2019 40th round pick (1188): Bobby Zmarzlak - CF - Westhill HS (CT)

[hoosiers]

I think some of these HSers are insurance or backup plans in case Henderson does not sign - and then we would be sitting on overslot $ trying to spend it.

[George Zuverink]

On 6/5/2019 at 6:26 PM, SteveA said:

He would not be last in alphabetical order in Baltimore Orioles history, thanks to George Zuverink.

You're welcome.

[Three Run Homer]

 

On 6/5/2019 at 7:33 PM, Luke-OH said:

No chance, dude is a top 3 round talent, very toolsy guy. Probably just wanted more than teams had him valued. 

Signing Gunnar Henderson used up the cap savings from rounds 4-10, but we will likely see some cap savings from Rutschman that can be used for late round overslots.   Would Zmarziak be our top priority in that case?  

[hoosiers]

The biggest variable to signing these late round HSers is whether we plan to spend the extra 5% of our pool that will be taxed.  If we plan to spend it, then we could have upwards of $1M available (plus the tax costs).

We don't know what it will take to sign these late round HSers, but a smart GM might have drafted guys across a range of bonuses from $300k to $750k to perhaps $1M.  Remember that the first $125k of a signing bonus does not count against the pool.  

[Luke-OH]

33 minutes ago, hoosiers said:

The biggest variable to signing these late round HSers is whether we plan to spend the extra 5% of our pool that will be taxed.  If we plan to spend it, then we could have upwards of $1M available (plus the tax costs).

We don't know what it will take to sign these late round HSers, but a smart GM might have drafted guys across a range of bonuses from $300k to $750k to perhaps $1M.  Remember that the first $125k of a signing bonus does not count against the pool.  

It’s also important to remember that HS players in this range rarely sign, that goes for any team. If those players were signable for what teams thought they were worth, they’d be picked at least in the 10-20th round range.

[hoosiers]

Not sure that I agree with that Luke - these HSers have numbers and not all of them are holding out for $1+M.  More than a few take $400k-$700K - like our fifth round HSer.

[Can_of_corn]

10 minutes ago, hoosiers said:

Not sure that I agree with that Luke - these HSers have numbers and not all of them are holding out for $1+M.  More than a few take $400k-$700K - like our fifth round HSer.

I think the thinking is, those guys whose number was 500K went in the fifth round, those that have a number that is 1+M went in the 40th round.

[Luke-OH]

35 minutes ago, hoosiers said:

Not sure that I agree with that Luke - these HSers have numbers and not all of them are holding out for $1+M.  More than a few take $400k-$700K - like our fifth round HSer.

By my count, 83 HS players were drafted in the 35th-40th rounds in 2018, 5 signed. None of them were names anywhere near the Zmarzlak's profile. 

[Babkins]

I’d love to get Zmarzlak. My reasoning, beyond the fact that he looks like a projectable stud, is a little silly, though. On the second day of the draft, I asked some of the ballplayers among my students if they were following it all, and I asked them whom they thought, among the guys they played with and against, might have his name called on day two or three. One of my students (a fifteen-year-old freshman who plays both club ball in the area and on the school team) was all over Zmarzlak. “He’s sick,” I was told. So I looked him up and decided to follow him to see how my student would fare as a talent evaluator. I was really pumped to see that we took him, and I know he’s a long shot to sign, but I just think it would be extra cool to sign him because of the endorsement from this kid in my English class. (I also think it’s awesome that our exciting young GM totally had my student’s back on this.)

Totally off topic, but also cool, is that the son of a colleague at my school was drafted in the eighth or ninth round (can’t remember, and don’t feel like looking it up; it was pick 155 overall, I think). He was a shortstop out of Yale. By day three, it was apparent that Elias was targeting catchers, shortstops, and center fielders, and I asked my colleague if the O’s had scouted his son, given Elias’s own Yale roots. He told me he didn’t know exactly, but that San Francisco had been in on his son for several months. Their draft day story was special to hear, and my colleague’s excitement and pride was something I wish everyone who follows these events could see. Put a human face on all of this for me. My wife taught this particular student (and his younger brother, who is not a ballplayer) and says they’re fantastic kids. Excited for the young man.

But anyway, let’s sign Bobby Z.

[Luke-OH]

21 minutes ago, Babkins said:

I’d love to get Zmarzlak. My reasoning, beyond the fact that he looks like a projectable stud, is a little silly, though. On the second day of the draft, I asked some of the ballplayers among my students if they were following it all, and I asked them whom they thought, among the guys they played with and against, might have his name called on day two or three. One of my students (a fifteen-year-old freshman who plays both club ball in the area and on the school team) was all over Zmarzlak. “He’s sick,” I was told. So I looked him up and decided to follow him to see how my student would fare as a talent evaluator. I was really pumped to see that we took him, and I know he’s a long shot to sign, but I just think it would be extra cool to sign him because of the endorsement from this kid in my English class. (I also think it’s awesome that our exciting young GM totally had my student’s back on this.)

Totally off topic, but also cool, is that the son of a colleague at my school was drafted in the eighth or ninth round (can’t remember, and don’t feel like looking it up; it was pick 155 overall, I think). He was a shortstop out of Yale. By day three, it was apparent that Elias was targeting catchers, shortstops, and center fielders, and I asked my colleague if the O’s had scouted his son, given Elias’s own Yale roots. He told me he didn’t know exactly, but that San Francisco had been in on his son for several months. Their draft day story was special to hear, and my colleague’s excitement and pride was something I wish everyone who follows these events could see. Put a human face on all of this for me. My wife taught this particular student (and his younger brother, who is not a ballplayer) and says they’re fantastic kids. Excited for the young man.

But anyway, let’s sign Bobby Z.

Simon Whiteman I presume, 266th overall out of Yale. Senior underslot guy, got a 22.5k bonus.

[Babkins]

23 minutes ago, Luke-OH said:

Simon Whiteman I presume, 266th overall out of Yale. Senior underslot guy, got a 22.5k bonus.

Correct. I was only off by 111 picks!

[Moose Milligan]

 

You gotta be kidding me.  High schoolers are getting their own baseball cards now?