I know nothing about Lugo so I cannot comment about his status. The Astros like looking at arms in the Midwest high school ranks because they think they have received less exposure. I don’t remember the name of the pitcher, but I was told he won’t be taking any discounts for anyone.
You answered my “anecdote” with an anecdote. I was more referring to the difference between division winners and runners up. I suspect that teams that being strong up the middle offensively is one of the most correlated traits with teams that make the playoffs vs teams that don’t. Talented depth all around wins games. Up the middle players win divisions. Top of the rotation starters win playoff games. Luck wins World Series.
Makes sense (this is how Trout slipped, bias against cold weather players), yet they haven't drafted one going back at least to '12. Unless kid went JUCO first. Although I don't think you could complain if they drafted catcher Maverick Handley. He's a great receiver even if his technique is unorthodox.
How good is Ritchie? I see Stubbs as a backup C. Stassi is lucky to be on the team. What's he hitting, like .130?
He's a fine AAA backup catcher. Stubbs has finally started to hit a little bit the last couple of weeks, his defense is constant. He'd be a good backup C (don't think he'll ever be able to catch say, 100 games) eventually.
I like their strategy with regards to catchers. HS catchers have an insane bust rate, so don't use a high pick on one unless you love the bat even at a COF or 1B. Grab one every now and again with the tools to hit and catch if you can get him on a moderate bonus (Nottingham and Perry) in a mid round. Rogers defense gave him a high floor, so that was a solid 3rd round pick. Other than that, just fill out rosters with your favorite late 2nd day or 3rd day picks and hope one of them has something click. Maybe grab some strong armed slow 3B/OF/1B types late day 3 and see if they can pick it up (which they've done with Shaver, White, and Seiber-probably others). Spending a lot of resources chasing top amateur catchers seems like a waste when a lot of them haven't consistently caught pro-quality offerings. I've got no problem running out a rent-a-vet catcher until a clear future at the position presents itself.
Yeah I have no problem with their strategy; they always take the most valuable player available regardless of position, as they should. And their track record with drafting catchers is decent: 2012: Round 8: Heineman (reached AAA) 2013: 6: Nottingham (reached the majors) 9: Holberton (bust) 2014: 13: Ritchie (he’s in AAA, but I also think they should have developed JD Davis as a catcher) 2015: 4: Hermelyn (bust) 8: Stubbs (in AAA, very likely to reach the majors) 2016: 3: Rogers (in AA, very likely to reach the majors, I also would have liked them to have developed Toro as a C from the beginning) 2017: 5: Perry (TBD) 9: Papierski (looks like a bust) 2018: 7: Salazar (TBD) So from 2012-2016, they took 6 catchers with picks in the 1st 10 rounds (bonus pool rounds). Of those 6, 4 (Heineman, Nottingham, Stubbs, Rogers) appear to have been successful picks, with Hermelyn and Holberton busting. That’s a pretty good track record (small sample warning). All that said, I really hope it shakes out that there is a catcher available to them in the top 2 rounds that Houston thinks is worth the investment.
Curveball darling doesn't look like he'll be signable for this year's draft despite potential wrist issue.
Draft Schedule June 3-5 The 2019 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft will begin Monday, June 3 with rounds 1 and 2. Day 1 will be televised on MLB Network and MLB.com. Day 2 begins at noon Central time and will cover rounds 3-10. Day 3 begins at 11 AM Central time and will cover rounds 11-40. Days 2 and 3 will only be shown on MLB.com.
I’m looking forward to my annual tradition of getting hyped up over a bunch of guys I’ve never heard of in my life, especially any catcher selected in the first 10 rounds.
That’s multiple mocks showing them picking Espino. I will be fine with that. Gonna keep hoping for Davidson to fall.
If a Seth Beer, Forrest Whitley, Lance McCullers Jr. can fall anthything is possible. Pick the best player available, regardless of position.
Luhnow picking in the 15-45 range: McCullers Thurman Fisher Reed Cameron Whitley Bukauskas Beer Not much of a pattern. Mix of HS/college, floor/ceiling, pitching/bats, etc. Pretty good track record: all but one of those guys made a BA Top 100, and it’s likely all but one reach the majors.
The pattern with all those guys is that the Astros were not scared off by warts (all of them had serious flags).
Would love that pick. The guy has some interesting arm action in his delivery but his stuff looks to be absolutely electric. By scouts reports he has one of (if not the best) the top fastballs in the draft and it has even reached triple digits. Would love to see what we could do with him.