2020 Comp Pick A (30): Jordan Westburg - SS - (JR) (Mississippi State)

[eddie83]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'd hope someone like Hall would be ready in 3-4 years.

He seems to be our most underrated prospect. 

[survivedc]

10 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'd hope someone like Hall would be ready in 3-4 years.

Well it would be a good problem to have both ready at the same time, whenever it may be.

[Number5]

45 minutes ago, DocJJ said:

So much for the picking Kjerstad so we could use some underslot savings on a high upside High Schooler theory....     

I didn't realize the draft was over. 

Kelley was the best potential over-slot guy IMO, and he is still there.  No reason to take him at 30 if it was unlikely that anyone 31-38 had enough money to take him.  I'm not sure I'd keep letting him slide past our #39 pick, though.  Seems like there could be some other teams that could be able to go over-slot on him in round 2 - Boston for one.

[PHRESH]

1 hour ago, bpilktree said:

Dansby Swanson like.

Isn't he the comp for Austin Martin? Lol

[BohKnowsBmore]

54 minutes ago, 24fps said:

Elias & Co. have a hell of a crystal ball then.

For what it’s worth:

“9:53

Chris: There are going to be some unbelievable pitchers available tomorrow….

9:53

Eric A Longenhagen: Agreed, some of them will need to be over slot”

[TheWall]

54 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

To play Devil's advocate, maybe the money for the International market came out of the draft?

That is certainly possible. I hope that it isn't the case. I will be very disappointed if we don't spend all (or very close to all) of our draft allotment. Still doesn't make the original claim any less ridiculous when we gave Adley a record breaking signing bonus a year ago. Here's hoping we snag some premium over-slot talent and that our two picks today end up winners. At the end of the day all any of us want is a winning club to cheer for. 

[TheWall]

3 minutes ago, BohKnowsBmore said:

For what it’s worth:

“9:53

Chris: There are going to be some unbelievable pitchers available tomorrow….

9:53

Eric A Longenhagen: Agreed, some of them will need to be over slot”

I like the sound of that. Lets bring some home. 

[Sydnor]

Keith Law on Westburg and the underslot strategy:

If that pick was to save money, rather than a straight preference for Kjerstad, they didn’t take advantage of it at pick 30, the first selection of the Competitive Balance A round, where they took Mississippi State shortstop Jordan Westburg, a very good athlete who also strikes out too much and has to work on pitch recognition as well as reducing his leak at the plate.

https://theathletic.com/1865805/2020/06/10/law-thoughts-and-analysis-from-day-1-of-the-mlb-draft/?source=user_shared_article

[Philip]

So I guess Cadyn Grenier has lost his shine?

When will Adam Hall be ready? He’s still young and raw?

[Number5]

23 minutes ago, Sydnor said:

Keith Law on Westburg and the underslot strategy:

If that pick was to save money, rather than a straight preference for Kjerstad, they didn’t take advantage of it at pick 30, the first selection of the Competitive Balance A round, where they took Mississippi State shortstop Jordan Westburg, a very good athlete who also strikes out too much and has to work on pitch recognition as well as reducing his leak at the plate.

https://theathletic.com/1865805/2020/06/10/law-thoughts-and-analysis-from-day-1-of-the-mlb-draft/?source=user_shared_article

If the idea was to take a high school over-slot guy plus a college player with picks 30 and 39, why take the over-slot guy first if you have assessed that the teams picking 31-38 aren't likely to go over-slot?  If you wanted Westburg, taking him first looks like a good idea if you're confident that the over-slot will still be there at 39.  I'll go with Elias over Law every day of the week.

[Sydnor]

4 minutes ago, Number5 said:

If the idea was to take a high school over-slot guy plus a college player with picks 30 and 39, why take the over-slot guy first if you have assessed that the teams picking 31-18 aren't likely to go over-slot?  If you wanted Westburg, taking him first looks like a good idea if you're confident that the over-slot will still be there at 39.  I'll go with Elias over Law every day of the week.

I think Law was suggesting that the savings from Kjerstad should’ve enabled the O’s to go over slot at both 30 and 39. Perhaps they will go over slot at 39 and 74. I’m somewhat skeptical that they’re going to spend their full allotment, but will be happy to be wrong (I’m aware that they’ve traditionally spent the full allotment, but this is a different year with Covid and the new presence in Latin America). We will find out!

[Yossarian]

Don't we have Gunnar Henderson as the shortstop we're grooming for the big leagues?  Did we just use round 1A draft pick to fill a minor league roster for the next 12 years?

[TheWall]

35 minutes ago, Yossarian said:

Don't we have Gunnar Henderson as the shortstop we're grooming for the big leagues?  Did we just use round 1A draft pick to fill a minor league roster for the next 12 years?

Not everyone expects Gunnar to stick at SS. There's also no rule that you can only have 1 SS prospect in the minors. If they can stick at that position -- they can likely play anywhere.

[sportsfan8703]

Found this quote,

Westburg passes the analytics test thanks to strong exit velocities and he was very good with wood bats against elite competition in the Cape Cod League last summer. In a draft light on quality shortstops, Westburg could sneak into the first round as a below-slot bonus guy

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-mock-draft-2020-spencer-torkelson-austin-martin-go-1-2-marlins-select-first-pitcher-off-board/amp/

[Ruzious]

41 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Found this quote,

Westburg passes the analytics test thanks to strong exit velocities and he was very good with wood bats against elite competition in the Cape Cod League last summer. In a draft light on quality shortstops, Westburg could sneak into the first round as a below-slot bonus guy

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-mock-draft-2020-spencer-torkelson-austin-martin-go-1-2-marlins-select-first-pitcher-off-board/amp/

Ok, well at least those are reasons they liked him that I can understand - even if I think they drafted him too high.  And the mocks that I saw had him going about where he went - some a little higher and some a little lower.  Still, he's gotta make contact to make the exit velo count. 

They better have some starting pitchers targeted for at least rounds 2 and 3.