First-Round Draft Review #'s 1-10

#1 - Oklahoma City: Eugene Blake, SP - With pretty high HS scouting, Blake's projections looked pretty good...well, better than anyone else's in a particularly disappointing top ten.  Then the reveal of his currents showed a blah starting position across the board.  Best case with 4 seasons of diligent coaching and good development - a decent #3 starter.  Worst case:  development in some ratings stalls in his 3rd season and he's a #5 starter.  GRADE: C

#2 - Houston Colt .45's: Gene Del Valle, 2B - Even  though my scouts assigned Del Valle the highest OVR in this year's class, I moved him down to 14 due to a low projected vR and less-than-stellar projected vL and Eye.  Had I only scouted Blake as accurately (although I don't know who I would've taken instead).  His currents confirm a highly suspect bat although his defense will give him a career beyond the min salary years.  GRADE: C



#3 - New York Lincoln  Giants: Dellin Hernandez, SP - I moved Hernandez down to #10 on low projections for his control and pitches, even though the top 10 all looked about as good or bad to me.  I'm a little more optimistic on him now that we see his splits starting fairly high.  His control will always be an issue but it could easily get to the mid-5o's.  His pitches won't help much, but he should still become a #3 or #4 SP.
GRADE: B



#4 - Philadelphia Erffdoggs:  Corban Pierzynski, SP - I might've taken Pierzynski #1 if not for his health rating (currently 37 and not expected to top the mid-40's).  As it is he looks remarkably similar to Blake:  plenty of development to do and he probably will improve a lot, but shouldn't be expected to become more than a #3 starter.  All that IF he can stay healthy, which in his case might be the biggest challenge.  GRADE: C

#5 - Cincinnati Red Stockings: Benji Lopez, CF - Maybe one of the better picks of the top 10, if only that he looks like he could live up to his projections.  Decent contact and splits, a batting eye that may be his best offensive attribute, but no power to speak of.  His glove will need work to get him to 2B or CF status, but my scouts were optimistic on that count.  GRADE: B

#6 - New Orleans Voodoo:  Raymond DeJean, C - At first glance one could think he's a classic defensive C with a hitting profile that will disappoint - high contact and eye, but nothing in between.  But the second glance - at the defensive ratings - disconfirms the first.  His pitch-calling will be decidedly inferior and his woeful accuracy will erase any advantages of a fairly strong arm.  GRADE: C-

#7 - Toledo Walleye:  Napoleon Rogers, 2B - A lot depends on his glove development.  If it gets to 70, he could be a pretty interesting 2B with power.  If it's more like 65 he starts to look more like a defensive-replacement LF/1B who will give you a couple of PH HR's a season.  Still, a pretty interesting pick in a draft where we're straining to see talent where it might not exist (I didn't scout this guy).  GRADE: B

#8 - Scottsdale Cardinals:  Sal Callaway, SP - Another one I moved down due to health concerns, but I like the pick here...why not take a chance on a guy that might be a #2 SP?  My scouts liked the deep array of potentially good pitches, and his currents more or less confirm that take.  His splits are starting lower than you'd like, but should get to SP3 levels.  The big question here, as with a few others high in this class, is availability.  GRADE: C+

#9 - Chicago Orphans:  Dan Tipton, 3B - If I was only looking at this currents, I might be pretty optimistic about this guy; as a 21-yo college puke, you'd expect his ratings to start fairly high.  But my scouts weren't sanguine about his future (especially his range, accuracy and vR).  So I expect his improvements to stall out pretty early, but if I'm wrong Chicago may have landed a gem.  GRADE: C

#10 - Salem Witch Hunters:  Eric Guerrero, 2B - I had Guerrero #2 and strongly considered him at #1 based on my scouts' impressions that he would absolutely make RHP's his bitches.  His range will probably make him a LF rather than a 2B, but if he lives up to his hitting potential he might actually be the best prospect in this draft.  At this point though, it looks like Salem isn't signing  him... opting instead for a Type D next year?  If you could pull that off in this draft you probably made a good choice.   GRADE: A