I’ve got some more analysis of the Gerrit Cole pick below. Today the second round opens at noon and the Pirates pick first at #61. Pirates Prospects has a look at some players available with the pick, highlighted by two hard-sign high schoolers: Josh Bell, a switch hitting corner outfielder with power potential and LHP Daniel Norris. Personally, I’d love to see the Pirates blow the draft budget out of the water and go for Bell and spend $20 million on this draft since it’s the last one under the current CBA, but I’m not sure they’ll take a second-rounder that might not sign for less than $5 or $6 million.
We can use this post as an open thread and I’ll update the body of the post with interesting picks as they happen. I won’t be around right at noon, but I should be back shortly after and able to check in throughout the afternoon.
UPDATE: Well, look at that. They drafted Bell.
UPDATE #2: Third round pick is left-handed OF/1B Alex Dickerson, from Indiana University. He won the Big 10 triple crown as a sophomore, but apparently fell off a bit this year with the new bats, which may be why he was available in the third round. He was BA’s 42nd ranked prospect, though, which makes him a solid pick at 91.
Fourth Round: Colten Brewer, a 6’4″ right-handed high school pitcher from Texas. Neal Huntington has never, ever drafted a player that could be described with similar words.
UPDATE #4: Let’s see, in the fifth round the Bucs took Tyler Glasnow a (brace yourself) 6’7″ high school lefty with a low/mid 90s fastball. In the sixth round they took Auburn third baseman Daniel Gamache, who had a good sophomore year but struggled a bit as a junior. In the seventh round they just picked Jake Burnette, another 6’4″ high school righty with a college commitment. Seems like things are going about they way they usually go at this point in the draft for Huntington and company.
