And the latest and last Mock Draft has us taking a different pitcher:
14. INDIANS: Cleveland will go for upside and has focused on the prep class at the top, with them seen as a potential landing point for Groome and Matt Manning. They focus on age as a determining factor with preps, and Rutherford is old for the class. Groome has as much risk or more than Brady Aiken had last year, but getting a potential No. 1 overall talent at 14 could prove too tempting for the Tribe, even if Groome proves a very tough sign. PICK: Jason Groome, lhp |
Let me find who he is.
Re: Draft Folder
692Apparently he's good enough to be under consideration as the first pick:
"The Phillies, picking first this year for the first time since 1998, also don’t appear to have a set pick. Philadelphia appears to have settled on a group that includes outfielders Mickey Moniak and Blake Rutherford, preps from Southern California; colliegians Kyle Lewis (Mercer) and Corey Ray (Louisville); prep lefty Jason Groome; and lefty A.J. Puk of Florida"
And he's listed as a possible pick by BA by various other teams who draft ahead of Cleveland.
"If Groome doesn’t find a home, he’s said to be heading to junior college rather than Vanderbilt"
"The Phillies, picking first this year for the first time since 1998, also don’t appear to have a set pick. Philadelphia appears to have settled on a group that includes outfielders Mickey Moniak and Blake Rutherford, preps from Southern California; colliegians Kyle Lewis (Mercer) and Corey Ray (Louisville); prep lefty Jason Groome; and lefty A.J. Puk of Florida"
And he's listed as a possible pick by BA by various other teams who draft ahead of Cleveland.
"If Groome doesn’t find a home, he’s said to be heading to junior college rather than Vanderbilt"
Re: Draft Folder
693A long article on Groome published today:
arly in the year, lefthander Jason Groome was one of the favorites to go first overall in the 2016 MLB draft. MLB Pipeline still has the hard-throwing young left-hander as the No. 1 overall draft prospect. Yet in recent weeks, questions about Groome's maturity and status has seen his stock slipping, with a recent Baseball America mock draft dropping Groome all the way down to 14th. This opens up the possibility that he'll be available for the Detroit Tigers' consideration with the No. 9 overall selection. Whether the Tigers would, or could, meet his signing bonus demands is another question entirely.
Groome stands out as perhaps the finest combination of power and polish of any high school arm in the draft. He has velocity to burn, particularly for a lefthander, and already has a fine curveball to back up the heat. The 17-year-old produces that high octane fastball with a smooth, easy delivery, relying on a 6'6, 220-pound frame and solid mechanics. That frame and delivery impress most as the ideal combination to make Groome a durable, hard-throwing starting pitcher with consistent, repeatable mechanics.
John Sickels of Minor League Ball has nothing but glowing reviews for Groome.
Talent-wise he stands out as an outstanding prospect, a 6-6 lefty with a smooth delivery and a fastball up to 95-96 MPH; easy low-effort heat, as they say. He has a very impressive curveball. He has a change-up that is very good for a high school pitcher. He has no red flags with his command, his mechanics are about as good as they can be for his size and age, and his pitching instincts are as good as his stuff. There are no concerns about his make-up, either.
Minor League Ball had Groome going to the Atlanta Braves with the third overall pick in their recent mock draft.
ESPN's Keith Law watched Groome in person this spring and came away equally impressed.
At whatever effort level Groome was throwing on Tuesday, his delivery looked great, as he stays over the rubber a long time, takes a long step-over stride, and gets some extension over his front side. He threw strikes all day, and his command of the curveball was especially impressive and further along than his command of the fastball.
Just about everything you read about Jason Groome as a pitcher sounds the same highly positive notes. However, the Philadelphia Phillies already seem to have written him off in terms of their number one overall pick. MLB Pipeline's Jason Mayo seems convinced on that front.
...while many thought it would be a great story to take Groome, the local kid from South Jersey, the combination of risk involving high school pitching in general and some concerns about Groome's makeup have likely made the Phillies remove him from their list.
Since no specifics are offered to explain these recent whispers about his makeup or maturity, it's difficult to discern if there's any fire there, or if this is simply the smoke and subterfuge that surrounds any highly ranked prospect as the draft approaches.
In Law's opinion, Groome's maturity, or lack thereof, has nothing to do with the Phillies' decision.
The one interesting thing this is they appear to be out on Jason Groome, who is the local left-handed pitcher from Barnegat, New Jersey, who's one of the best players in the draft. I think the main thing for the Phillies is they just don't want to take a high school pitcher at the top.
The real issue with Groome, and the reason his draft stock may be rapidly plummeting, are likely the recent indications that he is unwilling to sign if he's picked outside of the top few spots in the draft. Reports have also indicated that his agent, Jeff Randazzo, has suggested a $4 million signing bonus for his client, which is exorbitant for all but the top few picks.
A recent switch in college commitment is also fueling the rumor mill surrounded the young lefty. Groome committed to attend Vanderbilt University back in 2014. Had he gone that route, he would be ineligible for the draft for the next two years (until after his junior season). That all changed in the past few days as Groome reportedly has de-committed from Vanderbilt, opting instead to attend junior college baseball power Chipola College in Florida.
The move would allow Groome to attend Chipola for one year and re-enter the draft in 2017 in hopes of being picked first off the board. In that position, Groome and his management can look for the highest signing bonus possible, and simply pass should he slip out of the top position on draft day. The question is whether that move is in response to his falling draft stock, or part of the reason teams are rumored to be shying away from him in the first place.
Groome was suspended for 30 days earlier this spring because of eligibility issues in New Jersey after transferring to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL for a semester. Because he hadn't officially changed his address during these transfers, Groome was ruled ineligible and served the suspension from the baseball program as a result.
As a result of all this, Groome's status is now a bit of a mystery. Certainly it's hard to envision a scenario where he ends up signing with the Tigers, even if he falls to them. The promise of a pitcher whose potential is drawing comparisons to Clayton Kershaw will make for a tricky decision for teams in the top 10. The Tigers may well get their shot at drafting him, but the odds of him signing on for the substantially smaller signing bonuses available beyond the top two or three picks seem low. Right now, it's anyone's guess.
arly in the year, lefthander Jason Groome was one of the favorites to go first overall in the 2016 MLB draft. MLB Pipeline still has the hard-throwing young left-hander as the No. 1 overall draft prospect. Yet in recent weeks, questions about Groome's maturity and status has seen his stock slipping, with a recent Baseball America mock draft dropping Groome all the way down to 14th. This opens up the possibility that he'll be available for the Detroit Tigers' consideration with the No. 9 overall selection. Whether the Tigers would, or could, meet his signing bonus demands is another question entirely.
Groome stands out as perhaps the finest combination of power and polish of any high school arm in the draft. He has velocity to burn, particularly for a lefthander, and already has a fine curveball to back up the heat. The 17-year-old produces that high octane fastball with a smooth, easy delivery, relying on a 6'6, 220-pound frame and solid mechanics. That frame and delivery impress most as the ideal combination to make Groome a durable, hard-throwing starting pitcher with consistent, repeatable mechanics.
John Sickels of Minor League Ball has nothing but glowing reviews for Groome.
Talent-wise he stands out as an outstanding prospect, a 6-6 lefty with a smooth delivery and a fastball up to 95-96 MPH; easy low-effort heat, as they say. He has a very impressive curveball. He has a change-up that is very good for a high school pitcher. He has no red flags with his command, his mechanics are about as good as they can be for his size and age, and his pitching instincts are as good as his stuff. There are no concerns about his make-up, either.
Minor League Ball had Groome going to the Atlanta Braves with the third overall pick in their recent mock draft.
ESPN's Keith Law watched Groome in person this spring and came away equally impressed.
At whatever effort level Groome was throwing on Tuesday, his delivery looked great, as he stays over the rubber a long time, takes a long step-over stride, and gets some extension over his front side. He threw strikes all day, and his command of the curveball was especially impressive and further along than his command of the fastball.
Just about everything you read about Jason Groome as a pitcher sounds the same highly positive notes. However, the Philadelphia Phillies already seem to have written him off in terms of their number one overall pick. MLB Pipeline's Jason Mayo seems convinced on that front.
...while many thought it would be a great story to take Groome, the local kid from South Jersey, the combination of risk involving high school pitching in general and some concerns about Groome's makeup have likely made the Phillies remove him from their list.
Since no specifics are offered to explain these recent whispers about his makeup or maturity, it's difficult to discern if there's any fire there, or if this is simply the smoke and subterfuge that surrounds any highly ranked prospect as the draft approaches.
In Law's opinion, Groome's maturity, or lack thereof, has nothing to do with the Phillies' decision.
The one interesting thing this is they appear to be out on Jason Groome, who is the local left-handed pitcher from Barnegat, New Jersey, who's one of the best players in the draft. I think the main thing for the Phillies is they just don't want to take a high school pitcher at the top.
The real issue with Groome, and the reason his draft stock may be rapidly plummeting, are likely the recent indications that he is unwilling to sign if he's picked outside of the top few spots in the draft. Reports have also indicated that his agent, Jeff Randazzo, has suggested a $4 million signing bonus for his client, which is exorbitant for all but the top few picks.
A recent switch in college commitment is also fueling the rumor mill surrounded the young lefty. Groome committed to attend Vanderbilt University back in 2014. Had he gone that route, he would be ineligible for the draft for the next two years (until after his junior season). That all changed in the past few days as Groome reportedly has de-committed from Vanderbilt, opting instead to attend junior college baseball power Chipola College in Florida.
The move would allow Groome to attend Chipola for one year and re-enter the draft in 2017 in hopes of being picked first off the board. In that position, Groome and his management can look for the highest signing bonus possible, and simply pass should he slip out of the top position on draft day. The question is whether that move is in response to his falling draft stock, or part of the reason teams are rumored to be shying away from him in the first place.
Groome was suspended for 30 days earlier this spring because of eligibility issues in New Jersey after transferring to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL for a semester. Because he hadn't officially changed his address during these transfers, Groome was ruled ineligible and served the suspension from the baseball program as a result.
As a result of all this, Groome's status is now a bit of a mystery. Certainly it's hard to envision a scenario where he ends up signing with the Tigers, even if he falls to them. The promise of a pitcher whose potential is drawing comparisons to Clayton Kershaw will make for a tricky decision for teams in the top 10. The Tigers may well get their shot at drafting him, but the odds of him signing on for the substantially smaller signing bonuses available beyond the top two or three picks seem low. Right now, it's anyone's guess.
Re: Draft Folder
694If anyone cares, and I cannot say that I actually do myself, here is the latest and finally last Mock Draft, This time they have us taking an OF:
14. INDIANS: Taylor Trammell, of. Who's he? I can look up writeup from a previous mock draft but it doesn't really make any difference who he is unless we actually draft him.
14. INDIANS: Taylor Trammell, of. Who's he? I can look up writeup from a previous mock draft but it doesn't really make any difference who he is unless we actually draft him.
Re: Draft Folder
695previous version had Trammell going a spot or two earlier to Boston:
"Prep outfielders are a risky genre, but Boston is seeing the fruits of what an athletic outfielder can do with Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts"
[Indians are probably getting a winner among HS OFs with Frazier. Manny was too of course. But there are only so many Mannys]
previous to that, Trammell was NO. 22 to the Pirates.
previous to that, Trammell noted as an option for Cleveland but was expected to go to Pittsburgh with these comments: "One contact bat available here could be Taylor Trammell, a prep outfielder from Georgia with plus-plus speed and the ability to play center field" [Will we go for our 4th CF in the last 5 years?]
previous to that, Trammell was tabbed to go No. 30 to the Royals. He's been moving up the projections pretty steadily, although I don't know if he's considered more signable now or if he had a great spring.
and in the first of these Mock Drafts Trammell didn't fit at all
"Prep outfielders are a risky genre, but Boston is seeing the fruits of what an athletic outfielder can do with Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts"
[Indians are probably getting a winner among HS OFs with Frazier. Manny was too of course. But there are only so many Mannys]
previous to that, Trammell was NO. 22 to the Pirates.
previous to that, Trammell noted as an option for Cleveland but was expected to go to Pittsburgh with these comments: "One contact bat available here could be Taylor Trammell, a prep outfielder from Georgia with plus-plus speed and the ability to play center field" [Will we go for our 4th CF in the last 5 years?]
previous to that, Trammell was tabbed to go No. 30 to the Royals. He's been moving up the projections pretty steadily, although I don't know if he's considered more signable now or if he had a great spring.
and in the first of these Mock Drafts Trammell didn't fit at all
Re: Draft Folder
697here are a couple other experts who both agree we'll draft Zach Collins. And who may he be? A catcher at University of Miami.
Here's BA report on him:
Collins has had a prolific career at Miami since deciding to attend school and pass on signing with the Reds as a 27th round pick in 2013. He was the Freshman of the Year in 2014 and continued producing at an elite rate throughout his career for the Hurricanes. Through April, he was hitting .417/.580/.713 with nine home runs while serving as Miami's regular catcher. Collins has plus power, and does a good job of getting to it in game action. He has excellent plate discipline, working counts and waiting for pitches that he can drive. He has walked twice as often as he has struck out this spring. Coming into the year, many doubted Collins' ability to stay behind the plate as a professional. But he has shown marked improvement this spring. While it's unlikely he'll ever be an above-average defender, he has enough catch-and-throw skills to give him a chance to catch as a professional. Thanks to his improved catching skills and another big spring at the plate, Collins looks like a likely first-round pick.
Here's BA report on him:
Collins has had a prolific career at Miami since deciding to attend school and pass on signing with the Reds as a 27th round pick in 2013. He was the Freshman of the Year in 2014 and continued producing at an elite rate throughout his career for the Hurricanes. Through April, he was hitting .417/.580/.713 with nine home runs while serving as Miami's regular catcher. Collins has plus power, and does a good job of getting to it in game action. He has excellent plate discipline, working counts and waiting for pitches that he can drive. He has walked twice as often as he has struck out this spring. Coming into the year, many doubted Collins' ability to stay behind the plate as a professional. But he has shown marked improvement this spring. While it's unlikely he'll ever be an above-average defender, he has enough catch-and-throw skills to give him a chance to catch as a professional. Thanks to his improved catching skills and another big spring at the plate, Collins looks like a likely first-round pick.
Re: Draft Folder
699We drafted Will Benson. Who is committed to Duke. Will require hefty signing bonus. Kinda surprised people.
He's a big athletic dude. 6'5" 220 but can run. Draws comparisons to Jason Heyward.
Plays RF and 1B
He's a big athletic dude. 6'5" 220 but can run. Draws comparisons to Jason Heyward.
Plays RF and 1B
Re: Draft Folder
700Will Benson - OF - Indians
Indians pick high school outfielder Will Benson 14th overall in the draft.
The 6-foot-5 Benson has some of the best tools in the draft, though he'll also be one of the first round's biggest projects. He should turn into a slugging right fielder in time, though he could start out in center.
He'll probably strike out a lot early on in his pro career.
Indians pick high school outfielder Will Benson 14th overall in the draft.
The 6-foot-5 Benson has some of the best tools in the draft, though he'll also be one of the first round's biggest projects. He should turn into a slugging right fielder in time, though he could start out in center.
He'll probably strike out a lot early on in his pro career.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
701Scouts love Benson's bat speed and he has a lot of power potential in his 6'5, 220-pound frame. He has the typical build of a right fielder (hence the Heyward comp), but depending on how he fills out into that big frame, he could also turn into a very athletic first baseman. As anyone who has watched the Indians' first base position prior to the Mike Napoli joining the team should know, athleticism at first base matters.
Assuming he signs with the Indians, Benson will join an already loaded outfield system with the likes of Bradley Zimmer, Clint Frazier set to debut soon and 25-year-old Tyler Naquin already making an impact at the major league level.
Assuming he signs with the Indians, Benson will join an already loaded outfield system with the likes of Bradley Zimmer, Clint Frazier set to debut soon and 25-year-old Tyler Naquin already making an impact at the major league level.
Re: Draft Folder
702Harold Reynolds called him the best athlete (guess he played hoops) in the draft. His size is unreal for a soon to be 18 year old.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
703Great stuff, thanks HB
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
704With their 1st round pick (#14 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected outfielder Will Benson out of the Westminster Schools (GA).
Born: 6/16/1998 – Height: 6’5” – Weight: 215 – Bats: Left – Throws: Left
Ranks:
Scout.com: #38
Baseball America: #28
Perfect Game: #46
Keith Law: #25
MLB.com: #38
Tony’s take: The Indians made a very interesting pick with their first selection in the 2016 Draft taking a guy who was a lot lower on our Scout.com Big Board and on most other national boards as well. But the Indians have proven of late they have a formula they stick to and like athletes who play up the middle, and Benson is about as good an athlete as you are going to find coming out of this draft. The most common comparison thrown around as far as Major League potential goes is Jason Heyward, which is an impressive comp and one that should make a lot of Indians fans salivate about his potential patrolling the Indians outfield a few years down the road. Not only is he athletic, but he has some good raw power with above average power potential and is a solid runner. This is a guy who very well could be the right fielder of the future for the Indians if he develops and performs all the way through the minors and reaches the big leagues. But while the ceiling is very high, the floor is also very low right now as he is extremely raw and there is a ton of risk with this pick considering he may never find a consistent approach and hit tool. This is going to be an interesting pick to revisit three to four years from now and see how it shakes out.
Jeff Ellis: For the first time in a few years, I am not a fan of the first pick the Indians made. He is a great kid and he is a big kid, but he needs work on his swing and will likely spend the whole year in Arizona. He needs a lot of work. He was 38th overall on my board and the first player taken who was not in my top 30 players. On top of this he was rumored to have one of the bigger bonus demands in this class at $4 million, which is over one million over slot for the position. The common comp for Benson is Jason Heyward which I find extremely lazy. Heyward is an average power great defense right fielder. Benson might end up at first and have power but struggle to hit. He is very aggressive and plate discipline is also an issue. He is a young, hardworking kid with a high ceiling but this was too early and costs too much to me. The ceiling is high but I thought he was one of the riskiest players in the entire draft.
Press Release: Benson, who will turn 18 on June 16, is a high school prospect who attended The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound athlete played in 35 games across his senior season for the Wildcats, batting .454 (44-97) with 11 doubles, 8 home runs, 41 RBI and a 1.380 OPS (.566 OBP/.814 SLG). The left-handed batter and thrower also drew 29 walks against 11 strikeouts, going 11-for-12 in stolen base attempts. Benson was named to the 2016 Rawlings Perfect Game All-American First Team after appearing in the 2015 Team USA Baseball Tournament of Stars summer showcase, as well as the Under Armour All-America game last August at Wrigley Field in Chicago. His selection to the USA 18U National Team included a trip to the WBSC 18U Baseball World Cup in Nishinomiya, Japan.
Benson, also a standout player on the Westminster basketball team, has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Duke University baseball program.
Recent high school position players selected by Cleveland in the First Round have also included SS Francisco Lindor (2011) and OF Clint Frazier (2013).
Born: 6/16/1998 – Height: 6’5” – Weight: 215 – Bats: Left – Throws: Left
Ranks:
Scout.com: #38
Baseball America: #28
Perfect Game: #46
Keith Law: #25
MLB.com: #38
Tony’s take: The Indians made a very interesting pick with their first selection in the 2016 Draft taking a guy who was a lot lower on our Scout.com Big Board and on most other national boards as well. But the Indians have proven of late they have a formula they stick to and like athletes who play up the middle, and Benson is about as good an athlete as you are going to find coming out of this draft. The most common comparison thrown around as far as Major League potential goes is Jason Heyward, which is an impressive comp and one that should make a lot of Indians fans salivate about his potential patrolling the Indians outfield a few years down the road. Not only is he athletic, but he has some good raw power with above average power potential and is a solid runner. This is a guy who very well could be the right fielder of the future for the Indians if he develops and performs all the way through the minors and reaches the big leagues. But while the ceiling is very high, the floor is also very low right now as he is extremely raw and there is a ton of risk with this pick considering he may never find a consistent approach and hit tool. This is going to be an interesting pick to revisit three to four years from now and see how it shakes out.
Jeff Ellis: For the first time in a few years, I am not a fan of the first pick the Indians made. He is a great kid and he is a big kid, but he needs work on his swing and will likely spend the whole year in Arizona. He needs a lot of work. He was 38th overall on my board and the first player taken who was not in my top 30 players. On top of this he was rumored to have one of the bigger bonus demands in this class at $4 million, which is over one million over slot for the position. The common comp for Benson is Jason Heyward which I find extremely lazy. Heyward is an average power great defense right fielder. Benson might end up at first and have power but struggle to hit. He is very aggressive and plate discipline is also an issue. He is a young, hardworking kid with a high ceiling but this was too early and costs too much to me. The ceiling is high but I thought he was one of the riskiest players in the entire draft.
Press Release: Benson, who will turn 18 on June 16, is a high school prospect who attended The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound athlete played in 35 games across his senior season for the Wildcats, batting .454 (44-97) with 11 doubles, 8 home runs, 41 RBI and a 1.380 OPS (.566 OBP/.814 SLG). The left-handed batter and thrower also drew 29 walks against 11 strikeouts, going 11-for-12 in stolen base attempts. Benson was named to the 2016 Rawlings Perfect Game All-American First Team after appearing in the 2015 Team USA Baseball Tournament of Stars summer showcase, as well as the Under Armour All-America game last August at Wrigley Field in Chicago. His selection to the USA 18U National Team included a trip to the WBSC 18U Baseball World Cup in Nishinomiya, Japan.
Benson, also a standout player on the Westminster basketball team, has signed a National Letter of Intent with the Duke University baseball program.
Recent high school position players selected by Cleveland in the First Round have also included SS Francisco Lindor (2011) and OF Clint Frazier (2013).