Draft Wednesday Game Notes

·         We talked to 1B Jared King yesterday after his #27 Virginia (7-4-1) produced 17 hits in their 14-6 victory at James Madison Tuesday. Well, we ran into CF/RF Brandon Downes (2-5, 1-R, 4-RBI) had his own spin on the game:

“The team came out with a fire today. We came out ready to hit. The dugout was full of life and we were ready to go. We were finally playing UVA baseball. It was my first start in center field. After my first at bat I saw the ball very well. When I came up with King on third I was just trying to see something up in the zone and I got my pitch and cut it in half. After that, I came up with the bases loaded and I just waited for the right pitch and cut it in half for a 2-rbi single. Lastly, i came up with Bruno on second with one out. I was sticking with my same approach of getting a good pitch to hit and got it and hit a ball to left center scoring Bruno. Our team came ready to play today like they always do and it will continue to happen for the rest of the year.”

For the season, King is: .457/.527/.761.  Downes: .450/.500/.750.  Any questions?

·         The recent developments of both OF Victor Roach and P Lucas Giolito have really thrown the mock draft people into a dizzy. Both were locks to be in the top 10 picks overall and neither will now. Roach’s wrist looks to be more of an annoyance and I expect his game not to be affected, but Gio’s is much more. You don’t want to screw with anything in your pitching arm that uses the word “ulner”.

It really doesn’t matter to me who drafts him when. I can’t see any road for him to take now than to go to college, heal, and spend three years getting back to where he was two days ago. Jeez, life is weird.

Off the top of my head, the top 11 picks would now be:

1.     RHP Kevin Gausman

2.    C Mike Zunino

3.    OF Byron Buxton

4.    RHP Mark Appel

5.    SS Deven Merrero

6.    LHP Max Fried

7.    SS Carlos Correa

8.    OF David Dahl

9.    C Stryler Trahan

10.  RHP Walker Weickel

11.  RHP Kyle Zimmer

This would leave the Mets a number of ways to go… Roache, Lance McCullers, Brian Johnson, Hunter Virant, Albert Amora. Peter O’Brien, Matt Reynolds.

·         Speaking of… 3^rd team All-American Indiana 2B Micah Johnson, out for season with elbow surgery.

·         100 mph+ phenom, Oklahoma’s Damien Magnifico, had another bad outing on Wednesday. He faced one batter, gave up a hit, and was pulled for Jordan John to close it out. Magnifico’s seasonal ERA stands at 7.50

·         10 College Bats To Follow:

These are the guys that are lit up during the early part of the season:

Jayce Boyd -  Florida – junior – 1B - 38 AB, 18 H, 5 2B, 1 HR, 8 BB, 4 K, 2 SB, .474/.542/.684

Joey DiMichele -   Arizona State – junior – 2B - 38 AB, 21 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 8 BB, 2 K, 2 SB, .553/.617/.974

Tyler Naquin - Texas A&M – junior – OF -  44 AB, 22 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 9 BB, 5 K, 7 SB, 1 CS, .500/.569/.636

Peter O’Brien -   Miami – senior – C - 39 AB, 17 H, 4 2B, 4 HR, 4 BB, 8 K, .436/.500/.846

James Ramsey -  Florida State – senior – OF -  29 AB, 16 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 16 BB, 4 K, 1 SB, 1 CS, .552/.729/1.103

Matt Reynolds -  Arkansas – junior – 3B -  44 AB, 18 H, 5 2B, 2 HR, 11 BB, 3 K, 4 SB, .409/.526/.659

Richie Shaffer – Clemson – junior – 3B/1B - 31 AB, 14 H, 4 2B, 4 HR, 10 BB, 5 K, .452/.585/.968

Cody Stubbs – Tennessee – sophomore – 1B -  40 AB, 18 H, 10 2B, 1 HR, 5 BB, 6 K, 1 SB, .450/.532/.775

Matt Wessinger – St. John’s – senior – SS/2B - 33 AB, 15 H, 5 2B, 1 HR, 5 BB, 4 K, 11 SB, .455/.526/.697

Mike Zunino – Florida – junior – C - 40 AB, 17 H, 5 2B, 3 HR, 6 BB, 6 K, 2 SB, .425/.489/.775

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