Cleveland Sports Forum

"We're at the point where most of the top names left on our board will likely go in the 11th round and on now where slot money isn't at risk"

Indians have made some good picks in the post 10th round in recent years, including Cody Allen in 2011, along with Corey Anderson and Scott Armstrong and Shawn Morimando who are moving are more standard rate of progression but pitching pretty well -- although Armstrong is on the DL. Those were all 2011 picks. I am not sure who was picked later in 2012 who's doing much. The fact that our two Class A teams are really terrible reflects the early lack of success of that draft.

Here's our 2012 draft.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/all-time-draft-db/#

Hardly anyone besides Naquin is doing anything much. Although I guess when you draft a lot of high school kids they will mostly not join full season teams the following year. Mitch Brown tried and was scorched and now is on the DL. Juco pitcher Dylan Baker is with Lake County, off and on good starts. 15h round high school Nellie Rodriguez has tried his luck at Lake County, the first baseman has shown patience, but little else to impress. College guy Wendle is hitting but I don't think he's considered "projectible"

What's changed?

Tribe still drafting soft tossing pitchers that can't break a pane of glass.

He’s a really polished high school pitcher

Polished, my ass!

How about drafting some guys that can throw it through the backstop and "polish" him ourselves?

3rd rounder Kime: lively 92-95 fastball
4th rounder Crockett: 90-92
5th rounder Brady "far from a power arm"
6th rounder mixed up his name 89-91
7th rounder Matthews 88-89

Not really surprising that the harder they throw, the higher they go. Let's see if they pick up someone with a strong but erratic arm in the 15-25th round neighborhoodl

Round 8 RHP Trevor Frank UC Riverside
Round 9 LHP Thomas Pannone Junior college
Round 10 the inevitable 2nd baseman Ross Kivett from K State.

#14 Trevor Frank

Position: RHP
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175
Bats/Throws: R/R
Class: Junior
Hometown: El Cajon, CA
High School: Valhalla HS

Can't find his prospect writeup. The following is of no value whatsoever, but it fills space.


Trevor Frank Pitching
2012 Ranked among the top-3 on the team in ERA, opposing batting average, win-loss percentage, innings pitched, and games started ... Struck out a season-high eight batters at Sam Houston State on March 4 (box score / recap) ... Allowed three or fewer earned runs in nine of 14 starts, but was credited with the win in just two of them ...

2011 Finished second on the team in innings pitched, third in strikeouts and third in earned run average ... Struck out a career-high 10 batters allowing just five hits, one walk and one earned run in 8.0 innings in a 2-1 loss at LMU on February 20 (box score / recap) ... Allowed three or fewer runs in 10 of 12 starts, but was credited with the win in just two of them ...

2010 Saw his first action, got his first start, and earned his first win against Bethune-Cookman on Feb. 22 (box score / recap) ... Ranked fourth on the team in innings pitched, strike outs, appearances, and games started while finishing fifth in games in relief...

High School Letter winner in baseball at Valhalla High School ... Helped the Norsemen win the Division III CIF Championship in 2006 ...

Trevor Frank 6'0 175

Another tiny RHP.... 6'0 is probably a stretch.

Once had a Mets scout tell me they never pimp a RHP under 6'2"

Blah, blah, blah guys.

Shaprio's organization ran this draft.

Wasted words and thoughts from all of you. Sorry to be the reality delivery guy.

thanks. I guess I'm a Shapiro enabler for posting draft information.

As usual there could be a couple of these guys who make the majors. The interest here is on Frazier who is supposed to a real hitter but will take a long time since he's from high school and the top two pitchers, Kime a RH who reaches 95 and Crockett a lefty projected to reach the majors soon. Everyone else is a stretch.

Not sure why people read these folders who don't care about what's posted in them. I only read what interest me.

Pannone is a Rhode Island kid.

CRANSTON — A year ago about this time, Tom Pannone was standing on the field at McCoy Stadium savoring the moment of being the star of the big game on a big field.

Now the former Hendricken baseball All-Stater can realistically dream about someday being the star in a big game on an even bigger field — like Cleveland’s Progressive Field.

Pannone, who was the MVP of last year’s Interscholastic League Division I state title series while pitching and playing outfield, saw his childhood dreams of some day becoming a professional baseball player come a step closer Friday when he was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the ninth round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft.

“I am definitely pleased. It’s what I’ve wanted since I started playing Little League,” said Pannone, who began his baseball career in the Cranston American Little League.

A 6-foot-1, 195-pound left-handed pitcher and hitter, Pannone had signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Miami in the fall of his senior year at Hendricken in 2012.

But when he was drafted in his senior season last spring, in the 33rd round by the Chicago Cubs, Pannone starting thinking about beginning his professional career earlier than spending three years playing at a four-year college.

“After it [being drafted) happened last year in high school, I started thinking maybe I could do it in a year rather three,” Pannone offered about beginning his professional career.

So rather than attend Miami, he enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada, a junior college, in hopes of improving his ranking in this year’s draft. Under major-league rules, while players attending four-year colleges cannot be drafted until after their junior year, junior college players can be drafted after only one year of competition.

Pannone’s gamble definitely paid off.

He was the fifth player selected in the ninth round of this year’s draft, the 261st overall selection. He moved up 743 spots from last year’s draft, in which he was the 1,004th player selected.

While Chicago selected him last year more on his athleticism and hitting as an outfielder, Cleveland definitely drafted Pannone as a pitcher.

This season at Southern Nevada, he pitched 64 innings and posted a 6-2 record with a 1.84 ERA. He had an almost five-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio recording 93 strikeouts while allowing only 21 walks. Scouting reports have his fastball averaging 92-93 mph.

He returned home to Cranston a few days ago after spending a couple of weeks working out for professional teams. Cleveland was one of 19 teams Pannone had talked to and/or worked out for over the past few months.

“They all told me somewhere between the 7th and 10th round, so I was right in the middle of what they said. I’m very pleased.” said Pannone.

Under major-league rules, teams have until the middle of July to sign this year’s drafted players or the player goes back into next year’s draft.

But Pannone left little doubt that he is now ready to begin his professional career.

“I definitely want to start playing as soon as possible,” said Pannone.

The draft continues Saturday with the final 30 rounds.

Here's some more content no one cares about:

10th round pick Ross Kivett from St. Edward High School.

Not in Baseball America's Top 500. Ranked 11 in Kan.

It has been a tremendous year for Kivett and Kansas State. He won Big 12 Conference player of the year honors as the Wildcats won their first league championship since sharing the Big Six crown in 1933. He also was named MVP of the Manhattan Regional as Kansas State advanced to super-regional play for the first time ever. A catalyst at the top of the Wildcats lineup, Kivett controls the strike zone well. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounded doesn't project to have more than gap power with wood bats, and he's a solid runner with basestealing instincts. Scouts don't love his actions at shortstop, so he'll probably move to an outfield corner in pro ball. [We drafted him as a 2nd baseman]

Thanks Civ. I read these write ups. May not remember much but that comes with old age.

That's me as well.