2008 Amateur Draft Update

by Royals Nation on Jul 29, 2008 2:58 AM EDT

OK, here are completely updated statistics for our 2008 draftees. This will be organized in order, from our highest to lowest signed pick in the amateur draft. Sorry no explanations or further background information are provided. I have provided some analysis and updates here. The Baseball America database has listed 29 players of 51 draft picks signed. Luckily, we have the vast majority of our first few draft picks signed. We have yet to sign #1 (Eric Hosmer), #4 (Tim Melville....although some BP sources have referenced that he has been signed), and #7 Jason Esposito. Last year, we signed 35 of 50 draft picks. I'd like to get at least 6 or 7 more draft picks signed. Obviously, it's imperative that the Glass/Moore administration follow through with our organizational direction and commit top dollar to Esposito, Melville, and/or Hosmer. Both Melville AND Hosmer have to sign in order for this draft to be a success, in my opinion.

Nonetheless, statistics are provided below.

1a. Mike Montgomery (AZL)
6 G, 4 GS, 1.65 ERA, 16.1 IP, 6 BB, 11 K, .189 BAA

2. Johnny Giavotella (Burlington, IA)
.299/.370/.422, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 147 AB, 37 G, 16 BB, 20 K, 8 SB: 5 CS

3. Tyler Sample (AZL)
6 G, 4 GS, 10.66 ERA, 12.2 IP, 20 BB, 19 K, .217 BAA

5. John Lamb (AZL)
Has not pitched. Broke his collarbone in a car accident in the spring. The organization wants to bring him along slowly. He is listed on the AZL roster but has not accumulated service time.

6. Alex Llanos (AZL)
.165/.226/.227, 16-for-97, 0 HR, 11 RBI, 5 SB: 2 CS, 6 BB, 23 K

8. Malcolm Culver (AZL)
1 GS/1 G, 2 IP, 1 H, .143 BAA, 0.00 ERA

9. JD Alfaro (Idaho Falls)
.259/.286/.464, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 29-for-112, 3 BB, 39 K, 4 SB: 0 CS

10. Mauricio Matos (AZL)
.241/.281/.276, 7-for-29, 1 BB, 4 K, 3 RBI, 0 HR, 0 SB: 1 CS

12. Allen Caldwell (Burlington, NC)
.195/.281/.333, 24-for-123, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 13 BB, 30 K, 1 SB: 2 CS

13. John Flanagan (Burlington, NC)
7 G, 3 GS, 0.74 ERA, 24.1 IP, 7 BB, 26 K, 0.99 WHIP

14. Chase Hentges (AZL)
7 G, 0 GS, 2.70 ERA, 10 IP, 1 BB, 6 K, 1.30 WHIP

15. Alberto Espinosa (Idaho Falls)
.160/.229/.210, 16-for-100, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 8 BB, 20 K, 1 SB: 1 CS

16. Derrick Saito (Idaho Falls)
9 G, 0 GS, 7.30 ERA, 12.1 IP, 12 BB, 19 K, 2.35 WHIP

17. Jacob Kuebler (AZL)
.240/288/.320, 18-for-75, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K, 3 SB: 1 CS

18. Carlo Testa (Idaho Falls)
.188/.350/.313, 3-for-16, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K, 1 SB: 0 CS (for Burlington, NC)
.200/.315/.333, 12-for-60, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 10 BB, 20 K, 2 SB: 1 CS

19. Miguel Moctezuma (Burlington, NC)
.200/.262/.309, 11-for-55, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 17 K, 0 SB: 0 CS

20. Shawn Griffin (Idaho Falls)
.282/.379/.419, 35-for-124, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 19 BB, 35 K, 3 SB: 4 CS

21. Jacob Theis (AZL)
1 G, 0 GS, 27.00 ERA, 0.1 IP, 0 BB, 0 K, 12.00 WHIP

22. Blaine Hardy (Idaho Falls)
10 G, 0 GS, 6.23 ERA, 17.1 IP, 7 BB, 13 K, 1.67 WHIP

23. Dale De Schepper (AZL)
Has not accumulated service time.

24. Jason Morales (Burlington, NC)
.208/.291/.312, 16-for-77, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 7 BB, 19 K, 1 SB: 1 CS

25. Carson Bryant (Burlington, NC)
8 G, 3 GS, 6.11 ERA, 17.2 IP, 4 BB, 19 K, 1.58 WHIP

26. Ryan Morgan (Idaho Falls)
7 G, 3 GS, 5.03 ERA, 19.2 IP, 13 BB, 20 K, 1.93 WHIP

27. Tim Huber (Idaho Falls)
3 G, 0 GS, 18.00 ERA, 3 IP, 2 BB, 4 K, 3.33 WHIP (in Burlington, NC)
3 G, 0 GS, 0.00 ERA, 6 IP, 3 BB, 5 K, 1.17 ERA (in Idaho Falls)

28. Greg Billo (AZL)
2 G, 1 GS, 1.2 IP, 10.80 ERA, 1 BB, 2 K, 1.20 WHIP

34. Brett Richardson (AZL)
9 G, 0 GS, 10.2 IP, 1.69 ERA, 2 BB, 5 K, .256 OPPBA

38. James Thompson (Idaho Falls)
11 G, 0 GS, 3.31 ERA, 16.1 IP, 7 BB, 20 K, 1.41 WHIP

40. Pernell Halliman (Burlington, NC)
7 G, 1 GS, 9.24 ERA, 12.2 IP, 8 BB, 9 K, 1.97 WHIP

47. Stephen Gilgenbach (Idaho Falls)
11 G, 0 GS, 13.86 ERA, 12.1 IP, 16 BB, 12 K, 3.00 WHIP

1 recs | Comment 19 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

#7 - Espostio

I read something a long time ago—ie, not that long after the draft – that he rejected a bid dollar offer from the Royals and was going to college (Vanderbilt maybe?). Does this jive with anybody else’s knowledge or memory? I hope I’m wrong.

Based on the radio interview (w/GMDM) tthat a link was provided for on this website, it didn’t sound like Mehlville was signed yet. It sounded like it his signing or not signnig would go down to the wire (Aug 15).

Thanks for the great research.

I don't fight extra players.

by paleblueeyes on Jul 29, 2008 7:18 AM EDT 0 recs

SAMPLE IS A BUST!!!11

Just kidding. Encouraging numbers, but its still very early.

I also heard that Esposito rejected about $1 million to go to Vanderbilt. Supposedly he led the Royals to believe he’d sign, causing them to draft him, then he changed his mind. He still has two weeks to take the money.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 29, 2008 10:15 AM EDT 0 recs

Great stuff

Thanks for putting this together.

Esposito turning down a million is surprising. I understand high school draftees turning down nice bonuses to go to college but turning down a million dollars is quite a thing to do.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Jul 29, 2008 10:43 AM EDT up 0 recs

If Sample would fix his 20 BB’s… he’d be great. He doesn’t give up but 2 or 3 hits a game. If that. Probably bad mechanics or just trying to do to much. He’ll get it figured out.

Don't forget to send your broken maples to the US Forest Service.

by 306008 on Jul 29, 2008 10:54 AM EDT up 0 recs

From every thing I’ve heard, Esposito lead the Royals on, rejected an offer “substantially over $1 million” and is going to Vandy. I hope he ends up signing. He is touted as the best offensive HS player in the northeast. The newspaper reports quoted him as saying “I guess I won’t be going to college now” immediately after the draft. What’s holding him up?

Rumor has it that Melville has signed. I talked to his HS coach a few weeks ago and he said it sounded as though he would sign. I don’t know for how much. The commissioner’s office is probably not okaying the deal so the above slot bonus won’t affect everyone else.

Hosmer will sign. You don’t go #3 overall out of high school and not sign. That’s stupid. What are the chances that you’ll go that high after 3 years of college? Not nearly as high as you’d think. Some high school kid will be there in three years and he’ll go over some pretty highly thought of college players…. this year for example. Beckham over Posey, Crow, Alverez, Smoak, Matusz, and many others. He’ll sign.

What’s the deal with Culver (8), Thies (21), DeSchepper (23) ? They haven’t thrown much. Injuries? Overuse worries? Mechanical issues?

How long until Lamb throws in a game situation?

Thanks for all the info. Great job.

Don't forget to send your broken maples to the US Forest Service.

by 306008 on Jul 29, 2008 10:51 AM EDT 0 recs

questions

Culver - I think they decided to develop him as a hitter after all. He’s been DH’ing the past week.
Theis - Weird low 3/4 mechanics. Perhaps their fixing them up. He’s got a huge frame, probably why they drafted him.
DeSchepper - probably injury.
Lamb - They are being EXTREMELY careful with him. He just turned 18, remember that. Probably instructs is when he’ll start pitching competitively.

Rowdy Hardy Fan Club member.

by doublestix on Jul 29, 2008 3:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

Great write-up

I would agree that Hosmer needs to sign in order for this draft to be termed a success (given a very small sample size, though). Not so sure about Melville—it would be great to have him, obviously, and I have yet to hear anything that would indicate that the deal won’t get done, but we’re only out a fourth-round draft pick if he doesn’t sign, which in the grand scheme of things, is not as huge a hit as the #3 overall pick. Plenty of fourth-round picks don’t pan out, but losing out on your #3 pick because of signability is a much worse fate.

I am really encouraged by Johnny G’s numbers so far, especially given that he is not in a hitter’s league.

by DarthYoshi on Jul 29, 2008 11:17 AM EDT 0 recs

Agreed

I dig Johnny G.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jul 29, 2008 11:24 AM EDT up 0 recs

Esposito...

Sounds like he’s just playing the game is all. What does he have to gain by signing early? The most likely scenario is that he makes all kinds of noise about going to Vandy and buys “Go Commodores” stickers for the brand new Escalade that the local dealer let him borrow, all in the hopes that the Royals raise their number. And then on August 15th he accepts whatever they offer. He’s not stupid. Those $1M paydays don’t come around every day.

by billexgordler on Jul 29, 2008 12:51 PM EDT 0 recs

i think he's as good as gone...

vandy’s coach has the ability to talk people out of a million dollars…he’s done it numerous times before

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 29, 2008 1:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

Vanderbilit is a good school, it has a very good baseball program,

and Nashville is a fine place to spend three or four fun college years. Playing college baseball in a well supported program is much more pleasant than spending those same years bussing around West Virginia and Iowa playing in front of a few hundred indifferent fans.

NCAA baseball has a lot more to offer than just improving a player’s draft leverage. Boras tells his clients an NCAA scholarship is worth a million dollars. I think he is exaggerating, but if I had a son and he was offered a scholarship to play at Vanderbilt I would encourage him to do so unless he was offered a signing bonus of at least $400 or $500K. The Royals have put up more than this amount of money already. I suspect you are right and Esposito is either playing chicken with the Royals or he never really had any intention of going pro this year.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Jul 29, 2008 1:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

and in almost all of these situations...

the team offers to pay for school…whenever wherever the guy wants to go

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 29, 2008 1:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah, but that is kinda a scam.

The MLB “school money” offer only lasts for four years. Guys rarely wash out that quickly if they are taken high in the draft. I have read that less than 10% of the players given “school money” riders in their contract ever take advantage. Plus the “school money” only covers tuition, and then only up to $20K/year, not the other goodies that sometimes come with NCAA scholarships. Things like housing, books and tutoring.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Jul 29, 2008 1:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

thats different than i have heard...

john mayberry is a family friend and the way he said it….the mariners were willing to pay for his stanford until he graduated…whether it be offseason or after he was done with baseball

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 29, 2008 1:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

As I understand it the standard deal is the one I described above.

If the draftee does not start taking advantage of the money in the first four years it goes away. The money is limited to tuition and capped at $20K per year. And the former player must remain enrolled fulltime without breaks or the benifit terminates.

Mayberry might have gotten a special deal. I’m sure that happens.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Jul 29, 2008 1:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

wait...so the guy has to be playing minor league ball + going to school full time with no breaks

to get this money? If thats generally the case…then its a complete joke…mayberry may have been a completely different story b/c they used a 1st round pick on him and he wasnt going to sign

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jul 29, 2008 2:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

No, he has to leave professional baseball.

There is no way a player could take advantage of the money. He would need to be enrolled fulltime in college.

It is offered as a saftey clause for kids who are afraid of signing out of highschool. “Look, there is no risk. If you get hurt or decide you don’t want a career in baseball we’ll pay for your school.”

It is a nice benifit, but it is rarely taken advantage of.

www.rockchalktalk.com for pretty good KU baseball coverage

by James Quinn on Jul 29, 2008 2:09 PM EDT up 0 recs