2008 MLB Draft Cincinnati Reds Selections

[OnBaseMachine]

I really like the Reds draft to this point. Alonso is a huge bat with potential to move quickly and Zach Stewart is a steal in the third round. He's got two plus pitches and the ability to move quickly and give the Reds another power bullpen arm along with Cordero, Burton, Roenicke, and now Stewart. Shunick also looks like a fine pick in the fifth round.

Hopefully they can draft a big athlete like Issac Galloway tomorrow.

[11larkin11]

Ok, we know about Alonso and Stewart. Someone give us some reports and opinions on Cline, Shunick, and Buchholz.

[lollipopcurve]

I just cannot see past passing on Beckham.

Just as an added reference, Alonso was last summer's #2 prospect in the Cape Cod League, per Baseball America. Beckham, despite hitting the ball quite well, was ranked #12. Beckham is not the shiny athletic stud some are making him out to be. Good ballplayer, no doubt, but he may be more Bobby Crosby than Troy Tulowitzki.

[RedlegJake]

Here's what I found on Buchholz and posted in the draft head:
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/vau...G/06/04-04.HTM

Delaware's Buchholz, Dundalk's Moore prepare for tomorrow's MLB draft
Alex Buchholz was somewhat overlooked as a baseball player coming out of high school. That's probably because the Old Mill High graduate was a three-sport standout who was equally accomplished as a soccer and basketball player.

In fact, Buchholz was a first team All-County selection in all three sports, earning Male Athlete of the Year honors from Capital-Gazette Newspapers.

However, that diversity hurt the Millersville resident's stock in baseball, evidenced by the fact he was not drafted and earned just one Division I scholarship offer.

"I kind of flew under the radar baseball-wise during high school. I never heard from any pro scouts and Delaware is the only big school that really recruited me," Buchholz said.

On the positive side, Buchholz still had plenty of room to grow and develop as a baseball player once he reached the University of Delaware.

"I think when Alex was able to concentrate fully on baseball and compete at a higher level it all really came together for him," Delaware head coach Jim Sherman said.

Sure enough, just three years later, Buchholz is a collegiate All-American and a bona-fide professional prospect, likely to be selected in early rounds of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft that begins tomorrow afternoon.

"My goal was to get drafted one day and I always knew I could reach that level. I've never had any doubt about my ability," Buchholz said.

Buchholz has enjoyed three terrific seasons at Delaware, being named Colonial Athletic Association Rookie of the Year in 2006 after batting .378 (84-for-222) with 16 doubles, 18 home runs and 64 RBIs. He was named second team All-CAA and the Blue Hens' Most Valuable Player after hitting .387 (92-for-238) with 27 doubles, 11 homers and 63 RBIs.

Buchholz's 92 hits in 2007 was third highest single-season total in program history and he contributed at least one hit in 50 of 55 games. Those numbers made the utility infielder a preseason selection to the Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American squad.

"Alex is a versatile player who has all the intangibles you look for. He does everything well. He runs, throws, fields and hits at a pro level. Plus, he understands the game," Sherman said.

Sherman said Buchholz reminds many professional scouts of veteran infielder Jeff Kent, a 17th-year major leaguer who has served stints with Toronto, New York Mets, Cleveland, San Francisco, Houston and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Buchholz, whose .383 career batting average ranks ninth all-time at Delaware, has worked out for the Phillies, Yankees and Braves. He has heard from just about every Major League team at some point despite a tough senior season that was cut short by a severe shin injury. The junior, who played shortstop, second base and third base for the Blue Hens, hit .319 with 11 doubles, five homers and 54 RBIs in only 163 at-bats.

"If I get drafted relatively highly and get treated fairly, I'll probably sign. I'll wait and see what happens, but I do want to go out," said Buchholz, who has the option of returning for his senior season in Newark, Del.

Veteran Old Mill High baseball coach Mel Montgomery had no doubt Buchholz would ultimately develop into a professional prospect.

"I remember talking to the coach from Delaware and telling him that Alex might be the best athlete I've ever had in 32 years of coaching high school baseball," Montgomery said. "He was just a natural who could pick up any sport and be great. I'm not surprised at all that he's projected as a top prospect."

Buchholz is one of two Anne Arundel County products likely to be taken in this year's draft. Former Chesapeake High and current Dundalk Community College catcher Zack Moore is rated as a 15-30 round prospect, according to various scouts contacted by the Maryland Gazette.

"If the money is right, I'm looking to go pro. That's my dream and I'm ready to give it a shot," Moore said.


He was injured part of his junior year so his stats are down from his first two years probaly the reason he fell to the 6th round. He's a really, really solid 6th round pick, imo.

[OnBaseMachine]

W (IN) (11:53:27 AM PT): Alonso to Reds seems to have surprised many people. One of the comps for him is Tony Perez. Does this kind of history influence teams?

Kevin Goldstein (11:54:35 AM PT): 7. Reds, Yonder Alonso, 1b, Miami

This is your first big surprise and things are messy. Right now the White Sox are dancing on tables in the draft room because they get their guy in the other Beckham. I'm shocked here. To answer Joe's question, the Reds are simply adding what they believe is the most valuable asset to the organization.

Bryan Smith (11:55:19 AM PT): The top Cape prospect finds a home in the top ten, which proves to you college players that it pays to hit with wood when you can. Yonder Alonso is such a talented hitter, though, I think he could hit with a tennis racquet. Alonso has the best approach for any player in this draft, and it's really not close.

Kevin Goldstein (11:55:46 AM PT): KG: Two college 1B in history drafted 7th overall: Matt LaPorta and Frank Thomas -- NICE LIST.

[Caveat Emperor]

Bryan Smith (11:55:19 AM PT): The top Cape prospect finds a home in the top ten, which proves to you college players that it pays to hit with wood when you can. Yonder Alonso is such a talented hitter, though, I think he could hit with a tennis racquet. Alonso has the best approach for any player in this draft, and it's really not close.

Which just underscores my point -- this kid has to be Superman with a wood bat for this pick to be anything other than a total disappointment.

~.850 - .900 OPS at 1b can be obtained with in-house options (namely Dunn and Votto). This guy has to be better than that. That's a pretty damn tall order.

[OnBaseMachine]

Draft update -- Reds pick RHP in 3rd, 4th and 5th;
Thursday, June 5, 2008, 08:08 PM EST

It's just before 7, and the third round has started with the Rays taking UC Davis catcher Jacob Jefferies with the 78th overall pick. The Reds pick 84th overall, so the newest Red should be known rather quickly.

Update: The Reds selected RHP Zachary Stewart out of Texas Tech. Stewart was 3-2 with a 4.98 ERA and three saves for the Red Raiders.

Baseball America had him listed as the No. 46 player in the draft and the Reds got him at 84. That's good value. A reliever who has started, Baseball America said "his best pitch is a92-96 mph fastball with filthy sink. Early in the season, he showed a slarp slider that some scouts graded as a plus-plus offering."

Update 2: In the fourth round, the Reds selected RHP Tyler Cline of Cass High School in Cartersville, Ga. Cline is listed as 6-2, 220 pounds.

Update 3: The fifth-round pick is another right-hander, Clayton Shunick out of N.C. State. Shunick was 7-5 with a 2.16 ERA on an N.C. State team that is also in the NCAA Super Regionals. Shunick will start Game 1 of the Wolfpack's NCAA Super Regional in Athens, Ga., against the Georgia Bulldogs.

Update 4: MLB lied to me. They said they'd only do 5, they did 6. The Reds took SS Alex Buchholz of Delaware.

http://www.thelotd.com/ctrent/blog

[OnBaseMachine]

FWIW, Kevin Goldstein says Gordon Beckham projects as a Khalil Greene type hitter with Jed Lowrie type defense. If that's the case then I can see why the Reds chose Alonso over Beckham. Either pick is fine with me. Alonso looks like a stud.

[Mario-Rijo]

Look I've been wrong before and I'd be happy if Yonder proved me wrong again. One negative about him that I seen was he didn't hit all that well against the good pitcher's, which is par for the course however how big a difference is it. Anyone have the #'s?

I don't dislike Alonso, I dislike the pick when there were players there who were better overall players. If he hits like David Ortiz and fields like Sean Casey (his defensive comp?) I would be more than happy. If he hits like Sean Casey (Projected to hit 25-30 HR's? with avg) and fields like Casey and runs like Casey it's an ok pick but I would bet on Smoak and Beckham being better than that.

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo

If he hits like David Ortiz and fields like Sean Casey (his defensive comp?) I would be more than happy. If he hits like Sean Casey (Projected to hit 25-30 HR's? with avg) and fields like Casey and runs like Casey it's an ok pick but I would bet on Smoak and Beckham being better than that.

And, of course, the huge worry that has to be present is that -- as he fills out -- he plays defense like David Ortiz.

At that point, it won't matter who he hits like.

[Blue]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

And, of course, the huge worry that has to be present is that -- as he fills out -- he plays defense like David Ortiz.

At that point, it won't matter who he hits like.

... I don't get this. If he fields like David Ortiz, but hits like David Ortiz... he's the same as David Ortiz, and Ortiz has plenty of value, though it would be significantly diminished in the National League. There are 14 teams in the other league who Alonso could do a fine job for if this occurs.

[NorrisHopper30]

I think everyone has been overrating Beckham's bat, I don't think he'll be much at the plate.

[Lockdwn11]

Originally Posted by Blue

... I don't get this. If he fields like David Ortiz, but hits like David Ortiz... he's the same as David Ortiz, and Ortiz has plenty of value, though it would be significantly diminished in the National League. There are 14 teams in the other league who Alonso could do a fine job for if this occurs.

I thought the same thing when I saw that.

[Cedric]

I felt all along that scouts were trying hard to convince them self that Beckham would stay at SS. Scouts and GM's kill for middle infield talent and sometimes they can be very overrated in the draft. I don't see how Alonso is anywhere close to the gamble that Beckham is. If the Reds scouts thought he wouldn't stay at SS than I have no problem at all with the Alonso pick. If he doesn't last here he will most likely still have huge value to someone else.

[Lockdwn11]

Originally Posted by NorrisHopper30

I think everyone has been overrating Beckham's bat, I don't think he'll be much at the plate.

NorrisHopper, I would be very interested in hearing what makes you think that