mlb draft

[CJD]

(06-05-2018, 10:38 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I see the Reds took a 3B, and a pair of RH Pitchers.  Anyone follow prospects closely enough to know if they're really any good?

https://www.mlb.com/reds/news/reds-select-jonathan-india-in-mlb-draft/c-279777954

I don't know anything about the pitchers, but I was following the top 10 prospects (the ones we were likely to look into with our first pick) in anticipation and I'm pretty happy with the India pick.

MLB.com has him rated very favorably across the board. 55 hit, 55 power, 50 run, 55 arm, 55 fielding, 55 overall. For those unfamiliar with the scale, it's 20 to 80. 50 is considered league average. 55 is above average, 60 is a plus tool, 70 is plus plus, and 80 is, well...a perfect tool.

It's unclear if those ratings are future or current. When Senzel came out, his scouting report was 55 hit, 50 power, 50 run, 55 arm, 55 fielding, 55 overall. He has since risen to 70 hit, 55 power, 55 run, 60 arm, 60 fielding, 65 overall. So those numbers will continue to increase if India performs well in the minors. That tells me they believe India, at his current state right now, is better than the average major leaguer in hitting, power, arm strength and fielding, with room to grow further.

His pros (summarizing what I feel are the key parts): 
1. Projectable power. He was one of the better power hitters in the draft, with a developed sense of plate discipline and hitting for average. 
2. He has flexibility on position. He can easily play 3B, could probably transition to 2B and some scouts feel he would be serviceable at SS as well. He could also go to either corner outfield spot or, obviously, 1B if necessary. 
3. He is arguably the most MLB ready hitter in the entire draft with high walk rates and good contact and plate discipline. 
4. Isn't a blazer but is instinctive on the base paths and can steal bases with good speed. 

His cons: 
1. His strikeout rate was higher than you expect out of an elite hitter in college. He walked as much as he struck out (49 to 48), but his strikeout rate was still too high (compare his strikeout rate of 15.5 to Senzel's final college year, which was under 9%). 
2. He was very average to underwhelming as a prospect in his first two years of college. This is truly a "breakout season" but some worry it may be a one hit wonder season, based on his prospect status coming out of high school and after his first two years. This includes his plate discipline, strikeout rate and power all made meteoric jumps over the course of one year, which is not great for a prospect. He truly is the "hot prospect" of this draft, and that sometimes bites the people that drafted them.
3. We're crowded at 3B/2B with Senzel and Suarez, but this is minor, as you can always flip the worst defender out into the outfield, where we have very few prospects that are demanding playing time (Duvall is crap and Schebler is merely decent).