Guardians 2023 Mock Draft 1.0

[Gson]

Note: It should be clear that there are guys who will not be close to being available for the Guardians to select in the bottom half of the first round.. Chase Dolander and Dylan Crews
being the primary top two in this draft..

Groups Summary

Catchers group:

- Blake Mitchell
-Kyle Teel
-Cole Carigg
-Michael Carico
-Zion Rose
-Paul Skenes

Edit: Paul Skenes has scrapped his "two way player"
pursuit and will focus on pitching, only.. With a 98
MPH heater for LSU, this might be a wise choice..

Reliever group.

-Adam Hachman
-George Klassen
-Zander Mueth
-Nolan McClean
-Tanner Hill

Corner Infielders...

-Tanner Witt
-Aidan Miller
-Yohandy Morales
-Braden Taylor
-Tre Morgan
-Daniel Cuvet
-Brock Wilken
-Drew Bowser

Corner OF'ers

Travis Honeyman
Wyatt Langford
Cole Carrigg
Jack Hurley..
Will Gasparino.. .
Eric Bitonti
Walker Jenkins

Starting Pitchers

This is a group that can possibly have as many as eighteen names listed. Here are my top three HS'ers plus one. They each have a LOT in common.. they're special and have special ability..

Noble Meyer.. Perhaps my favorite HS pitching prospect in this draft. & because he is a high school (Jesuit Oregon) arm, the Guardians have made it a point to pass on most of them.. Meyer has everything you'd want with a high school pitcher.. size, velo, repeatable delivery, baseball IQ, etc etc.. Few in this draft come close to him, both at the college level and high school level.

Charlie Soto.. is a close second as the kind of pitcher the Guardians covet.. with one exception.. he already knows how to throw hard while maintaining superb control of his four pitch mix. A 17 year old high schooler with his athleticism, stuff and aggressive approach.. sign me up now..

Tanner Witt.. a legacy starting pitcher with post TJ success from U Texas. Big, strong and mean make this hard throwing control mastering kid an obvious target. If his medicals check out, he's be a good addition to any minor league baseball system.. sadly, he won't be there very long..

Liam Peterson.. is part of the two headed beast (Hunter Dietz) from Calvary Christian Academy.. Big, strong and able to throw strikes... he's just tapping into what he can/ will become if he maintains his health..

Any one of these four guys early would work/add to the continued stocking of the pitching in the Guardians system. Thoughts?

 

[Gson]

Groups Summary

Catchers group:

- Blake Mitchell
-Kyle Teel
-Cole Carigg
-Michael Carico
-Zion Rose
-Paul Skenes <== being removed.. no chance of drafting him..

Reliever group.

-Adam Hachman
-George Klassen
-Zander Mueth
-Nolan McClean
-Tanner Hill

Corner Infielders...

-Tanner Witt
-Aidan Miller
-Yohandy Morales
-Braden Taylor
-Tre Morgan
-Daniel Cuvet
-Brock Wilken
-Drew Bowser

Corner OF'ers

Travis Honeyman
Wyatt Langford
Cole Carrigg
Jack Hurley..
Will Gasparino.. .
Eric Bitonti
Walker Jenkins

Starting Pitchers

Noble Meyer..
Charlie Soto..
Tanner Witt..
Liam Peterson..

Middle Infielders

The best players in this draft are surprisingly, not in this group.. but there are a few gems to explore:

Jacob Wilson is the lead off of this group.. This kid does everything well above average with his hitting ability being as good as there is in this draft. Wilson has it all, including the baseball IQ you'd expect from the son of a major league dad.

Matt Shaw is the epitome of a middle infielder.. he's smallish, quick as a button and can flat out hit. He has range in both directions and catches anything he gets to.. His arm is medium/alright... He might be best suited for second base after all is said and done..

Cooper Pratt is a lot like Jacob Wilson.. tall and rangy.. he has a hitting eye that is as good as it gets in this draft.. He runs.. he puts the bat (wooden) on the ball, he catches and he throws very well.. Whoever gets this guy is getting future star..
Colt Emerson is more like Matt Shaw.. he's a hitting machine with a full toolshed. The quickness of a fast twitch athlete is what Colt Emerson is all about.. He has great hands and feet.. He'd be a fantastic get in the Comp B to 5th round..

Nazzan Zanetello is a rangy / galky / stork-like kid that has a lot of growing to do.. His size already puts him in the "move to a corner" category, but, he might be best used in CF.. He has a shortstop's arm and the long strides of a centerfielder, where he's played quite a bit.. Very good swing speed w/ strong make up..

As a rule, the middle infield groups are usually the best in the draft.. Not the case this year.. The talent in this draft's position players is in the Outfielders.. and the two at the top (Langford and Crews) are franchise changers.. We'll see...

 

[BimboColesHair]

Just popping to in say hello after a while.

Also, just to maybe help conversation along. Don't value or spend too much time on C in this thread.

 

[Gson]

- Next up: Mock Draft Tiering/prioritizing

Groups Summary

Catchers group:

- Blake Mitchell
-Kyle Teel
-Cole Carigg
-Michael Carico
-Zion Rose

Reliever group.

-Adam Hachman
-George Klassen
-Zander Mueth
-Nolan McClean
-Tanner Hill

Corner Infielders...

-Tanner Witt
-Aidan Miller
-Yohandy Morales
-Braden Taylor
-Tre Morgan
-Daniel Cuvet
-Brock Wilken
-Drew Bowser

Corner OF'ers

Travis Honeyman
Wyatt Langford
Cole Carrigg
Jack Hurley..
Will Gasparino.. .
Eric Bitonti
Walker Jenkins

Starting Pitchers

Noble Meyer..
Charlie Soto..
Tanner Witt..
Liam Peterson..
Paul Skenes

Middle Infielders

Jacob Wilson
Matt Shaw
Cooper Pratt
Colt Emerson
Nazzan Zanetello

Center fielders

Travis Honeyman: A repeat from the corner OF group.. and, tbh, he might be best served to stay as a corner OF'er.. He does have some Wil Brennan/Steve Kwan vibes but is a better athlete than either guy.. and that's saying something.

Enrique Bradfield: Will remind you of Jerrod Dyson on the low end and Kenny Lofton or Willie Wilson on the high end. He's the fastest guy I've ever seen. He puts the bat on the ball and runs like his hair is on fire. He'll be a major disruptor on the basepaths.. Anything hit in the air from right center to left center won't be in danger of getting a grass stain on the ball.. What he lacks in power.. he makes up for by turning routine singles into doubles.

Dillon Head.. is another speed merchant on the bags.. great defensive instincts / tracking the ball hit in the air.. has the wheels to go get it.. Has enough power to be considered more than a "punch and judy".. He's a slasher with exception body control and eyesight.. Worthy of a 5th plus round pick..

Homer Bush... is another son of a... MLB'er.. Centerfield is his home because of his speed, instincts and baseball IQ.. He excels defensively and has a SS's arm. His offensive style would best be described as "chopping wood".. He makes a lot of contact.. not all of it good.. He outruns quite a few of his bouncers that would otherwise be easy outs.

The CF group is mediocre, at best.. but, like any draft..kids develop at varying rates.. Enrique Bradfield would certainly be a consideration for the bottom of the first round..

 

[Gson]

Just popping to in say hello after a while.

Also, just to maybe help conversation along. Don't value or spend too much time on C in this thread.

Thanks for reporting in.. Agree.. the C's in this draft.. are no more than average to above average in most ways.. That is, there are no franchise changers..

How is the new assignment going?

 

[Tondo]

Just popping to in say hello after a while.

Also, just to maybe help conversation along. Don't value or spend too much time on C in this thread.

Look, look...

How you like my mock draft, lol

Usually hit on a bunch. Already read J. Riemer having a Kwan'esque profile, mmhh

 

[BimboColesHair]

Thanks for reporting in.. Agree.. the C's in this draft.. are no more than average to above average in most ways.. That is, there are no franchise changers..

How is the new assignment going?

Not just the Cs in this draft.

The draft in general.

 

[Tondo]

Not just the Cs in this draft.

The draft in general.

Is this because of general (new) approach or because they love their recent IFA catchers?

Never was a fan of drafting C high anyway. If we hit on Bo and Lava, we're blessed enough. IFA is the route to go there

 

[Criznit]

Good to see ya Bimbo.

 

[Gson]

Not just the Cs in this draft.

The draft in general.

Also agree with this.. other that a couple of exceptional guys at the top.. this draft is laced with above average guys and some who want to be even though they're highly rated.. I stated in an earlier posting that the best thing the Guardians can do with their Competitive Balance Lottery pick in the "B" round is to trade it..

It fits..

 

[Gson]

Mock Draft: Picks #'s 23, 58, 62 & 93, respectively

23 **Noble Meyer SP
58 **Braden Taylor INF
**Wyatt Langford
**Enrique Bradfield
**Tre Morgan
**Cole Carigg
**Aidan Miller
62**Will Gasparino OF
93**Kyle Teel C

Note: Up to the 100th pick by the Guardians is the extent of this Mock...

 

[Gson]

Mock Draft: Picks #'s 23, 58, 62 & 93, respectively

23 **Noble Meyer SP
58 **Braden Taylor INF
62 **Will Gasparino OF
93 **Kyle Teel C

 

[AZ_]

This dude is nice.

 

[Tondo]

Mock Draft: Picks #'s 23, 58, 62 & 93, respectively

23 **Noble Meyer SP
58 **Braden Taylor INF
62 **Will Gasparino OF
93 **Kyle Teel C

Taylor is a college player that is ranked in the top 15 everywhere. He's a longshot to make it to 23, let alone 58. Same with Teel, he's in the 30-50 range and top college players don't drop much

 

[Gson]

Taylor is a college player that is ranked in the top 15 everywhere. He's a longshot to make it to 23, let alone 58. Same with Teel, he's in the 30-50 range and top college players don't drop much

@Tondo Yes.. I know.. these are the guys I admire for various reasons.. some a lot less than what other evaluators have deemed appropriate..

Braden Taylor has a less than one in fifty chance of making to the 20's in the draft...but if he's there.. he'd be absolutely worth taking. There is a lot to like about TCU and their program.. Braden Taylor represents why...

Kyle Teel's best asset is above his shoulders.. The rest of his game is a ways off being a ML catcher.. He is a longshot to make it out of the second round as, perhaps, the second best catcher in the draft. This defines the entire group of catchers currently being readied for the draft... Teel is placed where he should be in the draft, imho, right around the 100 mark.. & to be truthful, he barely has the ability to be a top 100 prospect at this point, but, because he's a catcher.. he is more highly rated..

IFA catchers have proven to be the best path for CleFO.. Wouldn't we all love to have Yainar Diaz back from the Astros?..Wouldn't we all love to have the 2021 IFA class three years from now for Victor Izturis? Unless it's an Adley Rutschman or Drew Romo or Sean Murphy.. hitting on a catcher has become a slow and painful process for the Guardians..

Perspectives vary.. as you know..