2023 18th Round Pick (#541): Tanner Witt - RHP - (Jr) Texas (TX)

[CaptainRedbeard]

Feels a lot like the Carter Young pick last year, in that he was also considered to be a potential 1st rounder who has a terrible year and was widely expected to go back to school. Makes sense to take a guy like that at the end of the draft so that you can sink some money into it if you find yourself with it. They got Young signed. 

[Greg Pappas]

6 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

As I wrote in the Day 3 thread earlier, this pick just made some sense. I believe his dad does still work for the Orioles. Maybe he wants to go back and potentially be a first round pick in 2024, or perhaps he is ready to begin his pro career in an organization he feels comfortable with. I hope it is the latter. 

He was projected to be a first round pick until the TJ. He generally has very good command, but struggled this spring in his comeback from the surgery.

The Kollin Ritchie pick is very interesting to me as well. Maybe they actually plan on signing one of them, for a figure somewhere around $1M. 

Great call and pick.  High hopes for Tanner.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Greg Pappas

[Sports Guy]

I figure this will cost a lot but get it done.

[Sports Guy]

 

[Sydnor]

21 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

As I wrote in the Day 3 thread earlier, this pick just made some sense. I believe his dad does still work for the Orioles. Maybe he wants to go back and potentially be a first round pick in 2024, or perhaps he is ready to begin his pro career in an organization he feels comfortable with. I hope it is the latter. 

He was projected to be a first round pick until the TJ. He generally has very good command, but struggled this spring in his comeback from the surgery.

The Kollin Ritchie pick is very interesting to me as well. Maybe they actually plan on signing one of them, for a figure somewhere around $1M. 

I thought the Witt that worked for the Orioles was Doug Witt (who no longer works for the Orioles), and that Tanner’s father is Kevin Witt.

[Jammer7]

41 minutes ago, Sydnor said:

I thought the Witt that worked for the Orioles was Doug Witt (who no longer works for the Orioles), and that Tanner’s father is Kevin Witt.

I may be confused on that. I apparently did not have my Witts about me. lol

[Sports Guy]

This is every bit as good as getting an overslot Hs kid..but can they sign him?

Edited July 11, 2023 by Sports Guy

[seak05]

3 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

This is every bit as good as getting an overslot Hs kid..but can they sign him?

The Orioles are going to need to find an awfully large amount of saving to sign him. My guess is he only signs if they fail to sign someone else (like occurred last year). With NIL money it will be hard to pay him more then he can make at Texas next year. 

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, seak05 said:

The Orioles are going to need to find an awfully large amount of saving to sign him. My guess is he only signs if they fail to sign someone else (like occurred last year). With NIL money it will be hard to pay him more then he can make at Texas next year. 

I just don’t  know how much NIL money there is for him though.

I think it’s tough to sign him because it’s very likely he sees a significant jump in draft position next year.

I would guess 1.5-2M would get him signed.

[Sports Guy]

 

[Sports Guy]

I have a feeling they are going to get this done.

They didn’t draft him thinking he was going to sign cheaply. They know he has a number. Now, it may be something they are willing to pay but need to figure others out first and if they doesn’t go to plan, maybe they miss out on Witt but I think if they can come up with 2nd round-ish slot money, they get it done and I think they are good with that.

It’s finding the savings throughout their picks. I say they save 500k-1M with Bradfield. 

[ChuckS]

16 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I have a feeling they are going to get this done.

They didn’t draft him thinking he was going to sign cheaply. They know he has a number. Now, it may be something they are willing to pay but need to figure others out first and if they doesn’t go to plan, maybe they miss out on Witt but I think if they can come up with 2nd round-ish slot money, they get it done and I think they are good with that.

It’s finding the savings throughout their picks. I say they save 500k-1M with Bradfield. 

I hope they get it done.  If this guy was projected as a second round pick and he's going to end up getting second round slot money then why didn't a team just take him in the second round? Not saying it won't happen, but that's my reasoning. 

There has to be some kind of discount given his injury history.  Not saying we won't have to pay, but I'm thinking more 3rd roundish type money would be appropriate. 

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

I hope they get it done.  If this guy was projected as a second round pick and he's going to end up getting second round slot money then why didn't a team just take him in the second round? Not saying it won't happen, but that's my reasoning. 

There has to be some kind of discount given his injury history.  Not saying we won't have to pay, but I'm thinking more 3rd roundish type money would be appropriate. 

But there is also a “I can go back to school and potentially up my value” tax.

[Jammer7]

19 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I have a feeling they are going to get this done.

They didn’t draft him thinking he was going to sign cheaply. They know he has a number. Now, it may be something they are willing to pay but need to figure others out first and if they doesn’t go to plan, maybe they miss out on Witt but I think if they can come up with 2nd round-ish slot money, they get it done and I think they are good with that.

It’s finding the savings throughout their picks. I say they save 500k-1M with Bradfield. 

I hope you are correct about signing him, but I doubt there is much savings with Bradfield. He was supposed to go a little higher, Elias and Ciolek even commented that. OTOH, perhaps they called him and said something like, “Look, we’ll take you for 500K below our slot. Otherwise, we both know you’ll keep sliding.” Getting him 500 K below slot would be a steal at 1-17. 

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

I hope you are correct about signing him, but I doubt there is much savings with Bradfield. He was supposed to go a little higher, Elias and Ciolek even commented that. OTOH, perhaps they called him and said something like, “Look, we’ll take you for 500K below our slot. Otherwise, we both know you’ll keep sliding.” Getting him 500 K below slot would be a steal at 1-17. 

I don’t think it matters where he was “supposed to” go.

Is he going to go back to school, push back his pro career another year, risk injury, draft spot and maybe exposure of his game over 500k-1M?

I just don’t find it likely. 
 

Maybe he gets slot but it’s not necessary to do it to get him signed.