2023 MLB Draft

[NatsLSU]

Skenes mowed down 11 tonight against 15th ranked A&M. Crews continues to kill the ball. .526 average on the season currently. This team is scary good. Skenes and Crews may go 1 and 2. Really hope we get Crews. He is superstar material.

[IanRubbish]

Need to draft a bat.  Cannot spend this pick on yet another power pitcher who’ll get hurt or start walking everybody by AA.

[zimm_da_kid]

Really hoping we get crews.  Pirates like to spread out pool money so they might reach for a 3-10 guy and avoid crews and dollander who I expect to get the largest 2 bonuses.  A guy like Langford, Skenes, Wilson, Taylor, or Gonzalez makes sense for them.

2024 I want to go college pitcher.  It’ll be deep in that area between burns, Hurd, Coppola, dutkanych, Hess, Brecht

[DCsOwn]

I’m on record as HEAVILY preferring we go bat at 2, but this is still an interesting comment nonetheless:

https://twitter.com/tedcahill/status/1639376972034736128?s=46&t=Q_qc3R_qyMHAAFvlywNqzQ

[zimm_da_kid]

Big words.hard to beat strasburg in college though

[welch]

I’m on record as HEAVILY preferring we go bat at 2, but this is still an interesting comment nonetheless:

https://twitter.com/tedcahill/status/1639376972034736128?s=46&t=Q_qc3R_qyMHAAFvlywNqzQ

Skenes is better than Strasburg? Bunkum.

[Slateman]

Skenes is better than Strasburg? Bunkum.

Im sorry but there is no way.

Strasburg was hitting triple digits in college. He also had 60+ grades on his change up and curve. In fact, his curve ball was being compared to Justin Verlander. 2009 Verlander was elite. I think people are forgetting how amazing Strasburg was. Dude could have gone from college to the MLB and been just fine. He was kept in the minors to build up his arm and for team control. Dude was drafted with three plus plus pitches and MLB command.

I'll say it again. Throwing triple digits this often, this early, is unsustainable. This dude screams injuries.

[NatsLSU]

We have do everything we can to get Crews. His numbers are absolutely insane. He is without a doubt the best talent I’ve seen come through LSU.

On another note, Skenes is being coached by one of the best pitching coaches in the country. Wes Johnson. LSU pried him away from the Twins.

[zimm_da_kid]

At this moment I want crews, Langford, Skenes in that order

[DCsOwn]

At this moment I want crews, Langford, Skenes in that order

That’s where I am currently as well. Langford getting injured probably prevents him from eclipsing Crews at this point (assuming that he had a chance to in the first place), so that’ll probably be my order in the end assuming Skenes avoids injury.

[imref]

Skenes vs Dollander at 8 PM on ESPNU Thursday.

[zimm_da_kid]

Skenes with 2 100 mph fastballs then a 101 for the lead off k

[zimm_da_kid]

1st 2 batters: 9 pitches, 9 fastballs
5 at 101
3 at 100
1 at 102

[DCsOwn]

1st 2 batters: 9 pitches, 9 fastballs
5 at 101
3 at 100
1 at 102

Finally went breaker to the third batter of the game to put him away and the gentleman was helpless. Absolutely helpless.

[DCsOwn]

Pretty loud contact off Dollander in the first but no damage done (outside of the lead off double). Crews smoked one to RF but it was corralled.

The stuff looked good for Chase in the first albeit not nearly as consistently overpowering as what you saw from Skenes. Still touched 98 iirc (he certainly touched 97 a few times).

[DCsOwn]

It’s still really difficult to judge the quality of Skenes’ secondary stuff because kids are so overwhelmed by the velo at this level. Any sign of trouble he goes right back to the fastball. This is beyond Strasburg in terms of the explosiveness of the fastball. Kid has an incendiary device for a right arm. 

[imref]

both looking pretty dominant though zero K's for Dollander:

https://www.secsports.com/boxscore/baseball/401497259

[DCsOwn]

Skenes threw more breaking balls in the 4th and got multiple chases. Didn’t really throw any for strikes, but again, kids are so geared up for the fastball that they’re essentially praying and swinging.

Fastball is explosive with ridiculous run and the breaker has quality depth but again, can’t really say much about his command outside of the fastball because he’s gone away from it so infrequently.

Dollander is overthrowing tonight I think. The velo has been excellent but his control has been SUPER spotty. Still looks like a high level prospect though from a stuff perspective and he’s really battling out here.

There has been a delta between the two starters in terms of performance tonight. Skenes (through 4) has been the CLEARLY more impressive starter. CLEARLY.

[imref]

I would not want to be on the mound throwing 100MPH against a batter with an aluminum bat.

[DCsOwn]

Skenes gave up a run that inning, but it probably should’ve been an unearned run given that the hit that led off the inning was horribly misplayed by the shortstop.

[imref]

the only explanation is that Dollander shook off his catcher who decided to tell the hitter what pitch to expect. That's the #9 hitter who was batting .250 who crushed it.

[imref]

Crews reminds me of Harper.

[DCsOwn]

Skenes punctuated the 7th with a K on a filthy slider to end the inning.

If Skenes finishes the season healthy and the medicals are clean come draft day, he’ll probably be HEAVILY  considered by the Pirates at 1-1, and I’m all for that. The talent is PRODIGIOUS, but I’d prefer not to go pitcher with this pick. But again, he’s a genuinely elite talent.

[imref]

I still think crews goes #1

[DCsOwn]

I still think crews goes #1

I think so too, but Pitt might view this as a singular opportunity to add a genuine TOR arm to an organization that literally only gets them via the draft.