Mack - More Weekly Draft Notes

 1-22-21 - BA -

 

USA Baseball and Major League Baseball announced six pre-draft Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) Premier Events that will take place in May and June this year before the 2021 draft.

 

The events are invite-only with the hope of attracting top amateur baseball players in various regions around the country. Because of the timing of the events, they will largely be focused on high school players, since college players will still be in the middle of their seasons.

 

The full schedule of PDP events is below:

 

May 1-2: PDP Premier Mid-Atlantic (USA Baseball National Training Complex)

May 8-9: PDP Premier Northeast (Citizens Bank Park)

May 15-16: PDP Premier Florida & Puerto Rico (Jackie Robinson Training Complex)

May 22-23: PDP Premier Northwest (T-Mobile Park)

May 22-23: PDP Premier Texas (Dell Diamond)

June 5-6: PDP Premier SoCal (Compton MLB Youth Academy)

 

Mack’s spin -

 

These are the games that all baseball scouts wait for all year.

 

 

1-22-21 - Keanan Lamb @keananlamb

 

It was a pleasure to witness a no-hitter in person, RHP Jack Leiter didn't even have his best stuff and was nearly perfect. 9.0 IP 0 H 0 ER 1 BB 16 K on 124 pitches

 

Mack’s spin -

 

The thing I worry about here is the 124 pitchers.

 

O just don’t think a college coach can put future first on these arms. They want to win and they want to win now.

 

I only pray…

 

  

3-22-21 - Lookout Landing -

 

There’s a ton to like about Alex Mooney and what he can do to contribute to a winning ball club on the field. He’s a hard worker with fantastic instincts and hustle on the field. The hit tool is among the best in the class at a premium position up the middle.

 

Mooney reminds me a great deal of Dylan Moore, though he’s probably a half-grade or better than Moore at shortstop. Mooney comes from great coaching and talent-rich competition. He’s performed at the highest levels of high school baseball and whomever ends up selecting Mooney should rest easy knowing his ceiling.

 

Mooney makes a lot of sense for the Mariners at pick no. 12. It’s unlikely he lasts to pick no. 50, so it’ll be a now-or-never situation for Seattle early-on.

 

Mack’s spin -

 

The more time you spend reading about this kid, the more you like him as a first round pick.

 

 

3-22-21 - cdispatch -

 

But for as stagnant as the MSU offense was Sunday, it was another poor performance from hard-throwing Canadian starter Eric Cerantola that set MSU back early.

 

“He wasn’t throwing strikes. He hit a guy. Threw a ball to the backstop,” MSU head coach Chris Lemonis said. “So it wasn’t in the zone.”

 

In weeks past, Lemonis noted there’s a fine line between getting Cerantola his work versus winning ball games. Sunday, MSU’s skipper didn’t wait around.

 

Cerantola recorded just four outs before getting the quick hook. He painted 97 miles per hour on the radar gun in left-center, but allowed two earned runs, walked two, threw two wild pitches and a hit a batter.

 

Such is why Cerantola is such an enigma. Preseason prognosticators pegged him as the No. 50 player in MLB.com’s top 100 2021 MLB draft prospects due to his projectable frame and rocket launcher-type velocity. But for as electric as his stuff can be, Cerantola has been erratic at-best during his time in Starkville.

 

Mack’s spin -

 

I currently do not have Cerantola in my top 100 list.

 

Probably need to keep an eye on this situation.

 

  

3-22-21 - 3-22-21 - Baseball Prospect Journal

 

Michael Rothenberg, C, Duke

 

Rothenberg is a 6-foot-3, 215-pound switch-hitting catcher. On Sunday, he drew two walks. He also drove in one run on a sacrifice fly.

 

Behind the plate, Rothenberg showed tools scouts seek in a pro catcher. His pre-inning throws to second base were inconsistent, sometimes taking one bounce to get to second base. But he had a few throws that displayed accuracy and plenty of arm strength.

 

Rothenberg framed multiple pitches to earn strike calls, including one that resulted in a strike-three call on Jack Brannigan. Despite his size, he also showed some athleticism, moving well behind the plate and jumping up quickly to field ground balls in front of him.

 

Rothenberg is a potential top-10-round pick in this year’s draft.

 

Mack’s spin -

 

I currently have absolutely nothing on Rothenberg.

 

I will add him to my watch list and look for future ink on him.

 

  

3-22-21 - Dan Zielinski III  @DanZielinski3

 

ND coach Link Jarrett on Niko Kavadas' development at 1B: "(We talked about) his ability to make progress to become an above-average first baseman. If you just watch today compared to what was going on last year for him defensively, the needle has moved."

 

 3-22-21 - Baseball Prospect Journal

 

Niko Kavadas, 1B, Notre Dame

 

Kavadas is off to a strong start offensively this season. The left-handed hitter has a .302 average with seven home runs and 21 RBIs in 12 games. He also has displayed solid plate discipline.

 

On Sunday, Kavadas was held hitless for just the second time this season. In his first at-bat, he didn’t barrel up the pitch but managed to drive the ball into left field where it was caught a few steps in front of the warning track. He struck out looking on a pitch middle-in and then flew out to left field in his final two at-bats.

 

Kavadas, who is 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, displayed simple mechanics and a selective approach against the Duke pitchers.

 

Kavadas excelled defensively in the series finale against Duke. He looked athletic and picked a ball in the dirt on a throw from third baseman Jack Brannigan. Kavadas, who mostly played third base as an underclassman, did not look out of place at first base and should stick at that position long-term.

 

Kavadas is a potential early-round pick in July’s draft. Read a detailed profile on him at Baseball Prospect Journal.

 

Mack’s spin -

 

I do not currently have Kavadas as a top 100 pick.

 

Because he’s a senior, he will probably go early as a $10,000 bonus pick.

 

  

3-21-21 - Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB

 

We've talked at length of Matt McLain's need to show more punch in the bat during conference play, and he's certainly done that here.

 

With this trajectory, to punish a ball 20-feet up the batters eye, the EV here had to be pretty impressive

 

Mack’s spin -

 

It’s good to see McLain’s bat waking up. He’s a premier player and needs to show it.

 

 

3-21-21 - Tyler Jennings @TylerJennings24

 

Jose Torres tripled last at-bat and this time, he hits his second HR of the year. Missed beginning of year with an oblique injury and has struggled at the plate, but he's looked better today. Still a smooth defender, but did airmail a throw earlier

 

 

3-21-21 - Tyler Jennings @TylerJennings24

Jose Torres is starting to heat up. 4th hit of the weekend is a double off the wall in left center field. Smooth in the field today as well, gunned out Henry Davis earlier with a brilliant pick and throw to end the first.

 

Mack’s spin -

 

I have Torres currently as the 56^th pick in the draft.

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