Future Redbirds

See below or click here for yesterday’s report.  Mark Hamilton had himself one heckuva night.

Over at Knucklecurve, Geoff Young lists a number of different sites and blogs with mock drafts. Here’s who others have the Cards selecting in the first round.

Outside the Beltway:

18. Madison Bumgardner, LHP, H.S., NC
36. Kyle Russell, RF, University of Texas

Real GM Baseball:

18. Jack McGeary, LHP, H.S., Mass

“McGeary is signed with Stanford and has said it will come down to money for him to sign a pro deal now. He might be the most complete high school pitcher in the country this year.”

MLB Draft University:

18. Michael Main, RHP/OF, H.S, Florida

Post Game Pub:

18. Matt LaPorta 1B R/R Florida Sr.
36. Jake Arrieta, RHP, Texas Christian

Chop-n-Change

18. Michael Main

They could opt to go with one of the prep lefties still on the board but Main is polished and a great athlete with good projection in his body. He could be a top of the rotation starter if he improves on his secondary offerings. The Cardinals could actually be one of the few teams that looks to draft Main as an outfielder.

Phuture Phillies (Hey, this site looks strangely familiar. Oh, WordPress and your wonderful templates. It’s an excellent site, by the way. I’m going to have to start stealing this guy’s ideas along with his look. )

18. Matt Harvey, RHP, HS (Connecticut)

This makes sense to me. Jocketty isn’t afraid of Scott Boras, and the Cardinals don’t have a ton of pitching in the minors. Harvey has big time upside, and will only slide outside of the Top 10 because he is advised by Boras.

3 Guys and a Sportspage

18. Madison Bumgardner
36. Kyle Russell

Elysian Blue

18. St. Louis Cardinals – Matt LaPorta, 1B, University of Florida

MLB.com

18. St. Louis Cardinals: Jake Arrieta, RHP, Texas Christian University

There was a temptation to put a Boras guy here because the Cardinals can do that, but it didn’t make sense to force the issue. That being said, if Andrew Brackman bounces back with a strong regional start later this week, he could very well figure into the picture here. Instead, I’ll go with a “safe” pick in Arrieta. He’s had an up-and-down season, but he turned in a dandy at UNLV last week and will get a regional start in to give scouts one last look. The Cardinals have enjoyed the Lone Star State in recent drafts and even took a Horned Frog pitcher last year, Brad Furnish.
Last week’s projection: Matt LaPorta

Keith Law, ESPN.com (Subscription)

18. Matt Wieters
36. Brett Cecil

Jim Callis, Baseball America (Subscription)

18. Matt Wieters

Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus on MLB.com’s webcast this weekend.

18. Andrew Brackman

Me a week ago

18. Matt Dominguez, 3B Chatsworth HS (CA)
36. Brett Cecil, LHP, University of Maryland
71. Nick Tepesch, RHP, Blue Springs HS (MO)
82. James Adkins, LHP, University of Tennessee
112. Tony Thomas Jr., IF, Florida State
142. Michael Taylor, OF, Stanford
172. Brandon Hicks, SS, Texas A & M

fewgoodcards at Minor League Ball

18. Kevin Ahrens, 3B, Texas HS
36. Peter Kozma, SS, Oklahoma HS
71. Nathan Vineyard, LHP, Georgia HS
82. Wes Roemer, RHP, Cal State Fullerton
112. Eric Sogard, 2B, Arizona State
142. Dan Schlereth, LHRP, Arizona
172. D.J. Jones, OF, Alabama HS

Last but not least, my latest futile attempt. Behold! Mock draft 2.0.

18. Michael Main
36. Brett Cecil
71. Jon Gilmore, IF, HS, Iowa
82. Matt Thomson, RHP, Santa Rosa Junior College
112. Eric Sogard
142. David Duncan, LHP, Georgia Tech
172. Brian Rike, OF, Louisiana Tech

Summing it all up:

Wieters still seems like a pipe-dream. A lot of people are saying Michael Main, and I have to say I’d be happy with that pick overall. I have flashes of Rick Ankiel run through my head, but only because they are both 2-way 1st rounders from Florida. Bumgardner has been seen as high as 10 on some mocks, I’d be thrilled if he fell to 18. Kyle Russell is very intriguing to me for #36. He led the NCAA in slugging .877 (!!!) in a big park. He’s also the one who set the all time Cape Cod League record in K’s (64 in 126 at bats). He’s struck out in 28% of his at bats this season, but oh, that power. He also knows how to take a walk with a 17% BB rate, but some of that has to be free passes of the frightened sort. Jack McGeary seems to me as more of a sandwich round pick. For someone who is known as more of a finesse lefty with great mechanics, he walked too many batters and at times his fastball was topping out at 87. I’m not sold. Andrew Brackman scares the bejeebus out of me. How does one go down with a tired arm after 78 innings? He could only cut it as a middle reliever with that sort of stamina, though his stuff is top shelf. If they could find a way to help him grow in endurance, well great…it just seems like such a risk. I’m still not sold on Arrieta, it’s interesting how Jon Mayo at MLB.com has him at 18 while almost everyone else has him in the supplemental round, where he would be a decent pick. Just because the Cards have a history of drafting college pitchers in the first round doesn’t mean they should settle for the “safe” pick.

As far as Mock 2.0 goes, I really like Sogard. He sure has that Dustin Pedroia thing going for him. Jon Gilmore I picked for a few reasons,  most of all he’s a hometown product here in Iowa. He’s been a big fish in a small pond here, but I’m told he has good power/batting average potential. I’m still sticking with Brett Cecil in the sandwich part of the 1st round. I couldn’t resist the Cardinals picking up a pitcher named Dave Duncan, if for any other reason then it would make for cheezy humor from play by play announcers. He has a good split finger fastball and decent fastball/change mix.  Brian Rike is a powerful college outfielder. Jeff Albert has an interview with him at Baseball Analysts and some video of his swing. The Cards would be very lucky to nab him if he’s still available in the 5th round.