At first I thought this draft was weak. After looking over all of our selections, I decided it was weak but deep. No real home runs out of the first round, but plenty of players were selected that will go on to have good careers.
I didn't get to write about every team this year as Boston and Colorado combined for 7 picks in this year's first round. Just 1 short of half the round.
1) St Louis Flyers - Jimmy Raney - CF
The first pick for the new robotic overlords in St. Louis is a good one. The Flyers are devoid of talent and Raney is arguably the best player in the draft. The 20 year old should crush left handers and will do well enough vs right handers to merit a daily lineup spot. Raney is a solid pick for a weak class, especially one missing a sure-thing pitching prospect.
Future Comparison: Danny Kaye
ETA: 2033
Player Potential: B+
Organizational Fit: A
Overall Grade: A-
2) Colorado Stegosaurus - Stacy Wittig - RP
Colorado starts their big draft day with a promising teenage pitcher. Wittig should be among the best of this class, but his potential is capped by his endurance. If he can get up to starter innings, he should be the top guy out of this class. Unrelated to his talents, Wittig may face a slow growth joining a very crowded minor league system.
Future Comparison: Dick Fishburn
ETA: 2035
Player Potential: A
Organizational Fit: B
Overall Grade: B+
3) Boston Red Sox - Doc Ortiz - SS
The first of four picks in this round for Boston is not the most exciting prospect, but does fill a need in the organization. Ortiz comes with top-level contact but lacks promising power or speed to pair with it. A weak arm will prevent him from sticking to the left side of the infield. There is a more immediate need at second base and Ortiz could be the answer there as soon as next season.
Future Comparison: Luis Canoa
ETA: 2033
Player Potential: C+
Organizational Fit: B+
Overall Grade: B-
4) Boston Red Sox - Joe Davis - RP
Davis was the most talented 17 year old available in this draft and certainly would have gone #1 overall if he projected as a started. He slipped to 4th overall as a bullpen arm, but Boston still got a solid piece. Boston lacked young pitching prior to this draft and Davis is the first step in fixing that problem.
Future Comparison: Joe Bell
ETA: 2035
Player Potential: A
Organizational Fit: A
Overall Grade: A
5) Kansas City Monarchs - Wally Hansen - SP
KC picked up the best SP prospect in this year's draft at 5th overall. He's well balance between velocity and control and already packs A+ endurance. Like Davis before him, Hansen would have been a sure #1 pick with the small adjustment of his age. His setup looks a lot better at 17 rather than 18, but he's still going to develop into a leader of a rotation.
Future Comparison: Jack Carlton
ETA: 2035
Player Potential: B+
Organizational Fit: A
Overall Grade: A-
6) Minnesota Massacres - Eddie Rodriguez - 2B
Minnesota specializes in the early-20's close to the majors draft pick. In the past, it has resulted in some incomplete and disappointing prospects. Rodriguez breaks that mold, mostly. He has a great bat and will provide power against any arm a pitcher may use. The one trait he shares with good bat prospects this age is his defensive ability. He'd be better off wearing a chest protector and throwing his body in front of a ball instead of using a glove. Minny will likely move him to a corner outfield spot and hope his bat makes up for the extra runs he'll surrender.
Future Comparison: Ken Lahti
ETA: 2032
Player Potential: A
Organizational Fit: B+
Overall Grade: B-
7) Philadelphia Athletics - Roy Hanley - SS
Philly already has a young pitching staff so they went with one of the better hitters available. Hanley will be a well-balanced hitter with pretty good speed. He should also stick in the infield, although he may end up stretched at shortstop. He won't be 19 until after the season ends, so he has plenty of time to develop.
Future Comparison: Jim Collins
ETA: 2035
Player Potential: B
Organizational Fit: A
Overall Grade: A-
8) Washington Halos - Tony Baker - CF
Best power in the draft is matched with some of the worst contact. Baker's extreme split makes him a risky proposition although he does play a premium positon. He's perfect as a 90's sports movie catcher - solid arm, slower than the manager's walk to the mound, takes huge swings, and piles up the biggest plate in the post-game buffet. He's a good fit for Washington with a need in the next 4-5 years behind the plate.
Future Comparison: Tyson Branch
ETA: 2035
Player Potential: C+
Organizational Fit: B+
Overall Grade: B
9) Colorado Stegosaurus - Dutch Jackson - SP
Jackson ranks as the best "close to the majors while still being a prospect" pitcher of this draft. He should only need a year or two on the farm which makes him a high floor/low ceiling kind of player. He did get drafted into a system overflowing with prospects, leaving it difficult to get the CP attention he needs. That puts Jackson in the rotation today, where he'll get hit hard, but likely progress better than he would have in the minors.
Future Comparison: Joe Hyers
ETA: 2033
Player Potential: B+
Organizational Fit: C
Overall Grade: B-
10) Seattle Steelheads - John Wensloff - 3B
Wensloff is an open book with every stat in the C range. He should skew a bit towards contact but plenty of players have flopped skills when this close. He joins a crowded minor league situation, but should improve plenty as the youngest player drafted in the first round this year.
Future Comparison: Bobby Bresnahan
ETA: 2035
Player Potential: B+
Organizational Fit: C
Overall Grade: B-
11) Chicago Beagles - Keith Baker - RF
While a pitcher was preferred in this spot, Chicago did well to get a good hitter that will be ready to play soon. While Baker will hit right handers pretty well, he will struggle in virtually every other part of his game. He'll make good use of his CP's this year before making room for another prospect next season.
Future Comparison: Bobby Myers
ETA: 2032
Player Potential: B-
Organizational Fit: B+
Overall Grade: B
12) Cincinnati Blackened Blowfish - Hank Just - 3B
The youth movement is in full swing in the Cincy minor leagues. Just joins last year's first round and fellow teenager Jim Callahan and the 18 year old Hank Camnitz came in the 2nd round. Just has solid power and speed potential but is not long for third base. He should hit well enough to occupy first base or a corner outfield slot. Given that the team is competitive today, they did very well here to get a future building block late in the first round.
Future Comparison: Bill North
ETA: 2034
Player Potential: B+
Organizational Fit: A-
Overall Grade: A-
13) Colorado Stegosaurus - Cecilio Marshall - RP
Marshall is a risky A/C pitcher that could go either way. He's worth a first round slot due to his age and will get a shot in Colorado to pump up his control. On the bright side just one year in the minors should be enough to predict his fate.
Future Comparison: Harry Johnston
ETA: 2034
Player Potential: B-
Organizational Fit: C
Overall Grade: C+
14) Boston Red Sox - Ramon Varona - RP
Varona is a use it or lose it type pick. He's 26 years old at A+/C+ making him a fringe player with some room for improvement. He'll likely get his call sometime this year just to see what could happen. There's a good chance he ends up on the wire in the next year or two.
Future Comparison: Ramon Varona
ETA: 2031
Player Potential: C
Organizational Fit: B-
Overall Grade: C+
15) Boston Red Sox - Bill Robinson - RP
Robinson is getting old to be a prospect, but is a much better pick for Boston than their previous selection. He could progress to B+ overall this season which would be enough to earn him a spot in a bullpen next year. The Sox have some openings coming in the pitching staff, so it was a good call snagging Robinson to fill in soon.
Future Comparison: Al Fultz
ETA: 2034
Player Potential: B
Organizational Fit: A-
Overall Grade: B+
16) Los Angeles Stars - Mr. T - RF
I pity the fool for sleeping on this first round power prospect. So he doesn't make good contact. So he doesn't own a glove. Quit yo jibba jabba and watch him crack long balls and steal every base on the block. He's Mr. T and he's coming for you, FOOL!
Future Comparison: Bill Mahoney
ETA: 2034
Player Potential: B-
Organizational Fit: C+
Overall Grade: B-
2031 JJL Draft Review
Discussions for the Joe Jackson League.
- TheBigKahuna0
- Posts: 202
- Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 11:38 am
Re: 2031 JJL Draft Review
Thanks for the write up - always a great read! Wish it was always a great draft.
Minny and Philly tied with a less-than-stellar 78 wins in 2030 and Minny won the coin toss to get the 6th overall pick. I thought Rodriguez would fall to 7 and had him rated 1 in the draft...missed it by that much!
Minny and Philly tied with a less-than-stellar 78 wins in 2030 and Minny won the coin toss to get the 6th overall pick. I thought Rodriguez would fall to 7 and had him rated 1 in the draft...missed it by that much!
- TheBigKahuna0
- Posts: 202
- Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2017 11:38 am
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