Bleed Cubbie Blue - 2018 MLB DraftA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2018-07-07T08:30:02-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/167352592018-07-07T08:30:02-05:002018-07-07T08:30:02-05:002018 MLB Draft: Cubs announce the signing of 32 picks
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<figcaption>Jake Reindl | Luke Franke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Only 10 of the Cubs’ 42 picks did not sign. </p> <p id="R0BjVg">Friday was the deadline for teams to sign their picks from the 2018 MLB Draft, and the Cubs announced that they have signed 32 of their 42 draft picks including all of their top 20 picks.</p>
<p id="qjIquv">The Cubs had previously announced the signing of 27 picks, but five more signed on the final few days of the signing period. They are:</p>
<p id="4qrCBA">Fifth-round pick Andy Weber, 2B, Virginia. (Reportedly for a $400,000 bonus)</p>
<p id="jnNx90">Sixteenth-round pick Josh Sawyer, LHP, Texas.</p>
<p id="K3vm5D">Seventeenth-round pick Jake Reindl, RHP, Arkansas.</p>
<p id="YFEYwA">Twenty-seventh-round pick Niels Stone, RHP, Indian River State College (FL)</p>
<p id="iVtgbG">Thirty-fifth-round pick Edmond Americaan, OF, Chipola JC (FL)</p>
<p id="uCMULX">Americaan was considered a reasonably-tough sign as he had been drafted in the previous two seasons and did not sign either time. It was also good that the Cubs signed Weber, as not signing a top ten pick causes a corresponding drop in bonus pool money, although I assume that the Cubs had already factored in Weber either signing or not signing when they signed their other players chosen in the top ten picks of the draft.</p>
<p id="SYKdRB">Three of the players who did not sign, 28th-round pick LHP Mitchell Parker, 33rd-round pick RHP Tyler Ras and 36th-round C Jacob Campbell, were “tough signs” who would likely have gone in the top 10 rounds of the draft were it not for college commitments. The Cubs final two picks, catcher Pierson Gibis and first baseman Itamar Steiner, were picks made to honor local kids who have overcome adversity. (Although it <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/sports/ct-lns-spt-baseball-mlb-draft-pierson-gibis-st-0611-story.html">sounds like Gibis could play a bit before he was stricken with cancer</a> and will play college ball, at least. <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/skokie/sports/ct-skr-itamar-steiner-mlb-draft-chicago-cubs-tl-0621-story.html">Steiner’s story has been told before</a> and you might have seen him singing “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” with actor Jeff Garland at Wrigley last month.)</p>
<p id="NsGVtf">Overall, that is an excellent ratio of signings for the Cubs. Many of these players are already in the minor league system and several are even playing in short-season Eugene, including first-round pick Nico Hoerner, second-round comp pick Paul Richan and fourth-round pick Ethan Roberts.</p>
<p id="o1dmEV">Other teams were not as lucky. Three first-round picks, the Braves pick RHP Carter Stewart (8th), Diamondbacks pick SS Matt McLain (25th) and Dodgers pick RHP J.T. Ginn (30th) all failed to sign, along with the first pick in the first-round supplemental round, Pirates pick RHP Gunnar Hoglund (36th). Stewart was the big name here, although reportedly the Braves found <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/2018-mlb-draft-signings-status-update/c-284018650">something in their physical that they didn’t like and cut his bonus offer in half. </a></p>
<p id="PB7Bdf">Every other player taken in the top 10 round signed. But the four who didn’t sign are more than the three who did not sign last season and the two who did not sign in 2016. </p>
<p id="NeKLTX">Here’s the official press release with all the picks and those who are now Cubs in bold. </p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/7/7/17543564/cubs-signing-draft-picks-nico-hoerner-andy-weber-jake-reindlJosh Timmers2018-06-08T09:30:01-05:002018-06-08T09:30:01-05:002018 MLB Draft review: Unpacking the Cubs draft
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<figcaption>Andy Weber, the Cubs fifth round draft selection | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Some thoughts on the draft and what’s next for the system.</p> <p id="VCJ3TX">What a week. <span>Jason Heyward</span> hits a walkoff grand slam. South Bend tosses a combined no-hitter. The four full-season affiliates swept to wins. Some good things happened with the Dominican affiliates. Another successful draft has been completed. And I fell asleep early. This column is about me unpacking from the draft and where the affiliates are now.</p>
<p id="eWLov6">Tennessee has been “a bit over .500” much of the season. Much of their success has been pitching-based. Trevor Clifton pushed for an early-June promotion to Triple-A Iowa. Clifton, Duncan Robinson, Tom Hatch, Oscar De La Cruz, and Michael Rucker have combined to start all but one of their games. All have represented at the level. As with the other levels, the bullpen has been somewhat deep.</p>
<p id="QB7RJU">Myrtle Beach started the season quite slowly. Their pitching was usually acceptable, but the offense was very optional. The pitching has been sensational recently, as the team has rattled off 11 of 13 wins to get in the division discussion for the first-half crown. It’s unlikely they complete the reversal-of-fortune, but the pitching development is what matters.</p>
<p id="jkAhHi">The Pelicans have sent Matt Swarmer on to Double-A, which he seems ready for this time. The other principle starters have been Keegan Thompson, Tyson Miller, Brian Hudson, and Jose Paulino. Paulino and Hudson have struggled some, though Hudson has begun to right himself. Bailey Clark has the other two starts, and has done well.</p>
<p id="6VGRBL">Cory Abbott will take Swarmer’s spot. As with Tennessee, the bullpen has been an ensemble cast, more than a one- or two-man show. Most starting pitchers, most nights, in the pipeline, are worth tracking. When someone misfires too often, someone worthy takes their spot.</p>
<p id="n8nZPh">In South Bend, Javier Assad, Brendan Little, Rollie Lacy (who pitched the first seven innings of the no-hitter Wednesday night), Erich Uelmen, and Tyler Thomas continue the “pitching depth” theme in the Midwest League. Jesus Camargo looks to be the added starter in the six-man rotation.</p>
<p id="1A7MEl">Brian Glowicki, Enrique De Los Rios, Garrett Kelly, Jeff Passantonio, and others figure to keep the bullpen useful. You’d have to convince me the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> have ever had this much pitching depth in their pipeline.</p>
<p id="HrbgQC">***</p>
<p id="hKU3hg">Which leads to my look at the draft. I was a somewhat outspoken proponent of the Cubs adding more offense to the pipeline. With <a href="https://www.mlb.com/draft/tracker/cubs">four of the first five choices being hitters</a>, I was very satisfied. Eventually, the numbers evened out. Fans of the pipeline will have about 30 names to get used to. Quite a few of them might be initially spotted at locations that they ought to be able to find initial success.</p>
<p id="FfXOHq">For instance, in the fifth round, they added Virginia second baseman Andy Weber (pictured at the top of this post). Selected that early, and from a baseball school like Virginia, Weber is a logical to start in Eugene. He should be way too good for the Arizona League, so pencil him in as a fire-starter for the Emeralds.</p>
<p id="rMif4Z">Later, the Cubs added second baseman Clayton Daniel (Round 31) from Jacksonville State in Alabama. Daniel had an OPS of .840 (keyed by 22 doubles) in the Ohio Valley Conference for the Gamecocks. He walked 28 times, and struck out only ten times in approaching 300 plate trips.</p>
<p id="51XRrW">With Weber in Eugene, Daniel projects to get regular at-bats for one of the Mesa squads. The Mesa teams will regularly face pitchers deemed not ready to venture off of the compound. Whether that means international arms adjusting to the states, four year senior arms being given a few innings before being shut down, or recent high school graduates, I’d bet on Daniel in many of those opportunities.</p>
<p id="HnhKzz">When it comes to recently drafted players, think of a stone path along a river. You can see the path, and it’s a bit straight-forward. You take the step in front of you, then the one after that, until finished. When assessing prospects, the question tends to be “when will we get to the last stone in the path?” Worry about the first step, then the one after. The Cubs have a few bats that look to be ready for their next step.</p>
<p id="Ip5MnX">***</p>
<p id="yccNSL">The Cubs drafted center fielders. This should be about as surprising as that Wednesday follows Tuesday. That isn’t a condemnation of Albert Almora or Ian Happ. The Cubs draft center fielders more than right fielders, and largely ignore left fielders. Because that’s how they draft. They will do the same, next year. </p>
<p id="QGmYz6">The Cubs drafted five center fielders, and six outfielders with no position specified. While other teams want to draft sluggers, the Cubs will mind the gloves. They have since 2012, and figure to well into the future. Which decreases the likelihood of one- or two-tool offensive threats, but helps the pitching.</p>
<p id="5TiGm5">Preps Brennen Davis (Round 2) and Cole Roederer (Round 2a) figure to be among the main beneficiaries of adding another Arizona League team. They figure to start five or six games a week without taking key at-bats from other players. Duke Blue Devil Jimmy Herron will miss time for Tommy John surgery sooner or later. I’m not in the timeline loop.</p>
<p id="iI31o5">DJ Artis from Liberty University should be the principle center fielder in Eugene, and figures to be the “one” of the Artis/Weber one-two. This could be fun. Artis walks like rabbits chew on green stuff for nourishment. </p>
<p id="3pGDFU">Puerto Rican pick Ezequiel Pagan (Round 13) begins his learning experience in Mesa, getting the level of at-bats he earns. St. John’s center fielder Jamie Galazin ( Round 22) will fit in somewhere, as will Seatlle University center fielder Dalton Hurd (Round 25), who I have no awareness of. Drew Wharton (Clemson/Round 30) and Chipola College’s Edmond Americaan (Round 35, who I saw on my computer a bit before the Division One season began) will get some chances in Mesa, as well, if he signs. Wharton’s pedigree might get him to Eugene, though.</p>
<p id="OKuQhf">***</p>
<p id="Yjio4m">As for the shortstops, the principle ones appear to be Nico Hoerner (Round 1/Stanford) and Levi Jordan (Round 29/University of Washington). Hoerner starts in Eugene, likely. Put him third after Artis and Weber, and Northwest League pitching staffs should be on notice from the start.</p>
<p id="yoZSOr">Which indicates Jordan might get to bash pitchers in Mesa. Which might make sense about as long as Hoerner stays in Eugene. By the way, the Emeralds were already set up the middle with Luis Vazquez, Luis Verdugo, and Christopher Morel. Hoerner and the rest weren’t filling vacancies up the middle. They strengthened already existing depth.</p>
<p id="gAzpQg">Third baseman Luke Reynolds from Southern Mississippi had as good of an offensive season in Conference USA as possible. He hit 15 homers, and his OPS approached 1.300. Plug him in behind Hoerner in Eugene, and a few pitchers may be best off bringing their A-Game. I think his bat might already be better than Austin Filiere’s.</p>
<p id="iYWMPW">The Cubs even selected a first baseman. The move somewhat shocked me. However, Tyler Durna from UC San Diego vacuums at first in a fashion similar to <span>Anthony Rizzo</span> in Chicago. He prevents hits and errors with similar style, and will help defensively wherever he begins.</p>
<p id="rZwPdk">The Cubs selected a college catcher from South Carolina, who is a regular in the college post-season. Without even looking, Hunter Taylor (Round 23) from the SEC’s Gamecocks will be solid defensively. The Cubs have been known to teach catchers how to hit better. <span>Taylor Davis</span>, Ian Rice, and others are precedent.</p>
<p id="dW1sED">***</p>
<p id="1B3Ia2">Which leads to the pitching. Ethan Roberts is torn between a starter and reliever, which seems to be a theme. The same applies for Riley Thompson (Louisville/Round 11), Cam Sanders (Round 12/Louisiana State), Riley McCauley (Michigan State/Round 14), and a few others. </p>
<p id="t2CFFh">However, the Cubs are starting to prove they can locate pitchers who can move up the ladder as starters. Paul Richan (San Diego/Round 2c), Derek Casey (Virginia/Round 9), and a handful of others will be contending for innings in a few weeks in short-season ball. and next April in Mesa.</p>
<p id="OZL6dz">Keep your eyes on the stone in front of you.</p>
<p id="CkaFYK">***</p>
<p id="N8KOBG">For those of us who scheme about the future, the draft is a dreamland. Players that nobody else will have claim over for at least three seasons are what makes the days sunnier. Pitchers with two or two-and-a-half offerings have another affiliate to work on their tertiary offerings with limited repercussions. Mystery draft choices like Pagan will get to see how ready they are. </p>
<p id="RmQnOE">While the majority will clamor for instant results, a multi-tiered pipeline is about constant improvement, and competition at every step. For too many years, too many spots on the field at too many levels seemed a bit uncultivated. With the conclusion of the draft in 2018, every spot on the diamond in the pipeline appears upgraded.</p>
<p id="D3YhXA">On the same night a ninth-inning grand slam by Jason Heyward put a monstrous-sized lump in the collective throats of the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Milwaukee Brewers</a>. The same night South Bend pitched a combined no-hitter. The same night the four full-season affiliates won their games. Even the Dominican sides, who both lost, had very good up-front pitching.</p>
<p id="rEokVw">On July 2, the Cubs resume adding international talent, this time freed from restrictive individual-player spending limits. Things are going well in the Cubs universe, even though I missed much of the action last night. I had a very peaceful sleep. And the good things figure to continue. </p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/8/17437172/2018-mlb-draft-review-unpacking-the-cubs-draftTim Huwe2018-06-07T10:30:02-05:002018-06-07T10:30:02-05:002018 MLB Draft: Cubs draft recap
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<figcaption>Ethan Roberts, the Cubs’ fourth-round selection from Tennessee Tech | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>A rundown of the 42 players the Cubs chose in this year’s Rule 4 draft.</p> <p id="QFY8W4">The 2018 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb-draft">MLB Draft</a> is now over, and there are 42 potential new members of the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> family. </p>
<p id="ZS79yz">The Cubs took 18 pitchers in the draft: 14 right-handers and four lefties. They selected three catchers, ten infielders and eleven outfielders. </p>
<p id="Ae8qH1">Of course, not every Cubs choice will end up signing. But the top five picks will almost certainly sign (barring an surprise injury) and the top ten are probably 99% likely to sign. These days with the bonus pools, teams rarely draft anyone in the top ten picks without a strong confidence that they will sign.</p>
<p id="VgSTuC">The Cubs draft appears to be pretty college-heavy, with 28 of the 42 picks being from two- or four-year colleges. Only four of the first 27 picks were high-school players. </p>
<p id="KRwPLU">Six of the Cubs’ college draft picks will be taking part in NCAA Super Regionals beginning this weekend: third-round pick Jimmy Herron (Duke), fourth-round pick Ethan Roberts (Tennessee Tech), 16th-round pick Josh Sawyer (Texas), 17th-round pick Jake Reindl (Arkansas), 23rd-round pick Hunter Taylor (South Carolina) and 29th-round pick Levi Jordan (Washington). So this may be your last chance to see these players on television before they make the majors. <em>If</em> they make the majors. </p>
<p id="EUHZsl">Here are the 42 players the Cubs drafted along with some quick commentary on some players. If you want more details, you can read <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/4/17427806/2018-mlb-draft-cubs-select-stanford-shortstop-nico-hoerner-in-1st-round">my take on the Day 1 picks</a> or Tim Huwe’s <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/6/17432304/2018-mlb-draft-day-2-wrap-day-3-preview">analysis of the Day 2 choices.</a></p>
<ol><li id="WaHE90"><strong>Nico Hoerner. SS. Stanford.</strong></li></ol>
<p id="4gA1Hs">Great hitter, little power at present. May end up at second base. Rarely strikes out. Reminds me of <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> second baseman <span>Joe Panik</span>. </p>
<p id="qHyiW9">2<strong>. Brennen Davis OF. Basha HS (AZ).</strong></p>
<p id="5dk9Sz">Big (6’4”) and raw. Terrific athlete but hasn’t played much in HS because of basketball and injuries. Boom-or-bust-type, but strong makeup improves his chances. </p>
<p id="xdLMRf"><strong>2 (comp round) Cole Roederer. OF. Hart HS (CA).</strong></p>
<p id="49NEpc">Potential 5-tool player who also battled injuries in HS. Left-handed hitter who should stay in CF. Some makeup questions. </p>
<p id="09WyJx"><strong>2 (comp round) Paul Richan. RHP. University of San Diego.</strong></p>
<p id="FJyP1e">Four-pitch mix with potential for all four to be at least average. Upside isn’t high, but already polished and could move quickly through system. Back-of-the-rotation starter. </p>
<p id="Kp35Zp"><strong>3. Jimmy Herron. CF. Duke.</strong></p>
<p id="fhWX9e">Potential leadoff hitter, but weak arm could limit him to left field. Hit well in Cape Cod League last summer.</p>
<p id="0kcCNH"><strong>4. Ethan Roberts. RHP. Tennessee Tech.</strong></p>
<p id="p2Z3HR">Reliever who relies on cut fastball, but it’s a good one. Good command. </p>
<p id="istKkk"><strong>5. Andy Weber. 2B. University of Virginia.</strong></p>
<p id="iRFTkY">MVP at UVA this year. Offense-first second baseman with good discipline. Power took a step forward this year. </p>
<p id="fZplmq"><strong>6. Kohl Franklin. RHP. Broken Arrow HS (OK)</strong></p>
<p id="MP5RTW">The nephew of <a href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Mariners</a> and <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> pitcher Ryan Franklin. Big, like his uncle, with some projection left. </p>
<p id="cl7j2M"><strong>7. D.J. Artis. CF. Liberty University.</strong></p>
<p id="RyyZX5">Short left-handed hitter who hits out of a crouch, making him even smaller. Unsurprisingly draws a lot of walks. Fast, but arm may keep him from being an everyday outfielder even if he hits. </p>
<p id="ScZqSy"><strong>8. Zach Mort. RHP. George Mason.</strong></p>
<p id="dUPlwd">Can throw 93 mph. Name is Zach Mort, which should count for something. </p>
<p id="gV19Nf"><strong>9. Derek Casey. RHP. University of Virginia.</strong></p>
<p id="SuZZc4">Turned down 900k from the Cubs in 2014 to go to UVA. (The Cubs ended up not drafting him because he told them he wouldn’t sign. The Cards did draft him and he went to UVA) Missed all of 2016 with Tommy John surgery and is still coming back. Three-pitch mix. </p>
<p id="iyXQTp"><strong>10. Luke Reynolds. 3B. Southern Mississippi.</strong></p>
<p id="CtgP1f">Already 23 after transferring twice in college. Nice hitter who hits to all fields, but age is against him. </p>
<p id="0TCdEY"><strong>11. Riley Thompson RHP. University of Louisville.</strong></p>
<p id="cLQ6oX">First-round stuff with 25th-round control. Missed all of 2016 with Tommy John surgery. Boom-or-bust guy. </p>
<p id="OWQ8W8"><strong>12. Cameron Sanders. RHP. Louisiana State.</strong></p>
<p id="YimXqT">The son of former Cub Scott Sanders. Yeah, I remember him with the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> too and I had to remind myself when he pitched for the Cubs (1999). Mid-90s fastball with sharp curve. Control is a huge problem, but a potential setup man or closer if he figures it out. </p>
<p id="rQl1fl"><strong>13. Ezequiel Pagan. OF. Pro Baseball HS Academy (PR).</strong></p>
<p id="SWa5PH"><strong>14. Riley McCauley. RHP. Michigan State.</strong></p>
<p id="pG3auh"><strong>15. Tyler Durna. 1B. UC-San Diego.</strong></p>
<p id="OmZnsL"><strong>16. Josh Sawyer. LHP. University of Texas.</strong></p>
<p id="TCJfJp"><strong>17. Jake Reindl. RHP. University of Arkansas.</strong></p>
<p id="wBPsMP"><strong>18. Jake Slaughter. 3B. Louisiana State.</strong></p>
<p id="ZIfhjN"><strong>19. Layne Looney. RHP. University of Richmond.</strong></p>
<p id="UoiXNj"><strong>20. Chris Allen. LHP. Marin CC (CA).</strong></p>
<p id="NB4Kcn"><strong>21. Carlos Vega. RHP. Southeast Missouri.</strong></p>
<p id="aYuSYl"><strong>22. Jamie Galazin. OF. St. John’s.</strong></p>
<p id="jVVXPf"><strong>23. Hunter Taylor. C. University of South Carolina.</strong></p>
<p id="f0tqCc"><strong>24. Blake Whitney. RHP. South Carolina—Upstate.</strong></p>
<p id="1WOrgY"><strong>25. Dalton Hurd. OF. Seattle U.</strong></p>
<p id="M2Mpjb"><strong>26. Julian Boyd. OF. St. John Bosco HS (CA).</strong></p>
<p id="4z3G5J"><strong>27. Niels Stone. RHP. Indian River State JC (FL).</strong></p>
<p id="Sb5RjT"><strong>28. Mitchell Parker. LHP. Manzano HS (NM).</strong></p>
<p id="Y9xEHJ">Tough sign with a commitment to Tennessee. </p>
<p id="TpoVwc"><strong>29. Levi Jordan. SS. University of Washington.</strong></p>
<p id="sknZpf"><strong>30. Drew Wharton. OF. Clemson.</strong></p>
<p id="fnOvDJ"><strong>31. Clayton Daniel. 2B. Jacksonville State (AL).</strong></p>
<p id="7Zallm"><strong>32. Jack Patterson. LHP. Bryant U.</strong></p>
<p id="dh5Dpt"><strong>33. Tyler Ras. RHP. Middletown North HS (NJ).</strong></p>
<p id="YoMrJt">Two-way player in HS, but pro future is likely on the mound. Another tough sign with a commitment to Alabama. </p>
<p id="R4NZGQ"><strong>34. Miguel Papon. SS. Leadership Christian Academy (PR).</strong></p>
<p id="XN8TnC"><strong>35. Edmond Americaan. OF. Chipola JC. (FL)</strong></p>
<p id="MV3xLH">Americaan is from Curacao and was drafted by the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> and <a href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> previously. Already 21, maybe he’ll sign now. Speedy CF with strong on-base skills. He must crowd the plate because he gets hit by pitches a lot. </p>
<p id="K8CQ6q"><strong>36. Jacob Campbell. C. Craig HS (WI).</strong></p>
<p id="9SHgyx">Good tools behind the plate but hasn’t been able to show them much because of injuries and Wisconsin weather. An Illinois commit, he’ll probably end up in Champaign. </p>
<p id="KZH3fR"><strong>37. Henry Villar. SS. Westminster Christian HS (FL).</strong></p>
<p id="gH3KOK"><strong>38. Chase Hanson. OF. Edison HS (CA).</strong></p>
<p id="tA0JDs"><strong>39. Pierson Gibis. C. Wauconda HS (IL)</strong></p>
<p id="Z6b3tK"><strong>40. Itamar Steiner. INF. Niles North HS (IL)</strong></p>
<p id="oREHDN">The two local players taken with the final two picks are both “feel-good” stories. Gibis missed his entire senior year in high school battling a rare pediatric cancer. Now healthy, he conducts blood drives <a href="http://wgntv.com/2018/05/02/teen-who-beat-cancer-looks-to-repay-donors-who-helped-him-with-blood-drive/">because he wants to “pay back” all the blood that he received in treatment.</a></p>
<p id="U4TKfE">Steiner appears to be the son of local filmmaker and activist David Steiner <a href="http://wgntv.com/2016/12/27/activist-filmmaker-david-steiner-killed-during-bus-crash-in-uganda/">who was killed in a bus accident in Uganda</a> in 2016. Itamar was also injured in that crash. </p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/7/17437160/2018-mlb-draft-cubs-draft-recap-nico-hoerner-brennen-davisJosh Timmers2018-06-06T10:30:02-05:002018-06-06T10:30:02-05:002018 MLB Draft: Day 2 wrap, Day 3 preview
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<figcaption>Jimmy Herron of Duke, the Cubs’ third-round pick | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The final 30 rounds of the draft will happen Wednesday.</p> <p id="UWFtNY">Here and elsewhere, the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> have caught flak for getting “too few ranked prospects” at the top of the draft. How valid are the criticisms? How well did they do? Here’s a look back at Day Two, and a look forward to Day Three.</p>
<p id="y1SR3o">To understand how well the Cubs did in the draft, you almost need to know something about <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-baseball">college baseball</a> and perspective. To toss aside either of those removes a decent chunk of credibility on the situation. For instance, my opinions on how the Bears did in their most recent draft are junk, as I don’t really pay much attention to college football.</p>
<p id="bca1Zw">Starting with center fielder Jimmy Herron, you see one problem the Cubs have with prospect rankings. Ranking bureaus tend to quite prefer “masher types.” The bureaus like the corner outfielders that marinate in power. The Cubs will almost always take the center fielder or right fielder over the masher-dude. </p>
<p id="rfOcKZ">Herron’s Duke squad was left for dead halfway through their Regional over the weekend. Trailing during a thunder delay, they were outs from elimination, which never came. The offense, keyed by lead-off man Herron, pushed Duke to four straight wins. Herron seems to be on fire right now, heading to the Super-Regionals this weekend.</p>
<p id="OzW3bI">Herron will eventually need Tommy John surgery. Yeah, it sucks. Such is life. The Cubs have a rather good record in the third round, as compared to most third rounders. If healthy in a year, Herron should be representing, somewhere, in full-season ball.</p>
<p id="gURcDg">***</p>
<p id="c6MMd3">Fourth-round selection Ethan Roberts has been the closer for Tennessee Tech this season. They have been far better than advertised, and reached the Round of 64. Roberts was booted to the rotation for an elimination game, and earned his second win of the weekend. They survived the weekend.</p>
<p id="mtjdnr">Roberts was chosen with the 128th overall selection. Two players signed from the 128 slot have ever had a WAR over 1.0: Cecil Cooper (1968) and <span>Doug Mientkiewicz</span> (1995). If you were expecting a mad sprint to the majors from anyone in that spot, your expectations might be a bit off.</p>
<p id="uEqZUi">Roberts makes sense in Eugene, and perhaps South Bend, for about 20 innings. Perhaps he’ll start long-term. Maybe he’ll relieve. That will be determined in November (Instructs) and March (Spring Training). While the Cubs had choices at bigger names than Roberts, the Cubs have a different draft list than other teams. Roberts should extend the pitching depth in 2019 and beyond in the system.</p>
<p id="0zQLcG">***</p>
<p id="cdQtuW">Fifth rounder Andy Weber seems a bit of <span>Stephen Bruno</span>. A bit of an offense-first second baseman from Virginia, He makes sense early at Eugene or South Bend. As “Saga” phrased it in the 1980’s, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J0QdXBY0wo">“Wind Him Up”</a> and see how he responds.</p>
<p id="cOXoRZ">If you don’t give a toss about how the pipeline is developing, it’s both easy to understand why this class isn’t compelling, and amusing that you care. The draft is about locating talent that will make the system more formidable, from Mesa to Chicago. While any of the players on the second day might miss (by any standards), expecting a second-day choice to shoot up like the temperatures in Chicago in August is a bit unrealistic.</p>
<p id="zaTTuS">“Getting a solid-looking upside starting option like Dylan Cease” was predicated by saving money on the <span>Kyle Schwarber</span> selection. 23 of 30 owners or more really don’t want teams getting multiple chances per year at high-end talent. Especially, a team that has been to three straight League Championship Series.</p>
<p id="BbpXte">***</p>
<p id="WwAZAW">In Round Six, the Cubs added among the best prep prospects in Oklahoma in Kohl Franklin. Look for Franklin to start four or five games for a team in the Arizona Summer League. Signing him shouldn’t be a problem, as his father is his agent.</p>
<p id="y1uH5w">If all goes well, Franklin will start games in the Northwest League for Eugene in 2019. That’s how the Cubs treat prep arms, and Franklin shouldn’t be any different than the others.</p>
<p id="rQUNvm">***</p>
<p id="Z9AAsd">In Round Seven, the Cubs drafted pure CF/lead-off man DJ Artis. He’s better than some of the outfielders the Cubs already have in the lower minors. Depending on your view, Artis might have had a bad season this year at Liberty University. However, he had a very lengthy on-base streak that ran much of the season.</p>
<p id="4LWHPi">He hits from an extreme crouch, and has had some “corkscrew” in it, as well. He’ll lead off in Eugene, I’m guessing. How well he does will determine how quickly he advances. Or, if he does. <span>Will Venable</span>, <span>Tyler Saladino</span>, and <span>Chad Tracy</span> are recent 218 selections, which is where Artis was selected. If it’s “MLB or Bust,” expect Bust with Artis.</p>
<p id="cYAl54">He should be fun to follow, nonetheless.</p>
<p id="L7JmY3">***</p>
<p id="5FFZI6">Round Eight fetched Zach Mort, the Friday guy at George Mason. He’s a low walk guy that strikes hitters out. The Cubs are justifiably fascinated by those types, while other teams tend to worship at the altar of velocity. I don’t have any specifics on Mort, but I might be able to round up a game of his the next couple days.</p>
<p id="Ha0BDb">Eighth-rounders are generally low-expectations. Which is to be expected with a cap limit under $160,000. If Mort gets to the Myrtle Beach rotation, he did his job.</p>
<p id="0Yq31D">***</p>
<p id="nBErH0">Round Nine brought Derek Casey to the Cubs from Virginia. A bit similar to Mort, the major difference is his conference. He’ll add to the pitching depth in the system.</p>
<p id="EMRwdJ">*** </p>
<p id="scBS56">Luke Reynolds was a heist in the 10th round. At Mississippi State as a sophomore, he was on the team the next year, but didn’t play. He transferred to Southern Mississippi, but needed to sit out another year. After two years of not playing, Reynolds posted a 1.289 OPS on the season, walking 63 times, fanning only 52 times. </p>
<p id="wGpoP4">Reynolds figures to get a very limited signing bonus. Money against the signing bonus is an aspect that never mattered years ago. It does now. Reynolds makes sense at third in Eugene to start. He should crush that league.</p>
<p id="rkJ3LV">***</p>
<p id="VHSucT">As to Wednesday, what should we expect? Will the Cubs lean toward “risky preps” early? After all, teams don’t get punished for not signing third day choices. “Wouldn’t it make sense to try for a risky player early?”</p>
<p id="4JIXUA">It entirely depends. Would he sign for what the Cubs are likely to be able to offer him?</p>
<p id="GFY9hM">Since the 2012 draft, the spending for bonuses is tightly limited. The Cubs only went with one “senior sign.” The rest of the selections figure to get “near the standard.” As cool as it looks to draft a player that is high-upside, if he is almost certainly unsignable, the organization gets limited benefit, </p>
<p id="Xzghc4">College juniors signed early on the third day are in the 8-15 percent range as far as a major league career. Those are my numbers, and not historically proven. However, with players like Matt Swarmer, <span>David Bote</span>, Chesny Young, Zack Short, Trent Giambrone, Tyler Peyton, PJ Higgins, and others buzzing through the system, I’m not budging.</p>
<p id="0FjrLK">The draft board for talent available at the Cubs next pick provides some quality options through the pipeline. If you don’t care about college ball, and don’t like the minor league pipeline set-up, few of the names will get your attention tomorrow. Those that might get drafted that are “that interesting” won’t sign, anyway.</p>
<p id="OgqmWi">However, the players in line to be added early are often going to be good professional players, whether or not they reach the big leagues. Should the Cubs take a player in the 8-15 range first? Or a flashy player unlikely to sign.</p>
<p id="09yZHR">It boils to your perspective.</p>
<p id="7e613j">I’ll take 8-12 guys up front that are “the best signable junior” who represents an 8-15 percent chance. And, if the Cubs have located a prep or two who will likely be willing to sign for the money available under the current system, why not?</p>
<p id="ZMFbvO">In reality, it looks like the Cubs “drafted what they draft.” Pitchers with repertoires who throw strikes. Outfielders who play defense well. Players who know the strike zone. It doesn’t fascinate the touting services, but it tends to keep defensive innings in the pipeline short. Which is rather important to the Cubs brass.</p>
<p id="5Y9Gea">The draft resumes at 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday for 30 rapid-fire rounds and you can follow along at <a href="http://mlb.com">mlb.com</a>. <a href="http://MLB.com">MLB.com</a> also has <a href="https://www.mlb.com/draft/tracker">this handy draft tracker</a>.</p>
<p id="BDWLO3">Do you have any specific hopes or requests? Remembering that spending is tightly limited. Use this thread as an open thread to discuss that as well as today’s Cubs selections.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/6/17432304/2018-mlb-draft-day-2-wrap-day-3-previewTim Huwe2018-06-05T11:45:01-05:002018-06-05T11:45:01-05:002018 MLB Draft: Second-day open thread
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<figcaption>Gators infielder Jonathan India went with the fifth pick to the Reds | Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>We would still like to hear your thoughts on the draft as we head into day two. </p> <p id="qxZvuS">The <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> made four picks in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb-draft">MLB Draft</a> last night, selecting Stanford SS Nico Hoerner, outfielder Brennan Davis from Basha HS in Arizona, outfielder Cole Roederer from Hart HS in California and right-handed pitcher Paul Richan from the University of San Diego.</p>
<p id="2NTqTQ">You can read all about the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/4/17427806/2018-mlb-draft-cubs-select-stanford-shortstop-nico-hoerner-in-1st-round">four players in the recap from last night.</a></p>
<p id="y30z8h">Jim Callis of MLB.com <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-draft-pick-by-pick-selections-analysis/c-279712486">offered his thoughts this morning</a> on the Cubs’ choice of Hoerner:</p>
<blockquote><p id="RdyOFB">I’m a little surprised the Cubs passed on a couple of the college arms that were available here, but Hoerner is an offensive-minded middle infielder with a track record of hitting in college. Those are hard to find, and he should continue to hit at the next level, with good power for his position. A lot of scouts see Hoerner more as a second baseman than a shortstop, but he should definitely be able to stay up the middle.</p></blockquote>
<p id="KNQn3u">Here’s what Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/day-one-draft-recap/">had to say about the Cubs’ first-round picks.</a></p>
<blockquote><p id="zdiv8F">Richan fits with recent Cubs’ drafts modus operandi for mid-round selections as a polished, strike-throwing college starter. Four Corners scouts have told us Davis wants $1.2 to $1.5 million, so he’s probably $250-$500K over slot at No. 62. He could be a monster if he hits, but the bat is raw. We had Roederer evaluated in round Nos. 3 through 5, but his bat is advanced and the Cubs certainly round up harder on guys with good hit tools more than other orgs do, and that probably played a role where Hoerner is concerned, too.</p></blockquote>
<p id="AJ0zcJ">Rounds three through 10 are today, starting at noon Central Time. The draft stops being a big production after the second round and today’s rounds will go by much faster and will be conducted via a conference call. You can still follow along on <a href="http://mlb.com">mlb.com</a>. </p>
<p id="1uVSey">Use this as an open thread for today’s draft rounds. </p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/5/17428430/2018-mlb-draft-second-day-nico-hoerner-brennen-davisJosh Timmers2018-06-05T09:30:02-05:002018-06-05T09:30:02-05:002018 MLB Draft: Day 1 wrap, Day 2 preview
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<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Some thoughts on who the Cubs chose on Monday, and who they will go after on Tuesday.</p> <p id="ofq0k6">Something you will hear, on occasion, is that players will learn “at their own pace.” Or, in some cases, they won’t. The basics become natural, with occasional back-sliding. Some players need more constant coaching/chiding than others. In this run-up to Day Two of the draft, I have a confession to make. It isn’t just the players. Sometimes, writers fall back into their old habits. This is a look at who the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> selected, somewhat. However, it’s more about why I started laughing at myself as Round Two concluded last night.</p>
<p id="F4QWvk">I noted that I was laughing at myself, both on Twitter and in the live thread. I couldn’t explain it, then. I was on overload, and needed a few hours to reset my system. Eventually, as I did, it became easier to explain why I was laughing at myself. It was either “It isn’t about you” or “Stop chasing bad pitches.”</p>
<p id="q6GF8K">I have a contrarian view regarding <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-baseball">college baseball</a> prospects. I don’t focus on tools. For instance, Illinois’ Bren Spillane figures to come off the board soon. For some, it’s about putting a 55 or 60 (20/80 scale) on his power. Mine was more to listen to games he was playing, in attempts of giving a “real feel” to his game. And hearing as many games as possible, from a wide swath of conferences.</p>
<p id="Fz4Dkz">However, my bad habit re-emerged. I “wanted” the Cubs to select Missouri State’s Jeremy Eierman, Grand Canyon’s Jake Wong, or New Mexico State’s Kyle Bradish, because I was familiar with them. “Don’t swing at those pitches. That’s not your job. You’re not helping the team that way.”</p>
<p id="ClUVJS">My job is to be familiar with players. I hadn’t followed Stanford much this year, but I was amused to hear a scout paid in the $130 range for two tickets to watch the Oregon State versus Stanford game in Corvallis. The venue had been sold out, and the scouting area was already full. Secondary markets for the win.</p>
<p id="PljRkj">Stanford Cardinal shortstop Nico Hoerner was the Cubs’ top pick, because the Cubs have a different draft board than other teams do. The Cubs prioritize, or demand, other things than other sides do. It isn’t “grab the top name on <a href="https://www.mlb.com/draft/tracker/undrafted">MLB.com’s list of availables</a>. It wasn’t, and it won’t be.</p>
<p id="SZV07i">Which is why the Cubs prioritized <span>Kyle Schwarber</span> and <span>Kris Bryant</span> when few others did. They lead the franchise in career post-season homers.</p>
<p id="3DNFaB">***</p>
<p id="fiVkFD">As the Cubs look to Day Two of the draft, which begins at noon CT on Tuesday. You can follow along online at <a href="http://mlb.com">mlb.com</a> and there will be an open thread posted here at 11:45 a.m. CT. The names will be announced far more quickly on Tuesday, and with less general familiarity. Which is fine, as it means I’ll have more players to familiarize myself with.</p>
<p id="2FwZKr">What I need to remind myself of on occasion is, my opinion doesn’t matter all that much. My job is to identify <em>what</em> the Cubs are selecting. That’s far more important than <em>who</em> they’re selecting.</p>
<p id="wpBkVs">The Cubs are about selecting players that will take full advantage of the opportunity to be a professional baseball player. They’ll work hard, be supportive, and treat people properly. If the Cubs didn’t select Eierman, as I would have, there was a reason. Instead, they selected Brennen Davis, a prep outfielder from the Mesa, Arizona area. Which sounds too convenient to be a coincidence. </p>
<p id="oo7XDs">Cole Roederer and Paul Richan are the players the Cubs chose with the compensation picks they got for losing <span>Jake Arrieta</span> and <span>Wade Davis</span>. The former is an outfielder from a high school in California, and the latter was a starting pitcher for the University of San Diego. To a hefty extent, both fill in some of the picture for what the Cubs look for in a draft choice.</p>
<p id="4vBBlU">Instead of taking known quantities, the Cubs grabbed an outfielder that missed some time due to injuries, and a pitcher that gave up over a hit per inning. “Why them?” </p>
<p id="Cai8M1">Roederer represents a center fielder type. He has blazing speed. If you assume he’s going to work hard (from the Cubs Central Casting list of prerequisites), if he learns to hit from the pro coaches, he should be a useful addition. The Cubs look for different things than other teams do, and likely will continue.</p>
<p id="4bh6I6">Instead of the more noted Wong or Bradish, the Cubs took someone who tosses in the 94 range already, and walks hitters rarely. Again, Central Casting. Kyle Hendricks 3.0. The Cubs love pitchers like that.</p>
<p id="P1K7z0">***</p>
<p id="OiodEP">Looking from a “big-picture” view, the Cubs figure to spend about $8 million on draft spending bonuses. With that in mind, getting 12 career WAR from the entire draft class would be quite tolerable. Hoerner might execute half of that on his own.</p>
<p id="WKxhw7">While more than 12 would be (obviously) better, the premise of “not missing” runs a bit high for the Cubs brass. They seem to be able to do that by getting overachievers in the draft, and if the four they selected on Monday respond as positively to coaching as those before, the Cubs pipeline has added some talent.</p>
<p id="S6m5Qd">As have other systems.</p>
<p id="QRnumY">Tuesday and Wednesday figure to fire more question marks. Question marks that discourage me from burning much energy on who might be “most likely” at selection 98, the Cubs first on Tuesday. I might be familiar with him, or some of the other Tuesday picks. It’s not important that I know all the Cubs choices before the draft. Whats important is being a quick study once they begin play as professionals. </p>
<p id="fKn7WY">My college baseball efforts are about familiarizing myself with the field at-large, and, perhaps, stumbling into a few familiar names from the draft list. My task isn’t to know which choice makes the best sense from a Cubs perspective. That’s the job of the scouts and the brass. </p>
<p id="Ly1ZFR">Thankfully, they’re okay at it.</p>
<p id="BaoqBi"></p>
<p id="CvRmGe"> </p>
<p id="nW4kTm"></p>
<p id="8JL6WQ"> </p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/5/17428664/2018-mlb-draft-day-1-wrap-day-2-previewTim Huwe2018-06-04T20:50:55-05:002018-06-04T20:50:55-05:002018 MLB Draft: Please welcome Stanford shortstop Nico Hoerner to the Cubs
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<figcaption>Nico Hoerner rounding third base. | Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs got a college shortstop with top bat skills in the first round. </p> <p id="hkxtwN">With the 24th pick in the first round of the 2018 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb-draft">MLB Draft</a>, the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> selected shortstop Nico Hoerner from Stanford University.</p>
<p id="KVAkxm">Hoerner is a 5’11” shortstop who hit .345 with a .391 OBP with the Cardinal this spring. Scouts who like Hoerner praise his all-around game and especially his ability to put bat on the ball. Few in <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-baseball">college baseball</a> struck out fewer times than Hoerner and he struck out just 22 times (with 20 walks) in 232 at-bats this season. His power is limited at the moment and while some think he could develop more, others see his power potential as limited.</p>
<p id="BB2Tlr">Defensively, he doesn’t wow anyone, but I’m going to guess that the Cubs are in the camp that believes that Hoerner can stick at shortstop or they wouldn’t have drafted him. Others think he has the ability to be a “super-sub” who could move around like <span>Ben Zobrist</span> or Ian Happ. I’ve also seen an <span>Ian Kinsler</span> comp put on him, although that might be a little optimistic from the power tool. </p>
<p id="Wt2F7C">Cubs Senior Vice President of Scouting and Player Development Jason McLeod said of the pick </p>
<blockquote><p id="BLTyxc">Nico is a talented middle infielder who handles the bat extremely well, hits to all fields and has a high contact rate. He hits the ball hard, and we think there is more power to come He has multiple tools on the field, and all the background work we did shows he has incredible make-up. He fits exactly what we’re looking for in the organization.</p></blockquote>
<p id="fQBbb8">Here’s an except of what <em>Baseball America</em> wrote about Hoerner before the draft.</p>
<blockquote><p id="syY1Hs">Teams that like Hoerner will see a player with a shot to stick at shortstop with strong hands in the box, a good strikeout-to-walk ratio and impressive exit velocities. Teams who are on the opposite side will see a player who’s likely a second baseman without the power profile they are looking for. Either way, college infielders who perform tend to get drafted high and Hoerner has performed in both the spring and summer with no gaping holes in his game.</p></blockquote>
<p id="YSjkwj">And here’s part of what Keith Law wrote about Hoerner.</p>
<blockquote><p id="ftUjEK">Hoerner isn’t very toolsy but has produced well for Stanford while playing a solid enough shortstop that someone will take him with the idea that he’ll stay at the position long-term. Hoerner’s best skill is his ability to put the bat on the ball; his swing starts very short from load to contact, and the exaggerated finish doesn’t produce much power. He’s a slightly above-average runner and could stay at short, but it’s more likely he moves to second or becomes a super-utility infielder. </p></blockquote>
<p id="UaHHdj">And here’s a bit from the MLB Pipeline writeup on Hoerner.</p>
<blockquote><p id="QDU3KT">Hoerner has a pretty good track record of performing well for an extended period of time, perhaps saving his best year for the right time in terms of the Draft. He can impact the baseball consistently, with an advanced approach at the plate, and while the numbers don’t necessarily reflect it, there is some power for him to tap into. Hoerner runs fairly well, though he isn’t overly fluid in his actions. That leads to some questions about his ability to stay at shortstop, with some seeing a return to second base in his future.</p></blockquote>
<p id="OfM9sP">Here’s some video on Hoerner.</p>
<div id="tJnxvQ"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MPvE2GL3r7g?rel=0&showinfo=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="uUB7rg">So congratulations to Nico Hoerner and a big welcome to the Cubs Family. We look forward to your journey through the minor leagues and seeing you make your debut at Wrigley Field sometime in the future. </p>
<p id="YON9ly">With their second-round pick, the Cubs selected center fielder Brennan Davis from Basha HS in Arizona. Davis is a fast player whose season season has been hobbled by a hamstring injury. He’s also spent a lot of his high school career playing basketball, so he’s a bit rawer even for a raw high-school player.</p>
<p id="mmzj1Z">Here’s a little of what <em>Baseball America</em> says about Davis.</p>
<blockquote><p id="3tWKHx">An above-average or better runner when healthy, the 6-foot-4, 175-pound Davis uses easy, graceful strides in the outfield and on the bases, an his above-average arm gets good carry. The big question with Davis is the development of his bat, as he is still very raw at the plate. . . .Davis is your typical high-risk, high-reward prospect who would likely require two years of Rookie ball before advancing to a higher minor league level if he signs. He could go as high as the third round, but Davis is an outstanding student who could choose to honor his commitment to Miami if he drops too far in the draft.</p></blockquote>
<p id="jdDGf8">One assumes the Cubs are confident he will sign for second-round money.</p>
<p id="6zJQ29">Here’s what Keith Law wrote about Davis.</p>
<blockquote><p id="Bbzl4j">Davis started his season late because he was playing basketball, and his best tool, his speed, was seldom on display because of a hamstring injury. He’s a very likely center fielder with a chance to end up plus there, bringing bigger questions on whether he’ll hit enough to be a regular.</p></blockquote>
<p id="6GZXGp">With the two compensatory picks that the Cubs got at the end of the second round for losing free agents Wade Davis and Jake Arrieta, the Cubs selected OF Cole Roederer of Hart HS in California and RHP Paul Richan from the University of San Diego. </p>
<p id="DYG7Px">Roederer was compared to Andrew Beintendi earlier this season, at least before he separated his right, non-throwing shoulder “horsing around with teammates” according to <em>Baseball America</em>. They added:</p>
<blockquote><p id="LvwwoJ">With hints of all five tools and growing power, Roederer has the upside of an above-average everyday center fielder, but other scouts are skeptical of his size and injury history, which also includes a pulled hamstring this year. He is strongly committed to UCLA and will be an expensive sign.</p></blockquote>
<p id="BvhrjN">So Roederer is a high-risk, reasonably-high reward pick. I have little doubt that the Cubs are confident of signing Roederer away from his UCLA commitment or they would not have picked him.</p>
<p id="7kqI3I">Richan was the Friday-night pitcher for the University of San Diego and yes, that’s Kris Bryant’s alma mater. Here’s some of what <em>Baseball America</em> had to say about him.</p>
<blockquote><p id="DpssvX">Richan is a polished righthander with a four-pitch mix, headlined by a plus slider. At his best, Richan’s fastball sits 91-92 mph and touches 94, and he can mix in an average changeup as well. He uses his fastball and changeup to get ahead and then finishes batters with his slider . . .</p></blockquote>
<p id="xOp10v">The MLB Draft continues with rounds three through ten on Tuesday starting at noon Chicago time. You can follow along on <a href="http://mlb.com">mlb.com</a> and the picks will be done through a conference call with limited analysis. The draft then concludes on Wednesday. </p>
<p id="osBQqM"></p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/4/17427806/2018-mlb-draft-cubs-select-stanford-shortstop-nico-hoerner-in-1st-roundJosh Timmers2018-06-04T17:00:01-05:002018-06-04T17:00:01-05:00The Cubs 2018 Draft starts now!
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<figcaption>Casey Mize, the possible overall No. 1 pick tonight | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>MLB would very much like you to watch tonight’s MLB Draft. We would very much like you to discuss it here. </p> <p id="3q5Gu3">Tonight is the 2018 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb-draft">MLB Draft</a>, the annual rite of summer in which amateur baseball players are divvied up among 30 major league teams. The festivities start NOW, 5 p.m. Central time, on the MLB Network and MLB.com with their pre-draft preview. The actual picks start at 6 p.m. Central. </p>
<p id="4volFx">You can watch the draft for free at the website if you don’t have MLB Network. In fact, the second round and beyond will be available only on <a href="http://mlb.com">mlb.com</a>. Additionally, you can follow along on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/mlbdraft">@MLBDraft</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/mlbdrafttracker">@MLBDraftTracker</a> and using the hashtag #MLBDraft. If you want to just follow the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> stuff, there’s always the Cubs official Twitter account at <a href="https://twitter.com/cubs">@Cubs</a> and I will be doing all I can on my Twitter account at <a href="https://twitter.com/cubsminorswrap">@Cubsminorswrap</a>. </p>
<p id="ns1mdo">Tonight is the first two rounds of the draft and the associated compensatory rounds. The Cubs have four picks with their first- and second-rounders as well as two compensatory picks after the second round for losing <span>Wade Davis</span> and Jake Arrieta. The Cubs have the <a href="http://m.mlb.com/draft/2018/order">24th, 62nd, 77th and 78th picks tonight.</a> They have a total “Bonus pool” of $7,517,100 with which they have to sign all of their picks. They can go 5% over that number, but going beyond that means losing a future first-round draft pick and no team will do that. </p>
<p id="zOsOS9">Those aren’t great picks, but there are four of them and the good news is that this draft has been characterized as a deep one. There aren’t any surefire stars in this draft, but there is a lot of talent that could end up helping a major league club in the future. </p>
<p id="Jmelsu">The draft has become a huge event for the NFL and the NBA, two leagues that Major League Baseball likes to compare itself to, and MLB would like their draft to receive similar attention. That’s not going to happen and to be fair, MLB knows it’s not going to happen. College football and basketball players are big stars in a way that <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-baseball">college baseball</a> players will never be. On top of that, the MLB draft takes place in the middle of the season whereas the NFL and NBA Drafts are big off-season events that provide excitement for fans who don’t have much else to cheer for that time of year. But if the MLB Draft just becomes half as big as the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a>, the commissioner will be happy.</p>
<p id="reNzsV">In light of that, there is a light MLB schedule tonight. There’s a <a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>/<a href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/">Tigers</a> game that was rescheduled after a rainout, but all other MLB games tonight are on the West Coast and will start after the party in New York starts to wind down. There are no Triple-A ballgames and most other minor leagues have the night off as well. (The Tennessee Smokies play tonight, so there will be a Minor League Wrap sometime tonight.)</p>
<p id="j2RnbY">So who are the Cubs going to take? The bottom line is no one knows, not even the front office. But we have a lot of “mock drafts” which, while lacking in much predictive ability, are fun and can give you a sense of the type of player the Cubs will be choosing from with the 24th overall pick. </p>
<p id="rCzE4A"><strong>Here are some of the “final” mock drafts (at least as of around noon Chicago time today) and whom they have the Cubs taking.</strong></p>
<p id="JpmsXS"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/mock-draft-for-first-round-of-2018-mlb-draft/c-279699234">MLB Pipeline</a>: Both Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis have the Cubs selecting Georgia HS catcher Anthony Seigler, By the way, if you want <a href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2018?list=draft">a free place to look up scouting reports on all these players,</a> MLB Pipeline is the place to do it. </p>
<p id="0EyTmU"><a href="http://ESPN.com">ESPN.com</a>: Keith Law is also predicting Seigler. Law says he’s hearing a “bat” for the Cubs. ($)</p>
<p id="SVYccS"><a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/2018-mlb-mock-draft-v-3-0/">Fangraphs</a>: Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel have Virginia LHP Daniel Lynch coming to Chicago.</p>
<p id="mJ5rnn"><a href="https://www.baseballamerica.com/rankings/mlb-mock-draft/">Baseball America</a>: The originators of this stuff have the Cubs taking Stetson RHP Logan Gilbert. ($)</p>
<p id="qDE1dr"><a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F370469%2F2018%2F05%2F29%2Fthe-athletics-first-mlb-mock-draft-twenty-four-beat-writers-and-a-former-gm-project-the-first-round%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedcubbieblue.com%2F2018%2F6%2F4%2F17425186%2Fchicago-cubs-mlb-2018-draft-preview-open-thread-casey-mize-andre-dawson" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">The Athletic</a>: Patrick Mooney got to make the Cubs’ pick and he predicted Oklahoma OF Steele Walker. ($)</p>
<p id="aBBXpa"><a href="https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/2018-mlb-mock-draft-auburn-righty-still-projected-to-go-no-1-to-tigers-in-updated-first-round/">CBS Sports</a>: Mike Axisa predicts Georgia HS RHP Ethan Hankins. Hankins is a high-upside pitcher whose stock has dropped in 2018 after a shoulder injury.</p>
<p id="F0Kkmb"><strong>Here are some other storylines to watch for in tonight’s draft:</strong></p>
<p id="5DA1na"><strong>Pitchers or hitters?</strong></p>
<p id="z3kz4q">The Cubs built their <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/world-series">World Series</a> championship team by drafting hitter after hitter and going after pitching later. More teams are starting to adopt that strategy because of the unpredictability and health concerns that surround pitching. Will top pitching talent drop?</p>
<p id="HKO0f4"><strong>Whither Casey Mize?</strong></p>
<p id="SFZoIv">For months, the Auburn right-handed pitcher (pictured at the top of this post) has been the top player on almost everyone’s draft board and he’s been expected to remain a Tiger as Detroit has the first pick tonight. However, late word is that the Tigers have been getting cold feet, worrying about taking a pitcher with the first pick and wondering if they can’t make an under-slot deal with a hitter and then use the savings to take a player who dropped in the later rounds. Is this just an act to try to keep other team’s off-balance and to get Mize to drop his bonus demands? We’ll find out shortly.</p>
<p id="vGZNNT"><strong>Wither Kyler Murray?</strong></p>
<p id="sZTD2L">Kyler Murray is not one of the top players in the draft, but he is expected to go either late in the first round or early in the second. What makes Murray a compelling story is that he’s also expected to be the starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners this fall. His professional career is far more likely to be in baseball than football, so could a team with multiple picks save up some pool money and tempt Murray to give up football early? Reports earlier this season said that Murray was firm on playing his redshirt junior season at OU, but recent ones say that commitment isn’t as firm as the Sooners would like. The <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> recently got an extra pick from the <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Twins</a> (a “competitive balance” pick that are the only ones that can be traded) and the rumor is that they are going to use the extra bonus pool money to talk Murray out of football. Murray will still be drafted and could start his baseball career next year, but every team interested in him has no interest in seeing Murray get sacked by Big 12 linebackers all fall. His stock will drop if he insists on playing football.</p>
<p id="oqNDvn"><strong>Who will be the first drafted ballplayer born in the year 2000?</strong></p>
<p id="qbv9Ec">Yeah, I feel old.</p>
<p id="b6n1uR">As I wrote earlier, MLB would like you to watch and we’d like you to stick around an comment. Consider this a draft open thread. </p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/6/4/17425186/chicago-cubs-mlb-2018-draft-preview-open-thread-casey-mize-andre-dawsonJosh Timmers