My review of different draft previews indicates a pretty solid consensus for the top five draft choices. If so, the Bucs will likely choose one of the following:
Nick Gonzales 2B
Heston Kyerstad OF
Reid Detmers LP
Max Meyers RP
Patrick Bailey C
Although all of these guys has promising upside, I am guessing Kyerstad, a power-hitting lefty from Arkansas. Anyone have an insight?
Draft prediction
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Draft prediction
max meyer and Garret Crochet are two I like but Detmers gets deacribed as good chance mid rotation guy so no but Heston could work
Draft prediction
Torkelsen, Martin, and Lacy are certain to be gone.
Various mock drafts have scenarios where one of Hancock, Veen, or Gonzales drops to us. I'd take any of those guys, in the order I listed them, as they all have allstar upside.
Hancock has slid a bit because his start to the college season was only good and not spectacular. But he was spoken of for the #1 overall pick. He is a potential TOR guy, and for the Bucs, they need to develop them since they can't sign them as FA's, and the cost is too high to trade for them (see Archer, Chris).
Veen has been compared to Cory Bellinger both for his size and lefty swing and for his tool set. Middle of the order thumpers are the next most valuable commodity that needs to be developed.
Gonzales worries me a tad. I was all in on Will Craig a few years back based on his outrageous college production. That said, he had some red flags - didn't hit well with wood bats, away from Wake Forest's home field, or against Fri/Sat starters. Gonzales has hit well with wood bats on Cape Cod which also mitigates concerns about NM altitudes fattening his stats. But his exit velos aren't that great. Aside from that, he just hits and with a lot of pop for a guy his size and a MIF.
After those guys, it's more of a toss up for me. I wouldn't go with one of the college pitchers that only projects as a mid-rotation guy. You can get them in plenty of places other than #7 overall. I'm coming around on UCLA OF Mitchell. He's got tools galore. The knock is a lack of game power and his age (almost 22). But he reminds me of Austin Meadows. Meadows didn't show significant game power until 2018, and he was a year or two older than Mitchell at that point. He could advance quickly.
Kjersted could be the guy as a potential thumper. He should also be fine in a corner OF spot. But his hit tool isn't that strong, so I worry that his ceiling is a #5 or #6 in a lineup.
I'm not excited about the idea of taking Bailey as it seems a bit of a reach. I'm hoping Dingler, the Ohio St C, is available at 31.
I would be okay with taking any of Abel, Kelly, Bitsko, Hendrick, Howard, or Hassell for their upside.
In the end, I really hope either Hancock or Veen somehow falls to them tomorrow night and then Dingler is there at #31. Ideally, Jordan Walker is there in the 2nd round - especially if they get Hancock, but I doubt Walker lasts that long.
Various mock drafts have scenarios where one of Hancock, Veen, or Gonzales drops to us. I'd take any of those guys, in the order I listed them, as they all have allstar upside.
Hancock has slid a bit because his start to the college season was only good and not spectacular. But he was spoken of for the #1 overall pick. He is a potential TOR guy, and for the Bucs, they need to develop them since they can't sign them as FA's, and the cost is too high to trade for them (see Archer, Chris).
Veen has been compared to Cory Bellinger both for his size and lefty swing and for his tool set. Middle of the order thumpers are the next most valuable commodity that needs to be developed.
Gonzales worries me a tad. I was all in on Will Craig a few years back based on his outrageous college production. That said, he had some red flags - didn't hit well with wood bats, away from Wake Forest's home field, or against Fri/Sat starters. Gonzales has hit well with wood bats on Cape Cod which also mitigates concerns about NM altitudes fattening his stats. But his exit velos aren't that great. Aside from that, he just hits and with a lot of pop for a guy his size and a MIF.
After those guys, it's more of a toss up for me. I wouldn't go with one of the college pitchers that only projects as a mid-rotation guy. You can get them in plenty of places other than #7 overall. I'm coming around on UCLA OF Mitchell. He's got tools galore. The knock is a lack of game power and his age (almost 22). But he reminds me of Austin Meadows. Meadows didn't show significant game power until 2018, and he was a year or two older than Mitchell at that point. He could advance quickly.
Kjersted could be the guy as a potential thumper. He should also be fine in a corner OF spot. But his hit tool isn't that strong, so I worry that his ceiling is a #5 or #6 in a lineup.
I'm not excited about the idea of taking Bailey as it seems a bit of a reach. I'm hoping Dingler, the Ohio St C, is available at 31.
I would be okay with taking any of Abel, Kelly, Bitsko, Hendrick, Howard, or Hassell for their upside.
In the end, I really hope either Hancock or Veen somehow falls to them tomorrow night and then Dingler is there at #31. Ideally, Jordan Walker is there in the 2nd round - especially if they get Hancock, but I doubt Walker lasts that long.