Baseball Prospectus mock draft has the Reds selecting...

Brett Lawrie.

7. Cincinnati Reds

The Reds are lining up to throw the first real curveball of the first round. They have been heavily scouting the top group of college sluggers, as well as Gordon Beckham, while also dreaming of a scenario that would drop either Matusz or Crow to them. However, a surprising new name has entered the mix—the Reds were in hard on Canadian prepster Brett Lawrie after he went off with eight home runs in eight games against professionals in the Dominican, and they came back with reports encouraging enough to prompt a quickly-scheduled private workout on Tuesday afternoon. As one scouting director put it, “If there’s anyone who can improve his stock with a private workout, it’s Lawrie.” Assuming all went as expected, the surprises start at lucky number seven. If they decide to play it safe, Alonso is currently at the top of their board.
Selection: Brett Lawrie, INF, Brookswood SS (BC)

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/ar...articleid=7615

There is no doubt the kid is talented and is quickly rising up the draft boards, but I still can't see how the Reds could pass up one of the top college talents in favor of Lawrie. I'm going to be pretty disappointed if they select Lawrie over an Alonso, Smoak, Beckham, Crow, or Matusz.

Hmmm, I don't know how much stock I'm willing to put in this. If the Reds pick Lawrie with Smoak, Alonso, and Crow on the board, RedsZone's minor league forum might just explode.

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Originally Posted by camisadelgolf

Hmmm, I don't know how much stock I'm willing to put in this. If the Reds pick Lawrie with Smoak, Alonso, and Crow on the board, RedsZone's minor league forum might just explode.

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I won't hate the Lawrie pick if the Reds make it because I think he's got a lot of talent, but I'll be surprised if the team allows eight games in the Dominican and a private workout (the value of which I find highly dubious - I maintain teams see what they want to see in those things) to overtake talents that should have been at the top of their board for months.

How old is Lawrie?

I wonder what position the Reds envision Lawrie playing? Scouts think he has the tools to be a catcher but that would only slow his bat down. He's described as having above average speed, if so maybe he can handle center field or shortstop? If that's the case then I would like the pick a little more.

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Originally Posted by Grande Donkey

How old is Lawrie?

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He turned 18 in January.

I bet the commonality of some of these late risers is the fact that they will be an easy sign.

Mesoraco had that going for him last year.

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Originally Posted by M2

I won't hate the Lawrie pick if the Reds make it because I think he's got a lot of talent, but I'll be surprised if the team allows eight games in the Dominican and a private workout (the value of which I find highly dubious - I maintain teams see what they want to see in those things) to overtake talents that should have been at the top of their board for months.

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I don't trust the private workout schema after the Gruler debacle. Tom Seaver my foot.

Reds spent money on the Duran kid. Maybe they don't plan to spend a lot on the first rounder.

I may be in the minority but I like the pick. Kid has a great stick. I would rather have Alonso or Smoak but I would not be mad at all if he was the pick.

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Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

I wonder what position the Reds envision Lawrie playing? Scouts think he has the tools to be a catcher but that would only slow his bat down. He's described as having above average speed, if so maybe he can handle center field or shortstop? If that's the case then I would like the pick a little more.

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My guess is third base is as far right on the defensive spectrum as he'll end up. Really, it's his bat that's attracting all of the moths.

Sounds like Lawrie or Alonso.......

My take is that they're projecting Lawrie as potentially the best RH bat in the draft. If the organization is leaning towards trying to sign Dunn, might it budge them more to Lawrie than to Alonso? But if they take Lawrie, where would they play him? I doubt it would be catcher, since that would likely slow his development quite a bit......

Much food for discussion in this year's #1 choice, that's for sure.

• Brett Lawrie's name continues to be sprinkled around liberally, being mentioned as an outside possibility to go as high as No. 7 to the Reds.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...2008&fext=.jsp

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Originally Posted by edabbs44

I bet the commonality of some of these late risers is the fact that they will be an easy sign.

Mesoraco had that going for him last year.

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That would be business as usual on draft day for the Reds. I was really hoping to see that change.