First round
Paul Scholes
The 17 year-old Scholes is an elite defensive backstop already, and projects to be a competent batter at the MBBA level.
GM Hopkins,"Scholesy's make-up is off the charts, and he's already very well developed for a 17 year-old. This kid will step right into A ball without going thru the rookie leagues and and he'll compete without even blinking. And if he gets a career ending injury or something? This kid will immediately join our non-playing staff. He's almost a pure genius. He reminds me a lot of myself at a younger age."
The league consensus on the pick was that it was a bit of a reach for the first round, especially in THIS year's draft.
Second round
Ceasar Colon
Colon was the first of two Slugger second round picks in 2016, (awarded when the Slugs could not come to terms with 2015's 2nd rd pick 40th overall Phil Crerar). The twenty-three year-old Colon sat out all of 2015, after failing to sign with the New Orleans Crawdads after being THEIR first selection in the 2015 draft, (22nd overall). Colon is an elite defensive second baseman and an accomplished base-stealer who can hit at a MBBA backup infielder level already. He projects as a solid MBWBA starter at second base within a year or two of AAA seasoning.
GM Hopkins,"With taking a bit of a gamble pick in the first round, I wanted more of a sure thing for our next pick. Colon gives us yet another solid big-leaguer."
The comparison of Crerar and Colon dramatically illustrates the contrasting quality of the 2015 to 2016 amateur drafts. Phil Crerar was the 188th pick overall, last pick of the sixth round in 2016.
Second round
Twenty-two year-old starting pitcher, Bobby Guthrington, could step into the Sluggers staff today. He was a three time all-star in college, and winner of the College pitcher of the year in 2013, and a member of the college championship winner in 2012.
Genius Hopkins,"Any other draft class, Guthrington is a top 15 pick. The kid is a major league quality already, with outstanding cheese and two outstanding pitches, and a third pitch that's a work in progress. Although, to be honest, I agonized between selecting Guthrington or Psycho Pearce. It was a tough decision."
Guthrington's detractors point to his awful intangibles, and his lack of a third pitch. Still, a potential lights out reliever, and possible star starter, with very little development to go...is a nice pickup for any second round.
Third round
Alley Gator Pie
Twenty-two year-old third baseman, Alley Pie, is yet another almost fully developed Slugger selection. Pie was a three time all-star in college, and is a vacuum at third base with a rocket arm.
Genius Hopkins,"Pie is gonna be a solid big league player. If this was ten years ago, a day after the draft he would have been starting at third base for the Sluggers. But we're a little better now. With Espinosa and Carlyle, I'm not really sure where Pie fits in. With his skills, we can probably make a pretty good utility player out of him."
Pie has great intangibles, and with a draft heavy with very young youngsters far removed from realizing their very high potentials, it seems GM Hopkins was making intent on making 'safe' picks in what was a spectacular draft. Only time will tell if this strategy was the correct one.