That makes that a lost pick then, right? The draft-and-follow days are a distant memory, right? ETA: To be eligible as a draft-and-follow, a player must be selected after the 10th round and not sign with a club at the signing deadline. Additionally, the player must attend a junior college for the following fall and spring semesters. Players who meet both criteria above will be considered a draft-and-follow player.
I wonder if NIL has changed the college rules such that draft and follows are not necessary. He can just sign a baseball contract with Houston, play the rest of the minor league season this year, then play football in the fall, then commit to baseball full time next year.
Speaking of the Duck...this is a fun read: Boettcher is an interesting story as he was recruited to Oregon as a strong safety on the football field and eventually added enough weight to transition to linebacker during his time on campus. He was a regular for the football team in 2023 posting 37 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Despite his size, strength, and lack of training time, Boettcher was the Ducks starting centerfielder in 2023 playing 54 games and enjoying a breakout on the offensive end. Not only was he the team’s primary centerfielder, he won a Rawlings Gold Glove Award for Division 1 baseball this season. It’s a legit glove. He’s very clearly an above average runner who could get a bit quicker in pro ball if he drops ten pounds and trains for baseball full-time. Boettcher does some things on the offensive side of the ball very well. He has above average bat-to-ball skills and rarely ever whiffs on swings at pitches inside the strike zone. He is an aggressive hitter and will expand the zone at times, but who is to say that won’t improve over time once he gives up football entirely? Despite his 12 homers in 2024, Boettcher possesses just solid average raw power and isn’t naturally a big bat speed guy despite his size. That may tick up with proper training, but for now he’s more of a hitter than a slugger. At this stage Boettcher is something of an unknown and a lottery ticket. He’s very clearly quite physical, and he possesses the prerequisite hand-eye coordination to be a hitter at the next level. But what’s left in his development? Can he blossom into a slugging outfielder thanks to his natural strength? Can he become more dynamic with a more narrow training focus? Hard to say. But he stood out at the Combine and should hear his name called toward the end of day two or on day three. Boettcher is already 22 years old.
That reads super promising, but if he's more "hitter" than slugger at this point he's raw as hell. He only hit .276 this season and at or under the Mendoza line in his previous 3 collegiate seasons. That's the kind of guy you send to Greeneville, not even Tri-Cities.... and those levels don't even exist anymore. He's def got some physical skills and some baseball skills, but starting at A ball as a super raw 22-23 y/o is gonna be tough.
They likely work with him to see how much HP he has under the hood. Not likely but he has some of the attributes high level players have. He is a kid who probably should have been playing 5 years earlier than he started.
Disagree: If you're gonna be raw, i'd much rather have a hitter than a slugger at this point, or any point
Yes your typical light hitting middle linebacker. Does he still have to enroll in classes? What a victory lap. Hope he stays healthy and can't wait to see how he does as a pro baseball player.
Give him an offer he wants. Let's see what are his contract demands. Low Round Picks usually hold out until a Bigger Offer.
