UConn and 2017 MLB Draft

[navery12]

Unless we are completely gutted by the MLB draft next year, we will be playing for more than a regional berth next year. The vast majority of production on the team returns, and maybe the incoming class will give us another freshman stud or two.

Been reading the board from the shadows all season, but you all would know far better than me. Apart from the seniors, who realistically could be drafted and leave?

 

[Baseballguy]

Yeah the middle of the week head scratching losses did this team no favors..will be interesting to see which players return. I assume Wills is gone, not sure about yahn. Would be nice to get another impact bat on a team that struggled to score far too often.

Wills and Russell are 100% gone. I would have guessed in the beginning of the year Willy would be first off the board but I'm not sure if he gets drafted high enough to leave school at the moment.

 

[dbmill]

Yeah the middle of the week head scratching losses did this team no favors..will be interesting to see which players return. I assume Wills is gone, not sure about yahn. Would be nice to get another impact bat on a team that struggled to score far too often.

Been reading the board from the shadows all season, but you all would know far better than me. Apart from the seniors, who realistically could be drafted and leave?

Have to think Montgomerie, Yahn, and Russell will likely all be gone to the mlb draft. Plenty of young players around that need to make the improvement leap that Susi did from freshman to sophomore year.

 

[dbmill]

Wills and Russell are 100% gone. I would have guessed in the beginning of the year Willy would be first off the board but I'm not sure if he gets drafted high enough to leave school at the moment.

Big plus for offense and defense if Yahn does come back. He hit better as the season progressed and got farther away from his injury at the start of the season.

 

[Baseballguy]

Rumor is Feldstein may not be back next year either.

 

[navery12]

Have to think Montgomerie, Yahn, and Russell will likely all be gone to the mlb draft. Plenty of young players around that need to make the improvement leap that Susi did from freshman to sophomore year.

I've accepted Montgomerie and Russell are gone. There's a part of me that still thinks Yahn comes back, but that's probably just me being hopeful

 

[dbmill]

I've accepted Montgomerie and Russell are gone. There's a part of me that still thinks Yahn comes back, but that's probably just me being hopeful

It's one of those things. In college baseball you have to accept the fact that your best players are going pro after their junior season. I've come to view it as a badge of honor for the program to send players to the pros before their eligibility is all used up, and that potential recruits will see it happening and want to come into the program because of that success.

 

[Baseballguy]

Plenty of young players around that need to make the improvement leap that Susi did from freshman to sophomore year.

This will ultimately make or break UConn next year. The senior class next year is extremely underwhelming. If Winkel and Moriarty can't make big leaps next year could be rough. The offense will need to make massive strides to make up for the departure of Wills and Russell.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Not so sure Russell will be gone; he might be drafted lower than he should be because of this being his first productive year.

 

[Baseballguy]

Not so sure Russell will be gone; he might be drafted lower than he should be because of this being his first productive year.

He's gotten a lot of interest. He's gone.

 

[huskymedic]

He's gotten a lot of interest. He's gone.

Fact or strong opinion?

 

[navery12]

It's one of those things. In college baseball you have to accept the fact that your best players are going pro after their junior season. I've come to view it as a badge of honor for the program to send players to the pros before their eligibility is all used up, and that potential recruits will see it happening and want to come into the program because of that success.

That's true, getting kids consistently drafted after their junior years can only help. Would give a recruiting boost when kids see that and then we're set up to handle the departures and replace the production. And hey, if the Mets keep taking UConn kids every year I can live with it

 

[Baseballguy]

Fact or strong opinion?

He's had quite a few scouts look at him thoroughly. He had at least 6-7 teams watching him in the last series against ECU, most notably 2 separate Yankees scouts.

 

[huskymedic]

He's had quite a few scouts look at him thoroughly. He had at least 6-7 teams watching him in the last series against ECU, most notably 2 separate Yankees scouts.

Oh I get the interest but they have to make it worth his while to leave by grabbing him high... that's always the dicey part. Now if you have personal knowledge/intel - I'll defer. That's why I asked "fact or strong opinion".

 

[Baseballguy]

Oh I get the interest but they have to make it worth his while to leave by grabbing him high... that's always the dicey part. Now if you have personal knowledge/intel - I'll defer. That's why I asked "fact or strong opinion".

I expect him to go in rounds 8-15.

 

[huskymedic]

Baseball America 500:

Wills Montegomerie @#250
John Russell @#390

(Ostberg (C) from Harftord @ #206)

 

[dbmill]

The MLB draft this year starts on a Monday this year, switching away from last year's Thursday start date. June 12 through June 14.

 

[huskymedic]

NEBJ Draft Preview - Top 20 (Only NE Players)
New England Baseball Journal - June 2017

Montgomerie @3
Yahn @ 9

They also have a breakdown of the college summer leagues in this edition.

 

[dbmill]

NEBJ Draft Preview - Top 20 (Only NE Players)
New England Baseball Journal - June 2017

Montgomerie @3
Yahn @ 9

They also have a breakdown of the college summer leagues in this edition.

Interesting that John Russell doesn't make the top 20 in this New England player draft list. Are they underrating Russell because he was a relative unknown draft wise at the beginning of the season? For a quality baseball publication, New England Baseball Journal has made some funky draft ranking decisions in the past. I recall that they just loved Devin Over. It will be interesting to see who is more right on Russell, Baseball America or New England Baseball Journal.

 

[huskymedic]

Baseball America New England Review: 2017 State Draft Report: New England

 

[dbmill]

Baseball America New England Review: 2017 State Draft Report: New England

Ryan Radue comes in at No. 29, Willy Yahn at No. 31.

 

[dbmill]

UConn Blog article on Husky players and the mlb draft.

http://www.theuconnblog.com/2017/6/12/15787146/uconn-baseball-mlb-draft-primer

 

[huskymedic]

OT:
Joseph Duarte‏ @Joseph_Duarte 4m 4 minutes ago
Ex-Houston LHP Seth Romero selected by the @Nationals with the No. 25 overall pick in the #MLBdraft

Joseph Duarte‏ @Joseph_Duarte 3m 3 minutes ago
MLB Network analyst Dan O'Dowd on @Nationals taking ex-Houston LHP Seth Romero: 'It's a risk, it's a gamble.'

Aaron Fitt @aaronfitt 3m 3 minutes ago
Hm. #Nationals roll the dice with Seth Romero. Obviously a lefty with good stuff… questions about makeup and weight. Risk/reward again.

 

[huskymedic]

OT:

 

[huskymedic]

#190 overall