Atlanta Braves 2016 MLB Draft Options Reviewed
Atlanta Braves Draft Options
We at Tomahawk Take understand that 2016 portends to be a rough season to watch the major league club, but we have big things to watch with the Atlanta Braves minor-league clubs that will bring intriguing. (In no particular order) who will be selected #3 in the June draft, who will be signed in the July international signing period, how are the minor league prospects doing, and who do the Braves get in trade for the veterans on the team in midseason deals.
We will be taking a look at least every other week at the top options for that very first inquiry – the options for the Braves at #3 in the June MLB draft.
These are taken from various sources and you can feel free to offer up other names that you feel could be in play at #3 that we don’t mention, but we’re reviewing places like Baseball America, John Sickels, and Keith Law to review the top prospects.
So, without further adieu, let’s have our first review of the top guys in the draft. You’ll see a number of videos at the end of the post of each guy mentioned (if possible), so you can get a look at each prospect!
Hitters
Nolan Jones is a lefty-hitting 6’4, 216 pound shortstop from high school in Pennsylvania. He is currently rated #16 by BA. Jones has been seen as a third base prospect long-term due to his size and lack of agility.
He does have a great combination of big power and above average hit tool. While he may move to third, he’s considered to be a solid defender at the corner with a more-than-adequate arm.
Interestingly, he was a big time hockey player until this season and has a brother who is committed to playing college hockey for Penn State and is a prospect to be drafted in the NHL draft in June!
Kyle Lewis is a 6’4, 195 pound righty-hitting outfielder from Mercer University. He is currently rated #8 by BA. He’s considered a good bet to stay at center field as a solid defender who is an above-average runner. Though he has the arm to move to right if needed, but he does have a bit of swing and miss.
He does have some significant power, however, for a guy who profiles up the middle, and he’s really been turning it on this season. His current line sits at .467/.590/.900 over 90 AB with 10 home runs, 9 doubles, and even 2 steals along with a 26/12 BB/K ratio.
Mickey Moniak is a lefty-hitting 6’1, 167 pound outfielder from high school in California who BA has rated #15. He has incredible control of the bat, and some may believe that he could be a guy who consistently puts up .300+ seasons.
Keith Law has stated that Moniak may have the best hit tool of any player in the draft, high school or college. He’s got a slight build, so he’s not going to likely develop a ton of power, so his future is likely as a high average, high speed, exceptional defense center field type.
Delvin Perez is a right-hitting shortstop who is in high school in Puerto Rico and, therefore, eligible for the draft. He’s 6’2 and 165 currently and ranked #5 by BA. Some sites have him listed as tall as 6’4, so it’s clear he’s still growing, and the comps to Alex Rodriguez are no joke.
He’s got incredible power, 70-grade speed, defense that various places have stated is 70 grade CURRENTLY, with an arm that would play well at third or an outfield corner, but speed enough to even consider center field. While he’s younger than anyone else in the draft, he may be the most impressive talent in the whole draft pool.
Corey Ray is a lefty-hitting 5’11, 185 pound outfielder from the University of Louisville who is rated #7 by BA currently. Ray has a very solid contact bat with a TON of speed. He’s flashed some power, and he’s received some comps to Carl Crawford in his offensive profile. For better and worse, as Crawford even at his best had quite a bit of swing and miss in his game.
This year for Louisville, Ray started off incredibly hot, but he’s come back down to earth a bit, still posting an overall line of .326/.387/.630 with six home runs, eight doubles, and a triple along with 23 stolen bases (and no caught stealing!) while posting a 10/12 BB/K ratio.
Buddy Reed is an switch-hitting outfielder for the Univeristy of Florida. He’s listed at 6’3 and 200 pounds and currently rated #12 by BA. Interestingly, all the detailed information I could find on Reed was pre-season and the reviews were not exactly positive on his swing.
He’s gotten tremendous reviews on his base running, arm, and bat speed. His swing has some path issues that takes away his ability to get to his power as well as he could possibly. His 2016 line thus far is .299/.402/.460 with 2 home runs, 4 doubles, and 2 triples with 10 stolen bases (1 caught) while putting up a 14/21 BB/K.
Blake Rutherford is a lefty-hitting outfielder from high school in California listed at 6’2 and 192. He’s ranked #3 by BA currently. Rutherford is currently a center fielder, but his frame looks to add significant size and force a move to a corner.
He has the speed to profile as a high-end corner defender, though his inconsistent arm may force him to left. He also has incredible power, though he’s had some ups and downs as far as getting to that power with some over-eager swings that can come off as aggressive.
He’s received comps to two current Pittsburgh Pirates outfielders that represent two very different results. If he can get his aggressiveness under control, he’s seen as a guy who could profile in the Andrew McCutchen mode while his “realistic” profile with his current aggressiveness and skills remind many of Starling Marte.
Nick Senzel is a righty-hitting third baseman from the University of Tennessee who is currently ranked #2 in the BA Top 100. He’s listed at 6’1 and 205. Scouting reports rave about his ability to control the bat in the zone with solid line-drive power.
Though his swing is very flat, so generating a lot of power is not likely without a swing overhaul that could possibly cost him contact. He just moved to third base, and the transition has gone well, but he’s by no means Brooks Robinson there.
I’ve heard one comp four times now, so I’m assuming it has some weight, and that is former major leaguer Charlie Hayes. He’s currently hitting .365/.510/.568 with 2 home runs and 9 doubles in 74 at bats with a 22/10 BB/K ratio.
Pitchers
More from Tomahawk Take
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- Atlanta Braves 2023 Preseason Top 30 Prospects List: 16-20
Jason Groome
is a lefty who is currently ranked #1 in the Baseball America Top 100 draft prospects (last updated March 10th). He’s a high schooler from Barnegat High in New Jersey that is 6’4 and 224 pounds. Other places list him even taller, so he’s definitely a sizable presence on the mound.
He’s got a mid-90s fastball and very good feel for his curve (Keith Law in one chat in January considered his curve feel “plus-plus” and stated it was the best of a high school lefty since the Braves’ own Max Fried) along with a change that’s been inconsistent, but graded as at least plus with many reports of plus-plus.
Alec Hansen is a 6’7, 235 pound righty from the University of Oklahoma who is currently ranked #9 by BA. He had some injury worry in the fall, but he’s recently been turning it back on.
He has a fastball that sits in the 94-98 range when he’s doing well with a plus slider and a good feel for a change up. His early season struggles has his season ERA sitting at 7.65 with a 1.90 WHIP over six starts and 20 innings, though he’s struck out 28 over those 20 innings, his best start coming in his most recent one.
Riley Pint is a 6’5, 195 pound righty from high school in Kansas. He’s currently ranked #4 by BA. He’s got the biggest fastball of any guys the Braves will consider with their first pick, hitting triple digits over the summer during Area Code Games.
He’s got a frame to fill out well to support his high end velocity. He’s got a very sharp high-80s slider as well, but right now his feel for a change up is inconsistent to say the least. Many have compared him to Tyler Kolek, who was drafted high in 2014 with a huge fastball but has struggled in pro ball, though Pint is considered to have much better command currently than Kolek had coming into that draft.
A.J. Puk is a big 6’7, 225 pound lefty from the University of Florida who’s currently ranked #6 by BA. Puk has had an up and down season this year, but he’s got the size and the velocity from a lefty that is very rare.
He’s been in the mid-90s with his fastball, featuring a plus breaking ball. His change up needs some work, and his delivery has some level of deception that some believe throws off his command, but that could also be ironed out as well. So far in 2016, he’s put up a line of a 1.88 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over 5 starts and 24 innings, posting a 10/29 BB/K ratio.
Video
Nolan Jones:
Kyle Lewis:
Mickey Moniak:
Delvin Perez:
Corey Ray:
Buddy Reed:
Blake Rutherford:
Nick Senzel:
Jason Groome:
Alec Hansen:
Riley Pint:
A.J. Puk: