Well I don't think you really want to draft for need. Of the Oregon State kid is the best available player you take him. He'll still need a couple of years at least in the minors, so Salvy will likely be done by the time he'd arrive (2021-2022). Melendez is still a ways away, and having two top catching prospects isn't a bad thing. One could move to first or you could potentially make a trade.

Yeah especially when you're drafting that high. You just take the guy you think will be a superstar and let it ride. You never know what will happen with injuries or player development 4 years from now. If Salvy or Melendez is still around and playing at a high level, then great. Somebody can move to another position or be traded to fill other holes on the team.

Last year at this time, on MLB.com #1 college player for the 2018 draft was Brady Singer. 3 was Mize.

Great example.

And Singer was good this year. But because he wasn't as flashy as Kowar (and Kowar wasn't as steady as Singer) somehow they both ended up knocking each other about and Singer ends up dropping down the ranks. Why? Who the **** knows?

Seth Beer was the no-doubt 2018 #1 overall pick 2 seasons ago and he just barely stayed in the first round because he struggled one summer in the Cape.

Scouts just KILL college draft prospects.

Unless Rutschman wins the Golden Spikes (and hell, even if he does so in less than convincing fashion), I'd be surprised if he holds a #1 overall draft slot. If my memory serves, Appel did. I'm pretty sure Strasburg did.

Otherwise I can't think of any 'wire to wire' #1 overall picks out of college lately. Scouts will hunt for reasons to knock him down.

I've come to terms with not getting the first pick, I feel like there's less pressure for us to make the right pick. We should still get a stud.

Your AFL players have been announced:

Hitters:
Meibrys Viloria
Nick Heath
Khalil Lee

Pitchers:
Scott Blewett
Grant Gavin
Walker Sheller

No IFers y'all wanted to get a look at down there, I guess? A little surprised Lopez didn't get a look unless they wanted him to get some rest. That or they're just comfortable with what they have there.

Lopez is the only one as you mention. We already start a shit ton of what are essentially rookies most nights anyways.

Biggest disappointments of 2018, Espn


FanGraphs rates Hosmer at minus-0.7 WAR -- though that doesn't factor in the clubhouse leadership he has provided to a team that might lose 100 games.

Re: Witt and Rutschman, saying something like “we already have Melendez, don’t need Rutschman” is how you end up with Christian Colon instead of Chris Sale (we don’t need Sale. We already have Lamb, Montgomery, Duffy, and Dwyer).

If you’ve got the top pick, you take the guy you rate best regardless of position. Same thing with second and really any pick.

Time will tell which it should be.

If a HS arm or college arm jumps forward, I could see Baltimore going that route at No. 1.

I think I like Witt more just because Rutschman’s bat development is fairly recent, but I could be persuaded otherwise. They both offer plus offense at a key defensive spot. Witt probably has higher upside offensively because his tools are more diverse. But a switch-hitting Posey, which is the upside of the other choice, is also pretty enticing.

I think KC will evaluate Witt higher if give. The choice.

It's still a better justification than "I don't like our player development system so I'll let a college program take care of the first 3 years for us..."

I think y'all have a few undesirables in this thread...

That makes sense from a Cards perspective but from a Royals one, you can see the logic.

Looks like they've traded Butera to the Rockies for a minor league pitcher. Say goodbye to the best hair flip in team history.

Well that's certainly a way to get some extra lotto tickets.

Getting anything for a backup that's making 2M and is a pending free agent is impressive

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Agreed. I like these kinds of moves.