BP Ranks Reds Farm System 10th...

[chicoruiz]

...as per Kevin Goldstein, BP's token "scouting" guy. What's even better is that while Milwaukee is slightly ahead at #7, the other NL Central teams are all down in the 20's.

[Joseph]

I suspect Wainright and Reyes no longer bolster the Cards farm system so aside from an OFer [Cody, Colby?] I can't think of anything highly thought of in their system.

I'm sure many probably don't think much of our system outside Homer and Votto maybe since they were both in the futures game last year.

[dougdirt]

Joseph, I think you should add Bruce into that mix, as everywhere I have seen has Bruce ranked much higher than Votto, and 90% of the time, a Top 10 prospect in all of baseball.

[Topcat]

Joseph, I think you should add Bruce into that mix, as everywhere I have seen has Bruce ranked much higher than Votto, and 90% of the time, a Top 10 prospect in all of baseball.

The Dirt speaks the truth :beerme:

[cincy09]

Hopefully we get a big year from our young middle infielders Loo and Valaika and bolster that ranking.
I really think Loo could become a high end prospect if he can stay healthy.

[dougdirt]

Hopefully we get a big year from our young middle infielders Loo and Valaika and bolster that ranking.
I really think Loo could become a high end prospect if he can stay healthy.

Ive got a feeling that almost no matter what, after this season our system will see a drop in overall rankings because odds are we will lose Bailey from our system, and we do not have anyone who can step up and run with a Top 10 prospect outside of Jay Bruce. We may even end up losing Votto as well if Hatteberg isnt doing so hot and he gets the call. By the end of the season out top prospects could be Bruce, Wood and Cueto. Not that it is a bad thing, but I also am not sure they compare favorably with the Bailey, Bruce and Votto combo we have now at the top.

[New Fever]

We probably will lose Bailey, but with all those picks we should add a lot of depth. You are essentially adding two first round picks to the system with the 15th and 34th pick and the other top picks. Also people at Baseball America are saying that Drew Stubbs prospect status is going to get better no matter if his batting average is in .250 range. Because all of his other tools are great. So the system probably won't take a huge hit until Bruce has graduated to the major leagues.

[dougdirt]

I see your point. I think even with the picks, this offseason it will probably drop. Then the next offseason it probably goes up thanks to the extra picks hopefully panning out.

[Shaknb8k]

What exactly are the picks for the upcoming draft?

[cincy09]

What exactly are the picks for the upcoming draft?

First-Round Picks
1. Devil Rays
2. Royals
3. Cubs
4. Pirates
5. Orioles
6. Nationals
7. Brewers
8. Rockies
9. Diamondbacks
10. Giants
11. Mariners
12. Marlins
13. Indians
14. Braves
15. Reds
16. Blue Jays (Frank Catalanotto, A, to Tex)
17. Rangers (Carlos Lee, A, to Hou)
18. Cardinals
19. Phillies
20. Dodgers (Julio Lugo, A, to Bos)
21. Blue Jays
22. Giants (Jason Schmidt, A, to LAD)
23. Padres
24. Rangers (Gary Matthews Jr., A, to LAA)
25. White Sox
26. Athletics
27. Tigers
28. Twins
29. Giants (Moises Alou, A, to NYM)
30. Yankees
Supplemental First-Round Picks
31. Nationals (Alfonso Soriano, A, to ChC)
32. Giants (Alou)
33. Braves (Danys Baez, A, to Bal)
34. Reds (Rich Aurilia, A, to SF)
35. Rangers (Lee)
36. Cardinals (Jeff Suppan, A, to Mil)
37. Phillies (David Dellucci, A, to Cle)
38. Blue Jays (Justin Speier, A, to LAA)
39. Dodgers (Lugo)
40. Padres (Woody Williams, A, to Hou)
41. Athletics (Barry Zito, A, to SF)
42. Mets (Roberto Hernandez, A, to Cle)
43. Giants (Schmidt)
44. Rangers (Matthews)
45. Blue Jays (Catalanotto)
46. Padres (Dave Roberts, A, to SF)
47. Mets (Chad Bradford, A, to Bal)
48. Cubs (Juan Pierre, B, to LAD)
49. Nationals (Jose Guillen, B, to Sea)
50. Diamondbacks (Craig Counsell, B, to Mil)
51. Giants (Mike Stanton, B, to Cin)
52. Mariners (Gil Meche, B, to KC)
53. Reds (Scott Schoeneweis, B, to NYM)
54. Rangers (Mark DeRosa, B, to ChC)
55. Red Sox (Alex Gonzalez, B, to Cin)
56. Blue Jays (Ted Lilly, B, to ChC)
57. Padres (Alan Embree, B, to Oak)
58. Angels (Adam Kennedy, B, to StL)
59. Athletics (Frank Thomas, B, to Tor)
60. Tigers (Jamie Walker, B, to Bal)
61. Diamondbacks (Miguel Batista, B, to Sea)
62. Red Sox (Keith Foulke, B, to Cle)
63. Padres (Ryan Klesko, B, to SF)
64. Diamondbacks (have yet to sign 2006 first-rounder Max Scherzer)
Second-Round Changes
67. Nationals (Soriano to ChC)
69. Braves (Baez to Bal)
71. Cardinals (Suppan to Mil)
74. Athletics (Zito to SF)
77. Mets (Hernandez to Cle)
81. Padres (Williams to Hou)
88. Blue Jays (Speier to LAA)
Third-Round Changes
99. Mets (Bradford to Bal)
104. Reds (Aurilia to SF)
107. Phillies (Dellucci to Cle)
Fourth-Round Changes
134. Padres (Roberts to SF)
Remaining Compensation Free Agents
NYY: Ron Villone (B).
SD: Chan Ho Park (B).

[Joseph]

Joseph, I think you should add Bruce into that mix, as everywhere I have seen has Bruce ranked much higher than Votto, and 90% of the time, a Top 10 prospect in all of baseball.

I don't discount Bruce at all, and I would think many do think highly of him [like we all do], I just referred more to players who are on the cusp of the bigs within the next year or so like Bailey and Votto are most likely. I think we'd all agree Bruce is a 2009 kind of guy probably.

[Sabo Fan]

I don't discount Bruce at all, and I would think many do think highly of him [like we all do], I just referred more to players who are on the cusp of the bigs within the next year or so like Bailey and Votto are most likely. I think we'd all agree Bruce is a 2009 kind of guy probably.

I'll go out on something of a limb and say that Bruce's time in the majors will begin sometime in 08. I think he's the type of player that has "fast-track" written all over him and I could see him cruising through two levels this season and then starting out 08 in AAA.

Should he tear it up there I would say that there's no reason he shouldn't get an opportunity to strut his stuff after the 2008 All-Star Break, especially if this team isn't in the thick of a pennant race (and maybe even if they are).

[schroomytunes]

This year we have a real good chance at landing some quality guys in the draft. We are basically getting 6 guys in the first 3 rounds! IMHO our focus should be on adding talent regardless of positions, If we have 2 guys who are graded equally, then by all means we need to add the offense at this point, cause our pitching is no longer as big a weakness as our offense.
I think Krivsky's moves are for reasons other than making trades. Think about it, he landed us a 1st and a 3rd pick for a guy we picked up off waivers in Aurilia, and netted us a 2nd round pick from Schoenweis who we basically acquired for nothing. The only way we are to compete in the future is to have good drafts,and fill in with FA's when needed.

[Willy]

This year we have a real good chance at landing some quality guys in the draft. We are basically getting 6 guys in the first 3 rounds! IMHO our focus should be on adding talent regardless of positions, If we have 2 guys who are graded equally, then by all means we need to add the offense at this point, cause our pitching is no longer as big a weakness as our offense.
I think Krivsky's moves are for reasons other than making trades. Think about it, he landed us a 1st and a 3rd pick for a guy we picked up off waivers in Aurilia, and netted us a 2nd round pick from Schoenweis who we basically acquired for nothing. The only way we are to compete in the future is to have good drafts,and fill in with FA's when needed.

I disagree. I think you still need to lean towards pitching when drafting. You can always trade young pitching for offense, but you can't always trade young offense for pitching.

[dougdirt]

I disagree. I think you still need to lean towards pitching when drafting. You can always trade young pitching for offense, but you can't always trade young offense for pitching.

In baseball, you must draft the best player available, regardless of position or age. Baseball prospects flop so often that you must get the most out of your draft. Passing up on a greater talent just because there is a pitcher available is a very very poor plan. For that pitcher to be worth anything, he has to be able to produce. Take a peak back at the 2005 draft, Ricky Romero, Wade Townsend and Mike Pelfrey all went ahead of Jay Bruce. Lance Broadway, Chris Volstad, Cesar Carillo, Matt Garza among others were all taken after Bruce in the first round. I wouldnt trade Jay Bruce for any of those pitchers. None of whom rank as highly as Jay does in most prospect circles (some have Garza in the top 10, others have him around 25-40).

[Willy]

In baseball, you must draft the best player available, regardless of position or age. Baseball prospects flop so often that you must get the most out of your draft. Passing up on a greater talent just because there is a pitcher available is a very very poor plan. For that pitcher to be worth anything, he has to be able to produce. Take a peak back at the 2005 draft, Ricky Romero, Wade Townsend and Mike Pelfrey all went ahead of Jay Bruce. Lance Broadway, Chris Volstad, Cesar Carillo, Matt Garza among others were all taken after Bruce in the first round. I wouldnt trade Jay Bruce for any of those pitchers. None of whom rank as highly as Jay does in most prospect circles (some have Garza in the top 10, others have him around 25-40).

I'm just saying if I have two guys ranked the same I would lean to the pitcher.

[jmcclain19]

Looks like the final count has the Reds picking

15
34
53
79
104
109
139

So that gives the Reds 7 picks in the first 140.

Not bad at all.

[jojo]

I'm just saying if I have two guys ranked the same I would lean to the pitcher.

I still think in that scenario that it's more prudent to go with the position player. They may have equal upsides but the pitcher will have much more risk.

[Red Heeler]

I still think in that scenario that it's more prudent to go with the position player. They may have equal upsides but the pitcher will have much more risk.

I think that draft strategy should depend somewhat on the state of the organization.

In the Reds case, they have a few top talents in Bailey, Bruce, Votto, and Cueto, but there is a steep drop off after them. With that in mind, in the early rounds, I would be looking to add the most advanced prospects available even if their perceived ceiling was lower than a more raw player. Of course, I would make exceptions for BJ Upton type talent.

Once a system is well stocked, then a team can take on some toolsier players earlier in the draft.