Reds Bank On Senzel Having Impact

A quick look at the how the Central Division teams fared in the 2016 MLB draft.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Theme of their draft: The White Sox haven’t drafted a catcher who became a regular since Chris Stewart in 2001 and expect Zack Collins to end that streak. He started a college-heavy streak that included only one prep player (SS Luis Curbelo, 6th) in the first 25 rounds. Collins and righthander Zack Burdi (1) should move quickly, as could fairly polished bats in outfielders Alex Call (3) and Jameson Fisher (4).

Upside Guy: Oklahoma’s weekend rotation was supposed to be its strength, but righthanders Alec Hansen (2) and Jake Elliott (15) had inconsistent springs that dragged down both the Sooners and their draft stock. Hansen, once ranked No. 2 among all college draft prospects, still has Garrett Richards upside with an upper-90s fastball, and the White Sox have fixed pitchers like him before. The 6-foot-7 Elliott doesn’t throw as hard but has size, a low-90s heater and the downhill plane (at his best) to be a groundball machine.

CLEVELAND INDIANS

Theme of their draft: Balance. Cleveland started with long-levered prep bats in Will Benson and Nolan Jones, who both check in at 6-foot-5, and added intriguing high school hitters in Ulysses Cantu (6) and speedsters outfielder Connor Capel (5) and shortstop Samad Taylor (10), the latter two among the the fastest runners in the prep class. Collegians such as catcher Logan Ice (2s) and righthanders Aaron Civale (3) and Shane Bieber (4) provide the balance, with Civale having intriguing upside as a fairly fresh power Northeast arm.

Upside Guy: If they’re signable, shortstop Ben Baird (20) and righthander Wil Crowe (21) have top-five-rounds talent. Baird has a chance to stay at shortstop with a lean frame and good body control. Crowe has a power arm and some SEC track record that was interrupted by Tommy John surgery. He’s told South Carolina teammates he’ll be returning to school but he has hit 95 mph since returning to the mound this summer.

DETROIT TIGERS

Theme of their draft: Detroit only had one pick in the first three rounds and used it on one of the hardest throwers in the draft in prep righthander Matt Manning, who was expected to command a $4-5 million bonus. He’s reached 99 mph from his 6-foot-6 frame and was one of two prep picks the Tigers made in the first 30 rounds. The Tigers took pitchers with their first five picks, with 2015 first-rounder Kyle Funkhouser (4) and college relievers Mark Ecker (5) and Bryan Garcia (6) also providing upside.

Upside Guy: He might be a tough sign, but righthander Keegan Thompson (33) was a USA Baseball ace in high school and the ace on two troubled Auburn teams before going down with Tommy John surgery. He didn’t pitch in the 2016 season but has had an advanced curveball and strike-throwing ability from a young age when healthy. Prep shortstops Drew Mendoza (36) and Josh Smith (38) were expected to head to college. Among more signable players, check Minnesota catcher Austin Athmann (14), who has a strong bat but an injury-riddled past.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

Theme of their draft: The Royals didn’t pick in the first round, but top pick A.J. Puckett (2) has fastball command to rival any other 2016 draftee. He’s the kind of college performer the team across the state of Missouri in St. Louis is known for taking but could move quickly for an organization that could use starting pitching. The resulting small bonus pool from its lack of a first-rounder resulted in a college-heavy class, with athletic outfielders Khalil Lee (3) and Cal Jones (6) fitting the more traditional Royals tools-and-upside mold.

Upside Guy: He might not have a position, but Austin Peay’s Logan Gray was considered one of the better college bats available in the Southeast and has righthanded power. The Royals announced him as a second baseman, and Gray may hit for enough power to handle a move to first base or left field.

MINNESOTA TWINS

Theme of their draft: Twins gonna Twin … Minnesota might be struggling mightily at the major league level but it attacked this draft with a long-term vision, going for four high school bats with its first four picks as it attempts to restock its farm system’s lower levels. Athleticism and lofty grades for their hit tools link outfielders Alex Kirilloff (1) and Akil Baddoo (2s), while catcher Ben Rortvedt (2) and shortstop Jose Miranda (2s) both have a chance to stay up the middle of the diamond.

Upside Guy: The Twins’ constant search for homegrown power arms pointed them toward righthander Griffin Jax (3), who will have to work out his Air Force commitment, as well as righthander Alex Schick (6), who missed most of the season for Cal with a knee injury. But righthander Tyler Benninghoff (11) is the real wild card, a projectable Kansas City-area prep who has shown three average pitches when healthy. A nerve injury to his throwing arm may have pushed him out of the top 10 rounds, but his bonus ask remains robust.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CHICAGO CUBS

THEME OF THE DRAFT: Safety first. The Cubs didn’t pick until the third round, with their first selection No. 104 overall (Oklahoma State righthander Thomas Hatch), and they have the smallest bonus pool at just over $2.45 million. In that vein, the Cubs stuck to college players, as they drafted their first prep player in Round 22 (Dante Biasi out of manager Joe Maddon’s home, Hazleton Area High in Pennsylvania). Chicago also took just one hitter in the first 16 rounds with bat-first catcher Michael Cruz (7).

Upside Guy: Righthanders Bailey Clark (5) and Chad Hockin (6) have fastballs that can reach the upper 90s. Clark has an outside chance to start but likely will wind up in the bullpen, where Hockin pitched for Cal State Fullerton and flashed a true power slider that scrapes the upper 80s.

CINCINNATI REDS

Theme of their draft: Spread the wealth. With a farm system that tilts toward pitchers, the Reds got the draft’s most polished bat in Nick Senzel, one of the top prep outfielders in Taylor Trammell and two interesting college catchers in Chris Okey (2) and Cassidy Brown (12). Brown was one of just two other hitters the Reds picked between the second round and the 16th. The Reds still got some arms with upside, including prep righties Nick Hanson (3) and Tyler Mondile (6) and Florida lefty Scott Moss (4). All could get above-slot bonuses as Cincinnati saved money with seniors in rounds 7-10.

Upside Guy: Righthander Ryan Hendrix (6) has a fastball up to 95-99 mph and an electric curveball but hasn’t been able to throw strikes this spring for Texas A&M. If the Reds straighten him out, he could rocket to the big leagues as an impact reliever.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Theme of their draft: Upside. Milwaukee went hard after position players with its first three selections, taking college bats with upside at No. 5 overall (Corey Ray) and third baseman Lucas Erceg (2) at No. 46. Both have athleticism and some projection, particularly if Ray can improve defensively and play center field. Three college power arms—righthanders Braden Webb, Corbin Burnes and Zack Brown—in rounds 3-5 all have the potential to start but might wind up in the bullpen, with Webb a wild card as a draft-eligible freshman with power stuff but a checkered medical history. The Brewers also picked intriguing high school bats in Mario Feliciano (3), Payton Henry (6), Francisco Thomas (7) and Chad McClanahan (11).

Upside Guy: Alabama signee Zach Clark (19) has tons of tools and is a potential power-speed combo, and the Brewers will follow the Pearl River (Miss.) CC outfielder as he plays in the Cape Cod League this summer. If he’s signable, he’d have as much upside as any bat the Brewers drafted, save for their top two selections.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Theme of their draft: Projectable arms. The Pirates started with third baseman Will Craig (1), and it wasn’t even a surprise when he was announced as a pitcher considering his arm strength and the Pirates’ confidence in their ability to develop pitchers. They wanted Craig’s bat but also took three prep arms in the first four rounds with lefthanders Nick Lodolo (1s) and Braeden Ogle (4) and righthander Travis MacGregor (2). Pittsburgh scouting director Joe DelliCarri helped organize the Florida Diamond Club event, and MacGregor and Ogle are Diamond Club alumni.

Upside Guy: Righthander Max Kranick (11) was part of a very strong year for prep talent in Pennsylvania and was expected to be a tough sign thanks to a Virginia commitment. He has physicality, arm strength and a present solid secondary pitch in his changeup, and fits the mold of high-upside prep arms the Pirates have pursued aggressively in recent years.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

Theme of their draft: New scouting director, old theme—the Cardinals went for college performers and mixed in some prep bats with a chance to hit. They handcuffed the top shortstop in the draft, Puerto Rico’s Delvin Perez and his PED-positive drug test, with outfielder Dylan Carlson, a high-floor Californian who’s the son of a coach and has impeccable makeup. At picks 34 and 70 overall, St. Louis got college starters (Dakota Hudson and Connor Jones) who were at one time each projected for the first 20 picks.

Upside Guy: Wichita State righty Sam Tewes (8) had a chance to be one of the draft’s better college arms before he went down with elbow surgery that required Tommy John surgery. When healthy, Tewes has an above-average fastball and improved curveball as well as high-level control for a hard thrower. If he signs—he’s an eligible sophomore and has some leverage—he’d join Hudson and Jones among the best arms the Cardinals drafted.