| By Chris Crawford |  | By 03-06-2010 |
With four picks in the top 51 (doesn't roll of the toungue quite like fifty, does it?) of last years draft, Seattle was able to add quality and quantity to the minor league system.
This year, with only the one top 50 pick, the M's are going to have far less chances to add, and a lot of it will depends on what teams do ahead of Seattle. If you want to see what positions could go early, or what may be left, I suggest checking out this article on the draft's strengths and weaknesses, and this one on what might be the strongest conference. It'll give you a pretty good idea what some scouts are thinking of the draft, and what positions may have to be hit early to get quality players.
Even with Adam Moore in tow, the catching position is currently in-flux, at best. A player that could interest the M's is UC-Riverside's Rob Brantly. There are scouts who feel Brantly may have to change positions, but he has a plus arm, and has improved offensively every year. Might be an interesting pick sometime in day one.
draft-blog:-strengths-and-weaknesses,-brantly
Comments
The following 7 comment(s) for this article are shown below:
| 1. By: griggs on 03-07-2010 16:48:34 Jason, can you tell me what you know about Drew Vettelson? He goes to the HS I graduated from (Central Kitsap High School in Silverdale)a few years ago and with me going to college, I have yet to see him first hand. |
| 2. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-07-2010 19:03:32 Vettleson, a Mariners fan who wears 24 because of you know who, is considered among the Top 40-50 prep prospects in the country in this year's class, depending on who you ask. He plays some outfield and bats left, but the intrigue with Vettleson is his switch-pitching. He's an Oregon State commit, but he may be drafted high enough to demand a bonus worth passing up the scholarship. He's a natural lefty but starting throwing with his right hand, too, because his parents -- dad a righty, mom a lefty, both played softball. If he was with mom that day, he'd pick up the ball and throw with his left hand, and vice versa if it was his dad's game he was at. Strangely, he plays outfield as a right-hander, however, and that is his strong and more comfortable side. He says being a righty now just "evolved" and he throws harder from that side, touching 92-93 in the past. He also throws a knuckle curve at about 81-82 and a true circle change from 77-79 mph. As a lefty, his velo sits 82-83, touches 85, and his offspeed pitches are both in the low-70s. He's really just a right-handed pitcher in the eyes of the pro scouts, but he's able to switch in the middle of games to save his right arm. Pretty good athlete, too, no a burner, but has 50-55 speed and the strong arm. Judging by what I have seen and what I have heard to this point, I think Vettleson goes to school, because unless someone reaches -- very possible -- he's not a Top 60 pick. But there's an entire spring ahead of him to improve that status, and he starts his regular season next Friday. |
| 3. By: rjfrik on 03-07-2010 20:08:55 Wow, If he could improve his velo with his left arm and get it to 89-90 he could be a very intriguing prospect. Could you imagine a pitcher who could actually switch arms depending on the batter he was facing. It's unheard of. Jason, Do you know if he actually does this in his H.S. games? I would love to see it. |
| 4. By: insidethepark on 03-07-2010 23:31:23 Rjfrik, there is already a prospect that can do that. Pat Venditte, who I think is in the Yankees system, switch pitches regularly. To allow for easy switching he wears a six fingered glove. He faces a switch hitter here and hilarity ensues: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDyCRTlKllk |
| 5. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-08-2010 07:45:18 I am told he doesn't do this during the games much, if at all, but he'll do it to save his right arm some. Vettleson does not have the special glove, either, but he's a much better prospect than Venditte -- better stuff. |
| 6. By: griggs on 03-08-2010 16:40:29 Thanks a lot Jason. I have a few friends who have played with him so I'll ask them for some further info. |
| 7. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-08-2010 18:59:21 As for his playing abilities, that's really all there is, and it's a consensus, hence the general ranges of where he ranks among the class and its prep prospects. If you are looking for personal information, that's what you get from his teammates. |
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