2011 Draft in a Nutshell

Swag-surfin the internet the other day, I came across an early preview from BaseballAmerica of the 2011 MLB draft. With the Mariners heading for a surefire top-3 pick next year, there have been plenty of names bandied about as the right player for Seattle. Most commonly, the #1 pick is expected to be third baseman Anthony Rendon out of Rice University. From there though, it’s a group of about four college pitchers, and then a smattering of college position players and high schoolers.

At this juncture in the year, were the draft held tomorrow, it is highly likely that the Mariners would take Anthony Rendon, Gerrit Cole, or Matt Purke at that #2 spot. Those are the clear consensus top-3 players amongst most baseball analysts and scouts.

Rendon is the best hitter (and player) in the draft, while Cole and Purke are aces-in-the-making. Cole is the big righty with power stuff, while Purke is slingin’ it from the leftside, performing a bit better in college, but without the same frame of a typical workhorse starter. However, there is also a slew of players that possess the ability to jump into that top tier, with George Springer and Taylor Jungmann being the most frequently mentioned to round out a top-5.

With so much time between now and the draft, and plenty of evaluations to be done, it is entirely conceivable to see a kid rocket up the charts due to advancing skills or even something as simple as a growth spurt. Last year, the name that was constantly mentioned as a sleeper before the draft was a center-fielder named Mike Trout out of New Jersey, who has gone on to be a force in the minor-leagues.

The players I think could take “Le Leap” and move into that top-5-pick area with a strong 2011 season:

The White Torii Hunter!!

Bubba Starling - He totally has that Mike Trout feel for me. If you don’t know about Mike Trout, you will, as he was drafted by the Angels last year out of high school and is probably the #1 prospect in all of baseball now as a 5-tool center fielder. Starling has that potential. The kid is a ridiculous athlete, and you only have to watch a bit of this video to hear the sound the ball makes coming off his bat. That sound doesn’t lie. Some people don’t even have him in the first round, while others see him as already being a top pick. I think he will be the strong beneficiary of all the hubbub over Trout, as they are both lean, athletic, and most importantly, white center fielders. Watch some of his high school quarterbacking videos (on which he AVERAGED 11 yards-per-carry) if you are not convinced of his immense athleticism. That’s why Nebraska wants him for quarterback, and that’s why I want the Mariners to nab him.

Jackie Bradley Jr. – No relation to Milton, though they do both swing that bat like they are trying to murder someone. He plays for a really good program (South Carolina) that won the College World Series last year. It’s always helpful to breed winners, and it’s even easier when they are already bred for you. As I said, he swings harder than anyone I’ve ever seen in college, and if that doesn’t sound good to you – the swing reminds me of Mr. 50+ dinger Jose Bautista. It’s just violent, and I love it.

Small man - big punch.

Sonny Gray – He’s constantly slighted because of his, well, slight frame. This guy has the track record and stuff of the other pitchers ranked ahead of him, but he is a good 4-6 inches shorter than all those guys. Creating downward plane on your pitches just becomes that much harder. Me, personally, I love the guy. He was a top high school prospect and is coming out of a tremendous college program, additionally he was recently named the college baseball player of the summer by BaseballAmerica. He’s no Tim Lincecum obviously, but the dude is a pitbull mixed with a black bear, mixed with a blast-ended skrewt. He’ll be alright.

If we drafted tomorrow (I wish!), and I was in charge of the Mariners (I wish!), then my draft board wish list for the Seattle Mariners would have to look like this:

1. Anthony Rendon (3B) – Rice
2. Gerrit Cole (RHP) – UCLA
3. Bubba Starling (CF) – Some sh**ty high school
4. Matt Purke (LHP) – TCU
5. Sonny Gray (RHP) – Vanderbilt
6. Jackie Bradley Jr. (RF) – South Carolina
7. Taylor Jungmann (RHP) – Texas
8. George Springer (RF) – UConn

So as of right now, I’d assume Rendon was off the board, and we would pick Gerrit Cole. A nice consolation prize that could slot in as a #2 in our rotation fairly soon – forming an extremely strong front of the rotation that could also include Michael Pineda. Should Cole get injured….I’m lookin’ at you Bubba, so you better perform.

It just goes to show you that sometimes you’ve gotta trust your gut and pick that guy who isn’t necessarily considered the best player by every single  scouting source, because, well, those guys sure are wrong a lot. Bubba Starling is that player for me, and I expect him to rocket up the charts and become a surefire top-10 pick next spring. It doesn’t hurt that he has an awesome name.

As for this list. It’s bound to change as the year goes on, but for the next 6 months or so, this is how I have it set in my mind. I will continue to update the list as the year goes on, including closer profiles of some of the players I hope the Mariners can pick up in this loaded draft.

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Tags: 2011 MLB Draft, Anthony Rendon, Baseball, Beisbol, Bubba Starling, George Springer, Gerrit Cole, Jackie Bradley Jr., Matt Purke, Mike Trout, Northwest Roots, NWRoots, Seattle Mariners, Sonny Gray, Taylor Jungmann

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