Quote from LynchMob on June 10, 2020, 7:10 pm

Prediction: Mayo: Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio (Texas) HS -- There are some who consider Kelley to be the top prep arm in the class and he could easily go higher than here.

 

Nope: Justin Lange ... has hit 100 mph

Quote from fenn68 on June 10, 2020, 7:16 pm

Lange, Justin

Llano HS (TX)

P

R/R

HS SR

6' 4" 220lbs
DOB:09/11/01

Padres' Competitive Balance Pick at #34 .... HIGH UPSIDE ... late bloomer ... touching 100 MPH ... needs a lot of refinement but Padres are not in a hurry.

Quote from fenn68 on June 10, 2020, 7:17 pm

Quote from LynchMob on June 10, 2020, 7:10 pm

Prediction: Mayo: Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio (Texas) HS -- There are some who consider Kelley to be the top prep arm in the class and he could easily go higher than here.

 

Nope: Justin Lange ... has hit 100 mph

Getting the sense Kelley is committed to go to college ... having been passed by so many teams.

Quote from JasonE135 on June 10, 2020, 9:59 pm

Very pleased with our Padres first day picks! I must say I was hoping for Veen when I saw him fall to us but I believe in AJ. Hassell was definitely the most "sure thing" bat available to us at #8. Maybe he will have less power than Veen, but he has a better chance to hit and actually has a chance to play CF. Between Hassell and Head at least one should be able to play CF for us within the next 3 or so years.

I like Lange as well. He probably has close to as much upside as any pitcher in this draft. I normally really dislike pitchers who lack control, but it seems that this guy is very inexperienced and has a lot to learn. He is definitely a long way off, but he has a huge arm and might have gone much higher if he had been able to pitch this year and show off his new stuff. I love the true ACE upside. We have taken quite a few high-probability limited-upside arms high in the draft recently. We already have Paddack who looks like an ACE, Gore who may be another ACE and Lamet and Patino who could both become high quality #2s themselves. We have plenty of filler to fill in behind those guys. Now is the time to get a guy with a huge arm and true ACE upside who needs a lot of work and we can afford to wait on for our next run of rotation candidates. Besides which we have a pretty good pitching coach in Balsley who is now working with our minor leaguers. If anyone can unlock his potential...

Quote from LynchMob on June 10, 2020, 10:35 pm

https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-mlb-draft-day-1-complete-coverage

Here's what mlb.com sez about Lange ...

34. Padres: Justin Lange, RHP, Llano (Texas) HS
No shock to see the Padres gamble on upside, opting for a pitcher who topped out in the low 90s at the Area Code Games last August but reached triple digits this spring. He’s raw but flashes a plus mid-80s slider, and he’s a fast-twitch athlete with one of the best bodies in the Draft.

Quote from LynchMob on June 10, 2020, 10:44 pm

Just for the record ...

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2020-mlb-draft-tracker/

8. San Diego Padres

Player: Robert Hassell
Position: OF
School: Independence HS, Thompson's Station, Tenn.
BA Rank: 16

Skinny:

Scouts love Hassell's hitting potential, comparing him to bats like Jarred Kelenic and Riley Greene. He will need to grow into more power, but there aren't many holes in his game.

FULL SCOUTING REPORT

---

9. Colorado Rockies

Player: Zac Veen
Position: OF
School: Spruce Creek HS, Port Orange, Fla.
BA Rank: 7

Skinny:

Veen has drawn comps to Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger thanks to an ultra smooth swing, massive power potential and a 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame that's only getting stronger. A great feel for the strike zone is the cherry on top.

Quote from WindsorUK on June 11, 2020, 2:22 am

While Hassell appears to be a solid pick, passing on Veen must have been tough.

I don't quite get the fascination with the "he'll stick in CF"arguement. There's certainly a belief that Abrams( our number 1 position player) is headed to CF. Hudson Head also projecting as a legit CF. And if, god forbid, we get stupid and try to move Tatis off SS, where does he go? CF!

Where, though, are our top corner OF's/1B prospects? Trammel,Ornelas, Mears, Olivares......???? Seem a great deal thinner on the edges.

Hassell should be a solid professional. I just think Veen has the potential to be REALLY good.

 

Quote from fenn68 on June 11, 2020, 7:01 am

Think Glasser nailed it:

The Padres felt Robert Hassell was the top high school player in this class over Zac Veen going back awhile. Felt Hassell has the better bat, simple as that.

Sort of fits my mantra ... maximize the hit skill 1st then worry about the secondary skills.

I think the "power" issue is over played ... Hassell rated a "50". He is not a Juan Pierre type slap hitter. Abrams, Trammell, Head, Oliveras are all "50" power types. I do like Veen, but his power is only rated a "55" not "60". Note Campusano is a "55". Remember we are projecting 18 year olds.

I would not get hung up on Hassell's being able to stay in CF thinking that is the sole objective ... it is more representative of his speed and athletic skills that will play in all three OF positions ... he does have a "55" arm (same as Veen) so RF is in play. No "guarantee" that Head, Abrams, Trammell, Grisham or any of the minor leaguers will develop into elite ML players. (side: thinking the Padres will try to keep Abrams in the INF as long as they can).

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Lange is that upside pick to dream on. 6'4" / 220 ... just grew into that size ... velocity jumps going from his junior to senior years to touching 100 MPH. Even if it all does not come together to be an effective SP ... his FB is rated an elite "70" and backed by a slider at an above average "55" .... that fits a profile of a top flight RP. So maybe Lange has both some high ceiling and high floor. In a stacked farm system ... a very justifiable pick.

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Preller seems to be on form with "up the middle" HS types with upside in his early selections.

Quote from fenn68 on June 11, 2020, 7:13 am

Would not be surprised to see another HS type with the 2nd round pick before the College types start filling out rounds 3-5.

Never can out guess the bonus actually agreed upon but would seem both Hassell and Lange could come a bit under the slot allocation leaving some money to entice another HS prospect to sign .... hard to see having to go over slot on any college players at this stage of the draft .. especially if they end up non-drafted the max they get is $20K. I expect most of those non-drafted juniors will sign rather than go back to school (assuming a team makes an offer) ... not sure how much their slotting will rise by returning and likely most want to play.