Inbox, comparisons version: EDLC, Skenes, Crews, Clark

What a packed time on the baseball calendar. We’re two months into the Major League and full-season Minor League seasons, Rookie ball is simply beginning up, the NCAA Super Regionals this weekend will resolve who’s headed to the College World Series and groups are finalizing evaluations for subsequent month’s Draft. On that final topic, let’s dive into an all-Draft Pipeline Inbox …

With all of the hype surrounding Elly De La Cruz, how does he evaluate to among the high place gamers on this 12 months’s Draft? — @StevieDAles97

When we tackled this query on the most recent Pipeline Podcast, I received so tongue-tied making an attempt to say that Elly De La Cruz is incomparable as a result of he is a unicorn that I referred to as him “Elly De La Corn.” I do not suppose that nickname goes to catch on.

De La Cruz, who smoked a double in his massive league debut final evening, might need the most effective all-around instruments within the Majors of anybody moreover Shohei Ohtani. He’s a sooner and extra superior hitting model of Oneil Cruz.

There are 5 very proficient gamers who’ve separated themselves from the remainder of the 2023 Draft class: Louisiana State outfielder Dylan Crews and right-hander Paul Skenes, Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford, prep outfielders Walker Jenkins and Max Clark. But none of them can match up instrument for instrument with De La Cruz.

Crews has extra pure hitting potential, however De La Cruz is comparable in that regard to the opposite three outfielders. He has extra energy than any of them (Langford can be the closest), solely Clark can match his velocity and possibly his arm energy and De La Cruz has extra defensive worth with stable glovework at both shortstop or third base.

Crews and Langford have starred within the Southeastern Conference, the most effective league in faculty baseball but additionally a number of ranges faraway from Triple-A, the place De La Cruz dominated on the similar age (21) as they’re. If De La Cruz have been a part of the 2023 Draft, he’d be the straightforward No. 1 general decide primarily based on bodily potential and efficiency.

Everybody retains evaluating Skenes to Strasburg (arguably the best faculty pitcher of all-time) Why in everyone’s mock drafts are the Pirates taking Crews? Who is Crews corresponding to? — @jferg77

I’ve made that assertion a number of instances myself, and Strasburg is the most effective pitching prospect within the historical past of the Draft. Yet there is a sturdy consensus amongst membership executives and scouts that the Pirates will and will take Crews with the No. 1 general decide.

Crews is an especially gifted hitter with plus energy and velocity and likewise has likelihood to stay in middle area. The purpose there’s a lot perception that Pittsburgh ought to choose him stems not solely from his expertise but additionally as a result of place gamers entail much less danger than pitchers.

But I believe a powerful case additionally could possibly be made that relative to his friends — not simply in 2023, however within the final decade — Skenes stands out extra among the many pitchers than Crews does among the many place gamers. I are inclined to err on the aspect of ceiling, and I believe it is more durable to discover a pitcher with Skenes’ upside than it’s an outfielder with Crews’.

For all of the hype surrounding Crews, I have never heard a fantastic comparability this spring and I can not discover one from latest Drafts. In phrases of the kind of massive league manufacturing he may present, he is much like Freddie Freeman, albeit as a righty-hitting outfielder. Among the outfielders on our Top 100 Prospects listing, he form of resembles a smaller, righty-hitting model of the Nationals’ James Wood with extra hitting potential.

First 5 faculty arms after Paul Skenes you count on to be taken within the Draft? — @Iambored44

This is not Draft for school arms, because of a number of guys both getting harm or not creating as hoped. Skenes will go within the first two picks to both the Pirates or Nationals, and fellow right-handers Chase Dollander (Tennessee), Rhett Lowder (Wake Forest) and Hurston Waldrep (Florida) will comply with him within the first spherical.

Texas right-hander Tanner Witt has labored simply 9 2/3 innings this spring and hasn’t absolutely returned to type since having Tommy John surgical procedure in March 2022, however there isn’t any purpose to suppose he will not, and he was a slam-dunk first-rounder earlier than he received harm. He may go within the supplemental first spherical as somebody’s second choice, maybe increased.

Kent State’s Joe Whitman has gone from pitching solely 5 2/3 innings in two seasons at Purdue to changing into the most effective faculty left-hander on this class. He additionally may issue into the supplemental first spherical. After these half-dozen faculty arms, that demographic will get very murky.

Max Clark and Pete Crow-Armstrong seem to be comparable prospects coming into the Draft. What makes Max Clark completely different as a prospect, and the way a lot of a “haircut” do you suppose he’d take if Pirates picked him 1.1? — @2000sSports

Clark and Crow-Armstrong have been comparable as prepsters who have been hit-over-power guys and no-doubt middle fielders. But there have been some questions on Crow-Armstrong’s offensive influence on the similar stage of their careers, which is why he lasted 19 choices in 2020. Clark will go considerably increased subsequent month.

Crow-Armstrong has made some swing modifications and different changes for the reason that Mets traded him to the Cubs, so now present-day PCA and highschool Clark have comparable offensive profiles. Clark’s velocity and arm energy are a grade higher than these of Crow-Armstrong, who has the benefit of being the most effective defensive middle fielder within the Minors.

At worst, Clark figures to go fifth within the Draft, and the No. 5 decide (which belongs to the Twins) comes with an assigned worth of $7,139,700. If it seems he’ll final that lengthy — I hold projecting him at No. 5 in mock drafts — he may signal for $7.5 million to $8 million if the Pirates minimize a cope with him at No. 1. That would save Pittsburgh $1.7 million to $2.2 million versus its bonus pool.