I wanted to post some notes on a handful of players recently selected in the Draft that are especially intriguing to me. I have recent, in-person looks at a couple of these players, and the rest I relied on video and contacts in the scouting industry. I’ll get around to posting more on the recent Draft, but thought this would be a good place to start.
Kevin McGonigle (SS, DET) (Round: CB-A, Pick: 37)
McGonigle’s offensive profile is incredibly appealing to me with his advanced bat-to-ball skills to go along with a bat path that will generate plenty of XBH juice in the future. Every component of McGonigle’s approach and stroke in the box is under control without sacrificing any intent or aggression. McGonigle utilizes his lower half especially well and the upper half is loose to go along with solid bat speed through the zone. McGonigle still has room to add strength in future years, but it’s also not a frame you can dream too much on.
From the video I’ve seen on the defensive side of the ball, McGonigle shows soft, smooth, and loose hands in the dirt and the footwork is sound. The area scouts I reached out to that have had in-person looks grade his arm as average, which profiles better at 2B, which is where I believe will be his long-term home with the glove. I’m confident that his offensive production will be more than enough to handle sliding down the defensive spectrum a bit and I expect McGonigle to generate above-average production on both sides of the ball in future years.
Hurston Waldrep, RHP, ATL (Round: 1, Pick: 24)
Likely the pitcher with the loudest stuff in this year’s draft, Waldrep sits in the mid to upper 90’s with his four-seam fastball that has plus carry through the zone and is very capable of generating whiffs in all quadrants. Waldrep also has a downer shaped slider that routinely registers spin rates north of 3,000 rpms. His slider is the most inconsistent offering in his arsenal that often varies in shape and sharpness and can be hindered by his below-average control of the pitch at present. Waldrep’s split-change has drawn the most attention, and for good reason. The offering tends to produce spin rates below 800 rpms, and as you can imagine from that, it really dances on the way to the plate before the bottom inevitably falls out from it. It’s undoubtedly a tough pitch to control, but the action on it is so significant and late that it’s going to induce chases no matter what.
As much of a steal as I feel this pick was for Atlanta, Waldrep still has a way to go when it comes to the control and command he has for his arsenal. In his 101.2 innings for Florida in 2023 he walked 57 batters (5.0 per/9), which will certainly need to be improved upon for him to prove he’s capable of holding down a starting rotation role. From my video looks, Waldrep can really struggle with repeating his delivery and being on-time upon foot strike, which plays a large part in hindering his strike-throwing abilities. He’ll be working with one of the best PD staffs in Major League Baseball with Atlanta and if he reaches his ceiling, I think we’re looking at a #2 SP.
Homer Bush Jr (OF, SDP) (Round: 4, Pick: 128)
In his final college season at Grand Canyon, Bush walked more than he struck out (38/27 BB/K) and posted a .370/.478/.500 slash while stealing 25 bags in 31 attempts. The bat path is flat and stays in the zone for an extended period and suits his all-fields approach very well. Bush’s offensive profile is very much hit over power but his bat isn’t void of juice. His lean frame has significant room to add strength without sacrificing foot speed.
In centerfield, Bush shows smooth, fluid actions and ranges into both gaps well. His throws show solid carry with above-average accuracy. While he may not provide impact production on either side of the ball, the sum of his parts could result in an average, everyday big leaguer in the future.
Roc Riggio, 2B, NYY (Round: 4, Pick: 129)
I liked Riggio’s bat during my in-person looks during the 2022 season but had serious concerns whether there was too much swing-and-miss for a guy who is limited to 2B on the defensive side. The swing-and-miss is still present, but there’s no doubt that aspect of his game took a step forward this past college season.
Season (at Oklahoma St) | BB/K |
2022: | 34/58 |
2023: | 46/48 |
Riggio hits out of an open, semi-crouch stance with a simple leg lift trigger. The path has a significant amount of loft and it’s clear he’s looking to elevate as frequently as possible. It’s bat-strength over bat-speed and he has the ability to leave the yard from line to line, but tends to be in the form of pull-side power because he has such a knack for making contact out front. This is a power over hit offensive profile with some on-base ability on top.
As I touched on earlier, Riggio’s defensive profile limits him to 2B on the dirt because of a fringe-average arm and below-average lateral range ability. There’s enough athleticism where I’m confident he’d be able to handle a corner OF spot too, but best-case scenario he’s an average defensive 2B. Riggio has the potential to be a power-oriented platoon/bench option in the future.
Zach Thornton, LHP, NYM (Round: 5, Pick: 159)
I’ve had quite a few looks at Thornton throughout the years considering we share the same hometown and he pitched at a Kansas JUCO (Barton CC) prior to transferring to Grand Canyon. For the Antelopes this past season Thornton tossed 88.1 innings and posted a 91/18 K/BB ratio and a 3.87 ERA.
Thornton’s best attribute is his ability to consistently pound the zone with all four of his offerings. His fastball sits in the low-90’s but he’s able to move it around vertically and horizontally and maintain his quality command of the offering. His slider has late tilt and will flash solid teeth while his changeup has late bottom action and plays up due to how well he sells it. The curveball is more of a show-me pitch that he utilizes to steal strikes. Thornton is advanced with his feel-to-pitch and is a “the sum is greater than the parts” type arm who has the ceiling of swing-starter/long-relief type. I’m never afraid to bet on a Midwest JUCO player at the end of the day either.