2023 5th Round Pick (#154): Jake Cunningham - OF - (Jr) UNC Charlotte (NC)

[86this]

Slot = $396.70k

MLB Film Room

[Moose Milligan]

Another college outfielder, eh?  

[sportsfan8703]

Another toolsy projectible pick at a premium position.  That's three CFs now.  Four base stealers.  

[baltfan]

Seems like they are drafting athletes with the idea that they can develop them.  Should be interesting.  

[RZNJ]

Another power/speed guy with hit questions.   Our guys consider these upside picks.

[sportsfan8703]

2 minutes ago, baltfan said:

Seems like they are drafting athletes with the idea that they can develop them.  Should be interesting.  

At this point, they've earned the chance.  

[Tony-OH]

Hopefully this is a money saver here. Not thrilled with 5th round college outfielders with middling stats and plate discipline.

I mean we are getting into the 5th round so can't get too upset, but rather have a pitcher or a CC or HS guy with some upside but those guys may be too expensive.  

I'm thinking this is a money saver pick.

[MurphDogg]

He just turned 21 and Keith Law speculates that he may try to go back to school, given his age and the fact that an offseason ankle injury led to a fairly disappointing season. So I wouldn't expect him to sign under slot.

Edited July 10, 2023 by MurphDogg

[86this]

7 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Another college outfielder, eh?  

At least they're not saying "the best college outfielder..."

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, 86this said:

At least they're not saying "the best college outfielder..."

Nah, but they just called a college player "a college performer" which, a lot of these guys are.  

[Moose Milligan]

6 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Hopefully this is a money saver here. Not thrilled with 5th round college outfielders with middling stats and plate discipline.

I mean we are getting into the 5th round so can't get too upset, but rather have a pitcher or a CC or HS guy with some upside but those guys may be too expensive.  

I'm thinking this is a money saver pick.

I would agree.  I don't really see it with this pick but I'm assuming Elias knows who he's going to need to go overslot with and who those guys are.  

 

[sportsfan8703]

These college outfielders have some position flexibility and the ability to play CF.  CF is a premium position, if they can stick.  Horvatch could ply 3B and CF.  Josenberger could play 2B and CF.  Cunningham can play CF.  Cunningham's ankle injury slowed him down.  Ankle injury from weight lifting.  They could hold him out of games the rest of this year and let him fully heal.  

I really like what we're doing.  With this being the Covid draft... we're getting athletes that wouldn't normally be here at this stage of the draft.  Keep drafting toolsy athletes with projection and try and develop them.  

[Sports Guy]

Any one of these picks is perfectly fine. There is upside and you just never know.

But to make that basically all you draft in these middle rounds over the years is where it’s such a head scratcher.

[baltfan]

20 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Any one of these picks is perfectly fine. There is upside and you just never know.

But to make that basically all you draft in these middle rounds over the years is where it’s such a head scratcher.

Except the infield looks really full for the foreseeable future.  They probably think there is no scenario where they trade Gunnar, Holliday, Adley, or Jackson.  That leaves two spots and there are a lot of possibilities for those spots.  

[bpilktree]

1 hour ago, baltfan said:

Except the infield looks really full for the foreseeable future.  They probably think there is no scenario where they trade Gunnar, Holliday, Adley, or Jackson.  That leaves two spots and there are a lot of possibilities for those spots.  

This my thoughts as well.  I think they see they are strong with middle infielders for next 5 plus years so they will look to find replacements for Hays, Mullins, and Santander in the next 1-3 years.  They will also start moving some guys in trades as it gets crowded at the upper levels.  I don’t think Elias will move the top guys but more the Stowers and Haskin.   They also have signed mostly infielders in their international guys so far.