MLB Draft

Ecbucs · Post by **Ecbucs** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 12:40 pm

476A67767160773734050 wrote: Not impressed with the Jebb pick. They continue to pile up middle infielders.

I wondered about this too. At that spot, I would rather go for someone with power. Either they really like him and or think they can save money on him. MLB had him ranked at 46 so he is probably expecting to get a bonus of at least the slot amount for that pick.

ChillinStation · Post by **ChillinStation** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 1:22 pm

Zander Mueth !

Pirates draft a 6`6 TE

The plan is to win 1-0 , 2-1 with pitching.

You still need to score !!!!

ChillinStation · Post by **ChillinStation** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 1:38 pm

Skenes seems a bit nerdy and comes off like a real nice guy. Has an Andrew Luck QB type of vibe. Not sure if I like that?

MaineBucs · Post by **MaineBucs** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 6:51 pm

Draft continues today.

Checked in on the Bucs' picks through Round 3 (Garrett Forester, College 3rd baseman from Oregon State), and Round 4 (Carlson Reed, a college right-handed reliever from West Virginia).

I know that talent is talent, but it sure would be nice to see the Bucs drafting a left-handed pitcher. Some highly ranked pitchers were still available when the Bucs drafted both Forester and Reed, and some even threw from the left side.

ChillinStation · Post by **ChillinStation** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:15 pm

These lower picks all seem to be over drafts by rankings. Need a big thumper.

Ecbucs · Post by **Ecbucs** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:19 pm

I know the rankings on MLB are not necessarily accurate but it looks like every pick the Bucs have made except for Skenes is rated lower than where the Bucs selected them. Jebb is closest as he was rated 46 and picked 42.

Is it likely that they expect to sign a lot of these guys for below slot?

Even if they do, how much can they really save on bonus pool? 750K?

MaineBucs · Post by **MaineBucs** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:22 pm

When the Bucs signed Skenes one of the thoughts was that the Pirates were trying to save money so they could pursue players who may command a higher bonus. Well, through their first 6 picks 5 are college juniors/seniors and only their 2nd round compensation pick was a high school pitcher. In short, the picks they have made to date strike me as players who will readily sign for slot or below slot.

MaineBucs · Post by **MaineBucs** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:45 pm

Hey, we get a college lefty in the 6th round. Rated as the 197th best prospect. That said, what stood out to me in the following summary is how little he pitched this year. Slot value of $351,400. Strikes me as a good payday for how little he pitched because his team didn't trust his control.

Hunter Furtado

LHP, Alabama

AGE 21 DOB 02/18/2002

HT 6' 4" WT 210

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Coached by former big leaguers Brad Wilkerson and Jarrod Saltalamacchia at The King's Academy (West Palm Beach, Fla.), Furtado spent a season at Wake Forest before transferring to Alabama. He has enjoyed only sporadic success, in large part because he lacks control and command. But he did throw five shutout innings at the Southeastern Conference tournament in a rare start and could sneak into the first five rounds in a Draft short on college lefties.

Furtado throws harder than most southpaws, working with a 93-96 mph fastball that reaches 98. He's 6-foot-4 and has a high arm slot, and his heater works well with carry up in the strike zone but tends to get hit when he operates lower in the zone. His best offering is a low-80s slider that combines sweep and depth, and it has so much life that he sometimes has trouble landing it for strikes.

Furtado also can gets swings-and-misses with a 78-81 mph changeup with sink but struggles to locate it as well. He has a simple delivery but gets out of sync too easily and loses his ability to put his pitches where he wants them. The Crimson Tide only trusted him with 9 2/3 innings in regular-season SEC play, during which he posted a 11.17 ERA, but the ingredients are there for more success if he can add some polish.

UtahPirate · Post by **UtahPirate** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:03 pm

1E323A3D3611263020530 wrote: When the Bucs signed Skenes one of the thoughts was that the Pirates were trying to save money so they could pursue players who may command a higher bonus. Well, through their first 6 picks 5 are college juniors/seniors and only their 2nd round compensation pick was a high school pitcher. In short, the picks they have made to date strike me as players who will readily sign for slot or below slot.

I keep looking for that hard to sign jewel, but so far the last three rounds are hard-throwing and under achieving college relievers who should all sign for under slot. Seems like Mueth is a target for them, but that's about it so far.

Read that Skenes will get just over $9 million.

MaineBucs · Post by **MaineBucs** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 8:47 pm

Seems like a rather bland draft after Skenes. A raft of college pitchers who seem like easy (slot or below) signs. Still waiting for an overreach; a high school player who is committed to college but decides to take a pay day and start a baseball career.