Evaluating the Diamondbacks’ Draft From Day One
By Thomas Lynch
Touki Toussaint was one of the Top 5 Steals of the Draft according to Bleacher Report. Credit: prospectinsider.com
Day One of the 2014 Major League Baseball Drat is in the books. Let the second-guessing begin. The Arizona Diamondbacks picked four players on the first day and while we all have our opinions on who the team could have or should have drafted, I think it’s safe to say that 99.9% of us have never seen any player picked yesterday in action. With that in mind, several folks have offered their opinions on how Arizona fared on that first day. Here is a sampling starting with Bleacher Report:
- Rick Weiner stated that by taking Touki Toussaint at #16, the D’backs got one of the Top 5 steals of the draft. Although Toussiant is relatively new to the game (he didn’t play until his teens), Weiner feels that with Dave Duncan around, he should be able to have those rough edges worked on by a master coach.
- Honorable Mention also went to the Snakes for picking Marcus Wilson at #69, the first of the team’s two Competitive Balance picks. Wilson, who won’t turn 18 until August 15th, is from Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, CA. He garnered a lot of attention at the Major League Scouting Bureau Southern California Invitational Showcase which was held in February.
- Bleacher Report graded the team’s first day as an A-
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Here is how Baseball America evaluated each of the three players drafted in the second round:
- On Cody Reed at #54, a left-handed pitcher from Ardmore High School in Ardmore, AL: “He has been strong down the stretch, sitting 92-95, touching 96 with a slider and changeup that offering at least above-average potential.”
- On Wilson: “Wilson was getting some late buzz in the top 30 picks and offers tremendous upside as a plus runner. He has a long, lean build with room to get stronger, offering plus bat speed. Scouts can dream on Wilson.”
- On Isan Diaz at #70, a shortstop from Springfield Central High School in Springfield, MA: “He has a natural feel to hit and is a smooth defender, drawing Jose Vidro comps from scouts.”
The 2014 Draft continues today with rounds 3-10.