9-News: 37.027 – Supplemental Draft Reaps Future Studs

[RonCo]

While the on-field performance of the team is sending up dark, oily smoke from a field of fire, reports from the YS9 front office suggest that team officials are laying back with a post-supplemental round afterglow, lighting up cigarettes, and sipping on old cognac. “It was a very good day,” said one unnamed source.

Over the past six months, the YS9 front office has made a practice of assuring fans that the departure of all their favorite players was going to results in a bevy of fresh faces. Today, after selecting pitcher Raul Luna with their first official draft pick (#33 overall), they made good on that promise, picking up four additional players in the supplemental portion of the BBA draft’s first round.

FIRST, A CATCHER

The orgiastic slew of picking started with catcher Kazuki Saito, a fairly well developed native of Japan who went to high school in Belfast. Scouting reports suggest that he’s one of those steady-headed players who can do a little bit of everything and a lot of quite a bit—specifically, though, he can hit. “Knows the strike zone and gets his bat on the ball,” one scouting report said. The team also liked the fact that his defensive ratings are solid for a kid of seventeen years.

The selection makes sense given that the team’s depth at the catcher slot is limited, and that the team recently committed a four-season deal that will keep current catcher Aaron Stone in Yellow Springs for a bit.

Projected Assignment: Rookie League, possible promotion to SSA
Earliest Projected arrival: 2040
Most Likely Arrival: 2041


A pick later, the club moved into a three-selection band that saw them add another pitcher, a slugging first baseman, and a slick fielding shortstop. Given that the Nine are known to draft for position rather than raw talent, one can guess that these were also positions of need deeper in the org charts.

LACERDA PROJECTS TO THE PEN

The pitcher is highly touted Renato Lacerda, a 19-year-old right hander about which little is known except that he hails from Brazil and that he carries a fastball and curveball that some scouts say “look pretty good,” and that his mechanics are smooth. Lacerda should pair with Luna to give opposing hitters … er … “L”.

Of course, that assumes the right hander can be convinced to sign. Several insiders say that Lacerda fell into the supplemental ranks because his agent suggested that a winning team should be able to afford to pay its players a prince’s ransom.

Projected Assignment: Short A
Earliest Projected arrival: 2039
Most Likely Arrival: 2040

DH/1B? WHY NOT?

Next the Nine returned to the infield, selecting hulking high schooler Mark Haynes from Garden Grove, California. At 6’6”, 210 pounds, the 18-year-old is already physically impressive, and scouts love the idea of where his power can end up. A five-year high school player, some are concerned with his intellect and the fact that he’ll probably never be much of a defender, but most are focused on the slash line, and that looks mighty tasty. Add in the fact that his nickname is “Cactus,” and you’ve got a can’t mis prospect.

As a hitter, most team scouts suggest that he projects to be a match to current Nine catcher Aaron Stone, with maybe a bit better power to the gaps. He should be fun to watch.

Projected Assignment: Rookie League, possible SSA
Earliest Projected arrival: 2039
Most Likely Arrival: 2040

FUTURE ZIMMER AT SHORTSTOP?

Finally, the Nine stretched a bit and selected shortstop Luis Pena, a 17-year-old shortstop from Venezuela who most probably had in the deeper ranges of the second round. Scouts suggest he could play for the Nine in the field now, though he’s got room to grow, and that his bat projects to be league average “in a few years.” The team liked his clubhouse presence, also, noting that he was late to a pre-draft interview because he was getting in some extra reps in the gym. Bottom line here, though, is that Pena's glove is expected to be top of the table, and some are already in an office pool to project what year he'll earn his first Zimmer.

Pena will likely take a slot in the starting lineup at the rookie level, which would suggest that the team plans to move current shortstop prospect Roberto Viramontas to second or third base, though some think Dong-po Thum’s time as shortstop may be short (and he’d move back to third), which suggest Viramontas’s target would be second base.

Projected Assignment: Rookie League
Earliest Projected arrival: 2040
Most Likely Arrival: 2041

SECOND ROUND LOOMS

“We think we’ve gone a long way toward piecing together the next wave of our infield,” said assistant GM Phillip Watson said in a post-round interview. “But there’s a long way to go with this draft. We’re looking forward to the second round.”

The Nine will have their own second round pick at slot #77, and then one more supplemental selection at slot #86.

“It’s going to be a great draft,” he finished. “But now I’ve got to get back to the party.”

[Lane]

it's a great draft to have a bevy of supplemental first round picks. nice haul.

[RonCo]

As always...time will tell.