MLB Draft LIVE BLOG Day 3

We are back LIVE LIVE LIVE from the NatsGM Studios to Live Blog the final day of the 2014 MLB Draft in style.  Although I was beginning to see double late yesterday, I have fully recovered and I am now ready to attack these last 30 Rounds like Ian Desmond does 1st pitch fastballs.

Through the first 10 rounds of the draft, the Nationals have selected 4 College Pitchers (3 RHP and 1 LHP), 1 JuCo Pitcher (RHP), 3 College Senior Outfielders, 1 College Junior Infielder, and 1 High School Catcher.  I anticipate the Nationals looking to add high school athletes and/or hitters early on Day 3, with the later picks this afternoon used on pitchers with velocity and some college bats.

I will be here all afternoon Live Blogging this final day of the draft.  I will primarily focus on the Nationals selections, but if you have questions or comments about other teams, I am happy to discuss that as well.  Frankly with 900+ players being drafted today, I am happy to talk about most whatever you want, so join me via the Comments Section, on Twitter @NatsGMdotcom, or email at NationalsGM@gmail.com.

12:55pm – Here are a few (reasonable) names I hope the Nationals select today: University of Florida RHP Karsten Whitson, University of Maryland OF Charlie White, University of Maryland LHP Ben Brewster, University of Georgia OF Hunter Cole, and Illinois State RHP Dan Savas.

1:00pm – We are LIVE!  I am excited to get started.

1:06pm – Nice to see both Jordan Brink and Tanner English go quickly on Day 3… Both have a chance to make the majors.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 11 Pick #334  Weston Davis RHP Florida HS

A projectable right-handed pitcher at 6-4 185lbs, Davis is committed to the University of Florida next fall, making him a possibly difficult to sign prospect with that leverage.  The Nationals would be thrilled to sign him away from Gainesville.  According to reports, Davis has a low-90s Fastball, along with a promising Curveball and Changeup.

1:16pm – Bummer that Karsten Whitson just went to Boston at the end of Round 11.  I was hoping the Nationals could scoop him up today.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 12 Pick #364  Dominic Mancini RHP Miami Dade CC

A rising prospect in South Florida this spring, Mancini started the season throwing 92-94mph, touching 97mph, and immediately caught the attention of scouts.  He is committed to Florida Atlantic next year, so it will be interesting to see if he signs.  Intriguing arm in Round 12.

1:27pm – One of the Nationals area scouts in Florida is having quite a day thus far, getting two players early on Day 3.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 13 Pick #394  Austin Davidson 3B Pepperdine University

A junior third baseman from Pepperdine, Davidson has struggled in his three years in college to post the type of numbers to match his tools.  Davidson is a left-handed hitter and performed well last summer in the Cape Cod League, leaving scouts to believe in his skills.  Good pick by Washington.

1:39pm – Tangent alert… But I have the Maryland vs UVA baseball game on in the background, and I am so proud of the Terps team and their hard-working spirit.  Here’s hoping they can pull out today’s game.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 14 Pick #424  James Bourque RHP University of Michigan

Bourque is a junior righty from the University of Michigan listed at a lean 6-4 185lbs, and pitched primarily in relief this season.  Bourque is spending this summer pitching in Cape Cod, but might be signable away from the Wolverines  later this summer.

1:50pm – Interesting the Nationals have yet to draft a college senior today… Not surprising necessarily, but a bit surprising.  I expect to see the Nationals select some college bats here in the next few picks.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 15 Pick #454  Ryan Ripken 1B Indian River JC

RyanRipken

Ripken is the son of Hall of Famer Cal, but is a unique and different player than his father, as he bats left-handed and plays on the right-side of the infielder.  Limited athletically to first base, Ripken has good bat-to-ball skills, but there are questions if he will develop power.  It will be interesting to see if he signs with Washington.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 16 Pick #484  Cole Plouck LHP Pima CC

A left-handed pitcher described as having a quick arm, along with an 89-90mph fastball, curveball, and changeup.  Projectable, young lefties who can throw 90s are always a good selection of Day 3 of the draft.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 17 Pick #514  Alec Keller CF Princeton University

Keller is a 6-1 185lbs college senior who bats left-handed and throws righty.  Keller has batted over .300 three consecutive seasons in the Ivy League, though he does not seem to show much power with only 6 total home runs.  Keller is the 4th senior outfielder the Nationals have drafted thus far in 2014.

2:21pm – Looks like we’ve reached the point in the draft where teams are taking numerous college hitters to fill out some minor league rosters.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 18 Pick #544  MacKenzie Mills LHP Georgia HS

A massive left-handed pitcher listed at 6-4 215lbs, Mills is a high school pitcher with a college commitment to Alabama State.  According to internet reports, Mills throws an 88-90mph fastball, along with a curveball and a changeup.  Mills would be a terrific pickup if the Nationals are able to sign him.

2:32pm – According to a good friend of mine, and a sharp baseball mind Doug Wachter @SaberByTheBay, is an expect on Michigan baseball and sent me this Twitter scouting report on 14th round pick, James Bourque.

@NatsGMdotcom (He’s a) righty with size, versatility… Has started and relieved, pretty good fb, somewhat deceptive delivery. Hides the ball.”

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 19 Pick #574  Clay Williamson RF California State Fullerton

Williamson is a polished collegiate left-handed bat who showed a propensity to hit with wood bats last summer in the Northwoods League.  He does not have much power, but seems to have some speed and contact ability.

2:44pm – The Mariners just took former Nationals draft pick, and current Ole’ Miss RHP Hawtin Buchanan in Round 20.  Wonder if Seattle can get that big arm to sign?…

2:47pm – Local Northern Virginia product and UNC commit JB Bukauskas was just selected at pick #600 by the Diamondbacks – Looks like he will be spending the next 3 years at Chapel Hill.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 20 Pick #604  Bryan Langlois RF Pepperdine University

The Nationals 2nd selection of the day from Pepperdine (congrats to that area scout!), Langlois is a redshirt-junior who showed impressive skills last summer in the California Collegiate Baseball League, making their All-Star team.  A right-handed hitter, Langlois batted .283 with 3 home runs and 6 stolen bases this season for the Green Wave.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 21 Pick #634  Connor Bach LHP Virginia Military Institute

Wow, a blast from the past, as Bach pitched in the local collegiate summer league the Cal Ripken League for the Vienna Riverdogs.  A huge 6-6 225lbs lefty with a quality fastball and a tremendous amount of deception in his pitching motion.  I like this pick, as I remember writing some complimentary things in my notes about Bach in the past.

3:08pm – Guess what I just found… A scouting report about 21st Round pick Connor Bach from two summers ago.  I published these notes on July 17, 2012.

“(Bach)… Although the pitching talent in the Ripken league trails the hitters this summer, VMI  junior left-handed pitcher Connor Bach is an interesting name to remember, as his 6-5 210lbs. frame has plenty of projection left and he owns a low-90s fastball and flashes a decent breaking pitch.  In his 26.2 innings pitched this summer for the Vienna River Dogs, Wade has a 6.08 ERA with 44 strikeouts against 19 walks and 27 hits allowed; his below-average command and lack of polish are major impediments to his current success, but his size, fastball velocity, and vast room for improvement will keep him on scout’s radars next spring.”

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 22 Pick #664  Daniel Salters Catcher Dallas Baptist University

Salters is listed as a 6-3 220lbs sophomore catcher, who is a left-handed hitter who batted .253 with 6 home runs in 2014.  The Nationals have only drafted one catcher thus far, so Salters stands a good chance of signing in the next few weeks.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 23 Pick #694  Chris Riopedre Shortstop East Tennessee State

A smallish junior shortstop, Riopedre started 57 games for ETSU this season, batting .280 with 5 home runs.  This appears to be the first pure middle infielder the Nationals have selected, so if he signs, he should receive as much playing time as he can handle.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 24 Pick #724  Kyle Simmons RHP Texas Lutheran

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WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 25 Pick #754  Kyle Bacak Catcher Texas Christian University

Bacak is a senior catcher who spent his first two years of his college career at San Jacinto JC before transferring to TCU.  Bacak only batted .257 this year with 0 home runs, though he did have an impressive .992% fielding percentage.  He should sign quickly and likely spend much of his summer at Auburn.

3:49pm- BANG ZOOM Go Those Fireworks, as Maryland upsets UVA 5-4.  Gutsy performance by 2nd round pick Jake Stinnett today, and now the Terps need a massive performance tomorrow from freshman Mike Shawaryn.  Congrats to Maryland on another BIG win!

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 26 Pick #784  Chase McDowell RHP Rice University

McDowell is a talented two-way senior for the Owls, but the Nationals selected him as a pitcher.  McDowell posted a 3.60 ERA in 65 innings this season, and should pitch for the Auburn Doubledays this summer.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 27 Pick #814  Connor Keniry Shortstop Wake Forest University

A senior, Keniry is a slick-fielding middle infielder who has spent time at both shortstop and second base in his career at Wake Forest.  His versatility, along with his left-handed bat, should make him a valuable mainstay on one of the Nationals minor league affiliates.

4:31pm – Johnny Manziel, yes, Johnny Football, just went to the San Diego Padres with pick #837 of the 28th Round.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 28 Pick #844  Kida De La Cruz RHP Volunteer State CC

Listed as 6-5 220lbs (think the Nationals have a type?), De La Cruz has been a 2-way prospect much of his career.  De La Cruz posted a 5.15 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 50.2 innings this season.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 29 Pick #874  DJ Jauss RHP University of Massachusetts

The son of a long-time professional scout, Jauss is a well-built 6-2 205lbs senior.  Jauss posted a 4.82 ERA in 18.2 innings pitched this season and should serve as another polished collegiate arm for the Doubledays this summer.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 30 Pick #904 Tyler Mapes RHP Tulane University

Another physical senior right-handed pitcher, Mapes lead the Green Wave with a 2.20 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 81.2 innings pitched this season.

5:00pm – Need to take the dogs for a walk, be back shortly.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 31 Pick #934  Samuel Johns RHP Evansville University

Like Mapes above him, Johns is a thickly, well-built right-handed redshirt senior pitcher from a 4-year school.  Johns this season pitched exclusively in relief, posting a 5.87 ERA and 25 strikeouts in his 30.2 innings pitched.

5:23pm – The Phillies just selected Tom Flacco, a high school athlete who also happens to be the brother of Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl winning QB Joe Flacco.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 32 Pick #964  Elliott Cary OF Oregon HS

The first high school player we have seen the Nationals select since Round 18, Cary is a toolsy, athletic centerfield prospect who has a strong college commitment to Oregon State.  The Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year in 2014 for the state of Oregon, Cary is expected to don a Beavers uniform next fall, and should be a top prospect in 3 years for the 2017 Draft.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 33 Pick #994  Clay Casey OF Mississippi HS

Back to back high school hitters for the Nationals, who choose Casey here in Round 33.  A strong Ole’ Miss commit, the powerfully built 6-3 205lbs Casey is highly unlikely to sign with Washington.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 34 Pick #1,024  Evan Skoud Catcher Illinois High School

A powerfully built high school catcher, Skoud has a college commitment to Texas Christian University, meaning he is the third consecutive player taken by the Nationals who is unlikely to sign with them.  This should, however, be a name to remember in 3 years.

6:06pm – Just saw local product DeMatha HS Catcher Justin Morris selected midway through Round 35 by the Diamondbacks.  I thought Morris would be signable if drafted early yesterday, but now it looks like he will head to College Park and will be a Terp!

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 35 Pick #1,054 Tommy Doyle RHP FLINT HILL HS

A local product from Northern Virginia, Doyle has a rock-solid commitment to the University of Virginia and will head to Charlottesville.  A large, lanky kid with a fastball in the low-90s, Doyle was thought to be signable through about Round 3.  Congrats to Tommy on being selected by the local Nationals!

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 36 Pick #1,084  John Henry Styles LHP Texas HS

A smaller left-handed pitcher at 5-11 180lbs, this Texas high school prospect has a commitment to Stanford University in the fall, another college that rarely loses their late-round draftees.

Hopefully the Nationals are able to sign one of these high school prospects they have taken in the past few rounds, as it could/would bolster an already impressive class.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 37 Pick #1,114  Quinn Brodey LHP California HS

Like Styles above him, Brodey is a high school left-handed pitcher committed to Stanford University.  A 2-way player in high school with power, Brodey will continue on to Palo Alto in the fall and likely form a strong freshman left-handed combination with John Henry Styles.

6:45pm – That’s 6 consecutive high school picks for the Nationals, all seen as heavily committed to college.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 38 Pick #1,144  Stuart Fairchild RF Washington HS

An athletic outfielder from the Seattle area of Washington state, Fairchild has excellent speed and a college commitment to Wake Forest University.  Of the recent picks, he might be the most likely to sign with the Nationals, but the odds are still long he does not reach Winston-Salem.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 39 Pick #1,174  Jon Littell OF Oklahoma HS

Another large, athletic high school hitter, Littell has monster home run power and can play either 3B or OF.  An Oklahoma kid committed to Oklahoma State to play baseball, it is unlikely he will wear a Nationals uniform this summer.

7:11pm – Final Round Everyone!!  Thank you to everyone who has joined me today and the past three days, it was truly my pleasure.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS Select Round 40 Pick #1,204  Jacob Hill LHP Orange Coast College

The first non-high school prospect in a few hours, Hill is a physical left-handed pitcher from a junior college in California.  The Nationals have not selected many lefties, especially college lefties,  during the draft so perhaps Hill signs with the Nationals and finds some innings with an affiliate this summer.

7:24pm – We are FINISHED!!  3 Days, 40 Rounds, and 1,300+ picks but together we made it through the entire draft!  Again I want to thank each and every person who joined me during this 3-Day Live Blog.

If you have further comments or questions, you can leave them in the Comments Section, on Twitter @NatsGMdotcom, or via email at NationalsGM@Gmail.com.

 

3 thoughts on “MLB Draft LIVE BLOG Day 3

  1. What is the rationale for taking so many HS players with strong D-1 commitments in these late rounds?

    • Brandon,

      Thanks for writing… Two reasons, either the Nationals are thinking they might have some excess bonus pool money after discussing bonus numbers with their top-10 round picks, and figured they might be able to sway one of these kids with a large overslot bonus to sign.

      The other, more likely reason, is that the team is trying to do a nice thing for a good player and establish a cordial relationship for when he re-enters the draft in a few years.

      Ryan

  2. Thanks much for these draft blogs … was really nice to get real time analysis focused on the Nats picks. Like you, I’m pretty excited about the upside at the top of our draft.
    Also really find it interesting when someone takes a little different draft strategy as the Nats did with their high potential, but probably unsignable HS players at the end. (The odds against getting a ML player that late must be awfully high, so it seems like a good risk to take, especially if they did save some slot room to offer bonuses. Even 1 signing there would be a huge win.) Kind of reminiscent of a few years back when they were aggressively overslot just before the rules changed.

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