2013 MLB Draft: National League West Summary and Review
http://0rz.tw/QYODs
Arizona Diamondbacks:
1-15) Braden Shipley, RHP, Nevada
1-36) Aaron Blair, RHP, Marshall
2-52) Justin Williams, OF, Terrebonne HS, Houma, LA
3-88) Daniel Palka, 1B, Georiga Tech
Other Picks of Interest: 4) Matt McPhearson, OF, Maryland HS; 7) Daniel
Gibson, LHP, Florida; 10) Jimmie Sherfy, RHP, Oregon
COMMENT: Shipley represents great value at 15th overall, given that he could
have gone as high as fifth. Blair, another potential first-round talent,
gives Arizona another college arm that should advance quickly. Williams is a
different sort, a raw hitter with excellent power potential but considerable
risk. Palka is another power bat, though he strikes out a lot and lacks
polish in other phases. McPhearson has outstanding speed and a chance to be a
very good hitter, but might present a signability problem in the fourth
round. College arms Gibson and Sherfy could move quickly. Overall I think the
Diamondbacks did well: it is a diverse group with a mixture of upside and
safety.
Colorado Rockies
1-3) Jonathan Gray, RHP, Oklahoma
2-42) Ryan McMahon, 3B, Mater Dei HS, Santa Ana, CA
2S-70) Alex Balog, RHP, San Francisco
3) Sam Moll, LHP, Memphis
Other picks of interest: 4) Jordan Patterson, OF, South Alabama; 6) Dom
Nunez, C, California HS; 8) Terry McClure, OF, Georgia HS
COMMENT: Generally college oriented but solid enough. Gray is a potential
number one starter with a chance for his stuff to work well in Colorado.
McMahon is just a solid all-around hitter who needs to polish his glove but
has enough athleticism to do so. Balog was a first round candidate so getting
him in the comp balance round is a good value. Moll and Patterson are solid
college players who could be useful role guys in the majors, while Nunez and
McClure are high school upside picks who could turn out very well, if they
are signable in those rounds. College picks filled out the balance of the
draft, with live-armed LHP Billy Waltrip (12th round, Oklahoma) having more
potential than most. RHP Alec Hansen (25th round) and RHP Kyle Serrano (29th
round) will be impossible to sign under the current draft rules and are
heading to college, but both could be first-rounders in three years.
Los Angeles Dodgersv
1-18) Chris Anderson, RHP, Jacksonville
2-56) Tom Windle, LHP, Minnesota
3-92) Brandon Dixon, 3B, Arizona
4-124) Cody Bellinger, 1B, Hamilton HS, Chandler, Arizona
Other picks of interest: 5) J.D. Underwood, RHP; Palm Beach State CC; 6)
Jacob Rhame, RHP; Grayson County CC.
COMMENT: Curiously conservative for a Dodgers draft, so perhaps all the money
spent on the free agent and international market has pulled things back a bit
financially. That's not to say there isn't talent here. Anderson is a big
hard-throwing horse in the Dodgers mold, Windle is a potential fifth starter
or relief option who could advance quickly. Dixon looks like a solid role
player but hard to profile as a regular due to lack of power. Community
college pitchers Underwood and Rhame should be signable in these spots; Rhame
has the stronger arm, Underwood the greater pitchability. The Dodgers liking
for bloodlines shows up in the 12th round with the selection of Adam Law (son
of Vance, grandson of Vernon) out of BYU. He's a future utilityman.
San Diego Padres
1-13) Hunter Renfroe, OF, Mississippi State
2-50) Dustin Pederson, SS, Gilbert HS, Arizona
2S-69) Jordan Paroubeck, OF, Serra HS, San Mateo, CA
3-86) Bryan Verbitsky, RHP, Hofstra
4-118) Mason Smith, OF, Rocky Mountain HS, Meridian, Idaho
Other picks of interest: 6) Trevor Gott, RHP, Kentucky; 10) Justin Livengood,
RHP, UNC Wilmington
COMMENT: I love what the Padres did here: they picked up three very strong
bats at the top of the draft, with Renfroe, Pederson, and Paroubeck all
having the potential to be significant major league power hitters. Mason
Smith has a boatload of tools as well. Verbitstky might be a bit of a stretch
at 3, but the upside of the others should balance that. I doubt there is any
chance to sign Connor Jones in the 21st round or Chris Okey at 31 under the
current draft rules. A sleeper to watch is 24th round pick Marcus Davis, a
power-hitting outfielder from Florida State.
San Francisco Giants
1-25) Christian Arroyo, SS, Hernando HS, Brooksville, Florida
2-64) Ryder Jones, 3B, Watauga HS, Boone, North Carolina
3-101) Chase Johnson, RHP, Cal Poly
4-132) Brian Ragira, 1B, Stanford
Other picks of interest: 5) Dan Slania, RHP, Notre Dame; 6) Nick Vander Tuig,
RHP, UCLA; 8) Tyler Horan, OF, Virginia Tech; 9) D.J. Snelten, LHP, Minnesota
COMMENT: The Giants are well-known for having a draft board that doesn't look
much like everyone else's. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but on paper
this group has some things to prove. Arroyo has a very solid bat but most
people don't think he can remain in the middle infield; the Giants disagree.
Jones has so-so tools but a good performance record that put him in the 5-8
round range for most. Johnson has the power sinker that the Giants like in
the bullpen; Slania could also move quickly in a relief role; Vander Tuig and
Snelten could be good complementary arms. Ragira never lived up to
expectations at Stanford, but Horan exceeded them at V-Tech. They should get
some useful role players out of this, but it is hard to see stars unless
Arroyo and Jones really blossom.
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'HARD WORK BEATS TALENT
WHEN TALENT FAILS TO WORK HARD.'
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