The Baseball Draft Began

While the Mariners are getting ready to play two games against the Astros in Houston and then four against Tampa Bay before returning home the scouts and front office had Monday being the first day of the draft.

I am sure most figured that the Mariners would go for a college player over a high school player in the first round whether a pitcher or a position player. If you look at the first round half of those drafted were high school players though at the very top were college players.

The Mariners had the spot of drafting fourteenth in the first round. I figure at that spot a college player would be the way to go. Why I say that is a college player can move up the ranks of the minor leagues faster than the high school players. The exception to the rule would be the overall number one pick if it were a high player. For example Ken Griffey Jr and Alex Rodriguez who were both the top draft picks when chosen by the Mariners.

So the Mariners decided to go with pitching picking right handed pitcher Logan Gilbert of Stetson College. I am sure if you are like me you never heard of Stetson College well as Logan Gilbert. Anyway if he can turn out like a pitcher who went that school in Corey Kluber of the Cleveland Indians than the Mariners have got a good thing going on. Actually Gilbert is highest drafted pitcher out of Stetson. They are actually in the college super regionals playing this weekend so if you are interested you can have a chance to see him on television against North Carolina. He has a record of 11-1 in fifteen starts along with 157 strike outs in 107 innings and an era of 2.52. His fastball can get up to 97 miles per hour. It has been reported that the Mariners already have a verbal agreement so he should sign as soon as his college season is over. How much he pitches this summer will depend on how far Stetson goes in the college tournament. Most likely he will go to Arizona to get ready for the fall league. The Mariners have had issues recently with top draft picks getting injured early on so I would recommend taking it easy with him since he has thrown a lot already. If he does go to a rookie team in the minors maybe have him pitch once a week or so and only a few innings because the importance is to get him ready for next season.

The second round pick the Mariners drafted center fielder Josh Stowers out of Louisville. Like Gilbert don’t know much about him besides what I have read. He is a leadoff hitter with speed and power. This is another position the Mariners could use in the farm system. He should be right up with Kyle Lewis the Mariners number one pick and top prospect from 2016. Lewis has been hurt however playing well right now for Modesto in single A. He most likely be promoted to higher level in the next month if he can stay healthy.

Tuesday rounds three thru ten will take place. Here are important players for the Mariners to pick as well. You look at Mariner’s history not many players make it to the majors who are beyond the tenth round. Not sure whether that has to do with the players or the team’s selections.

It would be nice if the Mariners can find a catcher in the third to tenth rounds. Currently they have no catching prospects beyond those who have played some backup catching like current backup David Freitas. Pitching of course is always at a premium so the eight rounds to take place Tuesday half of them likely will be pitchers. Much more will happen on Wednesday though those players rounds eleven through forty have little chance of making it to the Mariners however we never know.

Why are there forty rounds in the baseball draft? The rounds eleven through forty are used to fill out the minor league rosters. Most of them will probably be college players though in the late rounds may have a few high school players who will likely go onto college. The top high school players not already chosen will be done on Tuesday. I am sure we will see a few of them drafted by the Mariners. We wish the best to those players that are drafted especially by the Mariners.

Now we see Tuesday and Wednesday night how the Mariner do facing the Astros. It would be nice to sweep the Astros in the two game series but splitting would be nice as well. James Paxton will be going in the first game while being followed by Wade LeBlanc on Wednesday. Both these guys will give the Mariners good chance to win. The Astros will be going with Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr. On the plus side won’t have to face Justin Verlander. The Mariners playing well right now and doing good on the road gives the Mariners a fighting chance. Actually the last series in Seattle where the Astros won the series the Mariners did well until the end of the games. The scores might have made the Astros seem superior but I don’t think so much and now that the Mariners have a better bullpen should help as well. So let’s go M’s.