Vance Honeycutt

[RZNJ]

56 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

https://www.mlb.com/video/2019-draft-bobby-witt-jr-ss-c2520534783

"Witt comes with some mild concerns about his bat because he didn't always make consistent contact on the showcase circuit last summer."

 Mild concerns.   I think there were major concerns with Elijah Green and big concerns with Honeycutt.   Obviously, it’s easier to evaluate the college player and it’s notable that no one with a strikeout rate as high as Honeycutt was ever taken in the first round before.   I believe that’s true.

[LookitsPuck]

7 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

 Mild concerns.   I think there were major concerns with Elijah Green and big concerns with Honeycutt.   Obviously, it’s easier to evaluate the college player and it’s notable that no one with a strikeout rate as high as Honeycutt was ever taken in the first round before.   I believe that’s true.

Aye.

Some notables with similarly high strikeout rates attached. Vance is at 26%. So, there’s some potential to buck it. And Jordan Westburg was at 22%. And Westy has the same strikeout rate in the majors, btw.

[Jammer7]

Honeycutt was, without any doubt, the most talented player at 1-22 in this past draft. It was the right pick, if your philosophy is really BPA. They have a really good hitting development group. It was a right fit. There are zero guarantees that he will make the necessary swing changes. He has to buy-in to what they teach. All indications are that he is coachable, so give them an offseason to help him grow.

I hope no one is giving up on a guy who didn’t have live game at bats for two months after the draft? I mean he has not had any development time yet. Patience with this kind of talent in developing his pitch recognition, and the simplicity of staying inside the ball more while staying connected on the back side will really help him. He gets around the ball a lot. His power to all fields is there, so he should take more advantage of it. 

[Can_of_corn]

35 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

 Mild concerns.   I think there were major concerns with Elijah Green and big concerns with Honeycutt.   Obviously, it’s easier to evaluate the college player and it’s notable that no one with a strikeout rate as high as Honeycutt was ever taken in the first round before.   I believe that’s true.

I remember other takes that were a bit more worried sounding. 

I agree that the level of concern was not the same as Honeycutt or Green.

[OriolesUpAndDowns]

I don't usually put much into the SSS stats for the guys who sign late.  They haven't faced game pitching, probably have a lot going on personally with signing their first contract and they are probably just mentally tired.  

Now, if the college guys show up next year and struggle in the first half, then I get worried. 

 

[Baseball fandom]

2 hours ago, Jammer7 said:

Honeycutt was, without any doubt, the most talented player at 1-22 in this past draft. It was the right pick, if your philosophy is really BPA. They have a really good hitting development group. It was a right fit. There are zero guarantees that he will make the necessary swing changes. He has to buy-in to what they teach. All indications are that he is coachable, so give them an offseason to help him grow.

I hope no one is giving up on a guy who didn’t have live game at bats for two months after the draft? I mean he has not had any development time yet. Patience with this kind of talent in developing his pitch recognition, and the simplicity of staying inside the ball more while staying connected on the back side will really help him. He gets around the ball a lot. His power to all fields is there, so he should take more advantage of it. 

That's a matter of opinion not aquete to say without a doubt 

[Baseball fandom]

22 hours ago, doccat said:

12 K’s in 28 at-bats in almost the lowest rung of the minors….  I know, it’s early and he’s just getting his first experience in professional ball….  
 

still….  Alarming.

Wow that's absurd   I just have a feeling the kid's not going to cut it but I hope I'm wrong. 

Edited September 2 by Baseball fandom

[RZNJ]

2 minutes ago, Baseball fandom said:

That's a matter of opinion not aquete to say without a doubt 

Agreed.   All other teams passed on this no doubter and there’s no guarantee he gets picked in the next 3-5 picks if we passed.   He may have been the most talented athlete at #22 but I’m not sure it’s a slam dunk that he was the best choice at #22.   
 

Time will tell.

[Baseball fandom]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

Agreed.   All other teams passed on this no doubter and there’s no guarantee he gets picked in the next 3-5 picks if we passed.   He may have been the most talented athlete at #22 but I’m not sure it’s a slam dunk that he was the best choice at #22.   
 

Time will tell.

I personally liked the Kentucky OF better. Higher floor but time will tell. 

[LookitsPuck]

Getting promoted to Aberdeen. 

[RZNJ]

7 minutes ago, Baseball fandom said:

I personally liked the Kentucky OF better. Higher floor but time will tell. 

I didn’t like him either.   I was hoping for best HS player on the board or Brody Brecht.   I preferred the boom or bust pitcher over the boom or bust position player.

[Baseball fandom]

3 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I didn’t like him either.   I was hoping for best HS player on the board or Brody Brecht.   I preferred the boom or bust pitcher over the boom or bust position player.

I hear you. Can you imagine if they got Caminiti  at 22 and Brecht at 31. That would had been sweet. 

[Jammer7]

13 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Agreed.   All other teams passed on this no doubter and there’s no guarantee he gets picked in the next 3-5 picks if we passed.   He may have been the most talented athlete at #22 but I’m not sure it’s a slam dunk that he was the best choice at #22.   
 

Time will tell.

Yes, of course the other teams passed on him. The guy tool is raw as you posted. That said, the Orioles are regarded in the industry as an excellent hitter development staff. So, if the hit tool was a “50,” many analysts said he’d have likely been a top 10 pick. Maybe even in the conversation at 1-1. So, it’s a risky pick, sure. But the potential payoff is immense. There was no other position player with the tools of Honeycutt. Every analysis I have read said so anyway. His swing and miss concerns are rough, but so is Brecht’s command issues. 

Aaron Judge comes to mind with hit tool concerns. Certainly not the same swing and miss concerns, but quality of contact issues.

We do not know what we have yet. Why so pessimistic? I thought you were fairly positive about him. I guess I was wrong. I know you wanted Brecht over Farrell. 

[Jammer7]

6 minutes ago, Baseball fandom said:

I hear you. Can you imagine if they got Caminiti  at 22 and Brecht at 31. That would had been sweet. 

Brecht is very physically talented, but with serious command issues. Again, we’ll see what comes of him. I would have applauded a high school arm in one of the first two picks. Caminiti would have been great. I doubt we’ll ever see Elias do that though. 

[Jammer7]

13 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I didn’t like him either.   I was hoping for best HS player on the board or Brody Brecht.   I preferred the boom or bust pitcher over the boom or bust position player.

To Tony’s point, do we actually develop boom or bust pitchers well? Picking Honeycutt went to our strength as a system.