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2005 EHCC Draft Grades
Mistakes and good luck shape the day.
By Athrun Zala / Japan Times
With the 2005 EHCC Minor League draft coming after a slew of free agent signings that shook up team draft boards there were many surprises to be seen. The number of pitching prospects selected was toned down as five prospects had hit the free agent market in the weeks before the draft. A heavy reliance on middle infielders (6) and a weak outfielder class (5) shaped this draft. Each team has been graded on the value of their player chosen at their spot as well as the position the player plays and how the player would fit into the future plan of each team. After studying the draft it was concluded that two teams had great drafts, two had horrible drafts, and three teams had average drafts (with five more not participating).
Rakeville (3 picks) – A
Picks – Chad Billingsley, Brandon Wood, Yaseimero Petit
Rakeville started the draft going young, real young, and continuing that trend all night long. This strategy will probably help Rakeville as they already possess a young team filled with stars. Billingsley and Wood are excellent selections at their positions and Petit is a nice late pick project.
Las Vegas (2 picks) – B+
Picks – Joel Guzman, Chris Nelson
After much wheeling and dealing during the week to upgrade to spots 5 and 12 the Las Vegas Doggs made good use of those picks. The Doggs picked two high-end infielders for their future. With shortstop and third base occupied for at least the next three years by Miguel Tejada and Amaris Ramirez respectively look for the Doggs to be ready to make a big trade or two to fill another need when either Guzman or Nelson are ready to make the jump.
Tokyo (6 picks) – C
Picks – Jeff Niemann, Daric Barton, Andy LaRoche, Joel Zumaya, Thomas Diamond, Billy Butler
With Tokyo already in the midst of a building process they went with the top player on their list every time they picked, regardless of position. This inadvertently skewed their draft toward less valuable positions such as pitching and corner infield players. One has to wonder what Tokyo is doing at third base with as Andy Marte, Edwin Encarnacion, Andy LaRoche, and possibly Billy Butler looking to unseat regular Garrett Atkins next year. Not the best strategy for Tokyo.
Quebec City (5 picks) – C
Picks – Adam Miller, Ian Stewart, Jeremy Hermida, Brian Dopriak, Lastings Milledge
Quebec City started off the draft with #1 overall pick Adam Miller. Miller and #4 pick Ian Stewart mark the high points of this draft for Quebec City. Both players are All-Stars in waiting that will unseat proven veterans Scott Rolen and Jason Schmidt, both of whom should be on the downsides of their careers. The Piglets followed up these two excellent picks with three large question marks. Outfielders Jeremy Hermida and Lastings Milledge, along with first baseman Brian Dopriak are curious picks in this author's eyes. We don’t see much power from them and see all of them as singles hitters and Dopriak as Hee Seop Choi version 2.0. Hermida is the best of the bunch but one has to wonder if there weren’t better players available at the 10th overall pick.
Weymouth (3 picks) - C
Picks – Stephen Drew, Carlos Quentin, Conor Jackson
Just what is Weymouth doing with three minor league draft picks? They are stocking up with players who can contribute next year apparently. Two of the players they chose will contribute in late 2005 and be regulars in 2006. Stephen Drew is the only long term prospect here and seeing as he might move through the system very quickly this is a confusing draft for the Shaddupu. The Shaddupu right now hold more assets than they need for the 2006 season and will be forced to make a move or could lose their picks to free agency sometime in 2006. We love the value of getting Carlos Quentin at the 20th pick, but one has to wonder what use he will be to a stocked Shaddupu team.
Winston –Salem (2 picks) - D
Picks – Francisco Liriano, Hanley Ramirez
The Green Monsters are in the same boat as Plymouth. They used a premium first round pick on someone who would definitely been available in the second round. Their only saving grace is that they snagged a tumbling Hanley Ramirez at the start of the second round. Should these two picks have been reversed they might not have looked so bad.
Plymouth (2 picks) – F
Picks – Jon Lester, Dustin Pedroia
Plymouth comes into the draft at the second pick set on taking Jon Lester. Jon Lester may turn out to be a good pitcher one day but wouldn’t Plymouth have been better off trading down to get him? Was anyone really a threat to take him before their second pick at 19? Pedroia is a good value for the 19th pick, but we just can’t get over Lester at #2.
Bizton (1 pick) - Incomplete
Picks – Pending
Bizton failed to show up for the draft and will make their selection later on this week.
Tijuana, Bridgewater, Golden, Haverhill (0 picks) - Incomplete
Athrun Zala is a reporter for the Japan Times. Though he has lived in Tokyo all his life, he does not know how to use chopsticks.
