Mound Talk

Sorry for the delay folks. Sunday will be a full mailbag. I will answer as many questions about the draft as possible. Send any questions to koby.schellenger@moundtalk.com and I’ll try to answer your questions.

As always, if you haven’t been reading the entries, please read the rest of the Mound Talk MLB Mock Draft.

#13: St. Louis Cardinals

Walt Jocketty left the Cardinals before this year & the Cardinals hired John Mozeliak who had been serving as Assistant GM since 2003. Over the last four years the Cardinals have gone heavy on college players drafting only 12 of 69 players in the first fifteen rounds out of high school. However, two of those four years their top selection was a high school player. I’m expecting the Cardinals to look for a college player but at this point we’re beginning to see the high school talent become more on par with the college talent. I think it is possible that St. Louis takes a high scool player because of this shift in available talent but I’m still thinking college at this point.

As a whole the system isn’t great. There are good players & prospects worth noting but outside of Rasmus & Anderson, the Cardinals don’t have a guys that I consider impact prospects though they have good supporting prospects like Jaime Garcia & Adam Ottavino. While the Cardinals, like every team, would like to draft the guy who turns out to have the best career for them, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them pass on a more talented player in favor of a less risky player.

Once again, Buster Posey is the top position player available and he looks like a good option for the Cardinals. They have talent at catcher with Molina in the bigs & Bryan Anderson knocking at the door. I don’t think Anderson or Molina is a reason to not draft Posey for the Cardinals but I do think that he wouldn’t be a sure fire pick for them if available. Jemile Weeks would definitely spark the interest of the Cardinals. He has good impact potential. Once again, I think this is a reach but he’ll get consideration as well.

#13 is where I think we can start to see legitimate buzz about college closers being taken. While the A’s might be tempted to go with Josh Fields out of Georgia at twelve, there is too much talent for them to pass on at their selection. One slot later the major difference is that the top college starters are gone and if the Cards were to select a college starter, they’d be going for a guy a notch lower. Those college starters that are in the next tier include Christian Friedrich & Lance Lynn. Lynn is a stretch at this point but I imagine he’d be signable for slot money for sure.

Ryan Perry, a righty from Arizona who has been moved to the bullpen has some merit here as does another closer, Andrew Cashner out of Texas Christian. Again, both are reaches here but would be signable & I can’t see the Cards splurging here.

One guy I like here is Ethan Martin, a right handed pitcher & third baseman out of a Georgia High Scool. He has three potential plus pitches & locates them well. He’s one high school pitcher I’ve seen full video (not just compiled video clips) of and I like what he offers. He’s only recently started pitching which may give a reason to pass on him at this point but he’s picking up steam in my eyes in this draft.

St. Louis Cardinals
Likely Selections: Buster Posey, C, College. Jemile Weeks, 2B, College. Christian Friedrich, LHP, College. Ethan Martin, RHP, HS.
Mound Talk Selection: Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky

This pick fits the mold & gives the Cards another pitcher in their system that they could definitely use. He’s 6-foot-3 & throws in the low 90s. He could add some velocity but not much. He has a 12-6 curve that grades as a plus pitch at this point. His changeup is ok but has potential. He’ll be a fast mover as he’s a refined pitcher with a very good delivery. I like what he offers in terms of limited risk & pretty solid potential.

#14: Minnesota Twins

The Twins won’t go over slot. They just don’t. In fact, they are one team that has consistently gone under slot! That won’t change. They like their high school players and will have a good selection to choose from at #14.

Buster Posey is again the top bat available and one college player the Twins would heavily consider.

I like the Twins to consider Aaron Hicks & Ethan Martin, high school righties as well as Casey Kelly, a shortstop who could also be taken as a right handed pitcher. Any of these high schoolers offer high upside & are just the kind of guys the Twins like. Signability may come into play for Hicks & Martin but I have no indication that Kelly would be a tough sign though my college football friends have told me he’s a pretty big Tennessee prospect having committed to be a Volunteer as a quarterback.

I like Josh Fields here a lot. The Georgia closer would move quickly & the Twins love loaded bullpens. The potential in this pick is very good as Fields could feasibly contribute in 2008 if the Twins keep up the pace they’ve been on though that will have little to no bearing on their selection. Minnesota Twins
Likely Selections: Buster Posey, C, College. Aaron Hicks, RHP, HS. Ethan Martin, RHP, HS. Casey Kelly, RHP, HS.
Mound Talk Selection: Ethan Martin, RHP, High School

The Twins get a high school arm with excellent potential though they passed on Posey which they may regret, but Martin will fit in well with the Twins. There’s a chance they would give him a look as a third baseman but ultimately I think he offers more as a pitcher than a position player.