The Official 2024 Draft Thread

[totdprods]

https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-draft-day-2-results-complete-coverage
 

Looks like 36 players from Day Two are mentioned, and the Angels have three of them.

[Vlad27Trout27]

7 minutes ago, Chuck said:

Ryan Johnson could end up being the best of the top three pitchers selected. Let's see how he does in pro-ball. 

 

Johnson is a fascinating prospect. His unusual delivery makes it difficult for hitters to pick up his pitches, and he pairs this with a filthy slider and a mid-90s fastball. While there are injury concerns and bullpen risk, his potential upside cannot be ignored. To me, he has as much upside as anyone in the system and draft. A plus fastball, a plus-plus slider, an above-average cutter, and an average changeup make for a strong mix, but the most intriguing aspect of his game is his plus-plus command

[Chuck]

7 minutes ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

Johnson is a fascinating prospect. His unusual delivery makes it difficult for hitters to pick up his pitches, and he pairs this with a filthy slider and a mid-90s fastball. While there are injury concerns and bullpen risk, his potential upside cannot be ignored. To me, he has as much upside as anyone in the system and draft. A plus fastball, a plus-plus slider, an above-average cutter, and an average changeup make for a strong mix, but the most intriguing aspect of his game is his plus-plus command

yeah man if he can learn a splitter or splinker or changeup he may be the best player taken in our draft. 

Didn't realize he's topped at 100 mph. Can you imagine a hundy coming at you with his deceptive delivery? wtf

[Chuck]

19 minutes ago, totdprods said:

https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-draft-day-2-results-complete-coverage
 

Looks like 36 players from Day Two are mentioned, and the Angels have three of them.

Nice! 

I didn't look too much into the Kentucky 1B we drafted in the 10th round so nice to see him as someone to keep an eye on.

Pick 7 (292nd overall), Angels: Ryan Nicholson, 1B, Kentucky (unranked)
Nicholson tied for eighth in the loaded SEC with 23 homers for the Wildcats, who went to Omaha for the first time in program history. His 1.094 OPS also led Kentucky qualifiers, just a smidge better than 31st overall pick Ryan Waldschmidt’s 1.079. A transfer after four years at Cincinnati, the left-handed slugger will need that power to push for Anaheim.

I wonder if this is a guy they start in Double-A due to his age? 

[totdprods]

Just now, Chuck said:

Nice! 

I didn't look too much into the Kentucky 1B we drafted in the 10th round so nice to see him as someone to keep an eye on.

Pick 7 (292nd overall), Angels: Ryan Nicholson, 1B, Kentucky (unranked)
Nicholson tied for eighth in the loaded SEC with 23 homers for the Wildcats, who went to Omaha for the first time in program history. His 1.094 OPS also led Kentucky qualifiers, just a smidge better than 31st overall pick Ryan Waldschmidt’s 1.079. A transfer after four years at Cincinnati, the left-handed slugger will need that power to push for Anaheim.

I doubt he’s much more than a Coutney-type guy who gives the Halos some filler thump in lower levels, but I’ve always believed filling those roles is extremely important for development of other prospects, because it helps keep truer prospects trying to fill offensive roles that they shouldn’t be (i.e., let the future table-setter types be table-setters in the minors, prevent them from trying to be run producers) as it helps their development in their future MLB role. I think that bites guys like Placencia and Vera and Adams. 

Of course, could always wind up with another Jared Walsh, even if it’s just a one-off fluke.

[Chuck]

Draft resumes again at 11am PST. 

https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-draft-day-3-overview-and-schedule?t=mlb-draft-coverage

Here's the best available today. 

[Angelsfan1984]

22 minutes ago, Chuck said:

Draft resumes again at 11am PST. 

https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-draft-day-3-overview-and-schedule?t=mlb-draft-coverage

Here's the best available today. 

If the walk away with 5 in the top 100 I’d be happy. 

[Angel Oracle]

33 minutes ago, Chuck said:

Draft resumes again at 11am PST. 

https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-draft-day-3-overview-and-schedule?t=mlb-draft-coverage

Here's the best available today. 

Marsten is a SoCal guy, not ranked much higher than Dana was in 2022.

Franco is the other intriguing guy, also not ranked much higher than Dana was and a two way player too.

[Inside Pitch]

2 hours ago, Blarg said:

Herget 2.0?

Tall Herget

[Chuck]

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

The standard-bearer for Colorado high school pitchers who signed and went on to bigger and better things is Hall of Famer Roy Halladay, a first-round pick back in 1995. Since then, only four prep arms from the Centennial State have been drafted in the top three rounds, though pitchers like Kevin Gausman and Marco Gonzales went on to college and were eventual first-round picks. After solid summer showcase circuit performances that culminated in six shutout innings and three saves for Team USA in international competition, Gregory-Alford hopes to be the first since 2014.

Gregory-Alford’s size and arm strength stand out more than anything else. The 6-foot-5 right-hander is all about power with what’s pretty much been a two-pitch mix to date. He has a quick arm that delivers fastballs that he can dial up to 97 mph, not something often seen from Colorado high schoolers. It’s a fairly straight heater, and it can get on hitters in a hurry because of the way he uses his size and extension, though it gets hit more than it should and he doesn’t consistently command it. He combines it with a hard slider that can be nasty at times and miss bats. He’ll occasionally warm up with a changeup, but hasn’t used it games. 

For a guy his size, Gregory-Alford’s delivery is fairly clean, but he’s struggled to be a consistent strike-thrower. Scouts were heading to Colorado to check on the Virginia recruits progress with mixed reports on his ability to refine his control, add a third pitch and show he can go deeper into starts to allay concerns about reliever risk.

[Hubs]

2 hours ago, Chuck said:

Nice! 

I didn't look too much into the Kentucky 1B we drafted in the 10th round so nice to see him as someone to keep an eye on.

Pick 7 (292nd overall), Angels: Ryan Nicholson, 1B, Kentucky (unranked)
Nicholson tied for eighth in the loaded SEC with 23 homers for the Wildcats, who went to Omaha for the first time in program history. His 1.094 OPS also led Kentucky qualifiers, just a smidge better than 31st overall pick Ryan Waldschmidt’s 1.079. A transfer after four years at Cincinnati, the left-handed slugger will need that power to push for Anaheim.

I wonder if this is a guy they start in Double-A due to his age? 

Seems like it to me

 

[Chuck]

 

[Hubs]

On 7/11/2024 at 12:31 PM, Hubs said:

Looking over the top 150 lists...

8. 2B JJ Weatherholt, 1B Nick Kurtz, LHP Hagen Smith, RHP Chase Burns, RHP Trey Yesavage, OF Braden Montgomery

45. SS Kaelen Culpepper, LHP Jonathan Santucci, RHP Ben Hess, RHP Ryan Johnson, RHP Dax Whitney*, RHP Drew Beam, RHP Ryan Prager

74 & 81.  RHP Carter Holton, SS Kyle DeBarge, RHP Bryce Cunnigham*, RHP Ryan Forucci, RHP Carson Wiggins, LHP Josh Hartle 

110. LHP Blake Larson, RHP Trey Gregory-Alford*, RHP Cameron Sullivan*, RHP Thatcher Hurd, RHP Matt Ager

143. 3B Robert Hipwell, LHP Jakob Wright, LHP Dylan Volantis*, SS Owen Paino*

 

* HS

Just wanted to comment on while I didn't see them going Moore at 8, I do have a few hits on other guys.

[ScruffytheJanitor]

Has anyone asked Perry or McIlvaine what the idea behind drafting so many bullpen arms is? 

[Ochocinco!]

5 minutes ago, ScruffytheJanitor said:

Has anyone asked Perry or McIlvaine what the idea behind drafting so many bullpen arms is? 

Become the rays and bp game twice a week

[ScruffytheJanitor]

Just now, Ochocinco! said:

Become the rays and bp game twice a week

Maybe? The first draft they did this I thought they wanted to just get better stuff into the system -- and even then the arms they took felt more likely to be able to stretch out into starters. But the past two years, it feels like they are drafting way too many "Unrefined Velo and breaking pitch" guys and I just can't see the logic of it. 

[totdprods]

One thing that concerns me is this draft seems to be bringing in a lot of arms that are projects intended to be molded by Perry’s minor league dev team…

…yet it’s likely Perry and team won’t be around to work on those projects next season. Not really thrilled by Perry’s track record so far but there might be value in keeping him around one extra year, plus I don’t want Ron’s last year overlapping with a new GM, we go through that every time we switch one or the other and it can’t be good for org philosophy or continuity.

Edited July 16 by totdprods

[Hubs]

9 minutes ago, totdprods said:

One thing that concerns me is this draft seems to be bringing in a lot of arms that are projects intended to be molded by Perry’s minor league dev team…

…yet it’s likely Perry and team won’t be around to work on those projects next season. Not really thrilled by Perry’s track record so far but there might be value in keeping him around one extra year, plus I don’t want Ron’s last year overlapping with a new GM, we go through that every time we switch one or the other and it can’t be good for org philosophy or continuity.

I've been on record for a while saying while people think Perry is a good GM and blame Arte, he really only has one great trade or free agent signing to his credit and that's the Brandon Marsh / Logan O'Hoppe swap.

We'll see how he does at the deadline. If he's back for this offseason, it's probably O.K. but you're right, they should give the new GM his pick of manager.

 

[Hubs]

Just now, Hubs said:

I've been on record for a while saying while people think Perry is a good GM and blame Arte, he really only has one great trade or free agent signing to his credit and that's the Brandon Marsh / Logan O'Hoppe swap.

We'll see how he does at the deadline. If he's back for this offseason, it's probably O.K. but you're right, they should give the new GM his pick of manager.

 

His drafts are still hard to judge, but they seem to be better than Eppler or DiPoto, for now.

[totdprods]

14 minutes ago, Hubs said:

I've been on record for a while saying while people think Perry is a good GM and blame Arte, he really only has one great trade or free agent signing to his credit and that's the Brandon Marsh / Logan O'Hoppe swap.

We'll see how he does at the deadline. If he's back for this offseason, it's probably O.K. but you're right, they should give the new GM his pick of manager.

 

I’ve been pretty meh on Perry too, even his drafting/selling (which I consider his ‘strengths’, or at least last strongest points) but as this season has gone on I have become a little more satisfied with his “rebuild”. I am happy with Neto, Schanuel, and Joyce. Thrilled with O’Hoppe. The Soriano conversion is looking good. I have enough faith in Adell and Moniak to at least see how the rest of 2024 plays out for them, have seen glimpses of them enough this year and last to still believe they have a chance.

The AA bullpen has been incredible. I do think the minor league staff is making progress in emphasizing first pitch strikes and limiting walks. It’s showing signs in TC and SLC too. The international signings during Perry’s time have leveled up where the Angels were the prior decade. They’re not good - but I believe they’ve taken a legitimate step forward from being the absolute decisively worst team at international signings to somewhere in the bottom third. 

I’m definitely not sold on him getting a real extension, but am increasingly open to giving him one year (especially if he pulls off a good deadline trade sell or two) and we see Moore take off and maybe a couple of these draft arms look good. It’ll convince me that he at least is worth having around for next season if for no other reason than to draft another quick-to-bigs guy and get another international class in the mix, plus the aforementioned continuity with Ron.

Edited July 16 by totdprods

[ScruffytheJanitor]

4 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I’ve been pretty meh on Perry too, even his drafting/selling (which I consider his ‘strengths’, or at least last strongest points) but as this season has gone on I have become a little more satisfied with his “rebuild”. I am happy with Neto, Schanuel, and Joyce. Thrilled with O’Hoppe. The Soriano conversion is looking good. I have enough faith in Adell and Moniak to at least see how the rest of 2024 plays out for them, have seen glimpses of them enough this year and last to still believe they have a chance.

The AA bullpen has been incredible. I do think the minor league staff is making progress in emphasizing first pitch strikes and limiting walks. It’s showing signs in TC and SLC too. The international signings during Perry’s time have leveled up where the Angels were the prior decade. They’re not good - but I believe they’ve taken a legitimate step forward from being the absolute decisively worst team at international signings to somewhere in the bottom third. 

I’m definitely not sold on him getting a real extension, but am increasingly open to giving him one year (especially if he pulls off a good deadline trade sell or two) and we see Moore take off and maybe a couple of these draft arms look good. It’ll convince me that he at least is worth having around for next season if for no other reason than to draft another quick-to-bigs guy and get another international class in the mix, plus the aforementioned continuity with Ron.

I agree -- and I would even be willing to give him 2-3 more years if Arte is fully ready it is to commit to the re-build, because I think Perry would be a really good "rebuild" GM. However, If Arte decides he hasn't had enough press and decides he wants to make a "splash," then we need a GM that can push back. 

[Chuck]

Final Press Release of today's final day picks in the MLB Amateur Draft.

ANGELS MAKE TEN SELECTIONS ON THIRD DAY OF 2024 FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT.pdf

[greginpsca]

On 7/15/2024 at 4:51 PM, Chuck said:

Official Release by the Angels available for download on their first 10 picks. 

ANGELS MAKE EIGHT SELECTIONS ON SECOND DAY OF 2024 FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT.pdf 228.8 kB · 8 downloads

I would have preferred to see them draft all starting pitchers instead of so many relievers. Once in the system, if they don't stick as a starter the transition to a long relievers or as a one inning guy should be smoother. Much harder to transition a reliever into a starter.

[Stradling]

I’d rather take the pitcher with better stuff and see if you can make a 22 year old reliever into a 22 year old starter. To me that’s better than taking a 22 year old starter with less stuff but he’s already extended out to be a starter. Not to mention the starter with less stuff has a floor of middle reliever. A failed transition from college reliever with good stuff can still be a late inning guy. 

[Blarg]

I'd rather they pick future All Stars. Fucking Minasian.