LSU outfielder Dylan Crews is, based on Tigers coach Jay Johnson, “the perfectly built baseball player.”
Power. Speed. Defense. Smarts. There is little Johnson believes Crews can’t do.
“He’s the best college hitter I’ve ever seen,” Johnson mentioned.
Such are the riches Johnson and LSU loved this yr on the way in which to the nationwide title that for all of Crews’ singular expertise, relying on who you ask Crews won’t even be the very best main league prospect on his crew.
Having a pitcher who hits triple digits with alarming regularity and noteworthy ease will try this.
Paul Skenes spent the final six months lighting radar weapons with spectacular fastballs, making a compelling case that he’s probably the most major-league-ready school pitcher since Stephen Strasburg greater than a decade in the past.
Crews and Skenes have been the consensus high two picks for months.
Yet the consensus gained’t matter when the Pittsburgh Pirates are on the clock Sunday evening in Seattle with the primary total choice within the MLB Draft for the second time in three years.
While Pirates common supervisor Ben Cherington has a wholesome respect for Crews and Skenes, he doesn’t sound like somebody in a rush to ship MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to the rostrum to vary the arc of a participant’s life and – Pittsburgh hopes – the trajectory of the franchise.
Maybe it’s easy gamesmanship. Maybe it’s Cherington’s inherent pragmatism. Maybe it’s sincerity. Whatever it’s, Cherington has made it some extent in current weeks to emphasize who’s going on the very high finish of the draft isn’t a given. At least not in Pittsburgh.
“We think it’s a strong group,” Cherington mentioned. “By group, I really do mean that it goes much deeper than two players.”
Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford put collectively a season almost as spectacular as Crews’. High schoolers Max Clark and Walker Jenkins are quick on expertise however lengthy on potential.
The Pirates went a little bit off-script in 2021 after they selected catcher Henry Davis at “1-1.” Davis, who made his main league debut final month, signed for beneath slot worth, giving Cherington extra money to spend later within the draft.
The choose got here with Pittsburgh nonetheless within the early phases of a top-to-bottom overhaul Cherington started when he took over within the fall of 2019, an overhaul predicated on accumulating as many high quality prospects as attainable. The Pirates are in a barely completely different place now, with the window to competition far nearer now than it was two years in the past.
Not that Cherington thinks his crew’s modest step ahead in 2023 after consecutive 100-loss seasons will lead him into taking a participant that might be within the majors sooner moderately than later.
“Even if you’re talking about a college player that might be a little closer (to the majors) than a high school player, a lot can happen in this game, even between this year and 12 months from now, a lot can happen to our team and what the needs might be and what the fit might be. So I think we have to stick with the best player available.”
Cherington vowed the Pirates will spend their full draft allotment however sidestepped when requested if Pittsburgh would go over slot worth to lock down the primary choose, saying “we’re just focused on getting the board set up and getting the order right or, at least in our opinion right. I believe that needs to come first.”
Minnesota, who has been close to the highest of an underwhelming AL Central all season, is choosing fifth. Vice President of novice scouting Sean Johnson expects there to be upward of 10 gamers within the combine when their flip comes up. He’s been round lengthy sufficient to know there’s no use in speculating on if Crews or Skenes would possibly one way or the other be out there.
“There are rumors that get spread and you’re not sure where they came from,” Johnson mentioned. “The more we look at past drafts, they never really go like you think they’re going to go. There’s always a surprise or two in there.”
The Rangers, who choose fourth, pulled one final July after they took Kumar Rocker third total, a yr after the New York Mets drafted however did not signal the hard-throwing right-hander. Rocker did signal with Texas however his 2023 season resulted in May when he underwent Tommy John surgical procedure whereas pitching for Class-A Hickory.
Rocker’s damage is likely one of the few setbacks the Rangers have endured this season. Texas has spent the primary half of the yr main the aggressive AL West and whereas common supervisor Chris Young referred to as the draft “a great opportunity” he’s hopeful it’s the final time for the foreseeable future that the Rangers could have a top-five choose.
“Our goal is to pick 30th moving forward,” Young mentioned. “I think we’ve taken steps in that direction this year.”
Whomever lands in Texas – notably if it’s a school participant – might be becoming a member of a corporation on the cusp of a breakthrough. It could take longer in locations like Pittsburgh, Washington (second) or Detroit (third).
Crews and Skenes insist they’re up for no matter irrespective of after they hear their identify referred to as on Sunday. They can management their preparation and their effort. The relaxation – notably the constantly-shifting dynamics that form the highest of the draft and all of the noise that comes with it – is out of their management.
If something, as a lot as they’ll make an effort to drink in a second a lifetime within the making, they’ll even be keen to maneuver to the following chapter with the fellows they plan to win with down the street.
“Whatever level I go to (after) I get drafted, I’m going to go there and I’m going to be playing with these kids I’m going to see for years, you know?” Skenes mentioned. “As we go up through the system and start to develop that relationship to help them get better, they help me get better. It’s kind of that synergy that leads to really good teams winning at the big league level.”
___
AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell, Stephen Hawkins and Brett Martel contributed to this report.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com