1st Round, 30th overall (acquired from LA) - 1B/C Owen Carter - When the LA Bruins signed MR Jose Gomes in the off season, the rights to their first round pick become the D-Bags with the type A compensation attached to him. With LA's pick, GM Swain was very surprised to find Carter still available. He was the best catcher in the draft and had really started to show his skills after 2 years at University of Arizona. He was previously drafted in the 2015 draft, 12th overall, by the Kansas City Cougars, but they couldn't come to an agreement, so off to Tuscon he went. Carter has an overall skill set of average contact, great gap power and above average HR power and eye. His defense should come out to be average to play at the big league level. The D-Bags really enjoyed the jump in HR and BB his senior season, hitting 12 HR and walking 47 times in only 48 games. If everything goes to plan, Carter should be the heir apparent to catcher someday.
1st Round, 32nd overall - 1B/DH Sergio Barron. Using their own first round pick, and the last in the round, Jersey selected high school 1B/DH Sergio Barron. Barron who hails from Jefferson-Youngsville High School in Jefferson, NY, isn't your typical 19 year old. At 6'3" and 250 pounds he is a force on the field. While he lacks speed, he was drafted for his bat. He compiled 37 HR, 111 RBI and 69/32 BB/K with a triple slash of .381/.485/.791. His senior year his .435 average and .519 OBP ranked among the elite in at the HS level. Jersey power hitters aren't known for their patience and limiting K's so Barron is a difference. With being so young we might not see him for awhile, but one day this kid could be a force at the plate.
Supplemental Round, 50th overall - SP Michael Manning. Using the 2nd of 2 picks from the Gomes compensation the Bags selected High School pitching Manning out of Madawaska Valley HS. Manning sits 6'1, doesn't have the best stuff and but makes up for it with above average control and movement. His fastball tops out at 89-90 and his forkball is best of his 4 below average pitches. With some technique going into one of his pitches he might be able to pick up stuff while in the minors. He never had a great season in high school on the surface but his 4 year FIP was 2.60, topping out a best 2.06 his senior year. He carried a 8.29 K/BB ratio while giving up .55 HR/9. While he doesn't look like front line material, if a little time goes into him he might be a mid to back-end rotation option.
2nd Round, 93rd overall - SP Jonathon Phillips. For the 3rd time in 4 picks, Jersey reached for a high school player, selecting Phillips out of Butler HS. There's no easy way to say this, but Phillips was a beast his senior year. He won the league's Outstanding Pitcher Award while finishing 8-0 in 8 starts, compiling a 1.87 ERA to go with a 0.79 WHIP and struck out 85 hitters in just 53 innings. That included a 17-strikeout No-Hitter on May the 11th. The downside for Phillips, is depsite his overwhelming velocity and fastball and his nasty slider, he lacks a 3rd pitch. He does look a little wild, but got away with it HS with kids flailing away at pitches. He will probably start in the minor leagues but I doubt he ever sees anytime in the bigs as a starter. He could turn out to be a decent reliever though.
3rd Round, 128th overall - 1B Ryan McBride. McBride is an unathletic 1B who does have some skills as a hitter especially contact. He won't hit for a ton of power, despite hitting 14 HR his senior year for the Iowa State Hawkeyes. If he can gain some power he could be a legit prospect, but if he pans out like his potential stacks up, he might start one day a team looking for a cheap 1B or DH option, but more than likely is a guy who puts up good-great numbers in AAA.
4th Round, 157th overall - LF David Murphy. Murphy is another high schooler who has speed and power.....and not much else. In his 1 high school year he did hit over 300 with 13 HR, but he is a boom or bust player. The type of player you find in the around the 150th pick in a draft. Someone with a above average skill you could hope turns elite in his time in the minors.
There was nothing of note in the last 6 players and I would guess would be surprised if more than 2-3 of them made any roster. Overall I give this draft a B. It yielded a very nice looking player at a premium position, a potential above average power bat, and two pitchers who could pitch at the major league level one day. Not great, but in an overall weak draft position picking at the end of every round, gems are hard to come by. It will be fun watching Carter and Barron to see if they live up to those 1st round expectations that Jersey fans are accustomed to seeing.
GO D-BAGS
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