With the 1st pick of the 7th Round (219th overall), the Astros select 6'0" 220lb OF Preston Tucker, a Senior out of the University of Florida.
Tucker was the Rockies' 16th Round pick in the 2011 draft.
Coming into the 2012 season, Tucker had a cumulative .332 average, with 41 homers, 80K:92BB. In 2012, he is hitting .316/.396/.579, with 26K:31BB, and 33 extra-base hits. He set the Gators' all-time hits record on May 18, on a two-run homer against Auburn. He was a 2012 first-team All-SEC selection (with teammate, and Astros' 2nd round pick Nolan Fontana).
Tucker won the Hillborough County (the same county that produced Wade Boggs, among others) Triple Crown, hitting .561 with nine homers and 51 RBI as a junior.
The Crawfish Boxes profiled him late last month.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Don't expect the Astros to get into the penalty phase
George Postolos talked to the Sporting News' Eric Fisher about approaching the new-look (read, "bulls-") draft rules:
"I would expect teams to stay within the limit, because forfeiting a draft pick is a very severe penalty. Our goal in Houston, like many clubs, is to have the best collection of young talent in the game, and forfeiting a pick is directly contradictory to that."
"I would expect teams to stay within the limit, because forfeiting a draft pick is a very severe penalty. Our goal in Houston, like many clubs, is to have the best collection of young talent in the game, and forfeiting a pick is directly contradictory to that."
6-189: OF Brett Phillips
With the 1st pick in the 6th Round (189th overall), the Astros select 6'0" 175lb L/R CF Brett Phillips, out of Seminole HS (FL).
MLB.com:
He has a quick, compact swing and handles the bat well, with the ability to hit the ball to all fields. He has pretty good bat speed and could develop some power in the future. Phillips is the type of maximum effort player that scouts love.
Phillips was expecting to be at least a 4th Round pick, and had workouts for the Mariners< Cubs, Padres, Pirates, Blue Jays, and Rays. On May 28, Jim Callis said he was a 2nd/3rd Round pick. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel said that Phillips "should be gone by the end of the third round and is expected to turn pro."
Phillips:
“I just can’t wait for the draft, to get everything settled and know where I’m going."
Coach, Jeff Pincus, on Phillips:
“He’s a one-of-a-kind kid. He is truly a five-tool player. I think his arm is major-league caliber right now.”
Phillips, on his defensive abilities:
“Not to be cocky, but anything hit out there I’ll catch it. Anything hit between 403 and 388 (outfield signs), that’s me, that’s my ball. I’ll catch anything for my pitcher. And I’ll throw the ball as well. I’ll throw my arm out to get somebody at the plate. It may cost me my big-league career, but I’ll do it.”
He has committed to NC State:
“I take academics seriously. I have a 3.2 GPA and I carry out my business in the classroom. To play baseball in college is big and that was a milestone for me and committing to a college was a hard decision. But if anyone has that opportunity, take full pride in that experience cause its awesome.”
Phillips was named MVP of the Bay Area All-Star Game on May 31.
MLB.com:
He has a quick, compact swing and handles the bat well, with the ability to hit the ball to all fields. He has pretty good bat speed and could develop some power in the future. Phillips is the type of maximum effort player that scouts love.
Phillips was expecting to be at least a 4th Round pick, and had workouts for the Mariners< Cubs, Padres, Pirates, Blue Jays, and Rays. On May 28, Jim Callis said he was a 2nd/3rd Round pick. ESPN's Kiley McDaniel said that Phillips "should be gone by the end of the third round and is expected to turn pro."
Phillips:
“I just can’t wait for the draft, to get everything settled and know where I’m going."
Coach, Jeff Pincus, on Phillips:
“He’s a one-of-a-kind kid. He is truly a five-tool player. I think his arm is major-league caliber right now.”
Phillips, on his defensive abilities:
“Not to be cocky, but anything hit out there I’ll catch it. Anything hit between 403 and 388 (outfield signs), that’s me, that’s my ball. I’ll catch anything for my pitcher. And I’ll throw the ball as well. I’ll throw my arm out to get somebody at the plate. It may cost me my big-league career, but I’ll do it.”
He has committed to NC State:
“I take academics seriously. I have a 3.2 GPA and I carry out my business in the classroom. To play baseball in college is big and that was a milestone for me and committing to a college was a hard decision. But if anyone has that opportunity, take full pride in that experience cause its awesome.”
Phillips was named MVP of the Bay Area All-Star Game on May 31.
Report: Astros offered Mark Appel $6m
Inside the Padres' Tom Krasovic has a source who says Mark Appel turned down $6m from the Astros last night, leading to the Correa selection.
If Correa agreed to $6m (or less) it free up at least $1.2m to offer Lance McCullers, with no penalty.
If Correa agreed to $6m (or less) it free up at least $1.2m to offer Lance McCullers, with no penalty.
5-159: OF Andrew Aplin
With the 1st pick of the 5th Round (159th overall), the Astros select 6'0" 194lb OF Andrew Aplin, a 21-year old Junior out of Arizona State.
He was initially drafted in 2009 by the Yankees, but didn't sign, and went to ASU because "it game him the best chance to win a College World Series."
Aplin played/started 56 games as the leadoff man for ASU in 2012, hitting .313/.392/.496, with 26 extra-base hits, 13K:27BB, and eight steals in 10 attempts.
His favorite player is Ken Griffey, Jr. and the A's are his favorite team.
Last week, Aplin had a big hand in preventing rival Arizona from clinching the Pac-12 championship. Arizona coach Andy Lopez:
“Aplin was a one-man show tonight. It’s that old axiom: Big players make big plays in big games.”
In three seasons at ASU, Aplin had a 39K:66BB ratio.
Baseball America has this to say about the pick:
Aplin was regarded as one of the best defensive center fielders on the West Coast. The defensive ability comes more from above-average instincts instead of pure tools. Aplin has good bat control but profiles best as a fourth outfielder.
He was initially drafted in 2009 by the Yankees, but didn't sign, and went to ASU because "it game him the best chance to win a College World Series."
Aplin played/started 56 games as the leadoff man for ASU in 2012, hitting .313/.392/.496, with 26 extra-base hits, 13K:27BB, and eight steals in 10 attempts.
His favorite player is Ken Griffey, Jr. and the A's are his favorite team.
Last week, Aplin had a big hand in preventing rival Arizona from clinching the Pac-12 championship. Arizona coach Andy Lopez:
“Aplin was a one-man show tonight. It’s that old axiom: Big players make big plays in big games.”
In three seasons at ASU, Aplin had a 39K:66BB ratio.
Baseball America has this to say about the pick:
Aplin was regarded as one of the best defensive center fielders on the West Coast. The defensive ability comes more from above-average instincts instead of pure tools. Aplin has good bat control but profiles best as a fourth outfielder.
4-129: Rio Ruiz
With the 1st pick in the 4th Round (129th overall) the Astros select 6'1" 180lb Lefty-hitting Righty-throwing 3B Rio Ruiz, out of Bishop Amat HS (CA).
Ruiz was poised to be a Top 20 pick, but had to have a procedure in March to break up a blood clot near his collarbone by his right shoulder. (He's "supposed to be fine.") That, and his baseball skills, give him comparisons to Eric Chavez.
MLB.com:
Ruiz has the tools to be an everyday Major League third baseman. He has a terrific left-handed swing, a short stroke with good bat speed. He makes consistent hard contact and there's more than enough loft and leverage for him to have good power at the next level. He's a solid, instinctive defender at third, with good lateral movement and a strong arm. Ruiz doesn't run well, but given his other skills, that doesn't matter so much. He doesn't need to run if he's going to develop into a run-producing third baseman as a professional.
Ruiz has been committed to USC since he was 14 years old, and in the Southern Section Division 4 championship game, Ruiz hit a homerun. Why is that significant? Because it was at Dodger Stadium. USC coach Frank Cruz:
"Rio's lifelong dream was to become a Trojan, so we are very happy to see that dream come true. He and his family are very committed to the college process and earning a degree at USC."
Whether he'll be tempted to honor his commitment to USC remains to be seen, but Ruiz told ESPNHS:
"If this is the worst thing that happens to me, I'm happy with that,. I'm going to work my way back until I'm 100 percent, and hopefully make my dream come true in the big leagues."
Baseball America:
He is a physical third baseman with big hands and present strength. He has a knack for making good contact and figures to develop good power with his frame. He also has profile arm strength for third base, sitting 90-93 mph when he gets on the mound.
Ruiz is Keith Law's #51-ranked player (he was #34 on Baseball America's preseason ranking for the 2012 draft), and is represented by Scott Boras - the 2nd Boras client the Astros have picked so far.
Interesting note from Inside SoCal:
Another thing that didn't help Ruiz's cause on Monday was he and his father Rudy told interested teams his signing threshold was top-10 money. The figure was not disclosed, but Rudy Ruiz felt it was high enough to prevent teams from selecting his son...When and where Ruiz is selected today likely will determine what Ruiz decides as far as USC or an early run at a pro career.
Slot recommendation for the 129th overall pick is $360,200.
Zachary Levine talked to Ruiz about what it would take to get him to sign:
"I think me and my family have come up with some stuff that will buy us out of an education at SC, and ultimately it’s what they have to offer. Me and my advisors and my family will talk about it and see if it is ultimately the best decision for me to sign.”
Ruiz was poised to be a Top 20 pick, but had to have a procedure in March to break up a blood clot near his collarbone by his right shoulder. (He's "supposed to be fine.") That, and his baseball skills, give him comparisons to Eric Chavez.
MLB.com:
Ruiz has the tools to be an everyday Major League third baseman. He has a terrific left-handed swing, a short stroke with good bat speed. He makes consistent hard contact and there's more than enough loft and leverage for him to have good power at the next level. He's a solid, instinctive defender at third, with good lateral movement and a strong arm. Ruiz doesn't run well, but given his other skills, that doesn't matter so much. He doesn't need to run if he's going to develop into a run-producing third baseman as a professional.
Ruiz has been committed to USC since he was 14 years old, and in the Southern Section Division 4 championship game, Ruiz hit a homerun. Why is that significant? Because it was at Dodger Stadium. USC coach Frank Cruz:
"Rio's lifelong dream was to become a Trojan, so we are very happy to see that dream come true. He and his family are very committed to the college process and earning a degree at USC."
Whether he'll be tempted to honor his commitment to USC remains to be seen, but Ruiz told ESPNHS:
"If this is the worst thing that happens to me, I'm happy with that,. I'm going to work my way back until I'm 100 percent, and hopefully make my dream come true in the big leagues."
Baseball America:
He is a physical third baseman with big hands and present strength. He has a knack for making good contact and figures to develop good power with his frame. He also has profile arm strength for third base, sitting 90-93 mph when he gets on the mound.
Ruiz is Keith Law's #51-ranked player (he was #34 on Baseball America's preseason ranking for the 2012 draft), and is represented by Scott Boras - the 2nd Boras client the Astros have picked so far.
Interesting note from Inside SoCal:
Another thing that didn't help Ruiz's cause on Monday was he and his father Rudy told interested teams his signing threshold was top-10 money. The figure was not disclosed, but Rudy Ruiz felt it was high enough to prevent teams from selecting his son...When and where Ruiz is selected today likely will determine what Ruiz decides as far as USC or an early run at a pro career.
Slot recommendation for the 129th overall pick is $360,200.
Zachary Levine talked to Ruiz about what it would take to get him to sign:
"I think me and my family have come up with some stuff that will buy us out of an education at SC, and ultimately it’s what they have to offer. Me and my advisors and my family will talk about it and see if it is ultimately the best decision for me to sign.”
3-96: RHP Brady Rodgers
With the first pick of the 3rd Round (96th overall), the Astros select 6'2" 198lb RHP Brady Rodgers, a junior out of Arizona State. He is a graduate of Lamar Consolidated HS, and was the Fort Bend Herald's Pitcher of the Year three times, throwing a no-hitter and perfect game.
MLB.com says:
While he's not a soft-tosser -- his Major League average fastball will sit in the 90-91 mph range and he can reach back for a little more and maintain his velocity deep into starts -- Rodgers is more about the art of pitching than anything else. He has three secondary pitches that should (be) at least average....His ceiling might be the middle of a big league rotation, but it shouldn't take him too long to reach that goal.
In his career at Arizona State, Rodgers has 193K:26BB in 219IP and recently earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors, after getting an honorable mention nod in 2010 and 2011. In three seasons at ASU, Rodgers walked a total of 36 batters.
Rodgers is a finalist for Baseball America's Golden Spikes award. Rodgers:
"My repertoire is I have four pitches, and I've always worked on them, even in bullpens. I try to perfect every single pitch, so I can put it in any spot in any count. That's something I've worked hard at, and something I'm still trying to perfect. I have those days I'm wild, and one walk isn't good enough for me -- I have to have zero walks. I'm still working on my control."
Rodgers' 2.33 career ERA at Arizona State is the lowest in the aluminum bat era (since 1974) since Floyd Bannister (former Astros 1-1 pick in 1976) posted a 1.88 ERA.
ASU coach Tim Esmay compared Rodgers to Mike Leake, and said:
"It's not easy to be a Friday starter two years in a row in this conference. Guys think they have Brady figured out, and they're still having a hard time. There's some mettle to him. It's more of his makeup and who he is, and that's really progressed to somebody who is off the charts."
In 2012, Rodgers was 10-3, and posted a 2.27 ERA, with 94H/29ER, 79K:16BB, in 115IP (a team-high), and started the season with 23 scoreless innings.
Clark Goble notes that Rodgers is an Astros fan whose favorite player is Greg Maddux, and played in the 2003 Little League World Series.
John Sickels:
Extremely advanced instincts makes him attractive despite mediocre velocity.
Zachary Levine has an update:
I was a little shocked to hear the Astros drafted me – my favorite team. It brought tears to my eyes. The family is real pumped not just to see me go to the Astros but to see me start my career. Being drafted by the Astros is just the cherry on top."
MLB.com says:
While he's not a soft-tosser -- his Major League average fastball will sit in the 90-91 mph range and he can reach back for a little more and maintain his velocity deep into starts -- Rodgers is more about the art of pitching than anything else. He has three secondary pitches that should (be) at least average....His ceiling might be the middle of a big league rotation, but it shouldn't take him too long to reach that goal.
In his career at Arizona State, Rodgers has 193K:26BB in 219IP and recently earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors, after getting an honorable mention nod in 2010 and 2011. In three seasons at ASU, Rodgers walked a total of 36 batters.
Rodgers is a finalist for Baseball America's Golden Spikes award. Rodgers:
"My repertoire is I have four pitches, and I've always worked on them, even in bullpens. I try to perfect every single pitch, so I can put it in any spot in any count. That's something I've worked hard at, and something I'm still trying to perfect. I have those days I'm wild, and one walk isn't good enough for me -- I have to have zero walks. I'm still working on my control."
Rodgers' 2.33 career ERA at Arizona State is the lowest in the aluminum bat era (since 1974) since Floyd Bannister (former Astros 1-1 pick in 1976) posted a 1.88 ERA.
ASU coach Tim Esmay compared Rodgers to Mike Leake, and said:
"It's not easy to be a Friday starter two years in a row in this conference. Guys think they have Brady figured out, and they're still having a hard time. There's some mettle to him. It's more of his makeup and who he is, and that's really progressed to somebody who is off the charts."
In 2012, Rodgers was 10-3, and posted a 2.27 ERA, with 94H/29ER, 79K:16BB, in 115IP (a team-high), and started the season with 23 scoreless innings.
Clark Goble notes that Rodgers is an Astros fan whose favorite player is Greg Maddux, and played in the 2003 Little League World Series.
John Sickels:
Extremely advanced instincts makes him attractive despite mediocre velocity.
Zachary Levine has an update:
I was a little shocked to hear the Astros drafted me – my favorite team. It brought tears to my eyes. The family is real pumped not just to see me go to the Astros but to see me start my career. Being drafted by the Astros is just the cherry on top."
2-61: SS Nolan Fontana
With their 2nd Round pick (61st overall), the Astros select 5'11" 192lb shortstop Nolan Fontana out of the University of Florida. Slot recommendation for the 61st overall selection is $844,100.
This tweet informs us that Fontana was Keith Law's #44 in his top 100 and #46 in Baseball America's Top 500.
Fontana, a junior who turns 21 tomorrow, hit .294/.414/.465 in 62 games for the Gators, with 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts. He struck out 25 times with 46 walks this season. Fontana is the grandson of Lew Burdette, a member of the 1957 World Series champion Milwaukee Braves.
Perfect Game called him a "Pedroia-type player."
Fontana won’t overwhelm scouts with any of his individual tools, but is the classic college player whose total exceeds the sum of the parts. He is extremely steady in all phases of his game and a major reason why Florida has dominated the collegiate ranks pretty much since he took over for the Gators as their starting shortstop in 2010...
...it’s safe to say that there isn’t a steadier, more sure-handed shortstop in the college ranks than Fontana, and he has already been recognized twice with Rawlings Gold Glove awards at his position.
College Sports Madness says:
Defensively speaking, there is no better shortstop available in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft than Nolan Fontana.
OnlyGators.com says that Fontana could move over to 2B.
Fontana does a lot of things extremely well but nothing particularly great even though his stellar defense has been a bright spot for Florida throughout his career.
MLB.com says Fontana could be "the kind of super utility man championship-caliber teams tend to have."
John Sickels:
Excellent glove, gets on base, some question if he'll hit enough at higher levels to be a regular, but a sure bet to reach the majors at least as a bench guy.
This tweet informs us that Fontana was Keith Law's #44 in his top 100 and #46 in Baseball America's Top 500.
Fontana, a junior who turns 21 tomorrow, hit .294/.414/.465 in 62 games for the Gators, with 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts. He struck out 25 times with 46 walks this season. Fontana is the grandson of Lew Burdette, a member of the 1957 World Series champion Milwaukee Braves.
Perfect Game called him a "Pedroia-type player."
Fontana won’t overwhelm scouts with any of his individual tools, but is the classic college player whose total exceeds the sum of the parts. He is extremely steady in all phases of his game and a major reason why Florida has dominated the collegiate ranks pretty much since he took over for the Gators as their starting shortstop in 2010...
...it’s safe to say that there isn’t a steadier, more sure-handed shortstop in the college ranks than Fontana, and he has already been recognized twice with Rawlings Gold Glove awards at his position.
College Sports Madness says:
Defensively speaking, there is no better shortstop available in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft than Nolan Fontana.
OnlyGators.com says that Fontana could move over to 2B.
Fontana does a lot of things extremely well but nothing particularly great even though his stellar defense has been a bright spot for Florida throughout his career.
MLB.com says Fontana could be "the kind of super utility man championship-caliber teams tend to have."
John Sickels:
Excellent glove, gets on base, some question if he'll hit enough at higher levels to be a regular, but a sure bet to reach the majors at least as a bench guy.
PreStros Farm Report: June 4
PreStros: June 4
Mike Hessman hit two more home runs as OKC beat Iowa (CHC) 6-5 for the second night in a row.
Brian Bass turned in 5.1 innings and gave up 5 R (4 earned) on 9 H
and 4 BB with 3 K. Adalberto Flores threw .2
innings with 1 K. Mickey Storey went 2 scoreless innings with 4 H and 2 K. Juan
Abreu pitched the ninth with 1 K.
2B-Jimmy Paredes was 1x4 with 1 HR. 1B-Mike Hessman was 2x3 with 1
BB, 2 HR, and 3 R. CF-Brandon Barnes went 2x4 with 1 SB and 1 RBI. SS-Angel
Sanchez was 3x4 with 1 SB, 1 CS, and 2 RBI.
Man of the Match: Mike Hessman
*Notes: Brett Wallace and Jordan Lyles were both recalled to Houston Houston
Despite a grand slam by Jonathan Villar, the Hooks couldn’t keep up offensively as they lost to Springfield (STL) 12-8..
Ross Seaton threw 4.2 innings and allowed 6 R on 11 H and 1 BB
with 5 K. Kevin Chapman got one out and gave up 1 BB. Henry Villar gave up 2 R
in 1 inning. Erick Abreu gave up 3 R in one inning. Josh Zeid gave up 1 R in 1
inning.
CF-Austin Wates was 2x4 with 3 R. SS-Jonathan Villar was 3x5 with
1 HR and 4 RBI. 2B-Jose Martinez
Man of the Weekend: Jonathan Villar
*Notes: Ross Seaton was named the Astros AA Pitcher of the Month.
He went 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA over six starts and 36.2 innings. Jon Singleton was
Offensive Player of the Month. Jon hit .281 with a .931 OPS and seven home runs.
The JetHawks couldn’t over come a seven run first inning by Rancho Cucamonga (LAD), ultimately losing 11-4.
Ruben Alaniz gave 4.2 innings while allowing 9 R on 8 H and 2 BB
with 5 K. Pat Urckfitz threw 2.1 innings and gave up 2 R on 4 H with 3 K. Brian
Streilein and Brad Dydalewicz each threw 1 scoreless inning.
Ben Orloff was 2x4 with 1 R. George Springer was 1x3 with 1 BB and
1 HR. 2B-Enrique Hernandez was 2x4 with 1 2B and 1 R.
Man of the Weekend: George Springer
*Notes: Tyson Perez was named Astros Player of the Month for Lancaster Lexington
OFF
*Notes: Luis Cruz was named Lexington
Pitcher of the Month. He was 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in May. Matt Duffy was awarded
Offensive Player of the Month after hitting .343 with 4 HR.
Tri-City (0-0)
Season begins June 18.
Season begins June 18.
Greeneville (0-0)
Season begins June 19.
Season begins June 19.
GCL Astros (0-0)
Season begins June 18.
Season begins June 18.
The Astros fell again to the Mariners, 13-5.
Juan Hernandez threw 2 innings and gave up 4 R (3 earned) on 4 H
and 2 BB with 1 K. Yonquelys Martinez went the next 2 innings and allowed 2 R
on 2 H and 2 BB with 1 K. Juan Delis pitched 3 innings, allowing 1 R on 1 H and
2 BB with 3 K. Rayderson Chevalier failed to record an out and was charged with
6 R on 5 H and 1 BB. Frangy Colon came away unscathed in 1 inning with 3 K.
3B-Yoel Silfa was 2x5 with 1 R. SS-Luis Reynoso was 2x4 with 1 BB
and 1 R.
Man of the Match: Luis Reynoso
Day 1 Link Dump
Keith Law's (Insider-Only) Day 1 recap has a suspicious amount of love for the Astros' picks. Law, in essence, says if McCullers (a) signs and (b) is a starter, then the Astros got two of the top 10-15 players in the draft.
Luhnow is quite confident that he'll be able to sign McCullers.
Jerome Solomon gives credit to the front office for thinking big.
This new regime, which took over when Jim Crane’s purchase was approved in November, isn’t afraid to think big. It also took some big ones, thinkers that is, to draft high school pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. with the 41st pick. And it’ll take big bucks to sign him. We knew the franchise was talking big. Now we see, at least for now, it will put some action to those words. That is a needed change for this organization, which lost a franchise-record 106 games last year.
The Astros have already been in touch with McCullers:
"We're excited I got drafted and we know we have negotiations to go through and things like that. I talked to Houston very briefly and they said they would be in touch the next couple of days. Maybe they will be a little more aggressive with the negotiations because the signing deadline is a month earlier. We're just taking in right now but it's business."
Around the 20th pick last night, the Astros' draft board got beat up. Bobby Heck, on McCullers' availability:
"I think we were pleasantly surprised he was there. Our board took a beating. Once we got to the 20th or 25th pick, our board got nuked pretty good but we still had a quality guy there, so we were excited. To take a guy who arguably has an 80 fastball and a guy that has 70-80 power, it's a pretty good way to start your draft."
Luhnow is quite confident that he'll be able to sign McCullers.
Jerome Solomon gives credit to the front office for thinking big.
This new regime, which took over when Jim Crane’s purchase was approved in November, isn’t afraid to think big. It also took some big ones, thinkers that is, to draft high school pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. with the 41st pick. And it’ll take big bucks to sign him. We knew the franchise was talking big. Now we see, at least for now, it will put some action to those words. That is a needed change for this organization, which lost a franchise-record 106 games last year.
The Astros have already been in touch with McCullers:
"We're excited I got drafted and we know we have negotiations to go through and things like that. I talked to Houston very briefly and they said they would be in touch the next couple of days. Maybe they will be a little more aggressive with the negotiations because the signing deadline is a month earlier. We're just taking in right now but it's business."
Around the 20th pick last night, the Astros' draft board got beat up. Bobby Heck, on McCullers' availability:
"I think we were pleasantly surprised he was there. Our board took a beating. Once we got to the 20th or 25th pick, our board got nuked pretty good but we still had a quality guy there, so we were excited. To take a guy who arguably has an 80 fastball and a guy that has 70-80 power, it's a pretty good way to start your draft."
Monday, June 4, 2012
Financial aspect of the 2012 draft
With help from Bleacher Nation, here's a quick summary of the financial parameters of the 2012 draft:
*The Astros have $11.2m to spend on their first ten rounds (11 picks).
*If the Astros don't sign Lance McCullers, they lose the value of the 41st overall pick, which in this case is $1.26m, out of their pool. If they do sign him
*If they go over, they pay a penalty. How steep a penalty?
*If they go over by 0.1 - 5.0%, they pay a 75% overage tax. Which, for the Astros purposes, means if they go over by 5% ($560,000), they pay a $420,000 fine.
*If they go over by 5-10% ($560K - $1.12m), they pay the 75% overage tax ($420K - $840K) and lose a 1st Round pick.
*If they go over by 10-15% ($1.12m - $1.68m), they pay a 100% overage tax, and lose a 1st and 2nd round pick.
*If they go over by 15%+, they pay a 100% overage tax and lose two 1st round picks.
*Now, the Astros can save some money by signing other picks for less than slot, and put that toward McCullers, but they can spend $11.76m without losing any future draft picks (but will pay the tax).
*The Astros have $11.2m to spend on their first ten rounds (11 picks).
*If the Astros don't sign Lance McCullers, they lose the value of the 41st overall pick, which in this case is $1.26m, out of their pool. If they do sign him
*If they go over, they pay a penalty. How steep a penalty?
*If they go over by 0.1 - 5.0%, they pay a 75% overage tax. Which, for the Astros purposes, means if they go over by 5% ($560,000), they pay a $420,000 fine.
*If they go over by 5-10% ($560K - $1.12m), they pay the 75% overage tax ($420K - $840K) and lose a 1st Round pick.
*If they go over by 10-15% ($1.12m - $1.68m), they pay a 100% overage tax, and lose a 1st and 2nd round pick.
*If they go over by 15%+, they pay a 100% overage tax and lose two 1st round picks.
*Now, the Astros can save some money by signing other picks for less than slot, and put that toward McCullers, but they can spend $11.76m without losing any future draft picks (but will pay the tax).
1-41: Lance McCullers
For "losing" Clint Barmes, the Astros got the 41st overall pick, and used it to select Lance McCullers, from Jesuit HS in Tampa, FL.
McCullers has a strong commitment to the University of Florida - and the question is whether or not the Astros will be able to talk him into skipping college (for now):
"My commitment to Florida is solid. This is not one of those things that I'm just kind of using my leverage [to get a better deal from a major league team]."
If the Astros fail to sign McCullers, they will lose $1.26m from their total pool for the first ten rounds (leaving just under $10m to sign the other ten picks). Jon Heyman tweeted that that Astros may not need the entire $7.2m to sign Correa, and can use what's left to lure McCullers.
Jim Callis:
Talk about nice talent value at 41 in McCullers. Terrific stuff, scouts give him better chance to SP now. Top-15 arm for #Astros.
McCullers was named the 2012 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, where in his senior season he went 13-0 with a 0.18 ERA in 77IP, with 140K:30BB. He has already won the Jackie Robinson Award for the nation's most promising senior prospect.
This TampaBay.com article has a profile on McCullers, where we find that his agent - Scott Boras - prepared a binder for McCullers similar to what he prepared for A-Rod and Prince Fielder. And if McCullers doesn't like what the Astros offer, then he'll tell them:
“It’s frustrating, the whole draft thing is frustrating. I’ve done nothing than get better since I’ve been ranked No. 1 forever, and no one in the country had a better year than me on the hill. If Major League Baseball wants to undervalue me, then I’ll show them what I’m really about three years from now.”
Jason Churchill:
“He’s had an absolutely huge season. Statistically, it’s one of the best seasons we’ve seen in a long time from a high school pitcher.”
Keith Law:
"He’s seen as having a high price tag and extremely strong commitment to Florida. Guys like that are tough. ...He could easily end up, five six years from now we're talking about him as 'why didn't he go in the top five overall picks?'"
GatorCountry gives it a 50/50 chance that he honors his commitment to Florida.
Here's the Toby David Show on McCullers:
Having the opportunity to watch him more than 99% of the pundits this past season, I had the opportunity to watch bullpens, intrasquad games, as well as seven starts in the regular season. McCullers shows advanced “feel” for a changeup that at a minimum is Average, and has a strong possibility to become Plus.
McCullers has a strong commitment to the University of Florida - and the question is whether or not the Astros will be able to talk him into skipping college (for now):
"My commitment to Florida is solid. This is not one of those things that I'm just kind of using my leverage [to get a better deal from a major league team]."
If the Astros fail to sign McCullers, they will lose $1.26m from their total pool for the first ten rounds (leaving just under $10m to sign the other ten picks). Jon Heyman tweeted that that Astros may not need the entire $7.2m to sign Correa, and can use what's left to lure McCullers.
Jim Callis:
Talk about nice talent value at 41 in McCullers. Terrific stuff, scouts give him better chance to SP now. Top-15 arm for #Astros.
McCullers was named the 2012 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, where in his senior season he went 13-0 with a 0.18 ERA in 77IP, with 140K:30BB. He has already won the Jackie Robinson Award for the nation's most promising senior prospect.
This TampaBay.com article has a profile on McCullers, where we find that his agent - Scott Boras - prepared a binder for McCullers similar to what he prepared for A-Rod and Prince Fielder. And if McCullers doesn't like what the Astros offer, then he'll tell them:
“It’s frustrating, the whole draft thing is frustrating. I’ve done nothing than get better since I’ve been ranked No. 1 forever, and no one in the country had a better year than me on the hill. If Major League Baseball wants to undervalue me, then I’ll show them what I’m really about three years from now.”
Jason Churchill:
“He’s had an absolutely huge season. Statistically, it’s one of the best seasons we’ve seen in a long time from a high school pitcher.”
Keith Law:
"He’s seen as having a high price tag and extremely strong commitment to Florida. Guys like that are tough. ...He could easily end up, five six years from now we're talking about him as 'why didn't he go in the top five overall picks?'"
GatorCountry gives it a 50/50 chance that he honors his commitment to Florida.
Here's the Toby David Show on McCullers:
Having the opportunity to watch him more than 99% of the pundits this past season, I had the opportunity to watch bullpens, intrasquad games, as well as seven starts in the regular season. McCullers shows advanced “feel” for a changeup that at a minimum is Average, and has a strong possibility to become Plus.
1-1: Carlos Correa
So by now you know that the Astros did not select Mark Appel. Nor did they select Byron Buxton. Instead, the Astros selected 17-year old, 6'4" 190lb SS Carlos Correa, out of Puerto Rico Baseball Academy. The decision to pick Correa over Appel came down to the wire.
Though there are comparisons to Alex Rodriguez and Troy Tulowitzki, it's been remarked that he could move over to 3B should he outgrow the position (Cal Ripken, Jr was 6'4" 200lbs). But Correa says he's not going to be a 3B:
“There are some people saying that I will be a third baseman. I think I have the ability and I will work hard. I want to be at shortstop in the big leagues and i want to be one of the best.”
Jeff Luhnow:
"If things fall our way, we could have one of the best drafts in the history of the organization."
Perfect Game says:
“Unique” is not too strong a word when discussing Correa. His arm strength qualifies under that category without question. Not only did Correa set an all-time Perfect Game record at the World Showcase by throwing 97 mph across the infield, he did it with game footwork and game actions. He is guilty of depending on his arm strength too much during games on occasion, just as a young top prospect basketball player will frequently depend on his jumping ability over simpler means of scoring. But if you watch Correa carefully during infield and during relaxed moments on the field, you see that he has the flashy, quick hands and the ability to make plays on the run that are typical of top level shortstops.
Luhnow, on Correa's workout in Kissimmee during Spring Training:
“He was 3-4 years younger than most of the players on the field, and he was the only amateur and he absolutely stood out among the professionals that were down there."
Bobby Heck:
“When you get offense in the middle of the field, most of your championship clubs over time have been built that way. When you have an athlete of this caliber and this type of impact power, you just can’t pass on that. You don’t have a chance to get it with your next pick.”
The Associated Press:
Correa has an incredibly strong arm and terrific instincts defensively, and the Astros might have found a big-time bat for the middle of their lineup.
The Baltimore Sun:
His makeup also highly regarded; travels 90 minutes one-way each day to attend the baseball academy.
You can read this profile on Correa from June 1 by FoxSports, where we find that Correa idolizes HOFer Roberto Alomar.
The New York Times expects him to sign (of course):
Correa, who had a 4.0 grade-point average in high school that made him valedictorian, committed to play for the University of Miami next year but is planning to forego college and sign with the Astros.
Though there are comparisons to Alex Rodriguez and Troy Tulowitzki, it's been remarked that he could move over to 3B should he outgrow the position (Cal Ripken, Jr was 6'4" 200lbs). But Correa says he's not going to be a 3B:
“There are some people saying that I will be a third baseman. I think I have the ability and I will work hard. I want to be at shortstop in the big leagues and i want to be one of the best.”
Jeff Luhnow:
"If things fall our way, we could have one of the best drafts in the history of the organization."
Perfect Game says:
“Unique” is not too strong a word when discussing Correa. His arm strength qualifies under that category without question. Not only did Correa set an all-time Perfect Game record at the World Showcase by throwing 97 mph across the infield, he did it with game footwork and game actions. He is guilty of depending on his arm strength too much during games on occasion, just as a young top prospect basketball player will frequently depend on his jumping ability over simpler means of scoring. But if you watch Correa carefully during infield and during relaxed moments on the field, you see that he has the flashy, quick hands and the ability to make plays on the run that are typical of top level shortstops.
Luhnow, on Correa's workout in Kissimmee during Spring Training:
“He was 3-4 years younger than most of the players on the field, and he was the only amateur and he absolutely stood out among the professionals that were down there."
Bobby Heck:
“When you get offense in the middle of the field, most of your championship clubs over time have been built that way. When you have an athlete of this caliber and this type of impact power, you just can’t pass on that. You don’t have a chance to get it with your next pick.”
The Associated Press:
Correa has an incredibly strong arm and terrific instincts defensively, and the Astros might have found a big-time bat for the middle of their lineup.
The Baltimore Sun:
His makeup also highly regarded; travels 90 minutes one-way each day to attend the baseball academy.
You can read this profile on Correa from June 1 by FoxSports, where we find that Correa idolizes HOFer Roberto Alomar.
The New York Times expects him to sign (of course):
Correa, who had a 4.0 grade-point average in high school that made him valedictorian, committed to play for the University of Miami next year but is planning to forego college and sign with the Astros.
Appel camp "shopping an offer in the high 6s"
Frankie Piliere says that:
Heard the Appel camp is shopping an offer in the high 6s from Houston
Given that the Astros have $7.2m recommended for the 1-1 pick, this would give some room to negotiate with later round picks.
Heard the Appel camp is shopping an offer in the high 6s from Houston
Given that the Astros have $7.2m recommended for the 1-1 pick, this would give some room to negotiate with later round picks.
Rosenthal: Astros should explore trading Altuve
So the Twitter feed almost exploded over the weekend, because Ken Rosenthal said that the Astros should explore trading Jose Altuve, the popular, productive, 22-year old 2B who won't be a free agent until 2018. Today, Rosenthal explained his position:
If general manager Jeff Luhnow could flip Altuve to the Tigers for a package that started with right-hander Jacob Turner, you think he would just reject the idea out of hand? Of course not.
Rosenthal goes on to say that it certainly seems like Paredes will be a solid 2B. I can understand Rosenthal's point: at least consider any trade that comes your way. As @KevinBassStache points out, if you can turn Altuve into 2-3 MLB-ready players, wouldn't you do it? Maybe you'd consider it, and reject it out of hand. What if Altuve is like spending $1 on a scratch-off and winning $100. Trading Altuve would be like taking that $100 and buying 100 more scratch-offs. You might win $50! And then you realize that you just gave away $100 to win $50.
It's too early to tell if Jose Altuve is the 2B for the next ten years. But for now, the Astros have hit on Altuve. If it takes five years to complete the rebuilding process, Altuve will be 27 years old - still (ideally) on the upswing of his career. What's more, in a time when casual Astros fans look at the lineup and say, "Who the hell are these guys?" Altuve is quickly becoming a fan favorite. My wife, who would qualify as a Casual Fan, recently noted, "Every time I look up, that little guy is on base." I nodded.
Sentimentality meant something to the old regime, and remains to be seen about the new regime. I'm not saying sentimentality is a bad thing (or a good thing), and I would expect Luhnow & Co. to explore every realistic trade opportunity that came up. But at some point Rosenthal (and other national media types) need to realize that perhaps the Astros need quality, not just quantity.
If general manager Jeff Luhnow could flip Altuve to the Tigers for a package that started with right-hander Jacob Turner, you think he would just reject the idea out of hand? Of course not.
Rosenthal goes on to say that it certainly seems like Paredes will be a solid 2B. I can understand Rosenthal's point: at least consider any trade that comes your way. As @KevinBassStache points out, if you can turn Altuve into 2-3 MLB-ready players, wouldn't you do it? Maybe you'd consider it, and reject it out of hand. What if Altuve is like spending $1 on a scratch-off and winning $100. Trading Altuve would be like taking that $100 and buying 100 more scratch-offs. You might win $50! And then you realize that you just gave away $100 to win $50.
It's too early to tell if Jose Altuve is the 2B for the next ten years. But for now, the Astros have hit on Altuve. If it takes five years to complete the rebuilding process, Altuve will be 27 years old - still (ideally) on the upswing of his career. What's more, in a time when casual Astros fans look at the lineup and say, "Who the hell are these guys?" Altuve is quickly becoming a fan favorite. My wife, who would qualify as a Casual Fan, recently noted, "Every time I look up, that little guy is on base." I nodded.
Sentimentality meant something to the old regime, and remains to be seen about the new regime. I'm not saying sentimentality is a bad thing (or a good thing), and I would expect Luhnow & Co. to explore every realistic trade opportunity that came up. But at some point Rosenthal (and other national media types) need to realize that perhaps the Astros need quality, not just quantity.
Monday Draft Notes
*Baseball America's Jim Callis posted his Mock Draft 4.0: Mark Appel. However:
Buxton appears to be the preference of the team's baseball decision-makers and would be Plan B if a deal with Appel falls apart.
*Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers says Correa is gaining momentum, but not enough for the Astros to bypass Appel or Buxton. Astros Puerto Rico-based scout Joey Sola said Correa was the best Puerto Rican prospect since Carlos Beltran. A Rockies scout says Correa is a cross between Beltran and Alex Rios.
*Keith Law's (Insider-Only) final Top 100 draft prospects has Buxton #1, followed by Correa, Gausman, and Appel.
*Sports Illustrated's Dave Perkin's mock draft has the Astros taking Appel, saying it's the safest option.
*UPDATE: Jon Heyman has an unsubstantiated rumor that the Astros will take Appel, and the Twins will take Buxton.
Buxton appears to be the preference of the team's baseball decision-makers and would be Plan B if a deal with Appel falls apart.
*Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers says Correa is gaining momentum, but not enough for the Astros to bypass Appel or Buxton. Astros Puerto Rico-based scout Joey Sola said Correa was the best Puerto Rican prospect since Carlos Beltran. A Rockies scout says Correa is a cross between Beltran and Alex Rios.
*Keith Law's (Insider-Only) final Top 100 draft prospects has Buxton #1, followed by Correa, Gausman, and Appel.
*Sports Illustrated's Dave Perkin's mock draft has the Astros taking Appel, saying it's the safest option.
*UPDATE: Jon Heyman has an unsubstantiated rumor that the Astros will take Appel, and the Twins will take Buxton.
PreStros Farm Report: June 1-3
PreStros: June 1-3
The RedHawks went 3-0 over the weekend. Let’s look at some of the key performances.
Paul Clemens had a strong start Friday with 7 innings, allowing 1
R on 5 H and 1 BB with 5 K. Aneury Rodriguez got roughed up Saturday, lasting
just 2 innings and allowing 5 R on 8 H and 2 BB with 1 K. Dallas Keuchel
struggled Sunday as he pitched 6.2 innings and was charged with 5 R (4 earned)
on 6 H with 1 BB and 6 K.
Brian Bixler was 2x11 with 4 BB, 1 HR, 3 R, and 2 RBI. Brad Snyder
went 4x11 with 1 2B, 3 R, and 1 RBI. Brett Wallace was 2x5 with 3 BB, 1 HR, 3
R, and 5 RBI. Mike Hessman was 6x9 with 3 HR, 4 R, and 5 RBI. Brandon Barnes
went 4x8 with 3 BB, 2 2B, 1 SB, 2 R, and 2 RBI.
Man of the Weekend: Brett Wallace
*Notes: Brett Wallace and Jordan Lyles were both recalled to Houston
The Hooks won two of three over the weekend.
Brett Oberholtzer threw 6 innings and allowed 1 unearned run on 7
H and 2 BB with 4 K in his win. Jake Buchanan pitched 6 innings and gave up 2 R
on 4 H with 4 K for his win. Jarred Cosart threw 6 innings and gave up 4 R on 7
H and 1 BB with 4 K in his loss. Josh Zeid made two appearances, throwing a
combined 2 scoreless innings with 0 H, 1 BB, and 3 K and earned his first save
of the season.
Jon Singleton was 2x10 with 3 BB, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 R, and 1 RBI.
Austin Wates was 4x12 with 2 BB, 1 R, and 2 RBI. Adam Bailey went 3x12 with 2
2B, 1 HR, 2 R, and 3 RBI. Jonathan Villar was 2x8 with 1 BB and 1 RBI. Jake
Goebbert was 4x9 with 3 BB, 1 2B, 2 R, and 1 RBI. Ryan McCurdy went 2x4 with 1
R. Jordan Kreke was 3x8 with 1 2B.
Man of the Weekend: Brett Oberholtzer
*Notes: Ross Seaton was named the Astros AA Pitcher of the Month.
He went 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA over six starts and 36.2 innings. Jon Singleton was
Offensive Player of the Month. Jon hit .281 with a .931 OPS and seven home runs.
Bobby Doran went 6 innings and gave up 1 R on 5 H and 2 BB with 3
K. Tyson Perez got roughed up in 3 innings, allowing 7 R on 10 H and 2 BB with
4 K. Jorge De Leon threw 5 innings and gave up 3 R on 4 H and 3 BB with 4 K.
Jose Trinidad turned in 3 scoreless innings in relief with 3 H, 2 BB, and 2 K.
Erik Castro was 7x14 with 3 BB, 2 2B, 1 HR, 8 R, and 8 RBI. Kike
Hernandez was 4x9 with 1 2B, 1 3B, 3 R, and 4 RBI. Alex Todd went 4x12 with 2
2B, 4 R, and 1 RBI. Rene Garcia was 2x5 with 1 R and 2 RBI. Grant Hogue was
6x10 with 2 BB, 2 2B, 5 R, and 1 RBI. Ben Heath went 5x8 with 1 2B, 2 HR, 6 R,
and 8 RBI. Ben Orloff was 4x12 with 2 BB, 1 R, and 6 RBI. Rafael Valenzuela was
5x12 with 1 BB, 1 2B, 2 R, and 7 RBI. Jonathan Meyer went 3x5 with 1 2B, 3 R,
and 2 RBI.
Man of the Weekend: Erik Castro
*Notes: Tyson Perez was named Astros Player of the Month for Lancaster Lexington
The Legends took all three games over the weekend, outscoring Rome
(ATL) by a total of 16-4.
Nick Tropeano threw 5.1 innings and gave up 1 R on 5 H and 2 BB
with 9 K. Mike Foltynewicz went 8 innings and gave up just a solo HR and 2 BB
with 5 K.
John Hinson was 3x4 with 1 R, 2 RBI, and 1
SB. Justin Gominsky was 3x6 with 1 BB, 1 SB, and 1 RBI. Roberto Pena was 3x7
with 1 R. Zach Johnson went 2x11 with 2 BB, 1 R, and 2 RBI. Matt Duffy was 2x11
with 2 BB, 1 2B, 1 HR, and 3 RBI. Drew Muren was 5x12 with 1 2B, 1 SB, and 2 R.
James Howick was 2x6 with 1 BB, 1 2B, 1 HR, and 3 R. Delino DeShields went 3x9
with 4 SB, 2 R, and 1 RBI. Brandon Meredith was 2x7 with 1 BB, 1 2B, and 1 RBI.
Man of the Weekend: Mike Foltynewicz
*Notes: Luis Cruz was named Lexington
Pitcher of the Month. He was 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in May. Matt Duffy was awarded
Offensive Player of the Month after hitting .343 with 4 HR.
Tri-City (0-0)
Season begins June 18.
Season begins June 18.
Greeneville (0-0)
Season begins June 19.
Season begins June 19.
GCL Astros (0-0)
Season begins June 18.
Season begins June 18.
The Dominican League Astros had their season opener Saturday but lost to the DSL Mariners 4-3.
Edwin Villarroel threw 5 innings and allowed 3 R (2 earned) on 6 H
and 1 BB with 1 K and 9 groundouts. Javier Saucedo threw the next 2 innings and
gave up 1 R on 1 H and 1 BB with 1 K and 3 groundouts. Johan Arias finished out
the last two innings with 0 R on 1 H and 1 BB with 1 K and 4 groundouts.
2B-Arturo Michelena was 2x5 with 2 RBI and 2 errors. LF-Frederick
Serrano was 1x2 with 1 BB, 1 2B, and 1 R.
Man of the Match: Arturo Michelena
FanGraphs: Mark Appel makes sense for Houston
FanGraphs' J.P. Breen has a post up about Mark Appel and the #1 overall pick this evening.
Appel fits what the Astros need as an organization, and he also ranks as one of the top players available in the 2012 draft class. The pick makes sense for the organization. He also provides some certainty in terms of signability — much more so than fellow number-one-candidate Byron Buxton.
Click the link for the whole article.
Appel fits what the Astros need as an organization, and he also ranks as one of the top players available in the 2012 draft class. The pick makes sense for the organization. He also provides some certainty in terms of signability — much more so than fellow number-one-candidate Byron Buxton.
Click the link for the whole article.
Who do you want at 1-1?
Simple poll this morning, in advance of the 1st Round of the MLB Rule IV draft...
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