This is how I see the first round or so of the 2014 MLB Draft going give or take a spot or two (or ten) here and there. The first four picks seem to be pretty close in terms of value and potential.
I would not mind seeing Trea Turner or Michael Conforto slip to the Giants, but I doubt either one will.
Picking in the #14 spot it seems as if the cluster from # 11 through # 17 seems like the most likely unless the Giants try to prove they are smarter than the consensus once again. Not that there's anything worng with that, given there recent track record in the draft.
| Rank, Player | Position | Hometown/School | |
| 1 | . Brady Aiken | lhp | Cathedral Catholic HS San Diego |
| 2 | . Carlos Rodon | lhp | North Carolina State |
| 3 | . Tyler Kolek | rhp | Shepherd (Texas) HS |
| 4 | . Alex Jackson | c/of | Rancho Bernardo HS Escondido |
| 5 | . Nick Gordon | ss | Olympia HS Orlando |
| 6 | . Kyle Freeland | lhp | Evansville |
| 7 | . Aaron Nola | rhp | Louisiana State |
| 8 | . Trea Turner | ss | North Carolina State |
| 9 | . Michael Conforto | of | Oregon State |
| 10 | . Touki Toussaint | rhp | Coral Springs Christian HS Miami |
| 11 | . Tyler Beede | rhp | Vanderbilt |
| 12 | . Sean Newcomb | lhp | Hartford |
| 13 | . Jeff Hoffman | rhp | East Carolina |
| 14 | . Brandon Finnegan | lhp | Texas Christian |
| 15 | . Bradley Zimmer | of | San Francisco |
| 16 | . Max Pentecost | c | Kennesaw State |
| 17 | . Grant Holmes | rhp | Conway (S.C.) HS |
| 18 | . Kyle Schwarber | c/1b | Indiana |
| 19 | . Sean Reid-Foley | rhp | Sandalwood HS Jacksonville |
| 20 | . Erick Fedde | rhp | Nevada-Las Vegas |
| 21 | . Monte Harrison | of | Lee’s Summit (Mo.) West HS |
| 22 | . Derek Hill | of | Elk Grove (Calif.) HS |
| 23 | . Nick Burdi | rhp | Louisville |
| 24 | . Casey Gillaspie | 1b | Wichita State |
| 25 | . Nick Howard | 3b/rhp | Virginia |
| 26 | . Foster Griffin | lhp | The First Academy Orlando |
| 27 | . Jacob Gatewood | ss | Clovis (Calif.) HS |
| 28 | . Michael Chavis | 3b/2b | Sprayberry HS Marietta |
| 29 | . Spencer Adams | rhp | White County HS Cleveland |
| 30 | . Derek Fisher | of | Virginia |
| 31 | . Kodi Medeiros | lhp | Waiakea HS Hilo |
| 32 | . Forrest Wall | 2b | Orangewood Christian HS Winter Park |
| 33 | . Luis Ortiz | rhp | Sanger (Calif.) HS |
| 34 | . Michael Gettys | of | Gainesville (Ga.) HS |
| 35 | . Ti’Quan Forbes | ss | Columbia (Miss.) HS |
| 36 | . Braxton Davidson | 1b/of | Roberson HS Asheville |
| 37 | . Jacob Bukauskas | rhp | Stone Bridge HS Ashburn |
| 38 | . A.J. Reed | 1b/lhp | Kentucky |
| 39 | . Luke Weaver | rhp | Florida State |
| 40 | . Jack Flaherty | rhp | Harvard-Westlake HS Studio City |
| 41 | . Michael Kopech | rhp | Mount Pleasant (Texas) HS |
| 42 | . Milton Ramos | ss | American Heritage HS Hialeah Gardens |
| 43 | . Matt Imhof | lhp | Cal Poly |
| 44 | . Joseph Gatto | rhp | St. Augustine Prep Hammonton |
| 45 | . Cody Reed | lhp | Ardmore (Ala.) HS |
| 46 | . Mike Papi | of/1b | Virginia |
| 47 | . Michael Cederoth | rhp | San Diego State |
| 48 | . Marcus Wilson | of | Junipero Serra HS Los Angeles |
| 49 | . Scott Blewett | rhp | Baker HS Baldwinsville |
| 50 | . Justus Sheffield | lhp | Tullahoma (Tenn.) HS |
Beede has been mentioned a lot in mock drafts and he was more towards the top of the board early. He has slipped a little based on a disappointing season, but rebounded somewhat late and still has the look and feel of a potential top of the rotation guy.
The college pitchers Newcomb, Hoffman and Finnegan are all interesting and almost ready for prime time, which makes me happy. Grant Holmes will make the McCovey Chronicles fan base happy and Sean Reid-Foley has great potential as well. I also like the potential and upside of RHP Nick Burdi from Louisville. He's a local product (no I never umpired one of his games) who added some velocity in college. The question appears to be whether he projects more as a starter or a closer prospect. Think maybe David Bush coming out of Wake Forest a couple of years ago. He was fairly productive for them.
Bradley Zimmer is a potential five-tool OF which the Giants haven't had in a while. Trea Turner would be great but at SS not a need position. Same with Kennesaw State C Max Pentecost. Very athletic catcher, but we already have one of those. Unless you're looking to move him out of there....I could see one of the HS bats like maybe SS Jacob Gatewood, who could move to the OF or Derek Hill from Elk Grove (CA) who is getting some late buzz.
If the Giants come out of this with 2-3 of the top fifty, especially some of the highlighted guys who I think may represent the best fit and value for them, I will be very happy. I bet that Casey Gillaspie kid from Wichita State can hit ( related to former Giant prospect Conor Gillaspie ), Giants might shy away from him because he'll be an enduring reminder of the grevious error they made in not finding a spot for Conor. I'm still not over that one.
Another name to watch might be Alex Verdugo, a LHP/OF from Sahuaro HS in Tucson AZ. If he leaves his dad at home, he could make some organization very happy. Verdugo is considered one of the top two way players in the HS ranks. He throws 90+ with a plus CB from the left side and is considered an advanced hitter with good power potential down the line. His dad is considered on of the top LL-Dad-tools in the country from some reports. If it's a package deal, PASS. But the player can play.
Dylan Cease, a RHP from Milton HS (GA) was further up most lists earlier in the season. If the reason for his drop sounds reasonable he could be a good value pick. After that, a Keith Weisenberg from Osceola HS in St. Petersburg, FL and Cobi Johnson from Mitchell HS in Tampa could get an early call.
In the Chicago land area, it seems as if Libertyville C Evan Skoug could be the first to go, ahead of Jake Latz LHP from Lemont and OF Darius Day from Simeon Academy, who was riding the top of the early season lists.
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