Current Preference List (3/22/2012)

[RZNJ]

Watched some video of Wacha from his last start. I like him better than Gausman and from the sounds of it, he might be right in there, or just behind Appel and Zimmer. I'd like a position player but I can't find anyone I'm crazy about with the stick. I really like Dahl but it seems as though people think he's an overdraft at #4.

[Scrat1]

So is Harvard-Westlake the best baseball high school in the country or what?

[oriolekid]

So is Harvard-Westlake the best baseball high school in the country or what?

This year most definitely.
It still will never beat Goose Creek High School that had Matt Wieters and Justin Smoak on the same team.

[RZNJ]

I think I'm pretty confident in knocking Deven Marrero off or my preference list. I didn't see the numbers heading into this season. I know he hit for average for team USA but his sophomore season wasn't anything to write home about and he's even worse this year, currently hitting .265 with little power. He's considered premium defensively but even there I see he had 8 errors for team USA and has 6 so far this season. The errors probably mean little but I can't see spending a top pick on a player whose bat is so much in question.

[allstar1579]

I think I'm pretty confident in knocking Deven Marrero off or my preference list. I didn't see the numbers heading into this season. I know he hit for average for team USA but his sophomore season wasn't anything to write home about and he's even worse this year, currently hitting .265 with little power. He's considered premium defensively but even there I see he had 8 errors for team USA and has 6 so far this season. The errors probably mean little but I can't see spending a top pick on a player whose bat is so much in question.

That will definitely be what knocks him down. I guess for comparison's sake it's like the Colon situation a year or two ago, great fielder who should have just a bit of pop in the bat. Depends on how much you think the bat will develop. I REALLY liked him out of HS though, I absolutely would have thrown overslot money at him then.

[Stotle]

That will definitely be what knocks him down. I guess for comparison's sake it's like the Colon situation a year or two ago, great fielder who should have just a bit of pop in the bat. Depends on how much you think the bat will develop. I REALLY liked him out of HS though, I absolutely would have thrown overslot money at him then.

I think Marrero and Colon are probably opposites, as far as player type. One was primarily a bat that was steady enough in the field to potentially stay at SS (but stretched a bit there w/range and arm). One has his value tied primarily to his glove/arm but is limited to his hit tool offensively, which is at times a question.

I think, a month in, its a little early to throw guys out -- especially guys who have had success with wood. But there will likely be much better fits for Baltimore, considering the other players in the mix.

[allstar1579]

I think Marrero and Colon are probably opposites, as far as player type. One was primarily a bat that was steady enough in the field to potentially stay at SS (but stretched a bit there w/range and arm). One has his value tied primarily to his glove/arm but is limited to his hit tool offensively, which is at times a question.

I think, a month in, its a little early to throw guys out -- especially guys who have had success with wood. But there will likely be much better fits for Baltimore, considering the other players in the mix.

Didn't mean a comp player wise, I just meant a comp as far as a middle infielder that could go top 5 as a LITTLE bit of a safety/cheaper pick.

Do agree though I think he's working his way down in the top 10 because other players are stepping up and he's really not.

[Stotle]

Okay, so the Hangout gets a sneak preview this time around. The full article will post on Camden Depot tomorrow, but here is this week's updated pref list (next week and from here on out will post on Wednesdays):

Current Preference List (April 6, 2012)
1. Mark Appel, rhp, Stanford Univ.
2. Byron Buxton, of, Appling County HS (Baxley, Ga.)
3. Kevin Gausman, rhp, Louisiana St. Univ.
4. Mike Zunino, c, Univ. of Florida
5. Kyle Zimmer, rhp, Univ. of San Francisco
6. Albert Almora, of, Mater Acad. (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.)
7. Lucas Giolito, rhp, Harvard-Westlake HS (Studio City, Calif.)
8. Gavin Cecchini, ss, Barbe HS (Lake Charles, La.)
9. Deven Marrero, ss, Arizona St. Univ.
10. Max Fried, lhp, Harvard-Westlake HS (Studio City, Calif.)
11. Carlos Correa, ss, Puerto Rico Baseball Acad. (Gurabo, P.R.)
12. Stryker Trahan, c, Acadiana HS (Lafayette, La.)
13. Zach Eflin, rhp, Hagerty HS (Chuluota, Fla.)
14. David Dahl, of, Oak Mountain HS (Birmingham, Ala.)
15. Walker Weickel, rhp/1b, Olympia HS (Fla.)

Dropped out: Matt Smoral, lhp, Solon HS (Solon, Ohio) -- surgery on foot, likely out for season

Lots of notes in this new article, including the dropping of Smoral and addition of Eflin (video of Eflin, too). Will post a link when it's up.

[allstar1579]

Okay, so the Hangout gets a sneak preview this time around. The full article will post on Camden Depot tomorrow, but here is this week's updated pref list (next week and from here on out will post on Wednesdays):

Current Preference List (April 6, 2012)
1. Mark Appel, rhp, Stanford Univ.
2. Byron Buxton, of, Appling County HS (Baxley, Ga.)
3. Kevin Gausman, rhp, Louisiana St. Univ.
4. Mike Zunino, c, Univ. of Florida
5. Kyle Zimmer, rhp, Univ. of San Francisco
6. Albert Almora, of, Mater Acad. (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.)
7. Lucas Giolito, rhp, Harvard-Westlake HS (Studio City, Calif.)
8. Gavin Cecchini, ss, Barbe HS (Lake Charles, La.)
9. Deven Marrero, ss, Arizona St. Univ.
10. Max Fried, lhp, Harvard-Westlake HS (Studio City, Calif.)
11. Carlos Correa, ss, Puerto Rico Baseball Acad. (Gurabo, P.R.)
12. Stryker Trahan, c, Acadiana HS (Lafayette, La.)
13. Zach Eflin, rhp, Hagerty HS (Chuluota, Fla.)
14. David Dahl, of, Oak Mountain HS (Birmingham, Ala.)
15. Walker Weickel, rhp/1b, Olympia HS (Fla.)

Dropped out: Matt Smoral, lhp, Solon HS (Solon, Ohio) -- surgery on foot, likely out for season

Lots of notes in this new article, including the dropping of Smoral and addition of Eflin (video of Eflin, too). Will post a link when it's up.

I like it. Saw some good stuff out of Gausman this weekend, I was impressed.

Have you heard anything on Giolito? I Haven't heard anything new this week, but last I heard he was ahead of schedule and looked on track to throw in May. News is kinda far between on him though.

[Stotle]

I like it. Saw some good stuff out of Gausman this weekend, I was impressed.

Have you heard anything on Giolito? I Haven't heard anything new this week, but last I heard he was ahead of schedule and looked on track to throw in May. News is kinda far between on him though.

Nothing new on Giolito -- though I'm not really incentivized to go out of my way for regular updates. We'll know in May what's going on, so we are generally in a holding pattern on that front. Gausman was very good. Got to talk to Coach Bertman about KG between innings and came away even more impressed.

[allstar1579]

Nothing new on Giolito -- though I'm not really incentivized to go out of my way for regular updates. We'll know in May what's going on, so we are generally in a holding pattern on that front. Gausman was very good. Got to talk to Coach Bertman about KG between innings and came away even more impressed.

I think I might have just caught an update at the right time, I wasn't really looking for anything and had it offered up. Was just curious if you had heard it too. Might have just been idle hype though. Trying to stay hopeful I guess.

Good to hear on Gausman, I wasn't as high on him before but this was really the first time I spent looking at him. The velo surprised me a little bit, was expecting lower.

[Stotle]

I think I might have just caught an update at the right time, I wasn't really looking for anything and had it offered up. Was just curious if you had heard it too. Might have just been idle hype though. Trying to stay hopeful I guess.

Good to hear on Gausman, I wasn't as high on him before but this was really the first time I spent looking at him. The velo surprised me a little bit, was expecting lower.

The velo is good -- was good in HS as well, but lacked consistency. I agree, impressive how late he's holding it htis year (hit 95 after 120 pitches for me last Friday). Where he has grown the most these last18 months has been 1) consistency in motion, and 2) quality of secondaries. There isn't much separating him and Appel in my book. Zimmer a step behind.

EDIT -- and I didn't mean anything as to you gettin Giolito updates. He's just not on my MLB team's radar until we see what happens come May, and at that point we're likely relying on previous looks. So, my time just doesn't happen to go to that particular player if I have other players to chase down.

[McNulty]

I'm a big Zimmer fan, FWIW.

[Stotle]

I'm a big Zimmer fan, FWIW.

Certainly a lot to like about him.

[Stotle]

Here's the link to today's preference list update, with details on Cecchini, Trahan, Gausman and Smoral.

Will also be hosting an impromptu Draft/Prospect/O's chat @2:30 for ESPN Sweetspot, if anyone's looking to have another window open in addition to the game thread here.