BA's First 2009 Mock Draft

[jamesenoch]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/column/2008/266975.html

01) Nationals: Stephen Strasburg, rhp, San Diego State

02) Mariners: Grant Green, ss, Southern California

03) Padres: Dustin Ackley, of, North Carolina

04) Pirates: Alex White, rhp, North Carolina

05) Orioles: Tyler Matzek, lhp, HS/Mission Viejo, Calif

The Orioles landed the best pitcher in the 2008 draft (Brian Matusz) and they could grab the top prep pitcher in 2009, giving them a pair of frontline lefthanders. Matzek's fastball and curve have become legitimate plus pitches since he cleaned up his mechanics.

06) Giants: Donavan Tate, of, HS/Cartersville, Ga

07) Braves: Matt Purke, lhp, HS/Spring, Texas

08) Reds: Aaron Crow, rhp, Fort Worth Cats (American Association).

09) Tigers: Kendall Volz, rhp, Baylor

10) Nationals: Kyle Gibson, rhp, Missouri

[PaulBako]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/column/2008/266975.html

01) Nationals: Stephen Strasburg, rhp, San Diego State

02) Mariners: Grant Green, ss, Southern California

03) Padres: Dustin Ackley, of, North Carolina

04) Pirates: Alex White, rhp, North Carolina

05) Orioles: Tyler Matzek, lhp, HS/Mission Viejo, Calif

The Orioles landed the best pitcher in the 2008 draft (Brian Matusz) and they could grab the top prep pitcher in 2009, giving them a pair of frontline lefthanders. Matzek's fastball and curve have become legitimate plus pitches since he cleaned up his mechanics.

06) Giants: Donavan Tate, of, HS/Cartersville, Ga

07) Braves: Matt Purke, lhp, HS/Spring, Texas

08) Reds: Aaron Crow, rhp, Fort Worth Cats (American Association).

09) Tigers: Kendall Volz, rhp, Baylor

10) Nationals: Kyle Gibson, rhp, Missouri

I would be happy for what the orioles would get in that mock draft. Even though there is no Greene, we still can get a good pitcher.

[BaltBird 24]

An awful lot of pitching in that top 10. Wouldn't mind adding another college arm, whether it be a Crow, White, Gibson, or Volz.

[MarCakes21]

An awful lot of pitching in that top 10. Wouldn't mind adding another college arm, whether it be a Crow, White, Gibson, or Volz.

Agreed, and I think we've seen the method that MacPhail has gone on, drafting the best college talent and getting someone to be bigs as soon as possible. I think he will stick to some "harder to sign, definite talent" guys this year like Matusz and Wieters.

[Lucky Jim]

Agreed, and I think we've seen the method that MacPhail has gone on, drafting the best college talent and getting someone to be bigs as soon as possible. I think he will stick to some "harder to sign, definite talent" guys this year like Matusz and Wieters.

I don't think Matusz was considered a difficult sign at the time of the draft. In fact, I'm sure he wasn't.

And he didn't draft Wieters. Tellingly, his next picks after Matusz last year were HSers.

[rhall]

Agreed, and I think we've seen the method that MacPhail has gone on, drafting the best college talent and getting someone to be bigs as soon as possible. I think he will stick to some "harder to sign, definite talent" guys this year like Matusz and Wieters.

There is no grounds for this statement. The 2007 draft where we selected Wieters happened before MacPhail came on board, and Matusz was believed to be an easy sign on draft day - it just didn't turn out that way.

MacPhail may indeed lean towards college players, but I think he's a "best-player available" type guy first, so Matzek could very well be the best guy for the O's to take in '09. A college arm that could put himself that high (at the O's #5) is Kyle Gibson, but I think the differences in ceiling between Gibson and Matzek keeps the highschool lefty higher on the draft board. When talking ceiling, Crow is a "college" pitcher to watch, but what of signability and his playing time this year? Time will tell.

[Lucky Jim]

There is no grounds for this statement. The 2007 draft where we selected Wieters happened before MacPhail came on board, and Matusz was believed to be an easy sign on draft day - it just didn't turn out that way.

MacPhail may indeed lean towards college players, but I think he's a "best-player available" type guy first, so Matzek could very well be the best guy for the O's to take in '09. A college arm that could put himself that high (at the O's #5) is Kyle Gibson, but I think the differences in ceiling between Gibson and Matzek keeps the highschool lefty higher on the draft board. When talking ceiling, Crow is a "college" pitcher to watch, but what of signability and his playing time this year? Time will tell.

Beat you by this much.

[rhall]

Beat you by this much.

Haha, yeah that's always disappointing when you go in to make a comment and then see that someone else just said the exact same thing.

[Stotle]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/online/prospects/column/2008/266975.html

01) Nationals: Stephen Strasburg, rhp, San Diego State

02) Mariners: Grant Green, ss, Southern California

03) Padres: Dustin Ackley, of, North Carolina

04) Pirates: Alex White, rhp, North Carolina

05) Orioles: Tyler Matzek, lhp, HS/Mission Viejo, Calif

The Orioles landed the best pitcher in the 2008 draft (Brian Matusz) and they could grab the top prep pitcher in 2009, giving them a pair of frontline lefthanders. Matzek's fastball and curve have become legitimate plus pitches since he cleaned up his mechanics.

06) Giants: Donavan Tate, of, HS/Cartersville, Ga

07) Braves: Matt Purke, lhp, HS/Spring, Texas

08) Reds: Aaron Crow, rhp, Fort Worth Cats (American Association).

09) Tigers: Kendall Volz, rhp, Baylor

10) Nationals: Kyle Gibson, rhp, Missouri

It don't have any huge issues with this board. 1-5 is pretty solid, and I guess the rest could be pretty solid, as well. I think Purke and Volz are too high and I can't see why Matt Davidson wouldn't be in the top 10.

I also think Jordan's preferences will have a much greater effect on the BAL draft than anything MacPhail might have to say. Don't get me wrong, I think MacPhail and Angelos have to sign-off, but I don't see why you have a Scouting Director if the GM is going to call the shots on draft day. MacPhail can't possibly keep track of the draft class on top of his other responsibilities.

[makoman]

I can't wait to hear Gary Thorne's pronunciations if we end up with both Matusz and Matzek on the team.

[jamesenoch]

Frankly, I would be surprised if the Pirates select a pitcher. If my memory serves me right, their luck with 1st round pitchers is not that great.

[Stotle]

Frankly, I would be surprised if the Pirates select a pitcher. If my memory serves me right, their luck with 1st round pitchers is not that great.

Yeah, I think White would go to SDN or SEA, anyway. PIT maybe gets Green or Ackley, depending on bonus demands.

[wayne25]

With our # 2 pick last year, some said we got the best athlete in the draft. If we were to pick Tate, the H. S. outfielder we would have the best athlete in this draft.* I don't advocate this pick, at this time, and OF are not our priority, but what do you think of this pick, anyone?

[Stotle]

With our # 2 pick last year, some said we got the best athlete in the draft. If we were to pick Tate, the H. S. outfielder we would have the best athlete in this draft.* I don't advocate this pick, at this time, and OF are not our priority, but what do you think of this pick, anyone?

Tate has a case for best athlete in the draft. He could be a 2-sport athlete at a major college program (baseball/football). Perhaps more impressive is the fact that he has a great feel for the game and picks up on a lot of nuance whether it's getting reads in the field or timing a pitcher on the bases to get a good jump on SBs (it was almost unfair how great a jump he was getting at the UA All-American game).

It wouldn't surprise me if Jordan ends up selecting Tate as a pretty well-refined too box.

[jamesenoch]

Yeah, I think White would go to SDN or SEA, anyway. PIT maybe gets Green or Ackley, depending on bonus demands.

I wonder if the Pirates will stay away from any Boras clients this time. Baseball America mentions 6 ; Strasburg, Green, Ackley, Davis, Tate, and Turner.