Day two of the 2012 MLB Draft will see rounds two through 15. The Pirates have pick number 69, 103, 136, and then pick after every 30 spots for the remainder of the draft. A big story line for day two will be how the Pirates control their draft budget after the Mark Appel pick. I don’t think they’ll take any blatantly signable picks, as that would hurt their negotiations with Appel. However, I could see them taking guys that are similar to compensation pick Barrett Barnes: guys who are talented enough to go where they’re selected, but definitely won’t cost more than slot, and might cost less than slot.
To get you ready for day two, I’ve included my updated rankings below, as well as the slot prices for the Pirates’ second through tenth round picks. Check back throughout the day, as we’ll have write ups and player pages for each pick.
As a special draft promotion, since the Pirates have the eighth pick you can use the code “DRAFT” to get the Pirates Prospects 2012 Prospect Guide for only $8! This promotion lasts for one week only! Use the code on the products page of the site.
The Day Two Picks
2nd Round – 69th Overall, $746,300
3rd Round – 103rd Overall, $462,900
4th Round – 136th Overall, $336,700
5th Round – 166th Overall, $252,100
6th Round – 196th Overall, $188,800
7th Round – 226th Overall, $148,000
8th Round – 256th Overall, $138,200
9th Round – 286th Overall, $129,100
10th Round – 316th Overall, $125,000
Any picks after round ten have a cap of $100 K. Anything over $100 K counts toward the total bonus pool.
Updating the Rankings
Prior to the draft I released my top 100 tiered rankings. On day one the Pirates took Mark Appel, who was in my first tier, and Barrett Barnes, who was in my comp round tier. With the first 60 picks in the books, I’ve removed all of the selected players, and have the following guys remaining in tiers 3-7.
Tier 4
Otherwise known as the “These Players Would Be a Reach in the First, and a Steal in the Comp Round” Tier
Ty Buttery, Tanner Rahier
It’s a surprise that these guys fell this far. They weren’t worth the first round pick, but would have been steals in the compensation round. Yet they fell past the compensation round, and now stand as interesting picks heading in to day two.
Aside from the cool name, Buttery is also a talent right handed prep pitcher. He sits 90-93 MPh with his fastball, and touched 96 this year. He also throws a knuckle curve and a changeup. He’s a tall, projectable right hander at 6′ 5″, 205 pounds, and has a commitment to Arkansas.
Rahier is a prep shortstop, although he doesn’t profile to stick at shortstop for the long term. He lacks range, but does have a plus arm. He also has the chance to be a good hitter, with the chance to develop power, which could allow him to stick at third base. He has a commitment to San Diego.
The Pirates have $746,300 to spend on their second round pick. In the past they’ve paid over-slot guys around $1 M. It wouldn’t be out of the question for one of these guys to sign for slot in the second round. They would have to move way up the draft boards a few years from now to get significantly more than what the Pirates could offer. I doubt the Pirates could go over-slot, especially with the selection of Mark Appel.
Tier 5
Otherwise known as the “Here’s Some Guys Who Would Be Worthy of the Comp Pick” Tier
Anthony Alford, Mitch Brown, Nolan Fontana, Carson Kelly, Wyatt Mathisen, Nolan Sanburn, Duane Underwood, Hunter Virant, Adam Brett Walker
A guy who stands out in this group is Nolan Fontana. The Florida infielder has good defensive skills at shortstop, ranking as the second best college middle infielder behind Marrero. He might not stick at short, and could eventually move to second or become a utility player. He doesn’t stand out in any area, but is viewed as a safe bet across the board. He kind of reminds me of a Jordy Mercer/Chase d’Arnaud type shortstop. He looks like he could be someone who could start, but his upside might be an average starter. He could also be a guy who wouldn’t require the full second round amount, clearing up some money for other picks.
Wyatt Mathisen is the top high school catching prospect in the draft, and unlike a lot of high school catchers, projects to remain behind the plate. He has a plus arm and good intangibles. He’s athletic enough that his team used him more as a shortstop this year, although he has what it takes to be a catcher. He’s got the potential to hit for average and power. Mathisen has a commitment to the University of Texas, which means he could be the next in a line of players to break their Texas commitment and join the Pirates.
Tier 6
Otherwise known as the “Options For the Pirates in the Second Round” Tier
R.J. Alvarez, Freddy Avis, Jake Barrett, Chris Beck, Kenny Diekroeger, Stephen Johnson, Brandon Kline, Matt Koch, Tom Murphy, Peter O’Brien, Alec Rash, Rio Ruiz, Trey Williams, Jameis Winston, Alex Wood
Trey Williams entered the year as a guy who was drawing first round consideration, with a shot at going in the top ten. He’s a prep shortstop who will have to move to third base. He’s got a good enough arm to stick on that side of the infield, and has some power potential. His father, Eddie Williams, spent parts of ten years in the majors, including playing for the 1997 Pirates.
Jake Barrett is an interesting “safe” pick. He’s got a mid-90s fastball that touches 98, with a hard breaking ball and a splitter, both of which are above average pitches. He’s 6′ 3″ and 230 pounds. With that pitch combo and size, he seems like a good starting candidate. But he’s seen more as a reliever due to durability concerns, even though there’s nothing to back up those concerns. It wouldn’t be a bad move to try him as a starter. Worst case he doesn’t stick, at which point he’s got the stuff to move quickly through the system and be a late inning reliever.
Tier 7
Otherwise known as the “I Just Rounded off the Rest of the List to 100 Prospects” Tier
Martin Agosta, Dylan Baker, Walker Buehler, Kolby Copeland, Chase DeJong, Kyle Hansen, C.J. Hinojosa, James Kaprielian, Dan Langfield, D’Vone McClure, Mason Melotakis, Brett Mooneyham, Fernando Perez, Tony Renda, Brady Rodgers, Brandon Thomas, Kye Twomey, Derick Velazquez
If the Pirates wanted to go signability, they could take someone from this group or later and get a low cost player in the second round. One guy who isn’t on this list, but who is a guy to watch for, is Joe DeCarlo. The prep third baseman has been linked to the Pirates, and could go to them early on day two of the draft. He’s got a plus arm and solid power, making him an interesting third base prospect.
