1/31/21

More Weekly Draft News

 



1-27-21 - jesse litsch @JesseLitsch

 

2021 Jquann Smith  Polk State

 

6-3 195 lbs.  Long, Lean, strong frame with tons of athleticism. Stands tall and creates leverage with a line drive approach and present power to the pull side.

 

Mack’s spin.

 

Smith is a native from the Bahamas.

 

I have him currently as a late second day pick.

 

 

 1-27-21 - Baseball America @BaseballAmerica

 

Joe Mack ranks as one of the top catching prospects in the 2021 class.

 

He fits a similar mold to Tyler Soderstrom or Noah Naylor.

 

Mack’s spin -

 

Mack is climbing the charts as we write. I don’t have him as a first round pick, but he probably has risen to the second now.

 

 

 1-27-21 - Joe @JoeDoyleMiLB

 

6-foot-7 RHP Max Debiec (Seattle, WA) has one of the more projectable bodies in the 2021 Draft. Armed w/a fastball that's touched 97 and an assortment of breaking balls and a developing changeup, Debiec figures to be a hot name in the Top 100 picks.

 

Mack’s spin -

 

I can see everybody passing on Debiec in the first round, but probably not the second and definitely not the third.

 

This is a serious power pitcher.

 

 

 1-26-21 - BA - Mets pick at 1.10:

 

10. Andrew Painter, RHP, Calvary Christian HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

 

Areas To Improve: Be the same pitcher last summer this spring over more innings

 

Of all the players on this list, Painter might be the toughest to find a true area of weakness to suss out. He’s a complete prep pitching prospect that checks most boxes scouts want to see with a projectable frame, loose and easy arm action, four-pitch mix and potential for above-average control. Since “be lefthanded” isn’t really an option, we’ll instead say that Painter needs to go out this spring and simply be the same pitcher he was last summer, but over more innings. If he can increase the power of his breaking balls, that would be a cherry on top.

 

 

1-26-21 - daily hoosier -

 

Indiana outfielder Grant Richardson was named a third-team preseason All-American by D1Baseball.com on Monday.

 

It’s Richardson’s third preseason All-America honor. He was named to the first team by College Baseball Newspaper and Perfect Game.

 

In 14 games in his sophomore season before the season was cancelled due to COVID in March, Richardson produced a .424/.453/.797 slash line with 25 hits, eight doubles, two triples, five home runs and 17 RBIs in 59 at-bats. As a freshman in 2019, the 6-foot-2, 186-pound left-hander slashed .264/.335/.491 with nine home runs and 37 RBIs.

 

  

1-25-21 - umterps 

 

Maryland junior infielder Maxwell Costes was selected as a preseason first-team All-American, D1baseball.com announced Monday.

 

Costes – who emerged as one of the premier first basemen in the Big Ten during his COVID-shortened sophomore campaign – slashed .432/.620/.750 in 15 games last spring. The junior infielder from Baltimore's final 2020 on-base percentage of .620 ranked second in the nation while also leading the team in several other offensive categories.

 

Now heading into his third season at Maryland and garnering high-profile Major League Baseball draft attention, Costes collects his fourth preseason honor of the 2021 offseason. In December 2020, Costes was named a Collegiate Baseball third-team preseason All-American, while also earning Perfect Game third-team preseason All-American honors and also being named one of three Terps to be named preseason All-Big Ten by Perfect Game.

 

Mack’s take -

 

Costes was a non-draft factor until this monster shortened season. Now some have him projected as one of the first 90 picks in the draft.

 

I’d like to see one full season out of this guy until I sign on.

 

 

 1-25-21 - 247 sports -

 

A pair of Tennessee baseball sophomores — second baseman Max Ferguson and catcher Connor Pavolony — were named Monday to D1Baseball.com's Preseason All-America Team.

 

Ferguson, a versatile performer who can play several spots on the infield, was named a preseason First-Team All-American, while the steady Pavolony was named to the second-team squad.

 

The left-handed-hitting Ferguson has been a mainstay in Tennessee’s lineup the past two seasons, and he, like several teammates, was on track for a huge season before the COVID-19 pandemic cut short the 2020 campaign. He hit .333 with two homers, 12 runs scored and two home runs in 12 games. Ferguson, a Florida native, is essentially a consensus top-50 prospect heading into the 2021 Major League Baseball draft — for which he’ll be eligible since this will be his third season with the Vols.

 

Pavolony, also considered by some a top-50 prospect for the 2021 draft, also got off to a great start in the COVID-curtailed 2020 season. He started 11 games behind the plate, hitting .342 and slugging .737, four home runs and 12 RBI. Pavolony also has a powerful throwing arm, which will do nothing but help the Vols and the player’s status as a prospect.

 

Mack’s take -

 

It’s good to see both these guys get these honors.

 

Especially Pavolony, who will probably move up on the draft charts after this honor.

 

  

1-25-21 - auburn tigers -

 

Auburn right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts has been named Second Team Preseason All-America by D1 Baseball, the publication announced Monday.

 

Fitts has earned a plethora of preseason recognition after a strong performance during the fall. He has been ranked the No. 8 and No. 9 college prospect by Perfect Game and D1 Baseball, respectively, entering the 2021 season. Fitts has also been tabbed the No. 13 overall prospect by Perfect Game, the No. 15 overall prospect by Baseball America and the No. 17 overall prospect by MLB.com.

 

A key contributor since his freshman season in 2019, the Helena, Alabama, native has made 27 career appearances, including six starts, and has posted a 6-3 record with a 4.88 ERA. Fitts made appearances in the SEC Tournament, regional, super regional and College World Series as a freshman before going 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in six appearances as a sophomore.

 

Mack’s take -

 

Boy, the hits just keep coming for Fitts.

 

As I have said before, his name wasn’t even mentioned three months ago. Now he projects as a late first round pick without even throwing another pitch.

 

Click here for the full list of Mack's Scouting Reports.     

4 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

I think, Mack, that we ought to consider Mack. Having a surplus of catchers would be an excellent trade position to be in.

Best draft ever, perhaps?

Mack Ade said...

Got news for you.

Next year's prjects as even much better.

Tom Brennan said...

Great news for fans, Mack. But for guys who are borderline major leaguers, a huge infusion of high talent will not help their job prospects in a few years.

Mack Ade said...

Not at all.