Baseball America: Midseason Top 50

[Stotle]

+ rep to RVA Bird for some very valuable insight!

I am no scout. However for the Orioles I believe it's a choice between Bradley or Dylan Bundy. The team is almost certainly going to take a pitching prospect unless ownership "Helps" make the choice. That said it needs to go for highest ceiling and that is one of these two! My preference is Bradley. I am already crossing my fingers hoping that Arizona takes Hultzen and it's no contest. I won't go so far as to put Hultzen down but from what I've read his velocity has only bumped up into the 90s this season. The young man has a lot riding on what radar guns read and really feel that the fastball is the most important pitch in the sport. Same argument on Bradly? He's velocity leaves more room for dip if he's playing to the gun. Furthermore he can have a little more time to figure out off speed pitches.

As for Dylan Bundy the fact that his brother is already in the Orioles system has nothing to do with it. He will take longer to develop than a college pitcher but apart from wishing he was an inch or two taller he's about as good a prep pitcher you will see.

Bundy's medicals will be a big deal for some orgs, as well.

[eb45]

So Hultzen's velo bump this year scares you but the fact that Bradley was at best mediocre before this year doesn't?

I'm hoping for Starling or Bundy, personally.

[Old Sneakers]

I've read that Jed Bradley is topping out 95-96. Whereas Hultzen is more 91-92. To me it's a better margin of error with Bradley. This isn't to say that velocity is the only consideration. Either a pitch is happening or not. Movement and Command of the strike zone aren't to be undervalued.

As for Bundy... ewww there is a whole lot to like! Not the least of which is his aggressiveness. He's a prep arm so he will take longer to develop and that is a turn off for some. Though he is working with four pitches and to my eyes that increases his value.

I cannot dispute what folks have stated in these threads here as I am no scout. I just want the team to get it right. I know that while I am in the minority liking Jed Bradley, Dylan Bundy or even Taylor Jungmann. Also I won't be disappointed if the team ends up with Danny Hultzen. Every source I can find screams this is a deep draft class. Especially geared toward pitching. As a fan I have to enjoy it for all it's worth.

I keep thinking if the team is loaded up with pitching talent it really will be in a position to pull off trades down the road for positional talent it needs. I know I prefer that approach to how well the team has fared with free agency in the past a la Mike Gonzales and Garret Atkins come to mind.

[RVAbird]

So Hultzen's velo bump this year scares you but the fact that Bradley was at best mediocre before this year doesn't?

I'm hoping for Starling or Bundy, personally.

Since there were not quotes attached to this I have no idea whom you're addressing, but I'll take a stab.

Hultzen's velo bump doesn't scare me at all. I think Hultzen and Bradley are near identical in terms of overall future performance. I just think that the peak velo you see from Hultzen right now might not be the same velo you see from him as a pro.

Also, re: Bradley being mediocre, I think that places too much emphasis on results rather than stuff at an amateur level. It's not as if Bradley came out of nowhere this year. Scouts knew he was going to be a first round pick and pegged him a guy who could easily vault into the top 10 if he began to harness his stuff, which he has. College baseball statistics mean a good deal, but they mean what they mean in context. A guy like Trevor Bauer is absolutely dominating the college competition because of his command and experience (along with very good stuff), but ultimately he's the kind of guy I see as a mid-rotation starter in the ML. Hultzen is a more polished pitcher than is Bradley and closer to being what he's going to be. The advantage in that is that he's established more of a successful track record in college and is a safer bet to make it and be good. I don't think Bradley is some big risk of a pick, but his secondaries will take a bit more fleshing out in MiL development. Accordingly, because of his frame and the fact that most of his success thus far has come off a dominating fastball without the need to rely on secondaries, he's got the ceiling of a pitcher who is a little better than Hultzen IMO.

They are back to back on my board. I think either is good pick, though there are 4-6 guys I think I'd take ahead of them.