Sitcoms Explain The Nationals Draft Class

This week, Major League Baseball held its annual First-Year Player Draft, with more than 1,200 players selected over three days. Much like new television shows, most of these players will not be hits and being chosen on draft day will likely be their career highlight. But a few, like new YouTube show “Cobra Kai,” blossom into breakout performers. With May sweeps barely in the rearview mirror, I use my favorite sitcoms to help introduce the 2018 Nationals’ draft class.

“Head of the Class”: Rumors tied him to Washington for several days, and on Monday, the Nationals selected Mason Denaburg with their first-round pick, 27th overall. Denaburg is an extremely athletic 6-foot-3, 200-lb. righty with a college commitment to the University of Florida. He missed time this spring with biceps tendinitis, causing him to slide to the late first round. An impressive two-sport athlete and all-state punter, Denaburg has a mid-90s fastball with heavy sink, a late-breaking curveball and a developing changeup.

Denaburg has some delivery concerns and is raw, even for a high school pitcher, but scouts believe his athletic ability and a full-time focus on pitching will allow him to correct these flaws. The risk is elevated with him, even considering he is a high school right-hander, the position with historically the worst rate of return in the draft. However, the payoff could be worthwhile, as he has No. 3 starter ability.

In round 2, the Nationals selected Tim Cate, a 6-foot, 170-lb. lefty from the University of Connecticut. An impressive college starter with a three-pitch repertoire, Cate possesses a low-90s fastball, a plus curveball and a decent changeup. His curveball is one of the best in this draft class and a true swing-and-miss offering. Unfortunately, Cate had Tommy John surgery in high school and missed several starts this spring with elbow concerns, causing him to fall to the second round. His detractors think he is a future reliever due to his size and injury history, but assuming he is healthy, Cate profiles as either a back-end starter or impact reliever.

Round 3 saw Washington choose Vanderbilt University right-hander Reid Schaller, a draft-eligible freshman who underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2017. He returned healthy this season, working in relief and overwhelming hitters with a powerful fastball and slider combination. Schaller’s fastball consistently sits 94-96 mph, touching higher on occasion, along with an impressive slider. He has the frame at 6-foot-3 and 210 lbs., to be a starter, but his delivery and injury past should make him a long-term reliever. Schaller has leverage to return to school, but it would be surprising to see a third-round pick spurn a professional contract.

“Curb Your Enthusiasm”: Zach Linginfelter (round 19) began the year with potential to be a top-three round selection based on his mid-90s velocity and hard breaking ball. He was inconsistent for Tennessee this season, causing a draft day tumble and now could prefer to return to school to improve his draft stock in 2019. Cole Wilcox (round 37) was a top-50 prospect based solely on talent, but fell due to bonus concerns and a strong college commitment to Georgia. He features a mid-90s fastball, a nasty slider and a decent changeup. He is extremely unlikely to sign and projects as a top-three round pick in three years.

“Family Matters”: The Nationals made several legacy picks this year, selecting Colin Morse (round 26), brother of Nationals prospect Phil Morse. Washington chose Tyler Baca (round 34), the son of Nationals’ assistant director of amateur scouting Mark Baca, and Michael Menhart (round 40), the son of Nationals pitching coordinator Paul Menhart.

“Community”:

* Breakdown: 33 college players, seven high school players

It’s a recognized undeniable fact that medicines are very expensive. cheap levitra prescription Dangers of Abusing ED good service generico levitra on line Pills One important danger is drug dependence. This is always the most preferred product as there are so many of them who got the best results because of this medicine and so they always suggest you with the best medicine possible and most of the men above the age of 30 cheap viagra suffer through impotence at least once in their life. This fruit when mixed with other foods including milk, yoghurt, bananas in form of a paste is attributed to excellent muscle development equally, in both young and older males are free to get benefits from this world-class treatment. my store generico levitra on line * Positions: 23 Pitchers (17 right-handers, six left-handers) and 17 hitters (four catchers, eight infielders, five outfielders)

* Best value pick: Tyler Cropley (round 8), a stellar defensive catcher and a developing bat

* Best fastball: Reid Schaller (round 3)

* Best off-speed pitch: Cate, curveball

* Best hitter: Gage Canning (round 5)

* Best defender: Cropley

* Best name: Onix Vega (round 20)

* Biggest sleeper: Chandler Day (round 7), good pure stuff, but results have never matched his talent

*Originally Published at MASNSports.com 6/8/18*

4 thoughts on “Sitcoms Explain The Nationals Draft Class

  1. Tapani. Best bet to meet legacy father behind HP.
    More grey hairs pop out with Dereck Rodriguez facing Nats
    Let’s see what Larry Pardo does with GCL arms
    Again. Purge by brass in DSL academy with out with stale kids and in with new signees
    Including a lone Nicaraguan OF named Tristan Whitlock. Hmmm R/R

  2. Imy hunch says another sleeper could be
    Utility guy Pablo Cruise O’Conner from Azusa Pacific ( too bad you didn’t work out Jonathan Reid LHP)

  3. If Kinzler goes on the DL along withSS
    Then Rizzo should call up Fedde and
    Make that phone call to Avila about Shawn Greene !!

  4. Cropley part of a stellar corp in several years which returned Hawkeyes to the top of Big Ten ( plus other Universities) and sent a handful of kids to pro ball making Cal Eldred. Proud

Comments are closed.