Draft

[Redsfan1507]

I see the Reds took a 6'4 catcher (who also was a 90 mph pitcher) in the first round, and a lot if RHP later. It appears the Stevenson kid has a power bat and was regarded as the best defensive catcher in a relatively weak C draft this year. I assume no positional plan in the draft, still believing the theory is always to take the best available talent at your turn. I was a little non-plussed at so many Reds picks coming from UNC-Wilmington or some college baseball Podunk team...and imagine a Reds scout living in that area drawing an expense account from the lawn chair in his backyard, instead of canvassing for more talent. I hope in wrong, and UNC-Wherever is the new Mecca of pitching talent.

I'm interested in Cleveland's #1 pick- Brady Aiken. He was the Astros overall #1 last year- offered $6.2M, verbally agreed to by Aiken, then the Stros balked after a post draft physical saw something in his throwing elbow, and reduced the offer to $5M, and the kid took offense and refused to sign. Supposedly he had TJ and pitched for a prep school and another draft try this year. I'd say the 13th pick cost him about half that $5M offer...big balls from a kid that could have wound up losing the opportunity to sign at all if his elbow was shot beyond repair. The Stros got a compensatory pick due to inability to sign their #1. Also noteworthy, they took the little brother of Preston Tucker, a 2013 pick already on the big club- they say the kid this year is a better player than his brother on the team now. Like the Cubs, the Astros are starting to see results from those losing years high draft picks. Not that I envy losing 100 games for years, but the draft can change a teams fortune if they are paying attention.

 

[JohnU]

Houston stashed a lot of other teams prospects when they unloaded all their regulars a couple of years back. Luchnow said at the time he was trying to get as many players as he could and would sort out the ones who can't play. I suppose every organization is different so to say that his strategy is the way to go would depend on how lousy it was to start with.

I never bought into the farm systems rating thing. You need a Votto every other year, not an entire minor league team. I think the folks who are bashing the Reds farm system kind of miss the point on that. You can sign a Cuban Missile every so often and suddenly your other 5 or 6 minor league relievers are pale in comparison.

Plus, calling up guys rarely makes a team better; it just means, like at the moment, that half the regulars are on sick leave.

What I don't like about Cincy's program is that they don't get guys to the majors soon enough. High school or mid-college draft picks just don't have the experience to move up quickly.

But at least we aren't drafting left-handed hitting first basemen now.