Tom Brennan - DRAFT DUDS 2014

Tom Brennan- DRAFT DUDS 2014

In scanning the Mets drafts' top 10 rounds' selections since 2008, there are DUDS (i.e., puzzling to baffling picks) and DUDES (guys whose picks, given the rounds they were picked in, make the Mets look smart.  

(Please note that when I characterize a player as a dud, it is the Mets who selected him that I am criticizing, not the player, as I believe there had to be better power hitting or power pitching candidates available for draft selection than who they picked).

2014's DUDES LIST - TAKE 5:

First round pick MICHAEL CONFORTO is the authentic article, when healthy.  This pick was a "DUDE" bullseye.  I won't elaborate; if ya don't know about this guy, google him!

4th rounder EUDOR GARCIA looked good as a potentially legit stick man and 3B until he couldn't stay out of the PED candy jar and then left the Mets for Mexico in 2017.  All that is a puzzler, but early on he looked like a DUDE pick.  I won't penalize the Mets here, his was a good pick that went awry.

7th rounder, towering lefty BRAD WIECK, was dealt to San Diego by the Mets in 2015.  He is in my draft DUDE category because any guy with 332 Ks in 249 minor league innings is worthy to elect and try to refine.  He walks a few too many, but could do some major league damage in 2018.

8th rounder, 1B DASH WINNINGHAM, was a very logical power pick for that round. He's stalled in Columbia, hitting in the mid .230s each of the past 2 seasons.  But his 75 doubles, 42 HRs, and 226 RBIs in 1327 ABs offer hope that he could accelerate as a 23 year old slugger in 2018. 
DUDE PICK.

10th rounder, LHRP KELLY SECREST, has done quite well for a 10th rounder: 11-12, 3.26 with 187 Ks in 182 IP.  Seven innings so far in AAA...possible future MLB lefty reliever.  In round 10, that is DUDE-quality picking.

DUD PICKS?  I count 5:

Can't criticize the Mets' 2nd round pick, except to note they did not have one!! Losing the second rounder for a washed up Michael Cuddyer was a DUD move.

3rd rounder MILTON RAMOS, SS, might be a good fielder, but he is another guy who makes Ruben Tejada look like A-Rod with the bat.  DUD PICK.  Now an Oriole farm laddie.

5th rounder JOSH PREVOST, RP, missed 2017 with an arm injury but only fanned 125 in 189 IP before then, while going 11-14, 3.65.  Hitters have gone .289 against him.  While he is big, his stuff is not big enough...DUD PICK.

6th rounder, C TYLER MOORE, is .211/.291/.288 in over 200 games.  Only 64 at bats above Full A.  Gotta pick better hitters, even if they are catchers, in round 6...DUD PICK.

9th rounder, 1B MICHAEL KATZ, put up good RBI numbers (101 in 719 at bats), but not much pop (.335 slug %) and 248 Ks.  Not a terrible pick, but I will go with DUD here.  He was released after 2016.

There were 3 very nice quality picks below the top 10, IMO:

17th rounder and LHRP DAVE ROSEBOOM had a dismal, injury ended season in AAA in 2017 after a brilliant 2016 AA campaign.  Hopefully, a healthy Roseboom will rebound sharply in 2018 on his way to the bigs.

29th rounder MATT BLACKHAM is a HARD THROWER who probably slipped to the 29th round due to his size.  After his obligatory TJS in 2016, he had a brilliant relief season with A ball Columbia: 1.42 ERA and almost 13 Ks per 9 IP for the reliever.  Matt - fast track to majors? We will see in 2018.

40th rounder DALE BURDICK is a young, hard hitting IF with strong defensive fundamentals. His bat needs work, but I think we will see young Burdick really blossom with more playing time in 2018.  Already reached AAA at age 21, even if for just 11 ABs.  .217/.310/.369 in A, AA, and AAA in 2017, but remember, he was only 21 in 2017.

Overall, I give this draft a B-, as any draft that gets us a talent like a Conforto starts out with at least a C grade; I hope, though, that the Mets of Queens will not draft any more defensive IFs and catchers in the first 10 rounds who are small in stature and/or pop gun bats and/or having trouble breaking a pane of glass with their fastball.

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THE DRAFTS OF 2015-17. DUDES?  OR DUDS?