With the draft coming up next month, speculation about who the Tigers might be able to grab is picking up. With the 21st pick a lot will be out of the team’s control and given the volatility of a draft where signability is as big of a concern as playing ability, it can often be a fruitless effort.
Take 75 North has been scouring mock drafts to see who might be available and has written a few snapshots of some possible targets.
Lynn Henning does some research of his own and doesn’t see the Tigers blowing apart the slotting system like they did the last 3 years with Maybin-Miller-Porcello. But that might have less to do with the type of players involved rather than a change in philosophy. Henning notes catcher Jason Castro and reliever Andrew Cashner as potential options.
Baseball America’s first mock draft has Castro going to the Cubs 2 picks before the Tigers selection. And they have Cashner going 1 spot after the Tigers select prep righty Tim Melville. But they note that the Tigers might extend for high school first baseman Eric Hosmer if Scott Boras driven demands make him available that late.
Regardless, in an earlier interview with JP Morosi scouting director David Chadd indicated that the Tigers would just go with the best player available.
“My approach is we’re taking the best guy on the board,” Chadd said.
“We’re going to line it up how we see it, evaluate it and get the best
players up there accordingly. Those other issues, we’ll have to sit
down with Dave and discuss later.”
Ugh. I don’t like the idea of drafting a reliever who seems to have some trouble throwing strikes (Cashner). At least Fields would probably come in at slot and sign quickly as a senior. I guess I just have a hard time believing the “best player available” is a reliever, but maybe that’s just me.
I think whatever Lynn Henning says, he will be wrong. Look for the Tigers to go over slot once again.
-Sam
Well, one thing he said I found puzzling. He was pretty much told the Tigers would either go pitching or good athletes who would make good players, and he singled out Brett Wallace.
From what I’ve read about Wallace, he’s not in the good athletes mold. He’s more in the, “yeah, he doesn’t look like a ballplayer, but he hits the crap out of the ball so who cares?” mold.
If Jake Odorizzi is there, he needs to be taken. I personally have him as the best prep arm in the draft this year. Clean, effortless delivery, good velocity.
Also, I’m kind of split on Ike Davis vs. Brett Wallace. Wallace walks a lot more but I like Davis’ power this year (got slowed a bit by a rib injury I believe it was). But, if Jake Odorizzi is there at 21, I think it’s a perfect pick for the Tigers. Short of a signability guy sliding to the 20’s again (don’t see it happening, really), I think Odorizzi is likely the best player available at 21.
Also, here is the best/deepest free list I’ve found for prep senior baseball players. Worth a look through (they’re not as high on Odorizzi as I am).