Giants Select SS Joe Panik at No. 29 and RHP Kyle Crick at No. 49

Sorry this is late, but I had some commitments tonight and I couldn't get to the post until now. Good thing I did though, as it gave me some time to reflect on the picks.


Joe Panik, SS, St. John's University (NY)



For some reasons, St. John has been really active in my life these past five months. A girl I dated had parents who went to St. John's, St. John's quickly became my favorite team in College Basketball because of their hard-nosed play and Steve Lavin, Gonzaga played St. John's in the NCAA Tourney and the Zags played their best basketball game of the year, and now the Giants used their 29th pick on the Red Storm infielder. Wow...if I didn't turn down St. John's out of high school (it was one of four colleges I was considering), I would be really stoked to be a Johnnie alum right now.

Anyways, back on the subject, well...from a statistical standpoint, Panik looks very good. He showed very good strike zone recognition in college, as he posted BB/K ratios of 1.81, 2.24 and 1.83 in his three years with the Johnnies. Furthermore, he put up averages of .332, .374 and .398 in his three collegiate seasons. The most surprising aspect of Panik's game was his pop for a middle infielder, as he posted slugging percentages of .513, .621 and .642 and hit a total of 25 home runs in 640 at-bats.

However, the big question about Panik is how he can do against better competition and how his power and hitting will translate when he starts hitting with wood bats. Panik played a year in the Cape Cod in 2010, and while he did well at the plate (he hit .276 with a .384 OBP in 145 at-bats), his power didn't translate as he posted a slugging percentage of .372 and only had 10 extra bases hits (eight doubles and two home runs).

In terms of his defense, he had garnered good reports from scouts, though he doesn't seem to be rated as highly as Brandon Crawford or Ehire Adrianza when they broke into professional ball. Here's is what Matt Grabusky said about Panik in his scouting report on MLB Draft Guide.com:

"In the field, Panik has good range and soft hands.  His arm is average, which leads some to see his future at second base. Whether he remains at short or slides over to second, Panik has the ability to be a high on base guy and solid fielder at the next level."

A lot of experts still felt though the Giants reached with Panik at 29, and that they could have gotten him at their slot in the supplemental round, or even perhaps as late as the second round. Keith Law on his twitter called Panik a "reach" and that he was a "utility" type. I would wait and see how he does when he makes the transition to the Northwest League this year before I would give him such a "label", but I do feel like the Giants could have gotten a higher ceiling high school arm at No. 29 (Henry Owens for example) and then got Panik at No. 49 in the supplemental round.

Of course, this has been a trend for the Giants recently in drafts (e.g. "reaching for players in the first round"), but it's a strategy that's paid off. Last year, Gary Brown was a projected supplemental/second round pick, and he went in the Giants' first round slot. Safe to say, he's made the pick pay off as evidenced by his performance in San Jose this year. Hopefully the same can be true for Panik.


Kyle Crick, RHP, Sherman HS (TX)



Crick is a projectable power arm that fits the characteristics of former Giants HS draft picks: he's big (225 pounds), he's tall (six-foot, three-inches), and he throws gas, though he has to do some work on his secondary stuff. Thankfully, considering Crick's age, the Giants have the time to be patient with him, and he could be a nice project that could develop well in the Giants system. Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner and Zack Wheeler are prime examples of physically gifted HS pitchers that succeeded in the Giants system, and there's no reason to think that Crick can join that club if he stays healthy.

Crick according to John Klima of Baseball Beginnings earned an OFP grade of 54 in his scouting report. The best aspect of Crick's repertoire, according Klima, is his fastball, which was graded a 50 out of 65. His slider was his next best pitch, which was graded a 40 out of 55 and his change and split were graded a decent 30 out of 50. Crick's control still needs some work (Klima graded his control a 30 out of 50), but it's obvious that he has a good tool set and some nice potential as a pitcher.

Furthermore, Klima was encouraged by his mechanics and delivery, noting that his delivery was good and that his "arm smooth through back, body sometimes out in front of arm, arm catches up, gets extension and balanced landings." Here's what Klima said about his strengths as a pitcher:

"FB 89-93, comfortable 90-92, hard downhill with tail, heavy ball. Can reach back for a little more and elevate when needed. SL 81-83 with hard bite, go-to weapon. Hard and late. Split 81 with hard drop. Straight CHG 80-81, assume those weren’t flat sliders, secondary SL 72-73 with drop."

For a supplemental pick, Crick has the tools and frame to be a very good pitcher. Of course, he's young, and he will take some time to develop, since he's a high school kid and not a high profile pitcher like some recent HS pitcher picks like Bumgarner and Wheeler (who were both Top-10 first round picks). That being said, there is a lot to like, and if he can develop his control and secondary stuff in the instructional league and low minors in his first couple of years, then Crick could be a high upside pick that could add to the shallow pitching depth in the Giants system.

OTF MLB Draft "Eve" Preview

Tomorrow is it. The Rule 4 draft. After numerous player profiles on this blog, we'll finally see the draft take place and see who the Giants will take at the No. 29 pick. Here is some brief notes before tomorrow's big day.


High school arms the Giants could take in the first round: Robert Stephenson, RHP; Henry Owens, LHP; Joe Ross, RHP; Jorge Lopez, RHP; Hawtin Buchanan, RHP; Dillon Howard, RHP; Jose Fernandez, RHP.

Stephenson may be the best pitcher of the bunch, but all the consensus with the mock drafts seem to have him going in the 15-20 range. He would be a steal at No. 29. Owens is a bit of a reach as well, but it seems more plausible for the Giants to land him, as he seems to be going more in the 24-30 range in a lot of mock drafts. The same seems to be true with Howard and Fernandez, who are going in the 25-33 range. Ross is probably the most likely high school pitcher to be selected by the Giants simply because his talent fits well at the slot, and his Bay Area ties make him an enticing option. However, there are some reports circulating that his stock is rising and he could be taken sooner. As for Lopez and Buchanan, they're intriguing pitching talents, but the Giants would probably be overdrafting if they took them in the first round at No. 29. I expect them to be supplemental or second-round material.



College arms the Giants could take in the first round: Tyler Anderson, LHP; Josh Osich, LHP; Alex Meyer, RHP; Matt Purke, LHP; Andrew Chafin, LHP.

I previewed Meyer in my first draft profile, but his stock has boosted considerably since my writeup. He seems to be a borderline Top-10 pick now and most likely could go in the 10-15 range. He underwhelmed in college, but his tools and size are promising. Anderson and Osich are polished pitchers from Oregon and Oregon State, respectively, but they don't have as much ceiling or upside as some of the other arms in this draft, especially the high school ones. Purke is a stay-away who's stock has tumbled because of injuries and egregious signing bonus demands. Chafin is another nice pitcher with good tools and solid stuff, but he has gone through some minor injury issues that has hurt his stock. He's probably not worth it either considering the promising high school arms available in this draft.



Positional talent that the Giants could take in the first round: C.J. Cron, 1B; Brian Goodwin, OF; Jason Esposito, SS/3B; Andrew Susac, C; Kolten Wong, 2B; Brandon Nimmo, OF; Cory Spangenberg 3B.

Cron has as nice power tool set and he was impressive this year at the plate for Utah. However, he is expected to go higher and there is some good depth at the first base position in the Giants system. Goodwin seems to be the most enticing pick out of positional players, simply because he has an impressive tool set with marginal power. However, the Giants took Gary Brown last year, and the minor league outfield depth is loaded as it is. The same could be true for Nimmo, who is younger than Goodwin, but has impressed scouts lately. Esposito looks like a nice player, but he looks to be more supplemental round material. Wouldn't be a bad pickup for the Giants if they could get him in the supplemental or second round. Susac is getting a lot of wind lately with the Buster Posey injury, and he could be a very real possibility should he still be available at No. 29. Wong and Spangenberg are both good talents, though Wong is the more proven commodity. However, they look like they could go earlier, as mock drafts have them in the 20-28 range. Wong would be worth a pick on if available. Spangenberg? I'm not so sure, but he does have an interesting tool set.



What Giants fans should expect this draft

Brian Sabean mentioned this on KNBR, but the pitching depth in this draft is deep, and the Giants do need to stock the system with guys moving up (e.g. Madison Bumgarner), being traded away (e.g. Tim Alderson and Scott Barnes) or fizzling out (e.g. Henry Sosa, Waldis Joaquin) in the last few seasons. I would say there is a 70 percent chance the Giants take a pitcher in the first round of this draft, simply because the talent is deep and they could get a lot of return or a steal they wouldn't get any other year at the 29th pick. I would say it's 50-50 over the remaining 30 percent, with either Goodwin or Susac going in the 29th slot if the Giants don't take a pitcher. I personally like Susac more, but Goodwin has a bunch of tools and could move up quickly ala Brown-style.

Either way, Sabean has had a tendency to surprise Giants fans in the past when it comes to draft picks. Even Bumgarner and Brown were considered "over-drafted" players at the time, and yet they have seemed to pan out just fine. Hence, I wouldn't be shocked if somebody totally off the radar was picked at No. 29. That being said, Sabean and his team have showed great skill in terms of developing talent out of the draft in the past five years, so I am confident that Sabean can continue this trend in the 2011 draft.

OTF MLB Draft Peek: Joe Ross, RHP, and Josh Osich, LHP

We're winding down toward the MLB Rule 4 Draft, and as expected, Mock Drafts continue to pop up. Let's take a look at two draft prospects who are being rumored to go to the 29th slot in the 2011 Draft.


Joe Ross, RHP, Bishop O'Dowd HS



John Sickels in his latest mock draft has Ross going to the Giants slot. Ross is the younger brother of former top A's prospect and pitcher Tyson Ross, and much like his older brother, the younger Ross has an enticing arm and physical build for a pitcher.

At six-foot, two-inches and 190 pounds, Ross isn't as big as his older brother (who's six-foot, five-inches and 215 pounds), but he has a lot more room for growth and is a lot earlier in his development. Tyson didn't get drafted until after his collegiate tenure at Cal-Berkley. As for Joe, he is expected to go anywhere from the late first to supplemental round as a graduating high school senior. So, while Tyson was a little bit more developed as a pitcher when he was drafted in 2008, Joe may have more upside and ceiling than his older brother.

The one thing they do share in common is that they both have live arms and good stuff. Joe, according to MLB Draft Guide, throws his fastball in the 91-94 MPH range, and he has a "slider with plus potential." Ross does have a changeup, but according to reports, it is still a work in progress.

Mechanically, Ross throws from a three-quarter arm slot and his long limbs and athletic build adds to the deception of his delivery. Furthermore, according to MLB Draft Guide, he has showed good control in high school and is consistent with his delivery, a nice sign that he may be able to make the transition to professional quickly if he signs out of high school.

Currently, Ross is committed to go to UCLA, and head coach John Savage raves about Ross' potential. Savage said this about the Bay-Area pitcher:

”Joe is the best right-handed pitching prospect in California. He has a very athletic delivery and a fastball that explodes at the plate. We look forward to watching Joe compete for a weekend job right away at UCLA. His potential as a pitcher is unlimited.”

Of course, you never know about a coach's praise. He is a recruit of Savage, and I'm sure he wants him to sign, so the praise is probably to be expected. Nonetheless, Ross has all the tools to be a good Major League pitcher, and it's obvious that barring injury, he can develop when he breaks into the minor leagues. Of course, considering his age and where he is at in his development, Ross is going to need some time to develop, as is usually the case with pitchers drafted out of high school.

In terms of where he is now, Ross isn't exactly impressive in comparison to other pitching prospects out of high school currently eligible for this year's draft. MLB Draft Insider graded his fastball a 45, his breaking stuff and changeup a 40, and his control and command a 40. However, while it currently isn't impressive, they are positive that he can grow and develop, as his fastball potential is a 55, his breaking stuff a 50 and his control/command a 55. MLB Draft Insider was especially optimistic about his mechanics, as that seems to be the strongest part of his game, as they rated his mechanics currently a 50 with 60 potential.

Ross is a good story because he's a Bay Area kid and a familiar name amongst Bay Area baseball circles. Furthermore, if the Giants draft him, they must really like him, because they don't have to go far to scout him (Bishop O'Dowd is in located in Oakland). With a baseball family pedigree, a live arm, and a need to upgrade the pitching depth in the minors, the Giants would seem to be a prime fit for Ross.


Josh Osich, LHP, Oregon State



Baseball America has Osich going to the Giants in their latest mock draft, and he is a live-armed lefty out of Oregon State who comes with some red flags. Last year, he was shut down for the year in 2010 due to Tommy John surgery. However, Osich this year has come back with a fury, with his most notable performance being a no-hitter against UCLA on May 1st.

The big story of his no-hitter was that it came in a duel against UCLA ace Trevor Bauer. For those who don't know, Bauer is one of the top pitchers in the country, and is projected to go in the Top-15 of this year's draft.

Despite the injury concerns, Osich has the size and stuff to become a legitimate Major League pitcher. At six-foot, three-inches and 225 pounds, Osich is a hoss with an intimidating presence on the mound. According to MLB Draft Guide, he throws a mid-90's fastball with an above average changeup. He is also starting to throw his breaking ball again, which he waned off of to protect himself after Tommy John surgery.

John Klima of Baseball Beginnings was very positive about him in his scouting report, and felt that despite his injuries, he was still a player that would fly off the boards, especially after all the buzz generated from his no-hitter against the Bruins, a pretty quality baseball program. Here is what Klima said in his scouting report:

"I first saw him in Palm Springs in 2009 he threw 97. In this look he sat 92-93 with a bump to 94. The velocity isn’t what it used to be, but it will be enough. He’s throwing from a mid 3/4 slot and sometimes drags his arm, which isn’t my favorite for any pitcher, but teams will look past that to get the left-handed power while they can get it. He’s still downhill enough to make it work, especially in this look, where his fastball was getting late cut into right-handed hitters. His second weapon for right-handers is a 80-82 change, both straight and with occasional sink, and he had good feel on this. There’s not a lot left to dream on here with this boy. He’s close to physical maturity and he won’t throw any harder, so you can expect him to be fast tracked."

In comparison to Ross and other high school pitchers in this draft, Osich doesn't have that much of a ceiling. That is clear in his scouting reports according to MLB Draft Insider, as he only has a 50 potential in terms of his changeup and control/command, and a 55 potential in terms of mechanics and delivery and breaking stuff. The highest rated aspect of his game may be his fastball though, as MLB Draft Insider rated his fastball a 65. This is entirely possible, as he is coming off Tommy John, and before, reports had him clocked in the 97 MPH range.

Osich looks to be a polished left-hander with back of the rotation potential, but perhaps could find some solidity in the bullpen down the road. If the Giants want a guy that can advance through the system quickly, Osich may be their guy, as he has a lot less room to develop in comparison to Ross. I'm not thrilled about the injury history or his mechanics, but history has showed that pitchers have rebounded nicely after Tommy John, and the Giants pitching staff in the minors has done well in terms of working with pitchers with mechanics issues (Zack Wheeler being the biggest example).

OTF MLB Draft Peek: Jorge Lopez, RHP, and Hawtin Buchanan, RHP

Today I'm going to take a look at two possible supplemental round picks that could fall in the Giants slot. The Giants got the 49th pick in the Supplemental Round after Juan Uribe signed with the Dodgers this off-season. Again, we have some more pitchers, but as noted before this pitching is especially deep in young, high upside pitching, and the Giants have an obvious need to solidify their pitching depth in the minors (the Minor League Basbeall Analyst graded the Giants minor league pitching as a C- in their 2011 annual).



Jorge Lopez, RHP, Caguas Military Academy, Puerto Rico

John Sickels has Lopez projected to go at the 49th slot in his latest mock supplemental first round draft. Lopez is a high-ceiling arm, with a nice frame and good stuff according to reports. While Puerto Rican prospects usually don't have a history of going high in the draft (Luis Atilano was the highest pick from Puerto Rico in the history of the draft, as he went No. 35 in 2003), Lopez seems to be an exception to the rule.

According to a report by Perfect Game USA, Lopez is getting comparisons to Javier Vazquez. He still has a lot of room to develop as a pitcher (he's six-foot-four inches, and 175 pounds), but already he sports a fastball that goes in the low 90's and a good spinning curve ball that has gotten good reports from scouts. An excellent athlete (Lopez played volleyball, basketball and ran track in addition to baseball), Lopez used to be a shortstop before he converted to the mound full time.

Perfect Game noted on his player profile page these things about Lopez:

"Slender young build, should gain strength but not much weight. Slow paced low effort delivery, high 3/4's release point, pulls off some on release, very long and loose arm, good use of his lower half. Fastball to 91 mph, velo comes easy. Flashes hard curveball spin when on top of the ball, change up shows nice sink and should be thrown more. Very nice young pitching prospect who should keep improving."

Lopez was named a Rawlings 3rd Team All-American in 2011, and Diamondscape Scouting named him to the Second-Team All-Region team for the Southeast in January. Unlike a lot of high school prospects eligibile in this draft, there isn't a ton of video or scouting reports on Lopez, but he does sound like an enticing pitcher who has considerable upside as a prospect. While Lopez comes from an area of Puerto Rico that is known for developing positional talent (Cayey), Lopez is still an enticing prospect who has faced good competition and has been fostered in a solid baseball environment.

I wish there was more information on Lopez, because he has good tools for a pitcher. The Giants had some success with Jonathan Sanchez, another pitching prospect who came out of Puerto Rico, but Lopez is a bit more raw in comparison to Sanchez. Sanchez pitched in college in the United States before he entered the draft (he played at Ohio Dominican University), and even then, he was an under the radar prospect (he went in the 27th round of the 2004 draft).

Nonetheless, if Lopez can develop as a pitcher in the minors like Sanchez (or perhaps even better), then the Giants could get a steal in the supplemental round with the Puerto Rican right hander. He may take a little more time than Sanchez to break into the majors simply because of his age and where he is in the development stage, but Lopez seems to have the tools and stuff to succeed as a professional pitcher.


Hawtin Buchanan, RHP, Biloxi HS (Mississippi)



Buchanan is another young, raw, but projectable pitcher who could go in the supplemental round in the Giants slot. Buchanan has intriguing size (six-foot, eight inches, 240 pounds), but he is a very good athlete despite his big frame. He already is committed to Ole Miss, not just to play baseball, but to play quarterback for their football team as well.

His stuff is pretty electric as he sports a fastball that goes in the mid-low 90's and touches 95 MPH. However, according to Perfect Game, there are some issues with his mechanics, as he tends to drop his elbow on his curve ball and is slow on his chanegup. Nonetheless, PG was very optimistic about his improvement from 2010 to 2011

"When I saw Buchanan last year at the East Cobb Invitational tournament I was very impressed with his arm and overall strength and athleticism. But, his mechanics needed a lot of work. Over the offseason he put in that work and it has paid off. He’s increased his velocity by 5-7 MPH and has been up to 95. The 6’ 8” righty who is committed to Ole Miss has really been boosting his draft stock with big performances this season. In a big game against George County on March 10th, a game that drew a lot of interest from MLB scouts (as Buchanan opposed LHP Mason Robbins) Hawtin threw a complete game 3-hitter in Biloxi’s district opener and showed improved command of his secondary stuff."

There are a lot of positives when you watch Buchanan on tape. He has a straight, high leg kick that is very similar to Bronson Arroyo and Roy Oswalt. While I'm not sure he will develop into pitchers of that caliber, he still has tremendous uspide and stuff for a kid his age. The main concern with Buchanan might not be his tools as a pitcher, but whether or not he will sign if drafted. After all, he is committed to play football at Ole Miss, and if he is serious about playing football, he may not sign out of high school if drafted. This probably has lowered his draft stock, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Buchanan go lower in the draft because of this issue.

On talent alone though, there is no question that Buchanan is a supplemental round/second round pick. He was a second team All-Rawlings All-American in 2011, and he was also named to the All-Region first team for the Southeast. If the Giants can select him and get him to sign, then they'll have a nice prospect on their hands because his size and stuff are both a plus for his age. He will need some time to develop as a pitcher of course, since professional hitting will be a major step up over the competition he has currently faced (If you watch the tape, it's obvious he's head and shoulders above the hitters). Nonetheless, the Giants will have the patience to allow him to develop in the minors, simply because there isn't a need to rush him with the Major League rotation and bullpen set strongly at this point.

OTF MLB Draft Peek: Robert Stephenson, RHP, and Kolten Wong, 2B

Here a couple of more looks at some prospects that look to go around the 29th slot in the draft (the Giants' pick). As I mentioned before, this is a very deep draft, and I don't think the Giants could go wrong with any pick they make in the first round. Nonetheless, it's always good to look at the possibilities.



Robert Stephenson, RHP, Alhambra (CA) HS



Baseball America in their latest mock draft has the lanky right hander going to the Giants at No. 29. Safe to say, the high school pitcher has a lot of interesting upside.

At 6-foot, 3-inches and 180 pounds, Stephenson is considered one of the top prep pitchers in the country, as he was named to the 2011 All-Rawlings First team and All-Region Team for California. Stephenson made a big splash last summer in the AFLAC All-American games, as he started for the West Team and pitched two shutout innings. He also played in the 2010 Area Codes game and also showcased a solid performance in the contest.

Stephenson has a live arm and some good tools for a pitcher. His stuff has gained raves from scouts, and his body has room to mature, which means good things in terms of his stuff developing at the professional level. His fastball is his plus pitch, but he does have some good secondary pitches, though they obviously could use some work. Matt Grabusky of MLB Draft Guide.com had this to say about Stephenson's pitches:

"Stephenson has good control of his fastball that is regularly 92-94 and has been clocked as high as 97 this spring.  Both his curve and change have plus potential, but are somewhat inconsistent at this point."

John Klima of Baseball Beginnings also had good things to say about Stephenson's Major League potential in his scouting report. He has graded his fastball and curve ball a four (out of six) and his changeup and control a three (out of five). Klima gave him an OFP rating of 55, which is pretty promising for a prep pitcher who is still early and raw in his development. Much like Grabusky, Klima points out that he's "far from a finished product, both in terms of physical maturity and stuff," but he still projects the live-armed right hander as a potential No. 1-No. 3 starter at the Major League level.

Much like Owens, Stephenson presents a lot of upside and would look to be a good pickup at No. 29. He is currently committed to go to the University of Washington, but it is widely expected that Stephenson would sign if he is drafted in the first round. Personally, I like Henry Owens a bit more from the video I have seen of both pitchers, but if Owens goes earlier (which is possible, as Baseball America has him going to the Braves at No. 28), then Stephenson would be a nice prize nonetheless. He still has the kind of upside that Owens has, though I like Owens more because of his frame (Owens is six-foot, seven-inches tall) and the fact that he is a lefty (Left-handed starters tend to have more value).

With the history of the Giants organization developing pitchers, Stephenson would look to have a bright future with the Giants, albeit one that would take a few years of development in the minors. That being said, there really is no rush to get Stephenson to the Majors, as the rotation is more than set with Tim Lincecum, Madison Bumgarner, Jonathan Sanchez and Matt Cain manning the rotation for at least a couple of more years (at the very least, Lincecum, Bumgarner and Cain, since Sanchez is always in the mix in trade rumors). The Giants organization has the time and resources to invest in a pitcher with as much uspide and potential as Stephenson.



Kolten Wong, 2B, University of Hawaii



Wong is a prospect that is projected to go in the late first round to early supplemental round slot (I have seen him go from the 20-35 range in most mock drafts). He is getting a lot of Christian Colon comparisons in the sense that he is a pretty polished player at the collegiate level and has a chance to be promoted quickly through the minor league system. However, much like Colon, he doesn't have the upside in comparison to other prospects, as he may not be much better than what he currently is.

That shouldn't be a knock on Wong though, as what he currently is as a prospect is very, very good. He is currently batting .365 at Hawaii this year with 6 home runs, 41 RBI and has an OBP of .480, an OPS of 1.019 and an ISO of .174, all impressive numbers for a middle infielder. Furthermore, he has stolen 22 bases on 26 attempts, not necessarily speed demon numbers, but evidence that he can be fast, efficient base stealer at the next level.

Defensively, he is solid overall with good hands, but as Nick J. Faleris of Diamondscape Scouting notes in his scouting report of Wong, his range tops out as "unspectacular, but more than adequate." Wong also has the potential to go behind the plate, which ups his value a little bit as a prospect. Of course, with Buster Posey at the Major League level, and prospects like Hector Sanchez and Tommy Joseph in the minors, there probably isn't much a need for Wong to play behind the backstop.

While Wong has excelled at the collegiate level with a non-traditional college power, his summer league performances have also gained raves. He was the Cap Cod League MVP in 2010, as he hit .341 with 3 home runs, 18 RBI and stole 22 bases and drew 18 walks in 155 plate appearances for the Orleans Firebirds.

Wong's biggest positive seems to be his bat, as scouts really like what they see from him at the plate. He swings a bit hard (which is to be expected since he is a smaller guy at five-foot, nine-inches and a 188 pounds), but he doesn't overcompensate by any means. Furthermore, his approach and tools have earned plenty of positive remarks. Klima had this to say about Wong's hitting in his latest scouting update:

"His hands are his greatest gift and he almost always trusts them. The gunshot sound at contact comes from exceptional fast-twitch muscles through his fingers, hands, wrists and forearms. Wong’s bat stays in the hitting zone for a long time – it gets there early, takes its shoes off and has a drink – and then finishes with an aggressive uppercut. His power is geared to pull and he’s a straight-away hitter. He’ll have gap power, but if you go middle-in, he can take you out of the park. His swing is easy, effortless, powerful and natural."

The middle infield in the Giants system is a bit of a concern. While I still like Nick Noonan as a prospect, there are questions about his ability and upside as a prospect after a down year in Richmond in 2010 (though he certainly has picked it up this year). Charlie Culberson tore it up last year and is the Flying Squirrels' best hitter this year, but he still has to prove that he's more than a "Cal League Wonder" in the Eastern League (his Sally stats weren't all that impressive). And Ehire Adrianza and Brandon Crawford obviously have the gloves to play at the Major League level, but their bats and health are question marks and have kind of stunted their development.

Thus, Wong is a solid prospect that could fill an obvious need in the Giants system. With the amount of high ceiling pitching in this draft, the Giants certainly wouldn't hurt themselves by taking a hurler in the first round. However, Wong seems to have the qualities of a special prospect who could move fast in the Giants system based on his offensive tools and performance in the Cape Cod League and in college. Wong is my favorite when it comes to whom the Giants should pick, but at the same time, I think the Giants are more likely to pass on him if he's available just because the pitching is too enticing to pass up on.

If the Giants pick him though, Giants fans need to keep an eye out on this kid. He could have instant impact the second he breaks into the minors. That's how polished Wong is from what I've seen on video and from what I've read in his scouting reports.

OTF MLB Draft Peek: Pitchers, Alex Meyer and Henry Owens

The MLB draft is a very unique animal from the NBA and NFL versions. Let's go over some things before I go into a bit of analysis into Alex Meyer and Henry Owens, two pitchers whom MLB Bonus Baby and John Sickels have going to the Giants in the first round.

1.) You can't trade draft picks in the MLB Draft: One of the biggest misconceptions by baseball fans. A lot of fans see the NFL draft and NBA draft and think "Why don't we trade draft picks for this player?" or "How can we trade up spots?" You can't do that in the MLB draft, so that's something to keep in mind.

2.) "Signability" and "Singing Bonuses" for the most part outweigh "talent": A lot of the time, the best players don't go where they should. Why did the Giants get Buster Posey at five in the 2008 draft? Because the teams ahead of the Giants (especially the Tampa Bay Rays) thought he would ask for too much. The same happened when the San Diego Padres infamously draft Matt Bush No. 1 over Stephen Drew. Bush was a late first round maybe second round talent, but he went No. 1 because he was a shortstop and he could be signed at a cheap cost. A lot of the time, the best talent actually goes a lot later in the first or perhaps even in the following rounds. So, you can't totally evaluate a guy by the "well he was a [insert round] pick" argument like you would in the NBA or NFL draft.

3.) It's a crap shoot at times: When you look at how many rounds there are and such, a lot of the times, the draft can be a matter of luck at times in terms of picking up good talent. The Giants have gotten some good talent the past few drafts, but for every Posey and Madison Bumgarner, there is a Tim Alderson and Eddy Martinez-Esteve that doesn't live up to expectations.

Okay with that out of the way, let's look at Meyer and Owens.


Alex Meyer, RHP, Kentucky
2011 Stats: 3.06 ERA, 6-5 W-L, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 94 IP, 73 H, 36 R, 43 BB, 101 SO.
OFP Grade (according to John Klima): 52-55.



According to Matt Garrioch of MLB Bonus Baby, he has the Giants taking Meyer in his latest Mock Draft. While the Giants have pretty good depth in terms of arms in the minors, Garroich feels that Meyer is too enticing for the Giants to pass up and he could easily transition in the Giants system.

Meyer is a power arm who can strike guys out in bunches. He has a 101 strikeouts this year (a 9.7 rate), and has shown pretty decent command in his senior season (2.35 K/BB ratio). Control and walks have been an issue for Meyer over his Wildcat career, as he has walked 151 batters over 266.4 innings in his career. (His career BB/9 is 5.1.)

That being said, his ability to make batters miss and his stuff make up for his control issues. Klima of Baseball Beginnings had this to say about Meyer in a scouting report:

"Live arm, FB 91-95, comfortable 94-96 with giddyup late in the strike zone. CB 82-84, mostly 84, tight rotation and bite. Occasional straight CHG, 79. Fair Delivery, ¾ slot...Potential middle-rotation starter with plus arm and below-average pitchability may be better suited for lockdown bullpen role."

Prospect Junkies shared some concerns about Meyer's projection as a prospect, mostly focusing on his control (they note his high BB/9 numbers his first two years in college), and the fact that he hasn't lived up to expectations. Once considered a top prep prospect out of high school, and a dark horse to be the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, Meyer took a stumble this year as he hasn't been as dominant in college as many would have hoped. Another big issue PJ brings up is his delivery, which isn't exactly the cleanest or most sterling. Here is what they say:

"Though he possess rare athleticism for a big man, Meyer doesn't follow through on any pitch. When you're 6 foot 9 and you don't bend your back your ball is going to sail up and out of the strike zone and Meyer's balls have so much sailing experience he could actually tell you the difference between starboard and port."

Mechanics are always key for pitchers, as we have seen many pitchers careers derail due to questionable deliveries. Then again, it's not always an end-all sign. Remember, Mark Prior apparently had the cleanest delivery scouts had seen, but he has struggled through injuries. On the flip side, Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum had a lot of delivery issues when they were drafted, but they haven't really had any major problems to date. Thus, while the pitching delivery questions do make me a little uneasy, I'm not ready to give up or downgrade him just yet.

The fact that Meyer hasn't lived up to his lofty prep expectations as a collegian is disappointing and does make me a little hesitant about Meyer's future as a professional. That being said, you can't solely judge him on stats, and from what I've read on his stuff and ability, he is an enticing pitcher that would fit well in the Giants system (the Giants organization is known for developing pitchers well). Furthermore, Brandon Belt has proved that disappointing college stats aren't exactly an indicator of a player having success as a professional. He was a highly touted prospect going into Texas, but didn't exactly show the power people thought he was capable of with the Longhorns (and thus, went to the Giants in the fifth round). As we all know, Belt has obviously overcome his college performance and is the Giants' top prospect.

Another issue for Meyer is the fact that he's represented by Scott Boras. While this can scare off a lot of teams, I don't think this should be too big an issue mainly because the Giants have gotten things done with Boras clients before (i.e. Posey, who was a Boras client).




Henry Owens, LHP, Edison HS (Huntington Beach, CA)



Sickels has the Giants taking Owens in his latest mock draft, and it seems like an interesting pick that could have a lot of upside (though he does say Owens is from California HS, where everywhere else I've seen has him from Edison HS...more research to come). Owens has gained a lot of attention ever since he performed well at the Area Code games last August. In the first day of the showcase, Owens struck out six of the first seven batters he faced in two innings of work. However, the Area Code games showing was just a small snippet of how well he did last summer, according to Rich Lederer of the Baseball Analysts.

"A member of the USA Baseball 18U National Team, Owens has had a busy summer. He was 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA in five appearances and four starts, whiffing 31 batters and walking nine in 19.1 innings. He was also named to the Aflac All American Baseball Classic, which will be held on Sunday, August 15 at 5 p.m. PDT in PETCO Park. The game will feature the nation’s top 38 high school players heading into their senior year."

Owens also put up a good showing in the Aflac All American Classic, as he struck out the side in the ninth, according to a report from The Hardball Times. He gained a lot of attention from scouts with the performance, as Lederer claimed that Owens was the "most highly heralded prep pitcher in the country" going into 2011. Additionally, the strong performances earned him Rawlings First Team All-American and All-Region honors for California.

So if Owens is so highly touted, why is he not going higher in this draft? Well, he still has a lot of growing to do and while his fastball velocity is good (it ranges in 88-92 MPH range now), it still is going to develop considering he is still growing into his tall, lanky frame. Thus, if the Giants do draft Owens, he is going to be a project of sorts that probably will take a few years to develop before he is ready for Big League consideration.

Another issue is the fact that he's committing to the University of Miami next season. So, it's unknown whether Owens will sign if he is drafted, and teams, Giants included, probably don't want to waste a first round pick on a guy who is committed to going to college (though like I said, it's up in the air, and if the Giants throw a good enough bonus at him, he probably would sign).

Despite the concerns, there is a lot to like about Owens. He has a good fastball, and his curve has gotten raves as of late. Here is what Klima said about the development of his breaking pitch:

"In the more recent looks, the curveball has become sharper. He’ll throw it at various speeds and to various parts of the plate. He’s in settings where he doesn’t have to hold back his stuff. What you get is the sharper and harder breaking ball with the two-plane depth and then the slow roller which also has depth but isn’t intentionally as hard."

There is a lot of upside to Owens as a prospect, and one has to wonder if the Giants will be shrewd enough to take the high school hurler in the first round. He has great strikeout ability, and the characteristics of a legitimate Major League pitcher. The big question now is if the Giants will take a risk and shell out the cash and patience necessary for him do so in a Giants uniform.

SF Giants 2011 MLB Draft Primer: Some Important Links and Reading

The Major League Rule 4 Amateur Draft is coming up June 6th-8th and with less than a month to go, I figured it would be good to get some insight on some potential amateur players that the Giants could be drafting this year. The Giants currently have the 29th pick in the first round and the 49th pick in the supplemental round, so it'll be interesting to see what they will do this time around.

For all of Brian Sabean's faults when it comes to signing free agents (he has plenty of them, let's be frank), I really have been impressed by what he has done in the draft since 2006. Here are the first picks taken by the Giants since then:

2006: Tim Lincecum.
2007: Madison Bumgarner.
2008: Buster Posey.
2009: Zack Wheeler.
2010: Gary Brown.

That's quite a first-round resume for the Giants. Lincecum is a perennial All-Star, and Bumgarner and Posey are Major-League mainstays with high upside. Furthermore, Wheeler and Brown look to have bright futures as evidenced by their solid campaigns in San Jose.

One has to hope that the Giants will be able to continue this trend of making good decisions on draft day in 2011. In the next few weeks, I'll be taking a look at some prospects who the Giants might be considering taking, and draft prospects that I could see falling around the Giants' radar.

But first, I wanted to throw out some links to some good blogs/sites that will give you some good background and information before draft day on June 6th.


MLB Bonus Baby

• A pretty comprehensive site on the MLB Draft (I mentioned this in my essential reading page). The good thing about this blog is that the community is very active, so you're not just getting mock draft or prospect reports by just one guy, but a variety of sources. Check out the thread on the community's live mock draft that was conducted a couple of weeks ago to get an idea of what I mean.

John Sickels' Minor League Ball blog

• While Sickels looks at the farm and really specializes on Minor League prospects, he is posting a lot of articles about the draft-eligible players in the upcoming MLB draft, including a few mock draft pieces. He has the Giants taking Henry Owens, a LHP from California HS (which is a local Bay Area HS). One should expect a write-up on the kid on this blog sometime this weekend (would have been sooner, but blogger went down yesterday and thus, I wasn't able to post).

Baseball Beginnings

• In terms of amateur player scouting reports, you can't do much better than the site John Klima has put together. He has comprehensive scouting reports, updates and videos for every amateur player out there that is expected to be drafted. Klima is also a former Major League scout and writes a lot of good pieces in terms of scouting and looking at amateur and minor league players. Definitely check this site out if you're looking for more information on a player in this year's draft class that intrigues you.

MLB.com Draft Central 2011

• Pretty self explanatory. This is the official page of the 2011 MLB Draft and it has a lot of great information and pieces about any and everything regarding this year's draft. Great in terms of video and insider access, MLB.com's Draft page should be an essential stopping place for baseball readers in the weeks leading up to draft day.

 Diamondscape Scouting

• The founder of this blog used to solely concentrate on Orioles prospects before he decided to dedicate himself to widen his scope of analysis. Diamondscape Scouting does a great job, with posts and features like Top 15 lists by positions and a Midseason Top 300 draft prospects rankings. It's a comprehensive site, and there are plenty of scouting reports to go around on all the potential draftees, which makes the site even more essential considering how close we are to the draft.

College Baseball Daily

• Also known as "The College Baseball Blog", this blog is actually dedicated solely to college baseball. However, it is also a good resource for the most up-to-date information on all the draft prospects who are coming out of college. Can be tough to navigate around because it is more geared on reporting on teams and conferences and the such (which is to be expected from a college baseball blog). That being said, the Top 100 ranking is very useful in terms of giving readers and baseball fans who to watch out for in terms of draft-able college players.

Perfect Game USA

• Technically a scouting service aimed toward players and coaches, PG is nonetheless an awesome resource in terms of finding out the best prospects at the HS and JuCO level. The site is very comprehensive in terms of scouting reports, showcase recaps and the such. That being said, the site is primarily a sign-up one, and the free membership doesn't give you too much access. However, despite it's limits in terms of what's "free", it still provide a plethora of information on HS and JuCO players, which is a lot harder to come by on the net.

If you know any other links or resources that could be of interest to anyone looking to find out more on the MLB Draft, feel free to share the web site name and link in the comments box below.