[Westheim]

2019 DRAFT POOL ANALYSIS

Heading into the #22 pick in every round of the 2019 draft and nothing else, the Raccoons were hoping for at least one future All Star to spring from their eventual draft class. Having combed through the draft pool, we had selected 96 players for our shortlist, and of course there was also the hotlist that we would probably don’t get anybody from, coming right up after the next paragraph.

There are players for almost every need in the draft pool, with a huge number of promising pitchers and a sizeable collection of catching prospects as well, and we will have to talk about one of those later on. Outfielders were well represented, and the only thing that was probably missing was a third baseman with offensive potential.

And now, the hotlist (*indicates high school player):

SP Doug Moffatt (14/15/11) – BNN #7
SP Nick Salinas (14/13/16) – BNN #6
SP Mike McGill (12/10/11) * - BNN #9
SP Tony McDonald (11/12/13) *
SP Robert O’Brien (12/12/16) *

CL Jon Ozier (20/12/14)
CL Erik Schoonover (19/14/11)

C Mike Burgess (15/14/17) *
C/1B David Lessman (11/12/13) *

INF/LF/RF Rich Hereford (9/13/9)
1B Kevin Harenberg (12/14/8) – BNN #1
SS Tim Stalker (11/10/9) – BNN #10

RF/CF Josh Woods (10/13/13) * - BNN #3
RF/LF/CF Omar Larios (10/10/14) – BNN #4

We might be able to draft a closer at #22, which worked out in the past, and nothing else usually works out with Raccoons first-rounders. If Andy Bareford (2013) manages to stick around and starts to have himself a career, he’ll be the first Raccoons first-rounder to amount to anything in the short or long run since Jimmy Oatmeal, and that was some kind of drama after we took him in the first round in 2006.

I would like to have Rich Hereford, who is severely underscouted by Martinez when I look at the numbers, and this seems to be a general problem right now; Martinez hates people even more than me, and every scouting report is generally scathing of the player in question. He can really talk Jonny Toner into the ground, he’s got some talent for that.

There is one player that needs more talking about, and that is David Lessman, who is a strong hitter with oomph, a good catcher behind the plate, and also is a top-level pitching prospect, doing dual duty for his high school in East Greenwich, RI. Throwing right-handed, but batting left-handed, the 19-year old Lessman can not only whip the ball with the stick, but also with his paw. He throws 91mph with a cutter, curveball, and splitter, with the curveball having the biggest potential. He does have some control issues with all pitches, but which 19-year old doesn’t? Now, it is unlikely that Lessman falls to #22, but if he would, how would the Raccoons handle that?

If you get a whack at a dual player with good-to-great potential either way, shouldn’t you always go for him? If the pitching doesn’t work, maybe the catching will, and if his arm, which is average at best, doesn’t convince you, Lessman also friggin’ plays first base! There are a million ways to use the kid, and if he drops to #22, it would be hard to get past him.

The draft is not until the *next* weekend; the Raccoons still have to play a few games before they get there.