2022 MLB Draft Discussion (Use this thread to discuss all picks, not Orioles picks)

[Frobby]

41 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I went back and looked and it doesn’t appear a second baseman has ever been drafted first.

I guess my question would be, are the players listed at the positions they ultimately are projected to be at?  Or are they listed at where they’ve been playing before they were drafted?   Mostly the latter, I think.

Saying that, I didn’t see anyone drafted no. 1 who ended up playing 2B as his primary position.   But there’s a first time for everything!

[Sports Guy]

5 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I guess my question would be, are the players listed at the positions they ultimately are projected to be at?  Or are they listed at where they’ve been playing before they were drafted?   Mostly the latter, I think.

Saying that, I didn’t see anyone drafted no. 1 who ended up playing 2B as his primary position.   But there’s a first time for everything!

I don’t think the position is as valued as you think it should be and I think that shows in an example like this.

I think most people think you can always get a second baseman by moving someone from SS, which is why you draft a SS because most of your best athletes play there.  
 

 

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I don’t think the position is as valued as you think it should be and I think that shows in an example like this.

I think most people think you can always get a second baseman by moving someone from SS, which is why you draft a SS because most of your best athletes play there.  
 

 

But Johnson does play SS.  Most think he’ll be moved to 2B eventually.   

[Sports Guy]

21 minutes ago, Frobby said:

But Johnson does play SS.  Most think he’ll be moved to 2B eventually.   

I haven’t seen one person say he can play there well and not one who has said he could go to CF or third or have the arm/athleticism to play CO spot.(maybe that opinion is out there?)

So, it’s second base or DH.

I said it before but I worry he’s Huira, who was thought of as having a great hit tool.  Now, Huira wasn’t thought of as a good defensive player and I haven’t seen anything saying Johnson can’t handle second base, so that should be the difference there.  I don’t recall seeing anyone comment on how good he should be at second base although I’m sure those opinions are out there.

[Can_of_corn]

8 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I haven’t seen one person say he can play there well and not one who has said he could go to SS or third or have the arm/athleticism to play CO spot.

So, it’s second base or DH.

I said it before but I worry he’s Huira, who was thought of as having a great hit tool.  Now, Huira wasn’t thought of as a good defensive player and I haven’t seen anything saying Johnson can’t handle second base, so that should be the difference there.  I don’t recall seeing anyone comment on how good he should be at second base although I’m sure those opinions are out there.

Too short for first base?

They got a sign in the clubhouse you must be this tall?

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Can_of_corn said:

Too short for first base?

They got a sign in the clubhouse you must be this tall?

5’8” is pretty damn short for first.  

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

5’8” is pretty damn short for first.  

Which is why I mentioned his height....

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

I haven’t seen one person say he can play there well and not one who has said he could go to CF or third or have the arm/athleticism to play CO spot.(maybe that opinion is out there?)

So, it’s second base or DH.

I said it before but I worry he’s Huira, who was thought of as having a great hit tool.  Now, Huira wasn’t thought of as a good defensive player and I haven’t seen anything saying Johnson can’t handle second base, so that should be the difference there.  I don’t recall seeing anyone comment on how good he should be at second base although I’m sure those opinions are out there.

Seems to me that Hiura’s problem is that he stone cold stopped hitting after his solid rookie debut.   No idea what happened there, but the fact that he was a 2B is irrelevant.  Admittedly, his current offensive production would be okay if he was a solid defensive player at 2B.     

I saw a comment early on from one of the pundits saying Johnson would probably need to move from SS but shouid be a plus 2B.  I’ll see if I can find it. If others disagree with that, then obviously that’s a mark against Johnson.  
 

[Frobby]

Here’s the quote I was looking for:

“Compact strong athletic build. Left-handed hitter, creates easy plus bat speed, attacks balls in the zone but sees the ball extremely well and will not expand, has incredible raw power for his size, hit a violent line drive game home run off a 93 mph fastball, perhaps the top all around hitter in the 2022 class. 6.65 runner in the sixty. Has very quick feet on defense, works low to the ground behind balls, has a chance to stay at shortstop but if not will be a highest level defensive second baseman. Plays with a big personality and leadership skills on and off the field. Excellent student.”

It’s from PerfectGame.org and was quoted by Roch without a link a few months ago.   “Highest level defensive second baseman” would work for me, if he’s seen as the top hitting prospect!

 

[RZNJ]

13 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Seems to me that Hiura’s problem is that he stone cold stopped hitting after his solid rookie debut.   No idea what happened there, but the fact that he was a 2B is irrelevant.  Admittedly, his current offensive production would be okay if he was a solid defensive player at 2B.     

I saw a comment early on from one of the pundits saying Johnson would probably need to move from SS but shouid be a plus 2B.  I’ll see if I can find it. If others disagree with that, then obviously that’s a mark against Johnson.  
 

Some say that Johnson could be a plus 2B but mostly I've read that he should be an average ML 2B.   He has quick feet and an average arm and good hands.    I see no reason why LF wouldn't be a potential last resort, but almost EVERYONE says he should be a fit at 2B in the majors.

[PHRESH]

3 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I haven’t seen one person say he can play there well and not one who has said he could go to CF or third or have the arm/athleticism to play CO spot.(maybe that opinion is out there?)

So, it’s second base or DH.

I said it before but I worry he’s Huira, who was thought of as having a great hit tool.  Now, Huira wasn’t thought of as a good defensive player and I haven’t seen anything saying Johnson can’t handle second base, so that should be the difference there.  I don’t recall seeing anyone comment on how good he should be at second base although I’m sure those opinions are out there.

Harold Reynolds is the only one I've heard say he could stay at SS.  (about 1:45 into the video) 

 

Whether we take this kid or not, I absolutely love his character. Seems like a true fan and student of the game. 

 

[RZNJ]

4 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Present grade or future grade?

So, reading baseball America they say he could be a 70 grade hitter in the future.   70 is the grade they give him for hitting.   They also say he's an average runner now, which would be a 50, but he could lose as step as he matures physically.   They have his run tool rated a 45 which is a tick below average so I'm putting 2 and 2 together and saying these are future grades at the ML level.  BTW, they have his power at 60 (above average), his arm and defense a 50.   So they feel he has a chance to be an average ML 2B defensively,  a plus plus hitter, with above average power.

[RZNJ]

Baseball Mock Draft 5.0 

Has Orioles taking Druw Jones but admit that they have no clue who they will actually take.

 

Their reasoning.  Jones is the best player in the class and:

With almost $2 million more in pool money than the No. 2 team (D-backs) do the Orioles really need to cut a deal with the first pick to get creative later? I don’t think so. They will have a lot of money to work with regardless.

[RZNJ]

 That group seems to include Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday, Elijah Green, Termarr Johnson, Brooks Lee and Jacob Berry. I haven’t heard Berry’s name linked quite as much lately but I am assuming he is still solidly in the mix of players Baltimore is thinking about.

[waroriole]

21 hours ago, PHRESH said:

Harold Reynolds is the only one I've heard say he could stay at SS.  (about 1:45 into the video) 

 

Whether we take this kid or not, I absolutely love his character. Seems like a true fan and student of the game. 

 

That’s pretty cool. He seems like a good kid who loves baseball. I wouldn’t hate him as our pick.