Mack - Weekly Draft Notes

 

5-7-21 - Fish Stripes -

 

Matt McLain

 

Bottom Line - The Miami Marlins need to add more hitters to their farm system and middle infielder Matt McLain might be the best available at pick #16. McLain has one of the best hit tools in this draft class which is something the Marlins farm system has struggled with.

 

5-6-21 - PG -

 

Ben Kudrna, RHP, Blue Valley Southwest (Kan.)

 

The LSU signee tossed a complete game on Tuesday evening while only allowing one run to score and striking out 10 opposing batters along the way. Kudrna is widely regarded as one of the top high school pitchers in the 2021 draft class and most of his outings during the high school season this year have only made his stock rise even more.  

 

Kudrna has an incredibly projectable frame standing at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds. He’s long and lean with a high-sitting waist and slopped shoulders. Essentially, it’s the type of frame that MLB Scouting Departments dream of when they’re scouting a prep pitcher because pitchers who already have quality stuff and velocity like Kudrna does, getting them into a professional strength program usually allows their stuff and velocity tick up even more once they add more strength and grow into their man strength.  

 

Mack’s spin -

Kurdma continues to improve his draft position this season.

I have him on my board as the 36^th RHP, making him easily available for the Mets to consider picking him.

 

5-6-21 - MLB - 5-6 Mock Draft-

 

9. Angels: Bubba Chandler, RHP/SS, North Oconee HS (Bogart, Ga.)

 

If there's going to be a wild-card selection in the top 10, most clubs believe it will come from the Angels, who had similar rumors swirling around them last June before making a chalk pick with Reid Detmers at No. 10. They're repeatedly linked to Chandler, the best two-way prospect in the Draft but more of a consensus late first-rounder.

Mack’s spin -

No pitcher has flown up the charts more this season than Chandler.

I now have him as my 6^th RHP, between Ty Madden and Jackson Jobe.

 

5-6-21 - MLB - 5-6 Mock Draft-

 

10. Mets: Ty Madden, RHP, Texas

 

Though Madden has been a trifle inconsistent this spring, he's still a college arm with an impressive combination of stuff, pitchability and track record of success.

 

Mack’s spin -

The so-called experts keep picking Madden as the Mets pick.

I don’t.

 I have him as the 5^th RHP, going later in the first round.

 

 5-4-21 - BA -

 

A Mechanical Adjustment By Jud Fabian

 

We’ve written previously about how Fabian’s strikeout rates could be concerning for teams. However, the toolsy Florida outfielder has made an adjustment in his approach within the last few weeks and it seems to be working.

 

After Florida’s series against Missouri, Fabian eliminated his stride in two-strike counts. You can see mechanical adjustments in the clips below from an April 25 game against Auburn within a fourth-inning at-bat against lefthander Peyton Glavine (yes, the son of Hall of Famer, Tom Glavine).

 

Mack’s spin -

 Fabian is one of the top hitters in this draft.

 See Lindor… batters can make adjustments.

 

 5-4-21 - BA -

 

Jack Leiter Has Allowed Eight Homers In His Last Three Games

 

It’s true. Leiter has allowed nine home runs this season and eight of those have come in his last three starts—including the two he gave up to Fabian when he missed his spots with a fastball and slider, respectively.

 

Here’s a look how Leiter’s first eight starts compare to his last three:

 

Starts IP ER ERA K K/9 BB BB/9 HR

First 8 49 3 0.55 84 15.43 19 3.49 1

Last 3 15.1 12 7.15 22 13.11 10 5.96 8

Total 64.1 15 2.11 106 14.88 29 4.07 9

 

No starter in college baseball got off to a more dominant start than Leiter through the first eight weeks of the season, but his last three outings have been a bit rough. Most drastically, he’s seen his home run rate go through the roof.

 

Mack’s spin -

 Have Leiter hit a wall?

 The baseball world is waiting for his next outing tonight.

 

 5-4-21 - BA -

 

Henry Davis, C, Louisville — No. 5 (+2)

 

Davis isn’t a significant riser in terms of the number of spots he’s moved up the board, but the way upper-level scouts are talking about him in terms of realistic landing spots in the draft is seriously heating up. And it’s no wonder why—after going 5-for-12 this weekend against Clemson with his ninth home run of the season, Davis is hitting .400/.520/.667 with 29 walks and 15 strikeouts. That’s a .400 batting line over 37 games and 135 at-bats. That’s loud! And even if his hitting ability wasn’t enough to overwhelm any criticisms about his defensive ability at catcher, think about this: what is the sort of catcher that’s going to be valuable at the major league level when the strike zone is electronic and pitch-framing suddenly becomes irrelevant? A catcher who can block, call a game and control the running game (and hit the ball). With an arm that grades out as at least a 70, Davis has that skillset.

 

Mack’s spin -

 Just more great ink on the premier catcher in this draft.

 

 5-4-21 - BA -

 

Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston State — No. 13 (+13)

 

We wrote about Cowser in a recent draft stock watch, so I won’t go on at length about him here. Essentially, Cowser has been hitting for power, controlling the strike zone and playing solid center field defense. That’s a good combination for one of the few hitters in the class with some sort of summer track record.

 

Mack’s spin -

 Currently my 3^rd outfielder on my board.

 

 5-4-21 - BA -

  

Michael McGreevy - RHP, UC Santa Barbara — No. 34 (+26)

 

Our most recent mock draft has McGreevy sliding into the back of the first round to a team that works wonders with his exact profile and last Friday McGreevy dominated a Cal Poly lineup that includes talented 2022 prospect Brooks Lee. He struck out 15 batters and walked none over eight innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run (via homer). He’s got a great frame, locates a 91-95 mph fastball to both sides of the plate, lands a plus curveball and also mixes in a slider and changeup. He checks a ton of boxes.

 

Mack’s spin -

 I have McGreevy as my 32^nd righty on my board.