2014 Draft

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2014 Draft

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Pick 84 - Brian Anderson 2B/3B/OF

From BA:
Anderson’s tools and production haven’t matched up this season, which is bad timing for his draft stock. A bigger year could have landed Anderson in the first round because of his athleticism, defensive versatility and hitting potential. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, Anderson has some similarities to former LSU player JaCoby Jones, though he doesn’t quite have Jones’ power potential. Anderson does have 60 raw power and led Arkansas in homers as a sophomore after finishing his freshman season as the center fielder on a College World Series team. Anderson’s best tool his plus-plus arm, as he hit 95-96 mph off the mound during the fall, and he’s an above-average runner as well. He’s expanded his strike zone frequently this season to his detriment, and his baserunner could stand polish. Anderson has mostly played second base this season, a seeming waste of his arm strength, and he’s tall for the position. He could profile better at third base if his power developed, or he could go back to the outfield. He also could stay at second if he can stay down on groundballs and keep the game from speeding up on him. Anderson will go out in the second if a team matches his future position with a second-round evaluation of his bat.

Pick 116 - Ronnie Williams SP

From BA:
The athletic, quick-armed Williams' velocity has been on a steady upward trajectory over the last year. He wasn’t completely healthy last summer and pitched mostly at 87-88 mph, touching 91 mph in the fall at Florida Diamond Club. But he has touched 97 this spring and sat in the low 90s in his best outings this spring, though his velocity has fallen into the high 80s late in some outings. He has a quick arm and gets armside life to his fastball. His curveball has flashed average, though it’s inconsistent, and he is working on a slider. His changeup flashes average potential but is even less consistent than his curve. There is some effort to his delivery, his velocity played down a tick out of the stretch and he is somewhat raw, but he is very athletic. The 6-foot, 175-pound Williams a slender build with long arms that will accommodate additional strength gains.

Pick 121 - Jordan Luplow OF

From BA:
Scouts were flocking to Fresno this season for all the high school talent in the area, but also to see a Fresno State roster heavy with upperclassmen. Luplow stayed healthy as a junior after injury problems in his first two years and had passed Jordan Brink as the Bulldogs’ top prospect. He had right shoulder surgery (labrum) as a high school senior, missed 14 games as a sophomore with a left shoulder injury, then left the Cape Cod League early last summer with a knee injury. While his right/right profile and average 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame don’t stand out, his hitting ability does. His sound hitting mechanics, solid bat speed and improved approach have resulted in a monster .385/.478/.629 junior season, putting him among the Mountain West Conference leaders in all three categories as the conference tournament opened. He’s a decent runner who profiles as a corner outfielder. A prep third baseman, he has an accurate, solid-average arm, making right field a possibility. If teams have no lingering medical concerns, Luplow should hit his way into the first three rounds.

Pick 136 - Blake Anderson C

From BA:
Anderson was an offensive and defensive leader for West Lauderdale while leading his team to a state championship. He has shown arm strength up to 92 mph, but the consensus has him as a catcher. He's a catch-and-throw backstop with an arm that is at least plus. He is big for the position at 6-foot-4, 180 pounds, but he has the athleticism, blocking and receiving skills to have a shot at staying behind the plate. Evaluations of his bat are less sanguine. He has adequate bat speed but didn’t consistently square up velocity last summer. Added strength could give him power potential down the road and he has shown flashes of raw power, but evaluators expect his power production to be below-average. The Southern Miss commit is a below-average runner.

Pick 146 - Grayson Greiner C

From BA:
A three-year starter at South Carolina, Greiner has come a long way from his freshman year, when he was seen as an easy out and batted just .222. His offensive game has progressed as he’s learned to tap more consistently into his solid-average power. At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, he’s tall for a catcher and has a long swing, and most scouts grade him below-average as a hitter. He’s a steady, quiet receiver, who has gotten over a freshman hitch when he struggled throwing the ball back to the pitcher’s mound. He handled pitchers well for Team USA last summer and receives velocity well. While his arm strength grades as above-average, he’s thrown out just six of 32 basestealers this spring, due in part to a long transfer. Greiner fits a backup catcher profile with a chance to be a regular if his bat continues to progress.

Pick 176 - Jordan Edgerton 3B

From BA:
Edgerton has been a statistical monster at the Division II level and could pique the interest of an analytics-driven team, though he has baseball tools to support his performance. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder has an athletic, defined build with room to get stronger and he is young for the college class, turning 21 in the fall. Hitting in a favorable home ballpark, he batted .369/.429/.608 with 31 extra-base hits. He looks to drive balls on the inner half with a pull-oriented stroke, and the ball jumps off his bat. Despite a big cut and power, Edgerton has hand-eye coordination and bat-to-ball skills. He struck out in just 3.6 percent of his plate appearances, with a 2.4 walk-strikeout ratio. Currently a third baseman with an average arm and solid hands, he will likely move to an outfield corner, and some teams have discussed the possibility of moving behind the plate. He is an aggressive baserunner who stole 13 bases despite below-average speed. Edgerton will be busy leading up to the draft with predraft workouts.
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Post by Phillies »

Brian Anderson - traded due to roster crunch. Looks like a solid prospect, probably make or break year for him
Ronnie Williams - dropped due to roster crunch. OK numbers, but he's still far out and is probably a reliever.
Jordan Luplow - traded. old for his level, solid numbers.
Blake Anderson - lol
Grayson Greiner - dropped. hit a bit this year, but another old guy for his level
Jordan Edgerton - dropped. can't hit

Good job, Nick.
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