2022 Draft

[Nick]

F, Jacob Berry.

[sports24/7]

This kid’s bat better be really good. Passing on Lee and Parada for him is frustrating, but if he hits, I guess who cares about his defense.

[Namaste]

Berry was the best college bat in the draft, right?

[Namaste]

And Cubs didn’t take Parada

[Namaste]

We loved getting Khalil Watson and that looks like hot doo doo right now so maybe this works out?

[Namaste]

Cubs, Nats and Royals passed on Parada

[sports24/7]

Berry was the best college bat in the draft, right?

He wasn’t ranked as the best college hitter in the draft by most. He was behind Lee and Parada. But his hit and power tools were rated as the highest combo among college players. The biggest question is where he plays defensively. Supposedly Miami’s going to give him a shot at 3B, but he’s probably a 1B or DH in the majors. Maybe a below average corner OF.

[sports24/7]

We loved getting Khalil Watson and that looks like hot doo doo right now so maybe this works out?

The truth is, the MLB draft is one of the biggest crap shoots in sports, so yeah, we don’t really know, although there’s little reason to expect that this front office knows any better when it comes to draftable hitters.

But with Watson, specifically, that looks like doo doo in large part because of his character, which no one on the outside could have any knowledge about.

[Nick]

Yeah last 3 years, Max Meyer was the 1st pick I was most down on and that looks like by far our best pick of the three so who knows. To me Parada and Berry we’re neck and neck for best collegiate bat, and Parada can play catcher while Berry may struggle to find a position so it seemed like a no-brainer, but again time will tell.

[rmc523]

The truth is, the MLB draft is one of the biggest crap shoots in sports, so yeah, we don’t really know, although there’s little reason to expect that this front office knows any better when it comes to draftable hitters.

But with Watson, specifically, that looks like doo doo in large part because of his character, which no one on the outside could have any knowledge about.

I’ve recently said take the FO’s bat draft plan and do the opposite and it may work with how bad they’ve been at developing hitters.

[sports24/7]

I’ve recently said take the FO’s bat draft plan and do the opposite and it may work with how bad they’ve been at developing hitters.

Right. That's why it's hard to accept the argument that we don't really know, so maybe we shouldn't be critical. These guys haven't proven they know either. And if you look at the rankings from the experts, you'll see that Parada and Lee could be as good, or better at the plate. And if they're even close, that defensive value makes a big difference. Because if Berry ends up just being an ok bat, he's flat out not going to play, most likely, whereas that may not be the case with the other two.

I don't hate the pick, because he could become a good to very good hitter, and if he does, and gets to the bigs quickly, that's all you can really ask for with what was on the board (if Johnson were there and they passed on him for Berry, I would have been really mad). I just would have probably preferred one of the other two college bats, and wouldn't have minded taking a shot on the upside of Cam Collier, either. Hopefully they got this one right, though, and they finally develop a 1st round bat.

[sports24/7]

Also, he hasn't been mentioned, but the guy they took in the second round, Jacob Miller, looks interesting. It feels like they've done a better job with college and international pitchers than HS guys, but there are some traits to like with him.

[Nick]

Marlins have taken 9 straight pitchers after Berry. Who needs runs?

[Lee Stone]

With the sixth pick in the entire draft, the Marlins should be drafting the best five-tool athlete available. Instead they choose a guy with average to less speed, no defensive future anywhere on the field, and only a hopefully solid bat. Easy F grade for that pick.

The scoop: 6. Marlins: Jacob Berry, 1B/DH, LSU
This one is puzzling. Berry is a limited defender who was compared by one scout to Seth Beer, the 28th pick in the 2018 draft. He hit well in his one year at LSU, boosting his stock, but evaluators warned that his underlying exit-velocity data suggested there's not as much power potential here as you'd think. Given some of the other players on the board, we have no choice but to give the Marlins a low grade. Grade: D

And my choice went to the Mets of all teams: 11. Mets: Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech
The expectation throughout the summer was that Parada would be a top-five pick. The Mets should be happy to get him here. His ball-tracking data at Georgia Tech was excellent, and hinted at middle-of-the-order potential. Meanwhile, he improved his defense enough to envision him sticking behind the plate. That combination merits a starting projection. Grade: A

[Namaste]

How have “five tool” guys been working out for the Marlins in the draft and trades lately?

4 teams AFTER the Marlins passed on Parada. Maybe these front offices know something we don’t?