2017 4th round pick (128): Jack Conlon - RHP - Clements HS (TX)

[Slade-OH]

Jack Conlon - RHP - 6'4" - 220

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After missing much of his junior high school season with a strained oblique, Conlon made an impression on the showcase circuit last summer with a big league body and a fastball to match. He's still making the transition from thrower to pitcher, but he has added some polish and has looked like a top-three-rounds pick when at his best this spring.

Conlon can pitch at 92-95 mph with life on his fastball and back it up with an 81-84 mph slider on days when his mechanics are in sync. His changeup lags behind his other two pitches, though it has some fade and he shows some feel for it. He has a classic pitcher's build at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds that bodes well for his durability.

Conlon lacks consistency, however, because he has a rough delivery with effort and a head whack. The Texas A&M recruit doesn't always stay on top of his slider, so it can become quite slurvy. Some scouts think he's destined for the bullpen, while others point to the progress he has made as a senior and think he can remain a starter if he continues to develop.

 

Video

Tony's Quick Take: It's the 4th round and at this point the chances of these guys becoming a big leaguers are down to 31% (for high schoolers) and 18% for playing three or more years. Conlon seems a bit like a project since some of the reports talk about a hack whack and having a fastball that's pretty straight. That's not a great combination but I'm assuming the Orioles saw something different. Maryland shortstop Kevin Smith was still on the board and he was taken with the very next pick by the Blue Jays. The percentages say take the college hitter over the high school arm, but the O's choose to go with upside though the system is barren with legitimate shortstop prospects.

[weams]

Just now, Slade-OH said:

Jack Conlon - RHP - 6'4" - 220

After missing much of his junior high school season with a strained oblique, Conlon made an impression on the showcase circuit last summer with a big league body and a fastball to match. He's still making the transition from thrower to pitcher, but he has added some polish and has looked like a top-three-rounds pick when at his best this spring.

Conlon can pitch at 92-95 mph with life on his fastball and back it up with an 81-84 mph slider on days when his mechanics are in sync. His changeup lags behind his other two pitches, though it has some fade and he shows some feel for it. He has a classic pitcher's build at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds that bodes well for his durability.

Conlon lacks consistency, however, because he has a rough delivery with effort and a head whack. The Texas A&M recruit doesn't always stay on top of his slider, so it can become quite slurvy. Some scouts think he's destined for the bullpen, while others point to the progress he has made as a senior and think he can remain a starter if he continues to develop.

Good info. 

[sportsfan8703]

3 HS players already.  Last year we only picked 3 HS players in the first 16 picks.  

[lovetoaster]

Quote

Latest Showcase Report

 

2016 National Showcase   Jun 15, 2016

 

PG Grade: 10

 

Jack Conlon is a 2017 RHP/1B with a 6-4 205 lb. frame from Sugar Land, TX who attends Clements HS. Big and strong athletic build. High energy delivery, leans back to get to a high 3/4's to over the top arm slot, creates lots of downhill angle to the plate, uses his lower half well to drive to the plate, full body delivery with some flow to it. Big raw arm strength, fastball up to 94 mph, mostly straight but does a pretty good job of trying to work down in the zone with it, can get the ball glove side. Showed good feel for his change up with some fading action and good arm speed. Slider wasn't consistent but flashed good shape at times and showed promise. Delivery may need to be toned down but the raw stuff plays high. Good student, verbal commitment to Texas A&M.

https://www.perfectgame.org/Players/Playerprofile.aspx?ID=417040

[weams]

Kevin Smith went next. 

[sportsfan8703]

1 minute ago, weams said:

Kevin Smith went next. 

That's now twice the Jays have taken college SS right after we draft.  

[Cumberbundy]

What do we have against Texas AM

[weams]

1 minute ago, Cumberbundy said:

What do we have against Texas AM

Nathan Showalter

[Cumberbundy]

Alex Scherff next

[Cumberbundy]

3 minutes ago, weams said:

Nathan Showalter

That's high quality info. Thanks Weams. Scherff is committed to the aggies and throws 98. ?

[stef]

"We think [Conlon] will be a Major League starter in our rotation," Rajsich said. "As a young righty we like his delivery, we like his size. We were excited to get that one. We got a little creative to get that one done. So, very satisfying."

--Rajsich, oriole's.com

Once again the Os see something few others do. 

[scarey1999]

1 hour ago, stef said:

"We think [Conlon] will be a Major League starter in our rotation," Rajsich said. "As a young righty we like his delivery, we like his size. We were excited to get that one. We got a little creative to get that one done. So, very satisfying."

--Rajsich, oriole's.com

Once again the Os see something few others do. 

I read that same quote too. Makes it sound like some sort of pre draft deal was made. 

[Cumberbundy]

4 hours ago, stef said:

"We think [Conlon] will be a Major League starter in our rotation," Rajsich said. "As a young righty we like his delivery, we like his size. We were excited to get that one. We got a little creative to get that one done. So, very satisfying."

--Rajsich, oriole's.com

Once again the Os see something few others do. 

That's encouraging!

[hoosiers]

16 hours ago, scarey1999 said:

I read that same quote too. Makes it sound like some sort of pre draft deal was made. 

I don't interpret the comments the same way and would be interested if we had any access to our scouting director for clarification.  When our SD says, "We were excited to get that one" - I interpret that as our guys not thinking Conlon would be there when we had the pick - not that there was a pre-draft deal.  What does sound odd is the next comment - "We got a little creative to get that one done".  So, perhaps (my interpretation), the Os did not expect Conlon to be there AND decided the pick would require overslot $ and that we would be adding another "senior sign" in the top 10 picks instead of going for a talent later in the top 10 worthy of the entire bonus. 

[scarey1999]

51 minutes ago, hoosiers said:

I don't interpret the comments the same way and would be interested if we had any access to our scouting director for clarification.  When our SD says, "We were excited to get that one" - I interpret that as our guys not thinking Conlon would be there when we had the pick - not that there was a pre-draft deal.  What does sound odd is the next comment - "We got a little creative to get that one done".  So, perhaps (my interpretation), the Os did not expect Conlon to be there AND decided the pick would require overslot $ and that we would be adding another "senior sign" in the top 10 picks instead of going for a talent later in the top 10 worthy of the entire bonus. 

Maybe it was a little of both?  I think that is what I was getting at too, without fully explaining myself.  Knowing it would take more to sign him, they had to get "creative" (aka drafting easy senior signs) to help compensate for Conlon being available and taking him.  I'm fairly certain the FO knows what kind of $$ he was looking for.  Otherwise this would be a foolish pick.  It helps they drafted his buddy Sparks as well.  Probably increases the chances we sign both of them and perhaps for a little bit of a discount.  They are longtime friends and you know they want to play pro ball together.