AL South Draft Review

Florida Cottonmouths

First Round: Hank Haynes went 21st to Florida, signing for slot money. A nice big slugger out of HS, he has no true weakness as a hitter and one can easily foresee him appearing in a few All-Star games. While limited to 1B, possibly LF, on defense, the bat easily makes up for any lack of positional flexibility. Very sound pick at 21st.
Grade: B+

The Rest: With the 66th pick, Florida managed to tab Mo Cook, a well-rounded 21 year old catcher. With possible 30 HR power and a nice batting eye, he has a great offensive game to go with solid defense behind the plate. Great pick at 66, with the only concern being the pace of his development given his age and current ability. The next two picks to sign came in the 4th and 5th rounds, Peter Paulson and Andre Barry. While Paulson is a distinctly unexciting 1B with only average power, Barry combines a great defensive game behind the plate with a high upside bat that could produce fireworks, but will likely frustrate due to extreme inconsistency. It's also apparent that Floria are still in negotiations with 3rd rounder Mickey Nixon, a solid line drive hitting 1B who could certainly have some kind of future in the majors.

Overall a draft with only 3 or 4 probably major leaguers, which could be disappointing. That said, by getting great value in the 1st and 2nd rounds, Florida should be satisfied with the results.

Overall grade: C (give it a + if Nixon signs)


Richmond Roustabouts

First Round: Although I first confused him for one of the Three Musketeers, Artie Bergeron is the guy Richmond picked up with the 18th overall pick this year. A big, tough lefty with a rubber arm, Bergeron should be able to give innings by the boatload at every level. Whether those innings will be worth anything is another question. While slightly above average in every department, the majors isn't a very forgiving place for guys who just 'get by'. Another concern is his current ability as a 22 year old. He needs to hit his ceiling to settle as a mid-to-bottom of the rotation guy. If he doesn't, this pick has no value. Big risk.
Grade: D

The Rest:
Pitching was the theme here, with only one position player drafted before the 8th. Andres Lee was that guy, and he can potentially be pretty useful. Good range, with a great glove and arm for CF, he should have no problem settling in as a regular as long as his bat can get to average. With good speed on the bases, an average OBP with little power should be enough to get him a spot at the bottom of the lineup. Not bad for a 3rd rounder. Charlie Wells went in the 2nd, and could be a more effective starter than Bergeron. Another college senior, another lefty, Wells has better control but could struggle against right handers. We'll see in time. With not much more than a series of career minor leaguers and defensive replacements, a fairly shallow draft for Richmond topped by 3 possible starters. The risk involved makes it a bad one overall I'm afraid.

Overall Grade: D


San Antonio Sting

First Round: Possibly the steal of the draft, Jimmie Peters fell to San Antonio at 14, taking is time to sign. A devastating hitter with huge power potential, Peters could feasibly be challenging for MVP awards in a few seasons time. If his defense scrubs up to the point that he can play decent 2B, then he becomes even more valuable. The bottom line though, is that wherever he plays in the field, he'll be a fearsome bat for years to come. Superb pick.
Grade: A

The Rest: Pretty disappointing. 2nd rounder Darrell Brown looks like he could be a decent all-round catch, for 90 games a year. Felix Smith, taken in the 3rd might get on a bench one day, at best. Ollie Damon, a 12th rounder probably has the best chance of any pitcher of making the majors. 2%? That might be generous. Peters bumps the draft grade hugely, but if not for him, it would be pretty dire.
Grade: B-


Tampa Bay Devil Rays

First Round: The wonderfully named Lazy Rigney is the guy that Tampa took in the first. Very capable as a COF, Rigney should be a doubles machine once he peaks, with decent 20 HR power and a good BA. Not the most durable, nor exactly what you'd call an effort guy or a team leader, Rigney's a solid enough pick and should have a very solid career.
Grade: C+

The Rest: Not much to talk about here, with only 3 other guys signed. William McKain, taken in the 3rd, will hit a lot of singles and steal some bases. Whether he'll ever walk or knock one out (of the ballpark, perverts) remains to be seen. Worth noting is that should Bubba Wigginton sign, Tampa Bay will also have found themselves a gem in the supp. round. Combining great CF play, a good set of all-round batting tools and smart baserunning, Wigginton's status has a huge effect on this draft class. Similarly, 3rd rounder Kiki Armas could turn out to be a solid all-round 3B should he sign.
Overall: D- (with a large degree of upward mobility)


Final Word: San Antonio walks away with the best pick of the AL South in Peters, while Florida does a good job of addressing need and bringing in some capable bats. Tampa could equal Florida's tandem of two quality picks at the top of the draft if they manage to sign Wigginton. Richmond's draft looks riskier right now but if they get two ML starters out of it, then no one will question the quality of their class.