[Westheim]

2059 DRAFT POOL ANALYSIS

What good things were in store for the Raccoons with yet another #13 pick in 2ß59? Head scout “Banjo” Pigg had gone through the newest iteration of a draft pool and had obediently compiled me a 139-strong shortlist. It was yet another year where the best young pitchers just sparkled brighter than the best young position players, as evidenced by the selection on this dozen-or-so players on the official Portland Raccoons Hotlist ™ (* high school player):

SP Matt Asplund (15/13/15) * – BNN #5
SP Ian Lowry (11/13/11) *
SP Tyler Spivey (13/12/11) *
SP Bobby MacDonald (13/15/10) – BNN #6
SP Brett Bebout (12/16/14) *
SP/CL Matt Martin (16/16/10) *

C/1B John Vaillancourt (10/13/10) *

INF/LF/RF Kyle Reber (14/5/8) * – BNN #2
1B Jon Herbert (8/14/10) *
SS Steve McCutcheon (11/7/12)

OF/1B/3B Dallas Baker (10/12/10) – BNN #8
OF/1B Joe Washington (10/11/13)

“Banjo” was personally not enthused by a couple of these, but they were for example quite highly rated by BNN and whatever the bobbleheads in the sports press threw up and together. There was little agreement between our hotlist and the BNN top 10 in general, although there were few real outliers, f.e. BNN’s #1, OF Brent Campbell, was just outside our hotlist and would have been on if he wasn’t so nonchalant about striking out. We knew all about it – he was playing his college ball right here in Portland, but wasn’t a local kid and actually hailed from Alabama.

Matt Martin might have the best stuff of all the pitchers in the draft, if you looked at only two pitches, which included his wipeout slider, and not three pitches, which would include his very rough changeup. Worst case, the right-hander would make for a murder closer.

None of the three high school position players was particularly adept defensively, but McCutcheon looked like a guy that could be an elite defensive shortstop with blistering speed and the ability to also actually hit his way on base. He looked like Lonzo, actually, except with some more power and a better glove.

Yes, we’re still drafting 13th.

Yes, Lonzo, I still love you very much. How’s the shoulder coming along? – (Lonzo shows his scars from surgery) – (hacks)