2019 MLB Draft Team Strategy – NL Central

This is the second of our divisional reviews of team-by-team strategies for the upcoming MLB draft. We’ll continue with the NL Central…

Chicago Cubs

2018 Record: 95-68 (Wild Card, lost Wild Card game)
Bonus Pool: $5,826,900
Day 1 selections: 2 (27, 64)
Day 2 selections: 8 (103, 132, 162, 192, 222, 252, 282, 312)

Draft Strategy

The Cubs have a very small pool to use this year, so they’re not likely to go crazy spending on any of their selections, but then again…

Those who I’ve talked to keep suggesting that the Cubs have their eyes on about 3 players that they are willing to “spend big” for with their first pick, essentially utilizing the rest of their first two days on senior-sign college picks at that point. Getting the read on which players those are is difficult, but Illinois prep pitcher Quinn Priester appears to be one of the three, based on heavy scouting by the Cubs.

This is a system that really needs an influx of talent, but with the shallow bonus pool and lack of draft picks, it’s most likely this won’t be the draft that will add in the next great class of Cubs prospects.

Cincinnati Reds

2018 Record: 67-95
Bonus Pool: $9,528,600
Day 1 selections: 2 (7, 49)
Day 2 selections: 8 (85, 114, 144, 174, 204, 234, 264, 294)

Draft Strategy

Once again picking in the top 10, the Cincinnati Reds traded away their CBA selection and could be wishing they had that back when it comes time to pick at #7 overall. With a heavy college hitting class and plenty of depth in the college pitching class in rounds 2-4, the Reds could set themselves up well by attacking for either a prep arm or prep bat with #7, but there really doesn’t seem to be anyone the team is highly connected to at this time.

The Reds are making plenty of in-roads on UNLV shortstop Bryson Stott, and his offensive and defensive combination could be a very enticing package for them at #7 as well as potentially an underslot signing. Their other big scouting targets have been the top college pitchers in the class.

While those are the players have been who have been seen the most by the Reds, there is still plenty of focus on upside, and the team has shown plenty of interest in Arizona State outfielder Hunter Bishop, who could be available at 7 as well. With a team seemingly on the cusp of competing, it would make sense to add as much talent into the system as possible, whether it was college or high school talent.

Milwaukee Brewers

2018 Record: 96-67 (lost NLCS)
Bonus Pool: $5,148,200
Day 1 selections: 2 (28, 65)
Day 2 selections: 7 (133, 163, 193, 223, 253, 283, 313)

Draft Strategy

Only the Red Sox have less money to spend this year than do the Brewers, and that will definitely shape their draft strategy as they aren’t picking until the 28th overall selection and approaching the selection with a reduced signing bonus pool. That absolutely screams college pick, especially with another pick in the top 70 to also get signed.

The Brewers could, however, really push all their chips into those first two selections, with their third pick not coming until the 4th round. That is why there have been a lot more Brewer scout sightings at games for players like Kody Hoese of Tulane and Davis Wendzel of Baylor, guys with college production and pro projection for their bats and either flexibility with their glove or present skills. That’s the type of player that would fit well into one of their two picks, most likely their first selection for one of those two players.

Day three for the Brewers is almost certainly going to be heavily senior-sign college types, though they have been scouting quite a bit in the JuCo ranks, and that can be an area to get a talent “deal” at times in terms of cost vs. tools compared to a prep player.

Pittsburgh Pirates

2018 Record: 82-79
Bonus Pool: $9,944,000
Day 1 selections: 4 (18, 37, 57, 72)
Day 2 selections: 8 (95, 124, 154, 184, 214, 244, 274, 304)

Draft Strategy

The Pirates have one of the largest amounts of draft picks in the draft, but they’re the only team with more than 11 selections that also has less than 8 figures of bonus pool to utilize on their draft picks. That could put the Pirates into a college-heavy focus already on their first day, or especially early in their third day.

Pittsburgh has seen their system talent depth deepen the last few years, but part of that is due to a willingness to allow players to develop at their pace, something that frustrates the average dynasty baseball player and prospect ranking service. That could lead them to push for a few high school players that may have a longer development path.

One other very important thing to consider is that the Pirates have failed to sign a pick in the top 50 or so recently multiple times. Things have changed now with those compensatory picks, however, and that does allow Pittsburgh to draft freely in their spots, knowing they won’t lose the draft pick if they don’t sign a player in the spot, even if it’s a compensatory pick for a previously unsigned player (something that used to be a one-year compensation, then lost if the player drafted in the compensatory pick was not signed).

St. Louis Cardinals

2018 Record: 88-74
Bonus Pool: $6,903,500
Day 1 selections: 2 (19, 58)
Day 2 selections: 8 (96, 125, 155, 185, 215, 245, 275, 305)

Draft Strategy

The Cardinals could teach lessons on drafting the last decade. They have scouted mid-size and small schools tremendously well and seen guys like Paul DeJong and Kolten Wong develop into excellent players, even if they were drafted in the first five rounds, so they weren’t exactly late picks.

St. Louis frequently grabs a player who has talent worthy of a selection much higher than where they are picking but has fallen for one reason or another. Last year, that player was Nolan Gorman, who has quickly established himself as potentially the top hitting prospect from the 2018 draft. The major league roster for the Cardinals is dotted with guys just like that in the pitching staff (Jack Flaherty, Dakota Hudson, Jordan Hicks), who all were ranked higher than where they were drafted by the Cardinals.

Who will that guy be in the 2019 draft? That’s a good question, but one area to consider is the prep pitching class that has been overlooked by many as a potential class to slip as a whole. They could also grab one of the top middle infielders from a very deep college middle infield class that has a fluctuating market value, but there is plenty of value here as well. One player to watch that could match as someone who attended a local college to the St. Louis area and has fallen off from where his raw talent would place him is Kameron Misner.

Needless to say, few teams are as difficult to predict and as fun to watch when draft day comes as the Cardinals.

Become a Patron!