Cleveland Sports Forum

Top two guys they picked they are going to have to fork over big bucks to sign so not sure why you're complaining. Some of the guys after them aren't going to take a lot but there is a pool of money allotted so it has to even out.

MLB BASEBALL DRAFT
2016 MLB Draft: Andrew Calica, OF, University of California-Santa Barbara
By John Sickels on Jun 2, 2016, 9:39a 3


Andrew Calica - Leah Calica
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So far we've covered prospects expected to go in the first two rounds in our series of draft reports; we'll continue to plow through those guys, but I want to mix in some of the sleepers as well. We'll begin that process with outfielder Andrew Calica of the University of California-Santa Barbara.

Why Andrew Calica? Well he's an interesting prospect for one thing, but I also managed to score a telephone interview with him earlier this week.

Calica is a 6-1, 195 pound switch-hitter, born March 5th, 1994. He was drafted in 2012 but didn't sign (more on that in a moment), then missed most of his freshman year with a back injury. He was successful in 2014 (.310/.408/.352 with 10 steals in 145 at-bats), then took off in 2015 (.329/.445/.424 with 15 steals) and boosted his stock further with a good run through the Cape Cod League. This year his batting average has dropped to just .262, but his walk rate is up, his strikeout rate is down, his isolated power is higher, he's stealing more bases, and his reputation with scouts has improved despite the lower batting average. He's hit .262/.446/.387 this year with 42 walks against 19 strikeouts in 191 at-bats, with 18 steals in 22 attempts.

I spoke with Andrew by telephone Tuesday.


Sickels: You were drafted in the 17th round by the Cleveland Indians in 2012. Why did you choose to attend college instead of sign out of high school? Did you come close to signing?

Calica: "That was one of the hardest decisions I had to make in my life. I saw it as a great opportunity either way. I could play for a great pro organization that really liked me, or I could get a good education and play for an up-and-coming college baseball program with a great atmosphere and a great coaching staff. It came down to whether I felt I was ready for pro ball, or whether I wanted to get my degree. Ultimately the package from the Indians wasn’t quite what I wanted so I decided to get started on my degree."




Your freshman year was limited by a back injury but you returned very effectively as a sophomore. What kind of rehab work did you do, and did you learn anything from the experience other than that back injuries are bad?



"Yeah, I had to redshirt my freshman year because of the back problem. It was really tough mentally because I couldn’t be there for my teammates, and the rehab itself was difficult physically. It was a growing experience though, I learned how to deal with adversity and disappointment. The rehab was long but it helped me grow and mature as a person and it made me a better player, too."




Your 2014 and 2015 seasons were successful but you weren’t drafted last spring. Instead you went to the Cape Cod League and hit .425/.480/.469. Was there anything in particularly that you did differently on the Cape? How difficult is it to switch back and forth from metal to wooden bats?

"To be honest I didn’t find much difficulty changing the bats, from metal to wood. I was in a good groove that spring and I understood a lot more about myself, how to make my approach work. I was able to carry that consistency to the Cape."


Were you disappointed that you didn’t get drafted last spring?

"Yeah, I was disappointed, I wanted to go out and get my career started. But the Cape helped me and now I look at it as being one step closer. I’m almost done with my political science degree and I’m glad for that but this year I want to go out and show what I can do in pro ball. I am ready to play."


You haven’t hit up to your normal standards with batting average in 2016 at just .262 but you are stealing bases , drawing walks, and actually showing more isolated power. Any major changes from last year?

"That’s true, the results with the batting average are not where I’d like them to be. But I still think I’m developing as a hitter. I’m showing more power this year and I’m having really good at-bats. I’m making contact, drawing more walks. By getting on base as much as possible I’m helping my team, even if the batting average isn’t where I’d like it. I understand my role now and what I’m good at. With UCSB I’ve learned the mental preparation and habituation that it takes to hit leadoff."

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Calica should get drafted this year, probably in the middle rounds though as a redshirt junior he still has some leverage. Overall he projects as a fourth outfielder but one who can get on base, do some damage on the bases, and field his position.

http://m.mlb.com/draft/tracker/#!ft=team&fv=cle

Full list of draftees

With their 9th round pick (#272 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected outfielder Hosea Nelson out of the Clarendon College (TX).

Born: 11/22/1996 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 210 – Bats: Left – Throws: Left

Jeff Ellis: Hosea Nelson is a Michigan kid who ended up at Clarendon College, which is a junior college in Texas. He had a scholarship out of high school to play for Oakland of the Horizon League, but changed his commitment after graduation to Wabash Valley where he struggled last year in limited play. He went from Wabash to Clarendon. As a sophomore he won the conference MVP with a slash line of .531/.606/1.020/1.626. He had 20 homeruns, 18 doubles, and 9 triples. He walked 27 times and struck out 30, so a near 1:1 ratio there as well. So if you look at numbers, does this mean power bat? No he is a 6’ athlete who feasted in a conference where many people do. He is an interesting statistical player who should sign for under slot, he is a fun gamble. The numbers are amazing, but he did not make even the deep lists for a single deep list for any scouting service. He is committed to North Florida which is not a big program, and as a top ten round pick will sign. He will certainly be a fun guy to follow just because of what he did at a small school. From what I found he is a strong kid with plus speed and the ability to play all three spots in the outfield.

Press Release: In the Ninth Round (#272), the Indians selected OF HOSEA NELSON. The Clarendon College (TX) product was named Western Junior College Athletic Conference MVP after batting .531 (104-196) with 18 2B, 9 3B, 20 HR and 100 RBI in 55 games. Hails from Detroit, MI.

With their 10th round pick (#302 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected shortstop Samad Taylor out of Corona High School (CA).

Born: 7/11/1998 – Height: 5’10” – Weight: 160 – Bats: Switch – Throws: Right

Jeff Ellis: Samad Taylor is another 17 year old kid for the Indians in this draft. He listed as a shortstop or second baseman. The athletic middle infielder is committed to Arizona, which could make him a hard sign. We have seen teams take risks in the tenth round on players, because the loss of pool money there would not be a big deal. He did not have a lot of exposure heading into the Area Code Games last year, because he was a home school kid as a junior. So he only got to play in a league with kids sitting out the high school season. He did very well in the Area Code Games, which helped to elevate his profile. The name of the game with Taylor is quick twitch athleticisms. He has good bat speed, quick hands, and runs well. The switch hitter has a chance to stick at short, but could also play second. The Indians could use more depth up the middle, and Taylor would give them quite the athlete there.

With their 11th round pick (#332 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected center fielder Andrew Calica out of the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Born: 3/5/1994 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 180 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right

Ranks:

Perfect Game: #251

Baseball America: #235

Jeff Ellis: I will forgive you if you don’t remember Andrew Calica an outfielder from the University of Santana Barbara. This is a redraft for the Indians who actually took Calica as a 17th round pick back in 2012. He was viewed as a top 200 player then, now he is still thought of well but not as high. This is the second Gaucho the Indians have taken after Shane Bieber on day 2. Calica plays centerfield and can hit. He was the batting champion on the Cape last year, a wooden bat league. While his average was down this year, he walked over two times for every strikeout and posted the best ISO of his career along with more home runs than he had shown in his previous three years. (This is not hard as he had 0, but still going from 0 over three years to four is nice growth) Calica is another center fielder for the Indians a guy with a little speed and the ability to get on base. Calica was one of the best seniors in this class, and a real solid pick up here.

With their 12th round pick (#362 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected right-handed pitcher Zach Plesac out of Ball State University.

Born: 1/21/1995 – Height: 6’3” – Weight: 200 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right

Ranks:

Perfect Game: #320

Jeff Ellis: Zach Plesac is the nephew of Dan Plesac and another player in this draft I got to see in person. He was a two-way player for Ball State often playing outfield when he was not pitching. I can tell you as a sophomore he was viewed as just as good if not better prospect than fellow MAC pitcher Eric Lauer. Lauer improved and became a first rounder while Plesac struggled with injuries and inconsistency. He is a big kid with the beginnings of two secondary pitches. The change is the better, and a fastball that sits mid 90’s. He showed improvement with his walk rate and strikeout rate this year before injury. A good athlete, he has an outside chance at being a back-end starter, but profiles best in the pen.

With their 13th round pick (#392 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected catcher Gavin Collins out of Mississippi State University.

Born: 7/17/1995 – Height: 5’11” – Weight: 200 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right

Jeff Ellis: Gavin Collins is the third college catcher for the Indians in this drafted who are focused on the position. He was a bigger name as a high school kid, who if not for an ankle injury in his first game at the start of his senior year might have been drafted. He is a solid catcher, who is projected to stay at the position. As a freshman he was the first All-SEC freshman catcher in Miss State’s long history. Collins finally played a full season this year for Miss St. and did not disappoint. He exploded with ten home runs after just having three his previous two years combined. He had a near one to one walk to strikeout ratio, 1.14. A solid defensive player, who has struggled with injuries he is certainly another interesting player for the Indians.

With their 14th round pick (#422 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected left fielder Mitch Longo out of Ohio University.

Born: 1/12/1995 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 185 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right

Ranks:

Baseball America: #473

Jeff Ellis: Mitch Longo is an outfielder out of Ohio University. He was a bigger name going into the year, and while the numbers are very good, the shrinking power is what caused him to go from a top ten round player to a guy after the 10th round. His homerun total was half of last year and his ISO was down 30 points. He is yet another player who is a high contact, low strikeout hitter for the Indians. The worst he has hit in three years at OU is .346, the most strike outs he has had was 19. He struck out just 9% of the time during his college career. He was a hitting machine with some gap power. He didn’t steal a lot of bases, isn’t a big speed guy, and will likely have to play left. Longo’s ability to hit is why he was drafted. He is very limited defensively and doesn’t present much power. He will go as far as his hit tool takes him.

With their 15th round pick (#752 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected catcher Zack Smith out of Eastern Wayne High School (NC).

Born: 11/14/1997 – Height: 6’1” – Weight: 190 – Bats: Left – Throws: Right

Jeff Ellis: Zack Smith is the first prep catcher the Indians have taken. He is the fourth catcher overall in the first 13 picks, and the second today. He is committed to UNC Charlotte. He seems to be a pretty solid athlete also playing shortstop at points, and pitching. I saw reports of him up sitting mid 80’s with his arm. So you know the arm is good enough for catcher. He seems to fit the mold for the Indians has a contact hitter and hard worked. I saw reports of very good bat speed as well. He is an interesting player to get since he pitched, and played the two most demanding positions on the field, shortstop and catcher.

With their 16th round pick (#482 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected left-handed pitcher Ben Krauth out of Kansas University.

Born: 3/10/1994 – Height: 6’0” – Weight: 180 – Bats: Left – Throws: Left

Jeff Ellis: Ben Krauth is a six foot left handed senior for the Jayhawks. He transferred there from Diablo Valley where he pitched his first two years. He is the second player from Kansas the Indians have drafted. He doesn’t throw hard, sitting the in 80’s at most nights, but his change comes out more than 10 MPH slower and fools hitters. It is why he was able to post a strikeout rate over 10. The question, of course, is while it worked in the Big 12 will it have success in the minors working with such low velocity. He apparently also has a very good pick off move, using it effectively in games. Krauth is a pitcher, he has worked to get where he is, and is a guy who might have a chance as a reliever down the road, based on the strength of his change up.

With their 17th round pick (#512 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected left-handed pitcher Trenton Brooks out of the University of Nevada, Reno.

Born: 7/3/1995 – Height: 6'0” – Weight: 180 – Bats: Left – Throws: Left

Jeff Ellis: Trenton Brooks is a two way player who has played outfield and pitched for the Wolfpack. This year he was a starter full time making 15 starts as well as playing in 58 games as a hitter. As a pitcher he had a walk rate under three, so he would have fit what we have seen the Indians target in terms of pitchers. He has never been a big home run guy, but has posted a good ISO numbers because of consistent gap power and hitting a lot of doubles. He is similar to a lot of the Indians picks so far as he walks more than he strikes out, hits left handed, and doesn’t post big strikeout numbers in general. He was up for the John Olerud award for two way players and won the first ever Mountain West Tony Gwynn Player for the Year trophy as a sophomore. I think you hope that when he focuses just on hitting that he can have a little more growth potential than your typical college junior.

You may notice a theme here. Hitters and Pitchers both with good K/BB ratios. It's almost as if I was drafting. I love that.

With their 18th round pick (#542 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected left-handed pitcher Raymond Burgos out of Pedro Falu Orellano High School (PR).

Born: 11/29/1998 – Height: 6’5” – Weight: 170 – Bats: Left – Throws: Left

Jeff Ellis: Raymond Burgos is a 6’5”, 175 pound, left-handed high schooler from Puerto Rico and one of the most interesting players the Indians have taken today. Burgos is only 17 and obviously with a kid this young and big there is a lot of growth potential. He is committed to Florida A&M. He sits in the mid to high 80’s right now but it is easy to think that he will add velocity as he gets bigger. He throws from a three quarters slot, and like the guys the Indians drafted last year is an athlete with good feel for his pitches, just not a thrower with big velocity. Burgos is an upside pick at this point, and would be a very interesting addition to the Indians minors.

With their 19th round pick (#572 overall) in the 2016 Draft the Cleveland Indians have selected right-handed pitcher Dakody Clemmer out of Central Arizona College.

Born: 1/19/1996 – Height: 6’2” – Weight: 200 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right

Ranks:

Baseball America: #236

Jeff Ellis: Dakody Clemmer is 6’2” right-handed pitcher from Central Arizona. He is just a sophomore but is draft eligible since he pitches in the JUCO ranks. He has flashed at central Arizona thanks to the fact he touches 95. He struck out more than a batter an inning this year, though the rest of the numbers I dug up were more so-so. I think the profile is that of a reliever with the velocity and the hope that it could play up even more in the pen. When you look at the youth and the velocity, there is a chance they could get a useful pen arm down the road if they can sign Clemmer. He is committed to play at the University of Nevada next year if he doesn’t sign.