Matt Davidson Rumors

A multi-sport star at California's Yucaipa HS, Taijuan Walker, is flying up the rankings for available prospects in the 2010 MLB draft. 

At 6'5" and 200 lbs, Walker, a right handed pitcher and shortstop, has a great body for a prospect, especially as a high schooler.  As a pitcher, Walker provides everything a scout is looking for in a young prospect: good size, speed and movement in his pitches and a projectable arm slot.  Though Walker has only recently been "discovered" as a pitcher, he's been a familiar name to scouts because of his work at shortstop last season, playing alongside Matt Davidson. 

Taijuan Walker

This past Wednesday, Walker threw in a scout ball game in California against Orange Coast College and was impressive.  His fastball was clocked at 94-91mph, he was throwing a sharp 85mph slider, a 77mph curveball and an 87mph cutter.

• The Diamondbacks have signed their supplemental first round pick, Matt Davidson.  He was treated to a tour of Chase Field and took batting practice with the major league team after signing.
• Sports Illustrated coverboy Bryce Harper has enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada, a two year junior college.  The move will allow him to enter the 2010 MLB Draft after what would have been his junior year of high school instead of 2011 after his senior year of high school.
• Bill Shaikin of The Pittsburgh Post Gazette discussed Scott Boras's effect on the draft.
• Former University of Miami linebacker Glenn Cook had not played baseball in six years, but was drafted by the Cubs anyway in the 48th round, with the 1,400th overall pick. 

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.

Let's take a look at the recent news about MLB Draft picks signing.  For an update on the status of first round draft picks, click here.

• The Brewers believe they can sign Eric Arnett to a $1.2M contract soon.
• Matt Davidson and AJ Pollock appear close to signing with the Diamondbacks.
• The Phillies have signed their top draft pick, Kelly Dugan.

Jason Churchill of espn.com gives us his thoughts on the sandwich picks (compensation picks in between the first and second round) and the second round selections.

• Churchill was surprised that James Paxton lasted until the 37th pick by the Blue Jays.
• Matt Davidson slipped through the draft to the Diamondbacks at #35, but no word on why.
• Colorado continues to have a nice draft, taking Rex Brothers with #34
• Tanner Scheppers finally goes off the board at #48 to the Rangers.  Health appears to be a major concern for Scheppers and is likely the reason he fell.  If he's healthy, the Rangers got a steal.  Churchill thinks that Scheppers will be expensive, around $4M, but how much leverage does he really have at this point?
• Vic Black to the Pirates at #49 is a good fit.
• Kyle Heckathorn could be up in the majors quicky for the Brewers who took the Kennesaw State product at #47.
• A potential first round pick, Rich Poythress fell all the way to the Mariners at #51.
• The same is true for Andrew Oliver who was ranked in the Top 10 in late 2008, but fell to the Tigers at #58.
• The Red Sox took Alex Wilson with the 77th overall pick.  Wilson missed all of 2008 after Tommy John surgery.
• The Indians took outfielder Jason Kipnis with the 63rd overall pick, but will likely move him to second base.

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.

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

Jonathan Mayo of mlb.com has given us a number of mock drafts over the past month which can all be viewed here.  For his mock draft prior to this one, click here.

But, those are all in the past.  Let's get to his most recent mock draft published this morning.

1. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
2. Dustin Ackley, Mariners
3. Donovan Tate, Padres (last week, Mike Minor)
4. Aaron Crow, Pirates
5. Zach Wheeler, Orioles
6. Tyler Matzerk, Giants
7. Alex White, Braves (last week, Shelby Miller)
8. Mike Minor, Reds (last week, Mike Leake)
9. Matt Purke, Tigers (last week, Jacob Turner)
10. Drew Storen, Nationals
11. Mike Leake, Rockies (last week, Rex Brothers)
12. Wil Myers, Royals (last week, Kyle Gibson)
13. Grant Green (last week, Tanner Scheppers)
14. Shelby Miller, Rangers
15. Eric Arnett, Indians
16. Rex Brothers, Diamondbacks (last week, AJ Pollock)
17. Bobby Borchering, Diamondbacks
18. Chad James, Marlins (last week, Chad Jenkins)
19. Chad Jenkins, Cardinals (last week, Grant Green)
20. Tim Wheeler, Blue Jays (last week, Everett Williams)
21. Jared Mitchell, Astros
22. Matt Hobgood, Twins
23. Everett Williams, White Sox (last week, Mike Trout)
24. Mike Trout, Angels (last week, Garret Gould)
25. Jiovanni Mier, Angels (last week, Matt Purke)
26. Garret Gould, Brewers (last week, Matt Davidson)
27. Tanner Scheppers, Mariners (last week Tony Sanchez)
28. Jacob Turner, Red Sox (last week, Max Stassi)
29. Brett Jackson, Yankees
30. Tommy Joseph, Rays (last week, Jiovanni Mier)
31. AJ Pollock, Cubs (last week, Tim Wheeler)
32. Kyle Gibson, Rockies (last week, Slade Heathcott)

Jason Churchill of espn.com breaks down the best, well, everything for the draft on Tuesday.  Below is a sample of some of the categories

Best Fastball
High School: Jacob Turner
College: Stephen Strasburg
Notable: Billy Bullock

Best Curveball
High School: Chad James
College: Stephen Strasburg
Notable: Ben Tootle

Best Slider
High School: (tie) Tyler Matzek and Zach Wheeler
College: Aaron Crow
Notable: Rex Brothers

Best Changeup
High School: Tyler Matzek
College: (tie) Kyle Gibson and Mike Minor
Notable: Aaron Crow

Best Command/Control
High School: Tyler Matzek
College: Stephen Strasburg
Notable: Mike Leake

Best Hitter (Avg)
High School: Matt Davidson
College: Dustin Ackley

Best Power Hitter
High School: (tie) Matt Davidson and Max Stassi
College: Dustin Ackley

Best Athlete
High School: Donovan Tate
College: Jared Mitchell

A few quick links to pass along today about Tuesday's draft.

• The Diamondbacks have picks #16 and #17 in the upcoming draft and the Arizona brain trust has been gathering a lot this past week to iron out who they're interested in.  Bobby Borchering, Matt Davidson, AJ Pollock, Mike Leake and Kyle Gibson all interest the Diamondbacks.
• There is word here that when the collective bargaining agreement expires in two years, baseball will propose a hard cap for rookie salaries.  Certainly Stephen Strasburg's contract will have a lot to do with that.
• The Red Sox know the importance of the draft and have developed a strategy for picking lower in the draft.