[SPEAKER_00]: Hello everybody, J.J. Cooper, Jacob Rudner, Carlos Klauso, we are doing the annual now.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are now, can say annual, we did this last year, we're doing it again now.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're on your two of doing something YouTube.

[SPEAKER_00]: The annual baseball America staff draft to get you ready for the 2026 MLB draft.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you may ask, what is the staff draft?

[SPEAKER_00]: So,

[SPEAKER_00]: We even know this for a few years now, but we're doing this on the YouTube, we've got it for two years in a row.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is not a mock.

[SPEAKER_00]: I want to emphasize.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is not us saying here's who we think the white socks will pick at one, who the royals will pick at seven.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is a draft where we, six people from the staff,

[SPEAKER_00]: line up and we get we basically do we kind of go in order one through six and then the person picked one things again and we pick at that spot from who's available as we would do it right and sometimes people may say this feels like a good fit for this team but sometimes so when they take a player here like that team will never select that player but I think this player makes sense at this spot right

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a staff draft, but we do think there's a lot of value to it for you all as well, because we're going to talk, by the way, we don't go 30D, we don't go 40D.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are did a staff draft where we went 75 picks deep.

[SPEAKER_00]: So you're going to hear a lot about the players, the names, the prospects that are going to be going on day one of the draft.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if you, you know, if you see it like this is kind of we're trying to

[SPEAKER_00]: This is also useful for us to kind of go back on a year or two years later and kind of remember what the context of the time was.

[SPEAKER_00]: I look back at the 2024 staff trap, which we only did online, and let me just say my team sucks, but let me just say Carlos, you did pretty well as before Jacob.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos, you did pretty well.

[SPEAKER_00]: I will say Bart Chirolli, who's picking getting this year in this, killed it because I believe, you know, the most importantly, he got kind of riff at pick eight.

[SPEAKER_00]: So if the angels had gotten kind of griffed, I think they would be happier than they are now.

[SPEAKER_00]: But there's a lot to be kind of glean from it.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we're going to talk about all the players' pick, not just the players for our teams.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so let's just dive right into it.

[SPEAKER_00]: Ben Badler had the first pick, and I'll kind of put this up, where we'll see this as we pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Ben picked,

[SPEAKER_00]: Not a big shock, but he picked Rochelowski.

[SPEAKER_00]: You see a short stop.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know that there are some of you listening or viewing this, who have been with us all year, and you probably know a lot about Rochelowski, but there are probably some others who don't.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos, you've been covering Rochilowski for a very long time now.

[SPEAKER_00]: Can you just give us the thumbnail sketch of why Rochilowski would make sense at one one?

[SPEAKER_01]: He's the best player in the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: He has great upside.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's been a lead college performer for two years.

[SPEAKER_01]: He has gold club potential defensively at shortstop and it's very unusual to have a college shortstop with his toolset and production in a draft overall.

[SPEAKER_01]: We think he's a unique player

[SPEAKER_01]: Um, regardless, and he has been the wire to wire number one prospect in the class for us.

[SPEAKER_01]: I know Ben Vusim is the clear best player in the class and thinks he also has the most upside in the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: So with Ben picking one here, this was a really an unsurprising pick for him, and I still think it is probably the most likely to happen on draft day.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob, I would come to you on rock, but I'm gonna do it another way, which is you had the second pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so with the second pick, you took Georgia Tech Catcher Von Lacky.

[SPEAKER_00]: I've start by asking, if rock had still been on the board there, which way would it have been, I would go rock then, if Lacky was like stolen the board, but let's say greedy Emerson and God in one one.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, or if I'm Lacky and God in one one.

[SPEAKER_00]: Was it or was it something where, hey, I may have taken Von Lacky even if I was picking first.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I've already, I have taken Von Lackey first in a previous iteration of our staff draft.

[SPEAKER_02]: That being said, though, I think that the race between the top three players, Von Lackey, Grady Emerson, and Rock Chalowski is close enough that I'm really torn about it.

[SPEAKER_02]: Had I had the second pick, I think I would have deeply considered taking rock.

[SPEAKER_02]: There is an element of the staff draft where it's fun to kind of explore different options and think about each player and how I might want to evaluate them.

[SPEAKER_02]: So maybe I would have taken rock if you was still there.

[SPEAKER_02]: Von Lackey, over greedy Emerson, because I am enamored with the potential of somebody like Von Lackey.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think a catcher with his level of athleticism, with his hit and power is rare.

[SPEAKER_02]: I do think that the arm and the foundational skills behind the play are good enough to kind of project him to still be there.

[SPEAKER_02]: And as Carlos and I have talked about, pretty much since the first or second week of the college season, I do think that Von Lackey is the kind of player where if you

[SPEAKER_02]: third base somewhere in the outfield, he would still be a very high first round type prospect.

[SPEAKER_02]: So that blend that that position is exceptionally rare and it does make it pretty easy for me to go with him.

[SPEAKER_02]: That being said, I think it's important to mention that there is really very little separation in my mind between Rochilowski von Lackey and Brady Emerson.

[SPEAKER_02]: So it was a tough call, but I've taken von Lackey first overall before, so it felt appropriate too.

[SPEAKER_00]: So Carlos got to pick third.

[SPEAKER_00]: I feel like this is the way the board comes out here.

[SPEAKER_00]: And this is the easiest pick of the that we're going to have here, right?

[SPEAKER_01]: I would have taken whoever of our top three players were left on the board.

[SPEAKER_01]: Very happily if I had my choice of multiple.

[SPEAKER_01]: I would have drafted in the order of our draft rankings, which is Rock Chalowski, then Grady Emerson, then Bonlaki.

[SPEAKER_01]: with Jacob picking in front of me and knowing he'd taken him in the past.

[SPEAKER_01]: I had some idea that maybe Grady Emerson would be most likely, but I think the case for Grady is potentially the best pure hit tool in this class, which is maybe rare for a high school player to be able to boast that just given the lack of track record in college, but Grady is one of the more

[SPEAKER_01]: Productive and just proven high school haters we've seen in years.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's a well-rounded secondary tool set as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm pretty confident that he's going to stick his shorts up and be a good defender there.

[SPEAKER_01]: We'll be curious to see what his like defensive upside and power upside are because I do think those are two areas where both rock and Van Lackey are a little bit more presently exciting.

[SPEAKER_01]: the youngest of these three, and so maybe if you want to, you can dream a little bit more on that, but ultimately for me, I'm happy to get who I believe is the best peerheader in the class here at number three.

[SPEAKER_00]: And the three is gone.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is as we've kind of said pretty consistently.

[SPEAKER_00]: There does seem to be a delineation.

[SPEAKER_00]: You wrote about it in the mock last week as we record this Carlos that like,

[SPEAKER_00]: that there's a top three and it does feel like at the top, it may be even that there's a rock Emerson and then maybe even like in our BA grades, as we put them out and all that maybe there's a slight, like the Van Lackey, Van Lackey, may even be kind of in a group of his own, where he clearly above anyone else after three, but maybe there's a slight, at least perception right now as separation between the two short stops.

[SPEAKER_00]: That fair.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it is.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, it's going to vary depending on the team you talk to.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the clear sway to probably outline it as these are the top three players in the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: However, you lined them up.

[SPEAKER_01]: Everyone seems to agree on that.

[SPEAKER_01]: It wouldn't surprise me if there are teams who thought like Jacob and just were enamored with the catching component of on Lacky and what he's done.

[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, I would just say those are the top three.

[SPEAKER_01]: I do think there's reasons to maybe have Rock to Lasky and Grady Emerson in a slightly different tier, but even then I wouldn't want to.

[SPEAKER_01]: to hammer it too hard.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think we might be getting into like the false precision territory.

[SPEAKER_01]: If we do that, but those are the grades we're going to have on those players and I think they're defensible.

[SPEAKER_00]: So at Pick 4, Jeff Ponspicking selects Jackson Flora, the right hander from UC Santa Barbara, who I'll kick this to you, Jacob.

[SPEAKER_00]: I feel like that he is kind of established himself as the absolutely clear number one pitcher, especially number one college pitcher in this class.

[SPEAKER_00]: What do you think, you know, like what makes him the fourth pick?

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, I think that there are other college pictures, just actually other pictures in general that will go in the first round that have pretty massive upside.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that Jackson Flora, though, comes with the least concern to some degree.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's really advanced stuff.

[SPEAKER_02]: He was statistically one of the best performing pictures in the country at the amateur level this year.

[SPEAKER_02]: He did not win our picture of the year award, but I would say that it was very close between him and USC's Mason Edwards.

[SPEAKER_02]: The athletic ability here is really stand out and one of the things that I hear a lot when I talk to teams about Jackson Flora is just the ability to continue to develop him.

[SPEAKER_02]: There's a lot of conversation about how advanced he is and the stuff is as loud as it is at this point which is great.

[SPEAKER_02]: But when you have the capacity to spin the baseball, when you have the capacity to throw a change up like he has that has developed really in a very short period of time, it's a brand new change up that he started throwing just for this year.

[SPEAKER_02]: And when you have the athletic ability, this is a former shortstop.

[SPEAKER_02]: If you talk to Andrew check it's the head coach at UC Santa Barbara, he'll tell you any sort of race anything that measures athleticism, like this is the guy on the team who will beat other players.

[SPEAKER_02]: very consistently, and it makes it fascinating what you could potentially do with that kind of an arm in your rotation, how you can develop in the pitches that you could add.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's kind of a lab-made specimen in there.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that there's more development to be done.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I loved the pick.

[SPEAKER_02]: If I had the fourth overall pick, that's who I would have taken, even with a couple of really good high school bat options available right there that I would have considered strongly.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just think

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm picking fifth.

[SPEAKER_00]: I went with Mississippi High School outfielder Eric Booth Jr.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would say, if you said who is I considering at this point, it was Booth or Lumber.

[SPEAKER_00]: Basically, it does again feel like we're trying at this top, like I think there's a value to staying pretty chalk, you don't need to go crazy on this and go, oh, I really like this guy, I'm going to take him.

[SPEAKER_00]: well before he's kind of considered in that grouping.

[SPEAKER_00]: Booth and Lombar, kind of I feel like all year have been considered kind of two and three or three and two to, you know, however you want to line them up as the next best prep position players, prep really prep players in this class behind Emerson.

[SPEAKER_00]: Booth is someone who I do think, you know, again, it's a very small part of it, but looking at it, it's like, hey, the pirates had a lot of

[SPEAKER_00]: And they, again, I'm not looking for need or anything like this, but the value of this is he's this is a very appropriate value, why he also fits like if they could have a dynamic outfielder to go with what they already have with this team, they could hit a home run on Eric move junior.

[SPEAKER_00]: That would be it.

[SPEAKER_00]: That would add further, although obviously I do think that Eric with Junior, I'm not going to put anyone that they're going to be on the Connergrip and plan where you say, hey, you draft a guy in two years later, he's in the Big League.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that's asking a lot of high school guys that it doesn't happen very often.

[SPEAKER_00]: But that gets us to pick, uh, so we get to pick six with the royals.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think I said seven earlier when I was talking about stupid.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, but Mark Jurelli, who, like we said, had a great draft last year for the final staff draft.

[SPEAKER_00]: But Mark Cheerle, three years ago, picks Tyler Bell, the Kentucky shortstop, Carlos, I feel like that Bell is the guy who kind of, there are a couple of these we'll talk about in the draft, but Bell, who missed the part of the start of the season with injury, came back for Kentucky, had a very solid year, a lot of, you know, really I would say an OBP, driven, very strong year for Kentucky.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's got kind of more of a range of variance here of where he could go in the actual draft than I think a lot of the other guys were talking about the top of this class.

[SPEAKER_01]: Right, we view a clear top six players at the top of the class, Mark made the first pick that takes a player out of that tier when he didn't have to, we'll get into maybe why that is when we get to our sixth player in Jacob Blombart when he comes off the board.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I do think Tyler Bell is talked about as like one of the most common options after the scoop of six is mentioned.

[SPEAKER_01]: On draft day, I think there is a perception of a lot of safety with Tyler Bell's profile.

[SPEAKER_01]: He does not have the same sort of upside that these top high school hitters who are going around him do.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's maybe a well-rounded solid average tool set across the board.

[SPEAKER_01]: There might not be a single plus tool.

[SPEAKER_01]: The Tyler Bell has, but he's a switch hitter.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a college shortstop who projects a stick there and play a solid defense at the position.

[SPEAKER_01]: He has a great batting eye, and I think the questions are going to be

[SPEAKER_01]: Do you really value the batting eye that comes from what was a very passive approach as you kind of alluded to there?

[SPEAKER_01]: Like you did not swing a lot.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there are some questions about how that approach is going to translate.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then also just how much power are you getting with Tyler Bell?

[SPEAKER_01]: That's kind of been a question for him.

[SPEAKER_01]: For a few years now he's a leaner player.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's not the most physical.

[SPEAKER_01]: He doesn't hit the ball maybe as hard as you would want.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I do think this is very well rounded proven safe sort of college profile.

[SPEAKER_00]: So then that gets us to seven speaking of.

[SPEAKER_00]: So then Jacob Lumbar, the short stop from Galver Prep High and Miami goes off the board.

[SPEAKER_00]: This is what we said, the sixth of the top.

[SPEAKER_00]: If we said that there's that first tier, then there's this kind of tier after it that I feel like is kind of floor a boots in Lumbar.

[SPEAKER_00]: And again, the order of that can very much be either the holder, which kind of profile you prefer.

[SPEAKER_00]: But

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos going back to Lumbar.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's been as we've said kind of all through this year kind of considered in this top tier.

[SPEAKER_00]: Not surprised at all it has shocked if Ben had not taken Lumbar at this point.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yep.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's kind of more, there's kind of some mirror images of him.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's the reverse, like if you say with Emerson that it's the bat, that is exceptional and then the rest of it's good, but not the, Lumbar's more of like the defense, the athleticism is.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think Jacob Lumbar has maybe the most exciting period upside in this class.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you could say you're going to get

[SPEAKER_01]: a six to hit or with everyone who would be the best player.

[SPEAKER_01]: It might be Jacob Blumbart because he is a dynamic defender.

[SPEAKER_01]: Shortstop is a plus arm.

[SPEAKER_01]: He has plus rock power.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a plus or better runner.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's plus is across the board with him.

[SPEAKER_01]: He just does have very concerning swing and miss track records.

[SPEAKER_01]: The contact skills are questionable.

[SPEAKER_01]: JJ, we got into this in a podcast a few weeks ago on the draft podcast.

[SPEAKER_01]: Just with the the right of miss he showed on the circuit last summer,

[SPEAKER_01]: if he profiles who have struggled to make enough contact in Pro Ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think of the players in the top six, Jacob Blumbart, maybe we'll have the most polarizing in the widest range of outcomes actually on draft day.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't expect any of these players in the top six to actually slide, but if someone does, and it is Jacob Blumbart, we will know why, and it is because of the miss questions.

[SPEAKER_01]: With that said, it's a home run swing you're taking here.

[SPEAKER_01]: by drafting Jacob Lombard because if he pans out, if he makes some adjustments, he is an athlete, who maybe you look at and say, okay, he can make the adjustments necessary.

[SPEAKER_01]: You could be getting a really impact player with Jacob Lombard.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we get to then pick eight, and Jacob decided to break my heart because they have a one-off in some of his podcast, I have a Drew Burris fan, and Jacob takes some pick eight to the A's.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob, why did you have to do that to me, man?

[SPEAKER_02]: You know, I actually think you guys can feel free to disagree, but once you get outside of that top six and I know that it's at eight in this draft because Tyler Bell went inside the top eight, but it really gets murky like there are a lot of guys who have a lot of problems and I think that over the course of the season I have gotten to a place with Drew Burris where I feel like he's actually pretty reliable for the range that we're starting to get into.

[SPEAKER_02]: He is a fantastic fastball hitter.

[SPEAKER_02]: He does a great job against velocity.

[SPEAKER_02]: He is a reasonably aggressive hitter.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is not somebody who goes to the plate afraid to swing, but he does not chase very much.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's good swing decisions.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that the contactability against spin is probably where you get a little bit more questionable, but even there, when you're putting spin in the zone against him, you're not beating him.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's more of a chase component when you throw spin to Drew Burris.

[SPEAKER_02]: I just think that, and yes, like he is under-sized, there are questions about what it's going to look like when you put wooden his hands.

[SPEAKER_02]: He has been a very good no-bat hitter and not very impressive wood bat hitter for now a couple of years, but I think when you bring in somebody with that foundational level of swing decisions, athletic ability, proven track record and college, it feels like a pretty sure thing.

[SPEAKER_02]: And we're also talking about picking him versus guys who do have major swing and miss concerns or major defensive concerns.

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, I'm not worried about Drew Burris being able to stick in center field.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think he's got that in the bag.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not really worried about Drew Burris going into pro ball with the requisite swing decisions to be able to have the foundation to be successful.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think he is the requisite strength to be very successful.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's just now a question of whether or not

[SPEAKER_02]: some of the things that he does super well on college are going to translate to the woodbats scenario, obviously the pitching gets better, but like a lot of the underlying marker skills that you're looking for, I think Druperus has most of them, and it's easy for me to overlook some of the things like the height and the lack of woodbats performance, especially when you compare them to some of the other options in this range, and I felt pretty great about that pick, actually.

[SPEAKER_00]: the best player if you said who's been the most productive college player over the last three years he put all three years together is Drew Burris largely because that freshman year is one of the great season you'll ever see from a freshman.

[SPEAKER_00]: But Carlos you on the other hand, surprise, sign is gone.

[SPEAKER_00]: You get Derek Couriel who I think you've gotten in pretty much every staff draft we've had a couple players who have gotten in every staff draft.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think Derek Couriel is actually

[SPEAKER_01]: Jumped him for me in one early draft, but yeah, very happy to take Derek Karel here I do think he's in this next mix of players where it gets really muddled like Jacob said I think when you're in this range, it really is dependent on like what you prioritize the weaknesses that you feel more okay with For me, I have always been drawn to Derek Karel's pure hitting ability.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think

[SPEAKER_01]: There may be two players in front of him that I think have better peer hit tools and with that I'm like giving Rock Jelowski the benefit of the doubt there.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think I would still take Derek Karel if you're looking at just pure hit tool.

[SPEAKER_01]: His track record goes back to his freshman year of high school in Southern California with a really good team.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a center field profile.

[SPEAKER_01]: I view Derek Karel's ability to stick and center field basically identical to what Jacob was saying with how he's viewing Drew Burris.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think these are two like non-typical centerfielders in that they don't have 70 grade speed, but they are both very instinctual and know how to run routes.

[SPEAKER_01]: And just play the position very well.

[SPEAKER_01]: The questions with their career are obviously how much power are you going to get to.

[SPEAKER_01]: And that is a question.

[SPEAKER_01]: I like this pick even acknowledging that like he's probably getting to 40 power at best game power and I'd be very happy with that outcome.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think if you're getting

[SPEAKER_01]: contributor at the Major League level in the first round in this range here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's a great outcome.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think Derek Curiel is the sort of perennial all star upside player.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think we're already beyond that group of players in the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so for me, the the safety and the polish of his hit tool and his defense is really appealing.

[SPEAKER_01]: I would take him as high as fifth overall in this draft over some of the more questionable players who have bigger tools in front of him.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are through the single digits.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are now up to pick 10, and we will talk about what the Rockies are taking in this staff draft right after this quick break.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, at picked 10, the Rockies, Jeff Ponds selecting for them, Jerry Grindeligart, the outfielder, I will note here, of Huntington Beach High.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, Carlos, we are now like Jacob said.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are in the range where a lot of different outcomes, I think, you can very much make a case, especially with now that Burris and Creole are off the board, who are kind of more of the,

[SPEAKER_00]: long-term track record hit tool guy, college guys.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can go a lot of different ways here.

[SPEAKER_00]: What is it about a friendly or the here that kind of stands up?

[SPEAKER_01]: Grantlinger is exceptionally young for the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was originally a 207 Eleitable Player who reclassified.

[SPEAKER_01]: So, he'll be 17 at the draft.

[SPEAKER_01]: He also has really impeccable back-to-ball skills.

[SPEAKER_01]: He barely missed at all on the circuit last summer.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a legitimate two-way player, interesting to see that Jeff drafted him here as a hitter only on the swimming team.

[SPEAKER_01]: He prefers him as a hitter.

[SPEAKER_01]: I actually like him better as a pitcher.

[SPEAKER_01]: I know there are some teams who are maybe less model.

[SPEAKER_01]: oriented who do prefer him as a picture, he's left in a picture with a chance for a above average pitchmix across the board.

[SPEAKER_01]: But it does seem like the highest teams on him in the industry like him because they think the peer-heating ability is just innate in natural and they look at the frame.

[SPEAKER_01]: and you're looking at a player who's, we have him listed six, three, 185 pounds.

[SPEAKER_01]: As he gets to physical maturity, you can dream on a lot more power coming, and I think you're gonna need to from to profile as a bat because he is likely to be a corner player in some capacity, whether that's left or right field, whether that's first base, but this does start to be the range where his name starts to get a little bit of steam.

[SPEAKER_00]: So I'm picking 11 for the nationals and I pick ace Reese third base and I'll put third base and quotes there because I think he probably ends up at first base at the end of the day, but I would you could put hitter in the position there because that's really why you're taking ace Reese here from Mississippi State.

[SPEAKER_00]: Again, when we get to this point, you are definitely different ways you could go.

[SPEAKER_00]: The reason I'm going ace Reese here is is I just feel really, really confident about his ability to hit for average and power.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think he's going to play third base in the long run.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that kind of like what the brewers have done with Andrew Fisher, you send them out there and then pretty quickly as he moves up the ladder.

[SPEAKER_00]: I expect he be a relatively quick mover.

[SPEAKER_00]: Some point pretty quickly, you're probably going to slide him over and say, okay, your job here is to hit.

[SPEAKER_00]: Your job here is to mash and we think you can make it pretty quickly.

[SPEAKER_00]: there's again there's just a really a good confidence I would say in the hit tool he's performed he's done so in a you know in a talk against top notch competition I just feel like that that makes a whole lot of sense there and anyone else want to add on Reese before I go to pick I'm curious if you considered anyone else here if it was definitely Reese for you once Jacob broke your heart and took birth a few picks in front

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, there are definitely, you could say, like, there's a wide array of ways you could go.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would say that, like, we're going to hit several of those players coming up.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, I would say that I would say that, like, I thought about Chris Akopi and what I think I've taken before in a staff draft, who I think also is a really good editor, more defensive ability, but at the same time, a little bit less, I mean, not much.

[SPEAKER_00]: I mean, it's like, I would say he has a slightly better chance of playing second base than Reese has a playing third.

[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think either of them are going to be able to do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: Right, but um, okay, so you were you're in the Bat mode sounds like, but I would say that the same time the guy who's going to go 12 here, uh, also is in consideration, which is Geo Rohoss, the left hander from Stomen Douglas High, a program that they've produced a few big leagueers over the years.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll introduce you some recent track record of winning as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, Geo Rohoss is like,

[SPEAKER_01]: I think not to the same degree as Jackson Flora on the college side, but he is the top ranked high school pitcher in the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think given how some of the high school pitchers finish this season, there's maybe a little bit more separation now as we approach draft day.

[SPEAKER_01]: But Jerojas says electric arm speed from the left side, he's got a fast ball that looks like it should be a plus pitch with a lot of life.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's got a high spin breaking ball in the low 80s.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's shown multiple pitch shapes with that sometimes it looks like more of a curve.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's shown

[SPEAKER_01]: like an upper 80s variant that looks like more of a cutter at times.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's mostly fastball slider right now, but I think there are the makings of a change up that will potentially be more of a factor for him moving forward.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he really stands out to me for just how dynamic of a mover he is on the mound and he dominated this spring against really quality competition.

[SPEAKER_01]: So Mark going for the the upside prep pitching pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, and then Ben picking and Ben going to the college route, which, uh, but, but again, when Ben's going to go to the college route for a position player, I'm generally going to feel pretty good about their, uh, their hit tool that kind of fits in the, uh, the, the, the Ben package, but, uh, AJ Garcia, the outfit or from Virginia, who's been considered a, likely first rounder, you know, kind of like going on for quite a while, Jacob, what would the cardinals be getting at

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, there's a no doubt fuel for contact.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's got great back to ball, there's strength here.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that the questions for AJ Grasia come down to A, where is it that he ends up defensively?

[SPEAKER_02]: In my opinion, it's no doubt corner profile in the outfield.

[SPEAKER_02]: And a second biggest thing is that I think that there is a major passivity question.

[SPEAKER_02]: AJ Grasia does not do a whole lot of swinging at pitches that are in the heart of the plate.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, he is extremely selective.

[SPEAKER_02]: His go zone is very small.

[SPEAKER_02]: That being said, when he does go, the results tend to be pretty good.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that he is somebody who will have at least average game power if he's able to swing enough.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that this is somebody who is a above average hitter, uh, just from a pure hit tool standpoint.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, I would have some fears about the defensive positioning and just whether or not,

[SPEAKER_02]: the power will materialize and whether or not you can actually get this guy to be a little bit more aggressive, but in terms of like sealing outcomes, I do think that AJ Grassy is one of the best hitters in this class.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's just a matter of how much you can actually pull out of them.

[SPEAKER_01]: Here's my interesting fun fact for AJ Grassy, a for a guy who looks like he does and has the raw power that he does and has it 14 or more home runs each season of his college career.

[SPEAKER_01]: uh... direct curial actually hit the ball harder than him in terms of ex-evilossies average ninth percentile that one always shocks me i still think aegygrosia should be at a more productive power hitter with wood at the next level than curial but that that number always trips me up a little bit with him

[SPEAKER_02]: I actually, I think that AJ Grasio is one of the, because of what Carlos just said, I think that AJ Grasio is one of the scarier picks in this range, because the other thing that I think is important is what Carlos said earlier, which is that if you're taking Drew Burris or you're taking Derek Curiel, you feel pretty good, maybe not great, about the fact that those two guys are going to stick in center field.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think that AJ Grasio has a chance

[SPEAKER_02]: to play center field as a professional player.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is more of a no doubt corner situation.

[SPEAKER_02]: And so it's a better depiction of what we were talking about a couple of minutes ago, which is that this is a range of college- and high school players where there's some real upside and there are some guys who have done some really impressive things at their respective levels over the last couple of years, but there are very obvious problems to point out.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think with pretty much everybody that you're gonna take from here on out.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would ask, okay, again, like I have a little bit of memory of Adam Hazley, another Virginia outfielder who left handed hitting outfielder.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think a little bit's not as tall but pretty similar build, and all like that, you're getting like, and had a pretty similar season.

[SPEAKER_00]: Like, I think they had four the H had 14 homers in their in their draft year, so I'll just kind of throw that out that I'm a little, you know, again, there's some, yeah, I'm kind of with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm kind of

[SPEAKER_00]: But Jacob, you take, okay, you were like, I'm gonna, I'm gonna belly up to the risk, you know, the risk reward, you know, with my pick, you know, if you're a pick of the Marlins pick of Liam Peterson, the rightander from Florida, who shows great stuff and has had times, it's a little erratic right now, isn't it?

[SPEAKER_02]: It sure is, and there's no denying it.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that this is one of the riskier picks that we have in the top 15 that anybody made, right along side, Ben with AJ Grasio and Jeff with Jared Grindlinger, just depending on how that's gonna all unfold.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I kind of have put on my tinfoil cap a little bit when it comes to Liam Peterson.

[SPEAKER_02]: I have some theories.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that the developmental arc

[SPEAKER_02]: for Liam Peterson has been challenging.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that the situation at Florida, just even going into his draft year, Kevin O'Sullivan misses some time due to personal reasons.

[SPEAKER_02]: He steps away from the program.

[SPEAKER_02]: I don't know that those two have always seen eye to eye.

[SPEAKER_02]: I've heard that he and former Florida pitching coach David Cobb have very much not seen eye to eye and it's caused

[SPEAKER_02]: a little bit of a rift between them and it makes me wonder if somebody with that kind of stuff because I actually don't think that the stuff is worse than very many people in this class if any I think that the the pure arsenal could be the best in the 2026 class It's just never really been optimized like I did a study going into the year about Liam Peterson and which of his starts were the most successful without fail it was when he was using his curveball his his highest

[SPEAKER_02]: He threw his curveball over the course of his career.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think about 6% of the time.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is a very north-south pitcher.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's very unique in terms of how he throws the baseball.

[SPEAKER_02]: And it makes me wonder if a professional team is going to come in and look at this guy and just radically change the way that he's doing things.

[SPEAKER_02]: The usage.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that there's room to install

[SPEAKER_02]: some sort of two-seemed fastball that runs in on right-handed batters in the same way that Hurston Waldrip was able to do that for the Braves.

[SPEAKER_02]: Another very high-handed former floor to product who had a rough start as a major leager and as since kind of really figured things out, he credits a lot of that success to the addition of a two-seemed fastball.

[SPEAKER_02]: Liam Peterson sought out Waldrip before the 2026 season and he asked him.

[SPEAKER_02]: What is it that helps you?

[SPEAKER_02]: Why is this such a good thing for your arsenal?

[SPEAKER_02]: How do you employ it?

[SPEAKER_02]: And he tried to do it.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I think this is somebody who's motivated to improve.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that that's really important when it comes to the baseball draft more than any other professional lead.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I do think that there are a lot of boxes that remained unchecked developmentally with Liam Peterson that if it works out,

[SPEAKER_02]: he could be the biggest boom in this class.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I'm taking the home run swing.

[SPEAKER_02]: Is there a massive fizzle out, uh, outcome here for sure.

[SPEAKER_02]: We've all seen it over the last couple of years in his column starts.

[SPEAKER_02]: Uh, but again, I think that if you can really iron this stuff out, uh, and get him right, it's the the skies the limit.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's fantastic if it's great.

[SPEAKER_00]: So Carlos, pick 15.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm a fan of this

[SPEAKER_00]: So, tell us what you like about Hellfric at Pick 15.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, he ranked number seven on the board, and I'm getting him here at 15.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that speaks to kind of how big this tier is.

[SPEAKER_01]: All of the players that went in front of him, I think makes sense.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think anyone really jumped off the board at a crazy level, but I was considering Ryder Hellfric.

[SPEAKER_01]: with my picket nine.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think Derek Cariel, Drew Burris, and Ryder Helfreck, kind of the guy as I was sizing up there.

[SPEAKER_01]: For some of the reason Jacob mentioned previously, I like the fact that he's an up the middle player.

[SPEAKER_01]: So even if there are some real hit risk questions with Ryder Helfreck, I feel good about his ability to create value as a defender at catcher.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he'll be in above average defender there with some more polish.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think Metricly here already

[SPEAKER_01]: behind the play, he's got a plus arm, he's got plus raw power.

[SPEAKER_01]: So the idea of getting a power hitting catcher at 15 is pretty exciting to me, and just based on how this draft unfolded, I didn't really consider many other players at this pick.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he was pretty clearly my top rank player available here.

[SPEAKER_00]: So at Pick 16, for the Rangers, Jeff selected Trevor Condon, the high school outfitter from Edowah High in Woodstock, Georgia.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'll go back to you, Carlos, on this one, what do you think about Trevor Condon going in this range?

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I actually like this pick better than just previous one.

[SPEAKER_01]: I do think Trevor Condon and Jared Grindlinger are kind of the next two high school players on the our high school hitters.

[SPEAKER_01]: I should say on the board after our top three come off.

[SPEAKER_01]: I just feel more confident in what Trevor Condon can do as a hitter in a myriad of raised ways defensively.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's going to stick in center field.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a double plus runner.

[SPEAKER_01]: He gets out of the box extremely rapidly.

[SPEAKER_01]: He has an endearing hair on fire play style.

[SPEAKER_01]: He makes a ton of contact, I think he's also incorporated his lower half a little bit more this spring and maybe surprise some people with the the impact that he shown I don't think he's going to be a big slugger, but I don't think he's going to be an empty batting average player either in some ways.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's like an added speed profile to like a Derek Couriel.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think if you like Derek Couriel's profile Trevor Condon does a lot of the same things and you can maybe dream on a little bit more with him.

[SPEAKER_01]: So yeah, I think this is a really fun pick and Trevor Condon, whoever watches and play, if you haven't seen him when you do, it's very hard to go in and watch Trevor Condon play, baseball game and not just be excited about anything he's doing on the field.

[SPEAKER_00]: So Jacob, you own to add something?

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I actually have seen Trevor Conn play a couple times in person.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that there's an interesting subplot to the Trevor Condon pick that will be relevant a couple of times in the first few rounds with some high school players.

[SPEAKER_02]: And that is that this is a draft that has a lot of weird swings.

[SPEAKER_02]: And when I say weird swings, I mean, some of the swings are weird, but in Condon's case, if the timing mechanism is very unorthodox, and I know that there are some teams that look at him and they're like, oh, I don't know if that's going to work out as a professional.

[SPEAKER_02]: evaluator, high level evaluator pointed out to me that this draft, if you go back through it, maybe one of the most full of just weird hitters that we've seen in a long time from the high school level, there are a lot of dudes who will either need to have their weird ways work out for them, or

[SPEAKER_02]: Make some pretty big changes in order for things to work out and I think that Condon is the best of that group So in Jeff's pick you're you're getting somebody who let Carlos said is an electric athlete and electric players in terms of style But what one interesting thing to keep an eye on is exactly how that swing progresses how a team looks at the timing mechanism and whether or not they want to change it And then of course there are some guys behind him.

[SPEAKER_02]: Why I think we'll fall into a similar bucket.

[SPEAKER_02]: So that's one thing that I will be keeping an eye on in this draft who takes who

[SPEAKER_02]: interesting thing.

[SPEAKER_00]: So with my pick for the Astros at 17, I selected, I talked about him before, Chris Akopian, the second baseman of Texas A&M.

[SPEAKER_00]: You could say in-fielder, you could say again, hit her.

[SPEAKER_00]: He has played shortstop at Merrill and he played their base.

[SPEAKER_00]: The thing I will say about Akopian, who doesn't have the power potential, I would say is some of these other guys we, they're like, well, he's got some, but he's not ever had the same kind of productive power.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's never hit 20 homers in a college season, but he's always hit for average, wherever he's gone.

[SPEAKER_00]: He has a pretty extensive wood bat crack record.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're now in an era where a whole lot of the top guys don't really do a lot in the summer.

[SPEAKER_00]: In Hocopians case, he had a full summer in the cake last year where he hit pretty well.

[SPEAKER_00]: He had a full, you know, he had a full summery year before that in the NABCL that we're also played very well and even played a couple of games coming out of this high school season.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we've seen a lot of wood bat crack record with him to me.

[SPEAKER_00]: in an era where that is kind of a little bit less common, I think that that really kind of makes me feel a little bit better.

[SPEAKER_00]: Especially, we're at Pick 17, we're talking about a pretty polished, a pretty consistent bat with some defensive questions.

[SPEAKER_00]: And it's also missed a little bit of time this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Some concerns about long-term durability may be as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: Chris a copy and maybe is the best hit power combination in this class and if he's not, you may be took the other one in Ace Reese at 11.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think those are two of the, and what you're what you're giving up and getting those hit power combinations is some more defensive profile questions, but typically in this class, if you're getting a hitter who makes it ton of contact, you're not getting a lot of power.

[SPEAKER_01]: Chrissicoping is one of the players who actually does impact the ball pretty well while making a ton of contact his pure contact and inzone contact rates Stack up with really the best pure hitters.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're gonna talk about in this staff draft and so That is what you're buying with Hocopia and just a really good operation in the box Where he where he settles defensively and how much you can move around that is gonna be a big question You might have drafted two first baseman to get to it though

[SPEAKER_00]: I bet none bats.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, pick 18 mark for the red selected.

[SPEAKER_00]: an interesting pick, but apparently they had to copy paste.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: There.

[SPEAKER_00]: Cameron Flooky.

[SPEAKER_00]: Right-hander for Coastal Carolina.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos, we've talked to feel like I'm about Flooky a lot on the draft pod this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would say coming out of last year, coming out of last summer and cultural series, you would never have imagined that Flooky could last 18.

[SPEAKER_00]: Why is he still on the board here at 18?

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think there are some questions just with durability, with injury, with delivery.

[SPEAKER_01]: Although delivery questions aren't new, I think maybe just some of the injuries he's dealt with have maybe just added some more uncertainty to how he does it on the mound, can we fluky dealt with a rib strain this year that limited him pretty significantly in terms of the workload that he was able to

[SPEAKER_01]: to get to.

[SPEAKER_01]: He had some abbreviated outings down the stretch and the good thing is Kim Flookie's stuff.

[SPEAKER_01]: Look, the same as it's always looked for him and I do think Kim Flookie has one of the better, more impressive starter track records.

[SPEAKER_01]: He throws a lot of strikes.

[SPEAKER_01]: He has a great fastball with a lot of riding a life.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's got multiple breaking balls with this stink shape that he's really confident in.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the questions with Flookie are.

[SPEAKER_01]: Is that delivery going to limit him from a durability perspective at the next level?

[SPEAKER_01]: Are the injuries he's dealt with and it's not just the rib injury he's had this year.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's had other injuries in the past as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: How much will that limit him?

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think for me like I would like to see more of a change up for Cameron Flookie.

[SPEAKER_01]: He doesn't really throw one as much.

[SPEAKER_01]: Jacob mentioned Jackson Flora basically breaking out a new change up this year that really elevated his profile.

[SPEAKER_01]: Cameron Flookie didn't have the same

[SPEAKER_01]: limited arsenal questions that floored it entering the year.

[SPEAKER_01]: But that is a question that I have for him, despite the fact that I still really like the fastball, the curveball and the slider.

[SPEAKER_01]: And when he's been on the mound, he's been very effective.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think there's a lot of confidence in the command in the fastball here with Flookie.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 19 for the Guardians, Ben Badler's

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos, come back to you, Spangler, just kind of lay out like, I feel like he's a guy who's coming into the year we thought might go a little bit higher than that, is that?

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, seeing Cameron Fluke and Tyler Spangler back to back is interesting because a lot of the reasons why they've been slipping is just they haven't been on the field much.

[SPEAKER_01]: Tyler Spangler didn't play the spring for a day with Sal.

[SPEAKER_01]: We saw him at the combine on the field.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think entering the year reviewed him as a potential top three high school player in the class alongside Grady Emerson and Jacob Lombard.

[SPEAKER_01]: I hope Ben has been a huge fan of Spangler for a long time.

[SPEAKER_01]: He is a very advanced peer hitter.

[SPEAKER_01]: It is the sort of great Emerson package in that you're buying a really advanced approach at the play.

[SPEAKER_01]: A left hand is when you feel good about and it's a well-rounded toolset beyond that.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're still gonna need to project and dream on some more power coming.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there may be slightly more questions about whether he's a short stop or third basement, but he does have solid actions.

[SPEAKER_01]: In defensive work, there's just a lot of uncertainty with Spangler now.

[SPEAKER_01]: Given the fact that it didn't play the spring,

[SPEAKER_01]: He also has a Stanford commitment which we've seen in the past that comes into play in terms of signability.

[SPEAKER_01]: But in terms of like pure hitting ability, Tyler Spangler would be near the top of this class.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are through 19 picks.

[SPEAKER_00]: We will roll on to pick 20 right after this quick break.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we're back, and Jacob, you are picking for the Red Sox at Pit 20, and you took Tennessee right-hander, Tegan Cumes, who is one of the guys that had a little bit more heat-yum, helium I'd say this spring.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'll let it jump down about Cumes to you.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think you're getting a really premium bucket of potential here.

[SPEAKER_02]: The arsenal is already very good, specifically that fastball, the shape on that pitch is outstanding.

[SPEAKER_02]: He has great angles, not necessarily like the best mover in the class in terms of getting down the mound and in the extension category, but just

[SPEAKER_02]: the attacking along the fastball, the way that it moves is impressive, it's up to 99.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then he has real feel for spin.

[SPEAKER_02]: There's a good curve bond slider in there.

[SPEAKER_02]: He does throw a change up that had a 35% misrate in the regular season.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's got a really good life on it and separation from the fastball.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then more than anything with Tegan Coons, I think he's ultra-projectable.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's still super thin.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is a very small picture.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that you can easily envision him having

[SPEAKER_02]: 15 to 25 pounds on that frame and getting even stronger and more durable.

[SPEAKER_02]: And if you do that with the foundation that he has this guy is kind of the limit here, I actually consider him at 14 when I took Liam Peterson.

[SPEAKER_00]: Cool.

[SPEAKER_00]: We get to pick 21 with Carlos and Carlos select TCU outfield or Sawyer Stroh Snyder.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos, I feel like that this is a risk-war ward pick.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is, and I think this is the first player that I actually have gotten in all four of our staff dress.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think I'm maybe the highest on Sawyer Stroke Snyder in our office.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is definitely a tools and athleticism pick.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's kind of the antithesis of my Derek Curry L pick to end spots in front of this.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think Sawyer Stroke Snyder maybe has four plus tools with his raw power, his speed, his defensive upside, and his arms strength.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm also less concerned about him hitting under 300 this spring than I typically would be.

[SPEAKER_01]: Partially because he had a tremendous freshman season in 2025 with TCU.

[SPEAKER_01]: Partially just because I buy into some of the approach changes he made.

[SPEAKER_01]: This spring he walked at a double the rate that he did a year ago.

[SPEAKER_01]: There still are some chase questions and some string decision questions.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's going to need to continue improving.

[SPEAKER_01]: But if he can just tighten those up a little bit,

[SPEAKER_01]: I do think that Sawyer's Stroke Sniper has really impactful upside as this power speed, either good centerfielder or maybe great corner outfielder if you have to move in the future.

[SPEAKER_01]: So it's definitely an upside play for me here.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that puts us on to 22 pick the Tigers, Jeff Ponds, selects Taylor Rae, the Ole Miss right hander who, if we'd have said they Ole Miss right hander goes in the early 20s Jacob coming into the year, we'd had a different name there, but I would say that we're gonna hear another Ole Miss pitcher I think before too long, but at the same time, Taylor Rae kind of had a very strong finishing kick to the season to do not.

[SPEAKER_02]: Sure did, and I think that this was the guy that I was really, really hoping would get to 26.

[SPEAKER_02]: I absolutely considered him at 20 when I went with Tegan Cunes.

[SPEAKER_02]: The fear here is that he does not have the same kind of spin capacity.

[SPEAKER_02]: As a guy like Tegan Cunes, which is what led me to make my pick.

[SPEAKER_02]: That being said, I do think that Taylor Rabe is a real high upside play.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's a six foot six righty, he's got a starter

[SPEAKER_02]: frame, he's very new still to everything that he's doing, the entire operation has changed dramatically.

[SPEAKER_02]: Over the course of the year, I will shamelessly plug a story that I wrote over at Baseball America from the college world series, kind of detailing some of those changes.

[SPEAKER_02]: His arm slot has come up significantly.

[SPEAKER_02]: He has revamped the way that he gets into his delivery, the way that he gets down the mound.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then the way that he throws his fastball, that cutter is really

[SPEAKER_02]: really good.

[SPEAKER_02]: So you're drafting a premium fastball package, a really good mover and somebody who is still very raw in everything that he's doing.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I think that there's kind of capacity to get a lot better in some of these things and the lack of fuel for spin part of me wonders if that's again just goes back to the newness and maybe somebody gets him into their developmental system and starts to kind of install those things successfully.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I think it's a great pick and I very much

[SPEAKER_00]: So that gets on to me at Pick 23 with the Cubs.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I love how Carlos said, like, he picked Strow Snyder and Creole are kind of very different types.

[SPEAKER_00]: They pick both of them.

[SPEAKER_00]: Mason Edwards is not my normal type.

[SPEAKER_00]: I will say, you know, we'll take all the germs here.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, but Mason Edwards was our college pitcher of the year dominating season for Southern Cal this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would say with him you are talking about like he has a demonstrative ability, Ms.

[SPEAKER_00]: Bats.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've seen that, you know, and I would say, even though I made the pick, you've seen him more in person than I have Jacob, so like with Mason Edwards, what is it that makes him so effective, despite like if you just look at the pure stuff, there are definitely guys who are going to go after him who, you know, who may light up the radar gun a little bit more.

[SPEAKER_00]: What is it about Mason Edwards?

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, it's the spin.

[SPEAKER_02]: For him, that breaking ball is the main piece here.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that he has a really great feel for his breaking ball.

[SPEAKER_02]: Some scouts believe that it's two different pitches a fastball and a curve ball.

[SPEAKER_02]: I talked to Mason Edwards earlier in the year and as well as his former pitching coach Sean Allen.

[SPEAKER_02]: It actually sounds like it's one pitch that he just kind of manipulates into different shapes.

[SPEAKER_02]: He just throws it somewhat differently.

[SPEAKER_02]: He has the ability to manipulate his arm slot, which is something that I love and some of these lack of velocity left handers.

[SPEAKER_02]: The fastball is light, but I do think that this is a guy who really has a feel for pitching the off speeds are very advanced, and it's just kind of a matter of whether or not you're going to be able to get to a little bit more velocity fastball-wise, and then of course in order to avoid a relief outcome, I do think that the control will have to tick up massively

[SPEAKER_00]: So that puts us on to pick 24 with the Mariners and the Mariners take Zionros Louisville outfielder who missed again, something we talked about before, Gunner Guy who missed the star of the season and then made up pretty well for lost time Carlos when he did come back.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I was curious to see which college outfielder would be kind of the first after we cleared this, this college outfield group that for us ended with Sawyer Stroke Snyder in AJ Grosio.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there's a little bit of a gap between where the next names are.

[SPEAKER_01]: It seems like Mark really was excited about Zyn Rose contact ability compared to some of the other options here.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a right-handed hitter.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's also a corner outfielder now, but another some scouts who look at just his raw running ability.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a plus or maybe even better runner.

[SPEAKER_01]: who has a chance to place in our field.

[SPEAKER_01]: He just happens to share the same outfit with one of the better defenders.

[SPEAKER_01]: in the entire country and Lucas Moore.

[SPEAKER_01]: But Zyn Rose was a tremendous performer when he came back from his injury.

[SPEAKER_01]: He makes a lot of contact.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he hits the ball hard.

[SPEAKER_01]: He doesn't lift the ball a ton.

[SPEAKER_01]: So those are going to be some of the questions for him moving forward.

[SPEAKER_01]: How much does he impact the ball and get in the air?

[SPEAKER_01]: And what does the defense of profile look like?

[SPEAKER_01]: Because I think you're going to need to see some route running improvement from him no matter where he's at in the outfield.

[SPEAKER_01]: But it's a solid collection of contact skills and physical tools here with Zyn Rose.

[SPEAKER_00]: As we say, this is a staff draft, we're not always picking for what the team fit and all that, but at the same time, the brewer's taking a good glove short stop in Aden Ruiz, Benz pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: For the brewers, that kind of seems like there's a nice melt there of what the organization likes and what Benz picks for them, not surprised to see Benz pick Aden Ruiz, their Carlos Ruiz.

[SPEAKER_00]: He kind of can make a comparison like,

[SPEAKER_00]: When you're talking about him and Lombard, those are kind of those the best gloves, short stop gloves in the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: I would throw Chalowski into that mix, but if you wanted to just say high school players, yeah, I think the top two, and I think most Scouts would tell you the Aiden Ruiz, is the top defender in the high school class at Shorestop.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's impeccable with how he moves at the position.

[SPEAKER_01]: His hands are ultra liable.

[SPEAKER_01]: He makes every routine play.

[SPEAKER_01]: He makes a number of impact highlight real plays.

[SPEAKER_01]: His instinct, search, tremendous.

[SPEAKER_01]: His range is impressive.

[SPEAKER_01]: He doesn't have the best arm in the world, but his ability to get the ball in and out of the glove makes up for that.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I've talked to some scouts who wonder if he slides the second because they are in which is a little bit unusual for a player you're talking about as the best defensive shortstop in the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: Ultimately, I think he doesn't have from the arm strength perspective to make it work there.

[SPEAKER_01]: The instincts are just tremendous.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then he also has solved contact skills and has gotten a little bit stronger at this spring.

[SPEAKER_01]: So he has been a Ben Badler favorite for a long time now.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if we've had a single staff draft or Ben hasn't taken him.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob on the other hand takes a guy who I don't think had gone this high in any of the previous staff dress Jared a Vicular Georgia Tech had always talked about a great year But if you talk about from a pure hitting ability standpoint, Jared a Vicular had the best year of any of that yellow jacket's group, even more than Bonlaki, even more than Drew Burris Jacob, what are you getting?

[SPEAKER_00]: What are the braves getting in this scenario with Jared a Vicular?

[SPEAKER_02]: Well, you kind of just outlined it perfectly and it's that it's the hit tool.

[SPEAKER_02]: This this pick is entirely motivated by the fact that I think that Jared and Vinkilla has one of the best hit tools in this class and I think that it's picked 26.

[SPEAKER_02]: That is great value to be getting.

[SPEAKER_02]: I will admit that I think that my preferred picks were the guys that went just narrowly in front of me in Taylor Mason Edwards and Zion Rose.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then after that, I do think that there is a little bit of a tear break.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a softer tear break than the one that we talked about.

[SPEAKER_02]: after the top six into that like 7th through, you know, 25 range, but I think that it happens again a little bit here where you can go in a number of different directions.

[SPEAKER_02]: Adventula, great hitter.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's well below average power.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think the defensive ability at second base is just fine.

[SPEAKER_02]: But again, you're really hoping to get somebody who's just going to be an on-base machine with a great feel for contact.

[SPEAKER_02]: And that was what I was targeting here.

[SPEAKER_00]: So Carlos, you get to pick for the Metz here at Pick 27.

[SPEAKER_00]: And one of the most prominent names, I would think that we've talked about more than about anybody goes off the board.

[SPEAKER_00]: Justin LeBron, Alabama short stop, I would say if you get, if the Metz got him at 27, this is not a wide range of where Justin LeBron could go.

[SPEAKER_00]: But if Thumma Metz fan and he ends up lasting until 27, I think the risk reward pay off here becomes pretty strongly slanted board for reward.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, that you explained my thought process exactly.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't come into this staff draft being like, oh, man, I really want to get Justin LeBron, because I do have some real questions about just the pure hitting ability we've seen from multiple years now and inability to react to and recognize spin in a way that I think could be really prohibitive for his ability to get to his loud, rock hour at the next level, but at the same time, at 27, his athleticism and toolset is leaps and bounds better than anyone else that I can see.

[SPEAKER_01]: on the board here and like you said, at 27, the risk I'm more than happy to take a chance on Justin LeBron's upside, because if he improves and if he hits, he has like franchise changing tools and upside.

[SPEAKER_01]: When you see Justin LeBron on the right day,

[SPEAKER_01]: He looks like he should be a top five pick in this class.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a dynamic runner.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm very bullish on him defensively.

[SPEAKER_01]: Actually, I know he had an error prone defensive season.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think we've seen both in Pro Ball and at the amateur level, talented defenders can struggle with errors.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's too good of an athlete and too good of a mover in the field for me to not think that can improve with pro instruction.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think defense is the maybe the best area for player development to improve players at the next level.

[SPEAKER_01]: a lot less confident and hit tool, but again at 27, I'm happy with the risk reward.

[SPEAKER_00]: 28 Astro this pick, Jeff Selex, Logan Redmond, UCLA Wright-Hander Jacob, I feel like if Logan Redmond had been healthy all year, he probably is off the board before this, but importantly, we did see him get on the mound, I believe, in the combine, which is important, but if it all, if he

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think you're getting one of the better pitchability guys and I say that and I think that comes with the connotation of the stuff is light But I think that you're getting one of the best pitchability guys in the draft in Logan Reddeman if he can stay healthy and it comes with pretty loud stuff It's a mid to high 90s fastball.

[SPEAKER_02]: I actually saw him touch 99 in person multiple times when he faced off against USC There is a good slider in there and the piece to resist on is the change up.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a really good pitch

[SPEAKER_02]: There are multiple evaluators who think it's presently plus there are some others who fall into the bucket more of it's at least average right now It can be plus one day, but regardless this is somebody who is a very good feel for being around the strike zone And again, I think that he does have the kind of stuff that when you combine it with that pitchability You could really kind of dream on it pretty easily the question now is just well, and I just can't healthy

[SPEAKER_00]: So then that comes to me.

[SPEAKER_00]: And this is now I get one of my cheese balls from this class, which is coal prosick.

[SPEAKER_00]: Position here again.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm taking like this, but this is a unlike my ace re-spick unlike Microsoft Copium pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: There's some upside to this defense, which is Cole-Prossec, primarily an in-fielder in high school, but has caught has shown a willingness to catch two, seems to kind of have the starter set to maybe develop as a catcher.

[SPEAKER_00]: More importantly, I would say there is some uncertainty there.

[SPEAKER_00]: Do can really hit Magnolia Heights High in Mississippi.

[SPEAKER_00]: Can really hit,

[SPEAKER_00]: I think that this is a guy who is conceivably one of the better prep bats in this class.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so at pick 29, yeah, you go out and you send him out as a catcher, probably see if you can do that.

[SPEAKER_00]: And if not, you know that he's going to fall back to being a hitter who probably, again, is not going to be a zero defensively, but if he can catch, it really does add to his upside I feel like.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I like his hitting ability and power combination to the same degree as players in the past like Tyler Sudrstrom and Rolf Evalazquez who were catchers like primary catchers at the time they were drafted and those picks still look pretty good even after moving.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think like defensive questions here for me are less concerning because I think you are getting one of the better hit power.

[SPEAKER_01]: combos in the class.

[SPEAKER_01]: Cold pro sex season was awesome and I'll also add, I hope this draft kills the notion that you can't draft high school hitters out of the state of Mississippi because not only have we had a lot of really talented big leaders from the state, but we also have Eric with Jr. who went with what the fourth pick overall in this draft and should be a top 10 pick.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's kill that narrative and never talk about it again, please.

[SPEAKER_00]: I always say, I think Connor Griffin is doing good work to kind of eliminate that as a concern.

[SPEAKER_00]: Um, but okay, pick 30.

[SPEAKER_00]: The final pick of I'd say like the tradition.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know we are in the supplemental first, but the top 30 picks of a draft is usually kind of the end of the roughly the end of first round.

[SPEAKER_00]: We have 30 teams.

[SPEAKER_00]: Mark selects for the Royal's

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob, I'll go to you on this to explain like with hunter deeps, um, it's been a little bit up and down, but again, there is some real upside here, is there not?

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, you're, you're getting a starter's arsenal.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a real five pitch mix.

[SPEAKER_02]: Uh, the fastball has good shape to it.

[SPEAKER_02]: He is a very high-handed left-hander, which makes him a little bit unique.

[SPEAKER_02]: The velocity is real at present, he's up to 98, and again, like I said, I do think that you are drafting the pitch mix, as you said, though, JJ, I do think that there is risk here with 100 beats, the strike throwing.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think it's questionable, he had only one pitch that he was in the zone with 50% of the time and more, which was as fastball, everything else kind of trail off from there.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that the fuel for spin is really good, and then could get better.

[SPEAKER_02]: The question is very much though, how much are you going to be able to get him in and around the zone?

[SPEAKER_02]: And does that kind of high-handed unique look allow itself to play as well as it did in college?

[SPEAKER_02]: With the pro baseball does the fastball have as much life as it does with the pro baseball?

[SPEAKER_02]: Those are the questions that I have with hundreds of each but in this range, I do think that this was one of the better picks.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are through pick 30, but we're still not even halfway done with the total number of picks that we're going to pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll be back again right after this quick break.

[SPEAKER_00]: And so now that we are in the thirties, we're gonna do this a little differently.

[SPEAKER_00]: We can't just be here for three hours.

[SPEAKER_00]: It's a Saturday's recording this.

[SPEAKER_00]: Gotta let people do some stuff.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, just for July, actually, you know, but hey, but so we're gonna go five picks at a time now.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'll read those off and then we'll kind of just throw it open to thoughts that you guys have.

[SPEAKER_00]: So, Ben at Pick 31 for the D-Bax takes Kate Townsend, the other Ole Miss right hander, like Taylor Rae.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Jacob at Pick 32 for the Cardinals selects Ben Blair, the right hander from Liberty, a Jacob, Rudder, Fave, Carlos at Pick 33 for the raise takes Colbin, Barthwick, right hander from South Walton, high in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jeff at Pick 34 for the pirate selects and he does list him as a two way guy here short stop right hander archer horn San Francisco from saying nishist college prep and then pick 35 I select for the Yankees Daniel Jackson the Georgia catcher your golden spikes award winner this year

[SPEAKER_00]: Um, I'll start just by kicking off that like kind of like what you said with Justin LeBron at 27, if you get Daniel Jackson at pick 35, you can have questions about his defense, you can have about some questions about his hitting, you know, like, up, up, up, up, up, I'll submit hitting upside even with the great season he had at pick 35.

[SPEAKER_00]: I feel like that those questions are well outweigh by the potential upside you're getting here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos, what stands out to you from this group.

[SPEAKER_01]: Um, for me, this is at least the range where I start to get really excited about the high school profiles and the upside they provide relative to some of the real red flags that I have with a lot of the college profiles including Daniel Jackson who you picked.

[SPEAKER_01]: Um, I think that.

[SPEAKER_01]: We can linger on Dana Jackson more if you want to but I think there's yeah, I just think there's a little bit more his hit risk there with the Injax and then with his season might suggest but the Coleman Barth week.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is a player who I'm I'm still pretty surprised that we don't hear his name more in the top 20 I think his combination of power he's been up to 99 miles per hour

[SPEAKER_01]: He's tremendously physical.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think in a bad way because he throws a ton of strikes.

[SPEAKER_01]: Like, I had some scouts talk to me this past week and say he's one of the better command high school pitchers.

[SPEAKER_01]: They remember scouting, which is kind of shockingly impressive for a guy like him.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's got a power slider in the mid 80s.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's a unique athlete.

[SPEAKER_01]: He actually plays shortstop for his high school team, which may be seems incredible for a six foot six junior 50 pound player play a shortstop in any capacity, but I just think Coleman Barth wicks.

[SPEAKER_01]: power, like his stuff and his pitching ability, I think is better than a number of the college arms that have already come off the board.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob, I've got to ask you about in blur.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah.

[SPEAKER_02]: No, I actually think it's funny.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that he's kind of the college version in this range of what Carlos just said about Borthlik where it's like I'm a little bit surprised that there's not a lot more conversation about him earlier in this draft.

[SPEAKER_02]: We're talking about an advanced striker who's unique in the fact that he throws some very low

[SPEAKER_02]: in the class in my opinion, there is fuel to spin the baseball, there is fuel to throw a change up, there is obvious relief concern when it comes to some of these guys who are this like really low, almost side arms, slingshot type pictures who are gonna maybe have a hard time against lefties and pro ball, but generally speaking, when you get this kind of strike throwing ability power and just all around stuff, I think that it's pretty hard to resist once you get into the 30s.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, going on for our next five picks, we have

[SPEAKER_00]: Philly's, Baraturolis, Lixford, Philly's a pick 36 Logan Schmidt, the left-hander from Pomona, California, High School Left-Hander, at Pick 37, Ben's, Lixford, the Rockies, Bolo Rants, their base bin from Greenville, South Carolina, and other prep.

[SPEAKER_00]: Position player, the Rockies, Pick 38, Jacobs, Lex Conner Como, short stop from Austin, Texas, Anderson, I, that pronounced that right, Jake Carlos, I see you kind of, you're muted.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, and then at pic 39 blue jays Carlos selects Blake Bryant, high school right hander from citizen Christian in Douglas, Georgia, and at pic 40 for the Dodgers, which by the way, talk about, you know, it's the free agent rules and all that, but this pic 39 and 40 are first round picks, even though the Rockies second round pick is at pic 38, but Jeff Slex, Aden Robbins, the outfielder from Texas,

[SPEAKER_00]: This is a popery of different profiles.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'll just point out that Robins I feel like is again a guy who there is some there's some upside there's some risk.

[SPEAKER_00]: But at the same time again if you're getting him he would I would say there's been a lot of iterations this year earlier in the year where we've seen him going much higher than pick 40 but Carlos what stands out to you.

[SPEAKER_01]: My favorite pick in the draft happened in this range, and it wasn't even the one I made.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was the one Jacob made right in front of me, breaking my heart, taking a high school hitter who I loved dearly.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think Conorcomo has excellent pure hitting trade to think there's a lot of projection with the frame.

[SPEAKER_01]: A little bit of a run on preps here between Schmidt, Lawrence, Komo, and Bryant.

[SPEAKER_01]: It does seem to be like this at the range where people start to get excited about those profiles.

[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, the Komo picks down, that's me in this range.

[SPEAKER_01]: What about you, Jacob?

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, my co-mobile was pretty pretty good.

[SPEAKER_02]: My co-mobile big stands out.

[SPEAKER_02]: I knew the course was going to be upset with that talking about it.

[SPEAKER_01]: I was hoping not to wait one more and get him at 30 at 39 was I picking and I do think this is this is the range we're kind of like knowing who you're

[SPEAKER_01]: your peers like is really valuable because for me, like I would have taken Coleman Borthwick, we talked about a second ago, a lot earlier, had I known other people were more interested and I thought I was like hedging my bets enough to still get Connor Komo, but this is this is what happens when you try to game the other drafters you can sometimes miss out on guys you really like.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I also will say just for the record on this, I do think that the Aiden Robin's pick is interesting just because the way that the stock on him is kind of ebbden-flowed over the course of the year, there was a period of time where it felt like he was a very sure bet to go and let's say the top 20-ish.

[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe even this high as the top 15, I think there was a staff draft where that happened.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then now it seems like there's a question about whether or not he even gets into the first round and I'm talking, you know, first round, first round,

[SPEAKER_02]: But there are questions about whether or not he's going to play center field.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that there are real hit tool questions there.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I think that any any good evaluator is somebody who's opinion is going to change over the course of the year and I'm happy to admit like mine has for sure.

[SPEAKER_02]: On Aden Robins, I started the year very high on him and was still there through about April.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then just as the year has gone on, he moved away from center field, the hit tool questions have really become a lot clearer.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that this is an appropriate range for that level of risk, but I probably wouldn't take him much sooner than this.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that gets us to five more picks we're gonna roll out, which is 41 through 45, the white socks.

[SPEAKER_00]: I picked for the white socks here, they're first picked in the second round.

[SPEAKER_00]: Cole Carlon, the left hander from Arizona State, Mark's selecting for the National's the Pick 42, Brody Bumilla, the left hander from Adelboro, Massachusetts, who you've probably heard about if you're this far into the pod and YouTube video.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 43 with the twins, Kevin Roberts, Jr., outfielder from Jackson Prep, another business that be high school.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're seeing a lot.

[SPEAKER_00]: We're seeing a run on those in this year's class.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 44 of the pirates.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob Selex, Jack Raidle, the right hander from Notre Dame.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then at Pick 45 for the Angels Carlos, selects land in Tome, short stop from a prep short stop from the Grange Park Illinois.

[SPEAKER_00]: And yes, that is the son of Jim Tome.

[SPEAKER_00]: So it's a kind of a star-studded group here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob, I'll let you start off this time.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I actually grew up.

[SPEAKER_01]: And correctly by like correct me on pronunciations, if I can say the two, the two, to mention here, I think it's Cole Carlone and then Jack Riddell.

[SPEAKER_01]: But thank you.

[SPEAKER_01]: Thank you, Michael.

[SPEAKER_01]: My pleasure.

[SPEAKER_02]: There you go.

[SPEAKER_02]: I actually was going to start with one of those.

[SPEAKER_02]: I actually like your pick in this range of five.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think Cole Carlone has a lot of value at this point.

[SPEAKER_02]: I know the reason that he's here was because there was an end of season kind of arm thing that I think scared some people fairly, but we're talking about left handed picture who's up to a hundred miles over a hundred miles per hour with arguably the best off speed pitch in this class and that slider.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a no doubt plus if not double plus pitch.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I think that there is at this point in the draft something to be said for taking the guy who's floors pretty high and I do think that in cool car loan you are getting somebody who has the chance to be a very effective big league reliever at a minimum.

[SPEAKER_02]: And if it works out as a starter, I think you're in great shape.

[SPEAKER_02]: So I like that pick.

[SPEAKER_02]: I was hoping that he would sneak down a little bit further to me at 44.

[SPEAKER_02]: He did not, but I commend you because I think that it was the right time to get that guy off the board.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, for me, the first three picks in this range are definitely like high-up side, high-risk picks.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think it's interesting to note that market this stage has now gone with Hunter Dietz, Logan Schmitt, and Brody B. Meila.

[SPEAKER_01]: In three straight picks, so he is clearly a fan of this high-risk, high-reward left-hand at pitching demographic.

[SPEAKER_01]: Jack Ridell, I really like that pick as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think this is a guy who, if you wanted to make a case for him,

[SPEAKER_01]: in that like back of the 20s range.

[SPEAKER_01]: I really think you can.

[SPEAKER_01]: The more I dig into his profile, the more I like it, I feel like he is one of the more proven starters, great track record, well-rounded mix, there's a lot of strikes, so I like that one.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then I felt like I needed to get lend in to him.

[SPEAKER_01]: I hear Connor Komo came off the board, their couple prep, short stops with great hitting traits that I really like and lend in to him.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm just really excited about his his hit, his peer-hitting ability, and just the pop that he has despite not being the same.

[SPEAKER_01]: size as his father.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't think he'll have the same build even if he does get a little bigger.

[SPEAKER_00]: Five war picks coming up.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we have, let me hit copy.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we have Cames Surral, 46, pick 46 the Orioles, Cames Surral, Jeff Bix, Cames Surral, they up there in Texas, A&M, I picks Carson Bowleman, left-hander from Simpsonville, South Carolina, left-hander from pick 47 to the A's, pick 48 to the Braves, Mark Slex, Auburn Second Baseman, Chris Rembert,

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 49 for the raise, Ben Selex, Chattanooga Tennessee Prep Outfit or Noah Wilson, and then at Pick 50, Jacob Selex for the Cardinals, North Carolina Tar Hill, Outfield or Owen Hall.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, Carlos, you get first pick this time of what stands out to you of this group.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think the Kaden Serrell value here for Jeff is really exciting.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's sliding because of some strikeout questions, but I think he actually has a pretty decent chance to stick and center field.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a really enticing power speed combination.

[SPEAKER_01]: Actually, like your pick, JJ of Carson Bowman here, he didn't have the greatest spring.

[SPEAKER_01]: The spring that Scott's were expecting because the velocity was down primarily.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he still spins the baseball really effectively.

[SPEAKER_01]: He lands all those pitches.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a high probability starter profile.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he dominated the competition despite the velocity not being where he wanted to see.

[SPEAKER_01]: No one Wilson is a toolsie outfielder that I like as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then Jacob began taking a player that I was starting to consider in this range in Owen Hall, who was another postseason riser.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I kind of like every pick in this range.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're all players that I would have personally considered with this next pick if it did one.

[SPEAKER_01]: Jacob, what about you?

[SPEAKER_02]: I actually have nothing to add to that.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that this group of five is really a very high value group of five.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that my pick of Owen Hall jumps the line a little bit, but I don't think that that's a bad reflection of what could happen in the draft for somebody gets a little bit excited and wants to make sure that they get those tools into their system.

[SPEAKER_02]: Is he the 50th best player overall in the draft, maybe not, but I think that you could certainly make the case.

[SPEAKER_02]: Um, and the other one that I want to shout out is Mark's pick in specific Chris Rembert.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that Chris Rembert quietly has one of the better hit tools in this class.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think he plays a better second base than my much earlier pick in Jared and Ventula.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I think that this is probably somebody who has a chance to grow into some decent

[SPEAKER_02]: maybe not even average, but decent game power in a way that I'll even go back on my pick again, Jared and I think he'll probably just not.

[SPEAKER_02]: So really interesting second baseman out of Auburn, I think that Chris Remberg's pretty advanced and it's kind of in a quiet way.

[SPEAKER_02]: So that may end up being one of the higher value picks of this range and certainly in this group of five.

[SPEAKER_00]: Five more picks on the board here.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we have the Pirates.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos had picked 51 selects for them.

[SPEAKER_00]: Texas catcher Carson Tinney.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 52 for the Marlins.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jeff selects Central Florida outfielder Andrew Williamson.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 53 for the D-backs.

[SPEAKER_00]: I select for the D-backs.

[SPEAKER_00]: Virginia short stop Eric Becker.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 54 for the Rangers, Mark Selex, Bellflower, California, I think, but John Bosco, I, short stop James Clark.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 55, Ben Selex for the Giants, Kingsburg, California, high school, right, and her gents in herhish corn.

[SPEAKER_00]: I would say before we even get into common on the players kind of,

[SPEAKER_00]: add to your comment Carlos.

[SPEAKER_00]: I feel like that this is the part of the draft where you say, what is this draft strong in?

[SPEAKER_00]: It's these players who you kind of sit in this range of the 40s into the 50s, maybe in the late 30s, where it's like,

[SPEAKER_00]: the separation between these players and the players you're taking 20 spots up isn't doesn't feel that dramatic.

[SPEAKER_00]: I feel like that these are there's a lot of guys here who in different relations or different parts of the year, you know, you could make an argument for us first rounders.

[SPEAKER_00]: Maybe they didn't have us go to year or whatever, but you're feeling pretty good about a lot of these picks.

[SPEAKER_00]: I feel like if you're in the

[SPEAKER_01]: I agree.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think Eric Becker, James Clark and Jensen Hirschcorner, all at various stages reviewed as potential first round picks, maybe especially those high school players at the back end range.

[SPEAKER_01]: For me here, Carson Tinney, I really debated two catchers, Carson Tinney and Jack Natilly here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I personally don't see a lot of separation between them in Daniel Jackson.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I struggle with Tinney because I want to let him slide on the board because there's a lot of hit risk here.

[SPEAKER_01]: He swings and misses at ton.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I am so enamored with the power and if you see him connect and hit a ball into an upper deck of a big league field like it is some of the best raw power in this class, so that that was kind of my Russian opportunity.

[SPEAKER_01]: I just couldn't hold back anymore on him.

[SPEAKER_00]: Anything you want to add Jacob?

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm actually going to forfeit my opportunity to offer analysis here.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to throw it back to you.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm going to play a host for a second.

[SPEAKER_02]: Why don't you do for the audience a quick explanation on the great Eric Becker boo-boo-boo that has happened over the course of our staff drafts?

[SPEAKER_00]: So this is what I love about our staff drafts.

[SPEAKER_00]: I do think sometimes it allows us to kind of sus out what's kind of momentum before we're hearing it.

[SPEAKER_00]: We do a lot of reporting for this, especially the two of you guys do a lot of talking to scouts, coaches, evaluators, you know, all kind of agents, you know, everyone and kind of involved in this.

[SPEAKER_00]: But in Eric Becker's case, I feel like that our staff draft kind of sussed out like when we would pick every time we would pick

[SPEAKER_00]: Eric Becker earlier in the year was rated much higher on our master plan, our overall draft rankings like he was much higher on this.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then every staff draft would roll around and we would just pass on him, round, pick after pick and he would slide.

[SPEAKER_00]: And as the season went on, I feel like that we kept getting the feedback to push him down a little bit into more of this range.

[SPEAKER_00]: And really, I feel like that...

[SPEAKER_00]: It was kind of the utility of a staff draft sometimes being that it does sus out that there are guys the profiles that are a little riskier or lacking in something where you kind of you know again in Becker's case I think your kind of your question is is just how much impact are you getting here just kind of what is the overall like

[SPEAKER_00]: What you're going to see is a big leaguer down the road and he kind of fits again.

[SPEAKER_00]: You get to the thing I love about this though, the exercise is and then you get to the point we saw this with Justin Lebron, we've seen this with other guys where you get to a point and you're like, well, at this point.

[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, like I'll I'm absolutely all in on that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that's another interesting one that way and I feel like we're going to have a couple more of those guys coming in this next group of five.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we've got Jacob selecting another one of his faves, I believe.

[SPEAKER_00]: Cincinnati, catcher, Jack Patalli goes to him.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 56 for the Royals.

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 57 for the Astros.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos selects Jason DeCaro, North Carolina, right hander.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then it stays in the Stariol state because at pick 58 for the Reds, Jeff selects NC State Out Filter Tyhead.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm selecting for the Guardians of Pick 59.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I take Canadian left prep lefty Sean Duncan.

[SPEAKER_00]: And then it picks 60 mark picking for the podry selects Texas Tech out for the Logan Hughes.

[SPEAKER_00]: I will make the note on Sean Duncan.

[SPEAKER_00]: Having Tommy John surgery, there is a little bit of it works for the Guardians, the Guardians are a team that has had

[SPEAKER_00]: They've had some failures and some successes of pictures with injuries.

[SPEAKER_00]: We've seen this obviously this year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Now, Daniel Spino and Justin Campbell, their injuries came after they were drafted, but in both cases, long layoffs came back, stuff is really good.

[SPEAKER_00]: They're a good real value again from Spino's already up in the big legs.

[SPEAKER_00]: In the case of Duncan, I would say that the feedback we got after his injury was, don't move him down much at all on the rankings because

[SPEAKER_00]: He's still really polished.

[SPEAKER_00]: He's still really in fits very much in this range.

[SPEAKER_00]: But Carlos, to kind of kick it to you, I feel like that we are seeing also here some real college performers going in this kind of 56 to 60 range.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I like all the players in this range.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think they all fit here.

[SPEAKER_01]: They may be you're not the the tools these players in the world, but they're well rounded with performance and traits to really like.

[SPEAKER_01]: So don't have time to add here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob, anything on your own?

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I, I, I, I very genuinely wonder two things about this group of five.

[SPEAKER_02]: One is where do most teams have Jack Natilly stacked up in their catching board and some of the reporting that I've done.

[SPEAKER_02]: I've heard from teams that they think that he is the third best catcher in this class behind obviously Vaughn Lacky, writer, health frick, and then him.

[SPEAKER_02]: I have a number of teams that I talk to that view him as a better prospect than Daniel Jackson and Carson Tinney.

[SPEAKER_02]: This is somebody who has

[SPEAKER_02]: Searing exit velocities, it was a 96-mile power average, 108-90th in the regular season.

[SPEAKER_02]: He does make a lot of contact, and good swing decisions.

[SPEAKER_02]: And so that is interesting.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then the other one is how high Tyhead will go.

[SPEAKER_02]: I know that there are teams that are worried about the pastivity.

[SPEAKER_02]: They're worried about how often he's able to get to his ace wing, but he is a no doubt center fielder and he is an excellent field ahead.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's one of the better bat ball, you know, guys in this class in my opinion, I think that the hit tool will eventually be plus and the question is really just whether or not how often you can get him to go and be aggressive and attack could pitch us to hit, but I could see Ty had and Jack and Tilly for that matter going much better than we have him going in the staff trust.

[SPEAKER_00]: We only have 15 picks to go.

[SPEAKER_00]: We'll be right back to grow up up this final 15 right for this.

[SPEAKER_00]: And we're back.

[SPEAKER_00]: Five more picks here.

[SPEAKER_00]: Ben, selecting for the Tigers, pick 61, tray wrangle the right hander from the colony, high in Texas, pick 62 for the Cubs, Jacob, Selex, Taj Marchand, another South Carolina prep was a good class for South Carolina prep this year from Charleston, South Carolina, shortstop.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos, selecting 63 for the Yankees, selects another Canadian prepster.

[SPEAKER_00]: We have Elliott LaShells,

[SPEAKER_00]: 64, Philly's Jeff Selex, Texas ANM first base been Gavin Grohovic, and then at pick 65 for the Mariners, I'm picking an I select, this is again, another true two-way guy.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm probably would send him out as a right-hander, but I think you could argue this either way, but that is Cole Koninger, the Keller Texas I shortstop right-handered Carlos, you kind of nodded your head there,

[SPEAKER_01]: I think so.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there are some hit questions.

[SPEAKER_01]: It would be really exciting to see him stick at short stop because he's a plus runner.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's got some impact.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he's a really good defender at short stop, but I think ultimately the swing and miss questions probably will lead him to the mound.

[SPEAKER_01]: The other player I'll note here is Jacob taking Taj Marchant.

[SPEAKER_01]: This isn't saying value.

[SPEAKER_01]: For Taj Marchant, just given where we expect him to go and the

[SPEAKER_01]: contact power, contact power skills that he has, we could easily see him go in the 20 to 30 range in the actual draft.

[SPEAKER_01]: It does seem like some of us here at BA are maybe a little bit more skeptical to just about how that swing works.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'll let Jacob comment on that if he wants because that's his pick and then L.A. Losels is a Canadian shortstop, but I just really like the polish nature of his game, the well-rounded nature of his game, and he's performed well in some wood-bets or

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob, if you talk about Martian, but also gives a little bit of a on Gavigrohove, I also.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, well, on Martian, I think that I kind of got ahead of it a little bit earlier when I said, but I said about Trevor Conne with the weird swing.

[SPEAKER_02]: I'm not going to be afraid of it.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that this is somebody like Carlos said who does have insane value in the 60s.

[SPEAKER_02]: I had a feeling this also speaks to Carlos point earlier about just kind of knowing who you're drafting with.

[SPEAKER_02]: I had a feeling he would fall.

[SPEAKER_02]: And I just kind of let it kept happening.

[SPEAKER_02]: This was as much as I was comfortable letting it go because I had a feeling if I waited any longer.

[SPEAKER_02]: I wouldn't get them.

[SPEAKER_02]: Gavin Grahovic, I actually think this is phenomenal pick, especially because of what Grahovic showed towards the end of the year.

[SPEAKER_02]: In the beginning of the season, I think that there was a lack of confidence in whether or not he was going to be able to hit enough.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's a right-right first base and that's always a scary demographic to be dipping into.

[SPEAKER_02]: But the reality is that he came on late.

[SPEAKER_02]: He's a very strong hitter.

[SPEAKER_02]: The contact questions that I think were apparent earlier in the season,

[SPEAKER_02]: faded a little bit in the second half and maybe he's some of the concern, but at this point in the mid sixties, I think that it's a really high value pick, even though he is in the right right first base, kind of contact question category.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then honestly, the pick that we haven't really discussed at all is Carlos, I think that that's a sneaky sneaky little pick here in the sixties with Losels.

[SPEAKER_00]: Okay, rolling on to the end of the sixties.

[SPEAKER_00]: We have five more picks.

[SPEAKER_00]: We have Mark selecting for the brewers at pick 66.

[SPEAKER_00]: Rockup and Scalco, the Oxford Alabama High School shortstop.

[SPEAKER_00]: At pick 67, Red Sox, I don't even need to tell you that this has been Badler pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: Ben Badler is the basically leading the charge of the Florida State First Base Ben Miles Bailey Believer Club.

[SPEAKER_00]: and then at pic 68 with the cardinals, Jacob's selects Texas Tech Outfielder, Caden Ferraro, we have at pic 69 for the Tigers, Indiana State Outfielder Carter Beck, and then at pic 70 for the

[SPEAKER_00]: I would say like Bailey obviously missed the second half of the year.

[SPEAKER_00]: I think he's still led Florida State and home runs despite that, but that is a risk reward pick, but what jumps out to you of this group of five?

[SPEAKER_01]: I think this is a group of extremes, really.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean Miles Bailey has extreme raw power and extreme misquestions.

[SPEAKER_01]: Rocco Maniscalco has extreme athleticism and defensive ability, but real hit questions.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think Kaden Ferraro has extremely impressive bed of ball data and offensive ability and real defensive

[SPEAKER_01]: as extremely talented arm, and then very little fuel for where it's going.

[SPEAKER_01]: A lot of the ways, maybe Carter Beck is the least extreme here, but he also doesn't have the most extensive track record.

[SPEAKER_01]: But yeah, this does feel like a kind of like pick your poison shoe for the moon in one area, and then either hope the question mark area figures itself out, or is it relevant because the strength is so strong in this range.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'll just note that I feel for Joey Volcco, if the current trend goes for the reds, the reds have been taking actually a lot of like SEC, productive SEC arms with kind of like these competitive balance picks, and then Ty Floyd and Hunter Holland and Luke Holmanov all had real injury issues.

[SPEAKER_00]: So like, you know, I don't wish that on Joey Volcco either, but Jacob, what jumps out to you.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I mean, I'll actually just say, I think that Carter Beck fits very cleanly in this group as well for Carlos, just because we're talking about an under size lower major college bat who's more of a data play, like those guys to me present the lot of risk just because the step up in competition is going to be

[SPEAKER_02]: that he is a center-fielder, I think that there's a probability to end up on a corner.

[SPEAKER_02]: But like Carlos said, this is kind of your super-risk group.

[SPEAKER_02]: Man, a scout-co, great combine showing.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that that was a little bit of the motivation there.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's kind of a combine watch pick.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that Miles Bailey, the concerns are very obvious.

[SPEAKER_02]: If you can get to the power in games, it's gotty.

[SPEAKER_02]: If you can't, you know, it's not.

[SPEAKER_02]: Fararo, that's been a long time cheeseball.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's gone from the...

[SPEAKER_02]: Like, not unranked on the BA master plan to, you know, the potential top three rounds guy for me, I really am obsessed with him.

[SPEAKER_02]: But to Carlos's point, I jokingly put him in his hitter when we did the staff draft, because I'm not convinced that he actually has a position.

[SPEAKER_02]: I do not think it's in the outfield.

[SPEAKER_02]: If he is going to play with a glove and not just be a full-time DH, I think it's at first base.

[SPEAKER_02]: But that being said, I think that of the players in this range, I do think that Caden Ferraro is the best and most proven hitter,

[SPEAKER_00]: And then final five picks we went through the end of the the Cubs with the second round compensation pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we have it pick 71 for the Marlins I select West Bend as Florida State Lefty 2 FSU players going in a five span here 72 for the Cardinals Mark selected

[SPEAKER_00]: Pick 73 for the A's, Ben Selex, Grand View High School Rourke, California, a Colorado, I should say, right-hander, Ethan Washman, pick 74 for the twins, Jacob Selex, South Carolina, left-hander, Jake McCoy, and pick 75 for the Cubs, Carlos Selex, outfitter slash first baseman from Hoover, Alabama High, Will Adams.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jacob, I'll start with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: I feel like we have a nice mixture of kind of like,

[SPEAKER_00]: useful college lefties here and guys with some a little bit probably a little bit more upside and also a little bit more risk.

[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, we'll break potentially unless you're going to look at Cole Pro's second and no doubt catcher will break the best high school catcher for sure.

[SPEAKER_02]: In this class, I thought that was a good pick by Mark Westman does by you.

[SPEAKER_02]: Good shapes, good pitchability.

[SPEAKER_02]: It questions out whether or not the upside is there to be a starter long term or if it's going to end up being a bullpen situation pretty quickly.

[SPEAKER_02]: And then the one that I want to explain is actually my pick because I think that there were a number of guys that I could have gone with that would have made

[SPEAKER_02]: obvious is probably a better way to put it at 74, but I did that mostly out of a motivation to do some reporting here on the podcast.

[SPEAKER_02]: I think that a team will have to either take Jake McCoy roughly in this range or pay a slot.

[SPEAKER_02]: a pay a pay a bonus, excuse me, that is roughly the same as the slots in this range in order to steer Jake McCoy away from his Tennessee commitment.

[SPEAKER_02]: He is a transfer, he is committed to Tennessee, and I think that there is some motivation in his camp to potentially get to Tennessee if the value is not roughly in the seven figure, you know, a million to one one range, and that's what this pick would be.

[SPEAKER_02]: I believe I've taught my head the twins at 74.

[SPEAKER_02]: It's like 1.1 something,

[SPEAKER_02]: And I do think that that's going to be roughly what it takes to get McCoy into pro ball.

[SPEAKER_02]: So kind of an interesting pick is that actually what I would have done 100% in that situation may be not.

[SPEAKER_02]: But I do think from an intrigue standpoint that this is what it will take for a player why I actually do believe to be very good.

[SPEAKER_00]: Carlos, what jumps out you?

[SPEAKER_01]: I really like your pick.

[SPEAKER_01]: I like what Wes Mendez here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think there is a comfort and a polish and a proven nature to his game.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think he could easily fit at the early portions of the second round on draft day.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I think you've got good value here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think we're starting to get into the range where there are really just a lot of questions with every player and Wes Mendez sticks out to me as maybe having the fewest amount of questions in this range.

[SPEAKER_01]: And then for my pick will add them so we haven't touched on quite as much.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mostly use the rationale that Jacob talked about

[SPEAKER_01]: the hitter who I was most convicted in and we were really quickly running out of those offense of players so you feel conviction in and even if he's a first basement in the future or corner outfielder the pick was based on just more comfort level and the pure hitting ability in the pop that he's able to provide so wanted to round it out with a bat that I felt good with.

[SPEAKER_00]: So that is 75 picks.

[SPEAKER_00]: I know that that's a lot but at the same time it's not nearly what we're going to be talking about not nearly what we're going to be analyzing for the actual MLB draft

[SPEAKER_00]: We now have, I believe, reports on 11, let's say 10, you know, 1,000 players probably for this draft, there will only be 600 and some who we get picked.

[SPEAKER_00]: Many of those obviously will be high school guys who will go on to college and you'll be hearing from a lot of those again.

[SPEAKER_00]: So we do, because we do have reports on the top 500 high school players, not all those good pick.

[SPEAKER_00]: We also have senior signs at Jake who keeps building that list out.

[SPEAKER_00]: We have the top 500, which got reports for everyone as well.

[SPEAKER_00]: so much over at baseball america calm if you enjoyed this i promise you you will enjoy what we have over there go check it out any of the final thoughts before we wrap this up got to send it under ninety minutes and under ninety minutes to do seventy five picks pretty well

[SPEAKER_01]: But it's a better pace than we'll see on draft day.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's for sure.

[SPEAKER_01]: But no, I'm ready to get this draft going.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm ready to see what teams actually do.

[SPEAKER_01]: I hope you guys are prepared and have picked out some of your favorites along the way.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's been a long time coming.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's been a lot of work going into everything we're doing at baseball America from guys like Jacob, from U.J.J.

[SPEAKER_01]: from Ben from Jeff.

[SPEAKER_01]: So I'm just excited to finally get this show on the road.

[SPEAKER_02]: Jacob, what about you?

[SPEAKER_02]: When in doubt, draft of high school hitter.

[SPEAKER_02]: That's all I got.

[SPEAKER_00]: So there's our college writer.

[SPEAKER_01]: Great summary, yep.

[SPEAKER_00]: You know, but it is a good class for that.

[SPEAKER_00]: So for Carlos, for Jacob, I'm Jake J.

[SPEAKER_00]: So long, everybody.