Draft signing day

[bookelly]

Today is the day that we (hopefully) restock the cupboards in our farm system. Tony has a helpful page with the lastest news about each player. http://www.indiansprospectinsider.com/2011/06/2011-draft-recap.html

I hope we get Dillon Peters and Stephen Tarpley...lefties are extra nice.

[gotribe31]

There really isn't much news, yet. MLB is still discouraging announcing overslot signings before midnight. I think we get Lindor and Howard ok, but Peters and Tarpley will be tough and expensive. Still, draft bonuses are dirt cheap compared to free agent talent on the open market.

[gotribe31]

Dillon Howard signed. Prep arm out of Arkansas, 2nd round pick. Bonus not disclosed yet, but I'd expect it to be well over slot, somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.5 mil.

[gotribe31]

I was close...$1.85 million. Slot for the pick is $545,000

[motherscratcher]

KLaw is making me nervous about Lindor

[andrew6586]

Dorm we get some sort of compensation if our first round pick doesn't sign?

[gotribe31]

KLaw is making me nervous about Lindor

Me too. I still think a deal gets done though.

[bookelly]

KLaw is making me nervous about Lindor

Me too. I still think a deal gets done though.

Me three. This is nuts.

[bookelly]

Yes. We got Lindor. Whew.

[Adverb Harry]

He's signed. No word yet on Tarpley

[gotribe31]

Lindor signed for $2.9 mil, over the $2.04 mil slot (but not by as much as I expected).

[YahooFanChicago]

I heard unofficial that Lindor, Howard and Peters are in the fold..anyone have any official links? What about Tarpley?

Scratch that, now I hear neither of them (Peters or Tarpley)........ Would have been great to get Tarpley.

[gotribe31]

I heard unofficial that Lindor, Howard and Peters are in the fold..anyone have any official links? What about Tarpley?

Scratch that, now I hear neither of them (Peters or Tarpley)........ Would have been great to get Tarpley.

Correct. Lindor and Howard are in for a combined $4.2 million. Both Peters and Tarpley are going to college. So 2 of the big 4 coming into today were signed, but both prep lefties did not. Would have been nice to get them, but Lindor was the real make or break guy today.

[YahooFanChicago]

Al,

With the signings now over how do you think this signed draft class compates to our strong 2008, 2009 and 2010 drafts?

As a casual observer this one seems to have a lot of potential. Grant seems to be doing a good job.

[gotribe31]

Al,

With the signings now over how do you think this signed draft class compates to our strong 2008, 2009 and 2010 drafts?

As a casual observer this one seems to have a lot of potential. Grant seems to be doing a good job.

I'm working on that article right now. Expect to see it up in the next day or two.

Did I mention I hate that signing day goes right up till midnight?

[WiscTribeFan]

The Nats spent nearly $14M on their top 4 guys, including Purke. They are not afraid to spend it on the draft, that's for sure.

[rebelwithoutaclue]

Am I wrong in assuming that with Pomeranz gone, Lindor and Howard instantly become the top 2 prospects in the Indians system?


Why did it take so long for Brad Grant to start running the draft?

[gotribe31]

Am I wrong in assuming that with Pomeranz gone, Lindor and Howard instantly become the top 2 prospects in the Indians system?


Why did it take so long for Brad Grant to start running the draft?

Probably. Howard could be a solid #2 in a good rotation, which is a higher projection than pretty much all of the pitchers in our system. Lindor is suddenly the best of several nice, young SS prospects, including Tony Wolters and Ronny Rodriguez.

I'm working on an updated top-10 that will come out on Sunday, but Lindor/Howard are probably 1/2. If you still consider Kipnis and Chiz prospects (they haven't hit the ROY thresholds yet but both should by the end of the season), then Kip is still #1, Lindor is probably #2, followed by Chiz then Howard.

[Symbolic47]

Super excited about this news. Lindor is a special talent, who has all the tools to be an All Star. I think people are under rating his power quite a bit. The kid won some Home run derby before the draft, and hit 6 dingers in 58 AB's his SR in High School. He could turn into Droobs power wise and I would not be surprised one bit.

[gotribe31]

Super excited about this news. Lindor is a special talent, who has all the tools to be an All Star. I think people are under rating his power quite a bit. The kid won some Home run derby before the draft, and hit 6 dingers in 58 AB's his SR in High School. He could turn into Droobs power wise and I would not be surprised one bit.

He did win the AFLAC HR derby in 2010, but he hit just 4 HR to do it. The HR were at Petco Park, so they were legit but he didn't exactly go all Josh Hamilton on them. Impressive for a kid that size to beat kids with better raw power, but he's quite a ways away from a 20 HR season at the ML level. His power projects to be below average to average overall, but he has a solid hit tool and gold glove potential in the field, so I would be perfectly fine with him averaging 15 HR per season in the show. He profiles as an ideal #2 hitter.

[Symbolic47]

Super excited about this news. Lindor is a special talent, who has all the tools to be an All Star. I think people are under rating his power quite a bit. The kid won some Home run derby before the draft, and hit 6 dingers in 58 AB's his SR in High School. He could turn into Droobs power wise and I would not be surprised one bit.

He did win the AFLAC HR derby in 2010, but he hit just 4 HR to do it. The HR were at Petco Park, so they were legit but he didn't exactly go all Josh Hamilton on them. Impressive for a kid that size to beat kids with better raw power, but he's quite a ways away from a 20 HR season at the ML level. His power projects to be below average to average overall, but he has a solid hit tool and gold glove potential in the field, so I would be perfectly fine with him averaging 15 HR per season in the show. He profiles as an ideal #2 hitter.

good info. Regardless Im super excited about him. He is high upside average wise though right?

[motherscratcher]

Bo Pelini on Bubba Starling signing with the Royals:

Everyone associated with our football program at Nebraska wishes Bubba nothing but the best in his future with the Kansas City Royals organization,” the statement read. “I know this decision has been very difficult for Bubba and his family, as it would be for anyone in his position. In the end, Bubba was in a win-win situation regardless of his choice, and we respect the decision he has made. I personally will root for Bubba in every game except when he plays against the Indians!”

From CFT

[gotribe31]

Super excited about this news. Lindor is a special talent, who has all the tools to be an All Star. I think people are under rating his power quite a bit. The kid won some Home run derby before the draft, and hit 6 dingers in 58 AB's his SR in High School. He could turn into Droobs power wise and I would not be surprised one bit.

He did win the AFLAC HR derby in 2010, but he hit just 4 HR to do it. The HR were at Petco Park, so they were legit but he didn't exactly go all Josh Hamilton on them. Impressive for a kid that size to beat kids with better raw power, but he's quite a ways away from a 20 HR season at the ML level. His power projects to be below average to average overall, but he has a solid hit tool and gold glove potential in the field, so I would be perfectly fine with him averaging 15 HR per season in the show. He profiles as an ideal #2 hitter.

good info. Regardless Im super excited about him. He is high upside average wise though right?

Yes, definitely. Very solid hit tool, and like I said the power could still end up as average. I think his upside is a .300/.390/.450 guy with 15 HR and 25 SB, and above average to gold glove defense at short. He's 17 years old though, so we're a long ways away from seeing that in the major leagues. But he has all star potential at SS.

[bookelly]

Super excited about this news. Lindor is a special talent, who has all the tools to be an All Star. I think people are under rating his power quite a bit. The kid won some Home run derby before the draft, and hit 6 dingers in 58 AB's his SR in High School. He could turn into Droobs power wise and I would not be surprised one bit.

He did win the AFLAC HR derby in 2010, but he hit just 4 HR to do it. The HR were at Petco Park, so they were legit but he didn't exactly go all Josh Hamilton on them. Impressive for a kid that size to beat kids with better raw power, but he's quite a ways away from a 20 HR season at the ML level. His power projects to be below average to average overall, but he has a solid hit tool and gold glove potential in the field, so I would be perfectly fine with him averaging 15 HR per season in the show. He profiles as an ideal #2 hitter.

good info. Regardless Im super excited about him. He is high upside average wise though right?

Yes, definitely. Very solid hit tool, and like I said the power could still end up as average. I think his upside is a .300/.390/.450 guy with 15 HR and 25 SB, and above average to gold glove defense at short. He's 17 years old though, so we're a long ways away from seeing that in the major leagues. But he has all star potential at SS.

It may be very early to project offensive numbers, but the defense is already there. Guy could be a very, very special glove at a premier position. Happy signing to say the least.

Missing out on the lefties was tough. Can't have to many of those guys.

[gotribe31]

Super excited about this news. Lindor is a special talent, who has all the tools to be an All Star. I think people are under rating his power quite a bit. The kid won some Home run derby before the draft, and hit 6 dingers in 58 AB's his SR in High School. He could turn into Droobs power wise and I would not be surprised one bit.

He did win the AFLAC HR derby in 2010, but he hit just 4 HR to do it. The HR were at Petco Park, so they were legit but he didn't exactly go all Josh Hamilton on them. Impressive for a kid that size to beat kids with better raw power, but he's quite a ways away from a 20 HR season at the ML level. His power projects to be below average to average overall, but he has a solid hit tool and gold glove potential in the field, so I would be perfectly fine with him averaging 15 HR per season in the show. He profiles as an ideal #2 hitter.

good info. Regardless Im super excited about him. He is high upside average wise though right?

Yes, definitely. Very solid hit tool, and like I said the power could still end up as average. I think his upside is a .300/.390/.450 guy with 15 HR and 25 SB, and above average to gold glove defense at short. He's 17 years old though, so we're a long ways away from seeing that in the major leagues. But he has all star potential at SS.

It may be very early to project offensive numbers, but the defense is already there. Guy could be a very, very special glove at a premier position. Happy signing to say the least.

Missing out on the lefties was tough. Can't have to many of those guys.

True, but Tarpley reportedly wanted $3 million to sign. That's almost what Trevor Bauer got. Nuts.

As you'll see in the draft review article that will post later today, I think the Tarpley and Peters picks were fallbacks in case they couldn't sign Howard. If they had a couple mil lying around 20 min before the deadline, they'd have thrown it at one/both of the lefties to try and get something done. I'd rather have Howard than both of the lefties though. I really like him.

[gotribe31]

As promised, the full draft recap is up on the front page: http://goo.gl/epLkO