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Since I've been all-in with following the Cubs pipeline, and since I wrote an article on the Mark Leiter Jr. roster addition, my attention to the weekend in college baseball was limited. Nonetheless, player selection news rolled, unabated. So this is me playing catch-up on the weekend in college baseball.
Florida starter Hunter Barco left his start early with an injury. Barco is, or was, a legitimate second round option. Sounds less serious than feared.
Good news from Sully during mid game interview on Hunter. He says Barco coming off being sick and didn’t look like he had the energy after couple of innings. Wanted to be cautious and take him out. https://t.co/1wyu45NgsX
— Brent Martineau (@BrentASJax) April 16, 2022
Teammate Jud Fabian, who also is second-round viable, continues to hit.
Jud Fabian (@GatorsBB) gets a middle 3-2 CH & deposits it way gone for a 2-run bomb in the first. Massive power l/athletic combo & handles CF well. #Gators up 2-0 B1. No. 62 on our updated #PGDraft list: https://t.co/Cgs28rCMPv pic.twitter.com/rJpb10nxzh
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) April 15, 2022
I doubt Cal Poly's Brooks Lee slips to 1.7. Here's why.
For those of you that are wondering what Brooks Lee's swing looks like at 1000 Frames per second... here's a swing from the right and two from the left. #MLBDraft @PG_Scouting @PGCollegeball @VCervinoPG @B_Sakowski_PG @calpolystangs pic.twitter.com/Jd23h4lakS
— Perfect Game California (@California_PG) April 16, 2022
I wouldn't be remotely upset, or surprised, if the Cubs select Adam Mazur in the second round.
M7 | Go ahead and crack that smile @AdamMazur21 ... that's strikeout No. 1⃣0⃣ -- a season-high! #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/4EHp4ccJnk
— Iowa Baseball (@UIBaseball) April 16, 2022
This is a fantastic tweet, and I prefer Parada at 1.7 to Arizona's Daniel Susac. In addition to the three players at the top, I'd lean Parada, Jace Jung (an infielder from Texas Tech), Cam Collier from Chipola College, right-handed fireballer Dylan Lesko, or, possibly, Jackson Holliday, a prep shortstop who is former MLBer Matt Holliday's son. Holliday would be No. 8 on my list of seven names.
Druw Jones, Termarr Johnson and Brooks Lee probably have the top 3 spots in this draft locked up, and it'd be hard to picture Pirates or Nats taking Parada at 4 or 5.
— Mike Drafts (@Mike_Drafts) April 16, 2022
But Kevin Parada is showing a plus hit tool and plus power. Strong candidate to go inside Top 7. #MLBDraft https://t.co/MnRuYnuNAi
The last time I'd heard of someone named Anthony Hall, his middle name was Michael, and the topic was likely The Breakfast Club. A usable college bat, sitting in the 130s on a draft board? I'd be interested in Round 5 or so.
SOPH OF Anthony Hall (@OregonBaseball) jumps all over the 1st pitch he sees tonight for a massive 2-run HR to RF
— Dan Jurik (@PBR_DanJurik) April 15, 2022
#137 in latest @d1baseball Midseason Top 150 Prospects@DSeifertD1PBR | @aaronfitt | @KendallRogers | @PBR_DraftHQ #MLBdraft pic.twitter.com/ATlRYqz5PA
A bit of an aside: I'm unlikely to do a mock draft. I have no inside knowledge of who the Phillies, Giants, or Red Sox might prefer in Round 1 or 2. Nonetheless, I do have a soft prediction in the late first round, and it's logic- and historically-based. Somewhat. I would be totally unsurprising if the White Sox (who seem as "win now" as anyone, both in the actions and their use of recent draft choices) sect Ben Joyce in the first round and use him in Chicago by September. The Sox have a timeline for success, and Joyce could improve their bullpen immediately.
While I wouldn't "hard-throwing Vols pitcher to be used as a reliever" in the first round, the Sox did exactly that with Garret Crochet. If the Sox do that, I'd love it for the Cubs, who would have a better pool of names to choose from in Round 2. By at least one name.
Tennessee junior Ben Joyce is hitting 103.5 MPH pic.twitter.com/KXWQdlDWuv
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) February 24, 2022
If I'm talking drafting and precedent, the Cubs have had a degree of success with a Michigan Wolverine bat in the outfield with Jordan Nwogu. Clark Elliott might be the next, as early as Round Three.
Only right to post the audio of the three Clark Elliott home runs, since @UMichWD mentioned it.
— Zach Linfield (@ZachLinfield) April 16, 2022
Here’s how it sounded for @wcbnsports: @umichbaseball #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/rL1KXy0NHS
Another aside. As cool as it is to add the "young prep bats", college veterans are more likely to represent early in their professional careers. A degree of balance is probably preferable to going all specifically anything, such as selecting a college bat at 1.7.
A full inning from Jacob Watters (rhp, @WVUBaseball) punching out the side in the 2nd last night. Big, physical 6'4"/230 frame. Effortless velo; plays catch in the mid-90s (2300-2450 spin). 83-86 mph SL had depth & bite. Arrow up #MLBDraft name.
— Burke Granger (@burkegranger) April 16, 2022
6.1IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 8K. pic.twitter.com/g1F8NRAXOA
If Mason McRae raves, I listen.
There isn’t a player in college with a better approach than Liberty’s Derek Orndorff. The numbers he’s produced are insane.
— (@mason_mcrae) April 19, 2022
It’s a Tanner Allen type profile. The bat speed/decisions are so good that he just blasts everything into the stratosphere. pic.twitter.com/majKyREjDV
After a first-inning single, Kevin Parada launched the first pitch he saw in the second inning for a grand slam. #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/luJYbXewtQ
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) April 17, 2022
A Cermak in the Cubs pipeline would work.
and early Day 2 #MLBDraft prospect Ryan Cermak @RedbirdBaseball laser a single to RF with 2 strikes and RISP ⬇️@PBR_DraftHQ @d1baseball pic.twitter.com/v6wY23n0D0
— David Seifert (@DSeifertD1PBR) April 16, 2022
Full inning (1st) from Justin Campbell (rhp, @OSUBaseball). Long levered at 6'7"/219, repeats well for a big man. #MLBDraft
— Burke Granger (@burkegranger) April 16, 2022
"I think he’s got elite competitive makeup to go along with four quality pitches," said Pokes skipper Josh Holliday.
7IP, 6H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 8K (W, 5-1) pic.twitter.com/YVNxNOs71P
A full inning from Jacob Watters (rhp, @WVUBaseball) punching out the side in the 2nd last night. Big, physical 6'4"/230 frame. Effortless velo; plays catch in the mid-90s (2300-2450 spin). 83-86 mph SL had depth & bite. Arrow up #MLBDraft name.
— Burke Granger (@burkegranger) April 16, 2022
6.1IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 8K. pic.twitter.com/g1F8NRAXOA
Questions? Fire away.