06-03-2018, 06:34 PM
Let's get this started. The draft is tomorrow.
Draft
I could see Sandlin being taken as early as the 3rd round and as late as the 7th. I haven't seen as many predictions on Reynolds but if I had to guess he'll go somewhere in the 8-12 round range. Watch out for the Cubs and Reynolds. They interviewed him before the season and we’re recording his at-bats at a game earlier this season. I would be very surprised if either came back.
If I had to guess, Slater is the only other junior that could be taken in the draft. If he’s picked, it’d probably be after the 30th round. He should be back in Hattiesburg in 2019.
Seniors ... some team will probably take a chance on Keating. He has several holes in his game, but has size, speed, and power. Boyd is a guy that could be drafted really late or could go undrafted and sign a free agent deal (like Hadley last year).
Signees ... the only signee that I'm really confident in being taken in the draft is Brooks Warren. He’s a LHP from ECCC and is on Perfect Game’s top 500 prospect list. Baseball America describes him as “a lefty with an 89-91 mph fastball and a decent slider.” Could potentially figure in the rotation if he makes it to campus.
The other 2 guys I’m sorta watching are Brant Blaylock and Tyler Stuart. Blaylock had a mammoth year in the JUCOs, but didn’t do well in 2017 at State. I didn’t think Stuart was a draftable guy, but there was an article in his local paper that made it sound like some team could possibly take him late. He’s a 88-90 RHP out of Herscher, IL. Big dude (6’8). If either is drafted, it’d be late.
Roster
We had 36 players in the program this season. 6 graduated. 2 will be draft casualties. We are adding 15 players in this class (though there’s a potential draft casualty in there), and there’s a chance we could add 1 or 2 more. But let’s say the class stays at 15 and Warren makes it to campus. That’s 43 players total left .... which means there will be a couple guys cut. Trevin Eubanks already left. Jaylon Keys won’t return. That gets you down to 41. Means 4-6 players will have to leave. There’s also a pitcher that I think could transfer.
I didn’t include Colt Smith as a graduate, because I’d lean toward him being back next year.
Not even going to bother with the projected lineup or rotation, because we don’t know what’s going to happen with the draft or what the staff is going to with a few players. McGillis (3B, SS, or OF .... I’ve heard all 3 are possibilities), Blaylock (primarily a pitcher or will they let him hit as well?), and Wallner (will the staff try to mold him into a guy that could crack the rotation?).
Summer Ball
Here are the summer league assignments that I've found over the past few weeks and months. Probably missing a few, but here’s what I got:
Erick Hoard - Ocean State Waves (NECBL)
Stevie Powers - Ocean State Waves (NECBL)
Cole Donaldson - Ocean State Waves (NECBL)
Bryant Bowen - Upper Valley Nighthawks (NECBL)
Jacob Weirich - Waynesboro Generals (Valley Baseball League)
Gabe Montenegro - Waynesboro Generals (Valley Baseball League)
Brant Blaylock - New Market Rebels (Valley Baseball League)
Sean Tweedy - Acadiana Cane Cutters (Texas Collegiate League)
Alex Nelms - Acadiana Cane Cutters (Texas Collegiate League)
Storme Cooper - Acadiana Cane Cutters (Texas Collegiate League)
Fred Franklin - Acadiana Cane Cutters (Texas Collegiate League)
Will McGillis - Bellingham Bells (West Coast League)
Ryan Och - Bellingham Bells (West Coast League)
Matt Wallner - USA Collegiate Team
Cody Carroll - Wareham Gatemen (Cape Cod League)
Schedule
The only games that are set in stone is State in Starkville from Feb. 23-25 (2nd weekend of the year). Caillet posted on the CollegeBaseball360 scheduling board that he was looking for home guarantee series on the 1st weekend and 4th weekend ... so look for cupcakes those weekends. 3rd weekend is the only ? as that’s usually the week we join a tournament or do a H/H.
Midweeks ... we should host Alabama and Ole Miss. Magee was on the Eagle Hour and said that they were working on a deal to play a game at MGM. I get the feeling that the ULL midweek series this season was a one-time so I wouldn’t expect us to return that.
Draft
I could see Sandlin being taken as early as the 3rd round and as late as the 7th. I haven't seen as many predictions on Reynolds but if I had to guess he'll go somewhere in the 8-12 round range. Watch out for the Cubs and Reynolds. They interviewed him before the season and we’re recording his at-bats at a game earlier this season. I would be very surprised if either came back.
If I had to guess, Slater is the only other junior that could be taken in the draft. If he’s picked, it’d probably be after the 30th round. He should be back in Hattiesburg in 2019.
Seniors ... some team will probably take a chance on Keating. He has several holes in his game, but has size, speed, and power. Boyd is a guy that could be drafted really late or could go undrafted and sign a free agent deal (like Hadley last year).
Signees ... the only signee that I'm really confident in being taken in the draft is Brooks Warren. He’s a LHP from ECCC and is on Perfect Game’s top 500 prospect list. Baseball America describes him as “a lefty with an 89-91 mph fastball and a decent slider.” Could potentially figure in the rotation if he makes it to campus.
The other 2 guys I’m sorta watching are Brant Blaylock and Tyler Stuart. Blaylock had a mammoth year in the JUCOs, but didn’t do well in 2017 at State. I didn’t think Stuart was a draftable guy, but there was an article in his local paper that made it sound like some team could possibly take him late. He’s a 88-90 RHP out of Herscher, IL. Big dude (6’8). If either is drafted, it’d be late.
Roster
We had 36 players in the program this season. 6 graduated. 2 will be draft casualties. We are adding 15 players in this class (though there’s a potential draft casualty in there), and there’s a chance we could add 1 or 2 more. But let’s say the class stays at 15 and Warren makes it to campus. That’s 43 players total left .... which means there will be a couple guys cut. Trevin Eubanks already left. Jaylon Keys won’t return. That gets you down to 41. Means 4-6 players will have to leave. There’s also a pitcher that I think could transfer.
I didn’t include Colt Smith as a graduate, because I’d lean toward him being back next year.
Not even going to bother with the projected lineup or rotation, because we don’t know what’s going to happen with the draft or what the staff is going to with a few players. McGillis (3B, SS, or OF .... I’ve heard all 3 are possibilities), Blaylock (primarily a pitcher or will they let him hit as well?), and Wallner (will the staff try to mold him into a guy that could crack the rotation?).
Summer Ball
Here are the summer league assignments that I've found over the past few weeks and months. Probably missing a few, but here’s what I got:
Erick Hoard - Ocean State Waves (NECBL)
Stevie Powers - Ocean State Waves (NECBL)
Cole Donaldson - Ocean State Waves (NECBL)
Bryant Bowen - Upper Valley Nighthawks (NECBL)
Jacob Weirich - Waynesboro Generals (Valley Baseball League)
Gabe Montenegro - Waynesboro Generals (Valley Baseball League)
Brant Blaylock - New Market Rebels (Valley Baseball League)
Sean Tweedy - Acadiana Cane Cutters (Texas Collegiate League)
Alex Nelms - Acadiana Cane Cutters (Texas Collegiate League)
Storme Cooper - Acadiana Cane Cutters (Texas Collegiate League)
Fred Franklin - Acadiana Cane Cutters (Texas Collegiate League)
Will McGillis - Bellingham Bells (West Coast League)
Ryan Och - Bellingham Bells (West Coast League)
Matt Wallner - USA Collegiate Team
Cody Carroll - Wareham Gatemen (Cape Cod League)
Schedule
The only games that are set in stone is State in Starkville from Feb. 23-25 (2nd weekend of the year). Caillet posted on the CollegeBaseball360 scheduling board that he was looking for home guarantee series on the 1st weekend and 4th weekend ... so look for cupcakes those weekends. 3rd weekend is the only ? as that’s usually the week we join a tournament or do a H/H.
Midweeks ... we should host Alabama and Ole Miss. Magee was on the Eagle Hour and said that they were working on a deal to play a game at MGM. I get the feeling that the ULL midweek series this season was a one-time so I wouldn’t expect us to return that.