2014 MLB Draft Live Blog Day 2 – Rounds 3 thru 10

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And we are LIVE in the NatsGM Studios to grind through and celebrate Day 2 of the 2014 MLB Draft.  Today the teams will make picks in Rounds 3 through Round 10, meaning there will be about 250 players selected this afternoon.

The Nationals used their first two selections yesterday on college pitchers, taking UNLV’s Erick Fedde in Round 1 and Miami’s Andrew Suarez in Round 2.  Look for the Nats to shift their attention to some hitters with their early picks today, although the strength of this draft is still right-handed pitching.

Please join me today with your questions, comments, jokes, and snark either in the Comment’s Section, on Twitter @NatsGMdotcom, or on Facebook NatsGM.  So as Michael Buffer would say, “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble”!

1:03pm – Houston is on the clock and Day 2 has officially started!

1:09pm – Astros make a nice selection taking power hitting 1B JD Davis to open Day 2.  He has some swing-and-miss in his game, but he has true light-tower power.  This is a nice value in Round 3.

1:11pm – The Chicago White Sox continue to impress me with their 2014 draft haul, selecting Oregon State LHP Jace Fry at #77 in Round 3.  He is a Tommy John survivor, but he has a power arsenal and has a chance to start in the majors.  Nice pick!

1:18pm – Plenty of solid college names coming off the board early, with Michael Cederoth going to Minnesota and Sam Howard picked by Colorado.  Look for a high school pitching run to start relatively soon.

1:23pm – Strangely excited to see who the Orioles select with their 1st choice in the draft at #90.

1:29pm – Brian Gonzalez, a promising Florida high school lefty goes to the Orioles in the 3rd round.  A strong pick, with plenty of projection remaining, here in the middle of Round 3.

1:33pm – Please Nationals front office, I love the Nebraska HS catcher Jakson Reetz, take him here.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS  Round 3 Pick #93 – Jakson Reetz Catcher Nebraska HS

Boom, nailed this pick on Twitter and a few minutes ago.  A terrific athlete with an outstanding work ethic, he might be the best high school catcher in this draft.  He will stay behind the plate as a professional, and Reetz immediately jumps into the top-10 prospects for the Nats.  Outstanding pick!

1:36pm – The Nationals are crushing this draft thus far.  It is difficult for me to express how pleased I am with their first 3 picks.

1:40pm – If you want to become more well-acquainted with new Nationals prospect Jakson Reetz, Baseball America did an outstanding “Day in the Life” feature on him earlier this spring.  It is definitely worth the Google search to find it.

1:43pm – Great pick by the Tigers at #99 selecting South Carolina catcher Grayson Greiner.  He is a strong defensive catcher with a developing bat, and a terrific value in Round 3.

1:51pm – Hoping the Nationals select University of Texas right-handed pitcher John Curtiss in Round 4.  Jim Callis mentioned him on Episode 1 of THE NatsGM Show as a personal favorite of his, and Simms would be an excellent value.

1:55pm – I am LOVING the White Sox draft thus far, as they make another strong selection grabbing Brett Austin from NC State in Round 4.  I am not sure he’s a catcher, but I would put him in a corner outfield position and let his bat hit his way to the majors.  Nice value outside the top-100.

2:07pm – Must say I am surprised to see Calvert Hall HS Troy Stokes getting popped before Stone Bridge HS RHP JB Bukauskas.  Too bad for the University of Maryland, as it is unlikely now that the Terrapin-commit Stokes will play college baseball.

2:13pm – Orioles just took a project in Notre Dame RHP Tom Connaughton, who was also a good basketball player for the Irish also.  Very raw due to his 2-sport skills, he has a chance to flourish once he focuses primarily on baseball.  Interesting pick in Round 4 for the Orioles.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS  Round 4  Pick #124 Robbie Dickey RHP Blinn College

Known as perhaps the best Junior College pitching prospect in the nation this season, Dickey is a raw pitcher with good size and a monster fastball that can reach the mid-90s.  He reminds me a bit of 2013 Nationals 4th Round pick Nic Pivetta, a raw junior college pitcher with potential to dream on.  There are other arms I may have preferred in this spot, but Dickey is an intriguing value in Round 4.

2:26pm – I am already dreaming on that beer during the intermission between Rounds 5 and 6.  Thinking of going with a Rogue Dead Guy Ale.

2:28pm – VERY BIG fan of the Taylor Gushue pick, a young catcher from the University of Florida, by the Pirates in Round 4.  He is a switch-hitter and an excellent chance to stay behind the plate.  Gushue is the rare college player with significant upside potential and is a personal favorite of mine, nice pick Pittsburgh!

2:45pm – I am a HUGE fan of the uncomfortable “chop-busting” going on between Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis… Makes the draft more entertaining.

2:47pm – The Mets get a nice pick here in Round 5 with Seton Hall RHP Josh Prevost.  I watched him against Georgetown this spring, and he has a ideal pitcher’s frame and a power fastball.  As a senior he should be easy to sign and has a chance to advance through the minors.

2:51pm – John Curtiss is still on the clock and the Nats pick soon… Just sayin-

WASHINGTON NATIONALS  Round 5 Pick #154 Drew Van Orden RHP Duke University

Even though he is a Blue Devil, Van Orden put up solid numbers this season for Duke, and as a senior sign, should be a quick and inexpensive prospect to sign.  With a low-90s fastball and a reasonable breaking pitch, he could blossom as a reliever in the future.  This is a solid prospect and a good pick, as he could help insure the Nationals are able to sign Erick Fedde and Jakson Reetz, who are expected to be more difficult signs.

3:09pm – Excellent value pick by the Detroit Tigers late in Round 5, taking UCLA catcher Shane Zeile, nephew of former major leaguer Todd Zeile.  He is new to catching but he shows promise behind the plate, and he has a solid swing.  If he can stay as a catcher, this could be a terrific pick in a few years.

3:15pm – Halftime of Day 2, aka Beer Time!

3:25pm – They’re about to start Round 6, and the depth of the draft is readily apparent, as there are plenty of solid pitchers still on the board.  In addition, there are a number of college seniors who lack leverage but are talented players worthy of an opportunity.  Expect the Nationals to continue to draft college seniors, along with a few more bats this afternoon.

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3:35pm – Bummer, my man John Curtiss just went to the Twins early in the 6th round.  Outstanding value pick by Minnesota, who have been collecting hard throwing arms in this draft like kids collect Nikes.

3:48pm – Tangent alert… Congratulations to Baltimore Orioles prospect Tim Berry on receiving a call to the major leagues.  A personal favorite of mine, here is an action shot of Barry from last May at Frederick.

Tim Berry

WASHINGTON NATIONALS  Select Round 6 Pick #184  Austen Williams RHP Texas State University

The Nationals select Austen Williams in Round 6, a pitcher with a solid fastball in the low-90s and an inconsistent but at times promising slider.  According to reports he has an awkward arm action, along with a lack of a 3rd pitch, portending a future as a reliever.  The Nationals really scout Texas thoroughly and have found some interesting arms there in recent years, so perhaps an area scout has found another gem here with Williams.

3:59pm – The Nationals have selected 5 college pitchers and 1 high school catcher through 6 rounds.  I must admit, this is an interesting breakdown but the strengths of the 2014 draft are pitching and catchers.

4:14pm – I am predicting a college bat, most likely a senior, for the Nationals here in Round 7.

4:16pm – James Norwood, a power right-handed pitcher for St. Louis, was just selected by the Cubs in Round 7.  I watched him pitch this spring, albeit only briefly, but he has a quality arm and his fastball alone should have had him drafted inside the top 5 rounds.  Nice pick from the Cubbies.

4:24pm – Nats fans, keep focusing on these Day 2 picks, as they are quite important and can help build depth throughout your organization.  Recent Nationals picks in this area of the draft include Aaron Barrett, Blake Treinen, and Craig Stammen, amongst others.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS  Select Round 7 Pick #214  Dale Carey CF University of Miami

BOOM!  Nailed this pick about 30 minutes ago, albeit for Round 6.  Carey has long been a prospect, but has struggled to put his immense tools into production on the field.  After 3 sluggish years in college, Carey made significant progress as a senior this year, and put some production on the scoresheet.  Carey is a senior, so he lacks negotiating leverage, but this is an atypical college senior who still has plenty of upside.  I really like this pick, especially considering the possible financial savings, here in Round 7.

4:44pm – Pretty good chance we see the Nationals take 2-3 more college seniors today, as they will need/want some financial flexibility in negotiations for Fedde, Reetz, and Day 3 prospects.

4:48pm – Karsten Whitson would make A TON of sense in Round 8 for the Nationals, as they took him last year and like to gamble on talented, but injury-prone pitchers.

4:51pm – Atlanta just selected Luke Dykstra, son of Lenny and brother of Cutter, who was expected to be a difficult to sign prospect from Harvard-Westlake HS.  If the Braves can sign him, this is a terrific pick at the end of Round 7.

4:59pm – Who out there is drinking?  What do you think about the Nationals draft so far?  How has my coverage been?  Let me know in the Comment’s Section.

5:06pm – One of my favorite picks of Day 2 just occurred, as Toronto selected Justin Shafer from the University of Florida.  A 2-way player, he was drafted for his arm on the mound.  Shafer is definitely raw, but he has a big arm and I have seen a decent slider from him.  Another good pick from the Blue Jays thus far.

 WASHINGTON NATIONALS  Select  Round 8 Pick #244  Jeff Gardner LF University of Louisville

Another senior outfielder with a productive track record of success in college, Gardner is a well-built left-handed hitter with some thump in his bat.  He is limited to left field, with fringy speed and a reasonable arm, so Gardner will need his bat to carry him to the major leagues.  Another good pick for the Nationals, especially considering the financial implications involved with drafting a college senior.

5:41pm – I love it when the announcers on the MLB Draft broadcast are stumped on a player.  Unreal Unintentional Comedy!

6:00pm – No one love the MLB Draft more than I do, but Day 2 moves life elderly golfers playing twilight golf.  Wow!

WASHINGTON NATIONALS  Select Round 9 Pick #274  Austin Byler 1B University of Nevada

This is a pleasant surprise to see Byler here late in Round 9, as Byler has power in his left-handed bat and has shown good contact skills as well.  Although he has played third base in the past, Byler is most likely a first baseman as a professional.  A bat-first prospect, Byler could have been drafted a few rounds earlier, and I am curious/hopeful the Nationals are able to sign him.

6:13pm – Feel like I have said this a few times today, but the Tigers made another nice pick choosing Mississippi RHP Josh Laxer, a former Nationals draft pick, in Round 9.  He has a big fastball and a promising, hard slider, so he could be a solid reliever in the future.

6:20pm – Makes almost too much sense for the Nationals, and most teams, to take college seniors throughout round 10, considering the financial obligations and differences from Round 10 to 11.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS  Select Round 10 Pick #304   Matthew Page RF Oklahoma Baptist University

A junior college prospect with massive power, Page was named the NAIA Player of the Year in 2013.  Now a senior, he is a huge 6-3 205lbs rightfielder who both throws and bats left-handed.  With 26 home runs the past two seasons, Page seems like an interesting gamble here in Round 10, especially as a senior sign.

Seems like the Nationals have their outfield in Auburn settled, with Gardner in left, Carey in center, and Page in right, all three seniors with some upside potential.

6:56pm – Quick thoughts: Considering the Nationals did not possess extra picks and/or extra bonus pool money, I think the Nationals have done an excellent job through two days.  Day 1 saw them grab two promising college pitchers with excellent pedigrees; Day 2 saw them take a highly-touted high school catcher, three interesting college arms, an intriguing college bat, and three senior collegiate outfielders, each with upside.

In addition, the Nationals should have a few extra dollars set aside for some overslot prospects during Day 3 tomorrow.

7:02pm – With that Day 2 of the 2014 MLB Draft is complete!  We will return tomorrow at 1pm to Live Blog the final day of the Draft.  Please join me with your comments, questions, and craft beer suggestions.

Thanks for coming by today and please continue to spread the word.  Goodnight everybody!

3 thoughts on “2014 MLB Draft Live Blog Day 2 – Rounds 3 thru 10

  1. Great work over the past two days. Especially during Day 2, when info is harder to come by, I checked in with you all day. Thanks.

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