Cleveland Sports Forum

aEros drop the nightcap on 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th (final inning) off Van Mil. Chen doubles, walks twice.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x_eswaax_2

Wolters blasts his first homer. Holt and Ursehla two hits each. Mudcats lose 4-3. all the runs in 7 innings off Goodnight, he fanned 9.

Felix Sterling seems to be a little pitching slump. Last time out he was touched for 12 runs in 2 1/3. Today 6 runs in 2/3. Captains in the role 9-3 in the 3rd.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x_lanafx_1

Draft day coverage:

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/video/ ... d=29113154

More on the draft:

http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/news/a ... e&c_id=cle

Scouting Report: Tyler Naquin (OF)

Posted on 25 May 2012 by Mark A.

BLUF:

Potential tweener that needs tools to play in the middle of the diamond to be a prospect.

The Player:

Tyler Naquin (OF, Texas A&M) – Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 33rd round in 2009.Hit just .244 in 58 games for the Aggies as a freshman. Picked up eight doubles and two home runs and succeeded on six of eight stolen base attempts. Named an All-American as a sophomore on the heels of a .381 average and a national best 104 hits. Played for Team USA in the summer of 2011. Through 56 games this season, Naquin has hit .383/.460/.545 with 15 doubles, six triples, three home runs and 17 steals.

Basis of Report: Compilation – Industry Contacts

Scouting Report

Body (6-2, 175): Good-sized frame. Thin and wiry with long legs and a high waist. Has decent natural strength but needs to add muscle to profile better overall as a professional. Good athleticism with good balance and coordination.

Hit:

Very good approach and solid bat control. Typically sees ball well out of the hand and has above-average pitch recognition skills. Can wait out pitches to try and discern balls from strikes, but gets caught starting his swing to late at times. May be better served being a touch more aggressive at the plate. Solid-average bat speed. Potential to hit for a solid average with plenty of walks and possibly and spike in strikeouts against better pro secondary pitches. Solid-average potential as a hitter. Grade – 40/50

Power:

Needs additional strength to drive ball consistently. Improved barrel control could lead to more loud contact and more balls in the gap. Lacks loft or leverage to get the ball out of the park consistently. Potential gap-to-gap doubles hitter with below-average home run power. Grade (raw power) – 30/40

Arm:

Consistent marks for above-average to plus arm that could fit in right field. Gets good carry on his throws and gets rid of the ball quickly. Has improved accuracy throughout college career and arm could be a deterrent to base runners once he adjusts to the pro game. Grade – 60/60

Fielding:

Shows good instincts, including timely jumps and strong routes on the outfield corners. Scouts believe he is untested in center field but may have raw tools to handle the move in pro ball. Raw tools should play in either center or right field. Can get too aggressive on balls in the gap at times. Potential to be a plus defender with additional polish and experience. Grade – 50/60

Speed:

Shows solid-average to plus times from home to first on digs. Will show consistent plus times in the 60-yard dash. Speed plays more at the above-average level. Current body projects to maintain speed but if he begins to bulk up to add strength, he could slow down a half tick. Currently plays and should play as an average runner long term. Grade – 50/50

Summation:

Potential tweener. Untested in CF but profile is helped if he can handle the position in pro ball. Solid-average speed, instincts and plus arm give him a good foundation to transition to CF. Has potential to hit and should get on base at a quality level thanks to advanced approach and pitch recognition skills. Power doesn’t profile for an outfield corner but would stand up in CF. Could hit .280 with 30 doubles and 12-14 home runs during his best seasons.

Relative Risk: Low.

Polished offensive approach should allow offensive game to play and it’s just a matter of where he fits defensively. Should see MLB time in some capacity.

Draft Projection:

Dropping on my draft board as concerns increase over inexperience in CF. Could end up being a bit of a steal in the late first or early part of the sandwich round. If teams are comfortable with his ability to move to the middle of the diamond, he could move up late.

2012 MLB Draft Profile: Tyler Naquin, OF, Texas A&M

by David Coleman on May 28, 2012 10:00 AM CDT in Player Profiles

Is baseball changing before our eyes?

That happens all the time, and the game is just coming out of one of its highest offensive periods ever. But, more and more, it seems like we're swinging back into a pitching-dominated age. It won't be as bad as the '60's, but offense may be on the decline for the immediate future.

Why is that relevant here? Because I think it gives Tyler Naquin more value than he might have had 10 years ago. Naquin is a flat-out hitter. Every single scouting report you read on him raves about hit ability to hit, and it started last season during the College Classic at Minute Maid Park. Naquin is basically Raph Rhymes with a much, much better swing. It's quiet without much pre-swing movement and he simply explodes into the ball with quick wrists.

So why isn't Naquin touted as the best college hitter in this draft, even if he's got "the best hit tool around?" It's all about power and defensive position. See, Naquin doesn't really hit for much power at all, even though he flashes it in batting practice and has a little more uppercut to his swing than you'd anticipate for a guy with his reputation.

He's also got a cannon for an arm in right field, grading out as the best outfield arm of all the college players. Add in a good baserunning skill set (he's stolen 21 of 26 this season) and Naquin has a solid set of skills right now that can help a team. He just may not be able to play center, as scouts don't love his route to fly balls and he just hasn't had much chance to play out there.

Even with his plus skills in right, without more power potential, Naquin won't be looked on too favorably. That's why he's being mocked in the second half of the first round.

But, if we ask the question above, does Naquin look more favorable in that new power-starved pitching era? I'm not going to hang a Tony Gwynn comparison on him, but if you look at the Hall of Famer's career, he never hit for much power and stole 40 bases or more just twice in his career. He also played right field even though he didn't have even average power.

If Naquin can hit .300 consistently with a ton of doubles and 20-30 steals a year, plus you get plus defense in right, can't a team live with less power in right? Certainly, the 2012 Astros could.

Naquin won't last until the supplemental round, but he'd be a fantastic pick for the Astros there, as it seems they may be a team that values what he can do and doesn't worry about what he can't.

Floor

A pure hitter who can work as a defensive replacement is a great backup outfielder and bat off the bench. That's his floor, I think, as he has a great shot at making the majors right now.

Ceiling

That depends on his position. If he sticks in center field and can consistently hit over .300, he's an All-Star. If he's in right...well, he may not be an All-Star unless he hits .350. Still think he can be a valuable player there for a long time.

Projected Draft Round

Right now, he's going in the late first round, but I could imagine a team like Oakland falling in love with him and popping him early.

Will he sign?

Naquin is a junior, but I don't see him improving his stock much to warrant a return to school.

Commentary

ESPN

Texas A&M outfielder Tyler Naquin has a great arm -- it's him or Fullerton freshman Michael Lorenzen with the best arm in the event -- but he really struggled with offspeed stuff over the two games. He has good rotation in his swing, but it leads to loop length, which may be forcing him to commit before he can recognize the pitch.

Baseball Prospect Nation

Potential tweener. Untested in CF but profile is helped if he can handle the position in pro ball. Solid-average speed, instincts and plus arm give him a good foundation to transition to CF. Has potential to hit and should get on base at a quality level thanks to advanced approach and pitch recognition skills. Power doesn't profile for an outfield corner but would stand up in CF. Could hit .280 with 30 doubles and 12-14 home runs during his best seasons.

Minor League Ball

Naquin had the best hit tool I have seen all year (quite a bit ahead of Barnes) with good speed to go with it. In regards to power, he has very little of it right now and I really don't see him grading out higher than a 35 power wise in the future. The body I just don't think has much pop in it no matter how much more he fills out. His swing is built to hit for average, which I think he will do right away in the pro ranks as well. Very quick hands and doesn't swing at pitches out of the zone. Seemed to always be in a good hitting count in the three games I saw him in and sprayed line drives to every field. Very impressed with the hit tool and think it will keep developing. Not as confident in the power potential though however to answer your question.

Tyler Naquin, OF: Hitting .392/.412/.608 so far. Sophomore outfielder, NOT draft eligible this year but someone to watch for 2012. Good athlete, fast and strong, quick bat from the left side, overaggressive but young enough to improve.

Baseball America

Multiple scouts have said Naquin's arm rates as at least a 70 on the 20-80 scale, and it's a real weapon in right field. The secret is out now, and teams don't run on him nearly as often as they did a year ago, but he still has three outfield assists, including a big one in the first inning Sunday, when he gunned down a man at the plate to help prevent a big inning.

Those are the issues with Naquin, who has as good a pure bat and outfield arm as any college player this year. From what scouts tell me, center field might be a stretch and he's never going to have a ton of power. Good player but could wind up as a tweener.

Cleveland Indians draft Texas A&M outfielder Tyler Naquin 15th overall in first round

Published: Monday, June 04, 2012, 8:57 PM Updated: Monday, June 04, 2012, 8:59 PM

By Bill Lubinger, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer


The Indians selected Texas A&M outfielder Tyler Naquin 15th overall in the first round of Monday's Major League Baseball Draft.

He's a left-handed hitting outfielder who is currently playing right field but is projected as a centerfielder, according to Brad Grant, the Indians director of amateur scouting.

MLB.com analysts had Naquin ranked 30th. Baseball America had him at 25th.

With the No. 1 pick, Houston chose Carlos Correa, a highly coveted 6-4 high school shortstop from Puerto Rico.

The Indians will pick 79th overall in round two, 110th in round three and 15th in following rounds. Rounds two through 15 resume Tuesday at noon, with the balance on Wednesday. There are 40 rounds.

Within the American League Central Division, Minnesota took Georgia high school outfielder Byron Buxton No. 2 overall; Kansas City chose right-hander Kyle Zimmer from the University of San Francisco at No. 5; and the Chicago White Sox picked Texas prep outfielder Courtney Hawkins at No. 13.

Draft analysts have described college pitching and high school power bats as the strength of this year's field, but average overall, at best, and especially thin at college-level position players.

The Indians had taken a college player with their first pick in nine straight drafts before choosing high school shortstop Francisco Lindor eighth overall last summer. Lindor, who plays for the Indians' Low Class A Lake County Captains, was the first nonpitcher taken by the Indians since 2008.

The deadline to sign new draftees is July 13 at 5 p.m. The Indians negotiated up to the final minute before signing Lindor for $2.9 million last year.

Indians Pick Tyler Naquin

Posted Jun. 4, 2012 7:50 pm by Conor Glassey - Baseball America

With the 15th-overall pick, the Indians passed on college righthanders to take Texas A&M outfielder Tyler Naquin.

Naquin is the best pure hitter in this year's class, with a lefthanded swing that has evoked comparisons to Will Clark. He has a line drive approach and goes to the opposite field with authority. Naquin is a plus runner, though it isn't clear how well he'll be able to handle center field since he mostly played right field for the Aggies.

Naquin doesn't project to hit for a lot of home run power, but should hit plenty of doubles and has the best arm strength in this year's draft.

Indians Press Release

06/04/2012 8:53 PM EST


Indians tab of Tyler Naquin at #15 in the 1st round of first-year player draft
The Cleveland Indians today announced the club has selected OF TYLER NAQUIN with the 15th overall selection in the first round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft.

Naquin, 21, is a junior outfielder at Texas A & M University in College Station, TX. He batted .380 (92-242) for the Aggies this season with 18 doubles, 6 triples, 3 home runs and 49RBI in 61 games. He also scored 56 runs, stole 21 bases in 26 attempts and posted an OPS of .999 (.458OB/.541SLG). A first-team All-Big 12 selection, he also is a semifinalist for the 2012 USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award and received Louisville Slugger third team All-American honors.

As a sophomore in 2011, Naquin led all NCAA Division I batters in hits (104) and hit a Big 12-best .381 (104-273) with 23 2B, 7 3B, 2HR and 44RBI in 68 games. He was named Big 12 Player of the Year and garnered All-America honors from College Baseball Insider (First Team), American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings (Second Team) and Collegiate Baseball (Second Team) on an Aggie team that advanced to the College World Series in Omaha. Last summer he was a member of the USA Baseball 2011 Collegiate National Team, batting .321 (17-53) with 4 2B, 1 3B, 2HR & 10 RBI in 12 games.

The 6-3, left-handed hitting outfielder finished his three-year collegiate career with a .348 (238-687) batting average with 49 2B, 13 3B, 7HR, 153RS and 112 RBI in 187 games. Tyler hails from Spring, TX outside of Houston where he was a two-time all-State selection at Klein Collins High School. The Aggies’ season ended yesterday after a loss to TCU. Naquin (NAY-quinn) was drafted out of high school in the 33rd round in 2009 by the Baltimore Orioles.

The 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft will resume in the second round at noon tomorrow. The Tribe’s second round selection is in the 79th overall slot. The club’s third round pick is the 110th overall slot.

Indians select outfielder Naquin with 15th pick

By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com | 06/04/12 9:58 PM ET


CLEVELAND --

The Indians believe they have found another piece to the long-term puzzle.

On Monday night, Cleveland selected Texas A&M outfielder Tyler Naquin with the 15th overall pick in the First-Year Player Draft. With only one selection on the Draft's first day, the Tribe is betting that Naquin will develop into a core player for the organization's future.

Naquin, 21, is a right fielder by trade, but the Indians believe he has the potential to play any of the three outfield positions down the road. Offensively, the left-handed-hitting Naquin offers versatility, with sound average and on-base ability combined with speed and instincts that can help pile up extra-base hits.

"We got a left-handed-hitting outfielder," Indians director of amateur scouting Brad Grant said. "He has above-average potential with the bat and a knack for squaring up the baseball. He's got a wiry, strong athletic body. He's playing right field right now, but with his tools, his speed, his instincts, his arm, we feel he has the ability to play center field in pro ball.

"He exudes confidence in the batter's box and has a tremendous track record of hitting in high school, in college and at Team USA."

This past season, when the Aggies went 43-18, Naquin was named the team's Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row. He was also named a third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball.

In 61 games for Texas A&M this season, Naquin hit .380 (92-for-242) with three home runs, 18 doubles, six triples and 49 RBIs. He drew 25 walks and stole 21 bases in 26 attempts, adding a .458 on-base percentage and a .541 slugging percentage.

Naquin is the fifth first-round pick taken under the watch of Grant. During his time overseeing Cleveland's Draft strategy, Grant has helped add some cornerstone talent to the Tribe's system, while also acquiring players used in arguably one of the biggest trades in team history.

Lonnie Chisenhall -- Grant's first selection in his first Draft in 2008 -- is currently starting at third base for the Indians. Jason Kipnis, who was a second-round pick in '09, has emerged as one of the top second basemen in the American League this year. Shortstop Francisco Lindor (taken in the first round last June) is enjoying a standout season at Class A Lake County.

Cleveland's top picks in the 2009 and '10 Drafts -- righty Alex White and lefty Drew Pomeranz, respectively -- were included in a four-player package that helped the Indians pull off the blockbuster trade that brought starter Ubaldo Jimenez to the Tribe last July.

As part of the new Draft guidelines under the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Indians have a monetary pool of roughly $4.5 million (ranked 22nd among all Major League teams) to sign their 10 picks in the first 10 rounds. Cleveland's first-round selection has been valued at around $2.25 million.

Cleveland has until 5 p.m. ET on July 13 to sign Naquin.

Back when the Indians drafted Trevor Crowe, and there was some idle talk about him possibly moving to second base, I posted that they had better hope he could play second, because he didn't really look like a major league outfielder with that bat, and was an obvious overdraft in the middle of the first round.

Er...sucks to have been right.

This Naquin guy looks like more of the same--if he can't play center field, then he's going to have to develop power that doesn't currently seem to be there in order to profile as even an average major league right fielder.

"Best hitter in the draft". Not a lot of power. Bat compared to Will Clark. The offense sounds like Sean Casey on draft day.

McAllister walks 5 in 4 2/3. Langwell shutout 2 innings. Allen 1 run 1 inning.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... a_rocaaa_1

yesterday:

CLE HiA Rodriguez, Ronny SS 2 0 1 0 .250
CLE LoA Smith, Jordan RF 5 0 3 1 .305 BB (11)
[cheaper RF option than the new guy. Smith has no power, either]

Mudcats manage 2 hits in a 5 inning 2-0 loss

Lindor hitless is 2-21 lately. Captains win in 13.

Joe Colon 7 innings, 2 runs

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.js ... x_lcoafx_1