It’s amazing to me. Yesterday, June 11th was the first Atlanta Braves game I have gone to this season. Looking back over the years, I would say I probably average 20 games a season at Turner Field, and the two times in my 13 years here that I missed Opening Day, I made it to Opening Weekend.
Grant it, I have been busy with more work and family life than I have ever been, but there is no denying that some of that has to do with the product on the field. Yesterday reminded me of one thing, however.
The New York Yankees selected Chance Adams in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB draft. His remarkable transformation from reliever to starter in less that a calendar year has made it time to take notice of the Yankees 21-year-old T-Yanks ace.
The Philadelphia Phillies have surprisingly competed thus far in 2016, and it has been in large part due to the youth rebellion within their system. Aaron Nola is the ace of a young and upcoming staff, while names Odubel Herrera and Tommy Joseph are leading the charge on offense. After a few quality drafts and an offseason of successful trades saw them revamp their farm system, they have a bevy of young stars on the pipeline as well.
The New York Yankees did pretty well on the first day of the MLB Draft. They were able to lock up a top five talent, while getting one of the more unheralded middle infield bats in the draft.
The MLB Draft is just a day away. Most of the high school and college players that are going to go in the first two rounds are household names at this point. But what about the diamonds in the rough? What about the Division II and Division III players that may be looking for their big break?
Last season saw 84 Division II athletes get taken in the draft, while 11 hailed from Division III. Who are some of the names that could go relatively early in this season’s MLB Draft?
Since being drafted in 2011, Jharel Cotton is seemingly a pitcher searching for a role. Now that he appears to be on the brink of making his big league debut, there is still a little uncertainty in how he can be most effective.
The jury is still out: is Jharel Cotton a future reliever or can he become that starter the Los Angeles Dodgers had once hoped for?
Remember my friend Holloway? If you don’t, he is my friend that I have labeled the angriest baseball fan in the history of the game. His text tirades or casual out-for-drink rants are invaluable to me, as I often expand them and turn them into a piece on Wayniac Nation. Most often, I find myself agreeing with him, as I did when he was upset about comments on Mike Trout.
But what about those names right on the cusp? What about those guys that people murmured about in February but had huge springs and are now in the top-ten conversation?
Here are three names to keep an eye on as Thursday’s MLB Draft quickly approaches.
I have said it before, but it’s worth repeating. Growing up a New York Yankees fan, I have been duped by the Baby Bombers prospect hype machine too many times. That’s not to say I don’t believe Luis Severino won’t bounce back, nor does it mean that I don’t believe that Aaron Judge will be the starting right fielder soon (even though I stand pat in what I said last month in that he is not ready for his promotion).
There is arguably no more intriguing prospect in the 2016 MLB Draft than Florida’s Buddy Reed. While it is difficult to project this year’s top-ten and even top overall pick, it is seemingly even harder to figure out where Reed will go. There hasn’t been a prospect like Reed on this year’s draft board. He is a prospect that could go as early as the top-15 or as late as the middle of the second round.
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