John From Albany: Interview with Cyclones Announcer Justin Rocke

 

Justin Rocke, Brooklyn Cyclones 

The Mets Minor League Broadcasters feature guys that know Mets prospects better than anyone.  They are also great to talk baseball with.

During the last week of the Brooklyn 2024 Season, I had the privilege to sit down with Cyclones announcer Justin Rocke.  We talked about Brooklyn's Season, Mets Prospects and recent Minor League trends.  

John From Albany:  How do you think the 2024 season's gone for Brooklyn? 

Justin Rocke: It's been a pretty successful season. It's been a lot of ups and downs...various different reasons with injuries, a little bit different this season as well with new front office and philosophies in terms of promoting guys. We've had a lot of guys move up this year. Not that we didn't have guys move up last year, but I think, after Jonah [Tong] went up the other day, I think we're now at 17 guys that have been promoted from here to Binghamton throughout the course of the year, April 27th until Sunday [September 1st]. I think [Brooklyn Cyclones Manager] Gilbert's and the coaching staff's done a great job of keeping guys involved, enthused and engaged throughout the course of the season...They've done a good job of finishing the season strong, a lot of guys are playing some of their best ball of the season over the last couple of weeks.

The story continues to be the pitching in the organization, top to bottom. Last night was the 13th shutout of the season for us, which continues to add to the franchise record, which is mighty impressive. The last couple of years, pitching-wise, and the organization has been really, really impressive.

John From Albany: You talk about the big changes from this year to last year. Besides the promotions and the way they tried to be more aggressive with that, what else do you see was a big difference this year? 

Justin Rocke: I think, honestly, the biggest difference was that they were a little bit more aggressive promoting guys up and down through the minor league system, particularly promoting guys from here up to double-A and beyond. I mean, you know, Sproat's already up in Triple-A, sort of like Scott started here last year and finished up in Triple-A by the end of the season.

I haven't see much change organizational philosophy-wise outside of maybe the fact that they have been more inclined to let guys go past their innings limits than they had in years past. It was obviously top-down line as recently as last week, you know, or is Jonah [Tong] even going to throw this week, because he's already shut down. And obviously, it's not the case, because he's now pitching in Binghamton with an extra week in their season.

I think they've done a good job of monitoring that stuff, while also allowing guys to push themselves a little bit more, which, quite frankly, I think to a certain degree, you need to do in order for guys to go deeper in ball games, last longer into the season and stuff like that. 

JFA: Who would you say are the biggest stars in the team that, if you say tell me about the 2024 Brooklyn Cyclones, who are the first players that would come to mind? 

Justin Rocke: I think it's sort of told in a tale of two parts. First half of the season, and really the first two months was Brandon Sproat, Ryan Clifford and Nolan McLean, and what they were doing here. Since the middle of May, early June, and beyond, it's been Nick Morabito and Jonah Tong and the success stories of what the Mets Player Development have been able to do with those two guys throughout the course of the year. Went from being top 100 prospect guys that are potentially going to knock down the doors to the big leagues, to guys that were maybe not as well known going into the season that have established themselves as real players in the organization.

I'd be stunned if Morabito is not the player of the year in the organization. [Editor's Note: Outfielder Nick Morabito was named the organization's Player of the Year on September 20, 2024.]

JFA: And who, and who should be the Pitcher? Sproat or Tong?

Justin Rocke: That's going to be a toss-up. Numbers-wise, you probably have to go Tong, but what Sproat's been able to do,  Sproat's unequivocally the better pitcher.

JFA: So, outside of the big names that everybody knows about, who would you say is the next player that you would want to mention as somebody that people should really be aware of? 

Justin Rocke:I mean, obviously, [Boston] Baro and [Ronald] Hernandez are dudes, but they haven't been here for very long. You know, I think a guy that's going to be very interesting to follow, especially the start of next year, because he'll probably be back here to start the year, is Chris Suero. Just a stupid good athlete, you know, had a really tough chunk of his time here, but has found a way to stay with it, and has, heated back up again over the last couple of weeks to finish out the year, which is very impressive. 

JFA: Where do you see him in the future, his everyday position? You think he'll be a catcher, first base, outfielder? 

Justin Rocke:I can honestly see him being more like, you know, a little bit of a Daulton Varsow type, a guy that can play infield and outfield, but does a lion's share of his play behind the plate. He's a ridiculously good defender at first base, for a guy that doesn't take a lot of ground balls there...and same thing sort of applies for him in left field. He's done a nice job in those spots. 

JFA: That's right, I've seen him make some really nice plays on, just on TV, in left field. So, I'm just curious about the catching aspects, because that's a key thing. If you can catch...

Justin Rocke: Let's put it this way, he's, you know, between him and [recently released Brooklyn Catcher Chris] Pregent, he's absolutely a better defender. I think Pregent's better at managing a pitching staff, but Pregent can't throw. Suero's the only guy on the team that's thrown out base runners. 

JFA: And, well, I guess we'll see how [C Ronald] Hernandez...

Justin Rocke: Hernandez has been better.  He hasn't thrown anyone out, but he's, you know, the play he made on Sunday night was...absurd. 

JFA: Are you talking about the throw from Omar [De Los Santos]? Yeah, that was great. [You can see the play and Game Recap by clicking here.]

Justin Rocke: That was amazing. And then he dove to third base. To get the guy at third, yeah, it was insane.

JFA: Who is the, out of the different players here, who would you say is the biggest clubhouse leader? I asked Keith Raad that question when he was here a few years ago...he said then it was Francisco Alvarez...and you can see it now in the major leagues, how he handles the pitching staff.

Justin Rocke: No, that's very true. I don't know if there's necessarily one guy that sort of, you know, rallies the troops... You know, honestly, who I thought that was in terms of just like a guy that hyped people up before he got traded was Wilfredo Lara. Before Suero had the walk-off hit and the crazy comeback against Jersey Shore, Lara stood there before he walked to first base [after an intentional walk] and literally just stood there to fire Suero up before he stepped into the box. [You can read more about this game by clicking here.]

But I don't know if there really is one static guy that's a clubhouse leader.  I think there's a lot of guys that get along well with one another. There's a lot of cohesion in the clubhouse, but I don't know, I mean, Johnny [Brooklyn Cyclones co-Announcer Johnny Gadamowitz], you can correct me if I'm wrong...I don't know if there's anyone that's really, you know, your prototypical leader. There were guys that earlier in the season that people gravitated to in terms of advice...the Stanley Consuegras, the Mateo Gils of the world, guys that had been around...especially when there was a portion of the season where we had a big chunk of older players and younger players. I think it's more of guys leading by example and doing things the right way. I do think there are some similarities in terms of just demeanor and stuff like that between Morabito and Jett to a certain degree. I haven't seen like your rah-rah leader guy that's going to start a players-only meeting and stuff like that. 

Click here for the rest of the Interview.

Prospect Q and A Revisited - P - Trey Dombrowski

 

Trey Dombrowski is a 6-5, 220 pound junior playing at Monmouth University, New Jersey. 

Prospect Live describes his approach this way: 

Analysis: Dombroski’s base profile is ideal for a SP. His punch distribution shows that his active pitchability skillset is above average on throwing quality strikes to generate weak contact and be competitive in the strike zone. His ceiling as a SP on pitchability alone will be determined by the development of his arsenal to generate more whiffs.  

His 2021 stat line was: 9-G, 8-ST, 5-1, 2.73, 52.2-IP, 64-K, only 8-BB 

I caught up with Trey this weekend and we had a short, but very rewarding Q and A: 

 

Mack - 1. First, tell us a little about yourself, when you started playing this game, and when you first dedicated yourself to a life on the mound? 

Trey - My name is Trey Dombroski and I am from Wall, New Jersey. I am currently a Junior at Monmouth University in New Jersey and my major is Business with a concentration in accounting. When I was 16, I started to really focus on being a pitcher because this was the time I saw I had a brighter future in pitching compared to hitting. I have a passion for pitching because I have a ton of fun doing it, and because of pitching I have been able to create relationships that will last a lifetime.

 

Mack - You came to the Cape this past summer as a basic unknown middle reliever and walked away with major ink from the scouts.  Did you throw up anything different there? 

Trey - When I went up to the Cape I did not do anything different. I just went up there being confident in myself and trusting all of the work I had previously had put in. My pitching coach in the Cape told me to just be myself and trust all the work I had put in.

 

Mack - Tell us a little about what batters face when they get into the box? 

Trey - When batters step into the box they are facing a bulldog that is going to attack you with all of his pitches. I am a pitcher that does not shy away from competition and will throw any pitch in any count. Also, hitters see all 4 pitches in any count because it helps keep them off balance and guessing throughout the entirety of the at-bat.

 

Mack - I am sure you love Monmouth. Who helps you the most there and do you think you will be a weekend starter this season? 

Trey - All my coaches, strength coaches, sports medicine staff, academic support staff, and professors help me the most here because they constantly push me to new heights and make me understand why I am doing what I am doing. Also, because they help me understand who I am and push me to become a better person and athlete.

 

Mack - What are you working on in the off season to improve your game? 

Trey - I am currently working on becoming a better athlete, becoming more athletic in my delivery, and becoming stronger. These are things I am really focusing on because I feel these are areas of my game that are lacking and need to be better at. I love working on these because it helps me set goals for myself and attack them every day. Overall, I need to be better in all areas of my game, but these are the most important parts that need improvement.

 

Mack - Last question I ask everyone... what is the first thing you are going to buy with your signing bonus? 

Trey - (smiling) The first thing I am going to buy is a Jeep Grand Cherokee and then I plan on saving the rest of my money. 

 

Thanks Trey for your time and whiff them out this season!

 

Ernest Dove - The Mack's Mets Interview with Tommy Wilson

 

Tommy Wilson - Photo by Ernest Dove

By Ernest Dove

It was a wild ride in a few short hours recently for minor league pitcher Tommy Wilson AKA son of Biff (we’ll get into that later). The right hander was selected in the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft out of California State University, Fullerton by the New York Mets.

Tommy made 11 successful appearances that season for the Mets with their rookie level at the time affiliate Brooklyn Cyclones pitching to a 1.23 ERA and allowing opponents batting average of .163.

I then covered Tommy during the start of his 2019 season pitching in the Florida State League with the St. Lucie Mets. He only made 8 starts at the High A Level before being promoted due to his 2.01 ERA and .202 opponents average against at the level. To me his success was command of his fastball and more specifically its movement.

After having an up and down rest of his season at the AA level with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies to finish the year, Wilson was placed back at AA level this past season in 2021.

I spoke with him prior to the start of the season and learned of some of his adjustments specifically to his mechanics. Wilson had a delivery where he kept his glove hand separated from his other hand during the delivery, leading to concerns perhaps at the higher AA level of hitters picking up on the ball too soon. So he cleaned up his mechanics and delivery to maintain the ball hidden from now on. Due to some minor injuries delaying his debut, Tommy began the 2021 season on June 24th. Also of note he was pitching out of the bullpen all year, as opposed to his time starting throughout all of 2019. I had a chance to catch up with the talented pitcher, podcaster and digital artist to talk Mets, Mariners, Orioles, training and NFT, with help from fellow writers at Mack's Mets supplying questions. Mack's Mets: Tommy, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us on the site. I wanted to first ask about your time in the Mets organization. How was it for you entering into pro ball with them and throughout this time? Tommy: I couldn’t be more thankful to the Mets organization for drafting me and taking a chance on me. I learned a lot and made a lot of life long friends. Some truly incredible guys that I’m happy I had the chance to play ball with. I’m bummed it had to end but I’m sure I’ll cross paths with many of them in the future.

Tommy Wilson - Photo by Ernest Dove

MM: What was it like this offseason changing not only one but two different teams in one day? (Tommy was recently selected in the rule 5 draft by the Seattle Mariners but within hours traded to the Baltimore Orioles). Tommy: It was crazy for sure. Really odd, but fun at the same time. I’m just stoked that the Orioles see something in me and wanted me to be a part of their organization. MM: Please talk about your 2021 season adjustments, progress, changes to some of your pitches, improvements that worked this past year? Tommy: 2021 felt really solid for me. I was really happy with how it went and I think the main adjustment was getting used to coming out of the bullpen. It’s a totally different mentality and I had a lot of fun with it. The new cutter I implemented was huge for me and I was using it quite a lot. My changeup was terrible all year which was a bummer, so that’s been a main focus this off season. If I can lock that changeup back in, I’m excited to see what I can do this upcoming year. MM: Any recent talks, consultations and planning for next season in regards to staying strong, healthy? Tommy: I haven’t had a chance yet to talk with the Orioles trainers yet but actually have a call scheduled for this week. In my eyes the main focus will be to keep the shoulder on a good path and stay healthy going forward. MM: Have coaches/player development staff talked with you since the trade on what to work on going forward through the offseason? Tommy: In my few days with the Orioles, we have chatted a bit on plans for next season and plans to finish out my off season. Nothing too crazy yet in regards to my own player plan but I’m excited to chat more with them about my future with the organization. MM: Does anyone treat you differently or mention you being the son of a celebrity ? (Tommy is the son of actor Thomas Wilson, perhaps most known for his role as Biff Tannen in the movie Back to the Future). Tommy: I’m honestly not sure. Anyone new that I meet finds out eventually and thinks it’s super cool and eventually moves on! It eventually becomes normal to them as well I would assume.

Tommy Wilson - Photo by Ernest Dove

MM: Are you going to continue to produce more podcasts? (Tommy has been on podcasts including recently discussing being a digital artist and talking about NFTs ‘“non-fungible tokens”. Tommy: I honestly would love to. I had a lot of fun with my previous podcast. For now I just really don’t have the time but definitely could see myself pursuing that again in the future. Maybe attached to a YouTube channel as well. MM: 5. Talk to us about your other super talent, aside from pitching, being in the digital realm with NFT art? Tommy: Haha, appreciate the compliment. I got started through former big leaguer Micah Johnson. I helped him out on a project that turned out to be an NFT and then I jumped into it myself with my own art. It has been incredibly fruitful and a fun avenue I didn’t expect my life to take. I definitely see NFT’s as the future of collectibles in all arenas. Everything you see is turning digital nowadays. Digital scarcity is a tough thing to wrap your head around, but once you get it, it clicks. MM: Back to baseball, fellow former pitching prospect Kevin Smith is also with the Orioles organization. You were close with Kevin when he was with the Mets. What is your relationship on and off the field with Kevin? Are you excited to be back together with the same organization? Tommy: I’m super stoked! I got to live with Kevin in PSL in 2019 and that was a blast. We’re pretty close and keep in touch. I’m excited to connect with him again for sure. MM: What are your plans for your playing future? Where do you see yourself in 2022 and beyond? Tommy: I will play ball as long as I can. I’m happy to be a part of the Orioles organization and hope to be a part of a fantastic rebuild. I see myself playing a role for them in 2022.

Tommy Wilson - Photo by Ernest Dove

MM: What would you like to promote? Where can we find you online, projects you are working on? Tommy: I would like to promote Chick Fil A and their fantastic chicken sandwiches as well as customer service. You can find me online

@tommy_wilson_

on twitter and

@wilson_tommy

on instagram.

Best of MLB Draft Database - 2022 - Q and A - RHP - Cooper Dossett

We’re talking this morning with Her-Ber H.S. (Arkansas) RHP Cooper Dossett. 

Dossett has impressed the scout early with  his explosive fastball, as well as an impressive ++ curve. 

He plans to keep it in the state if he chooses to attend college, verbally committing to the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. 

Here we go.

 

Mack - Hello, Cooper.  Before we get to today, tell us a little about how you have gotten to this place.  When did you start playing baseball and when did you decide that there might me a future for you in this game? 

Cooper -  I started playing tee-ball when I was 5, and I have been playing ever since.  I have always loved to play.  When I was 14, I went to the MLK PG Tournament in Phoenix, AZ and set the event record for FB velo for a Freshman.  That was probably the first time I thought I might have a future in baseball. 

 

Mack - Moving on, let’s spend a little time about the people that influenced you on the way and any coaches you would like to send kudos to for their instruction? 

Cooper -  My parents got me involved in baseball when I was young and took me all over the place for travel ball.  I have had great coaches my entire life.  

I played in Coach Bubba Carpenter's organization growing up, and he was key in my development, especially early on and I still work with him today on hitting.  

Coach Doug Willey has been the biggest influence on my pitching.  He really knows his stuff, and I credit him with helping me discover my ability as a pitcher and helping me maximize my potential. 

Coach Chase Brewster with the Arkansas Sticks has been a big part of helping me in the recruiting process, believing in me and seeing my potential.

 

 Mack - As far as I can tell, you have two dominating pitches… the curve and the heater. Which one of them do you think will become your go-to pitch down the road? 

Cooper -  My fastball, because of my metrics/numbers and my confidence in the pitch.  Also, my fastball sets up my curveball to be most effective. 

 

Mack - You have been clocked at 96 on the mound and 100 from the outfield. Do you see any room for ticking up from here? 

Cooper - Definitely.  I believe I have more development and maturing physically ahead of me.

  

Mack - We all need improvement. Tell us about the things you are working on in the summer to improve your game next season? 

Cooper -  I am working on managing my workload to be healthy and recovered for games.  I am also working to improve each of my pitches, and specifically I am wanting to develop a slider/cutter.  I am also working to improve my mechanical flaws.

  

Mack - And lastly… the question I ask all prospects. Let’s say you decide to go pro next year and I hand you a seven figure signing bonus check. What is the first thing, cash only, that you would buy with that money? 

Cooper - I haven't ever thought about that.  I have a lot of hard work ahead of me.  We will see what the future holds. 

Thank you for your interest in me and taking the time to visit. 

--Cooper

Visit https://mlbdraftdatabase.blogspot.com/ daily for all your 2022/2023/2024 Scouting Reports

 

Best of MLB Draft Database - 2022 - Q and A - 2B/OF - Joe Lampe

 Mack - First of all, thank you Joe for visiting with me for a few questions. The first is in regards to your experience so far with your choice of attending Arizona State. Tell us a little about that. 

Joe - Choosing to attend Arizona State was the best decision of my life. I originally attended UC Davis out of high school, realized it wasn’t a good fit for me, so I transferred to Santa Rosa Junior College. During this process, my goal was to get to a school where the team mindset is national championship or bust, and each player's personal goals were to play professional baseball. 

With Arizona State, I am grateful enough to get the best of both worlds, and I am confident in saying I have the best coaching staff in the country. Day in and day out, I am being pushed, and every little detail on defense and offense is being watched. I have never experienced something like it before, but I know it is preparing me for pro ball and life after ASU.  

 

Mack -  I originally had you projected as an outfielder, but Joe Doyle of Prospect Live convinced me that you were one of the top second basemen in this draft. What position do you see yourself finally ending up on in the game? 

Joe - I take pride in being able to play every position on the field. Whether it be infield or outfield, I have worked to get the tools and coordination to play both. After playing my freshman year at shortstop at SRJC, and the collegiate summer ball season at second base, I came into my sophomore year at Arizona State just wanting a crack in the lineup. I was willing to do whatever it took for me to help the team win games and for me to get consistent at bats, and that meant being plugged into centerfield. 

I took the task on as a challenge. Everyday I pushed myself to learn as much as possible about outfield footwork, angles, reads, etc, and I focused on my speed training more than ever before. In the end, I can see myself playing SS/2B or CF at the pro level. 

 

Mack -    I love your .461 slugging percentage last season, but Perfect Game had you as the top outfield defender at the Cape this summer. Do you consider yourself a defense first player, a bat first, or both? 

Joe -  I consider myself a prototypical 1 hole or 2 hole hitter, with the potential to plug into any position at a high level. I feel like I made the most out of opportunities in the 9 hole last year for ASU, and hope to change the narrative of glove first to above average hitting and defense with more looks in the lead off spot this spring. 

 

Mack -  You came out of Casa Grande High School (CA.) and followed that with a stint at Santa Rosa Junior College (CA.) and the Headsburg Prune Pakcers (CA.) before becoming a Sun Devil. I guess this makes what you are currently doing quite rewarding? 

Joe -  My whole life I have been overlooked and undersized. It wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school when I started hitting with Joey Gomes where my life started to change. Joey trained my mentality and fueled my work ethic to be the most physical, toolsy player I could be in a short amount of time. 

Before my freshman year of college, I wouldn't have categorized myself as a draft guy, but as a player who plays the game hard and the right way. Not exactly a showcase kind of player, but a guy who is going to consistently challenge defenders, find a way to crack the lineup, and not afraid to back down to competition. With the addition of plus tools I have added to my arsenal, it has helped add to my game, and get some recognition on a national level. That being said, I am grateful for the experiences, opportunities, and believers that have been in my corner since day one. We aren’t done!!!

  

Mack -  Joe, what have you been working at this summer to even improve your game more heading into the draft? 

Joe - With the new coaching staff at Arizona State, I am learning more and more about ways to cut down distance to balls in the outfield with my footwork. So I would say I am upgrading my defense to an even higher level than it was at last year. Then, I am doing speed work with our strength trainer to keep my speed at an elite level, and I am really learning how to steal bases. The coaching staff is showing me things I have never been taught before, and how to take advantage of little things in the game. As far as offense goes, I’ll let my actions speak for themselves this spring. 

 

Mack -  And lastly… the question I ask everyone I interview… what is the first thing you are going to buy with your signing bonus money? 

Joe -  I will buy a nice steak dinner with the people who had the biggest impact on my career and development, and then invest the rest.

*** DON'T FORGET***

Go to every day for up to date prospect info on the 2022, 2023, and 2024 class:

:             https://mlbdraftdatabase.blogspot.com/ 

The Best of MLB Database - 2022 Q & A: Brian Recca - SF Draft Talk

 

Brian Recca does some wonderful draft work on his Twitter account, SF Draft Talk… @brian_recca 

He was hired this past week by Prospect Live to write there also. 

He was gracious enough to grant me a Q and A this week and here is Part 1, the first five questions I asked (the rest post up on Monday 11am):

 

Mack - Brian, tell us a little background information on you. I see from your Twitter account that you have been a draft weenie since 2011 and you are a big SF Giants fan. Is this a hobby for you, like mine is for me, or  have you written for one of the baseball/prospect sites?

 Brian - I’ve been a huge baseball fan my whole life. I’m from northern New Jersey and my family has been Giants fans dating back to when they played at the Polo Grounds. I grew up watching Mets games with my dad and my first favorite player was Edgardo Alfonzo. I played baseball but was drawn more to watching and learning about the game and players. I started getting into analytics and advanced stats after reading Moneyball in high school. Fangraphs.com was my default web page for many, many years. My love for the game has grown over time and I love to consume baseball info from a wide range of viewpoints and sources. Lately, I’ve been really digging into player development and baseball technology.  

 I started getting into the draft around 2011. I spent a lot of time on John Sickels’ old site minorleagueball.com and loved to the draft content and forum discussions there. I started investing more and more of my free time into amateur baseball and draft-related content. It’s been my most passionate hobby for a while now and it’s something I can turn to whenever I need a distraction from everyday life. 

I was encouraged by some of my Giants social media friends to start tweeting and providing draft information. The last few years I’ve really ramped up my draft involvement and it’s been an awesome experience. In years past there wasn’t anywhere close to as much information available on amateur ballplayers. Now we have streaming services like ESPN+, televised/streamed high school showcases and tournaments, and a wealth of info available through social media. 

I make an MLB draft database every year that’s filled with tons of info on draft prospects. I spend a lot of time watching games, hunting for clips/videos/player info, and reading reports on players and then using that info to inform my opinions and fill the database with content. The 2022 version should be ready for public consumption (it’s free!) sometime this month.  

 I have received offers to write for some sites but I’ve decided against it for now. I’m happy with my day job (I’m a special ed. teacher) and would like my draft/prospect stuff to remain a hobby. I want this to remain fun and I worry that making it about money could damage that. I might give it a try sometime down the road, but I’m happy where things stand. 

 

Mack -    Do you have a general philosophy about how teams should draft? “Best player available”, position of choice, or combo of the two?

 Brian - I would like to say that best player available (BPA) is the only way to go. But because so much of the draft is tied up with bonuses, you often have to get creative. What we saw from the Pirates this year is an excellent example of this. The Pirates might say that Henry Davis was the top player on their board but I’d bet that his selection was also bonus driven. 

Instead of paying a much larger bonus to someone like Jack Leiter, they took a player they felt was of comparable talent for much less money. They then used the savings to sign a slew of high priced players in later rounds. The Pirates ended up with 3 players I had in my top 30 (Davis, Bubba Chandler, and Lonnie White Jr.) and added a few more exciting talents in Anthony Solometo, Owen Kellington, and Braylon Bishop. That almost certainly wouldn't happen if they followed the BPA philosophy. I think instead of “best player available” it needs to be “best value available”.

 I feel like the back half of day 2 (rounds 7+) and all of day 3 (rounds 10+) are where you can start targeting positions and specific types of profile. I typically like when teams load up on pitching later on because of the rate of attrition that comes with young pitchers. Having pitching depth is so important in this day and age. I also believe teams are able to develop pitching much more effectively than hitters at this stage. Grabbing extra pitching provides more opportunity to find/develop a diamond in the rough.  

 

Mack -  Let’s first talk Giants, do you consider their system currently deep in talent? Also, I see you have some of the guys I have written about in the past… Joey Bart, Hunter Bishop, Patrick Bailey, Sean Hjelle… what are the names of a couple of guys that have the potential to be superstars in this game?

  Brian   - The Giants are in a very good place. Not only do they have some high end talents like Marco Luciano and Luis Matos, they have strong depth. The front office under Farhan Zaidi has done a great job of finding talent in a variety of ways. The international side is the best it’s been in over a decade. They have acquired and developed quality prospects through trades, minor league free agency, and in the later rounds of the draft. It’s really been a “no stone unturned” type of talent acquisition and that extends to the major league level as well. It’s hard not to be optimistic about the Giants future.

 If anything, it’s the early draft picks that have struggled the most. I still think Bart will be a dependable major league catcher but probably not a star. Bishop and Bailey have struggled. Bishop has barely gotten on the field since being drafted because of injuries. You can’t even evaluate him at this point. Bailey was overmatched as a hitter at high A which is a concern for a college bat from a power conference. He’s been much better at low A but that pick was highly questionable at the time given some of the names on the board (Tyler Soderstrom, Mick Abel, Garrett Mitchell, etc.). 

Hjelle is a no-frills type pitcher that doesn’t totally do it for me. He’s going to be a major leaguer but I’m not sure he’ll be much of an impact performer. Although, teams certainly need those guys to fill rotations and eat innings. 

I mentioned outfielder Luis Matos a bit earlier. I think there’s a good chance he's a top 30 overall prospect this time next year. He’s such an advanced hitter for his age. He’s a great athlete and his body is both strong and projectable. Matos is only 19 but could move quickly because of his knowledge of the strike zone and propensity for quality contact. He’s a special talent that I predict will start commanding a lot more attention in 2022. 

I was a huge fan of Will Bednar for the 2021 draft as he was 13th on my board. He didn’t have a long track record of dominance but he really started to blossom at the end of the college season. Bednar checks both the scouting and analytical boxes and has the ingredients to be a frontline starter. He’s probaby the player I’m most excited to see play next year among Giants prospects. 

 

Mack - Okay, moving to the general draft, it’s no big secret that the Mets blew it with the Kumar Rocker pick. In your opinion, what went wrong here? 

Brian - That was such a bizarre turn of events. I’m a big Rocker fan and was looking forward to seeing him in pro ball.  I don’t have any inside knowledge of what happened but I have a theory. 

My guess is that the team wasn’t expecting Rocker to drop to their spot at #10. The Mets asked what his number was, Rocker said $6MM, and the Mets agreed. They decided to make the pick at 10 because of the (admittedly) great value he represented at that spot, even though they didn’t have access to his medical records beforehand. After reviewing his medical info the Mets did not feel comfortable giving him the agreed bonus. Again, I don’t know for sure what happened, but this makes the most sense to me. 

Losing out on an arm like Rocker certainly hurts. But getting an additional 1st round pick in 2022 (a stronger draft, in my opinion) softens most of that blow. What really makes the whole thing a failure was the way the rest of that draft went for the Mets. They saved a ton of bonus money with their other picks that they intended to put towards Rocker and had nowhere to move those funds once the deal was off. 

Typically, teams who go way overslot on a player like that will have backup picks after the 10th round as an insurance policy. For example, the Diamondbacks selected shortstop Davis Diaz in the 12th round in case Jordan Lawlar didn’t sign. The Mets didn’t do that. Instead, they had around $2MM in bonus money left sitting on the table. They could have added a legitimate talent with that kind of money. That’s gross mismanagement. 

 

Mack  -   Do you consider this a deep draft and what specific positions do you consider well stocked in this draft? 

Brian -   On paper the 2022 draft is a better year than the past few by a fairly significant margin. That can change but it’s shaping up to be a pretty strong class. There’s some high end talent at the top and a healthy amount of depth as well. Obviously, the last two drafts were very different because of Covid-19. There were a ton of challenges and it makes it hard to compare this year’s draft to 2020/2021. Maybe it’s just the amateur baseball landscape looking more “normal” but I’m feeling optimistic with the strength of this class. 

This crop of college catchers looks particularly strong. Kevin Parada (Georgia Tech), Hayden Dunhurst (Ole Miss), Logan Tanner (Mississippi State), and Daniel Susac (Arizona) could all be 1st rounders. 

On the prep side, the outfield group is pretty strong. The top of that group is really impressive with Elijah Green (Florida) and Druw Jones (Georgia) but there’s also a ton of depth as well. It also looks like a good year for prep lefties. I’m a big fan of Brandon Barriera (Florida) and I could see both Tristan Smith (South Carolina) and Noah Schultz (Illinois) going in the 1st round. Fellow lefties like Jackson Ferris (Florida), Robby Snelling (Nevada), and Joseph King (Tennessee) could land in the 1-2 round range if they continue to progress. 

I think one position group that feels a bit light is the college pitching. The pitching depth at the college level was phenomenal the past couple of years. Part of that was the 5 round draft in 2020 pushing a lot of talented and experienced college arms back to campus. I wouldn’t say that college pitching is weak in 2022 but it’s a step down from what we’ve seen recently.

 

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The Best of MLB Draft Database - 2022 - Q and A - RHP Jacob Miller Liberty Union HS

 

 I’m talking today to Liberty Union speed baller, Jacob Miller, who has been getting some major ink leading up to his senior season. 

The 6-2, 180 pound righthander has been throwing a consistent 94mph fast ball, but it is his 81-82 w/ 2500+ rpm spin breaker that his his bread and butter pitch. 

The Louisville commit has accumulated high school stat line of 48 2/3 innings pitched, with 69 strikeouts. 

I caught up with Jacob earlier this week:

 

Mack -  Jacob, tell us how all roads took you to Liberty? 

Jacob - Growing up in a small town this was the school that I have always attended.

 

Mack -   I love the 94 fastball. Do you see that ticking up this year and do you consider your curve your go to pitch? 

Jacob -  Yeah all spring and summer I was up to 95 most outings. This coming spring season I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 97+. My curveball is my go to pitch still but now I am just as comfortable with my slider and change up.

Mack -  What have you been working on this summer to improve your game in 2022? 

Jacob - I’m working on gaining weight and strength. Also just being as mechanically polished as possible.

 

Mack -  You already have an impressive K/9 ratio. Do you consider this leading you to a closer role in the future? 

Jacob -  I don’t see that leading me into a closer role as of now. Right now I love starting and want to be a full time starter.

 

Mack - Take this chance to tell scouts out why they should come and see you pitch and consider them for their team? 

Jacob - Scouts should come see me because I am an electric player who loves the game and plays with energy.

 

Mack - And last question I ask every prospect, when you go pro and receive a zillion dollar bonus, what is the first thing you are going to buy with that moolah? 

Jacob - The first thing I buy is definitely going to be a sports car. Not sure exactly what yet, but something sick.

 

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