Cape Cod League All-Star who went to Duke and has a good family structure? My god, that's Gammons' nirvana.I was hoping we'd take Bryce Jarvis, and he goes right after we take the 165th-rated guy, a high school second baseman.
This is Peter Gammons on Jarvis (so I should remember to beware, as Peter always loves to hype certain guys):
https://theathletic.co.uk/1831618/2020/06/03/gammons-prospects-with-major-league-fathers-navigate-path-to-the-draft-majors/
This has me encouraged about the pick. Law was down on Pedroia when they drafted him. Maybe lightning strikes twice.Keith Law is not a fan:
“• So the Red Sox … did something. Nick Yorke wasn’t on my top 100 prospects for the draft, and he wasn’t close to it. He wasn’t on MLB Pipeline’s either, if you want a second opinion. Yorke is a high school second baseman, and the only reason I didn’t write in The Inside Game that spending high picks on high school second baseman is a bad idea is that nobody spends high picks on high school second baseman because it’s a bad idea. Yorke has a good swing, geared more for average than power, and he doesn’t have the range or arm for shortstop.”
The 2Bman part is what bothers me. His defensive profile doesn't seem to give him anywhere to go (although BA's write up seem to suggest he might be OK at short).Keith Law is not a fan:
“• So the Red Sox … did something. Nick Yorke wasn’t on my top 100 prospects for the draft, and he wasn’t close to it. He wasn’t on MLB Pipeline’s either, if you want a second opinion. Yorke is a high school second baseman, and the only reason I didn’t write in The Inside Game that spending high picks on high school second baseman is a bad idea is that nobody spends high picks on high school second baseman because it’s a bad idea. Yorke has a good swing, geared more for average than power, and he doesn’t have the range or arm for shortstop.”
Yorke won’t be major league ready for years, if ever. I wouldn’t worry about that. Yorke or Downs could profile better at another position as well.Isn't Jeter Downs supposed to be our second baseman of the future?
This seems a little bizarre. How often are high school players taken in the first round likely to take an underslot deal?RE: Nick Yorke, the Red Sox apparently have an underslot deal done with him that will save them "quite a bit of money" according to one source. Yorke is an athletic middle infielder who can hit and is certainly a good player, just most saw him as a 2nd-4th round talent.
View: https://twitter.com/KyleAGlaser/status/1270890251502772224?s=20
The problem with the whole "don't take 2B in the first round" is that people always take 2Bs in the first round. They are just called SS at he time of the draft, even though no one thinks they will stay there. Chavis is a recent example.The 2Bman part is what bothers me. His defensive profile doesn't seem to give him anywhere to go (although BA's write up seem to suggest he might be OK at short).
Of course the Sox have stuck to the 2B maxim in the past; they waited to until the 5th round to grab an small MI who ultimately comped to Duke Snider... I seem to remember that Law wasn't a fan of the Sox taking Pedroia either.
Yes I remember that in some of the mocks. The general feeling at the time was that the Sox needed a power hitting outfielder in the system, and that one of Meadows or Frazier would be available at #7. Outside of a few players, that whole first round is pretty sad. What a lousy year for the Sox to have a high pick.That's really not true at all. The Soxprospects 2013 Mock draft, Jim Callis' final Mock (link no longer active - but here's a past that discussed it), and Sickels' final Mock all had had Ball going ahead of Meadows. While Ball was never really connected to the Sox, the consensus was that Ball would get picked before Meadows.
NVMIsn't Jeter Downs supposed to be our second baseman of the future?
Is this true? I don't follow the MLB draft as closely as others, but IIRC, Chavis was initially projected as a 3B, right? While many of these drafted SS do eventually move off SS (and may end up at 2B), I don't think many of the 1st rounders were actually projected on draft day as being 2B only (like Yorke appears to be). I'm not going to pretend to be familiar with Yorke's game, but the scouting reports suggest he doesn't have the arm to play anywhere but 2B, which limits his ceiling and versatility. I'm not trashing the pick because who the hell knows, but there's obviously a reason it's so rare to see a projected 2B taken in the 1st round. Yorke doesn't seem to have the arm/speed/power combination to viably play elsewhere. That said, I do think Bloom is a genuinely smart personnel exec and I'll trust his judgement until proven otherwise.The problem with the whole "don't take 2B in the first round" is that people always take 2Bs in the first round. They are just called SS at he time of the draft, even though no one thinks they will stay there. Chavis is a recent example.
Most second basemen are usually converted shortstops or third basemen. Pedroia is an obvious example.These kids are usually the best players in their state, and coaches put them at the important positions (SS, CF, etc.)Is this true? I don't follow the MLB draft as closely as others, but IIRC, Chavis was initially projected as a 3B, right? While many of these drafted SS do eventually move off SS (and may end up at 2B), I don't think many of the 1st rounders were actually projected on draft day as being 2B only (like Yorke appears to be). I'm not going to pretend to be familiar with Yorke's game, but the scouting reports suggest he doesn't have the arm to play anywhere but 2B, which limits his ceiling and versatility. I'm not trashing the pick because who the hell knows, but there's obviously a reason it's so rare to see a projected 2B taken in the 1st round. Yorke doesn't seem to have the arm/speed/power combination to viably play elsewhere. That said, I do think Bloom is a genuinely smart personnel exec and I'll trust his judgement until proven otherwise.
Pedroia is a perfect example. He was a SS in the Red Sox system until he ended up on the same Portland roster as Hanley Ramirez. So it wasn't even a matter of "you're not a SS" so much as "we have a SS but need a 2B and you're it".Even in the minors, organizations will usually let kids play themselves out of SS versus immediately drafting someone and saying “you’re a second baseman.”
It's a shame about the throwing shoulder concerns, because that sounds like a good catcher's build. One of the scouts quoted in the Globe story mentioned the OF as a likely destination.Yorke is a high school kid already listed at 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. If he grows any more, seems like he would be built more for other positions than 2B or SS.
Shoulders look okay in that video. Nice Fenway swing!
The impact of the pandemic on colleges probably has something to do with Yorke agreeing to a deal. Who knows how much college baseball will be played next spring?This seems a little bizarre. How often are high school players taken in the first round likely to take an underslot deal?
Also consider the fact that the most optimistic prognosticators had him in the mid 70's, where his slot bonus would be 800-850 k. Now say you offer him 2 million. Its underslot, but its a lot more than he would have been predicted to make. Maybe he'll decide to gamble on himself, but that 1.2 million is a huge gamble for someone out of high school.The impact of the pandemic on colleges probably has something to do with Yorke agreeing to a deal. Who knows how much college baseball will be played next spring?
Might be more than is played in the minor leagues at the rate we're going!The impact of the pandemic on colleges probably has something to do with Yorke agreeing to a deal. Who knows how much college baseball will be played next spring?
Was Yorke’s projected round based on signability or talent?Also consider the fact that the most optimistic prognosticators had him in the mid 70's, where his slot bonus would be 800-850 k. Now say you offer him 2 million. Its underslot, but its a lot more than he would have been predicted to make. Maybe he'll decide to gamble on himself, but that 1.2 million is a huge gamble for someone out of high school.
A combo of the two, most likely.Was Yorke’s projected round based on signability or talent?
Can he hit a curveball?LOTS and LOTS of power.
#42 prospect at MLB.com
That’s why they drafted him. If Yorke signs for much less, they’ll pay Blaze 1st rd money to get him out of StarkvilleWhat are odds he actually signs?
LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of power!Can he hit a curveball?
Don't waste premium picks on risky HS pitchers. It's usually the worst move you can make. HS position players (especially hitters with advanced tools) are counterintuitively safer picks.They'll tell us whatever, and we don't have to believe them. I'm disappointed, but maybe they think that can have it both ways: get a guy they really like AND sign him for under slot so they can target better talent in the later rounds. Or maybe they're just too clever for their own good, like in 2013 when they took Trey Ball over Austin Meadows.
That's the 64Can he hit a curveball?
I hope so. They do that and Yorke pick starts to make a lot more sense.That’s why they drafted him. If Yorke signs for much less, they’ll pay Blaze 1st rd money to get him out of Starkville