There were reports that the new guy was looking for more upside; and the talk of a refreshed and more modern commitment to development.
Both picks 2 and 3 would seem consistent with strong belief in their new development system.
Burl with a great arm, great stuff, great spin rate... but wild as a Marmol. The report was that he was a center fielder, converted to pitching as a freshman where he pitched only 0.1 inning, and has now accumulated only 52 innings in his life. That's is so little experience, and obviously he's wild as can be. I assume they believe that their development system will be able to work with his delivery to enable much-improved consistency and control, and if so that his stuff will make him a weapon. Massive developmental project, pitch-lab project, seems to me. But the "stuff" has plenty of upside.
As a value, though, I wonder how much upside the selection has? When you'll never pitch more than a few dozen innings per season, the situational-relief role somewhat constrains the value upside. Still, I'm a huge believer in a strong stocked bullpen.
Now Nwogu, a guy with D1 football scholarship offers, and some suggestions that he's got a weird, whacky swing. Report of serious power, and one report mentioned favorable eye-hand coordination. But he's K'd a lot even versus Big Ten pitching... Is there the belief that with the new hitting-mechanics analysis, that the pure talent is there and that with improved swing-mechanics, that he might turn into a force?
I've often felt like a player's career can be as easily dictated by his biggest weakness, as by his biggest strength. Cubs have previously tended towards avoidance-of-Achilles-heel guys, I think. Here the new boss seems to be taking a couple of guys with massive Achilles-heel problems, for now; but with the view that development may be able to correct those.
Will be interesting to see how they do.