2021 MLB Draft

[RD]

BA called Young a sleeper before the draft. Talked about teams may  have underrated him because he played LF, but has the skills to play CF. The presence of Fabian kept him in left, but said he might be looked at higher if he was proven in center. And of course he's played some 2b. That versatility is a nice plus.

[imref]

MLB.COM, Day 2. Including Darren Baker.

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-2021-draft-day-2-coverage

Nice to see them take dusty’s kid

[welch]

Nice to see them take dusty’s kid

I thought the same. Nice picture of Daren Baker in Nats hat.

“Obviously, you got bloodlines there, but he's a really good player,” said Baca. “[He’s] intelligent; you watch him play on the field. So that's a big trait. He [has] tools, is very versatile. We really liked the player. Everything about the way his clock works. Great instincts.”

[Slateman]

The Angels spent all their draft picks on pitchers

[imref]

additional picks today via https://www.masnsports.com/nationals-pastime/2021/07/draft-tracker-nats-conclude-2021-draft-with-third-day-picks.html

In the 11th round, with the 323rd overall pick, the Nats selected junior college right-hander Marc Davis out of Florida SouthWestern State College.

Davis, a 6-foot-3, 175-pounder, went 4-1 with a 3.34 ERA in 35 innings over 17 games (five starts) this season for the Bucs. The 21-year-old also recorded two saves and posted a 16.46 strikeout-per-nine-innings rate.

Over his three-year career, Davis went 6-4 with a 3.14 ERA, three saves and only two home runs allowed over 44 appearances (10 starts).

In the 12th round, with the 353rd overall pick, the Nats selected left-hander Andrew Alvarez out of Cal Poly.

Alvarez, a 6-foot-3, 215-pounder, went 7-3 with a 4.08 ERA in 81 ⅓ innings over 16 games this season with the Mustangs. The 22-year-old only allowed three home runs while striking out 81 and walking only 31 batters.

Update: The Nats are continuing to add pitchers to start day three of the draft. With their 13th-round pick at No. 383 overall, they selected right-hander Mack Anglin from Clemson.

Anglin, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound redshirt freshman, is scouted as a hard thrower and weekend starter for the Tigers. This past season, he went 2-7 with a 3.99 ERA in 56 1/3 innings over 13 games (eight starts). He struck out 75 batters, compared to just 33 walks.

In his career at Clemson, Anglin went 2-7 with a 4.83 in 61 1/3 innings in 17 games, 11 starts.

With their 14th-round pick (No. 413 overall), the Nats selected left-hander Erik Tolman out of Arizona State. Tolman, a 6-foot-2, 193-pound redshirt junior, went 6-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 31 games (10 starts) over this three years at Arizona State. As a sophomore in 2020, he had 30 strikeouts in just 18 innings, holding opponents to just a .143 average.

His 30 strikeouts ranked fifth in the Pac-12 last year, and his 15.00 strikeout-per-nine-innings rate was second in the conference and 18th nationally.

Update II: The Nationals took their first position player of the day in the 15th round. With the 443rd overall pick, they selected outfielder Jaden Fein from San Diego State.

A redshirt sophomore in 2021, Fein was a four-time Mountain West Player of the Week (Feb. 22, March 1, March 8, April 19) and a second-team All-Mountain West selection. He hit .389 with four homers, 53 RBIs and 19 doubles this season.

However, the Nats went back to the mound in the 16th round. With the No. 473 overall pick, they selected right-hander Jack Sinclair from the University of Central Florida.

As a 6-foot-4, 170-pound junior mostly used out of the bullpen, Sinclair went 5-5 with a 4.77 ERA in 66 innings over 17 appearances this season. He struck out 42 while walking 26 and recording one save. Sinclair did toss six shutout innings of three-hit ball with five strikeouts in a start against North Florida on March 14.

[imref]

Via Nationals Arms Race - http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=17194 - Nats 2021 top 10 picks with ranks and thoughts

He notes that our picks after House were all reaches, and that we could have been conserving bonus pool money to afford House.

[RD]

Got a call from a close friend, that was of his kids was taken by the Nats in the 12th round. Andrew Alvarez. My friend was his pitching coach in HS. Said he was filthy but raw in HS. Not sure how the stuff plays now.

[Kevrock]

Got a call from a close friend, that was of his kids was taken by the Nats in the 12th round. Andrew Alvarez. My friend was his pitching coach in HS. Said he was filthy but raw in HS. Not sure how the stuff plays now.

Awesome!

[Kevrock]

Via Nationals Arms Race - http://www.nationalsarmrace.com/?p=17194 - Nats 2021 top 10 picks with ranks and thoughts

He notes that our picks after House were all reaches, and that we could have been conserving bonus pool money to afford House.

I'm not a sunshine guy but this article was overly cynical and snarky in almost every player evaluation. 

[Natsinpwc]

I'm not a sunshine guy but this article was overly cynical and snarky in almost every player evaluation.

Reality is though that most of these guys will never make it. I would rather read critiques than how great these guys all are. Time will tell as it always does.

[Slateman]

Not sure why you think its cynical. Its an honest evaluation of the draft class. They took three prep school players in the first 6 rounds. Two of them were probably taken earlier than expected. All three have noted issues in their swing that will need substantial development in the farm system, which is a pretty big deal for a franchise that cant seem to develop players.

Its also kind of funny that everyone thought Rizzo was going to draft a tall, RHP, and he didnt until the 9th round.

Basically, Rizzo's draft was super prep school bat/college reliever intensive.

[Kevrock]

Because of the language and tone, dude.

[Natsinpwc]

Because of the language and tone, dude.

They should get used to it. 

[Kevrock]

Who should? Readers of that blog?

[Natsinpwc]

They should get used to it.

The players.  Look at what people write here about guys like Kieboom.  Brutal honesty.  Everything nowadays is overly harsh on the internet. 

[Slateman]

Because of the language and tone, dude.

Go be old somewhere else. The tone was actually rather enjoyable to read, particularly over the non-committal, overly pleasant language that is normally used

[Kevrock]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[RD]

I'm not a sunshine guy but this article was overly cynical and snarky in almost every player evaluation. 

I agree. I dont really know the history of the author but he seems upset because the guys aren't toolsy upside guys. Most college guys outside of the top 50 aren't going to carry that profile, so seems like he'd be upset with a lot of guys.

Prospects Live has Daylen Lile as the #29 overall player in the draft. I wouldnt consider him a savings pick, and I wouldn't consider him a reach, either.

They also had Saenz #103 overall, and he went 112.

Kirian was ranked #200, and went 173rd. Especially at that point of the draft, that's not necessarily a savings pick. And trying to knock a 6th round pick as just a LOOGY is a prime example. Kirian has had a lot of success in relief at a high level, and can hit 95 from the left side. Not sure why there's such an attempt to knock a 6th round pick.

You see it all the time in the NFL Draft, where a team values players differently than analysts do. In baseball, it's even harder to find a consensus ranking. If a guy goes 20 picks before bus rank, it doesn't mean he's a reach. Or because a guy goes in the 5th instead of the 7th, it may not mean anything. A team may have a better connection, a scout may have seen more of a kid, etc. I remember Michael Taylor in the 7th was a bit of an unknown pick and he made it to the bigs and made an impact. TJ White may be nothing. But the kid has a good frame, tremendous power, and is a bright, hard working kid. There are certainly flaws - he went in the 5th round. But there's obviously talent.

I do think the team will get some savings in the rounds after the 1st, cuz they'll probably need to save around a mill at least to get House. But I dont think they punted on every pick after House just to land him. Lile looks good, there could be some real talent that helps the bullpen, and an upside HS kid. On top of House, it seems like a solid draft.

[Slateman]

Kirian was a college pitcher. He literally faced low level competition.

[RD]

Kirian was a college pitcher. He literally faced low level competition.

Interesting. Pitching for Louisville, in the ACC, with experience in the CWS, counts as low level comp to you?

[Slateman]

Interesting. Pitching for Louisville, in the ACC, with experience in the CWS, counts as low level comp to you?

Yes. As it does for the 30 franchises in baseball. Hence why the vast majority of draft picks go to A ball

[RD]

Yes. As it does for the 30 franchises in baseball. Hence why the vast majority of draft picks go to A ball

Well considering all of these kids are amateurs, they obviously cannot have pro experience. Of course professional teams would be considered better.

Of all players eligible to be drafted, playing for a school in the ACC and reaching the CWS is about as good as you can get in amateur ball(of course you could nit pick and say the SEC is better) There is no higher level than that. Therefore, Kirian has had success as a reliever at the highest level he could possibly reach.

[Slateman]

Well considering all of these kids are amateurs, they obviously cannot have pro experience. Of course professional teams would be considered better.

Of all players eligible to be drafted, playing for a school in the ACC and reaching the CWS is about as good as you can get in amateur ball(of course you could nit pick and say the SEC is better) There is no higher level than that. Therefore, Kirian has had success as a reliever at the highest level he could possibly reach.

Okay, well, the highest level he could reach is considered low level competition by every franchse in Major League Baseball.

[RD]

Okay, well, the highest level he could reach is considered low level competition by every franchse in Major League Baseball.

Wrong.

When judging a draft prospect, the level they are competing at, absolutely matters. Talent is obviously the #1 factor for a player. But when you see a kid pitch in a big time conference with CWS experience, it certainly carries more weight than a kid pitching at the DIII level.

If someone hits .300 vs SEC talent, and someone hits .300 in NAIA. Who do you think scouts are more likely to draft?

[Slateman]

Wrong.

When judging a draft prospect, the level they are competing at, absolutely matters. Talent is obviously the #1 factor for a player. But when you see a kid pitch in a big time conference with CWS experience, it certainly carries more weight than a kid pitching at the DIII level.

If someone hits .300 vs SEC talent, and someone hits .300 in NAIA. Who do you think scouts are more likely to draft?

Major League Baseball teams view the SEC, NAIA, Pac 10, and all the travel ball as lower level competition. Its all viewed as equivalent to A ball.

BTW, who they are more likely to draft has little to do with their stats and much more to do with their evaluation of the player's tools and mental standing. If all they cared about were stats, then no one would draft high school players. But according to you, the Nats should have take Kyle Parker over Bryce Harper. Cus, you know, hitting in the ACC is such high competition