MLB Draft

[CJD]

(07-10-2023, 10:21 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Of the first three picks I really like the first one. The other two guys are lacking in the most important part for me to be excited.

A pitcher with iffy pitching history in college whose biggest weakness is control.
A shortstop whose bat is the tool most in doubt.

Give me control from pitchers (92 on the black is better than 98 that is 6" out of the zone or right down broadway) and give me hit tool on batters. If you can't have all the tools (hey Elly), hit tool is the most important. Give me Adam Dunn over Billy Hamilton every day, if a guy can hit you can always find him at bats and hide him defensively, if he can't hit then the best he can be is a late inning defensive replacement which isn't particularly worth a roster spot.

That's fair. I like that Stafura has plus speed, which has become a bit of a team identity for us, but you're right that his hit tool is currently his worst one. I do not follow the MLB draft closely enough to form my own opinions on how these guys play, that's why I kept my evaluation to the philosophy behind the selections (we need pitchers in the majors now - draft college pitchers. We will need hitters 5 to 7 years from now - draft high school bats with high ceilings), but I've seen some outlets say his hit tool could stand to improve.

There are so many draft picks in the MLB draft, it's hard to know (or expect) much about anyone but the top 15 to 30 prospects within the system, so I'm just glad we got a good player that should impact the major league team during this competitive window in the first round.