Cleveland Sports Forum

Second Round (No. 59 Overall): Juan Hillman, LHP, Olympia HS (FL)

A teammate of last year's No. 5 overall pick Nick Gordon, The left-hander already possesses a solid three-pitch mix with a low-90s fastball, plus curveball and developing changeup, and his 6'2" frame has room to fill out.

Grade: A

Final Day 1 Team Grade: A

The Indians rolled the dice on Brady Aiken with their first-round pick, then scooped up two high-upside high school arms that have the potential to be legitimate top prospects once they fill out. Again, this is a team lacking impact prospects behind Francisco Lindor, so taking a chance on some high-ceiling guys made sense.

Zimmer isn't an impact prospect? OK, just a solid regular major leaguer with 5 tools, but not Bryce Harper or Trout. That's good enough for me.

BA on Tribe Day 1:

The Indians, meanwhile, stuck to their best-player available approach at No. 17 and drafted lefthander Brady Aiken, last year’s No. 1 overall pick. Aiken had reportedly worked out an agreement with the Astros for $6.5 million last year, but that fell apart after a difference of opinion of what an MRI of his elbow taken in a post-draft physical showed, and Aiken ultimately turned down a reported $5 million deal. He went to IMG Academy to play for their postgrad team this spring, but threw just 13 pitches in his first start before exiting the game with an injury and undergoing Tommy John surgery 13 days later.

Those complex circumstances made Aiken one of the biggest wild cards of the draft and led to him being available to the Indians in the middle of the first round.

Indians scouting director Brad Grant praised the Indians scouts for their work evaluating Aiken over the last two years. He declined to comment on the specifics of Aiken’s medical issues, saying only that the Indians did their due diligence and felt good about selecting him.

Grant said the Indians also liked Aiken’s intangibles.

“That’s one of the things that really stands out with Brady is his character and work ethic and his commitment to getting better,” Grant said. “That’s something that definitely stood out in terms of his character and his willingness to return from here.”

After selecting Aiken, the Indians took two Florida high school pitchers, righthander Triston McKenzie and lefthander Juan Hillman. The trio of pitchers, all of whom rank in the top 51 on the BA 500, gives them an impressive haul if they are able to sign all three.

BA predraft reports:

Aiken jumped to the front of the 2014 draft class when his velocity ticked up during his senior season at Cathedral Catholic High in San Diego. The Astros selected him first overall and worked out an agreement to sign him for $6.5 million. That fell apart after a difference of opinion of what an MRI of his elbow taken in a post-draft physical showed, and Aiken ultimately turned down a reported $5 million deal, becoming the first No. 1 overall pick not to sign in more than 30 years. After considerable fallout from the ordeal, Aiken chose to pitch for IMG Academy's postgrad team along with Jacob Nix, whose own deal with the Astros was scuttled when Aiken's deal fell apart. Aiken threw just 13 pitches in his first start for IMG, however. He exited the game with an injury and had Tommy John surgery six days later. Aiken had no physical problems leading up to the 2014 draft and, when he was healthy, had as much promise as anyone. His fastball touched 97 mph and sat in the low 90s. He located the pitch well to both sides of the plate while mixing in a plus curveball, a promising changeup and a developing slider. He has a clean, fluid delivery, an ideal pitcher's frame and plenty of athleticism. Now, however, Aiken won't be able to pitch again until 2016 and is the biggest wildcard in the draft. What teams think of his medical reports and the deal that can be struck will determine when and where he goes.

McKenzie Ranked No. 51:

Scouts in South Florida have spent the spring watching McKenzie and Austin Smith, trying to determine which of the two high-profile, projectable high school righthanders in the area will be a better professional pitcher. Though Smith has seen his velocity tick up as many expected it would and McKenzie hasn't shown that kind of consistent improvement, a split camp remains. McKenzie is young for the class and won't turn 18 until August. That gives him more time to fill out his 6-foot-5, 160-pound frame and a chance to improve his velocity. He's worked hard to add strength, but some scouts wonder how much weight he'll ultimately be able to carry. If McKenzie does eventually fill out, there's plenty to dream on. His fastball gets up to 93 mph, but he more typically pitches in the upper 80s. He gets good depth on his curveball and both it and his changeup have above-average potential. He is a good athlete and has an easy delivery that allows him to throw strikes with his whole arsenal. McKenzie, a Vanderbilt commit, has an advanced feel for his craft. How his body develops as he gets older will determine whether he is able to reach his lofty ceiling.

Hillman ranked No. 50

In the last three years, Nick Gordon, Jesse Winker and Walker Weickel have all been drafted in the first 55 picks out of Olympia High School. This year, Hillman has a chance to join that group after starring for a team that began the year 25-0. Hillman transferred to Olympia for his sophomore year of high school. He has lived with Gordon since then and Tom Gordon, the former all-star and Nick's father, became his legal guardian. Hillman credits Gordon's tutelage for many of the strides he's made in the last few years. Hillman saw his velocity tick up last summer, as his fastball sat around 90 mph and touched 92. He hasn't pitched with that kind of fastball consistently this spring, more typically sitting 86-89 mph. His breaking ball looked better over the summer, when scouts thought it might develop into a plus offering, but it was inconsistent this spring. His changeup has always been ahead of his curve and earns above-average grades. There remains room for projection in Hillman's 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame, particularly because he didn't turn 18 until May. He has good athleticism, a quick arm and a clean delivery, making it easy to dream on his potential. He is committed to Central Florida.

Civ,

Who said Zimmer wasn't an impact prospect?

On McKenzie, I would not worry about his thin frame at present, look at Chris Sale and that guy eats like a horse.

Not sure if that comment was in response to me or not so just to be clear, I'm not crazy about the right handed hitters in our system. Zimmer ... and Bradley for that matter ... are both lefties.

Been pretty obvious around here that nobody liked our draft last year as much as me.

Love this draft! How can anyone not like Zimmer and Scheffeld?????

Zimmer response was to Hillbilly's post perhaps overinterpreted.

Many talented players came off the board in the first 75 picks of this year’s draft. Here’s a quick look at the top 10 available options for Day Two, according to players’ rankings in the BA 500, which are in parentheses.

1. Donny Everett, rhp, Clarksville (Tenn.) HS (No. 21)

Everett might be the hardest-throwing prep pitcher in this year’s class. He’s committed to Vanderbilt, so if he is not picked early on Tuesday, he may end up getting to campus.


2. Michael Matuella, rhp, Duke (No. 23)

Matuella entered the spring as a potential No. 1 overall pick, but inconsistency and injury pushed him back significantly. His stuff is outstanding, but scouts wonder if he can ever stay healthy long enough to last in a major league rotation. He had Tommy John surgery midway through the spring, so would likely not be able to pitch for Duke next season, should he return to school for a fourth year.


3. Dakota Chalmers, rhp, North Forsyth HS, Cumming, Ga. (No. 34)

Chalmers is oozing with projection, and scouts can dream on him as a potential middle-of-the-rotation arm. He is committed to Georgia.


4. Jalen Miller, ss, Riverwood International Charter, Sandy Springs, Ga. (No. 35)

Miller is a solid all-around talent with some feel for the barrel and a chance to stick at shortstop. He is committed to Clemson.


5. Jacob Nix, rhp, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (No. 37)

Nix made progress after going in the fifth round of last year’s draft, and should be an appealing option early on Tuesday.


6. Justin Hooper, lhp, De La Salle HS, Concord, Calif. (No. 39)

Hooper’s ceiling is as high as any prospect in the class. He battled some issues with consistency this spring, but he’s a 6-foot-7 lefthander with elite fastball velocity. Hooper is committed to UCLA.


7. Demi Orimoloye, of, St. Matthew HS, Orleans, Ontario, Canada (No. 41)

A dynamic athlete with a high ceiling both offensively and defensively, Orimoloye could be an early pick on Tuesday. He is committed to Oregon.


8. David Hill, rhp, San Diego (No. 44)

Hill asserted himself as one of the most polished pitchers in the college class this spring. His stuff isn’t explosive, but he can pitch in the low 90s and has feel for three average pitches.


9. Joe McCarthy, of, Virginia (No. 46)

McCarthy might have been in line to go earlier in the draft if not for a back injury that sidelined him for most of the season. He has been slow to return, but has shown progress in Virginia’s postseason run to the College World Series.


10. Kyle Molnar, rhp, Aliso Niguel HS, Aliso Viejo, Calif. (No. 53)

Molnar has battled issues with consistency, but he has the potential for three average or better pitches. Molnar is committed to UCLA.

So, did we draft Cameron Diaz yet??

No "perhaps" about it, Civ!

I love Zimmer.

And Bradley.

I really like Papi and Allen too even though their numbers are not good at the moment.

Hell, I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I love our entire draft from last year.

I just am not crazy about any of our right handed hitting prospects. They all strike out too much for my taste. Just my worthless opinion.

VT'er wrote:So, did we draft Cameron Diaz yet??

No, but I think we got Bo Derrick, I mean Bo Diaz!