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Post by abregmanfan on Jul 9, 2023 19:52:56 GMT -6
Don't get me wrong, I will be a huge fan of our pick. But wtf? If he doesn't sign below slot I will be pissed.
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 19:53:32 GMT -6
MLB.com
"Matthews has a quick right-handed swing and the ball jumps off his bat with some of the best exit velocities in the Draft. He has 20-25 homer potential, with most of his power playing to left field. Despite his breakout year, there are still concerns about his propensity to swing and miss, in particular on pitches within the strike zone, and his pull-happy tendencies.
A Texas all-state quarterback after accounting for 54 touchdowns as a high school senior, Matthews is an impressive athlete with plus speed that he uses well on the bases. He covers ground at shortstop but only has an average arm and struggles with throwing accuracy. He'll get the chance to stick at short in pro ball but projects better as a center fielder or second baseman."
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Keith Law
"Brice Matthews is the lowest-ranked player on my board to go in the first round, 57th overall, because of concerns about his hit tool. He's got a dead-pull approach and likes the ball down, so fastballs up and in already give him trouble, and that's not going to get any easier in pro ball. He's a shortstop for now, but may end up at another position, possibly centerfield. There's definitely power here, as he hit 21 bombs for the Huskers this year, but college position players with hit tool questions are pretty high-risk as first-rounders.
Matthews exploded this year for 21 homers for the Huskers after hitting 12 total in his first two years in Lincoln. He finished the year with a .359/.481/.723 line, ending the year fourth among Big 10 hitters in homers and second in walks. The power itself is real, but it comes from a dead-pull approach where he looks for the ball down, which has left him vulnerable to fastballs, especially those up in or just above the zone. He’s an excellent athlete and plus runner who would probably be able to move to center if he can’t stick at short, so he offers some floor where he should play a premium defensive position or could serve as a utility player who can fill in across the infield and in center. The hit tool is a real concern, probably projecting to a 45 at best, but the power, defense and positional value might help it all play."
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Prospects Live
"Matthews is the type of player that data-driven evaluators love. He has some of the best batted ball data in college baseball and has hit the cover off the ball this season. The former quarterback is a twitchy athlete with elite athleticism who has no problem handling high-level pitching. There is some significant swing and miss in his game, but that has improved significantly since last season and is truly the only factor preventing him from being a first round pick."
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Baseball America
"Athletic freak and data darling. Exploded this spring and hit .359 with 11 2B, 20 HR, and 20 SB. Lightning-quick hands and plus power to the pull side. Multiple EVs > 110 mph. Plus runner w/high ceiling."
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 19:56:24 GMT -6
Don't get me wrong, I will be a huge fan of our pick. But wtf? If he doesn't sign below slot I will be pissed. I'll bet he does. Local kid and he was taken 20-30 slots ahead of where most people ranked him. The difference in slot value is almost $1.5 million. If they get him to sign for that far below they will be able to turn that around and nab at least one, if not two more guys that fall. And if they can help him cut down on strikeouts he could be a laser show who plays up the middle. Houck finally off the board. Borderline Top 10 overall guy just went 32nd overall. |
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:03:41 GMT -6
Three hours in and we're just now on pick 35. They allow way too much time between picks.
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:18:31 GMT -6
www.crawfishboxes.com/2023/7/9/23789225/astros-select-nebraska-ss-brice-matthews-at-28th-overall"From a prospect evaluation standpoint, Matthews stands out to both data nerds and pure scouts. They are united on an appreciation for his approach- while he has a bit more swing and miss in the zone for a top draft name, he compensates by chasing infrequently which should allow him to maintain a reasonable strikeout rate at the pro level. Now that he has translated his long-appreciated raw power into game settings, it’s clear that as long as he’s a grade below average with contact, he’ll be impactful offensively. There’s work to do on the defensive side, but the range of outcomes includes him becoming a solid shortstop, and even if he falls short of that, there’s experience at second and third base, so he shouldn’t fall below the mid-range of the defensive spectrum. He can also impact games with speed, and may see that part of his game grow under the new MLB rules. The Astros have had success recently with college bats who weren’t the best hitters for contact as amateurs, and if Matthews can follow players like Zach Dezenzo and Joey Loperfido in improving as professionals, the ceiling is incredibly high. There’s a wider range of outcomes here than there is with the typical first round college bat, but it’s rare to find an amateur player whose ceiling can legitimately be put in 30/30 territory, especially at the end of the first round, and you can say that about Matthews without getting weird looks. Evaluators will likely continue to exercise some caution with Matthews until he establishes himself in pro ball, but he has the potential to rank near the top of the Astros’ organizational rankings sooner than later."
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:21:09 GMT -6
There goes Ty Floyd to the Reds.
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:24:39 GMT -6
Tell you what, if Travis Sykora drops to us at 61 because his demands have chased other people off, and picking Matthews lets us get him too......
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:31:42 GMT -6
Yohandy Morales to the Nats. Breathe, Thomas, breathe!
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:32:56 GMT -6
Nats offense in a couple years is going to be absurd.
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:35:36 GMT -6
Oakland is just being astoundingly cheap. Absolutely amazing. Worst owner possibly in sports history.
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:39:12 GMT -6
Reds having a heck of a draft.
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Post by abregmanfan on Jul 9, 2023 20:43:04 GMT -6
Yohandy Morales to the Nats. Breathe, Thomas, breathe! I wish we would have drafted Morales. |
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:49:59 GMT -6
Yohandy Morales to the Nats. Breathe, Thomas, breathe! I wish we would have drafted Morales. TBH I like Matthews more I think. I think they both have swing and miss concerns. Given that, I like Matthews overall package better, especially his speed and ability to play SS and CF. And if he does sign underslot, that puts it over the top for me. Just need Whitman to survive another 13 picks... |
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:52:32 GMT -6
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 20:58:19 GMT -6
Grant Taylor at 51. LSU's top three pitchers going in the first 51 picks, crazy.
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:00:02 GMT -6
Just 8 picks between us and Whitman...
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Post by Saint on Jul 9, 2023 21:03:56 GMT -6
Matthews sounds like a good pick to me. Maybe high strikeouts but defensive versatility with power, and speed always has some value.
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:07:00 GMT -6
There goes Ledbetter to the team that knows things.
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:13:04 GMT -6
Just four more picks before Houston.
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:19:27 GMT -6
At least one of Sykora and Whitman will be on the board...
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Post by abregmanfan on Jul 9, 2023 21:19:45 GMT -6
I am getting nervous.
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Post by abregmanfan on Jul 9, 2023 21:20:45 GMT -6
At least one of Sykora and Whitman will be on the board... Cam Johnson is still there... |
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:21:55 GMT -6
Both Whitman and Sykora are on the board! Give me an arm, Dana!
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:24:36 GMT -6
Well, got an arm. Massive body and a lot of polish. Not bad. Definitely someone we can work with.
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Post by abregmanfan on Jul 9, 2023 21:26:44 GMT -6
Well, got an arm. Massive body and a lot of polish. Not bad. Definitely someone we can work with. I like the pick. If scouts like low 90's I have a son they should look at.... Though he is closer to 6'3", not 6'8". |
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:31:23 GMT -6
MLB.com
"Though he’s 6-foot-8, Tredwell’s strike-throwing ability really stands out, as the freshman All-American walked just 1.1 per nine in 2022. He has plenty of stuff to fill up the zone with. While his fastball averaged around 91 mph last year, he was 92-94 for much of the fall, touching as high as 96; and it looked like those velocity gains were real when he was 100 percent this spring. He backs his heater up with an 80-mph slider that misses a ton of bats and could be a plus pitch in time, a slower average curve and a changeup that’s an above-average offering as well.
Tredwell is a good athlete on the mound, which helps him repeat his smooth delivery well and fill up the zone with all four pitches. There could be more in the tank here and teams that like taking strike-throwing pitchers and work with them to improve velocity should have interest in the first couple of rounds."
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Keith Law:
"Tredwell was heading for a probable Day 1 selection when he suffered a back injury in late April – later listed as “back and ribs,” which sounds like a barbecue order – that ended his season. He sits 91-93 mph with a 55 slider and average curveball, throwing the fastball for a ton of strikes, although he barely used a changeup and had trouble with left-handed batters this year. Despite his height and long limbs, he throws a ton of strikes, in part because he has a short arm action that he can repeat more easily. He had Tommy John surgery in 2020 and is an age-eligible sophomore."
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Prospects Live:
"Tredwell a bit more projection over current which makes him an interesting buy. He has clean and repeatable actions on the mound and has some deception to his delivery. When he's at his best, he has 4 pitches he can command, and while he doesn't have a stand out pitch, they all project around average. His fastball is 91-92 but has life that helps it play up. He also has a curveball with 11-5 break and is slower than his slider which is more horizontal break. He also has a changeup that seems it could potentially be his best secondary offering, it has more arm side run then fade but he commands it well and his release point is consistent for his pitches."
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Baseball America:
"Towering 6’8” frame. Doesn’t have premium velocity, but his FB is a true “invisiball.” Has flashed a big CB. Intriguing profile for Houston to work with."
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:31:42 GMT -6
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:32:27 GMT -6
Well, got an arm. Massive body and a lot of polish. Not bad. Definitely someone we can work with. I like the pick. If scouts like low 90's I have a son they should look at.... Though he is closer to 6'3", not 6'8". It sounds like a great foundation for Houston to work with. Just need to get some more velocity out of him, which is their specialty. |
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:41:25 GMT -6
Dang, Whitman finally gone. Not that I expected him to fall to our next pick but still...
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Post by Ashitaka on Jul 9, 2023 21:44:42 GMT -6
Travis Sykora still on the board. Has to be signability concerns. I will go to be dreaming that the Round Rock native will take the extra money from Matthews and we get Matthews, Tredwell, and Sykora as an absolutely electric draft class.
See ya'll tomorrow morning.
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