Official 2018 Draft Day 1 Thread

[PuffyPig]

It's hard to criticize the India pick when he is a plus bat, and likely the BPA at the time the Reds picked.

It's funny, if he was listed as a LF, many who hate the pick would immediately love it as it fills a need.

Any player who can offer good defense at 3b, with the ability to perhaps play 2B or even a credible SS won't have any problem mastering LF, or even RF. He likely wasn't playing 3B in college because he couldn't play LF, they'll reserve those spots for the players who cannot play any other position.

[WrongVerb]

No Luke Heimlich today. Not surprised. Will be very interesting to see if a team takes a flyer on him in the coming days.

I suspect he'll go in sounds 6-10, where most college seniors go. Minimal bonus. I wouldn't mind if the Reds drafted him, but I know they won't take that risk after The Great Chapman Panic of 2015.

[DatRedsFan]

Round 2 47th pick: Lyon Richardson from Jensen Beach High School........RHP/S/R 6-2/175 lbs
CBB 72nd pick: Josiah Gray from Le Moyne College..........RHP/R/R.....6-1,190 lbs


The Port St. Lucie area is known mostly in baseball circles for it being the Spring Training home of the New York Mets. Richardson, a rapidly rising right-hander from nearby Jensen Beach High School, could help put that part of the east coast of Florida on the map for more than that. Known primarily as an outfielder for much of his high school career, the 6-foot-2 Richardson has taken off on the mound this spring. He's been seen up to 96-to-97 mph with his fastball at times, sitting comfortably in the 93-to-94 range. His breaking ball can be inconsistent; some scouts have seen two distinct pitches, others have seen them blurring into one slurvy offering. But he's shown enough glimpses of an above-average 78-to-83 mph breaker to think he'll get there consistently with more reps. He'll show a usable changeup in the bullpen, but doesn't throw it much in games. Richardson's athleticism should allow him to continue to throw strikes and repeat his delivery. He's still learning to pitch, and the Florida commit's upside potential could interest teams in the top two or three rounds.


When he was coming out of high school, Gray was a slightly built shortstop with a strong arm. Lightly recruited, he ended up at Division II Le Moyne, where he played the infield and pitched a little. He served as the team's closer as a sophomore, while still playing short. Then after a strong showing in the Cape Cod League, he left the infield for the mound full-time and moved into the rotation. While it took a while for Gray to adjust to the new role, he's begun learning how to maintain his stuff deeper into starts and has helped Le Moyne be a DII power this spring. It all starts with his live arm that throws fastballs in the 91-96 mph range now that he's filled out some. He'll flash a plus slider with good shape to it, but is still learning how to command the pitch consistently. He has limited feel for his changeup and doesn't use it much, nor does he have to to be successful. He throws plenty of strikes with his fastball, which some feel gives him the chance to start. That might depend on the further development of his secondary stuff, but the gains he's made in a short time have scouts in the area encouraged. He won't go nearly as high, but he reminds some of Justin Dunn, the Boston College reliever-turned-starter who the Mets took in the first round of the 2016 Draft.

[WrongVerb]

My $ is on India in the OF

Don't you mean your rupees?

[WrongVerb]

My dream lineup for 2020:

1b Votto
2b Long
SS India
3b Suarez
LF Winker
CF Trammell
RF Senzel
CA Barnhart

Now, I know it's very likely not going to end up like that, but if it does, well, look out.

[Rojo Rijo]

I suspect he'll go in sounds 6-10, where most college seniors go. Minimal bonus. I wouldn't mind if the Reds drafted him, but I know they won't take that risk after The Great Chapman Panic of 2015.

nm

[RedTeamGo!]

nm

No waffling here. Hard pass.

[Sea Ray]

They weren't drafted to be mediocre relievers, or in Cingrani's case above average. They were drafted to be starting pitchers. And that didn't work out because as you say SP's are harder to come by and harder to develop. But major league reliever is a solid consolation prize.

Not necessarily. Often times pitches are "developed" as starting pitchers. Starting is often the best way to develop pitchers.

[Sea Ray]

Wasn't Hunter Greene a raw HS talent who had very limited experience as a pitcher?

[TommyJ]

Fangraphs did a quick draft recap: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/day-one-draft-recap/

Reds: "The first two picks have a good chance of moving quicker than typical for their draft demographic. Gray is the developmental project of these three. He’s a converted infielder from a small school in a cold weather area and had been pitching in relief until this year. Gray is inexperienced for a college arm (converted hitter), but the strike-throwing is already largely in place and the arm is very loose."

Really wish they would expand on Richardson, that is a very interesting note considering he is new to pitching.

[REDREAD]

Agreed with this, I'd hope (but I'm certainly not confident) that they skip that routine and just fast track him as a reliever. He's got a fastball and a slider and is said to throw strikes consistently, that will work.

Sometimes guys that are targeted to be relievers at the MLB level are put in a starting role as minor leaguers to get them more work, and to teach them "how to pitch".. how to get through a lineup more than once. I wouldn't panic if either the guys begin their careers as starters.. they might be uiltimately targeted for the pen from Day 1 unless they really impress as starters..

[Benihana]

If we don’t get Rocker or Wilcox at 47 (which is my sincere hope that we do get one of them), my prediction is we take one of the following OF: Alek Thomas, Steele Walker, Jameson Hannah or Tristan Pompey.

Well I still wish we would’ve taken Rocker (instead of Lyon Richardson) but at least now we finally got Hannah.

[RedTeamGo!]

Well I still wish we would’ve taken Rocker (instead of Lyon Richardson) but at least now we finally got Hannah.

Kumar Rocket, right? He would have probably never signed though, right?

[SoTxRedsFan]

Kumar Rocket, right? He would have probably never signed though, right?

Yeah he was always going to Vandy.

[Boston Red]

Hey, if we fall off a cliff and have the worst record in baseball next year, we can still get Hannah AND Rocker!