2009 Draft: KLaw’s latest top 10 rumblings
ByWith the draft just over two weeks away, we’re starting to get a better idea of which teams are linked to specific players. Over at The Draft Blog, Keith Law posted some notes on the recent talk he’s heard about the top ten. It’s a subscriber only article, so I can’t go into too much detail, but here’s the latest on how the top ten might shake out:
1. Nationals: Stephen Strasburg, RHP, SDSU
2. Mariners: Tanner Scheppers, RHP, indy ball
3. Padres: Dustin Ackley, 1B/CF, UNC
4. Pirates: Tony Sanchez, C, BC
5. Orioles: Aaron Crow, RHP, indy ball
6. Giants: Tim Wheeler, CF, Sacramento State
7. Braves: Alex White, RHP, UNC
8. Reds: Tyler Matzek, LHP, Cali HS
9. Tigers: Jacob Turner, RHP, St. Louis HS
10. Nationals: Kyle Gibson, RHP, Mizzou
The Pirates might go cheap at #4 because they’re expected to break the bank for Latin American prospect Miguel Angel Sano. KLaw also echoes the rumblings that the Yanks are in on Slade Heathcott, noting that scouting director Damon Oppenheimer and two other execs have been on hand for his recent games.



where did Purke go in the draft?
He only had the top 10.
oh ok. I thought since you posted the top 10, there was more that only subscribers could see. Thanks
Have the yankees been linked at all to Sano?
Yes, but the Pirates are the favorites to land him. I believe he’s been working out at their Latin American complex for some time now.
Bastards better not be hiding him.
Yanks are one of about 5-6 teams that are involved, but Pirates is the team in the lead now according to most sources, I think.
Looks like the Pirates, unless the Yankees WAY outbid them.
BP says the Yankees look like the faves for Gary Sanchez, catcher. $3M or so.
Some very good news. The Red Sox lost again.
Not good news if the Sox take Purke.
Not sure how them losing today impacts that.
Assuming Pettitte, Damon, Matsui, Nady and Molina do not come back next season, what would their FA types be? It looks like Damon would obviously be a Type A FA, so if there are more we could do serious damage in the draft next year and restock the system if those guys somewhere else.
The problem is that with the exception of Nady, the Yanks won’t offer arbitration to any of those guys because they might accept, similar to Abreu last year. No one would want to be stuck with Matsui for another year, especially since he’ll get a raise.
Nady’s different because he’s still relatively young and cheap, so if he accepts you can live with him on a one year deal at $8-9M.
Pettitte should be at least type B, probably A if he has no injuries.
Nady was barely an A last year (I believe) and with the injury he should be type B this year.
Damon should be A as you said.
Molina and Matsui will not be type A or B.
That would probably give the Yankees 2 A’s and 1 B’s (5 extra picks). However, this assumes the team offers them all arbitration and I am not sure they will. I’d expect Nady to be offered arb, but probably not Pettitte. I am not sure on Damon.
I’d say Pettitte would be a type B, Damon a type A, Matsui a borderline type B/nothing (mostly due to all the time he missed last year), Nady…depends entirely on what he does when he comes back and when that is. Molina is a type nothing.
The thing is I could see Matsui and Pettitte retiring, the former more likely than the latter.
I could see the Yanks winding up with one first round pick and maybe two supplemental ones.
Tony Sanchez at #4, though, I don’t know about that one, surely there are better players that would sign for underslot and have more upside than Tony Sanchez. Maybe I remember wrong but I thought he’s described as potentially an every-day catcher with a little below average contact and above average power.
I believe someone recently called him a worse version of Jason Castro. Not exactly the pick I’d want to make as a GM/scouting director.
Hmm…no Donovan Tate in the top 10? Is this because he will be a major signability case?
That and he’s really raw, huge tools but right now he’s all upside, he hasn’t shown that he can really hit well yet, it’s a risky bet this high I think, even if you think you can sign him.
Guess Tanner Scheppers shoulder got better, huh?
Eh, they’ll just make him a reliever if he doesn’t want to go to the minors.
They looking at Heathcott as an outfielder or a pitcher? I’d imagine that this being the Yankees, they’d go the pitching route
most sources I’ve read seem to like him better as an outfielder
some new updated mock drafts have yanks drafting before the red sox is this the case
Nope. It is not the case.
why would they do this then or is the order not official yet
The order is set. You can see it here:
http://riveraveblues.com/09-draft-order/
You have to think the yankees would offer damon arbitration wouldnt you? I’d love to have him back for another year and if not then picks.
Not at 15 million bucks but I do think he’ll be back