For a lucky few ballplayers, being selected in the MLB Draft is one of the best moments of their lives.
Advertisement
This year, the Philadelphia Phillies changed all that and selected Mickey Moniak, a high school outfielder from La Costa Canyon (CA) High School with the first pick. “Jeez, it’s indescribable”, he said on the MLB Network broadcast of the event in New Jersey.
Overall, I like this pick and I believe Moniak can be a solid Major League Baseball player for over 10 years with the Phillies. “I’m excited to hopefully prove the Phillies right”.
Tennessee third baseman Nick Senzel went second to Cincinnati, giving the Reds a potential slugger for the middle of their lineup. He was the top high school pitcher for the 2016 draft for quite some time, and last season transferred to the highly regarded IMG Academy in Florida.
RILEY PINT, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas H.S. (Kansas), 6-4, 195.
Moniak had a busy summer of showcase events, which included participating in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park, previous year and he said that’s when he started getting the idea he could be a first-round draft pick.
The Phillies’ strategy to spend heavily on their first three picks forced them to choose college players – who usually require a lower signing bonus – with their final seven picks Friday.
At 6-foot-7, Puk throws a mid-to-high 90s fastball and is said to have above average breaking pitches.
Puk was projected by many to become the No. 1 pick in the draft, but command is an issue. Check out our top 5 list of things to know about the superstar 18-year-old!
Lauer may not have ace upside, but it’s impossible to ignore what he did this spring on his way to Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year honors.
“We’re confident we are going to signing him”, Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said. When he stays balanced and online, he is very hard for hitters to square up, even if they make contact. Quantrill also easily got family bragging rights: his father was a sixth-rounder by Boston in 1989. MLB.com and Perfect Game USA both had him as their top overall player, while ESPN’s Keith Law had him second, and Baseball America had him third. Although he originally agreed to attend the highly sought after university as a high school freshman, the Bruins may have little chance of actually keeping the left-handed hitter committed now that he’s wanted by the pros.
So, how did that decision go down in SEC country? “It will be big for me”. I can’t help but notice the wind-up with glove over the head, quick pause, and then back to the chest reminds one of Cole Hamels, but it seems like that’s a work in progress.
Advertisement
The Red Sox have made their first pick of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft – and their first pick of the two available to them here on day one.
