Friday, June 7, 2013

And the Draft Rolls On...Rounds 3-10

3rd round/87th overall: OF JaCoby Jones (LSU). The kid can fly, with a line was .273 BA, 38 runs, 10 doubles, 5 home runs, 29 RBIs and 12 stolen bases in 15 tries; he also struck out at a 40% rate for the Tigers. Jones plays second for LSU, but the Bucs announced they were projecting him as a CF'er. He's a choice based mostly on impressive physical tools rather than performance.

4th round/119th overall: LHP Cody Dickson (Sam Houston State). Tall, projectable lefty...sound familiar? He throws a low nineties fastball that touches 95, a plus curveball and a changeup that could become a plus pitch. Jones has had control issues during his career, with a 9-5/4.26 ERA but averaging a K per frame. He's another fairly hard throwing southpaw the Bucs have added to the organization in a draft that was supposed to be deep in LHP, a need for Pittsburgh's lower levels.

5th round/149th overall: SS Trae Arbet (Great Oaks HS). Arbet was named a second-team high school All-American by Rawlings and considered one of the top ten SS in the draft, although scouts aren't sure if he can hang there or will have to move to second. He hit .309 with eight doubles, two triples and two homers, but his stick is a question mark at the pro level, with a long swing and mainly gap power.

6th round /179th overall: SS Adam Frazier (Mississippi State). He hit .352 with 16 doubles and six triples, but is pretty much a singles guy at the dish, having never homered in a college game. Frazier's calling card is his mitt; he led the SEC with 210 assists and took part in 54 DP, making the SEC's all-defense team, but is considered more reliable more than rangy. He projects as a potential utility player.

7th round/209th overall: RHP Buddy Borden (UNLV). MLB.com's report is "His fastball in the low-90s and has been clocked as high as 96 mph. Borden also throws a curveball and a changeup, both of which have the potential to be Major League-average offerings." He was 8-1/2.19 in a breakout junior campaign and was selected as the Mountain West's Co-Pitcher of the year with Nevada Reno's Braden Shipley. Borden has to develop both his offspeed pitches to stick as a starter.

8th round/239th overall: RHP Neil Kozikowski (Avon Old Farms HS). He's a 6'3" projectable pitcher (surprise), with a fastball timed in the upper eighties that's hit 90, and he also throws a change and slider/cutter. Connecticut isn't exactly a baseball hotbed, so we'll see what develops.

9th round/269th overall: RHP Chad Kuhl (Delaware). He's 6'3" and features a sinker in the low nineties. What more do you need to know? Oh, OK - Kuhl tosses a change and a curve also, and went 10-2/3.75 for the Blue Hens.

10th round/299th RHP Shane Carle (Cal State - Long Beach). He's 6'4" and his bread and butter is a sinking fastball - you've heard this before? - that sits in the upper eighties but can hit 94. Carle's off speed stuff isn't considered MLB quality, so he looks like a guy who's headed to the bullpen.

Today should set up some over slot selections for tomorrow; looks like there will be a few guys here that the Pirate FO can sign on the cheap to leave some play money in the pool, which is how they rolled with the new draft rules last season.

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