The Astros should take NC State’s Carlos Rodon with the top overall pick in the June draft even though Rodon’s stock has fallen, MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo writes. There’s a decent chance that the worry over Rodon’s less-than-dominant performances this year are “much ado about nothing,” Mayo says. Rodon has gotten great results in his last two starts, and he has a long track record — Mayo notes that some scouts believe he could have been the first overall pick even in 2012 if he had been eligible then. Here are more notes on prospects.
- The best left-handed pitcher available isn’t Rodon, it’s California high-schooler Brady Aiken, writes MLB.com’s Jim Callis. Aiken’s velocity has increased this year, and so has his command. “I’d probably take Aiken No. 1, and I think if you asked 30 teams, 15-20 would say Aiken,” says a scouting official from an NL team. “He has taken a real step up. He’s more consistent, he has a good body, good arm action, three plus pitches at times.”
- Oscar Taveras is “checking off all the boxes” necessary for promotion to the big leagues, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny tells Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Matheny says the timeline for Taveras’ promotion has more to do with the picture at the big-league level than with Taveras’ performance. “They’re just trying to keep him going not knowing what it would look like up here,” Matheny says. “Knowing there probably wouldn’t be an extended amount of playing time as far as everyday goes. For him, just keep going.” The Cardinals recently promoted outfielder Randal Grichuk to help what had been a struggling big-league outfield. Unlike Taveras, however, Grichuk isn’t a top prospect, which might mean that the Cardinals weren’t as concerned about carving out regular playing time for him. Taveras is currently hitting .316/.370/.515 for Triple-A Memphis.
Would give Odor, Gallo and Ross for Taveras.
Grichuck was a top prospect in the angels system and is a top 10 prospect for the cardinals
Not according to Baseball America
According to Fangraphs and Baseball Prospectus he is top 10
I’ll take baseball America’s opinion on prospects loooooong before Marc Hulet at Fangraphs. Does Hulet even travel to scout prospects? or just watch video that he can find?
I’ll take BBA or BP as well
Grichuk is a better defensive player than Taveras. Have watched both play many times at ST and in Memphis.
Obviously both Rodon and Aiken amazing players and we’re lucky that we are going to get one of them but if we get the chance, i would love for the marlins to get Aiken.
No room for Taveras? Send down Bourjos who can hit, and Taveras would hit better than Jay as well. When the Cards arent scoring runs, time to try Taveras