The MLB Amateur draft starts Tuesday afternoon, and this will be the last chance I get to touch on the draft before the Giants take their first pick tomorrow. Since I'm not too familiar with all the prospects entering the draft, and really only have seen stuff on the top 200 or so prospects, I can only project out the early part of the draft. And since we're a Giants blog, I'm going to stick with strictly Giants picks, so here we go:
Giants Early-Round Mock Draft:
Pick #6: LHP Tyler Matzek, Capistrano HS, California: There's a chance both Alex
White and Matzek will both be available here, but after seeing how high-schooler's Tim Alderson and Madison Bumgarner responded after being taken early in 2007, the Giants may want to go that route again. Matzek is clearly the best high school arm available in the draft. He's got picture perfect mechanics and already throws 93 mph with consistency. Oh yeah, he's got a nasty curve to go along with it. He's another control freak, just like Bumgarner and Alderson, so I really think there's a fit here. If Matzek goes earlier, look for the Giants to turn to White. A position player would be nice here, but the value for their pick is in the pitching department, and you draft for value in this kind of draft.
What If he Falls: Dustin Ackley, 1B/CF, North Carolina
Possible Other Choices: RHP Tanner Scheppers, RHP Alex White
Dark Horses: Grant Green, SS, USC; Tim Wheeler, CF, Sac. State
Pick #55: Mychal Givens, SS, Plant HS, Florida: This is a bit of a stretch, as most scouts feel Givens' tools have him as a lock to be gone by the end of the supplemental round, but I'm going to be optimistic. There are some other, more polished college hitters available, so I'm hoping teams jump on them. The Giants don't normally take on projects like Givens would be, but he's got so much talent that it's going to be hard for him not to succeed somewhere. Would be a steal if he falls to the Giants at 55.
Other Possibilites: Kent Matthes, OF, Alabama; 1B, Jeff Malm, Las Vegas (HS); Marc Krauss, OF/3B, Ohio
Pick #86: Thomas Mendonca, 3B, Fresno State: This guy plays in the Giants' AAA affiliates' backyard, so you know they've had some eyes on him over the years. He's one of the most polished power-hitting third basemen in the draft and can hit to all fields with authority. He does strikeout a bit too much, but the Giants shouldn't pass on this guys power potential if he's there for them in round 3. He's also a plus defender at third base. He kind of reminds me of a younger version of Hank Blalock, as he throws right-handed, but hits from the left side of the plate with big pop.
Other possibilities: Chris Owings, SS, South Carolina (HS); A.J. Morris, RHP, Kansas State; Chris Dominguez, 3B, Louisville
Pick #117 Trayce Thompson, OF, (HS) California: Another guy who likely will be gone by the end of the third round, but there is a chance he falls into the fourth if teams fear his lack of baseball experience, and if so, the Giants would be foolish not to take a chance on him. BA has him as the 100th best prospect on their board, but others have him going anywhere from late 2nd round to mid-fifth round. He's got the athleticism, size and skill ability to potentially hit for power and steal a ton of bases. Kind of reminds me of Fred Lewis, as he didn't really start focusing solely on baseball until his senior year in high school, but he's got way more ability than Fred did when the Giants took him back in 2002.
Other Possibility: Justin Marks, LHP, Louisville
Pick #147 Patrick Schuster, LHP, (HS) Florida: Like Matzek, Schuster has been
extremely dominant as a high school senior, including a 5 straight no-hitters during the spring. He's got a 90 mph heater that should increase as he grows, and has the frame at 6'2" to add bulk. He's not nearly as polished and doesn't quite have the stuff that Matzek does, but you don't throw multiple no-no's unless you got something. This could be a risky pick though, because he's a prime candidate to go to school for a year or two and possibly catapult himself into the first round with a few good seasons.
Giants Early-Round Mock Draft:
Pick #6: LHP Tyler Matzek, Capistrano HS, California: There's a chance both Alex
White and Matzek will both be available here, but after seeing how high-schooler's Tim Alderson and Madison Bumgarner responded after being taken early in 2007, the Giants may want to go that route again. Matzek is clearly the best high school arm available in the draft. He's got picture perfect mechanics and already throws 93 mph with consistency. Oh yeah, he's got a nasty curve to go along with it. He's another control freak, just like Bumgarner and Alderson, so I really think there's a fit here. If Matzek goes earlier, look for the Giants to turn to White. A position player would be nice here, but the value for their pick is in the pitching department, and you draft for value in this kind of draft.What If he Falls: Dustin Ackley, 1B/CF, North Carolina
Possible Other Choices: RHP Tanner Scheppers, RHP Alex White
Dark Horses: Grant Green, SS, USC; Tim Wheeler, CF, Sac. State
Pick #55: Mychal Givens, SS, Plant HS, Florida: This is a bit of a stretch, as most scouts feel Givens' tools have him as a lock to be gone by the end of the supplemental round, but I'm going to be optimistic. There are some other, more polished college hitters available, so I'm hoping teams jump on them. The Giants don't normally take on projects like Givens would be, but he's got so much talent that it's going to be hard for him not to succeed somewhere. Would be a steal if he falls to the Giants at 55.
Other Possibilites: Kent Matthes, OF, Alabama; 1B, Jeff Malm, Las Vegas (HS); Marc Krauss, OF/3B, Ohio
Pick #86: Thomas Mendonca, 3B, Fresno State: This guy plays in the Giants' AAA affiliates' backyard, so you know they've had some eyes on him over the years. He's one of the most polished power-hitting third basemen in the draft and can hit to all fields with authority. He does strikeout a bit too much, but the Giants shouldn't pass on this guys power potential if he's there for them in round 3. He's also a plus defender at third base. He kind of reminds me of a younger version of Hank Blalock, as he throws right-handed, but hits from the left side of the plate with big pop.
Other possibilities: Chris Owings, SS, South Carolina (HS); A.J. Morris, RHP, Kansas State; Chris Dominguez, 3B, Louisville
Pick #117 Trayce Thompson, OF, (HS) California: Another guy who likely will be gone by the end of the third round, but there is a chance he falls into the fourth if teams fear his lack of baseball experience, and if so, the Giants would be foolish not to take a chance on him. BA has him as the 100th best prospect on their board, but others have him going anywhere from late 2nd round to mid-fifth round. He's got the athleticism, size and skill ability to potentially hit for power and steal a ton of bases. Kind of reminds me of Fred Lewis, as he didn't really start focusing solely on baseball until his senior year in high school, but he's got way more ability than Fred did when the Giants took him back in 2002.
Other Possibility: Justin Marks, LHP, Louisville
Pick #147 Patrick Schuster, LHP, (HS) Florida: Like Matzek, Schuster has been
extremely dominant as a high school senior, including a 5 straight no-hitters during the spring. He's got a 90 mph heater that should increase as he grows, and has the frame at 6'2" to add bulk. He's not nearly as polished and doesn't quite have the stuff that Matzek does, but you don't throw multiple no-no's unless you got something. This could be a risky pick though, because he's a prime candidate to go to school for a year or two and possibly catapult himself into the first round with a few good seasons.
Comments
TMat Or something like that. Can't wait for the draft. Go Giants!!!