Pondering the MLB Draft

by Ian Casselberry on May 19, 2009 12:00 PM EDT in News Comment 10 comments

We're getting close to draft time, which means draft boards and mock drafts are starting to pop up around the baseball blogosphere. ESPN.com's Keith Law kicked it off by posting his Top 100 draft prospects. It's Insider content, but if you were to go strictly according to his board, the ninth best player (where the Tigers would pick) is pitcher Kyle Gibson from Missouri.

Gibson is a 6'6" right-hander who throws in the low-90s, according to ESPN's scouting report, and mixes that with a slider and change-up. This past season for Missouri, Gibson posted a 9-3 record and 3.73 ERA in 13 starts, with 115 strikeouts and 15 walks in 91.2 innings.

(Here is ESPN.com's MLB Draft page.)

MVN Outsider ran a mock draft with its bloggers this week, and Gibson was taken with the eighth pick, just before the Tigers' selection. Therefore, Take 75 North drafted pitcher Shelby Miller from Brownwood High School in Texas, and is actually ranked sixth on Law's board.

Miller is a 6'4" right-hander who throws a fastball in the mid-90s (his high is 96), along with a 12-to-6 curveball. The biggest knock against him seems to be his control, but that seems like something you'd expect in a high school pitcher with a big arm.

Minor League Ball will soon be running its mock draft, scheduled for June 6. The actual MLB Draft will be held June 9-11, with the first round to be broadcast on MLB Network.

So are any of you following the draft? It's been pretty good to the Tigers over the past few years. And if you're into it, are there any names you've been focused on, hoping they drop to Detroit's selection? Are there positions you think the organization should try to bolster?

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Why is the draft in the middle of the season?

Is it ‘cause the college kids’ school years are almost done??

by explosivo2k2 on May 19, 2009 1:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well...

High school and college, and I think they’re more concerned about their baseball seasons than the school year, but I believe that that is the reason.

I don't want to hear any weak sh*t from Jason Grilli.

by cherub_daemon on May 19, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Draft

Tigers got so many pitchers last draft, need some position studs this year.

by Peter Z on May 19, 2009 1:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Should Draft best available....

…Howeve can never have to many pitchers

by BennieBladesFan on May 19, 2009 1:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's funny...

While the lack of good position players in our system is alarming, I sort of agree with you here. Hard throwing, polished reliever types are great draft choices, in my mind, since you always need lots of relievers.

More importantly, they’re pretty fungible, since everyone else needs them too. This allows you to trade extras for things you haven’t developed.

I think everyone says “draft best available”, but to me, the discussion is less about what position a guy plays than it is about the relative merits of tools vs. polish.

I don't want to hear any weak sh*t from Jason Grilli.

by cherub_daemon on May 19, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly.....

….Tha would be my GM Philosophy is baseball……You can always trade young pitchers youve drafted for talent from other systems…..I think its easier to hit on a pitcher then it is on a position player…..Weve got some young middle infielders but like I said earlier Id almost always draft a pitcher in the 1st round.

by BennieBladesFan on May 19, 2009 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't pay close attention

The first round, sure, but after that, you don’t know who’s being drafted and you don’t know how many years it will be until you see them anyway. The MLB draft really is so much different from the other sports (except the NHL is similar) like that, it just makes it non-important TV to me.

Mack Avenue Tigers

by Kurt Mensching on May 19, 2009 4:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm working for a baseball division at a sports agency

so I will let you know of the prospects I hear about and if the Tigers should draft them or plan on drafting them.

Motown String Music- SB Nation's Detroit Pistons Blog

by Packey on May 19, 2009 4:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd Draft A Position Player

In Verlander and Porcello, we’ve got two guys who should be hurling for the Tigers for another ten years. It’s conceivable Bondo, Jackson, Armando and Dontrelle could make their cases to stick around for a while; they’re all young. Casey Crosby has some potential. I like the assembly of young arms.

Our collection of minor league position players is pathetic though. Casper Wells and Wilkin Ramirez have nice skill sets, but no one else impresses me the least bit: I have never been a Cale Iorg fan.

There is word Grant Green might fall to #9: if I’m DD and he’s there, I scoop him up in a heartbeat.

Given the college arms that might be available though, I’d certainly understand and wouldn’t fret if they did take a pitcher.

by BigDaddyJC on May 20, 2009 2:08 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Don't forget Mauricio Robles

He’s making the hitters down there look foolish. Ridiculous K/9 numbers, around 12.5, and a whip just over 1. Him and Crosby both have some serious potential.

by tricks318 on May 22, 2009 3:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs