(This post will be updated with thoughts as the draft unfolds)
The Rule 5 draft is upon us, and with it comes the chance for great elation and sadness. Coming into the morning the consensus was that the Phillies would take Rays outfielder Tyler Goeddel with the #1 pick and would lose RHP Alberto Tirado at some point. Top 10 prospect Carlos Tocci is also draft eligible this year.
Tyler Goeddel was a comp round pick in the infamous 2011 draft where the Rays picked 11 times in the first round. He moved from third base to the outfield in 2015 and his bat took off in AA with his K% dropping and his power growing. Goeddel is a good hitter with below average power, but with room to grow into more in the future. His long term home is in right field because he has a good arm, but he can handle center field right now and the Phillies’ roster might force him to left field. Goeddel is not an elite prospect and is making the jump from AA so it is tough to see him stepping into an impact role for the Phillies, but he should be able to be ok vs LHPs because his hit tool is solid. Long term he can be a regular in the outfield, but that may take some time. Even though he will graduate early in the season, Goeddel will slot into the back of my Top 20 prospects this offseason.
In the second round Daniel Stumpf a 24 year old LHP in the second round of the draft. Stumpf is a LOOGY with a fastball around 89-91 that has gotten to 94 in the past. In AA this year he struck out 40 lefties in 31.0 innings. He adds to the Phillies’ bullpen depth, especially in a bullpen that is low on lefties. He is far from a lock to stick on the roster because his long term upside is low.
Neither Alberto Tirado or Carlos Tocci were selected in the major league phase of the draft. Both will need to be protected a year from now if they continue their progression. Matt Klentak made a bet on both of them, and he won the bet, there is likely some luck involved, but props to him for staving off using a minor league option on either this year.
Phillies RHP Manaure Martinez was selected in the AAA portion. Martinez is hard throwing (up to 98) with a good slider, but he has no control and will be 24 next season without pitching above low-A.
Well, that went well for us. Nice work Phils front office.
Matt, any thoughts on the possibilities the Phils passed on?
I was rooting for Balbino Fuenmoyer as a replacement for Darin Ruf …
In my mind they only had one spot to lock in a guy all year, Goeddel gives best mix of upside and 2016 help. Balbino is a first baseman with no experience above AA, with big power, can’t walk, and tore his ACL. You can find guys like that on milb deals all the time.
I”m not a huge Stassi fan, but if we want to go with a AA 1B, I’d sooner just go with Stassi. Hoskins seems the best shot of the three.
Agreed, maybe bring another body into camp if you need to push guys, but yeah I don’t really need youth a 1B as long as they aren’t locked up long term and can hit