MLB 2023 Draft

[DCTribefan]

Contrarian view (not mine).

 

[Gson]

Hence why I feel like he may end up being the best pick from this draft, getting a high character guy that has a good floor in the 7th round, may end up helping us out in the long run... I wonder if he will see any time at Lynchburg this season?

Doubtful, but not impossible.....

 

[sportscoach]

Doubtful, but not impossible.....

He's definitely better than what Ernie Clement was out of college so that one poster I cannot agree with...

Anyone you think we will see at Lynchburg from the draft?

 

[Gson]

He's definitely better than what Ernie Clement was out of college so that one poster I cannot agree with...

Anyone you think we will see at Lynchburg from the draft?

Andy Walters.. FB and more FB.. He was a college RP & will be a professional baseball RP.. He might get a few starts here and there for no other reason than to increase his work/reps.. but, as a high end RP, his path to the show is going to be short and sweet...

or Zane Moorehouse... Coupled with his advanced age, his nasty fastball and gyro slider combination scream RP all over the place.. If the Guardians want this guy to matter.. they'll start him at A- ball to see what he has..

 

[Tondo]

Contrarian view (not mine).

Yeah, Jeff ain't a great talent evaluator, lol

Mooney is more of an Owen Miller/Tyler Freeman ceiling guy.

It's unusual CLE doesn't get all their guys signed, let alone two, so I suspect Mooney had an "afterthought" and raised his price tag, which is a dickish way to start your career with the org that valued you most to begin with.
I've heard he comes from a wealthy family, which doesn't make it any better. Pretty sure he has risen on the trade chip list internally already.

Personally would have given the money to Heuer and Marohn and let Mooney walk. Odds of getting 1M or more as an older college bat next year would've been against him.

They've bought really high on Clemmey. That's T. McKenzie bonus money. I'd prefer to spread this bonus to 3 or 4 guys.

Cubs getting Will Sanders for only 600K, barely over 25% of Clemmey's cost. Out of HS, Will Sanders was also rated as one of the better HS arms and he had a decent college career. Those are still better value selections. Clemmey is a swing for the fences to land a FOR type, but a look at our best SP says it all. McKenzie has been the only HS arm who got any sort of ROI, while Bieber, Civale, Williams, Bibee and L. Allen were relatively cheap, all well below slot type of college picks. And they didn't take 5 years to develop.

I just don't see the value of buying out such a raw arm. Draft a college arm with upside like Sanders and the take a bunch of Heuer/Marohn types on day 3 and sign them for 300-700K with the money saved. More lottery tickets for similar upside

 

[Martyinnewyork]

Yeah, Jeff ain't a great talent evaluator, lol

Mooney is more of an Owen Miller/Tyler Freeman ceiling guy.

It's unusual CLE doesn't get all their guys signed, let alone two, so I suspect Mooney had an "afterthought" and raised his price tag, which is a dickish way to start your career with the org that valued you most to begin with.
I've heard he comes from a wealthy family, which doesn't make it any better. Pretty sure he has risen on the trade chip list internally already.

Personally would have given the money to Heuer and Marohn and let Mooney walk. Odds of getting 1M or more as an older college bat next year would've been against him.

They've bought really high on Clemmey. That's T. McKenzie bonus money. I'd prefer to spread this bonus to 3 or 4 guys.

Cubs getting Will Sanders for only 600K, barely over 25% of Clemmey's cost. Out of HS, Will Sanders was also rated as one of the better HS arms and he had a decent college career. Those are still better value selections. Clemmey is a swing for the fences to land a FOR type, but a look at our best SP says it all. McKenzie has been the only HS arm who got any sort of ROI, while Bieber, Civale, Williams, Bibee and L. Allen were relatively cheap, all well below slot type of college picks. And they didn't take 5 years to develop.

I just don't see the value of buying out such a raw arm. Draft a college arm with upside like Sanders and the take a bunch of Heuer/Marohn types on day 3 and sign them for 300-700K with the money saved. More lottery tickets for similar upside

Yep. High school pitchers take at least 3 more years to develop with 3 more years of injury risk.

 

[Martyinnewyork]

Reviewing this draft, how would we rank these picks - not in terms of our overall Top 30, but just ranking the picks, perhaps a Top 10...

 

[Criznit]

I think I might be in the minority, but I really like the Clemmey pick... I am reminded of the Trey Haley pick several years back a bit, but I think we've gotten better at development and his toolbox could be enormous.

I like this one.

 

[Gson]

I think I might be in the minority, but I really like the Clemmey pick... I am reminded of the Trey Haley pick several years back a bit, but I think we've gotten better at development and his toolbox could be enormous.

I like this one.

I had Clemmey as the pick at # 62... he went to us at # 58, instead.. Great arm.. one of the best prep arms in the nation.. But..like every prep arm.. it's almost always a long slog to get from draftee to ML'er.. Without a doubt & in my humble opinion.. Clemmey was a first round talent.. and, perhaps a mid teens talent, overall..

We'll see..

 

[Martyinnewyork]

I think what I'm looking for is, in your opinion, ten years from now, who would we look back at from this draft and say "this guy gave us the most value, then this guy, etc."

 

[Criznit]

I think what I'm looking for is, in your opinion, ten years from now, who would we look back at from this draft and say "this guy gave us the most value, then this guy, etc."

Without the many resources enjoyed in the IPI/IBI days I am extremely unqualified to help you out here. But I think Clemmey could reach FOR status and their 3rd round pick Andrew Walters could be in AAA/MLB next year.

 

[MadThinker88]

Please give me a moment to try and verbalize a foggy idea from my mind...

The thing I am more interested in related to the 2023 draft is if we (as fans) witnessed a philosophy change for CLE moving forward.

I'm not referring to the number of bats taken or high school talents taken. I mean related to the talent acquisition philosophy of the organization
There were a couple of players taken that surprised/ stunned followers as those players do not appear to fit the normal CLE mold/ SOP.

Many fans were frustrated when different trades did not get finished between CLE & Oakland over the past few off-seasons & I wonder if CLE has tried to address that by getting a few more players that seem to fit preferences of other teams more than the normal CLE mold.

I am NOT suggesting CLE took players for the sole purpose to trade in future. Rather the function of the minor leagues is to develop talent for usage by parent clubs. Sometimes that usage is as a player for the parent club and sometimes its as a trade piece to bring in the player/ talent needed by the parent organization. By getting some talented players now that are more aligned with other clubs, CLE will have a better chance of finalizing some moves at the trade deadline in 2024 or during the next 2 off-seasons.

 

[sportscoach]

Please give me a moment to try and verbalize a foggy idea from my mind...

The thing I am more interested in related to the 2023 draft is if we (as fans) witnessed a philosophy change for CLE moving forward.

I'm not referring to the number of bats taken or high school talents taken. I mean related to the talent acquisition philosophy of the organization
There were a couple of players taken that surprised/ stunned followers as those players do not appear to fit the normal CLE mold/ SOP.

Many fans were frustrated when different trades did not get finished between CLE & Oakland over the past few off-seasons & I wonder if CLE has tried to address that by getting a few more players that seem to fit preferences of other teams more than the normal CLE mold.

I am NOT suggesting CLE took players for the sole purpose to trade in future. Rather the function of the minor leagues is to develop talent for usage by parent clubs. Sometimes that usage is as a player for the parent club and sometimes its as a trade piece to bring in the player/ talent needed by the parent organization. By getting some talented players now that are more aligned with other clubs, CLE will have a better chance of finalizing some moves at the trade deadline in 2024 or during the next 2 off-seasons.

So it's more of the, Cleveland added some talent other teams like as well in case we need to make some trades?

 

[MadThinker88]

So it's more of the, Cleveland added some talent other teams like as well in case we need to make some trades?

In part.
I think everyone got a better sense (due to the failed trade talks) that different organizations view players differently. There is no uniform ranking on all players. Sure there a few players/ prospects that might generate that consensus but they are the exception, not the rule.

Additionally, some organizations have success developing certain aspects of a players game with others struggle with developing those same aspects.
For example: CLE has been very good at getting pitchers that already have command/ control and then unlocking increased velocity (Kluber, Bieber, Bibee).
Other organizations cannot unlock more velocity but they can help a pitcher maintain the velocity as they unlock/ instill better control.

As a bottom line result, the same player can be viewed/ ranked/ graded by 4 different teams and end up with 4 very different evaluations and grades.

I am speculating that CLE tried to expand beyond its known success/ comfort area in order to diversify its own talent pool for needs moving forward.

 

[smalls1129]

I think diversification is evident but not sure the failed trades with Oak are a catalyst or mean anything of substance. It's been reported/speculated that Oak didn't want either player in the AL and hence drastically increased the asking price from AL teams. I don't think that has anything to do with Cle diversifying. Hopefully this is a sign that they feel confident that some internal development changes have been "unlocked" which widens the type of talent they feel confident in developing...or it could simply be with as many former Cle execs now scattered throughout the league we had to pivot rather than taking what amounted to their 4th or 5th choice with any given pick because more teams are using the same blueprint that we used to solely own