2024 2nd Round Pick (#61): Ethan Anderson - C - (Jr) Virginia (VA)

[Rbiggs2525]

Elias must see something in his catching tools. I do not think you take him unless you believe he can become average defender. Looks like a player who needs to catch 3 years minimum in the minors. 

[Moose Milligan]

I was fine with the first two picks but this one is a head scratcher.

 

 

[Ripken]

3 minutes ago, HowAboutThat said:

Why didn’t we take Brecht?

He's a pitcher.  We don't take those.  It's fine.  Dave is going to pay for Burnes, Eovaldi, Snell, Fried, Scherzer and Cole (opt-out) this off season.

[Sports Guy]

 

[interloper]

They do really seem to factor in makeup quite a bit in their drafts. For better or worse.

If he could be a good switch hitting 1B with some pop and maybe a high average, that could be interesting. Especially given how weak 1B is in the game right now. 

I'm stretching, admittedly.

Edited July 15 by interloper

[Just Regular]

UVA bringing the Gunnar and Adley replacements!     This is definitely going to motivate them to sign tomorrow's everyday offer.

The 25% of Elias' high school class from TJ Tech that went to UVA is probably like "Yeah, bro, finally!".

[Sports Guy]

 

[RZNJ]

14 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I was fine with the first two picks but this one is a head scratcher.

 

 

Ha.  And I like this one better than O’Ferrall.  Anderson put up big numbers is sophomore year.  Walks more than he strikes out.  Switch hits.  Caught in HS and caught 26 games this year.   A switch hitter catcher who can hit?   Maybe.

[Rbiggs2525]

His move to the baseball from the left side reminds me of Ohearn a bit. 

[Sydnor]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

 

I understand that you are just sharing this, but every team is going to say this about the players they draft. I was listening to a draft podcast where the Guardians guy was saying how much they care about make up and being certain that they are drafting first class people. Nobody is going to say we got three guys that have some skills and are jerks on and off the field.

[Frobby]

5 hours ago, Sydnor said:

I understand that you are just sharing this, but every team is going to say this about the players they draft. I was listening to a draft podcast where the Guardians guy was saying how much they care about make up and being certain that they are drafting first class people. Nobody is going to say we got three guys that have some skills and are jerks on and off the field.

Dan Duquette would have described them in such a way that you would have wondered if they were automatons or human beings.  

[ChosenOne21]

Did Elias forget he already has a switch-hitting catcher and a really good one at that?

[Sports Guy]

Law had him 45th.

[CaptainRedbeard]

Anderson and O’Ferrall feel like classic analytics picks. College hitters. Up the middle defensive positions. Great contact/plate discipline. You plug them into a model based on their stats and I’m sure they get high grades. For a team like the Orioles this feels like hitting a tee shot straight down the fairway.

They went with a riskier round 1 pick, chasing upside, and very much specific to the Orioles’ player development wheelhouse in that they clearly think they excel at fixing/covering up bad hit tools and pitch selection with their development methods. So they played it safer with their next two picks. 

I would have been happy with Brecht with either of the top 2 picks. They need to start spending more draft capital on pitchers. But I like the gamble on Honeycutt, and I can see enough upside on the O’Ferall and Anderson picks to not get too worked up on them. Yet. The ceilings are still high enough. But that’s only true if they go heavy on pitching on day 2 now. They can’t afford more model-driven college hitters as their upsides get lower and lower as the draft gets watered down further. 

[Can_of_corn]

7 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Ha.  And I like this one better than O’Ferrall.  Anderson put up big numbers is sophomore year.  Walks more than he strikes out.  Switch hits.  Caught in HS and caught 26 games this year.   A switch hitter catcher who can hit?   Maybe.

I can't work up myself up over a second round pick but I see this and I wonder a bit.

8 hours ago, Sovaosfan said:

Have know Ethan since 8th grade, he committed to Uva when he was 13. He has been switch hitting all his life, don't really see the fit because he is definently a hit first catcher that is not super athletic. Great kid super excited he is in our organization but come on Elias we need some pitching.