'25 draft discussion
 

Looking forward to Sunday night to see if we have any surprises. Nats firing GM may or may not create intrigue with the #1 pick.

Naturally there are some unlisted names who will pop in the first round, but this encompasses the hobby chases this winter.

Here are buckets for folks that are speculating on prices:

[b]Obvious high ceiling chases[/b]
Ethan Holliday - in conversation for 1-1
Eli Willits - most polished high school player for me
Billy Carlson - reminsicent of Konnor Griffin
Steele Hall - top of charts athleticism, bat question marks
Gavin Fien
Jojo Parker* - came on very strong last couple months

[b]High ceiling/low floor bats[/b]
Xavier Neyens - top of class power
Quentin Young - top of class power, Elijah Green risk
Jace Laviolette - was 1-1 coming into year, looked mechanically stiff all year

[b]Steady & polished lefties[/b]
Kade Anderson* - might go 1-1
Jamie Arnold

[b]More volatile & higher ceiling lefties[/b]
Liam Doyle* - could go 1-1

[b]First round bats with desirable hobby tools[/b]
Josh Hammond - big power/arm combo
Kayson Cunningham - ultra polished, Theo Gillen clone
Sean Gamble - athletic
Slater de Brun - Corbin Carroll lite
Aiva Arquette* - big bat SS
Wehiwa Aloy* - big bat SS

[b]Notable righties, but not hobby drivers[/b]
Kyson Witherspoon
Tyler Bremner
Gage Wood - no hitter in CWS
Anthony Eyanson

[b]Highest ceiling/extreme risk high school pitching preps[/b]
Seth Hernandez
Kruz Schoolcraft
Jack Bauer - touched 103

[b]High floor college bats without outlier hobby tool[/b]
Cam Cannarella
Brendan Summerhill*
Ike Irish*
Gavin Kilen*
Marek Houston
Andrew Fischer*
Luke Stevenson
Caden Bodine
Devin Taylor
Max Belyeu

[b]High schoolers with pedigree or tools[/b]
Daniel Pierce*
Brady Ebel
Coy James

[b]Best bet to be Joey Gallo[/b]
Nolan Schubart
Ethan Petry

*denotes no Panini Stars & Stripes cards


Most interesting scenario for me as to hobby excitement and plausible scenarios would be:
-Holliday goes 1 or 4 to Rockies; Willits goes 1 or 5 to Cardinals
-Prep shortstop doesn't go to Marlins
-High risk bats Young, Hammond, Laviolette, Neyens land with big markets in second half of first round
-Marlins, White Sox, A's take pitching

Draft coverage on MLB Network is really good.

They break down players. Give comps.

I like Andrew Fischer the most so far, really good combination of discipline and power

pretty insane for matt holliday to have 2 sons go 1st overall

I'm interested in seeing where Ethan Conrad goes. Was looking like a first rounder until he hurt himself diving for a ball early in the college season. Local kid.

I don’t prospect, but I saw pretty much every SEC team in person multiple times this season and the most impressive player I saw on the field (sans Cade Anderson) was Wehiwa Aloy. I know I’m going to sound like one of the old geezers from Money Ball, but he just gave off the aura of a premier Big League Player. There are definitely some things he can polish, but I was very impressed watching him this season.

Begging for the Braves to start taking position players again.

[QUOTE=brothertona;19956281]Begging for the Braves to start taking position players again.[/QUOTE]

If it's any consolation for this season, the '26 class looks to be loaded at shortstop in the prep and college rankings.

Yeah it's a fun class - Burress from Tech, Cholowsky at UCLA, Farr at Texas A&M

This reminded me to look up wtf happened to Druw Jones. He killed the strat of drafting youngest players + children of major leaguers.

Lawlar said hold ma beer

DraftKings has some fun little prop bets up for the draft. I sprinkled a few on the following:


Caden Bodine before Pick 21.5
Cam Cannarella before Pick 33.5
Devin Taylor before Pick 42.5
Gage Wood before Pick 17.5
Gavin Fien before Pick 17.5
Kayson Cunningham before Pick 20.5
Quentin Young Draft Position before Pick 40.5
Wood drafted before Bremner
Fien drafted before Neyens
Carlson drafted before J. Parker
Eyanson drafted before Middleton

No real rhyme or reason to these except I am betting on a team placing emphasis on CWS performance and Young's combine performance.

Maybe I'll post some of my favorite USA cards later this weekend that I've acquired.

[QUOTE=Boredlawyer;19958175]DraftKings has some fun little prop bets up for the draft. I sprinkled a few on the following:


Caden Bodine before Pick 21.5
Cam Cannarella before Pick 33.5
Devin Taylor before Pick 42.5
Gage Wood before Pick 17.5
Gavin Fien before Pick 17.5
Kayson Cunningham before Pick 20.5
Quentin Young Draft Position before Pick 40.5
Wood drafted before Bremner
Fien drafted before Neyens
Carlson drafted before J. Parker
Eyanson drafted before Middleton

No real rhyme or reason to these except I am betting on a team placing emphasis on CWS performance and Young's combine performance.

Maybe I'll post some of my favorite USA cards later this weekend that I've acquired.[/QUOTE]

Looks like sucker bets

[QUOTE=JRX;19958189]Looks like sucker bets[/QUOTE]

Well, that would be entirely determined based on the odds you're getting at the pick. But no DK bet would have positive EV.

[QUOTE=sbfinley;19955850]I don’t prospect, but I saw pretty much every SEC team in person multiple times this season and the most impressive player I saw on the field (sans Cade Anderson) was Wehiwa Aloy. I know I’m going to sound like one of the old geezers from Money Ball, but he just gave off the aura of a premier Big League Player. There are definitely some things he can polish, but I was very impressed watching him this season.[/QUOTE]

But how good looking is his girlfriend? If she's not at least a 9 then he can't have much confidence ;)

I just hope Cleveland doesn't draft another middle infielder like they do every year (or so it seems).

Happy draft day. Starts at 6pm EST. ESPN and MLBN.

Looking likely that Holliday gets picked by the Rox at 4.

Interested to see where Ethan Petry goes and which direction the Pirates go

[QUOTE=Jaypers;19959879]Happy draft day. Starts at 6pm EST. ESPN and MLBN.

Looking likely that Holliday gets picked by the Rox at 4.[/QUOTE]

I thought Holliday was going 1

who is the top pick now?

I wish the Yankees had a shot at Gage Wood

[QUOTE=boxbuster7;19959904]I thought Holliday was going 1

who is the top pick now?[/QUOTE]

Anderson.

I have a gut feeling that Nationals might zag though. I'm not counting Willits out.

[QUOTE=21Pittsburgh58;19959899]Interested to see where Ethan Petry goes and which direction the Pirates go[/QUOTE]

Someone snagged a couple Petrys of my eBay this morning. Maybe there's smoke there.

Dodgers drafting the highest they have in years
Will Ebel be available for Dodgers?

I always liked Reggie Willits when he was on the angels

good for him

[B]Nats select Eli Willits 1-1.[/B] The first surprise didn't take long. Under slot deal, of course.