Re: ONE YEAR LATER- Looking back on our 2021 Minor League Drafts
Reply #6 –
My 2021 draft was full of young, lower level, raw athletes with promise but not a lot of track record. Thirteen rounds of that led to just two rounds of selections this year. I just didn't have much to go on and nothing to warrant cutting these guys a year later. Most of what my 2021 consisted of is going to take a few years to evaluate.
Round 1: Max Meyer - Highly promising start saw him rise through the minors to his major league debut in just a year and a half. Unfortunately, he is now lost to Tommy John surgery. Still, highly promising power arm.
Round 2: Sal Frelick - Second coming of Tony Gwynn? All Frelick has done since being drafted in 2021 is hit. He has risen all the way to AAA in about a seasons' worth of time and hit .333 with a .412 OBP over all levels. He is currently hitting .435 in AAA since being promoted a little less than a month ago.
Round 3: Jose Miranda - Another guy who has done nothing but hit at every level. Since an adjustment period with the Twins upon his promotion in May, Miranda has taken over the cleanup spot in the Twins lineup and hit .316 with a .395/.516/.911 line and driven in 49 runs in three months.
Round 4: Austin Hendrick - Young and raw when drafted. Young and raw today. HUGE strikeout numbers (~ 38% K rate over his year-plus), but huge power too. Must cut down on K's if he's going to progress.
Round 5: Carlos Colmenarez - Young and raw when drafted. Young and raw today. Still just 18 years old and yet to make his full season debut, but the early reports are still very positive. Check back in a couple . . . five . . . years...
Round 6: Heriberto Hernandez - Another offense first young bat, he has produced at every level, but also will have to curtail strikeout issues to fully develop.
Round 7: Cole Wilcox - Succumbed to TJ surgery as well. Just returned a couple weeks ago. Promising start before being lost for a year, and I'm going to trust the Rays development program (McClanahan, Rasmussen, Glasnow...).
Round 8: Eddys Leonard - BIG homer pick here after a breakout year in 2021. He has regressed somewhat this season.
Round 9: Isaiah Greene - Another young, raw athlete when drafted. He is showing uncommon plate discipline and patience (20% BB rate / .397 OBP) and speed (33/35 SB). Big raw power has not shown up yet, but a very good start to his development at Low A.
Round 10: Ryan Ward - Another homer pick. Ward has done nothing but hit at every level, yet he does not receive much love. After 27 home runs and a .384 wOBA in High A last year, he is on pace for 30+ homers and a similar wOBA at AA this year. Defensive shortcomings limit his upside, but with the DH in the NL now...
Round 11: Rickardo Perez - 18 years old and hasn't made his full season debut yet, but still very promising. Strong defense and a developing bat portend good things, but a . . . long . . . way . . . to . . . go...
Round 12: Daniel Montesino - Bat first like Ward, but with a better hit tool. Limited defense like Ward also. Unlike Ward, Montesino has lost the last year-plus to Tommy John. Promising bat nonetheless.
Round 13: Xzavion Curry - Rose through all minor league levels to make his major league debut in just over a year and a half. Good arm, excellent control, but needs to fully develop a major league secondary pitch.
All in all, I am thrilled with my 2021 draft looking back now. And if some of these youngsters continue to develop as they progress up the ladder, it could look very special in a couple years.