5th round pick - Greg Miclat, SS, U of Virginia

[hoosiers]

Could be any number of things.

Unfortunately, assuming the Os are offering slot, he's not ready to sign a major league contract for where he was drafted.

[Jarman8675]

I'm assuming this will get done, we will just have to wait. Jordan has a pretty good track record with getting his picks signed and considering since he has been here only 2 top ten round draft picks have not signed(Emeel Saleem(2006, 10th Round) and Eryk McConnell(2007, 10th Round)), I have faith Miclat will be in an O's uniform come August 15th

[dcterp]

Speaking of Eryk McConnell, looks like he cost himself some money by not signing in 2007; Phillies picked him this year but not until the 20th round.

[bird watcher]

After the first week of games in the Cape Cod League, Miclat is tied for the League lead with a .444 AVG (10 H in 27 AB's) and tied for 2nd in stolen bases with 5 of 6. He also has 10 runs scored.

Tony,

Can we get these guys in the prospect tracker so that RZNJ and everyone else can post these gems in one place?

By the way, thanks RZNJ.

[NCRaven]

... it's clear from the stats and boxscores that Miclat hasn't played in a game in about a week. What it means, I don't know.

Clearly his rights are being traded to the Seattle Mariners for Carlos Triunfel.

[glenn__davis]

I'd love to hear some more inside scoop about what the holdup is with him. You would just think a college player would jump at the chance to play in an organization that is a barren wasteland at his position. I mean, he'd immediately become our de facto SS of the future, wouldn't he?

[Tony-OH]

I'd love to hear some more inside scoop about what the holdup is with him. You would just think a college player would jump at the chance to play in an organization that is a barren wasteland at his position. I mean, he'd immediately become our de facto SS of the future, wouldn't he?

I agree 100 percent. I'm not sure why Miclat thinks he'll significantly up his value by going back and playing his senior year. He'll still be a 5-foot-8 slap hitting shortstop but he'll be 22-years old instead of 21. He'll also have no leverage because his college days will be behind him.

This is the perfect situation for Miclat. He's going to an organization that has no true everyday major league shortstop anywhere in the system (Rosa is still too far away to know anything definitive). The Aberdeen Ironbirds have no real shortstop right now so there's a spot open at a great place to play in a great league to get his feet wet.

He could be getting professional at bats right now and if he did well, he could be looking at starting at Frederick next year. Good half of a season there and he's at Bowie. In 2010 he could be looking at being in the picture for a major league job if he's a good enough.

Really, by holding out he's throwing away a year of development because the most likely scenario would see him starting next year at Delmarva is he signs too late to play this year.

If he goes back to college, I doubt he moves up very far in the draft even if he has a better year because the added age will hurt his status. unless he thinks he's going to start popping home runs next year, he's a 4th rounder at best talent.

To me, whoever is advising this kid is not doing him any favors.

[Tony-OH]

Tony,

Can we get these guys in the prospect tracker so that RZNJ and everyone else can post these gems in one place?

By the way, thanks RZNJ.

No one is going on the prospect tracker that is not signed...

[Frobby]

I agree 100 percent. I'm not sure why Miclat thinks he'll significantly up his value by going back and playing his senior year. He'll still be a 5-foot-8 slap hitting shortstop but he'll be 22-years old instead of 21. He'll also have no leverage because his college days will be behind him.

This is the perfect situation for Miclat. He's going to an organization that has no true everyday major league shortstop anywhere in the system (Rosa is still too far away to know anything definitive). The Aberdeen Ironbirds have no real shortstop right now so there's a spot open at a great place to play in a great league to get his feet wet.

He could be getting professional at bats right now and if he did well, he could be looking at starting at Frederick next year. Good half of a season there and he's at Bowie. In 2010 he could be looking at being in the picture for a major league job if he's a good enough.

Really, by holding out he's throwing away a year of development because the most likely scenario would see him starting next year at Delmarva is he signs too late to play this year.

If he goes back to college, I doubt he moves up very far in the draft even if he has a better year because the added age will hurt his status. unless he thinks he's going to start popping home runs next year, he's a 4th rounder at best talent.

To me, whoever is advising this kid is not doing him any favors.

Tony - any word from the O's brass as to whether we are in active dicussions with him? His departure from the Cape Cod league makes me wonder.

[Tony-OH]

Tony - any word from the O's brass as to whether we are in active dicussions with him? His departure from the Cape Cod league makes me wonder.

I'll check on it tonight...

[Tony-OH]

Tony - any word from the O's brass as to whether we are in active dicussions with him? His departure from the Cape Cod league makes me wonder.

He fractured his finger and will be out for two weeks.

[lovetoaster]

He fractured his finger and will be out for two weeks.

Fudge, that's not what I was hoping.

[TakebackOPACY]

I agree 100 percent. I'm not sure why Miclat thinks he'll significantly up his value by going back and playing his senior year. He'll still be a 5-foot-8 slap hitting shortstop but he'll be 22-years old instead of 21. He'll also have no leverage because his college days will be behind him.

This is the perfect situation for Miclat. He's going to an organization that has no true everyday major league shortstop anywhere in the system (Rosa is still too far away to know anything definitive). The Aberdeen Ironbirds have no real shortstop right now so there's a spot open at a great place to play in a great league to get his feet wet.

He could be getting professional at bats right now and if he did well, he could be looking at starting at Frederick next year. Good half of a season there and he's at Bowie. In 2010 he could be looking at being in the picture for a major league job if he's a good enough.

Really, by holding out he's throwing away a year of development because the most likely scenario would see him starting next year at Delmarva is he signs too late to play this year.

If he goes back to college, I doubt he moves up very far in the draft even if he has a better year because the added age will hurt his status. unless he thinks he's going to start popping home runs next year, he's a 4th rounder at best talent.

To me, whoever is advising this kid is not doing him any favors.

I think logically your point is right on... but if he loves college ball and wants to stay in school and play with his teammates, and remain on the traditional college path to get his degree, I can't blame him. You're talking about 10,000 girls around his age, parties every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday outside of the season, and probably what he views as lifelong friends amongst his teammates.

It would've taken a lot for me to give up my senior year. He might be losing a little by potentially not going pro now, but it'd be hard to convince him he's losing a lot. If he loves what he's doing in college, he may feel like it would be a lot to give up. And he may not feel like waiting a year will be a detriment to his professional goals in the long run.

[hoosiers]

I think logically your point is right on... but if he loves college ball and wants to stay in school and play with his teammates, and remain on the traditional college path to get his degree, I can't blame him. You're talking about 10,000 girls around his age, parties every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday outside of the season, and probably what he views as lifelong friends amongst his teammates.

It would've taken a lot for me to give up my senior year. He might be losing a little by potentially not going pro now, but it'd be hard to convince him he's losing a lot. If he loves what he's doing in college, he may feel like it would be a lot to give up. And he may not feel like waiting a year will be a detriment to his professional goals in the long run.

This is all well and good, and senior year of college should be great fun. But if Miclat was so interested in returning to school, it should have been clearly communicated. If it was clearly communicated, then it may be on the Orioles - but that seems very unlikely to me.