While teams in the top-five are trying to figure out if Jason Groome or Riley Pint will be the first high school arm off the board, there’s a few high schoolers who will be content going in the next wave. One of those arms happens to be the best high school athlete that New York has to offer in this year’s MLB Draft.
The end of an era: Augie Garrido steps down
I know, I’m a few days late on the Augie Garrido decision. While most college baseball fanatics were watching the selection show on Monday — and then inevitably complaining about which bracket they wound up in — I was covering the DIII Baseball Championships. It was pretty fun baseball, considering the basic lack of pitching and the ensuing superb defensive plays and tremendously big bats. Hey, I could have been stuck watching the Braves, right?
Had it not rained for seemingly five hours every day of the tournament, it would have been even better. Still it was good baseball. Check out my live blog for NCAA.com to get see some of the sites and sounds.
Anyway, what’s really important is that the NCAA, not just college baseball, saw one of its legends hang it up this weekend. And I feel like it came without a lot of well-deserved fanfare.
MLB Draft Profile: Moniak or Rutherford, who’s the best high school bat?
Heading into June’s MLB Draft, many see the collegiate bat of Kyle Lewis as the most major league ready offensive weapon in the draft class. Most feel Nick Senzel and Corey Ray could be the next bats off the board with their success over the past three seasons, both at the NCAA level and in summer leagues. Two high school bats, however, are eerily similar, and could be the two most exciting prospects in the entire draft.
The San Diego Padres Alex Dickerson’s 26-game hitting streak
San Diego Padres outfield prospect Alex Dickerson is on fire right now for the El Paso Chihuahuas. Amid a 26-game hit streak, Dickerson has climbed to the top of the Pacific Coast League batting average leaderboard.
MLB Draft Profile: How good is Mississippi State’s Dakota Hudson?
High schooler Jason Groome may be the best pitcher in the draft, with A.J. Puk widely considered the best arm that college ball has to offer. It’s safe to assume that Riley Pint is seen as the second-best high school offering for this June’s MLB Draft, but who is the next-best collegiate arm?
Look no further than Mississippi’s State’s captain Dakota Hudson.
Hudson is the prime example of how a projectable frame and ever-improving mechanics are sometimes more enticing to scouts and prospect evaluators than mere numbers. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound righty has not had an overly impressive resume over his three years in college. You can argue that he isn’t even the Bulldogs’ best pitcher. What you can’t argue is that he has the build, velocity and pitch arsenal that has Major League Baseball teams drooling over Hudson.
The good and the bad of the New York Yankees: Week 8
There are two ways to look at the New York Yankees as they head into June. One is that this team isn’t very good, they sit two games under .500 and in fourth place in a very weak American League East. The other way to look at it is that a mere three weeks ago, they were 11-18 and looked like they didn’t stand a chance.
So what’s different?
MLB Draft Profile: Louisville’s Corey Ray a top five pick?
Kyle Lewis could very well be the first position player off the board this June, but Louisville’s Corey Ray won’t be too far behind. The speedy outfielder has put together a solid junior year, and is a lock to be a top-ten pick in this season’s MLB Draft.
Continue reading for the next installment in our draft profiles.
T.J. Rivera — a jack of all trades for the New York Mets
T.J. Rivera is an intriguing “prospect” for the New York Mets. At 27 years of age, most will tell you that his prospect window has closed, but some sites still list him in the organization’s Top 30. It’s worth taking a look at Rivera and wonder why he hasn’t got his shot.
Who’s the best quarterback in the NFL in 2016?
It’s a weird time in the NFL. When the conversation arose about who the best quarterback in the NFL was, for nearly the past 20 years, it often came down to a heated Peyton Manning against Tom Brady argument. Aaron Rodgers and his insane dislike of throwing interceptions would enter the mix, Andrew Luck and his rising star power would find his name in the conversation and Drew Brees is, well, Drew Brees.
It’s a different day. Manning is retired. Brady is likely missing four games this season. Luck is a huge question mark in how — and if — he will bounce back from injury with a much less talented roster than he once had. Rodgers is coming off arguably his worst season of his career. And Drew Brees is, well, Drew Brees. He’s 37-years old and at some point, you have to think he’s going to lose it, right?
So in this day and age, where Blake Bortles is already entering the debate of the Top Ten QBs in football, who is numero uno?
The NCAA Division III Baseball Championships: Impact players at each position
(Note from The Wayniac: This weekend I get to cover the DIII Baseball Championships, their version of the College World Series. As a baseball junkie, you can imagine that I am very excited to do so. Below, is my preview, highlighting the impact players to keep an eye on. The full article can be read at NCAA.com by clicking this LINK.)
