Quote from Brown Boot on May 24, 2018, 8:40 pm

Latest draft news has us Taking Liberatore

Quote from fenn68 on May 25, 2018, 7:19 am

With Jim Callis projecting the Padres taking Liberatore .... after the first six picks were college prospects ... now we sit with 4 or 5 HS pitchers being in play depending on which mock draft you like ... and given the apparent open field of HS pitchers there when the Padres pick a lot of pressure to get this one right.

Callis' comments on Liberatore:

7. Padres: Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Mountain Ridge HS (Glendale, Ariz.)

The run on collegians figures to stop here, though San Diego does like Swaggerty. The Padres are expected to choose from the top tier of high school arms: Liberatore, right-hander Carter Stewart (Florida), left-hander Ryan Weathers (Tennessee) and Winn. Liberatore is the consensus top prep pitching prospect, but all four guys are in play.

Quote from Booster SD on May 25, 2018, 8:02 am

Liberatore is a kid I have called so many games for over the past 6 years here in the Valley. It would be funny/strange to see him drafted by the Padres. I have also called a ton of games with Gorman as well. Both kids that I have seen grow up over the years. I think I started calling games for their teams when they were 10 or 11 years old.

Quote from fenn68 on May 25, 2018, 9:16 am

Just got done reading a Baseball America article from a couple of days ago about drafting HS RH pitchers ... in the top 10.

The take-away is that HS RHP taken in the first 10 picks have UNDERPERFORMED HS RHP taken later in the 1st round and even later. The baseline study was drafts 2003 - 2013 and used WAR as a measure. (note they did not comment on HS LHP).

With that as a back drop, many teams are just not going for HS RHP early believing they can get the same (or better) value with their latter picks and shift their focus on the quicker return college types.

Does sort of explain the thought by many that picks #1-6 this year go college before the Padres select. The other factor is that there appears to be a lot of HS RHP available with not any one being elite above the pack ... so seeing if one slides to any team's second pick may be reasonable.

If that plays out and Padres sit at #7 with a full field of HS pitchers ... could their "best player available" skew to a HS LHP since we know Preller likes younger players to develop ... a edge for Liberatore? Could the Padres move to college pitchers ... the main college bats seem to be destined for the top 6 leaving maybe the 3rd best college pitcher available (Mize and Singer should be gone)? On the other hand, the best HS position player (whomever that may be) should be still available and a alternative to any pitcher if they think there will be enough value in a young pitcher when they make their pick in the Comp Round and getting "better" position players later in the draft is less likely than "better" pitchers.

Well, Preller is in both a good and risky position ... a lot of options with no clear pick (or even a clear cluster of 2-3 players). Should be interesting.

Quote from padscharg on May 25, 2018, 9:26 am

Quote from Booster SD on May 25, 2018, 8:02 am

Liberatore is a kid I have called so many games for over the past 6 years here in the Valley. It would be funny/strange to see him drafted by the Padres. I have also called a ton of games with Gorman as well. Both kids that I have seen grow up over the years. I think I started calling games for their teams when they were 10 or 11 years old.

What are your impressions on Liberatore and Gorman, Booster?

Quote from Brown Boot on May 25, 2018, 9:46 am

Quote from fenn68 on May 25, 2018, 9:16 am

Just got done reading a Baseball America article from a couple of days ago about drafting HS RH pitchers ... in the top 10.

The take-away is that HS RHP taken in the first 10 picks have UNDERPERFORMED HS RHP taken later in the 1st round and even later. The baseline study was drafts 2003 - 2013 and used WAR as a measure. (note they did not comment on HS LHP).

With that as a back drop, many teams are just not going for HS RHP early believing they can get the same (or better) value with their latter picks and shift their focus on the quicker return college types.

Does sort of explain the thought by many that picks #1-6 this year go college before the Padres select. The other factor is that there appears to be a lot of HS RHP available with not any one being elite above the pack ... so seeing if one slides to any team's second pick may be reasonable.

If that plays out and Padres sit at #7 with a full field of HS pitchers ... could their "best player available" skew to a HS LHP since we know Preller likes younger players to develop ... a edge for Liberatore? Could the Padres move to college pitchers ... the main college bats seem to be destined for the top 6 leaving maybe the 3rd best college pitcher available (Mize and Singer should be gone)? On the other hand, the best HS position player (whomever that may be) should be still available and a alternative to any pitcher if they think there will be enough value in a young pitcher when they make their pick in the Comp Round and getting "better" position players later in the draft is less likely than "better" pitchers.

Well, Preller is in both a good and risky position ... a lot of options with no clear pick (or even a clear cluster of 2-3 players). Should be interesting.

I'd guess the reason the HS RHP fail at such a high  rate over the later guys is the scouts get enamored with fantastic arm strength. Especially in the past , throwing 97 was more important than mechanics or pitchability

Quote from MrPadre19 on May 25, 2018, 11:41 am

Nick Madrigal = Freddie Patek

 

Edit:I just looked....stats show Madrigal is 5'8"

I'm thinking that is being kind......

Quote from David Jay on May 25, 2018, 11:51 am

Quote from David Nevin on May 25, 2018, 11:41 am

Nick Madrigal = Freddie Patek

 

Edit:I just looked....stats show Madrigal is 5'8"

I'm thinking that is being kind......

Nick Madrigal = Luis Urias with slightly better speed and slightly worse arm.

Whether he'll be able to deploy his skillset as effectively as Luis has once he reaches the pros is certainly an open question though.

Quote from fenn68 on May 25, 2018, 11:58 am

Quote from David Nevin on May 25, 2018, 11:41 am

Nick Madrigal = Freddie Patek

 

Edit:I just looked....stats show Madrigal is 5'8"

I'm thinking that is being kind......

Madrigal sort of looks like a clone of Urias .... small of stature but with great bat to ball skills and quality defense and gap power at best. Loved by the stats guys and I would guess a very "safe" pick to end up a long term quality ML regular. However, as a top 5 pick, is that enough of an impact? Of course this could be a reflection of the quality (risk) of the other options as much as the quality of Madrigal.

He is sort of a different type to achieve top 5 status given past drafts.