Draft Targets 2 Months Out

[Just Regular]

Was just coming here for simlar highlight, and Elias went FSU pitcher last year.

I kind of lightly dial in to NBA Finals and College World Series around this time of year, and see luck has been kind to UVA who look like they get Charlottesville home field against an unranked Kansas State team.

3-game series game theory fun to be had with pitching staffs.

Adley's Oregon Staters against the SEC in one of the glamour matchups of the weekend.

Paul Skenes struck out 200+ batters in 120 some innings last year and was done by a few weeks from now on the calendar.      Let's see what the Pirates think he is built up for.

[Just Regular]

Jim Callis' new mock on June 6th does guess Brody Brecht to the Orioles.     If it comes to pass that way, I will wonder if the touching 104 is anything OMAR will let happen in Baltimore in September.

https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-pipeline-2024-mock-draft-june-6

I learned today he played some wide receiver there, which calls the Jeff Samardzija image to mind.

[emmett16]

Honeycut just darn near beat out a routine GB to SS.  Kid can roll!  If he’s around for our pick, he’s our guy.  Power & wheels.  

[emmett16]

Honeycut walked off WV.  The dude rises to the occasion and I imagine his draft stock does as well. Stud  

Edited June 8 by emmett16

[RZNJ]

12 hours ago, emmett16 said:

Honeycut just darn near beat out a routine GB to SS.  Kid can roll!  If he’s around for our pick, he’s our guy.  Power & wheels.  

I could see that.  He’s got potential if he can hit which is a big question.  He’s got a 27.9% strikeout rate.    Doesn’t mean that much but his stats are very, very similar to Mac Horvath’s Junior year at the same school although Horvath’s K rate was well under 25%.

I think he’s a tease because after you get him you think “He’d be an all-star if he could only hit”.

Another thing that bothers me about Honeycutt is that his Junior year stats are nearly identical to his freshman year stats.  So, where is the progression as a hitter?  .296 BA up to .309 in 2 years.  Stolen bases, strikeout percentage, homers, OPS, all pretty much unchanged.

Edited June 8 by RZNJ

[Just Regular]

Evansville won today to push #1 seed Tennessee to a Super Regionals decider tomorrow.

I'd heard about Georgia Charlie Condon's near 40 HR in a college season, but NC State had themselves a ball down in Athens this afternoon, 18-1.

The box score did give my first look at Condon's triple slash...439/561/1022.

[Dunk35]

Im banging the table for Honeycutt too right now. First AB after a walkoff HR last night? Another HR to lead off the scoring. 

[emmett16]

13 hours ago, RZNJ said:

I could see that.  He’s got potential if he can hit which is a big question.  He’s got a 27.9% strikeout rate.    Doesn’t mean that much but his stats are very, very similar to Mac Horvath’s Junior year at the same school although Horvath’s K rate was well under 25%.

I think he’s a tease because after you get him you think “He’d be an all-star if he could only hit”.

Another thing that bothers me about Honeycutt is that his Junior year stats are nearly identical to his freshman year stats.  So, where is the progression as a hitter?  .296 BA up to .309 in 2 years.  Stolen bases, strikeout percentage, homers, OPS, all pretty much unchanged.

HR.  Bunt single w/2 outs to start a rally.  And threw a guy out at 1b for a double play on a a pretty routine fly ball.  The kid is a flat out baller.  

[RZNJ]

1 hour ago, emmett16 said:

HR.  Bunt single w/2 outs to start a rally.  And threw a guy out at 1b for a double play on a a pretty routine fly ball.  The kid is a flat out baller.  

Never said he wasn’t.   Does being a baller mean he’s going to hit enough to be a ML regular someday?    There are some concerns regarding his bat.

[OsFanInOhio]

36 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Never said he wasn’t.   Does being a baller mean he’s going to hit enough to be a ML regular someday?    There are some concerns regarding his bat.

He feels a bit like a tooled up Jud Fabian. Potential 3 outcome type guy, but elite cf defense,  threat on the basepaths and big power. 
 

or, if you prefer, bradfield if you swapped a good hit tool with questions of if the power will keep pitchers honest  for a good power tool but questions of the hit tool will be enough. 
 

Either way, if he can even get to a 40 hit tool, he’s a likely major leaguer. Even hitting something like .230, his power, defense and speed plays. Given that we’ve drafted Fabian and bradfield recently, Honeycutt wouldn’t be completely out of left field. 

Edited June 9 by OsFanInOhio

[RZNJ]

5 hours ago, OsFanInOhio said:

He feels a bit like a tooled up Jud Fabian. Potential 3 outcome type guy, but elite cf defense,  threat on the basepaths and big power. 
 

or, if you prefer, bradfield if you swapped a good hit tool with questions of if the power will keep pitchers honest  for a good power tool but questions of the hit tool will be enough. 
 

Either way, if he can even get to a 40 hit tool, he’s a likely major leaguer. Even hitting something like .230, his power, defense and speed plays. Given that we’ve drafted Fabian and bradfield recently, Honeycutt wouldn’t be completely out of left field. 

Pretty much agree with everything you said here.   He might not even be there at #22.   He probably has one of the higher ceilings in the draft.

[emmett16]

9 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Never said he wasn’t.   Does being a baller mean he’s going to hit enough to be a ML regular someday?    There are some concerns regarding his bat.

Was simply conversing about his performance.  He’s fun to watch.  

[Greg Pappas]

Elias has yet to take a pitcher in R1, but if Brecht is there, I'd be pleased if he drafted him.  I'm not betting on it.  Carson Benge feels like an Elias pick, if he's available.  I'd be unhappy if Honeycutt were taken at 22.  I prefer guys with strong bat skills and are good all around, like Benge.  Honeycutt has more upside, but questionable bat skills.  I prefer not taking players that need to be fixed that early in the draft.  I'm not anticipating drafting a pitcher at 32, but I do like Bryce Cunningham at 32.  Santucci, Hess and Ryan Johnson are also (doubtful) wildcards.

Edited June 9 by Greg Pappas

[RZNJ]

19 minutes ago, Greg Pappas said:

Elias has yet to take a pitcher in R1, but if Brecht is there, I'd be pleased if he drafted him.  I'm not betting on it.  Carson Benge feels like an Elias pick, if he's available.  I'd be unhappy if Honeycutt were taken at 22.  I prefer guys with strong bat skills and are good all around, like Benge.  Honeycutt has more upside, but questionable bat skills.  I prefer not taking players that need to be fixed that early in the draft.  I'm not anticipating drafting a pitcher at 32, but I do like Bryce Cunningham at 32.  Santucci, Hess and Ryan Johnson are also (doubtful) wildcards.

1.  We’ve never drafted a RH only hitter with our first pick.  Might be partly coincidence or just a quirk.

2. Benge certainly profiles as the Elias pick as a college player who hits LH

3. Bradfield didn’t really fit their history but the value at #17 was too tough to pass up.  Maybe the same thing with Brecht.

4. With a supposedly big drop off after the first 10 players or so, it’s hard to believe a big athletic RH pitcher with top of the line stuff, and no injury red flags is going to be there at #22.

5. I hope for one of the HS SS, but a better bet for the actual pick would be on a college position player.

Edited June 9 by RZNJ

[Just Regular]

Jac-tani helped hit Florida to a 1-0 lead yesterday and is the Game 2 starter as the Gators try for the 2-0 sweep at Clemson.

ESPN measurables have the LHP 6-5, 250.     76/46 K/BB in 67 college innings doesn't seem that great.