Does anyone have any draft status for the Reds?
Number of picks? How the free agent adjustment effected us? ect.
Also...what are some of the more high profile names to watch for?

And what exactly do you fine folks think the Reds need to accomplish in this years draft?

No doubt, we need a refill in the quality department after this off season. And everyone knows that every team wants pitching....don't cop out with that one! Where do you see our biggest needs or our biggest need for trade chips?

The Reds have the 14th pick this year. I'm hoping Matt Smoral is still around. Here are a couple names who might be available when the Reds pick:

Stryker Trahan C L-R 6-1 220 Acadiana HS, Lafayette, La.

Matt Smoral LHP L-L 6-8 225 Solon (Ohio) HS

Max Fried LHP L-L 6-4 170 Harvard-Westlake HS, Studio City, Calif.

Gavin Cecchini SS R-R 6-2 185 Barbe HS, Lake Charles, La.

Carlos Correa SS R-R 6-4 190 Puerto Rico Baseball Acad., Gurabo, P.R.

I don't believe in drafting for need. I'd prefer to draft pitchers, particularly if they're left handed, Catchers, and shortstops. Those are the players with the best chance of making it to the big leagues.

Mikeyd - I note that you have all high school players on your list. I'm more inclined to draft college players in the earliere rounds as by that time they are more projectable as major leaguers. What are your thoughts and do you have any college players in mind?

LHP please.

Good post mikeyd.
curious........what about Smoral is it you dig? I don't know anything about him, just wondering.

Personally, I am a fan of best available pick. Even if a guy doesn't project to YOUR line-up, doesn't mean he doesn't project to A line-up.....instant trade-bait. The draft can fill ANY need, so long as you are smart with your plan.

Here's a decent report on the Ohio kid, Smoral.

http://www.perfectgame.org/players/playerprofile.aspx?ID=256725

The difficulty in picking high school players is they can go to college instead of signing. The number one thing you look for in a first round pick is "Can we sign him?" Regardless how talented he is, if you aren't sure you can sign him you pass. That means you have to talk to the kid to find out where his head is.

Good point jbonireland....less risk, less time, but also more money. The down side being that they could run the financial price of 4-5 HS picks(or more) and never pan out.

This year's draft is heavy with high school talent. One college guy who could possibly drop to 14 is Chris Beck. He's a right handed pitcher. If he's available, we take him, but he probably won't be around by then.

Here's some info on him:

http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/archives/19835/

Good profile....but as you said, is he able to be signed? The profile said he was very committed to North Carolina.

That's what we don't know. Like everything else, it will come down to dollars. If he's drafted in the first round and can get those dollars, going to college is risky. He could fall to a lower round or worse get hurt and never play again. If he can get a few million dollars guaranteed, he should sign now.

But he's a kid. Kids don't always do what they should.

The right signing bonus and a few smart investments insures college will be there even if the career flops.

I'm really hoping we can get Branden Kline out of Virginia with one the compensation picks. He was used

as a reliever last season but UVA plans on starting him this year. As of now he projects right before our

comp. pick but things can easily change.

Honest question....why doesn't MLB use draft picks as trade chips like the NFL?
I understand the amount of time and money involved in developing a player, but is there some sort of league rule I don't know about?

The ability to trade expensive veterans for draft picks would allow small market teams to load up on youngsters and eventually field championship caliber teams. Baseball wants the Yankees and Dodgers in the WS every year.

No, that's backwards. The big market team can just buy a veteran and then trade him for young talent. That way they'd end up with top draft picks that they can't get themselves with the 25th pick.

Crosley

so there is a rule?.....or no?

Yeah, your NOT allowed to trade draft picks in baseball. FOr players, or swapping choices. Against MLB rules.

Pitching... pitching... and more pitching if quality is available. I like others prefer LHP.

Thanks for the clarification.

The idea of drafting for need in baseball is, well, stupid. Unless you get an absolute stud (Leake, Ackley, Bauer, guys like that) chances are a kid you pick up in the draft isn't going to see a ML field for at least 2-3 years, likely even longer than that. So where does need come into play? If you have a guy that won't be on the 40 man for another half decade, how do you know what you'll need then? Always go with the best available, and if it comes down to it you can flip him.

Keith Law has an early top 100 draft prospects list out on ESPN, but I think it's an Insiders Only thing, and I can't find it now anyway.