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As my good friend Roger posted yesterday,
2018 MLB Mock Draft v 2.0 https://t.co/ijCdLoTvJ6
— FanGraphs Baseball (@fangraphs) May 15, 2018
That’s it, right? We can pack it all up, and go home, because the Giants are clearly going to draft Joey Bart, right? Fangraphs is only the latest to make this connection, and for the last week, Bart’s been the hot name. And while some Giants fans are a little, well, meh on him…
The comments below our mock are negative toward Bart for some reason. Yeah I know, don’t read the comments. He hit two bombs last night and did this. He’s really good: 65 raw, 65 arm, 55 or 60 defender https://t.co/9CI9CbpljU
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) May 15, 2018
Here is Joey Bart blocking a curveball and still nailing the base stealer. #2018MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/uFgns5uUdh
— Josh Nelson (@soxmachine_josh) May 9, 2018
I admit, Bart doesn’t excite me too much, because the bat isn’t at the some level as someone like Bohm. But the defense is superior at a key defensive position, and let’s face it, we’re a team that is going to start developing catchers like it’s the antithesis of developing left fielders.
That all said, the one thing I’ve learned about drafts is this.
Is everyone saying the Giants are going to take Bart?
Well, they aren’t taking Bart.
And this isn’t about the Giants being close to the vest or anything. It’s that this spot in the draft is going to be too easy to blow up. No one can predict this. Let me give you five other names and the reason why we’ll hear them in a little over two weeks.
- Alec Bohm, 3B - If the Giants are going hard after Bart, the Phillies seem to be just as in on Bohm. And while pissing off Phillies fans is an amazing reason in and of itself, the real reason is that drafting Bohm will give the Giants the excuse to move Jacob Gonzalez to LF sooner rather than later.
- Brady Singer, RHP - Because Singer is simply the highest floor in the draft, arguably even higher than Casey Mize. If you’re drafting this high, don’t mess it up.
- Casey Mize, RHP - What if all this scouting of Bart is just the Giants going all reverse-Kevin Costner on the draft, making everyone think there’s something really right with Bart, and tricking the Tigers into taking Bart and letting Mize fall to #2? Don’t tell me you don’t think Sabean is capable of such machinations.
- Jonathan India, SS/3B - He’s not exactly Bohm, but India’s got the right helium at the right time, and could be the hot pick on the night that picks actually get made.
- Ryan Rolison, LHP - Because the Giants want to watch the world burn in the comments on McC.
Also Of Note From The FanGraphs Mock Draft
If you didn’t click on the link up above, go ahead and click it here. I’m just pointing it out because FanGraphs adds:
Skyscraping Kentucky RHP Sean Hjelle is a target in the second round.
Jim Callis Has His Mock Draft Up, Too
The #MLBDraft is three weeks from Monday! Here's @jimcallisMLB's first mock for the full first round -- all 35 picks: https://t.co/jtztRlQf0o pic.twitter.com/ADFOVuJIRZ
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 11, 2018
Before you click that link, just try and guess who the Giants are said to be picking. Try.
Or I could let Jim spoil it for you.
Well, it's three-plus weeks until @MLBDraft today, so nothing is set in stone. I do think if the draft were today, the @SFGiants would pick between Bart & Singer at 2. https://t.co/FJ5R1C9dlv
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) May 11, 2018
Think there's a good chance one of Bart/Singer goes 2 to @SFGiants and the other goes 5 to @Reds. Feels like @Phillies are all over Bohm right now. @WhiteSox could take Bart at 4. @MLBDraft https://t.co/u7nfxpZoax
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) May 11, 2018
Callis had some good thoughts on other Giants-connected names in his draft tweet chat. Let me highlight some big ones.
"If he can pitch with more control" is the key phrase there. Singer is a lock starter to me. McClanahan might be a starter, might be a reliever, has TJ surgery on his medical record. I like McClanahan but prefer Singer. Some teams would disagree with me. @MLBDraft https://t.co/c0PytMQdoU
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) May 11, 2018
Silly to me. Singer is the same guy he has been previously at Florida and on the Cape. The arm slot is too low for some, the stuff isn't wipeout for some, but the guys has great feel for good stuff & the competitiveness & makeup are off the charts. Count me as all in. @MLBDraft https://t.co/3xSjA9kkWy
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) May 11, 2018
Decent chance. Don't think Madrigal goes 1 or 2, @WhiteSox at 4 might be best bet ahead of @Mets at 6. @MLBDraft https://t.co/jVuBsDlAug
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) May 11, 2018
Bohm highest ceiling if you're in the group that sees 70 raw power and a future 3B. I might go Madrigal for both. His ceiling could be .300, 15 HR, 30 SB, good defense at 2B. @MLBDraft https://t.co/QAdrk5Gz1d
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) May 11, 2018
Bohm's proponents say he can be a decent to average third baseman. Others see him as a 1B, maybe LF. You're drafting him for the bat. @MLBDraft https://t.co/WIUqAFwhBj
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) May 11, 2018
Perfect Game Mock Draft v2.0
This is an interesting direction to predict the Giants going after this week: Carter Stewart. It’s not that Stewart isn’t a possibility, his name has just been not mentioned much lately.
The Sporting News has a Mock Draft For You
I remember when I loved The Sporting News and thought their word was the one to listen to in sports. I was young. Or maybe they just got old. Anyways, they have released their own MLB mock draft, and….they seem to be two weeks behind. They have the Giants taking Liberatore, Bart going #6, Hankins just behind him at #7, and Alec Bohm at #12.
Maybe they’re just being trendy going with first impressions?
Speaking of Liberatore
Matthew Liberatore retires from the mound via pitch count with one out in the bottom of the seventh. - final pitched game for senior left-hander in his prep career. Allowed four hits walked four and struck out 10.
— Les Willsey (@AZPreps365Les) May 13, 2018
He’s still in that mix, despite The Sporting News.
Next week, Roger and I will chat up the Giants choices with just a couple of weeks left.