The Draft

[Mikey]

Blair Springfield (IF) McArthur HS, IL

Stud! Decatur guy. Local info on him

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the state by Prep Baseball Report ... ranked as the top hitter in the state of Illinois by Prep Baseball Report ... ranked as one of the top-10 defensive outfielders in the state by Prep Baseball Report ... ranked as the No. 2 outfielder in the state by PerfectGame Crosschecker ... First Team All-Big 12 as a junior and sophomore ... co-MVP of the Double Duty Classic played at US Cellular Field ... named Macon County Player of the Year by Decatur Herald-Review as a sophomore ... hit .444 with 5 HR and 54 RBI as a sophomore ... captured 2008 Triple Crown National Championship with Georgia Roadrunners ... <b>cousin of Chicago White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Baron]

From another board:

apparently Tim Wilken compared Jackson to Mark Kotsay but without the contact.

[savant]

I like this draft so far. Wilken has for the most part gone pretty young with a lot of players that seem to have been pretty good value picks. There also appears to be quite a few signability issues.

Round 1: There will be no in between with Jackson, he is either going to be a star or done in AA. Since the pick was made everything I have seen says he will stick in center, which is great news. In the video clips I have seen of him he has off the charts bat speed, so if he can make enough contact he is going to be a productive hitter. Keep an eye on the K's in the minor league thread and you will know everything you need to about his chances of making it to Chicago.

Round 2: David LeMahieu, will be interesting to see if we actually sign since he is a sophomore eligible. He was considered a possible first round pick after his Cape Cod season last year. Put up good numbers at LSU, but still kind of struggled and was moved to second base. Scouts said he seemed to loose some athleticism this year, but that could be attributed to him having mono last fall. Which, if he lost any weight at all off of his bean pole frame could have a lot to do with him seeming to loose athleticism.

Round 3: Austin Kirk, my favorite pick so far. Was seen as having a 91-92mph fastball during his senior year of high school in OK, but was clocked at 94mph in the state semifinals. Has command of four pitches, and was on a very deep high school team so he was not overly abused. Wilken apparently fell in love with him during private pre-draft work outs.

Round 4: Chris Rusin, my least favorite pick so far. Middle of the rotation starter at best, with funky mechanics. He has always put up pretty good numbers, but has had previous arm problems and his stuff is at best underwhelming and deceiving.

Round 5: Wes Darvill, shortstop in high school, but probably projects as an outfielder. Pretty decent lefty bat. I am struggling to ad a lot about a high school shortstop from Canada.

Round 6: Brooks Raley, another draft eligible sophomore. Two way player at a college power house, projects better as a pitcher. Has good command of four pitches and works in the lower 90's with his fastball. Some concern that the load of playing both ways effected his performance. Grades out at 80 with his speed, so Harden might have some competition in the wind sprints.

Round 7: Blair Springfield, major league pedigree. Signed a letter of intent to attend ISU, don't get excited Cap it's Illinois State University. Signability should not be an issue.

Round 8: Robert Whitenack, has a possible plus plus pitch in a 12-6 knuckelcurve. Fastball in the lower 90's with a slight frame. Projects as Patton.

Round 9: Richard Jones, projects as Jake Fox's platoon partner. Huge left handed power potential with no where to play.

Round 10: Joseph Thomas, drafted as a third baseman, but I think the Cubs see him as a pitcher. Throws in the mid 90's.

The other picks that I really like are

Round 13: Chad Taylor, a high school short stop out of Florida. Signed letter of intent to play at USF. Signability draft pick.

Round 20: Eric Erickson, a lefty out of Miami who is coming off of major elbow surgery. He was in Miami's rotation as a freshman and a sophomore. I would think this is a draft and follow pick.

Round 25: Justin Bour, a first baseman from George Mason. Huge left handed bat. Still a junior, so he should be another draft and follow.

[Fella]

FYI, the old draft and follow is no longer possible with the new rules. All drafted players have to be signed by August 15th or you lose rights.

[savant]

Sorry about the cross up, by draft and follow I mean follow what they do during their respective summer leagues. Which gives the organization more time to decide if the players are worth going over slot for.

[kbwsb]

<!--quoteo(post=43516:date=Jun 10 2009, 05:28 PM:name=ColoradoCub)-->QUOTE (ColoradoCub @ Jun 10 2009, 05:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=43513:date=Jun 10 2009, 04:04 PM:name=Giff)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Giff @ Jun 10 2009, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Even if Jackson doesn't amount to anything (which he probably won't, just because that's how the MLB draft works), it still sounds like it was a good pick, considering he was on the radar of all the teams in the 20s.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Or perhaps they passed on him because of his flaws... Regardless, at least we know the Cubs didn't reach for him.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Really? Very few scout sites had him in the first round. ESPN had him as a likely low second-rounder. He must impress certain teams a lot.

[Giff]

<!--quoteo(post=43568:date=Jun 10 2009, 10:46 PM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Jun 10 2009, 10:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=43516:date=Jun 10 2009, 05:28 PM:name=ColoradoCub)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ColoradoCub @ Jun 10 2009, 05:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=43513:date=Jun 10 2009, 04:04 PM:name=Giff)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Giff @ Jun 10 2009, 04:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Even if Jackson doesn't amount to anything (which he probably won't, just because that's how the MLB draft works), it still sounds like it was a good pick, considering he was on the radar of all the teams in the 20s.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Or perhaps they passed on him because of his flaws... Regardless, at least we know the Cubs didn't reach for him.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Really? Very few scout sites had him in the first round. ESPN had him as a likely low second-rounder. He must impress certain teams a lot.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
From Coldneck's post last page:
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Kevin Goldstein (5:40:14 PM PT): Cubs take Brett Jackson from Cal, who seemed to be in the mix for every team in the 20s.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[BT]

<!--quoteo(post=43523:date=Jun 10 2009, 06:47 PM:name=savant)-->QUOTE (savant @ Jun 10 2009, 06:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I like this draft so far. Wilken has for the most part gone pretty young with a lot of players that seem to have been pretty good value picks. There also appears to be quite a few signability issues.

Round 1: There will be no in between with Jackson, he is either going to be a star or done in AA. Since the pick was made everything I have seen says he will stick in center, which is great news. In the video clips I have seen of him he has off the charts bat speed, so if he can make enough contact he is going to be a productive hitter. Keep an eye on the K's in the minor league thread and you will know everything you need to about his chances of making it to Chicago.

Round 2: David LeMahieu, will be interesting to see if we actually sign since he is a sophomore eligible. He was considered a possible first round pick after his Cape Cod season last year. Put up good numbers at LSU, but still kind of struggled and was moved to second base. Scouts said he seemed to loose some athleticism this year, but that could be attributed to him having mono last fall. Which, if he lost any weight at all off of his bean pole frame could have a lot to do with him seeming to loose athleticism.

Round 3: Austin Kirk, my favorite pick so far. Was seen as having a 91-92mph fastball during his senior year of high school in OK, but was clocked at 94mph in the state semifinals. Has command of four pitches, and was on a very deep high school team so he was not overly abused. Wilken apparently fell in love with him during private pre-draft work outs.

Round 4: Chris Rusin, my least favorite pick so far. Middle of the rotation starter at best, with funky mechanics. He has always put up pretty good numbers, but has had previous arm problems and his stuff is at best underwhelming and deceiving.

Round 5: Wes Darvill, shortstop in high school, but probably projects as an outfielder. Pretty decent lefty bat. I am struggling to ad a lot about a high school shortstop from Canada.

Round 6: Brooks Raley, another draft eligible sophomore. Two way player at a college power house, projects better as a pitcher. Has good command of four pitches and works in the lower 90's with his fastball. Some concern that the load of playing both ways effected his performance. Grades out at 80 with his speed, so Harden might have some competition in the wind sprints.

Round 7: Blair Springfield, major league pedigree. Signed a letter of intent to attend ISU, don't get excited Cap it's Illinois State University. Signability should not be an issue.

Round 8: Robert Whitenack, has a possible plus plus pitch in a 12-6 knuckelcurve. Fastball in the lower 90's with a slight frame. Projects as Patton.

Round 9: Richard Jones, projects as Jake Fox's platoon partner. Huge left handed power potential with no where to play.

Round 10: Joseph Thomas, drafted as a third baseman, but I think the Cubs see him as a pitcher. Throws in the mid 90's.

The other picks that I really like are

Round 13: Chad Taylor, a high school short stop out of Florida. Signed letter of intent to play at USF. Signability draft pick.

Round 20: Eric Erickson, a lefty out of Miami who is coming off of major elbow surgery. He was in Miami's rotation as a freshman and a sophomore. I would think this is a draft and follow pick.

Round 25: Justin Bour, a first baseman from George Mason. Huge left handed bat. Still a junior, so he should be another draft and follow.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Great stuff Savant. Thanks for the info.

[rok]

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Cubs draft Jocketty's son
June 12
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Joseph Jocketty, a third baseman at Ladue High and the son of former Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty, was selected in the 47th round of the Major League Baseball Draft today by the Chicago Cubs.

Walt Jocketty is now the Cincinnati Reds general manager.

Joe Jocketty batted .289 and had 24 RBIs this season for Ladue.

The Cardinals drafted two players with St. Louis ties, pitcher Cale Johnson of McKendree University and catcher Jim Klocke, a 2006 graduate of Vianney High.

Outfielder Dane Opel of Edwardsville High went to the Nationals as the first pick of the 41st round. He followed the Angels' selection of Asaad Ali, son of boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

Several family members of former baseball players were chosen Thursday, including Michael Yastrzemski, the grandson of Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski. Boston selected the younger Yastrzemski with its 36th-round pick."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->