What were the rounds for the two that didn't? Surprised there were any, really.
Seems weird that a team would spend a pick on a guy without a verbal agreement.
I suppose maybe teams sometimes take guys they really like, guys who say they want more, in the expectation that they'll settle for what you can give?
I agree. I am surprised at the low number. Not only do young men (and probably General Mangers) change their minds, but also it would be almost impossible to reach an "agreement" with everyone that a team might select in the first ten rounds. And even then, it could only be a general "idea" what it would take to sign a player.
But there is quite a lot of pressure on the clubs to sign their first 10 picks, since they lose the slot money for the pick. And a college junior runs the risk of having even less leverage as a senior. Probably the greatest danger is with high school players, and probably most clubs would not draft one unless they were fairly sure that they could reach an agreement. In many cases, the area scout has known the kid and his family for years, and has a pretty good understanding of what it would take.
What were the rounds for the two that didn't? Surprised there were any, really. Seems weird that a team would spend a pick on a guy without a verbal agreement. I suppose maybe teams sometimes take guys they really like, guys who say they want more, in the expectation that they'll settle for what you can give?
According to Baseball America, the 5'10" Zinn is a premium athlete who has the athleticism to stick at SS assuming he becomes more consistent in the field as he posted a 0.899 fielding average last year at a Mississippi CC. His bat is more questionable as he has 5-8 HR potential and 0.240-0.250 average potential - at best. He was also drafted by the Cubs last year.
Sixth rounder Chad Hockin pitched yesterday in Eugene, bypassing any innings in Mesa.
He pitched one inning, striking out two and a pop up. If he can keep that up for the rest of his career, he should be in good shape.
Cubs have signed 6th round pick Chad Hockin.... he was a 3B in high school. Converted to pitching in college. As a reliever, and with the elbow and academic issues perhaps limiting his junior innings (only 25 innings), his total college career sums to only 63 innings.
So I'd guess that despite being a college guy, having been a player>pitcher convert, with only 63 innings combined, what he might be future is probably not totally defined by a 63-inning college sample.
McLeod referred to him as a "power" pitcher, but the scouting report I saw alluded to working 90-93, which I'd consider relatively slow for a RH reliever. Said has maxed at like 97. Supposedly slider is his key pitch. I could go for a fastball-slider reliever, if he could bump his fastball a bit and throw strikes.
I believe that one or two of those drafted have had injury history. I don't remember if any have not yet had any necessary surgery. Even if they have already had surgery, the lure of top of the line rehab and training might well be substantial.
Another non-monetary inducement was seen in the acquisition of Cease. It seems the promise of having the Cubs pay for the surgery and rehab, with both probably beyond the finances of the Cease and his family for the same quality, might have been a large inducement in his signing.
If they are undrafted they are a free agent. Any signing bonus over $100,000 counts against the cap. Most of the undrafted players don't sign for much, although sometimes a high school kid will get a decent amount to sign, but it is rare now.
It's like any negotiation, baseball or otherwise, where one side has all the bargaining power.
We talked about this a bit in years past. Could be that some clubs make more clear to the player that will get real opportunity. Think that Ryan Williams got a rotation spot from get-go, so maybe that influenced his willingness to agree/sign for peanuts as a Cub. Yeah, bonus low but we're not going to bury you--just the opposite.
If a player goes entirely undrafted, is he then simply a true FA?
If a senior has a team contact him after the 7th round and asks him if he would sign for $X if the team takes him in the 9th round and $X is a third of slot and he says, "No, I won't sign for less than five times that amount," and he ends up entirely undrafted by anyone, is he then a completely unrestricted FA, able to sign with anyone for whatever they agree to? Or are teams prohibited from signing him for another year?
What happens?
Absolutely. But, last year the Cubs 7-10 guys signed for $5K, $30K, $2K, and $5K.
When they called Machin and said "Would you sign for $2K", why did the player say yes? He so expected not to get drafted at all that $2K and a shot in Arizona was better than going undrafted?
When they called Preston Morrison and said "Would you sign for $30K?", despite being such a successful college pitcher he apparently didn't think he'd be able to get even $40-50K on Day 3?
Craig Brooks didn't think he'd be able to get $10K on Day 3?
I guess it seems surprising that some of these guys have such low expectations that they agree to those kinds of deals.
As every year, I always wonder about the mind-set of the guys signing sub-slot. A 3rd-day pick can get paid up to $100K. I wonder how hard-nosed the teams are on low-pricing 3rd-day guys.
How many 3rd-day guys actually get $100K, vs $10 or $20?
How many 3rd-day seniors get >$20K?
How many 9th round senior-signs would go undrafted if they didn't take a 2nd-day subplot?
By agreeing to a super-cheap 9th or 8th round deal, what's the motive for the player to agree?
1. Getting drafted, as opposed to going undrafted entirely?
2. Getting paid better than what they'd get as a 3rd day pick?
3. The prestige of being a 2nd-day pick, for family and friends and grandchildren?
that's where the phone calls come into play...
will you sign for x amount?
if yes, take player...if no, move on to next name
My son did a quick Q & A with Duncan Robinson, his college classmate. Thought you all might be interested:
http://wrigleyville.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/06/21/catching-up-with-duncan-robinson-cubs-ninth-round-draft-pick/
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/sports/college/msu/baseball/2016/06/14/msu-pitcher-cam-vieaux-signs-pittsburgh-pirates/85893868/
Sounds like Mekkes is going to sign.
I see nothing that indicates he is leaning one way or the other.
Mekkes was discussed on the Fangraphs podcast. It sounds like he was a 90-92 fastball, but his delivery is odd. He's 6-7 and does a jump delivery similar to Carter Capps so that increases his effective velocity. He also has some sort of pause in the delivery to further throw off hitters timing. I might have to google him to see if I can find a video.
Hatch complete game shutout. 112 pitches.
No surprise but almost a lock that this late-rounder--who BA pegged as high 4th rounder--not signing with Cubs and will be going to Auburn. In past years, seems just the kind of HS prospect Cubs might give the bonus the player wanted and could sign. Not this year.
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburnauthority/2016/06/11/davis-daniel-rejects-mlb-bonus-offers-attend-auburn/85776064/
7th rounder DH/C Michael Cruz was HBP 20 times this season in 200 ABs.Gives new meaning to "designated hitter."
So, guessing he crowds the plate, has good plate coverage, has guts, and might be a surprise if Cubs can find a position for him. They passed on a lot of right-handed pitchers to draft this guy.
Hatch against South Carolina in the Regionals today:
7-4-0-0-2-3
Over slot candidate in round 31...Brenden Heiss from Jacobs HS in Elgin...has touched 96...
Cubs have taken ONE high school player in first 25 rounds--22nd round pitcher. And, this guy just had TJ surgery last month. See link below.
Assuming everybody signs for slot--other than the Sr. Dartmouth guy--seems like Cubs could pay bonus of about $365 to somebody after round 10--assuming the Senior signs for $5,000 or so. $110 pool overage, $155 saved on 9th round Sr, and $100,000 for the post-round 10 guy.
Maybe the HS guy with TJ?
http://timesleader.com/sports/high-school-baseball/541758/hazleton-areas-dante-biasi-will-have-tommy-john-surgery
For those of you interested, Hatch is on ESPN 2 pitching for OSU in the Super Regional right now.be careful with OSU. For most Yankees that's Ohio State.
Short can throw mid 90s...his stuff is more sneaky fast, and deceptive
The 5'8 lefty is Wyatt Short, who is Ole Miss's closer. He throws gas.
The 5'8 lefty is Wyatt Short, who is Ole Miss's closer. He throws gas.A 5'8" pitcher named Short. heh.
His most prized possession is having Jesus Christ as his savior.
Hatch works!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico_chile#/media/File:Hatch_green_chile.jpg
So far, all pitchers except for one catcher.
Robinson should up the draft class GPA and IQ.Doug Glanville?
Kyle Hendricks II?
Easy big boy, I'm sure it wasn't in chemistry.Atomic energy
Spelling, maybe.
Seems unusual for the Cubs to go after an "academic troubles" guy.
Chad Hockin, RHP, Cal State Fullerton
...The right-hander was on the shelf for what scouts were told was both for some academic trouble and because of elbow tenderness. ....
19 for a college junior is pretty young. He sounds interesting, lots of interesting guys on the scrap heap too.
Miller turns 20 next month, so not super young but he's got time. The report, "up to 93", "glimpse of a decent slider" don't sound super wow. 92K/107 innings in D2 isn't super overwhelming, either.
Clearly a projection guy for the development team. His delivery looks like it could get reworked.
This is the kind of guy that you have your scouting team for, and your development system. Hopefully scouting and development will work out well.
Miller enters the draft as a top-200 prospect at 189th overall, which – if holds – would make him the highest-ever selection in CBU history. Oaks currently holds that distinction after the Dodgers took him in the seventh round at 219th overall in 2014 after being the 199th-ranked prospect going into the draft.
The right-handed pitcher, Miller, was a three-time All-West Region selection in Division II this season after posting a 2.27 earned-run average and a 1.05 WHIP. He collected nine victories and struck out 92 batters in 107 innings.
Funkhowser to Det in the 4th.
Way less cool of a name.
Sounds a little like Aaron Nola (he said hopefully)...
Kyle Funkhouser, big RHP from Louisville
Oak Forest native, #35 overall pick last year by LAD (?), did not sign and went back to Louisville...
Kyle Funkhouser, big RHP from Louisville
Oak Forest native, #35 overall pick last year by LAD (?), did not sign and went back to Louisville...