Bobby Borchering
Rumors

Keith Law and Jason Churchill of espn.com have a combined update with a couple of signings.

The deadline to sign 2009 MLB draft picks is August 17th. For an update on the status of first round draft picks, click here.

• The Diamondbacks have signed their first round pick, Bobby Borchering. The signing bonus was $1.8M.

• Madison Younginer, a seventh round pick by the Boston Red Sox, has agreed to a $975K signing bonus.
• The Giants signed their second round pick, Tommy Joseph, for $712K

Jonathan Mayo of mlb.com has a report from the 2009 East Coast Showcase and highlights who he was told stood out. Mayo claims that there will be several 2010 first round draft picks at the showcase and points to guys like Zach Wheeler, Bobby Borchering, Mike Trout and LeVon Washington

Hitters

• Stetson Allie, RHP/3B: Based off of his 97-92mph fastball and an 91-88mph slider, one would figure his future is as a pitcher. However, his command is below average and some scouts think he'll be a more productive hitter. Either way, he was an impressive athlete.
• Eric Arce, C/1B, Lakeland HS: Called the best hitter at the draft. Demonstrated good power along with an ability to use the entire field. His catching skills are questionable, so he may be a 1B professionally.
• Yordy Cabrera, SS, Lakeland HS: One of the rare prep shortstops who projects as a professional shortstop because of his excellent hands and strong arm. Also has a nice swing that results in solid contact.
• Chevez Clarke, OF/INF, Marietta HS: The epitome of a "tools" player as evidenced by his ability to play almost any position in the infield or outfield.
• Delino DeShields, OF/INF, Woodward HS: Like Bedrosian, he's got a former big league father in Delino DeSheilds Sr. Similar to Clarke, he's got the tools to play several different positions.
• Manny Machado, SS, Miami Brito HS: While he was probably not in the first round discussion before the showcase, he played really well and impressed scouts.

Pitchers

• Cam Bedrosian, RHP, East Coweta HA: Threw fastballs at 95-92 and a 79-77 breaking ball and has a great pedigree with his father as a former major league player.
• AJ Cole, RHP, Ovieda HS: Reminded scouts of Rick Porcello and threw up to 96 mph
• DeAndre Smelter, RHP, Tatnall HS: Draws comparisons to Edwin Jackson displaying a 95-92 mph fastball and a 77-75 breaking ball.
• Karsten Whitson, RHP, Chipley HS: Has thrown up to 96 mph, but only reached 92 at the showcase. Nevertheless, he still threw a solid breaking ball clocking in at 81-78.
• Bobby Wahl, RHP, West Springfield HS: Mayo downplays Wahl's ability by saying that he's riding on his command right now. He defends Wahl by by saying he still has plenty of "stuff." Frankly, I'd rather have the control.

The August 17th deadline to sign plays from the 2009 MLB Draft is fast approaching. We'll use this page to update the signing status of all the first round picks.

The deadline for players to sign is August 17, 2009

1. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals - Despite speculation that he would not signed, agreed to a $15M contract. (updated 8/17/09)
2. Dustin Ackley, Seattle Mariners - Agreed to a $7.5M signing bonus. (updated 8/17/09)
3. Donovan Tate, San Diego Padres - Instead of going back to UNC to play football, signed a contract with a 6.25M signing bonus (updated 8/17/09)
4. Tony Sanchez, Pittsburgh Pirates - Signed a well-publicized contract before the draft
5. Matt Hobgood, Baltimore Orioles - Signed a contract
6. Zach Wheeler, San Francisco Giant - Signed for $3.3M (updated 8/17/09)
7. Mike Minor, Atlanta Braves - Signed a contract with a record $2.42M signing bonus (updated 8/8/09)
8. Mike Leake, Cincinnati Reds - Agreed to a $2.2M contract (updated 8/15/09)
9. Jacob Turner, Detroit Tigers - Received a Rick Porcello-like signing bonus of $5.5M (updated 8/17/09)
10. Drew Storen, Washington Nationals - Signed a contract
11. Tyler Matzek, Colorado Rockies - Rumors were that it would take a lot of money to keep Matzek away from Oregon: signed for $3.3M (updated 8/17/09)
12. Aaron Crow, Kansas City Royals - Agreed to a $3M contract with the Royals (updated 9/21/09)
13. Grant Green, Oakland As - Agreed to a $2.75M signing bonus (updated 8/15/09)
14. Matt Purke, Texas Rangers - Decided to go to college instead of signing with the Rangers (updated 8/17/09)
15. Alex White, Cleveland Indians - Got a bit less than Minor, $2.25M signing bonus (updated 8/17/09)
16. Bobby Borchering, Arizona Diamondbacks - Agreed to a contract with a $1.8M signing bonus (updated 8/15/09)
17. AJ Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks - Signed a contract
18. Chad James, Florida Marlins - Agreed to a $1.7M contract (updated 8/15/09)
19. Shelby Miller, St. Louis Cardinals - Inked a $2.875M signing bonus (updated 8/17/09).
20. Chad Jenkins, Toronto Blue Jays - Signed for $1.359M (updated 8/15/09)
21. Jiovanni Mier, Houston Astros - Signed a contract
22. Kyle Gibson, Minnesota Twins - Signed a $1.8M contract (updated 8/17/09)
23. Jared Mitchell, Chicago White Sox -Signed a contract
24. Randal Grichuk, Los Angeles Angels -Signed a contract
25. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels - Signed a contract
26. Eric Arnett, Milwaukee Brewers - Signed a contract
27. Nick Franklin, Seattle Mariners - Signed for $1.28M (updated 8/15/09)
28. Reymond Fuentes, Boston Red Sox - Signed a contract
29. Slade Heathcott, New York Yankees - Agreed to a $2.2M signing bonus (updated 8/17/09)
30. LeVon Washington, Tampa Bay Rays - Ultimately did not sign with the Rays (updated 8/17/09)
31. Brett Jackson, Chicago Cubs - Signed a contract
32. Tim Wheeler, Colorado Rockies - Signed a contract

Keith Law of espn.com provided a reaction to the draft picks from Day 1 of the 2009 MLB Draft. For Day 2 analysis, click here.

Best picks of the first round

• Tyler Matzek, Colorado Rockies, #11 overall: He slid because of signability concerns and the Rockies benefited.
• Shelby Miller, St. Louis Cardinals, #19 overall: Like Matzek, he fell because of contract demands.
• Kyle Gibson, Minnesota Twins, #20 overall: The stress fracture in Gibson's throwing arm scared many teams off, but so long as it heals, the Twins got a steal.

Worst picks of the first round

• Tony Sanchez, Pittsburgh Pirates, #4 overall: It's not that Sanchez is not a first round player, but the Pirates reached too high at #4. The reason was a pre-draft deal that saved the Pirates some money, but they passed on too much talent.
• Randal Grichuk, Los Angeles Angles, #24 overall: Not even in Law's Top 100
• Nick Franklin, Seattle Mariners, #27 overall: Franklin does not have much upside along with below average power and mediocre defense at best.

More Thoughts

• Law liked the Diamondbacks draft of Bobby Borchering and AJ Pollock in the first round and Matt Davidson, Chris Owings and Mike Belifore in the second and third rounds.
• The Cubs took low stat, high upside athletic guys Brett Jackson and DJ LeMahieu.
• Rex Brothers was a steal for the Rockies at #34.

• Chuck Finder of The Pittsburgh Post Gazette says that the Pirates reached for Tony Sanchez.  I think everyone realizes that they did, but the pick was a financial one: he'll sign for less.
• The Diamondbacks had eight picks in the first three rounds - Bobby Borchering and AJ Pollock in the first round - and hope they will mine some impact players writes Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.
• Jerry Brewer of The Seattle Times believes that Dustin Ackley was the right pick for Seattle.  I don't think anyone is going to argue with that.  Buster Olney of espn.com thinks that the top of the Mariners order could go 1. Ichiro Suzuki, 2. Ackley by 2011.
• The Padres aimed to draft ahtletic players with their early 2009 draft picks says Bill Center of The San Diego Union-Tribune.  Donovan Tate certainly fits that bill.
• By drafting Tyler Matzek the Rockies now have to make sure he doesn't go to Oregon for college.  It could cost them writes Irv Moss of The Denver Post.
• The Blue Jays are very impressed with their first round draft picks', Chad Jenkins, stuff, according to Richard Griffin of The Toronto Star.
• Minnesota took a gamble on Kyle Gibson who ended his season with a stress fracture in his forearm says La Velle Neal of The Minneapolis Star Tribune.
• Jared Mitchell has a high ceiling for the White Sox hopes Joe Cowley from The Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Red Sox hope that Reymond Fuentes has a similar career path to Jacoby Ellsbury writes Sean McAdam for the Boston Hearld.
• The Ranges have not been afraid to spend money on their draft picks recently and Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News notes that 2009 was no different.
• Marlins first round draft pick Chad James hopes he's on the major league roster in three years.
• LeVon Washington, the Rays first round draft picks, is ready to sign.
• The Orioles are not worried that Matt Hobgood was not rated as high as they had him in the 2009 draft.
• While Mike Trout (#24 to the Angels) was at the MLB studios at the draft, Stephen Strasburg watched the broadcast from his couch.

Here's a review of the first round of the 2009 MLB Draft.

1. Washington Nationals - Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State University
2. Seattle Mariners - Dustin Ackley, OF, UNC
3. San Diego Padres - Donovan Tate, OF, Cartersville HS, GA
4. Pittsburgh Pirates - Tony Sanchez, C, Boston College
5. Baltimore Orioles - Matt Hobgood, RHP, Norco HS, CA
6. San Francisco Giants - Zach Wheeler, RHP, East Paulding HS, GA
7. Atlanta Braves - Mike Minor, LHP, Vanderbilt
8. Cincinnati Reds - Mike Leake, RHP, Arizona State
9. Detroit Tigers - Jacob Turner, RHP, Westminster Christian Academy, MO
10. Washington Nationals - Drew Storen, RHP, Stanford
11. Colorado Rockies - Tyler Matzek, LHP, Capistrano Valley HS, CA
12. Kansas City Royals - Aaron Crow, LHP, Fort Worth Cats
13. Oakland As - Grant Green, SS, USC
14. Texas Rangers - Matt Purke, LHP, Klein HS, TX
15. Cleveland Indians - Alex White, RHP, UNC
16. Arizona Diamondbacks - Bobby Borchering, Bishop Verot HS, FL
17. Arizona Diamondbacks - AJ Pollock, OF, Notre Dame
18. Florida Marlins - Chad James, LHP, Yukon HS, OK
19. St. Louis Cardinals - Shelby Miller, RHP, Brownwood HS, TX
20. Toronto Blue Jays - Chad Jenkins, RHP, Kennesaw State
21. Houston Astros - Jiovanni Mier, SS, Bonita HS, CA
22. Minnestoa Twins - Kyle Gibson, RHP, Missouri
23. Chicago White Sox - Jared Mitchell, CF, LSU
24. Los Angeles Angels - Randal Grichuk, LF, Lamar Cons HS, TX
25. Los Angeles Angels - Mike Trout, CF, Millville Sr. HS, NJ
26. Milwaukee Brewers - Eric Arnett, RHP, Indiana
27. Seattle Mariners - Nick Franklin, SS, Lake Brantley HS, FL
28. Boston Red Sox - Reymond Fuentes, CF, Fernando Callejo HS, CA
29. New York Yankees - Slade Heathcott, OF, Texas HS, TX
30. Tampa Bay Rays - LeVon Washington, 2B, Buchholz HS, FL
31. Chicago Cubs - Brett Jackson, CF, University of California - Berkeley
32. Colorado Rockies - Tim Wheeler, OF, Cal State - Sacramento

For Picks 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 21-26 and 27-32 click on the links.

7:27pm With the sixteenth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the Arizona Diamondbacks select Bobby Borchering.  The Diamondbacks remain on the clock.

7:29pm The Diamondbacks had been interested in Borchering for a while and were just hoping he'd get past the Rockies at 11.  Rumor had it that the Diamondbacks would take Matt Davidson with Borchering, so let's see what they do.

7:31pm With the seventeenth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the Arizona Diamondbacks select AJ Pollock.  The Marlins are now on the clock.

7:32pm Well, we got half of the Diamondbacks two picks correct.  Borchering was right, but Arizona grabbed Pollock instead of Davidson.

7:34pm Baseball Rumor Mill Best Available: Shelby Miller, Jared Mitchell, Mike Trout

7:36pm With the eighteenth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the Florida Marlins select Chad James.  The Cardinals are now on the clock.

7:37pm The Marlins played their cards very close to the vest and it seemed to be anyone's guess who they'd take with #18.  The one thing we did know was that they were going after a pitcher.  The real question now is what's wrong with Shelby Miller that's causing him to slip?

7:39pm One player the Cardinals were looking at here was AJ Pollock, but he's now gone.  Perhaps Josh Phegley?  Maybe Rex Brothers?  Or maybe Miller has fallen into their lap.

7:41pm With the nineteenth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the St. Louis Cardinals select Shelby Miller.  The Blue Jays are on the clock.

7:42pm Keith Law and Jason Churchill love Miller and Churchill says he'll be less expensive than many of his peers.  Throws very hard, 98mph.  I do not think the Cardinals were expecting this.

7:45pm With the twentieth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the Toronto Blue Jays select Chad Jenkins.  The Houston Astros are on the clock.

For Picks 1-5, 6-10, 16-20, 21-26, 27-32 click on the links.

7:03pm With the eleventh pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the Colorado Rockies select Tyler Matzek.  The Royals are now on the clock.

7:05pm Most everyone had the Rockies taking Bobby Borchering here, but that was before the slight surprises we've seen earlier in the draft.  This likely means that Borchering could fall to the Diamondbacks at #16 and #17.

7:07pm Baseball Rumor Mill Best Available: Alex White, Aaron Crow, Matt Purke

7:08pm With the twelveth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the Kansas City Royals select Aaron Crow.  The As are now on the clock.

7:10pm What's most intriguing to me about this pick is that Crow couldn't reach an agreement as the 9th pick of the 2009 draft and held out for, theoretically, more money.  Is he likely to get more money now as the 12th pick of the 2009 draft?  Seems unlikely.

7:12pm With the thirteenth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the Oakland As select Grant Green.  The Rangers are now on the clock.

7:14pm I'm not a big fan of this pick.  Everything I read and heard over the past few months has not been very positive about Green, especially when it comes to his defense.

7:16pm The Rangers have been sticking to best available player for a few years now and I expect that trend to continue.  My guess is Shelby Miller.

7:17pm With the fourteenth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the Texas Rangers select Matt Purke.  The Cleveland Indians are now on the clock.

7:18pm I figured it'd be Purke or Miller and got the 50/50 guess wrong.

7:19pm Much like everyone was predicting Drew Storen to the Nationals with the 10th pick, everyone has been saying that Eric Arnett would be going to the Indians.

7:21pm With the fifteenth pick of the 2009 MLB Draft the Cleveland Indians select Alex White.  The Arizona Diamondbacks are now on the clock.

7:22pm A little bit of a surprise, but only that the Indians didn't take Arnett.  White's draft stock slipped recently due to his struggles towards the end of the season, but perhaps the Indians didn't think he'd fall to them and were happy to take him.

The espn.com draft team of Keith Law and Jason Churchill have five (yes, FIVE!) draft updates for us today.  You can find each of them here, here, here, here and here.  We'll summarize them for you in one convenient location...below.

• The Pirates are interested in Tony Sanchez, Zach Wheeler, Matt Hobgood and Grant Green.
• Law likes the following: Wheeler to Baltimore, Tyler Matzek to San Francisco and Alex White to Atlanta. 
• The Braves like Matt Purke but don't want to pay him over slot.
• Atlanta's choice is between White and Mike Minor.  Churchill thinks Drew Storen is in the mix at #7 too.
• The Reds would like Minor, but if the Braves take him Chad Jenkins and Storen are options for them.
• Jenkins and Storen are also options for the Nationals at #10
• Churchill says that is Storen gets past the Nationals at #10, he might fall all the way out of the first round.  The Angels and Mariners like him, but likely do not have him high enough on their draft boards to select him in the 20s.  The Twins have some interest in Storen, but prefer Billy Bullock.
• Bobby Borchering may be the favorite to the Rockies at #11, even over Hobgood.
• If the Rockies do take Borchering at #11, the Diamondbacks will take AJ Pollock and Matt Davidson with their picks at 16 and 17.
• If Kansas City takes Mike Leake with #12 - and indications are that they are seriously considering it - Oakland would then choose between Green, Mike Trout and possibly Donovan Tate.
• Max Stassi worked out for the Red Sox this morning.
• St. Louis is rumored be interested in Purke.
• Detroit might not want to spend the money that Purke and Jacob Turner are rumored to be demanding.  If so, Rex Brothers and Chad James become options for them at #9.  The Tigers have also been linked to Borchering, Mike Trout and Reymond Fuentes.
• The Padres like Donovan Tate at #3, but if they feel they can't afford him, they'll go with Wheeler.  That would mean the Orioles take Hobgood.

Finally, Keith Law's latest Top 15.

1. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
2. Dustin Ackley, Mariners
3. Tate, Padres
4. Sanchez, Pirates
5. Wheeler, Orioles
6. Matzek, Giants
7. White, Braves
8. Minor, Reds
9. Turner, Tigers
10. Storen, Nationals
11. Borchering, Rockies
12. Leake, Royals
13. Green, As
14. Shelby Miller, Rangers
15. Brothers or Eric Arnett, Indians

Still more rumors and news floating in about what players teams are zeroing in on for tonight's draft.  Let's take a look.

• Jen Langosch of mlb.com is beginning to accept the possibility that the Pirates will take Tony Sanchez with their first pick, #4 overall.  Keith Law of espn.com believes that, beyond Sanchez, Zach Wheeler, Matt Hobgood, Grant Green and Aaron Crow all are in the mix.  Chuck Finder of The Pittsburgh Post Gazette agrees about Wheeler, Crow and Sanchez and also suggests Kyle Gibson.  There is also some great stuff about how Sanchez is ready to sign in Finder's piece.  
• Tracy Ringolsby of Inside the Rockies indicates that the Rockies are high on Matt Hobgood.
• Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic found out that the Diamondbacks really like Bobby Borchering and will take him if he's available with their picks (#16 and #17).  Mike Leake also falls into that category.  Some options for the Diamondbacks next picks (#35 and #41) include Tyler Skaggs, Jiovanni Mier, Brett Jackson and Tommy Mendonca.  
• Rangers president Nolan Ryan believes they will take a pitcher with their pick, #14.  Names under consideration are Shelby Miller and Matt Purke.