2013-07-09

CHICAGO—Teams no longer can spend whatever they want in the draft, and neither can I in the pretend 10-round exercise I’ve conducted since 2003. But a year after new rules came into play in 2012, I’ve adapted.

There are no loopholes to exploit. So I resolved to take the best player available (among those who weren’t virtually unsignable) for as long as I could, then fill out the rest of my draft with college seniors. Several big league clubs use the same approach, and it’s the best way to accumulate talent.

I randomly drew the No. 17 slot in the first round, which gave me the White Sox’ draft—and unfortunately, no competitive-balance bonus pick. I would have loved to snap up Nevada righthander Braden Shipley or California high school shortstop J.P. Crawford, but they went 15th and 16th.

That leaves me considering four players: East Central (Miss.) CC shortstop Tim Anderson, San Diego prep lefthander Ian Clarkin, Notre Dame third baseman Eric Jagielo and Arkansas righthander Ryne Stanek. Stanek ranks the highest (13th) on the BA 500—Baseball America’s draft board, if you will—but quality position players are scarcer than pitchers in this draft and I think I can find a college arm I like in round two.

I opt for Jagielo (No. 26 to the Yankees in real life), who ranked second in the Cape Cod League with 13 homers last summer. His lefthanded power always has stood out, and he impressed me this spring with the improvements he made as a hitter and defender.

Second-Round Coup

I fully intend to take a pitcher in the second round, and four lefthanders pique my interest: Kentucky high schooler Hunter Green, Oklahoma’s Dillon Overton, Minnesota’s Tom Windle and Vanderbilt’s Kevin Ziomek. But I can’t ignore the third-best catcher in the draft, a guy we pegged as a first-round talent.

Oklahoma prepster Jonathan Denney (third round, Red Sox) inexplicably didn’t get his name called on the first day of draft. He didn’t finish strong in his high school season or in workouts for clubs, yet I’m still sold on his above-average righthanded power and solid arm strength, and I believe he can refine his receiving skills.

Pitching help finally arrives in the third and fourth rounds. BA rated Texas Tech righthander Trey Masek (fifth round, Cubs) and Texas Christian Andrew Mitchell (fourth round, White Sox) as mid-second-round talents, and they’ll be more receptive to signing for their assigned pick values than I perceive Mississippi righty Bobby Wahl will be.

Masek throws strikes with four pitches, including an 89-95 mph fastball and a sometimes-sharp curveball, which helps me overlook his lack of size (6-foot-1, 195-pounds) and bout with rotator-cuff tendinitis this spring. Mitchell pitches at 90-94 mph as a starter, pumps his fastball up to 98 as a reliever and has the best curve among college prospects this year.

I land another second-round talent in the fifth round, and I have room in my budget to pay second-round money. California high school first baseman Rowdy Tellez (30th round, Blue Jays) has as much lefthanded pop as anyone in the 2013 draft class, and he also has advanced feel for hitting.

I can afford to give third-round money to my sixth-rounder, which gets me another fine hot-corner prospect to pair with Jagielo. Oklahoma prepster Trey Michalczewski (seventh round, White Sox) is an athletic 6-foot-3, 210-pound switch-hitter with plus power potential, a mature approach and strong arm.

Time For Fiscal Responsibility

In the seventh round, I have room to sign one more player at full value. Florida’s Daniel Gibson goes three picks before I can grab him, but I’m happy to snare another college lefthander. Though Minnesota’s D.J. Snelten (ninth round, Giants) strained his elbow last winter and might be a reliever, he also has a 90-95 mph fastball that plays up because of the extension he gets from his 6-foot-7 frame.

At this point, I must round out my draft with college seniors or their equivalents. My next two choices are redshirt juniors who missed 2010 after having Tommy John surgery and will turn 23 later this year.

Lee (Tenn.) righthander Andy Hillis (11th round, Brewers) has set-up man ceiling because he’s a 6-foot-7, 235-pounder with a 94-96 mph fastball that can reach 99. Missouri State righty Nick Petree (ninth round, Cardinals) is Hillis’ opposite, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound craftsman who mixes four pitches. He works at 87-88 mph and only his changeup grades as even a solid offering, but he has gone 18-5, 1.29 with 225 strikeouts in as many innings the last two years.

I finish by tapping the NAIA ranks for the second time in three rounds. Oklahoma City’s Chase Jensen (22nd round, Padres) could stick at shortstop, good pop for a middle infielder and average tools across the board.

Though I’d be more aggressive if the rules permitted it, I still like my haul. My first six picks all ranked among the top 81 on the BA 500, and I think I’ll get at least one big leaguer from rounds seven through 10.

Past picks from Jim Callis’ hypothetical drafts:

2012 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 22nd Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Ty Hensley, rhp, HS/Oklahoma

NYY, 1st

Supp. 1st

Tanner Rahier, ss, HS/California

Cin, 2nd

2nd

Carson Kelly, 3b/rhp, HS/Oregon

StL, 2nd

3rd

Brandon Thomas, of, Georgia Tech

Pit, 4th

4th

Preston Beck, of, Texas-Arlington

Tex, 5th

5th

Stephen Johnson, rhp, St. Edward’s (Texas)

SF, 6th

6th

Damian Carroll, rhp, HS/Virginia

TB, 6th

7th

Torsten Boss, 3b, Michigan State

Bal, 7th

8th

Daniel Stumpf, lhp, San Jacinto (Texas) JC

KC, 9th

9th

Ben Waldrip, 1b, Jacksonville State

Col, 10th

10th

Ben Klimesh, rhp, Trinity (Texas)

Cin, 15th

Note: Supplemental first-rounder was 53rd overall choice.

 

2011 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 10th Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Taylor Jungmann, rhp, Texas

Mil, 1st

Supp. 1st

Daniel Norris, lhp, HS/Tennessee

Tor, 2nd

2nd

Andrew Susac, c, Oregon State

SF, 2nd

3rd

Aaron Westlake, 1b, Vanderbilt

Det, 3rd

4th

Tyler Marlette, c, HS/Florida

Sea, 5th

5th

Brandon Loy, ss, Texas

Det 5th

6th

Charlie Lowell, lhp, Wichita State

Fla, 6th

7th

Senquez Golson, of, HS/Mississippi

Bos, 8th

8th

Burch Smith, rhp, Oklahoma

SD, 14th

9th

Colton Murray, rhp, Kansas State

Phi, 13th

10th

Lance Jeffries, of, HS/Missouri

StL, 10th

Note: Supplemental first-rounder was 44th overall choice.

 

2010 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 22nd Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Zack Cox, 3b, Arkansas

StL, 1st

Supp. 1st

Ryan LaMarre, of, Michigan

Cin, 2nd

2nd

Chad Bettis, rhp, Texas Tech

Col, 2nd

3rd

Garin Cecchini, 3b, HS/Louisiana

Bos, 4th

4th

Drew Cisco, rhp, HS/South Carolina

Cin, 6th

5th

Kendrick Perkins, of, HS/Texas

Bos, 6th

6th

Ben Wells, rhp, HS/Arkansas

ChC, 7th

7th

Tyler Green, rhp, HS/Texas

Ari, 8th

8th

Tyler Holt, of, Florida State

Cle, 10th

9th

Tyler Burgoon, rhp, Michigan

Sea, 10th

10th

Josh Richmond, of, Louisville

Tex, 12th

Note: Supplemental first-rounder was 45th overall choice.

 

2009 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 15th Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Shelby Miller, rhp, HS/Texas

StL, 1st

Supp. 1st

Everett Williams, of, HS/Texas

SD, 2nd

2nd

Garrett Gould, rhp, HS/Kansas

LAD, 2nd

3rd

Max Stassi, c, HS/California

Oak, 4th

4th

Angelo Songco, of, Loyola Marymount

LAD, 4th

5th

Ryan Schimpf, 2b, Louisiana State

Tor, 5th

6th

Josh Fellhauer, of, Cal State Fullerton

Cin, 7th

7th

Ryan Buch, rhp, Monmouth

CWS, 8th

8th

Jabari Blash, of, Miami Dade CC

Tex, 9th

9th

Del Howell, lhp, Alabama

Mil, 15th

10th

Neil Medchill, of, Oklahoma State

NYY, 11th

Note: Supplemental first-rounder was 41st overall choice.

 

2008 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 18th Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Christian Friedrich, lhp, Eastern Kentucky

Col, 1st

Supp. 1st

Brett DeVall, lhp, HS/Florida

Atl, supp. 1st

2nd

Dennis Raben, of, Miami

Sea, 2nd

3rd

Blake Tekotte, of, Miami

SD, 3rd

4th

Pete Hissey, of, HS/Pennsylvania

Bos, 4th

5th

Justin Parker, ss, Wright State

Ari, 6th

6th

Brett Hunter, rhp, Pepperdine

Oak, 7th

7th

Tim Federowicz, c, North Carolina

Bos, 7th

8th

Gabe Jacobo, 3b, Sacramento State

LAA, 10th

9th

Justin LaTempa, rhp, Golden West (Calif.) JC

Ari, 22nd

10th

Mikie Mahtook, of, HS/Louisiana

Fla, 39th

Note: Supplemental first-rounder was 40th overall choice.

 

2007 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 11th Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Jason Heyward, of, HS/Georgia

Atl, 1st

Supp. 1st

Justin Jackson, ss, HS/North Carolina

Tor, supp. 1st

2nd

Nevin Griffith, rhp, HS/Florida

CWS, 2nd

3rd

Sam Demel, rhp, Texas Christian

Oak, 3rd

4th

T.J. McFarland, lhp, HS/Illinois

Cle, 4th

5th

Will Middlebrooks, 3b/rhp, HS/Texas

Bos, 5th

6th

Matt Angle, of, Ohio State

Bal, 7th

7th

Tim Smith, of, Arizona State

Tex, 7th

8th

Colby Shreve, rhp, CC of Southern Nevada

Atl, 8th

9th

Kade Koewen, of, Louisiana State-Eunice JC

Bos, 9th

10th

Dan Rohlfing, c, HS/Missouri

Min, 14th

Note: Supplemental first-rounder was 41st overall choice.

 

2006 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 19th Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Brett Sinkbeil, rhp, Missouri State

Fla, 1st

2nd

Wes Hodges, 3b, Georgia Tech

Cle, 2nd

3rd

Matt Sulentic, of, HS/Texas

Oak, 3rd

4th

Ryan Morris, lhp, HS/North Carolina

Cle, 4th

5th

Chris Archer, rhp, HS/North Carolina

Cle, 5th

6th

Zach Daeges, of, Creighton

Bos, 6th

7th

Luke Gorsett, of, Nebraska

StL, 7th

8th

Kent Gerst, of, HS/Missouri

CWS, 8th

9th

Kyle Gibson, rhp, HS/Indiana

Phi, 36th

10th

Justin Woodall, lhp/of, HS/Mississippi

NYM, 19th

 

2005 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 17th Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Luke Hochevar, rhp, Tennessee

LA, supp. 1st

Supp. 1st

Michael Bowden, rhp, HS/Illinois

Bos, supp. 1st

2nd

Bryan Morris, rhp, HS/Tennessee

TB, 3rd

3rd

Jordan Schafer, of, HS/Florida

Atl, 3rd

4th

Seth Johnston, ss, Texas

SD, 5th

5th

Aaron Cunningham, of, Everett (Wash.) CC

CWS, 6th

6th

Jeremy Slayden, of, Georgia Tech

Phi, 8th

7th

Paul Phillips, rhp, Oakland

Tor, 9th

8th

Daniel McCutchen, rhp, Oklahoma

StL, 12th

9th

Mark Wagner, c, UC Irvine

Bos, 9th

10th

Mike Bell, 3b, Grayson County (Texas) CC

Mil, 15th

Note: Supplemental first-rounder was 35th overall choice.

 

2004 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 21st Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Jon Zeringue, of, Louisiana State

Ari, 2nd

2nd

Erik Cordier, rhp, HS/Wisconsin

KC, 2nd

3rd

Andrew Dobies, lhp, Virginia

Bos, 3rd

4th

Mike Butia, of, James Madison

Cle, 5th

5th

Brad McCann, 3b, Clemson

Fla, 6th

6th

Jason Quarles, rhp, Southern

Pit, 7th

7th

Grant Plumley, ss, Oral Roberts

NYY, 9th

8th

Richard Mercado, c, Arizona

Ari, 12th

9th

Jeff Gogal, lhp, Montclair State (N.J.)

Fla, 12th

10th

Micah Owings, rhp, Georgia Tech

ChC, 19th

 

2003 Hypothetical Draft (Picking 31st Each Round)

Round

Player, Pos, School

Real Life Draft

1st

Ryan Sweeney, of, HS/Iowa

CWS, 2nd

2nd

Tony Richie, c, Florida State

ChC, 4th

3rd

Cliff Davis, rhp, HS/Mississippi

Hou, 6th

4th

Justin James, rhp, Missouri

Tor, 5th

5th

Clark Girardeau, rhp, South Alabama

SD, 7th

6th

Andy D’Alessio, 1b, HS/Florida

Cin, 10th

7th

Matt Maniscalco, ss, Mississippi State

TB, 8th

8th

Chris Durbin, of, Baylor

Bos, 10th

9th

Michael Brown, of, William & Mary

Det, 13th

10th

Myron Leslie, ss, South Florida

Phi, 11th

The post Jagielo Tops Annual Pretend Draft appeared first on BaseballAmerica.com.

Show more