The Amateur Draft is usually a time of hope for the Boise Spuds. There’s usually a promising draftee who is “franchise player” material, and a reason to get excited for the future of the ball club. This year, due to a relatively weak draft class, and the Spuds without a top-ten pick for the first time in five years, it’s harder to say whether any of these kids are the real deal, or if they’re all, in fact, scrubs (as some rival GM’s have described recent draft classes).Fortunately, the Spuds’ draft team, led by the President of Draft Operations, Manuel Pyck, did exhaustive research on every player in the draft pool, and is proud to present their reasoning for drafting they players they did. (Their reasoning involved a lot of graphs, which unfortunately could not be displayed here, but you’ll have to take our word that they were impressive.)
Round 1, 14th overall pick: Juan Silva, 2B
Hometown: West Liberty, IA
Silva is a rangy infielder who can’t throw, which means he’s ticketed for second base, despite his high school team letting him play shortstop. But to be fair, they’ll let you do anything in high school: hit with a composite bat, steal first base, run the bases backwards, etc. The point is, the Spuds don’t really care where he plays — they want him for his bat. With good contact skills to go with an advanced eye at the plate, Silva slashed .342/.443/.493 in his senior year, posting the second-highest on-base percentage of any high schooler in the draft class. His knack for avoiding strikeouts could make him a future 2- or 3-hole hitter in the big leagues, hitting lots of singles and doubles and keeping the line moving. But, of course, he still has a while to develop into the player he’s going to be, so we’ll have to sit back and see where he fits in about six years or so.
Round 2, 54th overall pick: Jack McNeil, SP
Hometown: Glenboro, Manitoba
Those in the College All-Star circuit know McNeil’s name. He’s been the best pitcher for the Nike Airs for the past two seasons, posting ERAs under 2.40 and a WHIP just north of 1 each year, with incredible consistency. He racks up strikeouts without a lot of velocity, relying more on the deception of his changeup and slider. The Spuds hope that some professional coaching can help the 6’7” lefty gain a few extra ticks, to make his fastball a viable weapon as well. Without a fourth pitch, the most likely scenario for McNeil is to end up as a long reliever/emergency starter.
Round 2 (supplemental), 79th overall pick: Héctor Holloway, OF
Hometown: Westchester, IL
Héctor Holloway went #2 overall in the OSA Mock Draft, which I'm sure everyone puts a lot of stock into. So Boise was really happy to grab him at #79. He’s a corner outfielder with enough range to fill in at center in emergencies. But, like with Silva, the Spuds don’t care about his defense, because he has what they like more than anything else — a good eye. He posted a .422 on-base percentage his junior year, and though he struggled a bit his senior year, the Spuds believe his eye is advanced enough to make an immediate impact. They’ll start him in either Short-A or A-ball, to see what the 20-year-old can do against a higher level of competition.
Round 3, 93rd overall pick: Leland Corbitt, SP
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Corbitt is a true starting pitcher with four pitches, all well developed. He won’t blow you away with velocity, but he gets enough ground balls to get the job done. His stuff will play in the lower minors, but he may get knocked around as he starts to face more advanced hitters. Still, he has all the building blocks, and the Spuds know to always take a flyer on a starter, because they can carry you really far if it works out. Let’s hope it does for the young Canadian.
Round 4, 125th overall pick: Fred Mailing, 3B
Hometown: Montreal, Quebec
Mailing can play just about any position, infield or outfield, but he’s probably best suited for third base. The Spuds like his knack for drawing walks and hitting singles, but they also think the 17-year-old could develop some power if he hits the gym a little. With his defensive versatility, he’ll be a valuable piece for the organization, especially if his bat continues to develop.
