2016 MLB Draft Talk

[Tim]

Jim Bowden
Jim Bowden‏ @JimBowden_ESPN

Winners of this draft so far: Cardinals, White Sox, Reds, Nationals, Phillies, Padres, Red Sox, Yankees, Marlins...

If Bowden likes it, I'm worried.

Kinda feel the same

[MrCrowesGarden]

He likes a third of the teams...

[MrCrowesGarden]

RHP Connor Jones from Virginia. MLB.com #21 prospect

[cardsfantx]

If you go by baseball America, Perez was ranked #5, Conor jones was #10, and Hudson was #21.

Our first pick wasn't till #23. Crazy

[lukethedrifter]

are kids watching this draft?

[phins]

What a night for the Redbirds.

I've posted here any times about how much I seem to disagree with Future Redbirds, and I'm going to do it again. Delvin Perez and Oscar Mercado are not similar prospects. Perez is much more athletic than Mercado and has much quicker bat speed. Bat speed gives you a chance. If you're cheating for fastballs you will always be behind at the plate. Watch Perez at the plate and see his lightning quick wrists.

Mercado was such an elite defensive player because he has exceptional hands. Perez is elite defensively because he has exceptional range and quick twitch movements. Both have great arms, with a slight edge to Mercado.

Mercado at the plate though looks like he's swatting flies. There was always zero potential for power with him. Perez has the long levers and bat speed to not have the bat knocked out of his hands at the plate.

Here is Mercado at the plate (skip to about a minute):

Here is Perez at the plate:

They're just not the same type of prospects. Perez has a lot of frame that he can put weight on, whereas Mercado matured fairly early and stopped developing (and even regressed with the bat).

They're also different from a makeup perspective. Whereas Mercado was on the big stage early and often, Perez has really not been exposed to the circuit the way Mercado was and he needs a mentor to take him under their wing and help him mature.

Perez doesn't turn 18 until November, so is extremely young for this class. You can check back on like page 3 and see this was the guy I was hoping they would go for. Thrilled with how this night turned out. I like the switch hitter, Carlson. That kid can rake and will sign for under slot.

Hudson and Jones will both be around slot or slightly over, but both are fast moving, #3 starter, college types. I wouldn't have been thrilled at 23, but at 70 Connor Jones is a great pick. If you want players who match our ground ball philosophy, wait until you see Jones. Heavy, heavy sink on his fastball and big time cajones.

Dakota Hudson was a guy I never would've expected that late. I see a possible reliever, as he has heavy mechanics that can cause fatigue over a full season, but he has the talent to be a MOTR guy at the big league level.

Happy, happy Cards fan tonight. Great job, Randy.

[phins]

Anyone help with the YouTube links above? For some reason they tend to give me trouble.

[phins]

They'll work to shorten that swing for Perez and get him to trust his natural athleticism. He's not my typical, patient, on-base machine type, but he's an elite defender to makeup for it in the field.

[MrCrowesGarden]

Glad to see we agree. This wasn't the kind of season I'm sure Jones wanted, Ks were way down, but there's no problem at all picking him at 70.

[lukethedrifter]

What a night for the Redbirds.

I've posted here any times about how much I seem to disagree with Future Redbirds, and I'm going to do it again. Delvin Perez and Oscar Mercado are not similar prospects. Perez is much more athletic than Mercado and has much quicker bat speed. Bat speed gives you a chance. If you're cheating for fastballs you will always be behind at the plate. Watch Perez at the plate and see his lightning quick wrists.

Mercado was such an elite defensive player because he has exceptional hands. Perez is elite defensively because he has exceptional range and quick twitch movements. Both have great arms, with a slight edge to Mercado.

Mercado at the plate though looks like he's swatting flies. There was always zero potential for power with him. Perez has the long levers and bat speed to not have the bat knocked out of his hands at the plate.

Here is Mercado at the plate (skip to about a minute):

Here is Perez at the plate:

They're just not the same type of prospects. Perez has a lot of frame that he can put weight on, whereas Mercado matured fairly early and stopped developing (and even regressed with the bat).

They're also different from a makeup perspective. Whereas Mercado was on the big stage early and often, Perez has really not been exposed to the circuit the way Mercado was and he needs a mentor to take him under their wing and help him mature.

Perez doesn't turn 18 until November, so is extremely young for this class. You can check back on like page 3 and see this was the guy I was hoping they would go for. Thrilled with how this night turned out. I like the switch hitter, Carlson. That kid can rake and will sign for under slot.

Hudson and Jones will both be around slot or slightly over, but both are fast moving, #3 starter, college types. I wouldn't have been thrilled at 23, but at 70 Connor Jones is a great pick. If you want players who match our ground ball philosophy, wait until you see Jones. Heavy, heavy sink on his fastball and big time cajones.

Dakota Hudson was a guy I never would've expected that late. I see a possible reliever, as he has heavy mechanics that can cause fatigue over a full season, but he has the talent to be a MOTR guy at the big league level.

Happy, happy Cards fan tonight. Great job, Randy.