Forgive the HS names. I am planning to run that out of the league for the 2302 draft.
SPA Draft Goes Heavy Travel Ball Players
Bradberton - The 2301 Season Pass Association conducted its first draft of a combination of the Nuka World League and Vim! League, and the big story is that seven of the 18 1st-round picks were not players in any of the Season Pass Association's youth leagues.
NWL founder John-Caleb Bradberton felt it was important to add more talent to the pool, but the 2302 season would switch to 100% associated youth leagues.
"It brings in too much money not to," Bradberton said.
Leading the way for the 2301 draft was the Quartz Star Force (NWL) selecting independent player IF Mike Redd. Redd supposedly impressed Star Force GM Justin Hurst and MGR Nerd Amaya. Redd looks to be a power-hitting infielder who will probably settle at 3B or 1B due to his limited range. He could be a middle-of-the-lineup option who draws walks and hits his fair share of homers.
With the second pick, the Cherry Ghoulrillas (NWL) selected SS Sugar Bomb Mendez formerly of the Safari Adventure Gazelles of the Amusement Park League. Mendez is considered to be a good shortstop capable of working his way onto the field because of his glove. He can be a good all-around hitter with good speed on the bases, but he will need to clean up his overall skills before he will advance at the next level.
The Eden Meadows Anglers (VimL) picked third and went with C Jeff Platelunch also of the Gazelles. Platelunch may make a switch in the Vim League to 1B. He had OK numbers with Safari Adventure but will need development. He is considered a high-character player and can help his coaches in getting fellow teammates on board.
The Season Pass Association is not at the same talent level as the CBO, so some of the top prospects are difficult to predict. Teams in the Season Pass Association do work with the CBO's scouting group, the OSA. Typically, those players are scouted in respect to CBO players, so it is difficult to interpret their reports in respect to the SPA leagues.
For example, the best player in the NWL, SP John Diner, would not be considered a sure starter in the CBO in 2301 according to OSA scouts even though he won 10 or more games three times for the CBO's Warwick Mirelurks.
The complete SPA draft is listed below.