A bit of a strange draft for us as it was the first time in recent memory we didn't have a supplemental pick (or two or five) for losing a big-name free agent. JDLC was the only free agent eligible for compensation and he wasn't getting the qualifying offer. Anyway here's the skinny on our top picks:
Hayes: Our first round pick has the nickname "The Dominator", so if he's as anywhere near as good as Dale Earnhardt or Dominik Hasek were in their respective sports I'll be thrilled. Tremendous raw power, excellent baserunner, has some positional versatility although one would like him to stay in center. Only drawback is his contact tool will be average at best. Our top scout Rob Metzler uses the "reliable hitter in the organization's grand scheme" line for him.
Willard: Willard's a 19-year-old starting pitcher who went to JuCo in Arizona for a year. He throws 100+ and is a groundballer so he keeps the ball in the park. He might ultimately be destined for the bullpen, but he's definitely intriguing. OSA says top of rotation potential, Metzler says back-end, which is probably more accurate.
Loya: Organizationally we need another 1B like we need a hole in the head, but Loya has a bit of a different profile. He's more contact than power with a potential 75 or 80 contact tool depending on whether you believe Metzler (who's always more bearish) or OSA. He's potential 50/55 on power so it's not like he's a pure singles hitter, but I like drafting tools that register as blue on the scale.
Whitmore: A high-school starter from Wisconsin, Whitmore projects to have above-average stuff with above-average control with the potential of being a #3 (OSA) or #5 (Metzler). I see a poor man's Alec Sachais here potentially.
Burnett: A high school hitter from Rhode Island, Burnett has the potential to be above-average in all the hitting tools if not elite in any of them. He also has decent speed and a decent outfield arm, and both Metzler and OSA like him in their scouting blurbs.
Gamez: Gamez is a high-schooler out of California who projects as a prototypical CF, high contact skills, marginal power, avoids Ks. His eye isn't projected to be great, and he's probably a fourth outfielder realistically but you never know.