Season 47 Draft Review - Projected ML Players from NL North and NL East

NL North

Vancouver

Gerald Donatello -  The 8^th overall pick, a high-school righty from Virginia, brings an unhittable 4-seam fastball that will have above-average effectiveness versus right-handed batters. An above-average P2 and a passable P3 paired with average control, velo and GB/FB will keep Donatello in most games. His vL may be well below average and could cause concern. A mid-rotation starter that will get 200 innings but likely a guy who won’t start a playoff game. A good pickup at this stage of the draft. Grade: B+

New York (NL)

Tommy Hill - Pick #23 is a California high schooler. His defensive skills will limit him to a COF or 1B role so he’ll need to hit. His low contact will be an issue but his ability to switch hit with above average power and a plus eye will likely make him passable at the plate. I could see Hill as a platoon option if NY can’t find a better option in free agency or a good bench candidate to spell OF/1B at the end of the season due to his ability to hit from both sides of the plate. Grade: C

Toronto

At #29, the St. Pats took Ollie Arrowood, a junior college CF/2B out of Cairo, Georgia.  Ollie is a study in average-ness, with starting hitting ratings all in the mid-40's to low 50's.  That might actually be encouraging - he'll have the potential of hitting mid-60's in all his hitting ratings (I'm blind on this guy as my scouts overlooked him).  If he lives up to that potential, he could be a valuable backup COF, or conceivably a starting COF on a rebuilder.  His best attribute will be a superior range, but I doubt his glove will be good enough to make him an everyday CF.  GRADE: A-

Ottawa

Nick McDowell - The third high school pitcher selected in the S47 draft is a HS righty from Massachusetts. McDowell’s calling card is a plus four seamer with velocity. Paired with above average control and lots of ground balls McDowell should carve out a big-league career. Unfortunately his below average splits and likely lack of an above average second pitch will limit McDowell’s effectiveness. I see McDowell settling in as a back-end starter but not a guy you want to run out there in the playoffs. A likely disappointing result for the Mounties at pick #6. Grade: C-

Corban Simpson - The Mounties throw late first round money at this high schooler from Oklahoma to keep him away from college. Simpson has a shot at turning into a 2^nd division utility player but he has a way to go. He’ll need to pick up 20+ points in the defensive ratings to get to ML quality but the good news is he’ll have the arm for 3B/RF. His bat won’t get to full-time starter range but there could be enough to make him the vL side of a platoon. Well below average baserunner. A probable big leaguer at pick 64 is a great result. Grade: B+

NL East

Columbus 

The Buckeyes pick up Douglas Kennedy, a righty starter from Brigham Young, at #20.  I think they'll eventually like what they get - a solid #3 with good control, 2 good-to-superior pitches and adequate splits - but it's going to take awhile, and that's the big risk here.  You'd really like to see a 22 year-old pitcher starting with ratings a lot closer to ML quality than this guy has...you know, is he really going to add another 4 points on that vR at age 26?  My experience is that it can happen with these college grad guys, but sometimes they just stop improving after a year or 2.  My scouts assured me on this one enough that I had him at #4 on my board.  GRADE:  B

Jacksonville

Sawyer Burnitz - The switch hitting high schooler from California goes 31^st overall. Burnitz projects to have plus range in LF or 2B to go with an above average eye and baserunning. Unfortunately Burnitz’s bat probably leaves him short from ever becoming a regular. The ability to switch hit, play defense and run leaves him as a nice bench player. Grade: B-

Cleveland

K. Perez - The 3rd overall selection remains unsigned and was not scouted by the author.

Flash Tatum - The 40^th overall pick is a HS SS from Daytona Beach. Outstanding baseball name that belies his actual skills as Tatum projects to be slightly below average across the board. His defensive ratings in the 70s, solid baserunning, and enough bat to not be an automatic out makes him a potential utility bench player. Grade: B

St. Louis

Ted Terry - The 59^th pick is a speedster from East Cleveland who grew up idolizing Willie Mays Hayes and Bond Thugs ‘N Harmony. Terry will have plus range at LF or 2B and his baserunning should be just enough to make him dangerous on the base paths. He won’t hit at all but his plus eye should allow him to work enough walks to eke out an OBP over .300. A prototypical “D and Speed” bench player is a good selection in the second round. Grade: B+

George Small - The 157^th player selected, this little-scouted South Dakota pitcher boasts plus velocity and enough deception vR to make him a potential SuB at the ML level. He’ll have very low stamina and durability, his pitches will never be more than average, and his control and vL will be below average, but getting 30-40 league average innings from your 5^th rounder is a great selection. Grade: A

High school reviews by rdierkers, college reviews by blanch13