FGK Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 2 minutes ago, MWil23 said: Travis Bazzana at 2B…? Eh, so predictable but he’s not going to have much power in the show IMO. Dude had 20+ dingers this year. I don't think he's a 30HR bat, but I think the realistic outlook is 18-24 HRs with a 280+ average. Love the pick, would've loved him or Condon and been fine with Wetherholt. With how good our FO is, watch them have leveraged the Wetherholt talk and gotten Bazzana to agree to a 9M or less deal so we can get him AND go over slot in Comp A and the 2nd round. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWil23 Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 3 minutes ago, FGK said: Dude had 20+ dingers this year. I don't think he's a 30HR bat, but I think the realistic outlook is 18-24 HRs with a 280+ average. Love the pick, would've loved him or Condon and been fine with Wetherholt. With how good our FO is, watch them have leveraged the Wetherholt talk and gotten Bazzana to agree to a 9M or less deal so we can get him AND go over slot in Comp A and the 2nd round. I’m not going to doubt the FO, they know a whole lot more than I do, but he hit 11 HR last year so this year was a big jump, and while some will point to his frame, I’d counter with the wooden bat downgrade too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FGK Posted July 14 Share Posted July 14 17 minutes ago, MWil23 said: I’m not going to doubt the FO, they know a whole lot more than I do, but he hit 11 HR last year so this year was a big jump, and while some will point to his frame, I’d counter with the wooden bat downgrade too. It's always possible, but I feel really good about him being at least above-average on power. Comparing his year this year to Condon/Caglianone/Kurtz, who are the "big bat" 1B types... Bazzana - .911 SLG with 28 HRs in 210 ABs Condon - .1009 SLG with 37 HRs in 231 ABs Caglianone - .875 SLG with 35 HRs in 248 ABs Kurtz - .763 SLG with 22 HRs in 173 ABs So he's got similar SLG to Caglianone, about the same HR/AB pace as Kurtz, Condon is really the only bat in the draft who was clearly a better power bat than Bazzana, and Bazzana's hit tool is miles better than Caglianone and significantly better than Condon too. Could always be wrong, but I love the pick. I'm curious if they give him time in the minors at CF or LF to get some positional versatility or if Andres Gimenez is just gonna shift over to SS next year. We'll see. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyman93 Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 Really like the Chase Utley comp. I’ve read he’s a fantastic and fiery personality too. Should fit right in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonanza23 Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 LOVE the pick! In my ever so humble opinion, he’s simply the best overall player in the draft. Wetherholt may have been that had he been healthy. I love me some Condon and would have been happy with him but sometimes tall cats don’t translate to the MLB. And we have a lefty favoring ball park. Hmmm wind tunnel? Who said wind tunnel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtmmike Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 1 hour ago, FGK said: It's always possible, but I feel really good about him being at least above-average on power. Comparing his year this year to Condon/Caglianone/Kurtz, who are the "big bat" 1B types... Bazzana - .911 SLG with 28 HRs in 210 ABs Condon - .1009 SLG with 37 HRs in 231 ABs Caglianone - .875 SLG with 35 HRs in 248 ABs Kurtz - .763 SLG with 22 HRs in 173 ABs So he's got similar SLG to Caglianone, about the same HR/AB pace as Kurtz, Condon is really the only bat in the draft who was clearly a better power bat than Bazzana, and Bazzana's hit tool is miles better than Caglianone and significantly better than Condon too. Could always be wrong, but I love the pick. I'm curious if they give him time in the minors at CF or LF to get some positional versatility or if Andres Gimenez is just gonna shift over to SS next year. We'll see. Excellent pick some people take a while to shape up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooks1957 Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 A number of folks I have been tweeting back and forth with say, while they are fine with the Bazzana pick, they would have preferred Condon. I get their POV. Big, tall, strapping power bat that hit a ton of majestic HRs this season. "Chicks dig the long ball" line of thinking. I would have been completely happy with Condon as well. He has drawn comparisons to Aaron Judge. As appealing as that is, I am afraid that major league level pitchers are going to be able to find holes in that big swing of his that generates all that power. This is why I gave the SLIGHT nod to Bazzana, a much more compact and just as authoritative swing. I base this opinion on watching baseball for 50 years now, but a more consistent hitter that continues to put pressure on the defense will win you more games in the long run. And the power is not absent from Bazzana's arsenal either. In food terms, the question is do I prefer ribeye or strip steak. The correct answer is both, but my slight edge is to the ribeye, and the more popular choice is the strip. Both get the job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brooks1957 Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 I have also heard a Bazzana comp to our own Steven Kwan. Only with better power. And with better plate discipline..... (Is that possible?) We could have done worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NateDawg Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 I’m cool with Bazzana based on what little I know. I didn’t get the Reds passing on Condon in favor of the Wake pitcher’s track record but I’m not an expert either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdrawkcab321 Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 The baseball draft is the biggest crapshoot in sports. I takes years for even the top guys to make it to the pros and even then some guy drafted in the 20th round can be the best player in the draft. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#32 Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 Travis will play outfield. Guardians went for the sure thing as this kid is a MLB hitter and can’t miss. Yes they passed on big right handed power hitter. They also picked up in 2nd rd a stud high school pitcher and power hitting catcher. I know every contending team need starting pitchers but we must give up 3-4 prospects to get a #2 quality starter for this year and next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MWil23 Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 30 minutes ago, sdrawkcab321 said: The baseball draft is the biggest crapshoot in sports. I takes years for even the top guys to make it to the pros and even then some guy drafted in the 20th round can be the best player in the draft. Correct. Pujols was something like a 15th Rounder and Piazza was Round 60 as a favor to a family friend of Lasorda. You also have Larkin and Bonds going 4th and 6th overall in 1985. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReggieCamp Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 49 minutes ago, sdrawkcab321 said: The baseball draft is the biggest crapshoot in sports. I takes years for even the top guys to make it to the pros and even then some guy drafted in the 20th round can be the best player in the draft. Yes, unless it's a truly "transcendent" prospect. Paul Skenes was drafted last year, and he's the starting pitcher in the All-Star Game this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger murdock Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 I know literally nothing about baseball but its exciting the Guards had the first overall pick. I looked back at history and there are definitely more standout #1 overall picks than I was expecting. I'm assuming this guy isn't a Ken Griffey or A-Rod level prospect if there was some uncertainty of who was going #1, but seems exciting we got an all around stud. From a Cleveland market perspective, taking the OBP hitter over the guy who might get 40 dingers a year makes sense from a second contract perspective as well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyman93 Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 I love how this franchise loves drafting and developing pitchers. 9 out of 11 picks were pitchers. https://x.com/franmilseyebrow/status/1812964997930315820?s=46 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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