14 runners trying to steal.

• Ohio State right-hander Alex Wimmers was back in form Sunday versus a good offensive lineup in Tennessee, striking out 10 over eight scoreless innings. He did walk five, but they represented his first five bases on balls of the year. "He might be the closest thing this class has to (Arizona State's Mike, class of 2009) Leake," said one scout.

• After seeing some BP and game video of Connecticut 3B Mike Olt last week, I was left unimpressed, and I even said the words out loud. Apparently Olt was listening, because since then he's gone 7-for-17 with a double and three homers. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Olt is hitting .362/.396/.681 for the season, but I still see a bit of a long swing and average bat speed.

• Christian Colon doubled and Gary Brown went 3-for-5 -- a home run away from the cycle -- as CSF beat UAB (that's Cal State Fullerton and Alabama-Birmingham) Sunday. Brown is hitting .460 and is showing legit gap power -- 12 extra-base hits -- but has only one walk in 63 at-bats.

• Alabama Shortstop Josh Rutledge had two hits and drew a walk Sunday, improving to .370/.410/.648 on the year. Rutledge may have just enough pop in his bat to play regularly as a pro, but if he shows better plate skills, primarily the ability to work counts and draw walks more consistently, he's got a chance to be a first-day selection.

• Cunningham garnered two more hits and two more walks Sunday, and he added his first two stolen bases of the season, too. He's hitting just .328 but has 11 walks and 12 extra-base hits. His patience and strike zone judgment give him a good chance and one scout quipped that "He's got good hands, and here's that phrase again -- a good idea at the plate. He's a corner guy probably stuck in left field, but he's average runner with some power."

• Vitek (isn't Kolbrin Vitek the coolest name in the class?) singled and doubled to raise his line to .418/.468/.716 on the season. The peripherals aren't great for Vitek, however, with six walks and 14 strikeouts, and we're trying to chase down a scout or two to get an opinion on Vitek as a defender (first thought: 3B, rather than 2B), because if he can play second, he's a keeper.

• Choice -- had three hits Sunday, and is hitting .358/.500/.736 with five homers and 17 walks. He's also struck out 14 times, but the power and on-base results more than make up for the semi-high number of whiffs.

• Auburn first baseman Hunter Morris hit home run No. 5 versus Arizona State Sunday, but while he's hitting .415 with a .708 slugging, he's drawn just one walk against 14 strikeouts. Also, his swing is quite long, and "I haven't seen good bat speed from him," added one scout.

• Chipley High School (Fla.) right-hander Karsten Whitson was at it again Friday night, fanning 14 in six frames of a 2-0 loss. Alabama commit Wes Murigan tossed a no-hitter against Whitson, who yielded two earned runs on two hits, but did not issue a walk.

[81omar]

   Draft is only 12 weeks from today

  Brentz has a game tomorrow,odd for a team to come in for just one game but they do. Anyone know when Ranaudo is coming back, he still has time to prove he isnt too big of a risk but its dwindling

  Just answered my own question with this story from less than an hour ago

http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/featured/87716242.html

[BuccoFla]

 Would he be the first to reach the big leagues from the 2009 draft?


ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports that a couple of scouts like what they're seeing in the Reds' pitching, and one of the reasons is Mike Leake.

Reds manager Dusty Baker is among those impressed with Leake, a 2009 first-round draft pick who struck out six in five scoreless innings Monday against Oakland. "That little due can pitch," Baker told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Baker hedged on whether Leake is in consideration for the role of fifth starter.

We asked Keith Law, who thinks a stretch in the minors is more likely:




Keith Law

Leake should make the jump

    "Leake's a kid that I think can make the jump to the big leagues by midway through the 2010 season. Based on his innings pitches last year, he shouldn't be a big concern until you get safely past the 150 IP point. You more worry about Dusty Baker letting him throw his arm into a million pieces. But the kid can pitch."

[BuccoFla]

What have the Giants been doing to their pitching prospects? Another one with lost velocity.







We mentioned last week that Madison Bumgarner may be pitching his way out of a spot in the Giants rotation.

The Giants want the 20-year-old left-hander to be their fifth starter, but Bumgarner had another rocky outing on Monday night, allowing three runs in three innings against Texas. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the competition has evolved into a three-horse race between Bumgarner, Kevin Pucetas and Todd Wellemeyer.

Wellemeyer, a seven-year veteran, is in camp as a non-roster invitee and could make $1.5 million if he makes the club. While Wellemyer would like to start, he also could be used as a long reliever.



Keith Law

What should the Giants do?

    "Send him down to the minors, to begin with. What the Giants really need to figure out, however, is how so much rest has done nothing to get his velocity back to where it was. I'd rather see him try to fix himself in the minors. It wasn't clear at all that he was ready for the big leagues anyway -- it's not like his command and secondary stuff were incredibly advanced. So working out the kinks and trying to regain his form in the minors is a smart choice

[BuccoFla]

http://twitter.com/BenBadler



"Hearing that if we have an international draft, it won't be just a Dominican Republic draft; will include other countries, too"

[izzman]

Will it come down to Deck Mcguire Vs Taillon. The 3.5 M safer lower ceiling pitcher or the 6 M HS electric stuff high ceiling pick. Personally a RH Paul Maholm does't do m uch for me.

What's wrong with a right handed Maholm? I prefer that to a Bullington, Bradley, Burnett, Van Benschoten...

Because at some point, we're going to need a legitimate ace.

You have to look at trends and so far not much points to them going Detroit Tigers for a high-school arm.

Well there are two question (1) is who do you think the Pirates would go after and (2) which of the two would you rather have?

[81omar]

   Brentz went 2-3 with a HR and 3 walks today,4 runs scored. Hes now up to 382/476/750 and leads the team in runs,homers,walks and K's

[thegreatchris]

   Brentz went 2-3 with a HR and 3 walks today,4 runs scored. Hes now up to 382/476/750 and leads the team in runs,homers,walks and K's

This is good. I'd really like for Brentz to go nuts at the plate and then I can feel a lot more confident with the pick. I just didn't want the Pirates to choose between an injured Ranaudo and some solid yet unspectacular college bats. I'm still hoping that Taillon throws back-to-back-to-back no-hitters and inspires us to draft him, but Brentz may not be a bad consolation prize.

[BuccoFla]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=mlb_draft&id=5002542




Wednesday, March 17, 2010
After Harper, preps rule draft boards

The results of a mini-poll, equally distributed among a handful of talent evaluators who have already seen players on each coast, suggests that prep players may dominate the first round this year, if we assume that signability issues are not a concern.

Aside from Bryce Harper, none of the top college talents have separated themselves, as we talked about here. And of the seven club representatives I spoke to about the top half of the first round, most of the names thrown out were high school players.

"I guess it just depends on your philosophies," said one assistant scouting director. "If you're into taking the risky high school player in search of that stud superstar, that's the direction you head. But if you want some probability, you specifically set out to avoid that. That's the only way most good organizations separate the talents. It's talent first, risk second, regardless of position. But some (scouting directors) value high school power arms, like Detroit, while others look to make sure they get something (out of their high picks)."

Here's how the votes tallied up when these seven evaluators were asked which five players are most likely to end up as Top 10 picks, not including Harper.

(1) Jameson Taillon, RHP, The Woodlands HS (Texas): "He could go No. 1, said one scout. "If (Washington) passes on Bryce, Taillon is probably the pick."

(2) A.J. Cole, RHP, Oviedo HS (Fla.): "He's right there with the Zach Wheelers and Jake Turners from last year, I think. Definite Top-10 guy," said an AL club's scouting director.

(3) Karsten Whitson, RHP, Chipley HS (Fla.): "He's been nasty early, and I'm impressed by the control and the poise," opined one assistant SD. "Top 10? I'd say so. Maybe Top 5."

(4) Manny Machado, SS, Brito HS (Fla.): "This is a kid who might end up the best player in the draft," said one assistant general manager, who recently made a trip with his club's scouting director to see Machado. "He's got tremendous physical skills."

(5) Austin Wilson, OF, Harvard-Westlake HS (Calif.): "Austin might be the best athlete in the class," said an NL assistant SD. "I prefer Machado positionally, but I haven't a seen a better athlete yet."

So after Harper, because they all voted Harper first, it went to five prep players in a row. The other three players to get Top 5 votes were LSU right-hander Anthony Ranaduo, Maranatha HS (Calif.) right-hander Dylan Covey and Miami Hurricanes catcher Yasmani Grandal.

If the June draft ends up like these talent evaluators suggest it may, we could be looking at a ton of high-probability college players, mainly the bats, such as Middle Tennessee State's Bryce Brentz, Arkansas's Zach Cox, Virginia Tech's Austin Wates, giving clubs great value later in Round 1 and even into the supplemental round.

On the diamond

• Wates, who played right field Monday, went 4-for-4 with five runs scored, two doubles and his first homer of the season. He also went 2-for-4 Tuesday and is up to .466/.627/.724 with 10 extra-base hits and a 9-7 BB/K ratio in 15 games. As of right now, it would seem Wates is firmly in the Top 30 or so, and probably better.

• I was asked about Virginia's Dan Grovatt Sunday morning and didn't have a lot of answers. I haven't seen him, and Keith and I haven't talked about him, but he started the year off the grid as far as Top 50 talents are concerned. Grovatt, however, has been the best hitter for the Cavaliers -- much better early-season numbers than Jarret Parker -- with a line of .452/.513/.694 to go with 10 walks and just five strikeouts. But I did catch up with one scout Tuesday who had seen Grovatt as a sophomore. "He's not the athlete that Parker is," he said, "which is why you don't hear as much about him. The swing is long with a lot of effort, but he can hit. He'll have to get a metric ton out of his hitting, though, because he's a right fielder or first baseman only and probably isn't going to have much defensive value." Coincidentally, Grovatt went 3-for-3 with a double Tuesday evening.

• Our poster boy over the weekend, Clemson outfielder Kyle Parker, homered and walked three times Tuesday, improving to .400/.535/.800 with seven home runs and a 15-9 BB/K ratio in 15 games. Parker is among the hottest hitters in the country right now and will face Virginia and Virginia Tech in six of his next nine games -- better competition, more to talk about.

• Brentz homered and walked three times in Tuesday's sad excuse for a pitcher's duel -- an 18-17 MTSU win over Lipscomb. Brentz is hitting .382/.476/.750 with seven homers and a 13-17 BB/K ratio in 16 games. It's tough to get too excited about Brentz's numbers, however, with the level of competition being subpar. And he won't get the chance to face good pitching, despite a chance he sees a legit arm April 13 or April 21 versus Vanderbilt or May 12 versus Tennessee. But he's not likely to see Sonny Gray, Jack Armstrong or Bryan Morgado, because those three matchups are mid-week.

• West Virginia infielder Jedd Gyorko went 3-for-8 with a home run, his fifth of the year, and is hitting .375/.453/.719 with 12 extra-base hits and a 10-5 BB/K ratio. Gyorko, however, won't face top competition during the regular season, so we'll have to rely more on the scout's eye to determine his draft stock.

[BuccoFla]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/31375



Dave (B'more)


hey jim, big fan here. lets say that harper goes first in the draft in june. what are the chances that the pirates pass on taillon and the orioles take him?


Jim Callis
  (2:06 PM)


Bear in mind that I haven't spoken to teams about what they want to do in the 2010 draft. But I will say this: the Pirates didn't want to take a high school arm at the top of last year's draft, so I think it's quite possible they could pass on Taillon.


bang nguyen (ottawa)


If you had first selection in the June draft, would you draft Harper at all cost? Which players would be competing for the 1 honor?



Jim Callis
  (2:29 PM)


If all cost means handing Boras and the Harpers a blank check, no. That said, Harper is the No. 1 prospect in the draft right now. Texas HS RHP Jameson Taillon would be No. 2. I don't think there's another serious contender right now. LSU RHP Anthony Ranaudo has been hurt and none of the other college pitchers grabs me as a No. 1 pick.



Peter (Pittsburgh)


Do you feel the consensus in the scouting community is that people were a bit suprised by how well McCutchen played last year... and that some expect a regression?



Jim Callis
  (2:35 PM)


No, not really. Everyone always thought McCutchen was very talented. Maybe there's a little surprise that he broke in so easily, but he has the tools.



Kyle (OH)


Can Machado stay at SS in the pros? If so, is he a possibility for a SS-starved Orioles organization or is that too much of a reach?



Jim Callis
  (2:42 PM)


He can stay at shortstop and yes, he could go that high in the draft.


JC (Brooklyn)


Jim, Here's my 24 question/comment/rant of the week...I love the show but what kills me is for 8 "days" now there's always someone in the govt that questions Jack's skills/abilities, does that ever bother you? Oh and will Jarek Cunningham ever be any decent kind of MLer?



Jim Callis
  (2:43 PM)


Yes . . . how can anyone doubt Jack? And after he's been on TV (congressional hearings) and some details of some of his exploits certainly must have leaked out, how he is not generally recognized. Anyway . . . I like Cunningham if he can ever stay healthy. All his tools are solid or better, but repeated knee problems have held him back.


JAYPERS (IL)


Lightning round -- better hitter in five years' time: Longoria or Alvarez?



Jim Callis
  (2:44 PM)


Longoria.

[BuccoFla]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=arangure_jorge_jr&id=5003459



Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Three who'll define Cuban FA market

Unless he fails a physical or there's an issue in his visa process, Cuban defector shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria will likely finalize his four-year, $10 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays sometime in the next week or so. While most scouts agree that Hechavarria is athletically gifted -- a whiz with the glove -- almost all scouts also agree that he his offense is suspect.

Yet the $10 million given to Hechavarria would have made him the second-highest paid player in last year's amateur draft, trailing only highly-regarded Stephen Strasburg, who netted just $5 million more than Hechavarria and is considered much more of a sure thing.

In the past eight months, the Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals have spent a combined $25 million on Hechavarria, shortstop Jose Iglesias and pitcher Noel Arguelles, respectively. That would have been an almost unheard of amount to evaluators a year ago. Several Latin American scouting directors then predicted that Iglesias and Arguelles would likely only net $1-$2 million a piece on the open market.

Clearly the stakes have been raised, and it appears that Hechavarria, Iglesias and Arguelles -- more than any other previous defectors, and even more so than a unique talent like Aroldis Chapman -- will dictate the future of the Cuban market with their play. If those three players succeed, then it's likely teams will begin specifically targeting and handsomely rewarding teenage Cuban prospects, while ignoring older players. Almost certainly, players in Cuba have already noted that it's preferable to defect earlier rather than later.

Should the three fail to meet expectations, then the Cuban market is likely to hit a lull again as it did prior to Dayan Viciedo's $10 million contract with the Chicago White Sox two years ago.

Remember, it was just three years ago that Alexei Ramirez "only" received a four-year, $4.75 million contract from the White Sox, despite being an established National Series player and a member of Cuba's 2006 World Baseball Classic team.

"It's not like Hechavarria is some Dominican kid with little or no game experience, or even a kid from the U.S. who only played 50-75 games of high school or college ball," wrote one Cuban baseball expert in an email. "Hechavarria has played hundreds and hundreds of games at all levels of Cuban baseball and has never shown power or even been close to a league-average hitter, but now scouts are saying he's Soriano and 'should hit 20 HR.' I hope the scouts are right, but 'investing' $10 million almost entirely on the basis of subjective optimism seems like a strange way of doing business, especially in baseball's so-called post-Moneyball era."

There's a certain arrogance -- not necessarily misguided, but arrogance nonetheless -- in teams that believe they can develop these players better than their Cuban counterparts who thought so little of the three players that none of them had been tabbed to be part of Cuba's National "A" team in the near future. It was not even certain that either Hechavarria nor Iglesias would eventually succeed Eduardo Paret as the "A" team starting shortstop.

The Blue Jays, Red Sox and Royals are hoping that with better facilities, more in-depth instruction and better diets, the players can live up to the potential they exhibited in workouts. Already, Iglesias has drawn rave reviews for his time in Boston's spring training camp. In just 11 spring training at bats, Iglesias even homered, something he did not do in 450 at-bats for Habana in his final season in Cuba. So perhaps there is reason for optimism.

A common argument in the players' defense is that all three participated in the National Series -- which many experts equate to Class AAA -- at such a young age that it's not surprising they struggled. Wouldn't most American prospects struggle if they were thrust in Class AAA as teenagers, particularly at age 16, which was Iglesias' age when he made his debut for Habana? In that sense, a player's development may be stunted by facing such difficult competition at such a young age.

At least now major league teams can send these players to the minors and hope they can develop while playing against peers their own age. The future of the Cuban market may depend on it.

[The Moose]

You are doing yeoman's wiork with this thread, BuccoFla. Keep up the good job.

[BuccoFla]

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?name=mlb_draft&id=5005305


Thursday, March 18, 2010
Talent becoming secondary to money

Before I get to the roundup from Wednesday that includes a struggling Top 5 candidate and a red-hot ACC outfielder, I thought I'd share what one scouting director said of the general draft strategy of clubs the past several years and how it may be changing.

The SD, sitting in the stands at the Peoria Sports Complex watching the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners in a Cactus League game, was animated in his thought that clubs are so good at identifying the best talents, that it's become about two things: "Money, and fit."

"I don't mean there are clubs out there drafting purely for positional need, " he said. "But there's no doubt that clubs look at the risks with all the dollars in mind and make an adjustment to their draft boards accordingly.

"It's really to the point now, and it's been this way for a little while, where the battle isn't in the scouting so much. It's in the money available and where the organization is with certain types of talents. I'm pretty sure Pittsburgh takes someone other than (Boston College catcher) Tony Sanchez last year if they already had a franchise catcher in their program."

Interesting, because clubs constantly insist they only draft the best players available, and anyone who has followed the draft for any number of years understands that it's not really the case. But it's new for us to hear a scouting director admit it.

"It's not going to change anytime soon, either. Years ago the money wasn't as much of a problem, but the last several years, as agents have gotten into it more and more, it's just what the draft is."

On the diamond

• The Woodlands High School (Texas) RHP Jameson Taillon struggled Wednesday, giving up six earned runs on seven hits in four-plus innings. He did strike out seven but continues to have problems with command.

• Maranatha High School (Calif.) right-hander Dylan Covey followed up a 12-strikeout performance last week by striking out all four batters he faced Tuesday in a relief appearance. One concern about Covey I have heard over the past few weeks is centered on his delivery. "It's a drop-and-drive situation," said one area scout. "It's not real big, but it's there."

• Cam Bedrosian of East Coweta High School (Ga.) went six innings Tuesday, allowing two runs on two hits and five walks, but did strike out 10. Bedrosian is generally considered a first-day talent.

• LSU's Leon Landry went 2-for-3 with his second homer and eighth stolen base Wednesday, and word out of Baton Rouge is that right-hander Anthony Ranaudo, who will not pitch this weekend, is 50-50 to go next weekend at Tennessee. Ranaudo reportedly felt 100 percent after his most recent throwing session. Landry's line is up to .411/.470/.679 with eight extra-base hits, eight steals and a 6-4 BB/K ratio.

• I guess we're going to talk about Clemson's Kyle Parker every day, because he hasn't stopped hitting yet. Three more hits Wednesday, including a double and his eighth home run, will keep him on our radar, as scouts check in to see if he's for real or if he's simply beating up bad pitching. Parker is up to .424/.547/.864 with 10 extra-base hits and a 15-9 BB/K ratio in 16 games.

• Miami catcher Yasmani Grandal went 1-for-3 with two walks Wednesday and threw out the only would-be base stealer. He's only homered once, but scouts insist there is at least medium power in his swing, and he has drawn 17 walks already.

• Alabama SS Josh Rutledge went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk versus Minnesota, pushing his batting average over .400 for the season. His nine extra-base hits and three walks in his last 34 plate appearances are much more respectable than the pace he started the season with and the pace with which he ended last year.

• Boston College 1B Mickey Wiswall hit his fourth home run despite a slow start to his season, hitting just .265 for the year. Wiswall is considered a potential first-day selection, but if he's a first baseman rather than a defender at the hot corner, the bat's going to have to heat up pretty quickly.

• Virginia Tech's Austin Wates had two more hits and two steals Wednesday and is hitting .468/.619/.710 with strong peripherals. The Hokies head to Clemson this weekend, a test for both Wates and the Tigers' Parker.

[BuccoFla]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/31354/mlb-insider-keith-law


John (TB)


Hey Keith, who are some of the HS bonus babies, which have top 10 talents, but will fall to the bottom of the first round, due to bonus demands?



Klaw
  (2:49 PM)


I don't think we know enough about bonus demands yet to identify those kids, with the exception of Nick Castellanos, who (according to a very good source) is going to ask for $6-7 million. Whether that's really his number or just a bluff, I don't know, but speaking as someone who's been high on him for a while, I wouldn't give him that much.



Josh (Long Beach)


We hear a ton about Austin Wilson's athleticism and potential as a power/speed guy, but very little about his actual hitting skills. He's obviously not as advanced as Josh Sale, but how good is his hit tool right now in comparison to toolsy HS OF's of the last few years like Aaron Hicks and Heyward?
Klaw
  (2:50 PM)


There's no Heyward in this draft, and Wilson isn't as toolsy as Hicks but is more advanced right now as a hitter. You've named two of the top three HS bats in this draft right now, along with SS Manny Machado, who might be first off the board because of his position.