MLB Draft Day 2 Thread

[WilCoDawg]

Good for him since no one ever earns an education and becomes successful by attending MSU.***

 

[The Peeper]

I assume we’d be in the discussion for preseason #1

Does that qualify us to hang a banner?

 

[Drebin]

Now that we are through round 10 it looks like the Dogs have lost 3 croots to the draft. McCants, Wood, and Bruns should all sign. Does look like we are getting Andrew Walling on campus. Walling was ranked #143 in the MLB.com rankings and was projected as high as round 3. Mid 90's fastball lefty. 6'3" 220. 10-2 with 3 complete games and a 2.45 era this season in Juco. 107K and 27BB in 69-2/3 this season. Should win a weekend starters role next season.

If Sims converts to a starter and Walling can handle the transition... The pitching could be ridiculous next season. The 3rd weekend starter position would be crazy ridiculous competition from Hootie, Cade Smith, Preston Johnson, and Fristoe. Tepper, Stinnett, Simmons, and possibly Johnson if he isn't starting, would all compete for a closer's role. I'm skipping a lot... But if Walling is what I think he is and Sims can develop the change a little and move into a starting position, you may be looking at 2 first rounders on Friday and Saturday and another half dozen power arms competing for innings.

Need a few bats to develop. (Leach, please do everyone a favor and cut Cumbest this summer so he can practice this fall.) The middle of the order should be sick next year with LoTan, Kamren James, Luke Hancock, and Kellum Clark all back. We need to figure out the outfield and find a home for Luke Hancock defensively. 2nd base is a question with Meche the only guy we know can play it on the roster... I am interested to see what Aaron Downs can do though. If his PG profile is right, the dude will be the fastest guy on the team with a 6.45 60 time and at 5-11 205, he has serious pop in his bat. Built like Foscue and runs like Mays.


Here is where I am thinking we could be looking at next season after today.


Pitching

Starters
#1 Sims
#2 Walling
#3 Cade Smith
#4/Midweek Fristoe (Needs a lot of work on command)

Bullpen

#1 Closer - Parker Stinnett
#2 Setup/Stopper/Backup Closer- Preston Johnson
#3-4 Long Man- Houston Harding and Brandon Smith
#4 Lefty Specialist- Cam Tullar
#5 Ground Ball Specialist - Chase Patric
#6-10 Middle Relief- Mikey Tepper, KC Hunt, Stone Simmons, Pico Kohn (True Freshman)

Lineup

1. Jess Davis - CF (Bats L)
2. Kamren James - 3B (Bats R)
3. Luke Hancock - DH (Bats L)
4. Logan Tanner - C (Bats R)
5. Kellum Clark - 1B (Bats L)
6. Brad Cumbest - LF (Bats R)
7. Brayland Skinner - RF (Bats L) (Alternative Kyte McDonald Bats R)
8. Lane Forsythe - SS (Bats R)
9. Davis Meche - 2B (Bats L) (Alternative Aaron Downs incoming freshman Bats R)

I'm guessing a couple of guys will get drafted tomorrow and go pro and somebody will get hurt in the fall, but there is a lot to work with. 3 things that I think would make this team Omaha ready again next season.

1. Sims can transition into a starter. He seems to have the stamina and the best 1-2 pitches in the country possibly. If he can develop a change or hell, even a splitter to throw lefties and mix up righties the 3rd time through the order, he will win the Golden Spikes award next year and lead the country in strikeouts.
2. Hancock doesn't get drafted tomorrow and decide to go. He is such a tough at bat and always seems to put the ball in play with a runner on 3rd and less than 2 outs. Need that mature left handed stick next season.
3. Cumbest, Forsythe, and Skinner/McDonald need to take the next step at the dish. Cumbest looks like Paul Bunyan up there, but still slashed .306/.372/.537 this year. He needs to practice this fall. Baseball is his future. Forsythe just needs conviction at the dish. He was hitting over .300 until the Vandy series this year. He then bounces back and goes 4-11 in the finals. He should be a .290/.390/.410 guy next year if he just gets back to driving the ball center-right. Skinner I am not so sure about. He seems lost at the plate, but he hit over .350 in 2019 and 2020 in juco, so I know there is something there.

I feel ridiculous that I have Brandon Smith and Hootie in the pen if they come back. They would be weekend starters on almost any other team. I also watched Preston Johnson get stretched out in Game 2 and look like a freaking horse out there throwing 70+ pitches. He could start too. Wild. I'm guessing one or two of those guys get drafted tomorrow and take the money. If not, next year's staff is going to be a lot better than this year.

Steel wool boys... and lots of it.

Really good breakdown. The only thing I would add to this is that there are a few guys who will make it to campus that may push for playing time as Freshmens (shout out Stans) next year. I suspect that we may lose some guys to the portal at some point.

 

[MSUDAWGFAN]

Does that qualify us to hang a banner?

How about we hang an actual earned banner? Haha!

 

[Junction John]

Where is McGowan? He had some quality at bats this year and I thought he'd be in the mix.