2029 FIRST YEAR PLAYER DRAFT
I will follow the top 10 rated players, until they are all picked. I am drafting 8th overall, with a compensation pick as well. So I have picks 8, 41, 54, 94, 126 and 137 of the first 139 picks (5 rounds). I’ll look to the best available talent, as I have money to spend and can afford a high bonus kid in the later rounds. Number in brackets at the end of the pick is the ranked position of the prospect by the OSA scouting department.
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1) Boston Bombers-Joe Thies (18) R/R 6’2” 180 lbs OF/P Acalanes HS, CA-No one has any idea which way he’s going. The ultimate 2 way player who can be an ace or a middle to the order franchise bat. (10)
2) Tulsa Drillers-William Smith (21) R/R 6’ 190 SP Arkansas-Pine Bluff U-Big time arm. Low to mid 90’s with body to eat huge innings. Issue for our guys was the fact his teammates can’t stand him. Not a small thing. (3)
3) Staten Island Yankees-Luis Martinez (21) R/R 6’ 190 SP U. of Texas-Monster arm. Touches triple digits often with a 5 pitch mix. Has an awesome personality but many question his poor work ethic as a reason he should have dropped. (7)
4) Hawaii Warriors-Al Harden (21) R/R 6’3” 195 OF U. of Mississippi-Leadoff speed and a gold glove center fielder. Defensively could start today, bat has a ways to go.
5) Arizona Rattlers-Flint Brown (20) L/R 6’ 200 C Southern U, Baton Rouge, LA-OSA had him as the #1 overall prospect. Big power, leader on and off the field. (1)
6) Brooklyn Cyclones-Xavier Green (21) R/R 6’ 190 SP U of Michigan-One of 4 Wolverine pitchers rated as a 1st round talent. Mid to upper 90’s fastball, great 3 pitch mix, could likely go straight to AA. Many had him as the #1 arm on the board. (2)
7) Green Bay Blizzard-Herman O’Dell (22) S/R 6’ 195 SP Southern Mississippi-As durable as they come, mixing 6 legitimate pitches with his 93 to 95. Smart kid. (4)
8) Alaska Avalanche-James Martin (21) R/R 6’3” 190 IF U. of Illinois (5)
THOUGHTS-Our guys think Jason Martin is the pick. He’s a 6’3” 190 pound infielder, playing 2B, SS and 3B as well as a good LF and serviceable CF. Decent speed (13) but a very good bat with a fantastic eye everyone believes will only get better (15). Outstanding IF range, and a cannon to go with it. Played every inning of every game in his college career, scouts love his durability. Issues? He’s complacent, and his work ethic concerns some. He’s asking 4.2, which is 2.4 over slot. We certainly have it to spend. The other guys at the top of our board are both relievers, and it’s far too early to grab a bullpen arm. Angel Gonzalez is a SP ranked high, but his health is a concern.
9) Sacramento Express-Hanley Ramirez (18) R/R 6’2” 225 IF Florida International-toolsy guy with big speed big range and a big arm. Potential 25 homer guy who can play SS but might end up at 3B. Late entry into the draft pool from the MLB group.
10) Tulsa Drillers (2)-Martin Perez (21) R/R 6’1” 185 OF St. Vincent College, PA-Off the charts runner and defender in CF/LF. Projects as a leadoff guy, good gap power, good eye. No pop and k’s a bit much for many scouts. A nice set of picks for the Drillers, 2 top 10 prospects with 2 top 10 picks. (9)
11) San Antonio Silver Stars-Matt Holliday (19) R/R 6’4” 250 OF U of Illinois-Monster kid, monster bat. Runs extremely well for a kid his size. MLB prospect late to the draft.
12) Corpus Christi Hooks-Aubrey Browning (17) S/R 6’ 170 IF Crestview HS, Ashland, OH-A consensus top 10. Big speed, bat projects as a 2-3 hitter, no pop. Outstanding strike zone awareness and a hard worker who’s supposedly a great teammate. (8)
13) Columbus Clippers-Nathan Neal (19) R/R 5’11” 175 SP Aquinas HS, Overland Park, KS-Big arm on a smaller frame. 93-95 and a smart ass too boot. Had issues with teammates but it wasn’t when he had the ball in his hand. OSA’s 6th overall prospect and Columbus is ecstatic that he was still here. (6)
That’s the top 10 prospects. I am after Cody Sykes (SP out of Dallas Baptist, HUGE righty. He’s 6’7”, upper 90’s) or a little righty named Melvin Barnes out of San Diego State. A polished 89-90 kid with sniper control. Durable as hell and an innings eater.
1st Round Supplemental 12th pick. 41st overall-Cody Sykes (20) R/R 6’7” 215 SP Dallas Baptist
THOUGHTS-Sykes is here, and I am taking him. But there is a kid, 18 year old out of Canada, Christophe Barreau, whom I have on my radar. 20s across the board on speed, a RHH who scouts believe could bunt every AB and hit .320. Great eye, makes contact and is a supreme defender across the outfield. We are taking Sykes and hoping that Barreau can make it 13 more picks!
And I’ll be damned if Chicago doesn’t snatch Barreau with the very next pick. Crap. I’ll stalk that one, see if I can’t swing a trade down the line
The top 5 on our board now are all college closers. Huge arms, all upper 90’s.
Top hitter we have on the board is CF Kenny Hammond out of St Johns.
And ****, Chicago takes Hammond with their next supplemental pick….
2nd Round 54th overall pick-Roy Seaman (21) R/R SP-U of Toronto
3rd Round-Milton Sweeney (18) L/L OF/1B 21 Century Academy, Chattanooga, TN
4th Round-Roger Sepkiechler (18) R/R IF Robinson HS, Concord, NC
4th Round-Jeff Jackson (18) S/R 1B Weatherford HS, TX
5th Round-Michael O’Neal (21) L/L OF/1B U of Mississippi
6-Mike Bowman (18) 1B L/L Somerville HS, NJ
8-Claude Curlee (20) OF L/L Washington State
9-Paul Brown (20) R/R SP Ohio State
10-Paul Hensley (18) R/R SS Breaux Bridge HS, LA
11-Ralph Kelley (18) R/R SP Madison HS, OR
12-Jesse Marshall (23) R/R C LSU
13-Reid Henry (21) R/R 1B U of San Diego
14-Wayne Wade (18) R/R SS Bellport HS, NY
15-Thomas Ward (21) R/R SP Alabama A&M
16-Jeff Gilligan (20) R/R SS Seminole CC
17-Dan Reynolds (22) R/R SP Nova Southeastern HS, FL
18-Troy Walker (19) R/R SS Cross HS, CT
19-Thatcher Johnson (18) R/R SS West Point HS, MS
20-Harvey King (18) S/R C Maumee HS, OH
21-Edward Saunders (19) L/L SP Northern Valley Regional HS, NJ
22-Harry Phillips (19) R/R C Owensboro Catholic HS, KY
23-Erik Bradford (18) L/L 1B Abbeville Christian Academy, AL
24-Tony Clark (18) R/R OF Largo HS, MD
25-Tim Jones (20) S/R SP U of Arizona
26-Fred Houghton (22) L/L OF Long Beach State
27-Edgar Cisneros (17) R/R SP Shorecrest HS, WA
28-Craig Pittman (20) R/R SP Le Moyne U.
29-Eric Green (18) R/R SP Oak Grove HS, MO
30-Kelly Hayes (18) S/R SP Segerstrom HS, CA